श्रुता मे जल्पतां तात पौराणामशिवा गिरः। त्वामनादृत्य भीष्मं च पतिमिच्छन्ति पाण्डवम्
Father, I have heard the citizens’ ill-omened words; disregarding you and Bhishma, they desire Pandava as their lord.
मतमेतच्च भीष्मस्य न स राज्यं बुभुक्षति। अस्माकं तु परां पीडां चिकीर्षन्ति पुरे जनाः
This is also Bhishma’s opinion—he does not covet the kingdom; but the people of the city wish to inflict great distress upon us.
पितृतः प्राप्तवान्राज्यं पाण्डुरात्मगुणैः पुरा। त्वमन्धगुणसंयोगात्प्राप्तं राज्यं न लब्धवान्
Pandur, by his own virtues, once obtained the kingdom from his father; but you, due to the conjunction of blindness and qualities, have not acquired the kingdom.
स एष पाण्डोर्दायाद्यं यदि प्राप्नोति पाण्डवः। तस्य पुत्रो ध्रुवं प्राप्तस्तस्य तस्यापि चापरः
If the Pandava receives Pandu’s inheritance, then his son will surely obtain it, and after him, another of his line.
ते वयं राजवंशेन हीनाः सह सुतैरपि। अवज्ञाता भविष्यामो लोकस्य जगतीपते
We, along with our sons, will be deprived of the royal lineage and become objects of contempt in the eyes of the world, O lord of the earth.
सततं निरयं प्राप्ताः परपिण्डोपजीविनः। न भवेम यथा राजंस्तथा नीतिर्विधीयताम्
Always consigned to misery, living off others’ scraps, let us not become such, O king; let policy be devised accordingly.
यदि त्वं हि पुरा राजन्निदं राज्यमवाप्तवान्। ध्रुवं प्राप्स्याम च वयं राज्यमप्यवशे जने
If you, O king, had formerly obtained this kingdom, then surely we would also acquire the kingdom, even among the remaining people.
धृतराष्ट्रस्तु पुत्रस्य श्रुत्वा वचनमीदृशम्। मुहूर्तमिव संचिन्त्य दुर्योधनमथाब्रवीत्
Dhritarashtra, hearing his son’s words, pondered for a moment, then spoke to Duryodhana.
धर्मनित्यस्तथा पाण्डुः सुप्रीतो मयि कौरवः। सर्वेषु ज्ञातिषु तथा मदीयेषु विशेषतः
Pandu, ever devoted to righteousness, was greatly pleased with me, O Kaurava, and especially so among all my kinsmen.
नात्र किंचन जानाति भोजनादि चिकीर्षितम्। निवेदयति तत्सर्वं मयि धर्मभृतां वरः
He never knew anything about arrangements for food or other matters; the best among the righteous would inform me of all such things.
तस्य पुत्रो यथा पाण्डुस्तथा धर्मपरः सदा। गुणावाँल्लोकविख्यातो नगरे च प्रतिष्ठितः
His son, too, is always devoted to righteousness just as Pandu was—virtuous, renowned throughout the world, and firmly established in the city.
स कथं शक्यतेऽस्माभिरपाक्रष्टुं नरर्षभः। राज्यमेष हि नः प्राप्तः ससहयो विशेषतः
How could we possibly remove that bull among men? For this kingdom has truly come to him, especially with his allies.
भृता हि पाण्डुनाऽमात्या बलं च सततं मतम्। धृताः पुत्राश्च पौत्राश्च तेषामपि विशेषतः
For Pandu had won over the ministers and the army, and their sons and grandsons as well, in particular.
ते तथा संस्तुतास्तात विषये पाण्डुना नराः। कथं युधिष्ठिरस्यार्थे न नो हन्युः सबान्धवान्
Those men, so honored by Pandu in his realm, O dear one, how would they not slay us and our kin for Yudhishthira’s sake?
नैते विषयमिच्छेयुर्धर्मत्यागे विशेषतः। ते वयं कौरवेन्द्राणामेतेषां च महात्मनाम्
They would not desire the kingdom, especially at the cost of abandoning righteousness; we, the lords of the Kauravas, and these great souls as well.
कथं न वाच्यतां तात गच्छेम जगतस्तथा
How could it not be said, dear one, that we would thus go forth from the world?
