Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु भीष्मकस्य महात्मनः हिरण्यलोम्नो नृपतेः साक्षादिन्द्रसखस्य वै
AI Translation: Vaishampayana said: At this time, the great-souled King Hiranyaloman, the friend of Indra himself, the son of King Bhismaka,
आहृतीनामधिपतेर्भोजस्यातियशस्विनः दाक्षिणात्यपतेः पुत्रो दिक्षु रुक्मीति विश्रुतः
AI Translation: The son of the very famous king of the Āhrikas, Bhoja, the son of the king of the Dakṣiṇāpatha, was known in all directions as Rukmī.
यः किंपुरुषसिंहस्य गन्धमादनवासिनः शिष्यः कृत्स्नं धनुर्वेदं चतुष्पादमवाप्तवान्
M. N. Dutt: Who was a pupil of that lion of the Kimpurushas living on the Gandhamadana mountain and who learnt from him the entire science of handling bows in all its four branches;
यो माहेन्द्रं धनुर्लेभे तुल्यं गाण्डीवतेजसा शार्ङ्गेण च महाबाहुः संमितं दिव्यमक्षयम्
M. N. Dutt: Who, having long arms, obtained the Vijaya bow of the great Indra himself which was equal in energy to the Gandiva and to the Sharanga which had celestial attributes in it.
त्रीण्येवैतानि दिव्यानि धनूंषि दिविचारिणाम् वारुणं गाण्डिवं तत्र माहेन्द्रं विजयं धनुः
M. N. Dutt: These were the three celestial bows of the denizens of heaven namely, Gandiva belonging to Varuna, Vijaya belonging to the great Indra and Sharanga the bow of Vishnu, having celestial energy.
शार्ङ्गं तु वैष्णवं प्राहुर्दिव्यं तेजोमयं धनुः धारयामास यत्कृष्णः परसेनाभयावहम्
AI Translation: The bow Sharnga is said to be the divine bow of Vishnu, made of the essence of light, which Krishna held, causing fear to the armies of the enemy.
गाण्डीवं पावकाल्लेभे खाण्डवे पाकशासनिः द्रुमाद्रुक्मी महातेजा विजयं प्रत्यपद्यत
AI Translation: The wielder of the Gandiva bow obtained the Gandiva bow from the fire in the forest of Khandava. From the tree, Rukmi obtained the great and radiant Vijaya.
संछिद्य मौरवान्पाशान्निहत्य मुरमोजसा निर्जित्य नरकं भौममाहृत्य मणिकुण्डले
AI Translation: Having cut the bonds of Mura, having killed Mura with force, Having conquered Naraka, the son of the earth, having brought the earrings,
षोडश स्त्रीसहस्राणि रत्नानि विविधानि च प्रतिपेदे हृषीकेशः शार्ङ्गं च धनुरुत्तमम्
AI Translation: Sixteen thousand women, and various jewels, Hrishikesha received, and the excellent bow Sharnga.
रुक्मी तु विजयं लब्ध्वा धनुर्मेघसमस्वनम् विभीषयन्निव जगत्पाण्डवानभ्यवर्तत
AI Translation: Rukmi, having obtained victory, with a bow sounding like a cloud, approached the Pandavas, as if frightening the world.
नामृष्यत पुरा योऽसौ स्वबाहुबलदर्पितः रुक्मिण्या हरणं वीरो वासुदेवेन धीमता
AI Translation: The hero who was not able to bear the abduction of Rukmini by the wise Vasudeva, who was proud of the strength of his own arms,
कृत्वा प्रतिज्ञां नाहत्वा निवर्तिष्यामि केशवम् ततोऽन्वधावद्वार्ष्णेयं सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरम्
AI Translation: Having made the vow, "I will not return without killing Keshava," Then he pursued Varshneya, the best of all weapon-bearers.
सेनया चतुरङ्गिण्या महत्या दूरपातया विचित्रायुधवर्मिण्या गङ्गयेव प्रवृद्धया
AI Translation: With a four-part army, with great range, with various weapons and armor, like the Ganges when it is full.
