The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa BOOK 1 ADI PARVA SECTION CCXXIII (Haranaharana Parva)

  The Mahabharata of

Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa BOOK 1

ADI PARVA

SECTION CCXXIII

(Haranaharana Parva)

"Vaisampayana said, 'When the heroes of the Vrishni race began to speak

repeatedly in this strain, Vasudeva uttered these words pregnant with

deep import and consistent with true morality. Gudakesa (the conqueror of

sleep or he of the curly hair), by what he hath done, hath not insulted

our family. He hath without doubt, rather enhanced our respect. Partha

knoweth that we of the Satwata race are never mercenary. The son of Pandu

also regardeth a self-choice as doubtful in its results. Who also would

approve of accepting a bride in gift as if she were an animal? What man

again is there on earth that would sell his offspring? I think Arjuna,

seeing these faults in all the other methods took the maiden away by

force, according to the ordinance. This alliance is very proper. Subhadra

is a renowned girl. Partha too possesseth renown. Perhaps, thinking of

all this, Arjuna hath taken her away by force. Who is there that would

not desire to have Arjuna for a friend, who is born in the race of

Bharata and the renowned Santanu, and the son also of the daughter of

Kuntibhoja? I do not see, in all the worlds with Indra and the Rudras,

the person that can by force vanquish Partha in battle, except the

three-eyed god Mahadeva. His car is well-known. Yoked thereunto are those

steeds of mine. Partha as a warrior is well-known; and his lightness of

hand is well-known. Who shall be equal to him? Even this is my opinion:

go ye cheerfully after Dhananjaya and by conciliation stop him and bring

him back. If Partha goes to his city after having vanquished us by force,

our fame will be gone. There is no disgrace, however, in conciliation.'

Hearing, O monarch, those words of Vasudeva, they did as he directed.

Stopped by them, Arjuna returned to Dwaraka and was united in marriage

with Subhadra. Worshipped by the sons of Vrishni's race, Arjuna, sporting

there as he pleased, passed a whole year in Dwaraka. The last year of his

exile the exalted one passed at the sacred region of Pushkara. After the

twelve years were complete he came back to Khandavaprastha. He approached

the king first and then worshipped the Brahmanas with respectful

attention. At last the hero went unto Draupadi. Draupadi, from jealousy,

spoke unto him, saying, 'Why tarriest thou here, O son of Kunti? Go where

the daughter of the Satwata race is! A second tie always relaxeth the

first one upon a faggot!' And Krishna lamented much in this strain. But

Dhananjaya pacified her repeatedly and asked for her forgiveness. And

returning soon unto where Subhadra, attired in red silk, was staying,

Arjuna, sent her into the inner apartments dressed not as a queen but in

the simple garb of a cowherd woman. But arrived at the palace, the

renowned Subhadra looked handsomer in that dress. The celebrated Bhadra

of large and slightly red eyes first worshipped Pritha. Kunti from excess

of affection smelt the head of that girl of perfectly faultless features,

and pronounced infinite blessing upon her. Then that girl of face like

the full moon hastily went unto Draupadi and worshipped her, saying, 'I

am thy maid!' Krishna rose hastily and embraced the sister of Madhava

from affection, and said, 'Let thy husband be without a foe!' Bhadra

then, with a delighted heart, said unto Draupadi, 'So be it!' From that

time, O Janamejaya, those great warriors, the Pandavas, began to live

happily, and Kunti also became very happy.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'When that scorcher of foes, viz., Kesava of

pure soul and eyes, like lotus-petals, heard that the foremost of the

Pandavas, viz., Arjuna, had reached his own excellent city of

Indraprastha, he came thither accompanied by Rama and the other heroes

and great warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka tribes, and by his

brothers and sons and many other brave warriors. And Saurin came

accompanied by a large army that protected him. And there came with

Saurin, that oppressor of foes, viz., the exceedingly liberal Akrura of

great intelligence and renown, the generalissimo of the brave Vrishni

host. And there also came Anadhrishti of great prowess, and Uddhava of

great renown, of great intelligence, of great soul, and a disciple of

Vrihaspati himself. And there also came Satyaka and Salyaka and

Kritavarman and Satwata; and Pradyumna and Samva and Nisatha and Sanku;

