02.066
Core-Pancharatra: Succumbing to Duryodhana, Dhritarastra sends messengers to bring back Pandavas for a game of dice.
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said.
anujñātāṃstānviditvā saratnadhanasañcayān। pāṇḍavāndhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ kathamāsīnmanastadā ॥2-66-1॥
Having permitted them and knowing the collections of jewels and wealth of the Pāṇḍavas and the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, how was the mind at that time? (2-66-1)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
anujñātāṃstānviditvā dhṛtarāṣṭreṇa dhīmatā। rājanduḥśāsanaḥ kṣipraṃ jagāma bhrātaraṃ prati ॥2-66-2॥
O king, after realizing that the wise Dhṛtarāṣṭra had permitted them, Duḥśāsana quickly went to his brother. (2-66-2)
duryodhanaṃ samāsādya sāmātyaṃ bharatarṣabha। duḥkhārto bharataśreṣṭha idaṃ vacanam abravīt ॥2-66-3॥
O best of the Bharatas, having approached Duryodhana along with his ministers, the illustrious descendant of Bharata, afflicted by sorrow, spoke these words. (2-66-3)
duḥkhenaitat-samānītaṃ sthaviro nāśayatyasau। śatrusādgamayad-dravyaṃ tadbudhyadhvaṃ mahārathāḥ ॥2-66-4॥
O great chariot-warriors, know that the old one destroys this wealth, which has been brought together by suffering, and the enemy, having led the wealth to ruin. (2-66-4)
atha duryodhanaḥ karṇaḥ śakuniś cāpi saubalaḥ। mithaḥ saṅgamya sahitāḥ pāṇḍavān prati māninaḥ ॥2-66-5॥
Then Duryodhana, Karṇa, and Śakuni, the son of Subala, having come together, proudly advanced towards the Pāṇḍavas. (2-66-5)
vaicitravīryaṃ rājānaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ manīṣiṇam। abhigamya tvarāyuktāḥ ślakṣṇaṃ vacanam abruvan ॥2-66-6॥
They quickly approached the wise king Dhṛtarāṣṭra, descendant of Vicitravīrya, and addressed him with gentle words. (2-66-6)
duryodhana uvāca॥
Duryodhana said.
na tvayedam śrutaṃ rājanya j-jagāda bṛhaspatiḥ। śakrasya nītiṃ pravadān vidvān deva-purohitaḥ ॥2-66-7॥
O king, this has not been heard by you, which Bṛhaspati, the learned priest of the gods, spoke while expounding the policy of Śakra. (2-66-7)
sarvopāyairnihantavyāḥ śatravaḥ śatrukarṣaṇa. purā yuddhādbalādvāpi prakurvanti tavāhitam ॥2-66-8॥
O subduer of enemies, enemies must be destroyed by all means. Before the battle, they may cause you harm by force or by other means. (2-66-8)
te vayaṃ pāṇḍavadhanaīḥ sarvānsampūjya pārthivān। yadi tānyodhayiṣyāmaḥ kiṃ vā naḥ parihāsyati ॥2-66-9॥
We, having honored all the kings with the wealth of the Pāṇḍavas, if we fight them, what ridicule will come to us? (2-66-9)
ahīnāśī-viṣān kruddhān daṃśāya samupasthitān। kṛtvā kaṇṭhe ca pṛṣṭhe ca kaḥ samutsraṣṭum arhati॥2-66-10॥
Who, having placed angry venomous serpents ready to bite on his neck and back, would be able to release them? (2-66-10)
āttaśastrā rathagatāḥ kupitāstāta pāṇḍavāḥ। niḥśeṣaṃ naḥ kariṣyanti kruddhā hyāśīviṣā yathā ॥2-66-11॥
O father, the Pāṇḍavas, having taken up weapons and mounted on their chariots, angry and enraged like venomous serpents, will indeed destroy us completely, just as serpents do. (2-66-11)
