01.206
Pancharatra: Arjuna marries the Surpent Ulupi
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
taṃ prayāntaṃ mahābāhuṃ kauravāṇāṃ yaśaskaram । anujagmur mahātmāno brāhmaṇā vedapāragāḥ ॥1-206-1॥
As he departed, the mighty-armed bringer of fame to the Kauravas was followed by great-souled Brāhmaṇas who were well-versed in the Vedas.
vedavedāṅgavidvāṃsastathaivādhyātmacintakāḥ । caukṣāśca bhagavadbhaktāḥ sūtāḥ purāṇikāśca ye ॥1-206-2॥
Those who are knowers of the Veda and its limbs, as well as spiritual thinkers, pure ones, devotees of the Lord, bards, and Purāṇa reciters.
kathakāś cāpare rājan śramaṇāś ca vanaukasaḥ । divyākhyānāni ye cāpi paṭhanti madhuraṃ dvijāḥ ॥1-206-3॥
O king, there are storytellers, other people, ascetics, forest-dwellers, and Brāhmaṇas who also recite divine stories in a sweet manner.
etaiś cānyaiś ca bahubhiḥ sahāyaiḥ pāṇḍunandanaḥ । vṛtaḥ ślakṣṇakathaiḥ prāyān marudbhir iva vāsavaḥ ॥1-206-4॥
The son of Pāṇḍu, surrounded by many companions who spoke gently, set out, just as Indra departs with the Maruts.
ramaṇīyāni citrāṇi vanāni ca sarāṃsi ca | saritaḥ sāgarāṃścaiva deśānapi ca bhārata ||1-206-5||
O Bhārata, there are beautiful and varied forests, lakes, rivers, oceans, and also many regions.
puṇyāni caiva tīrthāni dadarśa bharatarṣabha । sa gaṅgādvāram āsādya niveśam akarot prabhuḥ ॥1-206-6॥
The illustrious Bharata, seeing the holy places and sacred fords, reached the gateway of the Ganga and established his encampment there.
tatra tasyādbhutaṃ karma śṛṇu me janamejaya । kṛtavānyadviśuddhātmā pāṇḍūnāṃ pravaro rathī ॥1-206-7॥
O Janamejaya, hear from me about the wonderful deed performed there by the pure-hearted, foremost charioteer of the Pāṇḍavas.
niviṣṭe tatra kaunteye brāhmaṇeṣu ca bhārata । agnihotrāṇi viprāste prāduścakruranekaśaḥ ॥1-206-8॥
O Bhārata, when the son of Kunti was seated there among the Brāhmaṇas, the Brāhmaṇas performed many Agnihotra rituals.
teṣu prabodhyamāneṣu jvaliteṣu huteṣu ca । kṛtapuṣpopahāreṣu tīrāntaragateṣu ca ॥1-206-9॥
In those places where people are being awakened, fires are kindled, oblations are offered, flower-offerings are made, and people have crossed to the other bank.
kṛtābhiṣekair vidvadbhiḥ niyataiḥ satpathi sthitaiḥ । śuśubhe'tīva tad rājan gaṅgādvāraṃ mahātmabhiḥ ॥1-206-10॥
O king, that Ganga's gateway shone exceedingly, consecrated by the learned and self-controlled great souls who stood on the righteous path.
tathā paryākule tasmin niveśe pāṇḍunandanaḥ । abhiṣekāya kaunteyo gaṅgām avatatāra ha ॥1-206-11॥
Thus, in that troubled residence, the son of Pāṇḍu, Arjuna, descended to the Ganges for the consecration.
tatrābhiṣekaṃ kṛtvā sa tarpayitvā pitāmahān । uttitīrṣur jalād rājan agnikāryacikīrṣayā ॥1-206-12॥
There, after performing the anointing and offering oblations to the forefathers, he wished to cross the water, O king, in order to perform the fire-rite.
apakṛṣṭo mahābāhur nāgarājasya kanyayā । antarjale mahārāja ulūpyā kāmayānayā ॥1-206-13॥
O great king, Arjuna, the mighty-armed, was drawn away in the water by Ulūpī, the daughter of the king of serpents, who was filled with desire.
dadarśa pāṇḍavas tatra pāvakaṃ susamāhitam । kauravyasyātha nāgasya bhavane paramārcite ॥1-206-14॥
The Pāṇḍava saw a well-arranged fire in the highly honored house of the Nāga belonging to the Kaurava.
tatrāgnikāryaṃ kṛtavān kuntīputro dhanañjayaḥ । aśaṅkamānena hutastenātuṣyaddhutāśanaḥ ॥1-206-15॥
There, Dhanañjaya, the son of Kuntī, performed the fire-rite. Because he made the offering without any doubt, the fire-god was pleased.
agnikāryaṃ sa kṛtvā tu nāgarājasutāṃ tadā । prahasanniva kaunteya idaṃ vacanamabravīt ॥1-206-16॥
After performing the fire-rite, the son of Kunti, as if smiling, spoke these words to the serpent-king's daughter.
kimidaṃ sāhasaṃ bhīru kṛtavatyasi bhāmini । kaścāyaṃ subhago deśaḥ kā ca tvaṃ kasya cātmajā ॥1-206-17॥
O timid one, what is this adventure you have undertaken, O beautiful lady? Who is this fortunate person, what is this place, who are you, and whose daughter are you?
