Mahabharata 2.46: ṣaṭcatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

2.46.1

janamejaya uvāca |
kathaṃ samabhavaddyūtaṃ bhrātṝṇāṃ tanmahātyayam |
yatra tadvyasanaṃ prāptaṃ pāṇḍavairme pitāmahaiḥ || 1 ||

Janamejaya said,--"O thou foremost of all conversant with the Vedas, how did that game at dice take place, fraught with such evil to the cousins and through which my grand-sires, the son of Pandu, were plunged into such sorrow? What kings also were present in that assembly, and who amongst them approved of the gambling match and who amongst them forbade it? O sinless one, O chief of regenerate ones, I desire thee to recite in detail all about this, which, indeed, was the cause of the destruction of the world."

2.46.2

ke ca tatra sabhāstārā rājāno brahmavittama |
ke cainamanvamodanta ke cainaṃ pratyaṣedhayan || 2 ||

2.46.3

vistareṇaitadicchāmi kathyamānaṃ tvayā dvija |
mūlaṃ hyetadvināśasya pṛthivyā dvijasattama || 3 ||

2.46.4

sūta uvāca |
evamuktastadā rājñā vyāsaśiṣyaḥ pratāpavān |
ācacakṣe yathāvṛttaṃ tatsarvaṃ sarvavedavit || 4 ||

Santi said,--"Thus addressed by the king, the disciple of Vyasa, endued with great energy and conversant with the entire Vedas, narrated everything that had happened."

2.46.5

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
śṛṇu me vistareṇemāṃ kathāṃ bharatasattama |
bhūya eva mahārāja yadi te śravaṇe matiḥ || 5 ||

Vaisampayana said,--"O best of the Bharatas, O great king, if thou desirest to hear, then listen to me as I narrate to thee everything again in detail.

2.46.6

vidurasya mataṃ jñātvā dhṛtarāṣṭro'mbikāsutaḥ |
duryodhanamidaṃ vākyamuvāca vijane punaḥ || 6 ||

"Ascertaining the opinion of Vidura, Dhritarashtra the son of Amvika, calling Duryodhana told him again in private--'O son of Gandhari, have nothing to do with dice. Vidura doth not speak well of it. Possessed of great wisdom, he will never give me advice that is not for my good. I also regard what Vidura sayeth as exceedingly beneficial for me. Do that, O son, for I regard it all as for thy good also. Indeed, Vidura knoweth with all its mysteries the science (of political morality) that the illustrious and learned and wise Vrihaspati, the celestial Rishi who is the spiritual guide of Vasava--had unfolded unto the wise chief of the immortals. And O son, I always accept what Vidura adviseth. O king, as the wise Uddhava is ever regarded amongst the Vrishnis, so is Vidura possessed of great intelligence esteemed as the foremost of the Kurus. Therefore, O son, have nothing to do with dice. It is evident that dice soweth dissensions. And dissensions are the ruin of the kingdom. Therefore, O son, abandon this idea of gambling. O son, thou hast obtained from us what, it hath been ordained, a father and a mother should give unto their son, viz., ancestral rank and possessions. Thou art educated and clever in every branch of knowledge, and hast been brought up with affection in thy paternal dwelling. Born the eldest among all thy brothers, living within thy own kingdom, why regardest thou thyself as unhappy? O thou of mighty arms, thou obtainest food and attire of the very best kind and which is not obtainable by ordinary men. Why dost thou grieve yet. O son, O mighty-armed one, ruling thy large ancestral kingdom swelling with people and wealth, thou shinest as splendidly as the chief of the celestials in heaven. Thou art possessed of wisdom. It behoveth thee to tell me what can be the root of this grief that hath made thee so melancholy.

