धृतराष्ट्र उवाच एवं संतज़मानस्तु मम पुत्रो महीपतिः। प्रकृत्या मन्युमान् वीरः कथमासीत् परंतपः॥
Dhritarashtra said "Thus remonstrated with by his enemy, how, indeed, did that scorcher of enemies, my heroic and royal son, who was angry by nature, then act.
न हि संतर्जना तेन श्रुतपूर्वा कथञ्चन। राजभावेन मान्यश्च सर्वलोकस्य सोऽभवत्॥
He had never before brooked such a chastisement. He had before been treated by all respectfully like a king.
यस्यातपत्रच्छायापि स्वका भानोस्तथा प्रभा। खेदायैवाभिमानित्वात् सहेत् सैवं कथं गिरः॥
He who could not formerly stand in the shade of an umbrella, thinking he had taken another's shelter-he who could not endure the very effulgence of the Sun, on account of his pride, how could he brooke these words of his enemies?
इयं च पृथिवी सर्वा सम्लेच्छाटविका भृशम्। प्रसादाद् भियते यस्य प्रत्यक्षं तव संजय॥
You have with your own eyes, O Sanjaya, seen the whole earth, with even her Mlecchas and nomad tribes, depend upon his grace.
स तथा तय॑मानस्तु पाण्डुपुत्रैर्विशेषतः। विहीनश्च स्वकै त्यैर्निर्जने चावृतो भृशम्॥
Chastised there by the sons of Pandu, while lying concealed in such a solitary place after having been deprived of his followers and attendants, alas, how did he answer the Pandavas upon hearing such bitter and departed rebukes from his victorious enemies. Tell me everything, O Sanjaya, about it.'
संजय उवाच तय॑मानस्तदा राजन्नुदकस्थस्तवात्मजः। युधिष्ठिरेण राजेन्द्र भ्रातृभिः सहितेन ह॥ श्रुत्वा स कटुका वाचो विषमस्थो नराधिपः। दीर्घमुष्णं च निःश्वस्य सलिलस्थः पुनः पुनः॥ सलिलान्तर्गतो राजा धुन्वन् हस्तौ पुनः पुनः। मनश्चकार युद्धाय राजानं चाभ्यभाषत॥
Sanjaya continued Thus chastised, O king, by Yudhishthira and his brothers, your royal son lying within the lake, O king of kings, heard those bitter words and became very wretched. Sighing heavily the king moved his arms again and again and making up his mind to fight, thus answered from within the lake, the royal son of Pandu.
यूयं ससुहृदः पार्थाः सर्वे सरथवाहनाः। अहमेकः परियूनो विस्थो हतवाहनः॥
Duryodhana said O Parthas, all of you have friends cars and animals. I, however, am alone, today without a car and without an animal.
आत्तशस्त्रै रथोपेतैर्बहुभिः परिवारितः। कथमेकः पदातिः सन्नशस्त्रो योद्धमुत्सहे॥
Alone as I am and shorn of weapons, how can I dare fight on foot, against numberless foes all well-armed and possessed of cars.
एकैकेन तु मां यूयं योधयध्वं युधिष्ठिर। न ह्येको बहुभिवीरैाय्यो योधयितुं युधि॥ विशेषतो विकवचः श्रान्तश्चापत्समाश्रितः। भृशं विक्षतगात्रश्च श्रान्तवाहनसैनिकः॥
Do you, however, O Yudhishthira, fight me one at a time. It is not proper that one should in battle fight with many especially when that one is without armour, is fatigued, stricken with calamity, greatly wounded and shorn of both animals and troops.
न मे त्वत्तो भयं राजन् न च पार्थाद् वृकोदरात्। फाल्गुनाद् वासुदेवाद् वा पञ्चालेभ्योऽथवा पुनः।।१४ यमाभ्यां युयुधानाद् वा ये चान्ये तव सैनिकाः। एकः सर्वानहं क्रुद्धो वारयिष्ये युधि स्थितः॥ धर्ममूला सतां कीर्तिर्मनुष्याणां जनाधिप। धर्मं चैवेह कीर्ति च पालयन् प्रब्रवीम्यहम्॥
I do not cherish the least fear, O king, of either you or Vrikodara, the son of Pritha or Phalguna or Vasudeva or all the Panchalas or the twins or Yuyudhana or all the warriors you have. Standing in battle alone I shall resist all of you.
