बहुपुष्पफलं रम्यं शिवं पुण्यजनोचितम्। यत्रेमा द्वादश समाः सुखं प्रतिवसेमहि
A place abundant with flowers and fruits, delightful, auspicious, and fit for the virtuous—where we may happily reside for these twelve years.
एवमुक्ते प्रत्युवाच धर्मराजं धनंजयः। गुरुवन्मानववरं मानयित्वा मनस्विनम्
When he had spoken thus, Dhananjaya replied to the king of righteousness, honoring him as a disciple honors a wise and noble teacher.
भवानेव महर्षीणां वृद्धानां पर्युपासिता। अज्ञातं मानुषे लोके भवतो नास्ति किंचन
You alone, among the elders and sages, are attended by all; nothing in the world of men is unknown to you.
त्वया ह्युपासिता नित्यं ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः। द्वैपायनप्रभृतयो नारदश्च महातपाः
For you have always served Brahmanas accomplished in the Vedas—like Vyasa and the great ascetic Narada.
यः सर्वलोकद्वाराणि नित्यं संचरते वशी। देवलोकाद्ब्रह्मलोकं गन्धर्वाप्सरसामपि
He, self-controlled, moves constantly through all the worlds' gates—from the world of the gods up to the world of Brahma, and even among the Gandharvas and Apsaras.
अनुभावांश्च जानासि ब्राह्मणानां न संशयः। प्रभावांश्चैव वेत्थ त्वं सर्वेषामेव पार्थिव
You know the powers of the Brahmanas, without doubt; and you also understand the might of all, O king.
त्वमेव राजञ्जानासि श्रेयःकारणमेव च। यत्रेच्छसि महाराज निवासं तत्र कुंर्महे
You alone, O king, know what is truly beneficial and the reasons for it; wherever you wish to dwell, O great king, there we shall reside.
इदं द्वैतवनं नाम सरः पुण्यजनोषितम्। बहुपुष्पफलं रम्यं नानाद्विजनिषेवितम्
This is the lake called Dvaitavana, inhabited by virtuous people, delightful with many flowers and fruits, and frequented by various twice-born sages.
अत्रेमा द्वादश समा विहरेमेति रोचये। यदि तेऽनुमतं राजन्किमन्यन्मन्यते भवान्
Here I wish to spend twelve years; if this pleases you, O king, what else do you think?
ममाप्येतन्मतं पार्थ त्वया यत्समुदाहृतम्। गच्छामः पुण्यविख्यातं महद्द्वैतवनं सरः
This is also my opinion, O Partha, what you have proposed; let us go to the great and renowned holy lake Dvaitavana.
ततस्ते प्रययुः सर्वे पाण्डवा धर्मचारिणः। ब्राह्मणैर्बहुभिः सार्धं पुण्यं द्वैतवनं सरः
Then all the Pandavas, followers of righteousness, together with many Brahmanas, went to the sacred lake Dvaitavana.
ब्राह्मणाः साग्निहोत्राश्च तथैव च निरग्नयः। स्वाध्यायिनो भिक्षवश्च तथैव वनवासिनः
There were Brahmanas with sacred fires, as well as those without fires, students of the Vedas, mendicants, and forest-dwellers.
बहवो ब्राह्मणास्तत्र परिवव्रुर्युधिष्ठिरम्। तपस्विनः सत्यशीलाः शतशः संशितव्रताः
Many Brahmanas surrounded Yudhishthira there—ascetics of truthful conduct, hundreds devoted to strict vows.
ते यात्वा पाण्डवास्तत्रब्राह्मणैर्बहुभिः सह। पुण्यं द्वैतवनं रम्यं विविशुर्बरतर्षभाः
Having arrived there, the Pandavas, together with many Brahmanas, entered the delightful and sacred Dvaitavana, O bull of the Bharatas.
तत्सालतालाम्रमधूकनीप- कदम्बसर्जार्जुनकर्णिकारैः। तपात्यये पुष्पधरैरुपेतं महावनं राष्ट्रपतिर्ददर्श
That great forest, adorned with sala, palmyra, madhuka, kadamba, sarja, arjuna, and karnikara trees, was covered with flowers at the end of the hot season—the ruler of the land beheld it.
महाद्रुमाणां शिखरेषु तस्थु- र्मनोरमां वाचमुदीरयन्तः। मयूरदात्यूहचकोरसङ्घा- स्तस्मिन्वने बर्हिणकोकिलाश्च
On the tops of the great trees stood flocks of peacocks, herons, chakoras, and groups of bar-headed geese and cuckoos, uttering pleasant sounds in that forest.
करेणुयूथैः सह यूथपानां मदोत्कटानामचलप्रभाणाम्। महान्ति यूथानि महाद्विपानां तस्मिन्वने राष्ट्रपतिर्ददर्श
The ruler of the land saw in that forest great herds of mighty elephants, led by chiefs, accompanied by their females, intoxicated and shining like mountains.
