Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Chapter 48
Mahabharata Book III Chapter 48:English
- describes Rajasuya sacrifice of Yudhisthira attended by the chiefs of many islands and countries
- SECTION LI
Vaisampayana said, "That bull among men--Dhritarashtra--the son of Amvika, having heard of this wonderful way of life--so above that of men--of the sons of Pandu, was filled with anxiety and grief. And overwhelmed with melancholy and sighing heavily and hot, that monarch, addressing his charioteer Sanjaya, said, 'O charioteer, a moment's peace I have not, either during the day or the night, thinking of the terrible misbehaviour of my sons arising out of their past gambling, and thinking also of the heroism, the patience, the high intelligence, the unbearable prowess, and the extraordinary love unto one another of the sons of Pandu. Amongst the Pandavas, the illustrious Nakula and Sahadeva, of celestial origin and equal unto the chief himself of the celestials in splendour, are invincible in battle. They are firm in the wielding of weapons, capable of shooting at a long distance, resolute in battle, of remarkable lightness of hand, of wrath that is not easily quelled, possessed of great steadiness, and endued with activity. Possessed of the prowess of lions and unbearable as the Aswins themselves, when they will come to the field of battle with Bhima and Arjuna in front, I see, O Sanjaya, that my soldiers will all be slain without a remnant. Those mighty warriors of celestial origin, unrivalled in battle by anybody, filled with rage at the remembrance of that insult to Draupadi, will show no forgiveness. The mighty warriors of the Vrishnis also, and the Panchalas of great energy, and the sons of Pritha themselves, led by Vasudeva of unbaffled prowess, will blast my legions. O charioteer, all the warriors on my side assembled together, are not competent to bear the impetus of the Vrishnis alone when commanded by Rama and Krishna. And amongst them will move that great warrior Bhima of terrible prowess, armed with his iron mace held on high and capable of slaying every hero. And high above the din will be heard the twang of the Gandiva loud as the thunder of heaven. The impetus of Bhima's mace and the loud twang of the Gandiva are incapable of being stood against by any of the kings on my side. It is then, O Sanjaya, that obedient as I have been to the voice of Duryodhana, I shall have to call back the rejected
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counsels of my friends--counsels that I should have attended to in time.'"
Sanjaya said, "This hath been thy great fault, O king, viz., that though capable, thou didst not, from affection prevent thy son from doing what he hath done. The slayer of Madhu, that hero of unfading glory, hearing that the Pandavas had been defeated at dice, soon went to the woods of Kamyaka and consoled them there. And Draupadi's sons also headed by Dhrishtadyumna, and Virata, and Dhrishtaketu, and those mighty warriors, the Kekayas, all went there. All that was said by these warriors at the sight of Pandu's son defeated at dice, was learnt by me through our spies. I have also told thee all, O king. When the slayer of Madhu met the Pandavas, they requested him to become the charioteer of Phalguna in battle. Hari himself, thus requested, answered them, saying, 'so be it.' And even Krishna himself beholding the sons of Pritha dressed in deer skins, became filled with rage, and addressing Yudhishthira, said, 'That prosperity which the sons of Pritha had acquired at Indraprastha, and which, unobtainable by other kings, was beheld by me at the Rajasuya sacrifice, at which, besides,
I saw all kings, even those of the Vangas and Angas and Paundras and Odras and Cholas and Dravidas and Andhakas, and the chiefs of many islands and countries on the sea-board as also of frontier states, including the rulers of the Sinhalas, the barbaras, the Mlecchas, the natives of Lanka, and all the kings of the West by hundreds, and all the chiefs of the sea-coast, and the kings of the Pahlavas and the Daradas and the various tribes of the Kiratas and Yavanas and Sakras and the Harahunas and Chinas and Tukharas and the Saindhavas and the Jagudas and the Ramathas and the Mundas and the inhabitants of the kingdom of women (Strirajya) and the Tanganas and the Kekayas and the Malavas and the inhabitants of Kasmira, afraid of the prowess of your weapons, present in obedience to your invitation, performing various offices,--that prosperity,
O king, so unstable and waiting at present on the foe, I shall restore to thee, depriving thy foe of his very life. I shall, O chief of the Kurus, assisted by Rama and Bhima and Arjuna and the twins and Akrura and Gada and Shamva and Pradyumna and Ahuka and the heroic Dhrishtadyumna and the son of Sisupala, slay in battle in course of a day Duryodhana and Karna and Dussasana and Suvala's son and all others who may fight against us. And thou shalt, O Bharata, living at Hastinapura along with thy brothers, and snatching from Dhritarashtra's party the prosperity they are enjoying, rule this earth.' Even these, O king, were Krishna's words unto Yudhishthira, who, on the conclusion of Krishna's speech, addressed him in that meeting of heroes and in the hearing of all those brave warriors headed by Dhrishtadyumna, saying, 'O Janardana, I accept these words of thine as truth. O thou of mighty arms, do thou, however, slay my enemies along with all their followers on the expiry of thirteen years.
