Krishna Explains Why He Has Come

Verse 1 (5.93.1)

विदुरस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रश्रितं पुरुषोत्तमः । इदं होवाच वचनं मधुरं मधुसूदनः ॥

vidurasya vacaḥ śrutvā praśritaṃ puruṣottamaḥ | idaṃ hovāca vacanaṃ madhuraṃ madhusūdanaḥ

Hearing Vidura's respectful words, Madhusudana, the Supreme Person, spoke these gentle words:

Note on the text: The speaker heading वैशंपायन उवाच had slipped into the verse text; it is made the speaker. 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 5.91.000*0418, before 5.91.1 (reading bhagavān for मधुरं). Removed Wikisource's interpolation marks (` … ').

Verse 2 (5.93.2)

यथा ब्रूयान्महाप्राज्ञो यथा ब्रूयाद्विचक्षणः । यथा वाच्यस्त्वद्विधेन भवता मद्विधः सुहृत् ॥

yathā brūyānmahāprājño yathā brūyādvicakṣaṇaḥ | yathā vācyastvadvidhena bhavatā madvidhaḥ suhṛt

"As a man of great wisdom would speak, as a discerning man would speak, as a friend like me ought to be spoken to by one like you —

Note on the text: Corrected व्रूयान् → ब्रूयान् and सथा → यथा (misprints in Wikisource; व for ब, as the next ब्रूयात् shows, and स for the य of the repeated यथा; the critical edition reads brūyān and yathā). The critical edition reads suhṛdā for भवता.

Verse 3 (5.93.3)

धर्मार्थयुक्तं तथ्यं च यथा त्वय्युपपद्यते । तथा वचनमुक्तोऽस्मि त्वयैतत्पितृमातृवत् ॥

dharmārthayuktaṃ tathyaṃ ca yathā tvayyupapadyate | tathā vacanamukto'smi tvayaitatpitṛmātṛvat

words joined to dharma and profit, and true, such as befit you — such are the words you have spoken to me, like a father or a mother.

Note on the text: Corrected वचनमुक्तोऽस्ति → वचनमुक्तोऽस्मि (misprint in Wikisource; Krishna is speaking of himself, "I have been told", which needs the first person अस्मि; the critical edition reads ukto 'smi).

Verse 4 (5.93.4)

सत्यं प्राप्तं च युक्तं वाऽप्येवमेव यथाऽऽत्थ माम् । शृणुष्वागमने हेतुं विदुरावहितो मम ॥

satyaṃ prāptaṃ ca yuktaṃ vā'pyevameva yathā''ttha mām | śṛṇuṣvāgamane hetuṃ vidurāvahito mama

What you have said to me is true, timely and fitting. Now listen attentively, Vidura, to the reason for my coming.

Note on the text: Corrected श्रृणुष्व → शृणुष्व (misprint in Wikisource; श्रृ for शृ; the critical edition reads śṛṇuṣva). The critical edition reads cāpy for वाऽप्य and bhava for मम.

Verse 5 (5.93.5)

दौरात्म्यं धार्तराष्ट्रस्य क्षत्रियाणां च वैरिताम् । सर्वमेतदहं जानन्क्षत्तः प्राप्तोऽद्य कौरवान् ॥

daurātmyaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrasya kṣatriyāṇāṃ ca vairitām | sarvametadahaṃ jānankṣattaḥ prāpto'dya kauravān

Knowing all this — the wickedness of Dhritarashtra's son and the hostility of the Kshatriyas — I have come to the Kauravas today, Kshattri.

Verse 6 (5.93.6)

पर्यस्तां पृथिवीं सर्वां साश्वां सरथकुञ्जराम् । यो मोचयेन्मृत्युपाशात्प्राप्नुयाद्धर्ममुत्तमम् ॥

paryastāṃ pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ sāśvāṃ sarathakuñjarām | yo mocayenmṛtyupāśātprāpnuyāddharmamuttamam

Whoever could free the whole earth, thrown into turmoil as it is, with its horses, chariots and elephants, from the noose of death would gain the highest merit.

Verse 7 (5.93.7)

धर्मकार्यं यतञ्शक्त्या नो चेत्प्राप्नोति मानवः । प्राप्तो भवति तत्पुण्यमत्र मे नास्ति संशयः ॥

dharmakāryaṃ yatañśaktyā no cetprāpnoti mānavaḥ | prāpto bhavati tatpuṇyamatra me nāsti saṃśayaḥ

A man who strives with all his strength in a righteous work, even if he does not achieve it, gains its merit; of this I have no doubt.

