अहं चाप्यनिविष्टो वै भीमसेनश्च पाण्डवः। पार्थेन विजिता चैषा रत्नभूता सुता तव
I too am yet unmarried, and so is Bhimasena, O son of Pandu; and your jewel-like daughter has been won by Partha.
एष नः समयो राजँल्लब्धस्य सह भोजनम्। न च तं हातुमिच्छामः समयं राजसत्तम
This is our agreement, O king: to share whatever is obtained, including food; and, best of kings, we do not wish to break this agreement.
अक्रमेण निवेशे च धर्मलोपो महान्भवेत्।' सर्वेषां धर्मतः कृष्णा महिषी नो भविष्यति। आनुपूर्व्येण सर्वेषां गृह्णातु ज्वलने करान्
If we act without order, there will be great loss of righteousness; so, let Krishna be the queen of all of us according to dharma, and let each in turn take her hand in the fire.
एकस्य बह्व्यो विहिता महिष्यः कुरुनन्दन। नैकस्या बहवः पुंसः श्रूयन्ते पतयः क्वचित्
Many wives are prescribed for one man of the Kuru line, but nowhere is it heard that one woman has many husbands.
सोऽयं न लोके वेदे वा जातु धर्मः प्रशस्ते।' लोकवेदविरुद्धं त्वं नाधर्मं धर्मविच्छुचिः। कर्तुमर्हसि कौन्तेय कस्मात्ते बुद्धिरीदृशी
Such a practice is never known in the world or in the Veda as righteous; you, pure in dharma, should not do what is against worldly and Vedic law. Why do you have such an idea, Kaunteya?
सूक्ष्मो धर्मो महाराज नास्य विद्मो वयं गतिम्। पूर्वेषामानुपूर्व्येण यातं वर्त्माऽनुयामहे
Dharma is subtle, O great king, and we do not know its course; let us follow the path trodden by the ancients, step by step.
न मे वागनृतं प्राह नाधर्मे धीयते मतिः। एवं चैव वदत्यम्बा मम चैतन्मनोगतम्
My speech does not utter falsehood, nor is my mind inclined toward unrighteousness; and my mother speaks likewise, and this is what I hold in my heart.
आश्रमे रुद्रनिर्दिष्टाद्व्यासादेतन्मया श्रुतम्।' एष धर्मो ध्रुवो राजंश्चरैनमविचारयन्। मा च शङ्का तत्र ते स्यात्कथंचिदपि पार्थिव
In the hermitage designated by Rudra, I heard this from Vyasa; this is the firm dharma, O King—practice it without hesitation, and let no doubt arise in you regarding it.
त्वं च कुन्ती च कौन्तय धृष्टद्युम्नश्च मे सुतः। कथयन्त्विति कर्तव्यं श्वः काल्ये करवामहे
You, O son of Kunti, Kunti herself, and my son Dhrishtadyumna, should discuss this; tomorrow morning we shall act accordingly.
ते समेत्य ततः सर्वे कथयन्ति स्म भारत। अथ द्वैपायनो राजन्नभ्यागच्छद्यदृच्छया
Then, having gathered together, all of them spoke, O Bharata; at that moment, Dvaipayana Vyasa arrived by chance, O King.
ततस्ते पाण्डवाः सर्वे पाञ्चाल्यश्च महायशाः। प्रत्युथाय महात्मानं कृष्णं सर्वेऽभ्यवादयन्
Then all the Pandavas and the illustrious Panchali rose to greet the great-souled Krishna, and all paid him their respects.
प्रतिनन्द्य स तां पूजां पृष्ट्वा कुशलमन्ततः। आसने काञ्चने शुद्धे निषसाद महामनाः
Having acknowledged their homage and inquired after their welfare, the great-minded Krishna sat upon a pure golden seat.
अनुज्ञातास्तु ते सर्वे कृष्णेनामिततेजसा। आसनेषु महार्हेषु निषेदुर्द्विपदां वराः
Permitted by Krishna of immeasurable energy, all those best among men sat upon seats of great value.
ततो मुहूर्तान्मधुरां वाणीमुच्चार्य पार्षतः। पप्रच्छ तं महात्मानं द्रौपद्यर्थं विशांपते
After a short while, Parshata, speaking sweetly, questioned that great soul for the sake of Draupadi, O lord of the people.
कथमेका बहूनां स्यान्न च स्याद्धर्मसंकरः। एतन्मे भगवान्सर्वं प्रब्रवीतु यथातथम्
How can one woman belong to many men without causing a confusion of dharma? Let the venerable one declare all this to me as it truly is.
