याजकैः शुक्लवासोभिर्हूयमाना हुताशनाः। अगच्छन्नग्रतस्तस्य दीप्यमानाः स्वलङ्कृताः
The sacrificial fires, invoked by priests clad in white garments, advanced before him, blazing brightly and adorned.
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राश्चैव सहस्रशः। रुदन्तः शोकसंतप्ता अनुजग्मुर्नराधिपम्
Thousands of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, afflicted by grief and sorrow, followed the king, weeping.
अयमस्मानपाहाय दुःखे चाधाय शाश्वते। कृत्वा चास्माननाथांश्च क्व यास्यति नराधिपः
Having abandoned us and placed us in perpetual sorrow, making us orphaned, where will the king go now?
क्रोशन्तः पाण्डवाः सर्वे भीष्मो विदुर एव च। `बाह्लीकः सोमदत्तश्च तथा भूरिश्रवा नृपः
All the Pandavas, Bhishma, and Vidura cried aloud; so too Bahlika, Somadatta, and the king Bhurishrava.
अन्योन्यं वै समाश्लिष्य अनुजग्मुः सहस्रशः।' रमणीये वनोद्देशे गङ्गातीरे समे शुभे
Embracing one another, thousands proceeded together to the beautiful, level, and auspicious bank of the Ganga in a delightful forest region.
न्यासयामासुरथं तां शिबिकां सत्यवादिनः। सभार्यस्य नृसिंहस्य पाण्डोरक्लिष्टकर्मणः
Then the truthful ones placed the palanquin of the lion-like king Pandu, whose deeds were unblemished, together with his wife.
ततस्तस्य शरीरं तु सर्वगन्धाधिवासितम्। शुचिकालीयकादिग्धं दिव्यचन्दनरूषितम्
His body was then perfumed with all kinds of fragrances, anointed with pure kalika oil, and rubbed with divine sandalwood.
पर्यषिञ्चञ्जलेनाशु शातकुम्भमयैर्घटैः। चन्दनेन च शुक्लेन सर्वतः समलेपयन्
They quickly sprinkled him with water from golden vessels and covered him all over with white sandal paste.
कालागुरुविमिश्रेण तथा तुङ्गरसेन च। अथैनं देशजैः शुक्लैर्वासोभिः समयोजयन्
With a mixture of black aloe and fragrant tung resin, they then dressed him in local white garments.
संछन्नः स तु वासोभिर्जीवन्निव नराधिपः। शुशुभे स नव्याघ्रो महार्हशयनोचितः
Covered with those garments, the king shone like a living man, resembling a new tiger, accustomed to a luxurious bed.
हयमेधाग्निना सर्वे याजकाः सपुरोहिताः। वेदोक्तेन विधानेन क्रियांचक्रुः समन्त्रकम्
All the priests and officiants, together with the purohitas, performed the rites prescribed by the Vedas for the horse-sacrifice fire, accompanied by mantras.
याजकैरभ्यनुज्ञाते प्रेतकर्मण्यनिष्ठिते। घृतावसिक्तं राजानं सह माद्र्या स्वलङ्कृतम्
When the funeral rites had been completed with the priests' approval, the king, adorned and together with Madri, was anointed with clarified butter.
तुङ्गपद्मकमिश्रेण चन्दनेन सुगन्धिना। `सरलं देवदारुं च गुग्गुलं लाक्षया सह
With fragrant sandalwood mixed with tall lotus, sarala pine, deodar, and guggul resin, together with lac,
हरिचन्दनकाष्ठैश्च हरिबेरैरुशीरकैः।' अन्यैश्च विविधैर्गन्धैर्विधिना समदाहयन्
With green sandalwood, haribera, usira roots, and other various fragrant substances, they burned them according to the rite.
ततस्तयोः शरीरे द्वे दृष्ट्वा मोहवशं गता। हाहा पुत्रेति कौसल्या पपात सहसा भुवि
Then, seeing the two bodies, Kausalya, overcome by delusion, suddenly fell to the ground, crying, 'Alas, my son!'
तां प्रेक्ष्य पतितामार्तां पौरजानपदो जनः। रुरोद दुःखसंतप्तो राजभक्त्या कृपाऽन्वितः
Seeing her fallen and distressed, the townspeople and countryfolk, moved by devotion to the king and compassion, wept, afflicted by sorrow.