and Charudeshna, and Jhilli of great prowess, and Viprithu also and

Sarana of mighty arms and Gada, the foremost of learned men. These and

many other Vrishnis and Bhojas, and Andhakas came to Indraprastha,

bringing with them many nuptial presents. King Yudhishthira, hearing that

Madhava had arrived, sent the twins out to receive him. Received by them,

the Vrishni host of great prosperity entered Khandavaprastha well-adorned

with flags and ensigns. The streets were well-swept and watered and

decked with floral wreaths and bunches. These were, again, sprinkled over

with sandalwood water that was fragrant and cooling. Every part of the

town was filled with the sweet scent of burning aloes. And the city was

full of joyous and healthy people and adorned with merchants and traders.

That best of men, viz., Kesava of mighty arms, accompanied by Rama and

many of the Vrishnis, Andhakas and Bhojas, having entered the town, was

worshipped by the citizens and Brahmanas by thousands. At last Kesava

entered the palace of the king which was like unto the mansion of Indra

himself. Beholding Rama, Yudhishthira received him with due ceremonies.

The king smelt the head of Kesava and embraced him. Govinda, gratified

with the reception, humbly worshipped Yudhishthira. He also paid homage

unto Bhima, that tiger among men. Yudhishthira the son of Kunti then

received the other principal men of the Vrishni and the Andhaka tribes

with due ceremonies. Yudhishthira reverentially worshipped some as his

superiors, and welcomed others as equals. And some he received with

affection and by some he was worshipped with reverence. Then Hrishikesa

of great renown gave unto the party of the bridegroom much wealth. And

unto Subhadra he gave the nuptial presents that had been given to her by

her relatives. Krishna gave unto the Pandavas a thousand cars of gold

furnished with rows of bells, and unto each of which were put four steeds

driven by well-trained charioteers. He also gave unto them ten thousand

cows belonging to the country of Mathura, and yielding much milk and all

of excellent colour. Well-pleased, Janardana also gave them a thousand

mares with gold harnesses and of colour white as the beams of the moon.

He also gave them a thousand mules, all well-trained and possessing the

speed of the wind, of white colour with black manes. And he of eyes like

lotus-petals also gave unto them a thousand damsels well-skilled in

assisting at bathing and at drinking, young in years and virgins all

before their first-season, well-attired and of excellent complexion, each

wearing a hundred pieces of gold around her neck, of skins perfectly

polished, decked with every ornament, and well-skilled in every kind of

personal service. Janardana also gave unto them hundreds of thousands of

draft horses from the country of the Valhikas as Subhadra's excellent

dower. That foremost one of Dasarha's race also gave unto Subhadra as her

peculium ten carrier-loads of first class gold possessing the splendour

of fire, some purified and some in a state of ore. And Rama having the

plough for his weapon and always loving bravery gave unto Arjuna, as a

nuptial present, a thousand elephants with secretions flowing in three

streams from the three parts of their bodies (the temple, the ears, and

the anus) each large as a mountain summit, irresistible in battle, decked

with coverlets and bells, well-adorned with other golden ornaments, and

equipped with excellent thrones on their backs. And that large wave of

wealth and gems that the Yadavas presented, together with the cloths and

blankets that represented its foam, and the elephants its alligators and

sharks, and the flags its floating weeds swelling into large proportions,

mingled with the Pandu ocean and filled it to the brim, to the great

sorrow of all foes. Yudhishthira accepted all those presents and

worshipped all those great warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka races.

Those illustrious heroes of the Kuru, the Vrishni, and the Andhaka races

passed their days in pleasure and merriment there like virtuous men

(after death) in the celestial regions. The Kurus and the Vrishnis with

joyous hearts amused themselves there, setting up at times loud shouts

mingled with clappings of the hand. Spending many days in sports and

merriment there, and worshipped by the Kurus all the while, the Vrishni

heroes endued with great energy then returned to the city of Dwaravati.

