Yudhishthira Holds to His Pledge

Verse 1 (3.34.1)

स एवमुक्तस्तु महानुभावः । सत्यव्रतो भीमसेनेन राजा । अजातशत्रुस्तदनन्तरं वै । धैर्यान्वितो वाक्यमिदं बभाषे ॥

sa evamuktastu mahānubhāvaḥ | satyavrato bhīmasenena rājā | ajātaśatrustadanantaraṃ vai | dhairyānvito vākyamidaṃ babhāṣe

Addressed in this way by Bhimasena, the great-souled king Ajatashatru, true to his vows, gathered his composure and then spoke these words.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE apparatus records it as 3.35.0*131.

Verse 2 (3.34.2)

असंशयं भारत सत्यमेत- । द्यन्मां तुदन्वाक्यशल्यैः क्षिणोषि । न त्वां विगर्हे प्रतिकूलमेत- । न्ममानयाद्धि व्यसनं व आगात् ॥

asaṃśayaṃ bhārata satyameta- | dyanmāṃ tudanvākyaśalyaiḥ kṣiṇoṣi | na tvāṃ vigarhe pratikūlameta- | nmamānayāddhi vyasanaṃ va āgāt

No doubt, Bharata, what you say is true, as you wound me, piercing me with the darts of your words. I do not blame you for this harsh speech; it was through my own wrong conduct that this calamity came upon you all.

Note on the text: Speaker: Wikisource prints no heading here; the speech is Yudhishthira's (the CE and the page's own critical-edition block head it युधिष्ठिर उवाच).

Verse 3 (3.34.3)

अहं ह्यक्षानन्वपद्यं जिहीर्षन् । राज्यं सराष्ट्रं धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रात् । तन्मां शठः कितवः प्रत्यदेवी- । त्सुयोधनार्थं सुबलस्य पुत्रः ॥

ahaṃ hyakṣānanvapadyaṃ jihīrṣan | rājyaṃ sarāṣṭraṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāt | tanmāṃ śaṭhaḥ kitavaḥ pratyadevī- | tsuyodhanārthaṃ subalasya putraḥ

I took to the dice wanting to win the kingdom and its realm from Dhritarashtra's son; but that cheat and gambler, the son of Subala, played against me on Suyodhana's behalf.

Note on the text: Spacing restored: राज्यंसराष्ट्रं → राज्यं सराष्ट्रं (words run together in Wikisource). Corrected कितव प्रत्यदेवी- → कितवः प्रत्यदेवी- (misprint in Wikisource; dropped visarga; the nominative is needed and the CE reads kitavaḥ).

Verse 4 (3.34.4)

महामायः शकुनिः पार्वतीयः । सभामध्ये प्रवपन्नक्षपूगान् । अमायिनं मायया प्रत्यजैषी- । त्ततोऽपश्यं वृजिनं भीमसेन ॥

mahāmāyaḥ śakuniḥ pārvatīyaḥ | sabhāmadhye pravapannakṣapūgān | amāyinaṃ māyayā pratyajaiṣī- | ttato'paśyaṃ vṛjinaṃ bhīmasena

Shakuni of the hill country, a master of guile, casting heaps of dice in the middle of the hall, beat me by guile, though I knew none; and then, Bhimasena, I saw our ruin.

Verse 5 (3.34.5)

अक्षांश्च दृष्ट्वा शकुनेर्यथावत् । कामानुकूलानयुजो युजश्च । शक्यो नियन्तुमभविष्यदात्मा । मन्युस्तु हन्यात्पुरुषस्य धैर्यम् ॥

akṣāṃśca dṛṣṭvā śakuneryathāvat | kāmānukūlānayujo yujaśca | śakyo niyantumabhaviṣyadātmā | manyustu hanyātpuruṣasya dhairyam

Seeing Shakuni's dice fall odd and even exactly as he wished, I could have held myself back — but anger destroys a man's steadiness.

