गदासिचर्मग्रहणेषु शूरा- नस्त्रेषु शिक्षासु रथाश्वयाने। सम्यग्विनेता विनयेदतन्द्री- स्तांश्चाभिमन्युं च सदा कुमारान्
In wielding mace, sword, and shield, in the arts of weapons, and in chariot and horse-driving, he properly trains the princes and Abhimanyu, always untiring.
स चापि सम्यक्प्रणिधाय शिक्षां शस्त्राणइ चैषां विधिवत्प्रदाय। तवात्मजानां च तथाऽभिमन्योः पराक्रमैस्तुष्यति रौक्मिणेयः
And he, having thoroughly considered their training and properly imparted the knowledge of weapons, rejoices in the valor of your sons and Abhimanyu, O son of Rukmini.
यथा विहारं प्रसमीक्षमाणाः प्रयान्ति पुत्रास्तव याज्ञसेनि। एकैकमेषामनुयान्ति यत्र रथाश्च यानानि च दन्तिनश्च
O Yajnaseni, as your sons go out for sport, wherever each one goes, there follow chariots, vehicles, and elephants.
अथाब्रवीद्धर्मराजं तु कृष्णो दशार्हयोधाः कुकुरान्धकाश्च। एते निदेशं तव पालयन्त- स्तिष्ठन्तु यत्रेच्छसि तत्र राजन्
Then Krishna said to the king of dharma: 'Let the Dasharha warriors, the Kukuras, and the Andhakas, who obey your command, remain wherever you wish, O king.'
आवर्ततां कार्मुकवेगवाता हलायुधप्रग्रणा मधूनाम्। सेना तवार्थेषु नरेन्द्र यत्ता ससादिपत्त्यश्वरथा सनागा
Let the winds of swift bows and the plough-wielding Madhus' forces, with their leaders, foot soldiers, horses, chariots, and elephants, be ready for your cause, O king.
प्रस्थाप्यतां पाण्डव धार्तराष्ट्रः सुयोधनः पापकृतां वरिष्ठः। स सानुबन्धः ससुहद्गणश्च भौमस्य सौबाधिपतेश्च मार्गम्
Let Duryodhana, the foremost of evil-doers among the Dhartarashtras, be sent forth, O Pandava, along with his followers and friends, to the path of the king of Saubha and the lord of the earth.
कामं तथा तिष्ठ नरेन्द्र तस्मि- न्यथा कृतस्ते समयः सभायाम्। दाशार्हयोधैस्तु हतारियोधं प्रतीक्षतां नागपुरं प्रभग्नम्
O king, remain there as you wish, according to the agreement made in the assembly; let the Dasharha warriors, having slain the enemy's forces, await the shattered city of the Nagas.
व्यपेतमन्युर्व्यपनीतपाप्मा विहृत् यत्रेच्छसि तत्र कामम्। ततः समृद्धिप्रभवं विशोकः प्रपत्स्यसे नागपुरं सराष्ट्रम्
Freed from anger and sin, enjoy yourself wherever you wish; then, full of prosperity and free from sorrow, you shall reach the Naga city and the land of the Saurashtras.
ततस्तदाज्ञाय मतं महात्मा यथावदुक्तं पुरुषोत्तमेन। प्रशस्य विप्रेक्ष्य च धर्मराजः कृताञ्जलिः केशवमित्युवाच
Then, understanding this counsel as spoken by the great-souled one, the king of dharma praised and considered it, and with joined palms addressed Keshava.
असंशयं केशव पाण्डवानां भवान्गतिस्त्वच्छरणा हि पार्थाः। कालोदये तच्च ततश्च भूयः कर्ता भवान्कर्म न संशयोस्ति
Without doubt, O Keshava, you are the refuge of the Pandavas; the sons of Pritha take shelter in you. In the rise of time and thereafter, you are the doer of deeds—of this there is no doubt.
यथाप्रतिज्ञं विहृतश्च कालः सर्वाः समा द्वादश निर्जनेषु। अज्ञातचर्यां विधिवत्समाप्य भवद्गताः केशव पाण्डवेयाः
The time has been spent exactly as promised, all twelve years in seclusion; having properly completed the year of living incognito, the sons of Pandu have come to you, O Kesava.
एषैव बुद्धिर्जुषतां सदा त्वां सत्ये स्थिताः केशव पाण्डवेयाः। सदानधर्माः सजलाः सदाराः सबान्धवास्त्वच्छरणा हि पार्थाः
This alone is the resolve that always pleases you: the sons of Pandu, steadfast in truth, O Kesava, ever righteous, ever generous, ever with their wives and kin, have taken refuge in you, O Partha.
तथा वदतिवार्ष्णेये धर्मराजे च भारत। अथ पश्चात्तपोवृद्धो बहुवर्षसहस्रधृक्। प्रत्यदृश्यत धर्मात्मा मार्कण्डेयो महातपाः
As the son of Vrishni and the king of righteousness thus spoke, O Bharata, then appeared the great ascetic Markandeya, devoted to austerities for thousands of years, righteous in soul.
