01.116
Core:Pandu's death and Madri's sahagamana.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
darśanīyāṁs tataḥ putrān pāṇḍuḥ pañca mahāvane। tān paśyan parvate reme svabāhubalapālitān॥1॥
Then Pāṇḍu rejoiced on the mountain, seeing his five handsome sons in the great forest, protected by his own strength.
supuṣpitavane kāle kadācin madhumādhave। bhūtasaṁmohane rājā sabhāryo vyacarad vanam॥2॥
Once, in spring, the king roamed the blooming, enchanting forest with his wife.
palāśais tilakaiś cūtaiś campakaiḥ pāribhadrakaiḥ। anyaiś ca bahubhir vṛkṣaiḥ phalapuṣpasamṛddhibhiḥ॥3॥
With palāśa, tilaka, mango, champaka, pāribhadra, and many other trees rich in fruits and flowers.
jalasthānaiś ca vividhaiḥ padminībhiś ca śobhitam। pāṇḍor vanaṁ tu samprekṣya prajajñe hṛdi manmathaḥ॥4॥
Seeing Pāṇḍu’s forest adorned with diverse waters and lotuses, desire arose in his heart.
prahṛṣṭamanasaṁ tatra viharantaṁ yathāmaram। taṁ mādry anujagāmaikā vasanaṁ bibhratī śubham॥5॥
With a joyful heart, as he roamed like a god, Mādrī followed him alone, wearing beautiful attire.
samīkṣamāṇaḥ sa tu tāṁ vayaḥsthāṁ tanuvāsasam। tasya kāmaḥ pravavṛdhe gahane'gnirivotthitaḥ॥6॥
Looking at her, youthful and lightly clad, desire grew in him like a fire arising in the thicket.
rahasy ātmasamāṁ dṛṣṭvā rājā rājīvalocanām। na śaśāka niyantuṁ taṁ kāmaṁ kāmabalātkṛtaḥ॥7॥
Seeing her alone, equal to himself and lotus-eyed, the king, overpowered by desire, could not restrain his passion.
tata enāṁ balād rājā nijagrāha rahogatām। vāryamāṇas tayā devyā visphurantyā yathābalam॥8॥
Then the king seized her forcibly in seclusion, though she trembled and resisted with all her strength.
sa tu kāmaparītātmā taṁ śāpaṁ nānvabudhyata। mādrīṁ maithunadharmeṇa gacchamāno balād iva॥9॥
His soul overcome by desire, he did not recall the curse, as he forced himself upon Mādrī in sexual union.
jīvitāntāya kauravyo manmathasya vaśaṁ gataḥ। śāpajaṁ bhayam utsṛjya jagāmaiva balāt priyām॥10॥
Falling under the sway of desire, the Kuru prince, abandoning the fear of the curse, went forcibly to his beloved—bringing about his death.
tasya kāmātmano buddhiḥ sākṣāt kālena mohitā। sampramathya indriyagrāmaṁ pranaṣṭā saha cetasā॥11॥
His desire-driven intellect, deluded directly by Time, perished with his consciousness, having shaken the group of senses.
sa tayā saha saṅgamya bhāryayā kurunandana। pāṇḍuḥ paramadharmātmā yuyuje kāladharmaṇā॥12॥
Having united with his wife, O joy of the Kurus, Pāṇḍu, the supremely righteous soul, was joined by the law of Time (death).
tato mādrī samāliṅgya rājānaṁ gatacetasam। mumoca duḥkhajaṁ śabdaṁ punaḥ punar atīva ha॥13॥
Then Mādrī, embracing the lifeless king, released loud cries of grief again and again.
saha putrais tataḥ kuntī mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau। ājagmuḥ sahitās tatra yatra rājā tathāgataḥ॥14॥
Then Kuntī, with her sons and Mādrī's two sons, arrived together where the king had passed away.
tato mādry abravīd rājan nārtā kuntīm idaṁ vacaḥ। ekaiva tvam ihāgaccha tiṣṭhantv atraiva dārakāḥ॥15॥
Then Mādrī, distressed, said this to Kuntī: "You alone return; let the children remain there."
tac chrutvā vacanaṁ tasyās tatraivāvārya dārakān। hatāham iti vikruśya sahasopajagāma ha॥16॥
Hearing her words, restraining the children right there, she cried aloud, "I am ruined," and suddenly rushed toward her.
dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍuṁ ca mādrīṁ ca śayānau dharaṇītale। kuntī śokaparītāṅgī vilalāpa suduḥkhitā॥17॥
Seeing Pāṇḍu and Mādrī lying on the ground, Kuntī, her body overwhelmed by grief, lamented in deep sorrow.
rakṣyamāṇo mayā nityaṁ vīraḥ satatam ātmavān। kathaṁ tvam abhyatikrāntaḥ śāpaṁ jānan vanaukasaḥ॥18॥
Though always protected by me, O heroic and self-controlled forest-dweller, how did you transgress the curse knowingly?
nanu nāma tvayā mādri rakṣitavyo janādhipaḥ। sā kathaṁ lobhitavatī vijane tvaṁ narādhipam॥19॥
Surely the king was to be protected by you, O Mādrī — how did you entice the lord of men in seclusion?
kathaṁ dīnasya satataṁ tvām āsādya rahogatām। taṁ vicintayataḥ śāpaṁ praharṣaḥ samajāyata॥20॥
How, having approached the ever-vulnerable one in seclusion, did delight arise in him while pondering the curse?
dhan yā tvam asi bāhlīki matto bhāgyatarā tathā। dṛṣṭavaty asi yad vaktraṁ prahṛṣṭasya mahīpateḥ॥21॥
O Bāhlīka lady, you are blessed and more fortunate than I, having seen the face of the joyous king.
mādry uvāca॥
Mādrī said:
vilobhyamānena mayā vāryamāṇena cāsakṛt। ātmā na vārito'nena satyaṁ diṣṭaṁ cikīrṣuṇā॥22॥
Though repeatedly restrained and enticed by me, his self was not held back — truly, it was fate he sought to fulfill.
kuntī uvāca॥
Kuntī said:
ahaṁ jyeṣṭhā dharmapatnī jyeṣṭhaṁ dharmaphalaṁ mama। avaśyaṁ bhāvino bhāvān mā māṁ mādri nivartaya॥23॥
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.
anveṣyāmīha bhartāram ahaṁ pretavaśaṁ gatam। uttiṣṭha tvaṁ visṛjya enam imān rakṣasva dārakān॥24॥
I shall follow my husband who has gone to the realm of the dead. Arise, leave him, and protect these children.
mādry uvāca॥
Mādrī said:
ahamevānuyāsyāmi bhartāram apalāyinam। na hi tṛptāsmi kāmānāṁ taj jyeṣṭhā anumanyatām॥25॥
I alone shall follow the husband who has departed. I am not yet fulfilled in desire — O elder, allow me this.
māṁ cābhigamya kṣīṇo'yaṁ kāmād bharatasattamaḥ। tam ucchindyām asya kāmaṁ kathaṁ nu yamasādane॥26॥
Having approached me weakened by desire, this best of Bharatas — how can I not destroy his longing in Yama's abode?
na cāpy ahaṁ vartayantī nirviśeṣaṁ suteṣu te। vṛttim ārye cariṣyāmi spṛśed enas tathā hi mām॥27॥
Nor indeed shall I, O noble one, conduct myself impartially toward your sons — thus sin would touch me.
tasmān me sutayoḥ kunti vartitavyaṁ svaputravat। māṁ hi kāmayamāno'yaṁ rājā pretavaśaṁ gataḥ॥28॥
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.
rājñaḥ śarīreṇa saha mamāpīdaṁ kalevaram। dagdhavyaṁ supraticchannam etad ārye priyaṁ kuru॥29॥
This body of mine, along with the king’s, must be burned, well-covered — O noble one, please do this favor.
dārakeṣv apramattā ca bhavethāś ca hitā mama। ato'nyaṁ na prapaśyāmi saṁdeṣṭavyaṁ hi kiñcana॥30॥
Be vigilant toward the children and act as their benefactor. I see nothing else that needs to be said.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
ity uktvā taṁ citāgnisthaṁ dharmapatnī nararṣabham। madrarājātmajā tūrṇam anvārohad yaśasvinī॥31॥
Having spoken thus, the glorious daughter of the king of Madra swiftly mounted the funeral pyre of her husband, the bull among men.