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[paragraph continues] O Kesava, promise this truly unto me. I promised in the presence of the king to live in the forest as I am now living.' Consenting to these words of king Yudhishthira the just, his counsellors headed by Dhrishtadyumna soon pacified the incensed Kesava with sweet words and expressions suitable to the occasion. And they also said unto Draupadi of pure deeds in the hearing of Vasudeva himself, these words, 'O lady, in consequence of thy anger, Duryodhana shall lay down his life. We promise it, O thou of the fairest complexion. Therefore, grieve no more. O Krishna, those that mocked thee, beholding thee won at dice, shall reap the fruit of their act. Beasts of prey and birds shall eat their flesh, and mock them thus. Jackals and vultures will drink their blood. And, O Krishna, thou shalt behold the bodies of those wretches that dragged thee by the hair prostrate on the earth, dragged and eaten by carnivorous animals. They also that gave thee pain and disregarded thee shall lie on the earth destitute of their heads, and the earth herself shall drink their blood.' These and other speeches of various kinds were uttered there, O king, by those bulls of the Bharata race. All of them are endued with energy and bravery, and marked with the marks of battle. On the expiration of the thirteenth year, those mighty warriors, chosen by Yudhishthira and headed by Vasudeva, will come (to the field of battle). Rama and Krishna and Dhananjaya and Pradyumna and Shamva and Yuyudhana and Bhima and the sons of Madri and the Kekaya princes and the Panchala princes, accompanied by the king of Matsya, these all, illustrious and celebrated and invincible heroes, with their followers and troops, will come. Who is there that, desiring to live, will encounter these in battle, resembling angry lions of erect manes?'
"Dhritarashtra said, "What Vidura told me at the time of the game at dice, 'If thou seekest, O king, to vanquish the Pandavas (at dice), then certainly a terrible blood-shed ending in the destruction of all the Kurus will be the result,' I think it is about to be realised. As Vidura told me of old, without doubt a terrible battle will take place, as soon as the pledged period of the Pandavas expireth.'"
Mahabharata Book III Chapter 48:Sanskrit
1 [वै]
सुथीर्घम उष्णं निःश्वस्य धृतराष्ट्रॊ ऽमबिका सुतः
अब्रवीत संजयं सूतम आमन्त्र्य भरतर्षभ
2 थेवपुत्रौ महाभागौ थेवराजसमथ्युती
नकुलः सहथेवश च पाण्डवौ युथ्धथुर्मथौ
3 थृढायुधौ थूरपातौ युथ्धे च कृतनिश्चयौ
शीघ्रहस्तौ थृढक्रॊधौ नित्ययुक्तौ तरस्विनौ
4 भीमार्जुनौ पुरॊधाय यथा तौ रणमूर्धनि
