जनमेजय उवाच एवं हृतायां भार्यायां प्राप्य क्लेशमनुत्तमम्। प्रतिपद्य ततः कृष्णां किमकुर्वत पाण्डवाः॥
Janamejaya said : Krishna being thus abducted the Pandavas experienced very great sorrow. What did they next do after having rescued her?
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं हृतायां कृष्णायां प्राप्य क्लेशमनुत्तमम्। विहाय काम्यकं राजा सह भ्रातृभिरच्युतः॥ पुनद्वैतवनं रम्यमाजगाम युधिष्ठिरः। स्वादुमूलफलं रम्यं विचित्रबहुपादपम्॥
Vaishampayana said : Having felt great distress for the abduction of Krishna, the undeteriorating king Yudhishthira together with his brothers leaving Kamayaka returned to the charming and delightful Dvaiytvana, full of fruits and roots of delicious taste and abounding in various picturesque trees.
अनुभुक्तफलाहाराः सर्व एव मिताशनाः। न्यवसन् पाण्डवास्तत्र कृष्णया सह भार्यया॥
And all the Pandavas together with their wife Krishna began to dwell there observant of vows, living on fruits and partaking of frugal fares.
वसन् द्वैतवने राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। भीमसेनोऽर्जुनश्चैव माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ॥ ब्राह्मणार्थे पराक्रान्ता धर्मात्मानो यतव्रताः। क्लेशमार्छन्त विपुलं सुखोदक परंतपाः॥
And while king Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, Bhimasena, Arjuna and the other two Pandavas, the sons of Madri, were dwelling in Dvaiytvana, those powerful and virtuous observers of vows, those tormentors of foes, experienced, for the sake of a Brahmana a great trouble which resulted in their (ultimate) happiness.
तस्मिन् प्रतिवसन्तस्ते यत् प्रापुः कुरुसत्तमाः। वने क्लेशं सुखोदकं तत् प्रवक्ष्यामि ते शृणु॥
I will now tell you of the trouble, which those most exalted of the Kurus went through and which led to their ultimate happiness. Listen to it.
अरणीसहितं मन्थं ब्राह्मणस्य तपस्विनः। घर्षमाणस्य विषाणे विषाणे समसज्जतः॥
Once, the two sticks for making fire together with a churning rod of an ascetic Brahmana stuck fast to the horns of a deer as it was butting about.
तदादाय गतो राजंस्त्वरमाणो महामृगः। आश्रमान्तरितः शीघ्रं प्लवमानो महाजवः॥
And O monarch, taking those (articles) away that great deer of exceeding fleetness, with great leaps very soon distanced itself (a great way) from the hermitage.
ह्रियमाणं तु तं दृष्ट्वा स विप्रः कुरुसत्तम। त्वरितोऽभ्यागमत् तत्र अग्निहोत्रपरीप्सया॥
O best of the Kurus, beholding those (articles) carried away, that Brahmana desirous of preserving his Agnihotra speedily came there,
मृगस्य घर्षमाणस्य अजातशत्रुमासीनं भ्रातृभिः सहितं वने। आगम्य ब्राह्मणस्तूर्णं संतप्तश्चेदमब्रवीत्॥
Where Ajatashatru together with his brothers was seated in the forest. And the Brahmana quickly approaching spoke (thus) sorrowfully.
अरणीसहितं मन्यं समासक्तं वनस्पतौ। मृगस्य घर्षमाणस्य विषाणे समसज्जत॥
"My fire-sticks together with the churning rod placed against a large tree were stuck to the horns of a deer as it was butting about.
तमादाय गतो राजंस्त्वरमाणो महामृगः। आश्रमात् त्वरितः शीघ्रं प्लवमानो महाजवः॥
And, O king, that great deer endued with great speed, soon distanced itself (a great way) from the hermitage with long leaps.
तस्य गत्वा पदं राजन्नासाद्य च महामृगम्। अग्निहोत्रं न लुप्येत तदानयत पाण्डवाः॥
And following the foot-prints of that great deer, O king, O Pandavas, bring those (articles) to me so that my Agnihotra may not be stopped.”
ब्राह्मणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा संतप्तोऽथ युधिष्ठिरः। धनुरादाय कौन्तेयः प्राद्रवद् भ्रातृभिः सह॥
Hearing the words of the Brahmana, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, became very sorry and taking his bow sallied out together with his brothers.
सन्नद्धा धन्विनः सर्वे प्राद्रवन् नरपुङ्गवाः। ब्राह्मणार्थे यतन्तस्ते शीघ्रमन्वगमन् मृगम्॥
Taking great care for the sake of the Brahmana, all those foremost of men, taking up their bows and doing their corslets speedily went out in pursuit of the deer.
कर्णिनालीकनाराचानुत्सृजन्तो महारथाः। नाविध्यन् पाण्डवास्तत्र पश्यन्तो मृगमन्तिकात्॥
Beholding that deer at a short distance, those mighty car-warriors the Pandavas hurled barbed darts, javelins and arrows (at it) but they could not pierce it.
तेषां प्रयतमानानां नादृश्यत महामृगः। अपश्यन्तो मृगं शान्ता दुःखं प्राप्ता मनस्विनः॥
When they were thus exerting (their utmost to slay it) that great deer went out of sight. That deer disappearing (from sight) those highsouled ones became fatigued and disappointed.
शीतलच्छायमागम्य न्यचोधं गहने वने। क्षुत्पिपासापरीताङ्गाः पाण्डवाः समुपाविशन्॥
And afflicted with hunger and thirst, the Pandavas coming to a banian tree in that forest sat down in its cool shade.
तेषां समुपविष्टानां नकुलो दुःखितस्तदा। अब्रवीद् भ्रातरं श्रेष्ठममर्षात् कुरुनन्दनम्॥
When they were seated, Nakula with a heavy heart and through impatience addressed his (eldest) brother, the best of the sons of the Kuru race, (thus)
नास्मिन् कुले जातु ममज्ज धर्मो न चालस्यादर्थलोपो बभूव। अनुत्तराः सर्वभूतेषु भूयः सम्प्राप्ताः स्मः संशयं किं नु राजन्॥
"In our race virtue has never been sacrificed nor there has been any loss of wealth through idleness. Again, we have never refused anything to any creature. How is it, then, O king, that this disaster has befallen us?"