Krishna Taunts Bhima

Verse 1 (5.74.1)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा महाबाहुः केशवः प्रहसन्निव । अभूतपूर्वं भीमस्य मार्दवोपहितं वचः ॥

etacchrutvā mahābāhuḥ keśavaḥ prahasanniva | abhūtapūrvaṃ bhīmasya mārdavopahitaṃ vacaḥ

Hearing these words of Bhima, so full of mildness and never heard from him before, the mighty-armed Keshava seemed to laugh.

Note on the text: Corrected एतछ्रुत्वा → एतच्छ्रुत्वा (misprint in Wikisource; dropped च of the sandhi cluster, critical edition etac chrutvā).

Verse 2 (5.74.2)

गिरेरिव लघुत्वं तच्छीतत्वमिव पावके । मत्वा रामानुजः शौरिः शार्ङ्गधन्वा वृकोदरम् ॥

gireriva laghutvaṃ tacchītatvamiva pāvake | matvā rāmānujaḥ śauriḥ śārṅgadhanvā vṛkodaram

Finding it as strange as lightness in a mountain or coldness in fire, Shauri, Rama's younger brother, wielder of the Sharnga bow, turned to Vrikodara;

Verse 3 (5.74.3)

सन्तेजयंस्तदा वाग्भिर्मातरिश्वेव पावकम् । उवाच भीममासीनं कृपयाऽभिपरिप्लुतम् ॥

santejayaṃstadā vāgbhirmātariśveva pāvakam | uvāca bhīmamāsīnaṃ kṛpayā'bhipariplutam

and stirring him with words, as the wind stirs a fire, he spoke to Bhima, who sat there overwhelmed with pity.

Note on the text: Corrected सन्तेजसंस्तदा → सन्तेजयंस्तदा and भातरिश्वेव → मातरिश्वेव (misprints in Wikisource; स for य and भ for म, critical edition saṃtejayaṃs tadā … mātariśveva).

Verse 4 (5.74.4)

त्वमन्यदा भीमसेन युद्धमेव प्रशंससि । वधाभिनन्दिनः क्रूरान्धार्तराष्ट्रान्मिमर्दिषुः ॥

tvamanyadā bhīmasena yuddhameva praśaṃsasi | vadhābhinandinaḥ krūrāndhārtarāṣṭrānmimardiṣuḥ

At other times, Bhimasena, you praise nothing but war, eager to crush the cruel sons of Dhritarashtra who delight in slaughter.

Note on the text: Corrected वधामिनन्दिनः → वधाभिनन्दिनः and धार्तराष्ट्रन् → धार्तराष्ट्रान् (misprints in Wikisource; म for भ, and a dropped ा of the accusative plural; critical edition vadhābhinandinaḥ … dhārtarāṣṭrān).

Verse 5 (5.74.5)

न च स्वपिषि जागर्षि न्युब्जः शेषे परन्तप । घोरामशान्तां रुशतीं सदा वाचं प्रभाषसे ॥

na ca svapiṣi jāgarṣi nyubjaḥ śeṣe parantapa | ghorāmaśāntāṃ ruśatīṃ sadā vācaṃ prabhāṣase

You do not sleep but lie awake, scorcher of foes, lying face down, and you are forever speaking dreadful, restless, wounding words.

Verse 6 (5.74.6)

निःश्वसन्नग्निवत्तेन सन्तप्तः स्वेन मन्युना । अप्रशान्तमना भीम सधूम इव पावकः ॥

niḥśvasannagnivattena santaptaḥ svena manyunā | apraśāntamanā bhīma sadhūma iva pāvakaḥ

Breathing hard, scorched as if by fire with your own anger, your mind never at rest, Bhima, you are like a smoking fire.

Verse 7 (5.74.7)

एकान्ते निःश्वसञ्शेषे भारार्त इव दुर्बलः । अपि त्वां केचिदुन्मत्तं मन्यन्तेऽतद्विदो जनाः ॥

ekānte niḥśvasañśeṣe bhārārta iva durbalaḥ | api tvāṃ kecidunmattaṃ manyante'tadvido janāḥ

You lie alone, sighing, like a weak man worn down by a load; some people who do not know the cause even think you are mad.

Note on the text: Corrected शेपे → शेषे (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष in शेषे 'you lie', critical edition śeṣe).

