Critical Edition
विदुर उवाच राजन्निःसंशयं श्रेयो वाच्यस्त्वमसि बान्धवैः न त्वशुश्रूषमाणेषु वाक्यं संप्रतितिष्ठति
M. N. Dutt: Vidura said : O king, there is no doubt your friends have spoken to you what is good for you. But as you don't listen to their words, they find no place here,
हितं हि तव तद्वाक्यमुक्तवान्कुरुसत्तमः भीष्मः शांतनवो राजन्प्रतिगृह्णासि तन्न च
AI Translation: The best of the Kurus has spoken words that are beneficial to you. O king, Shantanu's son Bhishma has spoken. Do you accept them or not?
तथा द्रोणेन बहुधा भाषितं हितमुत्तमम् तच्च राधासुतः कर्णो मन्यते न हितं तव
AI Translation: And Drona spoke many times in your best interests, but Karna, Radha's son, does not think it is in your best interests.
चिन्तयंश्च न पश्यामि राजंस्तव सुहृत्तमम् आभ्यां पुरुषसिंहाभ्यां यो वा स्यात्प्रज्ञयाधिकः
M. N. Dutt: O king, after (due) reflection I do not find there is any who is a better friend of your than these two best of men (Bhishma and Drona) or who excels them in wisdom.
इमौ हि वृद्धौ वयसा प्रज्ञया च श्रुतेन च समौ च त्वयि राजेन्द्र तेषु पाण्डुसुतेषु च
M. N. Dutt: These two are old in age, in wisdom and in Shastras. O king, they look at the sons of Pandu with equal eyes.
धर्मे चानवमौ राजन्सत्यतायां च भारत रामाद्दाशरथेश्चैव गयाच्चैव न संशयः
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of the Bharata, O king they are not certainly inferior to Rama, the son of Dasharatha and Gaya in the virtue and truthfulness.
न चोक्तवन्तावश्रेयः पुरस्तादपि किंचन न चाप्यपकृतं किंचिदनयोर्लक्ष्यते त्वयि
AI Translation: And you have not said anything that is not good, not even a little bit. And you have not done anything bad to them. Nothing is seen in you.
ताविमौ पुरुषव्याघ्रावनागसि नृप त्वयि न मन्त्रयेतां त्वच्छ्रेयः कथं सत्यपराक्रमौ
AI Translation: O king, these two tigers among men, who are devoted to truth, would not consult with you about their own welfare. How is that possible?
प्रज्ञावन्तौ नरश्रेष्ठावस्मिँल्लोके नराधिप त्वन्निमित्तमतो नेमौ किंचिज्जिह्मं वदिष्यतः इति मे नैष्ठिकी बुद्धिर्वर्तते कुरुनन्दन
M. N. Dutt: O king, these foremost of men are endued with wisdom; they will never give you evil advises or say any thing that is crooked.
Supplementary Passages:
1.197.9 After 9cd, K4 ins.: *1972 एतदर्थमिमौ राजन्महात्मानौ महाद्युती
न चार्थहेतोर्धर्मज्ञौ वक्ष्यतः पक्षसंश्रितम् एतद्धि परमं श्रेयो मेनाते तव भारत
AI Translation: And for the sake of wealth, the knowers of dharma will not speak in favor of a party. This is the highest good, O Bhārata, they consider for you.
दुर्योधनप्रभृतयः पुत्रा राजन्यथा तव तथैव पाण्डवेयास्ते पुत्रा राजन्न संशयः
AI Translation: O king, just as your sons, Duryodhana and others, are your sons, so are the sons of the Pandavas your sons, O king, there is no doubt.
तेषु चेदहितं किंचिन्मन्त्रयेयुरबुद्धितः मन्त्रिणस्ते न ते श्रेयः प्रपश्यन्ति विशेषतः
AI Translation: If they were to deliberate on something harmful to them, out of ignorance, those ministers would not see what is best for them, especially.
अथ ते हृदये राजन्विशेषस्तेषु वर्तते अन्तरस्थं विवृण्वानाः श्रेयः कुर्युर्न ते ध्रुवम्
AI Translation: But if you have a special affection for them in your heart, they will certainly not do what is best for you, revealing what is hidden.
एतदर्थमिमौ राजन्महात्मानौ महाद्युती नोचतुर्विवृतं किंचिन्न ह्येष तव निश्चयः
M. N. Dutt: Therefore, O king, I think these illustrious and effulgent persons have not certainly said anything that leads to evil. You however do not understand it.
यच्चाप्यशक्यतां तेषामाहतुः पुरुषर्षभौ तत्तथा पुरुषव्याघ्र तव तद्भद्रमस्तु ते
M. N. Dutt: O best of kings, what these excellent men have said regarding the invincibility of the Pandavas is perfectly true. Do not think otherwise. Be blessed.
कथं हि पाण्डवः श्रीमान्सव्यसाची परंतपः शक्यो विजेतुं संग्रामे राजन्मघवता अपि
M. N. Dutt: O king, can the handsome Pandavas Savyasachi Dhananjaya be ever vanquished in battle even by Maghavata (Indra) himself?
