Vyasa Consoles Dhritarashtra

Verse 1 (11.8.1)

विदुरस्य तु तद्वाक्यं निशम्य कुरुसत्तमः । पुत्रशोकाभिसन्तप्तः पपात भुवि मूर्छितः ॥

vidurasya tu tadvākyaṃ niśamya kurusattamaḥ | putraśokābhisantaptaḥ papāta bhuvi mūrchitaḥ

Vaishampayana said: Hearing Vidura's words, the best of the Kurus, scorched with grief for his sons, fell senseless to the ground.

Verse 2 (11.8.2)

तं तथा पतितं भूमौ निःसंज्ञं प्रेक्ष्य बान्धवाः । कृष्णद्वैपायनश्चैव क्षत्ता च विदुरस्तथा ॥

taṃ tathā patitaṃ bhūmau niḥsaṃjñaṃ prekṣya bāndhavāḥ | kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaścaiva kṣattā ca vidurastathā

Seeing him lying thus on the ground, unconscious, his kinsmen — Krishna Dvaipayana, and the counsellor Vidura,

Verse 3 (11.8.3)

सञ्जयः सुहृदश्चान्ये द्वास्था ये चास्य सम्मताः । जलेन सुखशीतेन तालवृन्तैश्च भारत ॥

sañjayaḥ suhṛdaścānye dvāsthā ye cāsya sammatāḥ | jalena sukhaśītena tālavṛntaiśca bhārata

and Sanjaya, and other friends, and the doorkeepers whom he trusted — with cool, pleasant water and with palm-leaf fans, O Bharata,

Verse 4 (11.8.4)

पस्पर्शुश्च करैर्गात्रं वीजमानाश्च यत्नतः । अन्वासत चिरं कालं धृतराष्ट्रं तथाविधम् ॥

pasparśuśca karairgātraṃ vījamānāśca yatnataḥ | anvāsata ciraṃ kālaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ tathāvidham

touched his body with their hands and fanned him with care, and sat by Dhritarashtra a long time as he lay.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource अन्वासत चिरं कालं … तथाविधम् against CE anvāsan suciraṃ kālaṃ … tathāgatam.

Verse 5 (11.8.5)

अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य लब्धसञ्ज्ञो महीपतिः । विललाप चिरं कालं पुत्राधिभिरभिप्लुतः ॥

atha dīrghasya kālasya labdhasañjño mahīpatiḥ | vilalāpa ciraṃ kālaṃ putrādhibhirabhiplutaḥ

After a long while the king regained consciousness, and for a long time he lamented, overwhelmed by anguish for his sons.

Note on the text: Corrected लब्धस़ञ्ज्ञो → लब्धसञ्ज्ञो (misprint in Wikisource; stray nukta under स; the critical edition reads labdhasaṃjño).

Verse 6 (11.8.6)

धिगस्तु खलु मानुष्यं मानुष्ये च परिग्रहम् । यतोमूलानि दुःखानि सम्भवन्ति पुनःपुनः ॥

dhigastu khalu mānuṣyaṃ mānuṣye ca parigraham | yatomūlāni duḥkhāni sambhavanti punaḥpunaḥ

Dhritarashtra said: Fie upon human life, and upon the ties of attachment within human life, from which sorrows grow again and again!

Note on the text: Speaker: the page prints no heading for Dhritarashtra's lament (it stands under Vaishampayana's heading 8-1x); the previous verse says he lamented, and the lament runs through the first line of verse 10. It is given to him from here.

Verse 7 (11.8.7)

मित्रनाशेऽर्थनाशे च ज्ञातिसम्बन्धिनामपि । प्राप्यते सुमहद्दुःखं विषाग्निप्रतिमं विभो ॥

mitranāśe'rthanāśe ca jñātisambandhināmapi | prāpyate sumahadduḥkhaṃ viṣāgnipratimaṃ vibho

In the loss of friends, the loss of wealth, and the loss of kinsmen and relatives, one feels a very great grief, like poison and fire, O lord,

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource मित्रनाशे against CE putranāśe.

Verse 8 (11.8.8)

येन दह्यन्ति गात्राणि येन प्रज्ञा विनश्यति । येनाभिभूतः पुरुषो मरणं प्रतिपद्यते ॥

yena dahyanti gātrāṇi yena prajñā vinaśyati | yenābhibhūtaḥ puruṣo maraṇaṃ pratipadyate

by which the limbs burn, by which wisdom is destroyed, and overcome by which a man goes to his death.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource मरणं प्रतिपद्यते against CE maraṇaṃ bahu manyate.

