01.105
Core:Kunti chooses Pandu in a Swayamvara; Madri, the beautiful, is bought for a price.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
rūpasattvaguṇopetā dharmārāmā mahāvratā। duhitā kuntibhojasya kṛte pitrā svayaṁvare॥1॥
Endowed with beauty, strength, and virtue, delighting in righteousness and of great vows, the daughter of Kuntibhoja was offered in svayaṁvara by her father.
siṁhadaṁṣṭraṁ gajaskandhamṛṣabhākṣaṁ mahābalam। bhūmipālasahasrāṇāṁ madhye pāṇḍumavindata॥2॥
Amidst thousands of kings, she chose Pāṇḍu — lion-toothed, elephant-shouldered, bull-eyed, and of great strength.
sa tayā kuntibhojasya duhittrā kurunandanaḥ। yuyuje'mitasaubhāgyaḥ paulomyā maghavāniva॥3॥
The fortunate Kuru prince was united with the daughter of Kuntibhoja, like Indra with Paulomī.
yātvā devavratenaapi madrāṇāṁ puṭabhedanam। viśrutā triṣu lokeṣu mādrī madrapateḥ sutā॥4॥
Even Bhīṣma journeyed through the gates of the Madra kingdom; Mādrī, daughter of the Madra king, was famed in the three worlds.
sarvarājasu vikhyātā rūpeṇāsadṛśī bhuvi। pāṇḍorarthe parikrītā dhanena mahatā tadā। vivāhaṁ kārayāmāsa bhīṣmaḥ pāṇḍormahātmanaḥ॥5॥
Unmatched in beauty on earth and renowned among all kings, Mādrī was purchased with great wealth for Pāṇḍu, and Bhīṣma arranged the marriage of the great-souled Pāṇḍu.
siṁhoraskaṁ gajaskandhamṛṣabhākṣaṁ manasvinam। pāṇḍuṁ dṛṣṭvā naravyāghraṁ vyasmayanta narā bhuvi॥6॥
Seeing lion-chested, elephant-shouldered, bull-eyed, and high-minded Pāṇḍu, a tiger among men, the people of earth were amazed.
kṛtodvāhastataḥ pāṇḍurbalotsāhasamanvitaḥ। jigīṣamāṇo vasudhāṁ yayau śatrūnanekaśaḥ॥7॥
Having completed his marriage, Pāṇḍu, full of strength and zeal, set out to conquer the earth, defeating many enemies.
pūrvamāgaskṛto gatvā daśārṇāḥ samare jitāḥ। pāṇḍunā narasiṁhena kauravāṇāṁ yaśobṛtā॥8॥
First challenged and defeated in battle by Pāṇḍu, the lion among men, the Daśārṇas brought fame to the Kauravas.
tataḥ senāmupādāya pāṇḍurnānāvidhadhvajām। prabhūtahastyaśvarathāṁ padātigaṇasaṅkulām॥9॥
Then Pāṇḍu marched forth with an army adorned with various banners, rich in elephants, horses, and chariots, and crowded with foot soldiers.
āgaskṛtsarvavīrāṇāṁ vairī sarvamahībhṛtām। goptā magadharāṣṭrasya dārvo rājakṛhe hataḥ॥10॥
Dārva, the protector of the Magadha kingdom, who had challenged all heroes and was the enemy of all kings, was slain at Rājagṛha.
tataḥ kośaṁ samādāya vāhanāni balāni ca। pāṇḍunā mithilāṁ gatvā videhāḥ samare jitāḥ॥11॥
Then, having taken his treasury, vehicles, and forces, Pāṇḍu went to Mithilā and conquered the Videhas in battle.
tathā kāśiṣu suhmeṣu puṇḍreṣu bharatarṣabha। svabāhubalavīryeṇa kurūṇāmakarodyaśaḥ॥12॥
Likewise among the Kāśis, Suhmas, and Puṇḍras, the bull among the Bharatas, Pāṇḍu, by his own strength, brought fame to the Kurus.
taṁ śaraughamahājvālamastrārciṣamariṁdamam। pāṇḍupāvakamāsādya vyadahyanta narādhipāḥ॥13॥
Approaching Pāṇḍu, blazing like fire with torrents of arrows and flames of weapons, the enemy-subduing kings were scorched.