अस्मिन्धर्मे विप्रलब्धे लोकवेदविरोधके। यस्य यस्य मतं यद्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि तस्य तत्
In this matter where dharma is violated and opposed to worldly custom and scripture, I wish to hear the opinion of each person.
अधर्मोऽयं मम मतो विरुद्धो लोकवेदयोः। न ह्येका विद्यते पत्नी बहूनां द्विजसत्तम
This, in my view, is unrighteous and contrary to worldly custom and scripture; for, O best of twice-born, there is not found a wife of many men.
न चाप्याचरितः पूर्वैरयं धर्मो महात्मभिः। न चाप्यधर्मो विद्वद्भिश्चरितव्यः कथंचन
Nor has this dharma been practiced by the great ones of old; nor should the learned ever practice unrighteousness in any way.
ततोऽहं न करोम्येनं व्यवसायं क्रियां प्रति। धर्मः सदैव संदिग्धः प्रतिभाति हि मे त्वयम्
Therefore, I do not undertake this action; for dharma always appears doubtful to me in this matter.
यवीयसः कथं भार्यां ज्येष्ठो भ्राता द्विजर्षभ। ब्रह्मन्समभिवर्तेत सद्वृत्तः संस्तपोधन
How can the elder brother, O best of Brahmins, approach the wife of the younger? One who is virtuous and devoted to austerity should not do so.
न तु धर्मस्य सूक्ष्मत्वाद्गतिं विद्मः कथंचन। अधर्मो धर्म इति वा व्यवसायो न शक्यते
But due to the subtlety of dharma, we do not know its course at all; it is not possible to decide whether something is dharma or adharma.
कर्तुमस्मद्विधैर्ब्रह्मंस्ततोऽयं न व्यवस्यते। पञ्चानां महिषी कृष्णा भवत्विति कथंचन
Therefore, O Brahmin, those like us cannot decide that Krishna should become the queen of five.
न मे वागनृतं प्राह नाधर्मे धीयते मतिः। वर्तते हि मनो मेऽत्र नैषोऽधर्मः कथंचन
My speech does not utter falsehood, nor is my mind inclined toward unrighteousness; my mind is indeed fixed here, and this is not unrighteous in any way.
श्रूयते हि पुराणेऽपि जटिला नाम गौतमी। ऋषीनध्यासितवती सप्त धर्मभृतां वरा
It is heard in the Purana that Gautami, called Jatila, once lived with seven sages, the foremost upholders of dharma.
तथैव मुनिजा वार्क्षी तपोभिर्भावितात्मनः। संगताभूद्दश भ्रातॄनकेन्म्नः प्रचेतसः
In the same way, the sage-born daughter, whose soul was purified by austerities, was united with the ten sons of Prachetas.
गुरोर्हि वचनं प्राहुर्धर्म्यं धर्मज्ञसत्तम। गुरूणां चैव सर्वेषां माता परमको गुरुः
For the command of the teacher is said to be righteous, O best knower of righteousness; and among all teachers, the mother is the highest teacher.
सा चाप्युक्तवती वाचं भैक्षवद्भुज्यतामिति। तस्मादेतदहं मन्ये परं धर्मं द्विजोत्तम
She too spoke these words: 'Let it be eaten as alms-food.' Therefore, O best of twice-born, I consider this to be the highest righteousness.
एतमेतद्यथा प्राह धर्मचारी युधिष्ठिरः। भुज्यतां भ्रातृभिः सार्धमित्यर्जुनमचोदयम्। अनृतान्मे भयं तीव्रं मुच्येऽहमनृतात्कथम्
Just as Yudhishthira, who walks in righteousness, declared, I urged Arjuna: 'Let it be eaten together with the brothers.' I have great fear of falsehood—how could I be freed from falsehood?
अनृतान्मोक्ष्यसे भद्रे धर्मश्चैव सनातनः। ननु वक्ष्यामि सर्वेषां पाञ्चाल शृमु मे स्वयम्
You will be freed from falsehood, O blessed one, and also from eternal righteousness. Now I shall declare everything, O Panchala, listen to me yourself.
यथाऽयं विहितो धर्मो यतश्चायं सनातनः। यथा च प्राह कौन्तेयस्तथा धर्मो न संशयः
As this righteousness has been established, and as it is eternal, and just as the son of Kunti has declared, so indeed is righteousness—there is no doubt.