saṁnaddho hy arjuno yāti vivṛtya parameṣudhī। gāṇḍīvaṁ muhur ādatte niḥśvasaṁś ca nirīkṣate ॥2-66-12॥
Arjuna, fully armed, moves forward after opening (his chariot), as the supreme archer. He repeatedly grasps his Gāṇḍīva bow, sighs, and surveys the surroundings. (2-66-12)
gadāṃ gurvīṃ samudyamya tvaritaś ca vṛkodaraḥ। sva-rathaṃ yojayitvā āśu niryāta iti naḥ śrutam ॥2-66-13॥
We have heard that Vṛkodara, after lifting his heavy mace and swiftly yoking his own chariot, departed quickly. (2-66-13)
nakulaḥ khaḍgam-ādāya carma cāpy-aṣṭacandrakam। sahadevaś-ca rājā ca cakrur-ākāram-iṅgitaiḥ ॥2-66-14॥
Nakulah took up his sword, shield, and the eight-moon ornament; Sahadeva and the king also made a formation by gestures. (2-66-14)
te tvāsthāya rathān sarve bahuśastraparicchadān। abhighnanto rathavrātān senāyogāya niryayuḥ ॥2-66-15॥
But they all mounted their chariots equipped with many weapons and armours, and, striking at groups of chariots, set out for the battle array. (2-66-15)
na kṣaṁsyante tathāsmābhir jātu viprakṛtā hi te. draupadyāś ca parikleśaṁ kas teṣāṁ kṣantum arhati ॥2-66-16॥
Those who have wronged us will never be forgiven by us. Who among them is worthy to forgive the distress caused to Draupadī? (2-66-16)
punardīvyāma bhadraṃ te vanavāsāya pāṇḍavaiḥ। evametānvaśe kartuṃ śakṣyāmo bharatarṣabha ॥2-66-17॥
Let us once again enjoy ourselves; may good befall you during the Pāṇḍavas' exile. In this way, we shall be able to keep these matters under control, O best of the Bharatas. (2-66-17)
te vā dvādaśa varṣāṇi vayaṃ vā dyūtanirjitāḥ। praviśema mahāraṇyam ajinaiḥ prativāsitāḥ ॥2-66-18॥
Whether it is they or we who must spend twelve years, having been defeated in dice, let us enter the great forest clothed in skins. (2-66-18)
trayodaśaṃ ca sajane ajñātāḥ parivatsaram| jñātāś ca punar anyāni vane varṣāṇi dvādaśa ॥2-66-19॥
They spent the thirteenth year unknown among people, and the other twelve years known in the forest. (2-66-19)
nivasēma vayaṃ te vā tathā dyūtaṃ pravartatām। akṣānuptvā punardyutamidaṃ dīvyantu pāṇḍavāḥ ॥2-66-20॥
Let us live here, or you may; otherwise, let the dice-game proceed. Having cast the dice, let the Pāṇḍavas play this game of dice again. (2-66-20)
etatkṛtyatamaṃ rājannasmākaṃ bharatarṣabha। ayaṃ hi śakunirveda savidyāmakṣasampadam ॥2-66-21॥
O king, this is the most important thing for us to do, bull among the Bharatas. Śakuni indeed knows this; he possesses the knowledge and mastery of dice. (2-66-21)
dṛḍhamūlā vayaṃ rājye mitrāṇi parigṛhya ca| sāravadvipulaṃ sainyaṃ satkṛtya ca durāsadam ॥2-66-22॥
We, firmly established in the kingdom, having gathered friends and honored a strong and abundant army, are difficult to overcome. (2-66-22)
te ca trayodaśe varṣe pārayiṣyanti ced vratam। jeṣyāmas tān vayaṃ rājan rocatāṃ te parantapa ॥2-66-23॥
If they complete the vow in the thirteenth year, O king, then we shall conquer them. Let this be pleasing to you, O scorcher of foes. (2-66-23)
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said.
