Mahabharata, Book 14, Section LXXXIIIआश्वमेधिकपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 14.83.

83Sanskrit adhyāya 14.83 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

वैशम्पायन उवाच।
स तु वाजी समुद्रान्तां पर्येत्य वसुधामिमाम्।
निवृत्तोऽभिमुखो राजन्येन वारणसाह्वयम्।।
अनुगच्छंश्च तुरगं निवृत्तोऽथ किरीटभृत्।
यदृच्छया समापेदे पुरं राजगृहं तदा।।
तमभ्याशगतं दृष्ट्वा सहदेवात्मजः प्रभो।
क्षत्रधर्मे स्थितो वीरः समरायाजुहाव ह।।
ततः पुरात्स निष्क्रम्य रथी धन्वी शरी तली।
मेघसन्धिः पदातिं तं धनंजयमुपाद्रवत्।।
आसाद्य च महातेजा मेघसन्धिर्धनंजयम्।
बालभावान्महाराज प्रोवाचेदं न कौशलात्।।
किमयं चार्यते वाजी स्इत्रीमध्य इव भारत।
हयमेनं हरिष्यामि प्रयतस्व विमोक्षणे।।
अदत्तानुनयो युद्धे यदि त्वं पितृभिर्मम।
करिष्यामि तवातिथ्यं प्रहर प्रहरामि च।।
इत्युक्तः प्रत्युवाचैनं प्रहसन्निव पाण्डवः।
विघ्नकर्ता मया वार्य इति मे व्रतमाहितम्।।
भ्रात्रा ज्येष्ठेन नृपते तवापि विदितं ध्रुवम्।
प्रहरस्व यथाशक्ति न मन्युर्विद्यते मम।।
इत्युक्तः प्राहरत्पूर्वं पाण्डवं मगधेस्वरः।
किरञ्शरसहस्राणि वर्षाणीव सहस्रदृक्।।
ततो गाण्डीवभृच्छूरो गाण्डीवप्रहितैः शरैः।
चकार मोघांस्तान्बाणान्सयत्नान्भरतर्षभ।।
स मोघं तस्य बाणौघं कृत्वा वानरकेतनः।
शरात्मुमोच ज्वलितान्दीप्तास्यानिव पन्नगान्।।
ध्वजे पताकादण्डेषु रथे यन्त्रे हयेषु च।
अन्येषु च रथाङ्गेषु न शरीरे न सारथौ।।
संरक्ष्यमाणः पार्थेन शरीरे सव्यसाचिना।
मन्यमानः स्ववीर्यं तन्मागधः प्राहिणोच्छरान्।।
ततो गाण्डीवधन्वा तु मागधेन भृशाहतः।
बभौ वसन्तसमये पलासः पुष्पितो यथा।।
अवध्यमानः सोऽभ्यघ्नन्मागधः पाण्डवर्षभम्।
तेन तस्थौ स कौरव्य लोकवीरस्य दर्शने।।
सव्यसाची तु संक्रुद्धो विकृष्य बलवद्धनुः।
हयांश्चकार निर्जीवान्सारथेश्च शिरोऽहरत्।।
धनुश्चास्य महच्चित्रं क्षुरेण प्रचकर्त ह।
हस्तावापं पताकां च ध्वजं चास्यन्यपातयत्।।
स राजा व्यथितो व्यश्वो विधनुर्हतसारथिः।
गदामादाय कौन्तेयमभिद्रद्राव वेगवान्।।
तस्यापतत एवाशु गदां हेमपरिष्कृताम्।
शरैश्चकर्त बहुधा बहुभिर्गृध्रवाजितैः।।
सा गदा शकलीभूता विशीर्णिमणिबन्धना।
व्याली विमुच्यमानेन पपात धरणीतले।।
विरथं विधनुष्कं च गदया परिवर्जितम्।
`नैच्छत्ताडयितुं धीमानर्जुनः समराग्रणीः।।
तत एनं विमनसं क्षत्रधर्मे व्यवस्थितम्।।'
सान्त्वपूर्वमिदं वाक्यमब्रवीत्कपिकेतनः।।
पर्याप्तः क्षत्रधर्मोऽयं दर्शितः पुत्र गम्यताम्।
बह्वेतत्समरे कर्म तव बालस्य पार्थिव।।
युधिष्ठिरस्य संदेशो न हन्तव्या नृपा इति।
तेन जीवसि राजंस्त्वमपराद्धोऽपि मे रणे।।
इति मत्वा तदाऽऽत्मानं प्रत्यादिष्टं स्म मागधः।
तथ्यमित्यभिगम्यैनं प्राञ्जलिः प्रत्यपूजयत्।।
परिजितोस्मि भद्रं ते नाहं योद्धुमिहोत्सहे।
यद्यत्कृत्यं मया तेऽद्य तद्ब्रूहि कृतमेव तु।।
तमर्जुनः समाश्वास्य पुनरेवेदमब्रवीत्।
आगन्तव्यं परां चैत्रीमश्वमेधे नृपस्य नः।।
इत्युक्तः स तथेत्युक्त्वा पूजयमास तं हयम्।
फल्गुनं च युधिश्रेष्ठं विदिवत्सहदेवजः।।
ततो यथेष्टमगमत्पुनरेव स कौरवः।
ततः समुद्रतीरेण वङ्गान्पुण्ड्रान्सकेरलान्।।
तत्रतत्र च भूरीणि म्लेच्छसैन्यान्यनेकशः।
विजिग्ये धनुषा राजन्गाण्डीवेन धनंजयः।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते आश्वमेधिकपर्वणि
अनुगीतापर्वणि त्र्यशीतितमोऽध्यायः।। 83 ।।

