11.008
Pancharatra-Ext: Vyasa visits and consoles Dhritarashtra.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
vidurasya tu tad vākyaṃ niśamya kurusattamaḥ। putraśokābhisantaptaḥ papāta bhuvi mūrcchitaḥ ॥11-8-1॥
But when he heard Vidura's words, the noble Kuru, overwhelmed by grief for his son, collapsed unconscious to the ground.
taṃ tathā patitaṃ bhūmau niḥsañjñaṃ prekṣya bāndhavāḥ। kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaścaiva kṣattā ca vidurastathā ॥11-8-2॥
Seeing him fallen unconscious on the ground, the relatives, Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, the charioteer, and Vidura also gathered around.
sañjayaḥ suhṛdaś cānye dvāḥsthā ye cāsya saṃmatāḥ। jalena sukhaśītena tālavṛntaiś ca bhārata॥11-8-3॥
O Bharata, Sanjaya, his friends, other attendants, and the doorkeepers he approved, served with pleasantly cool water and palm leaves.
paspṛśuś ca karair gātraṃ vījamānāś ca yatnataḥ। anvāsan suciraṃ kālaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ tathāgatam ॥11-8-4॥
They touched Dhritarashtra's body with their hands and carefully fanned him; for a long time, they stayed by his side after he had arrived.
atha dīrghasya kālasya labdhasaṃjño mahīpatiḥ। vilalāpa ciraṃ kālaṃ putrādhibhirabhiplutaḥ ॥11-8-5॥
Then, after a long time, the king regained consciousness and, overwhelmed by grief for his son, lamented for a long while.
dhig astu khalu mānuṣyaṃ mānuṣye ca parigraham। yato mūlāni duḥkhāni sambhavanti muhurmuhuḥ ॥11-8-6॥
Truly, let human nature and human attachments be condemned, for from these roots, sufferings arise repeatedly.
putranāśe'rthanāśe ca jñātisambandhinām api। prāpyate sumahadduḥkhaṃ viṣāgnipratimaṃ vibho ॥11-8-7॥
O lord, when one loses a son, wealth, or even relatives and connections, one experiences immense grief, as if struck by poison or fire.
yena dahyanti gātrāṇi yena prajñā vinaśyati। yenābhibhūtaḥ puruṣo maraṇaṃ bahu manyate ॥11-8-8॥
That which burns the limbs, destroys wisdom, and, when it overpowers a person, makes him regard death as highly significant.
tad idaṃ vyasanaṃ prāptaṃ mayā bhāgyaviparyayāt। tac caiva ahaṃ kariṣyāmi adyaiva dvijasattama ॥11-8-9॥
This misfortune has come upon me because of a reversal of fortune. I will indeed do that today itself, O best of the twice-born.
ity uktvā tu mahātmānaṃ pitaraṃ brahmavittamam। dhṛtarāṣṭro'bhavanmūḍhaḥ śokaṃ ca paramaṃ gataḥ ॥ abhūc ca tūṣṇīṃ rājāsau dhyāyamāno mahīpate ॥11-8-10॥
Having thus addressed his great-souled father, the knower of Brahman, Dhritarashtra became bewildered and overwhelmed with intense grief. The king then fell silent, lost in contemplation, O lord of the earth.
tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaḥ prabhuḥ। putraśokābhisantaptaṃ putraṃ vacanam abravīt ॥11-8-11॥
Hearing those words, Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, the revered sage, addressed his son, who was overwhelmed with grief for his own son.
dhṛtarāṣṭra mahābāho yat tvāṃ vakṣyāmi tac chṛṇu। śrutavān asi medhāvī dharmārthakuśalas tathā ॥11-8-12॥
O mighty-armed Dhritarashtra, listen to what I am about to say to you. You are learned, wise, and skilled in matters of righteousness and wealth.
na te'styaviditaṃ kiñcidveditavyaṃ parantapa। anityatāṃ hi martyānāṃ vijānāsi na saṃśayaḥ ॥11-8-13॥
O Parantapa, there is nothing unknown or left to be known by you. You certainly know the impermanence of mortals—there is no doubt about it.
adhruve jīvaloke ca sthāne vāśāśvate sati। jīvite maraṇānte ca kasmācchocasi bhārata ॥11-8-14॥
O Bhārata, in this impermanent world, where life inevitably ends in death, why do you grieve?
pratyakṣaṃ tava rājendra vairasyāsya samudbhavaḥ। putraṃ te kāraṇaṃ kṛtvā kālayogena kāritaḥ ॥11-8-15॥
O King, the direct origin of this enmity has arisen; your son has been made the cause, brought about by the conjunction of time.
avaśyaṃ bhavitavye ca kurūṇāṃ vaiśase nṛpa। kasmācchocasi tāñśūrāngatānparamikāṃ gatim ॥11-8-16॥
O king, what was destined to happen in the massacre of the Kurus has certainly occurred; why do you grieve for those heroes who have attained the highest state?
