अथाधिरुह्य सस्त्रीका उदासीना व्यलोकयन्। न हि रथ्यास्तदा शक्या गन्तुं ताश्च जनाकुलाः
Ascending with their wives, the onlookers gazed in silence; the streets were so crowded with people that passage was impossible.
आरुह्य स्मानतास्तत्र दीनाः पश्यन्ति पाण्डवान्। पदातिं वर्जितच्छत्रं चेलभूषणवर्जितम्
Climbing up, those distressed ones watched the Pandavas, seeing the prince walking without umbrella, without ornaments.
वल्कलाजिनसंवीतं पार्थं दृष्ट्वा जनास्तदा। ऊचुर्बहुविधा वाचो भृशोपहतचेतसः
When the people saw Partha clad in bark and antelope skin, they spoke many words, their minds deeply afflicted.
यं यान्तमनुयाति स्म चतुरङ्गबलं महत्। तमेकं कृष्णया सार्धमनुगच्छन्ति पाण्डवाः
He whom a great fourfold army once followed as he departed, now the Pandavas follow him alone, together with Krishna.
चत्वारो भ्रातरश्चैव धौम्यश्चैव पुरोहितः। भीमार्जुनौ वारयित्वा निकृत्या बद्धकार्मुकौ
The four brothers and the priest Dhaumya, Bhima and Arjuna restrained, their bows bound by deceit.
धर्म एवास्थितो येन त्यक्त्वा राज्यं महात्मना। या न शक्या पुरा द्रष्टुं भूतैराकाशगैरपि
He who, established in righteousness, abandoned the kingdom with a great soul—whom even beings of the sky could not once behold.
तामद्य कृष्णां पश्यन्ति राजमार्गगता जनाः। अङ्गरागोचितां कृष्णां रक्तचन्दनसेविनीम्
Now the people on the royal road see Krishna, who was accustomed to fragrant ointments and red sandalwood.
वर्षमुष्णं च शीतं च नेष्यत्याशु विवर्णताम्। अद्य नूनं पृथा देवी सत्यमाविश्य भाषते
The heat and cold will soon rob her of color; today, surely, Queen Pritha speaks the truth.
पुत्रान्स्नुषां च देवी तु द्रष्टुमद्याथ नार्हति। निर्गुणस्यापि पुत्रस्य कथं स्याहुः स्वदर्शनम्
The queen ought not to see her sons and daughter-in-law today; how could she witness her son, even one without virtue?
किम्पुनर्यस्य लोकोऽयं जितो वृत्तेन केवलम्। आनृशंस्यमनुक्रोशो धृतिः शीलं दमः शमः
What then of him, whose conduct alone has conquered the world—compassion, kindness, fortitude, character, restraint, and calm?
पाण्डवं शोभयन्त्येते षड्गुणाः पुरुषोत्तमम्। तस्मादस्योपघातेन प्रजाः परमपीडिताः
These six qualities adorn the noble Pandava; therefore, by his suffering, the people are deeply afflicted.
औदकानीव सत्वानि ग्रीष्मे सलिलसङ्क्षयात्। पीडया पीडितं सर्वं जगदस्य जगत्पतेः
Just as creatures dependent on water are distressed in summer when water is scarce, so all the world suffers from the pain of this lord of the world.
मूलस्यैवोपघातेन वृक्षः पुष्पफलोपगः। मूलं ह्येष मनुष्याणां धर्मराजो महाद्युतिः
When the root is harmed, the tree bearing flowers and fruit suffers; this king of righteousness, radiant, is the root of mankind.
पुष्पं फलं च पत्रं च शाखास्तस्येतरे जनाः। ते भ्रातर इव क्षिप्रं सपुत्राः सहबान्धवाः
The flowers, fruits, and leaves are the other people, his branches; like brothers, they will soon depart with their sons and kin.
गच्छन्तमनुगच्छामो येन गच्छति पाण्डवः। उद्यानानि परित्यज्य क्षेत्राणि च गृहाणि च
We will follow wherever the Pandava goes, leaving behind our gardens, fields, and homes.
