रजस्वला वा भव याज्ञसेनि एकाम्बरा वाप्यथवा विवस्त्रा। द्यूते जिता चासि कृताऽसि दासी दासीषु वासश्च यथोपजोषम्
Whether you are menstruating, O Yajñasenī, or clad in a single garment, or even unclothed; whether you have been won at dice and made a slave, or dwell among the slave-women as you please—
प्रकीर्णकेशी पतितार्धवस्त्रा दुःशासनेन व्यवधूयमाना। हीमत्यमर्षेण च दह्यमाना शनैरिदं वाक्यमुवाच कृष्णा
With hair disheveled, half her garment fallen, dragged about by Duḥśāsana, burning with intense anger and humiliation, Kṛṣṇā slowly spoke these words:
इमे समायामुपनीतशास्त्राः क्रियावन्तः सर्व एवेन्द्रकल्पाः। गुरुस्थाना गुरवश्चैव सर्वे तेषामग्रे नोत्सहे स्थातुमेवम्
Here are assembled elders learned in the law, all accomplished in conduct and equal to Indra; all are as worthy as teachers and elders—before them, I cannot stand thus.
नशंसकर्मंस्त्वमनार्यवृत मा मा विवस्त्रां कुरु मा विकार्षीः। न मर्षयेयुस्तव राजपुत्राः सेन्द्रापि देवा यदि ते सहायाः
Your act is shameful, you of ignoble conduct; do not make me naked, do not do this! Not even the princes, aided by Indra and the gods, would tolerate such an outrage from you.
धर्मे स्थितो धर्मसुतो महात्मा धर्मश्च सूक्ष्मो निपुणोपलक्ष्यः। वाचापि भर्तुः परमाणुमात्र- मिच्छामि दोषं न गुणान्विसृज्य
Dharmasūta, the great-souled son of Dharma, stands firm in righteousness, and righteousness is subtle, discerned with skill; even in speech, I do not wish to abandon virtue for the sake of fault-finding.
इदं त्वकार्यं कुरुवीरमध्ये रजस्वलां यत्परिकर्षसे माम्। न चापि कश्चित्कुरुतेऽत्र कुत्सां ध्रुवं तवेदं मतमभ्युपेतः
This act you commit among the Kurus' heroes, dragging me while I am menstruating, is unworthy; and yet no one here utters a word of reproach—surely, all agree with your view.
धिगस्तु नष्टः खलु भारतानां धर्मस्तथा क्षत्रविदां च वृत्तम्। यत्र ह्यतीतां कुरुधर्मवेलां प्रेक्षन्ति सर्वे कुरवः सभायाम्
Fie! Lost indeed is the righteousness of the Bhāratas, and the conduct of the kṣatriyas as well; for here, in the assembly, all the Kurus watch as the boundary of duty is transgressed.
द्रोणस्य भीष्मस्य च नास्ति सत्त्वं क्षत्तुस्तथैवास्य चनास्ति सत्त्वं क्षत्तुस्तथैवास्य महात्मनोपि। न लक्षयन्ति कुरुवृद्धमुख्याः
Neither Droṇa nor Bhīṣma has the courage, nor does the wise Vidura, nor even this great-souled king; the foremost elders of the Kurus do not perceive what is right.
तथा ब्रुवन्ती करुणं सुमध्यमा भर्तॄन्कटाक्षैः कुपितानपश्यत्। सा पाण्डवान्कोपपरीतदेहा- न्सन्दीपयामास कटाक्षपातैः
Thus, as the slender-waisted one spoke these sorrowful words, she glanced at her husbands with angry eyes; her body inflamed with wrath, she kindled the Pāṇḍavas with her looks.
हृतेन राज्येन तथा धनेन रत्नैश्च मुख्यैर्न तथा बभूव। यथा त्रपाकोपसमीरितेन कृष्णाकटाक्षेण बभूव दुःखम्
Neither the loss of kingdom, nor of wealth, nor of precious gems brought such grief as did the shame and anger stirred by Kṛṣṇā’s glance.
दुःशासनश्चापि समीक्ष्य कृष्णा- मवेक्षमाणां कृपणान्पतींस्तान्। आधूय वेगेन विसञ्ज्ञकल्पा- मुवाच दासीति हसन्सशब्दम्
Duḥśāsana, seeing Kṛṣṇā looking at her wretched husbands, shook her violently, nearly senseless, and, laughing aloud, called her a slave.
कर्णस्तु तद्वाक्यमतीव हृष्टः सम्पूजयामास हसन्सशब्दम्। गान्धारराजः सुबलस्य पुत्र- स्तथैव दुःशासनमभ्यनन्दत्
Karna, greatly delighted by these words, laughed aloud and praised him; and the king of Gandhāra, son of Subala, likewise applauded Duḥśāsana.
सभ्यास्तु ये तत्र बभूवुरन्ये ताभ्यामृते धार्तराष्ट्रेण चैव। तेषामभूद्दुः खमतीव कृष्णां दृष्ट्वा सभायां परिकृष्यमाणाम्
But the other members of the assembly, except for the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, were deeply distressed to see Kṛṣṇā dragged in the hall.
न धर्मसौक्ष्म्यात्सुभगे विवेक्तुं शक्रोमि ते प्रश्नमिमं यथावत्। अस्वाम्यशक्तः पणितुं परस्वं स्त्रियाश्च भर्तुर्वशतां समीक्ष्य
Because of the subtlety of righteousness, O fortunate one, I cannot answer your question as it should be; for one who does not own himself cannot stake another’s property, and a wife is under her husband’s authority.
