Mahabharata — Volume IX (Dutt edition) — Chapter 297

MBh 9 297.1

वैशम्पायन उवाच द्विवर्षोपनिवृत्तेषु पाण्डवेषु यदृच्छया। देवर्षिर्नारदो राजन्नाजगाम युधिष्ठिरम्॥

vaiśampāyana uvāca dvivarṣopanivṛtteṣu pāṇḍaveṣu yadṛcchayā| devarṣirnārado rājannājagāma yudhiṣṭhiram||

After two years had passed from the date of the return of the Pandavas from the retreat of heir sire), the celestial Rishi, Narada, O king, came to Yudhishthria.

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

MBh 9 297.2

तमभ्यर्च्य महाबाहुः कुरुराजो युधिष्ठिरः। आसीनं परिविश्वस्तं प्रोवाचं वदतां वरः॥ चिरात्तु नानुपश्यामि भगवन्तमुपस्थितम्। कच्चित् ते कुशलं विप्र शुभं वा प्रत्युपस्थितम्॥

tamabhyarcya mahābāhuḥ kururājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ| āsīnaṃ pariviśvastaṃ provācaṃ vadatāṃ varaḥ|| cirāttu nānupaśyāmi bhagavantamupasthitam| kaccit te kuśalaṃ vipra śubhaṃ vā pratyupasthitam||

the mighty-armed Kuru king, that foremost of speakers, viz., Yudhishthira, having duly adored him, made him take a seat. After the Rishi had rested a while, the king asked him saying, 'It is after a long time that I see your holy self arrived at my court. Are you in peace and happiness, O learned Bhimasena?

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

MBh 9 297.3

के देशाः परिदृष्टास्ते किं च कार्यं करोमि ते। तद् ब्रूहि द्विजमुख्य त्वं त्वं ह्यस्माकं परा गतिः॥

ke deśāḥ paridṛṣṭāste kiṃ ca kāryaṃ karomi te| tad brūhi dvijamukhya tvaṃ tvaṃ hyasmākaṃ parā gatiḥ||

What are toe countries which you have passed through? What can I do for you? Do you tell me. You are the foremost of twiceborn ones, and you are our highest refuge.

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

MBh 9 297.4

नारद उवाच चिरदृष्टष्येऽसि मेत्येवमागतोऽहं तपोवनात्। परिदृष्टानि तीर्थानि गङ्गा चैव मया नृप॥

nārada uvāca ciradṛṣṭaṣye'si metyevamāgato'haṃ tapovanāt| paridṛṣṭāni tīrthāni gaṅgā caiva mayā nṛpa||

Narada said I have not seen you for a long time. Hence it is that I have come to you from my asylum. I have seen many sacred waters and the sacred rivers Ganga, also, O king.

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

MBh 9 297.5

युधिष्ठिर उवाच वदन्ति पुरुषा मेऽद्य गङ्गातीरनिवासिनः। धृतराष्ट्र महात्मानमास्थितं परमं तपः॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca vadanti puruṣā me'dya gaṅgātīranivāsinaḥ| dhṛtarāṣṭra mahātmānamāsthitaṃ paramaṃ tapaḥ||

People living on the banks of Ganga report that the great Dhritarashtra is practicing the austerest of penances.

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

MBh 9 297.6

अपि दृष्टस्त्वया तत्र कुशली स कुरूद्वहः। गान्धारी च पृथा चैव सूतपुत्रश्च संजयः॥

api dṛṣṭastvayā tatra kuśalī sa kurūdvahaḥ| gāndhārī ca pṛthā caiva sūtaputraśca saṃjayaḥ||

Have you seen him there? Is that perpetuator o Kuru's race in peace? Are Gandhari and Pritha and the Suta's son Sanjaya also in peace?

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

MBh 9 297.7

कथं च वर्तते चाद्य पिता मम स पार्थिवः। श्रोतुमिच्छामि भगवन् यदि दृष्टस्त्वया नृपः॥

kathaṃ ca vartate cādya pitā mama sa pārthivaḥ| śrotumicchāmi bhagavan yadi dṛṣṭastvayā nṛpaḥ||

How, indeed, is that royal sire of mine doing? I wish to hear this, O holy one, if you have seen the king.

