वैशम्पायन उवाच तेषु त्रिषु कुमारेषु जातेषु कुरुजाङ्गलम्। कुरवोऽथ कुरुक्षेत्रं त्रयमेतदवर्धत॥
Vaishampayana said : On the birth of these three sons (Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura), Kurujangala, Kurukshetra and the Kurus grew in prosperity.
ऊर्ध्वसस्याभवद् भूमिः सस्यानि रसवन्ति च। यथर्तुवर्षी पर्जन्यो बहुपुष्पफला दुमाः॥
The land gave abundant harvests and the crops were juicy. The clouds showered rains at proper time and the trees became full of fruits and flowers.
वाहनानि प्रहृष्टानि मुदिता मृगपक्षिणः। गन्धवन्ति च माल्यानि रसवन्ति फलानि च।॥
The beasts of burdens were happy and the deer and the birds were exceedingly glad. The flowers became fragrant and the fruits became sweet.
वणिम्भिश्चान्वकीर्यन्त नगराण्यथ शिल्पिभिः। शूराश्च कृतविद्याश्च सन्तश्च सुखिनोऽभवन्॥
The cities were filled with merchants and artisans; the people became brave, learned, honest and happy.
नाभवन् दस्यवः केचिन्नाधर्मरुचयो जनाः। प्रदेशेष्वपि राष्ट्राणां कृतं युगमवर्तत॥
There were no thieves, there was none who was sinful. It seemed that Satyayuga had come over all parts of the kingdom.
धर्मक्रिया यज्ञशीलाः सत्यव्रतपरायणाः। अन्योन्यप्रीतिसंयुक्ता व्यवर्धन्त प्रजास्तदा॥
The people were devoted to virtuous acts, sacrifices and the vow of the truth. Bearing love and affection for one another, they grew in prosperity.
मानक्रोधविहीनाश्च नरा लोभविवर्जिताः। अन्योन्यमभ्यनन्दन्त धर्मोत्तरमवर्तत॥
They were free from pride, anger and covetousness; they took delight in sports which were perfectly innocent.
तन्महोदधिवत् पूर्णं नगरं वै व्यरोचत। द्वारतोरणनिर्दूहैर्युक्तमध्चयोपमैः॥ प्रासादशतसम्बाधं महेन्द्रपुरसंनिभम्। नदीषु वनखण्डेषु वापीपल्वलसानुषु। काननेषु च रम्येषु विजहर्मुदिता जनाः॥
The holy city (Hastinapur) like the wide ocean, full of hundreds of palaces and mansions, possessing gates and arches and looking like dark clouds, appeared like the celestial capital of Indra. The people sported in great delight in the rivers, lakes, tanks, beautiful groves and woods.
उत्तरैः कुरुभिः सार्धं दक्षिणा: कुरवस्तथा। विस्पर्धमाना व्यचरंस्तथा देवर्षिचारणैः॥
The Southern Kurus, in virtuous rivalry with the Northern Kurus, walked with the Devarshis and Charanas.
नाभवत् कृपणः कश्चिन्नाभवन् विधवाः स्त्रियः। तस्मिञ्जनपदे रम्ये कुरुभिर्बहुलीकृते॥
None was there miserly and there was no woman who was a widow in that delightful country whose prosperity was thus increased by the Kurus.
कूपारामसभावाप्यो ब्राह्मणावसथास्तथा। बभूवुः सर्वर्द्धियुतास्तस्मिन् राष्ट्रे सदोत्सवाः॥
The wells were full of water, the groves abounded with trees, the houses of Brahmanas were full of wealth and the whole kingdom was full of prosperity.
भीष्मेण धर्मतो राजन् सर्वतः परिरक्षिते। बभूव रमणीयश्च चैत्ययूपशताङ्कितः॥
O king, thus virtuously ruled by Bhishma, the kingdom was adorned with hundreds of sacrificial stakes.
