• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Pradip Bhattacharya

Indologist, Mahabharata scholar

  • BOOKS
    • MAHABHARATA
      • The Mahabharata of Vyasa – Moksha Dharma Parva
      • The Jaiminiya Mahabharata
      • The Jaiminiya Ashvamedhaparva
      • The Secret of the Mahabharata
      • Themes & Structure in the Mahabharata
      • The Mahabharata TV film Script: A Long Critique
      • YAJNASENI: The Story Of Draupadi
      • Pancha Kanya: the five virgins of India’s Epics
      • Revisiting the Panchakanyas
      • Narrative Art in the Mahabharata—the Adi Parva
      • Prachin Bharatey ebong Mahabharatey Netritva O Kshamatar Byabahar
    • LITERATURE
      • Ruskin’s Unto This Last: A Critical Edition
      • TS Eliot – The Sacred Wood, A Dissertation
      • Bankimchandra Chatterjee’s Krishna Charitra
      • Shivaji Sawant’s Mrityunjaya: A Long Critique
      • Subodh Ghosh’s Bharat Prem Katha
      • Parashuram’s Puranic Tales for Cynical People
    • PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENT
      • Leadership & Power: Ethical Explorations
      • Human Values: The Tagorean Panorama
      • Edited Administrative Training Institute Monographs 1-20. Kolkata. 2005-9
      • Edited Samsad Series on Public Administration. Kolkata, 2007-8
    • COMICS
      • KARTTIKEYA
      • The Monkey Prince
    • HOMEOPATHY
      • A New Approach to Homoeopathic Treatment
  • BOOK REVIEWS
    • Reviews in The Statesman
      • Review : Rajesh M. Iyer: Evading the Shadows
      • Review : Bibek DebRoy: The Mahabharata, volume 7
      • Review :The Harivansha – The Significance of a Neglected Text
      • Review : Battle, Bards and Brahmins ed. John Brockington
      • Review : Heroic Krishna. Friendship in epic Mahabharata
      • Review : I Was Born for Valour, I Was Born to Achieve Glory
      • Review : The Complete Virata and Udyoga Parvas of the Mahabharata
      • Review : Revolutionizing Ancient History: The Case of Israel and Christianity
    • Reviews in BIBLIO
    • Reviews in INDIAN REVIEW OF BOOKS And THE BOOK REVIEW New Delhi
    • Reviews in INDIAN BOOK CHRONICLE (MONTHLY JOURNAL ABOUT BOOKS AND COMMUNICATION ARTS)
  • JOURNALS
    • MANUSHI
    • MOTHER INDIA
    • JOURNAL OF HUMAN VALUES
    • WEST BENGAL
    • BHANDAAR
    • THE ADMINSTRATOR
    • INDIAN RAILWAYS MAGAZINE
    • WORLD HEALTH FORUM, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, GENEVA
    • INDIA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE QUARTERLY
    • ACTUALITIES EN ANALYSE TRANSACTIONNELLE
    • THE HERITAGE
    • TASI DARSHAN
  • STORIES, ESSAYS & POSTS
    • Chakravyuha by Manoranjan Bhattacharya
    • The Head Clerk. A short story.
    • BANGLADESH NEW-BORN: A MEMOIR
  • GALLERY
  • PROFILE
    • About the Author
    • IN THE NEWS
      • Epic discovery: City scholars find lost Mahabharata in Chennai library – The Times of India (Kolkata)

Duryodhan at Dvaipayan

June 12, 2022 By admin

By Jatindra Mohan Bagchi
Transcreated by Pradip Bhattacharya

[More than half-a-century ago Jatindra Mohan Bagchi, the Bengali poet, wrote a dramatic monologue depicting the dying Duryodhan at the end of the Battle of Kurukshetra on the shores of Dvaipayana lake. It is a daring creation, flying in the face of the general opprobrium heaped on the Kaurava prince and deserves to be more widely known. This is its first English rendering.] 

