येन प्राच्याश्च सौवीरा दाक्षिणात्याश्च निर्जिताः। ख्यापितं येन शूरेण त्रिषु लोकेषु पौरुषम्
By whom the peoples of the east, the Sauviras, and the southerners were conquered; by whose valor manliness was proclaimed in the three worlds.
यस्मिञ्जाते विशोकाऽभूत्कुन्ती पाण्डुश्च वीर्यवान्। पुरन्दरसमो जिष्णुः कथं कालवशं गतः
At his birth, Kunti and the mighty Pandu became free from sorrow; how has Jishnu, equal to Indra, come under the power of time?
कथं तावृषभष्कन्धौ सिंहविक्रान्तगामिनौ। मर्त्यधर्ममनुप्राप्तौ यमावरिनिवर्हणौ
How is it that these two, strong as bulls and moving with the stride of lions, who could not be restrained even by Yama’s attendants, have come under the law of mortality?
वत्सा गताः क्व मां वृद्धं विहाय भृशमातुरम्। हा स्नुषे मम वार्ष्णेयि निधाय हृदि मे शुचम्
Where have my sons gone, leaving me, old and deeply afflicted, behind? Alas, daughter-in-law of the Vrishni line, you have left sorrow lodged in my heart.
वारणावतयात्रायां के स्युर्वै शकुनाः पथि। एवमल्पायुषो लोके भविष्यन्ति पृथासुताः
What omens appeared on the road during their journey to Varanavata? Thus, in this world of short-lived men, the sons of Pritha will meet their fate.
संशप्ता इति कैर्यूयं वत्सान्दर्शय मे पृथे। ममैव नाथा मन्नाथा मम नेत्राणि पाण्डवाः
If you are truly unslain, show my sons to me, O Pritha! The Pandavas are my protectors, my eyes, my only refuge.
हा पाण्डवा मे हे वत्सा हा सिंहशिशवो मम। मातङ्गा हा ममोत्तुङ्गा हा ममानन्दवर्धनाः
Alas, my Pandavas! Alas, my sons! Alas, my lion-cubs! Alas, my mighty elephants! Alas, my exalted ones, my bringers of joy!
मम हीनस्य युष्माभिः सर्वलोकास्तमोवृताः। कदा द्रष्टाऽस्मि कौन्तेयांस्तरुणादित्यवर्चसः
Bereft of you, all the worlds are shrouded in darkness for me. When shall I see the sons of Kunti again, radiant as young suns?
अदृष्ट्वा वो महाबाहून्पुत्रवन्मम नन्दनाः। क्व गतिर्मे क्व गच्छामि कुतो द्रक्ष्यामि मे शिशून्
Not seeing you, my strong-armed children, who are as dear as sons to me—where is my path, where shall I go, from where will I see my boys?
हा युधिष्ठिर हा भीम हा हा फल्गुन हा यमौ। मा गच्छत निवर्तध्वं मयि कोपं विमुञ्चत
Alas, Yudhishthira! Alas, Bhima! Alas, Arjuna! Alas, the twins! Do not go, turn back, release your anger towards me.
श्रुत्वा तत्क्रन्दितं तस्य तिलोदं च प्रसिञ्चतः। देशं कालं समाज्ञाय विदुरः प्रत्यभाषत
Hearing his lament and seeing him pour out the water offering, Vidura, understanding the time and place, spoke to him.
मा शोचीस्त्वं नरव्याघ्र जहि शोकं महाधृते। न तेषां विद्यते मृत्युः प्राप्तकालं कृतं मया
Do not grieve, tiger among men; cast off your sorrow, steadfast one. Death does not touch them; their destined time has not come, I assure you.
एतच्च तेभ्य उदकं विप्रसिञ्च न भारत। क्षत्तेदमब्रवीद्भीष्मं कौरवाणामशृण्वताम्
Do not offer water to them, O Bharata; this is what Kshatta said to Bhishma, as the Kauravas listened.
क्षत्तारमुपसंगम्य बाष्पोत्पीडकलस्वरः। मन्दंमन्दमुवाचेदं विदुरं संगमे नृप
Approaching Kshatta, with a voice choked by tears, the king slowly spoke these words to Vidura at the gathering.
कथं ते तात जीवन्ति पाण्डोः पुत्रा महाबलाः। कथमस्मत्कृते पक्षः पाण्डोर्न हि निपातितः
How do the mighty sons of Pandu still live, dear Kshatta? How is it that, for my sake, Pandu’s line has not been destroyed?
