प्रियकृन्मतमाज्ञाय पूर्वं दुर्योधनस्य तत्। प्रज्ञाचक्षुषमासीनं शकुनिः सौबलस्तदा
Śakuni, the son of Subala, who always acted for Duryodhana's benefit, then approached him, wise and discerning.
दुर्योधनवचः श्रुत्वा धृतराष्ट्रं जनाधिपम्। उपगम्य महाप्राज्ञं शकुनिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Hearing Duryodhana's words, Śakuni went to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the wise ruler of men, and spoke these words.
दुर्योधनो महाराज विवर्णो हरिणः कृशः। दीनश्चिन्तापरश्चैव तं विद्धि मनुजाधिप
O great king, Duryodhana is pale, thin as a deer, dejected, and absorbed in worry; know this, lord of men.
न वै परीक्षसे सम्यगसह्यं शत्रुसंभवम्। ज्येष्ठपुत्रस्य हृच्छोकं किमर्थं नावबुध्यसे
You do not properly perceive the intolerable threat from the enemy; why do you not understand the grief in your eldest son's heart?
एवमुक्तः शकुनिना धृतराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः। दुर्योधनं समाहूयं इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Thus addressed by Śakuni, King Dhṛtarāṣṭra summoned Duryodhana and spoke these words:
दुर्योधन कृतोमूलं भृशमार्तोऽसि पुत्रक। श्रोतव्यश्चेन्मया सोऽर्थो ब्रूहि मे कुरुनन्दन
Duryodhana, you are deeply afflicted and troubled at the root; if I must hear the reason, tell me, son of the Kurus.
अयं त्वां शकुनिः प्राह विवर्णं हरिमं कृशम्। चिन्तयंश्च न पश्यामि शोकस्य तव सम्भवम्
Shakuni has spoken to you, calling you pale, yellowish, and thin; yet as I reflect, I do not see any cause for your sorrow.
ऐश्वर्यं हि महत्पुत्र त्वयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्। भ्रातरः सुहृदश्चैव नाचरन्ति तवाप्रियम्
Indeed, my son, all great prosperity is established in you; your brothers and friends do nothing that displeases you.
आच्छादयसि प्रावारानश्नासि पिशितौदनम्। आजानेया वहन्त्यश्वाः केनासि हरिणः कृशः
You wear fine garments and eat rice with meat; thoroughbred horses carry you—so why are you pale and thin?
शयनानि महार्हाणि योषितश्च मनोरमाः। गुणवन्ति च वेश्मानि विहाराश्च यथासुखम्
You have luxurious beds, delightful women, splendid houses full of virtues, and amusements as you wish.
देवनामिव ते सर्वं वाचि बद्धं न संशयः। स दीन इव दुर्धर्ष कस्माच्छोचसि पुत्रक
Everything is yours, as if you were among the gods; there is no doubt about it. Yet, though you are formidable, you appear dejected—why do you grieve, my son?
मात्रा पित्रा च पुत्रस्य यद्वै कार्यं परं स्मृतम्। प्राप्तस्त्वमसि तत्तात निखिलां नः कुलश्रियम्
Whatever is considered the highest duty of a mother and father toward their son, you have attained, dear one, along with all the glory of our lineage.
उपस्थितः सर्वकामैस्त्रिदिवे वासवो यथा। विविधैरन्नपानैश्च प्रवरैः किं नु शोचसि
You are surrounded by every pleasure, like Indra in heaven, with the finest foods and drinks—so why do you grieve?
निरुक्तं निगमं छन्दः षडङ्गान्यस्त्रशास्त्रवान्। अधीती कृतविद्यस्त्वं दशव्याकरणैः कृपात्
You have studied etymology, scripture, meter, the six limbs, and the science of weapons; you are learned, accomplished in knowledge, and skilled in the ten grammars, through Kripa.
हलायुधात्कृपाद्द्रोणादस्त्रविद्यामधीतवान्। भ्राताज्येष्ठः स्थितो राज्ये किमु शोचसि पुत्रक
You have learned the science of weapons from Halayudha, Kripa, and Drona; your elder brother holds the kingdom—so why do you grieve, my son?
पृथग्जनैरलभ्यं यदशनाच्छादनं बहु। प्रभुः सन्भुञ्जसे पुत्र संस्तुतः सूतमागधैः
You enjoy abundant food and clothing, which are unattainable for ordinary people; you are master, praised by bards and heralds.
