Dhritarashtra's Remorse

Verse 1 (2.103.1)

वनं गतेषु पार्थेषु निर्जितेषु दुरोदरे । धृतराष्ट्रं महाराज तदा चिन्ता समाविशत् ॥

vanaṃ gateṣu pārtheṣu nirjiteṣu durodare | dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ mahārāja tadā cintā samāviśat

When the sons of Pritha, beaten at the dice, had gone to the forest, anxiety came over Dhritarashtra, great king.

Verse 2 (2.103.2)

तं चिन्तयानमासीनं धृतराष्ट्रं जनेश्वरम् । निःश्वसन्तमनेकाग्रमिति होवाच सञ्जयः ॥

taṃ cintayānamāsīnaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ janeśvaram | niḥśvasantamanekāgramiti hovāca sañjayaḥ

As Dhritarashtra, lord of men, sat brooding, sighing, his mind unsettled, Sanjaya spoke to him thus:

Note on the text: Closed up the stray space in निः श्वसन्तम्.

Verse 3 (2.103.3)

अवाप्य वसुसम्पूर्णां वसुधां वसुधाधिप । प्रव्राज्य पाण्डवान्राज्याद्राजन्किमनुशोचसि ॥

avāpya vasusampūrṇāṃ vasudhāṃ vasudhādhipa | pravrājya pāṇḍavānrājyādrājankimanuśocasi

"Lord of the earth, you have won the earth and all its riches and driven the Pandavas from the kingdom. Why do you grieve, O king?"

Note on the text: Sanjaya's words, without a printed heading.

Verse 4 (2.103.4)

अशोच्यत्वं कुतस्तेषां येषां वैरं भविष्यति । पाण्डवैर्युद्धशौण्डैर्हि बलवद्भिर्महारथैः ॥

aśocyatvaṃ kutasteṣāṃ yeṣāṃ vairaṃ bhaviṣyati | pāṇḍavairyuddhaśauṇḍairhi balavadbhirmahārathaiḥ

"How can those be free of grief who are to have enmity with the Pandavas, those mighty great chariot-warriors who glory in war?"

Verse 5 (2.103.5)

तवेदं सुकृतं राजन्महद्वैरमुपस्थितम् । विनाशो येन लोकस्य सानुबन्धो भविष्यति ॥

tavedaṃ sukṛtaṃ rājanmahadvairamupasthitam | vināśo yena lokasya sānubandho bhaviṣyati

"This is your own doing, O king: a great enmity has arisen, through which the world will be destroyed along with all that is bound to it.

Verse 6 (2.103.6)

वार्यमाणो हि भीष्मेण द्रोणेन विदुरेण च । पाण्डवानां प्रियां भार्यां द्रौपदीं धर्मचारिणीम् ॥

vāryamāṇo hi bhīṣmeṇa droṇena vidureṇa ca | pāṇḍavānāṃ priyāṃ bhāryāṃ draupadīṃ dharmacāriṇīm

Though Bhishma, Drona and Vidura tried to stop him, it was the beloved wife of the Pandavas, Draupadi, who walks in dharma,

Verse 7 (2.103.7)

प्राहिणोदानयेहेति पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव । सूतपुत्रं सुमन्दात्मा निर्लज्जः प्रातिकामिनम् ॥

prāhiṇodānayeheti putro duryodhanastava | sūtaputraṃ sumandātmā nirlajjaḥ prātikāminam

whom your son Duryodhana, shameless and dull of mind, sent for with the words "Bring her here", dispatching the suta's son Pratikamin.

Verse 8 (2.103.8)

यस्मै देवाः प्रयच्छन्ति पुरुषाय पराभवम् । बुद्धिं तस्यापकर्षन्ति सोऽवाचीनानि पश्यति ॥

yasmai devāḥ prayacchanti puruṣāya parābhavam | buddhiṃ tasyāpakarṣanti so'vācīnāni paśyati

The man to whom the gods ordain defeat, they first rob of his understanding, and he sees everything awry.

Verse 9 (2.103.9)

बुद्धौ कलुषभूतायां विनाशे समुपस्थिते । अनयो नयसङ्काशो हृदयान्नापसर्पति ॥

buddhau kaluṣabhūtāyāṃ vināśe samupasthite | anayo nayasaṅkāśo hṛdayānnāpasarpati

When the mind is clouded and ruin is at hand, folly that looks like wisdom will not leave the heart.

