Critical Edition
ब्राह्मण उवाच न तद्दुर्योधनकृतं न च तद्भवता कृतम् न कर्णसौबलाभ्यां च कुरवो यत्क्षयं गताः
M. N. Dutt: The carnage that has overtaken the Kurus was not caused by Duryodhana. It was not brought about by you. Nor was it brought about by Karna and Subala's son.
दैवं तत्तु विजानीमो यन्न शक्यं प्रबाधितुम् दैवं पुरुषकारेण न शक्यमतिवर्तितुम्
M. N. Dutt: We know that it was encompassed about by Destiny, and that it was incapable of being counteracted. Destiny is not capable of being resisied by human exertion.
अक्षौहिण्यो महाराज दशाष्टौ च समागताः अष्टादशाहेन हता दशभिर्योधपुंगवैः
AI Translation: O great king, eight and ten akṣauhiṇīs have assembled. In eighteen days, they were killed by ten bulls among warriors.
भीष्मद्रोणकृपाद्यैश्च कर्णेन च महात्मना युयुधानेन वीरेण धृष्टद्युम्नेन चैव ह
AI Translation: With Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, and the great-souled Karna, and with the brave Yuyudhana and Dhrishtadyumna,
चतुर्भिः पाण्डुपुत्रैश्च भीमार्जुनयमैर्नृप जनक्षयोऽयं नृपते कृतो दैवबलात्कृतैः
AI Translation: With the four sons of Pandu, Bhimasena, Arjuna, and Yamaraja, O king. This destruction of people, O king, has been done by those who are under the power of fate.
अवश्यमेव संग्रामे क्षत्रियेण विशेषतः कर्तव्यं निधनं लोके शस्त्रेण क्षत्रबन्धुना
AI Translation: It is certainly necessary for a Kshatriya, especially in battle, to die by the sword in this world, O Kshatriya.
तैरियं पुरुषव्याघ्रैर्विद्याबाहुबलान्वितैः पृथिवी निहता सर्वा सहया सरथद्विपा
AI Translation: By those tigers among men, endowed with the strength of knowledge and arms, The entire earth, with the Himalayas and elephants and chariots, was conquered.
न स राजापराध्नोति पुत्रस्तव महामनाः न भवान्न च ते भृत्या न कर्णो न च सौबलः
M. N. Dutt: Your son was not the cause of that destruction of great kings. You were not the cause, nor your servants, nor Karna, nor Subala's son.
Supplementary Passages:
15.16.8 For 8ab, B Dn D1-3.7.9 subst.: *38 न स राज्ञां वधे सूनुः कारणं ते महात्मनाम्
यद्विनष्टाः कुरुश्रेष्ठा राजानश्च सहस्रशः सर्वं दैवकृतं तद्वै कोऽत्र किं वक्तुमर्हति
M. N. Dutt: The destruction of those for-most ones of Kuru's race and of kings by thousands know, was engendered by Destiny. Who can say anything else in this.
गुरुर्मतो भवानस्य कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभुः धर्मात्मानमतस्तुभ्यमनुजानीमहे सुतम्
M. N. Dutt: You are regarded as the preceptor and the master of the whole world. We, therefore, in you presence, absolve your righteous-souled son.
लभतां वीरलोकान्स ससहायो नराधिपः द्विजाग्र्यैः समनुज्ञातस्त्रिदिवे मोदतां सुखी
M. N. Dutt: Let that king, with all his associates, obtain the regions reserved for herocs Permitted by foremost of Brahmanas, let him sport blissfully in the celestial region.
प्राप्स्यते च भवान्पुण्यं धर्मे च परमां स्थितिम् वेद पुण्यं च कार्त्स्न्येन सम्यग्भरतसत्तम
M. N. Dutt: You, also shall attain to great merit, and unswerving steadiness in virtue. O you of excellent vows, follow fully the duties laid down in the Vedas.
Supplementary Passages:
15.16.12 After 12ab, K3 ins.: *39 तदेव पुण्यं धर्मे च धर्मे च परमां गतिम् For 12cd, D4-6.8 S subst.: *40 वेद धर्मं महाबाहो लौक्यं वैदिकमेव च
दृष्टापदानाश्चास्माभिः पाण्डवाः पुरुषर्षभाः समर्थास्त्रिदिवस्यापि पालने किं पुनः क्षितेः
M. N. Dutt: It is not necessary for either you or ourselves to look after the Pandavas. They are capable of ruling the very Heavens, what need then be said of the Earth?
