रथघोपश्च बलवान्गन्धर्वाणां तरस्विनाम् । ते मे वाचं बिजानन्तु सूतपुत्रा नयन्ति माम् ।। 22
'And the mighty roar of the chariots of the swift Gandharvas—let them hear my voice, for the sons of the charioteer are taking me away.'
येषां वीर्यमतुल्यं तु शक्रस्येव बलं यशः। राजसिंहा इवाग्र्यास्ते मां जानन्तु सुदुःखितां ।। 23
'Those whose valor is unequalled, whose strength and fame are like Indra’s, who are foremost like royal lions—let them know me, so greatly afflicted.'
इत्यस्याः कृपणा वाचः कृष्णायाः परिदेविताः। श्रुत्वैवाभ्युत्थितो भीमः शयनादविचारयन् ।। 24
Hearing these pitiful words, these lamentations of Krishna, Bhima immediately rose from his bed, pondering deeply.
अहं सैरन्ध्रि ते वाचः शृणोमि तव भाषिताः। तस्मात्ते सूतपुत्रेभ्यो न भयं जातु विद्यते ।। 25
I, Sairandhri, have heard your words, and therefore, you need never fear the sons of the charioteer.
इत्युक्त्वा स महाबाहुर्विजजृम्भे जिघांसया ।। 26
Having spoken thus, that mighty-armed one stretched himself, intent on killing.
ततः स व्यायतं बद्ध्वा वस्त्रं विपरिवेष्ट्य च। अद्वारेणाभ्यवस्कन्द्य निर्जगाम बहिस्तदा ।। 27
Then, tying his garment tightly and wrapping it around himself, he slipped out by a side door and went outside.
स लङ्घयित्वा प्राकारमारुह्य तरसा द्रुमम् । श्मशानाभिमुखः प्रायाद्यत्र ते कीचका गताः ।। 28
Leaping over the wall, he swiftly climbed a tree and proceeded toward the cremation ground, where the Kichakas had gone.
स लङ्घयित्वा प्राकारं निःसृत्य च पुरोत्तमात् । जवेनोत्पतितो भीमः सूतानामग्रतस्तदा ।। 29
Having vaulted over the wall and emerged from the great city, Bhima sped ahead with force, before the sutas.
चितासमीपं गत्वा स तत्रापश्यन्महाबलः । तालमात्रं महास्कन्धमूर्ध्वशुष्कं वनस्पतिम् ।। 30
Reaching near the funeral pyre, that mighty one saw a great tree, as tall as a palm, with a massive trunk and dried at the top.
तं नागवदुपक्रम्य बाहुभ्यां परिरभ्य च। वृक्षमुत्पाटयामास भीमो भीमपराक्रमः ।। 31
Approaching it like an elephant, Bhima of terrible prowess embraced the tree with his arms and uprooted it.
ततो वृक्षं दशव्यामं निष्पत्रमकरोत्तदा ।। 32
Then he stripped the ten-span tree of its leaves.
तं महाकायमुद्यम्य भ्रामयित्वा च वेगितः। प्रगृह्याभ्यपतत्सूतान्दण्डपाणिरिवान्तकः।। 33
Lifting that huge trunk, whirling it with speed, he seized it and rushed at the sutas like Death with a staff in hand.
ऊरुवेगेन तस्याथ न्यग्रोधाश्वत्थकिंशुकाः। भूमौ निपतिता वृक्षाः संभग्नास्तत्र शेरते ।। 34
By the force of his thighs, banyan, ashvattha, and kimshuka trees were broken and fell to the ground, lying shattered there.
तं सिंहमिव संक्रुद्धं दृष्ट्वा गन्धर्वमागतम्। वित्रेसुश्च तदा सूता विपादभयपीडिताः ।। 35
Seeing him, furious like a lion, and thinking a gandharva had come, the sutas were terrified, afflicted by the fear of death.
तमन्तकमिव क्रुद्धं गन्धर्वभयशङ्किताः। दिधक्षन्तस्तथा ज्येष्ठं भ्रातरं चोपकीचकाः। परस्परमथोचुस्ते विषादभयमोहिताः ।। 36
Fearing a gandharva, seeing him enraged like Death, the upakichakas, wishing to burn him and their elder brother, spoke to each other, bewildered by fear and despair.
