योऽयं राज्ञो विराटस्य कीचको नाम भारत। सेनानीः पुरुषव्याघ्र स्यालः परमदुर्मतिः ।। 42
This Kichaka, O Bharata, commander of King Virata’s army, is a brother-in-law and a man of utterly wicked mind.
स मां सैरन्ध्रिवेषेण वसन्तीं राजवेश्मनि। नित्यमेवाह दुष्टात्मा भार्या मम भवेति वै ।। 43
He, with a corrupt heart, always says to me, who dwell in the palace disguised as a maid, 'Become my wife.'
तेनैवमुच्यमानाया वधार्हेणारिसूदन। कालेनेव फलं पक्वं हृदयं मे विदीर्यते ।। 44
Thus addressed by him, who deserves death, O destroyer of foes, my heart is torn apart like a ripe fruit by time.
शरणं भव कौन्तेय मा स्म गच्छे युधिष्ठिरम्। निरुद्योगं निरामर्षं निर्वीर्यमरिमर्दन ।। 45
Be my refuge, O son of Kunti; do not go to Yudhishthira, who is inactive, without anger, and powerless, O destroyer of enemies.
मा स्म सीमन्तिनी काचिञ्जनयेत्पुत्रमीदृशम् ।। 46
Let no woman with the parting of her hair ever bear a son like this.
विजानामि तवामर्षं बलं वीर्यं च पाण्डव। ततोऽहं परिदेवामि चाग्रतस्ते महाबल ।। 47
I know your anger, strength, and valor, O Pandava; that is why I lament before you, O mighty one.
यथा यूथपतिर्मत्तः कुञ्जरः षाष्टिहायनः। भूमौ निपतितं बिल्वं पद्भ्यमाक्रम्य पीडयेत् ।। 48
Just as a sixty-year-old, intoxicated lord of elephants tramples a fallen bael fruit on the ground with his feet—
तथैव च शिरस्तस्य निपात्य धरणीतले। वामेन पुरुषव्याघ्र मर्द मादेन पाण्डव ।। 49
So too, O tiger among men, strike down his head to the earth and crush it with your left hand, O Pandava, in your wrath.
स चेदुद्यन्तमादित्यं प्रातरुत्थाय पश्यति। कीचकः शर्वरीं व्युष्टां नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे ।। 50
If Kichaka, rising in the morning, sees the sun ascending and the night gone, I will not be able to live.
शापितोसि मम प्राणैः सुकृतेनार्जुनस्य च। युधिष्ठिरस्य पादाभ्यां यमयोर्जीवितेन च। कीचकस्य वधं नाद्य प्रतिजानासि भारत ।। 51
You are bound by my life, by Arjuna’s merit, by Yudhishthira’s feet, and by the life of the twin brothers; O Bharata, if today you do not vow to slay Kichaka—
भ्रात च विगर्हस्व ज्येष्ठं दुर्द्यूतदेविनम्। यस्मास्मि कर्मणा प्राप्ता दुःखमेतदनन्तकम् ।। 52
Brother, reproach the eldest, who is addicted to evil dice, because of whose deed I have come to this endless suffering.
येषां मुख्यतमो ज्येष्ठो भवेत्तु कुलपांसनः। भ्रातरं परमन्वीयुस्तेऽपि शालीनबुद्धयः ।। 53
When the eldest, the chief of the family, becomes a disgrace, even the brothers who follow him, though wise, are tainted.
को हि राज्यं परित्यज्य सपुत्रपशुबान्धवम् । प्रव्रजेत महारण्यमजिनैः परिवारितः ।। 54
Who, abandoning kingdom, sons, cattle, and kin, would wander into the great forest, clad in deerskin?
यदि निष्कसहस्राणि यद्वाऽन्यत्सारवद्धनम् । सायं प्रातरदेविष्यदपि संवत्सरायुतम् ।। 55
Even if there were thousands of gold coins or other valuable wealth, whether received morning and evening, or for ten thousand years—
रुक्मं हिरण्यं वासांसि यानं युग्यमजाविकम् । अश्वाश्वतरसङ्घाश्च न जातु क्षयमाव्रजेत्।। 56
Gold, silver, garments, vehicles yoked with livestock, and herds of horses and mules—these never suffered depletion.
