तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य कर्णो राजानमब्रवीत् ।। 47
Hearing these words from him, Karṇa spoke to the king.
सूक्तं सुशर्मणा वाक्यं प्राप्तकालमिदं वचः। तस्मात्क्षिप्रं विनिर्यामो योजयित्वा वरूथिनीं ।। 48
Suśarman's speech was well-spoken and timely; therefore, let us quickly set out, assembling the troops.
यदेतत्तेऽभिरुचितं मम चैतद्धि रोचते। प्रविभज्य च सैन्यानि यथा वा मन्यते भवान् ।। 49
What you have proposed pleases me, and I am also inclined to it; let the armies be divided as you think best.
प्रज्ञावान्कुलवृद्धश्च सर्वेषां नः पितामहः। आचार्यश्च कृपो विद्वाञ्शकुनिश्चापि सौबलः ।। 50
Our grandfather is wise and experienced in lineage, and Kripa the teacher is learned, as is Śakuni, son of Subala.
मन्यन्ते ते यथा सर्वे तथा यात्रा विधीयताम्। संमन्त्र्य चाशु गच्छामः साधनार्थं महीपते ।। 51
Let us do as you all think best and arrange the expedition accordingly; after consulting together, O king, let us quickly set out to accomplish our aim.
किंनु नः पाण्डवैः कार्यं हीनार्थबलपौरुषैः। अत्यन्तं हि प्रनष्टास्ते प्राप्ता वाऽपि यमक्षयम् ।। 52
What business do we have with the Pandavas, who are now deprived of wealth, strength, and valor? Surely, they are utterly destroyed or have already reached the abode of Yama.
तद्भवांश्चतुरङ्गेण बलेन महता वृतः। विराटनगरं यातु सर्वसैन्येन भारत। आदास्यामोऽथ गास्तस्य विविधानि वसूनि च ।। 53
Therefore, you should go to the city of Virata, surrounded by a great fourfold army, O descendant of Bharata, with all our forces; then we shall seize his cattle and various treasures.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा वचः श्रुत्वा तु तस्य तत्। वैकर्तनस्य कर्णस्य क्षिप्रमाज्ञापयत्स्वयम्। शासने नित्ययुक्तं तु दुःशासनमनन्तरम् ।। 54
Then King Duryodhana, having heard these words of Karna, son of the charioteer, immediately ordered Duhshasana, who was ever diligent in carrying out commands.
सह वृद्धैस्तु संमन्त्र्य क्षिप्रं योजय वाहिनीम्। यथोद्देशं तु गच्छामः सहिताः सर्वकौरवैः ।। 55
After consulting with the elders, quickly mobilize the army, so that we may proceed as planned, together with all the Kauravas.
सुशर्मा तु यथोद्दिष्टं देशं यातु महारथः। त्रिगर्तैः सहितः सर्वैः प्रख्यातबलपौरुषैः। प्रागेव हि सुसंयत्तो विराटनगरं प्रति ।। 56
Let the mighty Suśarman, as instructed, proceed to the designated place with all the renowned and valiant Trigartas, for he is already well-prepared to march towards the city of Virata.
जघन्यतो वयं तत्र यास्यामो दिवसान्तरे। विषयं मत्स्यराजस्य सुसमृद्धं सुसंहितम् ।। 57
We shall go there from the rear on the following day, to the prosperous and well-defended territory of the king of the Matsyas.
सुशर्मणा गृहीते तु मत्स्यराजस्य गोधने। विराटः सैन्यमादाय त्रिगर्तैः सह योत्स्यति ।। 58
When Suśarman has seized the cattle of the Matsya king, Virata will take up his army and fight against the Trigartas.
अपरं दिवसं गास्तु तत्र गृह्णन्तु कौरवाः। गवार्थे पाण्डवास्तत्र योत्स्यन्ति कुरुभिः सह ।। 59
On the next day, let the Kauravas seize the cattle there; for the sake of the cows, the Pandavas will fight there together with the Kurus.
तथा गत्वा यथोद्देशं विराटनगरान्तिके। क्षिप्रं गोष्ठं समासाद्य गृह्णन्तु विपुलं धनम् ।। 60
Thus, having gone as planned to the vicinity of Virata's city, let them quickly reach the cattle-station and seize the abundant wealth.
गवां शतसहस्राणि श्रीमन्ति गुणवन्ति च। वयमस्य निगृह्णीमो द्विधा कृत्वा च वाहिनीम् ।। 61
Let us seize these hundreds of thousands of splendid and excellent cows, dividing our army into two.
