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.
ततो देवा भयं जग्मुरुग्रं दृष्ट्वा तयोस्तपः। तपोविघातार्थमथो देवा विघ्नानि चक्रिरे
Then the gods became greatly afraid, seeing the fierce austerity of the two, and so, to hinder their penance, the gods created obstacles.
रत्नैः प्रलोभयामासुः स्त्रीभिश्चोभौ पुनःपुनः। न च तौ चक्रतुर्भङ्गं व्रतस्य सुमहाव्रतौ
They tempted both repeatedly with jewels and women, but the two, steadfast in their great vow, did not waver from their resolve.
अथ मायां पुनर्देवास्तयोश्चक्रुर्महात्मनोः। भगिन्यो मातरो भार्यास्तयोश्चात्मजनस्तथा
Then again the gods created illusions for those two great souls: sisters, mothers, wives, and even their own children.
प्रपात्यमाना विस्रस्ताः शूलहस्तेन रक्षसा। भ्रष्टाभरणकेशान्ता भ्रष्टाभरणवाससः
Dragged away and scattered by a demon wielding a spear, their ornaments and hair disheveled, their garments and ornaments fallen.
अभिभाष्य ततः सर्वास्तौ त्राहीति विचुक्रुशुः। न च तौ चक्रतुर्भङ्गं व्रतस्य सुमहाव्रतौ
Calling out to them, all those women cried, 'Save us!' But the two, steadfast in their great vow, did not break their resolve.
यदा क्षोभं नोपयाति नार्तिमन्यतरस्तयोः। ततः स्त्रियस्ता भूतं च सर्वमन्तरधीयत
When neither of the two was disturbed or distressed, then all those women and beings vanished completely.
ततः पितामहः साक्षादभिगम्य महासुरौ। वरेण च्छ्दयामास क्वलोकहितः प्रभुः
Then the Grandfather himself approached the two great asuras and, for the good of the worlds, offered them a boon.
ततः सुन्दोपसुन्दौ तौ भ्रातरौ दृढविक्रमौ। दृष्ट्वा पितामहं देवं तस्थतुः प्राञ्जली तदा
Then Sundā and Upasunda, the two brothers of firm valor, seeing the god Grandfather, stood with joined palms.
ऊचतुश्च प्रभुं देवं ततस्तौ सहितौ तदा। आवयोस्तपसाऽनेन यदि प्रीतः पितामहः
Then together they spoke to the Lord, 'If, O Grandfather, you are pleased with our austerity—'
मायाविदावस्त्रविदौ बलिनौ कामरूपिणौ। उभावप्यमरौ स्यावः प्रसन्नो यदि नौ प्रभुः
'Let both of us, skilled in illusion and weapons, strong and able to assume any form at will, become immortal, if the Lord is pleased with us.'