Dhritarashtra Embraces the Pandavas and Crushes the Iron Bhima

Verse 1 (11.11.1)

हतेषु सर्वसैन्येषु धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः । शुश्रुवे पितरं वृद्धं निर्यान्तं गजसाह्वयात् ॥

hateṣu sarvasainyeṣu dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | śuśruve pitaraṃ vṛddhaṃ niryāntaṃ gajasāhvayāt

When all the armies had been destroyed, Yudhishthira, the king of dharma, heard that his aged father was coming out of Gajasahvaya.

Note on the text: Corrected सर्वेसैन्येषु → सर्वसैन्येषु (misprint in Wikisource; a stray vowel sign (सर्वे for सर्व); the critical edition reads sarvasainyeṣu).

Verse 2 (11.11.2)

सोऽभ्ययात्पुत्रशोकार्तं पुत्रशोकपरिप्लुतः । शोचमानो महाराज भ्रातृभिः सहितस्तदा ॥

so'bhyayātputraśokārtaṃ putraśokapariplutaḥ | śocamāno mahārāja bhrātṛbhiḥ sahitastadā

Sunk in grief for his sons, lamenting, O great king, he went with his brothers toward the one who was afflicted with grief for his sons.

Verse 3 (11.11.3)

अन्वीयमानो वीरेण दाशार्हेण महात्मना । युयुधानेन च तथा तथैव च युयुत्सुना ॥

anvīyamāno vīreṇa dāśārheṇa mahātmanā | yuyudhānena ca tathā tathaiva ca yuyutsunā

He was followed by the great-souled hero, the Dasharha Krishna, and by Yuyudhana, and likewise by Yuyutsu.

Verse 4 (11.11.4)

तमन्वगात्सुदुःखार्ता द्रौपदीशोककर्शिता । सह पाञ्चालयोषिद्भिर्यास्तत्रासन्समागताः ॥

tamanvagātsuduḥkhārtā draupadīśokakarśitā | saha pāñcālayoṣidbhiryāstatrāsansamāgatāḥ

Draupadi, bitterly distressed and wasted with grief, followed him, together with the Panchala women and the other women who had gathered there.

Verse 5 (11.11.5)

सङ्ग्राममनु बृन्दानि स्त्रीणां भरतसत्तम । कुररीणामिवार्तानां क्रोशन्तीनां ददर्श ह ॥

saṅgrāmamanu bṛndāni strīṇāṃ bharatasattama | kurarīṇāmivārtānāṃ krośantīnāṃ dadarśa ha

Toward the battlefield he saw throngs of women, O best of the Bharatas, crying out in distress like female ospreys.

Note on the text: Corrected भरतसत्तम् → भरतसत्तम (misprint in Wikisource; a stray virāma on the vocative; the critical edition reads bharatasattama).

Verse 6 (11.11.6)

ताभिः परिवृतो राजा क्रोशन्तीभिः सहस्रशः । ऊर्ध्वबाहुभिरार्ताभी रुदतीभिः प्रियाप्रियैः ॥

tābhiḥ parivṛto rājā krośantībhiḥ sahasraśaḥ | ūrdhvabāhubhirārtābhī rudatībhiḥ priyāpriyaiḥ

The king was surrounded by those women, thousands of them, crying out with arms raised, afflicted, weeping, with words of love and of reproach.

Verse 7 (11.11.7)

क्व नु धर्मज्ञता राज्ञः क्व नु साद्यानृशंसता । यच्चावधीत्पितॄन्भ्रातॄन्गुरुपुत्रान्सखीनपि ॥

kva nu dharmajñatā rājñaḥ kva nu sādyānṛśaṃsatā | yaccāvadhītpitṝnbhrātṝnguruputrānsakhīnapi

Where now is the king's knowledge of dharma, where is that gentleness of his today, that he has slain his fathers, brothers, teachers' sons, and friends too?

