वैशम्पायन उवाच कृष्णस्य तु वचः श्रुत्वा धृतराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः। विदुरं सर्वधर्मज्ञं त्वरमाणोऽभ्यभाषत॥
Vaishampayana said Hearing these words of Krishna Dhritarashtra, the lord of men, said in haste to Vidura conversant with all virtues.
गच्छ तात महाप्राज्ञां गान्धारी दीर्घदर्शिनीम्। आनयेह तया सार्धमनुनेष्यामि दुर्मतिम्॥
“Go my dear friend, to the exceedingly wise Gandhari endued with great foresight; get her hare; joining with her shall I persuade that one of evil intellect.
यदि सापि दुरात्मानं शमयेद् दुष्टचेतसम्। अपि कृष्णस्य सुहृदस्तिष्ठेम वचने वयम्॥
If she can lead that wicked-souled one of vicious heart, to peace then shall we be able to act up to the words of Krishna, our wellwisher.
अपि लोभाभिभूतस्य पन्थानमनुदर्शयेत्। दुर्बुद्धेर्दुःसहायस्य शमार्थं ब्रुवती वचः॥
She might show the right path to him overpowered by avarice, by speaking in favour of that one of wicked intellect and having vicious men for his help, for making peace.
अपि नो व्यसनं घोरं दुर्योधनकृतं महत्। शमयेच्चिररात्राय योगक्षेमवदव्ययम्॥
If she can thwart this dire and frightful calamity brought about by Duryodhana then shall we attain happiness and remain happy for ever.
राज्ञस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा विदरो दीर्घदर्शिनीम्। आनयामास गान्धारी धृतराष्ट्रस्य शासनात्॥
Hearing the words of the king Vidura brought, by command of Dhritarashtra, Gandhari endued with great foresight.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच एष गान्धारि पुत्रस्ते दुरात्मा शासनातिगः। ऐश्वर्यलोभादैश्वर्यं जीवितं च प्रहास्यति॥
Dhritarashtra said O Gandhari, this is your wicked-souled son who never obeys my commands owing to his avarice for prosperity; he will lose prosperity as also his life,
अशिष्टवदमर्यादः पापैः सह दुरात्मवान्। सभाया निर्गतो मूढो व्यतिक्रम्य सुहृद्वचः॥
That wicked-souled like, unmannerly man and without showing any respect for others, accompanied by those one an vicious companions, went out of the council hall and the fool did not pay any attention to the advice of his well-wishers.
वैशम्पायन उवाच सा भर्तृवचनं श्रुत्वा राजपुत्री यशस्विनी। अन्विच्छन्ती महच्छ्रेयो गान्धारी वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said That princess, of great renown Gandhari having heard the words of her husband, said these words desiring the greatest good of her son.
गान्धार्युवाच आनायय सुतं क्षिप्रं राज्यकामुकमातुरम्। न हि राज्यमशिष्टेन शक्यं धर्मार्थलोपिना॥
Gandhari said Quickly summon your son, who is afflicted with a passion for kingdom; a kingdom cannot be maintained by an unrighteous person who seeks neither virtue nor worldly good.
आप्नुमाप्तं तथापीदमविनीतेन सर्वथा। त्वं ह्योवात्र भृशं ग. धृतराष्ट्र सुतप्रियः॥
But notwithstanding all this, Duryodhana, having to humility in him, has obtained what is unobtainable by all means and you, O Dhritarashtra, are very much blamable for this, for you are fond of your son.
यो जानन् पापतामस्य तत्प्रज्ञामनुवर्तसे। स एष काममन्युभ्यां प्रलब्धो लोभमास्थितः॥
You, who know that he is of a sinful nature, follow his wisdom, and he too supported by you is fully under the influence of desire and wrath and a slave of lust.
अशक्योऽद्य त्वया राजन् विनिवर्तयितुं बलात्। राष्ट्रप्रदाने मूढस्य बालिशस्य दुरात्मनः॥
He is now incapable of being swerved from his purpose by force, O king; entrusting the kingdom to that ignorant fool of wicked soul,
दुःसहायस्य लुब्धस्य धृतराष्ट्रोऽश्नुते फलम्। कथं हि स्वजने भेदमुपेक्षेत महीपतिः। भिन्नं हि स्वजनेन त्वां प्रहसिष्यन्ति शत्रवः॥
And having wicked ministers and moved by avarice, you are reaping the fruits O Dhritarashtra; why do you, O lord of the earth, look on this dispute with your own kinsmen with indifference? Your enemies will rejoice at this dispute with your own kinsmen.
