शास्त्रं न शास्ति दुर्बुद्धिं श्रेयसे चेतराय च। न वै वृद्धो बालमतिर्भवेद्राजन्कथञ्चन
Scripture does not guide a person of poor understanding, whether for their benefit or otherwise; O King, an old man never becomes childish in mind, under any circumstance.
त्वन्नेत्राः सन्तु ते पुत्रा मा त्वां दीर्णाः प्रहासिषुः। तस्मादयं मद्वचनात्त्यज्यतां कुलपांसनः
May your sons be led by you; do not let them, torn apart, bring you grief. Therefore, by my words, let this disgrace to the family be cast aside.
तथा ते न कृतं राजन्पुत्रस्नेहान्नराधिप। तस्य प्राप्तं फलं विद्धि कुलान्तकरणाय यत्
But you did not act so, O King, out of affection for your son; know that the result has come for the destruction of the lineage.
शमेन धर्मेण नयेन युक्ता या ते बुद्धिः साऽस्तु ते मा प्रमादीः। प्रध्वंसिनी क्रूरसमाहिता श्री- र्मृदुप्रौढा गच्छति पुत्रपौत्रान्
May your mind, joined with peace, righteousness, and good policy, remain with you; do not be careless. Fortune, when harsh and cruelly disposed, departs from sons and grandsons, though it is gentle and mature.
अथाब्रवीन्महाराजो गान्धारीं धर्मदर्शिनीम्। अन्तः कामं कुलस्यास्तु न शक्नोमि निवारितुम्
Then the great king spoke to Gandhari, who knows righteousness: 'Though I wish it in my heart for the sake of the family, I am unable to restrain it.'
यथेच्छन्ति तथैवास्तु प्रत्यागच्छन्तु पाण्डवाः। पुनर्द्यूतं च कुर्वन्तु मामकाः पाण्डवैः सह
'Let it be as they wish; let the Pandavas return. Let my people play dice again with the Pandavas.'
ततो व्यध्वगतं पार्थं प्रातिकामी युधिष्ठिरम्। उवाच वचनाद्राज्ञो धृतराष्ट्रस्य धीमतः
Then Pratikami approached Partha Yudhishthira and spoke to him on behalf of the wise king Dhritarashtra.
उपास्तीर्णा सभा राजन्नक्षानुप्त्वा युधिष्ठिर। एहि पाण्डव दीव्येति पिता त्वाह नराधिपः
'The hall is prepared, O King, with dice set out, Yudhishthira. Come, O Pandava, and play; your father, the lord of men, summons you.'
धातुर्नियोगाद्भूतानि प्राप्नुवन्ति शुभाशुभम्। न निवृत्तिस्तयोरस्ति देवतव्यं पुनर्यदि
By the command of destiny, beings experience good and evil; there is no escape from these two. If fate demands, it must be endured again.
अक्षद्यूते समाह्वानं नियोगात्स्थविरस्य च। जानन्नपि क्षयकरं नातिक्रमितुमुत्सहे
Summoned to the dice game by the command of the elder, even knowing it brings ruin, I am unable to refuse.
असम्भवो हेममयस्य जन्तो- स्तथापि रामो लुलुभे मृगाय। प्रायः समासन्नपराभवाणां धियो विपर्यस्ततरा भवन्ति
It is impossible for a creature to be made of gold, yet even so, Rama was tempted by the deer. The minds of those near defeat are often most confused.
इति ब्रुवन्निववृते भ्रातृभिः सह पाण्डवः। जानांश्च शकुनेर्मायां पार्थो द्यूतमियात्पुनः
Thus speaking, the Pandava turned back with his brothers, and though knowing Shakuni's deceit, Partha went again to the dice game.
विविशुस्ते सभां तां तु पुनरेव महारथाः। व्यथयन्ति स्म चेतांसि मुहृदां भरतर्षभाः
Then those mighty warriors entered that hall once more; the best of the Bharatas were deeply troubled in their hearts.
यथोपजोषमासीनाः पुनर्द्यूतप्रवृत्तये। सर्वलोकविनाशाय दैवेनोपनिपीडिताः
Seated as before, ready for the dice game to begin again, they were pressed down by fate for the destruction of all people.
