एकचक्रां ततो गत्वा प्रवृत्तिं प्रददुः पुरे। ततः सहस्रशो राजन्नरा नगरवासिनः
Then, going to Ekachakra, they spread the news in the city; after that, thousands of townspeople gathered.
तत्राजग्मुर्बकं द्रष्टुं सस्त्रीवृद्धकुमारकाः। ततस्ते विस्मिताः सर्वे कर्म दृष्ट्वाऽतिमानुषम्। दैवतान्यर्चयाञ्चक्रुः प्रार्थितानि पुरा भयात्
There, men, women, elders, and children came to see Baka; all of them, astonished at the superhuman deed, worshipped the gods whom they had previously prayed to out of fear.
ततः प्रगणयामासुः कस्य वारोऽद्य भोजने। ज्ञात्वा चागम्य तं विप्रं पप्रच्छुः सर्व एव ते
Then they began to count whose turn it was that day for the offering of food; having found out, they all went and questioned that Brahmin.
एवं पृष्टः स बहुशो रक्षमाणश्च पाण्डवान्। उवाच नागरान्सर्वानिदं विप्रर्षभस्तदा
Thus repeatedly questioned, while protecting the Pandavas, that best of Brahmins spoke these words to all the townspeople.
आज्ञापितं मामशने रुदन्तं सह बन्धुभिः। ददर्श ब्राह्मणः कश्चिन्मन्त्रसिद्धो महामनाः
As I was weeping with my relatives at the cremation ground, a certain Brahmin of great mind, accomplished in mantras, saw me.
परिपृच्छ्य स मां पूर्वं परिक्लेशं पुरस्य च। अब्रवीद्ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठो विश्वास्य प्रहसन्निव
First, he inquired about my suffering and the troubles of the city; then, that foremost of Brahmins, after gaining my trust, spoke with a gentle smile.
प्रापयिष्याम्यहं तस्मा अन्नमेतद्दुरात्मने। मन्निमित्तं भयं चापि न कार्यमिति चाब्रवीत्
He said, 'I will deliver this food to that wicked one; you need not fear on my account.'
स तदन्नमुपादाय गतो बकवनं प्रति। तेन नूनं भवेदेतत्कर्म लोकहितं कृतम्
Taking that food, he went toward the forest of Baka; surely, by this act, a deed for the good of the world was accomplished.
ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे क्षत्रियाश्च सुविस्मिताः। वैश्याः शूद्राश्च मुदिताश्चक्रुर्ब्रह्ममहं तदा
Then all the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, amazed and delighted, performed a great Brahminical celebration.
ततो जानपदाः सर्वे आजग्मुर्नगरं प्रति। तमद्भुततमं द्रष्टुं पार्थास्तत्रैव चावसन्
After that, all the people of the region came to the city to witness that most wondrous event, and the sons of Pritha remained there.
वेत्रकीयगृहे सर्वे परिवार्य वृकोदरम्। विस्मयादभ्यगच्छन्त भीमं भीमपराक्रमम्
All surrounded Vrikodara in the house of the basket-maker, and, astonished, approached Bhima of terrible prowess.
न वै न संभवेत्सर्वं ब्राह्मणेषु महात्मसु। इति सत्कृत्य तं पौराः परिवव्रुः समन्ततः
Indeed, nothing is impossible for great-souled Brahmins—so, honoring him, the townspeople encircled him on all sides.
अयं त्राता हि खेदानां पितेव परमार्थतः। अस्य शुश्रूषवः पादौ परिचर्य उपास्महे
Truly, he is the remover of afflictions, like a father in the highest sense; wishing to serve him, we attend upon his feet.
पशुमद्दधिमनच्चास्य वारं भक्तमुपाहरन्। तस्मिन्हते ते पुरुषा भीताः समनुबोधनाः
They brought him food—meat, curds, and cooked rice—again and again; but after the slaying, those men were fearful and anxious.
ततः संप्राद्रवन्पार्थाः सह मात्रा परन्तपाः। आगच्छन्नेकचक्रां ते गाण्डवाः संशितव्रताः
Then the Parthas, scorcher of foes, together with their mother, departed; those Gandharas, firm in their vows, went toward Ekachakra.
