वैशम्पायन उवाच धृतराष्ट्राभ्यनुज्ञातास्ततस्ते कुरुपाण्डवाः। अभ्ययुर्धातरः सर्वे गान्धारी सह केशवाः॥
Vaishampayana said Ordered by Dhritarashtra, those foremost of Kuru's race, viz., the Pandava brothers, accompanied by Keshava, then went to see Gandhari.
ततो ज्ञात्वा हतामित्रं युधिष्ठिरमुपागतम्। गान्धारी पुत्रशोकार्ता शप्तुमैच्छदनिन्दिता॥
The innocent Gandhari, stricken with grief on üccount of the death of her hundred sons, thought that king Yudhishthira the just had killed all his enemies, and wished to curse him.
तस्याः पापमभिप्रायं विदित्वा पाण्डवान् प्रति। ऋषिः सत्यवतीपुत्रः प्रागेव समबुध्यत॥
Knowing her evil intentions towards the Pandavas, the Vyasa made himself ready for counteracting them at the very beginning.
स गङ्गायामुपस्पृश्य पुण्यगन्धि पयः शुचि। तं देशमुपसम्पेदे परमर्षिर्मनोजवः॥
Having cleansed himself by the sacred and fresh water of the Ganges, the Great Rishi, capable going everywhere at will as quickly as the mind, came there.
दिव्येन चक्षुषा पश्यन् मनसा तद्गतेन च। सर्वप्राणभृतां भावं स तत्र समबुध्यत॥
Capable of seeing the heart of everyone with his spiritual vision and desirous of doing the same, the sage came there.
स स्नुषामब्रवीत् काले कल्यवादी महातपाः। शापकालमवाक्षिप्य शमकालमुदीरयन्॥
Endued with great ascetic merit and ever intent on saying what was for the good of creatures, the Rishi said to his daughter-in-law at the proper moment. Do not at this time imprecate a curse! Rather make a good use of this hour for showing your forgiveness.
न कोपः पाण्डवे कार्यो गान्धारि शमभाप्नुहि! वचो निगृह्यतामेतच्छृणु चेदं वचो मम॥
Thou should not be angry with the Pandavas, O Gandhari! Set your heart on peace! Restrain the words that are about to drop from your lips! Listen to my advice.
उक्तास्यष्टादशाहानि पुत्रेण जयमिच्छता। शिवमाशास्व मे मातयुध्यमानस्य शत्रुभिः॥ सा तथा याच्यमाना त्वं काले काले जयैषिणा। उक्तवत्यसि गान्धारि यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः॥ न चाप्यतीतां गान्धारि वाचं ते वितथामहम्। स्मरामि भाषमाणायास्तथा प्राणिहिता ह्यसि॥
Your son, seeking victory had requested you every day for the eighteen days of the battle, saying,-'O mother bless me who am fighting with my foes!' Solicited thus every day by your son desirous of victory, you always answered him saying,-'victory' is there where righteousness is.' I do not, O Gandhari, remember that your words, have ever been falsified! Those words, therefore, which you, requested by Duryodhana, said to him could not be false. You are always engaged in the well being of all creatures.
विग्रहे तुमुले राज्ञां गत्वा पारमसंशयम्। जितं पाण्डुसुतैर्युद्धे नूनं धर्मस्ततोऽधिकः॥
Having undoubtedly reached the other shore in that dreadful battle of Kshatriyas, the sons of Pandu have certainly gained the victory and greater a righteousness.
क्षमाशीला पुरा भूत्वा साद्य न क्षमसे कथम्। अधर्मं जहि धर्मज्ञे यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः॥
You formerly observed the virtue of forgiveness. Why would you not observe it now? Restrain unrighteousness, O you who are ever righteousness. There is victory where righteousness is.
स्वं च धर्म परिस्मृत्य वाचं चोक्ता मनस्विनि। कोपं संयच्छ गान्धारि मैवं भूः सत्यवादिनि॥ भगवन्नाभ्यसूयामि नैतानिच्छामि नश्यतः। पुत्रशोकेन तु बलान्मनो विह्वलतीव मे॥
Remembering your own righteousness and the words spoken by your self, check your wrath, O Gandhari! Do not act otherwise, O beautiful speeches lady!' hearing these words, Gandhari said,-'O holy one, I don not entertain any ill feelings towards the Pandavas, nor do I wish that they should die. Out of grief for the death of my sons, my heart is greatly shaken.
यथैव कुन्त्या कौन्तेया रक्षितव्यास्तथा मया। तथैव धृतराष्ट्रेण रक्षितव्या यथा त्वया॥
I know that I should protect the Pandavas with as much care as Kunti does, and that Dhritarashtra also should protect them as I should.
दुर्योधनापराधेन शकुनेः सौबलस्य च। कणंदुःशासनाभ्यां च कृतोऽयं कुरुसंक्षयः॥
For the holly of Duryodhana and of Shakuni the son of Subala, and through the action of Karna and Dushasana, this extinction of the Kurus has taken place.
नापराध्यति बीभत्सुर्न च पार्थो वृकोदरः। नकुलः सहदेवश्च नैव जातु युधिष्ठिरः॥
In this matter Vibhatsu of Pritha's son Vrikodara, or Nakula Or Sahadeva, Or Yudhishthira himself is not to blame in the least.
युध्यमाना हि कौरव्याः कृन्तमानाः परस्परम्। निहताः सहिताश्चान्यैस्तच नास्त्यप्रियं मम॥
While engaged in battle. the Kauravas, puffed up with arrogance and pride have perished with many others who helped them. I am not grieved at this.
किं तु कर्माकरोद् भीमो वासुदेवस्य पश्यतः। दुर्योधनं समाहूय गदायुद्धे महामनाः॥ शिक्षयाभ्यधिकं ज्ञात्वा चरन्तं बहुधा रणे। अधो नाभ्याः प्रहतवांस्तन्मे कोपमवर्धयत्॥
But there has been one act done by Bhima in the very presence of Vasudeva that excites my anger. Having challenged Duryodhana to a dreadful mace encounter, and having come to know that my son, while making diverse kinds of motion in the battle, was superior to him in skill, the great Vrikodara struck the latter below the navel,
कथं नु धर्म धर्मज्ञैः समुद्दिष्टं महात्मभिः। त्यजेयुराहवे शूराः प्राणहेतोः कथंचन॥
It is this that excites my anger. Why should heroes, for the sake of their lives, forget their duties that have been determined by great persons conversant with every duty?'