01.125
Core:Display of various military skills.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
kururāje ca raṅgasthe bhīme ca balināṁ vare। pakṣapāta-kṛta-snehaḥ sa dvidheva abhavat janaḥ ॥1॥
When the Kuru king and Bhīma, best of the strong, stood in the arena, the people, out of biased affection, seemed split in two.
hā vīra kururājeti hā bhīmeti ca nardatām। puruṣāṇāṁ su-vipulāḥ praṇādāḥ sahasa utthitāḥ ॥2॥
Cries of "O hero, Kuru king!" and "O Bhīma!" arose suddenly and greatly from the shouting men.
tataḥ kṣubdhārṇava-nibhaṁ raṅgam ālokya buddhimān। bhāradvājaḥ priyaṁ putram aśvatthāmānam abravīt ॥3॥
Then, seeing the arena like a turbulent ocean, the wise Bhāradvāja said to his beloved son Aśvatthāman.
vārayaitau mahāvīryau kṛtayogyāv ubhāv api। mā bhūd raṅga-prakopo’yaṁ bhīma-duryodhana-udbhavaḥ ॥4॥
Restrain these two powerful and well-trained warriors; let there be no turmoil in the arena arising from Bhīma and Duryodhana.
tatas tāv udyata-gadau guru-putreṇa vāritau। yugānta-anila-saṅkṣubdhau mahā-vegāv ivārṇavau ॥5॥
Then the two, with raised maces, were restrained by the teacher’s son, like two mighty oceans stirred by the winds of destruction.
tato raṅgāṅgaṇa-gato droṇo vacanam abravīt। nivārya vāditra-gaṇaṁ mahā-megha-nibha-svanam ॥6॥
Then Droṇa entered the arena and spoke, having silenced the musical instruments that roared like great clouds.
yo me putrāt priyataraḥ sarvās-traviduṣāṁ varaḥ। aindriḥ indrānuja-samaḥ sa pārtho dṛśyatām iti ॥7॥
He who is dearer to me than my own son, best among all masters of weapons, wielder of the Indra weapon, equal to Indra’s brother—let that Pārtha be seen.
ācārya-vacanena atha kṛta-svastyayano yuvā। baddha-godhāṅguli-trāṇaḥ pūrṇa-tūṇaḥ sa-kārmukaḥ ॥8॥
At the teacher’s command, the youth, having performed auspicious rites, entered, wearing finger guards and carrying a full quiver and bow.
kāñcanaṁ kavacaṁ bibhrat pratyadṛśyata phalgunaḥ। sārkaḥ sendrāyudha-taḍit-sasandhya iva toyadaḥ ॥9॥
Wearing golden armor, Pārtha appeared like a rain-cloud lit by sun and lightning, bow in hand like Indra’s, glowing like twilight.
tataḥ sarvasya raṅgasya samutpiñjo’bhavan mahān। prāvādyanta ca vādyāni saśaṅkhāni samantataḥ ॥10॥
Then a great stir arose in the entire arena, and instruments along with conches were sounded all around.
eṣa kuntīsutaḥ śrīmān eṣa pāṇḍava-madhyamaḥ। eṣa putro maheṃdrasya kurūṇām eṣa rakṣitāḥ ॥11॥
This is the glorious son of Kuntī, the middle Pāṇḍava. This is the son of Indra, the protector of the Kurus.
eṣo’stra-viduṣāṁ śreṣṭha eṣa dharma-bhṛtāṁ varaḥ। eṣa śīla-vatāṁ cāpi śīla-jñāna-nidhiḥ paraḥ ॥12॥
This one is the best among those skilled in weapons, the foremost of the righteous, and the supreme treasure of virtue and wisdom.
ity evam atulā vācaḥ śṛṇvantyāḥ prekṣake ritāḥ। kuntyāḥ prasnava-saṁmiśrair asraiḥ klinnaṁ uro ’bhavat ॥13॥
Thus, hearing those incomparable words spoken by the spectators, Kuntī’s chest was wet with tears mixed with milk.
tena śabdena mahatā pūrṇa-śrutiḥ atha abravīt। dhṛtarāṣṭro nara-śreṣṭhaḥ viduraṁ hṛṣṭa-mānasaḥ ॥14॥
Then Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the best of men, with gladdened heart, said to Vidura, hearing that great sound clearly.
kṣattaḥ kṣubdhārṇava-nibhaḥ kim eṣa su-mahā-svanaḥ। sahasaiva utthito raṅge bhindan iva nabhas-talam ॥15॥
O minister, what is this tremendous sound like a stormy ocean that suddenly arose in the arena, as if splitting the sky?
vidura uvāca॥
Vidura said:
eṣa pārtho mahārāja phalgunaḥ pāṇḍu-nandanaḥ। avatīrṇaḥ sa-kavacaḥ tatra eṣa su-mahā-svanaḥ ॥16॥
This is Arjuna, O great king, the son of Pṛthā and Pāṇḍu, who has entered with armor; this great sound is his arrival.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said:
dhan yo’smy anugṛhīto’smi rakṣito’smi mahā-mate। pṛthā-a-raṇi-samudbhūtaiḥ tribhiḥ pāṇḍava-vahnibhiḥ ॥17॥
I am blessed, favored, and protected, O wise one, by the three Pāṇḍava fires born of the churning of Pṛthā.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
tasmin samudite raṅge kathaṁcit paryavasthite। darśayām āsa bībhatsuḥ ācāryāt astra-lāghavam ॥18॥
When the arena had somewhat settled from the commotion, Arjuna displayed the dexterity in weapons learned from his teacher.
