The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa BOOK 1 ADI PARVA SECTION CLXLI (Swayamvara Parva continued)

  The Mahabharata of

Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa BOOK 1

ADI PARVA

SECTION CLXLI

(Swayamvara Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'When the king (Drupada) expressed his desire of

bestowing his daughter on that Brahmana (who had shot the mark), all

those monarchs who had been invited to the Swayamvara, looking at one

another, were suddenly filled with wrath. And they said, 'Passing us by

and treating the assembled monarchs as straw this Drupada desireth to

bestow his daughter--that first of women,--on a Brahmana! Having planted

the tree he cutteth it down when it is about to bear fruit. The wretch

regardeth us not: therefore let us slay him. He deserveth not our respect

nor the veneration due to age. Owing to such qualities of his, we shall,

therefore, slay this wretch that insulteth all kings, along with his son.

Inviting all the monarchs and entertaining them with excellent food, he

disregardeth us at last. In this assemblage of monarchs like unto a

conclave of the celestials, doth he not see a single monarch equal unto

himself? The Vedic declaration is well-known that the Swayamvara is for

the Kshatriyas. The Brahmanas have no claim in respect of a selection of

husband by a Kshatriya damsel. Or, ye kings, if this damsel desireth not

to select any one of us as her lord, let us cast her into the fire and

return to our kingdoms. As regards this Brahmana, although he hath, from

officiousness or avarice, done this injury to the monarchs, he should not

yet be slain; for our kingdoms, lives, treasures, sons, grandsons, and

whatever other wealth we have, all exist for Brahmanas. Something must be

done here (even unto him), so that from fear of disgrace and the desire

of maintaining what properly belongeth unto each order, other Swayamvaras

may not terminate in this way.'

"Having addressed one another thus, those tigers among monarchs endued

with arms like unto spiked iron maces, took up their weapons and rushed

at Drupada to slay him then and there. And Drupada beholding those

monarchs all at once rushing towards him in anger with bows and arrows,

sought, from fear, the protection of the Brahmanas. But those mighty

bowmen (Bhima and Arjuna) of the Pandavas, capable of chastising all

foes, advanced to oppose those monarchs rushing towards them impetuously

like elephants in the season of rut. Then the monarchs with gloved

fingers and upraised weapons rushed in anger at the Kuru princes, Bhima

and Arjuna, to slay them. Then the mighty Bhima of extraordinary

achievements, endued with the strength of thunder, tore up like an

elephant a large tree and divested it of its leaves. And with that tree,

the strong-armed Bhima, the son of Pritha, that grinder of foes, stood,

like unto the mace-bearing king of the dead (Yama) armed with his fierce

mace, near Arjuna that bull amongst men. And beholding that feat of his

brother, Jishnu of extraordinary intelligence, himself also of

inconceivable feats, wondered much. And equal unto Indra himself in

achievements, shaking off all fear he stood with his bow ready to receive

those assailants. And beholding those feats of both Jishnu and his

brother, Damodara (Krishna) of superhuman intelligence and inconceivable

feats, addressing his brother, Halayudha (Valadeva) of fierce energy,

said, 'That hero there, of tread like that of a mighty lion, who draweth

the large bow in his hand four full cubits in length, is Arjuna! There is

no doubt, O Sankarshana, about this, if I am Vasudeva. That other hero

who having speedily torn up the tree hath suddenly become ready to drive

off the monarchs is Vrikodara! For no one in the world, except Vrikodara,

could today perform such a feat in the field of battle. And that other

youth of eyes like unto lotus-petals, of full four cubits height, of gait

like that of a mighty lion, and humble withal, of fair complexion and

prominent and shining nose, who had, a little before, left the

amphitheatre, is Dharma's son (Yudhishthira). The two other youths, like

unto Kartikeya, are, I suspect, the sons of the twin Aswins. I heard that

the sons of Pandu along with their mother Pritha had all escaped from the

conflagration of the house of lac.' Then Halayudha of complexion like

unto that of clouds uncharged with rain, addressing his younger brother

(Krishna), said with great satisfaction, 'O, I am happy to hear, as I do

from sheer good fortune, that our father's sister Pritha with the

foremost of the Kaurava princes have all escaped (from death)!'"

