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भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
गिरं तां मधुरां श्रुत्वा गौतमो विस्मितस्तदा। कौतूहलान्वितो राजन्राजधर्माणमैक्षत ॥१२-१६४-१॥
O king, upon hearing that sweet speech, Gautama was astonished and, filled with curiosity, observed the royal duties.
राजधर्मोवाच॥
The kingly duty spoke.
भोः कश्यपस्य पुत्रोऽहं माता दाक्षायणी च मे। अतिथिस्त्वं गुणोपेतः स्वागतं ते द्विजर्षभ ॥१२-१६४-२॥
O, I am the son of Kaśyapa and my mother is Dākṣāyaṇī. O virtuous guest, welcome to you, O best of Brāhmaṇas.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
तस्मै दत्त्वा स सत्कारं विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा। शालपुष्पमयीं दिव्यां बृसीं समुपकल्पयत् ॥१२-१६४-३॥
He honored him as prescribed by the rules and arranged a divine mat made of śāla flowers for him.
भगीरथरथाक्रान्तान्देशान्गङ्गानिषेवितान्। ये चरन्ति महामीनास्तांश्च तस्यान्वकल्पयत् ॥१२-१६४-४॥
He imagined as his own those lands traversed by Bhagīratha's chariot and frequented by the Gaṅgā, where great fishes move about.
वह्निं चापि सुसंदीप्तं मीनांश्चैव सुपीवरान्। स गौतमायातिथये न्यवेदयत काश्यपः ॥१२-१६४-५॥
Kashyapa offered well-kindled fire and very fat fishes to Gautama, who was his guest.
भुक्तवन्तं च तं विप्रं प्रीतात्मानं महामनाः। क्लमापनयनार्थं स पक्षाभ्यामभ्यवीजयत् ॥१२-१६४-६॥
After the brāhmaṇa had eaten, the great-minded one, pleased at heart, fanned him with his wings to relieve his fatigue.
ततो विश्रान्तमासीनं गोत्रप्रश्नमपृच्छत। सोऽब्रवीद्गौतमोऽस्मीति ब्राह्म नान्यदुदाहरत् ॥१२-१६४-७॥
Then, after resting and sitting down, he asked about the lineage. He replied, "I am Gautama," O Brāhmaṇa, and said nothing further.
तस्मै पर्णमयं दिव्यं दिव्यपुष्पाधिवासितम्। गन्धाढ्यं शयनं प्रादात्स शिश्ये तत्र वै सुखम् ॥१२-१६४-८॥
He gave him a divine bed made of leaves, perfumed with celestial flowers and rich in fragrance; he lay there comfortably.
अथोपविष्टं शयने गौतमं बकराट्तदा। पप्रच्छ काश्यपो वाग्मी किमागमनकारणम् ॥१२-१६४-९॥
Then, eloquent Kashyapa, the king of cranes, saw Gautama seated on the bed and asked, "What brings you here?"
ततोऽब्रवीद्गौतमस्तं दरिद्रोऽहं महामते। समुद्रगमनाकाङ्क्षी द्रव्यार्थमिति भारत ॥१२-१६४-१०॥
Then Gautama said to him, "O great-minded one, I am poor and wish to go to the ocean to seek wealth," O Bhārata.
तं काश्यपोऽब्रवीत्प्रीतो नोत्कण्ठां कर्तुमर्हसि। कृतकार्यो द्विजश्रेष्ठ सद्रव्यो यास्यसे गृहान् ॥१२-१६४-११॥
Kashyapa, pleased, said to him: "Do not feel longing. O best of the twice-born, your task is accomplished; you will return home with wealth."
चतुर्विधा ह्यर्थगतिर्बृहस्पतिमतं यथा। पारम्पर्यं तथा दैवं कर्म मित्रमिति प्रभो ॥१२-१६४-१२॥
O lord, according to the doctrine of Bṛhaspati, there are four means of attaining an object: tradition, fate, action, and friendship.
प्रादुर्भूतोऽस्मि ते मित्रं सुहृत्त्वं च मम त्वयि। सोऽहं तथा यतिष्यामि भविष्यसि यथार्थवान् ॥१२-१६४-१३॥
I have appeared to you as a friend, and my friendship is with you. Therefore, I shall act in such a way that you will become a person of truth.
