कुन्ती का अपने पुत्रों को उत्तर

Kunti said-What you say, O mighty-armed son of Pandu, is indeed, true! O kings, formerly, when you were all dispirited, indeed, I cxcited you all.

Seeing that your kingdom was taken away from you by a match at dice, seeing that you all fell from happiness, seeing that you were governed over by kinsmen, I instilled courage and high thoughts into your minds.

O foremost of men, I encouraged you so that the sons of Pandu might not be lost, so that their fame might not be lost.

You are all equal to Indra. Your prowess resembles that of the very celestials. I acted thus so that you might not live, depending upon others.

I instilled courage into your hearts so that you who are the foremost of all righteous persons, who are equal to Vasava, might not again go into the forest and live in misery.

I instilled courage into your hearts so that this Bhima who has the strength of ten thousand elephants and whose prowess and manliness are widely known, might not sink into insignificance and ruin.

I instilled courage into your hearts so that this Vijaya, who was born after Bhimasena, and who is equal to Vasava himself, might not be cheerless.

I instilled courage into your hearts so that Nakula and Sahadeva, who are always devoted to their elders, may not be weakened and rendered cheerless by hunger.

I acted thus in order that this lady of welldeveloped forms and of large eyes might not suffer the wrongs inflicted on her in the public hall without being avenged.

Before you all, O Bhima, trembling all over like a plantain trce during her catamenial period, and after she had been won at dicc, Dushasana, through folly, dragged her as if she were a slave. I knew all this, Indeed, the family of Pandu had been subjugated (by focs).

The Kurus, viz., my father-in-law and others, were cheerless when she, desirous of a protector, bewailed like a she-osprey.

When she was dragged by her fair locks by the sinful Dushasana without little intelligence, I lost my senses, O king.

Know, that for increasing your energy, I instilled that courage into your hearts by reciting the words of Vidula, O my sons.

I instilled courage into your hearts, O my sons, so that the family of Pandu, represented by my children, might not be lost.

The sons and grandsons of that person who brings a family to infamy never succeed in acquiring the regions of the righteous. Indeed, the ancestors of the Kaurava race, were in danger of losing those happy regions which had become theirs.

As for myself, O my sons, I have, before this, enjoyed the grcat fruits of that sovereignty which my husband had won. I have made large gifts. I have duly drunk the Soma-juice in sacrifice.

It was not for my own sake that I had urged Vasudeva with the stirring words of Vidula. It was for your sake that I had asked you to follow that advice.

O my sons, I do not wish for the fruits of that sovereignty which has been acquired by my children. O you of great power, I wish to attain, by my penances, to those happy regions which have been acquired by my husband.

By rendering obedient service to my fatherin-law and mother-in-law both of whom with to take up their residence in the forest, and by penances, I wish, O Yudhishthira, to exhaust my body.

Do you cease to follow me, O foremost one of Kuru's race, along with Bhima and others. Let your understanding be always devoted to virtue. Let your mind be always great.