पाञ्चाल्यो राजपुत्रश्च यज्ञसेनो महाबलः। इष्वस्त्रहेतोर्न्यवसत्तस्मिन्नेव गुरौ प्रभुः
Pāñcālya, the mighty prince Yajñasena, also stayed with that master for the sake of learning archery.
स मे तत्र सखा चासीदुपकारी प्रियश्च मे। तेनाहं सह संगम्य वर्तयन्सुचिरं प्रभो
There he was my friend, helpful and dear to me; with him I spent a long time, O lord, in close association.
बाल्यात्प्रभृति कौरव्य सहाध्ययनमेव च। स मे सखा सदा तत्र प्रियवादी प्रियंकरः
From childhood, O Kauravya, we studied together; he was always my friend there, speaking kindly and doing what was pleasing.
अब्रवीदिति मां भीष्म वचनं प्रीतिवर्धनम्। अहं प्रियतमः पुत्रः पितुर्द्रोण महात्मनः
Bhīṣma spoke to me these words, increasing my joy: 'I am the most beloved son of my father, the great-souled Droṇa.'
अभिषेक्ष्यति मां राज्ये स पाञ्चाल्यो यदा तदा। तद्भोज्यं भवता राज्यमर्धं सत्येन ते शपे
'When that Pāñcālya anoints me in the kingdom, at that time, by truth I swear, half the kingdom shall be yours to enjoy.'
मम भोगाश्च वित्तं च त्वदधीनं सुखानि च। एवमुक्त्वाऽथ वव्राज कृतास्त्रः पूजितो मया
'My pleasures, my wealth, and my comforts shall all be under your control.' Having said this, he departed, accomplished in arms and honored by me.
तच्च वाक्यमहं नित्यं मनसा धारयंस्तदा। सोऽहं पितृनियोगेन पुत्रलोभाद्यशस्विनीम्
I always kept those words in my mind; but by my father's command, out of desire for a son, I took an unworthy step.
शारद्वतीं महाप्रज्ञामुपयेमे महाव्रताम्। अग्निहोत्रे च सत्रे च दमे च सततं रताम्
I married Śāradvatī, of great wisdom and firm vows, who was ever devoted to fire-offerings, sacrifices, and self-restraint.
लेभे च गौतमी पुत्रमश्वत्थामानमौरसम्। भीमविक्रमकर्माणमादित्यसमतेजसम्
From Gautamī I obtained a son, Aśvatthāman, my own offspring, whose deeds were mighty as Bhīma's and whose brilliance equaled the sun.
पुत्रेण तेन प्रीतोऽहं भरद्वाजो मया यथा। गोक्षीरं पिबतो दृष्ट्वा धनिनस्तत्र पुत्रकान्। अश्वत्थामारुदद्बालस्तन्मे संदेहयद्दिशः
I, Bharadvāja, was pleased with that son, just as I was with myself; but seeing the wealthy men's sons drink cow's milk, Aśvatthāman, as a child, cried, and that troubled me deeply.
न स्नातकोऽवसीदेत वर्तमानः स्वकर्मसु। इति संचिन्त्य मनसा तं देशं बहुशो भ्रमन्
A twice-born should not fall into distress while engaged in his duties—thinking thus in my mind, I wandered much in that region.
विशुद्धणिच्छन्गाङ्गेय धर्मोपेतं प्रतिग्रहम्। अन्तादन्तं परिक्रम्य नाध्यगच्छं पयस्विनीम्
Desiring pure gifts, righteous and free from fault, I searched everywhere but could not find a giver of milk.
यवपिष्टोदकेनैनं लोभयेयं कुमारकम्। पीत्वा पिष्टरसं बालः क्षीरं पीतं मयाऽपि च
With water mixed with flour I tempted the boy; after drinking the flour-water, the child thought he too had drunk milk.
ननर्तोत्थाय कौरव्य हृष्टो बाल्याद्विमोहितः। तं दृष्ट्वा नृत्यमानं तु बालैः परिवृतं सुतम्
Then, rising up, O Kauravya, delighted and deceived by childhood, he danced, surrounded by other boys, my son.
हास्यतामुपसंप्राप्तं कश्मलं तत्र मेऽभवत्। द्रोणं धिगस्त्वधनिनं यो धनं नाधिगच्छति
Seeing him thus, I felt shame and sorrow; 'Fie on Droṇa, who, though alive, cannot obtain wealth!'
