Mahabharata 2.66: ṣaṭ ṣaṣṭhitamo'dhyāyaḥ

2.66.1

janamejaya uvāca |
anujñātāṃstānviditvā saratnadhanasaṃcayān |
pāṇḍavāndhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ kathamāsīnmanastadā || 1 ||

Janamejaya said,--"How did the sons of Dhritarashtra feel, when they came to know that the Pandavas had, with Dhritarashtra's leave, left Hastinapore with all their wealth and jewels?"

Janamejaya said,--"How did the sons of Dhritarashtra feel, when they came to know that the Pandavas had, with Dhritarashtra's leave, left Hastinapore with all their wealth and jewels?"

Vaisampayana said,--"O king, learning that the Pandavas had been commanded by the wise Dhritarashtra to return to their capital, Dussasana went without loss of time unto his brother. And, O bull of the [paragraph continues] Bharata race, having arrived before Duryodhana with his counsellor, the prince, afflicted with grief, began to say,--'Ye mighty warriors, that which we had won after so much trouble, the old man (our father) hath thrown away. Know ye that he hath made over the whole of that wealth to the foes. At these words, Duryodhana and Karna and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, all of whom were guided by vanity, united together, and desirous of counteracting the sons of Pandu, approaching in haste saw privately the wise king Dhritarashtra--the son of Vichitravirya and spake unto him these pleasing and artful words. Duryodhana said,--

'Hast thou not heard, O king, what the learned Vrihaspati the preceptor of the celestials, said in course of counselling Sakra about mortals and politics? Even these, O slayer of foes, were the words of Vrihaspati, 'Those enemies that always do wrong by stratagem or force, should be slain by every means.' If, therefore, with the wealth of the Pandavas, we gratify the kings of the earth and then fight with the sons of Pandu, what reverses can overtake us? When one hath placed on the neck and back of venomous snakes full of wrath for encompassing his destruction, is it possible for him to take them off? Equipped with weapon and seated on their cars, the angry sons of Pandu like wrathful and venomous snakes will assuredly annihilate us, O father. Even now Arjuna proceedeth, encased in mail and furnished with his couple of quivers, frequently taking up the Gandiva and breathing hard and casting angry glances around. It hath (also) been heard by us that Vrikodara, hastily ordering his car to be made ready and riding on it, is proceeding along, frequently whirling his heavy mace. Nakula also is going along, with the sword in his grasp and the semi-circular shield in his hand. And Sahadeva and the king (Yudhishthira) have made signs clearly testifying to their intentions. Having ascended their cars that are full of all kinds of arms, they are whipping their horses (for going to Khandava soon) and assembling their forces. Persecuted thus by us they are incapable of forgiving us those injuries. Who is there among them that will forgive that insult to Draupadi? Blest be thou. We will again gamble with the son of Pandu for sending them to exile. O bull among men, we are competent to bring them thus under our sway. Dressed in skins, either we or they defeated at dice, shall repair to the woods for twelve years. The thirteenth year shall have to be spent in some inhabited country unrecognised; and, if recognised, an exile for another twelve years shall be the consequence. Either we or they shall live so. Let the play begin, casting the dice, let the sons of Pandu once more play. O bull of the Bharata race, O king, even this is our highest duty. This Sakuni knoweth well the whole science of dice. Even if they succeed in observing this vow for thirteen years, we shall be in the meantime firmly rooted in the kingdom and making alliances, assemble a vast invincible host and keep them content, so that we shall, O king, defeat the sons of Pandu if they reappear. Let this plan recommend itself to thee, O slayer of foes.

"Dhritarashtra said,--Bring back the Pandavas then, indeed, even if they have gone a great way. Let them come at once again to cast dice."

Vaisampayana continued,--"Then Drona, Somadatta and Valhika, Gautama, Vidura, the son of Drona, and the mighty son of Dhritarashtra by his Vaisya wife, Bhurisravas, and Bhishma, and that mighty warrior Vikarna,--all said, 'Let not the play commence. Let there be peace. But Dhritarashtra, partial to his sons, disregarding the counsels of all his wise friends and relatives, summoned the sons of Pandu."

