वासुदेव उवाच एवमुक्ते तु गान्धार्या धृतराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः। दुर्योधनमुवाचेदं राजमध्ये जनाधिप॥
Vasudeva said Words like these having been spoken by Gandhari that lord of men, Dhritarashtra in the midst of the kings, O lord of men.
दुर्योधन निबोधेदं यत् त्वां वक्ष्यामि पुत्रक। तथा तत् कुरु भद्रं ते यद्यस्ति पितृगौरवम्॥
"O Duryodhana, listen to what I am going to say, my dear son, and act according to that if you entertain respect for your father. It will be well with you.
सोमः प्रजापतिः पूर्व कुरूणां वंशवर्धनः। सोमाद् बभूव षष्ठोऽयं ययातिनहुधात्मजः॥
That lord of creatures, Soma was the first who begot the race of Kurus, and sixth in descent from Soma was Yayati the son of Nahusa.
तस्य पुत्रा बभूवुर्हि पञ्च राजर्षिसत्तमाः। तेषां यदुर्महातेजा ज्येष्ठः समभवत् प्रभुः॥
He had five sons, the best among royal sages and of them Yadu of great energy was the firs, and was the lord.
पुर्यवीयांश्च ततो योऽस्माकं वंशवर्धनः। शर्मिष्ठया सम्प्रसूतो दुहित्रा वृषपर्वणः॥
Younger than he was Puru and he was our ancestor; he was brought forth by Sharmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan.
यदुश्च भरतश्रेष्ठ देवयान्याः सुतोऽभवत्। दौहित्रस्तात शुक्रस्य काव्यस्यामिततेजसः॥
Yadu, O foremost among the Bharatas, was the son of Devayani, and was therefore the grandson of Shukra, the wise Rishi of immeasurable energy.
यादवानां कुलकरो बलवान् वीर्यसम्मतः। अवमेने स तु क्षत्रं दर्पपूर्णः सुमन्दधीः॥
The ancestor of the Yadavas, endued with strength and prowess as he was, being full of pride and vanity and wicked intelligence, insulted the Kshatriyas.
न चातिष्ठत् पितुः शास्त्रे बलदर्पविमोहितः। अवमेने च पितरं भ्रातूंश्चाप्यपराजितः॥
He did not act up to the instructions of his father being stupified by the pride of his strength; and having never sustained a defeat he insulted his father and his brothers.
पृथिव्यां चतुरन्तायां यदुरेवाभवद् बली। वशे कृत्वा स नृपतीन् न्यवसन्नागसाह्वये॥
In the four quarters of the globe, Yadu was the strongest man and having brought all the rulers of men under subjection he lived in the city called after the elephant.
तं पिता परमक्रुद्धो ययातिर्नहुषात्मजः। शशाप पुत्रं गान्धारे राज्याच्चापि व्यरोपयत्।॥
His father, Yayati, born of Nahusha being very much angry with him, cursed his son, O son of Gandhari and exiled him from the kingdom.
ये चैनमन्ववर्तन्त भ्रातरो बलदर्पिताः। शशाप तानभिक्रुद्धो ययातिस्तनयानथ॥
These brothers of his also who followed the lead of the elder brother vain of his strength, Yayati also cursed. Having cursed these sons of his that best among the rulers of men,
यवीयासं ततः पूरूं पुत्रं स्ववशवर्तिनम्। राज्ये निवेशयामास विधेयं नृपसत्तमः॥
Then did place his second son Puru, who remained devoted to him, on the throne which was suitable.
एवं ज्येष्ठोऽप्यथोत्सितो न राज्यमभिजायते। यवीयांसोऽपि जायन्ते राज्यं वृद्धोपसेवया॥
Thus can even the eldest son be superseded and deprived of the kingdom; and even a younger son can get the kingdom for his attentions to the aged.
तथैव सर्वधर्मज्ञः पितुर्मम पितामहः। प्रतीपः पृथिवीपालस्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः॥
Thus also the grandfather of my father, conversant with all virtues, Pratipa the ruler of the universe and known in the three worlds,
तस्य पार्थिवसिंहस्य राज्यं धर्मेण शासतः। त्रयः प्रजज्ञिरे पुत्रा देवकल्पा यशस्विनः॥
That lion among the rulers of the earth while ruling his kingdom virtuously had born to him three sons of renown and having the attributes of the gods.
देवापिरभवच्छेष्ठो बाह्रीकस्तदनन्तरम्। तृतीयः शान्तनुस्तात धृतिमान मे पितामहः॥
Of them Devapi was the foremost (eldest) and then came Balhika; and the third Shantanu; that wise man was my grandfather.
देवापिस्तु महातेजास्त्वग्दोषी राजसत्तमः। धार्मिकः सत्यवादी च पितुः शुश्रूषणे रतः॥
Devapi, that best among kings though endued in his skin; but he was a virtuous man, a speaker of truth and ever devoted to attending on his father.
पौरजानपदानां च सम्मतः साधुसत्कृतः। सर्वेषां बालवृद्धानां देवापिर्हदयंगमः॥
Devapi was honoured by all the subjects and citizens and respected by the good and he was loved by all-the old and the young.
वदान्यः सत्यसंधश्च सर्वभूतहिते रतः। वर्तमानः पितुः शास्त्रे ब्राह्मणानां तथैव च॥
He was benevolent, attached to truth and devoted to the good of all creatures and ever obeyed the command of his father as also of the Brahmanas.
बाह्रीकस्य प्रियो भ्राता शान्तनोश्च महात्मनः। सौभ्रात्रं च परं तेषां सहितानां महात्मनाम्॥
He was the dear brother of Balhika and also of the great souled Shantanu; in fact among all those great-souled men excellent brotherly feelings existed.
