सम्यगुक्तं हि कर्णेन तच्छ्रुतं कौरव त्वया। मया हृतां श्रियं स्फीतां तां मोहादपहासि किम्
Indeed, Karna has spoken well, and you have heard it, O Kaurava; why would you abandon the great prosperity I have won for you, out of delusion?
त्वमबुद्ध्या नृपवर प्राणानुत्स्रष्टुमिच्छसि। अद्य वाऽप्यवगन्छामि न वृद्धाः सेवितास्त्वया
O best of kings, out of folly you wish to give up your life; even now I see you have not honored your elders.
यः समुत्पतितं हर्षं दैन्यं वा न नियच्छति। स नश्यति श्रियं प्राप्य पात्रमाममिवाम्भसि
He who does not restrain rising joy or dejection perishes, even after attaining prosperity, like an unbaked pot in water.
अतिभीरुं मृदुं क्लीबं दीर्घसूत्रं प्रमादिनम्। व्यसनाद्विषयाक्रान्तं न भजन्ति नृपं श्रिताः
Those who seek shelter do not follow a king who is overly fearful, gentle, weak, procrastinating, careless, or overwhelmed by misfortune.
सत्कृतस्य हि ते शोको विपरीते कथं भवेत्। मा कृतं शोभनं पार्थैः शोकमालम्ब्य नाशय
How could sorrow arise for you, who have been honored, if the situation were reversed? Do not destroy what the Pandavas have done well by clinging to grief.
यत्र हर्षस्त्वया कार्यः सत्कर्तव्याश्च पाण्डवाः। तत्र शोचसि राजेन्द्रविपरीतमिदं तव
Where you ought to rejoice and honor the Pandavas, O king, there you grieve—this is contrary to what is fitting for you.
प्रसीदमा त्यजात्मानं तुष्टश्च सुकृतं स्मर। कप्रयच्छ राज्यं पार्थानां यशो धर्ममवाप्नुहि। क्रियामेतां समाज्ञाय कृतघ्नो न भविष्यसि
Be gracious, do not abandon yourself, and remember your good deeds with satisfaction; give the kingdom to the sons of Pritha, and attain fame and righteousness; by understanding this action, you will not be ungrateful.
सौभ्रात्रं पाण्डवैः कृत्वा समवस्ताप्य चैव तान्। पित्र्यं राज्यं प्रयच्छैषां ततः सुखमवाप्स्यसि
Make peace with the Pandavas and establish them; grant them their ancestral kingdom, and then you will obtain happiness.
शकुनेस्तु वचः श्रुत्वा दुःशासनमवेक्ष्य च। पादयोः पतितं वीरं विकृतं भ्रातृसौहृदात्
Hearing Shakuni’s words and seeing Duhshasana, who had fallen at his feet, transformed by brotherly affection—
बाहुभ्यां साधुजाताभ्यां दुःशासनमरिंदमम्। उत्थाप्य संपरिष्वज्य प्रीत्याऽजिघ्रत मूर्धनि
Duryodhana, subduer of foes, raised Duhshasana, who had noble arms, embraced him with affection, and smelled his head.
कर्णसौबलयोश्चापि संश्रुत्य वचनान्यसौ। निर्वेदं परमं गत्वा राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा। व्रीडयाऽभिपरीतात्मा नैराश्यमगमत्परम्
Having heard the words of Karna and Shakuni, King Duryodhana then, overwhelmed by shame, fell into deep despair.
सुहृदां चैव तच्छ्रुत्वा समन्युरिदमब्रवीत्। न धर्मधनसौख्येन नैश्वर्येण न चाज्ञया
Hearing this from his friends, he spoke these words with anger: 'Not by righteousness, wealth, happiness, sovereignty, nor by command—'
नैव भोगैश्च मे कार्यं मा विहन्यत गच्छत। निश्चितेयं मम मतिः स्थिता प्रायोपवेशने
I have no use for pleasures; do not hinder me as you go. My mind is firmly resolved upon fasting unto death.
गच्छध्वं नगरं सर्वे पूज्याश्च गुरवो मम। त एवमुक्ताः प्रत्यूच् राजानमरिमर्दनम्
All of you return to the city, and honor my revered elders. Thus addressed, they replied to the king, the subduer of foes.
