वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः प्रभाते राजा स धृतराष्ट्रोऽम्बिकासुतः। आहूय पाण्डवान् वीरान् वनवासे कृतक्षणः॥
Vaishampayana said Having settled the hour of his departure for the forest, the royal son of Ambika, viz., Dhritarashtra, summoned those heroes, the Pandavas.
गान्धारीसहितो धीमानभ्यनन्दद् यथाविधि। कार्तिक्यां कारयित्वेष्टिं ब्राह्मणैर्वेदपारगैः॥ अग्निहोत्रं पुरस्कृत्य बल्कलाजिनसंवृतः। वधूजनवृतो राजा निर्ययौ भवनात् ततः॥
Endued with great intelligence, the old king, with Gandhari, duly accosted those princes. Having caused the minor rites to be performed, by Brahmanas knowing the Vedas, on that day which was the day of full moon in the month of Kartika, he caused the fire which he adored daily to be taken up. Casting off his proper dress he wore deer-skins and barks, and accompanied by his daughters-in-law, he left is palace.
ततः स्त्रियः कौरवपाण्डवानां याश्चापराः कौरवराजवंश्याः। तासां नादः प्रादुरासीत् तदानीं वैचित्रवीर्ये नृपतौ प्रयाते॥
When the royal son of Vichitravirya thus started, the Pandava and the Kaurava ladies as also other women belonging to the Kaurava race, began to bewail aloud.
ततो लाजैः सुमनोभिश्च राजा विचित्राभिस्तद् गृहं पूजयित्वा। सम्यूज्याथै त्यवर्गं च सर्वे ततः समुत्सृज्य ययौ नरेन्द्रः॥
The king adored the palace in which he had lived with fried paddy and excellent flowers of various kinds. He also honoured all his servants with gifts of wealth, and then leaving that house set out on his journey.
ततो राजा प्राञ्जलिर्वेपमानो युधिष्ठिरः सस्वरं वाष्पकण्ठः। विमुच्योच्चैर्महानादं हि साधो क्व यास्यसीत्यपतत् तात भूमौ॥
Then, O son, king Yudhishthira, trembling all over, with words choked by tears, said these words in aloud voice, viz., 'O righteous king, where do you go?' and fell down in a swoon.
तथार्जुनस्तीव्रदुःखाभितप्तो मुहुर्मुहुनिःश्वसन् भारताग्र्यः। युधिष्ठिरं मैवमित्येवमुक्त्वा निगृह्याथो दीनवत् सीदमानः॥
Arjuna, burning with great grief, sighed repeatedly. That foremost of Bharata princes, telling Yudhishthira that he should not behave thus, stood cheerlessly and with heart plunged into distress.
वृकोदरः फाल्गुनश्चैव वीरौ माद्रीपुत्रौ विदुरः संजयश्चा वैश्यापुत्रः सहितो गौतमेन धौम्यो विप्राश्चान्वयुर्बाष्पकण्ठाः॥
Vrikodara, the heroic Phalguna, the two sons of Madri, Vidura, Sanjaya, Dhritarashtra's son by his Vaishya wife, and Kripa, and Dhaumya, and other Brahmanas, all followed the old king with voices choked in grief.
कुन्ती गान्धारी बद्धनेत्रां व्रजन्ती स्कन्धासक्तं हस्तमथोद्वहन्ती। राजा गान्धार्याः स्कन्धदेशेऽवसज्य पाणिं ययौ धृतराष्ट्रः प्रतीतः॥
Kunti walked first, carrying on her shoulders the hand of Gandhari who walked with her bandaged eyes. King Dhritarashtra walked confidently behind Gandhari, placing his hand on her shoulder.
तथा कृष्णा द्रौपदी सात्वती च बालापत्या चोत्तरा कौरवी च। चित्राङ्गदा याश्च काश्चिस्त्रियोऽन्याः सार्धं राज्ञा प्रस्थितास्ता वधूभिः॥
Drupada's daughter Krishna, she of the Salvata race, Uttara the daughter-in-law of the Kauravas, who had recently become a mother. . Chitrangada, and other ladies attached to the royal house, all followed the old king.
तासां नादो रुदतीनां तदासीद् राजन् दुःखात् कुररीणामिवोच्चैः। ततो निष्पेतुर्ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियाणां विट्शूद्राणां चैव भार्याः समन्तात्॥
The wail they uttered at that time, O king, from sorrow, resembled the loud lainentations of a swarm of she-ospreys. Then the wives of the citizens-Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas and Shudras-also came out into the streets from all sides.
तन्निर्याणे दुःखितः पौरवर्गो गजाह्वये चैव बभूव राजन्! यथा पूर्वं गच्छतां पाण्डवानां द्यूते राजन् कौरवाणां सभाया:॥
At Dhritarashtra's departure, O king, all the citizens of Hastinapur became as distressed as they had been, O monarch, when they had seen the departure of the Pandavas in former days after their defeat at the match at dice.
या नापश्यंश्चन्द्रमसं न सूर्य रामाः कदाचिदपि तस्मिन् नरेन्द्र। महावनं गच्छति कौरवेन्द्रे शोकेनार्ता राजमार्ग प्रपेदुः॥
Ladies who had never seen the sun or the moon, came out into the streets on that occasion, in grcat sorrow, when king Dhritarashtra proceeded towards the great forest.