Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच ततः प्रविश्य भवनं प्रसुप्तो मधुसूदनः याममात्रावशेषायां यामिन्यां प्रत्यबुध्यत
AI Translation: Vaishampayana said Then, having entered the palace, Madhusudana fell asleep. When only one watch of the night remained, he awoke.
स ध्यानपथमाश्रित्य सर्वज्ञानानि माधवः अवलोक्य ततः पश्चाद्दध्यौ ब्रह्म सनातनम्
AI Translation: Having resorted to the path of meditation, Mādhava, the omniscient one, having looked at it, then meditated on the eternal Brahman.
ततः श्रुतिपुराणज्ञाः शिक्षिता रक्तकण्ठिनः अस्तुवन्विश्वकर्माणं वासुदेवं प्रजापतिम्
M. N. Dutt: Then a number of well-trained and sweet voiced persons conversant with hymns and the Puranas, began to sing the praises of Vasudeva, the master of all creatures and the creator of the universe.
पठन्ति पाणिस्वनिकास्तथा गायन्ति गायनाः शङ्खानकमृदङ्गांश्च प्रवाद्यन्त सहस्रशः
M. N. Dutt: Others, keeping time by the clapping of hands, began to sing sweet hymns, and vocalists began to sing. Thousands of conchshells and drums were blown and beat.
वीणापणववेणूनां स्वनश्चातिमनोरमः प्रहास इव विस्तीर्णः शुश्रुवे तस्य वेश्मनः
M. N. Dutt: The charming sound also of Vinas; Panavas, and bamboo flutes, was heard. The spacious edifice of Krishna, seemed, as if to laugh with music.
तथा युधिष्ठिरस्यापि राज्ञो मङ्गलसंहिताः उच्चेरुर्मधुरा वाचो गीतवादित्रसंहिताः
M. N. Dutt: In the mansion of King Yudhishthira also melodious voices were heard, exclaiming auspicious wishes, and the sound of songs too and musical instruments.
तत उत्थाय दाशार्हः स्नातः प्राञ्जलिरच्युतः जप्त्वा गुह्यं महाबाहुरग्नीनाश्रित्य तस्थिवान्
M. N. Dutt: Then the Dasharha here performed his ablutions. Joining his hands, the mighty armed hero, of undecaying glory, silently recited his sacred Mantras, and lighting up a fire poured libations of clarified butter upon it.
ततः सहस्रं विप्राणां चतुर्वेदविदां तथा गवां सहस्रेणैकैकं वाचयामास माधवः
M. N. Dutt: Distributing a thousand kine amongst a thousand Brahmanas all of whom were masters of the four Vedas, he made them utter benedictions upon him.
मङ्गलालम्भनं कृत्वा आत्मानमवलोक्य च आदर्शे विमले कृष्णस्ततः सात्यकिमब्रवीत्
AI Translation: Having performed the auspicious rite and having looked at himself, Krishna, in a clear mirror, then spoke to Satyaki,
गच्छ शैनेय जानीहि गत्वा राजनिवेशनम् अपि सज्जो महातेजा भीष्मं द्रष्टुं युथिष्ठिरः
AI Translation: Go, Shini's descendant, and find out whether the radiant Yudhishthira is ready to see Bhishma.
ततः कृष्णस्य वचनात्सात्यकिस्त्वरितो ययौ उपगम्य च राजानं युधिष्ठिरमुवाच ह
AI Translation: Then, at Krishna's words, Satyaki quickly went and, having approached King Yudhishthira, said:
युक्तो रथवरो राजन्वासुदेवस्य धीमतः समीपमापगेयस्य प्रयास्यति जनार्दनः
AI Translation: O king, the best of chariots is yoked to the wise Vasudeva. Janardana will go near the river Apagaya.
भवत्प्रतीक्षः कृष्णोऽसौ धर्मराज महाद्युते यदत्रानन्तरं कृत्यं तद्भवान्कर्तुमर्हति
M. N. Dutt: O righteous, great, and powerful king! Krishna is waiting for you. You should now do what should be done next. Thus addressed, Dharma's son Yudhishthira answered as follows.
Supplementary Passages:
12.53.13 After 13, V1 (marg.) B3-5 D (except D1.4.8) ins.: *119 एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः
युधिष्ठिर उवाच युज्यतां मे रथवरः फल्गुनाप्रतिमद्युते न सैनिकैश्च यातव्यं यास्यामो वयमेव हि
M. N. Dutt: ‘O Phalguna of matchless splendour, let my best of cars be made ready. We should not be accompanied by the soldiers, but we shall proceed alone.
