The Python Seizes Bhima

Verse 1 (3.180.1)

कथं नागायुतप्राणो भीमो भीमपराक्रमः । भयमाहारयत्तीव्रं तस्मादजगरान्मुने ॥

kathaṃ nāgāyutaprāṇo bhīmo bhīmaparākramaḥ | bhayamāhārayattīvraṃ tasmādajagarānmune

O sage, how did Bhima, terrible in prowess, who had the strength of ten thousand elephants, come to feel such dreadful fear of that python?

Verse 2 (3.180.2)

पौलस्त्यं धनदं युद्धे य आह्वयति दर्पितः । नलिन्यां कदनं कृत्वा निहन्ता यक्षरक्षसाम् ॥

paulastyaṃ dhanadaṃ yuddhe ya āhvayati darpitaḥ | nalinyāṃ kadanaṃ kṛtvā nihantā yakṣarakṣasām

He who in his pride challenged Paulastya, the giver of wealth, to battle, and who wrought slaughter at the lotus lake, killing yakshas and rakshasas —

Note on the text: Corrected युद्दे → युद्धे (misprint in Wikisource; द for ध; the critical edition reads yuddhe).

Verse 3 (3.180.3)

तं शंससि भयाविष्टमापन्नमरिसूदनम् । एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं परं कौतूहलं हि मे ॥

taṃ śaṃsasi bhayāviṣṭamāpannamarisūdanam | etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi me

that slayer of his foes you describe as seized by fear and fallen into distress. This I wish to hear, for my curiosity is great.

Note on the text: Corrected संससि → शंससि (misprint in Wikisource; स for श, "you describe"; the critical edition reads śaṃsasi).

Verse 4 (3.180.4)

बह्वाश्चर्ये वने तेषां वसतामुग्रधन्विनाम् । प्राप्तानामाश्रमं राजन्राजर्षेर्वृषपर्वणः ॥

bahvāścarye vane teṣāṃ vasatāmugradhanvinām | prāptānāmāśramaṃ rājanrājarṣervṛṣaparvaṇaḥ

While those fierce archers were living in that forest of many wonders, having come to the hermitage of the royal seer Vrishaparvan, O king,

Verse 5 (3.180.5)

यदृच्छया धनुष्पाणिर्बद्धखड्गो वृकोदरः । ददर्श तद्वनं रम्यं देवगन्धर्वसेवितम् ॥

yadṛcchayā dhanuṣpāṇirbaddhakhaḍgo vṛkodaraḥ | dadarśa tadvanaṃ ramyaṃ devagandharvasevitam

Vrikodara, bow in hand and sword at his side, roamed at will and saw that lovely forest, frequented by gods and gandharvas.

Note on the text: Corrected खङ्ग → खड्ग (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads baddhakhaḍgo).

Verse 6 (3.180.6)

स ददर्श शुभान्देशान्गिरेर्हिमवतस्तदा । देवर्षिसिद्धचरितानप्सरोगणसेवितान् ॥

sa dadarśa śubhāndeśāngirerhimavatastadā | devarṣisiddhacaritānapsarogaṇasevitān

He saw then the fair regions of the Himalaya mountain, haunted by divine seers and Siddhas and frequented by troops of apsarases,

Verse 7 (3.180.7)

चकोरैरुपचक्रैश्च पक्षिभिर्जीवजीवकैः । कोकिलैर्भृङ्गराजैश्च तत्र तत्र निनादितान् ॥

cakorairupacakraiśca pakṣibhirjīvajīvakaiḥ | kokilairbhṛṅgarājaiśca tatra tatra nināditān

resounding here and there with chakoras, upachakras, jivajivaka birds, cuckoos and bhringarajas,

Note on the text: Corrected उपचक्रैशच् → उपचक्रैश्च (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct).

Verse 8 (3.180.8)

नित्यपुष्पफलैर्वृक्षैर्हिमसंस्पर्शकोमलैः । उपेतान्बहुलच्छायैर्मनोनयननन्दनैः ॥

nityapuṣpaphalairvṛkṣairhimasaṃsparśakomalaiḥ | upetānbahulacchāyairmanonayananandanaiḥ

and full of trees ever in flower and fruit, soft with the cool touch of the snow, rich in shade and delightful to mind and eye.

