Yudhishthira Resolves to Renounce the Kingdom

Verse 1 (12.7.1)

युधिष्ठिरस्तु धर्मात्मा शोकव्याकुलचेतनः । शुशोच दुःखसंतप्तः स्मृत्वा कर्णं महारथम् ॥

yudhiṣṭhirastu dharmātmā śokavyākulacetanaḥ | śuśoca duḥkhasaṃtaptaḥ smṛtvā karṇaṃ mahāratham

Vaishampayana said: Yudhishthira, the righteous-souled, his mind overwhelmed by grief, mourned, tormented by sorrow, as he remembered Karna the great warrior.

Verse 2 (12.7.2)

आविष्टो दुःखशोकाभ्यां निःश्वसंश्च पुनः पुनः । दृष्ट्वार्जुनमुवाचेदं वचनं शोककर्शितः ॥

āviṣṭo duḥkhaśokābhyāṃ niḥśvasaṃśca punaḥ punaḥ | dṛṣṭvārjunamuvācedaṃ vacanaṃ śokakarśitaḥ

Overcome by sorrow and grief, sighing again and again, afflicted by his mourning, he looked at Arjuna and spoke these words.

Verse 3 (12.7.3)

यद्भैक्ष्यमाचरिष्याम वृष्ण्यन्धकपुरे वयम् । ज्ञातीन्निष्पुरुषान्कृत्वा नेमां प्राप्स्याम दुर्गतिम् ॥

yadbhaikṣyamācariṣyāma vṛṣṇyandhakapure vayam | jñātīnniṣpuruṣānkṛtvā nemāṃ prāpsyāma durgatim

Yudhishthira said: If we had lived on alms in the city of the Vrishnis and Andhakas, we should not have fallen into this wretched state by leaving our kinsmen without men.

Verse 4 (12.7.4)

अमित्रा नः समृद्धार्था वृत्तार्थाः कुरवः किल । आत्मानमात्मना हत्वा किं धर्मफलमाप्नुमः ॥

amitrā naḥ samṛddhārthā vṛttārthāḥ kuravaḥ kila | ātmānamātmanā hatvā kiṃ dharmaphalamāpnumaḥ

The Kurus, our foes, were prosperous, it seems, and had their ends accomplished. What fruit of dharma do we gain by killing ourselves with our own hands?

Verse 5 (12.7.5)

धिगस्तु क्षात्रमाचारं धिगस्तु बलमौरसम् । धिगस्तु चार्थं येनेमामापदं गमिता वयम् ॥

dhigastu kṣātramācāraṃ dhigastu balamaurasam | dhigastu cārthaṃ yenemāmāpadaṃ gamitā vayam

Shame on the warrior's way of life, shame on the strength of our arms, shame on the wealth because of which we have been brought to this calamity!

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: धिगस्तु चार्थं (CE dhig astv amarṣaṃ).

Verse 6 (12.7.6)

साधु क्षमा दमः शौचमविरोधो विमत्सरः । अहिंसा सत्यवचनं नित्यानि वनचारिणाम् ॥

sādhu kṣamā damaḥ śaucamavirodho vimatsaraḥ | ahiṃsā satyavacanaṃ nityāni vanacāriṇām

Forbearance is good, and self-control, purity, freedom from enmity and freedom from envy, non-violence and truthful speech: these are the lasting practices of those who live in the forest.

Verse 7 (12.7.7)

वयं तु लोभान्मोहाच्च दम्भं मानं च संश्रिताः । इमामवस्थां संप्राप्ता राज्यक्लेशबुभुक्षया ॥

vayaṃ tu lobhānmohācca dambhaṃ mānaṃ ca saṃśritāḥ | imāmavasthāṃ saṃprāptā rājyakleśabubhukṣayā

But we, through greed and delusion, clinging to arrogance and pride, have come to this state through a hunger for the troubles of a kingdom.

Note on the text: Recension variants, kept: दम्भं (CE stambhaṃ), संप्राप्ता (CE āpannā), राज्यक्लेशबुभुक्षया (CE rājyaleśabubhukṣayā).

