Gandhari Shows Krishna the Widows and Duhshasana

Verse 1 (11.18.1)

पश्य माधव पुत्रान्मे शतसङ्ख्याञ्जितक्लमान् । गदया भीमसेनेन भूयिष्ठं निहतान्रणे ॥

paśya mādhava putrānme śatasaṅkhyāñjitaklamān | gadayā bhīmasenena bhūyiṣṭhaṃ nihatānraṇe

Look, Madhava, at my hundred sons, whose weariness is over, struck down in battle for the most part by Bhimasena's mace.

Verse 2 (11.18.2)

इदं दुःखतरं मेऽद्य यदिमा मुक्तमूर्धजाः । हतपुत्रा रणे बालाः परिधावन्ति मे स्नुषाः ॥

idaṃ duḥkhataraṃ me'dya yadimā muktamūrdhajāḥ | hataputrā raṇe bālāḥ paridhāvanti me snuṣāḥ

What is harder to bear today is that my daughters-in-law, bereaved of their sons, young, with their hair loosened, run about in the field of battle.

Verse 3 (11.18.3)

प्रासादतलचारिण्यश्चरणैर्भूषणान्वितैः । कायेनाद्य स्पृशन्तीमां रुधिरार्द्रां वसुन्धराम् ॥

prāsādatalacāriṇyaścaraṇairbhūṣaṇānvitaiḥ | kāyenādya spṛśantīmāṃ rudhirārdrāṃ vasundharām

Women who once walked on the floors of palaces, their feet adorned with ornaments, now touch this blood-soaked earth with their bodies.

Note on the text: Corrected चरमैर् → चरणैर् (misprint in Wikisource; चरमैः ("last") makes no sense with भूषणान्वितैः, and the critical edition reads caraṇair).

Verse 4 (11.18.4)

कृच्छ्रादुत्सारयन्ति स्म गृध्रगोमायुवायसान् । दुःखेनार्ता विघूर्णन्त्यो मत्ता इव चरन्त्युत ॥

kṛcchrādutsārayanti sma gṛdhragomāyuvāyasān | duḥkhenārtā vighūrṇantyo mattā iva carantyuta

With difficulty they drive away the vultures, jackals and crows; tormented by grief, reeling, they wander about like women gone mad with drink.

Verse 5 (11.18.5)

एषाऽन्या त्वनवद्याङ्गी करसम्मितमध्यमा । घोरमायोधनं दृष्ट्वा निपतत्यतिदुःखिता ॥

eṣā'nyā tvanavadyāṅgī karasammitamadhyamā | ghoramāyodhanaṃ dṛṣṭvā nipatatyatiduḥkhitā

And here is another, faultless in every limb, her waist so slender that a hand could span it; seeing the dreadful battlefield, she falls to the ground in utter grief.

Verse 6 (11.18.6)

दृष्ट्वा मे पार्थिवसुतामेतां लक्ष्मणमातरम् । राजपुत्रीं महाबाहो मनो न ह्युपशाम्यति ॥

dṛṣṭvā me pārthivasutāmetāṃ lakṣmaṇamātaram | rājaputrīṃ mahābāho mano na hyupaśāmyati

Seeing this king's daughter, the mother of Lakshmana, O mighty-armed one, my mind cannot find peace.

Verse 7 (11.18.7)

भ्रातॄंश्चान्याः पितॄंश्चान्याः पुत्रांश्च निहतान्भुवि । दृष्ट्वा परिपतन्त्येषाः प्रगृह्य सुमहाभुजान् ॥

bhrātṝṃścānyāḥ pitṝṃścānyāḥ putrāṃśca nihatānbhuvi | dṛṣṭvā paripatantyeṣāḥ pragṛhya sumahābhujān

Some of these women, seeing their brothers, others their fathers, others their sons lying slain on the ground, throw themselves down upon them, clasping their massive arms.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads पितॄन् ("fathers") where the critical edition has patīn ("husbands"); recension variant, kept.

