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.
ततस्तं ब्राह्मणं तत्र भार्यया च सुतेन च। दुहित्रा चैव सहितं ददर्श विकृताननम्
There she saw the Brahmin, together with his wife, son, and daughter, all with faces distorted by grief.
धिगिदं जीवितं लोके गतसारमनर्थकम्। दुःखमूलं पराधीनं भृशमप्रियभागि च
Fie upon this life in the world, which is devoid of essence and useless, rooted in sorrow, dependent on others, and full of unpleasantness.
जीविते परमं दुःखं जीविते परमो ज्वरः। जीविते वर्तमानस्य द्वन्द्वानामागमो ध्रुवः
In life there is the greatest sorrow, in life the greatest fever; for one who lives, the arrival of opposites is certain.
आत्मा ह्येको हि धर्मार्थौ कामं चैव निषेवते। एतैश्च विप्रयोगोऽपि दुःखं परमनन्तकम्
The self alone pursues righteousness, wealth, and desire; and separation from these brings endless and supreme suffering.
आहुः केचित्परं मोक्षं स च नास्ति कथंचन। अर्थप्राप्तौ तु नरकः कृत्स्न एवोपपद्यते
Some say that liberation is supreme, but it is never attained; and in the pursuit of wealth, complete hell arises.
अर्थेप्सुता परं दुःखमर्थप्राप्तौ ततोऽधिकम्। जातस्नेहस्य चार्थेषु विप्रयोगे महत्तरम्
Those who desire wealth suffer greatly, and even more so when they attain it; but for one who has become attached to possessions, separation brings the greatest pain.
यावन्तो यस्य संयोगा द्रव्यैरिष्टैर्भवन्त्युत। तावन्तोऽस्य निख्यन्ते हृदये शोकशङ्कवः
As many are a person's attachments to desired objects, so many are the darts of sorrow that lodge in his heart.
तदिदं जीवितं प्राप्य अल्पकालं महाभयम्। त्यागो हि न मया प्राप्तो भार्यया सहितेन च
Having attained this life, which is brief and full of great fear, I have not yet achieved renunciation, even together with my wife.
न हि योगं प्रपश्यामि येन मुच्येयमापदः। पुत्रदारेण वा सार्धं प्राद्रवेयमनामयम्
Indeed, I do not see any means by which I could escape this calamity, nor could I flee safely together with my son and wife.
यतितं वै मया पूर्वं वेत्थ ब्राह्मणि तत्तथा। क्षेमं यतस्ततो गन्तुं त्वया तु मम न श्रुतम्
You know, O Brahmani, that I have previously made every effort to go wherever safety could be found; but you did not heed me.