“Vaishampaayana said, ‘As the mighty Bhima proceeded,
the whole forest with its trees and their branches seemed to shake, in consequence
of their clash with his chest. The motion of his thighs raised a wind like to
that which blows during the months of Jyeshtha and Aashaadha (May and June). The mighty
Bhima proceeded, making a path for himself, by walking 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. He (Bhimasena) passed through the forest breaking down mighty trees like the leader
of a herd of elephants, of sixty years of age, 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, proceeded that the Pandavas seemed
to faint in consequence. Frequently swimming across streams difficult of being
crossed, the Pandavas hidded themselves on their way from fear of the sons of
Dhritarashtra. Bhima carried on his shoulder his respected mother of delicate
sensibilities along the uneven banks of rivers. O bull of Bharata's race (Janamejaya), towards the
evening, Bhima (bearing his brothers and mother on his back) reached a terrible forest where fruits, roots
and water were rare and which resounded with the terrible cries of birds and animals.
The twilight (Sandhya kaal in Sanskrit)
increased the cries of birds and animals became fiercer, darkness covered
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 (Pandavas), pained with tiredness 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, pained with thirst, said to her
sons, ‘I am the mother of the five Pandavas and am now in their middle. Yet I
am burning with thirst!’ Kunti repeatedly said this to 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 banyan tree with widespreading branches. O bull of
Bharata's race (Janamejaya), setting
down there his brothers and mother, he said to them, ‘You rest here, while I go
in search of water. I hear the sweet cries of water-based fowls. I think there
must be a large pool here.’
“O Bharata (Janamejaya), commanded by his elder brother who said to
him, ‘Go’, Bhima proceeded in the direction whence the cries of those aquatic
fowls were coming. O bull of Bharata's race (Janamejaya), he soon came upon a lake and bathed and satisfied
his thirst. O Bharata (Janamejaya),
affectionate to his brothers, he brought for them water by soaking his upper
garments. Quickly walking back his way over those four miles he came to where
his mother was and seeing her he was pained with sorrow and began to breathe
heavily like a snake.
“Distressed with grief at seeing his mother and
brothers sleep on the bare ground, Vrikodara (Bhimasena) began to weep, ‘Oh, I am a wretch, who see
my brothers sleep on the bare ground, what can happen to me more painful than
this? Alas, they who formerly at Vaaranaavata could not sleep on the softest
and costliest beds are now asleep on the bare ground! Oh, what more painful
sight shall I ever see than that of Kunti -- the sister of Vasudeva (Sri
Krishna’s father), that grinder of
hostile armies -- the daughter of Kuntiraja, -- herself decorated with every
auspicious mark, the daughter-in-law of (King) Vichitravirya, -- the wife of the illustrious Pandu, -- the mother of
us (five brothers), -- bright as the
filaments of the lotus, delicate, tender and fit to sleep on the costliest bed --
thus asleep, as she should never be, on the bare ground! Oh, she (Kunti) who has brought forth these sons by
Dharma, (Lord) Indra and Maruta --
she who has ever slept within palaces -- now sleeps, tired, on the bare ground!
What more painful sight shall ever be seen by me than that of these tigers
among men (my brothers) asleep on
the ground! Oh, the Dharmic Yudhishthira, who deserves the sovereignty of the
three worlds, sleeps tired, like an ordinary man, on the bare ground! This Arjuna of the darkish colour of blue clouds,
and unequalled among men sleeps on the ground like an ordinary person! Oh, what
can be more painful than this? Oh the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), who in beauty are like the twin Ashwins (Ashwini
Devas) among Devas, are asleep like
ordinary mortals on the bare ground!
“He who has no jealous
evil-minded relatives, lives in happiness in this world like a single tree in a
village. The tree that stands single in a village with its leaves and fruits,
from absence of other of the same species, becomes sacred and is worshipped and
honoured by all. Again, they that have many relatives who and all (those relatives) are heroic (Veera in Sanskrit)
and Dharmic, live happily in the world without sorrow of any kind. Being powerful,
growing in prosperity, always gladdening their friends and relatives, they (all)
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 terrible 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? O sons of Dhritarashtra of little foresight, O wicked fellows, enjoy your
temporary success. Devas are certainly auspicious to you. But you wicked
wretches, you are alive till now, only because Yudhishthira does not command me
to take your lives. Else this very day, filled with anger, I would send you, to
Yamaloka with your children, friends and brothers, and Karna, and (Shakuni) the son of Subala!
But what can I do, for, O sinful wretches, the Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, the eldest
of the Pandavas, is not yet angry with you?’
“Having
said this, Bhima of mighty arms, fired with anger, began to squeeze his palms,
sighing deeply in pain. Excited again with anger like an extinguished fire
blazing up all on a sudden, Vrikodara (Bhimasena)
once more saw his brothers sleeping on the ground like ordinary persons
sleeping in trustfulness. Bhima said to himself, ‘I think there is some town
not far away from this forest. These all are asleep, so I will sit awake. This
will satisfy 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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