Janamejaya's Question; Sanjaya Consoles Dhritarashtra

Verse 1 (11.1.1)

हते दुर्योधने चैव हते सैन्ये च सर्वशः । धृतराष्ट्रो महाराज श्रुत्वा किमकरोन्मुने ॥

hate duryodhane caiva hate sainye ca sarvaśaḥ | dhṛtarāṣṭro mahārāja śrutvā kimakaronmune

When Duryodhana had been slain and the army destroyed on every side, what did King Dhritarashtra do on hearing of it, O sage?

Verse 2 (11.1.2)

तथैव कौरवो राजा धर्मपुत्रो महामनाः । कृपप्रभृतयश्चैव किमकुर्वत ते त्रयः ॥

tathaiva kauravo rājā dharmaputro mahāmanāḥ | kṛpaprabhṛtayaścaiva kimakurvata te trayaḥ

And what did the Kuru king Yudhishthira, the great-minded son of Dharma, do, and what did those three, Kripa and the others, do?

Verse 3 (11.1.3)

अश्वत्थाम्नः कृतं कर्म शापश्चान्योन्यकारितः । वृत्तान्तमुत्तरं ब्रूहि यदभाषत सञ्जयः ॥

aśvatthāmnaḥ kṛtaṃ karma śāpaścānyonyakāritaḥ | vṛttāntamuttaraṃ brūhi yadabhāṣata sañjayaḥ

Tell me of the deed done by Ashvatthama and of the curse each laid on the other, and the account that follows, and what Sanjaya said.

Note on the text: Corrected वृत्तान्मुत्रं → वृत्तान्तमुत्तरं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped and garbled aksharas; the critical edition reads vṛttāntam uttaraṃ).

Verse 4 (11.1.4)

हते पुत्रशते दीनं छिन्नशाखमिव द्रुमम् । पुत्रशोकाभिसन्तप्तं धृतराष्ट्रं महीपतिम् ॥

hate putraśate dīnaṃ chinnaśākhamiva drumam | putraśokābhisantaptaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ mahīpatim

King Dhritarashtra, his hundred sons slain, was wretched, like a tree whose branches have been lopped off, scorched by grief for his sons,

Note on the text: Corrected पुत्रशोकाभिसन्प्तं → पुत्रशोकाभिसन्तप्तं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara; the critical edition reads putraśokābhisaṃtaptaṃ).

Verse 5 (11.1.5)

ध्यानमूकत्वमापन्नं चिन्तया समभिप्लुतम् । सञ्जयो जयतां श्रेष्ठ राजानं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥

dhyānamūkatvamāpannaṃ cintayā samabhiplutam | sañjayo jayatāṃ śreṣṭha rājānaṃ vākyamabravīt

sunk in silent brooding and drowned in anxious thought. To that king, O best of the victorious, Sanjaya spoke.

Note on the text: Line 1 matches 11.1.5a; line 2 is a recension variant (the critical edition has abhigamya mahāprājñaḥ saṃjayo vākyam abravīt).

Verse 6 (11.1.6)

किं शोचसि महाराज नास्ति शोके सहायता । अक्षौहिण्यो हताश्चाष्टौ दश चैव विशाम्पते । निर्जितेयं वसुमती शून्या स्थास्यति केवलम् ॥

kiṃ śocasi mahārāja nāsti śoke sahāyatā | akṣauhiṇyo hatāścāṣṭau daśa caiva viśāmpate | nirjiteyaṃ vasumatī śūnyā sthāsyati kevalam

Why do you grieve, great king? There is no help in grief. Eight and ten, eighteen akshauhinis, have been slain, O lord of the people. This conquered earth will remain merely empty.

Note on the text: Speaker: Sanjaya (the previous verse introduces his speech; the page prints no heading, and the input had Vaishampayana). Lines 1–2 match 11.1.6a, 6c; line 3 is a recension variant of 6e (nirjaneyaṃ vasumatī śūnyā saṃprati kevalā).