English Ganguli

"Vaisampayana said, 'Worshipped by the ruler of Magadha, Pandu's son having white steeds yoked unto his car, proceeded along the south, following the (sacrificial) steed. Turning round in course of his wanderings at will, the mighty steed came upon the beautiful city of the Chedis called after the oyster.[199] Sarabha, the son of Sisupala, endued with great strength, first encountered Arjuna in battle and then worshipped him with due honours. Worshipped by him, O king, that best of steeds then proceeded to the realms of the Kasis, the Angas, the Kosalas, the Kiratas, and the Tanganas. Receiving due honours in all those realms, Dhananjaya turned his course. Indeed, the son of Kunti then proceeded to the country of the Dasarnas. The ruler of that people was Chitrangada who was endued with great strength and was a crusher of foes. Between him and Vijaya occurred a battle exceedingly terrible. Bringing him under his sway the diadem-decked Arjuna, that foremost of men, proceeded to the dominions of the Nishada king, viz., the son of Ekalavya. The son of Ekalavya received Arjuna in battle. The encounter that took place between the Kuru hero and the Nishadas was so furious as to make the hair stand on end. Unvanquished in battle, the valiant son of Kunti defeated the Nishada king who proved an obstacle to the sacrifice. Having subjugated the son of Ekalavya, O king, the son of Indra, duly worshipped by the Nishadas, then proceeded towards the southern ocean. In those regions battle took place between the diadem-decked hero and the Dravidas and Andhras and the fierce Mahishakas and the hillmen of Kolwa. Subjugating those tribes without having to accomplish any fierce feats, Arjuna proceeded to the country of the Surashtras, his footsteps guided by the horse. Arrived at Gokarna, he repaired thence to Prabhasa. Next he proceeded to the beautiful city of Dwaravati protected by the heroes of the Vrishni race. When the beautiful sacrificial horse of the Kuru king reached Dwaravati, the Yadava youths, used force against that foremost of steeds. King Ugrasena, however, soon went out and forbade those youths from doing what they meditated. Then the ruler of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, issuing out of his palace, with Vasudeva, the maternal uncle of Arjuna, in his company, cheerfully met the Kuru hero and received him with due rites. The two elderly chiefs honoured Arjuna duly. Obtaining their permission, the Kuru prince then proceeded to where the horse he followed, led him. The sacrificial steed then proceeded along the coast of the western ocean and at last reached the country of the five waters which swelled with population and prosperity. Thence, O king, the steed proceeded to the country of Gandharas. Arrived there, it wandered at will, followed by the son of Kunti. Then occurred a fierce battle between the diadem-decked hero and the ruler of Gandharas, viz., the son of Sakuni, who had a bitter remembrance of the grudge his sire bore to the Pandavas.'"