मृत्यो किमिदमत्यन्तं तपांसि चरसीति ह। ततोऽब्रवीत्पुनर्मृत्युर्भगवन्तं पितामहम्
O Death, why do you undertake such severe austerities? Thus questioned, Death again spoke to the revered Grandfather.
नाऽहं हन्यां प्रजा देव स्वस्थाश्चाक्रोशतीस्तथा। एतदिच्छामि सर्वेश त्वत्तो वरमहं प्रभो
O Lord, I do not wish to destroy living beings; let them remain unharmed and free from distress. This is the boon I desire from you, O Master of all.
अधर्मभयभीताऽस्मि ततोऽहं तप आस्थिता। भीतायास्तु महाभाग प्रयच्छाभयमव्यय
I am fearful of unrighteousness; therefore, I have embraced austerity. O illustrious one, grant me imperishable fearlessness, for I am afraid.
आर्ता चानागसी नारी याचामि भव मे गतिः। तामब्रवीत्ततो देवो भूतभव्यभविष्यवित्
Distressed and innocent, I, a woman, seek refuge in you; grant me a path. Then the Lord, knower of past, present, and future, spoke to her.
अधर्मो नास्ति ते मृत्यो संहरन्त्या इमाः प्रजाः। मया चोक्तं मृषा भद्रे भविता न कथञ्चन
O Death, there is no unrighteousness in you for taking away these beings. What I said before, O gentle one, was false; it shall never come to pass.
तस्मात्संहर कल्याणि प्रजाः सर्वाश्चतुर्विधाः। धर्मः सनातनश्च त्वां सर्वथा पावयिष्यति
Therefore, O auspicious one, take away all four kinds of creatures. The eternal Dharma will purify you in every way.
लोकपालो यमश्चैव सहाया व्याधयश्च ते। अहं च विबुधाश्चैव पुनर्दास्याम ते वरम्
Yama, the guardian of the world, and diseases will be your helpers. I and the gods will again grant you a boon.
यथा त्वमेनसा मुक्ता विरजाः ख्यातिमेष्यसि
Thus, freed from sin, you will attain renowned purity.
पुनरेवाब्रवीद्वाक्यं प्रसाद्य शिरसा तदा। यद्येवमेतत्कर्तव्यं धर्मतो नास्त्यतो भयम्
Then, bowing her head in reverence, she again spoke: If this must be done, and there is no unrighteousness in it, then I have no fear.
तवाज्ञा मूर्ध्नि मे न्यस्ता यत्ते वक्ष्यामि तच्छृणु। लोभः क्रोधोऽभ्यसूयेर्ष्या द्रोहो मोहश्च देहिनां
Your command is placed upon my head; listen to what I say: Greed, anger, envy, jealousy, hostility, and delusion afflict embodied beings.
तथा भविष्यते मृत्यो साधु संहर भोः प्रजाः। अधर्मस्ते न भविता नापध्यास्याम्यहं शुभे
So it shall be, O Death; go forth and take away the creatures. No unrighteousness will arise for you, nor will I reproach you, O auspicious one.
यान्यश्रुबिन्दूनि करे ममासं-- स्ते व्याधयः प्राणिनामात्मजाताः। ते मारयिष्यन्ति नरान्गतासू-- न्नाधर्मस्ते भविता मा स्म भैषीः
The drops of tears that fell from my hand became diseases born from myself for living beings. They will slay men when their life departs; no unrighteousness will arise for you, do not be afraid.
नाधर्मस्ते भविता प्राणिनां वै त्वं वै धर्मस्त्वं हि धर्मस्य चेशा। धर्म्या भूत्वा धर्मनित्या धरित्री तस्मात्प्राणान्सर्वथेमान्नियच्छ
No unrighteousness will arise for living beings; you are Dharma, and indeed the ruler of Dharma. Having become righteous and always devoted to Dharma, O Earth, therefore restrain all these lives.
मिथ्यावृत्तं मारयिष्यत्यधर्मः
Unrighteousness will slay those who act falsely.
तेनात्मानं पावयस्वात्मना त्वं पापेऽऽत्मानं मज्जयिष्यन्त्यसत्यात्। तस्मात्कामं रोषमप्यागतं त्वं सन्त्यज्यान्तः संहरस्वेति जीवान्
Therefore, purify yourself by your own self; the wicked will plunge themselves into evil through falsehood. So, even if desire or anger arises, abandon them within and take away the lives.
सा वै भीमा मृत्युसंज्ञोपदेशा-- च्छापाद्भीता बाढमित्यब्रवीत्तम्। सा च प्राणं प्राणिनामन्तकाले कामक्रोधौ त्यज्य हरत्यसक्ता
Thus, the dreadful instruction called Death, fearing the curse, replied, 'So be it.' She takes the life of living beings at the end, abandoning desire and anger, unattached.
