15.015
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
evamuktās tu te tena paurajānapadā janāḥ। vṛddhena rājñā kauravya naṣṭasañjñā ivābhavan ॥15-15-1॥
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)
tūṣṇīṁbhūtāṁs tataḥ tāṁs tu bāṣpakaṇṭhān mahīpatiḥ. dhṛtarāṣṭro mahīpālaḥ punar eva abhyabhāṣata ॥15-15-2॥
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)
vṛddhaṁ māṁ hataputraṁ ca dharmapatnyā sahānayā। vilapantaṁ bahuvidhaṁ kṛpaṇaṁ caiva sattamāḥ ॥15-15-3॥
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)
pitrā svayamanujñātaṁ kṛṣṇadvaipāyanena vai। vanavāsāya dharmajñā dharmajñena nṛpeṇa ca ॥15-15-4॥
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)
so'haṃ punaḥ punar yāce śirasā vanato'naghāḥ. gāndhāryā sahitaṃ tan māṃ samanujñātum arhatha ॥15-15-5॥
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)
śrutvā tu kururājasya vākyāni karuṇāni te. ruruduḥ sarvato rājansametāḥ kurujāṅgalāḥ ॥15-15-6॥
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)
uttarīyaiḥ karaiz cāpi sañchādya vadanāni te। ruruduḥ śoka-santaptā muhūrtaṃ pitṛ-mātṛ-vat ॥15-15-7॥
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)
hṛdayaiḥ śūnyabhūtais te dhṛtarāṣṭrapravāsajam। duḥkhaṃ sandhārayantaḥ sma naṣṭasañjñā ivābhavan ॥15-15-8॥
With hearts emptied, they endured the sorrow from Dhṛtarāṣṭra's exile and became as if they had lost all awareness. (15-15-8)
te vinīya tam āyāsaṃ kururāja-viyoga-jam। śanaiḥ śanaiḥ tad anyonyam abruvan svamatāni uta ॥15-15-9॥
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)
tataḥ saṃdhāya te sarve vākyānyatha samāsataḥ. ekasmin brāhmaṇe rājann āveśya ūcur narādhipam ॥15-15-10॥
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)
tataḥ svacaraṇe vṛddhaḥ sammatō'rthaviśāradaḥ। sāmbākhyo bahvṛco rājan vaktuṃ samupacakrame ॥15-15-11॥
Then, O king, Sāmba, the elder, respected and accomplished in meaning, versed in the Ṛgveda, began to speak at his feet. (15-15-11)
anumānya mahārājaṃ tatsadaḥ samprabhāṣya ca. vipraḥ pragalbho medhāvī sa rājānam uvāca ha ॥15-15-12॥
Having respectfully addressed the great king and spoken in that assembly, the bold and wise brāhmaṇa then spoke to the king. (15-15-12)
rājanvākyaṃ janasyāsya mayi sarvaṃ samarpitam। vakṣyāmi tadahaṃ vīra taj juṣasva narādhipa ॥15-15-13॥
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)
yathā vadasi rājendra sarvam etat tathā vibho। na atra mithyā vacaḥ kiñcit suhṛttvaṃ naḥ parasparam ॥15-15-14॥
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)
na jātv asya tu vaṃśasya rājñāṃ kaścit kadācana। rājā āsīd yaḥ prajāpālaḥ prajānām apriyo bhavet ॥15-15-15॥
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)
pitṛvadbhrātṛvaccaiva bhavantaḥ pālayanti naḥ। na ca duryodhanaḥ kiñcidayuktaṃ kṛtavānnṛpa ॥15-15-16॥
You protect us as a father and as a brother, and Duryodhana has not done anything improper, O king. (15-15-16)
yathā bravīti dharmajño muniḥ satyavatīsutaḥ। tathā kuru mahārāja sa hi naḥ paramo guruḥ॥15-15-17॥
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)
tyaktā vayaṃ tu bhavatā duḥkhaśokaparāyaṇāḥ। bhaviṣyāmaś ciraṃ rājan bhavadguṇaśatair hṛtāḥ॥15-15-18॥
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)
yathā śantanunā guptā rājñā citrāṅgadena ca। bhīṣmavīryopagūḍhena pitrā ca tava pārthiva ॥15-15-19॥
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)
bhavadbuddhiyujā caiva pāṇḍunā pṛthivīkṣitā. tathā duryodhenāpi rājñā suparipālitāḥ ॥15-15-20॥
The earth was governed by Pāṇḍu (Yudhiṣṭhira) with your intelligence, and likewise by King Duryodhana, and was well protected. (15-15-20)
na svalpam api putras te vyalīkaṁ kṛtavān nṛpa। pitarīva suviśvastās tasminn api narādhipe॥ vayam āsma yathā samyag bhavato viditaṁ tathā॥15-15-21॥
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)
tathā varṣasahasrāya kuntīputreṇa dhīmatā। pālyamānā dhṛtimatā sukhaṃ vindāmahe nṛpa ॥15-15-22॥
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)
rājarṣīṇāṃ purāṇānāṃ bhavatāṃ vaṃśadhāriṇām। kuru-saṃvaraṇa-ādīnāṃ bharatasya ca dhīmataḥ ॥15-15-23॥
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)
vṛttaṃ samanuyāty eṣa dharmātmā bhūridakṣiṇaḥ। nātra vācyaṃ mahārāja susūkṣmam api vidyate ॥15-15-24॥
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)
uṣitāḥ sma sukhaṃ nityaṃ bhavatā paripālitāḥ। susūkṣmaṃ ca vyalīkaṃ te saputrasya na vidyate॥15-15-25॥
We have always dwelt happily, protected by you; there is not even the slightest fault of you or your son. (15-15-25)
yattu jñātivimarde'sminnāttha duryodhanaṃ prati. bhavantam anuneṣyāmi tatrāpi kurunandana ॥15-15-26॥
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)