अजरश्चामरंश्चैव रूपौदार्यगुणान्वितः। व्यदृश्यत तथा युक्तो यथा स्यात्पञ्चविंशकः
Ageless and free from decay, endowed with beauty, nobility, and virtue, he appeared so composed as if he were twenty-five years old.
तमागतमृषिं वृद्धं बहुवर्षसहस्रिणम्। उपातिष्ठन्त ते सर्वेपाण्डवाः सहयादवाः
All the Pandavas, along with the Yadavas, attended upon that venerable sage, who had lived for thousands of years, when he arrived.
तमर्चितं सुविश्वस्तमासीनमृषिसत्तमम्। ब्राह्मणानां मतेनाह पाण्डवानां च केशवः
Honored and fully trusted, the best of sages sat down; then, with the agreement of the Brahmanas and the Pandavas, Kesava spoke.
शुश्रूपवः पाण्डवास्ते ब्राह्मणाश्च समागताः। द्रौपदी सत्यभामा च तथाऽहंपरमं वचः
The Pandavas, the assembled Brahmanas, Draupadi, Satyabhama, and I myself listened attentively to the supreme words.
पुरावृत्ताः कथाः पुण्याः सदाचारान्सनातनान्। राज्ञांस्त्रीणामृषीणां च मार्कणअडेय प्रचक्ष्व नः
O Markandeya, recount to us the ancient, virtuous stories of kings, women, and sages, which are meritorious and uphold eternal conduct.
तेषु तत्रोपविष्टेषु देवर्षिरपि नारदः। आजगाम विशुद्धात्मा पाण्डवानवलोककः
As they were seated there, the divine sage Narada, pure in spirit and observer of the Pandavas, also arrived.
तमप्यथ महात्मानं सर्वे ते पुरुषर्षभाः। पाद्यार्ध्याभ्यां यथान्यायमुपतस्थुर्मनीषिणः
All those eminent men, with due honor and offerings of water for the feet and hospitality, attended upon that great soul as was proper.
नारदस्त्वथ देवर्षिर्ज्ञात्वा तांस्तु कृतक्षणान्। मार्कण्डेयस्य वदतस्तां कथामन्वमोदत
Then the divine sage Narada, knowing the moment was right, listened with delight to the tale that Markandeya was about to tell.
उवाच चैनं कालज्ञं स्मयन्निव सनारदः। ब्रह्मर्षे कथ्यतां यत्ते पाण्डवेषु विवक्षितम्
Then, smiling, Narada said to that knower of time: 'O Brahmarshi, speak what you wish to say to the Pandavas.'
एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच मार्कण्डेयो महातपाः। क्षणं कुरुध्वंविपुलमाख्यातव्यं भविष्यति
Thus addressed, the great ascetic Markandeya replied: 'Wait a moment; what is to be told is vast.'
एवमुक्ताः क्षणं चक्रुः पाण्डवाः सह तैर्द्विजैः। मध्यंदिने यथादित्यं प्रेक्षन्तस्ते महामुनिम्
Thus addressed, the Pandavas, along with those Brahmanas, waited for a moment, gazing at the great sage as one looks at the midday sun.
तं विवक्षन्तमालक्ष्यकुरुराजो महामुनिम्। कथासंजननार्थाय चोदयामास पाण्डवः
Seeing the great sage preparing to speak, the Kuru king, desiring the start of stories, encouraged him.
भवान्दैवतदैत्यानामृषीणां च महात्मनाम्। राजर्षीणां च सर्वेषां चरितज्ञः पुरातनः
You, revered one, know the ancient deeds of gods, asuras, great sages, and all royal sages.
सेव्यश्चोपासितव्यश् मतो नः काङ्क्षितश्चिरम्। अयं च देवकीपुत्रः प्राप्तोऽस्मानवलोककः
You are to be served and worshipped, and have long been desired by us; and this son of Devaki has come to see us.
भ्रमत्येव हि मे बुद्धिर्दृष्ट्वाऽऽत्मानं सुखाच्च्युतम्। धार्तराष्ट्रांश्च रदुर्त्तानृद्ध्यतः प्रेक्ष्य सर्वशः
My mind wanders, seeing myself deprived of happiness, and seeing the sons of Dhritarashtra flourishing in every way.
कर्मणः पुरुषः कर्ता शुभस्याप्यशुभस्य वा। स्वफलं तदुपाश्नापि कथं कर्ता स्विदीश्वरः
A person is the agent of action, whether good or bad; since he himself experiences its result, how then can God be called the doer?
अथवा सुखदुःखेषु नृणां ब्रह्मविदांवर। इह वा कृतमन्वेति परदेहेऽथवा पुनः
Or, O best knower of Brahman, do pleasure and pain follow a person here in this life, or do they accompany him into another body, or again after death?