व्यास उवाच युधिष्ठिरः महाबाहो यथाह कुरुनन्दनः। धृतराष्ट्रो महातेजास्तत् कुरुष्वाविचारयन्॥
Vyasa said O Inighty-armed Yudhishthira, do unhesitatingly what Dhritarashtra of Kuru's family has said.
अयं हि वृद्धो नृपतिर्हतपुत्रो विशेषतः। नेदं कृच्छ्रे चिरतरं सहेदिति पतिर्मम॥
This king is old. He has again, been made sonlcss. I think he will not be able to bear his grief long.
गान्धारी च महाभागा प्राज्ञा करुणवेदिनी। पुत्रशोकं महाराज धैर्येणोद्वहते भृशम्॥
The highly blessed Gandhari, cndued with great wisdom and kindly speech, bears with fortitude her excessive grief owing to the loss of her sons.
अहमप्येतदेव त्वां ब्रवीमि कुरु मे वचः। अनुज्ञां लभतां राजा मा वृथेह मरिष्यति॥
I also tell you (what the old king says.) Do you obey my words. Let the old king have your permission. Let him not die an inglorious death at home.
राजर्षीणां पुराणानामनुयातु गतिं नृपः। राजर्षीणां हि सर्वेषामन्ते वनमुपाश्रयः॥
Let this king follow the path of royal sages of old. Indeed, all royal sages retire into the woods at last.
वैशम्पायन उवाच इत्युक्तः स तदा राजा व्यासेनाद्भुतकर्मणा। भगवानेव नो मान्यो भगवानेव नो गुरुः। भगवानस्य राज्यस्य कुलस्य च परायणम्॥ प्रत्युवाच महातेजा धर्मराजो महामुनिम्॥
Vaishampayana said, Thus addressed at that time by Vyasa of wonderful deeds, king Yudhishthira the just, gifted with mighty energy, said to the great ascetic these words, 'Your holy self is held by us in great reverence. You alone are our preceptor. You alone are the refuge of this our kingdom as also of our family.
अहं तु पुत्रो भगवन् पिता राजा गुरुश्च मे। निदेशवर्ती च पितुः पुत्रो भवति धर्मतः॥
I am your son. You, O holy one, are my father! You are our king, and you are our preceptor! The son should as dictated by every duty, obey the commands of his father.
वैशम्पायन उवाच इत्युक्तः स तु तं प्राह व्यासो वेदविदां वरः। युधिष्ठिरं महातेजाः पुनरेव महाकविः॥ एवमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि भारत। राजाऽयं वृद्धतां प्राप्तः प्रमाणे परमे स्थितः॥
Vaishampayana said Thus addressed by the king, Vyasa, that foremost of all persons knowing the Vedas, that foremost of poets gifted with great energy, once more said to Yudhishthira these words, 'It is so, O mighty-armed one! It is as you say, O Bharata! This king has reached old age, He is now in the last stage of life.
सोऽयं मयाभ्यनुज्ञातस्त्वया च पृथिवीपतिः। करोतु स्वमभिप्रायं मास्य विघ्नकरो भव॥
Permitted both by me and you, let this king do what he wishes. Do not stand as on obstacle in his way.
एष एव परो धर्मो राजर्षीणां युधिष्ठिर। समरे वा भवेन्मृत्युर्वने वा विधिपूर्वकम्॥
This is the highest duty, O Yudhishthira, of royal sages. They should die either in battle or in the forest according to the scriptures.
पित्रा तु तव राजेन्द्र पाण्डुना पृथिवीक्षिता। शिष्यवृत्तेन राजायं गुरुवत् पर्युपासितः॥
Your royal father, Pandu, O king of kings, respected this old king as a disciple reverses his preceptor.
क्रतुभिर्दक्षिणावभी रत्नपर्वतशोभितैः। महमिरिष्टं गौर्भुक्ता प्रजाश्च परिपालिताः॥
(At that time) he worshipped the celestials in many great sacrifices with profuse gifts consisting of hills of wealth and jewels, and ruled the Earth and protected his subjects wisely and well.
पुत्रसंस्थं च विपुलं राज्यं विप्रोषिते त्वयि। त्रयोदशसमा भुक्तं दत्तं च विविधं वसु॥
Having obtained a good number of children and a prosperous kingdom, he enjoyed great riches for thirteen years while you were in exile, and gave away much wealth.
त्वया चायं नरव्याघ्र गुरुशुश्रूषयाऽनघा आराधितः सभृत्येन गान्धारी च यशस्विनी॥
Yourself also, O king, with your servants, O sinless one, have worshipped this king and the famous Gandhari with that ready obedience which a disciple pays to his preceptor.
अनुजानीहि पितरं समयोऽस्य तपोविधौ। न मन्युर्विद्यते चास्य सुसूक्ष्मोऽपि युधिष्ठिर॥
Do you grant permission to your father. The time has come for his to attend to the practice of penances. He does He does not cherish, O Yudhishthira, even the slightest anger against any of you.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एतावदुक्त्वा वचनमनुमान्य च पार्थिवम्। तथास्त्विति च तेनोक्तः कौन्तेयेन ययौ वनम्॥
Vaishampayana said Having said these words, Vyasa, soothed the old king. Yudhishthira, then, answered him, saying, “So be it.' The great ascetic then left the palace for proceeding to the forest.
गते भगवति व्यासे राजा पाण्डुसुतस्तदा। प्रोवाच पितरं वृद्धं मन्दं मन्दमिवानतः॥ यदाह भगवान् व्यासो यच्चापि भवतो मतम्। यथाऽऽह च महेष्वासः कृपो विदुर एव च॥ युयुत्सुः संजयश्चैव तत्कर्तास्म्यहमञ्जसा। सर्व एव हि मान्या मे कुलस्य हि हितैषिणः॥
After the holy Vyasa had departed, the royal son of Pandu softly said these words to his old father, bending himself in humility, 'What the holy Vyasa has said, what is your own purpose, what the great bowmen Kripa has said, what Vidura has said, and what has been asked for by Yuyutsu and Sanjaya, I shall quickly do. All these deserve my respect, for all of them are well-wishers of our family.
इदं तु याचे नृपते त्वामहं शिरसा नतः। क्रियतां तावदाहारस्ततो गच्छाश्रमं प्रति॥
This, however, O king, I beg of you by bending my head. Do you first eat and afterwards go to your forest-retreat.