Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच तस्मिन्बहुमृगेऽरण्ये रममाणा महारथाः काम्यके भरतश्रेष्ठा विजह्रुस्ते यथामराः
M. N. Dutt: Viashampayana said : Those mighty car-warriors, the foremost of the Bharata race, wandering like immortals in the forest of Kamyaka abounding in many deer, were pleased.
प्रेक्षमाणा बहुविधान्वनोद्देशान्समन्ततः यथर्तुकालरम्याश्च वनराजीः सुपुष्पिताः
M. N. Dutt: Beholding various wild tracts of country on all sides, the woodland decorated with the beautiful, blossming season flowers.
पाण्डवा मृगयाशीलाश्चरन्तस्तन्महावनम् विजह्रुरिन्द्रप्रतिमाः कंचित्कालमरिंदमाः
M. N. Dutt: Those Indra-like Pandavas, fond of hunting and subdues of their enemies, lived there for some time wandering in that huge forest.
ततस्ते यौगपद्येन ययुः सर्वे चतुर्दिशम् मृगयां पुरुषव्याघ्रा ब्राह्मणार्थे परंतपाः
AI Translation: Then all of them went in the four directions at the same time, the tigers among men, the destroyers of enemies, for the sake of the Brahmanas, in pursuit of game.
द्रौपदीमाश्रमे न्यस्य तृणबिन्दोरनुज्ञया महर्षेर्दीप्ततपसो धौम्यस्य च पुरोधसः
AI Translation: Having deposited Droupadi in the hermitage with the permission of Trini-bindu, and of the great sage of brilliant austerities and of the family priest Dhoumya,
ततस्तु राजा सिन्धूनां वार्द्धक्षत्रिर्महायशाः विवाहकामः शाल्वेयान्प्रयातः सोऽभवत्तदा
M. N. Dutt: At that time the illustrious king of Sindhu, the son of Vriddhakshatra was, for marriage, going to the territory of Shalva,
महता परिबर्हेण राजयोग्येन संवृतः राजभिर्बहुभिः सार्धमुपायात्काम्यकं च सः
M. N. Dutt: Dressed in his best royal robe and accompanied by many princes he halted at the forest of Kamayaka.
तत्रापश्यत्प्रियां भार्यां पाण्डवानां यशस्विनीम् तिष्ठन्तीमाश्रमद्वारि द्रौपदीं निर्जने वने
M. N. Dutt: In that solitary place he found the handsome Draupadi, the beloved and the illustrious wife of the Pandavas, standing at the threshold of the hermitage.
विभ्राजमानां वपुषा बिभ्रतीं रूपमुत्तमम् भ्राजयन्तीं वनोद्देशं नीलाभ्रमिव विद्युतम्
M. N. Dutt: She appeared in her form having the most excellent beauty, shedding lustre on woodland like lightning illuminating masses of dark clouds.
अप्सरा देवकन्या वा माया वा देवनिर्मिता इति कृत्वाञ्जलिं सर्वे ददृशुस्तामनिन्दिताम्
M. N. Dutt: (Thinking): “Is she an Apsara or the daughter of a god or a celestials phantom,” they all with joined hands, stood gazing on the perfect and faultless beauty of her person.
ततः स राजा सिन्धूनां वार्द्धक्षत्रिर्जयद्रथः विस्मितस्तामनिन्द्याङ्गीं दृष्ट्वासीद्धृष्टमानसः
M. N. Dutt: Seeing that lady of faultless feature, Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu, the son of Vriddhakshatra, possessed by evil intention.
स कोटिकाश्यं राजानमब्रवीत्काममोहितः कस्य त्वेषानवद्याङ्गी यदि वापि न मानुषी
M. N. Dutt: Possessed by desire he said to the prince named Kotikasya, “Who is this lady of faultless feature? Is she a human being?
विवाहार्थो न मे कश्चिदिमां दृष्ट्वातिसुन्दरीम् एतामेवाहमादाय गमिष्यामि स्वमालयम्
M. N. Dutt: I do not desire to marry if I can secure this exquisitely beautiful lady. Taking her with me I shall go back to my house.
गच्छ जानीहि सौम्यैनां कस्य का च कुतोऽपि वा किमर्थमागता सुभ्रूरिदं कण्टकितं वनम्
M. N. Dutt: O gentle sir, go and enquire who she is and whence she has come and why she, of fine eyebrows, has come to this forest full of thorns.
अपि नाम वरारोहा मामेषा लोकसुन्दरी भजेदद्यायतापाङ्गी सुदती तनुमध्यमा
M. N. Dutt: was Will this most excellent beauty of the world, this slender-waisted lady, having beautiful teeth and large eyes, accept me as her lord?
अप्यहं कृतकामः स्यामिमां प्राप्य वरस्त्रियम् गच्छ जानीहि को न्वस्या नाथ इत्येव कोटिक
AI Translation: "Even I would be satisfied if I could obtain this excellent woman." "Go and find out who is her protector."
स कोटिकाश्यस्तच्छ्रुत्वा रथात्प्रस्कन्द्य कुण्डली उपेत्य पप्रच्छ तदा क्रोष्टा व्याघ्रवधूमिव
AI Translation: Hearing that, Koṭikaśya, wearing earrings, jumped down from his chariot, and approached to ask him, like a jackal approaching a tigress.