Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच ततोऽभिषेचनीयेऽह्नि ब्राह्मणा राजभिः सह अन्तर्वेदीं प्रविविशुः सत्कारार्थं महर्षयः
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said On the last day of the sacrifice when the king (Yudhishthira) was to be sprinkled over with sacred water, the great Brahmana Rishis with (all) the monarchs(present there) entered the inner enclosure (of the sacrificial ground).
नारदप्रमुखास्तस्यामन्तर्वेद्यां महात्मनः समासीनाः शुशुभिरे सह राजर्षिभिस्तदा
AI Translation: In the inner sanctum of the great soul, headed by Narada, they were seated with the royal sages, shining at that time.
समेता ब्रह्मभवने देवा देवर्षयो यथा कर्मान्तरमुपासन्तो जजल्पुरमितौजसः
AI Translation: The gods and the divine sages, having assembled in the abode of Brahma, are engaged in various activities, having great energy.
इदमेवं न चाप्येवमेवमेतन्न चान्यथा इत्यूचुर्बहवस्तत्र वितण्डानाः परस्परम्
M. N. Dutt: "This is so," "This is not so." "This is even so," "This cannot be other wise," thus did many of them engage in arguments with one another.
कृशानर्थांस्तथा केचिदकृशांस्तत्र कुर्वते अकृशांश्च कृशांश्चक्रुर्हेतुभिः शास्त्रनिश्चितैः
M. N. Dutt: Some amongst the disputants made the weaker arguments to appear stronger, and the stronger ones the weaker by their arguments based on Shastras.
तत्र मेधाविनः केचिदर्थमन्यैः प्रपूरितम् विचिक्षिपुर्यथा श्येना नभोगतमिवामिषम्
M. N. Dutt: Some greatly intelligent disputants fell upon the position urged by others as hawks dart at meat thrown into the air.
केचिद्धर्मार्थसंयुक्ताः कथास्तत्र महाव्रताः रेमिरे कथयन्तश्च सर्ववेदविदां वराः
M. N. Dutt: Some amongst them, learned in the interpretations of Shastras, and some others of rigid vows, well acquainted with every commentary and gloss, engaged themselves in pleasant conversations.
सा वेदिर्वेदसंपन्नैर्देवद्विजमहर्षिभिः आबभासे समाकीर्णा नक्षत्रैर्द्यौरिवामला
M. N. Dutt: That (sacrificial) plate for, crowded with the celestialss, Brahmanas and the great Rishis, all endued with the Vedas, looked as beautiful as the sky studded with the stars.
न तस्यां संनिधौ शूद्रः कश्चिदासीन्न चाव्रतः अन्तर्वेद्यां तदा राजन्युधिष्ठिरनिवेशने
M. N. Dutt: O king, there was no Shudra or any man without vows near the inner (sacrificial) platform of Yudhishthira's palace.
तां तु लक्ष्मीवतो लक्ष्मीं तदा यज्ञविधानजाम् तुतोष नारदः पश्यन्धर्मराजस्य धीमतः
M. N. Dutt: Seeing the prosperity of the prosperous and intelligent Dharamraja which was the result of that sacrifice, Narada became exceedingly happy.
अथ चिन्तां समापेदे स मुनिर्मनुजाधिप नारदस्तं तदा पश्यन्सर्वक्षत्रसमागमम्
M. N. Dutt: O ruler of men, seeing the assemblage of all Kshatriyas, (in that sacrifice), the Rishi Narada became thoughtful.
सस्मार च पुरावृत्तां कथां तां भरतर्षभ अंशावतरणे यासौ ब्रह्मणो भवनेऽभवत्
M. N. Dutt: O best of men, he recollected the words he had heard in the abode of Brahma; regarding the Angshavatarana, (incarnations of portions of every deity).
देवानां संगमं तं तु विज्ञाय कुरुनन्दन नारदः पुण्डरीकाक्षं सस्मार मनसा हरिम्
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Kuru, knowing that assembly was an assembly of the celestialss, Narada thought in his mind the lotus-eyed Hari.
