Vidura's Boat Carries the Pandavas Across the Ganga

Verse 1 (1.161.1)

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु यथासंप्रत्ययं कविः । विदुरः प्रेषयामास तद्वनं पुरुषं शुचिम् ॥

etasminneva kāle tu yathāsaṃpratyayaṃ kaviḥ | viduraḥ preṣayāmāsa tadvanaṃ puruṣaṃ śucim

At that very time the wise Vidura, as had been agreed, sent a trustworthy man to that forest,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 85, after 1.136.19).

Verse 2 (1.161.2)

आत्मनः पाण्डवानां च विश्वास्यं ज्ञातपूर्वकम् । गङ्गासंतरणार्थाय ज्ञाताभिज्ञानवाचिकम् ॥

ātmanaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca viśvāsyaṃ jñātapūrvakam | gaṅgāsaṃtaraṇārthāya jñātābhijñānavācikam

one whom both he and the Pandavas could trust, known to them from before, who carried a message and token agreed on for the crossing of the Ganga.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick, quote mark, doubled danda). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 3 (1.161.3)

स गत्वा तु यथोद्देशं पाण्डवान्ददृशे वने । जनन्या सह कौरव्याननयज्जाह्नवीतटम् ॥

sa gatvā tu yathoddeśaṃ pāṇḍavāndadṛśe vane | jananyā saha kauravyānanayajjāhnavītaṭam

Going to the appointed place, he found the Pandavas in the forest with their mother, and led those Kauravas to the bank of the Jahnavi.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 85, after 1.136.19).

Verse 4 (1.161.4)

विदितं तन्महाबुद्धेर्विदुरस्य महात्मनः । ततस्तस्यापि चारेण चेष्टितं पापचेतसः ॥

viditaṃ tanmahābuddhervidurasya mahātmanaḥ | tatastasyāpi cāreṇa ceṣṭitaṃ pāpacetasaḥ

For the wise and great-souled Vidura had learned, through a spy, what that evil-minded man was doing.

Note on the text: Corrected ततस्त्रस्यापि → ततस्तस्यापि (misprint in Wikisource; त्र for त, the apparatus reads tatas tasyāpi). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 85, after 1.136.19).

Verse 5 (1.161.5)

ततः प्रवासितो विद्वान्विदुरेण नरस्तदा । पार्थानां दर्शयामास मनोमारुतगामिनीम् ॥

tataḥ pravāsito vidvānvidureṇa narastadā | pārthānāṃ darśayāmāsa manomārutagāminīm

Then the learned man whom Vidura had sent showed the sons of Pritha a boat as swift as thought and wind,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 85, after 1.136.19).

Verse 6 (1.161.6)

सर्ववातसहां नावं यन्त्रयुक्तां पताकिनीम् । शिवे भागीरथीतीरे नरैर्विस्रम्भिभिः कृताम् ॥

sarvavātasahāṃ nāvaṃ yantrayuktāṃ patākinīm | śive bhāgīrathītīre narairvisrambhibhiḥ kṛtām

able to ride out every wind, fitted with machinery and flying a banner, built by trusted men on the pleasant bank of the Bhagirathi.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 85, after 1.136.19).

Verse 7 (1.161.7)

ततः पुनरथोवाच ज्ञापकं पूर्वचोदितम् । युधिष्ठिर निबोधेयं संज्ञार्थं वचनं कवेः ॥

tataḥ punarathovāca jñāpakaṃ pūrvacoditam | yudhiṣṭhira nibodheyaṃ saṃjñārthaṃ vacanaṃ kaveḥ

Then he spoke again, giving the token agreed on beforehand: "Yudhishthira, hear these words of the wise Vidura, given as a sign:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 85, after 1.136.19).

Verse 8 (1.161.8)

कक्षघ्नः शिशिरघ्नश्च महाकक्षे बिलौकसः । न हन्तीत्येवमात्मानं यो रक्षति स जीवति । बोद्धव्यमिति यत्प्राह विदुरस्तदिदं तथा ॥

kakṣaghnaḥ śiśiraghnaśca mahākakṣe bilaukasaḥ | na hantītyevamātmānaṃ yo rakṣati sa jīvati | boddhavyamiti yatprāha vidurastadidaṃ tathā

'The devourer of thickets, the slayer of the cold, does not kill the burrow-dwellers in the great forest; he who guards himself so, lives.' This is what Vidura said you should understand, and here it is.

