01.097
Core:Dillema of dharma during calamity!
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
[वैशम्पायनः (vaiśampāyanaḥ) - Vaiśampāyana; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
Vaiśampāyana said:
ततः सत्यवती दीना कृपणा पुत्रगृद्धिनी । पुत्रस्य कृत्वा कार्याणि स्नुषाभ्यां सह भारत ॥१-०९७-१॥
tataḥ satyavatī dīnā kṛpaṇā putra-gṛddhinī. putrasya kṛtvā kāryāṇi snuṣābhyāṁ saha bhārata ॥1॥
[ततः (tataḥ) - then; सत्यवती (satyavatī) - Satyavatī; दीना (dīnā) - afflicted; कृपणा (kṛpaṇā) - pitiable; पुत्र-गृद्धिनी (putra-gṛddhinī) - longing for a son; पुत्रस्य (putrasya) - of her son; कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having performed; कार्याणि (kāryāṇi) - the rites; स्नुषाभ्याम् (snuṣābhyām) - with the two daughters-in-law; सह (saha) - along with; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata;]
Then Satyavatī, afflicted, pitiable, and longing for a son, performed the funeral rites of her son along with the two daughters-in-law, O Bhārata.
धर्मं च पितृवंशं च मातृवंशं च मानिनी । प्रसमीक्ष्य महाभागा गाङ्गेयं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥१-०९७-२॥
dharmaṁ ca pitṛ-vaṁśaṁ ca mātṛ-vaṁśaṁ ca māninī. prasamīkṣya mahābhāgā gāṅgeyaṁ vākyam abravīt ॥2॥
[धर्मं-च (dharmaṁ ca) - and dharma; पितृ-वंशं-च (pitṛ-vaṁśaṁ ca) - and paternal lineage; मातृ-वंशं-च (mātṛ-vaṁśaṁ ca) - and maternal lineage; मानिनी (māninī) - the dignified lady; प्रसमीक्ष्य (prasamīkṣya) - having reflected upon; महा-भागा (mahābhāgā) - the noble lady; गाङ्गेयम् (gāṅgeyam) - to the son of Gaṅgā; वाक्यम् (vākyam) - words; अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - spoke;]
Having reflected on dharma, the paternal and maternal lineages, the dignified and noble lady spoke to Gāṅgeya (Bhīṣma).
शन्तनोर्धर्मनित्यस्य कौरव्यस्य यशस्विनः । त्वयि पिण्डश्च कीर्तिश्च सन्तानं च प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥१-०९७-३॥
śantanoḥ dharma-nityasya kauravasya yaśasvinaḥ. tvayi piṇḍaś ca kīrtiś ca santānaṁ ca pratiṣṭhitam ॥3॥
[शन्तनोः (śantanoḥ) - of Śantanu; धर्म-नित्यस्य (dharma-nityasya) - ever-righteous; कौरव्यस्य (kauravasya) - of the Kaurava; यशस्विनः (yaśasvinaḥ) - the illustrious one; त्वयि (tvayi) - in you; पिण्डः-च (piṇḍaś ca) - funeral offering and; कीर्तिः-च (kīrtiś ca) - fame and; सन्तानम्-च (santānaṁ ca) - progeny also; प्रतिष्ठितम् (pratiṣṭhitam) - is established;]
In you is established the funeral offering, fame, and progeny of the ever-righteous and illustrious Śantanu of the Kauravas.
यथा कर्म शुभं कृत्वा स्वर्गोपगमनं ध्रुवम् । यथा चायुर्ध्रुवं सत्ये त्वयि धर्मस्तथा ध्रुवः ॥१-०९७-४॥
yathā karma śubhaṁ kṛtvā svarga-upagamanaṁ dhruvam. yathā ca āyuḥ dhruvaṁ satye tvayi dharmaḥ tathā dhruvaḥ ॥4॥
[यथा (yathā) - just as; कर्म (karma) - action; शुभं (śubham) - auspicious; कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having done; स्वर्ग-उपगमनं (svarga-upagamanaṁ) - ascent to heaven; ध्रुवम् (dhruvam) - is certain; यथा-च (yathā ca) - and just as; आयुः (āyuḥ) - lifespan; ध्रुवं (dhruvaṁ) - is fixed; सत्ये (satye) - in truth; त्वयि (tvayi) - in you; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - dharma; तथा (tathā) - likewise; ध्रुवः (dhruvaḥ) - is firm;]
Just as heaven is certainly attained by performing auspicious deeds, and life is surely rooted in truth, so is dharma firmly rooted in you.
