विविंशतिर्विकर्णश्च चित्रसेनश्च वीर्यवान् । दुःसहो दुर्मुखश्चैव एते चान्ये महारथाः ।। 3
Vivimsati, Vikarna, the mighty Citrashena, Duhsaha, Durmukha, and other great chariot-warriors,
सर्वे मत्स्यानुपागम्य विराटस्य महीपतेः । गोपान्विद्राव्य तरसा गोधनं जह्रुरोजसा ।। 4
All of them, having reached the Matsyas, the realm of King Virata, drove away the cowherds by force and seized the cattle with great energy.
गवां शतसहस्राणि कुरवः कालयन्ति च । महता रथवंशेन परिगृह्य समन्ततः ।। 5
The Kurus are driving away hundreds of thousands of cows, surrounded on all sides by a great host of chariots.
गोपालानां तु घोषेषु हन्यतां तैर्महारथैः । आरावः सुमहानासीत्संप्रहारे भयंकरे ।। 6
In the cowherds’ settlements, those great warriors began to slaughter, and a tremendous, terrifying clamor arose in the fierce attack.
गवाध्यक्षस्तु संत्रस्तो रथमास्थाय सत्वरः। जगाम नगरायैव परिक्रोशंस्तदाऽऽर्तवत् ।। 7
The superintendent of the cows, frightened, quickly mounted his chariot and went straight to the city, crying out in distress.
स प्रविश्य पुरं राज्ञो नृपवेश्माभ्ययात्ततः। अवतीर्य रथात्तूर्णमाख्यातुं प्रविवेश ह ।। 8
Entering the city, he went to the king’s palace, and swiftly descended from his chariot to report what had happened.
दृष्ट्वा भूमिंजयं नाम पुत्रं मात्स्यस्य मानिनम् । तस्मै च सर्वमाचष्ट राष्ट्रस्य पशुकर्षणम् ।। 9
Seeing Bhuminjaya, the proud son of the Matsya king, he told him everything about the seizure of the kingdom’s cattle.
गवां शतसहस्राणि कुरबः कालयन्ति ते। प्रतिजेतुं समुत्तिष्ठ गोधनं राष्ट्रवर्धन ।। 10
The Kurus are driving away hundreds of thousands of cows—rise up to challenge them, O enhancer of the kingdom’s wealth!
राजपुत्र हितप्रेप्सुः क्षिप्रं निर्याहि वै स्वयम् । त्वां हि मत्स्यो महीपालः शून्यपालमिहाकरोत् ।। 11
Prince, eager for your welfare, go out at once yourself; for the Matsya king, the lord of the land, has left you as the sole protector here.
त्वां वै परिषदो मध्ये श्लाघते स नराधिपः । पुत्रो ममानुरूपश्च शूरश्चेति कुलोद्वहः ।। 12
In the midst of the assembly, that king praises you, saying, ‘He is my worthy son, valiant and a true upholder of the family.’
इष्वस्त्रनिपुणो योधः सदा वीरश्च मे सुतः। समर्थः समरे योद्धुं कौरवैः सह तादृशै ।। 13
My son is always a skilled archer, a warrior, and a hero, fully capable of fighting in battle against such as the Kurus.
तस्य तत्सत्यमेवास्तु मनुष्येन्द्रस्य भाषितम् । जयश्च नियतो युद्धे कौरवाश्च ध्रुवं हताः ।। 14
Let the words spoken by that lord of men be proven true—victory in battle is certain, and the Kurus will surely be destroyed.
आवर्तय कुरूञ्जित्वा पशून्पशुपतिर्यथा। निर्दर्हषामनीकानि भीमेन शरतेजसा ।। 15
Having defeated the Kurus, bring back the cattle, as Paśupati would, shattering their ranks with the fiery arrows of Bhima.
धनुश्च्युतै रुक्मपुङ्खैश्चित्रैः संनतपर्वभिः । द्विषतां भिन्ध्यनीकानि गजानामिव यूथपः ।। 16
With your bow, let arrows with golden feathers and curved joints, swift and varied, pierce the enemy ranks like a leader of elephants scattering herds.
पाशोपधानां ज्यातन्त्रीं चापदण्डां महास्वनाम् । शरवर्णां धनुर्वीणां शत्रुमध्ये प्रवादय ।। 17
Sound in the midst of the enemy your bow, strung with the cord and fitted with the arrow-rest, resounding like a great instrument, raining arrows like a lute of war.
