स्मितपूर्वमिदं वाक्यं भीमसेनमथाब्रवीत्। कुतस्त्वमसि संप्राप्तः कश्चासि पुरुषर्षभ
With a gentle smile, she spoke these words to Bhimasena: ‘From where have you come, and who are you, O best of men?’
क इमे शेरते चेह पुरुषा देवरूपिणः। केयं वै बृहती श्यामा सुकुमारी तवानघ
Who are these men lying here, resembling gods? And who is this tall, dark, delicate woman with you, O faultless one?
शेते वनमिदं प्राप्य विश्वस्ता स्वगृहे यथा। नेदं जानीथ गहनं वनं राक्षससेवितम्
She lies here, having entered the forest, trusting as if in her own home; you do not know that this dense forest is frequented by rakshasas.
वसति ह्यत्र पापात्मा हिडिम्बो नाम राक्षसः
Here dwells the wicked-hearted rakshasa named Hidimba.
तेनाहं प्रेषिता भ्रात्रा दुष्टभावेन रक्षसा। बिभक्षयिषता मांसं युष्माकममरोपमाः
Sent by my brother, the rakshasa, with evil intent, I was ordered to seize your flesh for him to devour.
साऽहं त्वमभिसंप्रेक्ष्य देवगर्भसमप्रभम्। नान्यं भर्तारमिच्छामि सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
But seeing you, radiant as one born of the gods, I desire no other husband; I speak this truth to you.
एतद्विज्ञाय धर्मज्ञ युक्तं मयि समाचर। कामोपहतचित्तां हि भजमानां भजस्व माम्
Knowing this, O righteous one, act rightly toward me; my mind is overcome by desire—accept me, who seeks you.
त्रास्यामि त्वां महाबाहो राक्षसात्पुरुषादकात्। वत्स्यावो गिरिदुर्गेषु भर्ता भव ममानघ
I will protect you, mighty-armed, from the man-eating rakshasa; let us dwell in the mountain fastnesses—be my husband, O faultless one.
इच्छामि वीर भद्रं ते मा मे प्राणान्विहासिषः। त्वया ह्यहं परित्यक्ता न जीवेयमरिन्दम
O hero, I wish for your welfare—do not abandon my life! For if I am forsaken by you, O subduer of enemies, I cannot live.
अन्तरिक्षचरी ह्यस्मि कामतो विचरामि च। अतुलामाप्नुहि प्रीतिं तत्र तत्र मया सह
I move through the sky and wander as I please; attain incomparable joy with me here and there.
एष ज्येष्ठो मम भ्राता मान्यः परमको गुरुः। अनिविष्टो हि तन्नाहं परिविद्यां कथंचन
This is my elder brother, worthy of honor and the highest reverence; since he is present, I cannot act against propriety in any way.
मातरं भ्रातरं ज्येष्ठं कनिष्ठानपरानपि। परित्यजेत कोन्वद्य प्रभवन्निह राक्षसि
Who today, O powerful rakshasi, would abandon mother, elder brother, younger brothers, or others?
को हि सुप्तानिमान्भ्रातॄन्दत्त्वा राक्षसभोजनम्। मातरं च नरो गच्छेत्कामार्त इव मद्विधः
Who, like me, driven by desire, would leave his sleeping brothers to be eaten by rakshasas, and his mother as well?
एकं त्वां मोक्षयिष्यामि सह मात्रा परन्तप। सोदरानुत्सृजैनांस्त्वमारोह जघनं मम
I will save only you together with my mother, O scorcher of foes; do not abandon your brothers—climb onto my hip.
नाहं जीवितुमाशंसे भ्रातॄनुत्सृज्य राक्षसि। यथाश्रद्धं व्रजैका हि विप्रियं मे प्रभाषसे
I do not hope to live, O rakshasi, after abandoning my brothers; go as you wish, for you speak what is displeasing to me.
यत्ते प्रियं तत्करिष्ये सर्वानेतान्प्रबोधय। मोक्षयिष्याम्यहं कामं राक्षसात्पुरुषादकात्
Whatever you desire, that I will do; awaken all of them, and I will surely rescue them from the man-eating rakshasa.
