जनमेजय उवाच कथं नागायुतप्राणो भीमो भीमपराक्रमः। भयमाहारयत् तीव्र तस्मादजगरान्मुने॥
Janamejaya said : O sage, why did the terribly powerful Bhima endued with the strength of ten thousand elephants entertain such a dreadful fear of that snake!
पौलस्त्यंधनदं युद्धे च आह्वयति दर्पितः। नलिन्यां कदनं कृत्वा निहन्ता यक्षरक्षसाम्॥ तं शंससि भयाविष्टमापन्नमरिसूदनम्। एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं परं कौतूहलं हि मे॥ वैशम्पायन उवाच बह्वाश्चर्ये वने तेषां वसतामुग्धन्विनाम्। प्राप्तानामाश्रमाद् राजन् राजर्षवृषपर्वणः॥
That tormentor of foes, who in a defiant spirit challenged even the son of Pulastya, the dispenser of wealth, to a single combat and who encountering the Yakshas and the Rakshasas at the lotus lake (of Kubera) destroyed them (wholesale) has been described by you as seized with fear and dismay. All this I am desirous of hearing; great indeed is my curiosity.
यदृच्छयाधनुष्पाणिर्बद्धखङ्गो वृकोदरः। ददर्श तद् वनं रम्यं देवगन्धर्वसेवितम्॥
Vaishampayana said : Vrikodara wandering at pleasure armed with (his) bow and sword, beheld that delightful forest frequented by the celestials and the Gandharvas.
स ददर्श शुभान् देशान् गिरेहिमवतस्तदा। देवर्षिसिद्धचरितानप्सरोगणसेवितान्॥
He then viewed those auspicious regions on the Himalaya mountains-frequented by the Devarshis and the Siddhas, inhabited by the Apsaras,
चकोरैरुपचक्रैश्च पक्षिभिर्जीवजीवकैः। कोकिलै ङ्गराजैश्च तत्र तत्र निनादितान्॥
Ringing here and there with the rejoicing of the Chakora, Upachakra, Jivajivaka, Kokila (cuckoo) and Bhringaraja birds,
नित्यपुष्पफलैर्वृक्षैर्हिमसंस्पर्शकोमलैः। उपेतान् बहुलच्छायैर्मनोनयननन्दनैः॥
And abounding in numerous shady trees, always bearing fruits and flowers, soft owing to contact with snow and grateful to the mind and eye.
स सम्पश्यन् गिरिनदीर्वैदूर्यमणिसंनिभैः। सलिलैर्हिमसंकाशैहँसकारण्डवायुतैः॥
He viewed also mountain streamlets containing waters (white and cold) like snow, (sparkling and transparent) like the gem Vaidurya (lapis lazuli) and swarmed with ducks and Karandavas.
वनानि देवदारूणां मेघानामिव वागुराः। हरिचन्दनमिश्राणि तुङ्गकालीयकान्यपि॥
He also saw forests of Devadaru (pine) trees looking like a net for the clouds and also Tunga and Kaliyaka forests interspersed with yellow sandal trees.
मृगयां परिधावन् स समेषु मस्धन्वसु। विध्यन् मृगान् शरैः शुद्धैश्चचार स महाबलः॥
And that exceedingly powerful (Pandava), wandering in the level and dry tracts of the mountain in pursuit of the game, pierced them with unvenomed darts.
भीमसेनस्तु विख्यातो महान्तं दंष्ट्रिणं बलात्। निघ्नन् नागशतप्राणो वने तस्मिन् महाबलः॥
In that forest, the renowned Bhimasena of great prowess and endued with the strength of a hundred elephants, killed (man) dreadful wild boars simply by brute force.
मृगाणां स वराहाणां महिषाणां महाभुजः। विनिघ्नंस्तत्र तत्रैव भीमो भीमपराक्रमः॥ स मातङ्गशतप्राणो मनुष्यशतवारणः। सिंहशार्दूलविक्रान्तो वने तस्मिन् महाबलः॥
And the terribly-powerful Bhima of mighty arms, possessed of the strength of one hundred elephants and capable of encountering an equal number of men and of mighty prowess and strong as the lion or the tiger, killed in that forest many deer, boars and buffaloes.
वृक्षानुत्पाटयामास तरसा वै बभञ्ज च। पृथिव्याश्च प्रदेशान् ववै नादयंस्तु वनानि च॥
(And he) uprooted and broke the trees with great violence, making the earth, the forests and the neighbouring places resound.
