The Brahmin Answers for the People

Verse 1 (15.11.1)

एवमुक्तास्तु ते तेन पौरजानपदा जनाः । वृद्धेन राज्ञा कौरव्य नष्टसंज्ञा इवाभवन् ॥

evamuktāstu te tena paurajānapadā janāḥ | vṛddhena rājñā kauravya naṣṭasaṃjñā ivābhavan

Addressed in this way by the aged king, O Kaurava, the townspeople and country folk became as though they had lost their senses.

Verse 2 (15.11.2)

तूष्णींभूतांस्ततस्तांस्तु वाष्पकण्ठान्महीपतिः । धृतराष्ट्रो महीपालः पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत ॥

tūṣṇīṃbhūtāṃstatastāṃstu vāṣpakaṇṭhānmahīpatiḥ | dhṛtarāṣṭro mahīpālaḥ punarevābhyabhāṣata

As they stood silent, their throats choked with tears, the king Dhritarashtra, protector of the earth, spoke to them again.

Verse 3 (15.11.3)

वृद्धं च हतपुत्रं च धर्मपत्न्या सहानया । विलपन्तं बहुविधं कृपणं चैव सत्तमाः ॥

vṛddhaṃ ca hataputraṃ ca dharmapatnyā sahānayā | vilapantaṃ bahuvidhaṃ kṛpaṇaṃ caiva sattamāḥ

Me, who am old and have lost my sons, lamenting in many ways with this lawful wife of mine, and wretched, O good people,

Note on the text: Speaker: the input carried वैशम्पायन from the heading above; verses 3-5 are Dhritarashtra's own words to the assembly (verse 2 introduces them: पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत).

Verse 4 (15.11.4)

पित्रा स्वयमनुज्ञातं कृष्णद्वैपायनेन वै । वनवासाय धर्मज्ञा धर्मजेन नृपेण ह ॥

pitrā svayamanujñātaṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyanena vai | vanavāsāya dharmajñā dharmajena nṛpeṇa ha

who have been given leave to live in the forest by my father Krishna Dvaipayana himself, and by the king, Dharma's son, O knowers of dharma,

Verse 5 (15.11.5)

सोहं पुनःपुनर्याचे शिरसाऽवनतोऽनघाः । गान्धार्या सहितं तन्मां समनुज्ञातुमर्हथ ॥

sohaṃ punaḥpunaryāce śirasā'vanato'naghāḥ | gāndhāryā sahitaṃ tanmāṃ samanujñātumarhatha

that same I beg you again and again, bowing my head, blameless ones: give me leave to go together with Gandhari.

Verse 6 (15.11.6)

तच्छ्रुत्वा कुरुराजस्य वाक्यानि करुणानि ते । रुरुदुः सर्वशो राजन्समेताः कुरुजाङ्गलाः ॥

tacchrutvā kururājasya vākyāni karuṇāni te | ruruduḥ sarvaśo rājansametāḥ kurujāṅgalāḥ

Hearing these piteous words of the king of the Kurus, all the Kurujangala people who had gathered there wept, O king.

Note on the text: Page heading 15-11-6x वैशम्पायन उवाच: narration resumes here.

Verse 7 (15.11.7)

उत्तरीयैः करैश्चापि संछाद्य वदनानि ते । रुरुदुः शोकसंतप्ता मुहूर्तं पितृमातृवत् ॥

uttarīyaiḥ karaiścāpi saṃchādya vadanāni te | ruruduḥ śokasaṃtaptā muhūrtaṃ pitṛmātṛvat

Covering their faces with their upper garments and their hands, they wept for a while, overcome with sorrow, as one weeps for a father or a mother.

Verse 8 (15.11.8)

हृदयैः शून्यभूतैस्ते धृतराष्ट्रप्रवासजम् । दुःखं संधारयन्तो हि नष्टसंज्ञा इवाभवन् ॥

hṛdayaiḥ śūnyabhūtaiste dhṛtarāṣṭrapravāsajam | duḥkhaṃ saṃdhārayanto hi naṣṭasaṃjñā ivābhavan

With hearts emptied, bearing the grief born of Dhritarashtra's going away, they became as though bereft of their senses.

Note on the text: Corrected हवाभवन् → इवाभवन् (misprint in Wikisource; हवाभवन् is not a word; the critical edition (15.15.8c) has इवाभवन्, as in verse 1).

