वैशम्पायन उवाच वासुदेवस्य तद् वाक्यमनुस्मृत्य युधिष्ठिरः। पुनः पप्रच्छ वार्ष्णेयं कथं मन्दोऽब्रवीदिदम्॥
Vaishampayana said Yudhishthira, remembering these words of Vasudeva again asked the scion of the Vrishni race as to how that fool could say it.
अस्मिन्नभ्यागते काले किं च नः क्षममच्युत। कथं च वर्तमाना वै स्वधर्मान्न च्यवेमहि॥
"Under the present circumstances which have developed before us, what should we do, O you who never go away from the right path; and by shaping our course in what way shall we not fall off from the duties of our class.
दुर्योधनस्य कर्णस्य शकुनेः सौबलस्य च। वासुदेव मतक्षोऽसि मम सभ्रातृकस्य च॥
O Vasudeva, you know the minds of Duryodhana, Karma, Shakuni and the son of Subala as also of myself along with my brothers.
विदुरस्यापि तद् वाक्यं श्रुतं भीष्मस्य चोभयोः। कुन्त्याश्च विपुलप्रज्ञ प्रज्ञा कात्स्न्येन ते श्रुता॥
The words of Vidura have been heard by you as also those of Bhishma, as also the entire wisdom of the greatly wise Kunti, as embodied in her words.
सर्वमेतदतिक्रम्य विचार्य च पुनः पुनः। क्षमं यन्नो महाबाहो तद् ब्रवीह्यविचारयन्॥
Reviewing in your mind all this and reflecting again and again, speak unhesitatingly what our capabilities are, O you of along arms.
श्रुत्वैतद् धर्मराजस्य धर्मार्थसहितं वचः। मेघदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषः कृष्णो वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्॥
Hearing these words of the virtuous king consistent with both virtue and worldly profit, Krishna said these words with the voice resembling the roar of clouds and beat of drums.
कृष्ण उवाच उक्तवानस्मि यद् वाक्यं धर्मार्थसहितं हितम्। न तु तन्निकृतिप्रज्ञे कौरव्ये प्रतितिष्ठति।७॥
Krishna said The words that you have said consistent with virtue and profit and are indeed to your benefit but then these do not seem acceptable to the son of Kuru, with whom ignorance has now become wisdom.
न च भीष्मस्य दुर्मेधाः शृणोति विदुरस्य वा। मम वा भाषितं किंचित् सर्वमेवातिवर्तते॥
That man of bad intellect does not even listen to the words of Bhima nor to those of Vidura nor even the words spoken by me-he disobeys all.
नैष कामयते धर्म नैष कामयते यशः। जितं स मन्यते सर्वं दुरात्मा कर्णमाश्रितः॥
He does not seek virtue, nor does he see renown, under the protection of Karna, that evil souled one considers everything as conquered.
बन्धमाज्ञापयामास मम चापि सुयोधनः। न च तं लब्धवान् कामं दुरात्मा पापनिश्चयः॥
Suyodhana even ordered for my capture; but that evil-souled one of sinful determination did not succeed in his desire.
न च भीष्मो न च द्रोणो युक्तं तत्राहतुर्वचः। सर्वे तमनुवर्तन्ते ऋते विदुरमच्युत॥
In that case neither Bhishma nor Drona said anything-in fact all follow him more or less save Vidura, O you who never swerve from your duties.
शकुनिः सौबलश्चैव कर्णदुःशासनावपि। त्यय्युक्तान्यभाषन्त मूढा मूढममर्षणम्॥
Shakuni, the son of Subala, Karna and Dushasana-all these fools, spoke of you in a way you did not deserve, to that wrathful one.
किं च तेन मयोक्तेन यान्यभाषत कौरवः। संक्षेपेण दुरात्मासौ न युक्तं त्वयि वर्तते॥
What is the use of my repeating everything that the son of Kuru said; in brief that evilsouled one does not hold the opinion, you deserve, of yourself.
