युधिष्ठिर उवाच बलिनः पत्यमित्रस्य नित्यमासन्नवर्तिनः। उपकारापकाराभ्यां समर्थस्योद्यतस्य च॥ मोहाद् विकत्थनामात्रैरसारोऽल्पबलो लघुः। वाग्भिरप्रतिरूपाभिरभिद्रुह्य पितामह॥ आत्मनो बलमास्थाय कथं वर्तेत मानवः। आगच्छतोऽतिक्रुद्धस्य तस्योद्धरणरकाम्यया॥
Yudhishthira said If a weak, worthless and light-hearted person, O grandfather, does from folly excite, by improper and boastful words, a powerful enemy always living near him, capable of doing good and chastising and always ready for action, how should the former, relying on his own strength, act when the later proceeds against him in anger for extirpating him?
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। संवादं भरतश्रेष्ठ शाल्मले: पवनस्य च॥
Bhishma said-'Regarding it is cited, O chief of the Bharatas, the old discourse between Shalmali and Pavana.
हिमवन्तं समासाद्य महानासीद् वनस्पतिः। वर्षपूगाभिसंवृद्धः शाखी स्कन्धी पलाशवान्॥
There was a huge (Shalmali) tree on one of the peaks of Himavat. Having grown for many hundred years, he had spread out his branches wide around. His trunk also was huge and his twigs and leaves were numberless.
तत्र स्म मत्तमातङ्गा धर्मार्ताः श्रमकर्शिताः। विश्राम्यन्ति महाबाहो तथान्या मृगजातयः॥
Under his shade elephants, exhausted and covered with temporal juice and sweat, used to rest, and as also many other animals.
नल्वमात्रपरीणाहो घनच्छायो वनस्पतिः। सारिकाशुकसंजुष्टः पुष्पवान् फलवानपि॥
The circumference of his trunk was four hundred cubits, and the shade of his branches and leaves was dense. Laden with flowers and fruits, it was the abode of numberless parrots male and female.
सार्थिका वणिजश्चापि तापसाश्च वनौकसः। वसन्ति तत्र मार्गस्थाः सुरम्ये नगसत्तमे॥
While travelling, caravans of merchants and traders, and ascetics living in the forest, used to rest under the shade of that charming king of the forest.
तस्य ता विपुला: शाखा दृष्ट्वा स्कन्धं च सर्वशः। अभिगम्याब्रवीदेनं नारदो भरतर्षभ॥ अहो नु रमणीयस्त्वमहो चासि मनोहरः। प्रीयामहे त्वया नित्यं तरुप्रवर शाल्मले॥
One day, O foremost of Bharata's race, seeing the wide-extending and numberless branches of that tree and the circumference of his trunk, the sage Narada, approached and addressed him, saying,-O, you are delightful! O, you are charming! O foremost of trees, O Shalmali, I am always pleased to see you.
सदैव शकुनास्तात मृगाश्चाथ तथा गजाः। वसन्ति तव संहृष्टा मनोहर मनोहराः॥
O charming tree, beautiful birds of various kinds, and elephants and other animals gladly live on your branches and under their shade.
तव शाखा महाशाख स्कन्धांश्च विपुलांस्तथा। न वै प्रभग्नान् पश्यामि मारुतेन कथंचन॥
Your branches, O wide-branched king of the forest, are lofty and majestic as huge is your trunk! I never see any of them broken by the god of wind.
किं नु ते पवनस्तात प्रीतिमानथवा सुहृत्। त्वां रक्षति सदा येन वनेऽत्र पवनो ध्रुवम्॥
Is it, O child, because that Wind-god is pleased with you and is your friend so that he protects you always in these woods?
भगवान् पवन: स्थानाद् वृक्षानुच्चावचानपि। पर्वतानां च शिखराण्याचालयति वेगवान्॥
The illustrious Pavana of great speed and force unfixes the tallest and strongest trees, and even mountain summits.
शोषयत्येव पातालं वहन् गन्धवहः शुचिः। सरांसि सरितश्चैव सागरांश्च तथैव च।॥
That sacred carrier of perfumes, blowing at his pleasure dries up rivers, lakes and seas, including the very nether region.
संरक्षति त्वां पवनः सखित्वेन न संशयः। तस्मात् त्वं बहुशाखोऽपि पर्णवान् पुष्पवानपि॥
Forsooth, Pavana protects you out of friendship. It is, therefore, that, though possessed of numberless branches, you have still leaves and flowers.
इदं च रमणीयं ते प्रतिभाति वनस्पते। यदिमे विहगास्तात रमन्ते मुदितास्त्वयि॥
O king of the forest, this your hue is delightful since these birds, O child, filled with joy, sport on your twigs and branches.
एषा पृथक् समस्तानां श्रूयते मधुरस्वरः। पुष्पसम्मोदने काले वाशतां सुमनोहरम्॥
When you put forth your blossoms, the sweet notes of all these dwellers of your branches are heard separately when they sing their melodious songs.
तथेमे गर्जिता नागा: स्वयूथकुलशोभिताः। धर्मास्त्विां समासाद्य सुखं विन्दन्ति शाल्मले॥
Again, O Shalmali, these most beautiful elephants, bathed in sweat and indulging in cries (of joy), approach you and enjoy happiness here.
तथैव मृगजातीभिरन्याभिरभिशोभसे। तथा सर्वाधिवासैश्च शोभसे मेरुवद्रुम्॥
Similarly various other animals living in the woods, also adorn you. Indeed, O tree, you appear beautiful even like the mountains of Meru, peopled by all creatures.
ब्राह्मणैश्च तपःसिद्धेस्तापसैः श्रमणैस्तथा। त्रिविष्टपसमं मन्ये तवायतनमेव हि॥
Resorted to also by Brahmanas endued with ascetic success, by others engaged in penances, and by Yatis devoted to meditation this your region, I think, is like the celestial region itself.