ततः खनकमाहूय सुरङ्गं वै बिलं तदा। सुगूढं कारयित्वा ते कुन्त्या पाण्डुसुतास्तदा
Then, summoning the digger, they made a tunnel and a hidden passage; having constructed it well concealed, the Pandu sons did so with Kunti.
निष्क्रामिता मया पूर्वं मा स्म शोके मनः कृथाः। ततस्तु नावमारोप्य सहपुत्रां पृथामहम्
I had exited first; do not let your mind be troubled with grief. Then, placing Pritha together with her sons onto the boat, I departed.
दत्त्वाऽभयं सपुत्रायै कुन्त्यै गृहमदाहयम्। तस्मात्ते मा स्म भूद्दुःखं मुक्ताः पापात्तु पाण्डवाः
Having given assurance to Kunti and her sons, I set fire to the house. Therefore, let no sorrow befall you; the Pandavas are freed from evil.
निर्गताः पाण्डवा राजन्मात्रा सह परन्तपाः। अग्निहादान्महाघोरान्मया तस्मादुपायतः
The Pandavas, O King, departed together with their mother, scorning danger; through my stratagem, they escaped the terrible fire.
मा स्म शोकमिमं कार्षीर्जीवन्त्येव च पाण्डवाः। प्रच्छन्ना विचिरिष्यन्ति यावत्कालस्य पर्ययः
Do not let this grief afflict you; the Pandavas are alive. They will wander in concealment until the appointed time passes.
तस्मिन्युधिष्ठिरं काले द्रक्ष्यन्ति भुवि मानवाः। विमलं कृष्णपक्षान्ते जगच्चन्द्रमिवोदितम्
At that time, people on earth will see Yudhishthira, pure and radiant, appearing at the end of the dark fortnight like the moon rising over the world.
न तस्य नाशं पश्यामि यस्य भ्राता धनञ्जयः। भीमसेनश्च दुर्धर्षौ माद्रीपुत्रौ च तौ यमौ
I see no destruction for him whose brother is Dhananjaya, and Bhimasena, both formidable, and the two sons of Madri, the twin Yamās.
ततः संहृष्टसर्वाङ्गो भीष्मो विदुरमब्रवीत्। दिष्ट्यादिष्ट्येति संहृष्टः पूजयानो महामतिम्
Then, with his whole body delighted, Bhishma spoke to Vidura, saying joyfully, 'By fortune, by fortune!' honoring the wise one.
युक्तं चैवानुरूपं च कृतं तात शुभं त्वया। वयं विमोक्षिता दुःखात्पाण्डुपक्षो न नाशितः
What you have done, dear one, is proper and fitting; by your auspicious act, we are freed from sorrow, and the Pandu side is not destroyed.
एवमुक्त्वा विवेशाथ पुरं जनशताकुलम्। कुरुभिः सहितो राजन्नागरैश्च पितामहः
Having spoken thus, the patriarch entered the city, crowded with hundreds of people, together with the Kurus and the townsfolk, O King.
अथाम्बिकेयः सामात्यः सकर्णः सहसौबलः। सात्मजः पार्थनाशस्य स्मरंस्तथ्यं जर्ष च
Then the son of Ambika, with his ministers, with Karna, with Saubala, and his own son, remembering the destruction of the Pandavas, became aged in spirit.
भीष्मश्च राजन्दुर्धर्षो विदुरश्च महामतिः। जहृषाते स्मरन्तौ तौ जातुषाग्नेर्विमोचनम्
Bhishma, O King, the formidable one, and Vidura, the wise, rejoiced, recalling the Pandavas' escape from the lac house fire.
सत्यशीलगुणाचारै रागैर्जानपदोद्भवैः। द्रोणादयश्च धर्मैस्तु तेषां तान्मोचितान्विदुः
Through truthfulness, virtue, conduct, and qualities arising from the people, Drona and others, by their righteousness, knew that those ones had been rescued.
शौर्यलावण्यमाहात्म्यै रूपैः प्राणबलैरपि। स्वस्थान्पार्थानमन्यन्त पौरजानपदास्तथा
For their valor, beauty, greatness, form, and strength of life, the citizens and country people regarded the Parthas as safe.
अन्ये जनाः प्राकृताश्च स्त्रियश्च बहुलास्तदा। शङ्कमाना वदन्ति स्म दग्धा जीवन्ति वा न वा
Other ordinary people and many women at that time, doubting, spoke thus: 'Were they burned, or do they live, or not?'
