वैशम्पायन उवाच स च कौरव्यमासाद्य द्रुपदस्य पुरोहितः। सत्कृतो धृतराष्ट्रेण भीष्मेण विदुरेण च॥
Vaishampayana said The priest of Drupada, having arrived near the son of Kuru, was greeted by Dhritarashtra, Bhishma and Vidura.
सर्वं कौशल्यमुक्त्वाऽऽदौ पृष्ट्वा चैवमनामयम्। सर्वसेनाप्रणेतृणां मध्ये वाक्यमुवाच ह॥
Having asked him if everything were well with him and also made enquiries about his health in the midst of all the leaders of his army he said these words.
सर्वैर्भवद्भिर्विदितो राजधर्मः सनातनः। वाक्योपादानहेतोस्तु वक्ष्यामि विदिते सति॥
It is known to all, what the duty of a king is as it obtains since a long period back, but through known, yet shall I speak, as a preface to my speech proper.
धृतराष्ट्रश्च पाण्डुश्च सुतावेकस्य विश्रुतौ। तयोः समानं द्रविणं पैतृकं नात्र संशयः॥
It is known that Dhritarashtra and Pandu are the sons of one and their paternal kingdom must be shared by them equally-there is no doubt about it.
धृतराष्ट्रस्य ये पुत्राः प्राप्तः तैः पैतृकं वसु। पाण्डुपुत्राः कथं नाम न प्राप्ताः पैतृकं वसु॥
Those who are the sons of Dhritarashtra have obtained the position of their father why have not the sons of Pandu obtained the paternal kingdom?
एवंगते पाण्डवेयैर्विदितं वः पुरा यथा। न प्राप्तं पैतृकं द्रव्यं धृतराष्ट्रेण संवृतम्॥
It is known to you, how in former days, the sons of Pandu, did not obtain their ancestral wealth which was wrested from them by the son of Dhritarashtra.
प्राणान्तिकैरप्युपायैः प्रयतद्भिरनेकशः। शेषवन्तो न शकिता नेतुं वै यमसादनम्॥
They sought (to remove them) by several means, calculated even to bring their lives to an end, but they have not yet reached the termination's of their lives, so they were unable to send them to the palace of the king of Death (Yama).
पुनश्च वर्धितं राज्यं स्वबलेन महात्मभिः। छद्मनापहृतं क्षुदैर्धार्तराष्ट्रैः ससौबलैः॥
Then again, the kingdom gained by the noble-minded ones through their own strength was taken away from them by a trick by the mean sons of Dhritarashtra united with the son of Subala.
तदप्यनुमतं कर्म यथायुक्तमनेन वै। वासिताश्च महारण्ये वर्षाणीह त्रयोदश॥
Even this act, undesirable as it was, approved of by him and they lived for thirteen years in the great forest.
सभायां क्लेशितैवीरैः सहभायैस्तथा भृशम्। अरण्येविविधा: क्लेशाः सम्प्राप्तास्तैः सुदारुणाः।।१०
In the court too serious troubles were experienced by the heroes along with their wife and in the forest diverse troubles of great magnitude were met with by them.
तथा विराटनगरे योन्यन्तरगतैरिव। प्राप्तः परमसंक्लेशो यथा पापैर्महात्मभिः॥
And in the same way in the town of Virata, hard troubles were met with by the large minded ones as great pains are endured by wicked souls, when they transmigrate into other beings.
ते सर्वं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा तत् सर्वं पूर्वकिल्बिषम्। सामैव कुरुभिः सार्धमिच्छन्ति कुरुपुङ्गवाः॥
Forgetting all these troubles gone through by them in past times those foremost, among the race of Kuru, are desirous of peace with the son of Kuru.
तेषां च वृत्तमाज्ञाय वृत्तं दुर्योधनस्य च। अनुनेतुमिहार्हन्ति धार्तराष्ट्र सुहृज्जनाः॥
Knowing their nature and the nature of Duryodhana, the well wishers (of the letter) should, properly speaking on this occasion, lead the son of Dhritarashtra (to an amicable settlement).
न हि ते विग्रहं वीराः कुर्वन्ति कुरुभिः सह। अविनाशेन लोकस्य काइक्षन्ते पाण्डवाः स्वकम्॥१४।
These heroes do not (want to) wage war with the son of Kuru. The sons of Pandu do not want (to get back) their own by ruining the world.
यश्चापि धार्तराष्ट्रस्य हेतुः स्याद् विग्रहं प्रति। स च हेतुर्न मन्तव्यो बलीयांसस्तथा हि ते॥
The reason, which the son of Dhritarashtra brings forward for war, cannot be regarded as a reason for they are the stronger.
अक्षौहिण्यश्च सप्तैव धर्मपुत्रस्य संगताः। युयुत्समानाः कुरुभिः प्रतीक्षन्तेऽस्य शासनम्॥
Seven Akshauhinis have been collected for the son of Dharma (Yudhishthira), they all desirous of fighting with the sons of Kuru, are waiting for his permission.
अपरे पुरुषव्याघ्राः सहस्राक्षौहिणीसमाः। सात्यकिर्भीमसेनश्च यमौ च सुमहाबलौ॥
There are others, best among men, who are, each of them equal to thousand Akshauhinis-for instance, the son of Satyaki, Bhimasena and the twin brothers of very great strength.
एकादशैताः पृतना एकतश्च समागताः। एकतश्च महाबाहुर्बहुरूपी धनंजयः॥
On one side are united those eleven (Akshauhinis) and on the other, Dhananjaya of great strength and of many forms.
यथा किरीटी सर्वाभ्यः सेनाब्यो व्यतिरिच्यते। एवमेव महाबाहुर्वासुदेवो महाद्युतिः॥
An Kiritin suppress the entire army, so does Vasudeva of long arms and of great luster.
बहुलत्वं च सेनानां विक्रमं च किरीटिनः। बुद्धिमत्त्वं च कृष्णस्य बुद्ध्वा युध्येत को नरः॥
What man will fight against an army superior in number, the prowess of Kiritin and the wisdom of Krishna.
ते भवन्तो यथाधर्मं यथासमयमेव च। प्रयच्छन्तु प्रदातव्यं मा व: कालोऽत्यगादयम्॥
Therefore do you, as dictated by virtue and as agreed to in the stipulation, give back that which should be returned. Don't you let this opportunity.