तत: प्रासादहर्येषु वसुधायां च पार्थिव। नारीणां च नराणां च नि:स्वनः सुमहानभूत्॥
Great was the uproar, at that time, O king, of both men and women standing on the terraces of palaces or on the Earth.
स राजा राजमार्गेण नृनारीसंकुलेन च। कथंचिनिर्ययौ धीमान् वेपमानः कृताञ्जलिः॥
Endued with great intelligence, the old king, with joined hands, and trembling with weakness, passed with difficulty along the principal street which was crowded with persons of both sexes.
स वर्द्धमानद्वारेण निर्ययौ गजसाह्वयात्। विसर्जयामास च तं जनौघं स मुहुर्मुहुः॥
He left the city of Hastinapur by the principal gate, and then repeatedly asked that crowd of people to return to their homes.
वनं गन्तुं च विदुरो राज्ञा सह कृतवणः । संजयश्च महामात्रः सूतो गावल्गणिस्तथा॥
Vidura had made up his mind for going to the forest with the king. The Suta Sanjaya also, the son of Gavalgani, the chief minister of Dhritarashtra, was of the same heart.
कृपं निवर्तयामास युयुत्सुं च महारथम्। धृतराष्ट्रो महीपाल परिदाप्य युधिष्ठिरे॥
King Dhritarashtra, however, caused Kripa and the powerful car-warrior Yuyutsu 10 refrain from following him. He made them over to Yudhishthira's hands.
निवृत्ते पौरवर्गे च राजा सान्त:पुरस्तदा। धृतराष्ट्राभ्यनुज्ञातो निवर्तितुमियेष ह॥
After the citizens had ceased following the monarch, king Yudhishthira, with the ladies of his house, prepared to stop, at the command of Dhritarashtra you desist.
सोऽब्रवीन्मातरं कुन्तीं वनं तमनुजग्मुषीम्। अहं राजानमन्विष्ये भवती विनिवर्तताम्॥
Seeing that his other Kunti was desirous of retiring into the forest, the king said to her, 'I shall follow the old king. Do
वधूपरिवृता राज्ञि नगरं गन्तुमर्हसि। राजा यात्वेष धर्मात्मा तापस्ये कृतनिश्चयः॥
You should, O queen, return to the city, accompanied by these your daughters-in-law! This king, goes to the forest, determined upon practicing penances.
इत्युक्ता धर्मराजेन बाष्पव्याकुललोचना। जगामैव तदा कुन्ती गान्धारी परिगृह्य ह॥
Though king Yudhishthira said these words to her, with his eyes bathed in tears, Kunti, however, without answering him, continued to go, catching hold of Gandhari.
कुन्ती उवाच सहदेवे महाराज माऽप्रसादं कृथाः क्वचित्। एष मामनुरक्तो हि राजंस्त्वां चैव सर्वदा॥
Kunti said O king, never neglect Sahadeva. He is very much attached to me, O monarch, and to you also always.
कर्णं स्मरेथाः सततं संग्रामेष्वपलायिनम्। अवकीर्णो हि समरे वीरो दुष्प्रज्ञया तदा॥
You should always bear in mind Karna who never retreated from battle. Through my folly that hero has been killed in the field of battle.
आयसं हृदयं नूनं मन्दाया मम पुत्रका यत् सूर्यजमपश्यन्त्याः शतधा न विदीर्यते॥
Surely, my son, this heart of mine is made of steel, since it does not break into a hundred pieces at not sceing that child born of the SunGod.
एवं गते तु किं शक्यं मया कर्तुमरिंदम। मम दोषोऽयमत्यर्थं ख्यापितो यन्न सूर्यजः॥
When such has been the case, O chastise of enemies, what can I now do? I am very much to blame for 1101 having said the truth about the birth of Surya's child.
तन्निमित्तं महाबाहो दानं दद्यास्त्वमुत्तमम्। सदैव भ्रातृभिः सार्धं सूर्यजस्यारिमर्दन॥
O crusher of enemies, I hope you will, with all your brothers, make excellent gifts for the sake of that son of the Sun-God.
द्रौपद्याश्च प्रिये नित्यं स्थातव्यमरिकर्शन। भीमसेनोऽर्जुनश्चैव नकुलश्च कुरूद्वह॥
O mower of enemies, you should always do what is agreeable to Draupadi. You should look after Bhimasena and Arjuna and Nakula and Sahadeva. The charge of the Kuru race have now fallen on you, O king.
समाधेयास्त्वया राजंस्त्वय्यद्य कुलधूर्गता। श्रश्रूश्वशुरयोः पादान् शुश्रूषन्ती वने त्वहम्॥
I shall live in the forest with Gandhari, besmearing my body with fifth, engaged in the practice of penances, and devoted to the service of my father-in-law and mother-in-law.
