17.003
indrayudhiṣṭhirasamvādaḥ
Dialogue between Indra and Yudhiṣṭhira.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tataḥ saṁnādayañ śakro divaṁ bhūmiṁ ca sarvaśaḥ। rathenopayayau pārtham ārohety abravīc ca tam ॥17-3-1॥
Then Śakra (Indra), making all of heaven and earth resound, approached Pārtha in his chariot and said to him, "Ascend." (17-3-1)
sa bhrātṝn patitān dṛṣṭvā dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। abravīc choka-santaptaḥ sahasrākṣam idaṃ vacaḥ ॥17-3-2॥
Seeing his brothers fallen, Dharmarāja Yudhishthira, afflicted by grief, spoke these words to Sahasrākṣa (Indra). (17-3-2)
bhrātaraḥ patitā me'tra āgaccheyurmayā saha। na vinā bhrātṛbhiḥ svargamicche gantuṃ sureśvara ॥17-3-3॥
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)
sukumārī sukhārhā ca rājaputrī puraṃdara। sāsmābhiḥ saha gacchet tadbhavān anumanyatām॥17-3-4॥
O Indra, the tender, happiness-deserving princess should go with us; may you kindly grant permission. (17-3-4)
indra uvāca॥
Indra said.
bhrātṝn drakṣyasi putrāṁs tvam agratas tridivaṁ gatān। kṛṣṇayā sahitān sarvān mā śuco bharatarṣabha ॥17-3-5॥
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)
nikṣipya mānuṣaṃ dehaṃ gatās te bharatarṣabha. anena tvaṃ śarīreṇa svargaṃ gantā na saṃśayaḥ ॥17-3-6॥
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)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
ayaṃ śvā bhūtabhavyeśa bhakto māṃ nityameva ha। sa gacchet mayā sārdham anṛśaṃsyā hi me matiḥ॥17-3-7॥
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)
indra uvāca॥
Indra said.
amartyatvaṃ matsamatvaṃ ca rājan; śriyaṃ kṛtsnāṃ mahatīṃ caiva kīrtim। samprāpto'dya svargasukhāni ca tvaṃ; tyaja śvānaṃ nātra nṛśaṃsam asti॥17-3-8॥
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)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
anāryam āryeṇa sahasranetra; śakyaṁ kartuṁ duṣkaram etad ārya. mā me śriyā saṅgamanaṁ tayāstu; yasyāḥ kṛte bhaktajanaṁ tyajeyam ॥17-3-9॥
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)
indra uvāca॥
Indra said.
svarge loke śvavatāṃ nāsti dhiṣṇya; miṣṭāpūrtaṃ krodhavaśā haranti. tato vicārya kriyatāṃ dharmarāja; tyaja śvānaṃ nātra nṛśaṃsamasti ॥17-3-10॥
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)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
bhaktatyāgaṁ prāhur atyantapāpaṁ; tulyaṁ loke brahmavadhyākṛtena। tasmān nāhaṁ jātu kathaṁcanādya; tyakṣyāmy enaṁ svasukhārthī mahendra ॥17-3-11॥
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)
indra uvāca॥
Indra said.
śunā dṛṣṭaṃ krodhavaśā haranti; yad dattam iṣṭaṃ vivṛtam atho hutaṃ ca. tasmāc chunas tyāgam imaṃ kuruṣva; śunas tyāgāt prāpsyase devalokam ॥17-3-12॥
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)
tyaktvā bhrātṝndayitāṃ cāpi kṛṣṇāṃ; prāpto lokaḥ karmaṇā svena vīra. śvānaṃ cainaṃ na tyajase kathaṃ nu; tyāgaṃ kṛtsnaṃ cāsthito muhyase'dya ॥17-3-13॥
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)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhishthira said.
