ते दुर्गवासं बहुधा निरुष्य व्यतीत्य कैलासमचिन्त्यरूपम्। आसेदुरत्यर्थमनोरमं ते तमाश्रमाग्र्यं वृषपर्वणस्तु
Having endured many hardships in their various abodes, and passing beyond Kailāsa of unimaginable form, they reached that exceedingly delightful foremost hermitage of Vṛṣaparvan.
समेत्य राज्ञा वृषपर्वणा ते प्रत्यर्चितास्तेन च वीतमोहाः। शशंसिरे विस्तरशः प्रवासं शिवं यथावद्वृषपर्वणस्ते
There, having met King Vṛṣaparvan, they were honored by him, their minds free from delusion, and they told him in detail of their exile, as it truly was, wishing him well.
सुखोषितास्तस्य त एकरात्रं पुण्याश्रमे देवमहर्षिजुष्टे। अभ्याययुस्ते बदरीं विशालां सुखेन वीराः पुनरेव वासम्
They spent a single night there in comfort, in that sacred hermitage cherished by gods and great sages; then the heroes happily set out again for the vast Badarī.
ऊषुस्ततस्तत्र महानुभावा नारायणस्थानगताः समग्राः। कुबेरकान्तां नलिनीं विशोकाः संपश्यमानाः सुरसिद्धजुष्टाम्
There, those great-souled ones, having reached the place of Nārāyaṇa, all together dwelled, beholding Kubera’s beloved lake Nalinī, free from sorrow, frequented by gods and siddhas.
तां चाथ दृष्ट्वा नलिनीं विशोकाः पाण्डोः सुताः सर्वनरप्रधानाः। ते रेमिरे नन्दनवासमेत्य द्विजर्षयो वीतमला यथैव
And then, seeing that sorrowless lake Nalinī, the sons of Pāṇḍu, foremost among men, rejoiced as if dwelling in Nandana, just as the pure-hearted seer-sages do.
ततः क्रमेणोपययुर्नृवीरा यथागतेनैव पथा समग्राः। विहृत्य मासं सुखिनो बदर्यां किरातराज्ञो विषयं सुबाहोः
Then, in due course, all those heroic kings, following the same path by which they had come, after spending a happy month at Badarī, entered the domain of Subāhu, king of the Kirātas.
चीनांस्तुषारान्दरदांश्च सर्वान् देशान्कुलिन्दस्य च भूरिरम्यान्। अतीत्य दुर्गं हिमवत्प्रदेशं पुरं सुबाहोर्ददृशुर्नृवीराः
Passing through all the lands of the Cīnas, Tuṣāras, Daradas, and the many delightful regions of Kulinda, and traversing the difficult Himalayan terrain, the heroic kings beheld the city of Subāhu.
श्रुत्वा च तान्पार्थिव पुत्रपौत्रा- न्प्राप्तान्सुबाहुर्विषये समग्रान्। प्रत्युद्ययौ प्रीतियुतः स राजा तं चाभ्यनन्दन्वृषभाः कुरूणाम्
Hearing that the sons and grandsons of kings had all arrived in his realm, King Subāhu, filled with joy, went out to meet them, and the bulls of the Kuru race welcomed him in return.
समेत्य राज्ञा तु सुबाहुना ते सुतैर्विशोकप्रमुखैश्च सर्वे। सहेनद्रसेनैः परिचारकैश्च पौरोगवैर्ये च रमहानसस्थाः
There, having met King Subāhu, along with all his sons led by Viśoka, and accompanied by Nadrasena and other attendants, as well as priests and those established in the royal household—
सुखोपितास्तत्रत एकरात्रं सूतान्समादाय रथांश्च सर्वान्। घटोत्कचं सानुचरं विसृज्य ततोऽभ्ययुर्यामुनमद्रिराजम्
They spent a single night there in comfort, then, taking all their charioteers and chariots, and sending Ghaṭotkaca and his followers away, they set out for the mountain king by the Yamunā.
तस्मिन्गिरौ प्रस्रवणोपपन्न- हिमोत्तरीयारुणपाण्डुसानौ। विशाखयूपं समुपेत्य चक्रु- स्तदा निवासं पुरुषप्रवीराः
On that mountain, endowed with springs, with slopes white as snow, reddish, and pale, they came to Viśākhayūpa and there the foremost men made their dwelling.
वराहनानामृगपक्षिजुष्टं महावनं चैत्ररथप्रकाशम्। शिवेन यात्वा मृगयाप्रधानाः संवत्सरं तत्रवने विजह्रुः
In a great forest, resounding with boars, deer, and birds, shining like Caitraratha, those skilled in the hunt, having journeyed with Śiva’s favor, spent a year there in joy.
तत्राससादातिबलं भुजङ्गं क्षुधार्दितं मृत्युमिवोग्ररूपम्। वृकोदरः पर्वतकन्दरायां विषादमोहव्यथितान्तरात्मा
There, in a mountain cave, Vṛkodara encountered a mighty serpent, tormented by hunger and fearsome as death itself, and his heart was seized by distress, confusion, and pain.
द्वीपोऽभवद्यत्र वृकोदरस्य युधिष्ठिरो धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठः। अमोक्षयद्यस्तमनन्ततेजा ग्राहेण संवेष्टितसर्वगात्रम्
There, Yudhiṣṭhira, best of the righteous, became an island for Vṛkodara, whom the serpent of boundless energy, having seized all his limbs, would not release from its grasp.