Verse 8 (5.74.8)

आरुज्य वृक्षान्निर्मूलान्गजः परिरुजन्निव । निघ्नन्पद्भिः क्षितिं भीम निष्टनन्परिधावसि ॥

ārujya vṛkṣānnirmūlāngajaḥ parirujanniva | nighnanpadbhiḥ kṣitiṃ bhīma niṣṭananparidhāvasi

Tearing trees out by the roots, like an elephant breaking them down, pounding the earth with your feet, Bhima, you run about roaring.

Verse 9 (5.74.9)

नास्मिञ्जने न रमसे रहः क्षिपसि पाण्डव । नान्यं निशि दिवा चापि कदाचिदभिनन्दसि ॥

nāsmiñjane na ramase rahaḥ kṣipasi pāṇḍava | nānyaṃ niśi divā cāpi kadācidabhinandasi

You take no pleasure in the people around you, Pandava, but pass your time alone; night or day, you never welcome anyone.

Verse 10 (5.74.10)

अकस्मात्स्मयमानश्च रहस्यास्से रुदन्निव । जान्वोर्मूर्धानमाधाय चिरमास्से प्रमीलितः ॥

akasmātsmayamānaśca rahasyāsse rudanniva | jānvormūrdhānamādhāya ciramāsse pramīlitaḥ

Suddenly smiling, you sit alone as though weeping, and you sit a long while with your head between your knees and your eyes shut.

Note on the text: Corrected चिरमास्ते → चिरमास्से (misprint in Wikisource; third person आस्ते where Krishna addresses Bhima, as in रहस्यास्से in the same verse; critical edition ciram āsse).

Verse 11 (5.74.11)

भ्रुकुटिं च पुनः कुर्वन्नोष्ठौ च विदशन्निव । अभीक्ष्णं दृश्यसे भीम सर्वं तन्मन्युकारितम् ॥

bhrukuṭiṃ ca punaḥ kurvannoṣṭhau ca vidaśanniva | abhīkṣṇaṃ dṛśyase bhīma sarvaṃ tanmanyukāritam

Again and again you are seen frowning and as if biting your lips, Bhima; all of this is the work of anger.

Note on the text: Corrected भ्रुकिटिं → भ्रुकुटिं (misprint in Wikisource; ि for ु, critical edition bhrukuṭiṃ).

Verse 12 (5.74.12)

यथा पुरस्तात्सविता दृश्यते शुक्रमुच्चरन् । यथा च पश्चान्निर्मुक्तो ध्रुवं पर्येति रश्मिवान् ॥

yathā purastātsavitā dṛśyate śukramuccaran | yathā ca paścānnirmukto dhruvaṃ paryeti raśmivān

"As surely as the sun is seen rising in the east with its brilliance, and as surely as, having set in the west, the rayed one circles round the pole,

Note on the text: Corrected यथा तपुरस्तात् → यथा पुरस्तात् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray त that gives the line a ninth syllable; critical edition yathā purastāt).

Verse 13 (5.74.13)

तथा सत्यं ब्रवीम्येतन्नास्ति तस्य व्यतिक्रमः । हन्ताहं गदयाभ्येत्य दुर्योधनममर्षणम् ॥

tathā satyaṃ bravīmyetannāsti tasya vyatikramaḥ | hantāhaṃ gadayābhyetya duryodhanamamarṣaṇam

so truly do I say this, and it shall not fail: I will come at the unforgiving Duryodhana with my mace and kill him."

Note on the text: Corrected अमर्पणम् → अमर्षणम् (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष, critical edition amarṣaṇam).

Verse 14 (5.74.14)

इति स्म मध्ये भ्रातृणां सत्येनालभसे गदाम् । तस्य ते प्रशमे बुद्धिर्ध्रियतेऽद्य परन्तप ॥

iti sma madhye bhrātṛṇāṃ satyenālabhase gadām | tasya te praśame buddhirdhriyate'dya parantapa

So you would swear in the midst of your brothers, laying your hand on your mace in token of truth; and now, scorcher of foes, your mind is set on peace.

Note on the text: Corrected वदाम् → गदाम् (misprint in Wikisource; व for ग, critical edition gadām).

Verse 15 (5.74.15)

अहो युद्धाभिकाङ्क्षाणां युद्धकाल उपस्थिते । चेतांसि विप्रतीपानि यत्त्वां भीर्भीम विन्दति ॥

aho yuddhābhikāṅkṣāṇāṃ yuddhakāla upasthite | cetāṃsi vipratīpāni yattvāṃ bhīrbhīma vindati

Ah, when the hour of war has come, the hearts of those who craved war turn the other way: so fear has found you, Bhima!

