01.178
Core-Pancharatra: Several kings cannot string the bow.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
तेऽलङ्कृताः कुण्डलिनो युवानः; परस्परं स्पर्धमानाः समेताः। अस्त्रं बलं चात्मनि मन्यमानाः; सर्वे समुत्पेतुरहङ्कृतेन ॥१-१७८-१॥
The young men, adorned with earrings, assembled together, each competing with one another. Thinking themselves possessed of weapons and strength, all of them rose up, filled with pride.
रूपेण वीर्येण कुलेन चैव; धर्मेण चैवापि च यौवनेन। समृद्धदर्पा मदवेगभिन्ना; मत्ता यथा हैमवता गजेन्द्राः ॥१-१७८-२॥
By their form, strength, lineage, righteousness, and youth, prosperous and proud, broken by the force of intoxication, they are intoxicated just like the lordly elephants of the Himalayas.
परस्परं स्पर्धया प्रेक्षमाणाः; सङ्कल्पजेनापि परिप्लुताङ्गाः। कृष्णा ममैषेत्यभिभाषमाणा; नृपासनेभ्यः सहसोपतस्थुः ॥१-१७८-३॥
They looked at each other with rivalry, their bodies agitated by resolve; saying, "This Kṛṣṇā is mine," they suddenly rose from the royal seats.
ते क्षत्रिया रङ्गगताः समेता; जिगीषमाणा द्रुपदात्मजां ताम्। चकाशिरे पर्वतराजकन्या; मुमां यथा देवगणाः समेताः ॥१-१७८-४॥
Those warriors, assembled in the arena and eager to win Drupada's daughter, shone like the hosts of gods gathered around Uma, the daughter of the mountain king.
कन्दर्पबाणाभिनिपीडिताङ्गाः; कृष्णागतैस्ते हृदयैर्नरेन्द्राः। रङ्गावतीर्णा द्रुपदात्मजार्थं; द्वेष्यान्हि चक्रुः सुहृदोऽपि तत्र ॥१-१७८-५॥
Afflicted by the arrows of love, the kings, their hearts drawn by Kṛṣṇa, entered the arena for Drupada's daughter; there, even friends became enemies.
अथाययुर्देवगणा विमानै; रुद्रादित्या वसवोऽथाश्विनौ च। साध्याश्च सर्वे मरुतस्तथैव; यमं पुरस्कृत्य धनेश्वरं च ॥१-१७८-६॥
Then the hosts of gods arrived in their aerial cars: Rudras, Ādityas, Vasus, the Aśvins, Sādhyas, and all the Maruts likewise, with Yama and the lord of wealth at their head.
दैत्याः सुपर्णाश्च महोरगाश्च; देवर्षयो गुह्यकाश्चारणाश्च। विश्वावसुर्नारदपर्वतौ च; गन्धर्वमुख्याश्च सहाप्सरोभिः ॥१-१७८-७॥
The Daityas, Suparṇas, and great serpents; the divine sages, Guhyakas, and Āraṇas; Viśvāvasu, Nārada, and Parvata; and the chief Gandharvas together with the Apsarases (celestial nymphs) were present.
हलायुधस्तत्र च केशवश्च; वृष्ण्यन्धकाश्चैव यथा प्रधानाः। प्रेक्षां स्म चक्रुर्यदुपुङ्गवास्ते; स्थिताश्च कृष्णस्य मते बभूवुः ॥१-१७८-८॥
Halāyudha (Balarāma), Keśava (Kṛṣṇa), and the chief Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas assembled there; as leaders, they observed the scene. The foremost of the Yadus stood firm, acting according to Kṛṣṇa's counsel.
दृष्ट्वा हि तान्मत्तगजेन्द्ररूपा; न्पञ्चाभिपद्मानिव वारणेन्द्रान्। भस्मावृताङ्गानिव हव्यवाहा; न्पार्थान्प्रदध्यौ स यदुप्रवीरः ॥१-१७८-९॥
Seeing the Pāṇḍavas, who appeared like intoxicated lordly elephants, five like lotuses, like lordly elephants, with bodies covered in ashes like fire-gods, Kṛṣṇa, the foremost of the Yadus, contemplated them.