Verse 9 (15.11.9)

ते विनीय तमायासं धृतराष्ट्रवियोगजम् । शनैः शनैस्तदाऽन्योन्यमब्रुवन्स्वमतान्युत ॥

te vinīya tamāyāsaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraviyogajam | śanaiḥ śanaistadā'nyonyamabruvansvamatānyuta

Having mastered that distress born of parting from Dhritarashtra, they told one another their views, slowly.

Verse 10 (15.11.10)

ततः सञ्चिन्त्य ते सर्वे वाक्यान्यथ समासतः । एकस्मिन्ब्राह्मणे कार्यमावेश्योचुर्नराधिपम् ॥

tataḥ sañcintya te sarve vākyānyatha samāsataḥ | ekasminbrāhmaṇe kāryamāveśyocurnarādhipam

Then, after reflecting, they all briefly entrusted the matter to one Brahmin and spoke to the king through him.

Note on the text: Corrected मावेस्योचुर् → मावेश्योचुर् (misprint in Wikisource; आवेस्य is not a form; the gerund is आवेश्य (the critical edition, 15.15.10c, has आवेश्योचुः)).

Verse 11 (15.11.11)

ततः स्वाचरणो विप्रः सम्मतोऽर्थविशारदः । सम्भाव्यो बह्वृचो राजन्वक्तुं समुपचक्रमे ॥

tataḥ svācaraṇo vipraḥ sammato'rthaviśāradaḥ | sambhāvyo bahvṛco rājanvaktuṃ samupacakrame

Then a Brahmin of good conduct, respected and skilled in affairs, a worthy Rigvedic scholar, began to speak, O king.

Verse 12 (15.11.12)

अनुमान्य महाराजं सदः समनुभाष्य च । विप्रः प्रगल्भो मेधावी स राजानमुवाच ह ॥

anumānya mahārājaṃ sadaḥ samanubhāṣya ca | vipraḥ pragalbho medhāvī sa rājānamuvāca ha

Having paid homage to the great king and addressed the assembly, that bold and intelligent Brahmin spoke to the king.

Verse 13 (15.11.13)

राजन्वाक्यं जनस्यास्य मयि सर्वं समर्पितम् । वक्ष्यामि तदहं वीर तज्जुषस्व नराधिप ॥

rājanvākyaṃ janasyāsya mayi sarvaṃ samarpitam | vakṣyāmi tadahaṃ vīra tajjuṣasva narādhipa

O king, all this people's words have been entrusted to me; I shall speak them, O hero. Listen to them, O ruler of men.

Note on the text: Corrected नपाधिप → नराधिप (misprint in Wikisource; नपाधिप is not a word; the critical edition (15.15.13c) has नराधिप). Speaker: the input carried वैशम्पायन from the heading above. From verse 13 (राजन् वाक्यं जनस्यास्य मयि सर्वं समर्पितम्) through verse 49 the speaker is the Brahmin chosen by the people to answer for them (verses 10-12 introduce him); the CE names him Samba (सांबाख्य, 15.15.11c) and heads 15.16.1 "ब्राह्मण उवाच". Verse 50 is narration again.

Verse 14 (15.11.14)

यथा वदसि राजेन्द्र सर्वमेतत्तथा विभो । नात्र मिथ्या वचः किञ्चित्सुहृत्त्वं नः परस्परम् ॥

yathā vadasi rājendra sarvametattathā vibho | nātra mithyā vacaḥ kiñcitsuhṛttvaṃ naḥ parasparam

It is all just as you say, O king of kings, O lord; there is nothing false in it at all: there is friendship between us and you.

Verse 15 (15.11.15)

न जात्वस्य च वंशस्य राज्ञां कश्चित्कदाचन । राजाऽऽसीद्यः प्रजापालः प्रजानामप्रियोऽभवत् ॥

na jātvasya ca vaṃśasya rājñāṃ kaścitkadācana | rājā''sīdyaḥ prajāpālaḥ prajānāmapriyo'bhavat

Never has any king of this line, a protector of the people, been disagreeable to his subjects.

