वाप्यो वैदूर्यसोपानाः पद्मोत्पलकुमुद्वतीः । हंसकारण्डवकुलैः जुष्टाश्चक्राह्वसारसैः
There were ponds with steps of lapis lazuli, filled with lotuses, water lilies, and kumuda flowers, frequented by swans, cranes, and chakravaka ducks.
उत्तानपादो राजर्षिः प्रभावं तनयस्य तम् । श्रुत्वा दृष्ट्वाद्भुततमं प्रपेदे विस्मयं परम्
King Uttānapāda, the royal sage, upon hearing and seeing his son's extraordinary glory, was filled with the highest wonder.
वीक्ष्योढवयसं तं च प्रकृतीनां च सम्मतम् । अनुरक्तप्रजं राजा ध्रुवं चक्रे भुवः पतिम्
Seeing him grown and beloved by the people, and approved by the ministers, the king made Dhruva the lord of the earth.
आत्मानं च प्रवयसं आकलय्य विशाम्पतिः । वनं विरक्तः प्रातिष्ठद् विमृशन्नात्मनो गतिम्
Realizing his own old age, the lord of men, detached, set out for the forest, contemplating the path of his soul.
शौनक उवाच । (वंशस्थ) हत्वा स्वरिक्थस्पृध आततायिनो युधिष्ठिरो धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठः । सहानुजैः प्रत्यवरुद्धभोजनः कथं प्रवृत्तः किमकारषीत्ततः
Śaunaka said: O best of the righteous, after Yudhiṣṭhira killed the enemies who coveted his kingdom and wealth, and his meals were secured with his brothers, what did he do next? How did he proceed?
सूत उवाच । वंशं कुरोर्वंशदवाग्निनिर्हृतं संरोहयित्वा भवभावनो हरिः । निवेशयित्वा निजराज्य ईश्वरो युधिष्ठिरं प्रीतमना बभूव ह
Sūta said: Hari, the creator of the world, restored the Kuru dynasty, which had been destroyed by the fire of its own descendants, and, having established Yudhiṣṭhira in his own kingdom, was pleased at heart.
निशम्य भीष्मोक्तमथाच्युतोक्तं प्रवृत्त विज्ञान विधूत विभ्रमः । शशास गामिन्द्र इवाजिताश्रयः परिध्युपान्तां अनुजानुवर्तितः
Having heard the words of Bhīṣma and Acyuta, his doubts dispelled by true knowledge, Yudhiṣṭhira ruled the earth, supported by the unconquered, like Indra, with his brothers following him.
(अनुष्टुप्) कामं ववर्ष पर्जन्यः सर्वकामदुघा मही । सिषिचुः स्म व्रजान् गावः पयसोधस्वतीर्मुदा
The clouds rained as desired, the earth yielded all that was wished for, and the cows joyfully drenched the villages with abundant milk.
नद्यः समुद्रा गिरयः सवनस्पतिवीरुधः । फलन्त्योषधयः सर्वाः कामं अन्वृतु तस्य वै
The rivers, oceans, mountains, forests, and plants—all the herbs—produced their fruits as desired for him.
नाधयो व्याधयः क्लेशा दैवभूतात्महेतवः । अजातशत्रौ अवभवन् जन्तूनां राज्ञि कर्हिचित्
No ailments, diseases, or troubles—whether from fate, other beings, or oneself—ever afflicted the creatures during the reign of the king whose enemy was never born.
उषित्वा हास्तिनपुरे मासान् कतिपयान् हरिः । सुहृदां च विशोकाय स्वसुश्च प्रियकाम्यया
Hari, having stayed for a few months in Hastināpura, to bring joy to his friends and to please his beloved sister,
आमंत्र्य चाभ्यनुज्ञातः परिष्वज्याभिवाद्य तम् । आरुरोह रथं कैश्चित् परिष्वक्तोऽभिवादितः
After taking leave and being permitted, embracing and bowing to them, he ascended his chariot, embraced and honored by some.
सुभद्रा द्रौपदी कुन्ती विराटतनया तथा । गान्धारी धृतराष्ट्रश्च युयुत्सुः गौतमो यमौ
Subhadrā, Draupadī, Kuntī, the daughter of Virāṭa, Gāndhārī, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Yuyutsu, Kripa, and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) [were present].
वृकोदरश्च धौम्यश्च स्त्रियो मत्स्यसुतादयः । न सेहिरे विमुह्यन्तो विरहं शार्ङ्गधन्वनः
Vṛkodara, Dhaumya, and the women such as the daughter of the King of Matsya, bewildered and distraught, could not bear the separation from the wielder of Śārṅga.
सत्सङ्गात् मुक्तदुःसङ्गो हातुं नोत्सहते बुधः । कीर्त्यमानं यशो यस्य सकृत् आकर्ण्य रोचनम्
Freed from bad company by association with the virtuous, a wise person is unable to abandon it, having once heard the delightful fame of Him who is praised.
तस्मिन् न्यस्तधियः पार्थाः सहेरन् विरहं कथम् । दर्शनस्पर्शसंलाप शयनासन भोजनैः
How could the sons of Pṛthā, whose minds were fixed on Him, endure the separation—after seeing, touching, conversing, lying down, sitting, and eating with Him?
