Sanjaya Urges Yudhishthira to Forgo War

Verse 1 (5.27.1)

धर्मनित्या पाण्डव ते विचेष्टा । लोके श्रुता दृश्यते चापि पार्थ । महाश्रावं जीवितं चाप्यनित्यं । संपश्य त्वं पाण्डव मा व्यनीनशः ॥

dharmanityā pāṇḍava te viceṣṭā | loke śrutā dṛśyate cāpi pārtha | mahāśrāvaṃ jīvitaṃ cāpyanityaṃ | saṃpaśya tvaṃ pāṇḍava mā vyanīnaśaḥ

Your conduct, son of Pandu, is ever rooted in dharma; it is famed in the world and plain to see, son of Pritha. Life, though it may bring great renown, does not last; reflect on this, son of Pandu, and do not bring about destruction.

Note on the text: Corrected जीवित → जीवितं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara; the critical edition reads jīvitaṃ).

Verse 2 (5.27.2)

नचेद्भागं कुरवोऽन्यत्र युद्धा- । त्प्रयच्छेरंस्तुभ्यमजातशत्रो । भैक्षचर्यामन्धकवृष्णिराज्ये । श्रेयो मन्ये न तु युद्धेन राज्यम् ॥

nacedbhāgaṃ kuravo'nyatra yuddhā- | tprayaccheraṃstubhyamajātaśatro | bhaikṣacaryāmandhakavṛṣṇirājye | śreyo manye na tu yuddhena rājyam

If the Kurus will not give you your share except through war, Ajatashatru, I think it better to live by begging in the kingdom of the Andhakas and Vrishnis than to win a kingdom by war.

Verse 3 (5.27.3)

अल्पकालं जीवितं यन्मनुष्ये । महास्रावं नित्यदुःखं चलं च । भूयश्च तद्यशसो नानुरूपं । तस्मात्पापं पाण्डव मा कृथास्त्वम् ॥

alpakālaṃ jīvitaṃ yanmanuṣye | mahāsrāvaṃ nityaduḥkhaṃ calaṃ ca | bhūyaśca tadyaśaso nānurūpaṃ | tasmātpāpaṃ pāṇḍava mā kṛthāstvam

Human life is short, full of great affliction, ever painful and unsteady; and such a deed does not befit your fame. Therefore, son of Pandu, do not commit a sin.

Verse 4 (5.27.4)

कामा मनुष्यं प्रसजन्त एते । धर्मस्य ये विघ्नमूलं नरेन्द्र । पूर्वं नरस्तान्मतिमान्प्रणिघ्नन् । लोके प्रशंसां लभतेऽनवद्याम् ॥

kāmā manuṣyaṃ prasajanta ete | dharmasya ye vighnamūlaṃ narendra | pūrvaṃ narastānmatimānpraṇighnan | loke praśaṃsāṃ labhate'navadyām

These desires cling to a man, lord of men, and they are the root of every obstacle to dharma. The wise man who strikes them down first wins blameless praise in the world.

Verse 5 (5.27.5)

निबन्धनी ह्यर्थतृष्णेह पार्थ । तामिच्छतां बाध्यते धर्म एव । धर्मं तु यः प्रवृणीते स बुद्धः । कामे गृध्नो हीयतेऽर्थानुरोधात् ॥

nibandhanī hyarthatṛṣṇeha pārtha | tāmicchatāṃ bādhyate dharma eva | dharmaṃ tu yaḥ pravṛṇīte sa buddhaḥ | kāme gṛdhno hīyate'rthānurodhāt

Thirst for wealth is a fetter in this world, son of Pritha; for those who crave it, dharma itself is thwarted. He who chooses dharma is truly wise; the man greedy for pleasure falls away as he chases wealth.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रणृणीते → प्रवृणीते (misprint in Wikisource; not a valid form; the critical edition reads pravṛṇīte).