2.46.7

alaṃ dyūtena gāndhāre viduro na praśaṃsati |
na hyasau sumahābuddhirahitaṃ no vadiṣyati || 7 ||

2.46.8

hitaṃ hi paramaṃ manye viduro yatprabhāṣate |
kriyatāṃ putra tatsarvametanmanye hitaṃ tava || 8 ||

2.46.9

devarṣirvāsavagururdevarājāya dhīmate |
yatprāha śāstraṃ bhagavānbṛhaspatirudāradhīḥ || 9 ||

2.46.10

tadveda viduraḥ sarvaṃ sarahasyaṃ mahākaviḥ |
sthitaśca vacane tasya sadāhamapi putraka || 10 ||

2.46.11

viduro vāpi medhāvī kurūṇāṃ pravaro mataḥ |
uddhavo vā mahābuddhirvṛṣṇīnāmarcito nṛpa || 11 ||

2.46.12

dyūtena tadalaṃ putra dyūte bhedo hi dṛśyate |
bhede vināśo rājyasya tatputra parivarjaya || 12 ||

2.46.13

pitrā mātrā ca putrasya yadvai kāryaṃ paraṃ smṛtam |
prāptastvamasi tattāta pitṛpaitāmahaṃ padam || 13 ||

2.46.14

adhītavānkṛtī śāstre lālitaḥ satataṃ gṛhe |
bhrātṛjyeṣṭhaḥ sthito rājye vindase kiṃ na śobhanam || 14 ||

2.46.15

pṛthagjanairalabhyaṃ yadbhojanācchādanaṃ param |
tatprāpto'si mahābāho kasmācchocasi putraka || 15 ||

2.46.16

sphītaṃ rāṣṭraṃ mahābāho pitṛpaitāmahaṃ mahat |
nityamājñāpayanbhāsi divi deveśvaro yathā || 16 ||

2.46.17

tasya te viditaprajña śokamūlamidaṃ katham |
samutthitaṃ duḥkhataraṃ tanme śaṃsitumarhasi || 17 ||

2.46.18

duryodhana uvāca |
aśnāmyācchādayāmīti prapaśyanpāpapūruṣaḥ |
nāmarṣaṃ kurute yastu puruṣaḥ so'dhamaḥ smṛtaḥ || 18 ||

"Duryodhana replied,--'I am a sinful wretch, O king, because I eat and dress beholding (the prosperity of the foes). It hath been said that man is a wretch who is not filled with jealousy at the sight of his enemy's prosperity. O exalted one, this kind of prosperity of mine doth not gratify me. Beholding that blazing prosperity of the son of Kunti, I am very much pained. I tell thee strong must be my vitality, in as much as I am living even at the sight of the whole earth owning the sway of Yudhishthira. The Nipas, the Chitrakas, the Kukkuras, the Karaskaras, and the Lauha-janghas are living in the palace of Yudhishthira like bondsmen. The Himavat, the ocean, the regions on the sea-shore, and the numberless other regions that yield jewels and gems, have all acknowledged superiority of the mansion of Yudhishthira in respect of wealth it containeth. And, O Monarch, regarding me as the eldest and entitled to respect, Yudhishthira having received me respectfully, appointed me in receiving the jewels and gems (that were brought as tribute). O Bharata, the limit and the like of the excellent and invaluable jewels that were brought there have not been seen. And O king, my hands were fatigued in receiving that wealth. And when I was tired, they that brought those valuable articles from distant regions used to wait till I was able to resume my labour. Bringing jewels from the lake Vindu, the Asura architect Maya constructed (for the Pandavas) a lake-like surface made of crystal. Beholding the (artificial) lotuses with which it was filled, I mistook it, O king for water. And seeing me draw up my clothes (while about to cross it), Vrikodara (Bhima) laughed at me, regarding me as wanting in jewels and having lost my head at the sight of the affluence of my enemy. If I had the ability, I would, O king, without the loss of a moment, slay Vrikodara for that. But, O monarch, if we endeavour to slay Bhima now, without doubt, ours will be the fate of Sisupala. O Bharata, that insult by the foe burneth me. Once again, O king, beholding a similar lake that is really full of water but which I mistook for a crystal surface, I fell into it. At that, Bhima with Arjuna once more laughed derisively, and Draupadi also accompanied by other females joined in the laughter. That paineth my heart exceedingly. My apparel having been wet, the menials at the command of the king gave me other clothes. That also is my great sorrow. And O king, hear now of another mistake that I speak of. In attempting to pass through what is exactly of the shape of a door but through which there was really no passage, I struck my forehead against stone and injured myself. The twins Nakula and Sahadeva beholding from a distance that I was so hit at the head came and supported me in their arms, expressing great concern for me. And Sahadeva repeatedly told me, as if with a smile,--'This O king, is the door. Go this way!' And Bhimasena, laughing aloud, addressed me and said,--'O son of Dhritarashtra, this is the door. And, O king I had not even heard of the names of those gems that I saw in that mansion. And it is for these reasons that my heart so acheth."

