Critical Edition
जनमेजय उवाच भगवञ्श्रोतुमिच्छामि पार्थस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः विस्तरेण कथामेतां यथास्त्राण्युपलब्धवान्
M. N. Dutt: Janamejaya said : O exalted onc, I desire to hear in detail the account of the acquisition of weapons by Partha (Arjuna) of spotless deeds.
कथं स पुरुषव्याघ्रो दीर्घबाहुर्धनंजयः वनं प्रविष्टस्तेजस्वी निर्मनुष्यमभीतवत्
M. N. Dutt: How did that foremost of men, the mightyarmed and the greatly energetic Dhananjaya enter that solitary forest without having felt (any) fear?
किं च तेन कृतं तत्र वसता ब्रह्मवित्तम कथं च भगवान्स्थाणुर्देवराजश्च तोषितः
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of all men, learned in the Vedas, what did he do when he lived there? O exalted one, how did he gratify Sthanu (Shiva) and the chief of the celestials (Indra)?
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं त्वत्प्रसादाद्द्विजोत्तम त्वं हि सर्वज्ञ दिव्यं च मानुषं चैव वेत्थ ह
M. N. Dutt: O best of the twice-born, I desire to hear all this through your favour. O omniscient one, you are acquainted with everything regarding men and gods.
अत्यद्भुतं महाप्राज्ञ रोमहर्षणमर्जुनः भवेन सह संग्रामं चकाराप्रतिमं किल पुरा प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठः संग्रामेष्वपराजितः
AI Translation: O very wise one, Arjuna, who is extremely wonderful, who causes the hair to stand on end, had a matchless battle with Bhava. In the past, the best of strikers, undefeated in battles,
यच्छ्रुत्वा नरसिंहानां दैन्यहर्षातिविस्मयात् शूराणामपि पार्थानां हृदयानि चकम्पिरे
AI Translation: Hearing which, the hearts of even the brave Pāndavas trembled with grief, joy and great wonder.
यद्यच्च कृतवानन्यत्पार्थस्तदखिलं वद न ह्यस्य निन्दितं जिष्णोः सुसूक्ष्ममपि लक्षये चरितं तस्य शूरस्य तन्मे सर्वं प्रकीर्तय
M. N. Dutt: I do not find the most trivial thing in Jishnu (Arjuna) which might be called censurable. (Therefore) narrate the history of that hero to me.
वैशंपायन उवाच कथयिष्यामि ते तात कथामेतां महात्मनः दिव्यां कौरवशार्दूल महतीमद्भुतोपमाम्
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said : O foremost of the Kurus, O child, I shall narrate to you the excellent, the extensive and greatly unrivalled history of that illustrious hero.
गात्रसंस्पर्शसंबन्धं त्र्यम्बकेण सहानघ पार्थस्य देवदेवेन शृणु सम्यक्समागमम्
M. N. Dutt: O sinless, one, hear in detail the account of Partha's meting with the three-eyed, god of gods and his contact with his body.
युधिष्ठिरनियोगात्स जगामामितविक्रमः शक्रं सुरेश्वरं द्रष्टुं देवदेवं च शंकरम्
AI Translation: By the order of Yudhiṣṭhira, he went to see Indra, the lord of the gods, and Śiva, the god of the gods.
दिव्यं तद्धनुरादाय खड्गं च पुरुषर्षभः महाबलो महाबाहुरर्जुनः कार्यसिद्धये दिशं ह्युदीचीं कौरव्यो हिमवच्छिखरं प्रति
AI Translation: Taking up that divine bow and sword, the bull among men, Arjuna, of great strength and mighty arms, for the sake of accomplishing his task, went in the northern direction towards the peak of the Himalayas.
ऐन्द्रिः स्थिरमना राजन्सर्वलोकमहारथः त्वरया परया युक्तस्तपसे धृतनिश्चयः वनं कण्टकितं घोरमेक एवान्वपद्यत
M. N. Dutt: Firmly adhering to his purpose, soon engaged himself in austere asceticism. He entered that fearful and thorny forest alone.
नानापुष्पफलोपेतं नानापक्षिनिषेवितम् नानामृगगणाकीर्णं सिद्धचारणसेवितम्
M. N. Dutt: It abounded in various flowers and fruits, it was inhabited by birds of various species, it was full of various animals and it was frequented by the Siddhas and Charanas.
Supplementary Passages:
3.39.13 After 13, M1 ins.: *160 गन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिश्च क्रीडद्भिरुपशोभितम् मत्तैः किंपुरुषैश्चैव पानभूमिगतैस्तथा तत्प्रियाभिः समन्ताच्च व्यावृत्य परिवीक्षितः जगाम नरशार्दूलो देवं द्रष्टुं पिनाकिनम्
ततः प्रयाते कौन्तेये वनं मानुषवर्जितम् शङ्खानां पटहानां च शब्दः समभवद्दिवि
M. N. Dutt: When the son of Kunti, Arjuna, entered that forest, which was destitute of human beings, conchs and drums from heaven were sounded.
पुष्पवर्षं च सुमहन्निपपात महीतले मेघजालं च विततं छादयामास सर्वतः
AI Translation: And a great shower of flowers fell on the ground, And a net of clouds spread out and covered everything.
