Yudhishthira in the Realm of Torment

Verse 1 (18.2.1)

नेह पश्यामि विबुधा राधेयममितौजसम् । भ्रातरौ च महात्मानौ युधामन्यूत्तमौजसौ ॥

neha paśyāmi vibudhā rādheyamamitaujasam | bhrātarau ca mahātmānau yudhāmanyūttamaujasau

Gods, I do not see here Radheya of boundless might, nor the two great-souled brothers Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas;

Verse 2 (18.2.2)

जुहुवुर्ये शरीराणि रणवह्नौ महारथाः । राजानो राजपुत्राश्च ये मदर्थे हता रणे ॥

juhuvurye śarīrāṇi raṇavahnau mahārathāḥ | rājāno rājaputrāśca ye madarthe hatā raṇe

nor those great chariot-warriors, kings and princes, who offered their bodies into the fire of battle and were slain in the war for my sake.

Verse 3 (18.2.3)

क्व ते महारथाः सर्वे शार्दूलसमविक्रमाः । तैरप्ययं जितो लोकः कच्चित्पुरुषसत्तमैः ॥

kva te mahārathāḥ sarve śārdūlasamavikramāḥ | tairapyayaṃ jito lokaḥ kaccitpuruṣasattamaiḥ

Where are all those great chariot-warriors, who matched the tiger in valour? Have those best of men won this world as well?

Verse 4 (18.2.4)

यदि लोकानिमान्प्राप्तास्ते च सर्वे महारथाः । स्थितं वित्त हि मां देवाः सहितं तैर्महात्मभिः ॥

yadi lokānimānprāptāste ca sarve mahārathāḥ | sthitaṃ vitta hi māṃ devāḥ sahitaṃ tairmahātmabhiḥ

If all those great chariot-warriors have reached these worlds, then, gods, know that I stay here together with those great souls.

Verse 5 (18.2.5)

कच्चिन्न तैरवाप्तोऽयं नृपैर्लोकोऽक्षयः शुभः । न तैरहं विना वत्स्ये भ्रातृभिर्ज्ञातिभिस्तथा ॥

kaccinna tairavāpto'yaṃ nṛpairloko'kṣayaḥ śubhaḥ | na tairahaṃ vinā vatsye bhrātṛbhirjñātibhistathā

Or can it be that those kings have not won this imperishable, auspicious world? I will not live without them, without my brothers and kinsmen.

Verse 6 (18.2.6)

मातुर्हि वचनं श्रुत्वा तदा सलिलकर्मणि । कर्णस्य क्रियतां तोयमिति तप्यामि तेन वै ॥

māturhi vacanaṃ śrutvā tadā salilakarmaṇi | karṇasya kriyatāṃ toyamiti tapyāmi tena vai

I burn with remorse because, at the time of the water-offering, I heard my mother say, ‘Let water be given for Karna.’

Verse 7 (18.2.7)

इदं च परितप्यामि पुनःपुनरहं सुराः । यन्मातुः सदृशौ पादौ तस्याहममितात्मनः ॥

idaṃ ca paritapyāmi punaḥpunarahaṃ surāḥ | yanmātuḥ sadṛśau pādau tasyāhamamitātmanaḥ

And this too, gods, I grieve over again and again: that the feet of that man of boundless might were exactly like my mother's.

Verse 8 (18.2.8)

दृष्ट्वैव तं नानुगतः कर्णं परबलार्दनम् । न ह्यस्मान्कर्णसहिताञ्जयेच्छक्रोऽपि संयुगे ॥

dṛṣṭvaiva taṃ nānugataḥ karṇaṃ parabalārdanam | na hyasmānkarṇasahitāñjayecchakro'pi saṃyuge

Though I saw him, I did not follow Karna, the crusher of enemy armies; for with Karna beside us not even Shakra could have defeated us in battle.

