समस्थो विषमस्थान्हि दुर्हृदो योऽभिवीक्षते। जगतीस्थनिवाद्रिस्थः किमतः परमं सुखम्
He who, standing firm, looks upon his enemies in adversity—what greater happiness can there be than that, like one standing on a mountain peak surveying the world?
न पुत्रधनलाभेन न राज्येनापि विन्दति। प्रीतिं नृपतिशार्दूल याममित्राधदर्शनात्
O tiger among kings, the joy a ruler gains from seeing his enemies in distress is not matched by the gain of sons, wealth, or even a kingdom.
किंनु तस्य सुखं न स्यादाश्रमे यो धनंजयम्। अभिवीक्षेत सिद्धार्थो वल्कलाजिनवाससम्
What happiness would not come to one who, dwelling in an ashram, could see Dhananjaya, accomplished yet clad in bark and deerskin?
सुवाससो हि ते भार्या वल्कलाजिनसंवृताम्। पश्यन्तु दुःखितां कृष्णां सा च निर्विद्यतां पुनः
Let your wives, splendidly adorned, behold Krishna, sorrowful and wrapped in bark and deerskin, and let her become disheartened once more.
विनिन्दतां तथाऽत्मानं जीवितं च धनच्युतम्। `दाराणां ते श्रियं दृष्ट्वा दीप्तामद्य जनाधिपा
Let them revile themselves and their lives, now bereft of wealth, upon seeing the radiant prosperity of your wives, O lord of men.
न तथा हि सभामध्ये तस्या भवितुमर्हति। वैमनस्यं यथा दृष्ट्वा तव भार्याः स्वलंकृताः
Surely, in the midst of the assembly, her distress should not be as great as when she sees your wives, adorned with their ornaments.
एवमुक्त्वा तु राजानं कर्णः शकुनिना सह। तूष्णीं बभूवतुरुभौ वाक्यान्ते जनमेजय
Having spoken thus to the king, Karna, together with Shakuni, fell silent, O Janamejaya, at the end of his words.
कर्णस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा दुर्योधनस्ततः। हृष्टो भूत्वापुनर्दीनो राधेयमिदमब्रवीत्
Hearing Karna's words, King Duryodhana became delighted, but then again dejected, and spoke these words to Radheya.
ब्रवीषि यदिदं कर्ण सर्वं मनसि मे स्थितम्। न त्वभ्यनुज्ञां लप्स्यामि गमने यत्रपाण्डवाः
All that you say, O Karna, is fixed in my mind; but I shall not obtain permission to go where the Pandavas are.
परिदेवति तान्वीरान्धृतराष्ट्रो महीपतिः। मन्यतेऽभ्यधिकांश्चापि तपोयोगेन पाण्डवान्
King Dhritarashtra laments those heroic men and even thinks the Pandavas have surpassed us through their ascetic discipline.
अथवाऽप्यनुबुध्येत नृपोऽस्माकं चिकीर्षितम्। एतामप्यायतिं रक्षन्नाभ्यनुज्ञातुमर्हति
Or perhaps the king may realize our intention and, wishing to protect this alliance, may not grant us permission.
न हि द्वैतवने किंचिद्विद्यतेऽन्यत्प्रयोजनम्। उन्माथनमृते तेषां वनस्थानामपि द्विषाम्
Indeed, there is no other purpose in the Dvaita forest except to harass those enemies of ours who dwell there.
जानासिहि यथा क्षत्ता द्यूतकाल उपस्थिते। अब्रवीद्यच्च मां त्वां च सौबलं वचनं तदा
You know how, when the time for the dice game arrived, the charioteer spoke those words to me, to you, and to Saubala.
तानिसर्वाणि वाक्यानि यच्चान्यत्परिदेवितम्। विचिन्त्य निश्चय गच्छे गमनायेतराय वा
Consider all those statements, and whatever else was lamented; reflect and decide whether to go or not to go.
ममापि हिमहान्हर्षो यदहं भीमफल्गुनौ। क्लिष्टावरण्ये पश्येयं कृष्णया सहिताविति
Even I would not feel such joy in the snow-capped mountains as I would seeing Bhima and Arjuna, weary in the forest, together with Krishna.
