बृहदश्व गते पार्थमश्रौषीत्सव्यसाचिनम्। वर्तमनं तपस्युग्रे वायुभक्षं मनीषिणम्
When Brihadashva had gone, Arjuna heard of the mighty Savyasacin, living on air, engaged in fierce austerities.
ब्राह्मणएभ्यस्तपस्विभ्यः संपतद्भ्यस्ततस्ततः। तीर्थशैलवनेभ्यश्च समेतेभ्यो दृढव्रतः
From brahmins and ascetics, from those assembled at holy places, mountains, and forests, all steadfast in their vows, he heard of him.
इतिपार्थो महाबाहुर्दुरापं तप आस्थितः। न तथा दृष्टपूर्वोऽन्यः कश्चिदुग्रतपा इति
Thus Partha, mighty-armed, undertook an arduous penance; never before had anyone been seen performing such severe austerity.
यथा धनंजयः पार्थस्तपस्वी नियतव्रतः। मुनिरेकचरः श्रीमान्धर्मो विग्रहवानिव
Just as Dhananjaya, son of Pritha, steadfast in his vow, practiced austerity—like a sage living alone, radiant, as if Dharma himself had taken form.
तं श्रुत्वा पाण्डवो राजंस्तप्यमानं महावने। अन्वशोचत कौन्तेयः प्रियं वै भ्रातरं जयम्
Hearing of his beloved brother Jaya enduring austerities in the great forest, the Pandava, son of Kunti, grieved for him.
दह्यमानेन तु हृदा शरणार्थी महावने। ब्राह्मणान्विविधज्ञानान्पर्यपृच्छद्युधिष्ठिरः
With a heart burning with anguish, seeking refuge in the great forest, Yudhishthira questioned brahmins of various knowledge.
प्रतिगृह्याक्षहृदयं कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। आसीद्धृष्टमना राजन्भीमसेनादिभिर्युतः
Having received comfort for his afflicted heart, Kunti's son Yudhishthira sat with a cheerful mind, surrounded by Bhimasena and the others.
स्वभ्रातॄन्सहितान्पश्यन्कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। अपश्यन्नर्जुनं तत्रबभूवाश्रुपरिप्लुतः
Seeing his brothers gathered together, Kunti's son Yudhishthira, not seeing Arjuna there, became overcome with tears.
संतप्यमानः कौन्तेयो भीमसेनमुवाच ह। कदा द्रक्ष्यामि वै भीम पार्तमत्र तवानुजम्
Tormented, the son of Kunti spoke to Bhimasena: 'Bhima, when shall I see your younger brother Partha here again?'
मत्कृते हि कुरुश्रेष्ठ तष्यते परमं तपः। तस्याक्षहृदयज्ञानमाख्यास्यामि कदा न्बहम्
'For my sake, O best of Kurus, he endures supreme austerity; when will I tell him the knowledge of dice, which I have learned?'
स हि श्रुत्वाऽक्षहृदयं समुपात्तं मया विभो। प्रहृष्टः पुरुषव्याघ्रो भविष्यति न संशयः
'When he hears the knowledge of dice, which I have acquired, that tiger among men will rejoice—of this there is no doubt.'
भगवान्काम्यकात्पार्थे गते मे प्रपितामहे। पाण्डवाः किमकुर्वंस्ते तमृते सव्यसाचिनम्
O venerable one, when Partha had gone from Kamyaka, what did my grandfathers, the Pandavas, do in the absence of Savyasacin?
स हि तेषां महेष्वासो गतिरासीदनीकजित्। आदित्यानां यथा विष्णुस्तथैव प्रतिभाति मे
For he, the mighty archer, was their refuge in battle; just as Vishnu is among the Adityas, so he appears to me.
तेनेन्द्रसमवीर्येण संग्रामेष्वनिवर्तिना। विनाभूता वने वीराः कथमासन्पितामहाः
With him, equal in strength to Indra, unyielding in battle, gone, how did those heroes, my grandfathers, fare in the forest?
गते तु पाण्डवेतात काम्यकात्सव्यसाचिनि। बभूवुः कौरवेयास्ते दुःखशोकपरायणाः
When Savyasacin had departed from Kamyaka, the Kauravas became absorbed in grief and sorrow.
