दृष्ट्वा निर्वेदमापन्नो व्यासवाक्यप्रचोदितः। धर्मराजं समासाद्य संन्यासं समरोचयत्
Seeing this, he became disillusioned; prompted by Vyāsa's words, he approached King Yudhishthira and approved of renunciation.
इत्येतन्मौसलं पर्व षोडशं परिकीर्तितम्। अध्यायाष्टौ समाख्याताः श्लोकानां च शतत्रयम्
Thus, this Mausala Parva, the sixteenth, is declared; it is said to have eight chapters and three hundred verses.
श्लोकानां विंशतिश्चव संख्याता तत्त्वदर्शिना। महाप्रस्थानिकं तस्मादूर्ध्वं सप्तदशं स्मृतम्
And twenty verses are counted by those who see the truth; after this, the Mahāprasthānika, the seventeenth, is remembered.
यत्र राज्यं परित्यज्य पाण्डवाः पुरुषर्षभाः। द्रौपद्या सहिता देव्या महाप्रस्थानमास्थिताः
There, the Pāṇḍavas, best among men, together with Queen Draupadī, renounced the kingdom and set out on the great journey.
यत्र तेऽग्निं ददृशिरे लौहित्यं प्राप्य सागरम्। यत्राग्निना चोदितश्च पार्थस्तस्मै महात्मने
There, having reached the ocean at the mouth of the Lauhitya, they saw the fire; and Arjuna, urged by Agni, gave to that great soul—
ददौ संपूज्य तद्दिव्यं गाण्डीवं धनुरुत्तमम्। यत्र भ्रातृन्निपतितान्द्रौपदीं च युधिष्ठिरः
—having duly honored him, that divine, supreme bow, the Gāṇḍīva; there Yudhishthira saw his brothers and Draupadī fallen.
दृष्ट्वा हित्वा जगामैव सर्वाननवलोकयन्। एतत्सप्तदशं पर्व महाप्रस्थानिकं स्मृतम्
Having seen and abandoned, he departed, not looking back at anyone; this is known as the seventeenth book, called the Mahāprasthānika.
यत्राध्यायास्त्रयः प्रोक्ताः श्लोकानां च शतत्रयम्। विंशतिश्च तथा श्लोकाः संख्यातास्तत्त्वदर्शिना
In which three chapters are recounted, and three hundred verses, along with twenty more, are enumerated by those who see the truth.
स्वर्गपर्व ततो ज्ञेयं दिव्यं यत्तदमानुषम्। प्राप्तं दैवरथं स्वर्गान्नेष्टवान्यत्र धर्मराट्
After that, the Svargaparva should be known, which is divine and beyond human; there, the king of righteousness attained the heavenly chariot and entered heaven.
आरोदुं सुमहाप्राज्ञ आनृशंस्याच्छुना विना। तामस्याविचलां ज्ञात्वा स्थितिं धर्मे महात्मनः
To ascend, the supremely wise one, out of compassion, without the dog, knowing the steadfastness of the great-souled one in righteousness, did so.
श्वरूपं यत्र तत्त्यक्त्वा धर्मेणासौ समन्वितः। स्वर्गं प्राप्तःसच तथा यातनाविपुला भृशम्
There, having abandoned his mortal form, he, united with righteousness, attained heaven; and likewise, he saw great and intense torments.
देवदूतेन नरकं यत्र व्याजेन दर्शितम्। शुश्राव यत्र धर्मात्मा भ्रातॄणां करुणागिरः
There, by the device of a divine messenger, hell was shown; and there the righteous-souled one heard the pitiful cries of his brothers.
निदेशे वर्तमानानां देशे तत्रैव वर्तताम्। अनुदर्शितश्च धर्मेण देवराज्ञा च पाण्डवः
In that place, where they remained under command, and continued to dwell, the Pāṇḍava was shown by righteousness and by the king of the gods.
आप्लुत्याकाशगङ्गायां देहं त्यक्त्वा स मानुषम्। स्वधर्मनिर्जितं स्थानं स्वर्गे प्राप्य स धर्मराट्
Having bathed in the celestial Gaṅgā, abandoning his human body, the king of righteousness attained the place won by his own duty in heaven.
मुमुदे पूजितः सर्वैः सेन्द्रैः सुरगणैः सह। एतदष्टादशं पर्व प्रोक्तं व्यासेन धीमता
Honored by all, together with Indra and the hosts of gods, he rejoiced; this is declared by the wise Vyāsa as the eighteenth book.