तस्य ते विदितप्रज्ञ शोकमूलमिदं कथम्। लोकेस्मिञ्ज्येष्ठभागन्यस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः
Your wisdom is well known—so what is the root of this sorrow, in a world where you have the highest share? Tell me, as I ask.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा मन्दः क्रोधवशानुगः। पितरं प्रत्युवाचेदं स्वमतिं सम्प्रकाशयन्
Hearing these words, he, slow-witted and driven by anger, replied to his father, revealing his own thoughts.
अश्नाम्याच्छादये चाहं यथा कुपुरुषस्तथा। अमर्षं धारये चोग्रं निनीषुः कालपर्ययम्
I eat and dress as a wicked man does; I bear intense resentment, wishing for the end of time.
अमर्षणः स्वाः प्रकृतीरभिभूय परं स्थितः। क्लेशान्मुमुक्षुः परजान्स वै पुरुष उच्यते
One who, overcoming his own nature, stands firm without resentment, desiring release from suffering and knowing others—he is called a man.
सन्तोषो वै श्रियं हन्ति ह्यभिमानं च भारत। अनुक्रोशभये चोभे यैर्वृतो नाश्नुते महत्
Contentment destroys prosperity and pride, O Bharata; both compassion and fear, when possessed, prevent one from attaining greatness.
न मां प्रीणाति मद्भुक्तं श्रियं दृष्ट्वा युधिष्ठेरे। अतिज्वलन्तीं कौन्तेये विवर्णकरणीं मम
I am not pleased by what I eat, nor by the wealth I see with Yudhishthira; the burning of the Kaunteya causes my pallor.
नृद्व्यतोत्मानं हीयमानं निशाम्य च। अदृश्यामपि कौन्तेय श्रियं पश्यन्निवोद्यताम्
Seeing the decline of our own people, and even the unseen prosperity of the Kaunteya, as if it is rising, I am distressed.
तस्मादहं विवर्णश्च दीनश्च हरिमः कृशः। अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि स्नातका गृहमेधिनः
Therefore I am pale, dejected, yellowish, and thin; eighty-four thousand householders and graduates...
त्रिंशद्दासीक एकैको यान्बिभर्ति युधिष्ठिरः। दशान्यानि सहस्राणि यतीनामूर्ध्वरेतसाम्। भुञ्जते रुक्मपात्रीभिर्युधिष्ठिरनिवेशने
Each one of Yudhishthira’s thirty serving women supports ten thousand ascetics of restrained celibacy, who are fed in Yudhishthira’s residence with golden vessels.
कदलीमृगमोकानि कृष्णश्यामारुणानि च। काम्भोजः प्राहिणोत्तस्मै परार्ध्यानपि कम्बलान्। गजयोषिद्गवाश्वस्य शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
The king of the Kambojas sent him the finest blankets—made of kadali, mṛga, and mokā fibers, in black, dark, and red colors—by the hundreds and thousands, along with female elephants, cows, and horses.
शतं चोष्ट्रवामीनां शतानि विचरन्त्युत। राजन्या बलिमादाय समेता हि नृपक्षये
A hundred herds of camels and hundreds more wander about; the assembled kings, having brought tribute, are gathered at the royal sacrifice.
पृथग्विधानि रत्नान पार्थिवाः पृथिवीपते। आहरन्क्रतुमुख्येऽस्मिन्कुन्तीपुत्राय भूरिशः
O lord of the earth, the kings brought many kinds of jewels in abundance for the son of Kunti at this chief of sacrifices.
न क्वचिद्धि मया तादृग्दृष्टपूर्वो न च श्रुतः। यादृग्धनागमो यज्ञे पाण्डुपुत्रस्य धीमतः
Never before have I seen or heard of such a flow of wealth as was gathered at the sacrifice of the wise son of Pandu.
असत्यं चेदिदं सर्वं सञ्जयं प्रष्टुमर्हसि'। अपर्यन्तं धनौघं तं दृष्ट्वा शत्रोरहं नृप। शर्म नैवाभिगच्छामि चिन्तयानो विशाम्पते
If all this is untrue, you should ask Sanjaya; seeing that endless flood of the enemy’s wealth, O king, I find no peace, my mind troubled.