स देशः परराष्ट्राणि विमृज्याभिप्रवर्धितः। भीष्मेण विहितं राष्ट्र धर्मचक्रमवर्तत॥
The wheel of virtue being thus set in motion by Bhishma, the country was full of increased population, people coming from other countries.
क्रियमाणेषु कृत्येषु कुमाराणां महात्मनाम्। पौरजानपदाः सर्वे बभूवुः सततोत्सवाः॥
The citizens and the people were all filled with hope on seeing the achievements and behaviour of the youthful princes.
गृहेषु कुरुमुख्यानां पौराणां च नराधिप। दीयतां भुज्यतां चेति वाचोऽश्रूयन्त सर्वशः॥
O king, in the house of the chief Kurus and in those of the people, "Give” “Eat” were the words that were constantly heard.
धृतराष्ट्रश्च पाण्डुश्च विदुरश्च महामतिः। जन्मप्रभृति भीष्मेण पुत्रवत् परिपालिताः॥
Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura were brought up from their birth by Bhishma, as if they were his own sons.
संस्कारैः संस्कृतास्ते तु व्रताध्ययनसंयुताः। श्रमव्यायामकुशलाः समपद्यन्त यौवनम्॥
They passed through the usual rites of their order; they engaged themselves in study and vows; they grew up into youths, expert in athletic sports and labour.
धनुर्वेदऽश्वपृष्ठे च गदायुद्धेऽसिचर्मणि। तथैव गजशिक्षायां नीतिशास्त्रेषु पारगाः॥
They became expert in archery, learned in the Veda, skillful in club-fight and in using sword and shield. They were experts in horsemanship and in the management of elephants; they were learned in the science off morality.
इतिहासपुराणेषु नानाशिक्षासु बोधिताः। वेदवेदाङ्गतत्त्वज्ञाः सर्वत्र कृतनिश्चयाः॥
They were acquainted with history, Puranas and with many other branches of learning. They were well-acquainted with the mystery of the Vedas and the Vedangas. The knowledge they acquired was versatile and deep.
पाण्डुर्धनुषि विक्रान्तो नरेष्वभ्यधिकोऽभवत्। अन्येभ्यो बलवानासीद् धृतराष्ट्रो महीपतिः॥
The greatly powerful Pandu excelled all men in the science of archery. The king Dhritarashtra excelled all men in personal strength.
त्रिषु लोकेषु न त्वासीत् कश्चिद् विदुरसम्मितः। धर्मनित्यस्तथा राजन् धर्मे च परमं गतः॥
O king, there was none in the three worlds, who excelled Vidura in his devotion towards religion and virtue and in his knowledge of the science of morality.
प्रणष्टं शन्तनोर्वंशं समीक्ष्य पुनरुद्धृतम्। ततो निर्वचनं लोके सर्वराष्ट्रेष्ववर्तत॥
On seeing the restoration of the extinct dynasty of Shantanu, the following saying became current over all countries.
वीरसूनां काशिसुते देशानां कुरुजाङ्गलम्। सर्वधर्मविदां भीष्मः पुराणां गजसाह्वयम्॥ धृतराष्ट्रस्त्वचक्षुष्ट्वाद् राज्यं च प्रत्यपद्यत। पारसवत्वाद् विदुरो राजा पाण्डुर्बभूव ह॥
"Amongst the mothers of heroes, the daughter of the king of Kashi; among all countries, Kurujangalas; among all virtuous men, Bhishma; and among all cities, Hastinapur, are the foremost. Dhritarashtra did not get the kingdom, because he was blind; and Vidura also did not get it, because he was born of a Shudra woman, therefore Pandu became king.
कदाचिदथ गाङ्गेय सर्वनीतिमतां वरः। विदुरं धर्मतत्त्वज्ञं वाक्यमाह यथोचितम्॥
One day the foremost of all statesmen, the learned in all the moral precepts, the son of Ganga (Bhishma), spoke to Vidura thus.