ये मे निराकृता नित्यं रिपुर्येषामहं सदा। तैर्मोक्षितोऽहं दुर्बुद्धिर्दत्तं तैरेव जीवितम्
Those whom I always rejected, whose enemy I have always been, by them I have been released; my foolish life has been given back by them.
प्राप्तः स्यां यद्यहं वीर वधं तस्मिन्महारणे। श्रेयस्तद्भविता मह्यं नैवंभूतस्य जीवितम्
If I, O hero, had met my death in that great battle, it would have been better for me than to live in this condition.
भवेद्यशः पृथिव्यां मे ख्यातं गन्धर्वतो वधात्। प्राप्ताश्च पुण्यलोकाः स्युर्महेन्द्रसदनेऽक्षयाः
If I had died at the hands of the Gandharva, my fame would have spread across the earth, and I would have attained the blessed, eternal worlds in Indra's abode.
यत्त्वद्य मे व्यवसितं तच्छृणुध्वं नरर्षभाः। इह प्रायमुपासिष्ये यूयं व्रजत वै गृहान्। भ्रातरश्चैव मे सर्वे यान्त्वद्य स्वपुरं प्रति
Hear now, O best of men, what I have resolved today: I will undertake a fast unto death here; you all return home, and let all my brothers go back to our city today.
कर्णप्रभृतयश्चैव सुहृदो बान्धवाश्च ये। दुःशासनं पुरस्कृत्य प्रयान्त्वद्य पुरं प्रति
Let Karna and my other friends and relatives, with Duhshasana at their head, return to the city today.
न ह्यहं संप्रयास्यामि पुरं शत्रुनिराकृतः। शत्रुमानापहो भूत्वा सुहृदां मानकृत्तथा
For I will not go to the city, having been cast down by my enemies, having become a disgrace to my friends and a destroyer of their honor.
कामं रणशिरस्यद्य शत्रुभिर्वै विमानितः'। स सुहृच्छोकदो जातः शत्रूणां हर्वर्धनः। वारणाह्वयमासाद्य किं वक्ष्यामि जनाधिपम्
Though today I have been humiliated by enemies on the battlefield, and have become a source of grief for my friends and joy for my foes, what shall I say to the king when I reach Hastinapura?
भीष्मद्रोणौ कृपद्रौणी विदुरः संजयस्तथा। बाह्लीकः सौमदत्तिश्च ये चान्ये वृद्धसंमताः
Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Ashvatthama, Vidura, Sanjaya, Bahlika, Saumadatti, and all the other elders who are honored—
ब्राह्मणाः श्रेणिमुख्याश्च तथोदासीनवृत्तयः। किं मां वक्ष्यंति किं चापि प्रतिवक्ष्यामि तानहं
What will the Brahmins, the leaders of the guilds, and those who are indifferent say to me? And what shall I say in reply to them?
रिपूणां शिरसि स्थित्वा तथा विक्रम्य चोरसि। आत्मदोषात्परिभ्रष्टः कथं वक्ष्यामि तानहम्
Having stood upon the heads of my enemies and fought bravely upon the battlefield, how can I now speak to them, having fallen from my own virtue through my own fault?
दुर्विनीताः श्रियं प्राप्य विद्यामैश्वर्यमेव च। तिष्ठन्ति न चिरं भद्रे यथाऽहं मदगर्वितः
Those who are undisciplined, upon attaining wealth, knowledge, and power, do not remain long, O gentle one, just as I, intoxicated with pride, have not endured.
अहो वत यथेदं मे कष्टं दुश्चरितं कृतम्। स्वयं दुर्बुद्धिना मोहाद्येन प्राप्तोस्मि संशयम्
Alas, how grievous and wicked is this deed I have done! By my own poor judgment and delusion, I have brought myself into this peril.
तस्मात्प्रायमुपासिष्ये न हिशक्ष्यामि जीवितुम्। चेतयानो हि को जीवेत्कृच्छ्राच्छत्रुभिरुद्धृतः
Therefore, I shall undertake penance, for I am unable to go on living. Who, being conscious, could survive after being so utterly defeated by enemies?
शत्रुभिश्चावहसितो मानी पौरुषवर्जितः। पाण्डवैर्विक्रमाढ्यैशच् सावमानमवेक्षितः
Mocked by my enemies, stripped of my pride and manliness, and looked down upon by the mighty Pandavas, I am left dishonored.
