व्यास उवाच पुण्यमाख्यानमायुष्यं श्रुत्वा षोडशराजकम्। अव्याहरन्नरपतिस्तूष्णीमासीत् स सृञ्जयः॥
Vyasa said Having heard these holy stories of the sixteen kings, capable of enhancing the duration of the listener's life, king Srinjayas said nothing and remained silent for a while.
तमब्रवीत् तथाऽऽसीनं नारदो भगवानृषिः। श्रुतं कीर्तयतो मह्यं गृहीतं ते महाद्युते॥
Then to him thus sitting silent, the almighty sage Narada said-"O you of great effulgence, you have heard the stories just now related by me and have comprehended their signification.
आहोस्विदन्ततो नष्टं श्राद्धं शूद्रीपताविव। स एवमुक्तःप्रत्याह प्राञ्जलिः सृञ्जयस्तदा।॥
Or are all these lost on you, like a sraddha performed by a twice-born one having a female of the Sudra caste for his wife.” Thus spoken to, Srinjaya replied to him with folded palms, sayingएतच्छ्रुत्वा महाबाहो धन्यमाख्यानमुत्तमम्।
राजर्षीणां पुराणानां यज्वनां दक्षिणावताम्॥
"O you rich in the wealth of asceticism, having heard these best and laudable stories of ancient royal sages, all of whom celebrated great sacrifices with profuse presents unto the Brahmanas.
विस्मयेन ते शोके तमसीवार्कतेजसा। विपाप्मास्यव्यथोपेतो ब्रूहि किं करवाण्यहम्॥
All my sorrow have been driven away by wonder, like darkness being dispelled by the radiance of the sun. I have now been purged of all my sins; and I do not feel any pain now. Tell me what shall I do.
नारद उवाच दिष्ट्यापहृतशोकस्त्वं वृणीष्वेह यदिच्छसि। तत् तत् प्रपत्स्यसे सर्वं न मृषावादिनो वयम्॥
Narada said It is through good luck that your sorrow has been dispelled. Ask you the boon that your heart craves for; you will get whatever you may seek to have. We never speak falsehood.
संजय उवाच एतेनैव प्रतीतोऽहं प्रसन्नो यद्भवान् ममा प्रसन्नो यस्य भगवान् न तस्यास्तीह दुर्लभम्॥
Srinjaya said I am contented even with this, viz., that you, O holy sage, are pleased with me. That person with whom you are pleased, you holy one, has nothing inaccessible to him.
नारद उवाच मृतं ददानि ते पुत्रं दस्युभिर्निहतं वृथा। उद्धृत्य नरकात् कष्टात् पशुवत् प्रोक्षितं यथा॥
Narada said I will once again give you back your son, who was to no purpose slain by the robbers, like an animal immolated in a sacrifice. I shall take him out of the terrible hell.
व्यास उवाच प्रादुरासीत् ततः पुत्रः सृञ्जयस्याद्भुतप्रभः। प्रसन्नेनर्षिणा दत्तः कुबेरतनयोपमः॥
Vyasa said Then the son of Srinjaya of wonderful splendour, resembling the son of Kubera, appeared there, bestowed on his bereaved father, by the qualified sage.
ततः संगम्य पुत्रेण प्रीतिमानभवनृपः। ईजे च क्रतुभिः पुण्यैः समाप्तवरदक्षिणैः॥
Then king Srinjaya once more obtaining the sight of his son became highly delighted. He then gave away numerous merit-giving sacrificial gifts upon their accomplishment of the yajnas.
अकृतार्थश्च भीतश्च न च सान्नाहिको हतः। अयज्वा त्वनपत्यश्च ततोऽसौ जीवितः पुनः॥
The life-mission of Srinjaya's son was not fulfilled. He had performed no sacrifices and had begotten no progeny. Destitute of bravery, he perished miserable and not in battle. For this reason he could be brought back into life.
शूरो वीरः कृतार्थश्च प्रताप्यारीन् सहस्रशः। अभिमन्युर्गतो वीरः पृतनाभिमुखो हतः॥
As regards Abhimanyu, he was courageous and brave. He has fulfilled the mission of his life; for, the brave son of Subhadra having scorched his enemies by thousands, had passed away, falling on the field of battle.
ब्रह्मचर्येण यान् कांश्चित् प्रज्ञया च श्रुतेन च इष्टैश्च क्रतुभिर्यान्ति तांस्तेपुत्रोऽक्षयान् गतः॥
Those eternal regions that are attained through the performance of Brahmacharya vows, through knowledge and acquaintance with the scriptures, through foremost of sacrifices, even those regions have been obtained by your son.
