इत्युक्त्वा ब्राह्मणान्सर्वानामन्त्रयत पाण्डवः। कारणं चैव तत्तेवामाचचक्षे तपस्विनाम्
Having spoken thus, Pandava addressed all the brahmins, and explained the reason to the ascetics in the same manner.
तमुग्रतपसः प्रीताः कुत्वापार्थं प्रदक्षिणम्। ब्राह्मणास्तेऽन्वमोदन्त शिवेन कुशलेन च
Those brahmins, pleased with his fierce austerity, circled Partha in reverence, blessing him with Shiva's favor and well-being.
सुखोदर्कमिमं क्लेशमचिराद्भरतर्षभ। क्षत्रधर्मेण धर्मज्ञ तीर्त्वा गां पालयिष्यसि
O bull among Bharatas, soon you will cross this hardship and its aftermath with the duty of a kshatriya, O knower of dharma, and rule the earth.
तत्तु राजा वचस्तेषां प्रतिगृह्य तपस्विनाम्। प्रतस्थे सह विप्रैस्तैर्भ्रातृभिश्च परंतपः
The king accepted the words of those ascetics, and set forth with them, along with his brothers, the scorcher of foes.
द्रौपद्या सहितः श्रीमान्हैडिम्बेयादिभिस्तदा'। राक्षसैरनुयातो वै लोमशेनाभिरक्षितः
Together with Draupadi, the illustrious one was accompanied by Hidimba's son and other rakshasas, guarded by Lomasha.
क्वचित्पद्भ्यां ततोऽगच्छद्राक्षसैरुदह्यते क्वचित्। तत्रतत्र महातेजा भ्रातृभिः सह सुव्रतः
At times he went on foot, at times carried by rakshasas; here and there, the great-souled one, steadfast, traveled with his brothers.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा बहुन्क्लेशान्विचिन्तयन्। सिंहव्याघ्रगजाकीर्णामुदीचीं प्रययौ दिशम्
Then King Yudhishthira, reflecting on many hardships, proceeded northward, a region filled with lions, tigers, and elephants.
अवेमाण कैलासं मैनाकं चैव पर्वतम्। गन्धमादनपादांश्च मेरुं चापि शिलोच्चयम्
He beheld Kailasa, Mainaka mountain, the slopes of Gandhamadana, and the rocky heights of Meru.
उपर्युपरि शैलस्य बहीश्च सरितः शिवाः। पृष्ठं हिमवतः पुण्यं ययौ सप्तदशेऽहनि
Above and around the mountain, sacred rivers flowed; on the seventeenth day, they reached the blessed slopes of the Himalaya.
ददृशुः पाण्डवा राजन्गन्धमादनमन्तिकम्। पृष्ठे हिमवतः पुण्ये नानाद्रुमलतावृते
O King, the Pandavas beheld Gandhamadana nearby, on the holy slopes of the Himalaya, adorned with various trees and creepers.
सलिलावर्तसंजातैः पुष्पितैश्च महीरुहैः। समावृतं पुण्यतममाश्रमं वृषपर्वणः
They saw the most sacred hermitage of Vrishaparva, surrounded by flowering trees and waters swirling in eddies.
तमुपक्रम्य राजर्षिं धर्मात्मानमरिंदमाः। पाण्डवा वृषपर्वाणमवदन्त गतक्लमाः
Approaching that royal sage, the righteous and mighty Pandavas spoke to Vrishaparva, their fatigue gone.
अभ्यनन्दत्स राजर्षिः पुत्रवद्भरतर्षभान्। पूजिताश्चावसंस्तत्रसप्तरात्रमरिंदमाः
That royal sage welcomed the illustrious Pandavas like his own sons, and they, honored, stayed there for seven nights.
अष्टमेऽहनि संप्राप्ते तमृषिं लोकविश्रुतम्। आमन्त्र्य वृषपर्वाणं प्रस्थानं प्रत्यरोचयन्
When the eighth day arrived, they took leave of the renowned sage Vrishaparva and prepared for their departure.
एकैकशश्च तान्विप्रान्निवेद्य वृषपर्वणि। न्यासभूतान्यथाकालं बन्धूनिव सुसत्कृतान्। पारिबर्हं चतं शेषं परिदाय महात्मने
Each of the Pandavas, having entrusted their Brahmin companions to Vrishaparva for safekeeping and proper hospitality, gave the remaining provisions to the great sage.
