Stri Parva

हिन्दी अर्थ

कुत्सितेनाभ्युपायेन निधनं समवाप्स्यसि उवाच देवीं गान्धारीमीषदशभ्युत्स्मयन्निव

English

"Saudasa said, This my present condition is intolerable. I do not behold any refuge. Knowing this to be my wish, do thou give away the jewelled ear-rings.' l Thus addressed by the king, Utanka went back to the queen and reported to her the words of her lord. Hearing those words, the queen gave unto Utanka her jewelled ear-rings. Having obtained the ear-rings, Utanka came back to the king and said unto him, 'I desire to hear, O monarch, what the import is of those mysterious words Which thou saidst as a sign to "Saudasa said, 'Kshatriyas are seen to honour the Brahmanas from the very beginning of the creation. Towards the Brahmanas, however, many offences arise (on the part of Kshatriyas). As regards myself, I am always bent in humility before them. I am overtaken by a calamity through a Brahmana. Possessed of Madayanti, I do not see any other refuge. Indeed, O foremost of all persons having of a high goal, I do not behold any other refuge for myself in the matter of approaching the gates of Heaven, or in continuing here, O best of regenerate ones. It is impossible for a king that is hostile to Brahmanas to continue living in this world or in attaining to happiness in the next. Hence have I given thee these my jewelled ear-rings which were coveted by thee. 2 Do thou now keep the compact which thou hast made with me today.' "Utanka said, 'O king, I shall certainly act according to my promise. I shall truly come back and place myself under thy power. There is, however, a question, O scorcher of foes, which I wish to ask thee.' "Saudasa said, 'Say, O learned Brahmana, what is in thy mind. I shall certainly reply unto thy words. I shall dispel whatever doubt may be in thy mind. I have no hesitation in this.' "Utanka said, 'Those who are skilled in the rules of duty say that Brahmanas are of restrained speech. One who behaves wrongly towards friends is regarded as vile as a thief.' 1 Thou, again, O king, hast become my friend today. Do thou then, O foremost of men, give me such counsel as is approved by the wise. As regards myself, I have now obtained the fruition of my wishes. Thou, again, art a cannibal. Is it proper for me to come back to thee or not?' "Saudasa said, 'If it is proper (for me), O foremost of superior Brahmanas, to say what thou askest, I should then, O best of regenerate ones, tell thee that thou shouldst never come back to me. O perpetuator of Bhrigu's race, by acting even thus, thou wilt attain to what is beneficial to thee. If thou comest back, O learned Brahmana, thou wilt surely meet with death.' " Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by the intelligent king in respect of what was beneficial for him. Utanka took leave of the monarch and set out for the presence of Ahalya. Desirous of doing what was agreeable to the wife of his preceptor, he took the ear-rings with him and set out with great speed for reaching the retreat of Gautama. Protecting them even in the manner directed by Madayanti, that is, binding them within the folds of his black deer-skin, he proceeded on his way. After he had proceeded for some distance, he became afflicted by hunger. He there beheld a Vilwa tree bent down with the weight of (ripe) fruits. 2 He climbed that tree. Causing his deer-skin, O chastiser of foes, to hang on a branch, that foremost of regenerate persons then began to pluck some fruits. While he was employed in plucking those fruits with eyes directed towards them, some of them fell, O king, on that deerskin in which those ear-rings had been carefully tied by that foremost of Brahmanas. With the strokes of the fruits, the knot became untied. Suddenly that deer-skin, with the ear-rings in it, fell down. When the knot being unfastened, the deer-skin fell down on the ground, a snake who was there beheld those jewelled ear-rings. That snake belonged to the race of Airavata. With great promptness he took up the ear-rings in his mouth and then entered an anthill. Beholding the ear-rings taken away by that snake, Utanka, filled with wrath and in great anxiety of mind, came down from the tree. Taking his staff he began to pierce that anthill. That best of Brahmanas, burning with wrath and the desire for revenge, ceaselessly employed himself for five and thirty days in that task. The goddess Earth, unable to bear the force of Utanka's walking staff and with body torn therewith, became exceedingly anxious. Unto that regenerate Rishi then, who continued to dig the Earth from desire of making a path to the nether regions inhabited by the Nagas, the chief of the celestials, armed with the thunder, came there, on his car drawn by green horses. Endued with great energy, he beheld that foremost of Brahmanas, as he sat there engaged in his task.' "Vaisampayana continued, 'Assuming the garb of a Brahmana afflicted with the sorrow of Utanka, the chief of the celestials addressed him, saying, 'This (purpose of thine) is incapable of being achieved. The regions of the Nagas are thousands of Yojanas removed from this place. I think that thy purpose is not capable of being achieved with thy walking staff.'

हिन्दी अर्थ

हैवादेव विनश्यन्ति वृष्णयो नात्र संशय:

English

"Utanka said, 'If, O Brahmana, the ear-rings be not recovered by me from the regions of the Nagas, I shall cast off my life-breaths before thy eyes, O foremost of regenerate persons!' "Vaisampayana said, 'When the thunder-armed Indra failed to divert Utanka from his purpose, he united the latter's walking staff with the force of thunder. Then, O Janamejaya, the Earth, opening with those strokes having the force of thunder, yielded a way to the (nether) regions inhabited by the Nagas. By that path Utanka entered the world of Nagas. He saw that that region lay extended thousands of Yojanas on all sides. Indeed, O blessed one, it was equipt with many walls made of pure gold and decked with jewels and gems. There were many fine tanks of water furnished with flights of stair-cases made of pure crystal, and many rivers of clear and transparent water. He saw also many trees with diverse species of birds perching on them. That perpetuator of Bhrigu's race behold the gate of that region which was full five Yojanas high and a hundred Yojanas in width. Beholding the region of the Nagas, Utanka became very cheerless. Indeed, he, despaired of getting back the earrings. Then there appeared unto him a black steed with a white tail. His face and eyes were of a coppery hue, O thou of Kuru's race, and he seemed to blaze forth with energy. Addressing Utanka, he said, 'Do thou blow into the Apana duct of my body. Thou wilt then, O learned Brahmana, get back thy ear-rings which have been taken away by a descendant of Airavata's race ! Do not loathe to do my bidding, O son. Thou didst it often at the retreat of Gautama in former days.' "Utanka said, 'How did I know thee in the retreat of my preceptor? Indeed, I wish to hear how I did in those days what thou biddest me do now.' "The steed said, 'Know, O learned Brahmana, that I am the preceptor of thy preceptor, for I am the blazing Jatavedas (deity of fire). By thee I was often worshipped for the sake of thy preceptor, O child of Bhrigu's race, duly and with a pure heart and body. For that reason I shall accomplish what is for thy good. Do my bidding without delay.' Thus addressed by the deity of fire, Utanka did as he was directed. The deity then, gratified with him, blazed up for consuming everything. From the pores of his body, O Bharata, in consequence of his very nature, a thick smoke issued threatening terrors to the world of Nagas. With that mighty and wide-spreading smoke, O Bharata, everything became enveloped in gloom, so that nothing, O king, could any longer be seen in the world of the Nagas. Cries of woe were heard throughout the mansions of the Airavatas, uttered by the Nagas headed by Vasuki, O Janamejaya. Enveloped by that smoke, the palaces could no longer be seen, O Bharata. These resembled woods and hill overwhelmed by a thick forest. With eyes that were red in consequence of that smoke, and afflicted by the energy of the deity of fire, the Nagas came out of their mansions to the high-souled son of Bhrigu's race for ascertaining what was the matter. Having heard what the matter was from that ascetic of immeasurable energy, all the Nagas, with fear depicted on their eyes, offered him their worship according to due forms. Indeed, all the Nagas placing the old and the young one's before them, bowed unto him with their heads and joining their hands addressed him, saying, 'Be gratified with us, O holy one!' Having gratified that Brahmana and offered him water to wash his feet and the ingredients of the Arghya (for honouring him), the Nagas gave him those celestial and highly-adored ear-rings. Thus honoured by them, Utanka of great prowess, circumambulating the deity of fire, started for the retreat of his preceptor. Indeed, repairing quickly to Gautama's asylum, O king, he presented those ear-rings unto the wife of his preceptor, O sinless one. That best of Brahmanas also told his preceptor everything about Vasuki and the other Nagas that had occurred. It was even thus, O Janamejaya, that the high-souled Utanka, having wandered through the three worlds, fetched those jewelled ear-rings (for his preceptor's wife). Of such prowess, O chief of Bharata's race, was the ascetic Utanka. So austere were the penances with which he was endued. I have thus told thee what thou hadst asked me.'" allusion. The sense is this: cursed by Vasishtha, I have become a cannibal. My condition is intolerable. By this gift of the ear-rings to a deserving Brahmana, much merit may arise. That merit may relieve me. only refuge. She may save him by doing an act or special merit, viz., giving away her costly ear-rings to a truly deserving Brahmana. word to thee about my return, thou mayst be sure that I would keep my word. One, again, that acts improperly towards a friend, comes to be regarded as a thief. By this, Utanka reminds the king that he should not inflict any wrong on him by carrying out his intention of eating him up.

हिन्दी अर्थ

अवध्यास्ते नरैरन्यैरपि वा देवदानवै: बभूवुर्भुशसंविग्ना निराशाश्चापि जीविते

English

"Janamejaya said, 'After having conferred that boon on Utanka, O foremost of regenerate persons, what did the mighty-armed Govinda of great celebrity next do?' "Vaisampayana said, 'Having granted that boon to Utanka, Govinda, accompanied by Satyaki, proceeded to Dwaraka on his car drawn by his large steeds endued with great speed. Passing many lakes and rivers and forests and hills, he at last came upon the delightful city of Dwaravati. It was at the time, O king, when the festival of Raivataka had begun, that he of eyes like lotus-petals arrived with Satyaki as his companion. Adorned with many beautiful things and covered with diverse Koshas made of jewels and gems, the Raivataka hill shone, O king, with great splendour. That high mountain, decked with excellent garlands of gold and gay festoons of flowers, with many large trees that looked like the Kalpa trees of Indra's garden, and with many golden poles on which were lighted lamps, shone in beauty through day and night. By the caves and fountains the light was so great that it seemed to be broad day. On all sides beautiful flags waved on the air with little bells that jingled continuously. The entire hill resounded with the melodious songs of men and women. Raivataka presented a most charming prospect like Mem with all his jewels and gems. Men and women, excited and filled with delight, O Bharata, sang aloud. The swell of music that thus rose from that foremost of mountains seemed to touch the very heavens. Everywhere were heard spouts and loud whoops of men who were in all stages of excitement. The cackle of thousands of voices made that mountain delightful and charming. It was adorned with many shops and stalls filled with diverse viands and enjoyable articles. There were heaps of cloths and garlands, and the music of Vinas and flutes and Mridangas was heard everywhere. Food mixed with wines of diverse kinds was stored here and there. Gifts were being ceaselessly made to those that were distressed, or blind, or helpless. In consequence of all this, the festival of that mountain became highly auspicious. There were many sacred abodes built on the breast of that mountain, O hero, within which resided many men of righteous deeds. Even thus did the heroes of Vrishni's race sport in that festival of Raivataka. Equipt with those mansions, that mountain shone like a second Heaven. At the arrival of Krishna, O chief of Bharata's race, that prince of mountains resembled the blessed abode of Indra himself. Worshipped (by his relatives), Krishna then entered a beautiful mansion. Satyaki also went to his own quarters with a delighted soul. Govinda entered his residence after a long absence, having accomplished feats of great difficulty like Vasava amid the Danava host. The heroes of the Bhoja, Vrishni, and Andhaka races, all came forward to receive that high- souled one like the deities advancing to receive him of a hundred sacrifices. Endued with great intelligence, he honoured them in return and enquired after their welfare. With a gratified heart he then saluted his father and mother. The mighty-armed hero was embraced by both of them and comforted too (by numerous evidences of affection). He then took his seat with all the Vrishnis sitting around him. Having washed his feet and dispelled his fatigue, Krishna of mighty energy, as he sat there, then recounted the chief incidents of the great battle in answer to the questions put to him by his sire.'" " Vasudeva said, 'O thou of Vrishni's race, I have repeatedly heard men speaking of the wonderful battle (between the Kurus and the Pandavas). Thou, however, O mighty-armed one, hast witnessed it with thy own eyes. Do thou, therefore, O sinless one, describe the battle in detail. Indeed, tell me how that battle took place between the high-souled Pandavas (on the one side) and Bhishma and Kama and Kripa and Drona and Salya and others (on the other side), between, in fact, numerous other Kshatriyas well- skilled in aims, differing from one another in mien and attire, and hailing from diverse realms " Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by his sire, he of eyes like lotus-petals narrated, in the presence of his mother also, how the Kaurava heroes had been slain in battle.' "Vasudeva said, 'The feats were highly wonderful that were achieved by those high-souled Kshatriyas. In consequence of their large number, they are incapable of being enumerated in even hundreds of years. I shall however, mention only the foremost of them. Do thou listen, therefore, to me as I mention in brief those feats achieved by the kings of Earth. O thou of godlike splendour. Bhishma of Kuru's race became the generalissimo, having eleven divisions of the Kaurava princes under his command, like Vasava of the celestial forces, l Sikhandin of great intelligence, protected by the blessed Arjuna, became the leader of the seven divisions of the sons of Pandu. The battle between the Kurus and the Pandavas (under these leaders) raged for ten days. It was so fierce as to make one's hair stand on its end. Then Sikhandin, in great battle, aided by the wielder of Gandiva, slew, with innumerable arrows, the son of Ganga fighting bravely. Lying on a bed of arrows, Bhishma waited like an ascetic till the sun leaving his southward path entered on his northerly course when that hero gave up his life-breaths. Then Drona, that foremost of all persons conversant with arms, that greatest of men under Duryodhana, like Kavya himself of the lord of the Daityas, became generalissimo. 2 That foremost of regenerate persons, ever boasting of his prowess in battle, was supported by the remnant of the Kaurava force consisting then of nine Akshauhinis, and protected by Kripa and Vrisha and others. Dhrishtadyumna conversant with many mighty weapons, and possessed of great intelligence, became the leader of the Pandavas. He was protected by Bhima like Varuna protected by Mitra. That high-souled hero, always desirous of measuring his strength with Drona, supported by the (remnant of the) Pandava army, and recollecting the wrongs inflicted (by Drona) on his sire (Drupada, the king of the Panchalas), achieved great feats in battle. In that encounter between Drona and the son of Prishata, the kings, assembled from diverse realms were nearly exterminated. That furious battle lasted for five days. At the conclusion of that period, Drona, exhausted, succumbed to Dhrishtadyumna . After that, Kama became the generalissimo of Duryodhana's forces. He was supported in battle by the remnant of the Kaurava host which numbered five Akshauhinis. Of the sons of Pandu there were then three Akshauhinis. After the slaughter of innumerable heroes, protected by Arjuna, they came to battle. The Suta's son Kama, though a fierce warrior, encountering Partha, came to his end on the second day, like an insect encountering a blazing fire. After the fall of Kama, the Kauravas became dispirited and lost all energy. Numbering three Akshauhinis, they gathered round the ruler of the Madras. Having lost many car-warriors and elephants and horsemen, the remnant of the Pandava army, numbering one Akshauhini and penetrated with cheerlessness, supported Yudhishthira (as their leader). The king Yudhishthira, in the battle that ensued, achieved the most difficult feats and slew, before half the day was over, the king of the Madras. After the fall of Salya, the high-souled Sahadeva of immeasurable prowess slew Sakuni, the man who had brought about the quarrel (between the Pandavas and the Kurus). After the fall of Sakuni, the royal son of Dhritarashtra, whose army had suffered an extensive carnage and who on that account had become exceedingly cheerless, fled from the field, armed with his mace. Then Bhimasena of great prowess, filled with wrath, pursued him and discovered him within the waters of the Dwaipayana lake. With the remnant of their army, the Pandavas surrounded the lake and, filled with joy, encountered Duryodhana concealed within the waters. Their wordy shafts, penetrating through the waters, pierced Duryodhana. Rising up from the lake, the latter approached the Pandavas, armed with his mace, desirous of battle. Then, in the great battle that ensued, the royal son of Dhritarashtra was slain by Bhimasena who put forth his great prowess, in the presence of many kings. After this the remnant of the Pandava army, as it slept in the camp, was slaughtered at night time by Drona's son who was unable to put up with the slaughter of his father (at the hands of Dhrishtadyumna). Their sons slain, their forces slain, only the five sons of Pandu are alive with myself and Yuyudhana. With Kripa and the Bhoja prince Kritavarman, the son of Drona represents the unslain remnant of the Kaurava army. Dhritarashtra's son Yuyutsu also escaped slaughter in consequence of his having adopted the side of the Pandavas. Upon the slaughter of the Kaurava king (Duryodhana) with all his followers and allies, Vidura and Sanjaya have come to the presence of king Yudhishthira the just. Even thus did that battle occur, O lord, for eight and ten days. Many kings of Earth, slain therein, have ascended to Heaven.' " Vaisampayana continued, 'The Vrishnis, as they heard, O king, that dreadful account became filled with grief and sorrow and pain.'

