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.
अस्मानपि महाराज नेतुमर्हसि पाण्डव। अस्माभिर्हि न शक्यानि त्वदृते तानि कौरव
O great king, you ought to take us as well, O Pandava; for without you, O Kaurava, we are not able to reach those places.
श्वापरदैरुपसृष्टानि दुर्गाणि विषमाणि च। अगम्यानि नरैरल्पैस्तीर्थानि मनुजेश्वर
O lord of men, the sacred fords are beset by wild beasts and dogs, and are difficult and dangerous; they cannot be reached by ordinary men.
भवतो भ्रातरः शूरा धनुर्धरवराः सदा। भवद्भिः पालिताः शूरैर्गच्छामो वयमप्युत
Your brothers are always valiant, foremost among archers; protected by you heroes, we too may go.
भवत्प्रसादाद्धि वयं प्राप्नुयामः सुखं फलम्। तीर्थानां पृथिवीपाल वनानां च विशांपते
By your favor, O protector of the earth, O lord of peoples, we may obtain the blessed fruits of the sacred fords and the forests.
तव वीर्यपरित्राताः शुद्धास्तीर्थपरिप्लताः। भवेम धूतपाप्मानस्तीर्थसंदर्शनान्नृप
O king, protected by your strength, purified by bathing at the sacred fords, we shall become cleansed of sin by seeing the holy places.
भवानपि नरेन्द्रस्य कार्तवीर्यस्य भारत। अष्टकस्य च राजर्षेर्लोमपादस् चैव ह
You too, O Bharata, will surely attain those difficult-to-reach worlds of Kartavirya, the royal sage Ashtaka, and Lomapada.
भरतस्य च वीरस्य सार्वभौमस्य पार्तिव। ध्रुवं प्राप्स्यति दुष्प्रापाँल्लोकांस्तीर्थपरिप्लुतः
And of the heroic Bharata, the universal emperor, you will certainly attain those worlds, immersed in the sacred fords.
प्रभासादीनि तीर्थानि महेन्द्रादींश्च पर्वतान्। गङ्गाद्याः सरितश्चैव प्लक्षादींश्च पर्वतान्
The sacred places such as Prabhasa, mountains such as Mahendra, rivers such as the Ganga, and mountains such as Plaksha—
त्वया सह महीपाल द्रष्टुमिच्छामहे वयम्। `भवद्भिः पालिताः शूरैस्तीर्थान्यायतनानि च
O protector of the earth, we wish to see them together with you, protected by you heroes, both the sacred fords and the shrines.
यदि ते ब्राह्मणेष्वस्ति काचित्प्रीतिर्जनाधिप। कुरुक्षिप्रं वचोऽस्माकं ततः श्रेयोऽभिपत्स्यसे
If you have any affection for Brahmanas, O king of men, then heed our words, O Kurukṣipra, and you will attain greater good.