लक्षणं चरितं चैव गवां यच्चापि मङ्गलम् । सत्सर्वं मे सुविदितमन्यच्चापि विशांपते
I know well the marks, behavior, and auspicious qualities of cows, O lord of the people, and much else besides.
वृषभानपि जानामि राजन्पूजितलक्षणान्। येषां मूत्रमुपाघ्राय अपि वन्ध्या प्रसूयते
O King, I also know the bulls that bear marks of honor, whose urine, when smelled, even causes a barren cow to conceive.
सोऽहमेवं चरिष्यामि प्रीतिरत्र परा हि मे। विराटनगरे गूढो रंस्येऽहं तेन कर्मणा
Thus I will act, for I have great affection for this; hidden in the city of Virata, I will find joy in that work.
तोषयिष्ये च राजानां मा भूच्चिन्ता तवानघ । न च मां वेत्स्यति परस्तत्ते रोचतु पार्थिव। इत्येतद्वः प्रतिज्ञातं विचरिष्याम्यहं यथा
I will please the king; let there be no worry for you, O sinless one. No outsider will recognize me; let this please you, O ruler. Thus I promise you: I will move about as I have said.
केनात्र कर्मणा कृष्णा द्रौपदी विचरिष्यति। न हि किंचिद्विजानाति कर्म कर्तुं यथा स्त्रियः
By what work will Krishna Draupadi move about here? For she knows nothing of the tasks that women perform.
माल्यागन्धानलङ्कारान्वस्त्राणि विविधानि च। एतान्येवाभिजानाति यथाजाता च भामिनी
She only knows garlands, perfumes, ornaments, and various garments, as is natural for a beautiful woman.
पतिव्रता महाभागा कथं नु विचरिष्यति। इयं तु नः प्रिया भार्या प्राणेभ्योपि गरीयसी
How will this devoted, greatly fortunate wife move about? She is our beloved wife, dearer than life itself.
मातेव परिपाल्या च पूज्या ज्येष्ठा स्वसेव च । सुकुमारी सुशीला च राजपुत्री यशस्विनी । कथं वत्स्यति कल्याणी विराटनगरे सती
She must be protected like a mother, honored like the eldest sister, delicate and virtuous, a glorious princess—how will this blessed one live in the city of Virata?
अहं वत्स्यामि राजेन्द्र निर्वृतो भव पार्थिव। यथा ते मत्कृते शोको न भवेन्नृपते शृणु। यथा तु मां न जानन्ति यत्करिष्याम्यहं प्रभो
I will live there, O king; be at ease, O ruler. Listen, so that you will not grieve on my account. Hear how I will act so that no one will recognize me.
छन्ना वत्स्याम्यहं यन्मां न विजानन्ति केचन। वृत्तं तच्च समाख्यास्ये शर्म तेस्तु विशांपते
I will dwell in concealment, so that no one will know me; I will tell you what I will do, so that you may be at ease, O lord of the people.
सैरन्ध्रीजातिसंपन्ना नाम्नाऽहं व्रतचारिणी
I am a maidservant by birth and name, devoted to vows.
सैरन्ध्र्यो रक्षिताः स्त्रीणां भुजिष्याः सन्ति भारत । एकपत्न्यः स्त्रियश्चैता इति लोकस्य निश्चयः
Maidservants are protected among women, and some become mistresses, O Bharata; these women are known to be devoted to one husband—this is the settled understanding of people.
साऽहं ब्रुवाणा सैरन्ध्री कुशला केशकर्मणि। प्रमदाहरिका लोके पुरुषाणां प्रवासिनाम्
So I will say that I am a maidservant skilled in hairdressing, a companion of women, and known among men who are far from home.
युधिष्ठिरस्य वै गेहे द्रौपद्याः परिचारिका। उषिताऽस्मीति वक्ष्यामि पृष्टा राज्ञा च भारत। आत्मगुप्ता चरिष्यामि यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि
I will say, if questioned by the king, O Bharata, that I lived as an attendant of Draupadi in Yudhishthira’s house; I will act with self-restraint, as you have asked me.
नाहं तत्र भविष्यामि दुर्भरा राजवेश्मनि। कृत्वा चैव सदा रक्षां व्रतेनैव नराधिप
I will not remain there, for it is hard to endure in the royal palace; I will always maintain my protection through my vow, O king.