हिन्दी अर्थ

तवैव हापराधेन कुरवो निधन गता: अपराधसे कौरवोंका विनाश हुआ है

English

son of Dhritarashtra, in the capital, they set out, worshipped by the citizens and by many Brahmanas possessed of great wisdom.'" numbering three. Sunday, again is called the Dhruba-day. "Vaisampayana said, 'They then set out, with cheerful hearts, and accompanied by men and animals all of whom and which were equally cheerful. They filled the whole Earth with the loud clatter of their wheels. Their praises hymned by eulogists and Sutas and Magadhas and bards, and supported by their own army, they looked like so many Adityas adorned with their own rays. With the white umbrella held over his head, king Yudhishthira shone with beauty like the lord of the stars on the night when he is at full. That foremost of men, the eldest son of Pandu, accepted, with due forms, the blessings and cheers of his gladdened subjects as he proceeded on his way. As regards the soldiers that followed the king, their confused murmurs seemed to fill the entire welkin. That host crossed many lakes and rivers and forests and pleasure gardens. They at last came upon the mountains. Arrived at that region where that wealth was buried, O king, the royal Yudhishthira fixed his camp with all his brothers and troops. The region selected for the purpose, O chief of Bharata's race, was perfectly level and auspicious There the king pitched his camp, placing in his van such Brahmanas as were endued with penances and learning and self-restraint, as also his priest Agnivesya, O thou of Kuru's race, who was well-conversant with the Vedas and all their branches, l Then the royal sons of Pandu, and the other kings (who accompanied that expedition), and the Brahmanas and priests well-skilled in sacrificial rites, having duly performed same propitiatory ceremonies, spread themselves all over that spot. Having duly placed the king and his ministers in the middle, the Brahmanas caused the camp to be pitched by laying out six roads and nine divisions. 2 King Yudhishthira caused a separate encampment to be duly made for the infuriate elephants that accompanied his force. When everything was complete, he addressed the Brahmanas, saying, Ye foremost of Brahmanas, let that be done which you think should be done in view of the matter at hand. Indeed, let an auspicious day and constellation be fixed for it. Let not a long time pass away over our heads as we wait in suspense here. Ye foremost of learned Brahmanas, having formed this resolution, let that be done which should be done after this.' Hearing these words of the king, the Brahmanas with those amongst them that were well-skilled in the performance of religious rites, became filled with gladness and desirous of doing what was agreeable to king Yudhishthira the just, said these words in reply, 'This very day is, an auspicious one with an auspicious constellation. We shall, therefore, strive to accomplish those high rites we propose. We shall today, O king, live upon water alone. Do you all fast also today' Hearing those words of those foremost Brahmanas, the royal sons of Pandu passed that night, abstaining from all food, and lying confidently on beds of Kusa grass, like blazing fires in a sacrifice. And the night wore away as they listened to the discourses of the learned Brahmanas (on diverse subjects). When the cloudless morning came, those foremost of Brahmanas addressed the royal son of Dharma (saying as follows).' the six roads that are directed to be laid out in pitching encampments. Those give nine squares with two boundary lines at right angles with each other. "The Brahmanas said, 'Let offerings be made unto the high-souled Mahadeva of three eyes. Having duly dedicated those offerings, O king, we shall then strive to gain our object.' Hearing these words of those Brahmanas, Yudhishthira caused offerings to be duly made unto that deity who loved to lie down on mountain-breasts. Gratifying the (sacrificial) fire with (libations of) sanctified butter according to the ordinance, the priest (Dhaumya) cooked Cham with the aid of Mantras and performed the necessary rites. He took up many flowers and sanctified them with Mantras, O king. With Modakas and frumenty and meat, he made offerings to the deity. With diverse kinds of flowers and with fried paddy, of very superior kind, Dhaumya, well- versed in the Vedas, performed the remaining rites. He next presented offerings according to the ordinance unto those ghostly beings who formed Mahadeva's train. And offerings were next made to Kuvera, the chief of the Yakshas, and unto Manibhadra also. Unto the other Yakshas also and unto them that were the foremost ones among the ghostly companions of Mahadeva, the priest offered due worship, having filled many jugs with food, with Krisaras and meat and Nivapas mixed with sesame seeds. The king gave away unto the Brahmanas thousands of kine. He then directed the presentation, according to due rites, of offerings unto those night-wandering beings (who live with Mahadeva). Surcharged, as it were, with the scent of Dhupas, and filled with the fragrance of flowers, that region, sacred to the deity of deities, O king, became exceedingly delightful. Having performed the worship of Rudra and of all the Ganas, the king, placing Vyasa ahead, proceeded towards the place where the treasure was buried. Once more worshipping the Lord of treasures, and bowing unto him with reverence and saluting him properly, with diverse kinds of flowers and cakes and Krisara, having worshipped those foremost of gems, viz., Sankha and Nidhi, and those Yakshas who are the lords of gems, and having worshipped many foremost of Brahmanas and caused them to utter blessings, the king endued with great puissance, strengthened by the energy and the auspicious benedictions of those Brahmanas, caused that spot to be excavated. Then numerous vessels of diverse and delightful forms, and Bhringaras and Katahas and Kalasas and Bardhamanakas, and innumerable Bhajanas of beautiful forms, were dug out by king Yudhishthira the just. The wealth thus dug out was placed in large 'Karaputas' for protection, l A portion of the wealth was caused to be borne upon the shoulders of men in stout balances of wood with baskets slung like scales at both ends. Indeed, O king, there were other methods of conveyance there for bearing away that wealth of the son of Pandu. 2 There were sixty thousands of camels and a hundred and twenty thousand horses, and of elephants, O monarch, there were one hundred thousand. Of cars there were as many, and of carts, too as many, and of she-elephants as many. Of mules and men the number was untold. That wealth which Yudhishthira caused to be dugout was even so much. Sixteen thousand coins were placed on the back of each camel; eight thousand on each car; four and twenty thousand on each elephant; (while proportionate loads were placed on horses and mules and on the backs, shoulder and heads of men). Having loaded these vehicles with that wealth and once more worshipping the great deity Siva, the son of Pandu set out for the city called after the elephant, with the permission of the Island-born Rishi, and placing his priest Dhaumya in the van. That foremost of men, viz. , the royal son of Pandu, made short marches everyday, measured by a Goyuta (4 miles). That mighty host, O king, afflicted with the weight they bore, returned, bearing that wealth, towards the capital, gladdening the hearts of all those perpetuators of the Kuru race.'" to be borne by camels and bullocks. another, and became half the (total) weight slung on balance.'

