वैशम्पायन उवाच विदुरस्य तु तद् वाक्यं निशम्य कुरुसत्तमः। पुत्रशोकाभिसंतप्तः पपात भुवि मूर्छितः॥
Vaishampayana said “After hearting the words of Vidura, the chief of the Kurus, stricken with grief on account of the death of his sons, dropped down senseless on the Earth.
तं तथा पतितं भूमौ नि:संज्ञं प्रेक्ष्य बान्धवाः। कृष्णद्वैपायनश्चैव क्षत्ता व विदुरस्तथा॥ संजयः सुहृदश्चान्ये द्वा:स्था ये चास्य सम्मताः। जलेन सुखशीतेन तालवृन्तैश्च भारत॥ पस्पृशुश्च करैर्गानं वीजमानाश्च यत्नतः। अन्वासन् सुचिरं कालं धृतराष्ट्र तथागतम्॥
Seeing him fall down in that state, his friends as also the island-born Vyasa, Vidura, Sanjaya, and other well-wishers, and the trust worthy attendants who used to wait at the gates, sprinkled cool water over his body, and fanned him with palm leaves, and gently rubbed him with their hands. for a long while they solaced the king while in that state.
अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य लब्धसंज्ञो महीपतिः। विललाप चिरं कालं पुत्राधिभिरभिप्लुतः॥
Regaining his senses, after a long time the monarch, wept for a long time, overwhelmed with grief on account of the death of his sons.
धिगस्तु खलु मानुष्यं मानुषेषु परिग्रहे। यतो मूलानि दुःखानि सम्भवन्ति मुहुर्मुहुः॥
He said:-'Fie on the humanity. Fie out the human body. The miseries that we suffer in this life frequently originate from the very state of humanity.
पुत्रनाशेऽर्थनाशे च ज्ञातिसम्बन्धिनामथ। प्राप्यते सुमहद् दुःखं विषाग्निप्रतिमं विभो॥
Alas, O lord great is the grief, like poison or fire, that one suffers at the loss of sons, of riches, of kinsmen, and relatives.
येन दह्यन्ति गात्राणि येन प्रज्ञा विनश्यति। येनाभिभूतः पुरुषो मरणं बहु मन्यते॥
That grief cosumes our limbs, and wisdom. Stricken with that grief, a person welcomes death.
तदिदं व्यसनं प्राप्तं मया भाग्यविपर्ययात्। तस्यान्तं नाधिगच्छामि ऋते प्राणविमोक्षणात्॥
This calamity that has be fallen me terminate with life itself. O best of sages, I shall, therefore, put an end to my life this very day.'
तथैवाहं करिष्यामि अद्यैव द्विजसत्तम। इत्युक्त्वा तु महात्मानं पितरं ब्रह्मवित्तमम्॥ धृतराष्ट्रोऽभवन्मूढः स शोकं परमं गतः। अभूच तूष्णीं राजासौ ध्यायमानो महीपते॥
Saying so to his great sire, that foremost of all persons conversant with Brahma, Dhritarashtra, laden with grief, became stupefied. The king, O monarch, thinking of his miseries, became silent.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा कृष्णद्वैपायनः प्रभुः। पुत्रशोकाभिसंतप्तं पुत्रं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Hearing these words of his the powerful Vyasa thus spoke to his son stricken with grief on account of the death of his children.
व्यास उवाच धृतराष्ट्रो महाबाहो यत् त्वां वक्ष्यामि तच्छृणु। श्रुतवानसि मेधावी धर्मार्थकुशलः प्रभो॥
Vyasa said O mighty-armed Dhritarashtra, hear what I say. You are learned, intelligent, and you O powerful, one, are skilled in understanding duties.
न तेऽस्त्यविदितं किंचिद् वेदितव्यं परंतप। अनित्यतां हि मानां विजानासि न संशयः॥
Everything is know to you. O scorcher of foes. Forsooth you know the instability of all things doomed to death.
अध्रुवे जीवलोके च स्थाने वा शाश्वते सति। जीविते मरणान्ते च कस्माच्छोचसि भारत॥
When this life is fickle, when this word itself is not eternal, when life is sure to end in death, why then, O Bharata, do you grieve?
प्रत्यक्षं तव राजेन्द्र वैरस्यास्य समुद्भवः। पुत्रं ते कारणं कृत्वा कालयोगेन कारितः॥
Before your very eyes, O king, Time, making your son the cause, created this enmity.
अवश्यं भवितव्ये च कुरूणां वैशसे नृप। कस्माच्छोचसि ताशूरान् गतान् परमिकां गतिम्।।
This destruction of the Kurus, O king, was inevitable. Why then do you grieve for those heroes that have achieved the highest end?
जानता च महाबाहो विदुरेण महात्मना। यतितं सर्वयत्नेन शमं प्रति जनेश्वर॥
The high-souled Vidura knew every thing. he had tried his best, О king, to bring about peace.
