18.005
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said.
bhīṣmadroṇau mahātmānau dhṛtarāṣṭraś ca pārthivaḥ। virāṭadrupadau cobhau śaṅkhaś caiva uttaras tathā ॥18-5-1॥
Bhīṣma and Droṇa, the great-souled, Dhṛtarāṣṭra the king, Virāṭa and Drupada both, and also Śaṅkha and Uttara likewise. (18-5-1)
dhṛṣṭaketur jayatseno rājā caiva sa satyajit. duryodhanasutāś caiva śakuniś caiva saubalaḥ ॥18-5-2॥
Dhṛṣṭaketu, Jayatsena, the king, Satyajit, the sons of Duryodhana, and Śakuni, the son of Subala, (were present). (18-5-2)
karṇaputrāś ca vikrāntā rājā caiva jayadrathaḥ। ghaṭotkacādayaś caiva ye ca anye nānukīrtitāḥ॥18-5-3॥
The valiant sons of Karṇa, the king Jayadratha, Ghaṭotkaca and others, and those others not mentioned. (18-5-3)
ye cānye kīrtitās tatra rājāno dīptamūrtayaḥ। svarge kālaṃ kiyantaṃ te tasthus tad api śaṃsa me॥18-5-4॥
Tell me also how long those other kings, mentioned there, who were of radiant forms, remained in heaven. (18-5-4)
āho svicchāśvataṃ sthānaṃ teṣāṃ tatra dvijottama| ante vā karmaṇaḥ kāṃ te gatiṃ prāptā nararṣabhāḥ|| etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ procyamānaṃ tvayā dvija||18-5-5||
O best of the twice-born, is that truly the wished-for state for them there? Or, at the end of their actions, which path did those best of men attain? This I wish to hear, O twice-born, as told by you. (18-5-5)
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said;
ity-uktaḥ sa tu viprarṣiḥ anujñātaḥ mahātmanā। vyāsena tasya nṛpateḥ ākhyātum upacakrame ॥18-5-6॥
Thus addressed, the sage among the twice-born, having been permitted by the great-souled Vyāsa, began to narrate the story of that king. (18-5-6)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
gantavyaṃ karmaṇāmante sarveṇa manujādhipa। śṛṇu guhyamidaṃ rājandevānāṃ bharatarṣabha ॥ yaduvāca mahātejā divyacakṣuḥ pratāpavān ॥18-5-7॥
O king of men, all must go at the end of their actions. Listen to this secret of the gods, O king, O best of the Bharatas, as spoken by the greatly radiant, divine-eyed, powerful one. (18-5-7)
muniḥ purāṇaḥ kauravya pārāśaryo mahāvrataḥ। agādhabuddhiḥ sarvajño gatijñaḥ sarvakarmaṇām ॥18-5-8॥
O descendant of Kuru, the sage, son of Parāśara, who is ancient, of great vows, possessing unfathomable intellect, all-knowing, knower of the ways and actions of all (beings). (18-5-8)
vasūn eva mahā-tejā bhīṣmaḥ prāpa mahā-dyutiḥ। aṣṭāv eva hi dṛśyante vasavo bharatarṣabha ॥18-5-9॥
O best of the Bharatas, the greatly splendid Bhīṣma attained great brilliance like the Vasus themselves. Indeed, only eight Vasus are seen. (18-5-9)
bṛhaspatiṃ viveśātha droṇo hyaṅgirasāṃ varam। kṛtavarmā tu hārdikyaḥ praviveśa marudgaṇam॥18-5-10॥
Bṛhaspati entered; then Droṇa, indeed the best among the Aṅgiras, and Kṛtavarmā, son of Hārdika, entered the group of Maruts. (18-5-10)
sanatkumāraṃ pradyumnaḥ praviveśa yathāgatam। dhṛtarāṣṭro dhaneśasya lokān prāpa durāsadān॥18-5-11॥
Pradyumna entered where Sanatkumara was, just as he had come. Dhritarashtra attained the worlds of Kubera, which are difficult to access. (18-5-11)
dhṛtarāṣṭreṇa sahitā gāndhārī ca yaśasvinī। patnībhyāṁ sahitaḥ pāṇḍur mahendra-sadanaṁ yayau॥18-5-12॥
Pāṇḍu, accompanied by his two illustrious wives—Gāndhārī and Dhṛtarāṣṭra—went to the mansion of Indra. (18-5-12)
virāṭadrupadau cobhau dhṛṣṭaketuś ca pārthivaḥ। nishaṭhākrūrasāmbāś ca bhānuḥ kampo viḍūrathaḥ ॥18-5-13॥
Virāṭa and Drupada, both kings, Dhṛṣṭaketu, as well as Nishaṭha, Ākrūra, Sāmbā, Bhānu, Kampa, and Viḍūratha. (18-5-13)
bhūriśravāḥ śalaś caiva bhūriś ca pṛthivīpatiḥ| ugrasenās tathā kaṃso vasudevaś ca vīryavān||18-5-14||
