DYUTA PARVA: Chapter 62

Words of Vidura

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं प्रवतिते द्यूते घोरे सर्वापहारिणि। सर्वसंशयनिर्मोक्ता विदुरो वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said During the course of this fearful gambling, which was certain to bring about utter twin, that dispeller of all doubts, Vidura, thus spoke (to Dhritarashtra).

विदुर उवाच महाराज विजानीहि यत् त्वां वक्ष्यामि भारत। मुमूर्षोरौषधमिव न रोचेतापि ते श्रुतम्॥
Vidura Said O great, O descendant of Bharata, attend to what I say, although it may not be agreeable to you like medicine to one who is at the point of death.

यद् वै पुरा जातमात्रो रुराव गोमायुवद् विस्वरं पापचेताः दुर्योधनो भरतानां कुलनः सोऽयं युक्तो भरथां कालहेतुः॥
When this sinful wretch Duryodhana, this destroyer of the Bharata race, cried like jackal immediately after his, it was well-known that he had been ordained to bring about the destruction of you all.

गृहे वसन्तं गोमायुं त्वं वै मोहान्न बुध्यसे। दुर्योधनस्य रूपेण शृणु काव्यां गिरं मम॥
A jackal is in your house in the form of Duryodhana. You do not know this out of folly. Listen to what Kavya (Shukra) said.

मधु वै माध्विको लब्ध्वा प्रपातं नैव बुध्यते। आरुह्य तं मज्जति वा पतनं चाधिगच्छति॥
Those that collect honey, having received what they seek, do not (at all) mark that they are about to fall (down from the tree). Ascending dangerous heights and being deeply engaged in what they seek, they fall down and perish.

सोऽयं मत्तोऽक्षयूतेन मधुवन्न परीक्षते। प्रपातं बुध्यते नैव वैरं कृत्वा महारथैः॥
He (Duryodhana) too maddened with the gambling, is absent-indeed (in the pursuit of the play) like the collector of honey. he dose not mark its (future) consequences. Creating hostilities with these great car-warriors, he dose not see the fall (which is before him).

विदितं मे महाप्राज्ञ भोजेष्वेवासमञ्जसम्। पुत्रं संत्यक्तवान् पूर्वं पौराणां हितकाम्यया॥
O greatly wise one, it is known to you, that amongst the Bhojas, (there is a custom) of abandoning a son who is unworthy of there race, for (the sake of the general) good of the people.

अन्धका यादवा भोजाः समेताः कंसमत्यजन्। नियोगात् तु हते तस्मिन् कृष्णेनामित्रघातिना॥
The Andhakas, the Yadavas the Bhojas, uniting together, abandoned Kansa. At the request (of the whole tribe) Kansa was kill by that slayer of foes, Krishna.

एवं ते ज्ञातयः सर्वे मोदमानाः शतं समाः। त्वन्नियुक्तः सव्यसाची निगृह्णातु सुयोधनम्॥
Knowing this all became exceedingly happy for one hundred years. Let Savyasachi (Arjuna) kill Suyodhana (Duryodhana) at your command.

निग्रहादस्य पापस्य मोदन्तां कुरवः सुखम्। काकेनेमांश्चित्रबर्हान् शार्दूलान् क्रोष्टकेन च। क्रीणीष्व पाण्डवान् राजन् मा मज्जी: शोकसागरे॥१०
Let the Kurus be glad and pass their time in happiness by the death of this wrench. O king, purchase these peacocks (Pandavas) at the exchange of this crow (Duryodhana); and buy these tiger, the Pandavas, at the exchange of this jackal (Duryodhana). Do not sink into the ocean of grief.

त्यजेत् कुलार्थे पुरुषं ग्रामस्यार्थे कुलं त्यजेत्। ग्रामं जनपदस्यार्थे आत्मार्थे पृथिवीं त्यजेत्॥
For the sake of a family a member (of that family) may be sacrificed; for the sake of a village, a family may be scarified; for the sake of a town, village may be sacrificed; and for the sake of one's own soul, the earth may be sacrificed.

सर्वज्ञः सर्वभावज्ञः सर्वशत्रुभयंकरः। इति स्म भाषते काव्यो जम्भत्यागे महासुरान्॥
The omniscient, the knower of all creatures' thoughts, the terror to all foes, Kavya, thus spoke to the great Asuras (to induce them) to abandon Jambha (Asura).

हिरण्यष्ठीविनः कांश्चित् पक्षिणो वनगोचरान्। गृहे किल कृतावासान् लोभाद् राजा न्यपीडयत्। स चोपभोगलोभान्धो हिरण्यार्थी परंतप॥ आयतिं च तदात्वं च उभे सद्यो व्यनाशयत्। तदर्थकामस्तद्वत् त्वं मा दुहः पाण्डवान् नृप॥
It is said that a (certain) king, having (first) made some wild birds which used to vomit gold to take up their quarters in his own house, killed them afterwards from temptation. O chastiser of foes, blinded by temptation and by the desire of enjoyinent he destroyed both his present and future for the sake of the gold. O king, O monarch like that king, do not persecute the Pandavas from the desire of gain.

मोहात्मा तप्स्यसे पश्चात् पत्रिहा पुरुषो यथा। जातं जातं पाण्डवेभ्यः पुष्पमादत्स्व भारत॥ मालाकार इवारामे स्नेहं कुर्वन् पुनः पुनः। वृक्षानङ्गारकारीव मैनान् धाक्षी: समूलकान्। मा गमः ससुतामात्यः सबलश्च यमक्षयम्॥
O descendant of Bharata, from (this) folly you will have to repent afterwards like the man who killed the birds. Like the flower-seller who plucks (flowers) from trees that he cherishers with affection from day to day, continue. O king, to pluck flowers from the Pandavas. Do not burn them to their roots like the fire-producing wind which reduces every thing to charcoal. Do not go to the abode of Yama with your sons, ministers, and forces.

समवेतान् हि कः पार्थान् प्रतियुध्येत भारत। मरुद्भिः सहितो राजन्नपि साक्षान्मरुत्पतिः॥
O descendant of Bharata, who is capable of fighting with the sons of Pritha if they stand together? O king, not to speak of others, even the chief of the celestial with all the celestial cannot do it.