Chitrangada's Lament and Babhruvahana's Vow to Fast

Verse 1 (14.80.1)

ततो बहुतरं भीरुर्विलप्य कमलेक्षणा । मुमोह दुःखसंतप्ता पपात च महीतले ॥

tato bahutaraṃ bhīrurvilapya kamalekṣaṇā | mumoha duḥkhasaṃtaptā papāta ca mahītale

Then the lotus-eyed Chitrangada, timid and tormented by grief, lamented at great length, fell into a swoon, and dropped to the ground.

Note on the text: Corrected भीरर्विलप्य → भीरुर्विलप्य (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped ु; "bhīrur vilapya", as the critical edition reads).

Verse 2 (14.80.2)

प्रतिलभ्य च सा संज्ञां देवी दिव्यवपुर्धरा । उलूपीं पन्नगसुतां दृष्ट्वेदं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥

pratilabhya ca sā saṃjñāṃ devī divyavapurdharā | ulūpīṃ pannagasutāṃ dṛṣṭvedaṃ vākyamabravīt

Regaining consciousness, the lady, who bore a divine form, saw Ulupi, the daughter of the serpents, and spoke these words.

Verse 3 (14.80.3)

उलूपि पश्य भर्तारं शयानं निहतं रणे । त्वत्कृते मम पुत्रेण बाणेन समितिंजयम् ॥

ulūpi paśya bhartāraṃ śayānaṃ nihataṃ raṇe | tvatkṛte mama putreṇa bāṇena samitiṃjayam

"Ulupi, look at your husband, the conqueror in battles, lying slain in the fight, struck down for your sake by my son's arrow.

Note on the text: Corrected नितं → निहतं (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped हत; "nihataṃ", slain, as the critical edition reads).

Verse 4 (14.80.4)

ननु त्वमार्यधर्मज्ञा ननु चासि पतिव्रता । यत्त्वत्कृतेऽयं पतितः पतिस्ते निहतो रणे ॥

nanu tvamāryadharmajñā nanu cāsi pativratā | yattvatkṛte'yaṃ patitaḥ patiste nihato raṇe

Are you not, noble lady, one who knows dharma, and a devoted wife? Yet because of you your husband has fallen, slain in battle.

Verse 5 (14.80.5)

किंनु मन्देऽपराद्धोऽयं यदि तेऽद्य धनंजयः । क्षमस्व याच्यमाना वै जीवयस्व धनंजयम् ॥

kiṃnu mande'parāddho'yaṃ yadi te'dya dhanaṃjayaḥ | kṣamasva yācyamānā vai jīvayasva dhanaṃjayam

Foolish one, has this Dhananjaya wronged you in some way, if he is yours today? Forgive him, as I beg you, and bring Dhananjaya back to life.

Note on the text: Corrected मन्देऽपकराद्धोऽयं → मन्देऽपराद्धोऽयं (misprint in Wikisource; aparāddha, "offended, at fault", is the word the sense requires; the critical edition has "sarvāparādho 'yam" here).

Verse 6 (14.80.6)

ननु त्वमार्ये धर्मज्ञे त्रैलोक्यविदिता शुभे । यद्धातयित्वा पुत्रेण भर्तारं नानुशोचसि ॥

nanu tvamārye dharmajñe trailokyaviditā śubhe | yaddhātayitvā putreṇa bhartāraṃ nānuśocasi

Are you not, noble one, a knower of dharma, famed in the three worlds, auspicious lady? How is it that you do not grieve, having had your husband killed by your own son?

Verse 7 (14.80.7)

नाहं शोचामि तनयं हतं पन्नगनन्दिनि । पतिमेव तु शोचामि यस्यातिथ्यमिदं कृतम् ॥

nāhaṃ śocāmi tanayaṃ hataṃ pannaganandini | patimeva tu śocāmi yasyātithyamidaṃ kṛtam

I do not grieve for my slain son, O daughter of the serpents; I grieve only for my husband, who has been given this kind of welcome as a guest.

