सा तेऽहं दुःखमाख्यास्ये प्रणयान्मधुसूदन। ईशस्त्वं सर्वभूतानां ये दिव्या ये च मानुषाः
Therefore, O slayer of Madhu, I will tell you my sorrow out of affection. You are the lord of all beings, both divine and human.
कथं नु भार्या पार्थानां तव कृष्ण सखी विभो। धृष्टद्युम्नस्य भगिनी सभां कृष्येत मादृशी
How could it be, O Krishna, O mighty one, that I, the sister of Dhrishtadyumna and wife of the Parthas, your friend, should be dragged into the assembly?
स्त्रीधर्मिणी वेपमाना शोणितेन समुक्षिता। एकवस्त्रा विकृष्टाऽस्मि दुःखिता कुरुसंसदि
A woman, trembling, covered in blood, clothed in a single garment, I was dragged, distressed, into the Kuru assembly.
राज्ञां मध्ये सभायां तु रजसाऽतिपरिप्लुता। दृष्ट्वा च मां धार्तराष्ट्राः प्राहसन्पापचेतसः
In the midst of kings, in the assembly, overwhelmed with shame, the sons of Dhritarashtra, with evil minds, laughed at me when they saw me.
दासीभावेन मां भोक्तुमीष्सुते मधुसूदन। जीवत्सु पाण्डुपुत्रेषु पाञ्चालेषु च वृष्णिषु
They wish to enjoy me as a slave, O slayer of Madhu, while the sons of Pandu, the Panchalas, and the Vrishnis are still alive.
नन्वहं कृष्ण भीष्मस्य धृतराष्ट्रस्य चोभयोः। स्नुषा भवामि धर्मेण साऽहं दासीकृता बलात्
Surely, O Krishna, I am the lawful daughter-in-law of both Bhishma and Dhritarashtra; yet I have been forcibly made a slave.
गर्हयेपाण्डवांस्त्वेव युधि श्रेष्ठान्महाबलान्। यत्क्लिश्यमानां प्रेक्षन्ते धर्मपत्नीं यशस्विनीम्
I must reproach the Pandavas, the best and most powerful in battle, for watching their virtuous wife, renowned, being tormented.
धिग्बलं भीमसेनस्य धिक्पार्थस् च गाण्डिवम्। यौ मां विप्रकृतां क्षुद्रैर्मर्षयेतां जनार्दन
Shame on Bhimasena's strength, shame on Arjuna's Gandiva bow, that they tolerate me being wronged by these wretches, O Janardana.
शाश्वतोऽयं धर्मपथः सद्भिराचरितः सदा। यद्भार्यां परिरक्षन्ति भर्तारोऽल्पबला अपि
This path of righteousness is eternal, always followed by the virtuous: that husbands protect their wives, even if they are of little strength.
भार्यायां रक्ष्यमाणायां प्रजा भवति रक्षिता। प्रजायां रक्ष्यमाणायामात्मा भवति रक्षितः
When a wife is protected, the family is protected; when the family is protected, the self is protected.
आत्मा हि जायेत तस्यां तस्मज्जाया भवत्युत। भर्ता च भार्यया रक्ष्यः कथं जायान्ममोदरे
For the self is indeed born in her; therefore, the wife is truly important. And the husband too must be protected by the wife—how else would a son be born from my womb?
नन्विमे शरणं प्राप्तं न त्यजन्ति कदाचन। ते मां शरणमापन्नां नान्वपद्यन्त पाण्डवाः
Surely, those who have sought refuge are never abandoned; the Pāṇḍavas did not forsake me when I sought their protection.
पञ्चभिः पतिभिर्जाताः कुमासरा मे महौजसः। एतेषामप्यवेक्षार्थं त्रातव्याऽस्मि जनार्दन
My sons, born of five husbands and possessing great might, are Kumāras; for the sake of these also, O Janārdana, I must be protected.
प्रतिविन्ध्यो युधिष्ठिरात्सुतसोमो वृकोदरात्। अर्जुनाच्छ्रुतकीर्तिश्च शतानीकस्तु नाकुलिः
Prativindhya is from Yudhiṣṭhira, Sutasoma from Vṛkodara, and from Arjuna is Śrutakīrti; Śatānīka is the son of Nakula.
कनिष्ठाच्छ्रुतकर्मा च सर्वे सत्यपराक्रमा। प्रद्युम्नो यादृशः कृष्ण तादृशास्ते महारथाः
From the youngest is Śrutakarman; all are true in valor. O Kṛṣṇa, they are great warriors, equal to Pradyumna.