या हि शक्या महाराज साना भेदेन वा पुनः। निस्तर्तुमापदः स्वेषु दण्डं कस्तत्र पातयेत्॥
A difficulty which can be averted, O great king, by means of conciliation in gift, who would care to use violence in?
वैशम्पायन उवाच शासनाद् धृतराष्ट्रस्य दुर्योधनममर्षणम्। मातुश्च वचनात् क्षत्ता सभां प्रावेशयत् पुनः॥
Vaishampayana said By command of Dhritarashtra as also at the request of the mother the Kshattri again had the wrathful Duryodhana brought there.
स मातुर्वचनाकाङ्क्षी विवेश पुनः सभाम्। अभिताप्रेक्षणः क्रोधान्निःश्वसन्निव पन्नगः॥
He, being desirous of hearing what his mother had to say, again entered the council chambers with his eyes red as copper in rage, and breathing ((heavily) like a serpent.
तं प्रविष्टमभिप्रेक्ष्य पुत्रमुत्पथमास्थितम्। विगर्हमाणा गान्धारी शमार्थं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
Seeing her son who was following the wrong course enter, Gandhari with a view to peace, spoke these words finding fault with him.
दुर्योधन निबोधेदं वचनं मम पुत्रक। हितं ते सानुबन्धस्य तथाऽऽयत्यां सुखोदयम्॥
O Duryodhana, my dear son, listen to those words of mine which will conduce to the benefit to yourself along with your followers, which will bring on happiness and which is easy for you to listen.
दुर्योधन यदाह त्वां पिता भरतसत्तमा भीष्मो द्रोणः कृपः क्षत्ता सुहृदां कुरु तद् वचः॥
Duryodhana, what your father, that best among the Bharatas, as also Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and the Kshatta have told your is the advice of your well wishers; follow that.
विजितात्मा तु भीष्मस्य तु पितुश्चैव मम चापचितिः कृता। भवेद् द्रोणमुखानां च सुहृदां शाम्यता त्वया॥
It is my fond and earnest wish as also that of your well wishers Bhishma, your father and others, the chief of whom is Drona, that you should make peace.
न हि राज्यं महाप्राज्ञ स्वेन कामेन शक्यते। अवाप्तुं रक्षितुं वापि भोक्तुं भरतसत्तम॥
O you of great wisdom, a kingdom cannot be maintained by following the bent of your desires alone, nor can it be earned, protected or enjoyed (by that means), o best of the Bharatas,
न ह्यवश्येन्द्रियो राज्यमश्नीयाद् दीर्घमन्तरम्। मेधावी स राज्यमभिपालयेत्॥
No can one, who has not controlled his senses, enjoy a kingdom for a long while; one, who has controlled his senses and has intelligence, can alone protect a kingdom.
कामक्रोधौ हि पुरुषमर्थेभ्यो व्यपकर्षतः। तौ तु शत्रु विनिर्जित्य राजा विजयते महीम्॥
Desire and wrath snatch away a man from earthy good; after subjugating these two enemies does a king conquer the earth.
लोकेश्वर प्रभुत्वं हि महदेतद् दुरात्मभिः। राज्यं नामेप्सितं स्थानं न शक्यमभिरक्षितुम्॥
The sovereignty enjoyed by a ruler of men is a great thing; a kingdom can easily be wished for by those that are of wicked souls but it cannot be suitably protected by them.
इन्द्रियाणि महत्प्रेप्सुर्नियच्छेदर्थधर्मयोः। इन्द्रियैर्नियतैर्बुद्धिर्वर्धतेऽन्निरिवेन्धनैः॥
One, who aspires to great things, must lead his senses to virtue and profit; by having the senses under control, intelligence increases as fire when it has fuel added on to it.
अविधेयानि हीमानि व्यापादयितुमप्यलम्। अविधेया इवादान्ता हयाः पथि कुसारथिम्॥
These, when not kept under proper control, are sufficiently powerful to kill a man like untrained horses not properly managed which can kill an incompetent driver on the road.
