Mahabharata, Book 3, Section CCXLVIIIवनपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 3.248.

248Sanskrit adhyāya 3.248 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

जनमेजय उवाच।
शत्रुभिर्जितबद्धस् पाण्डवैश्च महात्मभिः।
मोक्षितस्य युधा पश्चान्मानिनः सुदुरात्मनः ।।
कत्थनस्यावलिप्तस्य गर्वितस् च नित्यशः।
सदा च पौरुषौदार्यैः पाण्डवानवमन्यतः ।।
दुर्योधनस् पापस्य नित्याहंकारवादिनः।
प्रवेशो हास्तिनपुरे दुष्करः प्रतिभाति मे ।।
तस्य लज्जानवितस्यैव शोकव्याकुलचेतसः।
प्रवेशं विस्तरेण रत्वं वैशंपायन कीर्तय ।।
वैशंपायन उवाच।
धर्मराजनिसृष्स्तु धार्तराष्ट्रः सुयोधनः।
लज्जयाऽधोमुखः सीदन्नुपासर्पत्सुदुःखितः ।।
स्वपुरं प्रययौ राजा चतुरङ्गबलानुगः।
शोकोदहतया बुद्ध्या चिन्तयानः पराभवम् ।।
विमुच्य पथि यानानि देशे सुयवसोदके।
सन्निविष्टः शुभे रम्ये भूमिभागे यथेप्सितम्।
हस्त्यश्वरथपादातं यथास्थानं न्यवेशयत् ।।
अथोपविष्टं राजानं पर्यङ्के ज्वलनप्रभे।
उपप्लुतं यथा सोमं राहुणा रात्रिसंक्षये।
उपागम्याब्रवीत्कर्णो दुर्योधनमिदं तदा ।।
दिष्ट्या जीवसि गान्धारे दिष्ठ्या नः संगमः पुनः।
दिष्ट्या त्वया जिताश्चैव गन्धर्वाः कामरूपिणः ।।
दिष्ट्या समग्रान्पश्यामि भ्रातॄस्ते कुरुनन्दन।
विजिगीषून्रणे युक्तान्निर्जितारीन्महारथान् ।।
अहं त्वभिद्रुतः सर्वैर्गन्धर्वैः पश्यतस्व।
नाशक्नुवं स्थापयितुं दीर्यमाणां च वाहिनीम्।
शरक्षताङ्गश्च भृशं व्यपयातोऽभिपीडितः ।।
इदं त्वत्यद्भुतं मन्ये यद्युष्मानिह भारत।
अरिष्टानक्षसांश्चापि सदारबलवाहनान्।
विमुक्तान्संप्रपश्यामि युद्धात्तस्मादमानुषात् ।।
नैतस्य कर्ता लोकेऽस्मिन्पुमान्विद्यति भारत।
यत्कृतं ते महाराज सह भ्रातृभिराहवे ।।
एवमुक्तस्तु कर्णेन राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा।
उवाचावाक्शिरा राजन्बाष्पगद्गदया गिरा ।।
राजानं मोचयामासुर्बद्धं निगडबन्धनैः ।।

English Ganguli

“Kama continued, ‘O king, this conduct of thine to-day appeareth to be childish. O hero, O slayer of foes, what is to be wondered at in this that the Pandavas liberated thee when thou wert vanquished by the foe? O son of the Kuru race, those that reside in the territories of the king, especially those (amongst them) that lead the profession of arms, should always do what is agreeable to the king whether they happen to be known to their monarch or unknown to him. It happened often that foremost men who crush the ranks of the hostile host, are vanquished by them, and are rescued by their own troops. They that leading the profession of arms, reside in the king’s realm should always combine and exert themselves to the best of their power, for the king. If, therefore, O king, the Pandavas, who live in the territories, have liberated thee, what is there to be regretted at in this? That the Pandavas, O best of kings, did not follow thee when thou didst march forth to battle at the head of thy troops, has been an improper act on their part. They had before this come under thy power, becoming thy slaves. They are, therefore, bound to aid thee now, being endued with courage and might and incapable of turning away from the field of battle. Thou art enjoying all the rich possessions of the Pandavas. Behold them yet alive, O king! They have not resolved to die, forgoing all food. Blest be thou! Rise up, O king! It behoveth thee not to indulge in great sorrow long. O king, it is the certain duty of those that reside in the king’s realm to do what is agreeable to the king. Where should the regret be in all this? If thou, O king, dost not act according to my words I shall stay here employed in reverentially serving thy feet. O bull among men, I do not desire to live deprived of thy company. O king, if thou resolvest to slay thyself by forgoing food, thou wilt simply be an object of laughter with other kings.”

Vaisampayana continued, “Thus addressed by Karna, king Duryodhana, firmly resolved to leave the world, desired not to rise from where he sat.”