वैशम्पायन उवाच ततस्तेषु प्रयातेषु कौन्तेयः सत्यसंगरः। अभ्यभाषतधर्मात्मा भ्रातृन् सर्वान् युधिष्ठिरः॥
Vaishampayana said : They having gone, the virtuous-souled son of Kunti, Yudhishthira, of firm vows addressed all his brothers.
द्वादशेमानि वर्षाणि वस्तव्यं निर्जने वने। समाक्षध्य महारण्ये देश बहुमृगद्विमम्॥ बहुपुष्पफलं रम्यं शिवं पुण्यजनावृतम्। यत्रेमाः शरदः सर्वाः सुखं प्रतिवसेमहि॥
"We shall have to live in this lonely forest for twelve years; do you find out in this huge forest a spot, spot, charming, auspicious and abounding in many deer, birds, flowers and fruits and filled with pious men, where we may live happily for all these years."
एवमुक्ते प्रत्युवाचधर्मराजंधनंजयः। मुरुवन्मानवगुरुं मानयित्वा मनस्विनम्॥
Being thus addressed, Dhananjaya replied to the pious and intelligent (Yudhishthira) having honoured him as if he were his spiritual guide.
अर्जुन उवाच भवानेव महर्षीणां वृद्धानां पर्युपासिता। अज्ञातं मानुषे लोके भवतो नास्ति किंचन॥
Arjuna said: You have respectfully worshipped the old and great Rishis; there is nothing on this earth which is unknown to you.
त्वया झुपासिता नित्यं ब्राह्मणा भरतर्षभ। द्वैपायनप्रभृतयो नारदश्च महातपाः॥
O best of the Bharatas, you have always worshipped the Brahmanas of great austerities such as Dvaipayana and Narada.
यः सर्वलोकद्वाराणि नित्यं संचरते वशी। देवलोकाद् ब्रह्मलोकं गन्धर्वाप्सरसामपि।॥
Who, having controlled over senses, always wander over all the regions from the region of the celestials to those of Brahma, Gandharvas and Apsaras.
अनुभावांश्च जानासि ब्राह्मणानां च संशयः। प्रभावांश्चैव वेत्थ त्वं सर्वेषामेव पार्थिव॥
You know well, without any doubt, the opinions of all the Brahmanas; you know, O king, the prowess of all.
त्वमेव राजानासि श्रेयःकारणमेव च। यत्रेच्छसि महाराज निवासं तत्र कुर्महे॥
You know also, O king, what conduces to our well-being; and wherever you wish, O great king, we shall fix our habitation.
इदं द्वैतवनं नाम सरः पुण्यजलोचितम्। बहुपुष्पफलं रम्यं नानाद्विजनिषेवितम्॥
Here is the lake called Dvyaitavana, resorted to by the pious, abounding in many flowers and fruits, charming and inhabited by birds of diverse species.
अत्रेपा द्वादश समा विहरेमेति रोचये। यदि तेऽनुमतं राजन् किमन्यन्मन्यते भवान्॥
If you please, O king, we would like to live here for twelve years; do you think otherwise?
युधिष्ठिर उवाच ममाप्येतन्मतं पार्थ त्वया यत् समुदाहृतम्। गच्छामः पुण्यविख्यातं महद् द्वैतवनं सरः॥
Yudhishthira said : I do fully approve of what you have said. O Partha, let us repair to that sacred and celebrated lake Dvyaitavana.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततस्ते प्रययुः सर्वे पाण्डवाधर्मचारिणः। ब्राह्मणैर्बहुभिः सार्धं पुण्यं द्वैतवनं सरः॥
Vaishampayana said : Thereupon the pious sons of Pandu, followed by numberless Brahmanas all repaired to the holy lake Dvyaitavana.
ब्राह्मणाः साग्निहोत्राश्च तथैव च निरग्नयः। स्वाध्यायिनो भिक्षवश्च तथैव वनवासिनः॥ बहवो ब्राह्मणास्तत्र परिवव॒र्युधिष्ठिरम्। तप:सिद्धा महात्मानः शतशः संशितव्रताः॥
The Brahmanas, some offering sacrifice to the fire, some without it, some engaged in the study of the Vedas, some depending upon alms and some living in the forest, all these numberless Brahmanas as well as hundreds of Mahatamas of accomplished ascetic piety and hard austerities surrounded Yudhishthira.
