Crossing Gaṅgā

 

vaiśampāyana uvāca

 etasminneva kāle tu yathāsampratyayaṁ kaviḥ

viduraḥ preṣayāmāsa tad vanaṁ puruṣaṁ śucim

Vaiśampāyana said: In the meantime, learned Vidura sent to that forest  a man of pure character whom he much trusted.

sa gatvā tu yadhoddeśaṁ pāṇḍavān dadṛśe vane

jananyā saha kauravya māpayānān nadījalam

He went to the place where he was directed to go. Pāṇḍavas with their mother measured the depth of the water of a river in the forest.

viditaṁ tanmahābuddhervidurasya mahātmanaḥ

tatastasyāpi cāreṇa ceṣṭitaṁ pāpacetasaḥ

tataḥ pravāsito vidvān vidureṇa narastadā

pārvavātasahāṁ nāvaṁ yantrayuktāṁ patākinīm

śive bhāgīrathītīre narairvistrambhibhiḥ kṛtām

Design of wicked minded Duryodhana was made known by this spy to high souled and greatly learned Vidura. Therefore that learned man was sent by Vidura and that person showed to Pārthas a boat, as swift as mind or wind. With mechanism and flags, made by trusted artificers and capable of withstanding wind and waves. It was on the banks of the holy Bhāgīrathī.

tataḥ punarathovāca jñāpakaṁ pūrvacoditam

yudhiṣṭhira nibodhedaṁ saṁjñānaṁ vacanaṁ kaveḥ

He said these words to show that he was really sent by Vidura: O Yudhiṣṭhira! Listen to what learned Vidura said to you!

kakṣaghnaḥ śiśiraghnaśca mahākakṣe bilaukasaḥ

na hantītyevamātmānaṁ yo rakṣati sa jīvati

Neither consumer of straw and wood, nor drier of the dews burns inmates of the hole in the forest! He escapes from death who protects himself!

tena māṁ preṣitaṁ viddhi viśvastaṁ saṁjñayānayā

bhūyaścaivāha māṁ kṣattā viduraḥ sarvato ̍ rthavit

karṇaṁ duryodhanaṁ caiva bhrātṛbhiḥ sahitaṁ raṇe

śakuniṁ caiva kaunteya vijetāsi na saṁśayaḥ

By these credentials know me to have been sent by Vidura and also to be his trusted agent. Kṣatta - Vidura, learned in the precepts of all religions, told me also, O Kaunteya, that you shall surely defeat in battle Karṇa, Duryodhana with his brothers and Śakuni.

iyaṁ vāripathe yuktā naurapsu sukhagāminī

mocayiṣyati vaḥ sarvānamād deśānna saṁśayaḥ

This boat is ready on the waters. It will glide pleasantly on. It will surely carry you away from these regions.

atha tān vyathitān dṛṣṭvā saha mātrā narottamān

nāvamāropya gaṅgāyāṁ prasthitānabravīt punaḥ

Seeing those best of men with their mother pensive and sad, he made them get on the boat that was on Gaṅgā. Going with them himself, he said again:

viduro mūrdhnyupāghrāya pariṣvajya vaco muhuḥ

ariṣṭaṁ gacchatāvyāghrāḥ panthānamiti cābravīt

Vidura, having smelled your heads and embracing you, has said it again and again that in commencing your auspicious journey and going alone, you should never be careless.

ityuktvā sa tu tān vīrān pumān viduracoditaḥ

tārayāmāsa rājendra gaṅgāṁ nāvā nararṣabhān

O king! Having said this, man sent by Vidura took those heroes, those best of men, to the other side of Gaṅgā on his boat.

tārayitvā tato gaṅgāṁ pāraṁ prāptāṁśca sarvaśaḥ

jayāśiṣaḥ prayujyātha yathāgatamagāddhi saḥ

Having taken them over the waters and seen them all safe on the opposite bank, he uttered the word Jaya! - Victory! and blessing them went back to the place where he came from.

pāṇḍavāśca mahātmānaḥ pratisaṁdiśya vai kaveḥ

gaṅgāmuttīrya vegena jagmurgūḍhamalakṣitāḥ

Illustrious Pāṇḍavas also send some message to learned Vidura and so crossed Gaṅgā.