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.
मुच्यतामयमायुष्मन्भ्राता मेऽमितविक्रमः। गम्यतां नेह स्थातव्यं श्वो भवानपि मे भवेत्
Release my brother, O long-lived one, whose might is immeasurable; go from here, do not remain, or tomorrow you too may become mine.
व्रतमेतन्महाबाहो विषयं मम यो ब्रजेत्। स म भक्षो भवेत्तात त्वं चापि विषये मम
O mighty-armed one, this is my vow: whoever enters my domain becomes my food, dear one, and you too are in my domain.
चिरेणाद्य मयाऽऽहारः प्राप्तोऽयमनुजस्तव। नाहमेनं विमोक्ष्यामि न चान्यमभिकाङ्क्षये ।।]
After a long time, I have obtained food today—your younger brother; I will not release him, nor do I desire another.
देवो वा यदि वा दैत्य उरगो वा भवान्यदि। सत्यं सर्प वचो ब्रूहि पृच्छति त्वां युधिष्ठिरः
Whether you are a god, demon, or serpent, speak the truth, O serpent; Yudhishthira asks you.
किमर्थं च त्वया ग्रस्तो भीमसेनो भुजंगम। किमाहृत्यविदित्वा वा प्रीतिस्ते स्याद्भुजंगम। किमाहारं प्रयच्छामि कथं मुञ्चेद्भवानिमम्
For what reason have you seized Bhimasena, O serpent? Would you be pleased if you received food without knowing its nature? What food shall I give you, and how will you release him?
नहुषो नाम राजाऽहमासं पूर्वस्तवानघ। प्रथितः पञ्चमः सोमादायोः पुत्रो नराधिप
I was once a king named Nahusha, renowned, the fifth son of Soma among rulers of men.
क्रतुभिस्तपसा चैवस्वाध्यायेन दमेन च। त्रैलोक्यैश्वर्यमव्यग्रं प्राप्तोऽहंविकर्मेण च
Through sacrifices, austerity, study, and self-control, and by righteous deeds, I attained untroubled sovereignty over the three worlds.
तदैश्वर्यं समासाद्य दर्पो मामगमत्तदा। सहस्रं हि द्विजातीनामुवाह शिविकां मम
Having gained that lordship, pride arose in me; a thousand Brahmins bore my palanquin.
ऐश्वर्यमदमत्तोऽहमवमत्य ततो द्विजान्। इमामगस्त्येन दशामानीत इतिमे स्मृतिः
Intoxicated by power and arrogance, I disrespected the Brahmins; therefore, I was brought to this state by Agastya—so I remember.
न तु मामजहात्प्रज्ञा यावदन्वेति पाण्डवः। तस्यैवानुग्रहाद्राजन्नगस्त्यस्य महात्मनः
But my discernment did not abandon me, O Pandava, as long as you approached; it is by the favor of the great-souled Agastya.
षष्ठे काले मयाऽऽहारः प्राप्तोऽयमनुजस्तव। नाहमेनं विमोक्ष्यामि न चान्यदपि कामये
After a long time, I have obtained food today—your younger brother; I will not release him, nor do I desire another.
प्रश्नानुच्चारितानद्य वायहरिष्यसि चेन्मम। तथापश्चाद्विमोक्ष्यामि भ्रातरं ते वृकोदरम्
If you answer the questions I ask today, then afterwards I will release your brother Vrikodara.
ब्रूहि सर्प यथाकामं प्रतिवक्ष्यामि ते वचः। अपि चच्छक्नुयां प्रीतिमाहर्तुं ते भुजङ्गम्
Speak, O serpent, as you wish; I will answer your words. Perhaps I may succeed in winning your favor, O serpent.
वेद्यंच ब्राह्मणेनेह तद्भवान्वेत्ति केवलम्। सर्पराज ततः श्रुत्वा प्रतिवक्ष्यामि ते वचः
What is to be known here by a Brahmin, that you alone know, O king of serpents; therefore, having heard, I will answer your words.
ब्राह्मणः को भवेद्राजन्वेद्यं किंच युधिष्ठिर। ब्रवीह्यतिमतिं त्वां हि वाक्यैरनिमिनोमि ते
O king, who is a brāhmaṇa, and what is to be known, Yudhiṣṭhira? Speak, for I question you with words, testing your great intelligence.
सत्यं दानं क्षमा शीलमानृशंस्यं तपो घृणा। दृश्यन्ते यत्रनागेन्द्रस ब्राह्मण इति स्मृतः
Where truth, generosity, forbearance, good conduct, compassion, austerity, and remorse are seen, O lord of serpents, there one is remembered as a brāhmaṇa.
वेद्यं सर्प परं ब्र्हम निर्दुःखमसुखं च यत्। यत्रगत्वा न शोचन्ति भवतः किं विवक्षितं
O serpent, that which is to be known is the supreme Brahman, which is free from sorrow and happiness; having attained that, one does not grieve. What do you wish to ask further?
चातुर्वर्ण्यं प्रमाणं च सत्यं च ब्रह्म चैव हि। आनृशंस्यमहिंसा च घृणा चैव युधिष्ठिर
The fourfold order, authority, truth, Brahman itself, compassion, non-violence, and remorse, O Yudhiṣṭhira—
वेद्यं यच्चात्र निर्दुःखमसुखं च नराधिप। ताभ्यां हीनं पदं चान्यन्न तदस्तीति लक्षये
O king, that which is to be known here, and which is free from sorrow and happiness—any state lacking these two, I do not recognize as such.
शूद्रे तु यद्भवेल्लक्ष्म द्विजे तच्च न विद्यते। न वै शूद्रो भवेच्छूद्रो ब्राह्मणो न च ब्राह्मणः
Whatever mark is found in a śūdra is not found in a twice-born, and a śūdra is not truly a śūdra, nor is a brāhmaṇa truly a brāhmaṇa.