The Danavas Summon Duryodhana to Rasatala

Verse 1 (3.252.1)

प्रायोपविष्टं राजानं दुर्योधनममर्षणम् । उवाच सान्त्वयन्राजञ्शकुनिः सौबलस्तदा ॥

prāyopaviṣṭaṃ rājānaṃ duryodhanamamarṣaṇam | uvāca sāntvayanrājañśakuniḥ saubalastadā

Then, O king, Shakuni, son of Subala, spoke soothingly to the indignant King Duryodhana, who had sat down to fast unto death.

Verse 2 (3.252.2)

सम्यगुक्तं हि कर्णेन तच्छ्रुतं कौरव त्वया । मया हृतां श्रियं स्फीतां तां मोहादपहासि किम् ॥

samyaguktaṃ hi karṇena tacchrutaṃ kaurava tvayā | mayā hṛtāṃ śriyaṃ sphītāṃ tāṃ mohādapahāsi kim

Karna has spoken well, O Kaurava, and you have heard him. Why, in your folly, do you throw away the rich fortune that I seized for you?

Note on the text: Matches the first two lines of CE 3.239.2 (Wikisource divides verses 2–3 differently).

Verse 3 (3.252.3)

त्वमबुद्ध्या नृपवर प्राणानुत्स्रष्टुमिच्छसि । अद्य वाऽप्यवगच्छामि न वृद्धाः सेवितास्त्वया ॥

tvamabuddhyā nṛpavara prāṇānutsraṣṭumicchasi | adya vā'pyavagacchāmi na vṛddhāḥ sevitāstvayā

Out of folly, best of kings, you wish to give up your life. Today, too, I see that you have never waited on your elders.

Note on the text: Corrected वाऽप्यवगन्छामि → वाऽप्यवगच्छामि (misprint in Wikisource; न्छ for च्छ; CE avagacchāmi). The first line is CE 3.239.2e, the second 3.239.3a.

Verse 4 (3.252.4)

यः समुत्पतितं हर्षं दैन्यं वा न नियच्छति । स नश्यति श्रियं प्राप्य पात्रमाममिवाम्भसि ॥

yaḥ samutpatitaṃ harṣaṃ dainyaṃ vā na niyacchati | sa naśyati śriyaṃ prāpya pātramāmamivāmbhasi

He who cannot check a sudden rush of joy or of dejection loses the fortune he has gained, as an unbaked pot dissolves in water.

Note on the text: Matches the last two lines of CE 3.239.3.

Verse 5 (3.252.5)

अतिभीरुं मृदुं क्लीबं दीर्घसूत्रं प्रमादिनम् । व्यसनाद्विषयाक्रान्तं न भजन्ति नृपं श्रिताः ॥

atibhīruṃ mṛduṃ klībaṃ dīrghasūtraṃ pramādinam | vyasanādviṣayākrāntaṃ na bhajanti nṛpaṃ śritāḥ

Those who depend on a king do not stay with one who is overly timid, soft, feeble, dilatory and careless, and who, through his vices, is given over to the pleasures of the senses.

Verse 6 (3.252.6)

सत्कृतस्य हि ते शोको विपरीते कथं भवेत् । मा कृतं शोभनं पार्थैः शोकमालम्ब्य नाशय ॥

satkṛtasya hi te śoko viparīte kathaṃ bhavet | mā kṛtaṃ śobhanaṃ pārthaiḥ śokamālambya nāśaya

You have been treated with honour; how can you grieve as though the opposite had happened? Do not destroy, by clinging to grief, the good the Parthas have done you.

Verse 7 (3.252.7)

यत्र हर्षस्त्वया कार्यः सत्कर्तव्याश्च पाण्डवाः । तत्र शोचसि राजेन्द्र विपरीतमिदं तव ॥

yatra harṣastvayā kāryaḥ satkartavyāśca pāṇḍavāḥ | tatra śocasi rājendra viparītamidaṃ tava

Where you ought to rejoice and honour the Pandavas, there you grieve, O lord of kings; this is the reverse of what you should do.

Note on the text: Corrected राजेन्द्रविपरीतमिदं → राजेन्द्र विपरीतमिदं (misprint in Wikisource; missing word break after the vocative).

