The Return Journey to Dvaitavana

Verse 1 (3.179.1)

नगोत्तमं प्रस्रवणैरुपेतं । दिशां गजैः किन्नरपक्षिभिश्च । सुखं निवासं जहतां हि तेषां । न प्रीतिरासीद्भरतर्षभाणाम् ॥

nagottamaṃ prasravaṇairupetaṃ | diśāṃ gajaiḥ kinnarapakṣibhiśca | sukhaṃ nivāsaṃ jahatāṃ hi teṣāṃ | na prītirāsīdbharatarṣabhāṇām

As they gave up their happy dwelling on that best of mountains, with its streams, its elephants of the quarters, its kinnaras and its birds, those bulls of the Bharatas felt no joy.

Verse 2 (3.179.2)

ततस्तु तेषां पुनरेव हर्षः । कैलासमालोक्य महान्बभूव । कुबेरकान्तं भरतर्षभाणां । महीधरं वारिधरप्रकाशम् ॥

tatastu teṣāṃ punareva harṣaḥ | kailāsamālokya mahānbabhūva | kuberakāntaṃ bharatarṣabhāṇāṃ | mahīdharaṃ vāridharaprakāśam

Then once again great joy arose in those bulls of the Bharatas when they beheld Kailasa, the mountain dear to Kubera, shining like a rain-cloud.

Verse 3 (3.179.3)

समुच्छ्रयान्पर्वतसंनिरोधान् । गोष्ठान्हरीणां गिरिगह्वराणि । बहुप्रकाराणि समीक्ष्यवीराः । स्थलानि निम्नानि च तत्र तत्र ॥

samucchrayānparvatasaṃnirodhān | goṣṭhānharīṇāṃ girigahvarāṇi | bahuprakārāṇi samīkṣyavīrāḥ | sthalāni nimnāni ca tatra tatra

Seeing the soaring heights and the close-packed ranges, the haunts of lions and the mountain caverns of many kinds, and the high ground and the low ground here and there, the heroes

Verse 4 (3.179.4)

तथैव चान्यानि महावनानि । मृगद्विजानेकपसेवितानि । आलोकयन्तोऽभिययुः प्रतीता- । स्ते धन्विनः खड्गधरा नराग्र्याः ॥

tathaiva cānyāni mahāvanāni | mṛgadvijānekapasevitāni | ālokayanto'bhiyayuḥ pratītā- | ste dhanvinaḥ khaḍgadharā narāgryāḥ

and likewise other great forests, frequented by deer, birds and elephants, went on gazing about them in good cheer, those foremost of men, archers bearing swords.

Note on the text: Corrected धन्विनाः → धन्विनः (misprint in Wikisource; nominative plural of dhanvin; the critical edition reads dhanvinaḥ) and खङ्ग → खड्ग (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads khaḍga).

Verse 5 (3.179.5)

वनानि रम्याणि नदीः सरांसि । गुहा गिरीणां गिरिगह्वराणि । एते निवासाः सततं बभूवु- । र्निशामुखं प्राप्य नरर्षभाणाम् ॥

vanāni ramyāṇi nadīḥ sarāṃsi | guhā girīṇāṃ girigahvarāṇi | ete nivāsāḥ satataṃ babhūvu- | rniśāmukhaṃ prāpya nararṣabhāṇām

Lovely woods, rivers and lakes, the small caves and the great caverns of the mountains: these were always the lodgings of those bulls among men when nightfall came.

Verse 6 (3.179.6)

ते दुर्गवासं बहुधा निरुष्य । व्यतीत्य कैलासमचिन्त्यरूपम् । आसेदुरत्यर्थमनोरमं ते । तमाश्रमाग्र्यं वृषपर्वणस्तु ॥

te durgavāsaṃ bahudhā niruṣya | vyatītya kailāsamacintyarūpam | āseduratyarthamanoramaṃ te | tamāśramāgryaṃ vṛṣaparvaṇastu

After many nights spent in rugged places, they passed beyond Kailasa of inconceivable form and reached the supremely delightful hermitage of Vrishaparvan.

