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?
धर्म्यं स्त्रियं सभां पूर्वे न नयन्तीति नः श्रुतम्। स नष्टः कौरवेयेषु पूर्वो धर्मः सनातनः
We have heard that in former times, righteous women were not brought into assemblies; that ancient, eternal righteousness is now lost among the Kauravas.
कथं हि भार्या पाण्डुनां पार्षतस्य स्वसा सती। वासुदेवस्य च सखी पार्थिवानां सभामियाम्
How can the wife of the Pāṇḍavas, the sister of the Pāñcāla, and friend of Vāsudeva, enter the assembly of kings?
तामिमां धर्मराजस्य भार्यां सदृशवर्णजाम्। ब्रूत दासीमदासीं वा तत्करिष्यामि कौरवाः
Tell me, Kauravas, whether I am the lawful wife of the king of righteousness, or a slave-woman; I will act accordingly.
अयं मां सुदृढं क्षुद्रः कौरवाणां यशोहरः. क्लिश्नाति नाहं तत्सोढुं क्षुद्रः कौरवाणां यशोहरः
This wretch, who brings disgrace to the Kauravas, torments me cruelly; I cannot endure it—this wretch, who brings disgrace to the Kauravas.
जितां वाऽप्यजितां वापि मन्यध्वं मां यथा नृपाः। तथा प्रत्युक्तमिच्छामि तत्करिष्यामि कौरवाः
Whether you consider me won or not won, O kings, let me be answered accordingly; I will do as you say, Kauravas.
उक्तवानस्मि कल्याणि धर्मस्य परमा गतिः। लोके न शक्यते ज्ञातुमपि विज्ञैर्महात्मभिः
I have spoken, O noble lady, of the highest path of righteousness; even the wise and great souls in this world cannot fully comprehend it.
बलवांश्च यथा धर्मं लोके पश्यति पुरुषः।। स धर्मो धर्मवेलायां भवत्यभिहतः परः
Just as a powerful man sees righteousness in the world, so that righteousness, at the appointed time, is struck down by another.
न विवेक्तुं च ते प्रश्नमिमं शक्नोमि निश्चयात्। सूक्ष्मत्वाद्गहनत्वाच्च कार्यस्यास्य च गौरवात्
I am truly unable to answer your question with certainty, because of its subtlety, depth, and the gravity of this matter.
नूनमन्तः कुलस्यास्य भविता न चिरादिव। तथा हि कुरवः सर्वे लोभमोहपरायणाः
Surely, the end of this family will come soon, for all the Kurus are devoted to greed and delusion.
कुलेषु जाताः कल्याणि व्यसनैराहता भृशम्। धर्म्यान्मार्गान्न च्यवन्ते येषां नस्त्वं बधूः स्थिता
O noble lady, those born in noble families, though greatly afflicted by misfortune, do not stray from righteous paths—among whom you stand as our wife.