Dhritarashtra Urges Peace

Verse 1 (5.53.1)

यथैव पाण्डवाः सर्वे पराक्रान्ता जिगीषवः । तथैवाभिसरास्तेषां त्यक्तात्मानो जये धृताः ॥

yathaiva pāṇḍavāḥ sarve parākrāntā jigīṣavaḥ | tathaivābhisarāsteṣāṃ tyaktātmāno jaye dhṛtāḥ

Just as all the Pandavas are valiant and eager for victory, so too are their followers, who have given up all thought of self and are set on winning.

Note on the text: Corrected तथौभिसरास्तेषां → तथैवाभिसरास्तेषां (misprint in Wikisource; the aksharas -ivā- were dropped from tathaivābhisarāḥ, leaving a short pāda — the page's footnote glosses अभिसराः; the critical edition reads tathaivābhisarās teṣāṃ).

Verse 2 (5.53.2)

त्वमेव हि पराक्रान्तानाचक्षीथाः परान्मम । पाञ्चालान्केकयान्मत्स्यान्मागधान्वत्सभूमिपान् ॥

tvameva hi parākrāntānācakṣīthāḥ parānmama | pāñcālānkekayānmatsyānmāgadhānvatsabhūmipān

You yourself have described to me my valiant enemies — the Panchalas, the Kekayas, the Matsyas, the Magadhas and the kings of Vatsa.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (5.52.2): Wikisource prints the opening word of the verse as dots ("......हि पराक्रान्तान्…"); the lost word त्वमेव is supplied from the critical edition's tvam eva hi.

Verse 3 (5.53.3)

यश्च सेन्द्रानिमाँल्लोकानिच्छन्कुर्याद्वशे बली । स स्रष्टा जगतः कृष्णः पाण्डवानां जये धृतः ॥

yaśca sendrānimām̐llokānicchankuryādvaśe balī | sa sraṣṭā jagataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ jaye dhṛtaḥ

And Krishna, the creator of the world, the mighty one who could bring these worlds and Indra with them under his sway if he wished, is set on the Pandavas' victory.

Verse 4 (5.53.4)

समस्तामर्जुनाद्विद्यां सात्यकिः क्षिप्रमाप्तवान् । शैनेयः समरे स्थाता बीजवत्प्रवपञ्शरान् ॥

samastāmarjunādvidyāṃ sātyakiḥ kṣipramāptavān | śaineyaḥ samare sthātā bījavatpravapañśarān

Satyaki quickly acquired the whole science of arms from Arjuna; that grandson of Shini will stand firm in battle, sowing arrows like seed.

Verse 5 (5.53.5)

धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पाञ्चाल्यः क्रूरकर्मा महारथः । मामकेषु रणं कर्ता बलेषु परमास्त्रवित् ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnaśca pāñcālyaḥ krūrakarmā mahārathaḥ | māmakeṣu raṇaṃ kartā baleṣu paramāstravit

And Dhrishtadyumna of Panchala, a great chariot-fighter of ruthless deeds, master of the highest weapons, will do battle against my forces.

Verse 6 (5.53.6)

युधिष्ठिरस्य च क्रोधादर्जुनस्य च विक्रमात् । यमाभ्यां भीमसेनाच्च भयं मे तात जायते ॥

yudhiṣṭhirasya ca krodhādarjunasya ca vikramāt | yamābhyāṃ bhīmasenācca bhayaṃ me tāta jāyate

I am afraid, my son, of Yudhishthira's anger and Arjuna's prowess, of the twins and of Bhimasena.

Note on the text: Corrected मयाभ्यां → यमाभ्यां (misprint in Wikisource; transposed aksharas — yamābhyām 'the twins'; the critical edition reads yamābhyāṃ).

Verse 7 (5.53.7)

अमानुषं मनुष्येन्द्रैर्जालं विततमन्तरा । न मे सैन्यास्तरिष्यन्ति ततः क्रोशामि सञ्जय ॥

amānuṣaṃ manuṣyendrairjālaṃ vitatamantarā | na me sainyāstariṣyanti tataḥ krośāmi sañjaya

Those lords of men will spread a superhuman net between us, and my troops will not get through it — that is why I cry out, Sanjaya.

Verse 8 (5.53.8)

दर्शनीयो मनस्वी च लक्ष्मीवान्ब्रह्मवर्चसी । मेधावी सुकृतप्रज्ञो धर्मात्मा पाण्डुनन्दनः ॥

darśanīyo manasvī ca lakṣmīvānbrahmavarcasī | medhāvī sukṛtaprajño dharmātmā pāṇḍunandanaḥ

Handsome, high-minded, graced with fortune and with the radiance of the Veda, wise, of well-trained understanding and righteous of soul is the son of Pandu.

