नावेक्षन्ते ह तं धर्मं धर्मात्मानोऽप्यहो विधेः। श्रुतवन्तोऽपि विद्वांसो धनवद्वशगा अहो
They do not uphold dharma, even those devoted to righteousness—alas for fate! Though learned and wise, they are under the sway of wealth.
साधूननाथान्धर्मिष्ठात्सत्यव्रतपरायणान्। नावेक्षन्ते महान्तोऽपि दैवं तेषां परायणम्
Even the great ones do not protect the virtuous, the righteous, those devoted to truth; for fate is their only refuge.
ते वयं धृतराष्ट्राय प्रेषयामो दुरात्मने। संवृत्तस्ते परः कामः पाण्डवान्दग्धवानसि
"Let us send word to Dhritarashtra, that evil-minded man: your desire is fulfilled, for the Pandavas have been burned."
ततो व्यपोहमानास्ते पाण्डवार्थे हुताशनम्। निषादीं ददृशुर्दग्धां पञ्चपुत्रामनागसम्
Then, while clearing away the fire for the sake of the Pandavas, they saw a Nishada woman burned, along with her five innocent sons.
इतः पश्यत कुन्तीयं दग्धा शेते तपस्विनी। पुत्रैः सहैव वार्ष्णेयी हन्तेत्याहुः स्म नागराः
"Look here, Kunti lies burned, the devoted one, together with her sons, the Vrishni lady—alas!" so spoke the townspeople.
खनकेन तु तेनैव वेश्म शोधयता बिलम्। पांसुभिः पिहितं तच्च पुरुषैस्तैर्न लक्षितम्
But the tunnel dug by that same digger, concealed with earth, was not noticed by those men as they searched the house.
ततस्ते प्रेषयामासुर्धृतराष्ट्राय नागराः। पाण्डवानग्निना दग्धानमात्यं च पुरोचनम्
Then the townspeople sent word to Dhritarashtra that the Pandavas had been burned in the fire, along with the minister Purochana.
श्रुत्वा तु धृतराष्ट्रस्तद्राजा सुमहदप्रियम्। विनाशं पाण्डुपुत्राणां विललाप सुदुःखितः
When King Dhritarashtra heard this terrible and grievous news of the destruction of the sons of Pandu, he lamented in deep sorrow.
अन्तर्हृष्टमनाश्चासौ बहिर्दुःखसमन्वितः। अन्तःशीतो बहिश्चोष्णो ग्रीष्मेऽगाधह्वदोयथा
Though his heart was secretly pleased, outwardly he was filled with grief; cold within, hot without, like a deep pond in summer.
अद्य पाण्डुर्मृतो राजा मम भ्राता महायशाः। तेषु वीरेषु दग्धेषु मात्रा सह विशेषतः
Today, Pandu is dead—my illustrious brother; and now these heroes have been burned, especially together with their mother.
गच्छन्तु पुरुषाः शीघ्रं नगरं वारणावतम्। सत्कारयन्तु तान्वीरान्कुन्तीं राजसुतां च ताम्
Let men go quickly to the city of Varanavata; let them honor those heroes and Kunti, the royal daughter.
ये च तत्र मृतास्तेषां सुहृदः सन्ति तानपि। कारयन्तु च कुल्यानि शुभ्राणि च बृहन्ति च
And for those who died there, if they have friends, let them also perform the proper and splendid funeral rites.
मम दग्धा महात्मानः कुलवंशविवर्धनाः
My great-souled kin, the enhancers of our lineage, have been burned.
एवं गते मया शक्यं यद्यत्कारयितुं हितम्। पाण्डवानां च कुन्त्याश्च तत्सर्वं क्रियतां धनैः
Now that this has happened, let whatever can be done for the good of the Pandavas and Kunti be done in every way, with wealth.
समेताश्च ततः सर्वे भीष्मेण सह कौरवाः। धृतराष्ट्रः सपुत्रश्च गङ्गामभिमुखा ययुः
Then all the Kauravas gathered together with Bhishma; Dhritarashtra and his sons went toward the Ganga.
एकवस्त्रा निरानन्दा निराभरणवेष्टनः। उदकं कर्तुकामा वै पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्
Clad in a single garment, joyless, without ornaments or adornment, they went to perform the water-rite for the great-souled Pandavas.
