चेरुर्भैश्रं तदा ते तु सर्व एव विशांपते। `युधिष्ठिरं च कुन्तीं च चिन्तयन्त उपासते
Then all the citizens, O lord of the people, wandered about, thinking of Yudhishthira and Kunti, and attended upon them.
भैक्षं चरन्तस्तु तदा जटिला ब्रह्मचारिणः। बभूवुर्नागराणां च गुणैः संप्रियदर्शनाः
At that time, those ascetics, wearing matted hair and observing celibacy, went about for alms and became beloved to the townspeople through their virtues.
दर्शनीया द्विजाः शुभ्रा देवगर्भोपमाः शुभाः। भैक्षानर्हाश्च राज्यार्हाः सुकुमारास्तपस्विनः
The twice-born were handsome, radiant, auspicious like children of the gods, worthy of alms and of a kingdom, gentle ascetics.
नैते यथार्थतो विप्राः सुकुमारास्तपस्विनः। चरन्ति भूमौ प्रच्छन्नाः कस्माच्चित्कारणादिह
These gentle ascetics, though Brahmins, do not truly behave as such; they wander secretly upon the earth for some unknown reason.
सर्वलक्षणसंपन्ना भैक्षं नार्हन्ति नित्यशः। कार्यार्थिनश्चरन्तीति तर्कयन्त इति ब्रुवन्
Endowed with all marks of excellence, they are not fit to beg for alms always; they must be acting for some purpose, so the people reasoned and said.
बन्धूनामागमान्नित्यमुपचारैस्तु नागराः। भाजनानि च पूर्णानि भक्ष्यभोज्यैरकारयन्
Because of the constant arrival of relatives, the townspeople, with hospitality, filled vessels with food and delicacies.
मौनव्रतेन संयुक्ता भैश्रं गृह्णन्ति पाण्डवाः। माता चिरगतान्ज्ञात्वा शोचन्ती पाण्डवान्प्रति
The Pandavas, observing a vow of silence, received alms; their mother, knowing they had been gone long, grieved for the Pandavas.
दुःखाश्रुपूर्णनयना लिखन्त्यास्ते महीतलम्। भिक्षित्वा द्विजगेहेषु चिन्तयन्तश्च मातरम्
With eyes full of tears from sorrow, she sat on the ground, writing; after begging at the homes of Brahmins, they thought of their mother.
त्वरमाणा निवर्तन्ते मातृगौरवयन्त्रिताः। मात्रे निवेदयन्ति स्म कुन्त्यै भैक्षं दिवानिशम्
Hastening back, compelled by reverence for their mother, they reported to Kunti the alms they had obtained, day and night.
सर्वं संपूर्णभैक्षान्नं मातृदत्तं पृथक्पृथक्। विभज्याभुञ्जतेष्टं ते यथाभागं पृथक्पृथक्
All the food obtained as alms, given by their mother, they divided separately and ate their desired portions according to their share.
अर्धं स्म भुञ्जते पञ्च सह मात्रा परन्तपाः। अर्धं सर्वस्य भैक्षस्य भीमो भुङ्क्ते महाबलः
The five, together with their mother, ate half of all the alms-food; mighty Bhima consumed the other half.
स नाशितश्च भवति कल्याणान्नभुजिः पुरा। स वैवर्ण्यं च कार्श्यं च जगामातृप्तिकारितम्
He who once ate wholesome food now became emaciated and pale, caused by lack of satisfaction.
आज्यबिन्दुर्यथा वह्नौ महति ज्वलिते भवेत्। तथार्धभागं भीमस्य भिक्षान्नस्य नरोत्तम
Just as a drop of clarified butter in a great blazing fire, so was Bhima's half-share of the alms-food, O best of men.
तथैव वसतां तत्र तेषां राजन्महात्मनाम्। अतिचक्राम सुमहान्कालोऽथ भरतर्षभ
Thus, as those great souls dwelled there, O king, a very long time passed, O bull among the Bharatas.
भीमोऽपि क्रीडयित्वाथ मिथो ब्राह्मणबन्धुषु। कुम्भकारेण संबन्धाल्लेभे पात्रं महत्तरम्
Bhima, after playing among the Brahmins and their kin, through his connection with a potter, obtained a very large vessel.
