Mahabharata · Book 4 · Virata Parva
Mahabharata, Book 4, Section XIIविराटपर्व
Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 4.12.
Sanskrit
अथापरोऽदृश्यत पाण्डवः प्रभुर्विराटराजे तुरगान्समीक्षति।
तमापतन्तं ददृशुः पृथग्जनाः प्रमुक्तमभ्रादिव चन्द्रमण्डलम् ।। 1 ।।
स वै हयानैक्षत तानितस्ततः समीक्षमाणं च ददर्श मत्स्यराट्।
दृष्ट्वा तथैनं स कुरूत्तमं तमः पप्रच्छ तान्सर्बसभासदस्तदा ।। 2 ।।
को वा विजानाति पुराऽस्य दर्शनं योऽयं युवाऽभ्येति हि मासिकां सभाम्
प्रियो हि मे दर्शनतोपि संमतो ब्रवीतु कश्चिद्यदि दृष्टवानिमम् ।। 3
अयं हयान्पश्यति मामकान्मुहुर्ध्रुवं हयज्ञो भविता विचक्षणः।
प्रवेश्यतामेष समीपमाशु वै विभाति वीरो हि यथाऽमरस्तथा ।। 4 ।।
वितर्कयत्येव हि मत्स्यराजनि त्वरन्कुरूणामृषभः सभामगात्।
ततः प्रणम्योपनतः कुरूत्तमो विराटराजानमुवाच पार्थिवम् ।। 5 ।।
तवागतोऽहं पुरमद्य भूपते जिजीविषुर्वेतनभोजनार्थिकः।
तवाश्वबन्धः सुभृतो भवाम्यहं कुरुष्व मामश्वपतिं यदीच्छसि ।। 6 ।।
विराट उवाच।
ददानि यानानि धनानि वेतनं न चाश्वसूतो भवितुं त्वमर्हसि।
कुतोसि कस्यामि कथं त्वमागतो ब्रवीहि शिल्पं तव विद्यते च यत् ।। 7
नकुल उवाच।
पञ्चानां पाण्डुपुत्राणां ज्येष्ठो राजा युधिष्ठिरः।
तेनाहमश्वेषु पुरा प्रकृतः शत्रुकर्शन ।। 8 ।।
अश्वानां प्रकृतिं वेद्मि विनयं चापि सर्वशः ।
दुष्टानां प्रतिपत्तिं च कृत्स्नं चैव चिकित्सितम् ।। 9 ।।
न कातरं स्यान्मम वाजिवाहनं न मेऽस्ति दुष्टा बडवा कुतो हयः।
जानंस्तु मामाह स चापि पाण्डवो युधिष्ठिरो ग्रन्थिकमेव नामतः ।। 10
मातलिरिव देवपतेर्दशरथनृपतेः सुमत्र इव यन्ता।
सुमह इव जामदग्रेस्तथैव तव शिक्षयाम्यश्वान् ।। 11 ।।
युधिष्ठिरस्य राजेन्द्र नरराजस्य शासनात्।
शतसाहस्रकोटीनामश्वानामस्मि रक्षिता ।। 12 ।।
विराट उवाच।
यदस्ति किंचिन्मम वाजिवाहनं तदस्तु सर्वं त्वदधीनमद्य वै।
ये चापि केचिन्मम वाजियोधास्त्वदाश्रयाः सारथयश्च सन्तु मे ।। 13 ।
इदं तवेष्टं विहितं सुरोपम ...हि यत्ते प्रसमीक्षितं वरम्।
...ऽनुरूपं हयकर्म दृश्यते विभाति राजेव न कर्म वाजिनाम् ।। 14 ।।
युधिष्ठिरस्यैव हि दर्शनेन मे समं तवेदं प्रियदर्श दर्शनम् ।
कथं नु भृत्यैः स विनाकृतो वने चरत्यनिन्द्यो रमते च पाण्डवः ।। 15
वैशंपायन उवाच ।
तथा स गन्धर्ववरोपमो युवा विराटराज्ञा मुदितेन पूजितः।
न चैवमन्येऽपि विदुः कथंचन प्रियाभिरामं विचरन्तमन्तरा ।। 16 ।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते विराटपर्वणि
पाण्डवप्रवेशपर्वणि द्वादशोऽध्यायः ।। 12 ।।
English Ganguli
Vaisampayana said, “After a while, another powerful son of Pandu was seen making towards king Virata in haste. And as he advanced, he seemed to everyone like solar orb emerged from the clouds. And he began to observe the horses around. And seeing this, the king of the Matsyas said to his followers, ‘I wonder whence this man, possessed of the effulgence of a celestial, cometh. He looks intently at my steeds. Verily, he must be proficient in horse-lore. Let him be ushered into my presence quickly. He is a warrior and looks like a god!’ And that destroyer of foes then went up to the king and accosted him, saying, ‘Victory to thee, O king, and blest be ye. As a trainer of horses, I have always been highly esteemed by kings. I will be a clever keeper of thy horses.’
“Virata said, ‘I will give thee vehicles, wealth, and spacious quarters. Thou shalt be the manager of my horses. But first tell me whence thou comest, who thou art, and how also thou happenest to come here. Tell us also all the arts thou art master of.’ Nakula replied, ‘O mower of enemies, know that Yudhishthira is the eldest brother of the five sons of Pandu. I was formerly employed by him to keep his horses. I am acquainted with the temper of steeds, and know perfectly the art of breaking them. I know also how to correct vicious horses, and all the methods of treating their diseases. No animal in my hands becometh weak or ill. Not to speak of horses, even mares in my hands will never be found to be vicious. People called me Granthika by name and so did Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu.’
“Virata said, ‘Whatever horses I have, I consign to thy care even from today. And all the keepers of my horses and all my charioteers will from today be subordinate to thee. If this suits thee, say what remuneration is desired by thee. But, O thou that resemblest a celestial, the office of equerry is not worthy of thee. For thou lookest like a king and I esteem thee much. Thy appearance here hath pleased me as much as if Yudhishthira himself were here. Oh, how does that blameless son of Pandu dwell and divert himself in the forest, now destitute of servants as he is.’"
Vaisampayana continued, “That youth, like unto a chief of the Gandharvas, was treated thus respectfully by the delighted king Virata. And he conducted himself there in such a manner as to make himself dear and agreeable to all in the palace. And no one recognised him while living under Virata’s protection. And it was in this manner then the sons of Pandu, the very sight of whom had never been fruitless, continued to live in the country of the Matsyas. And true to their pledge those lords of the earth bounded by her belt of seas passed their days of incognito with great composure notwithstanding their poignant sufferings."