तेन विक्रममाणेन ऊरुवेगसमीरितम्। वनं सवृक्षविटपं व्याघूर्णितमिवाभवत्
By his advancing, stirred by the force of his thighs, the forest with its trees and branches seemed to whirl about.
जङ्गावातो ववौ चास्य शुचिशुक्रागमे यथा। आवर्जितालतावृक्षं मार्गं चक्रे महाबलः
A wind blew upon his legs, as in the pure season of the bright fortnight; the mighty one made a path, bending the trees and creepers.
स मृद्गन्पुष्पितांश्चैव फलितांश्च वनस्पतीन्। अवरुज्य ययौ गुल्मान्पथस्तस्य समीपजान्
He broke through blossoming and fruit-laden forest trees, and proceeded toward the thickets near his path.
स रोषित इव क्रुद्धो वने भञ्जन्महाद्रुमान्। त्रिप्रस्रुतमदः शुष्मी षष्टिवर्षो मतङ्गराट्
He, enraged as if in wrath, broke great trees in the forest; the mighty elephant-king, in his prime at sixty years, with three streams of flowing ichor.
गच्छतस्तस्य वेगेन तार्क्ष्यमारुतरंहसः। भीमस्य पाण्डुपुत्राणां मूर्च्छेव समजायत
As he went with the speed of Garuda or the wind, the sons of Pandu, carried by Bhima, felt as if they were losing consciousness.
असकृच्चापि सतीर्य दूरपारं भुजप्लवैः। पथि प्रच्छन्नमासेदुर्धार्तराष्ट्रभयात्तदा
Again and again, using his arms as oars, he crossed far distances, taking hidden paths out of fear of the Dhartarashtras.
कृच्छ्रेण मातरं चैव सुकुमारीं यशस्विनीम्। अवहत्स तु पृष्ठेन रोधःसु विषमेषु च
With great effort, he carried his gentle and illustrious mother on his back, through obstacles and difficult terrain.
अगमच्च वनोद्देशमल्पमूलफलोदकम्। क्रूरपक्षिमृगं घोरं सायाह्ने भरतर्षभ
He reached a part of the forest with little roots, fruit, or water, filled with fierce birds and beasts, at dusk, O bull among the Bharatas.
घोरा समभवत्सन्ध्या दारुणा मृगपक्षिणः। अप्रकाशा दिशः सर्वा वातैरासन्ननार्तवैः
A terrible, dreadful twilight arose, with savage beasts and birds; all directions became dark, and winds blew with the approach of the stormy season.
शीर्णपर्णफलै राजन्बहुगुल्मक्षुपद्रुमैः। भग्नावभुग्नभूयिष्ठैर्नानाद्रुमसमाकुलैः
The area was filled with fallen leaves and fruits, many thickets, shrubs, and trees, most of them broken, bent, or crowded with various kinds of trees.
ते श्रमेण च कौरव्यास्तृष्णया च प्रपीडिताः। नाशक्नुवंस्तदा गन्तुं निद्रया च प्रवृद्धया
Oppressed by fatigue and thirst, the Kauravas could not go further at that time, overwhelmed also by increasing sleepiness.
न्यविशन्ति हि ते सर्वे निरास्वादे महावने। `रात्र्यामेव गतास्तूर्णं चतुर्विंशतियोजनम्।' ततस्तृषा परिक्लन्ता कुन्ती वचनमब्रवीत्
There, in the great forest, all of them lay down, without comfort; having quickly traveled twenty-four yojanas in the night. Then, exhausted by thirst, Kunti spoke these words.
माता सती पाण्डवानां पञ्चानां मध्यतः स्थिता। तृष्णया हि परीताऽहमनाथेव महावने
Standing among her five sons, the mother of the Pandavas said, 'I am tormented by thirst, as if helpless, in this vast forest.'
इतः परं तु शक्ताहं गन्तुं च न पदात्पदम्। शयिष्ये वृक्षमूलेऽत्र धार्तराष्ट्रा हरन्तु माम्
'From here, I am unable to go even a step further; I will lie down at the foot of this tree—let the Dhartarashtras take me.'
शृणु भीम वचो मह्यं तव बाहुबलात्पुरः। स्थातुं न शक्ताः कौरव्याः किं बिभेषि पृथासुत
'Listen, Bhima, to my words: by your strength of arms, the Kauravas could not stand before you. Why do you fear, son of Pritha?'