Verse 8 (12.7.8)

त्रैलोक्यस्यापि राज्येन नास्मान्कश्चित्प्रहर्षयेत् । बान्धवान्निहतान्दृष्ट्वा पृथिव्यामामिषैषिणः ॥

trailokyasyāpi rājyena nāsmānkaścitpraharṣayet | bāndhavānnihatāndṛṣṭvā pṛthivyāmāmiṣaiṣiṇaḥ

Even the kingship of the three worlds could not gladden us, now that we have seen our kinsmen slain, we who craved the spoils of the earth.

Verse 9 (12.7.9)

ते वयं पृथिवीहेतोरवध्यान्पृथिवीतले । संपरित्यज्य जीवामो हीनार्था हतबान्धवाः ॥

te vayaṃ pṛthivīhetoravadhyānpṛthivītale | saṃparityajya jīvāmo hīnārthā hatabāndhavāḥ

For the sake of the earth we have cast away those on this earth who were not to be slain, and we live on, our aims lost, our kinsmen dead.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: पृथिवीतले (CE pṛthivīsamān).

Verse 10 (12.7.10)

आमिषे गृध्यमानानामशुभं वै शुनामिव । आमिषं चैव नो नष्टमामिषस्य च भोजिनाम् ॥

āmiṣe gṛdhyamānānāmaśubhaṃ vai śunāmiva | āmiṣaṃ caiva no naṣṭamāmiṣasya ca bhojinām

Greedy for meat, like dogs, we have reaped misfortune; and the meat itself is lost to us, who feed on meat.

Note on the text: Recension variants, kept: अशुभं वै शुनामिव (CE aśunāṃ naḥ śunām iva) and भोजिनाम् (CE bhojinaḥ).

Verse 11 (12.7.11)

न पृथिव्या सकलया न सुवर्णस्य राशिभिः । न गजाश्वेन सर्वेण ते त्याज्या य इमे हताः ॥

na pṛthivyā sakalayā na suvarṇasya rāśibhiḥ | na gajāśvena sarveṇa te tyājyā ya ime hatāḥ

Not for the whole earth, not for heaps of gold, not for all the cattle and horses should those who now lie slain have been given up.

Verse 12 (12.7.12)

काममन्युपरीतास्ते क्रोधामर्षसमन्विताः । मृत्युयानं समारुह्य गता वैवस्वतक्षयम् ॥

kāmamanyuparītāste krodhāmarṣasamanvitāḥ | mṛtyuyānaṃ samāruhya gatā vaivasvatakṣayam

Possessed by desire and anger, full of fury and intolerance, they mounted the chariot of death and went to the abode of Vaivasvata.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: काममन्युपरीतास्ते (CE saṃyuktāḥ kāmamanyubhyāṃ).

Verse 13 (12.7.13)

बहुकल्याणमिच्छन्त ईहन्ते पितरः सुतान् । तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण वन्दनेन तितिक्षया ॥

bahukalyāṇamicchanta īhante pitaraḥ sutān | tapasā brahmacaryeṇa vandanena titikṣayā

Fathers, wishing for much good, strive for their sons through austerity, chastity, reverence and endurance,

Verse 14 (12.7.14)

उपवासैस्तथेज्याभिर्व्रतकौतुकमङ्गलैः । लभन्ते मातरो गर्भांस्तान्मासान्दश बिभ्रति ॥

upavāsaistathejyābhirvratakautukamaṅgalaiḥ | labhante mātaro garbhāṃstānmāsāndaśa bibhrati

and through fasts, sacrifices, vows, birth-rites and auspicious observances mothers obtain their unborn children and carry them for ten months.

Verse 15 (12.7.15)

यदि स्वस्ति प्रजायन्ते जाता जीवन्ति वा यदि । संभाविता जातबला विदध्युर्यदि नः सुखम् । इह चामुत्र चैवेति कृपणाः फलहेतवः ॥

yadi svasti prajāyante jātā jīvanti vā yadi | saṃbhāvitā jātabalā vidadhyuryadi naḥ sukham | iha cāmutra caiveti kṛpaṇāḥ phalahetavaḥ

If they are born safely; if, being born, they live; if, honoured and grown strong, they should bring us happiness, both here and hereafter: so they hope, those poor mothers, looking to the fruit.

