कुन्त्युवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। विदुलायाश्च संवादं पुत्रस्य च परंतप॥
Kunti said In this connection is cited the old story of the conversation between Vidula and her son, O chastiser of foes.
अत्र श्रेयश्च भूयश्च यथावद् वक्तुमर्हसि। यशस्विनी मन्युमती कुले जाता विभावरी॥
It is proper that you should tell (Yudhishthira) the words of that story or anything better than that. There was a lady born in a noble family who had great renown and was wrathful.
क्षत्रधर्मरता दान्ता विदुला दीर्घदर्शिनी। विश्रुता राजसंसत्सु श्रुतवाक्या बहुश्रुता।॥
She was attached to the duties of a Kshatriya princess and her name was Vidula, She possessed great foresight and had senses under control; her name was known to all kings and she was very learned for hearing speeches of eminent men.
विदुला नाम राजन्या जगहें पुत्रमौरसम्। निर्जितं सिन्धुराजेन शयानं दीनचेतसम्॥
The princess Vidula thus censured her own son who, being defeated by the king of the Sindhus, was lying down with a sorrowful heart.
विदुलोवाच अनन्दन मया जात द्विषतां हर्षवर्धन। न मया त्वं न पित्रा च जातः क्वाभ्यागतो ह्यसि॥
Vidula said I have begotten a son who does not delight me but on the other hand increases the joys of our enemies. By me nor by your father have you been begotten. Where have you come from?
निर्मन्युश्चाप्यसंख्येयः पुरुषः क्लीबसाधनः। यावज्जीवं निराशोऽसि कल्याणाय धुरं वह॥
Being the reverse of wrathful you cannot be reckoned among men and your features possess no signs of prowess. Throughout your life you are in despair; for your sake, and your welfare, bear the burden of life manfully.
माऽऽत्मानमवमन्यस्व मैनमल्पेन बीभरः। मनः कृत्वा सुकल्याणं मा भैस्त्वं प्रतिसंहर॥
Do not think lightly of your own soul and do not let it be satisfied with a little; having set your mind on very great desirable objects, be not afraid and abandon your misgivings.
उत्तिष्ठ हे कापुरुष मा शेष्वैवं पराजितः। अमित्रान् नन्दयन् सर्वान् निर्मानो बन्धुशोकदः॥
Rise, O coward, do not remain inactive in this way being defeated, thereby increasing the joys of our enemies, affording cause for grief to your friends and regardless of everything.
सुपूरा वै कुनदिका सुपूरो मूषिकाञ्जलिः। सुसंतोषः कापुरुषः स्वल्पकेनैव तुष्यति॥
Bad (small) rivers are filled with a handful water and douses are satisfied with little and a coward is ever well satisfied, for a little satisfies him.
अप्यहेरारुजन् दंष्ट्रामाश्वेव निधनं व्रजा अपि वा संशयं प्राप्य जीवितेऽपि पराक्रमः॥
Rather die in the act of rooting out the fangs of a snake than roam about like a dog and exercise your prowess even at the risk of life.
अप्यरेः श्येनवच्छिद्रं पश्येस्त्वं विपरिक्रमन्। विवदन् वाथवा तूष्णीं व्योम्नि वापरिशङ्कितः॥
Or be on the look out for the holes of your enemies like a hawk roaming about in the sky or you show your prowess and fight without any doubts in your mind.
त्वमेवं प्रेतवच्छेघे कस्माद् वज्रहतो यथा। उत्तिष्ठ हे कापुरुष मा स्वाप्सीः शत्रुनिर्जितः॥
Why are you lying down like a dead body being struck with thunder? Rise, O coward, and do not lie down defeated by your enemies.
मास्तं गमस्त्वं कृपणो विश्रूयस्व स्वकर्मणा। मा मध्ये मा जघन्ये त्वं माऽधो भूस्तिष्ठ गर्जितः॥
Do not vanish away into darkness so miserably; let yourself be heard about by your deeds; do not stand in the second rank, nor in the third nor in the last but stand proudly first.
अलातं तिन्दुकस्येव मुहूर्तमपि विज्वल। मा तुषाग्निरिवान—िमायस्व जिजीविषुः॥
Blaze up even for a moment like a piece of Tindula wood and do not like the fire of husk smoke away fireless out of your desire of life.
मुहूर्तं ज्वलितं श्रेयो न च धूमायितं चिरम्। मा ह स्म कस्यचिद् गेहे जनि राज्ञः खरो मृदुः॥
A momentary blaze is better than smoking for a long time; let not there be born in a royal house a prince who is too harsh or who is too soft-minded.
