15.013
dhṛtarāṣṭravākyam
The speech of Dhritarashtra.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
evam etat kariṣyāmi yathāttha pṛthivīpate। bhūyaś caivānuśāsyo'haṃ bhavatā pārthivarṣabha ॥15-13-1॥
I will do this exactly as you have said, O lord of the earth. And again, I am to be instructed by you, O best of kings. (15-13-1)
bhīṣme svargamanuprāpte gate ca madhusūdane। vidure sañjaye caiva ko'anyo māṃ vaktumarhati ॥15-13-2॥
With Bhīṣma having ascended to heaven, Madhusūdana departed, and Vidura and Sañjaya too—who else is worthy to address me? (15-13-2)
yattu māmanuśāstīha bhavānadya hite sthitaḥ। kartāsm yetanmahīpāla nirvṛto bhava bhārata॥15-13-3॥
O Bhārata, O king, be satisfied, for I will do that which you here today instruct me as beneficial. (15-13-3)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
evam-uktaḥ sa rājarṣir dharmarājena dhīmatā। kaunteyaṃ samanujñātum iyeṣa bharatarṣabha॥15-13-4॥
O best of the Bharatas, thus addressed by the wise Dharmarāja, the royal sage wished to obtain Kunteya's permission. (15-13-4)
putra viśramyatāṃ tāvan mamāpi balavāñ śramaḥ। ity uktvā prāviśad rājā gāndhāryā bhavanaṃ tadā॥15-13-5॥
“Son, you should rest for a while; I too am quite weary.” Thus having spoken, the king then entered Gāndhārī's palace. (15-13-5)
tamāsanagataṃ devī gāndhārī dharmacāriṇī। uvāca kāle kālajñā prajāpatisamaṃ patim ॥15-13-6॥
The righteous lady Gāndhārī, knowing the proper time, spoke to her husband—who was seated and equal to Prajāpati—at the appropriate moment. (15-13-6)
anujñātaḥ svayaṁ tena vyāsenāpi maharṣiṇā। yudhiṣṭhirasya-anumate kadā araṇyaṃ gamiṣyasi ॥15-13-7॥
Having been permitted yourself by him, by Vyāsa who is also a great sage, and with the approval of Yudhiṣṭhira, when will you go to the forest? (15-13-7)
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra said.
gāndhāry aham anujñātaḥ svayaṃ pitrā mahātmanā। yudhiṣṭhirasya anumate gantāsmi nacirād vanam ॥15-13-8॥
I have been permitted by Gāndhārī and myself by my great-souled father; with Yudhiṣṭhira's approval, I will soon go to the forest. (15-13-8)
ahaṃ hi nāma sarveṣāṃ teṣāṃ durdyūtadevinām। putrāṇāṃ dātum icchāmi pretyabhāvānugaṃ vasu॥ sarvaprakṛtīsāmnidhyaṃ kārayitvā svaveśmani॥15-13-9॥
I indeed truly desire to give, after my death, the wealth belonging to all those men skilled in evil dice to their sons, having caused it to be done in my own house in the presence of all officials. (15-13-9)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
ity uktvā dharmarājāya preṣayāmāsa pārthivaḥ. sa ca tadvacanāt sarvaṃ samāninye mahīpatiḥ ॥15-13-10॥
Having said this, the king sent it to Dharmarāja; and, by that command, the ruler of the earth brought everything. (15-13-10)
tato niṣkramya nṛpatistasmād antaḥ-purāt tadā। sarvaṃ suhṛj-janaṃ caiva sarvāś ca prakṛtīs tathā ॥ samavetāṃś ca tān sarvān paurajānapadān atha ॥15-13-11॥
Then the king, having come out from the inner palace at that time, summoned all his friends, officials, as well as all the assembled citizens and country people. (15-13-11)
brāhmaṇāṃś ca mahīpālān nānādeśasamāgatān। tataḥ prāha mahātejā dhṛtarāṣṭro mahīpatiḥ ॥15-13-12॥
Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the king of great splendor, then spoke to the brāhmaṇas and kings who had assembled from various regions. (15-13-12)
śṛṇvantyekāgramanaso brāhmaṇāḥ kurujāṅgalāḥ। kṣatriyāścaiva vaiśyāśca śūdrāścaiva samāgatāḥ ॥15-13-13॥
The Brāhmaṇas of Kurujāṅgala, with concentrated minds, listen; and the Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras too, all assembled. (15-13-13)
bhavantaḥ kuravaścaiva bahukālaṃ sahoṣitāḥ। parasparasya suhṛdaḥ parasparahite ratāḥ ॥15-13-14॥
You and the Kurus have long lived together as friends, devoted to each other's welfare. (15-13-14)
yad idānīm ahaṁ brūyām asmin kāla upasthite. tathā bhavadbhiḥ kartavyam avicārya vaco mama ॥15-13-15॥
Whatever I now say at this present time, that should be done by you all, without questioning my word. (15-13-15)
araṇyagamane buddhirgāndhārīsahitasya me। vyāsasyānumate rājñastathā kuntīsutasya ca ॥ bhavanto'pyanujānantu mā vo'nyā bhūdvicāraṇā ॥15-13-16॥
My decision to go to the forest along with Gāndhārī is made with the approval of Vyāsa, the king, and Kuntī's son. You also should permit it, and let there be no other deliberation among you. (15-13-16)
asmākaṃ bhavatāṃ caiva yeyaṃ prītiḥ hi śāśvatī। na ca anyeṣu asti deśeṣu rājñām iti matir mama ॥15-13-17॥
The affection that exists between us and you is truly eternal; I believe such affection among kings is not found in other lands. (15-13-17)
śrānto'smi vayasānena tathā putravinākṛtaḥ। upavāsakṛśaścāsmi gāndhārīsahito'naghāḥ॥15-13-18॥
I am exhausted by old age and also have become bereft of my son; I am emaciated by fasting, together with Gandhari, O sinless ones. (15-13-18)
yudhiṣṭhiragate rājye prāptaścāsmi sukhaṃ mahat। manye duryodhanaiśvaryād viśiṣṭam iti sattamāḥ ॥15-13-19॥
Now that Yudhishthira has gained the kingdom, I have found great happiness. I consider this to be superior to the sovereignty of Duryodhana, O best of men. (15-13-19)
mama tv andhasya vṛddhasya hataputrasya kā gatiḥ। ṛte vanaṃ mahābhāgās tan mānujñātum arhatha ॥15-13-20॥
But for me—being blind, old, and bereft of my son—what other path is there? Except the forest; O highly fortunate ones, you ought to permit me that. (15-13-20)
tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā sarve te kurujāṅgalāḥ। bāṣpasaṃdigdhayā vācā rurudur bharatarṣabha ॥15-13-21॥
O bull of the Bharatas, all those Kurujāṅgalas, having heard his words, wept with voices choked by tears. (15-13-21)
tāna-vibruvataḥ kiñcid-duḥkha-śoka-parāyaṇān। punar-eva mahā-tejā dhṛtarāṣṭro 'bravīd idam ॥15-13-22॥
Seeing them silent and somewhat absorbed in sorrow and grief, the mighty Dhritarashtra again spoke as follows. (15-13-22)
