वैशम्पायन उवाच तस्यां रात्र्यां व्यतीतायां धृष्टद्युम्नस्य सारथिः। शशंस धर्मराजाय सौप्तिके कदनं कृतम्॥
Vaishampayana said “After the termination of the night, the driver of Dhrishtadyumna's car communicated to king Yudhishthira the great slaughter that had been caused during the hour of sleep.
सूत उवाच द्रौपदेया हता राजन् दुपदस्यात्मजैः सह। प्रमत्ता निशि विश्वस्ताः स्वपन्तः शिविरे स्वके॥
The Driver said The sons of Draupadi, O king, have been killed, with all the children of Drupada himself, while they were carelessly and trustfully asleep in their own camp.
कृतवर्मणा नृशंसेन गौतमेन कृपेण च। अश्वत्थाम्ना च पापे हतं वः शिविरं निशि॥
During the night, O king, your camp has been exterminated by the cruel Kritavarman, and Kripa the son of Gotama, and the sinful Ashvatthaman.
एतैर्नरगजाश्वानां प्रासशक्तिपरश्वधैः। सहस्राणि निकृन्तद्भिनि:शेषं ते बलं कृतम्॥
Killing thousands of men and elephants and horses with lances and darts and battle-axes, those men have rotted out your army.
छिद्यमानस्य महतो वनस्येव परश्वधैः। शुश्रुषे सुमहाशब्दो बलस्य तव भारत॥
While your army was being killed like a forest hewn down with axes, a loud cry of lamentation was heard rising from your camp.
अहमेकोऽवशिष्टस्तु तस्मात् सैन्यान्महामते। मुक्तः कथंचिद् धर्मात्मन् व्यग्राच कृतवर्मणः॥
I am the sole survivor, O king, of that vast host. I have escaped with difficulty from Kritavarman at a time when he was careless.
तच्छुत्वा वाक्यमशिवं कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। पपात मह्यां दुर्धर्षः पुत्रशोकसमन्वितः॥
Hearing this evil news, Kunti's son Yudhishthira, however endued with fortitude, dropped down on the Earth, stricken with grief at the loss of his sons.
पतन्तं तमतिक्रम्य परिजग्राह सात्यकिः। भीमसेनोऽर्जुनश्चैव माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ।॥
Going forward, Satyaki clasped the king. Bhimasena and Arjuna and the two sons of Madri also stretched out their arıms.
लब्धचेतास्तु कौन्तेयः शोकविह्वलया गिरा। जित्वा शत्रूञ्जितः पश्चात् पर्यदेवयदार्तवत्॥
Having regained his senses, the son of Kunti bewailed in grief. Alas, having defeated the enemy, we have ourselves been defeated in the end.
दुर्विदा गतिरर्थानामपि ये दिव्यचक्षुषः। जीयमाना जयन्त्यन्ये जयमाना वयं जिताः॥
The course of evens cannot even be ascertained even by persons possessing spiritual insight. The enemies who were defeated have become victorious. Ourselves, again, while victorious are defeated.
हत्वा भ्रातॄन् वयस्यांश्च पितॄन् पुत्रान् सुहृद्गणान्। बन्धूनमात्यान् पौत्रांश्च जित्वा सर्वाञ्जिता वयम्॥
Having killed brothers and friends, fathers, sons, well-wishers, kinsmen, counsellors, and having defeated them all, we ourselves are defeated at last.
अनर्थो ह्यर्थसंकाशसतथानर्थोऽर्थदर्शनः। जयोऽयमजयाकारो जयस्तस्मात् पराजयः॥
Misery appears like prosperity, and prosperity looks like misery. This our victory is twined into defeat. Our victory therefore, had terminated in defeat.
यजित्वा तप्यते पश्चादापन्न इव दुर्मतिः। कथं मन्येत विजयं ततो जिततरः परैः॥
Having gained the victory, I am obliged to grieve as an afflicted wretch. How, can I consider it as a victory? In sooth, I have been doubly defeated by the enemy.
येषामर्थाय पापं स्याद् विजयस्य सुहृद्वधैः। निर्जितैरप्रमत्तैर्हि विजिता जितकाशिनः॥
They for whose sake we gained the sinful victory by killing our kinsmen and friends, after acquired victory, have been defeated by vanquished foes that were hecdful.
कर्णिनालीकदंष्ट्रस्य खड्गजिह्वस्य संयुगे। चापव्यात्तस्य रौद्रस्य ज्यातलस्वननादिनः॥ क्रुद्धस्य नरसिंहस्य संग्रामेष्वपलायिनः। ये व्यमुञ्चन्त कर्णस्य प्रमादात् त इमे हताः॥
Alas, through carelessness have they been killed who had escaped from even Karna, that warrior who had barbed arrows and Nalikas for his teeth, the sword for his tongue, the bow for his mouth, and the twang of the bow, and the sound of palms for his roars-that angry Karna who never took to heels from battle, and : who was foremost of men.
रथहृदं शरवर्षोर्मिमन्तं रत्नाचितं वाहनवाजियुक्तम्। शक्त्वृष्टिमीनध्वजनागनकं शरासनावर्तमहेषुफेनम्॥ संग्रामचन्द्रोदयवेगवेलं द्रोणार्णवं ज्यातलनेमिघोषम्। स्ते राजपुत्रा निहताः प्रमादात्॥
Alas, those princes who succeeded in crossing, by boats made by their own excellent weapons, the great Drona-ocean having cars for its deep lakes, arrows for its waves, the ornaments of warriors for its gems, car-horses for its animals, darts and swords for its fishes, elephants for its alligators, bows for its whirlpools, powerful weapons for its foam, and the sign of battle for its moonrise causing it to swell with energy, and the twang of the bow and the sound of palms for its roar,-alas, even those princes have been killed from carelessness.
