वैशम्पायन उवाच ततस्तु राजन्नेतेषामाश्रमे पुण्यकर्मणाम्। शिवा नक्षत्रसम्पन्ना सा व्यतीयाय शर्वरी॥
They passed that night which was marked out by auspicious constellations thus, o king, in that hermitage of pious ascetics.
ततस्तत्र कथाश्चासंस्तेषां धर्मार्थलक्षणाः। विचित्रपदसंचारा नानाश्रुतिभिरन्विताः॥
The conversation that took place was marked by many reflections on morality and wealth. Consisting of delightful and sweet words, it was greed with various citations from the Shrutis.
पाण्डवास्त्वभितो मातुर्धरण्यां सुषुपुस्तदा। उत्सृज्य तु महार्हाणि शयनानि नराधिप।॥
The Pandavas, O king, leaving costly beds, laid themselves down, near their in other, on the naked earth.
यदाहारोऽभवद् राजा धृतराष्ट्रो महामनाः। तदाहार नृवीरास्ते न्यवसंस्तां निशां तदा॥
Indeed, those heroes passed that night, having eaten the food which was the food of the great king Dhritarashtra.
व्यतीतायां तु शर्वर्यां कृतपौर्वाह्निकक्रियः। भ्रातृभिः सहितो राजा ददर्शाश्रममण्डलम्॥
After the night had passed away, king Yudhishthira, having performed his morning rites proceeded to survey that'hermitage in the company of his brothers.
सान्तःपुरपरीवारः सभृत्यः सपुरोहितः। यथासुखं यथोद्देशं धृतराष्ट्राभ्यनुज्ञया।॥
With the royal ladies, the servants, and his priest, the king roved about the hermitage in all directions as he pleased, at the command of Dhritarashtra.
ददर्श तत्र वेदीश्च संप्रज्वलितपावकाः। कृताभिषेकैर्मुनिभिर्हताग्निभिरुपस्थिताः॥
He saw many sacrificial alters with sacred firs burning on them and with many ascetics seated on them, who had performed their oblations and poured libations in honour of the celestials.
वानेयपुष्पनिकरैराज्यधूमोद्गमैरपि। ब्राह्मणे वपुषा युक्ता युक्ता मुनिगणस्य ताः॥
Those alters were covered with fruits and roots of he forest, and with heaps of flowers. The smoke of clarified butter curled upwards from them. They were graced, besides, with many ascetics possessed of bodies which appeared like the embodied Vedas and with many laymen.
मृगयूथैरनुद्विग्नस्तत्र तत्र समाश्रितैः। अशङ्कितैः पक्षिगणैः प्रगीतैरिव च प्रभो॥
Herds of deer were grazing or resting here and there, shorn of fear. Countless birds also were there, engaged in uttering their sweet notes, O king!
केकाभिर्नीलकण्ठानां दात्यूहानां च कूजितैः। कोकिलानां कुहुरवैः सुखैः श्रुतिमनोहरैः॥
The entire forest seemed to resound with the notes of peacocks and Datyuhas and Kokilas and the sweet songs of other warblers.
प्राधीतद्विजघोषैश्च क्वचित् क्वचिदलंकृतम्। फलमूलसमाहारैर्महद्भिश्चोपशोभितम्॥
Some spots were echoed with the chaunt of Vedic hymns recited by learned Brahmanas. Some were adorned wit large heaps of fruits and roots gathered from the forest.
ततः स राजा प्रददौ तापसार्थमुपाहृतान्। कलशान् काञ्चनान् राजंस्तथैवौदुम्बरानपि।॥ अजिनानि प्रवेणीश्च स्रुक् स्रुवं च महीपतिः। कमण्डलूंश्च स्थालीश्च पिठराणि च भारत॥
King Yudhishthira then distributed amongst those ascetics golden or copper jars which he had brought for them, and many deer-skins and blankets and wooden sacrificial ladies and Kamandalus and wooden Platters, and pots and pans, O Bharata.
