आस्थाय विपुलं वीर रथं सारथिना मया। दुर्योधनं च जित्वाऽऽजौ निवर्तय पशून्मम
'Mount the great chariot, hero, with me as your charioteer, defeat Duryodhana in battle, and bring back my cattle.'
प्रीतोस्मि राजपुत्राद्य न भयं विद्यते तव। सर्वान्नुदामि ते शत्रून्रणे रणविशारद
'I am pleased with you today, prince; you need not fear. I will drive away all your enemies in battle, O skilled in war.'
स्वस्थो भव महान्युद्धे पश्य मां शत्रुभिः सह । युध्यमानं विमर्देऽस्मिन्कुर्वाणं भैरवं रवम्
'Be at ease in this great battle; see me fighting with the enemies in this clash, raising a terrible roar.'
गाण्डीवं देवदत्तं च शरान्कनकभूषणान्। एतान्सर्वानुपासङ्गान्क्षिप्रं बध्नीहि मे रथे । एकं चाहर निस्त्रिंशं जातरूपपरिष्कृतम्
'Quickly fasten for me on the chariot the Gandiva, the Devadatta, the arrows adorned with gold, and all the other accoutrements; and bring me a single sword decorated with pure gold.'
अहं वै कुरुभिर्योत्स्ये मोक्षयिष्यामि ते पशून् । तोषयिष्यामि राजानं प्रवेक्ष्यामि पुरं पुनः
I will indeed fight with the Kurus, I will rescue your cattle, I will satisfy the king, and I will enter the city again.
संकल्पागाधपरिधं बाहुप्राकारतोरणम्। त्रिदण्डतूणसंबाधं नैकध्वजसमाकुलम्
The city is encircled by deep resolve, with arms as ramparts and gateways, crowded with threefold barriers and filled with many banners.
ज्याक्षेपनिनदारावं नेमीनिनददुन्दुभिः । शरजालवितानाढ्यमाक्ष्वेडितमहास्वनम् । नगरं ते मया गुप्तं रथोपस्थं भविष्यति
With the roar of bowstrings, the thunder of wheels and drums, adorned with canopies of arrows, resounding with great neighing, your city, guarded by me, will become the seat of chariots.
अधिष्ठितो मया सङ्ख्ये रथो गाण्डीवधन्विना । अजय्यः शत्रुसैन्यानां वैराटे व्येतु ते भयम्
The chariot, presided over by me, the wielder of the Gandiva bow, will be unconquerable by enemy armies; let your fear in Virata be dispelled.
बहुना किं प्रलापेन शृणु मे परमं वचः। नाहं बिभेमि कौन्तेय साक्षादपि शतक्रतोः
Why speak at length in vain? Hear my supreme word: I do not fear, O son of Kunti, even the mighty Indra himself.
यमवायुकुबेरेभ्यो द्रोणभीष्मशतादपि । बिभेमि नाहमेतेभ्यो जानामि त्वां स्थिरं युधि । केशवेनापि संग्रामे साक्षादिन्द्रेण वा समम्
I do not fear Yama, Vayu, Kubera, nor even a hundred Droṇas and Bhīṣmas; I know you are steadfast in battle, whether with Keśava or even with Indra himself.
इदं तु चिन्तयन्नेव परिमुह्यामि केवलम्। निश्चयं नाधिगच्छामि नावगच्छामि किंचन
Yet, pondering this, I am utterly bewildered; I do not arrive at certainty, nor do I understand anything at all.
एवं वराङ्गरूपस्य लक्षणैः सूचितस्य च। केन कर्मविपाकेन क्लीबत्वं त्वामुपागतम्
Though you possess excellent form and are marked by auspicious signs, by what karmic result has this state of impotence come upon you?
मन्ये त्वां क्लीबरूपेण चरन्तं शूलपाणिनम्। गन्धर्वराजप्रतिमं देवं वाऽपि शतक्रतुम्
I consider you, though moving in the form of a eunuch, as Śūlapāṇi, or as a king among Gandharvas, or even as the god Indra.
भ्रातुर्नियोगाञ्ज्येष्ठस्य संवत्सरमिदं व्रतम्। चरामि ब्रह्मचर्यं वै सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
By the command of my elder brother, I am observing this vow for a year, practicing celibacy; this is the truth I declare to you.
नास्मि क्लीबो महाबाहो परवान्धर्मसंयुतः । उर्वशीशापसंभूतं क्लैब्यं समुपसंस्थितम्
I am not a eunuch, O mighty-armed one, nor bound by another's dharma; the impotence that has arisen is due to Urvaśī's curse.