Verse 7 (3.179.7)

समेत्य राज्ञा वृषपर्वणा ते । प्रत्यर्चितास्तेन च वीतमोहाः । शशंसिरे विस्तरशः प्रवासं । शिवं यथावद्वृषपर्वणस्ते ॥

sametya rājñā vṛṣaparvaṇā te | pratyarcitāstena ca vītamohāḥ | śaśaṃsire vistaraśaḥ pravāsaṃ | śivaṃ yathāvadvṛṣaparvaṇaste

They met King Vrishaparvan and were honoured by him in turn; their minds at ease, they told Vrishaparvan in full and in proper order the happy tale of their travels.

Verse 8 (3.179.8)

सुखोषितास्तस्य त एकरात्रं । पुण्याश्रमे देवमहर्षिजुष्टे । अभ्याययुस्ते बदरीं विशालां । सुखेन वीराः पुनरेव वासम् ॥

sukhoṣitāstasya ta ekarātraṃ | puṇyāśrame devamaharṣijuṣṭe | abhyāyayuste badarīṃ viśālāṃ | sukhena vīrāḥ punareva vāsam

Having spent one pleasant night in his holy hermitage, frequented by gods and great seers, the heroes came back with ease to broad Badari, to dwell there once more.

Verse 9 (3.179.9)

ऊषुस्ततस्तत्र महानुभावा । नारायणस्थानगताः समग्राः । कुबेरकान्तां नलिनीं विशोकाः । संपश्यमानाः सुरसिद्धजुष्टाम् ॥

ūṣustatastatra mahānubhāvā | nārāyaṇasthānagatāḥ samagrāḥ | kuberakāntāṃ nalinīṃ viśokāḥ | saṃpaśyamānāḥ surasiddhajuṣṭām

Then those great-spirited men all lived there, at the abode of Narayana, free from sorrow, gazing on Kubera's beloved lotus lake, frequented by gods and Siddhas.

Verse 10 (3.179.10)

तां चाथ दृष्ट्वा नलिनीं विशोकाः । पाण्डोः सुताः सर्वनरप्रधानाः । ते रेमिरे नन्दनवासमेत्य । द्विजर्षयो वीतमला यथैव ॥

tāṃ cātha dṛṣṭvā nalinīṃ viśokāḥ | pāṇḍoḥ sutāḥ sarvanarapradhānāḥ | te remire nandanavāsametya | dvijarṣayo vītamalā yathaiva

Seeing that lotus lake, the sons of Pandu, foremost of all men, were free of sorrow and took their delight there, like stainless brahmin seers who have come to dwell in Nandana.

Verse 11 (3.179.11)

ततः क्रमेणोपययुर्नृवीरा । यथागतेनैव पथा समग्राः । विहृत्य मासं सुखिनो बदर्यां । किरातराज्ञो विषयं सुबाहोः ॥

tataḥ krameṇopayayurnṛvīrā | yathāgatenaiva pathā samagrāḥ | vihṛtya māsaṃ sukhino badaryāṃ | kirātarājño viṣayaṃ subāhoḥ

Then, after spending a happy month at Badari, the heroes all went on stage by stage, by the very road they had come, to the realm of Subahu, king of the Kiratas.

Verse 12 (3.179.12)

चीनांस्तुषारान्दरदांश्च सर्वान् । देशान्कुलिन्दस्य च भूरिरम्यान् । अतीत्य दुर्गं हिमवत्प्रदेशं । पुरं सुबाहोर्ददृशुर्नृवीराः ॥

cīnāṃstuṣārāndaradāṃśca sarvān | deśānkulindasya ca bhūriramyān | atītya durgaṃ himavatpradeśaṃ | puraṃ subāhordadṛśurnṛvīrāḥ

Passing the lands of the Chinas, the Tusharas and the Daradas, all of them, and the rich and lovely countries of the Kulinda, and crossing the hard country of the Himalaya, the heroes came in sight of Subahu's city.

Verse 13 (3.179.13)

श्रुत्वा च तान्पार्थिव पुत्रपौत्रा- । न्प्राप्तान्सुबाहुर्विषये समग्रान् । प्रत्युद्ययौ प्रीतियुतः स राजा । तं चाभ्यनन्दन्वृषभाः कुरूणाम् ॥

śrutvā ca tānpārthiva putrapautrā- | nprāptānsubāhurviṣaye samagrān | pratyudyayau prītiyutaḥ sa rājā | taṃ cābhyanandanvṛṣabhāḥ kurūṇām

Hearing that the sons and grandsons of the king had all arrived in his realm, King Subahu came out joyfully to meet them, and the bulls of the Kurus greeted him warmly.

