03.257
जनमेजय उवाच॥
Janamejaya said.
एवं हृतायां कृष्णायां प्राप्य क्लेशमनुत्तमम्। अत ऊर्ध्वं नरव्याघ्राः किमकुर्वत पाण्डवाः ॥०३-२५७-१॥
Thus, when Kṛṣṇā had been abducted and had undergone unsurpassed distress, what did the tiger-like Pāṇḍavas do afterward? (03-257-1)
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
एवं कृष्णां मोक्षयित्वा विनिर्जित्य जयद्रथम्। आसां चक्रे मुनिगणैर्धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः ॥०३-२५७-२॥
Thus, after freeing Kṛṣṇā and defeating Jayadratha, Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira, with the help of groups of sages, made arrangements for these women. (03-257-2)
तेषां मध्ये महर्षीणां शृण्वतामनुशोचताम्। मार्कण्डेयमिदं वाक्यमब्रवीत्पाण्डुनन्दनः ॥०३-२५७-३॥
Among those great sages, while they were listening and lamenting, the son of Pandu spoke this speech to Markandeya. (03-257-3)
मन्ये कालश्च बलवान्दैवं च विधिनिर्मितम्। भवितव्यं च भूतानां यस्य नास्ति व्यतिक्रमः ॥०३-२५७-४॥
I believe that Time and destiny are powerful, being creations of fate, and whatever is destined for living beings cannot be transgressed. (03-257-4)
कथं हि पत्नीमस्माकं धर्मज्ञां धर्मचारिणीम्। संस्पृशेदीदृशो भावः शुचिं स्तैन्यमिवानृतम् ॥०३-२५७-५॥
How could such a feeling possibly touch our wife, who is pure, who knows and practices righteousness—just as theft cannot touch falsehood? (03-257-5)
न हि पापं कृतं किञ्चित्कर्म वा निन्दितं क्वचित्। द्रौपद्या ब्राह्मणेष्वेव धर्मः सुचरितो महान् ॥०३-२५७-६॥
Indeed, there was no sin committed, nor any blameworthy act anywhere. The great dharma was well-practiced by Draupadī only towards the Brāhmaṇas. (03-257-6)
तां जहार बलाद्राजा मूढबुद्धिर्जयद्रथः। तस्याः संहरणात्प्राप्तः शिरसः केशवापनम् ॥ पराजयं च सङ्ग्रामे ससहायः समाप्तवान् ॥०३-२५७-७॥
Jayadratha, the king of deluded mind, seized her by force. Because of her abduction, he received the shaving of his head. He, along with his allies, met defeat in battle. (03-257-7)
प्रत्याहृता तथास्माभिर्हत्वा तत्सैन्धवं बलम्। तद्दारहरणं प्राप्तमस्माभिरवितर्कितम् ॥०३-२५७-८॥
Thus, having destroyed the Sindhu army, we have brought them back; and this abduction of the wives by us has happened unexpectedly. (03-257-8)
दुःखश्चायं वने वासो मृगयायां च जीविका। हिंसा च मृगजातीनां वनौकोभिर्वनौकसाम् ॥ ज्ञातिभिर्विप्रवासश्च मिथ्या व्यवसितैरयम् ॥०३-२५७-९॥
This suffering, living in the forest, subsisting by hunting; the slaughter of animals by forest-dwellers, exile caused by relatives and by mistaken decisions—such is this situation. (03-257-9)
अस्ति नूनं मया कश्चिदल्पभाग्यतरो नरः। भवता दृष्टपूर्वो वा श्रुतपूर्वोऽपि वा भवेत् ॥०३-२५७-१०॥
Indeed, there must be some man of lesser fortune than I, whom you have seen before or perhaps even heard of. (03-257-10)
