वैशम्पायन उवाच अस्मिन्नेवान्तरे वाक्ये पुनरेवार्जुनोऽब्रवीत्। निविण्णमनसं ज्येष्ठमिदं भ्रातरमच्युतम्॥
After this, Arjuna again said to his eldest brother of unfading glory, king Yudhishthira of cheerless heart :
क्षत्रधर्मेण धर्मज्ञ प्राप्य राज्यं सुदुर्लभम्। जित्वा चारीन् नरश्रेष्ठ तप्यते किं भृशं भवान्॥
'O you who are conversant with every kind of duty, having by the practise of Kshatriya duties acquired sovereignty that is so very difficult of acquisition, and having defeated all your foes, why do you grieve.
क्षत्रियाणां महाराज संग्रामे निधनं मतम्। विशिष्टं बहुभिर्यज्ञैः क्षत्रधर्ममंनुस्मर॥
O king, as regards Kshatriyas, death in battle is regarded more meritorious for them than the celebration of various sacrifices. it is so laid down in the ordinance that describes the duties of Kshatriyas.
ब्राह्मणानां तपस्त्यागः प्रेत्य धर्मविधिः स्मृतः। क्षत्रियाणां च निधनं संग्रामे विहितं प्रभो॥
Penances and Renunciation constitute the duties of Brahmanas. Such is also the ordinance about the next world, Indeed, O powerful one, death in battle is laid down for Kshatriyas.
क्षात्रधर्मो महारौद्रःशस्त्रनित्य इति स्मृतः। वधश्च भरतश्रेष्ठ काले शस्त्रेण संयुगे॥
The duties of Kshatriyas are highly dreadful and are always connected with the use of weapons, and it has been ordained, O chief of the Bharatas, that they should, when the time comes, die by weapons on the field of battle.
ब्राह्मणस्यापि चेद् राजन् क्षत्रधर्मेण वर्ततः। प्रशस्तं जीवितं लोके क्षत्रं हि ब्रह्मसम्भवम्॥
The life of even a Brahmana, O king, who follows the observances of a Kshatriya, is not blameable, for Kshatriyas also have originated from Brahman.
न त्यागो न पुनर्यज्ञो न तपो मनुजेश्वर। क्षत्रियस्य विधीयन्ते न परस्वोपजीवनम्॥
Neither Renunciation, nor Sacrifice, nor Penances, nor dependence on the wealth of others, O king, has been laid down for Kshatriyas.
स भवान् सर्वधर्मज्ञो धर्मात्मा भरतर्षभ। राजा मनीषी निपुणो लोके दृष्टपरावरः॥ त्यक्त्वा संतापजं शोकं दंशितो भव कर्मणि। क्षत्रियस्य विशेषेण हृदयं वज्रसंनिभम्॥
You know full well all duties, and you are of righteous soul, O foremost of Bharata's race. You are a wise king, of skilful deeds, You can discriminate what is right in this world from what is wrong. Shaking off this cheerlessness begotten by repentance engage in action vigorously. The heart of a Kshatriya is hard as adamant.
जित्वारीन् क्षत्रधर्मेण प्राप्य राज्यमकण्टकम्। विजितात्मा मनुष्येन्द्र यज्ञदानपरो भव॥
Having by the performance of Kshatriya duties defeated your foes and acquired empire without a throne in its side, control your soul, O king, and be engaged in the performance of sacrifices and the practice of charity.
इन्द्रो वै ब्रह्मणः पुत्रः क्षत्रियः कर्मणाभवत्। ज्ञातीनां पापवृत्तीनां जघान नवतीनव॥
Indra himself, though a Brahmana, become a Kshatriya in his deeds, and fought with his sinful kinsmen for eight hundred and ten times.
तच्चास्य कर्म पूज्यं च प्रशस्यं च विशाम्पते। तेनेन्द्रत्वं समापेदे देवानामिति नः श्रुतम्॥
Those acts of his, o king, deserve every commendation. Through them, as we have heard, he became the king of the gods.
स त्वं यज्ञैर्महाराज यजस्व बहुदक्षिणैः। यथैवेन्द्रो मनुष्येन्द्र चिराय विगतज्वरः॥
Do you, therefore, O monarch, celebrate sacrifices with profuse presents even as Indra did, Cking, and thereby free yourself from your fever.
मम त्वमेवं गते किंचिच्छोचेथाः क्षत्रियर्षभ। गतास्ते क्षत्रधर्मेण शस्त्रपूताः परां गतिम्॥
Do not, O foremost of Kshatriyas grieve th... for what is gone. They that have been killed have attained to the highest end, purified by weapons and agreeably to the ordinances of the Kshatriyas religion.
भवितव्यं तथा तच्च यद् वृत्तं भरतर्षभ। दिष्टं हि राजशार्दूल न शक्यमतिवर्तितुम्॥
That which has taken place was ordained to take place. Destiny, O foremost of kings, is incapable of being resisted.