निर्याहि नगराच्छीघ्रं राजपुत्र किमास्यते । श्वेताः काञ्चनसंनाहा रथे युज्यन्तु ते हयाः । ध्वजं च सिहं सौवर्णमुच्छ्रयस्व तथा विभो ।। 18
Go forth quickly from the city, prince—why do you delay? Let white horses adorned with gold be yoked to your chariot, and raise high your golden lion banner, O lord.
रुक्मपुङ्खाः प्रसन्नाग्रा मुक्ता हस्तवता त्वया। छादयन्तु शराः सूर्यं राज्ञमायुर्निरोधकाः ।। 19
Let your arrows, with golden feathers and shining tips, released by your mighty hand, cover the sun and cut short the lives of kings.
रणे जित्वा कुरून्सर्वान्वज्रपाणिरिवासुरान् । यशो महदवाप्य त्वं प्रविरोदं पुरं पुनः ।। 20
Having conquered all the Kurus in battle, as Indra with the thunderbolt defeated the Asuras, win great fame and return again to the city.
त्वं हि राष्ट्रस्य परमा गतिर्मात्स्यपतेः सुतः। गतिमन्तो भवन्त्वद्य सर्वे विषयवासिनः ।। 21
For you are the chief refuge of the kingdom, O son of the Matsya king; today, all the people of the land look to you for protection.
यथा हि पाण्डुपुत्राणामर्जुनो जयतांवरः । एवमेव गतिर्नूनं भवान्विपयवासिनाम् ।। 22
Just as Arjuna, foremost among victors, is the refuge of the sons of Pandu, so surely are you the refuge of the people of this land.
महाजनसमक्षं तु स्त्रीणां मध्ये विशेषतः । गवाध्यक्षेण संप्रोक्तो विराटतनयस्तदा ।। 1
Then, in the presence of the great assembly, especially among the women, the chief of the cattle, the son of Virata, spoke thus.
स्त्रीमध्य उक्तस्तेनासौ वाक्यं तेजःप्रवर्धनम्। अन्तःपुरे श्लाघमान इदं वचनमब्रवीत् ।। 2
There, in the midst of the women, he spoke these words, increasing his own glory, boasting within the inner chambers.
अद्याहमनुगच्छेयं दृढधन्वा गवां पदम्। यदि मे सारथिः कश्चिद्भवेदश्वेषु कोविदः ।। 3
Today I would go to the cattle station, armed with a strong bow, if only I had a charioteer skilled with horses.
तमेव नाधिगच्छामि यो मे यन्ता समो भवेत् । पश्यध्वं सारथिं शीघ्रं मम युक्तं प्रयास्यतः ।। 4
But I cannot find anyone who could be my equal as a driver; see if you can quickly find a charioteer fit for me as I set out.
अष्टाविंशतिरात्रं वा मासं वा नूनमन्ततः । यत्तदासीन्महायुद्धं तत्र मे सारथिर्हतः ।। 5
For twenty-eight nights, or perhaps a month, during that great battle, my charioteer was killed.
यद्यहं त्वधिगच्छेयं यो मे यन्ता भवेद्युधि । त्वरावानद्य यास्यामि समुच्छ्रितमहाध्वजः ।। 6
If I could obtain someone who would be my driver in battle, today I would go forth swiftly, my great banner raised high.
विगाह्य तत्परानीकं गजवाजिरथाकुलम् । शस्त्रप्रतापान्निर्वीर्यान्कुरूञ्जित्वाऽऽनये पशून् ।। 7
Penetrating that hostile army, crowded with elephants, horses, and chariots, I would defeat the Kurus, weakened by the force of my weapons, and bring back the cattle.
दुर्योधनं विकर्णं च कर्णं वैकर्तनं कृपम्। द्रोणं च सह पुत्रेण महेष्वासान्समागतान् ।। 8
Duryodhana, Vikarna, Karna the son of Vikartana, Kripa, and Drona with his son—all these great archers assembled there—
विद्रावयित्वा संग्रामे दानवान्मघवानिव । अनेनैव मुहूर्तेन पुनः प्रत्यानये पशून् ।। 9
I would rout them in battle, as Maghavan did the demons, and in this very moment bring the cattle back again.
शून्यमाज्ञाय कुरवः प्रयान्त्यादाय गोधनम् । किं न शक्यं च तैः कर्तुं यदहं तत्र नाभवम् ।। 10
The Kurus, finding the place empty, took away the cattle; what could they not accomplish, since I was not there?