नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्। देवी सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्।।
Having saluted the Supreme Deity (Narayana) and the highest of all male beings (Nara) and also the Goddess of Learning (Sarasvati), let us cry success.
जनमेजय उवाच प्राप्य राज्यं महात्मानः पाण्डवा मे पितामहाः। कथमासन् महाराज्ञि धृतराष्ट्र महात्मनि॥
After having gained their kingdom, how did my grandfathers, the great Pandavas, treat the high-souled king Dhritarashtra?
स तु राजा हतामात्यो हतपुत्रो निराश्रयः। कथमासीद्धतैश्वर्यो गान्धारी च यशस्विनी॥
How, indeed, did that king who had all his counselors and sons killed, who was with it a support, and whose wealth had vanise.., behave? How also did the illustrious Gandhari act?
कियन्तं चैव कालं ते मम पूर्वपितामहाः। स्थिता राज्ये महात्मानस्तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि।॥
For how many years did my noble grandfather rule the kingdom? You should tell me all this.
वैशम्पायन उवाच प्राप्य राज्यं महात्मानः पाण्डवा हतशत्रवः। धृतराष्ट्र पुरस्कृत्य पृथिवीं पर्यपालयन्॥
Vaishampayana said, Having regained their kingdom, the great Pandavas, their enemies all killed, ruled the earth, placing Dhritarashtra at their head.
धृतराष्ट्रमुपातिष्ठद् विदुरः संजयस्तथा। वैश्यपुत्रश्च मेधावी युयुत्सुः कुरुसत्तम॥
Vidura, Sanjaya and the highly intelligent Yuyutsu, who was Dhritarashtra's son by his Vaishya wife, used to wait upon Dhritarashtra.
पाण्डवाः सर्वकार्याणि सम्पृच्छन्ति स्म तं नृपम्। चक्रुस्तेनाभ्यनुज्ञाता वर्षाणि दश पञ्च च॥
The Pandavas used to consult that king in all matters. Indeed, for fifteen years, they did all things under the advice of the old king.
सदा हि गत्वा ते वीराः पर्युपासन्त तं नृपम्। पादाभिवादनं कृत्वा धर्मराजमते स्थिताः॥
Those heroes used very often to go to that king and sit beside him, after having adored his feet, according to the wishes of king Yudhishthira the just.
ते मूर्ध्नि समुपाघ्राताः सर्वकार्याणि चक्रिरे। कुन्तिभोजसुता चैव गान्धारीमन्ववर्तत॥
They did all things under the command of Dhritarashtra who smelt their heads in love. The daughter of king Kuntibhoja also obeyed Gandhari in all matters.
द्रौपदी च सुभद्रा च याश्चान्याः पाण्डवस्त्रियः। समां वृत्तिमवर्तन्त तयोः श्वश्वोर्यथाविधि॥
Draupadi and Subhadra and the other ladies of the Pandavas treated the old king and the queen as if they were their own father-in-law and mother-in-law.
शयनानि महार्हाणि वासांस्याभरणानि च। राजार्हाणि च सर्वाणि भक्ष्यभोज्यान्यनेकशः॥ युधिष्ठिरो महाराज धृतराष्ट्रेऽभ्युपाहरत्। तथैव कुन्ती गान्धार्यो गुरुवृत्तिमवर्तत॥
Yudhishthira gave the king costly beds, dresses and ornaments, and food and drink and other enjoyable articles, in profusion and of such superior kinds as were worthy of royal use. Likewise Kunti behaved towards Gandhari as towards a senior.
विदुरः संजयश्चैव ययुत्सुश्चैव कौरव। उपासते स्म तु वृद्धं हतपुत्रं जनाधिपम्॥
Vidura, Sanjaya, and Yuyutsu, O you of Kuru's race, used to always wait upon the old king whose sons had all been killed.
श्यालो द्रोणस्य यश्चासीद् दयितो ब्राह्मणो महान्। स च तस्मिन् महेष्वासः कृपः समभवत् तदा॥
The dear brother-in-law of Drona, viz., the very superior Brahmana, Kripa, that powerful bowman, also attended upon the king.
व्यासश्च भगवान् नित्यमासांचक्रे नृपेण ह। कथाः कुर्वन् पुराणर्षिर्देवर्षिपितृरक्षसाम्॥
The holy Vyasa also used to often meet with the old king and recite to him the histories of old Rishis and celestial ascetics and Pitris and Rakshasas.
