17.001
mahāprasthānikaparva
The Book of the Great Departure
pāṇḍavapravrajanam
Departure of the Pāṇḍavas;
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said.
evaṁ vṛṣṇy-andhaka-kule śrutvā mausalam-āhavam। pāṇḍavāḥ kim akurvanta tathā kṛṣṇe divaṁ gate ॥17-1-1॥
Thus, after hearing of the Mausala battle in the Vṛṣṇi and Andhaka families and after Kṛṣṇa had departed to heaven, what did the Pāṇḍavas do? (17-1-1)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
śrutvaiva kauravo rājā vṛṣṇīnāṃ kadanaṃ mahat। prasthāne matim ādhāya vākyam arjunam abravīt ॥17-1-2॥
As soon as he heard of the great slaughter of the Vṛṣṇis, the Kaurava king, setting his mind on departure, spoke to Arjuna as follows. (17-1-2)
kālaḥ pacati bhūtāni sarvāṇyeva mahāmate। karmanyāsamahaṃ manye tvamapi draṣṭumarhasi ॥17-1-3॥
O great-minded one, time matures all beings. I consider that you also ought to see the cessation of action. (17-1-3)
ity-uktaḥ sa tu kaunteyaḥ kālaḥ kāla iti bruvan। anvapadyata tad-vākyaṃ bhrātuḥ jyeṣṭhasya vīryavān॥17-1-4॥
Thus addressed, the mighty son of Kunti, speaking "Time, Time", followed the command of his elder brother. (17-1-4)
arjunasya mataṃ jñātvā bhīmaseno yamau tathā। anvapadyanta tadvākyaṃ yaduktaṃ savyasācinā ॥17-1-5॥
Having understood Arjuna's opinion, Bhīmasena and the twin sons of Yama likewise followed the statement made by Savyasācin (Arjuna). (17-1-5)
tato yuyutsumānāyya pravrajandharmakāmyayā। rājyaṃ paridadau sarvaṃ vaiśyāputre yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥17-1-6॥
Then Yudhiṣṭhira, desiring dharma and departing, handed over the entire kingdom to Yuyutsu, the son of a Vaiśya. (17-1-6)
abhiṣicya svarājye tu taṁ rājānaṁ parikṣitam। duḥkhārtaś cābravīd rājā subhadrāṁ pāṇḍavāgrajaḥ ॥17-1-7॥
But after anointing King Parīkṣit in his own kingdom, the eldest of the Pāṇḍavas, afflicted by sorrow, spoke to Subhadrā. (17-1-7)
eṣa putrasya te putraḥ kururājo bhaviṣyati। yadūnāṃ pariśeṣaś ca vajro rājā kṛtaś ca ha ॥17-1-8॥
This son of your son will be the king of the Kurus. Of the Yadus, the remnant Vajra has indeed been made king. (17-1-8)
parikṣiddhāstinapure śakraprasthe tu yādavaḥ। vajro rājā tvayā rakṣyo mā cādharme manaḥ kṛthāḥ॥17-1-9॥
Let Parikṣit remain in Hāstinapura, and the Yādava (Vajra) in Śakraprastha. You must protect King Vajra, and do not let your mind incline to unrighteousness. (17-1-9)
ity uktvā dharmarājaḥ sa vāsudevasya dhīmataḥ. mātulasya ca vṛddhasya rāmādīnāṁ tathaiva ca ॥17-1-10॥
Having thus spoken, King Yudhiṣṭhira addressed wise Vāsudeva, his maternal uncle, the elder, and Rāma and the others in the same way. (17-1-10)
mātṛbhiḥ saha dharmātmā kṛtvodakam atandritaḥ। śrāddhāny uddiśya sarveṣāṃ cakāra vidhivat tadā॥17-1-11॥
At that time, the righteous-souled one, together with his mothers and without fatigue, performed all the funeral offerings, having previously conducted the water rituals, all according to proper rules. (17-1-11)
dadau ratnāni vāsāṃsi grāmān aśvān rathān api। striyaś ca dvijamukhyebhyo gavāṃ śatasahasraśaḥ ॥17-1-12॥
He gave gems, garments, villages, horses, and chariots; also women and hundreds of thousands of cows to the foremost of the twice-born. (17-1-12)
kṛpam abhyarcya ca gurum arthamānapuraskṛtam। śiṣyaṃ parīkṣitaṃ tasmai dadau bharatasattamaḥ॥17-1-13॥
The best of the Bharatas, having worshipped Kṛpa as the honored teacher with due respect, gave the tested disciple to him. (17-1-13)
tatastu prakṛtīḥ sarvāḥ samānāyya yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। sarvamācaṣṭa rājarṣiścikīrṣitamathātmanah ॥17-1-14॥
Then Yudhishthira gathered all the nobles, and the royal sage explained to them all that he himself intended to do. (17-1-14)
