मया स पुरुषव्याघ्रो जिष्णुः सत्यपराक्रमः। अस्त्रहेतोर्महाबाहुरमितात्मा विवासितः
It was by me that the tiger among men, Jishnu, whose valor is true, whose arms are mighty, and whose spirit is boundless, was sent away for the sake of weapons.
स हि वीरोऽनुरक्तश् समर्थश्च तपोधनः। कृती च भृशमप्यस्त्रे वासुदेव इव प्रभुः
That hero is devoted, capable, and rich in ascetic merit; he is accomplished and, in the use of weapons, is as powerful as Vasudeva himself.
अहं ह्येतावुभौ ब्रह्मन्कृष्णावरिविघातिनौ। अभिजानामि विक्रान्तौ तथा व्यासः परन्तपौ
Indeed, O Brahman, I recognize both these mighty ones—those who thwarted the humiliation of Draupadi—as valiant, just as Vyasa does, scorcher of foes.
त्रियुगौ पुण्डरीकाक्षौ वासुदेवधनंजयौ। नारदोऽपितथा वेद योष्यशंसत्सदा मम
Both Vasudeva and Dhananjaya, lotus-eyed and famed in three ages, are known as such; Narada too always told me so.
तथाऽहमपि जानामि नरनारायणावृषी। शक्तोऽयमित्यतो मत्वा मया स प्रेषितोऽर्जुनः
Thus, I also know them to be the sages Nara and Narayana; thinking thus, I sent Arjuna away, knowing he is capable.
इन्द्रादनवरः शक्रं सुरसूनुः सुराधिपम्। द्रष्टुमस्त्राणि चादातुमिन्द्रादिति विवासितः
He, not inferior to Indra, was sent into exile to see Shakra, the lord of the gods, and to obtain weapons from him.
भीष्मद्रोणावतिरथौ कृपो द्रौणिश्च दुर्जयः। धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रेण सुधृताः सुमहाबलाः
Bhishma and Drona are great chariot-warriors, as are Kripa and Drona's son, who are invincible, all steadfast and of immense strength, aligned with Dhritarashtra's son.
सर्वे वेदविदः शूराः सर्वेऽस्त्रकुशलास्तथा। `सर्वे महारथा मुख्याः सर्वे जितपरिश्रमाः'। योद्धुकामाश्च पार्थेन सततं ये महाबलाः
All are learned in the Vedas, all are heroes, all are skilled in weapons; all are foremost among great chariot-warriors, all have conquered fatigue, and all those of great strength are ever eager to fight with Partha.
स च दिव्यास्त्रवित्कर्णः सूतपुत्रो महारथः। योऽस्त्रवेगानिलबलः शरार्चिस्तलनिःस्वनः। रजोधूमोऽस्त्रसंपातो धार्तराष्ट्रानिलोद्धतः
And Karna, the son of the charioteer, is a great chariot-warrior skilled in divine weapons, whose force is like the wind of weapons, whose arrows blaze and thunder, whose dust and showers of missiles are stirred by the wind of the Dhartarashtras.
निसृष्ट इव कालेन युगान्तज्वलनो यथा। मम सैन्यमयं कक्षं प्रधक्ष्यति न संशयः
Like a fire at the end of an age released by Time, he will surely consume my army, which is like a thicket—there is no doubt.
तं स कुष्णानिलोद्धूतो दिव्यास्त्रज्वलनो महान्। श्वेतवाजिबलाकाभृद्गण्डीवेन्द्रायुधोल्बणः
But he, driven by Krishna's wind, blazing with divine weapons, mighty as a cloud of white steeds, with Gandiva and Indra's thunderbolt, fierce in battle—
संरब्धः शरधाराभिः सुधीप्तं कर्णपावकम्। उदीर्णोऽर्जुनमेघोऽयं शमयिष्यति संयुगे
Arjuna, surging like a storm cloud, will, with torrents of arrows, quell Karna's blazing fire in battle.
स साक्षादेव सर्वाणि शक्रात्परपुरंजयः। दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि वीभत्सुर्यथावत्प्रतिपत्स्यते
That conqueror of enemy cities, Vibhatsu, will himself receive all the divine weapons from Shakra, just as they should be.
अलं स तेषां सर्वेषामिति मे धीयते मतिः। नास्ति त्वतिक्रिया तस् रणेऽरीणां प्रतिक्रिया
He alone is enough for all of them—such is my conviction; for in battle, there is no counteraction among the enemies that can match his deeds.
