जनमेजय उवाय तथा व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु कुरुक्षेत्रे द्विजर्षभ। किमकुर्वश्च कुरवः कालेनाभिप्रचोदिताः॥
Janamejaya said The army having then been prepared in order for battle, O best among the Bharatas, what did the sons of Kuru, urged as they were by destiny itself, do?
वैशम्पायन उवाच तथा व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु यत्तेषु भरतर्षभ। धृतराष्ट्रो महाराज संजयं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said The army having been prepared in order for battle, 0 Bharata, the great king Dhritarashtra said these words to Sanjaya.
एहि संजय सर्वं मे आचक्ष्वानवशेषतः। सेनानिवेशे यद् वृत्तं कुरुपाण्डवसेनयोः॥
“Come, O Sanjaya, and tell me everything in detail of the steps taken in the matter of encamping the army of the Kurus and the Pandavas.
दिष्टमेव परं मन्ये पौरुषं चाप्यनर्थकम्। यदहं बुद्ध्यमानोऽपियुद्धदोषान् क्षयोदयान्॥
In my opinion luck is the more important factor, manliness and prowess being vain and useless; since I though understanding the disadvantages of war which gives rise only to decay and ruin,
तथापि निकृतिप्रज्ञं पुत्रं दुर्दूतदेविनम्। न शक्नोमि नियन्तुं वा कर्तुं वा हितमात्मनः॥
Can not yet retain my son who considers folly to be wisdom and who is addicted to gambling, and cannot thus effect my own good.
भवत्येव हि मे सूत बुद्धिर्दोषानुदर्शिनी। दुर्योधनं समासाद्य पुनः सा परिवर्तते॥
My understanding is capable, O Suta, of finding out the disadvantage of a particular act but when I approach Duryodhana my understanding fails me.
एवं गते वै यद् भावि तद् भविष्यति संजय। क्षत्रधर्मः किल रणे तनुत्यागो हि पूजितः॥
Such being the case, O Sanjaya, what will happen must happen (in spite of all that I can do to prevent it). Besides it is the honored duty of a Kshatriya to quit this life in battle."
संजय उवाच त्वद्युक्तोऽयमनुप्रश्नो महाराज यथेच्छसि। न तु दुर्योधने दोषमिममाधातुमर्हसि॥
Sanjaya said This question, that you desire to put is worthy of you, O great king, but it is not proper that you should lay the fault entirely on Duryodhana.
शृणुष्वानवशेषेण वदतो मम पार्थिवा य आत्मनो दुश्चरितादशुभं प्राप्नुयानरः। न स कालं न वा देवानेनसा गन्तुमर्हति॥
Listen to the end of my speech in detail regarding this matter; that man, who meets with disasters owing to his own bad acts, should not, properly speaking, lay the fault on time or luck nor on the gods.
महाराज मनुष्येषु निन्द्यं यः सर्वमाचरेत्। स बध्यः सर्वलोकस्य निन्दितानि समाचरन्॥
O great king, he, who behaves sinfully in every thing towards men, ought to be killed by the entire world owing to his sinful behaviour.
निकारा मनुजश्रेष्ठ पाण्डवैस्त्वत्प्रतीक्षया। अनुभूताः सहामात्यैनिकृतैरधिदेवने॥
O foremost among the sons of Manu, the Pandavas, defeated at the game dice, were much persecuted but they bore up all that for they had confidence in you.
हयानां च गजानां च राज्ञां चामिततेजसाम्। वैशसं समरे वृत्तं यत् तन्मे शृणु सर्वशः॥
Hear from me fully of the slaughter that is about to be perpetrated in the battle, of horses, elephants, and kings of immeasurable prowess.
स्थिरो भूत्वा महाप्राज्ञ सर्वलोकक्षयोदयम्। यथाभूतं महायुद्धे श्रुत्वा चैकमना भव॥
Hearing patiently of the massacre of the entire world that is about to take place in the battle, O you of great wisdom, be decided in this point namely.
न ह्येव कर्ता पुरुषः कर्मणोः शुभपापयोः। अस्वतन्त्रो हि पुरुषः कार्यते दारुयन्त्रवत्॥
A man is not the doer of his virtuous or impious acts. In fact a man acts under compulsion like a wooden machine.
केचिदीश्वरनिर्दिष्टाः केचिदेव यदृच्छया। पूर्वकर्मभिरष्यन्ये तेरैधमेतत् प्रदृश्यते। तस्मादनर्थमापन्नः स्थिरो भूत्वा निशामय॥
Some say that each act is made to be done by god himself; others say that action proceeds from our own free will, while others again say that they are the results three opinions held in this matter. Listen therefore patiently to the disaster that is close on us.