पार्थिवेषु न सर्वेषु य इमे तव सैनिकाः। यत् पापं यन्नकल्याणं सर्वं तस्मिन् प्रतिष्ठितम्॥
Not even in all these rulers of the earth who constitute your army combined is there the same wickedness and the want of righteousness as is rooted in him.
न चापि वयमत्यर्थं परित्यागेन कहिंचित्। कौरवैः शममिच्छामस्तत्र युद्धमनन्तरम्॥
We do not desire peace with the sons of Kuru, at the sacrifice of our own interest and therefore war is what we should follow.
वैशम्पायन उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा पार्थिवाः सर्वे वासुदेवस्य भाषितम्। अब्रुवन्तो मुखं राज्ञःसमुदैक्षन्त भारत॥
Vaishampayana said Hearing those words spoken by Vasudeva all the kings looked on the face of the king Yudhishthira, without saying anything, O Bharata.
युधिष्ठिरस्त्वभिप्रायमभिलक्ष्य महीक्षिताम्। योगमाज्ञापयामास भीमार्जुनयमैः सह॥
Yudhishthira too having divined the intentions of those kings ordered for the arraying of the troops along with Bhima and Arjuna and the twins.
ततः किलकिलाभूतमनीकं पाण्डवस्य ह। आज्ञापिते तदा योगे समहष्यन्त सैनिकाः॥
Then was there a din in the army of the Pandavas, and on the order of the arraying troops being given the soldiers became cheerful.
अवध्यानां वधं पश्यन् धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः। निःश्वसन भीमसेनं च विजयं चेदमब्रवीत्॥
The virtuous king Yudhishthira, now seeing that a slaughter of innocent men was unavoidable, began to sign repeatedly and said these words to Bhimasena and Vijaya.
यदर्थं वनवासश्च प्राप्तं दुःखं च यन्मया। सोऽयमस्मानुपैत्येव परोऽनर्थः प्रयत्नतः॥
The very thing to avoid which (a war) I went to exile in the forest and experienced other troubles-that Very calamity overtakes us as if with a set purpose.
तस्मिन् यत्नः कृतोऽस्माभिः स नो हीनः प्रयत्नतः। अकृते तु प्रयत्नेऽस्मानुपावृत्तः कलिर्महान्॥
The object, for which we took so much care, leaves as for our wishing it; and without our wishing for it has the mighty Kali come.
कथं ह्यवध्यैः संग्रामः कार्यः सह भविष्यति। कथं हत्वा गुरून् वृद्धान् विजयो नो भविष्यति॥
How shall we fight with these who cannot be slain and who lead honorable lives and how now can we expect victory by slaying aged men our elders?
तच्छ्रुत्वा धर्मराजस्य सव्यसाची परंतपः। यदुक्तं वासुदेवेन श्रावयामास तद् वचः॥
Savyasachin that chastiser of foes, hearing these words of the virtuous king, repeated before him the words said by Vasudeva (in this connection).
उक्तवान् देवकीपुत्रः कुन्त्याच विदुरस्य च। वचनं तत् त्वया राजन् निखिलेनावधारितम्॥
(He said addressing Yudhishthira), you have, O king, understood the words spoken by Kunti and Vidura in their entirely as repeated before you by the son of Devaki.
न च तौ वक्ष्यतोऽधर्ममिति मे नैष्ठिकी मतिः। नापि युक्तं च कौन्तेय निवर्तितुमयुध्यतः॥
I firmly adhere to the opinion that they will not say what is unrighteous, not is it proper, O son of Kunti, that we should turn back without enjoying war."
तच्छ्रुत्वा वासुदेवोऽपि सव्यसाचिवचस्तदा। स्मयमानोऽब्रवीद् वाक्यं पार्थमेवमिति ब्रुवन्॥
Vasudeva too hearing those words of Savyasachin, said laughingly to the son of Pritha (Arjuna) “It is as you have said.”
ततस्ते धृतसंकल्पा युद्धाय सहसैनिकाः। पाण्डवेया महाराज तां रात्रिं सुखमावसन्॥
Then did those sons of Pandu make up their minds for war, O great king, and passed the night with their soldiers without any mental agitation. um f