ततस्ते यज्ञपात्राणि रत्नान्याभरणानि च। न्यदधुःपाण्डवा राजन्नाश्रमे वृषपर्वणः
Then, O King, the Pandavas deposited their sacrificial vessels, jewels, and ornaments in the hermitage of Vrishaparva.
अतीतानागते विद्वान्कुशलः सर्वधर्मवित्। अन्वशासत्स धर्मज्ञः पुत्रवद्भरतर्षभान्
Wise in past and future, skilled in all dharma, that sage instructed the Pandavas as a father would his sons.
तेऽनुज्ञाता महात्मानः प्रययुर्दिशमुत्तराम्। `कुष्णया सहिता वीरा ब्राह्मणैश्च महात्मभिः
Having received his permission, the noble Pandavas set out for the northern direction, accompanied by Draupadi and great-souled Brahmins.
तान्प्रस्थितानन्वगच्छद्वृषपर्वा महीपतीन्। उपन्यस् महातेजा विप्रेभ्यः पाण्डवांस्तदा
Vrishaparva, of great energy, followed the departing kings, introducing the Pandavas to the Brahmins at that time.
अनुसंसार्य कौन्तेयानाशीर्भिरभिनन्द्य च। वृषपर्वा निववृतेपन्थानमुपदिश्य च
Having blessed and congratulated the sons of Kunti, and showing them the path, Vrishaparva turned back.
नानामृगगणैर्जुष्टं कौन्तेयः सत्यविक्रमः। पदातिर्भ्रातृभिः सार्धं प्रातिष्ठत युधिष्ठिरः
Yudhishthira, true in valor, together with his brothers, proceeded on foot through regions frequented by many kinds of animals.
नानाद्रुमनिरोधेषु वसन्तः शैलसानुषु। पर्वतं विविशुस्ते तं चतुर्थेऽहनि पाण्डवाः
Dwelling among the mountain slopes, amidst groves of various trees and bamboo, the Pandavas entered that mountain on the fourth day.
महाभ्रघनसंकाशं सलिलोपहितं शुभम्। मणिकाञ्चनरम्यं च शैलं नानासमुच्छ्रयम्
They saw a splendid mountain, resembling a mass of great clouds, adorned with water, beautiful with gems and gold, and rising in many peaks.
रम्यं हिमवतः प्रस्थं बहुकन्दरनिर्झरम्। शिलाविभङ्गविकटं लतापादपसङ्कुलम्
They beheld the delightful plateau of the Himalaya, with many caves and waterfalls, rugged with broken rocks, thick with creepers and trees.
ते समासाद्यपन्थानं यतोक्तं वृषपर्वणा। अनुसस्रुर्यथोद्देशं पश्यन्तो विविधान्नगान्
Having reached the path indicated by Vrishaparva, they proceeded as directed, observing the various mountains.
उपर्युपरि शैलस्य गुहाः परमदुर्गमाः। सुदुर्गमांस्ते सुबहून्सुखेनैवाभिचक्रमुः
Above and above the mountain, there were caves most difficult to access; yet they easily traversed many of these extremely hard-to-reach caves.
धौम्यः कृष्णा च पार्ताश्च लोमशश्च महानृषिः। आगच्छन्सहितास्तत्रन कश्चिदपि हीयते
Dhaumya, Krishna, the sons of Pritha, and the great sage Lomasha—all arrived there together, and not a single one was left behind.
ते मृगद्विजसंघुष्टं नानाद्रुमलतायुतम्। शाखामृगगणैश्चैव सेवितं सुमनोरमम्
They reached a place resounding with the cries of deer and birds, adorned with various trees and creepers, and frequented by herds of monkeys—truly delightful to behold.
पुण्यं पद्मसरोपेतं सपल्वलमहावनम्। उपतस्थुर्महाभागा माल्यवतं महागिरिम्
That great forest, sacred and filled with lotus-covered lakes and marshes, was approached by those illustrious ones at the foot of the mighty mountain Malyavat.
ततः किंपुरुषावासं सिद्धचारणसेवितम्। ददृशुर्हृषरोमाणाः पर्वतं गन्धमादनम्
Then, their hair standing on end, they beheld the Gandhamadana mountain, the dwelling of Kimpurushas, frequented by Siddhas and Charanas.