वेत्थ धर्मांश्च धर्मज्ञ समासेनेतरेण च । विविधास्त्वं श्रुतीर्वेत्थ वेत्थ वेदांश्च सर्वशः ॥१-०९७-५॥
vettha dharmāṁś ca dharma-jña samāsena itareṇa ca. vividhāḥ tvaṁ śrutīr vettha vettha vedāṁś ca sarvaśaḥ ॥5॥
[वेत्थ (vettha) - you know; धर्मांश्-च (dharmāṁś ca) - the various aspects of dharma; धर्मज्ञ (dharma-jña) - knower of dharma; समासेन (samāsena) - concisely; इतरेण-च (itareṇa ca) - and elaborately; विविधाः (vividhāḥ) - various; श्रुतिः (śrutīḥ) - scriptures; त्वम् (tvam) - you; वेत्थ (vettha) - know; वेदान्-च (vedāṁś ca) - and the Vedas; सर्वशः (sarvaśaḥ) - in all their entirety;]
You know the aspects of dharma, O knower of dharma, both concisely and in detail; you know the various scriptures and the Vedas completely.
व्यवस्थानं च ते धर्मे कुलाचारं च लक्षये । प्रतिपत्तिं च कृच्छ्रेषु शुक्राङ्गिरसयोरिव ॥१-०९७-६॥
vyavasthānaṁ ca te dharme kulācāraṁ ca lakṣaye. pratipattiṁ ca kṛcchreṣu śukra-aṅgirasayoḥ iva ॥6॥
[व्यवस्थानं-च (vyavasthānaṁ ca) - and firmness; ते (te) - your; धर्मे (dharme) - in dharma; कुल-आचारं-च (kula-ācāraṁ ca) - and family tradition; लक्षये (lakṣaye) - I observe; प्रतिपत्तिं-च (pratipattiṁ ca) - discernment; कृच्छ्रेषु (kṛcchreṣu) - in difficulties; शुक्र-अङ्गिरसयोः-इव (śukra-aṅgirasayoḥ iva) - like Śukra and Aṅgiras;]
I observe your firmness in dharma, and your adherence to family tradition; and your discernment in hardships, like that of Śukra and Aṅgiras.
तस्मात्सुभृशमाश्वस्य त्वयि धर्मभृतां वर । कार्ये त्वां विनियोक्ष्यामि तच्छ्रुत्वा कर्तुमर्हसि ॥१-०९७-७॥
tasmāt subhṛśam āśvasya tvayi dharma-bhṛtāṁ vara. kārye tvāṁ viniyokṣyāmi tat śrutvā kartum arhasi ॥7॥
[तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; सुभृशम् (subhṛśam) - with great assurance; आश्वस्य (āśvasya) - being assured; त्वयि (tvayi) - in you; धर्म-भृतां-वर (dharma-bhṛtāṁ vara) - O best among the upholders of dharma; कार्ये (kārye) - in a duty; त्वाम् (tvām) - you; विनियोक्ष्यामि (viniyokṣyāmi) - I shall appoint; तत् (tat) - that; श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard; कर्तुम्-अर्हसि (kartum arhasi) - you ought to do;]
Therefore, being greatly assured in you, O best among the upholders of dharma, I shall appoint you to a duty; on hearing it, you ought to perform it.