Verse 9 (18.2.9)

तमहं यत्रतत्रस्थं द्रष्टुमिच्छामि सूर्यजम् । अविज्ञातो मया योसौ घातितः सव्यसाचिना ॥

tamahaṃ yatratatrasthaṃ draṣṭumicchāmi sūryajam | avijñāto mayā yosau ghātitaḥ savyasācinā

I long to see that son of the Sun, wherever he now is — he whom Savyasachin killed, though I had not recognised him.

Verse 10 (18.2.10)

भीमं च भीमविक्रान्तं प्राणेभ्योऽपि प्रियं मम । अर्जुनं चेन्द्रसंकाशं यमौ चैव यमोपमौ ॥

bhīmaṃ ca bhīmavikrāntaṃ prāṇebhyo'pi priyaṃ mama | arjunaṃ cendrasaṃkāśaṃ yamau caiva yamopamau

And Bhima of terrible valour, dearer to me than life itself; Arjuna, like Indra; and the twins, who are like Yama himself —

Verse 11 (18.2.11)

द्रष्टुमिच्छामि तां चाहं पाञ्चालीं धर्मचारिणीम् । न चेह स्थातुमिच्छामि सत्यमेवं ब्रवीमि वः ॥

draṣṭumicchāmi tāṃ cāhaṃ pāñcālīṃ dharmacāriṇīm | na ceha sthātumicchāmi satyamevaṃ bravīmi vaḥ

and that Panchali, devoted to dharma — these I wish to see. I do not want to stay here. I tell you this truly.

Verse 12 (18.2.12)

किं मे भ्रातृविहीनस्य स्वर्गेण सुरसत्तमाः । यत्र ते मम स स्वर्गो नायं स्वर्गो मतो मम ॥

kiṃ me bhrātṛvihīnasya svargeṇa surasattamāḥ | yatra te mama sa svargo nāyaṃ svargo mato mama

What is heaven to me, bereft of my brothers, best of gods? Wherever they are, that is my heaven; this, in my view, is not heaven.

Verse 13 (18.2.13)

यदि वै तत्र ते श्रद्धा गम्यतां तत्र माचिरम् । प्रिये हि तव वर्तामो देवराजस्य शासनात् ॥

yadi vai tatra te śraddhā gamyatāṃ tatra māciram | priye hi tava vartāmo devarājasya śāsanāt

If your heart is set on being there, go there without delay. By the command of the king of the gods, we act only to please you.

Verse 14 (18.2.14)

इत्युक्त्वा तं ततो देवा देवदूतमुपादिशन् । युधिष्ठिरस्य सुहृदो दर्शयेति परंतप ॥

ityuktvā taṃ tato devā devadūtamupādiśan | yudhiṣṭhirasya suhṛdo darśayeti paraṃtapa

Having said this to him, the gods instructed the divine messenger: ‘Show Yudhishthira his friends,’ O scorcher of foes.

Note on the text: Corrected दर्शयेतदि → दर्शयेति (misprint in Wikisource; a stray syllable; CE darśayeti).

Verse 15 (18.2.15)

ततः कुन्तीसुतो राजा देवदूतश्च जग्मतुः । सहितौ राजशार्दूल यत्र ते पुरुषर्षभाः ॥

tataḥ kuntīsuto rājā devadūtaśca jagmatuḥ | sahitau rājaśārdūla yatra te puruṣarṣabhāḥ

Then the king, the son of Kunti, and the divine messenger set out together, O tiger among kings, for the place where those bulls among men were.

Verse 16 (18.2.16)

अग्रतो देवदूतश्च ययौ राजा च पृष्ठतः । पन्थानमशुभं दुर्गं सेवितं पापकर्मभिः ॥

agrato devadūtaśca yayau rājā ca pṛṣṭhataḥ | panthānamaśubhaṃ durgaṃ sevitaṃ pāpakarmabhiḥ

The divine messenger went in front and the king behind, along an inauspicious and difficult road, much used by evildoers,

Verse 17 (18.2.17)

