रामं प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठं दित्सन्तं विविधं वसु। अहं धनमनन्तं हि प्रार्थये विपुलव्रत
'O Rāma, best among warriors, who gives various kinds of wealth, I, steadfast in vows, seek from you inexhaustible wealth.'
हिरण्यं मम यच्चान्यद्वसु किंचिदिह स्थितम्। ब्राह्मणेभ्यो मया दत्तं सर्वमेतत्तपोधन
'O possessor of ascetic wealth, all the gold and other riches that are here with me have been given by me to the Brahmins.'
तथैवेयं धरा देवी सागरान्ता सपत्तना। कश्यपाय मया दत्ता कृत्स्ना नगरमालिनी
'In the same way, this earth, the goddess, bounded by the ocean and filled with cities, has been given entirely by me to Kaśyapa.'
शरीरमात्रमेवाद्य ममेदमवशेषितम्। अस्त्राणि च महार्हाणि शस्त्राणि विविधानि च
'Now only my body remains to me, along with my precious weapons and various arms.'
अस्त्राणि वा शरीरं वा ब्रह्मञ्शस्त्राणि वा पुनः। वृणीष्व किं प्रयच्छामि तुभ्यं द्रोण वदाशु तत्
'Whether you wish for my weapons, my body, or my arms again, O Brāhmaṇa, choose—what shall I give you, Droṇa? Speak quickly.'
अस्त्राणि मे समग्राणि ससंहाराणि भार्गव। स प्रयोगरहस्यानि दातुमर्हस्यशेषतः
'Grant me all your weapons, O Bhārgava, with their methods of withdrawal, and their secret applications—give them to me in full.'
एतद्वसु वसूनां हि सर्वेषां विप्रसत्तम।' तथेत्युक्त्वा ततस्तस्मै प्रादादस्त्राणि भार्गवः। सरहस्यव्रतं चैव धनुर्वेदमशेषतः
'This, among all wealth, is indeed the highest, O best of Brahmins.' Having said 'So be it,' Bhārgava then gave him the weapons, along with the secret vows and the complete science of archery.
प्रतिगृह्य तु तत्सर्वं कृतास्त्रे द्विजसत्तमः। प्रियं सखायं सुप्रीतो जगाम द्रुपदं प्रति
Having received all this, and being accomplished in weapons, the best of Brahmins, pleased, set out toward Drupada, his dear friend.
ततो द्रुपदमासाद्य भारद्वाजः प्रतापवान्। अब्रवीत्पार्थिवं राजन्सखायं विद्धि मामिह
Then, approaching Drupada, the mighty Bhāradvāja said to the king: 'Know me here as your friend.'
इत्येवमुक्तः सख्या स प्रीतिर्पूर्वं जनेश्वरः। भारद्वाजेन पाञ्चाल्यो नामृष्यत वचोऽस्य तत्
Thus addressed as a friend, the lord of men, the Pāñcāla king, did not tolerate these words of Bhāradvāja, though there had been former affection.
स क्रोधामर्षजिह्मभ्रूः कषायीकृतलोचनः। ऐश्वर्यमदसंपन्नो द्रोणं राजाऽब्रवीदिदम्
With brows knit in anger and resentment, his eyes reddened, intoxicated with the pride of power, the king spoke these words to Droṇa.
अकृतेयं तव प्रज्ञा ब्रह्मन्नातिसमञ्जसा। यन्मां व्रवीषि प्रसभं सखा तेऽहमिति द्विज
'Your understanding, O Brāhmaṇa, is not quite proper; for you say to me, forcibly, "I am your friend," though it is not so.'
न हि राज्ञामुदीर्णानामेवंभूतैर्नरैः क्वचित्। सख्यं भवति मन्दात्मञ्श्रिया हीनैर्धनच्युतैः
'For kings, exalted as they are, do not form friendships with such men—those who are weak, deprived of prosperity, and fallen from wealth.'
सौहृदान्यपि जीर्यन्ते कालेन परिजीर्यतः। सौहृदं मे त्वया ह्यासीत्पूर्वं सामर्थ्यबन्धनम्
'Even friendships decay with time, as age overtakes them; my friendship with you was formerly bound by ability.'
न सख्यमजरं लोके हृदि तिष्ठति कस्यचित्। कामश्चैतन्नाशयति क्रोधो वैनं रहत्युत
In this world, friendship does not remain ageless in anyone’s heart; desire destroys it, and anger certainly separates it.
