Mahabharata, Book 17, Section IIमहाप्रस्थानिकपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 17.2.

2Sanskrit adhyāya 17.2 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

वैशम्पायन उवाच।
ततस्ते नियतात्मान उदीचीं दिशमास्थिताः।
ददृशुर्योगयुक्ताश्च हिमवन्तं महागिरिम्।।
तं चाप्यतिक्रमन्तस्ते ददृशुर्वालुकार्णवम्।
अवैक्षन्त महाशैलं मेरुं शिखरिणां वरम्।।
तेषां तु गच्छतां शीघ्रं सर्वेषां योगधार्मिणाम्।
याज्ञसेनी भ्रष्टयोगा निपपात महीतले।।
तां तु प्रपतितां दृष्ट्वा भीमसेनो महाबलः।
उवाच धर्मराजानं याज्ञसेनीमवेक्ष्य ह।।
नाधर्मश्चरितः कश्चिद्राजपुत्र्या परंतप।
कारणं किंनु तद्ब्रूहि यत्कृष्णा पतिता भुवि।।
युधिष्ठिर उवाच।
पक्षपातो महानस्या विशेषेण धनंजये।
तस्यैतत्फलमद्यैषा भुङ्क्ते पुरुषसत्तम।।
वैशम्पायन उवाच।
एवमुक्त्वाऽनवेक्ष्यैनां ययौ भरतसत्तमः।
समाधाय मनो धीमान्धर्मात्मा पुरुषर्षभः।।
सहदेवस्ततो विद्वान्निपपात महीतले।
तं चापि पतितं दृष्ट्वा भीमो राजानमब्रवीत्।।
योऽयमस्मासु सर्वेषु शुश्रूषुरनहंकृतः।
सोयं माद्रवतीपुत्रः कस्मान्निपतितो भुवि।।
युधिष्ठिर उवाच।
आत्मनः सदृशं प्राज्ञं नैषोऽमन्यत कञ्चन।
तेन दोषेण पतितो विद्वानेष नृपात्मजः।।
वैशम्पायन उवाच।
इत्युक्त्वा तं समुत्सृज्य सहदेवं ययौ तदा।
भ्रातृभिः सह कौन्तेयः शुना चैव युधिष्ठिरः।।
कृष्णं निपतितां दृष्ट्वा सहदेवं च पाण्डवम्।
आर्तो बन्धुप्रियः शूरो नकुलो निपपात ह।।
तस्मिन्निपतिते वीरे नकुले चारुदर्शने।
पुनरेव तदा भीमो राजानमिदमब्रवीत्।।
योऽयमक्षतधर्मात्मा भ्राता वचनकारकः।
रूपेणाप्रतिमो लोके नकुलः पतितो भुवि।।
इत्युक्तो भीमसेनेन प्रत्युवाच युधिष्ठिरः।
नकुलं प्रति धर्मात्मा सर्वबुद्धिमतांवरः।।
रूपेणि मत्समो नास्ति कश्चिदित्यस्य दर्शनम्।
अधिकश्चाहमेवैक इत्यस्य मनसि स्थितम्।।
नकुलः पतितस्तस्मादागच्छ त्वं वृकोदर।
यस्य यद्विहितं वीर सोऽवश्यं तदुपाश्नुते।।
तांस्तु प्रपतितान्दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवः श्वेतवाहनः।
पपात शोकसंतप्तस्ततोनु परवीरहा।।
तस्मिंस्तु पुरुषव्याघ्रे पतिते शक्रतेजसि।
म्रियमाणे दुराधर्षे भीमो राजानमब्रवीत्।।
अनृतं न स्मराम्यस्य स्वैरेष्वपि महात्मनः।
अथ कस्य विकारोऽयं येनायं पतितो भुवि।।
युधिष्ठिर उवाच।
एकोहं निर्दहेयं वै शत्रूनित्यर्जुनोऽब्रवीत्।
न च तत्कृतवानेष शूरमानी ततोपतत्।।
अवमेने धनुर्ग्राहानेष सर्वांश्च फल्गुनः।
तथा चैतन्न तु तथा कर्तव्यं भूतिमिच्छता।।
वैशम्पायन उवाच।
इत्युक्त्वा प्रस्थितो राजा भीमोथ निपपात ह।
पतितश्चाब्रवीद्भीमो धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरम्।।
भोभो राजन्नवेक्षस्व पतितोहं प्रियस्तव।
किंनिमित्तं च पतनं ब्रूहि मे यदि वेत्थ ह।।
युधिष्ठिर उवाच।
अतिभुक्तं च भवता प्राणेन च विकत्थसे।
अनवेक्ष्य परं पार्थ तेनासि पतितः क्षितौ।।
इत्युक्त्वा तं महाबाहुर्जगामानवलोकयन्।
श्वाप्येकोनुययौ यस्ते बहुशः कीर्तितो मया।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते
महाप्रस्थानिकपर्वणि द्वितीयोऽध्यायः।। 2 ।।