मम पुत्रस्तव भ्राता वीर्यवान्सुप्रियश्च ते । बाल एव गतः स्वर्गमपुत्रः पुरुषर्षभ ॥१-०९७-८॥
mama putras tava bhrātā vīryavān supriyaś ca te. bāla eva gataḥ svargam aputraḥ puruṣarṣabha ॥8॥
[मम (mama) - my; पुत्रः (putraḥ) - son; तव (tava) - your; भ्राता (bhrātā) - brother; वीर्यवान् (vīryavān) - powerful; सुप्रियः-च (supriyaś ca) - and very dear; ते (te) - to you; बालः-एव (bālaḥ eva) - even as a youth; गतः (gataḥ) - went; स्वर्गम् (svargam) - to heaven; अपुत्रः (aputraḥ) - without a son; पुरुष-ऋषभ (puruṣarṣabha) - O best of men;]
My son, your brother, powerful and very dear to you, went to heaven in youth, O best of men, without having a son.
इमे महिष्यौ भ्रातुस्ते काशिराजसुते शुभे । रूपयौवनसम्पन्ने पुत्रकामे च भारत ॥१-०९७-९॥
ime mahiṣyau bhrātuḥ te kāśirāja-sute śubhe. rūpa-yauvana-sampanne putra-kāme ca bhārata ॥9॥
[इमे (ime) - these; महिष्यौ (mahiṣyau) - queens; भ्रातुः-ते (bhrātuḥ te) - of your brother; काशिराज-सुते (kāśirāja-sute) - daughters of the king of Kāśī; शुभे (śubhe) - auspicious ones; रूप-यौवन-सम्पन्ने (rūpa-yauvana-sampanne) - endowed with beauty and youth; पुत्र-कामे-च (putra-kāme ca) - and desiring a son; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata;]
These are the queens of your brother, the auspicious daughters of the king of Kāśī, endowed with beauty and youth, and desiring a son, O Bhārata.
तयोरुत्पादयापत्यं सन्तानाय कुलस्य नः । मन्नियोगान्महाभाग धर्मं कर्तुमिहार्हसि ॥१-०९७-१०॥
tayor utpādaya āpatyaṁ santānāya kulasya naḥ. mat-niyogāt mahābhāga dharmaṁ kartum iha arhasi ॥10॥
[तयोः (tayoḥ) - of those two; उत्पादय (utpādaya) - beget; आपत्यं (āpatyaṁ) - offspring; सन्तानाय (santānāya) - for the continuation; कुलस्य (kulasya) - of the lineage; नः (naḥ) - our; मन्-नियोगात् (mat-niyogāt) - by my command; महा-भाग (mahābhāga) - O greatly fortunate one; धर्मं (dharmaṁ) - righteous duty; कर्तुम् (kartum) - to perform; इह (iha) - here; अर्हसि (arhasi) - you ought;]
By my command, O greatly fortunate one, you ought to perform this dharma here — beget offspring through these two for the continuation of our lineage.
राज्ये चैवाभिषिच्यस्व भारताननुशाधि च । दारांश्च कुरु धर्मेण मा निमज्जीः पितामहान् ॥१-०९७-११॥
rājye ca eva abhiṣicya sva bhārata anuśādhi ca. dārān ca kuru dharmeṇa mā nimajjīḥ pitāmahān ॥11॥
[राज्ये-च-एव (rājye ca eva) - in the kingdom also; अभिषिच्य (abhiṣicya) - having anointed yourself; स्व (sva) - yourself; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata; अनुशाधि-च (anuśādhi ca) - and govern; दारान्-च (dārān ca) - wives; कुरु (kuru) - take; धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - in accordance with dharma; मा (mā) - do not; निमज्जीः (nimajjīḥ) - let sink; पितामहान् (pitāmahān) - the forefathers;]
Having anointed yourself in the kingdom, O Bhārata, govern; take wives in accordance with dharma, and do not let the forefathers sink (into ruin).
