01.124
Core:Arrangements for display of military skills by Kurus.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
kṛtāstrāndhārtarāṣṭrāṁśca pāṇḍuputrāṁśca bhārata। dṛṣṭvā droṇo'bravīdrājandhṛtarāṣṭraṁ janeśvaram ॥1॥
O Bhārata, seeing both the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the sons of Pāṇḍu trained in weapons, Droṇa said to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, lord of men.
kṛpasya somadattasya bāhlīkasya ca dhīmataḥ। gāṅgeyasya ca sānnidhye vyāsasya vidurasya ca ॥2॥
In the presence of the wise Kṛpa, Somadatta, Bāhlīka, Gāṅgeya, Vyāsa, and Vidura.
rājansamprāptavidyāste kumarāḥ kurusattama। te darśayeyuḥ svāṁ śikṣāṁ rājannanumate tava ॥3॥
O King, your sons who have gained knowledge, O best of the Kurus, should demonstrate their training with your consent.
tato'bravīnmahārājaḥ prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā। bhāradvāja mahatkarma kṛtaṁ te dvijasattama ॥4॥
Then the great king, delighted within, said, “O Bhāradvāja, a great deed has been done by you, O best of Brāhmaṇas.”
yadā tu manyase kālaṁ yasmindeśe yathā yathā। tathā tathā vidhānāya svayamājñāpayasva mām ॥5॥
Whenever and wherever you consider fit, please command me yourself for making the necessary arrangements.
spṛhayāmyadya nirvedātpuruṣāṇāṁ sacakṣuṣām। astrahetoḥ parākrāntānye me drakṣyanti putrakān ॥6॥
I desire today, with detachment, that people with eyes will witness my sons performing valor for the sake of weapons.
kṣattaryadgururācāryo bravīti kuru tattathā। na hīdṛśaṁ priyaṁ manye bhavitā dharmavatsala ॥7॥
O minister, do whatever the teacher says, for I do not think there will be anything more pleasing than this, O lover of dharma.
tato rājānamāmantrya vidurānugato bahiḥ। bhāradvājo mahāprājño māpayāmāsa medinīm। samāmavṛkṣāṁ nirgulmāmudakpravaṇasaṁsthitām ॥8॥
Then, after taking leave of the king and accompanied by Vidura, the wise Bhāradvāja measured out land—level, treeless, shrubless, and sloping toward water.
tasyāṁ bhūmau baliṁ cakre tithau nakṣatrapūjite। avaghuṣṭaṁ pure cāpi tadarthaṁ vadatāṁ vara ॥9॥
On that land, he performed a sacrificial offering on an auspicious day under a favorable star, and it was proclaimed throughout the city for that purpose, O best of speakers.
raṅgabhūmau suvipulaṁ śāstradṛṣṭaṁ yathāvidhi। prekṣāgāraṁ suvihitaṁ cakrustatra ca śilpinaḥ। rājñaḥ sarvāyudhopetaṁ strīṇāṁ caiva nararṣabha ॥10॥
In the arena, the artisans constructed a very spacious and properly designed viewing gallery according to scriptural directions, equipped with all weapons for the king and also arranged for women, O best of men.
mañcāṁśca kārayāmāsustatra jānapadā janāḥ। vipulānucchrayopetāñśibikāśca mahādhanāḥ ॥11॥
The people of the region constructed elevated platforms and palanquins for the wealthy.
tasmiṁstato'hani prāpte rājā sasacivastadā। bhīṣmaṁ pramukhataḥ kṛtvā kṛpaṁ cācāryasattamam ॥12॥
Then, on that day, the king arrived with his ministers, placing Bhīṣma and Kṛpa, the best of teachers, at the front.
muktājālaparikṣiptaṁ vaiḍūryamaṇibhūṣitam। śātakumbhamayaṁ divyaṁ prekṣāgāramupāgamat ॥13॥
He entered the divine viewing pavilion, made of refined gold, adorned with cat’s-eye gems, and enclosed by a net of pearls.
gāndhārī ca mahābhāgā kuntī ca jayatāṁ vara। striyaśca sarvā yā rājñaḥ sapreṣyāḥ saparicchadāḥ। harṣādāruruhurmañcānmeruṁ devastriyo yathā ॥14॥
Gāndhārī the blessed, Kuntī, and all the king’s women with attendants and ornaments joyfully ascended the platforms like celestial women ascending Mount Meru.
brāhmaṇakṣatriyādyaṁ ca cāturvarṇyaṁ purāddrutam। darśanepsu samabhyāgātkumāraṇāṁ kṛtāstratām ॥15॥
The four castes—Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, and others—swiftly came from the city, desiring to witness the martial skill of the princes.
pravāditaiśca vāditrairjanakautūhalena ca। mahārṇava iva kṣubdhaḥ samājaḥ so'bhavattadā ॥16॥
With musical instruments playing and people full of curiosity, the assembly became like an agitated ocean.
