The Gandharvas Bar the Way at Dvaitavana

Verse 1 (3.241.1)

अथ दुर्योधनो राजा तत्रतत्र वने वसन् । जगाम घोषानभितस्तत्र चक्रे निवेशनम् ॥

atha duryodhano rājā tatratatra vane vasan | jagāma ghoṣānabhitastatra cakre niveśanam

Then King Duryodhana, staying now here, now there in the forest, came up to the cattle stations and made his camp there.

Verse 2 (3.241.2)

रमणीये समाज्ञाते सोदके समहीरुहे । देशे सर्वगुणोपेते चक्रुरावसथान्नराः ॥

ramaṇīye samājñāte sodake samahīruhe | deśe sarvaguṇopete cakrurāvasathānnarāḥ

In a pleasant, well-known spot, with water and trees, a place with every good quality, his men set up their lodgings.

Verse 3 (3.241.3)

तथैव तत्समीपस्थान्पृथगावसथान्बहून् । कर्णस्य शकुनेश्चैव भ्रातॄणां चैव सर्वशः ॥

tathaiva tatsamīpasthānpṛthagāvasathānbahūn | karṇasya śakuneścaiva bhrātṝṇāṃ caiva sarvaśaḥ

Likewise, close by, they built many separate lodgings for Karna, for Shakuni, and for all his brothers.

Verse 4 (3.241.4)

पश्यन्तस्ते तदा गावः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः । अङ्कैर्लक्षैश्च ताः सर्वा लक्षयामास पार्थिवः ॥

paśyantaste tadā gāvaḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ | aṅkairlakṣaiśca tāḥ sarvā lakṣayāmāsa pārthivaḥ

As they looked over the cows by hundreds and thousands, the king had them all recorded by their brands and tallies.

Note on the text: Corrected अङ्कर्लक्षैश्च → अङ्कैर्लक्षैश्च (misprint in Wikisource; misplaced ै — the commentary glosses अङ्कैश्चिह्नैः, critical edition aṅkair lakṣaiś).

Verse 5 (3.241.5)

अङ्कयामास वत्सांश्च जज्ञे चोपसृतांस्त्वपि । बालवत्साश्च या गावः कालयामास ता अपि ॥

aṅkayāmāsa vatsāṃśca jajñe copasṛtāṃstvapi | bālavatsāśca yā gāvaḥ kālayāmāsa tā api

He had the calves branded, took note of the young bullocks ready for training, and counted the cows with young calves as well.

Note on the text: Corrected यां → या (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara on the plural relative, critical edition yā gāvaḥ).

Verse 6 (3.241.6)

अथ स स्मारणं कृत्वा लक्षयित्वा त्रिहायनान् । वृतो गोपालकैः प्रीतो व्याहरत्कुरुनन्दनः ॥

atha sa smāraṇaṃ kṛtvā lakṣayitvā trihāyanān | vṛto gopālakaiḥ prīto vyāharatkurunandanaḥ

Then, having taken the count and marked the three-year-olds, the delight of the Kurus amused himself happily, surrounded by the cowherds.

Verse 7 (3.241.7)

स च पौरजनः सर्वः सैनिकाश्च सहस्रशः । यथोपजोषं चिक्रीडुर्वने तस्मिन्यथाऽमराः ॥

sa ca paurajanaḥ sarvaḥ sainikāśca sahasraśaḥ | yathopajoṣaṃ cikrīḍurvane tasminyathā'marāḥ

And all the townsfolk, and the soldiers in their thousands, sported in that forest as they pleased, like immortals.

Note on the text: Corrected सर्वः सर्वः सैनिकाश्च → सर्वः सैनिकाश्च (misprint in Wikisource; the word सर्वः printed twice, which overfills the metre; critical edition sarvaḥ sainikāś ca).

Verse 8 (3.241.8)

ततोऽध्वगमनाच्छ्रान्तं कुशला नृत्यवादितैः । धार्तराष्ट्रमुपातिष्ठन्कन्याश्चैव स्वलंकृताः ॥

tato'dhvagamanācchrāntaṃ kuśalā nṛtyavāditaiḥ | dhārtarāṣṭramupātiṣṭhankanyāścaiva svalaṃkṛtāḥ

Then, as he was weary from the road, people skilled in dance and music, and maidens richly adorned, waited upon Dhritarashtra's son.

