Mahabharata 2.45: pañcacatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

2.45.1

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
anubhūya tu rājñastaṃ rājasūyaṃ mahākratum |
yudhiṣṭhirasya nṛpatergāndhārīputrasaṃyutaḥ || 1 ||

Vaisampayana said--"O king, impressed with the great Rajasuya sacrifice of king Yudhishthira, Sakuni, the son of Suvala, having learnt before the intentions of Duryodhana, while accompanying him in the way from the assembly house, and desirous of saying what was agreeable to him, approached Dhritarashtra endued with great wisdom, and finding the monarch deprived of his eye seated (in his throne), told him these words,--'Know, O great king, O bull of the Bharata race, that Duryodhana, having lost colour, hath become pale and emaciated and depressed and a prey to anxiety. Why dost thou not, after due enquiry, ascertain the grief that is in the heart of thy eldest son, the grief that is caused by the foe?'

2.45.2

priyakṛnmatamājñāya pūrvaṃ duryodhanasya tat |
prajñācakṣuṣamāsīnaṃ śakuniḥ saubalastadā || 2 ||

2.45.3

duryodhanavacaḥ śrutvā dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ janādhipam |
upagamya mahāprājñaṃ śakunirvākyamabravīt || 3 ||

2.45.4

duryodhano mahārāja vivarṇo hariṇaḥ kṛśaḥ |
dīnaścintāparaścaiva tadviddhi bharatarṣabha || 4 ||

2.45.5

na vai parīkṣase samyagasahyaṃ śatrusaṃbhavam |
jyeṣṭhaputrasya śokaṃ tvaṃ kimarthaṃ nāvabudhyase || 5 ||

2.45.6

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |
duryodhana kutomūlaṃ bhṛśamārto'si putraka |
śrotavyaścenmayā so'rtho brūhi me kurunandana || 6 ||

"Dhritarashtra said,--'Duryodhana, what is the reason of thy great affliction. O son of the Kuru race? If it is fit for me to hear it, then tell me the reason. This Sakuni here says that thou hast lost colour, become pale and emaciated, and a prey to anxiety. I do not know what can be the reason of the sorrow. This vast wealth of mine is at thy control. Thy brothers and all our relations never do anything that is disagreeable to thee. Thou wearest the best apparel and eatest the best food that is prepared with meat. The best of horse carries thee. What it is, therefore, that hath made thee pale and emaciated? Costly beds, beautiful damsels, mansions decked with excellent furniture, and sport of the delightful kind, without doubt these all wait but at thy command, as in the case of the gods themselves Therefore, O proud one, why dost thou grieve, O son, as if thou wert destitute.'

2.45.7

ayaṃ tvāṃ śakuniḥ prāha vivarṇaṃ hariṇaṃ kṛśam |
cintayaṃśca na paśyāmi śokasya tava saṃbhavam || 7 ||

2.45.8

aiśvaryaṃ hi mahatputra tvayi sarvaṃ samarpitam |
bhrātaraḥ suhṛdaścaiva nācaranti tavāpriyam || 8 ||

2.45.9

ācchādayasi prāvārānaśnāsi piśitaudanam |
ājāneyā vahanti tvāṃ kenāsi hariṇaḥ kṛśaḥ || 9 ||

2.45.10

śayanāni mahārhāṇi yoṣitaśca manoramāḥ |
guṇavanti ca veśmāni vihārāśca yathāsukham || 10 ||

2.45.11

devānāmiva te sarvaṃ vāci baddhaṃ na saṃśayaḥ |
sa dīna iva durdharṣaḥ kasmācchocasi putraka || 11 ||

2.45.12

duryodhana uvāca |
aśnāmyācchādaye cāhaṃ yathā kupuruṣastathā |
amarṣaṃ dhāraye cograṃ titikṣankālaparyayam || 12 ||

