जनमेजय उवाच एकचक्रां गतास्ते तु कुन्तीपुत्रा महारथाः। अत ऊर्ध्वं द्विजश्रेष्ठ किमकुर्वत पाण्डवाः॥
Janamejaya said : O best of twice-born, what did the Pandavas, those great car-warriors, the sons of Kunti, do when they went to Ekachakra?
वैशम्पायन उवाच एकचक्रां गतास्ते तु कुन्तीपुत्रा महारथाः। ऊषुर्नातिचिरं कालं ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशने॥
Vaishampayana said : These great car-warriors, the sons of Pandu, going to Ekachakra, lived for a short time in a Brahmana's house.
रमणीयानि पश्यन्तो वनानि विविधानि च। पार्थिवानपि चोद्देशान् सरितश्च सरांसि च॥ चेसर्भेक्षं तदा ते तु सर्व एव विशाम्पते। बभूवुर्नागराणां च स्वैर्गुणैः प्रियदर्शनाः॥
O king, they saw many beautiful woods and countries, rivers and lakes, as they roamed about bagging their bread. O account of their many accomplishments they became (great) favourites of all men.
निवेदयन्ति स्म तदा कुन्त्या भैक्षं सदा निशि। तया विभक्तान् भागांस्ते भुञ्जते स्म पृथक् पृथक्॥
They offered to Kunti every night all the food (that they got during the day) and it (the food) was divided (by Kunti) and they each ate separately the share of each.
अर्धं ते भुञ्जते वीराः सह मात्रा परंतपाः। अर्धं सर्वस्य भैक्षस्य भीमो भुङ्क्ते महाबलः॥
Those heroes, those chastisers of foes, with their mother, ate half of the food collected, the greatly strong Bhima alone ate the other half.
तथा तु तेषां वसतां तस्मिन् राष्ट्रे महात्मनाम्। अतिचक्राम सुमहान् कालोऽथ भरतर्षभ॥
O best of the Bharata race, the illustrious men thus passed some days in that country.
ततः कदाचिद् भैक्षाय गतास्ते पुरुषर्षभाः। संगत्या भीमसेनस्तु तत्रास्ते पृथया सह॥
One day, when those best of men went out food, Bhima (alone) was (at home) with Pritha This mother.
अथार्तिजं महाशब्दं ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशने। भृशमुत्पतितं घोरं कुन्ती शुश्राव भारत॥
O descendant of Bharata, Kunti heard loud and heart-rending lamentations in the house of the Brahmana.
रोरूयमाणांस्तान् दृष्ट्वा परिदेवयतश्च सा। कारुण्यात् साधुभावाच्च कुन्ती राजन् न चक्षमे॥ मथ्यमानेन दुःखेन हृदयेन पृथा तदा। उवाच भीमं कल्याणी कृपान्वितमिदं वचः॥ वसाम सुसुखं पुत्र ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशने। अज्ञाता धार्तराष्ट्रस्य सत्कृता वीतमन्यवः॥
O king, seeing them weeping and piteously lamenting, she could not bear it from her compassion and form her goodness of heart. Being sorry in mind, the amiable Pritha spoke to Bhima these words full of compassion. "O son, our grief being gone we were happily living in this Brahmana's house, unknown to Dhritarashtra's son and much respected by him.
सा चिन्तये सदा पुत्र ब्राह्मणस्यास्य किं न्वहम्। प्रियं कुर्यामिति गृहे यत् कुर्युरुषिताः सुखम्॥
O son, I always think what might be good for the Brahmana and what good I can do to him, as men who live in others, house (ought to) try to do.
एतावान् पुरुषस्तात कृतं यस्मिन् न नश्यति। यावच्च कुर्यादन्योऽस्य कुर्यादभ्यधिकं ततः॥
O child, he is truly a man who pays back the benefit received. Such an act is never destroyed. One should do more (good) than others do him.
