Drupada's Priest Sent to Hastinapura

Verse 1 (5.6.1)

भूतानां प्राणिनः श्रेष्ठाः प्राणिनां बुद्धिजीविनः । बुद्धिमत्सु नराः श्रेष्ठा नरेष्वपि द्विजातयः ॥

bhūtānāṃ prāṇinaḥ śreṣṭhāḥ prāṇināṃ buddhijīvinaḥ | buddhimatsu narāḥ śreṣṭhā nareṣvapi dvijātayaḥ

"Among beings, those that breathe are the best; among breathing creatures, those that live by intelligence; among the intelligent, men are best, and among men, the twice-born.

Verse 2 (5.6.2)

द्विजेषु वैद्याः श्रेयांसो वैद्येषु कृतबुद्धयः । कृतबुद्धिषु कर्तारः कर्तृषु ब्रह्मवादिनः ॥

dvijeṣu vaidyāḥ śreyāṃso vaidyeṣu kṛtabuddhayaḥ | kṛtabuddhiṣu kartāraḥ kartṛṣu brahmavādinaḥ

Among the twice-born the learned are better; among the learned, those of settled understanding; among those of settled understanding, the ones who act on it; and among those who act, the knowers of Brahman.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.6.2ab; line 2 is its star passage 5.6.2b*0030. The critical edition's 5.6.2cd opens Wikisource's next verse.

Verse 3 (5.6.3)

स भवान्कृतबुद्धीनां प्रधान इति मे मतिः । कुलेन च विशिष्टोऽसि वयसा च श्रुतेन च । प्रज्ञया सदृशश्चासि शुक्रेणाङ्गिरसेन च ॥

sa bhavānkṛtabuddhīnāṃ pradhāna iti me matiḥ | kulena ca viśiṣṭo'si vayasā ca śrutena ca | prajñayā sadṛśaścāsi śukreṇāṅgirasena ca

You, I believe, are the foremost of those of settled understanding. You are distinguished in family, in age and in learning, and in wisdom you are the equal of Shukra and of Brihaspati, son of Angiras.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.6.2cd; lines 2–3 are 5.6.3 (reading prajñayānavamaś for प्रज्ञया सदृशश्). Corrected कृबुद्धीनां → कृतबुद्धीनां (misprint in Wikisource; dropped त, critical edition kṛtabuddhīnāṃ).

Verse 4 (5.6.4)

विदितं चापि ते सर्वं यथावृत्तः स कौरवः । पाण्डवश्च यथावृत्तः कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः ॥

viditaṃ cāpi te sarvaṃ yathāvṛttaḥ sa kauravaḥ | pāṇḍavaśca yathāvṛttaḥ kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

You know everything — how that Kaurava has behaved, and how the Pandava, Yudhishthira son of Kunti, has behaved.

Verse 5 (5.6.5)

धृतराष्ट्रस्य विदिते वञ्चिताः पाण्डवाः परैः । विदुरेणानुनीतोऽपि पुत्रमेवानुवर्तते ॥

dhṛtarāṣṭrasya vidite vañcitāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ paraiḥ | vidureṇānunīto'pi putramevānuvartate

It was with Dhritarashtra's knowledge that the Pandavas were cheated by their enemies; and though Vidura counsels him, he still follows only his son.

Verse 6 (5.6.6)

शकुनिर्बुद्धिपूर्वं हि कुन्तीपुत्रं समाह्वयत् । अनक्षज्ञं मताक्षः सन्क्षत्रवृत्ते स्थितं शुचिम् ॥

śakunirbuddhipūrvaṃ hi kuntīputraṃ samāhvayat | anakṣajñaṃ matākṣaḥ sankṣatravṛtte sthitaṃ śucim

Shakuni, a master of dice, deliberately challenged the son of Kunti, who knew nothing of the game and stood pure and steadfast in a kshatriya's ways.

Verse 7 (5.6.7)

ते तथा वञ्चयित्वा तु धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरम् । न कस्यांचिदवस्थायां राज्यं दास्यन्ति वै स्वयम् ॥

te tathā vañcayitvā tu dharmarājaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram | na kasyāṃcidavasthāyāṃ rājyaṃ dāsyanti vai svayam

Having cheated Yudhishthira, the King of Dharma, in that way, they will never under any circumstances give up the kingdom of their own accord.

Verse 8 (5.6.8)

भवांस्तु धर्मसंयुक्तं धृतराष्ट्रं ब्रुवन्वचः । मनांसि तस्य योधानां ध्रुवमावर्तयिष्यति ॥

bhavāṃstu dharmasaṃyuktaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ bruvanvacaḥ | manāṃsi tasya yodhānāṃ dhruvamāvartayiṣyati

But when you speak righteous words to Dhritarashtra, you will surely turn the hearts of his warriors.

Verse 9 (5.6.9)

विदुरश्चापि तद्वाक्यं साधयिष्यति तावकम् । भीष्मद्रोणकृपादीनां भेदं संजनयिष्यति ॥

viduraścāpi tadvākyaṃ sādhayiṣyati tāvakam | bhīṣmadroṇakṛpādīnāṃ bhedaṃ saṃjanayiṣyati

Vidura too will back what you say, and will sow division among Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and the rest.

