तस्मात्सुभृशमाश्वस्य त्वयि धर्मभृतां वर। कार्ये त्वां विनियोक्ष्यामि तच्छ्रुत्वा कर्तुमर्हसि
Therefore, being greatly assured in you, best of the upholders of righteousness, I will appoint you to this task; having heard this, you should act accordingly.
मम पुत्रस्तव भ्राता वीर्यवान्सुप्रियश्च ते। बाल एव गतः स्वर्गमपुत्रः पुरुषर्षभ
My son, your brother, was valiant and dear to you; though still young, he has gone to heaven without an heir, O best of men.
इमे महिष्यौ भ्रातुस्ते काशिराजसुते शुभे। रूपयौवनसंपन्ने पुत्रकामे च भारत
Here are your brother’s two queens, daughters of the King of Kashi, endowed with beauty and youth, and longing for sons, O Bharata.
तयोरुत्पादयापत्यं सन्तानाय कुलस्य नः। मन्नियोगान्महाबाहो धर्मं कर्तुमिहार्हसि
By my command, mighty-armed one, you should raise offspring from them for the continuation of our lineage, in accordance with righteousness.
राज्ये चैवाभिषिच्यस्व भारताननुशाधि च। दारांश्च कुरु धर्मेण मा निमज्जीः पितामहान्
Assume the sovereignty and rule the Bharatas according to righteousness; take wives in accordance with dharma, and do not let our ancestors’ line be submerged.
तथोच्यमानो मात्रा स सुहृद्भिश्च परन्तपः। इत्युवाचाथ धर्मात्मा धर्म्यमेवोत्तरं वचः
Thus addressed by his mother and by his friends, that subduer of foes, devoted to righteousness, replied with a fitting answer.
असंशयं परो धर्मस्त्वया मातरुदाहृतः। त्वमपत्यं प्रति च मे प्रतिज्ञां वेत्थ वै परां
Without doubt, mother, you have spoken the highest righteousness; and you know well my supreme vow regarding offspring.
जानासि च यथावृत्तं शुल्कहेतोस्त्वदन्तरे। स सत्यवति सत्यं ते प्रतिजानाम्यहं पुनः
You also know, Satyavati, what transpired for the sake of the bride-price in your presence; I swear to you again, O Satyavati, this is the truth.
परित्यजेयं त्रैलोक्यं राज्यं देवेषु वा पुनः। यद्वाऽप्यधिकमेताभ्यां न तु सत्यं कथंचन
I would renounce the three worlds, or even the kingdom of the gods, or anything greater than these, but never, under any circumstance, the truth.
त्यजेच्च पृथिवी गन्धमापश्च रसमात्मनः। ज्योतिस्तथा त्यजेद्रूपं वायुः स्पर्शगुणं त्यजेत्
Earth may abandon its scent, water its taste, fire its form, and wind its quality of touch—
प्रभां समुत्सृजेदर्को धूमकेतुस्तथोष्मताम्। त्यजेच्छब्दं तथाऽऽकाशं सोमः शीतांशुतां त्यजेत्
The sun might abandon its radiance, the comet its heat, sound might depart from space, and the moon might forsake its cool beams—
विक्रमं वृत्रहा जह्याद्धर्मं जह्याच्च धर्मराट्। न त्वहं सत्यमुत्स्रष्टुं व्यवसेयं कथंचन
Indra might give up his valor, the king of righteousness his virtue; but I would never, under any circumstance, resolve to abandon truth.
तन्न जात्वन्यथा कुर्यां लोकानामपि संक्षये। अमरत्वस्य वा हेतोस्त्रैलोक्यस्य धनस्य च
Never would I act otherwise, even if the worlds were to perish, or for the sake of immortality, or for the wealth of the three worlds.
एवमुक्ता तु पुत्रेण भूरिद्रविणतेजसा। माता सत्यवती भीष्ममुवाच तदनन्तरम्
Thus addressed by her son, endowed with great wealth and energy, Satyavati then spoke these words to Bhishma.
जानामि ते स्थितिं सत्ये परां सत्यपराक्रम। इच्छन्सृजेथास्त्रींल्लोकानन्यांस्त्वं स्वेन तेजसा
I know your steadfastness in truth, O mighty upholder of truth; if you wished, you could create three worlds anew by your own power.
