03.146
The bringing of the Saugandhika (lotus);
Vaiśampāyana said.
There, those foremost among men observed supreme purity and the heroes stayed for six nights desiring to see Dhanañjaya. In that place, the Pāṇḍavas passed the time in sport and delight. (03-146-1)
In the delightful, splendid forest pleasing to all beings, the trees were covered with blossoming flowers and bent down by the weight of their fruit. (03-146-2)
Adorned on every side with delightful groups of male cuckoos, and with glossy, unbroken leaves, providing cool and charming shade. (03-146-3)
The Pāṇḍavas rejoiced there, beholding the lakes which were variegated and clear-watered, shining everywhere with lotuses and utpalas, full of beautiful forms. (03-146-4)
A wind of auspicious fragrance and pleasant touch blew there, delighting all the Pāṇḍavas along with Kṛṣṇa and the exalted Brāhmaṇas. (03-146-5)
Then, the purifying eastward wind spontaneously raised up a divine thousand-petaled lotus shining like the sun. (03-146-6)
Pañcālī saw there a pure, fragrant, and delightful lotus, which had been brought by the wind and had fallen to the ground. (03-146-7)
O King, she who was endowed with such charm, having obtained the most excellent and auspicious Saugandhika flower, being exceedingly delighted, then spoke to Bhimasena. (03-146-8)
Behold this divine, extremely beautiful, wondrous, and unsurpassed flower; endowed with fragrance and form, it is the delight of my mind. (03-146-9)
But this I will give to Dharmarāja, O subduer of enemies. This belonging to Hari, for my own wish, I will (offer) again in the hermitage at Kāmyaka. (03-146-10)
If I am dear to you, O Pārtha, then please bring me these many things; I wish to take them again to the Kamyaka hermitage. (03-146-11)
Having thus spoken to Bhīmasena, the blameless Pāñcālī then took the flower and went to Dharma-rāja (Yudhiṣṭhira). (03-146-12)
But having understood the intention of the queen, Bhima—the bull among men, eager to please his beloved—he, of terrible prowess, (acted so). (03-146-13)
He, facing the wind from which that flower had come, wishing to seize it, quickly went also to the other flowers. (3-146-14)
Seizing his gold-backed bow and serpent-like arrows, he became fiercely enraged, like a lion among beasts and like an elephant that has broken loose. (03-146-15)
Having relied on his own strength, free from fear and delusion, the powerful one, seeking what was dear to Draupadī, approached the mountain. (03-146-16)
The enemy-destroyer wandered over that auspicious mountain, covered with trees, creepers, and bushes, having a surface of blue rock, and frequented by Kinnaras. (03-146-17)
It, decorated with beings of various colors—minerals, trees, and birds—adorned with every ornament, rose up like the arm of the earth. (03-146-18)
On the delightful Gandhamādana slopes, in every season, with his gaze fixed and his mind intent, he reflected deeply in his heart. (03-146-19)
Amidst the calls of male cuckoos and the buzzing of bees, he of boundless valor went on, his ears, mind, and eyes all intent. (03-146-20)
Smelling the exceedingly strong fragrance arising from the flowers of all seasons in the forest, the mighty one was like an intoxicated elephant. (03-146-21)
With his fatigue being dispelled by his father, his body hair standing on end, by the cool touch of the Gandhamādana wind from his father. (03-146-22)
Then the conqueror of foes, attended by groups of yakṣas, gandharvas, gods, and brahmarṣis, stirred it for the sake of flowers. (03-146-23)
It appeared as if it had not been smeared by fingers fashioned with irregular cuts, with pure streaks of gold, collyrium, and silver. (03-146-24)
Dancing as if with wings, with her side-attached breasts; appearing as if adorned with pearl necklaces by the waters of waterfalls that have fallen. (03-146-25)
A cave delightful with the recesses of rivers, bowers, waterfalls; where to the sound of anklets of celestial nymphs, many peacocks danced. (03-146-26)
The rock surfaces, having been rubbed by the tips of the tusks of the guardian elephants of the directions, (were covered) with water from flowing rivers, resembling a loosened garment falling from the unshakable ones. (03-146-27)
He was observed with curiosity by deer who were calmly eating grass nearby and others who, due to fear, remained watchful. (3-146-28)
