01.138
Core:Escape and Bhima's lamentation.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
तेन विक्रमता तूर्णमूरुवेगसमीरितम् । प्रववावनिलो राजञ्शुचिशुक्रागमे यथा ॥१-१३८-१॥
By his valour, a wind stirred by the force of his thighs blew swiftly, O king, as in the pure coming of spring.
स मृद्नन्पुष्पितांश्चैव फलितांश्च वनस्पतीन् । आरुजन्दारुगुल्मांश्च पथस्तस्य समीपजान् ॥१-१३८-२॥
Crushing flowering and fruit-laden trees, and tearing up wooden bushes near his path, he moved forward.
तथा वृक्षान्भञ्जमानो जगामामितविक्रमः । तस्य वेगेन पाण्डूनां मूर्च्छेव समजायत ॥१-१३८-३॥
Thus breaking trees, he of boundless strength went forth, and from his speed, fainting as it were arose among the Pāṇḍavas.
असकृच्चापि सन्तीर्य दूरपारं भुजप्लवैः । पथि प्रच्छन्नमासेदुर्धार्तराष्ट्रभयात्तदा ॥१-१३८-४॥
Repeatedly crossing far distances with their arms as ferries, they reached a hidden path, out of fear of the Dhārtarāṣṭras.
कृच्छ्रेण मातरं त्वेकां सुकुमारीं यशस्विनीम् । अवहत्तत्र पृष्ठेन रोधःसु विषमेषु च ॥१-१३८-५॥
With difficulty, he bore on his back his one delicate and glorious mother, across rough banks and difficult places.
आगमंस्ते वनोद्देशमल्पमूलफलोदकम् । क्रूरपक्षिमृगं घोरं सायाह्ने भरतर्षभाः ॥१-१३८-६॥
They reached a forest region with little roots, fruits, and water, full of cruel birds and beasts — terrible in the evening, O bull among the Bharatas.
घोरा समभवत्सन्ध्या दारुणा मृगपक्षिणः । अप्रकाशा दिशः सर्वा वातैरासन्ननार्तवैः ॥१-१३८-७॥
The twilight became terrible and fierce due to beasts and birds, all directions turned dark, blown by spring-approaching winds.
ते श्रमेण च कौरव्यास्तृष्णया च प्रपीडिताः । नाशक्नुवंस्तदा गन्तुं निद्रया च प्रवृद्धया ॥१-१३८-८॥
They, the Pāṇḍavas, tormented by fatigue, thirst, and overwhelming sleep, were then unable to proceed.
ततो भीमो वनं घोरं प्रविश्य विजनं महत् । न्यग्रोधं विपुलच्छायं रमणीयमुपाद्रवत् ॥१-१३८-९॥
Then Bhīma, having entered the vast, terrible, and solitary forest, approached a delightful banyan tree with broad shade.
तत्र निक्षिप्य तान्सर्वानुवाच भरतर्षभः । पानीयं मृगयामीह विश्रमध्वमिति प्रभो ॥१-१३८-१०॥
There placing them all down, the bull among Bharatas said, “I will seek water here; rest now, O lord.”
एते रुवन्ति मधुरं सारसा जलचारिणः । ध्रुवमत्र जलस्थायो महानिति मतिर्मम ॥१-१३८-११॥
These water-dwelling cranes cry out sweetly — surely there is a great water-body here, so I think.
अनुज्ञातः स गच्छेति भ्रात्रा ज्येष्ठेन भारत । जगाम तत्र यत्र स्म रुवन्ति जलचारिणः ॥१-१३८-१२॥
Permitted to go by his elder brother, O Bhārata, he went to the place where the water-dwelling birds were crying.
स तत्र पीत्वा पानीयं स्नात्वा च भरतर्षभ । उत्तरीयेण पानीयमाजहार तदा नृप ॥१-१३८-१३॥
Having drunk water and bathed there, O bull among the Bharatas, he brought water then in his upper cloth, O king.
गव्यूतिमात्रादागत्य त्वरितो मातरं प्रति । स सुप्तां मातरं दृष्ट्वा भ्रातृंश्च वसुधातले । भृशं दुःखपरीतात्मा विललाप वृकोदरः ॥१-१३८-१४॥
Returning hurriedly from about a gavyūti’s distance toward his mother, Vṛkodara saw her and his brothers asleep on the ground and lamented, greatly overwhelmed by grief.
शयनेषु परार्ध्येषु ये पुरा वारणावते । नाधिजग्मुस्तदा निद्रां तेऽद्य सुप्ता महीतले ॥१-१३८-१५॥
They who once did not sleep even on luxurious costly beds at Vāraṇāvata, now lie asleep on the ground.