मनोरमां भोगवतीमुपेत्य पूतात्मनां चीरजटाधराणाम्। तस्मिन्वने धर्मभृतां निवासे ददर्श सिद्धर्षिगणाननेकान्
Coming to the delightful Bhogavati, the dwelling of the pure-hearted, clad in bark and matted hair, he saw in that forest many groups of perfected rishis, abodes of righteousness.
ततः स यानादवरुह्य राजा सभ्रातृकः सजनः काननं तत्। विवेश धर्मात्मवतां बरिष्ठ- स्त्रिविष्टपं शक्र इवामितौजाः
Then the king, together with his brothers and followers, descended from his vehicle and entered that forest, foremost among the righteous, possessing great energy like Indra entering heaven.
तं सत्यसन्धं सहिताऽभिपेतु- र्दिदृक्षवश्चारणसिद्धसङ्घाः। वनौकसश्चापि नेरन्द्रसिंहं मनस्विनं तं परिवार्य तस्थुः
Then, desiring to see that truthful king, groups of Charanas and Siddhas approached together; and the forest-dwellers, too, surrounded that lion among kings, that wise one, and stood there.
स तत्रवृद्धानभिवाद्य सर्वान् प्रत्यर्चितो राजवद्देववच्च। विवेश सर्वैः सहितो द्विजाग्र्यैः कृताञ्जलिर्धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठः
There, having greeted all the elders, he was honored like a king and like a god; together with all the foremost twice-born, the best among the righteous entered, with joined palms.
स पुण्यशीलः पितृवन्महात्मा तपस्विभिर्मपरैरुपेत्य। प्रत्यर्चितः पुष्पधरस्य मूले महाद्रुमस्योपविवेश राजा
That virtuous-souled, great king, like a father, approached by other ascetics, was honored at the foot of a flowering great tree and sat down there.
भीमश्च कृष्णा च धनंजयश्च यमौ च ते चानुचरा नरेन्द्रम्। विमुच्यवाहानवशाश्च सर्वे तत्रोपतस्थुर्भरतप्रबर्हाः
Bhima, Krishna, Dhananjaya, the twins, and their attendants, O king, having unyoked their horses and set aside their vehicles, all gathered there, foremost among the Bharatas.
लतावतानावनतः स पाण्डवै- र्महाद्रुमः पञ्चभिरेव धन्विभिः। बभौ निवासोपगतैर्महात्मभि- र्महागिरिर्वारणयूथपैरिव
That great tree, bowed down by creepers and branches, shone with the five bowmen Pandavas dwelling beneath it, like a mighty mountain with herds of elephants gathered around.
तत्काननं प्राप्य नरेन्द्रपुत्राः सुखोचिता वासमुपेत्य कृच्छ्रम्। विजह्रुरिनद्रप्रतिमाः शिवेषु सरस्वतीसालवनेषु तेषु
Having reached that forest, the royal sons, accustomed to comfort, took up their difficult dwelling, and, resembling roaring lions, they sported in those auspicious groves of Sala trees along the Sarasvati.
यतींश्च राजा स मुनींश्च सर्वां स्तस्मिन्वने मूलफलैरुदग्रैः। द्विजातिमुख्यानृषभः कुरूणां संतर्पयामास महानुभावः
There, in that forest, the king, the mighty-souled bull among the Kurus, satisfied all the ascetics and sages, as well as the foremost twice-born, with abundant roots and fruits.
इष्टीश्च पित्र्याणि तथा क्रियाश्च महावने वसतां पाण्डवानाम्। पुरोहितस्तत्र समृद्धतेजा- श्चकार धौम्यः पितृवन्नृपाणाम्
While the Pandavas dwelt in the great forest, their priest Dhaumya, of great brilliance, performed the ancestral rites and ceremonies for the kings, as a father would.
अपेत्य राष्ट्राद्वसतां तु तेषा- मृषिः पुराणोऽतिथिराजगाम। तमाश्रमं तीव्रसमृद्धतेजा मार्कण्डेयः श्रीमतां पाण्डवानाम्
As they lived away from their kingdom, a venerable sage, the ancient Markandeya, possessing intense and abundant energy, came as a guest to the illustrious Pandavas’ hermitage.
तमागतं ज्वलितहुताशनप्रभं महामनाः कुरुवृषभो युधिष्ठिरः। अपूजयत्सुरऋषिमानवार्चितं महामुनिं ह्यनुपमसत्ववीर्यवान्
Yudhishthira, the great-souled bull of the Kurus, honored that arriving sage—brilliant as blazing fire, revered by gods, seers, and men, a great ascetic of incomparable strength and energy.
स सर्वविद्द्रौपदीं वीक्ष्य दीनां युधिष्टिरं भीमसेनार्जुनौ च। संस्मृत्यरामं मनसा महात्मा तपस्विमध्येऽस्मयतामितौजाः
That great sage, all-knowing, seeing Draupadi distressed, and Yudhishthira, Bhimasena, and Arjuna, remembered Rama in his mind and, amidst the ascetics, smiled with radiant energy.