या गतिस्तव राजेन्द्र साऽस्माकमपि भारत। कथं वा संप्रवेक्ष्यामस्त्वद्विहीनाः पुरं वयम्
O king of the Bharatas, your path is ours as well. How can we enter the city, deprived of you?
स सुहृद्भिरमात्यैश्च भातृभिः स्वजनेन च। बहुप्रकारमप्युक्तो निश्चयान्न व्यचाल्यत
Though addressed in many ways by friends, ministers, brothers, and his own people, he did not waver from his decision.
दर्भास्तरणमास्तीर्य निश्चयाद्धृतराष्ट्रजः। संस्पृश्यापः शुचिर्भूत्वा भूतले समुपस्थितः
Spreading a bed of sacred grass, the son of Dhritarashtra, resolute, purified himself with water and sat upon the ground.
कुशचीराम्बरधरः परं नियममास्थितः। वाग्यतो राजशार्दूलः स स्वर्गगतिकाम्यया
Clad in garments of kusa grass and bark, observing strict vows, the tiger among kings, desiring the path to heaven, restrained his speech.
मनसोपचितिं कृत्वा निरस् च बहिःक्रियाः। `तस्थौप्रायोपवेशेऽथमतिं कृत्वा सुनिश्चयाम्
Having composed his mind and abandoned all external acts, he stood firm in his resolve to fast unto death.
अथ तं निश्चयं तस्य बुद्ध्वा दैतेयदानवाः। पातालवासिनो रौद्राः पूर्वं देवैर्विनिर्जिताः
Then, knowing his resolve, the fierce Daityas and Danavas, dwellers of the netherworld, once defeated by the gods, became aware.
ते स्वपक्षक्षयं तं तु ज्ञात्वा दुर्योधनस्य वै। आह्वानाय तदा चक्रुः कर्म वैतानसंभवम्
Learning of the destruction of their own side—that of Duryodhana—they then undertook a rite born of the Vaitana tradition, for summoning.
बृहस्पत्युशनोक्तैश्च मन्त्रैर्मन्त्रविशारदाः। अथर्ववेदप्रोक्तैश्च याश्चौपनिषदाः क्रियाः। मन्त्रजप्यसमायुक्तास्तास्तदा समवर्तयन्
Skilled in mantras taught by Brihaspati and Ushanas, and in rites prescribed by the Atharvaveda and the Upanishads, they performed those acts accompanied by mantra-recitation.
जुह्वत्यग्नौ हविः क्षीरं मन्त्रवत्सुसमाहिताः। ब्राह्मणा वेदवेदाङ्गपारगाः सुदृढव्रताः
With concentrated minds, the Brahmins, accomplished in the Vedas and Vedangas, firm in their vows, offered milk as oblation into the fire, reciting mantras.
अध्वर्यवो दानवानां कर्म प्रावर्तयंस्ततः
Then the Adhvaryu priests began the rite for the Danavas.
कर्मसिद्धौ तदा तत्र जृम्भमाणा महाद्भुता। कृत्या समुत्थिता राजन्किं करोमीति चाब्रवीत्
As the rite reached completion, O king, a wondrous being arose, a Kritya, who said, 'What shall I do?'
आहुर्दैत्याश्च तां तत्र सुप्रीतेनान्तरात्मना। प्रायोपविष्टं राजानं धार्तराष्ट्रमिहानय
There the Daityas, with great satisfaction in their hearts, said to her, 'Bring here King Dhritarashtra's son, who is fasting.'
तथेति च प्रतिश्रुत्य सा कृत्या प्रययौ तदा। निमेषादगमच्चापि यत्र राजा सुयोधनः
Saying, 'So be it,' that Kritya departed, and in a moment reached the place where King Suyodhana was.
समादाय च राजानं प्रविवेश रसातलम्। दानवानां मुहूर्ताच्च पुरतस्तं न्यवेदयत्
Taking the king, she entered the netherworld, and after a short time presented him before the Danavas.
तमानीतं नृपं दृष्ट्वा रात्रौ संगत्य दानवाः। प्रहृष्टमनसः सर्वे किंचिदुत्फुल्ललोचनाः
Seeing the king brought there at night, the Danavas all gathered, their hearts rejoicing and their eyes slightly widened.
दृढमेनं परिष्यज्य दृष्ट्वा च कुशलं तदा'। साभिमानमिदं वाक्यं दुर्योधनमथाब्रुवन्
Having firmly embraced him and seeing that he was well, they spoke these proud words to Duryodhana.