वैशम्पायन उवाच प्रविश्याथ गृहं तस्याश्चरणावभिवाद्य च। आचख्यौ तत् समासेन यद् वृत्तं कुरुसंसदि॥
Vaishampayana said Then having entered her abode and saluted her feet he described in brief to her what had happened in that assembly of the Kurus.
वासुदेव उवाच उक्तं बहुविधं वाक्यं ग्रहणीयं सहेतुकम्। ऋषिभिश्चैव च मया न चासौ तद् गृहीतवान्।॥
Vasudeva said Many sorts of speech were made, all of them being acceptable and consistent with reason, by myself and the Rishis but he did not accept these.
कालपक्वमिदं सर्वं सुयोधनवशानुगम्। आपृच्छे भवतीं शीघ्रं प्रयास्ये पाण्डवान् प्रति॥
All these, the followers of Suyodhana, have reached the end of their time and with vas.
किं वाच्याः पाण्डवेयास्ते भवत्या वचनान्मया। तद् ब्रूहि त्वं महाप्राज्ञे शुश्रूषे वचनं तव॥
What should be said by me to those sons of Pandu, by your command, tell me, O you of great wisdom; I desire to hear your words.
कुन्त्युवाच ब्रूयाः केशव राजानं धर्मात्मानं युधिष्ठिरम्। भूयास्ते हीयते धर्मो मा पुत्रक वृथा कृथाः॥
Kunti said O Keshava, tell that virtuous-souled king Yudhishthira; “Virtue is fast leaving your; do not act vainly, my dear son.
श्रोत्रियस्येव ते राजन् मन्दकस्याविपश्चितः। अनुवाकहता बुद्धिर्धर्ममेवैकमीक्षते॥
Like an ignorant student of the Veda, 0 king, understanding the literal meaning but not catching the spirit you have been rendered ignorant of the laws of worldly good and like a fool you have been lost; the literal meaning of the Vedas being too much impressed on you, your intellect follows only virtue.
अङ्गोवेक्षस्व धर्मं त्वं यथा सृष्टः स्वयम्भुवा। बाहुभ्यां क्षत्रियाः सृष्टा बाहुवीर्योपजीविनः॥
Consider your own duties for which you were created by him who is born of himself; the Kshatriya has been created from the arms and by the exercise of his arms must he live.
क्रूराय कर्मणे नित्यं प्रजानां परिपालने। शृणु चात्रोपमामेकां या वृद्धेभ्यः श्रुता मया॥
For all hard deeds and for the protection of subjects he has been created; hear in this connection an example which has been heard hy me from old people.
मुचुकुन्दस्य राजर्षेरददत् पृथिवीमिमाम्। पुरा वैश्रवणः प्रीतो न चासौ तद् गृहीतवान्॥
To Muchukunda, the royal Rishi Vaisravana, being gratified, gave this earth but he did accept it.
बाहुवीर्यार्जितं राज्यमश्नीयामिति कामये। ततो वैश्रवणः प्रीतो विस्मितः समपद्यत॥
I desire to get a kingdom, which shall have been earned by the prowess of my arms; then was Vaisravana still more gratified and was struck with wonder.
मुचुकुन्दस्ततो राजा सोऽन्वशासद् वसुन्धराम्। बाहुवीर्यार्जितां सम्यक् क्षत्रधर्ममनुव्रतः॥
Then after that did the king Muchukunda rule over this earth which he earned by the prowess of his arms following closely the duties of a Kshatriya.
यं हि धर्म चरन्तीह प्रजा राज्ञा सुरक्षिताः। चतुर्थं तस्य धर्मस्य राजा विन्देत भारत॥
The one-fourth of the entire virtue earned by subjects well protected by the king in this world goes to the king, O Bharata.
राजा चरति चेद् धर्मं देवत्वायैव कल्पते। स चेदधर्मं चरति नरकायैव गच्छति॥
And if the king practices virtue he resembles the god even and if he practices vice he goes to hell.
दण्डनीतिः स्वधर्मेण चातुर्वर्ण्य नियच्छति। प्रयुक्ता स्वामिना सम्यगधर्मेभ्यश्च यच्छति॥
The penal code enforced by Lord in a proper way makes the four orders lead lives in their own proper spheres and makes the king himself earn virtue, desire and salvation.
दण्डनीत्यां यदा राजा सम्यक् कात्स्न्र्येन वर्तते। तदा कृतयुगं नाम कालः श्रेष्ठः प्रवर्तते॥
If the king property follows the penal code in its entirety then the best of age called Krita Yuga regions.
कालो वा कारणं राज्ञो राजा वा कालकारणम्। इति ते संशयो मा भूद् राजा कालस्य कारणम्॥
Oking, do not linger in doubt as to whether the age that nature of the king or whether it is the king that rules that is the cause of the prevalence of a particular period. The king is the cause of the age.
राजा कृतयुगस्रष्टा त्रेताया द्वापरस्य च। युगस्य च चतुर्थस्य राजा भवति कारणम्॥
The king is the creator or maker of the Krita Yuga, as also of the Treta and Dvapara and the king becomes the cause as well of the fourth Yuga.
