द्रोण उवाच मन्त्राय समुपानीतैर्धराष्ट्र हितैर्नृप। धर्म्यमर्थ्य यशस्यं च वाच्यमित्यनुशुश्रुम्॥
Drona said: O king Dhritarashtra, it has been heard that friends summoned for consultation should always speak what is right, true and conductive of fame.
ममाप्येषा मतिस्तात या भीष्मस्य महात्मनः। संवभिज्यास्तु कौन्तेया धर्म एष सनातनः॥
O Sire, my opinion is as that of the illustrious Bhishma. Let the sons of Kunti have a share in the kingdom. It is eternal virtue.
प्रेष्यतां द्रुपदायाशु नरः कश्चित् प्रियंवदः। बहुलं रत्नमादाय तेषामर्थाय भारत।॥
O descendant of Bharata, send a sweetspeeched man to Drupada; let him carry for them (the Pandavas) a large treasure with him.
मिथः कृत्यं च तस्मै च आदाय वसु गच्छतु। वृद्धिं च परमां ब्रूयात् त्वत्संयोगोद्भवां तथा॥ सम्प्रीयमाणं त्वां ब्रूयाद् राजन् दुर्योधनं तथा। असकृद् द्रुपदे चैव धृष्टद्युम्ने च भारत॥
Let him take costly presents with him for both the bridegroom and the bride and let him speak to him (Draupada) the increase of your power and dignity that has been secured by this alliance. O king, let him say to Draupada and Dhrishtadyumna that both you and Duryodhana have become exceedingly glad by all that has happened.
उचितत्वं प्रियत्वं च योगस्यापि च वर्णयेत्। पुनः पुनश्च कौन्तेयान् माद्रीपुत्रौ च सान्त्वयन्॥
Let him say that the alliance has been exceedingly proper and it has become very picasing to you and that you are quite worthy of it. Let him repeatedly propitiate the sons of Kunti and the two sons of Madri.
हिरण्मयानि शुभ्राणि बहून्याभरणानि च। वचनात् तव राजेन्द्र द्रौपद्याः सम्प्रयच्छतु॥
O king, let many brilliant golden ornaments at your command be given to Draupadi.
तथा दुपदपुत्राणां सर्वेषां भरतर्षभ। पाण्डवानां च सर्वेषां कुन्त्या युक्तानि यानि च॥
O best of the Bharata race, let proper presents be given to all the sons of Drupada and all the Pandavas with (their mother) Kunti.
एवं सान्त्वसमायुक्तं द्रुपदं पाण्डवैः सह। उक्त्वा सोऽनन्तरं ब्रूयात् तेषामागमनं प्रति॥
Thus propitiating Drupada with the Pandavas, he should then propose their return (10 Hastinapur).
अनुज्ञातेषु वीरेषु बलं गच्छतु शोभनम्। दुःशासनो विकर्णश्चाप्यानेतुं पाण्डवानिह॥
When those heroes will get the permission (of Drupada) to come here, let Dushasana and Vikarna go with a magnificent army to receive the Pandavas.
ततस्ते पाण्डवाः श्रेष्ठाः पूज्यमानाः सदा त्वया। प्रकृतीनामनुमते पदे स्थास्यन्ति पैतृके॥
Let those best of the Kurus, the sons of Pandu, always be treated by you with affection and let them be installed in their paternal kingdoin as desired by the people.
एतत् तव महाराज पुत्रेषु तेषु चैव हि। वृत्तयौपयिकं मन्ये भीष्मेण सह भारत॥
O descendant of Bharata, in my opinion and that of Bhishma, this should be your conduct towards the Pandavas, who stand to you in the relation of your own sons.
कर्ण उवाच योजितावर्थमानाभ्यां सर्वकार्येष्वनन्तरौ। न मन्त्रयेतां त्वच्छ्रेयः किमद्भुततरं ततः॥
Karna said : These two (Bhishma and Drona) are supported by your wealth and favours. They are supposed to be your best friends. What can be more surprising than they should give you advice that is not for your good!
दुष्टेन मनसा यो वै प्रच्छन्नेनान्तरात्मना। ब्रूयान्निःश्रेयसं नाम कथं कुर्यात् सतां मतम्॥
How can the wise accept the advice which is pronounced good by the man who speaks with wicked intention, taking care to conceal the wickedness of his heart?