Verse 16 (15.11.16)

पितृवन्मातृवच्चैव भवन्तः पालयन्ति नः । न च दुर्योधनः किञ्चिदयुक्तं कृतवान्नृपः ॥

pitṛvanmātṛvaccaiva bhavantaḥ pālayanti naḥ | na ca duryodhanaḥ kiñcidayuktaṃ kṛtavānnṛpaḥ

You protect us like fathers and mothers; and King Duryodhana did nothing improper at all.

Verse 17 (15.11.17)

प्रियाणि कुर्वन्सर्वेषामनुवृत्त्यर्थमुद्यतः । यथा ब्रवीति धर्मात्मा मुनिः सत्यवतीसुतः । तथा कुरु महाराज स हि नः परमो गुरुः ॥

priyāṇi kurvansarveṣāmanuvṛttyarthamudyataḥ | yathā bravīti dharmātmā muniḥ satyavatīsutaḥ | tathā kuru mahārāja sa hi naḥ paramo guruḥ

Doing what pleased everyone, he was intent on following their wishes. As the righteous sage Vyasa, son of Satyavati, says, so do, great king; he is our supreme guru.

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; the CE has it as star line 15.15.16d*0037_01, after 16c); lines 2-3 = CE 15.15.17a,c.

Verse 18 (15.11.18)

त्यक्ता वयं तु भवता दुःखशोकपरायणाः । भविष्यामश्चिरं राजन्भवद्गुणशतैर्हृताः ॥

tyaktā vayaṃ tu bhavatā duḥkhaśokaparāyaṇāḥ | bhaviṣyāmaściraṃ rājanbhavadguṇaśatairhṛtāḥ

Abandoned by you, we shall remain a long time given over to sorrow and grief, O king, our hearts stolen away by your hundreds of virtues.

Verse 19 (15.11.19)

यथा शन्तनुना गुप्ता राज्ञा चित्राङ्गदेन च । भीष्मवीर्योपगूढेन पित्रा तव च पार्थिव । भवद्बुद्धियुजा चैव पाण्डुना पृथिवीक्षिता ॥

yathā śantanunā guptā rājñā citrāṅgadena ca | bhīṣmavīryopagūḍhena pitrā tava ca pārthiva | bhavadbuddhiyujā caiva pāṇḍunā pṛthivīkṣitā

As we were guarded by Shantanu, by King Chitrangada, by your father, upheld by Bhishma's might, O king, and by Pandu, ruler of the earth, who was joined to your counsel,

Note on the text: Corrected चैवि → चैव (misprint in Wikisource; stray ि). CE 15.15.19 is a two-line verse: Wikisource lines 1-2 = CE 19a,c; line 3 = CE 15.15.20a (भवद्बुद्धियुजा चैव पाण्डुना पृथिवीक्षिता).

Verse 20 (15.11.20)

तथा दुर्योधनेनापि राज्ञा सुपरिपालिताः । न स्वल्पमपि पुत्रस्ते व्यलीकं कृतवान्नृप ॥

tathā duryodhanenāpi rājñā suparipālitāḥ | na svalpamapi putraste vyalīkaṃ kṛtavānnṛpa

so also we were well protected by King Duryodhana; your son did us not the slightest wrong, O king.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 15.15.20c; line 2 = CE 15.15.21a. The page prints a single danda at the end of this verse.

Verse 21 (15.11.21)

पितरीव सुविश्वस्तास्तस्मिन्नपि नराधिपे । वयमास्म यथा सम्यग्भवतो विदितं तथा ॥

pitarīva suviśvastāstasminnapi narādhipe | vayamāsma yathā samyagbhavato viditaṃ tathā

As you know well, we too lived trusting that king as one trusts a father.

Note on the text: Corrected वयसा स्म → वयमास्म (misprint in Wikisource; वयसा स्म gives no sense here; the critical edition (15.15.21e) has वयमास्म). Lines = CE 15.15.21c,e.

Verse 22 (15.11.22)

तथा वर्षसहस्राणि कुन्तीपुत्रेण धीमता । पाल्यमाना धृतिमता सुखं विन्दामहे नृप ॥

tathā varṣasahasrāṇi kuntīputreṇa dhīmatā | pālyamānā dhṛtimatā sukhaṃ vindāmahe nṛpa

Likewise, protected by the wise and steadfast son of Kunti, we shall go on finding happiness for thousands of years, O king.

