01.116
Core:Pandu's death and Madri's sahagamana.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
दर्शनीयांस्ततः पुत्रान्पाण्डुः पञ्च महावने । तान्पश्यन्पर्वते रेमे स्वबाहुबलपालितान् ॥१-११६-१॥
Then Pāṇḍu rejoiced on the mountain, seeing his five handsome sons in the great forest, protected by his own strength.
सुपुष्पितवने काले कदाचिन्मधुमाधवे । भूतसंमोहने राजा सभार्यो व्यचरद्वनम् ॥१-११६-२॥
Once, in spring, the king roamed the blooming, enchanting forest with his wife.
पलाशैस्तिलकैश्चूतैश्चम्पकैः पारिभद्रकैः । अन्यैश्च बहुभिर्वृक्षैः फलपुष्पसमृद्धिभिः ॥१-११६-३॥
With palāśa, tilaka, mango, champaka, pāribhadra, and many other trees rich in fruits and flowers.
जलस्थानैश्च विविधैः पद्मिनीभिश्च शोभितम् । पाण्डोर्वनं तु सम्प्रेक्ष्य प्रजज्ञे हृदि मन्मथः ॥१-११६-४॥
Seeing Pāṇḍu’s forest adorned with diverse waters and lotuses, desire arose in his heart.
प्रहृष्टमनसं तत्र विहरन्तं यथामरम् । तं माद्र्यनुजगामैका वसनं बिभ्रती शुभम् ॥१-११६-५॥
With a joyful heart, as he roamed like a god, Mādrī followed him alone, wearing beautiful attire.
समीक्षमाणः स तु तां वयःस्थां तनुवाससम् । तस्य कामः प्रववृधे गहनेऽग्निरिवोत्थितः ॥१-११६-६॥
Looking at her, youthful and lightly clad, desire grew in him like a fire arising in the thicket.
रहस्यात्मसमां दृष्ट्वा राजा राजीवलोचनाम् । न शशाक नियन्तुं तं कामं कामबलात्कृतः ॥१-११६-७॥
Seeing her alone, equal to himself and lotus-eyed, the king, overpowered by desire, could not restrain his passion.
तत एनां बलाद्राजा निजग्राह रहोगताम् । वार्यमाणस्तया देव्या विस्फुरन्त्या यथाबलम् ॥१-११६-८॥
Then the king seized her forcibly in seclusion, though she trembled and resisted with all her strength.
स तु कामपरीतात्मा तं शापं नान्वबुध्यत । माद्रीं मैथुनधर्मेण गच्छमानो बलादिव ॥१-११६-९॥
His soul overcome by desire, he did not recall the curse, as he forced himself upon Mādrī in sexual union.
जीवितान्ताय कौरव्यो मन्मथस्य वशं गतः । शापजं भयमुत्सृज्य जगामैव बलात्प्रियाम् ॥१-११६-१०॥
Falling under the sway of desire, the Kuru prince, abandoning the fear of the curse, went forcibly to his beloved—bringing about his death.
तस्य कामात्मनो बुद्धिः साक्षात्कालेन मोहिता । सम्प्रमथ्येन्द्रियग्रामं प्रनष्टा सह चेतसा ॥१-११६-११॥
His desire-driven intellect, deluded directly by Time, perished with his consciousness, having shaken the group of senses.
स तया सह सङ्गम्य भार्यया कुरुनन्दन । पाण्डुः परमधर्मात्मा युयुजे कालधर्मणा ॥१-११६-१२॥
Having united with his wife, O joy of the Kurus, Pāṇḍu, the supremely righteous soul, was joined by the law of Time (death).
ततो माद्री समालिङ्ग्य राजानं गतचेतसम् । मुमोच दुःखजं शब्दं पुनः पुनरतीव ह ॥१-११६-१३॥
Then Mādrī, embracing the lifeless king, released loud cries of grief again and again.
सह पुत्रैस्ततः कुन्ती माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ । आजग्मुः सहितास्तत्र यत्र राजा तथागतः ॥१-११६-१४॥
Then Kuntī, with her sons and Mādrī's two sons, arrived together where the king had passed away.
ततो माद्र्यब्रवीद्राजन्नार्ता कुन्तीमिदं वचः । एकैव त्वमिहागच्छ तिष्ठन्त्वत्रैव दारकाः ॥१-११६-१५॥
Then Mādrī, distressed, said this to Kuntī: "You alone return; let the children remain there."
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्यास्तत्रैवावार्य दारकान् । हताहमिति विक्रुश्य सहसोपजगाम ह ॥१-११६-१६॥
Hearing her words, restraining the children right there, she cried aloud, "I am ruined," and suddenly rushed toward her.