Note on the text: Corrected संभाघिता → संभाविता (misprint in Wikisource; घ for व, CE saṃbhāvitā). Three-line verse, as on the page (labelled 7-15a/b/c): lines 1-3 = CE 12.7.15a, 15c, 15e; line 2 ends विदध्युर्यदि नः सुखम् (CE te dadyur yadi naḥ sukham) and line 3 reads फलहेतवः (CE phalahetukāḥ), recension variants.

Verse 16 (12.7.16)

तासामयं समुद्योगो निर्वृत्तः केवलोऽफलः । यदासां निहताः पुत्रा युवानो मृष्टकुण्डलाः ॥

tāsāmayaṃ samudyogo nirvṛttaḥ kevalo'phalaḥ | yadāsāṃ nihatāḥ putrā yuvāno mṛṣṭakuṇḍalāḥ

All that effort of theirs has come to nothing, utterly fruitless, since their sons, young men with burnished earrings, have been slain.

Note on the text: Recension variants, kept: समुद्योगः (CE samārambhaḥ), यदासां (CE yad āsāṃ).

Verse 17 (12.7.17)

अभुक्त्वा पार्थिवान्भोगानृणान्यनपहाय च । पितृभ्यो देवताभ्यश्च गता वैवस्वतक्षयम् ॥

abhuktvā pārthivānbhogānṛṇānyanapahāya ca | pitṛbhyo devatābhyaśca gatā vaivasvatakṣayam

Without enjoying the pleasures of kings, without discharging their debts to the ancestors and the gods, they have gone to the abode of Vaivasvata.

Note on the text: Corrected वैयस्वत → वैवस्वत (misprint in Wikisource; CE vaivasvata). ऋणान्यनपहाय (CE anavadāya) is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 18 (12.7.18)

यदैषामम्ब पितरौ जातकर्मकराविह । संजातबालरूपेषु तदैव निहता नृपाः ॥

yadaiṣāmamba pitarau jātakarmakarāviha | saṃjātabālarūpeṣu tadaiva nihatā nṛpāḥ

O Mother, scarcely had their parents here finished performing their birth-rites, and their boyish forms only just come to be, when those kings were slain.

Note on the text: Corrected नृषाः → नृपाः (misprint in Wikisource; CE nṛpāḥ). The first line is a recension variant of CE 12.7.18a (yadaiṣām aṅga pitarau jātau kāmamayāv iva), kept.

Verse 19 (12.7.19)

संयुक्ताः काममन्युभ्यां क्रोधामर्षसमन्विताः । न ते जयफलं किंचिद्भोक्तारो जातु कर्हिचित् ॥

saṃyuktāḥ kāmamanyubhyāṃ krodhāmarṣasamanvitāḥ | na te jayaphalaṃ kiṃcidbhoktāro jātu karhicit

Bound to desire and anger, full of fury and intolerance, they never at any time enjoyed any fruit of victory.

Note on the text: Recension variants, kept: क्रोधामर्षसमन्विताः (CE krodhaharṣāsamañjasāḥ), जयफलम् (CE janmaphalam).

Verse 20 (12.7.20)

पाञ्चालानां कुरूणां च हता एव हि येऽहताः । न सकामा वयं ते च न चास्माभिर्न तैर्जितम् ॥

pāñcālānāṃ kurūṇāṃ ca hatā eva hi ye'hatāḥ | na sakāmā vayaṃ te ca na cāsmābhirna tairjitam

Of the Panchalas and the Kurus, even those who live are as good as slain. Neither we nor they have gained our wish; neither we nor they have truly won.

Note on the text: Corrected हता एव हि ये हताः → हता एव हि येऽहताः (misprint in Wikisource: the avagraha of ये ऽहताः is dropped, which flips the sense; CE ye 'hatāḥ). Line 1 = CE 12.7.20a; line 2 न सकामा वयं ते च न चास्माभिर्न तैर्जितम् is a variant of CE 12.7.23a (aṃśakāmā vayaṃ te ca na cāsmābhir na tair jitam). Wikisource orders this part of the passage differently from the CE.

