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.
यदा च शोचतः शोकोव्यसनं नापकर्षति। सामर्थ्यं किं ततः शोके शोचमानौ प्रपश्यथः
And when sorrow does not remove misfortune for one who grieves, what power is there in grief, as you both see?
धृतिं गृह्णीतं मा शत्रूञ्शोचन्तौ नन्दयिष्यथः। कर्तव्यं हि कृतं राजन्पाण्डवैस्तव मोक्षणम्
Take hold of fortitude; do not, by grieving, gladden your enemies. The deed that had to be done has been done, O King—your release by the Pāṇḍavas.
नित्यमेव प्रियं कार्यं राज्ञो विपयवासिभिः। पाल्यमानास्त्वया ते हि निवसन्ति गतज्वराः
Those who dwell in the king's realm must always act for his pleasure; protected by you, they live free from distress.
नार्हस्येवंगते मन्युं कर्तुं प्राकृतवत्स्वयम्। विषण्णास्तव सोदर्यास्त्वयि प्रायं समास्थिते
You should not, in such a situation, give way to anger like an ordinary man; your brothers are dispirited, with you set upon fasting.
तदलं दुःखितानेतान्कर्तुं सर्वान्नराधिप'। उत्तिष्ठ व्रज भद्रं ते समाश्वासय सोदरान्
Therefore, O lord of men, do not cause all these to be sorrowful; rise up, go forth, may it be well with you, and comfort your brothers.
राजन्नद्यावगच्छामि तवैव लघुसत्वताम्। `अल्पत्वं च तथा बुद्धेः कार्याणामविवेकिताम्
O King, now I perceive your weakness of spirit, and likewise the smallness of your judgment and lack of discernment in action.
किमत्र चित्रं धर्मज्ञ मोक्षितः पाण्डवैरसि। सद्यो वशं समापन्नः शत्रूणां शत्रुकर्शन
What is surprising here, O knower of dharma, that you were freed by the Pāṇḍavas? At once you fell into the power of your enemies, O subduer of foes.
सेनाजीवैश्च कौरव्य तथा विषयवासिभिः। अज्ञातैर्यदि वा ज्ञातैः कर्तव्यं नृपतेः प्रियम्
Whether by those known or unknown, by soldiers or by the people of the realm, what is pleasing to the king must be done.
प्रायः प्रधानाः पुरुषाः क्षोभयित्वाऽरिवाहिनीम्। निगृह्यन्ते चयुद्धेषु मोक्ष्यन्ते च स्वसैनिकैः
Often, the foremost men, after disturbing the enemy's army, are subdued in battle and then released by their own troops.
सेनाजीवाश्च ये राज्ञां विषये सन्ति मानवाः। तैः संगम्य नृपार्थाय यतितव्यं यथातथम्
Those men who are soldiers in the king's realm must strive together, as is fitting, for the king's purpose.
यद्येवं पाण्डवै राजन्भवद्विषयवासिभिः। यदृच्छया मोक्षितोऽसि कतत्रका परिदेवना
If, O King, you were freed by the Pāṇḍavas through the people of your realm, by chance, then what is there to lament?
न चैतत्साधु यद्राजन्पाण्डवास्त्वां नृपोत्तमम्। स्वसेनया संप्रयान्तं नानुयान्ति स्म पृष्ठतः
Nor is it right, O King, that the Pāṇḍavas, when you, the foremost of kings, departed with your army, did not follow behind you.
शूराश्च बलवन्तश्च संयुगेष्वपलायिनः। भवतस्ते सभायां वै प्रेष्यतां पूर्वमागताः
Those brave and mighty ones, unyielding in battle, were sent ahead to the assembly before you arrived.
पाण्डवेयानि रत्नानि त्वमद्याप्युपभुञ्जसे। सत्वस्थान्पाण्डवान्पश्य न ते प्रायमुपाविशन्
Even now you enjoy the jewels of the Pāṇḍavas, but see—the steadfast Pāṇḍavas themselves did not mostly take their seats.
तदलं ते महाबाहो विषादं कर्तुमीदृशम्'। उत्तिष्ठ रराजन्भद्रं ते न चिन्तां कर्तुमर्हसि
Enough of this sorrow, mighty-armed one; arise, O king, blessings to you—there is no need for such worry.
अवश्यमेव नृपते राज्ञो विषयवासिभिः। प्रियाण्याचरितव्यानि तत्र का परिदेवना
O king, those who dwell in a king’s realm must certainly act in ways pleasing to the king; what use is lamentation in this?
मद्वाक्यमेतद्राजेन्द्र यद्येवं न करिष्यसि। स्थास्यामीह भवत्पादौ शुश्रूषन्नरिमर्दन
O lord of kings, if you do not act according to my words, then I shall remain here at your feet, serving you, O subduer of foes.
नोत्सहे जीवितुमहं त्वद्विहीनो नरर्षभः। प्रायोपविष्टस्तु तथा राज्ञां हास्यो भविष्यसि
O bull among men, I cannot bear to live deprived of you; if you persist in this fast, you will become a laughingstock among kings.
एवमुक्तस्तु कर्णेन राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा। नैवोत्थातुं मनश्चक्रे स्वर्गाय कृतनिश्चयः
Thus addressed by Karna, King Duryodhana at that time could not bring himself to rise, having resolved upon death.
प्रायोपविष्टं राजानं दुर्योधनममर्षणम्। उवाच सान्त्वयन्राजञ्शकुनिः सौबलस्तदा
Then Shakuni, son of Subala, spoke consoling words to the angry king Duryodhana, who was seated in fast.