Draupadi's Lament in the Forest

Verse 1 (3.27.1)

ततो वनगताः पार्थाः सायाह्ने सह कृष्णया । उपविष्टाः कथाश्चक्रुर्दुःखशोकपरायणाः ॥

tato vanagatāḥ pārthāḥ sāyāhne saha kṛṣṇayā | upaviṣṭāḥ kathāścakrurduḥkhaśokaparāyaṇāḥ

Then, in the forest, the sons of Pritha sat down with Krishna at evening and talked together, sunk in sorrow and grief.

Verse 2 (3.27.2)

प्रिया च दर्शनीया च पण्डिता च पतिव्रता । अथ कृष्णा धर्मराजमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

priyā ca darśanīyā ca paṇḍitā ca pativratā | atha kṛṣṇā dharmarājamidaṃ vacanamabravīt

Then Krishna — beloved, lovely to look upon, learned and devoted to her husbands — spoke these words to the King of Dharma.

Verse 3 (3.27.3)

न नूनं तस्य पापस्य दुःखमस्मासु किंचन । विद्यते धार्तराष्ट्रस्य नृशंसस्य दुरात्मनः ॥

na nūnaṃ tasya pāpasya duḥkhamasmāsu kiṃcana | vidyate dhārtarāṣṭrasya nṛśaṃsasya durātmanaḥ

Surely that wicked son of Dhritarashtra, cruel and evil-hearted, feels no grief at all for us.

Verse 4 (3.27.4)

यस्त्वां राजन्मया सार्धमजिनैः प्रतिवासितम् । वनं प्रस्थाप्य दुष्टात्मा नान्वतप्यत दुर्मतिः ॥

yastvāṃ rājanmayā sārdhamajinaiḥ prativāsitam | vanaṃ prasthāpya duṣṭātmā nānvatapyata durmatiḥ

O king, that evil-minded wretch sent you to the forest with me, clad in deerskins, and felt no remorse.

Note on the text: Matches CE 3.28.4, which has an extra middle line (bhrātṛbhiś ca tathā sarvair nābhyabhāṣata kiṃ cana) that Wikisource's table lacks.

Verse 5 (3.27.5)

आयसं हृदयं नूनं तस्य दुष्कृतकर्मणः । यस्त्वां धर्मपरं श्रेष्ठं रूक्षाण्यश्रावयत्तदा । वचनान्यपरोक्षाणि दुर्वाच्यानि च संसदि ॥

āyasaṃ hṛdayaṃ nūnaṃ tasya duṣkṛtakarmaṇaḥ | yastvāṃ dharmaparaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ rūkṣāṇyaśrāvayattadā | vacanānyaparokṣāṇi durvācyāni ca saṃsadi

Surely the heart of that evildoer is made of iron, for he made you, the best of men and devoted to dharma, listen to harsh words then — words said to your face in the assembly, words that should never be spoken.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` … ') around the third line, which Wikisource marks as an addition. Lines 1–2 are CE 3.28.5; the third line is not in the critical edition.

Verse 6 (3.27.6)

सुखोचितमदुःखार्हं दुरात्मा ससुहृद्गणः । ईदृशं दुःखमानीय मोदते पापपूरुषः ॥

sukhocitamaduḥkhārhaṃ durātmā sasuhṛdgaṇaḥ | īdṛśaṃ duḥkhamānīya modate pāpapūruṣaḥ

You were used to comfort and never deserved sorrow; yet, having brought such grief upon you, that evil-hearted, sinful man rejoices with his band of friends.

Verse 7 (3.27.7)

चतुर्णामेव पापानामस्रं न पतितं तदा । त्वयि भारत निष्क्रान्ते वनायाजिनवाससि ॥

caturṇāmeva pāpānāmasraṃ na patitaṃ tadā | tvayi bhārata niṣkrānte vanāyājinavāsasi

When you set out for the forest wearing deerskin, O Bharata, only four wicked men shed no tears:

Verse 8 (3.27.8)

दुर्योधनस्य कर्णस्य शकुनेश्च दुरात्मनः । दुर्भ्रातुस्तस्य चोग्रस्य राजन्दुःशासनस्य च ॥

duryodhanasya karṇasya śakuneśca durātmanaḥ | durbhrātustasya cograsya rājanduḥśāsanasya ca

Duryodhana, Karna, the evil-hearted Shakuni, and that fierce, wicked brother Duhshasana, O king.

