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.
यस्य दुर्योधनो वीर्यं चिन्तयन्नमितौजसः। न शेते रजनीः सर्वा दुःखाच्छकुनिना सह
Thinking of his strength, Duryodhana, possessed of unyielding energy, does not sleep through the night, suffering together with Shakuni.
यस्य वीरस्य वीर्येण मुक्ता जतुगृहाद्वयम्। अन्येभ्यश्चैव पापेभ्यो निहतश्च पुरोचनः
By whose valor, O hero, we were freed from the house of lac, and Purochana was slain along with other wicked ones.
यस्य वीर्यं समाश्रित्य वसुपूर्णां वसुन्धराम्। इमां मन्यामहे प्राप्तां निहत्य धृतराष्ट्रजान्
Relying on his strength, we consider this earth, filled with riches, as ours, having defeated the sons of Dhritarashtra.
तस्य व्यवसितस्त्यागो बुद्धिमास्थाय कां त्वया। कच्चिन्नु दुःखैर्बुद्धिस्ते विलुप्ता गतचेतसः
Why have you resolved to abandon him, relying on your intellect? Has your mind been overwhelmed by sorrow, causing your judgment to falter?
युधिष्ठिर न संतापस्त्वया कार्यो वृकोदरे। न चायं बुद्धिदौर्बल्याद्व्यवसायः कृतो मया
Yudhishthira, you need not be distressed by me, O Vrikodara; nor has this decision been made out of weakness of mind.
न च शोकेन बुद्धिः सा विलुप्ता गतचेकसः।' इह विप्रस्य भवने वयं पुत्र सुखोषिताः। अज्ञाता धार्तराष्ट्राणां सत्कृता वीतमन्यवः
Nor has my mind been lost to grief or confusion; here, in the house of the Brahmin, we, O son, have lived happily, unknown to the sons of Dhritarashtra, honored and free from resentment.
तस्य प्रतिक्रिया पार्थ मयेयं प्रसमीक्षिता। एतावानेव पुरुषः कृतं यस्मिन्न नश्यति
O Partha, I have carefully considered the proper response for him; a man is accomplished when nothing is lost in what he undertakes.
यावच्च कुर्यादन्योऽस्य कुर्याद्बहुगुमं ततः। `ब्राह्मणार्थे महान्धर्मो जानामीत्थं वृकोदरे
As long as another can act for him, let him do so; I know, O Vrikodara, that for the sake of a Brahmin, the greatest righteousness is fulfilled.
दृष्ट्वा भीमस्य विक्रान्तं तदा जतुगृहे महत्। हिडिम्बस्य वधाच्चैवं विश्वासो मे वृकोदरे
Having seen Bhima's mighty valor in the house of lac and in the slaying of Hidimba, I have confidence in Vrikodara.
बाह्वोर्बलं हि भीमस्य नागायुतसमं महत्। येन यूयं गजप्रख्या निर्व्यूढा वारणावतात्
The strength of Bhima's arms is immense, equal to that of a thousand elephants, by which you, resembling elephants, were rescued from Varanavata.