Yudhishthira Resolves to Fast unto Death

Verse 1 (12.26.1)

अभिमन्यौ हते बाले द्रौपद्यास्तनयेषु च । धृष्टद्युम्ने विराटे च द्रुपदे च महीपतौ ॥

abhimanyau hate bāle draupadyāstanayeṣu ca | dhṛṣṭadyumne virāṭe ca drupade ca mahīpatau

With Abhimanyu slain, a mere boy, and the sons of Draupadi, and Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, and King Drupada,

Verse 2 (12.26.2)

वृषसेने च धर्मज्ञे धृष्टकेतौ तु पार्थिवे । तथाऽन्येषु नरेन्द्रेषु नानादेश्येषु संयुगे ॥

vṛṣasene ca dharmajñe dhṛṣṭaketau tu pārthive | tathā'nyeṣu narendreṣu nānādeśyeṣu saṃyuge

and Vrishasena, who knew the law, and King Dhrishtaketu, and the many other lords of men, from many lands, who fell in the battle,

Verse 3 (12.26.3)

न च मुञ्चति मां शोको ज्ञातिघातिनमातुरम् । राज्यकामुकमत्युग्रं स्ववंशोच्छेदकारिणम् ॥

na ca muñcati māṃ śoko jñātighātinamāturam | rājyakāmukamatyugraṃ svavaṃśocchedakāriṇam

still grief does not let go of me, tormented as I am, a slayer of my kin, hungry for a kingdom, savage, the destroyer of my own family.

Verse 4 (12.26.4)

यस्याङ्के क्रीडमानेन मया विपरिवर्तितम् । स मया राज्यलुब्धेन गाङ्गेयो युधि पातितः ॥

yasyāṅke krīḍamānena mayā viparivartitam | sa mayā rājyalubdhena gāṅgeyo yudhi pātitaḥ

He on whose lap I played and rolled about as a child, that son of Ganga, was struck down in battle by me, greedy for the kingdom.

Verse 5 (12.26.5)

यदा ह्येनं विघूर्णन्तं मदर्थं पार्थसायकैः । तक्ष्यमाणं यथा वज्रैः प्रेक्षमाणं शिखण्डिनम् ॥

yadā hyenaṃ vighūrṇantaṃ madarthaṃ pārthasāyakaiḥ | takṣyamāṇaṃ yathā vajraiḥ prekṣamāṇaṃ śikhaṇḍinam

For when I saw him reeling because of me, being cut by Partha's arrows as if by thunderbolts, while he looked upon Shikhandin,

Verse 6 (12.26.6)

जीर्णसिंहमिव प्राज्ञं नरसिंहं पितामहम् । कीर्यमाणं शरैर्दीप्तैर्दृष्ट्वा मे व्यथितं मनः ॥

jīrṇasiṃhamiva prājñaṃ narasiṃhaṃ pitāmaham | kīryamāṇaṃ śarairdīptairdṛṣṭvā me vyathitaṃ manaḥ

that wise grandsire, that lion among men, like an aged lion, being strewn with blazing arrows, my heart was pained at the sight.

Verse 7 (12.26.7)

प्राङ्मुखं सीदमानं च रथात्पररथारुजम् । घूर्णमानं यथा शैलं तदा मे कश्मलोऽभवत् ॥

prāṅmukhaṃ sīdamānaṃ ca rathātpararathārujam | ghūrṇamānaṃ yathā śailaṃ tadā me kaśmalo'bhavat

Facing east, sinking down from his chariot, the breaker of enemy chariots, swaying like a mountain, he was such a sight that a faintness came over me.

Note on the text: Corrected प्राड्भुखं → प्राङ्मुखं (misprint in Wikisource; ड्भ is not a valid conjunct here; the word is प्राङ्मुख, “facing east”, as in the critical edition).

Verse 8 (12.26.8)

यः सबाणधनुष्पाणिर्योधयामास भार्गवम् । बहून्यहानि कौरव्यः कुरुक्षेत्रे महामृधे ॥

yaḥ sabāṇadhanuṣpāṇiryodhayāmāsa bhārgavam | bahūnyahāni kauravyaḥ kurukṣetre mahāmṛdhe

He who, bow and arrows in hand, fought Bhargava for many days on the great field of Kurukshetra, that Kaurava,

Note on the text: Corrected सवाण → सबाण (misprint in Wikisource; व for ब, “with arrows”; the critical edition reads sa bāṇadhanuṣpāṇiḥ).

