Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच एवमुक्त्वा तु गान्धारी युधिष्ठिरमपृच्छत क्व स राजेति सक्रोधा पुत्रपौत्रवधार्दिता
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana continued Having said so, Gandhari, filled with anger at the slaughter of all her sons and grandsons enquired after Yudhishthira, saying.-'Where is the king?'
तामभ्यगच्छद्राजेन्द्रो वेपमानः कृताञ्जलिः युधिष्ठिर इदं चैनां मधुरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
AI Translation: The king, trembling and with folded hands, approached her. Yudhiṣṭhira spoke these sweet words to her:
पुत्रहन्ता नृशंसोऽहं तव देवि युधिष्ठिरः शापार्हः पृथिवीनाशे हेतुभूतः शपस्व माम्
AI Translation: O Goddess, I am Yudhishthira, the killer of my son, cruel. I deserve to be cursed for being the cause of the destruction of the earth. Curse me.
न हि मे जीवितेनार्थो न राज्येन धनेन वा तादृशान्सुहृदो हत्वा मूढस्यास्य सुहृद्द्रुहः
M. N. Dutt: I do not care for life, for kingdom, for wealth! Having brought about the destruction of such friends, I have proved myself to be a great fool and a hater of friend.
तमेवंवादिनं भीतं संनिकर्षगतं तदा नोवाच किंचिद्गान्धारी निःश्वासपरमा भृशम्
M. N. Dutt: Gandhari, singing heavily, said nothing to Yudhishthira-who spoke such words, who was overcome with fear, and who stood in ner presence.
तस्यावनतदेहस्य पादयोर्निपतिष्यतः युधिष्ठिरस्य नृपतेर्धर्मज्ञा धर्मदर्शिनी अङ्गुल्यग्राणि ददृशे देवी पट्टान्तरेण सा
M. N. Dutt: Conversant with the rules of righteousness, the Kuru queen, possessed of great foresight, turned her eyes from within the folds of the cloth that covered them, to the tip of Yudhishthira's toe, as the prince with body bent forwards, was about to fall down at her feet. At this, the king, whose nails had before this been all very beautiful, got a sore nail on his toe.
ततः स कुनखीभूतो दर्शनीयनखो नृपः तं दृष्ट्वा चार्जुनोऽगच्छद्वासुदेवस्य पृष्ठतः
AI Translation: Then that king, whose nails had become deformed, Seeing him, Arjuna went behind Vasudeva.
एवं संचेष्टमानांस्तानितश्चेतश्च भारत गान्धारी विगतक्रोधा सान्त्वयामास मातृवत्
AI Translation: Thus moving about here and there, O descendant of Bharata, Gandhari, free from anger, consoled them as if they were her own sons.
तया ते समनुज्ञाता मातरं वीरमातरम् अभ्यगच्छन्त सहिताः पृथां पृथुलवक्षसः
AI Translation: Having been thus permitted by her, the sons of Pandu, with broad chests, went together to their mother, the mother of heroes.
चिरस्य दृष्ट्वा पुत्रान्सा पुत्राधिभिरभिप्लुता बाष्पमाहारयद्देवी वस्त्रेणावृत्य वै मुखम्
AI Translation: Seeing her sons after a long time, she was overwhelmed with affection for her sons. The queen, covering her face with her garment, shed tears.
ततो बाष्पं समुत्सृज्य सह पुत्रैस्तथा पृथा अपश्यदेताञ्शस्त्रौघैर्बहुधा परिविक्षतान्
M. N. Dutt: Having wept for sometime with her children, I'ritha saw the wounds and scars of many weapons of their bodies.
सा तानेकैकशः पुत्रान्संस्पृशन्ती पुनः पुनः अन्वशोचन्त दुःखार्ता द्रौपदीं च हतात्मजाम् रुदतीमथ पाञ्चालीं ददर्श पतितां भुवि
M. N. Dutt: She then repeatedly embraced and patted each of her sons, and stricken with grief wept with Draupadi who had lost all her children and whom she saw lying on the naked Earth, piteously bewailing.
द्रौपद्युवाच आर्ये पौत्राः क्व ते सर्वे सौभद्रसहिता गताः न त्वां तेऽद्याभिगच्छन्ति चिरदृष्टां तपस्विनीम् किं नु राज्येन वै कार्यं विहीनायाः सुतैर्मम
M. N. Dutt: Draupadi said O Venerable lady, were have all your grandsons, with Abhimanyu among them, gone? Seeing you in such distress why are they delaying in coming before you. Deprived as I am of my children, what need have I of kingdom.'
वैशंपायन उवाच तां समाश्वासयामास पृथा पृथुललोचना उत्थाप्य याज्ञसेनीं तु रुदतीं शोककर्शिताम्
M. N. Dutt: Raising the grief-stricken princess of Panchala who was weeping thus, Pritha began to solace that lady having of large eyes.
तयैव सहिता चापि पुत्रैरनुगता पृथा अभ्यगच्छत गान्धारीमार्तामार्ततरा स्वयम्
M. N. Dutt: Then Kunti, accompanied by the princess of Panchala, and followed by her sons proceeded towards the grief-afflicted Gandhari, though she herself was also in great sorrow.
तामुवाचाथ गान्धारी सह वध्वा यशस्विनीम् मैवं पुत्रीति शोकार्ता पश्य मामपि दुःखिताम्
M. N. Dutt: Seeing that illustrious lady with her daughter-in-law, Gandhari said, 'Do not, O daughter, grieve so. See, I too am much afflicted with sorrow as you.
मन्ये लोकविनाशोऽयं कालपर्यायचोदितः अवश्यभावी संप्राप्तः स्वभावाल्लोमहर्षणः
M. N. Dutt: I think, this universal destruction has been caused by the irresistible course of Time. This dreadful slaughter was inevitable, since it has not been brought about by human agency!
इदं तत्समनुप्राप्तं विदुरस्य वचो महत् असिद्धानुनये कृष्णे यदुवाच महामतिः
M. N. Dutt: What Vidura of great wisdom foretold, after Krishna's suing in vain for peace, has now come to pass!
तस्मिन्नपरिहार्येऽर्थे व्यतीते च विशेषतः मा शुचो न हि शोच्यास्ते संग्रामे निधनं गताः
M. N. Dutt: Do not, therefore, grieve in a matter that was inevitable, especially when it has taken place! Having been dead in battle they should not be grieved for!
यथैव त्वं तथैवाहं को वा माश्वासयिष्यति ममैव ह्यपराधेन कुलमग्र्यं विनाशितम्
M. N. Dutt: I am in the same situation as you are! (If you act thus) who then will comfort us? Through my fault, this foremost of races has becn ruined.' I am in the same situation as you are! (If you act thus) who then will comfort us? Through my fault, this foremost of races has becn ruined.'