Verse 21 (12.7.21)

न तैर्भुक्तेयमवनिर्न नार्यो गीतवादितम् । नामात्यसुहृदां वाक्यं न च श्रुतवतां श्रुतम् । न रत्नानि परार्ध्यानि न भूर्न द्रविणागमः ॥

na tairbhukteyamavanirna nāryo gītavāditam | nāmātyasuhṛdāṃ vākyaṃ na ca śrutavatāṃ śrutam | na ratnāni parārdhyāni na bhūrna draviṇāgamaḥ

They did not enjoy this earth, nor women, nor song and music; nor the words of ministers and friends, nor the learning of the learned; nor costly jewels, nor land, nor the inflow of wealth.

Note on the text: Three-line verse, as on the page (labelled 7-21a/b/c): line 1 = CE 12.7.23c (na tair bhukteyam avanir na nāryo gītavāditam; नार्यः is a variant), line 2 = CE 12.7.24a (नामात्यसुहृदां against CE nāmātyasamitau; the page's note cites the CE reading as a variant), line 3 = CE 12.7.24c. The CE's star line 12.7.24d*0007_01 is not on the page.

Verse 22 (12.7.22)

न च धर्म्यानिमाँल्लोकान्प्रपद्याम स्वकर्मभिः । वयमेवास्य लोकस्य विनाशे कारणं स्मृताः । धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रेण निकृतिप्रीतिसंयुताः ॥

na ca dharmyānimām̐llokānprapadyāma svakarmabhiḥ | vayamevāsya lokasya vināśe kāraṇaṃ smṛtāḥ | dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putreṇa nikṛtiprītisaṃyutāḥ

Nor shall we, by our own deeds, reach these worlds of dharma. We ourselves are held to be the cause of this world's destruction, we who through the son of Dhritarashtra became bound up with treachery and its pleasures.

Note on the text: Three-line verse, as on the page (labelled 7-22a/b/c): line 1 is a variant of CE 12.7.20c (CE te vayaṃ tv adhamāṃl lokān prapadyema svakarmabhiḥ; the page reads न च धर्म्यानिमाँल्लोकान्प्रपद्याम स्वकर्मभिः), line 2 = CE 12.7.21a, line 3 a variant of CE 12.7.21c (CE nikṛtyā pratyapatsmahi; the page reads निकृतिप्रीतिसंयुताः).

Verse 23 (12.7.23)

सदैव निकृतिप्रज्ञो द्वेष्टा विद्वेषजीवनः । मिथ्यावृत्तश्च सततमस्मास्वनपराधिषु ॥

sadaiva nikṛtiprajño dveṣṭā vidveṣajīvanaḥ | mithyāvṛttaśca satatamasmāsvanaparādhiṣu

He was always shrewd in deceit, a hater, living on malice, ever acting falsely towards us, who had done him no wrong.

Note on the text: Recension variants, kept: विद्वेषजीवनः (CE māyopajīvanaḥ), मिथ्यावृत्तश्च (CE mithyāvṛttaḥ sa), अनपराधिषु (CE anapakāriṣu). This is CE 12.7.22.

Verse 24 (12.7.24)

ऋद्धिमस्मासु तां दृष्ट्वा विवर्णो हरिणः कृशः । धृतराष्ट्रश्च नृपतिः सौबलेन निवेदितः ॥

ṛddhimasmāsu tāṃ dṛṣṭvā vivarṇo hariṇaḥ kṛśaḥ | dhṛtarāṣṭraśca nṛpatiḥ saubalena niveditaḥ

Seeing our prosperity, he grew pale, tawny and lean; and King Dhritarashtra was informed of it by Saubala.

Note on the text: = CE 12.7.25. Recension variant, kept: धृतराष्ट्रश्च नृपतिः (CE dhṛtarāṣṭrasya nṛpateḥ; the page's note cites the genitive as a variant reading).

