यत्र प्रकृतिमापन्नः श्रुत्वा धर्मविनिश्चयम्। भीष्माद्भागीरथीपुत्रात्कुरुराजो युधिष्ठिरः
There, having assumed his natural disposition, King Yudhishthira of the Kurus, after hearing the determination of righteousness from Bhishma, the son of Bhagirathi—
व्यवहारोऽत्र कार्त्स्न्येन धर्मार्थीयः प्रकीर्तितः। विविधानां च दानानां फलयोगाः प्रकीर्तिताः
Here, the procedures of legal practice in their entirety, relating to righteousness and wealth, are described; and also the results connected with various kinds of gifts are declared.
तथा पात्रविशेषाश्च दानानां च परो विधिः। आचारविधियोगश्च सत्यस्य च परा गतिः
Likewise, the special recipients of gifts and the supreme rule regarding giving are set forth, as well as the proper conduct and discipline, and the highest course of truth.
महाभाग्यं गवां चैव ब्राह्मणानां तथैव च। रहस्यं चैव धर्माणां देशकालोपसंहितम्
The great merit of cows, and likewise of Brahmanas, is explained here; also the secret of righteousness, together with its relation to place and time.
एतत्सुबहुवृत्तान्तमुत्तमं चानुशासनम्। भीष्मस्यात्रैव संप्राप्तिः स्वर्गस्य परिकीर्तिता
This, containing many narratives and excellent instruction, is described here; and Bhishma’s attainment of heaven is also recounted in this section.
एतत्त्रयोदशं पर्व धर्मनिश्चयकारकम्। अध्यायानां शतं त्वत्र षट्चत्वारिंशदेव तु
This is the thirteenth book, which establishes the determination of righteousness; it contains exactly one hundred and forty-six chapters.
श्लोकानां तु सहस्राणि प्रोक्तान्यष्टौ प्रसंख्यया। ततोऽश्वमेधिकं नाम पर्व प्रोक्तं चतुर्दशम्
There are, by count, eight thousand verses declared here; after this, the fourteenth book called the Ashvamedhika is described.
तत्संवर्तमरुत्तीयं यत्राख्यानमनुत्तमम्। सुवर्णकोशसंप्राप्तिर्जन्म चोक्तं परीक्षितः
Its content is the story of Samvarta and Marutta, an excellent narrative; the acquisition of the golden treasury, and the birth of Parikshit are told.
दग्धस्यास्त्राग्निना पूर्वं कृष्णात्संजीवनं पुनः। चर्यायां हयमुत्सृष्टं पाण्डवस्यानुगच्छतः
The revival of the one previously burned by the weapon-fire through Krishna, and the horse released for the rite, followed by the journey of the Pandava in pursuit, are described.
तत्र तत्र च युद्धानि राजपुत्रैरमर्षणैः। चित्राङ्गदायाः पुत्रेण स्वपुत्रेण धनंजयः
There, in various places, battles with unyielding princes are narrated; Dhananjaya with the son of Chitrangada, and with his own son.
सङ्ग्रामे बभ्रुवाहेन संशयं चात्र जग्मिवान्। सुदर्शनं तथाऽऽख्यानं वैष्णवं धर्ममेव च। अश्वमेधे महायज्ञे नकुलाख्यानमेव च
In battle with Babruvahana, he encountered danger; also, the narrative of Sudarshana, the Vaishnava story, the matter of righteousness, and the tale of Nakula in the great Ashvamedha sacrifice.
इत्याश्वमेधिकं पर्व प्रोक्तमेतन्महाद्भुतम्। अध्यायानां शतं चैव त्रयोऽध्यायाश्च कीर्तिताः
Thus, this wondrous Ashvamedhika book is described; it is said to have one hundred and three chapters.
त्रीणि श्लोकसहस्राणि तावन्त्येव शतानि च। विंशतिश्च तथा श्लोकाः संख्यातास्तत्त्वदर्शिना
There are three thousand verses, and just so many hundreds, and also twenty verses, as counted by those who see the truth.
ततस्त्वाश्रमवासाख्यं पर्व पञ्चदशं स्मृतम्। यत्र राज्यं समुत्सृज्य गान्धार्या सहितो नृपः
Then comes the fifteenth book, known as Ashramavasika, in which the king, having renounced the kingdom, went to the hermitage together with Gandhari.
