किंस्विद्वनमिदं दग्धं किंखिद्दृष्टो मृतो भवेत्। प्रहरन्तो महाभूतं शप्तास्तेनाथ तेऽपतन्
'What is this? Has the forest been burned? Or did they see something and die? Did they attack some great being and were cursed, and so they fell?'
न पश्यन्त्यथवा वीराः पानीयं यत्रते गताः। अन्विच्छद्भिर्वने तोयं कालोऽयमतिपातितः
Or perhaps, O hero, they do not see the water where they went; searching for water in the forest, much time has passed.
किंनु तत्कारणं येन नायान्ति पुरुषर्षभाः। गच्छाम्येषां पदं द्रष्टुमिति कृत्वा युधिष्ठिरः
What is the reason that these best of men do not return? Thinking, 'I will go to see their path,' Yudhishthira set out.
समुत्थाय महाबुद्धिर्दह्यमानेन चेतसा। व्यपेतजननिर्घोषं प्रविवेश महावनम्
Rising up, that great-minded one, his heart burning with anxiety, entered the great forest, now silent of all human sounds.
रुरुभिश्च वराहैश्च पक्षिभिश्च निषेवितम्। नीलभास्वरवर्णैश्च पादपैरुशोभितम्
It was frequented by deer, boars, and birds, and adorned with trees of shining blue and golden hues.
भ्रमरैरुपगीतं च पक्षिभिश् समन्ततः। `मृदुशाड्वलसंकीर्णभूमिभागं मनोहरम्
It was filled with the humming of bees and the calls of birds all around, its ground charming, covered with soft green grass.
स गच्छन्कानने तस्मिन्हेमजालपरिष्कृतम्। ददर्श तत्सरः श्रीमान्विश्वकर्मकृतं यथा
As he walked in that forest, adorned with golden lattices, he saw that splendid lake, as if crafted by Vishvakarma himself.
उपेतं नलिनीजालैः सिन्धुवारैः सचेतसैः। केतकैः करवीरैश्च पिप्पलैश्चैव संवृतम्
It was covered with clusters of lotuses, blooming sindhuvara flowers, ketaka and karavira shrubs, and shaded by pipal trees.
ततो धर्मसुतः श्रीमान्भ्रातृदर्शनलालसः'। श्रमार्तस्तदुपागम्य सरो दृष्ट्वाऽथ विस्मितः
Then the illustrious son of Dharma, longing to see his brothers and weary from exertion, approached and, seeing the lake, was astonished.
ततस्ते यक्षवचनादुदतिष्ठन्त पाण्डवः। क्षुत्पिपासे च सर्वेषां क्षणेन व्यपगच्छताम्
Then, at the Yaksha's command, the Pandavas rose up, and in a moment, hunger and thirst left them all.
सरस्येकेन पादेन तिष्ठन्तमपराजितम्। पृच्छामि को भवान्देवो न मे यक्षो मतो भवान्
Seeing the unconquered one standing in the lake on one foot, I ask: Who are you, O god? You do not seem to me a Yaksha.
बसूनां वा भवानेको रुद्राणामथवा भवान्। अथवा मरुतां श्रेष्ठो वज्री वा त्रिदशेश्वरः
Are you one of the Vasus, or perhaps a Rudra? Or are you the foremost of the Maruts, or the wielder of the thunderbolt, lord of the gods?
मम हि भ्रातर इमे सहस्रशतयोधिनः। तं योधं न प्रपश्यामि येन सर्वे निपातिताः
For my brothers here are warriors who can fight a hundred thousand foes, yet I do not see the warrior who has struck them all down.
सुखं प्रति प्रबुद्दानामिन्द्रियाण्युपलक्षये। स भवान्सुहृदोस्माकमथवा नः पिता भवान्
I see that the senses of those who have awakened are at ease; perhaps you are our friend, or perhaps you are our father.
अहंते जनकस्तात धर्मो मृदुपराक्रम। त्वां रदिदृक्षुरनुप्राप्तो विद्धि मां भरतर्षभ
I am your father, O gentle hero, Dharma, of mild prowess. Desiring to see you, I have come; know me, O bull among the Bharatas.