तमसा संवृतं घोरं केशशैवलशाद्वलम् । युक्तं पापकृतां गन्धैर्मासशोणितकर्दमम् ॥

tamasā saṃvṛtaṃ ghoraṃ keśaśaivalaśādvalam | yuktaṃ pāpakṛtāṃ gandhairmāsaśoṇitakardamam

wrapped in darkness and dreadful, with hair for moss and grass, filled with the stench of sinners, a quagmire of flesh and blood,

Verse 18 (18.2.18)

दंशोत्पातकभल्लूकमक्षिकामशकावृतम् । इतश्चेतश्च कुणपैः समन्तात्परिवारितम् ॥

daṃśotpātakabhallūkamakṣikāmaśakāvṛtam | itaścetaśca kuṇapaiḥ samantātparivāritam

swarming with gadflies, biting pests, bears, flies and mosquitoes, and encircled on every side by corpses lying here and there,

Verse 19 (18.2.19)

अस्थिकेशसमाकीर्णं कृमिकीटसमाकुलम् । ज्वलनेन प्रदीप्तेन समन्तात्परिवेष्टितम् ॥

asthikeśasamākīrṇaṃ kṛmikīṭasamākulam | jvalanena pradīptena samantātpariveṣṭitam

strewn with bones and hair, thick with worms and insects, and ringed on every side by a blazing fire,

Verse 20 (18.2.20)

अयोमुखैश्च काकाद्यैर्गृध्रैश्च समभिद्रुतम् । सूचीमुखैस्तथा प्रेतैर्विन्ध्यशैलोपमैर्वृतम् ॥

ayomukhaiśca kākādyairgṛdhraiśca samabhidrutam | sūcīmukhaistathā pretairvindhyaśailopamairvṛtam

assailed by crows with iron beaks and by vultures, and surrounded by needle-mouthed spirits of the dead, each as huge as a Vindhya mountain,

Verse 21 (18.2.21)

मेदोरुधिरयुक्तैश्च च्छिन्नबाहूरुपाणिभिः । निकृत्तोदरपदैश्च तत्रतत्र प्रवेशितैः ॥

medorudhirayuktaiśca cchinnabāhūrupāṇibhiḥ | nikṛttodarapadaiśca tatratatra praveśitaiḥ

and strewn here and there with bodies smeared with fat and blood, with arms, thighs and hands hacked off, and with bellies and feet cut away.

Verse 22 (18.2.22)

स तत्कुणपदुर्गन्धमशिवं रोमहर्षणम् । जगाम राजा धर्मात्मा मध्ये बहु विचिन्तयन् ॥

sa tatkuṇapadurgandhamaśivaṃ romaharṣaṇam | jagāma rājā dharmātmā madhye bahu vicintayan

Through that foul, inauspicious, hair-raising stench of corpses the righteous-souled king went on, pondering deeply as he walked.

Note on the text: Corrected धर्मान्मा → धर्मात्मा (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara; CE dharmātmā).

Verse 23 (18.2.23)

ददर्शोष्णोदकैः पूर्णां नदीं चापि सुदुर्गमाम् । असिपत्रवनं चैव निशितं क्षुरसंवृतम् ॥

dadarśoṣṇodakaiḥ pūrṇāṃ nadīṃ cāpi sudurgamām | asipatravanaṃ caiva niśitaṃ kṣurasaṃvṛtam

He saw a river full of boiling water, very hard to cross, and a forest of sword-leaved trees, sharp and bristling with razors,

Verse 24 (18.2.24)

करम्भवालुकास्तप्ता आयसीश्च शिलाः पृथक् । लोहकुंभीश्च तैलस्य क्वाथ्यमानाः समन्ततः ॥

karambhavālukāstaptā āyasīśca śilāḥ pṛthak | lohakuṃbhīśca tailasya kvāthyamānāḥ samantataḥ

scorching Karambha sands, iron slabs set apart, and iron pots in which oil was boiling on every side,

Note on the text: Corrected आयसीश्चि → आयसीश्च (misprint in Wikisource; a stray vowel sign; CE āyasīś ca).

