03.293
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
etasmínneva kāle tu dhṛtarāṣṭrasya vai sakhā। sūto'dhiratha ityeva sadāro jāhnavīṃ yayau ॥03-293-1॥
But at that very time, Adhiratha the charioteer, friend of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, indeed went to the Jāhnavī river with his wife. (03-293-1)
tasya bhāryābhavad rājan rūpeṇāsadṛśī bhuvi। rādhā nāma mahābhāgā na sā putram avindata॥ apatyārthe paraṃ yatnam akaroc ca viśeṣataḥ॥03-293-2॥
His wife, O king, was Rādhā, who was unrivaled in beauty on earth and highly fortunate, but she did not have a son. She made considerable effort, especially, for the sake of having a child. (03-293-2)
sā dadarśātha mañjūṣām uhyamānāṃ yadṛcchayā. datta-rakṣā-pratisārām anva-ālambana-śobhitām ॥ ūrmī-taraṅgaiḥ jāhnavyāḥ samānītām upahvaram ॥03-293-3॥
She then saw a box that, carried by the waves of the Ganges, had been brought to the bank by chance, adorned with a protective amulet, bracelet, and other ornaments. (03-293-3)
sā tāṃ kautūhalāt-prāptāṃ grāhayām āsa bhāminī. tato nivedayām āsa sūtasya adhirathasya vai ॥03-293-4॥
She, driven by curiosity, had her presented to the radiant one, and then she caused it to be reported to Sūta Adhiratha. (03-293-4)
sa tām uddhṛtya mañjūṣām utsārya jalam antikāt। yantraiḥ udghāṭayām āsa saḥ apaśyat tatra bālakam ॥03-293-5॥
He lifted up that box, removed the water nearby, and using devices began to open it. There he saw a child. (03-293-5)
taruṇādityasaṅkāśaṃ hemavarmadharaṃ tathā। mṛṣṭakuṇḍalayuktena vadanena virājatā ॥03-293-6॥
He, resembling a youthful sun, wearing golden armor, and shining with a face adorned with polished earrings, also (stood there). (03-293-6)
sa sūto bhāryayā sārdhaṃ vismayotphullalocanaḥ। aṅkam āropya taṃ bālaṃ bhāryāṃ vacanam abravīt ॥03-293-7॥
He, the charioteer, along with his wife, his eyes widened in amazement, placed the child on his lap and spoke words to his wife. (03-293-7)
idam atyadbhutaṃ bhīru yato jāto'smi bhāmini। dṛṣṭavān devagarbho'yaṃ manye'smān samupāgataḥ॥03-293-8॥
O timid one, this is very wonderful; because I have been born, O radiant lady, this divine being has seen (me); I think he has approached us. (03-293-8)
anapatyasya putro'yaṃ devairdatto dhruvaṃ mama। ityuktvā taṃ dadau putraṃ rādhāyai sa mahīpate ॥03-293-9॥
He is the son granted by the gods to the sonless, undoubtedly my own. Saying this, he gave the child to Rādhā, O king. (03-293-9)
pratijagrāha taṃ rādhā vidhivad divyarūpiṇam। putraṃ kamalagarbhābhaṃ devagarbhaṃ śriyā vṛtam॥03-293-10॥
Rādhā accepted him as her son according to the proper rite; he was of divine form, lotus-hued, of divine origin, and surrounded by beauty. (03-293-10)
pupoṣa cainaṃ vidhivadvavṛdhe sa ca vīryavān। tataḥ prabhṛti cāpyanye prābhavannaurasāḥ sutāḥ॥03-293-11॥
He nourished him as prescribed, and he grew up strong. From then on, other sons born from his own lineage were also born. (03-293-11)
vasuvarmadharaṃ dṛṣṭvā taṃ bālaṃ hemakuṇḍalam। nāmāsya vasuṣeṇeti tataścakrur dvijātayaḥ ॥03-293-12॥
