महाभारतम् — १२.१४

वैशंपायन उवाच ।

अव्याहरति कौन्तेये धर्मराजे युधिष्ठिरे ।
भ्रातॄणां ब्रुवतां तांस्तान्विविधान्वेदनिश्चयान् ॥

M N Dutt Vaishampayana said When after listening to his brothers who were telling these truths of the Vedas, Kunti's son king Yudhishthira just remained silent.

१२.१४.२

महाभिजनसंपन्ना श्रीमत्यायतलोचना ।
अभ्यभाषत राजेन्द्रं द्रौपदी योषितां वरा ॥

M N Dutt That foremost of nobly born women, viz., Draupadi, of large eyes and great beauty, O king, said these words unto that foremost of kings seated in the midst of his brothers who were like many lions and tigers, and like the leader of an elephantine herd in the midst of a herd of elephants.

१२.१४.३

आसीनमृषभं राज्ञां भ्रातृभिः परिवारितम् ।
सिंहशार्दूलसदृशैर्वारणैरिव यूथपम् ॥

M N Dutt That foremost of nobly born women, viz., Draupadi, of large eyes and great beauty, O king, said these words unto that foremost of kings seated in the midst of his brothers who were like many lions and tigers, and like the leader of an elephantine herd in the midst of a herd of elephants.

१२.१४.४

अभिमानवती नित्यं विशेषेण युधिष्ठिरे ।
लालिता सततं राज्ञा धर्मज्ञा धर्मदर्शिनी ॥

M N Dutt Always expecting respectful love from all her husbands but especially from Yudhishthira, she was always treated with love and indulgence by the king. Conversant with duties and always satisfying them, that lady of large hips, eyeing her husband, drew his attention in soothing and sweet words, and said as follows:

१२.१४.५

आमन्त्र्य विपुलश्रोणी साम्ना परमवल्गुना ।
भर्तारमभिसंप्रेक्ष्य ततो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

M N Dutt Always expecting respectful love from all her husbands but especially from Yudhishthira, she was always treated with love and indulgence by the king. Conversant with duties and always satisfying them, that lady of large hips, eyeing her husband, drew his attention in soothing and sweet words, and said as follows:

१२.१४.६

इमे ते भ्रातरः पार्थ शुष्यन्त स्तोकका इव ।
वावाश्यमानास्तिष्ठन्ति न चैनानभिनन्दसे ॥

M N Dutt These your brothers, O Partha, are crying and drying their tongues like Chatakas, but you do not please them.

१२.१४.७

नन्दयैतान्महाराज मत्तानिव महाद्विपान् ।
उपपन्नेन वाक्येन सततं दुःखभागिनः ॥

M N Dutt O king, cheer up these your brothers, who are like infuriate elephants (in prowess) with proper words,-these heroes who have always suffered miseries!

१२.१४.८

कथं द्वैतवने राजन्पूर्वमुक्त्वा तथा वचः ।
भ्रातॄनेतान्स्म सहिताञ्शीतवातातपार्दितान् ॥

M N Dutt Why, O king, while living on the bank of the Dvaita lake, did you say to these your brothers then living with you, and suffering from cold and wind and sun, these words, viz.,-engaging in battle to win victory, we will kill Duryodhana and enjoy the Earth that is capable of granting every desire.

१२.१४.९

वयं दुर्योधनं हत्वा मृधे भोक्ष्याम मेदिनीम् ।
संपूर्णां सर्वकामानामाहवे विजयैषिणः ॥

M N Dutt Why, O king, while living on the bank of the Dvaita lake, did you say to these your brothers then living with you, and suffering from cold and wind and sun, these words, viz.,-engaging in battle to win victory, we will kill Duryodhana and enjoy the Earth that is capable of granting every desire.

१२.१४.१०

विरथांश्च रथान्कृत्वा निहत्य च महागजान् ।
संस्तीर्य च रथैर्भूमिं ससादिभिररिंदमाः ॥

M N Dutt Depriving great car-warriors of their cars and killing huge elephants, and covering the battle-field with the bodies of car-warriors and horsemen and horses, O chastiser of foes, you will celebrate great sacrifices of various kinds with profuse presents! All these sufferings of a life of exile in the forest will then end in happiness!

१२.१४.११

यजतां विविधैर्यज्ञैः समृद्धैराप्तदक्षिणैः ।
वनवासकृतं दुःखं भविष्यति सुखाय नः ॥

M N Dutt Depriving great car-warriors of their cars and killing huge elephants, and covering the battle-field with the bodies of car-warriors and horsemen and horses, O chastiser of foes, you will celebrate great sacrifices of various kinds with profuse presents! All these sufferings of a life of exile in the forest will then end in happiness!

१२.१४.१२

इत्येतानेवमुक्त्वा त्वं स्वयं धर्मभृतां वर ।
कथमद्य पुनर्वीर विनिहंसि मनांस्युत ॥

M N Dutt O foremost of the virtuous, having yourself said these words to your brothers then, why, O hero, do you depress our hearts now?