कुन्त्याश्चैवार्तनादेन सर्वाणि च विचुक्रुशुः। मानुषैः सह भूतानि तिर्यग्योनिगतान्यपि
At Kunti's anguished cry, all beings wailed—humans and even those born in animal forms.
तथा भीष्मः शान्तनवो विदुरश्च महामतिः। सर्वशः कौरवाश्चैव प्राणदन्भृशदुःखिताः
Likewise, Bhishma, son of Shantanu, and the wise Vidura, and all the Kauravas, mourned deeply, giving up their breath in sorrow.
ततो भीष्मोऽथ विदुरो राजा च सह पाण्डवैः। उदकं चक्रिरे तस्य सर्वाश्च कुरुयोषितः
Then Bhishma, Vidura, and the king, together with the Pandavas and all the women of the Kuru clan, performed the water-rite for him.
चुक्रुशुः पाण्डवाः सर्वे भीष्मः शान्तनवस्तथा। विदुरो ज्ञातयश्चैव चक्रुश्चाप्युदकक्रियाः
All the Pandavas wept, as did Bhishma, son of Shantanu, and Vidura, and the kinsmen; they too performed the water-rites.
कृतोदकांस्तानादाय पाण्डवाञ्छोककर्शितान्। सर्वाः प्रकृतयो राजञ्शोचमाना न्यवारयन्
Having completed the water-rites, all the people, seeing the Pandavas worn by grief, restrained them as they mourned.
यथैव पाण्डवा भूमौ सुषुपुः सह बान्धवैः। तथैव नागरा राजञ्शिश्यिरे ब्राह्मणादयः
Just as the Pandavas lay on the ground with their relatives, so too, O king, did the townsfolk, brahmins, and others sleep.
तद्गतानन्दमस्वस्थमाकुमारमहृष्टवत्। बभूव पाण्डवैः सार्धं नगरं द्वादश क्षपाः
For twelve nights, the city, together with the Pandavas, was joyless, restless, and as if bereft of its prince.
ततः क्षत्ता च भीष्मश्च व्यासो राजा च बन्धुभिः। ददुः श्राद्धं तदा पाण्डोः स्वधामृतमयं तदा
Then Vidura, Bhishma, Vyasa, and the king, along with their kin, offered the funeral oblation for Pandu, made of nectar and fit for the ancestors.
पुरोहितसहायास्ते यथान्यायमकुर्वत।' कुरूंश्च विप्रमुख्यांश्च भोजयित्वा सहस्रशः। रत्नौघान्द्विजमुख्येभ्यो दत्त्वा ग्रामवरांस्तथा
With the help of the family priest, they performed the rites according to rule; after feeding thousands of Kurus and eminent brahmins, they gave streams of jewels and choice villages to the foremost of the twice-born.
कृतशौचांस्ततस्तांस्तु पाण्डवान्भरतर्षभान्। आदाय विविशुः सर्वे पुरं वारणसाह्वयम्
After completing the purificatory rites, they brought the Pandavas, the best of the Bharatas, and all entered the city of Varanavata.
सततं स्मानुशोचन्तस्तमेव भरतर्षभम्। पौरजानपदाः सर्वे मृतं स्वमिव बान्धवम्
Constantly lamenting that bull among the Bharatas, all the townspeople and countryfolk grieved for him as for a lost relative.
श्राद्धावसाने तु तदा दृष्ट्वा तं दुःखितं जनम्। संमूढां दुःखशोकार्तां व्यासो मातरमब्रवीत्
At the end of the funeral rites, seeing the people stricken with sorrow, bewildered and overwhelmed by grief and pain, Vyasa spoke to his mother.
अतिक्रान्तसुखाः कालाः पर्युपस्थितदारुणाः। श्वःश्वः पापिष्ठदिवसाः पृथिवी गतयौवना
The times of happiness have passed; now harsh days have come. Day by day, more evil days approach, and the earth has lost her youth.
बहुमायासमाकीर्णो नानादोषसमाकुलः। लुप्तधर्मक्रियाचारो घोरः कालो भविष्यति
A time will come filled with great hardship, beset by many faults, where the practices of righteousness and ritual will be lost—a dreadful age.