विख्याप्य वीर्यं लोकेषु सर्वेषु वदतांवरः। सुकन्यया सहारण्ये विजहारानुकूलया
Renowned for his power in all worlds, the best among speakers, he enjoyed the forest with Sukanya, who was devoted to him.
तस्यैतद्द्विजसंघुष्टं सरो राजन्प्रकाशते। अत्रत्वं सह सोदर्यैः पितृडन्देवांश्च तर्पय
That lake, resounding with the voices of Brahmins, shines forth, O king; here you should offer libations to your ancestors and the gods with your kin.
एतद्दृष्ट्वा महीपाल सिकताक्षं च भारत। सैन्धवारण्यमासाद्य कुल्यानां कुरु दर्शनम्
O ruler of the earth, having seen this sandy region, O descendant of Bharata, and reaching the Sindhu forest, behold the watercourses, O Kuru.
पुष्करेषु महाराज सर्वेषु च जलं स्पृश। स्थाणोर्मन्त्राणि च जपन्सिद्धिं प्राप्स्यसि भारत
At all the sacred lakes, O great king, touch the water; reciting the mantras of Sthāṇu, you will attain success, O descendant of Bharata.
संधिर्द्वयोर्नरश्रेष्ठ त्रेताया द्वापरस्य च। अयं हि दृश्यते पार्थ सर्वपापप्रणाशनः। अत्रोपस्पृश चैव त्वं सर्वपापप्रणाशने
Here is the meeting place of the two ages, O best of men—of the Tretā and the Dvāpara; this is visible, O Pārtha, as the destroyer of all sins. Here, too, you should perform ablutions for the destruction of all sins.
आर्चीकपर्वतश्चैव निवासौ वै मनीषिणाम्। सदाफलः सदास्रोतो मरुतां स्तानमुत्तमम्
And here is Mount Ārcīka, the dwelling of the wise; ever fruitful, ever flowing, the supreme seat of the Maruts.
चैत्याश्चैते बहुविधास्त्रिदशानां युधिष्ठिर। एतच्चन्द्रमसस्तीर्थमृषयः पर्युपासते। वैखानसप्रभृतयो वालखिल्यास्तथैव च
Here are various shrines of the gods, O Yudhiṣṭhira; this is the sacred bathing place of the Moon, worshipped by sages—by the Vaikhānasas, the Vālakhilyas, and others.
शृङ्गाणि त्रीणि पुण्यानि त्रीणि प्रसर्वणानि च। सर्वाण्यनुपरिक्रम्य यथाकाममुपस्पृश
There are three sacred peaks and three holy springs; after visiting them all, bathe as you desire.
शान्तनुश्चात्र राजेन्द्र शुनकश्च नराधिपः। नरनारायणौ चोभौ तपस्तप्त्वा चिरं नृप। स्थानं सनातनं प्राप्तावीश्वरध्यानतत्परौ
Here, O king, Śāntanu and the ruler Śunaka, and both Nara and Nārāyaṇa, having performed severe austerities for a long time, attained the eternal state, absorbed in meditation on the Lord.
इह नित्याश्रया देवाः पितरश्च महर्षिभिः। आर्चीकपर्वते तेपुस्तान्यजस्व युधिष्ठिर
Here, the gods, ever-resident, and the ancestors with the great sages, performed austerities on Mount Ārcīka; offer sacrifices here, O Yudhiṣṭhira.
इह ते वै चरून्प्राश्नन्नृषयश्च विशांपते। यमुना चाक्षयस्रोताः कृष्णश्चेह तपोरतः
Here, O lord of men, the sages partook of offerings; the Yamunā, with inexhaustible flow, and Kṛṣṇa, devoted to austerity, are here.
यमौ च भीमसेनश्च कृष्णा चामित्रकर्शन। सर्वे चात्र गमिष्यामस्त्वयैव सह पाण्डव
Yama, Bhīmasena, and Kṛṣṇā, O subduer of foes, and all of us will go here together with you, O Pāṇḍava.
एतत्प्रस्रवणं पुण्यमिन्द्रस्य मनुजेश्वर। यत्रधाता विधाता च वपरुणश्चोर्ध्वमागताः
This is the sacred spring of Indra, O lord of men, where Dhātā, Vidhātā, and Vāruṇa ascended upwards.
इह तेऽप्यवसन्राजञ्शान्ताः परमधर्मिणः। मैत्राणामृजुबुद्धीनामयं गिरिवरः शुभः
Here, O king, dwelt those peaceful and supremely righteous ones; this beautiful mountain is for those friendly and straight-minded.
एषा सा यमुना राजन्महर्षिगणसेविता। नानायज्ञचिता राजन्पुण्या पापभयापहा
This is the Yamunā, O king, served by hosts of great sages, sanctified by various sacrifices, holy and remover of the fear of sin.