tataḥ śuklāmbaradharaḥ śuklayajñopavītavān। śuklakeśaḥ sitaśmaśruḥ śuklamālyānulepanaḥ ॥17॥
Then appeared one clad in white garments, with white sacred thread, white hair, white beard, and adorned with white garlands and ointments.
raṅgamadhyaṁ tadācāryaḥ saputraḥ praviveśa ha। nabho jaladharairhiīnaṁ sāṅgāraka ivāṁśumān ॥18॥
Then the teacher, with his son, entered the center of the arena, like the radiant Mars shining in a sky devoid of clouds.
sa yathāsamayaṁ cakre baliṁ balavatāṁ varaḥ। brāhmaṇāṁścātra mantrajñānvācayāmāsa maṅgalam ॥19॥
He, the best among the mighty, performed the offering at the right time and had the mantra-knowing Brāhmaṇas chant auspicious hymns.
atha puṇyāhaghoṣasya puṇyasya tadanantaram। viviśurvividhaṁ gṛhya śastropakaraṇaṁ narāḥ ॥20॥
Then, after the declaration of the sacred day, men entered with various weapons and equipment.
tato baddhatanutrāṇā baddhakakṣyā mahābalāḥ। baddhatūṇāḥ sadhanuṣo viviśurbharatarṣabhāḥ ॥21॥
Then the mighty Bharatas, equipped with armor, belts, quivers, and bows, entered the arena.
anujyeṣṭhaṁ ca te tatra yudhiṣṭhira-purogamāḥ। cakrurastraṁ mahāvīryāḥ kumārāḥ paramādbhutam ॥22॥
The powerful princes, led by Yudhiṣṭhira and following the eldest, performed marvelous feats of weaponry.
keciccharākṣepa-bhayācchirāṁsyavananāmire। manujā dhṛṣṭamapare vīkṣāṁ cakruḥ savismayāḥ ॥23॥
Some men bent their heads in fear of flying arrows, while others watched boldly with amazement.
te sma lakṣyāṇi vividhur bāṇair nāmāṅka-śobhitaiḥ। vividhair lāghavotsṛṣṭair uhyanto vājibhir drutam ॥24॥
They struck targets with named arrows, skillfully released while swiftly riding horses.
tat-kumāra-balaṁ tatra gṛhīta-śara-kārmukam। gandharva-nagara-ākāraṁ prekṣya te vismitābhavan ॥25॥
Seeing the princely strength, armed with bows and arrows, like a city of Gandharvas, they were amazed.
sahasā cukruśus tatra narāḥ śata-sahasraśaḥ। vismayo'tphulla-nayanāḥ sādhu sādhv iti bhārata ॥26॥
Suddenly, hundreds of thousands of men with eyes wide in amazement shouted, "Well done! Well done!"
kṛtvā dhanuṣi te mārgān ratha-caryāsu cāsakṛt। gaja-pṛṣṭhe'śva-pṛṣṭhe ca niyuddhe ca mahābalāḥ ॥27॥
The mighty warriors repeatedly displayed bowmanship during chariot movements, and on elephant and horse backs, as well as in close combat.
gṛhīta-khaḍga-carmāṇas tato bhūyaḥ prahāriṇaḥ। tsarumārgānyathoddiṣṭāṁś ceruḥ sarvāsu bhūmiṣu ॥28॥
Then, holding swords and shields, they again moved through all the designated fighting patterns across the grounds.
lāghavaṁ sauṣṭhavaṁ śobhāṁ sthiratvaṁ dṛḍhamuṣṭitām। dadṛśus tatra sarveṣāṁ prayoge khaḍga-caramaṇām ॥29॥
They observed agility, elegance, beauty, steadiness, and firm grip in everyone's sword and shield performance.
atha tau nitya-saṁhṛṣṭau suyodhana-vṛkodarau। avatīrṇau gadā-hastāv eka-śṛṅgāv ivācalau ॥30॥
Then the ever-delighted Suyodhana and Vṛkodara descended, mace in hand, like two immovable mountain peaks.
baddha-kakṣyau mahābāhū pauruṣe paryavasthitau। bṛṁhantau vāśitā-hetau samadāv iva kuñjarau ॥31॥
With belts secured and mighty arms, the two stood firm in manly pride, massive like excited elephants stirred by trumpet calls.
tau pradakṣiṇa-sav-yāni maṇḍalāni mahābalau। ceratur nirmala-gadau samadāv iva govṛṣau ॥32॥
Those two mighty warriors circled left and right with shining maces, like excited bulls.
viduro dhṛtarāṣṭrāya gāndhāryai pāṇḍavāraṇiḥ। nyavedayetāṁ tat sarvaṁ kumārāṇāṁ viceṣṭitam ॥33॥
Vidura, the ally of the Pāṇḍavas, reported to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī all the activities of the princes.
