01.138
Core:Escape and Bhima's lamentation.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
tena vikramatā tūrṇam ūruvegasamīritam। pravavāvanilo rājañ śuciśukrāgame yathā ॥1॥
By his valour, a wind stirred by the force of his thighs blew swiftly, O king, as in the pure coming of spring.
sa mṛdnan puṣpitāṁś caiva phalitāṁś ca vanaspatīn। ārujan dāru gulmāṁś ca pathas tasya samīpajān ॥2॥
Crushing flowering and fruit-laden trees, and tearing up wooden bushes near his path, he moved forward.
tathā vṛkṣān bhañjamāno jagāmāmitavikramaḥ। tasya vegenāṁ pāṇḍūnāṁ mūrccheva samajāyata ॥3॥
Thus breaking trees, he of boundless strength went forth, and from his speed, fainting as it were arose among the Pāṇḍavas.
asakṛc cāpi santīrya dūrapāraṁ bhujaplavaiḥ। pathi pracchannam āsedur dhārtarāṣṭrabhayāt tadā ॥4॥
Repeatedly crossing far distances with their arms as ferries, they reached a hidden path, out of fear of the Dhārtarāṣṭras.
kṛcchreṇa mātaraṁ tv ekāṁ sukumārīṁ yaśasvinīm। avahat tatra pṛṣṭhena rodhaḥsu viṣameṣu ca ॥5॥
With difficulty, he bore on his back his one delicate and glorious mother, across rough banks and difficult places.
āgamaṁs te vanoddeśam alpamūlaphalodakam। krūrapakṣimṛgaṁ ghoraṁ sāyāhne bharatarṣabhāḥ ॥6॥
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.
ghorā samabhavat sandhyā dāruṇā mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ। aprakāśā diśaḥ sarvā vātair āsannanārtavaiḥ ॥7॥
The twilight became terrible and fierce due to beasts and birds, all directions turned dark, blown by spring-approaching winds.
te śrameṇa ca kauravyās tṛṣṇayā ca prapīḍitāḥ। nāśaknuvan tadā gantuṁ nidrayā ca pravṛddhayā ॥8॥
They, the Pāṇḍavas, tormented by fatigue, thirst, and overwhelming sleep, were then unable to proceed.
tato bhīmo vanaṁ ghoraṁ praviśya vijanaṁ mahat। nyagrodhaṁ vipulacchāyaṁ ramaṇīyam upādravat ॥9॥
Then Bhīma, having entered the vast, terrible, and solitary forest, approached a delightful banyan tree with broad shade.
tatra nikṣipya tān sarvān uvāca bharatarṣabhaḥ। pānīyaṁ mṛgayāmīha viśramadhvam iti prabho ॥10॥
There placing them all down, the bull among Bharatas said, “I will seek water here; rest now, O lord.”
ete ruvanti madhuraṁ sārasā jalacāriṇaḥ। dhruvam atra jalasthāyo mahān iti matir mama ॥11॥
These water-dwelling cranes cry out sweetly — surely there is a great water-body here, so I think.
anujñātaḥ sa gaccheti bhrātrā jyeṣṭhena bhārata। jagāma tatra yatra sma ruvanti jalacāriṇaḥ ॥12॥
Permitted to go by his elder brother, O Bhārata, he went to the place where the water-dwelling birds were crying.
sa tatra pītvā pānīyaṁ snātvā ca bharatarṣabha। uttarīyeṇa pānīyam ājahāra tadā nṛpa ॥13॥
Having drunk water and bathed there, O bull among the Bharatas, he brought water then in his upper cloth, O king.
gavyūtimātrād āgatya tvarito mātaraṁ prati। sa suptāṁ mātaraṁ dṛṣṭvā bhrātṛṁś ca vasudhātale। bhṛśaṁ duḥkhaparītātmā vilalāpa vṛkodaraḥ ॥14॥
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.