Verse 6 (5.27.6)

धर्मं कृत्वा कर्मणां तात मुख्यं । महाप्रतापः सवितेव भाति । हीनो हि धर्मेण महीमपीमां । लब्ध्वा नरः सीदति पापबुद्धिः ॥

dharmaṃ kṛtvā karmaṇāṃ tāta mukhyaṃ | mahāpratāpaḥ saviteva bhāti | hīno hi dharmeṇa mahīmapīmāṃ | labdhvā naraḥ sīdati pāpabuddhiḥ

Making dharma the chief of all his undertakings, my friend, a man shines with great splendour like the sun; but one without dharma, though he gain this whole earth, sinks into misery with his sinful mind.

Verse 7 (5.27.7)

वेदोऽधीतश्चरितं ब्रह्मचर्यं । यज्ञैरिष्टं ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च दत्तम् । परं स्थानं मन्यमानेन भूय । आत्मा दत्तो वर्षपूगं सुखेभ्यः ॥

vedo'dhītaścaritaṃ brahmacaryaṃ | yajñairiṣṭaṃ brāhmaṇebhyaśca dattam | paraṃ sthānaṃ manyamānena bhūya | ātmā datto varṣapūgaṃ sukhebhyaḥ

You have studied the Veda, kept the vow of brahmacharya, worshipped with sacrifices and given gifts to brahmins; looking to the highest state hereafter, you have given yourself for years on end to the joys that lie there.

Verse 8 (5.27.8)

सुखप्रिये सेवमानोऽतिवेलं । योगाभ्यासे यो न करोति कर्म । वित्तक्षये हीनसुखोऽतिवेलं । दुःखं शेते कामवेगप्रणुन्नः ॥

sukhapriye sevamāno'tivelaṃ | yogābhyāse yo na karoti karma | vittakṣaye hīnasukho'tivelaṃ | duḥkhaṃ śete kāmavegapraṇunnaḥ

He who indulges beyond measure in pleasures and loved ones and does none of the work of yoga practice lies in great misery when his wealth is gone and his pleasures lost, driven on by the force of desire.

Verse 9 (5.27.9)

एवं पुनर्ब्रह्मचर्याऽप्रसक्तो । हित्वा धर्मं यः प्रकरोत्यधर्मम् । अश्रद्दधत्परलोकाय मूढो । हित्वा देहं तप्यते प्रेत्य मन्दः ॥

evaṃ punarbrahmacaryā'prasakto | hitvā dharmaṃ yaḥ prakarotyadharmam | aśraddadhatparalokāya mūḍho | hitvā dehaṃ tapyate pretya mandaḥ

So too the man not devoted to brahmacharya, who abandons dharma and practises adharma — the fool who has no faith in the world beyond — suffers after death, the dull one, when he has left his body.

Verse 10 (5.27.10)

न कर्मणां विप्रणाशोऽस्त्यमुत्र । पुण्यानां वाऽप्यथवा पापकानाम् । पूर्वं कर्तुर्गच्छति पुण्यपापं । पश्चात्त्वेनमनुयात्येव कर्ता ॥

na karmaṇāṃ vipraṇāśo'styamutra | puṇyānāṃ vā'pyathavā pāpakānām | pūrvaṃ karturgacchati puṇyapāpaṃ | paścāttvenamanuyātyeva kartā

Deeds are not lost in the world beyond, whether good or evil. The doer's merit and sin go on ahead of him, and the doer follows after.

Verse 11 (5.27.11)

न्यायोपेतं ब्राह्मणेभ्योऽथ दत्तं । श्रद्धापूतं गन्धरसोपपन्नम् । अन्वाहार्येषूत्तमदक्षिणेषु । तथारूपं कर्म विख्यायते ते ॥

nyāyopetaṃ brāhmaṇebhyo'tha dattaṃ | śraddhāpūtaṃ gandharasopapannam | anvāhāryeṣūttamadakṣiṇeṣu | tathārūpaṃ karma vikhyāyate te

Gifts lawfully gained and given to brahmins, purified by faith and rich in fragrance and flavour, and rites with the anvaharya offering and the finest sacrificial fees — such is the work for which you are renowned.