आक्षिप्तसूत्रा मणयश्छिन्नपक्षा इवाण्डजाः। अप्रीतमनसः सर्वे बभूवुरथ पाण्डवाः
Like jewels with their threads broken, like birds with their wings cut, all the Pandavas became dispirited and joyless.
वनं तु तदभूत्तेन हीनमक्लिष्टकर्मणा। कुबेरेण यथाहीनं वनं चैत्ररथं तथा
That forest, deprived of him whose deeds were flawless, became like the Chaitraratha wood when it was abandoned by Kubera.
तमृते ते नरव्याघ्राः पाण्डवा जनमेजय। मुदमप्राप्नुवन्तो वै काम्यके न्यवसंस्तदा
Without him, O Janamejaya, the tiger-like Pandavas did not find joy as they dwelled in Kamyaka.
ब्राह्मणार्थे पराक्रान्ताः शुद्धैर्वाणैर्महारथाः। निघ्नन्तो भरतश्रेष्ठ मेध्यान्बहुविधान्मृगान्
Those mighty warriors, striving for the sake of the Brahmanas and with pure vows, O best of Bharatas, hunted many kinds of clean game.
नित्यंहि पुरुषव्याघ्रा वन्याहारमरिंदमाः। प्रविसृत्य समाहृत्य ब्राह्मणेभ्यो न्यवेदयन्
Always, those subduers of foes, tiger-like men, would go out, gather wild food, and present it to the Brahmanas.
एवं ते न्यवसंस्तत्रसोत्कणअठाः पुरुषर्षभाः। अहृष्टमनसः सर्वेगते राजन्धनंजये
Thus, those best of men stayed there, longing and with joyless hearts, O King, after Dhananjaya had departed.
अथ विप्रोषितं राजन्पाञ्चाली मध्यमं पतिम्। स्मरन्ती पाण्डवश्रेष्ठमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Then, O King, remembering her middle husband who was away, Panchali spoke these words, recalling the foremost Pandava.
योऽर्जुनेनार्जुनस्तुल्यो द्विबाहुर्बहुबाहुना। तमृते पाण्डवश्रेष्ठं वनं न प्रतिभाति मे
He who is equal to Arjuna in prowess, two-armed among the many-armed—without that best of Pandavas, the forest does not delight me.
शून्यामिव प्रपश्यामि तत्रतत्र महीमिमाम्। बह्वाश्चर्यमिदं चापि वनं कुसुमितद्रुमम्
I see this earth as empty here and there, and though this forest is full of blossoming trees and many wonders, it seems so to me.
न तथा रमणीयं वै तमृते सव्यसाचिनम्। नीलाम्बुदसमप्रख्यं मत्तमातङ्गगामिनम्
Without Savyasachi, who moves like a maddened elephant and resembles a dark raincloud, this place is not truly delightful to me.
तमृते पुण्डरीकाक्षं काम्यकं नातिभाति मे। यस्य वा धनुषो घोषः श्रूयते चाशनिस्वनः। न लभे शर्म वै राजन्स्मरन्ती सव्यसाचिनम्
Without lotus-eyed Arjuna, Kamyaka does not shine for me; the sound of his bow, like thunder, is not heard. Remembering Savyasachi, O King, I find no peace.
तथा लालप्यमानां तां निशाम्य परवीरहा। भीमसेनो महाराज द्रौपदीमिदमब्रवीत्
Hearing her lamenting in this way, O subduer of foes, Bhimasena spoke these words to Draupadi, O great king.
मनःप्रीतिकरं भद्रे यद्ब्रवीषि सुमध्यमे। तन्म प्रीणाति हृदयममृतप्राशनोपमम्
O fair-waisted one, what you say gladdens my heart, like tasting nectar; your words are pleasing to my mind.
यस्य दीर्घौ समौ पीनौ भुजौ परिघसन्निभौ। मौर्वीकृतकिणौ वृत्तौ खङ्गायुधधनुर्धरौ
He whose two long, strong arms are like iron bars, marked by bowstring scars, round, and skilled with sword and bow—
निष्काङ्गदकृतापीडौ पञ्चशीर्षाविवोरगौ। तमृते पुरुषव्याघ्रं नष्टसूर्यमिवाम्बरम्
Adorned with neither armlets nor diadem, his arms like five-hooded serpents—without that tiger among men, the sky seems sunless.