Critical Edition
दानवा ऊचुः भोः सुयोधन राजेन्द्र भरतानां कुलोद्वह शूरैः परिवृतो नित्यं तथैव च महात्मभिः
M. N. Dutt: The Danavas said: O king of kings, O perpetuator of the Bharata race, O Duryodhana, you are always surrounded by heroes and illustrious men.
अकार्षीः साहसमिदं कस्मात्प्रायोपवेशनम् आत्मत्यागी ह्यवाग्याति वाच्यतां चायशस्करीम्
M. N. Dutt: Why have you then taken this rash step such as this vow of starvation? Suicide always leads (a man) to hell. It becomes the subject of calumnious speech.
न हि कार्यविरुद्धेषु बह्वपायेषु कर्मसु मूलघातिषु सज्जन्ते बुद्धिमन्तो भवद्विधाः
M. N. Dutt: Intelligent men like you never engage in acts that are sinful and opposed to their best interests and which strike at the very root of their purposes.
नियच्छैतां मतिं राजन्धर्मार्थसुखनाशिनीम् यशःप्रतापधैर्यघ्नीं शत्रूणां हर्षवर्धनीम्
M. N. Dutt: O king, therefore restrain your this resolve. It is destructive of morality, profit and happiness and of fame, prowess and energy. It enhances the joy of one's enemies.
श्रूयतां च प्रभो तत्त्वं दिव्यतां चात्मनो नृप निर्माणं च शरीरस्य ततो धैर्यमवाप्नुहि
M. N. Dutt: O king, of lord, know the truth, the celestials origin of your birth and the make up of your body; and then assume patience.
पुरा त्वं तपसास्माभिर्लब्धो देवान्महेश्वरात् पूर्वकायश्च सर्वस्ते निर्मितो वज्रसंचयैः
M. N. Dutt: O king, in the days of yore, we obtained you from Maheshvara by ascetic austerities. The upper part of your body is wholly made of Vajra (thunder).
अस्त्रैरभेद्यः शस्त्रैश्चाप्यधःकायश्च तेऽनघ कृतः पुष्पमयो देव्या रूपतः स्त्रीमनोहरः
M. N. Dutt: On sinless one, therefore it is invincible to weapons of every description. The lower part of your body, capable of captivating the female heart by its comeliness, was made of flowers by the goddess herself.
एवमीश्वरसंयुक्तस्तव देहो नृपोत्तम देव्या च राजशार्दूल दिव्यस्त्वं हि न मानुषः
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of kings, thus your body was created by Ishvara himself and the goddess. Therefore, O best of kings, your origin is celestials and not human.
क्षत्रियाश्च महावीर्या भगदत्तपुरोगमाः दिव्यास्त्रविदुषः शूराः क्षपयिष्यन्ति ते रिपून्
M. N. Dutt: Other greatly powerful Kshatriyas headed by Bhagadatta, all learned in the celestials weapons, will kill your enemies.
Supplementary Passages:
3.240.9 After 9ab, G1 reads 5cd; while T2 ins.: *1153 यैः सुरापि घृणां त्यक्त्वा योत्स्यन्ते सह वैरिभिः
तदलं ते विषादेन भयं तव न विद्यते साह्यार्थं च हि ते वीराः संभूता भुवि दानवाः
M. N. Dutt: Therefore there is not need for you grief. You have no cause for fear. In order to help you, many heroic Danavas have been born on earth.
भीष्मद्रोणकृपादींश्च प्रवेक्ष्यन्त्यपरेऽसुराः यैराविष्टा घृणां त्यक्त्वा योत्स्यन्ते तव वैरिभिः
M. N. Dutt: Other Asura will possess Bhishma, Drona and Karna and others. Possessed by the Asuras, those heroes will cast away their kindness and fight with your enemies.
नैव पुत्रान्न च भ्रातॄन्न पितॄन्न च बान्धवान् नैव शिष्यान्न च ज्ञातीन्न बालान्स्थविरान्न च
AI Translation: Not sons, not brothers, not fathers, not relatives, Not disciples, not kinsmen, not children, not elders,
युधि संप्रहरिष्यन्तो मोक्ष्यन्ति कुरुसत्तम निःस्नेहा दानवाविष्टाः समाक्रान्तेऽन्तरात्मनि
AI Translation: Those who will fight in battle, O best of the Kurus, will be released. Devoid of affection, possessed by demons, their inner selves will be overcome.
