Krishna Sets Out for Hastinapura

Verse 1 (5.82.1)

कुरूणामद्य सर्वेषां भवान्सुहृदनुत्तमः । संबन्धी दयितो नित्यमुभयोः पक्षयोरपि ॥

kurūṇāmadya sarveṣāṃ bhavānsuhṛdanuttamaḥ | saṃbandhī dayito nityamubhayoḥ pakṣayorapi

Today you are the truest friend of all the Kurus, a kinsman always dear to both sides alike.

Verse 2 (5.82.2)

पाण्डवैर्धार्तराष्ट्राणां प्रतिपाद्यमनामयम् । समर्थः प्रशमं चैव कर्तुमर्हसि केशव ॥

pāṇḍavairdhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ pratipādyamanāmayam | samarthaḥ praśamaṃ caiva kartumarhasi keśava

The welfare of Dhritarashtra's sons must be secured together with the Pandavas'. You are able to bring about peace as well, Keshava, and you ought to do it.

Verse 3 (5.82.3)

त्वमित्तः पुण्डरीकाक्ष सुयोधनममर्षणम् । शान्त्यर्थं भ्रातरं ब्रूया यत्तद्वाच्यममित्रहन् ॥

tvamittaḥ puṇḍarīkākṣa suyodhanamamarṣaṇam | śāntyarthaṃ bhrātaraṃ brūyā yattadvācyamamitrahan

Lotus-eyed one, slayer of foes, go from here to our brother Suyodhana, who cannot bear opposition, and tell him for the sake of peace whatever needs to be said.

Verse 4 (5.82.4)

त्वया धर्मार्थयुक्तं चेदुक्तं शिवमनामयम् । हितं नादास्यते बालो दिष्टस्य वशमेष्यति ॥

tvayā dharmārthayuktaṃ ceduktaṃ śivamanāmayam | hitaṃ nādāsyate bālo diṣṭasya vaśameṣyati

If the foolish one will not accept the beneficial counsel you speak, grounded in dharma and good sense, gracious and wholesome, he will fall into the power of fate.

Verse 5 (5.82.5)

धर्म्यमस्मद्धितं चैव कुरूणां यदनामयम् । एष यास्यामि राजानं धृतराष्ट्रमभीप्सया ॥

dharmyamasmaddhitaṃ caiva kurūṇāṃ yadanāmayam | eṣa yāsyāmi rājānaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭramabhīpsayā

Seeking what is lawful and good for us, and what is wholesome for the Kurus, I shall go to King Dhritarashtra.

Verse 6 (5.82.6)

ततो व्यपेते तमसि सूर्ये विमल उद्गते । मैत्रे मुहूर्ते संप्राप्ते मृद्वर्चिषि दिवाकरे ॥

tato vyapete tamasi sūrye vimala udgate | maitre muhūrte saṃprāpte mṛdvarciṣi divākare

Then, when the darkness had gone and the sun had risen clear, at the auspicious hour called Maitra, while the sun's rays were still mild,

Note on the text: Corrected मद्वर्चिषि → मृद्वर्चिषि (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ृ, the sun's rays still mild; critical edition mṛdvarciṣi).

Verse 7 (5.82.7)

कौमुदे मासि रेवत्यां शरदन्ते हिमागमे । स्फीतसस्यसुखे काले कल्यः सत्ववतां वरः ॥

kaumude māsi revatyāṃ śaradante himāgame | sphītasasyasukhe kāle kalyaḥ satvavatāṃ varaḥ

in the month of Kaumuda (Kartika), under the asterism Revati, at the end of autumn as the cold season was coming on, a pleasant time of abundant crops, Janardana, the best of the strong, in sound health,

Verse 8 (5.82.8)

मङ्गल्याः पुण्यनिर्घोषा वाचः शृण्वंश्च सूनृताः । ब्राह्मणानां प्रतीतानामृषीणामिव वासवः ॥

maṅgalyāḥ puṇyanirghoṣā vācaḥ śṛṇvaṃśca sūnṛtāḥ | brāhmaṇānāṃ pratītānāmṛṣīṇāmiva vāsavaḥ

listening to the auspicious, holy-sounding and gracious words of trusted brahmins, as Vasava (Indra) listens to the words of the seers,

Note on the text: Corrected श्रृण्वंश्च → शृण्वंश्च (misprint in Wikisource; श्रृ for शृ, critical edition śṛṇvaṃś ca).

