ततस्ते पाण्डवाः सर्वे पाञ्चाल्यश्च महायशाः। प्रत्युथाय महात्मानं कृष्णं सर्वेऽभ्यवादयन्
Then all the Pandavas and the illustrious Panchali rose to greet the great-souled Krishna, and all paid him their respects.
प्रतिनन्द्य स तां पूजां पृष्ट्वा कुशलमन्ततः। आसने काञ्चने शुद्धे निषसाद महामनाः
Having acknowledged their homage and inquired after their welfare, the great-minded Krishna sat upon a pure golden seat.
अनुज्ञातास्तु ते सर्वे कृष्णेनामिततेजसा। आसनेषु महार्हेषु निषेदुर्द्विपदां वराः
Permitted by Krishna of immeasurable energy, all those best among men sat upon seats of great value.
ततो मुहूर्तान्मधुरां वाणीमुच्चार्य पार्षतः। पप्रच्छ तं महात्मानं द्रौपद्यर्थं विशांपते
After a short while, Parshata, speaking sweetly, questioned that great soul for the sake of Draupadi, O lord of the people.
कथमेका बहूनां स्यान्न च स्याद्धर्मसंकरः। एतन्मे भगवान्सर्वं प्रब्रवीतु यथातथम्
How can one woman belong to many men without causing a confusion of dharma? Let the venerable one declare all this to me as it truly is.
अस्मिन्धर्मे विप्रलब्धे लोकवेदविरोधके। यस्य यस्य मतं यद्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि तस्य तत्
In this matter where dharma is violated and opposed to worldly custom and scripture, I wish to hear the opinion of each person.
अधर्मोऽयं मम मतो विरुद्धो लोकवेदयोः। न ह्येका विद्यते पत्नी बहूनां द्विजसत्तम
This, in my view, is unrighteous and contrary to worldly custom and scripture; for, O best of twice-born, there is not found a wife of many men.
न चाप्याचरितः पूर्वैरयं धर्मो महात्मभिः। न चाप्यधर्मो विद्वद्भिश्चरितव्यः कथंचन
Nor has this dharma been practiced by the great ones of old; nor should the learned ever practice unrighteousness in any way.
ततोऽहं न करोम्येनं व्यवसायं क्रियां प्रति। धर्मः सदैव संदिग्धः प्रतिभाति हि मे त्वयम्
Therefore, I do not undertake this action; for dharma always appears doubtful to me in this matter.
यवीयसः कथं भार्यां ज्येष्ठो भ्राता द्विजर्षभ। ब्रह्मन्समभिवर्तेत सद्वृत्तः संस्तपोधन
How can the elder brother, O best of Brahmins, approach the wife of the younger? One who is virtuous and devoted to austerity should not do so.
न तु धर्मस्य सूक्ष्मत्वाद्गतिं विद्मः कथंचन। अधर्मो धर्म इति वा व्यवसायो न शक्यते
But due to the subtlety of dharma, we do not know its course at all; it is not possible to decide whether something is dharma or adharma.
कर्तुमस्मद्विधैर्ब्रह्मंस्ततोऽयं न व्यवस्यते। पञ्चानां महिषी कृष्णा भवत्विति कथंचन
Therefore, O Brahmin, those like us cannot decide that Krishna should become the queen of five.
न मे वागनृतं प्राह नाधर्मे धीयते मतिः। वर्तते हि मनो मेऽत्र नैषोऽधर्मः कथंचन
My speech does not utter falsehood, nor is my mind inclined toward unrighteousness; my mind is indeed fixed here, and this is not unrighteous in any way.
श्रूयते हि पुराणेऽपि जटिला नाम गौतमी। ऋषीनध्यासितवती सप्त धर्मभृतां वरा
It is heard in the Purana that Gautami, called Jatila, once lived with seven sages, the foremost upholders of dharma.
तथैव मुनिजा वार्क्षी तपोभिर्भावितात्मनः। संगताभूद्दश भ्रातॄनकेन्म्नः प्रचेतसः
In the same way, the sage-born daughter, whose soul was purified by austerities, was united with the ten sons of Prachetas.
गुरोर्हि वचनं प्राहुर्धर्म्यं धर्मज्ञसत्तम। गुरूणां चैव सर्वेषां माता परमको गुरुः
For the command of the teacher is said to be righteous, O best knower of righteousness; and among all teachers, the mother is the highest teacher.
