आरुरोह रथं शौरेः सत्यभामाऽथ भामिनी। स्मयित्वातु यदुश्रेष्ठो द्रौपदीं परिसान्त्व्य च। उपावर्त्य ततः शीघ्रैर्हयैः प्रायात्परंतपः
Then Satyabhama, the radiant one, mounted Shauri's chariot; the foremost of the Yadus, smiling, comforted Draupadi, and then, turning quickly, departed with swift horses, the scorcher of foes.
एवं वने वर्तमाना नराग्र्याः शीतोष्णवातातपकर्शिताङ्गाः। सरस्तदासाद्यवनं च पुण्यं ततः परंकिमकुर्वन्त पार्थाः
Thus, dwelling in the forest, those foremost men, their bodies afflicted by cold, heat, wind, and sun, reached that sacred lake and grove, and then the Pandavas moved onward.
सरस्तदासाद्य तु पाण्डुपुत्रा जनं समुत्सृज्य विधाय चेष्टम्। वनानि रम्याण्यथ पर्वतांश्च नदीप्रदेशांश्च तदा विचेरुः
Having reached the lake, the sons of Pandu, leaving the people behind and arranging their tasks, wandered through delightful forests, mountains, and river regions.
तथा वने तान्वसतः प्रवीरान् स्वाध्यायवन्तश्च तपोधनाश्च। अभ्याययुर्वेदविदः पुराणा- स्तान्पूजयामासुरथो नराग्र्याः
As those valiant ones dwelt in the forest, ascetics and those rich in austerity, versed in the Vedas and ancient lore, approached them, and the foremost men honored them.
ततः कदाचित्कुशलः कथासु विप्रोऽभ्यगच्छद्भुवि कौरवेयान्। स तैः समेत्याथ यदृच्छयैव वैचित्रवीर्यं नृपमभ्यगच्छत्
Then, once, a learned Brahmin, skilled in tales, came to the Kauravas; meeting them by chance, he approached King Vaichitravirya.
अथोपविष्टः प्रतिसत्कृतश्च वृद्धेन राज्ञा कुरुसत्तमेन। प्रचोदितः संकथयांबभूव धर्मानिलेन्द्रप्रभवान्यमौ च
Seated and respectfully received by the aged king, the best of the Kurus, prompted, he began to recount the stories of the sons of Dharma, Vayu, and Indra.
कृशांश्च वातातपकर्शिताङ्गान् दुःखस्य चोग्रस् मुखे प्रपन्नान्। तां चाप्यनाथामिव वीरनाथां कृष्णां परिक्लेशगुणेन युक्ताम्
He described them as emaciated, their bodies afflicted by wind, sun, and suffering, and Krishna, seemingly without protectors yet protected by heroes, enduring hardship.
ततः कथास्तस्य निशम्य राजा वैचित्रवीर्यः कृपयाऽभितप्तः। वने तथा पार्थिवपुत्रपौत्रा- ञ्श्रुत्वा तथा दुःखनदींप्रपन्नान्
Hearing his tales, King Vaichitravirya was deeply moved by compassion, learning of the sons, grandsons, and descendants of kings suffering in the forest.
प्रोवाच दैन्याभिहतान्तरात्मा निश्वासवातोपहतस्तदानीम्। वाचं कथंचित्स्थिरतामुपेत्य तत्सर्वमात्मप्रभवं विचिन्त्य
Stricken inwardly by despair, she spoke, her breath heavy and labored; somehow regaining steadiness in her voice, she reflected on all that had arisen from herself.
कथंनु सत्यः शुचिरार्यवृत्तः श्रेष्ठः सुतानां मम धर्मराजः। अजातशत्रुः पृथिवीतले स्म शेते पुरा राङ्कवकूटशायी
How is it that my eldest son, Yudhishthira—truthful, pure, noble in conduct, the best among my sons, and without an enemy—now lies upon the bare ground, once accustomed to resting on royal beds?
प्रबोध्यते मागधसूतपुत्रै- र्नित्यं स्तुवद्भिः स्वयमिन्द्रकल्पः। पतत्रिसङ्घैः स जघन्यरात्रे प्रबोध्यते नूनमिलातलस्थः
He, who was daily awakened by the bards of Magadha and Suta, praised as equal to Indra, is now roused in the dead of night by the cries of birds, lying upon the earth.
कथंनु वातातपकर्शिताङ्गो वृकोदरः कोपपरिप्लुताङ्गः। शेते पृथिव्यामतथोचिताङ्गः कृष्णासमक्षं वसुधातलस्थः
How does Bhima, his body emaciated by wind and sun, his limbs inflamed with anger, lie on the ground—so unaccustomed to such hardship—before Krishna, upon the bare earth?
तथाऽर्जुनः सुकुमारो मनस्वी वशे स्थितो धर्मसुतस्य राज्ञः। विदूयमानैरिव सर्वगात्रै- र्ध्रुवं न शेते वसतीरमर्षात्
And Arjuna, delicate and high-minded, always obedient to the king Yudhishthira, surely does not sleep in the dwelling, tormented in every limb by indignation.
यमौ च कृष्णां च युधिष्ठिरं च भीमं च दृष्ट्वा सुखविप्रयुक्तान्। विनिःश्वसन्सर्प इवोग्रतेजा ध्रुवं न शेते वसतीरमर्षात्
Seeing the twins, Krishna, Yudhishthira, and Bhima deprived of comfort, he, fierce in energy, sighs like a serpent and surely does not sleep in the dwelling, consumed by wrath.
तथा यमौ चाप्यसुखौ सुखार्हौ समृद्धरीपावमरौ दिवीव। प्रजागरस्थौ ध्रुवमप्रशान्तौ क्रोधेन सत्येन च वार्यमाणौ
So too the twins, though deserving happiness, are without joy, splendid as gods, lying awake and restless, restrained only by truth and self-control from their anger.