अहमुत्थाय सर्वान् वै प्रतियोत्स्यामि संयुगे। अनुगम्यागतान् सर्वानृतून् संवत्सरो यथा॥
The fame, O king, of all righteous men depends on righteousness. I say all this to you who are both righteous and illustrious.
अद्यः वः सरथान् साश्वानशस्त्रो विरथोऽपि सन्। नक्षत्राणीव सर्वाणि सविता रात्रिसंक्षये॥
Rising I shall fight all of you in battle Like the year that one by one meets with all the seasons, I shall meet with all of you in fight.
तेजसा नाशयिष्यामि स्थिरीभवत पाण्डवाः। अद्यानृण्यं गमिष्यामि क्षत्रियाणां यशस्विनाम्॥
Wait, you Pandavas. Like the sun destroying by his effulgence the light of all the stars at dawn, I shall to day, though weaponless and carless, kill all of you possessed of cars and horses.
बाह्रीकद्रोणभीष्माणां कर्णस्य च महात्मनः। जयद्रथस्य शूरस्य भगदत्तस्य चोभयोः॥ मद्रराजस्य शल्यस्य भूरिश्रवस एव च। पुत्राणां भरतश्रेष्ठ शकुनेः सौबलस्य च॥ मित्राणां सुहृदां चैव बान्धवानां तथैव च।
Today I shall release myself from the debt I woe to the many illustrious Kshatriyas, to Valhika and Drona and Bhishma and the great Karna, to the heroic Jayadratha and Bhagadatta, to Shalya the ruler of the Madras and Bhurishravas, to my sons, O best of Bharata's race and Shakuni the son of Subala, to all my friends and well-wishers and relatives.
आनृण्यमद्य गच्छामि हत्वा त्वां भ्रातृभिः सह॥ एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं विरराम जनाधिपः।
Today I shall release myself from that debt by killing you with your brothers. Having said these words, he stopped.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच दिष्ट्या त्वमपि जानीषे क्षत्रधर्मं सुयोधन॥ दिष्ट्या ते वर्तते बुद्धिर्युद्धायैव महाभुज।
Yudhishthira said By good luck, O Suyodhana, you are conversant with the duties of a Kshatriya. By good luck, O mighty-armed heroe, your heart is bent on a battle.
दिष्ट्या शूरोऽसि कौरव्य दिष्ट्या जानासि संगरम्।। २४ यस्त्वमेको हि नः सर्वान् संगरे योद्भुमिच्छसि।
By good luck, you are a hero, O you of Kuru's race and by good luck, you are conversant with battle, since, alone, you wish to give all of us a battle.
एक एकेन संगम्य यत् ते सम्मतमायुधम्॥
Fight any one of us taking whatever weapon you like. All of us will fight.
तत् त्वमादाय युध्वस्व प्रेक्षकास्ते वयं स्थिताः। स्वयमिष्टं च ते कामं वीर भूयो ददाम्यहम्॥ हत्वैकं भवतो राज्यं हतो वा स्वर्गमाप्नुहि।
I grant you also, O hero, this other wish of yours viz., that if you kill any one of us, you shall then become king. Otherwise, killed by us, go to heaven.
दुर्योधन उवाच एकश्चैद् योद्धमाक्रन्दे शूरोऽद्य मम दीयताम्॥ आयुधानामियं चापि वृता त्वत्सम्मते गदा।
Duryodhana said Brave as you are, if you allow me the option of fighting only one of you, this mace, that I have in my hand, is the weapon that I select.
हन्तैकं भवतामेकः शक्यं मां योऽभिमन्यते॥ पदातिर्गदया संख्ये स युध्यतु मया सह।
Let any of you, who thinks that he is a match for me, come forward and fight with me on foot, arined with mace.
वृत्तानि रथयुद्धानि विचित्राणि पदे पदे॥ इदमेकं गदायुद्धं भवत्वद्याद्भुतं महत्।
Many wonderful single combats have taken place on cars. Let this one great and wonderful encounter with the mace take place today.
