Mahabharata 2.52: dvipañcāśo'dhyāyaḥ

2.52.1

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
tataḥ prāyādviduro'śvairudārairmahājavairbalibhiḥ sādhudāntaiḥ |
balānniyukto dhṛtarāṣṭreṇa rājñā manīṣiṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ sakāśam || 1 ||

Vaisampayana said,--"Vidura then, thus commanded against his will by king Dhritarashtra, set out, with the help of horses of high mettle and endued with great speed and strength, and quiet and patient, for the abode of the wise sons of Pandu. Possessed of great intelligence, Vidura proceeded by the way leading to the capital of the Pandavas. And having arrived at the city of king Yudhishthira, he entered it and proceeded towards the palace, worshipped by numberless Brahmanas. And coming to the palace which was even like unto the mansion of Kuvera himself, the virtuous Vidura approached Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma. Then the illustrious Ajamida devoted to truth and having no enemy on earth, reverentially saluted Vidura, and asked him about Dhritarashtra and his sons. And Yudhishthira said, "O Kshatta, thy mind seemeth to be cheerless. Dost thou come here in happiness and peace? The sons of Dhritarashtra, I hope, are obedient to their old father. The people also, I hope, are obedient to Dhritarashtra's rule.'

2.52.2

so'bhipatya tadadhvānamāsādya nṛpateḥ puram |
praviveśa mahābuddhiḥ pūjyamāno dvijātibhiḥ || 2 ||

2.52.3

sa rājagṛhamāsādya kuberabhavanopamam |
abhyagacchata dharmātmā dharmaputraṃ yudhiṣṭhiram || 3 ||

2.52.4

taṃ vai rājā satyadhṛtirmahātmā ajātaśatrurviduraṃ yathāvat |
pūjāpūrvaṃ pratigṛhyājamīḍhastato'pṛcchaddhṛtarāṣṭraṃ saputram || 4 ||

2.52.5

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
vijñāyate te manaso na praharṣaḥ kaccitkṣattaḥ kuśalenāgato'si |
kaccitputrāḥ sthavirasyānulomā vaśānugāścāpi viśo'pi kaccit || 5 ||

2.52.6

vidura uvāca |
rājā mahātmā kuśalī saputra āste vṛto jñātibhirindrakalpaiḥ |
prīto rājanputragaṇairvinītairviśoka evātmaratirdṛḍhātmā || 6 ||

"Vidura said,--'The illustrious king, with his sons, is well and happy, and surrounded by his relatives he reigneth even like Indra himself. The king is happy with his sons who are all obedient to him and hath no grief. The illustrious monarch is bent on his own aggrandisement. The king of the Kurus hath commanded me to enquire after thy peace and prosperity, and to ask thee to repair to Hastinapore with thy brothers and to say, after beholding king Dhritarashtra's newly erected palace, whether that one is equal to thy own. Repairing thither, O son of Pritha, with thy brothers, enjoy ye in that mansion and sit to a friendly match at dice. We shall be glad if thou goest, as the Kurus have already arrived there. And thou wilt see there those gamblers and cheats that the illustrious king Dhritarashtra hath already brought thither. It is for this, O king, that I have come hither. Let the king's command be approved by thee.

2.52.7

idaṃ tu tvāṃ kururājo'bhyuvāca pūrvaṃ pṛṣṭvā kuśalaṃ cāvyayaṃ ca |
iyaṃ sabhā tvatsabhātulyarūpā bhrātṝṇāṃ te paśya tāmetya putra || 7 ||

2.52.8

samāgamya bhrātṛbhiḥ pārtha tasyāṃ suhṛddyūtaṃ kriyatāṃ ramyatāṃ ca |
prīyāmahe bhavataḥ saṃgamena samāgatāḥ kuravaścaiva sarve || 8 ||

2.52.9

durodarā vihitā ye tu tatra mahātmanā dhṛtarāṣṭreṇa rājñā |
tāndrakṣyase kitavānsaṃniviṣṭānityāgato'haṃ nṛpate tajjuṣasva || 9 ||

2.52.10

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
dyūte kṣattaḥ kalaho vidyate naḥ ko vai dyūtaṃ rocayedbudhyamānaḥ |
kiṃ vā bhavānmanyate yuktarūpaṃ bhavadvākye sarva eva sthitāḥ sma || 10 ||

"Yudhishthira said,--'O Kshatta, if we sit to a match at dice, we may quarrel. What man is there, who knowing all this, will consent to gamble? What dost thou think fit for us? We all are obedient to thy counsels.'

2.52.11

vidura uvāca |
jānāmyahaṃ dyūtamanarthamūlaṃ kṛtaśca yatno'sya mayā nivāraṇe |
rājā tu māṃ prāhiṇottvatsakāśaṃ śrutvā vidvañśreya ihācarasva || 11 ||

"Vidura said,--'I know that gambling is the root of misery, and I strove to dissuade the king from it. The king, however, hath sent me to thee. Having known all this, O learned one, do what is beneficial.

