विज्ञाता चोक्तवाक्यानामेकतां बहुतां तथा। बोद्धा हि परमार्थांश्च विविधांश्च व्यतिक्रमान्
He understood the unity and diversity of spoken statements, and grasped the highest truths as well as various distinctions.
अभेदतश्च बहुशो बहुशश्चापि भेदतः। वक्ता विविधवाक्यानां नानादेशसमीक्षिता
He spoke of many things both as non-different and as different; he was a speaker of various statements, considering the instructions of many regions.
पञ्चागमांश्च विविधानादेशांश्च समीक्षिता। नानार्थकुशलस्तत्र तद्धितेषु च कृत्स्नशः
He examined the five scriptural traditions and various instructions, being skilled in many meanings and thoroughly so in derivative forms.
परिभूषयिता वाचां वर्णतः स्वरतोऽर्थतः। प्रत्ययं च समाख्याता नियतं प्रतिधातुकम्
He adorned speech in letter, accent, and meaning; he explained the sense of suffixes, always with reference to their roots.
पञ्च चाक्षरजातानि स्वरसंज्ञानि यानि च। तमागतमृषिं दृष्ट्वा प्रत्युद्गम्याभिवाद्य च
He knew the five classes of letters and the names of the accents; seeing that sage arrive, he rose to greet and salute him.
आसनं रुचिरं तस्मै प्रददौ स युधिष्ठिरः। `कृष्णाजिनोत्तरे तस्मिन्नुपविष्टो महानृषिः
Yudhishthira offered him a beautiful seat; the great sage sat upon it, covered with black antelope skin.
देवर्षेरुपविष्टस्य स्वयमर्ध्यं यथाविधि। प्रादाद्युधिष्ठिरो धीमान्राज्यं तस्मै न्यवेदयत्। प्रतिगृह्य तु तां पूजामृषिः प्रीतमनास्तदा
As the devarṣi sat, Yudhishthira himself, wise as he was, offered him the proper hospitality and presented the kingdom to him as was fitting; the sage, pleased at heart, accepted that honor.
आशीर्भिर्वर्धयित्वा च तमुवाचास्यतामिति। निषसादाभ्यनुज्ञातस्ततो राजा युधिष्ठिरः
Blessing him with good wishes, the sage said, 'Be seated,' and, having been permitted, King Yudhishthira sat down.
प्रेषयामास कृष्णायै भगवन्तमुपस्थितम्। श्रुत्वैतद्द्रौपदी चापि शुचिर्भूत्वा समाहिता
He sent for Krishna, who was present there; and Draupadi, having heard this, purified herself and composed her mind.
जगाम तत्र यत्रास्ते नारदः पाण्डवैः सह। तस्याभिवाद्य चरणौ देवर्षेर्धर्मचारिणी
She went to the place where Narada was staying with the Pandavas; and, following the path of righteousness, she bowed at the feet of the divine sage.
कृताञ्जलिः सुसंवीता स्थिताऽथ द्रुपदात्मजा। तस्याश्चापि स धर्मात्मा सत्यवागृषिसत्तमः
With joined palms, well-clad, the daughter of Drupada stood there; and to her, that righteous, truthful, and foremost of sages—
आशिषो विविधाः प्रोच्य राजपुत्र्यास्तु नारदः। गम्यतामिति होवाच भगवांस्तामनिन्दिताम्
Narada spoke various blessings to the princess, and then the venerable one said to her, blameless as she was, 'You may go.'
गतायामथ कृष्णायां युधिष्ठिरपुरोगमान्। विविक्ते पाण्डवान्सर्वानुवाच भगवानृषिः
After Krishna had departed, the divine sage addressed all the Pandavas, with Yudhishthira at their head, in a secluded place.
पाञ्चाली भवतामेका धर्मपत्नी यशस्विनी। यथा वो नात्र भेदः स्यात्तथा नीतिर्विधीयतां
Panchali is the sole, illustrious wife among you; let a rule be established so that there may be no discord among you.
सुन्दोपसुन्दौ हि पुरा भ्रातरौ सहितावुभौ। आस्तामवध्यावन्येषां त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतौ
Long ago, the brothers Sunda and Upasunda, united, were renowned throughout the three worlds as invincible by others.