Verse 9 (5.53.9)

मित्रामात्यैः सुसंपन्नः संपन्नो युद्धयोजकैः । भ्रातृभिः श्वशुरैर्वीरैरुपपन्नो महारथैः ॥

mitrāmātyaiḥ susaṃpannaḥ saṃpanno yuddhayojakaiḥ | bhrātṛbhiḥ śvaśurairvīrairupapanno mahārathaiḥ

He is well provided with friends and ministers, provided with men to marshal the war, and surrounded by his brothers and his heroic fathers-in-law, all great chariot-fighters.

Verse 10 (5.53.10)

धृत्या च पुरुषव्याघ्रो नैभृत्येन च पाण्डवः । अनृशंसो वदान्यश्च ह्रीमान्सत्यपराक्रमः ॥

dhṛtyā ca puruṣavyāghro naibhṛtyena ca pāṇḍavaḥ | anṛśaṃso vadānyaśca hrīmānsatyaparākramaḥ

That tiger among men, the Pandava, is great in steadfastness and in keeping his counsel close; he is kind, generous, modest and true in his valour.

Note on the text: Corrected अनुशंसो → अनृशंसो and हीमान् → ह्रीमान् (misprints in Wikisource; anṛśaṃsa 'not cruel' and hrīmān 'modest' each lost a stroke; the critical edition reads anṛśaṃso … hrīmān).

Verse 11 (5.53.11)

बहुश्रुतः कृतात्मा च वृद्धसेवी जितेन्द्रियः । तं सर्वगुणसंपन्नं समिद्धमिव पावकम् ॥

bahuśrutaḥ kṛtātmā ca vṛddhasevī jitendriyaḥ | taṃ sarvaguṇasaṃpannaṃ samiddhamiva pāvakam

Deeply learned, self-possessed, attentive to his elders, master of his senses — he is endowed with every virtue, like a blazing fire.

Verse 12 (5.53.12)

तपन्तमभि को मन्दः पतिष्यति पतङ्गवत् । पाण्डवाग्निमनावार्यं मुमूर्षुर्नष्टचेतनः ॥

tapantamabhi ko mandaḥ patiṣyati pataṅgavat | pāṇḍavāgnimanāvāryaṃ mumūrṣurnaṣṭacetanaḥ

What fool, bent on dying and robbed of his wits, will fall like a moth upon that scorching, irresistible Pandava fire?

Verse 13 (5.53.13)

तनुरुच्चः शिखी राजा मिथ्योपचरितो मया । मन्दानां मम पुत्राणां युद्धेनान्तं करिष्यति ॥

tanuruccaḥ śikhī rājā mithyopacarito mayā | mandānāṃ mama putrāṇāṃ yuddhenāntaṃ kariṣyati

That slender, tall king with his topknot, whom I have treated falsely, will make an end of my foolish sons in battle.

Verse 14 (5.53.14)

तैरयुद्धं साधु मन्ये कुरवस्तन्निबोधत । युद्धे विनाशः कृत्स्नस्य कुलस्य भविता ध्रुवम् ॥

tairayuddhaṃ sādhu manye kuravastannibodhata | yuddhe vināśaḥ kṛtsnasya kulasya bhavitā dhruvam

I think it right not to fight them — understand this, you Kurus. In war the destruction of the whole family is certain.

Verse 15 (5.53.15)

एषा मे परमा बुद्धिर्यया शाम्यति मे मनः । यदि त्वयुद्धमिष्टं वो वयं शान्त्यै यतामहे ॥

eṣā me paramā buddhiryayā śāmyati me manaḥ | yadi tvayuddhamiṣṭaṃ vo vayaṃ śāntyai yatāmahe

This is my firm judgement, and in it my mind finds peace. If you would rather not fight, we shall strive for peace.

Verse 16 (5.53.16)

न तु नः क्लिश्यमानानामुपेक्षेत युधिष्ठिरः । जुगुप्सति ह्यधर्मेण मामेवोद्दिश्य कारणम् ॥

na tu naḥ kliśyamānānāmupekṣeta yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | jugupsati hyadharmeṇa māmevoddiśya kāraṇam

Yudhishthira would not turn away from us in our distress; he condemns this wrong, holding me alone to be its cause.