17.003
इन्द्रयुधिष्ठिरसंवादः
Dialogue between Indra and Yudhiṣṭhira.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
ततः संनादयञ्शक्रो दिवं भूमिं च सर्वशः। रथेनोपययौ पार्थमारोहेत्यब्रवीच्च तम् ॥१७-३-१॥
Then Śakra (Indra), making all of heaven and earth resound, approached Pārtha in his chariot and said to him, "Ascend." (17-3-1)
स भ्रातॄन्पतितान्दृष्ट्वा धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः। अब्रवीच्छोकसन्तप्तः सहस्राक्षमिदं वचः ॥१७-३-२॥
Seeing his brothers fallen, Dharmarāja Yudhishthira, afflicted by grief, spoke these words to Sahasrākṣa (Indra). (17-3-2)
भ्रातरः पतिता मेऽत्र आगच्छेयुर्मया सह। न विना भ्रातृभिः स्वर्गमिच्छे गन्तुं सुरेश्वर ॥१७-३-३॥
May my fallen brothers come here together with me. O lord of the gods, I do not wish to go to heaven without my brothers. (17-3-3)
सुकुमारी सुखार्हा च राजपुत्री पुरंदर। सास्माभिः सह गच्छेत तद्भवाननुमन्यताम् ॥१७-३-४॥
O Indra, the tender, happiness-deserving princess should go with us; may you kindly grant permission. (17-3-4)
इन्द्र उवाच॥
Indra said.
भ्रातॄन्द्रक्ष्यसि पुत्रांस्त्वमग्रतस्त्रिदिवं गतान्। कृष्णया सहितान्सर्वान्मा शुचो भरतर्षभ ॥१७-३-५॥
You will see your brothers and sons, who have gone to heaven before you, all together with Kṛṣṇā. Do not grieve, O best of the Bharatas. (17-3-5)
निक्षिप्य मानुषं देहं गतास्ते भरतर्षभ। अनेन त्वं शरीरेण स्वर्गं गन्ता न संशयः ॥१७-३-६॥
O best of the Bharatas, they have departed after casting off the human body. By this body, you will go to heaven; there is no doubt. (17-3-6)
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
अयं श्वा भूतभव्येश भक्तो मां नित्यमेव ह। स गच्छेत मया सार्धमानृशंस्या हि मे मतिः ॥१७-३-७॥
This dog, O Lord of the past and future, is always devoted to me. Truly, my decision is that he should go with me together, out of compassion. (17-3-7)
इन्द्र उवाच॥
Indra said.
अमर्त्यत्वं मत्समत्वं च राज; ञ्श्रियं कृत्स्नां महतीं चैव कीर्तिम्। सम्प्राप्तोऽद्य स्वर्गसुखानि च त्वं; त्यज श्वानं नात्र नृशंसमस्ति ॥१७-३-८॥
O king, you have today attained immortality, equality with me, all prosperity, great fame, and the heavenly pleasures. Abandon the dog; there is no cruelty here. (17-3-8)
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
अनार्यमार्येण सहस्रनेत्र; शक्यं कर्तुं दुष्करमेतदार्य। मा मे श्रिया सङ्गमनं तयास्तु; यस्याः कृते भक्तजनं त्यजेयम् ॥१७-३-९॥
O thousand-eyed (Indra), even for a noble person, it may be possible to perform an unworthy act, but this is difficult, noble one. Let there not be union for me with that Śrī (wealth), for whose sake I might abandon a devoted person. (17-3-9)
इन्द्र उवाच॥
Indra said.
स्वर्गे लोके श्ववतां नास्ति धिष्ण्य; मिष्टापूर्तं क्रोधवशा हरन्ति। ततो विचार्य क्रियतां धर्मराज; त्यज श्वानं नात्र नृशंसमस्ति ॥१७-३-१०॥
In heaven, there is no place for those who have become like dogs; acts of charity and sacrifice are nullified by anger. Therefore, after considering this, O Dharmarāja, abandon the dog; there is no cruelty here. (17-3-10)
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
भक्तत्यागं प्राहुरत्यन्तपापं; तुल्यं लोके ब्रह्मवध्याकृतेन। तस्मान्नाहं जातु कथञ्चनाद्य; त्यक्ष्याम्येनं स्वसुखार्थी महेन्द्र ॥१७-३-११॥
They declare that abandoning a devotee is utterly sinful—equal in the world to killing a Brāhmaṇa. Therefore, O Mahendra, I shall never, in any way, abandon him today for the sake of my own happiness. (17-3-11)
इन्द्र उवाच॥
Indra said.
