न विषादस्त्वया कार्यो भयादस्मात्कथंचन। उपायः परिदृष्टोऽत्र तस्मान्मोक्षाय रक्षसः
You should not be despondent or afraid in any way; a means has been found here for deliverance from the Rakshasa.
नैव स्वयं सपुत्रस्य गमनं तत्र रोचये।' एकस्तव सुतो बालः कन्या चैका तपस्विनी। न चैतयोस्तथा पत्न्या गमनं तव रोचये
I do not approve that you yourself, with your son, should go there; you have one young son and one daughter devoted to austerity, nor do I approve that your wife or you should go.
मम पञ्च सुता ब्रह्मंस्तेषामेको गमिष्यति। त्वदर्थं बलिमादाय तस्य पापस्य रक्षसः
O Brahman, I have five sons; one of them will go, as an offering for your sake, to that sinful Rakshasa.
नाहमेतत्करिष्यामि जीवितार्थी कथंचन। ब्राह्मणस्यातिथेश्चैव स्वार्थे प्राणान्वियोजयन्
I will never do this, even for the sake of life—depriving a Brahmana guest of his own interests or life.
न त्वेतदकुलीनासु नाधर्मिष्ठासु विद्यते। यद्ब्राह्ममार्थं विसृजेदात्मानमपि चात्मजम्
This is not found among those of noble lineage or among the unrighteous—that one would abandon himself or his own son for the sake of a Brahmana.
आत्मनस्तु वधः श्रेयो बोद्धव्यमिति रोचते। ब्रहम्वध्याऽऽत्मवध्या वा श्रेयानात्मवधो मम
It seems to me that death of oneself is preferable; whether it is the slaying of a Brahmana or oneself, for me, self-sacrifice is better.
ब्रह्मवध्या परं पापं निष्कृतिर्नात्र विद्यते। अबुद्धिपूर्वं कृत्वापि प्रत्यवायो हि विद्यते
The slaying of a Brahmana is the highest sin; there is no expiation for it, even if done unintentionally, there is still demerit.
न त्वहं वधमाकाङ्क्षे स्वयमेवात्मनः शुभे। परैः कृते वधे पापं न किंचिन्मयि विद्यते
But I do not desire to kill myself, O virtuous one; if the killing is done by others, there is no sin in me.
अभिसंधौ कृते तस्मिन्ब्राह्मणस्य वधे मया। निष्कृतिं न प्रपश्यामि नृशंसं क्षुद्रमेव च
If, with intention, I were to kill a Brahmana, I see no expiation for it—only cruelty and baseness.
आगतस्य गृहं त्यागस्तथैव शरणार्थिनः। याचमानस्य च वधो नृशंसो गर्हितो बुधैः
Abandoning one who has come to the house, or one who seeks refuge, or killing a supplicant—these are cruel acts, censured by the wise.
कुर्यान्न निन्दितं कर्म न नृशंसं कथंचन। इति पूर्वे महात्मान आपद्धर्मविदो विदुः
One should never perform a condemned act, nor a cruel deed in any circumstance; thus did the great souls of old, who understood the law of adversity, declare.
श्रेयांस्तु सहदारस्य विनाशोऽद्य मम स्वयम्। ब्राह्मणस्य वधं नाहमनुमंस्ये कदाचन
It is better for me, along with my wife, to perish today of my own accord; I will never consent to the killing of a Brahmin.
ममाप्येषा मतिर्ब्रह्मन्विप्रा रक्ष्या इति स्थिरा। न चाप्यनिष्टः पुत्रो मे यदि पुत्रशतं भवेत्
This is my firm conviction, O Brahmin: the Brahmins must be protected; nor would my son be undesirable, even if I had a hundred sons.
न चासौ राक्षसः शक्तो मम पुत्रविनाशने। वीर्यमन्मन्त्रसिद्धश्च तेजस्वी च सुतो मम
Nor is that Rakshasa capable of destroying my son; my son is powerful, accomplished in mantras, and radiant.
राक्षसाय च तत्सर्वं प्रापयिष्यति भोजनम्। मोक्षयिष्यति चात्मानमिति मे निश्चिता मतिः
He will deliver all that food to the Rakshasa, and he will save himself; this is my settled resolve.