Verse 12 (5.27.12)

इह क्षेत्रे क्रियते पार्थ कार्यं । न वै किंचित्क्रियते प्रेत्य कार्यम् । कृतं त्वया पारलोक्यं च कर्म । पुण्यं महत्सद्भिरतिप्रशस्तम् ॥

iha kṣetre kriyate pārtha kāryaṃ | na vai kiṃcitkriyate pretya kāryam | kṛtaṃ tvayā pāralokyaṃ ca karma | puṇyaṃ mahatsadbhiratipraśastam

It is here, in this field, son of Pritha, that work is done; after death nothing at all is done. You have done the work that leads to the other world — great merit, highly praised by the good.

Verse 13 (5.27.13)

जहाति मृत्युं च जरां भयं च । न क्षुत्पिपासे मनसोऽप्रियाणि । न कर्तव्यं विद्यते तत्र किंचि- । दन्यत्र वै चेन्द्रियप्रीणनाद्धि ॥

jahāti mṛtyuṃ ca jarāṃ bhayaṃ ca | na kṣutpipāse manaso'priyāṇi | na kartavyaṃ vidyate tatra kiṃci- | danyatra vai cendriyaprīṇanāddhi

There a man leaves behind death, old age and fear; there is no hunger or thirst there, nothing unpleasing to the mind; nor is there anything there to be done, except to delight the senses.

Verse 14 (5.27.14)

एवंरूपं कर्मफलं नरेन्द्र । मातापित्रोर्हृदयस्याप्रियेण । त्यज क्रोधं पाण्डव हर्षजं च । लोकावुभौ मा प्रहासीश्चिराय ॥

evaṃrūpaṃ karmaphalaṃ narendra | mātāpitrorhṛdayasyāpriyeṇa | tyaja krodhaṃ pāṇḍava harṣajaṃ ca | lokāvubhau mā prahāsīścirāya

Such, lord of men, is the fruit of deeds. Cast off anger, son of Pandu, and the elation born of it, which would wound the hearts of your mother and father; do not lose both worlds for long ages.

Note on the text: Corrected चिराया → चिराय (misprint in Wikisource; added vowel sign; the critical edition reads cirāya). The second and third lines differ from the critical edition (5.27.14bc) — recension variants, kept.

Verse 15 (5.27.15)

अन्तं गत्वा कर्मणां या प्रशंसा । सत्यं दमं चार्जवमानृशंस्यम् । अश्वमेधं राजसूयं तथेष्ट्वा । पापस्यान्तं कर्मणो मा पुनर्गाः ॥

antaṃ gatvā karmaṇāṃ yā praśaṃsā | satyaṃ damaṃ cārjavamānṛśaṃsyam | aśvamedhaṃ rājasūyaṃ tatheṣṭvā | pāpasyāntaṃ karmaṇo mā punargāḥ

You have reached the summit of the deeds that win praise — truth, self-restraint, uprightness and kindness — and have performed the Ashvamedha and the Rajasuya; do not now turn again toward the far end of sinful deeds.

Verse 16 (5.27.16)

तच्चेदेवं द्वेषरूपेण पार्थाः । करिष्यध्वं कर्म पापं चिराय । निवसध्वं वर्षपूगान्वनेषु । दुःखं वासं पाण्डवा धर्म एव ॥

taccedevaṃ dveṣarūpeṇa pārthāḥ | kariṣyadhvaṃ karma pāpaṃ cirāya | nivasadhvaṃ varṣapūgānvaneṣu | duḥkhaṃ vāsaṃ pāṇḍavā dharma eva

If, sons of Pritha, you were going to do this sinful deed out of hatred after so long, then the painful years you spent dwelling in the forests, O Pandavas, were only what dharma required.

