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yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
evam-agrāhyake tasmin-jñāti-sambandhi-maṇḍale। mitreṣu-amitreṣu-api ca kathaṃ bhāvaḥ vibhāvyate ॥12-82-1॥
Thus, in such a circle connected with relatives, how is the state discerned among friends and enemies alike?
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said:
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। vāsudevasya saṃvādaṃ surarṣer nāradasya ca ॥12-82-2॥
Here too, an ancient story is told: the conversation between Vāsudeva and the divine sage Nārada.
vāsudeva uvāca॥
Vāsudeva said:
nāsuhṛtparamaṃ mantraṃ nāradārhati veditum। apaṇḍito vāpi suhṛtpaṇḍito vāpi nātmavān ॥12-82-3॥
Nārada, one who is not a true friend is not worthy to know the supreme teaching. Whether unlearned or even a true friend, learned or even, if not self-possessed.
sa te sauhṛdam āsthāya kiñcid vakṣyāmi nārada। kṛtsnāṃ ca buddhiṃ samprekṣya sampṛcche tridivaṅgama ॥12-82-4॥
O Nārada, having assumed friendship towards you, I shall say a little; having considered the entire understanding, I ask you, O one who traverses the heavens.
dāsyamaiśvaryavādena jñātīnāṃ vai karomyaham। ardhabhoktāsmi bhogānāṃ vāgduruktāni ca kṣame ॥12-82-5॥
I act in servitude to my kinsmen by the assertion of sovereignty. I am the half-enjoyer of enjoyments. I forgive harsh words and speech.
araṇīmagni-kāmo vā mathnāti hṛdayaṃ mama। vācā duruktaṃ devarṣe tan me dahati nityadā॥12-82-6॥
Just as one who desires fire churns the fire-stick, so too is my heart churned. O divine sage, a harsh word spoken burns me always.
balaṃ saṅkarṣaṇe nityaṃ saukumāryaṃ punargade। rūpeṇa mattaḥ pradyumnaḥ so'sahāyo'smi nārada ॥12-82-7॥
O Nārada, strength always resides in Saṅkarṣaṇa, delicacy again in Gada, Pradyumna is intoxicated by beauty, and I am helpless.
anye hi sumahābhāgā balavanto durāsadāḥ। nityotthānena sampannā nāradāndhakavṛṣṇayaḥ ॥12-82-8॥
O Nārada, the Andhakas and Vṛṣṇis are others who are indeed very fortunate, powerful, difficult to approach, and always endowed with effort.
yasya na syur na vai sa syād yasya syuḥ kṛcchram eva tat। dvābhyāṃ nivārito nityaṃ vṛṇomi ekataraṃ na ca॥12-82-9॥
He for whom they do not exist, indeed he does not exist; for whom they exist, that alone is difficulty. Always prevented by both, I choose either one, not both.
syātāṃ yasyāhukākrūrau kiṃ nu duḥkhataraṃ tataḥ। yasya vāpi na tau syātāṃ kiṃ nu duḥkhataraṃ tataḥ ॥12-82-10॥
For whom Āhuka and Akrūra exist, what could be more sorrowful than that? Or for whom even those two do not exist, what could be more sorrowful than that?
so'ham kitavamāteva dvayor api mahāmune| ekasya jayam āśaṃse dvitīyasya aparājayam ॥12-82-11॥
O great sage, I am like the mother of a gambler: for both sides, I wish for the victory of one and for the other, not defeat.
mamai̱vaṃ kliśyamānasya nāradobhayataḥ sadā। vaktumarhasi yacchreyo jñātīnāmatmanastathā ॥12-82-12॥
O Nārada, as I am thus afflicted from both sides at all times, you should tell me what is best for both my relatives and myself.
nārada uvāca॥
Nārada said:
āpado dvividhāḥ kṛṣṇa bāhyāś cābhyantarāś ca ha। prādurbhavanti vārṣṇeya svakṛtā yadi vānyataḥ॥12-82-13॥
O Kṛṣṇa, difficulties are of two kinds: external and internal. O Vārṣṇeya, they arise either due to one's own actions or from other sources.
seyamābhyantarā tubhyamāpatkṛcchrā svakarmajā। akrūrabhojaprabhavāḥ sarve hyete tadanvayāḥ ॥12-82-14॥
This internal calamity that has come to you is difficult and is born of your own actions. All these, Akrūra, Bhoja and the others, are indeed descendants of that lineage.
artha-hetor hi kāmād vā dvārā bībhatsayā api vā। ātmanā prāptam aiśvaryam anyatra pratipāditam ॥12-82-15॥
It is indeed for the sake of wealth, or through desire, or even by disgust, that sovereignty attained by oneself has been established elsewhere.
kṛtamūlam idānīṃ taj-jāta-śabdaṃ sahāya-vat। na śakyaṃ punar ādātuṃ vānta-annam iva tvayā ॥12-82-16॥
Now that the root is done, that word which has arisen is like a companion; it cannot be taken back by you, just as vomited food cannot be taken back.
