एवमुक्तस्तदा राज्ञा पाण्डवोऽथ धनञ्जयः। क्रोधं संशमयन्पार्थो धार्तराष्ट्रं प्रति स्थितः
Thus addressed by the king, Pārtha, Dhanañjaya, calmed his anger and stood firm against the sons of Dhritarashtra.
तस्मिन्वीरे प्रशान्ते तु पाण्डवे फल्गुने पुनः। सुसम्प्रहृष्टमभवज्जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम्
When that hero, Phalguna, the Pandava, was pacified, all the world, moving and unmoving, became greatly gladdened again.
वारितं च तथा दृष्ट्वा भ्रात्रा पार्थं वृकोदरः। बभूव विमना राजन्नभून्निश्शब्दमत्र वै
But seeing Pārtha thus restrained by his brother, Vṛkodara became downcast, and there was silence in that place, O King.
ततो राज्ञो धृतराष्ट्रस्य गेहे गोमायुरुच्चैर्व्याहरदग्निहोत्रे। तं रासभाः प्रत्यभाषन्त राज- न्समन्ततः पक्षिणश्चैव रौद्राः
Then, in King Dhritarashtra’s house, a jackal howled loudly at the sacrificial fire; asses answered it all around, and fierce birds as well, O King.
तं वै शब्दं विदुरस्तत्त्ववेदी शुश्राव घोरं सुबलात्मजा च। भीष्मो द्रोणो गौतमश्चापि विद्वान् स्वस्तिस्वस्तीत्यपि चैवाहुरुच्चैः
Those who know the truth recognized that sound; the son of Subala heard that dreadful noise, as did Bhishma, Drona, and the learned Gautama. They all loudly uttered, 'May it be well! May it be well!'
ततो गान्धारी विदुरश्चापि विद्वां- स्तमुत्पातं घोरमालक्ष्य राज्ञे। निवेदयामासतुरार्तवत्तदा ततो राजा वाक्यमिदं बभाषे
Then Gandhari and the wise Vidura, perceiving that terrible omen, reported it with distress to the king; and the king spoke these words:
हतोऽसि दुर्योधन मन्दबुद्धे यस्त्वं सभायां कुरुपुङ्गवानाम्। स्त्रियं समाभाषसि दुर्विनीत विशेषतो द्रौपदीं धर्मपत्नीम्
You are destroyed, Duryodhana, foolish-minded as you are, for in the assembly of the foremost Kurus you addressed a woman improperly—especially Draupadi, the virtuous wife.
एवमुक्त्वा धृतराष्ट्रो मनीषी हितान्वेषी बान्धवानामपायात्। कृष्णां पाञ्चालीमब्रवीत्सान्त्वपूर्वं
Having spoken thus, the thoughtful Dhritarashtra, seeking the welfare of his kin, departed; then he addressed Krishnaa of Panchala with gentle words.
वरं वृणीष्व पाञ्चालि मत्तो यदभिवाञ्छसि
Choose a boon from me, O Panchali, whatever you desire.
ददासि चेद्वरं मह्यंवृणोमि भरतर्षभ। सर्वधर्मानुगः श्रीमानदासोऽस्तु युधिष्ठिरः
If you grant me a boon, O best of Bharatas, then I choose that Yudhishthira, ever devoted to righteousness and prosperity, may not become a servant.
मनस्विनमजानन्तो मैवं ब्रूयुः कुमारकाः। एतं वै दासपुत्रेति प्रतिविन्ध्यं ममात्मजम्
Let not the boys, unaware of his true nature, ever call my son Prativindhya 'the son of a servant.'
राजपुत्रः पुरा भूत्वा यथा नान्यः पुमान्क्वचित्। लालितो दासपुत्रत्वं पश्यन्नश्येद्धि भारत
For, having once been a prince, cherished as no other man, to see him fall into servitude would be ruin, O Bharata.
एवं भवतु कल्याणि यथा त्वमभिभाषसे। द्वितीयं ते वरं भद्रे ददानि वरयस्व ह। मनो हि मे वितरति नैकं त्वं वरमर्हसि
So be it, noble lady, as you have spoken. I grant you a second boon, O blessed one—choose again, for my mind does not rest with granting you only one boon.
सरथौ सघनुष्कौ न भीमसेनधनञ्जयौ। यमौ च वरये राजन्नदासान्स्ववशानहम्
O King, I choose that Bhimasena and Dhananjaya, with their chariots and bows, and the twins, may not become servants, but remain under their own power.