Note on the text: Corrected दुःखशासनस्य → दुःशासनस्य (misprint in Wikisource; an extra akshara breaks the metre; the critical edition reads duḥśāsanasya). राजन् for the critical edition's tathā is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 9 (3.27.9)

इतरेषां तु सर्वेषां कुरूणां कुरुसत्तम । दुःखेनाभिपरीतानां नेत्रेभ्यः प्रापतज्जलम् ॥

itareṣāṃ tu sarveṣāṃ kurūṇāṃ kurusattama | duḥkhenābhiparītānāṃ netrebhyaḥ prāpatajjalam

But from the eyes of all the other Kurus, O best of the Kurus, overcome with sorrow, tears fell.

Verse 10 (3.27.10)

इदं च शयनं दृष्ट्वा यच्चासीत्ते पुरातनम् । शोचामि त्वां महाराज दुःखानर्हं सुखोचितम् ॥

idaṃ ca śayanaṃ dṛṣṭvā yaccāsītte purātanam | śocāmi tvāṃ mahārāja duḥkhānarhaṃ sukhocitam

Seeing this bed, and remembering the one you had before, I grieve for you, great king, who never deserved sorrow and were used to comfort.

Note on the text: Restored missing word spaces (शोचामित्वां महाराजदुःखानर्हंसुखोचितम् → शोचामि त्वां महाराज दुःखानर्हं सुखोचितम्).

Verse 11 (3.27.11)

दान्तं यच्च सभामध्य आसनं रत्नभूषितम् । दृष्ट्वा कुशबृसीं चेमां शोको मां दारयत्ययम् ॥

dāntaṃ yacca sabhāmadhya āsanaṃ ratnabhūṣitam | dṛṣṭvā kuśabṛsīṃ cemāṃ śoko māṃ dārayatyayam

When I remember the ivory throne studded with gems that stood in the middle of the hall, and see this mat of kusha grass, this grief tears me apart.

Note on the text: Corrected कुशबृशीं → कुशबृसीं (misprint in Wikisource; the word is बृसी, "mat", as the page's own commentary and the critical edition read). दारयत्ययम् for the critical edition's rundhayaty ayam is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 12 (3.27.12)

यदपश्यं सभायां त्वां राजभिः परिवारितम् । तच्च राजन्नपश्यन्त्याः का शान्तिर्हृदयस्य मे ॥

yadapaśyaṃ sabhāyāṃ tvāṃ rājabhiḥ parivāritam | tacca rājannapaśyantyāḥ kā śāntirhṛdayasya me

I used to see you in the assembly surrounded by kings. Now that I see it no more, O king, what peace can my heart have?

Note on the text: Corrected सान्तिर्हृदयस्यमे → शान्तिर्हृदयस्य मे (misprint in Wikisource, स for श, and a missing word space; the critical edition reads śāntir hṛdayasya me).

Verse 13 (3.27.13)

या त्वाऽहं चन्दनादिग्धमपश्यं सूर्यवर्चसम् । सा त्वां पङ्कमलादिग्धं दृष्ट्वा मुह्यामि भारत ॥

yā tvā'haṃ candanādigdhamapaśyaṃ sūryavarcasam | sā tvāṃ paṅkamalādigdhaṃ dṛṣṭvā muhyāmi bhārata

I who once saw you anointed with sandal paste and shining like the sun am bewildered to see you smeared with mud and dirt, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Corrected त्वाऽह्रं → त्वाऽहं (misprint in Wikisource; ह्र for ह; the critical edition reads tvāhaṃ).

Verse 14 (3.27.14)

या त्वाऽहं कौशिकैर्वस्त्रैः शुभ्रैराच्छादितं पुरा । दृष्टवत्यस्मि राजेन्द्र साऽद्य पश्यामि चीरिणम् ॥

yā tvā'haṃ kauśikairvastraiḥ śubhrairācchāditaṃ purā | dṛṣṭavatyasmi rājendra sā'dya paśyāmi cīriṇam

I who once saw you clothed in fine white silk, O lord of kings, now see you wearing bark.

Note on the text: Corrected दृष्टवत्यस्मिराजेनद्‌र → दृष्टवत्यस्मि राजेन्द्र (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct in राजेन्द्र and a missing word space). The rest of the verse differs from the critical edition only by recension variants, which are kept.

Verse 15 (3.27.15)

यच्च तद्रुक्मपात्रीभिर्ब्राह्मणेभ्यः सहस्रशः । ह्रियते ते गृहादन्नं संस्कृतं सार्वकामिकम् ॥

yacca tadrukmapātrībhirbrāhmaṇebhyaḥ sahasraśaḥ | hriyate te gṛhādannaṃ saṃskṛtaṃ sārvakāmikam

From your house, food prepared to suit every wish used to be carried to brahmins by the thousand in golden dishes.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (संस्कृतंसार्वकामिकम् → संस्कृतं सार्वकामिकम्).

