वैशम्पायन उवाच कृतास्त्रान् धार्तराष्ट्रांश्च पाण्डुपुत्रांश्च भारत। दृष्ट्वा द्रोणोऽब्रवीद् राजन् धृतराष्ट्रं जनेश्वरम्॥ कृपस्य सोमदत्तस्य बाह्रीकस्य च धीमतः। गाङ्गेयस्य च सांनिध्ये व्यासस्य विदुरस्य च॥
Vaishampayana said : O descendant of the Bharata, seeing the sons of Dhritarashtra and Pandu expert in arms, O king, Drona thus spoke to the king Dhritarashtra, in the presence of Kripa, Somadatta, Balhika, the wise son of Ganga (Bhishma). Vyasa and Vidura.
राजन् सम्प्राप्तविद्यास्ते कुमाराः कुरुसत्तम्। ते दर्शयेयुः स्वां शिक्षा राजन्ननुमते तव॥ ततोऽब्रवीन्महाराजः प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना।
"O king, O best of the Kurus, your sons have completed their education. Let them with your perinission show their proficiency." Thereupon the great king replied with a delightful heart.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच भारद्वाज महत् कर्म कृतं ते द्विजसत्तम॥ यदानुमन्यसे कालं यस्मिन् देशे यथा यथा। तथा तथा विधानाय स्वयमाज्ञापयस्व माम्॥
Dhritarashtra said: son will see my O best of Brahmanas, you have accomplished a great deed. O of Bharadvaja, command me yourself as to the place and time, where and when and the manner in which, the trial may be held.
स्पृहयाम्यद्य निर्वेदात् पुरुषाणां सचक्षुषाम्। अस्त्रहेतोः पराक्रान्तान् ये मे द्रक्ष्यन्ति पुत्रकान्॥
Grief for my blindness makes me envy those men who are blessed with sight and who children's prowess in arms.
क्षत्तर्यद् गुरुराचार्यो ब्रवीति कुरु तत् तथा। न हीदृशं प्रियं मन्ये भविता धर्मवत्सल॥
O Kshatta (Vidura), do all that the respected preceptor says. O lover of virtue, I think nothing can be more agreeable to me than this.
ततो राजानमामन्त्र्य निर्गतो विदुरो बहिः। भारद्वाजो महाप्राज्ञो मापयामास मेदिनीम्॥
Thereupon Vidura, giving the necessary assurance to the king, went out to do what he was bidden. The greatly learned son of Bharadvaja (Drona) measured a piece of (ground).
समामवृक्षां निर्गुल्मामुदक्प्रस्रवणान्विताम्। तस्यां भूमौ बलिं चक्रे तिथौ नक्षत्रपूजिते॥ अवघुष्टे समाजे च तदर्थं वदतां वरः। रङ्गभूमौ सुविपुलं शास्त्रदृष्टं यथाविधिः॥ प्रेक्षागारं सुविहितं चक्रुस्ते तस्य शिल्पिनः। राज्ञः सर्वायुधोपेतं स्त्रीणां चैव नरर्षभ॥ मञ्चांश्च कारयामासुस्तत्र जानपदा जनाः। विपुलानुच्छ्रयोपेतान् शिबिकाश्च महाधनाः॥
Which was void of trees and thickets and which was furnished with wells thickets and which was furnished with wells and springs. On this piece of land, that first of eloquent men, that hero (Drona), gave offerings to the gods according to the precepts of the Shastras, when all the people were assembled by proclamation on an auspicious day with an auspicious star in ascendance. O best of men, the artisans built a great auditorium by the order of the king; (they built) another for the (royal) ladies also according to the proper form. The citizens built many platforms and the wealthy men many spacious and high Sibikas.
तस्मिस्ततोऽहनि प्राप्ते राजा ससचिवस्तदा। भीष्मं प्रमुखतः कृत्वा कृपं चाचार्यसत्तमम्॥ मुक्ताजालपरिक्षिप्तं वैदूर्यमणिशोभितम्। शातकुम्भमयं दिव्यं प्रेक्षागारमुपागमत्॥
When the (fixed) day came, the king accompanied by his ministers, with Bhishma and Kripa, the excellent preceptor, walking at the head (of the procession). Came to the auditorium of celestial beauty, made of pure gold and decked with strings of pearls and stones of Vaidurya gems.
गान्धारी च महाभागा कुन्ती च जयतां वर। स्त्रियश्च राज्ञः सर्वास्ताः सप्रेष्याः सपिरच्छदाः॥ हर्षादारुरुहुर्मञ्चान् मेरुं देवस्त्रियो यथा। ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियाद्यं च चातुर्वण्र्यं पुराद् द्रुतम्॥ दर्शनेप्सु समभ्यागात् कुमाराणां कृतास्त्रताम्। क्षणेनैकस्थतां तत्र दर्शनेप्सु जगाम ह॥
The great fortunate Gandhari and Kunti and the other ladies of the royal household, dressed in gorgeous attire and accompanied by their maids in waiting, joyfully ascended the platforms as celestial ladies ascended the Sumeru mountain. Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and the others of the four orders of caste hurriedly left the city and came running there with the desire of seeing the princes skill in arms and they were so anger that they assembled all there in a moment.
