वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः प्रयान्तं कौन्तेयं ब्राह्मणा वनवासिनः। अभिगम्य तदा राजन्निदं वचनमबृदन्॥
Vaishampayana said: O king, thereupon those dwellers of the forest, those Brahmanas, seeing that the son of Kunti was about to, came to him and spoke these words.
राजस्तीर्थानि गन्तासि पुण्यानि भ्रातृभिः सह। ऋषिणा चैव सहितो लोमशेन महात्मना॥
“O king, you are going to the sacred Tirthas with your brothers and with the illustrious Rishi Lomasha.
अस्मानपि महाराज नेतुमर्हसि पाण्डव। अस्माभिर्हि न शक्यानि त्वदृते तानि कौरव॥
O great king, O Pandava, O descendant of Kuru, you should take us with you. Without you we shall never able to visit them.
श्वापदैरुपसृष्टानि दुर्गाणि विषमाणि च। अगम्यानि नरैरल्पैस्तीर्थानि मनुजेश्वर॥
O ruler of men, they are full of dangers and abound in wild beasts; they are inaccessible and are to be reached through dragged ways. Men in small parties cannot reach these Tirthas.
भवतो भ्रातरः शूराधनुर्धरवसः सदा। भवद्भिः पालिताः शूरैर्गच्छामो वयमप्युत॥
O undeteriorating one, your brothers are heroes, they are foremost wielders of bows. Protected by you who are all heroes, we shall also be able to go.
भवत्प्रसादाद्धि वय प्राप्नुयाम सुखं फलम्। तीर्थानां पृथिवीपाल वनानां च विशाम्पते॥
O ruler of earth, O king, through your favour we shall acquire the happy fruits of Tirthas and (sacred) forests.
तव वीर्यपरित्राताः शुद्धास्तीर्थपरिप्लुताः। भवेमधूतपाप्मानस्तीर्थसंदर्शनानृप॥
O king, protected by your prowess, let us be cleansed of all our sins by visiting those Tirthas and by purifying ourselves by bathing therein,
भवानपि नरेन्द्रस्य कार्तवीर्यस्य भारत। अष्टकस्य च राजर्लोमपादस्य चैव ह॥ भरतस्य च वीरस्य सार्वभौमस्य पार्थिव। ध्रुवं प्राप्स्यसि दुष्प्रापॉल्लोकांस्तीर्थपरिप्लुतः॥
O descendant of Bharata, O king, having bathed in these Tirthas you too will certainly obtain those inaccessible regions obtained by Kartavirya, Ashtaka, the royal sage Lomapada and the imperial and heroic Bharata.
प्रभासादीनि तीर्थानि महेन्द्रादींश्च पर्वतान्। गङ्गाद्याः सरितश्चैव प्लक्षादींश्च वनस्पतीन्॥ त्वया सह महीपाल द्रष्टुमिच्छामहे वयम्। यदि ते ब्राह्मणेष्वस्ति काचित् प्रीतिर्जनाधिप।॥
Prabhasa and other Tirthas, Mahendra and other mountains, Ganga and other rivers, Plaksha and other lords of forests (trees). O great king, we desire to see all these with you. O ruler of men, if you have any regard of the Brahmanas. Then speedily do what we say. You will obtain prosperity through it.
कुरु क्षिप्रं वचोऽस्माकं ततः श्रेयोऽभिपत्स्यसे। तीर्थानि हि महाबाहो तपोविघ्नकरैः सदा॥
O mighty armed hero, Tirthas are infested by Rakshasas ever prone to obstruct ascetic austerities. You should protect us from them.
अनुकीर्णानि रक्षोभिस्तेभ्यो नस्त्रातुमर्हसि। तीर्थान्युक्तानिधौम्येन नारदेन चधीमता॥ यान्युवाच च देवर्षिर्लोमशः सुमहातपाः। विधिवत् तानि सर्वाणि पर्यटस्व नराधिप॥ धूतपाप्मा सहास्माभिर्लोमशेनाभिपालितः। स राजा पूज्यमानस्तैर्हर्षादश्रुपरिप्लुतः॥ भीमसेनादिभिवीरैर्धातृभिः परिवारितः। बाढमित्यब्रवीत् सर्वांस्तानृषीन् पाण्डवर्षभः॥
O ruler of men visit all the Tirthas spoken of by the greatly intelligent Dhaumya and also those spoken of by the greatly ascetic celestials Rishi Lomasha. Protected by Lomasha and accompanied by us, be cleansed of all sins.” Having been thus addressed by them, the king (Yudhishthira) was filled with tears of joy. Surrounded by his heroic brothers headed by Bhimasena that foremost of Pandavas (Yudhishthira) said to all those Rishis “So be it."
