वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो दुर्योधनो राजा ज्ञात्वा तेषां वचस्तदा। चिरमन्तर्मना भूत्वा प्रत्युवाच सभासदः॥
Vaishampayana said Thereupon hearing their words, the king Duryodhana thought in his mind and then said to his courtiers.
सुदुःखा खलु कार्याणां गतिर्विज्ञातुमन्ततः। तस्मात् सर्वे निरीक्षध्वं क्व नु ते पाण्डवा गताः।।२।
It is very difficult to ascertain definitely the tide of affairs. Do you all ascertain where the Pandavas have gone.
अल्पावशिष्टं कालस्य गतभूयिष्ठमन्ततः। तेषामज्ञातचर्यायामस्मिन् वर्षे त्रयोदशे॥
Of these thirteen years which they have to pass hidden from us all, the greater portion has well-high elapsed and only a little remains.
अस्य वर्षस्य शेषं चेद् व्यतीयुरिह पाण्डवाः। निवृत्तसमयास्ते हि सत्यव्रतपरायणाः॥
And if they can truly pass the remaining portion of this year hidden from our view in pursuance of their vow they will then have fulfilled their pledge.
क्षरन्त इव नागेन्द्राः सर्वे ह्याशीविषोपमाः। दुःखा भवेयुः संरब्धाः कौरवान् प्रति ते ध्रुवम्॥
Forsooth, they, worked up with anger, will torment the Kauravas like the elephants in rut or virulent snakes.
सर्वे कालस्य वेत्तारः कृच्छ्ररूपधराः स्थिताः। प्रविशेयुर्जितक्रोधास्तावदेव पुनर्वनम्॥
Let them, with anger controlled, acquainted with all seasons, living in painful disguise, enter the woods again.
तस्मात् क्षिप्रं बुभूषध्वं यथा तेऽत्यन्तमव्ययम्। राज्यं निर्द्वन्द्वमव्यग्रं निःसपत्नं चिरं भवेत्॥
Do you all concert measures speedily for this, so that our kingdom may remain without enemies, rivals and diminution.
अथाब्रवीत् ततः कर्णः क्षिप्रं गच्छन्तु भारत। अन्ये धूर्ता नरा दक्षा निभृताः साधुकारिणः॥
Thereupon Karna said : “O descendant of Bharata, let other spies, more, cunning, capable and better fitted for this work, proceed in disguise.
चरन्तु देशान् संवीताः स्फीताञ्जानपदाकुलान्। तत्र गोष्ठीषु रम्यासु सिद्धप्रव्रजितेषु च।॥
Let them range all over the country, various provinces over-flowing with population, assemblies of learned men and charming retreats of ascetics.
परिचारेषु तीर्थेषु विविधेष्वाकरेषु च। विज्ञातव्या मनुष्यैस्तैस्तर्कया सुविनीतया॥
In inner apartments, places of pilgrimage, mines and various other places (they should be searched after) with vigilance and humility.
विविधैस्तत्परैः सम्यक् तज्जैनिपुणसंवृतैः। अन्वेष्टव्याः सुनिपुणैः पाण्डवाश्छन्नवासिनः॥
The Pandavas, living in disguise, should be searched after by a number of expert spies, devoted to this work, themselves disguised and well acquainted with the object of search.
नदीकुट्ठोषु तीर्थेषु ग्रामेषु नगरेषु च। आश्रमेषु च रम्येषु पर्वतेषु गुहासु च॥
On the banks of the rivers, in sacred shrines, villages, cities, hermitages, charming mountains and caves.
अथाग्रजानन्तरजः पापभावानुरागवान्। ज्येष्ठं दुःशासनस्तत्र भ्राता भ्रातरमब्रवीत्॥
Thereupon his younger brother Dushasana, taking delight in sins, said before his elder brother.
येषु नः प्रत्ययो राजंश्चारेषु मनुजाधिप। ते यान्तु दत्तदेया वै भूयस्तान् परिमार्गितुम्॥
O king, O lord of men, let those spies, in whom we have confidence, receive their remuneration in advance and proceed in search of them.
एतच्च कर्णो यत् प्राह सर्वमीहामहे तथा। यथोद्दिष्टं चराः सर्वे मृगयन्तु यतस्ततः॥
This and what Karna has said have my full approbation. As directed let all those spies search at all those places.
एते चान्ये च भूयांसो देशाद् देशं यथाविधि। न तु तेषां गतिर्वासः प्रवृत्तिश्चोपलभ्यते॥
Let those and others make a due search in various countries. My belief is that their movements and whereabouts are not to be known.
अत्यन्तं वा निगूढास्ते पारं चोर्मिमतो गताः। व्यालैश्चापि महारण्ये भक्षिताः शूरमानिनः॥
They are living in very great secrecy; or perhaps they have gone to the other side of the ocean. Those respecters of heroes might have been devoured by wild animals in that huge forest.
अथवा विषमं प्राप्य विनष्टाः शाश्वतीः समाः। तस्मान्मानसमव्यग्रं कृत्वा त्वं कुरुनन्दन। कुरु कार्यं महोत्साहं मन्यसे यन्नराधिप॥
Or overtaken by some dreadful calamity, they have perished for ever. Therefore, O Kuru chief, removing all anxiety from your heart, acquire what you may, working with your energy, O king.