tūrṇaṃ pratyānayasvaitānkāmaṃ vyadhvagatānapi। āgacchantu punardyūtamidaṃ kurvantu pāṇḍavāḥ ॥2-66-24॥
Quickly bring them back as desired, even those who have already departed; let the Pāṇḍavas return and play this dice game again. (2-66-24)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tato droṇaḥ somadatto bāhlīkaś ca mahārathaḥ। viduro droṇaputraś ca vaiśyāputraś ca vīryavān ॥2-66-25॥
Then Droṇa, Somadatta, Bāhlīka, and the great chariot-warrior, along with Vidura, the son of Droṇa, the son of a Vaiśya, and the powerful one, were present. (2-66-25)
bhūriśravāḥ śāntanavo vikarṇaś ca mahārathaḥ। mā dyūtam ity abhāṣanta śamo 'stv iti ca sarvaśaḥ ॥2-66-26॥
Bhūriśravāḥ, the son of Śāntanu, Vikarṇa, and the great chariot-warrior all said: "Do not gamble" and also, "Let there be peace" by everyone. (2-66-26)
akāmānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ suhṛdām arthadarśinām। akarot pāṇḍavāhvānaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ sutapriyaḥ ॥2-66-27॥
Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who was fond of his son, extended the invitation to the Pāṇḍavas, even though all the well-wishing and discerning friends were unwilling. (2-66-27)
athābravīn mahārāja dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ janeśvaram। putrahārdād dharmayuktaṃ gāndhārī śokakarśitā ॥2-66-28॥
Then Gandhari, worn down by grief and filled with righteousness, out of affection for her son, addressed the great king Dhritarashtra, the lord of men. (2-66-28)
jāte duryodhone kṣattā mahāmatirabhāṣata। nīyatāṃ paralokāya sādhvayaṃ kulapāṃsanaḥ ॥2-66-29॥
After Duryodhana had left, the wise charioteer (Vidura) said, "Let this disgrace of the family be justly taken to the next world." (2-66-29)
vyanadajjātamātro hi gomāyuriva bhārata। anto nūnaṃ kulasyāsya kuravastannibodhata ॥2-66-30॥
O Bhārata, just as a newborn jackal cries out, so too, know that this marks the certain end of the Kurus of this family. (2-66-30)
mā bālānāmaśiṣṭānāmabhimaṃsthā matiṃ prabho। mā kulasya kṣaye ghore kāraṇaṃ tvaṃ bhaviṣyasi ॥2-66-31॥
O lord, do not consider the opinion of ill-mannered children. Do not become the terrible cause of the destruction of the family. (2-66-31)
baddhaṃ setuṃ ko nu bhindyāddham-icchāntaṃ ca pāvakam | śame dhṛtān punaḥ pārthān kopayet ko nu bhārata ||2-66-32||
O Bhārata, who would break a constructed bridge, or wish to put out a fire? Who would again provoke the steadfast sons of Pṛthā when they are at peace? (2-66-32)
smarantaṃ tvām ājamīḍha smārayiṣyāmy ahaṃ punaḥ। śāstraṃ na śāsti durbuddhiṃ śreyase vetarāya vā ॥2-66-33॥
O descendant of Jamīḍha, as you remember, I will remind you again. The scripture does not instruct a person of poor understanding, whether for his good or otherwise. (2-66-33)
na vai vṛddho bālamatir bhaved rājan kathaṃcana। tvannetrāḥ santu te putrā mā tvāṃ dīrṇāḥ prahāsiṣuḥ ॥2-66-34॥
O king, an old man should never be childish in mind. May your sons remain under your guidance; let them not, in distress, ridicule you. (2-66-34)
śamena dharmeṇa parasya buddhyā; jātā buddhiḥ sāstu te mā pratīpā. pradhvaṃsinī krūrasamāhitā śrīḥ; mṛduprauḍhā gacchati putrapautrān ॥2-66-35॥
May the understanding that arises from tranquility, righteousness, and another's intellect be yours and not adverse. Prosperity, when accompanied by cruelty and destruction, departs even from the gentle and mature, going to the sons and grandsons. (2-66-35)
athābravīn mahārājo gāndhārīṃ dharmadarśinīm। antaḥ kāmaṃ kulasyāstu na śakṣyāmi nivāritum ॥2-66-36॥
Then the great king said to Gāndhārī, the one who perceives dharma: 'Let the desire for the family remain within; I am unable to restrain it.' (2-66-36)
yathecchanti tathaivāstu pratyāgacchantu pāṇḍavāḥ। punardyūtaṃ prakurvantu māmakāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha ॥2-66-37॥
Let it be as they wish; let the Pāṇḍavas return. Let my people play dice again together with the Pāṇḍavas. (2-66-37)
