17-1-001
जनमेजय उवाच
एवं वृष्ण्यन्धककुले श्रुत्वा मौसलमाहवम्
पाण्डवाः किमकुर्वन्त तथा कृष्णे दिवं गते
Janamejaya asked, "On hearing about the duel with the clubs in the lineage of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas and on hearing that Kṛṣṇā had ascended to heaven, what did the Pandavas do?"
17-1-002
वैशंपायन उवाच
श्रुत्वैव कौरवो राजा वृष्णीनां कदनं महत्
प्रस्थाने मतिमाधाय वाक्यमर्जुनमब्रवीत्
Vaiśampāyana replied, "Hearing about the great carnage caused among the Vrishnis, King Kaurava made up his mind to give up his life and spoke these words to Arjuna.
17-1-003
कालः पचति भूतानि सर्वाण्येव महामते
कर्मन्यासमहं मन्ये त्वमपि द्रष्टुमर्हसि
O immensely wise one! Time cooks all creatures. I think all this has happened because of that. You should also consider that."
17-1-004
इत्युक्तः स तु कौन्तेयः कालः काल इति ब्रुवन्
अन्वपद्यत तद्वाक्यं भ्रातुर्ज्येष्ठस्य वीर्यवान्
Thus addressed, Kaunteya only uttered the words, "Time! Time!" He agreed with the words his valiant elder brother had spoken.
17-1-005
अर्जुनस्य मतं ज्ञात्वा भीमसेनो यमौ तथा
अन्वपद्यन्त तद्वाक्यं यदुक्तं सव्यसाचिना
Discerning Arjuna's intention, Bhīmasena and the twins also agreed with the words that had been spoken by Savyasachi.
17-1-006
ततो युयुत्सुमानाय्य प्रव्रजन्धर्मकाम्यया
राज्यं परिददौ सर्वं वैश्यापुत्रे युधिष्ठिरः
Desiring dharma, they decided to depart and summoned Yuyutsu. Yudhiṣṭhira handed over the entire kingdom to the son of a vaiśya.
17-1-007
अभिषिच्य स्वराज्ये तु तं राजानं परिक्षितम्
दुःखार्तश्चाब्रवीद्राजा सुभद्रां पाण्डवाग्रजः
Pārīkṣit was instated as the king in his own kingdom. The king who was the eldest of the Pandavas sorrowfully told Subhadrā,
17-1-008
एष पुत्रस्य ते पुत्रः कुरुराजो भविष्यति
यदूनां परिशेषश्च वज्रो राजा कृतश्च ह
"This son of your son will be the king of the Kurus. The last of the Yadus, Vajra, has also been made a king.
17-1-009
परिक्षिद्धास्तिनपुरे शक्रप्रस्थे तु यादवः
वज्रो राजा त्वया रक्ष्यो मा चाधर्मे मनः कृथाः
Pārīkṣit will rule in Hāstinapura and the Yādava in Śakraprastha. King Vajra should be protected by you and do not think of adharma in your mind."
17-1-010
इत्युक्त्वा धर्मराजः स वासुदेवस्य धीमतः
मातुलस्य च वृद्धस्य रामादीनां तथैव च
Having said this, the intelligent Dharmarāja, with dharma in his soul, together with his brothers,
17-1-011
भ्रातृभिः सह धर्मात्मा कृत्वोदकमतन्द्रितः
श्राद्धान्युद्दिश्य सर्वेषां चकार विधिवत्तदा
attentively offered water to Vāsudeva, his aged maternal uncle, Rāma and the others. Following the prescribed rites, he instructed that the funeral ceremonies should be performed for all of them.
17-1-012
ददौ रत्नानि वासांसि ग्रामानश्वान्रथानपि
स्त्रियश्च द्विजमुख्येभ्यो गवां शतसहस्रशः
He gave away jewels, garments, villages, horses and chariots, women and hundreds and thousands of cattle to the best among the brāhmanas.
17-1-013
कृपमभ्यर्च्य च गुरुमर्थमानपुरस्कृतम्
शिष्यं परिक्षितं तस्मै ददौ भरतसत्तमः
The supreme among the Bhārata lineage honoured Kṛpa and reverentially instructed that he would be the preceptor, handing over Pārīkṣit to him as a disciple.
17-1-014
ततस्तु प्रकृतीः सर्वाः समानाय्य युधिष्ठिरः
सर्वमाचष्ट राजर्षिश्चिकीर्षितमथात्मनः
Yudhiṣṭhira honoured all the ordinary people. The rājarṣi told all of them what he desired to do.