पिष्टोदकं सुतो यस्य पीत्वा क्षीरस्य तृष्णया। नृत्यतिस्म मुदाविष्टः क्षीरं पीतं मयाऽप्युत
Whose son, longing for milk, dances joyfully after drinking flour-water, thinking, 'I too have drunk milk'?
इति संभाषतां वाचं श्रुत्वा मे बुद्धिरच्यवत्। आत्मानं चात्मना गर्हन्मनसेदं व्यचिन्तयम्
Hearing these words spoken among them, my mind was shaken; blaming myself, I thought thus in my heart.
अपि चाहं पुरा विप्रैर्वर्जितो गर्हितो वसे। परोपसेवां पापिष्ठां न च कुर्यां धनेप्सया
Moreover, I, once shunned and reproached by the Brahmins, should not, out of greed for wealth, perform the sinful service of others.
इति मत्वा प्रियं पुत्रं भीष्मादाय ततो ह्यहम्। पूर्वस्नेहानुरागित्वात्सदारः सौमकिं गतः
Thinking thus, I took my beloved son Bhishma, and, out of former affection and attachment, I went with my wife to Saumaki.
अभिषिक्तं तु श्रुत्वैव कृतार्थोऽस्मीति चिन्तयन्। प्रियं सखायं सुप्रीतो राज्यस्थं समुपागमम्
Upon hearing that he had been anointed king, I thought, 'My purpose is fulfilled,' and, very pleased, I approached my dear friend who now held the kingdom.
संस्मरन्सङ्गमं चैव वचनं चैव तस्य तत्। ततो द्रुपदमागम्य सखइपूर्वमहं प्रभो
Remembering our meeting and his words, I then went to Drupada, O lord, as a friend from before.
अब्रुवं पुरुषव्याघ्र सखायं विद्धि मामिति। उपस्थितस्तु द्रुपदं सखिवच्चास्मि सङ्गतः
I said, 'O best of men, know me to be your friend,' and I approached Drupada, united with him as with a friend.
स मां निराकारमिव प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत्। अकृतेयं तव प्रज्ञा ब्रह्मन्नातिसमञ्जसा
He laughed at me, as if I were a stranger, and said this: 'Your understanding, O Brahmin, is not at all appropriate.'
यदात्थ मां त्वं प्रसभं सखा तेऽहमिति द्विज। संगतनीह जीर्यन्ति कालेन परिजीर्यतः
'When you forcibly said to me, "I am your friend," O twice-born, know that relationships here decay with time as people grow old.'
सौहृदं मे त्वया ह्यासीत्पूर्वं सामर्थ्यबन्धनम्। नाश्रोत्रियः श्रोत्रियस्य नारथी रथिनः सखा
'Once, our friendship was bound by ability; a non-learned man is not the friend of a learned one, nor is a charioteerless man the friend of a charioteer.'
साम्याद्धि सख्यं भवति वैषम्यान्नोपपद्यते। न सख्यमजरं लोके विद्यते जातु कस्यचित्
'Friendship arises from equality; it does not occur from inequality. In this world, there is never any friendship that is ageless for anyone.'
कामो वैनं विहरति क्रोधो वैनं रहत्युत। मैवं जीर्णमुपास्स्व त्वं सख्यं भवदुपाधिकृत्
'Desire enjoys it, and anger abandons it. Do not cling to this worn-out friendship, which was made by you for your own purpose.'
आसीत्सख्यं द्विजश्रेष्ठ त्वया मेऽर्थनिबन्धनम्। नह्यनाढ्यः सखाऽऽढ्यस्य नाविद्वान्विदुषः सखा
'O best of twice-born, our friendship was once based on need. The poor is not the friend of the rich, nor the unlearned of the learned.'
न शूरस्य सखा क्लीबः सखिपूर्वं किमिष्यते। न हि राज्ञामुदीर्णानामेवं भूतैर्नरैः क्वचित्
'A coward is not the friend of a hero, nor is friendship formerly accepted by such. Never do kings of great power have such men as friends.'
सख्यं भवति मन्दात्मञ्छ्रिया हीनैर्धनच्युतैः। नाश्रोत्रियः श्रोत्रियस्य नारथी रथिनः सखा
'Friendship arises with the dull, the deprived of fortune, and those who have lost wealth. A non-learned man is not the friend of a learned one, nor is a charioteerless man the friend of a charioteer.'