2.52.12

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
ke tatrānye kitavā dīvyamānā vinā rājño dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putraiḥ |
pṛcchāmi tvāṃ vidura brūhi nastānyairdīvyāmaḥ śataśaḥ saṃnipatya || 12 ||

"Yudhishthira said,--'Besides the sons of Dhritarashtra what other dishonest gamblers are there ready for play? Tell us, O Vidura, who they are and with whom we shall have to play, staking hundreds upon hundreds of our possessions.'

2.52.13

vidura uvāca |
gāndhārarājaḥ śakunirviśāṃ pate rājātidevī kṛtahasto matākṣaḥ |
viviṃśatiścitrasenaśca rājā satyavrataḥ purumitro jayaśca || 13 ||

"Vidura said,--'O monarch, Sakuni, the king of Gandhara, an adept at dice, having great skill of hand and desperate in stakes, Vivingati, king Chitrasena, Satyavrata, Purumitra and Jaya, these, O king, are there.'

2.52.14

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
mahābhayāḥ kitavāḥ saṃniviṣṭā māyopadhā devitāro'tra santi |
dhātrā tu diṣṭasya vaśe kiledaṃ nādevanaṃ kitavairadya tairme || 14 ||

"Yudhishthira said,--'It would seem then that some of the most desperate and terrible gamblers always depending upon deceit are there. This whole universe, however, is at the will of its Maker, under the control of fate. It is not free. O learned one, I do not desire, at the command of king Dhritarashtra to engage myself in gambling. The father always wisheth to benefit his son. Thou art our master, O Vidura. Tell me what is proper for us. Unwilling as I am to gamble, I will not do so, if the wicked Sakuni doth not summon me to it in the Sabha? If, however, he challengeth me, I will never refuse. For that, as settled, is my eternal vow."

2.52.15

nāhaṃ rājño dhṛtarāṣṭrasya śāsanānna gantumicchāmi kave durodaram |
iṣṭo hi putrasya pitā sadaiva tadasmi kartā vidurāttha māṃ yathā || 15 ||

2.52.16

na cākāmaḥ śakuninā devitāhaṃ na cenmāṃ dhṛṣṇurāhvayitā sabhāyām |
āhūto'haṃ na nivarte kadācittadāhitaṃ śāśvataṃ vai vrataṃ me || 16 ||

2.52.17

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
evamuktvā viduraṃ dharmarājaḥ prāyātrikaṃ sarvamājñāpya tūrṇam |
prāyācchvobhūte sagaṇaḥ sānuyātraḥ saha strībhirdraupadīmādikṛtvā || 17 ||

Vaisampayana continued,--"King Yudhishthira the just having said this unto Vidura, commanded that preparations for his journey might be made without loss of time. And the next day, the king accompanied by his relatives and attendants and taking with him also the women of the household with Draupadi in their midst, set out for the capital of the Kurus. 'Like some brilliant body falling before the eyes, Fate depriveth us of reason, and man, tied as it were with a cord, submitteth to the sway of Providence,' saying this, king Yudhishthira, that chastiser of the foe, set out with Kshatta, without deliberating upon that summons from Dhritarashtra. And that slayer of hostile heroes, the son of Pandu and Pritha, riding upon the car that had been given him by the king of Valhika, and attired also in royal robes, set out with his brothers. And the king, blazing as it were with royal splendour, with Brahmanas walking before him, set out from his city, summoned by Dhritarashtra and impelled by what hath been ordained by Kala (Time). And arriving at Hastinapore he went to the palace of Dhritarashtra. And going there, the son of Pandu approached the king. And the exalted one then approached Bhishma and Drona and Karna, and Kripa, and the son of Drona, and embraced and was embraced by them all. And the mighty-armed one, endued with great prowess, then approached Somadatta, and then Duryodhana and Salya, and the son of Suvala, and those other kings also that had arrived there before him. The king then went to the brave Dusshasana and then to all his (other) brothers and then to Jayadratha and next to all the Kurus one after another. And the mighty-armed one, then surrounded by all his brothers, entered the apartment of the wise king Dhritarashtra. And then Yudhishthira beheld the reverend Gandhari, ever obedient to her lord, and surrounded by her daughters-in-law like Rohini by the stars. And saluting Gandhari and blessed by her in return, the king then beheld his old uncle, that illustrious monarch whose wisdom was his eye. King Dhritarashtra then, O monarch, smelt his head as also the heads of those four other princes of the Kuru race, viz., the sons of Pandu with Bhimasena as their eldest. And, O king, beholding--the handsome Pandava those tigers among men, all the Kurus became exceedingly glad. And commanded by the king, the Pandavas then retired to the chambers allotted to them and which were all furnished with jewels and gems. And when they had retired into the chambers, the women of Dhritarashtra's household with Dussala taking the lead visited them. And the daughters-in-law of Dhritarashtra beholding the blazing and splendid beauty and prosperity of Yajnaseni, became cheerless and filled with jealousy. And those tigers among men, having conversed with the ladies went through their daily physical exercises and then performed the religious rites of the day. And having finished their daily devotions, they decked their persons with sandal paste of the most fragrant kind. And desiring to secure good luck and prosperity they caused (by gifts) the Brahmanas to utter benedictions. And then eating food that was of the best taste they retired to their chambers for the night. And those bulls among the Kurus then were put to sleep with music by handsome females. And obtaining from them what came in due succession, those subjugators of hostile towns passed with cheerful hearts that delightful night in pleasure and sport. And waked by the bards with sweet music, they rose from their beds, and having passed the night thus in happiness, they rose at dawn and having gone through the usual rites, they entered into the assembly house and were saluted by those that were ready there for gambling."