Verse 7 (11.1.7)

नानादिग्भ्यः समागम्य नानाजात्या नराधिपाः । सहितास्तव पुत्रेण सर्वे वै निधनं गताः ॥

nānādigbhyaḥ samāgamya nānājātyā narādhipāḥ | sahitāstava putreṇa sarve vai nidhanaṃ gatāḥ

Kings of many kinds came together from every quarter, and all of them, together with your son, have gone to their deaths.

Note on the text: Corrected सहितास्व पुत्रेण → सहितास्तव पुत्रेण (misprint in Wikisource; garbled aksharas; the critical edition reads sahitās tava putreṇa). Speaker: Sanjaya (no heading printed; the input had Vaishampayana).

Verse 8 (11.1.8)

पितॄणां पुत्रपौत्राणां ज्ञातीनां सुहृदां तथा । गुरूणां चानुपूर्व्येण ये चान्येऽनुचरा हताः । प्रेतकार्याणि सर्वाणि कारयस्व नराधिप ॥

pitṝṇāṃ putrapautrāṇāṃ jñātīnāṃ suhṛdāṃ tathā | gurūṇāṃ cānupūrvyeṇa ye cānye'nucarā hatāḥ | pretakāryāṇi sarvāṇi kārayasva narādhipa

O lord of men, have all the funeral rites performed for the fathers, sons and grandsons, kinsmen and friends, for the elders in due order, and for all the other followers who were slain.

Note on the text: Line 1 matches 11.1.8a; line 2 combines 11.1.8c (up to gurūṇāṃ cānupūrvyeṇa) with the start of the star passage 11.1.8d*0002_01 (ye cānye 'nucarā hatāḥ); line 3 is 11.1.8d*0002_02 (pretakāryāṇi sarvāṇi kārayasva narādhipa). Speaker: Sanjaya (no heading printed; the input had Vaishampayana).

Verse 9 (11.1.9)

तच्छ्रुत्वा करुणं वाक्यं पुत्रपौत्रवधार्दितः । पपात भुवि दुर्धर्षो वाताहत इव द्रुमः ॥

tacchrutvā karuṇaṃ vākyaṃ putrapautravadhārditaḥ | papāta bhuvi durdharṣo vātāhata iva drumaḥ

Hearing those piteous words, tormented by the slaying of his sons and grandsons, the unconquerable king fell to the ground like a tree struck by the wind.

Note on the text: Corrected करुणं पुत्रपौत्र → करुणं वाक्यं पुत्रपौत्र (a word dropped in Wikisource; the critical edition reads karuṇaṃ vākyaṃ, and the line is two syllables short without it).

Verse 10 (11.1.10)

हतपुत्रो हतामात्यो हतसर्वसुहृज्जनः । दुःखं नूनं गमिष्यामि विचरन्पृथिवीमिमाम् ॥

hataputro hatāmātyo hatasarvasuhṛjjanaḥ | duḥkhaṃ nūnaṃ gamiṣyāmi vicaranpṛthivīmimām

My sons, my ministers and all my friends are slain. I shall surely wander over this earth in misery.

Verse 11 (11.1.11)

किन्नु बन्धुविहीनस्य जीवितेन ममाद्य वै । लूनपक्षस्य इव मे वैनतेयस्य सञ्जय ॥

kinnu bandhuvihīnasya jīvitena mamādya vai | lūnapakṣasya iva me vainateyasya sañjaya

What use is life to me now, Sanjaya, bereft of kin, like Garuda, son of Vinata, with his wings clipped?

Verse 12 (11.1.12)

हृतराज्यो हतसुहृद्धतपुत्रश्च वै तथा । न भ्राजिष्ये महाप्राज्ञ क्षीणरश्मिरिवांशुमान् ॥

hṛtarājyo hatasuhṛddhataputraśca vai tathā | na bhrājiṣye mahāprājña kṣīṇaraśmirivāṃśumān

My kingdom taken, my friends and sons slain, I shall not shine, O wise one, like the sun when its rays have faded.

Note on the text: Corrected हतसुहृद्वतपुत्रश्च → हतसुहृद्धतपुत्रश्च (misprint in Wikisource; the sandhi of hatasuhṛt + hataputraḥ gives द्ध, as in the critical edition's hatasuhṛd dhata-).