अत्रराजा महेष्वासो मांधाताऽयजत स्वयम्। साहदेविश्च कौन्तेय सोमको ददतांवरः
Here, the great archer king Māndhātṛ himself performed sacrifices; so too, O son of Kuntī, did Sahadeva and Somaka, the foremost of givers.
मान्धाता राजशार्दूलस्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः। कथं जातो महाब्रह्मन्यौवनाश्वो नृपोत्तमः
How was Māndhātṛ, the tiger among kings, renowned in the three worlds, born, O best of kings, and how did Yauvanāśva, devoted to the great Brahman, come to be?
कथं चैनां परां ख्यातिं प्राप्तवानमितद्युतिः। यस्य लोकास्त्रयो वश्या विष्णोरिव महात्मनः
And how did that radiant one attain such supreme fame, whose three worlds were under his control, like the great soul Viṣṇu?
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं चरितं तस्य धीमतः। `सत्यकीर्तेर्हि मान्धातुः कथ्यमानं त्वयाऽनघ
I wish to hear this story of that wise Māndhātṛ from you, O sinless one, for you are able to recount the deeds of Māndhātṛ, famed for truth.
यथा मान्धातृशब्दश्च तस्य शक्रसमद्युते। जन्म चाप्रतिवीर्यस् कुशलो ह्यसि भाषितुम्
How did the name Māndhātṛ come to him, who was equal in brilliance to Indra? And his birth, unrivalled in might—you are skilled to speak of it.
शृणुष्वावहितो राजन्राज्ञस्तस्य महात्मनः। यथा मान्धातृशब्दो वै लोकेषु परिगीयते
Listen attentively, O King, to how the name of Mandhata, that great soul, is celebrated among people.
इक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभवो युवनाश्वो महीपतिः। सोऽयजत्पृथिवीपालः क्रतुभिर्भूरिदक्षिणैः
Yuvanashva, the king descended from the Ikshvaku lineage, performed many sacrifices, O ruler of the earth, giving abundant gifts.
अश्वमेधसहस्रं च प्राप्य धर्मभृतांवरः। अन्यैश्च क्रतुभिर्मुख्यैरयजत्स्वाप्तदक्षिणैः
That foremost among the righteous performed a thousand horse sacrifices, and other principal rites, all with proper gifts.
अनपत्यस्तु राजर्षिः स महात्मा महाव्रतः। मन्त्रिष्वाधाय तद्राज्यं वनित्यो बभूव ह। शास्त्रदृष्टेन विधिना संयोज्यात्मानमात्मवान्
That great-souled royal sage, though childless and devoted to great vows, entrusted his kingdom to his ministers and lived in humility, joining his self to the self by the method prescribed in the scriptures.
स कदाचिन्नृपो राजन्नुपवासेन दुःखितः। पिपासाशुष्कहृदयः प्रविवेशाश्रमं भृगोः
Once, O King, that ruler, suffering from fasting, his heart parched with thirst, entered the hermitage of Bhrigu.
तामेव रात्रिं राजेन्द्र महात्मा भृगुनन्दनः। इष्टिं चकार सौद्युम्नेर्महर्षिः पुत्रकारणात्
That very night, O lord of kings, the great-souled descendant of Bhrigu, the sage, performed a sacrifice for the sake of obtaining a son.
संभृतो मन्त्रपूतेन वारिणा कलशो महान्। तत्रातिष्ठत राजेन्द्र पूर्वमेव समाहितः
A large vessel filled with water purified by mantras was prepared, and it was placed there beforehand, O King, with full concentration.
यत्प्राश्य प्रसवेत्तस्य पत्नी शक्रसमं सुतम्। `तद्वारि विहितं राजन्यस्मिन्नासीत्सुसंस्कृतम्'। तं न्यस्य वेद्यां कलशं सुषुपुस्ते महर्षयः
By drinking that water, his wife would bear a son equal to Indra; that water was specially prepared, O King, and placed on the altar, and the sages slept.
रात्रिजागरणाच्छ्रान्तान्सौद्युम्निः समतीत्य तान्। शुष्ककण्ठः पिपासार्तः पानीयार्थी भृशं नृपः। तं प्रविश्याश्रमं शान्तः पानीयं सोऽभ्ययाचत
Saudyumni, surpassing them as they lay exhausted from staying awake all night, his throat dry and tormented by thirst, entered the hermitage calmly and earnestly asked for water.
तस्य श्रान्तस्य शुष्केण कण्ठेन क्रोशतस्तदा। नाश्रौषीत्कश्चन तदा शकुनेरिव वाशतः
Though he cried out with a dry throat in his exhaustion, no one heard him then, just as the cry of a bird goes unnoticed.