te śrutvaiva vacas tasya paurajānapadā janāḥ। bhṛśam udvignamanasaḥ na abhyanandanta tad vacaḥ ॥17-1-15॥
When they heard his words, the citizens and the people of the country, greatly disturbed in mind, did not welcome those words. (17-1-15)
naivaṃ kartavyam iti te tad ūkus te narādhipam। na ca rājā tathā kārṣīt kālaparyāyadharmavit॥17-1-16॥
“It should not be done this way”—thus they said that to the king; and the king, being aware of the duties appropriate to time, did not act in that manner. (17-1-16)
tato'numānya dharmātmā paurajānapadaṃ janam। gamanāya matiṃ cakre bhrātaraś ca asya te tadā॥17-1-17॥
Then, having informed the citizens and country people, the righteous one made the decision to depart, and his brothers did likewise at that time. (17-1-17)
tataḥ sa rājā kauravyo dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। utsṛjyābharaṇānyaṅgāj jagṛhe valkalāny uta ॥17-1-18॥
Then King Yudhishthira, the Kaurava and son of Dharma, removed the ornaments from his body and took up bark garments. (17-1-18)
bhīmārjunau yamau caiva draupadī ca yaśasvinī। tathaiva sarve jagṛhurvalkalāni janādhipa ॥17-1-19॥
Bhīma and Arjuna, the twins, and Draupadī the renowned, and in the same way all the others took up the bark-cloth, O ruler of men. (17-1-19)
vidhivat kārayitvā iṣṭiṃ naiṣṭhikīṃ bharatarṣabha। samutsṛjya apsu sarve'gnīn pratasthur narapuṅgavāḥ ॥17-1-20॥
O foremost of the Bharatas, after duly performing the naishṭhika sacrifice and consigning all the sacrificial fires to the waters, all the best of men set forth. (17-1-20)
tataḥ praruruduḥ sarvāḥ striyo dṛṣṭvā nararṣabhān। prasthitān draupadīṣaṣṭhān purā dyūtajitānyathā॥17-1-21॥
Then, seeing the six heroes of Draupadī departing, all the women wept aloud, just as they had before when those heroes were defeated in gambling. (17-1-21)
harṣo’bhavac ca sarveṣāṃ bhrātṝṇāṃ gamanaṃ prati. yudhiṣṭhiramataṃ jñātvā vṛṣṇikṣayam avekṣya ca ॥17-1-22॥
Joy arose among all the brothers regarding the departure, as they had come to know Yudhishthira’s decision and had observed the destruction of the Vrsni clan. (17-1-22)
bhrātaraḥ pañca kṛṣṇā ca ṣaṣṭhī śvā caiva saptamaḥ। ātmanā saptamo rājā niryayau gajasāhvayāt ॥ paurairanugato dūraṃ sarvairantaḥpurais tathā ॥17-1-23॥
The five brothers, Kṛṣṇā as the sixth, and the dog as the seventh, thus, with himself as the seventh, the king departed from Gajasāhvaya (Hastināpura). He was followed for a long distance by the townspeople, and by all the women of the inner palace as well. (17-1-23)
na ca enam aśakat kaścit nivartasva iti bhāṣitum। nyavartanta tataḥ sarve narā nagaravāsinaḥ॥17-1-24॥
And no one was able to say to him, 'Turn back.' Then all the men of the city turned back. (17-1-24)
kṛpaprabhṛtayaścaiva yuyutsuṃ paryavārayan। viveśa gaṅgāṃ kauravya ulūpī bhujagātmajā ॥17-1-25॥
Kṛpa and the rest, indeed, surrounded Yuyutsu, while Ulūpī, the daughter of the Nāga, entered the Gaṅgā river, O descendant of Kuru. (17-1-25)
citrāṅgadā yayau cāpi maṇipūrapuraṁ prati| śiṣṭāḥ parikṣitaṁ tvanyā mātaraḥ paryavārayan ॥17-1-26॥
Citrāṅgadā also went to the city of Maṇipūra, while the other mothers, along with the rest, surrounded Parikṣit. (17-1-26)
pāṇḍavāś ca mahātmāno draupadī ca yaśasvinī। kṛtopavāsāḥ kauravya prayayuḥ prāṅmukhās tataḥ॥17-1-27॥
The Pāṇḍavas, along with the great-souled Draupadī, after performing their fast, O son of Kuru, set out facing east at that time. (17-1-27)
yogayuktā mahātmānas tyāgadharmam upeyuṣaḥ। abhijagmur bahūn deśān saritaḥ parvatāṁs tathā॥17-1-28॥
Endowed with yoga, those great souls, having taken up the principle of renunciation, journeyed to many lands, rivers, and mountains. (17-1-28)
yudhiṣṭhiro yayāv agre bhīmas tu tadanantaram। arjunas tasya cānveva yamau caiva yathākramam ॥17-1-29॥