प्रवादितैश्च वादित्रैर्जनकौतूहलेन च। महार्णव इव क्षुब्धः समाजः सोऽभवत् तदा॥
That vast crowd with the noise of blowing trumpets and beating drums and the sounds of many voices became like an agitated ocean.
ततः शुक्लाम्बरधरः शुक्लयज्ञोपवीतवान्। शुक्लकेशः सितश्मश्रुः शुक्लमाल्यानुलेपनः॥ रङ्गमध्यं तदाऽऽचार्यः सपुत्रः प्रविवेश ह। नभो जलधरैर्हीनं साङ्गारक इवांशुमान्॥
Then the preceptor, clad in white attire, with white sacred thread, white locks, white bread, white garlands and white sandal-paste besmeared over his body, entered the arena with his son. It appeared as if the moon accompanied (the planet) Mars appeared in an unclouded sky.
स यथासमयं चक्रे बलिं बलवतां वरः। ब्राह्मणांस्तु सुमन्त्रज्ञान् कारयामास मङ्गलम्॥
The best of strong men, the hero (Drona), entering at the proper time, caused Brahmanas versed in Mantras to celebrate the auspicious rites.
सुखपुण्याहघोषस्य पुण्यस्य समनन्तरम्। विविशुर्विविधं गृह्य शस्त्रोपकरणं नराः॥
After auspicious and sweet-sounding musical instruments had struck up as propitiatory ceremony, men equipped with various weapons entered the arena.
ततो बद्धाङ्गुलित्राणा बद्धकक्षा महारथाः। बद्धतूणाः सधनुषो विविशुर्भरतर्षभाः॥
Then the best of the Bharata race, (the princes), those mighty car-warriors, having girt up their lions, entered (the arena) equipped with bows, quivers and finger protectors.
अनुज्येष्ठं तु ते तत्र युधिष्ठिरपुरोगमाः। चक्रुरस्त्रं महावीर्याः कुमाराः परमाद्भुतम्॥
With Yudhisthira, at their head, the greatly heroic princes, in the order of their age, began to show wonderful skill in their arms. a
केचिच्छराक्षेपभयाच्छिरांस्यवननामिरे। मनुजा धृष्टमपरे वीक्षाञ्चक्रुः सुविस्मिताः॥
Some (spectators) lowered their heads out of fear of the falling arrows, while others not being afraid, looked on with wonder and astonishment.
ते स्म लक्ष्याणि बिभिदुर्बाणैर्नामाङ्कशोभितैः। विविधैर्लाघवोत्सृष्टैरुह्यन्तो वाजिभिर्दुतम्॥
Riding swift horses and managing them dextrously, the princess hit marks with arrows engraved with their respective names.
तत् कुमारबलं तत्र गृहीतशरकार्मुकम्। गन्धर्वनगराकारं प्रेक्ष्य ते विस्मिताभवन्।॥
On seeing the prowess of the princes in using bows and arrows, the spectators thought they were seeing the city of Gandharva. They were all filled with amazement.
सहसा चुक्रुशुश्चान्ये नराः शतसहस्रशः। विस्मयोत्फुल्लनयनाः साधु साध्विति भारत॥
O descendant of Bharata, some hundreds and thousands of men, their eyes expanded with wonder, all at once cried out “Well done! Well done!"
कृत्वा धनुषि ते मार्गान् स्थचर्यासु चासकृत्। गजपृष्ठेऽश्वपृष्ठे च नियुद्धे च महाबलः॥
After repeatedly displaying their skill and dexterity in the use of bow and arrows, in the management of cars, in the fight on horseback and on the back of elephants.
गृहीतखड्गचर्माणस्ततो भूयः प्रहारिणः। त्सरुमार्गान् यथोद्दिष्टांश्चेसः सर्वासु भूमिषु॥
They took up their swords and buckles and began to attack one another and to walk around the arena displaying various modes of sword's play.
लाघवं सौष्ठवं शोभा स्थिरत्वं दृढमुष्टिताम्। ददृशुस्तत्र सर्वेषां प्रयोगं खड्गचर्मणोः॥
They all saw their (great) agility, the beauty of the symmetry of their bodies, their grace, their calmness, the firmness of their grasp and the skill in the use of their swords and buckles.
अथ तौ नित्यसंहृष्टौ सुयोधनवृकोदरौ। अवतीर्णौ गदाहतावेकशृङ्गाविवाचलौ॥
Then Vrikodara (Bhima) and Suyodhana (Duryodhana) entered the (arena)with secret mental delight like two single peaked mountains.
बद्धकक्षौ महाबाहू पौरुषे पर्यवस्थितौ। बृहन्तौ वासिताहेतोः समदाविव कुञ्जरौ॥
Those mighty-armed heroes girt their lions and summoned all their strength; they roared like two infuriated elephants contending (for a female elephant).
तौ प्रदक्षिणसव्यानि मण्डलानि महाबलौ। चेरतुर्मण्डलगतौ समदाविव कुञ्जरौ॥
Those two greatly strong (heroes) circled round the arena with faultless clubs and careered right and left in all the proper form.
विदुरो धृतराष्ट्राय गान्धार्याः पाण्डवारणिः। न्यवेदयेतां तत् सर्वं कुमाराणां विचेष्टितम्॥
Vidura described to Dhritarashtra and the mother of the Pandavas (Kunti) to Gandhari all the feats of the princes.