Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच एतच्छ्रुत्वा महाबाहुः केशवः प्रहसन्निव अभूतपूर्वं भीमस्य मार्दवोपगतं वचः
AI Translation: Vaishampayana said: Hearing this, the mighty-armed Keshava smiled and said: "This speech of Bhimasena's is unprecedented, full of gentleness.
गिरेरिव लघुत्वं तच्छीतत्वमिव पावके मत्वा रामानुजः शौरिः शार्ङ्गधन्वा वृकोदरम्
AI Translation: Thinking that it was like the lightness of a mountain, like the coldness of fire, the younger brother of Rama, the wielder of the Sharnga bow, the son of Shouri, spoke to Vrikodara,
संतेजयंस्तदा वाग्भिर्मातरिश्वेव पावकम् उवाच भीममासीनं कृपयाभिपरिप्लुतम्
AI Translation: Encouraging him with words, like the wind to fire, he spoke to Bhima, who was seated, overwhelmed with compassion.
त्वमन्यदा भीमसेन युद्धमेव प्रशंससि वधाभिनन्दिनः क्रूरान्धार्तराष्ट्रान्मिमर्दिषुः
M. N. Dutt: The blessed God said 0 Bhimasena, at other times you approving of war rejoiced at the prospect of killing the crooked minded sons of Dhritarashtra, who oppress others.
न च स्वपिषि जागर्षि न्युब्जः शेषे परंतप घोरामशान्तां रुशतीं सदा वाचं प्रभाषसे
M. N. Dutt: You do not sleep but are awake with your face bent downwards, O you chastiser of your enemies; and you always speak terrible and wrathful words inclined towards war.
निःश्वसन्नग्निवर्णेन संतप्तः स्वेन मन्युना अप्रशान्तमना भीम सधूम इव पावकः
M. N. Dutt: With your own worth, your breath is hot like fire and, O Bhima, your mind is not calm like fire with smoke.
एकान्ते निष्टनञ्शेषे भारार्त इव दुर्बलः अपि त्वां केचिदुन्मत्तं मन्यन्तेऽतद्विदो जनाः
M. N. Dutt: Alone and by yourself you sign in a corner like one labouring under a load; and those not aware of the cause thereof consider you to be insane.
आरुज्य वृक्षान्निर्मूलान्गजः परिभुजन्निव निघ्नन्पद्भिः क्षितिं भीम निष्टनन्परिधावसि
M. N. Dutt: Like an elephant breaking into pieces the uprooted trees which he has himself felled down and beating the earth with its feet, you too run about drawing sighs.
नास्मिञ्जनेऽभिरमसे रहः क्षियसि पाण्डव नान्यं निशि दिवा वापि कदाचिदभिनन्दसि
M. N. Dutt: Here you are not pleased with the company of men, but spend your time, O son of Pandu, in solitude; and nothing else ever delights you by day and by night.
अकस्मात्स्मयमानश्च रहस्यास्से रुदन्निव जान्वोर्मूर्धानमाधाय चिरमास्से प्रमीलितः
M. N. Dutt: Sometimes you laugh aloud all on a sudden; and sometimes you sit weeping in a secluded spot; and sometimes again you are seated for a long time with your head between your two knees and with your eyes closed.
भ्रुकुटिं च पुनः कुर्वन्नोष्ठौ च विलिहन्निव अभीक्ष्णं दृश्यसे भीम सर्वं तन्मन्युकारितम्
M. N. Dutt: Other times with your eye-brows contracted and your lips firmly pressed against each other, you gaze at objects before you for a long time. All this is the work of wrath.
यथा पुरस्तात्सविता दृश्यते शुक्रमुच्चरन् यथा च पश्चान्निर्मुक्तो ध्रुवं पर्येति रश्मिवान्
AI Translation: Just as the sun is seen in front, shining brightly, And just as it is released behind, moving around the pole, having rays,
तथा सत्यं ब्रवीम्येतन्नास्ति तस्य व्यतिक्रमः हन्ताहं गदयाभ्येत्य दुर्योधनममर्षणम्
AI Translation: Thus I speak the truth, there is no transgression on his part. "I will go and strike Duryodhana with my mace, the intolerant one,"
इति स्म मध्ये भ्रातॄणां सत्येनालभसे गदाम् तस्य ते प्रशमे बुद्धिर्धीयतेऽद्य परंतप
AI Translation: Thus, in the midst of your brothers, you have obtained the mace by truth. Today, O scorcher of enemies, your mind is inclined towards his pacification.
अहो युद्धप्रतीपानि युद्धकाल उपस्थिते पश्यसीवाप्रतीपानि किं त्वां भीर्भीम विन्दति
M. N. Dutt: Alas! at the approach of the time for fight the hearts of those who are inclined towards will be swerved away; since fear penetrates you.
अहो पार्थ निमित्तानि विपरीतानि पश्यसि स्वप्नान्ते जागरान्ते च तस्मात्प्रशममिच्छसि
M. N. Dutt: Alas, O son of Pritha, you see in your mind's eye the omens unfavourable to you, whether you are asleep or awake. Therefore do you desire peace!
अहो नाशंससे किंचित्पुंस्त्वं क्लीब इवात्मनि कश्मलेनाभिपन्नोऽसि तेन ते विकृतं मनः
M. N. Dutt: Alas, you do not evince any manliness in you like an eunuch. You are overpowered by extreme fear; and therefore is your mind swerving from the right path.
उद्वेपते ते हृदयं मनस्ते प्रविषीदति ऊरुस्तम्भगृहीतोऽसि तस्मात्प्रशममिच्छसि
M. N. Dutt: Your heart shakes with fear; your mind is filled with despair; and your thighs tremble; and therefore do you desire peace.
अनित्यं किल मर्त्यस्य चित्तं पार्थ चलाचलम् वातवेगप्रचलिता अष्ठीला शाल्मलेरिव
M. N. Dutt: O son of Pritha, the hearts of earthly men are inconstant and susceptible of change like a young Shalmali tree moved by the force of wind.
तवैषा विकृता बुद्धिर्गवां वागिव मानुषी मनांसि पाण्डुपुत्राणां मज्जयत्यप्लवानिव
M. N. Dutt: This perverted intention of yours is as unusual as the human faculties in a cow. The minds of the (other) sons of Pandu will sink (in an ocean of despair) like those without a race (and yet struggling in the waters).
इदं मे महदाश्चर्यं पर्वतस्येव सर्पणम् यदीदृशं प्रभाषेथा भीमसेनासमं वचः
M. N. Dutt: It is to me as great a wonder as the lifting up of a mountain that you should speak worlds in this strain so unlike Bhimasena.
स दृष्ट्वा स्वानि कर्माणि कुले जन्म च भारत उत्तिष्ठस्व विषादं मा कृथा वीर स्थिरो भव
M. N. Dutt: Looking back on your own deeds and the family in which you are born, O Bharata, rise up and do not yield to grief. O hero, be calm.
न चैतदनुरूपं ते यत्ते ग्लानिररिंदम यदोजसा न लभते क्षत्रियो न तदश्नुते
M. N. Dutt: This dullness which you evince is not fit for you; for a Kshatriya does not keep that which he does not win by force of his own might.