यथैतानीतिहासानां तथा भारतमुच्यते। यश्चैनं श्रावयेच्छ्राद्धे ब्राह्मणान्पादमन्ततः
So too, among all histories, the Bharata is regarded as such; and whoever recites even a quarter of it to Brahmins during a śrāddha—
अक्षय्यमन्नपानं वै पितृंस्तस्योपतिष्ठते। इतिहासपुराणाभ्यां वेदं समुपबृंहयेत्
For him, inexhaustible food and drink are offered to his ancestors; one should augment the Veda with Itihāsa and Purāṇa.
बिभेत्यल्पश्रुताद्वेदो मामयं प्रतरिष्यति। कार्ष्णं वेदमिमं विद्वाञ्श्रावयित्वार्थमश्नुते
The Veda fears a person of little learning, thinking, 'He will cross me over'; the wise one who recites this Kārṣṇa Veda attains its meaning.
भ्रूणहत्यादिकं चापि पापं जह्यादसंशयम्। य इमं शुचिरध्यायं पठेत्पर्वणि पर्वणि
He certainly casts off sins such as the killing of a fetus, without doubt, who, pure, studies and recites this during each festival.
अधीतं भारतं तेन कृत्स्नं स्यादिति मे मतिः। यश्चैनं शृणुयान्नित्यमार्षं श्रद्धासमन्वितः
By him, the entire Bharata is considered as studied—so is my opinion; and whoever listens to it daily with faith and reverence—
स दीर्घमायुः कीर्तिं च स्वर्गतिं चाप्नुयान्नरः। एकतश्चतुरो वेदा भारतं चैतदेकतः
That man attains long life, fame, and the path to heaven; on one side are the four Vedas, and on the other, this Bharata.
पुरा किल सुरैः सर्वैः समेत्य तुलया धृतम्। चतुर्भ्यः सरहस्येभ्यो वेदेभ्यो ह्यधिकं यदा
Once, all the gods assembled and weighed them on a scale; when the Bharata, with all its secrets, outweighed the four Vedas—
तदाप्रभृति लोकेऽस्मिन्महाभारतमुच्यते। महत्त्वे च गुरुत्वे च ध्रियमाणं यतोऽधिकम्
From that time on, in this world, it is called the Mahābhārata; because it surpasses in greatness and weight.
महत्त्वाद्भारवत्त्वाच्च महाभारतमुच्यते। निरुक्तमस्य यो वेद सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
Because of its greatness and its weight, it is called the Mahābhārata; whoever knows its etymology is freed from all sins.
तपो नकल्कोऽध्ययनं नकल्कः स्वाभाविको वेदविधिर्नकल्कः। प्रसह्य वित्ताहरणं नकल्क- स्तान्येव भावोपहतानि कल्कः
Austerity is not tainted, study is not tainted, the natural ordinance of the Veda is not tainted; forcible seizure of wealth is tainted—only those acts corrupted by disposition are tainted.
समन्तपञ्चकमिति यदुक्तं सूतनन्दन। एतत्सर्वं यथातत्त्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामहे वयम्
O son of Sūta, you spoke of the Samantapañcaka; we wish to hear all about it, exactly as it happened.
शृणुध्वं मम भो विप्रा ब्रुवतश्च कथाः शुभाः। समन्तपञ्चकाख्यं च श्रोतुमर्हथ सत्तमाः
Hear from me, O Brahmins, as I recount auspicious tales; you, the best among men, are worthy to listen to the account of Samantapañcaka.
त्रेताद्वापरयोः सन्धौ रामः शस्त्रभृतां वरः। असकृत्पार्थिवं क्षत्रं जघानामर्षचोदितः
At the junction of the Tretā and Dvāpara ages, Rāma, the best of warriors, driven by wrath, repeatedly destroyed the royal Kṣatriya class.
स सर्वं क्षत्रमुत्साद्य स्ववीर्येणानलद्युतिः। समन्तपञ्चके पञ्च चकार रुधिरह्रदान्
Having annihilated all the Kṣatriyas by his own might, blazing like fire, he made five pools of blood at Samantapañcaka.
स तेषु रुधिराम्भःसु ह्रदेषु क्रोधमूर्च्छितः। पितॄन्संतर्पयामास रुधिरेणेति नः श्रुतम्
In those pools filled with blood, overcome by anger, he satisfied his ancestors with blood—so we have heard.
