Critical Edition
जरासंध उवाच न स्मरेयं कदा वैरं कृतं युष्माभिरित्युत चिन्तयंश्च न पश्यामि भवतां प्रति वैकृतम्
M. N. Dutt: Jarasandha said I do not recollect when I have ever done you any injury. After careful reflection, I cannot recollect the injury I have done you.
Supplementary Passages:
2.20.1 Before the ref., G2 ins.: *233 वैशंपायनः एवमुक्तो भगवता बृहद्रथसुतो बली आत्मन्यौत्सुकमालोक्य कृष्णमाह नृपोत्तमाः
वैकृते चासति कथं मन्यध्वं मामनागसम् अरिं विब्रूत तद्विप्राः सतां समय एष हि
M. N. Dutt: O Brahmanas, when I have never done you any harm, why do you consider me, who am innocent, as your enemy? Tell me truly, for this is the rule followed by the honest.
अथ धर्मोपघाताद्धि मनः समुपतप्यते योऽनागसि प्रसृजति क्षत्रियोऽपि न संशयः
AI Translation: Then, because of the injury to Dharma, the mind is tormented. Even a Kshatriya who indulges in it in the future, there is no doubt.
Supplementary Passages:
2.20.3 After 3, G2 ins.: *234 क्षत्रिया एव लोकेऽस्मिन्विदितं मम सर्वशः
अतोऽन्यथाचरँल्लोके धर्मज्ञः सन्महाव्रतः वृजिनां गतिमाप्नोति श्रेयसोऽप्युपहन्ति च
AI Translation: Therefore, one who acts otherwise in this world, though learned in the law and of great vows, attains the state of the Vṛjis and destroys even the good.
त्रैलोक्ये क्षत्रधर्माद्धि श्रेयांसं साधुचारिणाम् अनागसं प्रजानानाः प्रमादादिव जल्पथ
AI Translation: The conduct of the good is superior to the duty of the warrior caste in the three worlds. You speak out of carelessness, not knowing the truth.
Supplementary Passages:
2.20.5 After 5ab, V1 B D G3 ins.: *235 नान्यं धर्मं प्रशंसन्ति ये च धर्मविदो जनाः तस्य मेऽद्य स्थितस्येह स्वधर्मे नियतात्मनः
वासुदेव उवाच कुलकार्यं महाराज कश्चिदेकः कुलोद्वहः वहते तन्नियोगाद्वै वयमभ्युत्थितास्त्रयः
M. N. Dutt: Krishna said O mighty-armed (hero), there is one who upholds the dignity of a (royal) line. We have come against you at his command.
त्वया चोपहृता राजन्क्षत्रिया लोकवासिनः तदागः क्रूरमुत्पाद्य मन्यसे किं त्वनागसम्
M. N. Dutt: O king, the Kshatriyas of the world have been brought captive by you. Having done this cruel wrong, how do you consider yourself innocent?
राजा राज्ञः कथं साधून्हिंस्यान्नृपतिसत्तम तद्राज्ञः संनिगृह्य त्वं रुद्रायोपजिहीर्षसि
M. N. Dutt: O best of kings, how can a man, being a king himself, act cruelly against other virtuous kings? After persecuting them, you want to offer them as sacrifices to Rudra.
अस्मांस्तदेनो गच्छेत त्वया बार्हद्रथे कृतम् वयं हि शक्ता धर्मस्य रक्षणे धर्मचारिणः
M. N. Dutt: O son of Brihadratha, this sin, committed by you, may even touch us. We practise virtue, and we are capable of protecting virtue.
Supplementary Passages:
2.20.9 After 9, T1 G2-5 M1 ins.: *236 तस्मादद्योपगच्छामस्तव बार्हद्रथेऽन्तिकम्
मनुष्याणां समालम्भो न च दृष्टः कदाचन स कथं मानुषैर्देवं यष्टुमिच्छसि शंकरम्
M. N. Dutt: The slaughter of human beings as sacrifice to the gods is never seen. Why do you then desire to sacrifice human beings to the god Sankara?
