The Five Apsaras Freed and the Birth of Babhruvahana

Verse 1 (1.237.1)

ततो वयं प्रव्यथिताः सर्वा भारतसत्तम । अयाम शरणं विप्रं तं तपोधनमच्युतम् ॥

tato vayaṃ pravyathitāḥ sarvā bhāratasattama | ayāma śaraṇaṃ vipraṃ taṃ tapodhanamacyutam

"Then, all of us deeply distressed, O best of the Bharatas, we went for refuge to that brahmin, rich in austerity and unwavering.

Verse 2 (1.237.2)

रूपेण वयसा चैव कन्दर्पेण च दर्पिताः । अयुक्तं कृतवत्यः स्म क्षन्तुमर्हसि नो द्विज ॥

rūpeṇa vayasā caiva kandarpeṇa ca darpitāḥ | ayuktaṃ kṛtavatyaḥ sma kṣantumarhasi no dvija

'Made proud by our beauty, our youth and by desire, we have done what was not fitting. Please forgive us, O brahmin.

Verse 3 (1.237.3)

एष एव वधोऽस्माकं स्वयं प्राप्तस्तपोधन । यद्वयं संशितात्मानं प्रलोब्धुं त्वामिहागताः ॥

eṣa eva vadho'smākaṃ svayaṃ prāptastapodhana | yadvayaṃ saṃśitātmānaṃ pralobdhuṃ tvāmihāgatāḥ

This alone is death enough for us, and we have brought it on ourselves, O ascetic: that we came here to tempt you, whose soul is disciplined.

Verse 4 (1.237.4)

अवध्यास्तु स्त्रियः सृष्टा मन्यन्ते धर्मचारिणः । तस्माद्धर्मेण वर्ध त्वं नास्मान्हिंसितुमर्हसि ॥

avadhyāstu striyaḥ sṛṣṭā manyante dharmacāriṇaḥ | tasmāddharmeṇa vardha tvaṃ nāsmānhiṃsitumarhasi

Those who follow dharma hold that women were created not to be slain. So prosper by dharma; you should not harm us.

Note on the text: Corrected नास्मन् → नास्मान् (misprint in Wikisource; the accusative plural is अस्मान्; the critical edition reads nāsmān).

Verse 5 (1.237.5)

सर्वभूतेषु धर्मज्ञ मैत्रो ब्राह्मण उच्यते । सत्यो भवतु कल्याण एष वादो मनीषिणाम् ॥

sarvabhūteṣu dharmajña maitro brāhmaṇa ucyate | satyo bhavatu kalyāṇa eṣa vādo manīṣiṇām

A brahmin is called a friend to all beings, O knower of dharma. Let this saying of the wise prove true, O kindly one.

Verse 6 (1.237.6)

शरणं च प्रपन्नानां शिष्टाः कुर्वन्ति पालनम् । शरणं त्वां प्रपन्नाः स्म तस्मात्त्वं क्षन्तुमर्हसि ॥

śaraṇaṃ ca prapannānāṃ śiṣṭāḥ kurvanti pālanam | śaraṇaṃ tvāṃ prapannāḥ sma tasmāttvaṃ kṣantumarhasi

The good protect those who come to them for refuge. We have come to you for refuge; therefore you should forgive us.'

Verse 7 (1.237.7)

एवमुक्तः स धर्मात्मा ब्राह्मणः शुभकर्मकृत् । प्रसादं कृतवान्वीर रविसोमसमप्रभः ॥

evamuktaḥ sa dharmātmā brāhmaṇaḥ śubhakarmakṛt | prasādaṃ kṛtavānvīra ravisomasamaprabhaḥ

Addressed in this way, that righteous brahmin, doer of good deeds, radiant as the sun and the moon, showed us his favour, O hero.

Note on the text: Speaker: Wikisource prints the heading वैशंपायन उवाच before this verse, but the verse continues Varga's account to Arjuna (vocative वीर, as in 236.22 and verses 19–20 below; the critical edition has no change of speaker here), so it is given to Varga.

Verse 8 (1.237.8)

शतं शतसहस्रं तु सर्वमक्षय्यवाचकम् । परिमाणं शतं त्वेतन्नेदमक्षय्यवाचकम् ॥

śataṃ śatasahasraṃ tu sarvamakṣayyavācakam | parimāṇaṃ śataṃ tvetannedamakṣayyavācakam

'"Hundred" and "hundred thousand" — all such words can stand for the inexhaustible. But this "hundred" of mine is a fixed measure; it does not mean the inexhaustible.