त्यजेत सर्वां पृथिवीं समृद्धां युधिष्ठिरो धर्ममथो न जह्यात्। उक्तं जितोऽस्मीति च पाण्डवेन तस्मान्न शक्नोमि विवेक्तुमेतत्
Yudhiṣṭhira would abandon the entire prosperous earth, but not righteousness; and since the Pāṇḍava has declared, 'I am defeated,' therefore I cannot resolve this matter.
द्व्यूतेऽद्वितीयः शकुनिर्नरेषु कुन्तीसुतस्तेन निसृष्टकामः। न मन्यते तां निकृतिं युधिष्ठिर- स्तस्मान् ते प्रश्नमिमं ब्रवीमि
In the game, Śakuni was unmatched among men, and Kuntī’s son, urged by him, did not perceive the deceit; therefore, I put this question to you.
आहूय राजा कुशलैरनार्यै- र्दुष्टात्मभिर्नैकृतिकैः सभायाम्। द्यूतप्रियैर्नातिकृतप्रयत्नः कस्मादयं नाम निसृष्टकामः
Summoned by skillful but unrighteous men, wicked at heart and deceitful, fond of gambling and not exerting themselves greatly, why was he, the son of Kuntī, so eager to play?
अशुद्धभावैर्निकृतिप्रवृत्तै- रबुध्यमानः कुरुपाण्डवाग्र्यः। सम्भूय सर्वैश्च जितोऽपि यस्मा- त्पश्चादयं कैतवमभ्युपेतः
Though aware of their impure intentions and deceitful ways, the foremost of the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas, even when defeated by their combined efforts, only later realized the trickery that had occurred.
तिष्ठन्ति चेमे कुरवः सभाया- मीशाः सुतानां च तथा स्नुपाणाम्। समीक्ष्य सर्वे मम चापि वाक्यं विब्रूत मे प्रश्नमिमं यथावत्
Here stand these Kurus, lords of their sons and daughters-in-law, in this assembly; let all of them, and myself as well, speak rightly to this question I ask.
न सा सभा यत्र न सन्ति वृद्धा न ते वृद्धा ये न वदन्ति धर्मम्। नासौ धर्मो यत्र न सत्यमस्ति न तत्सत्यं यच्छलेनानुविद्धम्
That is not a true assembly where elders are not present; those are not elders who do not speak of righteousness; that is not righteousness where there is no truth; and that is not truth which is tainted by deceit.
तथा ब्रुवन्तीं करुणं रुदन्ती- मवेक्षमाणां कृपणान्पतींस्तान्। दुःशासनः परुषाण्यप्रियाणि वाक्यान्युवाचामधुराणि चैव
As she spoke thus, lamenting in sorrow and gazing upon her wretched husbands, Duḥśāsana uttered harsh and cruel words to her, as well as words that were sweet.
तां कृष्यमाणां च रजस्वलां च स्रस्तोत्तरीयामतदर्हमाणाम्। वृकोदरः प्रेक्ष्य युधिष्ठिरं च चकार कोपं परमार्तरूपः
Seeing her being dragged, in her season, with her upper garment slipping, unworthy of such treatment, Bhīma and Yudhiṣṭhira were filled with wrath and deep distress.
पुरस्तात्करणीयं मे न कृतं कार्यमुत्तरम्। विह्वलाऽस्मि कृताऽनेन कर्षता बलिना बलात्
What I should have done before, I did not do; now, overpowered by this strong man dragging me by force, I am distraught.
अभिवादं करोम्येषां कुरूणां कुरुसंसदि। न मे स्यादपराधोऽयं तदिदं न कृतं मया।। वैशम्पायन उवाच
I wish to offer my respects to these Kurus in this assembly; let there be no fault in me for not having done so until now.
सा तेन च समाधूता दुःखेन च तपस्विनी। पतिता विललापेदं सभायामतथोचिता
Thus shaken by him and by sorrow, that noble lady, fallen and unfit for such treatment, lamented in the assembly.
स्वयंवरे यास्मि नृपैदृष्टा रङ्गे समागतैः। न दृष्टपूर्वा चान्यत्र साऽहमद्य सभां गता
In my svayaṃvara, I was seen by kings gathered in the arena; but apart from that, I have never before been seen as I am now, in this assembly.
यां न वायुर्न चादित्यो दृष्टवन्तौ पुरा गृहे। साऽहमद्य सभामध्ये दृष्टास्मि जनसंसदि
She whom neither wind nor sun had ever seen before, within her home—today, in the midst of this assembly, I am seen before all people.
यां न मृष्यन्ति वातेन स्पृश्यमानां गृहे पुरा। स्पृश्यमानां सहन्तेऽद्य पाण्डवास्तां दूरात्मना
She who could not bear even the touch of the wind at home—today, the Pāṇḍavas, with their hearts turned away, endure her being touched.
मृष्यन्ति कुरवश्चेमे मन्ये कालस्य पर्ययम्। स्नुषां दुहितरं चैव क्लिश्यमानामनर्हतीम्
These Kurus, I think, endure the turn of fate, seeing their daughter-in-law and daughter, undeserving, being tormented.
किंन्वतः कृपणं भूयो यदहं स्त्री सती शुभा। सभामध्यं विगाहेऽद्य क्व नु धर्मो महीक्षिताम्
What more pitiful thing can I say, that I, a virtuous and noble woman, must enter the midst of this assembly? Where now is the righteousness of kings?