ततो दिव्या दुन्दुभयः प्रणेदुः पपातोच्चैः पुष्पवर्षं च दिव्यम्। दृष्ट्वा कर्णं शस्त्रसंकृत्तगात्रं महुश्चापि स्मयमानं नृवीरम्
Then celestial drums resounded, and a shower of divine flowers fell from above, as the gods beheld Karna, his body wounded by weapons, yet the great hero stood there, smiling.
ततश्छित्त्वा कवचं दिव्यमङ्गा- त्तथैवार्द्रं प्रददौ वासवाय। तथोत्कृत्य प्रददौ कुण्डले ते कर्णात्तस्मात्कर्मणा तेन कर्णः
Then, having cut away the divine armor from his body, still moist, he gave it to Vasava; likewise, having removed them, he gave his earrings to you—thus, by this act, Karna became Karna.
ततः पश्चाद्दिवमेवोत्पपात
After that, he immediately ascended to the heavens.
श्रुत्वा कर्णं मुषितं धार्तराष्ट्रा दीनाः सर्वे भग्नदर्पा इवासन्। तां रचावस्थां गमितं सूतपुत्रं श्रुत्वा पार्था जहृपुः काननस्थाः
Hearing that Karna had been deprived, all the sons of Dhritarashtra became dejected, their pride broken; but when the Pandavas dwelling in the forest heard of the condition brought upon the son of the charioteer, they rejoiced.
क्वस्ता वीराः पाण्डवास्ते बभूवुः कुतश्चैते श्रुतवन्तः प्रियं तत्। किं वाऽकार्षुर्द्वादशेऽब्दे व्यतीते तन्मे सर्वं भगवान्व्याकरोतु
Where were those heroic Pandavas then, and how did they hear this pleasing news? What did they do after the twelfth year had passed? May the venerable sage explain all this to me.
लब्ध्वा कृष्णां सैन्धवं द्रावयित्वा विप्रैः सार्धं काम्यकादाश्रमात्ते। मार्कण्डेयाच्छ्रुतवन्तः पुराणं कदेवर्षीणआं चरितं विस्तरेण
Having recovered Krishna and driven away the prince of Sindhu, together with the Brahmanas, they left the hermitage of Kamyaka; from Markandeya they heard the Purana, the detailed tales of the ancient seers.
प्रत्याजग्मुः सरथाः सानुयात्राः सर्वैः सार्धं सूतपौरोगवैस्ते। ततो ययुर्द्वैतवनं नृवीरा निस्तीर्यैवं वनवासं समग्रम्
Then, with their chariots and followers, accompanied by all the sons of the charioteers and priests, the heroic kings returned; thus, having completed their forest exile, they went to the Dvaita forest.
एवं हृतायां भार्यायां प्राप्य क्लेशमनुत्तमम्। प्रतिपद्य ततः कृष्णां किमकुर्वत पाण्डवाः
When their wife had been taken and they had endured unparalleled hardship, what did the Pandavas do after regaining Krishna?
एवं हृतायां कृष्णायां प्राप्य क्लेशमनुत्तमम्। विहाय काम्यकं राजा सह भ्रातृभिरच्युतः
After Krishna had been taken and they had suffered immense distress, the king, leaving Kamyaka with his brothers and Achyuta, departed.
पुनर्द्वैतवनं रम्यमाजगाम युधिष्ठिरः। स्वादुमूलफलं रम्यं विचित्रबहुपादपम्
Yudhishthira returned again to the delightful Dvaita forest, abundant with sweet roots and fruits, and adorned with many wondrous trees.
अनुभुक्तफलाहाराः सर्व एव मिताशनाः। न्यवसन्पाण्डवास्तत्रकृष्णया सह भार्यया
There, all the Pandavas, together with their wife Krishna, lived, sustaining themselves on the fruits they gathered, eating in moderation.
वसन्द्वैतवने राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। भीमसेनोऽर्जुनश्चैव माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ
Dwelling in the Dvaita forest were King Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, Bhimasena, Arjuna, and the two sons of Madri, the Pandavas.
ब्राह्मणार्थे पराक्रान्ता धर्मात्मानो यतव्रताः। क्लेशमार्च्छन्त विपुलं सुखोदर्कं परंतपाः
Devoted to righteousness, steadfast in their vows, and striving for the sake of the Brahmanas, those tormentors of foes endured great hardship, which would ultimately lead to happiness.
तस्मिन्प्रतिवसन्तस्ते यत्प्रापुः कुरुसत्तमाः। वने क्लेशं सुखोदर्कं तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि ते शृणु
While they were residing there, O best of the Kurus, I will tell you of the hardship, which would bring happiness, that they encountered in the forest—listen.
