14.072
arjunasya aśvānusaraṇam
The following of the horses by Arjuna
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
dīkṣākāle tu samprāpte tataste sumahartvijaḥ। vidhivad dīkṣayāmāsur aśvamedhāya pārthivam ॥14-72-1॥
But when the time of consecration arrived, then those very great priests duly consecrated the king for the horse sacrifice. (14-72-1)
kṛtvā sa paśubandhāṁś ca dīkṣitaḥ pāṇḍunandanaḥ। dharmarājo mahātejāḥ sahartvigbhir vyarocata ॥14-72-2॥
Having performed the animal-sacrifices and having been consecrated, the illustrious Yudhiṣṭhira, descendant of Pāṇḍu, shone brilliantly together with the officiating priests. (14-72-2)
hayaś ca hayamedhārthaṃ svayaṃ sa brahmavādinā। utsṛṣṭaḥ śāstravidhinā vyāsenāmitatejasā ॥14-72-3॥
The horse for the horse-sacrifice was personally released by Vyāsa, the speaker about Brahman and of immeasurable energy, according to scriptural injunction. (14-72-3)
sa rājā dharmajo rājandīkṣito vibhbhau tadā। hemamālī rukmakaṇṭhaḥ pradīpta iva pāvakaḥ ॥14-72-4॥
At that time, the king, son of Dharma, who had been consecrated as ruler, shone forth, adorned with a garland of gold and a golden neck ornament, radiant like fire. (14-72-4)
kṛṣṇājinī daṇḍapāṇiḥ kṣaumavāsāḥ sa dharmajaḥ। vibabhau dyutimānbhūyaḥ prajāpatirivādhvare ॥14-72-5॥
He, born of Dharma, dressed in linen and wearing a black antelope skin, holding a staff, shone out even more radiantly, like Prajapati at a sacrifice. (14-72-5)
tathaivāsyarṭvijaḥ sarve tulyaveṣā viśāṃ pate। babhūvur arjunaś caiva pradīpta iva pāvakaḥ॥14-72-6॥
In the same way, all his priests, dressed alike, O lord of the people, became manifest; and Arjuna also appeared blazing like fire. (14-72-6)
śvetāśvaḥ kṛṣṇasāraṃ taṃ sasārāśvaṃ dhanañjayaḥ. vidhivat pṛthivīpāla dharmarājasya śāsanāt ॥14-72-7॥
O king, Arjuna, whose horses were white, pursued that black antelope horse according to the injunction, by the command of Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira). (14-72-7)
vikṣipan gāṇḍivaṃ rājan baddha-godhāṅguli-travān। tam aśvaṃ pṛthivī-pāla mudā yuktaḥ sasāra ha ॥14-72-8॥
O king, throwing aside the Gāṇḍiva bow and wearing the lizard's finger-ring, the protector of the earth, with joy, mounted the horse and rode on. (14-72-8)
ākumāraṃ tadā rājann āgamat tat-puraṃ vibho। draṣṭukāmaṃ kuru-śreṣṭhaṃ prayāsyantaṃ dhanañjayam ॥14-72-9॥
O king, then that lord came to the city of the prince, wishing to see Dhanañjaya (Arjuna), the best of the Kurus, who was about to depart. (14-72-9)
teṣām anyonya-saṁmardād ūṣma eva samajāyata. didṛkṣūṇāṁ hayaṁ taṁ ca taṁ caiva haya-sāriṇam ॥14-72-10॥
From their mutual collision, heat like fire arose. Among those wishing to see, both the horse and the horse-driver (were seen as distinct). (14-72-10)
tataḥ śabdo mahārāja daśāśāḥ pratipūrayān। babhūva prekṣatāṃ nṝṇāṃ kuntīputraṃ dhanañjayam॥14-72-11॥
Then, O great king, a sound filling the ten directions arose among the people watching Kuntī's son, Dhanañjaya. (14-72-11)
eṣa gacchati kaunteyas turagaś caiva dīptimān। yam anveti mahābāhuḥ saṁspṛśan dhanur uttamam॥14-72-12॥
The son of Kunti advances, and the resplendent horse as well; the mighty-armed Arjuna follows him, touching his excellent bow. (14-72-12)
evaṃ śuśrāva vadatāṃ giro jiṣṇur udāra-dhīḥ। svasti te 'stu vrajāriṣṭaṃ punaś ca iha iti bhārata ॥14-72-13॥
Thus Arjuna, of noble mind, listened to the words spoken. "Farewell to you; may you journey unharmed and return here again," O Bhārata. (14-72-13)
