03.176
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
sa bhīmasenastejasvī tathā sarpavaśaṃ gataḥ। cintayāmāsa sarpasya vīryam atyadbhutaṃ mahat॥03-176-1॥
Thus powerful Bhīmasena, having fallen under the serpent's control, pondered upon the serpent's very wondrous and great strength. (03-176-1)
uvāca ca mahāsarpaṃ kāmayā brūhi pannaga। kastvaṃ bho bhujagaśreṣṭha kiṃ mayā ca kariṣyasi ॥03-176-2॥
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)
pāṇḍavo bhimaseno'ham dharmarājādanantaraḥ। nāgāyutasamaprāṇastvayā nītaḥ kathaṃ vaśam ॥03-176-3॥
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)
siṁhāḥ kesariṇo vyāghrā mahiṣā vāraṇās tathā। samāgatāś ca bahuśo nihatāś ca mayā mṛdhe ॥03-176-4॥
Lions, tigers, buffaloes, and elephants, having assembled many times, were slain by me in battle. (03-176-4)
dānavāś ca piśācāś ca rākṣasāś ca mahā-balāḥ। bhuja-vegam aśaktā me soḍhuṃ pannaga-sattama ॥03-176-5॥
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)
kiṁ nu vidyā-balaṁ kiṁ vā vara-dānam atho tava। udyogam api kurvāṇo vaśagaḥ asmi kṛtaḥ tvayā ॥03-176-6॥
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)
asatyo vikramo nṝṇāmiti me niścitā matiḥ। yathedaṃ me tvayā nāga balaṃ pratihataṃ mahat॥03-176-7॥
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)
ityevaṃ vādinaṃ vīraṃ bhīmam akliṣṭakāriṇam। bhogena mahatā sarpaḥ samantāt paryaveṣṭayat ॥03-176-8॥
As Bhīma, the heroic doer of fearless deeds, was speaking thus, the great serpent coiled itself around him from all sides. (03-176-8)
nigṛhya taṃ mahābāhuṃ tataḥ sa bhujagastadā। vimucyāsya bhujau pīnāvidaṃ vacanamabravīt ॥03-176-9॥
Having seized the mighty-armed one, then that serpent, having released his strong arms, spoke this speech. (03-176-9)
diṣṭyā tvaṃ kṣudhitasya adya devaiḥ bhakṣaḥ mahābhuja। diṣṭyā kālasya mahataḥ priyāḥ prāṇāḥ hi dehinām ॥03-176-10॥
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)
yathā tvidaṁ mayā prāptaṁ bhujaṅgatvamarindama. tadavaśyaṁ mayā khyāpyaṁ tavādya śṛṇu sattama ॥03-176-11॥
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)
imāmavasthāṃ samprāpto hyahaṃ kopānmanīṣiṇām। śāpasya antaṃ pariprepsuḥ sarpasya kathayāmi tat॥03-176-12॥
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)
nahuṣo nāma rājarṣirvyaktaṃ te śrotramāgataḥ। tavaiva pūrvaḥ pūrveṣāmāyorvaṃśakaraḥ sutaḥ॥03-176-13॥
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)
so'haṃ śāpād-agastyasya brāhmaṇān-avamanya ca। imām avasthām āpannaḥ paśya daivam idaṃ mama ॥03-176-14॥
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)
tvāṃ ced avadhyam āyāntam atīva priyadarśanam। aham adya upayokṣyāmi vidhānaṃ paśya yādṛśam॥03-176-15॥
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)
na hi me mucyate kaścit kathaṃcid grahaṇaṃ gataḥ। gajo vā mahiṣo vāpi ṣaṣṭhe kāle narottama ॥03-176-16॥
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)
nāsi kevalasarpeṇa tiryagyoniṣu vartatā। gṛhītaḥ kauravaśreṣṭha varadānam idaṃ mama ॥03-176-17॥
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)
patatā hi vimānāgrān-mayā śakrāsanād-drutam। kuru śāpāntam-ity-ukto bhagavān-munisattamaḥ ॥03-176-18॥
