The Kauravas' Return and Dhritarashtra's Pretence

Verse 1 (1.219.1)

वृत्ते स्वयंवरे चैव राजानः सर्व एव ते । यथागतं विप्रजग्मुर्विदित्वा पाण्डवान्वृतान् ॥

vṛtte svayaṃvare caiva rājānaḥ sarva eva te | yathāgataṃ viprajagmurviditvā pāṇḍavānvṛtān

When the svayamvara was over, all those kings, learning that the Pandavas had been chosen, went back the way they had come.

Verse 2 (1.219.2)

अथ दुर्योधनो राजा विमना भ्रातृभिः सह । अश्वत्थाम्ना मातुलेन कर्णेन च कृपेण च ॥

atha duryodhano rājā vimanā bhrātṛbhiḥ saha | aśvatthāmnā mātulena karṇena ca kṛpeṇa ca

Then King Duryodhana, downcast, together with his brothers, with Ashvatthaman, his maternal uncle Shakuni, Karna and Kripa,

Verse 3 (1.219.3)

विनिवृत्तो वृतं दृष्ट्वा द्रौपद्या श्वेतवाहनम् । तं तु दुःशासनोऽव्रीडो मन्दंमन्दमिवाब्रवीत् ॥

vinivṛtto vṛtaṃ dṛṣṭvā draupadyā śvetavāhanam | taṃ tu duḥśāsano'vrīḍo mandaṃmandamivābravīt

turned back, having seen Draupadi choose the rider of white horses, Arjuna. Then the shameless Duhshasana spoke to him in a low voice, slowly, as it were:

Verse 4 (1.219.4)

यद्यसौ ब्राह्मणो न स्याद्विन्देत द्रौपदीं न सः । न हि तं तत्त्वतो राजन्वेद कश्चिद्धनंजयम् ॥

yadyasau brāhmaṇo na syādvindeta draupadīṃ na saḥ | na hi taṃ tattvato rājanveda kaściddhanaṃjayam

Had he not been a brahmin, he would never have won Draupadi; for no one, O king, knew him for what he truly was, Dhananjaya.

Note on the text: Duhshasana's speech (verses 4–9) has no printed speaker heading; verse 3 introduces it.

Verse 5 (1.219.5)

दैवं च परमं मन्ये पौरुषं चाप्यनर्थकम् । धिगस्तु पौरुषं मन्त्रं यद्धरन्तीह पाण्डवाः ॥

daivaṃ ca paramaṃ manye pauruṣaṃ cāpyanarthakam | dhigastu pauruṣaṃ mantraṃ yaddharantīha pāṇḍavāḥ

I hold fate to be supreme and human effort to be useless. A curse on such effort and such counsel, when the Pandavas carry off the prize here!

Verse 6 (1.219.6)

बद्ध्वा चक्षूंषि नः पार्था राज्ञां च द्रुपदात्मजाम् । उद्वाह्य राज्ञां तैर्न्यस्तो वामः पादः पृथासुतैः ॥

baddhvā cakṣūṃṣi naḥ pārthā rājñāṃ ca drupadātmajām | udvāhya rājñāṃ tairnyasto vāmaḥ pādaḥ pṛthāsutaiḥ

The Parthas have blindfolded us and the kings alike and carried off Drupada's daughter in marriage; the sons of Pritha have set their left foot upon the kings.

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (backtick) opening a bracketed passage. Corrected बध्वा → बद्ध्वा (misprint in Wikisource; the absolutive of बन्ध्, as in the critical apparatus "baddhvā"). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (CE apparatus 1.192.12*1941.)

Verse 7 (1.219.7)

विमुक्ताः कथमेतेन जतुवेश्महविर्भुजा । अस्माकं पौरुषं सत्वं बुद्धिश्चापि गता ततः ॥

vimuktāḥ kathametena jatuveśmahavirbhujā | asmākaṃ pauruṣaṃ satvaṃ buddhiścāpi gatā tataḥ

How did they escape from this fire of the house of lac? Our manhood, our courage and our wits have all been lost since then.

Note on the text: Corrected जतुवेश्मविर्भुजः → जतुवेश्महविर्भुजा (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara ह leaves the pada one syllable short and the word meaningless; the critical apparatus reads "jatuveśmahavirbhujā", agreeing with एतेन). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (CE apparatus 1.192.12*1941.)