Note on the text: Corrected क नु धर्मज्ञता → क्व नु धर्मज्ञता (misprint in Wikisource; a broken conjunct (क for क्व); the critical edition reads kva nu dharmajñatā). The women speak (vv. 7-9); the page prints no heading until the narrator resumes at verse 10.

Verse 8 (11.11.8)

घातयित्वा कथं द्रोणं भीष्मं चापि पितामहम् । मनस्तेऽभून्महाबाहो हत्वा चापि जयद्रथम् ॥

ghātayitvā kathaṃ droṇaṃ bhīṣmaṃ cāpi pitāmaham | manaste'bhūnmahābāho hatvā cāpi jayadratham

How was your mind, O mighty-armed one, after you had Drona and the grandsire Bhishma killed, and after you had slain Jayadratha as well?

Verse 9 (11.11.9)

किं नु राज्येन ते कार्यं पितॄन्भ्रातॄनपश्यतः । अभिमन्युं च दुर्धर्षं द्रौपदेयांश्च भारत ॥

kiṃ nu rājyena te kāryaṃ pitṝnbhrātṝnapaśyataḥ | abhimanyuṃ ca durdharṣaṃ draupadeyāṃśca bhārata

What use is a kingdom to you, O Bharata, who cannot see your fathers and brothers, the unassailable Abhimanyu, and the sons of Draupadi?

Verse 10 (11.11.10)

अतीत्य ता महाबाहुः क्रोशन्तीः कुररीरिव । ववन्दे पितरं ज्येष्ठं धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः ॥

atītya tā mahābāhuḥ krośantīḥ kurarīriva | vavande pitaraṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

Passing beyond those women, who cried out like ospreys, the mighty-armed Yudhishthira, king of dharma, saluted his elder father.

Verse 11 (11.11.11)

ततोऽभिवाद्य पितरं क्रमेणामित्रकर्शनाः । न्यवेदयन्त नामानि पाण्डवास्तेऽपि सर्वशः ॥

tato'bhivādya pitaraṃ krameṇāmitrakarśanāḥ | nyavedayanta nāmāni pāṇḍavāste'pi sarvaśaḥ

Then, having saluted their father, the Pandavas, destroyers of foes, each in due order declared his name.

Verse 12 (11.11.12)

तमात्मजान्तकरणं पिता पुत्रवधार्दितः । अप्रीयमाणः शोकार्तः पाण्डवं परिषस्वजे ॥

tamātmajāntakaraṇaṃ pitā putravadhārditaḥ | aprīyamāṇaḥ śokārtaḥ pāṇḍavaṃ pariṣasvaje

The father, tormented by the death of his sons, joyless and racked with grief, embraced the Pandava who had brought about the death of his sons.

Verse 13 (11.11.13)

धर्मराजं परिष्वज्य सान्त्वयित्वा च भारत । दुष्टात्मा भीममन्वैच्छद्दिधक्षुरिव पावकः ॥

dharmarājaṃ pariṣvajya sāntvayitvā ca bhārata | duṣṭātmā bhīmamanvaicchaddidhakṣuriva pāvakaḥ

Having embraced the king of dharma and consoled him, O Bharata, the ill-minded one then looked for Bhima, like a fire that wants to burn.

Verse 14 (11.11.14)

स कोपपावकस्तस्य शोकवायुसमीरितः । भीमसेनमयं दावं दिधक्षुरिव दृश्यते ॥

sa kopapāvakastasya śokavāyusamīritaḥ | bhīmasenamayaṃ dāvaṃ didhakṣuriva dṛśyate

That fire of his wrath, fanned by the wind of grief, seemed bent on burning Bhimasena as if he were a forest.