न मित्राण्यर्थकृच्छ्रेषु श्रेयसे चेतराय वा। विधिपूर्वं हि सर्वस्य दुःखं वा यदि वा सुखम्॥
Friends can neither do good nor harm in distress. man's happiness or misery depends on Destiny alone.
कृतप्रज्ञोऽकृतप्रज्ञो बालो वृद्धश्च मानवः। ससहायोऽसहायश्च सर्वं सर्वत्र विन्दति॥
He who is wise, or he who is a fool, he who is old or he who is a child, he who has friends or he who has no friends, becomes happy or unhappy everywhere.
श्रूयते हि पुरा कश्चिदम्बुवीच इतीश्वरः। आसीद् राजगृहे राजा मागधानां महीक्षिताम्॥
We have heard that there was a king of old, named Ambuvich, who was the king at Rajgriha over the Magadhas.
स हीनः करणैः सर्वैरुच्छ्वासपरमो नृपः। अमात्यसंस्थ: सर्वेषु कार्येष्वेवाभवत् तदा॥
He was a king who never looked to his affairs. All he did was to inhale and exhale the air. All his affairs were in the hands of his ministers.
तस्यामात्यो महाकर्णिर्बभूवैकेश्वरस्तदा। स लब्धवलमात्मानं मन्यमानोऽवमन्यते॥
He had a minister, named Mahakarni, who became the supreme lord of his kingdom Regarding that all authority had been gained, he even disregarded the king.
स राज्ञ उपभोग्यानि स्त्रियो रत्नधनानि च। आददे सर्वशो मूढ ऐश्वर्यं च स्वयं तदा॥
The fool himself appropriated everything belonging to the king, including his articles of luxury, his women, his jewels and his sovereignty.
तदादाय च लुब्धस्य लोभाल्लोभोऽप्यवर्धत। तथा हि सर्वमादाय राज्यमस्य जिहीर्षति॥
Having secured them all, that avaricious man's avarice only increased; and having appropriated all, he coveted his kingdom.
हीनस्य करणैः सर्वैरुच्छ्वासपरमस्य च। यतमानोऽपि तद् राज्यं न शशाकेति नः श्रुतम्॥
We have heard that with all his endeavours he did not succeed to get the kingdom, although the king did not look to his affairs and only breathed the air.
किमन्यद् विहिता नूनं तस्य सा पुरुषेन्द्रता। यदि ते विहितं राज्यं भविष्यति विशाम्पते॥ मिषतः सर्वलोकस्य स्थास्यते त्वयि तद् ध्रुवम्। अतोऽन्यथा चेद् विहितं यतमानो न लप्स्यसे॥
O king, what else human exertion can be said to have been in him than that the kingdom was dependent on his Destiny. If this kingdom be fixed in you by destiny. It will certainly remain in you, notwithstanding the enmity of all the worlds. If otherwise, however you may try, it will never remain in you.
एवं विद्वन्नपादत्स्व मन्त्रिणां साध्वसाधुताम्। दुष्टानां चैव बोद्धव्यमदुष्टानां च भाषितम्॥
You are learned, therefore, remembering all this, judge of the honesty and dishonesty of your ministers. Ascertain also who amongst them are wicked and who have spoken wisely and well.
द्रोण उवाच विद्म ते भावदोषेण यदर्थमिदमुच्यते। दुष्ट पाण्डवहेतोस्त्वं दोषमाख्यापयस्युत॥
Drona said: Wicked as you are, you say so out of the wickedness of your intentions. It is to injure the Pandavas, you find fault with us.
हितं तु परमं कर्ण ब्रवीमि कुलवर्धनम्। अथ त्वं मन्यसे दुष्टं ब्रूहि यत् परमं हितम्॥
O Karna, know that what I have said is good for all. This is for the prosperity of the Kuru race. If you consider it as productive of evil, tell yourself what is the great good.
अतोऽन्यथा चेत् क्रियते यद् ब्रवीमि परं हितम्। कुरवो वै विनक्षयन्ति नचिरेणैव मे मतिः॥
If the advice, productive of great good that I have given, is not followed, my opinion is that the Kurus will be exterminated.