Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच वनं प्रविष्टेष्वथ पाण्डवेषु; प्रज्ञाचक्षुस्तप्यमानोऽम्बिकेयः धर्मात्मानं विदुरमगाधबुद्धिं; सुखासीनो वाक्यमुवाच राजा
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said: After the departure of the Pandavas to the forest, the son of Ambika (Dhritarashtra) whose knowledge was his eye, became exceedingly sorrowful. The King, seated at his case, thus spoke to the virtuous minded and highly intelligent Vidura.
प्रज्ञा च ते भार्गवस्येव शुद्धा; धर्मं च त्वं परमं वेत्थ सूक्ष्मम् समश्च त्वं संमतः कौरवाणां; पथ्यं चैषां मम चैव ब्रवीहि
M. N. Dutt: Dhritarashtra said: Your intelligence is as great as that of Bhargava (Shukra), you know all the subtleties of holy Dharma. You look on all the Kurus with and equal eye. Tell me what is good for me and for them (the Kurus).
एवं गते विदुर यदद्य कार्यं; पौराश्चेमे कथमस्मान्भजेरन् ते चाप्यस्मान्नोद्धरेयुः समूला;न्न कामये तांश्च विनश्यमानान्
AI Translation: Thus it is, Vidura, that the people will now behave towards us. And they will not save us from the root. I do not wish them to perish.
Supplementary Passages:
3.5.3 After 3, T2 G2-4 ins.: *24 सौबलेनैव पापेन दुर्योधनहितैषिणा क्रूरमाचरितं कर्म न मे प्रियमनुष्ठितम् तथैवं हि कृते तत्र तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति उत्तरं प्राप्तकालं च किमन्यन्मन्यते क्षमम् नास्ति धर्मे सहायत्वमिति मे दीर्यते मनः यत्र पाण्डुसुताः सर्वे क्लिश्यन्ति वनमागताः
विदुर उवाच त्रिवर्गोऽयं धर्ममूलो नरेन्द्र; राज्यं चेदं धर्ममूलं वदन्ति धर्मे राजन्वर्तमानः स्वशक्त्या; पुत्रान्सर्वान्पाहि कुन्तीसुतांश्च
M. N. Dutt: Vidura said: O king, Trivarga (Dharma, Artha and Kama) has its foundation on virtue and the sages says that a kingdom also stands on virtue as its basis. O king, therefore cherish with virtue and to your best power on your own sons and those of Pandu.
स वै धर्मो विप्रलुप्तः सभायां; पापात्मभिः सौबलेयप्रधानैः आहूय कुन्तीसुतमक्षवत्यां; पराजैषीत्सत्यसंधं सुतस्ते
M. N. Dutt: Virtue was destroyed by the wicked souls (the Kuru princes) with Subala's son (Shakuni) at their head when your sons invited the virtuous Yudhishthira to play and defeated him at dice.
एतस्य ते दुष्प्रणीतस्य राज;ञ्शेषस्याहं परिपश्याम्युपायम् यथा पुत्रस्तव कौरव्य पापा;न्मुक्तो लोके प्रतितिष्ठेत साधु
AI Translation: I shall see to it that the remainder of this evil deed of yours, O king, may be wiped out, so that your son, O son of Kuru, may be freed from sin and
तद्वै सर्वं पाण्डुपुत्रा लभन्तां; यत्तद्राजन्नतिसृष्टं त्वयासीत् एष धर्मः परमो यत्स्वकेन; राजा तुष्येन्न परस्वेषु गृध्येत्
M. N. Dutt: Let the Pandavas have what is to may given to them by you. The king's morality is that a king should remain content with his own and never covet the possessions of others.
Supplementary Passages:
3.5.7 Dn ins. after 7cd: Ś1 K3, which om. 7cd, ins. after 7ab: *25 यशो न नश्येज्ज्ञातिभेदश्च न स्याद् धर्मो न स्यान्नैव चैवं कृते त्वाम्
एतत्कार्यं तव सर्वप्रधानं; तेषां तुष्टिः शकुनेश्चावमानः एवं शेषं यदि पुत्रेषु ते स्या;देतद्राजंस्त्वरमाणः कुरुष्व
AI Translation: This is your most important task: to please them and to humiliate Śakuni. If you do this, then, son, you will be able to do the rest. O king, do this quickly.
अथैतदेवं न करोषि राज;न्ध्रुवं कुरूणां भविता विनाशः न हि क्रुद्धो भीमसेनोऽर्जुनो वा; शेषं कुर्याच्छात्रवाणामनीके
AI Translation: But if you do not act thus, O king, the destruction of the Kurus is certain. For when angry, Bhimasena or Arjuna will not leave any of the enemy in the battle.
येषां योद्धा सव्यसाची कृतास्त्रो; धनुर्येषां गाण्डिवं लोकसारम् येषां भीमो बाहुशाली च योद्धा; तेषां लोके किं नु न प्राप्यमस्ति
AI Translation: Those whose warrior is the left-handed one, skilled in archery, whose bow is the Gandīva, the essence of the world, whose warrior is the powerful Bhima, what is there in this world that they cannot attain?