Verse 15 (11.11.15)

तस्य संकल्पमाज्ञाय भीमं प्रत्यशुभं हरिः । भीममाक्षिप्य पाणिभ्यां प्रददौ भीममायसम् ॥

tasya saṃkalpamājñāya bhīmaṃ pratyaśubhaṃ hariḥ | bhīmamākṣipya pāṇibhyāṃ pradadau bhīmamāyasam

Hari, perceiving his purpose, which was malign toward Bhima, thrust Bhima aside with both hands and offered him the iron Bhima.

Verse 16 (11.11.16)

प्रागेव तु महाबुद्धिर्बुद्ध्वा तस्येङ्गितं हरिः । संविधानं महाप्राज्ञस्तत्र चक्रे जनार्दनः ॥

prāgeva tu mahābuddhirbuddhvā tasyeṅgitaṃ hariḥ | saṃvidhānaṃ mahāprājñastatra cakre janārdanaḥ

For the great-minded, supremely wise Janardana, having understood his intent beforehand, had made his arrangement there.

Verse 17 (11.11.17)

उपगुह्यैव पाणिभ्यां भीमसेनमयस्मयम् । बभञ्ज बलवान्राजा मन्यमानो वृकोदरम् ॥

upaguhyaiva pāṇibhyāṃ bhīmasenamayasmayam | babhañja balavānrājā manyamāno vṛkodaram

Embracing the iron Bhimasena with both arms, the mighty king crushed it, thinking it was Vrikodara.

Verse 18 (11.11.18)

नागायुतसमप्राणः स राजा भीममायसम् । भङ्क्त्वा विमथितोरस्कः सुस्राव रुधिरं मुखात् ॥

nāgāyutasamaprāṇaḥ sa rājā bhīmamāyasam | bhaṅktvā vimathitoraskaḥ susrāva rudhiraṃ mukhāt

Possessed of the strength of ten thousand elephants, the king broke the iron Bhima, but with his own chest crushed, he spat blood from his mouth.

Note on the text: Corrected भङ्क्तत्वा → भङ्क्त्वा (misprint in Wikisource; a doubled त; the critical edition reads bhaṅktvā).

Verse 19 (11.11.19)

ततः पपात मेदिन्यां तथैव रुधिरोक्षितः । प्रपुष्पिताग्रशिखरः पारिजात इव द्रुमः ॥

tataḥ papāta medinyāṃ tathaiva rudhirokṣitaḥ | prapuṣpitāgraśikharaḥ pārijāta iva drumaḥ

Then he fell to the ground just as he was, smeared with blood, like a pārijāta tree with its flowering crown.

Verse 20 (11.11.20)

प्रत्यगृह्णाच्च तं विद्वान्सूतो गावल्गणिस्तदा । मैवमित्यब्रवीच्चैनं शमयन्सान्त्वयन्निव ॥

pratyagṛhṇācca taṃ vidvānsūto gāvalgaṇistadā | maivamityabravīccainaṃ śamayansāntvayanniva

Then the wise charioteer Sanjaya, son of Gavalgana, caught hold of him, saying, "Not so!", as if calming and consoling him.

Verse 21 (11.11.21)

हतो भीम इति ज्ञात्वा गतमन्युर्महामनाः । हाहाभीमेति चुक्रोश नृपः शोकसमन्वितः ॥

hato bhīma iti jñātvā gatamanyurmahāmanāḥ | hāhābhīmeti cukrośa nṛpaḥ śokasamanvitaḥ

Knowing that Bhima was dead, the great-minded king, his anger gone, overcome by grief, cried out, "Alas, Bhima!"

Verse 22 (11.11.22)

तं विदित्वा गतक्रोधं भीमसेनवधार्दितम् । वासुदेवो वरः पुंसामिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

taṃ viditvā gatakrodhaṃ bhīmasenavadhārditam | vāsudevo varaḥ puṃsāmidaṃ vacanamabravīt

Seeing that his anger had gone and that he was afflicted by the slaying of Bhimasena, Vasudeva, the best of men, spoke these words.

