नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्। देवी सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्।।
Having saluted the Supreme Deity (Narayana) and the highest of all male beings (Nara) and also the Goddess of Learning (Sarasvati), let us cry success!
वैशम्पायन उवाच स्तदाभिमन्योर्मुदिताः स्वपक्षाः। विश्रम्य रात्रावुषसि प्रतीताः सभां विराटस्य ततोऽभिजग्मुः॥
Vaishampayana said Then the heroic sons of Kuru belonging to the party of Abhimanyu pleased at having celebrated his (Abhimanyu's) nuptials and having rested during the night, awoke at break of day and went to the court of Virata.
सभा तु सा मत्स्यपतेः समृद्धा मणिप्रवेकोत्तमरत्नचित्रा। न्यस्तासना माल्यवती सुगन्धा तामभ्ययुस्ते नरराजवृद्धाः॥
The court of the Lord of the Matsyas was richly decorated and adorned with a collection of precious stones and choice gems, with seats arranged in it, having garlands and filled with fragrance. Those aged kings among men came there.
दुभौ विराटदुपदौ नरेन्द्रौ। वृद्धौ च मान्यौ पृथिवीपतीनां पित्रा समं रामजनार्दनौ च॥
On the front seats sat the two kings Virata and Drupada, aged and revered among the rulers of the earth and Rama and Janardana also along with their father.
पाञ्चालराजस्य समीपतस्तु शिनिप्रवीरः सहरौहिणेयः। मत्स्यस्य राज्ञस्तु सुसंनिकृष्टो जनार्दनश्चैव युधिष्ठिरश्च॥
Near the king of Panchala sat the brave ruler of Shini along with the son of Rohini and next to the king of Matsya (sat) Janardana and Yudhishthira.
सुताश्च सर्वे दुपदस्य राज्ञो भीमार्जुनौ माद्रवतीसुतौ च। प्रद्युम्नसाम्बौ च युधि प्रवीरौ विराटपुत्रैश्च सहाभिमन्युः॥
(There sat) also all the sons of king Drupada, Bhima and Arjuna, the two sons of Madri, Pradyumna and Samba, who were valiant in battle and Abhimanyu in company with the son of Virata.
सर्वे च शूराः पितृभिः समाना वीर्येण रूपेण बलेन चैव। उपाविशन् द्रौपदेयाः कुमारा: सुवर्णचित्रेषु वरासनेषुः॥
And on the best seats wrought in gold sat the heroic sons of Draupadi who were equal to their fathers in valour, beauty and strength.
तथोपविष्टेषु महारथेषु विराजमानाभरणाम्बरेषु। रराज सा राजवती समृद्धा ग्रहैरिव द्यौर्विमलैरुपेता॥
Those mighty heroes, shining in ornaments and clothes, being seated, that assemblage of kings shone like the firmament studded with beautiful stars.
तत: कथास्ते समवाययुक्ताः कृत्वा विचित्राः पुरुषप्रवीराः। तस्थुर्मुहूर्तं परिचिन्तयन्तः कृष्णं नृपास्ते समुदीक्षमाणाः॥
Then those kings, heroes among men, having engaged in conversation with one another on various topics, remained for a moment gazing pensively on Krishna.
कथान्तमासाद्य च माधवेन संघट्टिताः पाण्डवकार्यहेतोः। ते राजसिंहाः सहिता ह्यशृण्वन् वाक्यं महार्थं सुमहोदयं च॥
Those lions among kings, having reached the end of their talk and their attention having been called by Madhava to the affairs of the Pandavas, listened to his lofty speech which conveyed deep meaning. Krishna said
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच सर्वैर्भवद्भिर्विदितं यथायं युधिष्ठिरः सौबलेनाक्षवत्याम्। जितो निकृत्यापहृतं च राज्यं वनप्रवासे समयः कृतश्च।॥
It is known to you all how this Yudhishthira was defeated by a trick at a game of dice by the son of Subala, how he was robbed of his kingdom and how he made a stipulation regarding his exile in the forest.
शक्तैविजेतुं तरसा महीं च सत्ये स्थितैः सत्यरथैर्यथावत्। पाण्डोः सुतैस्तग्र व्रतमग्ररूपं वर्षाणि षट् सप्त च चीर्णमग्र्यैः॥
The sons of Pandu, who are capable of subjugating the word by sheer force of arms, whose chariots go unrestrained to the celestial or the terrestrial regions and who are true of their words, have fulfilled that austere vow for thirteen years.
मज्ञायमानैर्भवतां समीपे। महात्मभिश्चापि वने निविष्टम्॥
The thirteenth year in the forest has been very hard, but this these great men have passed, unknown to you and suffering various sorts of unbearable hardships.
