हिमवांश्च सुदुर्गोऽयं यक्षराक्षससंकुलः। मां समुद्वीक्षमाणास्ते प्रयतिष्यन्ति विह्वलाः
This Himalaya is extremely difficult to traverse, filled with yakshas and rakshasas; seeing my plight, they will be troubled and strive anxiously.
विनष्टमथ मां श्रुत्वा भविष्यन्ति निरुद्यमाः। धर्मशीला मया ते हि बाध्यन्ते राज्यगृद्धिना
When they hear that I am lost, they will become dispirited; for my sake, those righteous ones are afflicted by their longing for the kingdom.
अथवा नार्जुनो धीमान्विषादमुपयास्यति। सर्वास्त्रविदनाधृष्यो देवगन्धर्वराक्षसैः
Or perhaps Arjuna, wise and skilled in all weapons, invincible even to gods, gandharvas, and rakshasas, will not fall into despair.
समर्थः स महाबाहुरेकाङ्ना सुमहाबलः। देवराजमपि स्थानात्प्रच्यावयितुमञ्जसा
That mighty-armed one, powerful even when alone, is capable of easily dislodging even the king of the gods from his throne.
किं पुनर्धृतराष्ट्रस् पुत्रं दुर्द्यूतदेविनम्। विद्विष्टं सर्वलोकस्य दम्भमोहपरायणम्
What then of Dhritarashtra's son, addicted to wicked dice, hated by all the world, devoted to deceit and delusion?
मातरं चैव शोचामि कृपणां पुत्रगृद्धिनीम्। याऽस्माकं नित्यमाशास्ते महत्त्वमधिकं परैः
And I grieve for our mother, pitiable and longing for her sons, who always hopes for our greatness to surpass that of others.
तस्याः कथं त्वनाथाया मद्विनाशाद्भुजङ्गम्। सफलास्ते भविष्यन्ति मयि सर्वे मनोरथाः
How, O serpent, will all her hopes be fulfilled in me, now that she is left helpless by my destruction?
नकुलः सहदेवश्च यमौ च गुरुवर्तिनौ। मद्वाहुबलसंगुप्तौ नित्यं पुरुषमानिनौ
Nakula and Sahadeva, the twin sons who follow the path of the elders, always proud of their manliness, are protected by the strength of my arms.
भविष्यतो निरुत्साहौ भ्रष्टवीर्यपराक्रमौ। मद्विनाशात्परिद्यूनाविति मे वर्तते मतिः
Without hope for the future, their strength and valor lost, they will be dejected by my destruction—such is my thought.
एवंविधं बहु तदा विललाप वृकोदरः। भुजङ्गभोगसंरुद्धो नाशकच्च विचेष्टितुम्
Thus, in many ways, Vṛkodara lamented, bound by the coils of the serpent, unable to move.
युधिष्ठिरस्तु कौन्तेयो बभूवास्वस्तचेतनः। अनिष्टदर्शनान्घोरानुत्पातान्परिचिन्तयन्
But Yudhiṣṭhira, son of Kuntī, became deeply troubled, pondering dreadful omens and terrifying portents.
दारुणं ह्यशिवं नादं शिवा दक्षिणतः स्थिता। दीप्तायां दिशि वित्रस्ता रौति तस्याश्रमस्य ह
A harsh, inauspicious sound arose from the south, where a jackal, terrified, howled near the blazing quarter by their hermitage.
एकपक्षाक्षिचरणा वर्तिका घोरदर्शना। रक्तं वमन्ती ददृशे प्रत्यादित्यमभासुरा
A ghastly one-winged, one-eyed, one-legged quail, vomiting blood, was seen shining toward the sun.
प्रववौ चानिलो रूक्षश्चण्डः सर्करकर्षणः। अपसव्यानि सर्वाणि मृगपक्षिरुतानि च
A rough, violent wind blew, dragging gravel; all the cries of beasts and birds sounded from the left.
पृष्ठतो वायसः कृष्णो याहियाहीति वाशति। मुहुर्मुहुः स्फुरति च दक्षिणोऽस्य भुजस्तथा
Behind him, a black crow repeatedly cawed, 'Go, go!' and again and again his right arm twitched.