मैवं जीर्णमुपास्स्व त्वं सख्यं भवदुपाधिकृत्। आसीत्सख्यं द्विजश्रेष्ठ त्वया मेऽर्थनिबन्धनम्
Do not cling to this worn-out friendship, which you yourself have limited; O best of Brahmins, our friendship once existed, but it was bound by interest.
न दरिद्रो वसुमतो नाविद्वान्विदुषः सखा। न शूरस्य सखा क्लीबः सखिपूर्वं किमिष्यते
A poor man is not the friend of the wealthy, nor an ignorant man of the learned; a coward is not the friend of a hero—what is the use of former friendship?
ययोरेव समं वित्तं ययोरेव समं श्रुतम्। तयोर्विवाहः सख्यं च न तु पुष्टविपुष्टयोः
Marriage and friendship are proper only between those whose wealth and knowledge are equal, not between the prosperous and the destitute.
नाश्रोत्रियः श्रोत्रियस्य नारथी रथिनः सखा। नाराजा पार्थिवस्यापि सखिपूर्वं किमिष्यते
A non-ritualist is not the friend of a ritualist, nor a charioteerless man of a charioteer; not even a king is the friend of another king—what is the use of former friendship?
द्रुपदेनैवमुक्तस्तु भारद्वाजः प्रतापवान्। मुहूर्तं चिन्तयित्वा तु मन्युनाऽभिपरिप्लुतः
Thus addressed by Drupada, the mighty Bhāradvāja, filled with anger, pondered for a moment.
स विनिश्चित्य मनसा पाञ्चाल्यं प्रतिबुद्धिमान्। `शिष्यैः परिवृतः श्रीमान्पुत्रेण सहितस्तथा
Having resolved in his mind, the wise one, surrounded by his disciples and accompanied by his son, approached the Pāñcāla king.
जगाम कुरुमुख्यानां नागरं नागसाह्वयम्। तां प्रतिज्ञां प्रतिज्ञाय यां कर्ता नचिरादिव
He went to the city of the foremost Kurus, called Nāgasāhvaya, having made a vow to fulfill his promise without delay.
स नागपुरमागम्य गौतमस्य निवेशने। भारद्वाजोऽवसत्तत्र प्रच्छन्नं द्विजसत्तमः
Arriving at Nāgapura, Bhāradvāja, the best of Brahmins, dwelt secretly in the house of Gautama.
ततोऽस्य तनुजः पार्थान्कृपस्यानन्तरं प्रभुः। अस्त्राणि शिक्षयामास नाबुध्यन्त च तं जनाः
Then, after Kṛpa, the lord taught the Pārthas weapons, but no one recognized him.
एवं स तत्र गूढात्मा कंचित्कालमुवास ह। कुमारास्त्वथ निष्क्रम्य समेता गजसाह्वयात्
Thus, concealing his true identity, he lived there for some time; then the princes went out together from Gajasāhvaya.
क्रीडन्तो वीटया तत्र वीराः पर्यचरन्मुदा। `तेषां संक्रीडमानानामुदपानेऽङ्गुलीयकम्
The heroic princes played joyfully there with a ball; as they played, a ring fell into a well.
पपात धर्मपुत्रस्य वीटा तत्रैव चापतत्। गर्तान्बुना प्रतिच्छन्नं तारारूपमिवाम्बरे
The ball of Dharmaputra also fell there, dropping into a deep, concealed pit, shining like a star in the sky.
दृष्ट्वा चैते कुमाराश्च तं यत्नात्पर्यवारयन्।' ततस्ते यत्नमातिष्ठन्वीटामुद्धर्तुमादृताः। न च ते प्रत्ययद्यन्त कर्म वीटोपलब्धये
Seeing this, the princes eagerly tried to retrieve the ball; they made every effort, but could not succeed in recovering it.
ततोऽन्योन्यमवैक्षन्त व्रीडयावनताननाः। तस्या योगमविदन्तो भृशं चोत्कण्ठिताभवन्
Then, with faces lowered in shame, they looked at one another, not knowing how to recover it, and became greatly anxious.
तेऽपश्यन्ब्राह्मणं श्याममापन्नं पलितं कृशम्। कृत्यवन्तमदूरस्थमग्निहोत्रपुरस्कृतम्
They saw a dark-skinned, aged, thin Brahmin, engaged in his duties, standing not far away, with his sacred fire before him.