Verse 25 (12.7.25)

तं पिता पुत्रगृध्नुत्वादनुमेनेऽनये स्थितम् । अनपेक्ष्यैव पितरं गाङ्गेयं विदुरं तथा ॥

taṃ pitā putragṛdhnutvādanumene'naye sthitam | anapekṣyaiva pitaraṃ gāṅgeyaṃ viduraṃ tathā

His father, in his fondness for his son, went along with him though he stood in the wrong, without regard for his own father, for Ganga's son, or for Vidura.

Note on the text: Lines 1-2 = CE 12.7.26a and 26c. Wikisource's verse boundaries differ from the CE here.

Verse 26 (12.7.26)

असंशयं त्वयं राजा यथैवाहं तथा गतः । अनियम्याशुचिं लुब्धं पुत्रं कामवशानुगम् ॥

asaṃśayaṃ tvayaṃ rājā yathaivāhaṃ tathā gataḥ | aniyamyāśuciṃ lubdhaṃ putraṃ kāmavaśānugam

Without doubt this king too has come to the same state as I: he who did not restrain his impure, greedy son, who followed the lead of desire.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a variant of CE 12.7.26e (asaṃśayaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭro yathaivāhaṃ tathā gataḥ; the page reads असंशयं त्वयं राजा …), line 2 = CE 12.7.27a.

Verse 27 (12.7.27)

यशसः पतितो दीप्ताद्धातयित्वा सहोदरान् । इमौ हि वृद्धौ शोकाग्नौ प्रक्षिप्य स सुयोधनः । अस्मत्प्रद्वेषसंतप्तः पापबुद्धिः सदैव ह ॥

yaśasaḥ patito dīptāddhātayitvā sahodarān | imau hi vṛddhau śokāgnau prakṣipya sa suyodhanaḥ | asmatpradveṣasaṃtaptaḥ pāpabuddhiḥ sadaiva ha

Fallen from blazing renown, having had his own brothers slain, and having flung these two aged ones into a fire of sorrow, that Suyodhana, consumed by hatred of us, was ever evil-minded.

Note on the text: Three-line verse, as on the page (labelled 7-27a/b/c): line 1 = CE 12.7.27c, line 2 = CE 12.7.28a (इमौ हि वृद्धौ against CE imau vṛddhau ca), line 3 = CE 12.7.28c (संतप्तः … सदैव ह against CE saṃyuktaḥ … sadaiva hi; the page's note cites पापबुद्धिः सुहृज्जनैः as a variant).

Verse 28 (12.7.28)

को हि बन्धुः कुलीनः संस्तथा ब्रूयात्सुहृज्जने । यथाऽसाववदद्वाक्यं युयुत्सुः कृष्णसन्निधौ ॥

ko hi bandhuḥ kulīnaḥ saṃstathā brūyātsuhṛjjane | yathā'sāvavadadvākyaṃ yuyutsuḥ kṛṣṇasannidhau

What kinsman of good family would speak to his friends as that man eager for war spoke in Krishna's presence?

Note on the text: = CE 12.7.29. Line 2 is a variant (CE yathāsāv uktavān kṣudro yuyutsur vṛṣṇisaṃnidhau). युयुत्सुः is taken as the epithet 'eager to fight' (Duryodhana; cf. CE kṣudro yuyutsuḥ), not as the name of Dhritarashtra's son Yuyutsu.

Verse 29 (12.7.29)

आत्मनो हि वयं दोषाद्विनष्टाः शाश्वतीः समाः । प्रदहन्तो दिशः सर्वा भास्वरा इव तेजसा ॥

ātmano hi vayaṃ doṣādvinaṣṭāḥ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ | pradahanto diśaḥ sarvā bhāsvarā iva tejasā

Through our own fault we are ruined for endless years, we who scorched all the quarters with our might like blazing suns.

Note on the text: = CE 12.7.30. Recension variant, kept: भास्वरा इव तेजसा (CE tejasā bhāskarā iva; the page's note cites भास्करस्येव तेजसा).