ते यात्वा पाण्डवास्तत्र ब्राह्मणैर्बहुभिः सह। पुण्यं द्वैतवनं रम्यं विविशुर्भरतर्षभाः॥
And setting out with these numberless Brahmanas the Bharata chiefs, the sons of Pandu, entered the holy and the charming forest of Dvyaita.
कदम्बसर्जार्जुनकर्णिकारैः। तपात्यये पुष्पधरैरुपेतं महावनं राष्ट्रपतिर्ददर्श॥
The king saw that huge forest covered, at the end of summer, with Shalas palms, mangoes, Madhukas, Nipas, Kadambas, Sarjas, Arjunas, Karnikaras clothed with flowers;
मनोरमां वाचमुदीरयन्तः। स्तस्मिन् वने बर्हिणकोकिलाश्च॥
And peacocks, Datyuhas, Chakoras, Barhins and Kokilas sat on the top of the highest trees and emitted their sweet notes. saw
करेणुयूथैः सह यूथपानां मदोत्कटानामचलप्रभाणाम्। महान्ति यूथानि महाद्विपानां तस्मिन् वने राष्ट्रपतिर्ददर्श॥
In that forest the king (also) saw the leaders of elephant-herds, gigantic like hills with temporal juice trickling down in the season of rut and accompanied by herds of she-elephants.
मनोरमां भोगवतीमुपेत्य पूतात्मनां चीरजटाधराणाम्। तस्मिन् वनेधर्मभृतां निवासे ददर्श सिद्धर्षिगणाननेकान्॥
And approaching the picturesque Bhagavati (Sarasvati) he many ascetics of accomplished piety in that forest in the hermitages of pious (Rishis) of purified souls and wearing bark and matted-locks.
ततः स यानादवरुहा राजा सभ्रातृकः सजनः काननं तत्। स्त्रिविष्टपं शक्र इवामितौजाः॥
Thereupon descending from his chariot, the king, the foremost of the pious, with his brothers and followers, entered the forest like Indra of mincasurable prowess entering heaven.
दिदृक्षवश्चारणसिद्धसङ्घाः। वनौकसचापि नरेन्द्रसिंह मनस्विनं तं परिवार्य तस्थुः॥
With a view of seeing the truthful king many Charanas and Siddhas approached him; and the dwellers of the forest stood encircling that highly intelligent chief of kings.
स तत्र सिद्धानभिवाद्य सर्वान् प्रत्यर्चितो राजवद् देववच्च। विवेश सर्वैः सहितो द्विजावयैः कृताञ्जलिर्धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठः॥
Then saluting all the Siddhas and being adored by them in return like a king or a god, that foremost of the pious, accompanied by all the leading twice-born, entered (the forest).
स पुण्यशीलः पितृवन्महात्मा तपस्विभिर्धर्मपरैरुपेत्य प्रत्यर्चितः पुष्पधरस्य मूले महाद्रुमस्योपविवेश राजा॥
And being worshipped in return by those pious ascetics who had approached him that pious and high-souled king, sat down with them at the foot of a huge tree covered with flowers like her father Pandu in the days of yore.
भीमश्च कृष्णा चधनंजयश्च यमौ च ते चानुचरा नरेन्द्रम्। विमुच्य वाहानवशाश्च सर्वे तत्रोपतस्थुर्भरतप्रबर्हाः॥
Bhima, Krishna (Draupadi), Dhananjaya, the twins and all their retinue all wearied and leaving conveyances sat on all sides of that foremost of kings.
महाद्रुमः पञ्चभिरेवधन्विभिः। महागिरिर्वारणयूथपैरिव॥
The huge tree, bent down with the weight of creepers, with those five illustrious bowmen sitting under it for rest, appeared like a mountain with five gigantic elephants resting at its side.