2.46.19

na māṃ prīṇāti rājendra lakṣmīḥ sādhāraṇā vibho |
jvalitāmiva kaunteye śriyaṃ dṛṣṭvā ca vivyathe || 19 ||

2.46.20

sarvāṃ hi pṛthivīṃ dṛṣṭvā yudhiṣṭhiravaśānugām |
sthiro'smi yo'haṃ jīvāmi duḥkhādetadbravīmi te || 20 ||

2.46.21

āvarjitā ivābhānti nighnāścaitrakikaukurāḥ |
kāraskarā lohajaṅghā yudhiṣṭhiraniveśane || 21 ||

2.46.22

himavatsāgarānūpāḥ sarvaratnākarāstathā |
antyāḥ sarve paryudastā yudhiṣṭhiraniveśane || 22 ||

2.46.23

jyeṣṭho'yamiti māṃ matvā śreṣṭhaśceti viśāṃ pate |
yudhiṣṭhireṇa satkṛtya yukto ratnaparigrahe || 23 ||

2.46.24

upasthitānāṃ ratnānāṃ śreṣṭhānāmarghahāriṇām |
nādṛśyata paraḥ prānto nāparastatra bhārata || 24 ||

2.46.25

na me hastaḥ samabhavadvasu tatpratigṛhṇataḥ |
prātiṣṭhanta mayi śrānte gṛhya dūrāhṛtaṃ vasu || 25 ||

2.46.26

kṛtāṃ bindusaroratnairmayena sphāṭikacchadām |
apaśyaṃ nalinīṃ pūrṇāmudakasyeva bhārata || 26 ||

2.46.27

vastramutkarṣati mayi prāhasatsa vṛkodaraḥ |
śatrorṛddhiviśeṣeṇa vimūḍhaṃ ratnavarjitam || 27 ||

2.46.28

tatra sma yadi śaktaḥ syāṃ pātayeyaṃ vṛkodaram |
sapatnenāvahāso hi sa māṃ dahati bhārata || 28 ||

2.46.29

punaśca tādṛśīmeva vāpīṃ jalajaśālinīm |
matvā śilāsamāṃ toye patito'smi narādhipa || 29 ||

2.46.30

tatra māṃ prāhasatkṛṣṇaḥ pārthena saha sasvanam |
draupadī ca saha strībhirvyathayantī mano mama || 30 ||

2.46.31

klinnavastrasya ca jale kiṃkarā rājacoditāḥ |
dadurvāsāṃsi me'nyāni tacca duḥkhataraṃ mama || 31 ||

2.46.32

pralambhaṃ ca śṛṇuṣvānyaṃ gadato me narādhipa |
advāreṇa vinirgacchandvārasaṃsthānarūpiṇā |
abhihatya śilāṃ bhūyo lalāṭenāsmi vikṣataḥ || 32 ||

2.46.33

tatra māṃ yamajau dūrādālokya lalitau kila |
bāhubhiḥ parigṛhṇītāṃ śocantau sahitāvubhau || 33 ||

2.46.34

uvāca sahadevastu tatra māṃ vismayanniva |
idaṃ dvāramito gaccha rājanniti punaḥ punaḥ || 34 ||

2.46.35

nāmadheyāni ratnānāṃ purastānna śrutāni me |
yāni dṛṣṭāni me tasyāṃ manastapati tacca me || 35 ||