Bhagavata Purana

तेषु राजाम्बिकापुत्रो भ्रातृपुत्रेषु दीनधीः । समो न वर्तते नूनं दुष्पुत्रवशगोऽन्धदृक्

Among them, the king, son of Ambikā, is not impartial toward his brother's sons; surely, under the sway of his wicked son, his vision is clouded.

गच्छ जानीहि तद्‌वृत्तं अधुना साध्वसाधु वा । विज्ञाय तद् विधास्यामो यथा शं सुहृदां भवेत्

Go and learn their present condition, whether good or bad; having understood, we will act so that the welfare of our friends may be secured.

इत्यक्रूरं समादिश्य भगवान् हरिरीश्वरः । सङ्‌कर्षणोद्धवाभ्यां वै ततः स्वभवनं ययौ

Thus instructing Akrura, the Lord Hari, the Supreme Controller, departed to his own residence together with Sankarṣaṇa and Uddhava.

इति श्रीमद्‍भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां दशमस्कन्धे पूर्वार्धे अष्टचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the forty-eighth chapter of the first half of the Tenth Book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture for the paramahaṃsas.

अक्रूरस्य हस्तिनापुरे गमनं; कुन्त्याः करुणोद्‌गारः; अक्रूरधृतराष्ट संवादः; अक्रूरस्य पुनर्यदुपूर्यामागमनंच - श्रीशुक उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) स गत्वा हास्तिनपुरं पौरवेन्द्रयशोऽङ्‌कितम् । ददर्श तत्राम्बिकेयं सभीष्मं विदुरं पृथाम्

Śuka said: Having gone to Hastināpura, famed among the kings of the Paurava line, Akrura saw there the son of Ambikā, along with Bhīṣma, Vidura, and Pṛthā.

सहपुत्रं च बाह्लीकं भारद्वाजं सगौतमम् । कर्णं सुयोधनं द्रौणिं पाण्डवान्सुहृदोऽपरान्

He also saw Bāhlīka with his son, Bhāradvāja with Gautama, Karṇa, Suyodhana, Aśvatthāmā, the Pāṇḍavas, and other friends.

यथावद् उपसङ्‌गम्य बन्धुभिर्गान्दिनीसुतः । सम्पृष्टस्तैः सुहृद्वार्तां स्वयं चापृच्छदव्ययम्

The son of Gāndinī approached each relative as appropriate, was asked by them about the well-being of friends, and in turn inquired about their welfare.

उवास कतिचिन्मासान् राज्ञो वृत्तविवित्सया । दुष्प्रजस्याल्पसारस्य खलच्छन्दानुवर्तिनः

He stayed there for a few months, wishing to learn the conduct of the king, who was ill-advised, lacking substance, and following the wishes of the wicked.

तेज ओजो बलं वीर्यं प्रश्रयादींश्च सद्‍गुणान् । प्रजानुरागं पार्थेषु न सहद्‌भिश्चिकीर्षितम्

He observed that the king did not wish to see the brilliance, strength, valor, humility, and other virtues, nor the people's affection for the sons of Pṛthā.

कृतं च धार्तराष्ट्रैर्यद् गरदानाद्यपेशलम् । आचख्यौ सर्वमेवास्मै पृथा विदुर एव च

All the wrongs done by the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, including the poisoning and other misdeeds, were related to him in full by Pṛthā and also by Vidura.

पृथा तु भ्रातरं प्राप्तं अक्रूरमुपसृत्य तम् । उवाच जन्मनिलयं स्मरन्त्यश्रुकलेक्षणा

Pṛthā, seeing her brother Akrura arrived, approached him, her eyes filled with tears as she remembered her birthplace, and spoke to him.

अपि स्मरन्ति नः सौम्य पितरौ भ्रातरश्च मे । भगिन्यौ भ्रातृपुत्राश्च जामयः सख्य एव च

O gentle one, do my parents, brothers, sisters, nephews, sisters-in-law, and friends still remember us?

भ्रात्रेयो भगवान् कृष्णः शरण्यो भक्तवत्सलः । पैतृष्वसेयान् स्मरति रामश्चाम्बुरुहेक्षणः

The illustrious Krishna, my cousin, who is the refuge and beloved of His devotees, and Rama, the lotus-eyed, remember their maternal aunt’s children.

सपत्‍नमध्ये शोचन्तीं वृकानां हरिणीमिव । सान्त्वयिष्यति मां वाक्यैः पितृहीनांश्च बालकान्

In the midst of my co-wives, grieving like a doe among wolves, He will console me with words, and also comfort my children who are bereft of their father.