समीरणेनाथ समो बलेन समीरणस्यैवसुतो बलीयान्। स धर्मपासेन सितोऽग्रजेन ध्रुवं विनिःश्वस्य सहत्यमर्षम्
Bhima, equal in strength to the wind and even more powerful, son of the wind-god, is held back by the bonds of righteousness by his elder brother, surely sighing as he endures his wrath.
स चापिभूमौ परिवर्तमानो वधं सुतानां मम काङ्क्षमाणः। सत्येन धर्मेण च वार्यमाणः कालंप्रतीक्षत्यधिको रणेऽन्यैः
He, rolling on the ground, longing for the destruction of my sons, is restrained by truth and righteousness, yet waits for the right time, surpassing others in battle.
अजातशत्रौ तु जिते निकृत्या दुःशासनो यत्परुषाण्यवोचत्। तानि प्रविष्टानि वृकोदराङ्गं दहन्ति कक्षाग्निरिवेन्धनानि
The harsh words that Duhshasana spoke to Yudhishthira, who was defeated by deceit, have entered Bhima’s body and burn within him like fire fed by fuel.
न पापकं ध्यास्यति धर्मपुत्रो धनंजयश्चाप्यनुवर्त्स्यते तम्। अरण्यवासेन विवर्धते तु भीमस्य कोपोऽग्निरिवानिलेन
The son of Dharma will not contemplate evil, and Dhananjaya will follow him; but through their forest exile, Bhima’s anger grows like fire fanned by the wind.
स तेन कोपेन विदीर्यमाणः करं करेणाभिनिपीड्यवीरः। विनिःश्वसत्युष्णमतीव घोरं दहन्निवेमां मम पुत्रसेनाम्
Tormented by that anger, the hero crushes his hand with his own, sighing fiercely and hotly, as if burning up my sons’ army.
गाण्डीवधन्वा च वृकोदरश्च संरम्भिणावन्तककालकल्पौ। न शेषयेतां युधि शत्रुसेनां शरान्किरन्तावनिप्रकाशान्
Arjuna, wielder of Gandiva, and Bhima, both fierce as Death itself, would not leave any enemy force remaining in battle, showering arrows that blaze like fire.
दुर्योधनः शकुनिः सूतपुत्रो दुःशासनश्चापि सुमन्दचेताः। मधु प्रपश्यन्ति न तु प्रपातं वृकोदरं चैव धनंजयं च
Duryodhana, Shakuni, Karna, and Duhshasana, their minds clouded, see only honey, not the precipice ahead—nor Bhima and Arjuna.
शुभाशुभं कर्म नरोहि कृत्वा प्रतीक्षतेचेत्स फलंविपाके। सतेन युज्यत्यवशः फलेन मोक्षः कथं स्यात्पुरुषस्य तस्मात्
When a man, having done good or evil, awaits the ripening of its fruit, he is inevitably bound to its result; how then can there be liberation for a person?
क्षेत्रे सुकृष्टे ह्युपिते च बीजे देवेच वर्षत्यृतुकालयुक्तम्। न स्यात्फलंतस्य कुतः प्रसिद्धि- रन्यत्रदैवादिति नास्ति हेतुः
Even when a field is well-plowed and good seed is sown, and the gods send timely rain, if there is no fruit, what can be the cause except fate? Thus, there is no other reason.
कृतं मताक्षेण यथा न साधु साधुप्रवृत्तेन च पाण्डवेन। मया च दुष्पुत्रवशानुगेन कृतः कुरूणामयमन्तकालः
Just as what was done by me at the dice was not right, nor was what the virtuous Pandava did; compelled by my evil sons, I have brought about the destruction of the Kurus.
ध्रुवं प्रशाम्यत्यसमीरितोऽग्नि- र्ध्रुवं प्रजास्यत्युत गर्भिणी या। ध्रुवं दिनादौ रजनीप्रणाश- स्तथा क्षपादौ च दिनप्रणाशः
Surely, fire dies out when not fanned; surely, a pregnant woman will give birth; surely, night ends at dawn, and day ends at dusk.
कृतेच कस्मान्न परेच कुर्यु- र्दत्ते च दद्युः पुरुषाः कथंस्वित्। प्राप्यार्थकालं च भवेदनर्थः कथंचन स्यादितितत्कुतः स्यात्
Why, after having done so, would others not act similarly? Why would people not give when something has been given? If the proper time for receiving has come, how could harm arise in any way? From where could such a thing come?
कथं न भिद्येत न च स्रवेत न च प्रसिच्येदितिरक्षितव्यम्। अरक्ष्यमाणं शतधा प्रकीर्ये- द्भ्रुवं न नाशोऽस्ति कृतस्य लोके
How could it not be divided, not leak away, nor be scattered? Therefore, it must be protected. If left unprotected, it would be dispersed in a hundred ways; yet, in this world, there is no destruction of what has been rightly done.
गतो ह्यरण्यादपिशक्रलोकं धनंजयः पशय्त वीर्यमस्य। अस्त्राणि दिव्यानि चतुर्विधानि ज्ञात्वा पुनर्लोकमिमं प्रपन्नः
Indeed, Dhananjaya went from the forest to the realm of Indra; behold his prowess. Having learned the four kinds of divine weapons, he has returned again to this world.
स्वर्गं हि गत्वा सशरीर एव को मानुषः पुनरागन्तुमिच्छेत्। अन्यत्रकालोपहताननेका- न्समीक्षमाणस्तुकुरून्मुमूर्षून्
Who, having gone bodily to heaven, would wish to return to the human world, except one who, seeing many Kurus struck down by fate and desiring their death, would come back?