Critical Edition
कुन्त्युवाच न विषादस्त्वया कार्यो भयादस्मात्कथंचन उपायः परिदृष्टोऽत्र तस्मान्मोक्षाय रक्षसः
M. N. Dutt: Kunti said : Do not grieve for this fear, I see a means by which you may be saved from the Rakshasas.
Supplementary Passages:
1.149.1 After 1, S (except M5) ins.: *1632 नैव स्वयं सपुत्रस्य गमनं तत्र रोचये
एकस्तव सुतो बालः कन्या चैका तपस्विनी न ते तयोस्तथा पत्न्या गमनं तत्र रोचये
M. N. Dutt: You have only one son who is of tender years; you have only one daughter, who is engaged in vows. I do not like that any of these or yourself or your wife should go.
मम पञ्च सुता ब्रह्मंस्तेषामेको गमिष्यति त्वदर्थं बलिमादाय तस्य पापस्य रक्षसः
M. N. Dutt: I have five sons; one of them will go carrying on your behalf your tribute to that sinful Rakshasas.
ब्राह्मण उवाच नाहमेतत्करिष्यामि जीवितार्थी कथंचन ब्राह्मणस्यातिथेश्चैव स्वार्थे प्राणैर्वियोजनम्
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana said : I can never do this in order to live. I can not cause the death of a Brahmana and a guest for saving my own life.
न त्वेतदकुलीनासु नाधर्मिष्ठासु विद्यते यद्ब्राह्मणार्थे विसृजेदात्मानमपि चात्मजम्
M. N. Dutt: Even those that are lowly born and sinful refuse to do this; one should sacrifice himself and children for the sake of a Brahmana.
आत्मनस्तु मया श्रेयो बोद्धव्यमिति रोचये ब्रह्मवध्यात्मवध्या वा श्रेय आत्मवधो मम
AI Translation: I think it is good for me to know the self. It is better for me to kill myself than to kill a brahmin.
Supplementary Passages:
1.149.6 After 6, G3 ins.: *1633 ब्रह्महत्या परं पापं श्रेयानात्मवधो मम
ब्रह्मवध्या परं पापं निष्कृतिर्नात्र विद्यते अबुद्धिपूर्वं कृत्वापि श्रेय आत्मवधो मम
AI Translation: There is no atonement for the sin of killing a Brahmin. Even if done unintentionally, it is better for me to kill myself.
Supplementary Passages:
1.149.7 After 7ab, M5 ins.: *1634 प्रयोक्ता चानुमन्ता च हन्ता चेति त्रयः समाः
न त्वहं वधमाकाङ्क्षे स्वयमेवात्मनः शुभे परैः कृते वधे पापं न किंचिन्मयि विद्यते
M. N. Dutt: O blessed lady, in sacrificing myself, I do not commit the sin of self destruction. I shall commit no sin by being killed by another.
अभिसंधिकृते तस्मिन्ब्राह्मणस्य वधे मया निष्कृतिं न प्रपश्यामि नृशंसं क्षुद्रमेव च
AI Translation: In that killing of the brahmin, which was done with intent, I do not see any atonement, for it was cruel and mean.
आगतस्य गृहे त्यागस्तथैव शरणार्थिनः याचमानस्य च वधो नृशंसं परमं मतम्
AI Translation: Giving to one who has come to one's house, and to one who has sought refuge, and killing one who is begging, is considered to be the greatest cruelty.
कुर्यान्न निन्दितं कर्म न नृशंसं कदाचन इति पूर्वे महात्मान आपद्धर्मविदो विदुः
AI Translation: One should not do any censurable action, nor ever any cruel action. Thus the great ones of the past, who knew the Dharma in times of adversity, knew.
श्रेयांस्तु सहदारस्य विनाशोऽद्य मम स्वयम् ब्राह्मणस्य वधं नाहमनुमंस्ये कथंचन
AI Translation: It is better for me to die today with my wife than to live without her. I will never consent to the killing of a brahmin.
कुन्त्युवाच ममाप्येषा मतिर्ब्रह्मन्विप्रा रक्ष्या इति स्थिरा न चाप्यनिष्टः पुत्रो मे यदि पुत्रशतं भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: Kunti said: O Brahmana, my form opinion is that Brahmanas must be protected always. if I have one hundred sons, none of them would be less dear to me. But this Rakshasa will not be able to kill my son. my son is powerful energetic and learned in Mantras.
न चासौ राक्षसः शक्तो मम पुत्रविनाशने वीर्यवान्मन्त्रसिद्धश्च तेजस्वी च सुतो मम
AI Translation: And he is not able to destroy my son, who is powerful, accomplished in spells, and brilliant.
राक्षसाय च तत्सर्वं प्रापयिष्यति भोजनम् मोक्षयिष्यति चात्मानमिति मे निश्चिता मतिः
M. N. Dutt: He will reach the food of the Rakshasa, but he will be able to save himself; this is my firm belief.
समागताश्च वीरेण दृष्टपूर्वाश्च राक्षसाः बलवन्तो महाकाया निहताश्चाप्यनेकशः
M. N. Dutt: I had seen before that many powerful and huge Rakshasas came to my son and were killed at his hands.
न त्विदं केषुचिद्ब्रह्मन्व्याहर्तव्यं कथंचन विद्यार्थिनो हि मे पुत्रान्विप्रकुर्युः कुतूहलात्
M. N. Dutt: O Brahmana, do not by any means disclose this to anybody; for then people, being curious and desirous of learning (their power), will trouble my sons.
गुरुणा चाननुज्ञातो ग्राहयेद्यं सुतो मम न स कुर्यात्तया कार्यं विद्ययेति सतां मतम्
M. N. Dutt: The opinion of the learned men is that if my son gives this knowledge (to others) without the assent of his preceptor, he will no longer be able to profit by it.
वैशंपायन उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु पृथया स विप्रो भार्यया सह हृष्टः संपूजयामास तद्वाक्यममृतोपमम्
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said : Having been thus addressed by Pritha (Kunti) the Brahmana and his wife became exceedingly glad and assented to those nectar like words (of Kunti).
ततः कुन्ती च विप्रश्च सहितावनिलात्मजम् तमब्रूतां कुरुष्वेति स तथेत्यब्रवीच्च तौ
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon Kunti and the Brahmana went to the son of Anila (Bhima) and told him "Do this"; and he replied by saying “Be it so."