अतीत्य वनदुर्गाणि संनिकर्षे महागिरेः शुशुभे हिमवत्पृष्ठे वसमानोऽर्जुनस्तदा
AI Translation: Having passed through the difficult forests, near the great mountain, Arjuna, dwelling on the back of the Himalayas, shone then.
तत्रापश्यद्द्रुमान्फुल्लान्विहगैर्वल्गु नादितान् नदीश्च बहुलावर्ता नीलवैडूर्यसंनिभाः
M. N. Dutt: He saw there many trees blooming in green verdure and resounding with the sweet notes of the birds, abounding in great rivers with great eddies and currents of the color of Vaidurya gems.
हंसकारण्डवोद्गीताः सारसाभिरुतास्तथा पुंस्कोकिलरुताश्चैव क्रौञ्चबर्हिणनादिताः
M. N. Dutt: And echoing with the sweet notes of the swans, ducks and cranes. The banks of those rivers were resounded with melodious strains of male Kokilas, of peacocks and of cranes.
मनोहरवनोपेतास्तस्मिन्नतिरथोऽर्जुनः पुण्यशीतामलजलाः पश्यन्प्रीतमनाभवत्
M. N. Dutt: Seeing those rivers of sacred, pure and delicious water and also their charming banks, thc great car-warrior Arjuna became very much delighted.
रमणीये वनोद्देशे रममाणोऽर्जुनस्तदा तपस्युग्रे वर्तमान उग्रतेजा महामनाः
M. N. Dutt: The greatly energetic and high-minded Arjuna then engaged himself in asceticism in that charming forest.
दर्भचीरं निवस्याथ दण्डाजिनविभूषितः पूर्णे पूर्णे त्रिरात्रे तु मासमेकं फलाशनः द्विगुणेनैव कालेन द्वितीयं मासमत्यगात्
M. N. Dutt: He ate fruits in the first month (of his asceticism) at the interval of three nights, in the second (month) at the interval of six nights.
तृतीयमपि मासं स पक्षेणाहारमाचरन् शीर्णं च पतितं भूमौ पर्णं समुपयुक्तवान्
AI Translation: For the third month, he ate only one meal a day, and ate only fallen leaves.
चतुर्थे त्वथ संप्राप्ते मासि पूर्णे ततः परम् वायुभक्षो महाबाहुरभवत्पाण्डुनन्दनः ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्निरालम्बः पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रविष्ठितः
M. N. Dutt: In the third (month) at the interval of a fortnight. When the fourth month came, that foremost of the Bharata race. That mightyarmed son of Pandu lived (simply) on air, with his arms upraised and with nothing to lean upon, standing only on the tips of his toes.
सदोपस्पर्शनाच्चास्य बभूवुरमितौजसः विद्युदम्भोरुहनिभा जटास्तस्य महात्मनः
M. N. Dutt: In consequences of frequent bathing the hair of that high-souled and immeasurably energetic hero became as bright as the lightning or the lotus.
ततो महर्षयः सर्वे जग्मुर्देवं पिनाकिनम् शितिकण्ठं महाभागं प्रणिपत्य प्रसाद्य च सर्वे निवेदयामासुः कर्म तत्फल्गुनस्य ह
AI Translation: Then all the great sages went to the Pināka-bearer, the Lord, and having bowed to the blue-throated, illustrious one, and having pleased him, they all reported to
Supplementary Passages:
3.39.25 After 25ab, K (except K3) B Dn D4.6 M1 (most of which om. 25cd) ins.: *161 निवेदयिषवः पार्थं तपस्युग्रे समास्थितम्
एष पार्थो महातेजा हिमवत्पृष्ठमाश्रितः उग्रे तपसि दुष्पारे स्थितो धूमाययन्दिशः
AI Translation: This Partha, of great splendor, has resorted to the slopes of the Himalayas, standing in a fierce and difficult austerity, causing the directions to smoke.
तस्य देवेश न वयं विद्मः सर्वे चिकीर्षितम् संतापयति नः सर्वानसौ साधु निवार्यताम्
AI Translation: We do not know, O Lord of the gods, what he intends to do. He is tormenting us all. Let him be restrained.
Supplementary Passages:
3.39.27 After 27, K1.2 B D (except D1-3) ins.: *162 तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम् उमापतिर्भूतपतिर्वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह
महेश्वर उवाच शीघ्रं गच्छत संहृष्टा यथागतमतन्द्रिताः अहमस्य विजानामि संकल्पं मनसि स्थितम्
M. N. Dutt: Shiva said : You all ought not feel any anxiety on account of Falguni (Arjuna). Go away soon with cheerfulness and alacrity to the place whence you have come. I know what is the determination of his mind.
Supplementary Passages:
3.39.28 After the ref., K1.2 B D (except D1-3) T2 G (except G1) ins.: *163 न वो विषादः कर्तव्यः फल्गुनं प्रति सर्वशः
नास्य स्वर्गस्पृहा काचिन्नैश्वर्यस्य न चायुषः यत्त्वस्य काङ्क्षितं सर्वं तत्करिष्येऽहमद्य वै
M. N. Dutt: His desire is not for heaven, not for prosperity, nor for long life. What is desired by him, will be done by me even today.
वैशंपायन उवाच ते श्रुत्व शर्ववचनमृषयः सत्यवादिनः प्रहृष्टमनसो जग्मुर्यथास्वं पुनराश्रमान्
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said: Having heard all this, the truthful Rishis with cheerful heart returned to their respective abodes.