The Pandavas Are Sent to Varanavata

Verse 1 (1.155.1)

ततो दुर्योधनो राजा सर्वास्तु प्रकृतीः शनैः । अर्थमानप्रदानाभ्यां संजहार सहानुजः । युयुत्सुमपनीयैकं धार्तराष्ट्रं सहोदरम् ॥

tato duryodhano rājā sarvāstu prakṛtīḥ śanaiḥ | arthamānapradānābhyāṃ saṃjahāra sahānujaḥ | yuyutsumapanīyaikaṃ dhārtarāṣṭraṃ sahodaram

Then King Duryodhana, with his brothers, gradually won over all the subjects with gifts of wealth and honours — all except one, Yuyutsu, his own brother among the sons of Dhritarashtra.

Note on the text: Aligned by hand to CE 1.131.1 (which reads sarvās tāḥ). The third line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.131.1*1446). Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote marks around the bracketed vulgate lines).

Verse 2 (1.155.2)

धृतराष्ट्रप्रयुक्तास्तु केचित्कुशलमन्त्रिणः । कथयाञ्चक्रिरे रम्यं नगरं वारणावतम् ॥

dhṛtarāṣṭraprayuktāstu kecitkuśalamantriṇaḥ | kathayāñcakrire ramyaṃ nagaraṃ vāraṇāvatam

Some skilled counsellors, set on by Dhritarashtra, began to talk of the delightful town of Varanavata.

Verse 3 (1.155.3)

अयं समाजः सुमहान्रमणीयतमो भुवि । उपस्थितः पशुपतेर्नगरे वारणावते ॥

ayaṃ samājaḥ sumahānramaṇīyatamo bhuvi | upasthitaḥ paśupaternagare vāraṇāvate

"A very great festival of Pashupati, the most delightful on earth, has begun in the town of Varanavata,

Verse 4 (1.155.4)

सर्वरत्नसमाकीर्णे पुण्यदेशे मनोरमे । इत्येवं धृतराष्ट्रस्य वचनाच्चक्रिरे कथाः ॥

sarvaratnasamākīrṇe puṇyadeśe manorame | ityevaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya vacanāccakrire kathāḥ

in that charming and holy country, filled with every kind of jewel." Such was the talk they spread at Dhritarashtra's bidding.

Verse 5 (1.155.5)

कथ्यमाने तथा रम्ये नगरे वारणावते । गमने पाण्डुपुत्राणां जज्ञे तत्र मतिर्नृप ॥

kathyamāne tathā ramye nagare vāraṇāvate | gamane pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ jajñe tatra matirnṛpa

As the delightful town of Varanavata was described in this way, O king, the sons of Pandu began to think of going there.

Verse 6 (1.155.6)

यदा त्वमन्यत नृपो जातकौतूहला इति । उवाचैतानेत्य तदा पाण्डवानम्बिकासुतः ॥

yadā tvamanyata nṛpo jātakautūhalā iti | uvācaitānetya tadā pāṇḍavānambikāsutaḥ

When the king judged that their curiosity was aroused, Ambika's son went to the Pandavas and said to them:

Verse 7 (1.155.7)

अधीतानि च शास्त्राणि युष्माभिरिह कृत्स्नशः । अस्त्राणि च तथा द्रोणाद्गौतमाच्च शरद्वतः ॥

adhītāni ca śāstrāṇi yuṣmābhiriha kṛtsnaśaḥ | astrāṇi ca tathā droṇādgautamācca śaradvataḥ

"You have studied the sciences here in full, and the use of weapons as well, from Drona and from Kripa Gautama, son of Sharadvat."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.131.6*1447, lines 1–2). Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote marks around the bracketed vulgate lines).

