तमुवाचाथ राजा स सान्त्वपूर्वमिदं वचः। राजा प्रभञ्जनो नाम कुलेऽस्मिन्संबभूव ह
Then the king spoke these words gently: 'A king named Prabhanjana was once born in this lineage.'
अपुत्रः प्रसवेनार्थी तपस्तेपे स उत्तमम्। उग्रेण तपसा तेन देवदेवः पिनाकधृक्
He was sonless and desired offspring, so he performed the highest austerity; by that severe penance, the god of gods, the wielder of Pinaka—
ईश्वरस्तोषितः पार्थ देवदेवः उमापतिः। स तस्मै भघवान्प्रादादेकैकं प्रसवं कुले
O Partha, the Lord of Uma, the god of gods, being pleased, granted to each one in the lineage a single offspring.
एकैकः प्रसवस्तस्माद्भवत्यस्मिन्कुले सदा। तेषां कुमाराः सर्वेषां पूर्वेषां मम जज्ञिरे
Therefore, in this lineage, there is always one child born to each; all the sons of my ancestors were thus born.
एका च मम कन्येयं कुलस्योत्पादनी भृशम्। पुत्रो ममायमिति मे भावना पुरुषर्षभ
And this one daughter of mine is especially meant for the continuation of the lineage; my thought was, ‘This is my son.’ O best of men.
पुत्रिकाहेतुविधिना संज्ञिता भरतर्षभ। तस्मादेकः सुतो योऽस्यां जायते भारत त्वया
By the custom known as ‘putrikā’, O best of the Bharatas, therefore, the one son born from her, O Bhārata, will be considered yours.
एतच्छुल्कं भवत्वस्याः कुलकृज्जायतामिह। एतेन समयेनेमां प्रतिगृह्णीष्व पाण्डव
Let this be the bride-price for her: let the son born in this lineage be its continuer; accept her on this condition, O Pāṇḍava.
स तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय तां कन्यां प्रतिगृह्य च। `मासे त्रयोदशे पार्थः कृत्वा वैवाहिकीं क्रियाम्।' उवास नगरे तस्मिन्मासांस्त्रीन्स तया सह
He agreed, saying ‘So be it,’ and, having accepted the maiden, O Partha, after performing the marriage rites in the thirteenth month, he dwelt in that city with her for three months.
ततः समुद्रे तीर्थानि दक्षिमे भरतर्षभः। अभ्यगच्छत्सुपुण्यानि सोभितानि तपस्विभिः
Then, O best of the Bharatas, he approached the sacred fords on the southern sea, which were highly auspicious and frequented by ascetics.
वर्जयन्ति स्म तीर्तानि तत्र पञ्च सम तापसाः। अवकीर्णानि यान्यासन्पुरस्तात्तु तपस्विभिः
There, five ascetics would avoid those fords which had previously been defiled by other ascetics.
अगस्त्यतीर्थं सौभद्रं पौलोमं च सुपावनम्। कारन्धमं प्रसन्नं च महमेधफलं च तत्
He saw the Agastya ford, the Saubhadra, the supremely pure Pauloma, the serene Kārandhama, and the one yielding great sacrificial merit.
भारद्वाजस्य तीर्थं तु पापप्रशमनं महत्। एतानि पञ्च तीर्थानि ददर्श कुरुसत्तमः
He also saw the great Bhāradvāja ford, which removes sin; these five fords did the best of the Kurus behold.
विविक्तान्युपलक्ष्याथ तानि तीर्थानि पाण्डवः। दृष्ट्वा च वर्ज्यमानानि मुनिभिर्धर्मबुद्धिभिः
Observing that these fords were deserted, Pāṇḍava saw that they were being avoided by the sages who were wise in dharma.
तपस्विनस्ततोऽपृच्छत्प्राञ्जलिः कुरुनन्दनः। तीर्थानीमानि वर्ज्यन्ते किमर्थं ब्रह्मवादिभिः
Then, with joined palms, the son of the Kurus respectfully asked the ascetics, ‘Why are these fords avoided by the brahma-vādins?’
ग्राहाः पञ्च वसन्त्येषु हरन्ति च तपोधनान्। तत एतानि वर्ज्यन्ते तीर्थानि कुरुनन्दन
‘There are five crocodiles dwelling in them, who seize ascetics rich in austerity; therefore, O joy of the Kurus, these fords are avoided.’
