DYUTA PARVA: Chapter 72

Wrath of Bhima

कर्ण उवाच या नः श्रुता मनुष्येषु स्त्रियो रूपेण सम्मताः। तासामेतादृशं कर्म न कस्याश्चन शुश्रुम॥
Karna said We have not heard of such an act performed by any woman who are noted in this world for their beauty.

क्रोधाविष्टेषु पार्थेषु धार्तराष्ट्रेषु चाप्यति। द्रौपदी: पाण्डुपुत्राणां कृष्णा शान्तिरिहाभवत्॥
When the sons of Pandu and Dhritarashtra were excited with anger, this Krishna, the daughter of Drupada, become their salvation.

अप्लवेऽम्भसि मग्नानामप्रतिष्ठे निमज्जताम्। पाञ्चाली पाण्डुपुत्राणां नौरेषा पारगाभवत्॥
The sons of Pandu were sinking boatless in an ocean of distress, this Panchali, becoming a boat to them, brought them safely to the shore.

वैशम्पायन उवाच तद् वै श्रुत्वा भीमसेनः कुरुमध्येऽत्यमर्षणः। स्त्रीगतिः पाण्डुपुत्राणामित्युवाच सुदुर्मनाः॥
Vaishampayana said Hearing the words, "A woman is the refuge for the sons of Pandu, "uttered in the midst of the Kurus (by Karna), the angry Bhima in great affliction said:

भीम उवाच त्रीणि ज्योतींषि पुरुष इति वै देवलोऽब्रवीत्। अपत्यं कर्म विद्या.च यतः सृष्टाः प्रजास्ततः॥
Bhima said (O Arjuna), Devala has said that offspring, acts and learning, these are the three lights that is in every person, for from these (three) has sprung the creation,

अमेध्ये वै गतप्राणे शून्ये ज्ञातिभिरुज्झिते। देहे त्रितयमेवैतत् पुरुषस्योपयुज्यते॥
When life becomes extinct and the body becomes impure and is cast off by the relatives, these three (offspring, acts and learning) become of service to every person,

तन्नो ज्योतिरिहतं दाराणामभिमर्शनात्। धनंजय कथंस्विन् स्यादपत्यमभिमृष्टजम्॥
But the light that is in us has been dimmed by this act of insult done to our wife. O Dhananjaya, how can a son born from this insulted wife of ours prove serviceable to us?

अर्जुन उवाच न चैवोक्ता न चानुक्ता हीनत: परुषाः गिरः। भारत प्रतिजल्पन्ति सदा तूत्तमपूरुषाः॥ स्मरन्ति सुकृतान्येव न वैराणि कृतान्यपि। सन्तः प्रतिविजानन्तो लब्धसम्भावनाः स्वयम्॥
Arjuna said O descendant of Bharata, great men never care about the harsh words that may or may not be uttered by inferior men. Persons that have earned respects for themselves, even if they are able to retaliate, do not remember the acts of hostility done by their enemies, but they treasure up only their good deeds.

भीम उवाच इहैवैतांस्त्वहं सर्वान् हन्मि शत्रून् समागतान्। अथ निष्क्रम्य राजेन्द्र समूलान् हन्मि भारत॥
Bhima said O king of kings, shall I here at once kill all these foes assembled together, or o descendant of Bharata, shall I destroy them all by the roots outside the palace?

किं नो विवदितेनेह किमुक्तेन च भारत। अद्यैवैतान् निहन्मीह प्रशाधि पृथिवीमिमाम्॥
O descendant of Bharata, what need is there for discussion in this matter) or what need is there for (your) command? I shall kill all these (men) even now, and O king, (then) rule the whole earth without a rival,

इत्युक्त्वा भीमसेनस्तु कनिष्ठैर्धातृभिः सह। मृगमध्ये यथा सिंहो मुहुर्मुहुरुदैक्षत॥
Vaishampayana said Having said this Bhima with his younger brothers repeatedly cast his angry glances around as a lion does towards a herd of small animals.

सान्त्व्यमानो वीक्षमाणः पार्थेनाक्लिष्टकर्मणा। खिद्यत्येव महाबाहुरन्तर्दाहेन वीर्यवान्॥
Partha (Arjuna) of pure deeds pacified him with appealing looks, but the mighty armed and powerful (Bhima) began to burn in the fire of his anger.

क्रुद्धस्य तस्य स्रोताभ्यः कर्णादिभ्ये नराधिप। सधूमः सस्फुलिङ्गज्रिर्चः पावकः समजायत॥
O king, fire with smokes, sparks and flames began to issue out of his ears and other senses, so much angry he became.

भृकुटीकृतदुष्प्रेक्ष्यमभवत् तस्य तन्मुखम्। युगान्तकाले सम्प्राप्ते कृतान्तस्येव रूपिणः॥
His face became terrible to look at in consequence of his furrowed brows as that of Yama himself at the time of universal destruction.

युधिष्ठिरस्तमावार्य बाहुना बाहुशालिनम्। मैवमित्यब्रवीच्चैनं जोषमास्स्वेति भारत॥
O descendant of Bharata, thereupon Yudhisthira embracing him with his arms asked the mighty armed hero to forbear, telling him “Be not so. Remain in silence and peace." And

निवार्य च महाबाहुं कोपसंरक्तलोचनम्। पितरं समुपातिष्ठद् धृतराष्ट्रं कृताञ्जलिः॥
Having pacified the mighty armed (Bhima) with eyes red in anger, the king (Yudhisthira) approached his sire Dhritarashtra.