दिव्यमाल्याम्बरधरं दिव्यगन्धोक्षितं शुभम्। विभ्राजमानं वपुषा सूर्यवैश्वानरप्रभम्
Wearing divine garlands and garments, anointed with heavenly fragrances, auspicious and shining in form, with a brilliance like the sun and fire.
उपोपविष्टं सचिवैर्देवैरिव शतक्रतुम्। यक्षैर्महात्मभिर्दिव्यनारीभिर्हृद्यकान्तिभिः
Seated with counselors, like Indra among the gods, surrounded by great-souled yakshas and celestial women of pleasing beauty.
गीतैर्मङ्गलयुक्तैश्च पूज्यमानं यथा दिवि। चामरे व्यजने चाग्र्ये हेमदण्डे महाधने
Honored with songs imbued with auspiciousness, as in heaven, fanned by excellent fans and whisked with golden, wealthy rods.
गृहीते वरनारीभ्यां धूयमाने च मूर्धनि। अर्चिष्मन्तं श्रिया जुष्टं कुबेरवरुणोपमम्
Attended by noble women holding fans, his head being fanned, radiant with splendor, resembling Kubera and Varuna.
धर्मे चैव स्थितं नित्यमद्भुतं राक्षसेस्वरम्। राममिक्ष्वाकुनाथं वै स्मरन्तं मनसा सदा
Always established in righteousness, the wondrous lord of the rakshasas, ever remembering Rama, the lord of the Ikshvaku dynasty, in his mind.
दृष्ट्वा घटोत्कचो राजन्ववन्दे तं कृताञ्जलिः। प्रह्वस्तस्थौ महावीर्यः शक्रं चित्ररथो यथा
Seeing him, O King, Ghatotkacha bowed with joined palms, standing humbly, mighty in valor, as Citraratha does before Indra.
तं दूतमागतं दृष्ट्वा राक्षसेन्द्रो विभीषणः। पूजयित्वा यथान्यायं सान्त्वपूर्वं वचोऽब्रवीत्
Seeing the messenger arrive, Vibhishana, king of the rakshasas, honored him properly and spoke words of gentle reassurance.
कस्य वंशे स सञ्जातः करमिच्छन्महीपतिः। तस्यानुजान्समस्तांश्च पुरं देशं च तस्य वै
In which lineage was he born, desiring to act as a king? Tell me of all his brothers, his city, and his land.
त्वां च कार्यं च तत्सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्वतः। विस्तरेण मम ब्रूहि सर्वानेतान्पृथक्पृथक्
I wish to hear truly about you and your mission, all of it. Tell me in detail about each of them separately.
एवमुक्तस्तु हैडिम्बः पौलस्त्येन महात्मना। कृताञ्जलिरुवाचाथ समर्थमिदमुत्तरम्
Thus addressed by the great-souled descendant of Pulastya, Hidimba, with joined palms, then spoke this capable reply.
सोमवंशोद्भवो राजा पाण्डुर्नाम महाबलः। पाण्डोश्च पुत्राः पञ्चासञ्छक्रतुल्यपराक्रमाः
The king Pandu, of great strength, was born in the Soma lineage; and Pandu’s five sons possess prowess equal to Indra.
तेषां ज्येष्ठस्तु नाम्ना वै युधिष्ठिर इति श्रुतः। अजातशत्रुर्धर्मात्मा धर्मो विग्रहवानिव
Among them, the eldest is known as Yudhishthira, famed as 'Ajatashatru', righteous-souled, as if Dharma embodied.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा प्राप्य राज्यमकारयत्। गङ्गाया दक्षिणे तीरे नगरे नागसाह्वये
Then King Yudhishthira, having obtained the kingdom, ruled in the city called Nagasahvaya on the southern bank of the Ganga.
तद्दत्वा धृतराष्ट्राय शक्रप्रस्थं ययौ ततः। भ्रातृभिः सह राजेन्द्र शक्रप्रस्थेऽन्वमोदत
Giving that city to Dhritarashtra, he went to Shakraprastha; together with his brothers, O king, he rejoiced in Shakraprastha.
गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये ते उभे नगरोत्तमे। नित्यं धर्मे स्थितो राजा शक्रप्रस्थे प्रशास्ति नः
Between the Ganga and Yamuna are those two excellent cities; the king, always established in righteousness, rules us in Shakraprastha.