Verse 9 (5.82.9)

कृत्वा पौर्वाह्णिकं कृत्यं स्नातः शुचिरलङ्कृतः । उपतस्थे विवस्वन्तं पावकं च जनार्दनः ॥

kṛtvā paurvāhṇikaṃ kṛtyaṃ snātaḥ śuciralaṅkṛtaḥ | upatasthe vivasvantaṃ pāvakaṃ ca janārdanaḥ

performed the morning rites, bathed, purified and adorned himself, and worshipped the sun and the fire.

Verse 10 (5.82.10)

ऋषभं पृष्ठ आलभ्य ब्राह्मणानभिवाद्य च । अग्निं प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा पश्यन्कल्याणमग्रतः ॥

ṛṣabhaṃ pṛṣṭha ālabhya brāhmaṇānabhivādya ca | agniṃ pradakṣiṇaṃ kṛtvā paśyankalyāṇamagrataḥ

He touched a bull on its back, saluted the brahmins, walked around the fire keeping it on his right, and looked on the auspicious things set before him.

Verse 11 (5.82.11)

तत्प्रतिज्ञाय वचनं पाण्डवस्य जनार्दनः । शिनेर्नप्तारमासीनमभ्यभाषत सात्यकिम् ॥

tatpratijñāya vacanaṃ pāṇḍavasya janārdanaḥ | śinernaptāramāsīnamabhyabhāṣata sātyakim

Bearing in mind the Pandava's words, Janardana spoke to Satyaki, the grandson of Shini, who was seated nearby:

Verse 12 (5.82.12)

रथ आरोप्यतां शङ्खश्चक्रं च गदया सह । उपासङ्गाश्च शक्त्यश्च सर्वप्रहरणानि च ॥

ratha āropyatāṃ śaṅkhaścakraṃ ca gadayā saha | upāsaṅgāśca śaktyaśca sarvapraharaṇāni ca

"Let the conch, the discus and the mace be placed in the chariot, together with the quivers, the spears and every other weapon.

Note on the text: Speaker set to Krishna: his orders to Satyaki fill the whole verse (introduced by verse 11); Wikisource prints no heading.

Verse 13 (5.82.13)

दुर्योधनश्च दुष्टात्मा कर्णश्च सहसौबलः । न च शत्रुरवज्ञेयो दुर्बलोऽपि बलीयसा ॥

duryodhanaśca duṣṭātmā karṇaśca sahasaubalaḥ | na ca śatruravajñeyo durbalo'pi balīyasā

For Duryodhana is wicked, and so are Karna and the son of Subala with him; and the strong should never scorn an enemy, however weak."

Note on the text: Speaker set to Krishna: his orders to Satyaki fill the whole verse (introduced by verse 11); Wikisource prints no heading. दुर्योधनश्च and दुर्बलोऽपि (CE duryodhano hi, prākṛto 'pi) kept as variants.

Verse 14 (5.82.14)

ततस्तन्मतमाज्ञाय केशवस्य पुरःसराः । प्रसस्रुर्योजयिष्यन्तो रथं चक्रगदाभृतः ॥

tatastanmatamājñāya keśavasya puraḥsarāḥ | prasasruryojayiṣyanto rathaṃ cakragadābhṛtaḥ

Then, learning Keshava's wish, the attendants who went before him hurried off to yoke the chariot of the bearer of discus and mace.

Note on the text: Corrected पुनःसराः → पुरःसराः and प्रसस्त्नुर् → प्रसस्रुर् (misprints in Wikisource; न for र, and a garbled conjunct in the verb 'they hastened'; critical edition puraḥsarāḥ, prasasrur).

