Bhagavatapurana 10.49: athaikonapañcāśattamo'dhyāyaḥ

10.49.1

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
sa gatvā hāstinapuraṃ pauravendra-yaśo-'ṅkitam /
dadarśa tatrāmbikeyaṃ sa-bhīṣmaṃ viduraṃ pṛthām //

Śrī Śuka said:
Having gone to Hāstinapura, marked by the fame of the Paurava lords, / he saw there the son of Ambikā, together with Bhīṣma, Vidura, and Pṛthā,

1. & 2. Sri Suka said:— Akrura went to Hastinapura distinguished as the seat of the great and glorious kings of Puru race and there he visited Ambika's son and Bhishma, Vidura and Kunti: Balhika and his son (Somadatta), Bharadwaja (Drona) and Gautama (Kripa), Karna, Duryodhana, Aswathaman, Pandu's sons and other friends.

10.49.2

saha-putraṃ ca bāhlīkaṃ bhāradvājaṃ sa-gautamam /
karnaṃ suyodhanaṃ drauṇiṃ pāṇḍavān suhṛdo 'parān //

and Bāhlīka with his son, Droṇa the son of Bharadvāja with Gautama, / Karṇa, Suyodhana, the son of Droṇa, the Pāṇḍavas, and other friends.

10.49.3

yathāvad upasaṅgamya bandhubhir gāndinī-sutaḥ /
sampṛṣṭas taiḥ suhṛd-vārtāṃ svayaṃ cāpṛcchad avyayam //

Having approached his relatives in the proper manner, the son of Gāndinī / was asked by them for news of their friends, and he himself inquired about their welfare.

3. He met them with appropriate honours: Akrura, son of Gandini, questioned by the relations about the welfare of their friends enquired them also of their own.

10.49.4

uvāsa katicin māsān rājño vṛtta-vivitsayā /
duṣprajasyālpa-sārasya khala-cchandānuvartinaḥ //

He stayed for some months wishing to know the conduct of the king, / who had wicked sons, possessed little strength, and followed the inclinations of scoundrels,

4. He stayed there some months for the purpose of observing the conduct of the king, the father of the wicked sons, devoid of moral strength, and ready to follow the will of the wicked.

10.49.5

teja ojo balaṃ vīryaṃ praśrayādīṃś ca sad-guṇān /
prajānurāgaṃ pārtheṣu na sahadbhiś cikīṛṣitam //

and what was intended by those who could not tolerate the brilliance, vigor, strength, prowess, / modesty, and other noble virtues of the sons of Pṛthā, and the affection of the subjects for them,

5. He observed how they (Dhritarashtra and his sons) were envious of Pandu's sons, their majestic features, prowess, learning, strength, energy, modesty and other virtuous qualities as well as of the love which the subjects bore them, and also what (evil) they intended to do unto them.

10.49.6

kṛtaṃ ca dhārtarāṣṭrair yad gara-dānādy apeśalam /
ācakhyau sarvam evāsmai pṛthā vidura eva ca //

and the unseemly deeds committed by the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, such as giving poison. / Pṛthā and Vidura related everything to him.

6. Pritha and Vidura told him (Akrura) of the wicked treatment such as administering poison, given by Dhritarashtra's sons (to Pandu's sons).

10.49.7

pṛthā tu bhrātaraṃ prāptam akrūram upasṛtya tam /
uvāca janma-nilayaṃ smaranty aśru-kalekṣaṇā //

Pṛthā, approaching her brother Akrūra who had arrived, / spoke while remembering the home of her birth, her eyes filled with tears:

7. And Kunti approached Akrura her brother who came on a visit and with her eyes full of tears, as she remembered her birthplace, spoke to him.

10.49.8

api smaranti naḥ saumya pitarau bhrātaraś ca me /
bhaginyau bhrātṛ-putrāś ca jāmayaḥ sakhya eva ca //

O gentle one, do my parents, my brothers, / my sisters, my nephews, the women of the family, and my friends remember us?

8. "O gentle one, do my parents, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces and friends remember me?

10.49.9

bhrātreyo bhagavān kṛṣṇaḥ śaraṇyo bhakta-vatsalaḥ /
paitṛ-ṣvasreyān smarati rāmaś cāmburuhekṣaṇaḥ //

Does my nephew, the Lord Kṛṣṇa, the refuge, affectionate toward devotees, / and lotus-eyed Rāma remember the sons of their father’s sister?

9. "Does my brother's son Krishna, the Almighty Lord, protector of fugitives and affectionate to devotees, think of His aunt's sons? Does Rama also remember them?

10.49.10

sapatna-madhye śocantīṃ vṛkānāṃ hariṇīm iva /
sāntvayiṣyati māṃ vākyaiḥ pitṛ-hīnāṃś ca bālakān //

Will he comfort with his words me, who am grieving in the midst of enemies / like a doe among wolves, and these fatherless boys?

10. "Would Krishna care to console me with His words and counsels and these fatherless children, — me that is sorrowing in the midst of enemies, like a deer in the midst of wolves?

