Mahabharata 4.18: aṣṭādaśo'dhyāyaḥ

4.18.1

draupadyuvāca |
idaṃ tu me mahadduḥkhaṃ yatpravakṣyāmi bhārata |
na me'bhyasūyā kartavyā duḥkhādetadbravīmyaham || 1 ||

"Draupadi said, 'This O Bharata, that I am going to tell thee is another great grief of mine. Thou shouldst not blame me, for I tell thee this from sadness of heart. Who is there whose grief is not enhanced at sight of thee, O bull of the Bharata race, engaged in the ignoble office of a cook, so entirely beneath thee and calling thyself as one of Vallava caste? What can be sadder than this, that people should know thee as Virata's cook, Vallava by name, and therefore one that is sunk in servitude? Alas, when thy work of the kitchen is over, thou humbly sittest beside Virata, calling thyself as Vallava the cook, then despondency seizeth my heart. When the king of kings in joy maketh thee fight with elephants, and the women of the inner apartments (of the palace) laugh all the while, then I am sorely distressed. When thou fightest in the inner apartments with lions, tigers, and buffaloes, the princess Kaikeyi looking on, then I almost swoon away. And when Kaikeyi and those maidservants, leaving their seats, come to assist me and find that instead of suffering any injury in limbs mine is only a swoon, the princess speaks unto her women, saying, 'Surely, it is from affection and the duty begot of intercourse that this lady of sweet smiles grieveth for the exceedingly powerful cook when he fights with the beasts. Sairindhri is possessed of great beauty and Vallava also is eminently handsome. The heart of woman is hard to know, and they, I fancy, are deserving of each other.

4.18.2

śārdūlairmahiṣaiḥ siṃhairāgāre yudhyase yadā |
kaikeyyāḥ prekṣamāṇāyāstadā me kaśmalo bhavet || 2 ||

4.18.3

prekṣāsamutthitā cāpi kaikeyī tāḥ striyo vadet |
prekṣya māmanavadyāṅgī kaśmalopahatāmiva || 3 ||

4.18.4

snehātsaṃvāsajānmanye sūdameṣā śucismitā |
yodhyamānaṃ mahāvīryairimaṃ samanuśocati || 4 ||

4.18.5

kalyāṇarūpā sairandhrī ballavaścātisundaraḥ |
strīṇāṃ ca cittaṃ durjñeyaṃ yuktarūpau ca me matau || 5 ||

4.18.6

sairandhrī priyasaṃvāsānnityaṃ karuṇavedinī |
asminrājakule cemau tulyakālanivāsinau || 6 ||

It is, therefore, likely that the Sairindhri invariably weepeth (at such times) on account of her connection with her lover. And then, they both have entered this royal family at the same time. And speaking such words she always upbraideth me. And beholding me wroth at this, she suspects me to be attached to thee.' When she speaketh thus, great is the grief that I feel. Indeed, on beholding thee, O Bhima of terrible prowess, afflicted with such calamity, sunk as I already am in grief on account of Yudhishthira. I do not desire to live. That youth who on a single car had vanquished all celestials and men, is now, alas, the dancing master of king Virata's daughter. That Pritha's son of immeasurable soul, who had gratified Agni in the forest of Khandava, is now living in the inner apartments (of a palace) like fire hid in a well. Alas, the bull among men, Dhananjaya, who was ever the terror of foes, is now living in a guise that is despaired by all. Alas, he whose mace-like arms have been cicatrized in consequence of the strokes of his bow-string, alas that Dhananjaya is passing the days in grief covering his wrists with bracelets of conchs. Alas, that Dhananjaya the twang of whose bow-string and the sound of whose leathern fences made every foe tremble, now entertains only gladdened women with his songs. Oh, that Dhananjaya whose head was formerly decked with a diadem of solar splendour, is now wearing braids ending in unsightly curls.

