ASHVAMEDHIKA PARVA: Chapter 1

Yudhishthira's grief and consolation by Dhritarashtra

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्। देवी सरस्वतीं चैव ततो जयमुदीरयेत्॥
Having saluted Narayana and Nara the best of male beings as also the Goddess of Learning, let us shout about success.

वैशम्पायन उवाच कृतोदकं तु राजानं धृतराष्ट्र युधिष्ठिरः। पुरस्कृत्य महाबाहुरुत्तताराकुलेन्द्रियः॥ उत्तीर्य तु महाबाहुर्बाष्पव्याकुललोचनः। पपात तीरे गङ्गाया व्याधविद्ध इव द्विपः॥
Vaishampayana said After the king Dhritarashtra had offered libations of water, the mighty-armed Yudhishthira, with his senses bewildered, and keeping the former in his front, ascended the banks (of the river), and as his eyes which filled with tears, he dropt down on the tank of the Ganga like an elephant pierced by the hunter.

तं सीदमानं जग्राह भीमः कृष्णेन चोदितः। मैवमित्यब्रवीच्चैनं कृष्णः परबलार्दनः॥
Then, asked by Krishna, Bhima pulled him up from sinking. This must not be so, said Krishna, the anihilator of hostile armies.

तमार्तं पतितं भूमौ श्वसन्तं च पुनः पुनः। ददृशुः पार्थिवा राजन् धर्मपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम्॥
The Pandavas, O king, beheld Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma troubled, lying on the ground and also sighing again and again.

तं दृष्ट्वा दीनमनसं गतसत्त्वं नरेश्वरम्। भूयः शोकसमाविष्टाः पाण्डवाः समुपाविशन्॥
And seeing the king despondent and feeble, the Pandavas, over-laden with grief, sat down surrounding him.

राजा तु धृतराष्ट्रश्च पुत्रशोकाभिपीडितः। वाक्यमाह महाबुद्धिः प्रज्ञाचक्षुर्नरेश्वरम्॥ उत्तिष्ठ कुरुशार्दूल कुरु कार्यमनन्तरम्।
And gifted with high intelligence and wise vision, king Dhritarashtra greatly afflicted with grief for his sons, addressed the king, saying, Rise up, O foremost of Kurus,

क्षत्रधर्मेण कौन्तेय जितेयमवनी त्वया॥ भुक्ष्व भोगान् भ्रातृभिश्च सुहृद्धिश्च मनोऽनुगान्।
You now fulfill your duties. O Kunti's son, you have conquered this Earth like the Kshatriyas. Do you now, O king enjoy her with your brothers and friends.

शोचितव्यं न पश्यामि त्वया धर्मभृतां वर॥ शोचितव्यं मया चैव गान्धार्या च महीपते।
O foremost of the pious, I do not see why you should grieve. O king, having lost a century of sons like wealth got in a dream, it is Gandhari and I, who should raelly mourn.

ययोः पुत्रशतं नष्टं स्वप्नलब्धं यथा धनम्॥ अश्रुत्वा हितकामस्य विदुरस्य महात्मनः।
Not having listened to the weighty words of the great Vidura, who sought our well-being, I, of perverse senses, (now) repent.

वाक्यानि सुमहार्थानि परितप्यामि दुर्मतिः॥ उक्तवान् विदुरो यन्मां धर्मात्मा दिव्यदर्शनः।
The virtuous Vidura, gifted with divine insight, had told me, your family will be extinct for the sins of Duryodhana.

दुर्योधनापराधेन कुलं ते विनशिष्यति॥ स्वस्ति चेदिच्छसे राजन् कुलस्य कुरु मे वचः। वध्यतामेष दुष्टात्मा मन्दो राजा सुयोधनः॥ कर्णश्च शकुनिश्चैव नैनं पश्यतु कर्हिचित्। द्यूतसंघातमप्येषामप्रमादेन वारय॥ अभिषेचय राजानं धर्मात्मानं युधिष्ठिरम्। स पालयिष्यति वशी धर्मेण पृथिवीमिमाम्॥
O king, if you wish for the well being of your family, act according to my advice. Renounce this wicked king, Suyodhana, and let not either Karna or Shakuni by any means see him. Stop their gambling too, and anoint the pious king Yudhishthira. That one of controlled senses will righteously govern the Earth.

अथ नेच्छसि राजानं कुन्तीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम्। मेढीभूतः स्वयं राज्यं प्रतिगृह्णीष्व पार्थिव॥ समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु वर्तमानं नराधिप। अनुजीवन्तु सर्वे त्वां ज्ञातयो भ्रातृभिः सह।॥
If you would not have king Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, then, O monarch, you yourself, celebrating a sacrifice, take charge of the kingdom, and regarding all creatures impartially, ( king, you let your kinsmen, O you benefactor of your kindred, subsist on your bounty.

एवं ब्रुवति कौन्तेय विदुरे दीर्घदर्शिनि। दुर्योधनमहं पापमन्ववर्त वृथामतिः॥
When, O Kunti's son, the far-sighted Vidura said this, foolishly I followed the wicked Duryodhana.

अश्रुत्वा तस्य धीरस्य वाक्यानि मधुराण्यहम्। फलं प्राप्य महद् दुःखं निमग्नः शोकसागरे॥
Having paid no heed to the sweet words of that sedate one, I have obtained this powerful grief as a consequence, and have been plunged in an occan of misery.

वृद्धौ हि तेऽद्य पितरौ पश्य नौ दुःखितौ नृप। न शोचितव्यं भवता पश्यामीह जनाधिप।॥
See your old father and mother, O king, plunged in misery. But, O master of men, I find no reason for your sorrow.