तदिदं ब्राह्मणस्यास्य दुःखमापतितं ध्रुवम्। तत्रास्य यदि साहाय्यं कुर्यामुपकृतं भवेत्॥
This Brahmana has certainly fallen into a great distress. If we can be of any help to him (in his present distress), we should by (somewhat) repay his services.
भीमसेन उवाच ज्ञायतामस्य यद् यतश्चैव समुत्थितम्। विदित्वा व्यवसिष्यामि यद्यपि स्यात् सुदुष्करम्॥
Bhima said: Learn what distress and from what cause that distress has befallen him. Having learnt it, I shall try to remove it (his distress), however difficult its achievement may be.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं तौ कथयन्तौ च भूयः शुश्रुवतुः स्वनम्। आर्तिजं तस्य विप्रस्य सभार्यस्य विशाम्पते॥
Vaishampayana said : O king when those two (Kunti and Bhima) were thus talking, they heard a cry of sorrow proceeding from the Brahmana and his wife.
अन्तःपुरं ततस्तस्य ब्राह्मणस्य महात्मनः। विवेश त्वरिता कुन्ती बद्धवत्सेव सौरभी॥
As the Kamadhenu (the all-boon giving cow) runs at her tethered calf, so Kunti ran in all hurry to the inner apartment of the highsouled Brahmana.
ततस्तं ब्राह्मणं तत्र भार्यया च सुतेन च। दुहित्रा चैव सहितं ददर्शावनताननम्॥
She saw there the Brahmana, his wife, his son and his daughter, all sitting with cast-down faces.
दुःखानामागमो ब्राह्मण उवाच धिगिदं जीवितं लोके गतसारमनर्थकम्। दुःखमूलं पराधीनं भृशमप्रियभागि च॥
The Brahmana said: Fie on the life in this world which is hollow as the read. It is full of misery; it is a slave to others; it is based on great sorrow.
जीविते परमं दुःखं जीविते परमो ज्वरः। जीविते वर्तमानस्य ध्रुवः॥
To live is to suffer great misery; to live is to suffer great diseases. Life is certainly a record of sorrows.
आत्मा ह्येको हि धर्मार्थो कामं चैव निषेवते। एतैश्च विप्रयोगोऽपि दुःखं परमनन्तकम्॥
The soul is one, but it has to serve Dharma, Artha and Kama. By simultaneous pursuit of these, great misery is occasioned.
आहुः केचित् परं मोक्षं स च नास्ति कथंचन। अर्थप्राप्तौ तु नरकः कृत्स्न एवोपपद्यते॥
Some say salvation is our highest object of attainment, but it can never be attained. The acquisition of wealth is hell; it is attended with misery.
अर्थेप्सुता परं दुःखमर्थप्राप्तौ ततोऽधिकम्। जातस्नेहस्य चार्थेषु विप्रयोगे महत्तरम्॥
Great misery is for those that desire wealth, greater for him who has (already) acquired it. Great affection is engendered on the acquired wealth; and when it goes away, the misery is great.
न हि योगं प्रपश्यामि येन मुच्येयमापदः। पुत्रदारेण वा सार्धं प्राद्रवेयमनामयम्॥
I do not see by what means I can escape from this danger and how can I fiy away (from this place) with my son and wife?
यतितं वै मया पूर्वं वेत्थ ब्राह्मणि तत् तथा। क्षेमं यतस्ततो गन्तुं त्वया तु मम न श्रुतम्॥
O Brahmani, (wife), remember, I tried to go to some other place where we could be happy, but you did not listen to my words.
इह जाता विवृद्धास्मि पिता चापि ममेति वै। उक्तवत्यसि दुर्मेधे याच्यमाना मयासकृत्॥
When I repeatedly asked you to go, you, O foolish woman, said, "I am born here; I have grown old here; this is my ancestral homestead."
स्वर्गतोऽपि पिता वृद्धस्तथा माता चिरं तव। बान्धवा भूतपूर्वाश्च तत्र वासे तु का रतिः॥
Your father is dead, your old mother died long ago. Your friends and relatives are also dead, why do you (then) desire to live here?