Verse 8 (1.155.8)

कृतकृत्या भवन्तस्तु सर्वविद्याविशारदाः । सोऽहमेवं गते ताताश्चिन्तयामि समन्ततः । रक्षणे व्यवहारे च राज्यस्य सततं हिते ॥

kṛtakṛtyā bhavantastu sarvavidyāviśāradāḥ | so'hamevaṃ gate tātāścintayāmi samantataḥ | rakṣaṇe vyavahāre ca rājyasya satataṃ hite

"You have done what you set out to do and are skilled in every branch of learning. So, my sons, as matters stand, I am thinking on every side about the protection and running of the kingdom and its lasting good."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; its second and third lines are CE apparatus 1.131.6*1447, lines 3–4). Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote marks around the bracketed vulgate lines).

Verse 9 (1.155.9)

ममैते पुरुषा नित्यं कथयन्ति पुनःपुनः । रमणीयतमं लोके नगरं वारणावतम् ॥

mamaite puruṣā nityaṃ kathayanti punaḥpunaḥ | ramaṇīyatamaṃ loke nagaraṃ vāraṇāvatam

"These men of mine keep telling me, again and again, that the town of Varanavata is the most delightful in the world."

Verse 10 (1.155.10)

ते ताता यदि मन्यध्वमुत्सवं वारणावते । सगणाः सान्वयाश्चैव विहरध्वं यथाऽमराः ॥

te tātā yadi manyadhvamutsavaṃ vāraṇāvate | sagaṇāḥ sānvayāścaiva viharadhvaṃ yathā'marāḥ

"If you wish, my sons, to see the festival at Varanavata, go there with your followers and your kin and enjoy yourselves like the immortals."

Verse 11 (1.155.11)

ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च रत्नानि गायनेभ्यश्च सर्वशः । प्रयच्छध्वं यथाकामं देवा इव सुवर्चसः ॥

brāhmaṇebhyaśca ratnāni gāyanebhyaśca sarvaśaḥ | prayacchadhvaṃ yathākāmaṃ devā iva suvarcasaḥ

"Give jewels to the brahmins and to all the singers as you please, radiant like the gods."

Verse 12 (1.155.12)

कंचित्कालं विहृत्यैवमनुभूय परां मुदम् । इदं वै हास्तिनपुरं सुखिनः पुनरेष्यथ ॥

kaṃcitkālaṃ vihṛtyaivamanubhūya parāṃ mudam | idaṃ vai hāstinapuraṃ sukhinaḥ punareṣyatha

"After enjoying yourselves there for a while and tasting great delight, you will come back happily to this Hastinapura."

Verse 13 (1.155.13)

निवसध्वं च तत्रैव संरक्षणपरायणाः । वैलक्षण्यं न वै तत्र भविष्यति परंतपाः ॥

nivasadhvaṃ ca tatraiva saṃrakṣaṇaparāyaṇāḥ | vailakṣaṇyaṃ na vai tatra bhaviṣyati paraṃtapāḥ

"Live there, intent on keeping guard; nothing will be amiss for you there, scorchers of foes."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.131.10*1448, which reads hi for न वै). Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote marks around the bracketed vulgate lines).

Verse 14 (1.155.14)

धृतराष्ट्रस्य तं काममनुबुध्य युधिष्ठिरः । आत्मनश्चासहायत्वं तथेति प्रत्युवाच तम् ॥

dhṛtarāṣṭrasya taṃ kāmamanubudhya yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | ātmanaścāsahāyatvaṃ tatheti pratyuvāca tam

Understanding Dhritarashtra's wish, and his own lack of allies, Yudhishthira answered him, "So be it."

Verse 15 (1.155.15)

ततो भीष्मं शान्तनवं विदुरं च महामतिम् । द्रोणं च बाह्लिकं चैव सोमदत्तं च कौरवम् ॥

tato bhīṣmaṃ śāntanavaṃ viduraṃ ca mahāmatim | droṇaṃ ca bāhlikaṃ caiva somadattaṃ ca kauravam

Then to Bhishma son of Shantanu, to the wise Vidura, to Drona, to Bahlika and to Somadatta of the Kuru line,

Verse 16 (1.155.16)

कृपमाचार्यपुत्रं च भूरिश्रवसमेव च । मान्यानन्यानमात्यांश्च ब्राह्मणांश्च तपोधनान् ॥

kṛpamācāryaputraṃ ca bhūriśravasameva ca | mānyānanyānamātyāṃśca brāhmaṇāṃśca tapodhanān

to Kripa, to the preceptor's son, to Bhurishravas, to the other honoured men and the ministers, to the brahmins rich in austerity,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.131.13a*1450, lines 1–2).