सोयं द्यूतप्रवादेन श्रियश्चैवावरोपितः। तूष्णीमास्ते यथा मूढः स्वानि कर्माणि चिन्तयन् ।। 57
Now, by the outcome of dice, his prosperity has been overturned; he sits in silence, like one bewildered, pondering his own deeds.
पुरा दशसहस्राणि दन्तिनां वाजिनामपि। यं यान्तमनुयान्ति स्म सोयं द्यूतेन जीवति ।। 58
Once, ten thousand elephants and horses followed him wherever he went; now, he lives by gambling.
तथा शतसहस्राणि स्त्रीणाममिततेजसाम्। उपासते स्म राजानमिन्द्रप्रस्थे युधिष्ठिरम् ।। 59
Likewise, hundreds of thousands of women of immeasurable splendor served King Yudhishthira at Indraprastha.
शतं दासीसहस्राणां यस्य नित्यं महानसे। पात्रहस्ता दिवारात्रमतिथीन्भोजयन्त्युत ।। 60
A hundred thousand maidservants, always in the kitchen, with dishes in hand, served guests day and night.
एष निष्कसहस्राणि दत्त्वा प्रातर्दिनेदिने । द्यूतजेन ह्यनर्थेन महता समुपावृतः ।। 61
He gave thousands of gold coins every morning, but now he is beset by the great misfortune brought by gambling.
एनं सुस्वरसंपन्ना बहवः सूतमागधाः। सुप्तं प्रातरुपातिष्ठन्सुमृष्टमणिकुण्डलाः ।। 62
Many skilled bards and genealogists, adorned with polished jeweled earrings, used to awaken him in the morning with melodious songs.
[सहस्रं वालखिल्यानां सहस्रमुदवासिनाम्। सहस्रमश्मकुट्टानां सहस्रं वायुभोजिनाम् ।। 63
A thousand Vālakhilya ascetics, a thousand Udavāsin hermits, a thousand stone-grinders, and a thousand wind-eaters.
सहस्रं मुनिपत्नीनां सहस्रं ब्रह्मचारिणाम्। सहस्रं मौनशीलानां सहस्रं गृहमेधिनाम् ।। 64
A thousand wives of sages, a thousand celibates, a thousand silent ascetics, and a thousand householders.
हंसाः परमहंसाश्च योगिनश्च द्विजातयः। कुटीरकाः परिव्राजो ये चान्ये वनचारिणः ।। 65
Swans, supreme swans, yogis, twice-born ones, hut-dwellers, wandering mendicants, and others who roam the forests.
संविभक्तात्मकाश्चैव बहवश्चोर्ध्वरेतसः । चतुर्वेदविदो विप्राः शिक्षामीमांसपारगाः । क्रमपाठाश्च ये विप्राः सामाध्यायनिकाश्च ये ।। 66 ।।]
Many self-restrained ascetics and those with elevated celibacy, Brahmins versed in the four Vedas, experts in teaching and inquiry, those skilled in recitation, and those who chant the Sāma Veda.
सहस्रमृषयो यस्य नित्यमासन्सभासदः। तपःश्रुतोपसंपन्नाः सर्वकामैरुपास्थिताः ।। 67
A thousand sages, accomplished in austerity and learning, were always present in his assembly, attended by all desired comforts.
अन्धान्वृद्धाननाथांस्तु सर्वराष्ट्रेषु दुःखितान्। बिभर्त्यन्नार्थिनो नित्यमानृशंस्याद्युधिष्ठिरः ।। 68
Yudhishthira always cared for the blind, the elderly, the destitute, and all those suffering in every kingdom, providing food out of compassion.
स एष निलयं प्राप्तो मत्स्यस्य परिचारकः। सभायां विनतो राज्ञः कङ्को नाम युधिष्ठिरः ।। 69
He has now come to reside as a servant of King Matsya, humbly seated in the assembly, known as Kanka—Yudhishthira.
इन्द्रप्रस्थे निवसतः समये यस्य पार्थिवाः। आसन्बलिकराः सर्वे सोन्येभ्यो भृतिमिच्छति ।। 70
While he lived at Indraprastha, all the kings paid him tribute; now he seeks wages from others.
पार्थिवाः पृथिवीपाला यस्यासन्वशवर्तिनः। स वशे विवशो राज्ञां परेषामद्य वर्तते ।। 71
The kings and rulers of the earth once obeyed him; now, he is subject to the authority of other kings.