भाजनानि च लौहानि पात्रीश्च विविधा नृप। यद् यदिच्छति यावच्च यच्चान्यदपि भाजनम्॥
Various kinds of vessels, made of iron, and smaller vessels and cups of various sizes, were also given away by the king, the ascetics taking them away, each as many as he liked.
एवं स राजा धर्मात्मा परीत्याश्रममण्डलम्। वसु विश्राण्य तत् सर्वं पुनरायान्महीपतिः॥
Pious king Yudhishthira, having thus roved through the forest and seen the various retreats of ascetics and made many gifts, returned to the place where his uncle was.
कृताह्निकं च राजानं धृतराष्ट्रं महीपतिम्। ददर्शासीनमव्यग्रं गान्धारीसहितं तदा॥
He saw king Dhritarashtra, seated at ease, with Gandhari besides him, after having finished his morning rites.
मातरं चाविदूरस्थां शिष्यवत् प्रणतां स्थिताम्। कुन्तीं ददर्श धर्मात्मा शिष्टाचारसमन्विताम्॥
The righteous souled monarch beheld also his mother, Kunti, seated not much remote from that place, like a disciple with bent head, gifted with humility.
स तमभ्यर्च्य राजानं नाम संश्राव्य चात्मनः। निषीदेत्यभ्यनुज्ञातो बृस्यामुपविवेश ह॥
He saluted the old king giving his name. 'Sit down', were the words the old king said. With Dhritarashtra's permission, Yudhishthira sat himself down on a mat of Kusha grass.
भीमसेनादश्यचैव पाण्डवा भरतर्षभ। अभिवाद्योपसंगृह्य निषेदुः पार्थिवाज्ञया॥
Then the other sons of Pandu with Bhima among them, O you of Bharata's race, saluted the king and touched his feet and sat themselves down, with his order.
स तैः परिवृतो राजा शुशुभेऽतीव कौरवः। बिभ्रद् ब्राह्मीं श्रियं दीप्तां देवैरिव बृहस्पतिः॥
The old Kuru king, surrounded by them looked highly beautiful, indeed, he blazed with a Vedic splendour like Brihaspati in the midst of the celestials.
तथा तेषूपविष्टेषु समाजग्मुर्महर्षयः। शतयूपप्रभृतयः कुरुक्षेत्रनिवासिनः॥
After they had sat themselves down, many great Rishis, viz., Shatayupa, and others, who were inhabitants of Kurukshetra came there.
व्यासश्च भगवान् विप्रो देवर्षिगणसेवितः। वृतः शिष्यैर्महातेजा दर्शयामास पार्थिवम्॥
The illustrious and learned Vyasa, gifted with great energy and respected by even the celestial Rishis, showed himself at the head of his numerous disciples to Yudhishthira.
ततः स राजा कौरव्यः कुन्तीपुत्रश्च वीर्यवान्। भीमसेनादयश्चैव प्रत्युत्थायाभ्यवादयन्॥
The Kuru king Dhritarashtra, Kunti's son Yudhishthira of great energy, and Bhimasena and others, stood up and going a few steps, saluted those guests.
समागतस्ततो व्यासः शतयूपादिभिर्वृतः। धृतराष्ट्रं महीपालमास्यतामित्यभाषत।॥
Approaching near, Vyasa, surrounded by Shatayupa and others, addressed king Dhritarashtra, saying, 'Be seated.'
वरं तु विष्टरं कौश्यं कृष्णाजिनकुशोत्तरम्। प्रतिपदे तदा व्यासस्तदर्थमुपकल्पितम्॥
The illustrious Vyasa then took an excellent seat made of Kusha grass placed upon a black deer-skin and covered with a piece of silken cloth. They has reserved that seat for him.
ते च सर्वे द्विजश्रेष्ठा विष्टरेषु समन्ततः। द्वैपायनाभ्यनुज्ञाता निषेदुर्विपुलौजसः॥
After Vyasa had been seated, all those foremost of twice-born persons, gifted with profuse energy, sat themselves down, with the permission of Krishna-Dvaipayana.