वैशम्पायन उवाच तेऽलंकृताः कुण्डलिनो युवानः परस्परं स्पर्धमाना नरेन्द्राः। अस्त्रं बलं चात्मनि मन्यमानाः सर्वे समुत्पेतुरुदायुधास्ते॥
Vaishampayana said : These youthful princes, adorned with earrings, boasted at one another; and each regarding himself as the most accomplished in arms and endued with prowess, they stood up brandishing their weapons.
रूपेण वीर्येण कुलेन चैव शीलेन वित्तेन च यौवनेन। समिद्धदर्पा मदवेगभिन्ना मत्ता यथा हैमवता गजेन्द्राः॥ परस्परं स्पर्धया प्रेक्षमाणाः संकल्पजेनाभिपरिप्लुताङ्गाः। कृष्णा ममैवेत्यभिभाषमाणा नृपासनेभ्यः सहसोदतिष्ठन्॥
Intoxicated with the pride of beauty, prowess, lineage, knowledge, wealth and youth, they were like the Himalayan elephants mad in the season of rut. Staring at one another with jealousy and being influenced by the god of desire, they suddenly rose up from their royal seats, each exclaiming, “Krishna will be mine."
ते क्षत्रिया रङ्गगताः समेता जिगीपमाणा दुपदात्मजां ताम्। मुमां यथा देवगणाः समेताः॥
Those Kshatriyas, assembled in that arena, each eagerly desiring to win the daughter of Drupada, appeared like the celestials standing round Uma, the daughter of the Mountain king.
कन्दर्पबाणाभिनिपीडिताङ्गाः कृष्णागतैस्ते हृदयैर्नरेन्द्राः। धनेश्वरं च॥ रङ्गावतीर्णा दुपदात्मजार्थं द्वेषं प्रचक्रुः सुहृदोऽपि तत्र॥
Their bodies afflicted with the arrows of the god of love and their hearts completely lost in Krishna (Draupadi), the kings descended into the arena; and they felt jealousy against even their own friends for the sake of the daughter of Drupada.
अथाययुर्देवगणा विमानै रुद्रादित्या वसवोऽथाश्विनौ च। साध्याश्च सर्वे मरुतस्तथैव यमं पुरस्कृत्य
There came also (in the sky) the celestials on their cars, with the Rudras, the Adityas, the Vasus, the twin Ashvinis, the Sadhyas, all the Marutas and the lord of wealth (Kubera) with Yama at their head.
दैत्याः सुपर्णाश्च महोरगाश्च देवर्षयो गुह्यकाश्चारणाश्च। विश्वावसुर्नारदपर्वतौ च गन्धर्वमुख्याः सहसाप्सरोभिः॥
There came also the Daityas, the Suparnas, the great Nagas, the celestials Rishi, the Guhyakas, the Charanas, Vishvavasu, Narada, Parvata and the chief Gandharvas with the Apsaras.
हलायुधस्तत्र जनार्दनश्च वृष्ण्यन्धकाश्चैव यथाप्रधानम्। प्रेक्षां स्म चक्रुर्यदुपुङ्गवास्ते स्थिताश्च कृष्णस्य मते महान्तः॥
Halayudha, (Balarama) Janardana (Krishna), the chiefs of Vrishni, Andhaka and Yadava tribes, all ever obedient to Krishna, were also there viewing the scene.
दृष्ट्वा तु तान् मत्तगजेन्द्ररूपान् पञ्चाभिपद्मानिव वारणेन्द्रान्। भस्मावृताङ्गानिव हव्यवाहान् कृष्णः प्रदध्यौ यदुवीरमुख्यः॥
Seeing these five (Pandavas) like mad elephants, the best of their species, which come attracted towards a lake overgrown with lotuses, like fire covered with ashes and the foremost of the Yadus, Krishna began to reflect.
शशंस रामाय युधिष्ठिरं स भीमं सजिष्णुं च यमौ च वीरौ। शनैः शनैस्तान् प्रसमीक्ष्य रामो जनार्दनं प्रीतमना ददर्श ह॥
He said to Rama (Balarama), “That is Yudhishthira, that is Bhima with Jishnu (Arjuna) and these are the two heroic twins (Nakula and Sahadeva). "Observing them slowly (one after the other) (Bala) Rama cast a pleased glance on Janardana (Krishna).
अन्ये तु वीरा नृपपुत्रपौत्राः कृष्णागतैर्नेत्रमन:स्वभावैः। व्यायच्छमाना ददृशुर्न तान् वै संदष्टदन्तच्छदताम्रनेत्राः॥
Biting their nether lips in wrath, the other heroes, those sons and grandsons of kings, with their eyes, hearts and thoughts set on Krishna alone, looked at Drupada only with their explained eyes and did not notice the Pandavas.
तथैव पार्थाः पृथुवाहवस्ते वीरौ यमौ चैव महानुभावौ। तां द्रौपदी प्रेक्ष्य तदा स्म सर्वे कन्दर्पबाणाभिहता बभूवुः॥
On seeing Draupadi the mighty armed sons of Pritha and also the heroic and the illustrious twins were all struck with the arrows of the god of love.
देवर्षिगन्धर्वसमाकुलं तत् सुपर्णनागासुरसिद्धजुष्टम्। दिव्येन गन्धेन समाकुलं च दिव्यैश्च पुष्पैरवकीर्यमाणम्॥ महास्वनैर्दुन्दुभिनादितैश बभूव तत् संकुलमन्तरिक्षम्। विमानसम्बाधमभूत् समन्तात् सवेणुवीणापणवानुनादम्॥
Crowed with celestials, Rishis Gandharvas, Suparnas, Nagas, Asuras and Siddhas, filled with the celestials perfumes, scattered over with celestials flowers, resounding with the kettle drums and the deep hum of infinite voices and echoing with the softer music of the flute, the Vina and the tabor, the cars of the celestials could scarcely find a way through the firmament.