SECTION CLXLII

(Swayamvara Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'Then those bulls among Brahmanas shaking their

deer-skins and water-pots made of cocoanut-shells exclaimed, 'Fear not,

we will fight the foe!' Arjuna smilingly addressing those Brahmanas

exclaiming thus, said, 'Stand ye aside as spectators (of the fray)

Showering hundreds of arrows furnished with straight points even I shall

check, like snakes with mantras, all those angry monarchs.' Having said

this, the mighty Arjuna taking up the bow he had obtained as dower

accompanied by his brother Bhima stood immovable as a mountain. And

beholding those Kshatriyas who were ever furious in battle with Karna

ahead, the heroic brothers rushed fearlessly at them like two elephants

rushing against a hostile elephant. Then those monarchs eager for the

fight fiercely exclaimed, 'The slaughter in battle of one desiring to

fight is permitted.' And saying this, the monarchs suddenly rushed

against the Brahmanas. And Karna endued with great energy rushed against

Jishnu for fight. And Salya the mighty king of Madra rushed against Bhima

like an elephant rushing against another for the sake of a she-elephant

in heat; while Duryodhana and others engaged with the Brahmanas,

skirmished with them lightly and carelessly. Then the illustrious Arjuna

beholding Karna, the son of Vikartana (Surya), advancing towards him,

drew his tough bow and pieced him with his sharp arrows. And the impetus

of those whetted arrows furnished with fierce energy made Radheya (Karna)

faint. Recovering consciousness Karna attacked Arjuna with greater care

than before. Then Karna and Arjuna, both foremost of victorious warriors,

desirous of vanquishing each other, fought madly on. And such was the

lightness of hand they both displayed that (each enveloped by the other's

shower of arrows) they both became invisible (unto the spectators of

their encounter). 'Behold the strength of my arms.'--'Mark, how I have

counteracted that feat,'--those were the words--intelligible to heroes

alone--in which they addressed each other. And incensed at finding the

strength and energy of Arjuna's arms unequalled on the earth, Karna, the

son of Surya, fought with greater vigour. And parrying all those

impetuous arrows shot at him by Arjuna, Karna sent up a loud shout. And

this feat of his was applauded by all the warriors. Then addressing his

antagonist, Karna said, 'O thou foremost of Brahmanas, I am gratified to

observe the energy of thy arms that knoweth no relaxation in battle and

thy weapons themselves fit for achieving victory. Art thou the embodiment

of the science of weapons, or art thou Rama that best of Brahmanas, or

Indra himself, or Indra's younger brother Vishnu called also Achyuta, who

for disguising himself hath assumed the form of a Brahmana and mustering

such energy of arms fighteth with me? No other person except the husband

himself of Sachi or Kiriti, the son of Pandu, is capable of fighting with

me when I am angry on the field of battle.' Then hearing those words of

his, Phalguna replied, saying, 'O Karna, I am neither the science of arms

(personified), nor Rama endued with superhuman powers. I am only a

Brahmana who is the foremost of all warriors and all wielders of weapons.

By the grace of my preceptor I have become accomplished in the Brahma and

the Paurandara weapons. I am here to vanquish thee in battle. Therefore,

O hero, wait a little.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed (by Arjuna), Karna the adopted

son of Radha desisted from the fight, for that mighty chariot-fighter

thought that Brahma energy is ever invincible. Meanwhile on another part

of the field, the mighty heroes Salya and Vrikodara, well-skilled in

battle and possessed of great strength and proficiency, challenging each

other, engaged in fight like two elephants in rut. And they struck each

other with their clenched fists and knees. And sometimes pushing each

other forward and sometimes dragging each other near, sometimes throwing

each other down; face downward, and sometimes on the sides, they fought

on, striking, each other at times with their clenched fists. And

encountering each other with blows hard as the clash of two masses of

granite, the lists rang with the sounds of their combat. Fighting with

each other thus for a few seconds, Bhima the foremost of the Kuru heroes

taking up Salya on his arms hurled him to a distance. And Bhimasena, that

bull amongst men, surprised all (by the dexterity of his feat) for though

he threw Salya on the ground he did it without hurting him much. And when

Salya was thus thrown down and Karna was struck with fear, the other

monarchs were all alarmed. And they hastily surrounded Bhima and

exclaimed, 'Surely these bulls amongst Brahmanas are excellent

(warriors)! Ascertain in what race they have been born and where they

abide. Who can encounter Karna, the son of Radha, in fight, except Rama

or Drona, or Kiriti, the son of Pandu? Who also can encounter Duryodhana

in battle except Krishna, the son of Devaki, and Kripa, the son of

Saradwan? Who also can overthrow in battle Salya, that first of mighty

warriors, except the hero Valadeva or Vrikodara, the son of Pandu, or the

heroic Duryodhana? Let us, therefore, desist from this fight with the

Brahmanas. Indeed, Brahmanas, however offending, should yet be ever

protected. And first let us ascertain who these are; for after we have

done that we may cheerfully fight with them.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'And Krishna, having beheld that feat of Bhima,

