दस्यूनामिव यद्वृत्तं सभायां कुरुनन्दन। तेन न भ्राजसे राजंस्तापसानां समागमे
What happened in the assembly, O joy of the Kurus, was like the conduct of bandits; because of this, you do not shine among the ascetics.
ततो व्यावृत्य राजानं दुर्योधनममर्षणम्। उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा मैत्रेयो भगवानृपिः
Then, turning away from the king, Maitreya, the revered sage, addressed Duryodhana, who was unyielding, with gentle words.
दुर्योधन महाबाहो निबोध वदतां वर। वचनं मे महाभाग ब्रुवतो यद्धितं तव
O Duryodhana, mighty-armed, listen, best among speakers; hear my words, O fortunate one, for they are for your benefit.
मा द्रुहः पाण्डवान्राजन्कुरुष्व हितमात्मनः। पाण्डवानां कुरूणां च लोकस्य च नरर्षभ
Do not harm the Pandavas, O king; act for your own good, for the good of the Pandavas, the Kurus, and the world, O best among men.
पाण्डवान्प्राप्य तान्रात्रौ किर्मीरो नाम राक्षसः। अवृत्य मार्गं रौद्रात्मा तस्थौ गिरिवाचलः
At night, a rakshasa named Kirmira blocked the path of the Pandavas, fierce in nature, standing like a mountain.
तं भीमः समरस्लाघी बलेन बलिनां वरः। जघान पशुमारेण व्याघ्रः क्षुद्रमृगं यथा
Bhima, renowned in battle and foremost among the strong, killed him with his strength, like a tiger slaying a small animal.
पश्य दिग्विजये राजन्यथा भीमेन पातितः। जरासन्धो महेष्वासो नागायुतबलो युधि
See, in his conquest of the directions, how Bhima slew Jarasandha, the mighty archer, who possessed the strength of ten thousand elephants in battle.
संबन्धी वासुदेवश्च श्यालाः सर्वे च पार्षताः। ते हि सर्वे नरव्याघ्राः शूरा विक्रान्तयोधिनः
Vasudeva is their kinsman, and all the Pratijatas are his brothers-in-law; all of them are tigers among men, valiant and powerful warriors.
सर्वे नागायुतप्राणा वज्रसंहनना दृढः। सत्यव्रतधराः सर्वेसर्वे पुरुषमानिनः
All possess the strength of ten thousand elephants, firm as thunderbolts, steadfast in truth, and all consider themselves true men.
हन्तारो देवशत्रूणां रक्षसां कामरूपिणाम्। हिडिम्बबकमुख्यानां किर्मीरस् च रक्षसः। कस्तान्युधि समासीत जरामरणवान्नरः
They are slayers of the enemies of the gods and of shape-shifting rakshasas, foremost among whom were Hidimba and Baka, and also Kirmira the rakshasa; what man, subject to old age and death, could stand against them in battle?
तस्य ते शम एवास्तु पाण्डवैर्भरतर्षभ। कुरु मे वचनं राजन्मा मृत्युवशमन्वगाः
Therefore, let there be peace with the Pandavas, O bull among the Bharatas; heed my words, king, and do not fall under the sway of death.
एवं तु ब्रुवतस्तस्य मैत्रेयस्य विशांपते। ऊरुं करिकराकारं करेणाभिजघान तः
As Maitreya was thus speaking, O lord of men, Duryodhana struck his own thigh, shaped like an elephant's trunk, with his hand.
दुर्योधनः स्मितं कृत्वा चरणेनोल्लिखन्महीम्। नकिंचिदुक्त्वा दुर्मेधास्तस्थौ किंचिदवाङ्मुखः
Duryodhana, with a smile, scratched the ground with his foot, and without saying anything, that ill-minded one stood there, his face turned slightly downward.
तमशुश्रूषमाणं तु विलिखन्तं वसुंधराम्। दृष्ट्वा दुर्योधनं राजन्मैत्रेयं कोप आविशत्
Seeing Duryodhana, who was listening but scratching the earth, the sage Maitreya, O king, was filled with anger.
स कोपवशमापन्नो मैत्रेयो मुनिसत्तमः। विधिना संप्रयुक्तश्च शापायास्य मनो दधे
Overcome by anger, the great sage Maitreya, impelled by destiny, set his mind on cursing him.