Verse 6 (3.34.6)

यन्तुं नात्मा शक्यते पौरुषेण । मानेन वीर्येण च तात नद्धः । न ते वाचो भीमसेनाभ्यसूये । मन्ये तथा तद्भवितव्यमासीत् ॥

yantuṃ nātmā śakyate pauruṣeṇa | mānena vīryeṇa ca tāta naddhaḥ | na te vāco bhīmasenābhyasūye | manye tathā tadbhavitavyamāsīt

A mind bound by pride and by prowess cannot be reined in by manliness, my dear. I do not resent your words, Bhimasena; I think that what happened was bound to happen.

Verse 7 (3.34.7)

स नो राजा धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रो । न्यपातयद्व्यसने राज्यमिच्छन् । दास्यं च नोऽगमयद्भीमसेन । यत्राभवच्छरणं द्रौपदी नः ॥

sa no rājā dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putro | nyapātayadvyasane rājyamicchan | dāsyaṃ ca no'gamayadbhīmasena | yatrābhavaccharaṇaṃ draupadī naḥ

That king, Dhritarashtra's son, coveting the kingdom, threw us into misfortune and brought us into slavery, Bhimasena, when Draupadi became our refuge.

Verse 8 (3.34.8)

त्वं चापि तद्वेत्थ धनंजयश्च । पुनर्द्यूतायागतास्तां सभां नः । यन्माऽब्रवीद्धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्र । एकग्लहार्थं भरतानां समक्षम् ॥

tvaṃ cāpi tadvettha dhanaṃjayaśca | punardyūtāyāgatāstāṃ sabhāṃ naḥ | yanmā'bravīddhṛtarāṣṭrasya putra | ekaglahārthaṃ bharatānāṃ samakṣam

You know it too, and so does Dhananjaya — what Dhritarashtra's son said to me in front of the Bharatas, for a single throw, when we had come back to that hall for the second game:

Note on the text: Corrected यन्माऽब्हवीद् → यन्माऽब्रवीद् (misprint in Wikisource; ब्ह for ब्र; the CE reads mābravīd).

Verse 9 (3.34.9)

वने समा द्वादश राजपुत्र । यथाकामं विदितमजातशत्रो । अथापरं चाविदितश्चरेथाः । सर्वैः सह भ्रातृभिश्छद्मरूपः ॥

vane samā dvādaśa rājaputra | yathākāmaṃ viditamajātaśatro | athāparaṃ cāviditaścarethāḥ | sarvaiḥ saha bhrātṛbhiśchadmarūpaḥ

"Prince Ajatashatru, for twelve years you shall live in the forest as you please, openly known; and for a further year you shall wander unrecognised, in disguise, with all your brothers.

Verse 10 (3.34.10)

त्वां चेच्छ्रुत्वा तात तथा चरन्त- । मवभोत्स्यन्ते भारतानां चराश्च । अन्यांश्चरेथास्तावतोऽब्दांस्तथा त्वं । निश्चित्य तत्प्रतिजानीहि पार्थ ॥

tvāṃ cecchrutvā tāta tathā caranta- | mavabhotsyante bhāratānāṃ carāśca | anyāṃścarethāstāvato'bdāṃstathā tvaṃ | niścitya tatpratijānīhi pārtha

If the spies of the Bharatas hear of you and find you out while you wander so, my dear, then you shall wander for as many years again. Resolve on this and give your pledge, Partha.

Note on the text: Spacing restored: तथात्वं → तथा त्वं (words run together in Wikisource).

Verse 11 (3.34.11)

चरैश्चेन्नो विदितः कालमेतं । युक्तो राजन्मोहयित्वा मदीयान् । ब्रवीमि सत्यं कुरुसंसदीह । तवैव ता भारत पञ्च नद्यः ॥

caraiścenno viditaḥ kālametaṃ | yukto rājanmohayitvā madīyān | bravīmi satyaṃ kurusaṃsadīha | tavaiva tā bhārata pañca nadyaḥ

If you stay undiscovered by the spies for that time, O king, keeping watch and leading my men astray, then I declare truly, here in the assembly of the Kurus, that the land of the five rivers shall be yours alone, Bharata.