कृतस्य करणाद् राजा स्वर्गमत्यन्तमश्नुते। त्रेतायाः करणाद् राजा स्वर्ग नात्यन्तमश्नुते॥
Owing to causing the Krita Yuga to prevail, a king enjoys exceedingly the fruits of heaven and owing to causing the Treta Yuga he enjoys moderately the fruits of heaven.
प्रवर्तनाद् द्वापरस्य यथाभागमुपाश्नुते। कले प्रवर्तनाद् राजा पापमत्यन्तमजुते॥
Owing to causing the Dvapara Yuga to prevail he has also a due share of these fruits but owing to causing the Kali Yuga to prevail, the king attains excessive misery.
ततो वसति दुष्कर्मा नरके शाश्वतीः समाः। राजदोषेण हि जगत् स्पृश्यते जगतः स च॥
Then that doer of wicked deeds resides, in hell for eternity; the earth is affected by the sins of the king while he too is affected by the earth's sins.
राजधर्मानवेक्षस्व पितृपैतामहोचितान्। नैतद् राजर्षिवृत्तं हि यत्र त्वं स्थातुमिच्छसि॥
Duly following the examples of your father and grandfather, observe the duty or a king-this is not the life of a royal Rishi in which you desire to live.
न कि वैक्लव्यसंसृष्ट आनृशंस्ये व्यवस्थितः। प्रजापालनसम्भूतं फलं किंचन लब्धवान्॥
He, that is affected by weakness of mind or heart and follows the Path of compassion, does not gain any portion of the fruits due to the protection of subjects.
न ह्येतामाशिष पाणडुर्न चाहं न पितामहः। प्रयुक्तवन्तः पूर्वं ते यया चरसि मेधया।॥
Pandu, nor myself, nor your grandfather blessed you then formerly for that you should follow the course you are adopting.
यज्ञो दानं तपः शौर्यं प्रज्ञा संतानमेव च। माहात्म्यं बलमोजश्च नित्यमाशंसितं मया॥
The performance of sacrificial rites, liberality, devotion, heroism, greatness, might and energy, were ever expected of you by me.
नित्यं स्वाहा नित्यं दद्युर्मानुषदेवताः। दीर्घमायुर्धनं पुत्रान् सम्यगाराधिताः शुभाः॥
Svadha, and Svaha as also the blessings of a life, wealth, sons are ever given by gods and men, when duly gratified.
पुत्रेष्वाशासते नित्यं पितरो दैवतानि च। दानमध्ययनं यज्ञं प्रजानां परिपालनम्॥
The parents, and even the gods always expect liberality, study, sacrificial rites and the protection of subjects, of their sons.
एतद् धर्म्यमधर्म्यं वा जन्मनैवाभ्यजायथाः। ते तु वैद्याः कुले जाता अवृत्त्या तात पीडिताः॥
Whether this be virtue or not, you are to practice them in consequence of this your birth; but my children, though wise and born in a high family, are without the means of earning their living and in fact they are persecuted by others.
यत्र दानपतिं शूरं क्षुधिताः पृथिवीचराः। प्राप्य तुष्टाः प्रतिष्ठन्ते धर्मः कोऽभ्यधिकस्ततः॥
Who earns greater virtue than he who is a hero and the foremost among the gift makers, coming in contract with whom hungry beings of the earth have their hunger satisfied?
दानेनान्यं बलेनान्यं तथा सूनृतया परम्। सर्वतः प्रतिगृह्णीयाद् राज्यं प्राप्येह धार्मिकः॥
Some by means of gifts, others by means of force, a third by means of truth, should be attached to his own side by a virtuous man who has obtained a kingdom.
ब्राह्मणः प्रचरेद् भैक्षं क्षत्रिय: परिपालयेत्। वैश्यो धनार्जनं कुर्याच्छूद्रः परिचरेच्च तान्॥
A Brahmana should live on alms, a Kshatriya should protect his subjects, a Vaishya should acquire wealth and a Shudra should serve all these other orders.
भैक्षं विप्रतिषिद्धं ते कृषिःवोपपद्यते। क्षत्रियोऽसि क्षतात् त्राता बाहुवीर्योपजीविता॥
The life of a bigger is not suited to you, nor does agriculture seem fit; you are Kshatriya, the Saviour of the oppressed and should live by the prowess of your arms.
पित्र्यमंशं महाबाहो निमग्नं पुनरुद्धर। साम्ना भेदेन दानेन दण्डेनाथ नयेन वा॥ । नु
O you of long arms, earn again your paternal wealth which is lost, by means of conciliation, dispute, gifts, punishment, or by diplomacy.
इतो दुःखतरं किं यदहं हीनबान्धवा। परपिण्डमुदीक्षे वै त्वां सूत्वाऽमित्रनन्दन॥
What can be more sorrowful than this-that I, deprived of friends and supporters, should live on the food of others, having given birth to you, O delighter of friends.
युद्ध्यस्व राजधर्मेण मा निमज्जी: पितामहान्। मा गमः क्षीणपुण्यस्त्वं सानुजः पापिकां गतिम्॥
Fight following the duties of kings and do not sink your grandfathers, in infamy; do not obtain a sinful end along with your younger brothers with the effect of your virtues deeds being wrested away.