धृतराष्ट्र उवाच एवमेतन्महाप्राज्ञ यथा वदसि नो मुने। अहं चैव विजानामि सर्वे चेमे नराधिपाः॥
Dhritarashtra said: O greatly intelligent Rishi, it is exactly as you say. I know it well, as do all these kings.
भवांश्च मन्यते साधु यत् कुरूणां महोदयम्। तदेव विदुरोऽप्याह भीष्मो द्रोणश्च मां पुने॥
O Rishi, what you consider beneficial for the Kurus was pointed out to me by Vidura, Bhishma and Drona.
यदि त्वहमनचाह्यः कौरव्येषु दया यदि। अन्वशाधि दुरात्मानं पुत्रं दुर्योधनं मम॥
If I deserve your grace and if you have kindness for the Kurus, then teach my wicked son Duryodhana (to be good).
व्यास उवाच अयमायाति वै राजन् मैत्रेयो भगवानृषिः। अन्विष्य पाण्डवान् भ्रातृनिहैत्यस्मद्दिदृक्षया॥
Vyasa said: O king, after having seen the Pandava brothers, there comes the illustrious. Rishi Maitreya with the desire of seeing us.
एष दुर्योधनं पुत्रं तव राजन् महानृषिः। अनुशास्ता यथान्यायं शमायास्य कुलस्य च॥
O king, this great Rishi will admonish your son Duryodhana for the sake of the welfare of this race.
ब्रूयाद् यदेष कौरव्य तत् कार्यमविशङ्कया। अक्रियायां तु कार्यस्य पुत्रं ते शप्स्यते रुषा॥
O descendant of Kuru, what he will advise should be done without any hesitation, for if what he will recommend is not done, the Rishi will curse your son in anger.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्त्वा ययौ व्यासो मैत्रेयः प्रत्यदृश्यता पूजया प्रतिजग्राह सपुत्रस्तं नराधिपः॥
Vaishampayana said : Having said this, Vyasa went away and Maitreya came there. The king with his sons received with all respect.
अर्ध्याद्याभिः क्रियाभिर्वै विश्रान्तं मुनिसत्तमम्। प्रश्रयेणाब्रवीद् राजाधृतराष्ट्रोऽम्बिकासुतः॥
That way-worn chief of the Rishis, by offering him Arghya and performing other rites. The son of Ambika, king Dhritarashtra, then asked him these questions.
सुखेनागमनं कच्चिद् भगवन् कुरुजाङ्गलान्। कच्चित् कुशलिनो वीरा भ्रातरः पञ्च पाण्डवाः॥
Dhritarashtra said: O illustrious one, has your journey from the Kurujangal been a pleasant one? Are the heroes, the five Pandava brothers, living happily (there)?
समये स्थातुमिच्छन्ति कच्चिच्च भरतर्षभाः। कच्चित् कुरूणां सौभ्रात्रमव्युच्छिन्नं भविष्यति॥
Do those foremost (heroes) of the Kuru race intend to pass all the time (they have pledged?) Will the brotherly affection of the Kurus remain unimpaired?
मैत्रेय उवाच तीर्थयात्रामनुकामन् प्राप्तोऽस्मि कुरुजाङ्गलान्। यदृच्छयाधर्मराजं दृष्टवान् काम्यके वने॥
Maitreya said : Setting out on a pilgrimage, I arrived at the Kurujangala. I suddenly met there Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) in the forest of Kamyaka.
तं जटाजिनसंवीतं तपोवननिवासिनम्। समाजग्मुर्महात्मानं द्रष्टुं मुनिगणाः प्रभो॥
Attiring himself in deer skin and wearing matted locks, he is living in the forest in asceticism. O lord, many Rishis have assembled there to see him.
तत्राश्रौषं महाराज पुत्राणां तव विभ्रमम्। अनयं द्यूतरूपेण महाभयमुपस्थितम्॥
O great king, it was there that I heard of the grave errors that your sons liave committed and also of the approaching) calamity and fearful danger that have arisen from gambling.
