04.001
vairāṭaparva
The Book of Virata;
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said.
kathaṁ virāṭanagare mama pūrvapitāmahāḥ। ajñātavāsamuṣitā duryodhanabhayārdhitāḥ ॥04-1-1॥
How did my forefathers, afflicted by fear of Duryodhana, spend the period of concealment in the city of Virāṭa? (04-1-1)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tathā tu sa varāṃ-labdhvā dharmād dharma-bhṛtāṃ varaḥ। gatvā āśramam brāhmaṇebhya ācakhyau sarvam eva tat॥04-1-2॥
Thus, he, the foremost among the upholders of righteousness, having obtained the boons from Dharma, went to the hermitage and told all of that to the Brāhmaṇas. (04-1-2)
kathayitvā tu tatsarvaṁ brāhmaṇebhyo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। araṇī-sahitaṁ tasmai brāhmaṇāya nyavedayat ॥04-1-3॥
But after stating all that to the Brāhmaṇas, Yudhiṣṭhira gave to that Brāhmaṇa the firesticks along with (everything else). (04-1-3)
tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā dharmaputro mahāmanāḥ. saṁnivartyānujānsarvāniti hovāca bhārata ॥04-1-4॥
Then Yudhiṣṭhira, the noble-minded king and son of Dharma, called back all his younger brothers and spoke thus, O Bhārata. (04-1-4)
dvādaśemāni varṣāṇi rāṣṭrād viproṣitā vayam। trayodaśo'yaṃ samprāptaḥ kṛcchraḥ paramadurvasaḥ॥04-1-5॥
We have been exiled from the kingdom for these twelve years; now, the thirteenth—an extremely difficult and hard-to-endure period—has arrived. (04-1-5)
sa sādhu kaunteya ito vāsam arjuna rocaya। yatre imā vasatīḥ sarvā vasema aviditāḥ paraiḥ॥ 04-1-6॥
Therefore, O son of Kunti, Arjuna, choose a dwelling here where we all may live in these abodes, unnoticed by others. (04-1-6)
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said.
tasyaiva varadānena dharmasya manujādhipa। ajñātā vicariṣyāmo narāṇāṃ bharatarṣabha ॥04-1-7॥
O lord of men, by the very boon of Dharma, we shall go about unknown among men, O bull among the Bharatas. (04-1-7)
kiṁ tu vāsāya rāṣṭrāṇi kīrtayiṣyāmi kānicit। ramaṇīyāni guptāni teṣāṁ kiñcitsma rocaya ॥04-1-8॥
But for dwelling, I shall recount some countries; among those, choose a few which are pleasing and protected. (04-1-8)
santi ramyā janapadā bahvannāḥ paritaḥ kurūn। pāñcālāś cedimatsyāś ca śūrasenāḥ paṭaccarāḥ॥ daśārṇā navarāṣṭraṃ ca mallāḥ śālvā yugandharāḥ॥04-1-9॥
There are beautiful and fertile regions around the Kuru land: the Pañcālas, the Cedis and Matsyas, the Śūrasenas, the Paṭaccaras, the Daśārṇas, the Nava-rashtra, the Mallas, the Śālvas, and the Yugandharas. (04-1-9)
eteṣāṃ katamo rājan nivāsaḥ tava rocate । vatsyāmaḥ yatra rāje-ndra saṃvatsaram imaṃ vayam ॥04-1-10॥
O king, which of these residences do you prefer? Where shall we stay for this year, O lord of kings? (04-1-10)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhishthira said.