Verse 10 (2.103.10)

अनर्थाश्चार्थरूपेण अर्थाश्चानर्थरूपिणः । उत्तिष्ठन्ति विनाशाय नूनं तच्चास्य रोचते ॥

anarthāścārtharūpeṇa arthāścānartharūpiṇaḥ | uttiṣṭhanti vināśāya nūnaṃ taccāsya rocate

Harm rises up before him in the guise of gain, and gain in the guise of harm, to his destruction; and surely that is what pleases him.

Verse 11 (2.103.11)

न कालो दण्डमुद्यम्य शिरः कृन्तति कस्यचित् । कालस्य बलमेतावद्विपरीतार्थदर्शनम् ॥

na kālo daṇḍamudyamya śiraḥ kṛntati kasyacit | kālasya balametāvadviparītārthadarśanam

Time does not raise a staff and strike off anyone's head. The power of Time is only this: it makes a man see things the wrong way round.

Note on the text: Corrected बलमेतार्वाद्वपरीतार्थ → बलमेतावद्विपरीतार्थ (misprint in Wikisource; a misplaced repha and vowel sign garble एतावद्विपरीत; the critical edition reads etāvad viparīta).

Verse 12 (2.103.12)

आसादितमिदं घोरं तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम् । पाञ्चालीमपकर्षद्भिः सभामध्ये तपस्विनीम् ॥

āsāditamidaṃ ghoraṃ tumulaṃ romaharṣaṇam | pāñcālīmapakarṣadbhiḥ sabhāmadhye tapasvinīm

This dreadful, tumultuous, hair-raising thing has been brought on by those who dragged the suffering Panchali into the middle of the assembly.

Verse 13 (2.103.13)

अयोनिजां रूपवतीं कुले जातां विभावसोः । को नु तां सर्वधर्मज्ञां परिभूय यशस्विनीम् ॥

ayonijāṃ rūpavatīṃ kule jātāṃ vibhāvasoḥ | ko nu tāṃ sarvadharmajñāṃ paribhūya yaśasvinīm

She was not born of a womb; she is beautiful, born of the line of Fire, and knows all of dharma. Who would insult that glorious woman

Verse 14 (2.103.14)

पर्यानयेत्सभामध्ये विना दुर्द्यूतदेविनम् । स्त्रीधर्मिणी वरारोहा शोणितेन परिप्लुता ॥

paryānayetsabhāmadhye vinā durdyūtadevinam | strīdharmiṇī varārohā śoṇitena pariplutā

and drag her into the middle of the assembly, if not that wicked gambler? The lovely woman was in her season, drenched in blood;

Verse 15 (2.103.15)

एकवस्त्राथ पाञ्चाली पाण्डवानभ्यवैक्षत । हृतस्वान्हृतराज्यांश्च हृतवस्त्रान्हृतश्रियः ॥

ekavastrātha pāñcālī pāṇḍavānabhyavaikṣata | hṛtasvānhṛtarājyāṃśca hṛtavastrānhṛtaśriyaḥ

clad in a single garment, Panchali looked toward the Pandavas, robbed of their wealth, robbed of their kingdom, robbed of their garments, robbed of their glory,

Note on the text: A recension variant of critical edition 2.72.15 (ekavastrāṃ ca pāñcālīṃ pāṇḍavān abhyavekṣatīm …), which the automatic alignment did not match.

Verse 16 (2.103.16)

विहीनान्सर्वकामेभ्यो दासभावमुपागतान् । धर्मपाशपरिक्षिप्तानशक्तानिव विक्रमे ॥

vihīnānsarvakāmebhyo dāsabhāvamupāgatān | dharmapāśaparikṣiptānaśaktāniva vikrame

stripped of every desire, reduced to slavery, bound in the noose of dharma, as though they had no power to act.

Verse 17 (2.103.17)

क्रुद्धां चानर्हतीं कृष्णां दुःखितां कुरुसंसदि । दुर्योधनश्च कर्णश्च कटुकान्यभ्यभाषताम् ॥

kruddhāṃ cānarhatīṃ kṛṣṇāṃ duḥkhitāṃ kurusaṃsadi | duryodhanaśca karṇaśca kaṭukānyabhyabhāṣatām

Krishna, angry, undeserving of such treatment and in distress in the assembly of the Kurus, was spoken to with bitter words by Duryodhana and Karna.

