पश्यैनं कर्षकं क्षुद्रं दुर्बलं मम पुत्रकम्। प्रतोदेनाभिनिघ्नन्तं लाङ्गलेन च पीडितम्। निषीदमानं सोत्कण्ठं वध्यमानं सुराधिप
Behold this wretched, weak plough-ox, my child, being struck with the goad and tormented by the plough, sitting down in exhaustion, longing for relief, and being beaten, O lord of the gods.
एनं दृष्ट्वा भृशं श्रान्तं वध्यमानं सुराधिप।' कृपाविष्टाऽस्मि देवेन्द्र मनश्चोद्वेपते मम
Seeing him so utterly weary and being beaten, O lord of the gods, compassion overwhelms me, Indra, and my mind trembles.
एकस्तत्रबलोपेतो धुरमुद्वहतेऽधिकाम्। अपरोप्यबलप्राणः कृशो धमनिसंततः। कृच्छ्रादुद्वहते भारं तं वै शोचामि वासव
There, one alone, endowed with strength, bears an excessive yoke; the other, weak and emaciated, his veins standing out, struggles to bear the burden—him, O Vāsava, I grieve for.
वध्यमानः प्रतोदेन तुद्यमानः पुनः पुनः। नैव शक्नोति तं भारमुद्वोढुं पश्य वासव
Beaten with the goad, tormented again and again, he cannot bear that load—see, O Vāsava.
ततोऽहं तस्य शोकार्ता विरौमि भृशदुःखिता। अश्रूण्यावर्तयन्ती च नेत्राभ्यां करुणायती
Therefore, distressed by his sorrow, I cry out in deep anguish, tears welling up from my eyes in compassion.
तव पुत्रसहस्रेषु पीड्यमानेषु शोभने। किं कृपायितवत्यत्र पुत्र एको निपीड्यते
Among your thousand sons, O beautiful one, when so many are afflicted, why does compassion arise here, when only one son is tormented?
यदि पुत्रसहस्राणि सर्वत्रसमतैव मे। दीनस्य तु सतः शक्र पुत्रस्याभ्यधिकाकृपा
If I have equal regard for all my thousand sons, O Śakra, yet for the one who is suffering and helpless, my compassion is greater.
तदिन्द्रः सुरभेर्वाक्यं निशम्य भृशविस्मितः। जीवितेनापि कौरव्य मेनेऽभ्यधिकमात्मजम्
Then Indra, hearing Surabhi's words, was greatly astonished, and valued that suffering son even more than his own life, O Kauravya.
प्रववर्ष च तत्रैव सहसा तोयमुल्वणम्। कर्षकस्याचरन्विघ्नं भगवान्पाकशासनः
And there, the blessed lord, the subduer of Pāka, suddenly poured down a heavy rain, causing an obstacle for the ploughman.
तद्यथा सुरभिः प्राह सममेवास्तु ते तथा। सुतेषु राजन्सर्वेषु हीनेष्वभ्यधिका कृपा
Just as Surabhi has said, so let it be for you: among all your sons, O king, compassion is greatest for those who are afflicted.
यादृशो मे सुतः पाण्डुस्तादृशो मेऽसि पुत्रक। विदुरश्च महाप्राज्ञः स्नेहादेतद्ब्रवीम्यहम्
Just as Pāṇḍu is my son, so are you, my child; and Vidura, wise as he is, I say this out of affection.
चिराय तव पुत्राणां शतमेकश्च भारत। पाण्डौः पञ्चैव लक्ष्यन्ते तेऽपि मन्दाःसुदुःखिताः
For a long time, among your sons, there are a hundred and one, O Bhārata; but the five sons of Pāṇḍu are few and deeply afflicted.
कथं जीवेयुरत्यन्तं कथं वर्धेयुरित्यपि। इति दीनेषु पार्थेषु मनो मे परितप्यते
How will they survive, how will they flourish—this is what troubles my mind regarding the distressed sons of Pāṇḍu.
यदि पार्थिव कौख्याञ्जीवमानानिहेच्छसि। दुर्योधनस्तव सुतः शमं गच्छतु पाण्डवैः
If, O king, you wish for your sons to live with honor, let your son Duryodhana make peace with the Pāṇḍavas.
एवमेतन्महाप्राज्ञ यथा वदसि मां मुने। अहं चैव विजानामि सर्वे चेमे नराधिपाः
So it is, O wise one, just as you say to me, O sage; I too understand, and so do all these kings.