śayaneṣu parārdhyeṣu ye purā vāraṇāvate। nādhijagmus tadā nidrāṁ te’dya suptā mahītale ॥15॥
They who once did not sleep even on luxurious costly beds at Vāraṇāvata, now lie asleep on the ground.
svasāraṁ vasudevasya śatrusaṅghāvamardinaḥ। kuntibhojasutāṁ kuntīṁ sarvalakṣaṇapūjitām ॥16॥
Kuntī, sister of Vasudeva the crusher of enemy hosts, daughter of Kuntibhoja, honoured for all noble qualities.
snuṣāṁ vicitravīryasya bhāryāṁ pāṇḍor mahātmanaḥ। prāsādaśayanāṁ nityaṁ puṇḍarīkāntaraprabhām ॥17॥
The wife of great-souled Pāṇḍu, daughter-in-law of Vicitravīrya, who always lay on palace beds, shining like the heart of a lotus.
sukumāratarāṁ strīṇāṁ mahārhaśayanocitām। śayānāṁ paśyatādy eha pṛthivyām atathocitām ॥18॥
See her now, the most delicate among women, used to luxurious beds, lying here on the ground so unfittingly.
dharmād indrāc ca vāyoś ca suṣuve yā sutān imān। seyaṁ bhūmau pariśrāntā śete hy adya atathocitā ॥19॥
This woman who bore these sons from Dharma, Indra, and Vāyu, now lies exhausted on the ground, placed inappropriately today.
kiṁ nu duḥkhataraṁ śakyaṁ mayā draṣṭum ataḥ param। yo’ham adya naravyāghrān suptān paśyāmi bhūtale ॥20॥
What sorrow greater than this could I possibly witness — I, who today see the tiger-like men lying asleep on the ground?
triṣu lokeṣu yad rājyaṁ dharmavid yo’rhate nṛpaḥ। so’yaṁ bhūmau pariśrāntaḥ śete prākṛtavat katham ॥21॥
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?
ayaṁ nīlāmbudaśyāmo nareṣv apratimo bhuvi। śete prākṛtavad bhūmāv ato duḥkhataraṁ nu kim ॥22॥
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?
aśvināv iva devānāṁ yāv imau rūpasampadā। tau prākṛtavad adyemau prasuptau dharaṇītale ॥23॥
These two, who in beauty are like the Aśvin gods, lie today on the ground asleep like ordinary men.
jñātayo yasya naiva syur viṣamāḥ kulapāṁsanāḥ। sa jīvet susukhaṁ loke grāme druma ivaikajaḥ ॥24॥
He whose kinsmen are not hostile or disgraceful would live very happily in this world, like a solitary tree in a village.
eko vṛkṣo hi yo grāme bhavet parṇaphalānvitaḥ। caityo bhavati nirjñātir arcanīyaḥ supūjitaḥ ॥25॥
Indeed, a solitary tree in a village with leaves and fruits becomes a shrine — though kinless, it is revered and honored.
yeṣāṁ ca bahavaḥ śūrā jñātayo dharmasaṁśritāḥ। te jīvanti sukhaṁ loke bhavanti ca nirāmayāḥ ॥26॥
Those whose many heroic kinsmen are devoted to righteousness live happily in the world and remain free from affliction.
balavantaḥ samṛddhārthā mitrabāndhavanandanāḥ। jīvanty anyonyam āśritya drumāḥ kānanajā iva ॥27॥
The strong, wealthy, and beloved of friends and kin live supporting one another like trees born in a forest.
vayaṁ tu dhṛtarāṣṭreṇa saputreṇa durātmanā। vivāsitā na dagdhāś ca kathaṁcit tasya śāsanāt ॥28॥
But we, exiled by the wicked-hearted Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his sons, were not burnt — somehow, by his command.
tasmān muktā vayaṁ dāhād imaṁ vṛkṣam upāśritāḥ। kāṁ diśaṁ pratipatsyāmaḥ prāptāḥ kleśam anuttamam ॥29॥
Therefore freed from the burning, we have taken shelter under this tree — which direction shall we go, having reached such extreme suffering?
nātidūre ca nagaraṁ vanād asmād dhi lakṣaye। jāgartavye svapantīm e hanta jāgarmy ahaṁ svayam ॥30॥
The city is not far from this forest — when it is time to stay alert, these sleep. Alas, I myself shall remain awake.
pāsyantīme jalaṁ paścāt pratibuddhā jitaklamāḥ। iti bhīmo vyavasyai va jajāgāra svayam tadā ॥31॥
“They will drink water after waking, having overcome fatigue,” — thus resolved, Bhīma kept awake himself at that time.