अध्यायाः पञ्च संख्याताः पर्वम्यस्मिन्महात्मना। श्लोकानां द्वे शते चैव प्रसंख्याते तपोधाः
Five chapters are counted in this book by the great-souled one; and two hundred verses, carefully enumerated by the ascetic.
नव श्लोकास्तथैवान्ये संख्याताः परमर्षिणा। अष्टादशैवमेतानि पर्वाण्येतान्यशेषतः
Nine other verses are likewise counted by the supreme seer; thus, these eighteen books are all enumerated without remainder.
खिलेषु हरिवंशश्च भविष्यं च प्रकीर्तितम्। दश श्लोकसहस्राणि विंशच्छ्लोकशतानि च
In the appendices, the Harivaṃśa and the future are also described; ten thousand and twenty hundred verses are there.
खिलेषु हरिवंशे च संख्यातानि महर्षिणा। एतत्सर्वं समाख्यातं भारते पर्वसंग्रहः
In the appendices and the Harivaṃśa, the numbers are counted by the great seer; all this has been recounted—the summary of the books in the Bhārata.
अष्टादश समाजग्मुरक्षौहिण्यो ययुत्सया। तन्महादारुणं युद्धमहान्यष्टादशाभवत्
Eighteen armies assembled, eager for battle; that great and terrible war lasted for eighteen days.
यो विद्याच्चतुरो वेदान्साङ्गोपनिषदो द्विजः। न चाख्यानमिदं विद्यान्नैव स स्याद्विचक्षणः
A twice-born who knows the four Vedas with their limbs and Upaniṣads, but does not know this narrative, is not truly wise.
अर्थशास्त्रमिदं प्रोक्तं धर्मशास्त्रमिदं महत्। कामशास्त्रमिदं प्रोक्तं व्यासेनामितबुद्धिना
This has been declared by Vyāsa of boundless intellect as a treatise on wealth, a great treatise on righteousness, and a treatise on desire.
श्रुत्वा त्विदमुपाख्यानं श्राव्यमन्यन्न रोचते। पुंस्कोकिलगिरं श्रुत्वा रूक्षा ध्वाङ्क्षस्य वागिव
Having heard this narrative, nothing else pleasing to the ear delights; just as, after hearing the voice of a man-cuckoo, the harsh speech of a crow is not pleasing.
इतिहासोत्तमादस्माञ्जायन्ते कविबुद्धयः। पञ्चभ्य इव् भूतेभ्यो लोकसंविधयस्त्रयः
From this supreme history arise the insights of poets, just as from the five elements arise the three worlds.
अस्याख्यानस्य विषये पुराणं वर्तते द्विजाः। अन्तरिक्षस्य विषये प्रजा इव चतुर्विधाः
O twice-born, in the domain of this narrative, the ancient Purāṇa exists; and in the realm of the sky, the fourfold types of beings dwell.
क्रियागुणानां सर्वेषामिदमाख्यानमाश्रयः। इन्द्रियाणां समस्तानां चित्रा इव मनः क्रियाः
This narrative is the foundation for all actions and qualities; just as the mind's activities are diverse for all the senses.
अनाश्रित्यैतदाख्यानं कथा भुवि न विद्यते। आहारमनपाश्रित्य शरीरस्येव धारणम्
Without relying on this narrative, stories do not exist on earth, just as the body cannot be sustained without food and breath.
इदं कविवरैः सर्वैराख्यानमुपजीव्यते। उदयप्रेप्सुभिर्भृत्यैरभिजात इवेश्वरः
All poets live by this narrative; as servants seeking advancement depend on a noble lord.
अस्य काव्यस्य कवयो न समर्था विशेषणे। साधोरिव गृहस्थस्य शेषास्त्रय इवाश्रमाः
Poets are not capable of distinguishing this epic; just as the three other āśramas cannot surpass the householder among the virtuous.
धर्मे मतिर्भवतु वः सततोत्थितानां स ह्येक एव परलोकगतस्य बन्धुः। अर्थाः स्त्रियश्च निपुणैरपि सेव्यमाना नैवाप्तभावमुपयान्ति न च स्थिरत्वम्
May your minds always be devoted to dharma, for it alone is the true companion of one who has departed to the next world. Wealth and women, even when served skillfully, never attain completeness nor stability.