Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच असिद्धानुनये कृष्णे कुरुभ्यः पाण्डवान्गते अभिगम्य पृथां क्षत्ता शनैः शोचन्निवाब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said The object of Krishna having proved vrsuccessful and he having left the Kurus, the Kshattri having approached Pritha said to her slowly and sadly,
जानासि मे जीवपुत्रे भावं नित्यमनुग्रहे क्रोशतो न च गृह्णीते वचनं मे सुयोधनः
M. N. Dutt: "O you whose children are alive, you know that I am ever inclined to the reverse of war but though I am caring myself horse, Suyodhana does not act up to my words.
उपपन्नो ह्यसौ राजा चेदिपाञ्चालकेकयैः भीमार्जुनाभ्यां कृष्णेन युयुधानयमैरपि
M. N. Dutt: The king (Yudhishthira) has on his side the kings of the Chedis, the Panchalas, and the Kaikeyas and Bhima and Arjuna and Krishna and Yuyudhana and the twins.
उपप्लव्ये निविष्टोऽपि धर्ममेव युधिष्ठिरः काङ्क्षते ज्ञातिसौहार्दाद्बलवान्दुर्बलो यथा
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira is staying at Upaplavya like Dharma himself and desires the good will of his kinsmen as the weak desire the good will of the strong.
राजा तु धृतराष्ट्रोऽयं वयोवृद्धो न शाम्यति मत्तः पुत्रमदेनैव विधर्मे पथि वर्तते
M. N. Dutt: This king Dhritarashtra too, old in years, does not make peace, and follows the wrong path being intoxicated with the pride of sons.
जयद्रथस्य कर्णस्य तथा दुःशासनस्य च सौबलस्य च दुर्बुद्ध्या मिथोभेदः प्रवर्तते
M. N. Dutt: The dispute in this instance has its rise in the wicked intelligence of Jayadratha, Karna, and Dushasana, as also of the son of Subala.
अधर्मेण हि धर्मिष्ठं हृतं वै राज्यमीदृशम् येषां तेषामयं धर्मः सानुबन्धो भविष्यति
M. N. Dutt: These, who act with unrighteousness towards him who is righteous, have the fruit of such act of theirs.
ह्रियमाणे बलाद्धर्मे कुरुभिः को न संज्वरेत् असाम्ना केशवे याते समुद्योक्ष्यन्ति पाण्डवाः
M. N. Dutt: Who is there who would not grieve at the prostitution of virtue by the Kurus? When Keshava goes without having established peace the sons of Pandu will make preparation for war.
ततः कुरूणामनयो भविता वीरनाशनः चिन्तयन्न लभे निद्रामहःसु च निशासु च
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon the misdeed of the Kurus will be the cause of a massacre of heroes; thinking of such things, I do not get sleep during day nor during night.”
श्रुत्वा तु कुन्ती तद्वाक्यमर्थकामेन भाषितम् अनिष्टनन्ती दुःखार्ता मनसा विममर्श ह
M. N. Dutt: Kunti too, hearing these words of his, which were spoken with the desire of benefit, began to sigh, being struck with sorrow and became depressed in mind also.
धिगस्त्वर्थं यत्कृतेऽयं महाञ्ज्ञातिवधे क्षयः वर्त्स्यते सुहृदां ह्येषां युद्धेऽस्मिन्वै पराभवः
M. N. Dutt: "Fie on this interest" which is the cause of a great massacre of kinsmen-in this was those that are friends will meet with defeat.
पाण्डवाश्चेदिपाञ्चाला यादवाश्च समागताः भारतैर्यदि योत्स्यन्ति किं नु दुःखमतः परम्
M. N. Dutt: The sons of Pandu, the Chedis, the Panchalas and the Yadavas, united together will fight with the Bharatas; what can be a greater cause of sorrow than this?
पश्ये दोषं ध्रुवं युद्धे तथा युद्धे पराभवम् अधनस्य मृतं श्रेयो न हि ज्ञातिक्षये जयः
M. N. Dutt: Behold, there is certainly demerit in war, as defeat in it the death of a man who is without wealth is better for him but the loss of kinsmen is no victory.
Supplementary Passages:
5.142.13 After 13, B Dn Ds D6-8.10 ins.: *531 इति मे चिन्तयन्त्या वै हृदि दुःखं प्रवर्तते
पितामहः शांतनव आचार्यश्च युधां पतिः कर्णश्च धार्तराष्ट्रार्थं वर्धयन्ति भयं मम
AI Translation: Grandfather, Shantanu, the teacher, the lord of warriors, and Karna, for the sake of the sons of Dhritarashtra, increase my fear.
नाचार्यः कामवाञ्शिष्यैर्द्रोणो युध्येत जातु चित् पाण्डवेषु कथं हार्दं कुर्यान्न च पितामहः
AI Translation: The teacher should not desire to fight with his disciples. How could Drona fight with the Pandavas? And how could the grandfather not be affectionate towards the Pandavas?
