न वाच्यो व्यवसायो मे विदुरैतद्ब्रवीमि ते। दैवमेव परं मन्ये येनैतदुपपद्यते
My resolve need not be spoken; Vidura, I tell you this: I consider destiny to be supreme, by which this has come to pass.
इत्युक्तो विदुरो धीमान्नेदमस्तीति चिन्तयन्। आपगेयं महाप्राज्ञमभ्यगच्छत्सुदुः खितः
Thus addressed, wise Vidura, pondering 'This is not so,' approached the great sage by the river, deeply troubled.
कथं समभवद्द्यूतं भ्रातॄणां तन्महात्ययम्। यत्र तद्व्यसनं प्राप्तं पाण्डवैर्मे पितामहैः
How did the game of dice, that great disaster for the brothers, come about, where the Pandavas suffered misfortune at the hands of their elders?
के च तत्र समास्तारा राजानो ब्रह्मवित्तम। के चैनमन्वमोदन्त के चैनं प्रत्यषेधयन्
Who were the kings assembled there, O best knower of Brahman? Who approved of it, and who opposed it?
विस्तरेणैतदिच्छामि कथ्यमानं त्वया द्विज। मूलं ह्येतद्विनाशस्य पृथिव्या द्विजसत्तम
I wish you to recount all this in detail, O twice-born; for this is the root of the destruction of the earth, O best of Brahmins.
एवमुक्तस्ततो राज्ञा व्यासशिष्यः प्रतापवान्। आचचक्षेऽथ यद्वृत्तं तत्सर्वं वेदतत्त्वविद्
Thus addressed by the king, the powerful disciple of Vyasa, who knows the essence of the Vedas, then narrated all that had happened.
एवमुक्तस्ततो राज्ञा व्यासशिष्यः प्रतापवान्। आचचक्षेऽथ यद्वृत्तं तत्सर्वं वेदतत्त्ववित्
Thus addressed by the king, the powerful disciple of Vyasa, who knows the essence of the Vedas, then narrated all that had happened.
विदुरस्य मतिं ज्ञात्वा धृतराष्ट्रोऽम्बिकासुतः। दुर्योधनमिदं वाक्यमुवाच विजने पुनः
Understanding Vidura's mind, Dhritarashtra, son of Ambika, again spoke these words to Duryodhana in private.
अलं द्यूतेन गान्धारे विदुरो न प्रशंसति। न ह्यसौ सुमहाबुद्धिरहितं नो वदिष्यति
Enough of dice, O Gandhari's son; Vidura does not approve. That man of great wisdom will not speak anything unwise.
हितं हि परमं मन्ये विदुरो यत्प्रभाषते। क्रियतां पुत्र तत्सर्वमेतन्मन्ये हितं तव
For whatever Vidura speaks, I consider supremely beneficial; let all that be done, son, for I think it is good for you.
देवर्षिर्वासवागुरुर्देवराजाय धीमते। यत्प्राह शास्त्रं भगवान्बृहस्पतिरुदारधीः। तद्दे विदुरः सर्वं सरहस्यं महाकविः
The divine sage Brihaspati, of noble intellect, taught the scripture to the wise king of the gods; Vidura, the great poet, knows all its secrets.
स्थितस्तु वचने तस्य सदाऽहमपि पुत्रक। विदुरो वापि मेधावी कुरूणां प्रवरो मतः
I always abide by his words, son; Vidura, the intelligent, is regarded as foremost among the Kurus.
उद्धवो वा महाबुद्धिर्वृष्णीनामर्चितो नृप। तदलं पुत्र द्यूतेन द्यूते भेदो हि दृश्यते
Or Uddhava, of great wisdom, honored among the Vrishnis, O king; therefore, son, enough of dice, for division is seen in gambling.
भेदे विनाशो राज्यस्य तत्पुत्र परिवर्जय
Division brings ruin to the kingdom; therefore, son, avoid it.
पित्रा मात्रा च पुत्रस्य यद्वै कार्यं परं स्मृतम्। प्राप्तस्त्वमसि तन्नाम पितृपैतामहं पदम्
Whatever is considered the highest duty of a son to his father and mother, you have attained that, the ancestral position.