Verse 15 (5.82.15)

तं दीप्तमिव कालाग्निमाकाशगमिवाशुगम् । सूर्यचन्द्रप्रकाशाभ्यां चक्राभ्यां समलङ्कृतम् ॥

taṃ dīptamiva kālāgnimākāśagamivāśugam | sūryacandraprakāśābhyāṃ cakrābhyāṃ samalaṅkṛtam

That chariot blazed like the fire of the world's end and was swift as the sun that travels the sky; it was adorned with two wheels shining like the sun and the moon;

Verse 16 (5.82.16)

अर्धचन्द्रैश्च चन्द्रैश्च मत्स्यैः समृगपक्षिभिः । पुष्पैश्च विविधैश्चित्रं मणिरत्नैश्च सर्वशः ॥

ardhacandraiśca candraiśca matsyaiḥ samṛgapakṣibhiḥ | puṣpaiśca vividhaiścitraṃ maṇiratnaiśca sarvaśaḥ

it was decorated all over with half-moons and full moons, with fish, beasts and birds, with flowers of many kinds, and with gems and jewels;

Verse 17 (5.82.17)

तरुणादित्यसङ्काशं बृहन्तं चारुदर्शनम् । मणिहेमविचित्राङ्गं सुध्वजं सुपताकिनम् ॥

taruṇādityasaṅkāśaṃ bṛhantaṃ cārudarśanam | maṇihemavicitrāṅgaṃ sudhvajaṃ supatākinam

it shone like the newly risen sun, large and lovely to look at, its parts inlaid with gems and gold, with a fine banner and fine pennants;

Verse 18 (5.82.18)

सूपस्करमनाधृष्यं वैयाघ्रपरिवारणम् । यशोघ्नं प्रत्यमित्राणां यदूनां नन्दिवर्धनम् ॥

sūpaskaramanādhṛṣyaṃ vaiyāghraparivāraṇam | yaśoghnaṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ yadūnāṃ nandivardhanam

well equipped, unassailable, covered with tiger skins, a destroyer of the fame of enemies and a source of joy to the Yadus.

Verse 19 (5.82.19)

वाजिभिः शैब्यसुग्रीवमेघपुष्पबलाहकैः । स्नातैः संपादयामासुः संपन्नैः सर्वसंपदा ॥

vājibhiḥ śaibyasugrīvameghapuṣpabalāhakaiḥ | snātaiḥ saṃpādayāmāsuḥ saṃpannaiḥ sarvasaṃpadā

They made it ready with the horses Shaibya, Sugriva, Meghapushpa and Balahaka, bathed and furnished with every fine trapping.

Note on the text: Corrected मेधपुष्प- → मेघपुष्प- (misprint in Wikisource; ध for घ in the horse's name Meghapushpa, critical edition meghapuṣpa-). शैब्य (CE sainya) and संपादयामासुः (CE saṃpādayāṃ cakruḥ) kept as variants.

Verse 20 (5.82.20)

महिमानं तु कृष्णस्य भूय एवाभिवर्धयन् । सुघोषः पतगेन्द्रेण ध्वजेन युयुजे रथः ॥

mahimānaṃ tu kṛṣṇasya bhūya evābhivardhayan | sughoṣaḥ patagendreṇa dhvajena yuyuje rathaḥ

Further enhancing Krishna's majesty, the loud-rumbling chariot was fitted with a banner bearing the king of birds (Garuda).

Verse 21 (5.82.21)

तं मेरुशिखरप्रख्यं मेघदुन्दुभिनिस्वनम् । आरुरोह रथं शौरिर्विमानमिव कामगम् ॥

taṃ meruśikharaprakhyaṃ meghadundubhinisvanam | āruroha rathaṃ śaurirvimānamiva kāmagam

Shauri (Krishna) mounted that chariot, tall as the peak of Meru and rumbling like clouds and kettledrums, as one mounts a celestial car that goes wherever it wills.