दृष्ट्वा पाण्डुं च माद्रीं च शयानौ धरणीतले । कुन्ती शोकपरीताङ्गी विललाप सुदुःखिता ॥१-११६-१७॥
Seeing Pāṇḍu and Mādrī lying on the ground, Kuntī, her body overwhelmed by grief, lamented in deep sorrow.
रक्ष्यमाणो मया नित्यं वीरः सततमात्मवान् । कथं त्वमभ्यतिक्रान्तः शापं जानन्वनौकसः ॥१-११६-१८॥
Though always protected by me, O heroic and self-controlled forest-dweller, how did you transgress the curse knowingly?
ननु नाम त्वया माद्रि रक्षितव्यो जनाधिपः । सा कथं लोभितवती विजने त्वं नराधिपम् ॥१-११६-१९॥
Surely the king was to be protected by you, O Mādrī — how did you entice the lord of men in seclusion?
कथं दीनस्य सततं त्वामासाद्य रहोगताम् । तं विचिन्तयतः शापं प्रहर्षः समजायत ॥१-११६-२०॥
How, having approached the ever-vulnerable one in seclusion, did delight arise in him while pondering the curse?
धन्या त्वमसि बाह्लीकि मत्तो भाग्यतरा तथा । दृष्टवत्यसि यद्वक्त्रं प्रहृष्टस्य महीपतेः ॥१-११६-२१॥
O Bāhlīka lady, you are blessed and more fortunate than I, having seen the face of the joyous king.
माद्र्युवाच॥
Mādrī said:
विलोभ्यमानेन मया वार्यमाणेन चासकृत् । आत्मा न वारितोऽनेन सत्यं दिष्टं चिकीर्षुणा ॥१-११६-२२॥
Though repeatedly restrained and enticed by me, his self was not held back — truly, it was fate he sought to fulfill.
कुन्त्युवाच॥
Kuntī said:
अहं ज्येष्ठा धर्मपत्नी ज्येष्ठं धर्मफलं मम । अवश्यं भाविनो भावान्मा मां माद्रि निवर्तय ॥१-११६-२३॥
I am the elder and the rightful wife; the chief fruit of dharma is mine. Do not restrain me, O Mādrī, from what is destined.
अन्वेष्यामीह भर्तारमहं प्रेतवशं गतम् । उत्तिष्ठ त्वं विसृज्यैनमिमान्रक्षस्व दारकान् ॥१-११६-२४॥
I shall follow my husband who has gone to the realm of the dead. Arise, leave him, and protect these children.
माद्र्युवाच॥
Mādrī said:
अहमेवानुयास्यामि भर्तारमपलायिनम् । न हि तृप्तास्मि कामानां तज्ज्येष्ठा अनुमन्यताम् ॥१-११६-२५॥
I alone shall follow the husband who has departed. I am not yet fulfilled in desire — O elder, allow me this.
मां चाभिगम्य क्षीणोऽयं कामाद्भरतसत्तमः । तमुच्छिन्द्यामस्य कामं कथं नु यमसादने ॥१-११६-२६॥
Having approached me weakened by desire, this best of Bharatas — how can I not destroy his longing in Yama's abode?
न चाप्यहं वर्तयन्ती निर्विशेषं सुतेषु ते । वृत्तिमार्ये चरिष्यामि स्पृशेदेनस्तथा हि माम् ॥१-११६-२७॥
Nor indeed shall I, O noble one, conduct myself impartially toward your sons — thus sin would touch me.
तस्मान्मे सुतयोः कुन्ति वर्तितव्यं स्वपुत्रवत् । मां हि कामयमानोऽयं राजा प्रेतवशं गतः ॥१-११६-२८॥
Therefore, O Kuntī, you must care for my sons like your own. For this king, desiring me, has gone to the realm of the dead.
राज्ञः शरीरेण सह ममापीदं कलेवरम् । दग्धव्यं सुप्रतिच्छन्नमेतदार्ये प्रियं कुरु ॥१-११६-२९॥
This body of mine, along with the king’s, must be burned, well-covered — O noble one, please do this favor.
दारकेष्वप्रमत्ता च भवेथाश्च हिता मम । अतोऽन्यन्न प्रपश्यामि संदेष्टव्यं हि किञ्चन ॥१-११६-३०॥
Be vigilant toward the children and act as their benefactor. I see nothing else that needs to be said.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
इत्युक्त्वा तं चिताग्निस्थं धर्मपत्नी नरर्षभम् । मद्रराजात्मजा तूर्णमन्वारोहद्यशस्विनी ॥१-११६-३१॥
Having spoken thus, the glorious daughter of the king of Madra swiftly mounted the funeral pyre of her husband, the bull among men.
