05.082

vaiśampāyana uvāca॥

Vaiśaṃpāyana said:

prayāntaṁ dēvakīputraṁ paravīrarujō daśa। mahārathā mahābāhumanvayuḥ śastrapāṇayaḥ ॥5-82-1॥

As Devakī's son departed, ten great chariot warriors—destroyers of enemy heroes, mighty-armed and weapons in hand—followed him. (5-82-1)

padātīnāṁ sahasraṁ ca sādināṁ ca parantapa। bhōjyaṁ ca vipulaṁ rājanprēṣyāśca śataśō’parē ॥5-82-2॥

A thousand foot soldiers, cavalry, abundant food, O king, and hundreds of other servants... (5-82-2)

janamējaya uvāca॥

Janamejaya said:

kathaṁ prayātō dāśārhō mahātmā madhusūdanaḥ। kāni vā vrajatastasya nimittāni mahaujasaḥ ॥5-82-3॥

How did the great-souled Madhusūdana, the Dāśārha, depart? And what omens appeared for the mighty one as he set out? (5-82-3)

vaiśampāyana uvāca॥

Vaiśaṃpāyana said:

tasya prayāṇē yānyāsannadbhutāni mahātmanaḥ। tāni mē śr̥ṇu divyāni daivānyautpātikāni ca ॥5-82-4॥

At his departure, wondrous events occurred, O great-souled one—listen to me as I recount those divine, god-sent, and portentous signs. (5-82-4)

anabhrē’śaninirghōṣaḥ savidyutsamajāyata। anvagēva ca parjanyaḥ prāvarṣadvighanē bhr̥śam ॥5-82-5॥

A thunderclap with lightning arose when there were no clouds, and immediately afterwards the clouds poured rain down heavily in dense darkness. (5-82-5)

pratyagūhurmahānadyaḥ prāṅmukhāḥ sindhusattamāḥ। viparītā diśaḥ sarvā na prājñāyata kiñcana ॥5-82-6॥

The great rivers that flowed eastward, O best of rivers, swelled backward; all directions were reversed, and nothing at all could be distinguished. (5-82-6)

prājvalannagnayō rājanpr̥thivī samakampata। udapānāśca kumbhāśca prāsiñcañśataśō jalam ॥5-82-7॥

Fires blazed up, O king; the earth trembled; wells and water-jars poured forth water by the hundreds. (5-82-7)

tamaḥsaṁvr̥tamapyāsītsarvaṁ jagadidaṁ tadā। na diśō nādiśō rājanprajñāyantē sma rēṇunā ॥5-82-8॥

At that time, O king, the entire world was shrouded in darkness—even the quarters and intermediate directions could not be discerned because of the dust. (5-82-8)

prādurāsīnmahāñśabdaḥ khē śarīraṁ na dr̥śyatē। sarvēṣu rājandēśēṣu tadadbhutamivābhavat ॥5-82-9॥

A great sound arose in the sky, with no body seen; in all the regions, O king, it seemed extraordinary. (5-82-9)

prāmathnāddhāstinapuraṁ vātō dakṣiṇapaścimaḥ। ārujangaṇaśō vr̥kṣānparuṣō bhīmanisvanaḥ ॥5-82-10॥

A harsh southwest wind, making a fearful noise, shook Hastinapura and, in groups, uprooted trees. (5-82-10)

yatra yatra tu vārṣṇēyō vartatē pathi bhārata। tatra tatra sukhō vāyuḥ sarvaṁ cāsītpradakṣiṇam ॥5-82-11॥

But wherever the descendant of Vṛṣṇi went on the road, O Bhārata, there the wind became gentle and everything was on the right side, auspicious. (5-82-11)

vavarṣa puṣpavarṣaṁ ca kamalāni ca bhūriśaḥ। samaśca panthā nirduḥkhō vyapētakuśakaṇṭakaḥ ॥5-82-12॥

A rain of flowers and many lotuses fell, and the path was level, free from hardship, cleared of grass and thorns. (5-82-12)

sa gacchanbrāhmaṇai rājaṁstatra tatra mahābhujaḥ। arcyatē madhuparkaiśca sumanōbhirvasupradaḥ ॥5-82-13॥

As he goes, O king, the mighty-armed one is honored here and there by brahmins with madhuparka offerings and flowers, he who gives wealth. (5-82-13)

taṁ kiranti mahātmānaṁ vanyaiḥ puṣpaiḥ sugandhibhiḥ। striyaḥ pathi samāgamya sarvabhūtahitē ratam ॥5-82-14॥

Women, having gathered on the path, strew fragrant wild flowers over him—the great-souled one, who is devoted to the welfare of all beings. (5-82-14)

sa śālibhavanaṁ ramyaṁ sarvasasyasamācitam। sukhaṁ paramadharmiṣṭhamatyagādbharatarṣabha ॥5-82-15॥