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

MBh 9 297.8

नारद उवाच स्थिरीभूय महाराज शृणु वृत्तं यथातथम्। यथा श्रुतं च दृष्टं च मया तस्मिंस्तपोवने॥

nārada uvāca sthirībhūya mahārāja śṛṇu vṛttaṃ yathātatham| yathā śrutaṃ ca dṛṣṭaṃ ca mayā tasmiṃstapovane||

Narada said Listen, O king, with calmness to me as I tell you what I have heard and seen in that asylum.

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

MBh 9 297.9

वनवासनिवृत्तेषु भवत्सु कुरुनन्दन। कुरुक्षेत्रात् पिता तुभ्यं गङ्गाद्वारं ययौ नृप॥

vanavāsanivṛtteṣu bhavatsu kurunandana| kurukṣetrāt pitā tubhyaṃ gaṅgādvāraṃ yayau nṛpa||

After your return from Kurukshetra, O delighter of the Kurus, Your sire, O king, proceeded towards Gangadvara.

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

MBh 9 297.10

गान्धार्या सहितो धीमान् वध्वा कुन्त्या समन्वितः। संजयेन च सूतेन साग्निहोज्ञः सयाजकः॥

gāndhāryā sahito dhīmān vadhvā kuntyā samanvitaḥ| saṃjayena ca sūtena sāgnihojñaḥ sayājakaḥ||

That intelligent king took with him his (sacred) fire, Gandhari and his daughter-in-law Kunti, as also Sanjaya of the Suta caste, and all the Yajakas.

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

MBh 9 297.11

आतस्थे स तास्तीव्र पिता तव तपोधनः। वीटां मुखे समाधाय वायुभक्षोऽभवन्मुनिः॥

ātasthe sa tāstīvra pitā tava tapodhanaḥ| vīṭāṃ mukhe samādhāya vāyubhakṣo'bhavanmuniḥ||

Having penances for wealth, your sire set himself to the practice of severe austerities. He held pebbled of stone in his mouth and had air alone for his food, and abstained altogether from speech.

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

MBh 9 297.12

वने स मुनिभिः सर्वैः पूज्यमानो महातपाः। त्वगस्थिमात्रशेषः स षण्मासानभवन्नृपः॥

vane sa munibhiḥ sarvaiḥ pūjyamāno mahātapāḥ| tvagasthimātraśeṣaḥ sa ṣaṇmāsānabhavannṛpaḥ||

Engaged in severe penances, he was adored by all the ascetics in the forest. In six months the king was reduced to only a skeleton.

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

MBh 9 297.13

गान्धारी तु जलाहारी कुन्ती मासोपवासिनी। संजयः षष्ठभुक्तेन वर्तयामास भारत॥

gāndhārī tu jalāhārī kuntī māsopavāsinī| saṃjayaḥ ṣaṣṭhabhuktena vartayāmāsa bhārata||

Gandhari lived on water alone, while Kunti took a little food a intervals of month. Sanjaya, O Bharata, lived, eating a little every sixth day.

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

MBh 9 297.14

अग्नींस्तु याजकास्तत्र जुहुवुर्विधिवत् प्रभो। दृश्यतोऽदृश्यतश्चैव बने तस्मिन् नृपस्य वै॥

agnīṃstu yājakāstatra juhuvurvidhivat prabho| dṛśyato'dṛśyataścaiva bane tasmin nṛpasya vai||

The sacred fire, O monarch, (bclonging to the Kuru king) was duly adored by the sacrificing assistants who were with him, with libations of clarified butter poured on it. They did this whether the king saw the rite or not.

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

MBh 9 297.15

अनिकेतोऽथ राजा स बभूव वनगोचरः। ते चापि सहिते देव्यौ संजयश्च तमन्वयुः॥

aniketo'tha rājā sa babhūva vanagocaraḥ| te cāpi sahite devyau saṃjayaśca tamanvayuḥ||

The king had no fixed dwelling. He became a wanderer through those forests. The two queens, as also Sanjaya, followed him.

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

MBh 9 297.16

संजयो नृपतेर्नेता समेषु विषमेषु च। गान्धार्याश्च पृथा चैव चक्षुरासीदनिन्दिता॥

saṃjayo nṛpaternetā sameṣu viṣameṣu ca| gāndhāryāśca pṛthā caiva cakṣurāsīdaninditā||

Sanjaya acted as the guide on even and uneven land. The faultless Pritha, O king, became the eye of Gandhari.

