वैशम्पायन उवाच करिष्य इति भीमेन प्रतिज्ञातेऽथ भारत। आजग्मुस्ते ततः सर्वे भैक्षमादाय पाण्डवाः॥
Vaishampayana said : O descendant of Bharata, when Bhima promised by saying, “I shall do it," the Pandavas all came there after collecting food,
आकारेणैव तं ज्ञात्वा पाण्डुपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। रहः समुपविश्यैकस्तत: पप्रच्छ मातरम्॥
The son of Pandu Yudhisthira learnt the affair by the appearance of Bhima and sitting by his mother, he spoke thus to her in private.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच किं चिकीर्षत्ययं कर्म भीमो भीमपराक्रमः। भवत्यनुमते कच्चित् स्वयं वा कर्तुमिच्छति॥
Yudhisthira said: What is the work that the greatly powerful Bhima wants to performs? Does he wish to do it by your command or of his own will?
कुन्त्युवाच ममैव वचनादेष करिष्यति परंतपः। ब्राह्मणार्थे महत् कृत्यं मोक्षाय नगरस्य च॥
Kunti said: By my request the chastiser of foes (Bhima) will do this great deed for the sake of the Brahmana and in order to save the town (from the Rakshasa).
युधिष्ठिर उवाच किमिदं साहसं तीक्ष्णं भवत्या दुष्करं कृतम्। परित्यागं हि पुत्रस्य न प्रशंसन्ति साधवः॥
Yudhisthira said : What rush act has been done by you! It is a very difficult work. The learned men never praise one's abandonment of his own son.
कथं परसुतस्यार्थे स्वसुतं त्यक्तुमिच्छसि। लोकवेदविरुद्धं हि पुत्रत्यागात् कृतं त्वया॥
were Why do you wish to abandon your son for the sake of another's son? You have done this act of abandonment of your son which is not approved by both men and by the Vedas.
यस्य बाहू समाश्रित्य सुखं सर्वे शयामहे। राज्यं चापहृतं क्षुद्रराजिहीर्षामहे पुनः॥
By the strength of whose arms we all sleep in comfort and hope to recovered the kingdom of which we have been deprived by the wretches (Duryodhana and others).
यस्य दुर्योधनो वीर्यं चिन्तयन्नमितौजसः। न शेते रजनी: सर्वा दुःखाच्छकुनिना सह॥
Remembering whose great prowess, Duryodhana with Sakuni and all others do not sleep (for a moment) in the night in anxiety;
यस्य वीरस्य वीर्येण मुक्ता जतुगृहाद् वयम्। अन्येभ्यश्चैव पापेभ्यो निहतश्च पुरोचनः॥
By whose heretic prowess we rescued from the burning house of lac and others dangers; by whom Purochana was killed.
यस्य वीर्यं समाश्रित्य वसुपूर्णां वसुन्धराम्। इमां मन्यामहे प्राप्तां निहत्य धृतराष्ट्रजान्॥ तस्य व्यवसितस्त्यागो बुद्धिमास्थाय बुद्धिमास्थाय कां त्वया। कच्चिन्नु दुःखैर्बुद्धिस्ते विलुप्ता गतचेतसः॥
Relying on whose prowess we believe ourselves that we have already acquired this earth full of wealth and have killed the sons of Dhritarashira. On what consideration have you resolved upon abandoning him? have you lost your senses on account of the calamities?
कुन्त्युवाच युधिष्ठिर न संतापस्त्वया कार्यो वृकोदरे। न चायं बुद्धिदौर्बल्याद् व्यवसायः कृतो मया॥
Kunti said: ( Yudhisthira, you need not be anxious for Vrikodara. I have not resolved (to do it) out of any weakness of my understanding.
