Dhritarashtra Begs the People's Forgiveness

Verse 1 (15.10.1)

शान्तनुः पालयामास यथावद्वसुधामिमाम् । तथा विचित्रवीर्यश्च भीष्मेण परिपालितः । पालयामास नस्तातो विदितं वो न संशयः ॥

śāntanuḥ pālayāmāsa yathāvadvasudhāmimām | tathā vicitravīryaśca bhīṣmeṇa paripālitaḥ | pālayāmāsa nastāto viditaṃ vo na saṃśayaḥ

Shantanu ruled this earth as he should, and so did Vichitravirya, guarded by Bhishma; our father ruled it too. You know this; there is no doubt.

Verse 2 (15.10.2)

यथा च पाण्डुर्भाता मे दयितो भवतामभूत् । स चापि पालयामास यथावत्तच्च वेत्थ ह ॥

yathā ca pāṇḍurbhātā me dayito bhavatāmabhūt | sa cāpi pālayāmāsa yathāvattacca vettha ha

And Pandu, my brother, who was dear to you, ruled it as he should; this too you know.

Verse 3 (15.10.3)

अनन्तरं हि पितरमनुज्ञातो युधिष्ठिरः । नात्र किञ्चिन्मृषा जातु भाषतेति मतिर्मम ॥

anantaraṃ hi pitaramanujñāto yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | nātra kiñcinmṛṣā jātu bhāṣateti matirmama

Next after his father, Yudhishthira, who has been given leave, never speaks any falsehood here; that is my conviction.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (a backtick at the start and a closing doubled danda and quote at the end; the verse is printed as a quoted interpolation). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension): the CE has the two lines only as the star passage 15.14.2d*0032_01-02 (अनन्तरं हि पितरम् अनुजातो युधिष्ठिरः / नात्र किं चिन् मृषा जातु भवितेति मतिर्मम), printed after 14.2c.

Verse 4 (15.10.4)

मया च भवतां सम्यक् शुश्रूषा या कृताऽनघाः । असम्यग्वा महाभागास्तत्क्षन्तव्यमतन्द्रितैः ॥

mayā ca bhavatāṃ samyak śuśrūṣā yā kṛtā'naghāḥ | asamyagvā mahābhāgāstatkṣantavyamatandritaiḥ

Whatever service I rendered you, blameless ones, whether well or ill, you who are tireless should forgive it, O fortunate ones.

Verse 5 (15.10.5)

यदा दुर्योधनेनेदं भुक्तं राज्यमकण्टकम् । अपि तत्र न वो मन्दो दुर्बुद्धिरपराद्धवान् ॥

yadā duryodhanenedaṃ bhuktaṃ rājyamakaṇṭakam | api tatra na vo mando durbuddhiraparāddhavān

When Duryodhana enjoyed this kingdom free of thorns, even then that dull-witted, ill-minded one did no wrong against you.

Note on the text: CE 15.14.4 reads यच्च दुर्योधनेनेदं राज्यं भुक्तम् (recension variant).

Verse 6 (15.10.6)

तस्यापराधाद्दुर्बुद्धेरभिमानान्महीक्षिताम् । विमर्दः सुमहानासीदनयात्स्वकृतादथ । घातिताः कौरवेयाश्च पृथिवी च विनाशिता ॥

tasyāparādhāddurbuddherabhimānānmahīkṣitām | vimardaḥ sumahānāsīdanayātsvakṛtādatha | ghātitāḥ kauraveyāśca pṛthivī ca vināśitā

Through the offence of that ill-minded one and the pride of the kings, a very great destruction came about, caused by our own wrong. The Kauravas were slain and the earth was ruined.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (a backtick and closing quote round the third line, which Wikisource sets off as an inserted line). Lines 1-2 = CE 15.14.5a,c (Wikisource reads अनयात्स्वकृतादथ where the CE has अनयान्मत्कृतादथ, a recension variant). Line 3 is not in the CE's constituted text (vulgate only); the CE has a corresponding star line 15.14.5d*0033_01 (घातिताः कुरवो यच्च पृथिवी च विनाशिता).