Verse 30 (12.7.30)

सोऽस्माकं वैरपुरुषो दुर्मतिः प्रग्रहं गतः । दुर्योधनकृते ह्येतत्कुलं नो विनिपातितम् ॥

so'smākaṃ vairapuruṣo durmatiḥ pragrahaṃ gataḥ | duryodhanakṛte hyetatkulaṃ no vinipātitam

That enemy of ours, ill-minded, has gone into bondage; yet it is for Duryodhana's sake that this family of ours has been brought down.

Note on the text: Lines 1-2 = CE 12.7.31a and 31c; line 1 reads दुर्मतिः प्रग्रहं गतः against CE durmantripragrahaṃ gataḥ (a recension variant, kept).

Verse 31 (12.7.31)

अवध्यानां वधं कृत्वा लोके प्राप्ताः स्म वाच्यतां ॥

avadhyānāṃ vadhaṃ kṛtvā loke prāptāḥ sma vācyatāṃ

By slaying those who were not to be slain, we have won blame in the world.

Note on the text: One-line verse, as on the page (labelled 7-31a): the last line of a three-line CE verse, CE 12.7.31e (avadhyānāṃ vadhaṃ kṛtvā loke prāptāḥ sma vācyatām); with verse 30 it fills CE 12.7.31.

Verse 32 (12.7.32)

कुलस्यास्यान्तकरणं दुर्मतिं पापपूरुषम् । राजा राष्ट्रेश्वरं कृत्वा धृतराष्ट्रोऽद्य शोचति ॥

kulasyāsyāntakaraṇaṃ durmatiṃ pāpapūruṣam | rājā rāṣṭreśvaraṃ kṛtvā dhṛtarāṣṭro'dya śocati

King Dhritarashtra, having made lord of the realm that ill-minded, sinful man, the ender of this family, now grieves.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: पापपूरुषम् (CE pāpakāriṇam).

Verse 33 (12.7.33)

हताः शूराः कृतं पापं विषयोऽसौ विनाशितः । हत्वा नो विगतो मन्युः शोको मां दारयत्ययम् ॥

hatāḥ śūrāḥ kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ viṣayo'sau vināśitaḥ | hatvā no vigato manyuḥ śoko māṃ dārayatyayam

The heroes are slain, the sin is done, that realm is destroyed. Our anger has left us now that we have killed them, and this grief tears at me.

Note on the text: Recension variants, kept: विषयोऽसौ (CE viṣayaḥ svo), दारयत्ययम् (CE rundhayaty ayam).

Verse 34 (12.7.34)

धनञ्जय कृतं पापं कल्याणेनोपहन्यते । ख्यापनेनानुतापेन दानेन तपसाऽपि वा । निवृत्त्या तीर्थगमनाच्छुतिस्मृतिजपेन वा ॥

dhanañjaya kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ kalyāṇenopahanyate | khyāpanenānutāpena dānena tapasā'pi vā | nivṛttyā tīrthagamanācchutismṛtijapena vā

Dhananjaya, a sin that has been done is undone by a good deed: by declaring it, by remorse, by giving, by austerity, by turning away from it, by pilgrimage to holy places, by recitation of the Veda and the traditional texts.

Note on the text: Removed the square brackets Wikisource prints around lines 2-3 and the stray doubled daṇḍa inside them. Line 1 = CE 12.7.34a; lines 2-3 are the CE star passage 12.7.34b*0008_01-02 (khyāpanenānutāpena dānena tapasāpi vā / nivṛttyā tīrthagamanāc chrutismṛtijapena ca).

Verse 35 (12.7.35)

त्यागवांश्च पुनः पापं नालं कर्तुमिति श्रुतिः । त्यागवाञ्जन्ममरणे नाप्नोतीति श्रुतिर्यतः । प्राप्तवर्त्मा कृतमतिर्ब्रह्म संपद्यते तदा ॥

tyāgavāṃśca punaḥ pāpaṃ nālaṃ kartumiti śrutiḥ | tyāgavāñjanmamaraṇe nāpnotīti śrutiryataḥ | prāptavartmā kṛtamatirbrahma saṃpadyate tadā

And one who has renounced cannot again commit sin: so says scripture. Since scripture says that the renouncer does not undergo birth and death, then, having found the path and being firm in resolve, he attains Brahman.