तथोच्यमानो मात्रा च सुहृद्भिश्च परन्तपः । प्रत्युवाच स धर्मात्मा धर्म्यमेवोत्तरं वचः ॥१-०९७-१२॥
tathā ucyamānaḥ mātrā ca suhṛdbhiś ca parantapaḥ. pratyuvāca sa dharmātmā dharmyām eva uttaraṁ vacaḥ ॥12॥
[तथा (tathā) - thus; उच्यमानः (ucyamānaḥ) - being urged; मात्रा-च (mātrā ca) - by his mother and; सुहृद्भिः-च (suhṛdbhiḥ ca) - by friends; परन्तपः (parantapaḥ) - the scorcher of foes; प्रत्युवाच (pratyuvāca) - replied; सः (saḥ) - he; धर्मात्मा (dharmātmā) - the righteous soul; धर्म्यम्-एव (dharmyām eva) - righteous indeed; उत्तरं-वचः (uttaraṁ vacaḥ) - a reply in speech;]
Thus being urged by his mother and friends, the scorcher of foes, that righteous soul gave only a righteous reply.
असंशयं परो धर्मस्त्वया मातरुदाहृतः । त्वमपत्यं प्रति च मे प्रतिज्ञां वेत्थ वै पराम् ॥१-०९७-१३॥
asaṁśayaṁ paro dharmaḥ tvayā mātar udāhṛtaḥ. tvam apatyam prati ca me pratijñāṁ vettha vai parām ॥13॥
[असंशयम् (asaṁśayam) - undoubtedly; परः (paraḥ) - supreme; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - dharma; त्वया (tvayā) - by you; मातः (mātar) - O mother; उदाहृतः (udāhṛtaḥ) - has been stated; त्वम् (tvam) - you; अपत्यं-प्रतिः-च (apatyaṁ prati ca) - regarding offspring also; मे (me) - my; प्रतिज्ञां (pratijñāṁ) - vow; वेत्थ (vettha) - you know; वै (vai) - truly; पराम् (parām) - supreme;]
Undoubtedly, O mother, the supreme dharma has been stated by you; and you truly know my supreme vow regarding offspring.
जानासि च यथावृत्तं शुल्कहेतोस्त्वदन्तरे । स सत्यवति सत्यं ते प्रतिजानाम्यहं पुनः ॥१-०९७-१४॥
jānāsi ca yathā vṛttaṁ śulka-hetos tvad-antare. saḥ satyavati satyaṁ te pratijānāmi ahaṁ punaḥ ॥14॥
[जानासि-च (jānāsi ca) - and you know; यथा-वृत्तम् (yathā vṛttam) - how it occurred; शुल्क-हेतोः (śulka-hetos) - for the sake of dowry; त्वत्-अन्तरे (tvad-antare) - in your absence; सः (saḥ) - that; सत्यवति (satyavati) - O Satyavatī; सत्यं (satyaṁ) - truth; ते (te) - to you; प्रतिजानामि (pratijānāmi) - I promise; अहम् (aham) - I; पुनः (punaḥ) - again;]
You also know how it happened for the sake of dowry in your absence, O Satyavatī. I promise you again this truth.
परित्यजेयं त्रैलोक्यं राज्यं देवेषु वा पुनः । यद्वाप्यधिकमेताभ्यां न तु सत्यं कथञ्चन ॥१-०९७-१५॥
parityajeyaṁ trailokyaṁ rājyaṁ deveṣu vā punaḥ. yad vā api adhikam etābhyāṁ na tu satyaṁ kathañcana ॥15॥
[परित्यजेयम् (parityajeyam) - I may abandon; त्रै-लोक्यम् (trailokyam) - the three worlds; राज्यं (rājyaṁ) - kingdom; देवेषु-वा (deveṣu vā) - or among the gods; पुनः (punaḥ) - again; यत्-वा-अपि (yad vā api) - or even that which; अधिकम् (adhikam) - is greater; एताभ्याम् (etābhyām) - than these two; न-तु (na tu) - but not; सत्यं (satyaṁ) - truth; कथञ्चन (kathañcana) - in any way;]
I may abandon the three worlds, or a kingdom among the gods, or even that which is greater than both — but never, in any way, the truth.