कौरवाणामवेक्षया। सदा ह्यभ्यधिकः स्नेहः प्रीतिश्च त्वयि मे प्रभो॥
Therefore, I have come to you for the good of the Kurus. O lord, my affection for you is great and I am always pleased with you.
ततोऽहं त्वामनुप्राप्तः नैतदौपयिकं राजंस्त्वयि भीष्मे च जीवति। यदन्योन्येन ते पुत्रा विरुध्यन्ते कथंचन॥
O king, when yourself and Bhishma are (still) alive, it is not proper that your sons should quarrel amongst themselves.
मेढीभूतः स्वयं राजन् निग्रहे प्रग्रहे भवान्। किमर्थमनयं घोरमुत्पद्यन्तमुपेक्षसे॥
O king, you are (as it were) the stake at which bulls are tied. You are competent to punish and reward. Why do you then overlook this great evil that is about to overtake all?
दस्यूनामिव यद् वृत्तं सभायां कुरुनन्दन। तेन न भ्राजसे राजस्तापसानां समागमे॥
O descendant of Kuru, O king, as these wrongs have been perpetrated in your Sabha, wrongs that are like the acts of thieves, you cannot shine in the assembly of ascetics.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो व्यावृत्य राजानं दुर्योधनममर्षणम्। उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा मैत्रेयो भगवानृषिः॥
Vaishampayana said : Thereupon turning to the angry Duryodhana, the illustrious Rishi Maitreya spoke to him thus in soft words.
मैत्रेय उवाच दुर्योधन महाबाहो निबोध वदतां वर। वचनं मे महाभाग ब्रुवतो यद्धितं तव॥
Maitreya said : O mighty-armed Duryodhana, O best of all eloquent me.l, O blessed one, listen to the words I utter for your good.
मा दुहः पाण्डवान् राजन् कुरुष्व प्रियमात्मनः। पाण्डवानां कुरूणां च लोकस्य च नरर्षभ॥
O king, do not quarrel with the Pandavas. O best of men, thus accomplish the good of your own, of the Pandavas, of the Kurus and of all the world.
ते हि सर्वे नरव्याघ्राः शूरा विक्रान्तयोधिनः। सर्वे नागायुतप्राणा वज्रसंहनना दृढाः॥
All these foremost of men (the Pandavas) are heroes of great prowess in war. They are endued with strength of ten thousand elephants; their bodies are as hard as the thunder.
सत्यव्रतधराः सर्वे सर्वे पुरुषमानिनः। हन्तारो देवशत्रूणां रक्षसां कामरूपिणाम्॥ हिडिम्बबकमुख्यानां किर्मीरस्य च रक्षसः।
They are all truthful and proud of their manliness. They have killed the enemies of the celestials, the Rakshasas, who are able to assume.any from at will. (The Rakshasas) such as were headed by Hidimba, Baka and Kirmira.
इतः प्रद्रवतां रात्रौ यः स तेषां महात्मनाम्॥ आवृत्य मार्ग रौद्रात्मा तस्थौ गिरिरिवाचलः। तं भीमः समरश्लाघी बलेन बलिनां वरः॥ जघान पशुमारेण व्याघ्रः क्षुद्रमृगं यथा। पश्य दिग्विजये राजन् यथा भीमेन पातितः॥ जरासंधो महेष्वासो नागायुतबलो युधि। सम्बन्धी वासुदेवश्च श्याला: सर्वे च पार्षताः॥
When departing from this place, he (Kirmira) of fearful soul obstructed in the night the path of those high-souled ones like an immovable hill, that foremost of all strong men, Bhima, ever delighting in fight. Killed him like a beast, as a tiger kills a small deer. O king, see how Bhima, when out for conquest, killed. The great bow-man Jarasandha who possessed the strength of ten thousand elephants. Related (as they are) with Vasudeva (Krishna) and having sons of Prishata (Draupada) as their brother-in-law.
