Critical Edition
नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् देवीं सरस्वतीं चैव ततो जयमुदीरयेत्
AI Translation: Having bowed to Narayana, and to Nara, the best of men, and to the goddess Sarasvati, one should then proclaim victory.
Supplementary Passages:
The introductory mantra *1 नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् देवीं सरस्वतीं चैव ततो जयमुदीरयेत्
जनमेजय उवाच स्वर्गं त्रिविष्टपं प्राप्य मम पूर्वपितामहाः पाण्डवा धार्तराष्ट्राश्च कानि स्थानानि भेजिरे
M. N. Dutt: Janamejaya said-Having attained to Heaven, what regions were respectively attained by my grandsires of old, viz., the Pandavas, and the sons of Dhritarashtra?
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं सर्वविच्चासि मे मतः महर्षिणाभ्यनुज्ञातो व्यासेनाद्भुतकर्मणा
M. N. Dutt: I wish to hear this. I think that you know everything, having been taught by the great Rishi Vyasa of wonderful feats.
Supplementary Passages:
18.1.2 After 2ab, K3 ins.: *2 न हि तृप्यामि सर्वेषां शृण्वानश्चरितं महत् After 2, K3 ins.: *3 भूतं भव्यं भविष्यच्च सर्वं वै वेत्सि तत्त्वतः
वैशंपायन उवाच स्वर्गं त्रिविष्टपं प्राप्य तव पूर्वपितामहाः युधिष्ठिरप्रभृतयो यदकुर्वत तच्छृणु
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said Listen now to what your grandsires, Yudhishthira and others, did after having attained to Heaven, that place of the deities.
स्वर्गं त्रिविष्टपं प्राप्य धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः दुर्योधनं श्रिया जुष्टं ददर्शासीनमासने
M. N. Dutt: Arrived at Heaven, King Yudhishthira the just, saw Duryodhana gifted with prosperity and seated on an excellent seat.
भ्राजमानमिवादित्यं वीरलक्ष्म्याभिसंवृतम् देवैर्भ्राजिष्णुभिः साध्यैः सहितं पुण्यकर्मभिः
M. N. Dutt: He was effulgent like the sun and wore all the signs of heroic glory. And he was in the company of of many celestials of blazing effulgence and of Saddhyas of righteous deeds.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो दृष्ट्वा दुर्योधनममर्षितः सहसा संनिवृत्तोऽभूच्छ्रियं दृष्ट्वा सुयोधने
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira, seeing Duryodhana and his prosperity became suddenly overpowered with anger and turned back from the sight.
ब्रुवन्नुच्चैर्वचस्तान्वै नाहं दुर्योधनेन वै सहितः कामये लोकाँल्लुब्धेनादीर्घदर्शिना
M. N. Dutt: He loudly addressed his companions, saying, I do not wish to share regions of bliss with Duryodhana who was stained by cupidity and possessed of little foresight.
यत्कृते पृथिवी सर्वा सुहृदो बान्धवास्तथा हतास्माभिः प्रसह्याजौ क्लिष्टैः पूर्वं महावने
M. N. Dutt: It was for him that friends, kinsmen, over the whole Earth destroyed by is were whom he had greatly afflicted in the deep forest.
द्रौपदी च सभामध्ये पाञ्चाली धर्मचारिणी परिक्लिष्टानवद्याङ्गी पत्नी नो गुरुसंनिधौ
M. N. Dutt: It was for him that the virtuous princess of Panchala, Draupadi of faultless features, our wife, was dragged into the midst of the countries before all our elders.
स्वस्ति देवा न मे कामः सुयोधनमुदीक्षितुम् तत्राहं गन्तुमिच्छामि यत्र ते भ्रातरो मम
M. N. Dutt: You gods, I have no wish to even see Suyodhana. I wish to go there where my brothers are.
मैवमित्यब्रवीत्तं तु नारदः प्रहसन्निव स्वर्गे निवासो राजेन्द्र विरुद्धं चापि नश्यति
M. N. Dutt: Narada, smiling told him, It should not be so. O king of kings In heaven, all enmities cease.
युधिष्ठिर महाबाहो मैवं वोचः कथंचन दुर्योधनं प्रति नृपं शृणु चेदं वचो मम
M. N. Dutt: O mighty-armed Yudhishthira, do not say so about king Duryodhana. Hear my words.
एष दुर्योधनो राजा पूज्यते त्रिदशैः सह सद्भिश्च राजप्रवरैर्य इमे स्वर्गवासिनः
M. N. Dutt: Here is king Duryodhana. He is adored with the celestials by these righteous men and those foremost of kings, who are now jeweilers of Heaven.
