The Pretext of the Cattle Inspection

Verse 1 (3.239.1)

कर्णस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा दुर्योधनस्ततः । हृष्टो भूत्वापुनर्दीनो राधेयमिदमब्रवीत् ॥

karṇasya vacanaṃ śrutvā rājā duryodhanastataḥ | hṛṣṭo bhūtvāpunardīno rādheyamidamabravīt

Having heard Karna's words, King Duryodhana was delighted, then grew downcast again, and said this to the son of Radha.

Verse 2 (3.239.2)

ब्रवीषि यदिदं कर्ण सर्वं मनसि मे स्थितम् । न त्वभ्यनुज्ञां लप्स्यामि गमने यत्रपाण्डवाः ॥

bravīṣi yadidaṃ karṇa sarvaṃ manasi me sthitam | na tvabhyanujñāṃ lapsyāmi gamane yatrapāṇḍavāḥ

All that you say, Karna, is fixed in my own mind. But I shall not get leave to go where the Pandavas are.

Verse 3 (3.239.3)

परिदेवति तान्वीरान्धृतराष्ट्रो महीपतिः । मन्यतेऽभ्यधिकांश्चापि तपोयोगेन पाण्डवान् ॥

paridevati tānvīrāndhṛtarāṣṭro mahīpatiḥ | manyate'bhyadhikāṃścāpi tapoyogena pāṇḍavān

King Dhritarashtra laments over those heroes, and he even thinks the Pandavas superior because of the power of their austerities.

Verse 4 (3.239.4)

अथवाऽप्यनुबुध्येत नृपोऽस्माकं चिकीर्षितम् । एतामप्यायतिं रक्षन्नाभ्यनुज्ञातुमर्हति ॥

athavā'pyanubudhyeta nṛpo'smākaṃ cikīrṣitam | etāmapyāyatiṃ rakṣannābhyanujñātumarhati

Or else, should the king see through what we intend, then, guarding against what may follow, he will not give us leave.

Verse 5 (3.239.5)

न हि द्वैतवने किंचिद्विद्यतेऽन्यत्प्रयोजनम् । उन्माथनमृते तेषां वनस्थानामपि द्विषाम् ॥

na hi dvaitavane kiṃcidvidyate'nyatprayojanam | unmāthanamṛte teṣāṃ vanasthānāmapi dviṣām

For we have no other purpose at Dvaitavana than to crush those enemies, forest-dwellers though they are.

Verse 6 (3.239.6)

जानासिहि यथा क्षत्ता द्यूतकाल उपस्थिते । अब्रवीद्यच्च मां त्वां च सौबलं वचनं तदा ॥

jānāsihi yathā kṣattā dyūtakāla upasthite | abravīdyacca māṃ tvāṃ ca saubalaṃ vacanaṃ tadā

You know what the Steward (Vidura) said to me, to you and to Saubala when the time of the dice game came.

Verse 7 (3.239.7)

तानिसर्वाणि वाक्यानि यच्चान्यत्परिदेवितम् । विचिन्त्य निश्चयं गच्छे गमनायेतराय वा ॥

tānisarvāṇi vākyāni yaccānyatparidevitam | vicintya niścayaṃ gacche gamanāyetarāya vā

Weighing all those words, and all the rest of his lamenting, I shall come to a decision, whether to go or to stay.

Note on the text: Corrected निश्चय → निश्चयं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara — the object of गच्छे). The critical edition reads vicintya nādhigacchāmi here.

Verse 8 (3.239.8)

ममापि हिमहान्हर्षो यदहं भीमफल्गुनौ । क्लिष्टावरण्ये पश्येयं कृष्णया सहिताविति ॥

mamāpi himahānharṣo yadahaṃ bhīmaphalgunau | kliṣṭāvaraṇye paśyeyaṃ kṛṣṇayā sahitāviti

For my joy too would be great if I could see Bhima and Phalguna suffering in the forest together with Krishna.

