03.257
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said.
evaṃ hṛtāyāṃ kṛṣṇāyāṃ prāpya kleśam anuttamam। ata ūrdhvaṃ naravyāghrāḥ kim akurvata pāṇḍavāḥ ॥03-257-1॥
Thus, when Kṛṣṇā had been abducted and had undergone unsurpassed distress, what did the tiger-like Pāṇḍavas do afterward? (03-257-1)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
evaṃ kṛṣṇāṃ mokṣayitvā vinirjitya jayadratham। āsāṃ cakre munigaṇair dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥03-257-2॥
Thus, after freeing Kṛṣṇā and defeating Jayadratha, Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira, with the help of groups of sages, made arrangements for these women. (03-257-2)
teṣāṃ madhye maharṣīṇāṃ śṛṇvatām anuśocatām। mārkaṇḍeyam idaṃ vākyam abravīt pāṇḍunandanaḥ॥ 03-257-3॥
Among those great sages, while they were listening and lamenting, the son of Pandu spoke this speech to Markandeya. (03-257-3)
manye kālaś ca balavān daivaṃ ca vidhinirmitam। bhavitavyaṃ ca bhūtānāṃ yasya nāsti vyatikramaḥ॥03-257-4॥
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)
kathaṁ hi patnīmasmākaṁ dharmajñāṁ dharmacāriṇīm। saṁspṛśed īdṛśo bhāvaḥ śuciṁ stainyam ivānṛtam ॥03-257-5॥
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)
na hi pāpaṃ kṛtaṃ kiñcit karma vā ninditaṃ kvacit। draupadyā brāhmaṇeṣv eva dharmaḥ sucarito mahān॥03-257-6॥
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)
tāṁ jahāra balādrājā mūḍhabuddhirjayadrathaḥ। tasyāḥ saṁharaṇātprāptaḥ śirasaḥ keśavāpanam ॥ parājayaṁ ca saṅgrāme sasahāyaḥ samāptavān ॥03-257-7॥
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)
pratyāhṛtā tathāsmābhirhatvā tatsaindhavaṁ balam। taddāraharaṇaṁ prāptamasmābhiravitarkitam ॥03-257-8॥
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)
duḥkhaś cāyaṃ vane vāso mṛgayāyāṃ ca jīvikā | hiṃsā ca mṛgajātīnāṃ vanaukobhir vanaukasām || jñātibhir vipravāsaś ca mithyā vyavasitair ayam ||03-257-9||
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)
asti nūnaṃ mayā kaścid-alpa-bhāgyataro naraḥ। bhavatā dṛṣṭapūrvo vā śrutapūrvo'pi vā bhavet ॥03-257-10॥
Indeed, there must be some man of lesser fortune than I, whom you have seen before or perhaps even heard of. (03-257-10)
