निवर्तयत संहृष्टा ममैषा परमा मतिः। यदि निर्जित्य वः पार्थो बलाद्गच्छेत्स्वकं पुरं
Restrain him with joy; this is my highest counsel. If Partha should defeat you by force and return to his own city—
प्रणश्येद्वो यशः सद्यो न तु सान्त्वे पराजयः। `पितृष्वसायाः पुत्रो मे संबन्धं नार्हति द्विषाम्।' तच्छ्रुत्वा वासुदेवस्य तथा कर्तुं जनाधिप
Your fame would be lost at once, but not so by conciliation. The son of my father’s sister does not deserve enmity from me. Hearing this from Vasudeva, the king acted accordingly.
उद्योगं कृतवन्तस्ते भेरीं सन्नाद्य यादवाः। अर्जुनस्तु तदा श्रुत्वा भेरीसन्नादनं महत्
Then the Yadavas, having made their preparations, sounded the war drum. Arjuna, hearing that great drum sound—
कौन्तेयस्त्वरमाणस्तु सुभद्रामभ्यभाषत। आयान्ति वृष्णयः सर्वे ससुहृज्जनबान्धवाः
The son of Kunti, hastening, spoke to Subhadra: 'All the Vrishnis are coming, with their friends and relatives.'
त्वदर्थं योद्धुकामास्ते मदरक्तान्तलोचनाः। प्रमत्तानशुचीन्मूढान्सुरामत्तान्नराधमान्
They, with bloodshot eyes from anger, wish to fight for your sake—reckless, impure, deluded, men degraded by drunkenness.
वमनं पानशीलांस्तान्करिष्यामि शरोत्तमैः। उताहो वा मदोन्मत्तान्नयिष्यामि यमक्षयम्
Those addicted to drinking and vomiting, I will strike down with excellent arrows; or, if they are mad with intoxication, I will send them to the abode of Yama.
एवमुक्त्वा प्रियां पार्थो न्यवर्तत महाबलः। निवर्तमानं दृष्ट्वैव सुभद्रा त्रस्ततां गता
Having spoken thus to his beloved, mighty Partha turned back. Seeing him turning away, Subhadra became fearful.
एवं मा वद पार्थेति पादयोः पतिता तदा। सुभद्रा तु कलिर्जाता वृष्णीनां निधाय च
She fell at Partha’s feet, saying, 'Do not speak so!' But Subhadra, placing the blame on the Vrishnis, was overcome by distress.
एवं ब्रुवन्तः पौरास्ते ह्यपवादरताः प्रभो। मम शोकं वर्धयन्ति तस्मान्नाशं न चिन्तये। परिवादभयान्मुक्ता त्वत्प्रसादाद्भवाम्यहम्
Thus the citizens, intent on slander, spoke, O lord, increasing my sorrow; therefore I do not wish for destruction. Freed from the fear of reproach, by your grace I am.
एवमुक्तस्ततः पार्थः प्रियया भद्रया तदा। गमनाय मतिं चक्रे पार्थः सत्यपराक्रमः
Thus addressed by his dear and virtuous wife, Partha, steadfast in truth and valor, then resolved to depart.
स्तितपूर्वं तदाऽऽभाष्य परिष्वज्य प्रियां तदा। उत्थाप्य च पुनः पार्थो याहि याहीति चाब्रवीत्
Then, having spoken kindly and embraced his beloved, Partha raised her up again and said, 'Go, go!'
ततः सुभद्रा त्वरिता रश्मीन्संगृह्य पाणिना। चोदयामास जवनाञ्शीग्रमश्वान्कृतत्वरा
Then Subhadra, swiftly seizing the reins with her hand, urged the fast horses onward with speed.
ततस्तु कृतसन्नाहा वृष्णिवीराः समाहिताः। प्रत्यानयार्थं पार्थस्य जवनैस्तुरगोत्तमैः
Then the Vrishni heroes, fully armed and intent, set out with their best swift horses to bring Partha back.
राजमार्गमनुप्राप्ता दृष्ट्वा पार्थस्य विक्रमम्। प्रासादपङ्क्तिस्तम्भेषु वेदिकासु ध्वजेषु च
Having entered the royal road and seeing Partha’s valor, they stood on the rows of palace columns, on platforms, and by the banners.