कस्तान् युधि समासीत जरामरणवान् नरः। तस्य ते शम एवास्तु पाण्डवैर्भरतर्षभ॥ कुरु मे वचनं राजन् मा मन्युवशमन्वगाः।
Who is there such a hero who being subject to old age and death will cope with them? O best of the Bharata race, let there be peace between you and the Pandavas. Follow my advice; surrender not yourself to danger.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं तु ब्रुवतस्तस्य मैत्रेयस्य विशाम्पते॥ ऊरूं गजकराकारं करेणाभिजधान सः। दुर्योधनः स्मितं कृत्वा चरणेनोल्लिखन् महीम्॥
Vaishampayana said : O king, having been thus addressed by Maitreya, Duryodhana slapped his thigh which resembled the trunk of an elephant and he then smilingly began to scratch the ground with his foot.
न किंचिदुक्त्वा दुर्मेधास्तस्थौ किंचिदवाङ्मुखः तमशुश्रूषमाणं तु विलिखन्तं वसुंधराम्॥ दृष्ट्वा दुर्योधनं राजन् मैत्रेयं कोप आविशत्। स कोपवशमापनो मैत्रेयो मुनिसत्तमः॥
That wicked wretch (Duryodhana) did not speak a word, but he hung down his head. O king, seeing Duryodhana thus offer an insult to him by silently scratching the earth (by his foot), Maitreya became angry. That best of Rishis, Maitreya, overwhelmed with anger.
विधिना सम्प्रणुदितः शापायास्य मनो दधे। ततः स वार्युपस्पृश्य कोपसंरक्तलोचनः। मैत्रेयोधार्तराष्ट्रं तमशपद् दुष्टचेतसम्॥ यस्मात् त्वं मामनादृत्य नेमां वाचं चिकीर्षसि। तस्मादस्याभिमानस्य सद्यः फलमवाप्नुहि॥
And, as if commissioned by fate set his mind to curse him. Thereupon touching water and with eyes red in anger. Maitreya cursed the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra, saying, "Since slighting my words you decline to follow my advice, you shall soon reap the fruit of your this insolence.
त्वदभिद्रोहसंयुक्तं युद्धमुत्पत्स्यते महत्। तत्र भीमो गदाधातैस्तवोरुं भेत्स्यते बली॥
In the great war which will spring out of the wrongs perpetrated by you (on the Pandavas) the mighty Bhima shall smash your that thigh with a blow of his club.
इत्येवमुक्ते वचनेधृतराष्ट्रो महीपतिः। प्रसादयामास मुनि नैतदेवं भवेदिति॥
When the Rishi had thus spoken, the ruler of earth, Dhritarashtra, began to gratify the Rishi, so that what he had said may not happen.
मैत्रेय उवाच शमं यास्यति चेत् पुत्रस्तव राजन् यदा तदा। शापो न भविता तात विपरीते भविष्यति॥ मैत्रेयं प्राह
Maitreya said : O king, if your son make peace (with the Pandavas) then, O child, my curse will not take effect. Otherwise it would.
वैशम्पायन उवाच विलक्षयंस्तु राजेन्द्रो दुर्योधनपिता तदा। किर्मीरः कथं भीमेन पातितः॥
Vaishampayana said : The king of kings, the father of Duryodhana (Dhritarashtra), thus averting the curse, asked Maitreya (to tell him) how Kirmira had been kiiled by Bhima.
मैत्रेय उवाच नाहं वक्ष्यामि ते भूयो न ते सुश्रूषते सुतः। एष ते विदुरः सर्वमाख्यास्यति गते मयि॥
Maitreya said: I shall not again speak to you as my words are not accepted by your son. When I shall go away. Vidura will tell you all.
वैशम्पायन उवाच इत्येवमुक्त्वा मैत्रेयः प्रातिष्ठत यथाऽऽगतम्। किर्मीरवधसंविग्नो बहिर्दुर्योधनो ययौ॥
Vaishampayana said : Having said this, Maitreya went away whence he came. Duryodhana (also) went away much agitated by the thought of the death of Kirmira.