03.176
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
स भीमसेनस्तेजस्वी तथा सर्पवशं गतः। चिन्तयामास सर्पस्य वीर्यमत्यद्भुतं महत् ॥०३-१७६-१॥
Thus powerful Bhīmasena, having fallen under the serpent's control, pondered upon the serpent's very wondrous and great strength. (03-176-1)
उवाच च महासर्पं कामया ब्रूहि पन्नग। कस्त्वं भो भुजगश्रेष्ठ किं मया च करिष्यसि ॥०३-१७६-२॥
And, desiring, he spoke to the great serpent: "Tell me, O serpent, who are you, O best of serpents? And what will you do with me?" (03-176-2)
पाण्डवो भिमसेनोऽहं धर्मराजादनन्तरः। नागायुतसमप्राणस्त्वया नीतः कथं वशम् ॥०३-१७६-३॥
I am Bhimasena, the son of Pandu, next after Dharmarāja. Though possessing strength equal to ten thousand elephants, how have I been brought under your control by you? (03-176-3)
सिंहाः केसरिणो व्याघ्रा महिषा वारणास्तथा। समागताश्च बहुशो निहताश्च मया मृधे ॥०३-१७६-४॥
Lions, tigers, buffaloes, and elephants, having assembled many times, were slain by me in battle. (03-176-4)
दानवाश्च पिशाचाश्च राक्षसाश्च महाबलाः। भुजवेगमशक्ता मे सोढुं पन्नगसत्तम ॥०३-१७६-५॥
Even the dānavas, piśācas, and rākṣasas of great strength are unable to endure the force of my arm, O best of serpents. (03-176-5)
किं नु विद्याबलं किं वा वरदानमथो तव। उद्योगमपि कुर्वाणो वशगोऽस्मि कृतस्त्वया ॥०३-१७६-६॥
What is the use of knowledge's power or of receiving a boon from you? Even when I make every effort, I am completely under your control by your doing. (03-176-6)
असत्यो विक्रमो नॄणामिति मे निश्चिता मतिः। यथेदं मे त्वया नाग बलं प्रतिहतं महत् ॥०३-१७६-७॥
My firm conviction is that the valor of men is false; for just as, for me, this great strength of the elephant has been overpowered by you. (03-176-7)
इत्येवंवादिनं वीरं भीममक्लिष्टकारिणम्। भोगेन महता सर्पः समन्तात्पर्यवेष्टयत् ॥०३-१७६-८॥
As Bhīma, the heroic doer of fearless deeds, was speaking thus, the great serpent coiled itself around him from all sides. (03-176-8)
निगृह्य तं महाबाहुं ततः स भुजगस्तदा। विमुच्यास्य भुजौ पीनाविदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥०३-१७६-९॥
Having seized the mighty-armed one, then that serpent, having released his strong arms, spoke this speech. (03-176-9)
दिष्ट्या त्वं क्षुधितस्याद्य देवैर्भक्षो महाभुज। दिष्ट्या कालस्य महतः प्रियाः प्राणा हि देहिनाम् ॥०३-१७६-१०॥
By good fortune, today you, O mighty-armed, have become food for the hungry by the will of the gods. By good fortune, the cherished lives of embodied beings truly belong to great Time (death). (03-176-10)
यथा त्विदं मया प्राप्तं भुजङ्गत्वमरिंदम। तदवश्यं मया ख्याप्यं तवाद्य शृणु सत्तम ॥०३-१७६-११॥
O subduer of foes, the way I obtained this serpentine state must surely be declared by me to you today. Listen, O best of beings. (03-176-11)
इमामवस्थां सम्प्राप्तो ह्यहं कोपान्मनीषिणाम्। शापस्यान्तं परिप्रेप्सुः सर्पस्य कथयामि तत् ॥०३-१७६-१२॥
I have indeed reached this state from the anger of the wise; desiring to know the end of the serpent's curse, I narrate that. (03-176-12)
नहुषो नाम राजर्षिर्व्यक्तं ते श्रोत्रमागतः। तवैव पूर्वः पूर्वेषामायोर्वंशकरः सुतः ॥०३-१७६-१३॥
