SECTION XXIV
VAISAMPAYANA SAID,— “THUS addressed, Bhima firmly resolved upon slaying Jarasandha, replied unto Krishna of the Yadu race, saying, — O tiger of the Yadu race, O Krishna, this wretch that yet stayeth before me with sufficient strength and bent upon fight, should not be forgiven by me. Hearing these words of Vrikodara (Bhima), that tiger among men, Krishna, desiring to encourage that hero to accomplish the death of Jarasandha without any delay, answered,— ‘O Bhima, exhibit today upon Jarasandha the strength thou hast luckily derived, the might thou hast obtained from (thy father), the god Maruta.’ Thus addressed by Krishna, Bhima, that slayer of foes, holding up in the air the powerful Jarasandha, began to whirl him on high. And, O bull of the Bharata race, having so whirled him in the air full hundred times, Bhima pressed his knee against Jarasandha’s backbone and broke his body in twain. And having killed him thus, the mighty Vrikodara uttered a terrible roar. And the roar of the Pandava mingling with that death knell of Jarasandha, while he was being broken on Bhima’s knee, caused a loud uproar that struck fear into the heart of every creature. And all the citizens of Magadha became dumb with terror and many women were even prematurely delivered. And hearing those roars, the people of Magadha thought that either the Himavat was tumbling down or the earth itself was being rent asunder. And those oppressors of all foes then, leaving the lifeless body of the king at the palace gate where he lay as one asleep, went out of the town. And Krishna, causing Jarasandha’s car furnished with an excellent flagstaff to be made ready and making the brothers (Bhima and Arjuna) ride in it, went in and released his (imprisoned) relatives. And those kings rescued from terrible fate, rich in the possession of jewels, approaching Krishna made presents unto him of jewels and gems. And having vanquished his foe, Krishna furnished with weapons and unwounded and accompanied by the kings (he had released), came out of Girivraja riding in that celestial car (of Jarasandha). And he also who could wield the bow with both hands (Arjuna), who was incapable of being vanquished by any of the monarchs on earth, who was exceedingly handsome in person and well-skilled in the destruction of the foe, accompanied by the possessor of great strength (Bhima), came out of that tort with Krishna driving the car whereon he rode. And that best of cars, incapable of being vanquished by any king, ridden in by those warriors Bhima and Arjuna, and driven by Krishna, looked exceedingly handsome. Indeed, it was upon that car that Indra and Vishnu had fought of old in the battle (with the Asuras) in which Taraka (the wife of Vrihaspati) had become the immediate cause of much slaughter. And riding upon that car Krishna now came out of the hill-fort. Possessed of the splendour of heated gold, and decked with rows of jingling bells and furnished with wheels whose clatter was like the roar of clouds, and ever victorious in battle, and always slaughtering the foe against whom it was driven, it was that very car riding upon which Indra had slain ninety-nine Asuras of old. And those bulls among men (the three cousins) having obtained that car became exceedingly glad. The people of Magadha, behold the long-armed Krishna along with the two brothers, seated in that car (of Jarasandha) wondered much. O Bharata, that car, whereunto were yoked celestial horses and which possessed the speed of the wind, thus ridden upon by Krishna, looked exceedingly beautiful. And upon that best of cars was a flag-staff without being visibly attached thereto, and which was the product of celestial skill. And the handsome flag-staff, possessed of the splendour of the rainbow, could be seen from the distance of a yojana. And Krishna while, coming out, thought of Garuda. And Garuda, thought of by his master, came thither in no time, like a tree of vast proportions standing in a village worshipped by all. Garuda of immense weight of body and living upon snakes sat upon that excellent car along with the numberless open-mouthed and frightfully-roaring creatures on its flag-staff. And thereupon that best of cars became still more dazzling with its splendour and was as incapable of being looked at by created being as the midday sun surrounded by a thousand rays. And, O king, such was that best of flag-staffs of celestial make that it never struck against any tree nor could any weapon injure it at all even though visible to men’s eyes. And Achyuta, that tiger among men, riding with the two sons of Pandu upon that celestial car, the clatter of whose wheels was like the roar of the clouds, came out of Girivraja. The car upon which Krishna rode had been obtained by king Vasu from Vasava, and from Vasu by Vrihadratha, and from the latter in due course by king Jarasandha. And he of long arms and eyes like lotus-petals and possessed of illustrious reputation, coming out of Girivraja, stopped (for some time) on a level plain outside the town. And, O king, all the citizens then, with the Brahmanas at their head, hastened thither to adore him with due religious rites. And the kings who had been released from confinement worshipped the slayer of Madhu with reverence, and addressing him with eulogies said, — O thou of long arms, thou hast to-day rescued us, sunk in the deep mire of sorrow in the hand of Jarasandha. Such an act of virtue by thee, O son of Devaki, assisted by the might of Bhima and Arjuna, is most