Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच हताः पुत्राश्च पौत्राश्च भ्रातरः पितरस्तथा श्वशुरा गुरवश्चैव मातुलाः सपितामहाः
AI Translation: Yudhiṣṭhira said: My sons, grandsons, brothers, fathers, fathers-in-law, preceptors, maternal uncles, and grandfathers have been killed.
क्षत्रियाश्च महात्मानः संबन्धिसुहृदस्तथा वयस्या ज्ञातयश्चैव भ्रातरश्च पितामह
AI Translation: The great-souled Kshatriyas, relatives and friends, companions, kinsmen, brothers and grandfather,
बहवश्च मनुष्येन्द्रा नानादेशसमागताः घातिता राज्यलुब्धेन मयैकेन पितामह
AI Translation: And many kings from various countries have come here have been killed by me alone, out of greed for the kingdom.
तांस्तादृशानहं हत्वा धर्मनित्यान्महीक्षितः असकृत्सोमपान्वीरान्किं प्राप्स्यामि तपोधन
M. N. Dutt: Having brought about the death of so many heroic kings who were always righteous and all of whom had drunk Soma in sacrifices, what end shall I obtain, O great ascetic.
दह्याम्यनिशमद्याहं चिन्तयानः पुनः पुनः हीनां पार्थिवसिंहैस्तैः श्रीमद्भिः पृथिवीमिमाम्
M. N. Dutt: Thinking that this Earth has been deprived of many foremost of kings, all of whom enjoyed great prosperity, I burn continually to this day.
दृष्ट्वा ज्ञातिवधं घोरं हतांश्च शतशः परान् कोटिशश्च नरानन्यान्परितप्ये पितामह
M. N. Dutt: Having seen this destruction of kinsmen and of millions of other men, I burn with grief, Ograndfather.
का नु तासां वरस्त्रीणामवस्थाद्य भविष्यति विहीनानां स्वतनयैः पतिभिर्भ्रातृभिस्तथा
M. N. Dutt: Oh, what will be the condition of those foremost of ladies who have been deprived of sons, of husbands, and of brothers.
अस्मानन्तकरान्घोरान्पाण्डवान्वृष्णिसंहितान् आक्रोशन्त्यः कृशा दीना निपतन्त्यश्च भूतले
M. N. Dutt: Censuring the Pandavas and the Vrishnis as cruel murderers, those ladies, reduced greatly and sunk in grief, will throw themselves on the Earth.
अपश्यन्त्यः पितॄन्भ्रातॄन्पतीन्पुत्रांश्च योषितः त्यक्त्वा प्राणान्प्रियान्सर्वा गमिष्यन्ति यमक्षयम्
AI Translation: Women who do not see their fathers, brothers, husbands, and sons will give up their dear lives and go to Yama's abode.
वत्सलत्वाद्द्विजश्रेष्ठ तत्र मे नास्ति संशयः व्यक्तं सौक्ष्म्याच्च धर्मस्य प्राप्स्यामः स्त्रीवधं वयम्
AI Translation: O best of Brahmins, there is no doubt that I will be affectionate towards them. But because of the subtlety of Dharma, we will certainly incur the sin of killing a woman.
ते वयं सुहृदो हत्वा कृत्वा पापमनन्तकम् नरके निपतिष्यामो ह्यधःशिरस एव च
M. N. Dutt: Having killed our kinsmen and friends and thereby committed a sin which cannot be expiated, we shall have tù fall into hell with heads downwards.
शरीराणि विमोक्ष्यामस्तपसोग्रेण सत्तम आश्रमांश्च विशेषांस्त्वं ममाचक्ष्व पितामह
M. N. Dutt: O best of men, we shall, therefore, reduce our bodies with the austerest of penances! Tell me, O grand-father, what mode of life I should follow.