वैशम्पायन उवाच एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु वासुदेवोऽपि वीर्यवान्। उपायाद् वृष्णिभिः सार्धं पुरं वारणसाह्वयम्॥
Meanwhile, the highly energetic Vasudeva, accompanied by the Vrishnis, came to the city of Hastinapur.
समयं वाजिमेधस्य विदित्वा पुरुषर्षभः। यथोक्तो धर्मपुत्रेण प्रव्रजन् स्वपुरी प्रति॥
While leaving that city for returning to his own Dwraka, he had been requested by the son of Dharma to come back. Hence, knowing, that the tiine fixed for the Horse-Sacrifice had come, that foremost of men returned to Hastinapur.
रौक्मिणेयेन सहितो युयुधानेन चैव ह। चारुदेष्णेन साम्बेन गदेन कृतवर्मणा॥ सारणेन च वीरेण निशठेनोल्मुकेन च। बलदेवं पुरस्कृत्य सुभद्रासहितस्तदा॥
Accompanied by the son Rukmini, by Yuyudhana, by Charudeshana, by Shamva by Gada, by Kritavarman, by the heroic Sarana, by Nishatha and by Un-mukha, Vasudeva came, with Baladeva at the head of the train, and with Subhadra also accompanying him.
द्रौपदीमुत्तरां चैव पृथां चाप्यवलोककः। समाश्वासयितुं चापि क्षत्रिया निहतेश्वराः॥
Indeed, that hero came for seeing Draupadi, Uitara and Pritha and for comforting those renowned Kshatriya-ladies who had been bereft of many of their protectors.
तानागतान् समीक्ष्यैव धृतराष्ट्रो महीपतिः। प्रत्यगृह्वाद् यथान्यायं विदुरश्च महामनाः॥
Seeing those heroes come, king Dhritarashtra, as also the great Vidura, received them with due honours.
तत्रैव न्यवसत् कृष्णः स्वर्चितः पुरुषोत्तमः। विदुरेण महातेजास्तथैव च युयुत्सुना॥
That foremost of men, viz., Krishna of great energy, worshipped by Vidura and Yuyutsu, continued to live in the Kuru capital.
वसत्सु वृष्णिवीरेषु तत्राथ जनमेजय। जज्ञे तव पिता राजन् परिक्षित् परवीरहा॥
It was while the Vrishni heroes, ) Janamejaya, were living in the Kuru-city, O king, that your father, that destroyer of hostile heroes, was born.
स तु राजा महाराज ब्रह्मास्त्रेणावपीडितः। शवो बभूव निश्चेष्टो हर्षशोकविवर्धनः॥
The royal Parikshit, O monarch, afflicted by the Brahima-weapon of Ashvatthama), upon coming out of the womb, lay still and motionless for he had no life. By his birth he had pleased the citizens but soon piunged them into grief.
हृष्टानां सिंहनादेन जनानां तत्र नि:स्वनः। प्रविश्य प्रदिशः सर्वाः पुनरेव व्युपारमत्॥
The citizens, learning of the birth of the prince, uttered a leonine shout. That noise proceeded to the utmost limit of every point of the compass. Soon, however, that noise ceased,
ततः सोऽतित्वरः कृष्णो विवेशान्तःपुरं तदा। युयुधानद्वितीयो वै व्यथितेन्द्रियमानसः॥
Krishna, his senses and inind considerably affected, with Yuyudhana in his company, entered speedily the inner apartments of the palace.
ततस्त्वरितमायान्तीं ददर्श स्वां पितृष्वसाम्। क्रोशन्तीमभिधावेति वासुदेवं पुनः पुनः॥
He saw his own paternal aunt (Kunti), coming, loudly weeping and calling upon him repeatedly.
पृष्ठतो द्रौपदी चैव सुभद्रां च यशस्विनीम्। सविक्रोशं सकरुणं बान्धवानां स्त्रियो नृप॥
Behind her were Draupadi and the famous Subhadra, and the wives of the relatives of the Pandavas, all weeping piteously.
ततः कृष्णं समासाद्य कुन्तिभोजसुता तदा। प्रोवाच राजशार्दूल बाप्पगद्गदया गिरा॥
Mecting Krishna, Kunti, that daughter of the Bhoja race, said to him in a voice choked with tears, Oforemost of monarchs.
वासुदेव महाबाहो सुप्रजा देवकी त्वया। त्वं नो गतिः प्रतिष्ठा च त्वदायत्तमिदं कुलम्॥
O Vasudeva, O mighty-armed hero Devaki, by having borne you, has come to be considered as an excellent genetrix! You are our refuge and our glory! This race (of Pandu) depends upon you for its protector.