सवर्णो हि सवर्णानां पशुसंज्ञां करिष्यति कोऽन्य एवं यथा हि त्वं जरासंध वृथामतिः
M. N. Dutt: You are calling all men belonging to your own orders as beasts. O Jarasandha, foolish as you are, who else is capable of doing it?
Supplementary Passages:
2.20.11 After 11, V1 B D ins.: *237 यस्यां यस्यामवस्थायां यद्यत्कर्म करोति यः तस्यां तस्यामवस्थायां तत्फलं समवाप्नुयात्
ते त्वां ज्ञातिक्षयकरं वयमार्तानुसारिणः ज्ञातिवृद्धिनिमित्तार्थं विनियन्तुमिहागताः
M. N. Dutt: We are desirous of helping all distiessed people. For the Prosperity of our race, we have come here to kill you, the slayer of our relatives.
नास्ति लोके पुमानन्यः क्षत्रियेष्विति चैव यत् मन्यसे स च ते राजन्सुमहान्बुद्धिविप्लवः
M. N. Dutt: O king, you consider there is not a Kshatriya equal to you in the world; it is a great error of your judgement.
को हि जानन्नभिजनमात्मनः क्षत्रियो नृप नाविशेत्स्वर्गमतुलं रणानन्तरमव्ययम्
M. N. Dutt: O king, what Kshatriya is there who, possessing greatness of mind and recollecting the dignity of his own parentage, would not ascend the unrivalled heaven by falling on the field of battle?
स्वर्गं ह्येव समास्थाय रणयज्ञेषु दीक्षिताः यजन्ते क्षत्रिया लोकांस्तद्विद्धि मगधाधिप
M. N. Dutt: O best of men, know that Kshatriyas, being installed in the sacrifice of war with the view of heaven before them, conquer the whole world.
स्वर्गयोनिर्जयो राजन्स्वर्गयोनिर्महद्यशः स्वर्गयोनिस्तपो युद्धे मार्गः सोऽव्यभिचारवान्
AI Translation: O king, victory is the source of heaven, victory is the source of great fame, Victory is the source of penance, victory is the path in battle, that path is infallible.
एष ह्यैन्द्रो वैजयन्तो गुणो नित्यं समाहितः येनासुरान्पराजित्य जगत्पाति शतक्रतुः
M. N. Dutt: It is graced with many merits; it is through this, Shatakratu (Indra) has became what he is; he rules the universe by vanquishing the Asuras.
Supplementary Passages:
2.20.17 After 17, G3 ins.: *238 येन सर्वान्पराजित्य विजयस्त्वभिपादितः
स्वर्गमास्थाय कस्य स्याद्विग्रहित्वं यथा तव मागधैर्विपुलैः सैन्यैर्बाहुल्यबलदर्पितैः
M. N. Dutt: Fighting with you is the certain path to heaven, for you are proud of your prowess of arms and of the excessive might of your large Magadha army.
मावमंस्थाः परान्राजन्नास्ति वीर्यं नरे नरे समं तेजस्त्वया चैव केवलं मनुजेश्वर
M. N. Dutt: O king, do not disregard others; velour exists in every man. O king of men, there are men whose velour is equal or superior to yours.
यावदेव न संबुद्धं तावदेव भवेत्तव विषह्यमेतदस्माकमतो राजन्ब्रवीमि ते
M. N. Dutt: So long it is not known (to the world) so long only you are famous. O king, I tell you, your prowess can be borne by us.
जहि त्वं सदृशेष्वेव मानं दर्पं च मागध मा गमः ससुतामात्यः सबलश्च यमक्षयम्
M. N. Dutt: O Magadha king, throw away your superiority and pride in the presence of those that are your equals. Do not go to the abode of Yama with your sons, ministers, and troops.
दम्भोद्भवः कार्तवीर्य उत्तरश्च बृहद्रथः श्रेयसो ह्यवमन्येह विनेशुः सबला नृपाः
M. N. Dutt: Dambhodhva, Kartavirya, Uttara, and Brihadratha, all these kings met with their destruction, along with all their troops for disregarding their superiors.
