ध्रुवं हि युद्धे मरणं शूरामामनिवर्तिनाम्। गतः पुण्यकृतां लोकानभिमन्युर्न संशयः
For those valiant ones who do not turn back, death in battle is certain; Abhimanyu has surely attained the worlds of the righteous, there is no doubt.
एतच्च सर्ववीराणां काङ्क्षितं भरतर्षभ। सङ्ग्रामेऽभिमुखा मृत्युं प्राप्नुयामेति मानद
This is what all heroes desire, O bull among the Bharatas: to meet death face to face in battle, O giver of honor.
स च वीरान्रणे हत्वा राजपुत्रान्महाबलान्। वीरैराकाङ्क्षितं मृत्युं सम्प्राप्तोऽभिमुखं रणे
He, having slain mighty royal sons in battle, has attained the death longed for by heroes, meeting it face to face in the fight.
मा शुचः पुरुषव्याघ्र पूर्वैरेष सनातनः। धर्मकृद्भिः कृतो धर्मः क्षत्रियाणां रणे क्षयः
Do not grieve, tiger among men; this is the ancient law established by the righteous for Kshatriyas: destruction in battle.
इमे ते भ्रातरः सर्वे दीना भरतसत्तम। त्वयि शोकसमाविष्टे नृपाश्च सुहृदस्तव
All your brothers, O best of the Bharatas, are afflicted and dejected, as are the kings and your friends, seeing you overwhelmed by grief.
एतांश्च वचसा साम्ना समाश्वासय मानद। विदितं वेदितव्यं ते न शोकं कर्तुमर्हसि
Comfort them with gentle words, O giver of honor; you know what is to be known, you should not give in to sorrow.
एवमाश्वासितः पार्थः कृष्णेनाद्भुतकर्मणा। ततोऽब्रवीत्तदा भ्रातॄन्सर्वान्पार्थः सगद्गदम्
Thus consoled by Krishna, the doer of wondrous deeds, Partha then spoke to all his brothers, his voice choked with emotion.
स दीर्घबाहुः पृथ्वंसो दीर्घराजीवलोचनः। अभिमन्युर्यथा वृत्तः श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं तथा
That long-armed, broad-shouldered, lotus-eyed Abhimanyu—tell me exactly how he met his end.
सनागस्यन्दनहयान्सङ्ग्रामे निहतान्मया। क्षिप्रं द्रक्ष्यन्ति ते नूनं मम पुत्रं निहत्य वै
Having slain elephants, chariots, and horses in battle, they will soon see my son, indeed, slain by me.
कथं च वः कृतास्त्राणां सर्वेषां शस्त्रपाणिनाम्। सौभद्रो निधनं गच्छेद्वज्रिणापि समागतः
How did Saubhadra meet his end among you all, skilled in weapons and bearing arms, even with the wielder of the thunderbolt present?
यद्येवमहमज्ञास्यमशक्तान्रक्षणे मम। सूनोः पाण्डवपाञ्चालानगोप्स्यं तं महारणे
If I had known that you were powerless to protect my son, the Pandavas and Panchalas, I would not have entrusted him to you in the great battle.
कथं च वो रथस्यानां शरवर्षाणि मुञ्चताम्। नीतोऽभिमन्युर्निधनं कदर्थीकृत्य वः परैः
How, while you were releasing volleys of arrows from your chariots, was Abhimanyu led to his death, humiliated by your enemies?
अहो वः पौरुषं नास्ति न च वोऽस्ति पराक्रमः। यत्राभिमन्युः समरे पश्यतां वो निपातितः
Alas, you have no valor, nor any prowess, since Abhimanyu was struck down in battle before your very eyes.
आत्मानमेव गर्हेयं यदहं वै सुदुर्बलान्। युष्मानाज्ञाय निर्यातो भीरूनकृतनिश्चयान्
I should blame myself, for I went forth, not knowing you were so weak, fearful, and indecisive.
आहोस्विद्भूषणार्थाय वर्मशस्त्रायुधानि वः। वाचस्तु वक्तुं संसत्सु मम पुत्रमरक्षताम्
Or perhaps your armor, weapons, and arms are only for ornament, and your words in assemblies are merely for speaking, since you did not protect my son.
एवमुक्त्वा ततो वाक्यमतिष्ठद्वै वरासिमान्। न स्माशक्यत बीभत्सुः केनचित्प्रसमीक्षितुम्
Having spoken thus, the mighty wielder of the best swords stood silent; none could bear to look upon Arjuna.