Verse 9 (3.180.9)

स संपश्यन्गिरिनदीर्वैडूर्यमणिसंनिभैः । सलिलैर्हिमसंकाशैर्हंसकारण्डवायुतैः ॥

sa saṃpaśyangirinadīrvaiḍūryamaṇisaṃnibhaiḥ | salilairhimasaṃkāśairhaṃsakāraṇḍavāyutaiḥ

He gazed at the mountain rivers, their waters clear as beryl and cool as snow, thronged with swans and karandava ducks,

Verse 10 (3.180.10)

वनानि देवदारूणां मेघानामिव वागुराः । हरिचन्दनमिश्राणि तुङ्गकालीयकान्यपि ॥

vanāni devadārūṇāṃ meghānāmiva vāgurāḥ | haricandanamiśrāṇi tuṅgakālīyakānyapi

and the forests of deodar, like nets that snare the clouds, mingled with yellow sandal, tunga and kaliyaka trees.

Verse 11 (3.180.11)

मृगयां परिधावन्स समेषु मरुधन्वसु । विध्यन्मृगाञ्शरैः शुद्धैश्चचार स महाबलः ॥

mṛgayāṃ paridhāvansa sameṣu marudhanvasu | vidhyanmṛgāñśaraiḥ śuddhaiścacāra sa mahābalaḥ

Hunting, he ran over the level waterless tracts of the mountain, and the mighty one roamed about, piercing deer with clean arrows.

Verse 12 (3.180.12)

भीमसेनस्तु विख्यातो महान्तं दंष्ट्रिणं बलात् । निघ्नन्नागशतप्राणो वने तस्मिन्महाबलः ॥

bhīmasenastu vikhyāto mahāntaṃ daṃṣṭriṇaṃ balāt | nighnannāgaśataprāṇo vane tasminmahābalaḥ

Bhimasena, renowned, who had the strength of a hundred elephants, mighty in that forest, struck down by force great tusked beasts;

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.18, lines 1–2 (a passage the CE prints after 3.175.11).

Verse 13 (3.180.13)

मृगाणां सवराहाणां महिषाणां महाभुजः । विनिघ्नंस्तत्रतत्रैव भीमो भीमपराक्रमः ॥

mṛgāṇāṃ savarāhāṇāṃ mahiṣāṇāṃ mahābhujaḥ | vinighnaṃstatratatraiva bhīmo bhīmaparākramaḥ

the mighty-armed Bhima, terrible in prowess, slew deer, boars and buffaloes here and there.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.18, lines 3–4 (a passage the CE prints after 3.175.11).

Verse 14 (3.180.14)

स मातङ्गशतप्राणो मनुष्यशतवारणः । सिंहशार्दूलविक्रान्तो वने तस्मिन्महाबलः ॥

sa mātaṅgaśataprāṇo manuṣyaśatavāraṇaḥ | siṃhaśārdūlavikrānto vane tasminmahābalaḥ

He who had the strength of a hundred elephants, who could hold off a hundred men, who strode like a lion or a tiger, mighty in that forest,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.18, lines 5–6 (a passage the CE prints after 3.175.11).

Verse 15 (3.180.15)

वृक्षानुत्पाटयामास तरसा वै बभञ्ज च । पृथिव्याश्च प्रदेशान्वै नादयंस्तु वनानि च ॥

vṛkṣānutpāṭayāmāsa tarasā vai babhañja ca | pṛthivyāśca pradeśānvai nādayaṃstu vanāni ca

tore up trees with his force and broke them, making the regions of the earth and the forests ring.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.18, lines 7–8 (a passage the CE prints after 3.175.11).

Verse 16 (3.180.16)

पर्वताग्राणि वै मृद्नन्नादयानश्च विज्वरः । प्रक्षिपन्पादपांश्चापि नादेनापूरयन्महीम् ॥

parvatāgrāṇi vai mṛdnannādayānaśca vijvaraḥ | prakṣipanpādapāṃścāpi nādenāpūrayanmahīm

Crushing the mountain peaks and roaring, free of care, hurling trees about, he filled the earth with his shouts.

Note on the text: Corrected मृद्गन् → मृद्नन् (misprint in Wikisource; ग for न, "crushing"; the appendix reads mṛdnan). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.18, lines 9–10 (a passage the CE prints after 3.175.11).