स समासाद्य वार्ष्णेयं योगानामीश्वरं प्रभुम् व्यंसितो व्रीडितो राजन्नाजगाम स कुण्डिनम्
AI Translation: Having approached the lord of yoga, the master of yoga, the Varshneya, he was deceived and ashamed, O king, and did not return to Kundina.
Supplementary Passages:
5.155.14 After 14ab, B2 ins.: *551 कृतप्रतिज्ञो राजासौ वासुदेवेन निर्जितः
यत्रैव कृष्णेन रणे निर्जितः परवीरहा तत्र भोजकटं नाम चक्रे नगरमुत्तमम्
AI Translation: Where the slayer of enemy heroes was defeated by Krishna in battle, There he built an excellent city named Bhojakata.
सैन्येन महता तेन प्रभूतगजवाजिना पुरं तद्भुवि विख्यातं नाम्ना भोजकटं नृप
AI Translation: With that great army, with many elephants and horses, he went to that city, famous on earth, named Bhojakata.
स भोजराजः सैन्येन महता परिवारितः अक्षौहिण्या महावीर्यः पाण्डवान्समुपागमत्
AI Translation: That King Bhoja, surrounded by a great army, with a mighty army of four divisions, approached the Pandavas.
ततः स कवची खड्गी शरी धन्वी तली रथी ध्वजेनादित्यवर्णेन प्रविवेश महाचमूम्
AI Translation: Then he, wearing a coat of mail, with a sword, a bow, a quiver, a chariot, with a banner of the color of the sun, entered the great army.
विदितः पाण्डवेयानां वासुदेवप्रियेप्सया युधिष्ठिरस्तु तं राजा प्रत्युद्गम्याभ्यपूजयत्
AI Translation: Known to the Pandavas, he came to the city of the Pāṇḍavas, desiring the favor of Vasudéva. King Yudhiṣṭhira went out to meet him and honored him.
स पूजितः पाण्डुसुतैर्यथान्यायं सुसत्कृतः प्रतिपूज्य च तान्सर्वान्विश्रान्तः सहसैनिकः उवाच मध्ये वीराणां कुन्तीपुत्रं धनंजयम्
M. N. Dutt: Saluted those kings in return; and after resting himself with his army he said, in the midst of those heroes, to Dhananjaya the son of Kunti.
सहायोऽस्मि स्थितो युद्धे यदि भीतोऽसि पाण्डव करिष्यामि रणे साह्यमसह्यं तव शत्रुभिः
M. N. Dutt: If, O son of Pandu, you are afraid on the eve of the war I shall afford you assistance. The assistance, I will give, cannot possibly be borne by your enemies.
न हि मे विक्रमे तुल्यः पुमानस्तीह कश्चन निहत्य समरे शत्रूंस्तव दास्यामि फल्गुन
M. N. Dutt: There is no man in this world who is equal to me in prowess. I shall slay in battle that portion of your enemy you will allot to my share,
Supplementary Passages:
5.155.22 After 22ab, N (Dn2 missing) ins.: *552 हनिष्यामि रणे भागं यन्मे दास्यसि पाण्डव अपि द्रोणकृपौ वीरौ भीष्मकर्णावथो पुनः अथ वा सर्व एवैते तिष्ठन्तु वसुधाधिपाः
इत्युक्तो धर्मराजस्य केशवस्य च संनिधौ शृण्वतां पार्थिवेन्द्राणामन्येषां चैव सर्वशः
AI Translation: Thus spoken in the presence of Dharmaraja and Keshava, while all the kings and others were listening.
वासुदेवमभिप्रेक्ष्य धर्मराजं च पाण्डवम् उवाच धीमान्कौन्तेयः प्रहस्य सखिपूर्वकम्
AI Translation: Looking at Vasudeva and the Dharma King Pandava, the wise Kounteya laughed and said to his friend.
युध्यमानस्य मे वीर गन्धर्वैः सुमहाबलैः सहायो घोषयात्रायां कस्तदासीत्सखा मम
M. N. Dutt: O hero, when fighting with the great army of Gandharvas in the battle, who was then my friend?
तथा प्रतिभये तस्मिन्देवदानवसंकुले खाण्डवे युध्यमानस्य कः सहायस्तदाभवत्
M. N. Dutt: Then again in that terrific battle between the gods and the Danavas fighting together at Khandava who was then my friend?