अधीतवान्कृती शास्त्रे लालितः सततं गृहे। भ्रातृज्येष्ठः स्थितो राज्ये विन्दसरे किं न शोभनम्
Learned in scripture, accomplished, always cherished at home, eldest among brothers, established in the kingdom—what is not fitting for you in Vinda Lake?
पृथग्जनैरलभ्यं यद्भोजनाच्छादनं परम्। तत्प्राप्तोसि महाबाहो कस्माच्छोनसि पुत्रक
O mighty-armed one, you have obtained that highest food and clothing which is unattainable for ordinary people; why then, my son, do you grieve?
स्फीतं राष्ट्रं महाबाहो पितृपैतामहं महत्। नित्यमाज्ञापयन्भासि दिवि देवेश्वरो यथा
O mighty-armed one, your prosperous kingdom, inherited from your fathers and grandfathers, is great; you appear, always commanding, like the lord of the gods in heaven.
यादृशं च तवैश्वर्यं तदन्येषां सुदुर्लभम्। ये चोपभोगास्ते राजन्मया ते परिकीर्तिताः
Such is your sovereignty—rare indeed for others; and, O king, all those enjoyments have been recounted by me to you.
तस्य ते विदितप्रज्ञ शोकमूलमिदं कथम्। समुत्थितं दुःखकरं तन्मे शंसितुमर्हसि
Therefore, O wise one, how has this root of sorrow, causing pain, arisen for you? You ought to tell me this.
अश्नाम्याच्छादयामीति प्रपश्यन्हीनपौरुषः। नामर्षं कुरुते यस्तु पुरुषः सोऽधमः स्मृतः
He who, seeing himself eating and clothed, does not feel indignation at his own lack of manliness, is regarded as the lowest of men.
न मां प्रीणाति राजेन्द्र लक्ष्मीः साधारणी विभो। ज्वलितामेव कौन्येये श्रियं दृष्ट्वा च विव्यथे
O king of kings, that common prosperity does not please me, O mighty one; seeing the blazing wealth of Kauṇeya, I was distressed.
सर्वां च पृथिवीं चैव युधिष्ठिरवशानुगाम्। स्थिरोऽस्मि योऽहं जीवामि दुःखादेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
Though the entire earth is under Yudhishthira's command, I remain steadfast and alive; it is from this sorrow that I speak to you.
आवर्जिता इवाभान्ति नीपाश्चित्रककौकुराः। कारस्कारा लोहजङ्घा युधिष्ठिरनिवेशने
In Yudhishthira's palace, the Nipas, Citraka, Kakaukara, Karaskara, and Lohajangha trees appear as if they have been gathered together.
हिमवत्सागरानुपाः सर्वे रत्नाकरास्तथा। अन्त्याः सर्वे पर्युदस्ता युधिष्ठिरनिवेशने
All the treasures from the slopes of the Himalayas and the shores of the ocean, indeed all the greatest gems, have been brought together in Yudhishthira's palace.
ज्येष्ठोऽयमिति मां मत्वा श्रेष्ठश्चेति विशाम्पते। युधिष्ठिरेण सत्कृत्य युक्तो रत्नपरिग्रहे
Thinking, 'He is the eldest, and the best,' O lord of men, Yudhishthira honored me and entrusted me with the collection of gems.
उपस्थितानां रत्नानां श्रेष्ठानामर्घहारिणाम्। नादृश्यत परः पारो नापरस्तत्र भारत
Among the assembled gems, the best and most precious, no boundary was seen—neither farther nor nearer, O Bharata.
न मे हस्तः समभवद्वसु तत्प्रतिगृह्णतः। अतिष्ठन्त मयि श्रान्ते गृग्य दूराहृतं वसु
As I received that wealth, my hand could not contain it; O Gṛgya, the treasures brought from afar overflowed as I grew weary.
कृतां बिन्दुसरोरत्नैर्मयेन स्फाटिकच्छदाम्। अपश्यं नलिनीं पूर्णामुदकस्येव भारत
With the gems from the Bindusara lake, I saw a lotus pond with a crystal surface, filled as if with water, O Bharata.
वस्त्रमुत्कर्षति मयि प्राहसत्स वृकोदरः। शत्रोर्ऋद्धिविशेषेण विमूढ रत्तवर्जितम्
As I was lifting a garment, Bhimasena laughed at me, bewildered by the enemy's extraordinary prosperity, devoid of gems.