मृत्युस्त्वेषां व्याधयस्तत्प्रसूता व्याधी रोगो रुज्यते येन जन्तुः। सर्वेषां च प्राणिनां प्रायणान्ते तस्माच्छोकं माकृथा निष्फलं त्वम्
Death, diseases born from her, are those ailments by which creatures suffer. At the end of all beings' lives, therefore, do not grieve fruitlessly.
सर्वे देवाः प्राणिभिः प्रायणान्ते गत्वा वृत्ताः सन्निवृत्तास्तथैव। एवं सर्वे प्राणिनस्तत्र गत्वा वृत्ता देवा मर्त्यवद्राजसिंह
All the gods, at the end of beings' lives, depart and cease, just as all creatures do. Thus, O lion among kings, the gods also perish there like mortals.
वायुर्भीमो भीमनादो महौजा भेत्ता देहान्प्राणिनां सर्वगोऽसौ। नो वा वृत्तिं कदाचि-- त्प्राप्नोत्युग्रोऽनन्ततेजोविशिष्टः
Bhima is like the wind—mighty, terrible in his roar, of great energy, the destroyer of bodies, pervading all beings. He never fails in his purpose; fierce, possessed of boundless brilliance, he is exceptional.
सर्वे देवा मर्त्यसंज्ञाविशिष्टा-- स्तस्मात्पुत्रं माशुचो राजसिंह। स्वर्गं प्राप्तो मोदते ते तनूजो नित्यं रम्यान्वीरलोकानवाप्य
All the gods, though called mortals, are distinguished—therefore, O lion among kings, do not grieve for your son. He has attained heaven and rejoices, having reached the delightful realms of heroes forever.
त्यक्त्वा दुःखं सङ्गतः पुण्यकृद्भि-- रेषा मृत्युर्देवदिष्टा प्रजानाम्। प्राप्ते काले संहरन्ती यथाव-- त्स्वयं कृता प्राणहरा प्रजानाम्
Having left behind suffering, he has joined the company of the virtuous. This is the death ordained by the gods for all creatures. When the proper time arrives, it takes away lives as it should, being itself the taker of life for all beings.
पुत्रान्नष्टाच्छोकमाशु त्यजस्व
Quickly let go of your sorrow for your lost son.
एतच्छ्रुत्वार्थवद्वाक्यं नारदेन प्रकाशितम्। उवाचाकम्पनो राजा सखायं नारदं तथा
Hearing these meaningful words revealed by Narada, King Akampana spoke thus to his friend Narada.
व्यपेतशोकः प्रीतोऽस्मि भगवन्नृषिसत्तम। श्रुत्वेतिहासं त्वत्तस्तु कृतार्थोऽस्म्यभिवादये
Freed from grief, I am pleased, O revered sage, best of seers. Hearing this story from you, I am fulfilled and offer my respects.
तथोक्तो नारदस्तेन राज्ञा देवर्षिसत्तमः। जगाम नन्दनं शीघ्रमशोकवनमात्मनः
Thus addressed by the king, the eminent sage among the gods, Narada, swiftly departed to his own blissful Nandana grove, free from sorrow.
पुण्यं यशस्यं स्वर्ग्यं च धन्यमायुष्यमेव च। अस्येतिहासस्य सदा श्रवणं श्रावणं तथा
The constant hearing and recitation of this story brings merit, fame, heaven, good fortune, and long life.
एतदर्थपदं श्रुत्वा तदा राजा युधिष्ठिर। क्षत्रधर्मं च विज्ञाय शूराणां च परां गतिम्। सम्प्राप्तोऽसौ महावीर्यः स्वर्गलोकं महारथः
Having heard these meaningful words, King Yudhishthira, understanding the duty of warriors and the supreme destiny of heroes, that great chariot-warrior attained the heavenly world.
अभिमन्युः परान्हत्वा प्रमुखे सर्वधन्विनाम्। युध्यमानो महेष्वासो हतः सोऽभिमुखो रणे
Abhimanyu, after slaying his foes in the forefront of all archers, fought valiantly and was killed, facing his enemies in battle.
असिना गदया शक्त्या धनुषा च महारथः। विरजाः सोमसूनुः स पुनस्तत्र प्रलीयते
With sword, mace, spear, and bow, the great chariot-warrior, the pure son of Soma, was finally overcome there.
तस्मात्परां धृतिं कृत्वा भ्रातृभिः सह पाण्डव। अप्रमत्तः सुसन्नद्धः शीघ्रं योद्धुमुपाक्रम
Therefore, O Pandava, gather supreme resolve with your brothers, be vigilant and well-armored, and quickly set out to fight.