शृणु विस्तरशो राजन्वदतो मे परन्तप। दाहं जतुगृहस्यैतत्पाण्डवानां च मोक्षणम्
Hear in detail, O king, as I speak: the burning of the house of lac and the escape of the Pandavas.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा धृतराष्ट्रमभाषत। पाण्डवेभ्यो भयं नः स्यात्तान्विवासयतां भवान्। निपुणेनाभ्युपायेन नगरं वारणावतम्
Then King Duryodhana spoke to Dhritarashtra: ‘Let there be no fear for us from the Pandavas; let them be exiled by you, by some skillful means, from the city of Varanavata.’
धृतराष्ट्रस्तु पुत्रेण श्रुत्वा वचनमीरितम्। मुहूर्तमिव संचिन्त्य दुर्योधनमथाब्रवीत्
But Dhritarashtra, having heard the words spoken by his son, reflected for a moment and then addressed Duryodhana.
धर्मनित्यः सदा पाण्डुस्तथा धर्मपरायणः। सर्वेषु ज्ञातिषु तथा मयि त्वासीद्विशेषतः
Pandu was always devoted to righteousness, and so was he dedicated to the path of virtue; among all our kinsmen, and especially towards me, he was thus inclined.
नासौ किंचिद्विजानाति भोजनादिचिकीर्षितम्। निवेदयति नित्यं हि मम राज्यं धृतव्रतः
He never undertook anything, even matters like meals, without informing me; steadfast in his vows, he always reported to me about the kingdom.
तस्य पुत्रो यथा पाण्डुस्तथा धर्मपरायणः। गुणवान्लोकविख्यातः पौरवाणां सुसंमतः
His son, just like Pandu, is devoted to righteousness, possessed of virtues, renowned among people, and highly esteemed among the Kurus.
स कथं शक्यतेऽस्माभिरपाकर्तुं बलादितः। पितृपैतामाहाद्राज्यात्ससहायो विशेषतः
How can we possibly remove him from the ancestral kingdom by force, especially when he has strong allies?
भृता हि पाण्डुनाऽमात्या बलं च सततं भृतम्। भृताः पुत्राश्च पौत्राश्च तेषामपि विशेषतः
For the ministers were maintained by Pandu, and the army was always kept by him; and especially, their sons and grandsons too were supported.
ते पुरा सत्कृतास्तात पाण्डुना नागरा जनाः। कथं युधिष्ठिरस्यार्थे न नो हन्युः सबान्धवान्
Those citizens and townspeople, O dear one, were formerly honored by Pandu; how would they not slay us along with our kin for the sake of Yudhishthira?
एवमेतन्मया तात भावितं दोषमात्मनि। दृष्ट्वा प्रकृतयः सर्वा अर्थमानेन पूजिताः
Thus, O dear one, I have considered this fault as my own; seeing that all the people, honored with wealth, are devoted to him.
ध्रुवमस्मत्सहायास्ते भविष्यन्ति प्रधानतः। अर्थवर्गः सहामात्यो मत्संस्थोऽद्य महीपते
Surely, they will become his allies, especially the chief ones; the group of wealthy men with their ministers are now established with him, O king.
स भवान्पाण्डवानाशु विवासयितुमर्हति। मृदुनैवाभ्युपायेन नगरं वारणावतम्
Therefore, you ought to send the Pandavas away quickly, by gentle means, to the city of Varanavata.
यदा प्रतिष्ठितं राज्यं मयि राजन्भविष्यति। तदा कुन्ती सहापत्या पुनरेष्यति भारत
When the kingdom is firmly established in me, O king, then Kunti with her sons will return, O Bharata.
दुर्योधन ममाप्येतद्धृदि संपरिवर्तते। अभिप्रायस्य पापत्वान्नैवं तु विवृणोम्यहम्
Duryodhana, this too turns in my heart; but because of the wickedness of the intention, I do not openly declare it.
न च भीष्मो न च द्रोणो न च क्षत्ता न गौतमः। विवास्यमानान्कौन्तेयाननुमंस्यन्ति कर्हिचित्
Neither Bhishma, nor Drona, nor Vidura, nor Kripa will ever approve of the Pandavas being sent away.
