Balarama Counsels Conciliation

Verse 1 (5.2.1)

श्रुतं भवद्भिर्गदपूर्वजस्य । वाक्यं यथा धर्मवदर्थवच्च । अजातशत्रोश्च हितं च युक्तं । दुर्योधनस्यापि तथैव राज्ञः ॥

śrutaṃ bhavadbhirgadapūrvajasya | vākyaṃ yathā dharmavadarthavacca | ajātaśatrośca hitaṃ ca yuktaṃ | duryodhanasyāpi tathaiva rājñaḥ

"You have heard the words of Gada's elder brother — righteous and sensible, good and fitting for Ajatashatru, and likewise for King Duryodhana.

Verse 2 (5.2.2)

अर्धं हि राज्यस्य विसृज्य वीराः । कुन्तीसुतास्तस्य कृते यतन्ते । प्रदाय चार्धं धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रः । सुखी सहास्माभिरतीव मोदेत् ॥

ardhaṃ hi rājyasya visṛjya vīrāḥ | kuntīsutāstasya kṛte yatante | pradāya cārdhaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraputraḥ | sukhī sahāsmābhiratīva modet

For the heroic sons of Kunti are ready to give up half the kingdom and strive only for the other half. If Dhritarashtra's son hands over that half, he may live happily with us and rejoice greatly.

Verse 3 (5.2.3)

लब्ध्वा हि राज्यं पूरुषप्रवीराः । सम्यक्प्रवृत्तेषु परेषु चैव । ध्रुवं प्रशान्ताः सुखमाविशेयु- । स्तेषां प्रशान्तिश्च हितं प्रजानाम् ॥

labdhvā hi rājyaṃ pūruṣapravīrāḥ | samyakpravṛtteṣu pareṣu caiva | dhruvaṃ praśāntāḥ sukhamāviśeyu- | steṣāṃ praśāntiśca hitaṃ prajānām

Once these heroes have their kingdom, and if the other side behaves properly, they will surely be at peace and live in happiness; and their peace is the good of the people.

Verse 4 (5.2.4)

दुर्योधनस्यापि मतं च वेत्तुं । वक्तुं च वाक्यानि युधिष्ठिरस्य । प्रियं च मे स्याद्यदि तत्र कश्चि- । द्व्रजेच्छमार्थं कुरुपाण्डवानाम् ॥

duryodhanasyāpi mataṃ ca vettuṃ | vaktuṃ ca vākyāni yudhiṣṭhirasya | priyaṃ ca me syādyadi tatra kaści- | dvrajecchamārthaṃ kurupāṇḍavānām

It would please me if someone went there to learn Duryodhana's mind and to convey Yudhishthira's words — someone who would go for the sake of peace between the Kurus and the Pandavas.

Verse 5 (5.2.5)

स भीष्ममामन्त्र्य कुरुप्रवीरं । वैचित्रवीर्यं च महानुभावम् । द्रोणं सपुत्रं विदुरं कृपं च । गान्धारराजं च ससूतपुत्रम् ॥

sa bhīṣmamāmantrya kurupravīraṃ | vaicitravīryaṃ ca mahānubhāvam | droṇaṃ saputraṃ viduraṃ kṛpaṃ ca | gāndhārarājaṃ ca sasūtaputram

Let him greet Bhishma, the hero of the Kurus, and the great-souled son of Vichitravirya, Drona with his son, Vidura and Kripa, and the king of Gandhara together with the charioteer's son;

Note on the text: Corrected समूतपुत्रम् → ससूतपुत्रम् (misprint in Wikisource; म for स, critical edition sasūtaputram).

Verse 6 (5.2.6)

सर्वे च येऽन्ये धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रा । बलप्रधाना निगमप्रधानाः । स्थिताश्च धर्मेषु यथा स्वकेषु । लोकप्रवीराः श्रुतशीलवृद्धाः ॥

sarve ca ye'nye dhṛtarāṣṭraputrā | balapradhānā nigamapradhānāḥ | sthitāśca dharmeṣu yathā svakeṣu | lokapravīrāḥ śrutaśīlavṛddhāḥ

and all the other sons of Dhritarashtra, foremost in armed strength and in statecraft, each established in his own duties, heroes of the world, ripe in learning and character;

Note on the text: Corrected सवे → सर्वे (misprint in Wikisource; dropped र्, critical edition sarve).

Verse 7 (5.2.7)

एतेषु सर्वेषु समागतेषु । पौरेषु वृद्धेषु च संगतेषु । ब्रवीतु वाक्यं प्रणिपातयुक्तं । कुन्तीसुतस्यार्थकरं यथा स्यात् ॥

eteṣu sarveṣu samāgateṣu | paureṣu vṛddheṣu ca saṃgateṣu | bravītu vākyaṃ praṇipātayuktaṃ | kuntīsutasyārthakaraṃ yathā syāt

and when all of these have gathered, and the elders of the city with them, let him speak words full of humility, such as may serve the cause of Kunti's son.

Verse 8 (5.2.8)

सर्वास्ववस्थासु च ते न कोप्या । ग्रस्तो हि सोऽर्थो बलमाश्रितैस्तैः । प्रियाभ्युपेतस्य युधिष्ठिरस्य । द्यूते प्रसक्तस्य हृतं च राज्यम् ॥

sarvāsvavasthāsu ca te na kopyā | grasto hi so'rtho balamāśritaistaiḥ | priyābhyupetasya yudhiṣṭhirasya | dyūte prasaktasya hṛtaṃ ca rājyam

In no circumstances should they be provoked, for that wealth was seized by men who had strength to rely on. Yudhishthira lost his kingdom when, given over to what he loved, he was absorbed in the dice.

