15.001
āśramavāsaparva
Section of dwelling in the hermitage
dhṛtarāṣṭraśuśrūṣā
Service to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said.
prāpya rājyaṃ mahābhāgāḥ pāṇḍavā me pitāmahāḥ। katham āsan mahārāje dhṛtarāṣṭre mahātmani॥15-1-1॥
After gaining the kingdom, how did my grandfathers, the most fortunate Pāṇḍavas, live with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the high-souled great king? (15-1-1)
sa hi rājā hatāmātyo hataputro nirāśrayaḥ। katham āsīd hataiśvaryo gāndhārī ca yaśasvinī॥15-1-2॥
He indeed, the king, whose ministers and sons were slain and bereft of support—how did he, with his power destroyed, and Gāndhārī the illustrious one, fare? (15-1-2)
kiyantaṃ caiva kālaṃ te pitaro mama pūrvakāḥ। sthitā rājye mahātmānas tan me vyākhyātum arhasi॥15-1-3॥
You ought to explain to me how long your fathers, my ancestors, the great souls, remained in the kingdom. (15-1-3)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
prāpya rājyaṃ mahātmānaḥ pāṇḍavā hataśatravaḥ। dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ puraskṛtya pṛthivīṃ paryapālayan ॥15-1-4॥
After obtaining the kingdom and having slain their enemies, the noble Pāṇḍavas, with Dhṛtarāṣṭra at the forefront, ruled over the earth. (15-1-4)
dhṛtarāṣṭram upātiṣṭhad viduraḥ sañjayaḥ tathā। yuyutsuś ca api medhāvī vaiśyāputraḥ sa kauravaḥ ॥15-1-5॥
Vidura attended to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, as did Sañjaya. Yuyutsu, the wise Kaurava who was the son of a Vaiśyā, also did so. (15-1-5)
pāṇḍavāḥ sarvakāryāṇi sampṛcchanti sma taṃ nṛpam। cakrustenābhyanujñātā varṣāṇi daśa pañca ca ॥15-1-6॥
The Pāṇḍavas enquired about all undertakings from that king. Having received his permission, they performed (them) for fifteen years. (15-1-6)
sadā hi gatvā te vīrāḥ paryupāsanta taṃ nṛpam। pādābhivandanaṃ kṛtvā dharmarājamate sthitāḥ ॥ te mūrdhni samupāghrātāḥ sarvakāryāṇi cakrire ॥15-1-7॥
Always, having gone, those heroes attended upon that king. After performing salutation at his feet, they stayed as per Dharmarāja's will. Having their heads touched (smelled) by him, they performed all their duties. (15-1-7)
kuntibhojasutā caiva gāndhārīmanvavartata। draupadī ca subhadrā ca yāścānyāḥ pāṇḍavastriyaḥ॥ samāṃ vṛttimavartanta tayoḥ śvaśrvoryathāvidhi॥15-1-8॥
The daughter of Kuntibhoja indeed followed Gandhari; Draupadi, Subhadra, and the other wives of the Pandavas all behaved equally toward their two mothers-in-law, as was proper. (15-1-8)
śayanāni mahārhāṇi vāsāṃsyābharaṇāni ca। rājarhāṇi ca sarvāṇi bhakṣyabhojyānyanekazaḥ ॥ yudhiṣṭhiro mahārāja dhṛtarāṣṭre'bhyupāharat ॥15-1-9॥
Yudhishthira, the great king, presented to Dhritarashtra many precious beds, garments, ornaments, all kinds of royal-worthy edibles and foods in abundance. (15-1-9)
tathaiva kuntī gāndhāryāṃ guruvṛttimavartata. viduraḥ sañjayaścaiva yuyutsuścaiva kauravaḥ ॥ upāsate sma taṃ vṛddhaṃ hataputraṃ janādhipam ॥15-1-10॥
In the same way, Kunti behaved towards Gandhari with the reverence of a disciple. Vidura, Sanjaya, and Yuyutsu the Kaurava also served that aged king who had lost his sons. (15-1-10)
syālo droṇasya yaś caiko dayito brāhmaṇo mahān। sa ca tasmin maheṣvāsaḥ kṛpaḥ samabhavat tadā ॥15-1-11॥
The brother-in-law of Droṇa, who alone was a beloved and eminent brāhmaṇa, namely, the great archer Kṛpa, was also present there at that time. (15-1-11)
vyāsaś ca bhagavān nityaṃ vāsaṃ cakre nṛpeṇa ha। kathāḥ kurvan purāṇaṛṣir devarṣi-nṛpa-rakṣasām॥15-1-12॥