"Duryodhana said,--'I eat and dress myself like a wretch and pass my time all the while a prey to fierce jealousy. He indeed is a man, who incapable of bearing the pride of the foe, liveth having vanquished that foe with the desire of liberating his own subjects from the tyranny of the foe. Contentment, as also pride, O Bharata, are destructive of prosperity; and those other two qualities also, viz., compassion and fear. One who acteth under the influence of these, never obtaineth anything high. Having beheld Yudhishthira's prosperity, whatever I enjoy brings me no gratification. The prosperity of Kunti's son that is possessed of such splendour maketh me pale. Knowing the affluence of the foe and my own destitution, even though that affluence is not before me, I yet see it before me. Therefore, have I lost colour and become melancholy, pale and emaciated. Yudhishthira supporteth eighty-eight thousand Snataka Brahmanas leading domestic lives, giving unto each of them thirty slave-girls. Beside this, thousand other Brahmanas daily eat at his palace the best of food on golden plates. The king of Kambhoja sent unto him (as tribute) innumerable skins, black, darkish, and red, of the deer Kadali, as also numberless blankets of excellent textures. And hundreds and thousands and thousands of she-elephants and thirty thousand she-camels wander within the palace, for the kings of the earth brought them all as tribute to the capital of the Pandavas. And, O lord of earth, the kings also brought unto this foremost of sacrifices heaps upon heaps of jewels and gems for the son of Kunti. Never before did I see or hear of such enormous wealth as was brought unto the sacrifice of the intelligent sons of Pandu. And, O king, beholding that enormous collection of wealth belonging to the foe, I can not enjoy peace of mind. Hundreds of Brahmanas supported by the grants that Yudhishthira hath given them and possessing wealth of kine, waited at the palace gate with three thousands of millions of tribute but were prevented by the keepers from entering the mansion. Bringing with them clarified butter in handsome Kamandalus made of gold, they did not obtain admission into the palace, and Ocean himself brought unto him in vessels of white copper the nectar that is generated within his waters and which is much superior to that which flowers and annual plants produce for Sakra. And Vasudeva (at the conclusion of the sacrifice) having brought an excellent conch bathed the Sun of Pritha with sea water brought in thousand jars of gold, all well adorned with numerous gems. Beholding all this I became feverish with jealousy. Those jars had been taken to the Eastern and the Southern oceans. And they had also been taken on the shoulders of men to the Western ocean, O bull among men. And, O father, although none but birds only can go to the Northern region Arjuna, having gone thither, exacted as tribute a vast quantity of wealth. There is another wonderful incident also which I will relate to thee. O listen to me. When a hundred thousand Brahmanas were fed, it had been arranged that to notify this act every day conches would be blown in a chorus. But, O Bharata, I continually heard conches blown there almost repeatedly. And hearing those notes my hair stood on end. And, O great king, that palatial compound, filled with innumerable monarchs that came there as spectators, looked exceedingly handsome like the cloudless firmament with stars. And, O king of men, the monarchs came into that sacrifice of the wise son of Pandu bringing with them every kind of wealth. And the kings that came there became like Vaisyas the distributors of food unto the Brahmanas that were fed. And O king, the prosperity that I beheld of Yudhishthira was such that neither the chief himself of the celestials, nor Yama or Varuna, nor the lord of the Guhyakas owneth the same. And beholding that great prosperity of the son of Pandu, my heart burneth and I cannot enjoy peace.

2.45.13

amarṣaṇaḥ svāḥ prakṛtīrabhibhūya pare sthitāḥ |
kleśānmumukṣuḥ parajānsa vai puruṣa ucyate || 13 ||

2.45.14

saṃtoṣo vai śriyaṃ hanti abhimānaśca bhārata |
anukrośabhaye cobhe yairvṛto nāśnute mahat || 14 ||

2.45.15

na māmavati tadbhuktaṃ śriyaṃ dṛṣṭvā yudhiṣṭhire |
jvalantīmiva kaunteye vivarṇakaraṇīṃ mama || 15 ||