In the far horizon streaks of blood
merge into the black gloom;
Below, on the darkling solitary plain
whose form sprawls, alone?

“Know you not who I am? That name have I not
forgotten– king am I– Raja Duryodhan!
Kurukshetra, is it over?–
Where am I– is this Dvaipayan?
O Queen, queen Bhanumati–
where are you, my wife, in calamity?
–Chariot; my chariot, — driver, charioteer–
Where, where are the guards gone?
Oh! the pain– torment agonising–
who calls the royal surgeon?
Royal valour, hero’s fortitude–
will even they give way today?
–Yet, yet I do not fear,
alone will I fight undeterred;
Yet, in unfair battle defeat,
I spurn!–
Alas, my fate! even that I cannot,
shattered these thighs in dust lie;
Refuge-less my valour only
shouts out its impotence!
Vrikodar, wolf-waisted, Pandavas’ shame,
you blackened Pandu’s face–
like a thief in the night
dharma you burnt,
firing it with your own hands;
Un-Kshatriya in Kshatriya clan–
proof aright of Wind-god’s son–
On that tarnished Pandava name
of yours shame, shame,–
a thousand shames.
          *
Did none have eyes in this world?
Alas, who is left in this wide world?
Bhishma, Drona, Karna gone–
Who will punish whom?
All, that deceiving Krishna’s work,
cruel intriguer’s evil counsel–
“Dharma-rajya”, righteous rule,
confusing words ever on his lips.
With Krishna a band of rogues
call him “friend”, serve as slaves.
That shame of Yadava clan
manipulates them, smiling.
          *
Where’s Balarama, generous, valorous,
radiant-white Raivatak?
And where the clan’s shame, his brother,
partisan and cheat!
Oh– that pain, again, again!
Who’s there?
Come near, O Sanjay,
See your invincible Duryodhan’s
calamitous condition!
Kuru clan-is it uprooted then–
Kurukshetra– is it annihilation?
Speak, Counsellor, why silent?
What is left to realise!
–You muse, to Duryodhan you won’t
relate that inauspicious news,–
Alas! at death’s throes now
has that any worth?
              *
Today I recall in that assembly hall
Uncle’s folded hands-
Had then I known of today,
Would’ve I berated him so bitter?
Yet, considering royalty’s honour,
I repent not–
Who among his enemies is unaware
of Duryodhan’s sense of honour?
His morals, his acts, all,
all befit the King of kings–
The noble were honoured, genius welcomed,
bounty seeker returned with wealth.
          *
Oh! That incident?
Kshatriyas’ right to gamble’s well known–
Who calls it sin? No tearful remorse
touches these eyes!
If violence you regard a crime,
you’re a coward;– proof of it:
Perpetual strife of god and titan
though brothers-
What say you to that?
Violence’s natural to creatures,
violence-bred food nurtures life–
Time’s desire mirrored in violence
is figured forth in the dynasty.
                *
Panchali? Mention not, Counsellor!
Who marries five husbands,
as bride-price wins perpetual right
to mockery as fate’s boon!
King’s duties are grave, profound,
Desires, wishes, aren’t for him,
All life a one-pointed dedication,
you well know, O Sanjay.
Kunti’s sons, Draupadi’s husbands-
too harshly treated?
Kuru patriarch, in his kingdom,
is impartial, adamantine!
            *
Needlepoint’s land I refused
Pandavas? Because I was miserly?
Duryodhan’s munificent hand
who knows not on this earth?
It’s not that, Counsellor,–
Justice’s just an excuse
of enemies to demand rights!
Were it a prayer? Gifting kingdom away
the forest would receive Duryodhan.
          *
Only one thing I cannot forget,
Counsellor, which even today
pierces my heart,–
Abhimanyu’s heinous murder
by seven chariot-heroes!
              *
–Oh, that agony! Shooting up
from thigh to skull
blacks all out!
Blind eyes, frenzied mind,
doomsday roar drumming in ears!
No physician left? Send messages
summon, call them–
this necklace as prize.
        *
Dusk deepens in skies o’erhead
at plain’s end forest-skirted,
after lake waters grow black
in deepening darkness!
Hundreds of will-o’-wisp eyes light up
thronging Kurukshetra-plain;
Ravening carnivores roam roaring!
      *
Sanjay, tarry awhile,
perhaps my last night this!
Defeat, victory– not the issue,
they’re life’s partners I know.
Regrets have I none in this life,
by nature King is this Duryodhan;
above blame and fame
his all-ruling throne!
            *
Only, a hundred pranams convey
at my father’s feet, Counsellor,–
tell him– I am that great father’s
renowned dynast.
Death I own proudly, easily,
my constant servitor,–
Life he steals,
steal he cannot fame
that is eternal.
        *
What if father’s eyes are blind-
what can’t fate do?
Love for his son–I know,
is limitless. Yet not blind.
Desiring progeny’s welfare
shackling in chains of state-rule
in war he could’ve been party
following conventional advice;
–Of counsellors there was no shortage,
–Krishna, Vidura, heroic Bhishma,–
Yet with faith in his son
that head high-held bowed in respect.
–Better than cowardly peace
is even war eternal,–
In paternal love that kingly ethic
never forgot, that ruler of men.
–For proud son’s befitting father he,
supernal radiance in mind’s eyes;–
At his feet, hence, again and again
I bow today with body and soul.
          *
Night deepens,–farewell, friend,
return home with pranam;
May Duryodhan’s glorious fame
live, constant companion!
As nearby Dvaipayan ripples,
hallowed by Vyasa’s holy name;–
may Kshatriya valour’s radiant star
shine in the gloom– Duryodhan.”

