03.244
मृगस्वप्नभयपर्व
An occurrence involving the fear of a deer in a dream.
जनमेजय उवाच॥
Janamejaya said.
दुर्योधनं मोचयित्वा पाण्डुपुत्रा महाबलाः। किमकार्षुर्वने तस्मिंस्तन्ममाख्यातुमर्हसि ॥०३-२४४-१॥
Having released Duryodhana, what did the mighty sons of Pāṇḍu do in that forest? You ought to tell me that. (03-244-1)
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
ततः शयानं कौन्तेयं रात्रौ द्वैतवने मृगाः। स्वप्नान्ते दर्शयामासुर्बाष्पकण्ठा युधिष्ठिरम् ॥०३-२४४-२॥
Then, as Kunti's son Yudhishthira slept in the Dvaita forest at night, the deer—throats choked with tears—appeared to him at the end of his dream. (03-244-2)
तानब्रवीत्स राजेन्द्रो वेपमानान्कृताञ्जलीन्। ब्रूत यद्वक्तुकामाः स्थ के भवन्तः किमिष्यते ॥०३-२४४-३॥
The king of kings addressed them, who were trembling with joined palms, saying: "Say whatever it is you wish to say. Who are you, and what is desired?" (03-244-3)
एवमुक्ताः पाण्डवेन कौन्तेयेन यशस्विना। प्रत्यब्रुवन्मृगास्तत्र हतशेषा युधिष्ठिरम् ॥०३-२४४-४॥
Having thus been addressed by the famous son of Pāṇḍu, the son of Kuntī, the surviving deer there replied to Yudhiṣṭhira. (03-244-4)
वयं मृगा द्वैतवने हतशिष्टाः स्म भारत। नोत्सीदेम महाराज क्रियतां वासपर्ययः ॥०३-२४४-५॥
O Bhārata, we deer who have survived the slaughter in the Dvaita forest—let us not perish, O great king; let a change of residence be arranged. (03-244-5)
भवन्तो भ्रातरः शूराः सर्व एवास्त्रकोविदाः। कुलान्यल्पावशिष्टानि कृतवन्तो वनौकसाम् ॥०३-२४४-६॥
You, valiant brothers, all indeed skilled in weapons, have left only a few clans of the forest-dwelling people. (03-244-6)
बीजभूता वयं केचिदवशिष्टा महामते। विवर्धेमहि राजेन्द्र प्रसादात्ते युधिष्ठिर ॥०३-२४४-७॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, O king, O great-minded one, we, the few remaining ones who are as seeds, may grow by your grace. (03-244-7)
तान्वेपमानान्वित्रस्तान्बीजमात्रावशेषितान्। मृगान्दृष्ट्वा सुदुःखार्तो धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः ॥०३-२४४-८॥
Seeing those deer, who were trembling, frightened, and reduced to subsisting only on seeds, Yudhiṣṭhira, the King of Dharma, was overwhelmed with great sorrow. (03-244-8)
तांस्तथेत्यब्रवीद्राजा सर्वभूतहिते रतः। तथ्यं भवन्तो ब्रुवते करिष्यामि च तत्तथा ॥०३-२४४-९॥
The king, engaged in the welfare of all beings, replied to them, 'So be it. You speak the truth; I shall do that as you have said.' (03-244-9)
इत्येवं प्रतिबुद्धः स रात्र्यन्ते राजसत्तमः। अब्रवीत्सहितान्भ्रातॄन्दयापन्नो मृगान्प्रति ॥०३-२४४-१०॥
Thus, at the end of the night, the excellent king, having awakened, spoke together with his brothers, being filled with compassion towards the deer. (03-244-10)
उक्तो रात्रौ मृगैरस्मि स्वप्नान्ते हतशेषितैः। तनुभूताः स्म भद्रं ते दया नः क्रियतामिति ॥०३-२४४-११॥
At night, I was addressed by the deer that survived after being killed, at the end of a dream, having become emaciated: 'Good fortune to you—may compassion be shown to us.' (03-244-11)
ते सत्यमाहुः कर्तव्या दयास्माभिर्वनौकसाम्। साष्टमासं हि नो वर्षं यदेनानुपयुञ्ज्महे ॥०३-२४४-१२॥
They have truly said that we must show compassion to the forest-dwellers. We are now undertaking this eighth month of our year here. (03-244-12)
पुनर्बहुमृगं रम्यं काम्यकं काननोत्तमम्। मरुभूमेः शिरः ख्यातं तृणबिन्दुसरः प्रति ॥ तत्रेमा वसतीः शिष्टा विहरन्तो रमेमहि ॥०३-२४४-१३॥
Let us again go to the beautiful Kāmyaka forest, rich in many animals, the foremost of forests, lying at the head of the desert and famous for the Tṛṇabindu lake; there, let us enjoy ourselves moving among these remaining dwellings. (03-244-13)
ततस्ते पाण्डवाः शीघ्रं प्रययुर्धर्मकोविदाः। ब्राह्मणैः सहिता राजन्ये च तत्र सहोषिताः ॥ इन्द्रसेनादिभिश्चैव प्रेष्यैरनुगतास्तदा ॥०३-२४४-१४॥
Then the Pāṇḍavas, learned in dharma, quickly departed, accompanied by Brāhmaṇas, and having stayed there with the princes; at that time, they were followed by Indrasena and the other servants. (03-244-14)
ते यात्वानुसृतैर्मार्गैः स्वन्नैः शुचिजलान्वितैः। ददृशुः काम्यकं पुण्यमाश्रमं तापसायुतम् ॥०३-२४४-१५॥
After proceeding by their own well-trodden paths supplied with pure water, they saw the sacred Kāmyaka hermitage inhabited by ascetics. (03-244-15)
विविशुस्ते स्म कौरव्या वृता विप्रर्षभैस्तदा। तद्वनं भरतश्रेष्ठाः स्वर्गं सुकृतिनो यथा ॥०३-२४४-१६॥
O best of Bharatas, at that time, the Kauravas, accompanied by eminent Brāhmaṇas, entered that forest, just as the virtuous enter heaven. (03-244-16)