हिन्दी अर्थ

दुर्योधन पुरस्कृत्य दुष्कृतं साधु मन्‍्यसे

English

" Vaisampayana said, 'Meanwhile, Vasudeva of great energy accompanied by the Vrishnis, came to the city called after the elephant. While leaving that city for returning to his own Dwaraka, he had been requested by the son of Dharma to come back. Hence, knowing that the time fixed for the horse-sacrifice had come, that foremost of men came back (to the Kuru capital). Accompanied by the son of Rukmini, by Yuyudhana, by Charudeshna, by Samva, by Gada, by Kritavarman, by the heroic Sarana, by Nisatha, and by the Unmukha, Vasudeva came with Valadeva at the head of the train, with Subhadra also accompanying him. Indeed, that hero came for seeing Draupadi and Uttara and Pirtha and for comforting those Kshatriya ladies of distinction who had been bereft of many of their protectors. Beholding those heroes come, king Dhritarashtra, as also the high-souled Vidura, received them with due honours. That foremost of men, viz., Krishna of great energy, well adored by Vidura and Yuyutsu, continued to reside in the Kuru capital. It was while the Vrishni heroes, O Janamejaya, were residing in the Kuru city, O king, that thy sire, that slayer of hostile heroes, was born. The royal Parikshit, O monarch, afflicted by the Brahma weapon (of Aswatthaman), upon coming out of the womb, lay still and motionless, for life he had not. By his birth he had gladdened the citizens but soon plunged them into grief. The citizens, learning of the birth of the prince, uttered a leonine shout. That noise proceeded to the utmost verge of every point of the compass. Soon, however, (when it was known that the prince was bereft of life), that noise ceased. With great haste Krishna, his senses and mind considerably affected, with Yuyudhana in his company, entered the inner apartments of the palace. He beheld his own paternal aunt (Kunti) coming, loudly weeping and calling upon him repeatedly. Behind her were Draupadi and the famous Subhadra, and the wives of the relatives of the Pandavas, all weeping piteously. Meeting Krishna, Kunti, that daughter of the Bhoja race, said unto him, O foremost of monarchs, these words in a voice chocked with tears, 'O Vasudeva, O mighty-armed hero, Devaki by having borne thee, has come to be regarded as an excellent genetrix. Thou art our refuge, and our glory. This race (of Pandu) depends upon thee for its protector. O Yadava hero, O puissant one, this child of thy sister's son, has come out of the womb, slain by Aswatthaman. O Kesava, do thou revive him. O delighter of the Yadavas, even this was vowed by thee, O puissant one, when Aswatthaman had inspired the blade of grass into a Brahma- weapon of mighty energy. Indeed, O Kesava, thy words were even these, I shall revive that child if he comes out of the womb dead.— That child, O son, has been born dead. Behold him, O foremost of men. It behoveth thee, O Madhava, to rescue Uttara and Subhadra and Draupadi and myself, and Dharma's son (Yudhishthira), and Bhima and Phalguna, and Nakula, and the irresistible Sahadeva. In this child are bound the life-breaths of the Pandavas and myself. O thou of the Dasarha race, on him depends the obsequial cake of Pandu, as also of my father-in-law, and of Abhimanyu too, blessed be thou, that darling nephew of thine who was so very like unto thee. Do thou accomplish today what will be beneficial to all these. I urge thee earnestly, O Janarddana. Uttara, O slayer of foes, always repeats the words said unto her by Abhimanyu. Without doubt, O Krishna, those words were highly agreeable to her. O thou of the Dasarha race, Arjuna's son said unto this daughter of Virata, —Thy son, O blessed girl, will go to my maternal uncles. Taking up his residence with the Vrishnis and Andhakas, he will obtain from them the science of arms, indeed, diverse wonderful weapons and the whole of the science of politics and morality. Even these were the words, O son, that that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the son of Subhadra, that irresistible hero, said unto Uttara. from his affection for her. O slayer of Madhu, bowing our heads unto thee, we pray thee for making those words of Abhimanyu true. In view also of the time that has come, do thou accomplish what is highly beneficial. Having said these words unto that hero of the Vrishni's race, Pritha of large eyes, raised her arms upwards and with the other ladies in her company, fell down on the Earth. All of them, with eyes rendered muddy by tears, repeatedly exclaimed, saying, 'Alas, the son of Vasudeva's nephew has been born dead.' After Kunti had said so, Janarddana took hold of her, O Bharata, and gently raising her from the Earth, comforted her as follows.'" "Vaisampayana said, 'After Kunti had sat up, Subhadra, beholding her brother, began to weep aloud, and afflicted with excessive grief, said,~'0 thou of eyes like lotus petals, behold the grandson of Arjuna of great intelligence. Alas, the Kuru race having been thinned, a child has been born that is feeble and dead. The blade of grass (inspired into a weapon of great efficacy), uplifted by Drona's son for compassing the destruction of Bhimasena, fell upon Uttara and Vijaya and myself. I Alas, that blade, O Kesava, is still existing unextracted in me, after having pierced my heart, since I do not, O irresistible hero, behold this child with (his sire who was) my son. What will the righteous-souled king Yudhishthira the just say? What will Bhimasena and Arjuna and the two sons of Madravati also say? Hearing that Abhimanyu's son was born and dead, the Pandavas, O thou of Vrishni's race, will regard themselves as cheated by Aswatthaman. Abhimanyu, O Krishna, was the favourite of all the Pandava brothers, without doubt. Hearing this intelligence, what will those heroes, vanquished by the weapon of Drona's son say? What grief, O Janarddana, can be greater than this viz., that Abhimanyu's son should be born dead! Bowing unto thee with my head, O Krishna, I seek to gratify thee today. Behold, O foremost of men, these two standing here, viz., Pritha and Draupadi. When, O Madhava, the son of Drona sought to destroy the embryos even in the wombs of the ladies of the Pandavas, at that time, O grinder of foes, thou saidst in wrath unto Drona's son (ever these words), 'O wretch of a Brahmana, O vilest of men, I shall disappoint thy wish. I shall revive the son of Kiritin's son.' Hearing these words of thine and well knowing thy puissance, I seek to gratify thee, O irresistible hero. Let the son of Abhimanyu be revived. It having pledged thyself previously thou dost not accomplish thy auspicious vow, do thou then know for certain, O chief of the Vrishni race, that I shall cast off my life. If, O hero, this son of Abhimanyu doth not revive when thou, O irresistible one, art alive and near, of what other use wilt thou be to me? Do thou, therefore, O irresistible one, revive this son of Abhimanyu, —this child possessed of eyes similar to his,— 'even as a rain-charged cloud revives the lifeless crops (on a field). Thou, O Kesava, art righteous- souled, truthful, and of prowess incapable of being baffled. It behoveth thee, O chastiser of foes, to make thy words truthful. If only thou wishest it, thou canst revive the three worlds (of being) if dead. What need I say, therefore, of this darling child, born but dead, of thy sister's son? I know thy puissance, O Krishna. Therefore, do I solicit thee. Do thou show this great favour to the sons of Pandu. It behoveth thee, O mighty-armed one, to show compassion to this Uttara or to me, thinking that I am thy sister or even a mother that hath lost her son, and one that hath thrown herself upon thy protection.'" " Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed, O king, (by his sister and others), the slayer of Kesin, exceedingly afflicted by grief, answered,— 'So be it! '--These words were uttered with sufficient loudness and they gladdened all the inmates of the inner apartments of the palace. The puissant Krishna, that foremost of men, by uttering these words, gladdened all the people assembled there, like one pouring cold water on a person afflicted with sweat. He then quickly entered the lying-in room in which thy sire was born. It was duly sanctified, O chief of men, with many garlands of white flowers, with many well-filled water pots arranged on every side; with charcoal, soaked in ghee, of Tinduka wood, and mustard seeds, O thou of mighty arms; with shining weapons properly arrayed, and several fires on every side. And it was peopled by many agreeable and aged dames summoned for waiting (upon thy grandmother). It was also surrounded by many well-skilled and clever physicians, O thou of great intelligence. Endued with great energy, he also saw there all articles that are destructive of Rakshasas, duly placed by persons conversant with the subject. Beholding the lying-in room in which thy sire was born thus equipt, Hrishikesa became very glad and said,— 'Excellent, Excellent!' When he of Vrishni's race said so and presented such a cheerful countenance, Draupadi, repairing thither with great speed, addressed the daughter of Virata, saying,— 'O blessed lady, here comes to thee thy father-in-law, the slayer of Madhu, that ancient Rishi of inconceivable soul, that un vanquished one.'— Virata's daughter, checking her tears, said these words in a voice suffocated with grief. Covering herself properly, the princess waited for Krishna like the deities reverentially waiting for him. The helpless lady, with heart agitated by grief, beholding Govinda coming, indulged in these lamentations; O lotus-eyed one, behold us two deprived of our child. O Janarddana, both Abhimanyu and myself have been equally slain. O thou of Vrishni's race, O slayer of Madhu, I seek to gratify thee by bending my head, O hero, unto thee. Do thou revive this child of mine that has been consumed by the weapon of Drona's son. If king Yudhishthira the just, or Bhimasena, or thyself, O lotus-eyed one, had, on that occasion, said, 'Let the blade of grass (inspired by Aswatthaman into a Brahma-weapon) destroy the unconscious mother'— O puissant one, then I would have been destroyed and this (sad occurrence) would not have happened. Alas, what benefit has been reaped by Drona's son by accomplishing this cruel deed, viz., the destruction of the child in the womb by his Brahma- weapon. The self-same mother now seeks to gratify thee, O slayer of foes, by bending her head. Surely, O Govinda, I shall cast off my life-breaths if this child does not revive. In him, O righteous one, were placed many expectations by me. Alas, when these have been frustrated by Drona's son, what need have I, O Kesava, to bear, the burden of life? The hope, O Krishna, was cherished by me that with my child on my lap, O Janarddana, I would salute thee with reverence. Alas, O Kesava, that hope has been destroyed. O foremost of all beings, at the death of this heir of Abhimanyu of restless eyes, all the hopes in my breast have been destroyed. Abhimanyu of restless eyes, O slayer of Madhu, was exceedingly dear to thee. Behold this child of his slain by the Brahma-weapon. This child is very ungrateful and very heartless, like his sire, for, behold, disregarding the prosperity and affluence of the Pandavas, he has gone to Yama's abode. I had, before this, vowed, O Kesava, that if Abhimanyu fell on the field of battle, O hero, I would follow him without any loss of time. I did not, however, keep my vow, cruel that I am and fond of life. If I repair to him now, what, indeed, will Phalguna's son say?'" " Vaisampayana said, 'The helpless Uttara, desirous of getting back her child, having indulged in these piteous lamentations, fell down in affliction on the earth like a demented creature. Beholding the princess fallen on the earth deprived of her son and with her body uncovered, Kunti as also all the (other) Bharata ladies deeply afflicted, began to weep aloud. Resounding with the voice of lamentation, the palace of the Pandavas, O king, was soon converted into a mansion of sorrow where nobody could remain. Exceedingly afflicted by grief on account of her son, Virata's daughter, O king, seemed to be struck down for some time by sorrow and cheerlessness. Regaining consciousness, O chief of Bharata's race, Uttara took up her child on her lap and said these words: Thou art the child of one who was conversant with every duty. Art thou not conscious then of the sin thou committest, since thou dost not salute this foremost one of the Vrishni's race? O son, repairing to thy sire tell him these words of mine, Wz.,— it is difficult for living creatures to die before their time comes, since though reft of thee, my husband, and now deprived of my child also, I am yet alive when I should die, unendued as I am with everything auspicious and everything possessed of value. — O mighty-armed one, with the permission of king Yudhishthira the just I shall swallow some virulent poison or cast myself on the blazing fire. O sire, difficult of destruction is my heart since, though I am deprived of husband and child, that

हिन्दी अर्थ

कथमात्मकृतं दोषं॑ मय्याधातुमिहेच्छसि अनर्थोंको प्राप्त होता है

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heart of mine does not yet break into a thousand pieces. Rise, O son and behold this thy afflicted great- grandmother. She is deeply afflicted with grief, bathed in tears, exceedingly cheerless, and plunged in an ocean of sorrow. Behold the reverend princess of Panchala, and the helpless princess of the Satwata race. Behold myself, exceedingly afflicted with grief, and resembling a deer pierced by a hunter. Rise, O child, and behold the face of this lord of the worlds, that is endued with great wisdom, and possessed of eyes like lotus-petals and resembling thy sire of restless glance. Beholding Uttara, who indulged in these lamentations, fallen on the earth, all those ladies, raising her, caused her to sit up. Having sat up, the daughter of the king of the Matsyas, summoning her patience, joined her hands in reverence and touched the earth with her head for saluting Kesava of eyes like the petals of the lotus. That foremost of beings, hearing those heart-rending lamentations of hers, touched water and withdrew the (force of the) Brahma- weapon, i That hero of unfading glory, belonging to the race of the Dasarhas, promised to give the child his life. Then he of pure soul, said these words in the hearing of the whole universe,— 'O Uttara, I never utter an untruth. My words will prove true. I shall revive this child in the presence of all creatures. Never before have I uttered an untruth even in jest. Never have I turned back from battle. (By the merit of those acts) let this child revive! As righteousness is dear to me, as Brahmanas are specially dear to me, (by the merit of that disposition of mine) let Abhimanyu's son, who is born dead, revive! Never hath a misunderstanding arisen between me and my friend Vijaya. Let this dead child revive by that truth! As truth and righteousness are always established in me, let this dead child of Abhimanyu revive (by the merit of these) ! As Kansa and Kesi have been righteously slain by me, let this child revive today by that truth!' After these words were uttered by Vasudeva, that child, O foremost one of Bharata's race, became animate and began gradually to move, O monarch.' "Vaisampayana said, 'When the Brahma-weapon was withdrawn by Krishna, at that time, the laying-in room was illumined by thy father with his energy. All the Rakshasas (that had come there) were forced to leave the room and many of them met with destruction. In the welkin a voice was heard, saying, 'Excellent, O Kesava, Excellent! '--The blazing Brahma- weapon then returned to the Grandsire (of all the worlds). Thy sire got back his life-breaths, O king. The child began to move according to his energy and might. The Bharata ladies became filled with joy. At the command of Govinda, the Brahmanas were made to utter benedictions. All the ladies, filled with joy, praised Janarddana. Indeed, the wives of those Bharata lions, viz., Kunti and Drupada's daughter and Subhadra, and Uttara, and the wives of other lions among men, like (ship- wrecked) persons who have reached the shore after having obtained a boat, became exceedingly glad. Then wrestlers and actors and astrologers and those who enquire after the slumbers (of princes), and bands of bards and eulogists all uttered the praises of Janarddana, while uttering benedictions fraught with the praises of the Kuru race, O chief of the Bharatas. Uttara, rising up at the proper time, with a delighted heart and bearing her child in her arms, reverentially saluted the delighter of the Yadus. Rejoicing greatly, Krishna made gifts unto the child of many valuable gems. The other chiefs of the Vrishni race, did the same. Then the puissant Janarddana, firmly adhering to truth, bestowed a name on the infant who was thy sire, O monarch. --'Since this child of Abhimanyu has been born at a time when this race has become nearly extinct, let his name be Parikshit!' Even this is what he said. Then thy father, O king, began to grow, and gladden all the people, O Bharata. When thy father was a month old, O hero, the Pandavas came back to their capital, bringing with them a profusion of wealth. Hearing that the Pandavas were near, those foremost ones of the Vrishni race went out. The citizens decked the city called after the elephant with garlands of flowers in profusions, with beautiful pennons and standards of diverse kinds. The citizens also, O king, adorned their respective mansions. Desirous of doing what was beneficial to the sons of Pandu, Vidura ordered diverse kinds of worship to be offered to the deities established in their respective temples. The principal streets of the city were adorned with flowers. Indeed, the city was filled with the hum of thousands of voices which resembled the softened roar of distant ocean waves. With dancers all engaged in their vocation, and with the voice of singers, the (Kuru) city then resembled the mansion of Vaisravana himself, l Bards and eulogists, O king, accompanied by beautiful women were seen to adorn diverse retired spots in the city. The pennons were caused by the wind to float gaily on every part of the city, as if bent upon showing the Kurus the southern and the northern points of the compass. All the officers also of the government loudly proclaimed that that was to be a day of rejoicing for the entire kingdom as an indication of the success of the enterprise for bringing a profusion of gems and other valuables.'" what is called the 'achamana'. A little quantity of water is taken on the palm of the right hand, and with it are touched the lips, the nostrils, the ears, and the eyes. friend of Mahadeva, and chief of the Yakshas. Vaisampayana, said, 'Hearing that the Pandavas were near, that crusher of foes, viz., Vasudeva, accompanied by his ministers, went out for seeing them. The Pandavas then, uniting with the Vrishnis according to the usual formalities, together entered, O king, the city named after the elephant. With the hum of voices and the clatter of cars of that mighty host, the Earth and the welkin, and the firmament itself, became as it were entirely filled. The Pandavas, with rejoicing hearts, accompanied by their officers and friends entered the capital, placing that treasure in their van. Repairing, agreeably to custom, to king Dhritarashtra first, they worshipped his feet, announcing their respective names. Those foremost ones of Bharata's race, O chief of kings, then paid their respectful salutations to Gandhari, the daughter of Suvala and to Kunti, They next worshipped (their uncle) Vidura and met Yuyutsu, the son of Dhritarashtra by his Vaisya wife. Those heroes were then worshipped by others and they blazed forth in beauty, O king. After this, O Bharata, those heroes heard the tidings of that highly wonderful and marvellous and glad-some birth of thy father. Hearing of that feat of Vasudeva of great intelligence, they all worshipped Krishna, the delighter of Devaki, who was every way worthy of worship. Then, after a few days, Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, endued with great energy, came to the city named after the elephant. The perpetuators of Kuru's race worshipped the great Rishi according to the usual custom. Indeed, those heroes, with those foremost princes of the Vrishni and the Andhaka races, paid the sage their adorations. After having conversed on various subjects, Dharma's son Yudhishthira addressed Vyasa and said, This treasure, O holy one, which has been brought through thy grace I wish to devote to that great sacrifice known by the name of the horse- sacrifice. O best of ascetics, I desire to have thy permission. We are all, O Rishi, at thy disposal, and at that of the high-souled Krishna.' "Vyasa said, 'I give thee permission, O king. Do what should be done after this. Do thou worship the deities duly by performing the horse-sacrifice with profuse gifts. The horse-sacrifice, O king, is a cleanser of all sins. Without doubt, having worshipped the deities by that sacrifice thou wilt surely be cleansed of all sins.'