Verse 9 (3.239.9)

न तथा ह्याप्नुयां प्रीतिमवाप्य वसुधामिमाम् । दृष्ट्वा यथा पाण्डुसुतान्वल्कलाजिनवाससः ॥

na tathā hyāpnuyāṃ prītimavāpya vasudhāmimām | dṛṣṭvā yathā pāṇḍusutānvalkalājinavāsasaḥ

I would not find such delight in winning this earth as in seeing the sons of Pandu dressed in bark and deerskin.

Verse 10 (3.239.10)

किंनु स्यादधिकं तस्माद्यदहं द्रुपदात्मजाम् । द्रौपदीं कर्ण पश्येयं काषायवसनां वने ॥

kiṃnu syādadhikaṃ tasmādyadahaṃ drupadātmajām | draupadīṃ karṇa paśyeyaṃ kāṣāyavasanāṃ vane

What could be greater than that, Karna — that I should see Draupadi, daughter of Drupada, wearing ochre garments in the forest?

Verse 11 (3.239.11)

यदि मां धर्मराजश्च भीमसेनश्च पाण्डवः । युक्तं परमया लक्ष्म्या पश्येतां जीवितं भवेत् ॥

yadi māṃ dharmarājaśca bhīmasenaśca pāṇḍavaḥ | yuktaṃ paramayā lakṣmyā paśyetāṃ jīvitaṃ bhavet

If the King of Dharma and Bhimasena the Pandava should see me endowed with supreme fortune, then my life would be fulfilled.

Note on the text: Corrected दर्मराजश्च → धर्मराजश्च (द for ध) and रपरमया → परमया (stray र) — misprints in Wikisource; critical edition dharmarājaś, paramayā.

Verse 12 (3.239.12)

उपायं न तु पश्यामि येन गच्छेम तद्वनम् । यथाचाभ्यनुजानीयाद्गच्छन्तं मां महीपतिः ॥

upāyaṃ na tu paśyāmi yena gacchema tadvanam | yathācābhyanujānīyādgacchantaṃ māṃ mahīpatiḥ

But I see no means by which we might go to that forest, or by which the king might allow me to go.

Verse 13 (3.239.13)

स सौबलेन सहितस्तथा दुःशासनेन च । उपायं पश्य निपुणं येन गच्छेम तद्वनम् ॥

sa saubalena sahitastathā duḥśāsanena ca | upāyaṃ paśya nipuṇaṃ yena gacchema tadvanam

Together with Saubala and with Duhshasana, find some clever means by which we may go to that forest.

Note on the text: Corrected रनिपुणं → निपुणं (misprint in Wikisource; stray र, critical edition nipuṇaṃ).

Verse 14 (3.239.14)

अहमप्यनुगच्छामि गमनायेतराय च । कल्यमेव गमिष्यामि समीपं पार्थिवस्य ह ॥

ahamapyanugacchāmi gamanāyetarāya ca | kalyameva gamiṣyāmi samīpaṃ pārthivasya ha

I too shall go along with whatever is settled, whether for going or otherwise. Early tomorrow I shall go into the king's presence.

Verse 15 (3.239.15)

मयि तत्रोपविष्टे तु भीष्मे च कुरुसत्तमे । उपायो यो भवेद्दृष्टस्तं ब्रूयाः सहसौबलः ॥

mayi tatropaviṣṭe tu bhīṣme ca kurusattame | upāyo yo bhaveddṛṣṭastaṃ brūyāḥ sahasaubalaḥ

When I am seated there along with Bhishma, best of the Kurus, you and Saubala must put forward whatever means you have found.

Verse 16 (3.239.16)

ततो भीष्मस्य राज्ञश्च निशम्य गमनं प्रति । व्यवसायं करिष्येऽहमनुनीय पितामहम् ॥

tato bhīṣmasya rājñaśca niśamya gamanaṃ prati | vyavasāyaṃ kariṣye'hamanunīya pitāmaham

Then, having heard what Bhishma and the king say about the journey, I shall make my resolve, after winning over the grandsire.

Note on the text: Corrected रगमनं → गमनं (misprint in Wikisource; stray र, critical edition gamanaṃ).