Verse 13 (11.1.13)

न कृतं सुहृदां वाक्यं जामद्ग्न्यस्य च । सभामध्ये तु कृष्णेन यच्छ्रेयोऽभिहितं मम ॥

na kṛtaṃ suhṛdāṃ vākyaṃ jāmadgnyasya ca | sabhāmadhye tu kṛṣṇena yacchreyo'bhihitaṃ mama

I did not heed the words of my friends, nor of Jamadagni's son, nor what Krishna said for my good in the midst of the assembly.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a variant of 11.1.13a (the critical edition has jalpataḥ for च, and continues with a second line, nāradasya ca devarṣeḥ kṛṣṇadvaipāyanasya ca, that Wikisource lacks); line 2 is 11.1.14a. The page prints its verse-end mark after line 1 and a single danda after line 2 (the marks look swapped); the two lines are one sentence, so the page's row division is kept.

Verse 14 (11.1.14)

अलं वैरेण ते राजन्पुत्रः संगृह्यतामिति । तच्च वाक्यमकृत्वाऽहं भृशं तप्यामि दुर्मतिः ॥

alaṃ vaireṇa te rājanputraḥ saṃgṛhyatāmiti | tacca vākyamakṛtvā'haṃ bhṛśaṃ tapyāmi durmatiḥ

"Enough of enmity, O king; take your son in hand." Having failed to act on those words, I burn fiercely with remorse, wretched in judgment that I am.

Note on the text: Corrected संगृद्यतामिति → संगृह्यतामिति (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads saṃgṛhyatām). Line 1 is 11.1.14c; line 2 is 11.1.15a.

Verse 15 (11.1.15)

न हि श्रोताऽस्मि भीष्मस्य शर्मयुक्तं प्रभाषितम् ॥

na hi śrotā'smi bhīṣmasya śarmayuktaṃ prabhāṣitam

I did not listen to Bhishma's counsel, spoken for my welfare.

Note on the text: A single line, matching 11.1.15c (the critical edition has dharmayuktaṃ for शर्मयुक्तं); kept as printed, since the sense is complete.

Verse 16 (11.1.16)

दुर्योधनस्य च तथा वृषभस्येव नर्दतः । दुःशासनवधं श्रुत्वा कर्णस्य च विपर्ययम् । द्रोणसूर्योपरागं च हृदयं मे विदीर्यते ॥

duryodhanasya ca tathā vṛṣabhasyeva nardataḥ | duḥśāsanavadhaṃ śrutvā karṇasya ca viparyayam | droṇasūryoparāgaṃ ca hṛdayaṃ me vidīryate

My heart is torn when I think of Duryodhana roaring like a bull, and when I hear of Duhshasana's slaying, of Karna's overthrow, and of the eclipse of Drona, the sun.

Verse 17 (11.1.17)

न स्मराम्यात्मनः किञ्चित्पुरा सञ्जय दुष्कृतम् । यस्येदं फलमद्येह मया मूढेन भुज्यते ॥

na smarāmyātmanaḥ kiñcitpurā sañjaya duṣkṛtam | yasyedaṃ phalamadyeha mayā mūḍhena bhujyate

I do not remember, Sanjaya, any wrong I did in the past, of whose fruit I, foolish as I am, now partake.

Verse 18 (11.1.18)

नूनं व्यपकृतं किञ्चिन्मया पूर्वेषु जन्मसु । येन मां दुःखभागेषु धाता कर्मसु युक्तवान् ॥

nūnaṃ vyapakṛtaṃ kiñcinmayā pūrveṣu janmasu | yena māṃ duḥkhabhāgeṣu dhātā karmasu yuktavān

Surely in earlier births I did some wrong, for which the Ordainer has yoked me to deeds that bring a share of sorrow.

Verse 19 (11.1.19)

परिणामश्च वयसः सर्वबन्धुक्षयश्च मे । सुहृन्मित्रविनाशश्च दैवयोगादुपागतः ॥

pariṇāmaśca vayasaḥ sarvabandhukṣayaśca me | suhṛnmitravināśaśca daivayogādupāgataḥ

The ripening of age, the destruction of all my kin, and the loss of friends and companions have come upon me by the working of fate.

