Vyasa Consoles Yudhishthira

Verse 1 (12.32.1)

युधिष्ठिरस्य तद्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा द्वैपायनस्तदा । परीक्ष्य निपुणं बुद्ध्या ऋषिः प्रोवाच पाण्डवम् ॥

yudhiṣṭhirasya tadvākyaṃ śrutvā dvaipāyanastadā | parīkṣya nipuṇaṃ buddhyā ṛṣiḥ provāca pāṇḍavam

Hearing Yudhishthira's words, Dvaipayana then weighed them carefully with his mind, and the sage spoke to the Pandava.

Note on the text: Speaker spelling normalised from वैशंपायन to वैशम्पायन.

Verse 2 (12.32.2)

मा विषादं कृथा राजन्क्षत्रधर्ममनुस्मरन् । स्वधर्मेण हता ह्येते क्षत्रियाः क्षत्रियर्षभ ॥

mā viṣādaṃ kṛthā rājankṣatradharmamanusmaran | svadharmeṇa hatā hyete kṣatriyāḥ kṣatriyarṣabha

Do not despair, O king; remember the duty of a warrior. These kshatriyas, O best of kshatriyas, have been slain by their own duty.

Verse 3 (12.32.3)

काङ्क्षमाणाः श्रियं कृत्स्नां पृथिव्यां च महद्यशः । कृतान्तविधिसंयुक्ताः कालेन निधनं गताः ॥

kāṅkṣamāṇāḥ śriyaṃ kṛtsnāṃ pṛthivyāṃ ca mahadyaśaḥ | kṛtāntavidhisaṃyuktāḥ kālena nidhanaṃ gatāḥ

Longing for all the wealth of the earth and for great fame, bound by the decree of the Ender, they were carried to their deaths by Time.

Note on the text: Corrected मबद्यशः → महद्यशः (misprint in Wikisource; ब for ह and a dropped letter; the critical edition reads mahad yaśaḥ).

Verse 4 (12.32.4)

न त्वं हन्ता न भीमोऽयं नार्जुनो न यमावपि । कालः पर्यायधर्मेण प्राणानादत्त देहिनाम् ॥

na tvaṃ hantā na bhīmo'yaṃ nārjuno na yamāvapi | kālaḥ paryāyadharmeṇa prāṇānādatta dehinām

You are not the slayer, nor is Bhima, nor Arjuna, nor the twins either; Time, by its law of succession, takes the breath of embodied beings.

Note on the text: Corrected नृ त्वं → न त्वं (misprint in Wikisource; stray vowel sign; the critical edition reads na tvaṃ hantā).

Verse 5 (12.32.5)

न तस्य मातापितरौ नानुग्राह्यो हि कश्चन । कर्मसाक्षी प्रजानां यस्तेन कालेन संहृताः ॥

na tasya mātāpitarau nānugrāhyo hi kaścana | karmasākṣī prajānāṃ yastena kālena saṃhṛtāḥ

He has neither mother nor father, and no one is there for him to favour; he is the witness of the deeds of creatures, and by that Time they have been carried off.

Verse 6 (12.32.6)

हेतुमात्रमिदं तस्य विहितं भरतर्षभ । यद्धन्ति भूतैर्भूतानि तदस्मै रूपमैश्वरम् ॥

hetumātramidaṃ tasya vihitaṃ bharatarṣabha | yaddhanti bhūtairbhūtāni tadasmai rūpamaiśvaram

This is only the means appointed by him, O best of the Bharatas: that beings slay beings is his divine form.

Verse 7 (12.32.7)

कर्म मूर्त्यात्मकं विद्धि साक्षिणं शुभपापयोः । सुखदुःखगुणोदर्कं कालं कालफलप्रदम् ॥

karma mūrtyātmakaṃ viddhi sākṣiṇaṃ śubhapāpayoḥ | sukhaduḥkhaguṇodarkaṃ kālaṃ kālaphalapradam

Know Time to be the embodiment of deeds, the witness of good and evil, whose outcome lies in pleasure and pain, the giver of the fruit that time ripens.

Verse 8 (12.32.8)

तेषामपि महाबाहो कर्माणि परिचिन्तय । विनाशहेतुकानि त्वं यैस्ते कालवशं गताः ॥

teṣāmapi mahābāho karmāṇi paricintaya | vināśahetukāni tvaṃ yaiste kālavaśaṃ gatāḥ

O mighty-armed, reflect also on their deeds, the causes of their destruction, by which they fell under the sway of Time.

Note on the text: Corrected यैस्तै → यैस्ते (misprint in Wikisource; misprint ै for े; यैः + ते gives यैस्ते).

