वैशम्पायन उवाच असिद्धानुनये कृष्णे कुरुभ्यः पाण्डवान् गते। अभिगम्य पृथां क्षत्ता शनैः शोचन्निवाब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said The object of Krishna having proved vrsuccessful and he having left the Kurus, the Kshattri having approached Pritha said to her slowly and sadly,
जानासि मे जीवपुत्रि भावं नित्यमविग्रहे। क्रोशतो न च गृह्णीते वचनं मे सुयोधनः॥
"O you whose children are alive, you know that I am ever inclined to the reverse of war but though I am caring myself horse, Suyodhana does not act up to my words.
उपपन्नो ह्यसौ राजा चेदिपाञ्चालकेकयैः। भीमार्जुनाभ्यां कृष्णेन युयुधानयमैरपि।॥
The king (Yudhishthira) has on his side the kings of the Chedis, the Panchalas, and the Kaikeyas and Bhima and Arjuna and Krishna and Yuyudhana and the twins.
उपप्लेव्य निविष्टोऽपि धर्ममेव युधिष्ठिरः। काक्षते ज्ञातिसौहार्दाद् बलवान् दुर्बलो यथा॥
Yudhishthira is staying at Upaplavya like Dharma himself and desires the good will of his kinsmen as the weak desire the good will of the strong.
राजा तु धृतराष्ट्रोऽयं वयोवृद्धो न शाम्यति। मत्तः पुत्रमदेनैव विधर्मं पथि वर्तते॥
This king Dhritarashtra too, old in years, does not make peace, and follows the wrong path being intoxicated with the pride of sons.
जयद्रथस्य कर्णस्य तथा दुःशासनस्य च। सौबलस्य च दुर्बुद्ध्या मिथो भेदोः प्रपत्स्यते॥
The dispute in this instance has its rise in the wicked intelligence of Jayadratha, Karna, and Dushasana, as also of the son of Subala.
अधर्मेण हि धर्मिष्ठं कृतं वैकार्यमीदृशम्। येषां तेषामयं धर्मः सानुबन्धो भविष्यति॥
These, who act with unrighteousness towards him who is righteous, have the fruit of such act of theirs.
क्रियमाणे बलाद् धर्मं कुरुभिः को न संज्वरेत्। असाम्ना केशवे याते समुद्योक्ष्यन्ति पाण्डवाः॥
Who is there who would not grieve at the prostitution of virtue by the Kurus? When Keshava goes without having established peace the sons of Pandu will make preparation for war.
ततः कुरूणामनयो भविता वीरनाशनः। चिन्तयन् न लभे निद्रामहः सु च निशासु च॥
Thereupon the misdeed of the Kurus will be the cause of a massacre of heroes; thinking of such things, I do not get sleep during day nor during night.”
श्रुत्वा तु कुन्ती तद्वाक्यमर्थकामेन भाषितम्। सा निःश्वसन्ती दुःखार्ता मनसा विममर्श ह॥
Kunti too, hearing these words of his, which were spoken with the desire of benefit, began to sigh, being struck with sorrow and became depressed in mind also.
धिगस्त्वर्थं यत्कृतेऽयं महान् ज्ञातिवधः कृतः। वय॑ते सुहृदां चैवं युद्धेऽस्मिन् वै पराभवः॥
"Fie on this interest" which is the cause of a great massacre of kinsmen-in this was those that are friends will meet with defeat.
पाण्डवाश्चेदिपञ्चाला यादवाश्च समागताः। भारतैः सह योत्स्यन्ति किं नु दुःखमतः परम्॥
The sons of Pandu, the Chedis, the Panchalas and the Yadavas, united together will fight with the Bharatas; what can be a greater cause of sorrow than this?
पश्ये दोषं ध्रुवं युद्धे तथाऽयुद्धे पराभवम्। अधनस्य मृतं श्रेयो न हि ज्ञातिक्षयो जयः॥
Behold, there is certainly demerit in war, as defeat in it the death of a man who is without wealth is better for him but the loss of kinsmen is no victory.
इति मे चिन्तयन्त्या वै हृदि दुःखं प्रवर्तते। पितामहः शान्तनव आचार्यश्च युधां पतिः॥
Thinking this, sorrow comes to my heart; this grand father, Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, the preceptor who is the foremost among soldiers,
कर्णश्च धार्तराष्ट्रार्थं वर्धयन्ति भयं मम। आचार्यः कामवान् शिष्यैोणो युद्धयेत जातुचित्॥
And Karna also being united with the party of the son of Dhritarashtra it enhances my fear. The preceptor Drona will by no means fight willingly with his disciple. son
पाण्डवेषु कथं हार्द कुर्यान्न च पितामहः। अयं त्वेको वृथादृष्टिर्धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्मतेः॥
Why should not also the grand father show sympathy to the son of Pandu. This one man only therefore (namely Karna) follows the delusion of the of the wicked-souled of Dhritarashtra of vain foresight.