Verse 8 (14.80.8)

इत्युक्त्वा सा तदा देवीमुलूपीं पन्नगात्मजाम् । भर्तारमभिगम्येदमित्युवाच यशस्विनी ॥

ityuktvā sā tadā devīmulūpīṃ pannagātmajām | bhartāramabhigamyedamityuvāca yaśasvinī

Having said this to the divine Ulupi, the serpent's daughter, the glorious lady then went up to her husband and said this.

Verse 9 (14.80.9)

उत्तिष्ठ कुरुमुख्यस्य प्रियमुख्य मम प्रिय । अयमश्वो महाबाहो मया ते परिमोक्षितः ॥

uttiṣṭha kurumukhyasya priyamukhya mama priya | ayamaśvo mahābāho mayā te parimokṣitaḥ

"Rise, my beloved, chief among the Kurus, foremost of those dear to me! This horse of yours, mighty-armed one, has been freed by me.

Note on the text: Corrected मयो ते → मया ते (misprint in Wikisource; instrumental "mayā"; the critical edition reads "mayā te").

Verse 10 (14.80.10)

ननु त्वया नाम विभो धर्मराजस्य यज्ञियः । अयमश्वोऽनुसर्तव्यः स शेषे किं महीतले ॥

nanu tvayā nāma vibho dharmarājasya yajñiyaḥ | ayamaśvo'nusartavyaḥ sa śeṣe kiṃ mahītale

Surely, O lord, it is you who are to follow this sacrificial horse of King Dharma's son. Why do you lie on the ground?

Verse 11 (14.80.11)

त्वयि प्राणा ममायत्ताः कुरूणां कुरुनन्दन । स कस्मात्प्राणदोऽन्येषां प्राणान्संत्यक्तवानसि ॥

tvayi prāṇā mamāyattāḥ kurūṇāṃ kurunandana | sa kasmātprāṇado'nyeṣāṃ prāṇānsaṃtyaktavānasi

My life and the life of the Kurus depend on you, O joy of the Kurus. Why have you, the giver of life to others, given up your own?

Verse 12 (14.80.12)

उलूपि साधु पश्येमं पतिं निपतितं भुवि । पुत्रं चेमं समुत्साद्य घातयित्वा न शोचसि ॥

ulūpi sādhu paśyemaṃ patiṃ nipatitaṃ bhuvi | putraṃ cemaṃ samutsādya ghātayitvā na śocasi

Ulupi, look well at this husband fallen on the ground. And having brought this son to ruin and had your husband killed, you do not grieve.

Note on the text: Not matched by the automatic alignment; found in the critical edition as 14.79.12 (variant wording: "ulūpi sādhu saṃpaśya bhartāraṃ nihataṃ raṇe / putraṃ cainaṃ samutsāhya ghātayitvā na śocasi").

Verse 13 (14.80.13)

कामं स्वपितु बालोऽयं भूमौ मृत्युवशं गतः । लोहिताक्षो गुडाकेशो विजयः साधु जीवतु ॥

kāmaṃ svapitu bālo'yaṃ bhūmau mṛtyuvaśaṃ gataḥ | lohitākṣo guḍākeśo vijayaḥ sādhu jīvatu

Let this boy sleep as he will on the ground, gone into the power of death; but let the red-eyed Gudakesha, the Victorious, live!

Verse 14 (14.80.14)

नापराधोऽस्ति सुभगे नराणां बहुभार्यता । प्रमदानां भवत्येष मा ते भूद्बुद्धिरीदृशी ॥

nāparādho'sti subhage narāṇāṃ bahubhāryatā | pramadānāṃ bhavatyeṣa mā te bhūdbuddhirīdṛśī

It is no fault, fortunate one, for men to have many wives; it is among women that such a feeling arises. Let no such thought be yours.

Verse 15 (14.80.15)

सख्यं चैतत्कृतं धात्रा शश्वदव्ययमेव तु । सख्यं समभिजानीहि सत्यं सङ्गतमस्तु ते ॥

sakhyaṃ caitatkṛtaṃ dhātrā śaśvadavyayameva tu | sakhyaṃ samabhijānīhi satyaṃ saṅgatamastu te

This bond of friendship was made by the Creator, eternal and imperishable. Recognise that friendship, and let your union be true.