Bhūriśravāḥ, Śala, Bhūri, the king of the earth, Ugrasena, Kaṃsa, and Vasudeva, who is powerful, (are mentioned here). (18-5-14)
uttaraś ca saha bhrātrā śaṅkhena narapuṅgavaḥ। viśveṣāṃ devatānāṃ te viviśur narasattamāḥ॥18-5-15॥
The northern prince, along with his brother Śaṅkha, the foremost of men, these best of men entered among all the deities. (18-5-15)
varcā nāma mahātejāḥ somaputraḥ pratāpavān। so'bhimanyur nṛsiṃhasya phalgunasya suto'bhavat ॥18-5-16॥
There was one named Varcā, of great splendor, the mighty son of Soma. He became Abhimanyu, the son of Nṛsiṃha and Phalguna. (18-5-16)
sa yuddhvā kṣatradharmeṇa yathā nānyaḥ pumān kvacit। viveśa somaṃ dharmātmā karmaṇo’nte mahārathaḥ ॥18-5-17॥
He, having fought according to the warrior's duty as no other man ever did, the great chariot-warrior of righteous nature entered Soma at the end of his deeds. (18-5-17)
āviveśa raviṃ karṇaḥ pitaraṃ puruṣarṣabha। dvāparaṃ śakuniḥ prāpa dhṛṣṭadyumnas tu pāvakam ॥18-5-18॥
Karṇa entered the Sun, O best of men. Śakuni attained Dvāpara, but Dhṛṣṭadyumna entered fire. (18-5-18)
dhṛtarāṣṭrātmajāḥ sarve yātudhānā balotkaṭāḥ। ṛddhimanto mahātmānaḥ śastrapūtā divaṃ gatāḥ॥ dharmamevāviśatkṣattā rājā caiva yudhiṣṭhiraḥ॥18-5-19॥
All the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, though exceedingly strong and prosperous like fiends, purified by weapons, have gone to heaven. Only Dharma was embraced by the charioteer (Vidura) and the king Yudhiṣṭhira. (18-5-19)
ananto bhagavān devaḥ praviveśa rasātalam। pitāmahaniyogād dhi yaḥ yogād gām adhārayat ॥18-5-20॥
Ananta, the blessed Lord, god, entered the nether region; by the command of the grandsire, he indeed, by his power, supported the earth. (18-5-20)
ṣoḍaśastrīsahasrāṇi vāsudevapari-grahaḥ। nyamajjanta sarasvatyāṃ kālena janamejaya ॥ tāś cāpy apsaraso bhūtvā vāsudevam upāgaman ॥18-5-21॥
O Janamejaya, in the course of time, the sixteen thousand wives of Vāsudeva sank into the Sarasvatī river. They then became apsarases and approached Vāsudeva. (18-5-21)
hatāstasminmahāyuddhe ye vīrāstu mahārathāḥ। ghaṭotkacādayaḥ sarve devānyakṣāṃśca bhejire ॥18-5-22॥
All those heroes who were great chariot-warriors, including Ghaṭotkaca and others, who were slain in that great battle, all attained to the ranks of the gods and yakṣas. (18-5-22)
duryodhanasahāyāś ca rākṣasāḥ parikīrtitāḥ। prāptās te kramaśo rājan sarvalokān anuttamān॥18-5-23॥
O king, the rākṣasas who were companions of Duryodhana—these, it is declared, have attained, one after another, all the unsurpassed worlds. (18-5-23)
bhavanaṃ ca mahendrasya kuberasya ca dhīmataḥ | varuṇasya tathā lokān viviśuḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ ॥18-5-24॥
The foremost among men entered the abodes of Mahendra, the wise Kubera and Varuṇa, as well as their worlds. (18-5-24)
etatte sarvamākyātaṃ vistareṇa mahādyute। kurūṇāṃ caritaṃ kṛtsnaṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca bhārata ॥18-5-25॥
O Bhārata, all this — the entire account of the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas — has been declared to you in detail, O greatly radiant one. (18-5-25)
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said;
etat-śrutvā dvija-śreṣṭhāt sa rājā janamejayaḥ। vismito'bhavad atyarthaṃ yajña-karmāntareṣu atha ॥18-5-26॥
Having heard this from the best of the Brāhmaṇas, King Janamejaya became extremely astonished during the performance of the sacrificial rites at that time. (18-5-26)
tataḥ samāpayāmāsuḥ karma tat tasya yājakāḥ। āstīkaś ca abhavat prītaḥ parimokṣya bhujaṅgamān ॥18-5-27॥
Then the priests completed his ritual. Āstīka was also pleased, intending to release the serpents. (18-5-27)
