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.
किंनाम वक्ष्यत्यवनिप्रधानः पितृडन्समागम्य परत्र पापः। पुत्रेषु सम्यक्वरितं मयेति पुत्रानपापान्व्यपरोप्य राज्यात्
What indeed will the chief of the earth say, having met his ancestors, sinful in the next world, having unjustly deprived his blameless sons of the kingdom, claiming, 'I acted rightly toward my sons'?
नासौ धिया संप्रति पश्यति स्म किंनाम कृत्वाऽहमचक्षुरेवम्। जातः पृथिव्यामिति पार्थिवेषु प्रव्राज्यकौन्तेयमिति स्म राज्यात्
He does not now reflect with his mind, 'What have I done, that I am thus spoken of? Born on this earth among kings, I have exiled the son of Kunti from the kingdom.'
नूनं समृद्धान्पितृलोकभूमौ चामीकराभान्क्षितिजान्प्रफुल्लान्। विचित्रवीर्यस्य सुतः सपुत्रः कृत्वा नृशंसं वत पश्यति स्म
Surely, in the world of the ancestors, the son of Vicitravīrya, with his sons, beholds the prosperous, golden-hued, flourishing kings of the earth, having acted cruelly.
व्यूढोत्तरांसान्पृथुलोहिताक्षा- निमाम्स्म पृच्छन्स शृणोति नूनम्। प्रास्थापयद्यत्स वनं सशङ्को युधिष्ठिरं सानुजमात्तशस्त्रम्
He surely hears, as he asks about those broad-shouldered, large-eyed ones, that he, fearing, sent Yudhishthira with his brothers, armed, to the forest.
योऽयं परषां पृतनां समृद्धां निरायुधो दीर्घभुजो निहन्यात्। श्रुत्वैव शब्दं हि वृकोदरस्य मुञ्चन्ति सैन्यानि शकृत्समूत्रम्
This one, who could slay the mighty army of enemies unarmed, with long arms—just by hearing the roar of Vrikodara, the soldiers flee, losing control of their bowels and bladders.
स क्षुत्पिपासाध्वकृशस्तरस्वी समेत्य नानायुधबाणपाणिः। वने स्मरन्वासमिमं सुघोरं शेषं न कुर्यादिति निश्चितं मे
He, lean from hunger, thirst, and travel, yet swift, meeting with many weapons and arrows in hand, remembering this terrible forest-dwelling, would surely not leave any remnant—this is my conviction.
न ह्यस् वीर्येण बलेन कश्चि- त्समः पृथिव्यामपि विद्यतेऽन्यः। स शीतवातातपकर्शिताङ्गो न शेषमाजावसुहृत्सु कुर्यात्
Indeed, there is no one on earth equal to him in strength or might; yet, worn by cold, wind, and sun, he does not leave any remnant among his well-wishers.
प्राच्यां नृपानेकरथेन जित्वा वृकोदरः सानुचरान्रणेषु। स्वस्त्यागमद्योऽतिरथस्तरस्वी सोयं वने क्लिश्यति चीरवासाः
Vrikodara, who conquered eastern kings with a single chariot in battle, that mighty chariot-warrior, has now returned safely, yet here he suffers in the forest, clad in bark garments.
यः सिन्धुकूले व्यजयन्नृदेवा- न्समागतान्दाक्षिणात्यान्महीपान्। तं पश्यतेमं सहदेवमद्य तरस्विनं तापसवेषरूपम्
He who defeated the assembled southern kings on the banks of the Sindhu, see today that swift Sahadeva, in the guise of an ascetic, suffering in the forest.
यः पार्थिवानेकरथेन वीरो दिशं प्रतीचीं प्रत्नियुद्धशौण्डः। जिग्ये रणे तं नकुलं वनेऽस्मि- न्संपश्यतैनं मलदिग्धगात्रम्
That hero who, with a single chariot, conquered the western kings, skilled in repeated battles—see Nakula here in the forest, his body smeared with dirt.