Verse 9 (12.26.9)

समेतं पार्थिवं क्षत्रं वाराणस्यां नदीसुतः । कन्यार्थमाह्वयद्वीरो रथेनैकेन संयुगे ॥

sametaṃ pārthivaṃ kṣatraṃ vārāṇasyāṃ nadīsutaḥ | kanyārthamāhvayadvīro rathenaikena saṃyuge

that son of the river, the hero who in Varanasi, with a single chariot, challenged in battle the assembled kings of the warrior order for the sake of a maiden,

Verse 10 (12.26.10)

येन चोग्रायुधो राजा चक्रवर्ती दुरासदः । दग्धश्चास्त्रप्रतापेन स मया युधि पातितः ॥

yena cogrāyudho rājā cakravartī durāsadaḥ | dagdhaścāstrapratāpena sa mayā yudhi pātitaḥ

and by whom King Ugrayudha, an emperor hard to approach, was burned by the blaze of his missiles, that same Bhishma was felled in battle by me.

Verse 11 (12.26.11)

स्वयं मृत्युं रक्षमाणः पाञ्चाल्यं यः शिखण्डिनम् । न बाणैः पातयामास सोऽर्जुनेन निपातितः ॥

svayaṃ mṛtyuṃ rakṣamāṇaḥ pāñcālyaṃ yaḥ śikhaṇḍinam | na bāṇaiḥ pātayāmāsa so'rjunena nipātitaḥ

He who, guarding his own death in the person of the Panchala Shikhandin, would not strike him down with arrows, was struck down by Arjuna.

Verse 12 (12.26.12)

यदैनं पतितं भूमावपश्यं रुधिरोक्षितम् । तदैवाविशदन्युग्रो ज्वरो मां मुनिसत्तम ॥

yadainaṃ patitaṃ bhūmāvapaśyaṃ rudhirokṣitam | tadaivāviśadanyugro jvaro māṃ munisattama

When I saw him fallen on the ground, drenched in blood, then a terrible fever seized me, O best of sages.

Note on the text: Lines map to CE 12.27.12ab. The CE verse has a third line (12.27.12e, “yena saṃvardhitā bālā yena sma parirakṣitāḥ”), which Wikisource prints as the first line of the next verse; the automatic alignment found no match for this row.

Verse 13 (12.26.13)

येन संवर्धिता बाला येन स्म परिरक्षिताः । स मया राज्यलुब्धेन पापेन गुरुघातिना । अल्पकालस्य राज्यस्य कृते मूढेन पातितः ॥

yena saṃvardhitā bālā yena sma parirakṣitāḥ | sa mayā rājyalubdhena pāpena gurughātinā | alpakālasya rājyasya kṛte mūḍhena pātitaḥ

He by whom we children were reared and guarded was brought down by me, a sinner, greedy for the kingdom, the slayer of my elder, a fool, for the sake of a kingdom of brief duration.

Note on the text: Corrected गुरुधातिना → गुरुघातिना (misprint in Wikisource; ध for घ; compare 12.27.13 gurughātinā in the critical edition). First line = CE 12.27.12e; second and third lines = CE 12.27.13ab (Wikisource regroups the CE’s three-line verse 12 and couplet 13).

Verse 14 (12.26.14)

आचार्यश्च महेष्वासः सर्वपार्थिवपूजितः । अभिगम्य रणे मिथ्या पापेनोक्तः सुतं प्रति ॥

ācāryaśca maheṣvāsaḥ sarvapārthivapūjitaḥ | abhigamya raṇe mithyā pāpenoktaḥ sutaṃ prati

And the teacher, the great archer honoured by all kings: I, a sinner, went up to him in battle and spoke falsely to him about his son.

Verse 15 (12.26.15)

तन्मे दहति गात्राणि यन्मां गुरुरभाषत । सत्यमाख्याहि राजंस्त्वं यदि जीवति मे सुतः ॥

tanme dahati gātrāṇi yanmāṃ gururabhāṣata | satyamākhyāhi rājaṃstvaṃ yadi jīvati me sutaḥ

It burns my limbs, what the teacher said to me: "Tell me the truth, O king, whether my son lives."

Note on the text: Lines = CE 12.27.15ab. Line 2 reads सत्यमाख्याहि राजंस्त्वं where the CE has satyavākyo hi rājaṃs tvaṃ (recension variant, kept).

Verse 16 (12.26.16)

सत्यमामर्शयन्विप्रो मयि तत्परिपृष्टवान् । कुञ्जरं चान्तरं कृत्वा मिथ्योपचरितो मया ॥

satyamāmarśayanvipro mayi tatparipṛṣṭavān | kuñjaraṃ cāntaraṃ kṛtvā mithyopacarito mayā

The brahmin, holding to the truth, asked me this; and I deceived him by putting the word "elephant" in between.

Note on the text: First line = CE 12.27.15e (satyaṃ mā marśayan vipro mayi tat paripṛṣṭavān); second line = CE 12.27.16a. Wikisource regroups the CE’s three-line verse 15.