Verse 8 (3.252.8)

प्रसीद मा त्यजात्मानं तुष्टश्च सुकृतं स्मर । प्रयच्छ राज्यं पार्थानां यशो धर्ममवाप्नुहि । क्रियामेतां समाज्ञाय कृतघ्नो न भविष्यसि ॥

prasīda mā tyajātmānaṃ tuṣṭaśca sukṛtaṃ smara | prayaccha rājyaṃ pārthānāṃ yaśo dharmamavāpnuhi | kriyāmetāṃ samājñāya kṛtaghno na bhaviṣyasi

Be at peace; do not cast away your life; be content and remember the kindness done to you. Give the Parthas their kingdom, and win fame and merit. If you acknowledge what they have done, you will not be ungrateful.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रसीदमा → प्रसीद मा (missing word break) and कप्रयच्छ → प्रयच्छ (stray क) (misprints in Wikisource; CE prasīda mā, prayaccha). The first two lines are CE 3.239.7, the third 3.239.8a.

Verse 9 (3.252.9)

सौभ्रात्रं पाण्डवैः कृत्वा समवस्थाप्य चैव तान् । पित्र्यं राज्यं प्रयच्छैषां ततः सुखमवाप्स्यसि ॥

saubhrātraṃ pāṇḍavaiḥ kṛtvā samavasthāpya caiva tān | pitryaṃ rājyaṃ prayacchaiṣāṃ tataḥ sukhamavāpsyasi

Make brotherhood with the Pandavas, establish them in their place and give them their ancestral kingdom; then you will find happiness.

Note on the text: Corrected समवस्ताप्य → समवस्थाप्य (misprint in Wikisource; त for थ; CE samavasthāpya). Matches the last two lines of CE 3.239.8.

Verse 10 (3.252.10)

शकुनेस्तु वचः श्रुत्वा दुःशासनमवेक्ष्य च । पादयोः पतितं वीरं विकृतं भ्रातृसौहृदात् ॥

śakunestu vacaḥ śrutvā duḥśāsanamavekṣya ca | pādayoḥ patitaṃ vīraṃ vikṛtaṃ bhrātṛsauhṛdāt

Hearing Shakuni's words, and seeing the heroic Duhshasana fallen at his feet, distraught with brotherly love,

Verse 11 (3.252.11)

बाहुभ्यां साधुजाताभ्यां दुःशासनमरिंदमम् । उत्थाप्य संपरिष्वज्य प्रीत्याऽजिघ्रत मूर्धनि ॥

bāhubhyāṃ sādhujātābhyāṃ duḥśāsanamariṃdamam | utthāpya saṃpariṣvajya prītyā'jighrata mūrdhani

he raised up Duhshasana, tamer of foes, with his shapely arms, embraced him and lovingly kissed him on the head.

Verse 12 (3.252.12)

कर्णसौबलयोश्चापि संश्रुत्य वचनान्यसौ । निर्वेदं परमं गत्वा राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा । व्रीडयाऽभिपरीतात्मा नैराश्यमगमत्परम् ॥

karṇasaubalayoścāpi saṃśrutya vacanānyasau | nirvedaṃ paramaṃ gatvā rājā duryodhanastadā | vrīḍayā'bhiparītātmā nairāśyamagamatparam

Having heard the words of Karna and of Subala's son, King Duryodhana fell into deep despondency; overcome with shame, he sank into utter hopelessness.

Verse 13 (3.252.13)

सुहृदां चैव तच्छ्रुत्वा समन्युरिदमब्रवीत् । न धर्मधनसौख्येन नैश्वर्येण न चाज्ञया ॥

suhṛdāṃ caiva tacchrutvā samanyuridamabravīt | na dharmadhanasaukhyena naiśvaryeṇa na cājñayā

Hearing his friends, he spoke in sorrow and anger: "I have no use for dharma, wealth or pleasure, nor for sovereignty or command,

Note on the text: Matches the first two lines of CE 3.239.12.

Verse 14 (3.252.14)

नैव भोगैश्च मे कार्यं मा विहन्यत गच्छत । निश्चितेयं मम मतिः स्थिता प्रायोपवेशने ॥

naiva bhogaiśca me kāryaṃ mā vihanyata gacchata | niściteyaṃ mama matiḥ sthitā prāyopaveśane

nor have I any use for pleasures. Do not thwart me; go. My mind is made up and fixed on fasting unto death.

Note on the text: The first line is CE 3.239.12e, the second 3.239.13a.

Verse 15 (3.252.15)

गच्छध्वं नगरं सर्वे पूज्याश्च गुरवो मम । त एवमुक्ताः प्रत्यूचू राजानमरिमर्दनम् ॥

gacchadhvaṃ nagaraṃ sarve pūjyāśca guravo mama | ta evamuktāḥ pratyūcū rājānamarimardanam

Go back to the city, all of you, and honour my elders." Addressed thus, they replied to the king, the crusher of foes:

Note on the text: Corrected प्रत्यूच् → प्रत्यूचू (misprint in Wikisource; lost vowel sign; CE pratyūcū). The first line is CE 3.239.13c, the second 3.239.14a.

