Karna and Shakuni Urge Duryodhana to Flaunt His Fortune

Verse 1 (3.238.1)

धृतराष्ट्रस्य तद्वाक्यं निशम्य शकुनिस्तदा । दुर्योधनमिदं काले कर्णेन सहितोऽब्रवीत् ॥

dhṛtarāṣṭrasya tadvākyaṃ niśamya śakunistadā | duryodhanamidaṃ kāle karṇena sahito'bravīt

Having heard those words of Dhritarashtra, Shakuni, together with Karna, then spoke to Duryodhana at a fitting moment.

Note on the text: Wikisource names Shakuni, with Karna, as the speaker; the critical edition reads karṇo vacanam abravīt (Karna, with Saubala, spoke).

Verse 2 (3.238.2)

प्रव्राज्य पाण्डवान्वीरान्स्वेन वीर्येण भारत । भुङ्क्ष्वेमां पृथिवीमेको दिवि शम्बरहायथा ॥

pravrājya pāṇḍavānvīrānsvena vīryeṇa bhārata | bhuṅkṣvemāṃ pṛthivīmeko divi śambarahāyathā

Having driven the heroic Pandavas into exile by your own prowess, Bharata, enjoy this earth alone, as the slayer of Shambara (Indra) enjoys heaven.

Note on the text: The speech of Shakuni and Karna (verses 2–24) has no printed speaker heading; it is given to Shakuni, whom Wikisource's verse 1 names as speaker (verse 25 says both fell silent).

Verse 3 (3.238.3)

तवाद्यपृथिवी राजन्नखिला सागराम्बरा । सपर्वतवनाकारा सहस्थावरजङ्गमा ॥

tavādyapṛthivī rājannakhilā sāgarāmbarā | saparvatavanākārā sahasthāvarajaṅgamā

Today, O king, the whole earth clothed by the ocean is yours, with its mountains and forests and all that moves and does not move.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` … '). Not in the critical edition's constituted text; its apparatus has this verse as the insertion 3.226.2d*1099 (with nikhilā for अखिला).

Verse 4 (3.238.4)

प्राच्याश्च दाक्षिणात्याश्च प्रतीच्योदीच्यवासिनः । कृताः करप्रदाः सर्वे राजानस्ते नराधिप ॥

prācyāśca dākṣiṇātyāśca pratīcyodīcyavāsinaḥ | kṛtāḥ karapradāḥ sarve rājānaste narādhipa

The kings of the east and the south, and those who dwell in the west and the north, have all been made to pay you tribute, lord of men.

Note on the text: Corrected पतीच्योदीच्यवासिनः → प्रतीच्योदीच्यवासिनः (dropped र; critical edition pratīcya-) and नाराधिप → नराधिप (stray ा; critical edition narādhipa) — misprints in Wikisource.

Verse 5 (3.238.5)

या हि सा दीप्यमानेव पाण्डवान्भजते पुरा । साऽद्यलक्ष्मीस्त्वया राजन्नवाप्ता भ्रातृभिः सह ॥

yā hi sā dīpyamāneva pāṇḍavānbhajate purā | sā'dyalakṣmīstvayā rājannavāptā bhrātṛbhiḥ saha

That Fortune who once attended the Pandavas, shining as it were, has now been won by you, O king, together with your brothers.

Verse 6 (3.238.6)

इन्द्रप्रस्थगते यां तां दीप्यमानां युधिष्ठिरे । अपश्याम श्रियं राजन्सुचिरं शोककर्शिताः ॥

indraprasthagate yāṃ tāṃ dīpyamānāṃ yudhiṣṭhire | apaśyāma śriyaṃ rājansuciraṃ śokakarśitāḥ

That blazing splendour we saw with Yudhishthira when we went to Indraprastha, O king, and long were we worn down with grief at it.

Verse 7 (3.238.7)

सा तु बुद्धिबलेनेयं राज्ञस्तस्मात्तथाविधात् । त्वयाक्षिप्ता महाबाहो दीप्यमानेव दृश्यते ॥

sā tu buddhibaleneyaṃ rājñastasmāttathāvidhāt | tvayākṣiptā mahābāho dīpyamāneva dṛśyate

But now, mighty-armed one, by the strength of your intellect you have wrested her from that king of such greatness, and she is seen shining with you.

Verse 8 (3.238.8)

तथैव तव राजेन्द्रराजानः परवीरहन् । शासनेऽधिष्ठिताः सर्वेकिं कुर्म इति वादिनः ॥

tathaiva tava rājendrarājānaḥ paravīrahan | śāsane'dhiṣṭhitāḥ sarvekiṃ kurma iti vādinaḥ

Likewise, king of kings, slayer of enemy heroes, all the kings stand under your command, saying, "What shall we do?"

Verse 9 (3.238.9)

तवेयं पृथिवी राजन्निखिला सागराम्बरा । सपर्वतवना देवी सग्रामनगराकरा ॥

taveyaṃ pṛthivī rājannikhilā sāgarāmbarā | saparvatavanā devī sagrāmanagarākarā

Yours, O king, is this whole earth girdled by the ocean — the goddess with her mountains and forests, her villages, cities and mines,

Note on the text: Corrected ते वयं → तवेयं (misprint in Wikisource; "ते वयं" yields no sense with पृथिवी, and the critical edition reads tavādya pṛthivī, "yours is the earth"). The critical edition's 3.226.8ab; it was not aligned automatically.