Supplementary Passages:
3.5.10 After 10, T G2-4 ins.: *26 येषां राजा धर्मपुत्रो महात्मा तेषां लोके किं नु दुष्प्रापमस्ति
उक्तं पूर्वं जातमात्रे सुते ते; मया यत्ते हितमासीत्तदानीम् पुत्रं त्यजेममहितं कुलस्ये;त्येतद्राजन्न च तत्त्वं चकर्थ इदानीं ते हितमुक्तं न चेत्त्वं; कर्तासि राजन्परितप्तासि पश्चात्
AI Translation: I have already told you, when your son was born, what was good for you then. "O king, you did not do what I said then, ""Abandon this son, who is not good for the family.""" "Now I have told you what is good for you.
यद्येतदेवमनुमन्ता सुतस्ते; संप्रीयमाणः पाण्डवैरेकराज्यम् तापो न ते वै भविता प्रीतियोगा;त्त्वं चेन्न गृह्णासि सुतं सहायैः अथापरो भवति हि तं निगृह्य; पाण्डोः पुत्रं प्रकुरुष्वाधिपत्ये
AI Translation: If you do this, O son, you will be the one who grants, and you will be pleased with the Pāṇḍavas, and you will rule jointly with them. If you do not accept your son with your allies, then you will not have any grief, because of your
Supplementary Passages:
3.5.12 After 12, G2 ins.: *27 ध्रुवं विनाशस्तव पुत्रेण धीमन् सबन्धुवर्गेण सहैव राजभिः चतुर्दशे चैव वर्षे नरेन्द्र कुलक्षयं प्राप्स्यसि राजसिंह तस्मात्कुरुष्वाधिपत्ये नरेन्द्र युधिष्ठिरं धर्मवतां वरिष्ठम्
अजातशत्रुर्हि विमुक्तरागो; धर्मेणेमां पृथिवीं शास्तु राजन् ततो राजन्पार्थिवाः सर्व एव; वैश्या इवास्मानुपतिष्ठन्तु सद्यः
AI Translation: For Ajātaśatru, who is free from passion, rules this earth by the Dharma, O king. Then, O king, may all the kings and the vaishyas immediately stand up to us, like servants.
दुर्योधनः शकुनिः सूतपुत्रः; प्रीत्या राजन्पाण्डुपुत्रान्भजन्ताम् दुःशासनो याचतु भीमसेनं; सभामध्ये द्रुपदस्यात्मजां च
AI Translation: May Duryodhana, Shākuni, and the son of the charioteer, out of affection, O king, be devoted to the sons of Pandu. May Duhshāsana ask for Bhīmasena and Drāupadi, the daughter of Drūpada,
युधिष्ठिरं त्वं परिसान्त्वयस्व; राज्ये चैनं स्थापयस्वाभिपूज्य त्वया पृष्टः किमहमन्यद्वदेय;मेतत्कृत्वा कृतकृत्योऽसि राजन्
AI Translation: You should console Yudhishthira and install him in the kingdom, honoring him. What else should I say when asked by you? Having done this, O king, you will be accomplished.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच एतद्वाक्यं विदुर यत्ते सभाया;मिह प्रोक्तं पाण्डवान्प्राप्य मां च हितं तेषामहितं मामकाना;मेतत्सर्वं मम नोपैति चेतः
M. N. Dutt: Dhritarashtra said: O Vidura, the worlds you have spoken in this assembly with reference to the Pandavas and myself are for their and not my good. My mind does not approve this.
इदं त्विदानीं कुत एव निश्चितं; तेषामर्थे पाण्डवानां यदात्थ तेनाद्य मन्ये नासि हितो ममेति; कथं हि पुत्रं पाण्डवार्थे त्यजेयम्
M. N. Dutt: How have you settled all this in your mind. When you have spoken all this on behalf of the Pandavas. I perceive you are not at all friendly to me. How can I leave my son for the sake of sons of Pandu?
असंशयं तेऽपि ममैव पुत्रा; दुर्योधनस्तु मम देहात्प्रसूतः स्वं वै देहं परहेतोस्त्यजेति; को नु ब्रूयात्समतामन्ववेक्षन्
M. N. Dutt: There is no doubt they (the Pandavas) too are my sons, but Duryodhana has spring from my (own) body. Speaking partially how will you advise me to replace my own body for the sake of others?
स मा जिह्मं विदुर सर्वं ब्रवीषि; मानं च तेऽहमधिकं धारयामि यथेच्छकं गच्छ वा तिष्ठ वा त्वं; सुसान्त्व्यमानाप्यसती स्त्री जहाति
M. N. Dutt: Vidura, though I hold you in great esteem, (yet I must say) all that you have said is crooked. Stay (here) or go (away) as you please. However an unchaste wife is assured, she forsakes her husband.
वैशंपायन उवाच एतावदुक्त्वा धृतराष्ट्रोऽन्वपद्य;दन्तर्वेश्म सहसोत्थाय राजन् नेदमस्तीत्यथ विदुरो भाषमाणः; संप्राद्रवद्यत्र पार्था बभूवुः
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said : O king, having said this, Dhritarashtra suddenly rose and went into the inner apartments. Saying "this race is doomed", Vidura (also) went away where the sons of Fandu were.