2.66.2

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
anujñātāṃstānviditvā dhṛtarāṣṭreṇa dhīmatā |
rājanduḥśāsanaḥ kṣipraṃ jagāma bhrātaraṃ prati || 2 ||

Vaisampayana said,--"O king, learning that the Pandavas had been commanded by the wise Dhritarashtra to return to their capital, Dussasana went without loss of time unto his brother. And, O bull of the [paragraph continues] Bharata race, having arrived before Duryodhana with his counsellor, the prince, afflicted with grief, began to say,--'Ye mighty warriors, that which we had won after so much trouble, the old man (our father) hath thrown away. Know ye that he hath made over the whole of that wealth to the foes. At these words, Duryodhana and Karna and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, all of whom were guided by vanity, united together, and desirous of counteracting the sons of Pandu, approaching in haste saw privately the wise king Dhritarashtra--the son of Vichitravirya and spake unto him these pleasing and artful words. Duryodhana said,--

2.66.3

duryodhanaṃ samāsādya sāmātyaṃ bharatarṣabha |
duḥkhārto bharataśreṣṭha idaṃ vacanamabravīt || 3 ||

2.66.4

duḥkhenaitatsamānītaṃ sthaviro nāśayatyasau |
śatrusādgamayaddravyaṃ tadbudhyadhvaṃ mahārathāḥ || 4 ||

2.66.5

atha duryodhanaḥ karṇaḥ śakuniścāpi saubalaḥ |
mithaḥ saṃgamya sahitāḥ pāṇḍavānprati māninaḥ || 5 ||

2.66.6

vaicitravīryaṃ rājānaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ manīṣiṇam |
abhigamya tvarāyuktāḥ ślakṣṇaṃ vacanamabruvan || 6 ||

2.66.7

duryodhana uvāca |
na tvayedaṃ śrutaṃ rājanyajjagāda bṛhaspatiḥ |
śakrasya nītiṃ pravadanvidvāndevapurohitaḥ || 7 ||

'Hast thou not heard, O king, what the learned Vrihaspati the preceptor of the celestials, said in course of counselling Sakra about mortals and politics? Even these, O slayer of foes, were the words of Vrihaspati, 'Those enemies that always do wrong by stratagem or force, should be slain by every means.' If, therefore, with the wealth of the Pandavas, we gratify the kings of the earth and then fight with the sons of Pandu, what reverses can overtake us? When one hath placed on the neck and back of venomous snakes full of wrath for encompassing his destruction, is it possible for him to take them off? Equipped with weapon and seated on their cars, the angry sons of Pandu like wrathful and venomous snakes will assuredly annihilate us, O father. Even now Arjuna proceedeth, encased in mail and furnished with his couple of quivers, frequently taking up the Gandiva and breathing hard and casting angry glances around. It hath (also) been heard by us that Vrikodara, hastily ordering his car to be made ready and riding on it, is proceeding along, frequently whirling his heavy mace. Nakula also is going along, with the sword in his grasp and the semi-circular shield in his hand. And Sahadeva and the king (Yudhishthira) have made signs clearly testifying to their intentions. Having ascended their cars that are full of all kinds of arms, they are whipping their horses (for going to Khandava soon) and assembling their forces. Persecuted thus by us they are incapable of forgiving us those injuries. Who is there among them that will forgive that insult to Draupadi? Blest be thou. We will again gamble with the son of Pandu for sending them to exile. O bull among men, we are competent to bring them thus under our sway. Dressed in skins, either we or they defeated at dice, shall repair to the woods for twelve years. The thirteenth year shall have to be spent in some inhabited country unrecognised; and, if recognised, an exile for another twelve years shall be the consequence. Either we or they shall live so. Let the play begin, casting the dice, let the sons of Pandu once more play. O bull of the Bharata race, O king, even this is our highest duty. This Sakuni knoweth well the whole science of dice. Even if they succeed in observing this vow for thirteen years, we shall be in the meantime firmly rooted in the kingdom and making alliances, assemble a vast invincible host and keep them content, so that we shall, O king, defeat the sons of Pandu if they reappear. Let this plan recommend itself to thee, O slayer of foes.

2.66.8

sarvopāyairnihantavyāḥ śatravaḥ śatrukarṣaṇa |
purā yuddhādbalādvāpi prakurvanti tavāhitam || 8 ||

2.66.9

te vayaṃ pāṇḍavadhanaiḥ sarvānsaṃpūjya pārthivān |
yadi tānyodhayiṣyāmaḥ kiṃ vā naḥ parihāsyati || 9 ||

2.66.10

ahīnāśīviṣānkruddhāndaṃśāya samupasthitān |
kṛtvā kaṇṭhe ca pṛṣṭhe ca kaḥ samutsraṣṭumarhati || 10 ||

2.66.11

āttaśastrā rathagatāḥ kupitāstāta pāṇḍavāḥ |
niḥśeṣaṃ naḥ kariṣyanti kruddhā hyāśīviṣā yathā || 11 ||