कृत्वा मानुष्यकं कर्म सृत्वाजिं यावदुत्तमम्। धर्मस्यानृण्यमाप्नोति न चात्मानं विगर्हते॥
Doing the deed of men and achieving every feat that is really great in a field of battle a man satisfied the duties of his order and has no reason to find fault with himself.
अलब्वा यदि वा लब्ध्वा नानुशोचति पण्डितः। आनन्तर्यं चारभते न प्राणानां धनायते॥
A wise man grieves not whether he is successful or not in his object; on the contrary he commences what ought to be done under the altered circumstances without caring for his life.
उद्भावयस्व वीर्यं वा तां वा गच्छ ध्रुवां गतिम्। धर्म पुत्राग्रतः कृत्वा किंनिमित्तं हि जीवसि॥
Show forth your own power or meet with your sure end only playing at your back (making it a secondary consideration) why do you live my son?
इष्टापूर्तं हि ते क्लीब कीर्तिश्च सकला हता। विच्छिन्नं भोगमूलं ते किंनिमित्तं हि जीवसि॥
The fruits of the sacrificial rites performed by you, O coward, and all your renown are all destroyed; the roots of your enjoyment are all cut up; for what reason do you live on?
शत्रुर्निमज्जता ग्राह्यो जवायां प्रपतिष्यता। विपरिच्छिन्नमूलोऽपि न विषीदेत् कथंचन॥
When about to fall down (in wrestling) an enemy should be held by the thing and made to fall down also even when cut up to the roots, one should not grieve.
उद्यम्य धुरमुत्कर्षेदाजानेयकृतं स्मरन्। कुरु सत्त्वं च मानं च विद्धि पौरुषमात्मनः॥
Remembering the exertion made by horses of good breed in moving heavy weight know what in your own manliness lies and bring together all you sense of honour and energy.
उद्भावय कुलं मग्नं त्वत्कृते स्वयमेव हि। यस्य वृत्तं न जल्पन्ति मानवा महदद्भुतम्॥
Raise up the race that has been sunk in infamy by your own doings. The man, whose great and wonderful feats men do not talk about.
राशिवर्धनमात्रं स नैव स्त्री न पुनः पुमान्। दाने तपसि सत्ये च यस्य नोच्चरितं यशः॥
Goes only to increase the common heard; he is neither a woman nor a man; he chose fame is not spoken about in gifts, devolution and truth
विद्यायामर्थलाभे वा मातुरुच्चार एव सः। श्रुतेन तपसा वापि श्रिया वा विक्रमेण वा॥
And in learning and attainment of wealth is but the excretion of his mother. Whereas learning, devotion, in prosperity or prowess.
जनान् योऽभिभवत्यन्यान् कर्मणा हि स वै पुमान्। न त्वेव जाल्पी कापाली वृत्तिमेषितुमर्हसि॥
The man who suppress another or in deeds is a man indeed. It is not proper that you should adopt a life which is idle and wretched,
नृशंस्यामयशस्यां च दुःखां कापुरुषोचिताम्। यमेनमभिनन्देयुरमित्राः पुरुषं कृशम्॥
Compassionate leading to infamy and miserable which is suitable only for a coward; in such a case enemies rejoice over such a weak man.
लोकस्य समवज्ञातं निहीनासनवाससम्। अहो लाभकर हीनमल्पजीवनमल्पकम्॥
Held in contempt and destitute of seats and robes; they express surprise and gratification at small earnings, are means, have no courage and are low.
नेदृशं बन्धुमासाद्य बान्धवः सुखमेधते। अवृत्त्यैव विपत्स्यामो वयं राष्ट्रात् प्रवासिताः॥
Friends derive no happiness from gaining such a friend; being exiled from a kingdom we shall die destitute of the means of earning our livelihood,
सर्वकामरसैींनाः स्थानभ्रष्टा अकिंचनाः। अवल्गुकारिणं सत्सु कुलवंशस्य नाशनम्॥
Deprived of all desires and enjoyments, turned out from our place and having nothing at all. Misbehaving among a race of honest men and the destroyer of the fame of his race and family.
कलिं पुत्रप्रवादेन संजय त्वामजीजनम्। निरमर्षं निरुत्साहं निर्वीर्यमरिनन्दनम्॥
Kali himself in the shape of yourself, my son Sanjaya, has been brought forth, by me who has no wealth in him no energy, no prowess, and is the delighted of his enemies.