Verse 23 (15.11.23)

राजर्षीणां पुराणानां भवतां पुण्यकर्मणाम् । कुरुसंवरणादीनां भरतस्य च धीमतः ॥

rājarṣīṇāṃ purāṇānāṃ bhavatāṃ puṇyakarmaṇām | kurusaṃvaraṇādīnāṃ bharatasya ca dhīmataḥ

Of the ancient royal sages, of you of holy deeds, of Kuru, Samvarana and the others, and of the wise Bharata,

Verse 24 (15.11.24)

वृत्तं समनुयात्येष धर्मात्मा भूरिदक्षिणः । नात्र वाच्यं महाराज सुसूक्ष्ममपि विद्यते ॥

vṛttaṃ samanuyātyeṣa dharmātmā bhūridakṣiṇaḥ | nātra vācyaṃ mahārāja susūkṣmamapi vidyate

this righteous-souled, generous giver follows the conduct. There is nothing in him to speak against, great king, not even the slightest.

Verse 25 (15.11.25)

उषिताः स्म सुखं नित्यं भवता परिपालिताः । सुसूक्ष्मं च व्यलीकं ते सपुत्रस्य न विद्यते ॥

uṣitāḥ sma sukhaṃ nityaṃ bhavatā paripālitāḥ | susūkṣmaṃ ca vyalīkaṃ te saputrasya na vidyate

We have always lived happily, protected by you; and no wrong, not even the slightest, is found in you or in your son.

Verse 26 (15.11.26)

यत्तु ज्ञातिविमर्देऽस्मिन्नात्थ दुर्योधनं प्रति । भवन्तमनुनेष्यामि तत्रापि कुरुनन्दन ॥

yattu jñātivimarde'sminnāttha duryodhanaṃ prati | bhavantamanuneṣyāmi tatrāpi kurunandana

As for what you said about Duryodhana in this slaughter of kinsmen, I shall set your mind at rest on that too, O delight of the Kurus.

Note on the text: Corrected भन्तमनुनेष्यामि → भवन्तमनुनेष्यामि (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped व; the critical edition (15.15.26c) has भवन्तमनुनेष्यामि).

Verse 27 (15.11.27)

न तद्दुर्योधनकृतं न च तद्भवता कृतम् । न कर्णसौबलाभ्यां च कुरवो यत्क्षयं गताः ॥

na tadduryodhanakṛtaṃ na ca tadbhavatā kṛtam | na karṇasaubalābhyāṃ ca kuravo yatkṣayaṃ gatāḥ

What brought the Kurus to destruction was not done by Duryodhana, nor by you, nor by Karna and Saubala.

Note on the text: The critical edition begins a new adhyaya here (15.16.1, headed ब्राह्मण उवाच).

Verse 28 (15.11.28)

दैवं तत्तु विजानीमो यन्न शक्यं प्रबाधितुम् । दैवं पुरुषकारेण न शक्यमपि बाधितुम् ॥

daivaṃ tattu vijānīmo yanna śakyaṃ prabādhitum | daivaṃ puruṣakāreṇa na śakyamapi bādhitum

We know it was Fate, which cannot be resisted; Fate cannot be overcome even by human effort.

Note on the text: Corrected पुरुषकारेणि → पुरुषकारेण (misprint in Wikisource; stray ि; instrumental of पुरुषकार). Wikisource reads न शक्यमपि बाधितुम् in line 2 where the CE has न शक्यम् अतिवर्तितुम्, a recension variant.

Verse 29 (15.11.29)

अक्षौहिण्यो महाराज दशाष्टौ च समागताः । अष्टादशाहेन हताः कुरुभिर्योधपुङ्गवैः ॥

akṣauhiṇyo mahārāja daśāṣṭau ca samāgatāḥ | aṣṭādaśāhena hatāḥ kurubhiryodhapuṅgavaiḥ

Eighteen akshauhinis came together, O great king, and were slain in eighteen days by the Kurus, those bulls among warriors.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads कुरुभिर्योधपुङ्गवैः where the CE has दशभिर्योधपुंगवैः ("by ten bulls among warriors"), a recension variant.

