GHOSHA YATRA PARVA: Chapter 251

The fasting of Duryodhana

वैशम्पायन उवाच प्रायोपविष्टं राजानं दुर्योधनममर्षणम्। उवाच सान्त्वयन् राजञ्छकुनिः सौबलस्तदा॥
Vaishampayana said : O king, seeing Duryodhana who is always incapable of putting up with an insult, seated with the determination of dying by starvation, the son of Subala, Shakuni, spoke thus.

शकुनिरुवाच सम्यगुक्तं हि कर्णेन तच्छ्रुतं कौरव त्वया। मया हृतां श्रियं स्फीतां तां मोहादपहाय किम्॥ त्वमल्पबुद्ध्या नृपते प्राणानुत्स्रष्टुमर्हसि। अथवाप्यवगच्छामि न वृद्धाः सेवितास्त्वया।॥
Shakuni said: O descendant of Kuru, you have heard that Karna has said. His words are indeed full of wisdom. O king, why should you foolishly throw away the great prosperity that I won for you by abandoning your life today through mere silliness? It appears to me today that you never waited upon (wise) old men.

यः समुत्पतितं हर्ष दैन्यं वा न नियच्छति। स नश्यति श्रियं प्राप्य पात्रमाममिवाम्भसि॥
Like an unburnt earthen vessel in water, he, who is incapable of controlling sudden occasions of joy or grief, is lost even if he obtains prosperity.

अतिभीरुमतिक्लीबं दीर्घसूत्रं प्रमादिनम्। व्यसनाद् विषयाक्रान्तं न भजन्ति नृपं प्रजाः॥
The king who is entirely destitute of courage, no has no spark of manliness, who is the slave of procrastination and who is addicted to sensual pleasures is never respected by his subjects.

सत्कृतस्य हि ते शोको विपरीते कथं भवेत्। मा कृत शोभनं पाथैः शोकमालम्ब्य नाशया।६।।
Befitted as you have been, whence is this unseasonable grief of yours? Do not undo this graceful act done by the sons of Pritha by indulging in grief.

यत्र हर्षस्त्वया कार्यः सत्कर्तव्याश्च पाण्डवाः। तत्र शोचसि राजेन्द्र विपरीतमिदं तव।॥
O king of kings, when you should express your joy and reward the Pandavas, you are grieving. Your this behaviour is very inconsistent.

प्रसीद मा त्यजात्मानं तुष्टश्च सुकृतं स्मर। प्रयच्छ राज्यं पार्थानां यशो धर्ममवाप्नुहि॥
Be cheerful; do not abandon your life. But with a very pleased heart think of the good work they have done to you. Give back to the sons of Pritha their kingdom and win both virtue and renown by your this act.

क्रियामेतां समाज्ञाय कृतज्ञस्त्वं भविष्यसि। सौभ्रानं पाण्डवैः कृत्वा समवस्थाप्य चैव तान्॥ पित्र्यं राज्यं प्रयच्छैषां ततः सुखमवाप्स्यसि।
Establishing brotherly relations with the Pandavas, become their friends and make them your friends, give them back their paternal kingdom, for you will then be happy.

वैशम्पायन उवाच शकुनेस्तु वचः श्रुत्वा दुःशासनमवेक्ष्य च।॥ पादयोः पतितं वीरं विकृतं भ्रातृसौहृदम्। बाहुभ्यां साधुजाताभ्यां दुःशासनमरिंदमम्॥ उत्थाप्य सम्परिष्वज्य प्रीत्याजिघ्नत मूर्धनि।
Vaishampayana said : Having heard the words of Shakuni and having seen Dushashana lying at the feet of the king (Duryodhana) unmanned by fraternal affection, the king raised Dushashana and clasping him in his well formed arms he smelt his head.

कर्णसौबलयोश्चापि संश्रुत्य वचनान्यसौ॥ निर्वेदं परमं गत्वा राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा। व्रीडयाभिपरीतात्मा नैराश्यमगमत् परम्॥
Having heard the words of Karna and Subala's son (Shakuni), the king Duryodhana was overwhelmed with shame. He lost heart more than ever and utter despair overtook his soul.

तच्छ्रुत्वा सुहृदश्चैव समन्युरिदमब्रवीत्। न धर्मधनसौख्येन नैश्चर्येण न चाज्ञया॥ नैव भोगैश्च मे कार्यं मा वहन्यत गच्छत। निश्चितेयं मम मतिः स्थिता प्रायोपवेशने॥ गच्छध्वं नगरं सर्वे पूज्याश्च गुरवो मम।
Having heard all that his friends said, he thus again spoke in sorrow, "I have nothing more to do with virtue, wealth, friendship, affluence, sovereignty and enjoyments. Do not oppose me; leave me all of you. I am firmly resolved to abandon my life by fasting. Go back to the city and worship all my Gurus with respect."

