Critical Edition
अर्जुन उवाच उक्तं युधिष्ठिरेणैव यावद्वाच्यं जनार्दन तव वाक्यं तु मे श्रुत्वा प्रतिभाति परंतप
M. N. Dutt: Arjuna said By Yudhishthira has been uttered all that ought to be spoken, O Janardana; but hearing your words, O chastiser of foes, it seems to me.
नैव प्रशममत्र त्वं मन्यसे सुकरं प्रभो लोभाद्वा धृतराष्ट्रस्य दैन्याद्वा समुपस्थितात्
M. N. Dutt: That you do not consider peace to be easily obtainable in this instance, O Lord, owing either to avarice on the part of Dhritarashtra or the weakness of ourselves.
अफलं मन्यसे चापि पुरुषस्य पराक्रमम् न चान्तरेण कर्माणि पौरुषेण फलोदयः
M. N. Dutt: You consider, too, that human strength (alone) is without avail and that human desires are fruitless save when attended with action.
तदिदं भाषितं वाक्यं तथा च न तथैव च न चैतदेवं द्रष्टव्यमसाध्यमिति किंचन
M. N. Dutt: These words spoken by you may or may not be true; but there is nothing which ought to be regarded as incapable of attainment.
किं चैतन्मन्यसे कृच्छ्रमस्माकं पापमादितः कुर्वन्ति तेषां कर्माणि येषां नास्ति फलोदयः
M. N. Dutt: You consider peace to be improbable owing to our weakness; but they are doing deeds, which do not seem to bear fruits.
संपाद्यमानं सम्यक्च स्यात्कर्म सफलं प्रभो स तथा कृष्ण वर्तस्व यथा शर्म भवेत्परैः
M. N. Dutt: Done in a proper way, however, our object may be successful, O lord, therefore, O Krishna, act in such a way that there may be enemy.
पाण्डवानां कुरूणां च भवान्परमकः सुहृत् सुराणामसुराणां च यथा वीर प्रजापतिः
M. N. Dutt: You are the best well-wisher of ourselves, of both the Kurus and the Pandavas; as the hero Prajapati was of the Suras and the Asuras.
कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च प्रतिपत्स्व निरामयम् अस्मद्धितमनुष्ठातुं न मन्ये तव दुष्करम्
M. N. Dutt: Do, therefore, that which is conducive to the interests of both the Kurus and the Pandavas. I think that the accomplishment of what is for our good is not difficult for you; and this is a work which is the proper thing for you to do, O Janardana.
एवं चेत्कार्यतामेति कार्यं तव जनार्दन गमनादेवमेव त्वं करिष्यसि न संशयः
M. N. Dutt: You will accomplish this, as soon as you go there, O Janardana; and, O hero, if any other treatment of that evil-souled one is derived by you; it will be as you wish, whether it is to be peace with them or not or whatever is desired by you.
चिकीर्षितमथान्यत्ते तस्मिन्वीर दुरात्मनि भविष्यति तथा सर्वं यथा तव चिकीर्षितम्
M. N. Dutt: O Krishna, whatever you desire after mature deliberation will be accepted by us with due respect. Is not death proper for that evil-minded one, as well as for his friends and sons?
शर्म तैः सह वा नोऽस्तु तव वा यच्चिकीर्षितम् विचार्यमाणो यः कामस्तव कृष्ण स नो गुरुः
M. N. Dutt: By whom was seen the beauty of prosperity established on the son of Dharma; and who on seeing that had no righteous means (of wining the kingdom) O slayer of Madhu.
न स नार्हति दुष्टात्मा वधं ससुतबान्धवः येन धर्मसुते दृष्ट्वा न सा श्रीरुपमर्षिता
AI Translation: That wicked-souled one, together with his sons and relatives, does not deserve to live, by whom, seeing the son of Dharma, that glory was not tolerated.
यच्चाप्यपश्यतोपायं धर्मिष्ठं मधुसूदन उपायेन नृशंसेन हृता दुर्द्यूतदेविना
AI Translation: And though you were not able to find a means, O Madhusudana, most righteous, the wicked gambler took her by force.
कथं हि पुरुषो जातः क्षत्रियेषु धनुर्धरः समाहूतो निवर्तेत प्राणत्यागेऽप्युपस्थिते
AI Translation: How can a man born among the Kshatriyas, a wielder of the bow, Retreat when challenged, even when his life is at stake?
अधर्मेण जितान्दृष्ट्वा वने प्रव्रजितांस्तथा वध्यतां मम वार्ष्णेय निर्गतोऽसौ सुयोधनः
AI Translation: Seeing them defeated by unrighteousness and exiled to the forest, "Let him be killed, O Varshneya, for he has come out, that Suyodhana."
न चैतदद्भुतं कृष्ण मित्रार्थे यच्चिकीर्षसि क्रिया कथं नु मुख्या स्यान्मृदुना वेतरेण वा
AI Translation: And this is not wonderful, O Krishna, that you should desire to do it for the sake of a friend. How can the main action be done by the soft or the hard?
अथ वा मन्यसे ज्यायान्वधस्तेषामनन्तरम् तदेव क्रियतामाशु न विचार्यमतस्त्वया
M. N. Dutt: If you consider their immediate destruction better, do that instantly for there is nothing to be considered about in this matter.
जानासि हि यथा तेन द्रौपदी पापबुद्धिना परिक्लिष्टा सभामध्ये तच्च तस्यापि मर्षितम्
M. N. Dutt: You know, how by that evil-minded one Draupadi was troubled and annoyed in the midst of the Council and that act of his was borne with difficulty.
स नाम सम्यग्वर्तेत पाण्डवेष्विति माधव न मे संजायते बुद्धिर्बीजमुप्तमिवोषरे
M. N. Dutt: That he should treat the Pandavas justly, O Madhava, dose not seem possible to me. Good counsel to him will give the same result as seed thrown on barren lands.
तस्माद्यन्मन्यसे युक्तं पाण्डवानां च यद्धितम् तदाशु कुरु वार्ष्णेय यन्नः कार्यमनन्तरम्
M. N. Dutt: There for what you consider proper and beneficial for Kurus, What ought to be done next by us, do immediately.