The fortunate son of Vāyu, the son of Kunti, moving the creeper-thickets in many ways with great speed as he sported, went. (03-146-29)
A young man, tall, with the color of gold and palm fruit, having the build of a lion, beautiful-eyed and ready to accomplish his beloved's wish. (03-146-30)
He who strides like an intoxicated elephant, possesses the speed of an intoxicated elephant, whose eyes are coppery like those of an intoxicated elephant, and is the vanquisher of intoxicated elephants. (03-146-31)
He was observed by beloved companions seated by his side, by women of the yakṣas and gandharvas turned away, by their gestures, and by invisible ones. (03-146-32)
The Pāṇḍava, as if displaying a new manifestation of beauty, wandered among the delightful slopes of Gandhamādana. (03-146-33)
Remembering the various hardships inflicted by Duryodhana, the many, he became ready to do something pleasing for Draupadī, who was residing in the forest. (03-146-34)
He thought, "With Arjuna gone to heaven and myself returned, how indeed will the noble Yudhishthira act for the sake of the flowers?" (03-146-35)
Surely, Yudhishthira, the best of men, out of affection and suspicion of the forest, will not let Nakula and Sahadeva go. (03-146-36)
Thinking, "How can I obtain the flowers quickly?", the tiger among men set forth swiftly like the king of birds. (03-146-37)
Vṛkodara (Bhīma), swift as the wind, shook the earth with his feet like thunder on the mountains, frightening the herds of elephants. (03-146-38)
The mighty one, crushing bands of lions and tigers, uprooting great trees and striking them with his chest, was strong. (03-146-39)
The son of Pāṇḍu, dragging creeper clusters with speed, climbed higher and higher up the mountain like an elephant striving to ascend, and roared intensely like a cloud flashing with lightning. (3-146-40)
At the resounding of his terrible noise and the bow’s twang, the frightened herds of deer scattered away in all directions. (03-146-41)
Then the mighty-armed hero saw a beautiful banana grove stretching over many yojanas on the slopes of Gandhamādana. (3-146-42)
The mighty one approached him at speed, eager to agitate him, like a great elephant rushing through, breaking various trees as he advanced. (03-146-43)
Bhima, the chief among the strong, forcefully uprooted plantain stems and many tall palm trees and hurled them in all directions. (03-146-44)
Then many large living beings approached: herds of deer and elephants, buffaloes, and creatures residing in water. (03-146-45)
The lions and tigers, extremely enraged, rushed at Bhīmasena, their mouths wide open, terribly fierce and roaring, most terrifying. (03-146-46)
Then Bhīma, the son of Vāyu, in anger and relying on his own great strength, struck down elephants with elephants, overpowered lions with lions, and the strong Pāṇḍava struck others with blows of his palm. (03-146-47)
Those lions, tigers, and bears, being slain by Bhīma, all in fear discharged excrement and urine. (03-146-48)
Then the mighty and illustrious son of Pāṇḍu, having quickly left them behind, entered the forest, filling the directions with sound. (03-146-49)
All the animals and birds within the forest were frightened by that sound and the fierce roar of Bhīmasena. (03-146-50)
Suddenly hearing that sound, which was caused by the movement of deer and birds, the birds whose wings were wet with water rose together in their thousands. (03-146-51)
Having seen those flocks of aquatic birds, the noble scion of the Bharatas, following them, found a very beautiful and large lake. (3-146-52)
The unshakable one appeared as if being fanned by golden clusters of plantains, which swayed gently in the wind, spreading across the inner banks. (03-146-53)
He quickly entered that lake, which was abounding in lotuses and water-lilies, and like a mighty great elephant, strong and powerful, he played. After sporting there for a long time, he, of immense radiance, arose from it. (3-146-54)
Then, having swiftly entered that forest full of many trees, the Pāṇḍava blew the conch with all his breath so that it resounded. (03-146-55)
By the sound of his conch, by Bhīmasena's roar, and by the fierce sound of his arm, the caves of the mountain seemed to roar.
