धृतराष्ट्र उवाच यदिदं धर्मगहनं बुद्ध्या समनुगम्यते। तद्धि विस्तरतः सर्वं बुद्धिमार्ग प्रशंस मे॥
Dhritarashtra said Describ: fully to me the ways of that intelligence by which this wilderness of duties may be safely crossed.
विदुर उवाच अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि नमस्कृत्वा स्वयंभुवे। यथा संसारगहनं वदन्ति परमर्षयः॥
Vidura said “Having saluted the Self-create, I will obey your command by telling, you how the great sages speak of the wilderness of life.
कश्चिन्महति कान्तारे वर्तमानो द्विजः किल। महद् दुर्गमनुप्राप्तो वनं क्रव्यादसंकुलम्॥
A cretin Brahmana, living in the great world, found himself on one occasion in a large inaccessible forest abounding with beasts of prey.
सिंहव्याघ्रगजौघैरतिघोरं महास्यनैः। पिशितादैरतिभयैर्महोग्राकृतिभिस्तथा॥ समन्तात् संपरिक्षिप्तं यत् स्म दृष्ट्वा त्रसेद् यमः।
It was full of lions and tigers and other animals looking like elephants, all of which were roaring aloud. Such was the view of that forest that Yama himself would be frightened.
तदस्य दृष्ट्वा हृदयमुद्वेगमगमत् परम्॥ अभ्युच्छयश्च रोम्णां वै विक्रियाच परंतप।
Seeing the forest, the heart of the Brahmana was greatly agitated. His hairs stood erect, and other signs of fear manifested themselves, O destroyer of enemies.
स तद् वनं व्यनुसरन् सम्प्रधावन्नितस्ततः॥ वीक्षमाणो दिशः सर्वाः शरणं व भवेदिति।
Entering it, he began to run hither and thither, looking every side for finding out somebody whose shelter he might seek.
स तेषां छिद्रमन्विच्छन् प्रद्रुतो भयपीडितः॥ न च निर्याति वै दूरं न वा तैर्विप्रमोच्यते।
Wishing to avoid those terrible creatures, he ran about in fear. He could not go far away from them or free himself from their presence.
अथापश्यद् वनं घोरं समन्ताद् वागरावृतम्॥ बाहुभ्यां सम्परिक्षिप्त स्त्रिया परमघोरया।
He then saw that terrible forest was surrounded with a net, and that a dreadful woman stood there, stretching her arms.
पञ्चशीर्षधरै गैः शैलैरिव समुन्नतैः॥ नभःस्पृशैर्महावृक्षः परिक्षिप्तं महावनम्।
That large forest was also beset with many five-headed snakes of dreadful forms, tall as mountain summits touching the very sky.
वनमध्ये च तत्राभूदुदपानः समावृतः॥ वल्लीभिस्तृणछन्नाभिर्दूढाभिरभिसंवृतः।
Within it was a pit whose mouth was covered with many hard and strong creepers and herbs.
पपात स द्विजस्तत्र निगूढे सलिलाशये।॥ विलग्नश्चाभवत् तस्मिन् लतासंतानसंकुले। पनसस्य यथा जातं वृन्तवद्धं महाफलम्॥ स तथा लम्बते तत्र रार्ध्वपादो ह्यधःशिराः।
While wandering the Brahmana dropped into that invisible pit. He was entangled in those creepers that were interwoven with one another, like the large fruit of a jack tree hanging by its stalk. He remained there hanging with feet upwards and head downwards.
अथ तत्रापि चान्योऽस्य भूयो जात उपद्रवः॥ कूपमध्ये महानागमपश्यत महाबलम्।
While in that state, he was visited by various other calamities. He saw a large and mighty snake within the pit. He also saw a gigantic elephant near its mouth.
कूपवीनाहवेलायामपश्यत महागजम् ॥ षड्वक्त्रं कृष्णशुक्लं च द्विषट्कपदचारिणम्।
The elephant, was dark coloured and had six faces and twelve feet. And the animal gradually approached that pit overgrown with creepers and trees.
क्रमेण परिसर्पन्तं वल्लीवृक्षसमावृतम्॥ तस्य चापि प्रशाखासु वृक्षशाखावलम्बिनः। नानारूपा मधुकरा घोररूपा भयावहाः॥ आसते मधु संवृत्य पूर्वमेव निकेतजाः।
About the twigs of the tree which was at the mouth of the pit. moved about many bees of dreadful forms, engaged from before in drinking the honey gathered in their comb.
भूयो भूयः समीहन्ते मधूनि भरतर्षभ॥ स्वादनीयानि भूतानां यैर्बालो विप्रकृष्यते।
They repeatedly desired, O foremost of Bharata's race, to taste that honey which though sweet to all creatures could, however, attract children only. was not
तत्रैव च मनुष्यस्य तेषां मधूनां बहुधा धारा प्रस्रवते तदा॥ आलम्बमानः स पुमान् धारां पिबति सर्वदा।
The honey (in the comb) fell in many gets below. The person who was hanging in the pit continually drank those jets.
न चास्य तृष्णा विरता पिबमानस्य संकटे॥ अभीप्सति तदा नित्यमतृप्तः स पुनः पुनः।
Drinking that honey in such a pitiable condition, his thirst, however, appeased. Unsatiated with repeatedly drinking the same the person desired for more.
न चास्य जीविते राजन् निर्वेदः समजायत॥ जीविताशा प्रतिष्ठिता। कृष्णाः श्वेताश्च तं वृक्षं कुट्टयन्ति च मूषिकाः॥
Even then, O king, he could not give up hopes of life. Still, the man expected to live. A number of black and white rates were eating away the roots of that tree.
व्यालैश्च वनदुर्गान्ते स्त्रिया च परमोग्रया। कूपाधस्ताच नागेन वीनाहे कुञ्जरेण च॥ वृक्षप्रपाताच भयं मूषिकेभ्यश्च पञ्चमम्। मधुलोभान्मधुकरैः षष्ठमाहुर्महद् भयम्॥
There was fear from the beasts of prey, from that dreadful woman on the outskirts of that forest, from that snake at the bottom of the well, from that elephant near its top, from the fall of the tree brought about by the rats, and lastly from those bees flying about for drinking the honey.
एवं स वसते तत्र क्षिप्तः संसारसागरे। न चैव जीविताशायां निर्वेदमुपगच्छति॥
He lived in that condition, deprived of his senses, in that forest, never losing at any time the hope of continuing his life.”