Note on the text: Speaker set to the man sent by Vidura (his words to Yudhishthira, announced in verse 7; Wikisource prints no heading and the input carried Vaishampayana over). Removed stray wiki marks (backtick, quote mark, doubled danda). First two lines in Appendix I, No. 85 of the critical edition (after 1.136.19); the third line is not in the critical edition at all (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 9 (1.161.9)

तेन मां प्रेषितं विद्धि विश्वस्तं संज्ञयाऽनया । भूयश्चैवाह मां क्षत्ता विदुरः सर्वतोऽर्थवित् । अधिक्षिपन्धार्तराष्ट्रं सभ्रातृकमुदारधीः ॥

tena māṃ preṣitaṃ viddhi viśvastaṃ saṃjñayā'nayā | bhūyaścaivāha māṃ kṣattā viduraḥ sarvato'rthavit | adhikṣipandhārtarāṣṭraṃ sabhrātṛkamudāradhīḥ

Know by this sign that I have been sent by him and can be trusted. Vidura the steward, who sees the right course in everything, also told me this, the noble-minded one speaking scornfully of Dhritarashtra's son and his brothers:

Note on the text: Speaker set to the man sent by Vidura (his words to Yudhishthira, announced in verse 7; Wikisource prints no heading and the input carried Vaishampayana over). Corrected विदिधि → विद्धि (misprint in Wikisource; a doubled syllable, the apparatus reads viddhi). Removed stray wiki marks (backtick, quote mark, doubled danda). First two lines in Appendix I, No. 85 of the critical edition (after 1.136.19); the third line is not in the critical edition at all (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 10 (1.161.10)

कर्णं दुर्योधनं चैव भ्रातृभिः सहितं रणे । शकुनिं चैव कौन्तेय विजेताऽसि न संशयः ॥

karṇaṃ duryodhanaṃ caiva bhrātṛbhiḥ sahitaṃ raṇe | śakuniṃ caiva kaunteya vijetā'si na saṃśayaḥ

'Karna, and Duryodhana with his brothers, and Shakuni too, you will defeat in battle, son of Kunti; of that there is no doubt.'"

Note on the text: Speaker set to the man sent by Vidura (his words to Yudhishthira, announced in verse 7; Wikisource prints no heading and the input carried Vaishampayana over). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 85, after 1.136.19).

Verse 11 (1.161.11)

पाण्डवाश्चापि गत्वाथ गङ्गायास्तीरमुत्तमम् । निषादाधिपतिं वीरं दाशं परमधार्मिकम् ॥

pāṇḍavāścāpi gatvātha gaṅgāyāstīramuttamam | niṣādādhipatiṃ vīraṃ dāśaṃ paramadhārmikam

And the Pandavas, having gone on to the fine bank of the Ganga, saw a Nishada chief, a brave fisherman, deeply devoted to dharma;

Note on the text: Dropped the speaker heading वैशंपायन उवाच (with a stray backtick), which had slipped into the verse text as its first line; Wikisource prints it as a heading. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 12 (1.161.12)

दीपिकाभिः कृतालोकं मार्गमाणं च पाण्डवान् । ददृशुः पाण्डवेयास्ते नाविकं त्वरयाऽन्वितम् ॥

dīpikābhiḥ kṛtālokaṃ mārgamāṇaṃ ca pāṇḍavān | dadṛśuḥ pāṇḍaveyāste nāvikaṃ tvarayā'nvitam

the sons of Pandu saw the boatman, lighting his way with torches, hurrying as he searched for the Pandavas.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 13 (1.161.13)

निषादस्तत्र कौन्तेयानभिज्ञानं न्यवेदयत् । विदुरस्य महाबुद्धेर्म्लेच्छभाषादि यत्तदा ॥

niṣādastatra kaunteyānabhijñānaṃ nyavedayat | vidurasya mahābuddhermlecchabhāṣādi yattadā

There the Nishada gave the sons of Kunti the token of the wise Vidura, the words in the mleccha tongue and the rest, as they had been spoken then.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 14 (1.161.14)

विदुरेणास्मि सन्दिष्टो दत्त्वा बहु धनं महत् । गङ्गातीरे निविष्टस्त्वं पाण्डवांस्तारयेति ह ॥

vidureṇāsmi sandiṣṭo dattvā bahu dhanaṃ mahat | gaṅgātīre niviṣṭastvaṃ pāṇḍavāṃstārayeti ha

"Vidura gave me a great deal of wealth and instructed me: 'Stay posted on the bank of the Ganga and ferry the Pandavas across.'

