महर्षेर्गौतमस्यासीच्छरद्वान्नाम गौतमः। पुत्रः किल महाराज जातः सहशरैर्विभो
There was a great sage named Gautama, and his son, called Sharadvata, O king, was born together with arrows.
न तस्य वेदाध्ययने तथा बुद्धिरजायत। यथास्य बुद्धिरभवद्धनुर्वेदे परन्तप
He did not develop such an aptitude for study of the Vedas as he did for the science of archery, O subduer of foes.
अधिजग्मुर्यथा वेदास्तपसा ब्रह्मचारिणः। तथा स तपसोपेतः सर्वाण्यस्त्राण्यवाप ह
Just as the Vedas are mastered by students through ascetic discipline, so he, endowed with austerity, acquired all the weapons.
धनुर्वेदपरत्वाच्च तपसा विपुलेन च। भृशं सन्तापयामास देवराजं स गौतमः
Because of his devotion to the science of archery and his intense austerity, that Gautama greatly troubled the king of the gods.
ततो जालवतीं नाम देवकन्यां सुरेश्वरः। प्राहिणोत्तपसो विघ्नं कुरु तस्येति कौरव
Then, O Kaurava, the lord of the gods sent a celestial maiden named Jālavati, saying, 'Go and hinder his austerity.'
सा हि गत्वाऽऽश्रमं तस्य रमणीयं शरद्वतः। धनुर्बाणधरं बाला लोभयामास गौतमम्
She went to the beautiful hermitage of Śaradvata and began to entice Gautama, who was young and armed with bow and arrows.
तामेकवसनां दृष्ट्वा गौतमोऽप्सरसं वने। लोकेऽप्रतिमसंस्थानां प्रोत्फुल्लनयनोऽभवत्
Seeing that apsaras in the forest, clad in a single garment and of incomparable beauty in the world, Gautama's eyes widened.
धनुश्च हि शरास्तस्य कराभ्यामपतन्भुवि। वेपथुश्चास्य सहसा शरीरे समजायत
His bow and arrows fell from his hands to the ground, and suddenly a trembling arose in his body.
स तु ज्ञानगरीयस्त्वात्तपसश्च समर्थनात्। अवतस्थे महाप्राज्ञो धैर्येण परमेण ह
But, being possessed of great wisdom and strengthened by knowledge and austerity, he stood firm with supreme self-control.
यस्तस्य सहसा राजन्विकारः समदृश्यत। तेन सुस्राव रेतोऽस्य स च तन्नान्वबुध्यत
Yet, O King, because of the sudden change that appeared in him, his seed was released, though he was not aware of it.
धनुश्च सशरं त्यक्त्वा तथा कृष्णाजिनानि च। स विहायाश्रमं तं च तां चैवाप्सरसं मुनिः
Then, abandoning his bow and arrows, as well as his black deerskins, the sage left that hermitage and the apsaras as well.
जगाम रेतस्तत्तस्य शरस्तम्बे पपात च। शरस्तम्बे च पतितं द्विधा तदभवन्नृप
His seed fell there and landed on a clump of reeds; and, O King, what fell on the reed-clump became two.
तस्याथ मिथुं जज्ञे गौतमस्य शरद्वतः। `महर्षेर्गौतमस्यास्य ह्याश्रमस्य समीपतः।।' मृगयां चरतो राज्ञः शान्तनोस्तु यदृच्छया
Then, from that, a pair was born to Gautama Śaradvata, near the hermitage of the great sage Gautama, while King Śāntanu was out hunting by chance.
कश्चित्सेनाचरोऽरण्ये मिथुनं तदपश्यत। धनुश्च सशरं दृष्ट्वा तथा कृष्णाजिनानि च
A certain soldier wandering in the forest saw that pair, along with the bow, arrows, and black deerskins.
ज्ञात्वा द्विजस्य चापत्ये धनुर्वेदान्तगस्य ह। स राज्ञे दर्शयामास मिथुनं सशरं धनुः
Recognizing them as the offspring of the twice-born who had mastered the science of archery, he showed the pair, along with the bow and arrows, to the king.