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

MBh 9 297.17

ततः कदाचिद् गङ्गायाः कच्छे स नृपसत्तमः। गङ्गायामाप्लुतो धीमानाश्रमाभिमुखोऽभवत्॥

tataḥ kadācid gaṅgāyāḥ kacche sa nṛpasattamaḥ| gaṅgāyāmāpluto dhīmānāśramābhimukho'bhavat||

One day, that best of kings went to a spot on the margin of Ganga. He then bathed in the sacred river and finishing his ablutions turned his face toward his hermitage.

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

MBh 9 297.18

अथ वायुः समुद्भूतो दावाग्निरभवन्महान्। ददाह तद् वनं सर्वे परिगृह्य समन्वतः॥

atha vāyuḥ samudbhūto dāvāgnirabhavanmahān| dadāha tad vanaṃ sarve parigṛhya samanvataḥ||

The wind rose high. A fierce wild fire set in. It began to burn that forest all around.

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

MBh 9 297.19

दह्यत्सु मृगयूथेषु द्विजिह्वेषु समन्ततः। वराहाणां च यूथेषु संश्रयत्सु जलाशयान्॥

dahyatsu mṛgayūtheṣu dvijihveṣu samantataḥ| varāhāṇāṃ ca yūtheṣu saṃśrayatsu jalāśayān||

When the herds of animals were being burnt all around, as also the snakes which inhabited. that region, herds of wild board began to take themselves to the nearest marshes and waters.

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

MBh 9 297.20

समाविद्धे वने तस्मिन् प्राप्ते व्यसन उत्तमे। निराहारतया राजन् मन्दप्राणविचेष्टितः॥

samāviddhe vane tasmin prāpte vyasana uttame| nirāhāratayā rājan mandaprāṇaviceṣṭitaḥ||

When that forest was thus afflicted on all sides and such distress came upon all the living creature living there, the king, who had taken no food, was incapable of moving or exerting himself at all.

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

MBh 9 297.21

असमर्योऽपसरणे सुकृशे मातरौ च ते। ततः स नृपतिर्दृष्ट्वा वह्निमायान्तमन्तिकात्॥ इदमाह ततः सूतं संजयं जयतां वरः। गच्छ संजय यत्राग्निर्न त्वां दहति कर्हिचित्॥

asamaryo'pasaraṇe sukṛśe mātarau ca te| tataḥ sa nṛpatirdṛṣṭvā vahnimāyāntamantikāt|| idamāha tataḥ sūtaṃ saṃjayaṃ jayatāṃ varaḥ| gaccha saṃjaya yatrāgnirna tvāṃ dahati karhicit||

Your two mothers also, exceedingly emaciated, could not move. The king, seeing the fire approach him from all sides, addressed the Suta Sanjaya, that foremost of skillful charioteers, saying, 'Go, O Sanjaya, to such a place where the fire may not burn you.

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

MBh 9 297.22

वयमत्राग्निना युक्ता गमिष्यामः परां गतिम्। तमुवाच किलोद्विग्नः संजयो वदतां वरः॥ राजन् मृत्युरनिष्टोऽयं भविता ते वृथाग्निना। न चोपाय प्रपश्यामि मोक्षणे जातवेदसः॥

vayamatrāgninā yuktā gamiṣyāmaḥ parāṃ gatim| tamuvāca kilodvignaḥ saṃjayo vadatāṃ varaḥ|| rājan mṛtyuraniṣṭo'yaṃ bhavitā te vṛthāgninā| na copāya prapaśyāmi mokṣaṇe jātavedasaḥ||

As regards ourselves, we shall allow our bodies to be destroyed by this fire and attain to the greatest end. To him, Sanjaya, that foremost of speakers, said-'O king, this death, brought on by a fire that is not sacred, will prove calamitous to you. I do not, however, see any means by which you can escape from this fire. our

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

MBh 9 297.23

यदत्रानन्तरं कार्य तद् भवान् वक्तुमर्हति। इत्युक्तः संजयेनेदं पुनराह स पार्थिवः॥ नैष मृत्युरनिष्टो नो निःसृतानां गृहात् स्वयम्। जलमग्निस्तथा वायुरथवाऽपि विकर्षणम्॥ तापसानां प्रशस्यन्ते गच्छ संजय मा चिरम्। इत्युक्त्वा संजयं राजा समाधाय मनस्तथा॥

yadatrānantaraṃ kārya tad bhavān vaktumarhati| ityuktaḥ saṃjayenedaṃ punarāha sa pārthivaḥ|| naiṣa mṛtyuraniṣṭo no niḥsṛtānāṃ gṛhāt svayam| jalamagnistathā vāyurathavā'pi vikarṣaṇam|| tāpasānāṃ praśasyante gaccha saṃjaya mā ciram| ityuktvā saṃjayaṃ rājā samādhāya manastathā||

