Yudhishthira Asks for Indraprastha

Verse 1 (5.26.1)

कां नु वाचं सञ्जय मे शृणोषि । युद्धैषिणीं येन युद्धाद्बिभेषि । अयुद्धं वै तात युद्धाद्गरीयः । कस्तल्लब्ध्वा जातु युद्ध्येत सूत ॥

kāṃ nu vācaṃ sañjaya me śṛṇoṣi | yuddhaiṣiṇīṃ yena yuddhādbibheṣi | ayuddhaṃ vai tāta yuddhādgarīyaḥ | kastallabdhvā jātu yuddhyeta sūta

What words of mine have you heard, Sanjaya, that sound eager for war, that you should fear war? Not fighting, my friend, is weightier than fighting. Who, O Suta, having that, would ever go to war?

Verse 2 (5.26.2)

अकुर्वतश्चेत्पुरुषस्य सञ्जय । सिद्ध्येत्सङ्कल्पो मनसा यं यमिच्छेत् । न कर्म कुर्याद्विदितं ममैत- । दन्यत्र युद्धाद्बहु यल्लघीयः ॥

akurvataścetpuruṣasya sañjaya | siddhyetsaṅkalpo manasā yaṃ yamicchet | na karma kuryādviditaṃ mamaita- | danyatra yuddhādbahu yallaghīyaḥ

If a man could achieve, without acting, whatever purpose he set his mind on, Sanjaya, he would do no deed at all — this I know well. And any lesser course, short of war, is worth a great deal.

Verse 3 (5.26.3)

कुतो युद्धं जातु नरोऽवगच्छे- । त्को देवशप्तो हि वृणीत युद्धम् । सुखैषिणः कर्म कुर्वन्ति पार्था । धर्मादहीनं यच्च लोकस्य पथ्यम् ॥

kuto yuddhaṃ jātu naro'vagacche- | tko devaśapto hi vṛṇīta yuddham | sukhaiṣiṇaḥ karma kurvanti pārthā | dharmādahīnaṃ yacca lokasya pathyam

How could a man ever resort to war? Who, unless cursed by the gods, would choose war? The sons of Pritha, seeking happiness, do what does not stray from dharma and what is good for the world.

Verse 4 (5.26.4)

धर्मोदयं सुखमाशंसमानाः । कृच्छ्रोपायं तत्त्वतः कर्म दुःखम् । सुखं प्रेप्सुर्विजिघांसुश्च दुःखं । कर्मारभेद्यच्च धर्मानपेतम् ॥

dharmodayaṃ sukhamāśaṃsamānāḥ | kṛcchropāyaṃ tattvataḥ karma duḥkham | sukhaṃ prepsurvijighāṃsuśca duḥkhaṃ | karmārabhedyacca dharmānapetam

Hoping for the happiness that springs from dharma, and knowing that action, whose means are hard, is in truth painful, a man who seeks happiness and wishes to destroy sorrow should undertake only such action as does not stray from dharma.

Note on the text: Corresponds to the first three lines (a–c) of 5.26.4, a six-line verse in the critical edition, with recension variants (धर्मोदयं for karmodayaṃ, the plural आशंसमानाः, सुखं प्रेप्सुः). The fourth line is not in the critical edition's constituted text (vulgate): it is star passage *0135, printed after 5.26.4c.

Verse 5 (5.26.5)

क इन्द्रियाणां प्रीतिवशानुगानां । कर्माभिज्ञः स्वशरीरं दुनोति । यया प्रमुक्तो न करोति दुःखं । तृष्णां त्यजेत्सर्वधर्मादपेताम् ॥

ka indriyāṇāṃ prītivaśānugānāṃ | karmābhijñaḥ svaśarīraṃ dunoti | yayā pramukto na karoti duḥkhaṃ | tṛṣṇāṃ tyajetsarvadharmādapetām

Who that understands action would torment his own body for the sake of the senses, which follow the pull of pleasure? One should give up craving, which is cut off from all dharma; freed from it, a man brings about no sorrow.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रीतिवशानुरानां → प्रीतिवशानुगानां (misprint in Wikisource; र for ग; the critical edition reads prītivaśānugāmī). The first three lines correspond, with recension variants (कर्माभिज्ञः for kāmābhidhyā, यया प्रमुक्तो न करोति for yayā prayukto 'nukaroti), to lines d–f of 5.26.4; the fourth line is not in the critical edition's constituted text (vulgate): it is star passage *0136, printed after 5.26.4f.