4.18.7

iti bruvāṇā vākyāni sā māṃ nityamavedayat |
krudhyantīṃ māṃ ca saṃprekṣya samaśaṅkata māṃ tvayi || 7 ||

4.18.8

tasyāṃ tathā bruvatyāṃ tu duḥkhaṃ māṃ mahadāviśat |
śoke yaudhiṣṭhire magnā nāhaṃ jīvitumutsahe || 8 ||

4.18.9

yaḥ sadevānmanuṣyāṃśca sarpāṃścaikaratho'jayat |
so'yaṃ rājño virāṭasya kanyānāṃ nartako yuvā || 9 ||

4.18.10

yo'tarpayadameyātmā khāṇḍave jātavedasam |
so'ntaḥpuragataḥ pārthaḥ kūpe'gniriva saṃvṛtaḥ || 10 ||

4.18.11

yasmādbhayamamitrāṇāṃ sadaiva puruṣarṣabhāt |
sa lokaparibhūtena veṣeṇāste dhanaṃjayaḥ || 11 ||

4.18.12

yasya jyātalanirghoṣātsamakampanta śatravaḥ |
striyo gītasvanaṃ tasya muditāḥ paryupāsate || 12 ||

4.18.13

kirīṭaṃ sūryasaṃkāśaṃ yasya mūrdhani śobhate |
veṇīvikṛtakeśāntaḥ so'yamadya dhanaṃjayaḥ || 13 ||

4.18.14

yasminnastrāṇi divyāni samastāni mahātmani |
ādhāraḥ sarvavidyānāṃ sa dhārayati kuṇḍale || 14 ||

O Bhima, beholding that terrible bowman, Arjuna, now wearing braids and in the midst of women, my heart is stricken with woe. That high-souled hero who is master of all the celestial weapons, and who is the repository of all the sciences, now weareth ear-rings (like one of the fair sex). That youth whom kings of incomparable prowess could not overpower in fight, even as the waters of the mighty ocean cannot overleap the continents, is now the dancing-master of king Virata's daughters and waits upon them in disguise. O Bhima, that Arjuna the clatter of whose car-wheels caused the entire earth with her mountains and forests, her mobile and immobile things to tremble, and whose birth dispelled all the sorrows of Kunti, that exalted hero, that younger brother of thine, O Bhimasena, now maketh me weep for him. Beholding him coming towards me, decked in golden ear-rings and other ornaments, and wearing on the wrists bracelets of conchs, my heart is afflicted with despondency. And Dhananjaya who hath not a bowman equal unto him on earth in prowess, now passeth his days in singing, surrounded by women. Beholding that son of Pritha who in virtue, heroism and truth, was the most admired in the world, now living in the guise of a woman, my heart is afflicted with sorrow.

4.18.15

yaṃ sma rājasahasrāṇi tejasāpratimāni vai |
samare nātivartante velāmiva mahārṇavaḥ || 15 ||

4.18.16

so'yaṃ rājño virāṭasya kanyānāṃ nartako yuvā |
āste veṣapraticchannaḥ kanyānāṃ paricārakaḥ || 16 ||

4.18.17

yasya sma rathaghoṣeṇa samakampata medinī |
saparvatavanā bhīma sahasthāvarajaṅgamā || 17 ||

4.18.18

yasmiñjāte mahābhāge kuntyāḥ śoko vyanaśyata |
sa śocayati māmadya bhīmasena tavānujaḥ || 18 ||

4.18.19

bhūṣitaṃ tamalaṃkāraiḥ kuṇḍalaiḥ parihāṭakaiḥ |
kambupāṇinamāyāntaṃ dṛṣṭvā sīdati me manaḥ || 19 ||

4.18.20

taṃ veṇīkṛtakeśāntaṃ bhīmadhanvānamarjunam |
kanyāparivṛtaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīma sīdati me manaḥ || 20 ||

4.18.21

yadā hyenaṃ parivṛtaṃ kanyābhirdevarūpiṇam |
prabhinnamiva mātaṅgaṃ parikīrṇaṃ kareṇubhiḥ || 21 ||

When I behold, the godlike Partha in the music-hall like an elephant with rent temples surrounded by she-elephants in the midst of females, waiting before Virata the king of the Matsyas, then I lose all sense of directions. Surely, my mother-in-law doth not know Dhananjaya to be afflicted with such extreme distress. Nor doth she know that descendant of the Kuru race, Ajatasatru, addicted to disastrous dice, to be sunk in misery. O Bharata, beholding the youngest of you all, Sahadeva, superintending the kine, in the guise of a cowherd, I grow pale. Always thinking of Sahadeva's plight, I cannot, O Bhimasena, obtain sleep,--what to speak you of the rest? I do not know, O mighty-armed one, what sin Sahadeva may have committed for which that hero of unbaffled prowess suffereth such misery. O foremost of the Bharatas, beholding that beloved brother of thine, that bull among men, employed by Matsya in looking after his kine, I am filled with woe. Seeing that hero of proud disposition gratifying Virata, by living at the head of his cowherds, attired in robes dyed in red. I am attacked with fever. My mother-in-law always applauds the heroic Sahadeva as one possessed of nobility, excellent behaviour, and rectitude of conduct. Ardently attached to her sons, the weeping Kunti stood, embracing Sahadeva while he was about to set out (with us) for the great forest. And she addressed me saying, "Sahadeva is bashful and sweet-speeched, and virtuous. He is also my favourite child.