Verse 9 (5.2.9)

निवार्यमाणश्च कुरुप्रवीरः । सर्वैः सुहृद्भिर्ह्ययमप्यतज्ज्ञः । स दीव्यमानः प्रतिदीव्य चैनं । गान्धारराजस्य सुतं मताक्षम् ॥

nivāryamāṇaśca kurupravīraḥ | sarvaiḥ suhṛdbhirhyayamapyatajjñaḥ | sa dīvyamānaḥ pratidīvya cainaṃ | gāndhārarājasya sutaṃ matākṣam

Though all his friends tried to hold him back, this hero of the Kurus, who knew nothing of the game, played on, throw against throw, with the son of the king of Gandhara, a master of the dice:

Note on the text: Lines 1, 2 and 4 are the critical edition's 5.2.9a–c; line 3 is its star passage 5.2.9b*0014. Corrected ह्यमप्यतञ्झः → ह्ययमप्यतज्ज्ञः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped य and broken conjunct, critical edition hy ayam apy atajjñaḥ).

Verse 10 (5.2.10)

हित्वा हि कर्णं च सुयोधनं च । समाह्वयद्देवितुमाजमीढः । दुरोदरास्तत्र सहस्रशोऽन्ये । युधिष्ठिरो यान्विषहेत जेतुम् ॥

hitvā hi karṇaṃ ca suyodhanaṃ ca | samāhvayaddevitumājamīḍhaḥ | durodarāstatra sahasraśo'nye | yudhiṣṭhiro yānviṣaheta jetum

passing over Karna and Suyodhana, the descendant of Ajamidha challenged him to play. There were thousands of other gamblers there whom Yudhishthira could have beaten;

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's star passage 5.2.9c*0015; line 2 is 5.2.9d; lines 3–4 are 5.2.10ab.

Verse 11 (5.2.11)

उत्सृज्य तान्सौबलमेव चायं । समाह्वयत्तेन जितोऽक्षवत्याम् । स दीव्यमानः प्रतिदेवनेन । अक्षेषु नित्यं स्वपराङ्मुखेषु ॥

utsṛjya tānsaubalameva cāyaṃ | samāhvayattena jito'kṣavatyām | sa dīvyamānaḥ pratidevanena | akṣeṣu nityaṃ svaparāṅmukheṣu

yet he left them aside and challenged Subala's son alone, and was beaten by him at dice. Playing against him throw for throw, with the dice always turning against him,

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.2.10cd; lines 3–4 are 5.2.11ab. Corrected स्वपराङ्भुखेषु → स्वपराङ्मुखेषु (misprint in Wikisource; ङ्भ for ङ्म in पराङ्मुख).

Verse 12 (5.2.12)

संरम्भमाणो विजितः प्रसह्य । तत्रापराधः शकुनेर्न कश्चित् । तस्मात्प्रणम्यैव वचो ब्रवीतु । वैचित्रवीर्यं बहुसामयुक्तम् ॥

saṃrambhamāṇo vijitaḥ prasahya | tatrāparādhaḥ śakunerna kaścit | tasmātpraṇamyaiva vaco bravītu | vaicitravīryaṃ bahusāmayuktam

he grew heated and was utterly defeated. No fault of Shakuni lies in that. So let the envoy bow low and speak to the son of Vichitravirya in words full of conciliation;

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.2.11cd; lines 3–4 are 5.2.12ab.

Verse 13 (5.2.13)

तथा हि शक्यो धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रः । स्वार्थे नियोक्तुं पुरुषेण तेन । अयुद्धमाकाङ्क्षत कौरवाणां । साम्नैव दुर्योधनमाश्वसध्वम् ॥

tathā hi śakyo dhṛtarāṣṭraputraḥ | svārthe niyoktuṃ puruṣeṇa tena | ayuddhamākāṅkṣata kauravāṇāṃ | sāmnaiva duryodhanamāśvasadhvam

for in that way the son of Dhritarashtra can be brought round to his purpose by that man. Do not seek war with the Kauravas; win Duryodhana over by conciliation alone.

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.2.12cd; lines 3–4 are its star passage 5.2.12d*0016 (lines 1–2, reading āhvayadhvam for आश्वसध्वम्). Corrected स्वार्थें → स्वार्थे (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara, critical edition svārthe).

Verse 14 (5.2.14)

साम्ना जितोऽर्थोऽर्थकरो भवेत । युद्धेऽनयो भविता नेह सोऽर्थः ॥

sāmnā jito'rtho'rthakaro bhaveta | yuddhe'nayo bhavitā neha so'rthaḥ

What is won through conciliation brings real gain; war is folly, and no gain lies in it here."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as the star passage 5.2.12d*0016, lines 3–4.

Verse 15 (5.2.15)

एवं ब्रुवत्येव मधुप्रवीरे । शिनिप्रवीरः सहसोत्पपात । तच्चापि वाक्यं परिनिन्द्य तस्य । समाददे वाक्यमिदं समन्युः ॥

evaṃ bruvatyeva madhupravīre | śinipravīraḥ sahasotpapāta | taccāpi vākyaṃ parinindya tasya | samādade vākyamidaṃ samanyuḥ

Even as the hero of the Madhus was speaking thus, the hero of the Shinis sprang up and, condemning what he had said, angrily took up the discussion with these words.

Note on the text: Speaker corrected to Vaishampayana: this verse is narration (the critical edition heads it वैशंपायन उवाच; Wikisource has no heading and the input had carried Baladeva over). Corrected ध्रुवत्येव → ब्रुवत्येव and समुन्युः → समन्युः (misprints in Wikisource; critical edition bruvaty eva, samanyuḥ).