Pāṇḍavas in the forest

 pāṇḍavāścāpi nirgatya nagarād vāraṇāvatāt

nadīṁ gaṅgāmanuprāptā mātṛaṣṭhā mahābalāḥ

Leaving city of Varaṇāvata, greatly strong Pāṇḍavas, 6 in number altogether with their mother, reached Gaṅgā river.

dāśānāṁ bhujavegena nadyāḥ srotojavena ca

vāyunā cānukūlena tūrṇaṁ pāramavāpnuvan

Aided by the strength of arms of boatmen and by rapidity of current and  favourable wind, they then speedily reached opposite bank.

tato nāvaṁ parityajya prayayurdakṣiṇāṁ diśam

vijñāya niśi panthānaṁ nakṣatragaṇasūcitam

They then left the boat and proceeded towards South, finding their way in the dark by the light of the stars. 

yatamānā vanaṁ rājan gahanaṁ pratipedire

tataḥ śrāntāḥ pipāsārtā nidrāndhāḥ pāṇḍunandanāḥ

punarūcurmahāvīryaṁ bhīmasenamidaṁ vacaḥ

itaḥ kaṣṭataraṁ kiṁ nu yad vayaṁ gahane vane

diśaśca na vijānīmo gantuṁ caiva na śaknumaḥ

O king! After much suffering, they at last reached dense forest. Pāṇḍavas became tired, thirsty and sleepy. Yudhiṣṭhira spoke thus to greatly energetic Bhīmasena: What could be more painful then of being in the dense forest? We do not know directions and we are incapable of proceeding further.

taṁ ca pāpaṁ na jānīmo yadi dagdhaḥ purocanaḥ

kathaṁ tu vipramucyema bhayādasmādalakṣitāḥ

We do not know whether sinful purocana has or has not been burnt to death. How will we escape from the dangers unobserved by others?

punarasmānupādāya tathaiva vraja bhārata

tvaṁ hi no balavāneko yathā satatagastathā

O descendant of Bharata! Take us on you again and proceed as before! You alone amongst us are strong and you are as swift as wind!

ityukto dharmarājena bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ

ādāya kuntīṁ bhrātṛṁśca jagāmāśu mahābalaḥ

Having been thus addressed by the king of virtue Yudhiṣṭhira, greatly strong Bhīmasena took his brothers and Kuntī on himself and walked on.

vaiśampāyana uvāca

tena vikramamāṇena ūruvegasamīritam

vanaṁ savṛkṣaviṭapaṁ vyāghūrṇitamivābhavat

Vaiśampāyana said: By the force of that mighty heroes ̍ breast, forest with its trees and branches appeared to tremble.

jaṅghāvāto vavau cāsya śuciśukrāgamo yathā

āvarjitalatāvṛkṣaṁ mārgaṁ cakre mahābalaḥ

Motion of his thighs raised wind like that of the month of Jyeṣṭha and Āṣādha. Greatly strong Bhīma made a road for him by treading down trees and creepers.

sa mṛdgan puṣpitāṁścaiva phalitāṁśca vanaspatīn

avarujya yayau gulmān pathastasya samīpajān

He proceeded on, breaking big trees and plants with their flowers and fruits that stood on his way.

sa roṣita iva kruddho vane bhñjan mahādrumān

triprastrutamadaḥ śuṣmī ṣaṣṭivarṣī mataṅgarāṭ

Thus breaking large trees, he angrily got through the forest as a leader of the herd of elephants, 60 years of age with liquid juice at the season of rut, trickling down the three parts of his body.

gacchatastasya vegena tārkṣyamārutaraṁhasaḥ

bhīmasya pāṇḍuputrāṇāṁ mūrccheva samajāyata

So great was the force with which Bhīma, endued with the speed of Garuḍa or Maruta, proceeded, that Pāṇḍavas seemingly fainted.

asakṛcchāpi saṁtīrya dūrapāraṁ bhujaplavaiḥ

pathi pracchannamāsedurdhārtarāṣṭrabhayāt tadā

By the strenght of his arms he swam across many streams, difficult to be crossed and Pāṇḍavas disguised themselves from the fear of sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

kṛcchreṇa mātaraṁ caiva sukumārīṁ yaśasvinīm

avahat sa tu pṛṣṭhena rodhassu viṣameṣu ca

He carried his delicate and illustrious mother on his back over even and uneven grounds on the banks of rivers.

agamacca vanoddeśamalpamūlaphalodakam

krūrapakṣimṛgaṁ ghoraṁ sāyāhne bharatarṣabha

O best of Bharata Race! In the evening he reached a fearful forest where fruits and roots were scarce and which was full of terrible roars of birds and beasts.

ghorā samabhavat saṁdhyā dāruṇā mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ

aprakāśā diśaḥ sarvā vātairāsannanārtavaiḥ

Twilight became fearfully dark and roars of the birds and beasts grew fiercer. All sides became invisible being covered with darkness.

