15.015
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
एवमुक्तास्तु ते तेन पौरजानपदा जनाः। वृद्धेन राज्ञा कौरव्य नष्टसञ्ज्ञा इवाभवन् ॥१५-१५-१॥
O Kauravya, when thus addressed by him, the urban and rural people, by the old king, became as if they had lost all awareness. (15-15-1)
तूष्णीम्भूतांस्ततस्तांस्तु बाष्पकण्ठान्महीपतिः। धृतराष्ट्रो महीपालः पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत ॥१५-१५-२॥
Then, seeing those who had become silent and whose throats were choked with tears, King Dhritarashtra, the ruler of the earth, again spoke to them. (15-15-2)
वृद्धं मां हतपुत्रं च धर्मपत्न्या सहानया। विलपन्तं बहुविधं कृपणं चैव सत्तमाः ॥१५-१५-३॥
O best of beings, when I, aged and bereft of my son, together with my righteous wife, was lamenting miserably in many ways. (15-15-3)
पित्रा स्वयमनुज्ञातं कृष्णद्वैपायनेन वै। वनवासाय धर्मज्ञा धर्मज्ञेन नृपेण च ॥१५-१५-४॥
Permitted by their father, by Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana indeed, for dwelling in the forest, the knowers of dharma (the Pāṇḍavas) were also permitted by the righteous king. (15-15-4)
सोऽहं पुनः पुनर्याचे शिरसावनतोऽनघाः। गान्धार्या सहितं तन्मां समनुज्ञातुमर्हथ ॥१५-१५-५॥
Therefore, I, with my head bowed again and again, beseech you, O sinless ones, that together with Gandhari you all ought to fully grant me permission. (15-15-5)
श्रुत्वा तु कुरुराजस्य वाक्यानि करुणानि ते। रुरुदुः सर्वतो राजन्समेताः कुरुजाङ्गलाः ॥१५-१५-६॥
But having heard the pitiful words of the king of the Kurus, O king, the assembled people of the Kuru country wept on all sides. (15-15-6)
उत्तरीयैः करैश्चापि सञ्छाद्य वदनानि ते। रुरुदुः शोकसन्तप्ता मुहूर्तं पितृमातृवत् ॥१५-१५-७॥
They covered their faces with their upper garments and hands, and, tormented by grief, wept for a while, as if mourning a father and mother. (15-15-7)
हृदयैः शून्यभूतैस्ते धृतराष्ट्रप्रवासजम्। दुःखं सन्धारयन्तः स्म नष्टसञ्ज्ञा इवाभवन् ॥१५-१५-८॥
With hearts emptied, they endured the sorrow from Dhṛtarāṣṭra's exile and became as if they had lost all awareness. (15-15-8)
ते विनीय तमायासं कुरुराजवियोगजम्। शनैः शनैस्तदान्योन्यमब्रुवन्स्वमतान्युत ॥१५-१५-९॥
After overcoming that fatigue caused by being separated from the king of the Kurus, they slowly began to share their opinions with each other. (15-15-9)
ततः सन्धाय ते सर्वे वाक्यान्यथ समासतः। एकस्मिन्ब्राह्मणे राजन्नावेश्योचुर्नराधिपम् ॥१५-१५-१०॥
Then, O king, having composed all the statements in summary and placed them in one brāhmaṇa, they spoke to the lord of men. (15-15-10)
ततः स्वचरणे वृद्धः संमतोऽर्थविशारदः। साम्बाख्यो बह्वृचो राजन्वक्तुं समुपचक्रमे ॥१५-१५-११॥
Then, O king, Sāmba, the elder, respected and accomplished in meaning, versed in the Ṛgveda, began to speak at his feet. (15-15-11)
अनुमान्य महाराजं तत्सदः सम्प्रभाष्य च। विप्रः प्रगल्भो मेधावी स राजानमुवाच ह ॥१५-१५-१२॥
Having respectfully addressed the great king and spoken in that assembly, the bold and wise brāhmaṇa then spoke to the king. (15-15-12)
राजन्वाक्यं जनस्यास्य मयि सर्वं समर्पितम्। वक्ष्यामि तदहं वीर तज्जुषस्व नराधिप ॥१५-१५-१३॥