यशः सत्यंदमः शौचमार्जवं ह्रीरचापलम्। दानं तपो ब्रह्मचर्यमित्येतास्तनवो मम
Fame, truth, self-control, purity, straightforwardness, modesty, absence of fickleness, charity, austerity, and celibacy—these are my limbs.
अहिंसा समता शान्तिस्तपः शौचममत्सरः। द्वाराण्येतानि मे विद्धि प्रियो ह्यसि सुतो मम
Non-violence, equanimity, peace, austerity, purity, and absence of envy—know these as my gates. You are dear to me, my son.
दिष्ट्या पञ्चसु रक्तोसि दिष्ट्या ते षट्रपदी जिता। द्वे पूर्वे मध्यमे द्वे च द्वे शान्ते सांपरायिके ।। $
By fortune you have mastered the five, by fortune you have conquered the six-stepped. Two are former, two are in the middle, and two are in the peaceful and final stages.
ध्रमोऽहमिति भद्रं ते जिज्ञासुस्त्वामिहागतः। आनृशंस्येन तुष्टोस्मि वरं दास्यामि तेऽनघ
I am Dharma; blessings to you! I came here to test you. I am pleased with your compassion and will grant you a boon, O sinless one.
वरं वृणीष्व राजेन्द्रदाता ह्यस्मि तवानघ। ये हि मे पुरुषा भक्ता न तेषामस्ति दुर्गतिः
Choose a boon, O king, for I am your benefactor, O sinless one. For those who are devoted to me, there is no misfortune.
अरणी तु हृतायस्य मृगेण वदतांवर। तस्याग्नयो न लुप्येरन्प्रथमोऽस्तु वरो मम
O best of speakers, the fire-stick of the Brahmin whose property was taken by the deer—let its fires not be lost; let this be my first boon.
आरणेयमिदं तस्य ब्राह्मणस्य हृतं मया। मृगवेषेण कौन्तेय जिज्ञालार्थं तवानघ
O faultless son of Kunti, it was I who, in the form of a deer, took this fire-stick from that Brahmin, wishing to test your resolve.
ददानीत्येव भगवानुत्तरं प्रत्यपद्यत। अन्यं वरय भद्रं ते वरं त्वममरोपम
The Blessed Lord replied at once, 'I grant it. Choose another boon, O you who are like the immortals; good fortune to you.'
वर्षाणि द्वादशारण्ये त्रयोदशमुपस्थितम्। तत्रनो नाभिजानीयुर्वसतो मनुजाः क्वचित्
For twelve years in the forest, and now the thirteenth has arrived—let no humans anywhere recognize us as we dwell there.
ददानीत्येव भगवानुत्तरं प्रत्यपद्यत। भूयश्चाश्वासयामास कौन्तेयं सत्यविक्रमम्
The Blessed Lord replied at once, 'I grant it,' and again comforted the son of Kunti, steadfast in truth and valor.
यद्यपि स्वेन रूपेण चरिष्यथ महीमिमाम्। न वो विज्ञास्यते कश्चित्रिषु लोकेषु भारत
Even if you move about this earth in your own forms, O Bharata, no one in the three worlds will recognize you.
वर्षंत्रयोदशमिदं मत्प्रसादात्कुरूद्वहाः। विराटनगरे गूढा अविज्ञाताश्चरिष्यथ
O best of the Kurus, by my grace, during this thirteenth year you shall live hidden and unrecognized in the city of Virata.
यद्वः संकल्पितं रूपं मनसा यस् यादृशम्। तादृशं तादृशं सर्वे छन्दतो धारयिष्यथ
Whatever form each of you desires in your mind, just so, just so, you shall all assume at will.
अरणीसहितं भाण्डं ब्राह्मणाय प्रयच्छत। जिज्ञासार्थं मया ह्येतदाहृतंमृगरूपिणा
Return the fire-stick and the vessel to the Brahmin; it was I who took them in the form of a deer, for the sake of testing you.
प्रवृणीष्वापरं सौम्य वरमिष्टं ददानि ते। न तृप्यामि नरश्रेष्ठ प्रयच्छन्वै वरांस्तथा
Choose another desired boon, gentle one; I shall grant it to you. O best of men, I am not yet satisfied in granting such boons.