ulūpy uvāca॥
Ulūpi spoke.
airāvatakule jātaḥ kauravyo nāma pannagaḥ । tasyāsmi duhitā pārtha ulūpī nāma pannagī ॥1-206-18॥
A serpent named Kauravya was born in the lineage of Airāvata. O Pārtha, I am his daughter, Ulūpī by name, a serpent-woman.
sāhaṃ tvām abhiṣekārtham avatīrṇaṃ samudragām । dṛṣṭavaty eva kaunteya kandarpeṇāsmi mūrcchitā ॥1-206-19॥
O son of Kunti, having seen you, who have descended to the ocean for the purpose of consecration, I, she, have indeed fainted by (the god of) love.
tāṃ māmananga-mathitāṃ tvatkṛte kurunandana । ananyāṃ nandayasvādy pradānenātmano rahaḥ ॥1-206-20॥
O delight of the Kurus, today, for your sake, make her—me, who is struck by Kāma and devoted solely to you—happy by giving yourself in privacy.
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said.
brahmacaryam idaṃ bhadre mama dvādaśa-vārṣikam । dharmarājena ca ādiṣṭam na aham asmi svayam-vaśaḥ ॥1-206-21॥
O auspicious one, this twelve-year vow of celibacy is mine, commanded by Dharmarāja, and I am not independent in this matter.
tava cāpi priyaṃ kartum icchāmi jalacāriṇi । anṛtaṃ noktapūrvaṃ ca mayā kiñcana karhicit ॥1-206-22॥
O water-dweller, I also wish to do what is dear to you. I have never spoken any falsehood at any time.
kathaṁ ca nānṛtaṁ tasyāttava cāpi priyaṁ bhavet । na ca pīḍyeta me dharmastathā kuryāṁ bhujaṅgame ॥1-206-23॥
How can it be that I do not speak falsehood, and yet what is dear to you may happen? And my duty is not afflicted; thus should I act towards the serpent.
ulūpy uvāca॥
Ulūpi spoke.
jānāmyahaṃ pāṇḍaveya yathā carasi medinīm । yathā ca te brahmacaryam idam ādiṣṭavān guruḥ ॥1-206-24॥
O son of Pāṇḍu, I know how you conduct yourself on earth and how your teacher has instructed you in this vow of celibacy.
parasparaṃ vartamānān drupadasyātmajāṃ prati । yo no'nupraviśen mohāt sa no dvādaśavārṣikam ॥ vane cared brahmacaryam iti vaḥ samayaḥ kṛtaḥ ॥1-206-25॥
While living together with Drupada's daughter, if any one of us enters (her chamber) out of delusion, that person must live in the forest for twelve years practicing celibacy—this was the agreement made among us.
tad idaṃ draupadī-hetor anyonyasya pravāsanam । kṛtaṃ vas tatra dharmārtham atra dharmo na duṣyati ॥1-206-26॥
This exile of each other, undertaken by you for Draupadī's sake, was done there for the sake of dharma; here, dharma is not violated.
paritrāṇaṃ ca kartavyam ārtānāṃ pṛthulocana । kṛtvā mama paritrāṇaṃ tava dharmo na lupyate ॥1-206-27॥
O wide-eyed one, it is your duty to protect the distressed; by granting me protection, your righteousness will not be lost.
yadi vāpy asya dharmasya sūkṣmo'pi syād vyatikramaḥ । sa ca te dharma eva syād dātvā prāṇān mama arjuna ॥1-206-28॥
If there is even a subtle transgression of this dharma, O Arjuna, even that would be your dharma, having given up my life.
bhaktāṃ bhajasva māṃ pārtha satāmetan-mataṃ prabho । na kariṣyasi cedevaṃ mṛtāṃ mām-upadhāraya ॥1-206-29॥
O Pārtha, honor the devoted ones; this is the view of the virtuous, O lord. If you do not act thus, then consider me as dead.
prāṇadānān-mahābāho cara dharmam-anuttamam । śaraṇaṃ ca prapannāsmi tvām-adya puruṣottama ॥1-206-30॥
O mighty-armed one, practice the highest dharma rather than giving life. Today, O best among men, I have sought refuge in you.
dīnān-anāthān-kaunteya parirakṣasi nityaśaḥ । sāhaṃ śaraṇam abhyemi roravīmi ca duḥkhitā ॥1-206-31॥
O son of Kunti, you are always the protector of the afflicted and the helpless. Therefore, I, being distressed, seek your refuge and cry out.
yāce tvām abhikāmāhaṃ tasmāt kuru mama priyam । sa tvam ātma-pradānena sakāmāṃ kartum arhasi ॥
I earnestly request you, so please do what pleases me. By giving yourself, you can fulfill my wish.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
evam-uktas-tu kaunteyaḥ pannageśvara-kanyayā । kṛtavāṃs-tat-tathā sarvaṃ dharmam-uddiśya kāraṇam ॥1-206-33॥
Thus, having been addressed by the daughter of the lord of serpents, the son of Kunti did all that, aiming at duty as the reason.
sa nāgabhavane rātriṃ tām uṣitvā pratāpavān । udite'bhyutthitaḥ sūrye kauravyasya niveśanāt ॥1-206-34॥
He, the glorious one, spent that night in the Nāga palace, and when the sun had risen, he departed from the residence of Kauravya.