Verse 8 (5.93.8)

मनसा चिन्तयन्पापं कर्मणा नातिरोचयन् । न प्राप्नोति फलं तस्येत्येवं धर्मविदो विदुः ॥

manasā cintayanpāpaṃ karmaṇā nātirocayan | na prāpnoti phalaṃ tasyetyevaṃ dharmavido viduḥ

One who thinks of a sinful deed in his mind but takes no pleasure in doing it does not reap its fruit — so those who know dharma declare.

Verse 9 (5.93.9)

सोऽहं यतिष्ये प्रशमं क्षत्तः कर्तुममायया । कुरूणां सृञ्जयानां च सङ्ग्रामे विनशिष्यताम् ॥

so'haṃ yatiṣye praśamaṃ kṣattaḥ kartumamāyayā | kurūṇāṃ sṛñjayānāṃ ca saṅgrāme vinaśiṣyatām

So I shall try without guile, Kshattri, to bring about peace for the Kurus and the Srinjayas, who are about to perish in battle.

Note on the text: Corrected सङ्ग्राने → सङ्ग्रामे (misprint in Wikisource; न for म; the critical edition reads saṃgrāme).

Verse 10 (5.93.10)

सेयमापन्महाघोरा कुरुष्वेव समुत्थिता । कर्णदुर्योधनकृता सर्वे ह्येते तदन्वयाः ॥

seyamāpanmahāghorā kuruṣveva samutthitā | karṇaduryodhanakṛtā sarve hyete tadanvayāḥ

This most terrible calamity has arisen among the Kurus alone; it is the work of Karna and Duryodhana, and all these others merely follow them.

Verse 11 (5.93.11)

व्यसने क्लिश्यमानं हि यो मित्रं नाभिपद्यते । अनुनीय यथाशक्ति तं नृशंसं विदुर्बुधाः ॥

vyasane kliśyamānaṃ hi yo mitraṃ nābhipadyate | anunīya yathāśakti taṃ nṛśaṃsaṃ vidurbudhāḥ

He who does not go to a friend in distress and try, as far as he can, to win him over, the wise call cruel.

Verse 12 (5.93.12)

आकेशग्रहणान्मित्रमकार्यात्संनिवर्तयन् । अवाच्यः कस्यचिद्भवति कृतयत्नो यथाबलम् ॥

ākeśagrahaṇānmitramakāryātsaṃnivartayan | avācyaḥ kasyacidbhavati kṛtayatno yathābalam

One who tries with all his strength to turn a friend back from a wrong deed, even to the point of seizing him by the hair, is blamed by no one.

Verse 13 (5.93.13)

तत्समर्थं शुभं वाक्यं धर्मार्थसहितं हितम् । धार्तराष्ट्रः सहामात्यो ग्रहीतुं विदुरार्हति ॥

tatsamarthaṃ śubhaṃ vākyaṃ dharmārthasahitaṃ hitam | dhārtarāṣṭraḥ sahāmātyo grahītuṃ vidurārhati

Dhritarashtra's son and his ministers ought to accept, Vidura, words that are fitting, auspicious and beneficial, joined to dharma and profit.

Verse 14 (5.93.14)

हितं हि धार्तराष्ट्राणां पाण्डवानां तथैव च । पृथिव्यां क्षत्रियाणां च यतिष्येऽहममायया ॥

hitaṃ hi dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ tathaiva ca | pṛthivyāṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ ca yatiṣye'hamamāyayā

I shall strive without guile for the good of Dhritarashtra's sons, and of the Pandavas too, and of the Kshatriyas on earth.

Verse 15 (5.93.15)

हिते प्रयतमानं मां शङ्केद्दुर्योधनो यदि । हृदयस्य च मे प्रीतिरानृण्यं च भविष्यति ॥

hite prayatamānaṃ māṃ śaṅkedduryodhano yadi | hṛdayasya ca me prītirānṛṇyaṃ ca bhaviṣyati

If Duryodhana mistrusts me while I strive for his good, I shall still have the contentment of my own heart, and I shall be free of my debt.

Verse 16 (5.93.16)

ज्ञातीनां हि मिथो भेदे यन्मित्रं नाभिपद्यते । सर्वयत्नेन माध्यस्थ्यं न तन्मित्रं विदुर्बुधाः ॥

jñātīnāṃ hi mitho bhede yanmitraṃ nābhipadyate | sarvayatnena mādhyasthyaṃ na tanmitraṃ vidurbudhāḥ

When kinsmen are divided against one another, the friend who does not step in with every effort to mediate is no friend at all — so the wise say.

