अथ नः सैनिकाः केचिदमात्याश्च महारथाः। उपगम्याब्रुवन्दीनाः पाण्डवाञ्शरणप्रदान्
Then some of our soldiers and great chariot-warriors, approaching in distress, pleaded with the Pandavas for protection.
एष दुर्योधनो राजा धार्तराष्ट्रः सहानुजः। सामात्यदारो ह्रियते गन्धर्वैर्दिवमाश्रितैः
"Here is King Duryodhana, son of Dhritarashtra, with his brothers, ministers, and wives, being carried off by the Gandharvas who dwell in heaven."
तं मोक्षयत भद्रं वः सहदारं नराधिपम्। परामर्शो मा भविष्यत्कुरुदारेषु सर्वशः। `इत्यब्रुवन्रणआन्मुक्ता धर्मराजमुपागताः
"Release this king, together with his wives, O blessed ones; let there be no resentment among the Kuru women." Thus spoke those who had escaped the battle, approaching the righteous king.
एवमुक्ते तु धर्मात्मा ज्येष्ठः पाण्डुसुतस्तदा। प्रसाद्य सोदरान्सर्वानाज्ञापयत मोक्षणे
When this was said, the eldest son of Pandu, righteous in soul, persuaded all his brothers and ordered them to secure their release.
अथागम्य तमुद्देशं पाण्डवाः पुरुषर्षभाः। सान्त्वपूर्वमयाचन्त शक्ताः सन्तो महारथाः
Then the Pandavas, best among men, went to that place and, though capable warriors, first sought peace and humbly requested their release.
यदा चास्मान्न मुमुचुर्गन्धर्वाः सान्त्विता अपि। `आकाशचारिणो वीरा नदन्तो जलदा इव
But even after we pleaded, the Gandharvas, those sky-roaming heroes, did not release us, roaring like thunderclouds.
ततोऽर्जुनश्च भीमश्च यमजौ च बलोत्कटौ। मुमुचुः शरवर्षाणि गन्धर्वान्प्रत्यनेकशः
Then Arjuna, Bhima, and the mighty twins, Yudhishthira's brothers, unleashed volleys of arrows upon the Gandharvas from all sides.
अथ सर्वे रणं मुक्त्वा प्रयाताः खेचरा दिवम्। अस्मानेवाभिकर्षन्तो दीनान्मुदितमानसाः
Thereupon, all the celestial warriors abandoned the battle and ascended to heaven, dragging us along, their hearts filled with joy.
ततः समन्तात्पश्यामः शरजालेन वेष्टितम्। अमानुषाणि चास्त्राणि प्रयुञ्जानं घनंजयम्
Then we saw, all around, Arjuna enveloped in a network of arrows, wielding weapons beyond the power of mortals.
समावृता दिशो दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवेन शितैः शरैः। धनंजयसखाऽऽत्मानं दर्शयामास वै तदा
Seeing all directions covered by Pandava's sharp arrows, the friend of Dhananjaya then revealed his true form.
चित्रसेनः पाण्डवेन समाश्लिष्य परस्परम्। कुशलं परिपप्रच्छ तैः पृष्टश्चाप्यनामयम्
Citrarshena and the Pandava embraced each other, and they inquired after each other's welfare, and they too were asked about their well-being.
ते समेत्य तथाऽन्योन्यं सन्नाहान्विप्रमुच्य च। एकीभूतास्ततो वीरा गन्धर्वाः सह पाण्डवैः
Having come together in this way and set aside their armor, the heroes—the Gandharvas together with the Pandavas—became united.
परस्परं समागम्य प्रीत्या परमया युतौ'। अपूजयेतामन्योन्यं चित्रसेनधनंजयौ
Meeting each other with the utmost affection, Citrarshena and Dhananjaya honored one another.
चित्रसेनं समागम्य प्रहसन्नर्जुनस्तदा। इदं वचनमक्लीवमब्रवीत्परवीरहा
Then Arjuna, meeting Citrarshena, smiled and, without hesitation, spoke these words as the destroyer of enemy heroes.
भ्रातृनर्हसि मे वीर मोक्तुं गन्धर्वसत्तम। अनर्हधर्षणा हीमे जीवमानेषु पाण्डुषु
O hero, you ought to release my brother, O best of Gandharvas, for the Pandavas do not deserve to be insulted while they yet live.
एवमुक्तस्तु गन्धर्वः पाण्डवेन महात्मना। उवाच यत्कर्ण वयं मन्त्रयन्तो विनिर्गताः
Thus addressed by the great-souled Pandava, the Gandharva replied, 'It was because of Karna that we came out after holding counsel.'