धृतराष्ट्रोश्रमपदं विदुरश्च जगाम ह। यं दृष्ट्वा प्रस्थितं साध्वी पृथाप्यनुययौ तदा
Dhritarashtra went to the hermitage, as did Vidura; seeing them depart, the virtuous Pritha also followed at that time.
पुत्रराज्यं परित्यज्य गुरुशुश्रूषणे रता। यत्र राजा हतान्पुत्रान्पौत्रानन्यांश्च पार्थिवान्
There, having renounced the kingdom of her son, devoted to serving her elders, the queen saw her sons, grandsons, and other kings who had been slain.
लाकान्तरगतान्वीरानपश्यत्पुनरागतान्। ऋषेः प्रसादात्कृष्णस्य दृष्ट्वाश्चर्यमनुत्तमम्
She saw the heroic ones who had gone to another world, now returned, through the grace of the sage Krishna, witnessing a most marvelous wonder.
त्यक्त्वा शोकं सदारश्च सिद्धिं परमिकां गतः। यत्र धर्मं समाश्रित्य विदुरः सुगतिं गतः
Having abandoned grief, together with her husband, she attained the highest perfection; and Vidura, relying on righteousness, attained a blessed state.
संजयश्च सहामात्यो विद्वान्गावल्गणिर्वशी। ददर्श नारदं यत्र धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः
Sanjaya, wise and accompanied by his ministers, and the self-controlled Gāvalgaṇa, saw Nārada where King Yudhishthira, upholder of dharma, was present.
नारदाच्चैव शुश्राव वृष्णीनां कदनं महत्। एतदाश्रमवासाख्यं पर्वोक्तं महदद्भुतम्
And from Nārada he heard of the great slaughter among the Vṛṣṇis; this is the wondrous and great event called the 'Dwelling in the Hermitage' section.
द्विचत्वारिंशदध्यायाः पर्वैतदभिसङ्ख्यया। सहस्रमेकं श्लोकानां पञ्चश्लोकशतानि च
This section consists, by reckoning, of forty-two chapters, one thousand and five hundred verses.
षडेव च तथा श्लोकाः संख्यातास्तत्त्वदर्शिना। अतः परं निबोधेदं मौसलं पर्व दारुणम्
And, in addition, six verses are counted by those who see the truth; after this, listen to the dreadful Mausala Parva.
यत्र ते पुरुषव्याघ्राः शस्त्रस्पर्शहता युधि। ब्रह्मदण्डविनिष्पिष्टाः समीपे लवणाम्भसः
There, those tiger-like men, struck by weapons in battle, crushed by the rod of Brahma, fell near the salt sea.
आपाने पानकलिता दैवेनाभिप्रचोदिताः। एरकारूपिभिर्वज्रैर्निजघ्नुरितरेतरम्
Intoxicated with drink in the assembly, driven by fate, they struck each other with reeds that had become like thunderbolts.
यत्र सर्वक्षयं कृत्वा तावुभौ रामकेशवौ। नातिचक्रामतुः कालं प्राप्तं सर्वहरं महत्
There, after destroying all, both Rāma and Keśava did not overstep the great time that brings all to an end.
यत्रार्जुनो द्वारवतीमेत्य वृष्णिविनाकृताम्। दृष्ट्वा विपादमगमत्परां चार्तिं नरर्षभः
There, Arjuna, having come to Dvāravatī bereft of the Vṛṣṇis, saw disaster and fell into deep anguish, O bull among men.
स संस्कृत्य नरश्रेष्ठं मातुलं शौरिमात्मनः। ददर्श यदुवीराणामापाने वैशसं महत्
Having performed the funeral rites for his noble maternal uncle Śauri, Arjuna saw the great massacre of the Yadu heroes in the assembly hall.
शरीरं वासुदेवस्य रामस्य च महात्मनः। संस्कारं लम्भयामास वृष्णीनां च प्रधानतः
He arranged the cremation of the bodies of Vāsudeva and the great-souled Rāma, and especially for the chief men among the Vṛṣṇis.
सवृद्धबालमादाय द्वारवत्यास्ततो जनम्। ददर्शापदि कष्टायां गाण्डीवस्य पराभवम्
Taking with him the old, the young, and the people of Dvāravatī, he witnessed, in that time of distress, the defeat of his Gandiva bow.
सर्वेषां चैव दिव्यानामस्त्राणामप्रसन्नताम्। नाशं वृष्णिकलत्राणां प्रभावानामनित्यताम्
He saw the loss of favor of all the divine weapons, the destruction of the Vṛṣṇi women, and the impermanence of all powers.