Verse 8 (1.219.8)

वयं हता मातुलाद्य विश्वस्य च पुरोचनम् । अदग्ध्वा पाण्डवानेतान्स्वयं दग्धो हुताशने ॥

vayaṃ hatā mātulādya viśvasya ca purocanam | adagdhvā pāṇḍavānetānsvayaṃ dagdho hutāśane

We are undone today, uncle. We trusted Purochana, and without burning these Pandavas he was himself burnt in the fire.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (CE apparatus 1.192.12*1941.)

Verse 9 (1.219.9)

मत्तो मातुल मन्येऽहं पाण्डवा बुद्धिमत्तराः । तेषां नास्ति भयं मृत्योर्मुक्तानां जतुवेश्मनः ॥

matto mātula manye'haṃ pāṇḍavā buddhimattarāḥ | teṣāṃ nāsti bhayaṃ mṛtyormuktānāṃ jatuveśmanaḥ

I think, uncle, that the Pandavas are cleverer than I am. Having escaped from the house of lac, they have no fear of death.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (CE apparatus 1.192.12*1941.)

Verse 10 (1.219.10)

एवं संभाषमाणास्ते निन्दन्तश्च पुरोचनम् । पञ्चपुत्रां किरातीं च विदुरं च महामतिम् ॥

evaṃ saṃbhāṣamāṇāste nindantaśca purocanam | pañcaputrāṃ kirātīṃ ca viduraṃ ca mahāmatim

Talking in this way, they blamed Purochana, the Kirata woman with her five sons, and the wise Vidura;

Note on the text: Speaker heading misprinted "वैशंपावयन" in Wikisource; read as वैशम्पायन. Removed stray wiki marks (an extra double danda and a closing quote mark). The first line is the critical edition's 1.192.13ab; the second line is in the vulgate only (CE apparatus 1.192.13*1942).

Verse 11 (1.219.11)

विविशुर्हास्तिनपुरं दीना विगतचेतसः ॥

viviśurhāstinapuraṃ dīnā vigatacetasaḥ

and, dejected and dazed, they entered Hastinapura.

Note on the text: A single line in Wikisource (its 11a); it is the critical edition's 1.192.13cd, completing the previous verse.

Verse 12 (1.219.12)

त्रस्ता विगतसंकल्पा दृष्ट्वा पार्थान्महौजसः । मुक्तान्हव्यभुजश्चैव संयुक्तान्द्रुपदेन च ॥

trastā vigatasaṃkalpā dṛṣṭvā pārthānmahaujasaḥ | muktānhavyabhujaścaiva saṃyuktāndrupadena ca

They were frightened, and their plans had come to nothing, for they had seen the mighty Parthas freed from the fire and joined with Drupada,

Verse 13 (1.219.13)

धृष्टद्युम्नं तु संचिन्त्य तथैव च शिखण्डिनम् । द्रुपदस्यात्मजांश्चान्यान्सर्वयुद्धविशारदान् ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ tu saṃcintya tathaiva ca śikhaṇḍinam | drupadasyātmajāṃścānyānsarvayuddhaviśāradān

and they thought of Dhrishtadyumna, and of Shikhandin too, and of Drupada's other sons, all skilled in every kind of warfare.

Verse 14 (1.219.14)

विदुरस्त्वथ ताञ्श्रुत्वा द्रौपद्या पाण्डवान्वृतान् । व्रीडितान्धार्तराष्ट्रांश्च भग्नदर्पानुपागतान् ॥

vidurastvatha tāñśrutvā draupadyā pāṇḍavānvṛtān | vrīḍitāndhārtarāṣṭrāṃśca bhagnadarpānupāgatān

Vidura, hearing that the Pandavas had been chosen by Draupadi and that the sons of Dhritarashtra had come back abashed, their pride broken,

Verse 15 (1.219.15)

ततः प्रीतमनाः क्षत्ता धृतराष्ट्रं विशांपते । उवाच दिष्ट्या कुरवो वर्धन्त इति विस्मितः ॥

tataḥ prītamanāḥ kṣattā dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ viśāṃpate | uvāca diṣṭyā kuravo vardhanta iti vismitaḥ

the steward was glad at heart, O lord of the people, and in wonder he said to Dhritarashtra, "By good fortune the Kurus prosper!"

Note on the text: Corrected वर्ध्त → वर्धन्त (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, as in the critical edition "vardhanta").

