Critical Edition
राजपुत्र उवाच न निकृत्या न दम्भेन ब्रह्मन्निच्छामि जीवितुम् नाधर्मयुक्तानिच्छेयमर्थान्सुमहतोऽप्यहम्
M. N. Dutt: I do not wish, O Brahmana, to support life by deceit or fraud. I do not seek wealth, however profuse, which is to be acquired by unfair means.
पुरस्तादेव भगवन्मयैतदपवर्जितम् येन मां नाभिशङ्केत यद्वा कृत्स्नं हितं भवेत्
AI Translation: "I have already avoided this, O Blessed One, in the past, " lest anyone should suspect me, or do what is entirely beneficial.
आनृशंस्येन धर्मेण लोके ह्यस्मिञ्जिजीविषुः नाहमेतदलं कर्तुं नैतन्मय्युपपद्यते
AI Translation: Out of compassion and righteousness, I wish to live in this world. I am not able to do this, nor is it proper for me.
मुनिरुवाच उपपन्नस्त्वमेतेन यथा क्षत्रिय भाषसे प्रकृत्या ह्युपपन्नोऽसि बुद्ध्या चाद्भुतदर्शन
M. N. Dutt: The sage said-These words, O Kshatriya. which you give vent to, point you out as a pious men. Indeed, you are pious by nature and understanding, O you of great experience.
उभयोरेव वामर्थे यतिष्ये तव तस्य च संश्लेषं वा करिष्यामि शाश्वतं ह्यनपायिनम्
M. N. Dutt: I shall try for the good of you both. I shall create a union, between you and that king, which should be eternal and cannot be broken.
त्वादृशं हि कुले जातमनृशंसं बहुश्रुतम् अमात्यं को न कुर्वीत राज्यप्रणयकोविदम्
M. N. Dutt: Who is there that would not like to have a minister like you who are born of a noble family, who abstain from all unfair acts and cruelties, who are highly learned, and who are well versed in the art of government and of conciliation.
यस्त्वं प्रव्रजितो राज्याद्व्यसनं चोत्तमं गतः आनृशंस्येन वृत्तेन क्षत्रियेच्छसि जीवितुम्
M. N. Dutt: I say this, O Kshatriya, because, though bereft of kingdom and plunged into great distress, still you wish to follow a pious course.
आगन्ता मद्गृहं तात वैदेहः सत्यसंगरः यथाहं तं नियोक्ष्यामि तत्करिष्यत्यसंशयम्
M. N. Dutt: The king of the Videhas, ever devoted to truth, will come to my residence soon. For sooth, he will do what I will request him to do.
भीष्म उवाच तत आहूय वैदेहं मुनिर्वचनमब्रवीत् अयं राजकुले जातो विदिताभ्यन्तरो मम
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Thereafter, inviting the king of the Videhas, the sage said these words to him,-This person is of royal birth. I know his very heart.
आदर्श इव शुद्धात्मा शारदश्चन्द्रमा इव नास्मिन्पश्यामि वृजिनं सर्वतो मे परीक्षितः
M. N. Dutt: His soul is as pure as the surface of a mirror or the disc of the autumnal moon. He has been perfectly examined by me. I do not see any shortcoming in him.
तेन ते संधिरेवास्तु विश्वसास्मिन्यथा मयि न राज्यमनमात्येन शक्यं शास्तुममित्रहन्
M. N. Dutt: Let there be friendship between him and you. Do you place confidence in him as in myself. A king who has no capable minister cannot govern his kingdom even for three days.
अमात्यः शूर एव स्याद्बुद्धिसंपन्न एव च ताभ्यां चैव भयं राज्ञः पश्य राज्यस्य योजनम् धर्मात्मनां क्वचिल्लोके नान्यास्ति गतिरीदृशी
AI Translation: The minister should be brave and wise. From these two, the king should see the protection of the kingdom. In this world, there is no other way for those with a virtuous nature.
कृतात्मा राजपुत्रोऽयं सतां मार्गमनुष्ठितः सुसंगृहीतस्त्वेवैष त्वया धर्मपुरोगमः संसेव्यमानः शत्रूंस्ते गृह्णीयान्महतो गणान्
M. N. Dutt: This one, who always follows righteousness, has been a valuable acquisition. If treated by you with respect, he will subdue your enemies.
