आशीविषैर्महाघोरैः सर्पैस्तैः किं न दंशितः। प्रमाणकोट्यां संगृह्य निद्रापरवशे मयि
Why have I not been bitten by those terrible, venomous serpents, gathered in countless numbers, while I was helpless in sleep?
सर्पैर्दृष्टिविषैर्गोरैर्गङ्गायां शूलसन्ततौ। किं तैर्न पातितो भूप तदा किं मृतवानहम्
Why was I not cast into the Ganges among the multitude of spears, by those serpents with deadly, fiery poison? Why did I not die then, O king?
आपत्सु तासु घोरासु दुष्प्रयुक्तासु पापिभिः। अस्मानरक्षद्यो देवो जगद्यस्य वशे स्थितम्
In those dreadful calamities, wickedly inflicted by sinners, the god who holds the world in his power protected us.
चराचरात्मकं सोऽद्य यातः कुत्र नृपोत्तम। यावत्सोढव्यमस्माभिस्तावत्सोढास्मि यत्नतः
Where has he, whose essence is all that moves and does not move, gone today, O best of kings? As long as we can endure, we shall endure with effort.
यदा न शक्ष्यतेऽस्माभिस्तदा पश्याम नो हितम्। किं द्रष्टव्यमिहास्माभिर्विगृह्य तरसा बलात्
When we are no longer able, then we shall consider what is best for us. What should we see here by engaging in conflict with force and violence?
सान्त्ववादेन दानेन भेदेनापि यतामहे। अर्धराज्यस्य संप्राप्त्यै ततो दण्डः प्रशस्यते
With conciliatory words, with gifts, even with division, we shall strive for the attainment of half the kingdom; only then is force to be employed.
तस्मात्सहैव वस्तव्यं तन्मनोर्पितशल्यवत्। दर्शयित्वा पृथक् क्वापि न गन्तव्यं सुभीतवत्
Therefore, we must remain together, bearing the pain in our hearts; having shown ourselves, we should not go separately anywhere, out of fear.
इह यत्तैर्निराकारैर्वस्तव्यमिति रोचये। अप्रमत्तैर्विचिन्वद्भिर्गतिमिष्टां ध्रुवामितः
Here, I agree that we should live as they, with their ambiguous intentions, desire; being vigilant, searching for a sure and desired path from here.
यदि विन्देत चाकारमस्माकं स पुरोचनः। क्षिप्रकारी ततो भूत्वा प्रसह्यापि दहेत्ततः
If Purocana discovers our plan, then acting swiftly, he may forcibly burn us.
नायं बिभेत्युपक्रोशादधर्माद्वा पुरोचनः। तथा हि वर्तते मन्दः सुयोधनवशे स्थितः
This Purocana does not fear reproach or unrighteousness; for, being foolish, he acts under Suyodhana's command.
अपि चायं प्रदग्धेषु भीष्मोऽस्मासु पितामहः। कोपं कुर्यात्किमर्थं वा कौरवान्कोपयीत सः
Even if we are burned, why would our grandfather Bhishma become angry with us? For what reason would he provoke the Kauravas?
अथवापीह दग्धेषु भीष्मोऽस्माकं पितामहः। धर्म इत्येव कुप्येरन्ये चान्ये कुरुपुङ्गवाः
Or, if we are burned here, our grandfather Bhishma and other eminent Kauravas would only be angry, saying it is a matter of righteousness.
उपपन्नं तु दग्धेषु कुलवंशानुकीर्तिताः। कुप्येरन्यदि धर्मज्ञास्तथान्ये कुरुपुङ्गवाः
Indeed, if we are burned, those who uphold the family lineage and know righteousness, and other eminent Kauravas, would be justly angered.
वयं तु यदि दाहस्य बिभ्यतः प्रद्रवेमहि। स्पशैर्नो घातयेत्सर्वान्राज्यलुब्धः सुयोधनः
But if, out of fear of burning, we flee, Suyodhana, greedy for the kingdom, would have us all killed as fugitives.