मोहानुवर्ती सततं पापो द्वेष्टि च पाण्डवान्। महत्यनर्थं निर्बन्धो बलवांश्च विशेषतः॥
The wretch also ever hates the sons of Pandu. He is obstinate in working for their injury, besides he is very powerful.
कर्णः सदा पाण्डवानां तन्मे दहति सम्प्रति। आशंसे त्वद्य कर्णस्य मनोऽहं पाण्डवान् प्रति॥
Karna is ever against the sons of Pandu, and this fact now is burning me up; and I today expect. ((by the course I take) to incline the heart of Karna towards the sons of Pandu.
प्रसादयितुमासाद्य दर्शयन्ती यथातथम्। तोषितो भगवान् यत्र दुर्वासा मे वरं ददौ॥
For I shall today approach him with a view to please him and tell him everything as it actually happened. The divinely holy Durvasa, being gratified by me, granted me a boon,
आह्वानं मन्त्रसंयुक्तं वसन्त्याः पितृवेश्मनि। साहमन्तःपुरे राज्ञः कुन्तिभोजपुरस्कृता॥
Empowering me to invoke any body with the help of certain incantations ((mantras) when I was residing in my father's place, namely in the inner apartments of the king Kuntibhoja.
चिन्तयन्ती बहुविधं हृदयेन विदूयता। बलाबलं च मन्त्राणां ब्राह्मणस्य च वाग्बलम्॥
With diverse thoughts and fearing in my heart and reflecting on the strength or weakness of the incantation as also of the efficacy of the Brahmana's boon.
स्त्रीभावाद् बालभावाच्च चिन्तयन्ती पुनः पुनः। धाच्या विस्रब्धया गुप्ता सखीजनवृता तदा॥
And owing to my nature as a woman, especially owing to being a child I thought again and again, at the time being carefully guarded over by my nurse and surrounded by my companions.
मे दोषं परिहरन्ती च पितुश्चारित्र्यरक्षिणी। कथं नु सुकृतं स्यानापराधवती कथम्॥
How I could avoid all blame and save the reputation of my father and how I could myself be visited with good fortune without being a sinner in any way.
भवेयमिति संचिन्त्य ब्राह्मणं तं नमस्य च। कौतूहलात् तु तं लब्ध्वा बालिश्यादाचरं तदा। कन्या सती देवमर्कमासादयमहं ततः॥
And thinking of that Brahmana and bowing to him in my mind out of curiosity and behaving as a child at the time I came in contact with the god Surya though yet an unmarried girl.
योऽसौ कानीनगर्भो मे पुत्रवत् परिरक्षितः। कस्मान्न कुर्याद् वचनं पथ्यं भ्रातृहितं तथा॥
Why should not he therefore, whom I bore in my womb when an unmarried girl, act according to my words leading to benefit and at the same time accomplish the good of his brothers?
इति कुन्ती विनिश्चित्य कार्यनिश्चयमुत्तमम्। कार्यार्थमभिनिश्चित्य ययौ भागीरथी प्रति॥
Kunti, thus thinking on an excellent course of action, went towards the Bhagirathi for the attainment of her objects.
आत्मजस्य ततस्तस्य घृणिनः सत्यसङ्गिनः। गङ्गातीरे पृथाऽश्रौषीद् वेदाध्ययननिःस्वनम्॥
Then on the banks of the Ganga did Pritha hear the sound of chanting the Vedas made by her son who had great kindness in him and who was attached to truth.
प्राङ्मुखस्योर्ध्वबाहोः सा पर्यतिष्ठत पृष्ठतः। जप्यावसानं कार्यार्थं प्रतीक्षन्ती तपस्विनी॥
She waited behind Karna, who with arms upraised had his face turned to the east, till the end of the devotions of that devotee.
अतिष्ठत् सूर्यतापार्ता कर्णस्योत्तरवाससि। कौरव्यपत्नी वार्ष्णेयी पद्ममालेव शुष्यती॥
She the wife of the Kauravya and the daughter of the Vrishni race waited troubled by the rays of the sun behind the clothes of Karna, becoming pale like a garland of lotuses.
आपृष्ठतापाज्जप्त्वा स परिवृत्य यतव्रतः। दृष्ट्वा कुन्तीमुपातिष्ठदभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः॥
That one, who used to say his prayers regularly, having been engaged in devotion till his back became heated with the rays of the sun, then turned and seeing Kunti he did honour her by saluting her and folding his hands before her.
यथान्यायं महातेजा मानी धर्मभृतां वरः। उत्समयन् प्रणतः प्राह कुन्तीं वैकर्तनो वृषः॥
As was custom that best among men, the son of Vikartana, endued with great energy and pride, that foremost of all virtuous persons, with surprise, said to Kunti.