believed them both to be the son of Kunti. And gently addressing the

assembled monarchs, saying, 'This maiden hath been justly acquired (by

the Brahmana),' he induced them to abandon the fight. Accomplished in

battle, those monarchs then desisted from the fight. And those best of

monarchs then returned to their respective kingdoms, wondering much. And

those who had come there went away saying. 'The festive scene hath

terminated in the victory of the Brahmanas. The princess of Panchala hath

become the bride of a Brahmana.' And surrounded by Brahmanas dressed in

skins of deer and other wild animals, Bhima and Dhananjaya passed with

difficulty out of the throng. And those heroes among men, mangled by the

enemy and followed by Krishna, on coming at last out of that throng,

looked like the full moon and the sun emerging from the clouds.

"Meanwhile Kunti seeing that her sons were late in returning from their

eleemosynary round, was filled with anxiety. She began to think of

various evils having overtaken her sons. At one time she thought that the

sons of Dhritarashtra having recognised her sons had slain them. Next she

feared that some cruel and strong Rakshasas endued with powers of

deception had slain them. And she asked herself, 'Could the illustrious

Vyasa himself (who had directed my sons to come to Panchala) have been

guided by perverse intelligence?' Thus reflected Pritha in consequence of

her affection for her offspring. Then in the stillness of the late

afternoon, Jishnu, accompanied by a body of Brahmanas, entered the abode

of the potter, like the cloud-covered sun appearing on a cloudy day.'"

SECTION CLXLIII

(Swayamvara Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'Then those illustrious sons of Pritha, on returning

to the potter's abode, approached their mother. And those first of men

represented Yajnaseni unto their mother as the alms they had obtained

that day. And Kunti who was there within the room and saw not her sons,

replied, saying, 'Enjoy ye all (what ye have obtained).' The moment

after, she beheld Krishna and then she said, 'Oh, what have I said?' And

anxious from fear of sin, and reflecting how every one could be

extricated from the situation, she took the cheerful Yajnaseni by the

hand, and approaching Yudhishthira said, 'The daughter of king Yajnasena

upon being represented to me by thy younger brothers as the alms they had

obtained, from ignorance, O king, I said what was proper, viz., 'Enjoy ye

all what hath been obtained. O thou bull of the Kuru race, tell me how my

speech may not become untrue; how sin may not touch the daughter of the

king of Panchala, and how also she may not become uneasy.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by his mother that hero among

men, that foremost scion of the Kuru race, the intelligent king

(Yudhishthira), reflecting for a moment, consoled Kunti, and addressing

Dhananjaya, said, 'By thee, O Phalguna, hath Yajnaseni been won. It is

proper, therefore, that thou shouldst wed her. O thou withstander of all

foes, igniting the sacred fire, take thou her hand with due rites.'

"Arjuna, hearing this, replied, 'O king, do not make me a participator in

sin. Thy behest is not conformable to virtue. That is the path followed

by the sinful. Thou shouldst wed first, then the strong-armed Bhima of

inconceivable feats, then myself, then Nakula, and last of all, Sahadeva

endued with great activity. Both Vrikodara and myself, and the twins and

this maiden also, all await, O monarch, thy commands. When such is the

state of things, do that, after reflection, which would be proper, and

conformable virtue, and productive of fame, and beneficial unto the king

of Panchala. All of us are obedient to thee. O, command us as thou

likest.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Jishnu, so full of

respect and affection, the Pandavas all cast their eyes upon the princess

of Panchala. And the princess of Panchala also looked at them all. And

casting their glances on the illustrious Krishna, those princes looked at

one another. And taking their seats, they began to think of Draupadi

alone. Indeed, after those princes of immeasurable energy had looked at

Draupadi, the God of Desire invaded their hearts and continued to crush

all their senses. As the lavishing beauty of Panchali who had been

modelled by the Creator himself, was superior to that of all other women

on earth, it could captivate the heart of every creature. And

Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, beholding his younger brothers,

understood what was passing in their minds. And that bull among men

immediately recollected the words of Krishna-Dwaipayana. And the king,

then, from fear of a division amongst the brothers, addressing all of

them, said, 'The auspicious Draupadi shall be the common wife of us all.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'The sons of Pandu, then, hearing those words of

