मया कर्तव्यमधुना दुष्करं लक्ष्यवेधनम्। इति निश्चित्य मनसा कारितं लक्ष्यमुत्तमम्
Now I must set a difficult target to be pierced—so resolved in mind, he had a supreme target prepared.
यन्त्रं वैहायसं चापि कारयामास कृत्रिमम्। तेन यन्त्रेण सहितं राजँल्लक्ष्यं च काञ्चनम्
He also had a mechanical device, crafted of metal, constructed; with that device, O king, a golden target was set up.
इदं सज्यं धनुः कृत्वा सज्जैरेभिश्च सायकैः। अतीत्य लक्ष्य यो वेद्धा स लब्धा मत्सुतामिति
'Whoever, having strung this bow and equipped with these arrows, pierces the target, shall win my daughter,' he proclaimed.
इति स द्रुपदो राजा स्वयंवरमघोषयत्। तच्छ्रुत्वा पार्थिवाः सर्वे समीयुस्तत्र भारत
Thus King Drupada announced the svayamvara; hearing this, all the kings assembled there, O Bharata.
ऋषयश्च महात्मानः स्वयंवरदिदृक्षवः। दुर्योधनपुरोगाश्च सकर्णाः कुरवो नृप
Great sages, eager to witness the svayamvara, and the Kurus led by Duryodhana with Karna, also gathered, O king.
यादवा वासुदेवेन सार्धमन्धकवृष्णयः।' ततोऽर्चिता राजगुणा द्रुपदेन महात्मना
The Yadavas, along with Vasudeva, and the Andhakas and Vrishnis, were then honored by the high-souled Drupada for their royal virtues.
उपोपविष्टा मञ्चेषु द्रष्टुकामाः स्वयंवरम्। `ब्राह्मणाश्च महाभागा देशेभ्यः समुपागमन्
Noble Brahmanas from various regions, desiring to witness the svayamvara, sat upon couches.
ब्राह्मणैरेव सहिताः पाण्डवाः समुपाविशन्। त्रयस्त्रिंशत्सुराः सर्वे विमानैर्व्योम्न्यवस्थिताः
Together with the Brahmanas, the Pandavas also sat down; all thirty-three gods stood in the sky in their celestial chariots.
ततः पौरजनाः सर्वे सागरोद्धूतनिःस्वनाः। शिंशुमारशिरः प्राप्य न्यविशंस्ते स्म पार्थिवाः
Then all the townspeople, their voices roaring like the ocean, and the kings, reaching the place called Simsumara's Head, took their seats.
प्रागुत्तरेण नगराद्भूमिभागे समे शुभे। समाजवाटः शुशुभे भवनैः सर्वतो वृतः
To the northeast of the city, on a level and auspicious ground, the assembly enclosure shone, surrounded on all sides by buildings.
प्राकारपरिखोपेतो द्वारतोरणमण्डितः। वितानेन विचित्रेण सर्वतः समलङ्कृतः
Adorned with ramparts, moats, gateways, and arches, it was decorated everywhere with a splendid and varied canopy.
तूर्यौघशतसङ्कीर्णः परार्ध्यागुरुधूपितः। चन्दनोदकसिक्तश्च माल्यदामोपशोभितः
Filled with the sounds of hundreds of musical instruments, perfumed with the finest aloe incense, sprinkled with sandalwood water, and adorned with garlands.
कैलासशिखरप्रख्यैर्नभस्तलविलेखिभिः। सर्वतः संवृतः शुभ्रैः प्रासादैः सुकृतोच्छ्रयै
Enclosed on all sides by splendid mansions, tall and well-built, resembling the peaks of Mount Kailasa and touching the sky.
सुवर्णजालसंवीतैर्मणिकुट्टिमभूषणैः। सुखारोहणसोपानैर्महासनपरिच्छदैः
Covered with golden lattices, decorated with jeweled floors, furnished with comfortable stairways and grand seats.
स्रग्दामसमवच्छन्नैरगुरूत्तमवासितैः। हंसांशुवर्णैर्बहुभिरायोजनसुगन्धिभिः
Draped with garlands and fragrant with the finest aloe, adorned with many golden swans, and filled with delightful scents extending for miles.