Verse 16 (1.219.16)

वैचित्रवीर्यस्तु नृपो निशम्य विदुरस्य तत् । अब्रवीत्परमप्रीतो दिष्ट्या दिष्ट्येति भारत ॥

vaicitravīryastu nṛpo niśamya vidurasya tat | abravītparamaprīto diṣṭyā diṣṭyeti bhārata

Hearing these words of Vidura, King Vaichitravirya, O Bharata, was overjoyed and said, "What good fortune! What good fortune!"

Verse 17 (1.219.17)

मन्यते स वृतं पुत्रं ज्येष्ठं द्रुपदकन्यया । दुर्योधनमविज्ञानात्प्रज्ञाचक्षुर्नरेश्वरः ॥

manyate sa vṛtaṃ putraṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ drupadakanyayā | duryodhanamavijñānātprajñācakṣurnareśvaraḥ

For the king, whose only eyes were his wisdom, believed in his ignorance that his eldest son Duryodhana had been chosen by Drupada's daughter.

Verse 18 (1.219.18)

अथ त्वाज्ञापयामास द्रौपद्या भूषणं बहु । आनीयतां वै कृष्णेति पुत्रं दुर्योधनं तदा ॥

atha tvājñāpayāmāsa draupadyā bhūṣaṇaṃ bahu | ānīyatāṃ vai kṛṣṇeti putraṃ duryodhanaṃ tadā

Then he ordered many ornaments for Draupadi, and said to his son Duryodhana, "Let Krishna be brought here."

Verse 19 (1.219.19)

अथ स्म पश्चाद्विदुर आचख्यावम्बिकात्मजम् । कौरव्या इति सामान्यान्न मन्येथास्तवात्मजान् ॥

atha sma paścādvidura ācakhyāvambikātmajam | kauravyā iti sāmānyānna manyethāstavātmajān

Afterwards Vidura explained to the son of Ambika: "Do not take the word 'Kauravas' to mean your own sons alone, for the name is common to both."

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (backtick) opening a bracketed passage. The first line is a variant of the critical edition's 1.192.21ab; the second line is in the vulgate only (CE apparatus 1.192.21*1947).

Verse 20 (1.219.20)

वर्धन्त इति मद्वाक्याद्वर्धिताः पाण्डुनन्दनाः । कृष्णया संवृताः पार्था विमुक्ता राजसङ्गरात् ॥

vardhanta iti madvākyādvardhitāḥ pāṇḍunandanāḥ | kṛṣṇayā saṃvṛtāḥ pārthā vimuktā rājasaṅgarāt

When I said "they prosper", I meant that the sons of Pandu have prospered. The Parthas have been chosen by Krishna and have come safely out of the clash with the kings.

Note on the text: Vidura's speech continues without a printed heading (Wikisource carries "वैशंपावयन" over from verse 10). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (CE apparatus 1.192.21*1947.)

Verse 21 (1.219.21)

दिष्ट्या कुशलिनो राजन्पूजिता द्रुपदेन च ॥

diṣṭyā kuśalino rājanpūjitā drupadena ca

By good fortune, O king, they are well, and Drupada has honoured them.

Note on the text: A single line in Wikisource (its 21a); a variant of the critical edition's 1.192.21cd, here spoken by Vidura.

Verse 22 (1.219.22)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं विदुरस्य नराधिपः । आकारच्छादनार्थाय दिष्ट्यादिष्ट्येति चाब्रवीत् ॥

etacchrutvā tu vacanaṃ vidurasya narādhipaḥ | ākāracchādanārthāya diṣṭyādiṣṭyeti cābravīt

Hearing these words of Vidura, the king, to hide his true feelings, said again, "What good fortune! What good fortune!"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (CE apparatus 1.192.21*1949.)

Verse 23 (1.219.23)

एवं विदुर भद्रं ते यदि जीवन्ति पाण्डवाः । न ममौ मे तनौ प्रीतिस्त्वद्वाक्यामृतसंभवा ॥

evaṃ vidura bhadraṃ te yadi jīvanti pāṇḍavāḥ | na mamau me tanau prītistvadvākyāmṛtasaṃbhavā

So it is, Vidura; bless you! If the Pandavas are alive, then the joy born of your nectar-like words is more than my body can hold.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (CE apparatus 1.192.21*1949–1950.)

