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.
सत्रे समृद्धेऽतिरथस्य राज्ञो वेदीतलादुत्पतिता सुता या। सेयं वने वासमिमं सुदुःखं कथं सहत्यद्य सती सुखार्हा
She who was born from the sacrificial altar of the great king, the mighty chariot-warrior, at a prosperous sacrifice—how does this virtuous, pleasure-worthy lady endure such great suffering in the forest today?
त्रिवर्गमुख्यस् समीरणस्य देवेश्वरस्याप्यथवाऽश्विनोश्च। एषां सुराणां तनयाः कथंनु वने चरन्त्यस्तसुखाः सुखार्हाः
How do these daughters of the foremost gods—of Vayu, Indra, or the Ashvins—worthy of happiness, now wander in the forest, deprived of comfort?
जिते हि धर्मस्य सुते सभार्ये सभ्रातृके सानुचरे निरस्ते। दुर्योधने चापि विवर्धमाने कथं न सीदत्यवनिः सशैला
When the son of Dharma, with his wife, brothers, and followers, has been defeated and banished, and Duryodhana prospers, how does the earth, with her mountains, not sink down?
न राम कालः परिदेवनाय यदुत्तरं त्वत्र तदेव सर्वे। समाचरामो ह्यनतीतकालं युधिष्ठिरो यद्यपि नाह किंचित्
O Rama, this is not the time for lamentation; whatever is proper hereafter, let us all do. The time is not yet past, even if Yudhishthira says nothing.
ये नाथवन्तोऽद्य भवन्ति लोके ते नात्मना कर्म समारन्ते। तेषां तु कार्येषु भवन्ति नाथाः शैब्यादयो राम यथा ययातेः
Those who today have protectors in the world do not accomplish their tasks by themselves; in their affairs, protectors arise for them, like Shaibya and others for Yayati, O Rama.
येषां तथा राम समारभन्ते कार्याणि नाथाः स्वमतेन लोके। रते नाथवन्तः पुरुषप्रवीरा नानाथवत्कृच्छ्रमवाप्नुवन्ति
For those whose protectors undertake their tasks in the world according to their own will, O Rama, those men, though having protectors, still experience hardship as if they had none.
कस्मादिमौ रामजनार्दनौ च प्रद्युम्नसाम्बौ च मया समेतौ। वसन्त्यरण्ये सह सोदरीयै- स्त्रैलोक्यनाथानभिगम्य पार्थाः
Why do these two, Rama and Janardana, and Pradyumna and Samba, together with me, dwell in the forest with their kinsmen, while the sons of Pritha, deprived of the lordship of the three worlds, remain unapproached?
निर्यातु साध्यद्य दशार्हसेना प्रभूतनानायुधचित्रवर्मा। यमक्षयं गच्छतु धार्तराष्ट्रः सबान्धवो वृष्णिबलाभिभूतः
Let the army of the Dasharhas, adorned with many weapons and splendid armor, set out today; let the Dhartarashtras, with their kin, be destroyed, overcome by the strength of the Vrishnis.
त्वं ह्येव कोपात्पृथिवीमपीमां संवेष्टयेस्तिष्ठतु शार्ह्गधन्वा। स धार्तराष्ट्रं जहि सानुबन्धं वृत्रं यथा देवपतिर्महेन्द्रः
If you, in anger, would envelop this earth, let the wielder of the Sharnga bow stand firm; let him strike down Duryodhana and his allies, as Mahendra, lord of the gods, slew Vritra.
भ्राता च मे यः स सखा गुरुश्च जनार्दनस्यात्मसमश्च पार्थः। तदर्थमेको हि य उद्यमन्वै करोति कर्णोऽस्त्रमवारणीयम्
He who is my brother, friend, and teacher, who is as dear to Janardana as his own self, and for whose sake Karna alone undertakes the irresistible weapon—