ततस्तु ते राजगणाः क्रमेण कृष्णानिमित्तं कृतविक्रमाश्च। द्रौणायनिक्राथसुनीथवक्राः॥ कलिङ्गवङ्गाधिपपाण्ड्यपौण्ड्रा विदेहराजो यवनाधिपश्च। अन्ये च नानानृपपुत्रपौत्रा राष्ट्राधिपाः परूजपत्रनेत्राः॥
Then those kings, Karna, Duryodhana, Shalva, Shalya, Ashvathama, Kratha, Sunitha, Vakra, the ruler of Kalinga and Vanga, Pandya, Paundra, the ruler of Videha, the chief of the Yavanas and many other sons and grandsons of kings, the rulers of countries with eyes like lotus leaves, one after the other exhibited their own prowess for (winning) that maiden of matchless beauty.
विभूषिताङ्गाः पृथुवाहवस्ते। अनुक्रम विक्रमसत्त्वयुक्ता बलेन वीर्येण च नर्दमानाः॥
Adorned with crowns, garlands, bracelets and other ornaments, possessing mighty arms, prowess and vigour and full of strength and energy,
तत् कार्मुकं संहननोपपन्न सज्यं न शेकुर्मनसापि कर्तुम्। ते विक्रमन्तः स्फुरता दृढेन विक्षिप्यमाणा धनुषा नरेन्द्राः॥ विचेष्टमाना धरणीतलस्था यथाबलं शैक्ष्यगुणक्रमाश्च। गतौजसः सस्तकिरीटहारा विनि:स्वसन्तः शमयाम्बभूवुः॥ हाहाकृतं तद् धनुषा दृढेन विस्रस्तहाराङ्गदचक्रबालम्। कृष्णानिमित्तं विनिवृत्तकाम राज्ञां तदा मण्डलमार्तमासीत्॥
Those kings could not even in their imagination string that bow of extraordinary stiffness. And those kings, in exerting with swelling lips to string that bow each according to his strength, education, skill and energy, were all tossed on the ground and lay motionless for some time. Their strength gone and their crowns and garlands loosened from their persons, they panted for breath. Their ambition for wining that maiden was soon cooled down. Tossed by that stiff bow, their garlands and bracelets and other ornaments, were disordered and they uttered exclamations of woe. Having their hope of obtaining Krishria gone that assemblage of kings looked sad and woeful.
सर्वान् नृपांस्तान् प्रसमीक्ष्य को धनुर्धराणां प्रवरो जगाम। उद्धृत्य तूर्णं धनुरुद्यतं तत् सज्यं चकाराशु युयोज बाणान्॥
Seeing the plight of all those kings, that foremost of all wielders of bow, Karna, went to the place where the bow was. He quickly raised it up, stringed it and placed the arrows on the string.
दृष्ट्वा सूतं मेनिरे पाण्डुपुत्रा भित्त्वा नीतं लक्ष्यवरं धरायाम्। धनुर्धरा रागकृतप्रतिज्ञमत्यग्निसोमार्कमथार्कपुत्रम्॥
Seeing the son of Surya, Karna of the Suta tribe, who was like a fire or moon or the sun, resolved to shoot the mark, those foremost of bowmen, the Pandavas, considered that the mark had already been shot and brought down to the ground.
दृष्ट्वा तु तं द्रौपदी वाक्यमुच्चैजगाद नाहं वरयामि सूतम्। सामर्षहासं प्रसमीक्ष्य सूर्यं तत्याज कर्णः स्फुरितं धनुस्तत्॥
Seeing him Draupadi said in a loud voice, "I shall not choose a Suta for my husband." Laughing in vexation and casting a glance towards the sun, Karna threw aside the bow already drawn to a circle.
एवं तेषु निवृत्तेषु क्षत्रियेषु समन्वतः। चेदीनामधिपो वीरो बलवानन्तकोपमः॥
When all those assembled Kshatriyas gave up the task, the heroic king of the Chedis as powerful as Yama,
दमघोषसुतो धीरः शिशुपालो महामतिः। धनुरादायमानस्तु जानुभ्यामगमन्महीम्॥
The high-souled and determined son of Damaghosha, Shishupala, attempted to string the bow, but he himself fell on his knees on the ground.
ततो राजा महावीर्यो जरासंधो महाबलः। धनुषोऽभ्याशमागत्य तस्थौ गिरिरिवाचलः॥
Thereupon the greatly strong and powerful king Jarasandha came to the bow and stood there for some time, fixed and motionless like a mountain.
धनुषा पीड्यमानस्तु जानुभ्यामगमन्महीम्। तत उत्थाय राजा स स्वराष्ट्राण्यभिजग्मिवान्॥
Tossed by the bow he too fell upon his knees on the ground. Rising up, he (at once) left for his own kingdom.
ततः शल्यो महावीरो मद्रराजो महाबलः। तदप्यारोप्यमाणस्तु जानुभ्यामगमन्महीम्॥
Then in attempting to string the bow the great hero Shalya, the greatly powerful king of Madra, also fell upon his knees on the ground.
तस्मिंस्तु सम्भ्रान्तजने समाजे विक्षिप्तवादेषु जनाधिपेषु। कुन्तीसुतो जिष्णुरियेष वर्तुं सज्यं धनुस्तत् सरं प्रवीरः॥
At last when that assemblage of kings of noble births became the subjects of derisive talk, that foremost of heroes Jishnu (Arjuna), the son of Kunti, desired to string the bow and place the arrows on the string.