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."
प्रतिलप्स्यामहे सर्वं दृष्ट्वा कृष्णां स्वयंवरे। यं च सा क्षत्रियं रङ्गे कुमारी वरयिष्यति
"We shall witness everything at Kṛṣṇā's self-choice ceremony, and see which Kṣatriya the maiden will choose in the arena."
तदा वैतालिकाश्चैव नर्तकाः सूतमागधाः। निबोधकाश्च देशेभ्यः समेष्यन्ति महाबलाः
"Then, bards, dancers, charioteers, and Magadhas, as well as heralds from various regions, mighty in strength, will assemble there."
एतत्कौतूहलं तत्र दृष्ट्वा वै प्रतिगृह्य च। सहास्माभिर्महात्मानो मात्रा सह निवत्स्यथ
Having witnessed this curiosity there and accepted it, you will remain with us, great souls, together with your mother.
दर्शनीयांश्च वः सर्वानेकरूपानवस्थितान्। समीक्ष्य कृष्मा वरयेत्संगत्यान्यतमं पतिम्
Having observed all of you, handsome and of various forms, standing together, Kṛṣmā will choose one among you as her husband.
अयमेकश्च वो भ्राता दर्शनीयो महाभुजः। नियुध्यमानो विजयेत्संगत्य द्रविणं महत्
Here is your brother, handsome and mighty-armed; when he competes, he will win, and together he will gain great wealth.
परमं भो गमिष्यामो द्रष्टुं तत्र स्वयंवरम्। द्रौपदीं यज्ञसेनस्य कन्यां तस्यास्तथोत्सवम्
O best, we shall go to witness the svayaṃvara there, the festival of Draupadī, daughter of Yajñasena.
ते प्रतस्थुः पुरस्कृत्य मातरं पुरुषर्षभाः। समैरुदङ्मुकैर्मार्गैर्यथोद्दिष्टं च भारत
Those best among men set out, placing their mother at the forefront, proceeding northward along the prescribed paths, O Bhārata.
अहोरात्रेणाभ्यगच्छन्पाञ्चालनगरं प्रति। अभ्याजग्मुर्लोकनदीं गङ्गां भागीरथीं प्रति
Within a day and night, they approached the city of the Pāñcālas, and came to the world-river Gaṅgā, the Bhāgīrathī.
चन्द्रास्तमयवेलायामर्धरात्रसमागमे। वारि चैवानुमज्जन्तस्तीर्थं सोमाश्रयायणम्
At the hour of moonset, in the middle of the night, they entered the water, seeking the sacred place of Soma's refuge.
आसेदुः पुरुषव्याघ्रा गङ्गायां पाण्डुनन्दनाः।। उल्मुकं तु समुद्यम्य तेषामग्रे धनञ्जयः
The tiger-like sons of Pāṇḍu reached the Gaṅgā; Dhanañjaya, raising a torch, went before them.