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.'
भिक्षाभुजो निवर्तन्तां ब्राह्मणा यतयश्च ये
Let the Brahmanas who live by alms, and those ascetics who are with us, turn back.
क्षुत्तृडध्वश्रमायासशीतार्तिमसहिष्णवः। ते सर्वे विनिवर्तन्तां ये च मृष्टभुजो द्विजाः
Let all those who cannot endure hunger, thirst, fatigue, exhaustion, or cold, and those twice-born who eat refined food, turn back as well.
पक्वान्नलेह्यपानानां मांसानां च विकल्पकाः। तेऽपि सर्वे निवर्तन्तां ये च सूदानुयायिनः। मया यथोचिताऽऽजीव्यौः संविभक्ताश्च वृत्तिभिः
Let those who require cooked food, soft food, drinks, or meat, and those who follow the cooks, all turn back; I have supported them as appropriate and shared provisions with them.
ये चाप्यनुगताः पौरा राजभक्तिपुरःसराः। धृतराष्ट्रं महाराजमभिगच्छन्तु ते च वै। स दास्यति यथाकालमुचिता यस्य या भृतिः
And those citizens who have followed us out of loyalty to the king, let them go to King Dhritarashtra; he will grant each one their proper maintenance at the right time.
स चेद्यथोचितां वृत्तिं न दद्यान्मनुजेश्वरः। अस्मत्प्रियहितार्थायपाञ्चाल्यो वः प्रदास्यति
But if the lord of men does not give them proper support, then Draupadi, for our sake and your welfare, will provide for you.
ततो भूयिष्ठशः पौरा गुरौ भारे समाहिते। विप्राश्च यतयो मुख्या जग्मुर्नागपुरं प्रति
Then, most of the citizens, bearing their responsibilities with devotion to their master, and the foremost Brahmanas and ascetics, departed for Nagapura.
तान्सर्वान्धर्मराजस्य प्रेम्णा राजाऽम्बिकासुतः। प्रतिजग्राह विधिवद्धनैश्च समतर्पयत्
The son of Ambika, the king, received all of them with affection, according to proper custom, and satisfied them with gifts of wealth.
ततः कुन्तीसुतो राजा लघुभिर्ब्राह्मणैः सह। लोमशेन च सुप्रीतस्त्रिरात्रं काम्यकेऽवसत्
Then the son of Kunti, the king, well pleased, stayed for three nights at Kamyaka with a few Brahmanas and with Lomasha.
ततः प्रयान्तं कौन्तेयं ब्राह्मणा वनवासिनः। अभिगम्य तदा राजन्निदं वचनमब्रुवन्
Then, as the son of Kunti was about to depart, the forest-dwelling Brahmanas approached him, O king, and spoke these words.
राजंस्तीर्थानि गन्तासि पुण्यानि भ्रातृभिः सह। देवर्षिणा च सहितो लोमशेन महात्मना
O king, you are about to visit the sacred places together with your brothers and with the great-souled Lomasha, the divine sage.