युधिष्ठिर उवाच सम्राङ्गणमभीप्सन् वै युष्मान् स्वार्थपरायणः। कथं प्रहिणुयां कृष्ण सोऽहं केवलसाहसात्॥
Yudhishthira said O Krishna, depending only on courage, how can I send you (to Jarasandha) out of selfish motives and out of the desire of the imperial dignity?
भीमार्जुनावुभौ नेत्रे मनो मन्ये जनार्दनम्। मनश्चक्षुर्विहीनस्य कीदृशं जीवितं भवेत्॥
I consider Bhima and Arjuna as my eyes and you Jarasandha as my mind. How shall I able to live without my eyes and mind?
जरासन्धबलं प्राप्य दुष्पारं भीमविक्रमम्। यमोऽपि न विजेताऽऽजौ तत्र वः किं विचेष्टितम्॥
Even Yama cannot defeat the powerful army of Jarasandha who himself is endued with terrible velour. What velour can you show against him?
अस्मिंस्त्वर्थान्तरे युक्तमनर्थः प्रतिपद्यते। तस्मान्न प्रतपत्तिस्तु कार्या युक्ता मता मम॥
This affair that promises to terminate Otherwise may lead to a great mischief. It is my opinion, therefore, that the proposed task should not be undertaken.
यथाहं विमृशाम्येकस्तत् तावच्छूयतां मम। संन्यासं रोचये साधु कार्यस्यास्य जनार्दन। प्रतिहन्ति मनो मेऽद्य राजसूयो दुराहरः॥
O Jarasandha, O excellent man, listen to what I think. To desist from this act seems to be beneficial to me. My heart is full of misery to-day. The Rajasuya sacrifice seems to me very difficult to be accomplished.
वैशम्पायन उवाच पार्थः प्राप्य धनुः श्रेष्ठमक्षय्ये च महेषुधी। रथं ध्वजं सभां चैव युधिष्ठिरमभाषत॥
Vaishampayana said Partha (Arjuna who had the excellent bow(Gandiva), the couple of inexhaustible quivers and the car with the (Ape) standard and also that Sabha, spoke thus to Yudhishthira.
अर्जुन उवाच धनुः शस्त्रं शरा वीर्यं पक्षो भूमिर्यशो बलम्। प्राप्तमेतन्मया राजन् दुष्प्रापं यदभीप्सितम्॥
Arjuna said O king, I have obtained the bow, the weapons and the arrows, and also energy, allies, dominions, fame and strength. They are all difficult to be obtained, though they may be often desired.
कुले जन्म प्रशंसन्ति वैद्याः साधु सुनिष्ठिता। बलेन सदृशं नास्ति वीर्यं तु मम रोचते॥
All famous men of learning always praise in good society the nobleness of descent; but nothing is equal to prowess. There is nothing I like more thari prowess.
कृतवीर्यकुले जातो निर्वीर्यः किं करिष्यति। निर्वीर्य तु कुले जातो वीर्यवांस्तु विशिष्यते॥
One, born in a race famous for velour, but without velour, is scarcely worthy of regard. One who is born in a race noted for velour and also possesses valour is much superior to the former.
क्षत्रियः सर्वशो राजन् यस्य वृत्तिर्दिषज्ज्ये। सर्वैर्गुणैर्विहीनोऽपि वीर्यवान् हि तरेद् रिपून्॥
O king, he is in every way a real Kshatriya who increases his fame and possessions by the subjugation of his enemies. He who is possessed of velour, though he has no other merits, will vanquish his enemies.
सर्वैरपि गुणैर्युक्तो निर्वीयः किं करिष्यति। गुणीभूता गुणाः सर्वे तिष्ठन्ति हि पराक्रमे॥
One, who is endued with all accomplishments, but who is destitute of velour, can hardly ever accomplish any thing. Every merit exists by the side of velour in an incipient state.
जयस्य हेतुः सिद्धिर्हि कर्म दैवं च संश्रितम्। संयुक्तो हि बलैः कश्चित् प्रमादान्नोपयुज्यते॥ तेन द्वारेण शत्रुभ्यः क्षीयते सबलो रिपुः॥ दैन्यं यथा बलवति तथा मोहो बलान्विते। तावुभौ नाशकौ हेतू राज्ञा त्याज्यौ जयार्थिना॥
Concentration of mind, exertion and destiny, (these three) exist as the three causes of victory. One who possesses velour, but does act with carelessness can never win victory; It is for this that a many endued with strength sometimes suffers death at the hands of his enemies. As meanness overtakes the weak, so folly sometimes overtakes the strong. A king therefore, who is desirous of victory, should forsake both these causes of destruction.
जरासंधविनाशं च राज्ञां च परिरक्षणम्। यदि कुर्याम यज्ञार्थं किं ततः परमं भवेत्॥
If for the purpose of performing out sacrifice, we try to kill Jarasandha and to rescue the kings kept prisoners by him for his cruel purpose, there could be no act higher than this in which we could employ ourselves.
अनारम्भे हि नियतो भवेदगुणनिश्चयः। गुणानिः संशया राजन् नैर्गुण्यं मन्यसे कथम्॥
If we do not undertake the task, the world will always regard us as worthless. O king, we have certainly the ability, why should we then be regarded (by the people) as worthless?
काषायं सुलभं पश्चान्मुनीनां शममिच्छताम्। साम्राज्यं तु भवेच्छक्यं वयं योत्स्यामहे परान्॥
Those that have become Rishis with the desire of obtaining peace of mind get the red clothes with ease. Therefore, if we defeat the enemy, the imperial dignity will be easily obtained by us. We should, therefore, fight with the enemy.