वैशम्पायन उवाच पाण्डोरुपरमं दृष्ट्वा देवकल्पा महर्षयः। ततो मन्त्रविदः सर्वे मन्त्रयांचक्रिरे मिथः॥
Vaishampayana said: The Rishis, who were all celestial like and wise in council, seeing the death of Pandu, consulted with one another.
तापसा ऊचुः हित्वा राज्यं च राष्ट्रं च स महात्मा महायशाः। अस्मिन् स्थाने तपस्तप्त्वा तापसाशरणं गतः॥
The Rishis said: The high souled and the illustrious (Pandu), abandoning his sovereignty and kingdom, came here to practice asceticism and received the protection of the ascetics.
स जातमात्रान् पुत्रांश्च दारांश्च भवतामिह। प्रादायोपनिधिं राजा पाण्डुः स्वर्गमितो गतः॥
The king Pandu has gone to heaven, leaving his wife and infant sons as a trust in our hands.
तस्येमानात्मजान् देहं भार्यां च सुमहात्मनः। स्वराष्ट्रं गृह्य गच्छामो धर्म एष हि नः स्मृतः॥
It is now our duty to go to his kingdom with these his sons, his body (unburnt portion) and his wife.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ते परस्परममन्त्र्य देवकल्पा महर्षयः। पाण्डोः पुत्रान् पुरस्कृत्य नगरं नागसाह्वयम्॥ उदारमनसः सिद्धा गमने चक्रिरे मनः। भीष्माय पाण्डवान् दातुं धृतराष्ट्राय चैव हि॥
Vaishampayana said : Thus consulting with one another those god like Rishis of magnanimous hearts and of ascetic success resolved to go to the city of Hastinapur with the sons of Pandu in their front and to place them in the hands of Dhritarashtra and Bhishma.
तस्मिन्नेव क्षणे सर्वे तानादाय प्रतस्थिरे। पाण्डोरांश्च पुत्रांश्च शरीरे ते च तापसाः॥
The ascetics started at that very moment, taking with them the boys, the two bodies and Kunti.
सुखिनी सा पुरा भूत्वा सततं पुत्रवत्सला। प्रपन्ना दीर्घमध्वानं संक्षिप्तं तदमन्यत॥
The affectionate mother, Kunti, though she had all along led a most comfortable life, now regarded the long journey as being very short.
सा त्वदीर्पण कालेन सम्प्राप्ता कुरुजाङ्गलम्। वर्धमानपुरद्वारमाससाद यशस्विनी॥
Arriving at Kurujangala within a very short time, the illustrious Kunti presented herself at the principal gate.
द्वारिणं तापसा ऊचू राजानं च प्रकाशय। ते तु गत्वा क्षणेनैव सभायां विनिवेदिताः॥
The ascetics told the gate keepers "Go, inform the king.” They went in a moment to the royal court and informed the king.
तं चारणसहस्राणां मुनीनामागमं तदा। श्रुत्वा नागपुरे नृणां विस्मयः समपद्यत॥
The citizens of Hastinapur were filed with wonder on hearing that thousands of Charanas and Rishis had arrived at their city.
मुहूर्तेदित आदित्ये सर्वे बालपुरस्कृताः। सदारास्तापसान् द्रष्टुं निर्ययुः पुरवासिनः॥
It was soon after sunrise that the citizens all came with their wives and children, placing them in front, to see these ascetics.
स्त्रीसङ्घाः क्षत्रसङ्घाश्च यानसङ्घसमास्थिताः। ब्राह्मणैः सह निर्जग्मुर्ब्राह्मणानां च योषितः॥
Seated on thousands of cars and conveyances, thousands of Kshatriyas and Brahmanas came out with their wives.
तथा विट् शुद्रसङ्घानां महान् व्यतिकरोऽभवत्। न कश्चिदकरोदीर्ध्यामभवन धर्मबुद्धयः॥
The crowd of Vaishyas and Shudras was also very large. The vast crowd was very peaceful, because every one of them one of them was then inclined to piety.
तथा भीष्मः शान्तनवः सोमदत्तोऽथ बाह्निकः। प्रज्ञाचक्षुश्च राजर्षिः क्षत्ता च विदुरः स्वयम्॥
The son of Shantanu, Bhishma, Somadatta or Balhika, the royal sage (Dhritarashtra) with the prophetic eyes and Vidura himself.
सा च सत्यवती देवी कौसल्या च यशस्विनी। राजदारैः परिवृता गान्धारी चापि निर्ययौ॥
The venerable Satyavati, the illustrious princess of Kausalya and Gandhari surrounded by their maids, all came out to the royal gate.
धृतराष्ट्रस्य दायादा दुर्योधनपुरोगमाः। भूषिता भूषणैश्चित्रैः शतसंख्या विनिर्ययुः॥
The hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, with Duryodhana at their head, all decked with various ornaments, also came out.
तान् महर्षिगणान् दृष्ट्वा शिरोभिरभिवाद्य च। उपोपविविशुः सर्वे कौरव्याः सपुरोहिताः॥
Seeing the great Rishis, the Kauravas with their priests bowed down their heads in salutations and they all took their seats before them (Rishis).