Verse 30 (15.11.30)

भीष्मद्रोणकृपाद्यैश्च कर्णेन च महात्मना । युयुधानेन वीरेण धृष्टद्युम्नेन चाहवे ॥

bhīṣmadroṇakṛpādyaiśca karṇena ca mahātmanā | yuyudhānena vīreṇa dhṛṣṭadyumnena cāhave

By Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and the others, by the great-souled Karna, by the hero Yuyudhana and by Dhrishtadyumna, in battle,

Verse 31 (15.11.31)

चतुर्भिः पाण्डुपुत्रैश्च भीमार्जुनयमैस्तथा । न च क्षयोऽयं नृपते ऋते दैवबलादभूत् ॥

caturbhiḥ pāṇḍuputraiśca bhīmārjunayamaistathā | na ca kṣayo'yaṃ nṛpate ṛte daivabalādabhūt

and by the four sons of Pandu, Bhima, Arjuna and the twins: this destruction, O king, did not come about without the force of Fate.

Note on the text: Corrected क्रते → ऋते (misprint in Wikisource; क्रते is not a valid form here; the preposition ऋते "without" is meant). The CE has a different second line (जनक्षयोऽयं नृपते कृतो दैवबलात्कृतैः), a recension variant.

Verse 32 (15.11.32)

अवश्यमेव सङ्ग्रामे क्षत्रियेण विशेषतः । कर्तव्यं निधनं काले मर्तव्यं क्षत्रबन्धुना ॥

avaśyameva saṅgrāme kṣatriyeṇa viśeṣataḥ | kartavyaṃ nidhanaṃ kāle martavyaṃ kṣatrabandhunā

In battle a Kshatriya especially must meet his death in due time; a warrior by birth must die.

Verse 33 (15.11.33)

तैरियं पुरुषव्याघ्रैर्विद्याबाहुबलान्वितैः । पृथिवी निहता सर्वा सहया सरथद्विपा ॥

tairiyaṃ puruṣavyāghrairvidyābāhubalānvitaiḥ | pṛthivī nihatā sarvā sahayā sarathadvipā

By those tigers among men, strong in learning and in arm, the whole earth was struck down, with its horses, chariots and elephants.

Verse 34 (15.11.34)

न स राज्ञां वधे सूनुः कारणं ते महात्मनाम् । न भवान्न च ते भृत्या न कर्णो न च सौबलः ॥

na sa rājñāṃ vadhe sūnuḥ kāraṇaṃ te mahātmanām | na bhavānna ca te bhṛtyā na karṇo na ca saubalaḥ

Your son was not the cause of the killing of those great-souled kings; nor were you, nor your servants, nor Karna, nor Saubala.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the CE star line 15.16.8b*0038_01 (the CE's own line 8a reads न स राजापराध्नोति पुत्रस् तव महामनाः); line 2 = CE 15.16.8c.

Verse 35 (15.11.35)

यद्विशस्ताः कुरुश्रेष्ठ राजानश्च सहस्रशः । सर्वं दैवकृतं विद्धि कोत्र किं वक्तुमर्हति ॥

yadviśastāḥ kuruśreṣṭha rājānaśca sahasraśaḥ | sarvaṃ daivakṛtaṃ viddhi kotra kiṃ vaktumarhati

That thousands of kings, best of the Kurus, were slain: know it all to be the work of Fate; who can say anything about it here?

Verse 36 (15.11.36)

गुरुर्मतो भवानस्य कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभुः । धर्मात्मानमतस्तुभ्यमनुजानीमहे सुतम् ॥

gururmato bhavānasya kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhuḥ | dharmātmānamatastubhyamanujānīmahe sutam

You are held to be the guru and lord of this entire world; therefore we forgive your son, righteous at heart.

Verse 37 (15.11.37)

लभतां वीरलोकं स ससहायो नराधिपः । द्विजाग्र्यैः समनुज्ञातस्त्रिदिवे मोदतां सुखम् ॥

labhatāṃ vīralokaṃ sa sasahāyo narādhipaḥ | dvijāgryaiḥ samanujñātastridive modatāṃ sukham

Let that king win the world of heroes together with his companions; let him rejoice in heaven in happiness, with the leave of the best of Brahmins.