स्थितोराज्येच्युतान्स्थानाच्छ्रियाहीनांश्रियावृतः' द्रष्टास्मि निःसुखान्वीरान्सदारान्पाण्डवानिति
'I will see the Pandavas, deprived of their kingdom, cast out from their place, bereft of prosperity, covered in shame, suffering with their wives.'
तस्मिन्नुच्चार्यमाणे तु गन्धर्वेण वचस्तथा। भूमेर्विवरमन्वैच्छं प्रवेष्टुं व्रीडयाऽन्वितः
While the Gandharva was uttering these words, I wished to find a crevice in the earth to enter, overwhelmed with shame.
युधिष्ठिरमथागम् गन्धर्वाः सह पाण्डवैः। अस्मद्दुर्मन्त्रितं तस्मै बद्धांश्चास्मान्न्यवेदयन्
Then the Gandharvas, together with the Pandavas, approached Yudhishthira and informed him that we had been bound because of our own ill counsel.
स्त्रीसमक्षमहं दीनो बद्धः शत्रुवशं गतः। युधिष्ठिरस्योपहृतः किंनु दुःखमतः परम्
Brought before Yudhishthira, I, wretched, bound, fallen under the power of my enemies, in the presence of women—what greater misery could there be?
ये मे निराकृता नित्यं रिपुर्येषामहं सदा। तैर्मोक्षितोऽहं दुर्बुद्धिर्दत्तं तैरेव जीवितम्
Those whom I always rejected, whose enemy I have always been, by them I have been released; my foolish life has been given back by them.
प्राप्तः स्यां यद्यहं वीर वधं तस्मिन्महारणे। श्रेयस्तद्भविता मह्यं नैवंभूतस्य जीवितम्
If I, O hero, had met my death in that great battle, it would have been better for me than to live in this condition.
भवेद्यशः पृथिव्यां मे ख्यातं गन्धर्वतो वधात्। प्राप्ताश्च पुण्यलोकाः स्युर्महेन्द्रसदनेऽक्षयाः
If I had died at the hands of the Gandharva, my fame would have spread across the earth, and I would have attained the blessed, eternal worlds in Indra's abode.
यत्त्वद्य मे व्यवसितं तच्छृणुध्वं नरर्षभाः। इह प्रायमुपासिष्ये यूयं व्रजत वै गृहान्। भ्रातरश्चैव मे सर्वे यान्त्वद्य स्वपुरं प्रति
Hear now, O best of men, what I have resolved today: I will undertake a fast unto death here; you all return home, and let all my brothers go back to our city today.
कर्णप्रभृतयश्चैव सुहृदो बान्धवाश्च ये। दुःशासनं पुरस्कृत्य प्रयान्त्वद्य पुरं प्रति
Let Karna and my other friends and relatives, with Duhshasana at their head, return to the city today.
न ह्यहं संप्रयास्यामि पुरं शत्रुनिराकृतः। शत्रुमानापहो भूत्वा सुहृदां मानकृत्तथा
For I will not go to the city, having been cast down by my enemies, having become a disgrace to my friends and a destroyer of their honor.
कामं रणशिरस्यद्य शत्रुभिर्वै विमानितः'। स सुहृच्छोकदो जातः शत्रूणां हर्वर्धनः। वारणाह्वयमासाद्य किं वक्ष्यामि जनाधिपम्
Though today I have been humiliated by enemies on the battlefield, and have become a source of grief for my friends and joy for my foes, what shall I say to the king when I reach Hastinapura?
भीष्मद्रोणौ कृपद्रौणी विदुरः संजयस्तथा। बाह्लीकः सौमदत्तिश्च ये चान्ये वृद्धसंमताः
Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Ashvatthama, Vidura, Sanjaya, Bahlika, Saumadatti, and all the other elders who are honored—
ब्राह्मणाः श्रेणिमुख्याश्च तथोदासीनवृत्तयः। किं मां वक्ष्यंति किं चापि प्रतिवक्ष्यामि तानहं
What will the Brahmins, the leaders of the guilds, and those who are indifferent say to me? And what shall I say in reply to them?
रिपूणां शिरसि स्थित्वा तथा विक्रम्य चोरसि। आत्मदोषात्परिभ्रष्टः कथं वक्ष्यामि तानहम्
Having stood upon the heads of my enemies and fought bravely upon the battlefield, how can I now speak to them, having fallen from my own virtue through my own fault?