Sanjaya Answers Dhritarashtra's Lament

Verse 1 (7.86.1)

हन्त ते सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि सर्वं प्रत्यक्षदर्शिवान् । शुश्रूषस्व स्थिरो भूत्वा तव ह्यपनयो महान् ॥

hanta te sampravakṣyāmi sarvaṃ pratyakṣadarśivān | śuśrūṣasva sthiro bhūtvā tava hyapanayo mahān

Very well, I shall tell you everything, as one who saw it with his own eyes. Listen with a steady mind, for the great fault was yours.

Note on the text: Adhyaya note: the input has 23 verses and agrees with the raw Wikisource page (a table, one row per verse, printed 5-86-1 to 5-86-23 — the page's "5-" is a typo for 7) row for row; the verse numbers run 1–23 in order, so nothing was renumbered or rebuilt. The page corresponds to CE 7.62.1–23; Sanjaya speaks throughout (the page's one heading). CE star passages not on the page: 7.62.2d*0454_01–02, 7.62.8b*0455_01 and 7.62.17d*0456_01–02.

Verse 2 (7.86.2)

गतोदके सेतुबन्धो यादृक्तादृगयं तव । विलापो निष्फलो राजन्मा शुचो भरतर्षभ ॥

gatodake setubandho yādṛktādṛgayaṃ tava | vilāpo niṣphalo rājanmā śuco bharatarṣabha

This lament of yours is like building a dam after the water has gone: useless, O king. Do not grieve, best of the Bharatas.

Verse 3 (7.86.3)

अनतिक्रमणीयोऽयं कृतान्तस्याद्भुतो विधिः । मा शुचो भरतश्रेष्ठ दिष्टमेतत्पुरातनम् ॥

anatikramaṇīyo'yaṃ kṛtāntasyādbhuto vidhiḥ | mā śuco bharataśreṣṭha diṣṭametatpurātanam

This is the wondrous ordinance of Fate, which none can overstep. Do not grieve, best of the Bharatas; this was ordained long ago.

Verse 4 (7.86.4)

यदि त्वं हि पुरा द्यूतात्कुन्तीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम् । निवर्तयेथाः पुत्रांश्च न त्वां व्यसनमाव्रजेत् ॥

yadi tvaṃ hi purā dyūtātkuntīputraṃ yudhiṣṭhiram | nivartayethāḥ putrāṃśca na tvāṃ vyasanamāvrajet

If long ago you had turned back Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, from the dice-game, and your sons as well, misfortune would not have come upon you.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads यदि त्वं हि where the critical edition reads yadi hi tvaṃ (word order only); Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 5 (7.86.5)

युद्धकाले पुनः प्राप्ते तदैव भवता यदि । निवर्तिताः स्युः संरब्धा न त्वां व्यसनमाव्रजेत् ॥

yuddhakāle punaḥ prāpte tadaiva bhavatā yadi | nivartitāḥ syuḥ saṃrabdhā na tvāṃ vyasanamāvrajet

And when the time for war came, if even then you had held them back in their fury, misfortune would not have come upon you.

Verse 6 (7.86.6)

दुर्योधनं चाविधेयं बध्नीयास्त्वं पुरा यदि । अवेक्ष्य कौरवान्राजन्प्राप्स्यसे त्वं महद्यशः ॥

duryodhanaṃ cāvidheyaṃ badhnīyāstvaṃ purā yadi | avekṣya kauravānrājanprāpsyase tvaṃ mahadyaśaḥ

If long ago you had bound the unruly Duryodhana, with thought for the Kauravas, O king, you would have won great fame.

Note on the text: Line 1 corresponds to CE 7.62.6a (duryodhanaṃ cāvidheyaṃ badhnīteti purā yadi, worded differently); line 2 differs from CE 7.62.6c (kurūn acodayiṣyas tvaṃ na tvāṃ vyasanam āvrajet). Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 7 (7.86.7)

तत्ते बुद्धिव्यतीचारमुपलप्स्यन्ति तज्जनाः । पाञ्चाला वृष्णयः सर्वे ये चान्येऽपि नराधिपाः ॥

tatte buddhivyatīcāramupalapsyanti tajjanāḥ | pāñcālā vṛṣṇayaḥ sarve ye cānye'pi narādhipāḥ

Those people will come to see that lapse in your judgment — the Panchalas, the Vrishnis, all of them, and the other lords of men.

Note on the text: Differs from CE 7.62.7 (tat te buddhivyabhīcāram upalapsyanti pāṇḍavāḥ / pāñcālā vṛṣṇayaḥ sarve ye cānye 'pi mahājanāḥ) in the words तज्जनाः, नराधिपाः and in बुद्धिव्यतीचारम्; recension variants, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 8 (7.86.8)

स कृत्वा पितृकर्म त्वं पुत्रं संस्थाप्य सत्पथे । वर्तेथा यदि धर्मेण न त्वां व्यसनमाव्रजेत् ॥

sa kṛtvā pitṛkarma tvaṃ putraṃ saṃsthāpya satpathe | vartethā yadi dharmeṇa na tvāṃ vyasanamāvrajet

Having done a father's duty and set your son on the right path, if you had lived by dharma, misfortune would not have come upon you.