their eldest brother, began to revolve them in their minds in great

cheerfulness. The hero of the Vrishni race (Krishna suspecting the five

persons he had seen at the Swayamvara to be none else than the heroes of

the Kuru race), came accompanied by the son of Rohini (Valadeva), to the

house of the potter where those foremost of men had taken up their

quarters. On arriving there, Krishna and Valadeva beheld seated in that

potter's house Ajatasanu (Yudhishthira) of well developed and long arms,

and his younger brothers passing the splendour of fire sitting around

him. Then Vasudeva approaching that foremost of virtuous men--the son of

Kunti--and touching the feet of that prince of the Ajamida race, said, 'I

am Krishna.' And the son of Rohini (Valadeva) also approaching

Yudhishthira, did the same. And the Pandavas, beholding Krishna and

Valadeva, began to express great delight. And, O thou foremost of the

Bharata race, those heroes of the Yadu race thereafter touched also the

feet of Kunti, their father's sister. And Ajatasatru, that foremost of

the Kuru race, beholding Krishna, enquired after his well-being and

asked, 'How, O Vasudeva, hast thou been able to trace us, as we are

living in disguise?' And Vasudeva, smilingly answered, 'O king, fire,

even if it is covered, can be known. Who else among men than the Pandavas

could exhibit such might? Ye resisters of all foes, ye sons of Pandu, by

sheer good fortune have ye escaped from that fierce fire. And it is by

sheer good fortune alone that the wicked son of Dhritarashtra and his

counsellors have not succeeded in accomplishing their wishes. Blest be

ye! And grow ye in prosperity like a fire in a cave gradually growing and

spreading itself all around. And lest any of the monarchs recognise ye,

let us return to our tent.' Then, obtaining Yudhishthira's leave, Krishna

of prosperity knowing no decrease, accompanied by Valadeva, hastily went

away from the potter's abode.'"

SECTION CLXLIV

(Swayamvara Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'When the Kuru princes (Bhima and Arjuna) were

wending towards the abode of the potter, Dhrishtadyumna, the Panchala

prince followed them. And sending away all his attendants, he concealed

himself in some part of the potter's house, unknown to the Pandavas. Then

Bhima, that grinder of all foes, and Jishnu, and the illustrious twins,

on returning from their eleemosynary round in the evening, cheerfully

gave everything unto Yudhishthira. Then the kind-hearted Kunti addressing

the daughter of Drupada said, 'O amiable one, take thou first a portion

from this and devote it to the gods and give it away to Brahmanas, and

feed those that desire to eat and give unto those who have become our

guests. Divide the rest into two halves. Give one of these unto Bhima, O

amiable one, for this strong youth of fair complexion--equal unto a king

of elephants--this hero always eateth much. And divide the other half

into six parts, four for these youths, one for myself, and one for thee.'

Then the princess hearing those instructive words of her mother-in-law

cheerfully did all that she had been directed to do. And those heroes

then all ate of the food prepared by Krishna. Then Sahadeva, the son of

Madri, endued with great activity, spread on the ground a bed of kusa

grass. Then those heroes, each spreading thereon his deer-skin, laid

themselves down to sleep. And those foremost of the Kuru princes lay down

with heads towards the south. And Kunti laid herself down along the line

of their heads, and Krishna along that of their feet. And Krishna though

she lay with the sons of Pandu on that bed of kusa grass along the line

of their feet as if she were their nether pillow, grieved not in her

heart nor thought disrespectfully of those bulls amongst the Kurus. Then

those heroes began to converse with one another. And the conversations of

those princes, each worthy to lead an army, was exceedingly interesting

they being upon celestial cars and weapons and elephants, and swords and

arrows, and battle-axes. And the son of the Panchala king listened (from

his place of concealment) unto all they said. And all those who were with

him beheld Krishna in that state.

"When morning came, the prince Dhristadyumna set out from his place of

concealment with great haste in order to report to Drupada in detail all

that had happened at the potter's abode and all that he had heard those

heroes speak amongst themselves during the night. The king of Panchala

had been sad because he knew not the Pandavas as those who had taken away

his daughter. And the illustrious monarch asked Dhristadyumna on his

return, 'Oh, where hath Krishna gone? Who hath taken her away? Hath any

Sudra or anybody of mean descent, or hath a tribute-paying Vaisya by

taking my daughter away, placed his dirty foot on my head? O son, hath

that wreath of flowers been thrown away on a grave-yard? Hath any

Kshatriya of high birth, or any one of the superior order (Brahmana)

obtained my daughter? Hath any one of mean descent, by having won

Krishna, placed his left foot on my head? I would not, O son, grieve but

feel greatly happy, if my daughter hath been united with Partha that

foremost of men! O thou exalted one, tell me truly who hath won my

daughter today? O, are the sons of that foremost of Kurus,

Vichitravirya's son alive? Was it Partha (Arjuna) that took up the bow

and shot the mark?'"