evam etan mahābāho yathā sa bhagavān prabhuḥ। abravīt sarvabhūteśas tat tathā na tad anyathā ॥04-1-11॥
O mighty-armed one, it is just as the glorious lord, the lord of all beings, has spoken; it is so and not otherwise. (04-1-11)
avaśyaṁ tveva vāsārthaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ śivaṁ sukham। sanmantrya sahitaiḥ sarvairdraṣṭavyamakutobhayam ॥04-1-12॥
Certainly, for the purpose of dwelling, a place that is beautiful, auspicious, and comfortable should be considered—having taken counsel with all companions—whether it is free from danger from any direction. (04-1-12)
matsyo virāṭo balavān abhirakṣet sa pāṇḍavān। dharmaśīlo vadānyaś ca vṛddhaś ca sumahādhanaḥ॥04-1-13॥
Virāṭa, the king of the Matsyas—who is strong, virtuous, generous, elderly, and very wealthy—should protect the Pāṇḍavas. (04-1-13)
virāṭanagare tāta saṃvatsaram imaṃ vayam | kurvantas tasya karmāṇi vihariṣyāma bhārata ॥04-1-14॥
O Bhārata, we will spend this year in the city of Virāta performing his tasks, dear one. (04-1-14)
yāni yāni ca karmāṇi tasya śakṣyāmahe vayam। kartuṃ yo yats tatkarma bravītu kurunandanāḥ ॥04-1-15॥
O descendants of Kuru, whichever actions of his we shall be able to perform, let him who knows say which those are, and let him state that task. (04-1-15)
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said.
naradeva kathaṃ karma rāṣṭre tasya kariṣyasi। virāṭanṛpateḥ sādho raṃsyase kena karmaṇā॥04-1-16॥
O king, how will you act in his kingdom? O noble one, by what work will you enjoy yourself in King Virata's realm? (04-1-16)
mṛdurvadānyo hrīmāṁśca dhārmikaḥ satyavikramaḥ। rājaṁstvāmāpadā kliṣṭaḥ kiṁ kariṣyasi pāṇḍava॥04-1-17॥
O king, gentle, generous, modest, righteous, and truly valiant, afflicted by calamity, what will you do, O Pāṇḍava? (04-1-17)
na duḥkham ucitaṃ kiñcid rājan veda yathā janaḥ। sa imām āpadaṃ prāpya kathaṃ ghorāṃ tariṣyasi ॥04-1-18॥
O king, no person knows how to endure anything appropriate to suffering. Having come into this terrible affliction, how will you cross over it? (04-1-18)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
śṛṇudhvaṃ yat kariṣyāmi karma vai kurunandanāḥ। virāṭam anusamprāpya rājānaṃ puruṣarṣabham॥04-1-19॥
Hear, O descendants of Kuru, what action I shall indeed undertake—having approached King Virāṭa, the foremost among men. (04-1-19)
sabhāstāro bhaviṣyāmi tasya rājño mahātmanaḥ। kaṅko nāma dvijo bhūtvā matākṣaḥ priyadevitā ॥04-1-20॥
I will serve as a courtier of that great-souled king. Assuming the name Kaṅka as a twice-born and dice-expert, I shall become his favorite. (04-1-20)
vaiḍūryāṁ-kāñcanān-dāntān phalaiḥ jyotī-rasaḥ saha। kṛṣṇākṣāṁ-l-lohitākṣāṁś-ca nirvartsyāmi manoramān ॥04-1-21॥
I will construct beautiful (trees/statues/etc.) made of cat's eye gems, gold, ivory, fruits, and resplendent sapphires, as well as beautiful ones with black or red eyes. (04-1-21)
āsaṁ yudhiṣṭhirasya ahaṁ purā prāṇasamaḥ sakhā। iti vakṣyāmi rājānam yadi mām anuyokṣyate॥04-1-22॥
If the king asks me, I will say this: "Formerly, I was a friend equal to life for Yudhiṣṭhira." (04-1-22)
ity etad vo mayā ākhyātaṃ vihariṣyāmi ahaṃ yathā। vṛkodara virāṭe tvaṃ raṃsyase kena karmaṇā॥04-1-23॥
Thus, I have told this to you; I will act as indicated. Bhīma, in the kingdom of Virāṭa, by what duty will you be engaged? (04-1-23)
