Critical Edition
भीमसेन उवाच यथा यथैव शान्तिः स्यात्कुरूणां मधुसूदन तथा तथैव भाषेथा मा स्म युद्धेन भीषयेः
M. N. Dutt: Bhima said In such a way that there may be peace among the Kurus, O slayer of Madhu, should you speak. Do not frighten them with the prospect of war.
अमर्षी नित्यसंरब्धः श्रेयोद्वेषी महामनाः नोग्रं दुर्योधनो वाच्यः साम्नैवैनं समाचरेः
M. N. Dutt: Resentful wrathful, not accepting what is for his good and of a vain disposition, Duryodhana should not be spoken to in harsh terms. He should be treated with courtesy.
प्रकृत्या पापसत्त्वश्च तुल्यचेताश्च दस्युभिः ऐश्वर्यमदमत्तश्च कृतवैरश्च पाण्डवैः
M. N. Dutt: He is by nature of a wicked disposition and has a heart equal to that of the robbers; he is vain with the sense of possession of prosperity and an enemy of the Pandavas.
अदीर्घदर्शी निष्ठूरी क्षेप्ता क्रूरपराक्रमः दीर्घमन्युरनेयश्च पापात्मा निकृतिप्रियः
M. N. Dutt: He is without foresight and cruel; and he has the habit of finding fault with others; and he is of crooked prowess, of malice which lasts for a long time and does not permit himself to be led by others, of a wicked soul and fond of deceit.
म्रियेतापि न भज्येत नैव जह्यात्स्वकं मतम् तादृशेन शमं कृष्ण मन्ये परमदुष्करम्
M. N. Dutt: Even if he dies he would not tender his submission, nor give up or alter his own opinions. Peace with such an one, O Krishna, I consider to be difficult of effecting.
सुहृदामप्यवाचीनस्त्यक्तधर्मः प्रियानृतः प्रतिहन्त्येव सुहृदां वाचश्चैव मनांसि च
M. N. Dutt: He does not listen to even the words of his well-wishers, destitute of virtue, fond of falsehood and always goes against the advice and intentions of his well-wishers.
स मन्युवशमापन्नः स्वभावं दुष्टमास्थितः स्वभावात्पापमन्वेति तृणैस्तुन्न इवोरगः
M. N. Dutt: Depending on his own natural wickedness and subject to the impulse of wrath, he as if by nature, acts sinfully like a serpent hid among the grass.
दुर्योधनो हि यत्सेनः सर्वथा विदितस्तव यच्छीलो यत्स्वभावश्च यद्बलो यत्पराक्रमः
M. N. Dutt: The extent and numbers of the army of Duryodhana are all known to you, as also the nature of his conduct; and his habits of life and the measure of his strength and prowess.
पुरा प्रसन्नाः कुरवः सहपुत्रास्तथा वयम् इन्द्रज्येष्ठा इवाभूम मोदमानाः सबान्धवाः
M. N. Dutt: In days of old the Kurus along with their sons were cheerful at heart and so were we, rejoicing with our kinsmen like the younger brothers of Indra himself.
दुर्योधनस्य क्रोधेन भारता मधुसूदन धक्ष्यन्ते शिशिरापाये वनानीव हुताशनैः
M. N. Dutt: Owing to the spite of Duryodhana, the Bharatas, O slayer of Madhu, will be burnt up like the forest by fire at the close of winter.
अष्टादशेमे राजानः प्रख्याता मधुसूदन ये समुच्चिच्छिदुर्ज्ञातीन्सुहृदश्च सबान्धवान्
M. N. Dutt: These eighteen kings are well known, O destroyer of Madhu, who annihilated their cousins, friends all well-wishers.
असुराणां समृद्धानां ज्वलतामिव तेजसा पर्यायकाले धर्मस्य प्राप्ते बलिरजायत
AI Translation: When the demons were prosperous, as if blazing with energy, when the time of Dharma had come, Bali was born.
हैहयानामुदावर्तो नीपानां जनमेजयः बहुलस्तालजङ्घानां कृमीणामुद्धतो वसुः
AI Translation: Udāvarta was the son of the Haihayas, Janamejaya of the Nīpas, Bahula of the Tālajanghas, and Vasu of the Kṛmis.
अजबिन्दुः सुवीराणां सुराष्ट्राणां कुशर्द्धिकः अर्कजश्च बलीहानां चीनानां धौतमूलकः
AI Translation: Ajabindu is the lord of the Suvirās, the Surastras, and the Kusarddhikās. Arkaja is the lord of the Balīhās, the Chinese, and the Dhūtamūlakas.
हयग्रीवो विदेहानां वरप्रश्च महौजसाम् बाहुः सुन्दरवेगानां दीप्ताक्षाणां पुरूरवाः
AI Translation: Hayagriva was the lord of the Videhas, the most powerful of the powerful. Pururava was the lord of the Sundaravegas, the Diptakas.
सहजश्चेदिमत्स्यानां प्रचेतानां बृहद्बलः धारणश्चेन्द्रवत्सानां मुकुटानां विगाहनः
AI Translation: The son of the Chedi and Matsya kings was Pracetas, the son of Brihadbala. The son of the Indravat and Mukuta kings was Vigaha.
शमश्च नन्दिवेगानामित्येते कुलपांसनाः युगान्ते कृष्ण संभूताः कुलेषु पुरुषाधमाः
AI Translation: Śama, Nanda, and Vega are the defilers of families. These are the worst of men, born in the age of discord, in families.
अप्ययं नः कुरूणां स्याद्युगान्ते कालसंभृतः दुर्योधनः कुलाङ्गारो जघन्यः पापपूरुषः
M. N. Dutt: So has this Duryodhana been born at the end of this Yuga in our family-that of the Kurus-that wicked individual, the vilest and most despicable of his race, for the extinction of his race.
तस्मान्मृदु शनैरेनं ब्रूया धर्मार्थसंहितम् कामानुबन्धबहुलं नोग्रमुग्रपराक्रमम्
M. N. Dutt: There should he be spoken slowly and mildly in words conducive to our interests and to virtue and worldly good and going fully into the subject, so as to attract his heart towards us and not in harsh words, O you of terrific strength.
अपि दुर्योधनं कृष्ण सर्वे वयमधश्चराः नीचैर्भूत्वानुयास्यामो मा स्म नो भरता नशन्
M. N. Dutt: We would rather, O Krishna, follow the lead of Duryodhana and be under his control; but let not the Bharatas be destroyed.
अप्युदासीनवृत्तिः स्याद्यथा नः कुरुभिः सह वासुदेव तथा कार्यं न कुरूननयः स्पृशेत्
M. N. Dutt: O Son of Vasudeva, act in such a way that we may live as strangers to the Kurus; but let not the sin of annihilating men touch the Kurus.
वाच्यः पितामहो वृद्धो ये च कृष्ण सभासदः भ्रातॄणामस्तु सौभ्रात्रं धार्तराष्ट्रः प्रशाम्यताम्
M. N. Dutt: Our grandfather and those courtiers, who are aged, O Krishna, should be spoken to. Let there be brotherly feeling among the brothers and peace to the son of Dhritarashtra.
अहमेतद्ब्रवीम्येवं राजा चैव प्रशंसति अर्जुनो नैव युद्धार्थी भूयसी हि दयार्जुने
M. N. Dutt: I say this; and the king approves of this. Arjuna is never for war; there is great kindness in Arjuna.