पर्वताग्राणि वै मृद्गन् नादयानश्च विज्वरः। प्रक्षिपन् पादपांश्चापि नादेनापूरयन् महीम्॥ वेगेन न्यपतद् भीमो निर्भयश्च पुनः पुनः। आस्फोटयन् क्ष्वेडयंश्च तलतालांश्च वादयन्॥ चिरसम्बद्धदर्पस्तु भीमसेनो वने तदा। गजेन्द्राश्च महासत्त्वा मृगेन्द्राश्च महाबलाः॥
(And) the ever-proud and fearless Bhimasena not subject to decrepitude, crushing the summits of mountains, shouting, felling down the trees, filling the earth with his vociferation's, striking his arms, uttering loud shouts and clapping his hands roamed about in the woods with great violence again and again. Mighty elephants and powerful lions.
भीमसेनस्य नादेन व्यमुञ्चन्त गुहा भयात्। क्वचित् प्रधावंस्तिष्ठंश्च क्वचिच्चोपविशंस्तथा॥
Terrified by the yells of Bhimasena, left their lairs through fear. At some places running, some sitting and at others resting.
मृगप्रेप्सुर्महारौद्रे वने चरति निर्भयः। स तत्र मनुजव्याघ्रो वने वनचरोपमः॥ पद्भ्यामभिसमापेदे भीमसेनो महाबलः। स प्रविष्टो महारण्ये नादान् नदति चाद्भुतान्॥ त्रासयन् सर्वभूतानि महासत्त्वपराक्रमः। ततो भीमस्य शब्देन भीताः सर्पा गुहाशया:॥
(He), desirous of bagging games, wandered about fearlessly in that awfully terrible forest. And in that forest, the exceedingly powerful Bhimasena, valiant and strong as the tiger, roamed on foot like the dweller of woods. And the highly energetic and exceedingly powerful (Bhimasena), entering into that great forest, sent forth strange yells terrifying all the creatures. Then serpents, frightened at the shouts of Bhimasena, hid themselves in the caves.
अतिक्रान्तास्तु वेगेन जगामानुसृतः शनैः। ततोऽमरवरप्रख्यो भीमसेनो महाबलः॥
(But he) overtaken them with speed, leisurely pursued them. Then the highly powerful Bhimasena, resembling the lord of the gods,
स ददर्श महाकायं भुजङ्गं लोमहर्षणम्। गिरिदुर्गे समापन्नं कायेनावृत्य कन्दरम्॥
Saw a terrible-looking serpent of huge shape lie in a mountain fastness, covering the entire cave with its body.
पर्वताभोगवर्माणमतिकायं महाबलम्। चित्राङ्गमङ्गजैचित्रैर्हरिद्रासदृशच्छविम्॥
Its gigantic frame was stretched out like a mountain; and it was possessed of enormous strength. Its skin was speckled with many spots and its colour was yellow.
गुहाकारेण वक्त्रेण चतुर्दष्ट्रेण राजता। दीप्ताक्षणातिताप्रेण लिहानं सृक्किणी मुहुः॥
It had a mouth wide as a cave and furnished with four teeth; its eyes were copper-coloured and glaring and it constantly licked the corners of its mouth.
त्रासनं सर्वभूतानां कालान्तकयमोपमम्। निःश्वासक्ष्वेडनादेन भत्सर्यन्तमिव स्थितम्॥
It was a terror to all creatures and it looked like the (grim) destroyer; and by the hissing noise of its breath it seemed to reprimand (the intruder).
स भीमं सहसाभ्येत्य पृदाकुः कुपितो भृशम्। जग्राहाजगरो ग्राहो भुजयोरुभयोर्बलात्॥
Seeing that, Bhima got so near to him, that goat-devouring serpent suddenly seized him forcibly into the gripe of its two arms.
तेन संस्पृष्टगात्रस्य भीमसेनस्य वै तदा। संज्ञा मुमोह सहसा वरदानेन तस्य हि॥
And in consequence of the boon which the serpent had received, as soon as Bhimasena's body came in contact with that of the serpent, he lost his senses.
दशनागसहगाणिधारयन्ति हि यद् बलम्। तद् बलं भीमसेनस्य भुजयोरसमं परैः॥
The strength of Bhimasena's arms, which by far the most exceeded that of others, was equal to the might of ten thousand elephants.
स तेजस्वी तथा तेन भुजगेन वशीकृतः। विस्फुरन् शनकैर्भीमो न शशाक विचेष्टितुम्॥
Thus subdued by the snake, even that energetic man trembled slowly and was unable to make any effort (to extricate himself).
नागायुतसमप्राणः सिंहस्कन्धो महाभुजः। गृहीतो व्यजहात् सत्त्वं वरदानविमोहितः॥
And seized in the gripe (of the serpent) and charmed by the boon it had received, the leonine-shouldered and mighty armed (Bhima) lost his strength.
स हि प्रयत्नमकरोत् तीव्रमात्मविमोक्षणे। न चैनमशकद् वीरः कथंचित् प्रतिबाधितुम्॥
That hero tried his very best to extricate himself, but in way succeeded in overpowering it. no VYTAUS ".