एकराज्यावेकगृहावेकशय्यासनाशनौ। तिलोत्तमायास्तौ हेतोरन्योन्यमभिजघ्नतुः
They shared one kingdom, one house, one bed, seat, and meal; yet, because of Tilottama, they struck each other down.
रक्ष्यतां सौहृदं तस्मादन्योन्यप्रीतिभावकम्। यथा वो नात्र भेदः स्यात्तत्कुरुष्व युधिष्ठिर
Therefore, let friendship, which fosters mutual affection, be preserved; do what is necessary, Yudhishthira, so that there may be no division among you.
सुन्दोपसुन्दावसुरौ कस्य पुत्रौ महामुने। उत्पन्नश्च कथं भेदः कथं चान्योन्यमघ्नताम्
O great sage, whose sons were Sunda and Upasunda, those asuras? How did discord arise, and how did they come to kill each other?
अप्सरा देवकन्या वै कस्य चैषा तिलोत्तमा। यस्याः कामेन संमत्तौ जघ्नतुस्तौ परस्परम्
And who is Tilottama, the apsara, daughter of the gods? For whose sake, maddened by desire, those two slew each other?
एतत्सर्वं यथा वृत्तं विस्तरेण तपोधन। श्रोतुमिच्छामहे ब्रह्मन्परं कौतूहलं हि मे
O possessor of austerities, we wish to hear in detail how all this happened, for my curiosity is great, O Brahman.
शणु मे विस्तरेणेममितिहासं पुरातनम्। भ्रातृभिः सहितः पार्थ यथा वृत्तं युधिष्ठिर
Listen to me as I recount in detail this ancient story, O Partha, as it happened, together with your brothers, O Yudhishthira.
महासुरस्यान्ववाये हिरण्यकशिपोः पुरा। निकुम्भो नाम दैत्येन्द्रस्तेजस्वी बलवानभूत्
In the lineage of the mighty asura Hiranyakashipu, there was once a powerful and radiant lord of the Daityas named Nikumbha.
तस्य पुत्रौ महावीर्यौ जातौ भीमपराक्रमौ। सुन्दोपसुन्दौ दैत्येन्द्रौ दारुणौ क्रूरमानसौ
His two sons, of great might and terrible valor, were born—Sunda and Upasunda, lords of the Daityas, fierce and cruel of mind.
तावेकनिश्चयौ दैत्यावेककार्यार्थसंमतौ। निरन्तरमवर्तेतां समदुःखसुखावुभौ
Those two asuras, united in resolve and purpose, always acted together, sharing equally in joy and sorrow.
विनाऽन्योन्यं न भुञ्जाते विनाऽन्योन्यं न जल्पतः। अन्योन्यस्य प्रियकरावन्योन्यस्य प्रियंवदौ
Without each other, they would not eat, nor speak; each did what pleased the other, and spoke what was dear to the other.
एकशीलसमाचारौ द्विधैवैकोऽभवत्कृतः। तौ विवृद्धौ महावीर्यौ कार्येष्वप्येकनिश्चयौ
Of one character and conduct, they were as if one being in two forms; those two, grown in might, were united in every undertaking.
त्रैलोक्यविजयार्थाय समाधायैकनिश्चयम्। दीक्षां कृत्वा गतौ विन्ध्यं तावुग्रं तेपतुस्तपः
With a single-minded resolve for the conquest of the three worlds, having undertaken initiation, the two went to the Vindhya mountains and performed fierce austerities.
तौ तु दीर्घेण कालेन तपोयुक्तौ बभूवतुः। क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्तौ जटावल्कलधारिणौ
Engaged in austerities for a long time, the two became emaciated with hunger and thirst, weary, and clad in matted hair and bark garments.
मलोपचितसर्वाङ्गौ वायुभक्षौ बभूवतुः। आत्ममांसानि जुह्वान्तौ पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रधिष्ठितौ। ऊर्ध्वबाहू चानिमिषौ दीर्घकालं धृतव्रतौ
Their bodies covered with filth, subsisting on air, offering their own flesh as oblation, standing on the tips of their toes, with arms raised and eyes unblinking, they steadfastly observed their vow for a long time.
तयोस्तपःप्रभावेण दीर्घकालं प्रतापितः। धूमं प्रमुमुचे विन्ध्यस्तद्भुतमिवाभवत्
By the power of their long austerities, the Vindhya mountain, tormented for a long time, began to emit smoke, which appeared as something wondrous.