अग्निर्मित्रो योनिरापोऽथ देव्यो विष्णो रेतस्त्वममृतस्य नाभिः। एवं ब्रुवन्पाण्डव सत्यवाक्यं वेदीमिमां त्वं तरसाऽधिरोह
"Agni is the friend, the womb is water, the goddesses are present, O Viṣṇu, you are the seed, the navel of immortality. Thus speaking truthfully, O Pāṇḍava, ascend this altar with force."
अग्निश्च ते योनिरिडा च देहो रेतोधा विष्णोरमृतस्य नाभिः। एवं ब्रुवन्पाण्डव सत्यवाक्यं ततोऽवगाहेत पतिं नदीनाम्
"Agni is your womb, Iḍā is your body, Viṣṇu is the seed, the navel of immortality. Thus speaking truthfully, O Pāṇḍava, then enter the lord of rivers."
अन्यथा हि कुरुश्रेष्ठ देवयोनिरपांपतिः। कुशाग्रेणापि कौन्तेय न स्प्रष्टव्यो महोदधिः
Otherwise, O best of the Kurus, the ocean, lord of waters and of divine origin, should not be touched even with the tip of a blade of grass, O son of Kuntī.
ततः कृतस्वस्त्ययनो महात्मा युधिष्ठिरः सागरमभ्यगच्छत्। कृत्वा च तच्छासनमस्य सर्वं महेन्द्रमासाद्य निशामुवास
Then the great-souled Yudhiṣṭhira, having performed the rite of blessing and obeyed all his instructions, approached the ocean and, reaching Mahendra, spent the night there.
स तत्र तामुषित्वैकां रजनीं पृथिवीपतिः। तापसानां परं चक्रे सत्कारं भ्रातृभिः सह
There, the lord of the earth spent a single night, and together with his brothers, he rendered the ascetics the highest honor.
लोमशस्तस्य तान्सर्वानाचख्यौ तत्र तापसान्। भृगूनङ्गिरसश्चैव वसिष्ठानथ काश्यपान्
There, Lomaśa introduced all those ascetics to him: the Bhṛgus, the Aṅgirasas, the Vasiṣṭhas, and the Kāśyapas.
तान्समेत्य सा राजर्षिरभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः। रामस्यानुचरं वीरमपृच्छदकृतव्रणम्
Approaching them, that royal sage greeted them with joined palms, and asked the heroic follower of Rāma, Akṛtavraṇa.
कदा नु रामो भगवांस्तापसो दर्शयिष्यति। तमहं तपसा युक्तं द्रष्टुमिच्छामि भार्गवम्
"When will the venerable ascetic Rāma show himself? I wish to see Bhārgava Rāma, devoted to austerity."
आयानेवासि विदितो रामस्य विदितात्मनः। प्रीतिस्त्वयि च रामस्य क्षिप्रं त्वां दर्शयिष्यति
"Your arrival is already known to Rāma, who knows himself. Rāma is pleased with you, and will soon grant you an audience."
चतुर्दशीमष्टमीं च रामं पश्यन्ति तापसाः। अस्यां रात्र्यां व्यतीतायां भवित्री श्वश्चतुर्दशी
"On the fourteenth and the eighth days, the ascetics see Rāma. When this night has passed, tomorrow will be the fourteenth."
भवाननुगतो रामं जामदग्न्यं महाबलम्। प्रत्यक्षदर्शी सर्वस्य पूर्ववृत्तस्य कर्मणः
"You will follow Rāma, the mighty son of Jamadagni, who perceives directly all past deeds of everyone."
स भवान्कथयत्वद्य यथा रामेण निर्जिताः। आहवे क्षत्रियाः सर्वे कथं केन च हेतुना
"So now, tell us how all the kṣatriyas were defeated by Rāma in battle, and for what reason and by what means."
[हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि महदाख्यानमुत्तमम्। भृगूणां राजशार्दूल वंशे जातस्य भारत
"Well then, I shall tell you a great and excellent tale, O tiger among kings, about one born in the line of the Bhṛgus, O Bhārata."
रामस्य जामदग्न्यस्य चरितं देवसंमितम्। हैहयाधिपतेश्चैव कार्तवीर्यस् भारत
"The divine story of Rāma, son of Jamadagni, and also of Kārtavīrya, lord of the Haihayas, O Bhārata."
रामेण चार्जुनो नाम हैहयाधिपतिर्हतिः। तस्य बाहुशतान्यासंस्त्रीणि सप्त च पाण्डव
"By Rāma, the king of the Haihayas named Arjuna was slain; he had a thousand arms, three times seven, O Pāṇḍava."
