Critical Edition
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच विदितं भवतामेतद्यथा वृत्तः कुरुक्षयः ममापराधात्तत्सर्वमिति ज्ञेयं तु कौरवाः
M. N. Dutt: Dhritarashtra said You know how the destruction of Kurus has happened. All that was brought about by my fault, though the Kauravas approved of all my counsels.
Supplementary Passages:
15.5.1 After the ref. D6 ins.: *17 वर्तमानेषु सद्वृत्तिं पाण्डवेषु महात्मसु प्रीतिमानमभवद्राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः
योऽहं दुष्टमतिं मूढं ज्ञातीनां भयवर्धनम् दुर्योधनं कौरवाणामाधिपत्येऽभ्यषेचयम्
M. N. Dutt: Fool that I was, I installed the wickedminded Duryodhana, that enhancer of the terrors of kinsmen, to rule over the Kurus.
यच्चाहं वासुदेवस्य वाक्यं नाश्रौषमर्थवत् वध्यतां साध्वयं पापः सामात्य इति दुर्मतिः
AI Translation: And because I did not listen to the meaningful words of Vasudeva, "Let this wicked one, along with his ministers, be killed,"" said the evil-minded one.
पुत्रस्नेहाभिभूतश्च हितमुक्तो मनीषिभिः विदुरेणाथ भीष्मेण द्रोणेन च कृपेण च
AI Translation: Overwhelmed by affection for his son, he did not heed the advice of the wise, of Vidura, Bhishma, Drona and Kripa.
पदे पदे भगवता व्यासेन च महात्मना संजयेनाथ गान्धार्या तदिदं तप्यतेऽद्य माम्
AI Translation: At every step, by the Blessed One, by the great-souled Vyasa, by Sanjaya and Gandhari, this is what torments me today.
यच्चाहं पाण्डुपुत्रेषु गुणवत्सु महात्मसु न दत्तवाञ्श्रियं दीप्तां पितृपैतामहीमिमाम्
M. N. Dutt: I also repent for not having bestowed that blazing prosperity, derived from sires and grandsires on the great Pandavas possessed of every accomplishment.
विनाशं पश्यमानो हि सर्वराज्ञां गदाग्रजः एतच्छ्रेयः स परमममन्यत जनार्दनः
M. N. Dutt: The eldest brother of Gada foresaw the destruction of all the king; Janardana, however, considered that destruction as highly beneficial.
Supplementary Passages:
15.5.7 After 7, M (except M3) ins. (cf. 5.122.60-61): *18 तस्य त्रैलोक्यनाथस्य समुपेत्याभियाचतः अकृत्वा वचनं पश्चात्तप्स्याम्यद्य सुदुर्मतिः
सोऽहमेतान्यलीकानि निवृत्तान्यात्मनः सदा हृदये शल्यभूतानि धारयामि सहस्रशः
M. N. Dutt: So many battalions of troops belonging to me, have been destroyed! Alas, my heart is pierced with thousands of darts on account of all these results.
विशेषतस्तु दह्यामि वर्षं पञ्चदशं हि वै अस्य पापस्य शुद्ध्यर्थं नियतोऽस्मि सुदुर्मतिः
M. N. Dutt: Of wicked understanding as I am, now, after the lapse of fifteen years, I am trying to expiate my sins.
चतुर्थे नियते काले कदाचिदपि चाष्टमे तृष्णाविनयनं भुञ्जे गान्धारी वेद तन्मम
M. N. Dutt: Now at the fourth division of the day or sometimes at the eighth division, with the regularity of a vow, I eat a little food for simply satisfying my thirst. Gandhari knows this.
करोत्याहारमिति मां सर्वः परिजनः सदा युधिष्ठिरभयाद्वेत्ति भृशं तप्यति पाण्डवः
M. N. Dutt: All my attendants believe that I eat as usual. Through feat of Yudhishthira alone I concealed my deeds, for if the eldest son of Pandu came to know of my vow, he would feel great pain.
