Mahabharata 17.2: dvitīyo'dhyāyaḥ

17.2.1

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
tataste niyatātmāna udīcīṃ diśamāsthitāḥ |
dadṛśuryogayuktāśca himavantaṃ mahāgirim || 1 ||

Vaishampayana said: "Those princes of restrained souls and devoted to Yoga, proceeding to the north, beheld Himavat, that very large mountain. Crossing the Himavat, they beheld a vast desert of sand. They then saw the mighty mountain Meru, the foremost of all high-peaked mountains. As those mighty ones were proceeding quickly, all rapt in Yoga, Yajnaseni, falling of from Yoga, dropped down on the Earth. Beholding her fallen down, Bhimasena of great strength addressed king Yudhishthira the just, saying, ‘O scorcher of foes, this princess never did any sinful act. Tell us what the cause is for which Krishna has fallen down on the Earth!’

17.2.2

taṃ cāpyatikramantaste dadṛśurvālukārṇavam |
avaikṣanta mahāśailaṃ meruṃ śikhariṇāṃ varam || 2 ||

17.2.3

teṣāṃ tu gacchatāṃ śīghraṃ sarveṣāṃ yogadharmiṇām |
yājñasenī bhraṣṭayogā nipapāta mahītale || 3 ||

17.2.4

tāṃ tu prapatitāṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ |
uvāca dharmarājānaṃ yājñasenīmavekṣya ha || 4 ||

17.2.5

nādharmaścaritaḥ kaścidrājaputryā paraṃtapa |
kāraṇaṃ kiṃ nu tadrājanyatkṛṣṇā patitā bhuvi || 5 ||

17.2.6

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
pakṣapāto mahānasyā viśeṣeṇa dhanaṃjaye |
tasyaitatphalamadyaiṣā bhuṅkte puruṣasattama || 6 ||

"Yudhishthira said: ‘O best of men, though we were all equal unto her she had great partiality for Dhananjaya. She obtains the fruit of that conduct today, O best of men.’"

17.2.7

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
evamuktvānavekṣyaināṃ yayau dharmasuto nṛpaḥ |
samādhāya mano dhīmāndharmātmā puruṣarṣabhaḥ || 7 ||

Vaishampayana continued: "Having said this, that foremost one of Bharata’s race proceeded on. Of righteous soul, that foremost of men, endued with great intelligence, went on, with mind intent on itself. Then Sahadeva of great learning fell down on the Earth. Beholding him drop down, Bhima addressed the king, saying, ‘He who with great humility used to serve us all, alas, why is that son of Madravati fallen down on the Earth?’

17.2.8

sahadevastato dhīmānnipapāta mahītale |
taṃ cāpi patitaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīmo rājānamabravīt || 8 ||

17.2.9

yo'yamasmāsu sarveṣu śuśrūṣuranahaṃkṛtaḥ |
so'yaṃ mādravatīputraḥ kasmānnipatito bhuvi || 9 ||

17.2.10

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
ātmanaḥ sadṛśaṃ prājñaṃ naiṣo'manyata kaṃcana |
tena doṣeṇa patitastasmādeṣa nṛpātmajaḥ || 10 ||

"Yudhishthira said, ‘He never thought anybody his equal in wisdom. It is for that fault that this prince has fallen down.’

17.2.11

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
ityuktvā tu samutsṛjya sahadevaṃ yayau tadā |
bhrātṛbhiḥ saha kaunteyaḥ śunā caiva yudhiṣṭhiraḥ || 11 ||

Vaishampayana continued: "Having said this, the king proceeded, leaving Sahadeva there. Indeed, Kunti’s son Yudhishthira went on, with his brothers and with the dog. Beholding both Krishna and the Pandava Sahadeva fallen down, the brave Nakula, whose love for kinsmen was very great, fell down himself. Upon the falling down of the heroic Nakula of great personal beauty, Bhima once more addressed the king, saying, ‘This brother of ours who was endued with righteousness without incompleteness, and who always obeyed our behests, this Nakula who was unrivalled for beauty, has fallen down.’