Verse 16 (3.27.16)

यतीनामगृहाणां ते तथैव गृहमेधिनाम् । दीयते भोजनं राजन्नतीव गुणवत्प्रभो ॥

yatīnāmagṛhāṇāṃ te tathaiva gṛhamedhinām | dīyate bhojanaṃ rājannatīva guṇavatprabho

Food of the finest quality, my lord, was given in your house both to homeless ascetics and to householders, O king.

Note on the text: Matches the first two lines of CE 3.28.16; that verse's third line (tac ca rājann apaśyantyāḥ …) is the last line of the next verse here.

Verse 17 (3.27.17)

सत्कृतानि सहस्राणि सर्वकामैः पुरा गृहे । सर्वकामैः सुविहितैर्यदपूजयथा द्विजान् । तच्च राजन्नपश्यन्त्याः का शान्तिर्हृदयस्य मे ॥

satkṛtāni sahasrāṇi sarvakāmaiḥ purā gṛhe | sarvakāmaiḥ suvihitairyadapūjayathā dvijān | tacca rājannapaśyantyāḥ kā śāntirhṛdayasya me

In your house you used to honour thousands of brahmins, receiving them with every good thing, all well arranged. Now that I see this no more, O king, what peace can my heart have?

Note on the text: Only the last line is in the critical edition (the third line of CE 3.28.16); the first two lines are not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 18 (3.27.18)

यत्ते भ्रातॄन्महाराज युवानो मृष्टकुण्डलाः । अभोजयन्त मृष्टान्नैः सूदाः परमसंस्कृतैः ॥

yatte bhrātṝnmahārāja yuvāno mṛṣṭakuṇḍalāḥ | abhojayanta mṛṣṭānnaiḥ sūdāḥ paramasaṃskṛtaiḥ

Great king, young cooks wearing polished earrings used to feed your brothers with delicious, finely prepared food.

Verse 19 (3.27.19)

सर्वांस्तानद्य पश्यामि वने वन्येन जीविनः । अदुःखार्हान्मनुष्येन्द्र नोपशाम्यति मे मनः ॥

sarvāṃstānadya paśyāmi vane vanyena jīvinaḥ | aduḥkhārhānmanuṣyendra nopaśāmyati me manaḥ

Today I see them all in the forest, living on forest fare, O lord of men, though they do not deserve sorrow; and my mind finds no peace.

Verse 20 (3.27.20)

भीमसेनमिमं चापि दुःखितं वनवासिनम् । ध्यायतः किं न मन्युस्ते प्राप्ते काले विवर्धते ॥

bhīmasenamimaṃ cāpi duḥkhitaṃ vanavāsinam | dhyāyataḥ kiṃ na manyuste prāpte kāle vivardhate

When you think of Bhimasena here, wretched and living in the forest, why does your anger not grow now that its time has come?

Verse 21 (3.27.21)

भीमसेनं हि कर्माणि स्वयं कुर्वाणमच्युतम् । सुखार्हं दुःखितं दृष्ट्वा कस्माद्राजन्नुपेक्षसे ॥

bhīmasenaṃ hi karmāṇi svayaṃ kurvāṇamacyutam | sukhārhaṃ duḥkhitaṃ dṛṣṭvā kasmādrājannupekṣase

Bhimasena, who never wavers, does all the work with his own hands. Seeing him in misery, who deserves happiness, why do you let it pass, O king?

Verse 22 (3.27.22)

सत्कृतं विविधैर्यानैर्वस्त्रैरुच्चावचैस्तथा । तं ते वनगतं दृष्ट्वा कस्मान्मन्युर्न वर्धते ॥

satkṛtaṃ vividhairyānairvastrairuccāvacaistathā | taṃ te vanagataṃ dṛṣṭvā kasmānmanyurna vardhate

He was honoured with carriages of every kind and with garments of all sorts. Seeing him living in the forest, why does your anger not grow?

Verse 23 (3.27.23)

अयं कुरून्रणे सर्वान्हन्तुमुत्सहते प्रभुः । त्वत्प्रतिज्ञां प्रतीक्षंस्तु सहतेऽयं वृकोदरः ॥

ayaṃ kurūnraṇe sarvānhantumutsahate prabhuḥ | tvatpratijñāṃ pratīkṣaṃstu sahate'yaṃ vṛkodaraḥ

This mighty Vrikodara is ready to kill all the Kurus in battle; he endures only because he waits on your promise.

