एवं कृतास्त्रः कौन्तेयो गान्धर्वं वेदमात्मवान्। सुखं वसति बीभत्सुरनुजस्यानुजस्तव
Thus, the son of Kunti, having mastered the weapons and the Gandharva Veda, dwells contentedly—Bibhatsu, your younger brother, with his own younger brother.
यदर्थं मां सुरश्रेष्ठ इदं वचनमब्रवीत्। तच्च ते कथयिष्यामि युधिष्ठिर निबोध मे
O Yudhishthira, listen to me: I will tell you the very message for which, O best of gods, you sent me.
भवान्मनुष्यलोकेऽपि गमिष्यति न संशयः। ब्रूयाद्युधिष्ठिरं तत्रवचनान्मे द्विजोत्तम
Without doubt, you yourself will go to the world of men; there, O best of Brahmins, convey my words to Yudhishthira.
आगमिष्यति ते भ्राता कृतास्त्रः क्षिप्रमर्जुनः। सुरकार्यं महत्कृत्वा यदशक्यं दिवौकसैः
Your brother Arjuna, having acquired the weapons, will soon return to you, after accomplishing a great task for the gods—one impossible even for the celestials.
तपसाऽपि त्वमात्मानं योजय भ्रातृभिः सह। तपसो हि परं नास्ति तपसा विन्दते महत्
You too, together with your brothers, should devote yourself to austerity; for there is nothing higher than austerity, and through austerity one attains greatness.
अहं च कर्णं जानामि यथावद्भरतर्षभ। सत्यसन्धं महोत्साहं महावीर्यं महाबलम्
O bull among the Bharatas, I know Karna well—steadfast in truth, of great energy, mighty valor, and immense strength.
महाहवेष्वप्रतिमं महायुद्धविशारदम्। महाधनुर्धरं वीरं महास्त्रं वरवर्णिनम्
Unmatched in great battles, skilled in mighty warfare, a heroic wielder of great bows, master of powerful weapons, and of excellent appearance.
महेश्वरसुतप्रख्यमादित्यतनयं प्रभुम्। तथाऽर्जुनमतिस्कन्धं सहजोल्वणपौरुणम्
Resembling the son of Maheshvara, lordly as the son of the Sun, so too is Arjuna—of surpassing prowess, with innate and fierce manliness.
न स पार्तस्य संग्रामे कलामर्हति षोडशीम्
In battle, he is not worthy even of a sixteenth part of Partha.
यच्चापि ते भयं कर्णान्मनसिस्थमरिंदम। तच्चाप्यपहरिष्यामि सव्यसाचिन्युपागते
And whatever fear you hold in your heart regarding Karna, O subduer of foes, I will dispel that too when Savyasacin returns.
यच्च ते मानसं वीर तीर्थयात्रामिमां प्रति। स महर्षिर्लोमशस्ते कथयिष्यत्यसंशयम्
And whatever doubts you have, O hero, regarding this pilgrimage, the great sage Lomasha will surely explain to you.
यच्च किंचित्तपोयुक्तं फलं तीर्थेषु भारत। ब्रह्मर्षिरेष ब्रूयात्ते न तच्छ्रद्धेयमन्यथा
And whatever fruits of austerity are to be gained at the holy places, O Bharata, this Brahmarshi will tell you; do not doubt his words in any way.
धनंजयेन चाप्युक्तं यत्तच्छृणु युधिष्ठिर। युधिष्ठिरं भ्रातरं मे योजयेर्धर्म्यया धिया
Now hear, Yudhishthira, what Dhananjaya also said: 'Let my brother Yudhishthira guide our brothers with righteous understanding.'
त्वं हि धर्मान्परान्वेत्थ तपांसि च तपोधन। श्रीमतां चापि जानासि धर्मं राज्ञां सनातनम्
For you know the highest dharmas and austerities, O possessor of ascetic wealth, and you understand the eternal law of kings, O illustrious one.
स भवान्परमं वेद रपावनं पुरुषं प्रति। तेन संयोजयेथास्त्वं तीर्थपुण्येन पाण्डवान्
Therefore, you know the supreme, purifying path for a person; by that, you should unite the Pandavas with the merit of holy pilgrimages.