निवातकवचैर्युद्धे कालकेयैश्च दानवैः तत्र मे युध्यमानस्य कः सहायस्तदाभवत्
M. N. Dutt: In my fight with the Nivatakavachas or with the Danavas called Kalakeyais-who was iny friend?
तथा विराटनगरे कुरुभिः सह संगरे युध्यतो बहुभिस्तात कः सहायोऽभवन्मम
M. N. Dutt: Then again in the battle with Kurus in the city of Virat-who was my friend?
उपजीव्य रणे रुद्रं शक्रं वैश्रवणं यमम् वरुणं पावकं चैव कृपं द्रोणं च माधवम्
M. N. Dutt: Having paid homage to Rudra, Shakra, Vaishravana, Yama, Varuna, Agni, Kripa, Drona and Madhava,
धारयन्गाण्डिवं दिव्यं धनुस्तेजोमयं दृढम् अक्षय्यशरसंयुक्तो दिव्यास्त्रपरिबृंहितः
M. N. Dutt: And holding firmly the celestial bow the Gandiva and furnished with an inexhaustible mass of arrows and protected by celestial weapons,
कौरवाणां कुले जातः पाण्डोः पुत्रो विशेषतः द्रोणं व्यपदिशञ्शिष्यो वासुदेवसहायवान्
AI Translation: Born in the family of the Kauravas, especially the son of Pandu, Pointing out Drona, the disciple, with the help of Vasudeva,
Supplementary Passages:
5.155.31 After 31, K5 B Dn1 Ds D1.3.4.6-8.10 ins.: *553 भीतोऽस्मीति कथं ब्रूयां दधानो गाण्डिवं धनुः
कथमस्मद्विधो ब्रूयाद्भीतोऽस्मीत्ययशस्करम् वचनं नरशार्दूल वज्रायुधमपि स्वयम्
M. N. Dutt: How can one like myself say 'I am afraid” calculated to cast infamy on my name, to even Indra himself who has the thunderbolt for his weapon, O best among men.
नास्मि भीतो महाबाहो सहायार्थश्च नास्ति मे यथाकामं यथायोगं गच्छ वान्यत्र तिष्ठ वा
M. N. Dutt: I am not afraid, O you of long arms and I have no necessity for your assistance. Go elsewhere if you please, or remain here if you like.
Supplementary Passages:
5.155.33 After 33, S ins.: *554 तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य विजयस्य च धीमतः
विनिवर्त्य ततो रुक्मी सेनां सागरसंनिभाम् दुर्योधनमुपागच्छत्तथैव भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: Then Rukmi, returning with that army resembling these came to Duryodhana and spoke in the same strain, O Bharata.
तथैव चाभिगम्यैनमुवाच स नराधिपः प्रत्याख्यातश्च तेनापि स तदा शूरमानिना
M. N. Dutt: Coming to that ruler of the earth did he say the same thing and his help was refused by Duryodhana too who thought himself a hero.
द्वावेव तु महाराज तस्माद्युद्धाद्व्यपेयतुः रौहिणेयश्च वार्ष्णेयो रुक्मी च वसुधाधिपः
M. N. Dutt: Thus two parties, O great king did not take part in that battle, namely the son of Rohini, the scion of the Vrishni race and the ruler of the earth Rukmi.
गते रामे तीर्थयात्रां भीष्मकस्य सुते तथा उपाविशन्पाण्डवेया मन्त्राय पुनरेव हि
M. N. Dutt: Rama having gone to visit the sacred places and the son of Bhishmaka having returned in the manner just described the sons of Pandu again sat down for consolation.
समितिर्धर्मराजस्य सा पार्थिवसमाकुला शुशुभे तारकाचित्रा द्यौश्चन्द्रेणेव भारत
M. N. Dutt: The assembly, of the virtuous king with all the rulers of the earth, shone as the moon in the sky surrounded by diverse stars, O Bharata.