Verse 9 (12.32.9)

आत्मनश्च विजानीहि नियतव्रतशीलताम् । यदा त्वमीदृशं कर्म विधिनाऽऽक्रम्य कारितः ॥

ātmanaśca vijānīhi niyatavrataśīlatām | yadā tvamīdṛśaṃ karma vidhinā''kramya kāritaḥ

And recognise your own steadfastness in vows and conduct, when destiny overpowered you and made you do such a deed.

Verse 10 (12.32.10)

त्वष्ट्रेव विहितं यन्त्रं यथा चेष्टयितुर्वशे । कर्मणा कालयुक्तेन तथेदं भ्राम्यते जगत् ॥

tvaṣṭreva vihitaṃ yantraṃ yathā ceṣṭayiturvaśe | karmaṇā kālayuktena tathedaṃ bhrāmyate jagat

As a machine fashioned by Tvashtri moves at the will of the one who works it, so this world is turned round by deeds joined with Time.

Verse 11 (12.32.11)

पुरुषस्य हि दृष्ट्वेमामुत्पत्तिमनिमित्ततः । यदृच्छया विनाशं च शोकहर्षावनर्थकौ ॥

puruṣasya hi dṛṣṭvemāmutpattimanimittataḥ | yadṛcchayā vināśaṃ ca śokaharṣāvanarthakau

Seeing that a man's birth is without cause and his destruction comes by chance, grief and joy are both meaningless.

Verse 12 (12.32.12)

व्यलीकमपि यत्त्वत्र चित्तवैतंसिकं तव । तदर्थमिष्यते राजन्प्रायश्चित्तं तदाचर ॥

vyalīkamapi yattvatra cittavaitaṃsikaṃ tava | tadarthamiṣyate rājanprāyaścittaṃ tadācara

Whatever blemish still clings in your mind about this, O king, for that an atonement is wished for; perform it.

Verse 13 (12.32.13)

इदं तु श्रूयते पार्थ युद्धे देवासुरे पुरा । असुरा भ्रातरो ज्येष्ठा देवाश्चापि यवीयसः ॥

idaṃ tu śrūyate pārtha yuddhe devāsure purā | asurā bhrātaro jyeṣṭhā devāścāpi yavīyasaḥ

This too is heard, O Partha: in the war of the gods and asuras long ago, the asuras were the elder brothers and the gods the younger.

Verse 14 (12.32.14)

तेषामपि श्रीनिमित्तं महानासीत्समुच्छ्रयः । युद्धं वर्षसहस्राणि द्वात्रिंशदभवत्किल ॥

teṣāmapi śrīnimittaṃ mahānāsītsamucchrayaḥ | yuddhaṃ varṣasahasrāṇi dvātriṃśadabhavatkila

Among them too there was great rivalry for the sake of prosperity; the war, it is said, lasted thirty-two thousand years.

Verse 15 (12.32.15)

एकार्णवां महीं कृत्वा रुधिरेण परिप्लुताम् । जघ्नुर्दैत्यांस्तथा देवास्त्रिदिवं चाभिलेभिरे ॥

ekārṇavāṃ mahīṃ kṛtvā rudhireṇa pariplutām | jaghnurdaityāṃstathā devāstridivaṃ cābhilebhire

Having made the earth a single ocean, drenched in blood, the gods slew the Daityas and won heaven.

Verse 16 (12.32.16)

तथैव पृथिवीं लब्ध्वा ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः । संश्रिता दानवानां वै साह्यार्थं दर्पमोहिताः ॥

tathaiva pṛthivīṃ labdhvā brāhmaṇā vedapāragāḥ | saṃśritā dānavānāṃ vai sāhyārthaṃ darpamohitāḥ

In the same way, brahmins who had mastered the Vedas, having gained the earth, took the side of the danavas to help them, deluded by pride.

Verse 17 (12.32.17)

शालावृका इति ख्यातास्त्रिषु लोकेषु भारत । अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि ते चापि विबुधैर्हताः ॥

śālāvṛkā iti khyātāstriṣu lokeṣu bhārata | aṣṭāśītisahasrāṇi te cāpi vibudhairhatāḥ

They were known in the three worlds as the Shalavrikas, O Bharata; eighty-eight thousand of them were also slain by the gods.

Note on the text: Corrected विबुर्धैर्हताः → विबुधैर्हताः (misprint in Wikisource; र् misplaced; the critical edition reads vibudhair hatāḥ).

Verse 18 (12.32.18)

धर्मव्युच्छित्तिमिच्छतो येऽधर्मस्य प्रवर्तकाः । हन्तव्यास्ते दुरात्मानो देवैर्दैत्या इवोल्वणाः ॥

dharmavyucchittimicchato ye'dharmasya pravartakāḥ | hantavyāste durātmāno devairdaityā ivolvaṇāḥ

Those who, wishing the ruin of dharma, are the promoters of adharma, those evil-minded ones must be slain, as the gods slew the fierce Daityas.