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 15 (1.161.15)

सोऽहं चतुर्दशीमद्य गङ्गाया अविदूरतः । चारैरन्वेषयाम्यस्मिन्वने मृगगणान्विते ॥

so'haṃ caturdaśīmadya gaṅgāyā avidūrataḥ | cārairanveṣayāmyasminvane mṛgagaṇānvite

So today, the fourteenth, I have been searching with my scouts in this forest full of deer, not far from the Ganga.

Note on the text: Corrected चारेरन्वेषयाम्य… → चारैरन्वेषयाम्य… (misprint in Wikisource; चारेः is not a valid form, the instrumental plural चारैः "with scouts" is meant). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 16 (1.161.16)

प्रभवन्तोऽथ भद्रं वो नावमारुह्य गम्यताम् । युक्तारित्रपताकां च निश्छिद्रां मन्दिरोपमाम् ॥

prabhavanto'tha bhadraṃ vo nāvamāruhya gamyatām | yuktāritrapatākāṃ ca niśchidrāṃ mandiropamām

Mighty ones, good fortune to you; board the boat and go. It is fitted with oars and banners, has no leak, and is like a palace.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (quote mark and doubled danda). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 17 (1.161.17)

इयं वारिपथे युक्ता नौरप्सु सुखगामिनी । मोचयिष्यति वः सर्वानस्माद्देशान्न संशयः ॥

iyaṃ vāripathe yuktā naurapsu sukhagāminī | mocayiṣyati vaḥ sarvānasmāddeśānna saṃśayaḥ

This boat, made ready for the waterway, glides easily on the water; it will carry you all away from this land, without a doubt."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 85, after 1.136.19).

Verse 18 (1.161.18)

अथ तान्व्यथितान्दृष्ट्वा सह मात्रा नरोत्तमान् । नावमारोप्य गङ्गायां प्रस्थितानब्रवीत्पुनः ॥

atha tānvyathitāndṛṣṭvā saha mātrā narottamān | nāvamāropya gaṅgāyāṃ prasthitānabravītpunaḥ

Then, seeing those best of men distressed, with their mother, he put them on the boat on the Ganga, and as they set out he spoke again:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 85, after 1.136.19).

Verse 19 (1.161.19)

विदुरो मूर्ध्न्युपाघ्राय परिष्वज्य वचो मुहुः । अरिष्टं गच्छताव्यग्राः पन्थानमिति चाब्रवीत् ॥

viduro mūrdhnyupāghrāya pariṣvajya vaco muhuḥ | ariṣṭaṃ gacchatāvyagrāḥ panthānamiti cābravīt

"Vidura, kissing your heads and embracing you, says these words again and again: 'Go on your way unharmed and untroubled.'"

Note on the text: Speaker set to the boatman (verse 18 introduces his parting words; the input carried Vaishampayana over). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 85, after 1.136.19).

Verse 20 (1.161.20)

इत्युक्त्वा स तु तान्वीरान्पुमान्विदुरचोदितः । तारयामास राजेन्द्र गङ्गां नावा नरर्षभान् ॥

ityuktvā sa tu tānvīrānpumānviduracoditaḥ | tārayāmāsa rājendra gaṅgāṃ nāvā nararṣabhān

Having said this, the man sent by Vidura ferried those heroes, bulls among men, across the Ganga by boat, O king of kings.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 85, after 1.136.19).

Verse 21 (1.161.21)

तारयित्वा ततो गङ्गां पारं प्राप्तांश्च सर्वशः । जयाशिषः प्रयुज्याथ यथागतमगाद्धि सः ॥

tārayitvā tato gaṅgāṃ pāraṃ prāptāṃśca sarvaśaḥ | jayāśiṣaḥ prayujyātha yathāgatamagāddhi saḥ

When he had brought them over the Ganga and they had all reached the far shore, he called down blessings of victory on them and went back the way he had come.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 85, after 1.136.19).

Verse 22 (1.161.22)

पाण्डवाश्च महात्मानः प्रतिसन्दिश्य वै कवेः । गङ्गामुत्तीर्य वेगेन जग्मुर्गूढमलक्षिताः ॥

pāṇḍavāśca mahātmānaḥ pratisandiśya vai kaveḥ | gaṅgāmuttīrya vegena jagmurgūḍhamalakṣitāḥ

And the great-souled Pandavas, sending a message back to the wise Vidura, crossed the Ganga quickly and went on in secret, unseen.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 85, after 1.136.19).