दत्तात्रेयप्रसादेन विमानं काञ्चनं तथा। ऐश्वर्यं सर्वभूतेषु पृथिव्यां पृथिवीपते
"By the grace of Dattātreya, he obtained a golden chariot and lordship over all beings on earth, O lord of the earth."
अव्घाहतगतिश्चैव रथस्तस्य महात्मनः। रथेन तेन तु सदावरदानेन वीर्यवान्
"His chariot could move at will, and by the boon he was always powerful; with that chariot, the great-souled one was mighty."
ममर्द देवान्यक्षांश्च ऋषींश्चैव समन्ततः। भूतांश्चैव स सर्वांस्तु पीडयामास सर्वतः
"He crushed the gods, the yakṣas, and the seers on all sides, and oppressed all beings everywhere."
ततो देवाः समेत्याहुर्ऋषयश्च महाव्रताः। देवदेवं सुरारिघ्नं विष्णुं सत्यपराक्रमम्। भगवन्भूतरार्थमर्जुनं जहि वै प्रभो
Then the gods and the great-vowed seers assembled and said to Viṣṇu, destroyer of the enemies of the gods, whose valor is true: "O Lord, for the sake of beings, slay Arjuna."
विमानेन च दिव्येन हैहयाधिपतिः प्रभुः। शचीसहायं क्रीडन्तं धर्षयामास वासवम्
"With his celestial chariot, the lord of the Haihayas assaulted Indra, who was sporting with Śacī."
ततस्तु भगवान्देवः शक्रेण सहितस्तदा। कार्तवीर्यविनाशार्थं मन्त्रयामास भारत
Then the divine Lord, together with Śakra, conferred for the destruction of Kārtavīrya, O Bhārata.
यत्तद्भूतहितं कार्यं सुरेन्द्रेण निवेदितम्। संप्रतिश्रुत्य तत्सर्वं भगवाँल्लोकपूजितः। जगाम बदरीं रम्यां स्वमेवाश्रममण्डलम्
Having promised to accomplish all that was reported by the lord of the gods for the welfare of beings, the revered Lord, worshipped by the worlds, went to the delightful Badarī, his own hermitage.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु पृथिव्यां पृथिवीपतिः।] कान्यकुब्जे महानासीत्पार्थिवः सुमहाबलः। गाधीति विश्रुतो लोके वनवासं जगाम ह
At that very time, upon the earth, there was a mighty king in Kanyakubja, renowned in the world as Gadhi, who went to dwell in the forest.
वने तु तस्य वसतः कन्या जज्ञेऽप्सरःसमा। ऋचीको भार्गवस्तां च वरयामास भारत
While he was living in the forest, a daughter was born to him, equal to an apsara; the Bhargava sage Rcika sought her hand, O Bharata.
तमुवाच ततो गाधिर्ब्राह्मणं संशितव्रतम्। उचितं नः कुले किंचित्पूर्वैर्यत्संप्रवर्तितम्
Then Gadhi spoke to that brahmin of firm vows: 'It is customary in our family, as established by our ancestors, to require something appropriate.'
एकतः श्यामकर्णानां पाण्डुराणां तरस्विनाम्। सहस्रं वाजिनां शुक्लमिति विद्धि द्विजोत्तम
'Know this, best of twice-born: either a thousand swift horses, white but with black ears, or something equivalent, is to be given.'
न चापि भगवान्वाच्योदीयतामिति भार्गव। देया मे दुहिता चैव त्वद्विधाय महात्मने
'And, O Bhargava, let not the revered one be told that this is a price; my daughter shall be given to you, a great soul such as yourself.'
एकतः श्यामकर्णानां पाण्डुराणां तरस्विनाम्। दास्याम्यश्वसहस्रं ते मम भार्या सुताऽस्तु ते
'I shall give you a thousand swift horses, white with black ears, and my daughter shall become your wife.'
ददास्यश्वसहस्रं मे तव भार्या सुताऽस्तु मे
'Give me a thousand horses, and my daughter shall become your wife.'
स तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय राजन्वरुणमब्रवीत्। एकतः श्यामकर्णानां पाण्डुराणां तरस्विनाम्। सहस्रं वाजिनामेकं शुल्कार्थं प्रतिदीयताम्
Having agreed, saying 'So be it,' the sage spoke to Varuna: 'Let a thousand swift horses, white with black ears, be given to me as the bride-price.'