वैशम्पायन उवाच तस्मिन् दशार्हाधितौ प्रयाते युधिष्ठिरो भीमसेनार्जुनौ च। यमौ च कृष्णा च पुरोहितश्च रथान् महार्हान् परमाश्वयुक्तान्॥ आस्थाय वीराः सहिता वनाय प्रतस्थिरे भूतपतिप्रकाशाः। हिरण्यनिष्कान् वसनानि गाश्च प्रदाय शिक्षाक्षरमन्त्रविद्यः॥
Vaishampayana said: When the chief of the Dasharhas had gone away, Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), Krishna (Draupadi) and the priest (Dhaumya) ascending costly chariots yoked with excellent horses, departed for another forest. The heroes, each looking like the lord of spirits (Shiva,) distributed (at the time of their departure) Nishkas of gold, cloth and kine to the Brahmanas, learned in Sikha, Akshara and Mantras.
प्रेष्याः पुरो विंशतिरात्तशस्त्रा धनूंषि शस्त्राणि शरांश्च दीप्तान्। मौर्वीश्च यन्त्राणि च सायंकाश्च सर्वे समादाय जघन्यमीयुः॥
Twenty bodyguards followed them armed with bows, bowstrings, blazing weapons, shafts, arrows and other engines of destruction.
ततस्तु वासांसि च राजपुत्र्या धात्र्यश्च दास्यश्च विभूषणं च। तदिन्द्रसेनस्त्वरितः प्रगृह्य जघन्यमेवोपययौ रथेन॥
Taking the clothes the ornaments, the nurses and the maid-servants, Indraseni soon followed (the princes) on another chariot.
ततः कुरुश्रेष्ठमुपेत्य पौराः प्रदक्षिणं चक्रुरदीनसत्त्वाः। तं ब्राह्मणाश्चाभ्यवदन् प्रसन्ना मुख्याश्च सर्वे कुरुजाडुलानाम्॥
Thereupon the high-souled citizens, approaching that best of Kurus, walked round him. The principal Brahmanas of Kurujangala cheerfully saluted him.
स चापि तानभ्यवदत् प्रसन्न: सहैव तैर्धातृभिर्धर्मराजः। तस्थौ च तत्राधिपतिर्महात्मा दृष्ट्वा जनौघं कुरुजाङ्गलानाम्॥
Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) together with his brothers saluted them cheerfully in return. Seeing the concourse of the people of Kurujangala, the virtuous-minded king stayed there for some time.
पितेव पुत्रेषु स तेषु भावं चक्रे कुरूणामृषभो महात्मा। ते चापि तस्मिन् भरतप्रवर्दै तदा बभूवुः पितरीव पुत्राः॥
The high-souled hero, the foremost of the Kurus, felt for them as a father feels for his sons; and they too felt for the Kuru chief as sons feel for their father.
ततस्तमासाद्य महाजनौघाः कुरुप्रवीरं परिवार्य तस्थुः। हा नाथ हाधर्म इति ब्रुवाणा भीताश्च सर्वेऽश्रुमुखाश्च राजन्॥
That great crowd (of the people of Kurujangala) coming near the Kuru chief stood around him. O king, overwhelmed with shame and with tears in their eyes, they all exclaimed, "Alas, O lord," "Alas, Oh Dharma!"
वरः कुरूणामधिपः प्रजानां पितेव पुत्रानपहाय चास्मान्। पौरानिमाञ्जानपदांश्च सर्वान् हित्वा प्रयातः क्व नुधर्मराजः॥
(They said), “You are the chief of the Kurus, you are our king, we are your subjects. O Dharmaraja, where do you go leaving all these citizens and the inhabitants of the country (your kingdom) as a father leaves his sons.
धिग्धार्तराष्ट्र सुनृशंसबुद्धिं धिक् सौबलं पापमतिं च कर्णम्। अनर्थमिच्छन्ति नरेन्द्र पापा येधर्मनित्यस्य सतस्तवैवम्॥
Fie on the cruel-hearted son of Dhritarashtra! Fie on the evil-minded son of Subala (Shakuni)! Fie on Karna! O ruler of men, those sinful wretches always wish evil to you who are so firm in virtue.
स्वयं निवेश्याप्रतिमं महात्मा पुरं महादेवपुरप्रकाशम्। शतक्रतुप्रस्थममेयकर्मा हित्वा प्रयातः क्व नुधर्मराजः॥
O virtuous-minded Dharmaraja of extraordinary deeds, having yourself founded the matchless city of Indraprastha having the splendour of the city of the great god (Kailasa), where do you go leaving us?
चकार यामप्रतिमां महात्मा सभा मयो देवसभाप्रकाशाम्। तां देवगुप्तामिव देवमायां हित्वा प्रयातः क्व नुधर्मराजः॥
O virtuous-minded Dharmaraja, leaving that matchless Sabha, built by Moya, which possesses the splendour of the celestials Sabha, which is like a celestials illusion itself and which is ever guarded by the celestials themselves, where do you go?”
तान्धर्मकामार्थविदुत्तमौजा बीभत्सुरुच्चैः सहितानुवाच। आदास्यते वासमिमं निरुष्य वनेषु राजा द्विषतां यशांसि॥
To them in a loud voice said Vivatsa (Arjuna), learned in the rules of Dharma, Artha and Kama, “By living in the forest the king (Yudhishthira) intends to take away the fame of his enemies.
द्विजातिमुख्याः सहिताः पृथक् च भवद्भिरासाद्य तपस्विनश्च। प्रसाद्यधर्मार्थविदश्च वाच्या यथार्थसिद्धिः परमा भवेत्रः॥
O men, with the Brahmanas at your head, all learned in Dharma and Artha, going to the ascetics, separately and each praying for their grace, represent to them, what is for your supreme good.”
इत्येवमुक्ते वचनेऽर्जुनेन ब्राह्मणाः सर्ववर्णाश्च राजन्। मुदाभ्यनन्दन सहिताश्च चक्रुः प्रदक्षिणधर्मभृतां वरिष्ठम्॥ ते
O king, at these words of Arjuna, the Brahmanas and the men of other orders saluted him cheerfully and walked round that foremnost of all virtuous men.
आमन्त्र्य पार्थं च वृकोदरं च धनंजयं याज्ञसेनी यमौ च। प्रतस्थिरे राष्ट्रमपेतहर्षा युधिष्ठिरेणानुमता यथास्वम्॥
Then bidding farewell to the son of Pritha (Yudhishthira). Vrikodara (Bhima) Dhananjaya and Yajnaseni (Draupadi) and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), they at the command of Yudhishthira, sorrowfully returned to their respective house in the kingdom.