हिन्दी अर्थ

वधार्थीयं त्वद्विधा राजपुत्री

English

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed, the Kuru king Yudhisthira of righteous soul then set his heart, O monarch, on making the necessary preparations for the horse- sacrifice. Having represented all this unto the Island-born Krishna, the king endued with great eloquence approached Vasudeva and said,— 'O foremost of all beings, the goddess Devaki has, through thee, come to be regarded as the most fortunate of mothers ! O thou of unfading glory, do thou accomplish that which I shall now tell thee, O mighty-armed one. O delighter of the Kurus, the diverse enjoyments we enjoy have all been acquired through thy puissance. The whole Earth has been subjugated by thee with the aid of thy prowess and intelligence. Do thou, therefore, cause thyself to undergo the rites of initiation. Thou art our highest preceptor and master. If thou performest the sacrifice, O thou of the Dasarha race, I shall be cleansed from every sin. Thou art Sacrifice. Thou art the Indestructible. Thou art this All. Thou art Righteousness. Thou art Prajapati. Thou art the goal of all creatures. Even this is my certain conclusion.' "Vasudeva said, 'O mighty-armed one, it becomes thee to say so, O chastiser of foes. Thou art the goal of all creatures. Even this is my certain conclusion. Amongst the heroes of the Kuru race, in consequence of thy righteousness, thou shinest today in great glory. They have all been cast into the shade, O king, by thee. Thou art our king, and thou art our senior. With my approval freely granted, do thou adore the deities in the sacrifice suggested. Do thou, O Bharata, appoint us to whatever tasks thou likest. Truly, do I pledge myself that I shall accomplish all, O sinless one, that thou mayst bid me accomplish. Bhimasena and Arjuna and the two sons of Madravati will be sacrificing when thou, O king, sacrificest.'" l will come to be regarded as sacrificing with thee. " Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed by Krishna, Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, endued with great intelligence, saluted Vyasa and said these words: 'Do thou cause me to be initiated when the proper hour, as thou truly knowest, comes for that rite. This my sacrifice is entirely dependent on thee.' "Vyasa said, 'Myself, O son of Kunti, and Paila and Yajnavalkya, shall without doubt, achieve every rite at the proper time. The rite of initiating thee will be performed on the day of full moon belonging to the month of Chaitra. Let all the necessaries of the sacrifice, O foremost of men, be got ready. Let Sutas well-versed in the science of horses, and let Brahmanas also possessed of the same lore, select, after examination, a worthy horse in order that thy sacrifice maybe completed. Loosening the animal according to the injunctions of the scriptures, let him wander over the whole Earth with her belt of seas, displaying thy blazing glory, O king!' "Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed (by the Rishi), Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, that lord of Earth, answered,— 'So be it! '--and then, O monarch, he accomplished all that that utterer of Brahma had directed. All the articles necessary for the sacrifice, O king, were duly procured. The royal son of Dharma, possessed of immeasurable soul, having procured all the necessaries, informed the Island-born Krishna of it. Then Vyasa of great energy said unto the royal son of Dharma,— 'As regards ourselves, we are all prepared to initiate thee in view of the sacrifice. Let the Sphya and the Kurcha and all the other articles that, O thou of Kuru's race, may be needed for thy sacrifice, be made of gold. 2 Let the horse also be loosened today, for roaming on the Earth, agreeably to the ordinances of the scriptures. Let the animal, duly protected, wander over the Earth.' "Yudhishthira said, Let arrangements be made by thee, O regenerate one, about loosening this horse for enabling it to wander over the Earth at its will, it behoveth thee, O ascetic, to say who will protect this steed while roaming over the Earth freely according to its will.' "Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed (by king Yudhishthira), O monarch, the Island-born Krishna said,— 'He who is born after Bhimasena, who is the foremost of all bowmen, who is called Jishnu, who is endued with great patience and capable of overcoming all resistance,— he will protect the horse. That destroyer of the Nivatakavachas is competent to conquer the whole Earth. In him are all celestial weapons. His body is like that of a celestial in its powers of endurance. His bow and quivers are celestial. Even he will follow this horse.— He is well versed in both Religion and wealth. He is a master of all the sciences. O foremost of kings, he will agreeably to the scriptures, cause the steed to roam and

हिन्दी अर्थ

लिये पुत्र पैदा करती है पर्यपृच्छत धर्मज्ञो धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरम्

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graze at its will. This mighty-armed prince, of dark complexion, is endued with eyes resembling the petals of the lotus. That hero, the father of Abhimanyu, will protect the steed. Bhimasena also is endued with great energy. The son of Kunti is possessed of immeasurable might. He is competent to protect the kingdom, aided by Nakula, O monarch. Possessed of great intelligence and fame, Sahadeva will, O thou of Kuru's race, duly attend to all the relatives that have been invited to thy capital.' Thus addressed by the Rishi, that perpetuator of Kuru's race, viz., Yudhishthira, accomplished every injunction duly and appointed Phalguna to attend to the horse.' "Yudhishthira said, 'Come, O Arjuna, let the horse, O hero, be protected by thee. Thou alone art competent to protect it, and none else. Those kings, O mighty-armed hero, who will come forward to encounter thee, try, O sinless one, to avoid battles with them to the best of thy power. Thou shouldst also invite them all to this sacrifice of mine. Indeed, O mighty-armed one go forth but try to establish friendly relations with them.' "Vaisampayana continued, 'The righteous-souled king Yudhishthira, having said so unto his brother Savyasachin, commanded Bhima and Nakula to protect the city. With the permission of king Dhritarashtra, Yudhishthira then set Sahadeva, that foremost of warriors, to wait upon all the invited handful of Kusa grass. All these things are directed by Vyasa to be made of pure gold. "Vaisampayana said, 'When the hour for initiation came, all those great Ritwijas duly initiated the king in view of the horse-sacrifice. Having finished the rites of binding the sacrificial animals, the son of Pandu, viz., king Yudhishthira the just endued with great energy, the initiation being over, shone with great splendour along with those Ritwijas. The horse that was brought for the horse- sacrifice was let loose, agreeably to the injunctions of the scriptures, that utterer of Brahma, viz., Vyasa himself of immeasurable energy. The king Yudhishthira the just, O monarch, after his initiation, adorned with a garland of gold around his neck, shone in beauty like a blazing fire. Having a black deer skin for his upper garment, bearing a staff in hand, and wearing a cloth of red silk, the son of Dharma, possessed of great splendour, shone like a second Prajapati seated on the sacrificial altar. All his Ritwijas also, O king, were clad in similar robes. Arjuna also shone like a blazing fire. Dhananjaya, unto whose car were yoked white steeds, then duly prepared, O king, to follow that horse of the complexion of a black deer, at the command of Yudhishthira. Repeatedly drawing his bow, named Gandiva, O king, and casing his hand in a fence made of iguana skin, Arjuna, O monarch, prepared to follow that horse, O ruler of men, with a cheerful heart. All Hastinapore, O king, with very children, came out at that spot from desire of beholding Dhananjaya, that foremost of the Kurus on the eve of his journey. So thick was the crowd of spectators that came to behold the horse and the prince who was to follow it, that in consequence of the pressure of bodies, it seemed a fire was created. Loud was the noise that arose from that crowd of men who assembled together for beholding Dhananjaya the son of Kunti, and it seemed to fill all the points of the compass and the entire welkin. And they said,— 'There goes the son of Kunti, and there that horse of blazing beauty. Indeed, the mighty-armed hero follows the horse, having armed himself with his excellent bow. '--Even these were the words which Jishnu of noble intelligence heard. The citizens also blessed him, saying,— 'Let blessings he thine! Go thou safely and come back, O Bharata.' Others, O chief of men uttered these words— 'So great is the press that we do not see Arjuna. His bow, however, is visible to us. Even that is celebrated bow Gandiva of terrible twang. Blessed be thou. Let all dangers fly from thy path. Let fear nowhere inspire thee. When he returns we shall behold him, for it is certain that he will come back.' The high-souled Arjuna repeatedly heard these and similar other sweet words of men and women, O chief of the Bharatas. A disciple of Yajnavalkya, who was well-versed in all sacrificial rites and who was a complete master of the Vedas, proceeded with Partha for performing auspicious rites in favour of the hero. Many Brahmanas also, O king, all well-conversant with the Vedas, and many Kshatriyas too, followed the high-souled hero, at the command, O monarch, of Yudhishthira the just. The horse then roamed, O foremost of men, wherever he liked over the Earth already conquered by Pandavas with the energy of their weapons. In course of the horse's wanderings, O king, many great and wonderful battles were fought between Arjuna and many kings. These I shall describe to thee. The horse, O king, roamed over the whole Earth. Know, O monarch, that from the north it turned towards the East. Grinding the kingdoms of many monarchs that excellent horse wandered. And it was followed slowly by the great car-warrior Arjuna of white steeds. Countless, O monarch, was the fete of Kshatriyas,— of kings in myriads—who fought with Arjuna on that occasion, for having lost their kinsmen on the geld of Kurukshetra. Innumerable Kiratas also, O king, and Yavanas, all excellent bowmen, and diverse tribes of Mlechechas too, who had been discomfited before (by the Pandavas on the. field of Kurukshetra), and many Aryan kings, possessed of soldiers and animals endued with great alacrity, and all irresistible in fight encountered the son of Pandu in battle. Thus occurred innumerable battles in diverse countries, O monarch, between Arjuna and the rulers of diverse realms who came to encounter him. I shall, O sinless king, narrate to thee those battles only which raged with great fury and which were the principal ones among all he fought.'" "Vaisampayana said. 'A battle took place between the diadem-decked(Arjuna) and the sons and grandsons of the Trigartas whose hostility the Pandavas has incurred before and all of whom were well- known as mighty car-warriors. Having learnt that that foremost of steeds, which was intended for the sacrifice, had come to their realm, these heroes, casing themselves in mail, surrounded Arjuna. Mounted on their cars, drawn by excellent and well-decked horses, and with quivers on their backs, they surrounded that horse, O king, and endeavoured to capture it. The diadem-decked Arjuna, reflecting on that endeavour of theirs, forbade those heroes, with conciliatory speeches, O chastiser of foes. Disregarding Arjuna's message, they assailed him with their shafts. The diadem-decked Arjuna resisted those warriors who were under the sway of darkness and passion. Jishnu, addressed them smilingly and said, 'Desist, ye unrighteous ones. Life is a benefit (that should not be thrown away).' At the time of his setting out, he had been earnestly ordered by king Yudhishthira the just, not to slay those Kshatriyas whose kinsmen had been slain before on the field of Kurukshetra. Recollecting these commands of king Yudhishthira the just who was endued with great intelligence, Arjuna asked the Trigartas to forbear. But they disregarded Arjuna's injunction. Then Arjuna vanquished Suryavarman, the king of the Trigartas, in battle, by shooting countless shafts at him and laughed in scorn. The Trigarta warriors, however, filling the ten points with the clatter of their cars and car- wheels, rushed towards Dhananjaya. Then Suryavarman, displaying his great lightness of hand, pierced Dhananjaya with hundreds of straight arrows, O monarch. The other great bowmen who followed the king and who were all desirous of compassing the destruction of Dhananjaya, shot showers of arrows on him. With countless shafts shot from his own bow-siring, the son of Pandu, O king, cut off those clouds of arrows; upon which they fell down. Endued with great energy, Ketuvarman, the younger brother of Suryavarman, and possessed of youthful vigour, fought, for the sake of his brother, against Pandu's son possessed of great fame. Beholding Ketuvarman approaching towards him for battle, Vibhatsu, that slayer of hostile heroes, slew him with many sharp-pointed arrows. Upon Ketuvarman's fall, the mighty car-warrior Dhritavarman, rushing on his car towards Arjuna, showered a perfect downpour of arrows on him. Beholding that lightness of hand displayed by the youth Dhritavarman, Gudakesa of mighty energy and great prowess became highly gratified with him. The son of Indra could not see when the young warrior took out his arrows and when he placed them on his bow- string aiming at him. He only saw showers of arrows in the air. For a brief space of time, Arjuna gladdened his enemy and mentally admired his heroism and skill. The Kuru hero, smiling the while, fought with that youth who resembled an angry snake. The mighty armed Dhananjaya, glad as he was in beholding the valour of Dhritavarman, did not take his life. While, however, Partha of immeasurable energy fought mildly with him without wishing to take his life, Dhritavarman shot a blazing arrow at him. Deeply pierced in the hand by that arrow, Vijaya became stupefied and his bow Gandiva fell down

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हतानां यदि जानीषे परिमाणं वदस्व मे