17-1-015
ते श्रुत्वैव वचस्तस्य पौरजानपदा जनाः
भृशमुद्विग्नमनसो नाभ्यनन्दन्त तद्वचः
On hearing his words, all the people of the city and the countryside were extremely anxious in their minds and did not welcome these words.
17-1-016
नैवं कर्तव्यमिति ते तदोचुस्ते नराधिपम्
न च राजा तथाकार्षीत्कालपर्यायधर्मवित्
They told the king, "This should not be done." However, knowing about the progress of time and about dharma, the king did not listen to them.
17-1-017
ततोऽनुमान्य धर्मात्मा पौरजानपदं जनम्
गमनाय मतिं चक्रे भ्रातरश्चास्य ते तदा
The one with dharma in his soul took the permission of the residents of the city and the countryside. He had made up his mind to leave and so had his brothers.
17-1-018
ततः स राजा कौरव्यो धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः
उत्सृज्याभरणान्यङ्गाज्जगृहे वल्कलान्युत
Dharma's son, Kauravya, King Yudhiṣṭhira, took off the ornaments from his body and donned the bark of trees.
17-1-019
भीमार्जुनौ यमौ चैव द्रौपदी च यशस्विनी
तथैव सर्वे जगृहुर्वल्कलानि जनाधिप
O lord of men! Bhīmā, Arjuna, the twins and the illustrious Draupadī—all of them donned garments made from the barks of trees.
17-1-020
विधिवत्कारयित्वेष्टिं नैष्ठिकीं भरतर्षभ
समुत्सृज्याप्सु सर्वेऽग्नीन्प्रतस्थुर्नरपुंगवाः
O bull among the Bhārata lineage! They performed all the recommended beneficial rites. All the bulls among men then cast the sacred fire into water.
17-1-021
ततः प्ररुरुदुः सर्वाः स्त्रियो दृष्ट्वा नरर्षभान्
प्रस्थितान्द्रौपदीषष्ठान्पुरा द्यूतजितान्यथा
On seeing the bulls among men, all the women wept. They departed, with Draupadī as the sixth, just as in earlier times, they had left after being defeated in the game with the dice.
17-1-022
हर्षोऽभवच्च सर्वेषां भ्रातॄणां गमनं प्रति
युधिष्ठिरमतं ज्ञात्वा वृष्णिक्षयमवेक्ष्य च
But at the prospect of departure, the brothers were cheerful. After seeing the destruction of the Vrishnis and ascertaining Yudhiṣṭhira's view, there was no other course.
17-1-023
भ्रातरः पञ्च कृष्णा च षष्ठी श्वा चैव सप्तमः
आत्मना सप्तमो राजा निर्ययौ गजसाह्वयात्
पौरैरनुगतो दूरं सर्वैरन्तःपुरैस्तथा
There were the five brothers. Kṛṣṇā was the sixth and a dog joined as the seventh. Including him, there were seven and the king left Gajasahvya. For some distance, the citizens and the ladies of the inner quarters followed them.
17-1-024
न चैनमशकत्कश्चिन्निवर्तस्वेति भाषितुम्
न्यवर्तन्त ततः सर्वे नरा नगरवासिनः
However, none of them was capable of speaking to them and urging them to return. Then, all the men who resided in the city returned.
17-1-025
कृपप्रभृतयश्चैव युयुत्सुं पर्यवारयन्
विवेश गङ्गां कौरव्य उलूपी भुजगात्मजा
[The men] stood around Kṛpa, Yuyutsu and the others. O Kauravya! Ulūpī, the daughter of a serpent, entered the waters of the Gāṅga.
17-1-026
चित्राङ्गदा ययौ चापि मणिपूरपुरं प्रति
शिष्टाः परिक्षितं त्वन्या मातरः पर्यवारयन्
Citrāṅgadā left for the city of Maṇipūra. All of Pārīkṣit's mothers surrounded him and began to instruct him.
17-1-027
पाण्डवाश्च महात्मानो द्रौपदी च यशस्विनी
कृतोपवासाः कौरव्य प्रययुः प्राङ्मुखास्ततः
O Kauravya! The great-souled Pandavas and the illustrious Draupadī fasted and headed in an eastern direction.
17-1-028
योगयुक्ता महात्मानस्त्यागधर्ममुपेयुषः
अभिजग्मुर्बहून्देशान्सरितः पर्वतांस्तथा
The great-souled ones immersed themselves in yoga, having decided to follow the dharma of renunciation. They passed through many countries, rivers and mountains.
17-1-029
युधिष्ठिरो ययावग्रे भीमस्तु तदनन्तरम्
अर्जुनस्तस्य चान्वेव यमौ चैव यथाक्रमम्
Yudhiṣṭhira walked in front, followed by Bhīmā. Arjuna came after him, followed by the twins, in the right order.
