ततस्तं पाण्डवो राजा करे पस्पर्श पाणिना । वासुदेवपुरोगास्तं सर्व एवाभ्यवादयन्
Then the Pandava king touched him with his hand, and all, led by Vasudeva, greeted him.
विराटद्रुपदौ वृद्धावभिवाद्य हलायुधः । युधिष्ठिरेण सहित उपाविशदरिन्दमः
Halayudha, having saluted the aged Virata and Drupada, sat down with Yudhishthira, the subduer of foes.
ततस्तेषूपविष्टेषु पार्थिवेषु समन्ततः । वासुदेवमभिप्रेक्ष्य रौहिणेयोऽभ्यभाषत
Then, as the kings sat all around, Rauhineya, looking at Vasudeva, spoke.
भवितायं महारौद्रो दारुणः पुरुषक्षयः । दिष्टमेतद्ध्रुवं मन्ये न शक्यमतिवर्तितुम्
This will be a most terrible and dreadful slaughter of men; I believe this is fate and cannot be avoided.
तस्माद्युद्धात्समुत्तीर्णानपि वः समुहृञ्जानान्। अरोगानक्षतैर्देहैर्द्रष्टास्मीति मतिर्मम
Therefore, even if you escape from the battle, I wish to see you all safe and unharmed in body.
समेतं पार्थिवं क्षत्रं कालपक्वमसंशयम् । विमर्दश्च महान्भावी मांसशोणितकदर्दमः
This assembled royal kshatriya host is surely ripe for destruction; a great clash will occur, a mire of flesh and blood.
उक्तो मया वासुदेवः पुनः पुनरुपह्वरे। संबन्धिषु समां वृत्तिं वर्तस्व मधुसूदन
I have repeatedly told Vasudeva in private: 'Madhusudana, maintain equal conduct towards both sides, since they are all kin.'
पाण्डवा हि यथास्माकं तथा दुर्योधनो नृपः। तस्यापि क्रियतां साह्यं स पर्येति पुनःपुनः
For, O Pandavas, just as you are ours, so too is King Duryodhana; let help be given to him as well, for he comes again and again.
तच्च मे नाकरोद्वाक्यं त्वदर्थे मधुसूदनः। निर्विष्टः सर्वभावेन धनञ्जयमवेक्ष्य ह
But Madhusudana did not act according to my words for your sake, for, seeing Dhananjaya with all his heart, he became disinclined.
ध्रुवो जयः पाण्डवानामिति मे निश्चिता मतिः। तथा ह्यभिनिवेशोऽयं वासुदेवस्य भारत
My mind is firmly convinced that victory belongs to the Pandavas, for such is the devotion of Vasudeva, O Bharata.
न चाहमृत्सहे कृष्णमृते लोकमुदीक्षितुम् । ततोऽहमनुवर्तामि केशवस्य चिकीर्षितम्
Nor can I bear to look upon the world without Krishna; therefore, I follow whatever Keshava intends.
उभौ शिष्यौ हि मे वीरौ गदायद्धविशारदौ । तुल्यस्नेहोऽस्म्यतो भीते तथा दुर्योधने नृपे
Both these heroes, skilled in mace-fighting, are my disciples; my affection is equal, and so I am also anxious for King Duryodhana.
तस्माद्यास्यामि तीर्थानि सरस्वत्या निषेवितुम् । न हि शक्ष्यामि कौरव्यान्नश्यमानानवेक्षितुम्
Therefore, I shall go to the sacred fords of the Sarasvati to perform rites, for I cannot bear to witness the destruction of the Kauravas.
एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहुरनुज्ञातश्च पाण्डवैः। तीर्थयात्रां ययौ रामो निवर्त्य मधुसूदनम्
Having spoken thus, the mighty-armed Rama, permitted by the Pandavas, set out on pilgrimage, after bidding farewell to Madhusudana.
