न दूरे ते गताः क्षुद्रास्तावद्गच्छावहे सह। यावन्निवर्तयाम्यद्य चोरहस्ताद्धनं तव
Those petty thieves have not gone far; let us go together now, until I recover your wealth today from the hands of the robbers.
सोऽनुसृत्य महाबाहुर्धन्वी वर्मी रथी ध्वजी। शरैर्विध्वस्य तांश्चोरानवजित्य च तद्धनम्
Then, the mighty-armed one, armed with bow and armor, mounted on his chariot with banner, pursued those thieves, scattering them with arrows and recovering that wealth.
ब्राह्मणं समुपाकृत्य यशः प्राप्य च पाण्डवः। ततस्तद्गेधनं पार्थो दत्त्वा तस्मै द्विजातये
Having brought the Brahmin back and gained renown, the son of Pandu then returned that wealth to the twice-born.
आजगाम पुरं वीरः सव्यसाची धनञ्जयः। सोऽभिवाद्य गुरून्सर्वान्सर्वैश्चाप्यभिनन्दितः
The heroic Savyasachi Dhananjaya came to the city, greeted all his elders, and was welcomed by everyone.
धर्मराजमुवाचेदं व्रतमादिश मे प्रभो। समयः समतिक्रान्तो भवत्संदर्शने मया
He addressed Dharmaraja: 'Command me, lord, in my vow; the appointed time for seeing you has now passed for me.'
वनवासं गमिष्यामि समयो ह्येष नः कृतः। इत्युक्तो धर्मरास्तु सहसा वाक्यमप्रियम्
'I shall go to the forest, for that is the agreement we made.' Thus addressed, Dharmaraja suddenly spoke these unwelcome words.
कथमित्यब्रवीद्वाचा शोकार्तः सज्जमानया। युधिष्ठिरो गुडाकेशं भ्राता भ्रातरमच्युतम्
Distressed and preparing himself, Yudhishthira said to Gudakesha, his faultless brother, 'How is this so?'
उवाच दीनो राजा च धनञ्जयमिदं वचः। प्रमाणमस्मि यदि ते मत्तः शृणु वचोऽनघ
The sorrowful king spoke these words to Dhananjaya: 'If I am your authority, O blameless one, then listen to my words.'
अनुप्रवेशे यद्वीर कृतवांस्त्वं ममाप्रियम्। सर्वं तदनुजानामि व्यलीकं न च मे हृदि
'O hero, whatever displeasing thing you did by entering on my behalf, I fully permit it; there is no fault in my heart.'
गुरोरनुप्रवेशो हि नोपघातो यवीयसः। यवीयसोऽनुप्रवेशो ज्येष्ठस्य विधिलोपकः
'For the younger entering after the elder is not a violation of the rule regarding the teacher; but the younger entering before the elder is a breach of order.'
निवर्तस्व महाबाहो कुरुष्व वचनं मम। न हि ते धर्मलोपोऽस्ति न च ते धर्पणा कृता
'Turn back, mighty-armed one, do as I say; you have not transgressed dharma, nor have you caused me any shame.'
न व्याजेन चरेद्धर्ममिति मे भवतः श्रुतम्। न सत्याद्विचलिष्यामि सत्येनायुधमालभे
'I have heard from you that one should not practice dharma by deceit; I will not stray from truth, and by truth I take up arms.'
सोऽभ्यनुज्ञाय राजानं वनचर्याय दीक्षितः। वने द्वादश मासांस्तु वासायानुजगाम ह
Thus permitted by the king, he who was devoted to forest life departed, and went to dwell in the forest for twelve months.
तं प्रयान्तं महाबाहुं कौरवाणां यशस्करम्। अनुजग्मुर्महात्मानो ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः
As that mighty-armed one, bringer of glory to the Kauravas, departed, great-souled Brahmins, masters of the Vedas, followed him.
वेदवेदाङ्गविद्वासस्तथैवाध्यात्मचिन्तकाः। भैक्षाश्च भगवद्भक्ताः सूताः पौराणिकाश्च ये
Those learned in the Vedas and Vedangas, those engaged in contemplation of the Self, mendicants devoted to the Lord, bards, and reciters of ancient tales also followed.