Verse 25 (18.2.25)

कूटशाल्मलिकं चापि दुःस्पर्शं तीक्ष्णकण्टकम् । ददर्शान्याश्च कौन्तेयो यातनाः पापकर्मिणाम् ॥

kūṭaśālmalikaṃ cāpi duḥsparśaṃ tīkṣṇakaṇṭakam | dadarśānyāśca kaunteyo yātanāḥ pāpakarmiṇām

and the Kutashalmali tree, harsh to touch and thick with sharp thorns. The son of Kunti saw these and other torments of sinners.

Note on the text: Corrected तापि → चापि (misprint in Wikisource; CE cāpi).

Verse 26 (18.2.26)

स तं दुर्गन्धमालक्ष्य देवदूतमुवाच ह । कियदध्वानमस्माभिर्गन्तव्यमिममीदृशम् ॥

sa taṃ durgandhamālakṣya devadūtamuvāca ha | kiyadadhvānamasmābhirgantavyamimamīdṛśam

Noticing the stench, he said to the divine messenger, ‘How far must we go along a road like this?

Verse 27 (18.2.27)

क्व च ते भ्रातरो मह्यं तन्ममाख्यातुमर्हसि । देशोऽयं कश्च देवानामेतदिच्छामि वेदितुम् ॥

kva ca te bhrātaro mahyaṃ tanmamākhyātumarhasi | deśo'yaṃ kaśca devānāmetadicchāmi veditum

And where are my brothers? You should tell me that. And which region of the gods is this? That too I wish to know.’

Verse 28 (18.2.28)

स संनिववृते श्रुत्वा धर्मराजस्य भाषितम् । देवदूतोऽब्रवीच्चैनमेतावद्गमनं तव ॥

sa saṃnivavṛte śrutvā dharmarājasya bhāṣitam | devadūto'bravīccainametāvadgamanaṃ tava

Hearing the words of the king of dharma, the messenger stopped and said to him, ‘This far only is your going.

Note on the text: Corrected ऽब्रवीचैन → ऽब्रवीच्चैन (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped च् of the sandhi).

Verse 29 (18.2.29)

निवर्तितव्यो हि मया तथाऽस्म्युक्तो दिवौकसैः । यदि श्रान्तोसि राजेन्द्र त्वमथागन्तुमर्हसि ॥

nivartitavyo hi mayā tathā'smyukto divaukasaiḥ | yadi śrāntosi rājendra tvamathāgantumarhasi

I must turn back, for so the dwellers in heaven have told me. If you are tired, O king, you may come back with me.’

Note on the text: Corrected तताऽस्म्युक्तो → तथाऽस्म्युक्तो (misprint in Wikisource; tatā is no word here; CE tathāsmy ukto). Corrected राजेन्द्रि → राजेन्द्र (misprint in Wikisource; a stray vowel sign in the vocative; CE rājendra). Speaker supplied from the sense: the whole verse is the messenger's speech (the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 30 (18.2.30)

युधिष्ठिरस्तु निर्विण्णस्तेन गन्धेन मूर्छितः । निवर्तने धृतमनाः पर्यावर्तत भारत ॥

yudhiṣṭhirastu nirviṇṇastena gandhena mūrchitaḥ | nivartane dhṛtamanāḥ paryāvartata bhārata

But Yudhishthira, sick at heart and faint from that stench, made up his mind to return and turned back, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Corrected तेनि गन्धेन → तेन गन्धेन (misprint in Wikisource; a stray vowel sign).

Verse 31 (18.2.31)

स संनिवृत्तो धर्मात्मा दुःखशोकसमाहतः । शुश्राव तत्र वदतां दीना वाचः समन्ततः ॥

sa saṃnivṛtto dharmātmā duḥkhaśokasamāhataḥ | śuśrāva tatra vadatāṃ dīnā vācaḥ samantataḥ

As he turned back, the righteous-souled king, stricken with grief and sorrow, heard on every side the pitiful voices of those who spoke.

Note on the text: Corrected सं संनिवृत्तो → स संनिवृत्तो (misprint in Wikisource; a stray anusvara).