17-1-030
पृष्ठतस्तु वरारोहा श्यामा पद्मदलेक्षणा
द्रौपदी योषितां श्रेष्ठा ययौ भरतसत्तम
O supreme among the Bhārata lineage! The beautiful Draupadī, best among women, was at the rear. She was dark and her eyes were like the petals of lotuses.
17-1-031
श्वा चैवानुययावेकः पाण्डवान्प्रस्थितान्वने
क्रमेण ते ययुर्वीरा लौहित्यं सलिलार्णवम्
When the Pandavas left for the forest, a dog followed them. Gradually, the brave ones reached Lauhitya, an ocean full of water.
17-1-032
गाण्डीवं च धनुर्दिव्यं न मुमोच धनंजयः
रत्नलोभान्महाराज तौ चाक्षय्यौ महेषुधी
O great king! Because of his love for precious things, Dhanañjayā had still not let go of the divine bow, Gāṇḍīva, or the two inexhaustible quivers.
17-1-033
अग्निं ते ददृशुस्तत्र स्थितं शैलमिवाग्रतः
मार्गमावृत्य तिष्ठन्तं साक्षात्पुरुषविग्रहम्
They saw Agni standing before them, like a mountain. He stood there, barring their way, adopting a human form.
17-1-034
ततो देवः स सप्तार्चिः पाण्डवानिदमब्रवीत्
भो भो पाण्डुसुता वीराः पावकं मां विबोधत
The god with the seven flames addressed the Pandavas. "O sons of Pāṇḍu! Listen! O brave ones! Listen! Know me to be the god of fire.
17-1-035
युधिष्ठिर महाबाहो भीमसेन परंतप
अर्जुनाश्विसुतौ वीरौ निबोधत वचो मम
O mighty-armed one! O Yudhiṣṭhira! O scorcher of enemies! O Bhīmasena! O Arjuna! O brave sons of the Ashvins! Listen to my words.
17-1-036
अहमग्निः कुरुश्रेष्ठा मया दग्धं च खाण्डवम्
अर्जुनस्य प्रभावेण तथा नारायणस्य च
O best among the Kurus! Using the powers of Arjuna and Nārāyaṇa, I burnt down Khāṇḍava.
17-1-037
अयं वः फल्गुनो भ्राता गाण्डीवं परमायुधम्
परित्यज्य वनं यातु नानेनार्थोऽस्ति कश्चन
Your brother, Phālguna, can only go to the forest after casting aside the supreme weapon, Gāṇḍīva, not otherwise.
17-1-038
चक्ररत्नं तु यत्कृष्णे स्थितमासीन्महात्मनि
गतं तच्च पुनर्हस्ते कालेनैष्यति तस्य ह
The jewel, the cakra, which used to be with the great-souled Kṛṣṇā, has vanished. When it is time, it will again appear in his hands.
17-1-039
वरुणादाहृतं पूर्वं मयैतत्पार्थकारणात्
गाण्डीवं कार्मुकश्रेष्ठं वरुणायैव दीयताम्
For Pārtha's sake, I had earlier brought Gāṇḍīva, best among bows, from Vāruṇa. It should now be returned to Vāruṇa.
17-1-040
ततस्ते भ्रातरः सर्वे धनंजयमचोदयन्
स जले प्राक्षिपत्तत्तु तथाक्षय्यौ महेषुधी
At this, all the brothers urged Dhanañjayā to do this. He flung it into the water, together with the two great and inexhaustible quivers.
17-1-041
ततोऽग्निर्भरतश्रेष्ठ तत्रैवान्तरधीयत
ययुश्च पाण्डवा वीरास्ततस्ते दक्षिणामुखाः
O best of the Bhārata lineage! After this, Agni vanished. The brave Pandavas now headed in a southern direction.
17-1-042
ततस्ते तूत्तरेणैव तीरेण लवणाम्भसः
जग्मुर्भरतशार्दूल दिशं दक्षिणपश्चिमम्
O tiger among the Bhārata lineage! On the northern shores of the salty ocean, they proceeded in a southwestern direction.
17-1-043
ततः पुनः समावृत्ताः पश्चिमां दिशमेव ते
ददृशुर्द्वारकां चापि सागरेण परिप्लुताम्
Then they again headed in a western direction. They saw Dvārakā, flooded by the ocean.
17-1-044
उदीचीं पुनरावृत्त्य ययुर्भरतसत्तमाः
प्रादक्षिण्यं चिकीर्षन्तः पृथिव्या योगधर्मिणः
The supreme among the Bharatas then again headed towards the north. Devoted to the dharma of yoga, they desired to circle the entire earth.