05081002c samarthaH prazamaM caiSAM kartuM tvam asi kezava It behoveth thee to bring about peace between the pANDavas and the sons of dhRtarASTra. Thou, O kezava, art competent and, therefore, it behoveth thee to bring about a reconciliation.
05081003c zAntyarthamM bhAratamM brUyA yat tad vAcyam amitrahan O lotus-eyed one, proceeding hence for peace, O slayer of foes, say unto our ever-wrathful brother suyodhana, what, indeed, should be said,
05081004a tvayA dharmArthayuktaJM ced uktaM zivam anAmayam 'If the foolish duryodhana doth not accept thy auspicious and beneficial counsels fraught with virtue and profit,
05081004c hitanM nAdAsyate bAlo diSTasya vazam eSyati he will surely then be the victim of his fate.'
05081005 bhagavAn uvAca 'The holy one said,
05081005a dharmyam asmaddhitaJM caiva kurUNAM yad anAmayam
05081005c eSa yAsyAmi rAjAnanM dhRtarASTram abhIpsayA 'Yes, I will go to king dhRtarASTra, desirous of accomplishing what is consistent with righteousness, what may be beneficial to us, and what also is for the good of the kurus.'
05081006 vaizamMpAyana uvAca
05081006a tato vyapete tamasi sUrye vimala udgate 'vaizaMpAyana continued, 'The night having passed away, a bright sun arose in the east.
05081006c maitre muhUrte samMprApte mRdvarciSi divAkare The hour called Maitra set in, and the rays of the sun were still mild.
05081007a kaumude mAsi revatyAM zaradante himAgame The month was (Kaumuda Kartika) under the constellation Revati.
05081007c sphItasasyasukhe kAle kalyasH sattvavatAM varaH
05081008a maGgalyAH puNyanirghoSA vAcaH zRNvaMz ca sUnRtAH
05081009c upatasthe vivasvantamM pAvakaJM ca janArdanaH It was the season of dew, Autumn having departed. The earth was covered with abundant crops all around. It was at such a time that janArdana, the foremost of mighty persons, in enjoyment of excellent health, having heard the auspicious, sacred-sounding and sweet words of gratified brAhmaNas, like vAsava himself hearing the adorations of the (celestial) RSis,--and having also gone through the customary acts and rites of the morning, purified himself by a bath, and decked his person with unguents and ornaments, worshipped both the Sun and Fire.
05081010a RSabhamM pRSTha Alabhya brAhmaNAn abhivAdya ca
05081010c agnimM pradakSiNaGM kRtvA pazyan kalyANam agrataH And having touched the tail of a bull and reverently bowed to the brAhmaNas, walked round the sacred fire, and cast his eyes on the (usual) auspicious articles placed in view,
05081011a tat pratijJAya vacanamM pANDavasya janArdanaH
05081011c ziner naptAram AsInam abhyabhASata sAtyakim janArdana recollected yudhiSThira's word and addressed zini's grandson sAtyaki, seated near, saying,
05081012a ratha AropyatAM zaGkhaz cakraJM ca gadayA saha 'Let my car be made ready and let my conch and discus along with my mace,
05081012c upAsaGgAz ca zaktyaz ca sarvapraharaNAni ca and quivers and darts and all kinds of weapons, offensive and defensive, be placed on it,
05081013a duryodhano hi duSTAtmA karNaz ca sahasaubalaH for duryodhana and karNa and subala's son are all of wicked souls,
05081013c na ca zatrur avajJeyaH prAkRto 'pi balIyasA and foes, however contemptible, should never be disregarded by even a powerful person.
05081014a tatas tan matam AjJAya kezavasya purasHsarAH Understanding the wishes of kezava,
05081014c prasasrur yojayiSyanto rathaJM cakragadAbhRtaH the wielder of the discus and the mace, his attendants immediately addressed themselves to yoke his car.
