तमब्रवीन्महाराजो धार्तराष्ट्रो महायशाः
Then the illustrious king, son of Dhritarashtra, spoke to him.
सत्यमेतत्त्वयोक्तं हि पाण्डवेषु दुरात्मसु। निहतेषु नरश्रेष्ठ प्राप्ते चापि महाक्रतौ। राजसूये पुनर्वीर त्वमेवं वर्धयिष्यसि
What you have said about the evil-hearted Pandavas is true; when those foremost of men are slain and the great sacrifice is attained, O hero, you alone will prosper again at the Rajasuya.
एवमुक्त्वा महाराज कर्णमाश्लिष्य भारत। राजसूयं क्रतुश्रेष्ठं चिन्तयामास कौरवः
Having spoken thus, the king embraced Karna, O Bharata, and the Kaurava began to contemplate the Rajasuya, the greatest of sacrifices.
सोऽब्रवीत्कौरवांश्चापि पार्श्वस्थान्नृपसत्तमः। `राधेयसौबलादीन्वै धार्तराष्ट्रो महीपतिः
Then that foremost of kings, the son of Dhritarashtra, addressed the Kauravas standing nearby—Radheya, Saubala, and the others.
कदा तु तं क्रतुवरं राजसूयं महाधनम्। निहत्य पाण्डवान्सर्वानाहरिष्यामि कौरवाः
When shall I, having slain all the Pandavas, seize that supreme, wealth-filled Rajasuya sacrifice, O Kauravas?
तमब्रवीत्तदा कर्णः शृणु मे राजकुञ्जर। पादौ न धावये तावद्यावन्न निहतोऽर्जुनः
Then Karna said to him, 'Hear me, O king among elephants: I will not wash my feet until Arjuna is slain.'
कीलालजं न खादेयं करिष्ये चासुरव्रतम्। नास्तीति नैव वक्ष्यामि याचितो येन केचनित्
I will not eat food prepared with oil and honey, I will observe the vow of the Asuras, and I will never say 'I have nothing' to anyone who asks.
अथोत्क्रुष्टं महेष्वासैर्धार्तराष्ट्रैर्महारथैः। प्रतिज्ञाते फल्गुनस्य वधे कर्णेन संयुगे
Then the mighty bowmen, the sons of Dhritarashtra, acclaimed loudly when Karna vowed to slay Phalguna in battle.
विजितांश्चाप्यमन्यन्त पाण्डवान्धृतराष्ट्रजाः। `तदा प्रतिज्ञामारुह्य सूतपुत्रेण भाषिते
At that time, the sons of Dhritarashtra, relying on the vow spoken by the son of the charioteer, believed the Pandavas to be already conquered.
दूर्योधनोऽपि राजेन्द्र विसृज्यनरपुङ्गवान्। प्रविवेश गृहंश्रीमान्यथा चैत्ररथं प्रभुः
King Duryodhana, O lord of kings, dismissed the foremost of men and entered his palace, resplendent like a lord entering the celestial garden.
तेऽपिसर्वे महेष्वासा जग्मुर्वेश्मानि भारत। `स्वानिस्वनि महाराज भीष्मद्रोणादयो नृपा
All those mighty bowmen—Bhishma, Drona, and the other kings—also departed to their own palaces, O Bharata.
पाण्डवाश्च महेष्वासा दूतवाक्यप्रचोदिताः। चिन्तयन्तस्तमेवार्थं नालभन्त सुखं क्वचित्
The Pandavas too, mighty with their bows, prompted by the words of the messenger, kept pondering that very matter and found no happiness anywhere.
भूयश्च चारै राजेन्द्र प्रवृत्तिरुपपादिता। प्रतिज्ञा सूतपुतर्स्य विजयस्य वधं प्रति
Again, O king, intelligence was gathered by spies regarding the vow of the son of the charioteer to slay Vijaya.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा धर्मसुतः समुद्विग्नो नराधिप। `अधोमुखश्चिरं तस्थौ किं कार्यमिति चिन्तयन्
Hearing this, the righteous king Yudhishthira became deeply troubled; he stood for a long time with head bowed, wondering what should be done.
अभेद्यकवचं मत्वा कर्णमद्भुतविक्रमम्। अनुस्मरंश् संक्लेशान्न शान्तिमुपजग्मिवान्
Thinking of Karna, whose armor could not be pierced and whose valor was astonishing, and recalling their hardships, he found no peace.
