वैशम्पायन उवाच श्रुत्वा दुर्योधनो वाक्यमप्रियं कुरुसंसदि। प्रत्युवाच महाबाहुं वासुदेवं यशस्विनम्॥
Vaishampayana said Duryodhana, hearing in the assembly of the Kurus those words which he little liked, said in reply to Vasudeva of long arms and of great renown.
प्रसमीक्ष्य भवानेतद् वक्तुमर्हति केशव। मामेव हि विशेषेण विभाष्य परिगर्हसे॥
"It is proper, that you should speak to me in this way after due consideration; but you speak, finding fault with me especially.
भक्तिवादेन पार्थानामकस्मान्मधुसूदन। भवान् गर्हयते नित्यं किं समीक्ष्य बलाबलम्॥
Why do you, O slayer of Madhu, speak in terms of praise of the sons of Pritha and why are you ever finding fault with me without due consideration of the strength and weakness of our cause?
भवान् क्षत्ता च वाप्याचार्यो वा पितामहः। मामेव परिगर्हन्ते नान्यं कंचन पार्थिवम्॥
You and Kshattri and the king, and the preceptor and the grandfather all find fault with me and not with any other king of the earth.
न चाहं लक्षये कंचिद् व्यभिचारमिहात्मनः। अथ सर्वे भवन्तो मां विद्विषन्ति सराजकाः॥
But in this matter I do not find any unworthy conduct of myself but still all of you including the king hate me.
न चाहं कंचिदत्यर्थमपराधमरिंदम। विचिन्तयन् प्रपश्यामि सुसूक्ष्ममपि केशव॥
I have not committed the slightest fault, O chastiser of foes, nor do I see any after a most minute and searching examination, OKeshava.
प्रियाभ्युपगते द्यूते पाण्डवा मधुसूदन। जिताः शकुनिना राज्यं तत्र किं मम दुष्कृतम्॥
O slayer of Madhu, the Pandavas were defeated at a game of dice in which they engaged of their own will and their kingdom was won by Shakuni; what fault is there on my part in this matter?
यत् पुनर्रविणं किंचित् तत्राजीयन्त पाण्डवाः। तेभ्य एवाभ्यनुज्ञातं तत् तदा मधुसूदन॥
Indeed, 0 slayer of Madhu, I ordered at the time for the return of the wealth which the Pandavas had lost in that case.
अपराधो न चास्माकं यत् ते द्यूते पराजिताः। अजेया जयतां श्रेष्ठ पार्थाः प्रताजिता वनम्॥
It is not our fault that defeated at another game of dice-those invincible sons of Pritha-those foremost among victors were thus exiled into the forest.
केन वाप्यपराधेन विरुद्ध्यन्त्यरिभिः सह। अशक्ताः पाण्डवाः कृष्ण प्रहृष्टाः प्रत्यमित्रवत्॥
By the imputation of what fault do they regard ourselves as their enemies-O Krishna? The Pandavas are weak and incapable but they yet cheering treat us as their enemies.
किमस्माभिः कृतं तेषां कस्मिन् वा पुनरागसि। धार्तराष्ट्रान् जिघांसन्ति पाण्डवाः संजयैः सह॥
What has been done by us to them and for what injury again do those sons of Pandu united with this Srinjayas, try to slay the sons of Dhritarashtra?
न चापि वयमुग्रेण कर्मणा वचनेन वा। प्रभ्रष्टाः प्रणमामेह भयादपि शतक्रतुम्॥
We will not, fearing harsh deeds or words, bow down out of fear even to the performer of a hundred sacrifices (Indra).
न च तं कृष्ण पश्यामि क्षत्रधर्ममनुष्ठितम्। उत्सहेत युधा जेतुं यो नः शत्रुनिबर्हण॥
I do not see any body, O Krishna, following the duties of a Kshatriya who would i aspire to defeat us in battle, O chastiser of foes.
न हि भीष्मकृपद्रोणाः सकर्णा मधुसूदन। देवैरपि युधा जेतुं शक्याः किमुत पाण्डवैः॥
Bhishma, Kripa and Drona, along with Karna, O slayer of Madhu, are incapable of being vanquished even by the gods, how can they be so by the sons of Pandu?
स्वधर्ममनुपश्यन्तो यदि माधव संयुगे। अस्त्रेण निधनं काले प्राप्स्यामः स्वर्ग्यमेव तत्॥
If following the duties laid down by my religion, O Madhava, I fall down dead in the field killed by arms in the proper time, it will lead me to heaven.
मुख्यश्चैवैष नो धर्मः क्षत्रियाणां जनार्दन। यच्छयीमहि संग्रामे शरतल्पगता वयम्॥
The principal duty of ours, Kshatriyas, O Janardana, is that we should lie down on a bed of arrows in the battle field.
ते वयं वीरशयनं प्राप्स्यामो यदि संयुगे। अप्रणम्यैव शत्रूणां न नस्तप्स्यन्ति माधव॥
If we lie down like heroes in the battle without bowing before the enemies, then it is no matter for regret, O Madhava.
कश्च जातु कुले जातः क्षत्रधर्मेण वर्तयन्। भयाद् वृत्तिं समीक्ष्यैवं प्रणमेदिह कर्हिचित्॥
Who is there, who born in a noble family and abiding by the rules of the Kshatriya class, seeing that his life is in danger would bow before any body?
उद्यच्छेदेव न नमेदुद्यमो ह्येव पौरुषम्। अप्यपर्वणि भज्येत न नमेदिह कर्हिचित्॥
Keeping one's self erect now should not bow down, for energy or exertion itself is manliness; he may even break at his weak points but on no account should he bow before any body.
इति मातङ्गवचनं परीप्सन्ति हितेप्सवः। धर्माय चैव प्रणमेद् ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च मद्विधः॥
This saying of Matanga is followed by those that desire their own good; men ſike me bow only to Brahmanas for the sake of virtue.
अचिन्तयन् कंचिदन्यं यावज्जीवं तथाऽऽचरेत्। एष धर्मः क्षत्रियाणां मतमेतच्च मे सदा॥
Without paying regard to any body else, throughout his life he should act thus, this is the duty of the Kshatriyas in my opinion and such has ever been my conduct.
राज्यांशश्चाभ्यनुज्ञातो यो मे पित्रा पुराभवत्। न स लभ्यः पुनर्जातु मयि जीवति केशव॥
The share of the kingdom that was given them in early days will not be regained by them during my life time, O Keshava.
यावच्च राजा ध्रियते धृतराष्ट्रो जनार्दन। न्यस्तशस्त्रा वयं ते वाप्युपजीवाम माधव। अप्रदेयं पुरा दत्तं राज्यं परवतो मम॥
O Janardana, so long as the position of a king is held by Dhritarashtra we shall live as his dependents with swords laid aside, O Madhava; this kingdom which ought not to have been given away was given away when I depended on others.
अज्ञानाद् वा भयाद्वापि मयि बाले जनार्दन। न तदद्य पुनर्लभ्यं पाण्डवैर्वृष्णिनन्दन।॥
Out of ignorance or fear when I was a child, O Janardana; it is not now to be regained by the sons of Pandu, o delighted of the Vrishinis.
ध्रियमाणे महाबाहौ मयि सम्प्रति केशव। तावदप्यपरित्याज्यं भूमेनः पाण्डवान् प्रति॥
So long as this is held by myself of long arms, O Keshava, I shall not leave aside which is pierced by the point of a sharp needle.