Verse 32 (18.2.32)

भोभो धर्मज राजर्षे पुण्याभिजन पाण्डव । अनुग्रहार्थमस्माकं तिष्ठ तावन्मुहूर्तकम् ॥

bhobho dharmaja rājarṣe puṇyābhijana pāṇḍava | anugrahārthamasmākaṃ tiṣṭha tāvanmuhūrtakam

‘O Dharma's son, royal sage, born of a meritorious line, Pandava! For our sake, stay here a little while.

Note on the text: Corrected पाण्वन → पाण्डव (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped ḍ; CE pāṇḍava). Speaker supplied from the sense: the verse is the unseen sufferers' speech (no heading printed; the input carried Vaishampayana over). Speaker line set to नरकस्था ऊचुः.

Verse 33 (18.2.33)

आयाति त्वयि दुर्धर्षे वाति पुण्यः समीरणः । तव गन्धानुगस्तात येनास्मान्सुखमागमत् ॥

āyāti tvayi durdharṣe vāti puṇyaḥ samīraṇaḥ | tava gandhānugastāta yenāsmānsukhamāgamat

‘As you come, invincible one, a holy breeze blows, bearing your fragrance, dear one; and by it comfort has come to us.

Verse 34 (18.2.34)

ते वयं पार्थ दीर्घस्य कालस्य पुरुषर्षभ । सुखमासादयिष्यामस्त्वां दृष्ट्वा राजसत्तम ॥

te vayaṃ pārtha dīrghasya kālasya puruṣarṣabha | sukhamāsādayiṣyāmastvāṃ dṛṣṭvā rājasattama

‘Son of Pritha, bull among men, after a long time we shall find happiness, seeing you, best of kings.

Verse 35 (18.2.35)

संतिष्ठस्व महाबाहो मुहूर्तमिह भारत । त्वयि तिष्ठति कौरव्य यातनाऽस्मान्न बाधते ॥

saṃtiṣṭhasva mahābāho muhūrtamiha bhārata | tvayi tiṣṭhati kauravya yātanā'smānna bādhate

‘Stay a moment here, mighty-armed Bharata. While you stand here, scion of Kuru, the torment does not afflict us.’

Verse 36 (18.2.36)

एवं बहुविधा वाचः कृपणा वेदनावताम् । तस्मिन्देशे स शुश्राव समन्ताद्वदतां नृप ॥

evaṃ bahuvidhā vācaḥ kṛpaṇā vedanāvatām | tasmindeśe sa śuśrāva samantādvadatāṃ nṛpa

Many such wretched cries of those in agony he heard in that region, from all around him, O king.

Verse 37 (18.2.37)

तेषां तु वचनं श्रुत्वा दयावान्दीनभाषिणाम् । अहो कृच्छ्रमिति प्राह तस्थौ स च युधिष्ठिरः ॥

teṣāṃ tu vacanaṃ śrutvā dayāvāndīnabhāṣiṇām | aho kṛcchramiti prāha tasthau sa ca yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

Hearing the words of those pitiful speakers, the compassionate Yudhishthira said, ‘Alas, how cruel!’ and stood still.

Verse 38 (18.2.38)

स ता गिरः पुरस्ताद्वै श्रुतपूर्वाः पुनःपुनः । ग्लानानां दुःखितानां च नाभ्यजानत पाण्डवः ॥

sa tā giraḥ purastādvai śrutapūrvāḥ punaḥpunaḥ | glānānāṃ duḥkhitānāṃ ca nābhyajānata pāṇḍavaḥ

Again and again he heard those voices of the weary and suffering, which he had heard before, yet the Pandava could not recognise them.

Verse 39 (18.2.39)

अबुध्यमानस्ता वाचो धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । उवाच के भवन्तो वै किमर्थमिह तिष्ठथ ॥

abudhyamānastā vāco dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | uvāca ke bhavanto vai kimarthamiha tiṣṭhatha

Not recognising the voices, Yudhishthira, son of Dharma, asked, ‘Who are you, and why do you stay here?’