अस्त्राणामपि पर्यायं कर्तुमिच्छन्ति मानवाः॥ युद्धानामपि पर्यायो भवत्वनुमते तव।
Men wish to change weapons in battle. Let the mode of fight be changed today, with your permission.
गदया त्वां महाबाहो विजेष्यामि सहानुजम्॥ पञ्चालान् संजयांश्चैव ये चान्ये तव सैनिकाः। न हि मे सम्भ्रमो जातु शक्रादपि युधिष्ठिर॥
O you of great arms, I shall, with my mace, defeat you today with all your younger brothers, as also all the Panchalas and the Srinjayas and all the other troops you still possess. I do not entertain the least fear, O Yudhishthira, of even Shakra himself.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ गान्धारे मां योधय सुयोधन। एक एकेन संगम्य संयुगे गदया बली।॥
Yudhishthira said Rise, rise, O son of Gandhari and fight me, O Suyodhana. Alone as you are fight us, meeting one at a time, O you of great might, armed with your mace.
पुरुषो भव गान्धारे युध्यस्व सुसमाहितः। अद्य ते जीवितं नास्ति यदीन्द्रोऽपि तवाश्रयः॥
Be a man, O son of Gandhari and fight carefully. Today you shall have to lose your life even if Indra becomes your ally. O you
संजय उवाच एतत् स नरशार्दूलो नामृष्यत तवात्मजः। सलिलान्तर्गतः श्वभ्रे महानाग इव श्वसन्॥
Sanjaya continued That foremost of men, your son, could not brook those words of Yudhishthira. He sighed heavily from within the water like a huge snake from with its hole.
तथासौ वाक्प्रतोदेन तुद्यमानः पुनः पुनः। वचो न ममृषे राजन्नुत्तमाश्वः कशामिव॥
Struck repeatedly with such wordy goads, he could not bear at all like a horse of high breed that cannot bear the strokes of a whip.
संक्षोभ्य सलिलं वेगाद् गदामादाय वीर्यवान्। अद्रिसारमयीं गुर्वी काञ्चनाङ्गदभूषणाम्॥
Agitating the waters with great force that brave warrior rose like a prince of elephants from within the lake, sighing heavily in rage and armed with his heavy and strong mace of adamant decked with gold.
अन्तर्जलात् समुत्तस्थौ नागेन्द्र इव नि:श्वसन्। स भित्त्वा स्तम्भितं तोयं स्कन्धे कृत्वाऽऽयसीं गदाम्॥
Cutting through the solidified waters your son rose carrying his mace made of iron at his shoulders, like the sun himself consuming everything with his rays.
उदतिष्ठत पुत्रस्ते प्रतपन् रश्मिवानिव। ततः शैक्यायसीं गुर्वी जातरूपपरिष्कृताम्॥
Highly powerful your intelligent son began to handle his heavy mace made of iron and equipt with a sling.
गदां परामृशद् धीमान् धार्तराष्ट्रो महाबलः। गदाहस्तं तु तं दृष्ट्वा सशृङ्गमिव पर्वतम्॥ प्रजानामिव संक्रुद्धं शूलपाणिमिव स्थितम्। सगदो भारतो भाति प्रतपन् भास्करो यथा॥ तमुत्तीर्णं महाबाहुं गदाहस्तमरिंदमम्। मेनिरे सर्वभूतानि दण्डपाणिमिवान्तकम्॥
Seeing him with the mace and resembling a mountain crest or the trident wielding Rudra himself casting angry looks on living beings they marked that Bharata chief to shed a lustre around like the scorching sun himself in the sky. Indeed, all creatures then regarded that mighty-armed chastiser of foes, as he stood with his mace on his shoulders after rising from the waters, to look like the Death himself armed with his rod.
वज्रहस्तं यथा शक्रः शूलहस्तं यथा हरम्। ददृशुः सर्वपञ्चालाः पुत्रं तव जनाधिप॥
Indeed, all the Panchalas then saw your royal son, resemble thunder-wielding Indra or the trident-wielding Hara.
तमुत्तीर्णं तु सम्प्रेक्ष्य समहष्यन्त सर्वशः। पञ्चाला: पाण्डवेयाश्च तेऽन्योन्यस्य तलान् ददुः॥
Seeing him, however, rise from within the lake, all the Panchalas and the Pandavas began to rejoice and seize each others hands.