Verse 17 (12.26.17)

सुभृशं राज्यलुब्धेन पापेन गुरुघातिना । सत्यकञ्चुकमुन्मुच्य मया स गुरुराहवे ॥

subhṛśaṃ rājyalubdhena pāpena gurughātinā | satyakañcukamunmucya mayā sa gururāhave

Exceedingly greedy for the kingdom, a sinner, a slayer of my teacher, I threw off the armour of truth and in battle spoke to that teacher thus:

Note on the text: First line = CE 12.27.16c; second line = CE 12.27.17a (satyakañcukam āsthāya mayokto gurur āhave; Wikisource reads उन्मुच्य … मया स गुरुः, recension variant, kept).

Verse 18 (12.26.18)

अश्वत्थामा हत इति निरुक्तः कुञ्जरे हते । काँल्लोकांस्तु गमिष्यामि कृत्वा कर्म सुदुष्करम् ॥

aśvatthāmā hata iti niruktaḥ kuñjare hate | kām̐llokāṃstu gamiṣyāmi kṛtvā karma suduṣkaram

"Ashvatthama is dead," it was announced, as the elephant lay slain. Having done so dreadful a deed, to what worlds shall I go?

Note on the text: Lines = CE 12.27.17c and 17e (aśvatthāmā hata iti kuñjare vinipātite / kān nu lokān gamiṣyāmi kṛtvā tat karma dāruṇam); Wikisource’s wording differs (निरुक्तः कुञ्जरे हते; कृत्वा कर्म सुदुष्करम्), recension variants, kept.

Verse 19 (12.26.19)

अघातयं च यत्कर्णं समरेष्वपलायिनम् । ज्येष्ठभ्रातरमत्युग्रः को मत्तः पापकृत्तमः ॥

aghātayaṃ ca yatkarṇaṃ samareṣvapalāyinam | jyeṣṭhabhrātaramatyugraḥ ko mattaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ

And I had Karna killed, who never fled in battle, my own elder brother, a terrible warrior. Who is a greater doer of evil than I?

Verse 20 (12.26.20)

अभिमन्युं च यद्वालं जातं सिंहमिवाद्रिषु । प्रावेशयमहं लुब्धो वाहिनीं द्रोणपालिताम् ॥

abhimanyuṃ ca yadvālaṃ jātaṃ siṃhamivādriṣu | prāveśayamahaṃ lubdho vāhinīṃ droṇapālitām

And Abhimanyu, a boy, born like a lion cub in the mountains: greedily I sent him into the army guarded by Drona.

Verse 21 (12.26.21)

तदाप्रभृति वीभत्सुं न शक्नोमि निरीक्षितुम् । कृष्णं च पुण्डरीकाक्षं किल्विषी भ्रूणहा यथा ॥

tadāprabhṛti vībhatsuṃ na śaknomi nirīkṣitum | kṛṣṇaṃ ca puṇḍarīkākṣaṃ kilviṣī bhrūṇahā yathā

Since then I cannot bear to look at Bibhatsu, nor at lotus-eyed Krishna, like a guilty man, a killer of an unborn child.

Verse 22 (12.26.22)

द्रौपदीं चाप्यदुःखार्हां पञ्चपुत्रैर्विनाकृताम् । शोचामि पृथिवीं हीनां पञ्चभिः पर्वतैरिव ॥

draupadīṃ cāpyaduḥkhārhāṃ pañcaputrairvinākṛtām | śocāmi pṛthivīṃ hīnāṃ pañcabhiḥ parvatairiva

And I grieve for Draupadi, who did not deserve sorrow, bereft of her five sons, like the earth bereft of five mountains.

Verse 23 (12.26.23)

सोऽहमागस्करः पापः पृथिवीनाशकारकः । आसीन एवमेवेदं शोषयिष्ये कलेवरम् ॥

so'hamāgaskaraḥ pāpaḥ pṛthivīnāśakārakaḥ | āsīna evamevedaṃ śoṣayiṣye kalevaram

So I, the offender, the sinner, the destroyer of the earth, will sit here just as I am and wither this body.

Verse 24 (12.26.24)

प्रायोपविष्टं जानीध्वमथ मां गुरुघातिनम् । जातिष्वन्यास्वपि यथा न भवेयं कुलान्तकृत् ॥

prāyopaviṣṭaṃ jānīdhvamatha māṃ gurughātinam | jātiṣvanyāsvapi yathā na bhaveyaṃ kulāntakṛt

Know that I, the slayer of my elders, have sat down to fast until death, so that in no other births may I become the destroyer of a family.