Verse 17 (3.239.17)

तथेत्युक्त्वा तु ते सर्वे जग्मुरावसथान्प्रति । व्युषितायां रजन्यां तु कर्णो राजानमभ्ययात् ॥

tathetyuktvā tu te sarve jagmurāvasathānprati | vyuṣitāyāṃ rajanyāṃ tu karṇo rājānamabhyayāt

Saying, "So be it," they all went to their quarters. When the night had passed, Karna came to the king.

Note on the text: Corrected सर्वेग्मुरावसथान् → सर्वे जग्मुरावसथान् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ज, critical edition jagmur).

Verse 18 (3.239.18)

ततो दुर्योधनं कर्णः प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत् । उपायः परिदृष्टोऽयं तं निबोधजनेश्वर ॥

tato duryodhanaṃ karṇaḥ prahasannidamabravīt | upāyaḥ paridṛṣṭo'yaṃ taṃ nibodhajaneśvara

Then Karna, laughing, said this to Duryodhana: "A means has been found. Hear it, lord of men.

Verse 19 (3.239.19)

घोषा द्वैतवने सर्वेत्वत्प्रतीक्षा नराधिप । घोषयात्रापदेशेन गमिष्यामो न संशयः ॥

ghoṣā dvaitavane sarvetvatpratīkṣā narādhipa | ghoṣayātrāpadeśena gamiṣyāmo na saṃśayaḥ

All the cattle stations at Dvaitavana are awaiting you, lord of men. We shall go on the pretext of a cattle inspection, no doubt of it.

Note on the text: Karna's words continue from the previous verse without a printed speaker heading.

Verse 20 (3.239.20)

उचितं हि सदा गन्तुं घोषयात्रां विशांपते । एवं चेत्त्वां पिता राजन्समनुज्ञातुमर्हति ॥

ucitaṃ hi sadā gantuṃ ghoṣayātrāṃ viśāṃpate | evaṃ cettvāṃ pitā rājansamanujñātumarhati

For it has always been proper to go on the cattle inspection, lord of the people. Put this way, your father will surely give you leave, O king."

Verse 21 (3.239.21)

तथा कथयमानौ तु घोषयात्राविनिश्चयम् । गान्धारराजः शकुनिरित्युवाच हसन्निव ॥

tathā kathayamānau tu ghoṣayātrāviniścayam | gāndhārarājaḥ śakunirityuvāca hasanniva

While the two were thus talking over the plan of the cattle inspection, Shakuni, king of Gandhara, spoke as if laughing:

Verse 22 (3.239.22)

उपायोऽयंमया दृष्टो गमनाय निरामयः । अनुज्ञास्यतिनो राजा चोदयिष्यति चाप्युत ॥

upāyo'yaṃmayā dṛṣṭo gamanāya nirāmayaḥ | anujñāsyatino rājā codayiṣyati cāpyuta

This is the means I too have seen for our going, and it is free of risk. The king will give us leave, and will even urge us on.

Note on the text: Shakuni's words (verses 22–23) have no printed speaker heading.

Verse 23 (3.239.23)

घोषा द्वैतवने सर्वेत्वत्प्रतीक्षा नराधिप । घोषयात्रापदेशेन गमिष्यामः सरः प्रति ॥

ghoṣā dvaitavane sarvetvatpratīkṣā narādhipa | ghoṣayātrāpadeśena gamiṣyāmaḥ saraḥ prati

All the cattle stations at Dvaitavana await you, lord of men. On the pretext of a cattle inspection we shall go to the lake.

Note on the text: Corrected द्वैतव्रने → द्वैतवने (misprint in Wikisource; stray र, critical edition dvaitavane).

Verse 24 (3.239.24)

ततः प्रहसिताः सर्वे तेऽन्योन्यस्य तलान्ददुः । तदेव च विनिश्चित्य ददृशुः कुरुसत्तमम् ॥

tataḥ prahasitāḥ sarve te'nyonyasya talāndaduḥ | tadeva ca viniścitya dadṛśuḥ kurusattamam

Then they all laughed and struck palms with one another, and having settled on just this, they went to see the best of the Kurus (Dhritarashtra).

Note on the text: Corrected विनिश्चेत्य → विनिश्चित्य (misprint in Wikisource; े for ि, critical edition viniścitya).