jānatā ca mahābāho vidureṇa mahātmanā। yatitaṃ sarvayatnena śamaṃ prati janeśvara ॥11-8-17॥
O mighty-armed one, know that Vidura, the high-souled, made every possible effort for peace towards you, O lord of men.
na ca daivakṛto mārgaḥ śakyo bhūtena kenacit। ghaṭatāpi ciraṃ kālaṃ niyantumiti me matiḥ ॥11-8-18॥
And it is my opinion that no being can control the path made by fate, even if they try for a long time.
devatānāṃ hi yat kāryaṃ mayā pratyakṣataḥ śrutam। tat te'haṃ sampravakṣyāmi kathaṃ sthairyaṃ bhavet tava ॥11-8-19॥
I will now explain to you what I have directly heard about the actions of the deities, so that you may attain steadiness.
purāhaṃ tvarito yātaḥ sabhāmaindrīṃ jitaklamaḥ। apaśyaṃ tatra ca tadā samavetāndivaukasah ॥ nāradapramukhāṃścāpi sarvān devaṛṣīṃs tathā ॥11-8-20॥
Once, having overcome my fatigue, I quickly went to Indra's assembly. There I saw the gods gathered together, as well as all the divine sages led by Nārada.
tatra cāpi mayā dṛṣṭā pṛthivī pṛthivīpate। kāryārtham-upasamprāptā devatānāṃ samīpataḥ ॥11-8-21॥
O lord of the earth, there I saw the earth herself, who had come from near the gods for a specific purpose.
upagamya tadā dhātrī devān āha samāgatān। yat kāryaṃ mama yuṣmābhir brahmaṇaḥ sadane tadā ॥ pratijñātaṃ mahābhāgās tac chīghraṃ saṃvidhīyatām ॥11-8-22॥
Then, having approached, the Earth addressed the assembled gods: "O greatly fortunate ones, the task you promised me in Brahmā's abode—let it be accomplished quickly."
tasyās tad vacanaṃ śrutvā viṣṇur loka-namaskṛtaḥ। uvāca prahasan vākyaṃ pṛthivīṃ deva-saṃsadi ॥11-8-23॥
Hearing her words, Viṣṇu, honored by all worlds, smiled and addressed the Earth in the assembly of the gods.
dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāṇāṃ yastu jyeṣṭhaḥ śatasya vai। duryodhana iti khyātaḥ sa te kāryaṃ kariṣyati ॥ taṃ ca prāpya mahīpālaṃ kṛtakṛtyā bhaviṣyasi ॥11-8-24॥
Duryodhana, the eldest of Dhritarashtra's hundred sons, who is well known, will accomplish your task. By gaining him, the king, you will achieve your purpose.
tasyārthe pṛthivīpālāḥ kurukṣetre samāgatāḥ। anyonyaṃ ghātayiṣyanti dṛḍhaiḥ śastraiḥ prahāriṇaḥ ॥11-8-25॥
For his sake, the kings of the earth have assembled at Kurukshetra and will strike each other down with firm weapons.
tatas te bhavitā devi bhārasya yudhi nāśanam। gaccha śīghraṃ svakaṃ sthānaṃ lokān dhāraya śobhane ॥11-8-26॥
Then, O goddess, the burden will be destroyed in battle. Go quickly to your own abode and support the worlds, O beautiful one.
sa eṣa te suto rājan lokasaṃhārakāraṇāt। kaleraṃśaḥ samutpanno gāndhāryā jaṭhare nṛpa ॥11-8-27॥
O king, this son of yours, who is a portion of Kali, has been born in the womb of Gandhari for the purpose of the destruction of the world.
amarṣī capalaś cāpi krodhano duṣprasādhanaḥ। daivayogātsamutpannā bhrātaraś cāsya tādṛśāḥ ॥11-8-28॥
He was intolerant, restless, irascible, and difficult to subdue; by fate, brothers of a similar nature were also born to him.
śakunirmātulaścaiva karṇaśca paramaḥ sakhā। samutpannā vināśārthaṃ pṛthivyāṃ sahitā nṛpāḥ ॥ etamarthaṃ mahābāho nārado veda tattvataḥ ॥11-8-29॥
Shakuni, the maternal uncle, and Karna, the closest friend, along with the assembled kings, have arisen on earth for the purpose of destruction. O mighty-armed one, Narada truly knows this matter.