Verse 20 (11.1.20)

कोन्वस्ति दुःखिततरो मत्तोऽन्यो हि पुमान्भुवि ॥

konvasti duḥkhitataro matto'nyo hi pumānbhuvi

Who else on earth is more wretched than I?

Note on the text: A single line; it is the third line (11.1.19e, ko 'nyo 'sti duḥkhitataro mayā loke pumān iha, in a variant wording) of the critical edition's verse 19, which Wikisource divides as two lines plus one. Kept as printed, since the sense is complete.

Verse 21 (11.1.21)

तन्मामद्यैव पश्यन्तु पाण्डवाः संशितव्रताः । विवृतं ब्रह्मलोकस्य दीर्घमध्वानमास्थितम् ॥

tanmāmadyaiva paśyantu pāṇḍavāḥ saṃśitavratāḥ | vivṛtaṃ brahmalokasya dīrghamadhvānamāsthitam

Let the Pandavas, firm in their vows, see me this very day, set out on the long open road to the world of Brahma.

Verse 22 (11.1.22)

तस्य लालप्यमानस्य बहु शोकं विचिन्वतः । शोकापहं नरेन्द्रस्य सञ्जयो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥

tasya lālapyamānasya bahu śokaṃ vicinvataḥ | śokāpahaṃ narendrasya sañjayo vākyamabravīt

As he lamented, gathering up so much grief, Sanjaya spoke to the king words that would drive his sorrow away.

Verse 23 (11.1.23)

शोकं राजन्व्यपनुद श्रुतास्ते वेदनिश्चयाः । शास्त्रागमाश्च विविधा वृद्धेभ्यो नृपसत्तम ॥

śokaṃ rājanvyapanuda śrutāste vedaniścayāḥ | śāstrāgamāśca vividhā vṛddhebhyo nṛpasattama

Put away your grief, O king. You have heard the settled conclusions of the Vedas, and the many teachings of the scriptures from your elders, best of kings,

Note on the text: Speaker: Sanjaya, who speaks through verse 41 (the previous verse introduces him; the page prints no heading; the input had Vaishampayana).

Verse 24 (11.1.24)

सृञ्जये पुत्रशोकार्ते यदूचुर्मुनयः पुरा । यथा यौवनजं दर्पमास्थिते ते सुते नृप ॥

sṛñjaye putraśokārte yadūcurmunayaḥ purā | yathā yauvanajaṃ darpamāsthite te sute nṛpa

and what the sages said of old to Srinjaya when he was stricken with grief for his son, and how, O king, your sons gave way to the pride of youth.

Note on the text: Corrected यदूर्चुर् → यदूचुर् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray र; the critical edition reads yad ūcur). Line 1 is 11.1.22e; line 2 is a variant of 11.1.23a (यथा for tathā).

Verse 25 (11.1.25)

न त्वया सुहृदां वाक्यं ब्रुवतामवधारितम् । स्वार्थश्च न कृतः कश्चिल्लुब्धेन फलगृद्धिना ॥

na tvayā suhṛdāṃ vākyaṃ bruvatāmavadhāritam | svārthaśca na kṛtaḥ kaścillubdhena phalagṛddhinā

You did not take to heart the words of friends who spoke to you, and, greedy and hungry for results, you served no real interest of your own.

Verse 26 (11.1.26)

असिनैवैकधारेण स्वबुद्ध्या तु विचेष्टितम् । प्रायशोऽवृत्तसम्पन्नाः सततं पर्युपासिताः ॥

asinaivaikadhāreṇa svabuddhyā tu viceṣṭitam | prāyaśo'vṛttasampannāḥ satataṃ paryupāsitāḥ

You acted only on your own judgment, as if with a one-edged sword, and for the most part you were constantly attended by men of ill conduct.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 11.1.23f*0003 (lines 01–02).

Verse 27 (11.1.27)

यस्य दुःशासनो मन्त्री राधेयश्च दुरात्मवान् । शकुनिश्चैव दुष्टात्मा चित्रसेनश्च दुर्मतिः ॥

yasya duḥśāsano mantrī rādheyaśca durātmavān | śakuniścaiva duṣṭātmā citrasenaśca durmatiḥ

He whose counsellors were Duhshasana, the wicked-souled Radheya, the evil-minded Shakuni and the foolish Chitrasena,

Note on the text: Lines match 11.1.24a, 24c (the critical edition has tava for यस्य).