Verse 9 (11.8.9)

तदिदं मरणं प्राप्तं मया भाग्यविपर्ययात् । तस्यान्तं नाधिगच्छामि ऋते प्राणविमोक्षणात् ॥

tadidaṃ maraṇaṃ prāptaṃ mayā bhāgyaviparyayāt | tasyāntaṃ nādhigacchāmi ṛte prāṇavimokṣaṇāt

This very death has come upon me through a reversal of fortune. I see no end to it except the release of my breath of life.

Note on the text: Removed the square brackets Wikisource prints around line 2. Line 1 is a variant of CE 11.8.9a (CE tad idaṃ vyasanaṃ prāptaṃ …, "calamity" for मरणं, "death"); line 2 is the critical edition's star passage 11.8.9b*0028_01 (tasyāntaṃ nādhigacchāmi ṛte prāṇaviparyayāt, where the page reads प्राणविमोक्षणात्). The alignment found no match.

Verse 10 (11.8.10)

तच्चैवाहं करिष्यामि अद्यैव द्विजसत्तम । इत्युक्त्वा तु महात्मानं पितरं ब्रह्मवित्तमम् ॥

taccaivāhaṃ kariṣyāmi adyaiva dvijasattama | ityuktvā tu mahātmānaṃ pitaraṃ brahmavittamam

"And that I shall do this very day, best of brahmins." Having said this to his great father, the best of knowers of Brahman,

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 11.8.9c; line 2 = CE 11.8.10a. Speaker: line 1 is Dhritarashtra's own words and line 2 narrates ("having said this"); the verse is given to him, the speaker of the quoted words. The alignment found no match.

Verse 11 (11.8.11)

धृतराष्ट्रोऽभवन्मूढः स शोकं परमं गतः । अभूच्च तूष्णीं राजाऽसौ ध्यायमानो महीपतिः ॥

dhṛtarāṣṭro'bhavanmūḍhaḥ sa śokaṃ paramaṃ gataḥ | abhūcca tūṣṇīṃ rājā'sau dhyāyamāno mahīpatiḥ

Dhritarashtra fell into bewilderment, sunk in the deepest grief; and the king, brooding, fell silent.

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 = CE 11.8.10c and 10e. The alignment found no match.

Verse 12 (11.8.12)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा कृष्णद्वैपायनः प्रभुः । पुत्रशोकाभिसन्तप्तं पुत्रं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaḥ prabhuḥ | putraśokābhisantaptaṃ putraṃ vacanamabravīt

Hearing his words, the lord Krishna Dvaipayana spoke to his son, who was scorched with grief for his sons.

Verse 13 (11.8.13)

धृतराष्ट्र महाबाहो शृणु वक्ष्यामि पुत्रक । श्रुतवानसि मेधावी धर्मार्थकुशलः प्रभो ॥

dhṛtarāṣṭra mahābāho śṛṇu vakṣyāmi putraka | śrutavānasi medhāvī dharmārthakuśalaḥ prabho

Vyasa said: Dhritarashtra, mighty-armed, listen to what I shall tell you, my son. You are learned and wise, skilled in dharma and in worldly aims, my lord.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource शृणु वक्ष्यामि पुत्रक … प्रभो against CE yat tvāṃ vakṣyāmi tac chṛṇu … tathā.

Verse 14 (11.8.14)

न तेऽस्त्यविदितं किञ्चिद्वेदितव्यं परन्तप । अनित्यतां हि भूतानां विजानासि न संशयः ॥

na te'styaviditaṃ kiñcidveditavyaṃ parantapa | anityatāṃ hi bhūtānāṃ vijānāsi na saṃśayaḥ

There is nothing unknown to you that needs to be known, scorcher of foes. You understand the impermanence of beings, without doubt.

Verse 15 (11.8.15)

अध्रुवे जीवलोके च स्थाने वा शाश्वते सति । जीविते मरणान्ते च कस्माच्छोचसि पुत्रक ॥

adhruve jīvaloke ca sthāne vā śāśvate sati | jīvite maraṇānte ca kasmācchocasi putraka

In a world of life that does not last, and in a state that is not eternal, with life ending in death, why do you grieve, my son?

