राजोवाच । तत्करिष्यामि सर्वेषां गयाश्राद्धमसंशयम्
The king said: I shall certainly perform the ancestral rite at Gayā for all, without doubt.
तारयिष्यामि सर्वांश्च सर्वपापैः प्रयत्नतः ॥ ६.१८.
I will strive to liberate them all from every sin.
यस्माद्धृद्गतशंका मे हृता युष्माभिरद्य वै
Because today you have truly removed the doubt that was in my heart,
इतः स्थानान्महाराज नातिदूरे जलाशयः । अस्ति नानाद्रुमोपेतश्चित्ताह्लादकरः परः
From here, O great king, not far away, there is a lake, adorned with various trees, supremely delightful to the mind.
तस्मादुदङ्मुखो गच्छ यत्र ते जलपक्षिणः
Therefore, go northward to the place where your water birds are.
सौम्यां दिशं समुद्दिश्य प्रतस्थे स तु दुःखितः
He set out toward the gentle direction, though afflicted with sorrow.
एवं प्रगच्छता तेन क्षुत्पिपासाकुलेन च । अदूरादेव संदृष्टं नीलं द्रुमकदंबकम्
As he proceeded, tormented by hunger and thirst, he saw from not far away a cluster of dark trees.
अथाऽपश्यन्मनोहारि सौम्यसत्त्वनिषेवितम्
Then he saw a charming place inhabited by gentle creatures.
पुष्पितैः फलितैर्वृक्षैः समंतात्परिवेष्टितम्
It was surrounded on all sides by trees bearing flowers and fruits.
तत्रापश्यन्नगाधस्तात्तपस्विगणसेवितम्
There, beneath the trees, he saw a place frequented by groups of ascetics.
अथ गत्वा स राजेंद्रः प्रणिपत्य मुनीश्वरम् ६.१८.
Then the king, having arrived, bowed to the lord of sages.
ते दृष्ट्वाऽदृष्टपूर्वं तं राजलक्षणलक्षितम्
Seeing him, marked with the signs of royalty and never seen before,
मन्यमाना महीपालं विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनाः
They, thinking him to be a king, gazed at him with eyes wide in astonishment.
कुतस्त्वमनुसंप्राप्तो वनेऽस्मिञ्जनवर्जिते
How have you come to this forest, devoid of people?
पार्थिवस्येव लिंगानि दृश्यंते तव भूरिशः
The marks of a king are seen in you in abundance.
अथोवाच नृपः कृच्छ्रात्पिपासा मां प्रबाधते
Then the king said: I am greatly tormented by thirst.
ततस्तैर्दर्शितं तोयं समीपे यन्महीपतेः
Then, they showed the water nearby to the king.
ततः फलानि पक्वानि तरूणां पतितान्यधः
Then, ripe fruits had fallen beneath the trees.
ततस्तृप्तिं परां प्राप्य गत्वा जैमिनिसंनिधौ
After attaining great satisfaction, he went to the presence of Jaimini.
उवाच च निजां वार्तां कृतांजलिपुटः स्थितः
Standing with hands joined in reverence, he spoke of his own situation.
विदूरथो महीपोऽहं माहिष्मत्यां कृतास्पदः ६.१८.
I am Viduratha, a king, established in Māhiṣmatī.
ततो मे भ्रममाणस्य प्रणष्टाः सर्वसैनिकाः
Then, while I was wandering, all my soldiers were lost.
आसीद्धयो ममाऽधस्ताज्जात्यः सर्वगुणान्वितः ॥ सोऽपि कर्मविपाकेन पञ्चत्वं समुपस्थितः ।ा
Below me was my brother, endowed with every virtue; but he too, by the result of his deeds, has come to his end.
ततस्ते तापसाः प्रोचुर्विद्महे न वयं पुरीम्
Then those ascetics said, 'We do not know the city.'
नरेन्द्रैर्नैव नः कार्यं न दिशैर्न पुरैर्नृप
We have no business with kings, nor with directions, nor with cities, O king.
सर्वे शीर्णानि वृक्षाणां पुष्पाणि च फलानि च
All the flowers and fruits of the trees have withered.
मानुषैः सह संसर्गं संभाषं च नराधिप
O lord of men, we do not associate or converse with humans.
एकैकस्य तरोर्मूले दिवसं वा दिनद्वयम्
Each one of us stays at the root of a tree for a day or two.
कारणात्तव राजेंद्र निशामेतां वनस्पतौ
For this reason, O king, observe these trees tonight.
एकाकिनं पदातिं च विशस्त्रं श्रमविह्वलम् ६.१८. । एकाकी पार्थिवेन्द्रोऽयं नेष्यति च कथं निशाम्
How will this king, alone, on foot, unarmed, and exhausted, spend the night?