Verse 8 (11.18.8)

मध्यमानां तु नारीणां वृद्धानां चापराजित । आक्रन्दं हतबन्धूनां दारुणे वैशसे शृणु ॥

madhyamānāṃ tu nārīṇāṃ vṛddhānāṃ cāparājita | ākrandaṃ hatabandhūnāṃ dāruṇe vaiśase śṛṇu

O unconquered one, hear the wailing of the women, middle-aged and old, who have lost their kinsmen in this dreadful carnage.

Note on the text: Corrected हतबन्धूना → हतबन्धूनां (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara; the critical edition reads hatabandhūnāṃ).

Verse 9 (11.18.9)

रथनीडानि देहांश्च हतानां गजवाजिनाम् । आश्रित्य श्रममोहार्ताः स्थिताः पश्य महाभुज ॥

rathanīḍāni dehāṃśca hatānāṃ gajavājinām | āśritya śramamohārtāḥ sthitāḥ paśya mahābhuja

See, mighty-armed one, how they stand worn out and stupefied by weariness, leaning on the chariot-boxes and on the bodies of slain elephants and horses.

Verse 10 (11.18.10)

अन्या चापहृतं कायाच्चारुकुण्डलमुन्नसम् । स्वस्य बन्धोः शिरः कृष्ण गृहीत्वा पश्य तिष्ठति ॥

anyā cāpahṛtaṃ kāyāccārukuṇḍalamunnasam | svasya bandhoḥ śiraḥ kṛṣṇa gṛhītvā paśya tiṣṭhati

And another, Krishna, has taken up the head of her own kinsman, with its beautiful earrings and fine nose, severed from the body, and stands holding it; look.

Verse 11 (11.18.11)

पूर्वजातिकृतं पापं मन्ये नाल्पमिवानघ । एताभिर्निरवद्याभिर्मया चैवाल्पपुण्यया । यदिदं धर्मराजेन घातितं नो जनार्दन ॥

pūrvajātikṛtaṃ pāpaṃ manye nālpamivānagha | etābhirniravadyābhirmayā caivālpapuṇyayā | yadidaṃ dharmarājena ghātitaṃ no janārdana

I think, blameless one, that the sin done in a former life cannot have been small, neither theirs, faultless as they are, nor mine, who have little merit, that our people have been slaughtered by the king of dharma.

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment. Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 11.18.11ac (line 2 there ends mayā caivālpamedhayā; Wikisource has अल्पपुण्यया); line 3 corresponds to 11.18.12a (tad idaṃ dharmarājena yātitaṃ no janārdana; Wikisource reads यदिदं … घातितं).

Verse 12 (11.18.12)

न हि नाशोऽस्ति वार्ष्णेय कर्मणोः शुभपापयोः ॥

na hi nāśo'sti vārṣṇeya karmaṇoḥ śubhapāpayoḥ

For there is no destruction, descendant of Vrishni, of deeds, whether good or evil.

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment; this is the critical edition's 11.18.12c (na hi nāśo 'sti vārṣṇeya karmaṇoḥ śubhapāpayoḥ). Wikisource prints it as a one-line verse.

Verse 13 (11.18.13)

प्रत्यग्रवयसः पश्य दर्शनीयकुचाननाः । कुलेषु जाता ह्रीमत्यः कृष्णपक्ष्माक्षिमूर्धजाः ॥

pratyagravayasaḥ paśya darśanīyakucānanāḥ | kuleṣu jātā hrīmatyaḥ kṛṣṇapakṣmākṣimūrdhajāḥ

See them, in the freshness of youth, lovely in face and bosom, born in good families, modest, with dark lashes, eyes and hair.

Note on the text: Corrected हीमत्यः → ह्रीमत्यः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped रेफ in the conjunct; the critical edition reads hrīmatyaḥ).

Verse 14 (11.18.14)

हंसगद्गदभाषिण्यो दुःखशोकप्रमोहिताः । सारस्य इव वाशन्त्यः पतिताः पश्य माधव ॥

haṃsagadgadabhāṣiṇyo duḥkhaśokapramohitāḥ | sārasya iva vāśantyaḥ patitāḥ paśya mādhava

Their voices faltering like the cries of swans, bewildered by grief and sorrow, they have fallen and cry out like sarus cranes; look, Madhava.

