इतः प्रयाता राजेन्द्र पाण्डवा द्यूतनिर्जिताः ॥
जग्मुस् त्रिभिर् अहोरात्रैः काम्यकं नाम तद् वनम् ॥
रात्रौ निशीथे स्वाभीले गते ऽर्धसमये नृप ॥
प्रचारे पुरुषादानां रक्षसां भीमकर्मणाम् ॥
तद् वनं तापसा नित्यं शेषाश् च वनचारिणः ॥
दूरात् परिहरन्ति स्म पुरुषादभयात् किल ॥
तेषां प्रविशतां तत्र मार्गम् आवृत्य भारत ॥
दीप्ताक्षं भीषणं रक्षः सोल्मुकं प्रत्यदृश्यत ॥
बाहू महान्तौ कृत्वा तु तथास्यं च भयानकम् ॥
स्थितम् आवृत्य पन्थानं येन यान्ति कुरूद्वहाः ॥
दष्टोष्ठदंष्ट्रं ताम्राक्षं प्रदीप्तोर्ध्वशिरोरुहम् ॥
सार्करश्मितडिच्चक्रं सबलाकम् इवाम्बुदम् ॥
सृजन्तं राक्षसीं मायां महारावविराविणम् ॥
मुञ्चन्तं विपुलं नादं सतोयम् इव तोयदम् ॥
तस्य नादेन संत्रस्ताः पक्षिणः सर्वतोदिशम् ॥
विमुक्तनादाः संपेतुः स्थलजा जलजैः सह ॥
संप्रद्रुतमृगद्वीपिमहिषर्क्षसमाकुलम् ॥
तद् वनं तस्य नादेन संप्रस्थितम् इवाभवत् ॥
तस्योरुवाताभिहता ताम्रपल्लवबाहवः ॥
विदूरजाताश् च लताः समाश्लिष्यन्त पादपान् ॥
तस्मिन् क्षणे ऽथ प्रववौ मारुतो भृशदारुणः ॥
रजसा संवृतं तेन नष्टर्ष्कम् अभवन् नभः ॥
पञ्चानां पाण्डुपुत्राणाम् अविज्ञातो महारिपुः ॥
पञ्चानाम् इन्द्रियाणां तु शोकवेग इवातुलः ॥
itaḥ prayātā rājendra pāṇḍavā dyūtanirjitāḥ ||
jagmus tribhir ahorātraiḥ kāmyakaṃ nāma tad vanam ||
rātrau niśīthe svābhīle gate 'rdhasamaye nṛpa ||
pracāre puruṣādānāṃ rakṣasāṃ bhīmakarmaṇām ||
tad vanaṃ tāpasā nityaṃ śeṣāś ca vanacāriṇaḥ ||
dūrāt pariharanti sma puruṣādabhayāt kila ||
teṣāṃ praviśatāṃ tatra mārgam āvṛtya bhārata ||
dīptākṣaṃ bhīṣaṇaṃ rakṣaḥ solmukaṃ pratyadṛśyata ||
bāhū mahāntau kṛtvā tu tathāsyaṃ ca bhayānakam ||
sthitam āvṛtya panthānaṃ yena yānti kurūdvahāḥ ||
daṣṭoṣṭhadaṃṣṭraṃ tāmrākṣaṃ pradīptordhvaśiroruham ||
sārkaraśmitaḍiccakraṃ sabalākam ivāmbudam ||
sṛjantaṃ rākṣasīṃ māyāṃ mahārāvavirāviṇam ||
muñcantaṃ vipulaṃ nādaṃ satoyam iva toyadam ||
tasya nādena saṃtrastāḥ pakṣiṇaḥ sarvatodiśam ||
vimuktanādāḥ saṃpetuḥ sthalajā jalajaiḥ saha ||
saṃpradrutamṛgadvīpimahiṣarkṣasamākulam ||
tad vanaṃ tasya nādena saṃprasthitam ivābhavat ||
tasyoruvātābhihatā tāmrapallavabāhavaḥ ||
vidūrajātāś ca latāḥ samāśliṣyanta pādapān ||
tasmin kṣaṇe 'tha pravavau māruto bhṛśadāruṇaḥ ||
rajasā saṃvṛtaṃ tena naṣṭarṣkam abhavan nabhaḥ ||
pañcānāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇām avijñāto mahāripuḥ ||
pañcānām indriyāṇāṃ tu śokavega ivātulaḥ ||
Vidura said: "The Pandavas, defeated at dice, departed from here and in three days and nights reached the forest of Kamyaka. At night, in the dreadful midnight hour, when man-eaters and rakshasas of terrible deeds roam abroad, they entered that forest which ascetics and forest-dwellers avoided from afar out of fear of the man-eater. Then before them, blocking the path, appeared a terrible rakshasa with blazing eyes and a burning firebrand. He spread his huge arms, opened his dreadful mouth, and stood in the road of the Kurus. With bitten lips and fangs, copper-eyed, his hair blazing and upstanding, he was like a thundercloud with rays, lightning, and white flashes. He wove rakshasa illusion and roared like a rain-laden cloud. At his roar the birds scattered crying in every direction, the deer, leopards, buffaloes, and bears fled, and the whole forest seemed to shudder into motion. A dreadful wind raised the dust, the sky grew starless, and before the five sons of Pandu stood an unknown, mighty enemy, like an irresistible surge of grief assailing the five senses."
518008954644 · published Jul 16, 2026, 4:44:34 PM UTC
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The description of Kirmira does more than frighten. He appears as a knot of night, illusion, and fear on the exiles' path. But it is precisely here that we see the Pandavas carry with them not only weapons but an inner order: the chaos of the forest must meet dharma.