अपदस्थान्पदे तिष्ठन्नपक्षान्पक्षसंस्थितः। हीनकोशान्महाकोशः प्रयोगैर्घातयेद्ध्रुवम्
Standing in position, he would destroy those out of position; with allies, he would destroy those without; with great resources, he would certainly destroy the weak by his means.
तदस्माभिरिमं पापं तं च पापं सुयोधनम्। वञ्चयद्भिर्निवस्तव्यं छन्नं वीर क्वचित्क्वचित्
Therefore, O hero, we must remain here, deceiving this wicked Purocana and Suyodhana, hiding ourselves from time to time.
ते वयं मृगयाशीलाश्चराम वसुधामिमाम्। तथा नो विदिता मार्गा भविष्यन्ति पलायतां
We, who are accustomed to hunting, will roam this earth; in this way, the paths for our escape will become known to us.
भौमं च बिलमद्यैव करवाम सुसंवृतम्। गूढोद्गतान्न नस्तत्र हुताशः संप्रधक्ष्यति
Today itself, let us make a well-concealed underground tunnel; there, when we emerge in secret, the fire will not consume us.
द्रवतोऽत्र यथा चास्मान्न बुध्येत पुरोचनः। पौरो वापि जनः कश्चित्तथा कार्यमतन्द्रितैः
Let us act diligently so that, as we flee, neither Purocana nor any townsman here will notice us.
विदुरस्य सुहृत्कश्चित्खनकः कुशलः क्वचित्। विविक्ते पाण्डवान्राजन्निदं वचनमब्रवीत्
O King, at some secluded place, a certain skilled miner, a friend of Vidura, spoke these words to the Pandavas.
प्रहितो विदुरेणास्मि खनकः कुशलो ह्यहम्। पाण्डवानां प्रियं कार्यमिति किं करवाणि वः
I have been sent by Vidura; I am indeed a skilled miner. I am to do what is dear to the Pandavas—what shall I do for you?
प्रच्छन्नं विदुरेणोक्तं प्रियं यन्म्लेच्छभाषया। त्वया च तत्तथेत्युक्तमेतद्विश्वासकारणम्
What Vidura said in secret, in the language of the mlecchas, and what you affirmed as true—this is the reason for my trust.
कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दश्यां रात्रावस्यां पुरोचनः। भवनस्य तव द्वारि प्रदास्यति हुताशनम्
On the fourteenth night of the dark fortnight, Purocana will set fire at the door of your house.
मात्रा सह प्रदग्धव्याः पाण्डवाः पुरुषर्षभाः। इति व्यवसितं तस्य धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्मतेः
The Pandavas, together with their mother, are to be burned—so has the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra resolved.
उवाच तं सत्यधृतिः कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। अभिजानामि सौम्य त्वां सुहृदं विदुरस्य वै
Satyadhriti, Yudhishthira the son of Kunti, spoke to him: 'Gentle one, I recognize you as Vidura’s friend.'
शुचिमाप्तं प्रियं चैव सदा च दृढभक्तिकम्। न विद्यते कवेः किंचिदविज्ञातं प्रयोजनम्
You are pure, trustworthy, dear, and ever steadfast in devotion; nothing of the poet’s purpose is unknown to you.
यथा तस्य तथा नस्त्वं निर्विशेषा वयं त्वयि। भवतश्च यथा तस्य पालयास्मान्यथा कविः
As he is to you, so are we—without distinction; as he cares for you, so protect us as the poet does.
इदं शरणमाग्नेयं मदर्थमिति मे मतिः। पुरोचनेन विहितं धार्तराष्ट्रस्य शासनात्
It is my belief that this fire-trap has been set for me by Purocana, on the command of Dhritarashtra’s son.
स पापः कोशवांश्चैव ससहायश्च दुर्मतिः। अस्मानपि च पापात्मा नित्यकालं प्रबाधते
That wicked one, with wealth and accomplices, ever harasses us; that evil-hearted man torments us constantly.
स भवान्भोक्षयत्वस्मान्यत्नेनास्माद्धुताशनात्। अस्मास्विह हि दग्धेषु सकामः स्यात्सुयोधनः
Therefore, you must save us with effort from this fire; for if we are burned here, Suyodhana will have his desire.