SECTION CLIII
(Jatugriha Parva Continued)
"Vaisampayana said," As the mighty
Bhima proceeded, the whole forest with its trees and their branches seemed to
tremble, in consequence of their clash with his breast. The motion of his
thighs raised a wind like unto that which blows during the months of Jyaishtha
and Ashadha (May and June). And the mighty Bhima proceeded, making a path for
himself, but treading down the trees and creepers before him. In fact, he broke
(by the pressure of his body) the large trees and plants, with their flowers
and fruits, standing on his way. Even so passeth through the woods breaking
down mighty trees, the leader of a herd of elephants, of the age of sixty
years, angry and endued with excess of energy, during the season of rut when
the liquid juice trickle down the three parts of his body. Indeed, so great was
the force with which Bhima endued with the speed of Garuda or of Marut (the god
of wind), proceeded that the Pandavas seemed to faint in consequence.
Frequently swimming across streams difficult of being crossed, the Pandavas
disguised themselves on their way from fear of the sons of Dhritarashtra. And
Bhima carried on his shoulder his illustrious mother of delicate sensibilities
along the uneven banks of rivers. Towards the evening, O bull of Bharata's
race, Bhima (bearing his brothers and mother on his back) reached a terrible
forest where fruits and roots and water were scarce and which resounded with
the terrible cries of birds and beasts. The twilight deepened the cries of
birds and beasts became fiercer, darkness shrouded everything from the view and
untimely winds began to blow that broke and laid low many a tree large and
small and many creepers with dry leaves and fruits. The Kaurava princes,
afflicted with fatigue and thirst, and heavy with sleep, were unable to proceed
further. They then all sat down in that forest without food and drink. Then
Kunti, smitten with thirst, said unto her sons, 'I am the mother of the five
Pandavas and am now in their midst. Yet I am burning with thirst!' Kunti
repeatedly said this unto her sons. Hearing these words, Bhima's heart, from
affection for his mother, was warmed by compassion and he resolved to go (along
as before). Then Bhima, proceeding through that terrible and extensive forest
without a living soul, saw a beautiful banian tree with widespreading branches.
Setting down there his brothers and mother, O bull of Bharata's race; he said
unto them, 'Rest you here, while I go in quest of water. I hear the sweet cries
of aquatic fowls. I think there must be a large pool here.' Commanded, O
Bharata, by his elder brother who said unto him, 'Go', Bhima proceeded in the
direction whence the cries of those aquatic fowls were coming. And, O bull of
Bharata's race, he soon came upon a lake and bathed and slaked his thirst. And
affectionate unto his brothers, he brought for them, O Bharata, water by
soaking his upper garments. Hastily retracing his way over those four miles he
came unto where his mother was and beholding her he was afflicted with sorrow
and began to sigh like a snake. Distressed with grief at seeing his mother and
brothers asleep on the bare ground, Vrikodara began to weep, 'Oh, wretch that I
am, who behold my brothers asleep on the bare ground, what can befall me more
painful than this? Alas, they who formerly at Varanavata could not sleep on the
softest and costliest beds are now asleep on the bare ground! Oh, what more
painful sight shall I ever behold than that of Kunti--the sister of Vasudeva,
that grinder of hostile hosts--the daughter of Kuntiraja,--herself decked with
every auspicious mark, the daughter-in-law of Vichitravirya,--the wife of the
illustrious Pandu,--the mother of us (five brothers),--resplendent as the
filaments of the lotus and delicate and tender and fit to sleep on the
costliest bed--thus asleep, as she should never be, on the bare ground! Oh, she
who hath brought forth these sons by Dharma and Indra and Maruta--she who hath
ever slept within palaces--now sleepeth, fatigued, on the bare ground! What
more painful sight shall ever be beheld by me than that of these tigers among
men (my brothers) asleep on the ground! Oh, the virtuous Yudhishthira, who
deserveth the sovereignty of the three worlds, sleepeth, fatigued, like an
ordinary man, on the bare ground! This Arjuna of the darkish hue of blue
clouds, and unequalled amongst men sleepeth on the ground like an ordinary
person! Oh, what can be more painful than this? Oh the twins, who in beauty are
like the twin Aswins amongst the celestials, are asleep like ordinary mortals
on the bare ground! He who hath no jealous evil-minded relatives, liveth in
happiness in this world like a single tree in a village. The tree that standeth
single in a village with its leaves and fruits, from absence of other of the
same species, becometh sacred and is worshipped and venerated by all. They
again that have many relatives who, however, are all heroic and virtuous, live
happily in the world without sorrow of any kind. Themselves powerful and
growing in prosperity and always gladdening their friends and relatives, they
live, depending on each other, like tall trees growing in the same forest. We,
however, have been forced in exile by the wicked Dhritarashtra and his sons
having escaped with difficulty, from sheer good fortune, a fiery death. Having
escaped from that fire, we are now resting in the shade of this tree. Having
already suffered so much, where now are we to go? Ye sons of Dhritarashtra of
little foresight, ye wicked fellows, enjoy your temporary success. The gods are
certainly auspicious to you. But ye wicked wretches, ye are alive yet, only
because Yudhishthira doth not command me to take your lives. Else this very
day, filled with wrath, I would send thee, (O Duryodhana), to the regions of
Yama (Pluto) with thy children and friends and brothers, and Karna, and
(Sakuni) the son of Suvala! But what can I do, for, ye sinful wretches, the
virtuous king Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandavas, is not yet angry with
you?'
"Having said this, Bhima of mighty arms,
fired with wrath, began to squeeze his palms, sighing deeply in affliction.
Excited again with wrath like an extinguished fire blazing up all on a sudden,
Vrikodara once more beheld his brothers sleeping on the ground like ordinary
persons sleeping in trustfulness. And Bhima said unto himself, 'I think there
is some town not far off from this forest. These all are asleep, so I will sit
awake. And this will slake their thirst after they rise refreshed from sleep.'
Saying this, Bhima sat there awake, keeping watch over his sleeping mother and
brothers.'"
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