Verse 10 (3.238.10)

नानावनोद्देशवती पत्तनैरुपशोभिता । नानाजनपदाकीर्णा स्फीतराष्ट्रा महाहला ॥

nānāvanoddeśavatī pattanairupaśobhitā | nānājanapadākīrṇā sphītarāṣṭrā mahāhalā

with her many stretches of forest, adorned with towns, crowded with many peoples, with flourishing realms and broad tilled lands.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` … ') around the second line. Line 1 is the critical edition's 3.226.8ef; line 2 is not in its constituted text, but its apparatus has it as the insertion 3.226.8f*1101 (with mahābalā for महाहला).

Verse 11 (3.238.11)

नन्द्यमानो द्विजै राजन्पूज्यमानश्च राजभिः । पौरुषाद्दिवि देवेषु भ्राजसे रश्मिवानिव ॥

nandyamāno dvijai rājanpūjyamānaśca rājabhiḥ | pauruṣāddivi deveṣu bhrājase raśmivāniva

Praised by the twice-born, O king, and honoured by kings, by your manliness you blaze like the sun among the gods in heaven.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (3.226.9b, pūjyamānaś ca rājabhiḥ): Wikisource replaces this second quarter with भासि नक्षत्रराडिव, a repeat of the close of the next verse (3.226.10d). The first quarter keeps Wikisource's नन्द्यमानो (critical edition vandyamāno).

Verse 12 (3.238.12)

रुद्रैरिव यमो राजा मरुद्भिरिव वासवः । कुरुभिस्त्वं वृतो राजन्भासि नक्षत्रराडिव ॥

rudrairiva yamo rājā marudbhiriva vāsavaḥ | kurubhistvaṃ vṛto rājanbhāsi nakṣatrarāḍiva

Like King Yama amid the Rudras, like Vasava (Indra) amid the Maruts, you shine, O king, surrounded by the Kurus, like the king of the stars.

Verse 13 (3.238.13)

यैः स्म ते नाद्रियेताज्ञा न च ये शासने स्थिताः । पश्यामस्ताञ्श्रिया हीनान्पाण्डवान्वनवासिनः ॥

yaiḥ sma te nādriyetājñā na ca ye śāsane sthitāḥ | paśyāmastāñśriyā hīnānpāṇḍavānvanavāsinaḥ

Those by whom your command was not honoured, who would not stand under your rule — those Pandavas we now see stripped of fortune, living in the forest.

Note on the text: The critical edition's 3.226.11, whose first line differs (ye sma te nādriyante ''jñā nodvijante kadā ca na); the Wikisource reading is supported by its own commentary (नाद्रियेत नादृता). Not aligned automatically.

Verse 14 (3.238.14)

श्रूयते हि महाराजसरो द्वैतवनं प्रति । वसन्तः पाण्डवाः सार्धं ब्राह्मणैर्वनवासिभिः ॥

śrūyate hi mahārājasaro dvaitavanaṃ prati | vasantaḥ pāṇḍavāḥ sārdhaṃ brāhmaṇairvanavāsibhiḥ

For it is heard, great king, that the Pandavas are living by Dvaitavana lake together with brahmins who dwell in the forest.

Verse 15 (3.238.15)

सप्रयाहि महाराज श्रिया परमया युतः । तापयन्पाण्डुपुत्रांस्त्वं रश्मिवानिव तेजसा ॥

saprayāhi mahārāja śriyā paramayā yutaḥ | tāpayanpāṇḍuputrāṃstvaṃ raśmivāniva tejasā

Go there, great king, endowed with supreme splendour, scorching the sons of Pandu with your brilliance as the sun does with its rays.

Verse 16 (3.238.16)

स्थितो राज्ये च्युतान्राज्याच्छ्रियाहीनाञ्छ्रियावृतः । असमृद्धान्समृद्धार्थः पश्य पाण्डुसुतान्नृप ॥

sthito rājye cyutānrājyācchriyāhīnāñchriyāvṛtaḥ | asamṛddhānsamṛddhārthaḥ paśya pāṇḍusutānnṛpa

Established in the kingdom yourself, look upon the sons of Pandu fallen from the kingdom; clothed in fortune, look on them bereft of fortune; rich in wealth, look on them in want, O king.

Note on the text: Corrected स्तितो → स्थितो (त for थ), राज्येऽच्युतान् → राज्ये च्युतान् (a stray avagraha that turned "fallen" into "not fallen"; critical edition rājye cyutān) and राज्याच्छिया → राज्याच्छ्रिया (dropped र; critical edition rājyāc chriyā) — misprints in Wikisource.

Verse 17 (3.238.17)

महाभिजनसंपन्नं भद्रे महति संस्थितम् । पाण्डवास्त्वाऽभिवीक्षन्तु ययातिमिव नाहुषम् ॥

mahābhijanasaṃpannaṃ bhadre mahati saṃsthitam | pāṇḍavāstvā'bhivīkṣantu yayātimiva nāhuṣam

Let the Pandavas behold you, rich in noble lineage and established in great good fortune, as men beheld Yayati, son of Nahusha.

