Mahabharata — Volume I (Dutt edition) — Chapter 187

MBh 1 187.1

वैशम्पायन उवाच तेऽलंकृताः कुण्डलिनो युवानः परस्परं स्पर्धमाना नरेन्द्राः। अस्त्रं बलं चात्मनि मन्यमानाः सर्वे समुत्पेतुरुदायुधास्ते॥

vaiśampāyana uvāca te'laṃkṛtāḥ kuṇḍalino yuvānaḥ parasparaṃ spardhamānā narendrāḥ| astraṃ balaṃ cātmani manyamānāḥ sarve samutpeturudāyudhāste||

Vaishampayana said : These youthful princes, adorned with earrings, boasted at one another; and each regarding himself as the most accomplished in arms and endued with prowess, they stood up brandishing their weapons.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.2

रूपेण वीर्येण कुलेन चैव शीलेन वित्तेन च यौवनेन। समिद्धदर्पा मदवेगभिन्ना मत्ता यथा हैमवता गजेन्द्राः॥ परस्परं स्पर्धया प्रेक्षमाणाः संकल्पजेनाभिपरिप्लुताङ्गाः। कृष्णा ममैवेत्यभिभाषमाणा नृपासनेभ्यः सहसोदतिष्ठन्॥

rūpeṇa vīryeṇa kulena caiva śīlena vittena ca yauvanena| samiddhadarpā madavegabhinnā mattā yathā haimavatā gajendrāḥ|| parasparaṃ spardhayā prekṣamāṇāḥ saṃkalpajenābhipariplutāṅgāḥ| kṛṣṇā mamaivetyabhibhāṣamāṇā nṛpāsanebhyaḥ sahasodatiṣṭhan||

Intoxicated with the pride of beauty, prowess, lineage, knowledge, wealth and youth, they were like the Himalayan elephants mad in the season of rut. Staring at one another with jealousy and being influenced by the god of desire, they suddenly rose up from their royal seats, each exclaiming, “Krishna will be mine."

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.3

ते क्षत्रिया रङ्गगताः समेता जिगीपमाणा दुपदात्मजां ताम्। मुमां यथा देवगणाः समेताः॥

te kṣatriyā raṅgagatāḥ sametā jigīpamāṇā dupadātmajāṃ tām| mumāṃ yathā devagaṇāḥ sametāḥ||

Those Kshatriyas, assembled in that arena, each eagerly desiring to win the daughter of Drupada, appeared like the celestials standing round Uma, the daughter of the Mountain king.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.4

कन्दर्पबाणाभिनिपीडिताङ्गाः कृष्णागतैस्ते हृदयैर्नरेन्द्राः। धनेश्वरं च॥ रङ्गावतीर्णा दुपदात्मजार्थं द्वेषं प्रचक्रुः सुहृदोऽपि तत्र॥

kandarpabāṇābhinipīḍitāṅgāḥ kṛṣṇāgataiste hṛdayairnarendrāḥ| dhaneśvaraṃ ca|| raṅgāvatīrṇā dupadātmajārthaṃ dveṣaṃ pracakruḥ suhṛdo'pi tatra||

Their bodies afflicted with the arrows of the god of love and their hearts completely lost in Krishna (Draupadi), the kings descended into the arena; and they felt jealousy against even their own friends for the sake of the daughter of Drupada.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.5

अथाययुर्देवगणा विमानै रुद्रादित्या वसवोऽथाश्विनौ च। साध्याश्च सर्वे मरुतस्तथैव यमं पुरस्कृत्य

athāyayurdevagaṇā vimānai rudrādityā vasavo'thāśvinau ca| sādhyāśca sarve marutastathaiva yamaṃ puraskṛtya

There came also (in the sky) the celestials on their cars, with the Rudras, the Adityas, the Vasus, the twin Ashvinis, the Sadhyas, all the Marutas and the lord of wealth (Kubera) with Yama at their head.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.6

दैत्याः सुपर्णाश्च महोरगाश्च देवर्षयो गुह्यकाश्चारणाश्च। विश्वावसुर्नारदपर्वतौ च गन्धर्वमुख्याः सहसाप्सरोभिः॥

daityāḥ suparṇāśca mahoragāśca devarṣayo guhyakāścāraṇāśca| viśvāvasurnāradaparvatau ca gandharvamukhyāḥ sahasāpsarobhiḥ||

