वैशम्पायन उवाच ततस्तत्र मुनिश्रेष्ठा राजानं द्रष्टुमभ्ययुः । नारदः पर्वतश्चैव देवलश्च महातपाः॥
Vaishampayana said Those foremost of ascetics, viz., Narada, Parvata and Devala of Austere penances, came there to see king Dhritarashtra.
द्वैपायन: सशिष्यश्च सिद्धाश्चान्ये मनीषिणः। शतयूपश्च राजर्षिर्वृद्धः परमधार्मिकः॥
The Island-born Vyasa with all his disciples, and other persons gifted success, and the royal sage Shatayupa of advanced years and possessed of greit merit, also came.
तेषां कुन्ती महाराज पूजां चक्रे यथाविधि। ते चापि तुतुषुस्तस्यास्तापसाः परियर्चया॥
Kunti adored them with due rites, O king. All those ascetics were highly pleased with the adorations offered to them.
तत्र धाः कथास्तात यक्रुस्ते परमर्षयः। रमयन्तो महात्मानं धृतराष्ट्रं जनाधिपम्॥
Those great Rishis pleased the high souled king Dhritarashtra with discourses on religion and virtue.
कथान्तरे तु कस्मिंश्चिद् देवर्षि रदस्ततः। कथामिमामकथयत् सर्वप्रत्यक्षदर्शिवान्॥
At the conclusion of their converse, the celestial Rishi Narada, seeing all things as objects of direct perception, said the following words.
नारद उवाच केकयाधिपतिः श्रीमान् राजाऽऽसीदकुतोभयः। सहस्रचित्य इत्युक्तः शतयूपपितामहः॥
Narada said There was king of the Kaikeyas, possessed of great prosperity and perfectly fearless. His name was Sahasrachitya and he was the grandfather of the Shatayupa.
स पुत्रे राज्यमासज्य ज्येष्ठे परमधार्मिके। सहस्रचित्यो धर्मात्मा प्रविवेश वनं नृपः॥
Resigning his kingdoin to his highly virtuous eldest Soil, the virtuous king Sahasrachitya retired into the forest.
स गत्वा तपसः पारं दीप्तस्य वसुधाधिपः। पुरंदरस्य संस्थानं प्रतिपेदे महाद्युतिः॥
Reaching the other end of blazing penances, that king, gifted with great splendour, attained to the region of Purandara where he continued to live in his company.
दृष्टपूर्वः स बहुशो राजन् सम्पतता मया। महेन्द्रसदने राजा तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषः॥
On many occasions, while visiting the region of Indra, O king, I saw that monarch, whose sins had all been consumed by penances, living in Indra's palace.
तथा शैलालयो राजा भगदत्तपितामहः। तपोबलेनैव नृपो महेन्द्रसदनं गतः॥
Similarly, king Shailya, the grandfather of Bhagadatta, attained to the region of Indra by the power alone of his penances.
तथा पृषध्रोराजाऽऽसीद् राजन् वज्रधरोपमः। स चापि तपसा लेभे नाकपृष्ठमितो गतः॥
There was another king, O monarch, of the name of Prishadhra who resembled the holder of the thunder-bolt himself. That king also by his penances proceeded from the Earth to the celestial region.
अस्मिन्नरण्ये नृपते मान्धातुरपि चात्मजः। पुरुकुत्सो नृपः सिद्धिं महतीं समवाप्तवान्॥
In this very forest, o king, that king, viz., Purukutsa, the son of Mandhatri, acquired great Success.
भार्या समभवद् यस्य नर्मदा सरितां वरा। सोऽस्मिन्नरण्ये नृपतिस्तपस्तप्त्वा दिवं गतः॥
That foremost of rivers, viz., Narmada, became the consort of that king. Having practised penances in this very forest, that king procceded to the celestial region.
शशलोमा च राजाऽऽसीद् राजन् परमधार्मिकः। सम्यगस्मिन् वने तप्त्वा ततो दिवमवाप्तवान्॥
There was another king, highly righteous, of the name of Shashaloman. He, too, performed severe austerities in this forest and then ascended to the celestial region.
द्वैपायनप्रसादाच्च त्वमपीदं तपोवनम्। राजन्नवाप्य दुष्प्रापां गतिमय्यां गमिष्यसि॥
You also, O monarch, having arrived at this forest, shall, through the grace of the Islandborn, attain to a very high cnd and which is difficult of attainment.
त्वं चापि राजशार्दूल तपसोऽन्ते श्रिया वृतः। गान्धारीसहितो गन्ता गतिं तेषां महात्मनाम्॥
You also. O foremost of kings, at the termination of your penances, shall become gifted with great prosperity and, accompanied by Gandhari, attain to the end reached by those great ones.
पाण्डुः स्मरति ते नित्यं बलहन्तुः समीपगः। त्वां सदैव महाराज श्रेयसा स च योक्ष्यति॥
Living in the presence of the destroyer of Vala, Pandu thinks of you always. He will, O monarch, certainly assist you in the attainment of Prosperity.
तव शुश्रूषया चैव गान्धार्याश्च यशस्विनी। भर्तुः सलोकतामेषा गमिष्यति वधूस्तव॥
Through serving you and Gandhari, this daughter-in-law of yours, possessed of great fame, will attain to residence with her husband in the other world.
युधिष्ठिरस्य जननी स हि धर्मः सनातनः। वयमेतत् प्रपश्यामो नृपते दिव्यचक्षुषा॥
She is the mother of Yudhishthria who is the eternal Dharma. We see all this, O king, with out spiritual vision.