Note on the text: Corrected नाहुषां → नाहुषम् (misprint in Wikisource; wrong ending, critical edition nāhuṣam).

Verse 18 (3.238.18)

यां श्रियं सुहृदश्चैव दुर्हृदश्च विशांपते । पश्यन्ति पौरुषैर्दीप्तां सा समर्था भवत्युत ॥

yāṃ śriyaṃ suhṛdaścaiva durhṛdaśca viśāṃpate | paśyanti pauruṣairdīptāṃ sā samarthā bhavatyuta

The fortune that friends and enemies alike, lord of the people, see blazing through a man's valour — that is fortune that truly avails.

Verse 19 (3.238.19)

समस्थो विषमस्थान्हि दुर्हृदो योऽभिवीक्षते । जगतीस्थानिवाद्रिस्थः किमतः परमं सुखम् ॥

samastho viṣamasthānhi durhṛdo yo'bhivīkṣate | jagatīsthānivādristhaḥ kimataḥ paramaṃ sukham

For the man who, on level ground himself, looks upon his enemies in hard straits, as one standing on a mountain looks down on those on the plain — what greater happiness is there than this?

Note on the text: Corrected जगतीस्थनिवाद्रिस्थः → जगतीस्थानिवाद्रिस्थः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ा, critical edition jagatīsthān ivādristhaḥ).

Verse 20 (3.238.20)

न पुत्रधनलाभेन न राज्येनापि विन्दति । प्रीतिं नृपतिशार्दूल याममित्राघदर्शनात् ॥

na putradhanalābhena na rājyenāpi vindati | prītiṃ nṛpatiśārdūla yāmamitrāghadarśanāt

Not from gaining sons or wealth, nor even from a kingdom, tiger among kings, does a man find the joy he finds in seeing the misery of his enemies.

Note on the text: Corrected याममित्राधदर्शनात् → याममित्राघदर्शनात् (misprint in Wikisource; ध for घ — the commentary glosses अघं दुःखम्, critical edition amitrāgha-).

Verse 21 (3.238.21)

किंनु तस्य सुखं न स्यादाश्रमे यो धनंजयम् । अभिवीक्षेत सिद्धार्थो वल्कलाजिनवाससम् ॥

kiṃnu tasya sukhaṃ na syādāśrame yo dhanaṃjayam | abhivīkṣeta siddhārtho valkalājinavāsasam

What happiness would he not have, who, his purpose won, should look upon Dhananjaya in a hermitage, dressed in bark and deerskin?

Verse 22 (3.238.22)

सुवाससो हि ते भार्या वल्कलाजिनसंवृताम् । पश्यन्तु दुःखितां कृष्णां सा च निर्विद्यतां पुनः ॥

suvāsaso hi te bhāryā valkalājinasaṃvṛtām | paśyantu duḥkhitāṃ kṛṣṇāṃ sā ca nirvidyatāṃ punaḥ

Let your finely dressed wives look upon the unhappy Krishna wrapped in bark and deerskin, and let her be filled with despair once more.

Note on the text: The critical edition's 3.226.20ab–cd; not aligned automatically.

Verse 23 (3.238.23)

विनिन्दतां तथाऽत्मानं जीवितं च धनच्युतम् । दाराणां ते श्रियं दृष्ट्वा दीप्तामद्य जनाधिप ॥

vinindatāṃ tathā'tmānaṃ jīvitaṃ ca dhanacyutam | dārāṇāṃ te śriyaṃ dṛṣṭvā dīptāmadya janādhipa

Let her reproach herself and her life, fallen from wealth, when she sees today the blazing splendour of your wives, lord of men.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` … ') around the second line and corrected जनाधिपा → जनाधिप (misprint in Wikisource; stray ा on the vocative, apparatus janādhipa). Line 1 is the critical edition's 3.226.20ef (with dhanacyutā for धनच्युतम्); line 2 is not in its constituted text, but its apparatus has it as the insertion 3.226.20f*1102.

Verse 24 (3.238.24)

न तथा हि सभामध्ये तस्या भवितुमर्हति । वैमनस्यं यथा दृष्ट्वा तव भार्याः स्वलंकृताः ॥

na tathā hi sabhāmadhye tasyā bhavitumarhati | vaimanasyaṃ yathā dṛṣṭvā tava bhāryāḥ svalaṃkṛtāḥ

For her dejection in the middle of the assembly hall cannot have been as great as it will be when she sees your wives richly adorned.

Verse 25 (3.238.25)

एवमुक्त्वा तु राजानं कर्णः शकुनिना सह । तूष्णीं बभूवतुरुभौ वाक्यान्ते जनमेजय ॥

evamuktvā tu rājānaṃ karṇaḥ śakuninā saha | tūṣṇīṃ babhūvaturubhau vākyānte janamejaya

Having spoken thus to the king, Karna and Shakuni both fell silent at the end of their speech, Janamejaya.