एकदुःखसुखाः पार्थमनुयाम सुधार्मिकम्। समुच्छ्रितपताकानि परिध्वस्ताजिराणि च
Sharing his joy and sorrow, let us follow the righteous Partha, among fluttering banners and ruined courtyards.
उपात्तधनधान्यानि हृतसाराणि सर्वशः। रजसाऽप्यवकीर्णानि परित्यक्तानि दैवतैः
The wealth and grain that had been acquired, whose essence was taken away in every way, covered in dust and abandoned by the gods.
मूषकैः परिधावद्भिरुद्बलैरावृतानि च। अपेतोदकधूमानि हीनसंमार्जनानि च
Infested by strong mice running about, lacking water and smoke, and deprived of proper cleaning.
प्रनष्टबलिकर्मेज्यामन्त्रहोमजपानि च। दुष्कालेनेव भग्नानि भिन्नभाजनवन्ति च
The offerings, rituals, sacrifices, mantras, oblations, and recitations had been lost; as if ruined by calamity, with broken vessels.
अस्मत्त्यक्तानि वेश्मानि सौबलः प्रतिपद्यताम्। वनं नगरमेवास्तु येन गच्छन्ति पाण्डवाः
Let the houses abandoned by us be taken by Saubala; let the forest become the city for those by whom the Pandavas depart.
अस्माभिश्च परित्यक्तं पुरं सम्पद्यतां वनम्। बिलानि दंष्ट्रिणः सर्वे वानि मृगपक्षिणः
The city abandoned by us may become a forest; let all the burrows belong to the fanged creatures, and the woods to the beasts and birds.
त्यजन्त्वस्मद्भयाद्भीता गजाः सिंहा वनान्यपि। अनाक्रान्तं प्रपद्यन्तः सेवमानं त्यजन्तु च
Let the elephants and lions, frightened by us, abandon the forests; let those who have not yet entered, and those who serve, depart as well.
तृणमांसफलादानां देशांस्त्यक्त्वा मृगद्विजाः। वयं पार्थैर्वने सम्यक्सह वत्स्याम निर्वृताः
Leaving the regions of grass, meat, and fruit, let the beasts and birds depart; we shall dwell happily in the forest with the Parthas.
इत्येवं विविधा वाचो नानाजनसमीरिताः। शुश्राव पार्थः श्रुत्वा च न विचक्रेऽस्य मानसम्
Thus, various words spoken by many people were heard by Partha; hearing them, his mind was not disturbed.
ततः प्रासादसंस्थास्तु समन्ताद्वै गृहे गृहे। ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां चैव योषितः
Then, from every house in the palace, the women of the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras came forth.
गत्वा स्वगृहजालानि उत्पाट्यावरणानि च। ददृशुः पाण्डवान्दीनान्वल्कलाजिनवाससः
Going to their own homes and tearing down the coverings, they saw the Pandavas, miserable, clad in bark and skins.
कृष्णां त्वदृष्टपूर्वां तां व्रजन्तीं पद्भिरेव च। एकवस्त्रां रुदन्तीं तां मुक्तकेशीं रजस्वलाम्
They saw Krishna, whom they had never seen before, walking barefoot, wearing a single garment, weeping, with loose hair, and in her period.
दृष्ट्वा तदा स्त्रियः सर्वा विवर्णवदना भृशम्। विलप्य बहुधा मोहाद्दुःखशोकेन पीडिताः। हाहा धिग्धिग्धिगित्युक्त्वा नेत्रैरश्रूण्यवर्तयन्
Seeing her then, all the women, their faces greatly pale, lamented in many ways, afflicted by grief and sorrow; crying 'Alas! Shame! Shame!' and wiping tears from their eyes.
जनस्याथ वजः श्रुत्वा स राजा भ्रातृभिः सह। उद्दिश्य वनावासाय प्रतस्थे कृतनिश्चयः
Then, hearing the people's cries, the king, together with his brothers, resolved to depart for the forest.
तस्मिन्सम्प्रस्थिते कृष्णा पृथां प्राप्य यशस्विनीम्। अपृच्छद्भृशदुःखार्ता याश्चान्यास्तत्र योषितः
As they set out, Krishna, greatly distressed, approached the renowned Pritha and questioned her, along with the other women there.