ततः स वार्युपस्पृश्य कोपसंरक्तलोचनः। मैत्रेयो धार्तराष्ट्रं तमशपद्दुष्टचेतसम्
Then, having touched water and with eyes reddened by wrath, Maitreya cursed that evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra.
यस्मात्त्वं मामनादृत्य नेमां वाचं चिकीर्षसि। तस्मादस्यातिमानस्य सद्यः फलमवाप्स्यसि
Because you disregard me and do not heed this counsel, you will soon reap the immediate fruit of your arrogance.
त्वदभिद्रोहसंयुक्तं युद्धमुत्पत्स्यते महत्। यत्र भीमो गदाघातैस्तवोरुं भेत्स्यते बली
A great war, born of your hostility, will arise, in which Bhima, with blows of his mace, will shatter your thigh, O mighty one.
इत्येवमुक्ते वचने धृतराष्ट्रो महीपतिः। प्रसादयामास मुनिं नैतदेवं भवेदिति
When these words were spoken, King Dhritarashtra sought to appease the sage, saying, 'Let it not be so.'
शमं यास्यति चेत्पुत्रस्तव राजन्यदा तदा। शायो न भविता तात विपरीते भविष्यति
If your son seeks peace, O king, then this curse will not take effect; but if he acts otherwise, it will surely come to pass.
सविलक्षस्तु राजेन्द्रो दुर्योधनपिता तदा। मैत्रेयं प्राह किर्मीरः कथं भीमेन पातितः
Then the king, Duryodhana's father, abashed, asked Maitreya, 'How was Kirmira slain by Bhima?'
नाहं वक्ष्याम्यसूया ते न ते शुश्रूषते सुतः। एष ते विदुरः सर्वमाख्यास्यति गते मयि
I will not tell you, for you bear me ill-will and your son does not listen; Vidura will recount everything to you after I am gone.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा मैत्रेयः प्रातिष्ठत यथागतम्। किर्मीरवधसंविग्नो भयं दुर्योधनो ययौ
Having spoken thus, Maitreya departed as he had come; disturbed by the killing of Kirmira, Duryodhana was seized by fear.
किर्मीरस्य वधं क्षत्तः श्रोतुमिच्छामि कथ्यताम्। रक्षसा भीमसेनस्य कथमासीत्समागमः
O Kshatta, I wish to hear of the slaying of Kirmira; tell me how Bhimasena encountered the rakshasa.
शृणु भीमस्य कर्मेदमतिमानषकर्मणः। श्रुतपूर्वं मया तेषां कथान्तेषु पुनः पुनः
Hear now of this deed of Bhima, a feat of surpassing pride and valor, which I have heard recounted again and again at the end of tales.
इतः प्रयाता राजेन्द्र पाण्डवा द्यूतनिर्जिताः। जग्मुस्त्रिभिरहोरात्रैः काम्यकं नाम तद्वनम्
From there, O king, the Pandavas, defeated at dice, departed and in three days and nights reached the forest called Kamyaka.
रात्रौ निशीथे त्वाभीले गतेऽर्धसमये नृप। प्रचारे पुरुषादानां रक्षसां घोरकर्मणाम्
At midnight, when the night was deep and half spent, O king, the man-eating Rakshasas, dreadful in their deeds, began to roam about.
तद्वनं तापसा नित्यमशेषा वनचारिणः। दूरात्परिहरन्ति स्म पुरुषादभयात्किल
Because of fear of these man-eaters, all the ascetics who dwelled in that forest, and all the forest-dwellers, would always avoid it from afar.
तेषां प्रविशतां तत्र मार्गमावृत्य भारत। दीप्ताक्षं भीषणं रक्षः मोल्मुकं प्रत्यपद्यत
As they entered there, O Bharata, a fearsome Rakshasa with blazing eyes, named Kirmira, blocked their path.
बाहू महान्तौ कृत्वा च तथास्यं च भयानकम्। स्थितमावृत्यपन्थानं येन यान्ति कुरूद्वहाः
He made his arms enormous, and his face terrifying, standing there and blocking the road by which the Kuru heroes were traveling.