१२.१४.१३

न क्लीबो वसुधां भुङ्क्ते न क्लीबो धनमश्नुते ।
न क्लीबस्य गृहे पुत्रा मत्स्याः पङ्क इवासते ॥

M N Dutt A eunuch can never enjoy wealth. A eunuch can never have children, as there can be no fish in a mud (destitute of water).

१२.१४.१४

नादण्डः क्षत्रियो भाति नादण्डो भूतिमश्नुते ।
नादण्डस्य प्रजा राज्ञः सुखमेधन्ति भारत ॥

M N Dutt A Kshatriya without the rod of chastisement never prosper. Without the rod of chastisement a Kshatriya can never enjoy the Earth. The subjects of a king who has no rod of chastisement can never enjoy happiness!

१२.१४.१५

मित्रता सर्वभूतेषु दानमध्ययनं तपः ।
ब्राह्मणस्यैष धर्मः स्यान्न राज्ञो राजसत्तम ॥

M N Dutt Love for all creatures, charity, study of the Vedas, penances, are are the duties of a Brahniana and not of a king, O best of kings!

१२.१४.१६

असतां प्रतिषेधश्च सतां च परिपालनम् ।
एष राज्ञां परो धर्मः समरे चापलायनम् ॥

M N Dutt Suppressing the wicked, maintaining the honest, and never retreating from battle are the highest duties of kings! can

१२.१४.१७

यस्मिन्क्षमा च क्रोधश्च दानादाने भयाभये ।
निग्रहानुग्रहौ चोभौ स वै धर्मविदुच्यते ॥

M N Dutt He is the master of duties in whom reside forgiveness and anger, giving and taking, terror and fearlessness, and chastisement and reward!

१२.१४.१८

न श्रुतेन न दानेन न सान्त्वेन न चेज्यया ।
त्वयेयं पृथिवी लब्धा नोत्कोचेन तथाप्युत ॥

M N Dutt It was not by study, or gift, or mendicancy, that you have acquired the Earth?

१२.१४.१९

यत्तद्बलममित्राणां तथा वीरसमुद्यतम् ।
हस्त्यश्वरथसंपन्नं त्रिभिरङ्गैर्महत्तरम् ॥

१२.१४.२०

रक्षितं द्रोणकर्णाभ्यामश्वत्थाम्ना कृपेण च ।
तत्त्वया निहतं वीर तस्माद्भुङ्क्ष्व वसुंधराम् ॥

M N Dutt That army of the enemy, O hero, ready to attack you with all its might, consisting of elephants and horses and cars, protected by Drona and Karna and Ashvatthaman and Kripa, has been defeated and killed by you, O hero. It is for this that I request you to enjoy the Earth.

१२.१४.२१

जम्बूद्वीपो महाराज नानाजनपदायुतः ।
त्वया पुरुषशार्दूल दण्डेन मृदितः प्रभो ॥

M N Dutt (Formerly), O powerful one, you had, O king, governed with might, the region called Jaimbu, O foremost of men, abounding with populous districts!

१२.१४.२२

जम्बूद्वीपेन सदृशः क्रौञ्चद्वीपो नराधिप ।
अपरेण महामेरोर्दण्डेन मृदितस्त्वया ॥

M N Dutt You had also, O king, governed with might, that other region called Kraunchadvipa situated on the west of the great Meru and equal to Jambudvipa itself!

१२.१४.२३

क्रौञ्चद्वीपेन सदृशः शाकद्वीपो नराधिप ।
पूर्वेण तु महामेरोर्दण्डेन मृदितस्त्वया ॥

M N Dutt You had also, O king, governed with might, that other region called Kraunchadvipa situated on the west of the great Meru and equal to Jambudvipa itself!

१२.१४.२४

उत्तरेण महामेरोः शाकद्वीपेन संमितः ।
भद्राश्वः पुरुषव्याघ्र दण्डेन मृदितस्त्वया ॥

M N Dutt The region called Bhadrashva, on the north of the great Meru and equal to Shakadvipa was also governed by you, O foremost of Men!

१२.१४.२५

द्वीपाश्च सान्तरद्वीपा नानाजनपदालयाः ।
विगाह्य सागरं वीर दण्डेन मृदितास्त्वया ॥

M N Dutt You had even entered the ocean and governed with inight other regions, too, O hero, and the very islands encircled by the sea and containing many populous districts.

१२.१४.२६

एतान्यप्रतिमानि त्वं कृत्वा कर्माणि भारत ।
न प्रीयसे महाराज पूज्यमानो द्विजातिभिः ॥

M N Dutt Having, O Bharata, made such wonderful conquests, and having obtained (through them) the worship of the Brahmanas, how is it that your mind is not satisfied.