तस्य चिन्तापरीतस्य बुद्धिर्जज्ञे महात्मनः। बहुव्यालमृगाकीर्णं त्यक्तुं द्वैतवनं वनम्
While he was thus consumed by anxiety, a thought arose in the mind of that great soul—to leave the Dvaita forest, teeming with many fierce beasts.
धार्तराष्ट्रोऽपि नृपतिः प्रशशास वसुंधराम्। भ्रातृभिः सहितो वीरैर्भीष्मद्रोणकृपैस्तथा
Meanwhile, the king, son of Dhritarashtra, ruled the earth together with his brothers and mighty warriors—Bhishma, Drona, and Kripa.
संगम्य सूतपुत्रेण कर्णेनाहवशोभिना। `सततं प्रीयमाणो वै देविना सौबलेन च
Constantly delighted, he kept company with the son of the charioteer, Karna, who shone in battle, and with Saubala, the son of the goddess.
दुर्योधनः प्रिये नित्यं वर्तमानो महीभृताम्। पूजयामास विप्रेन्द्रान्क्रतुभिर्भूरिदक्षिणैः
Duryodhana, always seeking favor among the kings, honored the foremost Brahmins with sacrifices rich in gifts.
भ्रातॄणां च प्रियं राजन्स चकार परंतपः। निश्चित्य मनसा वीरो दत्तभुक्तफलं धनम्
That subduer of foes, having resolved in his mind, performed what was pleasing to his brothers, distributing wealth acquired and enjoyed.
दुर्योधनं मोक्षयित्वा पाण्डुपुत्रा महाबलाः। किमकार्षुर्वने तस्मिंस्तन्ममाख्यातुमर्हसि
After releasing Duryodhana, what did the mighty sons of Pandu do in that forest? Please tell me this.
ततः शयानं कौन्तेयं रात्रौ द्वैतवन मृगाः। स्वप्नान्ते दर्शयामासुर्बाष्पकण्ठा युधिष्ठिरम्
Then, at night in the Dvaita forest, animals appeared to the sleeping son of Kunti, Yudhishthira, at the end of a dream, their voices choked with tears.
तानब्रवीत्स राजेन्द्रो वेपमानान्कृताञ्जलीन्। ब्रूत यद्वक्तुकामाः स्थ के भवन्तः किमिष्यते
The king, trembling and with joined palms, spoke to them: 'Say what you wish to tell. Who are you, and what do you desire?'
एवमुक्ताः पाण्डवेन कौन्तेयेन यशस्विना। प्रत्यब्रुवन्मृगास्तत्रहतशेषा युधिष्ठिरम्
Thus addressed by the illustrious son of Kunti, the animals remaining after the slaughter replied to Yudhishthira there.
वयं मृगा द्वैतवने हतशिष्टास्तु भारत। नोत्सीदेम महाराज क्रियतां वासपर्ययः
'We are the animals left alive in the Dvaita forest, O Bharata. Let us not perish, great king; arrange for a change of dwelling.'
भवन्तो भ्रातरः शूराः सर्व एवास्त्रकोविदाः। कुलान्यल्पावशिष्टानि कृतवन्तो वनौकसाम्
'You and your brothers are all mighty and skilled in arms; you have left few families of the forest-dwellers remaining.'
बीजभूता वयं केचिदवशिष्टा महामते। विवर्धेमहि राजेन्द्र प्रसादात्ते युधिष्ठिर
'Some of us, the seeds of our kind, remain, O wise king. By your favor, Yudhishthira, let us flourish again.'
तान्वेपमानान्वित्रस्तान्बीजमात्रावशेषितान्। मृगान्दृष्ट्वा सुदुःखार्तो धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः
Seeing those trembling, terrified animals, reduced to mere remnants, King Yudhishthira, lord of righteousness, was deeply afflicted.
तांस्तथेत्यब्रवीद्राजा सर्वभूतहिते रतः। यथा भवन्तो ब्रुवते करिष्यामि च तत्तथा
The king, devoted to the welfare of all beings, said to them, 'So be it; I will do as you have spoken.'
इत्येवं प्रतिबुद्धः स रात्र्यन्ते राजसत्तमः। अब्रवीत्सहितान्भ्रातॄन्दयापन्नो मृगान्प्रति
Thus, awakened at the end of the night, that best of kings compassionately spoke to his brothers about the animals.