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource पुत्रक against CE bhārata (line 2).

Verse 16 (11.8.16)

प्रत्यक्षं तव राजेन्द्र वैरस्यास्य समुद्भवः । पुत्रं ते कारणं कृत्वा कालयोगेन निर्मितः ॥

pratyakṣaṃ tava rājendra vairasyāsya samudbhavaḥ | putraṃ te kāraṇaṃ kṛtvā kālayogena nirmitaḥ

The rise of this enmity was before your own eyes, O king of kings: it was brought about by the course of time, with your son as its cause.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource निर्मितः against CE kāritaḥ (line 2).

Verse 17 (11.8.17)

अवश्यं भवितव्ये च कुरूणां सङ्क्षये नृप । कस्माच्छोचसि ताञ्शूरान्गतान्परमिकां गतिम् ॥

avaśyaṃ bhavitavye ca kurūṇāṃ saṅkṣaye nṛpa | kasmācchocasi tāñśūrāngatānparamikāṃ gatim

When the destruction of the Kurus was bound to come, O king, why do you grieve for those heroes who have gone to the highest goal?

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource सङ्क्षये against CE vaiśase.

Verse 18 (11.8.18)

जानता च महाबाहो विदुरेण महात्मना । यतितं सर्वयत्नेन शमं प्रति जनेश्वर ॥

jānatā ca mahābāho vidureṇa mahātmanā | yatitaṃ sarvayatnena śamaṃ prati janeśvara

Vidura, the great soul, knowing this, strove with every effort for peace, O lord of men.

Verse 19 (11.8.19)

न च दैवकृतो मार्गः शक्यो भूतेन केनचित् । घटताऽपि चिरं कालं नियन्तुमिति मे मतिः ॥

na ca daivakṛto mārgaḥ śakyo bhūtena kenacit | ghaṭatā'pi ciraṃ kālaṃ niyantumiti me matiḥ

And yet the course ordained by fate cannot be checked, I think, by any being, even by striving for a long time.

Verse 20 (11.8.20)

देवतानां हि यत्कार्यं मया प्रत्यक्षतः श्रुतम् । तत्तेऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा स्थैर्यं भवेत्तव ॥

devatānāṃ hi yatkāryaṃ mayā pratyakṣataḥ śrutam | tatte'haṃ sampravakṣyāmi yathā sthairyaṃ bhavettava

I shall tell you of what the gods had to do, which I myself heard in person, so that you may become steady.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource यथा स्थैर्यं भवेत्तव against CE kathaṃ sthairyaṃ bhavet tava.

Verse 21 (11.8.21)

पुराऽहं परितो यातः सभामैन्द्रीं जितक्लमः । अपश्यं तत्र च सदा समवेतान्दिवौकसः ॥

purā'haṃ parito yātaḥ sabhāmaindrīṃ jitaklamaḥ | apaśyaṃ tatra ca sadā samavetāndivaukasaḥ

Long ago, having travelled about, free from weariness, I went to the assembly hall of Indra, and there I saw the gods gathered together,

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 = CE 11.8.20a and 20c (CE purāhaṃ tvarito yātaḥ …). The alignment found no match.

Verse 22 (11.8.22)

नारदप्रमुखांश्चापि सर्वान्देवर्षिसत्तमान् । तत्र चापि मया दृष्टा पृथिवी पृथिवीपते ॥

nāradapramukhāṃścāpi sarvāndevarṣisattamān | tatra cāpi mayā dṛṣṭā pṛthivī pṛthivīpate

and all the best of the divine seers, headed by Narada; and there too, O lord of the earth, I saw the Earth

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 11.8.20e (nāradapramukhāṃś cāpi sarvān devaṛṣīṃs tathā); line 2 = CE 11.8.21a. The alignment found no match.

Verse 23 (11.8.23)

कार्यार्थमुपसम्पन्ना देवतानां समीपतः । उपगम्य तदा धात्री देवानाह समागतान् ॥

kāryārthamupasampannā devatānāṃ samīpataḥ | upagamya tadā dhātrī devānāha samāgatān

who had come to the gods on some business. Approaching, the Earth then spoke to the assembled gods:

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 11.8.21c; line 2 = CE 11.8.22a. The alignment found no match.