Verse 23 (1.161.23)

ततस्ते तत्र तीर्त्वा तु गङ्गामुत्तुङ्गवीचिकाम् । जवेन प्रययुर्वीरा दक्षिणां दिशमास्थिताः ॥

tataste tatra tīrtvā tu gaṅgāmuttuṅgavīcikām | javena prayayurvīrā dakṣiṇāṃ diśamāsthitāḥ

Having crossed the Ganga there, with its towering waves, the heroes pressed on swiftly, heading south.

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (`). First line not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); second line = CE 1.137.17cd.

Verse 24 (1.161.24)

विज्ञाय निशि पन्थानं नक्षत्रैर्दक्षिणामुखाः । वनाद्वनान्तरं राजन्गहनं प्रतिपेदिरे ॥

vijñāya niśi panthānaṃ nakṣatrairdakṣiṇāmukhāḥ | vanādvanāntaraṃ rājangahanaṃ pratipedire

Finding their way by night by the stars, facing south, they passed from forest to forest, O king, and came into a dense wood.

Verse 25 (1.161.25)

श्रान्तास्ततः पिपासार्ताः क्षुधिता भयकातराः । पुनरूचुर्महावीर्यं भीमसेनमिदं वचः ॥

śrāntāstataḥ pipāsārtāḥ kṣudhitā bhayakātarāḥ | punarūcurmahāvīryaṃ bhīmasenamidaṃ vacaḥ

Then, weary, tormented by thirst, hungry and shaken with fear, they again spoke these words to the mighty Bhimasena:

Note on the text: Aligned by hand with CE 1.137.19.

Verse 26 (1.161.26)

इतः कष्टतरं किं नु यद्वयं गहने वने । दिशश्च न प्रजानीमो गन्तुं चैव न शक्नुमः । तं च पापं न जानीमो दग्धो वाथ पुरोचनः ॥

itaḥ kaṣṭataraṃ kiṃ nu yadvayaṃ gahane vane | diśaśca na prajānīmo gantuṃ caiva na śaknumaḥ | taṃ ca pāpaṃ na jānīmo dagdho vātha purocanaḥ

"What could be harder than this, that we are in a deep forest, cannot tell the directions, and cannot go on? Nor do we know whether that sinner Purochana has been burned or not.

Note on the text: Speaker set to Yudhishthira: verse 25 has the brothers speak, and verse 28 attributes the words to Dharmaraja (critical edition 1.137.23, ity ukto dharmarājena). Corrected चैतेन → चैव न (misprint in Wikisource; the transposed syllables drop the negative the sense requires, critical edition caiva na śaknumaḥ). Aligned by hand: first two lines = CE 1.137.20, third line = 1.137.21ab.

Verse 27 (1.161.27)

कथं नु विप्रमुच्येम भयादस्मादलक्षिताः । शीघ्रमस्मानुपादाय तथैव व्रज भारत ॥

kathaṃ nu vipramucyema bhayādasmādalakṣitāḥ | śīghramasmānupādāya tathaiva vraja bhārata

How are we to escape this danger unseen? Take us up quickly, Bharata, and carry us on as before.

Note on the text: Speaker set to Yudhishthira: verse 25 has the brothers speak, and verse 28 attributes the words to Dharmaraja (critical edition 1.137.23, ity ukto dharmarājena). Aligned by hand: first line = CE 1.137.21cd, second line = 1.137.22ab.

Verse 28 (1.161.28)

त्वं हि नो बलवानेको यथा सततगस्तथा । इत्युक्तो धर्मराजेन भीमसेनो महाबलः । आदाय कुन्तीं भ्रातॄंश्च जगामाशु स पावनिः ॥

tvaṃ hi no balavāneko yathā satatagastathā | ityukto dharmarājena bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ | ādāya kuntīṃ bhrātṝṃśca jagāmāśu sa pāvaniḥ

"For you alone among us are strong, like the ever-moving wind." So addressed by Dharmaraja, mighty Bhimasena, son of the Wind, took up Kunti and his brothers and went on swiftly.

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark ('). Aligned by hand: first line = CE 1.137.22cd (the end of the brothers' plea), second and third lines = 1.137.23.