साक्षात्स विबुधारिघ्नः क्षत्रे नारायणो विभुः प्रतिज्ञां पालयन्धीमाञ्जातः परपुरंजयः
AI Translation: He is the slayer of the enemies of the gods, the all-pervading Narayana in the Kshatriya caste. Fulfilling his vow, the wise one was born as the conqueror of enemy cities.
संदिदेश पुरा योऽसौ विबुधान्भूतकृत्स्वयम् अन्योन्यमभिनिघ्नन्तः पुनर्लोकानवाप्स्यथ
AI Translation: He who formerly commanded the gods, the creator of beings himself, "You will again attain the worlds, striking each other.""
इति नारायणः शंभुर्भगवाञ्जगतः प्रभुः आदिश्य विबुधान्सर्वानजायत यदुक्षये
M. N. Dutt: The illustrious lord of the universe, Shambhu, Narayana, having thus commanded all the celestialss, had taken his birth in the race of Yadu.
क्षितावन्धकवृष्णीनां वंशे वंशभृतां वरः परया शुशुभे लक्ष्म्या नक्षत्राणामिवोडुराट्
M. N. Dutt: Having been born in the Andhaka Vrishni race on earth, that foremost of all perpetuator of races was graced with great good fortune and was shinning like the moon among the stars.
यस्य बाहुबलं सेन्द्राः सुराः सर्व उपासते सोऽयं मानुषवन्नाम हरिरास्तेऽरिमर्दनः
M. N. Dutt: He whose prowess of arms was adored by the celestialss with Indra, that Hari, that chastiser of foes, was then living in the world of men in a human form.
अहो बत महद्भूतं स्वयंभूर्यदिदं स्वयम् आदास्यति पुनः क्षत्रमेवं बलसमन्वितम्
M. N. Dutt: "Oh! what could be greater wonder than that the self-creates himself will take away (from earth) all these Kshatriyas endued with great strength.
इत्येतां नारदश्चिन्तां चिन्तयामास धर्मवित् हरिं नारायणं ज्ञात्वा यज्ञैरीड्यं तमीश्वरम्
M. N. Dutt: Thus reflected the omniscient Narada who knew that Hari, Narayana, (Krishna) was no other than the Supreme Being, whom every body worships with sacrifices.
तस्मिन्धर्मविदां श्रेष्ठो धर्मराजस्य धीमतः महाध्वरे महाबुद्धिस्तस्थौ स बहुमानतः
M. N. Dutt: That foremost of all men, learned in the precepts of virtue, that greatly intelligent man (Narada), (thinking of all this), sat in the sacrifice of the intelligent Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) with feelings of awe.
ततो भीष्मोऽब्रवीद्राजन्धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरम् क्रियतामर्हणं राज्ञां यथार्हमिति भारत
M. N. Dutt: O king, Bhishma then thus spoke to Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, “O descendant of Bharata, now offer Arghyas to the kings as each deserves".
आचार्यमृत्विजं चैव संयुक्तं च युधिष्ठिर स्नातकं च प्रियं चाहुः षडर्घ्यार्हान्नृपं तथा
AI Translation: The teacher, the officiating priest, the one who is united, and Yudhiṣṭhira, The one who has taken the sacred bath, and the beloved one, and the king who is worthy of the six offerings.
एतानर्हानभिगतानाहुः संवत्सरोषितान् त इमे कालपूगस्य महतोऽस्मानुपागताः
AI Translation: They call these the Arhats who have come to us, who have lived for a year. And these have come to us from the great multitude of time.
एषामेकैकशो राजन्नर्घ्यमानीयतामिति अथ चैषां वरिष्ठाय समर्थायोपनीयताम्
M. N. Dutt: Therefore, O king, bring Arghya for each of them; and let the Arghya be first presented to him who is the foremost of all of them.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच कस्मै भवान्मन्यतेऽर्घमेकस्मै कुरुनन्दन उपनीयमानं युक्तं च तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said O descendant of Kuru, O grandsire, whom do you consider to be the foremost of these (men present here), and to whom should the Arghya be presented first. Tell me this.