तेषां श्रुत्वा महाबाहुर्वार्यमाणस्तपोधनैः। जगाम तानि तीर्थानि द्रष्टुं पुरुषसत्तमः
Hearing this, the mighty-armed one, though restrained by the ascetics, went to see those fords, O best of men.
ततः सौभद्रमासाद्य महर्षेस्तीर्थमुत्तमम्। विगाह्य सहसा शूरः स्नानं चक्रे परन्तपः
Then, reaching the excellent Saubhadra ford of the great sage, the valiant one plunged in and performed his bath at once, scorcher of foes.
अथ तं पुरुषव्याघ्रमन्तर्जलचरो महान्। जग्राह चरणे ग्राहः कुन्तीपुत्रं धनञ्जयम्
Then, a great crocodile dwelling in the water seized the foot of Dhanañjaya, son of Kunti, that tiger among men.
स तमादाय कौन्तेयो विस्फुरन्तं जलेचरम्। उदतिष्ठन्महाबाहुर्बलेन बलिनां वरः
Seizing that water-dweller, which thrashed about, the son of Kunti, mighty-armed and foremost among the strong, rose up by his strength.
उत्कृष्ट एव ग्राहस्तु सोऽर्जुनेन यशस्विना। बभूव नारी कल्याणी सर्वाभरणभूषइता
As soon as Arjuna, renowned and illustrious, dragged it forth, that crocodile became a beautiful woman adorned with all ornaments.
दीप्यमाना श्रिया राजन्दिव्यरूपा मनोरमा। तदद्भुतं महद्दृष्ट्वा कुन्तीपुत्रो धनञ्जयः
Radiant with splendor, O King, possessing a divine and enchanting form, Kunti’s son Dhananjaya beheld that wondrous sight.
तां स्त्रियं परमप्रीत इदं वचनमब्रवीत्। का वै त्वमसि कल्याणिकुतो वाऽसि जलेचरी
Filled with utmost delight, he spoke these words to the woman: 'Who are you, O blessed one? From where do you come, O dweller in the waters?'
अप्सराऽस्मि महाबाहो देवारण्यविहारिणी
'I am an Apsaras, O mighty-armed one, roaming in the forests of the gods.'
इष्टा धनपतेर्नित्यं वर्गा नाम महाबल। मम सख्यश्चतस्रोऽन्याः सर्वाः कामगमाः शुभाः
'The Varga, renowned and powerful, are always favored by Dhanapati; four others are my companions, all beautiful and able to move at will.'
ताभिः सार्धं प्रयाताऽस्मि लोकपालनिवेशनम्। ततः पश्यामहे सर्वा ब्राह्मणं संशितव्रतम्
'Together with them, I went to the abode of the guardians of the worlds; there, we all saw a Brahmin devoted to strict vows.'
रूपवन्तमधीयानमेकमेकान्तचारिणम्। तस्यैव तपसा राजंस्तद्वयं तेजसा वृतम्
'Handsome, learned, and wandering alone, O King, by his austerity, we were enveloped in his brilliance.'
आदित्य इव तं देशं इत्वं सर्व व्यकाशयत्। तस्य दृष्ट्वा तपस्तादृग्रूपचाद्भुतमुत्तमम्
'Like the sun, he illuminated the entire region; seeing his austerity, his wondrous and supreme form, we were amazed.'
अवतीर्णाः स्म तं देशं तपोविघ्नचिकीर्षया। अहं च सौरभेयी च समीची बुद्बुदा लता
'We descended to that place intending to interrupt his penance; I, Saurabheyi, Samichi, Budbuda, and Lata.'
यौगपद्येन तं विप्रमभ्यगच्छाम भारत। गायन्त्योऽथहसन्त्यश्च लोभयित्वा च तं द्विजं
'All at once, O Bharata, we approached that Brahmin, singing and laughing, seeking to entice him.'
स च नास्मासु कृतवान्मनो वीर कथंचन। नाकम्पत महातेजाः स्थितस्तपसि निर्मले
'But he did not direct his mind toward us in any way, O hero; the great-souled one remained unmoved, steadfast in pure austerity.'