10.49.11

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahā-yogin viśvātman viśva-bhāvana /
prapannāṃ pāhi govinda śiśubhiś cāvasīdatīm //

O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, O great yogin, O soul of all, O creator of the universe! / O Govinda, protect me who have taken refuge and am sinking in sorrow with my children.

11. & 12. "Krishna, O Krishna, O great Yogin, O Lord

of Universe, O maker of the Universe, protect me that have sought Thee, O Govinda, — me put to sufferings along with children: for mortal beings afraid of death and saṃsara I do not see there is any asylum other than Thy, Supreme Lord's lotus-like feet.

10.49.12

nānyat tava padāmbhojāt paśyāmi śaraṇaṃ nṛṇām /
bibhyatāṃ mṛtyu-saṃsārād īsvarasyāpavargikāt //

I see no refuge other than your lotus feet for human beings / who fear death and the cycle of rebirth, [the feet] of the Lord that bestow liberation.

10.49.13

namaḥ kṛṣṇāya śuddhāya brahmaṇe paramātmane /
yogeśvarāya yogāya tvām ahaṃ śaraṇaṃ gatā //

Obeisance to Kṛṣṇa, the pure, Brahman, the Supreme Self, / the Lord of yoga, the essence of yoga; I have gone to you for refuge.

13. “I bow to Krishna, the pure and perfect and Supreme Atman, the Lord of Yoga and absolute consciousness: I have sought Thee for shelter.”

10.49.14

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
ity anusmṛtya sva-janaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ ca jagad-īśvaram /
prārudad duḥkhitā rājan bhavatāṃ prapitāmahī //

Śrī Śuka said:
Thus remembering her relatives and Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the universe, / your great-grandmother wept in grief, O King.

14. Sri Suka said:— Remembering her kith and kin and Krishna, the Lord of the Universe, O king, Thy great-grand-mother thus wailed aloud in grief.

10.49.15

sama-duḥkha-sukho 'krūro viduraś ca mahā-yaśāḥ /
sāntvayām āsatuḥ kuntīṃ tat-putrotpatti-hetubhiḥ //

Akrūra, who shared in joy and sorrow alike, and the highly renowned Vidura / consoled Kuntī by recalling the circumstances of her sons' births.

15. Akrura, as well as Vidura, unperturbed in misery and happiness and well-known for wisdom, consoled Kunti, telling her of the causes and the circumstances of her sons' birth.

10.49.16

yāsyan rājānam abhyetya viṣamaṃ putra-lālasam /
avadat suhṛdāṃ madhye bandhubhiḥ sauhṛdoditam //

About to depart, he approached the partial king who doted on his sons, / and in the midst of friends spoke words prompted by affection for his kinsmen.

16. When about to return, Akrura approached Dhritarashtra who was partial and attached to his own sons, and told him in the midst of his friends of what had been expressed by his well meaning relations, Krishna and others.

10.49.17

/0 akrūra uvāca
bho bho vaicitravīrya tvaṃ kurūṇāṃ kīrti-vardhana /
bhrātary uparate pāṇḍāv adhunāsanam āsthitaḥ //

Akrūra said:
O son of Vicitravīrya, you who increase the renown of the Kurus, / now that your brother Pāṇḍu has passed away, you have assumed the throne.

17. Akrura said:— O son of Vichitra-Veerya, thou, promoter of Kuru's reputation, hast not taken thy seat on the throne after thy brother Pandu ceased to be.

10.49.18

dharmeṇa pālayann urvīṃ prajāḥ śīlena rañjayan /
vartamānaḥ samaḥ sveṣu śreyaḥ kīrtim avāpsyasi //

Protecting the earth in accord with dharma, gladdening your subjects by good character,
acting impartially toward your own people, you will attain well-being and renown.

18. Do thou protect the earth in the righteous way; please the subjects by thy good character and impartiality to thy people and thou wilt attain prosperity and good reputation.

10.49.19

anyathā tv ācaraṃl loke garhito yāsyase tamaḥ /
tasmāt samatve vartasva pāṇḍaveṣv ātmajeṣu ca //

Acting otherwise, however, reviled in the world, you will enter darkness;
therefore, remain impartial toward the sons of Pāṇḍu and your own sons.

19. But (by) acting to the contrary thou wilt be condemned in the world and go to the hell of darkness: therefore do thou treat impartially thy sons and Pandu's.

10.49.20

neha cātyanta-saṃvāsaḥ kasyacit kenacit saha /
rājan svenāpi dehena kim u jāyātmajādibhiḥ //

In this world, no one lives together with anyone permanently,
O king, not even with one's own body, let alone with a wife, sons, and the rest.

20. ‘There is no inseparable life for ever with anybody at any time in this world, O king, even with one's own body; much less with wives, children and others.

10.49.21

ekaḥ prasūyate jantur eka eva pralīyate /
eko 'nubhuṅkte sukṛtam eka eva ca duṣkṛtam //

A creature is born alone, and alone it dissolves;
alone it experiences good deeds, and alone evil deeds.

