04.005
Vaiśampāyana said.
Those heroes, with their swords fastened and armed with quivers and iguana-skin armguards, proceeded towards the Yamunā River from all sides. (04-5-1)
Then the foot soldiers, accompanied by archers dwelling in the mountain and forest strongholds, proceeded along the southern bank. (04-5-2)
Shooting wild animals, the mighty-armed and very strong men were to the north of the Daśārṇas and to the south of the Pāñcālas. (04-5-3)
Except for Yakṛlloman and Śūrasena, the Pāṇḍavas, disguised as hunters and talking, entered the kingdom of Matsya from the forest. (04-5-4)
Then, having arrived in the country, Kṛṣṇā said to the king: "Look, one-footed beings are seen and also diverse fields." (04-5-5)
It is clear that Virāṭa's capital city will be far away. Let us stay here the rest of the night; my effort has been considerable. (04-5-6)
Yudhishthira said.
O Dhananjaya, O Bharata, having lifted Panchali, carry her. We shall reside in the capital, having been freed from the forest from here. (04-5-7)
Vaiśampāyana said.
Having quickly taken Draupadī, Arjuna, like the lord of elephants, brought her down near the city. (04-5-8)
He, having arrived at the capital, the son of Kuntī spoke to Arjuna: "Where, after depositing our weapons, shall we enter the city?" (04-5-9)
O dear one, if we, armed, enter this city, there is no doubt we will cause agitation among these people. (04-5-10)
Therefore, we must again enter the forest for twelve years; for even if one of us is recognized, such was indeed our promise. (04-5-11)
Arjuna said.
O king of men, this great, dense śamī tree stands upon the crag, with terrible branches, difficult to climb, near the cremation ground. (04-5-12)
O king, there is also not even a single human here. This is an off-path in the forest, inhabited by beasts and wild animals. (04-5-13)
Having deposited our weapons here, let us go toward the city. Thus, here, as we please, we will wander about, O Bhārata. (04-5-14)
Vaiśampāyana said.
Having thus spoken to king Yudhishthira, the righteous-souled, he began to deposit the weapons, O best of the Bharatas. (04-5-15)
By whom the gods, humans, and serpents were conquered, and who, as the one-charioted warrior, conquered prosperous and other countries—the delight of the Kurus. (04-5-16)
Pārtha (Arjuna) unstrung that great, mighty-roaring Gāṇḍīva bow, the destroyer of enemy hosts and remover of fear. (04-5-17)
By whom the hero, the destroyer of enemies, protected Kurukṣetra, Yudhishthira did not loosen the unbreakable bow-string from his bow. (04-5-18)
By whom, in battle, the mighty Bhīmasena conquered the Pāñcālas; he alone repelled many rivals as well during the conquest of the directions. (04-5-19)
On hearing the twang of whose bow, the enemies in battle fled, as if it were the thunderous explosion when a mountain is split by a thunderbolt. (04-5-20)
O sinless one, Bhimasena let loose the bowstring of his bow against the Sindhu king who had touched the king. (04-5-21)
The Pāṇḍava (Arjuna), who conquered the western region with his bow—Saṅkrandana, the hero, drew back his bowstring in battle. (04-5-22)
Sahadeva, the hero and lord who moved south and conquered the southern direction, made that weapon without a string. (04-5-23)
They placed together swords, long yellow quivers, mighty well-stretched bows, and arrows with razor-sharp tips, with their bows. (04-5-24)
After mounting the chariot, Nakula himself placed the bows and considered which places in it were sturdy. (04-5-25)
Where he saw, indeed, rains pouring beyond the years, there he firmly bound them with strong bonds. (04-5-26)
The Pāṇḍavas will tie up the body of the dead man, and men will avoid this śamī tree from afar. Here the corpse is tied; thus, on smelling the putrid odor. (04-5-27)
Those who say 'this mother, though eighty-hundred years old, is not (to be kept),' this is our family custom, also practiced by our ancestors. Those bringing (her) to this tree, thus indeed they declare. (04-5-28)
The sons of Pṛthā, destroyers of enemies, approached the vicinity of the city, inquiring from the cowherds and herdsmen. (04-5-29)
Yudhiṣṭhira assigned the secret names "Victory, Conquering, Complete Victory, Victorious Army, Victorious Strength" to them. (04-5-30)
Then, as vowed, they entered the great city to live incognito in the kingdom for the thirteenth year. (04-5-31)