न तथा ह्याप्नुयां प्रीतिमवाप्य वसुधामिमाम्। दृष्ट्वा यथा पाण्डुसुतान्वल्कलाजिनवाससः
I would not feel as much delight in gaining this whole earth as I would in seeing the sons of Pandu, clad in bark and deerskin.
किंनु स्यादधिकं तस्माद्यदहं द्रुपदात्मजाम्। द्रौपदीं कर्ण पश्येयं काषायवसनां वने
What could be greater than seeing Draupadi, the daughter of Drupada, wearing ochre garments in the forest, O Karna?
यदि मां दर्मराजश्च भीमसेनश्च पाण्डवः। युक्तं रपरमया लक्ष्म्या पश्येतां जीवितं भवेत्
If Dharmaraja and Bhimasena, endowed with supreme fortune, were to see me, then life would be worth living.
उपायं न तु पश्यामि येन गच्छेम तद्वनम्। यथाचाभ्यनुजानीयाद्गच्छन्तं मां महीपतिः
But I do not see a way by which we could go to that forest, such that the king would permit me as I depart.
स सौबलेन सहितस्तथा दुःशासनेन च। उपायं पश्य रनिपुणं येन गच्छेम तद्वनम्
Together with Saubala and also Duhshasana, find a suitable means by which we could go to that forest.
अहमप्यनुगच्छामि गमनायेतराय च। कल्यमेव गमिष्यामि समीपं पार्थिवस्य ह
I too will go along, whether for going or not; I will soon approach the king myself.
मयि तत्रोपविष्टे तु भीष्मे च कुरुसत्तमे। उपायो यो भवेद्दृष्टस्तं ब्रूयाः सहसौबलः
When I am seated there, and also Bhishma, the foremost of the Kurus, if any means is seen, speak of it together with Saubala.
ततो भीष्मस्य राज्ञश्च निशम्य रगमनं प्रति। व्यवसायं करिष्येऽहमनुनीय पितामहम्
Then, after hearing Bhishma and the king regarding the journey, I will make a decision, having persuaded the grandsire.
तथेत्युक्त्वा तु ते सर्वेग्मुरावसथान्प्रति। व्युषितायां रजन्यां तु कर्णो राजानमभ्ययात्
Having said 'so be it,' they all went to their quarters; when the night had passed, Karna approached the king.
ततो दुर्योधनं कर्णः प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत्। उपायः परिदृष्टोऽयं तं निबोधजनेश्वर
Then Karna, laughing, said this to Duryodhana: 'A plan has been found; listen to it, lord of men.'
घोषा द्वैतवने सर्वेत्वत्प्रतीक्षा नराधिप। घोषयात्रापदेशेन गमिष्यामो न संशयः
All the herdsmen are waiting for you in the Dvaita forest, O king; under the pretext of a cattle-gathering expedition, we shall go—there is no doubt.
उचितं हि सदा गन्तुं घोषयात्रां विशांपते। एवं चेत्त्वां पिता राजन्समनुज्ञातुमर्हति
It is always proper, O lord of the people, to go on a cattle-gathering expedition; if you do so, the king, your father, will surely grant permission.
तथा कथयमानौ तु घोषयात्राविनिश्चयम्। गान्धारराजः शकुनिरित्युवाच हसन्निव
As they were discussing and deciding upon the cattle-gathering expedition, Shakuni, king of Gandhara, spoke, as if laughing.
उपायोऽयंमया दृष्टो गमनाय निरामयः। अनुज्ञास्यतिनो राजा चोदयिष्यति चाप्युत
'I too have seen this plan for going, free of obstacles; the king will grant permission and will also urge it on.'
घोषा द्वैतव्रने सर्वेत्वत्प्रतीक्षा नराधिप। घोषयात्रापदेशेन गमिष्यामः सरः प्रति
All the herdsmen are waiting for you in the Dvaita forest, O king; under the pretext of a cattle-gathering expedition, we shall go to the lake.