Verse 23 (11.11.23)

मा शुचो धृतराष्ट्र त्वं नैव भीमस्त्वया हतः । आयसी प्रतिमा ह्येषा त्वया निष्पातिता विभो ॥

mā śuco dhṛtarāṣṭra tvaṃ naiva bhīmastvayā hataḥ | āyasī pratimā hyeṣā tvayā niṣpātitā vibho

Do not grieve, Dhritarashtra: Bhima has not been killed by you. This is an iron image, O lord, that you have dashed down.

Note on the text: Verses 23-30 are Krishna's speech (the page prints no heading; verse 22 introduces it).

Verse 24 (11.11.24)

त्वां क्रोधवशमापन्नं विदित्वा भरतर्षभ । मयाऽपकृष्टः कौन्तेयो मृत्योर्दंष्ट्रान्तरं गतः ॥

tvāṃ krodhavaśamāpannaṃ viditvā bharatarṣabha | mayā'pakṛṣṭaḥ kaunteyo mṛtyordaṃṣṭrāntaraṃ gataḥ

Knowing you had fallen under the sway of anger, O best of the Bharatas, I drew Kaunteya away; he had gone between the very fangs of Death.

Verse 25 (11.11.25)

न हि ते राजशार्दूल बले तुल्योऽस्ति कश्चन । कः सहेत महाबाहो बाह्वोर्विग्रहणं नरः ॥

na hi te rājaśārdūla bale tulyo'sti kaścana | kaḥ saheta mahābāho bāhvorvigrahaṇaṃ naraḥ

For in strength, O tiger among kings, no one is your equal. What man, O mighty-armed one, could endure being grasped in your arms?

Verse 26 (11.11.26)

यथान्तकमनुप्राप्य जीवन्कश्चिन्न मुच्यते । एवं बाह्वन्तरं प्राप्य तव जीवेन्न कश्चन ॥

yathāntakamanuprāpya jīvankaścinna mucyate | evaṃ bāhvantaraṃ prāpya tava jīvenna kaścana

As no living man escapes once he has fallen into the hands of Death, so no one could remain alive once he had come within your arms.

Verse 27 (11.11.27)

तस्मात्पुत्रेण या तेऽसौ प्रतिमा कारिताऽऽयसी । भीमस्य सेयं कौरव्य तवैवोपहृता मया ॥

tasmātputreṇa yā te'sau pratimā kāritā''yasī | bhīmasya seyaṃ kauravya tavaivopahṛtā mayā

Therefore that iron image of Bhima that was made by your son, O Kauravya, I myself offered to you.

Verse 28 (11.11.28)

पुत्रशोकाभिसन्तप्तं धर्मादपकृतं मनः । तव राजेन्द्र तेन त्वं भीमसेनं जिघांससि ॥

putraśokābhisantaptaṃ dharmādapakṛtaṃ manaḥ | tava rājendra tena tvaṃ bhīmasenaṃ jighāṃsasi

Your mind, burning with grief for your son, had turned away from dharma, O king of kings; that is why you wished to kill Bhimasena.

Verse 29 (11.11.29)

न त्वेतत्ते क्षमं राजन्हन्यास्त्वं यद्वृकोदरम् । न हि पुत्रा महाराज जीवेयुस्ते कथञ्चन ॥

na tvetatte kṣamaṃ rājanhanyāstvaṃ yadvṛkodaram | na hi putrā mahārāja jīveyuste kathañcana

But it does not befit you, O king, to kill Vrikodara; for your sons, O great king, could not be brought back to life by any means.

Verse 30 (11.11.30)

तस्माद्यत्कृतमस्माभिर्मन्यमानैः शमं प्रति । अनुमन्यस्व तत्सर्वं मा च शोके मनः कृथाः ॥

tasmādyatkṛtamasmābhirmanyamānaiḥ śamaṃ prati | anumanyasva tatsarvaṃ mā ca śoke manaḥ kṛthāḥ

Therefore approve all that we have done, believing it was for the sake of peace, and do not set your mind on grief.