Note on the text: A variant of the critical edition 1.209.8 (missed by the automatic alignment).

Verse 9 (1.237.9)

यदा च वो ग्राहभूता गृह्णन्तीः पुरुषाञ्जले । उत्कर्षति जलात्तस्मात्स्थलं पुरुषसत्तमः ॥

yadā ca vo grāhabhūtā gṛhṇantīḥ puruṣāñjale | utkarṣati jalāttasmātsthalaṃ puruṣasattamaḥ

When, as crocodiles seizing men in the water, you are dragged out of that water onto dry land by some best of men,

Verse 10 (1.237.10)

तदा यूयं पुनः सर्वाः स्वं रूपं प्रतिपत्स्यथ । अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं मे हसतापि कदाचन ॥

tadā yūyaṃ punaḥ sarvāḥ svaṃ rūpaṃ pratipatsyatha | anṛtaṃ noktapūrvaṃ me hasatāpi kadācana

then you will all regain your own forms. Never before have I spoken a lie, not even in jest.

Verse 11 (1.237.11)

तानि सर्वाणि तीर्थानि ततः प्रभृति चैव ह । नारीतीर्थानि नाम्नेह ख्यातिं यास्यन्ति सर्वशः । पुण्यानि च भविष्यन्ति पावनानि मनीषिणां ॥

tāni sarvāṇi tīrthāni tataḥ prabhṛti caiva ha | nārītīrthāni nāmneha khyātiṃ yāsyanti sarvaśaḥ | puṇyāni ca bhaviṣyanti pāvanāni manīṣiṇāṃ

And from then on all those fords will be renowned everywhere by the name "the Women's Fords", and they will be holy and purifying for the wise.'

Verse 12 (1.237.12)

ततोऽभिवाद्य तं विप्रं कृत्वा चापि प्रदक्षिणम् । अचिन्तयामोऽपसृत्य तस्माद्देशात्सुदुःखिताः ॥

tato'bhivādya taṃ vipraṃ kṛtvā cāpi pradakṣiṇam | acintayāmo'pasṛtya tasmāddeśātsuduḥkhitāḥ

Then, bowing to that brahmin and walking around him reverently, we went away from that place in deep sorrow and thought:

Verse 13 (1.237.13)

क्व नु नाम वयं सर्वाः कालेनाल्पेन तं नरम् । समागच्छेम यो नस्तद्रूपमापादयेत्पुनः ॥

kva nu nāma vayaṃ sarvāḥ kālenālpena taṃ naram | samāgacchema yo nastadrūpamāpādayetpunaḥ

'Where, in a short time, might we all meet the man who will restore to us our own form?'

Verse 14 (1.237.14)

ता वयं चिन्तयित्वैव मुहूर्तादिव भारत । दृष्टवत्यो महाभागं देवर्षिमुत नारदम् ॥

tā vayaṃ cintayitvaiva muhūrtādiva bhārata | dṛṣṭavatyo mahābhāgaṃ devarṣimuta nāradam

As we were thinking this, O Bharata, within a moment we saw the illustrious divine sage Narada.

Verse 15 (1.237.15)

संप्रहृष्टाः स्म तं दृष्ट्वा देवर्षिममितद्युतिम् । अभिवाद्य च तं पार्थ स्थिताः स्म व्रीडिताननाः ॥

saṃprahṛṣṭāḥ sma taṃ dṛṣṭvā devarṣimamitadyutim | abhivādya ca taṃ pārtha sthitāḥ sma vrīḍitānanāḥ

Overjoyed at the sight of that divine sage of boundless splendour, we bowed to him, O Partha, and stood with downcast faces.

Verse 16 (1.237.16)

स नोऽपृच्छद्दुःखमूलमुक्तवत्यो वयं च तम् । श्रुत्वा तत्र यथावृत्तमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

sa no'pṛcchadduḥkhamūlamuktavatyo vayaṃ ca tam | śrutvā tatra yathāvṛttamidaṃ vacanamabravīt

He asked us the cause of our grief, and we told him. Hearing there what had happened, he spoke these words:

Note on the text: Corrected श्रउत्वा → श्रुत्वा (misprint in Wikisource; a stray independent vowel; the critical edition reads śrutvā).