Verse 7 (15.10.7)

तन्मया साधु वाऽपीदं यदि वाऽसाधु वै कृतम् । तद्वो हृदि न कर्तव्यं मया बद्धोऽयमञ्जलिः ॥

tanmayā sādhu vā'pīdaṃ yadi vā'sādhu vai kṛtam | tadvo hṛdi na kartavyaṃ mayā baddho'yamañjaliḥ

Whatever I did, well or ill, do not hold it in your hearts; I have joined my hands to you.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads मया बद्धोऽयमञ्जलिः; the CE (15.14.6c) has मामनुज्ञातुमर्हथ (recension variant). Wikisource's commentary notes the variant न कर्तव्यमनुज्ञातुमिहार्हथ.

Verse 8 (15.10.8)

वृद्धोऽयं हतपुत्रोऽयं दुःखितोऽयं नराधिपः । पूर्वराज्ञां च पुत्रोऽयमिति कृत्वाऽनुजानथ ॥

vṛddho'yaṃ hataputro'yaṃ duḥkhito'yaṃ narādhipaḥ | pūrvarājñāṃ ca putro'yamiti kṛtvā'nujānatha

This king is old, his sons are slain, he is grieving, and he is the son of former kings; with this in mind give your leave.

Verse 9 (15.10.9)

इयं च कृपणा वृद्धा हतपुत्रा तपस्विनी । गान्धारी पुत्रशोकार्ता तुल्यं याचति वो मया ॥

iyaṃ ca kṛpaṇā vṛddhā hataputrā tapasvinī | gāndhārī putraśokārtā tulyaṃ yācati vo mayā

And this wretched, aged Gandhari, an ascetic, her sons slain and afflicted by grief for them, begs you equally with me.

Verse 10 (15.10.10)

हतपुत्राविमौ वृद्धौ विदित्वा दुःखितौ तथा । अनुजानीत भद्रं वो व्रजाव शरणं च वः ॥

hataputrāvimau vṛddhau viditvā duḥkhitau tathā | anujānīta bhadraṃ vo vrajāva śaraṇaṃ ca vaḥ

Knowing us both to be old, bereaved of our sons and grieving, give us leave. May you prosper. We seek your shelter.

Verse 11 (15.10.11)

अयं च कौरवो राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । सर्वैर्भवद्भिर्द्रष्टव्यः समेषु विषमेषु च । न जातु विषमं चैव गमिष्यति कदाचन ॥

ayaṃ ca kauravo rājā kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | sarvairbhavadbhirdraṣṭavyaḥ sameṣu viṣameṣu ca | na jātu viṣamaṃ caiva gamiṣyati kadācana

And this Kaurava king, Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, is to be looked after by all of you, in good times and bad; and he will never at any time come to grief.

Note on the text: Corrected भवद्भिर्द्रव्यः → भवद्भिर्द्रष्टव्यः (misprint in Wikisource; द्रव्यः is not a valid form here; the critical edition (15.14.10c) has द्रष्टव्यः).

Verse 12 (15.10.12)

चत्वारः सचिवा यस्य भ्रातरो विपुलौजसः । लोकपालसमा ह्येते सर्वधर्मार्थदर्शिनः ॥

catvāraḥ sacivā yasya bhrātaro vipulaujasaḥ | lokapālasamā hyete sarvadharmārthadarśinaḥ

He has four brothers of vast vigour as his counsellors, equal to the guardians of the world, all of them discerning in dharma and artha.

Note on the text: Corrected लोककपालसमा → लोकपालसमा (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क; the critical edition (15.14.11c) has लोकपालोपमा).

Verse 13 (15.10.13)

चतुर्णां लोकपालानां मध्ये विपरिवर्तते । ब्रह्मेव भगवानेष सर्वभूतजगत्पतिः ॥

caturṇāṃ lokapālānāṃ madhye viparivartate | brahmeva bhagavāneṣa sarvabhūtajagatpatiḥ

He moves in the midst of those four guardians of the world, like Brahma himself, the Blessed One, lord of all beings and of the world.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (a backtick and closing quote round the first line, which Wikisource sets off as an inserted line). Line 1 is not in the CE's constituted text (vulgate only; it is the CE star line 15.14.11d*0034_01, चतुर्णां लोकपालानां मध्ये विपरिवर्तते); line 2 = CE 15.14.12a.