Verse 24 (11.8.24)

यत्कार्यं मम युष्माभिर्ब्रह्मणः सदने तदा । प्रतिज्ञातं महाभागास्तच्छीघ्रं संविधीयताम् ॥

yatkāryaṃ mama yuṣmābhirbrahmaṇaḥ sadane tadā | pratijñātaṃ mahābhāgāstacchīghraṃ saṃvidhīyatām

"The task that you promised me then, in the abode of Brahma — let it be carried out quickly, O blessed ones."

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 = CE 11.8.22c and 22e. Speaker: the Earth. The page prints no heading; the previous verse says she addressed the assembled gods. The alignment found no match.

Verse 25 (11.8.25)

तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विष्णुर्लोकनमस्कृतः । उवाच वाक्यं प्रहसन्प्रभुस्तां देवसंसदि ॥

tasyāstadvacanaṃ śrutvā viṣṇurlokanamaskṛtaḥ | uvāca vākyaṃ prahasanprabhustāṃ devasaṃsadi

Hearing her words, Vishnu, honoured by the worlds, spoke to her smiling, in the assembly of the gods:

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource उवाच वाक्यं प्रहसन्प्रभुस्तां against CE uvāca prahasan vākyaṃ pṛthivīṃ.

Verse 26 (11.8.26)

धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्राणां यस्तु ज्येष्ठः शतस्य वै । दुर्योधन इति ख्यातः स ते कार्यं करिष्यति ॥

dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāṇāṃ yastu jyeṣṭhaḥ śatasya vai | duryodhana iti khyātaḥ sa te kāryaṃ kariṣyati

"Of the hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, the eldest is the one known as Duryodhana; he will do your work.

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 = CE 11.8.24a and 24c. Speaker: Vishnu. The page prints no heading; the previous verse announces his speech, which runs through the first line of verse 29. The alignment found no match.

Verse 27 (11.8.27)

तं च प्राप्य महीपालं कृतकृत्या भविष्यसि । तस्यार्थे पृथिवीपालाः कुरुक्षेत्रं समागताः ॥

taṃ ca prāpya mahīpālaṃ kṛtakṛtyā bhaviṣyasi | tasyārthe pṛthivīpālāḥ kurukṣetraṃ samāgatāḥ

Having gained that king, you will have your purpose fulfilled. For his sake the kings of the earth will gather at Kurukshetra,

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 11.8.24e; line 2 = CE 11.8.25a. The alignment found no match.

Verse 28 (11.8.28)

अन्योन्यं घातयिष्यन्ति दृढैः शस्त्रैः प्रहारिणः । ततस्ते भविता देवि भारस्य युधि नाशनम् ॥

anyonyaṃ ghātayiṣyanti dṛḍhaiḥ śastraiḥ prahāriṇaḥ | tataste bhavitā devi bhārasya yudhi nāśanam

and, striking one another down with strong weapons, they will kill one another; thus, goddess, the burden on you will be destroyed in battle.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 11.8.25c; line 2 = CE 11.8.26a. The alignment found no match.

Verse 29 (11.8.29)

गच्छ शीघ्रं स्वकं स्थानं लोकान्धारय शोभने ॥

gaccha śīghraṃ svakaṃ sthānaṃ lokāndhāraya śobhane

Go quickly to your own place and sustain the worlds, fair one."

Note on the text: Split: the page's verse 29 joins the last line of Vishnu's speech to the first line of Vyasa's resumed address (राजन्, "O king"). This first half (Vishnu to the Earth) = CE 11.8.26c; the second half is given as the next verse, and both keep wikisource_number 29. The alignment found no match.

Verse 30 (11.8.30)

स एष ते सुतो राजँल्लोकसंहारकारणात् ॥

sa eṣa te suto rājam̐llokasaṃhārakāraṇāt

He, O king, is your son, born for the destruction of the worlds —

Note on the text: Split from the preceding verse (see there). This second half = CE 11.8.27a, where Vyasa again speaks to Dhritarashtra. Not matched by the alignment.

Verse 31 (11.8.31)

कलेरंशः समुत्पन्नो गान्धार्या जठरे नृप । अमर्षी बलवाञ्शूरः क्रोधनो दुष्प्रसाधनः ॥

kaleraṃśaḥ samutpanno gāndhāryā jaṭhare nṛpa | amarṣī balavāñśūraḥ krodhano duṣprasādhanaḥ

a portion of Kali, born in Gandhari's womb, O king: impatient, strong, heroic, wrathful, hard to appease.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 11.8.27c; line 2 is a variant of CE 11.8.28a (CE amarṣī capalaś cāpi krodhano duṣprasādhanaḥ). The alignment found no match.