Hearing that fierce bursting sound, equal to the crash of a thunderbolt, a great roar was let out by the lions sleeping in the mountain caves. (03-146-57)
O Bhārata, even elephants terrified by the fear of a lion's roar let out such a tremendous cry that the mountain was filled with it. (03-146-58)
But on hearing that sound, the mighty-bodied, sleeping foremost of monkeys named Hanuman awoke. (03-146-59)
Then, situated in the middle of a clump of banana trees, overcome by sleep and yawning, he struck his very broad tail—raised like Indra's banner—with a sound like Indra's thunderbolt. (03-146-60)
The mountain, with its cave mouths, emitted the sound of his tail bellowing all around, like the belching bellowing of a cow. (03-146-61)
He, having concealed himself, roamed among the various mountain peaks, making with his tail a sound like the bellowing of a rutting elephant. (03-146-62)
Bhīmasena, having heard that and with his body hair standing in joy, wandered about the banana grove, seeking the source of the sound. (03-146-63)
Then, in the midst of the banana grove on the broad flat rock, he saw the mighty-armed lord of the monkeys standing. (3-146-64)
It is difficult to behold because of its masses of lightning, tawny like lightning clusters, resembling a mass of lightning, and flickering like masses of lightning. (03-146-65)
The figure had arms arranged in the svastika posture, a large and short head and neck, wide shoulders with a body predominating there, and a slender waist and hip-region. (03-146-66)
With a slightly bent head and long bristling hair, adorned by an upwardly raised tail, just like a standard. (03-146-67)
His face had red lips, a mouth with a coppery tongue, red ears, and moving eyebrows; his face, with rounded tips of fangs, resembled the radiant moon. (03-146-68)
It was adorned within the mouth with shining white radiance, resembling a heap of aśoka flowers mixed with clumps of filaments. (03-146-69)
Shining with great radiance, situated among golden banana plants, it blazed with its own brilliance, fiery like fire. (03-146-70)
They gazed at him, undaunted, with honey-colored tawny eyes — him, the best of monkeys, heroic, of gigantic form, and great strength. (03-146-71)
Then Bhima of terrible valor, having approached with force, made a lion's roar to wake the monkey. (03-146-72)
At that terrible sound, the animals and birds became afraid; Hanuman, the great-souled one, opened his eyes slightly and then glanced with a look of disregard, his eyes honey-golden in color. (03-146-73)
With a smile, having addressed the son of Kunti, the monkey said: "Why, when you are in pain, have you awakened me, who was sleeping comfortably?" (03-146-74)
Indeed, surely compassion should be shown by you, the wise, towards living beings. We have not known righteousness, as we have taken refuge in an animal birth. (03-146-75)
Humans endowed with intelligence show compassion to living beings. How could intelligent people like you become involved in cruel actions that corrupt body, speech, and mind and destroy righteousness? (03-146-76)
You do not know dharma; elders have not been attended by you. With a small intellect, you are destroying the wild animals, namely, the deer. (03-146-77)
Speak, who are you and for what purpose have you come to this forest, which is devoid of human feelings and likewise of men also. (3-146-78)
Therefore, this mountain is extremely difficult to approach and very hard to ascend; O hero, unless one possesses the progress of the siddhas, there is no way here. (03-146-79)
I restrain you out of compassion and friendship, O mighty one. You cannot go beyond this point; be assured, O lord. (03-146-80)
Eat these roots and fruits that are like nectar and then turn back, if you would accept my words. (03-146-81)
