The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty 2.69: ekona saptatitamo'dhyāyaḥ

2.69.1

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
āmantrayāmi bharatāṃstathā vṛddhaṃ pitāmaham |
rājānaṃ somadattaṃ ca mahārājaṃ ca bāhlikam || 1 ||

Yudhishthira said,--'I bid farewell unto all the Bharatas, unto my old grand-sire (Bhishma), king Somadatta, the great king Vahlika, Drona, Kripa, all the other kings, Aswathaman, Vidura, Dhritarashtra, all the sons of Dhritarashtra, Yayutsu, Sanjaya, and all the courtiers, I bid fare well, all of ye and returning again I shall see you."

2.69.2

droṇaṃ kṛpaṃ nṛpāṃścānyānaśvatthāmānameva ca |
viduraṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ ca dhārtarāṣṭrāṃśca sarvaśaḥ || 2 ||

2.69.3

yuyutsuṃ saṃjayaṃ caiva tathaivānyānsabhāsadaḥ |
sarvānāmantrya gacchāmi draṣṭāsmi punaretya vaḥ || 3 ||

2.69.4

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
na ca kiṃcittadocuste hriyā santo yudhiṣṭhiram |
manobhireva kalyāṇaṃ dadhyuste tasya dhīmataḥ || 4 ||

Vaisampayana continued,--"Overcome with shame none of those that were present there, could tell Yudhishthira anything. Within their hearts, however, they prayed for the welfare of that intelligent prince.

2.69.5

vidura uvāca |
āryā pṛthā rājaputrī nāraṇyaṃ gantumarhati |
sukumārī ca vṛddhā ca nityaṃ caiva sukhocitā || 5 ||

Vidura then said,--The reverend Pritha is a princess by birth. It behoveth her not to go into the woods. Delicate and old and ever known to happiness the blessed one will live, respected by me, in my abode. Known this, ye sons of Pandu. And let safety be always yours.'

2.69.6

iha vatsyati kalyāṇī satkṛtā mama veśmani |
iti pārthā vijānīdhvamagadaṃ vo'stu sarvaśaḥ || 6 ||

2.69.7

yudhiṣṭhira vijānīhi mamedaṃ bharatarṣabha |
nādharmeṇa jitaḥ kaścidvyathate vai parājayāt || 7 ||

"Vidura replied,--'O Yudhishthira, O bull of the Bharata race, know this to be my opinion, that one that is vanquished by sinful means need not be pained by such defeat. Thou knowest every rule of morality; Dhananjaya is ever victorious in battle; Bhimasena is the slayer of foes; Nakula is the gatherer of wealth; Sahadeva hath administrative talents, [paragraph continues] Dhaumya is the foremost of all conversant with the vedas; and the well-behaved Draupadi is conversant with virtue and economy. Ye are attached to one another and feel delight at one another's sight and enemies can not separate you from one another, and ye are contented. Therefore, who is there that will not envy ye? O Bharata, this patient abstraction from the possession of the world will be of great benefit to thee. No foe, even if he were equal to sakra himself, will be able to stand it. Formerly thou wert instructed on the mountains of Himavat by Meru Savarni; in the town of Varanavata by Krishna Dwaipayana; on the cliff of Bhrigu by Rama; and on the banks of the Dhrishadwati by Sambhu himself. Thou hast also listened to the instruction of the great Rishi Asita on the hills of Anjana; and thou becamest a disciple of Bhrigu on the banks of the Kalmashi. Narada and this thy priest Dhaumya will now become thy instructors. In the matter of the next world, abandon not these excellent lessons thou hast obtained from the Rishis. O son of Pandu. thou surpassest in intelligence even Pururavas, the son of Ila; in strength, all other monarchs, and in virtue, even the Rishis. Therefore, resolve thou earnestly to win victory, which belongeth to Indra; to control thy wrath, which belongeth to Yama; to give in charity, which belongeth to Kuvera; and to control all passions, which belongeth to Varuna. And, O Bharata, obtain thou the power of gladdening from the moon, the power of sustaining all from water; forbearance from the earth; energy from the entire solar disc; strength from the winds, and affluence from the other elements. Welfare and immunity from ailment be thine; I hope to see thee return. And, O Yudhishthira, act properly and duly in all seasons,--in those of distress--in those of difficulty,--indeed, in respect of everything, O son of Kunti, with our leave go hence. O Bharata, blessing be thine. No one can say that ye have done anything sinful before. We hope to see thee, therefore, return in safety and crowned with success."

2.69.8

tvaṃ vai dharmānvijānīṣe yudhāṃ vettā dhanaṃjayaḥ |
hantārīṇāṃ bhīmaseno nakulastvarthasaṃgrahī || 8 ||

2.69.9

saṃyantā sahadevastu dhaumyo brahmaviduttamaḥ |
dharmārthakuśalā caiva draupadī dharmacāriṇī || 9 ||

2.69.10

anyonyasya priyāḥ sarve tathaiva priyavādinaḥ |
parairabhedyāḥ saṃtuṣṭāḥ ko vo na spṛhayediha || 10 ||

2.69.11

eṣa vai sarvakalyāṇaḥ samādhistava bhārata |
nainaṃ śatrurviṣahate śakreṇāpi samo'cyuta || 11 ||

2.69.12

himavatyanuśiṣṭo'si merusāvarṇinā purā |
dvaipāyanena kṛṣṇena nagare vāraṇāvate || 12 ||

2.69.13

bhṛgutuṅge ca rāmeṇa dṛṣadvatyāṃ ca śaṃbhunā |
aśrauṣīrasitasyāpi maharṣerañjanaṃ prati || 13 ||

2.69.14

draṣṭā sadā nāradasya dhaumyaste'yaṃ purohitaḥ |
mā hārṣīḥ sāṃparāye tvaṃ buddhiṃ tāmṛṣipūjitām || 14 ||

2.69.15

purūravasamailaṃ tvaṃ buddhyā jayasi pāṇḍava |
śaktyā jayasi rājño'nyānṛṣīndharmopasevayā || 15 ||

2.69.16

aindre jaye dhṛtamanā yāmye kopavidhāraṇe |
visarge caiva kaubere vāruṇe caiva saṃyame || 16 ||

2.69.17

ātmapradānaṃ saumyatvamadbhyaścaivopajīvanam |
bhūmeḥ kṣamā ca tejaśca samagraṃ sūryamaṇḍalāt || 17 ||

2.69.18

vāyorbalaṃ viddhi sa tvaṃ bhūtebhyaścātmasaṃbhavam |
agadaṃ vo'stu bhadraṃ vo drakṣyāmi punarāgatān || 18 ||

2.69.19

āpaddharmārthakṛcchreṣu sarvakāryeṣu vā punaḥ |
yathāvatpratipadyethāḥ kāle kāle yudhiṣṭhira || 19 ||

2.69.20

āpṛṣṭo'sīha kaunteya svasti prāpnuhi bhārata |
kṛtārthaṃ svastimantaṃ tvāṃ drakṣyāmaḥ punarāgatam || 20 ||

2.69.21

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
evamuktastathetyuktvā pāṇḍavaḥ satyavikramaḥ |
bhīṣmadroṇau namaskṛtya prātiṣṭhata yudhiṣṭhiraḥ || 21 ||

Vaisampayana continued,--"Thus addressed by Vidura, Yudhishthira the son of Pandu, of prowess incapable of being baffled, saying, 'So be it,' bowing low unto Bhishma and Drona, went away."