ब्रह्मवक्त्राय सर्वाय शंकराय शिवाय च। नमोस्तु वाचस्पतये प्रजानां पतये नमः
Homage to the one whose mouth is the Veda, who is all, who brings auspiciousness and well-being; salutations to the lord of speech, to the lord of creatures.
अभिगम्याय काम्याय स्तुत्यायार्याय सर्वदा। नमोऽस्तु देवदेवाय महाभूतधराय च। नमो विश्वस्य पतये पत्तीनां पतये नमः
Homage to the one who is approachable, desirable, always worthy of praise, noble at all times; salutations to the god of gods, the bearer of the great elements; homage to the lord of the universe, to the lord of lords.
नमो विश्वस्य पतये महतां पतये नमः। नमः सहस्रशिरसे सहस्रभुजमृत्यवे।। सहस्रनेत्रपादाय नमोऽसङ्ख्येयकर्मणे
Homage to the lord of the universe, to the lord of the great; salutations to the thousand-headed, the thousand-armed death; to the one with a thousand eyes and feet, homage to the one of countless deeds.
नमो हिरण्यवर्णाय हिरण्यकवचाय च। भक्तानुकम्पिने नित्यं सिध्यतां नो वरः प्रभो
Homage to the golden-hued, to the one with golden armor; ever compassionate to devotees, may our boon be accomplished, O Lord.
एवं स्तुत्वा महादेवं वासुदेवः सहार्जुनः। प्रसादयामास भवं तदा ह्यस्त्रोपलब्धये
Having thus praised the great god, Vāsudeva together with Arjuna sought to please Bhava at that time, in order to obtain weapons.
सोऽहं तत्र गमिष्यामि यत्र सैन्धवको नृपः। यियासुर्यमलोकाय मम वीर्यं प्रतीक्षते
Therefore, I will go there where the Sindhu king is, who wishes to depart to the world of Yama and awaits my strength.
यथा परमकं कृत्यं सैन्धवस्य वधो मम। तथैव सुमहत्कृत्यं धर्मराजस्य रक्षणम्
Just as the slaying of the Sindhu king is my highest duty, so too is the great task of protecting King Yudhishthira.
स त्वमद्य महाबाहो राजानं परिपालय। यथैव हि मया गुप्तस्त्वया गुप्तो भवेत्तथा
Therefore, mighty-armed one, you must protect the king today; just as I have been guarded by you, so too may you be guarded by me.
न पश्यामि च तं लोके यस्त्वां युद्धे पराजयेत्। वासुदेवसमं युद्धे स्वयमप्यमरेश्वरः
I do not see anyone in this world who could defeat you in battle, not even the lord of immortals himself, equal to Vāsudeva in war.
त्वयि चाहं पराश्वस्तः प्रद्युम्ने वा महारथे। शक्नुयां सैन्धवं हन्तुमनपेक्षो नरर्षभ
With you, or with Pradyumna the great chariot-warrior, I am confident that I can slay the Sindhu king without concern, O best of men.
मय्यपेक्षा न कर्तव्या गोप्ताऽयं मम केशवः। राज्ञ एव परा गुप्तिः कार्या सर्वात्मना त्वया
You must not be concerned for me; Keśava is my protector. Your utmost duty is to protect the king in every way.
न हि यत्र महाबाहुर्वासुदेवो व्यवस्थितः। किञ्चिद्व्यापद्यते तत्र यत्राहमपि च ध्रुवम्
Where the mighty-armed Vāsudeva stands, nothing can go wrong there, nor where I am present, certainly.
एवमुक्तस्तु पार्थेन सात्यकिः परवीरहा। तथेत्युक्त्वाऽगमत्तत्र यत्र राजा युधिष्ठिरः
Thus addressed by Pārtha, Sātyaki, the destroyer of enemy heroes, replied 'So be it,' and went to where King Yudhishthira was.
ज्याघोषो ब्रह्मघोषश्च तोमरासिरथध्वनिः। द्रोणस्यासीदविरतो गृहे तं न शृणोम्यहम्
The twang of the bowstring, the sound of sacred chants, the noise of spears, swords, and chariots—these were unceasing in Droṇa's house, but now I do not hear them.
नानादेशसमुत्थानां गीतानां योऽभवत्स्वनः। वादित्रनादितानां च सोऽद्य न श्रूयते महान्
The great sound that arose from songs of various regions, and from the playing of instruments, is not heard today.
