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.
देवदानवसिद्धानां तथा वैश्रवणस्य च। गिरेः शिखरमुद्यानमिदं भरतसत्तम
This summit garden of the mountain, O best of the Bharatas, belongs to the Devas, Danavas, Siddhas, and also to Vaishravana.
उपासीनस्य धनदं तुम्बुरोः पर्वसन्धिषु। गीतसामस्वनस्तात श्रूयते गन्धमादने
When the Lord of Wealth sits with Tumburu at the mountain passes, the sound of songs and chants is heard here in Gandhamadana, O dear one.
एतदेवंविधं चित्रमिह तात युधिष्ठिर। प्रेक्षन्ते सर्वभूतानि बहुशः पर्वसन्धिषु
Such wondrous sights as these, O Yudhishthira, are beheld by all beings many times at the mountain passes.
भुञ्जाना मुनिभोज्यानि रसवन्ति फलानि च। वसध्वं पाण्डवश्रेष्ठा यावदर्जुनदर्शनात्
O best of the Pandavas, enjoy the delicious fruits fit for ascetics and dwell here until you see Arjuna.
न तात चपलैर्भाव्यमिह प्राप्तैः कथंचन। `चपलः सर्वभूतानां द्वेष्यो भवति मानवः
O dear one, those who arrive here must not be restless in any way; a restless man becomes disliked by all beings.
उषित्वेह यथाकामं यथाश्रद्धं विहृत्य च। ततः शस्त्रजितां श्रेष्ठ पृथिवीं पालयिष्यसि
Having stayed here as you wish and moved about as you please, then, O best of those who have conquered by arms, you will rule the earth.
आर्ष्टिषेणाश्रमे तस्मिन्मम पूर्वपितामहाः। पाण्डोः पुत्रा महात्मान सर्वे दिव्यपराक्रमाः
In that hermitage of Arstishena, O great-souled one, my forefathers, the sons of Pandu, all of divine prowess, resided.
कियन्तं कालमवसन्पर्वते गन्धमादने। किंच चक्रुर्महावीर्याः सर्वेऽतिबलपौरुषाः
How long did those mighty and exceedingly strong heroes dwell on Mount Gandhamadana, and what did they do there?
कानि चाभ्यवहार्याणि तत्र तेषां महात्मनाम्। वसतां लोकवीराणामासंस्तद्ब्रूहि सत्तम
What kinds of foods were available to those great souls, the heroes of the world, while they lived there? Tell me that, O noble one.
विस्तरेण च मे शंस भीमसेनपराक्रमम्। यद्यच्चक्रे महाबाहुस्तस्मिन्हैमवते गिरौ
And describe to me in detail the exploits of Bhimasena—whatever the mighty-armed one did on that golden mountain.