The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty 2.19: ekonaviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

2.19.1

vāsudeva uvāca |
eṣa pārtha mahānsvāduḥ paśumānnityamambumān |
nirāmayaḥ suveśmāḍhyo niveśo māgadhaḥ śubhaḥ || 1 ||

"Vasudeva said,--'behold, O Partha, the great capital of Magadha, standing in all its beauty. Filled with flocks and herds and its stock of water never exhausted, and adorned also with fine mansions standing in excellent array, it is free from every kind of calamity. The five large hills of Vaihara, Varaha, Vrishava, Rishigiri, and the delightful Chaitya, all of high peaks and overgrown with tall trees of cool shade and connected with one another, seem to be jointly protecting the city of Girivraja. The breasts of the hills are concealed by forests of delightful and fragrant Lodhras having the ends of their branches covered with flowers. It was here that the illustrious Gautama of rigid vows begat on the Sudra woman Ausinari (the daughter of Usinara) Kakshivat and other celebrated sons. That the race sprung from Gautama doth yet live under the sway of an ordinary human race (of monarchs) is only evidence of Gautama's kindness to kings. And, O Arjuna, it was here that in olden times the mighty monarchs of Anga, and Vanga and other countries, came to the abode of Gautama, and passed their days in joy and happiness. Behold, O Partha, those forests of delightful Pippalas and beautiful Lodhras standing near the side of Gautama's abode. There dwelt in old days those Nagas, Arvuda and Sakravapin, those persecutors of all enemies, as also the Naga Swastika and that other excellent Naga called Manu. Manu himself had ordered the country of the Magadhas to be never afflicted with drought, and Kaushika and Manimat also have favoured the country. Owning such a delightful and impregnable city, Jarasandha is ever bent on seeking the fruition of his purposes unlike other monarchs. We shall, however, by slaying him to-day humble his pride."

2.19.2

vaihāro vipulaḥ śailo varāho vṛṣabhastathā |
tathaivarṣigiristāta śubhāścaityakapañcamāḥ || 2 ||

2.19.3

ete pañca mahāśṛṅgāḥ parvatāḥ śītaladrumāḥ |
rakṣantīvābhisaṃhatya saṃhatāṅgā girivrajam || 3 ||

2.19.4

puṣpaveṣṭitaśākhāgrairgandhavadbhirmanoramaiḥ |
nigūḍhā iva lodhrāṇāṃ vanaiḥ kāmijanapriyaiḥ || 4 ||

2.19.5

śūdrāyāṃ gautamo yatra mahātmā saṃśitavrataḥ |
auśīnaryāmajanayatkākṣīvādīnsutānṛṣiḥ || 5 ||

2.19.6

gautamaḥ kṣayaṇādasmādathāsau tatra veśmani |
bhajate māgadhaṃ vaṃśaṃ sa nṛpāṇāmanugrahāt || 6 ||

2.19.7

aṅgavaṅgādayaścaiva rājānaḥ sumahābalāḥ |
gautamakṣayamabhyetya ramante sma purārjuna || 7 ||

2.19.8

vanarājīstu paśyemāḥ priyālānāṃ manoramāḥ |
lodhrāṇāṃ ca śubhāḥ pārtha gautamaukaḥsamīpajāḥ || 8 ||

2.19.9

arbudaḥ śakravāpī ca pannagau śatrutāpanau |
svastikasyālayaścātra maṇināgasya cottamaḥ || 9 ||

2.19.10

aparihāryā meghānāṃ māgadheyaṃ maṇeḥ kṛte |
kauśiko maṇimāṃścaiva vavṛdhāte hyanugraham || 10 ||

2.19.11

arthasiddhiṃ tvanapagāṃ jarāsaṃdho'bhimanyate |
vayamāsādane tasya darpamadya nihanma hi || 11 ||

2.19.12

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
evamuktvā tataḥ sarve bhrātaro vipulaujasaḥ |
vārṣṇeyaḥ pāṇḍaveyau ca pratasthurmāgadhaṃ puram || 12 ||