धर्मयुक्तानि कार्याणि व्यवहारन्वितानि च। धृतराष्ट्राभ्यनुज्ञातो विदुरस्तान्यकारयत्॥
Vidura, under the order of Dhritarashtra, superintended the performance of all religious acts and the adıninistration of the law.
सामन्तेभ्यः प्रियाण्यस्य कार्याणि सुबहून्यपि। प्राप्यन्तेऽथैः सुलघुभिः सुनयाद् विदुरस्य वै॥
Through the excellent policy of Vidura, by the expenditure of very little money, the Pandavas got numerous agreeable services from their feudators and followers.
अकरोद् बन्धमोक्षं च बध्यानां मोक्षणं तथा। न च धर्मसुतो राजा कदाचित् किंचिदब्रवीत्॥
King Dhritarashtra freed prisoners and pardoned those who were condemned to death. King Yudhishthria the just never said anything to this.
विहारयात्रासु पुनः कुरुराजो युधिष्ठिरः। सर्वान् कामान् महातेजाः प्रददावम्बिकासुते॥
On those occasions when the son of Ambika went on pleasure trips, the highly energetic. Kuru king Yudhishthira used to give him every article of enjoyment.
आरालिका: सूपकारा रागखाण्डविकास्तथा। उपातिष्ठन्त राजानं धृतराष्ट्रं यथा पुरा॥
Aralikas, and juice-makers, and makers of Ragakhandavas waited on king Dhritarashtra as before.
वासांसि च महार्हाणि माल्यानि विविधानि च। उपाजह्वर्यथान्यायं धृतराष्ट्रस्य पाण्डवाः॥
Pandu's son collected costly dresses and garlands of various kinds and duly offered them to Dhritarashtra.
मैरेयकाणि मांसानि पानकानि मधूनि च। चित्रान् भक्ष्यविकारांश्च चक्रुस्तस्य यथा पुरा॥
Maireya wines, flesh of various kinds, and sherlets and honey, and various kinds of food agreeably prepared by the admixture, of many articles, were caused to be made for the old king as in his prosperous days.
ये चापि पृथिवीपाला: समाजग्मुस्ततस्ततः। उपातिष्ठन्त ते सर्वे कौरवेन्द्रं यथा पुरा॥
Those kings who came there one after another, all used to wait upon the old Kuru king as before.
कुन्ती च द्रौपदी चैव सात्वती च यशस्विनी। उलूपी नागकन्या च देवी चित्राङ्गदा तथा॥ धृष्टकेतोश्च भगिनी जरासंधसुता तथा। एताश्चान्याश्च बह्वयो वै योषितः पुरुषर्षभ।॥ किंकराः पर्युपातिष्ठन् सर्वाः सुबलजां तथा। यथा पुत्रवियुक्तोऽयं न किंचिद् दुःखमाप्नुयात्॥ इति तानन्वशाद् भ्रातॄन् नित्यमेव युधिष्ठिरः। एवं ते धर्मराजस्य श्रुत्वा वचनमर्थवत्॥
Kunti, Draupadi, and she of the Sattwata race possessed of great fame, and ulupi the daughter of the Naga king, and queen Chitrangada, and the sister of Dhrishtaketu, and the daughter of Jarasandha, these and many other ladies, O king, used to wait upon the daughter of Subala like maids of all work. Yuthishthira always enjoined upon his bothers that Dhritarashtra, who was deprived of all his children, might not feel himself unhappy in any way. They also, on their part, listening to these pregnant commands from king Yudhishthira, showed particular obedience to the old king.
सविशेषमवर्तन्त भीममेकं तदा विना। न हि तत् तस्य वीरस्य हृदयादपसर्पति। धृतराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्ध्या यद् वृत्तं द्यूतकारितम्॥
There was one exception, however. It was Bhimasena. All that had followed from that match at dice which had been brought about by the wicked understanding of Dhritarashtra, did not go away from the heart of that hero. Yuthishthira always enjoined upon his bothers that Dhritarashtra, who was deprived of all his children, might not feel himself unhappy in any way. They also, on their part, listening to these pregnant commands from king Yudhishthira, showed particular obedience to the old king.
सविशेषमवर्तन्त भीममेकं तदा विना। न हि तत् तस्य वीरस्य हृदयादपसर्पति। धृतराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्ध्या यद् वृत्तं द्यूतकारितम्॥
There was one exception, however. It was Bhimasena. All that had followed from that match at dice which had been brought about by the wicked understanding of Dhritarashtra, did not go away from the heart of that hero.