गन्धर्वो बलवानेति क्रुद्ध उद्यम्य पादपम्। प्रबुद्धाः सुमहाभागा गन्धर्वाः सूर्यवर्चसः। सैरन्ध्री मुच्यतां शीघ्रं भयं नो महदागतम् ।। 37
A gandharva, powerful and angry, has raised a tree! The blessed gandharvas, radiant as the sun, are awakened. Release Sairandhri quickly—great danger has come upon us!
ते दृष्ट्वाऽथ समाविद्धं भीमसेनेन पादपम् । विमुच्य द्रौपदीं त्रस्ताः प्राद्रवन्नगरं प्रति ।। 38
Seeing the tree brandished by Bhimasena, they released Draupadi in fear and fled toward the city.
द्रवतस्तांश्च संप्रेक्ष्य स वज्री दानवानिव । अथ भीमः समुत्पत्य द्रवतां पुरतोऽभवत् ।। 39
Watching them flee, Bhima, like Indra among the danavas, sprang forward and stood before the fleeing men.
ते तं दृष्ट्वा भयोद्विग्ना निश्चेष्टाः समवस्थिताः ।। 40
Seeing him, terrified and agitated, they stood motionless.
दृष्ट्वा ताञ्शतसङ्ख्यकान्स वज्री दानवानिव। एकेनैव प्रहारेण दश सप्त च विंशतिम्। अष्टादश च पञ्चाशञ्जघान स वृकोदरः ।। 41
Seeing them, numbering in the hundreds like danavas, Vrikodara struck down ten, seven, twenty, eighteen, and fifty with a single blow.
शतं पञ्चाधिकं भीमः प्राहिणोद्यमसादनम्। वृक्षेणैकेन राजेन्द्र प्रभञ्जनसुतो बली। वायुवेगसमः श्रीमान्सर्वान्सूतानशेषतः ।। 42
Bhima, the mighty son of the wind, struck down one hundred and five charioteers, O king, using a single tree; glorious and swift as the wind, he destroyed them all without exception.
तान्निहत्य महाबाहुर्भीमसेनो महाबलः। आश्वासयत्तदा कृष्णां प्रतिमुच्य च बन्धनात् ।। 43
Having slain them, Bhimasena of great strength freed Krishna from her bonds and comforted her.
उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा पाञ्चालीं भरतर्षभः । अश्रुपूर्णमुखीं भीतामुद्धरन्स वृकोदरः ।। 44
The bull among the Bharatas, Vrikodara, gently spoke to Panchali, whose face was filled with tears and fear, as he rescued her.
[ मा खिदस्त्वं(*) याज्ञसेनि पातिव्रत्यव्रते स्थिता। पातिव्रत्ये स्थिता नारी व्रतं रक्षेत्सदाऽत्मनः।। 45
Do not grieve, O Yajnaseni, steadfast in the vow of fidelity; a woman who stands firm in her vow of chastity must always protect her own virtue.
पुरा स्त्री देवरातस्य पतिप्रीता शिरोमणिः। कदाचिद्भर्तृरूपेण रक्षसाऽपहृता सती ।। 46
Once, the jewel among women, devoted to her husband, belonging to Devarata, was abducted by a rakshasa who took the form of her husband.
कस्यचित्सरसस्तीरे तां निवेश्य स राक्षसः। तद्भर्तृरूपं संत्यज्य रक्षो भूत्वा सुदारुणम् ।। 47
That rakshasa placed her by the shore of a certain lake, then abandoned her husband's form and became a fierce demon.
साम्ना दानेन भेदेन सा यदा नान्वमन्यत। तदा तां पातयित्वा स मैथुनायोपचक्रमे ।। 48
When she did not yield to persuasion, gifts, or division, he threw her down and attempted to force her into intercourse.
ततः सा धैर्यमास्थाय विवरं त ददौ तदा। ततः स खङ्गमुत्कृष्य भीषयामास तां सतीम् ।। 49
Then, she gathered her courage and offered him a secret place; he drew his sword and threatened the virtuous woman.
साऽपि त्यक्तभया साध्वी प्राणत्यागे सुनिश्चिता। प्रतिज्ञामकरोत्कृष्णे पातिव्रत्यपरायणा ।। 50
That chaste woman, fearless and resolved to give up her life, made a vow to Krishna, devoted to fidelity.
आराधितो यदि मया भर्ता मे दैवतं महत्। कर्मणा मनसा वाचा गुरवस्तोषिता मया। तेन सत्येन योनिर्मे भवत्वद्य शिला दृढा ।। 51
If I have worshipped my husband as my great deity, with action, mind, and speech, and pleased my elders, then by that truth, let my womb become as firm as stone today.