मुमुक्षमाणास्त्वत्तश्च न वयं ब्राह्मणब्रुवाः शौरिरस्मि हृषीकेशो नृवीरौ पाण्डवाविमौ
AI Translation: We are not the ones who are seeking liberation from you, O Brahman. I am Shouri, Hrishikesha, and these two heroes of men are the Pandavas.
Supplementary Passages:
2.20.23 After 23, B5 Dn D3-6 ins.: *239 अनयोर्मातुलेयं च कृष्णं मां विद्धि ते रिपुम्
त्वामाह्वयामहे राजन्स्थिरो युध्यस्व मागध मुञ्च वा नृपतीन्सर्वान्मा गमस्त्वं यमक्षयम्
M. N. Dutt: O king, O monarch of the Magadha kingdom, we challenge you (to a. single combat). Fight with us with steadiness. Either liberate the kings (now kept prisoner by you) or go the abode of Yama.
जरासंध उवाच नाजितान्वै नरपतीनहमादद्मि कांश्चन जितः कः पर्यवस्थाता कोऽत्र यो न मया जितः
M. N. Dutt: Jarasandha said I never make a king prisoner without first defeating him. Who is kept prisoner here who has not been defeated (by me)?
क्षत्रियस्यैतदेवाहुर्धर्म्यं कृष्णोपजीवनम् विक्रम्य वशमानीय कामतो यत्समाचरेत्
M. N. Dutt: O Krishna, it has been said that the duty of the Kshatriya is to bring others under his sway by displaying his own prowess, and then to treat them in the way he likes.
देवतार्थमुपाकृत्य राज्ञः कृष्ण कथं भयात् अहमद्य विमुञ्चेयं क्षात्रं व्रतमनुस्मरन्
M. N. Dutt: O Krishna, recollecting the duty of a Kshatriya, how can I from fear to day liberate the kings collected by me for the purpose of the god?
सैन्यं सैन्येन व्यूढेन एक एकेन वा पुनः द्वाभ्यां त्रिभिर्वा योत्स्येऽहं युगपत्पृथगेव वा
M. N. Dutt: I am ready to fight with troops against troops placed in a battle array, or alone against (you) one, two or three, either at the sometime or separately.
वैशंपायन उवाच एवमुक्त्वा जरासंधः सहदेवाभिषेचनम् आज्ञापयत्तदा राजा युयुत्सुर्भीमकर्मभिः
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said Having said this, and being willing to fight with those heroes of fearful deeds (Krishna etc.), Jarasandha ordered his son Sahadeva to be installed on the throne.
स तु सेनापती राजा सस्मार भरतर्षभ कौशिकं चित्रसेनं च तस्मिन्युद्ध उपस्थिते
M. N. Dutt: O best of the Bharata race, when the day for the combat came, the king thought of his commanders-in-chief, Kaushika and Chitrasena.
ययोस्ते नामनी लोके हंसेति डिभकेति च पूर्वं संकथिते पुम्भिर्नृलोके लोकसत्कृते
M. N. Dutt: O king, they were formerly called by the ever renowned names of Hansa and Dimbhaka by every body in the world.
Supplementary Passages:
2.20.31 After 31, D3-5 ins.: *240 निशश्वास जरासंधो दिष्टं संचिन्तयंस्तदा
तं तु राजन्विभुः शौरी राजानं बलिनां वरम् स्मृत्वा पुरुषशार्दूल शार्दूलसमविक्रमम्
AI Translation: O king, the all-pervading one, the lord of the earth, the best of the strong, Remembering the tiger-like king, the best of men, of tiger-like valour,
सत्यसंधो जरासंधं भुवि भीमपराक्रमम् भागमन्यस्य निर्दिष्टं वध्यं भूमिभृदच्युतः
AI Translation: The one who is true to his word, Jarasandha, whose prowess is terrible on earth, The one who is to be killed by another has been indicated. The king has not fallen.
नात्मनात्मवतां मुख्य इयेष मधुसूदनः ब्रह्मणोऽऽज्ञां पुरस्कृत्य हन्तुं हलधरानुजः
AI Translation: The slayer of Madhu did not wish to be the chief of those who were self-possessed, but the younger brother of the holder of the ploughshare, having placed the command of Brahma before him, wished to kill.