03.174
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
nagottamaṁ prasravaṇair upetaṁ; diśāṁ gajaiḥ kiṁnara-pakṣibhiś ca। sukhaṁ nivāsaṁ jahatāṁ hi teṣāṁ; na prītir āsīd bharatarṣabhāṇām ॥03-174-1॥
Although they were leaving an excellent mountain adorned with streams, filled with elephants of the quarters and Kinnara birds, those foremost among the Bharatas did not feel joy in departing from their pleasant abode. (03-174-1)
tatastu teṣāṃ punareva harṣaḥ; kailāsamālokya mahānbabhūva. kuberakāntaṃ bharatarṣabhāṇāṃ; mahīdharaṃ vāridharaprakāśam ॥03-174-2॥
Then indeed, for them, great joy arose again upon seeing Kailāsa. For the foremost of the Bharatas, the mountain beloved of Kubera shone like a carrier of clouds. (03-174-2)
samucchrayān parvata-saṃnirodhāṅ goṣṭhān girīṇāṃ girisetu-mālāḥ। bahūn prapātāṃś ca samīkṣya vīrāḥ; sthalāni nimnāni ca tatra tatra॥03-174-3॥
The heroes, observing elevations, mountain enclosures, cow-pens of the mountains, chains of mountain ridges, and many precipices, as well as low-lying tracts of land here and there, (proceeded on their way). (03-174-3)
tathaiva cānyāni mahāvanāni; mṛgadvijānekapasevitāni. ālokayanto’bhiyayuḥ pratītāḥ; ste dhanvinaḥ khaḍgadharā narāgryāḥ ॥03-174-4॥
In the same way, the outstanding warriors, who were archers and sword-bearers, confidently proceeded, surveying other great forests inhabited by many kinds of beasts and birds. (03-174-4)
vanāni ramyāṇi sarāṃsi nadyo; guhā girīṇāṃ girigahvarāṇi। ete nivāsāḥ satataṃ babhūvuḥ niśāniśaṃ prāpya nararṣabhāṇām॥03-174-5॥
Pleasant forests, lakes, rivers, mountain caves, and grottoes—these always became the dwellings, night after night, of the best among men. (03-174-5)
te durgavāsaṃ bahudhā niruṣya; vyatītya kailāsamacintyarūpam। āseduratyarthamanoramaṃ vai; tamāśramāgryaṃ vṛṣaparvaṇaste ॥03-174-6॥
Having traversed many difficult regions and passed the incomparable form of Kailāsa, they finally reached the exceedingly delightful, eminent hermitage of Vṛṣaparvan. (03-174-6)
sametya rājñā vṛṣaparvaṇaste; pratyarcitāstena ca vītamohāḥ. śaśaṃsire vistaraśaḥ pravāsaṃ; śivaṃ yathāvad vṛṣaparvaṇaste ॥03-174-7॥
Having approached, those who were free from delusion were respectfully received by King Vṛṣaparvan, and they explained in detail their auspicious exile to Vṛṣaparvan as was proper. (03-174-7)
sukhoṣitās tatra te ekarātraṃ; puṇyāśrame devamahaṛṣijuṣṭe. abhyāyayus te badarīṃ viśālāṃ; sukhena vīrāḥ punareva vāsam ॥03-174-8॥
After spending one restful night there, in the holy hermitage inhabited by celestial sages, the heroes again approached the vast Badarī and dwelt there comfortably. (03-174-8)
ūṣus tatas tatra mahānubhāvāḥ; nārāyaṇasthānagatā narāgryaḥ. kuberakāntāṃ nalinīṃ viśokāḥ; sampaśyamānāḥ surasiddhajuṣṭām ॥03-174-9॥
Then the great-souled noble men, having gone to the abode of Nārāyaṇa, approached and, free from sorrow, beheld the lotus lake dear to Kubera, cherished by gods and siddhas. (03-174-9)
tāṃ cātha dṛṣṭvā nalinīṃ viśokāḥ; pāṇḍoḥ sutāḥ sarvanarapravīrāḥ. te remire nandanavāsam etya; dvijarṣayo vītabhayā yathaiva ॥03-174-10॥
Then, having beheld the lotus-lake, the sons of Pāṇḍu, foremost among men, free from sorrow, rejoiced on reaching the delightful Nandana grove, just like the fearless Brahmin sages. (03-174-10)
tataḥ krameṇopayayur nṛvīrā; yathāgatenaiva pathā samagrāḥ। vihṛtya māsaṃ sukhino badaryāṃ; kirātarājño viṣayaṃ subāhoḥ ॥03-174-11॥
Then the heroic men, all together, returned in order by the same path they had come. After spending a month happily at Badari, they went to the territory of Subāhu, the king of the Kirātas. (03-174-11)
cīnāṃstu khārān daradān sadārvān deśān kuṇindasya ca bhūri-ratnān। atītya durgaṃ himavat-pradeśaṃ; puraṃ subāhor dadṛśur nṛvīrāḥ ॥03-174-12॥
Having crossed the difficult Himalayan region and the jewel-rich countries of the Chinese, Tukhāras, Daradas, Sadarvas, and Kuṇinda, the heroic princes saw the city of Subāhu. (03-174-12)