स तदादाय मिथुनं राजा च कृपयान्वितः। आजगाम गृहानेव मम पुत्राविति ब्रुवन्
Taking up the pair, the king, filled with compassion, brought them home, saying, 'These are my children.'
ततः संवर्धयामास संस्कारैश्चाप्ययोजयत्। प्रातिपेयो नरश्रेष्ठो मिथुनं गौतमस्य तत्
Then that best of men, the son of Pratīpa, raised the pair of Gautama with proper rites and ceremonies.
कृपया यन्मया बालाविमौ संवर्धिताविति। तस्मात्तयोर्नाम चक्रे तदेव स महीपतिः। `तस्मात्कृप इति ख्यातः कृपी कन्या च साऽभवत्
Because I raised these two children out of compassion, the great king gave them names accordingly: thus the boy became known as Kṛpa, and the girl as Kṛpī.
पितापि गौतमस्तत्र तपसा ताववन्दित। आगत्य तस्मै गोत्रादि सर्वमाख्यातवांस्तदा
Then Gautama, their father, honored them there through his austerities, and coming to them, he revealed their lineage and all details.
कृपोऽपि च तदा राजन्धनुर्वेदपरोऽभवत्।' चतुर्विधं धनुर्वेदं शास्त्राणि विविधानि च
And Kṛpa, O King, became devoted to the science of archery, mastering the fourfold science of archery and various treatises.
निशिलेनास्य तत्सर्वं गुह्यमाख्यातवान्पिता। सोऽचिरेणैव कालेन परमाचार्यतां गतः
His father revealed to him all those secrets with a sword, and in a short time he attained the highest mastery as a teacher.
कृपमाहूय गाङ्गेयस्तव शिष्या इति ब्रुवन्। पौत्रान्परिसमाधाय कृपमाराधयत्तदा
Calling Kṛpa, the son of Gaṅgā addressed him, saying, 'These are your disciples,' and entrusted his grandsons to Kṛpa, honoring him at that time.
ततोऽधिजग्मुः सर्वे ते धनुर्वेदं महारथाः। धृतराष्ट्रात्मजाश्चैव पाण्डवाः सह यादवैः
Then all those great chariot-warriors, the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the Pāṇḍavas, and the Yādavas, learned the science of archery.
वृष्णयश्च नृपाश्चान्ये नानादेशसमागताः। `कृपमाचार्यमासाद्य परमास्त्रज्ञतां गतः
The Vṛṣṇis and other kings who had gathered from various regions, having approached Kṛpa as their teacher, attained supreme knowledge of weapons.
इष्वस्त्रज्ञान्पर्यपृच्छदाचार्यान्वीर्यसंमतान्। नाल्पधीर्नामहाभागस्तथा नानस्त्रकोविदः
He questioned the teachers, esteemed for their valor, about the science of weapons; not one of weak mind, nor one lacking great fortune, nor one unskilled in weapons.
नादेवसत्वो विनयेत्कुरूनस्त्रे महावलान्। इति संचिन्त्य गाङ्गेयस्तदा भरतसत्तमः
No one lacking divine strength could instruct the mighty Kurus in weapons—thus, the son of Gaṅgā, foremost among the Bharatas, reflected at that time.
द्रोणाय वेदविदुषे भारद्वाजाय धमते। पाण्डवान्कौरवांश्चैव ददौ शिष्यान्नरर्षभ
To Droṇa, the learned son of Bharadvāja, he entrusted the Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas as disciples, O best of men.
शास्त्रतः पूजितश्चैव सम्यक्तेन महात्मना। स भीष्मेण महाभागस्तुष्टोऽस्त्रविदुषां वरः
Honored according to the scriptures by that great-souled one, Bhīṣma, the most fortunate and foremost among those skilled in weapons, was pleased.
प्रतिजग्राह तान्सर्वाञ्शिष्यत्वेन महायशाः। शिक्षयामास च द्रोणो धनुर्वेदमशेषतः
That renowned Droṇa accepted them all as his disciples and began to teach them the science of archery in its entirety.
तेऽचिरेणैव कालेन सर्वशस्त्रविशारदाः। बभूवुः कौरवा राजन्पाण्डवाश्चामितौजसः
In a short time, O King, the Kauravas and the mighty Pāṇḍavas became experts in all weapons.