04.009
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
sahadevo'pi gopānāṃ kṛtvā veṣam-anuttamam। bhāṣāṃ caiṣāṃ samāsthāya virāṭam-upayādata ॥04-9-1॥
Sahadeva also, adopting the unsurpassed appearance and language of the cowherds, then approached Virata. (04-9-1)
tam āyāntam abhiprekṣya bhrājamānaṃ nararṣabham. samupasthāya vai rājā papraccha kurunandanam ॥04-9-2॥
Seeing him coming, the shining bull among men, the king approached and asked the Joy of the Kurus. (04-9-2)
kasya vā tvaṃ kuto vā tvaṃ kiṃ vā tāta cikīrṣasi। na hi me dṛṣṭapūrvastvaṃ tattvaṃ brūhi nararṣabha ॥04-9-3॥
Whose are you, or from where are you, or what do you intend to do, dear sir? You have certainly not been seen by me before. Tell the truth, O best of men. (04-9-3)
sa prāpya rājānam amitra-tāpanaḥ; tataḥ abravīt megha-mahā-ughaniḥsvanaḥ। vaiśyaḥ asmi nāmnā aham ariṣṭanemiḥ; go-saṅkhye āsaṃ kuru-puṅgavānām॥04-9-4॥
Having approached the king, the tormentor of enemies, he spoke with a voice like a great cloud-mass: "I am a Vaiśya named Ariṣṭanemi. In the number of cows, I was among the chief of the Kurus." (04-9-4)
vastuṁ tvayīcchāmi viśāṁ variṣṭha; tānrājasiṁhān na hi vedmi pārthān. na śakyate jīvitum anyakarmaṇā; na ca tvadanyo mama rocate nṛpaḥ ॥04-9-5॥
O best among men! I wish to live with you; I truly do not know those lion-hearted kings, the sons of Pritha. It is not possible for me to live through any other means, nor does any other king but you appeal to me. (04-9-5)
virāṭ uvāca॥
Virāṭ said.
tvaṃ brāhmaṇo yadi vā kṣatriyo'si; samudranemīśvararūpavān asi. ācakṣva me tattvam amitrakarśana; na vaiśyakarma tvayi vidyate samam ॥04-9-6॥
You are either a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya; you possess the form of a lord, O ocean-chakraed one. Tell me the truth, O chastiser of enemies; the function of a vaiśya is not seen in you at all. (04-9-6)
kasyāsi rājño viṣayād ihāgataḥ; kiṁ cāpi śilpaṁ tava vidyate kṛtam। kathaṁ tvam asmāsu nivatsyase sadā; vadasva kiṁ cāpi taveha vetanam ॥04-9-7॥
From which king's realm have you come here? What craft or skill do you also possess that is accomplished? How will you always reside among us? Speak also, what shall your wage here be? (04-9-7)
sahadeva uvāca॥
Sahadeva said.
pañcānāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ jyeṣṭho rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ. tasya aṣṭaśata-sāhasrā gavāṃ vargāḥ śataṃ śatāḥ ॥04-9-8॥
Of the five sons of Pāṇḍu, the eldest king is Yudhiṣṭhira. He had groups of cows numbering eight hundred thousand, in hundreds of hundreds. (04-9-8)
apare daśasāhasrā dvistāvantastathāpare। teṣāṃ gosaṅkhyā āsaṃ vai tantipāleti māṃ viduḥ ॥04-9-9॥
There were other groups of ten thousand each, and likewise yet others of twice that number. Among them, as a cowherd, I truly was known as Tantipāla.
bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ bhaviṣyacca yacca saṅkhyāgataṃ kvacit। na me'astyaviditaṃ kiñcitsamantāddaśayojanam ॥04-9-10॥
Nothing, past, present, or future, or whatever is present in number anywhere within a radius of ten yojanas from all sides, is unknown to me. (04-9-10)
guṇāḥ suviditā hyāsan mama tasya mahātmanaḥ। āsīc ca sa mayā tuṣṭaḥ kururājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ॥04-9-11॥
The qualities of that great-souled one were indeed well-known to me, and King Yudhiṣṭhira of the Kurus was pleased with me. (04-9-11)
kṣipraṃ hi gāvo bahulā bhavanti; na tāsu rogo bhavatīha kaścit. taistairupāyair viditaṃ mayaita; detāni śilpāni mayi sthitāni ॥04-9-12॥
Cows quickly become numerous, indeed; there is no disease among them here. By various methods, these skills become known by me and reside within me. (04-9-12)
vṛṣabhāṁś cāpi jānāmi rājan pūjitalakṣaṇān। yeṣāṁ mūtram upāghrāya api vandhyā prasūyate॥04-9-13॥
O king, I also know the bulls possessing auspicious marks of honor, by smelling the urine of whom even a barren woman becomes capable of bearing offspring. (04-9-13)
virāṭ uvāca॥
Virāṭ said;
śataṃ sahasrāṇi samāhitāni; varṇasya varṇasya viniścitā guṇaiḥ। paśūn sapālān bhavate dadāmy ahaṃ; tvad āśrayā me paśavo bhavantv iha ॥04-9-14॥
I give you one hundred thousand well-selected cattle of each class, all distinguished by their qualities, together with herdsmen. May my cattle here become dependent upon you. (04-9-14)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tathā sa rājño'vidito viśāṃ pate; uvāsa tatraiva sukhaṃ nareśvaraḥ. na ca enam anye'pi viduḥ kathaṃcana; prādāc ca tasmai bharaṇaṃ yathepsitam ॥04-9-15॥
Thus, he remained there comfortably, unknown to the king, O lord of the people. Not even others knew him in any way. He gave him sustenance as much as he desired. (04-9-15)