अथर्चीकादयोऽभ्येत्य पितरो राममब्रुवन्। राम राम महाभाग प्रीताः स्म तव भार्गव
Then the ancestors, beginning with Rcīka, approached and spoke to Rāma: 'Rāma, Rāma, greatly fortunate one, we are pleased with you, O Bhārgava.'
अनया पितृभक्त्या च विक्रमेण तव प्रभो। वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते यमिच्छसि महाद्युते
Because of this devotion to her father and her valor, O lord, choose a boon, O greatly illustrious one, whatever you desire; may it be auspicious for you.
यदि मे पितरः प्रीता यद्यनुग्राह्यता मयि। यच्च रोषाभिभूतेन क्षत्रमुत्सादितं मया
If my fathers are pleased with me, if I am worthy of their favor, and because, overcome by anger, I destroyed the Kshatriyas—
अतश्च पापान्मुच्येऽहमेष मे प्रार्थितो वरः। ह्रदाश्च तीर्थभूता मे भवेयुर्भुवि विश्रुताः
Therefore, may I be freed from sin—this is the boon I request; and may these lakes become holy places, renowned throughout the earth.
एवं भविष्यतीत्येवं पितरस्तमथाब्रुवन्। तं क्षमस्वेति निषिषिधुस्ततः स विरराम ह
So shall it be—thus the fathers spoke to him; they forbade him, saying, 'Forgive,' and then he desisted.
तेषां समीपे यो देशो ह्रदानां रुधिराम्भसाम्। समन्तपञ्चकमिति पुण्यं तत्परिकीर्तितम्
The region near them, of the lakes filled with blood, is celebrated as the sacred Samantapanchaka.
येन लिङ्गेन यो देशो युक्तः समुपलक्ष्यते। तेनैव नाम्ना तं देशं वाच्यमाहुर्मनीषिणः
By whatever characteristic a place is properly recognized, by that very name, say the wise, should the place be called.
अन्तरे चैव संप्राप्ते कलिद्वापरयोरभूत्। समन्तपञ्चके युद्धं कुरुपाण्डवसेनयोः
And when the interval between the Kali and Dvapara ages arrived, there was a battle at Samantapanchaka between the armies of the Kurus and the Pandavas.
तस्मिन्परमधर्मिष्ठे देशे भूदोषवर्जिते। अष्टादश समाजग्मुरक्षौहिण्यो युयुत्सया
In that supremely righteous land, free from the faults of the earth, eighteen armies assembled, eager for battle.
समेत्य तं द्विजास्ताश्च तत्रैव निधं गताः। एतन्नामाभिनिर्वृत्तं तस्य देशस्य वै द्विजाः
Having gathered there, those twice-born warriors met their end in that very place; O twice-born, thus the name of that land arose.
पुण्यश्च रमणीयश्च स देशो वः प्रकीर्तितः। तदेतत्कथितं सर्वं मया ब्राह्मणसत्तमाः।। यथा देशः स विख्यातस्त्रिषु लोकेषु सुव्रताः
That land, sacred and delightful, has been described to you; thus, O best of Brahmanas, I have told you all, just as that land became renowned in the three worlds, O virtuous ones.
अक्षौहिण्य इति प्रोक्तं यत्त्वया सूतनन्दन। एतदिच्छामहे श्रोतुं सर्वमेव यथातथम्
O son of Suta, you have mentioned 'Akshauhini'; we wish to hear in detail, exactly and truly, all about it.
अक्षौहिण्याः परीमाणं नराश्वरथदन्तिनाम्। यथावच्चैव नो ब्रूहि सर्वं हि विदितं तव
Tell us the measure of an Akshauhini—of men, horses, chariots, and elephants—just as it is, for all is known to you.
एको रथो गजश्चैको नराः पञ्च पदातयः। त्रयश्च तुरगास्तज्ज्ञैः पत्तिरित्यभिधीयते
One chariot, one elephant, five foot soldiers, and three horses—this, according to those who know, is called a 'patti.'
पत्तिं तु त्रिगुणामेतामाहुः सेनामुखं बुधाः। त्रीणि सेनामुखान्येको गुल्म इत्यभिधीयते
The wise say that three times this 'patti' is called a 'senamukha'; three 'senamukhas' make one 'gulma,' so it is declared.