Verse 24 (3.27.24)

योऽर्जुनेनार्जुनस्तुल्यो द्विबाहुर्बहुबाहुना । शरातिसर्गे शीघ्रत्वात्कालान्तकयमोपमः ॥

yo'rjunenārjunastulyo dvibāhurbahubāhunā | śarātisarge śīghratvātkālāntakayamopamaḥ

Arjuna, with his two arms, is equal to the thousand-armed Arjuna (Kartavirya); in the speed with which he looses his arrows he is like Kala, Antaka and Yama.

Verse 25 (3.27.25)

यस्य शस्त्रप्रतापेन प्रणताः सर्वपार्थिवाः । यज्ञे तव महाराज ब्राह्मणानुपतस्थिरे ॥

yasya śastrapratāpena praṇatāḥ sarvapārthivāḥ | yajñe tava mahārāja brāhmaṇānupatasthire

By the power of his weapons all the kings bowed down and waited on the brahmins at your sacrifice, great king.

Note on the text: Corrected यस् → यस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, leaving the line a syllable short; the critical edition reads yasya).

Verse 26 (3.27.26)

तमिमं पुरुषव्याघ्रं पूजितं देवदानवैः । ध्यायन्तमर्जुनं दृष्ट्वा कस्माद्राजन्न कुप्यसि ॥

tamimaṃ puruṣavyāghraṃ pūjitaṃ devadānavaiḥ | dhyāyantamarjunaṃ dṛṣṭvā kasmādrājanna kupyasi

Seeing this tiger among men, Arjuna, honoured by gods and Danavas, sunk in brooding, why are you not angry, O king?

Verse 27 (3.27.27)

दृष्ट्वा वनगतं पार्थमदुःखार्हं सुखोचितम् । न च ते वर्धते मन्युस्तेन मुह्यामि भारत ॥

dṛṣṭvā vanagataṃ pārthamaduḥkhārhaṃ sukhocitam | na ca te vardhate manyustena muhyāmi bhārata

You see Partha in the forest, who does not deserve sorrow and is used to comfort, and still your anger does not rise; that is what bewilders me, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (तेवर्धते → ते वर्धते).

Verse 28 (3.27.28)

यो देवांश्च मनुष्यांश्च सर्पांश्चैकरथोऽजयत् । तं ते वनगतं दृष्ट्वा कस्मान्मन्युर्न वर्धते ॥

yo devāṃśca manuṣyāṃśca sarpāṃścaikaratho'jayat | taṃ te vanagataṃ dṛṣṭvā kasmānmanyurna vardhate

He conquered gods, men and serpents with a single chariot. Seeing him living in the forest, why does your anger not grow?

Verse 29 (3.27.29)

यो यानैरद्भुताकारैर्हयैर्नागैश्च संवृतः । प्रसह्य वित्तान्यादत्त पार्थिवेभ्यः परंतप ॥

yo yānairadbhutākārairhayairnāgaiśca saṃvṛtaḥ | prasahya vittānyādatta pārthivebhyaḥ paraṃtapa

He, surrounded by wondrous carriages, horses and elephants, took wealth by force from the kings, O scorcher of foes;

Verse 30 (3.27.30)

क्षिपत्येकेन वेगेन पञ्चबाणशतानि यः । तं ते वनगतं दृष्ट्वा कस्मान्मन्युर्न वर्धते ॥

kṣipatyekena vegena pañcabāṇaśatāni yaḥ | taṃ te vanagataṃ dṛṣṭvā kasmānmanyurna vardhate

he looses five hundred arrows in a single burst. Seeing him living in the forest, why does your anger not grow?

Verse 31 (3.27.31)

श्यामं बृहन्तं तरुणं चर्मिणामुत्तमं रणे । नकुलं ते वने दृष्ट्वा कस्मान्मन्युर्न वर्धते ॥

śyāmaṃ bṛhantaṃ taruṇaṃ carmiṇāmuttamaṃ raṇe | nakulaṃ te vane dṛṣṭvā kasmānmanyurna vardhate

Dark, tall and young, the best in battle of those who fight with shield and sword — seeing Nakula in the forest, why does your anger not grow?

