01.145
Core-Pancharatra:Lamentation by Brahmin family
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said:
ekacakrāṁ gatās te tu kuntī-putrā mahā-rathāḥ। ataḥ paraṁ dvija-śreṣṭha kim akurvata pāṇḍavāḥ॥1॥
The mighty sons of Kuntī went to Ekacakrā. O best of twice-born, what did the Pāṇḍavas do thereafter?
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
ekacakrāṁ gatās te tu kuntī-putrā mahā-rathāḥ। ūṣur nāti-ciraṁ kālaṁ brāhmaṇasya niveśane॥2॥
The sons of Kuntī, the mighty warriors, stayed for a short while in the house of a brāhmaṇa at Ekacakrā.
ramaṇīyāni paśyanto vanāni vividhāni ca। pārthivān api ca uddeśān saritaś ca sarāṁsi ca॥3॥
They beheld many beautiful forests, various regions of kings, rivers, and lakes.
cerur bhaikṣaṁ tadā te tu sarva eva viśāṁ pate। babhūvur nāgarāṇāṁ ca svaiḥ guṇaiḥ priya-darśanāḥ॥4॥
They all wandered for alms, O lord of men, and by their noble qualities became dear to the townspeople.
nivedayanti sma ca te bhaikṣaṁ kuntyāḥ sadā niśi। tayā vibhaktān bhāgān te bhuñjate sma pṛthak-pṛthak॥5॥
Each night they offered the alms to Kuntī, who divided it into portions, and they all ate separately.
ardhaṁ te bhuñjate vīrāḥ saha mātrā parantapāḥ। ardhaṁ bhaikṣasya sarvasya bhīmo bhuṅkte mahā-balaḥ॥6॥
Half of all the alms were eaten by Bhīma, of great strength, and the other half by the heroes along with their mother.
tathā tu teṣāṁ vasatāṁ tatra rājan mahātmanām। aticakrāma sumahān kālo'tha bharatarṣabha॥7॥
O king, thus the great-souled ones lived there, and a very long time passed, O best of the Bharatas.
tataḥ kadācit bhaikṣāya gatās te bharatarṣabhāḥ। saṅgatyā bhīmasenas tu tatrāste pṛthayā saha॥8॥
Then one day, the Pāṇḍavas went out for alms, leaving Bhīmasena behind with Pṛthā by prior arrangement.
athārtijaṁ mahā-śabdaṁ brāhmaṇasya niveśane। bhṛśam utpatitaṁ ghoraṁ kuntī śuśrāva bhārata॥9॥
Then Kuntī heard a terrible sound of intense distress rising from the brāhmaṇa's house, O Bhārata.
rorūyamāṇāṁs tān sarvān paridevayataś ca sā। kāruṇyāt sādhu-bhāvāc ca devī rājan na cakṣame॥10॥
Seeing them all weeping and lamenting, the noble lady, out of compassion and virtue, O king, could not bear it.
mathyamāneva duḥkhena hṛdayena pṛthā tataḥ। uvāca bhīmaṁ kalyāṇī kṛpānvitam idaṁ vacaḥ॥11॥
Then Pṛthā, her heart churning with sorrow, compassionately spoke these words to Bhīma, O auspicious one.
vasāmaḥ su-sukhaṁ putra brāhmaṇasya niveśane। ajñātā dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ satkṛtā vīta-manyavaḥ॥12॥
O son, we dwell happily in this brāhmaṇa’s house, honored, unknown to the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and without cause for anger.
sā cintaye sadā putra brāhmaṇasyāsya kiṁ nv aham। priyaṁ kuryām iti gṛhe yat kuryur uṣitāḥ sukham॥13॥
I always ponder, O son, what good I may do for this brāhmaṇa, in whose house we have lived so happily.
etāvān puruṣas tāta kṛtaṁ yasmin na naśyati। yāvat ca kuryād anyo'sya kuryād abhyadhikaṁ tataḥ॥14॥
O dear one, such is the man whose deed does not perish, who returns greater good than he has received.