ततः प्रभातसमये सुखं पृष्ट्वाब्रवीदिदम्। गच्छ सौम्य पथानेन कृतकृत्यो भविष्यसि ॥१२-१६४-१४॥
Then, at dawn, after asking kindly, he said: "Go, dear one, by this path; you will achieve your purpose."
इतस्त्रियोजनं गत्वा राक्षसाधिपतिर्महान्। विरूपाक्ष इति ख्यातः सखा मम महाबलः ॥१२-१६४-१५॥
From here, after traveling three yojanas, there is the great lord of the rākṣasas, Virūpākṣa, who is well-known and is my friend of great strength.
तं गच्छ द्विजमुख्य त्वं मम वाक्यप्रचोदितः। कामानभीप्सितांस्तुभ्यं दाता नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥१२-१६४-१६॥
Go to him, O foremost of the twice-born, as directed by my words. The giver will surely grant you the wishes you desire; there is no doubt about this.
इत्युक्तः प्रययौ राजन्गौतमो विगतक्लमः। फलान्यमृतकल्पानि भक्षयन्स्म यथेष्टतः ॥१२-१६४-१७॥
O king, thus addressed, Gautama departed, his fatigue gone, eating fruits like nectar as he wished.
चन्दनागुरुमुख्यानि त्वक्पत्राणां वनानि च। तस्मिन्पथि महाराज सेवमानो द्रुतं ययौ ॥१२-१६४-१८॥
The great king quickly proceeded along that path, passing through forests of sandalwood, aloeswood, and other principal trees with bark and leaves.
ततो मेरुव्रजं नाम नगरं शैलतोरणम्। शैलप्राकारवप्रं च शैलयन्त्रार्गलं तथा ॥१२-१६४-१९॥
Then there was the city called Meruvraja, with a stone archway, stone ramparts, and also a stone mechanical bolt.
विदितश्चाभवत्तस्य राक्षसेन्द्रस्य धीमतः। प्रहितः सुहृदा राजन्प्रीयता वै प्रियातिथिः ॥१२-१६४-२०॥
O king, it became known to the wise king of the rākṣasas; the dear guest was sent by his friend with affection indeed.
ततः स राक्षसेन्द्रः स्वान्प्रेष्यानाह युधिष्ठिर। गौतमो नगरद्वाराच्छीघ्रमानीयतामिति ॥१२-१६४-२१॥
Then the king of the rākṣasas instructed his messengers, "Yudhiṣṭhira, have Gautama quickly brought from the city gate."
ततः पुरवरात्तस्मात्पुरुषाः श्वेतवेष्टनाः। गौतमेत्यभिभाषन्तः पुरद्वारमुपागमन् ॥१२-१६४-२२॥
Then, men dressed in white garments came from the chief city, addressing him as "O Gautama", and approached the city gate.
ते तमूचुर्महाराज प्रेष्या रक्षःपतेर्द्विजम्। त्वरस्व तूर्णमागच्छ राजा त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छति ॥१२-१६४-२३॥
The messengers of the lord of the Rākṣasas said to the Brāhmaṇa, "O great king, hurry and come quickly; the king wishes to see you."
राक्षसाधिपतिर्वीरो विरूपाक्ष इति श्रुतः। स त्वां त्वरति वै द्रष्टुं तत्क्षिप्रं संविधीयताम् ॥१२-१६४-२४॥
The heroic lord of the demons, Virūpākṣa, as he is called, has been mentioned. He is eager to see you; therefore, make arrangements quickly.
ततः स प्राद्रवद्विप्रो विस्मयाद्विगतक्लमः। गौतमो नगरर्द्धिं तां पश्यन्परमविस्मितः ॥१२-१६४-२५॥
Then the Brāhmaṇa, Gautama, ran forward, his fatigue gone due to astonishment; seeing her and the city's prosperity, he was utterly amazed.
तैरेव सहितो राज्ञो वेश्म तूर्णमुपाद्रवत्। दर्शनं राक्षसेन्द्रस्य काङ्क्षमाणो द्विजस्तदा ॥१२-१६४-२६॥
Then the brāhmaṇa, accompanied by those very ones, quickly approached the king's palace, desiring an audience with the king of the rākṣasas.