सदास्येते सिंहविक्रान्ताव अश्विनाव इव थुःसहौ
न शेषम इह पश्यामि तथा सैन्यस्य संजय
5 तौ हय अप्रतिरदौ युथ्धे थेवपुत्रौ महारदौ
थरौपथ्यास तं परिक्लेशं न कषंस्येते तव अमर्षिणौ
6 वृष्णयॊ वा महेष्वासा पाञ्चाला वा महौजसः
युधि सत्याभिसंधेन वासुथेवेन रक्षिताः
परधक्ष्यन्ति रणे पार्दाः पुत्राणां मम वाहिनीम
7 राम कृष्ण परणीतानां वृष्णीनां सूतनन्थन
न शक्यः सहितुं वेगः पर्वतैर अपि संयुगे
8 तेषां मध्ये महेष्वासॊ भीमॊ भीमपराक्रमः
शक्यया वीर घातिन्या गथया विचरिष्यति
9 तदा गाण्डीवनिर्घॊषं विस्फूर्जितम इवाशनेः
गथा वेगं च भीमस्य नालं सॊढुं नराधिपाः
10 ततॊ ऽहं सुहृथां वाचॊ थुर्यॊधन वशानुगः
समरणीयाः समरिष्यामि मया या न कृताः पुरा
11 [स]
वयतिक्रमॊ ऽयं सुमहांस तवया राजन्न उपेक्षितः
समर्देनापि यन मॊहात पुत्रस ते न निवारितः
12 शरुत्वा हि निर्जितान थयूते पाण्डवान मधुसूथनः
तवरितः काम्यके पार्दान समभावयथ अच्युतः
13 थरुपथस्य तदा पुत्रा धृष्टथ्युम्नपुरॊगमाः
विराटॊ धृष्टकेतुश च केकयाश च महारदाः
14 तैश च यत कदितं तत्र थृष्ट्वा पार्दान पराजितान
चारेण विथितं सर्वं तन मया वेथितं च ते
15 समागम्य वृतस तत्र पाण्डवैर मधुसूथनः
सारद्ये फल्गुनस्याजौ तदेत्य आह च तान हरिः
16 अमर्षितॊ हि कृष्णॊ ऽपि थृष्ट्वा पार्दांस तदागतान
कृष्णाजिनॊत्तरासङ्गान अब्रवीच च युधिष्ठिरम
17 या सा समृथ्धिः पार्दानाम इन्थ्रप्रस्दे बभूव ह
राजसूये मया थृष्टा नृपैर अन्यैः सुथुर्लभा
18 यत्र सर्वान महीपालाञ शस्त्रतेजॊ भयार्थितान
सवङ्गाङ्गान सपौण्ड्र उड्रान सचॊल द्रविडान्धकान
19 सागरानूपगांश चैव ये च पत्तनवासिनः
सिंहलान बर्बरान मलेच्छान ये च जाङ्गलवासिनः
20 पश्चिमानि च राज्यानि शतशः सागरान्तिकान
पह्लवान थरथान सर्वान किरातान यवनाञ शकान
21 हारहूणांश च चीनांश च तुखारान सैन्धवांस तदा
जागुडान रमठान मुण्डान सत्री राज्यान अद तङ्गणान
22 एते चान्ये च बहवॊ ये च ते भरतर्षभ
आगतान अहम अथ्राक्षं यज्ञे ते परिवेषकान
23 सा ते समृथ्धिर यैर आत्ता चपला परतिसारिणी
आथाय जीवितं तेषाम आहरिष्यामि ताम अहम
24 रामेण सह कौरव्य भीमार्जुनयमैस तदा
अक्रूर गथ साम्बैश च परथ्युम्नेनाहुकेन च
धृष्टथ्युम्नेन वीरेण शिशुपालात्मजेन च
25 थुर्यॊधनं रणे हत्वा सथ्यः कर्णं च भारत
थुःशासनं सौबलेयं यश चान्यः परतियॊत्स्यते
26 ततस तवं हास्तिनपुरे भरातृभिः सहितॊ वसन
धार्तराष्ट्रीं शरियं पराप्य परशाधि पृदिवीम इमाम
27 अदैनम अब्रवीथ राजा तस्मिन वीर समागमे
शृण्वत्सु तेषु सर्वेषु धृष्टथ्युम्नमुखेषु च
28 परतिगृह्णामि ते वाचं सत्याम एतां जनार्थन
अमित्रान मे महाबाहॊ सानुबन्धान हनिष्यसि
29 वर्षात तरयॊथशाथ ऊर्ध्वं सत्यं मां कुरु केशव
परतिज्ञातॊ वनेवासॊ राजमध्ये मया हय अयम
30 तथ धर्मराज वचनं परतिश्रुत्य सभा सथः
धृष्टथ्युम्न पुरॊगास ते शमयाम आसुर अञ्जसा
केशवं मधुरैर वाक्यैः कालयुक्तैर अमर्षितम
31 पाञ्चालीं चाहुर अक्लिष्टां वासुथेवस्य शृण्वतः
थुर्यॊधनस तव करॊधाथ थेवि तयक्ष्यति जीवितम
परतिजानीम ते सत्यं मा शुचॊ वरवर्णिनि
32 ये सम ते कुपितां कृष्णे थृष्ट्वा तवां पराहसंस तथा
मांसानि तेषां खाथन्तॊ हसिष्यन्ति मृगथ्विजाः
