न तेऽन्योऽस्ति सहायश्च तस्मान्मा व्रज पुत्रक । एकपुत्रातिदीनास्मि तवाधारा निराश्रया
You have no other helper, so do not go, my son; I am utterly destitute, having only one son, and you are my sole support, without whom I have no refuge.
नार्हसि त्वं महाभाग निराशां कर्तुंमद्य माम् । पिता ते निहतो येन सोऽपि तत्रागतो नृपः
You should not, O greatly fortunate one, abandon me to despair today; your father was slain by him, and that king has also come there.
एकाकिनं गतं तत्र युधाजित्त्वां हनिष्यति । सुदर्शन उवाच भवितव्यं भवत्येव नात्र कार्या विचारणा
If you go there alone, Yudhajit will kill you in battle. Sudarshana said: What must happen will surely happen; there is no need for deliberation here.
आदेशाच्च जगन्मातुर्गच्छाम्यद्य स्वयंवरे । मा शोकं कुरु कल्याणि क्षत्रियाऽसि वरानने
By the command of the Mother of the Universe, I am going today to the svayamvara; do not grieve, O auspicious one, you are a Kshatriya, O beautiful-faced lady.
न बिभेमि प्रसादेन भगवत्या निरन्तरम् । व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा रथमारुह्य गन्तुकामं सुदर्शनम्
By the constant grace of the Blessed Goddess, I do not fear.
दृष्ट्वा मनोरमा पुत्रमाशीर्भिश्चान्वमोदयत् । अग्रतस्तेऽम्बिका पातु पार्वती पातु पृष्ठतः
Vyasa said: Having spoken thus, Sudarshana, desiring to depart, mounted the chariot; seeing her son, Manorama blessed him.
पार्वती पार्श्वयोः पातु शिवा सर्वत्र साम्प्रतम् । वाराही विषमे मार्गे दुर्गा दुर्गेषु कर्हिचित् । कालिका कलहे घोरे पातु त्वां परमेश्वरी
May Ambika protect you in front, may Parvati guard you from behind; may Parvati protect you on both sides, and Shiva everywhere at this time; may Varahi protect you on difficult paths, Durga in fortresses at any time, and the Supreme Goddess Kali in fierce battles.
मण्डपे तत्र मातङ्गी तथा सौम्या स्वयंवरे । भवानी भूपमध्ये तु पातु त्वां भवमोचनी
In the pavilion there, may Matangi protect you, and Saumya at the svayamvara; among kings, may Bhavani, the liberator from worldly existence, protect you.
गिरिजा गिरिदुर्गेषु चामुण्डा चत्वरेषु च । कामगा काननेष्वेवं रक्षतु त्वां सनातनी
May Girija protect you in mountain fortresses, and Chamunda at the crossroads; may Kamaga guard you in forests—thus may the Eternal Goddess protect you.
विवादे वैष्णवी शक्तिरवतात्त्वां रघूद्वह । भैरवी चरणे सौम्य शत्रूणां वै समागमे
In disputes, may the Vaishnavi Shakti protect you, O best of the Raghus; may Bhairavi, gentle at your feet, protect you in the assembly of enemies.
सर्वदा सर्वदेशेषु पातु त्वां भुवनेश्वरी । महामाया जगद्धात्री सच्चिदानन्दरूपिणी
May Bhuvaneshvari always protect you in all places; the Great Maya, the sustainer of the world, whose form is existence, consciousness, and bliss.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा तं तदा माता वेपमाना भयाकुला । उवाचाहं त्वया सार्धमागमिष्यामि सर्वथा
Vyasa said: Having spoken thus, the mother, trembling and overcome with fear, said: I will come with you in every way.
निमिषार्धं विना त्वां वै नाहं स्थातुमिहोत्सहे । सहैव नय मां वत्स यत्र ते गमने मतिः
Without you, even for half a moment, I cannot remain here; take me with you, dear child, wherever you intend to go.
इत्युक्त्वा निःसृता माता धात्रेयीसंयुता तदा । विप्रैर्दत्ताशिषः सर्वे निर्ययुर्हर्षसंयुताः
Having said this, the mother then set out, accompanied by her nurse; all the Brahmins gave their blessings and departed, filled with joy.