Verse 6 (5.26.6)

यथेध्यमानस्य समिद्धतेजसो । भूयो बलं वर्धते पावकस्य । कामार्थलाभेन तथैव भूयो । न तृप्यते सर्पिषेवाग्निरिद्धः । संपश्येमं भोगचयं महान्तं । सहास्माभिर्धृतराष्ट्रस्य राज्ञः ॥

yathedhyamānasya samiddhatejaso | bhūyo balaṃ vardhate pāvakasya | kāmārthalābhena tathaiva bhūyo | na tṛpyate sarpiṣevāgniriddhaḥ | saṃpaśyemaṃ bhogacayaṃ mahāntaṃ | sahāsmābhirdhṛtarāṣṭrasya rājñaḥ

As the strength of a fire, its flame well kindled, grows ever greater as fuel is fed to it, so a man is never sated by gaining what he desires, just as a blazing fire is not sated by ghee. Look at this great heap of enjoyments that King Dhritarashtra holds, our share included.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (5.26.5, lines a–e): Wikisource prints only the last line, सहास्माभिर्धृतराष्ट्रस्य राज्ञः, numbered "5-26-6f" after a run of blank rows, showing that the first five lines of a six-line verse were lost. The commentary on verse 6 (संपश्येति … भोगं महान्तं पश्य) confirms the missing text. The last line is Wikisource's own and matches 5.26.5f.

Verse 7 (5.26.7)

नाश्रेयसामीश्वरो विग्रहाणां । नाश्रेयसां गीतशब्दं शृणोति । नाश्रेयसः सेवते माल्यगन्धा- । न्न चाप्यश्रेयांस्यनुलेपनानि । नाश्रेयसः प्रावरानध्यवस्ते । कथं त्वस्मान्संप्रणुदेत्कुरुभ्यः ॥

nāśreyasāmīśvaro vigrahāṇāṃ | nāśreyasāṃ gītaśabdaṃ śṛṇoti | nāśreyasaḥ sevate mālyagandhā- | nna cāpyaśreyāṃsyanulepanāni | nāśreyasaḥ prāvarānadhyavaste | kathaṃ tvasmānsaṃpraṇudetkurubhyaḥ

No man of lesser merit is master in conflict; no man of lesser merit hears the sound of song; no man of lesser merit enjoys garlands and perfumes, nor fine unguents; no man of lesser merit wears rich cloaks. Otherwise, how could he have driven us out from among the Kurus?

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (5.26.6 and 5.26.7ab, lines a–e here): Wikisource prints only the last line, कथं त्वस्मान्संप्रणुदेत्कुरुभ्यः, numbered "5-26-7f" after a run of blank rows, showing that the first five lines of a six-line verse were lost. The commentary on verse 7 (नाश्रेयानिति … विग्रहाणामीश्वरो … प्रावारान् … कथं संप्रणुदेत्) confirms the missing text. The last line is Wikisource's own and matches 5.26.7b.

Verse 8 (5.26.8)

अत्रैव स्यादबुधस्यैव कामः । प्रायः शरीरे हृदयं दुनोति ॥

atraiva syādabudhasyaiva kāmaḥ | prāyaḥ śarīre hṛdayaṃ dunoti

Even so, desire of this kind belongs only to the unwise; for the most part it torments the heart within the body.

Note on the text: Corrected स्यादवुधस्यैव → स्यादबुधस्यैव (misprint in Wikisource; व for ब; the commentary reads अबुधस्य दुर्योधनादेरेव). The couplet corresponds, as a recension variant, to 5.26.7cd (atraiva ca syād avadhūya eṣa / kāmaḥ śarīre hṛdayaṃ dunoti).

