03.228
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ tataḥ sarve dadṛśur janamejaya। pṛṣṭvā sukham atho rājñaḥ pṛṣṭvā rājñā ca bhārata ॥03-228-1॥
O Janamejaya, then all saw Dhṛtarāṣṭra. After inquiring about the well-being of the king, and when the king also asked in return, O Bhārata. (03-228-1)
tatastairvihitaḥ pūrvaṃ samaṅgo nāma ballavaḥ। samīpasthāstadā gāvo dhṛtarāṣṭre nyavedayat॥03-228-2॥
Then formerly, a cowherd named Samaṅga was appointed by them; at that time, those nearby reported the cows to Dhṛtarāṣṭra. (03-228-2)
anantaraṃ ca rādheyaḥ śakuniś ca viśāṃ pate। āhatuḥ pārthivaśreṣṭhaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ janādhipam ॥03-228-3॥
Afterwards, Rādheya (Karna) and Shakuni, O lord of men, struck Dhritarashtra, the best of kings and the lord of men. (03-228-3)
ramaṇīyeṣu deśeṣu ghoṣāḥ samprati kaurava. smaraṇāsamayaḥ prāpto vatsānām api cāṅkanam ॥03-228-4॥
O Kaurava, in the delightful regions, the villages are now at the time for recalling and even marking of the calves has arrived. (03-228-4)
mṛgayā cocitā rājan asmin kāle sutasya te। duryodhanasya gamanaṃ tvam anujñātum arhasi॥03-228-5॥
O king, the hunt is suitable at this time; you ought to permit your son Duryodhana to go. (03-228-5)
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra said;
mṛgayā śobhanā tāta gavāṃ ca samavekṣaṇam। viśrambhastu na gantavyo ballavānāmiti smare ॥03-228-6॥
Hunting is enjoyable, dear son, and watching the cows too; but do not place trust in the herdsmen—remember this. (03-228-6)
te tu tatra naravyāghrāḥ samīpa iti naḥ śrutam। ato nābhyanujānāmi gamanaṃ tatra vaḥ svayam ॥03-228-7॥
But we have heard that those tiger-like men are nearby there; therefore, I do not permit you to go there yourselves. (03-228-7)
chadmanā nirjitās te hi karśitāś ca mahāvane। taponityāś ca rādheya samarthāś ca mahārathāḥ॥03-228-8॥
O Radheya, they who have been conquered by deceit and have become weakened in the great forest, are ever devoted to austerities, and are capable and mighty chariot-warriors. (03-228-8)
dharmarājo na saṅkrudhyedbhīmasenastvam-arṣaṇaḥ। yajñasenasya duhitā teja eva tu kevalam ॥03-228-9॥
Dharmarāja should not become angry; Bhīmasena, you are patient; the daughter of Yajñasena is indeed pure brilliance. (03-228-9)
yūyaṃ cāpy aparādhyeyur darpa-moha-samanvitāḥ। tato vinirdaheyus te tapasā hi samanvitāḥ॥03-228-10॥
You too, filled with pride and delusion, might transgress; then they, endowed with austerity, would certainly consume you. (03-228-10)
atha vā sāyudhā vīrā manyunā-abhipariplutāḥ। sahitā baddha-nistriṃśā daheyuḥ śastra-tejasā॥03-228-11॥
Or else, then, armed heroes—filled with wrath, together, with fastened swords—might burn (the enemy) by the energy of their weapons. (03-228-11)
atha yūyaṃ bahutvāt tān ārabhadhvaṃ kathaṃcana। anāryaṃ paramaṃ tat syād aśakyaṃ tac ca me matam ॥03-228-12॥
Therefore, as you are many, attack them in any manner you can. That would be extremely ignoble and impossible, and that is my opinion. (3-228-12)
uṣito hi mahābāhur indraloke dhanañjayaḥ। divyāny astrāṇy avāpya atha tataḥ pratyāgato vanam ॥03-228-13॥
Indeed, the mighty-armed Dhananjaya (Arjuna), having lived in the world of Indra and obtained the divine weapons, then returned from there to the forest. (03-228-13)
akṛtāstreṇa pṛthivī jitā bībhatsunā purā। kiṁ punaḥ sa kṛtāstro'dya na hanyād vo mahārathaḥ ॥03-228-14॥
Bībhatsu once conquered the earth without even perfecting arms—why would that great hero, now perfected in the use of weapons, not slay you today? (03-228-14)
atha vā mad-vacaḥ śrutvā tatra yattā bhaviṣyatha। udvignavāsaḥ viśrambhāt duḥkhaṃ tatra bhaviṣyati॥03-228-15॥
Or, now, having listened to my words, you will be prepared there. But if your mind is agitated due to lack of confidence, suffering will arise there. (03-228-15)
atha vā sainikāḥ kecid apakurv yur yudhiṣṭhire। tad buddhikṛtaṃ karma doṣam utpādayec ca vaḥ॥03-228-16॥
Or else, some soldiers might act wrongly concerning Yudhiṣṭhira; such an action, resulting from judgment, could bring fault upon you. (03-228-16)
tasmād gacchantu puruṣāḥ smāraṇāyāptakāriṇaḥ. na svayaṃ tatra gamanaṃ rocaye tava bhārata ॥03-228-17॥
Therefore, O Bhārata, let men who have already achieved their aim go there for remembrance; I do not approve of your going there yourself. (03-228-17)
śakuniḥ uvāca॥
Śakuni said.