हृदयं चरणश्चापि वामोऽस्य परितप्यति। सव्यस्याक्ष्णओ विकारश्चाप्यनिष्टः समपद्यत
His heart and left foot burned with pain, and an ominous distortion appeared in his left eye.
धर्मराजोपि मेधावी शङ्कमानो महद्भयम्। द्रौपदीं परिपप्रच्छ क्व भीम इति भारत
Even the wise king Yudhiṣṭhira, suspecting great danger, asked Draupadī, 'Where is Bhīma?'
शंस तस्मै पाञ्चाली चिरयातं वृकोदरम्। स प्रतस्थे महाबाहुर्धौम्येन सहितो नृपः
Pāñcālī told him that Vṛkodara had been gone a long time; then the mighty-armed king set out with Dhaumya.
द्रौपद्या रक्षणं कार्यमित्युवाच धनंजयम्। नकुलं सहदेवं च व्यादिदेश द्विजान्प्रति
He told Dhanañjaya to guard Draupadī, and instructed Nakula and Sahadeva to attend to the brahmins.
स तस्य पदमुन्नीय तस्मादेवाश्रमात्प्रभुः। मृगयामास कौन्तेयो भीमसेनं महावने
Then, having discerned his path from that very hermitage, the son of Kuntī went searching for Bhīmasena in the great forest.
स प्राचीं दिशमास्थाय महतो गजयूथपान्। ददर्श पृथिवीं चिह्नैर्भीमस्य परिचिह्निताम्
Heading east, he saw great elephant herds and the earth marked with signs of Bhīma.
ततो मृगसहस्राणि मृगेनद्राणां शतानि च। पतितानि वने दृष्ट्वा मार्गं तस्याविशन्नृपः
There, seeing thousands of deer and hundreds of forest animals fallen, the king entered his path.
धावतस्तस्य वीरस् मृगार्थं वातरंहसः। ऊरुवातविनिर्भग्नान्द्रुमान्व्यावर्जितान्पथिः
As the hero ran swiftly after the deer, he saw trees with their trunks shattered by Bhīma's thighs, cleared from the path.
स गत्वा तैस्तदा चिह्नैर्ददर्श गिरिगह्वरे। [रूक्षमारुतभूयिष्ठे निष्पत्रद्रुमसंकुले
Following those signs, he came to a mountain cave, swept by harsh winds and crowded with leafless trees.
ईरिणे निर्जले देशे कण्टकिद्रुमसंकुले। अश्मस्थाणुक्षुपाकीर्णे सुदुर्गे विषमोत्कटे।] गृहीतं भुजगेन्द्रेण निश्चेष्टमनुजं तदा
In a waterless, thorny, stony, and perilous wasteland, he saw his younger brother seized by the king of serpents, motionless.
युधिष्ठिरस्तमासाद्य सर्पभोगेन वेष्टितम्। दयितं भ्रातरं धीमानिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Yudhiṣṭhira, seeing his beloved brother bound in the coils of the serpent, spoke these words.
कुन्तीमातः कथमिमामापदं त्वमवाप्तवान्। कश्चायं पर्वताभोगप्रतिमः पन्नगोत्तमः
O son of Kunti, how have you come to this misfortune? And who is this foremost serpent, massive as a mountain's slope?
स धर्मराजमालक्ष्य भ्राता भ्रतरमग्रजम्। कथयामास तत्सर्वं ग्रहणादिविचेष्टितम्
Seeing the king of righteousness, the younger brother told his elder brother all that had happened, from the capture onward.
[अयमार्य महासत्वो भक्षार्थं मां गृहीतवान्। नहुषो नाम राजर्षिः प्राणवानिव संस्थितः
This noble being has seized me for food; he is called Nahusha, a royal sage, and stands here as if alive.
मुच्यतामयमायुष्मन्भ्राता मेऽमितविक्रमः। वयमाहारमन्यं ते दास्यामः क्षुन्निवारणम्
Release my brother, O long-lived one, whose might is immeasurable; we will provide you with another food to satisfy your hunger.