वाराणस्यां ततः प्राप्तो रथेनैकेन राघवः । ज्ञातः सुबाहुना तत्र पूजितश्चार्हणादिभिः
Then Raghava arrived at Varanasi in a single chariot; there he was recognized by Subahu, who honored him with offerings and the like.
निवेशार्थं गृहं दत्तमन्नपानादिकं तथा । सेवकं समनुज्ञाप्य परिचर्यार्थमेव च
A house was given for his lodging, as well as food and drink; a servant was assigned to him for his service.
मिलितास्त्वथ राजानो नानादेशाधिपाः किल । युधाजिदपि सम्प्राप्तो दौहित्रेण समन्वितः
Then the kings assembled, rulers from various lands; Yudhajit also arrived, accompanied by his grandson.
करूषाधिपतिश्चैव तथा मद्रेश्वरो नृपः । सिन्धुराजस्तथा वीरो योद्धा माहिष्मतीपतिः
The lord of Karusha, and likewise the king of Madra, the valiant king of Sindhu, and the ruler of Mahishmati, a warrior, also came.
पाञ्चालः पर्वतीयश्च कामरूपोऽतिवीर्यवान् । कार्णाटश्चोलदेशीयो वैदर्भश्च महाबलः
The Panchala, the mountain king, the mighty Kamaroopa, the powerful Karnata, the ruler of Chola, and the strong king of Vidarbha—
अक्षौहिणी त्रिषष्टिश्च मिलिता संख्यया तदा । वेष्टिता नगरी सा तु सैन्यैः सर्वत्र संस्थितैः
At that time, sixty-three divisions of troops had gathered there; the city was surrounded on all sides by armies stationed everywhere.
एते चान्ये च बहवः स्वयंवरदिदृक्षया । मिलितास्तत्र राजानो वरवारणसंयुताः
These and many other kings, eager to witness the svayamvara, assembled there, accompanied by their finest elephants.
अन्योन्यं नृपपुत्रास्त इत्यूचुर्मिलितास्तदा । सुदर्शनो नृपसुतो ह्यागतोऽस्ति निराकुलः
Then, as the princes gathered, they said to one another: 'Sudarsana, the prince, has arrived here, calm and untroubled.'
एकाकी रथमारुह्य मात्रा सह महामतिः । विवाहार्थमिहायातः काकुत्स्थः किं नु साम्प्रतम्
Alone, with only his mother, the wise Kakutstha has come here, ascending his chariot, for the purpose of marriage—what now?
एतान् राजसुतांस्त्यक्त्वा ससैन्यान्सायुधानथ । किमेनं राजपुत्री सा वरिष्यति महाभुजम्
Leaving aside these princes, all with armies and weapons, will the princess choose this mighty-armed prince?
युधाजिदथ राजेशस्तानुवाच महीपतीन् । अहमेनं हनिष्यामि कन्यार्थे नात्र संशयः
Then Yudhajit, the king, said to those rulers: 'I will kill him for the sake of the maiden—there is no doubt about this.'
केरलाधिपतिः प्राह तं तदा नीतिसत्तमः । नात्र युद्धं प्रकर्तव्यं राजन्निच्छास्वयंवरे
At that moment, the wise king of Kerala addressed him: 'O king, there should be no battle here, for this is a svayamvara by choice.'
बलेन हरणं नास्ति नात्र शुल्कस्वयंवरः । कन्येच्छयाऽत्र वरणं विवादः कीदृशस्त्विह
'There is no abduction by force here, nor is this a svayamvara with a bride-price; the selection is by the maiden's wish—what dispute can there be?'
अन्यायेन त्वया पूर्वमसौ राज्यात्प्रवासितः । दौहित्रायार्पितं राज्यं बलवन्नृपसत्तम
'Previously, by injustice, you exiled him from his kingdom, O best of kings, and gave the realm to your grandson by force.'
काकुत्स्थोऽयं महाभाग कोसलाधिपतेः सुतः । कथमेनं राजपुत्रं हनिष्यसि निरागसम्
'This Kakutstha, O fortunate one, is the son of the king of Kosala; how will you kill this prince, who is without fault?'
लप्स्यसे तत्फलं नूनमनयस्य नृपोत्तम । शास्तास्ति कश्चिदायुष्मञ्जगतोऽस्य जगत्पतिः
'You will surely reap the fruit of this wrongdoing, O best of kings; there is a ruler of this world, the Lord of all, who governs.'