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.
महानदी च तत्रैव तथा गयशिरो नृप। यत्रासौ कीर्त्यते विप्रैरक्षय्यकरणो वटः
There too is the great river and the head of Gaya, O king, where the imperishable banyan tree is praised by the Brahmanas.
यत्रदत्तं पितृभ्योऽन्नमक्षय्यं भवति प्रभो। सा च पुण्यजला तत्र फल्गुनामा महानदी
Whatever food is offered there to the ancestors becomes inexhaustible, O lord; and there flows the sacred river Phalguni, pure and holy.
बहुमूलफला चापि कौशिकी भरतर्षभ। विश्वामित्रोऽध्यगाद्यत्र ब्राह्मणत्वं तपोधनः
O best of the Bharatas, the Kauśikī river, rich in many roots and fruits, is where Viśvāmitra, the wealth of asceticism, attained Brāhmaṇahood.
गङ्गा यत्रनदी पुण्या यस्यास्तीरे भगीरथः। अयजत्तत्रबहुभिः क्रतुभिर्भूरिदक्षिणैः
On the sacred river Gaṅgā, on whose banks Bhagīratha performed many sacrifices with abundant gifts.
पाञ्चालेषु च कौरव्य कथयन्त्युत्पलावतम्। विश्वामित्रोऽयजद्यत्र शक्रेण सह कौशिकः
In the land of the Pāñcālas, O Kaurava, they speak of Utpalāvata, where Viśvāmitra of the Kauśika line performed a sacrifice together with Indra.
यत्रानुवंशं भगवाञ्जामदग्न्यस्तथा जगौ। विश्वामित्रस्य तां दृष्ट्वा चिभूतिमतिमानुषीम्
There, the venerable Jāmadagnya recited the genealogy, having witnessed the extraordinary, almost superhuman, prosperity of Viśvāmitra.
कान्यकुब्जेऽपिबत्सोममिन्द्रेण सह कौशिकः। ततः क्षत्रादपाक्रामद्ब्राह्मणोस्मीति चाब्रवीत्
At Kānyakubja, Kauśika drank soma together with Indra; then he renounced the kṣatriya order and declared, 'I am a Brāhmaṇa.'
पवित्रमृषिभिर्जुष्टं पुण्यं पावनमुत्तमम्। गङ्गायमुनयोर्वीर संगमं लोकविश्रुतम्
The confluence of the Gaṅgā and Yamunā, O hero, is renowned in the world as pure, blessed, and supremely sanctifying, cherished by sages.
यत्रायजत भूतात्मा पूर्वमेव पितामहः। प्रयागमिति विख्यातं तस्माद्भरतसत्तम
There, in ancient times, the self-born grandsire performed a sacrifice; therefore, O best of the Bharatas, it is famed as Prayāga.
अगस्त्यस्य तु राजेन्द्र तत्राश्रमवरो नृप। तत्तथा तापसारण्यं तापसैरुपशोभितम्
O king, there is the excellent hermitage of Agastya, adorned by ascetics, and thus that forest is known as the ascetics' woodland.