ते प्रीतमनसः शूराः प्राप्ता गतिमनुत्तमाम्। नातृप्यन्पर्वतेन्द्रस्य दर्शनेन परंतपाः
Those valiant ones, their hearts filled with joy, attained unsurpassed delight and could not be satisfied with beholding the lord of mountains.
उपेतमथ माल्यैश्च फलवद्भिश्च पादपैः। आर्ष्टिपेणस् राजर्षेराश्रमं ददृशुस्तदा
Then they saw the hermitage of the royal sage Arstisena, adorned with garlands and fruit-bearing trees.
ततस्ते तिग्मतपसं कृशं धमनिसंततम्। पारगं सर्वविद्यानामार्ष्टिषेणमुपागमन्
They approached Arstisena, emaciated by severe austerities, his veins prominent, accomplished in all knowledge.
युधिष्ठिरस्तमासाद्य तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषम्। अभ्यवादयत प्रीतः शिरसा नाम कीर्तयन्
Yudhishthira, having approached him whose sins were burned away by austerity, greeted him joyfully, bowing his head and uttering his name.
ततः कृष्णा च भीमश्च यमौ च सुतपस्विनौ। शिरोभिः प्राप्य राजर्षिं परिवार्योपतस्थिरे
Then Krishna, Bhima, and the two sons of Dharma, all great ascetics, bowed their heads to the royal sage and stood around him.
तथैव धौम्यो धर्मज्ञः पाण्डवानां पुरोहितः। यथान्यायमुपाक्रान्तस्तमृषिं संशितव्रतम्
Likewise Dhaumya, knower of righteousness and priest of the Pandavas, approached that sage of firm vows according to proper custom.
अन्वजानात्स धर्मज्ञो मुनिर्दिव्येन चक्षुषा। पाण्डोः पुत्रान्कुरुश्रेष्ठानास्यतामिति चाब्रवीत्
The righteous sage, with divine vision, recognized the sons of Pandu, the best of the Kurus, and said, 'Be seated.'
कुरूणामृषभं प्राज्ञं पूजयित्वा महातपाः। सह भ्रातृभिरसीनं पर्यपृच्छदनामयम्
Having honored the wise bull of the Kurus, the great ascetic, together with his brothers, inquired after his welfare.
नानृते कुरुषे भावं कच्चिद्धर्मे प्रवर्तसे। मातापित्रोश्च ते वृत्तिः कच्चित्पार्थ न सीदति
You do not incline toward falsehood, do you? You act according to righteousness, I hope. And your conduct toward your mother and father, O Partha, does not falter, does it?
कच्चित्ते गुरवः सर्वे वृद्धा वैद्याश्च पूजिताः। कच्चिन्न कुरुषे भावं पार्थ पापेषु कर्मसु
I trust that all your elders and teachers, and the learned physicians as well, are honored by you. You do not, O Partha, turn your mind toward sinful deeds, do you?
सुकृतं प्रतिकर्तुं च कच्चिद्धातुं च दुष्कृतम्। यथान्यायं कुरुश्रेष्ठ जानासि न विकत्थसे
Are you able to repay good deeds and restrain from wrongdoing? Do you, best of the Kurus, understand what is just and act accordingly, without boasting?
यथार्हं मानिताः कच्चित्त्वया नन्दन्ति साधवः। वनेष्वपि वसन्कच्चिद्धर्ममेवानुवर्तसे
Are the virtuous, when honored by you as is fitting, pleased with you? Even while dwelling in the forest, do you steadfastly follow the path of righteousness?
कच्चिद्धौम्यस्त्वदाचारैर्न पार्थ परितप्यते। दानधर्मतपःशौचैरार्जवेन तितिक्षया
Is Dhaumya, because of your conduct—your charity, righteousness, austerity, purity, honesty, and forbearance—not distressed, O Partha?
पितृपैतामहं वृत्तं कच्चित्पार्थानुवर्तसे। कच्चिद्राजर्षियातेन पथा गच्छसि पाण्डव
Do you follow, O Partha, the conduct of your forefathers and ancestors? Do you walk, O Pandava, the path of the royal sages?
स्वेस्वे किल कुले जाते पुत्रे नप्तरि वा पुनः। पितरः पितृलोकस्थाः शोचन्ति च रमन्ति च
Indeed, when a son or grandson is born in each family, the ancestors dwelling in the ancestral realm both grieve and rejoice.