शुना दृष्टं क्रोधवशा हरन्ति; यद्दत्तमिष्टं विवृतमथो हुतं च। तस्माच्छुनस्त्यागमिमं कुरुष्व; शुनस्त्यागात्प्राप्स्यसे देवलोकम् ॥१७-३-१२॥
Driven by anger, dogs take away whatever they see—be it given, desired, openly offered, or sacrificed. Therefore, give up this dog; by abandoning the dog, you will attain the world of the gods. (17-3-12)
त्यक्त्वा भ्रातॄन्दयितां चापि कृष्णां; प्राप्तो लोकः कर्मणा स्वेन वीर। श्वानं चैनं न त्यजसे कथं नु; त्यागं कृत्स्नं चास्थितो मुह्यसेऽद्य ॥१७-३-१३॥
Having left your brothers and your beloved Kṛṣṇā as well, you have, O hero, reached the world by your own deed. Yet you do not leave this dog; how is it that, having taken up total renunciation, you are confused today? (17-3-13)
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhishthira said.
न विद्यते सन्धिरथापि विग्रहो; मृतैर्मर्त्यैरिति लोकेषु निष्ठा। न ते मया जीवयितुं हि शक्या; तस्मात्त्यागस्तेषु कृतो न जीवताम् ॥१७-३-१४॥
In this world, neither conciliation nor conflict is possible with the dead; thus, among mortals, their end is established. They cannot indeed be revived by me; therefore, abandonment has been made of them—not of the living. (17-3-14)
प्रतिप्रदानं शरणागतस्य; स्त्रिया वधो ब्राह्मणस्वापहारः। मित्रद्रोहस्तानि चत्वारि शक्र; भक्तत्यागश्चैव समो मतो मे ॥१७-३-१५॥
Returning harm to one who has sought refuge, a woman's killing, the abduction of a Brāhmaṇa's property, and betrayal of a friend—these four, O Śakra, and also abandonment of the devoted—are considered equal by me. (17-3-15)
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
तद्धर्मराजस्य वचो निशम्य; धर्मस्वरूपी भगवानुवाच। युधिष्ठिरं प्रीतियुक्तो नरेन्द्रं; श्लक्ष्णैर्वाक्यैः संस्तवसम्प्रयुक्तैः ॥१७-३-१६॥
Having heard that speech from Dharmarāja, the revered lord in the form of dharma spoke to Yudhiṣṭhira, the king, with gentle and praising words, full of affection. (17-3-16)
अभिजातोऽसि राजेन्द्र पितुर्वृत्तेन मेधया। अनुक्रोशेन चानेन सर्वभूतेषु भारत ॥१७-३-१७॥
You are nobly born, O king, by the conduct of your father, by your intelligence, and by this compassion towards all beings, O Bhārata. (17-3-17)
पुरा द्वैतवने चासि मया पुत्र परीक्षितः। पानीयार्थे पराक्रान्ता यत्र ते भ्रातरो हताः ॥१७-३-१८॥
Once, in the Dvaita forest, you were tested by me, O son, where, for the sake of water, your brothers who went forth were slain. (17-3-18)
भीमार्जुनौ परित्यज्य यत्र त्वं भ्रातरावुभौ। मात्रोः साम्यमभीप्सन्वै नकुलं जीवमिच्छसि ॥१७-३-१९॥
Where, having abandoned Bhīma and Arjuna, you, indeed desiring equality between the two mothers, wish for Nakula's life. (17-3-19)
अयं श्वा भक्त इत्येव त्यक्तो देवरथस्त्वया। तस्मात्स्वर्गे न ते तुल्यः कश्चिदस्ति नराधिप ॥१७-३-२०॥
This dog, being truly devoted, was abandoned for the sake of the divine chariot by you; therefore, O lord of men, in heaven there is none equal to you. (17-3-20)
अतस्तवाक्षया लोकाः स्वशरीरेण भारत। प्राप्तोऽसि भरतश्रेष्ठ दिव्यां गतिमनुत्तमाम् ॥१७-३-२१॥
Therefore, O Bhārata, with your own body, you have attained to the imperishable worlds, O best of the Bharatas, the unsurpassed divine state. (17-3-21)
ततो धर्मश्च शक्रश्च मरुतश्चाश्विनावपि। देवा देवर्षयश्चैव रथमारोप्य पाण्डवम् ॥१७-३-२२॥
Then Dharma, Indra, the Maruts, the Ashvins, the gods, and the divine sages placed Yudhishthira (the Pāṇḍava) upon the chariot. (17-3-22)
प्रययुः स्वैर्विमानैस्ते सिद्धाः कामविहारिणः। सर्वे विरजसः पुण्याः पुण्यवाग्बुद्धिकर्मिणः ॥१७-३-२३॥