Verse 16 (14.80.16)

पुत्रेण घातयित्वैनं पतिं यदि न मेऽद्य वै । जीवन्तं दर्शयस्यद्य परित्यक्ष्यामि जीवितम् ॥

putreṇa ghātayitvainaṃ patiṃ yadi na me'dya vai | jīvantaṃ darśayasyadya parityakṣyāmi jīvitam

Having had my husband killed by my own son, if you do not show him to me alive today, I shall give up my life.

Note on the text: Corrected पुत्रेम → पुत्रेण (misprint in Wikisource; m for ṇ; the critical edition reads "putreṇa").

Verse 17 (14.80.17)

साऽहं दुःखान्विता देवि पतिपुत्रविनाकृता । इहैव प्रायमाशिष्ये प्रेक्षन्त्यास्ते न संशयः ॥

sā'haṃ duḥkhānvitā devi patiputravinākṛtā | ihaiva prāyamāśiṣye prekṣantyāste na saṃśayaḥ

Afflicted with grief, bereft of husband and son, I shall sit down here itself in the fast unto death, before your eyes, goddess, without doubt."

Verse 18 (14.80.18)

इत्युक्त्वा पन्नगसुतां सपत्नी चैत्रवाहनी । ततः प्रायमुपासीना तूष्णीमासीज्जनाधिप ॥

ityuktvā pannagasutāṃ sapatnī caitravāhanī | tataḥ prāyamupāsīnā tūṣṇīmāsījjanādhipa

Having said this to the serpent's daughter, Chaitravahani, her co-wife, took up the fast unto death and sat in silence, O ruler of men.

Verse 19 (14.80.19)

ततो विलप्य विरता भर्तुः पादौ प्रगृह्य सा । उपविष्टा भवद्दीना सोच्छ्वासं पुत्रमीक्षती ॥

tato vilapya viratā bhartuḥ pādau pragṛhya sā | upaviṣṭā bhavaddīnā socchvāsaṃ putramīkṣatī

Then, after lamenting, she fell silent; clasping her husband's feet she sat down, wretched, looking at her son with sighs.

Verse 20 (14.80.20)

ततः संज्ञां पुनर्लब्ध्वा स राजा बभ्रुवाहनः । मातरं तामथालोक्य रणभूमावथाब्रवीत् ॥

tataḥ saṃjñāṃ punarlabdhvā sa rājā babhruvāhanaḥ | mātaraṃ tāmathālokya raṇabhūmāvathābravīt

Then King Babhruvahana, regaining consciousness, saw his mother there on the battlefield and spoke.

Verse 21 (14.80.21)

इतो दुःखतरं किंनु यन्मे माता सुखैधिता । भूमौ निपतितं वीरमनुशेते मृतं पतिम् ॥

ito duḥkhataraṃ kiṃnu yanme mātā sukhaidhitā | bhūmau nipatitaṃ vīramanuśete mṛtaṃ patim

"What can be more painful than this, that my mother, raised in comfort, lies beside her husband, a hero who has fallen on the ground, dead?

Verse 22 (14.80.22)

निहन्तारं रणेऽरीणां सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरम् । मया विनिहतं सङ्ख्ये प्रेक्षते दुर्मरं बत ॥

nihantāraṃ raṇe'rīṇāṃ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varam | mayā vinihataṃ saṅkhye prekṣate durmaraṃ bata

She looks upon the slayer of enemies in battle, the best of all who bear weapons, struck down by me in the fight, and still lives. Alas, how hard it is to die!

Verse 23 (14.80.23)

अहोऽस्या हृदयं देव्या दृढं यन्न विदीर्यते । व्यूढोरस्कं महाबाहुं प्रेक्षन्त्या निहतं पतिम् ॥

aho'syā hṛdayaṃ devyā dṛḍhaṃ yanna vidīryate | vyūḍhoraskaṃ mahābāhuṃ prekṣantyā nihataṃ patim

Ah, how firm is this lady's heart, that it does not break as she looks upon her mighty-armed, broad-chested husband, slain!

