महाभारतम् — ३.२४४

जनमेजय उवाच ।

दुर्योधनं मोचयित्वा पाण्डुपुत्रा महाबलाः ।
किमकार्षुर्वने तस्मिंस्तन्ममाख्यातुमर्हसि ॥

M N Dutt Janamejaya said : After having rescued Duryodhana, what did the mighty Pandavas do in that forest? You should tell me all this.

वैशंपायन उवाच ।

३.२४४.२

ततः शयानं कौन्तेयं रात्रौ द्वैतवने मृगाः ।
स्वप्नान्ते दर्शयामासुर्बाष्पकण्ठा युधिष्ठिरम् ॥

M N Dutt Vaishampayana said : One day, when Yudhishthira was sleeping at night in the Dvaitavana, some deer with accents choked in tears appeared before him in his dreams.

३.२४४.३

तानब्रवीत्स राजेन्द्रो वेपमानान्कृताञ्जलीन् ।
ब्रूत यद्वक्तुकामाः स्थ के भवन्तः किमिष्यते ॥

M N Dutt To them standing with joined hands, their bodies trembling all over, that foremost of kings said, “Tell me what you wish to say. Who are you and what do you desire."

३.२४४.४

एवमुक्ताः पाण्डवेन कौन्तेयेन यशस्विना ।
प्रत्यब्रुवन्मृगास्तत्र हतशेषा युधिष्ठिरम् ॥

M N Dutt Having been thus addressed by the son of Kunti, the illustrious Pandava (Yudhishthira), those deer, the remaining ones of the herd that had been slaughtered, thus spoke to him,

३.२४४.५

वयं मृगा द्वैतवने हतशिष्टाः स्म भारत ।
नोत्सीदेम महाराज क्रियतां वासपर्ययः ॥

M N Dutt O descendant of Bharata, we are deer of Dvaitvana, those that are alive after the rest has been slaughtered. We shall completely be exterminated. Therefore change your abode (from this forest to some other).

३.२४४.६

भवन्तो भ्रातरः शूराः सर्व एवास्त्रकोविदाः ।
कुलान्यल्पावशिष्टानि कृतवन्तो वनौकसाम् ॥

M N Dutt Your brothers are all heroes, learned in weapons. They have thinned the dwellers of the forest (animals).

३.२४४.७

बीजभूता वयं केचिदवशिष्टा महामते ।
विवर्धेमहि राजेन्द्र प्रसादात्ते युधिष्ठिर ॥

M N Dutt O high-minded one, O Yudhishthira, we few only remain as seed. O king of kings, through your favour let us multiply.

३.२४४.८

तान्वेपमानान्वित्रस्तान्बीजमात्रावशेषितान् ।
मृगान्दृष्ट्वा सुदुःखार्तो धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः ॥

M N Dutt Seeing those deer which remained like seed after the rest had been destroyed, trembling and afflicted with fear, Dharamaraja (Yudhishthira) was greatly affected with grief.

३.२४४.९

तांस्तथेत्यब्रवीद्राजा सर्वभूतहिते रतः ।
तथ्यं भवन्तो ब्रुवते करिष्यामि च तत्तथा ॥

M N Dutt The king, ever intent on the welfare of all creatures, said to them "So be it”. I shall act as you say.

३.२४४.१०

इत्येवं प्रतिबुद्धः स रात्र्यन्ते राजसत्तमः ।
अब्रवीत्सहितान्भ्रातॄन्दयापन्नो मृगान्प्रति ॥

M N Dutt Awakening after the dream that foremost of kings, moved by pity towards the deer, thus spoke to his brothers assembled there. "Those deer that are still alive after the rest have been slaughtered all appeared before me last night and said "we remain as the seed of our species. Be blessed. Have compassion on us."

३.२४४.११

उक्तो रात्रौ मृगैरस्मि स्वप्नान्ते हतशेषितैः ।
तनुभूताः स्म भद्रं ते दया नः क्रियतामिति ॥

M N Dutt Awakening after the dream that foremost of kings, moved by pity towards the deer, thus spoke to his brothers assembled there. "Those deer that are still alive after the rest have been slaughtered all appeared before me last night and said "we remain as the seed of our species. Be blessed. Have compassion on us."

३.२४४.१२

ते सत्यमाहुः कर्तव्या दयास्माभिर्वनौकसाम् ।
साष्टमासं हि नो वर्षं यदेनानुपयुञ्ज्महे ॥

M N Dutt They spoke truly. We ought to have compassion for the dwellers of the forest (animals). We have been feeding on them for one year and eight months.

३.२४४.१३

पुनर्बहुमृगं रम्यं काम्यकं काननोत्तमम् ।
मरुभूमेः शिरः ख्यातं तृणबिन्दुसरः प्रति ।
तत्रेमा वसतीः शिष्टा विहरन्तो रमेमहि ॥

M N Dutt Therefore let us again go to the charming forest of Kamyaka, that foremost of forests abounding in wild animals, situated at the head of the desert near the lake Trinabindu. Let us there pleasantly pass the rest of our time."

३.२४४.१४

ततस्ते पाण्डवाः शीघ्रं प्रययुर्धर्मकोविदाः ।
ब्राह्मणैः सहिता राजन्ये च तत्र सहोषिताः ।
इन्द्रसेनादिभिश्चैव प्रेष्यैरनुगतास्तदा ॥

M N Dutt Then the Pandavas learned in Dharma soon went away (from the Dvaitavana). O king, with the Brahmanas and all those that lived with them. They were followed by Indrasena and other servants.

३.२४४.१५

ते यात्वानुसृतैर्मार्गैः स्वन्नैः शुचिजलान्वितैः ।
ददृशुः काम्यकं पुण्यमाश्रमं तापसायुतम् ॥

M N Dutt Proceeding along the road furnished with excellent corn and clear water they at last saw the sacred hermitage of Kamyaka.

३.२४४.१६

विविशुस्ते स्म कौरव्या वृता विप्रर्षभैस्तदा ।
तद्वनं भरतश्रेष्ठाः स्वर्गं सुकृतिनो यथा ॥

M N Dutt As virtuous men enter the celestials regions, those foremost of the Bharata race, those descendants of Kuru, surrounded by the excellent Brahmanas, entered that forest.

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