तमाश्वास्य वने पाण्डुं पुनः प्राप्तो गजाह्वये । धृतराष्ट्रं समाभाष्य ह्यगमं ब्रह्मजातटे
After consoling Pāṇḍu in the forest, I returned to Hastināpura, spoke with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and then went to the bank of the Ganges.
क्षेत्रजान्पञ्चपुत्रान्स समुत्पाद्य वनाश्रमे । धर्मतो वायुतः शक्रादश्विभ्यां पञ्च पाण्डवान्
There, in the forest hermitage, he fathered five sons through the field—by Dharma, Vāyu, Indra, and the Aśvins, the five Pāṇḍavas.
युधिष्ठिरो भीमसेनस्तथैवार्जुन इत्यपि । कुन्तीपुत्राः समाख्याता धर्मानिलसुरेशजाः
Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīmasena, and Arjuna—these are known as the sons of Kuntī, born of Dharma, Vāyu, and Indra.
नकुलः सहदेवश्च मद्रराजसुतासुतौ । कदाचित्तु रहो माद्रीं समालिङ्ग्य महीपतिः
Nakula and Sahadeva, sons of the daughter of the king of Madra; once, in private, the king embraced Mādrī.
मृतः शापात्तु मुनिभिः संस्कृतो हुतभुङ्मुखे । माद्री तत्र सती भूत्वा प्रविष्टा पतिना सह
He died from the curse, and was cremated in the sacrificial fire by the sages; Mādrī, becoming a devoted wife, entered the fire with her husband.
स्थिता पुत्रयुता कुन्ती ज्वलिते जातवेदसि । मुनयः सुतसंयुक्तां शूरसेनसुतां तदा
Kuntī remained with her sons as the fire blazed; then the sages brought Śūrasena's daughter, together with her sons.
दुःखितां पतिहीनां तामानिन्युर्गजसाह्वये । समर्पिताथ भीष्माय विदुराय महात्मने
They brought her, grieving and bereft of her husband, to Hastināpura, and entrusted her to Bhīṣma and the noble Vidura.
श्रुत्वाहं सुखदुःखाभ्यां पीडितस्तु परात्मभिः । भीष्मेण पालिताः पुत्राः पाण्डोरिति विचिन्त्य ते
Hearing this, I was afflicted by both happiness and sorrow, O supreme self; thinking that Bhīṣma was protecting the sons of Pāṇḍu.
विदुरेण तथा प्रीत्या धृतराष्ट्रेण धीमता । दुर्योधनादयस्तस्य पुत्रा ये क्रूरमानसाः
Vidura, with affection, and the wise Dhritarashtra, along with Duryodhana and his other sons of cruel mind—
एकत्र स्थितिमापन्ना विरोधं चकुरद्भुतम् । द्रोणाचार्यस्तु सम्माप्तस्तत्र भीष्मेण मानितः
All of them gathered together and created a remarkable conflict; Dronacharya was also present there, honored by Bhishma.
अध्यापनाय पुत्राणां पुरे तस्मिन्निवासितः । कर्णः कुन्त्या परित्यक्तो जातमात्रः शिशुर्यदा
He was settled in that city to teach the princes; Karna, abandoned by Kunti as a newborn child—
सूतेन पालितो नद्यां प्रान्तश्चाधिरथेन ह । दुर्योधनप्रियश्चाभूत्कर्णः शूरतमस्तथा
Was raised by the charioteer Adhiratha on the riverbank; Karna became very dear to Duryodhana and was exceedingly valiant.
परस्परं विरोधोऽभूद्भीमदुर्योधनादिषु । धृतराष्ट्रस्तु सञ्चिन्त्य क्लेशं पुत्रेषु तेषु च
There arose mutual enmity between Bhima, Duryodhana, and the others; Dhritarashtra, reflecting on the distress among his sons—
निवासं कल्पयामास पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् । विरोधशमनायैव नगरे वारणावते
Arranged for the noble Pandavas to reside in the city of Varanavata, intending to quell the conflict.
दुर्योधनेन तत्रैव द्रोहाज्जतुगृहाणि वै । कारितानि च दिव्यानि प्रेष्य मित्रं पुरोचनम्
There, at Duryodhana’s command and out of deceit, houses of lac were constructed; he sent his friend Purochana as well.