Verse 17 (1.237.17)

दक्षिणे सागरानूपे पञ्च तीर्थानि सन्ति वै । पुण्यानि रमणीयानि तानि गच्छत मा चिरं ॥

dakṣiṇe sāgarānūpe pañca tīrthāni santi vai | puṇyāni ramaṇīyāni tāni gacchata mā ciraṃ

'On the southern seaboard there are five sacred fords, holy and lovely. Go to them without delay.

Verse 18 (1.237.18)

तत्राशु पुरुषव्याघ्रः पाण्डवेयो धनञ्जयः । मोक्षयिष्यति शुद्धात्मा दुःखादस्मान्न संशयः ॥

tatrāśu puruṣavyāghraḥ pāṇḍaveyo dhanañjayaḥ | mokṣayiṣyati śuddhātmā duḥkhādasmānna saṃśayaḥ

There Dhananjaya, the tiger among men, the son of Pandu, pure of soul, will soon free you from your misery; there is no doubt of it.'

Verse 19 (1.237.19)

इत्युक्त्वा नारदः सर्वास्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । तस्य सर्वा वयं वीर श्रुत्वा वाक्यमितो गताः । तदिदं सत्यमेवाद्य मोक्षिताहं त्वयाऽनघ ॥

ityuktvā nāradaḥ sarvāstatraivāntaradhīyata | tasya sarvā vayaṃ vīra śrutvā vākyamito gatāḥ | tadidaṃ satyamevādya mokṣitāhaṃ tvayā'nagha

Having said this to us all, Narada vanished on the spot. Hearing his words, O hero, we all came here; and today it has come true, for I have been set free by you, O sinless one.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (a backtick and a quote mark) around line 1. Line 1 is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; apparatus *2042); lines 2–3 correspond to the critical edition 1.209.19.

Verse 20 (1.237.20)

एतास्तु मम ताः सख्यश्चतस्रोऽन्या जले श्रिताः । कुरु कर्म शुभं वीर एताः सर्वा विमोक्षय ॥

etāstu mama tāḥ sakhyaścatasro'nyā jale śritāḥ | kuru karma śubhaṃ vīra etāḥ sarvā vimokṣaya

But these four friends of mine are still in the water. Do a good deed, O hero, and set them all free."

Verse 21 (1.237.21)

ततस्ताः पाण्डवश्रेष्ठः सर्वा एव विशांपते । अवगाह्य च तत्तीर्थं गृहीतो ग्राहिभिस्तदा ॥

tatastāḥ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭhaḥ sarvā eva viśāṃpate | avagāhya ca tattīrthaṃ gṛhīto grāhibhistadā

Then, O lord of the people, the best of the Pandavas freed them all: plunging into each ford, he was seized by the crocodiles there,

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (backtick) at the start of line 2. Line 1 corresponds to the critical edition 1.209.21ab; line 2 is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). The sentence runs on to verse 23.

Verse 22 (1.237.22)

ग्राहीभिश्चोत्तताराशु तारयामास तत्क्षणात् । सा चाप्सरा बभूवाशु सर्वाभरणभूषिता ॥

grāhībhiścottatārāśu tārayāmāsa tatkṣaṇāt | sā cāpsarā babhūvāśu sarvābharaṇabhūṣitā

and he quickly came up out of the water with the crocodiles, bringing each one across at that very moment; and each at once became an apsara, adorned with every ornament.

Note on the text: Corrected तरयामास → तारयामास (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign; the causative "brought across" is तारयामास). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 23 (1.237.23)

एवं क्रमेण ताः सर्वा मोक्षयामास वीर्यवान् ॥

evaṃ krameṇa tāḥ sarvā mokṣayāmāsa vīryavān

In this way, one after another, the valiant hero freed them all.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (a doubled danda and a quote mark) at the end of the line. A single line in Wikisource; not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension), though its close echoes 1.209.21d (mokṣayām āsa vīryavān).

Verse 24 (1.237.24)

उत्थाय च जलात्तस्मात्प्रतिलभ्य वपुः स्वकम् । तास्तदाऽप्सरसो राजन्नदृश्यन्त यथा पुरा ॥

utthāya ca jalāttasmātpratilabhya vapuḥ svakam | tāstadā'psaraso rājannadṛśyanta yathā purā

Rising from the water and regaining their own bodies, the apsaras then appeared as they had been before, O king.

