तत्प्रसादाद्धनुर्वेदे समपद्यन्त पारगाः। गदायां पारगो भीमस्तोमरेषु युधिष्ठिरः
By his favor, they became accomplished in the science of archery; Bhima mastered the mace, and Yudhishthira the spear.
असिचर्मणि निष्णातौ यमौ सत्त्ववतां वरौ। धनुर्वेदे गतः पारं सव्यसाची परन्तपः
The two sons of Madri, foremost among the valiant, became skilled in sword and shield; Savyasachi Arjuna, the scorcher of foes, reached the summit of archery.
शुक्रेण समनुज्ञातो मत्समोऽयमिति प्रभो। अनुज्ञाय ततो राजा शक्तिं खङ्गं ततः शरान्
Permitted by Shukra, saying, 'He is my equal,' O lord, the king then granted him the spear, sword, and arrows.
धनुश्च दमतां श्रेष्ठस्तालमात्रं महाप्रभम्। विपाठक्षुरनाराचान्गृध्रपक्षैरलङ्कृतान्
And the best among the self-controlled gave him a bow, as tall as a palm tree and radiant, along with arrows, razors, and iron shafts adorned with vulture feathers.
ददौ पार्थाय संहृष्टो महोरगसमप्रभान्। अवाप्य सर्वशस्त्राणि मुदितो वासवात्मजः
Rejoicing, he gave to Partha weapons shining like mighty serpents; having obtained all weapons, the son of Vasava was delighted.
मेने सर्वान्महीपालानपर्याप्तान्स्वतेजसः
He considered all the kings of the earth as insufficient before his own energy.
एकवर्षान्तरास्त्वेवं परस्परमरिन्दमाः। अन्ववर्तन्त पार्थाश्च माद्रीपुत्रौ तथैव च
Thus, with a year between each, the Parthas and the sons of Madri, destroyers of foes, followed one after another.
ते च पञ्च शतं चैव कुरुवंशविवर्धनाः। सर्वे ववृधिरेऽल्पेन कालेनाप्स्विव पङ्कजाः
Those five, along with the hundred enhancers of the Kuru line, all grew rapidly in a short time, like lotuses in water.
कस्मिन्वयसि संप्राप्ताः पाण्डवा गजसाह्वयम्। समपद्यन्त देवेभ्यस्तेषामायुश्च किं परम्
At what age did the Pandavas reach Hastinapura, and what was their destined lifespan from the gods?
पाण्डवानामिहायुष्यं शृणु कौरवनन्दन। जगाम हास्तिनपुरं षोडशाब्दो युधिष्ठिरः
Hear now, O joy of the Kurus, the lifespan of the Pandavas: Yudhishthira went to Hastinapura at sixteen years of age.
भीमसेनः पञ्चदशो बीभत्सुर्वै चतुर्दशः। त्रयोदशाब्दौ च यमौ जग्मतुर्नागसाह्वयम्
Bhimasena was fifteen, and Vibhatsu was fourteen; the twins, at thirteen years, went to Hastinapura.
तत्र त्रयोदशाब्दानि धार्तराष्ट्रैः सहोषिताः। षण्मासाञ्जातुषगृहान्मुक्ता जातो घटोत्कचः
There, they dwelt with the sons of Dhritarashtra for thirteen years; after six months in the house of lac, Ghatotkacha was born.
षण्मासानेकचक्रायां वर्षं पाञ्चालके गृहे। धार्तराष्ट्रैः सहोषित्वा पञ्च वर्षाणि भारत
Six months they stayed in Ekachakra, and a year in the house of a Panchala; after living with the sons of Dhritarashtra for five years, O Bharata,
इन्द्रप्रस्थे वसन्तस्ते त्रीणि वर्षाणि विंशतिम्। द्वादशाब्दानथैकं च बभूवुर्द्यूतनिर्जिताः
They dwelt in Indraprastha for twenty-three years; then, having been defeated at dice, they spent twelve years and one more.
भुक्त्वा षट्त्रिंशतं राजन्सागरान्तां वसुन्धराम्। मासैः षड्भिर्महात्मानः सर्वे कृष्णपरायणाः
Having enjoyed the earth bounded by the sea for thirty-six years, all those great souls, devoted to Krishna, in six months—
राज्ये परीक्षितं स्थाप्य दिष्टां गतिमवाप्नुवन्। एवं युधिष्ठिरस्यासीदायुरष्टोत्तरं शतम्
Having established Parikshit in the kingdom, they attained the destined path; thus, Yudhishthira's lifespan was one hundred and eight years.