यद्ययं प्रतियुध्येत्त्वां स्वकर्म क्षत्रियस्य तत् जिगीषमाणस्त्वां युद्धे पितृपैतामहे पदे
AI Translation: If he were to fight with you, that would be his duty as a kshatriya. Wishing to conquer you in battle, in the position of your ancestors,
त्वं चापि प्रतियुध्येथा विजिगीषुव्रते स्थितः अयुद्ध्वैव नियोगान्मे वशे वैदेह ते स्थितः
AI Translation: You too, standing in the vow of conquest, should fight back. Without fighting, by my order, Vaidehi is under your control.
स त्वं धर्ममवेक्षस्व त्यक्त्वाधर्ममसांप्रतम् न हि कामान्न च द्रोहात्स्वधर्मं हातुमर्हसि
M. N. Dutt: Have your eyes on righteousness, casting off covetousness. You should not abandon the duties of your order from lust or from desire of battle.
नैव नित्यं जयस्तात नैव नित्यं पराजयः तस्माद्भोजयितव्यश्च भोक्तव्यश्च परो जनः
M. N. Dutt: Victory, O sire, is not certain. Defeat also is not certain. Knowing this, peace should be made with an cnemy by giving him food and other things of enjoyment.
आत्मन्येव हि संदृश्यावुभौ जयपराजयौ निःशेषकारिणां तात निःशेषकरणाद्भयम्
M. N. Dutt: One may witness victory and defeat his own case. They, who seek to root out an cnemy, are sometimes exterminated themselves in their endeavours!
इत्युक्तः प्रत्युवाचेदं वचनं ब्राह्मणर्षभम् अभिपूज्याभिसत्कृत्य पूजार्हमनुमान्य च
AI Translation: Having been thus addressed, he replied with these words to the bull among Brahmins, Having honored, respected, and honored the one worthy of honor,
यथा ब्रूयान्महाप्राज्ञो यथा ब्रूयाद्बहुश्रुतः श्रेयस्कामो यथा ब्रूयादुभयोर्यत्क्षमं भवेत्
AI Translation: As the wise one would speak, as the learned one would speak, As one desiring welfare would speak, whatever is acceptable to both.
तथा वचनमुक्तोऽस्मि करिष्यामि च तत्तथा एतद्धि परमं श्रेयो न मेऽत्रास्ति विचारणा
AI Translation: Thus I am told and I shall do as I am told. This is the highest good. I have no doubt about it.
ततः कौसल्यमाहूय वैदेहो वाक्यमब्रवीत् धर्मतो नीतितश्चैव बलेन च जितो मया
M. N. Dutt: Then, addressing the prince of Koshala, the king of Videha said these words,-Following Kshatriya duties as also with the help of policy, I have conquered the world.
सोऽहं त्वया त्वात्मगुणैर्जितः पार्थिवसत्तम आत्मानमनवज्ञाय जितवद्वर्ततां भवान्
M. N. Dutt: I have, however, O best of kings, been conquered by you with your good qualities. Without feeling any sense of humiliation, live you with me as a victor.
नावमन्ये च ते बुद्धिं नावमन्ये च पौरुषम् नावमन्ये जयामीति जितवद्वर्ततां भवान्
M. N. Dutt: I honour you intelligence, and I honour your power. I do not disregard you, saying that I have conquered you. On the other hand, live you with me as a victor.
यथावत्पूजितो राजन्गृहं गन्तासि मे गृहात् ततः संपूज्य तौ विप्रं विश्वस्तौ जग्मतुर्गृहान्
M. N. Dutt: Honoured duly by me, o king, you will go to my house-Both the kings then adored that Brahmana, and trusting each other, proceeded to the capital of Mithila.
वैदेहस्त्वथ कौसल्यं प्रवेश्य गृहमञ्जसा पाद्यार्घ्यमधुपर्कैस्तं पूजार्हं प्रत्यपूजयत्
M. N. Dutt: Making the prince of Koshala enter his house, the king of the Videhas honoured hiin, who was worthy of every honour, with offerings of water to wash his feet, honey and curds and the usual articles.
ददौ दुहितरं चास्मै रत्नानि विविधानि च एष राज्ञां परो धर्मः सह्यौ जयपराजयौ
M. N. Dutt: King Janaka also conferred upon his guest his own daughter and various kinds of gems and jewels. This is the greatest duty of king; victory and defeat are both uncertain."