2.45.16

sapatnānṛdhyato''tmānaṃ hīyamānaṃ niśāmya ca |
adṛśyāmapi kaunteye sthitāṃ paśyannivodyatām |
tasmādahaṃ vivarṇaśca dīnaśca hariṇaḥ kṛśaḥ || 16 ||

2.45.17

aṣṭāśītisahasrāṇi snātakā gṛhamedhinaḥ |
triṃśaddāsīka ekaiko yānbibharti yudhiṣṭhiraḥ || 17 ||

2.45.18

daśānyāni sahasrāṇi nityaṃ tatrānnamuttamam |
bhuñjate rukmapātrībhiryudhiṣṭhiraniveśane || 18 ||

2.45.19

kadalīmṛgamokāni kṛṣṇaśyāmāruṇāni ca |
kāmbojaḥ prāhiṇottasmai parārdhyānapi kambalān || 19 ||

2.45.20

rathayoṣidgavāśvasya śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ |
triṃśataṃ coṣṭravāmīnāṃ śatāni vicarantyuta || 20 ||

2.45.21

pṛthagvidhāni ratnāni pārthivāḥ pṛthivīpate |
āharankratumukhye'sminkuntīputrāya bhūriśaḥ || 21 ||

2.45.22

na kvaciddhi mayā dṛṣṭastādṛśo naiva ca śrutaḥ |
yādṛgdhanāgamo yajñe pāṇḍuputrasya dhīmataḥ || 22 ||

2.45.23

aparyantaṃ dhanaughaṃ taṃ dṛṣṭvā śatrorahaṃ nṛpa |
śarma naivādhigacchāmi cintayāno'niśaṃ vibho || 23 ||

2.45.24

brāhmaṇā vāṭadhānāśca gomantaḥ śatasaṃghaśaḥ |
traikharvaṃ balimādāya dvāri tiṣṭhanti vāritāḥ || 24 ||

2.45.25

kamaṇḍalūnupādāya jātarūpamayāñśubhān |
evaṃ baliṃ samādāya praveśaṃ lebhire tataḥ || 25 ||

2.45.26

yannaiva madhu śakrāya dhārayantyamarastriyaḥ |
tadasmai kāṃsyamāhārṣīdvāruṇaṃ kalaśodadhiḥ || 26 ||

2.45.27

śaikyaṃ rukmasahasrasya bahuratnavibhūṣitam |
dṛṣṭvā ca mama tatsarvaṃ jvararūpamivābhavat || 27 ||

2.45.28

gṛhītvā tattu gacchanti samudrau pūrvadakṣiṇau |
tathaiva paścimaṃ yānti gṛhītvā bharatarṣabha || 28 ||

2.45.29

uttaraṃ tu na gacchanti vinā tāta patatribhiḥ |
idaṃ cādbhutamatrāsīttanme nigadataḥ śṛṇu || 29 ||

2.45.30

pūrṇe śatasahasre tu viprāṇāṃ pariviṣyatām |
sthāpitā tatra saṃjñābhūcchaṅkho dhmāyati nityaśaḥ || 30 ||

2.45.31

muhurmuhuḥ praṇadatastasya śaṅkhasya bhārata |
uttamaṃ śabdamaśrauṣaṃ tato romāṇi me'hṛṣan || 31 ||

2.45.32

pārthivairbahubhiḥ kīrṇamupasthānaṃ didṛkṣubhiḥ |
sarvaratnānyupādāya pārthivā vai janeśvara || 32 ||

2.45.33

yajñe tasya mahārāja pāṇḍuputrasya dhīmataḥ |
vaiśyā iva mahīpālā dvijātipariveṣakāḥ || 33 ||

2.45.34

na sā śrīrdevarājasya yamasya varuṇasya vā |
guhyakādhipatervāpi yā śrī rājanyudhiṣṭhire || 34 ||

2.45.35

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍuputrasya śriyaṃ paramikāmaham |
śāntiṃ na parigacchāmi dahyamānena cetasā || 35 ||