न च दैवकृतो मार्गः शक्यो भूतेन केनचित्। घटतापि चिरं कालं नियन्तुमिति मे मतिः॥
I Think the course marked by destiny cannot be controlled by any one, even if one struggles for ever.
देवतानां हि यत् कार्यं मया प्रत्यक्षतः श्रुतम्। तत् देऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा स्थैर्यं भवेत् तव॥
The course that was settled by the celestial was known to me direct. I will recite it to you, so that you may enjoy peace of mind.
पुराहं त्वरितो यातः सभामैन्द्री जितकमः। अपश्यं तत्र च तदा समवेतान् दिवौकसः॥
Once before, I went very quickly to the court of Indra. There I all the inhabitation's of heaven assembled together.
नारदप्रमुखाश्चापि सर्वे देवर्षयोऽनघ तत्र चापि मया हृष्टा पृथिवी पृथिवीपते॥
There were, O sinless one, all the celestial Rishis also, headed by Narada. There, O king, I saw also the Earth in her embodied form. saw
कार्यार्थमुपसम्प्राप्ता देवतानां समीपतः। उपगम्य तदा धात्री देवानाह समागतान्॥ यत् कार्यं मम युष्माभिर्ब्रह्मणः सदने तदा। प्रतिज्ञातं महाभागास्तच्छीघ्रं संविधीयताम्॥
The latter had gone to the gods for the accomplishment of a particular mission. Approaching the gods, she said,—While you were in Brahman's abode you promised to do all for me. Let that be accomplished soon.
तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा विष्णुर्लोकनमस्कृतः। उवाच वाक्यं प्रहसन् पृथिवी देवसंसदि॥ धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्राणां यस्तु ज्येष्ठः शतस्य वै। दुर्योधन इति ख्यातः स ते कार्यं करिष्यति॥ तं च प्राप्य महीपालं कृतकृत्या भविष्यसि।
Hearing these words of hers, Vishnu, adored of all the worlds, smilingly addressed her in the midst of the celestials, saving,-The eldest of the hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, viz., Duryodhana, will accomplish your work. Through that king you object will be achieved.
तस्यार्थे पृथिवीपाला: कुरुक्षेत्रं समागताः॥ अन्योन्यं घातयिष्यन्ति दृढैः शस्त्रैः प्रहारिणः।
For his sake, many kings assemble together on the field of Kuru, They will cause one another to be killed through hard weapons.
ततस्ते भविता देवि भारस्य युधि नाशनम्॥ गच्छ शीघ्रं स्वकं स्थानं लोकान् धारय शोभने।
It is evident, O goddess, that your bruden will then he lightened in battle, Go quickly to your won station and continue to bear the the weight of creatures, O beautiful damsel.
य एष ते सुतो राजन् लोकसंहारकारणात्॥ कलेरंशः समुत्पन्नो गान्धार्या जठरे नृप।
From this you should know, O king that your son Duryodhana, born in Gandhari's womb, was a portion of Kali born for bringing about a universal slaughter.
अमर्षी चपलश्चापि क्रोधनो दुष्प्रसाधनः॥ दैवयोगात् समुत्पन्ना भ्रातरश्चास्य तादृशाः।
He was vindictive, restless, wrathful and difficult of being pleased. Through the influence of Destiny his brothers also took after him.
शकुनिर्मातुलश्चैव कर्णश्च परमः सखा॥ समुत्पन्ना विनाशार्थं पृथिव्यां सहिता नृपाः।
Shakuni became his maternal uncle and Karna his great friend. Many other kings were born on Earth for helping him in the work of destruction.
यादृशो जायते राजा तादृशोऽस्य जनो भवेत्॥ अधर्मो धर्मतां याति स्वामी चेद् धार्मिको भवेत्।
As the king is, so are his subjects. If the king becomes pious, even unrighteousness becomes incarnate in his kingdom.
स्वामिनो गुणदोषाभ्यां भृत्याः स्युर्नात्र संशयः॥ दुष्टं राजानमासाद्य गतास्ते तनया नृप।
Servants, forsooth, are affected by the merits and demerits of their masters. O king, having obtained a bad king, your other sons have all been destroyed.
एतमर्थं महाबाहो नारदो वेद तत्त्ववित्॥ आत्मापराधात् पुत्रास्ते विनष्टाः पृथिवीपते। मा ताशोचस्व राजेन्द्र न हि शोकेऽस्ति कारणम्।।३५
Conversant with truth, Narada knew all this. Through their own faults, your sons have been destroyed, O king! Do not grieve for them, O king. There in no cause for grief.
न हि ते पाण्डवाः स्वल्पमपराध्यन्ति भारत। पुत्रास्तव दुरात्मानो यैरियं घातिता मही॥
The Pandavas are not to be blamed, O Bharata, in the least, for what has taken place. Your sons were all wicked. It is they that caused this destruction on Earth.