Verse 9 (5.26.9)

स्वयं राजा विषमस्थः परेषु । सामर्थ्यमन्विच्छति तन्न साधु । यथाऽऽत्मनः पश्यति वृत्तमेव । तथा परेषामपि सोऽभ्युपैति ॥

svayaṃ rājā viṣamasthaḥ pareṣu | sāmarthyamanvicchati tanna sādhu | yathā''tmanaḥ paśyati vṛttameva | tathā pareṣāmapi so'bhyupaiti

The king, himself on perilous ground, looks to others for strength, and that is not wise. As he sees his own conduct, so he judges the conduct of others too.

Note on the text: Corrected परेतामपि → परेषामपि (misprint in Wikisource; त for ष; the critical edition reads pareṣām api and the commentary परेषां कर्णादीनामपि).

Verse 10 (5.26.10)

आसन्नमग्निं तु निदाघकाले । गम्भीरकक्षे गहने विसृज्य । यथा विवृद्धं वायुवशेन शोचे- । त्क्षेमं मुमुक्षुः शिशिरव्यपाये ॥

āsannamagniṃ tu nidāghakāle | gambhīrakakṣe gahane visṛjya | yathā vivṛddhaṃ vāyuvaśena śoce- | tkṣemaṃ mumukṣuḥ śiśiravyapāye

Like a man who, when winter is over and the hot season has come, lets a fire loose close at hand in a dense thicket of deep grass, and then, when the wind has made it grow great, laments and longs to escape to safety —

Verse 11 (5.26.11)

प्राप्तैश्वर्यो धृतराष्ट्रोऽद्य राजा । लालप्यते सञ्जय कस्य हेतोः । प्रगृह्य दुर्बुद्धिमनार्जवे रतं । पुत्रं मन्दं मूढममन्त्रिणं तु ॥

prāptaiśvaryo dhṛtarāṣṭro'dya rājā | lālapyate sañjaya kasya hetoḥ | pragṛhya durbuddhimanārjave rataṃ | putraṃ mandaṃ mūḍhamamantriṇaṃ tu

— so why, Sanjaya, does King Dhritarashtra, who has gained sovereignty, now lament, when he has taken to his side his son, wicked-minded, fond of crooked ways, ill-fated, foolish and deaf to counsel?

Verse 12 (5.26.12)

अनाप्तवच्चाप्ततमस्य वाचः । सुयोधनो विदुरस्यावमत्य । सुतस्य राजा धृतराष्ट्रः प्रियैषी । संबुध्यमानो विशतेऽधर्ममेव ॥

anāptavaccāptatamasya vācaḥ | suyodhano vidurasyāvamatya | sutasya rājā dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ priyaiṣī | saṃbudhyamāno viśate'dharmameva

Suyodhana scorns the words of Vidura, the most trustworthy of men, as though they came from someone unreliable; and King Dhritarashtra, eager to please his son, knowingly walks into adharma.

Verse 13 (5.26.13)

मेधाविनं ह्यर्थकामं कुरूणां । बहुश्रुतं वाग्मिनं शीलवन्तम् । स तं राजा धृतराष्ट्रः कुरुभ्यो । न सस्मार विदुरं पुत्रकाम्यात् ॥

medhāvinaṃ hyarthakāmaṃ kurūṇāṃ | bahuśrutaṃ vāgminaṃ śīlavantam | sa taṃ rājā dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ kurubhyo | na sasmāra viduraṃ putrakāmyāt

Vidura is wise, devoted to the good of the Kurus, deeply learned, eloquent and of fine character; yet King Dhritarashtra, out of love for his son, paid him no heed for the Kurus' sake.