2.66.12

saṃnaddho hyarjuno yāti vivṛtya parameṣudhī |
gāṇḍīvaṃ muhurādatte niḥśvasaṃśca nirīkṣate || 12 ||

2.66.13

gadāṃ gurvīṃ samudyamya tvaritaśca vṛkodaraḥ |
svarathaṃ yojayitvāśu niryāta iti naḥ śrutam || 13 ||

2.66.14

nakulaḥ khaḍgamādāya carma cāpyaṣṭacandrakam |
sahadevaśca rājā ca cakrurākāramiṅgitaiḥ || 14 ||

2.66.15

te tvāsthāya rathānsarve bahuśastraparicchadān |
abhighnanto rathavrātānsenāyogāya niryayuḥ || 15 ||

2.66.16

na kṣaṃsyante tathāsmābhirjātu viprakṛtā hi te |
draupadyāśca parikleśaṃ kasteṣāṃ kṣantumarhati || 16 ||

2.66.17

punardīvyāma bhadraṃ te vanavāsāya pāṇḍavaiḥ |
evametānvaśe kartuṃ śakṣyāmo bharatarṣabha || 17 ||

2.66.18

te vā dvādaśa varṣāṇi vayaṃ vā dyūtanirjitāḥ |
praviśema mahāraṇyamajinaiḥ prativāsitāḥ || 18 ||

2.66.19

trayodaśaṃ ca sajane ajñātāḥ parivatsaram |
jñātāśca punaranyāni vane varṣāṇi dvādaśa || 19 ||

2.66.20

nivasema vayaṃ te vā tathā dyūtaṃ pravartatām |
akṣānuptvā punardyūtamidaṃ dīvyantu pāṇḍavāḥ || 20 ||

2.66.21

etatkṛtyatamaṃ rājannasmākaṃ bharatarṣabha |
ayaṃ hi śakunirveda savidyāmakṣasaṃpadam || 21 ||

2.66.22

dṛḍhamūlā vayaṃ rājye mitrāṇi parigṛhya ca |
sāravadvipulaṃ sainyaṃ satkṛtya ca durāsadam || 22 ||

2.66.23

te ca trayodaśe varṣe pārayiṣyanti cedvratam |
jeṣyāmastānvayaṃ rājanrocatāṃ te paraṃtapa || 23 ||

2.66.24

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |
tūrṇaṃ pratyānayasvaitānkāmaṃ vyadhvagatānapi |
āgacchantu punardyūtamidaṃ kurvantu pāṇḍavāḥ || 24 ||

"Dhritarashtra said,--Bring back the Pandavas then, indeed, even if they have gone a great way. Let them come at once again to cast dice."

2.66.25

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
tato droṇaḥ somadatto bāhlīkaśca mahārathaḥ |
viduro droṇaputraśca vaiśyāputraśca vīryavān || 25 ||

Vaisampayana continued,--"Then Drona, Somadatta and Valhika, Gautama, Vidura, the son of Drona, and the mighty son of Dhritarashtra by his Vaisya wife, Bhurisravas, and Bhishma, and that mighty warrior Vikarna,--all said, 'Let not the play commence. Let there be peace. But Dhritarashtra, partial to his sons, disregarding the counsels of all his wise friends and relatives, summoned the sons of Pandu."

2.66.26

bhūriśravāḥ śāṃtanavo vikarṇaśca mahārathaḥ |
mā dyūtamityabhāṣanta śamo'stviti ca sarvaśaḥ || 26 ||

2.66.27

akāmānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ suhṛdāmarthadarśinām |
akarotpāṇḍavāhvānaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ sutapriyaḥ || 27 ||

2.66.28

athābravīnmahārāja dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ janeśvaram |
putrahārdāddharmayuktaṃ gāndhārī śokakarśitā || 28 ||

Vaisampayana said,--'O monarch, it was then that the virtuous Gandhari, afflicted with grief on account of her affection for her sons, addressed king Dhritarashtra and said, "When Duryodhana was born, Vidura of great intelligence had said, 'It is well to send this disgrace of the race to the other world. He cried repeatedly and dissonantly like a jackal. It is certain he will prove the destruction of our race. Take this to heart, O king of the Kurus. O Bharata, sink not, for thy own fault, into an ocean of calamity. O lord, accord not thy approbation to the counsels of the wicked ones of immature years. Be not thou the cause of the terrible destruction of this race. Who is there that will break an embankment which hath been completed, or re-kindle a conflagration which hath been extinguished? O bull of the Bharata race, who is there that will provoke the peaceful sons of Pritha? Thou rememberest, O Ajamida, everything, but still I will call thy attention to this. The scriptures can never control the wicked-minded for good or evil. And, O king, a person of immature understanding will never act as one of mature years. Let thy sons follow thee as their leader. Let them not be separated from thee for ever (by losing their lives). Therefore, at my word, O king, abandon this wretch of our race. Thou couldst not, O king, from parental affection, do it before. Know that the time hath come for the destruction of race through him. Err not, O king. Let thy mind, guided by counsels of peace, virtue, and true policy, be what it naturally is. That prosperity which is acquired by the aid of wicked acts, is soon destroyed; while that which is won by mild means taketh root and descendeth from generation to generation."

