अजगर पर्व — सर्पद्वारा भीमसेनको ग्रहण

Janamejaya said : O sage, why did the terribly powerful Bhima endued with the strength of ten thousand elephants entertain such a dreadful fear of that snake!

That tormentor of foes, who in a defiant spirit challenged even the son of Pulastya, the dispenser of wealth, to a single combat and who encountering the Yakshas and the Rakshasas at the lotus lake (of Kubera) destroyed them (wholesale) has been described by you as seized with fear and dismay. All this I am desirous of hearing; great indeed is my curiosity.

Vaishampayana said : Vrikodara wandering at pleasure armed with (his) bow and sword, beheld that delightful forest frequented by the celestials and the Gandharvas.

He then viewed those auspicious regions on the Himalaya mountains-frequented by the Devarshis and the Siddhas, inhabited by the Apsaras,

Ringing here and there with the rejoicing of the Chakora, Upachakra, Jivajivaka, Kokila (cuckoo) and Bhringaraja birds,

And abounding in numerous shady trees, always bearing fruits and flowers, soft owing to contact with snow and grateful to the mind and eye.

He viewed also mountain streamlets containing waters (white and cold) like snow, (sparkling and transparent) like the gem Vaidurya (lapis lazuli) and swarmed with ducks and Karandavas.

He also saw forests of Devadaru (pine) trees looking like a net for the clouds and also Tunga and Kaliyaka forests interspersed with yellow sandal trees.

And that exceedingly powerful (Pandava), wandering in the level and dry tracts of the mountain in pursuit of the game, pierced them with unvenomed darts.

In that forest, the renowned Bhimasena of great prowess and endued with the strength of a hundred elephants, killed (man) dreadful wild boars simply by brute force.

And the terribly-powerful Bhima of mighty arms, possessed of the strength of one hundred elephants and capable of encountering an equal number of men and of mighty prowess and strong as the lion or the tiger, killed in that forest many deer, boars and buffaloes.

(And he) uprooted and broke the trees with great violence, making the earth, the forests and the neighbouring places resound.

(And) the ever-proud and fearless Bhimasena not subject to decrepitude, crushing the summits of mountains, shouting, felling down the trees, filling the earth with his vociferation's, striking his arms, uttering loud shouts and clapping his hands roamed about in the woods with great violence again and again. Mighty elephants and powerful lions.

Terrified by the yells of Bhimasena, left their lairs through fear. At some places running, some sitting and at others resting.

(He), desirous of bagging games, wandered about fearlessly in that awfully terrible forest. And in that forest, the exceedingly powerful Bhimasena, valiant and strong as the tiger, roamed on foot like the dweller of woods. And the highly energetic and exceedingly powerful (Bhimasena), entering into that great forest, sent forth strange yells terrifying all the creatures. Then serpents, frightened at the shouts of Bhimasena, hid themselves in the caves.

(But he) overtaken them with speed, leisurely pursued them. Then the highly powerful Bhimasena, resembling the lord of the gods,

Saw a terrible-looking serpent of huge shape lie in a mountain fastness, covering the entire cave with its body.

Its gigantic frame was stretched out like a mountain; and it was possessed of enormous strength. Its skin was speckled with many spots and its colour was yellow.

It had a mouth wide as a cave and furnished with four teeth; its eyes were copper-coloured and glaring and it constantly licked the corners of its mouth.

It was a terror to all creatures and it looked like the (grim) destroyer; and by the hissing noise of its breath it seemed to reprimand (the intruder).

Seeing that, Bhima got so near to him, that goat-devouring serpent suddenly seized him forcibly into the gripe of its two arms.

And in consequence of the boon which the serpent had received, as soon as Bhimasena's body came in contact with that of the serpent, he lost his senses.

The strength of Bhimasena's arms, which by far the most exceeded that of others, was equal to the might of ten thousand elephants.

Thus subdued by the snake, even that energetic man trembled slowly and was unable to make any effort (to extricate himself).

And seized in the gripe (of the serpent) and charmed by the boon it had received, the leonine-shouldered and mighty armed (Bhima) lost his strength.

That hero tried his very best to extricate himself, but in way succeeded in overpowering it. no VYTAUS ".