ततः प्रहसिताः सर्वे तेऽन्योन्यस्य तलान्ददुः। तदेव च विनिश्चेत्य ददृशुः कुरुसत्तमम्
Then all of them laughed and clapped their hands together; having thus resolved, they looked upon the best of the Kurus.
धृतराष्ट्रं ततः सर्वेददृशुर्जनमेजय। दृष्ट्वा सुखमथो राज्ञः पृष्टा राज्ञा च भारत
Then, O Janamejaya, all gazed upon Dhritarashtra; seeing the king at ease, they were questioned by him, O Bharata.
ततस्तैर्विहितः पूर्वं संगवो नाम वल्लवः। समीपस्थास्तदा गावो धृतराष्ट्रे न्यवेदयत्
Then, the cowherd named Sangava, previously appointed by them, who was nearby, reported the cows to Dhritarashtra.
अनन्तरं च राधेयः शकुनिश्च विशांपते। आहतुः पार्थिवश्रेष्ठं धृतराष्ट्रं जनाधिपम्
Immediately after, O lord of men, Karna and Shakuni addressed the illustrious king Dhritarashtra.
रमणीयेषु देशेषु घोषाः संप्रति कौरव। स्मारणे समयः प्राप्तो वत्सानामपि चाङ्कनम्
O Kaurava, in these pleasant regions, the time has come for remembering the marking of the calves, and for the herdsmen’s activities.
मृगया चोचिता राजन्नस्मिन्काले सुतस्यते। दुर्योधनस्य गमनं त्वमनुज्ञातुमर्हसि
And, O king, hunting is customary for your son at this time; you should permit Duryodhana to go.
मृगया शोभना तात गवां हि समवेक्षणम्। विस्रम्भस्तु न गन्तव्यो वल्लवानामिति स्मरे
Hunting is delightful, dear one, and so is the inspection of the cows; but let the herdsmen not go without caution—remember this.
ते तु तत्रनरव्याघ्राः समीप इति नः श्रुतम्। अतो नाभ्यनुजानामि गमनं तत्र वः स्वयम्
But we have heard, O tiger among men, that they are nearby; therefore, I do not permit you all to go there yourselves.
छद्मना निर्जितास्ते तु कर्शिताश्च महावने। तपोनित्याश्च राधेय समर्थाश्च महारथाः
By deceit they were defeated and afflicted in the great forest; they are ever devoted to austerity, O Radheya, and are mighty chariot-warriors.
धर्मराजो न संक्रुद्ध्येद्भीमसेनस्त्वमर्षणः। यज्ञसेनस् दुहिता तेज एवतु केवलम्
Yudhishthira would not become angry, but Bhimasena is wrathful; and the daughter of Yajnasena is fierce in her own right.
यूयंचाप्यपराध्येयुर्दर्पमोहसमन्विताः। ततो विनिर्दहेयुस्ते तपसा हि समन्विताः
And if you, filled with pride and delusion, were to offend them, then, endowed with ascetic power, they would destroy you.
अथवा सायुधावीरा मन्युनाऽभिपरिप्लुताः। सहिता बद्धनिस्त्रिशा दहेयुः शस्त्रतेजसा
Or, armed and heroic, overwhelmed by anger, together with drawn swords, they might burn you with the energy of their weapons.
अथ यूयं बहुत्वात्तान्नारभध्वं कथंचन। अनार्यं परमं तत्स्यादशक्यं तच्च वै मतम्
Therefore, because they are many, do not attack them in any way; that would be supremely unrighteous and, indeed, impossible—such is my view.
उषितो हि महाबाहुरिन्द्रलोके धनंजयः। दिव्यान्यस्त्राण्यवाप्याथ ततः प्रत्यागतो वनं
For mighty-armed Dhananjaya dwelt in Indra’s realm and obtained divine weapons, and then returned to the forest.
अकृतास्त्रेण पृथिवी जिता बीभत्सुना पुरा। किं पुनः सकृतास्त्रोऽद्य न हन्याद्वो महारथः
Formerly, Bhimasena conquered the earth even without weapons; what then, now that he is armed—would not that great chariot-warrior slay you?
