The Five Villages

Verse 1 (5.31.1)

उत सन्तमसन्तं वा बालं वृद्धं च सञ्जय । उताबलं बलीयांसं धाता प्रकुरुते वशे ॥

uta santamasantaṃ vā bālaṃ vṛddhaṃ ca sañjaya | utābalaṃ balīyāṃsaṃ dhātā prakurute vaśe

"Good or wicked, child or old man, weak or strong, Sanjaya — the Ordainer brings them all under his control."

Verse 2 (5.31.2)

उत बालाय पाण्डित्यं पण्डितायोत बालताम् । ददाति सर्वमीशानः पुरस्ताच्छुक्रमुच्चरन् ॥

uta bālāya pāṇḍityaṃ paṇḍitāyota bālatām | dadāti sarvamīśānaḥ purastācchukramuccaran

"To the child the Lord gives learning, and to the learned man childishness; he gives everything, bringing to light the seed of deeds done before."

Verse 3 (5.31.3)

बलं जिज्ञासमानस्य आचक्षीथा यथातथम् । अथ मन्त्रं मन्त्रयित्वा याथातथ्येन हृष्टवत् ॥

balaṃ jijñāsamānasya ācakṣīthā yathātatham | atha mantraṃ mantrayitvā yāthātathyena hṛṣṭavat

"To him who wishes to know our strength, tell it exactly as it is; and then, when you have taken counsel together, speak truthfully and with good cheer."

Note on the text: Corrected मन्त्र → मन्त्रं (dropped anusvara in Wikisource; the critical edition reads mantraṃ).

Verse 4 (5.31.4)

गावल्गणे कुरून्गत्वा धृतराष्ट्रं महाबलम् । अभिवाद्योपसंगृह्य ततः पृच्छेरनामयम् ॥

gāvalgaṇe kurūngatvā dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ mahābalam | abhivādyopasaṃgṛhya tataḥ pṛccheranāmayam

"Son of Gavalgana, when you reach the Kurus, salute the mighty Dhritarashtra, clasp his feet, and then ask after his health."

Verse 5 (5.31.5)

ब्रूयाश्चैनं त्वमासीनं कुरुभिः परिवारितम् । तवैव राजन्वीर्येण सुखं जीवन्ति पाण्डवाः ॥

brūyāścainaṃ tvamāsīnaṃ kurubhiḥ parivāritam | tavaiva rājanvīryeṇa sukhaṃ jīvanti pāṇḍavāḥ

"And say to him as he sits surrounded by the Kurus: 'It is by your strength alone, O king, that the Pandavas live in happiness.'"

Verse 6 (5.31.6)

तव प्रसादाद्बालास्ते प्राप्ता राज्यमरिन्दम । राज्ये तान्स्थापयित्वाऽग्रे नोपेक्षस्व विनश्यतः ॥

tava prasādādbālāste prāptā rājyamarindama | rājye tānsthāpayitvā'gre nopekṣasva vinaśyataḥ

"'By your grace, subduer of enemies, they gained a kingdom while still children. Having once set them on the throne, do not now stand by while they perish.'"

Verse 7 (5.31.7)

सर्वमप्येतदेकस्य नालं सञ्जय कस्यचित् । तात संहत्य जीवामो द्विषतां मा वशं गमः ॥

sarvamapyetadekasya nālaṃ sañjaya kasyacit | tāta saṃhatya jīvāmo dviṣatāṃ mā vaśaṃ gamaḥ

"'All of this together is not enough for any one person, Sanjaya. Let us live united, dear father; do not fall into the power of our enemies.'"

Verse 8 (5.31.8)

तथा भीष्मं शान्तनवं भारतानां पितामहम् । शिरसाऽभिवदेथास्त्वं मम नाम प्रकीर्तयन् ॥

tathā bhīṣmaṃ śāntanavaṃ bhāratānāṃ pitāmaham | śirasā'bhivadethāstvaṃ mama nāma prakīrtayan

"Likewise bow your head to Bhishma, son of Shantanu, grandsire of the Bharatas, speaking my name."