लोमशं समनुज्ञाप्यधौम्यं चैव पुरोहितम्। ततः स पाण्डवश्रेष्ठो भ्रातृभिः सहितो वशी॥
With the permission of Lomasha and also with that of the priest Dhumya that selfcontrolled eldest Pandava with his brothers,
द्रौपद्या चानवद्याझ्या गमनाय मनो दधे। अथ व्यासो महाभागस्तथा पर्वतनारदौ॥ काम्यके पाण्डवं द्रष्टुं समाजग्मुर्मनीषिणः। तेषां युधिष्ठिरो राजा पूजां चक्रे यथाविधि। सत्कृतास्ते महाभागा युधिष्ठिरमथाब्रुवन्॥
And with faultless featured Draupadi made up his mind to start. At that very time the greatly exalted Vyasa, Parvata and Narada, all endued with great intelligence, came to the Kamyaka (forest) with the desire of seeing the Pandavas. the king Yudhishthira worshipped them all in due form. When the exalted ones were all duly worshipped, they thus spoke to Yudhishthira,
ऋषय ऊचुः युधिष्ठिर यमौ भीम मनसा कुरुतार्जवम्। मनसा कृतशौचा वै शुद्धास्तीर्थानि यास्यथ॥
"O Yudhishthira, O the twins, O Bhima, banish all evil thoughts from your minds. Purify your hearts and thus being purified go to the Tirthas.
शरीरनियमं प्राहुर्ब्राह्मणा मानुषं व्रतम्। मनोविशुद्धां बुद्धिं च दैवमाहुव्रतं द्विजाः॥
The Brahmanas have said that to regulate one's body is the observance of human vows and to purify one's mind and understanding is the observance of celestials vows.
मनो ह्यदुष्टं शौचाय पर्याप्तं वै नराधिप। मैत्री बुद्धिं समास्थाय शुद्धास्तीर्थानि द्रक्ष्यथ॥
O ruler of men, the mind which is free from all evil thoughts is highly pure. Therefore bearing friendly feelings towards all the purifying yourselves, visit the Tirthas.
ते यूयं मानसैः शुद्धाः शरीरनियमव्रतैः। दैवं व्रतं समास्थाय यथोक्तं फलमाप्स्यथ॥
Observing human vows in respect of your body and purifying your mind by observing the celestials vows, acquire the fruits of Tirthas as recited (to you).
ते तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय कृष्णया सह पाण्डवाः। कृतस्वस्त्ययनाः सर्वे मुनिभिर्दिव्यमानुषैः।।२१
Saying “So be it," the Pandavas with Krishna (Draupadi) caused all those celestials and human Rishis to perform propitiatory rites.
लोमशस्योपसंगृह्य पादौ द्वैपायनस्य च। नारदस्य च राजेन्द्र देवर्षेः पर्वतस्य च॥
O king of kings, then touching the feet of Lomasha, of Dvaipayana (Vyasa) of Narada and of the celestials Rishi Parvata.
॥ धौम्येन सहिता वीरास्तथा तैर्वनवासिभिः। मार्गशीर्ध्यामतीतायां पुष्येण प्रययुस्ततः॥
Those heroes, accompanied by Dhaumya and other dwellers of the forest, started on their journey on the day following the full moon of Agrahayana in which the constellation Pausha was in ascendance.
कठिनानि समादाय चीराजिनजटाधराः। अभेद्यैः कवचैर्युक्तास्तीर्थान्यन्वचरंस्ततः॥ इन्द्रसेनादिभिर्भूत्यै रथैः परिचतुर्दशैः। महानसव्यापृतैश्च तथान्यैः परिचारकैः॥ सायुधा बद्धनिस्त्रिशास्तूणवन्तः समार्गणाः। प्राङ्मुखाः प्रययुर्वीराः पाण्डवा जनमेजय॥
Clad in barks and skins, putting on impenetrable armours the heroic sons of Pandu with matted-locks on their heads, with quivers, arrows swords and other weapons, accompanied by Indrasena and other attendants, with fourteen chariots, with a number of cooks and servants of other classes, O Janamejaya, started with their faces turned towards the east.