extraordinary. O Vishnu, languishing as we all were in the terrible hill-fort of Jarasandha, it was verily from sheer good fortune alone that thou hast rescued us, O son of the Yadu race, and achieved thereby a remarkable reputation. O tiger among men, we bow down to thee. O, command us what we shall do. However difficult of accomplishment, thy command being made known to us, O lord (Krishna), it will at once be accomplished by us. Thus addressed by the monarchs, the high-souled Hrishikesa gave them every assurance and said,— ‘Yudhishthira is desirous of performing the sacrifice of Rajasuya. That monarch, ever guided by virtue, is solicitous of acquiring the imperial dignity. Having known this from me assist ye him in his endeavours. Then, O king, all those monarchs with joyous hearts accepted the words of Krishna, saying,— ‘So be it! And saying this, those lords of earth made presents of jewels unto him of the Dasarha race. And Govinda, moved by kindness towards them, took a portion of those presents,
“Then the son of Jarasandha, the high-souled Sahadeva, accompanied by his relatives and the principal officers of state, and with his priest in front came thither. And the prince, bending himself low and making large presents of jewels and precious stones, worshipped Vasudeva, that god among men. Then that best of men, Krishna, giving every assurance unto the prince afflicted with fear, accepted those presents of his of great value. And Krishna joyfully installed the prince there and then in the sovereignty of Magadha. And the strong-armed and illustrious son of Jarasandha, thus installed on the throne by those most exalted of men and having obtained the friendship of Krishna and treated with respect and kindness by the two sons of Pritha, re-entered the city of his father. And that bull amongst men, Krishna, accompanied by the sons of Pritha and graced with great good fortune, left the city of Magadha, laden with numerous jewels. Accompanied by the two sons of Pandu, Achyuta (Krishna) arrived at Indraprastha, and approaching Yudhishthira joyfully addressing that monarch said,— ‘O best of kings, from good fortune, the mighty Jarasandha hath been slain by Bhima, and the kings confined (at Girivraja) have been all set free. From good fortune also, these two, Bhima and Dhananjaya, are well and arrived, O Bharata, it their own city unwounded. Then Yudhishthira worshipped Krishna as he deserved and embraced Bhima and Arjuna in joy. And the monarch who had no enemy, having obtained victory through the agency of his brothers in consequence of the death of Jarasandha, gave himself up to pleasure and merriment with all his brothers. And the oldest son of Pandu (Yudhisthira) together with his brothers approached the kings who had come to Indraprastha and entertaining and worshipping them, each according to his age, dismissed them all. Commanded by Yudhishthira those kings with joyful hearts, set out for their respective countries without loss of time, riding upon excellent vehicles. Thus, O king, did that tiger among men. Janardana of great intelligence, caused his foe Jarasandha to be slain through the instrumentality of the Pandavas. And, O Bharata, that chastiser of all foes having thus caused Jarasandha to be slain, took leave of Yudhishthira and Pritha, and Draupadi and Subhadra, and Bhimasena and Arjuna and the twins Naku
la and Sahadeva. After taking leave of Dhananjaya also, he set out for his own city (of Dwarka), riding upon that best of cars of celestial make, possessed of the speed of the mind and given unto him by Yudhishthira, filling the ten points of the horizon with the deep rattle of its wheels. And, O bull of the Bharata race, just as Krishna was on the point of setting out, the Pandavas with Yudhishthira at their head walked round that tiger among men who was never fatigued with exertion.’
“And after the illustrious Krishna, the son of Devaki, had departed (from Indraprastha) having acquired that great victory and having also dispelled the fears of the kings, that feat, O Bharata, swelled the fame of the Pandavas. And, O king, the Pandavas passed their days, continuing to gladden the heart of Draupadi. And at that time, whatever was proper and consistent with virtue, pleasure, and profit, continued to be properly executed by king Yudhishthira in the exercise of his duties of protecting his subjects.”
SECTION XXV
(Digvijaya Parva)
VAISAMPAYANA SAID, — Arjuna, having obtained that best of bows and that couple of inexhaustible quivers and that car and flag-staff, as also that assembly-house, addressing Yudhisthira said, — Bow, weapons, great energy, allies, territory, fame, army-those, O king, difficult of acquisition however desirable, have all been obtained by me. I think, therefore, that what should now be done is for the swelling up of our treasury. I desire, O best of monarchs, to make the kings (of the earth) pay tributes to us. I desire to set out, in an auspicious moment of a holy day of the moon under a favourable constellation for the conquest of the direction that is presided over by the Lord of treasures (viz. the North).”
Vaisampayana continued,— “King Yudhisthira the just, hearing these words of Dhananjaya, replied unto him in a grave and collected tone, saying, — O bull of the Bharata race, set thou out, having made holy Brahmanas utter benedictions on thee, to plunge thy enemies in sorrow and to fill thy friend with joy. Victory, O son of Pritha, will surely be thine, and thou wilt surely obtain thy desires fulfilled.