अवहासं तु तं मत्वा पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव। उद्धृत्य नयने क्रुद्धो दिधक्षुरिव पाण्डवान्॥ त्रिशिखां भृकुटीं कृत्वा संदष्टदशनच्छदः। प्रत्युवाच ततस्तान् वै पाण्डवान् सहकेशवान्॥
Your son Duryodhana considered that action of the onlookers to be an insult to nim. Rolling his eyes in anger and as if consuming the Pandavas with his looks and contracting his brow into three furrows and repeatedly biting his nether lip, he addressed the Pandavas with Keshava in their midst, saying-
दुर्योधन उवाच अस्यावहासस्य फलं प्रतिभोक्ष्यथ पाण्डवाः। गमिष्यथ हताः सद्यः सपञ्चाला यमक्षयम्॥
Duryodhana said "O you Pandavas, you shall have to bear the consequences of these insults! Killed by me today, you shall, with the Panchalas, have to go to the abode of Yama."
संजय उवाच उत्थितश्च जलात् तस्मात् पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव। अतिष्ठत गदापाणी रुधिरेण समुक्षितः॥
Sanjaya continued Rising from the water, your son Duryodhana stood there, with his mace and with limbs covered with blood.
तस्य शोणितदिग्धस्य सलिलेन समुक्षितम्। शरीरं स्म तदा भाति स्रवत्रिव महीधरः॥
Covered with blood and wet with water, his body resembled a mountain discharging water from within it.
तमुद्यतगदं वीरं मेनिरे तत्र पाण्डवाः। वैवस्वतमिव क्रुद्धं शूलपाणिमिव स्थितम्॥
As he stood with his mace, the Pandavas took him for the angry son of Surya himself armed with his bludgeon called Kinkara.
स मेघनिनदो हर्षनर्दन्निव न गोवृषः। आजुहाव ततः पार्थान् गदया युधि वीर्यवान्॥
With voice deep as the mutterings of the clouds or of a bull roaring in joy, the highly powerful Duryodhana then, armed with his mace, asked the Parthas for battle.
दुर्योधन उवाच एकैकेन च मां यूयमासीद् युधिष्ठिर। न ह्येको बहुभिाय्यो वीरो योधयितुं युधि॥ न्यस्तवर्मा विशेषेण श्रान्तश्चाप्सु परिप्लुतः। भृशं विक्षतगात्रश्च हतवाहनसैनिकः॥
Duryodhana said You will have, O Yudhishthira, to meet me one at a time. It is not meet that one hero should fight with many at the same time, especially when he is divested of armour, worn out with fatigue, covered with water, greatly wounded and without cars, animals and troops.
अवश्यमेव योद्धव्यं सर्वेरेव मया सह। युक्तं त्वयुक्तमित्येतद् वेत्सि त्वं चैव सर्वदा॥
I shall forsooth fight all of you. You will act as a judge, as you have the necessary qualifications for judging the propriety and impropriety of everything.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच मा भूदियं तव प्रज्ञा कथमेवं सुयोधन। यदाभिमन्युं बहवो जघ्नुर्युधि महारथाः॥
Yudhishthira said How is it, O Duryodhana, that you had not this knowledge when many great car-warriors, in a body, killed Abhimanyu in battle.
क्षत्रधर्मं भृशं क्रूरं निरपेक्षं सुनिघृणम्। अन्यथा तु कथं हन्युरभिमन्यु तथागतम्॥
This duties of a Kshatriya are high, cruel, shorn of all considerations and feelings of pity. Otherwise, how could you kill Abhimanyu under those circumstances.
सर्वे भवन्तो धर्मज्ञाः सर्वे शूरास्तनुत्यजः। न्यायेन युध्यतां प्रोक्ता शक्रलोकगतिः परा॥
All of you were acquainted with the rules of fair fight. All of you were heroes. All of you were ready to sacrifice your lives in battle. The great aim for those that fight righteously is the attainment of the regions of Shakra.