There came also the Daityas, the Suparnas, the great Nagas, the celestials Rishi, the Guhyakas, the Charanas, Vishvavasu, Narada, Parvata and the chief Gandharvas with the Apsaras.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.7

हलायुधस्तत्र जनार्दनश्च वृष्ण्यन्धकाश्चैव यथाप्रधानम्। प्रेक्षां स्म चक्रुर्यदुपुङ्गवास्ते स्थिताश्च कृष्णस्य मते महान्तः॥

halāyudhastatra janārdanaśca vṛṣṇyandhakāścaiva yathāpradhānam| prekṣāṃ sma cakruryadupuṅgavāste sthitāśca kṛṣṇasya mate mahāntaḥ||

Halayudha, (Balarama) Janardana (Krishna), the chiefs of Vrishni, Andhaka and Yadava tribes, all ever obedient to Krishna, were also there viewing the scene.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.8

दृष्ट्वा तु तान् मत्तगजेन्द्ररूपान् पञ्चाभिपद्मानिव वारणेन्द्रान्। भस्मावृताङ्गानिव हव्यवाहान् कृष्णः प्रदध्यौ यदुवीरमुख्यः॥

dṛṣṭvā tu tān mattagajendrarūpān pañcābhipadmāniva vāraṇendrān| bhasmāvṛtāṅgāniva havyavāhān kṛṣṇaḥ pradadhyau yaduvīramukhyaḥ||

Seeing these five (Pandavas) like mad elephants, the best of their species, which come attracted towards a lake overgrown with lotuses, like fire covered with ashes and the foremost of the Yadus, Krishna began to reflect.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.9

शशंस रामाय युधिष्ठिरं स भीमं सजिष्णुं च यमौ च वीरौ। शनैः शनैस्तान् प्रसमीक्ष्य रामो जनार्दनं प्रीतमना ददर्श ह॥

śaśaṃsa rāmāya yudhiṣṭhiraṃ sa bhīmaṃ sajiṣṇuṃ ca yamau ca vīrau| śanaiḥ śanaistān prasamīkṣya rāmo janārdanaṃ prītamanā dadarśa ha||

He said to Rama (Balarama), “That is Yudhishthira, that is Bhima with Jishnu (Arjuna) and these are the two heroic twins (Nakula and Sahadeva). "Observing them slowly (one after the other) (Bala) Rama cast a pleased glance on Janardana (Krishna).

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.10

अन्ये तु वीरा नृपपुत्रपौत्राः कृष्णागतैर्नेत्रमन:स्वभावैः। व्यायच्छमाना ददृशुर्न तान् वै संदष्टदन्तच्छदताम्रनेत्राः॥

anye tu vīrā nṛpaputrapautrāḥ kṛṣṇāgatairnetramana:svabhāvaiḥ| vyāyacchamānā dadṛśurna tān vai saṃdaṣṭadantacchadatāmranetrāḥ||

Biting their nether lips in wrath, the other heroes, those sons and grandsons of kings, with their eyes, hearts and thoughts set on Krishna alone, looked at Drupada only with their explained eyes and did not notice the Pandavas.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.11

तथैव पार्थाः पृथुवाहवस्ते वीरौ यमौ चैव महानुभावौ। तां द्रौपदी प्रेक्ष्य तदा स्म सर्वे कन्दर्पबाणाभिहता बभूवुः॥

tathaiva pārthāḥ pṛthuvāhavaste vīrau yamau caiva mahānubhāvau| tāṃ draupadī prekṣya tadā sma sarve kandarpabāṇābhihatā babhūvuḥ||

On seeing Draupadi the mighty armed sons of Pritha and also the heroic and the illustrious twins were all struck with the arrows of the god of love.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.12

देवर्षिगन्धर्वसमाकुलं तत् सुपर्णनागासुरसिद्धजुष्टम्। दिव्येन गन्धेन समाकुलं च दिव्यैश्च पुष्पैरवकीर्यमाणम्॥ महास्वनैर्दुन्दुभिनादितैश बभूव तत् संकुलमन्तरिक्षम्। विमानसम्बाधमभूत् समन्तात् सवेणुवीणापणवानुनादम्॥

devarṣigandharvasamākulaṃ tat suparṇanāgāsurasiddhajuṣṭam| divyena gandhena samākulaṃ ca divyaiśca puṣpairavakīryamāṇam|| mahāsvanairdundubhināditaiśa babhūva tat saṃkulamantarikṣam| vimānasambādhamabhūt samantāt saveṇuvīṇāpaṇavānunādam||