Verse 14 (3.179.14)

समेत्य राज्ञा तु सुबाहुना ते । सूतैर्विशोकप्रमुखैश्च सर्वे । सहेन्द्रसेनैः परिचारकैश्च । पौरोगवैर्ये च महानसस्थाः ॥

sametya rājñā tu subāhunā te | sūtairviśokapramukhaiśca sarve | sahendrasenaiḥ paricārakaiśca | paurogavairye ca mahānasasthāḥ

Meeting King Subahu, together with all their charioteers led by Vishoka, with Indrasena and the attendants, the stewards and those who served in the kitchens,

Note on the text: Corrected सुतैः → सूतैः (misprint in Wikisource; Vishoka is a charioteer, and verse 15 speaks of the charioteers; the critical edition reads sūtair), सहेनद्रसेनैः → सहेन्द्रसेनैः (misprint; broken conjunct) and रमहानसस्थाः → महानसस्थाः (misprint; stray र; the critical edition reads mahānasasthāḥ).

Verse 15 (3.179.15)

सुखोषितास्तत्र त एकरात्रं । सूतान्समादाय रथांश्च सर्वान् । घटोत्कचं सानुचरं विसृज्य । ततोऽभ्ययुर्यामुनमद्रिराजम् ॥

sukhoṣitāstatra ta ekarātraṃ | sūtānsamādāya rathāṃśca sarvān | ghaṭotkacaṃ sānucaraṃ visṛjya | tato'bhyayuryāmunamadrirājam

they stayed there pleasantly for one night. Then, taking with them the charioteers and all the chariots, and sending Ghatotkacha away with his followers, they went on to the king of mountains where the Yamuna rises.

Note on the text: Corrected सुखोपितास्तत्रत → सुखोषितास्तत्र त (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष, and the word-break misplaced; the critical edition reads sukhoṣitās tatra ta).

Verse 16 (3.179.16)

तस्मिन्गिरौ प्रस्रवणोपपन्न- । हिमोत्तरीयारुणपाण्डुसानौ । विशाखयूपं समुपेत्य चक्रु- । स्तदा निवासं पुरुषप्रवीराः ॥

tasmingirau prasravaṇopapanna- | himottarīyāruṇapāṇḍusānau | viśākhayūpaṃ samupetya cakru- | stadā nivāsaṃ puruṣapravīrāḥ

On that mountain, rich in springs, whose slopes, red and pale, wear a mantle of snow, those foremost of men reached Vishakhayupa and made their dwelling there.

Verse 17 (3.179.17)

वराहनानामृगपक्षिजुष्टं । महावनं चैत्ररथप्रकाशम् । शिवेन यात्वा मृगयाप्रधानाः । संवत्सरं तत्रवने विजह्रुः ॥

varāhanānāmṛgapakṣijuṣṭaṃ | mahāvanaṃ caitrarathaprakāśam | śivena yātvā mṛgayāpradhānāḥ | saṃvatsaraṃ tatravane vijahruḥ

Arriving happily in that great forest, like Chaitraratha, full of boars and of deer and birds of every kind, they devoted themselves above all to the hunt and spent a year roaming that forest.

Verse 18 (3.179.18)

तत्राससादातिबलं भुजङ्गं । क्षुधार्दितं मृत्युमिवोग्ररूपम् । वृकोदरः पर्वतकन्दरायां । विषादमोहव्यथितान्तरात्मा ॥

tatrāsasādātibalaṃ bhujaṅgaṃ | kṣudhārditaṃ mṛtyumivograrūpam | vṛkodaraḥ parvatakandarāyāṃ | viṣādamohavyathitāntarātmā

There, in a mountain cave, Vrikodara came upon a serpent of immense strength, starving, fierce in form as Death itself, and his inmost self was stricken with despair and bewilderment.