शशंस रामाय युधिष्ठिरं च; भीमं च जिष्णुं च यमौ च वीरौ। शनैः शनैस्तांश्च निरीक्ष्य रामो; जनार्दनं प्रीतमना ददर्श ॥१-१७८-१०॥
He praised Rāma, Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Arjuna, and the heroic twins. Then, after slowly observing them, Rāma saw Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa) with a pleased heart.
अन्ये तु नानानृपपुत्रपौत्राः; कृष्णागतैर्नेत्रमनःस्वभावैः। व्यायच्छमाना ददृशुर्भ्रमन्तीं; संदष्टदन्तच्छदताम्रवक्त्राः ॥१-१७८-११॥
But others—various kings, their sons and grandsons—whose eyes, minds, and natures were darkened, saw her wandering, displaying coppery faces with bitten lips.
तथैव पार्थाः पृथुबाहवस्ते; वीरौ यमौ चैव महानुभावौ। तां द्रौपदीं प्रेक्ष्य तदा स्म सर्वे; कन्दर्पबाणाभिहता बभूवुः ॥१-१७८-१२॥
In the same way, the sons of Pṛthā, broad-armed and heroic, the two sons of Yama, men of great dignity, when they saw Draupadī at that moment, all were struck as if by Cupid's arrows.
देवर्षिगन्धर्वसमाकुलं त; त्सुपर्णनागासुरसिद्धजुष्टम्। दिव्येन गन्धेन समाकुलं च; दिव्यैश्च माल्यैरवकीर्यमाणम् ॥१-१७८-१३॥
That place was crowded with divine sages and gandharvas, enjoyed by Garuḍa, nāgas, asuras, and siddhas. It was also filled with divine fragrance and was being strewn with divine garlands.
महास्वनैर्दुन्दुभिनादितैश्च; बभूव तत्सङ्कुलमन्तरिक्षम्। विमानसम्बाधमभूत्समन्ता; त्सवेणुवीणापणवानुनादम् ॥१-१७८-१४॥
The sky was filled with great sounds and the beating of drums; it became crowded with aerial cars, and everywhere resounded with the music of flutes, lutes, and drums.
ततस्तु ते राजगणाः क्रमेण; कृष्णानिमित्तं नृप विक्रमन्तः। तत्कार्मुकं संहननोपपन्नं; सज्यं न शेकुस्तरसापि कर्तुम् ॥१-१७८-१५॥
Then, O king, those groups of kings, one after another, striving for the sake of Kṛṣṇa, were not able, even with force, to string that bow endowed with strength.
ते विक्रमन्तः स्फुरता दृढेन; निष्कृष्यमाणा धनुषा नरेन्द्राः। विचेष्टमाना धरणीतलस्था; दीना अदृश्यन्त विभग्नचित्ताः ॥१-१७८-१६॥
The kings, striding forward with firm but quivering bows, were dragged and struggled on the ground; dejected and with broken spirits, they were seen.
हाहाकृतं तद्धनुषा दृढेन; निष्पिष्टभग्नाङ्गदकुण्डलं च। कृष्णानिमित्तं विनिवृत्तभावं; राज्ञां तदा मण्डलमार्तमासीत् ॥१-१७८-१७॥
The field resounded with cries of distress caused by the firm bow; armlets and earrings were crushed and broken. Because of Kṛṣṇa, the kings' emotions subsided; then the circle of kings was afflicted.
तस्मिंस्तु सम्भ्रान्तजने समाजे; निक्षिप्तवादेषु नराधिपेषु। कुन्तीसुतो जिष्णुरियेष कर्तुं; सज्यं धनुस्तत्सशरं स वीरः ॥१-१७८-१८॥
But in that assembly, when the kings had set aside their arguments and confusion prevailed, Kuntī's heroic son Arjuna, the conqueror, desired to act; he strung his bow with an arrow.
