Bhagavata Purana

निशम्य भीमगदितं द्रौपद्याश्च चतुर्भुजः । आलोक्य वदनं सख्युः इदमाह हसन्निव

Hearing Bhīma's words and those of Draupadī, the four-armed Lord, looking at his friend's face, spoke these words with a gentle smile.

श्रीभगवानुवाच । ब्रह्मबंधुर्न हन्तव्य आततायी वधार्हणः । मयैवोभयमाम्नातं परिपाह्यनुशासनम्

The Blessed Lord said: A brāhmaṇa, even if an aggressor, should not be killed; yet an aggressor deserves death. I have taught both sides—uphold my instruction.

कुरु प्रतिश्रुतं सत्यं यत्तत् सांत्वयता प्रियाम् । प्रियं च भीमसेनस्य पाञ्चाल्या मह्यमेव च

Fulfill the promise you made to Kuru, which you gave to comfort your beloved; and what is dear to Bhīmasena, to Draupadī, and to me as well.

सूत उवाच । अर्जुनः सहसाऽऽज्ञाय हरेर्हार्दमथासिना । मणिं जहार मूर्धन्यं द्विजस्य सहमूर्धजम्

Sūta said: Arjuna, suddenly understanding the intention of Hari, with his sword cut off the jewel along with the hair from the head of the twice-born one.

विमुच्य रशनाबद्धं बालहत्याहतप्रभम् । तेजसा मणिना हीनं शिबिरान् निरयापयत्

Releasing him, bound with a girdle and his brilliance dimmed by the sin of killing a child, deprived of the jewel's radiance, he led him out from the camp.

वपनं द्रविणादानं स्थानान् निर्यापणं तथा । एष हि ब्रह्मबंधूनां वधो नान्योऽस्ति दैहिकः

Shaving the head, taking away wealth, and expelling from one's place—this is the bodily punishment for those who are brahmin in name only; there is no other.

पुत्रशोकातुराः सर्वे पाण्डवाः सह कृष्णया । स्वानां मृतानां यत्कृत्यं चक्रुर्निर्हरणादिकम्

All the Pāṇḍavas, afflicted with grief for their son, together with Kṛṣṇā, performed the necessary rites for their dead, such as carrying out the bodies.

अथ सप्तमोऽध्यायः । श्रीभगवानुवाच। यदात्थ मां महाभाग तच्चिकीर्षितमेव मे। ब्रह्मा भवो लोकपालाः स्वर्वासं मेऽभिकाङ्क्षिणः

Then, the seventh chapter. Śrī Bhagavān said: What you have asked of me, O greatly fortunate one, is exactly what I wish to do. Brahmā, Śiva, the guardians of the worlds, all desire to dwell in my realm.

प्रजाः पुपुषतुः प्रीतौ दम्पती पुत्रवत्सलौ। शृण्वन्तौ कूजितं तासां निर्वृतौ कलभाषितैः

The people flourished in happiness, as the loving couple cared for their children, listening with delight to their cooing and babbling speech.

तासां पतत्रैः सुस्पर्शैः कूजितैर्मुग्धचेष्टितैः। प्रत्युद्गमैरदीनानां पितरौ मुदमापतुः

By the gentle touch of their wings, their cooing, and their charming gestures, as the little ones approached, their parents, who were without sorrow, felt joy.

स्नेहानुबद्धहृदयावन्योन्यं विष्णुमायया। विमोहितौ दीनधियौ शिशून्पुपुषतुः प्रजाः

Their hearts bound by affection, deluded by Viṣṇu's māyā, the two, with troubled minds, nurtured their children and the people.

एकदा जग्मतुस्तासामन्नार्थं तौ कुटुम्बिनौ। परितः कानने तस्मिन्नर्थिनौ चेरतुश्चिरम्

Once, those two householders went out for the sake of their young ones; in that forest, seeking food, they wandered for a long time.

दृष्ट्वा तान्लुब्धकः कश्चिद्यदृच्छातो वनेचरः। जगृहे जालमातत्य चरतः स्वालयान्तिके

Seeing them, a certain hunter, roaming the forest by chance, spread his net and captured the young ones as they moved near their nest.

कपोतश्च कपोती च प्रजापोषे सदोत्सुकौ। गतौ पोषणमादाय स्वनीडमुपजग्मतुः

The male and female pigeons, always eager to nourish their offspring, having obtained food, returned to their own nest.

कपोती स्वात्मजान्वीक्ष्य बालकान्जालसंवृतान्। तानभ्यधावत्क्रोशन्ती क्रोशतो भृशदुःखिता

The female pigeon, seeing her own children trapped in the net, rushed toward them, crying out, greatly distressed as they cried.