वैशंपायन उवाच ततो भीष्मः शांतनवो बुद्ध्या निश्चित्य भारत वार्ष्णेयं मन्यते कृष्णमर्हणीयतमं भुवि
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said O Descendant of Bharata, the son of Shantanu, Bhishma, settled it by his great intelligence that Krishna was the foremost of all on earth.
एष ह्येषां समेतानां तेजोबलपराक्रमैः मध्ये तपन्निवाभाति ज्योतिषामिव भास्करः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said As sun shines among all luminous objects, so shines this (Krishna) among all (these kings and potentates) by his effulgence, strength and prowess.
असूर्यमिव सूर्येण निवातमिव वायुना भासितं ह्लादितं चैव कृष्णेनेदं सदो हि नः
M. N. Dutt: This sacrificial ground is illuminated and gladdened by Krishna like a sunless region by the sun and a airless region by the air.
तस्मै भीष्माभ्यनुज्ञातः सहदेवः प्रतापवान् उपजह्रेऽथ विधिवद्वार्ष्णेयायार्घ्यमुत्तमम्
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said Then commanded by Bhishma, the powerful Sahadeva proceeded to present in due form the excellent Arghya to the prince of the Vrishni race, (Krishna).
Supplementary Passages:
2.33.30 S ins. after 30 (G4, which om. 30cd with lines 1-2 of the foll. passage, ins. after 30ab): *349 गामर्घ्यं मधुपर्कं चाप्यानीयापाहरत्तदा चरणावस्पृशच्छौरेः सहदेवो विशां पते केशवश्चाप्युपाघ्राय मूर्ध्नि शस्त्रभृतां वरः सहदेवमथोवाच कच्चिद्वः कुशलं गृहे G1.3-6 (G4 om. line 2) cont.: *350 सोऽपि तं तु तथेत्याह सर्वं ननु तवाज्ञया एतस्मिन्नन्तरे राजन्निदमासीदथाद्भुतम् G1.3-6 cont.: T1 G2 M ins. after 349*: *351 तां दृष्ट्वा क्षत्रियाः सर्वे पूजां कृष्णस्य भूयसीम् संप्रेक्ष्यान्योन्यमासीना हृदयैस्तामधारयन्
प्रतिजग्राह तत्कृष्णः शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा शिशुपालस्तु तां पूजां वासुदेवे न चक्षमे
M. N. Dutt: Krishna also (agreed to) accept that worship according to the forms of the ordinance. But Shishupala could not bear that worship (proposed to be) offered to Vasudeva (Krishna),
स उपालभ्य भीष्मं च धर्मराजं च संसदि अपाक्षिपद्वासुदेवं चेदिराजो महाबलः
M. N. Dutt: The greatly powerful Chedi-king (Shishupala), after reproving Bhishma and Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) in the presence of that assembly, began to censure Vasudeva (Krishna).
Supplementary Passages:
2.33.32 After 32, S (T1 om. lines 1-4; G2 om. line 8; G4 M2 om. lines 2-3 and 5-8; G5 om. lines 2-3 and 8) ins.: *352 तेषामाकारभावज्ञः सहदेवो न चक्षमे मानिनां बलिनां राज्ञां पुरः संदर्शिते पदे पुष्पवृष्टिर्महत्यासीत्सहदेवस्य मूर्धनि जन्मप्रभृति वृष्णीनां सुनीथः शत्रुरब्रवीत् प्रष्टा वियोनिजो राजा प्रतिवक्ता नदीसुतः प्रतिग्रहीता गोपालः प्रदाता च वियोनिजः सदस्या मूकवत्सर्वे आसतेऽत्र किमुच्यते इत्युक्त्वा स विहस्याशु पाण्डवं पुनरब्रवीत् अतिपश्यसि वा सर्वान्न वा पश्यसि पाण्डव तिष्ठत्स्वन्येषु पूज्येषु गोपमर्चितवानसि एते चैवोभये तात कार्यस्य तु विनाशके अतिदृष्टिरदृष्टिर्वा तयोः किं त्वं समास्थितः