Verse 17 (1.155.17)

पुरोहितांश्च पौत्रांश्च गान्धारीं च यशस्विनीम् । सर्वा मातॄरुपस्पृष्ट्वा विदुरस्य च योषितः । युधिष्ठिरः शनैर्दीन उवाचेदं वचस्तदा ॥

purohitāṃśca pautrāṃśca gāndhārīṃ ca yaśasvinīm | sarvā mātṝrupaspṛṣṭvā vidurasya ca yoṣitaḥ | yudhiṣṭhiraḥ śanairdīna uvācedaṃ vacastadā

to the family priests, to the grandsons and to the illustrious Gandhari — and, touching the feet of all the mothers and of Vidura's wives — Yudhishthira, downcast, slowly spoke these words:

Note on the text: Aligned by hand to CE 1.131.13 (its first line there reads kṛpam ācāryaputraṃ ca gāndhārīṃ ca yaśasvinīm); the first quarter of this verse is CE apparatus *1450 line 3 (paurāṃś ca for पौत्रांश्च) and the second line is apparatus *1451. Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote marks around the bracketed vulgate lines).

Verse 18 (1.155.18)

रमणीये जनाकीर्णे नगरे वारणावते । सगणास्तत्र यास्यामो धृतराष्ट्रस्य शासनात् ॥

ramaṇīye janākīrṇe nagare vāraṇāvate | sagaṇāstatra yāsyāmo dhṛtarāṣṭrasya śāsanāt

"At Dhritarashtra's command we are going with our followers to the delightful town of Varanavata, crowded with people."

Verse 19 (1.155.19)

प्रसन्नमनसः सर्वे पुण्या वाचो विमुञ्चत । आशीर्भिर्बृंहितानस्मान्न पापं प्रसहिष्यते ॥

prasannamanasaḥ sarve puṇyā vāco vimuñcata | āśīrbhirbṛṃhitānasmānna pāpaṃ prasahiṣyate

"All of you, with glad hearts, speak words of blessing over us. Strengthened by your blessings, we shall not be overcome by any evil."

Note on the text: Corrected बृहितान् → बृंहितान् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara — "strengthened"; the critical edition reads vardhitān).

Verse 20 (1.155.20)

एवमुक्तास्तु ते सर्वे पाण्डुपुत्रेण कौरवाः । प्रसन्नवदना भूत्वा तेऽन्ववर्तन्त पाण्डवान् ॥

evamuktāstu te sarve pāṇḍuputreṇa kauravāḥ | prasannavadanā bhūtvā te'nvavartanta pāṇḍavān

Addressed in this way by the son of Pandu, all the Kurus, their faces brightening, went along after the Pandavas.

Verse 21 (1.155.21)

स्वस्त्यस्तु वः पथि सदा भूतेभ्यश्चैव सर्वशः । मा च वोस्त्वशुभं किंचित्सर्वशः पाण्डुनन्दनाः ॥

svastyastu vaḥ pathi sadā bhūtebhyaścaiva sarvaśaḥ | mā ca vostvaśubhaṃ kiṃcitsarvaśaḥ pāṇḍunandanāḥ

"May it always go well with you on the road, and may no being anywhere harm you. May no ill at all befall you anywhere, sons of Pandu."

Verse 22 (1.155.22)

ततः कृतस्वस्त्ययना राज्यलाभाय पार्थिवाः । कृत्वा सर्वाणि कार्याणि प्रययुर्वारणावतम् ॥

tataḥ kṛtasvastyayanā rājyalābhāya pārthivāḥ | kṛtvā sarvāṇi kāryāṇi prayayurvāraṇāvatam

Then, when the rites for a safe journey had been performed, the princes, with an eye to winning the kingdom, finished all their tasks and set out for Varanavata.