पुराऽहमाज्ञया भ्रातुर्ज्येष्ठस्यास्मि सुरालयम्। प्राप्तवानुर्वशी दृष्टा सुधर्मायां मया तदा
Once, by the order of my elder brother, I went to the abode of the gods; there, in Sudharma, I saw Urvaśī.
नृत्यन्तीं परमं रूपं बिभ्रतीं वज्रिसन्निधौ । अपश्यं तामनिमिषं कूटस्थामन्वयस्य मे
I saw her dancing, displaying supreme beauty, in the presence of the wielder of the thunderbolt, gazing at her unblinking, fixed in my lineage.
रात्रौ समागता मह्यं शयनं रन्तुमिच्छया। अहं तामभिवाद्यैव मातृसत्कारमाचरम्
At night, she approached me, desiring pleasure in my bed; I greeted her and honored her as a mother.
सा च मामशपत्क्रुद्धा शिखण्डी त्वं भवेति वै। श्रुत्वा तमिन्द्रो मामाह मा भैस्त्वं पार्थ षण्डता
Angry, she cursed me, saying, 'You shall become Śikhaṇḍī!' Hearing this, Indra said to me, 'Do not fear, Pārtha, from this emasculation.'
उपकारो भवेत्तुभ्यमज्ञातवसतौ पुरा। इतीन्द्रो मामनुग्राह्य ततः प्रेषितवान्वृषा
Indra, showing me favor, said, 'This will be helpful to you during your stay in disguise,' and then sent me away.
तदिदं समनुप्राप्तं व्रतं चीर्णं मयाऽनघ । समाप्तव्रतमुत्तीर्णं विद्धि मां त्वं नृपात्मज
Thus, this vow has come upon me, and I have fulfilled it, O sinless one; know me, O prince, as having completed the vow and passed through it.
परमोऽनुग्रहो मेऽद्य यत्प्रतर्को न मे वृथा। न हीदृशाः क्लीबरूपा भवन्ति तु नरोत्तमाः
Today, the highest favor is mine, for my suspicion was not in vain; indeed, such forms of impotence do not occur among the best of men.
सहायवानस्मि रणे युद्ध्येयममरैरपि । साध्वसं तत्प्रनष्टं मे किं करोमि ब्रवीहि मे
I am accompanied; I could fight even with immortals in battle. That fear is now gone from me—tell me, what should I do?
अहं ते संग्रहीष्यामि हयाञ्शत्रुनिर्बहण। शिक्षितो ह्यस्मि सारथ्ये निष्ठितः पुरुषर्षभ
I will gather your horses, destroyers of enemies; I am trained in charioteering and steadfast, O best of men.
दारुको वासुदेवस्य यथा शक्रस्य मातलिः। तथा मां विद्धि सारथ्ये शिक्षितं नरपुङ्गव
Just as Daruka is to Vasudeva, and Matali to Shakra, so know me, O foremost of men, as trained in charioteering.
अश्वा ह्येते महाबाहो तवैवाहवदुर्जयाः। योग्या रथवरे युक्ताः प्राणवन्तो जितश्रमाः
These horses, O mighty-armed one, are yours alone, difficult to defeat in battle; fit for the best chariot, harnessed, spirited, and tireless.
यस्य यातेन पश्यन्ति भूमौ क्षिप्तं पदंपदम्। दक्षिणां यो धुरं वोढा सुग्रीवोण समो हयः
Whose movement is seen by the marks left on the ground, step by step; the one who bears the right yoke, the horse named Sugriva, is equal to the wind.
योऽयं हयो धुर्यवरो वामां वहति शोभनः। तं मन्ये मेघपुष्पस्य जवेन सदृशं हयम्
This horse, best among those at the yoke, bears the left side beautifully; I consider him equal in speed to Meghapuspa.
योऽयं वहति वै पार्ष्णिं दक्षिणामञ्चितोद्यतः । वलाहकादभिमतस्तेजसा वीर्यवत्तरः
This one, bearing the rear right, raised and alert, is superior in energy and strength to Valahaka, whom you favor.
योऽयं काञ्चनसन्नाहो वामं वहति शोभनः । धुर्यं शैब्यस्य तं मन्ये जवेन बलवत्तरम्
This one, adorned with golden harness, bears the left side beautifully; I consider him, the yoke horse of Shaibya, stronger and swifter.