Verse 9 (5.31.9)

अभिवाद्य च वक्तव्यस्ततोऽस्माकं पितामहः । भवता शन्तनोर्वंशो निमग्नः पुनरुद्धृतः ॥

abhivādya ca vaktavyastato'smākaṃ pitāmahaḥ | bhavatā śantanorvaṃśo nimagnaḥ punaruddhṛtaḥ

"And when you have saluted him, say then to our grandsire: 'Through you the line of Shantanu, which had sunk, was raised up again.'"

Verse 10 (5.31.10)

स त्वं कुरु तथा तात स्वमतेन पितामह । यथा जीवन्ति ते पौत्राः प्रीतिमन्तः परस्परम् ॥

sa tvaṃ kuru tathā tāta svamatena pitāmaha | yathā jīvanti te pautrāḥ prītimantaḥ parasparam

"'So act, dear grandsire, by your own judgment, that your grandsons may live in affection with one another.'"

Verse 11 (5.31.11)

तथैव विदुरं ब्रूयाः कुरूणां मन्त्रधारिणम् । अयुद्धं सौम्य भाषस्व हितकामो युधिष्ठिरे ॥

tathaiva viduraṃ brūyāḥ kurūṇāṃ mantradhāriṇam | ayuddhaṃ saumya bhāṣasva hitakāmo yudhiṣṭhire

"Speak likewise to Vidura, keeper of the Kurus' counsel: 'Gentle one, speak against war, for the good of Yudhishthira.'"

Verse 12 (5.31.12)

अथ दुर्योधनं ब्रूया राजपुत्रममर्षणम् । मध्ये कुरूणामासीनमनुनीय पुनः पुनः ॥

atha duryodhanaṃ brūyā rājaputramamarṣaṇam | madhye kurūṇāmāsīnamanunīya punaḥ punaḥ

"Then speak to Prince Duryodhana, the unforgiving, as he sits among the Kurus, winning him over again and again:"

Verse 13 (5.31.13)

अपापां यदुपैक्षस्त्वं कृष्णामेतां सभागताम् । तद्दुःखमतितिक्षाम मा वधीष्म कुरूनिति ॥

apāpāṃ yadupaikṣastvaṃ kṛṣṇāmetāṃ sabhāgatām | tadduḥkhamatitikṣāma mā vadhīṣma kurūniti

"'That you looked on unmoved when this innocent Krishna was brought into the assembly — that sorrow we endured, so that we should not slay the Kurus.'"

Verse 14 (5.31.14)

एवं पूर्वापरान्क्लेशानतितिक्षन्त पाण्डवाः । बलीयांसोऽपि सन्तो यत्तत्सर्वं कुरवो विदुः ॥

evaṃ pūrvāparānkleśānatitikṣanta pāṇḍavāḥ | balīyāṃso'pi santo yattatsarvaṃ kuravo viduḥ

"'In this way the Pandavas bore their hardships, earlier and later, though they were the stronger — all this the Kurus know.'"

Verse 15 (5.31.15)

यन्नः प्रव्राजयेः सौम्य अजिनैः प्रतिवासितान् । तद्दुःखमतितिक्षाम मा वधीष्म कुरूनिति ॥

yannaḥ pravrājayeḥ saumya ajinaiḥ prativāsitān | tadduḥkhamatitikṣāma mā vadhīṣma kurūniti

"'That you, gentle one, drove us into exile clad in deerskins — that sorrow we endured, so that we should not slay the Kurus.'"

Note on the text: Corrected वधीषय → वधीष्म (misprint in Wikisource; the same refrain in verse 13 and the critical edition read vadhīṣma).