Verse 32 (11.8.32)

दैवयोगात्समुत्पन्ना भ्रातरस्तस्य तादृशाः । शकुनिर्मातुलश्चैव कर्णश्च परमः सखा ॥

daivayogātsamutpannā bhrātarastasya tādṛśāḥ | śakunirmātulaścaiva karṇaśca paramaḥ sakhā

By the working of fate his brothers were born like him, and Shakuni, his maternal uncle, and Karna, his closest friend.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 11.8.28c; line 2 = CE 11.8.29a. The alignment found no match.

Verse 33 (11.8.33)

समुत्पन्ना विनाशार्थं पृथिव्यां सहिता नृपाः । यादृशो जायते राजा तादृशोऽस्य जनो भवेत् ॥

samutpannā vināśārthaṃ pṛthivyāṃ sahitā nṛpāḥ | yādṛśo jāyate rājā tādṛśo'sya jano bhavet

Kings together were born on earth for its destruction. As the king is born, so will his people be.

Note on the text: Removed the opening square bracket Wikisource prints before line 2 (it opens a bracketed passage that runs to the first line of verse 34, which the page marks as an interpolation). Line 1 = CE 11.8.29c; line 2 is the critical edition's star passage 11.8.29d*0029_01 (yādṛśo jāyate rājā tādṛśo 'sya jano bhavet). The alignment found no match.

Verse 34 (11.8.34)

अधर्मो धर्मतां याति स्वामी चेद्धार्मिको भवेत् । स्वामिनो गुणदोषाभ्यां भृत्याः स्युर्नात्र संशयः ॥

adharmo dharmatāṃ yāti svāmī ceddhārmiko bhavet | svāmino guṇadoṣābhyāṃ bhṛtyāḥ syurnātra saṃśayaḥ

Wrong becomes right if the master is righteous; servants follow their master's virtues and faults, without doubt.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives these lines as the star passage 11.8.29d*0029, lines 02–03. The page marks them as bracketed.

Verse 35 (11.8.35)

दुष्टं राजानमासाद्य गतास्ते तनया नृप । एतमर्थं महाबाहो नारदो वेद तत्त्ववित् ॥

duṣṭaṃ rājānamāsādya gatāste tanayā nṛpa | etamarthaṃ mahābāho nārado veda tattvavit

Having come under a wicked king, your sons are gone, O king. Narada, who knows the truth, knows this matter, O mighty-armed one.

Note on the text: Removed the closing square bracket and the stray daṇḍa before it, which close the bracketed passage begun in verse 32. Line 1 is the critical edition's star passage 11.8.29d*0029_04 (duṣṭaṃ rājānam āsādya gatās te tanayā nṛpa); line 2 is a variant of CE 11.8.29e (CE nārado veda tattvataḥ for तत्त्ववित्). The alignment found no match.

Verse 36 (11.8.36)

आत्मापराधात्पुत्रास्ते विनष्टाः पृथिवीपते । मा ताञ्शोचस्व राजेन्द्र न हि शोकेऽस्ति कारणम् ॥

ātmāparādhātputrāste vinaṣṭāḥ pṛthivīpate | mā tāñśocasva rājendra na hi śoke'sti kāraṇam

Your sons were destroyed by their own fault, O lord of the earth. Do not grieve for them, O king of kings; there is no cause for grief.

Verse 37 (11.8.37)

न हि ते पाण्डवाः स्वल्पमपराध्यन्ति भारत । पुत्रास्तव दुरात्मानो यैरियं घातिता मही ॥

na hi te pāṇḍavāḥ svalpamaparādhyanti bhārata | putrāstava durātmāno yairiyaṃ ghātitā mahī

The Pandavas have committed no fault, not even a small one, O Bharata; it is your wicked sons by whom this earth has been slaughtered.

Verse 38 (11.8.38)

नारदेन च भद्रं ते पूर्वमेव न संशयः । युधिष्ठिरस्य समितौ राजसूये निवेदितम् ॥

nāradena ca bhadraṃ te pūrvameva na saṃśayaḥ | yudhiṣṭhirasya samitau rājasūye niveditam

And Narada — may it be well with you — declared this long ago, without doubt, in Yudhishthira's assembly at the Rajasuya.