एतैः परप्रेष्यनियोगयुक्त रिच्छद्भिराप्तं स्वकुलेन राज्यम्। एवंगते धर्मसुतस्य राज्ञो दुर्योधनस्यापि च यद्धितं स्यात्॥
Even they who have been engaged in the menial service of others seek their family and their kingdom; such being the case, consider what is best for the son of Dharma (Yudhishthira) and for king Duryodhana.
तच्चिन्तयध्वं कुरुपुङ्गवानां धर्म्यं च युक्तं च यशस्करं च। अधर्मयुक्तं न च कामयेत राज्यं सुराणामपि धर्मराजः॥
(Consider) also what is right, suitable and calculated to redound to the glory of the illustrious Kauravas. The virtuous king Yudhishthira does not want even the kingdom of the gods wrongfully.
धर्मार्थयुक्तं तु महीपतित्वं ग्रामेऽपि कस्मिंश्चिदयं बुभूषेत्। पित्र्यं हि राज्यं विदितं नृपाणां यथापकृष्टं धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रैः॥ मिथ्योपचारेण यथा ह्यनेन कृच्छ्रे महत् प्राप्तमसह्यरूपम्। न चापि पार्थो विजितो रणे तैः स्वतेजसा धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रैः॥
He would rather prefer the rightful lordship of some single village. It is known to all the kings (assembled here) how he has been robbed of his ancestral kingdom with the help of a mean trick by the sons of Dhritarashtra by whom the son of Pritha has not been vanquished through prowess borne by him.
रभीप्सतेऽनामयमेव तेषाम्। यत् तु स्वयं पाण्डुसुतैर्विजित्य समाहृतं भूमिपतीन् प्रपीड्य॥ तत् प्रार्थयन्ते पुरुषप्रवीराः कुन्तीसुता माद्रवतीसुतौ च। बालास्त्विमे तैर्विविधैरुपायैः सम्प्रार्थिता हन्तुममित्रसंघैः॥ राज्यं जिहीर्षद्भिरसद्भित्रैः सर्वं च तद् वो विदितं यथावत्। तेषां च लोभं प्रसमीक्ष्य वृद्धं धर्मज्ञतां चापि युधिष्ठिरस्य॥
Still the king Yudhishthira with his friends wishes them prosperity. The sons of Kunti, heroes among men and the two sons of Madri, seek only what has been earned by the sons of Pandu by overthrowing the king and winning victory over him. It is also well know to you how, when they were mere boys, their enemies who were cruel, dishonest and who sought to get the kingdom, attempted by several means to kill them. Consider their greediness and also the extreme piety of Yudhishthira.
सम्बन्धितां चापि समीक्ष्य तेषां मर्ति कुरुध्वं सहिताः पृथक् च। इमे च सत्येऽभिरताः सदैव तं पालयित्वा समयं यथावत्॥
Consider also the relationship between them; consult together and also think each of you yourself. They have always been attached to truth and have always fulfilled their promises.
अतोऽन्यथा तैरुपचर्यमाणा हन्युःसमेतान् धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रान्। तैर्विप्रकारं च निशम्य कार्ये सुहृज्जनास्तान् परिवारयेयुः॥
If they are now wrongfully treated let them slay all the sons of Dhritarashtra or let their friends who see the unworthy treatment they get in this matter make them (the sons of Dhritarashtra) desist.
युद्धेन बाधेयुरिमांस्तथैव तैर्बाध्यमाना युधि तांश्च हन्युः। स्तेषां जयोयेति भवेन्मतं वः॥ स्तेषां विनाशाय यतेयुरेव। न ज्ञायते किं न करिष्यतीति॥
If they (the sons of Dhritarashtra) oppose them (the Pandavas) in battle the letter thus opposed will kill them; and if you are of opinion that the Pandavas, owing to insufficiency of numbers, will not be able to win victory over them let them combine with all their friends and try to overthrow them. The intentions of Duryodhana are not known nor what he is going to do.
अज्ञायमाने च मते परस्य किं स्यात् समारभ्यतमं मतं वः। तस्मादितो गच्छतु धर्मशील: शुचिः कुलीनः पुरुषोऽप्रमत्तः॥ दूतः समर्थः प्रशमाय तेषां राज्यार्धदानाय युधिष्ठिरस्य।
The intentions of the other side not being known, how can you determine on what to do yourself. Therefore let a man virtuous, holy, of good parentage and wifeless go from here-a capable ambassador who will be able to pursuable them into surrendering half of Yudhishthira's kingdom.
निशम्य वाक्यं तु जनार्दनस्य धर्मार्थयुक्तं मधुरं समं च॥ समाददे वाक्यमथाग्रजोऽस्य सम्पूज्य वाक्यं तदतीव राजन्॥
Hearing this speech of Janardana which was pregnant with meaning and virtue, interesting and impartial, his elder brother accepted the suggestions and after praising the speech addressed him O king, thus.