Vaisampayana said,--Thus saying those brothers of abundant energy, viz., he of the Vrishni race and the two Pandavas entered the city of Magadha. They then approached towards the impregnable city of Girivraja that was full of cheerful and well-fed inhabitants belonging to all the four orders, and where festivities were perennial. On arriving then at the gate of the city, the brothers (instead of passing through it) began to pierce (with their shafts) the heart of the high Chaityaka peak that was worshipped by the race of Vrihadratha, as also by the citizens and which delighted the hearts of all the Magadhas. There Vrihadratha had slain a cannibal called Rishava and having slain the monster made of his hide three drums which he placed in his own city. And those drums were such that once beaten their sound lasted one full month. And the brothers broke down the Chaityaka peak that was delightful to all the Magadhas, at that point where those drums covered with celestial flowers used to yield their continuous sound. And desirous of slaying Jarasandha they seemed by that act of theirs to place their feet upon the head of their foe. And attacking with their mighty arms that immovable and huge and high and old and celebrated peak always worshipped with perfumes and floral wreaths, those heroes broke it down. And with joyful hearts they then entered the city. And it so happened that the learned Brahmanas residing within the city saw many evil omens which they reported to Jarasandha.

2.19.13

tuṣṭapuṣṭajanopetaṃ cāturvarṇyajanākulam |
sphītotsavamanādhṛṣyamāseduśca girivrajam || 13 ||

2.19.14

te'tha dvāramanāsādya purasya girimucchritam |
bārhadrathaiḥ pūjyamānaṃ tathā nagaravāsibhiḥ || 14 ||

2.19.15

yatra māṣādamṛṣabhamāsasāda bṛhadrathaḥ |
taṃ hatvā māṣanālāśca tisro bherīrakārayat || 15 ||

2.19.16

ānahya carmaṇā tena sthāpayāmāsa sve pure |
yatra tāḥ prāṇadanbheryo divyapuṣpāvacūrṇitāḥ || 16 ||

2.19.17

māgadhānāṃ suruciraṃ caityakāntaṃ samādravan |
śirasīva jighāṃsanto jarāsaṃdhajighāṃsavaḥ || 17 ||

2.19.18

sthiraṃ suvipulaṃ śṛṅgaṃ sumahāntaṃ purātanam |
arcitaṃ mālyadāmaiśca satataṃ supratiṣṭhitam || 18 ||

2.19.19

vipulairbāhubhirvīrāste'bhihatyābhyapātayan |
tataste māgadhaṃ dṛṣṭvā puraṃ praviviśustadā || 19 ||

2.19.20

etasminneva kāle tu jarāsaṃdhaṃ samarcayan |
paryagni kurvaṃśca nṛpaṃ dviradasthaṃ purohitāḥ || 20 ||

And the priest making the king mount an elephant whirled lighted brands about him. And king Jarasandha also, possessed of great prowess, with a view to warding of those evils, entered upon the celebration of a sacrifice, with proper vows and fasts. Meanwhile, O Bharata, the brothers unarmed, or rather with their bare arms as their only weapons, desirous of fighting with Jarasandha, entered the capital in the guise of Brahmanas. They beheld the extraordinary beauty of the shops full of various edibles and floral wreaths, and supplied with articles of every variety of various qualities that man can desire. Those best of men, Krishna, Bhima, and Dhananjaya, beholding in those shops their affluence, passed along the public road. And endued with great strength they snatched forcibly from the flower-vendors the garlands they had exposed for sale. And attired in robes of various colours and decked in garlands and ear-rings the heroes entered the abode of Jarasandha possessed of great intelligence, like Himalayan lions eyeing cattle-folds. And the arms of those warriors, O king, besmeared with sandal paste, looked like the trunks of sala trees. The people of Magadha, beholding those heroes looking like elephants, with necks broad like those of trees and wide chests, began to wonder much. Those bull among men, passing through three gates that were crowded with men, proudly and cheerfully approached the king.

2.19.21

snātakavratinaste tu bāhuśastrā nirāyudhāḥ |
yuyutsavaḥ praviviśurjarāsaṃdhena bhārata || 21 ||

2.19.22

bhakṣyamālyāpaṇānāṃ ca dadṛśuḥ śriyamuttamām |
sphītāṃ sarvaguṇopetāṃ sarvakāmasamṛddhinīm || 22 ||

2.19.23

tāṃ tu dṛṣṭvā samṛddhiṃ te vīthyāṃ tasyāṃ narottamāḥ |
rājamārgeṇa gacchantaḥ kṛṣṇabhīmadhanaṃjayāḥ || 23 ||