ते वयं पाण्डवं सर्वे गृहीतास्त्रमरिंदमम्। द्रष्टारो न हि बीभत्सुर्भारमुद्यम्य सीदति
We shall all see the mighty Pandava, armed and unconquerable in battle; for Vibhatsu does not falter under the weight of his duty.
वयं तु तमृते वीरं वनेऽस्मिन्द्विपदांवर। अवधानं न गच्छामः काम्यके सह कृष्णया
But without that heroic man, the best among men, we cannot find peace in this Kāmyaka forest, even with Krishna by our side.
भवानन्यद्वनं साधु बह्वन्नं फलवच्छुचि। आख्यातु रमणीयं च सेवितं पुण्यक्रमभिः
You, noble one, tell us of another forest—abundant in food, rich in fruits, pure, delightful, and frequented by the righteous.
यत्रकंचिद्वयं कालं वसन्तः सत्यविक्रमम्। प्रतीक्षामोऽर्जुनं वरं वृष्टिकामा इवाम्बुदम्
Let us dwell there for some time, upholding truth and valor, awaiting Arjuna as those longing for rain await the clouds.
विविधानाश्रमान्कांश्चिद्द्विजातिभ्यः प्रतिश्रुतान्। सरांसि सरितश्चैव रमणीयांश्च पर्वतान्
Describe to us the various hermitages promised to the twice-born, the lakes, the rivers, and the beautiful mountains.
आचक्ष्व न हि मे ब्रह्मन्रोचते तमृतेऽर्जुनम्। वनेऽस्मिन्काम्यके वासो गच्छामोऽन्यां दिशंप्रति
Tell us, O Brahman, for without Arjuna, I do not find joy in this Kāmyaka forest; let us go in another direction.
तान्सर्वानुत्सुकान्दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवान्दीनचेतसः। अश्वासयंस्तथा धौम्यो बृहस्पतिसमोऽब्रवीत्
Seeing all the Pandavas anxious and dispirited, Dhaumya, wise as Brihaspati, comforted them and spoke thus.
ब्राह्मणानुमतान्पुण्यानाश्रमान्भरतर्षभ। दिशस्तीर्थानि शैलांश्च शृणु मे वदतोऽनघ
Hear from me, O best of Bharatas, about the blessed hermitages approved by Brahmanas, the directions, holy places, and mountains.
याञ्श्रुत्वा गदतो राजन्विशोको भवितासि ह। द्रौपद्या चानया सार्धं भ्रातृभिश्च नरेश्वर
Hearing of these as I recount them, O king, you will become free from sorrow, together with Draupadi and your brothers.
श्रवणाच्चैव तेषां त्वं पुण्यमाप्स्यसि पाण्डव। गत्वा शतगुणं चैव तेभ्य एव नरोत्तम
By merely hearing of them, O Pandava, you will gain merit; and by visiting them, O best of men, you will gain a hundredfold more.
शृणु पूर्वां दिशं राजन्देवर्षिगणसेविताम्। रम्यां ते कथयिष्यामि युधिष्ठिर यथास्मृति
Hear now, O king, of the eastern direction, served by hosts of divine sages; I shall tell you of its beauty as I remember, Yudhishthira.
तस्यां रदेवर्षिजुष्टायां नैमिषं नाम भारत। यत्रतीर्थानि देवानां पुण्यानि च पृथक् पृथक्
In that region, frequented by divine sages, is the holy place called Naimisha, where the sacred fords of the gods are found, each with its own merit.
यत्र सा गोमती पुण्या रम्या देवर्षिसेविता। यज्ञभूमिश्च देवानां शामित्रं च विवस्वतः
There flows the sacred and beautiful Gomati, frequented by divine sages; there is the sacrificial ground of the gods and the Shamitri of Vivasvat.
तस्यां गिरिवरः पुण्यो गयो राजर्षिसत्कृतः। शिवं ब्रह्मसरो यत्रसेवितं त्रिदशर्षिभिः
There is the holy mountain Gaya, honored by royal sages, and the auspicious lake of Brahma, frequented by the sages of the gods.
यदर्थे पुरुषव्याघ्र कीर्तयन्ति पुरातनाः। एष्टव्या बहवः पुत्रा यद्येकोपि गयां व्रजेत्
For this reason, O tiger among men, the ancients declare: 'Let many sons be begotten, for even if only one goes to Gaya, it is enough.'
गौरीं वा वरयेत्कन्यां नीलं वा वृषमुत्सृजेत्। उत्तारयति संतत्या दश पूर्वान्दशावरान्
Whether one gives a maiden in marriage or releases a blue bull, he uplifts ten ancestors before and ten after in his lineage.