01.152
Core:News spreads in Ekachakranagara.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
tena śabdena vitrasto janastasyātha rakṣasaḥ । niṣpapāta gṛhādrājansahaiva paricāribhiḥ ॥1-152-1॥
Frightened by that sound, the people, along with the demon, came out of the house, O king, indeed with attendants.
tānbhītānvigatajñānānbhīmaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ । sāntvayāmāsa balavānsamaye ca nyaveśayat ॥1-152-2॥
Bhima, the best of the attackers, consoled them who were frightened and had lost their senses, and the strong one placed them at the right time.
na hiṁsyā mānuṣā bhūyo yuṣmābhiriha karhicit । hiṁsatāṁ hi vadhaḥ śīghramevameva bhavediti ॥1-152-3॥
Humans should not be harmed by you here ever again, for the destruction of those who harm is indeed quick.
tasya tadvacanaṁ śrutvā tāni rakṣāṁsi bhārata । evamastviti taṁ prāhurjagṛhuḥ samayaṁ ca tam ॥1-152-4॥
O Bharata, having heard those words of his, the demons said 'so be it' and accepted that agreement.
tataḥ prabhṛti rakṣāṃsi tatra saumyāni bhārata । nagare pratyadṛśyanta narairnagaravāsibhiḥ ॥1-152-5॥
Then, O Bharata, from that time, gentle demons were seen there in the city by men and city dwellers.
tato bhimastamādāya gatāsuṃ puruṣādakam । dvāradeśe vinikṣipya jagāmānupalakṣitaḥ ॥1-152-6॥
Then Bhima, having taken the lifeless cannibal, placed him at the gate and went unnoticed.
tataḥ sa bhīmastaṃ hatvā gatvā brāhmaṇaveśma tat । ācacakṣe yathāvṛttaṃ rājñaḥ sarvamaśeṣataḥ ॥1-152-7॥
Then Bhima, having killed him, went to the Brahmin's house and reported everything to the king as it happened, completely.
tato narā viniṣkrāntā nagarātkālyameva tu । dadṛśurnihataṃ bhūmau rākṣasaṃ rudhirokṣitam ॥1-152-8॥
Then the men went out from the city in the morning and saw the demon slain on the ground, covered in blood.
tamadrikūṭasadṛśaṃ vinikīrṇaṃ bhayāvaham । ekacakrāṃ tato gatvā pravṛttiṃ pradaduḥ pare ॥1-152-9॥
Like the Tamadri mountain, scattered and fearful, then having gone to Ekacakra, others gave the news.
tataḥ sahasraśo rājannarā nagaravāsinaḥ । tatrājagmurbakaṃ draṣṭuṃ sastrīvṛddhakumārakāḥ ॥1-152-10॥
Then, O king, thousands of city dwellers, men, women, the old, and children came there to see Baka.
tataste vismitāḥ sarve karma dṛṣṭvātimānuṣam । daivatānyarcayāṃ cakruḥ sarva eva viśāṃ pate ॥1-152-11॥
Then they all, astonished by the superhuman action they had witnessed, indeed worshipped the deities, O lord of the people.
tataḥ pragaṇayāmāsuḥ kasya vāro'dya bhojane । jñātvā cāgamya taṃ vipraṃ papracchuḥ sarva eva tat ॥1-152-12॥
Then they counted whose turn it was today for eating. Having known, they all came and asked that Brahmin.
evaṁ pṛṣṭastu bahuśo rakṣamāṇaśca pāṇḍavān । uvāca nāgarānsarvānidaṁ viprarṣabhastadā ॥1-152-13॥
Thus, repeatedly asked and protecting the Pāṇḍavas, the best of the sages then said this to all the citizens.
ājñāpitaṃ māmaśane rudantaṃ saha bandhubhiḥ । dadarśa brāhmaṇaḥ kaścinmantrasiddho mahābalaḥ ॥1-152-14॥
A very powerful Brahmin, adept in mantras, saw me, who was ordered to eat, crying with my relatives.
paripṛcchya sa māṃ pūrvaṃ parikleśaṃ purasya ca । abravīdbrāhmaṇaśreṣṭha āśvāsya prahasanniva ॥1-152-15॥
Having asked me before about the distress of the city, the best of the Brahmins, having consoled, said as if smiling.
prāpayiṣyāmyahaṃ tasmai idamannaṃ durātmanē । mannimittaṃ bhayaṃ cāpi na kāryamiti vīryavān ॥1-152-16॥
The powerful one said, 'I will deliver this food to the wicked one. Fear because of me is also not to be done.'
sa tadannamupādāya gato bakavanaṃ prati । tena nūnaṃ bhavedetatkarma lokahitaṃ kṛtam ॥1-152-17॥
He, having taken that food, went towards the Bakavana. Certainly, this action would be done for the welfare of the world.
tataste brāhmaṇāḥ sarve kṣatriyāśca suvismitāḥ । vaiśyāḥ śūdrāśca muditāścakrurbrahmamahaṃ tadā ॥1-152-18॥
Then all the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, being very astonished and joyful, performed the Brahma sacrifice.
tato jānapadāḥ sarve ājagmur nagaraṃ prati । tad adbhutatamaṃ draṣṭuṃ pārthās tatraiva cāvasan ॥1-152-19॥
Then all the people of the country came towards the city to see that most wonderful event, and the sons of Pritha stayed there indeed.
