solicited, O slayer of foes, by that wretch deserving
to be slain, my heart is bursting like a fruit ripened
in season. Censure thou that elder brother of
thine addicted to execrable dice, through whose act
alone I have been afflicted with such woe. Who
else, save him that is a desperate gambler, would play,
giving up kingdom and everything including even myself,
in order to lead a life in the woods? If he had
gambled morning and evening for many years together,
staking nishkas by thousand and other kinds
of substantial wealth, still his silver, and gold,
and robes, and vehicles, and teams, and goats, and
sheep, and multitudes of steeds and mares and mules
would not have sustained any diminution. But
now deprived of prosperity by the rivalry of dice,
he sits dumb like a fool, reflecting on his own misdeeds.
Alas, he who, while sojourning, was followed by ten
thousand elephants adorned with golden garlands now
supports himself by casting dice. That Yudhishthira
who at Indraprastha was adored by kings of incomparable
prowess by hundreds of thousands, that mighty monarch
in whose kitchen a hundred thousand maid-servants,
plate in hand, used every day to feed numerous guests
day and night, that best of liberal men, who gave
(every day) a thousand nishkas, alas, even he
overwhelmed with woe in consequence of gambling which
is the root of all evil, now supporteth himself by
casting dice. Bards and encomiasts by thousands
decked with ear-rings set with brilliant gems, and
gifted with melodious voice, used to pay him homage
morning and evening. Alas, that Yudhishthira,
who was daily waited upon by a thousand sages of ascetic
merit, versed in the Vedas and having every
desire gratified, as his courtiers,—that
Yudhishthira who maintained eighty-eight thousands
of domestic Snatakas with thirty maid-servants
assigned unto each, as also ten thousand yatis
not accepting anything in gift and with vital seed
drawn up,—alas, even that mighty king now
liveth in such guise. That Yudhishthira who is
without malice, who is full of kindness, and who giveth
every creature his due, who hath all these excellent
attributes, alas—even he now liveth in such
guise. Possessed of firmness and unbaffled prowess,
with heart disposed to give every creature his due,
king Yudhishthira, moved by compassion, constantly
maintained in his kingdom the blind, the old, the helpless,
the parentless and all others in his dominions in
such distress. Alas, that Yudhishthira becoming
a dependant and a servant of Matsya, a caster of dice
in his court, now calls himself Kanka. He unto
whom while residing at Indraprastha, all the rulers
of earth used to pay timely tribute,—alas,
even he now begs for subsistence at another’s
hands. He to whom the kings of the earth were
in subjection,—alas, even that king having
lost his liberty, liveth in subjection to others.
Having dazzled the entire earth like the sun by his
energy, that Yudhishthira, alas, is now a courtier