सोऽहमिच्छाम्यनुज्ञातुं रक्षितुं वा महात्मना। द्रोणेन सहपुत्रेण वीरेण यदि मन्यसे
Therefore, if you think it right, I wish to seek permission or protection from the great-souled Drona and his heroic son.
स राज्ञा स्वयमाचार्यो भृशमत्रार्थितोऽर्जुन। संविधानं च विहितं रथाश्च किल सज्जिताः
Thus earnestly requested by the king, the teacher himself arranged everything, and the chariots, it is said, were made ready.
कर्णो भूरिश्रवा द्रौणिर्वृषसेनश्च दुर्जयः। कृपश्च मद्रराजश्च षडेतेऽस्य पुरोगमाः
Karna, Bhurishravas, Drona's son, Vrishasena the unconquerable, Kripa, and the king of Madra—these six are his foremost warriors.
शकटः पद्मकश्चार्धो व्यूहो द्रोणेन निर्मितः। पद्मकर्णिकमध्यस्थः सूची पार्श्वे जयद्रथः
Drona has arranged the formation as half-cart and half-lotus; Jayadratha stands at the needle-pointed side, in the center of the lotus's pericarp.
स्थास्यते रक्षिते वीरैः सिन्धुराट् स सुदुर्मदः। धनुष्यस्त्रे च वीर्ये च प्राणे चैव तथौरसे
The Sindhu king, fierce and proud, will stand there protected by heroes—unassailable in archery, weapons, life, and chest.
अविषह्यतमा ह्येते निश्चिताः पार्थ षड्रथाः। एतानजित्वा सगणान्नैव प्राप्यो जयद्रथः
These six chariot-warriors, O Partha, are considered utterly invincible; without defeating them and their forces, Jayadratha cannot be reached.
तेषामेकैकशो वीर्यं षण्णां त्वमनुचिन्तय। सहिता हि नरव्याघ्र न शक्या जेतुमञ्जसा
Consider carefully the strength of each of these six; for, O tiger among men, together they cannot be easily conquered.
भूयस्तु मन्त्रयिष्यामि नीतिमात्महिताय वै। मन्त्रज्ञैः सचिवैः सार्धं सुहृद्भिः कार्यसिद्धये
Yet I will further counsel you, for your own good, with ministers skilled in strategy and friends, so that the task may succeed.
तव प्रसादाद्भगवन्किंनावाप्तं रणे मम। अविषह्यं हृषीकेश किं जानन्मां विगर्हसे
O Lord, what have I failed to achieve in battle by your grace? O Hrishikesha, knowing me to be invincible, why do you reproach me?
यथा लक्ष्म स्थिरं चन्द्रे समुद्रे च यथा जलम्। एवमेतां प्रतिज्ञां मे सत्यां विद्धि जनार्दन
As the mark on the moon is steadfast, as water is in the ocean, so too, Janardana, know my vow to be true.
मावमंस्था ममास्त्राणि मावमंस्थाश्च गाण्डिवम्। मावमंस्था बलं बाह्वोर्मावमंस्था धनञ्जयम्
Do not underestimate my weapons, do not underestimate Gandiva, do not underestimate the strength of my arms, nor Dhananjaya himself.
गाण्डीवं च धनुर्दिव्यं योद्धा चाहं नरर्षभ। त्वं च यन्ता हृषीकेश किन्नु स्यादजितं मया
Gandiva is a divine bow, and I am a warrior, O bull among men; you are the charioteer, O Hrishikesha—how could victory elude me?
यथाभियाय सङ्ग्रमं न जितो वै जयामि च। तेन सत्येन सङ्ग्रामे हतं विद्धि जयद्रथम्
As I have never been defeated when I have entered battle, by that truth, know that Jayadratha will be slain in the fight.
त्वं च माधव सर्वं तत्तथा प्रतिविधास्यसि। यथा रिपूणां मिषतां प्रमथिष्यामि सैन्धवम्
And you, Madhava, will act in every way so that, before the eyes of our enemies, I will destroy the Sindhu king.
ध्रुवं वै ब्राह्मणे सत्यं ध्रुवा साधुषु सन्नतिः। श्रीर्ध्रुवाऽपि च दक्षेषु ध्रुवो नारायणे जयः
Truth is certain in a Brahmin, humility is certain in the virtuous, prosperity is certain in the diligent, and victory is certain in Narayana.