Note on the text: Corrected सौरिर् → शौरिर् (misprint in Wikisource; स for श — Krishna is Shauri, the descendant of Shura, while सौरि is a son of the Sun; critical edition śaurir). कामगम् (CE puṇyakṛt) kept as a variant.

Verse 22 (5.82.22)

ततः सात्यकिमारोप्य प्रययौ पुरुषोत्तमः । पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षं च रथघोषेण नादयन् ॥

tataḥ sātyakimāropya prayayau puruṣottamaḥ | pṛthivīṃ cāntarikṣaṃ ca rathaghoṣeṇa nādayan

Then, taking Satyaki up with him, the Supreme Person set out, filling the earth and the sky with the roar of his chariot.

Verse 23 (5.82.23)

व्यपोढाभ्रस्ततः कालः क्षणेन समपद्यत । शिवश्चानुववौ वायुः प्रशान्तमभवद्रजः ॥

vyapoḍhābhrastataḥ kālaḥ kṣaṇena samapadyata | śivaścānuvavau vāyuḥ praśāntamabhavadrajaḥ

In a moment the sky was cleared of clouds; a gentle wind blew after him and the dust was stilled.

Verse 24 (5.82.24)

प्रदक्षिणानुलोमाश्च मङ्गल्या मृगपक्षिणः । प्रयाणे वासुदेवस्य बभूवुरनुयायिनः ॥

pradakṣiṇānulomāśca maṅgalyā mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ | prayāṇe vāsudevasya babhūvuranuyāyinaḥ

Auspicious beasts and birds, moving to his right and in his own direction, followed Vasudeva on his journey.

Verse 25 (5.82.25)

मङ्गल्यार्थप्रदैः शब्दैरन्ववर्तन्त सर्वशः । सारसाः शतपत्राश्च हंसाश्च मधुसूदनम् ॥

maṅgalyārthapradaiḥ śabdairanvavartanta sarvaśaḥ | sārasāḥ śatapatrāśca haṃsāśca madhusūdanam

Sarus cranes, shatapatra birds and swans followed Madhusudana on every side with cries that promised good fortune.

Verse 26 (5.82.26)

मन्त्राहुतिमहाहोमैर्हूयमानश्च पावकः । प्रदक्षिणशिखो भूत्वा विधूमः समपद्यत ॥

mantrāhutimahāhomairhūyamānaśca pāvakaḥ | pradakṣiṇaśikho bhūtvā vidhūmaḥ samapadyata

The fire, fed with mantras, offerings and great oblations, turned its flame to the right and burned without smoke.

Verse 27 (5.82.27)

वसिष्ठो वामदेवश्च भूरिद्युम्नो गयः क्रथः । शुकनारदवाल्मीका मरुत्तः कुशिको भृगुः ॥

vasiṣṭho vāmadevaśca bhūridyumno gayaḥ krathaḥ | śukanāradavālmīkā maruttaḥ kuśiko bhṛguḥ

Vasishtha, Vamadeva, Bhuridyumna, Gaya, Kratha, Shuka, Narada, Valmiki, Marutta, Kushika and Bhrigu,

Verse 28 (5.82.28)

देवब्रह्मर्षयश्चैव कृष्णं यदुसुखावहम् । प्रदक्षिणमवर्तन्त सहिता वासवानुजम् ॥

devabrahmarṣayaścaiva kṛṣṇaṃ yadusukhāvaham | pradakṣiṇamavartanta sahitā vāsavānujam

and the divine seers and brahmin seers, all together, walked around Krishna, the bringer of joy to the Yadus and the younger brother of Vasava (Indra), keeping him on their right.

Verse 29 (5.82.29)

एवमेतैर्महाभागैर्महर्षिगणसाधुभिः । पूजितः प्रययौ कृष्णः कुरूणां सदनं प्रति ॥

evametairmahābhāgairmaharṣigaṇasādhubhiḥ | pūjitaḥ prayayau kṛṣṇaḥ kurūṇāṃ sadanaṃ prati

Honoured in this way by these illustrious ones, the hosts of great seers and holy men, Krishna set out for the dwelling of the Kurus.