Verse 12 (3.34.12)

वयं चैतद्भारत सर्व एव । त्वया जिताः कालमपास्य भोगान् । चरेम इत्याह पुरा स राजा । मध्ये कुरूणां स मयोक्तस्तथेति ॥

vayaṃ caitadbhārata sarva eva | tvayā jitāḥ kālamapāsya bhogān | carema ityāha purā sa rājā | madhye kurūṇāṃ sa mayoktastatheti

And we too, all of us, Bharata, if beaten by you, will give up our pleasures and wander for that same time." So that king said long ago in the midst of the Kurus, and I answered him, "So be it."

Verse 13 (3.34.13)

तत्र द्यूतमभवन्नो जघन्यं । यस्मिञ्जिताः प्रव्रजिताश्च सर्वे । इत्थं तु देशाननुसंचरामो । वनानि कृच्छ्राणि च कृच्छ्ररूपाः ॥

tatra dyūtamabhavanno jaghanyaṃ | yasmiñjitāḥ pravrajitāśca sarve | itthaṃ tu deśānanusaṃcarāmo | vanāni kṛcchrāṇi ca kṛcchrarūpāḥ

Then came that vile game of dice, in which we were beaten and all went into exile; and so we roam from land to land and through forests full of hardship, in a wretched state.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रव्रजिताश् सर्वे → प्रव्रजिताश्च सर्वे (misprint in Wikisource; dropped च, leaving a dangling श् and a short pada; the CE reads pravrajitāś ca sarve).

Verse 14 (3.34.14)

सुयोधनश्चापि न शान्तिमिच्छन् । भूयः स मन्योर्वशमन्वगच्छत् । उद्योजयामास कुरूंश्च सर्वान् । ये चास्य केचिद्वशमन्वगच्छन् ॥

suyodhanaścāpi na śāntimicchan | bhūyaḥ sa manyorvaśamanvagacchat | udyojayāmāsa kurūṃśca sarvān | ye cāsya kecidvaśamanvagacchan

Suyodhana, for his part, wanting no peace, fell still further under the sway of his anger; he set all the Kurus to work for him, and all who had come under his sway.

Note on the text: Corrected शान्तिमिच्छत् → शान्तिमिच्छन् (misprint in Wikisource; the participle is needed; the commentary glosses नेच्छन् अनिच्छन् and the CE reads icchan). Spacing restored: येचास्य → ये चास्य (words run together in Wikisource).

Verse 15 (3.34.15)

तां सिद्धिमास्थाय सतां सकाशे । को नाम जह्यादिह राज्यहेतोः । आर्यस्य मन्ये मरणाद्गरीयो । यद्धर्ममुत्क्रम्य महीं प्रशासेत् ॥

tāṃ siddhimāsthāya satāṃ sakāśe | ko nāma jahyādiha rājyahetoḥ | āryasya manye maraṇādgarīyo | yaddharmamutkramya mahīṃ praśāset

Having accepted that settlement in the presence of the good, who would throw it away here for the sake of a kingdom? To a noble man, I think, ruling the earth by overstepping dharma is worse than death.

Verse 16 (3.34.16)

तदैव चेद्वीरकर्माकरिष्यो । यदा द्यूते परिघं पर्यमृक्षः । बाहू दिधक्षन्वारितः फल्गुनेन । किं दुष्कृतं भीम तदाऽभविष्यत् ॥

tadaiva cedvīrakarmākariṣyo | yadā dyūte parighaṃ paryamṛkṣaḥ | bāhū didhakṣanvāritaḥ phalgunena | kiṃ duṣkṛtaṃ bhīma tadā'bhaviṣyat

If you had done a hero's deed back then, at the dicing, when you seized the iron club and, wanting to burn my arms, were held back by Phalguna — what wrong would there have been in it, Bhima?

Note on the text: Spacing restored: दुष्कृतंभीम → दुष्कृतं भीम (words run together in Wikisource).

Verse 17 (3.34.17)

प्रागेव चैवं समयक्रियायाः । किं नाब्रवीः पौरुषमाविदानः । प्राप्तं तु कालं त्वभिपद्य पश्चात् । किं मामिदानीमतिवेलमात्थ ॥

prāgeva caivaṃ samayakriyāyāḥ | kiṃ nābravīḥ pauruṣamāvidānaḥ | prāptaṃ tu kālaṃ tvabhipadya paścāt | kiṃ māmidānīmativelamāttha

Knowing your own manliness, why did you not speak like this before the pact was made? Now that we have accepted the time that has come upon us, why do you speak to me so out of all measure?