Verse 24 (14.80.24)

दुर्मरं पुरुषेणेह मन्ये काले ह्यनागते । यत्र नाहं न मे माता न वियुक्तौ स्वजीवितात् ॥

durmaraṃ puruṣeṇeha manye kāle hyanāgate | yatra nāhaṃ na me mātā na viyuktau svajīvitāt

I think death is hard for a man to find before his time has come, since neither I nor my mother has been parted from life.

Verse 25 (14.80.25)

हाहा धिक्कुरुवीरस्य किरीटं काञ्चनं भुवि । अपविद्धं हतस्येह मया पुत्रेण पश्यत ॥

hāhā dhikkuruvīrasya kirīṭaṃ kāñcanaṃ bhuvi | apaviddhaṃ hatasyeha mayā putreṇa paśyata

Alas, shame! Look at the golden diadem of the Kuru hero lying flung on the ground, of one struck down here by me, his own son.

Note on the text: Corrected पुत्रेम → पुत्रेण (misprint in Wikisource; m for ṇ; the critical edition reads "putreṇa").

Verse 26 (14.80.26)

भोभो पश्यत मे वीरं पितरं ब्राह्मणा भुवि । शयानं वीरशयने मया पुत्रेण पातितम् ॥

bhobho paśyata me vīraṃ pitaraṃ brāhmaṇā bhuvi | śayānaṃ vīraśayane mayā putreṇa pātitam

Behold, Brahmins, my heroic father lying on the ground on a hero's bed, felled by me, his son!

Verse 27 (14.80.27)

ब्राह्मणाः कुरुमुख्यस्य ये मुक्ता हयसारिणः । कुर्वन्ति शान्तिं कामस्य रणे योऽयं मया हतः ॥

brāhmaṇāḥ kurumukhyasya ye muktā hayasāriṇaḥ | kurvanti śāntiṃ kāmasya raṇe yo'yaṃ mayā hataḥ

Let the Brahmins who have been sent along with the horse of the chief of the Kurus perform whatever rite of pacification there is for the one who was slain in battle by me.

Verse 28 (14.80.28)

व्यादिशन्तु च किं विप्राः प्रायश्चित्तमिहाद्य मे । सुनृशंसस्य पापस्य पितृहन्तू रणाजिरे ॥

vyādiśantu ca kiṃ viprāḥ prāyaścittamihādya me | sunṛśaṃsasya pāpasya pitṛhantū raṇājire

And let the Brahmins declare what expiation there is for me today, a sinner, utterly cruel, the slayer of my father on the battlefield.

Note on the text: Corrected आनृशंसस्य → सुनृशंसस्य (misprint in Wikisource; the adjective must mean "cruel", not "not cruel"; the critical edition reads "sunṛśaṃsasya", and the next verse has the same word).

Verse 29 (14.80.29)

दुश्चरा द्वादश समा हत्वा पितरमद्य वै । ममेह सुनृशंसस्य संवीतस्यास्य चर्मणा ॥

duścarā dvādaśa samā hatvā pitaramadya vai | mameha sunṛśaṃsasya saṃvītasyāsya carmaṇā

For killing my father there is a penance of twelve years, hard to perform, for me so cruel, wrapped in this very hide of his,

Verse 30 (14.80.30)

शिरःकपाले चास्यैव भुञ्जतः पितुरद्य मे । प्रायश्चित्तं हि नास्त्यन्यद्धत्वाऽद्य पितरं मम ॥

śiraḥkapāle cāsyaiva bhuñjataḥ pituradya me | prāyaścittaṃ hi nāstyanyaddhatvā'dya pitaraṃ mama

eating from his skull, the skull of my father. For one who has killed his father there is no other atonement.

Verse 31 (14.80.31)

पश्य नागोत्तमसुते भर्तारं निहतं मया । कृतं प्रियं मया तेऽद्य निहत्य समरेऽर्जुनम् ॥

paśya nāgottamasute bhartāraṃ nihataṃ mayā | kṛtaṃ priyaṃ mayā te'dya nihatya samare'rjunam

See, daughter of the best of serpents: your husband lies slain by me. I have done what pleases you today, having killed Arjuna in battle.

