05.002
बलदेव उवाच॥
Baladeva spoke:
श्रुतं भवद्भिर्गदपूर्वजस्य; वाक्यं यथा धर्मवदर्थवच्च। अजातशत्रोश्च हितं हितं च; दुर्योधनस्यापि तथैव राज्ञः ॥५-२-१॥
You have heard the speech of Gada's elder brother, which is righteous and meaningful, beneficial to both Ajatashatru and Duryodhana, the king.
अर्धं हि राज्यस्य विसृज्य वीराः; कुन्तीसुतास्तस्य कृते यतन्ते। प्रदाय चार्धं धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रः; सुखी सहास्माभिरतीव मोदेत् ॥५-२-२॥
The sons of Kunti, being noble, are striving for the sake of the son of Dhritarashtra by relinquishing half of their kingdom. In return, the son of Dhritarashtra should be extremely happy with us.
लब्ध्वा हि राज्यं पुरुषप्रवीराः; सम्यक्प्रवृत्तेषु परेषु चैव। ध्रुवं प्रशान्ताः सुखमाविशेयु; स्तेषां प्रशान्तिश्च हितं प्रजानाम् ॥५-२-३॥
Having gained the kingdom, the brave men, being well-disposed towards others, would surely find peace and happiness; their tranquility is indeed beneficial for the people.
दुर्योधनस्यापि मतं च वेत्तुं; वक्तुं च वाक्यानि युधिष्ठिरस्य। प्रियं मम स्याद्यदि तत्र कश्चि; द्व्रजेच्छमार्थं कुरुपाण्डवानाम् ॥५-२-४॥
It would please me greatly if someone could go there to reconcile the Kuru and Pandavas by understanding Duryodhana's opinion and conveying Yudhishthira's words.
स भीष्ममामन्त्र्य कुरुप्रवीरं; वैचित्रवीर्यं च महानुभावम्। द्रोणं सपुत्रं विदुरं कृपं च; गान्धारराजं च ससूतपुत्रम् ॥५-२-५॥
He addressed Bhishma, the hero of the Kuru dynasty, son of Vichitravirya, and a great personality, along with Drona and his son, Vidura, Kripa, the king of Gandhara, and the son of a charioteer.
सर्वे च येऽन्ये धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रा; बलप्रधाना निगमप्रधानाः। स्थिताश्च धर्मेषु यथा स्वकेषु; लोकप्रवीराः श्रुतकालवृद्धाः ॥५-२-६॥
All the other sons of Dhritarashtra, who are chief in strength and assemblies, are established in their duties as they are in their own, and are heroes of the world, wise with age and experience.
एतेषु सर्वेषु समागतेषु; पौरेषु वृद्धेषु च सङ्गतेषु। ब्रवीतु वाक्यं प्रणिपातयुक्तं; कुन्तीसुतस्यार्थकरं यथा स्यात् ॥५-२-७॥
In the assembly of all these gathered citizens and elders, let him speak words with respect that are beneficial to Kunti's son.
सर्वास्ववस्थासु च ते न कौट्या; द्ग्रस्तो हि सोऽर्थो बलमाश्रितैस्तैः। प्रियाभ्युपेतस्य युधिष्ठिरस्य; द्यूते प्रमत्तस्य हृतं च राज्यम् ॥५-२-८॥
In every situation, your wealth was not taken by deceit but by those who relied on strength. The kingdom of the beloved Yudhishthira, who was careless in gambling, was lost.
निवार्यमाणश्च कुरुप्रवीरैः; सर्वैः सुहृद्भिर्ह्ययमप्यतज्ज्ञः। गान्धारराजस्य सुतं मताक्षं; समाह्वयेद्देवितुमाजमीढः ॥५-२-९॥
Despite being restrained by the Kuru heroes and all his friends, this ignorant one, Ajamidha, would still challenge the son of the king of Gandhara, Madri's son, to a fight.
दुरोदरास्तत्र सहस्रशोऽन्ये; युधिष्ठिरो यान्विषहेत जेतुम्। उत्सृज्य तान्सौबलमेव चायं; समाह्वयत्तेन जितोऽक्षवत्याम् ॥५-२-१०॥
In that place, there were thousands of other warriors, whom Yudhishthira could have withstood and conquered. However, leaving them aside, he chose to challenge only Saubala and was defeated by him in the game of dice.
स दीव्यमानः प्रतिदेवनेन; अक्षेषु नित्यं सुपराङ्मुखेषु। संरम्भमाणो विजितः प्रसह्य; तत्रापराधः शकुनेर्न कश्चित् ॥५-२-११॥
He was constantly engaged in gambling with counter-gambling, always with the dice facing upwards. Being agitated, he was forcibly defeated; however, there was no fault of the dice at all.
तस्मात्प्रणम्यैव वचो ब्रवीतु; वैचित्रवीर्यं बहुसामयुक्तम्। तथा हि शक्यो धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रः; स्वार्थे नियोक्तुं पुरुषेण तेन ॥५-२-१२॥
Therefore, after offering his respects, he should speak to Vicitravīrya with many conciliatory words. In this way, it is indeed possible for a man like him to engage Dhritarashtra's son in his own interest.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
एवं ब्रुवत्येव मधुप्रवीरे; शिनिप्रवीरः सहसोत्पपात। तच्चापि वाक्यं परिनिन्द्य तस्य; समाददे वाक्यमिदं समन्युः ॥५-२-१३॥
While the hero of the Madhu clan was speaking, the hero of the Śini clan suddenly stood up. Criticizing his words, he angrily began to speak.