समा हि कौरवेयाणां वयं ते चैव पुत्रक। नैते विषममिच्छेयुर्धर्मयुक्ता मनस्विनः
We and they, O son, are equal among the Kurus; these high-minded ones, righteous in conduct, would not wish for injustice.
ते वयं कौरवेयाणामेतेषां च महात्मनाम्। कथं न वध्यतां तात गच्छाम जगतस्तथा
We are the Kurus, and so are they, these great souls; how can we, O dear one, not be destroyed in the world by such an act?
मध्यस्थः सततं भीष्मो द्रोणपुत्रो मयि स्थितः। यतः पुत्रस्ततो द्रोणो भविता नात्र संशयः
Bhishma is always neutral, and Drona's son stands with me; but Drona will side with whomever his son supports—of this there is no doubt.
कृपः शारद्वतश्चैव यत एतौ ततो भवेत्। द्रोणं च भागिनेयं च न स त्यक्ष्यति कर्हिचित्
Kripa, son of Sharadvat, will go wherever these two go; and Drona will never abandon his nephew.
क्षत्ताऽर्थबद्धस्त्वस्माकं प्रच्छन्नं संयतः परैः। न चैकः स समर्थोऽस्मान्पाम्डवार्थेऽधिबाधितुम्
Vidura, bound to us by interest, is secretly restrained by others; but he alone is not capable of overpowering us for the sake of the Pandavas.
सुविस्रब्धः पाण्डुपुत्रान्सह मात्रा प्रवासय। वारणावतमद्यैव यथा यान्ति यथा कुरु
With full confidence, send the sons of Pandu along with their mother into exile; let them go to Varanavata today, just as you wish, O Kuru.
विनिद्रकरणं घोरं हृदि शल्यमिवार्पितम्। शोकपावकमुद्भूतं कर्मणैतेन नाशय
By this act, destroy the terrible, sleepless torment that has arisen like a thorn lodged in your heart, the fire of grief that has flared up.
वैशंपायन उवाच
Vaishampayana said:
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा सर्वास्तु प्रकृतीः शनैः। अर्थमानप्रदानाभ्यां संजहार सहानुजः। `युयुत्सुमपनीयैकं धार्तराष्ट्रं सहोदरम्
Then King Duryodhana, together with his brothers, gradually won over all the people by giving wealth and honor, and separated Yuyutsu, his own brother, from the sons of Dhritarashtra.
धृतराष्ट्रप्रयुक्तास्तु केचित्कुशलमन्त्रिणः। कथयाञ्चक्रिरे रम्यं नगरं वारणावतम्
Some clever counselors, acting on Dhritarashtra's orders, began to praise the beautiful city of Varanavata.
अयं समाजः सुमहान्रमणीयतमो भुवि। उपस्थितः पशुपतेर्नगरे वारणावते
This assembly is vast and most delightful on earth, gathered in the city of the Lord of Beasts, Varanavata.
सर्वरत्नसमाकीर्णे पुण्यदेशे मनोरमे। इत्येवं धृतराष्ट्रस्य वचनाच्चक्रिरे कथाः
They spoke thus, repeating Dhritarashtra's words, describing Varanavata as a sacred and charming place, filled with all precious gems.
कथ्यमाने तथा रम्ये नगरे वारणावते। गमने पाण्डुपुत्राणां जज्ञे तत्र मतिर्नृप
As they continued to speak of the beautiful city of Varanavata, the thought arose there in the king's mind about sending the sons of Pandu.
यदा त्वमन्यत नृपो जातकौतूहला इति। उवाचैतानेत्य तदा पाण्डवानम्बिकासुतः
When the king noticed their growing curiosity, the son of Ambika then called the Pandavas and spoke to them as follows.
अधीतानि च शास्त्राणि युष्माभिरिह कृत्स्नशः। अस्त्राणि च तथा द्रोणाद्गौतमाच्च शरद्वतः
You have thoroughly studied all the scriptures here, and have learned the use of weapons from Drona and from Gautama's son, Sharadvata.