Verse 9 (3.241.9)

स स्त्रीगणवृतो राजा प्रहृष्टः प्रददौ वसु । तेभ्यो यथार्हमन्नानि पानानि विविधानि च ॥

sa strīgaṇavṛto rājā prahṛṣṭaḥ pradadau vasu | tebhyo yathārhamannāni pānāni vividhāni ca

Surrounded by throngs of women, the delighted king gave out wealth, and to them, as each deserved, food and drink of many kinds.

Verse 10 (3.241.10)

ततस्ते सहिताः सर्वे तरक्षून्महिषान्मृगान् । गवयर्क्षवराहांश्च समन्तात्पर्यवारयन् ॥

tataste sahitāḥ sarve tarakṣūnmahiṣānmṛgān | gavayarkṣavarāhāṃśca samantātparyavārayan

Then they all together closed in on every side around hyenas, buffaloes and deer, gayals, bears and boars.

Verse 11 (3.241.11)

स ताञ्छरैर्विनिर्भिद्य गजांश्च सुबहून्वने । रमणीयेषु देशेषु ग्राहयामास वै मृगान् ॥

sa tāñcharairvinirbhidya gajāṃśca subahūnvane | ramaṇīyeṣu deśeṣu grāhayāmāsa vai mṛgān

Piercing them with arrows, and very many elephants in the forest too, he had the beasts captured in pleasant spots.

Verse 12 (3.241.12)

गोरसानुपयुञ्जान उपभोगांश्च भारत । पश्यन्स रमणीयानि वनान्युपवनानि च ॥

gorasānupayuñjāna upabhogāṃśca bhārata | paśyansa ramaṇīyāni vanānyupavanāni ca

Enjoying the milk-foods and other pleasures, Bharata, and gazing at the lovely woods and groves,

Note on the text: Corrected उपभोगांशच् → उपभोगांश्च (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct, critical edition upabhogāṃś ca).

Verse 13 (3.241.13)

मत्तभ्रमरजुष्टानि बर्हिणाभिरुतानि च । अगच्छदानुपूर्व्येण पुण्यं द्वैतवनं सरः ॥

mattabhramarajuṣṭāni barhiṇābhirutāni ca | agacchadānupūrvyeṇa puṇyaṃ dvaitavanaṃ saraḥ

haunted by drunken bees and ringing with the cries of peacocks, he came in due course to the holy Dvaitavana lake —

Note on the text: The critical edition's 3.229.13ab–cd; not aligned automatically.

Verse 14 (3.241.14)

मत्तभ्रमरसंजुष्टं नीलकण्ठरवाकुलम् । सप्तच्छदसमाकीर्णं पुन्नागवकुलैर्युतम् ॥

mattabhramarasaṃjuṣṭaṃ nīlakaṇṭharavākulam | saptacchadasamākīrṇaṃ punnāgavakulairyutam

thronged with drunken bees, filled with the calls of peacocks, crowded with saptacchada trees and set with punnaga and bakula trees.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text; its apparatus has this verse as the insertion 3.229.13d*1103.

Verse 15 (3.241.15)

ऋद्ध्या परमया युक्तो महेन्द्र इव वज्रभृत् । यदृच्छया च तत्रस्थो धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः ॥

ṛddhyā paramayā yukto mahendra iva vajrabhṛt | yadṛcchayā ca tatrastho dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

He was endowed with supreme splendour, like great Indra who bears the thunderbolt. And as chance would have it, Yudhishthira, son of Dharma, who was staying there,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 3.229.13ef; line 2 is its 3.229.14ab (with tadaho for तत्रस्थो). Not aligned automatically.

Verse 16 (3.241.16)

ईजे राजर्षियज्ञेन साद्यस्केन विशांपते । दिव्येन विधिना चैव वन्येन कुरुसत्तम ॥

īje rājarṣiyajñena sādyaskena viśāṃpate | divyena vidhinā caiva vanyena kurusattama

was performing, lord of the people, the royal sages' sacrifice that is completed in a single day, by the divine rite and with offerings from the forest, best of the Kurus,

Note on the text: The critical edition's 3.229.14cd–ef; not aligned automatically.