Verse 10 (5.6.10)

अमात्येषु च भिन्नेषु योधेषु विमुखेषु च । पुनरेकत्र करणं तेषां कर्म भविष्यति ॥

amātyeṣu ca bhinneṣu yodheṣu vimukheṣu ca | punarekatra karaṇaṃ teṣāṃ karma bhaviṣyati

When the ministers are divided and the warriors have turned away, their task will be to bring them together again.

Verse 11 (5.6.11)

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे पार्थाः सुखमेकाग्रबुद्धयः । सेनाकर्म करिष्यन्ति द्रव्याणां चैव सञ्चयम् ॥

etasminnantare pārthāḥ sukhamekāgrabuddhayaḥ | senākarma kariṣyanti dravyāṇāṃ caiva sañcayam

Meanwhile the sons of Pritha, at ease and single-minded, will build up their army and gather supplies.

Verse 12 (5.6.12)

भिद्यमानेषु च स्वेषु लम्बमाने तथा त्वयि । न तथा ते करिष्यन्ति सेनाकर्म न संशयः ॥

bhidyamāneṣu ca sveṣu lambamāne tathā tvayi | na tathā te kariṣyanti senākarma na saṃśayaḥ

While their own people are being split apart and you are lingering there, they will not be able to build up their army as well; of that there is no doubt.

Verse 13 (5.6.13)

एतत्प्रयोजनं चात्र प्राधान्येनोपलभ्यते । संगत्या धृतराष्ट्रश्च कुर्याद्धर्म्यं वचस्तव ॥

etatprayojanaṃ cātra prādhānyenopalabhyate | saṃgatyā dhṛtarāṣṭraśca kuryāddharmyaṃ vacastava

That is plainly the chief purpose here. And it may also be that, on meeting you, Dhritarashtra will act on your righteous words.

Verse 14 (5.6.14)

स भवान्धर्मयुक्तश्च धर्म्यं तेषु समाचरन् । कृपालुषु परिक्लेशान्पाण्डवीयान्प्रकीर्तयन् ॥

sa bhavāndharmayuktaśca dharmyaṃ teṣu samācaran | kṛpāluṣu parikleśānpāṇḍavīyānprakīrtayan

Being righteous yourself, you will act righteously among them; recounting the sufferings of the Pandavas to those who are compassionate,

Verse 15 (5.6.15)

वृद्धेषु कुलधर्मं च ब्रुवन्पूर्वैरनुष्ठितम् । विभेत्स्यति मनांस्येषामिति मे नात्र संशयः ॥

vṛddheṣu kuladharmaṃ ca bruvanpūrvairanuṣṭhitam | vibhetsyati manāṃsyeṣāmiti me nātra saṃśayaḥ

and speaking to the elders of the family duty their forebears kept, you will divide their minds; I have no doubt of this.

Note on the text: Corrected मनांस्येषमिति → मनांस्येषामिति (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign in एषाम्, critical edition manāṃsy eṣām).

Verse 16 (5.6.16)

न च तेभ्यो भयं तेऽस्ति ब्राह्मणो ह्यसि वेदवित् । दूतकर्मणि युक्तश्च स्थविरश्च विशेषतः ॥

na ca tebhyo bhayaṃ te'sti brāhmaṇo hyasi vedavit | dūtakarmaṇi yuktaśca sthaviraśca viśeṣataḥ

Nor have you anything to fear from them: you are a brahmin who knows the Veda, you are on an envoy's mission, and above all you are an elder.

Verse 17 (5.6.17)

स भवान्पुष्ययोगेन मुहूर्तेन जयेन च । कौरवेयान्प्रयात्वाशु कौन्तेयस्यार्थसिद्धये ॥

sa bhavānpuṣyayogena muhūrtena jayena ca | kauraveyānprayātvāśu kaunteyasyārthasiddhaye

So set out quickly for the Kauravas, under the conjunction of Pushya and at the hour called Jaya, to accomplish the purpose of Kunti's son."

Verse 18 (5.6.18)

तथाऽनुशिष्टः प्रययौ द्रुपदेन महात्मना । पुरोधा वृत्तसंपन्नो नगरं नागसाह्वयम् ॥

tathā'nuśiṣṭaḥ prayayau drupadena mahātmanā | purodhā vṛttasaṃpanno nagaraṃ nāgasāhvayam

So instructed by the great-souled Drupada, the priest, rich in good conduct, set out for the city named after the elephant.

Verse 19 (5.6.19)

शिष्यैः परिवृतो विद्वान्नीतिशास्त्रार्थकोविदः । पाण्डवानां हितार्थाय कौरवान्प्रतिजग्मिवान् ॥

śiṣyaiḥ parivṛto vidvānnītiśāstrārthakovidaḥ | pāṇḍavānāṃ hitārthāya kauravānpratijagmivān

Surrounded by his pupils, the learned man, well versed in the meaning of the science of statecraft, went to the Kauravas for the good of the Pandavas.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as the star passage 5.6.18d*0031.