(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 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.'"