Crowed with celestials, Rishis Gandharvas, Suparnas, Nagas, Asuras and Siddhas, filled with the celestials perfumes, scattered over with celestials flowers, resounding with the kettle drums and the deep hum of infinite voices and echoing with the softer music of the flute, the Vina and the tabor, the cars of the celestials could scarcely find a way through the firmament.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.13

ततस्तु ते राजगणाः क्रमेण कृष्णानिमित्तं कृतविक्रमाश्च। द्रौणायनिक्राथसुनीथवक्राः॥ कलिङ्गवङ्गाधिपपाण्ड्यपौण्ड्रा विदेहराजो यवनाधिपश्च। अन्ये च नानानृपपुत्रपौत्रा राष्ट्राधिपाः परूजपत्रनेत्राः॥

tatastu te rājagaṇāḥ krameṇa kṛṣṇānimittaṃ kṛtavikramāśca| drauṇāyanikrāthasunīthavakrāḥ|| kaliṅgavaṅgādhipapāṇḍyapauṇḍrā videharājo yavanādhipaśca| anye ca nānānṛpaputrapautrā rāṣṭrādhipāḥ parūjapatranetrāḥ||

Then those kings, Karna, Duryodhana, Shalva, Shalya, Ashvathama, Kratha, Sunitha, Vakra, the ruler of Kalinga and Vanga, Pandya, Paundra, the ruler of Videha, the chief of the Yavanas and many other sons and grandsons of kings, the rulers of countries with eyes like lotus leaves, one after the other exhibited their own prowess for (winning) that maiden of matchless beauty.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.14

विभूषिताङ्गाः पृथुवाहवस्ते। अनुक्रम विक्रमसत्त्वयुक्ता बलेन वीर्येण च नर्दमानाः॥

vibhūṣitāṅgāḥ pṛthuvāhavaste| anukrama vikramasattvayuktā balena vīryeṇa ca nardamānāḥ||

Adorned with crowns, garlands, bracelets and other ornaments, possessing mighty arms, prowess and vigour and full of strength and energy,

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.15

तत् कार्मुकं संहननोपपन्न सज्यं न शेकुर्मनसापि कर्तुम्। ते विक्रमन्तः स्फुरता दृढेन विक्षिप्यमाणा धनुषा नरेन्द्राः॥ विचेष्टमाना धरणीतलस्था यथाबलं शैक्ष्यगुणक्रमाश्च। गतौजसः सस्तकिरीटहारा विनि:स्वसन्तः शमयाम्बभूवुः॥ हाहाकृतं तद् धनुषा दृढेन विस्रस्तहाराङ्गदचक्रबालम्। कृष्णानिमित्तं विनिवृत्तकाम राज्ञां तदा मण्डलमार्तमासीत्॥

tat kārmukaṃ saṃhananopapanna sajyaṃ na śekurmanasāpi kartum| te vikramantaḥ sphuratā dṛḍhena vikṣipyamāṇā dhanuṣā narendrāḥ|| viceṣṭamānā dharaṇītalasthā yathābalaṃ śaikṣyaguṇakramāśca| gataujasaḥ sastakirīṭahārā vini:svasantaḥ śamayāmbabhūvuḥ|| hāhākṛtaṃ tad dhanuṣā dṛḍhena visrastahārāṅgadacakrabālam| kṛṣṇānimittaṃ vinivṛttakāma rājñāṃ tadā maṇḍalamārtamāsīt||

Those kings could not even in their imagination string that bow of extraordinary stiffness. And those kings, in exerting with swelling lips to string that bow each according to his strength, education, skill and energy, were all tossed on the ground and lay motionless for some time. Their strength gone and their crowns and garlands loosened from their persons, they panted for breath. Their ambition for wining that maiden was soon cooled down. Tossed by that stiff bow, their garlands and bracelets and other ornaments, were disordered and they uttered exclamations of woe. Having their hope of obtaining Krishria gone that assemblage of kings looked sad and woeful.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.16

सर्वान् नृपांस्तान् प्रसमीक्ष्य को धनुर्धराणां प्रवरो जगाम। उद्धृत्य तूर्णं धनुरुद्यतं तत् सज्यं चकाराशु युयोज बाणान्॥

sarvān nṛpāṃstān prasamīkṣya ko dhanurdharāṇāṃ pravaro jagāma| uddhṛtya tūrṇaṃ dhanurudyataṃ tat sajyaṃ cakārāśu yuyoja bāṇān||

