03.039
Pancharatra: Arjuna’s penance.
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said.
bhagavañśrotumicchāmi pārthasyākliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ। vistareṇa kathāmetāṃ yathāstrāṇyupalabdhavān ॥3-39-1॥
O Lord, I wish to hear in detail the story of how Pārtha, who performed unwearied actions, obtained the weapons. (3-39-1)
kathaṁ sa puruṣavyāghro dīrghabāhur dhanañjayaḥ। vanaṁ praviṣṭas tejasvī nirmanuṣyam abhītavat ॥3-39-2॥
How did he, Dhananjaya, the long-armed and radiant tiger among men, enter the deserted forest as if without fear? (3-39-2)
kiṁ ca tena kṛtaṁ tatra vasatā brahmavittama। kathaṁ ca bhagavān sthāṇur devarājaś ca toṣitaḥ ॥3-39-3॥
O knower of Brahman, what did he do there while residing, and how were the Lord Sthāṇu and the king of the gods pleased? (3-39-3)
etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ tvatprasādāddvijottama। tvaṃ hi sarvajña divyaṃ ca mānuṣaṃ caiva vettha ha ॥3-39-4॥
O best of the twice-born, I wish to hear this from you by your favor. For you are indeed all-knowing; you know both the divine and the human, indeed. (3-39-4)
atyadbhutaṃ mahāprājña romaharṣaṇamarjunaḥ। bhavena saha saṅgrāmaṃ cakārāpratimaṃ kila ॥ purā praharatāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ saṅgrāmeṣvaparājitaḥ ॥3-39-5॥
Arjuna, the supremely wise and awe-inspiring, once fought an unparalleled battle together with Bhava (Śiva); formerly, he was the best among warriors and unconquered in battles. (3-39-5)
yacchrutvā nara-siṃhānāṃ dainya-harṣa-ativismayāt। śūrāṇām api pārthānāṃ hṛdayāni cakampire ॥3-39-6॥
Hearing this, from the overwhelming astonishment of dejection and joy of the lion-like men, even the hearts of the heroic sons of Pṛthā trembled. (3-39-6)
yadyacca kṛtavān anyat pārthaḥ tad akhilaṃ vada। na hi asya ninditaṃ jiṣṇoḥ susūkṣmam api lakṣaye ॥ caritaṃ tasya śūrasya tan me sarvaṃ prakīrtaya ॥3-39-7॥
Tell me everything else that Pārtha has done. I do not see even the slightest blameworthy thing in Jiṣṇu. Proclaim to me all the deeds of that hero. (3-39-7)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
kathayiṣyāmi te tāta kathāmetāṃ mahātmanaḥ। divyāṃ kauravaśārdūla mahatīmadbhutopamām ॥3-39-8॥
O tiger among the Kauravas, I shall tell you, dear one, this divine and wondrous story of the great-souled one. (3-39-8)
gātrasaṁsparśasambandhaṁ tryambakeṇa sahānagha। pārthasya devadevena śṛṇu samyaksamāgamam ॥3-39-9॥
O sinless one, hear about the bodily contact and connection between Tryambaka (Śiva) and Pārtha (Arjuna), as properly brought about by the god of gods. (3-39-9)
yudhiṣṭhira-niyogāt sa jagāma amita-vikramaḥ। śakraṃ sureśvaraṃ draṣṭuṃ devadevaṃ ca śaṅkaram ॥3-39-10॥
At Yudhiṣṭhira's command, the hero of immeasurable valor went to see Indra, the lord of the gods, and Śaṅkara, the god of gods. (3-39-10)
divyaṃ taddhanur-ādāya khaḍgaṃ ca puruṣarṣabhaḥ। mahābalo mahābāhur-arjunaḥ kāryasiddhaye ॥ diśaṃ hy-udīcīṃ kauravyo himavac-chikharaṃ prati ॥3-39-11॥
The mighty-armed, greatly powerful Arjuna, the bull among men, having taken that divine bow and sword for the accomplishment of the task, went towards the northern direction, towards the peak of the Himalayas. (3-39-11)
aindriḥ sthiramanā rājan sarvalokamahārathaḥ। tvarayā parayā yuktas tapase dhṛtaniścayaḥ॥ vanaṃ kaṇṭakitaṃ ghoram eka evānvapadyata॥3-39-12॥
O king, the steadfast-minded hero of Indra, the great chariot-warrior of all worlds, with supreme haste and firm resolve for austerity, entered the terrible, thorny forest alone. (3-39-12)
nānāpuṣpaphalopetaṃ nānāpakṣiniṣevitam। nānāmṛgagaṇākīrṇaṃ siddhacāraṇasevitam ॥3-39-13॥
It was endowed with various flowers and fruits, inhabited by many kinds of birds, filled with groups of diverse animals, and attended by siddhas and celestial bards. (3-39-13)
tataḥ prayāte kaunteye vanaṃ mānuṣavarjitam। śaṅkhānāṃ paṭahānāṃ ca śabdaḥ samabhavad divi ॥3-39-14॥
After Kunti's son departed for the uninhabited forest, the sound of conches and drums arose in the sky. (3-39-14)
puṣpavarṣaṃ ca sumahan nipapāta mahī-tale। meghajālaṃ ca vitataṃ chādayāmāsa sarvataḥ॥3-39-15॥
