15.021
dhṛtarāṣṭrasya vanagamanam
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s departure to the forest
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tataḥ prabhāte rājā sa dhṛtarāṣṭro’mbikāsutaḥ। āhūya pāṇḍavān vīrān vanavāsakṛtakṣaṇaḥ ॥15-21-1॥
Then, at dawn, King Dhritarashtra, the son of Ambika, summoned the heroic Pāṇḍavas, who were preparing for exile. (15-21-1)
gāndhārīsahito dhīmān abhinandya yathāvidhi। kārttikyāṃ kārayitvetiṃ brāhmaṇair vedapāragaiḥ ॥15-21-2॥
The wise one, together with Gandhari, having honored the Brahmanas according to rule, had a sacrifice performed in the month of Karttika by those well-versed in the Vedas. (15-21-2)
agnihotraṃ puraskṛtya valkalājinasaṃvṛtaḥ। vadhūparivṛto rājā niryayau bhavanāttataḥ॥15-21-3॥
Having placed the Agnihotra ritual in front, the king, clad in bark and deerskin and surrounded by his bride, then departed from the house. (15-21-3)
tataḥ striyaḥ kauravapāṇḍavānāṃ; yāś cāpy anyāḥ kauravarājavaṃśyāḥ. tāsāṃ nādaḥ prādur āsīt tadānīṃ; vaicitryavīrye nṛpatau prayāte ॥15-21-4॥
Then, when King Vicitravīrya had departed, the women of the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas, along with other women of the Kaurava royal lineage, their wail arose at that time. (15-21-4)
tato lājaiḥ sumanobhiś ca rājā; vicitrābhiḥ tad-gṛham pūjayitvā. saṃyojyārthair bhṛtyajanaṃ ca sarvaṃ; tataḥ samutsṛjya yayau narendraḥ ॥15-21-5॥
Then, the king honored that house with offerings of parched grains, auspicious flowers, and various articles. Having gathered and dismissed all the servants after distributing duties, the king departed. (15-21-5)
tato rājā prāñjalirvepamāno; yudhiṣṭhiraḥ sasvanaṃ bāṣpakaṇṭhaḥ. vilapyoccairhā mahārāja sādho; kva gantāsītyapatattāta bhūmau ॥15-21-6॥
Then King Yudhisthira, trembling with folded hands and a voice choked with tears, cried out loudly, "Alas, O great king, O noble one, where will you go?"—speaking thus, O dear father, he fell to the ground. (15-21-6)
tathārjunastīvraduḥkhābhitapto; muhurmuhurniḥśvasanbhāratāgryaḥ। yudhiṣṭhiraṃ maivamityevamuktvā; nigṛhyāthodīdharatsīdamānaḥ ॥15-21-7॥
Thus Arjuna, overwhelmed by intense pain, sighed again and again; having said to Yudhiṣṭhira, "Do not [do] thus," restraining himself, he then bore up, though fainting. (15-21-7)
vṛkodaraḥ phalgunaś caiva vīrau; mādrīputrau viduraḥ sañjayaś ca. vaiśyāputraḥ sahito gautamena; dhaumyo viprāś cānvayur bāṣpakaṇṭhāḥ ॥15-21-8॥
Vṛkodara (Bhīma), Phālguna (Arjuna), both heroes, the sons of Mādrī (Nakula and Sahadeva), Vidura, Sañjaya, the son of a Vaiśyā (Yuyutsu) along with Gautama (Kṛpa), Dhaumya, and the Brāhmaṇas followed, their voices choked with tears. (15-21-8)
kuntī gāndhārīṃ baddhanetrāṃ vrajantīṃ; skandhāsaktaṃ hastamathodvahantī. rājā gāndhāryāḥ skandhadeśe'vasajya; pāṇiṃ yayau dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ pratītaḥ ॥15-21-9॥
Kuntī, as Gāndhārī, her eyes bound, went on—her hand attached to the shoulder, now guided her. The king Dhṛtarāṣṭra, having placed Gāndhārī's hand on his shoulder, went forth with confidence. (15-21-9)
tathā kṛṣṇā draupadī yādavī ca; bālāpatyā cotarā kauravī ca. citrāṅgadā yāś ca kāścit striyo'nyāḥ; sārdhaṃ rājñā prasthitās tā vadhūbhiḥ ॥15-21-10॥
Thus, Kṛṣṇā, Draupadī, Yādavī, and also Uttarā with her child, Kauravī, Citrāṅgadā, and certain other women set out together with the king along with the brides. (15-21-10)
tāsāṃ nādo rudatīnāṃ tad āsī; drājan duḥkhāt kurarīṇām iva uccaiḥ. tato niṣpetur brāhmaṇa-kṣatriyāṇāṃ; viṭ-śūdrāṇāṃ ca eva nāryaḥ samantāt. 15-21-11
The sound of those weeping women was like the loud cries of kurarī birds in grief. Then, from all around, the women of Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras came out. (15-21-11)
tanniryāṇe duḥkhitaḥ pauravargo; gajāhvaye'tīva babhūva rājan। yathā pūrvaṃ gacchatāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ; dyūte rājan kauravāṇāṃ sabhāyām ॥15-21-12॥
O king, at their departure, the citizens of Hastināpura became extremely distressed, just as they had earlier when the Pāṇḍavas departed after the dice game in the Kauravas’ assembly. (15-21-12)
yā nāpaśyac candramā naiva sūryo; rāmāḥ kadācid api tasmin nareindre. mahāvanaṃ gacchati kauravendre; śokenārtā rājamārgaṃ prapeduḥ ॥15-21-13॥
The queens, who had never seen either the moon or the sun, when that king of the Kurus departed for the great forest, afflicted by grief, reached the royal road. (15-21-13)