Verse 40 (18.2.40)

इत्युक्तास्ते ततः सर्वे समन्तादवभाषिरे । कर्णोऽहं भीमसेनोऽहमर्जुनोऽहमिति प्रभो ॥

ityuktāste tataḥ sarve samantādavabhāṣire | karṇo'haṃ bhīmaseno'hamarjuno'hamiti prabho

Thus addressed, they all answered from every side: ‘I am Karna! I am Bhimasena! I am Arjuna!’ O lord.

Verse 41 (18.2.41)

नकुलः सहदेवोऽहं धृष्टद्युम्नोऽहमित्युत । द्रौपदी द्रौपदेयाश्च इत्येवं ते विचुक्रुशुः ॥

nakulaḥ sahadevo'haṃ dhṛṣṭadyumno'hamityuta | draupadī draupadeyāśca ityevaṃ te vicukruśuḥ

‘I am Nakula! I am Sahadeva! I am Dhrishtadyumna!’ — ‘We are Draupadi and the sons of Draupadi!’ So they cried out.

Note on the text: Corrected द्रौप्दी → द्रौपदी (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara; CE draupadī). Corrected द्रौपदेयाश्चि → द्रौपदेयाश्च (misprint in Wikisource; a stray vowel sign; CE draupadeyāś ca).

Verse 42 (18.2.42)

ता वाचः स तदा श्रुत्वा तद्देशसदृशीर्नृप । ततो विममृशे राजा किंत्विदं दैवकारितम् ॥

tā vācaḥ sa tadā śrutvā taddeśasadṛśīrnṛpa | tato vimamṛśe rājā kiṃtvidaṃ daivakāritam

Hearing those voices, so fitting to that place, O king, the king then reflected: ‘What is this that fate has brought about?

Verse 43 (18.2.43)

किन्तु तत्कलुषं कर्म कृतमेभिर्महात्मभिः । कर्णेन द्रौपदेयैर्वा पाञ्चाल्या वा सुमध्यया ॥

kintu tatkaluṣaṃ karma kṛtamebhirmahātmabhiḥ | karṇena draupadeyairvā pāñcālyā vā sumadhyayā

What foul deed was done by these great-souled ones — by Karna, by the sons of Draupadi, or by the slender-waisted Panchali —

Verse 44 (18.2.44)

य इमे पापगन्धेऽस्मिन्देशे सन्ति सुदारुणे । नाहं जानामि सर्वेषां दुष्कृतं पुण्यकर्मणाम् ॥

ya ime pāpagandhe'smindeśe santi sudāruṇe | nāhaṃ jānāmi sarveṣāṃ duṣkṛtaṃ puṇyakarmaṇām

that they are in this dreadful place, reeking of sin? I know of no wrong done by any of these, who were men of good deeds.

Verse 45 (18.2.45)

किं कृत्वा धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रो राजा सुयोधनः । तथा श्रिया युतः पापैः सह सर्वैः पदानुगैः ॥

kiṃ kṛtvā dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putro rājā suyodhanaḥ | tathā śriyā yutaḥ pāpaiḥ saha sarvaiḥ padānugaiḥ

What did Suyodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, do — that sinner, so rich in splendour, with all his wicked followers —

Note on the text: Corrected सहसर्वैः → सह सर्वैः (misprint in Wikisource; two words run together).

Verse 46 (18.2.46)

महेन्द्र इव लक्ष्मीवानास्ते परमपूजितः । कस्येदानीं विकारोऽयं य इमे नरकं गताः ॥

mahendra iva lakṣmīvānāste paramapūjitaḥ | kasyedānīṃ vikāro'yaṃ ya ime narakaṃ gatāḥ

that he sits like great Indra in his glory, most highly honoured? Whose perversity is this now, that these have gone to hell?

Note on the text: Corrected महेन्द्रि → महेन्द्र (misprint in Wikisource; a stray vowel sign; CE mahendra).