babhrūgrasenayo rājyaṃ nāptuṃ śakyaṃ kathaṃcana। jñātibhedabhayātkṛṣṇa tvayā cāpi viśeṣataḥ ॥12-82-17॥
O Krishna, neither Babhrū nor Ugrasena can possibly obtain the kingdom in any way, especially because of the fear of division among kinsmen, and particularly not by you.
tac cet sidhyet prayatnena kṛtvā karma suduṣkaram। mahākṣayavyayaṃ vā syād vināśo vā punar bhavet ॥12-82-18॥
If that action, though very difficult, is accomplished by effort, it may result in great loss and expense, or there may be destruction, or it may happen again.
anāyasena śastreṇa mṛdunā hṛdayacchidā। jihvām uddhara sarveṣāṃ parimṛjyā anumṛjya ca ॥12-82-19॥
With a gentle, heart-piercing weapon, effortlessly lift up the tongue of all, having wiped and re-wiped it.
vāsudeva uvāca॥
Vāsudeva said:
anāyasaṃ mune śastraṃ mṛdu vidyāmahaṃ katham। yenaiṣāmuddhare jihvāṃ parimṛjyānumṛjya ca ॥12-82-20॥
O sage, tell me how I may know of a gentle instrument, by which, without effort, I may lift their tongue, having wiped and wiped again.
nārada uvāca॥
Nārada said:
śakty-anna-dānaṃ satataṃ titikṣā dama ārjavam। yathārha-pratipūjā ca śastram etad anāyasam ॥12-82-21॥
Giving food to the best of one's ability at all times, forbearance, self-control, honesty, proper respect as deserved, and teaching—these are effortless virtues.
jñātīnāṃ vaktukāmānāṃ kaṭūni ca laghūni ca। girā tvaṃ hṛdayaṃ vācaṃ śamayasva manāṃsi ca ॥12-82-22॥
Pacify the hearts and minds of your relatives and those wishing to speak, whether their words are harsh or light, by your speech.
nāma-puruṣaḥ kaścin nānātmā na-asahāyavān। mahatīṃ dhuram ādatte tām udyamya urasā vaha ॥12-82-23॥
No one who is only a person in name, lacking self-possession and without support, takes up a great burden; having lifted it with his chest, he bears it.
sarva eva guruṃ bhāram aṇḍvān vahate same। durge pratīkaḥ sugavo bhāraṃ vahati durvaham ॥12-82-24॥
All indeed carry a heavy burden on level ground, but on a difficult path, only a good ox, as a representative, carries a burden that is hard to bear.
bhedād vināśaḥ saṅghānāṃ saṅghamukhyo'si keśava। yathā tvāṃ prāpya notsīded ayaṃ saṅghaḥ tathā kuru ॥12-82-25॥
Division leads to the destruction of groups; you are the chief of the group, Keśava. Ensure that, by having you, this group does not perish—act accordingly.
nānyatra buddhikṣāntibhyāṃ nānyatrendriyanigrahāt। nānyatra dhanasantyāgādgaṇaḥ prājñe'vatiṣṭhate ॥12-82-26॥
A group remains among the wise only through intellect and patience, only through restraint of the senses, and only through the abandonment of wealth.
dhanyaṃ yaśasyam āyuṣyam svapakṣodbhāvanaṃ śubham। jñātīnām avināśaḥ syād yathā kṛṣṇa tathā kuru ॥12-82-27॥
Do that which is fortunate, glorious, life-giving, and auspicious, and which advances your own side; let there be indestructibility for your relatives, just as it is for Kṛṣṇa.
āyatyāṃ ca tadātve ca na te'styaviditaṃ prabho। ṣāḍguṇyasya vidhānena yātrāyānavidhau tathā ॥12-82-28॥
O lord, in the future and at that time, nothing is unknown to you regarding the arrangement of the sixfold policy and the regulation of march and non-march.
mādhavāḥ kukurā bhojāḥ sarve cāndhakavṛṣṇayaḥ। tvayyāsaktā mahābāho lokā lokeśvarāśca ye ॥12-82-29॥
O mighty-armed one, all the Mādhavas, Kukuras, Bhojas, Andhakas, Vṛṣṇis, and those who are devoted to you, as well as the worlds and their lords, are attached to you.
upāsate hi tvad-buddhim ṛṣayaś cāpi mādhava। tvaṃ guruḥ sarva-bhūtānāṃ jānīṣe tvaṃ gatāgatam॥ tvām āsādya yadu-śreṣṭha medhante jñātinaḥ sukham॥12-82-30॥
O Mādhava, sages indeed worship your intellect; you are the teacher of all beings and know both the past and the future. O best of the Yadus, having attained you, kinsmen prosper in happiness.