05081015a tanM dIptam iva kAlAgnim AkAzagam ivAdhvagam And that car resembled in effulgence the fire that shows itself at the time of the universal dissolution, and itself in speed.
05081015c candrasUryaprakAzAbhyAJM cakrAbhyAM samalaGMkRtam And it was provided with two wheels that resembled the sun and the moon in lustre.
05081016a ardhacandraiz ca candraiz ca matsyaisH samRgapakSibhiH And it bore emblazonments of moons, both crescent and full, and of fishes, animals, and birds
05081016c puSpaiz ca vividhaiz citramM maNiratnaiz ca sarvazaH and it was adorned with garlands of diverse flowers and with pearls and gems of various kinds all around.
05081017a taruNAdityasaGMkAzamM bRhantaJM cArudarzanam And endued with the splendour of the rising sun, it was large and handsome.
05081017c maNihemavicitrAGgaM sudhvajaM supatAkinam And variegated with gems and gold, it was furnished with an excellent flag-staff bearing beautiful pennons.
05081018a sUpaskaram anAdhRSyaM vaiyAghraparivAraNam And well-supplied with every necessary article, and incapable of being resisted by the foe, it was covered with tiger-skins,
05081018c yazoghnamM pratyamitrANAM yadUnAnM nandivardhanam and capable of robbing the fame of every foe, it enhanced the joy of the yAdavas.
05081019a vAjibhisH sainyasugrIvameghapuSpabalAhakaiH And they yoked unto it those excellent steeds named Saivya and sugrIva and Meghapushpa and Valahaka,
05081019c snAtaisH samMpAdayAJMcakrusH samMpannaisH sarvasamMpadA after these had been bathed and attired in beautiful harness.
05081020a mahimAnanM tu kRSNasya bhUya evAbhivardhayan
05081020c sughoSaH patagendreNa dhvajena yuyuje rathaH And enhancing the dignity of kRSNa still further, Garuda, the lord of the feathery creation, came and perched on the flag-staff of that car producing a terrible rattle.
05081021a tamM meruzikharaprakhyamM meghadundubhinisvanam
05081021c Aruroha rathaM zaurir vimAnam iva puNyakRt And Saurin then mounted on that car, high as the summit of the Meru, and producing a rattle, deep and loud as the sound of the kettle-drum or the clouds and which resembled the celestial car coursing at the will of the rider.
05081022c pRthivIJM cAntarikSaJM ca rathaghoSeNa nAdayan And taking sAtyaki also upon it, that best of male beings set out, filling the earth and the welkin with the rattle of his chariot-wheels.
05081023c zivaz cAnuvavau vAyuH prazAntam abhavad rajaH And the sky became cloudless, and auspicious winds began to blow around, and the atmosphere freed from the dust became pure.
05081024a pradakSiNAnulomAz ca maGgalyA mRgapakSiNaH
05081024c prayANe vAsudevasya babhUvur anuyAyinaH Indeed, as vAsudeva set out, auspicious animals and birds, whirling by the right side, began to follow him,
05081025c sArasAzH zatapatrAz ca haMsAz ca madhusUdanam and cranes and peacocks and swans all followed the slayer of madhu, uttering cries of good omens.
05081026a mantrAhutimahAhomair hUyamAnaz ca pAvakaH
05081026c pradakSiNazikho bhUtvA vidhUmasH samapadyata The very fire, fed with Homa libations in accompaniment with Mantras, freed from smoke blazed up cheerfully, sending forth its flames towards the right.
05081027a vasiSTho vAmadevaz ca bhUridyumno gayaH krathaH And Vasishtha and Vamadeva, and Bhuridyumna and Gaya, and Kratha
05081027c zukranAradavAlmIkA marutaH kuziko bhRguH and Sukra and Kusika and Bhrigu,
05081028c pradakSiNam avartanta sahitA vAsavAnujam and other Brahmarshis and celestial RSis united together, all stood on the right side of kRSNa, that delighter of the yAdavas, that younger brother of vAsava.