Vyāsa, the revered sage, continually made his residence with the king, indeed; while narrating stories of the ancient sages, divine sages, kings, and demons. (15-1-12)
dharmayuktāni kāryāṇi vyavahārānvitāni ca। dhṛtarāṣṭrābhyanujñāto viduras tāny akarayat ॥15-1-13॥
Vidura carried out those actions that were consistent with dharma, involved proper transactions, and had Dhṛtarāṣṭra's approval. (15-1-13)
sāmantebhyaḥ priyāṇyasya kāryāṇi sugurūṇyapi। prāpyante'rthaiḥ sulaghubhiḥ prabhāvādvidurasya vai ॥15-1-14॥
Dear things, even very difficult tasks, are accomplished for his allies by the influence of the wise man, with very small means, indeed. (15-1-14)
akarodbandhamokṣāṁś ca vadhyānāṁ mokṣaṇaṁ tathā। na ca dharmātmajo rājā kadācitkiñcid abravīt ॥15-1-15॥
He effected the release of those imprisoned and also pardoned those condemned to death; yet the king, son of Dharma, never spoke a word (against this). (15-1-15)
vihārayātrāsu punaḥ kururājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। sarvān kāmān mahātejāḥ pradadāv ambikāsute ॥15-1-16॥
During the pleasure outings, Yudhisthira, the king of the Kurus, again gave all desired things to Ambika's son (Dhritarashtra), being greatly resplendent. (15-1-16)
ārālikāḥ sūpakārā rāgakhāṇḍavikās tathā। upātiṣṭhanta rājānaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ yathā purā ॥15-1-17॥
The makers of pickles and preserves, the cooks, and the confectioners, likewise, attended upon King Dhṛtarāṣṭra just as before. (15-1-17)
vāsāṃsi ca mahārhāṇi mālyāni vividhāni ca। upājahruḥ yathā nyāyaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya pāṇḍavāḥ ॥15-1-18॥
The Pandavas respectfully presented to Dhritarashtra garments of great value and various garlands, all according to proper custom. (15-1-18)
maireyaṃ madhu māṃsāni pānakāni laghūni ca। citrānbhakṣyavikārāṃśca cakrurasya yathā purā॥15-1-19॥
They prepared Maireya, honey, meats, drinks, light foods, and various food preparations for him just as before. (15-1-19)
ye cāpi pṛthivī-pālāḥ samājagmuḥ samantataḥ। upātiṣṭhanta te sarve kauravendraṃ yathā purā॥15-1-20॥
And those kings of the earth also gathered from all sides, all of them attended upon the king of the Kauravas as before. (15-1-20)
kuntī ca draupadī caiva sātvati caiva bhāminī। ulūpī nāgakanyā ca devī citrāṅgadā tathā ॥15-1-21॥
Kuntī, Draupadī, Sātvati, the illustrious lady, Ulūpī the serpent maiden, and the lady Citrāṅgadā. (15-1-21)
dhṛṣṭaketos ca bhaginī jarāsandhasya cātmajā. kiṅkarāḥ smopatiṣṭhanti sarvāḥ subalajāṃ tathā ॥15-1-22॥
Dhṛṣṭaketu and the sister and daughter of Jarāsandha, as well as all the servants, attend upon Subala's daughter also. (15-1-22)
yathā putraviyukto'yaṁ na kiñcidduḥkham āpnuyāt। iti rājā anvaśāt bhrātṝn nityam eva yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥15-1-23॥
Just as this person, having lost his son, might not experience any sorrow, so King Yudhishthira always wished the same for his brothers. (15-1-23)
evaṃ te dharmarājasya śrutvā vacanam arthavat। saviśeṣam avartanta bhīmam ekaṃ vinā tadā ॥15-1-24॥
Thus, having heard the meaningful words of Dharmarāja, they all acted accordingly at that time, except for Bhīma alone. (15-1-24)
na hi tat tasya vīrasya hṛdayād apasarpati. dhṛtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheḥ yad vṛttaṃ dyūta-kāritam ॥15-1-25॥
Indeed, that event caused by gambling which was done by the evil-minded Dhṛtarāṣṭra does not leave the heart of that hero. (15-1-25)
