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.
; दमयन्तीविवाहप्रस्ताववर्णनम् व्यास उवाच इति मे वचनं श्रुत्वा नारदः परमार्थवित् । मामाह च स्मितं कृत्वा पृच्छन्तं मोहकारणम्
Vyāsa said: Having heard my words, Nārada, knower of the highest truth, smiled and spoke to me, who was asking about the cause of delusion.
नारद उवाच पाराशर्य पुराणज्ञ किं पृच्छसि सुनिश्चयम् । संसारेऽस्मिन्विना मोहं कोऽपि नास्ति शरीरवान्
Nārada said: O son of Parāśara, knower of the Purāṇas, why do you ask with such certainty? In this world, no embodied being exists without delusion.
ब्रह्माविष्णुस्तथा रुद्रः सनकः कपिलस्तथा । मायया वेष्टिताः सर्वे भ्रमन्ति भववर्त्मनि
Even Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Sanaka, and Kapila—all are enveloped by Māyā and wander on the path of worldly existence.
ज्ञानिनं मां जनो वेत्ति भ्रान्तोऽहं सर्वलोकवत् । शृणु मे पूर्ववृत्तान्तं प्रब्रवीमि सुनिश्चितम्
People consider me a knower, but I too am deluded like all beings. Listen as I recount my previous story, which I will tell you with certainty.
दुःखं मया यथा पूर्वमनुभूतं महत्तरम् । स्वकृतेन च मोहेन भार्यार्थे वासवीसुत
How I previously experienced great suffering, caused by my own delusion for the sake of a wife, O son of Vāsavī, I will tell you.
एकदा पर्वतश्चाहं देवलोकान्महीतलम् । प्राप्तो विलोकनार्थाय भारतं खण्डमुत्तमम्
Once, I, Parvata, came down from the worlds of the gods to the earth, to behold the excellent land of Bhārata.
भ्रमन्तौ सहितावुर्व्यां पश्यन्तौ तीर्थमण्डलम् । पावनानि च स्थानानि मुनीनामाश्रमाञ्छुभान्
Wandering together on the earth, we observed the circles of holy places and the pure hermitages of sages.
शपथं देवलोकात्तु कृत्वा पूर्वं परस्परम् । चलितौ समयं चेमं सम्मन्त्र्य निश्चयेन वै
Having previously made a vow to each other in the world of the gods, we set out, having firmly agreed upon this arrangement.
चित्तवृत्तिस्तु वक्तव्या यादृशी यस्य जायते । शुभा वाप्यशुभा वापि न गोप्तव्या कदाचन
Whatever arises in the mind of either—whether auspicious or inauspicious—must always be spoken and never concealed.
भोजनेच्छा धनेच्छापि रतीच्छा वा भवेदपि । यादृशी यस्य चित्ते तु कथनीया परस्परम्
Whether it is a desire for food, wealth, or pleasure—whatever is in the mind—must be told to each other.
इत्यावां समयं कृत्वा स्वर्गाद्भूलोकमागतौ । एकचित्तौ मुनीभूतौ विचरन्तौ यथेच्छया
Thus, having made this agreement, we came from heaven to earth, united in mind, living as sages, wandering as we pleased.
एवं भ्रमन्तौ लोकेऽस्मिन्ग्रीष्मान्ते समुपागते । सञ्जयस्य पुरं रम्यं सम्प्राप्तौ नृपते पुनः
In this way, as we wandered the world and the end of summer approached, we arrived again at the delightful city of King Sañjaya.
तेन सम्पूजितौ भक्त्या राज्ञा सम्मानितौ भृशम् । स्थितौ तत्र गृहे तस्य चातुर्मास्यं महात्मनः
There, we were worshipped with devotion and greatly honored by the king, and we stayed in his house for the four months of the rainy season.
वार्षिकाश्चतुरो मासा दुर्गमाः पथि सर्वदा । तस्मादेकत्र विबुधैः स्थातव्यमिति निश्चयः
The four months of the rainy season are always difficult for travel, so the wise have determined that one should remain in one place during this time.
अष्टौ मासांस्तु प्रवसेत्सदा कार्यवशाद्द्विजः । वर्षाकाले न गन्तव्यं प्रवासे सुखमिच्छता
A twice-born should always reside away from home for eight months if duty requires; but one who desires comfort should not travel during the rainy season.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा सञ्जयस्य गृहे तदा । संस्थितौ मानितौ राज्ञा कृतातिथ्यौ महात्मना
Thinking thus in his mind, at that time, we stayed in the house of Sañjaya, honored and treated as guests by the noble king.
दमयन्तीति विख्याता तस्य पुत्री महीपतेः । आज्ञप्ता परिचर्यार्थं सुदती सुन्दरी भृशम्
Damayantī, the renowned daughter of that king, was instructed to serve us—she was exceedingly beautiful and charming.
विवेकज्ञा विशालाक्षी राजपुत्री कृतोद्यमा । सेवनं सर्वकाले च व्यदधादुभयोरपि
The wise, wide-eyed princess, eager in her duties, attended to both of us at all times.
स्नानार्थमुदकं काले भोजनं मृष्टमायतम् । मुखवासं तथा चान्यं यदिष्टं तद्ददाति सा
She would provide water for bathing at the proper time, delicious and well-prepared food, fragrant mouth fresheners, and anything else we desired.
मनोऽभिलषितान्कामानुभयोरपि कन्यका । व्यजनासनशय्यादीन्वाञ्छितानप्यकल्पयत्
The maiden fulfilled all the wishes of both of us, arranging fans, seats, beds, and whatever else we wanted.