05081029c pUjitaH prayayau kRSNaH kurUNAM sadanaM prati And thus worshipped by those and other illustrious RSis and holy men, kRSNa set out for the residence of the kurus.
05081030a tamM prayAntam anuprAyAt kuntIputro yudhiSThiraH
05081030c bhImasenArjunau cobhau mAdrIputrau ca pANDavau And while kRSNa was proceeding, yudhiSThira, the son of kuntI, followed him, as also bhIma and arjuna and those other pANDavas, viz., the twin sons of madrI.
05081031a cekitAnaz ca vikrAnto dhRSTaketuz ca cedipaH And the valiant cekitAna and dhRSTaketu, the ruler of the Chedis,
05081031c drupadaH kAzirAjaz ca zikhaNDI ca mahArathaH and drupada and the king of Kasi and that mighty car-warrior zikhaNDin,
05081032a dhRSTadyumnasH saputraz ca virATaH kekayaiH saha and dhRSTadyumna, and virATa with his sons, and the princes of kekaya also,
05081032c saMsAdhanArthamM prayayuH kSatriyAH kSatriyarSabham --all these kSatriyas followed that bull of the kSatriya race to honour him.
05081033a tato 'nuvrajya govindanM dharmarAjo yudhiSThiraH
05081033c rAjJAM sakAze dyutimAn uvAcedaM vacas tadA
05081034a yo naiva kAmAn na bhayAn na lobhAn nArthakAraNAt And the illustrious king yudhiSThira the just, having followed Govinda to some distance, addressed him in these words in the presence of all those kings. And the son of kuntI embraced that foremost of all persons, who never, from desire, or anger, or fear, or purpose of gain committed the least wrong,
05081034c anyAyam anuvarteta sthirabuddhir alolupaH whose mind was ever steady, who was a stranger to covetousness,
05081035a dharmajJo dhRtimAn prAjJasH sarvabhUteSu kezavaH who was conversant with morality and endued with great intelligence and wisdom, who knew the hearts of all creatures
05081035c IzvarasH sarvabhUtAnAnM devadevaH pratApavAn and was the lord of all, who was the God of gods, who was eternal,
05081036a taM sarvaguNasamMpannaM zrIvatsakRtalakSaNam who was possessed of every virtue, and who bore the auspicious mark on his breast.
05081036c samMpariSvajya kaunteyasH sanMdeSTum upacakrame And embracing him the king began to indicate what he was to do.'
05081037a yA sA bAlyAt prabhRty asmAn paryavardhayatAbalA
05081037c upavAsatapazHzIlA sadA svastyayane ratA 'yudhiSThira said, 'That lady who hath brought us from our infancy; who is ever engaged in facts and ascetic penances and propitiatory rites and ceremonies;
05081038a devatAtithipUjAsu guruzuzrUSaNe ratA who is devoted to the worship of the gods and guests; who is always engaged in waiting upon her superiors
05081038c vatsalA priyaputrA ca priyAsmAkaJM janArdana who is fond of her sons, bearing for them an affection that knows no bounds; who, O janArdana, is dearly loved by us;
05081039a suyodhanabhayAd yA no 'trAyatAmitrakarzana who, O grinder of foes, repeatedly saved us from the snares of suyodhana,
05081039c mahato mRtyusamMbAdhAd uttaran naur ivArNavAt like a boat saving a ship-wrecked crew from the frightful terrors of the sea;
05081040a asmatkRte ca satataM yayA duHkhAni mAdhava
05081040c anubhUtAny aduHkhArhA tAM sma pRccher anAmayam and who, O Madhava, however undeserving of woe herself, hath on our account endured countless sufferings,--should be asked about her welfare-
05081041c abhivAdya svajethAz ca pANDavAn parikIrtayan Salute and embrace, and, oh, comfort her over and over, overwhelmed with grief as she is on account of her sons by talking of the pANDavas.