यद्येकस्तु न हन्तव्यो बहुभिर्धर्म एव तु। तदाभिमन्युं बहवो निजघ्नुस्त्वन्मते कथम्॥
If this be your duty, that one should not be killed by many, why is it then that Abhimanyu was killed by many, acting under your advice?
सर्वो विमृशते जन्तुः कृच्छुस्थो धर्मदर्शनम्। पदस्थः पिहितं द्वारं परलोकस्य पश्यति॥
In difficulty, every one forgets considerations of virtue. They then see the portals of the other world as being closed.
आमुञ्च कवचं वीर मूर्धजान् यमयस्व च। यचान्यदपि ते नास्ति तदष्यादत्स्व भारत॥
Put on armour, O hero and blind your locks. Take everything else, O Bharata, which your require.
इममेकं च ते कामं वीर भूयो ददाम्यहम्। पञ्चानां पाण्डवेयानां येनं त्वं योद्धुमिच्छसि॥ तं हत्वा वै भवान् राजा हतो वा स्वर्गमाप्नुहि। ऋते च जीविताद् वीर युद्धे किं कर्म ते प्रियम्॥
O hero, I however grant you an additional, favour, namely, if you can slay him amongst the five Pandavas with whom you wish to fight, you shall then be the king Otherwise, killed by him, you will proceed to heaven. Save your life, O hero, tell us what boon we may give you.
संजय उवाच ततस्तव सुतो राजन् वर्म जग्राह काञ्चनम्। विचित्रं च शिरस्त्राणं जाम्बूनदपरिष्कृतम्॥
Sanjaya continued Then your son, O king, put on armour made of gold and a beautiful head-gear adorned with pure gold.
सोऽवबद्धशिरस्त्राणः शुभकाञ्चनवर्मभृत्। रराज राजन् पुत्रस्ते काञ्चनः शैलराडिव॥
Clad in bright armour of gold, he put on that head-gear. Indeed, O king, your son then looked resplendent like a golden summit.
संनद्धः सगदो राजन् सज्जः संग्राममूर्धनि। अब्रवीत् पाण्डवान् सर्वान् पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव॥ भ्रातृणां भवतामेको युध्यतां गदया मया। सहदेवेन वा योत्स्ये भीमेन नकुलेन वा॥ अथवा फाल्गुनेनाद्य त्वया वा भरतर्षभ। योत्स्येऽहं संगरं प्राप्य विजेष्ये च रणाजिरे॥
Clad in amour, armed with mace and accoutered with other equipments your son Duryodhana then, O king, standing on the field of battle, addressed all the Pandavas, saying-"Amongst you five brothers let any one fight me, armed with mace. As regards myself, I ain willing to fight either Sahadeva or Bhima or Nakula or Phalguna or you today, O best of Bharata's race. If you give me battle, I will fight any one amongst you and will surely gain the victory on the field.
अहमद्य गमिष्यामि वैरस्यान्तं सुदुर्गमम्। गदया पुरुषव्याघ्र हेमपट्टनिबद्धया॥
Today I will terminate these hostilities, with the help, O foremost of men, of my mace wrapped in a cloth of gold.
गदायुद्धे न मे कश्चित् सदृशोऽस्तीति चिन्तये। गदया वो हनिष्यामि सर्वानेव समागतान्॥
I think there is none who can equal me in an encounter with the mace. With my mace I shall kill all of you one after another.
न मे समर्थाः सर्वे वै योद्धं न्यायेन केचना न युक्तमात्मना वक्तुमेवं गर्वोद्धतं वचः। अथवा सफलं ह्येतत् करिष्ये भवतां पुरः॥
Amongst all of you there is no one who is able to fight fairly with me. It is not proper for me to vaunt thus about my own self. I shall, however, make these words of mine true before you.
अस्मिन् मुहूर्ते सत्यं वा मिथ्या वैतद् भविष्यति। गृह्णातु च गदां यो वै योत्स्यतेऽद्य मया सह॥
Within this very hour, these words will either be proved or falsified. Let him amongst you take up the mace that will fight with me.
अस्मिन् मुहूर्ते सत्यं वा मिथ्या वैतद् भविष्यति। गृह्णातु च गदां यो वै योत्स्यतेऽद्य मया सह॥
Within this very hour, these words will either be proved or falsified. Let him amongst you take up the mace that will fight with me.