तत्रापि चाप्लुत्य महानुभाव संतर्पयामास पितृडन्सुरांश्च। द्विजातिमुख्येषु धनं विसृज्य गोदावरीं सागरगामगच्छत्
There too, after bathing, the great-souled one offered oblations to the ancestors and the gods; giving wealth to the foremost of the twice-born, he went to the Godavari, which flows to the ocean.
ततो विपाप्मा द्रविडेषु राज- न्समुद्रमासाद्य च लोकपुण्यम्। अगस्त्यतीर्थं च महापवित्रं- नारीतीर्थान्यथा वीरो ददर्श
Then, O king, free from sin, in the land of the Dravidas, reaching the ocean, and the holy place of Agastya, supremely pure, the hero beheld also the sacred fords for women.
तत्रार्जुनस्याग्र्यधनुर्धरस्य निशम्य तत्कर्म परैरशक्यम्। संपूज्यमानः परमर्षिसङ्घैः परां मुदं पाणअडुसुतः स लेभे
There, hearing of the deed of Arjuna, the foremost archer, which was impossible for others, and being honored by assemblies of great sages, the son of Pandu attained supreme joy.
स तेषु तीर्थेष्वभिषिक्तगात्रः कृष्णासहायः सहितोऽनुजैश्च। संपूजयन्विक्रममर्जुनस्य रमे महीपालपतिः पृथिव्याम्
There, his body anointed at those holy places, accompanied by Krishna and his brothers, the lord of kings delighted in honoring Arjuna’s valor upon the earth.
ततः सहस्राणि गवां प्रदाय तीर्थेषु तेष्वम्बुधरोत्तमस्य। हृष्टः सह भ्रातृभिरर्जुनस्य संकीर्तयामास गवां प्रदानम्
Then, after giving thousands of cows at those holy places of the best of mountains, rejoicing with his brothers, he began to recount the giving of cows by Arjuna.
स तानि तीर्थानि च सागरस्य पुण्यानि चान्यानि बहूनि राजन्। क्रमेण गच्छन्परिपूर्णकामः शूर्पारकं पुण्यतमं ददर्श
He, O king, proceeding in order, beheld those holy places of the sea and many other sacred sites, his desires fulfilled, and saw Shurparaka, the most sacred.
तत्रोदधेः कंचिदतीत्य देशं ख्यातं पृथिव्यां वनमाससाद। तप्तं सुरैरत्र तपः पुरस्ता- दिष्टुं कतथा पुण्यपरैर्नरेन्द्रैः
There, passing through a certain region by the sea, he reached a forest renowned on earth, where the gods had formerly performed austerities, and which was to be visited by kings devoted to virtue.
स तत्र तामग्र्यधनुर्धरस्य वेदीं ददर्शायतपीनबाहुः। ऋचीकपुत्रस्य तपस्विसङ्घैः समावृतां पुण्यकृदर्चनीयाम्
There he saw the altar of the foremost archer, broad and with mighty arms, belonging to the son of Richika, surrounded by assemblies of ascetics, worthy of worship by the virtuous.
ततो वसूनां वसुधाधिपः स मरुद्गणानां च तथाश्विनोश्च। वैवस्वतादित्यधनेश्वराणा- मिन्द्रस्य विष्णोः सवितुर्विभोश्च
Then the lord of the earth beheld the sacred abodes of the Vasus, the Maruts, the Ashvins, Vaivasvata, Aditya, the lords of wealth, Indra, Vishnu, Savitar, and the mighty one.
भगस्य चन्द्रस्य दिवाकरस्य पतेरपां साध्यगणस्य चैव। धातुः पितॄणां च तथा महात्मा रुद्रस्य राजन्सगणस्य चैव
He saw the holy abodes of Bhaga, Chandra, the sun, Varuna, the hosts of Sadhyas, Dhatu, the ancestors, and the great Rudra with his hosts.
सरस्वत्याः सिद्धगणस्य चैव पूष्णश्च ये चाप्यमरास्तथाऽन्ये। पुण्यानि चाप्यायतनानि तेषां ददर्श राजा सुमनोहराणि
He saw the sacred and most delightful abodes of Sarasvati, the Siddhas, Pushan, and also those of the other immortals.
तेषूपवासान्विबुधानुपोष्य दुत्त्वा च रत्नानि महान्ति राजा। तीर्थेषु सर्वेषु परिप्लुताङ्गः पुनः स शूर्पारकमाजगाम
Having fasted at those places and honored the gods, giving great jewels, the king, his body bathed at all the holy sites, returned again to Shurparaka.
स तेन तीरेण तु सागरस्य पुनः प्रयातः सह सोदरीयैः। द्विजैः पृथिव्यां प्रथितं महद्भि- स्तीर्थं प्रभासं समुपाजगाम
Then, traveling along the shore of the ocean together with his brothers and the twice-born sages, he reached the renowned and great holy place called Prabhasa on earth.
तत्राभिषिक्तः पृथुलोहिताक्षः सहानुजैर्देवगणान्पितॄंश्च। संतर्पयामास तथैव कृष्णा ते चापि विप्राः सह लोमशेन
There, Pṛthulohitākṣa, after performing ablutions with his younger brothers, offered oblations to the hosts of gods and ancestors; likewise, Kṛṣṇā and the Brahmins, together with Lomaśa, also made offerings.
कस द्वादशाहं जलवायुभक्षः कुर्वन्क्षपाहःसु तदाऽभिषेकम्। समन्ततोऽग्नीनुपदीपयित्वा तेपे तपो धर्मभृतांवरिष्ठः
For twelve days, subsisting on water and air, he performed the rite of ablution during both day and night; having kindled fires all around, the foremost upholder of righteousness practiced severe austerity.