यथा तीर्थानि गच्छेत गाश्च दद्यात्स पार्थिवः। तथा सर्वात्मना कार्यमिति मामर्जुनोऽब्रवीत्
As a king should visit the holy places and give cows, so too, with all your heart, this must be done—so Arjuna instructed me.
भवता चानुगुप्तोऽसौ चरेत्तीर्थानि सर्वशः। रक्षोभ्यो रक्षितव्यश्च दुर्गेषु विषमेषु च
And under your protection, he should visit all the holy places; he must be guarded from demons, in difficult and dangerous places.
दधीच इव देवेन्द्रं यथा चाप्यङ्गिरा रविम्। तथा रक्षस्व कौन्तेयान्राक्षसेभ्यो द्विजोत्तम
Just as Dadhichi protected Indra, and Angiras the Sun, so too, O best of Brahmins, protect the sons of Kunti from the Rakshasas.
यातुधाना हि बहवो राक्षसाः पर्वतोपमाः। त्वयाऽभिगुप्तान्कौन्तेयान्न विवर्तेयुरन्तिकम्
For many Yātudhānas and Rākṣasas, as formidable as mountains, will not approach the sons of Kunti while you protect them.
सोऽहमिन्द्रस्य वचनान्नियोगादर्जुनस्य च। रक्षमाणो भयेभ्यस्त्वां चरिष्यामि त्वा सह
Therefore, following the command of Indra and Arjuna, I will guard you from dangers and travel together with you.
द्विस्तीर्थानि मया पूर्वं दृष्टानि कुरुनन्दन। इदं तृतीयं द्रक्ष्यामि तान्येव भवता सह
O joy of the Kurus, I have already seen two sacred fords before; now I will see this third one together with you.
इयं राजर्षिभिर्याता पुण्यकृद्भिर्युधिष्ठिर। मन्वादिभिर्महाराज तीर्थयात्रा भयापहा
O Yudhishthira, this pilgrimage to the holy fords, which removes fear, was undertaken by royal sages, the righteous, and great kings beginning with Manu.
नानृजुर्नाकृतात्मा च नाविद्यो न च पापकृत्। स्नाति तीर्थेषु कौरव्य न च वक्रमतिर्नरः
O Kaurava, no one who is untruthful, undisciplined, ignorant, sinful, or crooked in mind bathes at the fords.
त्वं तु धर्ममतिर्नित्यं धर्मज्ञः सत्यसंगरः। विमुक्तः सर्वपापेभ्यो भूय एव भविष्यसि
But you, ever devoted to righteousness, knower of dharma, and steadfast in truth, will again become free from all sins.
यथा भगीरथो राजा राजानश्च गयादयः। यथा ययातिः कौन्तेय तथा त्वमपि पाण्डव
Just as King Bhagiratha, and kings like Gaya, and as Yayati, O son of Kunti, so too will you, O son of Pandu.
न हर्षात्संप्रपश्यामि वाक्यस्यास्योत्तरं क्वचित्। यन्मां स्मरति देवेशः किं नामाभ्यधिकं ततः
Nowhere do I see any reply to these words out of joy; what could be greater than that the Lord of the gods remembers me?
भवता संगमो यस् भ्राता चैव धनंजयः। वासवः स्मरते यस् को नामाभ्यधिकस्ततः
Who could be greater than one whom you befriend, whose brother is Dhananjaya, and whom Vasava remembers?
यच्च मां भगवानाह तीर्थानां गमनं प्रति। धौम्यस्य वचनादेषा बुद्धिः पूर्वं कृतैव मे
And what the Blessed Lord said to me about visiting the fords—this resolve was already made in me before, on Dhaumya’s advice.
तद्यदा मन्यसे ब्रह्मन्गमनं तीर्तदर्शने। तदैव गन्तास्मि तीर्तान्येष मे निश्चयः परः
Therefore, O Brahman, whenever you think it is time to go to see the fords, then I will go; this is my firm decision.
गमने कृतबुद्धिं तं पाण्डवं लोमशोऽब्रवीत्। लघुर्भव महाराज लघुः स्वैरं गमिष्यसि
To that son of Pandu, who had resolved to depart, Lomasha said: 'Be light, O great king; you will travel swiftly and freely.'