जनमेजय उवाच एवं वने वर्तमाना नराम्याः शीतोष्णवातातपकर्शिताङ्गाः। सरस्तदासाद्य वनं च पुण्यं ततः परं किमकुर्वन्त पार्थाः॥
Janamejaya said : O Brahmana, when those foremost of men, the sons of Pritha, were passing their days in the forest exposed to the inclemencies of the winter and the summer, of the wind and the sun, what did they do after they had reached the lake and the forest named Dvaita?
वैशम्पायन उवाच सरस्तदासाद्य तु पाण्डुपुत्रा जनं समुत्सृज्य विधाय वेशम्। वनानि रम्याण्यथ पर्वतांश्च नदीप्रदेशांश्च तदा विचेरुः॥
Vaishampayana said : When the Pandavas reached the lake, they chose a place to live in far from the habitations of men. They roamed through charming forests and delightful mountains and beautiful valleys through which ran many rivers and stream-lets.
तथा वने तान् वसतः प्रवीरान् स्वाध्यायवन्तश्च तपोधनाचा स्तान् पूजयामासुरथो नरायाः॥
When they began to live there, many venerable ascetics, learned in the Vedas, often came to see them. Those foremost of men always received those Veda-knowing Rishis with great respect.
ततः कदाचित् कुशल: कथासु विप्रोऽभ्यगच्छद् भुवि कौरवेयान्। स तैः समेत्याथ यदृच्छयैव वैचित्रवीर्यं नृपमभ्यगच्छत्॥
Thereupon one day there came to the Kuru princes a certain Brahmana who was celebrated on carth for his powers of speech. Having talked with them for some time, he went away to the king, the of Vichitravirya (Dhritarashtra).
अथोपविष्टः प्रतिसत्कृतश्च वृद्धेन राज्ञा कुरुसत्तमेन। प्रचोदित: संकथयाम्बभूव धर्मानिलेन्द्रप्रभवान् यमौ च॥
Having been received with all respect by that foremost of the Kurus, that old king (Dhritarashtra) the Brahmanas took his seat; and then asked by the king, he talked about the son of Dharma, Pavana, Indra and the twins (Asvinis). son
कृशांश्च वातातपकर्शिताङ्गान् दुःखस्य चोचस्य मुखे प्रपन्नान्। तां चाप्यनाथामिव वीरनाथां कृष्णां परिक्लेशगुणेन युक्ताम्॥
All of whom having fallen into great misery had become emaciated and reduced owing to exposure to the wind and the sun. He also talked of Krishna (Draupadi) who had been overwhelmed with sufferings and who had become protectorless though she had heroes for her lords.
ततः कथास्तस्य निशभ्य राजा वैचित्रवीर्यः कृपयाभितप्तः। वने तथा पार्थिवपुत्रपौत्रान् श्रुत्वा तथा दुःखनदी प्रपन्नान्॥
On hearing his words, the king Vichitravirya's son became afflicted with grief, thinking that the royal princess (Draupadi) had been drowned in a river of sorrow.
प्रोवाच दैन्याभिहतान्तरात्मा निःश्वासवातोपहतस्तदानीम्। वाचं कथंचित् स्थिरतामुपेत्य तत् सर्वमात्मप्रभवं विचिन्त्या८॥
His inmost soul was afflicted with sorrow. Trembling all over with sighs, he quieted himself with great effort, thinking that his folly was the cause of everything. He said,
कथं नु सत्यः शुचिरार्यवृत्तो ज्येष्ठः सुतानां मम धर्मराजः। अजातशत्रुः पृथिवीतले स्म शेते पुरा राङ्कवकूटशायी॥
"Alas, how is it that Dharmaraja Yudhishthira who is the eldest of my sons, who is truthful and pious and virtuous in his behaviour, who has not a single enemy (on earth) and who formerly used to sleep on beds made of soft Ranku-skins, sleeps now on the bare ground!
नित्यं स्तुवद्भिः स्वयमिन्द्रकल्पः। पतत्त्रिसझै स जघन्यरात्रे प्रबोध्यते नूनमिडातलस्थः॥
He used to be awakened by the Sutas and Magdhas and other singers with his praises melodiously chanted every morning. That Indra-like Kuru prince is now awakened from the bare ground early in the morning by innumerable birds.