Verse 15 (11.18.15)

फुल्लपद्मप्रकाशानि पुण्डरीकाक्ष योषिताम् । अनवद्यानि वक्त्राणि तापयत्येष रश्मिवान् ॥

phullapadmaprakāśāni puṇḍarīkākṣa yoṣitām | anavadyāni vaktrāṇi tāpayatyeṣa raśmivān

Lotus-eyed one, the sun with its rays scorches the faultless faces of these women, bright as full-blown lotuses.

Note on the text: Corrected फुल्लुपद्य → फुल्लपद्म (misprint in Wikisource; an extra उ and a broken conjunct; the critical edition reads phullapadma).

Verse 16 (11.18.16)

सेर्ष्याणां मम पुत्राणां वासुदेवावरोधनम् । मत्तमातङ्गदर्पाणां पश्यन्त्यद्य पृथग्जनाः ॥

serṣyāṇāṃ mama putrāṇāṃ vāsudevāvarodhanam | mattamātaṅgadarpāṇāṃ paśyantyadya pṛthagjanāḥ

The inner apartments of my jealous sons, proud as rutting elephants, O Vasudeva, are looked upon today by common people.

Verse 17 (11.18.17)

शतचन्द्राणि चर्माणि ध्वजांश्चादित्यवर्चसः । रौक्माणि चैव वर्माणि निष्कानपि च काञ्चनान् ॥

śatacandrāṇi carmāṇi dhvajāṃścādityavarcasaḥ | raukmāṇi caiva varmāṇi niṣkānapi ca kāñcanān

See, Govinda, the shields with their hundred moons, the standards bright as the sun, the golden armour, the golden necklaces,

Verse 18 (11.18.18)

शिरस्त्राणानि चैतानि पुत्राणां मे महीतले । पश्य दीप्तानि गोविन्द पावकान्सुहुतानिव ॥

śirastrāṇāni caitāni putrāṇāṃ me mahītale | paśya dīptāni govinda pāvakānsuhutāniva

and these helmets of my sons on the ground, gleaming like sacrificial fires fed well with oblations.

Verse 19 (11.18.19)

एष दुःशासनः शेते शूरेणामित्रघातिना । पीतशोणितसर्वाङ्गो युधि भीमेन पातितः ॥

eṣa duḥśāsanaḥ śete śūreṇāmitraghātinā | pītaśoṇitasarvāṅgo yudhi bhīmena pātitaḥ

Here lies Duhshasana, struck down in battle by the heroic Bhima, slayer of his foes, his blood drunk, every limb drained.

Note on the text: Corrected पीतशोणिxx → पीतशोणित (misprint in Wikisource; the page prints two lost letters as "xx"; restored from the critical edition (pītaśoṇitasarvāṅgo)).

Verse 20 (11.18.20)

गदया भीमसेनेन पश्य माधव मे सुतम् । द्यूतक्लेशाननुस्मृत्य द्रौपदीचोदितेन च ॥

gadayā bhīmasenena paśya mādhava me sutam | dyūtakleśānanusmṛtya draupadīcoditena ca

Look, Madhava, at my son, felled by Bhimasena's mace: Bhima, who remembered the torments of the dice game and was urged on by Draupadi.

Verse 21 (11.18.21)

उक्ता ह्यनेन पाञ्चाली सभायां द्यूतनिर्जिता । प्रियं चिकीर्षता भ्रातुः कर्णस्य च जनार्दन ॥

uktā hyanena pāñcālī sabhāyāṃ dyūtanirjitā | priyaṃ cikīrṣatā bhrātuḥ karṇasya ca janārdana

For it was he who said to Draupadi, the Panchali won at dice, in the assembly, wishing to please his brother and Karna, Janardana:

Verse 22 (11.18.22)

सहैव सहदेवेन नकुलेनार्जुनेन च । दासीभूताऽसि पाञ्चालि क्षिप्रं प्रविश नो गृहान् ॥

sahaiva sahadevena nakulenārjunena ca | dāsībhūtā'si pāñcāli kṣipraṃ praviśa no gṛhān

"Together with Sahadeva, Nakula and Arjuna, you have become a slave, Panchali; enter our houses at once."