अरणीसहितं भाण्डं ब्राह्मणस्य तपस्विनः। मृगस् घर्षणस्य विपाणे समसज्जत
A deer, swift and powerful, seized the fire-making apparatus of a Brahmana ascetic, which included the aranis, and quickly fled into the forest.
तदादाय गतो राजंस्त्वरमाणो महामृगः। आश्रमान्तरितः शीघ्रं प्लवमानो महाजवः
Taking that, the great deer, moving swiftly, hurried away, leaping rapidly, and disappeared into the depths of the forest.
ह्रियमाणं तु तं दृष्ट्वा स विप्रः कुरुसत्तम। त्वरितोऽभ्यागमत्तत्रअग्निहोत्रपरीप्सया। `तेषां तु वसतां तत्र पाण्डवानां महारथम्
Seeing his fire-making tools being carried off, the Brahmana, eager to perform his sacrificial rites, hastily approached the Pandavas, who were then residing in the forest.
अजातशत्रुमासीनं भ्रातृभिः सहितं वने। आगम्य ब्राह्मणस्तूर्णं संतप्तश्चेदमब्रवीत्
Coming quickly, the Brahmana, distressed, spoke these words to Ajatashatru, who was seated in the forest with his brothers.
अरणीसहितं भाण्डं समासक्तं वनस्पतौ। मृगस्य घऱ्षमाणस्य विषाणे समसज्जत
The fire-making sticks, together with their container, which had become entangled in the tree, were caught on the horn of the rubbing deer.
तमादाय गतो राजंस्त्वरमाणो महामृगः। आश्रमात्त्वरितः शीघ्रं प्लवमानो महाजवः
Seizing it, the great deer swiftly departed from the hermitage, moving quickly with great speed.
तस्य गत्वा पदं राजन्नासाद्य च महामृगम्। अग्निहोत्रं न लुप्येत तदानयत पाण्डवाः
Having followed its tracks, O King, and not yet catching the great deer, the Pandavas brought it back so that the sacrificial fire would not be lost.
ब्राह्मणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सन्तप्तोऽथ युधिष्ठिरः। धनुरादाय कौन्तेयः प्राद्रवद्भ्रातृभिः सह
Hearing the words of the Brahmin, Yudhishthira was distressed; the son of Kunti took up his bow and rushed forth with his brothers.
सन्नद्धा धन्विनः सर्वे प्राद्रवन्नरपुङ्गवाः। ब्राह्मणार्थे यतन्तस्ते शीघ्रमन्वगमन्मृगम्
All the foremost of warriors, armed with bows and fully equipped, hurried after the deer for the sake of the Brahmin, striving quickly.
कर्णिनालीकनाराचानुत्सृजन्तो महारथाः। नाविध्यन्पाण्डवास्तत्र पश्यन्तो मृगमन्तिकात्
The mighty chariot-warriors released arrows, broad-headed, barbed, and sharp, but the Pandavas, though seeing the deer nearby, could not strike it.
तेषां प्रयतमानानां नादृश्यत महामृगः। अपश्यन्तोमृगं श्रान्ता दुःखं प्राप्ता मनस्विनः
Though they exerted themselves, the great deer was not seen by them; exhausted and sorrowful, unable to see the deer, the high-minded ones were afflicted.
शीतलच्छायमागमय् न्यग्रोधं गहने वने। क्षुत्पिपासापरीताङ्गाः पाण्डवाः समुपाविशन्
Seeking cool shade, the Pandavas sat down beneath a banyan tree in the dense forest, their bodies overcome by hunger and thirst.
तेषां समुपविष्टानां नकुलो दुःखितस्तदा। अब्रवीद्भ्रातरं श्रेष्ठममर्षात्कुरुनन्दनम्
As they sat together, Nakula, distressed, spoke out of impatience to his eldest brother, the best of the Kurus.
नास्मिन्कुले जातु ममज्ज धर्मो न चालस्यादर्थलोपो बभूव। अनुत्तराः सर्वभूतेषु भूप संप्राप्ताः स्मः संशयं किंनु राजन्
In our lineage, righteousness has never been submerged, nor has loss arisen from laziness; O King, we have always been unsurpassed among all beings—how then have we come to this uncertainty?
नापदामस्ति मर्यादा न निमित्तं न कारणम्। धर्मस्तु विभजत्यर्थमुभयोः पुण्यपापयोः
There is no fixed rule, no cause, no reason for calamities; it is righteousness that apportions fortune between both virtue and sin.
प्रातिकाम्यनयत्कृष्णां सभायां प्रेष्यवत्तदा। न मया निहतस्तत्रतेन प्राप्ताः स्म संशयम्
When Draupadi was led into the assembly and treated like a servant, I did not kill the one responsible; because of that, we have come to this uncertainty.