जानामि चैवं सत्यं तन्मदर्थे यच्च भाषितम्। आपद्धर्मं त्वमावेक्ष्य वह पैतामहीं धुरम्
I know this is true, and what you have said for my sake; but considering the law of emergencies, bear the ancestral burden.
यथा ते कुलतन्तुश्च धर्मश्च न पराभवेत्। सुहृदश्च प्रहृष्येरंस्तथा कुरु परन्तप
So that your family line and righteousness may not be defeated, and your friends may rejoice, do accordingly, O scorcher of foes.
आत्मनश्च हितं तात प्रियं च मम भारत।' लालप्यमानां तामेवं कृपणां पुत्रगृद्धिनीम्। धर्मादपेतं ब्रुवतीं भीष्मो भूयोऽब्रवीदिदम्
For your own good, dear one, and for my happiness, O Bharata, as she thus lamented, pitiful and longing for a son, speaking words contrary to righteousness, Bhishma again spoke these words.
राज्ञि धर्मानवेक्षस्व मा नः सर्वान्व्यनीनशः। सत्याच्च्युतिः क्षत्रियस्य न धर्मेषु प्रशस्यते
O Queen, consider righteousness; do not cause us all to be blamed. For a Kshatriya, deviation from truth is not praised in matters of duty.
शान्तनोरपि संतानं यथा स्यादक्षयं भुवि। तत्ते धर्मं प्रवक्ष्यामि क्षात्रं राज्ञि सनातनम्
So that the lineage of Shantanu may remain unbroken on earth, I will declare to you that ancient royal duty, O Queen.
श्रुत्वा तं प्रतिपद्यस्व प्राज्ञैः सह पुरोहितैः। आपद्धर्मार्थकुशलैर्लोकतन्त्रमवेक्ष्य च।। ।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते आदिपर्वणि संभवपर्वणि द्वादशाधिकशततमोऽध्यायः।। 112
Having heard it, act accordingly with the wise priests, skilled in the laws of emergencies and wealth, and considering the ways of the world.
जामदग्न्येन रामेण पितुर्वधममृष्यता। राजा परशुना पूर्वं हैहयाधिपतिर्हतः
Because Jamadagni's son Rama could not endure his father's murder, the king of the Haihayas was formerly slain by his axe.
शतानि दशबाहूनां निकृत्तान्यर्जुनस्य वै। लोकस्याचरितो धर्मस्तेनाति किल दुश्चरः
Hundreds of Arjuna's arms were severed, and by that act, a most difficult duty was performed for the world.
पुनश्च धनुरादाय महास्त्राणि प्रमुञ्चता। निर्दग्धं क्षत्रमसकृद्रथेन जयता महीम्
Again, taking up his bow and releasing mighty weapons, he repeatedly burned the Kshatriyas, conquering the earth with his chariot.
एवमुच्चावचैरस्त्रैर्भार्गवेण महात्मना। त्रिःसप्तकृत्वः पृथिवी कृता निःक्षत्रिया पुरा
Thus, with weapons of various kinds, the great-souled Bhargava made the earth devoid of Kshatriyas twenty-one times in ancient days.
एवं निःक्षत्रिये लोके कृते तेन महर्षिणा। ततः संभूय सर्वाभिः क्षत्रियाभिः समन्ततः
When the world had thus been made devoid of Kshatriyas by that great sage, then, from all sides, Kshatriya women gathered together.
उत्पादितान्यपत्यानि ब्राह्मणैर्वेदपारगैः। पाणिग्राहस्य तनय इति वेदेषु निश्चितम्
Children were then begotten by Brahmanas learned in the Vedas, and it is established in the scriptures that these were sons born of lawful marriage.
धर्मं मनसि संस्थाप्य ब्राह्मणांस्ताः समभ्ययुः। लोकेऽप्याचरितो दृष्टः क्षत्रियाणां पुनर्भवः
Having established righteousness in their minds, those Brahmanas approached the women; thus, the rebirth of Kshatriyas in the world is known to have occurred.
ततः पुनः समुदितं क्षत्रं समभवत्तदा। इमं चैवात्र वक्ष्येऽहमितिहासं पुरातनम्
Then, once again, the Kshatriya order arose; and here I shall recount to you this ancient tale.
अथोचथ्य इति ख्यात आसीद्धीमानृषिः पुरा। ममता नाम तस्यासीद्भार्या परमसंमता
There was once a wise sage named Uchathya; his wife, greatly esteemed, was called Mamatā.