नारदेन च भद्रं ते पूर्वमेव न संशयः। युधिष्ठिरस्य समितौ राजसूये निवेदितम्॥ पाण्डवाः कौरवाः सर्वे समासाद्य परस्परम्। न भविष्यन्ति कौन्तेय यत् ते कृत्यं तदाचर॥
Narada had truly spoken out to Yudhishthira, all this in his court at the time of the Rajasuya sacrifice, saying, "The Pandavas and the Kauravas, meeting which each other, will be destroyed. Do that, O son of Kunti, which you should.
नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा तदाशोचन्त पाण्डवाः। एवं ते सर्वमाख्यातं देवगुह्यं सनातनम्॥
Hearing these words of Narada, the Pandavas were filled with grief. I have thus communicated to you, an eternal secret of the celestials.
कथं ते शोकनाश: स्यात् प्राणेषु च दया प्रभो। स्नेहश्च पाण्डुपुत्रेषु ज्ञात्वा दैवकृतं विधिम्॥
This will dispell your sorrow and restore to you a love of life, and make you love the Pandavas, for all that had taken place has been due to what had been preordained by the gods.
एष चार्थो महाबाहो पूर्वमेव मया श्रुतः। कथितो धर्मराजस्य राजसूये ऋतूत्तमे॥
O you, of mighty-arms, I had learnt all this sometime before. I also spoke of it to king Yudhishthira the just at the time of the Rajasuya sacrifice.
यतितं धर्मपुत्रेण मया गुह्ये निवेदिते। अविग्रहे कौरवाणां दैवं तु बलवत्तरम्॥
When I secretly informed him of all this, Dharma's son, tried his best for preserving peace with the Kauravas. That, however, which is ordained by the gods proved too strong for him too strong for his to defeat.
अनतिक्रमणीयो हि विधि राजन् कथंचन। कृतान्तस्य तु भूतेन स्थावरेण चरेण च॥
The determination, O king, of the Destroyer, cannot be baffled any how by mobile and immobile creatures.
भवान् धर्मपरो यत्र बुद्धिश्रेष्ठश्च भारत। मुह्यते प्राणिनां ज्ञात्वा गतिं चागतिमेव च॥
You are virtuous and highly intelligent, O Bharata! You know also that which all creatures should do and that which they should not do.
त्वां तु शोकेन संतप्तं मुह्यमानं मुहुर्मुहुः। ज्ञात्वा युधिष्ठिरो राजा प्राणानपि परित्यजेत्॥
If king Yudhishthira leans that you are overwhelmed with grief and losing your senses frequently, he will put an end to his life.
कृपालुनित्यशो वीरस्तिर्यग्योनिगतेष्वपि। स कथं त्वयि राजेन्द्र कृपां नैव करिष्यति॥
He is always compassionate and wise. His kindness is displayed even towards all the inferior creatures. How is it possible, O king, that he will not show compassion to you, O king.
मम चैव नियोगेन विधेश्चाप्यनिवर्तनात्। पाण्डवानां च कारुण्यात् प्राणान् धारय भारत।॥
At my behest, and knowing that which is ordained is inevitable, as also out of love for the Pandavas, live, O Bharata!
एवं ते वर्तमानस्य लोके कीर्तिर्भविष्यति। धर्मार्थः सुमहांस्तात तप्तं स्याच तपश्चिरात्॥
If you live thus, you fame will travel all over the world. You will then acquire a knowledge of all duties and find many years for acquiring ascetic merit.
पुत्रशोकं समुत्पन्नं हुताशं ज्वलितं यथा। प्रज्ञाम्भसा महाभाग निर्वापय सदा सदा॥
Thus grief consequent on the death of your sons that has arisen in your heart, like a blazing fire, should always be extinguished, O king, by the water of wisdom.
वैशम्पायन उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा तस्य वचनं व्यासस्यामिततेजसः। मुहूर्तं समनुध्यायन् धृतराष्ट्रोऽभ्यभाषत।॥ महता शोकजालेन प्रणुन्नोऽस्मि द्विजोत्तम। नात्मानमवबुध्यामि मुह्यमानो मुहुर्मुहुः॥
Vaishampayana said "Hearing these words of the energetic Vyasa and reflecting upon them for a little while, Dhritarashtra said,-'O best of Rishis, I am greatly stricken with grief. I am repeatedly losing consciousness and I am unable to bear up my own self.
इदं तु वचनं श्रुत्वा तव देवनियोगजम्। धारयिष्याम्यहं प्राणान् घटिष्ये न तु शोचितुम्॥
Hearing, however, these your words about what had been ordained by the gods, I shall not think of putting an end to my life and shall live and act without indulging in grief.'
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः। धृतराष्ट्रस्य राजेन्द्र तत्रैवान्तरधीयत॥
Hearing these words of Dhritarashtra, O king, Satyavati's son Vyasa, disappeared then and there. Hearing these words of Dhritarashtra, O king, Satyavati's son Vyasa, disappeared then and there.