ते स्म गत्वा यथोद्दिष्टं देशं मत्स्यमहीपतेः। संनद्धा रथिनः सर्वे सपताका बलोत्कटाः। प्रतिवैरं चिकीर्षन्तो गोषु गृद्धा महाबलाः ।। 62
Having gone as instructed to the territory of the Matsya king, all the chariot-warriors, fully armed and bearing banners, eager for battle and greedy for cattle, stood ready with their mighty forces.
आदत्त गाः सुशर्माऽथ कृष्णपक्षस्य चाष्टमीम् ।। 63
Then Suśarman seized the cows on the eighth day of the dark fortnight.
अपरे दिवसे सर्वे राजन्संभूय कौरवाः। नवम्यां ते न्यगृह्णन्त गोकुलानि सहस्रशः। कौरवास्तु महावीर्या मत्स्यानां विषयान्तरे ।। 64
On the next day, O king, all the Kauravas assembled and on the ninth day seized thousands of cattle-pens; the mighty Kauravas did so in another part of the Matsya territory.
ततस्तेषां महाराज तत्रैवामिततेजसाम्। छद्मलिङ्गप्रविष्टानां पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् ।। 1
There, O great king, among those of immeasurable energy, the Pandavas of great soul, who had entered in disguise, remained.
व्यतीतः समयः सम्यग्विराटनगरे सताम्। कुर्वतां तस्य कर्माणि वीराटस्य महीपतेः ।। 2
The appointed time passed well for them in the city of Virata, as they performed the duties of King Virata.
कीचके तु हते राजा विराटः परवीरहा। परां संभावनां चक्रे कुन्तीपुत्रे युधिष्ठिरे ।। 3
But when Kichaka was slain, King Virata, destroyer of enemy heroes, showed great honor to Yudhishthira, son of Kunti.
ततस्त्रयोदशस्वान्ते तस्य वर्षस्य भारत। शुशर्मणा गृहीतं तु गोधनं तरसा बहु ।। 4
Then, at the end of the thirteenth year, O Bharata, Suśarman forcefully seized a great herd of cattle.
ततः शब्दो महानासीद्रेणुश्च दिवमस्पृशत्। शङ्खदुन्दुभिघोषश्च भेरीणां च महास्वनः। गवाश्वरथनागानां निश्वनश्च पदातिनाम् ।। 5
Then a great sound arose, and dust reached up to the sky; the blaring of conches and drums, the deep roar of kettle-drums, and the loud noise of trumpets, mingled with the cries of cows, horses, chariots, elephants, and the shouts of foot soldiers.
एवं तैस्त्वभिनिर्याय मत्स्यराजस्य गोधने। त्रिगर्तैर्गृह्यमाणे तु गोपालाः प्रत्यषेधयन् ।। 6
Thus, when the cowherds set out with the cattle of the king of the Matsyas, and the Trigartas began to seize them, the cowherds resisted.
अथ त्रिगर्ता बहवः परिगृह्य धनं बहु । परिक्षिप्य हयैः शीघ्रै रथव्रातैश्च भारत। गोपालान्प्रत्ययुध्यन्त रणे कृत्वा जये धृतिम् ।। 7
Then many Trigartas, having seized much wealth, surrounded the cowherds with swift horses and groups of chariots, O Bharata, and fought them in battle, determined on victory.
ते हन्यमाना बहुभिः प्रासतोमरपाणिभिः । गोपाला गोकुले भक्ता वारयामासुरोजसा ।। 8
Though attacked by many wielding spears and maces, the devoted cowherds in the settlement strove to hold them off with all their strength.
परश्वथैश्च मुसलैर्भिण्डिपालैश्च मुद्गरैः। गोपालाः कर्षणैश्चित्रैर्जघ्नुरश्वान्समन्ततः ।। 9
With axes, clubs, slings, and heavy mallets, the cowherds struck at the horses all around with their various implements.
ते हन्यमानाः संक्रुद्धास्त्रिगर्ता रथयोधिनः । विसृज्य शरवर्षणि गोपानद्रावयन्बलात् ।। 10
Enraged, the Trigarta chariot-warriors, striking down the cowherds, unleashed volleys of arrows and forcefully drove the cowherds back.
हन्यमानेषु गोपेषु विमुखेषु विशांपते। ततो युवानः संभीताः श्वसन्तो रेणुगुण्ठिताः ।। 11
As the cowherds were being struck down and turned to flee, O lord of men, the young men, frightened, panting, and covered in dust, fled.
जवेन महता चैव गोपालाः पुरमाव्रजन्। विराटनगरं प्राप्य नरा राजानमब्रुवन् ।। 12
With great speed, the cowherds returned to the city; reaching Virata's capital, the men spoke to the king.