Verse 17 (3.241.17)

विद्वद्भिः सहितो धीमान्ब्राह्मणैर्वनवासिभिः । कृत्वा निवेशमभितः सरसस्तस्य कौरव । द्रौपद्या सहितो धीमान्धर्मपत्न्या नराधिपः ॥

vidvadbhiḥ sahito dhīmānbrāhmaṇairvanavāsibhiḥ | kṛtvā niveśamabhitaḥ sarasastasya kaurava | draupadyā sahito dhīmāndharmapatnyā narādhipaḥ

together with learned brahmins who lived in the forest. The wise lord of men had made his dwelling beside that lake, Kaurava, with Draupadi, his lawful wife.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` … ') around the first line. Line 1 is not in the critical edition's constituted text; its apparatus has it as the insertion 3.229.14f*1104. Lines 2–3 are the critical edition's 3.229.15.

Verse 18 (3.241.18)

ततो दुर्योधनः प्रेष्यानादिदेश सहानुजः । आक्रीडावसथाञ्शीघ्रं कुरुध्वं सरसोऽभितः ॥

tato duryodhanaḥ preṣyānādideśa sahānujaḥ | ākrīḍāvasathāñśīghraṃ kurudhvaṃ saraso'bhitaḥ

Then Duryodhana, with his younger brothers, ordered his servants: "Quickly build pleasure-lodges all around the lake."

Verse 19 (3.241.19)

ते तथेत्येव कौरव्यमुक्त्वा वचनकारिणः । चिकीर्षन्तस्तदाक्रीडाञ्जग्मुर्द्वैतवनं सरः ॥

te tathetyeva kauravyamuktvā vacanakāriṇaḥ | cikīrṣantastadākrīḍāñjagmurdvaitavanaṃ saraḥ

Saying "So be it" to the Kaurava, those who carried out his orders went to Dvaitavana lake, meaning to build the pleasure-houses.

Verse 20 (3.241.20)

सेनाग्र्यं धार्तराष्ट्रस्य प्राप्तं द्वैतवनं सरः । प्रविशन्तं वनद्वारि गन्धर्वाः समवारयन् ॥

senāgryaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrasya prāptaṃ dvaitavanaṃ saraḥ | praviśantaṃ vanadvāri gandharvāḥ samavārayan

The vanguard of Dhritarashtra's son reached Dvaitavana lake, and as it was entering at the gate of the forest, the Gandharvas held it back.

Note on the text: Re-divided: Wikisource prints this verse as a single line (3-241-20a) and carries its second line (प्रविशन्तं … समवारयन्) at the head of verse 21; the line is moved back here, matching the critical edition's 3.229.18. Also corrected धार्तराष्ट्रस् → धार्तराष्ट्रस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, critical edition dhārtarāṣṭrasya).

Verse 21 (3.241.21)

तत्र गन्धर्वराजो वै पूर्वमेव विशांपते । कुबेरभवनाद्राजन्नाजगाम गणावृतः ॥

tatra gandharvarājo vai pūrvameva viśāṃpate | kuberabhavanādrājannājagāma gaṇāvṛtaḥ

For the king of the Gandharvas had come there before them, lord of the people, from Kubera's palace, O king, surrounded by his hosts,

Note on the text: Re-divided: Wikisource's first line here (प्रविशन्तं … समवारयन्) belongs to verse 20 and has been moved there; the remaining two lines are the critical edition's 3.229.19. Also corrected गन्धऱ्वराजो → गन्धर्वराजो (misprint in Wikisource; ऱ for र).

Verse 22 (3.241.22)

गणैरप्सरसां चैव त्रिदशानां तथाऽऽत्मजैः । विहारशीलैः क्रीडार्थं तेन तत्संवृतं सरः ॥

gaṇairapsarasāṃ caiva tridaśānāṃ tathā''tmajaiḥ | vihāraśīlaiḥ krīḍārthaṃ tena tatsaṃvṛtaṃ saraḥ

with troops of apsarases and with the pleasure-loving sons of the gods, he had come for sport, and by him the lake had been closed off.

Verse 23 (3.241.23)

तेन तत्संवृतं दृष्ट्वा ते राजपरिचारकाः । प्रतिजग्मुस्ततो राजन्यत्र दुर्योधनो नृपः ॥

tena tatsaṃvṛtaṃ dṛṣṭvā te rājaparicārakāḥ | pratijagmustato rājanyatra duryodhano nṛpaḥ

Seeing the lake held by him, the king's attendants went back, O king, to where King Duryodhana was.