ātmāparādhāt putrās te vinaṣṭāḥ pṛthivīpate. mā tāñ śocasva rājendra na hi śoke 'sti kāraṇam ॥11-8-30॥
O king, your sons perished because of your own fault. Do not mourn for them, for there is truly no reason in grief.
na hi te pāṇḍavāḥ svalpam aparādhyanti bhārata। putrās tava durātmāno yair iyaṃ ghātitā mahī ॥11-8-31॥
O Bhārata, your Pāṇḍavas have not committed even the slightest offense. It is your wicked-minded sons by whom this earth has been destroyed.
nāradena ca bhadraṃ te pūrvameva na saṃśayaḥ। yudhiṣṭhirasya samitau rājasūye niveditam ॥11-8-32॥
Nārada had already declared this for your well-being, without any doubt, in the assembly of Yudhiṣṭhira at the Rājasūya sacrifice.
pāṇḍavāḥ kauravāścaiva samāsādya parasparam। na bhaviṣyanti kaunteya yatte kṛtyaṃ tadācara ॥11-8-33॥
O son of Kunti, the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas, having come face to face, will not survive. Therefore, do what you must do.
nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā tadāśocanta pāṇḍavāḥ। etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ devaguhyaṃ sanātanam ॥11-8-34॥
When the Pāṇḍavas heard Nārada's words, they were filled with sorrow. All of this, the eternal divine secret, has now been revealed to you.
kathaṁ te śokanāśaḥ syāt prāṇeṣu ca dayā prabho। snehaś ca pāṇḍuputreṣu jñātvā daivakṛtaṁ vidhim ॥11-8-35॥
O lord, how can your sorrow be destroyed, and how can you feel compassion for all beings and affection for the sons of Pandu, knowing that everything is ordained by fate?
eṣa cārtho mahābāho pūrvameva mayā śrutaḥ। kathito dharmarājasya rājasūye kratūttame ॥11-8-36॥
O mighty-armed one, I had already heard this meaning before and it was narrated at Dharmarāja's Rājasūya, the greatest of sacrifices.
yatitaṃ dharmaputreṇa mayā guhye nivedite। avigrahe kauravāṇāṃ daivaṃ tu balavattaram ॥11-8-37॥
Dharmaputra and I made efforts in secret and communicated them; but in the Kauravas' refusal to fight, fate proved stronger.
anatikramaṇīyo hi vidhī rājan kathaṃcana। kṛtāntasya hi bhūtena sthāvareṇa trasena ca ॥11-8-38॥
O king, the decree of Death cannot be transgressed in any way, whether by living beings, immovable objects, or anything else.
bhavān karmaparo yatra buddhiśreṣṭhaś ca bhārata। muhyate prāṇināṃ jñātvā gatiṃ cāgatim eva ca ॥11-8-39॥
O Bhārata, you, devoted to action and the best among the wise, become deluded where, having known both the path and the non-path, of living beings.
tvāṃ tu śokena santaptaṃ muhyamānaṃ muhurmuhuḥ। jñātvā yudhiṣṭhiro rājā prāṇān api parityajet ॥11-8-40॥
But if King Yudhishthira were to see you so repeatedly tormented and bewildered by grief, he might even give up his own life.
kṛpālur nityaśo vīras tiryag-yonigateṣv api। sa kathaṃ tvayi rājendra kṛpāṃ vai na kariṣyati॥11-8-41॥
The ever-compassionate hero, who extends mercy even to animals, how could he possibly not show compassion to you, O King?
mama caiva niyogena vidheścāpyanivartanāt। pāṇḍavānāṃ ca kāruṇyātprāṇāndhāraya bhārata॥11-8-42॥
O Bhārata, by my command, by the inevitability of fate, and out of compassion for the Pāṇḍavas, you must sustain your life.
evaṃ te vartamānasya loke kīrtirbhaviṣyati। dharmaśca sumahāṃstāta taptaṃ syācca tapaścīrāt ॥11-8-43॥
Thus, your present fame will spread in the world. And, O dear one, your virtue will be very great, and your austerity will be accomplished after a long time.
putraśokasamutpannaṃ hutāśaṃ jvalitaṃ yathā। prajñāmbhasā mahārāja nirvāpaya sadā sadā ॥11-8-44॥
O great king, just as a blazing fire arises from grief for a son, always extinguish it with the water of wisdom.
etat-śrutvā tu vacanaṃ vyāsasyāmitatejasaḥ। muhūrtaṃ samanudhyāya dhṛtarāṣṭro'bhyabhāṣata ॥11-8-45॥
After hearing these words from Vyāsa, who possessed immeasurable energy, Dhṛtarāṣṭra paused for a moment and then spoke.
mahatā śokajālena praṇunno'smi dvijottama। nātmānam avabudhyāmi muhyamāno muhurmuhuḥ ॥11-8-46॥
O best of the twice-born, I am overwhelmed by a great net of grief and, repeatedly deluded, I am unable to recognize myself.
idaṃ tu vacanaṃ śrutvā tava daivaniyogajam। dhārayiṣyāmyahaṃ prāṇānyatiṣye ca na śocitum ॥11-8-47॥
But having heard this speech of yours, which is born of divine command, I will sustain my life and survive, and I will not grieve.
etat-śrutvā tu vacanaṃ vyāsaḥ satyavatī-sutaḥ। dhṛtarāṣṭrasya rājendra tatraiva antaradhīyata ॥11-8-48॥
O king, after hearing these words, Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī, disappeared from Dhṛtarāṣṭra right there.