Verse 17 (5.27.17)

प्रव्रज्यया यातयित्वा पुरस्ता- । दात्माधीनं यद्बलं ते तदाऽऽसीत् । नित्यं च वश्याः सचिवास्तवेमे । जनार्दनो युयुधानश्च वीरः ॥

pravrajyayā yātayitvā purastā- | dātmādhīnaṃ yadbalaṃ te tadā''sīt | nityaṃ ca vaśyāḥ sacivāstaveme | janārdano yuyudhānaśca vīraḥ

Even at the time of your exile, the strength you had was at your own command: these counsellors of yours were always at your bidding, and Janardana and the heroic Yuyudhana,

Note on the text: Corrected तदाऽसीत् → तदाऽऽसीत् (misprint in Wikisource; तदा + आसीत्, the double avagraha the page uses elsewhere) and युयुधाश्च → युयुधानश्च (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, the line is a syllable short; the critical edition reads yuyudhānaś ca). The first line differs from the critical edition (5.27.17a, apravrajye yojayitvā) — a recension variant, kept.

Verse 18 (5.27.18)

मत्स्यो राजा रुक्मरथः सपुत्रः । प्रहारिभिः सहपुत्रैर्विराटः । राजानस्ते ये विजिताः पुरस्ता- । त्त्वामेव ते संश्रयेयुः समस्ताः ॥

matsyo rājā rukmarathaḥ saputraḥ | prahāribhiḥ sahaputrairvirāṭaḥ | rājānaste ye vijitāḥ purastā- | ttvāmeva te saṃśrayeyuḥ samastāḥ

Virata, the Matsya king of the golden chariot, with his sons who strike hard; and the kings you had conquered before — all of them would have taken refuge with you.

Verse 19 (5.27.19)

महासहायः प्रतपन्बलस्थः । पुरस्कृतो वासुदेवार्जुनाभ्याम् । वरान्हनिष्यन्द्विषतो रङ्गमध्ये । व्यनेष्यथा धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दर्पम् ॥

mahāsahāyaḥ pratapanbalasthaḥ | puraskṛto vāsudevārjunābhyām | varānhaniṣyandviṣato raṅgamadhye | vyaneṣyathā dhārtarāṣṭrasya darpam

With great allies, blazing with power and firm in strength, with Vasudeva and Arjuna at your head, you would have slain your foremost enemies on the field and humbled the pride of Dhritarashtra's son.

Verse 20 (5.27.20)

बलं कस्माद्वर्धयित्वा परस्य । निजान्कस्मात्कर्शयित्वा सहायान् । निरुष्य कस्माद्वर्षपूगान्वनेषु । युयुत्ससे पाण्डव हीनकाले ॥

balaṃ kasmādvardhayitvā parasya | nijānkasmātkarśayitvā sahāyān | niruṣya kasmādvarṣapūgānvaneṣu | yuyutsase pāṇḍava hīnakāle

Why then did you let your enemy's strength grow? Why did you let your own allies waste away? Why, after dwelling for years in the forests, do you wish to fight now, son of Pandu, when the time has passed?

Verse 21 (5.27.21)

अप्राज्ञो वा पाण्डव युद्ध्यमानो- । ऽधर्मज्ञो वा भूतिमथोऽभ्युपैति । प्रज्ञावान्वा बुद्ध्यमानोऽपि धर्मं । संस्तम्भाद्वा सोऽपि भूतेरपैति ॥

aprājño vā pāṇḍava yuddhyamāno- | 'dharmajño vā bhūtimatho'bhyupaiti | prajñāvānvā buddhyamāno'pi dharmaṃ | saṃstambhādvā so'pi bhūterapaiti

A man without wisdom, son of Pandu, or one who does not know dharma, may yet gain prosperity by fighting; and a wise man who understands dharma may still lose prosperity through obstinacy.

Verse 22 (5.27.22)

नाधर्मे ते धीयते पार्थ बुद्धि- । र्न संरम्भात्कर्म चकर्थ पापम् । आत्थ किं तत्कारणं यस्य हेतोः । प्रज्ञाविरुद्धं कर्म चिकीर्षसीदम् ॥

nādharme te dhīyate pārtha buddhi- | rna saṃrambhātkarma cakartha pāpam | āttha kiṃ tatkāraṇaṃ yasya hetoḥ | prajñāviruddhaṃ karma cikīrṣasīdam

Your mind, son of Pritha, is not set on adharma, nor have you ever done an evil deed in anger. Tell me, then, what is the reason for which you wish to do this deed that goes against wisdom?