तमुग्रमास्थाय तपश्चरन्तं शुश्राव रामश्च जनार्दनश्च। तौ सर्ववृष्णिप्रवरौ ससैन्यौ युधिष्ठिरं जग्मतुराजमीढम्
While he was engaged in that fierce austerity, both Rāma and Janārdana heard of it; those two foremost of the Vṛṣṇis, accompanied by their armies, went to the illustrious king Yudhiṣṭhira.
ते वृष्णयः पाण्डुसुतान्समीक्ष्य भूमौ शयानान्मलदिग्धगात्रान्। अनर्हतीं द्रौपदीं चापि दृष्ट्वा सुदुःखिताश्चुक्रुशुरार्तनादान्
Seeing the sons of Pāṇḍu lying on the ground, their bodies smeared with dirt, and Draupadī, unworthy of such suffering, the Vṛṣṇis were deeply distressed and cried out in anguish.
ततः स रामं च जनार्दनं च कार्ष्णि च साम्बं च शिनेश्च पौत्रम्। अन्यांश्च वृष्णीनुपगम्य पूजां चक्रे यथाधर्ममहीनसत्वः
Then, approaching Rāma, Janārdana, Kārṣṇi, Sāmba, the grandson of Śini, and the other Vṛṣṇis, he honored them with due reverence, as was proper for one devoted to righteousness and truth.
ते चापि सर्वान्प्रतिपूज्य पार्थां- स्तैः सत्कृताः पाण्डुसुतैस्तथैव। युधिष्ठिरं संपरिवार्य राज- न्नुपाविशन्देवगणा यथेन्द्रम्
And they, in turn, respectfully greeted all the Pārthas; thus honored by the sons of Pāṇḍu, they surrounded King Yudhiṣṭhira and sat down, like hosts of gods around Indra.
तेषां स सर्वं चरितं परेषां वने च वासं परमप्रतीतः। अस्त्रार्थमिन्द्रस्य गतं च पार्थं कृष्णे शशंसामरराजसूनुम्
To them, he faithfully recounted all that had happened to the others, their dwelling in the forest, and Arjuna's journey to Indra for weapons, telling all this to Kṛṣṇa, the son of the king of the gods.
श्रुत्वा तु ते तस्य वचः प्रतीता- स्तांश्चापि दृष्ट्वा सुकृशनतीव। नेत्रोद्भवं संमुमुचुर्महार्हा दुःखार्तिजं वारि महानुभावाः
Hearing his words and seeing them so emaciated, those great and noble ones, overwhelmed by sorrow, shed tears born of deep anguish.
प्रभासतीर्थमासाद्यपाण्डवा वृष्णयस्तथा। किमकुर्वन्कथाश्चैषां कास्तत्रासंस्तपोधन
Having reached the holy place of Prabhāsa, what did the Pāṇḍavas and the Vṛṣṇis do there? What stories and events took place among those ascetics?
ते हि सर्वे महात्मानः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदाः। वृष्णयः पाण्डवाश्चैव सुहृदश्चपरस्परम्
For all of them were great souls, thoroughly versed in every scripture—the Vṛṣṇis, the Pāṇḍavas, and their mutual friends.
प्रभासतीर्थं संप्राप्य पुण्यं तीर्थं महोदधेः। वृष्णयः पाण्डवान्वीराः परिवार्योपतस्थिरे
Arriving at the sacred Prabhāsa, the holy place by the great ocean, the heroic Vṛṣṇis surrounded and approached the Pāṇḍavas.
ततो गोक्षीरकुन्देन्दुमृणआलरजतप्रभः। वनमाली हली रामो बभाषे पुष्करेक्षणम्
Then Rāma, adorned with a garland of forest flowers, bearing the plough, radiant as milk, jasmine, the moon, pearls, and silver, spoke to lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa.
न कृष्ण धर्मश्चरितो भवाय जन्तोरधर्मश्च पराभवाय। युधिष्ठिरो यत्रजटी महात्मा वनाश्रयः क्लिश्यति चीरवासाः
O Kṛṣṇa, righteousness practiced leads to the welfare of beings, while unrighteousness leads to their downfall; yet Yudhiṣṭhira, the great-souled ascetic, dwells in the forest, suffering in bark garments.
दुर्योधनश्चापि महीं प्रशास्ति न चास्य भूमिर्विवरं ददाति। धर्मादधर्मश्चरितो वरीया- नितीव मन्येत नरोऽल्पबुद्धिः
And Duryodhana rules the earth, yet the land does not open up to swallow him; seeing unrighteousness prosper over righteousness, a man of little wisdom might think it superior.
शङ्का मिथः संजनिता नराणाम्
Thus, mutual doubt has arisen among men.
अयं स धर्मप्रभवो नरेन्द्रो धर्मे धृतः सत्यधृतिः प्रदाता। चलेद्धि राज्याच्च सुखाच्च पार्थो धर्मादपेतस्तु कथं विवर्धेत्
This king, the very source of righteousness, steadfast in truth and generosity, is established in dharma; if Pārtha is deprived of kingdom and happiness, how can unrighteousness ever flourish?
कथं नु भीष्मश्च कृपश्च विप्रो द्रोणश्च राजा च कुलस्य वृद्धः। प्रव्राज्य पार्थान्सुमाप्नुवन्ति धिक्पापबुद्धीन्भरतप्रधानान्
How is it that Bhīṣma, Kṛpa the Brahmin, Droṇa, and the aged king of the clan, having exiled the Pārthas, still prosper? Shame upon those leaders of the Bharatas whose minds are wicked.