2.45.36

śakuniruvāca |
yāmetāmuttamāṃ lakṣmīṃ dṛṣṭavānasi pāṇḍave |
tasyāḥ prāptāvupāyaṃ me śṛṇu satyaparākrama || 36 ||

"Hearing these words of Duryodhana, Sakuni replied,--'Hear how thou mayest obtain this unrivalled prosperity that thou beholdest in the son of Pandu, O thou that hast truth for thy prowess. O Bharata, I am an adept at dice, superior to all in the world. I can ascertain the success or otherwise of every throw, and when to stake and when not. I have special knowledge of the game. The Son of Kunti also is fond of dice playing though he possesseth little skill in it. Summoned to play or battle, he is sure to come forward, and I will defeat him repeatedly at every throw by practising deception. I promise to win all that wealth of his, and thou, O Duryodhana, shalt then enjoy the same.'"

2.45.37

ahamakṣeṣvabhijñātaḥ pṛthivyāmapi bhārata |
hṛdayajñaḥ paṇajñaśca viśeṣajñaśca devane || 37 ||

2.45.38

dyūtapriyaśca kaunteyo na ca jānāti devitum |
āhūtaścaiṣyati vyaktaṃ dīvyāvetyāhvayasva tam || 38 ||

2.45.39

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
evamuktaḥ śakuninā rājā duryodhanastadā |
dhṛtarāṣṭramidaṃ vākyamapadāntaramabravīt || 39 ||

Vaisampayana continued,--"King Duryodhana, thus addressed by Sakuni, without allowing a moment to elapse, said unto Dhritarashtra,--'This, Sakuni, an adept at dice, is ready to win at dice, O king, the wealth of the sons of Pandu. It behoveth thee to grant him permission to do so.'

2.45.40

ayamutsahate rājañśriyamāhartumakṣavit |
dyūtena pāṇḍuputrasya tadanujñātumarhasi || 40 ||

2.45.41

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |
kṣattā mantrī mahāprājñaḥ sthito yasyāsmi śāsane |
tena saṃgamya vetsyāmi kāryasyāsya viniścayam || 41 ||

"Dhritarashtra replied,--'I always follow the counsels of Kshatta, my minister possessed of great wisdom. Having consulted with him, I will inform thee what my judgment is in respect of this affair. Endued with great foresight, he will, keeping morality before his eyes, tell us what is good and what is proper for both parties, and what should be done in this matter.'

2.45.42

sa hi dharmaṃ puraskṛtya dīrghadarśī paraṃ hitam |
ubhayoḥ pakṣayoryuktaṃ vakṣyatyarthaviniścayam || 42 ||

2.45.43

duryodhana uvāca |
nivartayiṣyati tvāsau yadi kṣattā sameṣyati |
nivṛtte tvayi rājendra mariṣye'hamasaṃśayam || 43 ||

"Duryodhana said,--'If thou consultest with Kshatta he will make thee desist. And if thou desist, O king, I will certainly kill myself. And when I am dead, O king, thou wilt become happy with Vidura. Thou wilt then enjoy the whole earth; what need hast thou with me?'"

2.45.44

sa mayi tvaṃ mṛte rājanvidureṇa sukhī bhava |
bhokṣyase pṛthivīṃ kṛtsnāṃ kiṃ mayā tvaṃ kariṣyasi || 44 ||

2.45.45

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
ārtavākyaṃ tu tattasya praṇayoktaṃ niśamya saḥ |
dhṛtarāṣṭro'bravītpreṣyānduryodhanamate sthitaḥ || 45 ||