A very great shower of flowers fell upon the earth, and a mass of clouds spread out, covering everything on all sides. (3-39-15)
atītya vanadurgāṇi saṁnikarṣe mahāgireḥ। śuśubhe himavatpṛṣṭhe vasamāno'rjunastadā ॥3-39-16॥
After crossing the forest fortresses and coming near the great mountain, Arjuna, residing on the slopes of the Himalayas, shone at that time. (3-39-16)
tatrāpaśyaddrumāṇ phullān vihagair valgu nāditān। nadīś ca bahulāvartā nīlavaiḍūryasaṃnibhāḥ ॥3-39-17॥
There he saw blooming trees, sweetly resounded by birds, and rivers with many eddies, resembling blue beryl. (3-39-17)
haṁsakāraṇḍavodgītāḥ sārasābhirutāstathā। puṁskokilarutāścaiva krauñcabarhiṇanāditāḥ ॥3-39-18॥
The songs of swans and ducks, the cries of cranes, the calls of male cuckoos, and the resounding voices of cranes and peacocks were heard. (3-39-18)
manoharavanopetās tasmin natiratho'rjunaḥ। puṇyaśītāmalajalāḥ paśyan prītamanā'bhavat ॥3-39-19॥
When the great chariot-warrior Arjuna entered that charming forest and saw the holy, cool, and pure waters, his mind was filled with joy. (3-39-19)
ramaṇīye vanoddeśe ramamāṇo'rjunastadā। tapasyugre vartamāna ugratejā mahāmanāḥ ॥3-39-20॥
At that time, Arjuna, rejoicing in the delightful forest region, was engaged in severe penance, possessing fierce energy and a great mind. (3-39-20)
darbhacīraṃ nivas yātha daṇḍājinavibhūṣitaḥ। pūrṇe pūrṇe trirātre tu māsamekaṃ phalāśanaḥ ॥ dviguṇenaiva kālena dvitīyaṃ māsamatyagāt ॥3-39-21॥
Having put on a garment of grass-cloth and then adorned himself with a staff and deer skin, he ate only fruits for a month, completing three nights at a time; then, with double that period, he passed the second month. (3-39-21)
tṛtīyam api māsaṃ sa pakṣeṇāhāram ācaran। śīrṇaṃ ca patitaṃ bhūmau parṇaṃ samupayuktavān ॥3-39-22॥
For the third month as well, he sustained himself on leaves, consuming withered and fallen leaves from the ground. (3-39-22)
caturthe tvatha samprāpte māsi pūrṇe tataḥ param। vāyubhakṣo mahābāhurabhavatpāṇḍunandanaḥ ॥ ūrdhvabāhurnirālambaḥ pādāṅguṣṭhāgraviṣṭhitaḥ ॥3-39-23॥
When the fourth full month had arrived, then after that, the mighty-armed son of Pāṇḍu became an air-eater. He stood with his arms raised, unsupported, standing on the tips of his big toes. (3-39-23)
sadopasparśanāccāsya babhūvuramitaujasaḥ। vidyudambhoruhanibhā jaṭāstasya mahātmanaḥ ॥3-39-24॥
Because of always being in close contact, his matted locks, possessing immeasurable energy, became like lightning and lotus, belonging to that great-souled one. (3-39-24)
tato maharṣayaḥ sarve jagmur devaṃ pinākinam। śitikaṇṭhaṃ mahābhāgaṃ praṇipatya prasādya ca ॥sarve nivedayāmāsuḥ karma tat phalgunasya ha ॥3-39-25॥
Then all the great sages went to the god Pinākin, the blue-throated and greatly fortunate one. Having bowed down and propitiated him, they all reported to him the act of Phalguna. (3-39-25)
eṣa pārtho mahātejā himavatpṛṣṭhamāśritaḥ। ugre tapasi duṣpāre sthito dhūmāyayandiśaḥ ॥3-39-26॥
This Arjuna, endowed with great energy, has taken refuge on the Himalaya's ridge, standing firm in severe and arduous austerities, making the directions appear as if filled with smoke. (3-39-26)
tasya deveśa na vayaṃ vidmaḥ sarve cikīrṣitam। santāpayati naḥ sarvān asau sādhu nivāryatām ॥3-39-27॥
O lord of the gods, none of us know his intentions. He is afflicting all of us; he should indeed be restrained. (3-39-27)
maheśvara uvāca॥
The great lord said.
śīghraṃ gacchata saṃhṛṣṭā yathāgatamatandritāḥ। aham asya vijānāmi saṅkalpaṃ manasi sthitam ॥3-39-28॥
Go quickly, joyfully, just as you came, without any sloth. I know the resolve that is fixed in his mind. (3-39-28)
nāsya svargaspṛhā kācin naiśvaryasya na cāyuṣaḥ। yat tvasya kāṅkṣitaṃ sarvaṃ tat kariṣye'ham adya vai॥3-39-29॥
He has no desire for heaven, nor for sovereignty, nor for life; but whatever he desires, all that I shall indeed do today. (3-39-29)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
te śrutvā śarvavacanam ṛṣayaḥ satyavādinaḥ। prahṛṣṭamanaso jagmur yathā svaṃ punar āśramān ॥3-39-30॥
Having heard Śarva's words, the truthful sages, their minds delighted, returned once more to their own hermitages. (3-39-30)
