Sanjaya Pleads for Peace

Verse 1 (5.25.1)

समागताः पाण्डवाः सृञ्जयाश्च । जनार्दनो युयुधानो विराटः । यत्ते वाक्यं धृतराष्ट्रानुशिष्टं । गावल्गणे ब्रूहि तत्सूतपुत्र ॥

samāgatāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ sṛñjayāśca | janārdano yuyudhāno virāṭaḥ | yatte vākyaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrānuśiṣṭaṃ | gāvalgaṇe brūhi tatsūtaputra

The Pandavas and the Srinjayas are gathered here, with Janardana, Yuyudhana and Virata. Son of Gavalgana, son of the Suta, tell us the message Dhritarashtra charged you with.

Verse 2 (5.25.2)

अजातशत्रुं च वृकोदरं च । धनञ्जयं माद्रवतीसुतौ च । आमन्त्रये वासुदेवं च शौरिं । युयुधानं चेकितानं विराटम् ॥

ajātaśatruṃ ca vṛkodaraṃ ca | dhanañjayaṃ mādravatīsutau ca | āmantraye vāsudevaṃ ca śauriṃ | yuyudhānaṃ cekitānaṃ virāṭam

I address Ajatashatru and Vrikodara, Dhananjaya and the two sons of Madravati, Vasudeva the descendant of Shura, Yuyudhana, Chekitana and Virata,

Verse 3 (5.25.3)

पञ्चालानामधिपं चैव वृद्धं । धृष्टद्युम्नं पार्षतं याज्ञसेनिम् । सर्वे वाचं शृणुतेमां मदीयां । वक्ष्यामि यां भूतिमिच्छन्कुरूणाम् ॥

pañcālānāmadhipaṃ caiva vṛddhaṃ | dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ pārṣataṃ yājñasenim | sarve vācaṃ śṛṇutemāṃ madīyāṃ | vakṣyāmi yāṃ bhūtimicchankurūṇām

the aged lord of the Panchalas, and Dhrishtadyumna, grandson of Prishata and son of Yajnasena. All of you, hear these words of mine, which I speak out of a wish for the prosperity of the Kurus.

Verse 4 (5.25.4)

शमं राजा धृतराष्ट्रोऽभिनन्द- । न्नयोजयत्त्वरमाणो रथं मे । सभ्रातृपुत्रस्वजनस्य राज्ञ- । स्तद्रोचतां पाण्डवानां शमोऽस्तु ॥

śamaṃ rājā dhṛtarāṣṭro'bhinanda- | nnayojayattvaramāṇo rathaṃ me | sabhrātṛputrasvajanasya rājña- | stadrocatāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ śamo'stu

King Dhritarashtra, welcoming peace, had my chariot yoked in haste. May the king's wish — his and that of his brothers, sons and kin — find favour with the Pandavas; let there be peace.

Verse 5 (5.25.5)

सर्वैर्धर्मैः समुपेतास्तु पार्थाः । संस्थानेन मार्दवेनार्जवेन । जाताः कुले ह्यनृशंसा वदान्या । ह्रीनिषेवाः कर्मणां निश्चयज्ञाः ॥

sarvairdharmaiḥ samupetāstu pārthāḥ | saṃsthānena mārdavenārjavena | jātāḥ kule hyanṛśaṃsā vadānyā | hrīniṣevāḥ karmaṇāṃ niścayajñāḥ

The Parthas are endowed with every virtue — in bearing, gentleness and uprightness. Born into a noble family, they are kind and generous, modest, and know what is right to resolve upon in their actions.

Note on the text: Corrected मार्दनेवार्जवेन → मार्दवेनार्जवेन (misprint in Wikisource; transposed aksharas, as the page's own commentary reads it, मार्दवेन; CE mārdavenārjavena) and हीनिषेवाः → ह्रीनिषेवाः (misprint; dropped र, commentary ह्रीनिषेवाः लज्जापरायणाः).

Verse 6 (5.25.6)

न युज्यते कर्म युष्मासु हीनं । सत्त्वं हि वस्तादृशं भीमसेनाः । उद्भासते ह्यञ्जनबिन्दुवत्त- । च्छुभ्रे वस्त्रे यद्भवेत्किल्बिषं वः ॥

na yujyate karma yuṣmāsu hīnaṃ | sattvaṃ hi vastādṛśaṃ bhīmasenāḥ | udbhāsate hyañjanabinduvatta- | cchubhre vastre yadbhavetkilbiṣaṃ vaḥ

A base deed does not befit you, for such is your nature, you whose hosts are terrible. Any stain upon you would show like a drop of collyrium on a white cloth.

Note on the text: Corrected सत्वं → सत्त्वं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped त्, as the page's own commentary reads it; CE sattvaṃ).

Verse 7 (5.25.7)

सर्वक्षयो दृश्यते यत्र कृत्स्नः । पापोदयो भावसंस्थः कुरूणाम् । कस्तत्र कुर्याज्जातु कर्म प्रजानन् । पराजयो यत्र समो जयश्च ॥

sarvakṣayo dṛśyate yatra kṛtsnaḥ | pāpodayo bhāvasaṃsthaḥ kurūṇām | kastatra kuryājjātu karma prajānan | parājayo yatra samo jayaśca

Where utter destruction is in sight, the rise of evil that ends the very being of the Kurus, where defeat and victory come to the same — who, knowing this, would ever do such a deed?

Note on the text: Corrected कुर्याञ्जातु → कुर्याज्जातु (misprint in Wikisource; त् before ज becomes ज्, not ञ्; CE kuryāj jātu).