सर्वे तेऽनिमिषैः अक्षैः तं अनु द्रुतचेतसः । वीक्षन्तः स्नेहसम्बद्धा विचेलुस्तत्र तत्र ह
All of them, their hearts rushing after Him, followed Him with unblinking eyes, bound by affection, wandering here and there.
न्यरुन्धन् उद्गलत् बाष्पं औत्कण्ठ्यात् देवकीसुते । निर्यात्यगारात् नोऽभद्रं इति स्यात् बान्धवस्त्रियः
The women of the family restrained their streaming tears out of longing for Devakī’s son, thinking, 'Let no inauspiciousness occur as He leaves the house.'
मृदङ्गशङ्खभेर्यश्च वीणापणव गोमुखाः । धुन्धुर्यानक घण्टाद्या नेदुः दुन्दुभयस्तथा
Mṛdaṅgas, conches, bherīs, vīṇās, paṇavas, gomukhas, dhundhuris, ānakas, bells, and also dundubhis resounded.
प्रासादशिखरारूढाः कुरुनार्यो दिदृक्षया । ववृषुः कुसुमैः कृष्णं प्रेमव्रीडास्मितेक्षणाः
The noble women of the Kurus, eager to see Kṛṣṇa, climbed to the tops of the palaces and showered Him with flowers, their eyes smiling with love and modesty.
सितातपत्रं जग्राह मुक्तादामविभूषितम् । रत्नदण्डं गुडाकेशः प्रियः प्रियतमस्य ह
Guḍākeśa, the beloved of the dearest friend, took up a white parasol adorned with a string of pearls and a jeweled handle.
उद्धवः सात्यकिश्चैव व्यजने परमाद्भुते । विकीर्यमाणः कुसुमै रेजे मधुपतिः पथि
Uddhava and Sātyaki, with most wondrous fans, fanned Madhupati as He shone on the road, being showered with flowers.
अश्रूयन्ताशिषः सत्याः तत्र तत्र द्विजेरिताः । नानुरूपानुरूपाश्च निर्गुणस्य गुणात्मनः
Here and there, true blessings were heard, uttered by the twice-born—some appropriate, some not—addressed to Him who is beyond qualities, whose essence is qualities.
अन्योन्यमासीत् संजल्प उत्तमश्लोकचेतसाम् । कौरवेन्द्रपुरस्त्रीणां सर्वश्रुतिमनोहरः
Among the women of the Kaurava king’s city, there arose mutual conversation, captivating to all who heard, as their minds were absorbed in the Glorious One.
(वंशस्थ) स वै किलायं पुरुषः पुरातनो य एक आसीदविशेष आत्मनि । अग्रे गुणेभ्यो जगदात्मनीश्वरे निमीलितात्मन्निशि सुप्तशक्तिषु
Indeed, this very person is the ancient Being, who alone existed, undifferentiated in Himself, before the qualities, as the soul of the universe and its Lord, with His own power dormant in the night of dissolution.
स एव भूयो निजवीर्यचोदितां स्वजीवमायां प्रकृतिं सिसृक्षतीम् । अनामरूपात्मनि रूपनामनी विधित्समानोऽनुससार शास्त्रकृत्
He, again, impelled by His own power, followed His own living energy—nature—desiring to create; wishing to assign names and forms to the formless Self, He, the maker of scripture, set it in motion.
स वा अयं यत्पदमत्र सूरयो जितेन्द्रिया निर्जितमातरिश्वनः । पश्यन्ति भक्ति उत्कलितामलात्मना नन्वेष सत्त्वं परिमार्ष्टुमर्हति
That very abode, which the sages—having mastered their senses and conquered the wind—behold with minds purified by overflowing devotion, surely this Being is worthy to purify existence.
स वा अयं सख्यनुगीत सत्कथो वेदेषु गुह्येषु च गुह्यवादिभिः । य एक ईशो जगदात्मलीलया सृजत्यवत्यत्ति न तत्र सज्जते
He, whose friendship is sung, whose sacred stories are told in the Vedas and in secret by those who know the mysteries, is the sole Lord, the soul of the universe, who by His play creates, maintains, and destroys, yet is not attached to these.
यदा ह्यधर्मेण तमोधियो नृपा जीवन्ति तत्रैष हि सत्त्वतः किल । धत्ते भगं सत्यमृतं दयां यशो भवाय रूपाणि दधत् युगे युगे
Whenever kings of darkened minds live by unrighteousness, then indeed, from among the Sātvatas, He assumes forms, bearing fortune, truth, compassion, and fame, for the welfare of the world, age after age.
अहो अलं श्लाघ्यतमं यदोः कुलं अहो अलं पुण्यतमं मधोर्वनम् । यदेष पुंसां ऋषभः श्रियः पतिः स्वजन्मना चङ्क्रमणेन चाञ्चति
Ah, how truly praiseworthy is the lineage of Yadu! How supremely holy is the forest of Madhu, where this foremost of men, the Lord of Śrī, delights both by His birth and by His wandering.