सुखसुप्तान्वने भ्रातॄन्मातरं चैव राक्षसि। न भयाद्बोधयिष्यामि भ्रातुस्तव दुरात्मनः
O rakshasi, I will not awaken my brothers and mother, who sleep peacefully in the forest, out of fear of your evil-hearted brother.
न हि मे राक्षसा भीरु सोढुं शक्ताः पराक्रमम्। न मनुष्या न गन्धर्वा न यक्षाश्चारुलोचने
O timid one with lovely eyes, the rakshasas, nor men, nor gandharvas, nor yakshas are able to withstand my might.
गच्छ वा तिष्ठ वा भद्रे यद्वा पीच्छसि तत्कुरु। तं वा प्रेषय तन्वङ्गि भ्रातरं पुरुषादकम्
Go or stay, O gentle one, or do whatever you wish; or send that man-eating brother of yours, slender-waisted one.
तां विदित्वा चिरगतां हिडिम्बो राक्षसेश्वरः। अवतीर्य द्रुमात्तस्मादाजगामाशु पाण्डवान्
Knowing that she had been gone a long time, Hiḍimba, lord of the rakshasas, descended from the tree and swiftly approached the Pāṇḍavas.
लोहिताक्षो महाबाहुरूर्ध्वकेशो महाननः। मेघसङ्घातवर्ष्मा च तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रो भयानकः
Red-eyed, mighty-armed, with hair standing up and a huge mouth, massive as a bank of clouds, with sharp fangs and terrifying appearance.
तलं तलेन संहत्य बाहू विक्षिप्य चासकृत्। उद्वृत्तनेत्रः संक्रुद्धो दन्तान्दन्तेषु निष्कुषन्
Striking palm against palm, repeatedly brandishing his arms, his eyes bulging in rage, grinding his teeth together.
कोऽद्य मे भोक्तुकामस्य विघ्नं चरति दुर्मतिः। न बिभेति हिडिम्बी च प्रेषिता किमनागता
Who is this fool today who hinders me as I seek to eat? Hiḍimbī does not fear, yet she was sent—why has she not returned?
तमापतन्तं दृष्ट्वै तथा विकृतदर्शनम्। हिडिम्बोवाच वित्रस्ता भीमसेनमिदं वचः
Seeing him rushing in with such a dreadful appearance, Hiḍimbī, terrified, spoke these words to Bhīmasena.
आपतत्येष दुष्टात्मा संक्रुद्धः पुरुषादकः। साऽहं त्वां भ्रातृभिः सार्धं यद्ब्रवीमि तथा कुरु
He is coming, wicked-hearted, enraged, the man-eater; therefore, do as I say, together with your brothers.
अहं कामगमा वीर रक्षोबलसमन्विता। आरुहेमां मम श्रोणिं नेष्यामि त्वां विहायसा
I am able to move at will, O hero, endowed with rakshasa power; climb onto my hip and I will carry you through the sky.
प्रबोधयैतान्संसुप्तान्मातरं च परन्तप। सर्वानेव गमिष्याभि गृहीत्वा वो विहायसा
Awaken these who are sleeping, and your mother as well, O scorcher of foes; I will take you all and depart through the sky.
मा भैस्त्वं पृथुसुश्रोणि नैष कश्चिन्मयि स्थिते। अहमेनं हनिष्यामि पश्यन्त्यास्ते सुमध्यमे
Do not be afraid, broad-hipped one, as long as I am here; I will slay this one before your very eyes, slender-waisted lady.
नायं प्रतिबलो भीरु राक्षसापसदो मम। सोढुं युधि परिस्पन्दमथवा सर्वराक्षसाः
This wretch among the rākṣasas, timid one, is not strong enough to withstand my force in battle, nor are all the rākṣasas together.
पश्य बाहू सुवृत्तौ मे हस्तिहस्तनिभाविमौ। ऊरू परिघसङ्काशौ संहतं चाप्युरो महत्
Behold my arms, well-formed and like the trunks of elephants; my thighs, resembling iron clubs, and my great, compact chest.