तथाऽस्तु ते महाभागे यथा त्वं नन्दिनीच्छसि। तृतीयं वरयास्मत्तो नासि द्वाभ्यां सुसंस्कृता
So be it, O illustrious one, as you wish, O joyful lady. Choose a third boon from me, for you are not fulfilled by just two.
लोभो धर्मस्य नाशाय भगवन्नाहमुत्सहे। अनर्हा वरमादातुं तृतीयं राजसत्तम
Greed leads to the destruction of righteousness, O blessed one; I am not able, O best of kings, to accept a third boon, being unworthy of it.
एकामाहुर्वैश्यवरं द्वौ तु क्षत्रस्त्रियो वरौ। त्रयस्तु राज्ञो राजेन्द्र ब्राह्मणस्य शतं वराः
They say a Vaishya woman may choose one boon, a Kshatriya woman two, a queen three, and a Brahmin woman a hundred boons, O king of kings.
पापीयांस इमे भूत्वा सन्तीर्णाः पतयो मम। वेत्स्यन्ति चैव भद्राणि राजन्पुण्येन कर्मणा
Though my husbands have become most unfortunate, they are now freed; by their virtuous deeds, O king, they will attain blessedness.
या नः श्रुता मनुष्येषु स्त्रियो रूपेण संमताः। तासामेतादृशं कर्म न कस्याश्चन शुश्रुम
Among all the women we have heard of among men, renowned for their beauty, we have never heard of any performing such an act as this.
क्रोधाविष्टेषु पार्थेषु धार्तराष्ट्रेषु चाप्यति। द्रौपदी पाण्डुपुत्राणां कृष्णा शान्तिरिहाभवत्
When the sons of Pandu were seized by wrath, and the sons of Dhritarashtra as well, it was Krishnaa, Draupadi, who brought peace among the Pandavas.
अप्लवेऽम्भसि मग्नानामप्रतिष्ठे निमज्जताम्। पाञ्चाली पाण्डुपुत्राणां नौरेषां पारगाऽभवत्
When they were submerged in water without a raft, sinking with no support, Panchali became the boat that carried the sons of Pandu across.
तद्वै श्रुत्वा भीमसेनः कुरुमध्येऽत्यमर्षणः। स्त्री गतिः पाण्डुपुत्राणामित्युवाच सुदुर्मनाः
Hearing this, Bhimasena, burning with anger in the midst of the Kurus, spoke in great distress: 'The sons of Pandu have come to the fate of women.'
त्रीणि ज्योतींषि पुरुष इति वै देवलोऽब्रवीत्। अपत्यं कर्म विद्या च यतः सृष्टाः प्रजास्ततः
Devala said: 'The person is threefold light—offspring, action, and knowledge; from these, all beings are created.'
अमेध्ये वै गतप्रामे शून्ये ज्ञातिभिरुज्झिते। देहे त्रितयमेवैतत्पुरुषस्योपयुज्यते
When the body is impure, lifeless, empty, and abandoned by kin, only these three remain useful to a person.
तन्नो ज्योतिरभिहतं दाराणामभिमर्शनात्। धनञ्जय कथं स्वित्स्यादपत्यमभिमृष्टजम्
That light of ours is struck down by contact with another's wife; O Dhananjaya, how can offspring born of such contact be considered one's own?
न चैवोक्ता न चानुक्ता हीनतः परुषा गिरः। भारत प्रतिजल्पन्ति सदा तूत्तमपूरुषाः
Neither spoken nor unspoken, harsh words from the low-minded are ever answered by the truly noble, O Bharata.
स्मरन्ति सुकृतान्येव न वैराणि कृतान्यपि। सन्तः प्रतिविजानन्तो लब्धसम्भावनाः स्वयम्
The virtuous remember only good deeds, not even enmities done to them; recognizing virtue, they themselves become worthy of honor.
इहैवैतानहं सर्वान्हन्मि शत्रून्समागतान्। अथ निष्क्रम्य राजेन्द्र समूलान्हन्मि भारत
Here and now, I will slay all these gathered enemies; or, O king, going forth, I will destroy them utterly, root and all, O Bharata.
किं नो विवदितेनेह किमुक्तेन च भारत। अद्यैवैतान्निहन्मीह प्रशाधि पृथिवीमिमाम्
Why argue here, why speak further, O Bharata? Today itself I will slay them here—rule this earth.
इत्युक्त्वा भीमसेनस्तु कनिष्ठैर्भ्रातृभिः सह। मृगमध्ये यथा सिंहो मुहुर्मुहुरुदैक्षत
Having spoken thus, Bhimasena, with his younger brothers, looked around again and again among the assembly like a lion among beasts.