कृष्ण कृष्ण महायोगिन् विश्वात्मन् विश्वभावन । प्रपन्नां पाहि गोविन्द शिशुभिश्चावसीदतीम्

Krishna, Krishna, great yogi, soul of the universe, creator of the world, protect me, O Govinda, who have taken refuge in You and am sinking together with my children.

नान्यत्तव पदाम्भोजात् पश्यामि शरणं नृणाम् । बिभ्यतां मृत्युसंसाराद् ईस्वरस्यापवर्गिकात्

I see no other refuge for people than Your lotus feet, O Lord, who delivers from the fearful ocean of birth and death.

नमः कृष्णाय शुद्धाय ब्रह्मणे परमात्मने । योगेश्वराय योगाय त्वामहं शरणं गता

Salutations to Krishna, the pure, the Supreme Spirit, the Supreme Soul, the Lord of yoga and embodiment of yoga; I have sought refuge in You.

श्रीशुक उवाच - इत्यनुस्मृत्य स्वजनं कृष्णं च जगदीश्वरम् । प्रारुदद् दुखिता राजन् भवतां प्रपितामही

Śuka said: Thus, remembering her relatives and Krishna, the Lord of the universe, your great-grandmother, O King, began to pray, afflicted with sorrow.

समदुःखसुखोऽक्रूरो विदुरश्च महायशाः । सान्त्वयामासतुः कुन्तीं तत्पुत्रोत्पत्तिहेतुभिः

The noble Vidura, who was impartial in happiness and distress, and the renowned Akrura, comforted Kunti with reasons related to the birth of her sons.

यास्यन् राजानमभ्येत्य विषमं पुत्रलालसम् । अवदत्सुहृदां मध्ये बन्धुभिः सौहृदोदितम्

As the king was about to depart, he approached the ruler, who was partial to his own sons, and spoke among friends and relatives, prompted by goodwill.

अक्रूर उवाच - भो भो वैचित्रवीर्य त्वं कुरूणां कीर्तिवर्धन । भ्रातर्युपरते पाण्डौ अधुनाऽऽसनमास्थितः

Akrura said: O descendant of Vicitravīrya, you who increase the fame of the Kurus, now that your brother Pāṇḍu has departed, you have assumed the throne.

धर्मेण पालयन् उर्वीं प्रजाः शीलेन रञ्जयन् । वर्तमानः समः स्वेषु श्रेयः कीर्तिमवाप्स्यसि

By ruling the earth righteously, pleasing the people with virtue, and remaining impartial to your own, you will attain prosperity and fame.

अन्यथा त्वाचरँल्लोके गर्हितो यास्यसे तमः । तस्मात्समत्वे वर्तस्व पाण्डवेष्वात्मजेषु च

Otherwise, if you act differently in this world, you will be condemned and fall into darkness; therefore, remain impartial toward the Pāṇḍavas and your own sons.

नेह चात्यन्तसंवासः कस्यचित् केनचित् सह । राजन् स्वेनापि देहेन किमु जायात्मजादिभिः

In this world, O King, no one has perpetual association with anyone—not even with one's own body, what to speak of wife, sons, and others.

एकः प्रसूयते जन्तुः एक एव प्रलीयते । एकोऽनुभुङ्‌क्ते सुकृतं एक एव च दुष्कृतम्

A being is born alone and dies alone; alone one enjoys the results of good deeds, and alone also the results of evil.

अधर्मोपचितं वित्तं हरन्त्यन्येऽल्पमेधसः । सम्भोजनीयापदेशैः जलानीव जलौकसः

Wealth acquired unrighteously is seized by others of little intelligence, just as leeches take water under the pretext of friendship.

पुष्णाति यानधर्मेण स्वबुद्ध्या तमपण्डितम् । तेऽकृतार्थं प्रहिण्वन्ति प्राणा रायः सुतादयः

He who, lacking wisdom, supports others unrighteously by his own judgment, finds that his life, wealth, sons, and others abandon him unfulfilled.

स्वयं किल्बिषमादाय तैस्त्यक्तो नार्थकोविदः । असिद्धार्थो विशत्यन्धं स्वधर्मविमुखस्तमः

Having taken on sin himself, abandoned by those for whom he was not wise in wealth, he, failing in his purpose, enters blind darkness, turning away from his own duty.

तस्माल्लोकमिमं राजन् स्वप्नमायामनोरथम् । वीक्ष्यायम्यात्मनात्मानं समः शान्तो भव प्रभो

Therefore, O King, seeing this world as a dream, illusion, and fantasy, know yourself by yourself, and be equal-minded and peaceful, O master.