Nakula Becomes Virata's Master of Horses

Verse 1 (4.12.1)

अथापरोऽदृश्यत पाण्डवः प्रभुर्विराटराजे तुरगान्समीक्षति । तमापतन्तं ददृशुः पृथग्जनाः प्रमुक्तमभ्रादिव चन्द्रमण्डलम् ॥

athāparo'dṛśyata pāṇḍavaḥ prabhurvirāṭarāje turagānsamīkṣati | tamāpatantaṃ dadṛśuḥ pṛthagjanāḥ pramuktamabhrādiva candramaṇḍalam

Then another Pandava, a mighty man, appeared while King Virata was inspecting his horses; people saw him approaching like the orb of the moon set free from a cloud.

Verse 2 (4.12.2)

स वै हयानैक्षत तानितस्ततः समीक्षमाणं च ददर्श मत्स्यराट् । दृष्ट्वा तथैनं स कुरूत्तमं ततः पप्रच्छ तान्सर्वसभासदस्तदा ॥

sa vai hayānaikṣata tānitastataḥ samīkṣamāṇaṃ ca dadarśa matsyarāṭ | dṛṣṭvā tathainaṃ sa kurūttamaṃ tataḥ papraccha tānsarvasabhāsadastadā

He was looking over the horses here and there, and the king of the Matsyas saw him examining them. Seeing that best of the Kurus so engaged, the king then asked all the members of his court:

Note on the text: Only the first half-line matches the critical edition's 4.11.2 (its first half-line); the second half-line is in its apparatus as 4.11.2*0240, lines 1–2. Corrected तमः → ततः (misprint in Wikisource; तमः, "darkness", makes no sense here; the apparatus reads tataḥ). Corrected सर्ब → सर्व (misprint in Wikisource; ब for व).

Verse 3 (4.12.3)

को वा विजानाति पुराऽस्य दर्शनं योऽयं युवाऽभ्येति हि मामिकां सभाम् । प्रियो हि मे दर्शनतोपि संमतो ब्रवीतु कश्चिद्यदि दृष्टवानिमम् ॥

ko vā vijānāti purā'sya darśanaṃ yo'yaṃ yuvā'bhyeti hi māmikāṃ sabhām | priyo hi me darśanatopi saṃmato bravītu kaścidyadi dṛṣṭavānimam

"Who has seen this man before, this youth who is coming toward my court? Even by his looks he is dear to me and pleasing. Let anyone speak up who has seen him.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.11.2*0240, lines 3–6. Corrected मासिकां → मामिकां (misprint in Wikisource; स for म; मामिकां, "my", as in the apparatus). No speaker heading in Wikisource; Virata's question (verses 3–4), announced in verse 2, is assigned to him (Wikisource carried over Vaishampayana).

Verse 4 (4.12.4)

अयं हयान्पश्यति मामकान्मुहुर्ध्रुवं हयज्ञो भविता विचक्षणः । प्रवेश्यतामेष समीपमाशु वै विभाति वीरो हि यथाऽमरस्तथा ॥

ayaṃ hayānpaśyati māmakānmuhurdhruvaṃ hayajño bhavitā vicakṣaṇaḥ | praveśyatāmeṣa samīpamāśu vai vibhāti vīro hi yathā'marastathā

He keeps looking at my horses; surely he must be a shrewd judge of horses. Let him be brought before me at once; the hero shines like an immortal."

Verse 5 (4.12.5)

वितर्कयत्येव हि मत्स्यराजनि त्वरन्कुरूणामृषभः सभामगात् । ततः प्रणम्योपनतः कुरूत्तमो विराटराजानमुवाच पार्थिवम् ॥

vitarkayatyeva hi matsyarājani tvarankurūṇāmṛṣabhaḥ sabhāmagāt | tataḥ praṇamyopanataḥ kurūttamo virāṭarājānamuvāca pārthivam

While the king of the Matsyas was still wondering, the bull of the Kurus came quickly into the court. Then, bowing low and drawing near, the best of the Kurus spoke to King Virata, lord of the earth:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.11.4*0241, lines 1–4.