Verse 18 (2.103.18)

इति सर्वमिदं राजन्नाकुलं प्रतिभाति मे ॥

iti sarvamidaṃ rājannākulaṃ pratibhāti me

So all of this, O king, seems to me to be in turmoil."

Note on the text: Split: Wikisource prints धृतराष्ट्र उवाच between the two halves of its verse 18; this first half ends Sanjaya's speech. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this line only in its apparatus, as 2.72.17d*0615).

Verse 19 (2.103.19)

तस्याः कृपणचक्षुर्भ्यां प्रदह्येतापि मेदिनी ॥

tasyāḥ kṛpaṇacakṣurbhyāṃ pradahyetāpi medinī

"The very earth might be burned up by her piteous eyes.

Note on the text: Second half of Wikisource's verse 18, after the heading धृतराष्ट्र उवाच. = critical edition 2.72.18ab, where these words are part of Dhritarashtra's longer speech.

Verse 20 (2.103.20)

अपि शेषं भवेदद्य पुत्राणां मम सञ्जय । भरतानां स्त्रियः सर्वा गान्धार्या सह सङ्गताः ॥

api śeṣaṃ bhavedadya putrāṇāṃ mama sañjaya | bharatānāṃ striyaḥ sarvā gāndhāryā saha saṅgatāḥ

Will anything be left of my sons now, Sanjaya? All the women of the Bharatas, gathered together with Gandhari,

Note on the text: Wikisource verses 19–23 run a line out of step with the critical edition: first line = 2.72.18cd, second line = 2.72.19ab.

Verse 21 (2.103.21)

प्राक्रोशन्भैरवं तत्र दृष्ट्वा कृष्णां सभागताम् । धर्मिष्ठां धर्मपत्नीं च रूपयौवनशालिनीम् ॥

prākrośanbhairavaṃ tatra dṛṣṭvā kṛṣṇāṃ sabhāgatām | dharmiṣṭhāṃ dharmapatnīṃ ca rūpayauvanaśālinīm

cried out terribly when they saw Krishna brought into the assembly. For her, the righteous, the lawful wife, rich in beauty and youth,

Note on the text: Corrected प्राकोशन् → प्राक्रोशन् and धर्मिष्टां → धर्मिष्ठां (misprints in Wikisource; dropped र् and wrong aspirate; the critical edition and its apparatus read prākrośan and dharmiṣṭhāṃ). First line = critical edition 2.72.19cd; the second line is in its apparatus as 2.72.19d*0617, line 01.

Verse 22 (2.103.22)

प्रजाभिः सह सङ्गम्य ह्यनुशोचन्ति नित्यशः । अग्निहोत्राणि सायाह्ने न चाहूयन्त सर्वशः ॥

prajābhiḥ saha saṅgamya hyanuśocanti nityaśaḥ | agnihotrāṇi sāyāhne na cāhūyanta sarvaśaḥ

they grieve without end, together with the people. At dusk the fire-offerings were nowhere made;

Note on the text: Corrected सायाह्ने च चाहूयन्त → सायाह्ने न चाहूयन्त (misprint in Wikisource; the doubled च loses the negative the sense requires; the critical edition reads na cāhūyanta); spaced प्रजाभिःसह. First line is in the critical edition's apparatus as 2.72.19d*0617, line 02; second line = 2.72.20ab.

Verse 23 (2.103.23)

ब्राह्मणाः कुपिताश्चासन्द्रौपद्याः परिकर्षणे । आसीन्निष्ठानको घोरो निर्घातश्च महानभूत् ॥

brāhmaṇāḥ kupitāścāsandraupadyāḥ parikarṣaṇe | āsīnniṣṭhānako ghoro nirghātaśca mahānabhūt

the brahmins were enraged at the dragging of Draupadi. A dreadful howling gale arose, and there was a mighty thunderclap.

Note on the text: First line = critical edition 2.72.20cd, second line = 2.72.21ab (निष्ठानको for niṣṭānako, as Wikisource's own note glosses it).

Verse 24 (2.103.24)

दिव उल्काश्चापतन्त राहुश्चार्कमुपाग्रसत् । अपर्वणि महाघोरं प्रजानां जनयन्भयम् ॥

diva ulkāścāpatanta rāhuścārkamupāgrasat | aparvaṇi mahāghoraṃ prajānāṃ janayanbhayam

Meteors fell from the sky, and Rahu swallowed the sun out of season, a most dreadful sign, filling the people with fear.

