अक्रूरः सारणश्चैव गदो बभ्रुर्विदूरथः। निशठश्चारुदेष्णश्च पृथुर्विपृथुरेव च
Akrura, Sarana, Gada, Babhru, Viduratha, Nishatha, Charudeshna, Prithu, and Viprithu were also present.
सत्यकः सात्यकिश्चैव भङ्गकारमहारवौ। हार्दिक्य उद्धवश्चैव ये चान्ये नानुकीर्तिताः
Satyaka, Satyaki, the mighty Bhanga-kara, Hardikya, Uddhava, and others not named were there as well.
एते परिवृताः स्त्रीभिर्गन्धर्वैश्च पृथक्पृथक्। तमुत्सवं रैवतके शोभयाञ्चक्रिरे तदा
Surrounded by women and Gandharvas, each separately, they all enhanced the festival at Raivataka.
वासदेवो ययौ तत्र सह स्त्रीभिर्मुदान्वितः। दत्त्वा दानं द्विजातिभ्यः परिव्राजमपश्यत
Vasudeva went there, accompanied by women and filled with joy; after giving gifts to the twice-born, he saw the ascetics.
चित्रकौतूहले तस्मिन्वर्तमाने महाद्भुते। वासुदेवश्च पार्थश्च सहितौ परिजग्मतुः
While that wondrous spectacle of art and marvel was taking place, Vasudeva and Partha together walked about.
तत्र चङ्क्रममाणौ तौ वसुदेवसुतां शुभाम्। अलङ्कृतां सखीमध्ये भद्रां ददृशतुस्तदा
There, as they wandered, the two saw Bhadrā, Vasudeva's beautiful daughter, adorned and among her friends.
दृष्ट्वैव तामर्जुनस्य कन्दर्पः समजायत। तं तदैकाग्रमनसं कृष्णः पार्थमलक्षयत्
Upon seeing her, desire arose in Arjuna; Krishna noticed Partha's mind fixed solely upon her.
अब्रवीत्पुरुषव्याघ्रः प्रसहन्निव भारत। वनेचरस्य किमिदं कामेनालोड्यते मनः
The tiger among men spoke, as if forcefully, O Bharata: 'Why is the mind of a forest-dweller agitated by desire?'
ममैषा भगिनी पार्थ सारणस्य सहोदरी। सुभद्रा नाम भद्रं ते पितुर्मे दयिता सुता। यदि ते वर्तते बुद्धिर्वक्ष्यामि पितरं स्वयम्
This is my sister, O Partha, the full sister of Sāraṇa; her name is Subhadrā, may good befall you. She is my father's beloved daughter. If you have the intention, I will speak to my father myself.
दुहिता वसुदेवस्य वासुदेवस्य च स्वसा। रूपेण चैषा संपन्ना कमिवैषा न मोहयेत्
She is the daughter of Vasudeva and the sister of Vāsudeva; endowed with beauty, whom would she not enchant?
कृतमेव तु कल्याणं सर्वं मम भवेद्ध्रुवम्। यदि स्यान्मम वार्ष्णेयी महिषीयं स्वसा तव
All good fortune would certainly be mine if this Vārṣṇeya maiden, your sister, were to become my queen.
प्राप्तौ तु क उपायः स्यात्तं व्रवीहि जनार्दन। आस्थास्यामि तदा सर्वं यदि शक्यं नरेण तत्
But what means might there be to obtain her? Tell me that, O Janārdana. I will undertake whatever is possible for a man to do.
स्वयं वरः क्षत्रियाणां विवाहः पुरुषर्षभ। स च संशयितः पार्थ स्वभावस्यानिमित्ततः
Among kṣatriyas, O best of men, marriage by self-choice is customary; but, O Pārtha, that is uncertain due to the unpredictable nature of events.
प्रसह्य हरणं चापि क्षत्रियाणां प्रशस्यते। विवाहहेतुः शूराणामिति धर्मविदो विदुः
Marriage by forceful abduction is also praised among kṣatriyas; the learned in dharma say this is the way of heroes for the sake of marriage.
स त्वमर्जुन कल्याणीं प्रसह्य भगिनीं मम। `यतिरूपधरस्तं तु यथा कालविपाकता।' हर स्वयंवरे ह्यस्याः को वै वेद चिकीर्षितम्
Therefore, Arjuna, seize my virtuous sister by force, disguised as an ascetic, according to the ripening of time; for at her svayaṃvara, who indeed knows what is intended?