21. & 22. ‘A creature is but one when it is born and it is but one when it ceases to be. It is but one that eats the fruits of its good deeds and it is but one that suffers for its evil deeds. The ill-gotten wealth of the poor creature is appropriated by others who go

10.49.22

adharmopacitaṃ vittaṃ haranty anye 'lpa-medhasaḥ /
sambhojanīyāpadeśair jalānīva jalaukasaḥ //

Other people of little intelligence seize wealth accumulated through adharma,
under the pretext of being fed and supported, just as water-dwellers seize water.

by the name of those that deserve to be fed and nourished, even as the waters are of the aquatic animals.

10.49.23

puṣṇāti yān adharmeṇa sva-buddhyā tam apaṇḍitam /
te 'kṛtārthaṃ prahiṇvanti prāṇā rāyaḥ sutādayaḥ //

Those whom he nourishes through adharma, thinking them his own—that foolish man
they abandon, his purpose unaccomplished: his life-breaths, his riches, his sons, and the rest.

23. 'The life, wealth, children and other belongings which the foolish and unlucky man nourishes as his own self by unrighteous means, ultimately desert him, when he feels that he has accomplished no purpose of life.

10.49.24

svayaṃ kilbiṣam ādāya tais tyakto nārtha-kovidaḥ /
asiddhārtho viśaty andhaṃ sva-dharma-vimukhas tamaḥ //

Bearing the sin himself, abandoned by them, ignorant of true benefit,
his goal unattained, turned away from his own dharma, he enters blinding darkness.

24. 'He who sets his face against his own Dharma, destitute of any knowledge thereof, is abandoned by them (all those that he regarded as his own self) and he only gets a store of sin which he cannot avoid, and, frustrated of his purpose, falls into the dark hell.

10.49.25

tasmāl lokam imaṃ rājan svapna-māyā-manoratham /
vīkṣyāyamyātmanātmānaṃ samaḥ śānto bhava prabho //

Therefore, O king, regarding this world as a dream, an illusion, a fantasy of the mind,
restraining yourself by your own self, be impartial and tranquil, O lord.

25. 'Therefore, O king, O powerful one, do thou realise this world as a mere fancy and delusion in a dream, and having controlled thy mind by thyself, keep it serene and free from bias.

10.49.26

/0 dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca
yathā vadati kalyāṇīṃ vācaṃ dāna-pate bhavān /
tathānayā na tṛpyāmi martyaḥ prāpya yathāmṛtam //

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said:
Just as you speak auspicious words, O master of generosity,
so I am not sated by them, like a mortal having obtained nectar.

26. & 27. Dhritarashtra said:— O Danapati, as thou utterest this happy speech, I am not satiated with it like a mortal that has obtained Amrita; still, O gentle one, no good word sticks, like, lightning in the clouds, to my fickle mind which is full of partiality through attachment to my sons.

10.49.27

tathāpi sūnṛtā saumya hṛdi na sthīyate cale /
putrānurāga-viṣame vidyut saudāmanī yathā //

Even so, gentle friend, your truthful word does not remain in my restless heart
made uneven by affection for my sons, just like a bolt of lightning [in the sky].

10.49.28

īśvarasya vidhiṃ ko nu vidhunoty anyathā pumān /
bhūmer bhārāvatārāya yo 'vatīrṇo yadoḥ kule //

Who indeed can alter or undo the ordinance of the Lord,
who has descended into the family of Yadu to remove the burden of the earth?

28. Who could possibly set aside the decree of the Supreme Ruler who, for reducing the burden of the earth, has appeared in Yadu's race?

10.49.28.p1

yo durvimarśa-pathayā nija-māyayedaṃ $ sṛṣṭvā guṇān vibhajate tad-anupraviṣṭaḥ &

He who, having created this [universe] through His own creative power of inscrutable ways, divides the guṇas, having entered within it—

29. 'Salutation to that Supreme Lord who, through His maya of incomprehensible ways, creates this Universe and being within it, apportions the fruits of Karma, whose sports cannot be fully grasped and who is the chief cause and the final goal of the wheel of Samsara.'

10.49.29

tasmai namo duravabodha-vihāra-tantra- % saṃsāra-cakra-gataye parameśvarāya //

homage to that Supreme Lord, whose play is an incomprehensible design, the course of the wheel of the cycle of rebirth!

10.49.30

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
ity abhipretya nṛpater abhiprāyaṃ sa yādavaḥ /
suhṛdbhiḥ samanujñātaḥ punar yadu-purīm agāt //

Śrī Śuka said:
Having understood the intention of the king in this way, that Yādava,
permitted by his friends, returned again to the city of the Yadus.

30. Sri Suka said:— Having thus perceived the mind of the king and with the leave of his well-wishers, that Yadava (Akrura) returned to the capital of the Yadus.

10.49.31

śaśaṃsa rāma-kṛṣṇābhyāṃ dhṛtarāṣṭra-viceṣṭitam /
pāṇdavān prati kauravya yad-arthaṃ preṣitaḥ svayam //

He related to Rāma and Kṛṣṇa the conduct of Dhṛtarāṣṭra
toward the Pāṇḍavas, O Kauravya, for which purpose he himself had been sent.

31. And, O prince of Kuru race, he informed Rama and Krishna of Dhritarashtra's conduct towards the Pandavas, for which purpose he had been sent.