01.131
Core:Dhritarastra sends Pandavas to Varanavrata.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
tato duryodhano rājā sarvāstāḥ prakṛtīḥ śanaiḥ । arthamānapradānābhyāṁ sañjahāra sahānujaḥ ॥1॥
Then King Duryodhana gradually won over all those officials through gifts of wealth and honor, along with his brothers.
dhṛtarāṣṭraprayuktāstu kecitkuśalamantriṇaḥ । kathayāṁ cakrire ramyaṁ nagaraṁ vāraṇāvatam ॥2॥
Some skilled ministers appointed by Dhṛtarāṣṭra described the delightful city of Vāraṇāvata.
ayaṁ samājaḥ sumahānramaṇīyatamo bhuvi । upasthitaḥ paśupaternagare vāraṇāvate ॥3॥
This great and most delightful assembly on earth was held in the city of Paśupati, Vāraṇāvata.
sarvaratnasamākīrṇe puṁsāṁ deśe manarame । ityevaṁ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya vacanāccakrire kathāḥ ॥4॥
Thus, at Dhṛtarāṣṭra's command, they spoke of that land most pleasing to men, filled with all jewels.
kathyamāne tathā ramye nagare vāraṇāvate । gamane pāṇḍuputrāṇāṁ jajñe tatra matirnṛpa ॥5॥
As the delightful city of Vāraṇāvata was thus being described, the desire to go there arose among the sons of Pāṇḍu, O king.
yadā tvamanyata nṛpo jātakautūhalā iti । uvācainānatha tadā pāṇḍavānambikāsutaḥ ॥6॥
When the king thought they had become curious, then the son of Ambikā addressed the Pāṇḍavas.
mameme puruṣā nityaṁ kathayanti punaḥ punaḥ । ramaṇīyataraṁ loke nagaraṁ vāraṇāvatam ॥7॥
My men constantly speak again and again of the city of Vāraṇāvata as the most delightful in the world.
te tāta yadi manyadhvamutsavaṁ vāraṇāvate । sagaṇāḥ sānuyātrāśca viharadhvaṁ yathāmarāḥ ॥8॥
O dear ones, if you think the festival at Vāraṇāvata is pleasing, then enjoy there with your groups and retinues like the gods.
brāhmaṇebhyaśca ratnāni gāyanebhyaśca sarvaśaḥ । prayacchadhvaṁ yathākāmaṁ devā iva suvarcasaḥ ॥9॥
Give jewels freely to the Brāhmaṇas and singers as desired, like the illustrious gods.
kañcitkālaṁ vihṛtyaivamanubhūya parāṁ mudam । idaṁ vai hāstinapuraṁ sukhinaḥ punaareṣyatha ॥10॥
Having spent some time thus and experienced great joy, you will happily return again to this Hastinapura.
dhṛtarāṣṭrasya taṁ kāmamanubuddhvā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ । ātmanaścāsahāyatvaṁ tatheti pratyuvāca tam ॥11॥
Understanding Dhṛtarāṣṭra's desire and his own helplessness, Yudhiṣṭhira replied to him accordingly.
tato bhīṣmaṁ mahāprājñaṁ viduraṁ ca mahāmatim । droṇaṁ ca bāhlikaṁ caiva somadattaṁ ca kauravam ॥12॥
Then to Bhīṣma, the great sage; Vidura, of great intellect; Droṇa, Bāhlika, and also Somadatta the Kaurava.
kṛpamācāryaputraṁ ca gāndhārīṁ ca yaśasvinīm । yudhiṣṭhiraḥ śanair dīnam uvācedaṁ vacas tadā ॥13॥
Yudhiṣṭhira then gently and humbly spoke these words to Kṛpa, the teacher’s son, and to the illustrious Gāndhārī.
ramaṇīye janākīrṇe nagare vāraṇāvate । sagaṇās tāta vatsyāmo dhṛtarāṣṭrasya śāsanāt ॥14॥
Dear ones, we shall dwell in the delightful, populous city of Vāraṇāvata by Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s order, along with our companions.
prasannamanasaḥ sarve puṇyā vāco vimuñcata । āśīrbhir vardhitān asmān na pāpaṁ prasahiṣyati ॥15॥
All of you, speak auspicious words with cheerful hearts; evil shall not overpower us who have been raised with blessings.
evamuktās tu te sarve pāṇḍuputreṇa kauravāḥ । prasannavadanā bhūtvā te'bhyavartanta pāṇḍavān ॥16॥
Thus addressed by the son of Pāṇḍu, all the Kauravas with cheerful faces approached the Pāṇḍavas.
svastyastu vaḥ pathi sadā bhūtebhyaś caiva sarvaśaḥ । mā ca vo'stvaśubhaṁ kiñcit sarvataḥ pāṇḍunandanāḥ ॥17॥
May there always be well-being for you on the path, from all beings and in every way; may no evil befall you from any direction, O sons of Pāṇḍu.
tataḥ kṛtasvastyayanā rājyalābhāya pāṇḍavāḥ । kṛtvā sarvāṇi kāryāṇi prayayur vāraṇāvatam ॥18॥
Then the Pāṇḍavas, having completed all tasks and performed auspicious rites for attaining the kingdom, departed for Vāraṇāvata.