2.52.18

daivaṃ prajñāṃ tu muṣṇāti tejaścakṣurivāpatat |
dhātuśca vaśamanveti pāśairiva naraḥ sitaḥ || 18 ||

2.52.19

ityuktvā prayayau rājā saha kṣattrā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
amṛṣyamāṇastatpārthaḥ samāhvānamariṃdamaḥ || 19 ||

2.52.20

bāhlikena rathaṃ dattamāsthāya paravīrahā |
paricchanno yayau pārtho bhrātṛbhiḥ saha pāṇḍavaḥ || 20 ||

2.52.21

rājaśriyā dīpyamāno yayau brahmapuraḥsaraḥ |
dhṛtarāṣṭreṇa cāhūtaḥ kālasya samayena ca || 21 ||

2.52.22

sa hāstinapuraṃ gatvā dhṛtarāṣṭragṛhaṃ yayau |
samiyāya ca dharmātmā dhṛtarāṣṭreṇa pāṇḍavaḥ || 22 ||

2.52.23

tathā droṇena bhīṣmeṇa karṇena ca kṛpeṇa ca |
samiyāya yathānyāyaṃ drauṇinā ca vibhuḥ saha || 23 ||

2.52.24

sametya ca mahābāhuḥ somadattena caiva ha |
duryodhanena śalyena saubalena ca vīryavān || 24 ||

2.52.25

ye cānye tatra rājānaḥ pūrvameva samāgatāḥ |
jayadrathena ca tathā kurubhiścāpi sarvaśaḥ || 25 ||

2.52.26

tataḥ sarvairmahābāhurbhrātṛbhiḥ parivāritaḥ |
praviveśa gṛhaṃ rājño dhṛtarāṣṭrasya dhīmataḥ || 26 ||

2.52.27

dadarśa tatra gāndhārīṃ devīṃ patimanuvratām |
snuṣābhiḥ saṃvṛtāṃ śaśvattārābhiriva rohiṇīm || 27 ||

2.52.28

abhivādya sa gāndhārīṃ tayā ca pratinanditaḥ |
dadarśa pitaraṃ vṛddhaṃ prajñācakṣuṣamīśvaram || 28 ||

2.52.29

rājñā mūrdhanyupāghrātāste ca kauravanandanāḥ |
catvāraḥ pāṇḍavā rājanbhīmasenapurogamāḥ || 29 ||

2.52.30

tato harṣaḥ samabhavatkauravāṇāṃ viśāṃ pate |
tāndṛṣṭvā puruṣavyāghrānpāṇḍavānpriyadarśanān || 30 ||

2.52.31

viviśuste'bhyanujñātā ratnavanti gṛhāṇyatha |
dadṛśuścopayātāstāndraupadīpramukhāḥ striyaḥ || 31 ||

2.52.32

yājñasenyāḥ parāmṛddhiṃ dṛṣṭvā prajvalitāmiva |
snuṣāstā dhṛtarāṣṭrasya nātipramanaso'bhavan || 32 ||

2.52.33

tataste puruṣavyāghrā gatvā strībhistu saṃvidam |
kṛtvā vyāyāmapūrvāṇi kṛtyāni pratikarma ca || 33 ||

2.52.34

tataḥ kṛtāhnikāḥ sarve divyacandanarūṣitāḥ |
kalyāṇamanasaścaiva brāhmaṇānsvasti vācya ca || 34 ||

2.52.35

manojñamaśanaṃ bhuktvā viviśuḥ śaraṇānyatha |
upagīyamānā nārībhirasvapankurunandanāḥ || 35 ||

2.52.36

jagāma teṣāṃ sā rātriḥ puṇyā rativihāriṇām |
stūyamānāśca viśrāntāḥ kāle nidrāmathātyajan || 36 ||

2.52.37

sukhoṣitāstāṃ rajanīṃ prātaḥ sarve kṛtāhnikāḥ |
sabhāṃ ramyāṃ praviviśuḥ kitavairabhisaṃvṛtām || 37 ||