भवांश्च मन्यते साधु यत्कुरूणां सुखोदयम्। तदेव विदुरोऽप्याह भीष्मो द्रोणश्च मां मुने
You also think well of what brings happiness to the Kurus; Vidura says the same, as do Bhīṣma and Droṇa, O sage.
यदित्वहमनुग्राह्यः कौरव्येषु दया यदि। अन्वशाधि दुरात्मानं पुत्रं दुर्योधनं मम
If I am to be shown favor, if there is to be compassion among the Kauravas, then restrain my son Duryodhana, who acts wickedly.
अयमायाति वै राजन्मैत्रेयो भगवानृषिः। अन्वीक्ष्य पाण्डवान्भ्रातृनिहैवाऽस्मद्दिदृक्षया
Now, O king, the venerable sage Maitreyā is coming here, having seen the Pāṇḍavas, wishing to see us brothers.
एष दुर्योधनं पुत्रं तव राजन्महानृषिः। अनुशास्ता यथान्यायं शमायास्य कुलस्य च
O King, this great sage is instructing your son Duryodhana according to justice, for his own peace and for the welfare of your family.
ब्रूयाद्यदेष कौरव्य तत्कार्यमविशङ्कया। अक्रियायां तु कार्यस्य पुत्रं ते शप्स्यते रुषा
Whatever this sage says, O descendant of Kuru, should be carried out without hesitation; but if your son fails to act, he will be cursed in anger.
एवमुक्त्वा ययौ व्यासो मैत्रेयः प्रत्यदृश्यत। पूजया प्रतिजग्राह सपुत्रस्तं नराधिपः
Having spoken thus, Vyasa departed, and Maitreya appeared; the king, together with his son, received him with honor.
कृत्वाऽर्ध्याद्याः क्रियाः सर्वा विश्रान्तं मुनिसत्तमम् प्रश्रयेणाब्रवीद्राजा धृतराष्ट्रोऽम्बिकासुतः
After performing all the proper rituals of welcome, the king Dhritarashtra, son of Ambika, addressed the revered sage, who was resting, with humility.
सुखेनागमनं कच्चिद्भगवन्कुरुजाङ्गले। कच्चित्कुशलिनो वीरा भ्रातरः पञ्च पाण्डवाः
O revered one, was your journey through the Kuru lands comfortable? Are the five Pandava brothers well and safe?
समये स्थातुमिच्छन्ति कच्चिच्च भरतर्षभाः। कच्चित्कुरूणां सौभ्रात्रमव्युच्छिन्नं भविष्यति
Do the foremost of the Bharatas wish to abide by the agreement? Will the friendship among the Kurus remain unbroken?
तीर्थयात्रामनुक्रामन्प्राप्तोऽस्मि कुरुजाङ्गलान्। यदृच्छया धर्मराजं दृष्ट्ववान्काम्यके वने
While undertaking a pilgrimage, I arrived in the Kuru lands; by chance, I saw King Yudhishthira in the Kamyaka forest.
तं जटाजिनसंवीतं तपोवननिवासिनम्। समाजग्मुर्महात्मानं द्रष्टुं मुनिगणाः प्रभो
There, the great sages came to see him, who dwelled in the forest of austerity, wrapped in matted hair and deerskin.
तत्राश्रौषं महाराज पुत्राणां तव विग्रहम्। अनयं द्यूतरूपेण महाभयमुपस्थितम्
O great king, there I heard of the conflict among your sons, a calamity in the form of dice, bringing great danger.
ततोऽहं त्वामनुप्राप्तः कौरवाणामवेक्षया ।। सदा ह्यभ्यधिकः स्नेहः प्रीतिश्च त्वयि मे प्रभो
Therefore, I have come to you, to observe the Kauravas; for my affection and regard for you, O lord, is always greater.
नैतदौपयिकं राजंस्त्वयि भीष्मे च जीवति। यदन्योन्येन ते पुत्रा विरुध्यन्ते कथंचन
This is not fitting, O king, while you and Bhishma are alive, that your sons should oppose each other in any way.
मेढीभूतः स्वयं राजन्निग्रहे प्रग्रहे भवान्। किमर्थमनयं घोरमुत्पतन्तमुपेक्षसे
You yourself, O king, are established as the pillar in restraint and control; why do you tolerate this terrible injustice rising up?