अयं बलवतां श्रेष्ठः कुन्तीपुत्रो वृकोदरः। मध्यमः कुन्तिपुत्राणां निकृत्या सन्निगृह्यतां
This Vrikodara, son of Kunti, is the foremost among the strong; let him, the middle Kunti son, be subdued by deceit.
प्राणवान्विक्रमी चैव शौर्येण महताऽन्वितः। स्पर्धते चापि सहितानस्मानेको वृकोदरः
He is vigorous, courageous, endowed with great valor, and alone competes with us all, this Vrikodara.
तं तु सुप्तं पुरोद्याने गङ्गायां प्रक्षिपामहे। अथ तस्मादवरजं श्रेष्ठं चैव युधिष्ठिरम्
Let us throw him, while he sleeps, into the Ganga in the palace garden; then we shall seize Yudhishthira, the eldest and best.
प्रसह्य बन्धने बद्ध्वा प्रशासिष्ये वसुन्धराम्। एवं स निश्चयं पापः कृत्वा दुर्योधनस्तदा। नित्यमेवान्तरप्रेक्षी भीमस्यासीन्महात्मनः
By forcibly binding him, I will rule the earth; thus, Duryodhana made this wicked resolve, always watching Bhima, the great-souled.
ततो जलविहारार्थं कारयामास भारत। चैलकम्बलवेश्मानि विचित्राणि महान्ति च
Then, O Bharata, for the sake of water sports, he had built splendid and varied pavilions of cloth and wool.
सर्वकामैः सुपूर्णानि पताकोच्छ्रायवन्ति च। तत्र संजनयामास नानागाराण्यनेकशः
They were filled with every pleasure and adorned with tall banners; there he arranged many different kinds of houses.
उदकक्रीडनं नाम कारयामास भारत। प्रमाणकोट्यां तं देशं स्थलं किंचिदुपेत्यह
He organized what was called a water festival, O Bharata, having chosen a certain spot on the bank at the edge of the region.
क्रीडावसाने ते सर्वे शुचिवस्त्राः स्वलङ्कृताः। सर्वकामसमृद्धं तदन्नं बुभुजिरे शनैः
At the end of their play, all of them, dressed in clean garments and well adorned, slowly enjoyed food rich in every delight.
दिवसान्ते परिश्रान्ता विहृत्य च कुरूद्वहाः। विहारावसथेष्वेव वीरा वासमरोचयन्
At the end of the day, exhausted after their enjoyment, the foremost of the Kurus chose to rest in the pleasure houses.
खिन्नस्तु बलवान्भीमो व्यायामाभ्यधिकस्तदा। वाहयित्वा कुमारांस्ताञ्जलक्रीडागतान्विभुः
But Bhima, strong and vigorous, having exerted himself more than the others, carried the princes who had come for water games.
प्रमाणकोट्यां वासार्थं सुष्वापारुह्य तत्स्थलम्। शीतं वासं समासाद्य शान्तो मदविमोहितः
For the sake of rest, he lay down at that very spot on the bank, finding a cool place to sleep, calmed and overcome by weariness.
निश्चेष्टः पाण्डवो राजन्सुष्वाप मृतवत्क्षितौ। ततो बद्ध्वा लतापाशैर्भीमं दुर्योधनः शनैः
The Pandava lay motionless on the ground, as if dead; then Duryodhana quietly bound Bhima with creeper ropes.
प्रमाणकोट्यां संसुप्तं गङ्गायां प्राक्षिपज्जले। ततः प्रबुद्धः कौन्तेयः सर्वान्संछिद्य बन्धनान्
While Bhima slept on the bank, Duryodhana cast him into the water of the Ganga; but when the son of Kunti awoke, he broke all his bonds.
उदतिष्ठद्बलाद्भूयो भीमः प्रहरतां वरः। स विमुक्तो महातेजा नाज्ञासीत्तेन तत्कृतम्
Bhima, mighty among warriors, rose up with strength, freed himself, but did not realize who had done this to him.
पुनर्निद्रावशं प्राप्तस्तत्रैव प्रास्वपद्बली। अर्धरात्र्यां व्यतीतायामुत्तस्थुः कुरुपाण्जवाः। दुर्योधनस्तु कौन्तेयं दृष्ट्वा निर्वेदमभ्यगात्
Again overcome by sleep, the strong one lay down there itself; when half the night had passed, the Kurus and Pandavas awoke, but Duryodhana, seeing the son of Kunti, became despondent.