Verse 9 (7.86.9)

त्वं तु प्राज्ञतमो लोके हित्वा धर्मं सनातनम् । दुर्योधनस्य कर्णस्य शकुनेश्चान्वगा मतम् ॥

tvaṃ tu prājñatamo loke hitvā dharmaṃ sanātanam | duryodhanasya karṇasya śakuneścānvagā matam

But you, the wisest in the world, abandoned eternal dharma and followed the counsel of Duryodhana, Karna and Shakuni.

Verse 10 (7.86.10)

तत्ते विलपितं सर्वं मया राजन्निशामितम् । अर्थे निविशमानस्य विषमिश्रं यथा मधु ॥

tatte vilapitaṃ sarvaṃ mayā rājanniśāmitam | arthe niviśamānasya viṣamiśraṃ yathā madhu

All that lament of yours I have heard, O king; it is like honey mixed with poison, coming from one intent on his own gain.

Verse 11 (7.86.11)

न तथा मन्यते कृष्णो न च राजा युधिष्ठिरः । न भीष्मो नैव च द्रोणो यथा त्वं मन्यसे नृप ॥

na tathā manyate kṛṣṇo na ca rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | na bhīṣmo naiva ca droṇo yathā tvaṃ manyase nṛpa

Neither Krishna, nor King Yudhishthira, nor Bhishma, nor Drona thinks as you do, O king.

Note on the text: Differs from CE 7.62.11a (na tathā manyate kṛṣṇo rājānaṃ pāṇḍavaṃ purā) in line 1; a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept. The automatic alignment missed it.

Verse 12 (7.86.12)

व्यजानीत यदा तु त्वां लुब्धं धर्मप्रवादिनम् । तदाप्रभृति कृष्णस्त्वां न तथा बहुमन्यते ॥

vyajānīta yadā tu tvāṃ lubdhaṃ dharmapravādinam | tadāprabhṛti kṛṣṇastvāṃ na tathā bahumanyate

From the time they recognised you as greedy, a talker of dharma, Krishna has not held you in high regard as before.

Note on the text: Corrected कृष्मस्त्वां → कृष्णस्त्वां (misprint in Wikisource; म for ण — the critical edition reads kṛṣṇas tvāṃ). Line 1 differs from CE 7.62.12a (vyajānata yadā tu tvāṃ rājadharmād adhaś cyutam), a recension variant; Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 13 (7.86.13)

परुषाण्युच्यमानांश्च यथा पार्थानुपेक्षसे । तस्यानुबन्धः प्राप्तस्त्वां पुत्राणां राज्यकामुक ॥

paruṣāṇyucyamānāṃśca yathā pārthānupekṣase | tasyānubandhaḥ prāptastvāṃ putrāṇāṃ rājyakāmuka

The consequence of your looking on unmoved while harsh words were said to the sons of Pritha has now overtaken you and your sons, O king greedy for a kingdom.

Note on the text: Corrected पुत्रामां → पुत्राणां (misprint in Wikisource; broken ण — the critical edition reads putrāṇām). Line 2 ends राज्यकामुक (vocative) where the CE reads rājyakāmukam (accusative); recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 14 (7.86.14)

पितृपैतामहं राज्यमपावृत्तं त्वयाऽनघ । अथ पार्थैर्जितां कृत्स्नां पृथिवीं प्रत्यपद्यथाः ॥

pitṛpaitāmahaṃ rājyamapāvṛttaṃ tvayā'nagha | atha pārthairjitāṃ kṛtsnāṃ pṛthivīṃ pratyapadyathāḥ

The kingdom of your father and grandfather was turned away by you, blameless one, and then you obtained the whole earth conquered by the Parthas.

Note on the text: Line 1 ends अपावृत्तं त्वयाऽनघ where the critical edition reads apavṛttaṃ tadānagha (recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept).