श्रुत्वा जतुगृहे दग्धान्पाण्डवान्पृथया युतान् । पौत्रभावान्मुनिश्रेष्ठ मग्नोऽहं व्यसनार्णवे
Hearing that the Pandavas, along with Pritha, had been burned in the house of lac, O best of sages, I was plunged into an ocean of sorrow.
शोकातुरो भृशं शून्ये वने पश्यन्नहर्निशम् । दृष्टा मयैकचक्रायां पाण्डवा दुःखकर्शिताः
Tormented by grief, I wandered day and night in the desolate forest; there, in Ekachakra, I saw the Pandavas, worn by suffering.
ततस्तुष्टमनाश्चाहं जातः पार्थान्विलोक्य च । प्रेरितास्ते मया तूर्णं द्रुपदस्य पुरं प्रति
Then, seeing the sons of Pandu, my heart became joyful; I quickly sent them toward the city of Drupada.
ते गतास्तत्र दुःखार्ता विप्रवेषधराः कृशाः । मृगचर्मपरीधानाः सभायां संस्थितास्तदा
They went there, afflicted by sorrow, thin, dressed as Brahmins, clothed in deer skins, and stood in the assembly.
कृत्वा पराक्रमं जिष्णुः स जित्वा द्रुपदात्मजाम् । चक्रुर्विवाहं मानिन्या पञ्चैव मातृवाक्यतः
Having displayed his prowess, Arjuna won the daughter of Drupada; then, by their mother’s word, the five brothers married the noble lady.
दृष्ट्वा विवाहं तेषां तु मुदितोऽहं भृशं तदा । ततो नागाह्वये प्राप्ताः पाञ्चालीसहिता मुने
Seeing their marriage, I was greatly delighted; then, O sage, they arrived at Nagasahvaya together with the Panchalas.
निवासं खाण्डवप्रस्थं धृतराष्ट्रेण कल्पितम् । पाण्डवानां द्विजश्रेष्ठ वसुदेवसुतेन वै
Dhritarashtra arranged for the Pandavas, along with Krishna, son of Vasudeva, to reside at Khandavaprastha.
तर्पितः पावकस्तत्र विष्णुना सह जिष्णुना । राजसूयः कृतो यज्ञस्तदाहं मुदितोऽभवम्
There, Agni was gratified by Vishnu and Arjuna; the Rajasuya sacrifice was performed, and I was filled with joy.
दृष्ट्वाथ विभवं तेषां तथा मयकृतां सभाम् । दुर्योधनोऽतिसन्तप्तो दुरोदरमथाकरोत्
Then, seeing their prosperity and the assembly hall built by Maya, Duryodhana was deeply tormented and devised a wicked scheme.
दुर्द्यूतवेदी शकुनिरनक्षज्ञश्च धर्मजः । हृतं राज्यं धनं सर्वं याज्ञसेनी च क्लेशिता
At the evil dice game, Shakuni played, and though Yudhishthira did not know the deceit, the kingdom, all wealth, and Draupadi were lost and tormented.
वने द्वादश वर्षाणि पाण्डवास्ते विवासिताः । पाञ्चालीसहितास्तेन दुःखं मे जनितं भृशम्
The Pandavas, along with Draupadi, were exiled to the forest for twelve years; because of this, I suffered intense sorrow.
एवं नारद संसारे सुखदुःखात्मके भृशम् । निमग्नोऽहं भ्रमेणैव जानन् धर्मं सनातनम्
Thus, O Nārada, I am deeply immersed in this world, which is truly made of pleasure and pain, and though I know the eternal dharma, I wander in delusion.
कोऽहं कस्य सुतास्तेऽमी का माता किं सुखं पुनः । येन मे हृदयं मोहाद्भ्रमतीति दिवानिशम्
Who am I? Whose son are these? Who is the mother? What is happiness again? Because of delusion, my heart wanders day and night with such thoughts.
किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि सन्तोषो नाधिगच्छति । दोलारूढं मनो मेऽत्र चञ्चलं न स्थिरं भवेत्
What should I do? Where should I go? Contentment does not arise. My mind, caught on the swing of uncertainty, is restless and does not become steady.
सर्वज्ञोऽसि मुनिश्रेष्ठ सन्देहं मे निवर्तय । तथा कुरु यथाहं स्यां सुखितो विगतज्वरः
You are all-knowing, best of sages; remove my doubt. Do so in such a way that I may be happy and free from distress.