सोऽयं ते बन्धुकामाया अशृण्वत्या वचो मम। बन्धुप्रणाशः सम्प्राप्तो भृशं दुःखकरो मम॥
From you affection towards your relatives and friends, you did not then listen to my words. The great misery for the loss of a relative and friend has now come to us.
अथवा मद्विनाशोऽयं न हि शक्ष्यामि कंचन। परित्यक्तुमहं बन्धं स्वयं जीवन् नृशंसवत्॥
Oh, how can I bear it? The time has come for my own death. I shall not be able to live like a cruel wretch by abandoning my own relatives and friends.
सहधर्मचरी दान्तां नित्यं मातृसमां मम। सखायं विहितां देवैर्नित्यं परमिकां गतिम्॥
You are always my heip-mate in all virtuous acts, you are like a mother to me. The gods have given you to me as my friend; you are my chief stay.
पित्रा मात्रा च विहितां सदा गार्हस्थ्यभागिनीम्। वरयित्वा यथान्यायं मन्त्रवत् परिणीय च॥ कुलीनां शीलसम्पन्नामपत्यजननीमपि। त्वामहं जीवितस्यार्थे साध्वीमनपकारिणीम्॥ परित्यक्तुं न शक्ष्यामि भार्यां नित्यमनुव्रताम्। कुत एव परित्यक्तुं सुतं शक्ष्याम्यहं स्वयम्॥ बालमप्राप्तवयसमजातव्यञ्जनाकृतिम्। भर्तुरर्थाय निक्षिप्तां न्यासं धात्रा महात्मना॥ यया दौहित्रजॉल्लोकानाशंसे पितृभिः सह। स्वयमुत्पाद्य तां बालां कथमुत्स्रष्टुमुत्सहे॥
You were made by my parents as a partner of my domestic life; you are nobly-born and of good disposition; you are a mother of children; you are ever devoted to me; you are innocent, ever constant to your vows; you have chosen and wed me in due rites, how can I abandon you for the sake of saving my own life? How shall I be able to abandon my own son? (He is) a child of tender years, having no bcard (yet on his chin). How shall I sacrifice my daughter whom I have begotten myself, who has been given to me by the illustrious creator for bestowing her on a husband and through whom I am to enjoy, along with my ancestors, these regions attainable by those only who possess daughter's sons.
मन्यते केचिदधिकं स्नेहं पुत्रे पितुर्नराः। कन्यायां केचिदपरे मम तुल्यावुभौ स्मृतौ॥
Some men think that father's affection for his son is greater; others (think that father's affection) for his daughter (is greater); but mine is equal.
यस्यां लोकाः प्रसूतिश्च स्थिता नित्यमथो सुखम्। अपापां तामहं बालां कथमुत्स्रष्टुमुत्सहे॥
How can I abandon the innocent girl upon whom rests the region of internal bliss and my own lineage and perpetual happiness?
आत्मानमपि चोत्सृज्य तप्स्यामि परलोकगः। त्यक्ता ह्येते मया व्यक्तं नेह शक्ष्यन्ति जीवितुम्॥
If I sacrifice myself and go to the other world, I shall still be repentant, for being abandoned by me, they would not be able to live.
एषां चान्यतमत्यागो नृशंसो गर्हितो बुधैः। आत्मत्यागे कृते चेमे मरिष्यन्ति मया विना॥
To abandon any of these (my wife son or daughter) will be a cruel and most wicked act. If I sacrifice myself, they will (also) die without me.
स कृच्छ्रामहमापन्नो न शक्तस्तर्तुमापदम्। अहो धिक् कां गतिं त्वद्य गमिष्यामि सबान्धवः। सर्वैः सह मृतं श्रेयो न च मे जीवितं क्षमम्॥
The distress into which I have fallen is great; I do not know the means of escape (from it). Alas! What means shall I adopt with my friends and relatives! It is better that I should die with them; I am unable to live (any longer).