Nahuṣa by name, the royal sage, has clearly come to your notice; he was your forefather among the ancestors, the son who was the originator of Ayu's lineage. (03-176-13)
सोऽहं शापादगस्त्यस्य ब्राह्मणानवमन्य च। इमामवस्थामापन्नः पश्य दैवमिदं मम ॥०३-१७६-१४॥
I am the one who, on account of Agastya’s curse (and) disrespecting the Brāhmaṇas, has fallen into this condition; see this fate of mine. (03-176-14)
त्वां चेदवध्यमायान्तमतीव प्रियदर्शनम्। अहमद्योपयोक्ष्यामि विधानं पश्य यादृशम् ॥०३-१७६-१५॥
If you who are not to be slain and who are exceedingly pleasant to look at are coming, today I will employ a means. See what kind it is. (03-176-15)
न हि मे मुच्यते कश्चित्कथञ्चिद्ग्रहणं गतः। गजो वा महिषो वापि षष्ठे काले नरोत्तम ॥०३-१७६-१६॥
O best of men, truly, no one who has fallen into captivity is ever released by me in any way, be it an elephant, a buffalo, or anyone else, even at the sixth period. (03-176-16)
नासि केवलसर्पेण तिर्यग्योनिषु वर्तता। गृहीतः कौरवश्रेष्ठ वरदानमिदं मम ॥०३-१७६-१७॥
You are not one who exists among animal births just as an ordinary serpent; you have accepted this boon of mine, O best of the Kauravas. (03-176-17)
पतता हि विमानाग्रान्मया शक्रासनाद्द्रुतम्। कुरु शापान्तमित्युक्तो भगवान्मुनिसत्तमः ॥०३-१७६-१८॥
The illustrious one, O best of sages, said, "By falling quickly from the top of the aerial car and from Indra's seat by me, bring about the end of the curse." (03-176-18)
स मामुवाच तेजस्वी कृपयाभिपरिप्लुतः। मोक्षस्ते भविता राजन्कस्माच्चित्कालपर्ययात् ॥०३-१७६-१९॥
He, the radiant one, completely filled with compassion, said to me: "Liberation will be yours, O king, after a certain passage of time." (03-176-19)
ततोऽस्मि पतितो भूमौ न च मामजहात्स्मृतिः। स्मार्तमस्ति पुराणं मे यथैवाधिगतं तथा ॥०३-१७६-२०॥
From then I fell to the ground, but my memory did not abandon me. I still retain the traditions, and the Purāṇa I possess is just as I had previously understood. (03-176-20)
यस्तु ते व्याहृतान्प्रश्नान्प्रतिब्रूयाद्विशेषवित्। स त्वां मोक्षयिता शापादिति मामब्रवीदृषिः ॥०३-१७६-२१॥
The sage said to me: 'He who is able to answer your spoken questions in detail, he will free you from the curse.' (03-176-21)
गृहीतस्य त्वया राजन्प्राणिनोऽपि बलीयसः। सत्त्वभ्रंशोऽधिकस्यापि सर्वस्याशु भविष्यति ॥०३-१७६-२२॥
O king, for someone who is seized by you, even if the being is stronger or superior, everyone will quickly lose strength. (03-176-22)
इति चाप्यहमश्रौषं वचस्तेषां दयावताम्। मयि सञ्जातहार्दानामथ तेऽन्तर्हिता द्विजाः ॥०३-१७६-२३॥
Thus I also heard the words of those compassionate Brahmins, and when affection had arisen in my heart, then those twice-born disappeared. (03-176-23)
सोऽहं परमदुष्कर्मा वसामि निरयेऽशुचौ। सर्पयोनिमिमां प्राप्य कालाकाङ्क्षी महाद्युते ॥०३-१७६-२४॥
I, who am the most evil-doer, dwell in the unclean hell; having obtained this serpent birth, I await death, O greatly radiant one. (03-176-24)
तमुवाच महाबाहुर्भीमसेनो भुजङ्गमम्। न ते कुप्ये महासर्प न चात्मानं विगर्हये ॥०३-१७६-२५॥
Mighty-armed Bhimasena spoke to the serpent: "I am not angry at you, O great serpent, nor do I blame myself." (03-176-25)