प्रहरिष्यन्ति बन्धुभ्यः स्नेहमुत्सृज्य दूरतः हृष्टाः पुरुषशार्दूलाः कलुषीकृतमानसाः अविज्ञानविमूढाश्च दैवाच्च विधिनिर्मितात्
AI Translation: Abandoning affection for their relatives, they will strike. The best of men, with minds defiled, will be joyful. Confused by ignorance, they will be created by fate and destiny.
व्याभाषमाणाश्चान्योन्यं न मे जीवन्विमोक्ष्यसे सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रमोक्षेण पौरुषे समवस्थिताः श्लाघमानाः कुरुश्रेष्ठ करिष्यन्ति जनक्षयम्
AI Translation: And they will speak to each other, 'I will not let you go alive.' They will be engaged in the use of all weapons and missiles, and in manly strength. They will boast, 'O best of the Kurus, we will bring about the destruction of the people.'
तेऽपि शक्त्या महात्मानः प्रतियोत्स्यन्ति पाण्डवाः वधं चैषां करिष्यन्ति दैवयुक्ता महाबलाः
AI Translation: Those great souls, the Pandavas, will also fight with their power. And those powerful ones, connected with destiny, will kill them.
दैत्यरक्षोगणाश्चापि संभूताः क्षत्रयोनिषु योत्स्यन्ति युधि विक्रम्य शत्रुभिस्तव पार्थिव गदाभिर्मुसलैः खड्गैः शस्त्रैरुच्चावचैस्तथा
M. N. Dutt: Possessing great strength and favoured by the fate, they would bring about the destruction of all. Many Daityas and Yakshas, that have been born in the Kshatriya order, will fight with great prowess in battle with your enemies using maces, clubs, lances and various weapons.
Supplementary Passages:
3.240.17 After 17, S (except G3) ins.: *1154 प्रहरिष्यन्ति ते वीरास्तवारिषु महाबलाः
यच्च तेऽन्तर्गतं वीर भयमर्जुनसंभवम् तत्रापि विहितोऽस्माभिर्वधोपायोऽर्जुनस्य वै
M. N. Dutt: O hero, as for the fear of Arjuna in your heart, we have already settled the means of killing Arjuna.
हतस्य नरकस्यात्मा कर्णमूर्तिमुपाश्रितः तद्वैरं संस्मरन्वीर योत्स्यते केशवार्जुनौ
M. N. Dutt: The soul of the killed Naraka has assumed the form of Karna. Recollecting. O hero, his former enmity, he will kill both Keshava (Krishna) and Arjuna.
स ते विक्रमशौण्डीरो रणे पार्थं विजेष्यति कर्णः प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठः सर्वांश्चारीन्महारथः
M. N. Dutt: That great car-warrior, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, proud of his prowess, will vanquish Arjuna in battle, as also all your enemies.
ज्ञात्वैतच्छद्मना वज्री रक्षार्थं सव्यसाचिनः कुण्डले कवचं चैव कर्णस्यापहरिष्यति
M. N. Dutt: The wielder of thunder (Indra), knowing all this and desirous of saving Savyasachi (Arjuna), will in disguise take away from Karna his ear-rings and armour.
तस्मादस्माभिरप्यत्र दैत्याः शतसहस्रशः नियुक्ता राक्षसाश्चैव ये ते संशप्तका इति प्रख्यातास्तेऽर्जुनं वीरं निहनिष्यन्ति मा शुचः
M. N. Dutt: We have therefore appointed hundreds upon hundreds and thousands upon thousand of Daityas and Rakshasas; they are known by the name of Samshaptakas.
असपत्ना त्वया हीयं भोक्तव्या वसुधा नृप मा विषादं नयस्वास्मान्नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते विनष्टे त्वयि चास्माकं पक्षो हीयेत कौरव
M. N. Dutt: Do not give way to despondency. O descendant of Kuru, this conduct does not suit you. If you die, our party will become weak.