4.18.22

matsyamarthapatiṃ pārthaṃ virāṭaṃ samupasthitam |
paśyāmi tūryamadhyasthaṃ diśo naśyanti me tadā || 22 ||

4.18.23

nūnamāryā na jānāti kṛcchraṃ prāptaṃ dhanaṃjayam |
ajātaśatruṃ kauravyaṃ magnaṃ durdyūtadevinam || 23 ||

4.18.24

tathā dṛṣṭvā yavīyāṃsaṃ sahadevaṃ yudhāṃ patim |
goṣu goveṣamāyāntaṃ pāṇḍubhūtāsmi bhārata || 24 ||

4.18.25

sahadevasya vṛttāni cintayantī punaḥ punaḥ |
na vindāmi mahābāho sahadevasya duṣkṛtam |
yasminnevaṃvidhaṃ duḥkhaṃ prāpnuyātsatyavikramaḥ || 25 ||

4.18.26

dūyāmi bharataśreṣṭha dṛṣṭvā te bhrātaraṃ priyam |
goṣu govṛṣasaṃkāśaṃ matsyenābhiniveśitam || 26 ||

4.18.27

saṃrabdhaṃ raktanepathyaṃ gopālānāṃ purogamam |
virāṭamabhinandantamatha me bhavati jvaraḥ || 27 ||

4.18.28

sahadevaṃ hi me vīraṃ nityamāryā praśaṃsati |
mahābhijanasaṃpanno vṛttavāñśīlavāniti || 28 ||

4.18.29

hrīniṣedho madhuravāgdhārmikaśca priyaśca me |
sa te'raṇyeṣu boddhavyo yājñaseni kṣapāsvapi || 29 ||

Therefore, O Yajnaseni, tend him in the forest day and night. Delicate and brave, devoted to the king, and always worshipping his elder brother, do thou, O Panchali, feed him thyself.' O Pandava, beholding that foremost of warriors, Sahadeva, engaged in tending kine, and sleeping at night on calf-skins, how can I bear to live? He again who is crowned with the three attributes of beauty, arms, and intelligence, is now the superintendent of Virata's steeds. Behold the change brought on by time. Granthika (Nakula), at sight of whom hostile hosts fled from the field of battle, now traineth horses in the presence of the king, driving them with the speed. Alas, I now see that handsome youth wait upon the gorgeously decked and excellent Virata, the king of the Matsyas, and display horses before him. O son of Pritha, afflicted as I am with all these hundred kinds of misery on account of Yudhishthira, why dost thou, O chastiser of foes, yet deem me happy? Listen now to me, O son of Kunti, as I tell thee of other woes far surpassing these. What can be sadder to me than miseries so various as these should emaciate me while ye are alive.'"

4.18.30

taṃ dṛṣṭvā vyāpṛtaṃ goṣu vatsacarmakṣapāśayam |
sahadevaṃ yudhāṃ śreṣṭhaṃ kiṃ nu jīvāmi pāṇḍava || 30 ||

4.18.31

yastribhirnityasaṃpanno rūpeṇāstreṇa medhayā |
so'śvabandho virāṭasya paśya kālasya paryayam || 31 ||

4.18.32

abhyakīryanta vṛndāni dāmagranthimudīkṣatām |
vinayantaṃ javenāśvānmahārājasya paśyataḥ || 32 ||

4.18.33

apaśyamenaṃ śrīmantaṃ matsyaṃ bhrājiṣṇumuttamam |
virāṭamupatiṣṭhantaṃ darśayantaṃ ca vājinaḥ || 33 ||

4.18.34

kiṃ nu māṃ manyase pārtha sukhiteti paraṃtapa |
evaṃ duḥkhaśatāviṣṭā yudhiṣṭhiranimittataḥ || 34 ||

4.18.35

ataḥ prativiśiṣṭāni duḥkhānyanyāni bhārata |
vartante mayi kaunteya vakṣyāmi śṛṇu tānyapi || 35 ||

4.18.36

yuṣmāsu dhriyamāṇeṣu duḥkhāni vividhānyuta |
śoṣayanti śarīraṃ me kiṃ nu duḥkhamataḥ param || 36 ||