Verse 14 (15.10.14)

एवमेव महाबाहुर्भीमार्जुनयमैर्वृतः । युधिष्ठिरो महातेजा भवतः पालयिष्यति ॥

evameva mahābāhurbhīmārjunayamairvṛtaḥ | yudhiṣṭhiro mahātejā bhavataḥ pālayiṣyati

Just so, surrounded by Bhima, Arjuna and the twins, the mighty-armed and greatly radiant Yudhishthira will protect you.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (a backtick and closing quote round the first line, which Wikisource sets off as an inserted line). Line 1 is not in the CE's constituted text (vulgate only; it is the CE star line 15.14.12b*0035_01, एवम् एष महाबाहुर् भीमार्जुनयमैर् वृतः); line 2 = CE 15.14.12c.

Verse 15 (15.10.15)

अवश्यमेव वक्तव्यमिति कृत्वा ब्रवीमि वः । एष न्यासो मया दत्तः सर्वेषां वो युधिष्ठिरः । भवन्तोऽस्य च वीरस्य न्यासभूताः कृता मया ॥

avaśyameva vaktavyamiti kṛtvā bravīmi vaḥ | eṣa nyāso mayā dattaḥ sarveṣāṃ vo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | bhavanto'sya ca vīrasya nyāsabhūtāḥ kṛtā mayā

Thinking 'it must surely be said', I say to you: I have placed Yudhishthira with all of you as a trust, and I have made you a trust in the hands of this hero.

Verse 16 (15.10.16)

यदेव तैः कृतं किञ्चिद्व्यलीकं वः सुतैर्मम । यदन्येन मदीयेन तदनुज्ञातुमर्हथ ॥

yadeva taiḥ kṛtaṃ kiñcidvyalīkaṃ vaḥ sutairmama | yadanyena madīyena tadanujñātumarhatha

Whatever wrong my sons have done you, or anyone else of mine, you ought to forgive it.

Note on the text: Corrected यदन्येनि → यदन्येन (misprint in Wikisource; stray ि; instrumental of अन्य).

Verse 17 (15.10.17)

भवद्भिर्न हि मे मन्युः कृतपूर्वः कथञ्चन । अत्यन्तगुरुभक्तानामेषोऽञ्जलिरिदं नमः ॥

bhavadbhirna hi me manyuḥ kṛtapūrvaḥ kathañcana | atyantagurubhaktānāmeṣo'ñjaliridaṃ namaḥ

I have never before roused my anger against you in any way; to you, who are utterly devoted to your elders, this is my folded-hand salutation.

Verse 18 (15.10.18)

तेषामस्थिरबुद्धीनां लुब्धानां कामचारिणाम् । कृते याचेऽद्य वः सर्वान्गान्धारीसहितोऽनघाः ॥

teṣāmasthirabuddhīnāṃ lubdhānāṃ kāmacāriṇām | kṛte yāce'dya vaḥ sarvāngāndhārīsahito'naghāḥ

For the sake of those unsteady, greedy, wilful sons I now beg you all, together with Gandhari, blameless ones.

Verse 19 (15.10.19)

इत्युक्तांस्तेन ते सर्वे पौरजानपदा जनाः । नोचुर्बाष्पकलाः किञ्चिद्वीक्षांचक्रुः परस्परम् ॥

ityuktāṃstena te sarve paurajānapadā janāḥ | nocurbāṣpakalāḥ kiñcidvīkṣāṃcakruḥ parasparam

Addressed thus by him, all those townspeople and country people, their eyes filled with tears, said nothing and only looked at one another.

Note on the text: Narration (the input carried धृतराष्ट्र from the heading above); the speaker is the narrator, वैशम्पायन.