Verse 6 (4.12.6)

तवागतोऽहं पुरमद्य भूपते जिजीविषुर्वेतनभोजनार्थिकः । तवाश्वबन्धः सुभृतो भवाम्यहं कुरुष्व मामश्वपतिं यदीच्छसि ॥

tavāgato'haṃ puramadya bhūpate jijīviṣurvetanabhojanārthikaḥ | tavāśvabandhaḥ subhṛto bhavāmyahaṃ kuruṣva māmaśvapatiṃ yadīcchasi

"I have come to your city today, lord of the earth, wishing to earn my living and seeking wages and food. I will be your horse-keeper, well provided for by you; make me master of your horses, if you wish."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.11.4*0241, lines 5–8. No speaker heading in Wikisource; Nakula's request, announced in verse 5, is assigned to him (Wikisource carried over Vaishampayana).

Verse 7 (4.12.7)

ददानि यानानि धनानि वेतनं न चाश्वसूतो भवितुं त्वमर्हसि । कुतोसि कस्यासि कथं त्वमागतो ब्रवीहि शिल्पं तव विद्यते च यत् ॥

dadāni yānāni dhanāni vetanaṃ na cāśvasūto bhavituṃ tvamarhasi | kutosi kasyāsi kathaṃ tvamāgato bravīhi śilpaṃ tava vidyate ca yat

"Let me give you carriages, wealth and wages; you ought not to be a groom of horses. Where are you from? Whose son are you? How did you come here? Tell me what skill you have."

Note on the text: Corrected कस्यामि → कस्यासि (misprint in Wikisource; म for स; "whose are you?", as in the critical edition (kasyāsi)).

Verse 8 (4.12.8)

पञ्चानां पाण्डुपुत्राणां ज्येष्ठो राजा युधिष्ठिरः । तेनाहमश्वेषु पुरा प्रकृतः शत्रुकर्शन ॥

pañcānāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ jyeṣṭho rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | tenāhamaśveṣu purā prakṛtaḥ śatrukarśana

"Yudhishthira is the eldest of the five sons of Pandu, and their king. In former days he set me over his horses, tormentor of foes.

Verse 9 (4.12.9)

अश्वानां प्रकृतिं वेद्मि विनयं चापि सर्वशः । दुष्टानां प्रतिपत्तिं च कृत्स्नं चैव चिकित्सितम् ॥

aśvānāṃ prakṛtiṃ vedmi vinayaṃ cāpi sarvaśaḥ | duṣṭānāṃ pratipattiṃ ca kṛtsnaṃ caiva cikitsitam

I know the nature of horses and their training in every respect, how to deal with vicious ones, and the whole art of treating their ailments.

Verse 10 (4.12.10)

न कातरं स्यान्मम वाजिवाहनं न मेऽस्ति दुष्टा बडवा कुतो हयः । जानंस्तु मामाह स चापि पाण्डवो युधिष्ठिरो ग्रन्थिकमेव नामतः ॥

na kātaraṃ syānmama vājivāhanaṃ na me'sti duṣṭā baḍavā kuto hayaḥ | jānaṃstu māmāha sa cāpi pāṇḍavo yudhiṣṭhiro granthikameva nāmataḥ

No horse I drive is ever skittish; no mare of mine is vicious, let alone a stallion. And knowing me, the Pandava Yudhishthira himself used to call me Granthika by name.

