Critical Edition
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच भगवन्नाहमप्येतद्रोचये द्यूतसंस्तवम् मन्ये तद्विधिनाक्रम्य कारितोऽस्मीति वै मुने
M. N. Dutt: Dhritarashtra said: O illustrious one, I did not like this business of gambling. O Rishi, I think I was made to give my consent having been drawn by Fate.
नैतद्रोचयते भीष्मो न द्रोणो विदुरो न च गान्धारी नेच्छति द्यूतं तच्च मोहात्प्रवर्तितम्
M. N. Dutt: Neither Bhishma, nor Drona, nor Vidura, nor Gandhari, liked this game at dice. There is no doubt it was begot by Moha (delusion).
परित्यक्तुं न शक्नोमि दुर्योधनमचेतनम् पुत्रस्नेहेन भगवञ्जानन्नपि यतव्रत
M. N. Dutt: O illustrious one, O (Rishi), who delights in observing vows, knowing everything, but yet for the sake of paternal love. I was unable to abandon the senseless Duryodhana.
व्यास उवाच वैचित्रवीर्य नृपते सत्यमाह यथा भवान् दृढं वेद्मि परं पुत्रं परं पुत्रान्न विद्यते
M. N. Dutt: Vyasa said : O king, O son of Vichitravirya, what you say is right. We too know it for certain that the son is the greatest of all things. I here is nothing greater than the son.
इन्द्रोऽप्यश्रुनिपातेन सुरभ्या प्रतिबोधितः अन्यैः समृद्धैरप्यर्थैर्न सुताद्विद्यते परम्
M. N. Dutt: Instructed by the Surabhi (celestials cow), Indra came to know that the son surpasses in worth other valuable possessions.
अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि महदाख्यानमुत्तमम् सुरभ्याश्चैव संवादमिन्द्रस्य च विशां पते
M. N. Dutt: O king, I shall relate to you in this connection that excellent and best of stories, the conversation between Indra and Surabhi.
त्रिविष्टपगता राजन्सुरभिः प्रारुदत्किल गवां मात पुरा तात तामिन्द्रोऽन्वकृपायत
M. N. Dutt: O king, O child, in the days of yore Surabhi, the mother of cows, was once weeping in the celestials regions. Indra took compassion on her.
इन्द्र उवाच किमिदं रोदिषि शुभे कच्चित्क्षेमं दिवौकसाम् मानुषेष्वथ वा गोषु नैतदल्पं भविष्यति
M. N. Dutt: Indra said: O blessed one, why do you weep? Is everything well with the celestials? Has any misfortune, however so little, befallen on the world of men or of the Nagas.
सुरभिरुवाच विनिपातो न वः कश्चिद्दृश्यते त्रिदशाधिप अहं तु पुत्रं शोचामि तेन रोदिमि कौशिक
M. N. Dutt: Surabhi said: O lord of heaven, I do not see any evil that has befallen you. I am aggrieved on account of my son. O Vasava, therefore I weep.
पश्यैनं कर्षकं रौद्रं दुर्बलं मम पुत्रकम् प्रतोदेनाभिनिघ्नन्तं लाङ्गलेन निपीडितम्
AI Translation: Look at this cruel plowman, my weak son, who is being beaten with a goad and crushed by the plow.
एतं दृष्ट्वा भृशं श्रान्तं वध्यमानं सुराधिप कृपाविष्टास्मि देवेन्द्र मनश्चोद्विजते मम
AI Translation: Seeing this one, who is very tired and being killed, O Lord of the gods, I am filled with compassion, O Indra of the gods, and my mind is disturbed.
एकस्तत्र बलोपेतो धुरमुद्वहतेऽधिकाम् अपरोऽल्पबलप्राणः कृशो धमनिसंततः कृच्छ्रादुद्वहते भारं तं वै शोचामि वासव
AI Translation: One of them is strong and carries a heavy load, while the other, weak and frail, is connected by veins. With difficulty, he carries the load. I grieve for him, O Vasava.
वध्यमानः प्रतोदेन तुद्यमानः पुनः पुनः नैव शक्नोति तं भारमुद्वोढुं पश्य वासव
AI Translation: Being struck by the goad, being prodded again and again, He is unable to carry that load. Look, Vasava.
ततोऽहं तस्य दुःखार्ता विरौमि भृशदुःखिता अश्रूण्यावर्तयन्ती च नेत्राभ्यां करुणायती
M. N. Dutt: O Vasava, look, he is unable to bear the burden. Therefore, afflicted with grief for his sake, I weep in agony; and tears of sorrow roll down my eyes.
इन्द्र उवाच तव पुत्रसहस्रेषु पीड्यमानेषु शोभने किं कृपायितमस्त्यत्र पुत्र एकोऽत्र पीड्यते
M. N. Dutt: Indra said: O handsome one, thousands of your sons are oppressed (all over the world), why do you then grieve for one who is under inflictions?
सुरभिरुवाच यदि पुत्रसहस्रं मे सर्वत्र सममेव मे दीनस्य तु सतः शक्र पुत्रस्याभ्यधिका कृपा
M. N. Dutt: Surabhi said: Though I have thousands of offspring, yet my affection flows equally towards them all. But, O Shakra, I feel greater compassion for one who is weak and honest.
व्यास उवाच तदिन्द्रः सुरभीवाक्यं निशम्य भृशविस्मितः जीवितेनापि कौरव्य मेनेऽभ्यधिकमात्मजम्
M. N. Dutt: Vyasa said: Having heard the words of Surabhi, Indra was much surprised. O descendant of Kuru, he became convinced that a son is dearer than one's own life.
प्रववर्ष च तत्रैव सहसा तोयमुल्बणम् कर्षकस्याचरन्विघ्नं भगवान्पाकशासनः
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon the illustrious chastiser of Paka (Indra) suddenly poured a very great shower of rains. Thus he caused obstruction to the husband man's work.
तद्यथा सुरभिः प्राह सममेवास्तु ते तथा सुतेषु राजन्सर्वेषु दीनेष्वभ्यधिका कृपा
M. N. Dutt: O king, as Surabhi said, your affection flows equally towards all your sons. Let it be greater towards those that are weak.
यादृशो मे सुतः पण्डुस्तादृशो मेऽसि पुत्रक विदुरश्च महाप्राज्ञः स्नेहादेतद्ब्रवीम्यहम्
M. N. Dutt: O son, as my son Pandu is to me, so are you and also greatly wise Vidura. It is out of affection I tell you all this.
चिराय तव पुत्राणां शतमेकश्च पार्थिव पाण्डोः पञ्चैव लक्ष्यन्ते तेऽपि मन्दाः सुदुःखिताः
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Bharata, You possess one hundred and one children. Pandu has only five. They are in misery and they are greatly afflicted.
कथं जीवेयुरत्यन्तं कथं वर्धेयुरित्यपि इति दीनेषु पार्थेषु मनो मे परितप्यते
M. N. Dutt: "How might they save their lives how might they thrive?" Such thoughts about the distressed sons of Pritha make me aggrieved.
यदि पार्थिव कौरव्याञ्जीवमानानिहेच्छसि दुर्योधनस्तव सुतः शमं गच्छतु पाण्डवैः
M. N. Dutt: O king, if you wish to keep all the Kurus alive, let your son Duryodhana make peace with the Pandavas.