कुम्भकारोऽददात्पात्रं महत्कृत्वातिमात्रकम्। प्रहसन्भीमसेनाय विस्मितस्तस्य कर्मणा
The potter, making a huge vessel, gave it to Bhimasena, laughing, amazed at his deed.
तस्याद्भुतं कर्म कुर्वन्मृद्भारं महदाददे। मृद्भारैः शतसाहस्रैः कुम्भकारमतोषयत्
Performing a wondrous act, he took up a great load of clay and pleased the potter with hundreds of thousands of clay loads.
चक्रे चक्रे च मृद्भाण्डान्सततं भैक्षमाचरन्। तदादायागतं दृष्ट्वा हसन्ति प्रहसन्ति च
He continually made clay vessels and went about for alms; seeing what he brought back, they laughed and rejoiced.
भक्ष्यभोज्यानि विविधान्यादाय प्रक्षिपन्ति च। एवमेव सदा भुक्त्वा मात्रे वदति वै रहः। न चाशितोऽस्मि भवति कल्याणान्नभृतः पुरा
They bring and serve various foods, both to eat and to enjoy; and after eating thus each day, he speaks to his mother in private: 'I have never before tasted such excellent food.'
ततः कदाचिद्भैक्षाय गतास्ते पुरषर्षभाः। संगत्य भीमसेनस्तु तत्रास्ते पृथया सह
Then, once, those foremost among men went out to beg; Bhimasena remained there together with Pritha.
अथार्तिजं महाशब्दं ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशने। भृशमुत्पतितं घोरं कुन्ती शुश्राव भारत
O Bharata, at that time Kunti heard a loud and terrible cry of distress rising intensely from the house of a Brahmin.
रोरुयमाणांस्तान्दृष्ट्वा परिदेवयतश्च सा। कारुण्यात्साधुभावाच्च कुन्ती राजन्न चक्षमे
Seeing them weeping and lamenting, Kunti, moved by compassion and virtue, could not bear it, O King.
मथ्यमानेव दुःखेन हृदयेन पृथा तदा। उवाच भीमं कल्याणी कृपान्वितमिदं वचः
Then Pritha, her heart as if churned by sorrow, spoke these words full of pity to Bhima, her noble son.
वसामः सुसुखं पुत्र ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशने। अज्ञाता धार्तराष्ट्रस्य सत्कृतां वीतमन्यवः
Son, we live very happily in the Brahmin's house, unknown to the sons of Dhritarashtra, honored and free from anger.
सा चिन्तये सदा पुत्र ब्राह्मणस्यास्य किं न्वहम्।। कदा प्रियं करिष्यामि यत्कुर्युरुषिताः सुखम्
Son, I always think what I might do for this Brahmin; when will I do something dear to him, something that will bring happiness to those who dwell here?
एतावान्पुरुषस्तात कृतं यस्मिन्न नश्यति। यावच्च कुर्यादन्योऽस्य कुर्यादभ्यधिकं ततः
O child, a man is called accomplished when nothing is lost in what he does; but if another does more than him, then that is greater.
तदिदं ब्राह्मणस्यास्य दुःखमापतितं ध्रुवम्। न तत्र यदि साहाय्यं कुर्याम सुकृतं भवेत्
This sorrow has surely come upon this Brahmin; if we do not help him, no good deed will be accomplished.
ज्ञायतामस्य यद्दुःखं यतश्चैव समुत्थितम्। विदित्वा व्यवसिष्यामि यद्यपि स्यात्सुदुष्करम्
Let us find out what his suffering is and from where it has arisen; once I know, I will decide what to do, even if it is very difficult.
एवं तौ कथयन्तौ च भूयः सुश्रुवतुः स्वनम्। आर्तिजं तस्य विप्रस्य सभार्यस्य विशांपते
As they were talking thus, they again heard the sound of distress from that Brahmin and his wife, O lord of the people.
अन्तःपुरं ततस्तस्य ब्राह्मणस्य महात्मनः। विवेश त्वरिता कुन्ती बद्धवत्सेव सौरभी
Then Kunti, swift as a cow to her calf, entered the inner chambers of that great-souled Brahmin.