यदाप्रभृत्युपप्लुव्याच्छान्तिमिच्छञ्जनार्दनः। आगतः सर्वभूतानामनुकम्पार्थमच्युतः
From the time when confusion arose, desiring peace, Janārdana, the infallible one, came out of compassion for all beings.
ततोऽहमब्रुवं सूत मन्दं दुर्योधनं तदा। वासुदेवेन तीर्थेन पुत्र संशाम्य पाण्डवैः
Then I slowly said to Duryodhana, O charioteer, 'My son, make peace with the Pandavas through Krishna, who is as holy as a sacred ford.'
कालप्राप्तमहं मन्ये मा त्वं दुर्योधनातिगाः। `संशाम्य भ्रातृभिस्तैस्तु क्षत्रियानभिपालय
I believe the proper time has come; do not go beyond Duryodhana's bounds. Make peace with your brothers and protect the Kshatriyas.
शमं चेद्याचमानं त्वं प्रत्याख्यास्यसि केशवम्। हितार्थमभिजल्पन्तं न तवास्ति रणे जयः
If you reject Krishna when he comes seeking peace, speaking for your own good, then you will have no victory in battle.
प्रत्याचष्ट स दाशार्हमृषभं सर्वधन्विनाम्। अनुनेयानि जल्पन्तमनयान्नान्वपद्यत
He replied to Krishna, the best among the Dasharhas and all archers, disregarding his conciliatory words and did not follow his advice.
कर्णदुःशासनमतः सौबलस्य च दुर्मतेः। प्रत्याख्यातो महाबाहुःकुलान्तकरणेन वै
Because of the counsel of Karna, Duhshasana, and the evil-minded son of Subala, the mighty-armed one rejected the proposal that would have preserved the lineage.
ततो दुःशासनस्यैव कर्णस्य च मतं द्वयोः। अन्ववर्तत मां हित्वा कृष्टः कालेन दुर्मतिः
Then, following the opinion of Duhshasana and Karna, that misguided one, drawn by fate, abandoned me.
न ह्यहं युद्धमिच्छामि विदुरो द्रोण एव वा। बाह्लीकः सोमदत्तो वा भीष्मो द्रौणायनिस्तथा
Neither I, nor Vidura, nor Drona, nor Bahlika, nor Somadatta, nor Bhishma, nor Drona's son desire war.
शलो भूरिश्रवाश्चैव पुरुमित्रो विविंशतिः। जयः कृपो वा धर्मात्मा ये चान्ये मम बान्धवाः
Shalya, Bhurishrava, Purumitra, Vivimsati, Jayadratha, Kripa the righteous, and all my other kinsmen—
एतेषां मतमास्थाय यदि वत्स्यति पुत्रकः। एतेभ्यश्च मदूर्ध्वं च अभोक्ष्यद्वसुधामिमाम्
If my son had followed the counsel of these men and mine, he would have enjoyed this earth along with them and even beyond them.
श्लक्ष्णा मधुरसम्भाषा ज्ञातिमध्ये प्रियंवदाः। कुलीनाः सम्मताः प्राज्ञाः सुखं जीवन्ति मानवाः
Those who speak gently and sweetly, who are dear to their kin, noble, respected, and wise—such people live happily.
धर्मापेक्षी नरो नित्यं सर्वत्र लभते सुखम्। प्रेत्यभावे च कल्याणं प्रसादं प्रतिपद्यते
A man who always upholds righteousness finds happiness everywhere, and after death attains blessedness and grace.
अर्हास्ते पृथिवीं भोक्तुं समर्थाः साधनेऽपि च। तेषामपि समुद्रान्ता पितृपैतामही मही
They are worthy to rule the earth and capable even in accomplishment; the land stretching to the ocean is their ancestral inheritance.
न च त्वाऽभिभविष्यन्ति हित्वा धर्मं पृथात्मजाः। नियुज्यमानाः स्थास्यन्ति पाण्डवा धर्मवर्त्मनि
The sons of Pritha, adhering to righteousness, will not overpower you; if commanded, the Pandavas will remain on the path of dharma.
सन्ति मे ज्ञातयस्तात येषां श्रोष्यन्ति पाण्डवाः। शल्यस्य सोमदत्तस्य भीष्मस्य च महात्मनः
I have kinsmen, O dear one, whose words the Pandavas will heed: Shalya, Somadatta, and the great-souled Bhishma.