tato dvijātīnsarvāṃstāndakṣiṇābhiratoṣayat. pūjitāścāpi te rājñā tato jagmuryathāgatam ॥18-5-28॥
Thereafter, the king satisfied all the twice-born with gifts. Having been honored by the king, they then departed just as they had arrived. (18-5-28)
visarjayitvā viprāṁs tān rājā api janamejayaḥ। tataḥ takṣaśilāyāḥ sa punar āyād gajāhvayam ॥18-5-29॥
Having dismissed those brāhmaṇas, King Janamejaya then returned from Takṣaśilā to Gajāhvaya. (18-5-29)
etatte sarvam ākhyātaṃ vaiśampāyana-kīrtitam। vyāsa-ājñayā samākhyātaṃ sarpa-satre nṛpasya ha ॥18-5-30॥
All this has been related to you as narrated by Vaiśampāyana. By Vyāsa’s command, it was fully narrated at the king’s snake-sacrifice. (18-5-30)
puṇyo' yam itihāsākhyah pavitraṃ cedam uttamam। kṛṣṇena muninā vipra niyataṃ satyavādinā ॥18-5-31॥
O brāhmaṇa, this auspicious story, which is called 'Itihāsa', is supremely purifying and excellent, certainly composed by Kṛṣṇa, the sage, the speaker of truth. (18-5-31)
sarvajñena vidhijñena dharmajñānavatā satā। atīndriyeṇa śucinā tapasā bhāvitātmanā ॥18-5-32॥
By the all-knowing, the knower of procedure, endowed with knowledge of dharma, by the virtuous, by one beyond the senses, by the pure, through austerity, by one with a purified mind. (18-5-32)
aiśvarye vartatā caiva sāṅkhyayogavidā tathā। naikatantravibuddhena dṛṣṭvā divyena cakṣuṣā॥18-5-33॥
Dwelling in sovereignty, and indeed thus by one who knows Sāṅkhya and Yoga—not by one awakened only in a single doctrine, having seen with the divine eye. (18-5-33)
kīrtiṁ prathayatā loke pāṇḍavānāṁ mahātmanām। anyeṣāṁ kṣatriyāṇāṁ ca bhūridraviṇatejasām ॥18-5-34॥
Spreading the fame in the world of the great-souled Pāṇḍavas and also of other kṣatriyas endowed with abundant wealth and energy. (18-5-34)
ya idaṃ śrāvayed vidvān sadā parvaṇi parvaṇi। dhūtapāpmā jitasvargo brahmabhūyāya gacchati॥18-5-35॥
Whoever, being learned, always causes this to be heard on every festival day, becomes one whose sins are removed, who has conquered heaven, and goes to attain the state of Brahman. (18-5-35)
yaścedaṃ śrāvayecchrāddhe brāhmaṇānpādamantataḥ। akṣayyamannapānaṃ vai pitṝṃstasyopatiṣṭhate ॥18-5-36॥
Whoever causes this to be heard at the śrāddha ceremony to Brāhmaṇas—even a quarter portion—, to him inexhaustible food and drink indeed accrue to his ancestors. (18-5-36)
ahnā yadenah kurute indriyairmaṇasāpi vā। mahābhāratamākhyāya paścātsandhyāṁ pramucyate ॥18-5-37॥
Whatever sin is committed during the day by the senses or even by the mind, after reciting the Mahābhārata following the evening twilight, one becomes freed from it. (18-5-37)
dharme cārthe ca kāme ca mokṣe ca bharatarṣabha। yadi ihāsti tadanyatra yan nehāsti na tat kvacit ॥18-5-38॥
O best of the Bhāratas, in regard to dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa: whatever is here can be found elsewhere, but whatever is not here is found nowhere. (18-5-38)
jayo nāmeti hāso'yaṃ śrotavyo bhūtim icchatā। rājñā rājasutaiś cāpi garbhiṇyā caiva yoṣitā ॥18-5-39॥
The story called 'Victory' should be heard by anyone who seeks prosperity—by the king, the king’s sons, as well as by both pregnant women and women in general. (18-5-39)
svargakāmo labhetsvargaṃ jayakāmo labhejjayam। garbhiṇī labhate putraṃ kanyāṃ vā bahubhāginīm ॥18-5-40॥
He who desires heaven may obtain heaven, he who desires victory may obtain victory. A pregnant woman obtains a son or a very fortunate daughter. (18-5-40)
anāgataṃ tribhir varṣaiḥ kṛṣṇadvāipāyanaḥ prabhuḥ। sandarbhaṃ bhāratasya asya kṛtavān dharmakāmyayā॥18-5-41॥
Within three years, the master Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana compiled this Bhārata out of a desire for righteousness. (18-5-41)
