Mahabharata 4.67: saptaṣaṣṭhitamo'dhyāyaḥ

4.67.1

virāṭa uvāca |
kimarthaṃ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭha bhāryāṃ duhitaraṃ mama |
pratigrahītuṃ nemāṃ tvaṃ mayā dattāmihecchasi || 1 ||

"Virata said, 'Why, O best among the Pandavas, dost thou not wish to accept as wife this my daughter that I bestow upon thee?'

4.67.2

arjuna uvāca |
antaḥpure'hamuṣitaḥ sadā paśyansutāṃ tava |
rahasyaṃ ca prakāśaṃ ca viśvastā pitṛvanmayi || 2 ||

"Arjuna said, 'Residing in thy inner apartments, I had occasion always to behold thy daughter, and she too, alone or in company trusted me as her father. Well-versed in singing and dancing, I was liked and regarded by her, and, indeed, thy daughter always regardeth me as her protector. O king, I lived for one whole year with her though she had attained the age of puberty. Under these circumstances, thyself or other men may not without reason, entertain suspicions against her or me. Therefore, O king, myself who am pure, and have my senses under control, beg to thee, O monarch, thy daughter as my daughter-in-law. Thus do I attest her purity. There is no difference between a daughter-in-law and a daughter, as also between a son and son's own-self. By adopting this course, therefore, her purity will be proved. I am afraid of slanderous and false accusations. I accept, therefore, O king, thy daughter Uttara as my daughter-in-law. Surpassing all in knowledge of weapons, resembling a celestial youth in beauty, my son, the mighty-armed Abhimanyu is the favourite nephew of Vasudeva, the wielder of the discus. He, O king, is fit to be thy son-in-law and the husband of thy daughter.'

4.67.3

priyo bahumataścāhaṃ nartako gītakovidaḥ |
ācāryavacca māṃ nityaṃ manyate duhitā tava || 3 ||

4.67.4

vayaḥsthayā tayā rājansaha saṃvatsaroṣitaḥ |
atiśaṅkā bhavetsthāne tava lokasya cābhibho || 4 ||

4.67.5

tasmānnimantraye tvāhaṃ duhituḥ pṛthivīpate |
śuddho jitendriyo dāntastasyāḥ śuddhiḥ kṛtā mayā || 5 ||

4.67.6

snuṣāyā duhiturvāpi putre cātmani vā punaḥ |
atra śaṅkāṃ na paśyāmi tena śuddhirbhaviṣyati || 6 ||

4.67.7

abhiṣaṅgādahaṃ bhīto mithyācārātparaṃtapa |
snuṣārthamuttarāṃ rājanpratigṛhṇāmi te sutām || 7 ||

4.67.8

svasrīyo vāsudevasya sākṣāddevaśiśuryathā |
dayitaścakrahastasya bāla evāstrakovidaḥ || 8 ||

4.67.9

abhimanyurmahābāhuḥ putro mama viśāṃ pate |
jāmātā tava yukto vai bhartā ca duhitustava || 9 ||

4.67.10

virāṭa uvāca |
upapannaṃ kuruśreṣṭhe kuntīputre dhanaṃjaye |
ya evaṃ dharmanityaśca jātajñānaśca pāṇḍavaḥ || 10 ||

"Virata said, 'It behoveth the best of the Kurus, Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, who is so virtuous and wise, to say this. O son of Pritha, do thou carry out what thou thinkest should be done after this. He that hath Arjuna for the father of his son-in-law, hath all his desires gratified.'

4.67.11

yatkṛtyaṃ manyase pārtha kriyatāṃ tadanantaram |
sarve kāmāḥ samṛddhā me saṃbandhī yasya me'rjunaḥ || 11 ||

4.67.12

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
evaṃ bruvati rājendre kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
anvajānātsa saṃyogaṃ samaye matsyapārthayoḥ || 12 ||