Verse 39 (11.8.39)

पाण्डवाः कौरवाः सर्वे समासाद्य परस्परम् । न भविष्यन्ति कौन्तेय यत्ते कृत्यं तदाचर ॥

pāṇḍavāḥ kauravāḥ sarve samāsādya parasparam | na bhaviṣyanti kaunteya yatte kṛtyaṃ tadācara

"The Pandavas and the Kauravas, all of them, will come against one another and will be no more, O son of Kunti. Do what you must do."

Note on the text: Corrected नभविष्यन्ति → न भविष्यन्ति (misprint in Wikisource; the negative न run into the verb; the critical edition reads na bhaviṣyanti). Narada's words, quoted by Vyasa.

Verse 40 (11.8.40)

नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा तथाऽकुर्वत पाण्डवाः । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं देवगुह्यं सनातनम् ॥

nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā tathā'kurvata pāṇḍavāḥ | etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ devaguhyaṃ sanātanam

Hearing Narada's words, the Pandavas acted accordingly. All this I have told you, the eternal secret of the gods.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource तथाऽकुर्वत पाण्डवाः against CE tadāśocanta pāṇḍavāḥ (the page's own note cites तदाऽशोचन्त पाण्डवाः).

Verse 41 (11.8.41)

कथं ते शोकनाशः स्यात्प्राणेषु च दया प्रभो । स्नेहश्च पाण्डुपुत्रेषु ज्ञात्वा दैवकृतं विधिम् ॥

kathaṃ te śokanāśaḥ syātprāṇeṣu ca dayā prabho | snehaśca pāṇḍuputreṣu jñātvā daivakṛtaṃ vidhim

How, then, may your grief end, and pity for your own life breath, and affection for the sons of Pandu, arise in you, knowing the ordinance made by fate?

Verse 42 (11.8.42)

एष चार्थो महाबाहो पूर्वमेव मया श्रुतः । कथितो धर्मराजस्य राजसूये कुरूत्तम ॥

eṣa cārtho mahābāho pūrvameva mayā śrutaḥ | kathito dharmarājasya rājasūye kurūttama

I myself heard this matter long ago, mighty-armed one, best of the Kurus; it was told to Dharmaraja at the Rajasuya.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource कुरूत्तम against CE kratūttame (line 2).

Verse 43 (11.8.43)

यतितं धर्मपुत्रेण मया गुह्ये निवेदिते । अविग्रहे कौरवाणां दैवं तु बलवत्तरम् ॥

yatitaṃ dharmaputreṇa mayā guhye nivedite | avigrahe kauravāṇāṃ daivaṃ tu balavattaram

When this secret was told to him, Dharma's son strove to avoid strife among the Kauravas; but fate is stronger.

Verse 44 (11.8.44)

अनतिक्रमणीयो हि विधी राजन्कथञ्चन । कृतान्तस्य तु भूतेन स्थावरेण चरेण च ॥

anatikramaṇīyo hi vidhī rājankathañcana | kṛtāntasya tu bhūtena sthāvareṇa careṇa ca

The ordinance of fate can in no way be overstepped, O king, by any being of the Ender, whether unmoving or moving.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource कृतान्तस्य तु भूतेन स्थावरेण चरेण च against CE kṛtāntasya hi bhūtena sthāvareṇa trasena ca.

Verse 45 (11.8.45)

भवान्धर्मपरो यत्र बुद्धिश्रेष्ठश्च भारत । मुह्यते प्राणिनां ज्ञात्वा गतिं चागतिमेव च ॥

bhavāndharmaparo yatra buddhiśreṣṭhaśca bhārata | muhyate prāṇināṃ jñātvā gatiṃ cāgatimeva ca

You who are devoted to dharma and foremost in understanding, O Bharata, are bewildered, though you know the going and coming of beings.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource धर्मपरो against CE karmaparo.

Verse 46 (11.8.46)

त्वां तु शोकेन सन्तप्तं मुह्यमानं मुहुर्मुहुः । ज्ञात्वा युधिष्ठिरो राजा प्राणानपि परित्यजेत् ॥

tvāṃ tu śokena santaptaṃ muhyamānaṃ muhurmuhuḥ | jñātvā yudhiṣṭhiro rājā prāṇānapi parityajet

Knowing that you are burned by grief and bewildered again and again, King Yudhishthira might even give up his life.