त्यजेच्च पृथिवी गन्धमापश्च रसमात्मनः । ज्योतिस्तथा त्यजेद्रूपं वायुः स्पर्शगुणं त्यजेत् ॥१-०९७-१६॥
tyajec ca pṛthivī gandham āpaḥ ca rasam ātmanaḥ. jyotiḥ tathā tyajet rūpaṁ vāyuḥ sparśa-guṇaṁ tyajet ॥16॥
[त्यजेत्-च (tyajet ca) - would abandon; पृथिवी (pṛthivī) - earth; गन्धम् (gandham) - scent; आपः-च (āpaḥ ca) - water; रसम् (rasam) - taste; आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of its own; ज्योतिः (jyotiḥ) - fire; तथा (tathā) - likewise; त्यजेत् (tyajet) - would abandon; रूपम् (rūpaṁ) - form; वायुः (vāyuḥ) - air; स्पर्श-गुणं (sparśa-guṇaṁ) - the quality of touch; त्यजेत् (tyajet) - would abandon;]
Earth might abandon its scent, water its taste, fire its form, and air the quality of touch.
प्रभां समुत्सृजेदर्को धूमकेतुस्तथोष्णताम् । त्यजेच्छब्दं तथाकाशः सोमः शीतांशुतां त्यजेत् ॥१-०९७-१७॥
prabhāṁ samutsṛjet arkaḥ dhūma-ketuḥ tathā uṣṇatām. tyajet śabdaṁ tathā ākāśaḥ somaḥ śītāṁśutāṁ tyajet ॥17॥
[प्रभाम् (prabhāṁ) - brilliance; समुत्सृजेत् (samutsṛjet) - might give up; अर्कः (arkaḥ) - the sun; धूमकेतुः (dhūma-ketuḥ) - comet; तथा (tathā) - likewise; उष्णताम् (uṣṇatām) - heat; त्यजेत् (tyajet) - might abandon; शब्दम् (śabdam) - sound; तथा (tathā) - likewise; आकाशः (ākāśaḥ) - space; सोमः (somaḥ) - the moon; शीतांशुताम् (śītāṁśutām) - cool-rayed nature; त्यजेत् (tyajet) - might give up;]
The sun might relinquish its brilliance, the comet its heat; space might give up sound, and the moon its cool-rayed nature.
विक्रमं वृत्रहा जह्याद्धर्मं जह्याच्च धर्मराट् । न त्वहं सत्यमुत्स्रष्टुं व्यवसेयं कथञ्चन ॥१-०९७-१८॥
vikramaṁ vṛtra-hā jahyāt dharmaṁ jahyāt ca dharma-rāṭ. na tu ahaṁ satyam utsraṣṭuṁ vyavaseyaṁ kathaṁcana ॥18॥
[विक्रमम् (vikramaṁ) - valor; वृत्रहा (vṛtra-hā) - Indra (slayer of Vṛtra); जह्यात् (jahyāt) - might abandon; धर्मम् (dharmaṁ) - righteousness; जह्यात्-च (jahyāt ca) - might also abandon; धर्मराट् (dharma-rāṭ) - Yama (lord of dharma); न-तु (na tu) - but not; अहम् (aham) - I; सत्यम् (satyam) - truth; उत्स्रष्टुम् (utsraṣṭuṁ) - to abandon; व्यवसेयम् (vyavaseyaṁ) - would resolve; कथञ्चन (kathaṁcana) - ever;]
Indra might abandon valor, Yama might abandon righteousness, but I would never resolve to abandon truth.
एवमुक्ता तु पुत्रेण भूरिद्रविणतेजसा । माता सत्यवती भीष्ममुवाच तदनन्तरम् ॥१-०९७-१९॥
evam uktā tu putreṇa bhūri-draviṇa-tejasā. mātā satyavatī bhīṣmam uvāca tad anantaram ॥19॥
[एवम्-उक्ता (evam uktā) - thus addressed; तु (tu) - indeed; पुत्रेण (putreṇa) - by her son; भूरि-द्रविण-तेजसा (bhūri-draviṇa-tejasā) - of great wealth and brilliance; माता (mātā) - the mother; सत्यवती (satyavatī) - Satyavatī; भीष्मम् (bhīṣmam) - to Bhīṣma; उवाच (uvāca) - spoke; तत्-अनन्तरम् (tat anantaram) - thereafter;]
Thus addressed by her son of great wealth and brilliance, the mother Satyavatī then spoke to Bhīṣma.