English Ganguli

"Vaishampayana said: 'Those princes of restrained souls and devoted to Yoga, proceeding to the north, beheld Himavat, that very large mountain. Crossing the Himavat, they beheld a vast desert of sand. They then saw the mighty mountain Meru, the foremost of all high-peaked mountains. As those mighty ones were proceeding quickly, all rapt in Yoga, Yajnaseni, falling of from Yoga, dropped down on the Earth. Beholding her fallen down, Bhimasena of great strength addressed king Yudhishthira the just, saying, "O scorcher of foes, this princess never did any sinful act. Tell us what the cause is for which Krishna has fallen down on the Earth!"

"'Yudhishthira said: "O best of men, though we were all equal unto her she had great partiality for Dhananjaya. She obtains the fruit of that conduct today, O best of men."'

"Vaishampayana continued: 'Having said this, that foremost one of Bharata's race proceeded on. Of righteous soul, that foremost of men, endued with great intelligence, went on, with mind intent on itself. Then Sahadeva of great learning fell down on the Earth. Beholding him drop down, Bhima addressed the king, saying, "He who with great humility used to serve us all, alas, why is that son of Madravati fallen down on the Earth?"

"'Yudhishthira said, "He never thought anybody his equal in wisdom. It is for that fault that this prince has fallen down."

"Vaishampayana continued: 'Having said this, the king proceeded, leaving Sahadeva there. Indeed, Kunti's son Yudhishthira went on, with his brothers and with the dog. Beholding both Krishna and the Pandava Sahadeva fallen down, the brave Nakula, whose love for kinsmen was very great, fell down himself. Upon the falling down of the heroic Nakula of great personal beauty, Bhima once more addressed the king, saying, "This brother of ours who was endued with righteousness without incompleteness, and who always obeyed our behests, this Nakula who was unrivalled for beauty, has fallen down."

"'Thus addressed by Bhimasena, Yudhishthira said, with respect to Nakula, these words: "He was of righteous soul and the foremost of all persons endued with intelligence. He, however, thought that there was nobody that equalled him in beauty of person. Indeed, he regarded himself as superior to all in that respect. It is for this that Nakula has fallen down. Know this, O Vrikodara. What has been ordained for a person, O hero, must have to be endured by him."

"'Beholding Nakula and the others fall down, Pandu's son Arjuna of white steeds, that slayer of hostile heroes, fell down in great grief of heart. When that foremost of men, who was endued with the energy of Shakra, had fallen down, indeed, when that invincible hero was on the point of death, Bhima said unto the king, "I do not recollect any untruth uttered by this high-souled one. Indeed, not even in jest did he say anything false. What then is that for whose evil consequence this one has fallen down on the Earth?"

"'Yudhishthira said, "Arjuna had said that he would consume all our foes in a single day. Proud of his heroism, he did not, however, accomplish what he had said. Hence has he fallen down. This Phalguna disregarded all wielders of bows. One desirous of prosperity should never indulge in such sentiments."'

"Vaishampayana continued: 'Having said so, the king proceeded on. Then Bhima fell down. Having fallen down, Bhima addressed king Yudhishthira the just, saying, "O king, behold, I who am thy darling have fallen down. For what reason have I dropped down? Tell me if thou knowest it."

"'Yudhishthira said, "Thou wert a great eater, and thou didst use to boast of thy strength. Thou never didst attend, O Bhima, to the wants of others while eating. It is for that, O Bhima, that thou hast fallen down."

"'Having said these words, the mighty-armed Yudhishthira proceeded on, without looking back. He had only one companion, the dog of which I have repeatedly spoken to thee, that followed him now.'"