Vaisampayana continued,--"Dhritarashtra, hearing these words of affliction uttered by Duryodhana from mixed feeling, himself ready to what Duryodhana had dictated, commanded his servant, saying,--'Let artificers be employed to erect without delay a delightful and handsome and spacious palace with an hundred doors and a thousand columns. And having brought carpenters and joiners, set ye jewels and precious stones all over the walls. And making it handsome and easy of access, report to me when everything is complete. And, O monarch, king Dhritarashtra having made this resolution for the pacification of Duryodhana, sent messengers unto Vidura for summoning him. For without taking counsel with Vidura never did the monarch form any resolution. But as regards the matter at hand, the king although he knew the evils of gambling, was yet attracted towards it. The intelligent Vidura, however, as soon as he heard of it, knew that the arrival of Kali was at hand. And seeing that the way to destruction was about to open, he quickly came to Dhritarashtra. And Vidura approaching his illustrious eldest brother and bowing down unto his feet, said these words:

2.45.46

sthūṇāsahasrairbṛhatīṃ śatadvārāṃ sabhāṃ mama |
manoramāṃ darśanīyāmāśu kurvantu śilpinaḥ || 46 ||

2.45.47

tataḥ saṃstīrya ratnaistāmakṣānāvāpya sarvaśaḥ |
sukṛtāṃ supraveśāṃ ca nivedayata me śanaiḥ || 47 ||

2.45.48

duryodhanasya śāntyarthamiti niścitya bhūmipaḥ |
dhṛtarāṣṭro mahārāja prāhiṇodvidurāya vai || 48 ||

2.45.49

apṛṣṭvā viduraṃ hyasya nāsītkaścidviniścayaḥ |
dyūtadoṣāṃśca jānansa putrasnehādakṛṣyata || 49 ||

2.45.50

tacchrutvā viduro dhīmānkalidvāramupasthitam |
vināśamukhamutpannaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭramupādravat || 50 ||

2.45.51

so'bhigamya mahātmānaṃ bhrātā bhrātaramagrajam |
mūrdhnā praṇamya caraṇāvidaṃ vacanamabravīt || 51 ||

2.45.52

nābhinandāmi te rājanvyavasāyamimaṃ prabho |
putrairbhedo yathā na syāddyūtahetostathā kuru || 52 ||

'O exalted king, I do not approve of this resolution that thou hast formed. It behave thee, O king, to act in such a way that no dispute may arise between thy children on account of this gambling match.'

2.45.53

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |
kṣattaḥ putreṣu putrairme kalaho na bhaviṣyati |
divi devāḥ prasādaṃ naḥ kariṣyanti na saṃśayaḥ || 53 ||

Dhritarashtra replied,--'O Kshatta, if the gods be merciful unto us, assuredly no dispute will ever arise amongst my sons. Therefore, auspicious or otherwise, beneficial or otherwise, let this friendly challenge at dice proceed. Even this without doubt is what fate hath ordained for us. And, O son of the Bharata race, when I am near, and Drona and Bhishma and thou too, nothing evil that even Fate might have ordained is likely to happen. Therefore, go thou on a car yoking thereto horses endued with the speed of the wind, so that thou mayest reach Khandavaprastha even today and bring thou Yudhishthira with thee. And, O Vidura, I tell that even this is my resolution. Tell me nothing. I regard Fate as supreme which bringeth all this.' Hearing these words of Dhritarashtra and concluding that his race was doomed, Vidura in great sorrow went unto Bhishma with great wisdom."

2.45.54

aśubhaṃ vā śubhaṃ vāpi hitaṃ vā yadi vāhitam |
pravartatāṃ suhṛddyūtaṃ diṣṭametanna saṃśayaḥ || 54 ||

2.45.55

mayi saṃnihite caiva bhīṣme ca bharatarṣabhe |
anayo daivavihito na kathaṃcidbhaviṣyati || 55 ||

2.45.56

gaccha tvaṃ rathamāsthāya hayairvātasamairjave |
khāṇḍavaprasthamadyaiva samānaya yudhiṣṭhiram || 56 ||

2.45.57

na vāryo vyavasāyo me viduraitadbravīmi te |
daivameva paraṃ manye yenaitadupapadyate || 57 ||

2.45.58

ityukto viduro dhīmānnaitadastīti cintayan |
āpageyaṃ mahāprājñamabhyagacchatsuduḥkhitaḥ || 58 ||