Verse 30 (5.82.30)

देवताभ्यो नमस्कृत्य ब्राह्मणान्स्वस्ति वाच्य च । प्रययौ पुण्डरीकाक्षः सात्यकेन सहाच्युतः ॥

devatābhyo namaskṛtya brāhmaṇānsvasti vācya ca | prayayau puṇḍarīkākṣaḥ sātyakena sahācyutaḥ

Bowing to the gods and having the brahmins pronounce blessings, the lotus-eyed Achyuta set out with Satyaki.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as the star passage 5.81.29d*0383 (lines 1–2). Removed a stray backtick before the verse (Wikisource formatting debris).

Verse 31 (5.82.31)

तं प्रयान्तमनुप्रायात्कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । भीमसेनार्जुनौ चोभौ माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ ॥

taṃ prayāntamanuprāyātkuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | bhīmasenārjunau cobhau mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau

As he went, Kunti's son Yudhishthira followed him, and with him Bhimasena and Arjuna and the two Pandavas born of Madri;

Verse 32 (5.82.32)

चेकितानश्च विक्रान्तो धृष्टकेतुश्च चेदिपः । द्रुपदः काशिराजश्च शिखण्डी च महारथः ॥

cekitānaśca vikrānto dhṛṣṭaketuśca cedipaḥ | drupadaḥ kāśirājaśca śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ

the valiant Chekitana, Dhrishtaketu lord of the Chedis, Drupada, the king of Kashi, and the great chariot-warrior Shikhandi;

Verse 33 (5.82.33)

धृष्टद्युम्नः सपुत्रश्च विराटः केकयैः सह । संसाधनार्थं प्रययुः क्षत्रियाः क्षत्रियर्षभम् ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ saputraśca virāṭaḥ kekayaiḥ saha | saṃsādhanārthaṃ prayayuḥ kṣatriyāḥ kṣatriyarṣabham

Dhrishtadyumna with his son, and Virata with the Kekayas — these kshatriyas went along with the bull among kshatriyas to see his mission succeed.

Verse 34 (5.82.34)

ततोऽनुव्रज्य गोविन्दं धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः । राज्ञां सकाशे द्युतिमानुवाचेदं वचस्तदा ॥

tato'nuvrajya govindaṃ dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | rājñāṃ sakāśe dyutimānuvācedaṃ vacastadā

Then, after following Govinda some way, the radiant Yudhishthira, king of dharma, spoke these words in the presence of the kings.

Verse 35 (5.82.35)

यो वै न कामान्न भयान्न लोभान्नार्थकारणात् । अन्यायमनुवर्तेत स्थिरबुद्धिरलोलुपः ॥

yo vai na kāmānna bhayānna lobhānnārthakāraṇāt | anyāyamanuvarteta sthirabuddhiralolupaḥ

Keshava, who would never follow wrong out of desire, fear or greed, nor for the sake of gain; who is steady of mind and free from covetousness;

Verse 36 (5.82.36)

धर्मज्ञो धृतिमान्प्राज्ञः सर्वभूतेषु केशवः । ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां देवदेवः सनातनः ॥

dharmajño dhṛtimānprājñaḥ sarvabhūteṣu keśavaḥ | īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ devadevaḥ sanātanaḥ

who knows dharma, is resolute, the wisest among all beings, the lord of all creatures, the eternal god of gods —

Verse 37 (5.82.37)

तं सर्वगुणसंपन्नं श्रीवत्सकृतलक्षणम् । संपरिष्वज्य कौन्तेयः सन्देष्टुमुपचक्रमे ॥

taṃ sarvaguṇasaṃpannaṃ śrīvatsakṛtalakṣaṇam | saṃpariṣvajya kaunteyaḥ sandeṣṭumupacakrame

him, endowed with every virtue and marked with the Shrivatsa, the son of Kunti embraced, and began to give him his message.

Note on the text: Corrected संरिष्वज्य → संपरिष्वज्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped प, which leaves the line a syllable short; critical edition saṃpariṣvajya).