Verse 14 (5.26.14)

मानघ्नस्यासौ मानकामस्य चेर्षोः । संरम्भिणश्चार्थधर्मातिगस्य । दुर्भाषिणो मन्युवशानुगस्य । कामात्मनो दौर्हृदैर्भावितस्य ॥

mānaghnasyāsau mānakāmasya cerṣoḥ | saṃrambhiṇaścārthadharmātigasya | durbhāṣiṇo manyuvaśānugasya | kāmātmano daurhṛdairbhāvitasya

For a son who destroys the honour of others yet craves honour for himself, who is envious and wrathful, who oversteps both wealth and dharma, who is foul-mouthed and ruled by anger, given over to desire and nurtured by wickedness,

Verse 15 (5.26.15)

अनेयस्याश्रेयसो दीर्घमन्यो- । र्मित्रद्रुहः सञ्जय पापबुद्धेः । सुतस्य राजा धृतराष्ट्रः प्रियैषी । प्रपश्यमानः प्राजहाद्धर्मकामौ ॥

aneyasyāśreyaso dīrghamanyo- | rmitradruhaḥ sañjaya pāpabuddheḥ | sutasya rājā dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ priyaiṣī | prapaśyamānaḥ prājahāddharmakāmau

unteachable, ill-starred, nursing long grudges, treacherous to friends and evil-minded, Sanjaya — to please such a son King Dhritarashtra, though he sees it all, has cast away both dharma and true pleasure.

Verse 16 (5.26.16)

तदैव मे सञ्जय दीव्यतोऽभू- । न्मतिः कुरूणामागतः स्यादभावः । काव्यां वाचं विदुरो भाषमाणो । न विन्दते यद्धार्तराष्ट्रात्प्रशंसाम् ॥

tadaiva me sañjaya dīvyato'bhū- | nmatiḥ kurūṇāmāgataḥ syādabhāvaḥ | kāvyāṃ vācaṃ viduro bhāṣamāṇo | na vindate yaddhārtarāṣṭrātpraśaṃsām

Even as I was playing at dice, Sanjaya, the thought came to me that ruin had come upon the Kurus, for Vidura, speaking words of wisdom, won no approval from Dhritarashtra's son.

Verse 17 (5.26.17)

क्षत्तुर्यदा नान्ववर्तन्त बुद्धिं । कृच्छ्रं कुरून्सूत तदाऽभ्याजगाम । यावत्प्रज्ञामन्ववर्तन्त तस्य । तावत्तेषां राष्ट्रवृद्धिर्बभूव ॥

kṣatturyadā nānvavartanta buddhiṃ | kṛcchraṃ kurūnsūta tadā'bhyājagāma | yāvatprajñāmanvavartanta tasya | tāvatteṣāṃ rāṣṭravṛddhirbabhūva

When they ceased to follow the counsel of the steward Vidura, O Suta, hardship came upon the Kurus; as long as they followed his wisdom, their kingdom prospered.

Verse 18 (5.26.18)

तदर्थलुब्धस्य निबोध मेऽद्य । ये मन्त्रिणो धार्तराष्ट्रस्य सूत । दुःशासनः शकुनिः सूतपुत्रो । गावल्गणे पश्य संमोहमस्य ॥

tadarthalubdhasya nibodha me'dya | ye mantriṇo dhārtarāṣṭrasya sūta | duḥśāsanaḥ śakuniḥ sūtaputro | gāvalgaṇe paśya saṃmohamasya

Hear from me now, O Suta, who the counsellors of Dhritarashtra's greedy son are: Duhshasana, Shakuni and the charioteer's son. See, son of Gavalgana, how deluded he is!

Verse 19 (5.26.19)

सोऽहं न पश्यामि परीक्षमाणः । कथं स्वस्ति स्यात्कुरुसृञ्जयानाम् । आत्तैश्वर्यो धृतराष्ट्रः परेभ्यः । प्रव्राजिते विदुरे दीर्घदृष्टौ ॥

so'haṃ na paśyāmi parīkṣamāṇaḥ | kathaṃ svasti syātkurusṛñjayānām | āttaiśvaryo dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ parebhyaḥ | pravrājite vidure dīrghadṛṣṭau

Look as I may, I cannot see how there can be well-being for the Kurus and the Srinjayas, now that Dhritarashtra has seized sovereignty from others and the far-sighted Vidura has been sent away.

