Mahabharata — Volume IX (Dutt edition) — Chapter 261

MBh 9 261.1

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्। देवी सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्।।

nārāyaṇaṃ namaskṛtya naraṃ caiva narottamam| devī sarasvatīṃ vyāsaṃ tato jayamudīrayet||

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.

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

MBh 9 261.2

जनमेजय उवाच प्राप्य राज्यं महात्मानः पाण्डवा मे पितामहाः। कथमासन् महाराज्ञि धृतराष्ट्र महात्मनि॥

janamejaya uvāca prāpya rājyaṃ mahātmānaḥ pāṇḍavā me pitāmahāḥ| kathamāsan mahārājñi dhṛtarāṣṭra mahātmani||

After having gained their kingdom, how did my grandfathers, the great Pandavas, treat the high-souled king Dhritarashtra?

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

MBh 9 261.3

स तु राजा हतामात्यो हतपुत्रो निराश्रयः। कथमासीद्धतैश्वर्यो गान्धारी च यशस्विनी॥

sa tu rājā hatāmātyo hataputro nirāśrayaḥ| kathamāsīddhataiśvaryo gāndhārī ca yaśasvinī||

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?

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

MBh 9 261.4

कियन्तं चैव कालं ते मम पूर्वपितामहाः। स्थिता राज्ये महात्मानस्तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि।॥

kiyantaṃ caiva kālaṃ te mama pūrvapitāmahāḥ| sthitā rājye mahātmānastanme vyākhyātumarhasi|||

For how many years did my noble grandfather rule the kingdom? You should tell me all this.

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

MBh 9 261.5

वैशम्पायन उवाच प्राप्य राज्यं महात्मानः पाण्डवा हतशत्रवः। धृतराष्ट्र पुरस्कृत्य पृथिवीं पर्यपालयन्॥

vaiśampāyana uvāca prāpya rājyaṃ mahātmānaḥ pāṇḍavā hataśatravaḥ| dhṛtarāṣṭra puraskṛtya pṛthivīṃ paryapālayan||

Vaishampayana said, Having regained their kingdom, the great Pandavas, their enemies all killed, ruled the earth, placing Dhritarashtra at their head.

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

MBh 9 261.6

धृतराष्ट्रमुपातिष्ठद् विदुरः संजयस्तथा। वैश्यपुत्रश्च मेधावी युयुत्सुः कुरुसत्तम॥

dhṛtarāṣṭramupātiṣṭhad viduraḥ saṃjayastathā| vaiśyaputraśca medhāvī yuyutsuḥ kurusattama||

Vidura, Sanjaya and the highly intelligent Yuyutsu, who was Dhritarashtra's son by his Vaishya wife, used to wait upon Dhritarashtra.

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

MBh 9 261.7

पाण्डवाः सर्वकार्याणि सम्पृच्छन्ति स्म तं नृपम्। चक्रुस्तेनाभ्यनुज्ञाता वर्षाणि दश पञ्च च॥

pāṇḍavāḥ sarvakāryāṇi sampṛcchanti sma taṃ nṛpam| cakrustenābhyanujñātā varṣāṇi daśa pañca ca||

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.

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

MBh 9 261.8

सदा हि गत्वा ते वीराः पर्युपासन्त तं नृपम्। पादाभिवादनं कृत्वा धर्मराजमते स्थिताः॥

sadā hi gatvā te vīrāḥ paryupāsanta taṃ nṛpam| pādābhivādanaṃ kṛtvā dharmarājamate sthitāḥ||

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.

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

MBh 9 261.9

ते मूर्ध्नि समुपाघ्राताः सर्वकार्याणि चक्रिरे। कुन्तिभोजसुता चैव गान्धारीमन्ववर्तत॥

te mūrdhni samupāghrātāḥ sarvakāryāṇi cakrire| kuntibhojasutā caiva gāndhārīmanvavartata||

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.

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

MBh 9 261.10

द्रौपदी च सुभद्रा च याश्चान्याः पाण्डवस्त्रियः। समां वृत्तिमवर्तन्त तयोः श्वश्वोर्यथाविधि॥

draupadī ca subhadrā ca yāścānyāḥ pāṇḍavastriyaḥ| samāṃ vṛttimavartanta tayoḥ śvaśvoryathāvidhi||

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.

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

MBh 9 261.11

शयनानि महार्हाणि वासांस्याभरणानि च। राजार्हाणि च सर्वाणि भक्ष्यभोज्यान्यनेकशः॥ युधिष्ठिरो महाराज धृतराष्ट्रेऽभ्युपाहरत्। तथैव कुन्ती गान्धार्यो गुरुवृत्तिमवर्तत॥

śayanāni mahārhāṇi vāsāṃsyābharaṇāni ca| rājārhāṇi ca sarvāṇi bhakṣyabhojyānyanekaśaḥ|| yudhiṣṭhiro mahārāja dhṛtarāṣṭre'bhyupāharat| tathaiva kuntī gāndhāryo guruvṛttimavartata||

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.

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

MBh 9 261.12

विदुरः संजयश्चैव ययुत्सुश्चैव कौरव। उपासते स्म तु वृद्धं हतपुत्रं जनाधिपम्॥

viduraḥ saṃjayaścaiva yayutsuścaiva kaurava| upāsate sma tu vṛddhaṃ hataputraṃ janādhipam||

Vidura, Sanjaya, and Yuyutsu, O you of Kuru's race, used to always wait upon the old king whose sons had all been killed.

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

MBh 9 261.13

श्यालो द्रोणस्य यश्चासीद् दयितो ब्राह्मणो महान्। स च तस्मिन् महेष्वासः कृपः समभवत् तदा॥

śyālo droṇasya yaścāsīd dayito brāhmaṇo mahān| sa ca tasmin maheṣvāsaḥ kṛpaḥ samabhavat tadā||

The dear brother-in-law of Drona, viz., the very superior Brahmana, Kripa, that powerful bowman, also attended upon the king.