Vaisampayana said,--'O monarch, it was then that the virtuous Gandhari, afflicted with grief on account of her affection for her sons, addressed king Dhritarashtra and said, "When Duryodhana was born, Vidura of great intelligence had said, 'It is well to send this disgrace of the race to the other world. He cried repeatedly and dissonantly like a jackal. It is certain he will prove the destruction of our race. Take this to heart, O king of the Kurus. O Bharata, sink not, for thy own fault, into an ocean of calamity. O lord, accord not thy approbation to the counsels of the wicked ones of immature years. Be not thou the cause of the terrible destruction of this race. Who is there that will break an embankment which hath been completed, or re-kindle a conflagration which hath been extinguished? O bull of the Bharata race, who is there that will provoke the peaceful sons of Pritha? Thou rememberest, O Ajamida, everything, but still I will call thy attention to this. The scriptures can never control the wicked-minded for good or evil. And, O king, a person of immature understanding will never act as one of mature years. Let thy sons follow thee as their leader. Let them not be separated from thee for ever (by losing their lives). Therefore, at my word, O king, abandon this wretch of our race. Thou couldst not, O king, from parental affection, do it before. Know that the time hath come for the destruction of race through him. Err not, O king. Let thy mind, guided by counsels of peace, virtue, and true policy, be what it naturally is. That prosperity which is acquired by the aid of wicked acts, is soon destroyed; while that which is won by mild means taketh root and descendeth from generation to generation."

"The king, thus addressed by Gandhari who pointed out to him in such language the path of virtue, replied unto her, saying,--'If the destruction of our race is come, let it take place freely. I am ill able to prevent it. Let it be as they (these my sons) desire. Let the Pandavas return. And let my sons again gamble with the sons of Pandu."

2.66.29

jāte duryodhane kṣattā mahāmatirabhāṣata |
nīyatāṃ paralokāya sādhvayaṃ kulapāṃsanaḥ || 29 ||

2.66.30

vyanadajjātamātro hi gomāyuriva bhārata |
anto nūnaṃ kulasyāsya kuravastannibodhata || 30 ||

2.66.31

mā bālānāmaśiṣṭānāmabhimaṃsthā matiṃ prabho |
mā kulasya kṣaye ghore kāraṇaṃ tvaṃ bhaviṣyasi || 31 ||

2.66.32

baddhaṃ setuṃ ko nu bhindyāddhamecchāntaṃ ca pāvakam |
śame dhṛtānpunaḥ pārthānkopayetko nu bhārata || 32 ||

2.66.33

smarantaṃ tvāmājamīḍha smārayiṣyāmyahaṃ punaḥ |
śāstraṃ na śāsti durbuddhiṃ śreyase vetarāya vā || 33 ||

2.66.34

na vai vṛddho bālamatirbhavedrājankathaṃcana |
tvannetrāḥ santu te putrā mā tvāṃ dīrṇāḥ prahāsiṣuḥ || 34 ||

2.66.35

śamena dharmeṇa parasya buddhyā jātā buddhiḥ sāstu te mā pratīpā |
pradhvaṃsinī krūrasamāhitā śrīrmṛduprauḍhā gacchati putrapautrān || 35 ||

2.66.36

athābravīnmahārājo gāndhārīṃ dharmadarśinīm |
antaḥ kāmaṃ kulasyāstu na śakṣyāmi nivāritum || 36 ||

"The king, thus addressed by Gandhari who pointed out to him in such language the path of virtue, replied unto her, saying,--'If the destruction of our race is come, let it take place freely. I am ill able to prevent it. Let it be as they (these my sons) desire. Let the Pandavas return. And let my sons again gamble with the sons of Pandu."

2.66.37

yathecchanti tathaivāstu pratyāgacchantu pāṇḍavāḥ |
punardyūtaṃ prakurvantu māmakāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha || 37 ||