वैशम्पायन उवाच जामदग्न्य वचः श्रुत्वा कण्वोऽपि भगवानृषिः। दुर्योधनमिदं वाक्यमब्रवीत् कुरुसंसदि॥
Vaishampayana said Hearing the words of the son of Jamadagni, the illustrious Rishi Kanva addressed these words to Duryodhana in the assembly of the Kurus.
कण्व उवाच अक्षयश्चाव्ययश्चैव ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः। तथैव भगवन्तौ तौ नरनारायणावृषी॥
Kanva said Brahma, the grand-father of this world, is eternal and undecaying; of the same nature are the two divine Rishis, Nara and Narayana.
आदित्यानां हि सर्वेषां विष्णुरेकः सनातनः। अक्षय्यश्चाव्ययश्चैव शाश्वतः प्रभुरीश्वरः॥
Among all sons of Aditi, Vishnu alone is eternal, invincible, undecaying and the divine Lord existing forever.
निमित्तमरणाश्चान्ये चन्द्रसूर्यौ मही जलम्। वायुरग्निस्तथाऽऽकाशं ग्रहास्तारागणास्तथा॥
The others namely the moon, the sun, the earth, the water, the air, the fire and also the sky, the planets and the stars have their end in a cause.
ते च क्षयान्ते जगतो हित्वा लोकत्रयं सदा। क्षयं गच्छन्ति वै सरेवे सृज्यन्ते च पुनः पुनः॥
They, at the final dissolution of the universe, will themselves cease to exist, leaving behind the three worlds and all will be created again and again.
मुहूर्तमरणास्त्वन्ये मानुषा मृगपक्षिणः। तैर्यग्योन्याश्च ये चान्ये जीवलोकचरास्तथा॥
Others there are that die in a short time, namely beings, animals, birds and creatures having their birth among other living beings.
भूयिष्ठेन तु राजानः श्रियं भुक्त्वाऽऽयुषः क्षये। तरुणाः प्रतिपद्यन्ते भोक्तुं सुकृतदुष्कृते॥
The kings, enjoying great prosperity up to the end of their lives, are born anew to enjoy the effects of their good and bad deeds.
स भवान् धर्मपुत्रेण शमं कर्तुमिहार्हति। पाण्डवाः कुरवश्चैव पालयन्तु वसुंधराम्॥
Therefore it is proper for your exalted self to effect peace with Yudhishthira. Let the Pandavas and the Kurus rule the universe.
बलवानहमित्येव न मन्तव्यं सुयोधन। बलवन्तो बलिभ्यो हि दृश्यन्ते पुरुषर्षभ॥
"I am strong", it should not be thought thus, O Suyodhana, for some parties are seen who are stronger than those among men.
न बलं बलिनां मध्ये बलं भवति कौरव। बलवन्तो हि ते सर्वे पाण्डवा देवविक्रमाः॥
Among the really strong, physical strength does not count, O son of Kuru and all the sons of Pandu, who are endued with the strength of the gods, are strong.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। मातलेर्दातुकामस्य कन्या मृगयतो वरम्॥
In this connection is cited the old story of Matali who was desirous of giving away his daughter in marriage and was searching for a bridegroom.
मतस्त्रैलोक्यराजस्य मातलि म सारथिः। तस्यैकैव कुले कन्या रूपतो लोकविश्रुता॥
Such is the story-The king of the three worlds had a driver by the name of Matali. In his family there was born only one daughter who had a great reputation for beauty in this world.
गुणकेशीति विख्याता नाम्ना सा देवरूपिणी। श्रिया च वपुषा चैव स्त्रियोऽन्याः साऽतिरिच्यते॥
She, having celestial beauty, was well known by the name of Gunakeshi and she greatly excelled all women in beauty, physical development and symmetry.
तस्याः प्रदानसमयं मातलिः सह भार्यया। ज्ञात्वा विममृशे राजंस्तत्परः परिचिन्तयन्॥
Matali, along with his wife knowing that the time for giving her away in marriage has arrived, became sorrowful, o king, thinking what to do in the future.
धिकं खल्वलघुशीलानामुच्छ्रितानां यशस्विनाम्। नराणां मृदुसत्त्वानां कुले कन्याप्ररोहणम्॥
Alas! the advent of daughters in the family of men who are of good traditions and know for their greatness and are famous and endued with humility, is attended with bad consequences.
मातुः कुलं पितृकुलं यत्र चैव प्रदीयते। कुलत्रयं संशयितं कुरुते कन्यका सताम्॥
The family of the mother, the family of the father and the family to which she is given away in marriage-these three families among good people are affected by a daughter.
देवमानुषलोकौ द्वौ मानुषेणैव चक्षुषा। अवगाह्मैव विचितौ न च मे रोचते वरः॥
By my human eyes have I searched the two worlds, those of the celestial and human beings and there is no suitable husband for my daughter that pleases me.
कण्व उवाच न देवान् नैव दितिजान् न गन्धर्वान् न मानुषान्। अरोचयद् वरकृते तथैव बहुलानृषीन्॥
Kanva said Among the gods, among those born in the Daitya race, among the Gandharvas and among human beings there was none who pleased him enough t be made the husband of his daughter. The same was the case with the numerous Rishis.
भार्ययाऽनु स सम्मन्त्र्य सह रात्रौ सुधर्मया। मातलि गलोकाय चकार गमने मतिम्॥
Having consulted with his wife, Sudharma, at night (one day), Matali made up his mind to enter the world of the Nagas.
न मे देवमनुष्येषु गुणकेश्याः समो वरः। रूपतो दृश्यते कश्चिन्नागेषु भविता ध्रुवम्॥
Matali said Among gods and men I d not find a suitable husband for Gunakeshi in point of beauty. There must be some one so suitable among the Nagas.
इत्यामन्त्र्य सुधर्मा स कृत्वा चाभिप्रदक्षिणम्। कन्यां शिरस्युपाध्राय प्रविवेश महीतलम्॥
Thus thinking he bade adieu to Sudharma; and, going round his superiors and having smelt the head of his daughter entered the nether regions.