Verse 17 (3.180.17)

वेगेन न्यपतद्भीमो निर्भयश्च पुनः पुनः । आस्फोटयन्क्ष्वेडयंश्च तलतालांश्च वादयन् । चिरसंबद्धदर्पस्तु भीमसेनो वने तदा ॥

vegena nyapatadbhīmo nirbhayaśca punaḥ punaḥ | āsphoṭayankṣveḍayaṃśca talatālāṃśca vādayan | cirasaṃbaddhadarpastu bhīmaseno vane tadā

Again and again Bhima leapt forward fearlessly with great speed, slapping his arms, bellowing and clapping his palms — Bhimasena, his pride long pent up, there in the forest.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.18, lines 11–13 (a passage the CE prints after 3.175.11).

Verse 18 (3.180.18)

गजेन्द्राश्च महासत्वा मृगेन्द्राश्च महाबलाः । भीमसेनस्य नादेन व्यमुञ्चन्त गुहा भयात् ॥

gajendrāśca mahāsatvā mṛgendrāśca mahābalāḥ | bhīmasenasya nādena vyamuñcanta guhā bhayāt

At Bhimasena's roar, mighty elephants and powerful lions left their caves in fear.

Note on the text: Corrected गजेनद्राश्च → गजेन्द्राश्च (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.18, lines 14–15 (a passage the CE prints after 3.175.11).

Verse 19 (3.180.19)

क्वचित्प्रधावंस्तिष्ठंश्च क्वचिच्चोपविशंस्तथा । मृगप्रेप्सुर्महारौद्रे वने चरति निर्भयः ॥

kvacitpradhāvaṃstiṣṭhaṃśca kvaciccopaviśaṃstathā | mṛgaprepsurmahāraudre vane carati nirbhayaḥ

Now running, now standing still, now sitting down, eager for game, he roamed fearless through that dreadful forest.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.18, lines 16–17 (a passage the CE prints after 3.175.11).

Verse 20 (3.180.20)

स तत्रमनुजव्याघ्रो वने वनचरोपमः । पद्भ्यामभिसमापेदे भीमसेनो महाबलः ॥

sa tatramanujavyāghro vane vanacaropamaḥ | padbhyāmabhisamāpede bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ

There that tiger among men, the mighty Bhimasena, like a forest-dweller in the woods, went on further on foot.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.18, lines 18–19 (a passage the CE prints after 3.175.11).

Verse 21 (3.180.21)

स प्रविष्टो महारण्ये नादान्नदति चाद्भुतान् । त्रासयन्सर्वभूतानि महासत्वपराक्रमः ॥

sa praviṣṭo mahāraṇye nādānnadati cādbhutān | trāsayansarvabhūtāni mahāsatvaparākramaḥ

Entering the great wilderness, he roared wondrous roars, terrifying all creatures, he of great strength and valour.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.18, lines 20–21 (a passage the CE prints after 3.175.11).

Verse 22 (3.180.22)

ततो भीमस्य शब्देन भीताः सर्पा गुहाशयाः । अतिक्रान्तास्तु वेगेन जगामानुसृतः शनैः । ततोऽमरवरप्रख्यो भीमसेनो महाबलः ॥

tato bhīmasya śabdena bhītāḥ sarpā guhāśayāḥ | atikrāntāstu vegena jagāmānusṛtaḥ śanaiḥ | tato'maravaraprakhyo bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ

Then, frightened by Bhima's roar, the snakes that lay in the caves slipped swiftly away; and Bhimasena of great strength, like the foremost of the immortals, slowly followed after them.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.18, lines 22–24 (a passage the CE prints after 3.175.11).

Verse 23 (3.180.23)

स ददर्श महाकायं भुजङ्गं रोमहर्षणम् । गिरिदुर्गे समापन्नं कायेनावृत्य कन्दरम् ॥

sa dadarśa mahākāyaṃ bhujaṅgaṃ romaharṣaṇam | giridurge samāpannaṃ kāyenāvṛtya kandaram

He saw a huge serpent, hair-raising to behold, lodged in a mountain stronghold, its body wound around the cave.

