04.002
भीम उवाच॥
Bhīma spoke.
पौरोगवो ब्रुवाणोऽहं बल्लवो नाम नामतः। उपस्थास्यामि राजानं विराटमिति मे मतिः ॥०४-२-१॥
Saying as the chief of cattle keepers, I, called by the name herdsman, will approach king Virata—this is my resolve. (04-2-1)
सूपानस्य करिष्यामि कुशलोऽस्मि महानसे। कृतपूर्वाणि यैरस्य व्यञ्जनानि सुशिक्षितैः ॥ तानप्यभिभविष्यामि प्रीतिं सञ्जनयन्नहम् ॥०४-२-२॥
I shall prepare soups; I am skilled in the kitchen. The dishes previously made by well-trained cooks—I will also surpass them, creating delight. (04-2-2)
आहरिष्यामि दारूणां निचयान्महतोऽपि च। तत्प्रेक्ष्य विपुलं कर्म राजा प्रीतो भविष्यति ॥०४-२-३॥
I will bring even large heaps of wood; seeing that substantial work, the king will be pleased. (04-2-3)
द्विपा वा बलिनो राजन्वृषभा वा महाबलाः। विनिग्राह्या यदि मया निग्रहीष्यामि तानपि ॥०४-२-४॥
O king, whether they are elephants, the strong, or mighty bulls—if it is necessary for me to subdue them, I will subdue them as well. (04-2-4)
ये च केचिन्नियोत्स्यन्ति समाजेषु नियोधकाः। तानहं निहनिष्यामि प्रीतिं तस्य विवर्धयन् ॥०४-२-५॥
And whoever among the instigators may stir up trouble in assemblies, I will kill those, increasing his delight. (04-2-5)
न त्वेतान्युध्यमानान्वै हनिष्यामि कथञ्चन। तथैतान्पातयिष्यामि यथा यास्यन्ति न क्षयम् ॥०४-२-६॥
But I will not kill these warriors in any way; rather, I will cause them to fall in such a way that they do not perish. (04-2-6)
आरालिको गोविकर्ता सूपकर्ता नियोधकः। आसं युधिष्ठिरस्याहमिति वक्ष्यामि पृच्छतः ॥०४-२-७॥
I will say this to the one asking: "I was Yudhiṣṭhira's cowherd, cook, and task-assigner." (04-2-7)
आत्मानमात्मना रक्षंश्चरिष्यामि विशां पते। इत्येतत्प्रतिजानामि विहरिष्याम्यहं यथा ॥०४-२-८॥
O lord of the people, I shall protect myself by myself as I roam. Thus I promise: I will wander in this manner. (04-2-8)
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
यमग्निर्ब्राह्मणो भूत्वा समागच्छन्नृणां वरम्। दिधक्षुः खाण्डवं दावं दाशार्हसहितं पुरा ॥०४-२-९॥
Agni, having assumed the form of a Brāhmaṇa, once approached the best of men, wishing to burn the Khāṇḍava forest together with Dāśārha. (04-2-9)
महाबलं महाबाहुमजितं कुरुनन्दनम्। सोऽयं किं कर्म कौन्तेयः करिष्यति धनञ्जयः ॥०४-२-१०॥
What action will Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, who is of great strength, great arms, unconquered, and the delight of the Kurus, perform? (04-2-10)
योऽयमासाद्य तं दावं तर्पयामास पावकम्। विजित्यैकरथेनेन्द्रं हत्वा पन्नगराक्षसान् ॥ श्रेष्ठः प्रतियुधां नाम सोऽर्जुनः किं करिष्यति ॥०४-२-११॥
He who, having reached that forest fire, satisfied the fire, having conquered Indra with a single chariot and slain the serpent-demons, that best of fighters named Arjuna—what could he not do? (04-2-11)
सूर्यः प्रतपतां श्रेष्ठो द्विपदां ब्राह्मणो वरः। आशीविषश्च सर्पाणामग्निस्तेजस्विनां वरः ॥०४-२-१२॥
The sun is the foremost among those who shine; among bipeds, the brāhmaṇa is the best; among snakes, the venomous serpent; and among the powerful, fire is the best. (04-2-12)
आयुधानां वरो वर्जः ककुद्मी च गवां वरः। ह्रदानामुदधिः श्रेष्ठः पर्जन्यो वर्षतां वरः ॥०४-२-१३॥
Among weapons, the thunderbolt is the best; among cows, Kakudmī is the best; among lakes, the ocean is the most excellent; among those that shower rain, the rain-cloud is the best. (04-2-13)
धृतराष्ट्रश्च नागानां हस्तिष्वैरावतो वरः। पुत्रः प्रियाणामधिको भार्या च सुहृदां वरा ॥०४-२-१४॥