भूमौ शये जप्यपरो दर्भेष्वजिनसंवृतः नियमव्यपदेशेन गान्धारी च यशस्विनी
M. N. Dutt: Clad in deer-skin, I lie down on the Earth, spreading a small quantity of Kusha grass, and pass the time in silent recitations. The illustrious Gandhari, also, passes her time in the observance of similar vows.
हतं पुत्रशतं शूरं संग्रामेष्वपलायिनम् नानुतप्यामि तच्चाहं क्षत्रधर्मं हि तं विदुः इत्युक्त्वा धर्मराजानमभ्यभाषत कौरवः
AI Translation: I do not grieve over the death of my hundred sons, who were heroes and never fled from battle. I do not grieve over that, for I know that is the duty of a kshatriya. Having said this, the Kaurava addressed the King of Righteousness:
Supplementary Passages:
15.5.13 For 13ab, B2-4 Dn D1.2.7.9 subst.: *19 हतं शतं तु पुत्राणां ययोर्युद्धेऽपलायिनाम्
भद्रं ते यादवीमातर्वाक्यं चेदं निबोध मे सुखमस्म्युषितः पुत्र त्वया सुपरिपालितः
AI Translation: O mother of the Yadus, may you be well. Listen to these words of mine. I have lived happily, O son, well protected by you.
महादानानि दत्तानि श्राद्धानि च पुनः पुनः प्रकृष्टं मे वयः पुत्र पुण्यं चीर्णं यथाबलम् गान्धारी हतपुत्रेयं धैर्येणोदीक्षते च माम्
M. N. Dutt: I have, O son, to the best of my power, acquired merit largely. This Gandhari, though destitute of sons, has lived with great fortitude, loO king all the while at me.
द्रौपद्या ह्यपकर्तारस्तव चैश्वर्यहारिणः समतीता नृशंसास्ते धर्मेण निहता युधि
M. N. Dutt: They who inflicted great wrongs on Draupadi and robbed you of your affluence, those cruel men-have all left the world, killed in battle according to the practice of their order.
न तेषु प्रतिकर्तव्यं पश्यामि कुरुनन्दन सर्वे शस्त्रजिताँल्लोकान्गतास्तेऽभिमुखं हताः
M. N. Dutt: I have nothing to do for them, O delighter of the Kurus! Killed with their faces towards battle, they have attained to those regions which reserved for the wielders of weapons.
आत्मनस्तु हितं मुख्यं प्रतिकर्तव्यमद्य मे गान्धार्याश्चैव राजेन्द्र तदनुज्ञातुमर्हसि
M. N. Dutt: I should now, do what is bencficial and meritorious for me as also for Gandhari. O great king, you should grant mc permission. are
त्वं हि धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठः सततं धर्मवत्सलः राजा गुरुः प्राणभृतां तस्मादेतद्ब्रवीम्यहम्
M. N. Dutt: You are the foremost of all righteous persons. You are always devoted to virtue. The king is the preceptor of all creatures. It is for this that I say so.
अनुज्ञातस्त्वया वीर संश्रयेयं वनान्यहम् चीरवल्कलभृद्राजन्गान्धार्या सहितोऽनया तवाशिषः प्रयुञ्जानो भविष्यामि वनेचरः
M. N. Dutt: With your permission, O hero, I shall retire into the forest, clad in rags and darks, O king, along with this Gandhari.
उचितं नः कुले तात सर्वेषां भरतर्षभ पुत्रेष्वैश्वर्यमाधाय वयसोऽन्ते वनं नृप
AI Translation: O son, it is proper for all of us, O bull among the Bharatas, to do this. O king, after entrusting your wealth to your sons, you should go to the forest at the end of your life.
तत्राहं वायुभक्षो वा निराहारोऽपि वा वसन् पत्न्या सहानया वीर चरिष्यामि तपः परम्
AI Translation: There, I will live, eating only air, or without eating anything at all, and with this wife of mine, O hero, I will practice the highest asceticism.
त्वं चापि फलभाक्तात तपसः पार्थिवो ह्यसि फलभाजो हि राजानः कल्याणस्येतरस्य वा
M. N. Dutt: You shall be a sharer of those penances, o son, for you are the king. Kings are sharers of both auspicious and inauspicious acts done in their kingdom.