Verse 25 (1.237.25)

तीर्थानि शोधयित्वा तु तथानुज्ञाय ताः प्रभुः । चित्राङ्गदां पुनर्द्रष्टुं मणलूरं पुनर्ययौ ॥

tīrthāni śodhayitvā tu tathānujñāya tāḥ prabhuḥ | citrāṅgadāṃ punardraṣṭuṃ maṇalūraṃ punaryayau

Having cleansed the fords and given the apsaras leave to go, the lord went back to Manalura to see Chitrangada again.

Verse 26 (1.237.26)

तस्यामजनयत्पुत्रं राजानं बभ्रुवाहनम् । तं दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवो राजंश्चित्रवाहनमब्रवीत् ॥

tasyāmajanayatputraṃ rājānaṃ babhruvāhanam | taṃ dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavo rājaṃścitravāhanamabravīt

On her he begot a son, King Babhruvahana. Seeing him, O king, the Pandava said to Chitravahana:

Note on the text: Line 1 and the first half of line 2 correspond to the critical edition 1.209.24abc; the close of line 2 (चित्रवाहनमब्रवीत्) and the passage that follows, to verse 36, are not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition gives them only in its apparatus, Appendix I, No. 112).

Verse 27 (1.237.27)

चित्राङ्गदायाः शुल्कं त्वं गृहाण बभ्रुवाहनम् । अनेन च भविष्यामि ऋणान्मुक्तो नराधिप ॥

citrāṅgadāyāḥ śulkaṃ tvaṃ gṛhāṇa babhruvāhanam | anena ca bhaviṣyāmi ṛṇānmukto narādhipa

"Take Babhruvahana as the bride-price for Chitrangada. Through him I shall be freed from my debt, O ruler of men."

Note on the text: Speaker: Arjuna's words, without a printed heading. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus (Appendix I, No. 112).

Verse 28 (1.237.28)

चित्राङ्गदां पुनर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्पाण्डुनन्दनः । इहैव भव भद्रं ते वर्धेथा बभ्रुवाहनम् ॥

citrāṅgadāṃ punarvākyamabravītpāṇḍunandanaḥ | ihaiva bhava bhadraṃ te vardhethā babhruvāhanam

Then the son of Pandu spoke again, to Chitrangada: "Stay here — may all be well with you — and bring up Babhruvahana.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus (Appendix I, No. 112).

Verse 29 (1.237.29)

इन्द्रप्रस्थनिवासं मे त्वं तत्रागत्य रंस्यसि । कुन्तीं युधिष्ठिरं भीमं भ्रातरौ मे कनीयसौ ॥

indraprasthanivāsaṃ me tvaṃ tatrāgatya raṃsyasi | kuntīṃ yudhiṣṭhiraṃ bhīmaṃ bhrātarau me kanīyasau

You will come to Indraprastha, where I live, and be happy there. Kunti, Yudhishthira, Bhima, and my two younger brothers

Note on the text: Speaker: Arjuna's words, without a printed heading. Corrected इन्द्रपस्थ → इन्द्रप्रस्थ (misprint in Wikisource; dropped र्) and कुन्ती → कुन्तीं (misprint in Wikisource; Kunti is the object of पश्येथाः in the next verse, as are Yudhishthira and Bhima; the apparatus reads kuntīṃ). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus (Appendix I, No. 112).

Verse 30 (1.237.30)

आगत्य तत्र पश्येथा अन्यानपि च बान्धवान् । बान्धवैः सहिता सर्वैर्नन्दसे त्वमनिन्दिते ॥

āgatya tatra paśyethā anyānapi ca bāndhavān | bāndhavaiḥ sahitā sarvairnandase tvamanindite

and other kinsmen too, you will see when you come there; and in the company of all your kin you will rejoice, O blameless one.

Note on the text: Speaker: Arjuna's words, without a printed heading. Corrected सहिताः → सहिता (misprint in Wikisource; the word refers to Chitrangada alone and must be singular; the apparatus reads sahitā). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus (Appendix I, No. 112).

Verse 31 (1.237.31)

धर्मे स्थितः सत्यधृतिः कौन्तेयोऽथ युधिष्ठिरः । जित्वा तु पृथिवीं सर्वां राजसूयं करिष्यति ॥

dharme sthitaḥ satyadhṛtiḥ kaunteyo'tha yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | jitvā tu pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ rājasūyaṃ kariṣyati

Firm in dharma and steadfast in truth, Kunti's son Yudhishthira will conquer the whole earth and perform the Rajasuya sacrifice.