And the great warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka races set out with

Rama in the van, carrying with them those gems of the purest rays that

had been given them by those foremost ones of Kuru's race. And, O

Bharata, the high-souled Vasudeva remained there with Arjuna in the

delightful city of Indraprastha. And the illustrious one wandered over

the banks of the Yamuna in search of deer. And he sported with Arjuna

piercing with his shafts deer and wild boars. Then Subhadra, the

favourite sister of Kesava, gave birth to an illustrious son, like

Puloma's daughter, (the queen of heaven) bringing forth Jayanta. And the

son that Subhadra brought forth was of long arms, broad chest, and eyes

as large as those of a bull. That hero and oppressor of foes came to be

called Abhimanyu. And the son of Arjuna, that grinder of foes and bull

among men, was called Abhimanyu because he was fearless and wrathful. And

that great warrior was begotten upon the daughter of the Satwata race by

Dhananjaya, like fire produced in a sacrifice from within the sami wood

by the process of rubbing. Upon the birth of this child, Yudhishthira,

the powerful son of Kunti, gave away unto Brahmanas ten thousand cows and

coins of gold. The child from his earliest years became the favourite of

Vasudeva and of his father and uncles, like the moon of all the people of

the world. Upon his birth, Krishna performed the usual rites of infancy.

The child began to grow up like the Moon of the bright fortnight. That

grinder of foes soon became conversant with the Vedas and acquired from

his father the science of weapon both celestial and human, consisting of

four branches and ten divisions.

"Endued with great strength, the child also acquired the knowledge of

counteracting the weapons hurled at him by others, and great lightness of

hand and fleetness of motion forward and backward and transverse and

wheeling. Abhimanyu became like unto his father in knowledge of the

scriptures and rites of religion. And Dhananjaya, beholding his son,

became filled with joy. Like Maghavat beholding Arjuna, the latter beheld

his son Abhimanyu and became exceedingly happy. Abhimanyu possessed the

power of slaying every foe and bore on his person every auspicious mark.

He was invisible in battle and broad-shouldered as the bull. Possessing a

broad face as (the hood of) the snake, he was proud like the lion.

Wielding a large bow, his prowess was like that of an elephant in rut.

Possessed of a face handsome as the full-moon, and of a voice deep as the

sound of the drum or the clouds, he was equal unto Krishna in bravery and

energy, in beauty and in features. The auspicious Panchali also, from her

five husbands, obtained five sons all of whom were heroes of the foremost

rank and immovable in battle like the hills. Prativindhya by

Yudhishthira, Sutasoma by Vrikodara, Srutakarman by Arjuna, Satanika by

Nakula, and Srutasena by Sahadeva,--these were the five heroes and great

warriors that Panchali brought forth, like Aditi bringing forth the

Adityas. And the Brahmanas, from their foreknowledge, said unto

Yudhishthira that as the son of his would be capable of bearing like the

Vindhya mountains the weapons of the foe, he should be called

Prativindhya. And because the child that Draupadi bore to Bhimasena was

born after Bhima had performed a thousand Soma sacrifices, he came to be

called Sutasoma. And because Arjuna's son was born upon his return from

exile during which he had achieved many celebrated feats, that child came

to be called Srutakarman. While Nakula named his son Satanika after a

royal sage of that name, in the illustrious race of Kuru. Again the son

that Draupadi bore to Sahadeva was born under the constellation called

Vahni-daivata (Krittika), therefore was he called after the generalissimo

of the celestial host, Srutasena (Kartikeya). The sons of Draupadi were

born, each at the interval of one year, and all of them became renowned

and much attached to one another. And, O monarch, all their rites of

infancy and childhood, such as Chudakarana and Upanayana (first shave of

the head and investiture with the sacred threads) were performed by

Dhaumya according to the ordinance. All of them, of excellent behaviour

and vows, after having studied the Vedas, acquired from Arjuna a

knowledge of all the weapons, celestial and human. And, O tiger among

kings, the Pandavas, having obtained sons all of whom were equal unto the

children of the celestials and endued with broad chests, and all of whom

became great warriors, were filled with joy.'"