वैदिकाध्ययने युक्ता जटिला ब्रह्मचारिणः। अवसंस्ते च तत्रापि ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशने। मात्रर सहैकचक्रायां दीर्घकालं सहोषिताः
Engaged in Vedic study, wearing matted hair, practicing celibacy, they dwelt there too, in the Brahmin's house, living long in Ekachakra with their mother.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
The Brahmin said:
ते तथा पुरुषव्याघ्रा निहत्य बकराक्षसम्। अत ऊर्ध्वं ततो ब्रह्मन्किमकुर्वत पाण्डवाः
Having slain the demon Baka, what did the tiger-like Pandavas do next, O Brahmin?
तत्रैव न्यवसन्राजन्निहत्य बकराक्षसम्। अधीयानाः परं ब्रह्म ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशने
There, after killing the demon Baka, they stayed, studying the supreme Veda in the Brahmin's house.
ततः कतिपयाहस्य ब्राह्मणः संशितव्रतः। प्रतिश्रयार्थी तद्वेश्म ब्राह्मणस्याजगाम ह
Then, after a few days, a Brahmin of firm vows came to that Brahmin's house seeking shelter.
स म्यक् पूजयित्वा तं विप्रं विप्रर्षभस्तदा। ददौ प्रतिश्रयं तस्मै सदा सर्वातिथिव्रतः
Having duly honored that Brahmin, the best of Brahmins, always devoted to the vow of hospitality, gave him shelter.
ततस्ते पाण्डवाः सर्वे सह कुन्त्या नरर्षभाः। उपासाञ्चक्रिरे विप्रं कथयन्तं कथाः शुभाः
Then all the Pandavas, together with Kunti, those best of men, attended upon the Brahmin as he told auspicious stories.
कथयामास देशांश्च तीर्थानि सरितस्तथा। राज्ञश्च विविधाश्चर्यान्देशांश्चैव पुराणि च
He narrated the regions, the sacred places, the rivers, and the various wonders of kings, as well as the ancient lands.
स तत्राकथयद्विप्रः कथान्ते जनमेजय। पञ्चालेष्वद्भुताकारं याज्ञसेन्याः स्वयंवरम्
There, at the end of the stories, the sage recounted to Janamejaya the extraordinary self-choice ceremony of Yajñasenī among the Panchalas.
धृष्टद्युम्नस्य चोत्पत्तिमुत्पत्तिं च शिखण्डिनः। अयोनिजत्वं कृष्णाया द्रुपदस्य महामखे
He described the birth of Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the birth of Śikhaṇḍin, the unnatural birth of Kṛṣṇā, and the great sacrifice of Drupada.
तदद्भुततमं श्रुत्वा लोके तस्य महात्मनः। विस्तरेणैव पप्रच्छुः कथां ते पुरुषर्षभाः
Hearing that most wondrous account about the great-souled one, those foremost men asked for the story in detail.
कथं द्रुपदपुत्रस्य धृष्टद्युम्नस्य पावकात्। वेदीमध्याच्च कृष्णायाः संभवः कथमद्भुतः
How did Dhṛṣṭadyumna, son of Drupada, arise from the fire, and how did Kṛṣṇā's wondrous birth occur from the altar?
कथं द्रोणान्महेष्वासात्सर्वाण्यस्त्राण्यशिक्षत। `धृष्टद्युम्नो महेष्वासः कथं द्रोणस्य मृत्युदः।' कथं विप्र सखायौ तौ भिन्नौ कस्य कृतेन वा
How did Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the mighty archer, learn all weapons from Droṇa, and how did he become the cause of Droṇa's death? O sage, how did those two friends become estranged, and for what reason?
एवं तैश्चोदितो राजन्स विप्रः पुरुषर्षभैः। कथयामास तत्सर्वं द्रौपदीसंभवं तदा
Thus prompted by those foremost men, O king, the sage narrated all that, the birth of Draupadī, at that time.
गङ्गाद्वारं प्रति महान्बभूवर्षिर्महातपाः। भरद्वाजो महाप्राज्ञः सततं संशितव्रतः
A great rain occurred at Gaṅgādvāra, and Bharadvāja, the highly wise and ever austere sage, was there.