न च पीडयितव्यो मे भीष्मो धर्मभृतां वरः अतः पुरःसराश्चापि निवर्तन्तु धनंजय
M. N. Dutt: That best or righteous person viz., Bhishma, should not be vexed. Let not the guards, therefore, O Dhananjaya accompany us today.
अद्यप्रभृति गाङ्गेयः परं गुह्यं प्रवक्ष्यति ततो नेच्छामि कौन्तेय पृथग्जनसमागमम्
M. N. Dutt: From this day Ganga's son will discourse on things that are great mysteries, I do not, therefore, O son of Kunti, wish that there should be a miscellaneous assembly.'
वैशंपायन उवाच तद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य तथा कुन्तीपुत्रो धनंजयः युक्तं रथवरं तस्मा आचचक्षे नरर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: Hearing these words of the king, Kunti's son Dhananjaya, that best of men went out and returning said to him that his best of cars stood ready for him.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा यमौ भीमार्जुनावपि भूतानीव समस्तानि ययुः कृष्णनिवेशनम्
M. N. Dutt: King Yudhishthira, the twins Bhima and Arjuna, the five resembling the five elements, then proceeded towards Krishna's mansion.
आगच्छत्स्वथ कृष्णोऽपि पाण्डवेषु महात्मसु शैनेयसहितो धीमान्रथमेवान्वपद्यत
M. N. Dutt: While the great Pandavas were coming, Krishna accompanied by the grandson of Shini, got upon his car.
रथस्थाः संविदं कृत्वा सुखां पृष्ट्वा च शर्वरीम् मेघघोषै रथवरैः प्रययुस्ते महारथाः
M. N. Dutt: Saluting one another from their cars and each enquiring of the other whether he had passed the night happily, those foremost of men proceeded, without stopping, on those foremost of cars whose rattle resembled the roar of the clouds.
मेघपुष्पं बलाहं च सैन्यं सुग्रीवमेव च दारुकश्चोदयामास वासुदेवस्य वाजिनः
AI Translation: Megha-puspa, Balaha, and the army of Sugriva, and Daruka urged on the horses of Vasudeva.
ते हया वासुदेवस्य दारुकेण प्रचोदिताः गां खुराग्रैस्तथा राजँल्लिखन्तः प्रययुस्तदा
AI Translation: Those horses, urged by Dāruka, of Vāsudeva, went, drawing lines on the ground with their hooves, O king.
ते ग्रसन्त इवाकाशं वेगवन्तो महाबलाः क्षेत्रं धर्मस्य कृत्स्नस्य कुरुक्षेत्रमवातरन्
AI Translation: Those who were swift and powerful, as if devouring the sky, Descended to Kurukshetra, the field of the entire Dharma.
ततो ययुर्यत्र भीष्मः शरतल्पगतः प्रभुः आस्ते ब्रह्मर्षिभिः सार्धं ब्रह्मा देवगणैर्यथा
AI Translation: Then they went to where the lord Bhishma was lying on a bed of arrows, as Brahma dwells with the Brahmarishis and the hosts of gods.
ततोऽवतीर्य गोविन्दो रथात्स च युधिष्ठिरः भीमो गाण्डीवधन्वा च यमौ सात्यकिरेव च ऋषीनभ्यर्चयामासुः करानुद्यम्य दक्षिणान्
M. N. Dutt: Then Govinda, Yudhishthira. Bhima, and the wielder of Gandiva, the twins and Satyaki, getting down from their cars, saluted the Rishis by raising their right hands.
स तैः परिवृतो राजा नक्षत्रैरिव चन्द्रमाः अभ्याजगाम गाङ्गेयं ब्रह्माणमिव वासवः
M. N. Dutt: Encircled by them, king Yudhishthira, like the moon in the midst of the stars, approached Ganga's son like Vasava proceeding towards Brahman.
शरतल्पे शयानं तमादित्यं पतितं यथा ददर्श स महाबाहुर्भयादागतसाध्वसः
M. N. Dutt: Possessed by fear, the king timidly cast his eyes on the mighty-armed hero lying on his bed of arrows like the Sun himself dropped from the sky.