गच्छ वीर न ते बुद्धिरन्या कार्या कथंचन त्वमस्माकं गतिर्नित्यं देवतानां च पाण्डवाः
M. N. Dutt: O hero, go, you should never direct your mind in any other course. You are our refuge.
वैशंपायन उवाच एवमुक्त्वा परिष्वज्य दैत्यास्तं राजकुञ्जरम् समाश्वास्य च दुर्धर्षं पुत्रवद्दानवर्षभाः
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said : Having thus addressed him, the Daityas embraced that foremost of kings; and those best of the Danavas then cheered that irrepressible hero like a son.
स्थिरां कृत्वा बुद्धिमस्य प्रियाण्युक्त्वा च भारत गम्यतामित्यनुज्ञाय जयमाप्नुहि चेत्यथ
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Bharata, cheering his mind by soft speeches, they permitted him to depart saying, “Go and attain victory."
तैर्विसृष्टं महाबाहुं कृत्या सैवानयत्पुनः तमेव देशं यत्रासौ तदा प्रायमुपाविशत्
M. N. Dutt: When they had given leave to the mighty armed one, (to-depart), that very goddess carried him back to the spot where he had sat down intent upon putting an end to his life.
प्रतिनिक्षिप्य तं वीरं कृत्या समभिपूज्य च अनुज्ञाता च राज्ञा सा तत्रैवान्तरधीयत
M. N. Dutt: Having set that hero down and paid him homage, the goddess vanished with the king's permission.
गतायामथ तस्यां तु राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा स्वप्नभूतमिदं सर्वमचिन्तयत भारत विजेष्यामि रणे पाण्डूनिति तस्याभवन्मतिः
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Bharata, when she disappeared, the king considered all this to be a dream. (He thought), “I shall defeat the Pandavas in battle."
Supplementary Passages:
3.240.29 After 29cd, S (except G3) ins.: *1155 संस्मृत्य तानि वाक्यानि दानवोक्तानि दुर्मतिः
कर्णं संशप्तकांश्चैव पार्थस्यामित्रघातिनः अमन्यत वधे युक्तान्समर्थांश्च सुयोधनः
M. N. Dutt: Duryodhana considered that Karna and the Samshaptaka army were both able to kill that chastiser of foes Partha (Arjuna).
एवमाशा दृढा तस्य धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्मतेः विनिर्जये पाण्डवानामभवद्भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: Thus was strengthened the hope of the wicked-minded son of Dhritarashtra, to conquer the Pandavas.
कर्णोऽप्याविष्टचित्तात्मा नरकस्यान्तरात्मना अर्जुनस्य वधे क्रूरामकरोत्स मतिं तदा
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of Bharatas, Karna also, his soul and mind possessed by Naraka and influenced by the qualities of emotion and darkness, became cagerly desirous of killing Falguni (Arjuna).
संशप्तकाश्च ते वीरा राक्षसाविष्टचेतसः रजस्तमोभ्यामाक्रान्ताः फल्गुनस्य वधैषिणः
M. N. Dutt: Thus those Shanshaptaka various being surrounded by monsters came under sheer infuence of Rajas and Tamas property and intedned to kill Arjuna.
भीष्मद्रोणकृपाद्याश्च दानवाक्रान्तचेतसः न तथा पाण्डुपुत्राणां स्नेहवन्तो विशां पते न चाचचक्षे कस्मैचिदेतद्राजा सुयोधनः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and others, their mind possessed by the Danavas. O king, were not so affectionate towards the Pandavas as they were before. The king Suyodhana did not tell this to any one.
Supplementary Passages:
3.240.34 After 34, S (except G3) ins.: *1156 कृत्ययानार्यकथितं यदस्य निशि दानवैः
दुर्योधनं निशान्ते च कर्णो वैकर्तनोऽब्रवीत् स्मयन्निवाञ्जलिं कृत्वा पार्थिवं हेतुमद्वचः
M. N. Dutt: At the end of the night, the son of the sun, Karna, thus smilingly spoke to Duryodhana with joined hands.
न मृतो जयते शत्रूञ्जीवन्भद्राणि पश्यति मृतस्य भद्राणि कुतः कौरवेय कुतो जयः न कालोऽद्य विषादस्य भयस्य मरणस्य वा
M. N. Dutt: “No dead man can conquer his foes, it is when he is alive that he can see his good. Where is the good of the dead person and O descendant of Kuru, where is his victory?