tad idaṁ brāhmaṇasyāsya duḥkham āpatitaṁ dhruvam। tatrāsya yadi sāhāyyaṁ kuryāma sukṛtaṁ bhavet॥15॥
Now this sorrow has surely come upon the brāhmaṇa. If we help him, it would be a noble deed indeed.
bhīma uvāca॥
Bhīma said:
jñāyatām asya yad duḥkhaṁ yataś caiva samutthitam। vidite vyavasiṣyāmi yady api syāt su-duṣkaram॥16॥
Let us learn what his sorrow is and from where it has arisen. Once known, I will resolve to act, even if it be most difficult.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
tathā hi kathayantau tau bhūyaḥ śuśruvatuḥ svanam। ārtijaṁ tasya viprasya sa-bhāryasya viśāṁ pate॥17॥
As they conversed thus, the two again heard the sound of distress from that brāhmaṇa and his wife, O lord of men.
antaḥpuraṁ tataḥ tasya brāhmaṇasya mahātmanaḥ। viveśa kuntī tvaritā baddha-vatsā iva saurabhī॥18॥
Then Kuntī, like a cow whose calf is tied, quickly entered the inner quarters of that great-souled brāhmaṇa.
tatas taṁ brāhmaṇaṁ tatra bhāryayā ca sutena ca। duhitrā caiva sahitaṁ dadarśa vikṛtānanam॥19॥
There she saw the brāhmaṇa, along with his wife, son, and daughter, all with faces distorted by grief.
brāhmaṇa uvāca॥
The brāhmaṇa said:
dhig idaṁ jīvitaṁ loke'nala-sāram anarthakam। duḥkha-mūlaṁ parādhīnaṁ bhṛśam apriya-bhāgi ca॥20॥
Fie on this life in the world — unsubstantial, fruitless, rooted in sorrow, dependent on others, and full of distress.
jīvite paramaṁ duḥkhaṁ jīvite paramo jvaraḥ। jīvite vartamānasya dvandvānām āgamo dhruvaḥ॥21॥
In life, the highest sorrow and the greatest affliction exist; for one who lives, the arrival of dualities is certain.
ekātmāpi hi dharmārthau kāmaṁ ca na niṣevate। etaiś ca viprayogo'pi duḥkhaṁ paramakaṁ matam॥22॥
Even though one has a single self, he does not fulfill dharma, artha, or desire fully. Separation from these too is considered great sorrow.
āhuḥ kecit paraṁ mokṣaṁ sa ca nāsti kathañcana। artha-prāptau ca narakaḥ kṛtsna evopapadyate॥23॥
Some declare liberation to be supreme, yet it does not exist in any way; even in the acquisition of wealth, complete misery arises.
arthepsutā paraṁ duḥkham artha-prāptau tato'dhikam। jāta-snehasya cārtheṣu viprayoge mahattaram॥24॥
The desire for wealth brings great sorrow; attaining it brings even more; and for one who has become attached, separation from it brings the greatest sorrow.
na hi yogaṁ prapaśyāmi yena mucyeyam āpadaḥ। putra-dāreṇa vā sārdhaṁ prādraveyām anāmayam॥25॥
I see no way by which I might escape this calamity or flee in peace with my wife and son.
yatitaṁ vai mayā pūrvaṁ yathā tvaṁ vettha brāhmaṇi। yataḥ kṣemaṁ tato gantuṁ tvayā tu mama na śrutam॥26॥
I made effort earlier, as you know, O brāhmaṇī, to go where safety lay, but you did not heed my words.
iha jātā vivṛddhāsmi pitā ceha mameti ca। uktavaty asi durmedhe yācyamānā mayāsakṛt॥27॥
I was born and raised here; you said, “my father is here” — yet, O fool, you ignored my repeated pleadings.