स्वसारं वसुदेवस्य शत्रुसङ्घावमर्दिनः । कुन्तिभोजसुतां कुन्तीं सर्वलक्षणपूजिताम् ॥१-१३८-१६॥
Kuntī, sister of Vasudeva the crusher of enemy hosts, daughter of Kuntibhoja, honoured for all noble qualities.
स्नुषां विचित्रवीर्यस्य भार्यां पाण्डोर्महात्मनः । प्रासादशयनां नित्यं पुण्डरीकान्तरप्रभाम् ॥१-१३८-१७॥
The wife of great-souled Pāṇḍu, daughter-in-law of Vicitravīrya, who always lay on palace beds, shining like the heart of a lotus.
सुकुमारतरां स्त्रीणां महार्हशयनोचिताम् । शयानां पश्यताद्येह पृथिव्यामतथोचिताम् ॥१-१३८-१८॥
See her now, the most delicate among women, used to luxurious beds, lying here on the ground so unfittingly.
धर्मादिन्द्राच्च वायोश्च सुषुवे या सुतानिमान् । सेयं भूमौ परिश्रान्ता शेते ह्यद्यातथोचिता ॥१-१३८-१९॥
This woman who bore these sons from Dharma, Indra, and Vāyu, now lies exhausted on the ground, placed inappropriately today.
किं नु दुःखतरं शक्यं मया द्रष्टुमतः परम् । योऽहमद्य नरव्याघ्रान्सुप्तान्पश्यामि भूतले ॥१-१३८-२०॥
What sorrow greater than this could I possibly witness — I, who today see the tiger-like men lying asleep on the ground?
त्रिषु लोकेषु यद्राज्यं धर्मविद्योऽर्हते नृपः । सोऽयं भूमौ परिश्रान्तः शेते प्राकृतवत्कथम् ॥१-१३८-२१॥
The king who deserves the kingdom in all three worlds as a knower of dharma — how does he lie exhausted on the ground like an ordinary man?
अयं नीलाम्बुदश्यामो नरेष्वप्रतिमो भुवि । शेते प्राकृतवद्भूमावतो दुःखतरं नु किम् ॥१-१३८-२२॥
This one, dark like a blue cloud and unequalled among men on earth, lies like a common man on the ground — is there anything more sorrowful than this?
अश्विनाविव देवानां याविमौ रूपसम्पदा । तौ प्राकृतवदद्येमौ प्रसुप्तौ धरणीतले ॥१-१३८-२३॥
These two, who in beauty are like the Aśvin gods, lie today on the ground asleep like ordinary men.
ज्ञातयो यस्य नैव स्युर्विषमाः कुलपांसनाः । स जीवेत्सुसुखं लोके ग्रामे द्रुम इवैकजः ॥१-१३८-२४॥
He whose kinsmen are not hostile or disgraceful would live very happily in this world, like a solitary tree in a village.
एको वृक्षो हि यो ग्रामे भवेत्पर्णफलान्वितः । चैत्यो भवति निर्ज्ञातिरर्चनीयः सुपूजितः ॥१-१३८-२५॥
Indeed, a solitary tree in a village with leaves and fruits becomes a shrine — though kinless, it is revered and honored.
येषां च बहवः शूरा ज्ञातयो धर्मसंश्रिताः । ते जीवन्ति सुखं लोके भवन्ति च निरामयाः ॥१-१३८-२६॥
Those whose many heroic kinsmen are devoted to righteousness live happily in the world and remain free from affliction.
बलवन्तः समृद्धार्था मित्रबान्धवनन्दनाः । जीवन्त्यन्योन्यमाश्रित्य द्रुमाः काननजा इव ॥१-१३८-२७॥
The strong, wealthy, and beloved of friends and kin live supporting one another like trees born in a forest.
वयं तु धृतराष्ट्रेण सपुत्रेण दुरात्मना । विवासिता न दग्धाश्च कथञ्चित्तस्य शासनात् ॥१-१३८-२८॥
But we, exiled by the wicked-hearted Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his sons, were not burnt — somehow, by his command.
तस्मान्मुक्ता वयं दाहादिमं वृक्षमुपाश्रिताः । कां दिशं प्रतिपत्स्यामः प्राप्ताः क्लेशमनुत्तमम् ॥१-१३८-२९॥
Therefore freed from the burning, we have taken shelter under this tree — which direction shall we go, having reached such extreme suffering?
नातिदूरे च नगरं वनादस्माद्धि लक्षये । जागर्तव्ये स्वपन्तीमे हन्त जागर्म्यहं स्वयम् ॥१-१३८-३०॥
The city is not far from this forest — when it is time to stay alert, these sleep. Alas, I myself shall remain awake.
पास्यन्तीमे जलं पश्चात्प्रतिबुद्धा जितक्लमाः । इति भीमो व्यवस्यैव जजागार स्वयं तदा ॥१-१३८-३१॥
“They will drink water after waking, having overcome fatigue,” — thus resolved, Bhīma kept awake himself at that time.
