The Pandavas Enter the Dvaita Forest

Verse 1 (3.24.1)

ततस्तेषु प्रयातेषु कौन्तेयः सत्यसंगरः । अभ्यभाषत धर्मात्मा भ्रातॄन्सर्वान्युधिष्ठिरः ॥

tatasteṣu prayāteṣu kaunteyaḥ satyasaṃgaraḥ | abhyabhāṣata dharmātmā bhrātṝnsarvānyudhiṣṭhiraḥ

When they had gone, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, true to his word and righteous in spirit, spoke to all his brothers:

Verse 2 (3.24.2)

द्वादशेमाः समाऽस्माभिर्वस्तव्यं निर्जने वने । समीक्षध्वं महारण्ये देशं बहुमृगद्विजम् ॥

dvādaśemāḥ samā'smābhirvastavyaṃ nirjane vane | samīkṣadhvaṃ mahāraṇye deśaṃ bahumṛgadvijam

"For these twelve years we must live in the lonely forest. Look out in the great wilderness for a place full of game and birds,"

Verse 3 (3.24.3)

बहुपुष्पफलं रम्यं शिवं पुण्यजनोचितम् । यत्रेमा द्वादश समाः सुखं प्रतिवसेमहि ॥

bahupuṣpaphalaṃ ramyaṃ śivaṃ puṇyajanocitam | yatremā dvādaśa samāḥ sukhaṃ prativasemahi

"rich in flowers and fruit, lovely, auspicious and fit for holy men, where we may live happily for these twelve years."

Verse 4 (3.24.4)

एवमुक्ते प्रत्युवाच धर्मराजं धनंजयः । गुरुवन्मानववरं मानयित्वा मनस्विनम् ॥

evamukte pratyuvāca dharmarājaṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ | guruvanmānavavaraṃ mānayitvā manasvinam

When he had said this, Dhananjaya answered the King of Dharma, honouring that high-minded best of men as one honours a teacher:

Verse 5 (3.24.5)

भवानेव महर्षीणां वृद्धानां पर्युपासिता । अज्ञातं मानुषे लोके भवतो नास्ति किंचन ॥

bhavāneva maharṣīṇāṃ vṛddhānāṃ paryupāsitā | ajñātaṃ mānuṣe loke bhavato nāsti kiṃcana

"You yourself have waited on the great and aged seers; there is nothing in the world of men that you do not know."

Verse 6 (3.24.6)

त्वया ह्युपासिता नित्यं ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः । द्वैपायनप्रभृतयो नारदश्च महातपाः ॥

tvayā hyupāsitā nityaṃ brāhmaṇā vedapāragāḥ | dvaipāyanaprabhṛtayo nāradaśca mahātapāḥ

"You have always waited on brahmins who have mastered the Vedas — Dvaipayana and the rest, and Narada of great austerity,"

Verse 7 (3.24.7)

यः सर्वलोकद्वाराणि नित्यं संचरते वशी । देवलोकाद्ब्रह्मलोकं गन्धर्वाप्सरसामपि ॥

yaḥ sarvalokadvārāṇi nityaṃ saṃcarate vaśī | devalokādbrahmalokaṃ gandharvāpsarasāmapi

"who, master of himself, passes ever through the gates of all the worlds, from the world of the gods to the world of Brahma, and to that of the gandharvas and apsarases too."

Verse 8 (3.24.8)

अनुभावांश्च जानासि ब्राह्मणानां न संशयः । प्रभावांश्चैव वेत्थ त्वं सर्वेषामेव पार्थिव ॥

anubhāvāṃśca jānāsi brāhmaṇānāṃ na saṃśayaḥ | prabhāvāṃścaiva vettha tvaṃ sarveṣāmeva pārthiva

"You know the judgments of the brahmins beyond any doubt, and you know the powers of them all, O king."

Verse 9 (3.24.9)

त्वमेव राजञ्जानासि श्रेयःकारणमेव च । यत्रेच्छसि महाराज निवासं तत्र कुर्महे ॥

tvameva rājañjānāsi śreyaḥkāraṇameva ca | yatrecchasi mahārāja nivāsaṃ tatra kurmahe

"You alone, O king, know what leads to our good. Wherever you wish, great king, there we shall make our home."

Note on the text: Corrected कुंर्महे → कुर्महे (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara; the critical edition reads kurmahe).

Verse 10 (3.24.10)

इदं द्वैतवनं नाम सरः पुण्यजनोषितम् । बहुपुष्पफलं रम्यं नानाद्विजनिषेवितम् ॥

idaṃ dvaitavanaṃ nāma saraḥ puṇyajanoṣitam | bahupuṣpaphalaṃ ramyaṃ nānādvijaniṣevitam

"Here is the lake called Dvaitavana, holy, the home of virtuous folk, rich in flowers and fruit, lovely, and haunted by many kinds of birds."

Verse 11 (3.24.11)

अत्रेमा द्वादश समा विहरेमेति रोचये । यदि तेऽनुमतं राजन्किमन्यन्मन्यते भवान् ॥

atremā dvādaśa samā viharemeti rocaye | yadi te'numataṃ rājankimanyanmanyate bhavān

"It is my wish that we spend these twelve years here, if you approve, O king — or do you have something else in mind?"

