धृतराष्ट्र उवाच शान्तनुः पालयामास यथावद् वसुधामिमाम्। तथा विचित्रवीर्यश्च भीष्मेण परिपालितः॥ पालयामास नस्तातो विदितार्थो न संशयः।
Dhritarashtra said Shantanu duly ruled this Earth. Likewise, Vichitravirya also, protected by Bhishma, ruled you. Forsooth, you know all this.
यथा च पाण्डुर्भ्राता मे दयितो भवतामभूत्॥ स चापि पालयामास यथावत् तच्च वेत्थ ह।
You know also how Pandu, my brother was dear to me as also to you. He also ruled you duly.
मया च भवतां सम्यक् शुश्रूषा या कृतानघाः॥ असम्यग् वा महाभागास्तत् क्षन्तव्यमतन्द्रितैः।
You sinless ones, I have also served you. Whether those services have come up to the ideal or fallen short of it, you should forgive me, for I have attended to my duties carefully.
यदा दुर्योधनेनेदं भुक्तं राज्यमकण्टकम्॥ अपि तत्र न वो मन्दो दुर्बुद्धिरपराद्धवान्।
Duryodhana also cnjoyed his kingdom without a thorn in his side. Foolish as he was and possessed of wicked understanding, he did not, however. do any wrong to you.
तस्यापराधाद् दुर्बुद्धेरभिमानान्महीक्षिताम्॥ विमर्दः सुमहानासीदनयात् स्वकृतादथ।
Through the fault, however, of that prince of wicked understanding, and through his pride, as also through my own impolicy, a great destruction of the Kshatriyas has taken place.
तन्मया साधु वाऽपीदं यदि वासाधु वै कृतम्॥ तद् वो हृदि न कर्तव्यं मया बद्धोऽयमञ्जलिः।
Whether I have, in that matter, acted rightly or wrongly, I pray you with joined hands to remove all recollections of it from your hearts.
वृद्धोऽयं हतपुत्रोऽयं दुःखितोऽयं नराधिपः॥ पूर्वराज्ञां च पुत्रोऽयमिति कृत्वानुजानथ।
This one is old; this one has lost all his children; this one stricken with sorrow; this one was our king; this one is a descendant of former kings;-considerations like these should induce you to forgive me.
इयं च कृपणा वृद्धा हतपुत्रा तपस्विनी॥ गान्धारी पुत्रशोकार्ता युष्मान् याचति वै मया।
This Gandhari, also is dispirited and old. She. too, has lost her children and is helpless. Stricken with grief or the loss of her hens, she solicits you with me.
हतपुत्राविमौ वृद्धौ विदित्वा दुःखितौ तथा॥ अनुजानीत भद्रं वो व्रजाव शरणं च वः।
Knowing that both of us are old and afflicted and destitute of children, grant us the permission we seck. Blessed be you, we seek your protection.
अयं च कौरवो राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः॥ सर्वैर्भवद्भिर्द्रष्टव्यः समेपु विपमेषु च।
This Kuru king, Yudhishthira the son of Kunti, should be looked after by you all, in weal and woe.
न जातु विषमं चैव गमिष्यति कदाचन॥ चत्वारः सचिवा यस्य भ्रातरो विपुलौजसः। लोकपालसमा ह्येते सर्वधर्मार्थदर्शिनः॥
He who has, four such brothers of abundant prowess, for his counselors will never fall into distress. All of them are conversant with both Virtue and Profit, and resemble the very guardians of the world.
ब्रह्मेव भगवानेष सर्वभूतजगत्पतिः। युधिष्ठिरो महातेजा भवतः पालयिष्यति॥
Like the illustrious Brahman himself, the Lord of the universe with all its creatures, this Yudhishthira of great energy will rule you.
अवश्यमेव वक्तव्यमिति कृत्वा ब्रवीमि वः। एष न्यासो मया दत्तः सर्वेषां वो युधिष्ठिरः॥
That which should certainly be said is now said by me. I make over to you this Yudhishthira here as a charge. I entrust you, also to the hands of this hero.
भवन्तोऽस्य च वीरस्य व्यासभूताः कृता मया। यदेव तैः कृतं किंचिद् व्यलीकं वः सुतैर्मम॥ यदन्येन मदीयेन तदनुज्ञातुमर्हथ।
You should all forget and forgive whatever injury has been done to you by those sons of mine who are no longer alive, or, indeed, by any one else belonging to me.
भवद्भिर्न हि मे मन्युः कृतपूर्वः कथंचन॥ अत्यन्तगुरुभक्तानामेषोऽञ्जलिरिदं नमः।
You never cherished any anger again't me on any previous occasion. I join my hands before you who are famous for loyalty. Here, I bow to you all.
तेषामस्थिरबुद्धीनां लुब्धानां कामचारिणाम्॥ कृते याचेऽद्य वः सर्वान् गान्धारीसहितोऽनघाः।
You sinless one, I, with Gandhari by my side, beg your pardon now for anything done to you by ihosc Sons of mine, of restless understanding, sullied by cupidity, and ever acting as their desires prompted.
इत्युक्तास्तेन ते सर्वे पौरजानपदा जनाः। नोचुर्वाष्पकला: किंचिद् वीक्षांचक्रुः परस्परम्॥
Thus addressed by the old king, all those citizens and dwellers of the provinces, filled with icars, said nothing but only looked at one another.