तस्यानुजो महाबाहुर्भीमसेन इति श्रुतः। महातेजा महाकीर्तिः शक्रतुल्यपराक्रमः
His younger brother, famed as Bhimasena, is mighty-armed, of great energy and renown, with prowess equal to Indra.
दशनागसहस्राणां बले तुल्यः स पाण्डवः। तस्यानुजोऽर्जुनो नाम महाबलपराक्रमः
That Pāṇḍava was equal in strength to the force of ten thousand elephants; his younger brother was named Arjuna, mighty and valiant.
सुकुमारो महासत्वो लोके वीर्येण विश्रुतः। कार्तवीर्यसमो वीर्ये सागरप्रतिमो बले
Delicate in appearance, yet of great spirit, renowned in the world for his valor; in might he was equal to Kārtavīrya, and in strength like the ocean.
जामदग्न्यसमश्चास्त्रे सङ्ख्ये रामसमोऽर्जुनः। रूपे शक्रसमः पार्थस्तेजसा भास्करोपमः
In weapons, Arjuna was the equal of Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma); in battle, he was like Rāma; in beauty, like Indra; in brilliance, like the sun.
देवदानवगन्धर्वैः पिशाचोरगराक्षसैः। मानुषैश्च समस्तैस्तु अजेयः फल्गुनो रणे
Against gods, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Piśācas, serpents, Rākṣasas, and all humans together, Phālguna is invincible in battle.
तेन तत्खण्डवं दावं तर्पितं जातवेदसे। विजित्य तरसा शक्रं युधि देवगणैः सह
By him, that burning of Khāṇḍava was offered to Jātavedas; having conquered Indra with the hosts of gods in battle by force.
लब्धान्यस्त्राणि दिव्यानि तर्पयित्वा हुताशनम्। तेन लब्धा महाराज दुर्लभा दैवतैरपि
Having obtained divine weapons by satisfying the fire-god, he, O king, gained what even the gods find hard to attain.
वासुदेवस्य भगिनी सुभद्रा नाम विश्रुता। अर्जुनस्यानुजो राजन्नकुलश्चेति विश्रुतः
Vāsudeva's sister, renowned as Subhadrā, and Arjuna's younger brother, O king, is known as Nakula.
दर्शनीयतमो लोके मूर्तिमानिव मन्मथः। तस्यानुजो महातेजाः सहदेव इति श्रुतः
The most handsome in the world, as if embodied desire itself; his younger brother, famed for his great energy, is known as Sahadeva.
तेनाहं प्रेषितो राजन्कुमारेण समो रणे। अहं घटोत्कचो नाम भीमसेनसुतो बली
By him I was sent, O king, by that prince who is my equal in battle; I am Ghaṭotkaca by name, the mighty son of Bhīmasena.
मम माता महाभागा हिडिम्बा नाम राक्षसी। पार्थानामुपकारार्थं चरामि पृथिवीमिमाम्
My mother, greatly fortunate, is the rākṣasī named Hiḍimbā; for the sake of aiding the Pārthas, I roam this earth.
आसीत्पृथिव्याः सर्वस्या महीपालो युधिष्ठिरः। राजसूयं क्रतुश्रेष्ठमाहर्तुमुपचक्रमे
Yudhiṣṭhira was the sovereign of the entire earth; he undertook the greatest of sacrifices, the Rājasūya.
सन्दिदेश च स भ्रातृन्करार्थं सर्वतोदिशम्। वृष्णिवीरेण सहितः सन्दिदेशानुजान्नृपः
He dispatched his brothers in all directions to collect tribute, accompanied by the hero of the Vṛṣṇis, and sent his younger brothers as well, O king.
उदीचीमर्जुनस्तूर्णं गत्वा मेरोरथोत्तमः। गत्वा शतसहस्राणि योजनानि महाबलः
Arjuna, the best of charioteers, swiftly went north, traversing hundreds of thousands of yojanas with his great strength.
त्वा सर्वान्नृपान्युद्धे हत्वा च तरसा वशी। स्वर्गद्वारमुपागम्य रत्नान्यादाय वै भृशम्
Having conquered all the kings in battle by force, he gained control and, reaching the gate of heaven, took abundant jewels.