Verse 17 (5.93.17)

न मां ब्रूयुरधर्मिष्ठा मूढा ह्यसुहृदस्तथा । शक्तो नावारयत्कृष्णः संरब्धान्कुरुपाण्डवान् ॥

na māṃ brūyuradharmiṣṭhā mūḍhā hyasuhṛdastathā | śakto nāvārayatkṛṣṇaḥ saṃrabdhānkurupāṇḍavān

Let not the unrighteous, the foolish and the unfriendly say of me: "Krishna, though he was able, did not restrain the angry Kurus and Pandavas."

Verse 18 (5.93.18)

उभयोः साधयन्नर्थमहमागत इत्युत । तत्र यत्नमहं कृत्वा गच्छेयं नृष्ववाच्यताम् ॥

ubhayoḥ sādhayannarthamahamāgata ityuta | tatra yatnamahaṃ kṛtvā gaccheyaṃ nṛṣvavācyatām

I have come to accomplish the good of both sides; and having made the effort in this, I shall be beyond reproach among men.

Note on the text: Corrected अहामागत → अहमागत (misprint in Wikisource; अहम् आगतः, "I have come"; the critical edition reads aham āgata).

Verse 19 (5.93.19)

मम धर्मार्थयुक्तं हि श्रुत्वा वाक्यमनामयम् । न चेदादास्यते बालो दिष्टस्य वशमेष्यति ॥

mama dharmārthayuktaṃ hi śrutvā vākyamanāmayam | na cedādāsyate bālo diṣṭasya vaśameṣyati

If, after hearing my words, which are joined to dharma and profit and bring no harm, the foolish one does not accept them, he will fall into the power of fate.

Verse 20 (5.93.20)

अहापयन्पाण्डवार्थं यथाव- । च्छमं कुरूणां यदि चाचरेयम् । पुण्यं च मे स्याच्चरितं महात्म- । न्मुच्येरंश्च कुरवो मृत्युपाशात् ॥

ahāpayanpāṇḍavārthaṃ yathāva- | cchamaṃ kurūṇāṃ yadi cācareyam | puṇyaṃ ca me syāccaritaṃ mahātma- | nmucyeraṃśca kuravo mṛtyupāśāt

If, without giving up the Pandavas' interest, I can bring about peace among the Kurus as is proper, then, great-souled one, my deed will be meritorious, and the Kurus will be freed from the noose of death.

Verse 21 (5.93.21)

अपि वाचं भाषमाणस्य काव्यां । धर्मारामामर्थवतीमहिंस्राम् । अवेक्षेरन्धार्तराष्ट्राः शमार्थं । मां च प्राप्तं कुरवः पूजयेयुः ॥

api vācaṃ bhāṣamāṇasya kāvyāṃ | dharmārāmāmarthavatīmahiṃsrām | avekṣerandhārtarāṣṭrāḥ śamārthaṃ | māṃ ca prāptaṃ kuravaḥ pūjayeyuḥ

Perhaps, when I speak words full of wisdom, delighting in dharma, rich in meaning and free of violence, the sons of Dhritarashtra will heed them for the sake of peace, and the Kurus will honour me now that I have come.

Note on the text: Corrected धर्मरामाम् → धर्मारामाम् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ā; the triṣṭubh line needs a long second syllable, and the critical edition reads dharmārāmām). The critical edition reads samarthāṃ for शमार्थं.

Verse 22 (5.93.22)

न चापि मम पर्याप्ताः सहिताः सर्वपार्थिवाः । क्रुद्धस्य प्रमुखे स्थातुं सिंहस्येवेतरे मृगाः ॥

na cāpi mama paryāptāḥ sahitāḥ sarvapārthivāḥ | kruddhasya pramukhe sthātuṃ siṃhasyevetare mṛgāḥ

Not even all the kings of the earth together are able to stand before me when I am angry, any more than other beasts before a lion."

Verse 23 (5.93.23)

इत्येवमुक्त्वा वचनं वृष्णीनामृषभस्तदा । शयने सुखसंस्पर्शे शिश्ये यदुसुखावहः ॥

ityevamuktvā vacanaṃ vṛṣṇīnāmṛṣabhastadā | śayane sukhasaṃsparśe śiśye yadusukhāvahaḥ

Having spoken these words, the bull of the Vrishnis, the bringer of joy to the Yadus, lay down on a bed soft to the touch.