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.
उपपन्नं च पाञ्चालि तवेदं वृत्तमीदृशम्। यत्कृच्छ्रमपि सम्प्राप्ता धर्ममेवान्ववेक्षसे
O Pāñcālī, your conduct is fitting, for even in great distress you continue to consider only righteousness.
एते द्रोणादयश्चैव वृद्धा धर्मविदो जनाः। शून्यैः शरीरैस्तिष्ठन्ति गतासव इवानताः
And these elders like Droṇa, who know righteousness, stand here as if lifeless, their bodies empty, like those whose life has departed.
युधिष्ठिरस्तु प्रश्नोऽस्मिन्प्रमाणमिति मे मतिः। अजितां वा जितां वेति स्वयं व्याख्यातुमर्हति
In this matter, I believe Yudhiṣṭhira's answer is the authority; whether he is conquered or unconquered, he should declare it himself.
तथा तु दृष्ट्वा बहु तत्र देवीं रोरूयमाणां कुररीमिवार्ताम्। नोचुर्वचः साध्वथवाऽप्यसाधु महीक्षितो धार्तराष्ट्रस्य भीताः
Then, seeing the queen there, weeping like a distressed bird, none of the kings, out of fear of Dhṛtarāṣṭra's son, spoke words either good or bad.
दृष्ट्वा तथा पार्थिवपुत्रपौत्रां- स्तूष्णींभूतान्धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रः। स्मयन्निवेदं वचनं बभाषे पाञ्चालराजस्य सुतां तदानीम्
Seeing the sons and grandsons of kings silent, the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, smiling, spoke these words to the daughter of the king of Pāñcāla at that moment.
तिष्ठत्वयं प्रश्न उदारसत्वे भीमेऽर्जुने सहदेवे तथैव। पत्यौ च ते नकुले याज्ञसेनि वदन्त्वेते वचनं त्वत्प्रसूतम्
Let this question, noble in nature, remain with Bhīma, Arjuna, and Sahadeva, and with your husband Nakula, O Yājñasenī; let them speak the words you have raised.
अनीश्वरं विब्रुवन्त्वार्यमध्ये युधिष्ठिरं तव पाञ्चालि हेतोः। कुर्वन्तु सर्वे चानृतं धर्मराजं पाञ्चालि त्वं मोक्ष्यसे दासभावात्
Let all these, in the midst of the noble, declare Yudhiṣṭhira powerless for your sake, O Pāñcālī; let them all call the king of righteousness false, and you will be freed from servitude.
धर्मे स्थितो धर्मसुतो महात्मा स्वयं चेदं कथयत्विन्द्रकल्पः। ईशो वा ते ह्यनीशोऽथवैष वाक्यादस्य क्षिप्रमेकं भजस्व
The great-souled son of Dharma, steadfast in righteousness, equal to Indra, should himself declare whether he is master or not; quickly choose one of his words.
सर्वे हीमे कौरवेयाः सभायां दुःखान्तरे वर्तमानास्तवैव। न विब्रुवन्त्यार्यसत्वा यथाव- त्पतींश्च ते समवेक्ष्याल्पभाग्यान्
All these Kauravas in the assembly, suffering in sorrow for your sake, do not speak as noble men should, seeing your husbands, so unfortunate.
ततः सभ्याः कुरुराजस्य तस्य वाक्यं सर्वे प्रशशंसुस्तथोच्चैः। चेलावेधांश्चापि चक्रुर्नदन्तो हाहेत्यासीदपि चैवार्तनादः
Then all the members of the Kuru king's assembly loudly praised those words, and, shouting, made gestures of approval; there arose cries of 'Alas!' and sounds of distress.