कथं नु वातातपकर्शिताङ्गो वृकोदरः कोपपरिप्लुताङ्गः। शेते पृथिव्यामतथोचिताङ्गः कृष्णासमक्षं वसुधातलस्थः॥
How does Vrikodara, reduced by exposure to wind and sun and filled with wrath, sleep on the bare ground in the presence of the Panchala princess unfit as he is to suffer such misery?
तथार्जुनः सुकुमारो मनस्वी वशे स्थितो धर्मसुतस्य राज्ञः। धुवं न शेते वसतीरमर्षात्॥
Perhaps the intelligent Arjuna who is incapable of bearing pain and who though ever obedient to Yudhishthira yet feels himself pierced by the remembrance of his wrongs, does not at all sleep in the night.
यमौ च कृष्णां च युधिष्ठिरं च भीमं च दृष्ट्वा सुखविप्रयुक्तम्। विनिःश्वसन् सर्प इवोचतेजा ध्रुवं न शेते वसतीरमर्षात्॥
Seeing the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) and Krishna (Draupadi) and Yudhishthira and Bhima in the greatest possible misery, Arjuna certainly sighs like a fearful serpent and from wrath does not sleep in the night.
तथा यमौ चाप्यसुखौ सुखार्हो समृद्धरूपावमरौ दिवीव। प्रजागरस्थौ ध्रुवमप्रशान्तौ धर्मेण सत्येन च वार्यमाणौ॥
The twins also, who are even like a couple of blessed celestials in heaven, sunk in misery though deserving of happiness and comfort, certainly pass their nights without sleep, only restrained from taking revenge by virtue and truth.
समीरणेनाथ समो बलेन समीरणस्यैव सुतो बलीयान्। स धर्मपाशेन सितोऽचजेन ध्रुवं विनिःश्वस्य सहत्यमर्षम्॥
The mighty son of Vayu (Bhima) who is equal to Vayu himself in strength certainly sighs and restrains his wrath tied through his eldest brother (Yudhishthira) to the bond of truth.
स चापि भूमौ परिवर्तमानो वधं सुतानां मम काक्षमाणः। सत्येन धर्मेण च वार्यमाणः कालं प्रतीक्षत्यधिको रणेऽन्यैः॥
Superior in battle to all warriors, he now quietly lies on the ground. Being restrained by virtue and truth but burning to kill my sons, he simply passes his time.
अजातशत्रौ तु जिते निकृत्या दुःशासनो यत् परुषाण्यवोचत्। तानि प्रविष्टानि वृकोदराङ्गं दहन्ति कक्षाग्निरिवेन्धनानि॥
The cruel words that Duhshasana spoke after Ajatshatru (Yudhishthira) had been deceitfully defeated at dice have reached the inner most depth of Vrikodara's heart. They are consuming him as a blazing bundle of straw consumes a faggot of dry wood.
न पापकं ध्यास्यति धर्मपुत्रो धनंजयश्चाप्यनुवय॑ते तम्। अरण्यवासेन विवर्धते तु भीमस्य कोपोऽग्निरिवानिलेन॥
The son of Dharma (Yudhishthira) never sinfully acts. Dhananjaya (Arjuna) also always obeys him, but the anger of Bhima is daily increasing like a fire helped by the wind in consequence of a life of exile.
स तेन कोपेन विदह्यमानः करं करेणाभिनिपीड्य वीरः। विनिःश्वसत्युष्णमतीव घोरं दहन्निवेमान् मम पुत्रपौत्रान्॥
That hero, burning in wrath, squeezes his hands and breathes hot and fearful sighs, as if he wants to consume by them all my sons and grandsons.
गाण्डीवधन्वा च वृकोदरश्च संरम्भिणावन्तककालकल्पौ। न शेषयेतां युधि शत्रुसेनां शरान् किरन्तावशनिप्रकाशान्॥
The wielder of Gandiva (Arjuna) and Bhima when angry are like Yama and Kala themselves. Hurling their arrows which are like so many thunderbolts, they exterminate their enemies in battle.