अविजित्य य आत्मानममात्यान् विजिगीषते। अमित्रान् वाजितामात्यः सोऽवशः परिहीयते॥
He, who without conquering self, wants to conquer his ministers wants to conquer his enemies, is soon brought under subjection by others.
आत्मानमेव प्रथमं द्वेष्यरूपेण योजयेत्। ततोऽमात्यानमित्रांश्च न मोघं विजिगीषते॥
He was conquers his own self first, thinking that to be an enemy, and then desires to conquer his ministers and his enemies has his desires fulfilled.
वश्येन्द्रियं जितामात्यं धृतदण्ड विकारिषु। परीक्ष्यकारिणं धीरमत्यर्थं श्रीनिषेवते॥
To one who has his senses under control, to one who has gained mastery over his enemies, to one who holds the rod (of punishment) on offenders and to one who does a thing after mature consideration, does prosperity offer great adoration.
क्षुद्राक्षेणेव जालेन झपावपिहितावुभौ। कामक्रोधौ शरीरस्थौ प्रज्ञानं तौ विलुम्पतः॥
Like two small fishes, caught in a net with small holes, are desire and wrath which exist in a body, deprived of their existence by wisdom.
याभ्यां हि देवाः स्वर्यातुः स्वर्गस्य पिदधुर्मुखम्। बिभ्यतोऽनुपरागस्य कामक्रोधो स्म वर्धितौ॥
Desire and wrath when increased are the things owing to which the gods shut up the doors to heaven to a man who has gained mastery over wordy propensities and otherwise is qualified to enter heaven.
काम क्रोधं च लोभं च दम्भं दर्थं च भूमिपः। सम्यग्विजेतुं यो वेद स महीमभिजायते॥
The protector of the earth, who knows how to gain complete ascendancy over desire, wrath, avarice, pride and vanity, subjugates the entire world.
सततं निग्रहे युक्त इन्द्रियाणां भवेन्नृपः। ईष्सन्नर्थं च धर्मं च द्विषतां च पराभवम्॥
The rulers of men, desirous of obtaining worldly good, virtue and the defeat of his enemies, should constantly employ them-selves in controlling their senses.
कामाभिभूतः क्रोधाद् वा यो मिथ्या प्रतिपद्यते। स्वेषु चान्येषु वा तस्य न सहाया भवन्त्युत॥
He who behaves falsely, being subject to desire or to wrath, towards himself or to others, has got no body to help him.
एकीभूतैर्महाप्राज्ञैः शूरैररिनिवर्हणैः। पाण्डवैः पृथिवीं तात भोक्ष्यसे सहितः सुखी॥
Having joined those ones endued with great wisdom, those heroes who are chastisers of their enemies, their enemies, those Pandavas, you will enjoy along with them this earth in happiness, my dear son.
यथा भीष्मः शान्तनवो द्रोणश्चापि महारथः। आहतुस्तात तत् सत्यमजेयौ कृष्णपाण्डवौ॥
What Bhishma, the son of Shantanu and the great car-warrior Drona have told you, namely that Krishna and Arjuna are invincible is true indeed.
प्रपद्यस्व महाबाहुं कृष्णमक्लिष्टकारिणम्। प्रसन्नो हि सुखाय स्यादुभयोरेव केशवः॥
Seek the refuge of that one of long arms Krishna, who does everything without exertions; if Keshava gratified it will conduce to the happiness of both the sides.
सुहृदामर्थकामानां यो न तिष्ठति शासने। प्राज्ञानां कृतविद्यानां स नरः शत्रुनन्दनः॥
That man, who does not follow the instructions of well-wishers who desire his good and who are wise and learned, is the delight of his enemies.
न युद्धे तात कल्याणं न धर्मार्थों कुतः सुखम्। न चापि विजयो नित्यं मा युद्धे चेत आधिथा।॥
My dear son, from a fight there will result no good; and how can there be virtue or worldly benefit? and how can there be happiness. Even victory is not stable; do not therefore set your mind on war.
भीष्मेण हि महाप्राज्ञं पित्रा ते बाह्निकेन च। दत्तोंऽशः पाण्डुपुत्राणां भेदाद् भीतैररिंदम॥
O you of great wisdom, by Bhishma, by your father and by Balhika were the sons of Pandu given their share of the kingdom out fear for a dispute, O chastiser of foes.