"Vaisampayana continued, 'The monarch having said this, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, gave his assent to what was thus agreed upon between the Matsya king and Arjuna. And, O Bharata, the son of Kunti sent invitations to Vasudeva and to all his friends and relatives, and Virata also did the same. And then, after the expiry of the thirteenth year, the five Pandavas took up their abode in one of Virata's towns called Upaplavya, and Vibhatsu, the son of Pandu, brought over Abhimanyu and Janardana, and also many people of the Dasarha race from the Anarta country. And the king of Kasi, and also Saivya, being very friendly to Yudhishthira, arrived there, each accompanied by an Akshauhini of troops. And the mighty Drupada, also with the heroic sons of Draupadi and the unvanquished Sikhandin, and that foremost of wielder of weapons, the invincible Dhrishtadyumna came there with another Akshauhini of troops. And all the kings that came were not only lords of Akshauhini, but performers of sacrifices with gifts in profusion to Brahmanas, conversant with the Vedas endued with heroism, and ready to die in battle. And beholding them arrived, that foremost of virtuous men, the king of the Matsyas, adored them duly, and entertained their troops and servants and carriers of burdens. And he was highly pleased to bestow his daughter upon Abhimanyu.

4.67.13

tato mitreṣu sarveṣu vāsudeve ca bhārata |
preṣayāmāsa kaunteyo virāṭaśca mahīpatiḥ || 13 ||

4.67.14

tatastrayodaśe varṣe nivṛtte pañca pāṇḍavāḥ |
upaplavye virāṭasya samapadyanta sarvaśaḥ || 14 ||

4.67.15

tasminvasaṃśca bībhatsurānināya janārdanam |
ānartebhyo'pi dāśārhānabhimanyuṃ ca pāṇḍavaḥ || 15 ||

4.67.16

kāśirājaśca śaibyaśca prīyamāṇau yudhiṣṭhire |
akṣauhiṇībhyāṃ sahitāvāgatau pṛthivīpate || 16 ||

4.67.17

akṣauhiṇyā ca tejasvī yajñaseno mahābalaḥ |
draupadyāśca sutā vīrāḥ śikhaṇḍī cāparājitaḥ || 17 ||

4.67.18

dhṛṣṭadyumnaśca durdharṣaḥ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ |
samastākṣauhiṇīpālā yajvāno bhūridakṣiṇāḥ |
sarve śastrāstrasaṃpannāḥ sarve śūrāstanutyajaḥ || 18 ||

4.67.19

tānāgatānabhiprekṣya matsyo dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ |
prīto'bhavadduhitaraṃ dattvā tāmabhimanyave || 19 ||

4.67.20

tataḥ pratyupayāteṣu pārthiveṣu tatastataḥ |
tatrāgamadvāsudevo vanamālī halāyudhaḥ |
kṛtavarmā ca hārdikyo yuyudhānaśca sātyakiḥ || 20 ||

And after the kings had come there from different parts of the country, there came Vasudeva decked in floral garlands, and Halayudha, and Kritavarman, the son of Hridika, and Yuyudhana, the son of Satyaki, and Anadhristi and Akrura, and Samva and Nisatha. And these repressers of foes came there bringing with them Abhimanyu and his mother. And Indrasena and others, having lived at Dwaraka for one whole year, came there, bringing with them the well adorned cars of the Pandavas. And there came also ten thousand elephants and ten thousand cars, and hundred millions of horses and hundred billions of foot-soldiers, and innumerable Vrishni and Andhaka and Bhoja warriors of great energy, in the train of that tiger among the Vrishnis, Vasudeva of great effulgence. And Krishna gave unto each of the illustrious sons of Pandu numerous female slaves, and gems and robes. And then the nuptial festival set in between the families of the Matsya king and the Pandavas. And then conchs and cymbals and horns and drums and other musical instruments appointed by the Pandavas, began to play in the palace of Virata. And deer of various kinds and clean animals by hundreds were slain. And wines of various kinds and intoxicating juices of trees were profusely collected. And mimes and bards and encomiasts, versed in singing and legendary lore, waited upon the kings, and chanted their praises and genealogies.

4.67.21

anādhṛṣṭistathākrūraḥ sāmbo niśaṭha eva ca |
abhimanyumupādāya saha mātrā paraṃtapāḥ || 21 ||

4.67.22

indrasenādayaścaiva rathaistaiḥ susamāhitaiḥ |
āyayuḥ sahitāḥ sarve parisaṃvatsaroṣitāḥ || 22 ||

4.67.23

daśa nāgasahasrāṇi hayānāṃ ca śatāyutam |
rathānāmarbudaṃ pūrṇaṃ nikharvaṃ ca padātinām || 23 ||

4.67.24

vṛṣṇyandhakāśca bahavo bhojāśca paramaujasaḥ |
anvayurvṛṣṇiśārdūlaṃ vāsudevaṃ mahādyutim || 24 ||