Verse 19 (3.179.19)

द्वीपोऽभवद्यत्र वृकोदरस्य । युधिष्ठिरो धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठः । अमोक्षयद्यस्तमनन्ततेजा । ग्राहेण संवेष्टितसर्वगात्रम् ॥

dvīpo'bhavadyatra vṛkodarasya | yudhiṣṭhiro dharmabhṛtāṃ variṣṭhaḥ | amokṣayadyastamanantatejā | grāheṇa saṃveṣṭitasarvagātram

There Yudhishthira, best of the upholders of dharma, of boundless splendour, became Vrikodara's island of refuge: he freed him when his whole body was wound in the serpent's grip.

Verse 20 (3.179.20)

ते द्वादशं वर्षमथोपयान्तं । वने विहर्तुं कुरवः प्रतीताः । तस्माद्वनाच्चैत्ररथप्रकाशा- । च्छ्रिया ज्वलन्तस्तपसा च युक्ताः ॥

te dvādaśaṃ varṣamathopayāntaṃ | vane vihartuṃ kuravaḥ pratītāḥ | tasmādvanāccaitrarathaprakāśā- | cchriyā jvalantastapasā ca yuktāḥ

Then, to spend in the forest the twelfth year that was now drawing near, the Kurus set out in good heart from that forest like Chaitraratha, blazing with splendour and rich in austerity.

Note on the text: Corrected विहुर्तुं → विहर्तुं (misprint in Wikisource; stray ु; the critical edition reads vihartuṃ).

Verse 21 (3.179.21)

ततश्च यात्वा मरुधन्वपार्श्वं । सदा धनुर्वेदरतिप्रधानाः । सरस्वतीमेत्य निवासकामाः । सरस्ततो द्वैतवनं प्रतीयुः ॥

tataśca yātvā marudhanvapārśvaṃ | sadā dhanurvedaratipradhānāḥ | sarasvatīmetya nivāsakāmāḥ | sarastato dvaitavanaṃ pratīyuḥ

Going along the edge of the desert, ever delighting above all in the science of archery, they came to the Sarasvati wishing to dwell there, and from there went on to the lake of Dvaitavana.

Verse 22 (3.179.22)

समीक्ष्य तान्द्वैतवने निविष्टा- । न्निवासिनस्तत्रततोऽभिजग्मुः । तपोदमाचारसमाधियुक्ता- । स्तृणोदपात्रावरणाश्मकुट्टाः ॥

samīkṣya tāndvaitavane niviṣṭā- | nnivāsinastatratato'bhijagmuḥ | tapodamācārasamādhiyuktā- | stṛṇodapātrāvaraṇāśmakuṭṭāḥ

Seeing them settled in Dvaitavana, the dwellers of that place came to them: men given to austerity, self-restraint, right conduct and meditation, who welcomed guests with grass seats and water-pots, and who pounded their grain with stones.

Note on the text: Corrected समीक्ष् → समीक्ष्य (misprint in Wikisource; final य dropped; the critical edition reads samīkṣya).

Verse 23 (3.179.23)

प्लक्षाक्षरौहीतकवेतसाश्च । तथा बदर्यः खदिराः शिरीषाः । बिल्वेङ्गुदाः पीलुशमीकरीराः । सरस्वतीतीररुहा बभूवुः ॥

plakṣākṣarauhītakavetasāśca | tathā badaryaḥ khadirāḥ śirīṣāḥ | bilveṅgudāḥ pīluśamīkarīrāḥ | sarasvatītīraruhā babhūvuḥ

Plaksha, aksha, rohitaka and cane, jujube, khadira and shirisha, bilva, ingudi, pilu, shami and karira trees grew along the banks of the Sarasvati.

Verse 24 (3.179.24)

तां यक्षगन्धर्वमहर्षिकान्ता- । मावासभूतामिव देवतानाम् । सरस्वतीं प्रीतियुताश्चरन्तः । सुखं विजह्रुर्नरदेवपुत्राः ॥

tāṃ yakṣagandharvamaharṣikāntā- | māvāsabhūtāmiva devatānām | sarasvatīṃ prītiyutāścarantaḥ | sukhaṃ vijahrurnaradevaputrāḥ

Roaming joyfully along the Sarasvati, dear to yakshas, gandharvas and great seers and like a dwelling-place of the gods, the princes delighted in it at their ease.