śrutvā ca tān pārthivaputrapautrān prāptān subāhur viṣaye samagrān। pratyudyayau prītiyutaḥ sa rājā taṃ cābhyanandan vṛṣabhāḥ kurūṇām॥03-174-13॥
Having heard that all those sons and grandsons of kings had arrived in his territory, King Subāhu, full of affection, went forth to meet them; and the chiefs of the Kurus welcomed him. (03-174-13)
sametya rājñā tu subāhunā te; sūtair viśokapramukhaiś ca sarvaiḥ. sahendrasenaiḥ paricārakaiś ca; paurogavair ye ca mahānasasthāḥ ॥03-174-14॥
Having assembled by the king and by Subāhuna, they, along with all the charioteers headed by Viśoka, together with Indrasena and the attendants, the family priests, and those stationed in the kitchen, (acted thus). (03-174-14)
sukhoṣitās tatra ta ekarātraṃ; sūtān upādāya rathāṃś ca sarvān. ghaṭotkacaṃ sānucaraṃ visṛjya; tato'bhya yuryāmunam adrirājam ॥03-174-15॥
After spending a pleasant night there, they took all their charioteers and chariots, dismissed Ghaṭotkaca and his followers, and then proceeded to the king of mountains by the Yamunā. (03-174-15)
tasmin girau prasravaṇopapanne; himottarīyāruṇapāṇḍusānau. viśākhayūpaṃ samupetya cakru; stadā nivāsaṃ puruṣapravīrāḥ ॥03-174-16॥
On that mountain, which had springs and peaks snowy, reddish, and pale, with diverging summits like stakes, the foremost of men then made their dwelling. (03-174-16)
varāhanānāmṛgapakṣijuṣṭaṃ; mahad vanaṃ caitrarathaprakāśam। śivena yātvā mṛgayāpradhānāḥ; saṃvatsaraṃ tatra vane vijahruḥ ॥03-174-17॥
They went to a great forest endowed with boars, various beasts, and birds, shining like Caitraratha; having gone there auspiciously, being devoted to hunting, they spent a year in that forest. (03-174-17)
tatrāsasādātibalaṃ bhujaṅgaṃ; kṣudhārditaṃ mṛtyumivograrūpam. vṛkodaraḥ parvatakandarāyāṃ; viṣāda-moha-vyathitāntarātmā ॥03-174-18॥
There in the mountain cave, Vṛkodara, his innermost self afflicted by grief and confusion, approached a mighty serpent, ghastly and fierce like death itself, tormented by hunger. (03-174-18)
dvīpo'bhavadyatra vṛkodarasya; yudhiṣṭhiro dharmabhṛtāṃ variṣṭhaḥ. amokṣayadyastamanantatejā; grāheṇa saṃveṣṭitasarvagātram ॥03-174-19॥
Yudhiṣṭhira, the foremost among bearers of dharma, released Vṛkodara, whose every limb was enveloped by the crocodile, on the island. (03-174-19)
te dvādaśaṃ varṣam athopayāntaṃ; vane vihartuṃ kuravaḥ pratītāḥ। tasmād vanāc caitrarathaprakāśā; śriyā jvalantas tapasā ca yuktāḥ ॥03-174-20॥
When the twelfth year was coming to an end, the Kurus appeared ready to roam in the forest. Therefore, coming from the forest, brilliant as Caitraratha, radiant with beauty and endowed with asceticism. (03-174-20)
tataś ca yātvā marudhanvapārśvaṃ; sadā dhanurvedaratipradhānāḥ. sarasvatīm etya nivāsakāmāḥ; saras tato dvaitavanaṃ pratīyuḥ ॥03-174-21॥
Then, having gone to the side of Maru-dhanva, those who were always chiefly devoted to the science of archery, upon reaching the Sarasvati river and wishing to settle, from the lake there they proceeded towards the Dvaita forest. (03-174-21)
samīkṣya tān dvaitavane niviṣṭā; nivāsinas tatra tato'bhijagmuḥ. tapodamācārasamādhiyuktā; stṛṇodapātrāharaṇāśmakuṭṭāḥ ॥03-174-22॥
After observing them, the inhabitants settled in Dvaita forest there approached. They were engaged in austerity, gifts, virtuous conduct, and concentration, and were gatherers of grass, water-pots, fetchers, and grinders of stones. (03-174-22)
plakṣākṣarauhītakavetasāś ca; snuhā badaryaḥ khadirāḥ śirīṣāḥ। bilveṅgudāḥ pīluśamīkarīrāḥ; sarasvatītīraruhā babhūvuḥ ॥03-174-23॥
Ficus, Terminalia bellirica, Symplocos, bamboos, Euphorbia, jujube, acacia, albizia, bilva, Schleichera, Salvadora, śamī, and karīra trees all grew on the bank of the Sarasvatī. (03-174-23)
tāṃ yakṣa-gandharva-maharṣi-kāntā; māyā-gabhūtām iva devatānām. sarasvatīṃ prīti-yutāḥ carantaḥ; sukhaṃ vijahruḥ naradeva-putrāḥ ॥03-174-24॥
The sons of kings enjoyed the Sarasvatī—beloved of yakṣas, gandharvas, and great sages, appearing like an illusory creation of the gods—roaming about with joy. (03-174-24)