तथैव शिरसा भूमावभिवाद्य प्रणम्य च। उपोपविविशुः सर्वे पौरा जानपदा अपि॥
All the citizens also, bowing down their heads touching the ground in solutions, took their seats.
तमकूजमभिज्ञाय जनौघं सर्वशस्तदा। पूजयित्वा यथान्यायं पायेनार्येण च प्रभो॥ भीष्मो राज्यं च राष्ट्रं च महर्षिभ्यो न्यवेदयत्। तेषामथो वृद्धतमः प्रत्युत्थाय जटाजिनी। ऋषीणां मतमाज्ञाय महर्षिरिदमब्रवीत्॥
O lord, Bhishma, seeing that vast crowd perfectly still, duly worshipped those ascetics by offering them water to wash their feet and the customary Arghya. He then spoke to them about the sovereignty and kingdom. Thereupon, the eldest of the ascetics with matted locks and skin cloth stood up. And with the concurrence of other great Rishis, he spoke thus-
यः स कौरव्य दायादः पाण्डुर्नाम नराधिपः। कामभोगान् परित्यज्य शतशृङ्गमितो गतः॥
"The descendant of Kuru, the king, named Pandu, after abandoning pleasure and luxury, went to the mountain with the thousand peaks.
ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतस्थस्य तस्य दिव्येन हेतुना। साक्षाद् धर्मादयं पुत्रस्तत्र जातो युधिष्ठिरः॥
He observed there the of Brahmacharya, but for some incrutable purpose of the celestials, this his eldest son, Yudhisthira, was born, begotten by Dharma himself.
तथैनं बलिनां श्रेष्ठं तस्य राज्ञो महात्मनः। मातरिश्वा ददौ पुत्रं भीमं नाम महाबलम्॥
Then that high souled monarch was given another greatly powerful son by Vayu. This is that foremost of mighty men, who is called Bhishma.
पुरुहूतादयं जज्ञे कुन्त्यामेव धनंजयः। यस्य कीर्तिर्महेष्वासान् सर्वानभिभविष्यति॥
This other son, begotten on Kunti by Indra, is Dhananjaya (Arjuna), whose achievements will humble all bow men in the world.
यौ तु माद्री महेष्वासावसूत पुरुषोत्तमौ। अश्विभ्यां पुरुषव्याघ्राविमौ तावपि पश्यत॥
Look at these (two) best of men, the great bowmen, the twin boys, who were begotten by Ashvinis on Madri. VOW
चरता धर्मनित्येन वनवासं यशस्विना। नष्टः पैतामहो वंशः पाण्डुना पुनरुद्धृतः॥
The almost extinct race of his forefathers was thus revived by the illustrious Pandu, leading in piety the life of a recluse.
पुत्राणां जन्मवृद्धिं च वैदिकाध्ययनानि च। पश्यन्तः सततं पाण्डोः परां प्रीतिमवाप्स्यथ॥
The birth, growth and the Vedic studies of these sons of Pandu will no doubt give you much pleasure.
वर्तमानः सतां वृत्ते पुत्रलाभमवाप्य च। पितृलोकं गतः पाण्डुरितः सप्तदशेऽहनि॥
Steadily adhering to the path of the virtuous and the wise and leaving behind him these children, Pandu has gone to the land of the Pitris.
तं चितागतमाज्ञाय वैश्वानरमुखे हुतम्। प्रविष्टा पावकं माद्री हित्वा जीवितमात्मनः॥
Seeing him placed on the funeral pyre and about to be burnt down, his wife Madri entered the fire, thus sacrificing her life.
सा गता सह तेनैव पतिलोकमनुव्रता। तस्यास्तस्य च यत् कार्यं क्रियतां तदनन्तरम्॥
She has thus gone with him to the land of Pati (reserved for chaste wives). Perform now those rites that should be performed for them.
इमे तयोः शरीरे द्वे पुत्राश्चेमे तयोर्वराः। क्रियाभिरनुगृह्यन्तां सह मात्रा परंतपाः॥
These are their bodies (unburnt portions); here also are their sons, the chastisers of foes, with their mother; let them be received in due honour.
प्रेतकार्ये निवृत्ते तु पितृमेधं महायशाः। लभतां सर्वधर्मज्ञः पाण्डुः कुरुकुलोद्वहः॥
After the completion of the first funeral rites, let the virtuous Pandu, the supporter of the dignity of the Kuru race, gain the Pitrimedha (the blissful region of the Pitris).
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्त्वा कुरून् सर्वान् कुरूणामेव पश्यताम्। क्षणेनान्तर्हिताः सर्वे तापसा गुह्यकैः सह॥
Vaishampayana said : Having said this to the Kurus, the ascetics with the Rishi Guhyakas instantly disappeared in the very sight of the Kurus.
गन्धर्वनगराकारं तथैवान्तर्हितं पुनः। ऋषिसिद्धगणं दृष्ट्वा विस्मयं ते परं ययुः॥
Seeing the Rishis disappear in their sight like the cities of the Gandharva (vapoury figures appearing and disappearing in the sky) the citizens was filled with wonder and astonishment and returned of their homes.