śīrṇaparṇaphalai rājan bahugulmakṣupairdrumaiḥ

bhagnāvabhagnabhūyiṣṭhairnānādrumasamākulaiḥ

Strong wind began to blow. It broke and laid down many large and small trees and many creepers with fruits and dry leaves.

te śrameṇa ca kauravyāstṛṣṇayā ca prapīḍitāḥ

nāśaknuvaṁstadā gantuṁ nidrayā ca pravṛddhayā

Pāṇḍavas, afflicted withfatigue and thirst, heavy with sleep, were unable to proceed further.

nyaviśanta hi te sarve nirāsvāde mahāvane

tatastuṣāpariklāntā kuntī putrānathābravīt

They then sat down in that great fores without food or water and Kuntī, afflicted with thirst, spoke thus to her sons:

mātā satī pāṇḍavānāṁ pañcānāṁ madhyataḥ sthitā

tṛṣṇayā hi parītāsmi putrān bhṛśamathābravīt

I am mother of 5 Pāṇḍavas and though I am now in their midst of them, yet I am burning with thirst! She repeatedly said this to her sons.

tacchrutvā bhīmasenasya mātṛsnehāt prajalpitam

kāruṇyena manastaptaṁ gamanāyopacakrame

Having heard this, heart of Bhīmasena was warmed with compassion from affection to his mother and he began to proceed again.

tato bhīmo vanaṁ ghoraṁ praviśya vijanaṁ mahat

nyagrodhaṁ vipulacchāyaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ dadarśa ha

Then Bhīma, entering large and fearful forest, saw a beautiful banian tree with wide spreading branches.

tatra nikṣipya tān sarvānuvāca bharatarṣabhaḥ

pānīyaṁ mṛgayāmīha viśramadhvamiti prabho

Placing them all there under the tree, that best of Bharata race, Bhīma said: O lord! Rest there! I shall go to bring water!

ete ruvanti madhuraṁ sārasā jalacāriṇaḥ

dhruvamatra jalasthānaṁ mahacceti matirmama

I hear sweet notes of water fowl Sārasā. I think, there must be a big lake somewhere nearby.

 anujñātaḥ sa gaccheti bhrātrā jyeṣṭhena bhārata

jagāma tatra yatra sma sārasā jalacāriṇaḥ

O descendant of Bharata! Commanded by his eldest brother, who said: Go! He went there where aquatic Sārasās were.

sa tatra pītvā pānīyaṁ snātvā ca bharatarṣabha

teṣāmarthe ca jagrāha bhrātṛṇāṁ bhrātṛvatsalaḥ

uttarīyeṇa pānīyamānayāmāsa bhārata

O best of Bharata race! Ever affectionate to his brothers, he went for the sake of his brothers. He drank water and bathed there in that lake, he brought water for them by soaking his upper garment.

gavyūtimātrādāgatya tvarito mātaraṁ prati

śokaduḥkhaparītātmā niḥśaśvāsorago yathā

O descendant of Bharata! Retracing his way with all speed, over 4 miles he came to his mother and began to sigh like a snake in sorrow and grief.

sa suptāṁ mātaraṁ dṛṣṭvā bhrātṛṁśca vasudhātale

bhṛśaṁ śokaparītātmā vilalāpa vṛkodaraḥ

Seeing his mother and brothers asleep on the ground, Vṛkodara was greatly afflicted with grief and lamented thus:

ataḥ kaṣṭataraṁ kiṁ nu draṣṭavyaṁ hi bhaviṣyati

yat paśyāmi mahīsuptān bhrātṛnadya sumandabhāk

Alas! What more painful sight can I see then what I see now, my brothers sleeping on theground! O unfortunate I am!

śayaneṣu parārdheṣu ye purā vāraṇāvate

nādhijagmustadā nidrāṁ te ̍ dya suptā mahītale

Those who could not formerly sleep at Varaṇāvata on the softest and costliest bed are asleep on the bare ground. 

svasāraṁ vasudevasya śatrusaṅghāvamardinaḥ

kuntīrājasutāṁ kuntīṁ sarvalakṣaṇapūjitām

snuṣāṁ vocitravīryasya bhāryāṁ pāṇḍormahātmanaḥ

tathaiva cāsmajjananīṁ puṇḍarīkodaraprabhām

sukumāratarāmenāṁ mahārhaśayanocitām

śayānāṁ paśyatādyeha pṛthivyāmatathocitām

Sister of that chastiser of foes, Vāsudeva, daughter of the king of Kuntíbhoja, Kuntī, endued with all auspicious marks. Daughter in law of Vicitravīrya and wife of illustrious Pāṇḍu and mother of us, Pāṇḍavas, resplendent as the filament of lotus. Delicate and tender, fit to sleep on the costliest beds, is now asleep as she could never do on bare ground. 

dharmādindrācca vātācca suṣuve yā sutānimān

seyaṁ bhūmau pariśrāntā śete prāsādaśāyinī

She who has given birth to these sons by Dharma, Indra, Maruta and who has ever slept in palaces, is now sleepin on the ground from fatigue.