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

MBh 9 261.14

व्यासश्च भगवान् नित्यमासांचक्रे नृपेण ह। कथाः कुर्वन् पुराणर्षिर्देवर्षिपितृरक्षसाम्॥

vyāsaśca bhagavān nityamāsāṃcakre nṛpeṇa ha| kathāḥ kurvan purāṇarṣirdevarṣipitṛrakṣasām||

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.

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

MBh 9 261.15

धर्मयुक्तानि कार्याणि व्यवहारन्वितानि च। धृतराष्ट्राभ्यनुज्ञातो विदुरस्तान्यकारयत्॥

dharmayuktāni kāryāṇi vyavahāranvitāni ca| dhṛtarāṣṭrābhyanujñāto vidurastānyakārayat||

Vidura, under the order of Dhritarashtra, superintended the performance of all religious acts and the adıninistration of the law.

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

MBh 9 261.16

सामन्तेभ्यः प्रियाण्यस्य कार्याणि सुबहून्यपि। प्राप्यन्तेऽथैः सुलघुभिः सुनयाद् विदुरस्य वै॥

sāmantebhyaḥ priyāṇyasya kāryāṇi subahūnyapi| prāpyante'thaiḥ sulaghubhiḥ sunayād vidurasya vai||

Through the excellent policy of Vidura, by the expenditure of very little money, the Pandavas got numerous agreeable services from their feudators and followers.

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

MBh 9 261.17

अकरोद् बन्धमोक्षं च बध्यानां मोक्षणं तथा। न च धर्मसुतो राजा कदाचित् किंचिदब्रवीत्॥

akarod bandhamokṣaṃ ca badhyānāṃ mokṣaṇaṃ tathā| na ca dharmasuto rājā kadācit kiṃcidabravīt||

King Dhritarashtra freed prisoners and pardoned those who were condemned to death. King Yudhishthria the just never said anything to this.

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

MBh 9 261.18

विहारयात्रासु पुनः कुरुराजो युधिष्ठिरः। सर्वान् कामान् महातेजाः प्रददावम्बिकासुते॥

vihārayātrāsu punaḥ kururājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ| sarvān kāmān mahātejāḥ pradadāvambikāsute||

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.

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

MBh 9 261.19

आरालिका: सूपकारा रागखाण्डविकास्तथा। उपातिष्ठन्त राजानं धृतराष्ट्रं यथा पुरा॥

ārālikā: sūpakārā rāgakhāṇḍavikāstathā| upātiṣṭhanta rājānaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ yathā purā||

Aralikas, and juice-makers, and makers of Ragakhandavas waited on king Dhritarashtra as before.

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

MBh 9 261.20

वासांसि च महार्हाणि माल्यानि विविधानि च। उपाजह्वर्यथान्यायं धृतराष्ट्रस्य पाण्डवाः॥

vāsāṃsi ca mahārhāṇi mālyāni vividhāni ca| upājahvaryathānyāyaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya pāṇḍavāḥ||

Pandu's son collected costly dresses and garlands of various kinds and duly offered them to Dhritarashtra.

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

MBh 9 261.21

मैरेयकाणि मांसानि पानकानि मधूनि च। चित्रान् भक्ष्यविकारांश्च चक्रुस्तस्य यथा पुरा॥

maireyakāṇi māṃsāni pānakāni madhūni ca| citrān bhakṣyavikārāṃśca cakrustasya yathā purā||

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.

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

MBh 9 261.22

ये चापि पृथिवीपाला: समाजग्मुस्ततस्ततः। उपातिष्ठन्त ते सर्वे कौरवेन्द्रं यथा पुरा॥

ye cāpi pṛthivīpālā: samājagmustatastataḥ| upātiṣṭhanta te sarve kauravendraṃ yathā purā||

Those kings who came there one after another, all used to wait upon the old Kuru king as before.

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

MBh 9 261.23

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॥

kuntī ca draupadī caiva sātvatī ca yaśasvinī| ulūpī nāgakanyā ca devī citrāṅgadā tathā|| dhṛṣṭaketośca bhaginī jarāsaṃdhasutā tathā| etāścānyāśca bahvayo vai yoṣitaḥ puruṣarṣabha||| kiṃkarāḥ paryupātiṣṭhan sarvāḥ subalajāṃ tathā| yathā putraviyukto'yaṃ na kiṃcid duḥkhamāpnuyāt|| iti tānanvaśād bhrātṝn nityameva yudhiṣṭhiraḥ| evaṃ te dharmarājasya śrutvā vacanamarthavat||

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.

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

MBh 9 261.24

सविशेषमवर्तन्त भीममेकं तदा विना। न हि तत् तस्य वीरस्य हृदयादपसर्पति। धृतराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्ध्या यद् वृत्तं द्यूतकारितम्॥

saviśeṣamavartanta bhīmamekaṃ tadā vinā| na hi tat tasya vīrasya hṛdayādapasarpati| dhṛtarāṣṭrasya durbuddhyā yad vṛttaṃ dyūtakāritam||

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.

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

MBh 9 261.25

सविशेषमवर्तन्त भीममेकं तदा विना। न हि तत् तस्य वीरस्य हृदयादपसर्पति। धृतराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्ध्या यद् वृत्तं द्यूतकारितम्॥

saviśeṣamavartanta bhīmamekaṃ tadā vinā| na hi tat tasya vīrasya hṛdayādapasarpati| dhṛtarāṣṭrasya durbuddhyā yad vṛttaṃ dyūtakāritam||

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.

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