कथं मत्प्रमुखाः सर्वे प्रमुक्ता महतो भयात्। जननी गरुडेनेव कुरवस्ते समुद्धृताः
How were all my kinsmen, led by me, saved from great danger? How were the Kurus rescued, like a mother by Garuda?
एवमुक्तस्तु कौरव्य कौरवाणामशृण्वताम्। आचचक्षे स धर्मात्मा भीष्मायाद्भुतकर्मणे
Thus addressed, O Kaurava, as the Kauravas listened, that righteous Vidura reported everything to Bhishma, performer of wondrous deeds.
धृतराष्ट्रस्य शकुने राज्ञो दुर्योधनस्य च। विनाशे पाण्डुपुत्राणां कृतो मतिविनिश्चयः
A firm resolve was made for the destruction of the sons of Pandu by Dhritarashtra, Shakuni, the king, and Duryodhana.
तत्राहमपि च ज्ञात्वा तस्य पापस्य निश्चयम्। तं जिघांसुरहं चापि तेषामनुमते स्थितः
Knowing the wicked intention of that one, I too, wishing to slay him, remained among them with their consent.
ततो जतुगृहं गत्वा दहनेऽस्मिन्नियोजिते। पृथायाश्च सपुत्राया धार्तराष्ट्रस्य शासनात्
Then, when the house of lac was set on fire by the order of Dhritarashtra, Kunti with her sons went there.
ततः खनकमाहूय सुरङ्गं वै बिलं तदा। सुगूढं कारयित्वा ते कुन्त्या पाण्डुसुतास्तदा
Then, summoning the digger, they made a tunnel and a hidden passage; having constructed it well concealed, the Pandu sons did so with Kunti.
निष्क्रामिता मया पूर्वं मा स्म शोके मनः कृथाः। ततस्तु नावमारोप्य सहपुत्रां पृथामहम्
I had exited first; do not let your mind be troubled with grief. Then, placing Pritha together with her sons onto the boat, I departed.
दत्त्वाऽभयं सपुत्रायै कुन्त्यै गृहमदाहयम्। तस्मात्ते मा स्म भूद्दुःखं मुक्ताः पापात्तु पाण्डवाः
Having given assurance to Kunti and her sons, I set fire to the house. Therefore, let no sorrow befall you; the Pandavas are freed from evil.
निर्गताः पाण्डवा राजन्मात्रा सह परन्तपाः। अग्निहादान्महाघोरान्मया तस्मादुपायतः
The Pandavas, O King, departed together with their mother, scorning danger; through my stratagem, they escaped the terrible fire.
मा स्म शोकमिमं कार्षीर्जीवन्त्येव च पाण्डवाः। प्रच्छन्ना विचिरिष्यन्ति यावत्कालस्य पर्ययः
Do not let this grief afflict you; the Pandavas are alive. They will wander in concealment until the appointed time passes.
तस्मिन्युधिष्ठिरं काले द्रक्ष्यन्ति भुवि मानवाः। विमलं कृष्णपक्षान्ते जगच्चन्द्रमिवोदितम्
At that time, people on earth will see Yudhishthira, pure and radiant, appearing at the end of the dark fortnight like the moon rising over the world.
न तस्य नाशं पश्यामि यस्य भ्राता धनञ्जयः। भीमसेनश्च दुर्धर्षौ माद्रीपुत्रौ च तौ यमौ
I see no destruction for him whose brother is Dhananjaya, and Bhimasena, both formidable, and the two sons of Madri, the twin Yamās.
ततः संहृष्टसर्वाङ्गो भीष्मो विदुरमब्रवीत्। दिष्ट्यादिष्ट्येति संहृष्टः पूजयानो महामतिम्
Then, with his whole body delighted, Bhishma spoke to Vidura, saying joyfully, 'By fortune, by fortune!' honoring the wise one.
युक्तं चैवानुरूपं च कृतं तात शुभं त्वया। वयं विमोक्षिता दुःखात्पाण्डुपक्षो न नाशितः
What you have done, dear one, is proper and fitting; by your auspicious act, we are freed from sorrow, and the Pandu side is not destroyed.
एवमुक्त्वा विवेशाथ पुरं जनशताकुलम्। कुरुभिः सहितो राजन्नागरैश्च पितामहः
Having spoken thus, the patriarch entered the city, crowded with hundreds of people, together with the Kurus and the townsfolk, O King.