Verse 16 (3.252.16)

या गतिस्तव राजेन्द्र साऽस्माकमपि भारत । कथं वा संप्रवेक्ष्यामस्त्वद्विहीनाः पुरं वयम् ॥

yā gatistava rājendra sā'smākamapi bhārata | kathaṃ vā saṃpravekṣyāmastvadvihīnāḥ puraṃ vayam

Whatever path is yours, O lord of kings, is ours as well, O Bharata. How could we enter the city without you?

Note on the text: Matches the last two lines of CE 3.239.14.

Verse 17 (3.252.17)

स सुहृद्भिरमात्यैश्च भ्रातृभिः स्वजनेन च । बहुप्रकारमप्युक्तो निश्चयान्न व्यचाल्यत ॥

sa suhṛdbhiramātyaiśca bhrātṛbhiḥ svajanena ca | bahuprakāramapyukto niścayānna vyacālyata

Though his friends, ministers, brothers and kinsmen pleaded with him in many ways, he would not be moved from his resolve.

Note on the text: Corrected भातृभिः → भ्रातृभिः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped र; CE bhrātṛbhiḥ).

Verse 18 (3.252.18)

दर्भास्तरणमास्तीर्य निश्चयाद्धृतराष्ट्रजः । संस्पृश्यापः शुचिर्भूत्वा भूतले समुपस्थितः ॥

darbhāstaraṇamāstīrya niścayāddhṛtarāṣṭrajaḥ | saṃspṛśyāpaḥ śucirbhūtvā bhūtale samupasthitaḥ

Firm in his resolve, the son of Dhritarashtra spread a bed of darbha grass, touched water to purify himself and sat down on the ground.

Verse 19 (3.252.19)

कुशचीराम्बरधरः परं नियममास्थितः । वाग्यतो राजशार्दूलः स स्वर्गगतिकाम्यया ॥

kuśacīrāmbaradharaḥ paraṃ niyamamāsthitaḥ | vāgyato rājaśārdūlaḥ sa svargagatikāmyayā

Wearing garments of kusha grass and bark, he took up the strictest discipline; that tiger among kings kept silence, longing to go to heaven.

Note on the text: Matches the first two lines of CE 3.239.17.

Verse 20 (3.252.20)

मनसोपचितिं कृत्वा निरस्य च बहिःक्रियाः । तस्थौ प्रायोपवेशेऽथ मतिं कृत्वा सुनिश्चयाम् ॥

manasopacitiṃ kṛtvā nirasya ca bahiḥkriyāḥ | tasthau prāyopaveśe'tha matiṃ kṛtvā suniścayām

In his mind he heaped up his own pyre, and, giving up all outward acts, he remained in his fast unto death, his resolve made firm.

Note on the text: Removed the backtick and quote marks (Wikisource's marks for an added line) around the second line. Corrected निरस् च → निरस्य च (lost य) and तस्थौप्रायोपवेशेऽथमतिं → तस्थौ प्रायोपवेशेऽथ मतिं (missing word breaks) (misprints in Wikisource; CE nirasya; apparatus tasthau prāyopaveśe 'tha matiṃ). The first line is CE 3.239.17e; the second is not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; it appears in the apparatus as 3.239.17f*1148).

Verse 21 (3.252.21)

अथ तं निश्चयं तस्य बुद्ध्वा दैतेयदानवाः । पातालवासिनो रौद्राः पूर्वं देवैर्विनिर्जिताः ॥

atha taṃ niścayaṃ tasya buddhvā daiteyadānavāḥ | pātālavāsino raudrāḥ pūrvaṃ devairvinirjitāḥ

Then the Daityas and Danavas who dwell in Patala, fierce beings once defeated by the gods, learned of his resolve.

Verse 22 (3.252.22)

ते स्वपक्षक्षयं तं तु ज्ञात्वा दुर्योधनस्य वै । आह्वानाय तदा चक्रुः कर्म वैतानसंभवम् ॥

te svapakṣakṣayaṃ taṃ tu jñātvā duryodhanasya vai | āhvānāya tadā cakruḥ karma vaitānasaṃbhavam

Knowing that Duryodhana's death would mean the ruin of their own side, they performed a rite of the sacrificial fires to summon him.

Verse 23 (3.252.23)

बृहस्पत्युशनोक्तैश्च मन्त्रैर्मन्त्रविशारदाः । अथर्ववेदप्रोक्तैश्च याश्चौपनिषदाः क्रियाः । मन्त्रजप्यसमायुक्तास्तास्तदा समवर्तयन् ॥

bṛhaspatyuśanoktaiśca mantrairmantraviśāradāḥ | atharvavedaproktaiśca yāścaupaniṣadāḥ kriyāḥ | mantrajapyasamāyuktāstāstadā samavartayan

Skilled in mantras, they carried out, with the mantras taught by Brihaspati and Ushanas and with those of the Atharva Veda, the rites taught in the Upanishads, joined with the muttering of spells.