Note on the text: Spacing restored: त्वभिपद्यपश्चात् → त्वभिपद्य पश्चात् (words run together in Wikisource).

Verse 18 (3.34.18)

भूयोपि दुःखं मम भीमसेन । दूये विषस्येव रसं हि पीत्वा । यद्याज्ञसेनीं परिक्लिश्यमानां । संदृश्य तत्क्षान्तमिति स्म भीम ॥

bhūyopi duḥkhaṃ mama bhīmasena | dūye viṣasyeva rasaṃ hi pītvā | yadyājñasenīṃ parikliśyamānāṃ | saṃdṛśya tatkṣāntamiti sma bhīma

My grief is greater still, Bhimasena; I burn as though I had drunk poison, because I saw Yajnaseni being tormented and bore it, Bhima.

Verse 19 (3.34.19)

न त्वद्य शक्यं भरतप्रवीर । कृत्वा यदुक्तं कुरुवीरमध्ये । कालं प्रतीक्षस्व सुखोदयाय । पाकं फलानामिव बीजवापः ॥

na tvadya śakyaṃ bharatapravīra | kṛtvā yaduktaṃ kuruvīramadhye | kālaṃ pratīkṣasva sukhodayāya | pākaṃ phalānāmiva bījavāpaḥ

But now, hero of the Bharatas, having given my word in the midst of the Kuru heroes, I cannot go back on it. Wait for the time when happiness will dawn, as the sower waits for his crop to ripen.

Verse 20 (3.34.20)

यदा हि पूर्वं निकृतो निकृन्ते- । द्वैरं सपुष्पं सफलं विदित्वा । महागुणं हरति हि पौरुषेण । तदा वीरो जीवति जीवलोके ॥

yadā hi pūrvaṃ nikṛto nikṛnte- | dvairaṃ sapuṣpaṃ saphalaṃ viditvā | mahāguṇaṃ harati hi pauruṣeṇa | tadā vīro jīvati jīvaloke

When a man who was first wronged cuts down the enmity, knowing it has come to flower and fruit, he wins a great prize by his manliness; then the hero truly lives in the world of the living.

Note on the text: Spacing restored: निकृतोनिकृन्ते- → निकृतो निकृन्ते- (words run together in Wikisource).

Verse 21 (3.34.21)

श्रियं च लोके लभते समग्रां । मन्ये चास्मै शत्रवः सन्नमन्ते । मित्राणि चैनमतिरागाद्भजन्ते । देवा इवेन्द्रमुपजीवन्ति चैनम् ॥

śriyaṃ ca loke labhate samagrāṃ | manye cāsmai śatravaḥ sannamante | mitrāṇi cainamatirāgādbhajante | devā ivendramupajīvanti cainam

He gains complete fortune in the world; even his enemies, I think, bow down to him; his friends cling to him with deep affection and live by him as the gods live by Indra.

Note on the text: Corrected इवेनद्‌रमुपजीवन्ति → इवेन्द्रमुपजीवन्ति (misprint in Wikisource; transposed letters and a broken conjunct with a stray zero-width joiner; the CE reads ivendram).

Verse 22 (3.34.22)

मम प्रतिज्ञां च निबोध सत्यां । वृणे सत्यममृताज्जीविताच्च । राज्यं च पुत्राश्च यशो धनं च । सर्वं न सत्यस्य कलामुपैति ॥

mama pratijñāṃ ca nibodha satyāṃ | vṛṇe satyamamṛtājjīvitācca | rājyaṃ ca putrāśca yaśo dhanaṃ ca | sarvaṃ na satyasya kalāmupaiti

And know that my pledge is true: I choose truth above immortality and above life itself. Kingdom, sons, fame and wealth — all of them together are not worth a sixteenth part of truth.

Note on the text: Corrected सत्यममृतीज्जीविताच्च → सत्यममृताज्जीविताच्च (misprint in Wikisource; ी for ा; the ablative अमृतात् is glossed by the commentary and the CE reads amṛtāj).