Verse 47 (11.8.47)

कृपालुर्नित्यशो वीरस्तिर्यग्योनिगतेष्वपि । स कथं त्वयि राजेन्द्र कृपां नैव करिष्यति ॥

kṛpālurnityaśo vīrastiryagyonigateṣvapi | sa kathaṃ tvayi rājendra kṛpāṃ naiva kariṣyati

He is always compassionate, a hero, even toward creatures born as animals. How, O king of kings, would he not show compassion to you?

Verse 48 (11.8.48)

मम चैव नियोगेन विधेश्चाप्यनिवर्तनात् । पाण्डवानां च कारुण्यात्प्राणान्धारय भारत ॥

mama caiva niyogena vidheścāpyanivartanāt | pāṇḍavānāṃ ca kāruṇyātprāṇāndhāraya bhārata

By my command, and because fate cannot be turned back, and out of pity for the Pandavas, keep your life, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Corrected अनिवर्तनाम् → अनिवर्तनात् (misprint in Wikisource; the ablative is needed, "because fate cannot be turned back"; the critical edition reads anivartanāt).

Verse 49 (11.8.49)

एवं ते वर्तमानस्य लोके कीर्तिर्भविष्यति । धर्मार्थः सुमहांस्तात तप्तं स्याच्च तपश्चिरात् ॥

evaṃ te vartamānasya loke kīrtirbhaviṣyati | dharmārthaḥ sumahāṃstāta taptaṃ syācca tapaścirāt

If you live thus, fame will be yours in the world; you will gain great merit and benefit, my son, and it will be as if you had practised austerity for a long time.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource धर्मार्थः सुमहांस्तात against CE dharmaś ca sumahāṃs tāta (the page's own note cites धर्मश्च सुमहास्तात).

Verse 50 (11.8.50)

पुत्रशोकं समुत्पन्नं हुताशं ज्वलितं यथा । प्रज्ञाम्भसा महाराज निर्वापय सदा सता ॥

putraśokaṃ samutpannaṃ hutāśaṃ jvalitaṃ yathā | prajñāmbhasā mahārāja nirvāpaya sadā satā

The fire of grief for your sons, which has blazed up like a flame, quench with the water of wisdom, O great king, always as a good man should.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource निर्वापय सदा सता against CE nirvāpaya sadā sadā.

Verse 51 (11.8.51)

तच्छ्रुत्वा तस्य वचनं व्यासस्यामिततेजसः । मुहूर्तं समनुध्यायन्धृतराष्ट्रोऽभ्यभाषत ॥

tacchrutvā tasya vacanaṃ vyāsasyāmitatejasaḥ | muhūrtaṃ samanudhyāyandhṛtarāṣṭro'bhyabhāṣata

Vaishampayana said: Hearing those words of Vyasa of immeasurable splendour, Dhritarashtra reflected for a moment and said:

Verse 52 (11.8.52)

महता शोकजालेन प्रणुन्नोऽस्मि द्विजोत्तम । नात्मानमवबुध्यामि मुह्यमानो मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

mahatā śokajālena praṇunno'smi dvijottama | nātmānamavabudhyāmi muhyamāno muhurmuhuḥ

Dhritarashtra said: I am swept away by a great net of grief, O best of brahmins. I do not know myself, bewildered again and again.

Note on the text: Speaker: Dhritarashtra. The page's heading (8-50x) is Vaishampayana's; his reply, announced by the previous verse, is given to him.

Verse 53 (11.8.53)

इदं तु वचनं श्रुत्वा तव देवनियोगजम् । धारयिष्याम्यहं प्राणान्यतिष्ये च न शोचितुं ॥

idaṃ tu vacanaṃ śrutvā tava devaniyogajam | dhārayiṣyāmyahaṃ prāṇānyatiṣye ca na śocituṃ

But having heard these words of yours, born of the gods' ordaining, I shall hold on to my life and shall try not to grieve.

Note on the text: Speaker: Dhritarashtra (see the previous verse). Wikisource शोचितुं is a valid form (CE naśocitum); kept.

Verse 54 (11.8.54)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः । धृतराष्ट्रस्य राजेन्द्र तत्रैवान्तरधीयत ॥

etacchrutvā tu vacanaṃ vyāsaḥ satyavatīsutaḥ | dhṛtarāṣṭrasya rājendra tatraivāntaradhīyata

Hearing these words, Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, vanished then and there before Dhritarashtra, O king of kings.