athāpare manuṣyendra puruṣā vākyam abruvan। nainaṃ paśyāma saṃmarde dhanur etat pradṛśyate ॥14-72-14॥
Then other men, O king of men, spoke these words: "We do not see him in the confusion; only this bow is visible." (14-72-14)
etad dhi bhīma-nirhrādaṃ viśrutaṃ gāṇḍivaṃ dhanuḥ। svasti gacchat variṣṭaṃ vai panthānam akutobhayam॥ nivṛttam enaṃ drakṣyāmaḥ punar evaṃ ca te 'bruvan॥14-72-15॥
This is indeed the terrible-sounding, well-known Gandiva bow. Let him go safely, on a path that is free from danger and fear. We shall see him again when he has returned—thus, they spoke. (14-72-15)
evamādyā manuṣyāṇāṃ strīṇāṃ ca bharatarṣabha। śuśrāva madhurā vācaḥ punaḥ punarudīritāḥ ॥14-72-16॥
O bull of the Bharatas, thus he heard the sweet words of men and women, uttered again and again. (14-72-16)
yājñavalkyasya śiṣyaś ca kuśalo yajñakarmaṇi. prāyāt pārthena sahitaḥ śāntyarthaṃ vedapāragaḥ ॥14-72-17॥
The disciple of Yājñavalkya, who was skilled in sacrificial rites and mastered in the Vedas, departed along with Pārtha (Arjuna) for the sake of peace. (14-72-17)
brāhmaṇāś ca mahīpāla bahavo vedapāragāḥ। anujagmur mahātmānam kṣatriyāś ca viśo'pi ca ॥14-72-18॥
O king, many Brāhmaṇas, knowers of the Vedas, followed the great-souled one; Kṣatriyas and also the people (viśas) went after him. (14-72-18)
pāṇḍavaiḥ pṛthivīmaśvo nirjitāmastratejasā। cacāra sa mahārāja yathādeśaṃ sa sattama ॥14-72-19॥
The horse, after the Pāṇḍavas had conquered the earth by the splendor of their weapons, roamed as commanded, O great king, O best of beings. (14-72-19)
tatra yuddhāni vṛttāni yāni āsan pāṇḍavasya ha। tāni vakṣyāmi te vīra vicitrāṇi mahānti ca॥14-72-20॥
There, O hero, I shall recount to you the wonderful and great battles that indeed occurred on the side of Pāṇḍava. (14-72-20)
sa hayaḥ pṛthivīṃ rājan pradakṣiṇam ariṃdama। sasāra uttarataḥ pūrvaṃ tan nibodha mahīpate ॥14-72-21॥
O king, the horse circled the earth in a rightwise (pradakṣiṇa) direction, O destroyer of enemies, going from the north to the east; understand that, O lord of the earth. (14-72-21)
avamṛdnans rāṣṭrāṇi pārthivānāṃ hayottamaḥ। śanais tadā pariyayau śvetāśvaś ca mahārathaḥ ॥14-72-22॥
Crushing the kingdoms of the kings, the excellent horse slowly went about, and Śvetāśva, the great warrior, accompanied it. (14-72-22)
tatra saṅkalanā nāsti rājñām ayutaśas tadā। ye 'yudhyanta mahārāja kṣatriyā hatabāndhavāḥ ॥14-72-23॥
There, O great king, there was no gathering of kings by tens of thousands; those Kṣatriya warriors who fought had slain their own kin. (14-72-23)
kirātā vikṛtā rājanbahavo'sidhanurdharāḥ. mlecchāścānye bahuvidhāḥ pūrvaṃ vinikṛtā raṇe ॥14-72-24॥
O king, many deformed Kirātas, wielders of swords and bows, barbarians, and other people of many kinds were formerly slain in battle. (14-72-24)
āryāś ca pṛthivī-pālāḥ prahṛṣṭa-nara-vāhanāḥ. samīyuḥ pāṇḍu-putreṇa bahavo yuddha-durmadāḥ ॥14-72-25॥
Noble ones, the kings of the earth, and many who were fiercely proud in battle with their joyful chariots of warriors, were approached by the son of Pāṇḍu. (14-72-25)
evaṁ yuddhāni vṛttāni tatra tatra mahīpate. arjunasya mahīpālair nānādeśa-nivāsibhiḥ ॥14-72-26॥
O king, in this way, battles of Arjuna were fought by kings from various countries in many places. (14-72-26)
yāni tūbhayato rājan prataptāni mahānti ca। tāni yuddhāni vakṣyāmi kaunteyasya tavānagha॥14-72-27॥
O king, I will recount to you those great and fiercely fought battles from both sides, belonging to Kaunteya, O sinless one. (14-72-27)