dharmajñaḥ pāṇḍavo jyeṣṭhaḥ pratijñātaṃ ca saṃsadi। tena dvādaśa varṣāṇi vastavyānīti bhārata ॥03-228-18॥
O Bhārata, the eldest Pāṇḍava, knower of dharma, promised in the assembly that he would live in exile for twelve years. (03-228-18)
anuvṛttāś ca te sarve pāṇḍavā dharmacāriṇaḥ। yudhiṣṭhiraś ca kaunteyo na naḥ kopaṃ kariṣyati॥03-228-19॥
All the Pāṇḍavas are obedient and engaged in righteousness. Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Kuntī, will not become angry with us. (03-228-19)
mṛgayāṃ caiva no gantum icchā saṃvardhate bhṛśam। smāraṇaṃ ca cikīrṣāmo na tu pāṇḍava-darśanam॥03-228-20॥
Our desire to go hunting has greatly increased, and we wish to remember them, but not to see the Pāṇḍavas. (03-228-20)
na cānāryasamācāraḥ kaścit tatra bhaviṣyati। na ca tatra gamiṣyāmo yatra teṣāṃ pratiśrayaḥ ॥03-228-21॥
And there will not be any unworthy conduct there. Nor will we go where their refuge is. (03-228-21)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said;
evam-uktaḥ śakuninā dhṛtarāṣṭro janeśvaraḥ। duryodhanaṃ sahāmātyam anujajñe na kāmataḥ॥03-228-22॥
Thus addressed by Śakuni, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the king, gave his consent to Duryodhana and his ministers, but not out of his own desire. (03-228-22)
anujñātastu gāndhāriḥ karṇena sahitastadā। niryayau bharataśreṣṭho balena mahatā vṛtaḥ॥03-228-23॥
But Gandhari, having been permitted, accompanied by Karna, then departed—the best of the Bharatas, surrounded by a great army. (03-228-23)
duḥśāsanena ca tathā saubalena ca devinā। saṁvṛto bhrātṛbhiś ca anyaiḥ strībhiś ca api sahasraśaḥ ॥03-228-24॥
He was surrounded by Duḥśāsana, the son of Subala, the queen, brothers, others, and also by thousands of women. (03-228-24)
taṃ niryāntaṃ mahābāhuṃ draṣṭuṃ dvaitavanaṃ saraḥ| paurāś cānuyayuḥ sarve sahadārā vanaṃ ca tat॥03-228-25॥
All the citizens, with their wives, followed the mighty-armed hero as he departed to see the Dvaita forest and the lake, and to that forest. (03-228-25)
aṣṭau rathasahasrāṇi trīṇi nāgāyutāni ca। pattayo bahusāhasrā hayāś ca navatiḥ śatāḥ॥03-228-26॥
There were eight thousand chariots, thirty thousand elephants, countless thousands of foot-soldiers, and nine thousand horses. (03-228-26)
śakaṭāpaṇaveśyāś ca vaṇijo bandinas tathā। narāś ca mṛgayāśīlāḥ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ॥03-228-27॥
Cart-drivers, shopkeepers, prostitutes, merchants, bards, men, and hunters came in hundreds and thousands. (03-228-27)
tataḥ prayāṇe nṛpateḥ sumahān abhavat svanaḥ। prāvṛṣīva mahāvāyoḥ uddhatasya viśāṃ pate ॥03-228-28॥
Then, as the king set out, a very great sound arose—like that of a mighty wind in the rainy season stirred up, O lord of men. (03-228-28)
gavyūtimātre nyavasadraājā duryodhanastadā। prayāto vāhanaiḥ sarvaistatodvaitavanaṃ saraḥ ॥03-228-29॥
King Duryodhana then stayed at a distance of a gavyūti; from there, he departed with all the vehicles to the lake in the Dvaita forest. (03-228-29)