That which should next be done should be marked by you. Thus addressed by Sanjaya the king once more said, “This death cannot be calamitous to us, for we have left our home of own accord. Water, fire, wind, and abstention from food, are laudable for ascetics. Do you, therefore, leave us, O Sanjaya, forthwith.' Having said these words to Sanjaya the king concentrated his mind.

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

MBh 9 297.24

प्राङ्मुखः सह गान्धार्या कुन्त्या चोपाविशत् तदा। संजयस्तं तथा दृष्ट्वा प्रदक्षिणमथाकरोत्॥

prāṅmukhaḥ saha gāndhāryā kuntyā copāviśat tadā| saṃjayastaṃ tathā dṛṣṭvā pradakṣiṇamathākarot||

Facing the east, he sat down, with Gandhari and Kunti. Seeing him in that attitude Sanjaya walked round him.

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

MBh 9 297.25

उवाच चैनं मेधावी युड्क्ष्वात्मानमिति प्रभो। ऋषिपुत्रो मनीषी स राजा चक्रेऽस्य तद् वचः॥

uvāca cainaṃ medhāvī yuḍkṣvātmānamiti prabho| ṛṣiputro manīṣī sa rājā cakre'sya tad vacaḥ||

Gifted with intelligence, Sanjaya said, 'Do you concentrate your mind. O powerful one!' The son of a Rishi, and himself endued with great wisdom, the king acted as he was told.

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

MBh 9 297.26

सन्निमध्येन्द्रियग्राममासीत् काष्ठोपमस्तदा। गान्धारी च महाभागा जननी च पृथा तव॥

sannimadhyendriyagrāmamāsīt kāṣṭhopamastadā| gāndhārī ca mahābhāgā jananī ca pṛthā tava||

Governing all the senses, he remained like a post of wood. The highly blessed Gandhari, and your mother Pritha top, remained in the same attitude.

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

MBh 9 297.27

दावाग्निना समायुक्ते स च राजा पिता तव। संजयस्तु महामात्रस्तस्माद् दावादमुच्यत॥

dāvāgninā samāyukte sa ca rājā pitā tava| saṃjayastu mahāmātrastasmād dāvādamucyata||

Then your royal sire was overtaken by the wild-fire, Sanjaya, his minister succeeded in escaping from that fire.

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

MBh 9 297.28

गङ्गाकूले मया दृष्टस्तापसैः परिवारितः। स तानामन्त्र्य तेजस्वी निवेद्येतच्च सर्वशः॥ प्रययौ संजयो धीमान् हिमवन्तं महीधरम्।

gaṅgākūle mayā dṛṣṭastāpasaiḥ parivāritaḥ| sa tānāmantrya tejasvī nivedyetacca sarvaśaḥ|| prayayau saṃjayo dhīmān himavantaṃ mahīdharam|

I saw him on the banks of Ganga in the midst of ascetics. Gifted with great, energy and great intelligence's he bade them farewell and then started for the mountains of Himavat.

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

MBh 9 297.29

एवं स निधनं प्राप्तः कुरुराजो महामनाः॥ गान्धारी च पृथा चैव जनन्यौ ते विशाम्पते।

evaṃ sa nidhanaṃ prāptaḥ kururājo mahāmanāḥ|| gāndhārī ca pṛthā caiva jananyau te viśāmpate|

Thus the great Kuru king met with his death, and it was thus that Gandhari and Kunti, your two others, also met with death, O monarch.

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

MBh 9 297.30

यदृच्छयानुव्रजता मया राज्ञः कलेवरम्॥ तयोश्च देव्योरुभयोर्मया दृष्टानि भारत।

yadṛcchayānuvrajatā mayā rājñaḥ kalevaram|| tayośca devyorubhayormayā dṛṣṭāni bhārata|

In course of my wanderings at will, I saw the bodies of that king and those two queens, O Bharata.