तमन्तकमिव क्रुद्धं निःश्वसन्तं मुहुर्मुहुः। `महेन्द्रमिव तिष्ठन्तं वज्रोद्यतमहाभुजम्'। पुत्रशोकाभिसन्तप्तमश्रुपूर्णमुखं तदा
Like Death himself, enraged and breathing heavily again and again, like Mahendra standing with thunderbolt raised, his face full of tears, scorched by grief for his son.
न भाषितुं शक्नुवन्ति द्रष्टुं वा सुहृदोऽर्जुनम्। अन्यत्र वासुदेवाद्वा ज्येष्ठाद्वा पाण्डुनन्दनात्
His friends could neither speak to Arjuna nor even look at him, except for Vasudeva or the eldest son of Pandu.
सर्वास्ववस्थासु हितावर्जुनस्य मनोनुगौ। बहुमानात्प्रियत्वाच्च तावेनं वक्तमर्हतः
In all circumstances, those devoted to Arjuna, out of respect and affection, alone were fit to address him.
ततस्तं पुत्रशोकेन भृशं पीडितमानसम्। राजीवलोचनं क्रुद्धं राजा वचनमब्रवीत्
Then the king spoke to him, whose mind was deeply afflicted by grief for his son, whose eyes were like lotuses, and who was enraged.
विषण्णवदनाः सर्वे परिवार्य धनञ्जयम्। नेत्रैरनिमिषैर्दीनाः प्रत्यवैक्षन्परस्परम्
All, with faces downcast, surrounded Dhananjaya, gazing at one another with unblinking, sorrowful eyes.
प्रतिलभ्य ततः संज्ञां वासविः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः। कम्पमानो ज्वरेणेव निःश्वसंश्च मुहुर्मुहुः
Regaining consciousness, Vasavi, overcome with anger, trembled as if with fever, and breathed heavily again and again.
पाणिं पाणौ विनिष्पिष्य दन्तान्कटकटाय्य च। `त्रिशिखां भ्रुकुटीं कृत्वा क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः'। उन्मत्त इव विप्रेक्षन्निदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Clenching his hand in his palm, grinding his teeth, furrowing his brow in three lines, his eyes reddened with rage, he looked around like a madman and spoke these words.
सत्यं वः प्रतिजानामि श्वोऽस्मि हन्ताऽजयद्रथम्। न चेद्वधभयाद्भीतो धार्तराष्ट्रान्प्रहास्यति
I swear to you in truth: tomorrow I will slay Jayadratha, unless, out of fear of death, he flees from the Dhartarashtras.
न चास्माञ्शरणं गच्छेत्कृष्णं वा पुरुषोत्तमम्। भवन्तं वा महाराज श्वोऽस्मि हन्ता जयद्रथम्
If he does not seek refuge with Krishna, the supreme man, or with you, great king, tomorrow I will slay Jayadratha.
धार्तराष्ट्रप्रियकरं मयि विस्मृतसौहृदम्। पापं बालवधे हेतुं श्वोऽस्मि हन्ता जयद्रथम्
He who has pleased the Dhartarashtras, forgotten friendship with me, and caused the sinful killing of a child—tomorrow I will slay Jayadratha.
रक्षमाणाश्च तं सङ्ख्ये ये मां योत्स्यन्ति केचन। अपि द्रोणकृपौ राजञ्छादयिष्यामि ताञ्छरैः
And whoever tries to protect him in battle and fights against me, even Drona or Kripa, O king, I will cover them with arrows.
यद्येतदेवं सङ्ग्रामे न कुर्यां पुरुषर्षभाः। मा स्म पुण्यकृतां लोकान्प्राप्नुयां शूरसम्मतान्
If, in this battle, the foremost men do not act thus, may I not attain the worlds of the virtuous or those honored by heroes.
ये लोका मातृहन्तॄणां ये चापि पितृघातिनाम्। गुरुदारगतानां ये पिशुनानां च ये सदा
The worlds attained by those who kill their mothers, those who slay their fathers, those who violate their teacher’s wife, and those who are always slanderers—
साधूनसूयतां ये च ये चापि परिवादिनाम्। ये च निक्षेपहन्तॄणां ये च विश्वासघातिनाम्
Those who are envious of the virtuous, those who are habitual disputers, those who betray entrusted deposits, and those who break trust—