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)
sa mām uvāca tejasvī kṛpayābhipariplutaḥ। mokṣas te bhavitā rājan kasmāc cit kāla-paryayāt॥03-176-19॥
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)
tato'smi patito bhūmau na ca mām ajahāt smṛtiḥ। smārtam asti purāṇaṃ me yathaivādhigataṃ tathā ॥03-176-20॥
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)
yastu te vyāhṛtānpraśnān pratibrūyād viśeṣavit। sa tvāṃ mokṣayitā śāpād iti mām abravīd ṛṣiḥ ॥03-176-21॥
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)
gṛhītasya tvayā rājan prāṇino'pi balīyasaḥ। sattvabhraṃśo'dhikasyāpi sarvasyāśu bhaviṣyati ॥03-176-22॥
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)
iti cāpy aham aśrauṣam vacas teṣāṃ dayāvatām। mayi sañjāta-hārdānām atha te'ntarhitā dvijāḥ ॥03-176-23॥
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)
so'haṁ paramaduṣkarmā vasāmi niraye'śucau। sarpayonimimāṁ prāpya kālākāṅkṣī mahādyute ॥03-176-24॥
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)
tam uvāca mahābāhur bhīmaseno bhujaṅgamam। na te kupye mahāsarpa na cātmānaṃ vigarhaye ॥03-176-25॥
Mighty-armed Bhimasena spoke to the serpent: "I am not angry at you, O great serpent, nor do I blame myself." (03-176-25)
yasmād abhāvī bhāvī vā manuṣyaḥ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ। āgame yadi vā apāye na tatra glapayet manaḥ॥03-176-26॥
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)
daivaṃ puruṣakāreṇa ko nivartitum arhati। daivam eva paraṃ manye puruṣārtho nirarthakaḥ ॥03-176-27॥
Who is able to avert fate by human effort? I consider fate alone as supreme; human effort is fruitless. (03-176-27)
paśya daivopaghātāddhi bhujavīryavyapāśrayam। imāmavasthāṃ samprāptamanimittamihādya mām ॥03-176-28॥
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)
kiṁ tu nādyānuśocāmi tathātmānaṁ vināśitam। yathā tu vipine nyastānbhrātṝnrājya-paricyutān ॥03-176-29॥
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)
himavāṁś ca sudurgo'yaṁ yakṣarakṣasasaṅkulaḥ. māṁ ca te samudīkṣantaḥ prapatiṣyanti vihvalāḥ ॥03-176-30॥
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)
vinaṣṭam atha vā śrutvā bhaviṣyanti nirudyamāḥ। dharmaśīlā mayā te hi bādhyante rājyagṛddhinā ॥03-176-31॥
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)
atha vā nārjuno dhīmān viṣādam upayāsyati। sarvāstravid anādhṛṣyo deva-gandharva-rākṣasaiḥ ॥03-176-32॥
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)
samarthaḥ sa mahābāhur-ekāhnā sumahābalaḥ। devarājam-api sthānāt-pracyāvayitum-o-jasā ॥03-176-33॥
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)
kiṁ punar dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putraṁ durdyūta-devinam। vidviṣṭaṁ sarvalokasya dambha-lobha-parāyaṇam॥03-176-34॥
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)
mātaraṃ caiva śocāmi kṛpaṇāṃ putragṛddhinīm। yāsmākaṃ nityamāśāste mahattvamadhikaṃ paraiḥ ॥03-176-35॥
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)
kathaṁ nu tasyānāthāyā madvināśādbhujaṅgama। aphalās te bhaviṣyanti mayi sarve manorathāḥ ॥03-176-36॥