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Footer

Recent Posts

  • DRAUPADI THE GODDESS VIRA-SHAKTI
  • Book Review of Fr. Camille Bulcke’s THE RAMA STORY: ORIGINS AND GROWTH (2022)
  • Freud, Bose and the Mahabharata

Tags

Bangladesh Bankimchandra Barbareek Bengali Bhima Bhishma boloji Book Reviews Bulcke Critical Edition Desire Dharma Draupadi Draupadi Dream Trust Drona Essays Ghatotkacha Grantha script Harivansha Indraprastha Jaimini Jaiminiya Mahabharata. Journal Kalpataru Karna krishna Mahabharata McGrath memoir Mokshadharma Murshidabad News novel Panchakanya Panchala popularity Ramayana refugee Satya Chaitanya shakuni Sri Aurobindo Statesman Vande Mataram video Yudhishthira

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Linked In
  • Twitter

CONTACT ME

Search

Archives

  • March 2023 (3)
  • February 2023 (1)
  • January 2023 (1)
  • September 2022 (1)
  • August 2022 (2)
  • July 2022 (1)
  • June 2022 (2)
  • February 2022 (1)
  • January 2022 (2)
  • November 2021 (1)
  • September 2021 (5)
  • January 2021 (2)
  • December 2020 (1)
  • September 2020 (1)
  • July 2020 (3)
  • June 2020 (1)
  • March 2020 (1)
  • January 2020 (2)
  • December 2019 (13)
  • October 2019 (1)
  • September 2019 (1)
  • August 2019 (2)
  • April 2019 (2)
  • March 2019 (4)
  • February 2019 (1)
  • January 2019 (2)
  • December 2018 (1)
  • November 2018 (4)
  • October 2018 (2)
  • September 2018 (2)
  • August 2018 (4)
  • July 2018 (4)
  • June 2018 (5)
  • April 2018 (3)
  • March 2018 (2)
  • February 2018 (1)
  • January 2018 (1)
  • November 2017 (2)
  • October 2017 (7)
  • August 2017 (1)
  • July 2017 (2)
  • June 2017 (11)
  • May 2017 (19)

Copyright © 2023 Dr. Pradip Bhattacharya