Note on the text: Speaker: the whole verse is Duhshasana's quoted speech, introduced in the previous verse; the page prints no heading.

Verse 23 (11.18.23)

ततोऽहमब्रुवं कृष्ण तदा दुर्योधनं नृपम् । मृत्युपाशपरिक्षिप्तां द्रौपदीं पुत्र वर्जय ॥

tato'hamabruvaṃ kṛṣṇa tadā duryodhanaṃ nṛpam | mṛtyupāśaparikṣiptāṃ draupadīṃ putra varjaya

Then, Krishna, I said to King Duryodhana: "Son, let Draupadi go; she is caught in the snares of death.

Note on the text: The footnote on the page records क्षिप्तं शकुनिं पुत्र वर्जय as another reading of line 2 (the critical edition reads mṛtyupāśaparikṣiptaṃ śakuniṃ putra varjaya); Wikisource's own reading, with Draupadi, is kept.

Verse 24 (11.18.24)

निबोधैनं सुदुर्बुद्धिं मातुलं कलहप्रियम् । क्षिप्रमेनं परित्यज्य पुत्र संशाम्य पाण्डवैः ॥

nibodhainaṃ sudurbuddhiṃ mātulaṃ kalahapriyam | kṣipramenaṃ parityajya putra saṃśāmya pāṇḍavaiḥ

Recognise this uncle of yours for what he is, a man of very bad judgment who loves quarrels; give him up quickly, son, and make peace with the Pandavas.

Verse 25 (11.18.25)

न बुद्ध्यसे त्वं दुर्बुद्धे भीमसेनममर्षणम् । वाङ्नाराचैस्तुदंस्तीक्ष्णैरुल्काभिरिव कुञ्जरम् ॥

na buddhyase tvaṃ durbuddhe bhīmasenamamarṣaṇam | vāṅnārācaistudaṃstīkṣṇairulkābhiriva kuñjaram

You do not understand, foolish one, Bhimasena, who cannot bear an insult, whom you goad with the sharp arrows of your words, as one goads an elephant with firebrands."

Note on the text: Corrected वाङ्गराचै → वाङ्नाराचै (misprint in Wikisource; a broken conjunct; the critical edition reads vāṅnārācais).

Verse 26 (11.18.26)

तानेवं रहसि क्रुद्धो वाक्शल्यानवधारयन् । उत्ससर्ज विषं तेषु सर्पो गोवृषभेष्विव ॥

tānevaṃ rahasi kruddho vākśalyānavadhārayan | utsasarja viṣaṃ teṣu sarpo govṛṣabheṣviva

Bearing those barbs of words in mind, he, in his rage, let loose his poison upon them in private, like a snake among cows and bulls.

Verse 27 (11.18.27)

एष दुःशासनः शेते विक्षिप्य विपुलौ भुजौ । निहतो भीमसेनेन सिंहेनेव महागजः ॥

eṣa duḥśāsanaḥ śete vikṣipya vipulau bhujau | nihato bhīmasenena siṃheneva mahāgajaḥ

Here lies Duhshasana, his two huge arms flung wide, killed by Bhimasena like a great elephant by a lion.

Note on the text: Corrected सिहेनेव → सिंहेनेव (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara).

Verse 28 (11.18.28)

अत्यर्थमकरोद्रौद्रं भीमसेनोऽत्यमर्षणः । दुःशासनस्य यत्क्रुद्धोऽपिबच्छोणितमाहवे ॥

atyarthamakarodraudraṃ bhīmaseno'tyamarṣaṇaḥ | duḥśāsanasya yatkruddho'pibacchoṇitamāhave

Exceedingly savage was the deed that Bhimasena, in his extreme fury, did when, in anger, he drank Duhshasana's blood in the battle.