यदा मुकुन्दो भगवानिमां महीं जहौ स्ततन्वा श्रवणीयसत्कथः । तदाहरेवाप्रतिबुद्धचेतसा मधर्महेतूः कलिरन्ववर्तत
When Mukunda, the Blessed Lord, left this earth along with His auspicious form, at that very moment, Kali, the cause of unrighteousness, began to act upon those whose minds were not awakened.
युधिष्ठिरस्तत्पर्सर्पणं बुधः पुरे च राष्ट्रे च गृहे तथाऽऽत्मनि । विभग्य लोभानृतजिह्नाहिंसना द्यधर्मचक्रं गमनाय पर्यधात
Yudhiṣṭhira, wise and discerning, observed the advance of Kali—in the city, the kingdom, his household, and himself—manifesting as greed, falsehood, and violence, and thus prepared to depart.
स्वराट पौत्रं विनयिनमात्मनः सुसमं गुणैः । तोयनीव्याः पतिं भूमेरभ्यषिचंद गजाहृये
The sovereign, seeing his own grandson, equal in virtues and discipline, installed him as lord of the earth, at Hastināpura, on the banks of the Ganges.
मथूरायां तथा वज्रं शुरसेनपतिं ततः । प्राजापत्यां निरुप्योष्टिमग्नीनपिबदीश्वरः
In Mathurā, he installed Vajra as the chief of the Śūrasenas, and then, performing the proper rites, the Lord drank the sacrificial fire.
विसृज्य तत्र तत सर्व दुकुनलवलयादिकम । निर्ममो निरहंकारः संछिन्नाशेषबन्धनः
There, having relinquished all attachments—relatives, followers, and possessions—he became free from possessiveness and ego, severing all bonds.
वाचं जुहाव मनसि तत्प्राण इतरे च तम । मृत्यावपानं सोत्सर्गं तं पंचत्वे ह्याजोहवीत
He offered his speech into his mind, his mind into his breath, and the other senses into darkness; he offered his outgoing breath into death, and thus entered the state of dissolution.
त्रेत्वे हुत्वाथ पंचत्वं तच्चेकत्वेऽजुहोन्मुनिः । सर्वमात्मन्यजुहवीद ब्रह्मण्यात्मानमव्यये
Having offered the five elements into each other, and then into unity, the sage offered everything into the Self, and the Self into the imperishable Brahman.
चीरवासा निराहारो बद्धवड मुक्तमूर्धजः । दर्शयन्नात्मनो रुपं जडोन्मत्तपिशाचवत
Clad in bark, fasting, with matted hair bound and head uncovered, he appeared as if dull, mad, or possessed, revealing his true form.
अनपेक्षमाणो निरगादश्रृण्वन्बधिरो यथा । उदीचीं प्रविवेशांशं गतपुर्वा महात्मभिः । हृदि ब्रह्मा परं ध्यायान्नवर्तेत यतो गतः
Indifferent, he departed, not hearing like one deaf, and entered the northern path, as the great souls had done before, meditating on the Supreme Brahman in his heart, from which he would not return.
सर्व तमनु निर्जग्मुर्भ्रातरः कृतनिश्चयाः । कलिनाधर्ममित्रेण दृष्टा स्पृष्टाः प्रजा भुवि
All his brothers, having resolved firmly, followed him, for the people of the earth had been touched and afflicted by Kali, the friend of unrighteousness.
ते साधुकृतसर्वार्था ज्ञात्वऽऽत्यन्तिकमातमनः । मनसा धारयामासुर्वैकुठचरणाम्बुजम
Having fulfilled all duties virtuously and knowing the ultimate goal of the self, they fixed their minds on the lotus feet of the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha.
तद्धनोद्रिक्यया भक्त्या विशुद्धधिषणाः परे । तस्मिन नारायणपदे एकान्तमतयो गतिम
With unwavering devotion and purified intellect, they fixed their minds solely on that supreme abode of Nārāyaṇa.
अवापुर्दुरवापां ते असद्भिर्विषयात्मभिः । विहुतकल्मषास्थाने विरजेनात्मनैव हि
They attained that exceedingly rare state, which cannot be reached by those attached to sense objects and impurity, but is gained only by the pure soul.
विदुरोऽपि परित्यज्य प्रभासे देहमात्मवान । कृष्णावेशेन तच्चित्तः पितृभिः स्वक्षयं ययौ
Vidura too, renouncing his body at Prabhāsa, absorbed his mind in Kṛṣṇa and, united in consciousness with his forefathers, went to his own abode.
द्रौपदी च तदाऽऽज्ञाय पतीनामनपेक्षताम । वासुदेवे भगवति ह्योकान्तमतिराप तम
At that time, Draupadī, perceiving the detachment of her husbands, fixed her mind exclusively on Lord Vāsudeva, the Blessed One, and attained that state.