सुप्तं चापि पुनः सर्पैस्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रैर्महाविषैः। कुपितैर्दंशयामास सर्वेष्वेवाङ्गसन्धिषु
And again, while he slept, Duryodhana had furious snakes with sharp fangs and deadly venom bite him at all his joints.
दंष्ट्राश्च दंष्ट्रिणां मर्मस्वपि तेन निपातिताः। त्वचं न चास्य बिभिदुः सारत्वात्पृथुपक्षसः
The fangs of those venomous snakes struck even his vital parts, but because of his firm and broad frame, they did not pierce his skin.
प्रबुद्धो भीसेनस्तान्सर्वान्सर्पानपोथयत्। सारथिं चास्य दयितमपहस्तेन जघ्निवान्
Awakening, Bhimasena struck down all those snakes, and with his hand killed their beloved leader.
तथान्यदिवसे राजन्हन्तुकामोऽत्यमर्षणः। वलनेन सहामन्त्र्य सौबलस्य मते स्थितः
Then, on another day, O King, burning with anger and intent on killing, Duryodhana, after consulting with Karna, followed the advice of the son of Subala.
भोजने भीमसेनस्य ततः प्राक्षेपयद्विषम्। कालकूटं विषं तीक्ष्णं संभृतं रोमहर्षणम्
At Bhimasena's meal, he mixed in deadly poison—Kālakūṭa, sharp and terrifying.
तच्चापि भुक्त्वाऽजरदॉयदविकारो वृकोदरः। विकारं नाभ्यजनयत्सुतीक्ष्णमपि तद्विषम्
Even after consuming that most potent poison, Vṛkodara was unaffected; he showed no change, though the poison was exceedingly strong.
भीमसंहननो भीमस्त्समादजरयद्विषम्। ततोऽन्यदिवसे राजन्हन्तुकामो वृकोदरम्
Bhima, whose body was like Bhima's, digested the poison with his strength; then, on another day, O King, Duryodhana again sought to kill Vṛkodara.
सौबलेन सहायेन धार्तराष्ट्रोऽभ्यचिन्तयत्। चिन्तयन्नालभन्निद्रां दिवारात्रमतन्द्रितः
With Saubala as his ally, Dhritarashtra’s son pondered; thinking ceaselessly, he found no sleep, day or night.
एवं दुर्योधनः कर्णः शकुनिश्चापि सौबलः। अनेकैरप्युपायैस्ताञ्जिघांसन्ति स्म पाण्डवान्
Thus Duryodhana, Karna, and also Shakuni, son of Subala, sought by many means to harm the Pandavas.
वैश्या पुत्रस्तदाचष्ट पार्थानां हितकाम्यया। पाण्डवा ह्यपि तत्सर्वं प्रत्यजानन्नरिन्दमाः। उद्भावनमकुर्वन्तो विदुरस्य मते स्थिताः
The son of a merchant then informed them, desiring the Pandavas’ welfare; but the Pandavas, aware of it all, O king, did not reveal it, remaining firm in Vidura’s counsel.
ततस्ते मन्त्रयामासुर्दुर्योधनपुरोगमाः। प्राणवान्विक्रमी चापि शौर्ये च महति स्थितः
Then, led by Duryodhana, those heroes deliberated, possessing vigor, courage, and steadfastness in great valor.
स्पर्धते चापि सततमस्मानेव वृकोदरः। तं तु सुप्तं पुरोद्याने जले शूले क्षिपामहे
Bhimasena always competes with us; let us cast him, while he sleeps in the garden, into the water upon a spear.
ततो जलविहारार्थं कारयामास भारत। प्रमाणकोट्यामुद्देशे स्थलं किंचिदुपेत्य ह
Then, for the sake of water-sport, O Bharata, they arranged a gathering at a certain spot on the bank, near the garden.
भक्ष्यं भोज्यं च पेयं च चोष्यं लेह्यमथापि च। उपपादितं नरैस्तत्र कुशलैः सूदकर्मणि
There, skilled cooks prepared food to eat, to enjoy, to drink, to suck, and to lick.
न्यवेदयंस्तत्पुरुषा धार्तराष्ट्राय वै तदा। ततो दुर्योधनस्तत्र पाण्डवानाह दुर्मतिः
Those attendants then reported to Dhritarashtra’s son; and Duryodhana, evil-minded, addressed the Pandavas there.