Verse 32 (14.80.32)

सोऽहमद्य गमिष्यामि गतिं पितृनिषेविताम् । न शक्नोम्यात्मनाऽऽत्मानमहं दारयितुं शुभे ॥

so'hamadya gamiṣyāmi gatiṃ pitṛniṣevitām | na śaknomyātmanā''tmānamahaṃ dārayituṃ śubhe

So today I shall go by the path that my forefathers followed. Though, O fortunate one, I cannot split myself open by my own hand.

Verse 33 (14.80.33)

सा त्वं मयि मृते मातस्तथा गाण्डीवधन्वनि । भव प्रीतिमती देवि सत्येनात्मानमालभे ॥

sā tvaṃ mayi mṛte mātastathā gāṇḍīvadhanvani | bhava prītimatī devi satyenātmānamālabhe

Mother, you be pleased when I am dead and the wielder of the Gandiva too. O goddess, I swear it by truth."

Verse 34 (14.80.34)

इत्युक्त्वा स ततो राजा दुःखशोकसमाहतः । उपस्पृश्य महाराज दुःखाद्वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

ityuktvā sa tato rājā duḥkhaśokasamāhataḥ | upaspṛśya mahārāja duḥkhādvacanamabravīt

Having said this, the king, struck down by grief and sorrow, sipped water, O great king, and in his anguish spoke these words.

Verse 35 (14.80.35)

शृण्वन्तु सर्वभूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि च । त्वं च मातर्यथा सत्यं ब्रवीमि भुजगोत्तमे ॥

śṛṇvantu sarvabhūtāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca | tvaṃ ca mātaryathā satyaṃ bravīmi bhujagottame

"Let all beings, moving and unmoving, hear me, and you too, mother, best of serpents: I speak the truth.

Verse 36 (14.80.36)

यदि नोत्तिष्ठति जयः पिता मे नरसत्तमः । अस्मिन्नेव रणोद्देशे शोषयिष्ये कलेवरम् ॥

yadi nottiṣṭhati jayaḥ pitā me narasattamaḥ | asminneva raṇoddeśe śoṣayiṣye kalevaram

If my father Jaya, the best of men, does not rise, then on this very spot of the battlefield I shall dry up my body.

Verse 37 (14.80.37)

नहि मे पितरं हत्वा निष्कृतिर्विद्यते क्वचित् । नरकं प्रतिपत्स्यामि ध्रुवं गुरुवधार्दितः ॥

nahi me pitaraṃ hatvā niṣkṛtirvidyate kvacit | narakaṃ pratipatsyāmi dhruvaṃ guruvadhārditaḥ

For one who has killed his father there is no atonement anywhere. Tormented by the killing of my elder, I shall surely go to hell.

Verse 38 (14.80.38)

वीरं हि क्षत्रियं हत्वा गोशतेन प्रमुच्यते । पितरं तु निहत्यैवं दुर्लभा निष्कृतिर्मम ॥

vīraṃ hi kṣatriyaṃ hatvā gośatena pramucyate | pitaraṃ tu nihatyaivaṃ durlabhā niṣkṛtirmama

One who kills a heroic kshatriya is freed by giving a hundred cows; but for killing a father, atonement is hard to find for me.

Verse 39 (14.80.39)

एष एको महातेजाः पाण्डुपुत्रो धनंजयः । पिता च मम धर्मात्मा तस्य मे निष्कृतिः कुतः ॥

eṣa eko mahātejāḥ pāṇḍuputro dhanaṃjayaḥ | pitā ca mama dharmātmā tasya me niṣkṛtiḥ kutaḥ

This Dhananjaya, son of Pandu, is the one of great splendour, and my righteous father as well. Where could there be atonement for me for his death?"

Note on the text: Corrected एत एको → एष एको (misprint in Wikisource; ष lost; "eṣa eko", as the critical edition reads "eṣa hy eko").

Verse 40 (14.80.40)

इत्येवमुक्त्वा नृपते धनंजयसुतो नृपः । उपस्पृश्याभवत्तूष्णीं प्रायोपेतो महामतिः ॥

ityevamuktvā nṛpate dhanaṃjayasuto nṛpaḥ | upaspṛśyābhavattūṣṇīṃ prāyopeto mahāmatiḥ

Having spoken thus, O king, Dhananjaya's son, the king of great mind, sipped water and fell silent, set upon the fast unto death.