Verse 11 (4.12.11)

मातलिरिव देवपतेर्दशरथनृपतेः सुमन्त्र इव यन्ता । सुमह इव जामदग्नेस्तथैव तव शिक्षयाम्यश्वान् ॥

mātaliriva devapaterdaśarathanṛpateḥ sumantra iva yantā | sumaha iva jāmadagnestathaiva tava śikṣayāmyaśvān

As Matali is to the lord of the gods, as Sumantra was charioteer to King Dasharatha, as Sumaha was to Jamadagni's son, so will I train your horses.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.11.8*0242, lines 1–2. Corrected सुमत्र → सुमन्त्र (misprint in Wikisource; dropped न; Sumantra, Dasharatha's charioteer, as in the apparatus). Corrected जामदग्रेः → जामदग्नेः (misprint in Wikisource; ग्र for ग्न; the apparatus reads jāmadagnes). Wikisource's सुमह (the apparatus has sahasāho) is kept as printed.

Verse 12 (4.12.12)

युधिष्ठिरस्य राजेन्द्र नरराजस्य शासनात् । शतसाहस्रकोटीनामश्वानामस्मि रक्षिता ॥

yudhiṣṭhirasya rājendra nararājasya śāsanāt | śatasāhasrakoṭīnāmaśvānāmasmi rakṣitā

By the command of Yudhishthira, king of men, O king of kings, I was keeper of a hundred thousand crores of horses."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.11.8*0242, lines 3–4.

Verse 13 (4.12.13)

यदस्ति किंचिन्मम वाजिवाहनं तदस्तु सर्वं त्वदधीनमद्य वै । ये चापि केचिन्मम वाजियोधास्त्वदाश्रयाः सारथयश्च सन्तु मे ॥

yadasti kiṃcinmama vājivāhanaṃ tadastu sarvaṃ tvadadhīnamadya vai | ye cāpi kecinmama vājiyodhāstvadāśrayāḥ sārathayaśca santu me

"Whatever horses and draught animals I have, let them all be in your charge from today; and whatever horsemen I have, and my charioteers, let them depend on you.

Verse 14 (4.12.14)

इदं तवेष्टं विहितं सुरोपम ब्रवीहि यत्ते प्रसमीक्षितं वरम् । न तेऽनुरूपं हयकर्म दृश्यते विभाति राजेव न कर्म वाजिनाम् ॥

idaṃ taveṣṭaṃ vihitaṃ suropama bravīhi yatte prasamīkṣitaṃ varam | na te'nurūpaṃ hayakarma dṛśyate vibhāti rājeva na karma vājinām

This wish of yours is granted, you who are like a god; tell me what reward you have in view. Work with horses does not seem fitting for you; you shine like a king, not like a man who tends horses.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (4.11.10): Wikisource prints two gaps ("...") in this verse; the lost syllables ब्रवी (before हि) and न ते (before ऽनुरूपं) are supplied from the critical edition's bravīhi and na te 'nurūpaṃ. The rest keeps Wikisource's reading, which differs from the critical edition elsewhere.

Verse 15 (4.12.15)

युधिष्ठिरस्यैव हि दर्शनेन मे समं तवेदं प्रियदर्श दर्शनम् । कथं नु भृत्यैः स विनाकृतो वने चरत्यनिन्द्यो रमते च पाण्डवः ॥

yudhiṣṭhirasyaiva hi darśanena me samaṃ tavedaṃ priyadarśa darśanam | kathaṃ nu bhṛtyaiḥ sa vinākṛto vane caratyanindyo ramate ca pāṇḍavaḥ

Seeing you, handsome one, is to me the same as seeing Yudhishthira himself. How does that blameless Pandava wander in the forest without his servants, and how does he find any joy?"

Verse 16 (4.12.16)

तथा स गन्धर्ववरोपमो युवा विराटराज्ञा मुदितेन पूजितः । न चैवमन्येऽपि विदुः कथंचन प्रियाभिरामं विचरन्तमन्तरा ॥

tathā sa gandharvavaropamo yuvā virāṭarājñā muditena pūjitaḥ | na caivamanye'pi viduḥ kathaṃcana priyābhirāmaṃ vicarantamantarā

So that youth, like a chief of the Gandharvas, was honoured gladly by King Virata; and no one else in any way knew him as he went about there, pleasing and delightful to all.