05081042c nikArAn atadarhA ca pazyantI duHkham aznute Ever since her marriage she hath been the victim, however undeserving, of sorrow and griefs due to the conduct of her father-in-law, and suffering hath been her position.
05081043a api jAtu sa kAlasH syAt kRSNa duHkhaviparyayaH
05081043c yad ahamM mAtaraGM kliSTAM sukhe dadhyAm arinMdama Shall I, O kRSNa, ever see the time when, O chastiser of foes, my afflictions being over, I shall be able to make my sorrowing mother happy?
05081044a pravrajanto 'nvadhAvat sA kRpaNA putragRddhinI
05081044c rudatIm apahAyainAm upagacchAma yad vanam On the eve of our exile, from affection for her children, she ran after us in anguish, crying bitterly. But leaving her behind, we went into the woods.
05081045a na nUnamM mriyate duHkhaiH sA cej jIvati kezava
05081045c tathA putrAdhibhir gADham ArtA hy AnartasatkRtA Sorrow doth not necessarily kill. It is possible, therefore, that she is alive, being hospitably entertained by the Anartas, though afflicted with sorrow on account of her sons.
05081046a abhivAdyA tu sA kRSNa tvayA madvacanAd vibho
05081046c dhRtarASTraz ca kauravyo rAjAnaz ca vayo 'dhikAH O glorious kRSNa, salute her for me, the kuru king dhRtarASTra also, and all those monarchs who are senior to us in age,
05081047a bhISmanM droNaGM kRpaJM caiva mahArAjaJM ca bAhlikam
05081047c drauNiJM ca somadattaJM ca sarvAMz ca bharatAn pRthak and bhISma, and droNa, and kRpa, and king bAhlika, and droNa's son and somadatta, and in fact, every one of the bharata race,
05081048a viduraJM ca mahAprAjJaGM kurUNAmM mantradhAriNam and also vidura endued with great wisdom, that counsellor of the kurus,
05081048c agAdhabuddhinM dharmajJaM svajethA madhusUdana of profound intellect and intimate acquaintance with morality,--should all, O slayer of madhu, be embraced by thee!'
05081049a ity uktvA kezavanM tatra rAjamadhye yudhiSThiraH
05081052a tac ced dadyAd asaGgena satkRtyAnavamanya ca
05081052c priyamM me syAn mahAbAho mucyeran mahato bhayAt
05081053a ataz ced anyathA kartA dhArtarASTro 'nupAyavit
05081053c antanM nUnaGM kariSyAmi kSatriyANAJM janArdana Having in the presence of the kings, said these words unto kezava, yudhiSThira, with kRSNa's permission, came back having at first walked round him. Then arjuna, proceeding a few steps, further said unto his friend, that bull among men, that slayer of hostile heroes, that invincible warrior of Dasarha's race, 'It is known to all the kings, O illustrious Govinda, that at our consultation it was settled that we should ask back the kingdom. If without insulting us, if honouring thee, they honestly give us what we demand, then, O mighty armed one, they would please me greatly and would themselves escape a terrible danger. If, however, dhRtarASTra's son, who always adopts improper means, acts otherwise, then I shall surely, O janArdana, annihilate the kSatriya race.'
05081058c tUrNam abhyapatad dhRSTasH sainyasugrIvavAhanaH 'vaizaMpAyana continued, 'When arjuna said these words, vRkodara was filled with delight. And that son of pANDu continually quivered with rage; and while still quivering with rage and the delight that filled his heart upon hearing dhanaJjaya's words, he set forth a terrible shout. And hearing that shout of his, all the bowmen trembled in fear and steeds and elephants were seen to pass urine and excreta. And having addressed kezava then and informed him of his resolution. arjuna with janArdana's permission, came back, having first embraced him. And after all the kings had desisted following him, janArdana set out with a cheerful heart on his car drawn by Saivya, sugrIva, and others.
