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.
गङ्गां चैवानुयास्याम उद्यानवनशोभिताम्। सहिता भ्रातरः सर्वे जलक्रीडामवाप्नुमः
Let us go together, all brothers, to the Ganga adorned with gardens and woods, and enjoy water-play.
एवमस्त्विति तं चापि प्रत्युवाच युधिष्ठिरः। ते रथैर्नगराकारैर्देशजैश्च गजोत्तमैः
‘So be it,’ replied Yudhishthira to him; then, with chariots shaped like cities and the finest local elephants,
निर्ययुर्नगराच्छूराः कौरवाः पाण्डवैः सह। उद्यानवनमासाद्य विसृज्य च महाजनम्
The Kaurava heroes departed from the city with the Pandavas; reaching the garden and forest, they dismissed the multitude.
विशन्ति स्म तदा वीराः सिंहा इव गिरेर्गुहाम्। उद्यानमभिपश्यन्तो भ्रातरः सर्व एव ते
Then those warriors entered, like lions into a mountain cave, all the brothers gazing upon the garden.
उपस्थानगृहैः शुभ्रैर्वलभीभिश्च शोभितम्। गवाक्षकैस्तथा जालैर्यन्त्रैः सांचारिकैरपि
It was adorned with splendid reception halls and pavilions, with windows, lattices, and mechanical devices.
संमार्जितं सौधकारैश्चित्रकारैश्च चित्रितम्। दीर्घिकाभिश्च पूर्णाभिस्तथा पुष्करिणीषु च
It was swept clean by palace servants, decorated by artists, and filled with pools and lotus ponds.
जलं तच्छुशुभे च्छन्नं फुल्लैर्जलरुहैस्तथा। उपच्छन्ना वसुमती तथा पुष्पैर्यथर्तुकैः
The water shone, covered with blooming aquatic plants; the earth likewise was adorned with flowers of every season.
तत्रोपविष्टास्ते सर्वे पाण्डवाः कौरवाश्च ह। उपच्छन्नान्बहून्कामांस्ते भुञ्जन्ति ततस्ततः
There all the Pandavas and Kauravas sat, enjoying many desired pleasures, concealed from view.
अथोद्यानवरे तस्मिंस्तथा क्रीडागताश्चते। परस्परस्य वक्त्रेषु ददुर्भक्ष्यांस्ततस्ततः
Then, as they played in that excellent garden, they fed each other with delicacies, one to another.
ततो दुर्योधनः पापस्तद्भक्ष्ये कालकूटकम्। विषं प्रक्षेपयामास भीमसेनजिघांसया
Then Duryodhana, wicked, mixed deadly poison into the food, intending to kill Bhimasena.