Verse 24 (3.180.24)

पर्वताभोगवर्ष्माणं भोगैश्चन्द्रार्कमण्डलैः । चित्राङ्गमङ्गजैश्चित्रैर्हरिद्रासदृशच्छविम् ॥

parvatābhogavarṣmāṇaṃ bhogaiścandrārkamaṇḍalaiḥ | citrāṅgamaṅgajaiścitrairharidrāsadṛśacchavim

Its body was as vast as the spread of a mountain, its coils marked with discs like the moon and the sun, its form dappled with bright natural markings, its colour like turmeric;

Verse 25 (3.180.25)

गुहाकारेण वक्त्रेण चतुर्दंष्ट्रेण राजता । दीप्ताक्षेणातिताम्रेण लिहानं सृक्विणी मुहुः ॥

guhākāreṇa vaktreṇa caturdaṃṣṭreṇa rājatā | dīptākṣeṇātitāmreṇa lihānaṃ sṛkviṇī muhuḥ

with a gleaming mouth like a cave, set with four fangs, and with blazing, deep-red eyes, it licked the corners of its mouth again and again.

Note on the text: Corrected वक्रेण → वक्त्रेण (misprint in Wikisource; त dropped from vaktra, "mouth", which the adjectives in the line qualify; the critical edition reads vaktreṇa).

Verse 26 (3.180.26)

त्रासनं सर्वभूतानां कालान्तकयमोपमम् । निःश्वासक्ष्वेडनादेन भर्त्सयन्तमिव स्थितम् ॥

trāsanaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ kālāntakayamopamam | niḥśvāsakṣveḍanādena bhartsayantamiva sthitam

A terror to all beings, like Death, the Ender, and Yama, it lay there as if threatening with the hissing roar of its breath.

Verse 27 (3.180.27)

स भीमं सहसाऽभ्येत्य पृदाकुः क्षुधितो भृशम् । जग्राहाजगरो ग्राहो भुजयोरुभयोर्बलात् ॥

sa bhīmaṃ sahasā'bhyetya pṛdākuḥ kṣudhito bhṛśam | jagrāhājagaro grāho bhujayorubhayorbalāt

That python, a creature that seizes, ravenous with hunger, rushed suddenly upon Bhima and gripped him by force by both his arms.

Verse 28 (3.180.28)

तेन संस्पृष्टगात्रस्य भीमसेनस्य वै तदा । संज्ञा मुमोह सहसा वरदानेन तस्य हि ॥

tena saṃspṛṣṭagātrasya bhīmasenasya vai tadā | saṃjñā mumoha sahasā varadānena tasya hi

At the touch of its body Bhimasena's senses suddenly failed him, because of a boon the serpent had been granted.

Verse 29 (3.180.29)

दशनागसहस्राणि धारयन्ति हि यद्बलम् । तद्बलं भीमसेनस्य भुजयोरसमं परैः ॥

daśanāgasahasrāṇi dhārayanti hi yadbalam | tadbalaṃ bhīmasenasya bhujayorasamaṃ paraiḥ

The strength that ten thousand elephants possess — such was the strength in Bhimasena's arms, unmatched by any other.

Note on the text: Corrected इद्रलं → तद्बलं (misprint in Wikisource; garbled akshara, the correlative of yad balam; the critical edition reads tad balaṃ).

Verse 30 (3.180.30)

स तेजस्वी तथा तेन भुजगेन वशीकृतः । विस्फुरञ्शनकैर्भीमो न शशाक विचेष्टितुम् ॥

sa tejasvī tathā tena bhujagena vaśīkṛtaḥ | visphurañśanakairbhīmo na śaśāka viceṣṭitum

Yet the mighty Bhima, overpowered in this way by the serpent, could only writhe feebly and was unable to struggle.

Note on the text: Corrected विम्फुरञ् → विस्फुरञ् (misprint in Wikisource; म for स; the critical edition reads visphurañ).

Verse 31 (3.180.31)

नागायुतसमप्राणः सिंहस्कन्धो महाभुजः । गृहीतो व्यजहात्सत्वं वरदानविमोहितः ॥

nāgāyutasamaprāṇaḥ siṃhaskandho mahābhujaḥ | gṛhīto vyajahātsatvaṃ varadānavimohitaḥ

He who had the strength of ten thousand elephants, lion-shouldered and mighty-armed, once seized lost his wits, bewildered by the boon.

Verse 32 (3.180.32)

स हि प्रयत्नमकरोत्तीव्रमात्मविमोक्षणे । न चैनमशकद्वीरः कथंचित्प्रतिबाधितुम् ॥

sa hi prayatnamakarottīvramātmavimokṣaṇe | na cainamaśakadvīraḥ kathaṃcitpratibādhitum

He strove hard to free himself, but the hero could in no way master it.