2.19.24

balādgṛhītvā mālyāni mālākārānmahābalāḥ |
virāgavasanāḥ sarve sragviṇo mṛṣṭakuṇḍalāḥ || 24 ||

2.19.25

niveśanamathājagmurjarāsaṃdhasya dhīmataḥ |
govāsamiva vīkṣantaḥ siṃhā haimavatā yathā || 25 ||

2.19.26

śailastambhanibhāsteṣāṃ candanāgurubhūṣitāḥ |
aśobhanta mahārāja bāhavo bāhuśālinām || 26 ||

2.19.27

tāndṛṣṭvā dviradaprakhyāñśālaskandhānivodgatān |
vyūḍhoraskānmāgadhānāṃ vismayaḥ samajāyata || 27 ||

2.19.28

te tvatītya janākīrṇāstisraḥ kakṣyā nararṣabhāḥ |
ahaṃkāreṇa rājānamupatasthurmahābalāḥ || 28 ||

2.19.29

tānpādyamadhuparkārhānmānārhānsatkṛtiṃ gatān |
pratyutthāya jarāsaṃdha upatasthe yathāvidhi || 29 ||

And Jarasandha rising up in haste received them with water to wash their feet with, and honey and the other ingredients of the Arghya--with gifts of kine, and with other forms of respect. The great king addressing them said,--'Ye are welcome'! And, O Janamejaya, both Partha and Bhima remained silent at this. And addressing the monarch Krishna said,--'O king of kings these two are now in the observance of a vow. Therefore they will not speak. Silent they will remain till midnight After that hour they will speak with thee!' The king then quartering his guests in the sacrificial apartments retired into his private chambers. And when midnight arrived, the monarch arrived at the place where his guests attired as Brahmanas were. For, O King, that ever victorious monarch observed this vow which was known throughout the Worlds that as soon as he should hear of the arrival of Snataka Brahmanas at his place, should it be even at midnight, he would immediately, O Bharata, come out and grant them an audience. Beholding the strange attire of his guests that best of kings wondered much. For all that, however, he waited on them respectfully. Those bulls among men, those slayers of all foes, on the other hand, O thou best of the Bharata race, beholding king Jarasandha, said,--'Let salvation be attained by thee, O king, without difficulty.' And, O tiger among kings, having said this unto the monarch, they stood looking at each other.

2.19.30

uvāca caitānrājāsau svāgataṃ vo'stviti prabhuḥ |
tasya hyetadvrataṃ rājanbabhūva bhuvi viśrutam || 30 ||

2.19.31

snātakānbrāhmaṇānprāptāñśrutvā sa samitiṃjayaḥ |
apyardharātre nṛpatiḥ pratyudgacchati bhārata || 31 ||

2.19.32

tāṃstvapūrveṇa veṣeṇa dṛṣṭvā nṛpatisattamaḥ |
upatasthe jarāsaṃdho vismitaścābhavattadā || 32 ||

2.19.33

te tu dṛṣṭvaiva rājānaṃ jarāsaṃdhaṃ nararṣabhāḥ |
idamūcuramitraghnāḥ sarve bharatasattama || 33 ||

2.19.34

svastyastu kuśalaṃ rājanniti sarve vyavasthitāḥ |
taṃ nṛpaṃ nṛpaśārdūla vipraikṣanta parasparam || 34 ||

2.19.35

tānabravījjarāsaṃdhastadā yādavapāṇḍavān |
āsyatāmiti rājendra brāhmaṇacchadmasaṃvṛtān || 35 ||

And, O king of kings, Jarasandha then said unto those sons of Pandu and him of the Yadu race, all disguised as Brahmanas--'Take your seats.' And those bulls among men sat themselves down, and like the three priests of a great sacrifice blazed forth in their beauty. And king Jarasandha, O thou of the Kuru race, firmly devoted to truth, censuring the disguised guests, said unto them,--'It is well known to me that in the whole world Brahmanas in the observance of Snataka vow never deck their persons with garlands and fragrant paste unseasonably.

