Dhritarashtra Reluctantly Allows the Cattle Expedition

Verse 1 (3.240.1)

धृतराष्ट्रं ततः सर्वेददृशुर्जनमेजय । दृष्ट्वा सुखमथो राज्ञः पृष्टा राज्ञा च भारत ॥

dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ tataḥ sarvedadṛśurjanamejaya | dṛṣṭvā sukhamatho rājñaḥ pṛṣṭā rājñā ca bhārata

Then they all went to see Dhritarashtra, Janamejaya. They found the king well, and were asked after in turn by him, Bharata.

Note on the text: Speaker heading misprinted in Wikisource as वैसंपायन; settled as वैशंपायन.

Verse 2 (3.240.2)

ततस्तैर्विहितः पूर्वं संगवो नाम वल्लवः । समीपस्थास्तदा गावो धृतराष्ट्रे न्यवेदयत् ॥

tatastairvihitaḥ pūrvaṃ saṃgavo nāma vallavaḥ | samīpasthāstadā gāvo dhṛtarāṣṭre nyavedayat

Then a cowherd named Sangava, primed by them beforehand, reported to Dhritarashtra that the herds were at that time close at hand.

Verse 3 (3.240.3)

अनन्तरं च राधेयः शकुनिश्च विशांपते । आहतुः पार्थिवश्रेष्ठं धृतराष्ट्रं जनाधिपम् ॥

anantaraṃ ca rādheyaḥ śakuniśca viśāṃpate | āhatuḥ pārthivaśreṣṭhaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ janādhipam

Straight after, the son of Radha and Shakuni, lord of the people, said to Dhritarashtra, best of kings and ruler of men:

Verse 4 (3.240.4)

रमणीयेषु देशेषु घोषाः संप्रति कौरव । स्मारणे समयः प्राप्तो वत्सानामपि चाङ्कनम् ॥

ramaṇīyeṣu deśeṣu ghoṣāḥ saṃprati kaurava | smāraṇe samayaḥ prāpto vatsānāmapi cāṅkanam

The cattle stations, Kaurava, are now in pleasant country. The time has come for the count, and for branding the calves as well.

Note on the text: The words of Karna and Shakuni (verses 4–5) have no printed speaker heading; verse 3 introduces them with the dual आहतुः.

Verse 5 (3.240.5)

मृगया चोचिता राजन्नस्मिन्काले सुतस्यते । दुर्योधनस्य गमनं त्वमनुज्ञातुमर्हसि ॥

mṛgayā cocitā rājannasminkāle sutasyate | duryodhanasya gamanaṃ tvamanujñātumarhasi

And at this season hunting is fitting for your son, O king. You should allow Duryodhana to go.

Verse 6 (3.240.6)

मृगया शोभना तात गवां हि समवेक्षणम् । विस्रम्भस्तु न गन्तव्यो वल्लवानामिति स्मरे ॥

mṛgayā śobhanā tāta gavāṃ hi samavekṣaṇam | visrambhastu na gantavyo vallavānāmiti smare

Hunting is a fine thing, my son, and so is looking over the cattle. Yet one should not put one's trust in cowherds — so I recall.

Verse 7 (3.240.7)

ते तु तत्रनरव्याघ्राः समीप इति नः श्रुतम् । अतो नाभ्यनुजानामि गमनं तत्र वः स्वयम् ॥

te tu tatranaravyāghrāḥ samīpa iti naḥ śrutam | ato nābhyanujānāmi gamanaṃ tatra vaḥ svayam

But we have heard that those tigers among men are close by there. So I do not allow you to go there yourselves.

Verse 8 (3.240.8)

छद्मना निर्जितास्ते तु कर्शिताश्च महावने । तपोनित्याश्च राधेय समर्थाश्च महारथाः ॥

chadmanā nirjitāste tu karśitāśca mahāvane | taponityāśca rādheya samarthāśca mahārathāḥ

They were beaten by trickery and have been worn down in the great forest; yet they are constant in austerity, son of Radha, and able, and great chariot-warriors.

Verse 9 (3.240.9)

धर्मराजो न संक्रुद्ध्येद्भीमसेनस्त्वमर्षणः । यज्ञसेनस्य दुहिता तेज एवतु केवलम् ॥

dharmarājo na saṃkruddhyedbhīmasenastvamarṣaṇaḥ | yajñasenasya duhitā teja evatu kevalam

The King of Dharma would not grow angry, but Bhimasena is unforgiving, and the daughter of Yajnasena is nothing but fire.

Note on the text: Corrected यज्ञसेनस् → यज्ञसेनस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, critical edition yajñasenasya).

Verse 10 (3.240.10)

यूयंचाप्यपराध्येयुर्दर्पमोहसमन्विताः । ततो विनिर्दहेयुस्ते तपसा हि समन्विताः ॥

yūyaṃcāpyaparādhyeyurdarpamohasamanvitāḥ | tato vinirdaheyuste tapasā hi samanvitāḥ

And you, full of pride and folly, would give some offence; then they, armed with ascetic power, would burn you up.