अयं त्वेको वृथादृष्टिर्धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्मतेः मोहानुवर्ती सततं पापो द्वेष्टि च पाण्डवान्
AI Translation: This is the only false view of the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra. He is always under the influence of delusion and evil, and hates the Pandavas.
महत्यनर्थे निर्बन्धी बलवांश्च विशेषतः कर्णः सदा पाण्डवानां तन्मे दहति सांप्रतम्
AI Translation: One who is powerful and always restrained from great harm, especially. Karna was always restrained from the Pandavas. That burns me now.
आशंसे त्वद्य कर्णस्य मनोऽहं पाण्डवान्प्रति प्रसादयितुमासाद्य दर्शयन्ती यथातथम्
AI Translation: I hope today, for the sake of Karna, I will be able to pacify the minds of the Pandavas by approaching them and showing them the truth.
तोषितो भगवान्यत्र दुर्वासा मे वरं ददौ आह्वानं देवसंयुक्तं वसन्त्याः पितृवेश्मनि
AI Translation: Where the Blessed One was pleased and Durvāsā gave me a boon. The invitation with the gods to Vasanti's father's house.
साहमन्तःपुरे राज्ञः कुन्तिभोजपुरस्कृता चिन्तयन्ती बहुविधं हृदयेन विदूयता
AI Translation: In the inner apartments of the king, honored by Kuntibhoja, I pondered on many things, my heart burning.
बलाबलं च मन्त्राणां ब्राह्मणस्य च वाग्बलम् स्त्रीभावाद्बालभावाच्च चिन्तयन्ती पुनः पुनः
AI Translation: The strength and weakness of the mantras and the strength of the brahmin's words Thinking again and again due to the state of being a woman and the state of being a child,
धात्र्या विश्रब्धया गुप्ता सखीजनवृता तदा दोषं परिहरन्ती च पितुश्चारित्ररक्षिणी
AI Translation: Protected by the nurse, who was confident, surrounded by her friends, Avoiding faults, protecting her father's character,
कथं नु सुकृतं मे स्यान्नापराधवती कथम् भवेयमिति संचिन्त्य ब्राह्मणं तं नमस्य च
AI Translation: How can I do good? How can I be free from sin? Thinking thus, she bowed to the Brahmin.
कौतूहलात्तु तं लब्ध्वा बालिश्यादाचरं तदा कन्या सती देवमर्कमासादयमहं ततः
M. N. Dutt: And thinking of that Brahmana and bowing to him in my mind out of curiosity and behaving as a child at the time I came in contact with the god Surya though yet an unmarried girl.
योऽसौ कानीनगर्भो मे पुत्रवत्परिवर्तितः कस्मान्न कुर्याद्वचनं पथ्यं भ्रातृहितं तथा
M. N. Dutt: Why should not he therefore, whom I bore in my womb when an unmarried girl, act according to my words leading to benefit and at the same time accomplish the good of his brothers?
इति कुन्ती विनिश्चित्य कार्यं निश्चितमुत्तमम् कार्यार्थमभिनिर्याय ययौ भागीरथीं प्रति
M. N. Dutt: Kunti, thus thinking on an excellent course of action, went towards the Bhagirathi for the attainment of her objects.
आत्मजस्य ततस्तस्य घृणिनः सत्यसङ्गिनः गङ्गातीरे पृथाशृण्वदुपाध्ययननिस्वनम्
M. N. Dutt: Then on the banks of the Ganga did Pritha hear the sound of chanting the Vedas made by her son who had great kindness in him and who was attached to truth.
Supplementary Passages:
5.142.27 After 27ab, K4 ins.: *532 गङ्गातीरे पृथापश्यदुपस्थानगतं वृषम्
प्राङ्मुखस्योर्ध्वबाहोः सा पर्यतिष्ठत पृष्ठतः जप्यावसानं कार्यार्थं प्रतीक्षन्ती तपस्विनी
M. N. Dutt: She waited behind Karna, who with arms upraised had his face turned to the east, till the end of the devotions of that devotee.
अतिष्ठत्सूर्यतापार्ता कर्णस्योत्तरवाससि कौरव्यपत्नी वार्ष्णेयी पद्ममालेव शुष्यती
M. N. Dutt: She the wife of the Kauravya and the daughter of the Vrishni race waited troubled by the rays of the sun behind the clothes of Karna, becoming pale like a garland of lotuses.
आ पृष्ठतापाज्जप्त्वा स परिवृत्य यतव्रतः दृष्ट्वा कुन्तीमुपातिष्ठदभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः यथान्यायं महातेजा मानी धर्मभृतां वरः
M. N. Dutt: That one, who used to say his prayers regularly, having been engaged in devotion till his back became heated with the rays of the sun, then turned and seeing Kunti he did honour her by saluting her and folding his hands before her.
Supplementary Passages:
5.142.30 After 30, K B2 Dn1 D2.7-9 ins.: *533 उत्स्मयन्प्रणतः प्राह कुन्तीं वैकर्तनो वृषः