2.19.36

athopaviviśuḥ sarve trayaste puruṣarṣabhāḥ |
saṃpradīptāstrayo lakṣmyā mahādhvara ivāgnayaḥ || 36 ||

2.19.37

tānuvāca jarāsaṃdhaḥ satyasaṃdho narādhipaḥ |
vigarhamāṇaḥ kauravya veṣagrahaṇakāraṇāt || 37 ||

2.19.38

na snātakavratā viprā bahirmālyānulepanāḥ |
bhavantīti nṛloke'sminviditaṃ mama sarvaśaḥ || 38 ||

2.19.39

te yūyaṃ puṣpavantaśca bhujairjyāghātalakṣaṇaiḥ |
bibhrataḥ kṣātramojaśca brāhmaṇyaṃ pratijānatha || 39 ||

[paragraph continues] Who are ye, therefore, thus decked with flowers, and with hands bearing the marks of the bow-string? Attired in coloured robes and decked unseasonably with flowers and paste, ye give me to understand that ye are Brahmanas, although ye bear Kshatriya energy. Tell me truly who ye are. Truth decks even kings. Breaking down the peak of the Chaityaka hill, why have ye, in disguise, entered (the city) by an improper gate without fear of the royal wrath? The energy of a Brahmana dwelleth in his speech, (not in act). This your feat is not suited to the order to which ye profess to belong. Tell us therefore, the end ye have in view. Arrived here by such an improper way, why accept ye not the worship I offer? What is your motive for coming to me? Thus addressed by the king, the high-souled Krishna, well-skilled in speech, thus replied unto the monarch in a calm and grave voice.

2.19.40

evaṃ virāgavasanā bahirmālyānulepanāḥ |
satyaṃ vadata ke yūyaṃ satyaṃ rājasu śobhate || 40 ||

2.19.41

caityakaṃ ca gireḥ śṛṅgaṃ bhittvā kimiva sadma naḥ |
advāreṇa praviṣṭāḥ stha nirbhayā rājakilbiṣāt || 41 ||

2.19.42

karma caitadviliṅgasya kiṃ vādya prasamīkṣitam |
vadadhvaṃ vāci vīryaṃ ca brāhmaṇasya viśeṣataḥ || 42 ||

2.19.43

evaṃ ca māmupasthāya kasmācca vidhinārhaṇām |
praṇītāṃ no na gṛhṇīta kāryaṃ kiṃ cāsmadāgame || 43 ||

2.19.44

evamuktastataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ pratyuvāca mahāmanāḥ |
snigdhagambhīrayā vācā vākyaṃ vākyaviśāradaḥ || 44 ||

2.19.45

snātakavratino rājanbrāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā viśaḥ |
viśeṣaniyamāścaiṣāmaviśeṣāśca santyuta || 45 ||

"Krishna said,--'O king, know us for Snataka Brahmanas. Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaishyas are all, O monarch, competent to observe the vow of Snataka. This vow, besides, hath (many) especial and general rules. A Kshatriya observing this vow with especial rules always achieve prosperity. Therefore, have we decked ourselves with flowers. Kshatriyas again, O king, exhibit their energy by their arms and not in speech. It is, therefore, O son of Vrihadratha, that the speeches uttered by a Kshatriya are never audacious. O monarch, the creator hath planted his own energy in the aim of the Kshatriya. If thou wishest to behold it, thou shalt certainly behold it today. These are the rules of the ordinance, viz., that an enemy's abode should be entered through a wrong gate and a friend's abode through the right one. And know, O monarch, that this also is our eternal vow that having entered the foe's abode for the accomplishment of our purpose, we accept not the worship offered to us!"

2.19.46

viśeṣavāṃśca satataṃ kṣatriyaḥ śriyamarchati |
puṣpavatsu dhruvā śrīśca puṣpavantastato vayam || 46 ||

2.19.47

kṣatriyo bāhuvīryastu na tathā vākyavīryavān |
apragalbhaṃ vacastasya tasmādbārhadrathe smṛtam || 47 ||

2.19.48

svavīryaṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ ca bāhvordhātā nyaveśayat |
taddidṛkṣasi cedrājandraṣṭāsyadya na saṃśayaḥ || 48 ||

2.19.49

advāreṇa riporgehaṃ dvāreṇa suhṛdo gṛham |
praviśanti sadā santo dvāraṃ no varjitaṃ tataḥ || 49 ||

2.19.50

kāryavanto gṛhānetya śatruto nārhaṇāṃ vayam |
pratigṛhṇīma tadviddhi etannaḥ śāśvataṃ vratam || 50 ||