Verse 19 (12.32.19)

एकं हत्वा यदि कुले शिष्टानां स्यादनामयम् । कुलं हत्वा च राष्ट्रे च न तद्वृत्तोपघातकम् ॥

ekaṃ hatvā yadi kule śiṣṭānāṃ syādanāmayam | kulaṃ hatvā ca rāṣṭre ca na tadvṛttopaghātakam

If, by killing one man in a family, the good that remain can be kept from harm, or by killing a family, the good in the realm, that does not injure right conduct.

Verse 20 (12.32.20)

अधर्मरूपो धर्मो हि कश्चिदस्ति नराधिप । धर्मरूपो ह्यधर्मश्च तच्च ज्ञेयं विपश्चिता ॥

adharmarūpo dharmo hi kaścidasti narādhipa | dharmarūpo hyadharmaśca tacca jñeyaṃ vipaścitā

There is, O lord of men, a dharma that wears the form of adharma, and an adharma that wears the form of dharma; the wise man must know this.

Verse 21 (12.32.21)

तस्मात्संस्तम्भयात्मानं श्रुतवानसि पाण्डव । देवैः पूर्वगतं मार्गमनुयातोऽसि भारत ॥

tasmātsaṃstambhayātmānaṃ śrutavānasi pāṇḍava | devaiḥ pūrvagataṃ mārgamanuyāto'si bhārata

Therefore steady yourself, O Pandava, for you are learned; you have followed the path the gods took before you, O Bharata.

Verse 22 (12.32.22)

न हीदृशा गमिष्यन्ति नरकं पाण्डवर्षभ । भ्रातॄनाश्वासयैतांस्त्वं सुहृदश्च परंतप ॥

na hīdṛśā gamiṣyanti narakaṃ pāṇḍavarṣabha | bhrātṝnāśvāsayaitāṃstvaṃ suhṛdaśca paraṃtapa

Men such as you do not go to hell, O best of the Pandavas. Comfort these brothers of yours and your friends, O scorcher of foes.

Verse 23 (12.32.23)

यो हि पापसमारम्भे कार्ये तद्भावभावितः । कुर्वन्नपि तथैव स्यात्कृत्वा च निरपत्रपः ॥

yo hi pāpasamārambhe kārye tadbhāvabhāvitaḥ | kurvannapi tathaiva syātkṛtvā ca nirapatrapaḥ

A man who, at the start of a sinful undertaking, is wholly given over to that disposition, who stays so while doing it, and is shameless after he has done it,

Verse 24 (12.32.24)

तस्मिंस्तत्कलुषं सर्वं समस्तमिति शब्दितम् । प्रायश्चित्तं न तस्यास्ति ह्रासो वा पापकर्मणः ॥

tasmiṃstatkaluṣaṃ sarvaṃ samastamiti śabditam | prāyaścittaṃ na tasyāsti hrāso vā pāpakarmaṇaḥ

in him that whole stain is complete, as it is said; for him there is no atonement, nor any lessening of his sinful deed.

Verse 25 (12.32.25)

त्वं तु शुक्लाभिजातीयः परदोषेण कारितः । अनिच्छमानः कर्मेदं कृत्वा च परितप्यसे ॥

tvaṃ tu śuklābhijātīyaḥ paradoṣeṇa kāritaḥ | anicchamānaḥ karmedaṃ kṛtvā ca paritapyase

But you are of pure birth and were driven by another's fault; you did this deed unwillingly, and now, having done it, you are tormented.

Verse 26 (12.32.26)

अश्वमेधो महायज्ञः प्रायश्चित्तमुदाहृतम् । तमाहर महाराज विपाप्मैवं भविष्यसि ॥

aśvamedho mahāyajñaḥ prāyaścittamudāhṛtam | tamāhara mahārāja vipāpmaivaṃ bhaviṣyasi

The Ashvamedha, the great sacrifice, is declared to be the atonement. Perform it, O great king, and so you will be free of sin.

Verse 27 (12.32.27)

मरुद्भिः सह जित्वाऽरीन्भगवान्पाकशासनः । एकैकं क्रतुमाहृत्य शतकृत्वः शतक्रतुः ॥

marudbhiḥ saha jitvā'rīnbhagavānpākaśāsanaḥ | ekaikaṃ kratumāhṛtya śatakṛtvaḥ śatakratuḥ

Having conquered his foes together with the Maruts, the blessed Indra, destroyer of Paka, performed each sacrifice a hundred times, and so became Shatakratu.

