Mahabharata, Book 15, Section XXIIIआश्रमवासिकपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 15.23.

23Sanskrit adhyāya 15.23 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

वैशम्पायन उवाच।
वनं गते कौरवेन्द्रे दुःखशोकसमन्विताः।
बभूवुः पाण्डवा राजन्मातृशोकेनि चान्विताः।।
तथा पौरजनः सर्वः शोचन्नास्ते जनाधिपम्।
कुर्वाणाश्च कथास्तत्र ब्राह्मणा नृपतिं प्रति।।
कथं न राजा वृद्धः स वने वसति निर्जने।
गान्धारी च महाभागा सा च कुन्ती पृथा कथम्।।
सुखार्हः स हि राजर्षिरसुखी तद्वनं महत्।
किमवस्थः समासाद्य प्रज्ञाचक्षुर्महामनाः।।
सुदुष्करं कृतवती कुन्ती पुत्रानपास्य सा।
राज्यश्रियं परित्यज्य वनं सा समरोचयत्।।
विदुरः किमवस्थश्च भ्रातृशुश्रूषुरात्मवान्।
स च गावल्गणिर्धीमान्भर्तृपिण्डानुपालकः।।
आकुमारं च पौरास्ते चिन्ताशोकसमाहताः।
तत्रतत्र कथाश्चक्रुः समासाद्य परस्परम्।।
पाण्डवाश्चैव ते सर्वे भृशं शोकपरायणाः।
शोचन्तो मातरं वृद्धामूषुर्नातिचिरं पुरे।।
तथैव वृद्धं पितरं हतपुत्रं जनेश्वरम्।
गान्धारीं च महाभागां विदुरं च महामतिम्।।
नैषां बभूव सम्प्रीतिस्तान्विचिन्तयतां तदा।
न राज्ये न च नारीषु न वेदाध्ययनेषु च।।
परं निर्वेदमगमंश्चिन्तयन्ता नराधिपम्।
तं च ज्ञातिवधं घोरं संस्मरन्तः पुनःपुनः।।
अभिमन्योश्च बालस्य विनाशं रणमूर्धनि।
कर्णस्य च महाबाहोः सङ्ग्रामेष्वपलायिनः।।
तथैव द्रौपदेयानामन्येषां सुहृदामपि।
वधं संस्मृत्य ते वीरा नातिप्रमनसोऽभवन्।।
हतप्रवीरां पृथिवीं हृतरत्नां च भारत।
सदैव चिन्तयन्तस्ते न शमं चोपलेभिरे।।
द्रौपदी हतपुत्रा च सुभद्रा चैव भामिनी।
नातिप्रीतियुते देव्यौ तदास्तामप्रहृष्टवत्।।
वैराट्यास्तनयं दृष्ट्वा पितरं ते परिक्षितम्।
धारयन्ति स्म ते प्राणांस्तव पूर्वपितामहाः।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते आश्रमवासिकपर्वणि
आश्रमवासपर्वणि त्रयोविंशोऽध्यायः।। 23 ।।

English Ganguli

"Vaisampayana said, 'That foremost one of Bharata's race, then ordered his troops, which were protected by heroes that were headed by Arjuna and that resembled the very guardians of the universe, to march out. Instantly, a loud clamour arose consisting of the words—Equip, Equip!—of horse-men, O Bharata, engaged in equipping and their steeds. Some proceeded on carriages and vehicles, some on horses of great speed, and some on cars made of gold endued with the splendour of blazing fires. Some proceeded on mighty elephants, and some on camels, O king. Some proceeded on foot, that belonged to that class of combatants which is armed with tiger-like claws.[38] The citizens and inhabitants of the provinces, desirous of seeing Dhritarashtra, followed the king on diverse kinds of conveyances. The preceptor Kripa also, of Gotama's race, that great leader of forces, taking all the forces with him, proceeded, at the command of the king, towards the old monarch's retreat. The Kuru king Yudhishthira, that perpetuator of Kuru's race, surrounded by a large number of Brahmanas, his praises sung by a large band of Sutas and Magadhas and bards, and with a white umbrella held over his head and encompassed around by a large number of cars, set out on his journey. Vrikodara, the son of the Wind-god, proceeded on an elephant as gigantic as a hill, equipt with strung bow and machines and weapons of attack and defence. The twin sons of Madri proceeded on two fleet steeds, well cased in mail, well protected, and equipt with banners. Arjuna of mighty energy, with senses under control, proceeded on an excellent car endued with solar effulgence and unto which were equipt excellent steeds of white hue. The ladies of the royal household, headed by Draupadi, proceeded in closed litters protected by the superintendents of women. They scattered copious showers of wealth as they proceeded. Teeming with cars and elephants and steeds, and echoing with the blare of trumpets and the music of Vinas, the Pandava host, O monarch, blazed with great beauty. Those chiefs of Kuru's race proceeded slowly, resting by delightful banks of rivers and lakes, O monarch. Yuyutsu of mighty energy, and Dhaumya, the priest at the command of Yudhishthira, were engaged in protecting the city. By slow marches, king Yudhishthira reached Kurukshetra, and then, crossing the Yamuna, that highly sacred river, he beheld from a distance the retreat, O thou of Kuru's race, of the royal sage of great wisdom and of Dhritarashtra. Then all the men became filled with joy and quickly entered the forest, filling it with loud sounds of glee, O chief of Bharata's race.'"