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on the Earth from his relaxed grasp. The form of that bow, O king, when it fell from the grasp of Arjuna, resembled, O Bharata, that of the bow of Indra (that is seen in the welkin after a shower). When that great and celestial bow fell down, O monarch, Dhritavarman laughed loudly in battle. At this, Jishnu, excited with rage, wiped the blood from his hand and once more taking up his bow, showered a perfect downpour of arrows. Then a loud and confused noise arose, filling the welkin and touching the very heavens as it were, from diverse creatures who applauded that feat of Dhananjaya. Beholding Jishnu inflamed with rage and looking like Yama himself as he appears at the end of the Yuga, the Trigarta warriors hastily surrounded him, rushing from their posts and desirous of rescuing Dhritavarman. Seeing himself surrounded by his foes, Arjuna became more angry than before. He then quickly despatched eight and ten of their foremost warriors with many shafts of hard iron that resembled the arrows of the great Indra himself. The Trigarta warriors then began to fly. Seeing them retreat, Dhananjaya, with great speed, shot many shafts at them that resembled wrathful snakes of virulent poison, and laughed aloud. The mighty car-warriors of the Trigartas, with dispirited hearts, fled in all directions, exceedingly afflicted by Dhananjaya with his arrows. They then addressed that tiger among men, that slayer of the Samsaptaka host (on the field of Kurukshetra), saying, 'We are your slaves. We yield to thee. I Do thou command us, O Partha. Lo, we wait here as the most docile of thy servants. O delighter of the Kurus, we shall execute all thy commands.' Hearing these words expressive of their submission, Dhananjaya, said unto them, 'Do ye, O kings, save your lives, and accept my dominion.'" field of Kurukshetra, all consisted of Trigarta warriors led by their king Susarman, Samsaptaka means 'sworn'. Those soldiers who took the oath that they would either conquer or die, wore called by that " Vaisampayana said, 'That foremost of steeds then proceeded to the realm of Pragjyotisha and began to wander there. At this, Bhagadatta's son, who was exceedingly valorous in battle, came out (for encountering Arjuna). King Vajradatta, O chief of the Bharatas, finding the (sacrificial) steed arrived within his realm, fought (for detaining it). The royal son of Bhagadatta, issuing out of his city, afflicted the steed that was coming (and seizing it), marched back towards his own place. Marking this, the mighty-armed chief of the Kuru race, speedily stretched his Gandiva, and suddenly rushed towards his foe. Stupefied by the shafts sped from Gandiva, the heroic son of Bhagadatta, letting off loose the steed, fled from Partha. 1 Once more entering his capital, that foremost of kings, irresistible in battle, cased himself in mail, and mounting on his prince of elephants, came out. That mighty car- warrior had a white umbrella held over his head, and was fanned with a milk-white yak-tail. Impelled by childishness and folly, he challenged Partha, the mighty car- warrior of the Pandavas, famed for terrible deeds in battle, to an encounter with him. The enraged prince then urged towards Arjuna that elephant of his, which resembled a veritable mountain, and from whose temples and mouth issued streams of juice indicative of excitement. Indeed, that elephant showered its secretions like a mighty mass of clouds pouring rain. Capable of resisting hostile feats of its own species, it had been equipped agreeably to the ordinances of the treatises (on war-elephants). Irresistible in battle, it had become so infuriate as to be beyond control. Urged on by the prince with the iron-hook, that mighty elephant then seemed (as it advanced) as if it would cut through the welkin (like a flying hill). Beholding it advance towards him, O king, Dhananjaya, filled with rage and standing on the earth, O Bharata, encountered the prince on its back. Filled with wrath, Vajradatta quickly sped at Arjuna a number of broad-headed shafts endued with the energy of fire and resembling (as they coursed through the air) a cloud of speedily-moving locusts. Arjuna, however, with shafts sped from Gandiva, cut off those arrows, some into two and some into three pieces. He cut them off in the welkin itself with those shafts of his coursing through the welkin. The son of Bhagadatta, beholding his broad-headed shafts thus cut off, quickly sped at Arjuna a number of other arrows in a continuous line. Filled with rage at this, Arjuna, more quickly than before, shot at Bhagadatta's son a number of straightly coursing arrows equipt with golden wings. Vajradatta of mighty energy, struck with great force and pierced with these arrows in that fierce encounter, fell down on the Earth. Consciousness, however, did not desert him. Mounting on his prince of elephants again in the midst of that battle the son of Bhagadatta, desirous of victory, very coolly sped a number of shafts at Arjuna. Filled with wrath, Jishnu then sped at the prince a number of arrows that looked like blazing flames of fire and that seemed to be so many snakes of virulent poison. Pierced therewith, the mighty elephant, emitting a large quantity of blood, looked like a mountain of many springs discharging rills of water coloured with red chalk.'" instead of Parthamupadravat. " Vaisampayana said, 'Thus waged that battle, O chief of the Bharatas, for three days between Arjuna and that prince like the encounter between him of a hundred sacrifices and Vritra. On the fourth day, Vajradatta of great might laughed loudly and, addressing Arjuna, said these words: 'Wait, wait, O Arjuna. Thou shalt not escape me with life. Slaying thee I shall duly discharge the water-rite of my sire. My aged sire, Bhagadatta, who was the friend of thy sire, was slain by thee in consequence of his weight of years. Do thou, however, fight me that am but a boy!' \_ Having said these words, O thou of Kuru's race, king Vajradatta, filled with rage, urged his elephant towards the son of Pandu. Urged on by Vajradatta of great intelligence, that prince of elephants, as if desirous of cutting through the welkin, rushed towards Dhananjaya. That prince of elephants drenched Arjuna with a shower of juice emitted from the end of his trunk, like a mass of blue clouds drenching a hill with its downpour. Indeed, urged on by the king, elephant, repeatedly roaring like a cloud, rushed towards Phalguna, with that deep noise emitted from its mouth. Verily, urged on by Vajradatta, that prince of elephants quickly moved towards the mighty car-warrior of the Kurus, with the tread of one that seemed to dance in excitement. Beholding that beast of Vajradatta advance towards him, that slayer of foes, viz., the mighty Dhananjaya, relying on Gandiva, stood his ground without shaking with fear. Recollecting what an obstacle Vajradatta was proving to the accomplishment of his task, and remembering the old enmity of the house (of Pragjyotisha towards the Pandavas), the son of Pandu became exceedingly inflamed with wrath against the king. Filled with rage, Dhananjaya impeded the course of that beast with a shower of arrows like the shore resisting the surging sea. That prince of elephants possessed of beauty (of form), thus impeded by Arjuna, stopped in its course, with body pierced with many an arrow, like a porcupine with its quills erect. Seeing his elephant impeded in its course, the royal son of Bhagadatta, deprived of sense by rage, shot many whetted arrows at Arjuna. The mighty-armed Arjuna baffled all those arrows with many foe- slaying shafts of his. The feat seemed to be exceedingly wonderful. Once more the king of the Pragjyotishas, inflamed with ire, forcibly urged his elephant, which resembled a mountain, at Arjuna. Beholding the beast once more advancing towards him, Arjuna shot with great strength a shaft at it that resembled a veritable flame of fire. Struck deeply in the very vitals, O king, by the son of Pandu, the beast suddenly fell down on the Earth like a mountain summit loosened by a thunder-bolt. Struck with Dhartanjaya's shaft, the elephant, as it lay on the Earth, looked like a huge mountain cliff lying on the ground, loosened by the bolt of Indra. When the elephant of Vajradatta was prostrated on the ground, the son of Pandu, addressing the king who had fallen down with his beast, said,— 'Do not fear. Indeed, Yudhishthira of mighty energy said unto me while commissioning me for this task even these words, —Thou shouldst not, O Dhananjaya, slay those kings (who may encounter thee in battle). O tiger among men, thou shouldst regard thy task as accomplished if only thou disablest those hostile kings. Thou shouldst not also, O Dhananjaya, slay the warriors of those kings who may come forth to fight thee, with all their kinsmen and friends. They should be requested to come to the horse- sacrifice of Yudhishthira. '--Having heard these commands of my brother, I shall not slay thee, O king. Rise up; let no fear be thine; return to thy city safe and sound, O lord of Earth. When the day of full moon in the month of Chaitra comes, thou shalt, O great king, repair to that sacrifice of king Yudhishthira the just, for it takes place on that day. Thus addressed by Arjuna, the royal son of Bhagadatta, defeated by the son of Pandu, said,— 'So be it.'" "Vaisampayana said, 'There occurred a great battle between the diadem-decked Arjuna and the hundreds of Saindhavas who still lived after the slaughter of their clan (on the field of Kurukshetra). Hearing that he of white steeds had entered their territories, those Kshatriyas came out against him, unable to bear that foremost one of Pandu's race. Those warriors who were as terrible as virulent poison, finding the horse within their dominion, seized it without being inspired with any fear of Partha who was the younger brother of Bhimasena. Advancing against Vibhatsu who waited on foot, armed with his bow, upon the sacrificial steed, they assailed him from a near point. Defeated in battle before, those Kshatriyas of mighty energy, impelled by the desire of victory, surrounded that foremost of men. Proclaiming their names and families and their diverse feats, they showered their arrows on Partha. Pouring showers of arrows of such fierce energy as were capable of impeding the course of hostile elephants, those heroes surrounded the son of Kunti, desirous of vanquishing him in battle. Themselves seated on cars, they fought Arjuna of fierce feats who was, on foot. From every side they began to strike that hero, that slayer of the Nivatakavachas, that destroyer of the Samasaptakas, that killer of the king of the Sindhus. Surrounding him on every side as within a cage by means of a thousand cars and ten thousand horses, those brave warriors expressed their exaltation. Recollecting the slaughter by

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संख्या जानते हो तो मुझे बताओ कोट्य: षष्टिश्न॒ षट् चैव हास्मिन् राजन मृथे हता:

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Jayadratha in battle, O thou of Kuru's race, they poured heavy showers of arrows on that hero like a mass of clouds showering a heavy downpour. Over-whelmed with that arrowy shower, Arjuna looked like the sun covered by a cloud. That foremost son of Pandu, in the midst of that cloud of arrows, resembled a bird in the midst of an iron cage, O Bharata. Seeing the son of Kunti thus afflicted with shafts, cries of Oh and Alas were uttered by the three worlds and the Sun himself became shorn of his splendour. Then, O king, a terrible wind began to blow, and Rahu swallowed up both the Sun and the Moon at the same time. Many meteors struck the solar disc and then shot in different directions. The prince of mountains, viz., Kailasa, began to tremble. The seven (celestial) Rishis, as also the other Rishis of Heaven, penetrated with fear, and afflicted with grief and sorrow, breathed hot sighs. Piercing through the welkin, those meteors fell on the lunar disc as well. All the points of the compass became filled with smoke and assumed a strange aspect. Reddish clouds, with flashes of lightning playing in their midst and the bow of Indra measuring them from side to side, suddenly covered the welkin and poured flesh and bloods on the Earth. Even such was the aspect which all nature assumed when that hero was overwhelmed with showers of shafts. Indeed, when Phalguna, that foremost one among the Bharatas, was thus afflicted, those marvels were seen. Overwhelmed by that dense cloud of arrows, Arjuna became stupefied. His bow, Gandiva, fell down from his relaxed grip and his leathern fence also slipped down. When Dhananjaya became stupefied, the Saindhava warriors once more shot at that senseless warrior, without loss of time, innumerable other shafts. Understanding that the son of Pritha was deprived of consciousness, the deities, with hearts penetrated by fear, began to seek his welfare by uttering diverse benedictions. Then the celestial Rishis, the seven Rishis, and the regenerate Rishis, became engaged in silent recitations from desire of giving victory to Pritha's son of great intelligence. When at last the energy of Partha blazed forth through those acts of the denizens of Heaven, that hero, who was conversant with celestial weapons of high efficacy, stood immovable like a hill. The delighter of the Kurus then drew his celestial bow. And as he repeatedly stretched the bowstring, the twang that followed resembled the loud sound of some mighty machine. Like Purandara pouring rain, the puissant Arjuna then, with that bow of his, poured incessant showers of shafts on his foes. Pierced by those shafts the Saindhava warriors with their chiefs became invisible like trees when covered with locusts. They were frightened at the very sound of Gandiva, and afflicted by fear they fled away. In grief of heart they shed tears and uttered loud lamentations. The mighty warrior moved amidst that host of foes with the celerity of a fiery wheel, all the time piercing those warriors with his arrows. Like the great Indra, the wielder of the thunder-bolt, that slayer of foes, viz., Arjuna, shot from his bow in every direction that shower of arrows which resembled a sight produced by magic (instead of any human agency). The Kaurava hero, piercing the hostile host with showers of arrows, looked resplendent like the autumnal Sun when he disperses the clouds with his powerful rays.'" " Vaisampayana said, 'The irresistible wielder of Gandiva, addresst for battle, stood immovable on the field like Himavat himself. The Saindhava warriors, once more rallying, showered in great wrath repeated down-pours of shifts on him. The mighty-armed hero, laughing at his foes, who had once more rallied but who were on the point of death, addressed them in these soft words,— 'Do ye fight to the best of your power and do ye endeavour to vanquish me. Do ye however, accomplish all necessary acts, for a great danger awaits you all. See, I fight all of you, baffling your clouds of arrows. Bent as you are on battle, tarry a little. I shall soon quell your pride.' The wielder of Gandiva, having said these words in wrath, recollected, however, the words, O Bharata, of his eldest brother. Those words were,— 'Thou shouldst not, O child, slay those Kshatriyas who will come against thee for battle. They should, however, be vanquished by thee. That foremost of men, Phalguna, had been thus addressed by king Yudhishthira the just, of great soul. He, therefore, began to reflect in this strain. 'Even thus was I commissioned by my brother. Warriors advancing against me should not be slain. I must act in such a way as not to falsify the words of king Yudhishthira the just.' Having arrived at this conclusion, Phalguna, that foremost of men, then said unto those Saindhavas who were all fierce in battle, these words:— 'I say what is for your benefit. Though staying before me. I do not wish to slay you. He amongst you who will say unto me that he has been vanquished by me and that he is mine, will be spared by me. Having heard these words of mine, act towards me in that way which may best conduce to your benefit. By acting in a different way you will place yourselves in a situation of great fear and danger.' Having said these words unto those heroic warriors the chief of the Kurus began to fight them. Arjuna was inflamed with wrath. His foes, desirous of victory, were equally enraged. The Saindhavas then, O king, shot hundreds and thousands of straight arrows at the wielder of Gandiva. Dhananjaya, with his own whetted shafts, cut off those arrows of sharp and terrible points, resembling snakes of virulent poison, before they could come up to him. Having cut off those sharp arrows equipt with Kanka feathers, Arjuna pierced each of the warriors opposed to him with a whetted shaft. The Saindhava Kshatriyas, recollecting that it was Dhananjaya who had slain their king Jayadratha, then hurled at him darts and javelins with great force. The diadem-decked Dhananjaya of great might baffled their intent by cutting off all those weapons before any of them could reach him. At length the son of Pandu became highly angry. With many straight and broad-headed arrows, he felled the heads of many of those warriors who were rushing at him from desire of victory. Many fled, many rushed at Arjuna; many moved not, all of them, however, uttered such aloud noise (of wrath and grief) that it resembled the roar of the ocean. As they were slain by Partha of immeasurable might, they fought him, each according to his strength and prowess. Their animals being all exhausted, Partha succeeded in depriving a large number of those warriors of their senses by means of his sharpest shafts in that battle. Then Dussala, their queen, the daughter of Dhritarashtra, knowing that they were rendered cheerless by Arjuna, took her grandson in her arms and repaired to Arjuna. The child was the son of Suratha (the son of Jayadratha). The brave prince proceeded to his maternal uncle on his car for the safety of all the Saindhava warriors. The queen, arrived at the presence of Dhananjaya, began to weep in sorrow. The puissant Dhananjaya, seeing her, cast off his bow. Abandoning his bow, Partha duly received his sister and enquired of her as to what he could do for her. The queen replied unto him, saying,— 'O chief of the Bharatas, this child is the son of thy sister's son. He salutes thee, O Partha. Look at him, O foremost of men.' Thus addressed by her, Partha enquired after his son (Suratha), saying— 'Where is he?' Dussala then answered him, saying,— 'Burning with grief on account of the slaughter of his sire, the heroic father of this child died in great affliction of heart. Listen to me how he met with his death. 'O Dhananjaya, he had heard before that his sire Jayadratha had been slain by thee, O sinless one. Exceedingly afflicted with grief at this, and hearing of thy arrival here as the follower and protector of the sacrificial horse, he at once fell down and gave up his life-breaths. Verily, deeply afflicted with grief as he was, as go on as he heard of thy arrival he gave up his life. Seeing him prostrate on the Earth, O lord, I took his infant son with me and have come to thee, desirous of thy protection.' Having said these words, the daughter of Dhritarashtra began to lament in deep affliction. Arjuna stood before her in great cheerlessness of heart. His face was turned towards the Earth. The cheerless sister then said unto her brother, who was equally cheerless, these words: 'Behold thy sister. Behold the child of thy sister's son. O perpetuator of Kuru's race, O thou that art fully conversant with every duty, it behoveth thee to show mercy to this child, forgetting the Kuru prince (Duryodhana) and the wicked Jayadratha. Even as that slayer of hostile heroes, Parikshit, has been born of Abhimanyu, so has this mighty-armed child, my grandson, sprung from Suratha. Taking him with me, O chief of men, I have come to thee, desirous of the safety of all the warriors. Do thou listen to these words of mine. This child of that wicked foe of thine hath now come to thee, O mighty-armed hero. It behoveth thee, therefore to show mercy to this infant. O chastiser of foes, this infant seeks to gratify thee by bending his head. He solicits thee for peace. O mighty-armed hero, be inclined to make peace. O thou that art conversant with every duty, be thou gratified with the child whose friends and kinsmen have all been slain and who himself knows nothing of what has happened. Do not yield to wrath. Forgetting his disreputable and cruel grandfather, who offended against thee so highly, it behoveth thee to show thy grace towards this child.' Recollecting queen Gandhari and king Dhritarashtra, Dhananjaya, afflicted with grief, addressed Dussala who had said so unto him, and answered her, censuring Kshatriya practices the while. 'Fie on Duryodhana, that mean wight, covetous of kingdom and full of vanity! Alas, it was for him that all my kinsmen have been despatched by me to the abode of Yama.' Having said so, Dhananjaya comforted his sister and became inclined to make peace. Cheerfully he embraced her and then dismissed her, telling her to return to her palace. Dussala bade all her warriors desist from that great battle, and worshipping Partha, she of beautiful face retraced her steps towards her abode. Having vanquished those heroes, viz., the Saindhavas, thus, Dhananjaya began to follow that steed which roved at its will. The heroic Arjuna duly followed that sacrificial horse even as the divine wielder of Pinaka had in days of yore followed the deer through the firmament. I The steed, at its will, wandered through various realms one after another, enhancing the feats of Arjuna. In course of time, O chief of men, the horse wandering at its pleasure, at last arrived within the dominions of the ruler of Manipura, followed by the son of Pandu.'" " Vaisampayana said, 'The ruler of Manipura, Vabhruvahana, hearing that his sire Arjuna had arrived within his dominions, went out with humility, with a number of Brahmanas and some treasure in his van. 2 Remembering, however, the duties of Kshatriyas, Dhananjaya of great intelligence, seeing the ruler of Manipura arrive in that guise, did not approve of it. The righteous-souled Phalguna angrily said, 'This conduct of thine is not becoming. Thou hast certainly fallen away from Kshatriya duties. I have come here as the protector of Yudhishthira's sacrificial horse. Why, O son, wilt thou not fight me, seeing that I have come within thy dominions? Fie on thee, O thou of foolish understanding, fie on thee that hast fallen away from Kshatriya duties! Fie on thee that would receive me peacefully, even though I have come here for battling with thee. In thus receiving me peacefully thou actest like a woman. O thou of wretched understanding, if I had come to thee, leaving aside my arms, then would this behaviour of thine have been fit, O worst of men.' Learning that these words were addressed by her husband, the daughter of the Snake-king, viz., Ulupi unable to tolerate it, pierced through the Earth and came up to that spot. 3 She beheld her son standing there perfectly cheerless and with face hanging down. Indeed, the prince was repeatedly rebuked by his sire who was desirous of battle with him, O monarch. The daughter of the snake, with every limb possessed of beauty, viz., Ulupi, said these words consistent with righteousness and duty unto the prince who was conversant with righteousness and duty,— 'Know that I am thy mother Ulupi that am the daughter of a snake. Do thou accomplish my behest, O son, for thou wouldst then attain to great merit. Fight thy father, this foremost one of Kuru's race, this hero that is irresistible in battle. Without doubt, he will then be gratified with thee.' In this way was king Vabhruvahana incited against his sire by his (step) mother. At last, endued as he was with great energy, he made up his mind, O chief of the Bharata's, to fight Dhananjaya. Putting on his armour of bright gold and his effulgent head-gear, he ascended an excellent car which had hundreds of quivers ready on it. That car was equipt with necessaries for battle and had steeds yoked to it that were endued with the speed of the mind. It had excellent wheels and a strong Upashkara, and was adorned with golden ornaments of every kind. Raising his standard which was decorated most beautifully and which bore the device of a lion in gold, the handsome prince Vabhruvahana proceeded against his sire for battle. Coining upon the sacrificial steed which was protected by Partha, the heroic prince caused it to be seized by persons well-versed in horse-lore. Beholding the steed seized, Dhananjaya became filled with joy. Standing on. the Earth, that hero began to resist the advance of his son who was on his car. The king afflicted the hero with repeated showers of shafts endued with whetted points and resembling snakes of virulent poison. The battle that took, place between sire and son was incomparable. It resembled the encounter between the deities and the Asuras of old. Each was gratified with obtaining the other for an antagonist. Then Vabhruvahana, laughing, pierced the diadem-decked Arjuna, that foremost of men, in the shoulder with a straight shaft. Equipt with feathers, that shaft penetrated Arjuna's body like a snake penetrating on an anthill. Piercing the son of Kunti through, the shaft went deep into the Earth. Feeling acute pain, the intelligent Dhananjaya rested awhile, supporting himself on his excellent bow. He stood, having recourse to his celestial energy and seemed to outward appearance like one deprived of life. That foremost of men, then regaining consciousness, praised his son highly. Possessed of great splendour, the son of Sakra said, 'Excellent, Excellent, O mighty-armed one, O son of Chitrangada! O son, beholding this feat, so worthy of thee, I am highly gratified with thee. I shall now shoot these arrows at thee, O son. Stand for fight (without running away).' Having said these words, that slayer of foes shot a shower of arrows on the prince. King Vabhruvahana, however, with his own broad-headed shafts, cut all those arrows which were shot from Gandiva and which resembled the thunder-bolt of Indra in splendour, some in twain and some into three parts. Then the standard, decked with gold and resembling a golden palmyra, on the king's car was cut off by Partha with some excellent shafts of his. The son of Pandu, laughing, next slew the king's steeds endued with large size and great speed. Descending from his car, the king inflamed with rage, fought his sire on foot. Gratified with the prowess of his son, that foremost one of the sons of Pritha, viz., the son of the wielder of the thunder- bolt, began to afflict him greatly. The mighty Vabhruvahana, thinking that his father was no longer able to face him, again afflicted him with many shafts resembling snakes of virulent poison. From a spirit of boyishness he then vigorously pierced his father in the breast with a whetted shaft equipt with excellent wings. That shaft, O king, penetrated the body of Pandu's son and reaching his very vital caused him great pain. The delighter of the Kurus, Dhananjaya, deeply pierced therewith by his son, then fell down in a swoon on the Earth, O king. When that hero, that bearer of the burthens of the Kuru's fell down, the son of Chitrangada also became deprived of his senses. The latter's swoon was due to his exertions in battle as also to his grief at seeing his sire slain. He had been pierced deeply by Arjuna with clouds of arrows. He, therefore, fell down at the van of battle embracing the Earth. Rearing that her husband had been slain and that her son had fallen down on the Earth, Chitrangada, in great agitation of mind, repaired to the field of battle. Her heart burning with sorrow, weeping piteously the while, and trembling all over, the mother of the ruler of Manipura saw her slain husband.'"

