महाभारतम् — ३.२३३

वैशंपायन उवाच ।

युधिष्ठिरवचः श्रुत्वा भीमसेनपुरोगमाः ।
प्रहृष्टवदनाः सर्वे समुत्तस्थुर्नरर्षभाः ॥

M N Dutt Vaishampayana said : Having heard the words of Yudhishthira, those foremost of men headed by Bhimasena rose up in great delight.

३.२३३.२

अभेद्यानि ततः सर्वे समनह्यन्त भारत ।
जाम्बूनदविचित्राणि कवचानि महारथाः ॥

M N Dutt O descendant of Bharata, those great carwarriors then put on impenetrable armours that were a decked with gold.

३.२३३.३

ते दंशिता रथैः सर्वे ध्वजिनः सशरासनाः ।
पाण्डवाः प्रत्यदृश्यन्त ज्वलिता इव पावकाः ॥

M N Dutt They armed themselves with celestials weapons of various kinds. Thus armed, they ascended the cars furnished with flag-staffs with bows and arrows in their hands. The Pandavas looked like so many blazing fires.

३.२३३.४

तान्रथान्साधु संपन्नान्संयुक्ताञ्जवनैर्हयैः ।
आस्थाय रथशार्दूलाः शीघ्रमेव ययुस्ततः ॥

M N Dutt Those foremost of car-warriors, riding on those well-furnished cars drawn by fleet horses, went to the place where the Gandharvas were) without the least delay.

३.२३३.५

ततः कौरवसैन्यानां प्रादुरासीन्महास्वनः ।
प्रयातान्सहितान्दृष्ट्वा पाण्डुपुत्रान्महारथान् ॥

M N Dutt Thereupon, the Kuru soldiers sent up a very loud shout. O seeing the great car-warriors the sons of Pandu going to fight with the Gandharvas). Those rangers of the sky (Gandharvas), the great car-warriors, were flushed with victory. Those warriors, the Pandavas, fearlessly encountered one other in the forest.

३.२३३.६

जितकाशिनश्च खचरास्त्वरिताश्च महारथाः ।
क्षणेनैव वने तस्मिन्समाजग्मुरभीतवत् ॥

M N Dutt Thereupon, the Kuru soldiers sent up a very loud shout. O seeing the great car-warriors the sons of Pandu going to fight with the Gandharvas). Those rangers of the sky (Gandharvas), the great car-warriors, were flushed with victory. Those warriors, the Pandavas, fearlessly encountered one other in the forest.

३.२३३.७

न्यवर्तन्त ततः सर्वे गन्धर्वा जितकाशिनः ।
दृष्ट्वा रथगतान्वीरान्पाण्डवांश्चतुरो रणे ॥

३.२३३.८

तांस्तु विभ्राजतो दृष्ट्वा लोकपालानिवोद्यतान् ।
व्यूढानीका व्यतिष्ठन्त गन्धमादनवासिनः ॥

M N Dutt The Gandharvas, seeing the four sons of Pandu coming to battle on their cars, all turned son back towards the advancing combatants. Seeing the Pandavas looking like the blazing Lokapalas, those dwellers of Gandhamadana (Gandharva) were inflamed with anger and they stood in battle array.

३.२३३.९

राज्ञस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा धर्मराजस्य धीमतः ।
क्रमेण मृदुना युद्धमुपक्रामन्त भारत ॥

M N Dutt In accordance with the command of the greatly intelligent of Dharma, Yudhishthira, O descendant of Bharata, the battle that took place was but a skirmish.

३.२३३.१०

न तु गन्धर्वराजस्य सैनिका मन्दचेतसः ।
शक्यन्ते मृदुना श्रेयः प्रतिपादयितुं तदा ॥

३.२३३.११

ततस्तान्युधि दुर्धर्षः सव्यसाची परंतपः ।
सान्त्वपूर्वमिदं वाक्यमुवाच खचरान्रणे ॥

३.२३३.१२

नैतद्गन्धर्वराजस्य युक्तं कर्म जुगुप्सितम् ।
परदाराभिमर्शश्च मानुषैश्च समागमः ॥

M N Dutt "This contact with other females and this fight with men are not proper for the Gandharva king.

३.२३३.१३

उत्सृजध्वं महावीर्यान्धृतराष्ट्रसुतानिमान् ।
दारांश्चैषां विमुञ्चध्वं धर्मराजस्य शासनात् ॥

M N Dutt Therefore let off all these mighty sons of Dhritarashtra. Let off also these ladies at the command of Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira).

३.२३३.१४

एवमुक्तास्तु गन्धर्वाः पाण्डवेन यशस्विना ।
उत्स्मयन्तस्तदा पार्थमिदं वचनमब्रुवन् ॥

M N Dutt Having been thus addressed by that illustrious Pandava, the Gandharvas laughed aloud. They thus replied to Partha,

३.२३३.१५

एकस्यैव वयं तात कुर्याम वचनं भुवि ।
यस्य शासनमाज्ञाय चराम विगतज्वराः ॥

M N Dutt "O child, there is that one whose command we obey and living under whose rule we pass our days being free from all miseries. O descendant of Bharata, we always act as that person commands us.”

३.२३३.१६

तेनैकेन यथादिष्टं तथा वर्ताम भारत ।
न शास्ता विद्यतेऽस्माकमन्यस्तस्मात्सुरेश्वरात् ॥

M N Dutt "O child, there is that one whose command we obey and living under whose rule we pass our days being free from all miseries. O descendant of Bharata, we always act as that person commands us.”

३.२३३.१७

एवमुक्तस्तु गन्धर्वैः कुन्तीपुत्रो धनंजयः ।
गन्धर्वान्पुनरेवेदं वचनं प्रत्यभाषत ॥

M N Dutt Having been thus addressed by the Gandharvas in these words, the son of Kunti, Dhananjaya, thus replied to the Gandharvas in these words,

३.२३३.१८

यदि साम्ना न मोक्षध्वं गन्धर्वा धृतराष्ट्रजम् ।
मोक्षयिष्यामि विक्रम्य स्वयमेव सुयोधनम् ॥

M N Dutt O Gandharva, if you do not set the sons of Dhritarashtra free in peace, I shall certainly rescue Duryodhana by my prowess.

३.२३३.१९

एवमुक्त्वा ततः पार्थः सव्यसाची धनंजयः ।
ससर्ज निशितान्बाणान्खचरान्खचरान्प्रति ॥

M N Dutt Having said this, the son of Pritha Savyasachi Dhananjaya (Arjuna) hurled a shower of sky-ranging and sharp arrows on those sky-rangers.

३.२३३.२०

तथैव शरवर्षेण गन्धर्वास्ते बलोत्कटाः ।
पाण्डवानभ्यवर्तन्त पाण्डवाश्च दिवौकसः ॥

M N Dutt Thus attacked, those greatly powerful Gandharvas then rushed on the Pandavas and showered on them innumerable arrows. The Pandavas also in their turn attacked those dwellers of heaven. O descendant of Bharata, then a very fearful battle was fought between the active and energetic Gandharvas and the impetuous Pandavas.

३.२३३.२१

ततः सुतुमुलं युद्धं गन्धर्वाणां तरस्विनाम् ।
बभूव भीमवेगानां पाण्डवानां च भारत ॥

M N Dutt Thus attacked, those greatly powerful Gandharvas then rushed on the Pandavas and showered on them innumerable arrows. The Pandavas also in their turn attacked those dwellers of heaven. O descendant of Bharata, then a very fearful battle was fought between the active and energetic Gandharvas and the impetuous Pandavas.

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