Verse 20 (5.26.20)

आशंसते वै धृतराष्ट्रः सपुत्रो । महाराज्यमसपत्नं पृथिव्याम् । तस्मिञ्शमः केवलं नोपलभ्यः । सर्वं स्वकं मद्गते मन्यतेऽर्थम् ॥

āśaṃsate vai dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ saputro | mahārājyamasapatnaṃ pṛthivyām | tasmiñśamaḥ kevalaṃ nopalabhyaḥ | sarvaṃ svakaṃ madgate manyate'rtham

Dhritarashtra and his sons hope for a great kingdom on earth without a rival. In him no peace is to be found at all; with me gone, he counts all wealth as his own.

Verse 21 (5.26.21)

यत्तत्कर्णो मन्यते पारणीयं । युद्धे गृहीतायुधमर्जुनं वै । आसंश्च युद्धानि पुरा महान्ति । कथं कर्णो नाभवद्द्वीप एषाम् ॥

yattatkarṇo manyate pāraṇīyaṃ | yuddhe gṛhītāyudhamarjunaṃ vai | āsaṃśca yuddhāni purā mahānti | kathaṃ karṇo nābhavaddvīpa eṣām

As for Karna's belief that Arjuna, weapon in hand, can be overcome in battle — there were great battles before; why was Karna no refuge for them then?

Verse 22 (5.26.22)

कर्णश्च जानाति सुयोधनश्च । द्रोणश्च जानाति पितामहश्च । अन्ये च ये कुरवस्तत्र सन्ति । यथाऽर्जुनान्नास्त्यपरो धनुर्धरः ॥

karṇaśca jānāti suyodhanaśca | droṇaśca jānāti pitāmahaśca | anye ca ye kuravastatra santi | yathā'rjunānnāstyaparo dhanurdharaḥ

Karna knows it and Suyodhana knows it, Drona knows it and the grandsire knows it, and the other Kurus there know it too: there is no other bowman like Arjuna.

Note on the text: Corrected कुग्वस्तत्र → कुरवस्तत्र and नाम्त्यपरो → नास्त्यपरो (misprints in Wikisource; broken aksharas; the critical edition reads kuravas tatra and nāsty aparo).

Verse 23 (5.26.23)

जानन्त्येतत्कुरवः सर्व एव । ये चाप्यन्ये भूमिपालाः समेताः । दुर्योधने राज्यमिहाभवद्यथा । अरिन्दमे फाल्गुनेऽविद्यमाने ॥

jānantyetatkuravaḥ sarva eva | ye cāpyanye bhūmipālāḥ sametāḥ | duryodhane rājyamihābhavadyathā | arindame phālgune'vidyamāne

All the Kurus know this, and so do the other kings gathered there: the kingdom came to Duryodhana here only while Arjuna, the tamer of foes, was away.

Note on the text: Corrected जानन्त्येतन्कुरवः → जानन्त्येतत्कुरवः (misprint in Wikisource; final त् does not become न् before क). The third line differs from the critical edition (5.26.22c, duryodhanaṃ cāparādhe carantam) — a recension variant, kept.

Verse 24 (5.26.24)

तेनानुबन्धं मन्यते धार्तराष्ट्रः । शक्यं हर्तुं पाण्डवानां ममत्वम् । किरीटिना तालमात्रायुधेन । तद्वेदिना संयुगं तत्र गत्वा ॥

tenānubandhaṃ manyate dhārtarāṣṭraḥ | śakyaṃ hartuṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ mamatvam | kirīṭinā tālamātrāyudhena | tadvedinā saṃyugaṃ tatra gatvā

That is why Dhritarashtra's son believes he can wrest from the Pandavas what is theirs, with all that goes with it, by meeting in battle there Kiritin, master of the bow, whose bow is a full tala in length.

Verse 25 (5.26.25)

गाण्डीवविष्फारितशब्दमात्रं । श्रुत्वैव ते धार्तराष्ट्रा म्रियन्ते । क्रुद्धं न चेदीक्षते भीमसेनं । सुयोधनो मन्यते सिद्धमर्थम् ॥

gāṇḍīvaviṣphāritaśabdamātraṃ | śrutvaiva te dhārtarāṣṭrā mriyante | kruddhaṃ na cedīkṣate bhīmasenaṃ | suyodhano manyate siddhamartham

At the mere sound of the drawn Gandiva the sons of Dhritarashtra will perish; only so long as he does not see Bhimasena in wrath does Suyodhana think his purpose won.