Having seen that boy adorned with Vasu's armor and golden earrings, the twice-born then named him 'Vasuṣeṇa'. (03-293-12)
evaṃ sa sūtaputratvaṃ jagāmāmitavikramaḥ। vasuṣeṇa iti khyāto vṛṣa ityeva ca prabhuḥ॥03-293-13॥
Thus, he of immeasurable prowess assumed the status of a charioteer's son; he became known as Vasuṣeṇa, and also simply as Vṛṣa, the lord. (03-293-13)
sa jyeṣṭhaputraḥ sūtasya vavṛdhe 'ṅgeṣu vīryavān. cāreṇa viditaś cāsīt pṛthāyā divyavarmabhṛt ॥03-293-14॥
He, the eldest son of the charioteer, grew up powerfully in the kingdom of Aṅga. Through espionage, it became known that he was the one bearing the divine armor of Pṛthā. (03-293-14)
sūtastv-adhirathaḥ putraṃ vivṛddhaṃ samaye tataḥ। dṛṣṭvā prasthāpayām āsa puraṃ vāraṇasāhvayam ॥03-293-15॥
But the charioteer Adhiratha, seeing that his son had grown, then at the appointed time sent him to the city of Vāraṇasāhvaya (Varanasi). (03-293-15)
tatr-opa-sadanaṁ cakre droṇasya iṣu-astra-karmaṇi। sakhyaṁ duryodhanena-evam-agacchat sa ca vīryavān ॥03-293-16॥
There, he attended to Droṇa in the practice of archery, and thus, through Duryodhana, he gained friendship, and he was powerful. (03-293-16)
droṇāt kṛpāc ca rāmāc ca so'stragrāmaṃ caturvidham। labdhvā loke'bhavat khyātaḥ parameṣvāsatāṃ gataḥ ॥03-293-17॥
Having obtained the four kinds of missile-weapons from Droṇa, Kṛpa, and Rāma, he became famous in the world, attaining the supreme skill in archery. (03-293-17)
sandhāya dhārtarāṣṭreṇa pārthānāṃ vipriye sthitaḥ। yoddhum āśaṃsate nityaṃ phalgūnena mahātmanā ॥03-293-18॥
Having made an alliance with Dhṛtarāṣṭra's son, having taken a hostile stand against the sons of Pṛthā, he constantly wishes to fight with the noble-souled Phalguna (Arjuna). (03-293-18)
sadā hi tasya spardhāsīdarjunena viśāṃ pate। arjunasya ca karṇena yato dṛṣṭo babhūva saḥ ॥03-293-19॥
O lord of men, there was always rivalry felt by him toward Arjuna; and by Arjuna toward Karṇa, because thus he was regarded. (03-293-19)
taṃ tu kuṇḍalinaṃ dṛṣṭvā varmaṇā ca samanvitam। avadhyaṃ samare matvā paryatapyadyudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥03-293-20॥
But seeing him adorned with earrings and armor, and realizing that he was invulnerable in battle, Yudhiṣṭhira became troubled. (03-293-20)
yadā tu karṇo rājendra bhānumantaṃ divākaram। stauti madhyaṃdine prāpte prāñjaliḥ salile sthitaḥ ॥03-293-21॥
O King, when Karṇa, standing in water with hands joined in reverence, praises the radiant sun at midday, (this happens). (03-293-21)
tatrai nam upatiṣṭhanti brāhmaṇā dhanahetavaḥ। nādeyaṃ tasya tatkāle kiñcid asti dvijātiṣu॥03-293-22॥
There, brāhmaṇas motivated by wealth approach him. At that time, there is nothing to be given by him among the twice-born. (03-293-22)
tam indro brāhmaṇo bhūtvā bhikṣāṃ dehīty upasthitaḥ। svāgataṃ ceti rādheyas tam atha pratyabhāṣata ॥03-293-23॥
Indra, having assumed the form of a brāhmaṇa, approached him saying 'Give alms.' The son of Radha then addressed him, saying 'Welcome.' (03-293-23)