कथकाश्चापरे राजञ्श्रमणाश्च वनौकसः। दिव्याख्यानानि ये चापि पठन्ति मधुरं द्विजाः
There were also storytellers, ascetics dwelling in the forest, and twice-born who sweetly recited divine legends, O King.
एतैश्चान्यैश्च बहुभिः सहायैः पाण्डुनन्दनः। वृतः श्लक्ष्णकथैः प्रायान्मरुद्भिरिव वासवः
Surrounded by these and many other companions, the son of Pandu set out, like Indra among the Maruts, accompanied by gentle tales.
रमणीयानि चित्राणि वनानि च सरांसि च। सरितः सागरांश्चैव देशानपि च भारत
He beheld beautiful and varied forests, lakes, rivers, seas, and many regions, O Bharata.
पुण्यान्यपि च तीर्थानि ददर्श भरतर्षभः। स गङ्गाद्वारमाश्रित्य निवेशमकरोत्प्रभुः
The best of the Bharatas beheld the sacred fords, and, taking up residence at the gateway of the Ganga, established his camp there.
तत्र तस्याद्भुतं कर्म शृणु त्वं जनमेजय। कृतवान्यद्विशुद्धात्मा पाण्डूनां प्रवरो हि सः
There, listen now, Janamejaya, to the wondrous deed performed by him, the pure-hearted and foremost among the Pandavas.
निविष्टे तत्र कौन्तेये ब्राह्मणेषु च भारत। अग्निहोत्राणि विप्रास्ते प्रादुश्चक्रुरनेकशः
When the son of Kunti had settled there, O Bharata, and the Brahmanas as well, those Brahmanas began to perform many Agnihotra rites.
तेषु प्रबोध्यमानेषु ज्वलितेषु हुतेषु च। कृतपुष्पोपहारेषु तीरान्तरगतेषु च
As those fires were being kindled, blazing, and offered into, with flowers presented and the priests moving along the riverbanks,
कृताभिषेकैर्विद्वद्भिर्नियतैः सत्पथे स्थितैः। शुशुभेऽतीव तद्राजन्गङ्गाद्वारं महात्मभिः
With learned men, self-restrained and steadfast in the righteous path, having completed their ablutions, that place at the Ganga's gateway shone exceedingly with those great souls.
तथा पर्याकुले तस्मिन्निवेशे पाण्डवर्षभः। अभिषेकाय कौन्तेयो गङ्गामवततार ह
In that encampment, now bustling, the bull among the Pandavas, the son of Kunti, descended into the Ganga to perform his ablutions.
तत्राभिषेकं कृत्वा स तर्पयित्वा पितामहान्। उत्तितीर्षुर्जलाद्राजन्नग्निकार्यचिकीर्षया
There, having bathed and offered libations to his ancestors, the king, wishing to cross the water for the sake of a fire ritual, prepared to depart.
अपकृष्टो महाबाहुर्नागराजस्य कन्यया। अन्तर्जले महाराज उलूप्या कामयानया
Then, mighty-armed one, he was drawn away by the daughter of the serpent king, Ulupi, who desired him, into the depths of the water.
ददर्श पाण्डवस्तत्र पावकं सुसमाहितः। कौरव्यस्याथ नागस्य भवने परमार्चिते
There, the Pandava, composed in mind, beheld the sacred fire in the splendid palace of the Kaurava serpent king.
तत्राग्निकार्यं कृतवान्कुन्तीपुत्रो धनञ्जयः। अशङ्कमानेन हुतस्तेनातुष्यद्धुताशनः
There, the son of Kunti, Dhananjaya, performed the fire ritual; and the fire-god, gratified by the offering made without hesitation, was well pleased.
अग्निकार्यं स कृत्वा तु नागराजसुतां तदा। प्रसहन्निव कौन्तेय इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Having completed the fire ritual, the son of Kunti then addressed the serpent king's daughter, as if reproaching her, with these words:
किमिदं साहसं भीरु कृतवत्यसि भामिनि। कश्चायं सुभगे देशः का च त्वं कस्य वात्मजा
"What is this reckless act you have done, timid lady? What is this place, O fortunate one, and who are you? Whose daughter are you?"