यस्मादभावी भावी वा मनुष्यः सुखदुःखयोः। आगमे यदि वापाये न तत्र ग्लपयेन्मनः ॥०३-१७६-२६॥
Therefore, whether what is destined not to be or what is to be, a person, in happiness and sorrow, upon their arising or departure, should not let the mind become dejected there. (03-176-26)
दैवं पुरुषकारेण को निवर्तितुमर्हति। दैवमेव परं मन्ये पुरुषार्थो निरर्थकः ॥०३-१७६-२७॥
Who is able to avert fate by human effort? I consider fate alone as supreme; human effort is fruitless. (03-176-27)
पश्य दैवोपघाताद्धि भुजवीर्यव्यपाश्रयम्। इमामवस्थां सम्प्राप्तमनिमित्तमिहाद्य माम् ॥०३-१७६-२८॥
See how, although relying on the strength of my arm, due to the blow of fate, I have today come to this unforeseen state here. (03-176-28)
किं तु नाद्यानुशोचामि तथात्मानं विनाशितम्। यथा तु विपिने न्यस्तान्भ्रातॄन्राज्यपरिच्युतान् ॥०३-१७६-२९॥
But it is not for my own destruction that I grieve today, but for my brothers abandoned in the forest, deprived of the kingdom. (03-176-29)
हिमवांश्च सुदुर्गोऽयं यक्षराक्षससङ्कुलः। मां च ते समुदीक्षन्तः प्रपतिष्यन्ति विह्वलाः ॥०३-१७६-३०॥
The Himalayas, and this region, very difficult to traverse and filled with yakṣas and rākṣasas—those beings, looking intently at me, will fall upon me in excitement. (03-176-30)
विनष्टमथ वा श्रुत्वा भविष्यन्ति निरुद्यमाः। धर्मशीला मया ते हि बाध्यन्ते राज्यगृद्धिना ॥०३-१७६-३१॥
After hearing that all is lost, then, or otherwise, they will become dispirited and inactive; the virtuous ones, indeed, are troubled by me because of my greed for kingship. (03-176-31)
अथ वा नार्जुनो धीमान्विषादमुपयास्यति। सर्वास्त्रविदनाधृष्यो देवगन्धर्वराक्षसैः ॥०३-१७६-३२॥
Or else, wise Arjuna will not succumb to despondency. He, the master of all weapons, is invincible even to gods, gandharvas, and rākṣasas. (3-176-32)
समर्थः स महाबाहुरेकाह्ना सुमहाबलः। देवराजमपि स्थानात्प्रच्यावयितुमोजसा ॥०३-१७६-३३॥
He, the mighty-armed and greatly powerful, is capable in a single day, by his vigor, even of dislodging the king of the gods from his position. (03-176-33)
किं पुनर्धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रं दुर्द्यूतदेविनम्। विद्विष्टं सर्वलोकस्य दम्भलोभपरायणम् ॥०३-१७६-३४॥
But what then is to be said of Dhṛtarāṣṭra's son, who is addicted to wicked gambling, hated by everyone, and given over to deceit and greed? (03-176-34)
मातरं चैव शोचामि कृपणां पुत्रगृद्धिनीम्। यास्माकं नित्यमाशास्ते महत्त्वमधिकं परैः ॥०३-१७६-३५॥
And I grieve for our mother too, that miserable woman, longing for her son, who always desires for us a greatness surpassing that of others. (03-176-35)
कथं नु तस्यानाथाया मद्विनाशाद्भुजङ्गम। अफलास्ते भविष्यन्ति मयि सर्वे मनोरथाः ॥०३-१७६-३६॥
O serpent, how indeed will all the desires of that destitute woman become fruitless for me after my destruction? (03-176-36)
नकुलः सहदेवश्च यमजौ गुरुवर्तिनौ। मद्बाहुबलसंस्तब्धौ नित्यं पुरुषमानिनौ ॥०३-१७६-३७॥
Nakula and Sahadeva, the twin sons of Yama, always obedient to the teacher, are made arrogant by my strength and are forever proud of their manliness. (03-176-37)
निरुत्साहौ भविष्येते भ्रष्टवीर्यपराक्रमौ। मद्विनाशात्परिद्यूनाविति मे वर्तते मतिः ॥०३-१७६-३८॥