Verse 26 (5.26.26)

इन्द्रोऽप्येतन्नोत्सहेत्तात हर्तु- । मैश्वर्यं नो जीवति भीमसेने । धनञ्जये नकुले चैव सूत । तथा वीरे सहदेवेऽसहिष्णौ ॥

indro'pyetannotsahettāta hartu- | maiśvaryaṃ no jīvati bhīmasene | dhanañjaye nakule caiva sūta | tathā vīre sahadeve'sahiṣṇau

Not even Indra, my friend, could take our sovereignty from us while Bhimasena lives, and Dhananjaya and Nakula, O Suta, and the heroic Sahadeva, who brooks no wrong.

Verse 27 (5.26.27)

सचेदेतां प्रतिपद्येत बुद्धिं । वृद्धो राजा सह पुत्रेण सूत । एवं रणे पाण्डवकोपदग्धा । न नश्येयुः सञ्जय धार्तराष्ट्राः ॥

sacedetāṃ pratipadyeta buddhiṃ | vṛddho rājā saha putreṇa sūta | evaṃ raṇe pāṇḍavakopadagdhā | na naśyeyuḥ sañjaya dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ

If the old king, with his son, would come to this understanding, O Suta, then the sons of Dhritarashtra would not perish in battle, Sanjaya, burned up by the Pandavas' wrath.

Verse 28 (5.26.28)

जानामि त्वं क्लेशमस्मासु वृत्तं । त्वां पूजयन्सञ्जयाहं क्षमेयम् । यच्चास्माकं कौरवैर्भूतपूर्वं । या नो वृत्तिर्धार्तराष्ट्रे तदाऽऽसीत् ॥

jānāmi tvaṃ kleśamasmāsu vṛttaṃ | tvāṃ pūjayansañjayāhaṃ kṣameyam | yaccāsmākaṃ kauravairbhūtapūrvaṃ | yā no vṛttirdhārtarāṣṭre tadā''sīt

I know, as you know, the suffering that befell us; yet out of regard for you, Sanjaya, I could forgive it — what the Kauravas did to us in the past. And the footing we had with Dhritarashtra's son at that time —

Note on the text: Corrected पूजयन्मञ्जयाहं → पूजयन्सञ्जयाहं, वच्चास्माकं → यच्चास्माकं, भृतपूर्वं → भूतपूर्वं and वृत्तिधार्तराष्ट्रे → वृत्तिर्धार्तराष्ट्रे (misprints in Wikisource; wrong or dropped aksharas; the critical edition reads saṃjayāhaṃ, yac cāsmākaṃ, bhūtapūrvaṃ, vṛttir dhārtarāṣṭre, and the commentary भूतपूर्वं).

Verse 29 (5.26.29)

अद्यापि सा तत्र तथैव वर्ततां । शान्तिं गमिष्यामि यथा त्वमात्थ । इन्द्रप्रस्थे भवतु ममैव राज्यं । सुयोधनो यच्छतु भारताग्र्यः ॥

adyāpi sā tatra tathaiva vartatāṃ | śāntiṃ gamiṣyāmi yathā tvamāttha | indraprasthe bhavatu mamaiva rājyaṃ | suyodhano yacchatu bhāratāgryaḥ

— let it stand there even now just as it was. I will make peace, as you urge. Let Indraprastha be my kingdom; let Suyodhana, foremost of the Bharatas, give it back.

Note on the text: This verse is badly garbled in Wikisource. Corrected यान्ति → शान्तिं, न्वमात्थ → त्वमात्थ, द्वन्द्राप्रव्ये → इन्द्रप्रस्थे, सूयोधनो → सुयोधनो and भाग्नाग्र्यः → भारताग्र्यः (misprints in Wikisource; the critical edition reads śāntiṃ, tvam āttha, indraprasthe, suyodhano, bhāratāgryaḥ). The opening अद्यापि सा (critical edition: tat) is a recension variant, kept.