प्रवेक्ष्यति महात्मानं विदुरश्च युधिष्ठिरम्। संजयस्तदनुध्यानादितः स्वर्गमवाप्स्यति॥
Vidura will enter into the high souled Yudhishthira. Sanjaya also, through meditation, will ascend from this world into the celestial region.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एतच्छ्रुत्वा कौरवेन्द्रो महात्मा सार्धं पल्या प्रीतिमान् सम्बभूव। विद्वान् वाक्यं नारदस्य प्रशस्य चक्रे पूजां चातुलां नारदाय।२१।।
Vaishampayana said That great chief of Kuru's race, endued with learning, having, with his wife, heard these words of Narada, praised them and adored Narada with unprecedented honors.
ततः सर्वे नारदं विप्रसंघाः सम्पूजयामासुरतीव राजन्। राज्ञः प्रीत्या धृतराष्ट्रस्य ते वै पुनः पुनः सम्प्रहृष्टास्तदानीम्॥
The assembly of Brahmanas there present became filled with great joy, and desirous of pleasing king Dhritarashtra, o monarch, themselves worshipped Narada with great respect.
नारदस्य तु तद् वाक्यं शशंसुर्द्विजसत्तमाः। शतयूपस्तु राजर्षिर्नारदं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ अहो भगवता श्रद्धा कुरुराजस्य वर्धिता। सर्वस्य च जनस्यास्य मम चैव महाद्युते॥
Those foremost of twice-born persons also lauded the words of Narada. Then the royal sage Shatayupa, addressing Narada, said, Your holy self has increased the devotion of the Kuru king, of all those people here, and of myself also, O you of great splendour.
अस्ति काचिद् विवक्षा तु तां मे निगदतः शृणु। धृतराष्ट्र प्रति नृपं देवर्षे लोकपूजित॥
I wish to ask you something. Listen to me as I say it. It is about king, Dhritarashtra,O celestial Rishi, that are adored of all the worlds.
सर्ववृत्तान्ततवत्ज्ञो भवान् दिव्येन चक्षुषा। युक्तः पश्यसि विप्रर्षे गतिर्या विविधा नृणाम्॥
You know the truth of every affair. Gifted with celestial vision, you behold, O twice-born Rishi, what the various ends are of human beings.
उक्तवान् नृपतीनां त्वं महेन्द्रस्य सलोकताम्। न त्वस्य नृपतेर्लोकाः कथितास्ते महामुने॥
You have said what the end has been of the kings mentioned by you, viz., association with the king of the celestials. You have not, however, O great Rishi, decured what those regions are which will be acquired by this king.
स्थानमप्यस्य नृपतेः श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं विभो। त्वत्तः कीदृक् कदा चेति तन्ममाख्याहि तत्त्वतः।।२८
O powerful one, I wish to hear from you what region will be acquired by the royal Dhritarashtra. You should tell me truly the kind of region that will be his and the time when he will attain to it.
इत्युक्तो नारदस्तेन वाक्यं सर्वमनोऽनुगम्। व्याजहार सभामध्ये दिव्यदर्शी महातपाः॥
Thus addressed by him, Narada of celestial vision and endued with austere penances, said in the midst of the assembly these words highly agreeable to the minds of all.
नारद उवाच यदृच्छया शक्रसदो गत्वा शक्रं शचीपतिम्। दृष्टवानस्मि राजर्षे तत्र पाण्डुं नराधिपम्॥
Going at my will to the palace of Shakra, I have seen Shakara the lord of Sachi; and there, O royal sage, I have seen king Pandu.
तत्रेयं धृतराष्ट्रस्य कथा समभवन्नृप। तपसो दुष्करस्यास्य यदयं तपते नृपः॥
There is a talk arose, O monarch, about this Dhritarashtra and those highly austere penaces which he is performing.
तत्राहमिदमश्रौषं शक्रस्य वदतः खयम्। वर्षाणि त्रीणि शिष्टानि राज्ञोऽस्य परमायुषः॥
There I heard from the lips of Shakra himself that there are three years yet of the period of life of this king.
ततः कुबेरभवनं गान्धरीसहितो नृपः। प्रयाता धृतराष्ट्रोऽयं राजराजाभिसत्कृतः॥ कामगेन विमानेन दिव्याभरणभूषितः।
After that, king Dhritarashtra, accompanied by his wife Gandhari, will go to the regions of Kubera and be highly honored by that king of kings. He will go there on a car moving at his will, his his body adorned with celestial ornaments.
ऋषिपुत्रो महाभागस्तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषः॥ संचरिष्यति लोकांश्च देवगन्धर्वरक्षसाम्। स्वच्छन्देनेति धर्मात्मा यन्मां त्वमनुपृच्छसि॥
He is the son of a Rishi; he is highly blessed; he has exhausted all his sins by his penances. Gifted with a righteous soul, he will roam at will through the regions of the celestials, the Gandharvas, and the Rakshasas. That about which you have enquired, is a mystery to the gods. Through my affection for you, I have said this high truth.
देवगुह्यमिदं प्रीत्या मया वः कथितं महत्। भवन्तो हि श्रुतधनास्तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषाः॥
You all are possessed of the wealth of Shrutis and have burnt all your sins by your penances.
वैशम्पायन उवाच इति ते तस्य तच्छ्रुत्वा देवर्मधुरं वचः। सर्वे सुमनसः प्रीता बभूवुः स च पार्थिवः॥
Vaishampayana said Hearing these sweet words of the celestial Rishi, all the persons there assembled, as also king Dhritarastra became greatly pleased.
एवं कथाभिरन्वास्य धृतराष्ट्र मनीषिणः। विप्रजग्मुर्यथाकामं ते सिद्धगतिमास्थिताः॥
Having cheered Dhritarashtra of great wisdom with such talk, they left the place, going away by the path that belongs to those who are crowned with success.