Mahabharata — Volume I (Dutt edition) — Chapter 291

MBh 1 291.1

वैशम्पायन उवाच मतमाज्ञाय पुत्रस्य धृतराष्ट्रो नराधिपः। मत्वा च दुस्तरं दैवमेतद् राजश्चकार ह॥

vaiśampāyana uvāca matamājñāya putrasya dhṛtarāṣṭro narādhipaḥ| matvā ca dustaraṃ daivametad rājaścakāra ha||

Vaishampayana said The king Dhritarashtra, knowing the inclinations of his son and considering also that Fate was unavoidable, acted in this way.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 291.2

अन्यायेन तथोक्तस्तु विदुरो विदुषां वरः। नाभ्यनन्दद् वचो भ्रातुर्वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्॥

anyāyena tathoktastu viduro viduṣāṃ varaḥ| nābhyanandad vaco bhrāturvacanaṃ cedamabravīt||

The foremost of all learneu men, Vidura, did not approve the words of his brothers so unjustly uttered; and he then thus spoke to him.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 291.3

विदुर उवाच नाभिनन्दे नृपते प्रैषमेतं मैवं कृथाः कुलनाशाद् बिभेमि। देतच्छङ्के द्यूतकृते नरेन्द्र॥

vidura uvāca nābhinande nṛpate praiṣametaṃ maivaṃ kṛthāḥ kulanāśād bibhemi| detacchaṅke dyūtakṛte narendra||

Vidura said O king, I do not approve of your this command. Do not act thus. I am afraid this will bring about the destruction of our race. O ruler of men, I apprehend that your sons will lose unity from this match at dice; and dissension will certainly arise amongst them.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 291.4

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच नेह क्षत्तः कलहस्तप्स्यते मां न चेद् दैवं प्रतिलोमं भविष्यत्। धाग तु दिष्टस्य वशे किलेदं सर्वं जगच्चेष्टति न स्वतन्त्रतम्॥

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca neha kṣattaḥ kalahastapsyate māṃ na ced daivaṃ pratilomaṃ bhaviṣyat| dhāga tu diṣṭasya vaśe kiledaṃ sarvaṃ jagacceṣṭati na svatantratam||

Dhritarashtra said O Khattwa, if fate be not unfavourable to me, this quarrel will not certainly grieve me. The whole universe moves at the will of its creator, but (it moves) under the controlling influence of Fate. It is not free.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)