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.
अक्षौहिण्या महावीर्यः पाण्डवान्क्षिप्रमागमत्। ततः स कवची धन्वी तली खङ्गी शरासनी
With a full akṣauhiṇī, powerful in valor, he swiftly came to the Pāṇḍavas; then, armored, bow in hand, bearing sword and shield,
रथेनादित्यवर्णेन प्रविवेश महाचमूम् । विदितः पाण्डवेयानां वासुदेवप्रियेप्सया
He entered the great army on a chariot shining like the sun, known among the sons of Pāṇḍu for his devotion to Vāsudeva.
युधिष्ठिरस्तु तं राजा प्रत्युद्गम्याभ्यपूजयत्। स पूजितः पाण्डुपुत्रैर्यथान्यायं सुसंस्तुतः
King Yudhiṣṭhira went out to greet him and honored him; thus received and praised by the sons of Pāṇḍu according to custom,
प्रतिगृह्य तु तान्सर्वान्विश्रान्तः सहसैनिकः । उवाच मध्ये वीराणां कुन्तीपुत्रं धनञ्जयम्
Having accepted all their greetings, and rested with his soldiers, he spoke among the heroes to Dhanañjaya, son of Kuntī.
सहायोस्मि स्थितो युद्धे यदि भीतोसि पाण्डव । करिष्यामि रणे साह्यमसह्यं तव शत्रुभिः
"I stand ready to aid you in battle, O Pāṇḍava; if you are afraid, I will render you such help in war as your foes cannot withstand."
न हि मे विक्रमे तुल्यः पुमानस्तीह कश्चन। हनिष्यामिरणे भागं यन्मे दास्यसि पाण्डव
"There is no man here equal to me in prowess; I will destroy in battle whatever portion you assign to me, O Pāṇḍava."
अपि द्रोणकृपौ वीरौ भीष्मकर्णावथो पुनः । अथवा सर्व एवैते तिष्ठन्तु वसुधाधिपाः
"Even if Droṇa and Kṛpa, Bhīṣma and Karṇa, or all these lords of the earth together stand against me—"
निहत्य समरे शत्रूंस्तव दास्यामि मेदिनीम् । इत्युक्तो धर्मराजस्य केशवस्य च संनिधौ
"I will slay your enemies in battle and give you the earth." Thus he spoke in the presence of Dharmarāja and Keśava.
श्रृण्वतां पार्थिवेन्द्राणामन्येषां चैव सर्वशः । वासुदेवमभिप्रेक्ष्य धर्मराजं च पाण्डवम्। उवाच धीमान्कौन्तेयः प्रहस्य सखिपूर्वकम्
While all the kings and others listened, looking to Vāsudeva and Dharmarāja, the wise son of Kuntī, smiling and addressing his friend, said:
युध्यमानस्य मे वीर गन्धर्वैः सुमहाबलैः । सहायो घोषयात्रायां कस्तदासीत्सखा मम
"O hero, when I fought the mighty Gandharvas in the cattle raid, who then was my ally and friend?"