te sasenāḥ sasenena vidhvaṁsitabalā nṛpāḥ। pāṇḍunā vaśagāḥ kṛtvā karakarmasu yojitāḥ॥14॥
Those kings, with their forces shattered by Pāṇḍu’s army, were subdued and engaged in paying tributes.
tena te nirjitāḥ sarve pṛthivyāṁ sarvapārthivāḥ। tamekaṁ menire śūraṁ deveṣviva puraṁdaram॥15॥
All kings on earth, having been conquered by him, regarded the valiant Pāṇḍu as the sole hero, like Indra among the gods.
taṁ kṛtāñjalayaḥ sarve praṇatā vasudhādhipāḥ। upājagmurdhanaṁ gṛhya ratnāni vividhāni ca॥16॥
All rulers of the earth, with folded hands and bowed in respect, approached him bearing wealth and various kinds of gems.
maṇimuktāpravālaṁ ca suvarṇaṁ rajataṁ tathā। goratnānyaśvaratnāni ratharatnāni kuñjarān॥17॥
They brought gems, pearls, coral, as well as gold and silver, prized cows, horses, fine chariots, and elephants.
kharoṣṭramahiṣāṁścaiva yacca kiñcidajāvikam। tatsarvaṁ pratijagrāha rājā nāgapurādhipaḥ॥18॥
Donkeys, camels, buffaloes, and whatever goats or sheep were given — all that the king, lord of Nāgapura, accepted.
tadādāya yayau pāṇḍuḥ punarmuditavāhanaḥ। harṣayiṣyansvarāṣṭrāṇi puraṁ ca gajasāhvayam॥19॥
Having taken all that, Pāṇḍu returned with a joyful army, wishing to gladden his kingdoms and the city of Hastināpura.
śantano rājasiṁhasya bharatasya ca dhīmataḥ। pranaṣṭaḥ kīrtijaḥ śabdaḥ pāṇḍunā punaruddhṛtaḥ॥20॥
The lost glory of the lion among kings, Śantanu, and of the wise Bharata, was revived by Pāṇḍu once again.
ye purā kururāṣṭrāṇi jahruḥ kurudhanāni ca। te nāgapurasiṁhena pāṇḍunā karadāḥ kṛtāḥ॥21॥
Those who had formerly seized the Kuru territories and wealth were made tributaries by Pāṇḍu, the lion of Nāgapura.
ityabhāṣanta rājāno rājāmātyāśca saṅgatāḥ। pratītamanaso hṛṣṭāḥ paurajānapadaiḥ saha॥22॥
Thus spoke the assembled kings and ministers, their minds confident and joyous, together with the citizens and people of the land.
pratyudyayustaṁ samprāptaṁ sarve bhīṣmapurogamāḥ। te na dūramivādhvānaṁ gatvā nāgapurālayāḥ। āvṛtaṁ dadṛśurlokaṁ hṛṣṭā bahuvidhairjanaiḥ॥23॥
All, led by Bhīṣma, went out to welcome the returning Pāṇḍu; the people of Nāgapura, not going far, saw the land filled with joyful multitudes of various kinds.
nānāyānasamānītai ratnairuccāvacais tathā। hastyaśvaratharatnaiśca gobhiruṣṭrairathāvikaiḥ। nāntaṁ dadṛśurāsādya bhīṣmeṇa saha kauravāḥ॥24॥
With treasures brought on many vehicles, high and low in value — elephants, horses, chariots, cows, camels, goats and sheep — the Kauravas, with Bhīṣma, saw no end to the offerings.
so'bhivādya pituḥ pādau kausalyānandavardhanaḥ। yathārhaṁ mānayāmāsa paurajānapadānapi॥25॥
He, the enhancer of Kausalyā’s joy, bowed to his father’s feet and honored the citizens and country folk as was fitting.
pramṛdya pararāṣṭrāṇi kṛtārthaṁ punarāgatam। putramāsādya bhīṣmastu harṣādaśrūṇyavartayat॥26॥
Beholding his son returned after crushing enemy realms and fulfilling his aims, Bhīṣma, overwhelmed with joy, shed tears.
sa tūryaśatasaṅghānāṁ bherīṇāṁ ca mahāsvanaiḥ। harṣayansarvaśaḥ paurānviveśa gajasāhvayam॥27॥
Amidst great sounds from hundreds of musical bands and drums, delighting all the citizens, he entered Hastināpura.