Verse 32 (3.27.32)

दर्शनीयं च शूरं च माद्रीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिर । सहदेवं वने दृष्ट्वा कस्मात्क्षमसि पार्थिव ॥

darśanīyaṃ ca śūraṃ ca mādrīputraṃ yudhiṣṭhira | sahadevaṃ vane dṛṣṭvā kasmātkṣamasi pārthiva

Seeing Sahadeva, the handsome and valiant son of Madri, in the forest, Yudhishthira, why do you bear it, O king?

Verse 33 (3.27.33)

नकुलं सहदेवं च दृष्ट्वा ते दुःखितावुभौ । अदुःखार्हौ मनुष्येन्द्र कस्मान्मन्युर्न वर्धते ॥

nakulaṃ sahadevaṃ ca dṛṣṭvā te duḥkhitāvubhau | aduḥkhārhau manuṣyendra kasmānmanyurna vardhate

Seeing both Nakula and Sahadeva in misery, though they do not deserve sorrow, O lord of men, why does your anger not grow?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 34 (3.27.34)

द्रुपदस्य कुले जातां स्नुषां पाण्डोर्महात्मनः । धृष्टद्युम्नस्य भगिनीं वीरपत्नीमनुव्रताम् । मां वै वनगतां दृष्ट्वा कस्मात्क्षमसि पार्थिव ॥

drupadasya kule jātāṃ snuṣāṃ pāṇḍormahātmanaḥ | dhṛṣṭadyumnasya bhaginīṃ vīrapatnīmanuvratām | māṃ vai vanagatāṃ dṛṣṭvā kasmātkṣamasi pārthiva

I was born in the house of Drupada; I am the daughter-in-law of the great-souled Pandu, the sister of Dhrishtadyumna, the faithful wife of heroes. Seeing me in the forest, why do you bear it, O king?

Note on the text: Matches CE 3.28.32, which has the first line and a variant last line (māṃ te vanagatāṃ dṛṣṭvā kasmān manyur na vardhate); the middle line (धृष्टद्युम्नस्य भगिनीं …) is not in the critical edition.

Verse 35 (3.27.35)

नूनं च तव नैवास्ति मन्युर्भरतसत्तम । यत्ते भ्रातॄंश्च मां चैव दृष्ट्वा न व्यथते मनः ॥

nūnaṃ ca tava naivāsti manyurbharatasattama | yatte bhrātṝṃśca māṃ caiva dṛṣṭvā na vyathate manaḥ

Surely you have no anger at all, O best of the Bharatas, since your mind is not troubled when you see your brothers and me.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (नव्यथते → न व्यथते).

Verse 36 (3.27.36)

न निर्मन्युः क्षत्रियोऽस्ति लोके निर्वचनं स्मृतम् । तदद्य त्वयि पश्यामि क्षत्रिये विपरीतवत् ॥

na nirmanyuḥ kṣatriyo'sti loke nirvacanaṃ smṛtam | tadadya tvayi paśyāmi kṣatriye viparītavat

There is no kshatriya in the world without anger — so the very meaning of the word declares. Yet today I see the reverse in you, a kshatriya.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (निर्मन्युःक्षत्रियोऽस्ति → निर्मन्युः क्षत्रियोऽस्ति).

Verse 37 (3.27.37)

यो न दर्शयते तेजः क्षत्रियः काल आगते । सर्वभूतानि तं पार्थ सदा परिभवन्त्युत ॥

yo na darśayate tejaḥ kṣatriyaḥ kāla āgate | sarvabhūtāni taṃ pārtha sadā paribhavantyuta

The kshatriya who does not show his might when the time has come is always despised by every creature, Partha.

Verse 38 (3.27.38)

तत्त्वया न क्षमा कार्या शत्रून्प्रति कथंचन । तेजसैव हि ते शक्या निहन्तुं नात्र संशयः ॥

tattvayā na kṣamā kāryā śatrūnprati kathaṃcana | tejasaiva hi te śakyā nihantuṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ

So you must in no way show forbearance toward your enemies; it is by might alone that they can be slain, of that there is no doubt.

Verse 39 (3.27.39)

तथैव यः क्षमाकाले क्षत्रियो नोपशाम्यति । अप्रियः सर्वभूतानां सोऽमुत्रेह च नश्यति ॥

tathaiva yaḥ kṣamākāle kṣatriyo nopaśāmyati | apriyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ so'mutreha ca naśyati

Equally, the kshatriya who does not grow calm when the time for forgiveness comes is hated by all creatures and perishes both in the next world and in this.

Note on the text: Corrected सोमुत्रेह → सोऽमुत्रेह (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha; the critical edition reads so 'mutreha).