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

MBh 9 297.31

ततस्तपोवने तस्मिन् समाजग्मुस्तपोधनाः॥ श्रुत्वा राज्ञस्तदा निष्ठां न त्वशोचन गतीश्च ते।

tatastapovane tasmin samājagmustapodhanāḥ|| śrutvā rājñastadā niṣṭhāṃ na tvaśocana gatīśca te|

Many ascetics came to that asylum, having heard of the end of king Dhritarashtra. They did not at all grieve for that end of theirs.

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

MBh 9 297.32

तत्राश्रौषमहं सर्वमेतत् पुरुषसत्तम॥ यथा च नृपतिर्दग्धो देव्यौ ते चेति पाण्डव

tatrāśrauṣamahaṃ sarvametat puruṣasattama|| yathā ca nṛpatirdagdho devyau te ceti pāṇḍava

There, O best of men, I heard all the details of how the king and the two qucens, O son of Pandu, had been burnt.

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

MBh 9 297.33

न शोचितव्यं राजेन्द्र स्वत: स पृथिवीपतिः॥ प्राप्तवानग्निसंयोगं गान्धारी जननी च ते।

na śocitavyaṃ rājendra svata: sa pṛthivīpatiḥ|| prāptavānagnisaṃyogaṃ gāndhārī jananī ca te|

O king of kings, you should not grieve for him. The monarch, of his own will, as also Gandhari and your mother, got that contact with fire,

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

MBh 9 297.34

वैशम्पायन उवाच एतच्छ्रुत्वा च सर्वेषां पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्॥ निर्याणं धृतराष्ट्रस्य शोकः समभवन्महान्।

vaiśampāyana uvāca etacchrutvā ca sarveṣāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātmanām|| niryāṇaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya śokaḥ samabhavanmahān|

Vaishampayana said, Hearing of the departure of Dhritarashtra from his world, the great Pandavas all bewailed.

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

MBh 9 297.35

अन्तःपुराणां च तदा महानार्तस्वरोऽभवत्।॥

antaḥpurāṇāṃ ca tadā mahānārtasvaro'bhavat|||

Lord sounds of wailing were heard within the inner apartments of the palace. The citizens also, hearing of the end of the old king, bewailed aloud.

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

MBh 9 297.36

अहो धिगिति राजा तु विक्रुश्य भृशदुःखितः॥ ऊर्ध्वबाहुः स्मरन् मातुः प्ररुरोद युधिष्ठिरः। भीमसेनपुरोगाश्च भ्रातरः सर्व एव ते॥

aho dhigiti rājā tu vikruśya bhṛśaduḥkhitaḥ|| ūrdhvabāhuḥ smaran mātuḥ praruroda yudhiṣṭhiraḥ| bhīmasenapurogāśca bhrātaraḥ sarva eva te||

'O Fie', cried king Yudhishthira in great agony, raising his arms a loft. Thinking of his mother, he wept like a child. All is brothers too, headed by Bhimasena, old the same.

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

MBh 9 297.37

अन्तःपुरेषु च तदा सुमहान् रुदितस्वनः। प्रादुरासीन्महाराज पृथां श्रुत्वा तथागताम्॥

antaḥpureṣu ca tadā sumahān ruditasvanaḥ| prādurāsīnmahārāja pṛthāṃ śrutvā tathāgatām||

Hearing that Pritha had met with such a face, the royal ladies bewailed aloud in grief.

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

MBh 9 297.38

तं च वृद्धं तथा दग्धं हतपुत्रं नराधिपम्। अन्वशोचन्त ते सर्वे गान्धारी च तपस्विनीम्॥

taṃ ca vṛddhaṃ tathā dagdhaṃ hataputraṃ narādhipam| anvaśocanta te sarve gāndhārī ca tapasvinīm||

All the people grieved upon hearing that the old king, who had become childless, had been burnt to death and that the helpless Gandhari too had shared his fate.

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

MBh 9 297.39

तस्मिन्नुपरते शब्दे मुहूर्तादिव भारत। निगृह्य बाष्पं धैर्येण धर्मराजोऽब्रवीदिदम्॥

tasminnuparate śabde muhūrtādiva bhārata| nigṛhya bāṣpaṃ dhairyeṇa dharmarājo'bravīdidam||

When those sounds of wailing ceased for a while, king Yudhishthira the just, shopping his tears by summoning all his patience, said these words.

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