अमुञ्चत्स्थविरो यद्वो धनं पूजितमेव तत्। महाधनं ग्लहं त्वेकं शृणु भो भरतर्षभ
The elder released your wealth, which was honored as your own; but now, hear, O best of Bharatas, of a single great stake.
वयं वा द्वादशाब्दानि युष्माभिर्द्यूतनिर्जिताः। प्रविशेम महारण्यं रौरवाजिनवाससः
'If we are defeated by you at dice, we shall enter the great forest for twelve years, wearing garments of tree bark.'
त्रयोदशं च स्वजनैरज्ञाताः परिवत्सरम्। ज्ञाताश्च पुनरन्यानि वने वर्षाणि द्वादश
'And for the thirteenth year, we shall live unknown among our own people for a full year; if discovered, we shall return for another twelve years in the forest.'
अस्माभिर्निर्जिता यूयं वने द्वादश वत्सरान्। वसध्वं कृष्णया सार्धमजिनैः प्रतिवासिताः
'If you are defeated by us, you must dwell in the forest for twelve years with Krishna, clothed in deer skins.'
त्रयोदशं च स्वजनैरज्ञाताः पिरवत्सरम्। ज्ञाताश्च पुनरन्यानि वने वर्षाणि द्वादश
And for thirteen years, they must remain in the forest, unrecognized by their own people; and if discovered, again they shall dwell in the forest for twelve years.
त्रयोदशे च निर्वृत्ते पुनरेव यथोचितम्। स्वराज्यं प्रतिपत्तव्यमितरैरथवेतरैः
And when the thirteenth year is completed, then, as is proper, their own kingdom shall be restored to them, whether by others or by themselves.
अनेन व्यवसायेन सहास्माभिर्युधिष्ठिर। अक्षानुप्त्वा पुनर्द्यूतमेहि दीव्यस्व भारत
With this agreement, O Yudhishthira, let us play the dice again, as before, after the dice have been cast, O descendant of Bharata.
अथ सभ्याः सभामध्ये समुच्छ्रितकरास्तदा। ऊचुरुद्विग्नमनसः संवेगात्सर्व एव हि
Then, in the midst of the assembly, all the members, raising their hands, spoke out, their minds greatly disturbed and agitated.
अहो धिग्बान्धवा नैनं बोधयन्ति महद्भयम्। बुद्ध्या बुद्ध्येन्न वा बुद्ध्येदयं वै भरतर्षभ
Alas! Shame on the kinsmen who do not warn him of this great danger; whether by intelligence or not, let this bull among the Bharatas be made to understand.
जनप्रवादान्सुबहूञ्शृण्वन्नपि नराधिपः। ह्रिया च धर्मसंयोगात्पार्थो द्यूतमियात्पुनः
Even after hearing many public rumors, the king, out of shame and adherence to righteousness, may again go to the game of dice, O Partha.
जानन्नापि महाबुद्धिः पुनर्द्यूतमवर्तयत्। अप्यासन्नो विनाशः स्यात्कुरूणामितिचिन्तयन्
Even knowing, the wise one again engaged in the game of dice, thinking that perhaps destruction was near for the Kurus.
कथं वै मद्विधो राजा स्वधर्ममनुपालयन्। आहूतो विनिवर्तेत दीव्यामि शकुने त्वया
How can a king like me, upholding his own duty, refuse when called? I will play with you, Shakuni.
गवाश्वं बहुधेनुकमपर्यन्तमजाविकम्। गजाः कोशो हिरण्यं च दासीदासाश्च सर्वशः
Cows, horses, herds without end, elephants, treasure, gold, and all the male and female servants—
हित्वा नो ग्लह एवैको वनवासाय पाण्डवाः। यूयं वयं वा विजिता वसेम वनमाश्रिताः
Leaving aside all these as stakes, let only exile to the forest be the wager, O Pandavas; whether you or we are defeated, the vanquished shall dwell in the forest.
त्रयोदशं च वै वर्णमज्ञाताः स्वजनैस्तथा। अनेन व्यवसायेन दीव्याम पुरुषर्षभाः
And for thirteen years, remaining unrecognized by their own people, with this agreement, let us play, O best of men.
एवं दैवबलाविष्टो धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः। भीष्मद्रोणाऽऽवार्यमाणो विदुरेण च धीमता
Thus, possessed by the force of fate, King Yudhishthira, though restrained by Bhishma, Drona, and the wise Vidura,