Verse 24 (3.241.24)

स तु तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा सैनिकान्युद्धदुर्मदान् । प्रेषयामास कौरव्य उत्सारयत तानिति ॥

sa tu teṣāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā sainikānyuddhadurmadān | preṣayāmāsa kauravya utsārayata tāniti

Hearing their report, the Kaurava sent soldiers fierce in battle, saying, "Drive them away."

Verse 25 (3.241.25)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राज्ञः सेनाग्रयायिनः । सरो द्वैतवनं गत्वा गन्धर्वानिदमब्रुवन् ॥

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā rājñaḥ senāgrayāyinaḥ | saro dvaitavanaṃ gatvā gandharvānidamabruvan

Hearing the king's command, the men at the head of the army went to Dvaitavana lake and said this to the Gandharvas:

Note on the text: Corrected द्वैनवनं → द्वैतवनं (misprint in Wikisource; न for त, critical edition dvaitavanaṃ).

Verse 26 (3.241.26)

राजा दुर्योधनो नाम धृतराष्ट्रसुतो बली । चिक्रीडिषुरिहायाति तदर्थमपसर्पत ॥

rājā duryodhano nāma dhṛtarāṣṭrasuto balī | cikrīḍiṣurihāyāti tadarthamapasarpata

A mighty king named Duryodhana, son of Dhritarashtra, is coming here, wishing to sport. Withdraw for his sake.

Note on the text: The soldiers' words have no printed speaker heading.

Verse 27 (3.241.27)

एवमुक्तास्तु गन्धर्वाः प्रहसन्तो विशांपते । प्रत्यब्रुवंस्तान्पुरुषानिदं हि परुषं वचः ॥

evamuktāstu gandharvāḥ prahasanto viśāṃpate | pratyabruvaṃstānpuruṣānidaṃ hi paruṣaṃ vacaḥ

Thus addressed, the Gandharvas laughed, lord of the people, and answered those men with these harsh words:

Note on the text: Corrected रप्रहसन्तो → प्रहसन्तो (stray र) and विशांमपते → विशांपते (stray म) — misprints in Wikisource; critical edition prahasanto viśāṃ pate.

Verse 28 (3.241.28)

न चेतयति वो राजा मन्दबुद्धिः सुयोधनः । योऽस्मानाज्ञापयत्येवं वश्यानिव दिवौकसः ॥

na cetayati vo rājā mandabuddhiḥ suyodhanaḥ | yo'smānājñāpayatyevaṃ vaśyāniva divaukasaḥ

Your dull-witted king Suyodhana has lost his senses, to give orders thus to us, dwellers in heaven, as though we were his subjects.

Note on the text: The Gandharvas' words (verses 28–30) have no printed speaker heading.

Verse 29 (3.241.29)

यूयं मुमूर्षवश्चापि मन्दप्रज्ञा न संशयः । ये तस्य वचनादेवमस्मान्ब्रूथ विचेतसः ॥

yūyaṃ mumūrṣavaścāpi mandaprajñā na saṃśayaḥ | ye tasya vacanādevamasmānbrūtha vicetasaḥ

And you too are doubtless dull-witted men who wish to die, senseless as you are, to speak to us like this at his word.

Note on the text: Corrected तस् → तस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, critical edition tasya).

Verse 30 (3.241.30)

गच्छध्वं त्वरिताः सर्वे यत्र राजा स कौरवः । न चेदद्यैव गच्छध्वं धर्मराजनिवेशनम् ॥

gacchadhvaṃ tvaritāḥ sarve yatra rājā sa kauravaḥ | na cedadyaiva gacchadhvaṃ dharmarājaniveśanam

Go back quickly, all of you, to where that Kaurava king of yours is — or else this very day you will go to the abode of the King of Dharma (Yama).

Verse 31 (3.241.31)

एवमुक्तास्तु गन्धर्वै राज्ञः सेनाग्रयायिनः । संप्राद्रवन्यतो राजा धृतराष्ट्रसुतोऽभवत् ॥

evamuktāstu gandharvai rājñaḥ senāgrayāyinaḥ | saṃprādravanyato rājā dhṛtarāṣṭrasuto'bhavat

Thus addressed by the Gandharvas, the king's vanguard ran back to where the king, Dhritarashtra's son, was.