Verse 24 (1.219.24)

साध्वाचारतया तेषां संबन्धो द्रुपदेन च । बभूव परमश्लाघ्यो दिष्ट्यादिष्ट्येति चाब्रवीत् ॥

sādhvācāratayā teṣāṃ saṃbandho drupadena ca | babhūva paramaślāghyo diṣṭyādiṣṭyeti cābravīt

Through their good conduct they have made an alliance with Drupada, and a most praiseworthy one. And he said once more, "What good fortune! What good fortune!"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (The first line resembles CE apparatus 1.192.21*1949.)

Verse 25 (1.219.25)

अन्ववाये वसोर्जातः प्रवरे मात्स्यके कुले । वृत्तविद्यातपोवृद्धः पार्थिवानां च संमतः ॥

anvavāye vasorjātaḥ pravare mātsyake kule | vṛttavidyātapovṛddhaḥ pārthivānāṃ ca saṃmataḥ

Drupada was born in the line of Vasu, in the eminent house of the Matsyas; he is rich in conduct, learning and austerity, and esteemed among kings.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (CE apparatus 1.192.21*1949.)

Verse 26 (1.219.26)

पुत्राश्चास्य तथा पौत्राः सर्वे सुचरितव्रताः । तेषां संबन्धिनश्चान्ये बहवः सुमहाबलाः ॥

putrāścāsya tathā pautrāḥ sarve sucaritavratāḥ | teṣāṃ saṃbandhinaścānye bahavaḥ sumahābalāḥ

His sons and grandsons, too, are all faithful to good vows, and many other kinsmen of theirs are exceedingly mighty.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (CE apparatus 1.192.21*1949 and 1.192.22*1953.)

Verse 27 (1.219.27)

यथैव पाण्डोः पुत्रास्ते ततोऽप्यभ्यधिका मम । सेयमभ्यधिकान्येभ्यो वृत्तिर्विदुर मे मता ॥

yathaiva pāṇḍoḥ putrāste tato'pyabhyadhikā mama | seyamabhyadhikānyebhyo vṛttirvidura me matā

As they are Pandu's sons, so they are mine, and even more. This regard of mine for them, Vidura, I count greater than for any others.

Note on the text: A variant of the critical edition's 1.192.22ab.

Verse 28 (1.219.28)

या प्रीतिः पाण्डुपुत्रेषु न साऽन्यत्र ममाभिभो । नित्योऽयं चिन्तितः क्षत्तः सत्यं सत्येन ते शपे ॥

yā prītiḥ pāṇḍuputreṣu na sā'nyatra mamābhibho | nityo'yaṃ cintitaḥ kṣattaḥ satyaṃ satyena te śape

The love I bear the sons of Pandu I bear for no one else, my lord. I have always held this in my thoughts, steward; I swear it to you truly, by the truth.

Note on the text: Corrected सत्यं सत्येन शपे → सत्यं सत्येन ते शपे (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara leaves the pada one syllable short; the critical apparatus reads "satyaṃ satyena te śape"). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (CE apparatus 1.192.22*1952.)

Verse 29 (1.219.29)

यत्ते कुशलिनो वीराः पाण्डुपुत्रा महारथाः । मित्रवन्तोऽभवन्पुत्रा दुर्योधनमुखास्तथा ॥

yatte kuśalino vīrāḥ pāṇḍuputrā mahārathāḥ | mitravanto'bhavanputrā duryodhanamukhāstathā

Because those heroes, the sons of Pandu, great chariot-warriors, are safe and well, my sons led by Duryodhana have also gained friends.

Note on the text: The first line is a variant of the critical edition's 1.192.22ef; the second line is in the vulgate only (CE apparatus 1.192.22*1955).

Verse 30 (1.219.30)

मया श्रुतं यदा वह्नेर्दग्धाः पाण्डुसुता इति । तदाऽदह्यं दिवारात्रं न भोक्ष्ये न स्वपामि च ॥

mayā śrutaṃ yadā vahnerdagdhāḥ pāṇḍusutā iti | tadā'dahyaṃ divārātraṃ na bhokṣye na svapāmi ca

When I heard that the sons of Pandu had been burnt in the fire, I burned day and night; I would not eat, and I did not sleep.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (CE apparatus 1.192.22*1955.)

Verse 31 (1.219.31)

असहायाश्च मे पुत्रा लूनपक्षा इव द्विजाः । तत्त्वतः शृणु मे क्षत्तः सुसहायाः सुता मम । अद्य वै स्थिरसाम्राज्यमाचन्द्रार्कं ममाभवत् ॥

asahāyāśca me putrā lūnapakṣā iva dvijāḥ | tattvataḥ śṛṇu me kṣattaḥ susahāyāḥ sutā mama | adya vai sthirasāmrājyamācandrārkaṃ mamābhavat

My sons were without support, like birds with their wings clipped. Hear the truth from me, steward: now my sons have strong allies, and today my sovereignty has become secure for as long as the moon and the sun endure.