सुदेष्णां प्रत्युपस्थास्ये राजभार्यां यशस्विनीम् । सा रक्षिष्यति मां प्राप्तां मा ते भूद्दुःखमीदृशम्
I will attend upon Sudeshna, the illustrious queen; she will protect me when I arrive—may you not suffer such sorrow.
अथ गुप्ता चरिष्यामि युष्माभिस्तत्र तस्थुषी। इत्येवं वः प्रतिज्ञातं विहरिष्याम्यहं यथा
Then, protected by you all while I remain there, I will conduct myself accordingly—this is my promise to you, and so I shall live.
यथा नो दुर्हृदः पापा भवन्ति सुखिनः पुनः। कुर्यास्तथा त्वं कल्याणि लक्षयेयुर्न ते जनाः
Just as our ill-wishers, though wicked, may again become happy, so too, O noble one, should you act so that people do not recognize you.
कल्याणं भाषसे कृष्णे यथा कौलेयकी तथा। न पापमभिजानासि साध्वी साधुव्रते स्थिता
You speak well, O Krishna, just as the woman of the Kula clan did; you do not know sin, steadfast in your virtuous vow.
कर्माण्युक्तानि युष्माभिर्यानि तानि चरिष्यथ। मम चापि यथा बुद्धिरुचिता हि विनिश्चयात्
The tasks you have been assigned, you shall perform; and I too, according to my understanding and firm decision.
पुरोहितोऽयमस्माकमग्निहोत्राणि रक्षतु। सूतपौरोगवैः सार्धं द्रुपदस्य निवेशने
Let this priest of ours protect the sacred fires, together with the charioteers and cowherds, in the house of Drupada.
इन्द्रसेनमुखाश्चेमे रथानादाय केवलान् । यान्तु द्वारवतीं शीघ्रमिति मे वर्तते मतिः
Let these, headed by Indrasena, take the chariots and quickly go to Dvaraka—such is my decision.
इमाश्च नार्यो द्रौपद्याः सर्वाश्च परिचारिका । पाञ्चालानेव गच्छन्तु सूतपौरोगवैः सह
And let all these women, attendants of Draupadi, go to the Panchalas together with the charioteers and cowherds.
सर्वैरपि च वक्तव्यं न प्राज्ञायन्त पाण्डवाः । अर्धरात्रे महात्मानो भिक्षादान्ब्राह्मणानपि। गता ह्यस्मानपाहाय सर्वे द्वैतवनादिति
Let it be said by all that the Pandavas are not recognized; in the middle of the night, the great souls, even the Brahmanas who received alms, have left us behind and all gone to the Dvaita forest.
एवं तेऽन्योन्यमामन्त्र्य कर्माण्युक्त्वा पृथक्पृथक्। धौम्यमामन्त्रयामासुः स च तान्मन्त्रमब्रवीत्
Thus, after bidding each other farewell and assigning their tasks separately, they took leave of Dhaumya, and he spoke to them the sacred counsel.
तानन्वशात्स धर्मात्मा सर्वधर्मविशेषवित् । धौम्यः पुरोहितो राजन्पाण्डवान्पुरुषर्षभान्
That righteous Dhaumya, knower of all duties, the priest, O king, instructed the Pandavas, the best of men.
विदितं वै यथा सर्वं लोके वृत्तमिदं नृप। विदिते चापि वक्तव्यं सुहृद्भिरनुरागतः
It is well known, O king, how all this has happened in the world; and when it is known, it should be spoken of by loving friends.
अतोऽहमभिवक्ष्यामि हेतुमात्रं निबोधत। हन्तेमां राजवसतिं राजपुत्रा ब्रवीमि वः। यथा राजकुलं प्राप्य चरन्प्रोष्य न रिष्यति
Therefore I will now speak; listen to the reason. I will tell you, princes, how to dwell in the royal household so that, having lived there, you will not be harmed.
दुर्वासमेव कौरव्य जातेन कुरुवेश्मनि । अमानितेन मानार्ह गूढेन परिवत्सरम्
Just like Durvasa, O Kauravya, one born in the house of the Kurus, deserving of honor but remaining unrecognized, should live concealed for a year.
दिष्टद्वारो लभेद्द्रष्टुं राजस्वेषु न विश्वसेत्। न चानुशिष्याद्राजानमपृच्छन्तं कदाचन
One should enter only through the appointed door to see the king, and never trust the kings; nor should one ever instruct a king who has not asked.