तमागतमभिप्रेक्ष्य प्रत्युद्गम्य परन्तपाः। प्रणिपत्याभिवाद्यैनं तस्थुः प्राञ्जलयस्तदा
Seeing him arrive, the scorcher of foes went out to meet him; bowing and honoring him, they stood with joined palms.
समनुज्ञाप्य तान्सर्वानासीनान्मुनिरब्रवीत्। प्रच्छन्नं पूजितः पार्थैः प्रीतिपूर्वमिदं वचः
Having permitted them all to sit, the sage, honored by the Pandavas in secret and with affection, spoke these words.
अपि धर्मेण वर्तध्वं शास्त्रेण च परन्तपाः। अपि विप्रेषु पूजा वः पूजार्हेषु न हीयते
Are you living according to dharma and the scriptures, O scorcher of foes? Is your worship of Brahmins and those worthy of honor not lacking?
अथ धर्मार्थवद्वाक्यमुक्त्वा स भगवानृषिः। विचित्राश्च कथास्तास्ताः पुनरेवेदमब्रवीत्
Then, having spoken words full of dharma and purpose, the venerable sage narrated various stories and again spoke this.
आसीत्तपोवने काचिदृषेः कन्या महात्मनः। विलग्नमध्या सुश्रोणी सुभ्रूः सर्वगुणान्विता
There was once a maiden in a hermitage, daughter of a great sage, with a slender waist, beautiful hips, lovely brows, and endowed with every virtue.
कर्मभिः स्वकृतैः सा तु दुर्भगा समपद्यत। नाध्यगच्छत्पतिं सा तु कन्या रूपवती सती
But by her own actions, she became unfortunate; though beautiful and virtuous, she did not obtain a husband.
तपस्तप्तुमथारेभे पत्यर्थमसुखा ततः। तोषयामास तपसा सा किलोग्रेण शङ्करम्
Then, desiring a husband, she undertook severe austerities; by her intense penance, she sought to please Shankara.
तस्याः स भगवांस्तुष्टस्तामुवाच यशस्विनीम्। वरं वरय भद्रं ते वरदोऽस्मीति शङ्करः
The blessed Shankara, pleased with her, spoke to the illustrious maiden: 'Choose a boon, auspicious one; I am the grantor of boons.'
अथेश्वरमुवाचेदमात्मनः सा वचो हितम्। पतिं सर्वगुणोपेतमिच्छामीति पुनःपुनः
Then she addressed the lord with words beneficial to herself: 'I desire a husband endowed with all virtues,' she said again and again.
तामथ प्रत्युवाचेदमीशानो वदतां वरः। पञ्च ते पतयो भद्रे भविष्यन्तीति भारताः
Then the lord, best among speakers, replied to her: 'O blessed one, you shall have five husbands, O Bharatas.'
एवमुक्ता ततः कन्या देवं वरदमब्रवीत्। एकमिच्छाम्यहं देव त्वत्प्रसादात्पतिं प्रभो
Thus addressed, the maiden spoke to the boon-giving god: 'O lord, by your grace, I wish for only one husband.'
पुनरेवाब्रवीद्देव इदं वचनमुत्तमम्। पञ्चकृत्वस्त्वया ह्युक्तः पतिं देहीत्यहं पुनः
The god again spoke these excellent words: 'You have asked for a husband five times; therefore, I say again—'
द्रुपदस्य कुले जज्ञे सा कन्या देवरूपिणी
That maiden, divine in form, was born in the lineage of Drupada.
निर्दिष्टा भवतां पत्नी कृष्णा पार्षत्यनिन्दिता। पाञ्चालनगरे तस्मान्निवसध्वं महाबलाः। सुखिनस्तामनुप्राप्य भविष्यथ न संशयः
Krishna, the faultless daughter of Prishata, has been designated as your wife. Therefore, O mighty ones, dwell in the city of Panchala; having obtained her, you will be happy, without doubt.
एवमुक्त्वा महाभागः पाण्डवान्स पितामहः। पार्थानामन्त्र्य कुन्तीं च प्रातिष्ठत महातपाः
Having spoken thus, the blessed grandsire, possessed of great austerity, took leave of the Pāṇḍavas and Kuntī and departed.