17.2.12

kṛṣṇāṃ nipatitāṃ dṛṣṭvā sahadevaṃ ca pāṇḍavam |
ārto bandhupriyaḥ śūro nakulo nipapāta ha || 12 ||

17.2.13

tasminnipatite vīre nakule cārudarśane |
punareva tadā bhīmo rājānamidamabravīt || 13 ||

17.2.14

yo'yamakṣatadharmātmā bhrātā vacanakārakaḥ |
rūpeṇāpratimo loke nakulaḥ patito bhuvi || 14 ||

17.2.15

ityukto bhīmasenena pratyuvāca yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
nakulaṃ prati dharmātmā sarvabuddhimatāṃ varaḥ || 15 ||

"Thus addressed by Bhimasena, Yudhishthira, said, with respect to Nakula, these words: ‘He was of righteous soul and the foremost of all persons endued with intelligence. He, however, thought that there was nobody that equalled him in beauty of person. Indeed, he regarded himself as superior to all in that respect. It is for this that Nakula has fallen down. Know this, O Vrikodara. What has been ordained for a person, O hero, must have to be endured by him.’

17.2.16

rūpeṇa matsamo nāsti kaścidityasya darśanam |
adhikaścāhamevaika ityasya manasi sthitam || 16 ||

17.2.17

nakulaḥ patitastasmādāgaccha tvaṃ vṛkodara |
yasya yadvihitaṃ vīra so'vaśyaṃ tadupāśnute || 17 ||

17.2.18

tāṃstu prapatitāndṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavaḥ śvetavāhanaḥ |
papāta śokasaṃtaptastato'nu paravīrahā || 18 ||

"Beholding Nakula and the others fall down, Pandu’s son Arjuna of white steeds, that slayer of hostile heroes, fell down in great grief of heart. When that foremost of men, who was endued with the energy of Shakra, had fallen down, indeed, when that invincible hero was on the point of death, Bhima said unto the king, ‘I do not recollect any untruth uttered by this high-souled one. Indeed, not even in jest did he say anything false. What then is that for whose evil consequence this one has fallen down on the Earth?’

17.2.19

tasmiṃstu puruṣavyāghre patite śakratejasi |
mriyamāṇe durādharṣe bhīmo rājānamabravīt || 19 ||

17.2.20

anṛtaṃ na smarāmyasya svaireṣvapi mahātmanaḥ |
atha kasya vikāro'yaṃ yenāyaṃ patito bhuvi || 20 ||

17.2.21

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
ekāhnā nirdaheyaṃ vai śatrūnityarjuno'bravīt |
na ca tatkṛtavāneṣa śūramānī tato'patat || 21 ||

"Yudhishthira said, ‘Arjuna had said that he would consume all our foes in a single day. Proud of his heroism, he did not, however, accomplish what he had said. Hence has he fallen down. This Phalguna disregarded all wielders of bows. One desirous of prosperity should never indulge in such sentiments.’"

17.2.22

avamene dhanurgrāhāneṣa sarvāṃśca phalgunaḥ |
yathā coktaṃ tathā caiva kartavyaṃ bhūtimicchatā || 22 ||

17.2.23

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
ityuktvā prasthito rājā bhīmo'tha nipapāta ha |
patitaścābravīdbhīmo dharmarājaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram || 23 ||

Vaishampayana continued: "Having said so, the king proceeded on. Then Bhima fell down. Having fallen down, Bhima addressed king Yudhishthira the just, saying, ‘O king, behold, I who am thy darling have fallen down. For what reason have I dropped down? Tell me if thou knowest it.’

17.2.24

bho bho rājannavekṣasva patito'haṃ priyastava |
kiṃnimittaṃ ca patanaṃ brūhi me yadi vettha ha || 24 ||

17.2.25

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
atibhuktaṃ ca bhavatā prāṇena ca vikatthase |
anavekṣya paraṃ pārtha tenāsi patitaḥ kṣitau || 25 ||

"Yudhishthira said, ‘Thou wert a great eater, and thou didst use to boast of thy strength. Thou never didst attend, O Bhima, to the wants of others while eating. It is for that, O Bhima, that thou hast fallen down.’

17.2.26

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
ityuktvā taṃ mahābāhurjagāmānavalokayan |
śvā tveko'nuyayau yaste bahuśaḥ kīrtito mayā || 26 ||

"Having said these words, the mighty-armed Yudhishthira proceeded on, without looking back. He had only one companion, the dog of which I have repeatedly spoken to thee, that followed him now.