एवं गत्वा ततश्चक्रे ज्ञातिभिः परिवारितः। उदकं पाण्डुपुत्राणां धृतराष्ट्रोऽम्बिकासुतः
Having gone there, surrounded by his kinsmen, Dhritarashtra, son of Ambika, performed the water-rite for the sons of Pandu.
रुरुदुः सहिताः सर्वे भृशं शोकपरायणाः। हा युधिष्ठिर कौरव्य हा भीम इति चापरे
All together, overwhelmed by grief, they wept bitterly, some crying, 'Alas, Yudhishthira, son of Kuru! Alas, Bhima!'
हा फल्गुनेति चाप्यन्ये हा यमाविति चापरे। कुन्तीमार्ताश्च शोचन्त उदकं चक्रिरे जनाः
Others cried, 'Alas, Phalguna!' and still others, 'Alas, the twins!' The people, grieving for Kunti, performed the water-rite.
अन्ये पौरजनाश्चैवमन्वशोचन्त पाण्डवान्। विदुरस्त्वल्पशश्चक्रे शोकं वेद परं हि सः
Other townspeople also mourned the Pandavas in this way; but Vidura grieved only a little, for he knew the truth.
विदुरो धृतराष्ट्रस्य जानन्सर्वं मनोगतम्। तेनायं विधिना सृष्टः कुटिलः कपटाशयः
Vidura, knowing all that was in Dhritarashtra’s mind, understood that this crooked and deceitful scheme had been devised by him.
इत्येवं चिन्तयन्राजन्विदुरो विदुषां वरः। लोकानां दर्शयन्दुःखं दुःखितैः सह बान्धवैः
Thus reflecting, O King, Vidura, foremost among the wise, showed sorrow to the world, grieving with the afflicted relatives.
मनसाऽचिन्तयत्पार्थान्कियद्दूरं गता इति। सहिताः पाण्डवाः पुत्रा इति चिन्तापरोऽभवत्
In his mind he wondered how far the sons of Pritha had gone; he was absorbed in the thought that the Pandavas were alive together.
ततः प्रव्यथितो भीष्मः पाण्डुराजसुतान्मृतान्। सह मात्रेति तच्छ्रुत्वा विललाप रुरोद च
Then Bhishma, deeply distressed upon hearing that the sons of King Pandu had died with their mother, lamented and wept.
हा युधिष्ठिर हा भीम हा धनञ्जय हा यमौ। हा पृथे सह पुत्रैस्त्वमेकरात्रेण स्वर्गता
Alas, Yudhishthira! Alas, Bhima! Alas, Dhananjaya! Alas, the twins! Alas, Pritha, you have gone to heaven with your sons in a single night.
मात्रा सह कुमारास्ते सर्वे तत्रैव संस्थिताः। न हि तौ नोत्सहेयातां भीमसेनधनञ्जयौ
There, together with their mother, all the princes remain; for Bhimasena and Dhananjaya could not have been overcome.
तरसा वेगितात्मानौ निर्भेत्तुमपि मन्दरम्। परासुत्वं न पश्यामि पृथायाः सह पाण्डवैः
Those two, swift and powerful in spirit, could shatter even Mandara mountain; I do not see defeat for Pritha together with the Pandavas.
सर्वथा विकृतं तत्तु यदि ते निधनं गताः। धर्मराजः स निर्दिष्टो ननु विप्रैर्युधिष्ठिरः
In every way, this is unnatural if they have met their end; was not Yudhishthira declared by the Brahmins to be the king of righteousness?
पृथिव्यां च रथिश्रेष्ठो भविता स धनञ्जयः। सत्यव्रतो धर्मदत्तः सत्यवाक्छुभलक्षणः
And on earth, Dhananjaya was to be the foremost among chariot-warriors, a speaker of truth, devoted to righteousness, and marked by auspicious signs.
कथं कालवशं प्राप्तः पाण्डवेयो युधिष्ठिरः। आत्मानमुपमां कृत्वा परेषां वर्तते तु यः
How has Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, come under the power of time—he who always treats others as he would himself be treated?