Dhritarashtra is best among men as Airavata is among elephants; a son surpasses all beloved ones, and a wife is the best among friends. (04-2-14)
यथैतानि विशिष्टानि जात्यां जात्यां वृकोदर। एवं युवा गुडाकेशः श्रेष्ठः सर्वधनुष्मताम् ॥०४-२-१५॥
Just as among all kinds there are distinguished ones, O Vṛkodara, so too the young Guḍākeśa is the best among all bowmen. (04-2-15)
सोऽयमिन्द्रादनवरो वासुदेवाच्च भारत। गाण्डीवधन्वा श्वेताश्वो बीभत्सुः किं करिष्यति ॥०४-२-१६॥
He, O Bhārata, who is not inferior to Indra or to Vāsudeva—the wielder of the Gāṇḍīva bow, he whose horses are white, Bībhatsu—what will he do? (04-2-16)
उषित्वा पञ्च वर्षाणि सहस्राक्षस्य वेश्मनि। दिव्यान्यस्त्राण्यवाप्तानि देवरूपेण भास्वता ॥०४-२-१७॥
After residing for five years in the abode of Sahasrākṣa (Indra), the shining one, having a god-like form, obtained the divine weapons. (04-2-17)
यं मन्ये द्वादशं रुद्रमादित्यानां त्रयोदशम्। यस्य बाहू समौ दीर्घौ ज्याघातकठिनत्वचौ ॥ दक्षिणे चैव सव्ये च गवामिव वहः कृतः ॥०४-२-१८॥
I consider him the twelfth among the Rudras and the thirteenth among the Ādityas; whose two arms are long and have skin hardened by striking against the bowstring, and whose shoulders, both right and left, are formed like the burden-bearing parts (humps) of cows. (04-2-18)
हिमवानिव शैलानां समुद्रः सरितामिव। त्रिदशानां यथा शक्रो वसूनामिव हव्यवाट् ॥०४-२-१९॥
Just as Himalaya is foremost among the mountains, as the ocean is among rivers, as Indra is among the gods, and as Agni is among the Vasus. (04-2-19)
मृगाणामिव शार्दूलो गरुडः पततामिव। वरः संनह्यमानानामर्जुनः किं करिष्यति ॥०४-२-२०॥
Just as the tiger is among deer and Garuda among birds, what will Arjuna, who is the best among those being equipped for battle, accomplish? (04-2-20)
अर्जुन उवाच॥
Arjuna said.
प्रतिज्ञां षण्ढकोऽस्मीति करिष्यामि महीपते। ज्याघातौ हि महान्तौ मे संवर्तुं नृप दुष्करौ ॥०४-२-२१॥
I promise, 'I am a eunuch'—thus I will act, O king. Indeed, for me, the two great bowstring pullings are difficult to accomplish, O king. (04-2-21)
कर्णयोः प्रतिमुच्याहं कुण्डले ज्वलनोपमे। वेणीकृतशिरा राजन्नाम्ना चैव बृहन्नडा ॥०४-२-२२॥
O king, I, having put on earrings resembling fire in both ears and my hair tied in a braid, am also called Bṛhannaḍā. (04-2-22)
पठन्नाख्यायिकां नाम स्त्रीभावेन पुनः पुनः। रमयिष्ये महीपालमन्यांश्चान्तःपुरे जनान् ॥०४-२-२३॥
Reciting the story called Akhyayika in a feminine character again and again, I will entertain the king and other people in the inner palace. (04-2-23)
गीतं नृत्तं विचित्रं च वादित्रं विविधं तथा। शिक्षयिष्याम्यहं राजन्विराटभवने स्त्रियः ॥०४-२-२४॥
O king, I shall teach the women in the palace of Virāṭa song, dance, and various kinds of musical instruments. (04-2-24)
प्रजानां समुदाचारं बहु कर्मकृतं वदन्। छादयिष्यामि कौन्तेय माययात्मानमात्मना ॥०४-२-२५॥
Speaking of the general conduct of creatures, performing many deeds, O son of Kunti, I shall conceal my true self by (my own) illusion. (04-2-25)
युधिष्ठिरस्य गेहेऽस्मि द्रौपद्याः परिचारिका। उषितास्मीति वक्ष्यामि पृष्टो राज्ञा च भारत ॥०४-२-२६॥
I shall say to the king, O Bhārata, that I am a servant of Draupadī in the house of Yudhiṣṭhira, and that I have lived there, when questioned. (04-2-26)
एतेन विधिना छन्नः कृतकेन यथा नलः। विहरिष्यामि राजेन्द्र विराटभवने सुखम् ॥०४-२-२७॥
O king, by this method I shall dwell happily and in disguise in the house of Virāṭa, just as Nala (did). (04-2-27)