Verse 12 (3.24.12)

ममाप्येतन्मतं पार्थ त्वया यत्समुदाहृतम् । गच्छामः पुण्यविख्यातं महद्द्वैतवनं सरः ॥

mamāpyetanmataṃ pārtha tvayā yatsamudāhṛtam | gacchāmaḥ puṇyavikhyātaṃ mahaddvaitavanaṃ saraḥ

"What you have said, Partha, is my view too. Let us go to the great lake of Dvaitavana, famed for its holiness."

Verse 13 (3.24.13)

ततस्ते प्रययुः सर्वे पाण्डवा धर्मचारिणः । ब्राह्मणैर्बहुभिः सार्धं पुण्यं द्वैतवनं सरः ॥

tataste prayayuḥ sarve pāṇḍavā dharmacāriṇaḥ | brāhmaṇairbahubhiḥ sārdhaṃ puṇyaṃ dvaitavanaṃ saraḥ

Then all the Pandavas, who walked in dharma, set out with many brahmins for the holy lake of Dvaitavana —

Verse 14 (3.24.14)

ब्राह्मणाः साग्निहोत्राश्च तथैव च निरग्नयः । स्वाध्यायिनो भिक्षवश्च तथैव वनवासिनः ॥

brāhmaṇāḥ sāgnihotrāśca tathaiva ca niragnayaḥ | svādhyāyino bhikṣavaśca tathaiva vanavāsinaḥ

brahmins who kept the sacred fires and those who kept none, students of the Veda, mendicants, and forest-dwellers too.

Verse 15 (3.24.15)

बहवो ब्राह्मणास्तत्र परिवव्रुर्युधिष्ठिरम् । तपस्विनः सत्यशीलाः शतशः संशितव्रताः ॥

bahavo brāhmaṇāstatra parivavruryudhiṣṭhiram | tapasvinaḥ satyaśīlāḥ śataśaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ

Many brahmins gathered around Yudhishthira there — ascetics, truthful by nature, firm in their vows, by the hundreds.

Verse 16 (3.24.16)

ते यात्वा पाण्डवास्तत्र ब्राह्मणैर्बहुभिः सह । पुण्यं द्वैतवनं रम्यं विविशुर्भरतर्षभाः ॥

te yātvā pāṇḍavāstatra brāhmaṇairbahubhiḥ saha | puṇyaṃ dvaitavanaṃ ramyaṃ viviśurbharatarṣabhāḥ

Going there with many brahmins, the Pandavas, bulls of the Bharatas, entered the holy and lovely Dvaitavana.

Note on the text: Corrected बरतर्षभाः → भरतर्षभाः (misprint in Wikisource; ब for भ; the critical edition reads bharatarṣabhāḥ). Also restored a word space (तत्रब्राह्मणैः → तत्र ब्राह्मणैः).

Verse 17 (3.24.17)

तत्सालतालाम्रमधूकनीप- । कदम्बसर्जार्जुनकर्णिकारैः । तपात्यये पुष्पधरैरुपेतं । महावनं राष्ट्रपतिर्ददर्श ॥

tatsālatālāmramadhūkanīpa- | kadambasarjārjunakarṇikāraiḥ | tapātyaye puṣpadharairupetaṃ | mahāvanaṃ rāṣṭrapatirdadarśa

The lord of the realm beheld that great forest, full at the close of the hot season of flowering sala, palmyra, mango, madhuka, nipa, kadamba, sarja, arjuna and karnikara trees.

Verse 18 (3.24.18)

महाद्रुमाणां शिखरेषु तस्थु- । र्मनोरमां वाचमुदीरयन्तः । मयूरदात्यूहचकोरसङ्घा- । स्तस्मिन्वने बर्हिणकोकिलाश्च ॥

mahādrumāṇāṃ śikhareṣu tasthu- | rmanoramāṃ vācamudīrayantaḥ | mayūradātyūhacakorasaṅghā- | stasminvane barhiṇakokilāśca

On the tops of the great trees perched flocks of peacocks, datyuhas and chakoras, uttering charming calls, and in that forest there were peafowl and cuckoos too.

Verse 19 (3.24.19)

करेणुयूथैः सह यूथपानां । मदोत्कटानामचलप्रभाणाम् । महान्ति यूथानि महाद्विपानां । तस्मिन्वने राष्ट्रपतिर्ददर्श ॥

kareṇuyūthaiḥ saha yūthapānāṃ | madotkaṭānāmacalaprabhāṇām | mahānti yūthāni mahādvipānāṃ | tasminvane rāṣṭrapatirdadarśa

In that forest the lord of the realm saw great herds of mighty elephants, with herd-leaders in rut, huge as mountains, among their herds of cow-elephants.