यदुप्रवीर योऽयं ते स्वस्रीयस्यात्मजः प्रभो। अश्वत्थाम्ना हतो जातस्तमुज्जीवय केशव॥
O Yadava hero, O powerful one this child of your sister's son, has come, out of the womb, killed by Ashvatthama. O Keshava, do you révive him!
त्वया ह्येतत् प्रतिज्ञातमैषीके यदुनन्दन। अहं संजीवयिष्यामि मृतं जातमिति प्रभो॥ सोऽयं जातो मृतस्तात पश्यैनं पुरुषर्षभ।
O delighter of the Yadavas, this was vowed by you, O powerful one, when Ashvatthaman had inspired the blade of grass into a Brahmaweapon of great energy! Indeed, O Keshava, your words were thcsc; I shall revive that child if he comes out of the womb dead!
उत्तरां च सुभद्रां च द्रौपदीं मां च माधव॥ धर्मपुत्रं च भीमं च फाल्गुनं नकुलं तथा। सहदेवं च दुर्धर्ष सर्वान् नस्त्रातुमर्हसि॥
That child, O son, has been born deed! Sec him, O foremost of men. You should, O Madhava, rescue Uttara and Subhadra and Draupadi and myself, and Dharma's son (Yudhishthira), and Bhima and Phalguna, and Nakula and the irresistible Sahadeva.
अस्मिन् प्राणा: समायत्ताः पाण्डवानां ममैव च। पाण्डोश्च पिण्डो दाशार्ह तथैव श्वशुरस्य मे॥ अभिमन्योश्च भद्रं ते प्रियस्य सदृशस्य च। प्रियमुत्पादयाद्य त्वं प्रेतस्यापि जनार्दन॥
In this child arc fettered the life-breaths of the Pandavas and myself! O you of the Dasharha-race, on him depends the obsequial cake of Pandu, as also of my father-in-law, and of Abhimanyu too, blessed be you, that favourite nephew of yours who was so very like you! Do you do today what will be beneficial to all these! I urge you earnestly, O Janardana.
उत्तरा हि पुरोक्तं वै कथयत्यरिसूदन। अभिमन्योर्वचः कृष्ण प्रियत्वात् तन्न संशयः॥
Uttara, O destroyer of enemies, always repeats the words said to her by Abhimanyu. Forsooth, O Krishna, those words were highly agreeable to her.
अब्रवीत् किल दाशार्ह वैराटीमा निस्तदा। मातुलस्य कुलं भद्रे तव पुत्रो गमिष्यति॥
O you of the Dasharha-race. Arjuna's son said to this daughter of Virata, Your son, O blessed girl, will go to my maternal uncles.
गत्वा वृष्ण्यन्धककुलं धनुर्वेदं ग्रहीष्यति। अस्त्राणि च विचित्राणि नीतिशास्त्रं च केवलम्।।२४)
Taking up his quarters with the Vrishnis and Andhakas, he will obtain from them the science of arms, indeed, various wonderful weapons and the whole of the science of polities and morality.
इत्येतत् प्रणयात् तात सौभद्रः परवीरहा। कथयामास दुर्घर्षस्तथा चैतन्न संशयः॥
These were the words, O son, that that destroyer of hostile heroes, viz., the son of Subhadra, that irresistible hero, said to Uttara from his love for her.
तास्त्वां वयं प्रणम्येह याचामो मधुसूदन। कुलस्यास्य हितार्थं तं कुरु कल्याणमुत्तमम्॥
O destroyer of Madhu, bowing our heads to you, we pray you for making those words of Abhimanyu true! In view also of the time that has come, do you accomplish what is highly beneficial.
एवमुक्त्वा तु वार्ष्णेयं पृथा पृथुललोचना। उच्छ्रित्य बाहू दुःखार्ता ताश्चान्याः प्रापतन् भुवि।।२७।'
Having said these words to that hero of the Vrishni's race, Pritha of large eyes, raised her arms upwards and with the other ladies in her company, dropped down on the Earth.
अब्रुवश्च महाराज सर्वाः सास्राविलेक्षणाः। स्वस्रीयो वासुदेवस्य मृतो जात इति प्रभो॥
All of them, with eyes rendered muddy by tears, repeatedly explained, saying, Alas, the son of Vasudeva's nephew has been born dead.
एवमुक्ते ततः कुन्ती पर्यगृह्णाज्जनार्दनः। भूमौ निपतितां चैनां सान्त्वयामास भारत॥
After Kunti had said so, Janardana took hold of her, O Bharata, and gently raising her from the Earth, comforted her as follows.