na vidyate sandhir athāpi vigrahaḥ; mṛtaiḥ martyaiḥ iti lokeṣu niṣṭhā. na te mayā jīvayituṃ hi śakyā; tasmāt tyāgaḥ teṣu kṛtaḥ na jīvatām ॥17-3-14॥
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)
pratipradānaṃ śaraṇāgatasya; striyā vadho brāhmaṇasvāpahāraḥ। mitradrohastāni catvāri śakra; bhaktatyāgaścaiva samo mato me॥17-3-15॥
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)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
taddharmarājasya vaco niśamya; dharmasvarūpī bhagavān uvāca. yudhiṣṭhiraṃ prītiyukto narendraṃ; ślakṣṇair vākyaiḥ saṃstava-samprayuktaiḥ ॥17-3-16॥
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)
abhijāto'si rājendra piturvṛttena medhayā| anukrośena cānena sarvabhūteṣu bhārata॥17-3-17॥
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)
purā dvaitavane cāsi mayā putra parīkṣitaḥ. pānīyārthe parākrāntā yatra te bhrātaro hatāḥ ॥17-3-18॥
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)
bhīmārjunau parityajya yatra tvaṁ bhrātarāvubhau। mātroḥ sāmyam abhīpsan vai nakulaṁ jīvam icchasi ॥17-3-19॥
Where, having abandoned Bhīma and Arjuna, you, indeed desiring equality between the two mothers, wish for Nakula's life. (17-3-19)
ayaṁ śvā bhakta ity-eva tyakto deva-rathas-tvayā। tasmāt svarge na te tulyaḥ kaścid asti narādhipa ॥17-3-20॥
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)
atas-tavākṣayā lokāḥ sva-śarīreṇa bhārata। prāpto'si bharata-śreṣṭha divyāṃ gatim-anuttamām ॥17-3-21॥
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)
tato dharmaś ca śakraś ca marutaś cāśvināv api। devā devarṣayaś caiva ratham āropya pāṇḍavam ॥17-3-22॥
Then Dharma, Indra, the Maruts, the Ashvins, the gods, and the divine sages placed Yudhishthira (the Pāṇḍava) upon the chariot. (17-3-22)
prayayuḥ svairvimānaiste siddhāḥ kāmavihāriṇaḥ। sarve virajasaḥ puṇyāḥ puṇyavāgbuddhikarmiṇaḥ ॥17-3-23॥
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)
sa taṃ rathaṃ samāsthāya rājā kurukulodvahaḥ। ūrdhvamācakrame śīghraṃ tejasāvṛtya rodasī ॥17-3-24॥
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)
tato devanīkāyastho nāradaḥ sarvalokavit | uvācoccais tadā vākyaṃ bṛhadvādī bṛhattapāḥ ॥17-3-25॥
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)
ye'pi rājarṣayaḥ sarve te cāpi samupasthitāḥ। kīrtiṃ pracchādya teṣāṃ vai kururājo'dhitiṣṭhati ॥17-3-26॥
All these royal sages too have assembled here. Yet, covering their fame, indeed, the Kuru king presides over them. (17-3-26)
lokānāvṛtya yaśasā tejasā vṛttasampadā। svaśarīreṇa samprāptaṃ nānyaṃ śuśruma pāṇḍavāt॥17-3-27॥
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.
nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā rājā vacanam abravīt। devān amantrya dharmātmā svapakṣāṁś caiva pārthivān॥17-3-28॥
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)
śubhaṁ vā yadi vā pāpaṁ bhrātṝṇāṁ sthānam adya me। tad eva prāptum icchāmi lokān anyān na kāmaye ॥17-3-29॥
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)
rājñas tu vacanaṃ śrutvā devarājaḥ puraṃdaraḥ। ānṛśaṃsyasamāyuktaṃ pratyuvāca yudhiṣṭhiram ॥17-3-30॥
But when he heard the king's words, the lord of the gods, Purandara (Indra), full of compassion, replied to Yudhishthira. (17-3-30)
sthāne'smin vasa rājendra karmabhir nirjite śubhaiḥ। kiṁ tvaṁ mānuṣyakaṁ sneham adyāpi parikarṣasi ॥17-3-31॥
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)
siddhiṁ prāpto'si paramāṁ yathā nānyaḥ pumānkvacit। naiva te bhrātaraḥ sthānaṁ samprāptāḥ kurunandana ॥17-3-32॥
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)
adyāpi mānuṣo bhāvaḥ spṛśate tvāṃ narādhipa। svargo'yaṃ paśya devarṣīn siddhāṃś ca tridivalayān ॥17-3-33॥
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)
yudhiṣṭhirastu devendramevaṁvādinamīśvaram। punarevābravīddhīmānidaṁ vacanamarthavat॥17-3-34॥
But wise Yudhishthira addressed these meaningful words again to Lord Devendra, who had thus spoken. (17-3-34)
tair vinā notsahe vastu miha daitya-nibarhaṇa। gantum icchāmi tatra ahaṃ yatra me bhrātaraḥ gatāḥ॥17-3-35॥
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)
yatra sā bṛhatī śyāmā buddhi-sattva-guṇānvitā. draupadī yoṣitāṃ śreṣṭhā yatra caiva priyā mama ॥17-3-36॥
"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)