भीमसेनो महाबाहुर्नागायुतबलो महान् कथं हि युधि शक्येत विजेतुममरैरपि
M. N. Dutt: Can the powerful Bhimsena of strong arms possessing the might of ten thousand elephants be vanquished in battle even by the immortals?
Supplementary Passages:
1.197.17 After 17ab, D4 (marg. sec. m.) ins.: *1973 राक्षसाणां क्षयकरो बाहुशाली महाबलः हिडिम्बो निहतो येन बाहुयुद्धेन भारत यो रावणसमो युद्धे तथा च बकराक्षसः स युध्यमानो राजेन्द्र भीमो भीमपराक्रमः उद्योगं त्वत्कृतं श्रुत्वा युद्धार्थं पाण्डवैः सह आगमिष्यन्ति सर्वे वै यादवाः शलभा इव
तथैव कृतिनौ युद्धे यमौ यमसुताविव कथं विषहितुं शक्यौ रणे जीवितुमिच्छता
M. N. Dutt: Who having the desire of living can vanquish in battle the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), who are like the sons of Yama himself and who are both well-skilled in battle?
यस्मिन्धृतिरनुक्रोशः क्षमा सत्यं पराक्रमः नित्यानि पाण्डवश्रेष्ठे स जीयेत कथं रणे
M. N. Dutt: How the eldest Pandavas (Yudhishthira) in whom patience, mercy, can son forgiveness, truth and prowess are always present, be ever vanquished?
येषां पक्षधरो रामो येषां मन्त्री जनार्दनः किं नु तैरजितं संख्ये येषां पक्षे च सात्यकिः
M. N. Dutt: Is there any whom they have not already vanquished in battle, who who have have Rama (Baladeva) as their ally, Janardana (Krishna) as their counsellor, Satyaki as their supporter.
द्रुपदः श्वशुरो येषां येषां श्यालाश्च पार्षताः धृष्टद्युम्नमुखा वीरा भ्रातरो द्रुपदात्मजाः
AI Translation: Those whose father-in-law is Drupada, whose maternal uncles are the Pāṇḍavas, the heroic brothers headed by Dhrishtadyumna, sons of Drupada,
Supplementary Passages:
1.197.21 After 21, T1 G5.6 ins.: *1974 चैद्यश्च येषां भ्राता च शिशुपालो महारथः
सोऽशक्यतां च विज्ञाय तेषामग्रेण भारत दायाद्यतां च धर्मेण सम्यक्तेषु समाचर
AI Translation: Having understood their inability, O descendant of Bharata, and their right to inheritance according to the law, act justly towards them.
इदं निर्दिग्धमयशः पुरोचनकृतं महत् तेषामनुग्रहेणाद्य राजन्प्रक्षालयात्मनः
M. N. Dutt: O king, the stain of calumny is on you on account of the act of Purochana. Wash yourself off it by kindly behaving towards them (the Pandavas).
Supplementary Passages:
1.197.23 After 23, N T1 G5.6 ins.: *1975 तेषामनुग्रहश्चायं सर्वेषां चैव नः कुले जीवितं च परं श्रेयः क्षत्रस्य च विवर्धनम्
द्रुपदोऽपि महान्राजा कृतवैरश्च नः पुरा तस्य संग्रहणं राजन्स्वपक्षस्य विवर्धनम्
M. N. Dutt: O king, we have formerly waged a great war with the king of Drupada; if we can now secure him as an ally, it will strengthen our party.
बलवन्तश्च दाशार्हा बहवश्च विशां पते यतः कृष्णस्ततस्ते स्युर्यतः कृष्णस्ततो जयः
M. N. Dutt: O king, the Dasharahas are numerous and powerful. They will be all there where Krishna will be. Where Krishna is, victory is certainly there.
यच्च साम्नैव शक्येत कार्यं साधयितुं नृप को दैवशप्तस्तत्कार्तुं विग्रहेण समाचरेत्
M. N. Dutt: O king, unless cursed by the celestials, who would seek to effect by means of war that which can be effected by conciliation?
श्रुत्वा च जीवतः पार्थान्पौरजानपदो जनः बलवद्दर्शने गृध्नुस्तेषां राजन्कुरु प्रियम्
M. N. Dutt: O king, having heard that the sons of Pritha are alive, the men of the city and the country have become exceedingly glad; and they are all eager to see them. Do what will be agreeable to them.
दुर्योधनश्च कर्णश्च शकुनिश्चापि सौबलः अधर्मयुक्ता दुष्प्रज्ञा बाला मैषां वचः कृथाः
M. N. Dutt: Duryodhana, Karna and the son of Subala, Shakuni, are sinful, foolish and young. Do not listen to their words.
उक्तमेतन्मया राजन्पुरा गुणवतस्तव दुर्योधनापराधेन प्रजेयं विनशिष्यति
M. N. Dutt: O king, endued with all accomplishments as you are, I have told you long ago that for the fault of Duryodhana, the subjects of this kingdom will be annihilated.