Verse 11 (3.240.11)

अथवा सायुधावीरा मन्युनाऽभिपरिप्लुताः । सहिता बद्धनिस्त्रिंशा दहेयुः शस्त्रतेजसा ॥

athavā sāyudhāvīrā manyunā'bhipariplutāḥ | sahitā baddhanistriṃśā daheyuḥ śastratejasā

Or else those heroes, armed and overwhelmed with fury, would together, swords girt on, burn you with the fire of their weapons.

Note on the text: Corrected बद्धनिस्त्रिशा → बद्धनिस्त्रिंशा (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara, critical edition baddhanistriṃśā).

Verse 12 (3.240.12)

अथ यूयं बहुत्वात्तानारभध्वं कथंचन । अनार्यं परमं तत्स्यादशक्यं तच्च वै मतम् ॥

atha yūyaṃ bahutvāttānārabhadhvaṃ kathaṃcana | anāryaṃ paramaṃ tatsyādaśakyaṃ tacca vai matam

And if, trusting in your numbers, you should in any way attack them, that would be most ignoble — and it is reckoned impossible besides.

Note on the text: Corrected तान्नारभध्वं → तानारभध्वं (misprint in Wikisource; the doubled न turns "attack" into "do not attack", against the sense of the verse; critical edition tān ārabhadhvaṃ).

Verse 13 (3.240.13)

उषितो हि महाबाहुरिन्द्रलोके धनंजयः । दिव्यान्यस्त्राण्यवाप्याथ ततः प्रत्यागतो वनं ॥

uṣito hi mahābāhurindraloke dhanaṃjayaḥ | divyānyastrāṇyavāpyātha tataḥ pratyāgato vanaṃ

For mighty-armed Dhananjaya has lived in Indra's world, and having obtained the celestial weapons he has come back from there to the forest.

Verse 14 (3.240.14)

अकृतास्त्रेण पृथिवी जिता बीभत्सुना पुरा । किं पुनः सकृतास्त्रोऽद्य न हन्याद्वो महारथः ॥

akṛtāstreṇa pṛthivī jitā bībhatsunā purā | kiṃ punaḥ sakṛtāstro'dya na hanyādvo mahārathaḥ

Bibhatsu conquered the earth long ago, before he had those weapons; now that he has mastered them, why would that great chariot-warrior not kill you?

Verse 15 (3.240.15)

अथवा मद्वचः श्रुत्वा तत्र यत्ता भविष्यथ । उद्विग्नवासा विस्रब्धा दुःखं तत्रगमिष्यथ ॥

athavā madvacaḥ śrutvā tatra yattā bhaviṣyatha | udvignavāsā visrabdhā duḥkhaṃ tatragamiṣyatha

Or if, heeding my words, you stay on your guard there, your stay will be an anxious one, and even off your guard you will come to grief there.

Note on the text: Corrected उद्विग्रवासा → उद्विग्नवासा (misprint in Wikisource; ग्र for ग्न, critical edition udvigna-).

Verse 16 (3.240.16)

अथवा सैनिकाः केचिदपकुर्युर्युधिष्ठिरे । तदबुद्धिकृतंकर्म दोषमुत्पादयेच्च वः ॥

athavā sainikāḥ kecidapakuryuryudhiṣṭhire | tadabuddhikṛtaṃkarma doṣamutpādayecca vaḥ

Or some soldiers might do Yudhishthira some wrong, and that thoughtless act would bring the blame upon you.

Verse 17 (3.240.17)

तस्मादन्ये नरा यान्तु स्मारणायाप्तकारिणः । न स्वयं तत्रगमनं रोचये तव भारत ॥

tasmādanye narā yāntu smāraṇāyāptakāriṇaḥ | na svayaṃ tatragamanaṃ rocaye tava bhārata

So let other men, trustworthy agents, go for the count. I do not like the idea of your going there yourself, Bharata.

Verse 18 (3.240.18)

धर्मज्ञः पाण्डवो ज्येष्ठः प्रतिज्ञातं च संसदि । तेन द्वादशवर्षाणि वस्तव्यानीति भारत ॥

dharmajñaḥ pāṇḍavo jyeṣṭhaḥ pratijñātaṃ ca saṃsadi | tena dvādaśavarṣāṇi vastavyānīti bhārata

The eldest Pandava knows dharma, and he made a promise in the assembly that they must live twelve years in the forest, Bharata.

Verse 19 (3.240.19)

अनुवृत्ताश्च तं सर्वे पाण्डवा धर्मचारिणः । युधिष्ठिरस्तु कौन्तेयो न नः कोपं करिष्यति ॥

anuvṛttāśca taṃ sarve pāṇḍavā dharmacāriṇaḥ | yudhiṣṭhirastu kaunteyo na naḥ kopaṃ kariṣyati

All the Pandavas, who walk in dharma, follow him; and Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, will not be angry with us.