मा स्म सीमन्तिनी काचिज्जनयेत् पुत्रमीदृशम्। मा धूमाय ज्वलात्यन्तमाक्रम्य जहि शात्रवान्॥
Let no woman bring forth such a son; do not smoke away but blaze up and exercising your prowess slay your enemies.
ज्वल मूर्धन्यमित्राणां मुहूर्तमपि वा क्षणम्। एतावानेव पुरुषो यदमर्षी यदक्षमी॥
Blaze over the heads of enemies for a moment or even for a small bit of time; those are indeed men who are wrathful and who exercise no forgiveness.
क्षमावान् निरमर्षश्च नैव स्त्री न पुनः पुमान्। संतोषो वै श्रियं हन्ति तथानुक्रोश एव च॥
One, destitute of wrath and given to the exercise of forgiveness, is neither a woman nor a man; satisfaction destroys prosperity so does softness of heart.
अनुत्थानभये चोभे निरीहो नाश्नुते महत्। एभ्यो निकृतिपापेभ्यः प्रमुञ्चात्मानमात्मना॥
And so do these two namely want of exertion and fear; one without exertion never attains to greatness; free your soul, by your own exertions of these defects which lead to ruin.
आयसं हृदयं कृत्वा मृगयस्व पुनः स्वकम्। परं विषहते यस्मात् तस्मात् पुरुष उच्यते॥
Making your heart one of steel, hunt for the recovery of your lost wealth; one is called a man (Purusha) for he vanquishes the enemy (Param).
तमाहुर्व्यर्थनामानं स्त्रीवद् य इह जीवति। शूरस्योर्जितसत्त्वस्य सिंहविक्रान्तचारिणः॥
He is said to bear the false name of Purusha) who leads in this world the life of a woman. A hero of mighty strength and acting like a powerful lion,
दिष्टभावं गतस्यापि विषये मोदते प्रजा। य आत्मनः प्रियसुखे हित्वा मृगयते श्रियम्॥ अमात्यानामथो हर्षमादधात्यचिरेण सः॥
May be subject to the influence of his fate but even in such a case his subjects rejoice; for he who leaving his own happiness hunts for the prosperity (of his kingdom) very contributes to the rejoicing of his ministers. soon
पुत्र उवाच किं नु ते मामपश्यन्त्याः पृथिव्या अपि सर्वया। किमाभरणकृत्यं ते किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा॥
The son said If you do not behold me, what is this entire earth to you; what will your ornaments do for you, and what is the use of enjoyments and what even of life itself.
मातोवाच किमद्यकानां ये लोका द्विषन्तस्तानवाप्नुयुः। ये त्वादृतात्मनां लोकाः सुहृदस्तान् ब्रजन्तु नः॥
The mother said The world which is (reserved) for the poor and miserable, may our enemies attain to; and may our well-wishers roam about in the earth which is (reserved) for respected souls.
भृत्यैविहीयमानानां परपिण्डोपजीविनाम्। कृपणानामसत्त्वानां मा वृत्तिमनुवर्तिथाः॥
Do not follow the life of those who are devoid of attendants, who subsist on the food given by others (by way of charity); who are miserable and who are devoid of strength and prowess.
अनु त्वां तात जीवन्तु ब्राह्मणाः सुहृदस्तथा। पर्जन्यमिव भूतानि देवा इव शतक्रतुम्॥
May the Brahmanas and your wellwishers, my son, live depend on you as living creatures depend on the clouds (rain) and as the gods depend on the performer of a hundred sacrifices.
यमाजीवन्ति पुरुषं सर्वभूतानि संजय। पक्वं दुममिवासाद्य तस्य जीवितमर्थवत्॥
The man, depending on whom all living creatures depend, O Sanjaya as (birds) on a tree with ripe fruits, has his life rendered useful.
यस्य शूरस्य विक्रान्तैरेधन्ते बान्धवाः सुखम्। त्रिदशा इव शक्रस्य साधु तस्येह जीवितम्॥
The hero, by whose prowess his friends attain to happiness like the gods attaining to happiness through Shakra has his life blessed.
स्वबाहुबलमाश्रित्य योऽभ्युज्जीवति मानवः। स लोके लभते कीर्ति परत्र च शुभां गतिम्॥
That son of Manu, who lives on the strength of his arms, gets renown in this world and a blissful one here after.