kiṁ nu duḥkhataraṁ śakyaṁ mayā draṣṭumataḥ param

yo ̍ hamadya naravyāghrān suptān paśyāmi bhūtale

What more painful sight shall I ever see than what I see now the best of men, Pāṇḍavas, sleeping on the bare ground.

triṣu lokeṣu yo rājyaṁ dharmanityo ̍ rhate nṛpaḥ

so ̍ yaṁ bhūmau pariśrāntaḥ śete prākṛtavat katham

Ever virtuous Yudhiṣṭhira who deserves to be king of 3 worlds, now sleeps on the ground, fatigued and tired like an ordinary being.

ayaṁ nīlāmbudaśyāmo nareṣvapratimo ̍ rjunaḥ

śete prākṛtavad bhūmau duḥkhataraṁ nu kim

Arjuna of the colour of the blue ocean who is matchless among men, sleeps on the ground like ordinary mortals. What could be more painful then this?

aśvināviva devānāṁ yāvimau rūpasampadā

tau prākṛtavadadyemau prasuptau dharaṇītale

Twins, who are handsome as Aśvinīs among celestials, are asleep on the ground like an ordinary men!

jñātayo yasya naiva syurviṣamāḥ kulapāṁsanāḥ

sa jīveta sukhaṁ loke grāmadruma ivaikajaḥ

He who has no jealous and wicked minded relatives, like single tree in a village.

eko vṛkṣo hi yo grāme bhavet parṇaphalānvitaḥ

caityo bhavati nirjñātirarcanīyaḥ supūjitaḥ

Where there is only one tree full of leaves and fruits in a village, it became sacred and is worshipped and venerated by all.

yesāṁ ca bahavaḥ śūrā jñātayo dharmamāśritāḥ

te jīvanti sukhaṁ loke bhavanti ca nirāmayāḥ

They who have many relatives, who are heroic and virtuous, live happily in this world without any sorrow of any kind.

balavantaḥ samṛddhārthā mitrabāndhavanandanāḥ

jīvantyanyonyamāśritya drumāḥ kānanajā iva

Being powerful, growing in prosperity and making their friends and relatives happy, they live dependending on one another like trees of the forest.

vayaṁ tu dhṛtarāṣṭreṇa saputreṇa durātmanā

vivāsitā na dagdhāśca kathaṁcid daivasaṁśrayāt

We are banished by the wicked minded Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his sons and we escaped for our good fortune from a fiery death.

tasmānmuktaḥ vayaṁ dāhādimaṁ vṛkṣamupāśritāḥ

kāṁ diśaṁ pratipatsyāmaḥ prāptāḥ kleśamanuttamam

Having escaped from that fire, we are now resting under this tree. Having suffered great afflictions, where are we now to go?

sakāmo bhava durbuddhe dhārtarāṣṭrālpadarśana

nūnaṁ devāḥ prasannāste nānujñāṁ me yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

prayacchati vadhe tubhyaṁ tena jīvasi durmate

nanvadya tvāṁ sahāmātyaṁ sakarṇānujasaubalam

gatvā krodhasamāviṣṭaḥ preṣayiṣye yamakṣayam

kiṁ nu śakyaṁ mayā kartuṁ yat te na krudhyate nṛpaḥ

dharmātmā pāṇḍavaśreṣṭhaḥ pāpācāraḥ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

evamuktvā mahābāhuḥ krodhasaṁdīptamānasaḥ

karaṁ kareṇa niṣpiṣya niḥśvasan dīnamānasaḥ

punardīnamanā bhūtvā śāntārciriva pāvakaḥ

bhrātṝn mahītale suptānavaikṣata vṛkodaraḥ

viśvastāniva saṁviṣṭān pṛthagjanasamāniva

O foresightless sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra! O wicked men, enjoy your success! Gods are certainly favourable to you, because Yudhiṣṭhira does not order me to kill you. Therefore, O wreched man, live till then! Else angry as I am, I would have even this very day sent you with your sons and ministers and Karṇa, son of Subala Śakuni to the land of the dead. What can I do, so long king Yudhiṣṭhira is not angry? O vicious men! Eldest of Pāṇḍavas, Yudhiṣṭhira, is a virtuous minded man! Having said this, mighty armed Bhīma, his mind inflamed with wrath. Squeezed his palms and sighed with a sorrowful mind like an extinguished fire blazed up, again in sorrowful mind. Vṛkodara saw his brothers sleeping like ordinary men in truthfulness on the ground.

nātidūreṇa nagaraṁ vanādasmāddhi lakṣye

jāgartavye svapantīme hanta jāgarmyahaṁ svayam

pāsyantīme jalaṁ paścāt pratibuddhā jitaklamāḥ

iti bhīmo vyavasyaiva jajāgāra svayaṁ tadā

Then Bhīma thought: I think there are some towns not far off from this forest. We ought to remain awake here. BUt they are all asleep therefore, I myself will sit awake. When they will rise after having been refreshed by sleep, then they will quince their thirst. Having resolved this, Bhīma stayed awake.