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.
सोऽभिषेक्तुं गतो गङ्गां पूर्वमेवागतां सतीम्। ददर्शाप्सरसं तत्र घृताचीमाप्लुतामृषिः
He went to bathe in the Gaṅgā, and saw the virtuous apsaras Ghṛtācī, who had arrived before, immersed in the river.
तस्या वायुर्नदीतीरे वसनं व्यहरत्तदा। अपकृष्टाम्बरां दृष्ट्वा तामृषिश्चकमे तदा
As she stood on the riverbank, the wind carried away her garment; seeing her thus, the sage desired her.
तस्यां संसक्तमनसः कौमारब्रह्मचारिणः। चिरस्य रेतश्चस्कन्द तदृषिर्द्रोण आदधे
His mind became attached to her, though he was a youthful celibate; after a long time, his seed was released, and the sage took it.
ततः समभवद्द्रोणः कुमारस्तस्य धीमतः। अध्यगीष्ट स वेदांश्च वेदाङ्गानि च सर्वशः
From that, Droṇa was born as a boy to that wise one; he learned the Vedas and all the branches of knowledge.
भरद्वाजस्य तु सखा पृषतो नाम पार्थिवः। तस्यापि द्रुपदो नाम तदा समभवत्सुतः
Bharadvāja had a friend named Pṛṣata, a king; at that time, Drupada was born as his son.
स नित्यमाश्रमं गत्वा द्रोणेन सह पार्षतः। चिक्रीडाध्ययनं चैव चकार क्षत्रियर्षभः
That son of Pṛṣata, always visiting the hermitage, played and studied together with Droṇa, though he was a foremost Kṣatriya.
ततस्तु पृषतेऽतीते स राजा द्रुपदोऽभवत्। द्रोणोऽपि रामं शुश्राव दित्सन्तं वसु सर्वशः
After Pṛṣata passed away, his son became King Drupada; Droṇa heard of Rāma distributing wealth to all.
वनं तु प्रस्थितं रामं भरद्वाजसुतोऽब्रवीत्। आगतं वित्तकामं मां विद्धि द्रोणं द्विजोत्तम
When Rāma went to the forest, Bharadvāja's son addressed him: 'Know me, Droṇa, O best of twice-born, as one who has come desiring wealth.'
शरीरमात्रमेवाद्य मया समवशेषितम्। अस्त्राणि वा शरीरं वा ब्रह्मन्नेकतमं वृणु
Today, only my body remains; choose either weapons or my body, O Brahman, whichever you wish.
अस्त्राणि चैव सर्वाणि तेषां संहारमेव च। प्रयोगं चैव सर्वेषां दातुमर्हति मे भवान्
You should grant me all the weapons, their destruction, and the use of all of them.