Verse 25 (12.26.25)

न भोक्ष्ये न च पानीयमुपयोक्ष्ये कथंचन । शोषयिष्ये प्रियान्प्राणानिहस्थोऽहं तपोधनाः ॥

na bhokṣye na ca pānīyamupayokṣye kathaṃcana | śoṣayiṣye priyānprāṇānihastho'haṃ tapodhanāḥ

I shall not eat, and I shall not take even water in any way. Staying right here, O sages, I shall wither my dear life-breaths.

Verse 26 (12.26.26)

यथेष्टं गम्यतां काममनुजाने प्रसाद्य वः । सर्वे मामनुजानीत त्यक्ष्यामीदं कलेवरम् ॥

yatheṣṭaṃ gamyatāṃ kāmamanujāne prasādya vaḥ | sarve māmanujānīta tyakṣyāmīdaṃ kalevaram

Go as you please; having asked your favour, I give you leave. All of you, grant me leave: I shall cast off this body.

Verse 27 (12.26.27)

तमेवंवादिनं पार्थं बन्धुशोकेन विह्वलम् । मैवमित्यब्रवीद्व्यासो निगृह्य मुनिसत्तमः ॥

tamevaṃvādinaṃ pārthaṃ bandhuśokena vihvalam | maivamityabravīdvyāso nigṛhya munisattamaḥ

To Partha, speaking in this way and overcome with grief for his kinsmen, Vyasa, best of sages, said, restraining him, "Not so."

Note on the text: The speaker heading “वैशंपायन उवचा” (sic; the page prints उवचा for उवाच) was folded into the first line of the input row; removed from the Sanskrit and made the speaker (the page’s own row 12-26-27x carries it; the CE heads 12.27.26 vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca). Speaker spelled वैशम्पायन to match the project convention.

Verse 28 (12.26.28)

अतिवेलं महाराज न शोकं कर्तुमर्हसि । पुनरुक्तं तु वक्ष्यामि दिष्टमेतदिति प्रभो ॥

ativelaṃ mahārāja na śokaṃ kartumarhasi | punaruktaṃ tu vakṣyāmi diṣṭametaditi prabho

O great king, you should not grieve beyond measure. I shall say again what has been said before, O lord: this is what was ordained.

Verse 29 (12.26.29)

संयोगा विप्रयोगाश्च जातानां प्राणिनां ध्रुवम् । बुद्धुदा इव तोयेषु भवन्ति न भवन्ति च ॥

saṃyogā viprayogāśca jātānāṃ prāṇināṃ dhruvam | buddhudā iva toyeṣu bhavanti na bhavanti ca

For all beings that are born, meetings and partings are certain; like bubbles on the water, they come to be and cease to be.

Verse 30 (12.26.30)

सर्वे क्षयान्ता निचयाः पतनान्ताः समुच्छ्रयाः । संयोगा विप्रयोगान्ता मरणान्तं हि जीवितम् ॥

sarve kṣayāntā nicayāḥ patanāntāḥ samucchrayāḥ | saṃyogā viprayogāntā maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitam

All accumulations end in loss, all risings end in a fall, all unions end in separation, and life ends in death.

Verse 31 (12.26.31)

सुखं दुःखान्तमालस्यं दाक्ष्यं दुःखं सुखोदयम् । भूतिः श्रीर्ह्रीर्धृतिः कीर्तिर्दक्षे वसति नालसे ॥

sukhaṃ duḥkhāntamālasyaṃ dākṣyaṃ duḥkhaṃ sukhodayam | bhūtiḥ śrīrhrīrdhṛtiḥ kīrtirdakṣe vasati nālase

Idleness is pleasure that ends in pain; diligence is pain that ends in pleasure. Prosperity, fortune, modesty, steadiness and fame dwell in the able man, not in the idle.

Verse 32 (12.26.32)

नालं सुखाय सुहृदो नाले दुःखाय शत्रवः । न च प्रज्ञालमर्थेभ्यो न सुखेभ्योऽप्यलं धनम् ॥

nālaṃ sukhāya suhṛdo nāle duḥkhāya śatravaḥ | na ca prajñālamarthebhyo na sukhebhyo'pyalaṃ dhanam

Friends are not enough to bring happiness, nor enemies enough to bring sorrow; wisdom is not enough to win wealth, nor is wealth enough to win pleasures.

Verse 33 (12.26.33)

यथा सृष्टोऽसि कौन्तेय धात्रा कर्मसु तत्कुरु । अत एव हि सिद्धिस्ते नेशस्त्वं ह्यात्मनो नृप ॥

yathā sṛṣṭo'si kaunteya dhātrā karmasu tatkuru | ata eva hi siddhiste neśastvaṃ hyātmano nṛpa

Do, in your actions, as the Creator has made you, son of Kunti; for just that reason success is yours, and you are not the master of yourself, O king.

Note on the text: Corrected तत्क्ररु → तत्कुरु (misprint in Wikisource; stray र; the critical edition reads tat kuru).