परिष्वज्याब्रवीच्चैनं भुजाभ्यां स महाभुजः उत्तिष्ठ राजन्किं शेषे कस्माच्छोचसि शत्रुहन् शत्रून्प्रताप्य वीर्येण स कथं मर्तुमिच्छसि
M. N. Dutt: He further said, "O king, rise up. Why do you lie down? O slayer of foes, why do you wish to die?
अथ वा ते भयं जातं दृष्ट्वार्जुनपराक्रमम् सत्यं ते प्रतिजानामि वधिष्यामि रणेऽर्जुनम्
M. N. Dutt: Fear has possessed you at the sight of Arjuna. I truly promise to you that I will kill Arjuna in battle.
गते त्रयोदशे वर्षे सत्येनायुधमालभे आनयिष्याम्यहं पार्थान्वशं तव जनाधिप
M. N. Dutt: O ruler of men, I swear by my weapons that when thirteen years have passed away, I will bring the sons of Pritha under your subjection."
एवमुक्तस्तु कर्णेन दैत्यानां वचनात्तथा प्रणिपातेन चान्येषामुदतिष्ठत्सुयोधनः दैत्यानां तद्वचः श्रुत्वा हृदि कृत्वा स्थिरां मतिम्
M. N. Dutt: Having been thus addressed by Karna and having (also) remembered the words of the Daityas and the supplications made by (his brothers), Duryodhana rose up.
ततो मनुजशार्दूलो योजयामास वाहिनीम् रथनागाश्वकलिलां पदातिजनसंकुलाम्
AI Translation: Then the lion among men arrayed his army, crowded with chariots, elephants, and horses, and teeming with infantry.
गङ्गौघप्रतिमा राजन्प्रयाता सा महाचमूः श्वेतच्छत्रैः पताकाभिश्चामरैश्च सुपाण्डुरैः
AI Translation: O king, that great army, resembling the current of the Ganges, has departed, with white umbrellas, flags, and very white whisks,
रथैर्नागैः पदातैश्च शुशुभेऽतीव संकुला व्यपेताभ्रघने काले द्यौरिवाव्यक्तशारदी
M. N. Dutt: With numerous white umbrellas and pennons and white Chamaras and chariots and elephants and foot soldiers that great army, as is moved on like the waters of the Ganga looked as beautiful as the sky at a season when the clouds have been dispersed and the signs of autumn have been but partially developed.
Supplementary Passages:
3.240.43 After 43, S (except G3) ins.: *1157 हंसपङ्क्तिसमाकीर्णा भ्रमत्सारसशोभिता
जयाशीर्भिर्द्विजेन्द्रैस्तु स्तूयमानोऽधिराजवत् गृह्णन्नञ्जलिमालाश्च धार्तराष्ट्रो जनाधिपः
M. N. Dutt: O king of kings, eulogised as a monarch by the foremost of Brahmanas who all prayed for his victory, that king, Suyodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, received honours paid to him by innumerable men) with joined hands.
सुयोधनो ययावग्रे श्रिया परमया ज्वलन् कर्णेन सार्धं राजेन्द्र सौबलेन च देविना
AI Translation: Suyodhana went ahead, blazing with supreme glory, along with Karna, the king of kings, and the queen from Soubala.
दुःशासनादयश्चास्य भ्रातरः सर्व एव ते भूरिश्रवाः सोमदत्तो महाराजश्च बाह्लिकः
AI Translation: And his brothers, Duhshāsana and the others, all of them, Bhuriśravas, Somadatta, and the great king Bahlika,
Supplementary Passages:
3.240.46 After 46ab, M ins.: *1158 प्रत्युद्गताश्च कुरुभिर्नागरैर्ब्राह्मणैरपि
रथैर्नानाविधाकारैर्हयैर्गजवरैस्तथा प्रयान्तं नृपसिंहं तमनुजग्मुः कुरूद्वहाः कालेनाल्पेन राजंस्ते विविशुः स्वपुरं तदा
AI Translation: With chariots of various forms, horses, and excellent elephants, The leaders of the Kurus followed the lion among kings as he departed. O king, after a short while, they entered their own city then.
Supplementary Passages:
3.240.47 After 47cd, S (except G3) ins.: *1159 प्रहृष्टमनसः सर्वे दुर्योधनपुरोगमाः