किं तस्य दुष्कृतेऽस्माभिः संप्राप्तव्यं भविष्यति। किं चास्य सुकृतेऽस्माभिः प्राप्तव्यमिति शोभनं
What suffering will come to him from our misdeeds? And what good will come to him from our virtuous acts?—such is the noble thought.
पिता माता तथैवाग्निर्गुरुरात्मा च पञ्चमः। यस्यैतेपूजिताः पार्थ तस्य लोकावुभौ जितौ
Father, mother, fire, teacher, and the self as the fifth—O Partha, for one who honors these, both worlds are won.
भगवन्नार्य माऽऽहैतद्यथावद्धर्मनिश्चयम्। यथाशक्ति यथान्यायं क्रियते विधिवन्मया
Venerable one, do not doubt this: I perform all duties rightly, as determined by dharma, to the best of my ability and according to proper order.
अब्भक्षा वायुभक्षाश्च प्लवमाना विहायसा। जुषन्ते पर्वतश्रेष्ठमृषयः पर्वसन्धिषु
There are sages on the mountain peaks who subsist on water or air, moving through the sky, who dwell at the joints of the mountains.
कामिनः सह कान्ताभिः परस्परमनुव्रताः। दृश्यन्ते शैलशृङ्गस्था यथा किंपुरुषा नृप
There are passionate beings, devoted to their beloveds, seen atop the mountain peaks, O king, just like Kimpurushas, faithful to one another.
अरजांसि च वासांसि वसानाः कौशिकानि च। दृश्यन्ते बहवः पार्थ गन्धर्वाप्सरसां गणाः
Many are seen, O Partha, wearing garments of unspun cloth or silk, the hosts of Gandharvas and Apsaras.
विद्याधरगणाश्चैव स्रग्विणः प्रियदर्शनाः। महोरगगणाश्चैव सुपर्णाश्चारणादयः
There are also groups of Vidyadharas, adorned with garlands and pleasing to behold, as well as hosts of great serpents, Suparnas, and Charanas.
अस्य चोपरि शैलस्य श्रूयते पर्वसन्धिषु। भेरीपणवशङ्खानां मृदङ्गानां च निःस्वनः
Above this mountain, at the joints of the peaks, the sounds of drums, kettledrums, conches, and mridangas are heard.
इहस्थैरेव तत्सर्वं श्रोतव्यं भरतर्षभाः। न कार्या वः कथंचित्स्यात्तत्राभिगमने मतिः
All this, O best of Bharatas, should be heard from those who dwell here; under no circumstances should you consider going there.
न चाप्यतः परं शक्यं गन्तुं भरतसत्तमाः। विहारस्तत्र देवानाममानुषगतिस्तु सा
And, O best of the Bharatas, it is not possible to go beyond this point; that is the playground of the gods, and their path is not for humans.
ईषच्चपलकर्माणं मनुष्यमिह भारत। द्विषन्ति सर्वभूतानि ताडयन्ति च राक्षसाः
Here, O Bharata, all beings despise a human who acts with even a little restlessness, and the Rakshasas strike him.
अस्यातिक्रम्य शिखरं कैलासस्य युधिष्ठिर। गतिः परमसिद्धानां देवर्षीणां प्रकाशते
O Yudhishthira, beyond this peak of Kailasa, the path of the perfected beings and the divine sages becomes manifest.
चापलाद्धि न गन्तव्यं पार्त यानैस्ततः परम्। अयःशूलादिभिर्घ्नन्ति राक्षसाः शत्रुसूदन
But, O Partha, one must not proceed further out of recklessness by vehicles; the Rakshasas, wielding iron spears and such weapons, strike down intruders, O destroyer of foes.
अप्सरोभिः परिवृतः समृद्ध्या नरवाहनः। इह वैश्रवणस्तात पर्वसन्धिषु दृश्यते
Here, O best of men, the Lord of Wealth, surrounded by Apsaras and endowed with prosperity, is seen at the mountain passes.
शिखरे तं समासीनमधिपं यक्षरक्षसाम्। प्रेक्षन्ते सर्वभूतानि भानुमन्तमिवोदितम्
All beings gaze upon him, the lord of Yakshas and Rakshasas, seated on the summit, shining like the risen sun.