Note on the text: Corrected असहायाश्चं → असहायाश्च (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara, as in the critical apparatus "asahāyāś ca"). Removed stray wiki marks (an extra double danda and a closing quote mark). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (CE apparatus 1.192.22*1955.)

Verse 32 (1.219.32)

को हि द्रुपदमासाद्य मित्रं क्षत्तः सबान्धवम् । न बुभूषेद्भवेनार्थी गतश्रीरपि पार्थिवः ॥

ko hi drupadamāsādya mitraṃ kṣattaḥ sabāndhavam | na bubhūṣedbhavenārthī gataśrīrapi pārthivaḥ

For what king, steward, even one whose fortune is gone, would not, if he sought prosperity, wish to rise again once he had won Drupada and his kinsmen as friends?

Verse 33 (1.219.33)

तं तथा भाषमाणं तु विदुरः प्रत्यभाषत । नित्यं भवतु ते बुद्धिरेषा राजञ्छतं समाः । इत्युक्त्वा प्रययौ राजन्विदुरः स्वं निवेशनम् ॥

taṃ tathā bhāṣamāṇaṃ tu viduraḥ pratyabhāṣata | nityaṃ bhavatu te buddhireṣā rājañchataṃ samāḥ | ityuktvā prayayau rājanviduraḥ svaṃ niveśanam

As he spoke in this way, Vidura answered him, "May this resolve of yours, O king, last always, for a hundred years." With these words, O king, Vidura went to his own house.

Note on the text: The first two lines are the critical edition's 1.192.24; the third line is in the vulgate only (CE apparatus 1.192.24*1957).

Verse 34 (1.219.34)

ततो दुर्योधनश्चापि राधेयश्च विशांपते । धृतराष्ट्रमुपागम्य वचोऽब्रूतामिदं तदा ॥

tato duryodhanaścāpi rādheyaśca viśāṃpate | dhṛtarāṣṭramupāgamya vaco'brūtāmidaṃ tadā

Then Duryodhana and Radheya, O lord of the people, came to Dhritarashtra and said this to him:

Verse 35 (1.219.35)

सन्निधौ विदुरस्य त्वां दोषं वक्तुं न शक्नुवः । विविक्तमिति वक्ष्यावः किं तवेदं चिकीर्षितम् ॥

sannidhau vidurasya tvāṃ doṣaṃ vaktuṃ na śaknuvaḥ | viviktamiti vakṣyāvaḥ kiṃ tavedaṃ cikīrṣitam

In Vidura's presence we could not speak to you of your fault. Now that we are alone we will say it: what is this that you mean to do?

Note on the text: The joint speech of Duryodhana and Karna (verses 35–38, in the dual) has no printed speaker heading; verse 34 introduces it.

Verse 36 (1.219.36)

सपत्नवृद्धिं यत्तात मन्यसे वृद्धिमात्मनः । अभिष्टौषि च यत्क्षत्तुः समीपे द्विपदांवर ॥

sapatnavṛddhiṃ yattāta manyase vṛddhimātmanaḥ | abhiṣṭauṣi ca yatkṣattuḥ samīpe dvipadāṃvara

Father, you take your rivals' growth for your own, and in the steward's presence, best of men, you sing their praises.

Verse 37 (1.219.37)

अन्यस्मिन्नृप कर्तव्ये त्वमन्यत्कुरुषेऽनघ । तेषां बलविघातो हि कर्तव्यस्तात नित्यशः ॥

anyasminnṛpa kartavye tvamanyatkuruṣe'nagha | teṣāṃ balavighāto hi kartavyastāta nityaśaḥ

When one thing ought to be done, O king, you do another, sinless one. Their strength, father, must be broken at every turn.

Verse 38 (1.219.38)

ते वयं प्राप्तकालस्य चिकीर्षां मन्त्रयामहे । यथा नो न ग्रसेयुस्ते सपुत्रबलबान्धवान् ॥

te vayaṃ prāptakālasya cikīrṣāṃ mantrayāmahe | yathā no na graseyuste saputrabalabāndhavān

So we are taking counsel on what the hour demands, so that they do not swallow us up together with our sons, our forces and our kin.