एवं चिन्तापरिगतो दुःशासनमथाब्रवीत्। दुःशासन निबोधेदं वचनं मम भारत
Thus, filled with such thoughts, he spoke to Duhshasana: 'Duhshasana, listen to these words of mine, O Bharata.'
प्रतीच्छ त्वं मया दत्तमभिषेकं नृपो भव। प्रशाधि पृथिवीं स्फीतांकर्णसौबलपालिताम्
Accept the royal consecration I bestow upon you; become king. Rule the prosperous earth, protected by Karna and the son of Suvala.
भ्रातॄन्पालय विस्रब्धं मरुतो वृत्रहा यथा। बान्धवाश्चोपजीवन्तु देवा इव शतक्रतुम्
Protect your brothers fearlessly, as Indra protected the Maruts; and let your kinsmen live supported by you, as the gods do by Shatakratu.
ब्राह्मणेषु सदा वृत्तिं कुर्वीथाश्चाप्रमादतः। बन्धूनां सुहृदां चैव भवेथास्त्वं गतिः सदा
Always maintain proper conduct toward the Brahmins without negligence; and be ever the refuge for your kinsmen and friends.
ज्ञातींश्चाप्यनुपश्येथा विष्णुर्देवगणान्यथा। गुरवः पालनीयास्ते गच्छ पालय मेदिनीम्
Regard your relatives as Vishnu regards the hosts of gods; your elders must be protected—go, and rule the earth.
नन्दयन्सुहृदः सर्वाञ्शात्रवांश्चावभर्त्सयन्। कण्ठे चैनं परिष्वज्यगम्यतामित्युवाच ह
Bring joy to all your friends and rebuke your enemies; and, embracing him around the neck, he said, 'Go.'
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा दीनो दुशासनोऽब्रवीत्। अश्रुकण्ठः सुदुःखार्तः प्राञ्जलिः प्रणिपत्य च
Hearing these words, Duhshasana, stricken with grief, spoke, his throat choked with tears, deeply distressed, with joined palms and bowing down.
सगद्गदमिदं वाक्यं भ्रातरं ज्येष्ठमात्मनः। कप्रसीदेत्यपतद्भूमौ दूयमानेन चेतसा
With a faltering voice, he addressed his elder brother: 'Be gracious!' and fell to the ground, his mind tormented.
दुःखितः पादयोस्तस्य नेत्रजं जलमुत्सृजन्। उक्तवांश्च नरव्याघ्रो नैतदेवं भविष्यति
Sorrowful, at his brother's feet, shedding tears from his eyes, the tiger among men said, 'It shall not be so.'
विदीर्यत्सकला भूमिर्द्यौश्चापि शकलीभवेत्। रविरात्मप्रभां जह्यात्सोमः शीतांशुतां त्यजेत्
Let the whole earth be shattered, let the sky be broken to pieces, let the sun abandon its own brilliance, and the moon forsake its cool rays—
वायुः शैघ्र्यमथो जह्याद्धिमवांश्च हिमं त्यजेत्। शुष्येत्तोयं समुद्रेषु वह्निरप्युष्णतां त्यजेत्
Let the wind give up its swiftness, the Himalaya its snow, let the waters dry up in the oceans, and fire abandon its heat—
न चाहं त्वदृते राजन्प्रशासेयं वसुंधराम्। पुनःपुनः प्रसीदेति वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह
But I, O king, could never rule the earth without you. Again and again, he pleaded with these words.
शत्रूणां शोककृद्राजन्सुहृदां शोकनाशनः' त्वमेव नःकुलेराजा भविष्यसि शतं समाः
O King, you are the bringer of sorrow to enemies and the destroyer of grief for friends; may you alone be king over our lineage for a hundred years.
एवमुक्त्वा स राजानं सुश्वरं प्ररुरोद ह। पादौ संस्पृश्य मानार्हौ भ्रातुर्ज्येष्ठस्य भारत
Having spoken thus, he wept aloud in a sweet voice, touching the honored feet of his elder brother, O descendant of Bharata.
तथा तौ दुःखितौ दृष्ट्वा दुःशासनसुयोधनौ। अभिगम्य व्यथाविष्टः कर्णस्तौ प्रत्यभाषत
Seeing those two so afflicted, Duḥśāsana and Suyodhana, Karṇa, filled with distress, approached and addressed them.
विषीदथः किं कौरव्यौ बालिश्यात्प्राकृताविव। न शोकः शोचमानस्य विनिवर्तेत कर्हिचित्
Why do you grieve, O Kauravas, like ordinary, childish men? Grief never departs from one who grieves.