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?'
अन्यो रथो न मेऽस्तीह भीमसेनादृते भुवि। धार्तराष्ट्राद्वृथा भीरुर्न मां स्वप्तुमिहेच्छसि
'I have no other chariot here on earth but Bhimasena; do not be afraid of the Dhartarashtras. Do not wish to sleep here, leaving me.'
भीमपृष्ठस्थिता चेत्थं दूयमानेन चेतसा। निश्यध्वनि रुदन्ती सा निद्रावश्मुपागता
Thus, seated on Bhima's back, her mind afflicted, she wept in the silence of the night and was overcome by sleep.
तच्छ्रुत्वा भीमसेनस्य मातृस्नेहात्प्रजल्पितम्। कारुण्येन मनस्तप्तं गमनायोपचक्रमे
Hearing his mother's words, spoken out of affection, Bhimasena's heart was moved with compassion, and he set out again.
ततो भीमो वनं घोरं प्रविश्य विजनं महत्। न्यग्रोधं विपुलच्छायं रमणीयं ददर्श ह
Then Bhima entered the vast, deserted, dreadful forest and saw a banyan tree with broad shade, delightful to behold.
तत्र निक्षिप्य तान्सर्वानुवाच भरतर्षभः। पानीयं मृगयामीह तावद्विश्रम्यतामिह
There, setting them all down, he said, 'O bull among the Bharatas, I will search for water here; meanwhile, rest here.'
एते रुवन्ति मधुरं सारसा जलचारिणः। ध्रुवमत्र जलस्थानं महच्चेति मतिर्मम
'These sarasa birds, dwellers in water, are calling sweetly; surely there is a large water source here, so I think.'
अनुज्ञातः स गच्छेति भ्रात्रा ज्येष्ठेन भारत। जगाम तत्र यत्र स्म सारसा जलचारिणः
Permitted to go by his elder brother, O Bharata, he proceeded to the place where the sarasa birds, dwellers in water, were found.
अपश्यत्पद्मिनीखण्डमण्डितं स सरोवरम्।' स तत्र पीत्वा पानीयं स्नात्वा च भरतर्षभ
He saw a lake adorned with clusters of lotuses; there, O bull among Bharatas, he drank water and bathed.
तेषामर्थे च जग्राह भ्रातॄणां भ्रातृवत्सलः। उत्तरीयेण पानीयमानयामास भारत
For the sake of his brothers, the brother-loving one gathered water in his upper garment and brought it, O Bharata.
पङ्कजानामनेकैश्च पत्रैर्बध्वा पृथक्पृथक्।' गव्यूतिमात्रादागत्य त्वरितो मातरं प्रति। शोकदुःखपरीतात्मा निशश्वासोरगो यथा
Binding the water separately with many lotus leaves, he hurried from a distance equal to a cow's range, towards his mother, his heart overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, sighing like a serpent.
स सुप्तां मातरं `भ्रातॄन्निद्राविद्रावितौजसः। महारौद्रे वने घोरे वृक्षमूले सुशीतले
He found his mother asleep, and his brothers, their vigor dispelled by sleep, in the dreadful, fierce forest, beneath a tree, on a cool spot.
विक्षिप्तकरपादांश्च दीर्घोच्छ्वासान्महाबलान्। ऊर्ध्ववक्त्रान्महाकायान्पञ्चेन्द्रानिव भूपते
He saw them with limbs sprawled, breathing deeply, mighty in strength, faces turned upward, bodies large, like five Indras, O king.
अज्ञातवृक्षनित्यस्थप्रेतराक्षससाध्वसान्। दृष्ट्वा वै भृशशोकार्तो बिललापानिलात्मजः
Seeing them, terrified by unknown trees, ever-present ghosts and rakshasas, the wind-born son, greatly afflicted by sorrow, lamented.
भृशं शोकपरीत्मा विललाप वृकोदरः
Greatly overwhelmed by grief, Vrikodara lamented.
अतः कष्टतरं किं नु द्रष्टव्यं हि भविष्यति। यत्पश्यामि महीसुप्तान्भ्रातॄनद्य सुमन्दभाक्
What could be more distressing than this that I must witness? Today I see my brothers lying asleep on the ground, so unfortunate.
शयनेषु परार्ध्येषु ये पुरा वारणावते। नाधिजग्मुस्तदा निद्रां तेऽद्य सुप्ता महीतले
Those who once, in Varanavata, rested on splendid beds, did not succumb to sleep then; today they lie asleep upon the earth.
स्वसारं वसुदेवस्य शत्रुसङ्घावमर्दिनः। कुन्तिराजसुतां कुन्तीं सर्वलक्षणपूजिताम्
Kunti, the sister of Vasudeva, crusher of enemy hosts, daughter of the king Kuntiraja, honored for all her virtues,
स्नुषां विचित्रवीर्यस्य भार्यां पाण्डोर्महात्मनः। तथैव चास्मज्जननीं पुण्डरीकोदरप्रभाम्
The wife of Pandu, of wondrous valor, daughter-in-law of Vichitravirya, and likewise my own mother, radiant as a lotus,
सुकुमारतरामेनां महार्हशयनोचिताम्। शयानां पश्यताऽद्येह पृथिव्यामतथोचिताम्
So delicate, accustomed to luxurious beds, now I see her lying here on the earth, unaccustomed to such hardship.
धर्मादिन्द्राच्च वाताच्च सुपुवे या सुतानिमान्। सेयं भूमौ परिश्रान्ता शेषे प्रासादशायिनी
She who bore these sons from Dharma, Indra, and Vayu, now exhausted, lies on the ground, though she once rested in palaces.