O serpent, how indeed will all the desires of that destitute woman become fruitless for me after my destruction? (03-176-36)
nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca yamauj guruvartinau। madbāhubalasaṃstabdhau nityaṃ puruṣamāninau॥03-176-37॥
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)
nirutsāhau bhaviṣyete bhraṣṭavīryaparākramau. madvināśāt paridyūnāv iti me vartate matiḥ ॥03-176-38॥
My thought is that, after my destruction, they will become dispirited and lose their strength and valor, greatly diminished. (03-176-38)
evaṃ-vidhaṃ bahu tadā vilalāpa vṛkodaraḥ। bhujaṅga-bhoga-saṃruddho nāśakac ca viceṣṭitum ॥03-176-39॥
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)
yudhiṣṭhiras tu kaunteya babhūvāsvasthacetanah। aniṣṭadarśanān ghorān utpātān paricintayan॥03-176-40॥
But Yudhiṣṭhira, O son of Kunti, became uneasy in his mind, pondering the terrible misfortunes and portents. (03-176-40)
dāruṇaṃ hyaśivaṃ nādaṃ śivā dakṣiṇataḥ sthitā। dīptāyāṃ diśi vitrastā rauti tasyāśramasya ha॥03-176-41॥
Indeed, Śivā, standing in the southern blazing quarter, frightened, wails a terrible, inauspicious sound from his hermitage. (03-176-41)
ekapakṣākṣicaraṇā vartikā ghoradarśanā। rudhiraṃ vamantī dadṛśe pratyādityamapasvarā॥03-176-42॥
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)
pravavāva nilo rūkṣaś caṇḍaḥ śarkara-karṣaṇaḥ। apasavyāni sarvāṇi mṛga-pakṣi-rutāni ca ॥03-176-43॥
A dry and fierce wind blew, dragging along pebbles; and all the cries of beasts and birds came from the left. (03-176-43)
pṛṣṭhato vāyasaḥ kṛṣṇo yāhi yāhīti vāśati. muhurmuhuḥ prasphurati dakṣiṇo'sya bhujas tathā ॥03-176-44॥
A black crow behind him cries "go, go", and again and again, his right arm trembles like this. (03-176-44)
hṛdayaṁ caraṇaś cāpi vāmo'sya parivartate। savyasyākṣṇo vikāraścāpyaniṣṭaḥ samapadyata ॥03-176-45॥
His heart and left foot are also turning, and there has been an inauspicious change in his left eye. (03-176-45)
sa dharmarājo medhāvī śaṅkamāno mahadbhayam। draupadīṃ paripapraccha kva bhīma iti bhārata ॥03-176-46॥
He, the wise king Yudhiṣṭhira, feeling great fear and doubt, asked Draupadī, "Where is Bhīma?", O Bhārata. (03-176-46)
śaśaṁsa tasmai pāñcālī cirayātaṁ vṛkodaram। sa pratasthe mahābāhur dhaumyena sahito nṛpaḥ ॥03-176-47॥
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)
draupadyā rakṣaṇaṃ kāryam ity uvāca dhanañjayam। nakulaṃ sahadevaṃ ca vyādideśa dvijān prati ॥03-176-48॥
He told Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) that Draupadī should be protected. He also instructed Nakula and Sahadeva regarding the brāhmaṇas. (03-176-48)
sa tasya padam unnīya tasmād eva āśramāt prabhuḥ। dadarśa pṛthivīṃ cihnaiḥ bhīmasya paricihnitām ॥03-176-49॥
Having traced the footprint from that hermitage, the lord saw the earth, distinguished by the marks of Bhīma. (03-176-49)
dhāvatastasya vīrasya mṛgārthe vātaraṃhasaḥ। ūru-vāta-vinirbhagnān drumān vyāvarjitān pathi ॥03-176-50॥
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)
sa gatvā tais tadā cihnaiḥ dadarśa girigahvare। gṛhītaṃ bhujagendreṇa niśceṣṭam anujaṃ tathā॥03-176-51॥
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)