तस्य चैतत्प्रदानस्य फलमद्यानुपश्यसि। यद् भुड्क्षे पृथिवीं कृत्स्ना शूरैर्निहतकण्टकाम्॥
The fruits of this bestowal you now seeyou enjoy this entire earth, subjected by those heroes, with all your thorns and barriers removed.
प्रयच्छ पाण्डुपुत्राणां यथोचितमरिंदम। यदीच्छसि सहामात्यो भोक्तुमधु प्रदीयताम्॥
Give to the sons of Pandu their due share, O chastiser of foes, if you desire to enjoy earth with your ministers; make over to them one half of kingdom.
अलमर्धं पृथिव्यास्ते सहामात्यस्य जीवितुम्। सुहृदां वचने तिष्ठन् यशः प्राप्स्यसि भारत॥
One half of this earth is sufficient for the livelihood of yourself and your ministers; by following the advice of your well-wishers you will earn renown, O Bharata.
श्रीमद्भिरात्मवद्भिस्तैर्बुद्धिमद्भिर्जितेन्द्रियैः। पाण्डवैर्विग्रहस्तात भ्रंशयेन्महतः सुखात्॥
By a struggle with the sons of Pandu who are endued are with prosperity, who have intelligence and who have mastered their senses, you will be deprived of great happiness, my dear son.
निगृह्य सुहृदां मन्युं शाधि राज्यं यथोचितम्। स्वमंशं पाण्डुपुत्रेभ्यः प्रदाय भरतर्षभ॥
Removing the wrath of your well-wishers, rule over your kingdom duly after having given back to the sons of Pandu their own share, O best among the Bharatas.
अलमङ्ग निकारोऽयं त्रयोदश समाः कृतः। शमयैनं महाप्राज्ञ कामक्रोधसमेधितम्॥
The troubles that they have suffered for the last thirteen years are enough; O you of great wisdom, control the feelings you entertain, which are fed by wrath and desire.
न चैष शक्तः पार्थानां यस्त्वमर्थमभीप्ससि। सूतपुत्रो दृढक्रोधो भ्राता दुःशासनश्च ते॥
You desire to possess yourself of the wealth of the sons of Pritha but you are not competent to do it, nor is the son of the Suta, nor your brother Dushasana of firm wrath,
भीष्मे द्रोणे कृपे कर्णे भीमसेने धनंजये। धृष्टद्युम्ने च संक्रुद्धे न स्युः सर्वाः प्रजा ध्रुवम्॥
Bhishma, Drona, Kripa Karna, Bhimasena, Dhananjaya and Dhrishtadyumna being fired with wrath, all creatures will surely cease to exist.
अमर्षवशमापन्नो मा कुरूंस्तात जीघनः। एषा हि पृथिवी कृत्स्ना मा गमत् त्वत्कृते वधम्॥
Being subject to the influence of wrath, do not, my dear son, slay the Kurus; let not this entire earth be massacred on account of your doings.
यच्च त्वं मन्यसे मूढ भीष्मद्रोणकृपादयः। योत्स्यन्ते सर्वशक्त्येति नैतदद्योपपद्यते॥
The, thought, that you entertain, o king that Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and others will fight for you, with all their might, will not be realized now.
समं हि राज्यं प्रीतिश्च स्थानं हि विदितात्मनाम्। पाण्डवेष्वथ युष्मासु धर्मस्त्वभ्यधिकस्ततः॥
These, who know their own selves, have equal affection for the the Pandavas and yourselves, while virtue is more on their sides; besides whichever side wins, the kingdom will be the same to them.
राजपिण्डभयादेते यदि हास्यन्ति जीवितम्। न हि शक्ष्यन्ति राजानं युधिष्ठिरमुदीक्षितुम्॥
If foe the fear of losing the maintenance they get from the king, they can think lightly of their very lives, they will yet not be able to see the king Yudhishthira with (angry) eyes.
न लोभादर्थसम्पत्तिनराणामिह दृस्यते। तदलं तात लोभेन प्रशाम्य भरतर्षभ।॥
By avarice men are seen to earn prosperity in this world; therefore do you my dear son, quench this avarice of yours, O best among the Bharatas.