Verse 28 (11.1.28)

अनल्पं येन वै सर्वं शल्यभूतं कृतं जगत् । कुरुवृद्धस्य भीष्मस्य गान्धार्या विदुरस्य च ॥

analpaṃ yena vai sarvaṃ śalyabhūtaṃ kṛtaṃ jagat | kuruvṛddhasya bhīṣmasya gāndhāryā vidurasya ca

by whom the whole world was made a thorn in the flesh, in no small measure, did not heed the words of Bhishma, elder of the Kurus, of Gandhari, of Vidura,

Note on the text: Line 1 is a variant of 11.1.24e (the critical edition has śalyaś ca yena vai sarvaṃ); line 2 is 11.1.25a.

Verse 29 (11.1.29)

द्रोणस्य च महाराज कृपस्य च शरद्वतः । कृष्णस्य च महाबाहो नारदस्य च धीमतः ॥

droṇasya ca mahārāja kṛpasya ca śaradvataḥ | kṛṣṇasya ca mahābāho nāradasya ca dhīmataḥ

of Drona, O great king, and of Kripa son of Sharadvat, of Krishna, O mighty-armed, and of the wise Narada,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 11.1.25b*0004 (lines 01–02).

Verse 30 (11.1.30)

ऋषीणां च तथाऽन्येषां व्यासस्यामिततेजसः । न कृतं तेन वचनं तव पुत्रेण भारत । क्षपिताः क्षत्रियाः सर्वे शत्रूणां वर्धितं यशः ॥

ṛṣīṇāṃ ca tathā'nyeṣāṃ vyāsasyāmitatejasaḥ | na kṛtaṃ tena vacanaṃ tava putreṇa bhārata | kṣapitāḥ kṣatriyāḥ sarve śatrūṇāṃ vardhitaṃ yaśaḥ

nor of the other sages, nor of Vyasa of boundless splendour. Your son did not do as they said, O Bharata; all the Kshatriyas were destroyed, and the fame of your enemies grew.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the star line 11.1.25b*0004_03; line 2 is 11.1.25c; line 3 is 11.1.26c.

Verse 31 (11.1.31)

अधर्मसंयुतं किञ्चिन्नित्यं युद्धमिति ब्रुवन् । मध्यस्थो हि त्वमप्यासीर्न क्षमं किञ्चिदुक्तवान् ॥

adharmasaṃyutaṃ kiñcinnityaṃ yuddhamiti bruvan | madhyastho hi tvamapyāsīrna kṣamaṃ kiñciduktavān

He kept declaring that war must always be waged, though it was in part tainted with adharma; and you too stood aloof and said nothing fitting.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a variant of 11.1.26a (na dharmaḥ satkṛtaḥ kaś cin nityaṃ yuddham iti bruvan); line 2 is 11.1.27a.

Verse 32 (11.1.32)

धूर्धरेण त्वया भारस्तुलया न समं धृतः ॥

dhūrdhareṇa tvayā bhārastulayā na samaṃ dhṛtaḥ

You, who bore the yoke, did not carry the load level, like a balance.

Note on the text: A single line, matching 11.1.27c (dhūr dhareṇa tvayā bhāras tulayā na samaṃ dhṛtaḥ); kept as printed, since the sense is complete.

Verse 33 (11.1.33)

आदावेव मनुष्येण वर्तितव्यं यथाक्रमम् । यथा नातीतमर्थं वै पश्चात्तापेन युज्यते ॥

ādāveva manuṣyeṇa vartitavyaṃ yathākramam | yathā nātītamarthaṃ vai paścāttāpena yujyate

A man should act rightly from the very start, in due order, so that what is past does not afflict him with remorse.

Verse 34 (11.1.34)

पुत्रगृद्ध्या त्वया राजन्प्रियं तस्य चिकीर्षितम् । पश्चात्तापमिमं प्राप्तो न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥

putragṛddhyā tvayā rājanpriyaṃ tasya cikīrṣitam | paścāttāpamimaṃ prāpto na tvaṃ śocitumarhasi

Out of fondness for your son, O king, you wished to do what pleased him. Now that you have come to this remorse, you ought not to grieve.