05081059a te hayA vAsudevasya dArukeNa pracoditAH
05081059c panthAnam Acemur iva grasamAnA ivAmbaram And those steeds of vAsudeva, urged by dAruka, coursed onwards, devouring the sky and drinking the road.
05081060c brAhmyA zriyA dIpyamAnAn sthitAn ubhayataH pathi And on his way kezava of mighty arms met with some RSis blazing with Brahmic lustre, standing on both sides of the road,
05081061a so 'vatIrya rathAt tUrNam abhivAdya janArdanaH And soon alighting from his car, janArdana saluted them reverently.
05081061c yathAvat tAn RSIn sarvAn abhyabhASata pUjayan And worshipping them duly, he enquired of them, saying,
05081062c brAhmaNAnAnM trayo varNAH kaccit tiSThanti zAsane 'Is there peace in all the world? Is virtue being duly practised? And the other three orders obedient to the brAhmaNas?
05081063a tebhyaH prayujya tAM pUjAM provAca madhusUdanaH And having duly worshipped them, the slayer of madhu again said,
05081063c bhagavantaH kva saMsiddhAH kA vIthI bhavatAm iha 'Where have ye been crowned with success?
05081064a kiM vA bhagavatAGM kAryam ahaGM kiGM karavANi vaH Whither would ye go, and for what object? What also shall I do for yourselves?
05081064c kenArthenopasamMprAptA bhagavanto mahItalam What has brought your illustrious selves down on the earth?'
05081065a tam abravIj jAmadagnya upetya madhusUdanam Thus addressed, Jamadagni's son, the friend of Brahma--that lord of both gods and asuras,--approached Govinda the slayer of madhu,
05081065c pariSvajya ca govindamM purA sucarite sakhA embraced him, and said,
05081066a devarSayaH puNyakRto brAhmaNAz ca bahuzrutAH 'The celestial RSis of pious deeds, and brAhmaNas of extensive acquaintance with the scriptures,
05081066c rAjarSayaz ca dAzArha mAnayantas tapasvinaH and royal sages, O Dasarha, and venerable ascetics,
05081067c sametamM pArthivaGM kSatranM didRkSantaz ca sarvataH --these witnesses, O illustrious one, of the former feats of gods and asuras,--are desirous of beholding all the kSatriyas of the earth assembled from every side
05081068a sabhAsadaz ca rAjAnas tvAJM ca satyaJM janArdana as also the counsellors sitting in the assembly, the kings, and thyself the embodiment of truth, O janArdana.
05081068c etan mahat prekSaNIyanM draSTuGM gacchAma kezava O kezava, we will go thither for beholding that grand sight.
05081069a dharmArthasahitA vAcazH zrotum icchAma mAdhava We are also anxious, O Madhava, to listen to those words fraught with virtue and profit,
05081069c tvayocyamAnAH kuruSu rAjamadhye paraMtapa which will be spoken by thee, O chastiser of foes, unto the kurus in the presence of all the kings.
05081070a bhISmadroNAdayaz caiva viduraz ca mahAmatiH Indeed, bhISma, and droNa, and others, as also the illustrious vidura
05081070c tvaJM ca yAdavazArdUla sabhAyAM vai sameSyatha and thyself, O tiger among the yAdavas,--Ye all will be assembled together in conclave!
05081071a tava vAkyAni divyAni tatra teSAJM ca mAdhava
05081071c zrotum icchAma govinda satyAni ca zubhAni ca We desire, O Madhava, to hear the excellent, truthful, and beneficial words that thou wilt utter and they also, O Govinda.
05081072a ApRSTo 'si mahAbAho punar drakSyAmahe vayam Thou art now informed of our purpose, O thou of mighty arms. We will meet thee again.
05081072c yAhy avighnena vai vIra drakSyAmas tvAM sabhAgatam Go thither safely, O hero. We hope to see thee in the midst of the conclave, seated on an excellent seat mustering all thy energy and might.''