सासकृत्स्नेहगुणिता! दीनचित्ताजमायया। स्वयं चाबध्यत शिचा बद्धान्पश्यन्त्यपस्मृतिः

She, filled with affection and a sorrowful heart, bewildered by illusion, herself became ensnared in the net, seeing her young ones bound, losing awareness.

कपोतः स्वात्मजान्बद्धानात्मनोऽप्यधिकान्प्रियान्। भार्यां चात्मसमां दीनो विललापातिदुःखितः

The male pigeon, seeing his beloved children bound—dearer to him than life—and his wife, equal to himself, lamented in great sorrow.

अहो मे पश्यतापायमल्पपुण्यस्य दुर्मतेः। अतृप्तस्याकृतार्थस्य गृहस्त्रैवर्गिको हतः

Alas, see my misery—of little merit and foolish mind! Unsatisfied, unfulfilled, my householder's pursuit of the three aims of life is ruined.

अनुरूपानुकूला च यस्य मे पतिदेवता। शून्ये गृहे मां सन्त्यज्य पुत्रैः स्वर्याति साधुभिः

She who was my devoted and agreeable wife, my goddess, has left me in this empty house, going to heaven with our sons, the virtuous ones.

सोऽहं शून्ये गृहे दीनो मृतदारो मृतप्रजः। जिजीविषे किमर्थं वा विधुरो दुःखजीवितः

So I, left in this empty house, bereft of wife and children, miserable, why should I wish to live, afflicted by a life of sorrow?

तांस्तथैवावृतान् शिग्भिर्मृत्युग्रस्तान्विचेष्टतः। स्वयं च कृपणः शिक्षु पश्यन्नप्यबुधोऽपतत्

Surrounded in this way by his own offspring, seized by the grip of death and writhing helplessly, the pitiable bird, though seeing the arrows, fell down in ignorance.

तं लब्ध्वा लुब्धकः क्रूरः कपोतं गृहमेधिनम्। कपोतकान्कपोतीं च सिद्धार्थः प्रययौ गृहम्

Having captured him, the cruel hunter, satisfied in his aim, took the pigeon, his mate, and their young—householders all—back to his home.

एवं कुटुम्ब्यशान्तात्मा द्वन्द्वारामः पतत्रिवत्। पुष्णन्कुटुम्बं कृपणः सानुबन्धोऽवसीदति

Thus, a householder whose mind is not at peace, who delights in dualities like a bird, and who maintains his family with attachment, sinks down, bound by his connections.

यः प्राप्य मानुषं लोकं मुक्तिद्वारमपावृतम्। गृहेषु खगवत्सक्तस्तमारूढच्युतं विदुः

He who, having attained the human world where the door to liberation stands open, remains attached to household life like a bird—they know him as one who, having climbed up, has fallen down.

सूत उवाच । (अनुष्टुप्) अथ ते सम्परेतानां स्वानामुदकमिच्छताम् । दातुं सकृष्णा गङ्गायां पुरस्कृत्य ययुः स्त्रियः

Sūta said: Then, desiring to offer water for their departed relatives, the women, led by Kṛṣṇā, went to the Gaṅgā.

ते निनीयोदकं सर्वे विलप्य च भृशं पुनः । आप्लुता हरिपादाब्जः अजःपूतसरिज्जले

Having offered water and lamented intensely again, they bathed in the river sanctified by the lotus feet of Hari and by Brahmā, the unborn.

तत्रासीनं कुरुपतिं धृतराष्ट्रं सहानुजम् । गान्धारीं पुत्रशोकार्तां पृथां कृष्णां च माधवः

There, Madhava saw the king of the Kurus, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, seated with his younger brother, along with Gāndhārī, stricken with grief for her sons, Pṛthā, and Kṛṣṇā.

सांत्वयामास मुनिभिः हतबंधून् शुचार्पितान् । भूतेषु कालस्य गतिं दर्शयन् अप्रतिक्रियाम्

He, along with the sages, consoled those who had lost their relatives and were overwhelmed with sorrow, showing them the inevitable course of time among all beings, which cannot be countered.

साधयित्वाजातशत्रोः स्वं राज्यं कितवैर्हृतम् । घातयित्वासतो राज्ञः कचस्पर्शक्षतायुषः

Having restored to Ajātaśatru his own kingdom, which had been taken by gamblers, and having slain the unrighteous kings whose lives were stained by the touch of Kaca, he accomplished his purpose.