Verse 16 (5.31.16)

यत्कुन्तीं समतिक्रम्य कृष्णां केशेष्वधर्षयत् । दुःशासनस्तेऽनुमते तच्चास्माभिरुपेक्षितम् ॥

yatkuntīṃ samatikramya kṛṣṇāṃ keśeṣvadharṣayat | duḥśāsanaste'numate taccāsmābhirupekṣitam

"'That Duhshasana, with your consent, brushed past Kunti and seized Krishna by the hair — that too we let pass.'"

Verse 17 (5.31.17)

अथोचितं स्वकं भागं लभेमहि परन्तप । निवर्तय परद्रव्याद्बुद्धिं गृद्धां नरर्षभ ॥

athocitaṃ svakaṃ bhāgaṃ labhemahi parantapa | nivartaya paradravyādbuddhiṃ gṛddhāṃ nararṣabha

"'Now let us receive our rightful share, scorcher of foes. Turn your greedy mind away from what belongs to others, bull among men.'"

Verse 18 (5.31.18)

शान्तिरेवं भवेद्राजन्प्रीतिश्चैव परस्परम् । राज्यैकदेशमपि नः प्रयच्छ शममिच्छताम् ॥

śāntirevaṃ bhavedrājanprītiścaiva parasparam | rājyaikadeśamapi naḥ prayaccha śamamicchatām

"'In this way there will be peace, O king, and affection between us. Give us, who desire peace, even a single portion of the kingdom.'"

Verse 19 (5.31.19)

अविस्थलं वृकस्थलं माकन्दीं वारणावतम् । अवसानं भवत्वत्र किंचिदेकं च पञ्चमम् ॥

avisthalaṃ vṛkasthalaṃ mākandīṃ vāraṇāvatam | avasānaṃ bhavatvatra kiṃcidekaṃ ca pañcamam

"'Avisthala, Vrikasthala, Makandi and Varanavata, and let some one other place be the fifth, to be our dwelling.'"

Verse 20 (5.31.20)

भ्रातॄणां देहि पञ्चानां पञ्च ग्रामान्सुयोधन । शान्तिर्नोऽस्तु महाप्राज्ञ ज्ञातिभिः सह सञ्जय ॥

bhrātṝṇāṃ dehi pañcānāṃ pañca grāmānsuyodhana | śāntirno'stu mahāprājña jñātibhiḥ saha sañjaya

"'Give us five brothers five villages, Suyodhana, and let there be peace, most wise one, between us and our kinsmen,' Sanjaya."

Note on the text: Corrected शान्तिर्नोस्तु → शान्तिर्नोऽस्तु (missing avagraha in Wikisource; the critical edition reads no 'stu).

Verse 21 (5.31.21)

भ्राता भ्रातरमन्वेतु पिता पुत्रेण युज्यताम् । स्मयमानाः समायान्तु पाञ्चालाः कुरुभिः सह ॥

bhrātā bhrātaramanvetu pitā putreṇa yujyatām | smayamānāḥ samāyāntu pāñcālāḥ kurubhiḥ saha

"Let brother follow brother, let father be united with son; let the Panchalas come together with the Kurus, smiling."

Verse 22 (5.31.22)

अक्षतान्कुरु पाञ्चालान्पश्येयमिति कामये । सर्वे सुमनसस्तात शाम्याय भरतर्षभ ॥

akṣatānkuru pāñcālānpaśyeyamiti kāmaye | sarve sumanasastāta śāmyāya bharatarṣabha

"I wish to see the Kurus and the Panchalas unharmed. Let all be of good heart, my friend, for the sake of peace, bull of the Bharatas."

Verse 23 (5.31.23)

अलमेव शमायास्मि तथा युद्धाय सञ्जय । धर्मार्थयोरलं चाहं मृदवे दारुणाय च ॥

alameva śamāyāsmi tathā yuddhāya sañjaya | dharmārthayoralaṃ cāhaṃ mṛdave dāruṇāya ca

"I am equal to peace, Sanjaya, and equally to war; equal to dharma and to wealth, to gentleness and to harshness."