समागताश्च वीरेण दृष्टपूर्वाश्च राक्षसाः। बलवन्तो महाकाया निहताश्चाप्यनेकशः
The Rakshasas, who have encountered him before and have seen his valor, though mighty and of great size, have been slain by him many times.
न त्विदं केषुचिद्ब्रह्मान्व्याहर्तव्यं कथंचन। विद्यार्थिनो हि मे पुत्रान्विप्रकुर्युः कुतूहलात्
This matter should not be spoken of to any Brahmin under any circumstance; for my sons, eager for knowledge, might act out of curiosity.
गुरुणा चाननुज्ञातो ग्राहयेद्यः सुतो मम। न स कुर्यात्तथा कार्यं विद्ययेति सतां मतम्
If my son, without the teacher’s permission, were to undertake this task, he should not do so; this is the view of the virtuous regarding learning.
एवमुक्तस्तु पृथया स विप्रो भार्यया सह। हृष्टः संपूजयामास तद्वाक्यममृतोपमम्
Thus addressed by Pritha, the Brahmin, together with his wife, joyfully honored those words, which were like nectar.
ततः कुन्ती च विप्रश्च सहितावनिलात्मजम्। तमब्रूतां कुरुष्वेति स तथेत्यब्रवीच्च तौ
Then Kunti and the Brahmin, together, spoke to the son of the wind, saying, 'Do this,' and he replied to them, 'So be it.'
करिष्य इति भीमेन प्रतिज्ञातेऽथ भारत। आजग्मुस्ते ततः सर्वे भैक्षमादाय पाण्डवाः
When Bhima pledged, 'I will do it,' O Bharata, all the Pandavas then returned, having collected alms.
भीमसेनं ततो दृष्ट्वा आपूर्णवदनं तथा। बुबोध धर्मराजस्तु हृषितं भीममच्युतम्
Seeing Bhimasena with his face full and content, King Yudhishthira understood that Bhima, the steadfast, was delighted.
तोषस्य कारणं यत्तु मनसाऽचिन्तयद्गुरुः। स समीक्ष्य तदा राजन्योद्धुकामं युधिष्ठिरः
The teacher pondered in his mind the cause of Bhima’s satisfaction; Yudhishthira, observing this, desired to question him.
आकारेणैव तं ज्ञात्वा पाण्डुपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। रहः समुपविश्यैकस्ततः पप्रच्छ मातरम्
Recognizing it by his appearance, Yudhishthira, son of Pandu, sat down privately and then asked his mother.
किं चिकीर्षत्ययं कर्म भीमो भमपराक्रमः। भवत्यनुमते कच्चित्स्वयं वा कर्तुमिच्छति
What deed does Bhima, of terrible prowess, intend to do? Is it with your approval, or does he wish to act on his own?
ममैव वचनादेष करिष्यति परन्तपः। ब्राह्मणार्थे महत्कृत्यं मोक्षाय नगरस्य च
He will act on my command, O subduer of foes, for the sake of the Brahmin, a great task, and for the liberation of the town.
बकाय कल्पितं पुत्र महान्तं बलिमुत्तमम्। भीमो भुनक्तु सुस्पष्टमप्येकाहं तपःसुतः
A great and excellent offering has been prepared for Baka, my son; let Bhima eat it clearly, even for a single day, O son of asceticism.
किमिदं साहसं तीक्ष्णं भवत्या दुष्करं कृतम्। परित्यागं हि पुत्रस्य न प्रशंसन्ति साधवः
What is this harsh and difficult undertaking you have performed, O lady? The virtuous do not praise the abandonment of one’s son.
कथं परसुतस्यार्थे स्वसुतं त्यक्तुमिच्छसि। लोकवेदविरुद्धं हि पुत्रत्यागात्कृतं त्वया
How can you wish to abandon your own son for the sake of another's son? For by forsaking your child, you have acted against both worldly custom and sacred law.
यस्य बाहू समाश्रित्य सुखं सर्वे शयामहे। राज्यं चापहृतं क्षुद्रैराजिहीर्षामहे पुनः
Upon whose arms we all rest comfortably, whose kingdom was seized by the petty, and whom we now desire to reclaim.