अथ कालस्य पर्याये वृद्धो नृपतिसत्तमः। सम्भारानभिषेकार्थं कारयामास शास्त्रतः॥
In course of time, that old king, the best among rulers of men, had all arrangements made for the installation according to the holy books ((of his son).
कारयामास सर्वाणि मङ्गलार्थानि वै विभुः। तं ब्राह्मणाश्च वृद्धाश्च पौरजानपदैः सह॥
That lord had all auspicious arrangements made, but the Brahmanas and the old men among the citizens with the subjects of the province,
सर्वे निवारयामासुर्देवापेरभिषेचनम्। स तच्छ्रुत्वा तु नृपतिरभिषेकनिवारणम्। अश्रुकण्ठोऽभवद् राजा पर्यशोचत चात्मजम्॥
All dissuaded him from installing Devapi; and that ruler of men, having heard of the exclusion of his elder son from the installation, had his voice choked with tears and became sorrowful for his son.
एवं वदान्यो धर्मज्ञः सत्यसंधश्च सोऽभवत्। प्रियः प्रजानामपि संस्त्वग्दोषेण प्रदूषितः॥
Though he was benevolent, conversant with virtue, attached to truth, and loved by his subjects yet he has a defect in his skin.
हीनाङ्गं पृथिवीपालं नाभिनन्दन्ति देवताः। इति कृत्वा नृपश्रेष्ठं प्रत्यषेधन् द्विजर्षभाः॥
The gods do not approve of that ruler of men who has a defeat in his limbs." So saying those foremost among the twice born dissuaded that foremost among the rulers of men.
ततः प्रव्यथिताङ्गोऽसौ पुत्रशोकसमन्वितः। निवारितं नृपं दृष्ट्वा देवापिः संश्रितो वनम्॥
Devapi, too who was defective of one limb, seeing, that ruler of men with his heart pained and struck with grief for son, dissuaded from carrying out his intentions, went to the woods.
बाह्रीको मातुलकुलं त्यक्त्वा राज्यं समाश्रितः। पितृभ्रातृन् परित्यज्य प्राप्तवान् परमर्द्धिमत्॥
Balhika, too giving up his kingdom, established himself in the family of his maternal uncle, and abandoning his father and brother he obtained a very wealthy kingdom.
बाह्रीकेन त्वनुज्ञातः शान्तनुर्लोकविश्रुतः। पितर्युपरते राजन् राजा राज्यमकारयत्॥
Being commanded by Balhika, Shantanu, well known in this world, on the retirement of his father, become, O king the king in that kingdom.
तथैवाहं मतिमता परिचिन्त्येह पाण्डुना। ज्येष्ठः प्रभ्रंशितो राज्याद्धीनाङ्क इति भारत॥
In the same way, myself though the eldest, was excluded from the kingdom owing to the defeat in my limbs, O Bharata, in favour of Pandu, endued with good understanding, after due reflection.
पाण्डुस्तु राज्यं सम्प्राप्तः कनीयानपि सन् नृपः। विनाशे तस्य पुत्राणामिदं राज्यमरिंदम।॥
That ruler of men Pandu too obtained the kingdom though he was younger and at his death this kingdom, O chastiser of foes, belongs to his sons.
मय्यभागिनि राज्याय कथंत्वं राज्यमिच्छसि। अराजपुत्रो ह्यस्वामी परस्व हर्तुमिच्छसि॥
Myself having never participated in the kingdom, now do you desire it, being the son of one who was never a king. You are not a king, and yet you desire to take another's property.
युधिष्ठिरो राजपुत्रो महात्मा न्यायागतं राज्यमिदं च तस्य। स कौरवस्यास्य कुलस्य भर्ता प्रशासिता चैव महानुभावः॥
Yudhishthira is the son of a king and has a great soul; and this kingdom justly goes to him. He being endued with great attributes is the lord of the Kuru race as also the ruler of the kingdom.
स सत्यसंधः स तथाऽप्रमत्तः शास्त्रे स्थितो बन्धुजनस्य साधुः। प्रियः प्रजानां सुहृदानुकम्पी जितेन्द्रियः साधुजनस्य भर्ता॥
He is attached to truth and in never beside his senses; he follows the teachings of the holy books and does good to his friends; he is an honest man and is dear to his subjects; he feels for his well-wishers has his senses under control and is the lord of honest men.
क्षमा तितिक्षा दम आर्जवं च सत्यव्रतत्वं श्रुतमप्रमादः। भूतानुकम्पा ह्यनुशासनं च युधिष्ठिरे राजगुणाः समस्ता॥
Forgiveness, patience, self restraint sincerity, devotion to truth, a good appreciation of the holy books, benevolence, love to creature and ability to rule justly, all these attributes of a king are in Yudhishthira.
अराजपुत्रस्त्वमनार्यवृत्तो लुब्धः सदा बन्धुषु पापबुद्धिः। क्रमागतं राज्यमिदं परेषां हर्तुं कथं शक्ष्यसि दुर्विनीत॥
You, on the other hand, are the son of one who has never been a king; you lead the life of a dishonorable man, you are covetous, ever have wicked intentions towards your friends; O you not endued with humility, how under these circumstances can you take this kingdom which belongs to others and which comes to the successors according to a certain order.
प्रयच्छ राज्यार्धमपेतमोहः सवाहनं त्वं सपरिच्छदं च। ततोऽवशेषं तव जीवितस्य सहानुजस्यैव भवेन्नरेन्द्र।॥
With your folly removed, give over one half of the kingdom with its animals and royal garments; and the remainder will be enough for your own living and that of your younger brothers.