33 पास्यन्ति रुधिरं तेषां गृध्रा गॊमायवस तदा
उत्तमाङ्गानि कर्षन्तॊ यैस तवं कृष्टा सभा तले
34 तेषां थरक्ष्यसि पाञ्चालि गात्राणि पृदिवीतले
करव्याथैः कृष्यमाणानि भक्ष्यमाणानि चासकृत
35 परिक्लिष्टासि यैस तत्र यैश चापि समुपेक्षिता
तेषाम उत्कृत्त शिरसां भूमिः पास्यति शॊणितम
36 एवं बहुविधा वाचस तथॊचुः पुरुषर्षभाः
सर्वे तेजस्विनः शूराः सर्वे चाहतलक्षणाः
37 ते धर्मराजेन वृता वर्षाथ ऊर्ध्वं तरयॊथशात
पुरस्कृत्यॊपयास्यन्ति वासुथेवं महारदाः
38 रामश च कृष्णश च धनंजयश च; परथ्युम्न साम्बौ युयुधान भीमौ
माथ्री सुतौ केकयराजपुत्राः; पाञ्चाल पुत्राः सहधर्मराज्ञा
39 एतान सर्वाँल लॊकवीरान अजेयान; महात्मनः सानुबन्धान ससैन्यान
कॊ जीवितार्दी समरे परत्युथीयात; करुथ्धान सिंहान केसरिणॊ यदैव
40 [धृ]
यन माब्रवीथ विथुरॊ थयूतकाले; तवं पाण्डवाञ जेष्यसि चेन नरेन्थ्र
धरुवं कुरूणाम अयम अन्तकालॊ; महाभयॊ भविता शॊणितौघः
41 मन्ये तदा तथ भवितेति सूत; यदा कषत्ता पराह वचः पुरा माम
असंशयं भविता युथ्धम एतथ; गते काले पाण्डवानां यदॊक्तम
Mahabharata Book III Chapter 48:Transliteration
1 [vai]
sudīrgham uṣṇaṃ niḥśvasya dhṛtarāṣṭro 'mbikā sutaḥ
abravīt saṃjayaṃ sūtam āmantrya bharatarṣabha
2 devaputrau mahābhāgau devarājasamadyutī
nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca pāṇḍavau yuddhadurmadau
3 dṛḍhāyudhau dūrapātau yuddhe ca kṛtaniścayau
śīghrahastau dṛḍhakrodhau nityayuktau tarasvinau
4 bhīmārjunau purodhāya yadā tau raṇamūrdhani
sthāsyete siṃhavikrāntāv aśvināv iva duḥsahau
na śeṣam iha paśyāmi tadā sainyasya saṃjaya
5 tau hy apratirathau yuddhe devaputrau mahārathau
draupadyās taṃ parikleśaṃ na kṣaṃsyete tv amarṣiṇau
6 vṛṣṇayo vā maheṣvāsā pāñcālā vā mahaujasaḥ
yudhi satyābhisaṃdhena vāsudevena rakṣitāḥ
pradhakṣyanti raṇe pārthāḥ putrāṇāṃ mama vāhinīm
7 rāma kṛṣṇa praṇītānāṃ vṛṣṇīnāṃ sūtanandana
na śakyaḥ sahituṃ vegaḥ parvatair api saṃyuge
8 teṣāṃ madhye maheṣvāso bhīmo bhīmaparākramaḥ
śakyayā vīra ghātinyā gadayā vicariṣyati
9 tathā gāṇḍīvanirghoṣaṃ visphūrjitam ivāśaneḥ
gadā vegaṃ ca bhīmasya nālaṃ soḍhuṃ narādhipāḥ
10 tato 'haṃ suhṛdāṃ vāco duryodhana vaśānugaḥ
smaraṇīyāḥ smariṣyāmi mayā yā na kṛtāḥ purā
11 [s]
vyatikramo 'yaṃ sumahāṃs tvayā rājann upekṣitaḥ
samarthenāpi yan mohāt putras te na nivāritaḥ
12 śrutvā hi nirjitān dyūte pāṇḍavān madhusūdanaḥ
tvaritaḥ kāmyake pārthān samabhāvayad acyutaḥ
13 drupadasya tathā putrā dhṛṣṭadyumnapurogamāḥ
virāṭo dhṛṣṭaketuś ca kekayāś ca mahārathāḥ
14 taiś ca yat kathitaṃ tatra dṛṣṭvā pārthān parājitān
cāreṇa viditaṃ sarvaṃ tan mayā veditaṃ ca te
15 samāgamya vṛtas tatra pāṇḍavair madhusūdanaḥ
sārathye phalgunasyājau tathety āha ca tān hariḥ
16 amarṣito hi kṛṣṇo 'pi dṛṣṭvā pārthāṃs tathāgatān
kṛṣṇājinottarāsaṅgān abravīc ca yudhiṣṭhiram
17 yā sā samṛddhiḥ pārthānām indraprasthe babhūva ha