Verse 35 (11.1.35)

मधु यः केवलं दृष्ट्वा प्रपातं नानुपश्यति । स भ्रष्टोमधुलोभेन शोचत्येव यथा भवान् ॥

madhu yaḥ kevalaṃ dṛṣṭvā prapātaṃ nānupaśyati | sa bhraṣṭomadhulobhena śocatyeva yathā bhavān

He who sees only the honey and not the precipice, and falls through greed for honey, grieves just as you do.

Verse 36 (11.1.36)

अर्थान्न शोचन्प्राप्नोति न शोचन्विन्दते सुखम् । न शोचञ्श्रियमाप्नोति न शोचन्विन्दते जयम् ॥

arthānna śocanprāpnoti na śocanvindate sukham | na śocañśriyamāpnoti na śocanvindate jayam

By grieving a man gains no wealth, finds no happiness, wins no prosperity, and gains no victory.

Verse 37 (11.1.37)

स्वयमुत्पादयित्वाऽग्निं परीतस्तेन योऽग्निना । दह्यमानः पुनस्तापं भजते न स पण्डितः ॥

svayamutpādayitvā'gniṃ parītastena yo'gninā | dahyamānaḥ punastāpaṃ bhajate na sa paṇḍitaḥ

He who kindles a fire himself, is then ringed in by that fire, and burning, suffers its heat again, is no wise man.

Note on the text: A recension variant of 11.1.32 (the critical edition has vastreṇa pariveṣṭayet / dahyamāno manastāpaṃ bhajate na sa paṇḍitaḥ).

Verse 38 (11.1.38)

त्वयैव ससुतेनायं वाक्यवायुसमीरितः । लोभाज्येन च संसिक्तो ज्वलितः पार्थपावकः ॥

tvayaiva sasutenāyaṃ vākyavāyusamīritaḥ | lobhājyena ca saṃsikto jvalitaḥ pārthapāvakaḥ

It was you, with your sons, who fanned this fire that is Partha with the wind of your words and fed it with the ghee of greed, and it blazed up.

Verse 39 (11.1.39)

तस्मिन्समिद्धे पतिताः शलभा इव ते सुताः । तान्केशवाग्निनिर्दग्धान्न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥

tasminsamiddhe patitāḥ śalabhā iva te sutāḥ | tānkeśavāgninirdagdhānna tvaṃ śocitumarhasi

Into that kindled fire your sons fell like moths. Burnt up by the fire that is Keshava, they are not for you to grieve over.

Verse 40 (11.1.40)

यच्चाश्रुपातकलिलं वदनं वहसे नृप । अशास्त्रदृष्टमेतद्धि न प्रशंसन्ति पण्डिताः ॥

yaccāśrupātakalilaṃ vadanaṃ vahase nṛpa | aśāstradṛṣṭametaddhi na praśaṃsanti paṇḍitāḥ

The face you wear, drenched with falling tears, is not seen in the scriptures; the wise do not approve of it.

Verse 41 (11.1.41)

विस्फुलिङ्गा इव ह्येतान्दहन्ति किल मानवान् । जहीहि मन्युं बुद्ध्या वै धारयात्मानमात्मना ॥

visphuliṅgā iva hyetāndahanti kila mānavān | jahīhi manyuṃ buddhyā vai dhārayātmānamātmanā

These tears burn men like sparks of fire. Cast off your grief with understanding, and steady yourself by your own strength.

Note on the text: Corrected धास्यात्मानमात्मना → धारयात्मानमात्मना (misprint in Wikisource; garbled akshara; the critical edition reads dhārayātmānam ātmanā, and the page's own gloss reads धारय).

Verse 42 (11.1.42)

एवमाश्वासितं तेन सञ्जयेन महात्मना । विदुरो भूय एवाह बुद्धिपूर्वं परन्तप ॥

evamāśvāsitaṃ tena sañjayena mahātmanā | viduro bhūya evāha buddhipūrvaṃ parantapa

Thus comforted by the great-souled Sanjaya, Vidura spoke again, O scorcher of foes, with deliberate judgment.