ततोऽर्जुनश्च कृष्णश्च विनिश्चित्येतिकृत्यताम्। शीघ्रगान्पुरुषानन्प्रेषयामासतुस्तदा
Then Arjuna and Krishna, having resolved upon this course of action, immediately sent swift messengers.
धर्मराजाय तत्सर्वमिन्द्रप्रस्थगताय वै। श्रुत्वैव च महाबाहुरनुजज्ञे समातृकः
All this was reported to King Yudhishthira at Indraprastha, and upon hearing it, the mighty-armed king gave his consent together with his mother.
भीमसेनस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा कृतकृत्यं स्म मन्यते। इत्येवं मनुजैरुक्तं कृष्णः श्रुत्वा महामतिः
When Bhīmasena heard this, he considered the matter as accomplished; thus spoke the men, and Krishna, of great wisdom, heard them.
अनुज्ञाप्य तदा पार्थं हृदि स्थाप्य चिकीर्षितम्। इत्येवं मनुजैः सार्धं द्वारकां समुपेयिवान्
Then, having obtained Partha's approval and keeping his intention in his heart, Krishna, together with the men, went to Dvārakā.
चैराः संचारिते तस्मिन्ननुज्ञाते युधिष्ठिरे। वासुदेवाभ्यनुज्ञातः कथयित्वेतिकृत्यताम्
When the spies had been dispatched and Yudhishthira had given his consent, Vāsudeva, having explained the plan, was approved.
कृष्णस्य मतमास्थाय प्रययौ भरतर्षभः। द्वारकाया उपवने तस्थौ वै कार्यसाधनः
Following Krishna's counsel, the best of the Bharatas went to a grove near Dvārakā and stayed there to accomplish his purpose.
निवृत्ते ह्युत्सवे तस्मिन्गिरौ रैवतके तदा। वृष्णयोऽप्यगमन्सर्वे पुरीं द्वारवतीमनु
When the festival on Mount Raivataka had ended, all the Vṛṣṇis also returned to the city of Dvārakā.
चिन्तयानस्ततो भद्रामुपविष्टः शिलातले। रमणीये वनोद्देशे बहुपादपसंवृते
Sitting on a stone slab, pondering over Subhadrā, in a delightful part of the forest covered with many trees, he remained there.
सालतालाश्वकर्णैश्च बकुलैरर्जुनैस्तथा। चम्पकाशोकपुन्नागैः केतकैः पाटलैस्तथा
There were śāla, tāla, aśvakarṇa, bakula, arjuna, campaka, aśoka, punnāga, ketaka, and pāṭala trees.
कर्णिकारैरशोकैश्च अङ्कोलैरतिमुक्तकैः। एवमादिभिरन्यैश्च संवृते स शिलातले
There were also karṇikāra, aśoka, aṅkola, atimuktaka, and other such trees surrounding that stone slab.
पुनःपुनश्चिन्तयानः सुभद्रां भद्रभाषिणीम्। यदृच्छया चोपपन्नान्वृष्णिवीरान्ददर्श सः
Thinking again and again of Subhadrā, who spoke sweetly, he happened to see the Vṛṣṇi heroes approaching by chance.
बलदेवं च हार्दिक्यं साम्बं सारणमेव च। प्रद्युम्नं च गदं चैव चारुदेष्णं विदूरथम्
Baladeva, the son of Hardika, Samba, Sāraṇa, Pradyumna, Gada, Cārudeṣṇa, and Vidūratha,
भानुं च हरितं चैव विपृथुं पृथुमेव च। तथान्यांश्च बहून्पश्यन्हृदि शोकमधारयत्
Bhānu, Harita, Vipṛthu, and Pṛthu as well; seeing many others also, he held sorrow in his heart.
ततस्ते सहिताः सर्वे यतिं दृष्ट्वा समुत्सुकाः। वृष्णयो विनयोपेताः परिवार्योपतस्थिरे
Then, all together, the Vṛṣṇis, eager upon seeing the ascetic, surrounded him with humility and approached.
ततोऽर्जुनः प्रीतमनाः स्वागतं व्याजहार सः। आस्यतामास्यतां सर्वै रमणीये शिलातले
Thereupon, Arjuna, with a delighted mind, spoke words of welcome: 'Please be seated, all of you, upon this pleasant stone slab.'