अथवा मद्वचः श्रुत्वा तत्र यत्ता भविष्यथ। उद्विग्रवासा विस्रब्धा दुःखं तत्रगमिष्यथ
Or, if you act according to my words and go there prepared, you will go there anxious and uneasy, and suffer distress.
अथवा सैनिकाः केचिदपकुर्युर्युधिष्ठिरे। तदबुद्धिकृतंकर्म दोषमुत्पादयेच्च वः
Or, some soldiers might commit an offense against Yudhishthira; that act, done unwittingly, would bring you blame.
तस्मादन्ये नरा यान्तु स्मारणायाप्तकारिणः। न स्वयं तत्रगमनं रोचये तव भारत
Therefore, let other men go there to remind them and carry out the task; I do not approve of your going there yourself, O Bharata.
धर्मज्ञः पाण्डवो ज्येष्ठः प्रतिज्ञातं च संसदि। तेन द्वादशवर्षाणि वस्तव्यानीति भारत
The eldest Pandava, who knows righteousness, made a vow in the assembly, O Bharata, that they must dwell in exile for twelve years.
अनुवृत्ताश्च रतं सर्वे पाण्डवा धर्मचारिणः। युधिष्ठिरस्तु कौन्तेयो न नः कोपं करिष्यति
All the Pandavas, followers of virtue, obey Yudhishthira in all things; and Kunti's son Yudhishthira will not become angry with us.
मृगयां चैव नो गन्तुमिच्छा संवर्धते भृशम्। स्मारणं तु चिकीर्षामो न तु पाण्डवदर्सनम्
Our desire to go hunting is growing very strong; we wish only to remind them, not to see the Pandavas.
न चानार्यसमाचारः कश्चित्तत्र भविष्यति। न च तत्र गमिष्यामो यत्र तेषां प्रतिश्रयः
No unrighteous conduct will occur there, nor will we go to the place where they have taken refuge.
एवमुक्तः शकुनिना धृतराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः। दुर्योधनं सहामात्यमनुजज्ञे न कामतः
Thus addressed by Shakuni, King Dhritarashtra, lord of men, gave his consent to Duryodhana and his counselors, though not willingly.
अनुज्ञातस्तु गान्धारिः कर्णेन सहितस्तदा। निर्ययौ भरतश्रेष्ठो बलेन महता वृतः
Then, having received permission, the best of the Bharatas, accompanied by Gandhari and Karna, set out, surrounded by a great force.
दुःशासनेन च तथा सौबलेन च धीमता। संवृतो भ्रातृभिश्चान्यैः स्त्रीभिश्चापि सहस्रशः
He was also accompanied by Duhshasana and the wise son of Subala, surrounded by his brothers and thousands of women.
तं निर्यान्तं महाबाहुं द्रष्टुं द्वैतवनं सरः। पौराश्चानुययुः सर्वेसहदारा वनं च तत्
As that mighty-armed one departed to see the Dvaita forest lake, all the citizens, with their wives, followed him to that forest.
अष्टौ रथसहस्राणि त्रीणि नागायुतानि च। पत्तयो बहुसाहस्रा हयाश्च नवतिः शताः
There were eight thousand chariots, three divisions of elephants, countless thousands of infantry, and nine hundred horse squadrons.
शकटापणवेशाश्च वणिजो वन्दिनस्तथा। नराश्च मृगयाशीलाः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
There were also wagons, market stalls, merchants, bards, and hundreds and thousands of men devoted to hunting.
ततः प्रयाणे नृपतेः सुमहानभवत्स्वनः। प्रावृषीव महावायोरुत्थितस्य विशांपते
Then, as the king set out, a great sound arose, like the roar of a mighty wind in the rainy season, O lord of the people.
गव्यूतिमात्रेन्यवसद्राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा। प्रयातो वाहनैः सर्वैस्ततो द्वैतवनं सरः
King Duryodhana then encamped at a distance of a cow's walk from the lake of Dvaita forest, having arrived there with all his vehicles.