Verse 28 (12.32.28)

धूतपाप्मा जितस्वर्गो लोकान्प्राप्य सुखोदयान् । मरुद्गणैर्वृतः शक्रः शुशुभे भासयन्दिशः ॥

dhūtapāpmā jitasvargo lokānprāpya sukhodayān | marudgaṇairvṛtaḥ śakraḥ śuśubhe bhāsayandiśaḥ

His sin shaken off, heaven won, and the worlds of rising joy attained, Shakra shone, surrounded by the troops of the Maruts and lighting up the quarters.

Verse 29 (12.32.29)

स्वर्गे लोके महीयन्तमप्सरोभिः शचीपतिम् । ऋषयः पर्युपासन्ते देवाश्च विबुधेश्वरम् ॥

svarge loke mahīyantamapsarobhiḥ śacīpatim | ṛṣayaḥ paryupāsante devāśca vibudheśvaram

As he is honoured in the world of heaven, the lord of Shachi is attended by apsarases, and sages and gods wait upon the lord of the gods.

Verse 30 (12.32.30)

सेयं त्वामनुसंप्राप्ता विक्रमेण वसुंधरा । निर्जिताश्च महीपाला विक्रमेण त्वयाऽनध ॥

seyaṃ tvāmanusaṃprāptā vikrameṇa vasuṃdharā | nirjitāśca mahīpālā vikrameṇa tvayā'nadha

This earth, O sinless one, has come to you by your prowess, and the kings were conquered by your prowess.

Verse 31 (12.32.31)

तेषां पुराणि राष्ट्राणि गत्वा राजन्सुहृद्वृतः । भ्रातॄन्पुत्रांश्च पौत्रांश्च स्वेस्वे राज्येऽभिषेचय ॥

teṣāṃ purāṇi rāṣṭrāṇi gatvā rājansuhṛdvṛtaḥ | bhrātṝnputrāṃśca pautrāṃśca svesve rājye'bhiṣecaya

Go to their cities and realms, O king, with your friends around you, and consecrate your brothers, sons and grandsons, each in his own kingdom.

Note on the text: Corrected सुहृद्वॄतः → सुहृद्वृतः (misprint in Wikisource; long ॄ for short ृ; the critical edition reads suhṛdvṛtaḥ).

Verse 32 (12.32.32)

बालानपि च गर्भस्थान्सांत्वेन समुदाचरन् । रञ्जयन्प्रकृतीः सर्वाः परिपाहि वसुंधराम् ॥

bālānapi ca garbhasthānsāṃtvena samudācaran | rañjayanprakṛtīḥ sarvāḥ paripāhi vasuṃdharām

Treating even the young and those still in the womb with kindness, and pleasing all the subjects, protect the earth.

Verse 33 (12.32.33)

कुमारो नास्ति येषां च कन्यास्तत्राभिषेचय । कामाशयो हि स्त्रीवर्गः शोकमेवं प्रहास्यसि ॥

kumāro nāsti yeṣāṃ ca kanyāstatrābhiṣecaya | kāmāśayo hi strīvargaḥ śokamevaṃ prahāsyasi

Where a family has no son, consecrate the daughters there; womenfolk set their hearts on their wishes, and in this way you will put grief away.

Verse 34 (12.32.34)

एवमाश्वासनं कृत्वा सर्वराष्ट्रेषु भारत । यजस्व वाजिमेधेन यथेन्द्रो विजयी पुरा ॥

evamāśvāsanaṃ kṛtvā sarvarāṣṭreṣu bhārata | yajasva vājimedhena yathendro vijayī purā

Having brought such comfort in all the kingdoms, O Bharata, perform the horse sacrifice, as Indra the victor did of old.

Verse 35 (12.32.35)

अशोच्यास्ते महात्मानः क्षत्रियाः क्षत्रियर्षभ । स्वकर्मभिर्गता नाशं कृतान्तबलमोहिताः ॥

aśocyāste mahātmānaḥ kṣatriyāḥ kṣatriyarṣabha | svakarmabhirgatā nāśaṃ kṛtāntabalamohitāḥ

Those great-souled kshatriyas, O best of kshatriyas, are not to be mourned; by their own deeds, bewildered by the power of Fate, they have gone to destruction.

Verse 36 (12.32.36)

अवाप्तः क्षत्रधर्मस्ते राज्यं प्राप्तमकण्टकम् । रक्ष स्वधर्मं कौन्तेय श्रेयान्यः प्रेत्यभाविकः ॥

avāptaḥ kṣatradharmaste rājyaṃ prāptamakaṇṭakam | rakṣa svadharmaṃ kaunteya śreyānyaḥ pretyabhāvikaḥ

You have attained the duty of a kshatriya and won the kingdom free of thorns. Guard your own dharma, son of Kunti; that is best which bears fruit in the world beyond.