Verse 24 (3.252.24)

जुह्वत्यग्नौ हविः क्षीरं मन्त्रवत्सुसमाहिताः । ब्राह्मणा वेदवेदाङ्गपारगाः सुदृढव्रताः ॥

juhvatyagnau haviḥ kṣīraṃ mantravatsusamāhitāḥ | brāhmaṇā vedavedāṅgapāragāḥ sudṛḍhavratāḥ

Brahmins who had mastered the Vedas and Vedangas, firm in their vows, intent and collected, poured milk as an oblation into the fire with mantras.

Verse 25 (3.252.25)

अध्वर्यवो दानवानां कर्म प्रावर्तयंस्ततः ॥

adhvaryavo dānavānāṃ karma prāvartayaṃstataḥ

Then the Danavas' adhvaryu priests set the rite in motion.

Note on the text: Removed the backtick and quote marks (Wikisource's marks for an added line). A single line, printed by Wikisource as its own verse. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); it appears in the apparatus as 3.239.21d*1149.

Verse 26 (3.252.26)

कर्मसिद्धौ तदा तत्र जृम्भमाणा महाद्भुता । कृत्या समुत्थिता राजन्किं करोमीति चाब्रवीत् ॥

karmasiddhau tadā tatra jṛmbhamāṇā mahādbhutā | kṛtyā samutthitā rājankiṃ karomīti cābravīt

When the rite was complete, O king, a Kritya of great wonder rose up there, yawning, and said, "What shall I do?"

Verse 27 (3.252.27)

आहुर्दैत्याश्च तां तत्र सुप्रीतेनान्तरात्मना । प्रायोपविष्टं राजानं धार्तराष्ट्रमिहानय ॥

āhurdaityāśca tāṃ tatra suprītenāntarātmanā | prāyopaviṣṭaṃ rājānaṃ dhārtarāṣṭramihānaya

Well pleased at heart, the Daityas said to her, "Bring here the son of Dhritarashtra, the king who is fasting unto death."

Verse 28 (3.252.28)

तथेति च प्रतिश्रुत्य सा कृत्या प्रययौ तदा । निमेषादगमच्चापि यत्र राजा सुयोधनः ॥

tatheti ca pratiśrutya sā kṛtyā prayayau tadā | nimeṣādagamaccāpi yatra rājā suyodhanaḥ

Promising "So be it," the Kritya set off, and in the twinkling of an eye she reached the place where King Suyodhana was.

Verse 29 (3.252.29)

समादाय च राजानं प्रविवेश रसातलम् । दानवानां मुहूर्ताच्च पुरतस्तं न्यवेदयत् ॥

samādāya ca rājānaṃ praviveśa rasātalam | dānavānāṃ muhūrtācca puratastaṃ nyavedayat

Taking up the king, she entered Rasatala, and in a moment she presented him before the Danavas.

Verse 30 (3.252.30)

तमानीतं नृपं दृष्ट्वा रात्रौ संगत्य दानवाः । प्रहृष्टमनसः सर्वे किंचिदुत्फुल्ललोचनाः ॥

tamānītaṃ nṛpaṃ dṛṣṭvā rātrau saṃgatya dānavāḥ | prahṛṣṭamanasaḥ sarve kiṃcidutphullalocanāḥ

Seeing the king brought there, the Danavas gathered in the night, all of them overjoyed, their eyes opened a little wider with delight.

Note on the text: Matches the first two lines of CE 3.239.26.

Verse 31 (3.252.31)

दृढमेनं परिष्वज्य दृष्ट्वा च कुशलं तदा । साभिमानमिदं वाक्यं दुर्योधनमथाब्रुवन् ॥

dṛḍhamenaṃ pariṣvajya dṛṣṭvā ca kuśalaṃ tadā | sābhimānamidaṃ vākyaṃ duryodhanamathābruvan

They embraced him tightly and, seeing him safe and well, then addressed Duryodhana proudly with these words.

Note on the text: Removed the backtick and quote marks (Wikisource's marks for an added line) around the first line. Corrected परिष्यज्य → परिष्वज्य (misprint in Wikisource; य for व; apparatus pariṣvajya). The first line is not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; it appears in the apparatus as 3.239.26d*1152, which reads pṛṣṭvā for दृष्ट्वा); the second line is CE 3.239.26e.