दुर्योधन उवाच सदृशानां मनुष्येषु सर्वेषां तुल्यजन्मनाम्। कथमेकान्ततस्तेषां पार्थानां मन्यसे जयम्॥
Dhritarashtra said Why do you consider victory to be the sole monopoly of the sons of Pritha who are similar to those of all men.
वयं च तेऽपि तुल्या वै वीर्येण च पराक्रमैः। समेन वयसा चैव प्रातिभेन श्रुतेन च।॥
We and they too are equal in heroism and in prowess, are similar in age, in intelligence and in knowledge of the holy books.
अस्त्रेण योधयुग्या च शीघ्रत्वे कौशले तथा। सर्वे स्म समजातीयाः सर्वे मानुषयोनयः॥
In weapons, in the science of fighting, in agility and in skill, all are of the same species; all had our birth in human beings.
पितामह विजानीषे पार्थेषु विजयं कथम्। नाहं भवति न द्रोणे न कृपे न च बाह्निके॥
O grandfather, how then do you know victory to go to the son of Pritha? I do not depend on Drona, nor on Kripa, nor on the son of Balhika.
अन्येषु च नरेन्द्रेषु पराक्रम्य समारभे। अहं वैकर्तनः कर्णो भ्राता दुःशासनश्च मे॥
Nor on the other kings. Myself, Karna the son of Vikartana and my brother Dushasana by our prowess will win.
पाण्डवान् समरे पञ्च हनिष्यामः शितैः शरैः। ततो राजन् महायज्ञैर्विविधैर्भूरिदक्षिणैः॥
We shall kill the five sons Pandu in battle by means of sharp-edged arrows; then, Oking, with a great sacrificial ceremony with large present of many sorts
ब्राह्मणांस्तर्पयिष्यामि गोभिरश्वैर्धनेन च। यदा परिकरिष्यन्ति ऐणेयानिव तन्तुना। अतरित्रानिव जले बाहुभिर्मामका रणे॥ पश्यन्तस्ते परांस्तत्र रथनागसमाकुलान्। तदा दविमोक्ष्यन्ति पाण्डवाः स च केशवः॥
Shall we worship the Brahmanas and with cows and heroes and wealth. When like deer dragged by a net or men unable to him by water shall our soldiers by means of their arms in the battle, drag the enemies and when they (the enemies) see the vast crows of chariots and elephants, then will the sons of Pandu leave off their pride and not they alone but Keshava also.
विदुर उवाच इह निःश्रेयसं प्राहुर्वृद्धा निश्चितदर्शिनः। ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषेण दमो धर्मः सनातनः॥
Vidura said Old persons who are unfailing in their predictions say that in this world self-control is excellent; especially in a Brahmana is it an eternal and necessary virtue.
तस्य दानं क्षमा सिद्धिर्यथावदुपपद्यते। दमो दानं तपो ज्ञानमधीतं चानुवर्तते॥
He gets success, forgiveness and the fruits of his gifts whose self-control pursues the path of gifts, asceticism, knowledge and study.
दमस्तेजो वर्धयति पवित्रं दम उत्तमम्। विपाप्मा वृद्धतेजास्तु पुरुषो विन्दते महत्॥
Self-control increases energy; self-control is excellent and holy. Absolved from his sins and having his energy increased (by selfcontrol) a man obtains great results. are
क्रव्याट्य इव भूतानामदान्तेभ्यः सदा भयम्। येषां च प्रतिषेधार्थं क्षत्रं सृष्टं स्वयम्भुवा॥
Those who are devoid of self-control are ever feared by creatures as Rakshasas, for whose check Kshatriyas were created by Him who is born of Himself.
आश्रमेषु चतुर्बाहुर्दममेवोत्तमं व्रतम्। तस्य लिङ्गं प्रवक्ष्यामि येषां समुदयो दमः॥
For all the four stages of life, self-control is a very good vow; I speak of the characteristics of him whose life is one of self-control.
क्षमा धृतिरहिंसा च समता सत्यमार्जवम्। इन्द्रियाभिजयो धैर्य मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम्॥ अकार्पण्यमसंरम्भः संतोषः श्रद्दधानता। एतानि यस्य राजेन्द्र स दान्तः पुरुषः स्मृतः॥ कामो लोभश्च दर्पश्च मन्युनिद्रा विकत्थनम्। मान ईर्ष्या च शोकश्च नैतद् दान्तो निषेवते। अजिह्ममशठं शुद्धमेतद् दान्तस्य लक्षणम्॥
They forgiveness, wisdom, benevolence, equality, regard for all virtues, truth, guilelessness, subjugation of the senses, patience, mildness, modesty and steadiness, the reverse of miserliness, mildness, contentment and reverence. Desire, avarice, vanity, envy, sleep, fareness of speech, self-love, jealousy and grief-these are not yielded to by those who have self-control. Simplicity, honestly and purity of mind are the characteristics of a man of self-control.
अलोलुपस्तथाऽल्पेप्सुः कामानामविचिन्तिता। समुद्रकल्पः पुरुषः स दान्तः परिकीर्तितः॥
One not given to avarice, who is desirous to obtain little, who is indifferent to objects of desire and who is grave as the sea, is known as the man of self-restraint.
सुवृत्तः शीलसम्पन्नः प्रसन्नात्माऽऽत्मविद् बुधः। प्राप्येह लोके सम्मानं सुगति प्रेत्य गच्छति॥
That wise man who is of good habits in life of a blameless disposition is satisfied with his soul and knows his own nature and after commanding respect in this world he is well provided for after death.
अभयं यस्य भूतेभ्यः सर्वेषामभयं यतः। स वै परिणतप्रज्ञः प्रख्यातो मनुजोत्तमः॥
He that has no fear from other creatures and from whom other creatures have no fear, is a man of ripe wisdom and is knows as the best of human beings.
सर्वभूतहितो मैत्रस्तस्मान्नोद्विजते जनः। समुद्र इव गम्भीरः प्रज्ञातृप्तः प्रशाम्यति॥
People are not made unhappy by him who makes all creatures his friends and seeks their good; he is calm and grave as the ocean and is pleased (with everything) owing to his wisdom.
कर्मणाऽऽचरितं पूर्वं सद्भिराचरितं च यत्। तदेवास्थाय मोदन्ते दान्ताः शमपरायणाः॥
Those who have self-control are of peaceful habits and rejoice, regulating their life by the example of deeds done in olden times and deeds in the present by the honest.
नैष्कर्म्यं वा समास्थाय ज्ञानतृप्तो जितेन्द्रियः। कालाकाक्षी चरँल्लोके ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते॥
Or living in this world and renouncing all work, the man of self-control, pleased with all by his wisdom, roams about in the world, waiting for death and annihilating into Brahma.
शकुनीनामिवाकाशे पदं नैवोपलभ्यते। एवं प्रज्ञानतृप्तस्य मुनेर्वर्त्म न दृश्यते॥
As the passage of birds soaring in the sky cannot be observed, so also the path of that sage who is contented in consequence of his wisdom is not observed.
उत्सृज्यैव गृहान् यस्तु मोक्षमेवाभिमन्यते। लोकास्तेजोमयास्तस्य कल्पन्ते शाश्वता दिवि॥
He who desirous of emancipation leaves his home has in heaven bright regions assigned to him forever.