15.025
dhṛtarāṣṭrādīnāṃ vyāsāśramagamanam
The journey of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and others to Vyāsa's hermitage
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said;
tato bhāgīrathītīre medhye puṇyajanocite। nivāsamakarodrājā vidurasya mate sthitaḥ ॥15-25-1॥
Then, on the bank of the Bhagirathi river, in a sacred place fitting for the virtuous, the king built a dwelling in accordance with Vidura's advice. (15-25-1)
tatraiṇaṃ paryupātiṣṭhanbrāhmaṇā rāṣṭravāsinaḥ। kṣatraviṭśūdrasaṅghāśca bahavo bharatarṣabha ॥15-25-2॥
There, Brāhmaṇas, inhabitants of the kingdom, and many groups of Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras gathered around him from all sides, O foremost of the Bharatas. (15-25-2)
sa taiḥ parivṛto rājā kathābhir abhinandya tān। anujajñe saśiṣyān vai vidhivat pratipūjya ca ॥15-25-3॥
He, the king, surrounded by them, having greeted them with stories and duly honored them according to custom, permitted them along with their disciples. (15-25-3)
sāyāhne sa mahīpālas tato gaṅgām upetya ha। cakāra vidhivac chaucam gāndhārī ca yaśasvinī॥15-25-4॥
In the evening, the king then went to the Gaṅgā and performed purification according to the rules; the illustrious Gāndhārī also did so. (15-25-4)
tathaivānye pṛthaksarve tīrtheṣvāplutya bhārata। cakruḥ sarvāḥ kriyāstatra puruṣā vidurādayaḥ ॥15-25-5॥
Similarly, O Bhārata, the other men, Vidura and the rest, all separately performed every rite there after bathing in the sacred fords. (15-25-5)
kṛtaśaucaṃ tato vṛddhaṃ śvaśuraṃ kuntibhojajā। gāndhārīṃ ca pṛthā rājan gaṅgātīram upānayat ॥15-25-6॥
O king, Kunti, the daughter of Kuntibhoja, having performed purification, led her aged father-in-law and Gandhari to the bank of the Ganga. (15-25-6)
rājñas tu yājakais tatra kṛto vedīparistaraḥ। juhāva tatra vahniṃ sa nṛpatiḥ satyasaṅgaraḥ ॥15-25-7॥
But the priests prepared the altar covering for the king there; and there, the king firm in truth offered oblations into the fire. (15-25-7)
tato bhāgīrathītīrāt kurukṣetraṃ jagāma saḥ। sānugo nṛpatir vidvān niyataḥ saṃyatendriyaḥ ॥15-25-8॥
Then, departing from the bank of the Bhāgīrathī, the wise and self-controlled king, whose senses were restrained, together with his retinue, went to Kurukṣetra. (15-25-8)
tatrāśramapadaṁ dhīmān abhigamya sa pārthivaḥ। āsasādātha rājarṣiḥ śatayūpaṁ manīṣiṇam॥15-25-9॥
There, the wise king, having approached the hermitage site, then encountered the royal-sage Śatayūpa, the wise.
sa hi rājā mahān āsīt kekayeṣu parantapaḥ। sa putraṃ manujaiśvarya niveśya vanam āviśat ॥15-25-10॥
He was indeed a great king among the Kekayas, a scorcher of foes. Having installed his son in human sovereignty, he entered the forest. (15-25-10)
tenāsau sahito rājā yayau vyāsāśramaṃ tadā। tatra enam vidhivad rājan pratyagṛhṇāt kurūdvaham ॥15-25-11॥
Accompanied by him, the king then went to Vyāsa's hermitage. There, O king, the chief of the Kurus welcomed him according to the proper rites. (15-25-11)
sa dīkṣāṃ tatra samprāpya rājā kauravanandanaḥ। śatayūpāśrame tasminnivāsamakarottadā ॥15-25-12॥
He, the king, delight of the Kauravas, having received initiation there, then took up residence in the hermitage of Śatayūpa. (15-25-12)
tasmai sarvaṃ vidhiṃ rājan rājācakakhyau mahāmatiḥ। āraṇyakaṃ mahārāja vyāsasyānumate tadā ॥15-25-13॥
O king, the great-minded king then declared all the procedure of the Aranyaka with the consent of Vyāsa, O great king. (15-25-13)
evaṁ sa tapasā rājā dhṛtarāṣṭro mahāmanāḥ। yojayām āsa cātmānaṁ tāṁś cāpy anucarāṁs tadā ॥15-25-14॥
Thus, the great-minded king Dhritarashtra, by penance, then engaged himself and also those attendants. (15-25-14)
tathaiva devī gāndhārī valkalājinavāsinī। kultyā saha mahārāja samānavratacāriṇī ॥15-25-15॥
Similarly, lady Gāndhārī, wearing bark and deerskin, faithfully practiced the same vows as Kuntī, O great king. (15-25-15)
karmaṇā manasā vācā cakṣuṣā cāpi te nṛpa। saṃniyamyendriyagrāmam-āsthitāḥ paramaṃ tapaḥ ॥15-25-16॥
By action, mind, speech, and eye, and also having restrained the group of senses, they, O king, practice supreme austerity. (15-25-16)
tvag-asthi-bhūtaḥ pariśuṣka-māṁsaḥ; jaṭā-jinī valkala-saṁvṛta-aṅgaḥ। sa pārthivaḥ tatra tapaḥ cacāra; mahaṛṣi-vat tīvraṁ apeta-doṣaḥ ॥15-25-17॥
Having become only skin and bones, with dried-up flesh, wearing matted hair and a deerskin and bark garments covering his body, that king there practiced austerity like a great sage—intensely and free from faults. (15-25-17)
kṣattā ca dharmārthavid-agryabuddhiḥ; sa-saṃjayaḥ taṃ nṛpatiṃ sadāram। upācarad ghoratapaḥ jitātmā; tadā kṛśaḥ valkalacīravāsāḥ ॥15-25-18॥
The charioteer,, wise in dharma and artha and possessing distinguished intellect, together with Sañjaya, attended the king and his wife, practicing severe austerity, self-controlled, emaciated, and clad in bark and rags. (15-25-18)