My thought is that, after my destruction, they will become dispirited and lose their strength and valor, greatly diminished. (03-176-38)
एवंविधं बहु तदा विललाप वृकोदरः। भुजङ्गभोगसंरुद्धो नाशकच्च विचेष्टितुम् ॥०३-१७६-३९॥
At that time, Vṛkodara (Bhīma) lamented much in that way; bound by the coils of the serpent, he was not able to move. (03-176-39)
युधिष्ठिरस्तु कौन्तेय बभूवास्वस्थचेतनः। अनिष्टदर्शनान्घोरानुत्पातान्परिचिन्तयन् ॥०३-१७६-४०॥
But Yudhiṣṭhira, O son of Kunti, became uneasy in his mind, pondering the terrible misfortunes and portents. (03-176-40)
दारुणं ह्यशिवं नादं शिवा दक्षिणतः स्थिता। दीप्तायां दिशि वित्रस्ता रौति तस्याश्रमस्य ह ॥०३-१७६-४१॥
Indeed, Śivā, standing in the southern blazing quarter, frightened, wails a terrible, inauspicious sound from his hermitage. (03-176-41)
एकपक्षाक्षिचरणा वर्तिका घोरदर्शना। रुधिरं वमन्ती ददृशे प्रत्यादित्यमपस्वरा ॥०३-१७६-४२॥
A quail with one wing, eye, and foot, terrible in appearance, vomiting blood, was seen facing the sun and uttering a dreadful sound. (03-176-42)
प्रववावनिलो रूक्षश्चण्डः शर्करकर्षणः। अपसव्यानि सर्वाणि मृगपक्षिरुतानि च ॥०३-१७६-४३॥
A dry and fierce wind blew, dragging along pebbles; and all the cries of beasts and birds came from the left. (03-176-43)
पृष्ठतो वायसः कृष्णो याहि याहीति वाशति। मुहुर्मुहुः प्रस्फुरति दक्षिणोऽस्य भुजस्तथा ॥०३-१७६-४४॥
A black crow behind him cries "go, go", and again and again, his right arm trembles like this. (03-176-44)
हृदयं चरणश्चापि वामोऽस्य परिवर्तते। सव्यस्याक्ष्णो विकारश्चाप्यनिष्टः समपद्यत ॥०३-१७६-४५॥
His heart and left foot are also turning, and there has been an inauspicious change in his left eye. (03-176-45)
स धर्मराजो मेधावी शङ्कमानो महद्भयम्। द्रौपदीं परिपप्रच्छ क्व भीम इति भारत ॥०३-१७६-४६॥
He, the wise king Yudhiṣṭhira, feeling great fear and doubt, asked Draupadī, "Where is Bhīma?", O Bhārata. (03-176-46)
शशंस तस्मै पाञ्चाली चिरयातं वृकोदरम्। स प्रतस्थे महाबाहुर्धौम्येन सहितो नृपः ॥०३-१७६-४७॥
Pañcālī told him about Bhīma, who had been gone for a long time. Then the mighty-armed king departed, accompanied by Dhaumya. (03-176-47)
द्रौपद्या रक्षणं कार्यमित्युवाच धनञ्जयम्। नकुलं सहदेवं च व्यादिदेश द्विजान्प्रति ॥०३-१७६-४८॥
He told Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) that Draupadī should be protected. He also instructed Nakula and Sahadeva regarding the brāhmaṇas. (03-176-48)
स तस्य पदमुन्नीय तस्मादेवाश्रमात्प्रभुः। ददर्श पृथिवीं चिह्नैर्भीमस्य परिचिह्निताम् ॥०३-१७६-४९॥
Having traced the footprint from that hermitage, the lord saw the earth, distinguished by the marks of Bhīma. (03-176-49)
धावतस्तस्य वीरस्य मृगार्थे वातरंहसः। ऊरुवातविनिर्भग्नान्द्रुमान्व्यावर्जितान्पथि ॥०३-१७६-५०॥
As the hero ran at wind-like speed in pursuit of the deer, trees broken by the force of his thighs and the wind were thrown aside on the path. (3-176-50)
स गत्वा तैस्तदा चिह्नैर्ददर्श गिरिगह्वरे। गृहीतं भुजगेन्द्रेण निश्चेष्टमनुजं तथा ॥०३-१७६-५१॥
He, having followed those signs, then saw in the mountain cave his younger brother, seized and rendered motionless by the king of serpents. (03-176-51)