Note on the text: Corrected जयन्भयम् → जनयन्भयम् (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara leaves the line a syllable short and the sense is "producing"; the critical edition reads janayan bhayam). = critical edition 2.72.21cd–ef.

Verse 25 (2.103.25)

तथैव रथशालासु प्रादुरासीद्धुताशनः । ध्वजाश्चापि व्यशीर्यन्त भरतानामभूतये ॥

tathaiva rathaśālāsu prādurāsīddhutāśanaḥ | dhvajāścāpi vyaśīryanta bharatānāmabhūtaye

In the same way fire broke out in the chariot-sheds, and the banners were torn apart, boding ill for the Bharatas.

Verse 26 (2.103.26)

दुर्योधनस्याग्निहोत्रे प्राक्रोशन्भैरवं शिवाः । तास्तदा प्रत्यभाषन्त रासभाः सर्वतो दिशः ॥

duryodhanasyāgnihotre prākrośanbhairavaṃ śivāḥ | tāstadā pratyabhāṣanta rāsabhāḥ sarvato diśaḥ

At Duryodhana's sacred fire jackals howled dreadfully, and asses answered them from every quarter.

Verse 27 (2.103.27)

प्रातिष्ठत ततो भीष्मो द्रोणेन सह सञ्जय । कृपश्च सोमदत्तश्च बाह्लीकश्च महामनाः ॥

prātiṣṭhata tato bhīṣmo droṇena saha sañjaya | kṛpaśca somadattaśca bāhlīkaśca mahāmanāḥ

Then Bhishma rose and left with Drona, Sanjaya, and so did Kripa, Somadatta and the great-minded Bahlika.

Verse 28 (2.103.28)

ततोऽहमब्रुवं तत्र विदुरेण प्रचोदितः । वरं ददानि कृष्णायै काङ्क्षितं यद्यदिच्छति ॥

tato'hamabruvaṃ tatra vidureṇa pracoditaḥ | varaṃ dadāni kṛṣṇāyai kāṅkṣitaṃ yadyadicchati

Then, urged by Vidura, I said there: "I grant Krishna a boon, whatever she desires."

Verse 29 (2.103.29)

अवृणोत्तत्र पाञ्चाली पाण्डवानामदासताम् । सरथान्सधनुष्कांश्चाप्यनुज्ञासिषमप्यहम् ॥

avṛṇottatra pāñcālī pāṇḍavānāmadāsatām | sarathānsadhanuṣkāṃścāpyanujñāsiṣamapyaham

Panchali chose there the Pandavas' release from slavery, and I let them go, with their chariots and their bows.

Note on the text: Restored पाण्डवाना --सताम् → पाण्डवानामदासताम् (two aksharas lost in Wikisource; मदा fills the gap and the metre, giving "the Pandavas' freedom from slavery", the vulgate reading; the critical edition has a different reading here, pāṇḍavān amitaujasaḥ).

Verse 30 (2.103.30)

अथाब्रवीन्महाप्राज्ञो विदुरः सर्वधर्मवित् । एतदन्तास्तु भरता यद्वः कृष्णा सभां गता ॥

athābravīnmahāprājño viduraḥ sarvadharmavit | etadantāstu bharatā yadvaḥ kṛṣṇā sabhāṃ gatā

Then the wise Vidura, who knows all of dharma, said: "This is your end, Bharatas, that Krishna has been brought into the assembly.

Note on the text: Corrected यद्व-कृष्णा → यद्वः कृष्णा (misprint in Wikisource; the visarga of वः was lost and a stray hyphen printed; the critical edition reads yad vaḥ). Vidura's quoted words begin in the second line and fill verses 30–37, which are given to him.

Verse 31 (2.103.31)

यैषा पाञ्चालराजस्य सुता सा श्रीरनुत्तमा । पाञ्चाली पाण्डवानेतान्दैवसृष्टोपसर्पति ॥

yaiṣā pāñcālarājasya sutā sā śrīranuttamā | pāñcālī pāṇḍavānetāndaivasṛṣṭopasarpati

She who is the daughter of the king of Panchala is Shri herself, unsurpassed. Panchali, created by the gods, has come to these Pandavas.

