Mahabharata 2.44: catuścatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

2.44.1

śakuniruvāca |
duryodhana na te'marṣaḥ kāryaḥ prati yudhiṣṭhiram |
bhāgadheyāni hi svāni pāṇḍavā bhuñjate sadā || 1 ||

"Sakuni said.--'O Duryodhana, thou shouldst not be jealous of Yudhishthira. The sons of Pandu are enjoying what they deserve in consequence of their own good fortune. O slayer of foes, O great king, thou couldst not destroy them by repeatedly devising numberless plans, many of which thou hadst even put to practice. Those tigers among men out of sheer luck escaped all those machinations. They have obtained Draupadi for wife and Drupada with his sons as also Vasudeva of great prowess as allies, capable of helping them in subjugating the whole world. And O king, having inherited the paternal share of the kingdom without being deprived of it they have grown in consequence of their own energy. What is there to make thee sorry for this? Having gratified Hustasana, Dhananjaya hath obtained the bow Gandiva and the couple of inexhaustible quivers and many celestial weapons. With that unique bow and by the strength of his own arms also he hath brought all the kings of the world under his sway. What is there to make thee sorry for this? Having saved the Asura Maya from a conflagration, Arjuna, that slayer of foes, using both his hands with equal skill, caused him to build that assembly house. And it is for this also that commanded by Maya, those grim Rakshasas called Kinkaras supported that assembly house. What is there in this to make thee sorry? Thou hast said, O king, that thou art without allies. This, O Bharata, is not true. These thy brothers are obedient to thee. Drona of great prowess and wielding the large bow along with his son, Radha's son Karna, the great warrior Gautama (Kripa), myself with my brothers and king Saumadatti--these are thy allies. Uniting thyself with these, conquer thou the whole of the earth.'

2.44.2

anekairabhyupāyaiśca tvayārabdhāḥ purāsakṛt |
vimuktāśca naravyāghrā bhāgadheyapuraskṛtāḥ || 2 ||

2.44.3

tairlabdhā draupadī bhāryā drupadaśca sutaiḥ saha |
sahāyaḥ pṛthivīlābhe vāsudevaśca vīryavān || 3 ||

2.44.4

labdhaśca nābhibhūto'rthaḥ pitryoṃ'śaḥ pṛthivīpate |
vivṛddhastejasā teṣāṃ tatra kā paridevanā || 4 ||

2.44.5

dhanaṃjayena gāṇḍīvamakṣayyau ca maheṣudhī |
labdhānyastrāṇi divyāni tarpayitvā hutāśanam || 5 ||

2.44.6

tena kārmukamukhyena bāhuvīryeṇa cātmanaḥ |
kṛtā vaśe mahīpālāstatra kā paridevanā || 6 ||

2.44.7

agnidāhānmayaṃ cāpi mokṣayitvā sa dānavam |
sabhāṃ tāṃ kārayāmāsa savyasācī paraṃtapaḥ || 7 ||

2.44.8

tena caiva mayenoktāḥ kiṃkarā nāma rākṣasāḥ |
vahanti tāṃ sabhāṃ bhīmāstatra kā paridevanā || 8 ||

2.44.9

yaccāsahāyatāṃ rājannuktavānasi bhārata |
tanmithyā bhrātaro hīme sahāyāste mahārathāḥ || 9 ||

2.44.10

droṇastava maheṣvāsaḥ saha putreṇa dhīmatā |
sūtaputraśca rādheyo gautamaśca mahārathaḥ || 10 ||

2.44.11

ahaṃ ca saha sodaryaiḥ saumadattiśca vīryavān |
etaistvaṃ sahitaḥ sarvairjaya kṛtsnāṃ vasuṃdharām || 11 ||

2.44.12

duryodhana uvāca |
tvayā ca sahito rājannetaiścānyairmahārathaiḥ |
etāneva vijeṣyāmi yadi tvamanumanyase || 12 ||

"Duryodhana said,--'O king, with thee, as also with these great warriors, I shall subjugate the Pandavas, if it pleases thee. If I can now subjugate them, the world will be mine and all the monarchs, and that assembly house so full of wealth.'

2.44.13

eteṣu vijiteṣvadya bhaviṣyati mahī mama |
sarve ca pṛthivīpālāḥ sabhā sā ca mahādhanā || 13 ||

2.44.14

śakuniruvāca |
dhanaṃjayo vāsudevo bhīmaseno yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
nakulaḥ sahadevaśca drupadaśca sahātmajaiḥ || 14 ||

"Sakuni replied,--'Dhananjaya and Vasudeva, Bhimasena and Yudhishthira, Nakula and Sahadeva and Drupada with his sons,--these cannot be vanquished in battle by even the celestials, for they are all great warriors wielding the largest bows, accomplished in weapons, and delighting in battle. But, O king, I know the means by which Yudhishthira himself may be vanquished. Listen to me and adopt it.'

2.44.15

naite yudhi balājjetuṃ śakyāḥ suragaṇairapi |
mahārathā maheṣvāsāḥ kṛtāstrā yuddhadurmadāḥ || 15 ||

2.44.16

ahaṃ tu tadvijānāmi vijetuṃ yena śakyate |
yudhiṣṭhiraṃ svayaṃ rājaṃstannibodha juṣasva ca || 16 ||

2.44.17

duryodhana uvāca |
apramādena suhṛdāmanyeṣāṃ ca mahātmanām |
yadi śakyā vijetuṃ te tanmamācakṣva mātula || 17 ||

"Duryodhana said,--'without danger to our friends and other illustrious men, O uncle, tell me if there is any way by which I may vanquish him.'

2.44.18

śakuniruvāca |
dyūtapriyaśca kaunteyo na ca jānāti devitum |
samāhūtaśca rājendro na śakṣyati nivartitum || 18 ||

"Sakuni said,--'The son of Kunti is very fond of dice-play although he doth not know how to play. That king if asked to play, is ill able to refuse.

2.44.19

devane kuśalaścāhaṃ na me'sti sadṛśo bhuvi |
triṣu lokeṣu kaunteyaṃ taṃ tvaṃ dyūte samāhvaya || 19 ||

[paragraph continues] I am skillful at dice. There is none equal to me in this respect on earth, no, not even in the three worlds, O son of Kuru. Therefore, ask him to play at dice. Skilled at dice, I will win his kingdom, and that splendid prosperity of his for thee, O bull among men. But, O Duryodhana, represent all this unto the king (Dhritarashtra). Commanded by thy father I will win without doubt the whole of Yudhishthira's possessions.'

2.44.20

tasyākṣakuśalo rājannādāsye'hamasaṃśayam |
rājyaṃ śriyaṃ ca tāṃ dīptāṃ tvadarthaṃ puruṣarṣabha || 20 ||

2.44.21

idaṃ tu sarvaṃ tvaṃ rājñe duryodhana nivedaya |
anujñātastu te pitrā vijeṣye taṃ na saṃśayaḥ || 21 ||

2.44.22

duryodhana uvāca |
tvameva kurumukhyāya dhṛtarāṣṭrāya saubala |
nivedaya yathānyāyaṃ nāhaṃ śakṣye niśaṃsitum || 22 ||

"Duryodhana said 'O son of Suvala, thou thyself represent properly all this to Dhritarashtra, the chief of the Kurus. I shall not be able to do so.