rājasūye mayā dṛṣṭā nṛpair anyaiḥ sudurlabhā
18 yatra sarvān mahīpālāñ śastratejo bhayārditān
savaṅgāṅgān sapauṇḍr uḍrān sacola draviḍāndhakān
19 sāgarānūpagāṃś caiva ye ca pattanavāsinaḥ
siṃhalān barbarān mlecchān ye ca jāṅgalavāsinaḥ
20 paścimāni ca rājyāni śataśaḥ sāgarāntikān
pahlavān daradān sarvān kirātān yavanāñ śakān
21 hārahūṇāṃś ca cīnāṃś ca tukhārān saindhavāṃs tathā
jāguḍān ramaṭhān muṇḍān strī rājyān atha taṅgaṇān
22 ete cānye ca bahavo ye ca te bharatarṣabha
āgatān aham adrākṣaṃ yajñe te pariveṣakān
23 sā te samṛddhir yair āttā capalā pratisāriṇī
ādāya jīvitaṃ teṣām āhariṣyāmi tām aham
24 rāmeṇa saha kauravya bhīmārjunayamais tathā
akrūra gada sāmbaiś ca pradyumnenāhukena ca
dhṛṣṭadyumnena vīreṇa śiśupālātmajena ca
25 duryodhanaṃ raṇe hatvā sadyaḥ karṇaṃ ca bhārata
duḥśāsanaṃ saubaleyaṃ yaś cānyaḥ pratiyotsyate
26 tatas tvaṃ hāstinapure bhrātṛbhiḥ sahito vasan
dhārtarāṣṭrīṃ śriyaṃ prāpya praśādhi pṛthivīm imām
27 athainam abravīd rājā tasmin vīra samāgame
śṛṇvatsu teṣu sarveṣu dhṛṣṭadyumnamukheṣu ca
28 pratigṛhṇāmi te vācaṃ satyām etāṃ janārdana
amitrān me mahābāho sānubandhān haniṣyasi
29 varṣāt trayodaśād ūrdhvaṃ satyaṃ māṃ kuru keśava
pratijñāto vanevāso rājamadhye mayā hy ayam
30 tad dharmarāja vacanaṃ pratiśrutya sabhā sadaḥ
dhṛṣṭadyumna purogās te śamayām āsur añjasā
keśavaṃ madhurair vākyaiḥ kālayuktair amarṣitam
31 pāñcālīṃ cāhur akliṣṭāṃ vāsudevasya śṛṇvataḥ
duryodhanas tava krodhād devi tyakṣyati jīvitam
pratijānīma te satyaṃ mā śuco varavarṇini
32 ye sma te kupitāṃ kṛṣṇe dṛṣṭvā tvāṃ prāhasaṃs tadā
māṃsāni teṣāṃ khādanto hasiṣyanti mṛgadvijāḥ
33 pāsyanti rudhiraṃ teṣāṃ gṛdhrā gomāyavas tathā
uttamāṅgāni karṣanto yais tvaṃ kṛṣṭā sabhā tale
34 teṣāṃ drakṣyasi pāñcāli gātrāṇi pṛthivītale
kravyādaiḥ kṛṣyamāṇāni bhakṣyamāṇāni cāsakṛt
35 parikliṣṭāsi yais tatra yaiś cāpi samupekṣitā
teṣām utkṛtta śirasāṃ bhūmiḥ pāsyati śoṇitam
36 evaṃ bahuvidhā vācas tadocuḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ
sarve tejasvinaḥ śūrāḥ sarve cāhatalakṣaṇāḥ
37 te dharmarājena vṛtā varṣād ūrdhvaṃ trayodaśāt
puraskṛtyopayāsyanti vāsudevaṃ mahārathāḥ
38 rāmaś ca kṛṣṇaś ca dhanaṃjayaś ca; pradyumna sāmbau yuyudhāna bhīmau
mādrī sutau kekayarājaputrāḥ; pāñcāla putrāḥ sahadharmarājñā
39 etān sarvāṁl lokavīrān ajeyān; mahātmanaḥ sānubandhān sasainyān
ko jīvitārthī samare pratyudīyāt; kruddhān siṃhān kesariṇo yathaiva
40 [dhṛ]
yan mābravīd viduro dyūtakāle; tvaṃ pāṇḍavāñ jeṣyasi cen narendra
dhruvaṃ kurūṇām ayam antakālo; mahābhayo bhavitā śoṇitaughaḥ
41 manye tathā tad bhaviteti sūta; yathā kṣattā prāha vacaḥ purā mām
asaṃśayaṃ bhavitā yuddham etad; gate kāle pāṇḍavānāṃ yathoktam