Verse 32 (2.103.32)

तस्याः पार्थाः परिक्लेशं न क्षंस्यन्ते ह्यमर्षणाः । वृष्णयो वा महेष्वासाः पाञ्चाला वा महारथाः ॥

tasyāḥ pārthāḥ parikleśaṃ na kṣaṃsyante hyamarṣaṇāḥ | vṛṣṇayo vā maheṣvāsāḥ pāñcālā vā mahārathāḥ

The unforgiving sons of Pritha will not forgive the torment done to her; nor will the Vrishnis, great bowmen, nor the Panchalas, great chariot-warriors.

Verse 33 (2.103.33)

तेन सत्याभिसन्धेन वासुदेवेन रक्षिताः । आगमिष्यति बीभत्सुः पञ्चालैः परिवारितः ॥

tena satyābhisandhena vāsudevena rakṣitāḥ | āgamiṣyati bībhatsuḥ pañcālaiḥ parivāritaḥ

Protected by Vasudeva, who is true to his word, Bibhatsu will come, surrounded by the Panchalas.

Verse 34 (2.103.34)

तेषां मध्ये महेष्वासो भीमसेनो महाबलः । आगमिष्यति धुन्वानो गदां दण्डमिवान्तकः ॥

teṣāṃ madhye maheṣvāso bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ | āgamiṣyati dhunvāno gadāṃ daṇḍamivāntakaḥ

In their midst will come the great bowman Bhimasena, mighty in strength, whirling his mace as Death whirls his staff.

Verse 35 (2.103.35)

ततो गाण्डीवनिर्घोषं श्रुत्वा पार्थस्य धीमतः । गदावेगं च भीमस्य नालं सोढुं नराधिपाः ॥

tato gāṇḍīvanirghoṣaṃ śrutvā pārthasya dhīmataḥ | gadāvegaṃ ca bhīmasya nālaṃ soḍhuṃ narādhipāḥ

Then, hearing the thunder of the wise Partha's Gandiva and the rush of Bhima's mace, the kings will not be able to stand against them.

Verse 36 (2.103.36)

तत्र मे रोचते नित्यं पार्थैः साम न विग्रहः । कुरुभ्यो हि सदा मन्ये पाण्डवान्बलवत्तरान् ॥

tatra me rocate nityaṃ pārthaiḥ sāma na vigrahaḥ | kurubhyo hi sadā manye pāṇḍavānbalavattarān

Therefore I would always have peace with the sons of Pritha, not war; for I have always held the Pandavas to be stronger than the Kurus.

Verse 37 (2.103.37)

तथा हि बलवान्राजा जरासन्धो महाद्युतिः । बाहुप्रहरणेनैव भीमेन निहतो युधि ॥

tathā hi balavānrājā jarāsandho mahādyutiḥ | bāhupraharaṇenaiva bhīmena nihato yudhi

For so it was that the mighty and splendid king Jarasandha was slain in battle by Bhima with no weapon but his arms.

Verse 38 (2.103.38)

तस्य ते शम एवास्तु पाण्डवैर्भरतर्षभ । उभयोः पक्षयोर्युक्तं क्रियतामविशङ्कया ॥

tasya te śama evāstu pāṇḍavairbharatarṣabha | ubhayoḥ pakṣayoryuktaṃ kriyatāmaviśaṅkayā

So let there be peace between you and the Pandavas, O bull of the Bharatas. Do without misgiving what is fitting for both sides.

Verse 39 (2.103.39)

एवं कृते महाराज परं श्रेयस्त्वमाप्स्यसि । एवं गावल्गणे क्षत्ता धर्मार्थसहितं वचः ॥

evaṃ kṛte mahārāja paraṃ śreyastvamāpsyasi | evaṃ gāvalgaṇe kṣattā dharmārthasahitaṃ vacaḥ

If this is done, great king, you will gain the highest good." So, son of Gavalgana, did the Kshattri speak words joined with dharma and with good sense;

Note on the text: First line (the close of Vidura's quoted speech) is in the critical edition's apparatus as 2.72.35d*0619; second line = 2.72.36ab.

Verse 40 (2.103.40)

उक्तवान्न गृहीतं वै मया पुत्रहितैषिणा ॥

uktavānna gṛhītaṃ vai mayā putrahitaiṣiṇā

but I, seeking my son's good, did not accept them."

Note on the text: Wikisource prints this as a single line (its verse 39) = critical edition 2.72.36cd. The verse printed after the closing colophon (जनमेजय उवाच — एवं द्यूतजिताः पार्थाः …) is the opening verse of the Vana Parva, given there as a preview, and is not part of this adhyaya.