Verse 23 (5.27.23)

अव्याधिजं कटुकं शीर्षरोगि । यशोमुषं पापफलोदयं वा । सतां पेयं यन्न पिबन्त्यसन्तो । मन्युं महाराज पिब प्रशाम्य ॥

avyādhijaṃ kaṭukaṃ śīrṣarogi | yaśomuṣaṃ pāpaphalodayaṃ vā | satāṃ peyaṃ yanna pibantyasanto | manyuṃ mahārāja piba praśāmya

Anger is bitter without any illness, it brings on headache, robs one of fame and yields the fruit of sin. The good drink it down; the wicked do not. Drink down your anger, great king, and be at peace.

Verse 24 (5.27.24)

पापानुबन्धं को नु तं कामयेत । क्षमैव ते ज्यायसी नोत भोगाः । यत्र भीष्मः शान्तनवो हतः स्या- । द्यत्र द्रोणः सहपुत्रो हतः स्यात् ॥

pāpānubandhaṃ ko nu taṃ kāmayeta | kṣamaiva te jyāyasī nota bhogāḥ | yatra bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo hataḥ syā- | dyatra droṇaḥ sahaputro hataḥ syāt

Who would want what is bound up with sin? Forbearance is better for you than enjoyments — enjoyments for which Bhishma, son of Shantanu, would be slain, and Drona with his son would be slain,

Verse 25 (5.27.25)

कृपः शल्यः सौमदत्तिर्विकर्णो । विविंशतिः कर्णदुर्योधनौ च । एतान्हत्वा कीदृशं तत्सुखं स्या- । द्यद्विन्देथास्तदनुब्रूहि पार्थ ॥

kṛpaḥ śalyaḥ saumadattirvikarṇo | viviṃśatiḥ karṇaduryodhanau ca | etānhatvā kīdṛśaṃ tatsukhaṃ syā- | dyadvindethāstadanubrūhi pārtha

and Kripa, Shalya, Saumadatti, Vikarna, Vivimshati, Karna and Duryodhana. Having killed these, what kind of happiness would you find? Tell me that, son of Pritha.

Verse 26 (5.27.26)

लब्ध्वाऽपीमां पृथिवीं सागरान्तां । जरामृत्यू नैव हि त्वं प्रजह्याः । प्रियाप्रिये सुखदुःखे च राज- । न्नेवं विद्वान्नैव युद्धं कुरु त्वम् ॥

labdhvā'pīmāṃ pṛthivīṃ sāgarāntāṃ | jarāmṛtyū naiva hi tvaṃ prajahyāḥ | priyāpriye sukhaduḥkhe ca rāja- | nnevaṃ vidvānnaiva yuddhaṃ kuru tvam

Even if you gain this earth bounded by the ocean, you will never escape old age and death, the pleasant and the unpleasant, joy and sorrow, O king. Knowing this, do not wage war.

Note on the text: Corrected राजन्नैवं → राजन्नेवं (misprint in Wikisource; ै for े; the sense requires राजन् एवं, "knowing this, O king", as the critical edition reads rājann evaṃ).

Verse 27 (5.27.27)

अमात्यानां यदि कामस्य हेतो- । रेवं युक्तं कर्म चिकीर्षसि त्वम् । अपक्रमेः स्वं प्रदायैव तेषां । मागास्त्वं वै देवयानात्पथोऽद्य ॥

amātyānāṃ yadi kāmasya heto- | revaṃ yuktaṃ karma cikīrṣasi tvam | apakrameḥ svaṃ pradāyaiva teṣāṃ | māgāstvaṃ vai devayānātpatho'dya

If you wish to do such a deed for the sake of your ministers' desires, then rather withdraw, giving them what is yours; do not stray today from the path that leads to the gods.