Verse 20 (3.24.20)

मनोरमां भोगवतीमुपेत्य । पूतात्मनां चीरजटाधराणाम् । तस्मिन्वने धर्मभृतां निवासे । ददर्श सिद्धर्षिगणाननेकान् ॥

manoramāṃ bhogavatīmupetya | pūtātmanāṃ cīrajaṭādharāṇām | tasminvane dharmabhṛtāṃ nivāse | dadarśa siddharṣigaṇānanekān

Coming to the lovely Bhogavati, he saw in that forest, the dwelling-place of the upholders of dharma, many hosts of siddhas and seers, pure in spirit, wearing bark garments and matted hair.

Verse 21 (3.24.21)

ततः स यानादवरुह्य राजा । सभ्रातृकः सजनः काननं तत् । विवेश धर्मात्मवतां वरिष्ठ- । स्त्रिविष्टपं शक्र इवामितौजाः ॥

tataḥ sa yānādavaruhya rājā | sabhrātṛkaḥ sajanaḥ kānanaṃ tat | viveśa dharmātmavatāṃ variṣṭha- | striviṣṭapaṃ śakra ivāmitaujāḥ

Then the king, best of the righteous, got down from his carriage and entered that forest with his brothers and his people, like Shakra of boundless might entering heaven.

Note on the text: Corrected बरिष्ठः → वरिष्ठः (misprint in Wikisource; ब for व; the critical edition reads variṣṭhas).

Verse 22 (3.24.22)

तं सत्यसन्धं सहिताऽभिपेतु- । र्दिदृक्षवश्चारणसिद्धसङ्घाः । वनौकसश्चापि नरेन्द्रसिंहं । मनस्विनं तं परिवार्य तस्थुः ॥

taṃ satyasandhaṃ sahitā'bhipetu- | rdidṛkṣavaścāraṇasiddhasaṅghāḥ | vanaukasaścāpi narendrasiṃhaṃ | manasvinaṃ taṃ parivārya tasthuḥ

Eager to see him, hosts of charanas and siddhas came together to meet that man true to his word, and the forest-dwellers too stood around that high-minded lion among kings.

Note on the text: Corrected नेरन्द्रसिंहं → नरेन्द्रसिंहं (misprint in Wikisource; vowel sign misplaced; the critical edition reads narendrasiṃhaṃ). परिवार्य for saṃparivārya is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 23 (3.24.23)

स तत्र वृद्धानभिवाद्य सर्वान् । प्रत्यर्चितो राजवद्देववच्च । विवेश सर्वैः सहितो द्विजाग्र्यैः । कृताञ्जलिर्धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठः ॥

sa tatra vṛddhānabhivādya sarvān | pratyarcito rājavaddevavacca | viveśa sarvaiḥ sahito dvijāgryaiḥ | kṛtāñjalirdharmabhṛtāṃ variṣṭhaḥ

There he saluted all the elders and was honoured in return as a king and as a god; and the best of the upholders of dharma went in, with all the foremost brahmins, his palms joined.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (तत्रवृद्धान् → तत्र वृद्धान्). वृद्धान् for the critical edition's siddhān is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 24 (3.24.24)

स पुण्यशीलः पितृवन्महात्मा । तपस्विभिर्धर्मपरैरुपेत्य । प्रत्यर्चितः पुष्पधरस्य मूले । महाद्रुमस्योपविवेश राजा ॥

sa puṇyaśīlaḥ pitṛvanmahātmā | tapasvibhirdharmaparairupetya | pratyarcitaḥ puṣpadharasya mūle | mahādrumasyopaviveśa rājā

That great-souled king, virtuous in conduct, honoured as a father by the ascetics devoted to dharma who came to him, sat down at the foot of a great flowering tree.

Note on the text: Corrected तपस्विभिर्मपरैः → तपस्विभिर्धर्मपरैः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara; मपर is not a word and the pada is a syllable short; the critical edition reads dharmaparair).

Verse 25 (3.24.25)

भीमश्च कृष्णा च धनंजयश्च । यमौ च ते चानुचरा नरेन्द्रम् । विमुच्य वाहानवशाश्च सर्वे । तत्रोपतस्थुर्भरतप्रबर्हाः ॥

bhīmaśca kṛṣṇā ca dhanaṃjayaśca | yamau ca te cānucarā narendram | vimucya vāhānavaśāśca sarve | tatropatasthurbharataprabarhāḥ

Bhima, Krishnaa and Dhananjaya, the twins and their followers — all those foremost of the Bharatas unyoked their horses and, submissive to the king, waited on him there.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (विमुच्यवाहान् → विमुच्य वाहान्). अवशाः for the critical edition's avaruhya is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 26 (3.24.26)

लतावतानावनतः स पाण्डवै- । र्महाद्रुमः पञ्चभिरेव धन्विभिः । बभौ निवासोपगतैर्महात्मभि- । र्महागिरिर्वारणयूथपैरिव ॥

latāvatānāvanataḥ sa pāṇḍavai- | rmahādrumaḥ pañcabhireva dhanvibhiḥ | babhau nivāsopagatairmahātmabhi- | rmahāgirirvāraṇayūthapairiva

Bowed down by its curtains of creepers, that great tree, with the five great-souled Pandava bowmen come to dwell beneath it, shone like a great mountain with lordly elephants.