Note on the text: Speaker: Arjuna's words, without a printed heading. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus (Appendix I, No. 112).

Verse 32 (1.237.32)

तत्रागच्छन्ति राजानः पृथिव्यां नृपसंज्ञिताः । बहूनि रत्नान्यादाय आगमिष्यति ते पिता ॥

tatrāgacchanti rājānaḥ pṛthivyāṃ nṛpasaṃjñitāḥ | bahūni ratnānyādāya āgamiṣyati te pitā

To it will come the rulers of the earth who bear the name of king; and your father too will come, bringing many jewels.

Note on the text: Speaker: Arjuna's words, without a printed heading. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus (Appendix I, No. 112).

Verse 33 (1.237.33)

एकसार्थं प्रयातासि चित्रवाहनसेवया । द्रक्ष्यामि राजसूये त्वां पुत्रं पालय मा शुचः ॥

ekasārthaṃ prayātāsi citravāhanasevayā | drakṣyāmi rājasūye tvāṃ putraṃ pālaya mā śucaḥ

You will travel in the same company, attending on Chitravahana. I shall see you at the Rajasuya. Look after our son, and do not grieve.

Note on the text: Speaker: Arjuna's words, without a printed heading. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus (Appendix I, No. 112).

Verse 34 (1.237.34)

बभ्रुवाहननाम्ना तु मम प्राणो बहिश्चरः । तस्माद्भरस्व पुत्रं वै पुरुषं वंशवर्धनम् ॥

babhruvāhananāmnā tu mama prāṇo bahiścaraḥ | tasmādbharasva putraṃ vai puruṣaṃ vaṃśavardhanam

In the one named Babhruvahana my very life moves outside my body. So bring up our son, a man who will make the line prosper,

Note on the text: Speaker: Arjuna's words, without a printed heading. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus (Appendix I, No. 112).

Verse 35 (1.237.35)

चित्रवाहनदायादं धर्मात्पौरवनन्दनम् । पाण्डवानां प्रियं पुत्रं तस्मात्पालय सर्वदा ॥

citravāhanadāyādaṃ dharmātpauravanandanam | pāṇḍavānāṃ priyaṃ putraṃ tasmātpālaya sarvadā

Chitravahana's heir, by dharma a joy to the Pauravas, the beloved son of the Pandavas — therefore guard him always.

Note on the text: Speaker: Arjuna's words, without a printed heading. Corrected चित्रावाहन → चित्रवाहन (misprint in Wikisource; the king's name is चित्रवाहन throughout; the apparatus reads citravāhana-). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus (Appendix I, No. 112).

Verse 36 (1.237.36)

विप्रयोगेण संतापं मा कृथास्त्वमनिन्दिते । चित्राङ्गदामेवमुक्त्वा सागरानूपमाश्रितः ॥

viprayogeṇa saṃtāpaṃ mā kṛthāstvamanindite | citrāṅgadāmevamuktvā sāgarānūpamāśritaḥ

Do not let our separation torment you, O blameless one." Having spoken thus to Chitrangada, he made for the seaboard,

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (backtick) inside line 2. Line 1 closes Arjuna's speech; line 2 is narration. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus (Appendix I, No. 112).

Verse 37 (1.237.37)

स्थानं दूरं समाप्लुत्य दत्त्वा बहुधनं तदा । केरलान्समतिक्रम्य गोकर्णमभितोऽगमत् ॥

sthānaṃ dūraṃ samāplutya dattvā bahudhanaṃ tadā | keralānsamatikramya gokarṇamabhito'gamat

and after bathing at a far-off holy place and giving away much wealth, he passed beyond the Keralas and went to Gokarna,

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki quote mark inside line 2. Only the closing words गोकर्णमभितोऽगमत् correspond to the critical edition (1.209.24d); the rest of the verse is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 38 (1.237.38)

आद्यं पशुपतेः स्थानं दर्शनादेव मुक्तिदम् । यत्र पापोऽपि मनुजः प्राप्नोत्यभयदं पदम् ॥

ādyaṃ paśupateḥ sthānaṃ darśanādeva muktidam | yatra pāpo'pi manujaḥ prāpnotyabhayadaṃ padam

the first seat of Pashupati, which grants liberation by the mere sight of it, where even a sinful man reaches the state that is free from fear.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus (*2043).