वीरलोकगतिं प्राप्तो युद्धे हुत्वात्मनस्तनुम् यूयं सर्वे सुरसमा येन युद्धे समासिताः
M. N. Dutt: By causing his body to be poured as a libation on the fire of battle, he has obtained the end which consists in attainment of the region for heroes. You and your brothers, who were veritable gods on Earth, were always persecuted by this one.
स एष क्षत्रधर्मेण स्थानमेतदवाप्तवान् भये महति योऽभीतो बभूव पृथिवीपतिः
M. N. Dutt: Yet through his observance of Kshatriya practices he has acquired this region. This king was not terrified in a dreadful situation.
न तन्मनसि कर्तव्यं पुत्र यद्द्यूतकारितम् द्रौपद्याश्च परिक्लेशं न चिन्तयितुमर्हसि
M. N. Dutt: O son, you should not bear in mind the woes inflicted on you on account of the match al dice. You should not remember the sufferings of Draupadi.
ये चान्येऽपि परिक्लेशा युष्माकं द्यूतकारिताः संग्रामेष्वथ वान्यत्र न तान्संस्मर्तुमर्हसि
M. N. Dutt: You should not remember the other miseries which you suffered for the deeds of your kinsinen-the miseries, viz., that were due to battle or to other situations.
समागच्छ यथान्यायं राज्ञा दुर्योधनेन वै स्वर्गोऽयं नेह वैराणि भवन्ति मनुजाधिप
AI Translation: Come here in the proper way with King Duryodhana. This is heaven, O lord of men, where there are no enmities.
नारदेनैवमुक्तस्तु कुरुराजो युधिष्ठिरः भ्रातॄन्पप्रच्छ मेधावी वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह
AI Translation: Thus addressed by Narada, the wise King Yudhishthira of the Kurus asked his brothers and spoke these words.
यदि दुर्योधनस्यैते वीरलोकाः सनातनाः अधर्मज्ञस्य पापस्य पृथिवीसुहृदद्रुहः
AI Translation: If these are the eternal worlds of the heroes of Duryodhana, of the one who knows no dharma, the sinner, the enemy of the earth and its friends,
यत्कृते पृथिवी नष्टा सहया सरथद्विपा वयं च मन्युना दग्धा वैरं प्रतिचिकीर्षवः
AI Translation: For whose sake the earth was destroyed, along with the mountains, chariots, and elephants, and we, being consumed by anger, desiring to take revenge,
ये ते वीरा महात्मानो भ्रातरो मे महाव्रताः सत्यप्रतिज्ञा लोकस्य शूरा वै सत्यवादिनः
AI Translation: Those heroes, my brothers, of great soul, of great vows, who are of true promise to the world, who are heroes and truthful speakers,
तेषामिदानीं के लोका द्रष्टुमिच्छामि तानहम् कर्णं चैव महात्मानं कौन्तेयं सत्यसंगरम्
AI Translation: Now I wish to see those who are their worlds. And the great-souled Karna, the son of Kunti, who is devoted to the truth,
धृष्टद्युम्नं सात्यकिं च धृष्टद्युम्नस्य चात्मजान् ये च शस्त्रैर्वधं प्राप्ताः क्षत्रधर्मेण पार्थिवाः
AI Translation: Dhristadyumna, Sātyaki, and the sons of Dhristadyumna, and those kings who met their death by weapons in accordance with the law of kshatriyas,
क्व नु ते पार्थिवा ब्रह्मन्नैतान्पश्यामि नारद विराटद्रुपदौ चैव धृष्टकेतुमुखांश्च तान्
AI Translation: O Nārada, where are those kings? I do not see them. Virāta, Drupada, and those led by Dhṛṣṭaketu.
Supplementary Passages:
18.1.25 After 25ab, G4 ins.: *4 ब्रह्मन्नेतान्प्रपश्यामि स्वर्गलोकेऽत्र कर्हिचित्
शिखण्डिनं च पाञ्चाल्यं द्रौपदेयांश्च सर्वशः अभिमन्युं च दुर्धर्षं द्रष्टुमिच्छामि नारद
AI Translation: And Shikhándin, the son of Pándu, and all the sons of Dráupadi, And the invincible Abhimanyu. I wish to see them, Náráda.