āgneyenāsṛjad vahniṁ vāruṇenāsṛjat payaḥ। vāyavyenāsṛjad vāyuṁ pārjanyenāsṛjad ghanān ॥19॥
With the fire weapon he created fire, with the Varuṇa weapon water, with the wind weapon air, and with the Parjanya weapon clouds.
bhaumena prāviśad bhūmiṁ pārvatena asṛjad girīn। antardhānena ca astreṇa punar antarhi to ’bhavat ॥20॥
With the earth weapon he entered the ground; with the mountain weapon, he created mountains; and with the disappearance weapon, he vanished again.
kṣaṇāt prāṁśuḥ kṣaṇād hrasvaḥ kṣaṇāc ca ratha-dhūr-gataḥ। kṣaṇena ratha-madhyasthaḥ kṣaṇena avāpatan mahīm ॥21॥
In a moment he became tall, then short, then mounted the yoke of the chariot, then stood at its center, and in a moment fell to the ground.
sukumāraṁ ca sūkṣmaṁ ca guruṁ cāpi guru-priyaḥ। sauṣṭhavenābhi-saṁyuktaḥ so ’vidhyad vividhaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥22॥
He who was delicate, subtle, and heavy, and dear to his teacher, endowed with elegance, pierced with various arrows.
bhramataś ca varāhasya lohasya pramukhe samam। pañca bāṇān asaṁsaktān sa mumocaika-bāṇavat ॥23॥
He released five arrows, not entangled, simultaneously in front of a spinning metal boar, as if it were a single arrow.
gavye viṣāṇa-kośe ca cale rajjv avalambite। nicakhāna mahā-vīryaḥ sāyakān eka-viṁśatim ॥24॥
In a swinging horn-container suspended by a rope, the mighty hero pierced twenty-one arrows.
ity evam ādi su-mahat khaḍge dhanuṣi ca abhavat। gadāyāṁ śastra-kuśalaḥ darśanāni vyadarśayat ॥25॥
Thus in sword, bow, and mace, the weapon-skilled one performed great displays.
tataḥ samāpta-bhūyiṣṭhe tasmin karmaṇi bhārata। mandībhūte samāje ca vāditrasya ca nisvane ॥26॥
Then, as that event mostly ended, and the gathering and sound of instruments had become subdued, O Bhārata.
dvāra-deśāt samudbhūto māhātmya-bala-sūcakaḥ। vajra-niṣpeṣa-sadṛśaḥ śuśruve bhuja-nisvanaḥ ॥27॥
From the gate arose a sound like the clash of thunder, indicating might and greatness—the noise of someone's arms was heard.
dīryante kiṁ nu girayaḥ kiṁ svid bhūmir vidīryate। kiṁ svid āpūryate vyoma jala-bhāra-ghanair ghanaiḥ ॥28॥
Are the mountains being torn? Is the earth splitting? Or is the sky being filled with water-laden clouds?
raṅgasyaivaṁ matir abhūt kṣaṇena vasudhādhipa। dvāraṁ ca abhimukhāḥ sarve babhūvuḥ prekṣakās tadā ॥29॥
O king, such thoughts arose about the arena, and all spectators at once turned toward the gate.
pañcabhir bhrātṛbhiḥ pārthaiḥ droṇaḥ parivṛto babhau। pañca-tāreṇa saṁyuktaḥ sāvitreṇa iva candramāḥ ॥30॥
Surrounded by the five sons of Pṛthā, Droṇa shone like the moon encircled by five stars and Sāvitrī.
aśvatthāmnā ca sahitaṁ bhrātṛṇāṁ śatam ūrjitam। duryodhanam amitra-ghnam utthitaṁ paryavārayat ॥31॥
Joined by Aśvatthāman and a hundred powerful brothers, Duryodhana the destroyer of enemies rose and was surrounded.
sa tais tadā bhrātṛbhiḥ udyata-āyudhaiḥ vṛto gadā-pāṇiḥ avasthitaiḥ sthitaḥ। babhau yathā dānava-saṅkṣaye purā puraṁdaraḥ deva-gaṇaiḥ samāvṛtaḥ ॥32॥
He stood surrounded by his armed brothers, mace in hand, shining like Indra surrounded by gods at the destruction of the Dānavas.