गते भगवति व्यासे पाण्डवा हृष्टमानसाः। `ते प्रयाता नरव्याघ्रा मात्रा सह परन्तपाः
When the venerable Vyāsa had gone, the Pāṇḍavas, their minds gladdened, set out with their mother, those tigers among men, scorcher of foes.
ब्राह्मणान्गच्छतो पश्यन्पाञ्चालान्सगणान्पथि। अथ ते ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः पाण्डवान्ब्रह्मचारिणः
As they traveled, those celibate Pāṇḍavas saw groups of Brāhmaṇas and Pañcālas along the road; then those Brāhmaṇas spoke to the Pāṇḍavas.
क्व भवन्तो गमिष्यन्ति कुतो वाऽऽगच्छथेति ह
"Where are you all going, and from where have you come?"
भवन्तो नोऽभिजानन्तु सहितान्ब्रह्मचारिणः। गच्छतो नस्तु पाञ्चालान्द्रुपदस्य पुरं प्रति
"May you know us, traveling together as celibates, on our way to the city of Drupada among the Pañcālas."
इच्छामो भवतो ज्ञातुं परं कौतूहलं हि नः
"We wish to know from you, for we are greatly curious."
एते सार्धं प्रयाताः स्मो वयमप्यत्र गामिनः। तत्राप्यद्भुतसङ्काश उत्सवो भविता महान्
"We too are traveling there together; for there, a wondrous and great festival will take place."
ततस्तु यज्ञसेनस्य द्रुपदस्य महात्मनः। यासावयोनिजा कन्या स्थास्यते सा स्वयंवरे
"There, at the self-choice ceremony, will stand the daughter of the great-souled Drupada, son of Yajñasena, who was born from the sacrificial fire."
दर्शनीयाऽनवद्याङ्गी सुकुमारी यशस्विनी। धृष्टद्युम्नस्य भगिनी द्रोणशत्रोः प्रतापिनः
"She is beautiful, flawless in form, delicate, and renowned, the sister of Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the mighty foe of Droṇa."
जातो यः पावकाच्छूरः सशरः सशरासनः। सुसमिद्धान्महाभागः सोमकानां महारथः
"He who was born from the fire, armed with bow and arrows, greatly resplendent, a mighty chariot-warrior of the Somakas."
यस्मिन्संजायमाने हि वागुवाचाशरीरिणी। एष मृत्युश्च शिष्यश्च भारद्वाजस्य जायते
"At his birth, a bodiless voice declared: 'This one will be the death and the disciple of Bhāradvāja's son.'"
स्वसा तस्य तु वेद्याश्च जाता तस्मिन्महामखे। स्त्रीरत्नमसितापाङ्गी श्यामा नीलोत्पलद्युतिः
"His sister, dark-eyed and radiant as a blue lotus, a jewel among women, was also born at that great sacrifice."
तां यज्ञसेनस्य सुतां द्रौपदीं परमां स्त्रियम्। गच्छामस्तत्र वै द्रष्टुं तं चैवास्याः स्वयंवरम्
"We go there to see Draupadī, the supreme woman, daughter of Yajñasena, and her self-choice ceremony."
राजानो राजपुत्राश्च यज्वानो भूरिदक्षिणाः। स्वाध्यायवन्तः शुचयो महात्मानो धृतव्रताः
"Kings and princes, performers of sacrifices, generous givers, learned in the Vedas, pure, great-souled, and firm in their vows,"
तरुणा दर्शनीयाश्च बलवन्तो दुरासदाः। महारथाः कृतास्त्राश्च समेष्यन्तीह भूमिपाः
"Young, handsome, strong, formidable, mighty chariot-warriors, skilled in arms—these rulers of men will assemble there."
ते तत्र विविधं दानं विजयार्थं नरेश्वराः। प्रदास्यन्ति धनं गाश्च भक्ष्यभोज्यानि सर्वशः
"There, those lords of men will give various gifts for victory—wealth, cows, all kinds of food and delicacies."