O King, the statement which all these people have entrusted to me, I shall speak that. O hero, accept it, O lord of men. (15-15-13)
यथा वदसि राजेन्द्र सर्वमेतत्तथा विभो। नात्र मिथ्या वचः किञ्चित्सुहृत्त्वं नः परस्परम् ॥१५-१५-१४॥
O king, just as you say, O lord, all this is so; there is not the slightest falsehood here; our friendship is truly mutual. (15-15-14)
न जात्वस्य तु वंशस्य राज्ञां कश्चित्कदाचन। राजासीद्यः प्रजापालः प्रजानामप्रियो भवेत् ॥१५-१५-१५॥
But never, in this lineage of kings, was there any king at any time who, being a protector of the people, would be unliked by the people. (15-15-15)
पितृवद्भ्रातृवच्चैव भवन्तः पालयन्ति नः। न च दुर्योधनः किञ्चिदयुक्तं कृतवान्नृप ॥१५-१५-१६॥
You protect us as a father and as a brother, and Duryodhana has not done anything improper, O king. (15-15-16)
यथा ब्रवीति धर्मज्ञो मुनिः सत्यवतीसुतः। तथा कुरु महाराज स हि नः परमो गुरुः ॥१५-१५-१७॥
O great king, do as the son of Satyavatī, the sage who knows dharma, says; for he indeed is our supreme teacher. (15-15-17)
त्यक्ता वयं तु भवता दुःखशोकपरायणाः। भविष्यामश्चिरं राजन्भवद्गुणशतैर्हृताः ॥१५-१५-१८॥
We, having been abandoned by you, O King, will long remain absorbed in pain and sorrow, our hearts captivated by your hundreds of virtues. (15-15-18)
यथा शन्तनुना गुप्ता राज्ञा चित्राङ्गदेन च। भीष्मवीर्योपगूढेन पित्रा च तव पार्थिव ॥१५-१५-१९॥
Just as you, O king, were protected by Śantanu, by the king, by Citrāṅgada, and by your father Bhīṣma, the mighty protector. (15-15-19)
भवद्बुद्धियुजा चैव पाण्डुना पृथिवीक्षिता। तथा दुर्योधनेनापि राज्ञा सुपरिपालिताः ॥१५-१५-२०॥
The earth was governed by Pāṇḍu (Yudhiṣṭhira) with your intelligence, and likewise by King Duryodhana, and was well protected. (15-15-20)
न स्वल्पमपि पुत्रस्ते व्यलीकं कृतवान्नृप। पितरीव सुविश्वस्तास्तस्मिन्नपि नराधिपे ॥ वयमास्म यथा सम्यग्भवतो विदितं तथा ॥१५-१५-२१॥
O king, your son has not done even the slightest wrong. We were as fully confident in that ruler as we were in his father, just as you know well. (15-15-21)
तथा वर्षसहस्राय कुन्तीपुत्रेण धीमता। पाल्यमाना धृतिमता सुखं विन्दामहे नृप ॥१५-१५-२२॥
In this way, O king, being protected by the intelligent and steadfast son of Kuntī for a thousand years, we obtained happiness. (15-15-22)
राजर्षीणां पुराणानां भवतां वंशधारिणाम्। कुरुसंवरणादीनां भरतस्य च धीमतः ॥१५-१५-२३॥
Of the royal sages, of the ancients, of you who are the holders of lineages, of Kuru, Saṃvaraṇa and others, and of the wise Bharata. (15-15-23)
वृत्तं समनुयात्येष धर्मात्मा भूरिदक्षिणः। नात्र वाच्यं महाराज सुसूक्ष्ममपि विद्यते ॥१५-१५-२४॥
This righteous-minded giver of abundant gifts follows proper conduct; O great king, there is not even the most subtle fault to be found here. (15-15-24)
उषिताः स्म सुखं नित्यं भवता परिपालिताः। सुसूक्ष्मं च व्यलीकं ते सपुत्रस्य न विद्यते ॥१५-१५-२५॥
We have always dwelt happily, protected by you; there is not even the slightest fault of you or your son. (15-15-25)
यत्तु ज्ञातिविमर्देऽस्मिन्नात्थ दुर्योधनं प्रति। भवन्तमनुनेष्यामि तत्रापि कुरुनन्दन ॥१५-१५-२६॥
But, O joy of the Kurus, what you said regarding Duryodhana in this conflict among relatives, there too I will persuade you. (15-15-26)