इह विप्रस्य भवने वयं पुत्र सुखोषिताः। अज्ञाता धार्तराष्ट्राणां सत्कृतः वीतमन्यवः॥ तस्य प्रतिक्रिया पार्थ मयेयं प्रसमीक्षिता। एतावानेव पुरुषः कृतं यस्मिन् न नश्यति॥
O son, our grief being assuaged, we live happily in the house of this Brahmana, unknown to the sons of Dhritarashtra and much respected by him. O Partha, I have resolved upon doing this in order to requite him, for he is a (true) man upon whom good service is never lost.
यावच्च कुर्यादन्योऽस्य कुर्याद् बहुगुणं ततः। दृष्ट्वा भीमस्य विक्रान्तं तदा जदुगृहे महत्। हिडिम्बस्य वधाच्चैवं विश्वासो मे वृकोदरे॥
It is (always) proper that the requital should be greater than the service received. Seeing the great prowess of Bhima in the house of lac. And in killing Hidimba, my confidence on Vrikodara is great.
बाह्वोर्बलं हि भीमस्य नागायुतसमं महत्। येन यूयं गजप्रख्या नियूँढा वारणावतात्॥
The strength of Bhima's arms is as great as that of ten thousand elephants. It was therefore that he was able to carry you, all as heavy as elephants from Varanavata.
वृकोदरेण सदृशो बलेनान्यो न विद्यते। योऽभ्युदीयाद् युधि श्रेष्ठमपि वज्रधरं स्वयम्॥
There is none so strong as Vrikodara; he may even vanquish in battle the thunderer (Indra) himself.
जातमात्रः पुरा चैव ममाङ्कात् पतितो गिरौ। शरीरगौरवादस्य शिला गात्रैविचूर्णिता॥
As soon as he was born, he fell from my lap on the stone. The mass of stone on which he fell was broken into pieces by the weight of his body.
तदहं प्रज्ञया ज्ञात्वा बलं भीमस्य पाण्डव। प्रतिकार्ये च विप्रस्य ततः कृतवती मतिम्॥
O Pandaya, from that day I have come to know the (great) strength of Bhima. Therefore, I am desirous of requiting (the services) of the Brahmana.
नेदं लोभान्न चाज्ञानान्न च मोहाद् विनिश्चितम्। बुद्धिपूर्वं तु धर्मस्य व्यवसायः कृतो मया॥
I have not done this from foolishness, from ignorance, or from any inotive of gain. I have deliberately resolved to do this virtuous act.
अर्थों द्वावपि निष्पन्नौ युधिष्ठिर भविष्यतः। प्रतीकारश्च वासस्य धर्मश्च चरितो महान्॥
O Yudhisthira, two objects will be gained by this act, one is the requital of the Brahmana's services (to us) and the other is the acquisition of great religious merit.
यो ब्राह्मणस्य साहाय्यं कुर्यादर्थेषु कहिचित्। क्षत्रियः स शुभाँल्लोकानाप्नुयादिति मे मतिः॥
It is my opinion that the Kshatriya who helps a Brahmana obtains the regions of bliss in after life.
क्षत्रियस्यैव कुर्वाणः क्षत्रियो वधमोक्षणम्। विपुलां कीर्तिमाप्नोति लोकेऽस्मिंश्च परत्र च॥
A Kshatriya, who saves the life of a Kshatriya, acquires great fame in this and in the next world.
वैश्यस्यार्थे च साहाय्यं कुर्वाणः क्षत्रियो भुवि। स सर्वेष्वपि लोकेषु प्रजा रञ्जयते ध्रुवम्॥
A Kshatriya, who helps a Vaishya on earth, certainly becomes popular among men.
शूद्रं तु मोचयेद् राजा शरणार्थिनमागतम्। प्राप्नोतीह कुले जन्म सद्रव्ये राजपूजिते॥
The king should even protect a Shudra who seeks protection. If he does so, he is born in his next birth in a royal family, possessing property and being adored by other kings.
एवं मां भगवान् व्यासः पुरा पौरवन्दना प्रोवाचासुकरप्रज्ञस्तस्मादेवं चिकीर्षितम्॥
O descendant of Kuru, the illustrious and wise Vyasa formerly told me this. Therefore I am resolved upon doing it.