सा चाप्युक्तवती वाचं भैक्षवद्भुज्यतामिति। तस्मादेतदहं मन्ये परं धर्मं द्विजोत्तम
She too spoke these words: 'Let it be eaten as alms-food.' Therefore, O best of twice-born, I consider this to be the highest righteousness.
एतमेतद्यथा प्राह धर्मचारी युधिष्ठिरः। भुज्यतां भ्रातृभिः सार्धमित्यर्जुनमचोदयम्। अनृतान्मे भयं तीव्रं मुच्येऽहमनृतात्कथम्
Just as Yudhishthira, who walks in righteousness, declared, I urged Arjuna: 'Let it be eaten together with the brothers.' I have great fear of falsehood—how could I be freed from falsehood?
अनृतान्मोक्ष्यसे भद्रे धर्मश्चैव सनातनः। ननु वक्ष्यामि सर्वेषां पाञ्चाल शृमु मे स्वयम्
You will be freed from falsehood, O blessed one, and also from eternal righteousness. Now I shall declare everything, O Panchala, listen to me yourself.
यथाऽयं विहितो धर्मो यतश्चायं सनातनः। यथा च प्राह कौन्तेयस्तथा धर्मो न संशयः
As this righteousness has been established, and as it is eternal, and just as the son of Kunti has declared, so indeed is righteousness—there is no doubt.
तत उत्थाय भगवान्व्यासो द्वैपायनः प्रभुः। करे गृहीत्वा राजानं राजवेश्म समाविशत्
Then the venerable Vyasa, the mighty son of Dwaipayana, arose, and taking the king by the hand, entered the royal palace.
पाण्डवाश्चापि कुन्ती च धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः। विविशुस्तेऽपि तत्रैव प्रतीक्षन्ते स्म तावुभौ
And the Pandavas, Kunti, and Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata, also entered there and waited for those two.
ततो द्वैपायनस्त्समै नरेन्द्राय महात्मने। आचख्यौ तद्यथा धर्मो बहूनामेकपत्निता
Then Dwaipayana spoke to that great-souled king, narrating how righteousness was established for many in the case of one wife.
यथा च ते ददुश्चैव राजपुत्र्याः पुरा वरम्। धर्माद्यास्तपसा तुष्टाः पञ्चपत्नीत्वमीश्वराः
And how, in ancient times, the gods, pleased by her austerities, granted the royal maiden the boon of having five husbands.
मा भूद्राजंस्तव तापो मनस्थः पञ्चानां भार्या दुहिता ममेति। मातुरेषा प्रार्थिता स्यात्तदानीं पञ्चानां भार्या दुहिता ममेति
Let not your mind be troubled, O king, that my daughter is the wife of five men; at that time, this was requested by her mother—that my daughter should be the wife of five men.
याजोपयाजौ धर्मरतौ तपोभ्यां तौ चक्रतुः पञ्चपतित्वमस्याः। तत्पञ्चभिः पाण्डुसुतैरवाप्ता भार्या कृष्णा मोदतां वै कुलं ते
Yaja and Upayaja, devoted to righteousness and austerity, caused her to have five husbands; thus Krishnaa became the wife of the five sons of Pandu—may your lineage rejoice.
लोके नान्यो विद्यते त्वद्विशिष्टः सर्वारीणामप्रधृष्योऽसि राजन्। भूयस्त्विदं शृणु मे त्वं विशोको यथाऽऽगतं पञ्चपत्नीत्वमस्याः
In this world, there is no one superior to you, unconquerable by all your enemies, O king. Now listen further without sorrow, to how she came to have five husbands.
एषा नालायनी पूर्वं मौद्गल्यं स्थविरं पतिम्। आराधयामास तदा कुष्ठिनं तमनिन्दिता
Formerly, this woman was Nalayani, the blameless one, who worshipped her aged husband Maudgalya, who was afflicted with leprosy.
त्वगस्थिभूतं कटुकं लोलमीर्ष्युं सुकोपनम्। सुगन्धेतरगन्धाढ्यं वलीपलितमूर्धजम्
He was reduced to skin and bone, harsh, fickle, jealous, quick to anger, possessed of foul odors, with hair wrinkled and gray.
स्थविरं विकृताकारं शीर्यमाणनखत्वचम्। उच्छिष्टमुपभुञ्जाना पर्युपास्ते महामुनिम्
That aged man, deformed in appearance, with decaying nails and skin, she attended, consuming his leftovers, serving the great sage.