svargato hi pitā vṛddhas tathā mātā ciraṁ tava। bāndhavā bhūta-pūrvāś ca tatra vāse tu kā ratiḥ॥28॥
Your aged father and long-lost mother are in heaven; your past relatives too. What joy is there in dwelling there now?
so'yaṁ te bandhu-kāmāyā aśṛṇvantyā vaco mama। bandhu-praṇāśaḥ samprāpto bhṛśaṁ duḥkha-karo mama॥29॥
This is the result of your desire for kin, having ignored my words. The loss of kin has occurred, and it causes me deep sorrow.
athavā mad-vināśo'yaṁ na hi śakṣyāmi kañcana। parityaktum ahaṁ bandhuṁ svayaṁ jīvan nṛśaṁsavat॥30॥
Or else this shall be my end, for I cannot abandon my kin while alive, like a cruel man.
saha-dharma-carīṁ dāntāṁ nityaṁ mātṛ-samāṁ mama। sakhāyaṁ vihitāṁ devair nityaṁ paramikāṁ gatim॥31॥
She who shares my dharma, is self-restrained, like a mother to me, appointed by the gods as my constant companion and highest path.
mātrā pitrā ca vihitāṁ sadā gārhasthya-bhāginīm। varayitvā yathā-nyāyaṁ mantravat pariṇīya ca॥32॥
Appointed by my parents as the sharer of household life, lawfully chosen and ritually married by me.
kulīnāṁ śīla-sampannām apatya-jananīṁ mama। tvām ahaṁ jīvitasya-arthe sādhvīm anapakāriṇīm। parityaktuṁ na śakṣyāmi bhāryāṁ nityam anuvratām॥33॥
I cannot abandon you, my noble, virtuous wife, mother of my child, ever devoted and faultless, even to save my life.
kuta eva parityaktuṁ sutāṁ śakṣyāmy ahaṁ svayam। bālām aprāpta-vayasam ajāta-vyañjanākṛtim॥34॥
How then shall I myself abandon my daughter, still a child, not of age, with undeveloped features?
bhartur-arthāya nikṣiptāṁ nyāsaṁ dhātrā mahātmanā। yasyāṁ dauhitra-jān lokān āśaṁse pitṛbhiḥ saha। svayam utpādya tāṁ bālāṁ katham utsraṣṭum utsahe॥35॥
Entrusted to me by the Creator for her husband’s sake, in whom I hope to attain ancestral worlds—how can I abandon this child whom I myself have begotten?
manyante kecid adhikaṁ snehaṁ putre pitur narāḥ। kanyāyāṁ naiva tu punar mama tulyāv ubhau matau॥36॥
Some men say a father’s love for a son is greater. But for me, both are equal in affection.
yasmiṁl lokāḥ prasūtiś ca sthitā nityam atho sukham। apāpāṁ tām ahaṁ bālāṁ katham utsraṣṭum utsahe॥37॥
She, the sinless girl in whom creation and joy ever dwell—how can I bear to abandon her?
ātmānam api cotsṛjya tapsye preta-vaśaṁ gataḥ। tyaktā hy ete mayā vyaktaṁ neha śakṣyanti jīvitum॥38॥
I shall abandon myself and die, for clearly, these ones abandoned by me would not be able to live on.
eṣāṁ cānyatama-tyāgo nṛśaṁso garhito budhaiḥ। ātma-tyāge kṛte ceme mariṣyanti mayā vinā॥39॥
To abandon even one of them is cruelty and condemned by the wise. And if I give up my life, they too will perish without me.
sa kṛcchrām aham āpanno na śaktas tartum āpadam। aho dhikkāṁ gatiṁ tv adya gamiṣyāmi sabāndhavaḥ। sarvaiḥ saha mṛtaṁ śreyo na tu me jīvitaṁ kṣamam॥40॥
I have fallen into great distress and cannot overcome this calamity. Alas! I shall go today with my kin to that condemnable end. Death with all of them is better than life, which I can no longer bear.