विद्वांसः कर्मभिः पुण्यैः स्वर्गमीहन्ति नित्यशः। न तु स्वर्गादयं लोकः काम्यते स्वर्गवासिभिः॥
Men possessed of knowledge always desire to attain to heaven by their performance of deeds of piety. They who live in heaven do not like this world.
तस्मात् स्वर्गगतं पुत्रमर्जुनस्य हतं रणे। न चेहानयितुं शक्यं किंचिदप्राप्यमीहितम्॥
Therefore it is not easy to find out any desirable thing that might have been unattained by him, that might bring back into this world Arjuna's son slain in battle and now dwelling in heaven.
यां योगिनो ध्यानविविक्तदर्शनाः प्रयान्ति यां चोत्तमयज्विनो जनाः। तपोभिरिद्धैरनुयान्ति यां तथा तामक्षया ते तनयो गतो गतिम्॥
Your son has ascended to those regions, the eternal goal of Yogins who contemplate with their eyes shut or by performers of illustrious sacrifices or by people possessed of great ascetic merit.
अन्तात् पुनर्भावगतो विराजते राजेव वीरो ह्यमृतात्मरश्मिभिः। तामैन्दवीमात्मतनुं द्विजोचितां गतोऽभिमन्युर्न स शोकमर्हति॥
Having attained a new figure after death, that hero is shining like a monarch in his own immortal radiance. Verily Abhimanyu has once more assumed his own body composed of the essence of the moon that is desired by all twice-born ones. Therefore you should not weep for him.
एवं ज्ञात्वा स्थिरो भूत्वा जहरीन् धैर्यमामुहि। जीवन्त एव नः शोच्या न तु स्वर्गगतोऽनघ॥
Acquainted with these facts, compose yourself and slay your enemies. Muster courage, O you sinless one, it is the living beings who want us to grieve for them and not they who have ascended to heaven.
शोचतो हि महाराज अघमेवाभिवर्धते। तस्माच्छोकं परित्यज्य श्रेयसे प्रयतेद् बुधः॥
O king, his sins go on increasing, for whom the living mourn. Fro this reason, the wise, renouncing grief. exert themselves for the benefit of the dead (i.e., their souls).
प्रहर्षपभिमानं च सुखप्राप्तिं च चिन्तयन्। एतद्बुद्धवा बुधाः शोकं न शोकः शोक उच्यते॥२०
The living man should think of the joy, the glory and the happiness of the dead. Acquainted with truth, the wise never harbour grief, for grief is nothing more or less than grief.
एवं विद्वान् समुत्तिष्ठ प्रयतो भव मा शुचः। श्रुतस्ते सम्भवो मृत्योस्तपांस्यनुपमानि च॥
Know this as truth; rise up, grid up your loins; do not lament, you have heard of the origin of the Death and of her unequaled penances.
सर्वभूतसमत्वं च चञ्चलाश्च विभूतयः। सृञ्जयस्य तु तं पुत्रं मृतं संजीवितं पुनः॥
As also of her equality of conduct towards all creatures. You have heard that prosperity is unsteady; you have also heard as how the dead son of Srinjaya was brought back to life.
एवं विद्वान् महाराज मा शुचः साधयाम्यहम्। एतावदुक्त्वा भगवांस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत॥
O foremost of learned monarchs, do not lament. May you enjoy peace, I depart. Having thus spoken, the sacred Rishi Vyasa disappeared even there.
वागीशाने भगवति व्यासे व्यभ्रनभःप्रभे। गते मतिमतां श्रेष्ठे समाश्वास्य युधिष्ठिरम्॥
Upon the disappearance of that eloquent speaker, that foremost of all intelligent beings, viz., the holy Vyasa whose colour was like that of the sky overspread with clouds, Yudhishthira having obtained consolation.
पूर्वेषां पार्थिवेन्द्राणां महेन्द्रप्रतिमौजसाम्। न्यायाधिगतवित्तानां तां श्रुत्वा यज्ञसम्पदम्॥
In consequence of what he had heard about the sacrificial merit and prosperity, of those great monarchs of ancient times endued with energy equal to that of the great Indra himself and all of whom had acquired wealth by virtuous means.
सम्पूज्य मनसा विद्वान् विशोकोऽभूद् युधिष्ठिरः। पुनश्चाचिन्तयद् दीनः किंस्विद् वक्ष्ये धनंजयम्॥
Applauded them in his mind and then became relieved of his sorrows. But once more, with a sorrowful heart he asked himself saying-"What shall I say to Dhananjaya?'