अर्जुनस्य शरान्दृष्ट्वा विस्मयं परमं गताः। केशवस्य वचस्तथ्यं मन्यमानास्तु यादवाः
Seeing Arjuna’s arrows, the Yadavas were filled with great wonder, and they regarded the words of Kesava as true.
अतीत्य तं रैवतकं श्रुत्वा तु विपृथोर्वचः। अर्जुनेन कृतं श्रुत्वा गन्तुकामास्तु वृष्णयः
Having crossed Raivataka and heard the words of Vipritha, the Vrishnis, upon learning what Arjuna had done, wished to depart.
श्रुत्वा दीर्घं गतं पार्थं न्यवर्तन्त महारथाः। पुरोद्यानमतिक्रम्य विशालं च गिरिव्रजम्
Hearing that Partha had gone far ahead, the great chariot-warriors turned back, having passed the royal gardens and the vast city of Girivraja.
सानुमुज्जयिनीं चैव वनान्युपवनानि च। पुण्येष्वानर्तराष्ट्रेषु वापीपद्मसरांसि च
They traversed the slopes of Ujjayini, forests and groves, and in the sacred regions of Anarta, the tanks, lotus-ponds, and lakes.
प्राप्य धेनुमतीतीर्थमश्वरोधसरः प्रति। प्रेक्षावर्तं ततः शैलमम्बुदं च नगोत्तमम्
Reaching the holy ford of Dhenumat and the lake where horses are watered, they beheld the mountain Prekshavarta and the lofty peak Ambuda.
आराच्छृङ्गमथासाद्य तीर्णः करवतीं नदीम्। प्राप्य साल्वेयराष्ट्राणि निषधानप्यतीत्य च
Having approached the distant summit, they crossed the river Karavati, and, reaching the lands of Salveya, they also passed through Nishadha.
देवापृथुपुरं पश्यन् सर्वतः सुसमाहितः। तमतीत्य महाबाहुर्देवारण्यमपश्यत
Observing the city of Devaprithu, he remained attentive on all sides; passing it, the mighty-armed one saw the forest of Deva.
पूजयामासुरायान्तं देवारण्ये महर्षयः। स वनानि नदीः शैलान् गिरिप्रस्रवणानि च
The great sages in the forest of Deva honored him as he arrived; he saw forests, rivers, mountains, and mountain streams.
अतीत्य च तदा पार्थः सुभद्रासारथिस्तदा। कौरवं विषयं प्राप्य विशोकः समपद्यत
Then Partha, with Subhadra as his charioteer, passed through those places; reaching the land of the Kurus, he became free from sorrow.
सोदर्याणां महाबाहुः सिंहाशयमिवाशयम्। दूरादुपवनोपेतं समन्तात्सलिलावृतम्
The mighty-armed one, with his uterine sister, rested like a lion in its lair, in a grove at a distance, surrounded on all sides by water.
भद्रया मुदितो जिष्णुर्ददर्श वृजिनं पुरम्
Joyful with Bhadrā, Jishnu beheld the city of Vrajin.
क्रोशणात्रे पुरस्यासीद्गोष्ठं पार्थस्य शोभनम्। तत्रापि यात्वा बीभत्सुर्निविष्टो यदुकन्यया
In the suburb of Kroshanatra, there was a fine cattle-station of Partha; there, having gone, Bhībhatsu settled with the Yadava maiden.
ततः सुभद्रां सत्कृत्य पार्थो वचनमब्रवीत्। गोपिकानां तु वेषेण गच्छ त्वं वृजिनं पुरम्
Then Partha, having duly honored Subhadra, spoke these words: 'Go to the city of Vrajin in the guise of a cowherd woman.'
कामव्याहारिणी कृष्णा रोचतां ते वचो मम। दृष्ट्वा तु परुषं ब्रूयात्सह तत्र मयागताम्
'Let your words be playful, Krishna, and may my advice please you. If you see harshness, say that you have come there with me.'
अन्यवेषेण तु गतां दृष्ट्वा सा त्वां प्रियं वदेत्। यत्तु सा प्रथमं ब्रूयान्न तस्यास्ति निवर्तनम्
'If, seeing you in another guise, she speaks kindly to you, whatever she first says, let there be no turning back from that.'
तस्मान्मानं च दर्पं च व्यपनीय स्वयं व्रज। तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सुभद्रा प्रत्यभाषत
'Therefore, setting aside pride and arrogance, go yourself.' Hearing these words, Subhadra replied.