He, bull among the Bharatas, passed comfortably by the charming rice storehouse, filled with all kinds of grains, which was of supreme righteousness. (5-82-15)

paśyanbahupaśūngrāmānramyānhr̥dayatōṣaṇān। purāṇi ca vyatikrāmanrāṣṭrāṇi vividhāni ca ॥5-82-16॥

Seeing many cattle, charming villages that delight the heart, and passing through ancient and various kingdoms, (5-82-16)

nityahr̥ṣṭāḥ sumanasō bhāratairabhirakṣitāḥ। nōdvignāḥ paracakrāṇāmanayānāmakōvidāḥ ॥5-82-17॥

Always cheerful and good-natured, well protected by the Bharatas, not distressed by hostile forces, and unskilled in unrighteous acts. (5-82-17)

upaplavyādathāyāntaṁ janāḥ puranivāsinaḥ। pathyatiṣṭhanta sahitā viṣvaksēnadidr̥kṣayā ॥5-82-18॥

Then, as he approached from Upaplavya, the residents of the city stood together along the road, eager to see Vishvaksena. (5-82-18)

tē tu sarvē sunāmānamagnimiddhamiva prabhum। arcayāmāsurarcyaṁ taṁ dēśātithimupasthitam ॥5-82-19॥

They all honored that illustrious and worshipful guest, who had come from another land, like a kindled fire lord. (5-82-19)

vr̥kasthalaṁ samāsādya kēśavaḥ paravīrahā। prakīrṇaraśmāvādityē vimalē lōhitāyati ॥5-82-20॥

Arriving at Vṛkasthala, Keśava, the slayer of enemy heroes, when the sun with its scattered rays shone clear and red... (5-82-20)

avatīrya rathāttūrṇaṁ kr̥tvā śaucaṁ yathāvidhi। rathamōcanamādiśya sandhyāmupavivēśa ha ॥5-82-21॥

Dismounting quickly from the chariot and performing purification as prescribed, having ordered the unharnessing of the chariot, he sat down for the twilight rite. (5-82-21)

dārukō’pi hayānmuktvā paricarya ca śāstrataḥ। mumōca sarvaṁ varmāṇi muktvā cainānavāsr̥jat ॥5-82-22॥

Dāruka also unyoked the horses, tended to them according to the rules, removed all his armor, and after taking it off, set it aside. (5-82-22)

abhyatītya tu tatsarvamuvāca madhusūdanaḥ। yudhiṣṭhirasya kāryārthamiha vatsyāmahē kṣapām ॥5-82-23॥

But having passed through all that, Madhusudana said, "For the sake of Yudhishthira's task, let us spend the night here." (5-82-23)

tasya tanmatamājñāya cakrurāvasathaṁ narāḥ। kṣaṇēna cānnapānāni guṇavanti samārjayan ॥5-82-24॥

Having understood his wish, the men prepared lodging, and in a moment they made ready excellent food and drink. (5-82-24)

tasmingrāmē pradhānāstu ya āsanbrāhmaṇā nr̥pa। āryāḥ kulīnā hrīmantō brāhmīṁ vr̥ttimanuṣṭhitāḥ ॥5-82-25॥

O king, in that village, the foremost Brāhmaṇas—noble, high-born, modest, who followed Brāhmaṇical conduct— (5-82-25)

tē’bhigamya mahātmānaṁ hr̥ṣīkēśamariṁdamam। pūjāṁ cakruryathānyāyamāśīrmaṅgalasaṁyutām ॥5-82-26॥

They approached the great-souled Hṛṣīkeśa, subduer of enemies, and offered him honor according to custom, accompanied by blessings and auspicious words. (5-82-26)

tē pūjayitvā dāśārhaṁ sarvalōkēṣu pūjitam। nyavēdayanta vēśmāni ratnavanti mahātmanē ॥5-82-27॥

After honouring Dāśārha, who is esteemed among all people, they offered him houses adorned with jewels. (5-82-27)

tānprabhuḥ kr̥tamityuktvā satkr̥tya ca yathārhataḥ। abhyētya tēṣāṁ vēśmāni punarāyātsahaiva taiḥ ॥5-82-28॥

The lord, saying to them, "It is done," and having honored them as was proper, went again, along with them, to their houses. (5-82-28)

sumr̥ṣṭaṁ bhōjayitvā ca brāhmaṇāṁstatra kēśavaḥ। bhuktvā ca saha taiḥ sarvairavasattāṁ kṣapāṁ sukham ॥5-82-29॥

There, Keśava had the Brahmins served well-cleaned food, and after eating together with all of them, he spent the night happily. (5-82-29)