जानामि ते स्थितिं सत्ये परां सत्यपराक्रम । इच्छन्सृजेथास्त्रीँल्लोकानन्यांस्त्वं स्वेन तेजसा ॥१-०९७-२०॥
jānāmi te sthitiṁ satye parāṁ satya-parākrama. icchan sṛjetāḥ trīn lokān anyān tvaṁ svena tejasā ॥20॥
[जानामि (jānāmi) - I know; ते (te) - your; स्थितिं (sthitiṁ) - position; सत्ये (satye) - in truth; पराम् (parām) - supreme; सत्य-पराक्रम (satya-parākrama) - O truth-valiant one; इच्छन् (icchan) - if you desired; सृजेथाः (sṛjetāḥ) - you could create; त्रीन्-लोकान् (trīn lokān) - the three worlds; अन्यान्-त्वम् (anyān tvam) - other than these; स्वेन-तेजसा (svena tejasā) - by your own brilliance;]
I know your supreme steadfastness in truth, O valiant in truth; if you wished, you could create other worlds by your own brilliance.
जानामि चैव सत्यं तन्मदर्थं यदभाषथाः । आपद्धर्ममवेक्षस्व वह पैतामहीं धुरम् ॥१-०९७-२१॥
jānāmi ca eva satyaṁ tan mad-arthaṁ yad abhāṣathāḥ. āpad-dharmaṁ avekṣasva vaha paitāmahīṁ dhuram ॥21॥
[जानामि-च-एव (jānāmi ca eva) - I indeed know; सत्यं (satyaṁ) - the truth; तत् (tat) - that; मदर्थम् (mad-artham) - for my sake; यत् (yat) - which; अभाषथाः (abhāṣathāḥ) - you spoke; आपत्-धर्मम् (āpad-dharmam) - the dharma for emergencies; अवेक्षस्व (avekṣasva) - consider; वह (vaha) - bear; पैतामहीं-धुरम् (paitāmahīṁ dhuram) - the ancestral burden;]
I indeed know that what you spoke was the truth, and for my sake. Consider the dharma of emergency, and bear the ancestral burden.
यथा ते कुलतन्तुश्च धर्मश्च न पराभवेत् । सुहृदश्च प्रहृष्येरंस्तथा कुरु परन्तप ॥१-०९७-२२॥
yathā te kula-tantuś ca dharmaś ca na parābhavet. suhṛdaś ca prahṛṣyeran tathā kuru parantapa ॥22॥
[यथा (yathā) - so that; ते (te) - your; कुल-तन्तुः-च (kula-tantuś ca) - family line and; धर्मः-च (dharmaś ca) - dharma; न (na) - not; पराभवेत् (parābhavet) - may perish; सुहृदः-च (suhṛdaś ca) - and well-wishers; प्रहृष्येरन् (prahṛṣyeran) - may rejoice; तथा (tathā) - thus; कुरु (kuru) - do; परन्तप (parantapa) - O scorcher of foes;]
So that your family line and dharma may not be destroyed, and your well-wishers may rejoice — do thus, O scorcher of foes.