Supplementary Passages:
15.16.13 For 13ab, B1.2 (first time).3-6 Dn D1-3.7.9 (first time) subst.: *41 दृष्टिप्रदानमपि ते पाण्डवान्प्रति नो वृथा
अनुवत्स्यन्ति चापीमाः समेषु विषमेषु च प्रजाः कुरुकुलश्रेष्ठ पाण्डवाञ्शीलभूषणान्
M. N. Dutt: O you of great intelligence, in weal as in woe, the subjects of this kingdom, O foremost one of Kuru's race, will obey the Pandavas who have conduct for their ornament.
ब्रह्मदेयाग्रहारांश्च परिहारांश्च पार्थिव पूर्वराजातिसर्गांश्च पालयत्येव पाण्डवः
M. N. Dutt: The son of Pandu makes those valuable gifts which are always to be made to foremost of twice-born persons in sacrifices and in obscquial rites, after the manner of all the great kings of yore.
दीर्घदर्शी कृतप्रज्ञः सदा वैश्रवणो यथा अक्षुद्रसचिवश्चायं कुन्तीपुत्रो महामनाः
M. N. Dutt: The great son of Kunti is mild, and selfcontrolled, and is always disposed to spend as if he were a second Vaishravana. He has great ministers who attend on him.
अप्यमित्रे दयावांश्च शुचिश्च भरतर्षभ ऋजु पश्यति मेधावी पुत्रवत्पाति नः सदा
M. N. Dutt: He is compassionate to even his enemies. Indeed, that foremnost one of Bharata's race is of pure conduct. Gifted with great intelligence, he is perfectly straightforward in his dealings and rules and protects us like a father his children.
विप्रियं च जनस्यास्य संसर्गाद्धर्मजस्य वै न करिष्यन्ति राजर्षे तथा भीमार्जुनादयः
M. N. Dutt: From association with him who is the son of Dharma, O royal sage, Bhima and Arjuna and others will never wrong us in the least.
मन्दा मृदुषु कौरव्यास्तीक्ष्णेष्वाशीविषोपमाः वीर्यवन्तो महात्मानः पौराणां च हिते रताः
M. N. Dutt: They are mild, O you of Kuru's race, to them that are inild, and fierce like snakes of dreadful poison to them who are fierce. Endured with great energy, those high-souled ones are always devoted to the well-being of the people.
न कुन्ती न च पाञ्चाली न चोलूपी न सात्वती अस्मिञ्जने करिष्यन्ति प्रतिकूलानि कर्हिचित्
M. N. Dutt: Neither Kunti, nor your (daughter-in-law) Panchali, nor Ulupi, nor the princess of the Satvata race, will do the least wrong to these people.
भवत्कृतमिमं स्नेहं युधिष्ठिरविवर्धितम् न पृष्ठतः करिष्यन्ति पौरजानपदा जनाः
M. N. Dutt: The affection which you have shown towards us and which in Yudhishthira is seen to exist in a still larger measurc, is incapable of being forgotten by the people of the city and the provinces.
अधर्मिष्ठानपि सतः कुन्तीपुत्रा महारथाः मानवान्पालयिष्यन्ति भूत्वा धर्मपरायणाः
M. N. Dutt: Those powerful car-warriors, viz., the sons of Kunti, themselves devoted to the duties of virtue, will protect and cherish the people even if these happen to be unrighteous.
स राजन्मानसं दुःखमपनीय युधिष्ठिरात् कुरु कार्याणि धर्म्याणि नमस्ते भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: Do you, therefore, O king, reinoving all anxiety of heat on account of Yudhishthira, set yourself to the accomplishment of all meritorious deeds, O foremost of men.
वैशंपायन उवाच तस्य तद्वचनं धर्म्यमनुबन्धगुणोत्तरम् साधु साध्विति सर्वः स जनः प्रतिगृहीतवान्
M. N. Dutt: Hearing these words, fraught with virtue and merit, of that Brahmana and approving of them every person in that assembly said, 'Excellent, Excellent' and accepted them as his own.
धृतराष्ट्रश्च तद्वाक्यमभिपूज्य पुनः पुनः विसर्जयामास तदा सर्वास्तु प्रकृतीः शनैः
M. N. Dutt: Dhritarashtra, also, repeatedly speaking highly of those words, slowly dismissed that assembly of his subjects.
स तैः संपूजितो राजा शिवेनावेक्षितस्तदा प्राञ्जलिः पूजयामास तं जनं भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: Thus honoured by them and looked upon with auspicious looks, the old king, O chief of Bharata's race, joined his hands and honoured them all in returi.
ततो विवेश भुवनं गान्धार्या सहितो नृपः व्युष्टायां चैव शर्वर्यां यच्चकार निबोध तत्
M. N. Dutt: He, then, entered his own palace with Gandhari, Listen now to what he did after that night had passed away.
Supplementary Passages:
15.16.27 For 27cd, D4-6.8 S subst.: *42 आगतायां च शर्वर्यां सुखं शेते नराधिपः