वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो भागीरथीतीरे मेध्ये पुण्यजनोचिते। निवासमकरोद् राजा विदुरस्य मते स्थितः॥
Vaishampayana said Acting according to the advice of Vidura, the king took up his residence on the banks of the Bhagirathi which were sacred and deserved to be inhabited by the righteous.
तत्रैनं पर्युपातिष्ठन् ब्राह्मणा वनवासिनः। क्षत्रविट्शूद्रसंघाश्च बहवो भरतर्षभ।॥
There many Brahmanas who had taken up their residence in the forest, as also many Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, came to see the old king.
स तैः परिवृतो राजा कथाभिः परिनन्ध तान्। अनुजज्ञे सशिष्यान् वै विधिवत् प्रतिपूज्य च॥
Silting in their midst, he plcased them all by his words. Having duly adored the Brahmanas with their disciples, he disinissed them all.
सायाह्ने स महीपालस्ततो गङ्गामुपेत्य च। चकार विधिवच्छौचं गान्धारी च यशस्विनी॥
As evening camne, the king, and the illustrious Gandhari, both descended into the stream of the Bhagirathi and duly performed their ablutions for purifying themselves.
ते चैवान्ये पृथक् सर्वे तीर्थेष्वाप्लुत्य भारत। चक्रुः सर्वाः क्रियास्तत्र पुरुषा विदुरादयः॥
The king and the queen, and Vidura and others, O Bharata, having bathed in the sacred river, performed the usual rites of religion.
कृतशौचं ततो वृद्धं श्वशुरं कुन्तिभोजजा। गान्धारी च पृथा राजन् गङ्गातीरमुपानयत्॥
After the king had purified himself by a bath, the daughter of Kuntibhoja, gently conducted both him who was to her as her father-in-law, and Gandhari, from the water into the dry bank.
राज्ञस्तु याजकस्तत्र कृतो वेदीपरिस्तरः। जुहाव तत्र वह्निं स नृपतिः सत्यसङ्गरः॥
The Yajakas had made a sacrificial alter there for the king. Devoted to truth, the latter poured libations then on the fire.
ततो भागररथीतीरात् कुरुक्षेत्रं जगाम सः। सानुगो नृपतिर्वृद्धो नियतः संयतेन्द्रियः॥
From the banks of the Bhagirathi the old king, with his followers, observing vows and with senses controlled, then proceeded to Kurukshetra.
तत्राश्रमपदं धीमानभिगम्य स पार्थिवः। आससादाथ राजर्षि शतयूपं मनीषिणम्॥
Endued with great intelligence, the king arrived at the hermitage of the royal sage Shatayupa of grcat wisdom and saw him.
स हि राजा महानासीत् केकयेषु परंतपः। स्वपुत्रं मनुजैश्वर्ये निवेश्य वनमाविशत्॥
Shatayupa, O scorcher of enemies had been the great king of the Kaikeyas. Having made over the sovereignty of his kingdom to his son, he had come into the forest,
तेनासौ सहितो राजा ययौ व्यासाश्रमं प्रति। तत्रैनं विधिवद् राजा प्रत्यगृह्णात् कुरूद्वहः॥
Shatayupa received king Dhritarashtra with due rites. Accompanied by him, the latter went to the hermitage of Vyasa.
स दीक्षां तत्र सम्प्राप्य राजा कौरवनन्दनः। शतयूपाश्रमे तस्मिन् निवासमकरोत् तदा॥
Arrived at Vyasa's hermitage the delighter of the Kurus received his initiation into the forest mode of life. Returning he took up his residence in the hermitage of Shatayupa.
तस्मै सर्वं विधिं राज्ञे राजाऽऽचख्यौ महामतिः। आरण्यक महाराज व्यासस्यानुमते तदा॥
The great Shatayupa instructed Dhritarashtra in all the rites of the forest mode, at the command of Vyasa.
एवं स तपसा राजन् धृतराष्ट्रो महामनाः। योजयामास चात्मानं तांश्चाप्यनुचरांस्तदा॥
Thus the great Dhritarashtra set himself to the practice of penances, and all his followers also to the same course of conduct.
तथैव देवी गान्धारी वल्कलाजिनधारिणी। कुन्त्या सह महाराज समानव्रतचारिणी॥
Queen Gandhari also, O monarch, along with Kunti, put on barks of trees and deerskins, and began to observe the same vows as her husband.
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा चक्षुषा चैव ते नृप। संनियम्येन्द्रियग्राममास्थिते परमं तपः॥
Restraining their senses in thought, words, and deeds, as well as by cye, they began to perforin sever austerities.
त्वगस्थिभूतः परिशुष्कमांसो जटाजिनी वल्कलसंवृताङ्गः। स पार्थिवस्तत्र तपश्चचार महर्षिवत्तीव्रमपेतमोहः॥
Shorn of all stupefaction of mind, king Dhritarashthra began to practice vows and penances like a great Rishi, reducing his body to skin and bones, for his flesh was all dried up, bearing inatted locks on heard, and his person clad in barks and skins.
क्षत्ता च धर्मार्थविदग्र्यबुद्धिः ससंजयस्तं नृपति सदारम्। उपायरद् घोरतपो जितात्मा तदा कृशो वल्कलचीरवासाः॥
Vidura, conversant with the true interpretations of Virtue, and gifted with great intelligence, as also Sanjaya, waited upon the old king with his wife. Both of them with souls under control, Vidura and Sanjaya also reduced themselves, and wore barks and rags.