यः श्रद्धयैतद भगवत्प्रियाणां पाण्डोः सुतानामिती सम्प्रयाणम । श्रुणोत्यलं स्वत्ययनं पवित्रं लब्ध्या हरौ भक्तिमुपैति सिद्धिम
Whoever faithfully hears this account of the departure of Pāṇḍu's beloved sons, which is most purifying and brings auspiciousness, attains devotion to Hari and perfection.
सूत उवाच ततः परीक्षिद्द्विजवर्यशिक्षया महीं महाभागवतः शशास ह । यथा हि सूत्यामभिजातकोविदाः समादिशन् विप्र महद्गुणस्तथा
Sūta said: Then Parīkṣit, the great devotee, ruled the earth according to the instructions of the foremost brāhmaṇas, just as expert guides direct a noble child at birth.
स उत्तरस्य तनयामुपयेम इरावतीम् । जनमेजयादींश्चतुरस्तस्यामुत्पादयत्सुतान्
He married Irāvatī, the daughter of Uttara, and from her he begot four sons, beginning with Janamejaya.
आजहाराश्वमेधांस्त्रीन् गङ्गायां भूरिदक्षिणान् । शारद्वतं गुरुं कृत्वा देवा यत्राक्षिगोचराः
He performed three Aśvamedha sacrifices on the banks of the Gaṅgā, giving abundant gifts, with Śāradvata as his priest, where even the gods became visible.
निजग्राहौजसा वीरः कलिं दिग्विजये क्वचित् । नृपलिङ्गधरं शूद्रं घ्नन्तं गोमिथुनं पदा
Once, during his conquest of the directions, the heroic king seized Kali, who, disguised as a king but actually a śūdra, was striking a cow and a bull with his foot.
शौनक उवाच कस्य हेतोर्निजग्राह कलिं दिग्विजये नृपः । नृदेवचिह्नधृक्शूद्र कोऽसौ गां यः पदाहनत् । तत्कथ्यतां महाभाग यदि कृष्णकथाश्रयम्
Śaunaka said: For what reason did the king capture Kali during his conquest? Who was this śūdra, bearing royal insignia, who struck the cow with his foot? O blessed one, please tell us, if it relates to the stories of Kṛṣṇa.
अथवास्य पदाम्भोज मकरन्दलिहां सताम् । किमन्यैरसदालापैरायुषो यदसद्व्ययः
Or, for those devoted to tasting the nectar of the Lord's lotus feet, what use are other fruitless talks, which only waste the span of life?
क्षुद्रायुषां नृणामङ्ग मर्त्यानामृतमिच्छताम् । इहोपहूतो भगवान्मृत्युः शामित्रकर्मणि
O gentle one, for mortal men of short life who desire immortality, the Lord, as Death, has been invited here by the sage Śāmīka.
न कश्चिन्म्रियते तावद्यावदास्त इहान्तकः । एतदर्थं हि भगवानाहूतः परमर्षिभिः । अहो नृलोके पीयेत हरिलीलामृतं वचः
No one dies as long as Death remains here; for this reason, the Lord was called by the great sages. Oh, let the nectar of Hari's pastimes be drunk in the world of men!
मन्दस्य मन्दप्रज्ञस्य वयो मन्दायुषश्च वै । निद्रया ह्रियते नक्तं दिवा च व्यर्थकर्मभिः
In this age, people are slow, of dull intelligence, and short-lived; their nights are wasted in sleep, and their days in vain activities.
सूत उवाच यदा परीक्षित्कुरुजाङ्गलेऽवसत्कलिं प्रविष्टं निजचक्रवर्तिते । निशम्य वार्तामनतिप्रियां ततः शरासनं संयुगशौण्डिराददे
Sūta said: When Parīkṣit, residing in the land of the Kurus, heard the unwelcome news that Kali had entered his kingdom, the valiant archer took up his bow.
स्वलङ्कृतं श्यामतुरङ्गयोजितं रथं मृगेन्द्रध्वजमाश्रितः पुरात् । वृतो रथाश्वद्विपपत्तियुक्तया स्वसेनया दिग्विजयाय निर्गतः
He mounted his well-adorned chariot, yoked with dark horses and bearing the lion banner, and, surrounded by his army of chariots, horses, elephants, and infantry, set out to conquer the directions.
भद्राश्वं केतुमालं च भारतं चोत्तरान् कुरून् । किम्पुरुषादीनि वर्षाणि विजित्य जगृहे बलिम्
He conquered Bhadrāśva, Ketumāla, Bhārata, the northern Kurus, and the regions of Kimpuruṣa and others, and collected tribute from them.
नगरांश्च वनांश्चैव नदीश्च विमलोदकाः । पुरुषान् देवकल्पांश्च नारीश्च प्रियदर्शनाः
He subdued cities and forests, rivers with pure waters, men resembling the gods, and women of pleasing appearance.
अदृष्टपूर्वान् सुभगान् स ददर्श धनञ्जयः । सदनानि च शुभ्राणि नारीश्चाप्सरसां निभाः
Dhanañjaya beheld wondrous sights never seen before, splendid dwellings, and women resembling celestial nymphs.