03.047
Pancharatra: How Yudhisthira sustained themselves along with thousands of Brahmanas in the forest.
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said.
yad idaṃ śocitaṃ rājñā dhṛtarāṣṭreṇa vai mune। pravrājya pāṇḍavān vīrān sarvam etan nirarthakam ॥3-47-1॥
O sage, all this lamentation by King Dhritarashtra, having exiled the heroic Pāṇḍavas, is truly meaningless. (3-47-1)
kathaṁ hi rājā putraṁ svam upekṣetālpacetasaṁ। duryodhanaṁ pāṇḍuputrān kopyānaṁ mahārathān ॥3-47-2॥
How could a king possibly neglect his own son, even if he is of little intelligence? By doing so to Duryodhana, he would provoke the mighty sons of Pandu, who are great chariot-warriors. (3-47-2)
kim āsīt pāṇḍu-putrāṇām vane bhojanam ucyatām। vāneyam atha vā kṛṣṭam etad ākhyātu me bhavān ॥3-47-3॥
What food did the sons of Pāṇḍu have in the forest? Please tell me. Was it wild or cultivated? Please explain this to me. (3-47-3)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
vāna eyaṃ ca mṛgāṃś caiva śuddhair bāṇair nipātitān। brāhmaṇānāṃ nivedya agram abhuñjan puruṣarṣabhāḥ ॥3-47-4॥
The heroes, having offered the best portion of the forest-game and deer, which had been felled by pure arrows, to the brāhmaṇas, ate (the remainder). (3-47-4)
tāṃs tu śūrān maheṣvāsāṃs tadā nivasato vane। anvayur brāhmaṇā rājan sāgnayo'gnayās tathā ॥3-47-5॥
O king, Brāhmaṇas, both those with fire and those without, followed those heroic great bowmen as they dwelt in the forest. (3-47-5)
brāhmaṇānāṃ sahasrāṇi snātakānāṃ mahātmanām। daśa mokṣavidāṃ tadvadyānbibharti yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥3-47-6॥
Yudhiṣṭhira supports thousands of Brāhmaṇas who are initiated and great-souled, and likewise ten who are knowers of liberation. (3-47-6)
rurūn kṛṣṇamṛgāṁś caiva medhyāṁś cānyān vanecarān। bāṇair unmathya vidhivad brāhmaṇebhyo nyavedayat ॥3-47-7॥
He killed antelopes, black-buck deer, and other forest-dwelling animals fit for sacrifice with arrows, and duly offered them to the Brāhmaṇas. (3-47-7)
na tatra kaścid durvarṇo vyādhito vā apy adṛśyata। kṛśo vā durbalo vā api dīno bhīto'pi vā naraḥ ॥3-47-8॥
There, no man of bad complexion, diseased, emaciated, weak, distressed, or afraid was seen. (3-47-8)
putrān iva priyān jñātīn bhrātṝn iva sahodarán। pupoṣa kauravaśreṣṭho dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥3-47-9॥
Yudhishthira, the king of dharma and the foremost among the Kauravas, cared for his dear kinsmen as if they were his own sons, and for his brothers as if they were born of the same mother. (3-47-9)
patīṁś ca draupadī sarvān dvijāṁś caiva yaśasvinī। māteva bhojayitvā agre śiṣṭam āhārayat tadā ॥3-47-10॥
Draupadī, the illustrious one, first served food to her husbands and all the twice-born, just like a mother would, and then she herself ate what was left. (3-47-10)
prācīṃ rājā dakṣiṇāṃ bhīmaseno; yamau pratīcīmatha vāpyudīcīm. dhanurdharā māṃsahetormṛgāṇāṃ; kṣayaṃ cakrurnityamevopagamya ॥3-47-11॥
The king went east, Bhimasena to the south; the twins Nakula and Sahadeva to the west, and sometimes also to the north. The archers, always approaching, caused the destruction of the deer for the sake of flesh. (3-47-11)
tathā teṣāṃ vasatāṃ kāmyake vai; vihīnānām arjunena utsukānām। pañcaiva varṣāṇi tadā vyatīyu; radhīyatāṃ japatāṃ juhvatāṃ ca ॥3-47-12॥
Thus, while they dwelt in Kāmyaka, deprived of Arjuna and longing for him, five years passed for those who studied, recited, and offered oblations. (3-47-12)