दुर्योधनः शकुनिः सूतपुत्रो दुःशासनश्चापि सुमन्दचेताः। मधु प्रपश्यन्ति न तु प्रपातं यद् द्यूतमालम्ब्य हरन्ति राज्यम्॥
Alas, Duryodhana and Shakuni and Suta's son (Karna) and the wicked minded Duhshasana in robbing the Pandavas of their kingdom by means of dice saw only honey (on the tree) without thinking the terrible fall from it!
शुभाशुभं कर्म नरो हि कृत्वा प्रतीक्षते तस्य फलं स्म कर्ता। स तेन मुह्यत्यवशः फलेन मोक्षः कथं स्यात् पुरुषस्य तस्मात्॥
A man having acted rightly or wrongly expects to get the fruit of his acts. But fruits however (often) confounds and paralyses him. How can a man thus obtain salvation!
क्षेत्रे सुकृष्टे ह्यपिते च बीजे देवे च वर्षत्यूतुकालयुक्तम्। रन्यत्र दैवादिति चिन्तयामि॥ कृतं मताक्षेण यथा न साधु साधुप्रवृत्तेन च पाण्डवेन। मया च दुष्पुत्रवशानुगेन तथा कुरूणामयमन्तकालः॥
If land is properly cultivated and the seed sown and if the god (Indra) seasonably showers rain, still the crop might not grow. This is what we often hear. How could this be true as I think unless everything here in this world) is ruled by Destiny. The gambler Shakuni has behaved deceitfully towards the son of Pandu (Yudhishthira) who always acts honestly and virtuously. From the love and fondness that I bear of my wicked sons I also have similarly acted. Alas, it is for this the time, for the destruction of the Kurus has come.
गर्भिणी या। ध्रुवं प्रवास्यत्यसमीरितोऽपि ध्रुवं प्रजास्यत्युत स्तथा क्षपादौ च दिनप्रणाशः॥
Or perhaps what is inevitable must come to pass. The wind, whether impelled or not, must move. The woman who conceives must give birth to a child. Darkness must pass away in the morning and the day in the evening.
वित्तं न दद्युः पुरुषाः कथंचित्। प्राप्यार्थकालं च भवेदनर्थ: कथं न तत् स्यादिति तत् कुतः स्यात्॥ कथं न भिद्येत न च स्रवेत न च प्रसिच्येदिति रक्षितव्यम्। अरक्ष्यमाणं शतधा प्रकीर्येद् ध्रुवं न नाशोऽस्ति कृतस्य लोके॥
Whatever may be earned by us and others, whether people spend it or not, it would bring us misery when the time would come. Why then people become so anxious to earn wealth? If what is acquired is the result of Fate, then it should be protected, so that is may not be divided nor protected, so that it may not be divided nor lost little by little nor permitted to flow out at once, for if unprotected it may break into one one hundred fragments. But whatever the character of our possession may be, our acts in this world are never lost.
गतो हरण्यादपि शक्रलोकं धनंजयः पश्यत वीर्यमस्य। अस्त्राणि दिव्यानि चतुर्विधानि ज्ञात्वा पुनर्लोकमिमं प्रपन्नः॥
Behold what great is the prowess of Arjuna who went to the abode of Indra from the forest. Having secured the four kinds of celestials weapons, he has returned to earth.
स्वर्गं हि गत्वा सशरीर एव को मानुषः पुनरागन्तुमिच्छेत्। अन्यत्र कालोपहताननेकान् समीक्षमाणस्तु कुरून् मुमूर्षुन्॥
What man is there who having gone to heaven in his own human body ever wishes to come back? Because he sees the Kurus at the point of death by Time, he has returned.
धनुर्चाहश्चार्जुनः सव्यसाची धनुश्च तद् गाण्डिवं भीमवेगम्। अस्त्राणि दिव्यानि च तानि तस्य त्रयस्य तेजः प्रसहेत कोऽत्र॥
The wielder of the bow is Arjuna Savyasachi, the bow is the Gandiva of fearful energy, the weapons are also all celestials, who is there who would be able to withstand the (combination of these) three."
निशम्य तद् वचनं पार्थिवस्य दुर्योधनं रहिते सौबलोऽथ। अबोधयत् कर्णमुपेत्य सर्वं स चाप्यहृष्टोऽभवदल्पचेताः॥
Having heard those words of the king, the son of Subala Shakuni went to Duryodhana who was then with Karna and told them everything in private. The foolish Duryodhana was filled with grief at what he heard.