असंबाधशतद्वारैः शयनासनशोभितैः। बहुधातुपिनद्धाङ्गैर्हिमवच्छिखरैरिव
With a hundred spacious gates, resplendent with beds and seats, its parts inlaid with many metals, like the peaks of the Himalayas.
तत्र नानाप्रकारेषु विमानेषु स्वलङ्कृताः। स्पर्धमानास्तदाऽन्योन्यं निषेदुः सर्वपार्थिवाः
There, in those variously adorned pavilions, all the kings, splendidly arrayed, sat down, each vying with the others.
तत्रोपविष्टान्ददृशुर्महासत्वान्पृथग्जनाः। राजसिंहान्महाभागान्कृष्णागुरुविभूषितान्
There, the common people beheld those great-souled lion-like kings, adorned with the fragrance of black aloe.
महाप्रसादान्ब्राह्मण्यान्स्वराष्ट्रपरिरक्षिणः। प्रियान्सर्वस्य लोकस्य सुकृतैः कर्मभिः शुभैः
They saw the noble Brahmanas, protectors of their realms, beloved by all the world, shining with the merit of their virtuous deeds.
मञ्चेषु च परार्द्ध्येषु पौरजानपदा जनाः। कृष्णादर्शनसिद्ध्यर्थं सर्वतः समुपाविशन्
On splendid couches, the citizens and country folk all sat down from every side, eager to behold Krishna.
ब्राह्मणैस्ते च सहिताः पाण्डवाः समुपाविशन्। ऋद्धिं पञ्चालराजस्य पश्यन्तस्तामनुत्तमाम्
Together with those Brahmanas, the Pandavas also sat, beholding the unrivaled splendor of the king of the Panchalas.
ततः समाजो ववृधे स राजन्दिवसान्बहून्। रत्नप्रदानबहुलः शोभितो नटनर्तकैः
Then, O King, that assembly grew day by day, resplendent with abundant gifts of jewels and enlivened by dancers and performers.
वर्तमाने समाजे तु रमणीयेऽह्नि षोडशे। `मैत्रे मुहूर्ते तस्याश्च राजदाराः पुराविदः। पुत्रवत्यः सुवसनाः प्रतिकर्मोपचक्रमुः
When, on the sixteenth day, during the auspicious Maitra hour, the king's wives, skilled in ancient customs, dressed in fine garments and with sons, began Draupadi's adornment.
वैडूर्यमयपीठे तु निविष्टां द्रौपदीं तदा। सतूर्यं स्नापयाञ्चक्रुः स्वर्णकुम्भस्थितैर्जलैः
Then, seated on a throne of beryl, Draupadi was bathed to the sound of music, with water from golden pitchers.
तां निवृत्ताभिषेकां च दुकूलद्वयधारिणीम्। निन्युर्मणिस्तम्भवतीं वेदिं वै सुपरिष्कृताम्
They led her, the one whose consecration was completed, adorned in two fine garments, to the beautifully decorated altar that shone like a pillar of jewels.
निवेश्य प्राङ्मुखीं हृष्टां विस्मिताक्ष्यः प्रसाधिकाः। केनालङ्करणेनेमामित्यन्योन्यं व्यलोकयन्
After seating her facing east, delighted and wide-eyed with wonder, the attendants looked at one another, asking, 'With what ornament has she been adorned?'
धूपोष्मणा च केशानामार्द्रभावं व्यपोहयन्। बबन्धुरस्या धम्मिल्लं माल्यैः सुरभिगन्धिभिः
With the warmth of incense, they dried the dampness from her hair and tied it up in a topknot, adorning it with fragrant garlands.
दूर्वामधूकरचितं माल्यं तस्या ददुः करे। चक्रुश्च कृष्णागरुणा पत्रसङ्गं कुचद्वये
They placed in her hand a garland made of sacred grass and honey, and on her breasts they arranged leaves of black aloe wood.
रेजे सा चक्रवाकाङ्का स्वर्णदीर्घा सरिद्वरा। अलकैः कुटिलैस्तस्या मुखं विकसितं बभौ
She shone like a golden river marked by a pair of chakravaka birds; her face, framed by curling locks, blossomed with beauty.
आसक्तभृङ्गं कुसुमं शशिम्बिम्बं जिगाय तत्। कालाञ्जनं नयनयोराचारार्थं समादधुः
That flower, with bees clinging to it, outshone the full moon; for the sake of custom, they applied black collyrium to her eyes.