“Thus addressed, Arjuna, surrounded by a large host, set out in that celestial car of wonderful achievements he had obtained from Agni. And Bhimasena also, and those bull among men, the twins, dismissed with affection by Yudhishthira the just set out, each at the head of a large army. And Arjuna, the son of the chastiser of Paka then brought under subjugation that direction (the North) which was presided over by the Lord of treasures. And Bhimasena overcome by force the East and Sahadeva the South, and Nakula, O king, acquainted with all the weapons, conquered the West. Thus while his brothers were so employed, the exalted king Yudishthira the just stayed within Khandavaprastha in the enjoyment of great affluence in the midst of friends and relatives.”
“Bhagadatta, hearing this, said,— ‘O thou who hast Kunto for thy mother, as thou art to me, so is Yudhishthira also. I shall do all this. Tell me, what else I may do for thee.”
SECTION XXVI
VAISAMPAYANA CONTINUED, — thus addressed, Dhananjaya replied unto Bhagadatta, saying,— ‘If thou wilt give thy promise to do this, thou hast done all I desire. And having thus subjugated the king of Pragjyotisha, Dhananjaya of long arms, the son of Kunti, then marched towards the north — the direction presided over by the lord of treasures. That bull amongst men, that son of Kunti, then conquered the mountainous tracts and their outskirts, as also the hilly regions. And having conquered all the mountains and the kings that reigned there, and bringing them under his sway, he exacted tributes from all. And winning the affections of those kings and uniting himself with them, he next marched, O king, against Vrihanta, the king of Uluka, making this earth tremble with the sound of his drums, the clatter of his chariot-wheels, and the roar of the elephants in his train. Vrihanta, however, quickly coming out of his city followed by his army consisting of four kinds of troops, gave battle to Falguna (Arjuna). And the fight that took place between Vrihanta and Dhananjaya was terrible. It so happened that Vrihanta was unable to bear the prowess of the son of Pandu. Then that invincible king of the mountainous region regarding the son of Kunti irresistible, approached him with all his wealth. Arjuna snatched out the kingdom from Vrihanta, but having made peace with him marched, accompanied by that king, against Senavindu whom he soon expelled from his kingdom. After this he subjugated Modapura, Vamadeva, Sudaman, Susankula, the Northern Ulukas, and the kings of those countries and peoples. Hereafter at the command of Yudhishthira, O monarch, Arjuna, did not move from the city of Senavindu but sent his troops only and brought under his sway those five countries and peoples. For Arjuna, having arrived at Devaprastha, the city of Senavindu, took up his quarters there with his army consisting of four kinds of forces. Thence, surrounded by the kings and the peoples he had subjugated, the hero marched against king Viswagaswa — that bull of Puru’s race. Having vanquished in battle the brave mountaineers, who were all great warriors, the son of Pandu, O king, then occupied with the help of his troops, the town protected by the Puru king. Having vanquished in battle the Puru king, as also the robber tribes, of the mountains, the son of Pandu brought under his sway the seven tribes called Utsava-sanketa. That bull of the Kshatriya race then defeated the brave Kshatriyas of Kashmira and also king Lohita along with ten minor chiefs. Then the Trigartas, the Daravas, the Kokonadas, and various other Kshatriyas, O king, advanced against the son of Pandu. That Prince of the Kuru race then took the delightful town of Avisari, and then brought under his sway Rochamana ruling in Uraga. Then the son of Indra (Arjuna), putting forth his might, pressed the delightful town of Singhapura that was well-protected with various weapons. Then Arjuna, that bull amongst the son of Pandu, at the head of all his troops, fiercely attacked the regions called Suhma and Sumala. Then the son of Indra, endued with great prowess, after pressing them with great force, brought the Valhikas always difficult of being vanquished, under his sway. Then Falguna, the son of Pandu, taking with him a select force, defeated the Daradas along with the Kambojas. Then the exalted son of Indra vanquished the robber tribes that dwelt in the north-eastern frontier and those also that dwelt in the woods. And, O great king, the son of Indra also subjugated the allied tribes of the Lohas, the eastern Kambojas, and northern Rishikas. And the battle with the Rishikas was fierce in the extreme. Indeed, the fight that took place between them and the son of Pritha was equal to that between the gods and the Asuras in which Taraka (the wife of Vrihaspati) had become the cause of so much slaughter. And defeating, O king, the Rishikas in the field of battle, Arjuna took from them as tribute eight horses that were of the colour of the parrot’s breast, as also other horses of the hues of the peacock, born in northern and other climes and endued with high speed. At last having conquered all the Himalayas and the Nishkuta mountains, that bull among men, arriving at the White mountains, encamped on its breast.”
The Sanskrit Epics Page 236