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राजेन्द्र! इनके अतिरिक्त चौबीस हजार एक सौ पैंसठ सैनिक लापता है

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" Vaisampayana said, 'That lady of eyes like lotus petals, having indulged in copious lamentations, and burning with grief, at last lost her senses and fell down on the Earth. Regaining consciousness and seeing Ulupi, the daughter of the snake chief, queen Chitrangada endued with celestial beauty, said unto her these words, 'Behold. O Ulupi, our ever- victorious husband slain in battle, through thee, by my son of tender years. Art thou conversant with the practices of the respectable? Art thou a wife devoted to thy lord? It is through thy deed that thy husband is laid low, slain in battle. If Dhananjaya hath offended against thee in every respect, do thou forgive him I solicit thee, do thou revive that hero. O righteous lady, thou art conversant with piety. Thou art, O blessed one, known (for thy virtues) over the three worlds. How is it that having caused thy husband to be slain by my son, thou dost not indulge in grief? O daughter of the snake chief, I do not grieve for my slain son. I grieve for only my husband who has received this hospitality from his son.' Having said these words unto the queenly Ulupi, the daughter of the snake chief, the illustrious Chitrangada proceeded to where her husband lay on the Earth and addressing him, said, 'Rise, O dear lord, thou occupiest the foremost place in the affections of the Kuru king (Yudhishthira). Here is that steed of thine. It has been set free by me. Verily, O puissant one, this sacrificial steed of king Yudhishthira the just, should be followed by thee. Why then dost thou lie still on the Earth? My life-breaths depend on thee, O delighter of the Kurus. How is it that he who is the giver of other people's life-breaths casts off his own life-breaths today? Behold, O Ulupi, this goodly sight of thy husband lying prostrate on the ground. How is it that thou dost not grieve, having caused him to be slain through my son when thou didst excite with thy words? It is fit that this boy should succumb to the power of death and lie thus on the ground beside his own sire. Oh, let Vijaya, let him that is called Gudakesa, let this hero with reddish eyes, come back O life. O blessed lady, polygamy is not fault with men. Women only incur fault by taking more than one husband. Do not, therefore, harbour such thoughts (of vengeance), l This relationship was ordained by the Supreme ordainer himself. It is, besides, an eternal and unchangeable one. Do thou attend to that relationship. Let thy union (with Dhananjaya) be made true. If, having slain thy husband through my son, thou dost not revive him today before my eyes, I shall then cast off my life-breaths. Without doubt, O reverend lady, afflicted as I am with grief and deprived as I am of both husband and son, I shall sit here today in Pray a in thy very sight!' Having said so unto the daughter of the snake chief, who was a co-wife with her to Arjuna, the princess Chaitravahini sat in Pray a, O king, restraining "Vaisampayana continued, 'Ceasing to lament, the cheerless queen, taking upon her lap the feet of her husband, sat there, sighing heavily and wishing also the restoration of her son to life. King Vabhruvahana then, regaining consciousness, saw his mother seated in that guise on the field of battle. Addressing her he said, 'What can be more painful than the sight of my mother, who has been brought up in luxury, lying on the bare ground beside her heroic husband stretched thereon? Alas, this slayer of all foes, this foremost of all wielders of weapons, hath been slain by me in battle, It is evident that men do not die till their hour comes. 3 Oh, the heart of this princess seems to be very hard since it does not break even at the sight of her mighty-armed and broad-chested husband lying dead on the ground. It is evident that one does not die till one's hour comes, since neither myself, nor my mother is deprived of life (at even such a sight). Alas, alas, the golden coat of mail of this foremost hero of Kuru's race, slain by me, his son, knowingly, is lying on the ground, cut off from his body. Alas, ye Brahmanas, behold my heroic sire lying prostrate on the Earth, on a hero's bed, slain by his son. What benefit is done to this hero, slain by me in battle, by those Brahmanas who were commissioned to attend upon this foremost one of Kuru's race engaged in following the steed? Let the Brahmanas direct what expiation should now be undergone by me, a cruel and sinful wretch, that has slain his own sire in battle. Having slain my own sire, I should, suffering every kind of misery, wander over the Earth, cruel that I am, covering myself with his skin. Give me the two halves of my sire's head to day, (so that I may wander over the Earth with them for that period), for there is no other expiation for me that have slain my own sire. Behold, O daughter of the foremost of snakes, thy husband slain by me. Verily, by slaying Arjuna in battle I have accomplished what is agreeable to thee. I shall today follow in the track by which my sire has gone. O blessed one, I am unable to comfort myself. Be happy today, O mother, seeing myself and the wielder of Gandiva both embrace death today. I swear to thee by truth itself(that I shall castoff my life-breaths).' these words, the king, deeply afflicted with grief, O monarch, touched water, and exclaimed in sorrow, 'Let all creatures, mobile and immobile, listen to me. Do thou also listen to me, O mother. I say the truth, O best of all daughters of the snakes. If this best of men, Jaya, my sire, does not rise up, I shall emaciate my own body, sitting on the field of battle. Having slain my sire, there is no rescue for me (from that dire sin). Afflicted as I am with the sin of slaying my sire, I shall without doubt have to sink in Hell. By slaying a heroic Kshatriya one becomes cleansed by making a gift of a hundred kine. By slaying my sire, however, so dire has been my sin that my I rescue is impossible. This Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu, was the one hero endued with mighty energy. Possessed of righteous soul, he was the author of my being. How can I be rescued after having slain him? Having uttered these lamentations, the high-souled son of Dhananjaya, king Vabhruvahana, touched water and became silent, vowing to starve himself to death.' " Vaisampayana continued, 'When the king of Manipura, that chastiser of foes, afflicted with grief, along with his mother, sat down to starve himself to death, Ulupi then thought of the gem that has the virtue of reviving a dead man. The gem, the great refuge of the snakes, thus thought of, came there. The daughter of the prince of snakes taking it up, uttered these words that highly gladdened the combatants standing on the field. 'Rise up, O son. Do not grieve. Jishnu has not been vanquished by thee. This hero is incapable of being vanquished by men as also by the deities with Vasava himself at their head I have exhibited this illusion, deceiving your senses, for the benefit of this foremost of men, viz., thy illustrious sire. O thou of Kuru's race, desirous of ascertaining the prowess of thyself, his son, this slayer of hostile heroes, O king, came here for battling with thee. It was for that reason, O son, that thou wert urged by me to do battle. O puissant king, O son, do not suspect that thou hast committed any, even the least, fault, by accepting his challenge. He is a Rishi, of a mighty soul, eternal and indestructible. O dear son, Sakra himself is incapable of vanquishing him in battle. This celestial gem has been brought by me, O king. It always revives the snakes as often as they die. O puissant king, do thou place this gem on the breast of thy sire. Thou shalt then see the son of Pandu revived.' Thus addressed, the prince who had committed no sin, moved by affection for his sire, then placed that gem on the breast of Pritha's son of immeasurable energy. After the gem had been placed on his breast; the heroic and puissant Jishnu became revived. Opening his red eyes he rose up like one who had slept long. Beholding his sire, the high-souled hero of great energy, restored to consciousness and quite at his ease, Vabhruvahana worshipped him with reverence. When that tiger among men, O puissant one, awoke from the slumber of death with every auspicious sign of life, the chastiser of Paka rained down celestial flowers. Kettle- drums struck by nobody, produced their music deep as the roar of the cloud. A loud uproar was heard in the welkin consisting of the words—Excellent, Excellent! The mighty-armed Dhananjaya, rising up and well-comforted, embraced Vabhruvahana and smelled his head. He saw sitting at a distance from his son. this latter's mother afflicted with grief, in the company of Ulupi. Dhananjaya asked,— 'Why is it that every thing in the field of battle seems to bear the indications of grief, wonder, and joy? If, O slayer of foes, the cause is known to thee, do thou then tell me. Why has thy mother come to the field of battle? Why also has Ulupi, the daughter of the prince of snakes, come here? I know that thou hadst fought this battle with me at my own command. I desire to know what the cause is that has brought out the ladies.' The intelligent ruler of Manipura, thug questioned by Dhananjaya, gratified him by bending his head in reverence, and then said,— 'Let Ulupi be questioned.' taken as vahunam bharyyata, i.e., polyandry, in the second line. to cast off one's life-breaths.