ते द्वादशं वर्षमथोपयान्तं वने विहुर्तुं कुरवः प्रतीताः। तस्माद्वनाच्चैत्ररथप्रकाशा- च्छ्रिया ज्वलन्तस्तपसा च युक्ताः
Thus, as the twelfth year of their exile approached, the Kauravas, shining with splendor and devoted to austerity, left that forest, radiant as Caitraratha.
ततश्च यात्वा मरुधन्वपार्श्वं सदा धनुर्वेदरतिप्रधानाः। सरस्वतीमेत्य निवासकामाः सरस्ततो द्वैतवनं प्रतीयुः
Then, journeying along the edge of the desert, ever devoted to the science of archery, they came to the Sarasvatī, desiring to dwell there, and from there proceeded to the Dvaita forest.
समीक्ष् तान्द्वैतवने निविष्टा- न्निवासिनस्तत्रततोऽभिजग्मुः। तपोदमाचारसमाधियुक्ता- स्तृणोदपात्रावरणाश्मकुट्टाः
Observing those who dwelt in the Dvaita forest, the ascetics living there approached, devoted to austerity, discipline, and meditation, using grass, water pots, leaves, and stones as their simple means.
प्लक्षाक्षरौहीतकवेतसाश्च तथा बदर्यः खदिराः शिरीषाः। बिल्वेङ्गुदाः पीलुशमीकरीराः सरस्वतीतीररुहा बभूवुः
There were fig trees, akṣa, rauhīṭaka, vetasa, as well as jujube, khadira, śirīṣa, bilva, inguda, pīlu, śamī, and karīra—trees growing on the banks of the Sarasvatī.
तां यक्षगन्धर्वमहर्षिकान्ता- मावासभूतामिव देवतानाम्। सरस्वतीं प्रीतियुताश्चरन्तः सुखं विजह्रुर्नरदेवपुत्राः
The sons of the king, moving about joyfully with affection, dwelt happily on the Sarasvatī, a place beloved by yakṣas, gandharvas, and great sages, as if it were a dwelling of the gods.
कथं नागायुतप्राणो भीमो भीमपराक्रमः। भयमाहारयत्तीव्रं तस्मादजगरान्मुने
How did Bhīma, whose life is equal to ten thousand nāgas and whose might is terrible, come to experience intense fear from that serpent, O sage?
पौलस्त्यं धनदं युद्दे य आह्वयति दर्पितः। नलिन्यां कदनं कृत्वा निहन्ता यक्षरक्षसाम्
He who, proud, challenges Paulastya and Dhanada in battle, who slew yakṣas and rākṣasas after a slaughter at the lotus-lake—
तं संससि भयाविष्टमापन्नमरिसूदनम्। एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं परं कौतूहलं हि मे
You speak of that destroyer of enemies, seized by fear and in distress; I wish to hear this, for I am filled with great curiosity.
बह्वाश्चर्ये वने तेषां वसतामुग्रधन्विनाम्। प्राप्तानामाश्रमं राजन्राजर्षेर्वृषपर्वणः
While those mighty archers dwelt in the forest, O king, many wondrous things occurred when they reached the hermitage of the royal sage Vṛṣaparvan.
यदृच्छया धनुष्पाणिर्बद्धखङ्गो वृकोदरः। ददर्श तद्वनं रम्यं देवगन्धर्वसेवितम्
By chance, Vṛkodara, bow in hand and sword at his side, beheld that delightful forest frequented by gods and gandharvas.
स ददर्श शुभान्देशान्गिरेर्हिमवतस्तदा। देवर्षिसिद्धचरितानप्सरोगणसेवितान्
Then he saw those beautiful regions of the Himavat mountain, inhabited by hosts of apsarases and sanctified by the deeds of divine sages and perfected beings.
चकोरैरुपचक्रैशच् पक्षिभिर्जीवजीवकैः। कोकिलैर्भृङ्गराजैश्च तत्र तत्र निनादितान्
There, in various places, were filled with the cries of chakoras, upachakras, jīvajīvas, cuckoos, and bhṛṅgarāja birds.
नित्यपुष्पफलैर्वृक्षैर्हिमसंस्पर्शकोमलैः। उपेतान्बहुलच्छायैर्मनोनयननन्दनैः
He saw trees ever bearing flowers and fruit, soft to the touch from the mountain's coolness, offering abundant shade and delighting the mind and eyes.
स संपश्यन्गिरिनदीर्वैडूर्यमणिसंनिभैः। सलिलैर्हिमसंकाशैर्हंसकारण्डवायुतैः
He beheld mountain streams, their waters like beryl gems, shining like snow, filled with swans and kāraṇḍava ducks.
वनानि देवदारूणां मेघानामिव वागुराः। हरिचन्दनमिश्राणि तुङ्गकालीयकान्यपि
There were forests of deodar trees, clustered like nets of clouds, mingled with fragrant sandalwood and tall kālīyaka trees.
मृगयां परिधावन्स समेषु मरुधन्वसु। विध्यन्मृगाञ्शरैः शुद्धैश्चचार स महाबलः
That mighty one, running after game on the level plains and sandy stretches, shot deer with pure arrows as he wandered.