लालप्यमानां तामेवं कृपणां पुत्रगृद्धिनीम् । धर्मादपेतं ब्रुवतीं भीष्मो भूयोऽब्रवीदिदम् ॥१-०९७-२३॥
lālapyamānāṁ tām evaṁ kṛpaṇāṁ putra-gṛddhinīm. dharmād apetaṁ bruvatīṁ bhīṣmaḥ bhūyaḥ abravīt idam ॥23॥
[लालप्यमानाम् (lālapyamānām) - lamenting; ताम् (tām) - her; एवम् (evam) - thus; कृपणाम् (kṛpaṇām) - pitiable; पुत्र-गृद्धिनीम् (putra-gṛddhinīm) - longing for a son; धर्मात्-अपेतम् (dharmāt apetam) - deviating from dharma; ब्रुवतीम् (bruvatīm) - speaking; भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhīṣma; भूयः (bhūyaḥ) - again; अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - spoke; इदम् (idam) - this;]
Seeing her thus lamenting, pitiable, and longing for a son, and speaking in a way deviating from dharma, Bhīṣma again spoke these words.
राज्ञि धर्मानवेक्षस्व मा नः सर्वान् व्यनीनशः । सत्याच्च्युतिः क्षत्रियस्य न धर्मेषु प्रशस्यते ॥१-०९७-२४॥
rājñi dharmān avekṣasva mā naḥ sarvān vyanīnaśaḥ. satyāt cyutiḥ kṣatriyasya na dharmeṣu praśasyate ॥24॥
[राज्ञि (rājñi) - O queen; धर्मान् (dharmān) - the laws of dharma; अवेक्षस्व (avekṣasva) - consider; मा (mā) - do not; नः (naḥ) - us; सर्वान् (sarvān) - all; व्यनीनशः (vyanīnaśaḥ) - cause to be condemned; सत्यात्-च्युतिः (satyāt cyutiḥ) - deviation from truth; क्षत्रियस्य (kṣatriyasya) - of a kṣatriya; न (na) - not; धर्मेषु (dharmeṣu) - in matters of dharma; प्रशस्यते (praśasyate) - is praised;]
O queen, consider the principles of dharma; do not cause all of us to fall into disgrace. For a kṣatriya, deviation from truth is never praised in dharma.
शन्तनोरपि सन्तानं यथा स्यादक्षयं भुवि । तत्ते धर्मं प्रवक्ष्यामि क्षात्रं राज्ञि सनातनम् ॥१-०९७-२५॥
śantanoḥ api santānaṁ yathā syāt akṣayaṁ bhuvi. tat te dharmaṁ pravakṣyāmi kṣātraṁ rājñi sanātanam ॥25॥
[शन्तनोः-अपि (śantanoḥ api) - even of Śantanu; सन्तानम् (santānam) - lineage; यथा (yathā) - so that; स्यात् (syāt) - may be; अक्षयम् (akṣayam) - unending; भुवि (bhuvi) - on earth; तत् (tat) - that; ते (te) - to you; धर्मम् (dharmaṁ) - dharma; प्रवक्ष्यामि (pravakṣyāmi) - I shall declare; क्षात्रम् (kṣātram) - kṣatriya dharma; राज्ञि (rājñi) - O queen; सनातनम् (sanātanam) - eternal;]
So that Śantanu’s lineage may be unbroken on earth, I shall declare to you that eternal kṣatriya dharma, O queen.
श्रुत्वा तं प्रतिपद्येथाः प्राज्ञैः सह पुरोहितैः । आपद्धर्मार्थकुशलैर्लोकतन्त्रमवेक्ष्य च ॥१-०९७-२६॥
śrutvā taṁ pratipadyethāḥ prājñaiḥ saha purohitaiḥ. āpad-dharma-artha-kuśalaiḥ loka-tantram avekṣya ca ॥26॥
[श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - hearing; तम् (tam) - it; प्रतिपद्येथाः (pratipadyethāḥ) - you should accept; प्राज्ञैः (prājñaiḥ) - with the wise; सह (saha) - along with; पुरोहितैः (purohitaiḥ) - priests; आपत्-धर्म-अर्थ-कुशलैः (āpad-dharma-artha-kuśalaiḥ) - skilled in emergency dharma and purpose; लोक-तन्त्रम् (loka-tantram) - social order; अवेक्ष्य-च (avekṣya ca) - having considered also;]
Having heard it, you should accept it along with wise priests skilled in the dharma and purpose of emergencies, having considered the order of the world.