4.67.25

pāribarhaṃ dadau kṛṣṇaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātmanām |
striyo ratnāni vāsāṃsi pṛthakpṛthaganekaśaḥ |
tato vivāho vidhivadvavṛte matsyapārthayoḥ || 25 ||

4.67.26

tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca gomukhāḍambarāstathā |
pārthaiḥ saṃyujyamānasya nedurmatsyasya veśmani || 26 ||

4.67.27

uccāvacānmṛgāñjaghnurmedhyāṃśca śataśaḥ paśūn |
surāmaireyapānāni prabhūtānyabhyahārayan || 27 ||

4.67.28

gāyanākhyānaśīlāśca naṭā vaitālikāstathā |
stuvantastānupātiṣṭhansūtāśca saha māgadhaiḥ || 28 ||

4.67.29

sudeṣṇāṃ ca puraskṛtya matsyānāṃ ca varastriyaḥ |
ājagmuścārusarvāṅgyaḥ sumṛṣṭamaṇikuṇḍalāḥ || 29 ||

And the matrons of the Matsyas of symmetrical bodies and limbs, and wearing ear-rings of pearls and gems, headed by Sudeshna, came to the place where the marriage knot was to be tied. And amongst those beautiful females of fair complexion and excellent ornaments, Krishna was the foremost in beauty and fame and splendour. And they all came there, leading forth the princess Uttara decked in every ornament and resembling the daughter of the great Indra himself. And then Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, accepted Virata's daughter of faultless limbs on behalf of his son by Subhadra. And that great king, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, who stood there like Indra, also accepted her as his daughter-in-law. And having accepted her, the son of Pritha, with Janardana before him, caused the nuptial ceremonies to be performed of the illustrious son of Subhadra. And Virata then gave him (as dowry) seven thousand steeds endued with the speed of the wind and two hundred elephants of the best kind and much wealth also. And having duly poured libations of clarified butter on the blazing fire, and paid homage unto the twice-born ones, Virata offered to the Pandavas his kingdom, army, treasury, and his own self. And after the marriage had taken place, Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, gave away unto the Brahmanas all the wealth that had been brought by Krishna of unfading glory.

4.67.30

varṇopapannāstā nāryo rūpavatyaḥ svalaṃkṛtāḥ |
sarvāścābhyabhavatkṛṣṇā rūpeṇa yaśasā śriyā || 30 ||

4.67.31

parivāryottarāṃ tāstu rājaputrīmalaṃkṛtām |
sutāmiva mahendrasya puraskṛtyopatasthire || 31 ||

4.67.32

tāṃ pratyagṛhṇātkaunteyaḥ sutasyārthe dhanaṃjayaḥ |
saubhadrasyānavadyāṅgīṃ virāṭatanayāṃ tadā || 32 ||

4.67.33

tatrātiṣṭhanmahārājo rūpamindrasya dhārayan |
snuṣāṃ tāṃ pratijagrāha kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ || 33 ||

4.67.34

pratigṛhya ca tāṃ pārthaḥ puraskṛtya janārdanam |
vivāhaṃ kārayāmāsa saubhadrasya mahātmanaḥ || 34 ||

4.67.35

tasmai sapta sahasrāṇi hayānāṃ vātaraṃhasām |
dve ca nāgaśate mukhye prādādbahu dhanaṃ tadā || 35 ||

4.67.36

kṛte vivāhe tu tadā dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
brāhmaṇebhyo dadau vittaṃ yadupāharadacyutaḥ || 36 ||

4.67.37

gosahasrāṇi ratnāni vastrāṇi vividhāni ca |
bhūṣaṇāni ca mukhyāni yānāni śayanāni ca || 37 ||

And he also gave away thousands of kine, and diverse kinds of robes, and various excellent ornaments, and vehicles, and beds, delicious viands of various kinds, and cardinal drinks of diverse species. And the king also made gifts of land unto the Brahmanas with due rites, and also cattle by thousands. And he also gave away thousands of steeds and much gold and much wealth of other kinds, unto persons of all ages. And, O bull of the Bharata race, the city of the Matsya king, thronged with men cheerful and well-fed, shone brightly like a great festival.'"

4.67.38

tanmahotsavasaṃkāśaṃ hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanāvṛtam |
nagaraṃ matsyarājasya śuśubhe bharatarṣabha || 38 ||