अर्जुनात्केशवो ज्येष्ठस्त्रिभिर्मासैर्महाद्युतिः। कृष्णात्संकर्षणो ज्येष्ठस्त्रिभिर्मासैर्महाबलः
Keshava was older than Arjuna by three months, O radiant one; Sankarshana was older than Krishna by three months, O mighty one.
पाण्डुः पञ्चमहातेजास्तान्पश्यन्पर्वते सुतान्। रेमे स काश्यपयुतः पत्नीभ्यां सुभृशं तदा
Pandu, the fifth and most radiant, rejoiced greatly with his two wives, accompanied by the sage Kashyapa, as he beheld his sons on the mountain.
सुपुष्पितवने काले प्रवृत्ते मधुमाधवे। पूर्णे चतुर्दशे वर्षे फल्गुनस्य च धीमतः
When the forest was in full bloom, during the springtime of Madhu and Mādhava, and the fourteenth year of the wise Pāṇḍu's exile was complete,
यस्मिन्नृक्षे समुत्पन्नः पार्थस्तस्य च धीमतः। तस्मिन्नुत्तरफल्गुन्यां प्रवृत्ते स्वस्तिवाचने
On the very same lunar mansion in which the wise Pārtha was born, during the auspicious ceremony of Uttaraphalgunī,
रक्षणे विस्मृता कुन्ती व्यग्रा ब्राह्मणभोजने। पुरोहितेन सहितान्ब्राह्मणान्पर्यवेषयत्
Kuntī, preoccupied with serving food to the brāhmaṇas together with the family priest, forgot her duty of vigilance.
दर्शनीयांस्ततः पुत्रान्पाण्डुः पञ्च महावने। तान्पश्यन्पर्वते रम्ये स्वबाहुबलमाश्रितः
Then Pāṇḍu, relying on his own strength, beheld his five handsome sons in the beautiful mountain forest.
सुपुष्पितवने काले कदाचिन्मधुमाधवे। भूतसंमोहने राजा सभार्यो व्यचरद्वनम्
Once, during the blossoming season of Madhu and Mādhava, the king wandered the forest with his wife, in a place that enchanted all beings.
पलाशैस्तिलकैश्चूतैश्चम्पकैः पारिभद्रकैः। अन्यैश्च बहुभिर्वृक्षैः फलपुष्पसमृद्धिभिः
With palāśa, tilaka, mango, campaka, pāribhadra, and many other trees abundant with fruit and flowers,
जलस्थानैश्च विविधैः पद्मिनीभिश्च शोभितम्। पाण्डोर्वनं तत्संप्रेक्ष्य प्रजज्ञे हृदि मन्मथः
Adorned with various pools and blooming lotuses, that forest of Pāṇḍu, when beheld, stirred love in his heart.
प्रहृष्टमनसं तत्र विचरन्तं यथाऽमरम्। तं माद्र्यनुजगामैका वसनं बिभ्रती शुभम्
There, as he wandered joyfully like a god, Mādrī followed him alone, wearing beautiful garments.
समीक्षमाणः स तु तां वयःस्थां तनुवाससम्। तस्य कामः प्रवृते गहनेऽग्निरिवोद्गतः
Seeing her, youthful and lightly clad, desire arose in him in that secluded place, like fire suddenly kindled.
रहस्येकां तु तां दृष्ट्वा राजा राजीवलोचनाम्। न शशाक नियन्तुं तं कामं कामवशीकृतः
Seeing her alone in secret, the king, his eyes like lotuses, was overpowered by desire and could not restrain himself.
अथ सोऽष्टादशे वर्षे ऋतौ माद्रमलङ्कृताम्। आजुहाव ततः पाण्डुः परीतात्मा यशस्विनीम्
Then, in the eighteenth year, during the proper season, Pāṇḍu, his mind seized, summoned the illustrious Mādrī, adorned for union.
तत एनां बलाद्राजा निजग्राह रहोगताम्। वार्यमाणस्तया देव्या विस्फुरन्त्या यथाबलम्
Thereupon, the king seized her by force in that secluded spot, though the queen struggled and tried to resist him as best she could.