वैशम्पायन उवाच गान्धारीसहिता वत्स्ये तापसी मलपङ्किनी। एवमुक्तः स धर्मात्मा भ्रातृभिः सहितो वशी। विषादमगपद् धीमान् न च किंचिदुवाच ह॥
Vaishampayana said Thus addressed by her, the virtuous Yudhishthira, with passions under complete restraint, became, with all his brothers, plunged into great sorrow. Gifted with grcat intelligence, the king said not a word.
मुहूर्तमिव तु ध्यात्वा धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः। उवाच मातरं दीनश्चिन्ताशोकपरायणः॥
Having thought for a inoment, king Yudhishthira just, dispirited and plunged in anxiety and sorrow, said to his mother, saying,
किमिदं ते व्यवसितं नैव त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि। न त्वामभ्यनुजानामि प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि॥
What, indeed, is your object? You should not do it. I can never grant you permission! you should show us mercy.
पुरोद्यतान् पुरा ह्यस्मानुत्साह्य प्रियदर्शने। विदुलाया वचोभिस्त्वं नास्मान् संत्यक्तुमर्हसि॥
Formerly, when we were about to leave Hastinapur for the forest, O you of agreeable features, It was you who, reciting to us the story of Vidula's instructions to her son, stimulated us to exertion. You should not leave us now.
निहत्य पृथिवीपालान् राज्यं प्राप्तमिदं मया। तव प्रज्ञामुपश्रुत्य वासुदेवान्नरर्षभात्॥
Having killed the kings of Earth, I have acquired sovereignty, guided by your wise words communicated through Vasudeva.
क्व सा बुद्धिरियं चाद्य भवत्या यच्छुतं मया। क्षत्रधर्मे स्थितिं चोक्त्वा तस्याश्च्यवितुमिच्छसि॥
Where now is that understanding of yours about which I had heard from Vasudeva? Do you wish now to deviate from those Kshatriya practices about which you had instructed us?
अस्मानुत्सृज्य राज्यं च स्नुषा हीमा यशस्विनि। कथं वत्स्यसि दुर्गेषु वनेष्वद्य प्रसीद मे॥
Leaving ourselves, this kingdom, and this illustrious daughter-in-law of yours, how will you live in the inaccessible forest? Do you relent.
इति बाष्पकला वाचः कुन्ती पुत्रस्य शृण्वती। सा जगामाश्रुपूर्णाश्री भीमस्तामिदमब्रवीत्॥
Kunti, with tears in her eyes, heard these words of her son, but continued to go her way. Then Bhima addressed her, saying,
यदा राज्यमिदं कुन्ति भोक्तव्यं पुत्रनिर्जितम्। प्राप्तव्या राजधर्माश्च तदेयं ते कुतो मतिः॥
When, O Kunti, sovereignty has been acquired, and when the time has coine for you to enjoy that sovereignty thus acquired by your children, when the duties of royalty await discharge by you, whence has this desire entered into your mind?
किं वयं कारिताः पूर्वे भवत्या पृथिवीक्षयम्। कस्य हेतोः परित्यज्य वनं गन्तुमभीप्ससि॥
Why then did you causc us to exterminate the Earth? Why would you leave all and wish to take up your residence in the forest?
वनाच्चापि किमानीता भवत्या बालका वयम्। दुःखशोकसमाविष्टौ माद्रीपुत्राविमौ तथा॥
We were born in the forest. Why then did you bring us from the forest while we were children? See, the two sons of Madri are overwhelmed with sorrow and grief.
प्रसीद मातर्मा गास्त्वं वनमद्य यशस्विनि। श्रियं यौधिष्ठिरी मात(क्ष्व तावद् बलार्जिताम्॥
Relent, O mother! O you of great fame, do not go into the forest now! Do you enjoy that prosperity which, acquired by power, has become Yudhishthira's today.
इति सा निश्चितैवाशु वनवासाय भाविनी। लालप्यतां बहुविधं पुत्राणां नाकरोद् वचः॥
Firmly resolved to retire into the forest, Kunti disregarded these lamentations of her sons.
द्रौपदी चान्वयाच्छ्वधू विषण्णवदना तदा। वनवासाय गच्छन्ती रुदती भद्रया सह॥
Then Draupadi, with a cheerless face, accompanied by Subhadra, followed her weeping mother-in-law who was proceeding on from desire of going into the forest.
सा पुत्रान् रुदतः सर्वान् मुहुर्मुहुरवेक्षती। जगामैव महाप्राज्ञा वनाय कृतनिश्चया॥
Highly wise and firmly resolved on retirement from the world, the blessed dame walked on, frequently loO king at her weeping children.
अन्वयुः पाण्डवास्तां तु सभृत्यान्तः पुरास्तथा। तत: प्रमृज्य साश्रूणि पुत्रान् वचनमब्रवीत्॥
The Pandavas, with all their wives and servitors, continued to follow her. Restraining then her tears, she addressed her children in these words.