१२.१४.२७

स त्वं भ्रातॄनिमान्दृष्ट्वा प्रतिनन्दस्व भारत ।
ऋषभानिव संमत्तान्गजेन्द्रानूर्जितानिव ॥

M N Dutt Seeing these brothers of your before you, O Bharata,these heroes endued with might and resembling bulls or infuriate clephants-why do you not speak to them sweet words.

१२.१४.२८

अमरप्रतिमाः सर्वे शत्रुसाहाः परंतपाः ।
एकोऽपि हि सुखायैषां क्षमः स्यादिति मे मतिः ॥

M N Dutt All of you are like celestials. All of you are capable of withstanding enemies. All of you are capable of scorching your enemies. If only one of you had become my husband. my happiness would even then have been very considerable.

१२.१४.२९

किं पुनः पुरुषव्याघ्राः पतयो मे नरर्षभाः ।
समस्तानीन्द्रियाणीव शरीरस्य विचेष्टने ॥

M N Dutt What need I say then, O foremost of men, when all of you, five in number, are my husbands (and take care of me) like the five senses working up the body.

१२.१४.३०

अनृतं माब्रवीच्छ्वश्रूः सर्वज्ञा सर्वदर्शिनी ।
युधिष्ठिरस्त्वां पाञ्चालि सुखे धास्यत्यनुत्तमे ॥

M N Dutt The words of my mother-in-law who is endued with great knowledge and foresight, cannot be untrue. She said,-O princess of Panchala, Yudhishthira will always keep you in happiness, O excellent lady.

१२.१४.३१

हत्वा राजसहस्राणि बहून्याशुपराक्रमः ।
तद्व्यर्थं संप्रपश्यामि मोहात्तव जनाधिप ॥

M N Dutt Having killed many thousands of powerful kings, I see, O monarch, that through your folly you are about to make such an attachment futile.

१२.१४.३२

येषामुन्मत्तको ज्येष्ठः सर्वे तस्योपचारिणः ।
तवोन्मादेन राजेन्द्र सोन्मादाः सर्वपाण्डवाः ॥

M N Dutt They whose eldest brother runs mad, have all to follow him like mad men. For your madness, O king, all the Pandavas, are about to become mad.

१२.१४.३३

यदि हि स्युरनुन्मत्ता भ्रातरस्ते जनाधिप ।
बद्ध्वा त्वां नास्तिकैः सार्धं प्रशासेयुर्वसुंधराम् ॥

M N Dutt If, O King, these your brothers had been sane, they would then have locked you up with all unbelievers (in a prison) and taken charge of the government of the Earth. The man who for feeble intellect acts thus never succeeds in winning prosperity.

१२.१४.३४

कुरुते मूढमेवं हि यः श्रेयो नाधिगच्छति ।
धूपैरञ्जनयोगैश्च नस्यकर्मभिरेव च ।
भेषजैः स चिकित्स्यः स्याद्य उन्मार्गेण गच्छति ॥

M N Dutt The man who behaves like a mad, man should be subjected to medical treatment by the aid of incense and collyrium, of drugs applied through the nose, and of other medicaments.

१२.१४.३५

साहं सर्वाधमा लोके स्त्रीणां भरतसत्तम ।
तथा विनिकृतामित्रैर्याहमिच्छामि जीवितुम् ॥

M N Dutt O best of the Bharatas, I am the worst of all females, since I wish to live on even though I am deprived of my children.

१२.१४.३६

एतेषां यतमानानामुत्पद्यन्ते तु संपदः ।
त्वं तु सर्वां महीं लब्ध्वा कुरुषे स्वयमापदम् ॥

M N Dutt You should not disregard the words spoken by me and by these brothers of yours who are trying thus to dissuade you. Indeed, abandoning the whole Earth, you are inviting adversity and danger to assail you.

१२.१४.३७

यथास्तां संमतौ राज्ञां पृथिव्यां राजसत्तमौ ।
मान्धाता चाम्बरीषश्च तथा राजन्विराजसे ॥

M N Dutt You appear in splendour now, O monarch, even as those two foremost of kings, viz., Mandhatri and Ambarisha, respected by all the kings, did in former days.

१२.१४.३८

प्रशाधि पृथिवीं देवीं प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन् ।
सपर्वतवनद्वीपां मा राजन्विमना भव ॥

M N Dutt Protecting your subjects righteously, rule over the goddess Earth with her mountains and forests and islands. Do not, O king, become disspirited.

१२.१४.३९

यजस्व विविधैर्यज्ञैर्जुह्वन्नग्नीन्प्रयच्छ च ।
पुराणि भोगान्वासांसि द्विजातिभ्यो नृपोत्तम ॥

M N Dutt Worship the gods with various sacrifices. Fight your foes! Present wealth, clothes and other objects of enjoyment to the Brahmanas, O foremost of kings!

Other texts to read

भट्टिकाव्यम् भट्टिः

नैषधीयचरितम् श्रीहर्षः

About

Resources

Connect