Verse 38 (15.11.38)

प्राप्स्यते च भवान्पुण्यं धर्मे च सततं स्थितः । वेद धर्मं महाबाहो लौक्यं वैदिकमेव च ॥

prāpsyate ca bhavānpuṇyaṃ dharme ca satataṃ sthitaḥ | veda dharmaṃ mahābāho laukyaṃ vaidikameva ca

And you, ever established in dharma, will gain merit; you know dharma, mighty-armed one, both of this world and of the Veda.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a variant of CE 15.16.12a (the CE reads पुण्यं धर्मे च परमां स्थितिम्); line 2 is the CE star line 15.16.12d*0040_01, not in the constituted text. Wikisource's verse sits in the CE's 12th verse.

Verse 39 (15.11.39)

दृष्टापदानाश्चास्माभिः पाण्डवाः पुरुषर्षभाः । समर्थास्त्रिदिवस्यापि पालने किं पुनः क्षितेः ॥

dṛṣṭāpadānāścāsmābhiḥ pāṇḍavāḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ | samarthāstridivasyāpi pālane kiṃ punaḥ kṣiteḥ

We have seen the deeds of the Pandavas, bulls among men; they are able to guard even heaven, how much more the earth.

Verse 40 (15.11.40)

अनुवर्त्स्यन्ति वा धीमन्समेषु विषमेषु च । प्रजाः कुरुकुलश्रेष्ठ पाण्डवाञ्शीलभूषणान् ॥

anuvartsyanti vā dhīmansameṣu viṣameṣu ca | prajāḥ kurukulaśreṣṭha pāṇḍavāñśīlabhūṣaṇān

And the people, O wise one, best of the Kuru line, will follow the Pandavas, adorned with good character, in good times and bad.

Verse 41 (15.11.41)

ब्रह्मदेयाग्रहारांश्च पारिबर्हांश्च पार्थिवः । पूर्वराजातिसर्गांश्च पालयत्येव पाण्डवः ॥

brahmadeyāgrahārāṃśca pāribarhāṃśca pārthivaḥ | pūrvarājātisargāṃśca pālayatyeva pāṇḍavaḥ

The Pandava king protects the grants to Brahmins, the agraharas, the gifts, and the endowments made by earlier kings.

Verse 42 (15.11.42)

दीर्घदर्शी मृदुर्दान्तः सदा वैश्रवणो यथा । अक्षुद्रसचिवश्चायं कुन्तीपुत्रो महामनाः ॥

dīrghadarśī mṛdurdāntaḥ sadā vaiśravaṇo yathā | akṣudrasacivaścāyaṃ kuntīputro mahāmanāḥ

Far-sighted, gentle, self-controlled, always like Vaishravana, with counsellors who are not petty: such is this great-minded son of Kunti.

Note on the text: Corrected दीर्घदर्शीं → दीर्घदर्शी (misprint in Wikisource; a stray anusvara; nominative दीर्घदर्शी).

Verse 43 (15.11.43)

अप्यमित्रे दयावांश्च शुचिश्च भरतर्षभः । ऋजु पश्यति मेधावी पुत्रवत्पाति नः सदा ॥

apyamitre dayāvāṃśca śuciśca bharatarṣabhaḥ | ṛju paśyati medhāvī putravatpāti naḥ sadā

Compassionate even to a foe, and pure, best of the Bharatas, he is wise and sees straight, and always protects us like sons.

Verse 44 (15.11.44)

विप्रियं च जनस्यास्य संसर्गाद्धर्मजस्य वै । न करिष्यन्ति राजर्षे तथा भीमार्जुनादयः ॥

vipriyaṃ ca janasyāsya saṃsargāddharmajasya vai | na kariṣyanti rājarṣe tathā bhīmārjunādayaḥ

Through their association with Dharma's son, Bhima, Arjuna and the others too will never do anything displeasing to these people, O royal sage.

Verse 45 (15.11.45)

मन्दा मृदुषु कौरव्य तीक्ष्णेष्वाशीविषोपमाः । वीर्यवन्तो महात्मानः पौराणां च हिते रताः ॥

mandā mṛduṣu kauravya tīkṣṇeṣvāśīviṣopamāḥ | vīryavanto mahātmānaḥ paurāṇāṃ ca hite ratāḥ

Gentle to the gentle, O Kaurava, but like venomous snakes to the fierce, they are mighty, great-souled and intent on the welfare of the townspeople.