नन्विमे धनुषि श्रेष्ठा अजेया युधि शात्रवैः। किमर्थं धार्तराष्ट्राणां सहन्ते दुर्बलीयसाम्
Surely, these are the best with the bow, invincible in battle against enemies—why then do they endure the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who are weaker?
अधर्मेण हृतं राज्यं सर्वे दासाः कृतास्तथा। सभायां परिकृष्टाऽहमेकवस्त्रा रजस्वला
The kingdom was taken unrighteously, and all were made slaves; I was dragged in the assembly, wearing a single garment, during my period.
नाधिज्यमपि यच्छक्यं कर्तुमन्येन गाण्डिवम्। अन्यत्रार्जुनभीमाभ्यां त्वया वा मधुसूदन
No one but Arjuna, Bhīma, or you, O Madhusūdana, can even string the Gāṇḍīva bow.
धिग्बलं भीमसेनस्य धिक्पार्थस्य च पौरुषम्। यत्र दुर्योधनः कृष्ण मुहूर्तमपि जीवति
Shame on Bhīmasena's strength, shame on Arjuna's manliness, when Duryodhana, O Kṛṣṇa, still lives even for a moment.
य एतानाक्षिपद्राष्टात्सह मात्राऽविहिंसकान्। अधीयानान्पुरा बालान्व्रतस्थान्मधुसूदन
He who insulted these, who were harmless, with their mother, studying as children, observing vows, O Madhusūdana—
भोजने भीमसेनस्य पापः प्राक्षिपयद्विषम्। कालकूटं नवं तीक्ष्णं संभृतं रोमहर्षणम्
In Bhīmasena's food, the wicked one placed poison—fresh, sharp kālakūṭa, terrifying to the touch.
तज्जीर्णमविकारेण सहान्नेन जनार्दन। सशेषत्वान्महाबाहो भीमस्य पुरुषोत्तम
That was digested without harm, together with the food, O Janārdana, because of the remaining might of Bhīma, O mighty-armed, best of men.
प्रमाणकोट्यां विश्वस्तं तथा सुप्तं वृकोदरम्। बद्ध्वैनं कृष्ण गङ्गायां प्रक्षिप्य पुरमाव्रजत्
Trusting in the measure of sleep, they bound Vṛkodara as he slept, O Kṛṣṇa, and threw him into the Gaṅgā, then returned to the city.
यदा विबुद्धः कौन्तेयस्तदा संछिद्य बन्धनम्। उदतिष्ठन्महाबाहुर्भीमसेनो महाबलः
When the son of Kuntī awoke, he broke his bonds and rose up, the mighty-armed, great warrior Bhīmasena.
आशीविषैः कृष्णसर्पैः सुप्तंचैनमदंशयत्। सर्वेष्वेवाङ्गदेशेषु न ममार च शत्रुहा
While he slept, black serpents bit him with their venom, yet the slayer of enemies did not die, though bitten on every limb.
प्रतिबुद्धस्तु कौन्तेयः सर्वान्सर्पानपोथयत्। सारथिं चास्य दयितमपहस्तेन जघ्निवान्
But when the son of Kuntī awoke, he struck down all the serpents and, with his bare hand, killed their beloved charioteer.
पुनः सुप्तानुपाधाक्षीद्बालकान्वारणावते। शयानानार्यया सार्धं को नु तत्कर्तुमर्हति
Again, she watched over the sleeping children in the shelter of the forest; who indeed could do such a thing, lying there with the noble lady?
यत्रार्या रुदती भीता पाण्डवानिदमब्रवीत्। महद्व्यसनमापन्ना शिखिना परिवारिता
There, the noble lady, weeping and afraid, spoke these words to the Pandavas: 'We have fallen into great misfortune, surrounded by fire.'
हा हतास्मि कुंतोन्वद्य भवेच्छान्तिरिहानलात्। अनाथा विनशिष्यामि बालकैः पुत्रकैः सह
'Alas, I am destroyed, O Kunti! Perhaps peace will come from this fire here. Helpless, I shall perish together with my young sons.'
तत्र भीमो महाबाहुर्वायुवेगपराक्रमः। आर्यामाश्वासयामास भ्रातॄंश्चापि वृकोदरः
Then Bhima, mighty-armed and possessing the speed and power of the wind, comforted the noble lady and his brothers as well.