05.025
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhishthira spoke:
samāgatāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ sṛñjayāśca; janārdano yuyudhāno virāṭaḥ। yatte vākyaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrānuśiṣṭaṃ; gāvalgaṇe brūhi tatsūtaputra ॥5-25-1॥
The Pāṇḍavas and Sṛñjayas have gathered along with Janārdana, Yuyudhāna, and Virāṭa. O son of a charioteer, convey the message that Dhṛtarāṣṭra has instructed you, O Gāvalgaṇa.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
ajātaśatruṃ ca vṛkodaraṃ ca; dhanañjayaṃ mādravatīsutau ca। āmantraye vāsudevaṃ ca śauriṃ; yuyudhānaṃ cekitānaṃ virāṭam ॥5-25-2॥
I call upon Ajatashatru, Vrikodara, Dhananjaya, the sons of Madri, Vasudeva, Shouri, Yuyudhana, Cekitana, and Virata.
pāñcālānāmadhipaṃ caiva vṛddhaṃ; dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ pārṣataṃ yājñasenim। sarve vācaṃ śṛṇutemāṃ madīyāṃ; vakṣyāmi yāṃ bhūtimicchankurūṇām ॥5-25-3॥
The old lord of the Pāñcālas, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the son of Pṛṣata, Yājñaseni, all listen to my speech; I will speak of the prosperity that the Kurus desire.
śamaṃ rājā dhṛtarāṣṭro'bhinand; nnayojayattvaramāṇo rathaṃ me। sabhrātṛputrasvajanasya rājñ; stadrocatāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ śamo'stu ॥5-25-4॥
King Dhritarashtra, eager for peace, quickly ordered my chariot to be prepared. Along with the brothers, sons, and relatives of the king, may this be agreeable to the Pandavas, and let there be peace.
sarvair dharmaiḥ samupetāḥ stha pārthāḥ; prasthānena mārdavenārjavena। jātāḥ kule anṛśaṁsā vadānyā; hrīniṣedhāḥ karmaṇāṁ niścayajñāḥ ॥5-25-5॥
You, the sons of Pritha, are endowed with all virtues; departing with gentleness and straightforwardness. Born in a noble family, you are compassionate and generous, with modesty and determined in your actions.
na yujyate karma yuṣmāsu hīnaṃ; sattvaṃ hi vastādṛśaṃ bhīmasenāḥ। udbhāsate hyañjanabinduvatta; cchukle vastre yadbhavetkilbiṣaṃ vaḥ ॥5-25-6॥
O Bhimasena, no deficient action is associated with you; indeed, such is the nature of things. It shines like a spot of collyrium on a white cloth, which may be your sin.
sarvakṣayo dṛśyate yatra kṛtsnaḥ; pāpodayo nirayo'bhāvasaṃsthaḥ। kastatkuryājjātu karma prajān; naparājayo yatra samo jayaśca ॥5-25-7॥
Where there is complete destruction and the entire rise of sin and hell is absent, who would ever act for beings, where defeat and victory are the same?
te vai dhanyā yaiḥ kṛtaṃ jñātikāryaṃ; ye vaḥ putrāḥ suhṛdo bāndhavāśca। upakruṣṭaṃ jīvitaṃ santyajeyu; stataḥ kurūṇāṃ niyato vai bhavaḥ syāt ॥5-25-8॥
Those are truly blessed who fulfill their duties towards their relatives; your sons, friends, and kin who would give up their lives, then the existence of the Kurus would indeed be assured.
te cet kurūn anuśāsya stha pārthā; ninīya sarvān dviṣato nigṛhya। samaṃ vas tajjīvitaṃ mṛtyunā syā; dyajjīvadhvaṃ jñātivadhe na sādhu ॥5-25-9॥
If you, the sons of Pritha, rule over the Kurus and subdue all your enemies, your life would be equally ended by death, which is not good when it involves killing your relatives.
ko hyeva yuṣmānsaha keśavena; sacekitānānpārṣatabāhuguptān। sasātyakīnviṣaheta prajetuṃ; labdhvāpi devānsacivānsahendrān ॥5-25-10॥
Who indeed can withstand you, accompanied by Keshava, Cekitana, protected by Parshata's arms, and Satyaki, even if they have obtained the gods as allies along with Indra?
ko vā kurūndroṇabhīṣmābhiguptā; naśvatthāmnā śalyakṛpādibhiśca। raṇe prasoḍhuṃ viṣaheta rāja; nrādheyaguptānsaha bhūmipālaiḥ ॥5-25-11॥
O king, who can withstand the Kurus protected by Drona and Bhishma, and not by Ashwatthama, Shalya, Kripa, and others, in battle, and endure Radheya protected along with the kings?
mahadbalaṁ dhārtarāṣṭrasya rājñaḥ; ko vai śakto hantumakṣīyamāṇaḥ। so'haṁ jaye caiva parājaye ca; niḥśreyasaṁ nādhigacchāmi kiñcit ॥5-25-12॥
The great strength of King Dhritarashtra is such that who indeed can kill him while he remains undiminished? As for me, in both victory and defeat, I do not attain any ultimate good.
kathaṁ hi nīcā iva dauṣkuleyā; nirdharmārthaṁ karma kuryuśca pārthāḥ। so'haṁ prasādya praṇato vāsudevaṁ; pāñcālānāmadhipaṁ caiva vṛddham ॥5-25-13॥
How could the sons of Pritha, who are noble, act like those of a bad family without righteousness and purpose? I have pleased and bowed down to Vasudeva and the elder lord of the Panchalas.
kṛtāñjaliḥ śaraṇaṃ vaḥ prapadye; kathaṃ svasti syātkurusṛñjayānām। na hyeva te vacanaṃ vāsudevo; dhanañjayo vā jātu kiñcinna kuryāt ॥5-25-14॥
With folded hands, I seek your refuge; how can there be welfare for the Kurus and Sṛñjayas? Indeed, neither Vāsudeva nor Dhanañjaya would ever fail to act on your word.
prāṇānādau yācyamānaḥ kuto'nya; detadvidvansādhanārthaṃ bravīmi। etadrājño bhīṣmapurogamāsya; mataṃ yadvaḥ śāntirihottamā syāt ॥5-25-15॥
In the beginning, when lives are being requested, where else can they come from? O learned one, I speak for the purpose of means. This is the opinion of the king, led by Bhishma, that your best peace may be here.