Verse 47 (18.2.47)

सर्वे धर्मविदः शूराः सत्यागमपरायणाः । क्षत्रधर्मरताः सन्तो यज्वानो भूरिदक्षिणाः ॥

sarve dharmavidaḥ śūrāḥ satyāgamaparāyaṇāḥ | kṣatradharmaratāḥ santo yajvāno bhūridakṣiṇāḥ

All of them knew dharma, were brave, devoted to truth and the scriptures, took delight in the duties of warriors, were good men, and offered sacrifices with rich gifts.

Verse 48 (18.2.48)

किंनु सुप्तोस्मि जागर्मि चेतयामि न चेतये । अहो चित्तविकारोऽयं स्याद्वा मे चित्तविभ्रमः ॥

kiṃnu suptosmi jāgarmi cetayāmi na cetaye | aho cittavikāro'yaṃ syādvā me cittavibhramaḥ

Am I asleep or awake? Am I conscious, or not conscious? Alas, is this a disorder of my mind, or a delusion of my thought?’

Verse 49 (18.2.49)

एवं बहुविधं राजा विममर्श युधिष्ठिरः । दुःखशोकसमाविष्टश्चिन्ताव्याकुलितेन्द्रियः ॥

evaṃ bahuvidhaṃ rājā vimamarśa yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | duḥkhaśokasamāviṣṭaścintāvyākulitendriyaḥ

So the king Yudhishthira pondered in many ways, overcome by grief and sorrow, his senses unsettled by anxiety.

Verse 50 (18.2.50)

क्रोधमाहारयच्चैव तीव्रं धर्मसुतो नृपः । देवांश्च गर्हयामास धर्मं चैव युधिष्ठिरः ॥

krodhamāhārayaccaiva tīvraṃ dharmasuto nṛpaḥ | devāṃśca garhayāmāsa dharmaṃ caiva yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

And the king, Dharma's son, gave way to fierce anger, and Yudhishthira reproached the gods and Dharma himself.

Verse 51 (18.2.51)

स तीव्रशोकसंतप्तो देवदूतमुवाच ह । गम्यतां तत्र येषां त्वं दूतस्तेषामुपान्तिकम् ॥

sa tīvraśokasaṃtapto devadūtamuvāca ha | gamyatāṃ tatra yeṣāṃ tvaṃ dūtasteṣāmupāntikam

Scorched by fierce grief, he said to the divine messenger, ‘Go back to those whose messenger you are.

Verse 52 (18.2.52)

न ह्यहं तत्र यास्यामि स्थितोस्मीति निवेद्यताम् । मत्संश्रयादिमे दूनाः सुखिनो भ्रातरो हि मे ॥

na hyahaṃ tatra yāsyāmi sthitosmīti nivedyatām | matsaṃśrayādime dūnāḥ sukhino bhrātaro hi me

I will not go there; tell them that I am staying here. My brothers, though in pain, are comforted by my nearness.’

Note on the text: Speaker supplied from the sense: the whole verse is Yudhishthira's speech (the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 53 (18.2.53)

इत्युक्तः स तदा दूतः पाण्डुपुत्रेण धीमता । जगाम तत्र यत्रास्ते देवराजः शतक्रतुः ॥

ityuktaḥ sa tadā dūtaḥ pāṇḍuputreṇa dhīmatā | jagāma tatra yatrāste devarājaḥ śatakratuḥ

Thus addressed by the wise son of Pandu, the messenger went to where Indra, the king of the gods, who performed a hundred sacrifices, was,

Note on the text: Corrected जगामि → जगाम (misprint in Wikisource; a stray vowel sign; CE jagāma). Corrected शतक्रतुःठ → शतक्रतुः (misprint in Wikisource; a stray letter after the visarga; CE śatakratuḥ).

Verse 54 (18.2.54)

निवेदयामास च तद्धर्मराजचिकीर्षितम् । यथोक्तं धर्मपुत्रेण सर्वमेव जनाधिप ॥

nivedayāmāsa ca taddharmarājacikīrṣitam | yathoktaṃ dharmaputreṇa sarvameva janādhipa

and reported to him, exactly as Dharma's son had spoken, all that the king of dharma wished to do, O lord of men.