Note on the text: Corrected भीभीम → भीर्भीम (misprint in Wikisource; dropped र्, the visarga of भीः before भीम; critical edition bhīr bhīma). The first half of the verse differs from the critical edition's 5.73.15 (a recension variant).

Verse 16 (5.74.16)

अहो पार्थ निमित्तानि विपरीतानि पश्यसि । स्वप्नान्ते जागरान्ते च तस्मात्प्रशममिच्छसि ॥

aho pārtha nimittāni viparītāni paśyasi | svapnānte jāgarānte ca tasmātpraśamamicchasi

Ah, Partha, you see unfavourable omens in your dreams and on waking, and that is why you want peace.

Verse 17 (5.74.17)

अहो नाशंससे किंचित्पुंस्त्वं क्लीब इवात्मनि । कश्मलेनाभिपन्नोऽसि तेन ते विकृतं मनः ॥

aho nāśaṃsase kiṃcitpuṃstvaṃ klība ivātmani | kaśmalenābhipanno'si tena te vikṛtaṃ manaḥ

Ah, you find no manhood in yourself, like a eunuch; faintness has overcome you, and so your mind has changed.

Verse 18 (5.74.18)

उद्वेपते ते हृदयं मनस्ते प्रतिसीदति । ऊरुस्तम्भगृहीतोऽसि तस्मात्प्रशममिच्छसि ॥

udvepate te hṛdayaṃ manaste pratisīdati | ūrustambhagṛhīto'si tasmātpraśamamicchasi

Your heart trembles, your mind sinks, your thighs are seized with stiffness; that is why you want peace.

Verse 19 (5.74.19)

अनित्यं किल मर्त्यस्य पार्थ चित्तं चलाचलम् । वातवेगप्रचलिता अष्ठीला शाल्मलेरिव ॥

anityaṃ kila martyasya pārtha cittaṃ calācalam | vātavegapracalitā aṣṭhīlā śālmaleriva

The mind of a mortal is fickle indeed, Partha, ever wavering, like the seed-pod of the silk-cotton tree tossed by a gust of wind.

Verse 20 (5.74.20)

तवैषा विकृता बुद्धिर्गवां वागिव मानुषी । मनांसि पाण्डुपुत्राणां मज्जयत्यप्लवानिव ॥

tavaiṣā vikṛtā buddhirgavāṃ vāgiva mānuṣī | manāṃsi pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ majjayatyaplavāniva

This turn in your thinking is as strange as human speech in cattle. It sinks the spirits of Pandu's sons like men without a boat.

Note on the text: Corrected मञ्जयति → मज्जयति (misprint in Wikisource; ञ्ज for ज्ज, critical edition majjayaty).

Verse 21 (5.74.21)

इदं मे महदाश्चर्यं पर्वतस्येव सर्पणम् । यदीदृशं प्रभाषेथा भीमसेनासमं वचः ॥

idaṃ me mahadāścaryaṃ parvatasyeva sarpaṇam | yadīdṛśaṃ prabhāṣethā bhīmasenāsamaṃ vacaḥ

To me it is a great wonder, like a mountain moving, that you should speak such words, Bhimasena, so unlike you.

Note on the text: Corrected महादाश्चर्यं → महदाश्चर्यं (misprint in Wikisource; महत् + आश्चर्यम् gives महदाश्चर्यम्; critical edition mahad āścaryaṃ).

Verse 22 (5.74.22)

स दृष्ट्वा स्वानि कर्माणि कुले जन्म च भारत । उत्तिष्ठस्व विषादं मा कृथा वीर स्थिरो भव ॥

sa dṛṣṭvā svāni karmāṇi kule janma ca bhārata | uttiṣṭhasva viṣādaṃ mā kṛthā vīra sthiro bhava

Look at your own deeds and at the family you were born into, Bharata. Rise up; do not give way to despair, hero; stand firm.

Verse 23 (5.74.23)

न चैतदनुरूपं ते यत्ते ग्लानिररिन्दम । यदोजसा न लभते क्षत्रियो न तदश्नुते ॥

na caitadanurūpaṃ te yatte glānirarindama | yadojasā na labhate kṣatriyo na tadaśnute

This faintness does not become you, subduer of enemies. What a kshatriya does not win by his own might, he does not enjoy.

Note on the text: Corrected तदश्रुते → तदश्नुते (misprint in Wikisource; श्र for श्न, critical edition tad aśnute).