एवमुक्त्वा हृषीकेशं स्वयमात्मानमात्मना। सन्दिदेशार्जुनो नर्दन्वासविः केशवं प्रभुम्
Having spoken thus to Hrishikesha, Arjuna, the son of Vasava, instructed himself and the lord Keshava.
यथा प्रभातां रजनीं कल्पितः स्याद्रथोत्तमः। तथा कार्यं त्वया कृष्ण प्रतिज्ञा स्याद्यथा ध्रुवा
Just as the best chariot is readied for the coming dawn, so, O Krishna, you must act, so that my vow is fulfilled as surely as daybreak.
श्वः शिरः पादमूलं ते सैन्धवस्याहृतं ध्रुवम्। पद्ध्यां प्रमथितासि त्वं विशोका भव मा रुदः
Tomorrow, the head of the Sindhu king will surely be brought to your feet; you will see him struck down in battle—be at peace, do not weep.
क्षत्रधर्मं पुरस्कृत्य गतः शूरः सतां गतिम्। वयं च प्राप्नुयामेह ये चान्ये शस्त्रजीविनः
Having followed the duty of a warrior, your brave son has attained the path of the righteous; may we and all others who live by the sword attain the same.
व्यूढोरस्को महाबाहुरनिवर्ती रिपुव्रजात्। गतस्तव वरारोहे पुत्रः स्वर्गं ज्वरं जहि
Your son, broad-chested, mighty-armed, unyielding before the enemy host, has gone to heaven, O lovely one—cast off your grief.
अनुयातश्च पितरं मातृपक्षं च वीर्यवान्। सहस्रशो रिपून्हत्वा हतः शूरो महारथः
Having followed his father and his mother's kin, that mighty warrior, having slain thousands of enemies, was himself slain—a hero, a great chariot-fighter.
आश्वासय स्नुषां राज्ञि मा शुचः क्षत्रिये भृशम्। श्वः प्रियं सुमहच्छ्रुत्वा विशोका भव नन्दिनि
Console the queen, your daughter-in-law; do not grieve so deeply for a Kshatriya. Tomorrow, hearing great and joyful news, be free from sorrow, O cherished one.
यत्पार्थेन प्रतिज्ञातं तत्तथा न तदन्यथा। चिकीर्षितं हि ते भर्तुर्न भवेज्जातु निष्फलम्
What Arjuna has vowed, that will surely come to pass, not otherwise; for what your husband intends will never be fruitless.
यदि च मनुजपन्नगाः पिशाचा रजनिचचाराः पतगाः सुरासुराश्च। रणगतमभियान्ति सिन्धुराजं न स भविता सह तैरपि प्रभाते
Even if men, serpents, spirits, night-wanderers, birds, gods, and demons all attack the Sindhu king in battle, by morning he will not remain with them.
अहो ह्यकाले प्रस्थानं कृतवानसि पुत्रक। विहाय फलकाले मां सुगृद्धां तव दर्शने
Alas, my son, you have departed at an untimely hour, leaving me, who longed so much to see you, at the time of fruition.
नूनं गतिः कृतान्तस्य प्राज्ञैरपि सुदुर्विदा। यत्र त्वं केशवे नाथे सङ्ग्रामेऽनाथवद्धतः
Truly, the path of destiny is hard to discern, even for the wise, when you, with Krishna as your protector, were slain in battle like one without support.
यज्वनां दानशीलानां ब्राह्मणानां कृतात्मनाम्। चरितब्रह्मचर्याणां पुण्यतीर्थावगाहिनाम्
May you attain the state reached by sacrificers, the charitable, the self-controlled Brahmins, those who have observed celibacy, and those who have bathed in holy waters.
कृतज्ञानां वदान्यानां गुरुशुश्रूषिणामपि। सहस्रदक्षिणानां च या गतिस्तामवाप्नुहि
May you attain the state reached by the grateful, the generous, those who serve their elders, and those who have given thousands of gifts.
या गतिर्युध्यमानानां शूराणामनिवर्तिनाम्। हत्वारीन्निहतानां च सङ्ग्रामे तां गति व्रज
May you go to the state attained by warriors who fight without turning back, who are slain in battle after defeating their foes.
गोसहस्रप्रदातॄणां क्रतुदानां च या गतिः। नैवेशिकं चाभिमतं ददतां या गतिः शुभा
May you attain the blessed state of those who give away thousands of cows, who perform sacrifices, and who give desired gifts to priests.