Note on the text: Corrected रतं → तं (misprint in Wikisource; stray र, as elsewhere on these pages; the critical edition reads te here).

Verse 20 (3.240.20)

मृगयां चैव नो गन्तुमिच्छा संवर्धते भृशम् । स्मारणं तु चिकीर्षामो न तु पाण्डवदर्शनम् ॥

mṛgayāṃ caiva no gantumicchā saṃvardhate bhṛśam | smāraṇaṃ tu cikīrṣāmo na tu pāṇḍavadarśanam

Our wish to go hunting grows strong; we mean to take the count of the herds, not to see the Pandavas.

Note on the text: Corrected पाण्डवदर्सनम् → पाण्डवदर्शनम् (misprint in Wikisource; स for श, critical edition pāṇḍavadarśanam).

Verse 21 (3.240.21)

न चानार्यसमाचारः कश्चित्तत्र भविष्यति । न च तत्र गमिष्यामो यत्र तेषां प्रतिश्रयः ॥

na cānāryasamācāraḥ kaścittatra bhaviṣyati | na ca tatra gamiṣyāmo yatra teṣāṃ pratiśrayaḥ

No ignoble conduct will take place there, and we will not go where they have their dwelling.

Verse 22 (3.240.22)

एवमुक्तः शकुनिना धृतराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः । दुर्योधनं सहामात्यमनुजज्ञे न कामतः ॥

evamuktaḥ śakuninā dhṛtarāṣṭro janeśvaraḥ | duryodhanaṃ sahāmātyamanujajñe na kāmataḥ

Thus addressed by Shakuni, Dhritarashtra, lord of men, gave Duryodhana and his ministers leave, though not willingly.

Verse 23 (3.240.23)

अनुज्ञातस्तु गान्धारिः कर्णेन सहितस्तदा । निर्ययौ भरतश्रेष्ठो बलेन महता वृतः ॥

anujñātastu gāndhāriḥ karṇena sahitastadā | niryayau bharataśreṣṭho balena mahatā vṛtaḥ

Given leave, the son of Gandhari, best of the Bharatas, set out together with Karna, surrounded by a great army,

Verse 24 (3.240.24)

दुःशासनेन च तथा सौबलेन च धीमता । संवृतो भ्रातृभिश्चान्यैः स्त्रीभिश्चापि सहस्रशः ॥

duḥśāsanena ca tathā saubalena ca dhīmatā | saṃvṛto bhrātṛbhiścānyaiḥ strībhiścāpi sahasraśaḥ

and likewise with Duhshasana and wise Saubala, accompanied by his other brothers and by women in their thousands.

Verse 25 (3.240.25)

तं निर्यान्तं महाबाहुं द्रष्टुं द्वैतवनं सरः । पौराश्चानुययुः सर्वेसहदारा वनं च तत् ॥

taṃ niryāntaṃ mahābāhuṃ draṣṭuṃ dvaitavanaṃ saraḥ | paurāścānuyayuḥ sarvesahadārā vanaṃ ca tat

As the mighty-armed prince set out to see Dvaitavana lake, all the townsfolk followed him with their wives into that forest.

Verse 26 (3.240.26)

अष्टौ रथसहस्राणि त्रीणि नागायुतानि च । पत्तयो बहुसाहस्रा हयाश्च नवतिः शताः ॥

aṣṭau rathasahasrāṇi trīṇi nāgāyutāni ca | pattayo bahusāhasrā hayāśca navatiḥ śatāḥ

There were eight thousand chariots, thirty thousand elephants, many thousands of foot soldiers and nine thousand horses;

Verse 27 (3.240.27)

शकटापणवेशाश्च वणिजो वन्दिनस्तथा । नराश्च मृगयाशीलाः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥

śakaṭāpaṇaveśāśca vaṇijo vandinastathā | narāśca mṛgayāśīlāḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ

wagons, stalls and courtesans' quarters, merchants and bards, and men given to hunting, by hundreds and thousands.

Verse 28 (3.240.28)

ततः प्रयाणे नृपतेः सुमहानभवत्स्वनः । प्रावृषीव महावायोरुत्थितस्य विशांपते ॥

tataḥ prayāṇe nṛpateḥ sumahānabhavatsvanaḥ | prāvṛṣīva mahāvāyorutthitasya viśāṃpate

Then, as the king set out, a very great din arose, lord of the people, like that of a mighty wind rising in the rainy season.

Verse 29 (3.240.29)

गव्यूतिमात्रेन्यवसद्राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा । प्रयातो वाहनैः सर्वैस्ततो द्वैतवनं सरः ॥

gavyūtimātrenyavasadrājā duryodhanastadā | prayāto vāhanaiḥ sarvaistato dvaitavanaṃ saraḥ

King Duryodhana then halted after a march of one gavyuti, and from there went on with all his vehicles toward Dvaitavana lake.