nārado'śrāvayaddevānasito devalaḥ pitṝn| rakṣo yakṣāñśuko martyānvaiśampāyana eva tu ||18-5-42||
Nārada announced (the story) to the gods, Sita and Devala to the ancestors, Rakṣa to the Yakṣas, Śuka to mortals, and Vaiśampāyana also (did so), but (to mortals especially). (18-5-42)
itihāsam imaṁ puṇyaṁ mahārthaṁ vedasaṁmitam। śrāvayed yas tu varṇāṁs trīn kṛtvā brāhmaṇam agrataḥ॥18-5-43॥
Whoever causes this history—which is auspicious, of great meaning, and equal to the Veda—to be heard by the three castes, with a brāhmaṇa seated in front, (18-5-43)
sa naraḥ pāpa-nirmuktaḥ kīrtiṃ prāpya iha śaunaka। gacchet paramikāṃ siddhim atra me nāsti saṃśayaḥ ॥18-5-44॥
O Śaunaka, a man who is freed from sin and attains fame here will surely achieve the highest perfection; in this, I have no doubt. (18-5-44)
bhāratādhyayanātpuṇyādapi pādamadhīyataḥ। śraddadhānasya pūyante sarvapāpānyaśeṣataḥ॥18-5-45॥
By studying even a quarter of the Mahābhārata, the faithful person's sins are completely purified, even more so than by other meritorious acts. (18-5-45)
maharṣirbhagavānvyāsaḥ kṛtvemāṃ saṃhitāṃ purā। ślokaiścaturbhirbhagavānputramadhyāpayacchukam ॥18-5-46॥
The great sage Vyāsa, in former times, having composed this collection, taught his son Śuka using four verses. (18-5-46)
mātāpituṛsahasrāṇi putradāraśatāni ca. saṁsāreṣvanubhūtāni yānti yāsyanti cāpare ॥18-5-47॥
Thousands of mothers and fathers, hundreds of sons and wives, have been experienced in the worlds of transmigration; they go, and others will go too. (18-5-47)
harṣasthānasahasrāṇi bhayasthānaśatāni ca। divase divase mūḍham āviśanti na paṇḍitam॥18-5-48॥
Each day, thousands of occasions for joy and hundreds of occasions for fear come upon the fool, but not upon the wise one. (18-5-48)
ūrdhvabāhur virau myeṣa na ca kaścid śṛṇoti me। dharmād arthaś ca kāmaś ca sa kimarthaṃ na sevyate॥18-5-49॥
I cry aloud with arms raised, yet no one listens to me. Why is it that artha (wealth) and kāma (desire), which come from dharma, are not pursued? (18-5-49)
na jātu kāmānna bhayānna lobhā; dharmaṁ tyajedjīvitasya-api hetoḥ। nityo dharmaḥ sukhaduḥkhe tu-anitye; jīvaḥ nityaḥ hetuḥ asya tu-anityaḥ॥18-5-50॥
At no time, for the sake of desire, fear, or greed, should one ever abandon duty—even for the sake of life itself. Duty endures eternally; pleasure and pain are fleeting. The soul is eternal, but the cause of its embodied existence is impermanent. (18-5-50)
imāṃ bhāratasāvitrīṃ prātar-utthāya yaḥ paṭhet। sa bhārata-phalaṃ prāpya paraṃ brahmādhigacchati ॥18-5-51॥
Whoever, having risen in the morning, recites this Bhārata-Sāvitrī, obtains the fruit of the Mahābhārata and attains the highest Brahman. (18-5-51)
yathā samudro bhagavānyathā ca himavāngiriḥ। khyātāvubhau ratnanidhī tathā bhāratamucyate ॥18-5-52॥
Just as the ocean, O Lord, and the Himavat mountain are both famous as treasure-houses of jewels, so Bhārata is known. (18-5-52)
mahābhāratamākhyānaṃ yaḥ paṭhet susamāhitaḥ। sa gacchet paramāṃ siddhim iti me nāsti saṃśayaḥ॥18-5-53॥
Whoever reads the account of the Mahābhārata with a well-collected mind surely attains the highest perfection—of this I have no doubt. (18-5-53)
dvaipāyanoṣṭha-puṭa-niḥsṛtam aprameyaṃ; puṇyaṃ pavitram atha pāpaharaṃ śivaṃ ca। yo bhārataṃ samadhigacchati vācyamānaṃ; kiṃ tasya puṣkarajalair abhiṣecanena ॥18-5-54॥
That which has emerged from the mouth of Vyāsa is immeasurable, meritorious, purifying, a remover of sin, and auspicious. Whoever hears and grasps the Mahābhārata as it is being recited—what further need does he have for ceremonial bathing with the sacred waters of Puṣkara? (18-5-54)