Verse 15 (7.86.15)

पाण्डुना निर्जितं राज्यं कौरवाणां यशस्तथा । एतच्चाप्यधिकं भूयः पाण्डवैर्धर्मचारिभिः ॥

pāṇḍunā nirjitaṃ rājyaṃ kauravāṇāṃ yaśastathā | etaccāpyadhikaṃ bhūyaḥ pāṇḍavairdharmacāribhiḥ

The kingdom conquered by Pandu and the glory of the Kauravas — and yet more than this was won by the Pandavas, who follow dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected धर्मचाखिभिः → धर्मचारिभिः (misprint in Wikisource; ख for र and a lost vowel sign — the critical edition reads dharmacāribhiḥ). The rest of the verse differs from CE 7.62.15 (pāṇḍunāvarjitaṃ rājyaṃ … tataś cābhyadhikaṃ bhūyaḥ), a recension variant; Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 16 (7.86.16)

तेषां तत्तादृशं कर्म त्वामासाद्य सुनिष्फलम् । यत्पित्र्याद्भ्रंशिता राज्यात्त्वयेहामिषगृद्धिना ॥

teṣāṃ tattādṛśaṃ karma tvāmāsādya suniṣphalam | yatpitryādbhraṃśitā rājyāttvayehāmiṣagṛddhinā

That deed of theirs, of such a kind, came to nothing when it reached you, since you, greedy for the bait, had them driven out of their father's kingdom.

Note on the text: Corrected यत्पित्र्याद्धंशिता → यत्पित्र्याद्भ्रंशिता (misprint in Wikisource; the conjunct भ्रं broken to धं — the critical edition reads bhraṃśitā).

Verse 17 (7.86.17)

यत्पुनर्युद्धकाले त्वं पुत्रान्गर्हयसे नृप । बहुधा व्याहरन्दोषान्न तदद्योपपद्यते ॥

yatpunaryuddhakāle tvaṃ putrāngarhayase nṛpa | bahudhā vyāharandoṣānna tadadyopapadyate

And that now, in the time of battle, you blame your sons, naming their faults in many ways — that is not fitting today.

Verse 18 (7.86.18)

न हि रक्षन्ति राजानो युध्यन्तो जीवितं रणे । चमूं विगाह्य पार्थानां युध्यन्ते क्षत्रियर्षभाः ॥

na hi rakṣanti rājāno yudhyanto jīvitaṃ raṇe | camūṃ vigāhya pārthānāṃ yudhyante kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ

Kings fighting in battle do not hold their lives dear; plunging into the army of the Parthas, the foremost of Kshatriyas fight.

Verse 19 (7.86.19)

यां तु कृष्णार्जुनौ सेनां यां सात्यकिवृकोदरौ । रक्षेरन्को नु तां युध्येच्चमूमन्यत्र कौरवात् ॥

yāṃ tu kṛṣṇārjunau senāṃ yāṃ sātyakivṛkodarau | rakṣeranko nu tāṃ yudhyeccamūmanyatra kauravāt

Who, except a Kaurava, would fight that army which Krishna and Arjuna, and Satyaki and Vrikodara, protect?

Note on the text: Line 2 ends कौरवात् where the critical edition reads kauravaiḥ (recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept).

Verse 20 (7.86.20)

येषां योद्धा गुडाकेशो येषां मन्त्री जनार्दनः । येषां च सात्यकिर्योद्धा येषां योद्धा वृकोदरः ॥

yeṣāṃ yoddhā guḍākeśo yeṣāṃ mantrī janārdanaḥ | yeṣāṃ ca sātyakiryoddhā yeṣāṃ yoddhā vṛkodaraḥ

Those whose warrior is Gudakesha, whose counsellor is Janardana, whose warrior is Satyaki, and whose warrior is Vrikodara —

Note on the text: Differs from CE 7.62.20c (yeṣāṃ ca sātyakir goptā yeṣāṃ goptā vṛkodaraḥ) in using योद्धा for goptā; recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 21 (7.86.21)

को हि तान्विषहेद्योद्धुं मर्त्यधर्मा धनुर्धरः । अन्यत्र कौरवेयेभ्यो ये वा तेषां पदानुगाः ॥

ko hi tānviṣahedyoddhuṃ martyadharmā dhanurdharaḥ | anyatra kauraveyebhyo ye vā teṣāṃ padānugāḥ

which mortal archer could dare to fight them, except the Kauravas, or those who follow in their steps?

Verse 22 (7.86.22)

यावत्तु शक्यते कर्तुमन्तरज्ञैर्जनाधिपैः । क्षत्रधर्मरतैः शूरैस्तावत्कुर्वन्ति कौरवाः ॥

yāvattu śakyate kartumantarajñairjanādhipaiḥ | kṣatradharmarataiḥ śūraistāvatkurvanti kauravāḥ

As far as it can be done by kings who know the right moments, brave men devoted to the Kshatriya duty, so far the Kauravas are doing it.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads अन्तरज्ञैः where the critical edition reads anuraktaiḥ (recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept).

Verse 23 (7.86.23)

यथा तु पुरुषव्याघ्रैर्युद्धं परमसङ्कटम् । कुरूणां पाण्डवैः सार्धं तत्सर्वं शृणु तत्त्वतः ॥

yathā tu puruṣavyāghrairyuddhaṃ paramasaṅkaṭam | kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavaiḥ sārdhaṃ tatsarvaṃ śṛṇu tattvataḥ

How the tigers among men fought that most perilous battle between the Kurus and the Pandavas — hear all of it as it truly was.