They, the perfected beings, departed in their own celestial chariots, enjoying at will. All were free from passion, virtuous, pure in speech, and wise in action. (17-3-23)
स तं रथं समास्थाय राजा कुरुकुलोद्वहः। ऊर्ध्वमाचक्रमे शीघ्रं तेजसावृत्य रोदसी ॥१७-३-२४॥
Having mounted that chariot, the king—the foremost of the Kuru lineage—quickly ascended upwards, enveloping both heaven and earth in brilliance. (17-3-24)
ततो देवनिकायस्थो नारदः सर्वलोकवित्। उवाचोच्चैस्तदा वाक्यं बृहद्वादी बृहत्तपाः ॥१७-३-२५॥
Then Nārada, standing among the hosts of the gods and knowing all worlds, spoke in a loud voice, he whose words are great and who is of great penance. (17-3-25)
येऽपि राजर्षयः सर्वे ते चापि समुपस्थिताः। कीर्तिं प्रच्छाद्य तेषां वै कुरुराजोऽधितिष्ठति ॥१७-३-२६॥
All these royal sages too have assembled here. Yet, covering their fame, indeed, the Kuru king presides over them. (17-3-26)
लोकानावृत्य यशसा तेजसा वृत्तसम्पदा। स्वशरीरेण सम्प्राप्तं नान्यं शुश्रुम पाण्डवात् ॥१७-३-२७॥
We have not heard of anyone other than the Pāṇḍava who, by his own deeds, encompassing the worlds with fame, splendor, and excellence of conduct, has attained this.
नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राजा वचनमब्रवीत्। देवानामन्त्र्य धर्मात्मा स्वपक्षांश्चैव पार्थिवान् ॥१७-३-२८॥
Hearing the words of Nārada, the king spoke. After addressing the gods, the righteous king also addressed his own supporters and the other kings. (17-3-28)
शुभं वा यदि वा पापं भ्रातॄणां स्थानमद्य मे। तदेव प्राप्तुमिच्छामि लोकानन्यान्न कामये ॥१७-३-२९॥
Whether good or evil, whatever is the place of my brothers today, that alone I desire to obtain; I do not wish for any other worlds. (17-3-29)
राज्ञस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा देवराजः पुरंदरः। आनृशंस्यसमायुक्तं प्रत्युवाच युधिष्ठिरम् ॥१७-३-३०॥
But when he heard the king's words, the lord of the gods, Purandara (Indra), full of compassion, replied to Yudhishthira. (17-3-30)
स्थानेऽस्मिन्वस राजेन्द्र कर्मभिर्निर्जिते शुभैः। किं त्वं मानुष्यकं स्नेहमद्यापि परिकर्षसि ॥१७-३-३१॥
O King, rightly dwell here, where auspicious deeds have been accomplished; why do you still harbor human affection even now and allow it to trouble you? (17-3-31)
सिद्धिं प्राप्तोऽसि परमां यथा नान्यः पुमान्क्वचित्। नैव ते भ्रातरः स्थानं सम्प्राप्ताः कुरुनन्दन ॥१७-३-३२॥
You alone have attained supreme success, such as no other man anywhere has attained. Your brothers have not reached this position, O joy of the Kurus. (17-3-32)
अद्यापि मानुषो भावः स्पृशते त्वां नराधिप। स्वर्गोऽयं पश्य देवर्षीन्सिद्धांश्च त्रिदिवालयान् ॥१७-३-३३॥
Even now, O king, a human feeling touches you. This is heaven; behold the divine sages, the perfected beings, and the inhabitants of heaven. (17-3-33)
युधिष्ठिरस्तु देवेन्द्रमेवंवादिनमीश्वरम्। पुनरेवाब्रवीद्धीमानिदं वचनमर्थवत् ॥१७-३-३४॥
But wise Yudhishthira addressed these meaningful words again to Lord Devendra, who had thus spoken. (17-3-34)
तैर्विना नोत्सहे वस्तुमिह दैत्यनिबर्हण। गन्तुमिच्छामि तत्राहं यत्र मे भ्रातरो गताः ॥१७-३-३५॥
O destroyer of Daityas, without them I am not able to stay here; I wish to go there where my brothers have gone. (17-3-35)
यत्र सा बृहती श्यामा बुद्धिसत्त्वगुणान्विता। द्रौपदी योषितां श्रेष्ठा यत्र चैव प्रिया मम ॥१७-३-३६॥
"Where she is, tall and dark-skinned, possessing intelligence and noble qualities—Draupadī, the foremost among women—where also is my beloved." (17-3-36)