Verse 46 (15.11.46)

न कुन्ती न च पाञ्चाली न चोलूपी न सात्वती । अस्मिञ्जने करिष्यन्ति प्रतिकूलानि कर्हिचित् ॥

na kuntī na ca pāñcālī na colūpī na sātvatī | asmiñjane kariṣyanti pratikūlāni karhicit

Neither Kunti, nor Panchali, nor Ulupi, nor the Satvata lady will ever do anything adverse towards these people.

Verse 47 (15.11.47)

भवत्कृतमिमं स्नेहं युधिष्ठिरविवर्धितम् । न पृष्ठतः करिष्यन्ति पौरा जानपदा जनाः ॥

bhavatkṛtamimaṃ snehaṃ yudhiṣṭhiravivardhitam | na pṛṣṭhataḥ kariṣyanti paurā jānapadā janāḥ

This affection of the people, created by you and increased by Yudhishthira, the townspeople and country folk will never turn their backs on.

Verse 48 (15.11.48)

अधर्मिष्ठानपि सतः कुन्तीपुत्रा महारथाः । मानवान्पालयिष्यन्ति भूत्वा धर्मपरायणाः ॥

adharmiṣṭhānapi sataḥ kuntīputrā mahārathāḥ | mānavānpālayiṣyanti bhūtvā dharmaparāyaṇāḥ

Even those men who are given to unrighteousness the sons of Kunti, great chariot-warriors, will protect, remaining devoted to dharma themselves.

Verse 49 (15.11.49)

स राजन्मानसं दुःखमपनीय युधिष्ठिरात् । कुरु कार्याणि धर्म्याणि नमस्ते पुरुषर्षभ ॥

sa rājanmānasaṃ duḥkhamapanīya yudhiṣṭhirāt | kuru kāryāṇi dharmyāṇi namaste puruṣarṣabha

Therefore, O king, put away the distress of your mind about Yudhishthira and do the duties of dharma; salutation to you, best of men.

Verse 50 (15.11.50)

तस्य तद्वचनं धर्म्यमनुमान्य गुणोत्तरम् । साधुसाध्विति सर्वः स जनः प्रतिगृहीतवान् ॥

tasya tadvacanaṃ dharmyamanumānya guṇottaram | sādhusādhviti sarvaḥ sa janaḥ pratigṛhītavān

Approving his righteous and excellent words, all the assembled people said 'Well said, well said,' and accepted them.

Note on the text: Page heading 15-11-50x वैशम्पायन उवाच: narration resumes here (CE 15.16.24).

Verse 51 (15.11.51)

धृतराष्ट्रश्च तद्वाक्यमभिपूज्य पुनःपुनः । विसर्जयामास तदा प्रकृतीस्तु शनैःशनैः ॥

dhṛtarāṣṭraśca tadvākyamabhipūjya punaḥpunaḥ | visarjayāmāsa tadā prakṛtīstu śanaiḥśanaiḥ

And Dhritarashtra, honouring their words again and again, then dismissed the subjects, slowly, one by one.

Note on the text: Corrected धृतराष्ट्राश्च → धृतराष्ट्रश्च (misprint in Wikisource; wrong sandhi/ending; nominative singular धृतराष्ट्रः before च, as in the critical edition (15.16.25a)).

Verse 52 (15.11.52)

स तैः सम्पूजितो राजा शिवेनावेक्षितस्तथा । प्राञ्जलिः पूजयामास तं जनं भरतर्षभ ॥

sa taiḥ sampūjito rājā śivenāvekṣitastathā | prāñjaliḥ pūjayāmāsa taṃ janaṃ bharatarṣabha

Honoured by them and looked upon with kindly eyes, the king, with folded hands, paid homage to those people, O best of the Bharatas.

Verse 53 (15.11.53)

ततो विवेश भवनं गान्धार्या सहितो निजम् । आगतायां च शर्वर्यां सुखं शेते नराधिपः ॥

tato viveśa bhavanaṃ gāndhāryā sahito nijam | āgatāyāṃ ca śarvaryāṃ sukhaṃ śete narādhipaḥ

Then he went into his own house together with Gandhari; and when night had come, the king slept in comfort.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a variant of CE 15.16.27a (ततो विवेश भुवनं गान्धार्या सहितो नृपः); line 2 is the CE star line 15.16.27d*0042_01 (आगतायां च शर्वर्यां सुखं शेते नराधिपः), not in the constituted text.