Note on the text: Three-line verse, as on the page (labelled 7-35a/b/c): line 1 = CE 12.7.34c (tyāgavāṃś ca punaḥ pāpaṃ nālaṃ kartum iti śrutiḥ), lines 2-3 = CE 12.7.35a, 35c (श्रुतिर्यतः against CE śrutir yadā, a variant).

Verse 36 (12.7.36)

स धनञ्जय निर्द्वन्द्वो मुनिर्ज्ञानसमन्वितः । वनमामन्त्र्य वः सर्वान्गमिष्यामि परंतप ॥

sa dhanañjaya nirdvandvo munirjñānasamanvitaḥ | vanamāmantrya vaḥ sarvāngamiṣyāmi paraṃtapa

Dhananjaya, free of the pairs of opposites, a sage endowed with knowledge, I shall take leave of all of you and go to the forest, O scorcher of foes.

Verse 37 (12.7.37)

न हि कृत्स्नतमो धर्मः शक्यः प्राप्तुमिति श्रुतिः । परिग्रहवता तन्मे प्रत्यक्षमरिसूदन ॥

na hi kṛtsnatamo dharmaḥ śakyaḥ prāptumiti śrutiḥ | parigrahavatā tanme pratyakṣamarisūdana

Scripture says that dharma in its fullness cannot be attained by one who keeps possessions; this is plain to me, O slayer of foes.

Verse 38 (12.7.38)

मया निसृष्टं पापं हि परिग्रहमभीप्सता । जन्मक्षयनिमित्तं च प्राप्तुं शक्यमिति श्रुतिः ॥

mayā nisṛṣṭaṃ pāpaṃ hi parigrahamabhīpsatā | janmakṣayanimittaṃ ca prāptuṃ śakyamiti śrutiḥ

Sin has been let loose by me, wishing as I did to hold possessions; and scripture says that what causes the end of rebirth can be attained.

Verse 39 (12.7.39)

स परिग्रहमुत्सृज्य कृत्स्नं राज्यं सुखानि च । गमिष्यामि विनिर्मुक्तो विशोको निर्ममः क्वचित् । प्रशासध्वमिमामुर्वी क्षेमां निहतकण्टकाम् । न ममार्थोऽस्ति राज्येन भोगैर्वा कुरुनन्दन ॥

sa parigrahamutsṛjya kṛtsnaṃ rājyaṃ sukhāni ca | gamiṣyāmi vinirmukto viśoko nirmamaḥ kvacit | praśāsadhvamimāmurvī kṣemāṃ nihatakaṇṭakām | na mamārtho'sti rājyena bhogairvā kurunandana

So, giving up possessions, the whole kingdom and its pleasures, free of bonds, free of sorrow and of selfhood, I shall go somewhere. Rule this earth, now at peace, its thorns removed; I have no use for kingship or for enjoyments, O joy of the Kurus.

Note on the text: Four-line verse, as on the page (labelled 7-39a/b/c/d): line 1 = CE 12.7.39a (सुखानि च against CE tathaiva ca), line 2 = CE 12.7.39c (निर्ममः क्वचित् against CE vijvaras tathā), line 3 = CE 12.7.40a (प्रशासध्वम्, plural, against CE praśādhi tvam), line 4 = CE 12.7.40c (कुरुनन्दन against CE kurūttama). The page prints no verse-end mark after line 2, so it is kept as one verse.

Verse 40 (12.7.40)

एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं कुरुराजो युधिष्ठिरः । उपारमत्ततः पार्थः कनीयान्प्रत्यभाषत ॥

etāvaduktvā vacanaṃ kururājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | upāramattataḥ pārthaḥ kanīyānpratyabhāṣata

Having spoken these words, Yudhishthira, king of the Kurus, fell silent; then Arjuna, the younger brother, answered.

Note on the text: = CE 12.7.41. Speaker set to Vaishampayana: this is narration (the input carried युधिष्ठिर). कुरुराजो युधिष्ठिरः and उपारमत् are recension variants of CE dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ and vyupāramat.