Seeing the plight of all those kings, that foremost of all wielders of bow, Karna, went to the place where the bow was. He quickly raised it up, stringed it and placed the arrows on the string.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.17

दृष्ट्वा सूतं मेनिरे पाण्डुपुत्रा भित्त्वा नीतं लक्ष्यवरं धरायाम्। धनुर्धरा रागकृतप्रतिज्ञमत्यग्निसोमार्कमथार्कपुत्रम्॥

dṛṣṭvā sūtaṃ menire pāṇḍuputrā bhittvā nītaṃ lakṣyavaraṃ dharāyām| dhanurdharā rāgakṛtapratijñamatyagnisomārkamathārkaputram||

Seeing the son of Surya, Karna of the Suta tribe, who was like a fire or moon or the sun, resolved to shoot the mark, those foremost of bowmen, the Pandavas, considered that the mark had already been shot and brought down to the ground.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.18

दृष्ट्वा तु तं द्रौपदी वाक्यमुच्चैजगाद नाहं वरयामि सूतम्। सामर्षहासं प्रसमीक्ष्य सूर्यं तत्याज कर्णः स्फुरितं धनुस्तत्॥

dṛṣṭvā tu taṃ draupadī vākyamuccaijagāda nāhaṃ varayāmi sūtam| sāmarṣahāsaṃ prasamīkṣya sūryaṃ tatyāja karṇaḥ sphuritaṃ dhanustat||

Seeing him Draupadi said in a loud voice, "I shall not choose a Suta for my husband." Laughing in vexation and casting a glance towards the sun, Karna threw aside the bow already drawn to a circle.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.19

एवं तेषु निवृत्तेषु क्षत्रियेषु समन्वतः। चेदीनामधिपो वीरो बलवानन्तकोपमः॥

evaṃ teṣu nivṛtteṣu kṣatriyeṣu samanvataḥ| cedīnāmadhipo vīro balavānantakopamaḥ||

When all those assembled Kshatriyas gave up the task, the heroic king of the Chedis as powerful as Yama,

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.20

दमघोषसुतो धीरः शिशुपालो महामतिः। धनुरादायमानस्तु जानुभ्यामगमन्महीम्॥

damaghoṣasuto dhīraḥ śiśupālo mahāmatiḥ| dhanurādāyamānastu jānubhyāmagamanmahīm||

The high-souled and determined son of Damaghosha, Shishupala, attempted to string the bow, but he himself fell on his knees on the ground.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.21

ततो राजा महावीर्यो जरासंधो महाबलः। धनुषोऽभ्याशमागत्य तस्थौ गिरिरिवाचलः॥

tato rājā mahāvīryo jarāsaṃdho mahābalaḥ| dhanuṣo'bhyāśamāgatya tasthau giririvācalaḥ||

Thereupon the greatly strong and powerful king Jarasandha came to the bow and stood there for some time, fixed and motionless like a mountain.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.22

धनुषा पीड्यमानस्तु जानुभ्यामगमन्महीम्। तत उत्थाय राजा स स्वराष्ट्राण्यभिजग्मिवान्॥

dhanuṣā pīḍyamānastu jānubhyāmagamanmahīm| tata utthāya rājā sa svarāṣṭrāṇyabhijagmivān||

Tossed by the bow he too fell upon his knees on the ground. Rising up, he (at once) left for his own kingdom.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.23

ततः शल्यो महावीरो मद्रराजो महाबलः। तदप्यारोप्यमाणस्तु जानुभ्यामगमन्महीम्॥

tataḥ śalyo mahāvīro madrarājo mahābalaḥ| tadapyāropyamāṇastu jānubhyāmagamanmahīm||

Then in attempting to string the bow the great hero Shalya, the greatly powerful king of Madra, also fell upon his knees on the ground.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 187.24

तस्मिंस्तु सम्भ्रान्तजने समाजे विक्षिप्तवादेषु जनाधिपेषु। कुन्तीसुतो जिष्णुरियेष वर्तुं सज्यं धनुस्तत् सरं प्रवीरः॥

tasmiṃstu sambhrāntajane samāje vikṣiptavādeṣu janādhipeṣu| kuntīsuto jiṣṇuriyeṣa vartuṃ sajyaṃ dhanustat saraṃ pravīraḥ||

At last when that assemblage of kings of noble births became the subjects of derisive talk, that foremost of heroes Jishnu (Arjuna), the son of Kunti, desired to string the bow and place the arrows on the string.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)