हिन्दी अर्थ

आचक्ष्व मे महाबाहो सर्वज्ञों हसि मे मत: देवराजसमाल्लॉकान् गतास्ते सत्यविक्रमा:

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would have died, so heavy is the load of my affliction.' " Arjuna said, 'What business brought thee here, O daughter (-in-law) of Kuru's race, and what also is the cause of the arrival on the field of battle of her who is the mother of the ruler of Manipura? Dost thou entertain friendly motives towards this king, O daughter of a snake? O thou of restless glances, dost thou wish good to me too? I hope, O thou of ample hips, that neither I, nor this Vabhruvahana here, have, O beautiful lady, done any injury to thee unconsciously? Has Chitrangada of faultless limbs, descended from the race of Chitravahana, done thee any wrong?' Unto him, the daughter of the prince of snakes answered smilingly, 'Thou hast not offended me, nor has Vabhruvahana done me any wrong; nor this prince's mother who is always obedient to me as a hand-maid. Listen, how all this has been brought about by me. Thou shouldst not be angry with me. Indeed, I seek to gratify thee by bending my head in reverence. O thou of Kuru's race, all this has been done by me for thy good, O puissant one. O mighty- armed Dhananjaya, hear all that I have done. In the great battle of the Bharata princes, thou hadst slain the royal son of Santanu by unrighteous ways. What I have done has expiated thy sin. Thou didst not overthrow Bhishma while battling with thee. He was engaged with Sikhandin. Relying on him as thy help, thou didst compass the overthrow of Santanu's son. If thou hadst died without having expiated thy sin, thou wouldst then have fallen without doubt into Hell in consequence of that sinful act of thine. Even this which thou hast got from thy son is the expiation of that sin. Formerly, O ruler of Earth, I heard this said by the Vasus while they were in the company of Ganga, O thou of great intelligence. After the fall of Santanu's son, those deities, viz., the Vasus, coming to the banks of Ganga, bathed in her waters, and calling the goddess of that stream, they uttered these terrible words having the sanction of Bhagirathi herself, viz., —Santanu's son Bhishma has been slain by Dhananjaya. Verily, O goddess, Bhishma then was engaged with another, and had ceased to fight. For this fault we shall today denounce a curse on Dhananjaya. —To this, the goddess Ganga readily assented, saying,— Be it so!— Hearing these words I became very much afflicted and penetrating into the nether regions represented everything to my sire. Informed of what had happened, my sire became plunged in grief. Repairing to the Vasus, he solicited them for thy sake, repeatedly gratifying them by every means in his power. They then said unto him, 'Dhananjaya has a highly blessed son who, endued with youth, is the ruler of Manipura. He will, standing on the field of battle, cast Dhananjaya down on the Earth. When this will happen, O prince of snakes, Arjuna will be freed from our curse. Do thou go back.— Thus addressed by the Vasus, he came back and informed me of what had happened. Having learnt all this, O hero, I have freed thee from the curse of the Vasus even in this way. The chief of the deities himself is incapable of vanquishing thee in battle. The son is one's own self. It is for this that thou hast been vanquished by him. I cannot be held, O puissant one, to have committed any fault. How, indeed, wouldst thou hold me censurable?'— Thus addressed (by Ulupi), Vijaya became cheerful of heart and said unto her, All this that thou hast done, O goddess, is highly agreeable to me.' After this, Jaya addressed his son, the ruler of Manipura, and said unto him in the hearing of Chitrangada, the daughter (-in-law) of Kuru's house, the Horse- sacrifice of Yudhishthira will take place on the day of full moon in the coming month of Chaitra. Come there, O king, with thy mother and thy counsellors and officers.' Thus addressed by Partha, king Vabhruvahana of great intelligence, with tearful eyes, said these words to his sire, 'O thou that art conversant with every duty, I shall certainly repair, at thy command, to the great Horse-sacrifice, and take upon myself the task of distributing food among the regenerate ones. For, however, showing thy grace towards me, thou enter thy own city with thy two wives. Let no scruple, be thine as regards this, O thou that art fully acquainted with every duty. O lord, having lived for one night in thy own mansion in happiness, thou mayst then follow the steed, O foremost of victorious warriors. The ape-bannered son of Kunti, thus addressed by his son, answered the child of Chitrangada, saying 'Thou knowest, O mighty-armed one, what vow I am observing. O thou of large eyes, till the termination of this my vow, I cannot enter thy city. O foremost of men, this sacrificial horse wanders at will. (I have to follow it always.) Blessings on thee! I must go away. Place I have none wherein to rest for even a short while.' The son of the chastiser of Paka then, duly worshipped by his son and obtaining the permission of his two wives, left the spot and proceeded "Vaisampayana said, 'The (sacrificial) steed, having wandered over the whole Earth bounded by the ocean, then ceased and turned his face towards the city called after the elephant. Following as he did that horse, the diadem-decked Arjuna also turned his face towards the Kuru capital. Wandering at his will, the steed then came to the city of Rajagriha. Beholding him arrived within his dominion, O monarch, the heroic son of Sahadeva, observant of Kshatriya duties, challenged him to battle. Coming out of his city, Meghasandhi, mounted on his car and equipt with bow and arrows and leathern fence, rushed towards Dhananjaya who was on foot. Possessed of great energy, Meghasandhi approaching Dhananjaya, O king, said these words from a spirit of childishness and without any skill. 'This steed of thine, O Bharata, seems to move about, protected by women only. I shall take away the horse. Do thou strive to free him. Although my sires did not teach thee in battle, I, however, shall do the duties of hospitality to you. Do thou strike me, for I shall strike thee.' Thus addressed, the son of Pandu, smiling the while, answered him, saying, 'To resist him who obstructs me is the vow cast on me by my eldest brother. Without doubt, O king, this is known to thee. Do thou strike me to the best of thy power. I have no anger.' Thus addressed, the ruler of Magadha first struck the son of Pandu, showering his arrows on him like the thousand-eyed Indra showering heavy downpour of rain. Then, O chief of Bharata's race, the heroic wielder of Gandiva, with shafts sped from his excellent bow, baffled all the arrows shot carefully at him by his antagonist. Having thus baffled that cloud of arrows, the ape-bannered hero sped a number of blazing arrows at his foe that resembled snakes with fiery mouths. These arrows he shot at his flag and flag-staff and car and poles and yoke and the horses, sparing the body of his foe and his car- driver. Though Partha who was capable of shooting the bow with the left hand (as well as with the right) spared the body of the prince of Magadha, yet the latter thinking that his body was protected by his own prowess, shot many arrows at Partha. The wielder of Gandiva, deeply struck by the prince of Magadha, shone like a flowering Palasa (Butea frondosa) in the season of spring. Arjuna had no desire of slaying the prince of Magadha. It was for this that, having struck the son of Pandu, he succeeded in remaining before that foremost of heroes. Then Dhananjaya, becoming angry, drew his bow with great force, and slew his antagonist's steeds and then struck off the head of his car-driver. With a razor-headed shaft he then cut off Meghasandhi's large and beautiful bow, and then his leathern fence. Then cutting off his flag and flag-staff, he caused it to fall down. The prince of Magadha, exceedingly afflicted, and deprived of his steeds and bow and driver, took up a mace and rushed with great speed at the son of Kunti. Arjuna then with many shafts of his equipt with vulturine feathers cut off into fragments, that mace of his advancing foe which was adorned with bright gold. Thus cut off into fragments, that mace with its begemmed bonds and knots all severed, fell on the Earth like a she-snake helplessly hurled down by somebody. When his foe became deprived of his car, his bow, and his mace, that foremost of warriors, viz., the intelligent Arjuna, did not wish to strike him. The ape-bannered hero then, comforting his cheerless foe who had been observant of Kshatriya duties, said unto him these words, 'O son, thou hast sufficiently displayed thy adherence to Kshatriya duties. Go now. Great have been the feats, O king, which thou hast accomplished in battle although thou art very young in years. The command I received from Yudhishthira was that kings who oppose me should not be slain. It is for this thou livest yet, O monarch, although thou hast offended me in battle. Thus addressed, the ruler of Magadha considered himself vanquished and spared. Thinking then that it was his duty to do so, he approached Arjuna and joining his hands in reverence worshipped him. And he said, 'Vanquished have I been by thee. Blessed be thou, I do not venture to continue the battle. Tell me what I am to do now for thee. Regard thy behest as already accomplished. Comforting him again, Arjuna once more said unto him, 'Thou shouldst repair to the Horse-sacrifice of our king which takes place at the coming full moon of Chaitra.' Thus addressed by him, the son of Sahadeva said, 'So be it,'— and then duly worshipped that horse as also Phalguna, that foremost of warriors. The sacrificial horse then, equipt with beautiful manes, proceeded at his will along the sea-coast, repairing to the countries of the Bangas, the Pundras, and the Kosalas. In those realms Dhananjaya, with his bow Gandiva, O king, vanquished innumerable Mlechecha armies one after " Vaisampayana said, 'Worshipped by the ruler of Magadha, Pandu's son having white steeds yoked unto his car, proceeded along the south, following the (sacrificial) steed. Turning round in course of his wanderings at will, the mighty steed came upon the beautiful city of the Chedis called after the oyster, l Sarabha, the son of Sisupala, endued with great strength, first encountered Arjuna in battle and then worshipped him with due honours. Worshipped by him, O king, that best of steeds then proceeded to the realms of the Kasis, the Angas, the Kosalas, the Kiratas, and the Tanganas. Receiving due honours in all those realms, Dhananjaya turned his course. Indeed, the son of Kunti then proceeded to the country of the Dasarnas. The ruler of that people was Chitrangada who was endued with great strength and was a crusher of foes. Between him and Vijaya occurred a battle exceedingly terrible. Bringing him under his sway the diadem-decked Arjuna, that foremost of men, proceeded to the dominions of the Nishada king, viz., the son of Ekalavya. The soon of Ekalavya received Arjuna in battle. The encounter that took place between the Kuru hero and the Nishadas was so furious as to make the hair stand on end. Unvanquished in battle, the valiant son of Kunti defeated the Nishada king who proved an obstacle to the sacrifice. Having subjugated the son of Ekalavya, O king, the son of Indra, duly worshipped by the Nishadas, then proceeded towards the southern ocean. In those regions battle took place between the diadem-decked hero and the Dravidas and Andhras and the fierce Mahishakas and the hillmen of Kolwa. Subjugating those tribes without having to accomplish any fierce feats, Arjuna proceeded to the country of the Surashtras, his footsteps guided by the horse. Arrived at Gokarna, he repaired thence to Prabhasa. Next he proceeded to the beautiful city of Dwaravati protected by the heroes of the Vrishni race. When the beautiful sacrificial horse of the Kuru king reached Dwaravati, the Yadava youths, used force against that foremost of steeds. King Ugrasena, however, soon went out and forbade those youths from doing what they meditated. Then the ruler of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, issuing out of his palace, with Vasudeva, the maternal uncle of Arjuna, in his company, cheerfully met the Kuru hero and received him with due rites. The two elderly chiefs honoured Arjuna duly. Obtaining their permission, the Kuru prince then proceeded to where the horse he followed, led him. The sacrificial steed then proceeded along the coast of the western ocean and at last reached the country of the five waters which swelled with population and prosperity. Thence, O king, the steed proceeded to the country of Gandharas. Arrived there, it wandered at will, followed by the son of Kunti. Then occurred a fierce battle between the diadem-decked hero and the ruler of Gandharas, viz- , the son of Sakuni, who had a bitter rememberance of the grudge his sire bore to the Pandavas.'

हिन्दी अर्थ

युध्यमाना हता: संख्ये गन्धर्व: सह संगता:

English

"Vaisampayana said, 'The heroic son of Sakuni, who was a mighty car-warrior among the Gandharas, accompanied by a large force, proceeded against the Kuru hero of curly hair, l That force was properly equipt with elephants and horses and cars, and was adorned with many flags and banners. Unable to bear and, therefore, burning to avenge, the slaughter of their king Sakuni, those warriors, armed with bows, rushed together at Partha. The unvanquished Vibhatsu of righteous soul addressed them peacefully, but they were unwilling to accept the beneficial words of Yudhishthira (through Arjuna). Though forbidden by Partha with sweet words, they still gave themselves up to wrath and surrounded the sacrificial steed. At this, the son of Pandu became filled with wrath. Then Arjuna, carelessly shooting from Gandiva many shafts with razor-like heads that blazed with splendour, cut off the heads of many Gandhara warriors. While thus slaughtered by Partha, the Gandharas, O king, exceedingly afflicted, set free the horse, moved by fear and desisted from battle. Resisted, however, by those Gandhara combatants who still surrounded him on every side, the son of Pandu, possessed of great energy, felled the heads of many, previously naming those whom he thus despatched. When the Gandhara warriors were thus being slain all around him in battle, the royal son of Sakuni came forward to resist the son of Pandu. Unto the Gandhara king who was fighting with him, impelled by Kshatriya duty, Arjuna said, 'I do not intend to slay the kings who fight with me, in consequence of the commands of Yudhishthira. Cease, O hero, to fight with me. Do not court defeat.' Thus addressed the son of Sakuni, stupefied by folly, disregarded that advice and covered with many swift arrows the Kuru hero who resembled Sakra himself in the feats he accomplished in battle. Then Partha, with a crescent-shaped arrow, cut off the head-gear of his foe. Of immeasurable soul, he also caused that head-gear to be borne along a great distance like the head of Jayadratha (after he had cut it off in the battle of Kurukshetra). Beholding this feat, all the Gandhara warriors became filled with wonder. That Arjuna voluntarily spared their king was well understood by them. The prince of the Gandharas then began to fly away from the field, accompanied by all his warriors who resembled a flock of frightened deer. The Gandharas, through fear, lost their senses and wandered over the field, unable to escape. Arjuna, with his broad-headed shafts, cut off the heads of many. Many there were who lost their arms in consequence of Arjuna's arrows, but so stupefied were they with fear that they were not aware of the loss of that limb. Verity, the Gandhara army was exceedingly afflicted with those large shafts which Partha sped from Gandiva. That army, which then consisted of frightened men and elephants and horses, which lost many warriors and animals, and which had been reduced to a rabble and put to rout, began to wander and wheel about the field repeatedly. Among those foes who were thus being slaughtered none could be seen standing in front of the Kuru hero famed for foremost of feats. No one could be seen who was able to bear the prowess of Dhananjaya. Then the mother of the ruler of the Gandharas, filled with fear, and with all the aged ministers of state, came out of her city, bearing an excellent Arghya for Arjuna. She forbade her brave son of steady heart from fighting any longer, and gratified Jishnu who was never fatigued with toil. The puissant Vibhatsu worshipped her and became inclined to show kindness towards the Gandharas. Comforting the son of Sakuni, he said, 'Thou hast not, O mighty-armed hero, done what is agreeable to me by getting thy heart upon these measures of hostility. O slayer of heroes, thou art my brother, O sinless one. I Recollecting my mother Gandhari, and for the sake of Dhritarashtra also, I have not taken thy life. It is for this, O king, that thou livest still. Many of thy followers, however, have been slain by me. Let not such a thing happen again. Let hostilities cease. Let not thy understanding again go astray. Thou shouldst go to the Horse-sacrifice of our king which comes off on the day of full moon of the month of Chaitra.' Arjuna, hence, were cousins. "Vaisampayana said, 'Having said these words, Partha set out, following the horse which wandered at its will. The sacrificial steed then turned towards the road that led to the city called after the elephant. Yudhishthira heard from his intelligence-bearers that the steed had turned back. And hearing also that Arjuna was hale and hearty, he became filled with joy. l Hearing also the feats, accomplished by Vijaya in the country of the Gandharas as also in another realms, the king became exceedingly glad. Meanwhile, king Yudhishthira the just, seeing that the twelfth day of the lighted fortnight in the month of Magha had come, and noticing also that the constellation was favourable, summoned all his brothers, viz., Bhima and Nakula and Sahadeva. Endued with great energy, the king, O thou of Kuru's race, that foremost of all persons conversant with duties, said these words in proper time. Indeed, that foremost of all speakers, addressing Bhima, the first of all smiters, said;— 'Thy younger brother (Arjuna), O Bhimasena, is coming back with the horse. I have learnt this from those men who had followed Arjuna. The time (for the sacrifice) is come. The sacrificial horse is near. The day of full moon of the month of Magha is at hand. The month is about to expire, O Vrikodara. Let, therefore, learned Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas look for a sacrificial spot for the successful accomplishment of the Horse- sacrifice.' Thus addressed, Bhima obeyed the royal behest. He became very glad upon hearing that Arjuna of curly hair was about to come back. Then Bhima went out with a number of men well conversant with the rules of laying out sacrificial grounds and constructing buildings. And he took with him many Brahmanas well- versed in all the rites of sacrifices. Bhima selected a beautiful spot and caused it to be duly measured out for laying the sacrificial compound. Numerous houses and mansions were constructed on it and high and broad roads also were laid out. Soon enough the Kaurava hero caused that ground to teem with hundreds of excellent mansions. The surface was levelled and made smooth with jewels and gems, and adorned with diverse structures made of gold. Columns were raised, ornamented with bright gold, and high and wide triumphal arches also were constructed on that sacrificial compound. All these were made of pure gold. The righteous-souled prince also caused apartments to be duly constructed for the accommodation of ladies and of the numerous kings who, hailing from many realms, were expected to grace the sacrifice with their presence. The son of Kunti also caused many mansions to be duly erected for Brahmanas who were expected to come from diverse realms. Then the mighty-armed Bhimasena, at the command of the king, sent out messengers to the great kings of the Earth. Those best of kings, came to the Horse-sacrifice of the Kuru monarch for doing what was agreeable to him. And they brought many gems with them and many female slaves and horses and weapons. The sounds that arose from those high- souled kings who resided within those pavilions touched the very heavens and resembled the noise made by the roaring ocean. King Yudhishthira, the delighter of the Kurus, assigned unto the monarchs who thus came to his sacrifice diverse kinds of food and drink, and beds also of celestial beauty. The chief of the Bharatas, viz., king Yudhishthira the just, assigned several stables well filled with different kinds of corn and sugarcane and milk to the animals (that came with the guests). To that great sacrifice of king Yudhishthira the just who was possessed of high intelligence, there also came a large number of Munis all of whom were utterers of Brahman. Indeed, O lord of Earth, all the foremost ones among the regenerate class that were then alive, came to that sacrifice, accompanied by their disciples. The Kuru king received them all. King Yudhishthira of mighty energy, casting off all pride, himself followed all his guests to the pavilions that had been assigned for their residence. Then all the mechanics and engineers, having completed the arrangements of the sacrifice informed king Yudhishthira of it. Hearing that everything was ready, king Yudhishthira the just, full of alertness and attention, became highly glad along with his brothers all of whom honoured him duly.' " Vaisampayana continued, 'When the great sacrifice of Yudhishthira commenced, many eloquent dialecticians started diverse propositions and disputed thereon, desirous of vanquishing one another, l The (invited) kings beheld the excellent preparations of that sacrifice, resembling those of the chief himself of the deities, made, O Bharata, by Bhimasena. They beheld many triumphal arches made of gold, and many beds and seats and other articles of enjoyment and luxury, and crowds of men collected at different sports. There were also many jars and vessels and cauldrons and jugs and lids and covers. The invited kings saw nothing there that was not made of gold. Many sacrificial stakes also were set up, made, according to the directions of the scriptures of wood, and adorned with gold. Endued with great effulgence, these were duly planted and dedicated (with scriptural Mantras). The king saw all animals, again, which belong to land and all those which belong to water, collected there on the occasion. And they also beheld many kine and many buffaloes and many old women, and many aquatic animals, many beasts of prey and many species of birds, and many specimens of viviparous and oviparous creatures, and many that are filth-born, and many belonging to the vegetable kingdom, and many animals and plants that live or grow on mountains. Beholding the sacrificial compound thus adorned with animals and kine and corn, the invited kings became filled with wonder. Large heaps of costly sweet-meats were kept ready for both the Brahmanas and the Vaisyas. And when the feeding was over of a hundred thousand Brahmanas, drums and cymbals were beat. And so large was the number fed that the sounds of drums and cymbals were repeatedly heard, indeed, from day to day those sounds continued. Thus was performed that sacrifice of king Yudhishthira of great intelligence. Many hills of food, O king, were dedicated on the occasion. Many large tanks were seen of curds and many lakes of ghee. In that great sacrifice, O monarch, was seen the entire population of Jamvudwipa, with all its realms and provinces, collected together. Thousands of nations and races were there. A large number of men, O chief of Bharata's race, adorned with garlands and wearing bright ear-rings made of gold, taking innumerable vessels in their hands, distributed the food unto the regenerate classes by hundreds and thousands. The attendants of the Pandavas gave away unto the Brahmanas diverge kinds of food and drink which were, besides, so costly as to be worthy of being eaten and drunk by kings themselves.'" but they had a regular intelligence department. It was the business of these men to send correct reports to the king of every important occurrence. The news letter-writers of the Mussalman time, or Harkaras, were the successors of the char as of Hindu times.

हिन्दी अर्थ

ह्वीनिषेवा महात्मान: परानभिमुखा रणे

English

Ritwija or to be distributed among all the Ritwijas including the other Brahmanas, is enjoined to be of a certain measure. Vyasa advises Yudhishthira to make that Dakshina triple of what the enjoined measure is. By thus increasing the Dakshina, the merit of the sacrificer will increase correspondingly. declared of performing what is desired to be performed. scriptures on the ritual. There are certain acts, however, which, though not laid down, should be done agreeably to reasonable inferences. What is said, therefore, in the second line of 20 is that the procedure was fully followed, both as laid down and as consistent with inferences. juice of the Soma plant after its consecration with Mantras. Saravarnin is otherwise called, as explained by Nilakantha, Palasa. It is the Butea frondosa of Roxburgh. Devadaru is Pinus Deodara of Roxburgh, or Cedruz Deodara. Sleshmataka is a small tree identified with the Cordia latifolia. Here probably, some other tree is intended. drawn on the sacrificial altar, with gold-dust. At the present day, powdered rice, coloured red, yellow, blue, etc, is used. "Vaisampayana said, 'Having cooked, according to due rites, the other excellent animals that were sacrificed, the priests then sacrificed, agreeably to the injunctions of the scriptures, that steed (which had wandered over the whole world). After cutting that horse into pieces, conformably to scriptural directions, they caused Draupadi of great intelligence, who was possessed of the three requisites of mantras, things, and devotion, to sit near the divided animal. The Brahmanas then with cool minds, taking up the marrow of that steed, cooked it duly, O chief of Bharata's race. King Yudhishthira the just, with all his younger brothers, then smelled, agreeably to the scriptures, the smoke, capable of cleansing one from every sin, of the marrow that was thus cooked. The remaining limbs, O king, of that horse, were poured into the fire by the sixteen sacrificial priests possessed of great wisdom. Having thus completed the sacrifice of that monarch, who was endued with the energy of Sakra himself, the illustrious Vyasa with his disciples eulogised the king greatly. Then Yudhishthira gave away unto the Brahmanas a thousand crores of golden nishkas, and unto Vyasa he gave away the whole Earth. Satyavati's son Vyasa, having accepted the Earth, addressed that foremost one of Bharata's race, viz., king Yudhishthira the just, and said, 'O best of kings, the Earth which thou hast given me I return unto thee. Do thou give me the purchasing value, for Brahmanas are desirous of wealth (and have no use with the Earth).' The high-souled Yudhishthira of great intelligence staying with his brothers in the midst of the kings invited to his sacrifice, said unto those Brahmanas, The 'Dakshina ordained in the scriptures for the great Horse- sacrifice is the Earth. Hence, I have given away unto the sacrificial priests the Earth conquered by Arjuna. Ye foremost of Brahmanas, I shall enter the woods. Do ye divide the Earth among yourselves. Indeed, do you divide the Earth into four parts according to what is done in the Chaturhotra sacrifice. Ye best of regenerate ones I do not desire to appropriate what now belongs to the Brahmanas. Even this, ye learned Brahmanas, has been the intention always cherished by myself and my brothers.' When the king said these words, his brothers and Draupadi also said, Yes, it is even so.' Great was the sensation created by this announcement. Then, O Bharata, an invisible voice was heard in the welkin, saying,— 'Excellent, Excellent!' The murmurs also of crowds of Brahmanas as they spoke arose. The Island-born Krishna, highly applauding him, once more addressed Yudhishthira, in the presence of the Brahmanas, saying, 'The Earth has been given by thee to me. I, however, give her back to thee. Do thou give unto these Brahmanas gold. Let the Earth be thine.' Then Vasudeva, addressing king Yudhishthira the just, said, 'It behoveth thee to do as thou art bid by the illustrious Vyasa.' Thus addressed, the foremost one of Kuru's race, along with all his brothers, became glad of soul, and gave away millions of golden coins, in fact, trebling the Dakshina ordained for the Horse-sacrifice. No other king will be able to accomplish what the Kuru king accomplished on that occasion after the manner of Marutta. Accepting that wealth, the Island-born sage, Krishna, of great learning, gave it unto the sacrificial priests, dividing it into four parts. Having paid that wealth as the price of the Earth, Yudhishthira, cleansed of his sins and assured of Heaven rejoiced with his brothers. The sacrificial priests, having got that unlimited quantity of wealth, distributed it among the Brahmanas gladly and according to the desire of each recipient. The Brahmanas also divided amongst themselves, agreeably to Yudhishthira's permission, the diverse ornaments of gold that were in the sacrificial compound, including the triumphal arches, the stakes, the jars, and diverse kinds of vessels. After the Brahmanas had taken as much as they desired, the wealth that remained was taken away by Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras and diverse tribes of Mlechechas. Thus gratified with presents by king Yudhishthira of great intelligence, the Brahmanas, filled with joy, returned to their respective abodes. The holy and illustrious Vyasa respectfully presented his own share, which was very large, of that gold unto Kunti. Receiving that gift of affection from her father-in-law, Pritha became glad of heart and devoted it to the accomplishment of diverge acts of merit. King Yudhishthira, having bathed at the conclusion of his sacrifice and become cleansed of all his sins, shone in the midst of his brothers, honoured by all, like the chief of the celestials in the midst of the denizens of Heaven. The sons of Pandu, surrounded by the assembled kings, looked as beautiful, O king, as the planets in the midst of the stars. Unto those kings they made presents of various jewels and gems, and elephants and horses and ornaments of gold, and female slaves and cloths and large measures of gold. Indeed, Pritha's son by distributing that untold wealth among the invited monarchs, shone, O king, like Vaisravana, the lord of treasures. Summoning next the heroic king Vabhruvahana, Yudhishthira gave unto him diverse kinds of wealth in profusion and gave him permission to return home. The son of Pandu, for gratifying his sister Dussala, established her infant grandson in his paternal kingdom. The Kuru king Yudhishthira, having a full control over his senses, then dismissed the assembled kings all of whom had been properly classed and honoured by him. l The illustrious son of Pandu, that chastiser of foes, then duly worshipped the high-souled Govinda and Valadeva of great might, and the thousands of other Vrishni heroes having Pradyumna for their first. Assisted by his brothers, he then dismissed them for returning to Dwaraka. Even thus was celebrated that sacrifice of king Yudhishthira the just, which was distinguished by a profuse abundance of food and wealth and jewels and gems, and oceans of wines of different kinds. There were lakes whose mire consisted of ghee, and mountains of food. There were also, O chief of Bharata's race, miry rivers made of drinks having the six kinds of taste. Of men employed in making and eating the sweetmeats called Khandavaragas, and of animals slain for food, there was no end. l The vast space abounded with men inebriated with wine, and with young ladies filled with joy. The extensive grounds constantly echoed with the sounds of drums and the blare of conches. With all these, the sacrifice became exceedingly delightful. 'Let agreeable things be given away, '--'Let agreeable food be eaten,'— these were the sounds that were repeatedly heard day and night in that sacrifice. It was like a great festival, full of rejoicing and contented men. People of diverse realms speak of that sacrifice to this day. Having showered wealth in torrents, and diverse objects of desire, and jewels and gems, and drinks of various kinds, the foremost one of Bharata's race, cleansed of all his sins, and his purpose fulfilled, entered his capital. '"