त एवमुक्ताः प्रत्यूचू राजानमरिमर्दनम्॥ या गतिस्तव राजेन्द्र सास्माकमपि भारत। कथं वा सम्प्रवेक्ष्यामस्त्वविहीनाः पुरं वयम्॥
Having been thus addressed by him, they thus replied to that royal chastiser of foes, “O king of kings, O descendant of Bharata, the course that is yours is also ours. How can we enter the city without you?”

वैशम्पायन उवाच स सुहृद्भिरमात्यैश्च भ्रातृभिः स्वजनेन च। बहुप्रकारमप्युक्तो निश्चयान्न विचाल्यते॥
Vaishampayana said : Though addressed in all manner of ways by his friends and counsellors and brothers and relatives, the king waved not from his firm resolve.

दर्भास्तरणमास्तीर्य निश्चयाद् धृतराष्ट्रजः। संस्पृश्यापः शुचिर्भूत्वा भूतले समुपस्थितः॥ कुशचीराम्बरधरः परं नियममास्थितः। वाग्यतो राजशार्दूलः स स्वर्गगतिकाम्यया॥ मनसोपचितिं कृत्वा निरस्य च बहिः क्रियाः।
In accordance with his resolve, he spread Kusha grass on the ground and purifying himself by touching water, he sat down on it. Clad in rags and Kusha grass, he engaged in observing the greatest vow. That foremost of kings, with the desire of going to heaven, stopped all speech. He began to pray and worship internally and he suspended all external intercourse.

अथ तं निश्चयं तस्य बुद्ध्वा दैतेयदानवाः॥ पातालवासिनो रौद्राः पूर्वं देवैर्विनिर्जिताः। ते स्वपक्षक्षयं तं तु ज्ञात्वा दुर्योधनस्य वै॥ आह्वानाय तदा चक्रुः कर्म वैतानसम्भवम्। बृहस्पतत्युशनोक्तैश्च मन्त्रैर्मन्त्रविशारदाः॥ अथर्ववेदप्रोक्तैश्च याश्योपनिषदि क्रिया:। मन्त्रजप्यसमायुक्तास्तास्तदा समवर्तयन्॥
On learning his resolve, the sons of Diti and the Danavas, who live in the nether region and who were once defeated by the celestials, fearing that their party would be destroyed without Duryodhana, began a sacrifice with fire to summon him before them. Mantraknowing men then commenced with the formulae of Brihaspati and Ushana. Those rites that are indicated in the Atharvaveda and the Upanishadas and which are capable of being achieved by mantras and prayers.

जुह्वत्यग्नौ हविः क्षीरं मन्त्रवत् सुसमाहिताः। ब्राह्मणा वेदवेदाङ्गपारगाः सुदृढव्रताः॥ कर्मसिद्धौ तदा तत्र जृम्भमाणा महाद्भुता। कृत्या समुत्थिता राजन् किं करोमीति चाब्रवीत्॥
Brahmanas of rigid vows well-versed in the Vedas and their branches began with great and deep meditation to pour libations of ghee and milk into the fire with mantras. After those rites were completed, a strange goddess, O king, rose up saying, "What shall I do?"

आहुदैत्याश्च तां तत्र सुप्रीतेनान्तरात्मना। प्रायोपविष्टं राजानं धार्तराष्ट्रमिहानय॥
With well-pleased hearts the Daityas commanded her by saying, “Bring here the king, the son of Dhritarashtra, who is now engaged in a vow of fasting."

तथेति च प्रतिश्रुत्य सा कृत्या प्रययौ तदा। निमेषादगमच्चापि यत्र राजा सुयोधनः॥
Thus commanded, she went away saying, "So be it.” In a moment she came to the place where the king, Duryodhana, was.

समादाय च राजानं प्रविवेश रसातलम्। दानवानां मुहूर्ताच्च तमानीतं न्यवेदयत्। तमानीतं नृपं दृष्ट्वा रात्रौ संगत्य दानवाः॥ प्रहृष्टमनसः सर्वे किंचिदुत्फुल्ललोचनाः। साभिमानमिदं वाक्यं दुर्योधनमथाब्रुवन्॥
Taking up the king, she brought him to the nether world and within a moment she came back to the Danavas and told them (that she had brought the king). Seeing the king brought before them in their assembly in the night, the Danavas. With well-pleased hearts and with expanded eyes in delight, thus spoke these flattering words to Duryodhana.