न हि प्रमादात् परमस्ति कश्चिद् वधो नराणामिह जीवलोके। ते प्रमत्तमर्था हि नरं समन्तात् त्यजन्त्यनाश्च समाविशन्ति॥
There is, in this world, no greater cause of death, for men, than carelessness. Prosperity leaves off a careless men from every side, and every king of misery befalls him.
ध्वजोत्तमायोच्छ्रितधूमकेतुं शराचिष कोपमहासमीरम्। महाधनुातल नेमिघोषं तनुत्रनानाविधशस्त्रहोमम्॥ महाचमूकक्षदवाभिपन्नं महाहवे भीष्ममयाग्निदाहम्। ये सेहुरात्तायुधतीक्ष्णवेगं राजपुत्रा निहताः प्रमादात्॥
The tall standard with beautiful top that stood on his car was the wreath of smoke that certainly indicated the Bhishma-fire. Arrows formed its flames, and anger was the wind that fanned it. The twang of his terrible bow and the sound of his palms formed the roar of that fire. Armour and various kinds of weapons were the homa libations that were poured into it. The huge hostile army was the heap of dry grass that was consumed by that fire. Alas, even they who had borne that fierce fire whose terrible power was represented by the mighty weapons in Bhishma's hands, have at last fallen through carelessness.
न हि प्रमत्तेन नरेण शक्यं विद्या तपः श्रीर्विपुलं यशो वा। पश्याप्रमादेन निहत्य शत्रून् सर्वान् महेन्द्रं सुखमेधमानम्॥
A careless person gain knowledge, asceticism, prosperity, or fame. See, Indra has acquired great felicity after killing all his enemies carefully.
इन्द्रोपमान पार्थिवपुत्रपौत्रान् पश्याविशेषेण हतान् प्रमादात्। तीर्खा समुद्रं वणिज: समृद्धा मग्नाः कुनद्यामिव हेलमानाः॥
See, the few survivors among our enemies have, through our carelessness, killed so many can never sons and grandsons of kings each of whom resembled Indra himself. Alas, they have died like merchants with rich good, dying through carelessness in a shallow river after having crossed the great deep.
अमर्षितैर्ये निहताः शयाना नि:संशयं ते त्रिदिवं प्रपन्नाः। कृष्णां तु शोचामि कथं नु साध्वी शोकार्णवे साद्य विनश्यतीति॥
They whose bodies and now lying on the naked ground, killed by those vindictive wretches, have, forsooth, gone to heaven. I lament for the princess Krishna. Alas, she will be drowned to-day in a sea of sorrow.
भ्रातूंश्च पुत्रांश्च हतान् निशम्य पाञ्चालराजं पितरं च वृद्धम्। ध्रुवं विसंज्ञा पतिता पृथिव्यां सा शोष्यते शोककृशाङ्गयष्टिः॥
Hearing of the destruction of her brothers and sons and her revered father, the king of the Panchalas, forsooth, she will drop down senseless on the Earth. She will not rise again with her body emaciated by grief.
तच्छोकजं कथं भविष्यत्युचिता सुखानाम्। पुत्रक्षयभ्रातृवधप्रणुन्ना प्रदह्यमानेन हुताशनेन॥
Unable to bear such affliction, and ever worthy of happiness, alas, what will be her condition. Painted greatly by the destruction of her sons and brothers, she will be like one scorched by fire.
इत्येवमातः परिदेवयन् स राजा कुरूणां नकुलं बभाषे। गच्छानयनामिह मन्दभाग्यां समातृपक्षामिति राजपुत्रीम्॥
Bewailing thus with sorrow, that king of Kuru's race, then addressed Nakula, saying,-'Go and bring the helpless princess Draupadi here with all her maternal relations.'
दुःखमषारयन्ती माद्रीसुतस्तत् परिगृह्य वाक्यं धर्मेण धर्मप्रतिमस्य राज्ञः। ययौ रथेनालयमाशु देव्याः पाञ्चालराजस्य च यत्र दाराः॥
Following the mandate of the king who was righteous like Yama himself, Nakula speedily proceeded on his car to the palace of Draupadi where that princess lived with all the wives of the Panchala king.
प्रस्थाप्य माद्रीसुतमाजमीढः शोकार्दितस्तैः सहितः सुहृद्धिः। रोरूयमाणः प्रययौ सुतानामायोधनं भूतगणानुकीर्णम्॥
Having sent the son of Madri, Yudhishthira, moved by grief, proceeded, with tearful eyes and accompanied by his friends to the field on which his sons had fought and which was filled with various kinds of creatures.
स तत् प्रविश्याशिवमुग्ररूपं ददर्श पुत्रान् सुहृदः सखींश्च। भूमौ शयानान् रुधिरागात्रान् विभिन्नदेहान् प्रहृतोत्तमाङ्गान्॥
Having entered that cursed field, containing many dreadful sights, the king saw his sons, well-wishers, and friends, all lying on the ground, bathed in blood, their bodies wounded, and heads severed from their trunks.
स तांस्तु दृष्ट्वा भृशमार्तरूपो युधिष्ठिरो धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठः। उच्चैः प्रचुक्रोश च कौरवाश्य: पपात चोर्ध्या सगणो विसंज्ञः॥
Seeing them in that condition, Yudhishthira, that best of pious men, become deeply afflicted. That Kuru chief then began to weep aloud and dropped down on the Earth, senseless along with all his followers."