Verse 8 (5.25.8)

ते वै धन्या यैः कृतं ज्ञातिकार्यं । ते वै पुत्राः सुहृदो बान्धवाश्च । उपक्रुष्टं जीवितं सन्त्यजेयु- । र्यतः कुरूणां नियतो वै भवः स्यात् ॥

te vai dhanyā yaiḥ kṛtaṃ jñātikāryaṃ | te vai putrāḥ suhṛdo bāndhavāśca | upakruṣṭaṃ jīvitaṃ santyajeyu- | ryataḥ kurūṇāṃ niyato vai bhavaḥ syāt

Blessed are they who have done service to their kin. They are true sons, friends and kinsmen who would give up even a life that others revile, so that the welfare of the Kurus may be made secure.

Verse 9 (5.25.9)

ते चेत्कुरूननुशिष्याथ पार्था । निर्णीय सर्वान्द्विषतो निगृह्य । समं वस्तज्जीवितं मृत्युना स्या- । द्यज्जीवध्वं ज्ञातिवधे न साधु ॥

te cetkurūnanuśiṣyātha pārthā | nirṇīya sarvāndviṣato nigṛhya | samaṃ vastajjīvitaṃ mṛtyunā syā- | dyajjīvadhvaṃ jñātivadhe na sādhu

If you Parthas were to discipline the Kurus, settle the score with all your enemies and crush them, that life of yours would be the same as death; for to live by the slaughter of one's kin is not good.

Note on the text: Corrected मृत्युन → मृत्युना (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ā of the instrumental, CE mṛtyunā), and separated ज्ञातिवधे न साधु (Wikisource runs it together as ज्ञातिवधेन साधु, which reverses the sense; CE jñātivadhe na sādhu).

Verse 10 (5.25.10)

को ह्येव युष्मान्सह केशवेन । सचेकितानान्पार्षतबाहुगुप्तान् । ससात्यकीन्विषहेत प्रजेतुं । लब्ध्वाऽपि देवान्सचिवान्सहेन्द्रान् ॥

ko hyeva yuṣmānsaha keśavena | sacekitānānpārṣatabāhuguptān | sasātyakīnviṣaheta prajetuṃ | labdhvā'pi devānsacivānsahendrān

Who could hope to conquer you, with Keshava at your side, with Chekitana, guarded by the arm of Prishata's grandson, with Satyaki — even with the gods and Indra as his allies?

Verse 11 (5.25.11)

को वा कुरून्द्रोणभीष्माभिगुप्ता- । नश्वत्थाम्ना शल्यकृपादिभिश्च । रणे विजेतुं विषहेत राजन् । राधेयगुप्तान्सह भूमिपालैः ॥

ko vā kurūndroṇabhīṣmābhiguptā- | naśvatthāmnā śalyakṛpādibhiśca | raṇe vijetuṃ viṣaheta rājan | rādheyaguptānsaha bhūmipālaiḥ

Or who, O king, could hope to conquer in battle the Kurus, guarded by Drona and Bhishma, by Ashvatthaman, Shalya, Kripa and the rest, and by the son of Radha together with the kings of the earth?

Verse 12 (5.25.12)

महद्बलं धार्तराष्ट्रस्य राज्ञः । को वै शक्तो हन्तुमक्षीयमाणः । सोऽहं जये चैव पराजये च । निःश्रेयसं नाधिगच्छामि किंचित् ॥

mahadbalaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrasya rājñaḥ | ko vai śakto hantumakṣīyamāṇaḥ | so'haṃ jaye caiva parājaye ca | niḥśreyasaṃ nādhigacchāmi kiṃcit

Who could destroy the great army of King Dhritarashtra's son without being destroyed himself? So I see nothing good at all, whether in victory or in defeat.

Verse 13 (5.25.13)

कथं हि नीचा इव दौष्कुलेया । निर्धर्मार्थं कर्म कुर्युश्च पार्थाः । सोऽहं प्रसाद्य प्रणतो वासुदेवं । पञ्चालानामधिपं चैव वृद्धम् ॥

kathaṃ hi nīcā iva dauṣkuleyā | nirdharmārthaṃ karma kuryuśca pārthāḥ | so'haṃ prasādya praṇato vāsudevaṃ | pañcālānāmadhipaṃ caiva vṛddham

How could the Parthas, like low men of base birth, do a deed against dharma and against their own good? So I bow down, seeking the favour of Vasudeva and of the aged lord of the Panchalas;

Verse 14 (5.25.14)

कृताञ्जलिः शरणं वः प्रपद्ये । कथं स्वस्ति स्यात्कुरुसृञ्जयानाम् । न ह्येवमेवं वचनं वासुदेवो । धनञ्जयो वा जातु किंचिन्न कुर्यात् ॥

kṛtāñjaliḥ śaraṇaṃ vaḥ prapadye | kathaṃ svasti syātkurusṛñjayānām | na hyevamevaṃ vacanaṃ vāsudevo | dhanañjayo vā jātu kiṃcinna kuryāt

with folded hands I come to you for refuge: how may there be well-being for the Kurus and the Srinjayas? Surely neither Vasudeva nor Dhananjaya would ever refuse anything asked of them in this way.

Verse 15 (5.25.15)

प्राणान्दद्याद्याचमानः कुतोऽन्य- । देतद्विद्वन्साधनार्थं ब्रवीमि । एतद्राज्ञो भीष्मपुरोगमस्य । मतं यद्वः शान्तिरिहोत्तमा स्यात् ॥

prāṇāndadyādyācamānaḥ kuto'nya- | detadvidvansādhanārthaṃ bravīmi | etadrājño bhīṣmapurogamasya | mataṃ yadvaḥ śāntirihottamā syāt

If asked, he would give up his very life — how much more anything else? I say this, learned one, to bring about the peace. This is the counsel of the king and of the elders led by Bhishma: that the highest peace may be yours.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रणान् → प्राणान् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ā, 'life-breaths'; CE prāṇān).