मध्यस्थः सततं भीष्मो द्रोणपुत्रो मयि स्थितः। यतः पुतस्ततो द्रोणो भविता नात्र संशयः
Bhishma is always neutral, and Drona’s son stands with me; and since the son follows, so too will Drona—of this there is no doubt.
कृपः शारद्वतश्चैव यत एव वयं ततः। बागिनेयं ततो द्रौणिं न त्यक्ष्यति कथंचन
Kripa, son of Sharadvat, is with us for the same reason; and the son of Drona will never abandon his maternal uncle.
क्षत्ता तु बन्धुरस्माकं प्रच्छन्नस्तु ततः परैः। न चैकः स समर्थोऽस्मान्पाण्डवार्थे प्रबाधितुम्
Vidura is our kinsman, but he is secretly on the other side; and he alone is not capable of opposing us for the sake of the Pandavas.
सुविस्रब्धान्पाण्डुसुतान्सह मात्रा विवासय। वारणावतमद्यैव नात्र दोषो भविष्यति
Confidently exile the sons of Pandu along with their mother today to Varanavata; there will be no fault in this.
विनिद्राकरणं घोरं हृदि शल्यमिवार्पितम्। शोपकपावकमुद्धूतं कर्मणानेन नाशय
Destroy this dreadful, sleepless torment, like a thorn lodged in the heart, this blazing fire fanned by action.
श्रुत्वा पाण्डुसुतान्वीरान्बलोद्रिक्तान्महौजसः। धृतराष्ट्रो महीपालश्चिन्तामगमदातुरः
Hearing of the sons of Pandu—heroes, overflowing with strength and great energy—King Dhritarashtra was seized by anxious thought.
तत आहूय मन्त्रज्ञं राजशास्त्रार्थवित्तमम्। कणिकं मन्त्रिणां श्रेष्ठं धृतराष्ट्रऽब्रवीद्वचः
Then, summoning Kanika, the foremost among ministers, expert in counsel and the science of kingship, Dhritarashtra spoke these words.
उत्सक्ताः पाण्डवा नित्यं तेभ्योऽसूये द्विजोत्तम। तत्र मे निश्चिततमं सन्धिविग्रहकारणम्। कणिक त्वं ममाचक्ष्व करिष्ये वचनं तव
The Pandavas are always ambitious, O best of Brahmins, and I am envious of them; so tell me, Kanika, the surest course for peace or conflict—I will follow your advice.
दुर्योधनोऽथ शकुनिः कर्णदुःशासनावपि। कणिकं ह्युपसंगृह्य मन्त्रिणं सौबलस्य च
Then Duryodhana, Shakuni, Karna, and Duhshasana also approached Kanika, the minister of the Saubala.
पप्रच्छुर्भरतश्रेष्ठ पाण्डवान्प्रति नैकधा। प्रबुद्धाः पाण्डवा नित्यं सर्वे तेभ्यस्त्रसामहे
They questioned Kanika, best of the Bharatas, in many ways concerning the Pandavas; for the Pandavas are always alert, and all of them excel in the science of weapons.
अनूनं सर्वपक्षाणां यद्भवेत्क्षेमकारकम्। भारद्वाज तदाचक्ष्व करिष्यामः कथं वयम्
O Bharadvaja, tell us what would bring welfare to all parties without deficiency; how should we act?
स प्रसन्नमनास्तेन परिपृष्टो द्विजोत्तमः। उवाच वचनं तीक्ष्णं राजशास्त्रार्थदर्शनम्
Questioned thus by him with a cheerful mind, the eminent Brahmin spoke sharp words, revealing the meaning of royal science.
शृणु राजन्निदं तत्र प्रोच्यमानं मयानघ। न मेऽभ्यसूया कर्तव्या श्रुत्वैतत्कुरुसत्तम
Listen, O king, to what I am about to say here, O sinless one; do not resent it, best of Kurus, upon hearing.
नित्यमुद्यतदण्डः स्यान्नित्यं विवृतपौरुषः। अच्छिद्रश्छिद्रदर्शी स्यात्परेषां विवरानुगः
He should always be ready with punishment, always display his prowess; he should be without flaws, yet keen to detect flaws, and follow the weaknesses of others.