एतस्मिन्नैव काले तु भीष्मकस्य महात्मनः । हिरण्यरोम्णो नृपतेः साक्षादिन्द्रसखस्य वै
At that very time, the great-souled Bhishmaka, king Hiranaroma, who was indeed a friend of Indra,
आकूतीनामधिपतिर्भोजस्यातियशस्विनः । दाक्षिणात्यपतेः पुत्रो दिक्षु रुक्मीति विश्रुतः
The lord of the Akutis, the illustrious Bhoja, son of the southern king, renowned in all directions as Rukmi—
यः किंपुरुषसिंहस्य गन्धमादनवासिनः । कृत्स्नं शिष्यो धनुर्वेदं चतुष्पादमवाप्तवान्
He who was the disciple of the lion among Kimpurushas, dwelling on Gandhamadana, and who mastered the entire science of archery in its fourfold form,
यो माहेन्द्रं धनुर्लेभे तुल्यं गाण्डीवतेजसा। शार्ङ्गेण च महाबाहुः संमितं दिव्यलक्षणम्
He who obtained the Mahendra bow, equal in brilliance to Gandiva, and the mighty-armed one who possessed Sharnga, marked with divine signs,
त्रीण्येवैतानि दिव्यानि धनूंषि दिविचारिणाम् । वारुणं गाण्डिवं तत्र माहेन्द्रं विजयं धनुः । शार्ङ्ग तु वैष्णवं प्राहुर्दिव्यं तेजोमयं धनुः
These three are the divine bows of the celestial wanderers: Varuna's Gandiva, Mahendra's victorious bow, and Sharnga, called the Vaishnava bow, resplendent and divine.
धारयामास तत्कृष्णः परसेनाभयावहम्। गाण्डीवं पावकाल्लेभे खाण्डवे पाकशासनिः
Krishna bore that Gandiva, which brings fearlessness to allied armies; he received it from Agni at Khandava, the slayer of Paka.
द्रुमाद्रुक्मी महातेजा विजयं प्रत्यपद्यत। संछिद्य मौरवान्पाशान्निहत्य मुरमोजसा
The mighty Rukmi obtained the Vijaya bow, having broken the bonds of the Mauravas and slain Mura with his strength.
निर्जित्य नरकं भौममाहृत्य मणिकुण्डले । षोडश स्त्रीसहस्राणि रत्नानि विविधानि च
Having conquered Bhauma Naraka and brought back the jeweled earrings, as well as sixteen thousand women and various gems,
प्रतिपेदे हृषीकेशः शार्ङ्गं च धनुरुत्तमम्। रुक्मी तु विजयं लब्ध्वा धनुर्मेघनिभस्वनम्
Hrishikesha acquired the supreme Sharnga bow, and Rukmi, having obtained the Vijaya bow, which thundered like clouds,
विभीषयन्निव जगत्पाण्डवानभ्यवर्तत। नामृष्यत पुरा योऽसौ स्वबाहुलगर्वितः
He advanced upon the Pandavas as if to terrify the world, he who once, proud of his own strength, could not endure—
रुक्मिण्या हरणं वीरो वासुदेवेन धीमता। कृत्वा प्रतिज्ञां नाहत्वा निवर्तिष्ये जनार्दनम्
The heroic Rukmi, after the wise Vasudeva carried off Rukmini, made a vow: 'I will not return without defeating Janardana.'
ततोऽन्वधावद्वार्ष्णेयं सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः। सेनया चतुरङ्गिण्या महत्या दूरपातया
Then, the foremost among all wielders of weapons pursued the Vrishni, with a great fourfold army, swift and far-reaching.
विचित्रायुधवर्मिण्या गङ्ग्येव प्रवृद्धया। स समासाद्य वार्ष्णेयं योगानामीश्वरं प्रभुम्
With his diverse weapons and armor, mighty as the swelling Ganges, he approached Vārṣṇeya, the lord and master of yogic powers.
व्यंसितो व्रीडितो राजन्नाजगाम स कुण्डिनम्। यत्रैव कृष्णेन रणे निर्जितः परवीरहा
But, O King, shamed and humiliated, he did not go to Kuṇḍina, where he had once been defeated in battle by Kṛṣṇa, the subduer of enemy heroes.
तत्र भोजकटं नाम कृतं नगरमुत्तमम् । सैन्येन महता तेन प्रभूतगजवाजिना
There he established a foremost city named Bhojakaṭa, with a great army rich in elephants and horses.
पुरं तद्भुवि विख्यातं नाम्ना भोजकटं नृप । स भोजराजः सैन्येन महता परिवारितः
That city, famed in the land as Bhojakaṭa, O King, was guarded by the Bhoja ruler with his mighty army.