Yudhiṣṭhira went in front, Bhīma immediately after him, Arjuna just after Bhīma, and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) followed, each in due order. (17-1-29)
pṛṣṭhatas tu varārohā śyāmā padmadalekṣaṇā। draupadī yoṣitāṃ śreṣṭhā yayau bharatasattama ॥17-1-30॥
But Draupadī, who had excellent hips, dark complexion, and eyes like lotus petals, and who was the best among women, followed from behind, O best of the Bharatas. (17-1-30)
śvā caiva anuyayau ekaḥ pāṇḍavān prasthitān vane | krameṇa te yayuḥ vīrā lauḥityaṃ salila-arṇavam ॥17-1-31॥
A dog also indeed, alone, followed the Pāṇḍavas as they set out into the forest. One by one, those heroes went to the ocean of water named Lauhitya. (17-1-31)
gāṇḍīvaṃ ca dhanurdivyaṃ na mumoca dhanañjayaḥ। ratnalobhānmahārāja tau cākṣayyau maheṣudhī॥17-1-32॥
O great king, Dhanañjaya did not let go of Gāṇḍīva and the divine bow; moved by the desire for jewels, those two great archers remained inexhaustible. (17-1-32)
agniṁ te dadṛśus tatra sthitaṁ śailam ivāgrataḥ। mārgam āvṛtya tiṣṭhantaṁ sākṣāt puruṣavigraham ॥17-1-33॥
There, they saw fire standing before them like a mountain, blocking the path, manifest in a human form. (17-1-33)
tato devaḥ sa saptārciḥ pāṇḍavān idam abravīt । bho bho pāṇḍusutā vīrāḥ pāvakaṃ māṃ vibodhata ॥17-1-34॥
Then the god with seven flames spoke to the Pāṇḍavas: "O sons of Pāṇḍu, O heroes, know me as Fire." (17-1-34)
yudhiṣṭhira mahābāho bhīmasena parantapa। arjunāśvisutau vīrau nibodhata vaco mama ॥17-1-35॥
Yudhishthira, O mighty-armed one; Bhimasena, O subduer of foes; Arjuna and the sons of Ashvi, heroes, listen to my words. (17-1-35)
aham agniḥ kuru-śreṣṭhā mayā dagdhaṃ ca khāṇḍavam। arjunasya prabhāveṇa tathā nārāyaṇasya ca ॥17-1-36॥
O best of the Kurus, I am Agni; Khandava was burnt by me, by the power of Arjuna and also of Narayana. (17-1-36)
ayaṃ vaḥ phalguno bhrātā gāṇḍīvaṃ paramāyudham। parityajya vanaṃ yātu nānenārtho'sti kaścana॥17-1-37॥
This Phalguna, your brother, having abandoned the supreme weapon Gāṇḍīva, should go to the forest; there is no purpose served by him here. (17-1-37)
cakraratnaṁ tu yat kṛṣṇe sthitam āsīn mahātmani। gataṁ tac ca punar haste kālena eṣyati tasya ha ॥17-1-38॥
But the discus-jewel, which was with Kṛṣṇa, the great soul, that has departed, will again in time come into his hand indeed. (17-1-38)
varuṇād āhṛtaṃ pūrvaṃ mayaitat pārthakāraṇāt। gāṇḍīvaṃ kārmukaśreṣṭhaṃ varuṇāyaiva dīyatām ॥17-1-39॥
This Gāṇḍīva, the best of bows, which was formerly brought by me from Varuṇa for the sake of Pārtha, should now indeed be given to Varuṇa. (17-1-39)
tatas te bhrātaraḥ sarve dhanañjayam acodayan। sa jale prākṣipat tat tu tathākṣayyau maheṣudhī ॥17-1-40॥
Then all the brothers urged Dhanañjaya, and he threw that into the water, namely the two inexhaustible great bows. (17-1-40)
tato'gnir bharataśreṣṭha tatraivāntaradhīyata. yayuś ca pāṇḍavā vīrās tatas te dakṣiṇāmukhāḥ ॥17-1-41॥
Then, O best of the Bharatas, the fire disappeared right there. And the heroic Pāṇḍavas then proceeded facing south. (17-1-41)
tatas te tūt-tareṇaiva tīreṇa lavaṇāmbhasaḥ। jagmur bharata-śārdūla diśaṃ dakṣiṇa-paścimām ॥17-1-42॥
Then, O Bharata, tiger among men, they proceeded along the northern shore of the salty sea in the southwest direction. (17-1-42)
tataḥ punaḥ samāvṛttāḥ paścimāṃ diśam-eva te। dadṛśur-dvārakāṃ ca api sāgareṇa pariplutām॥17-1-43॥
Then again, as they returned towards the west, they saw that Dvārakā too had been submerged by the ocean. (17-1-43)
udīcīṃ punarāvṛttya yayur bharatasattamāḥ। prādakṣiṇyaṃ cikīrṣantaḥ pṛthivyā yogadharmiṇaḥ॥17-1-44॥
Having turned back towards the north, the best of the Bharatas, endowed with the virtue of yoga, proceeded, wishing to circumambulate the earth. (17-1-44)
