वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः कतिपयाहस्य तस्मिन् रैरतके गिरौ। वृष्ण्यन्धकानामभवदुत्सवो नृपसत्तम॥
Vaishampayana said : O best of kings, a few days after a great festival of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas was held on the Raivataka hill.
तत्र दानं ददुर्वीरा ब्राह्मणेभ्यः सहस्रशः। भोजवृष्ण्यन्धकाश्चैव महे तस्य गिरेस्तदा।॥
In that mountain-festival of the Bhoja, the Andhakas and the Vrishnis, the hero gave away much wealth to the thousands of Brahmanas.
प्रासादै रत्नचित्रैश्च गिरेस्तस्य समन्ततः। स देशः शोभितो राजन् कल्पवृक्षैश्च सर्वशः॥
O king, the region around the hill was adorned with many mansions filled with various gems and they appeared as if they are all Kalpavrikshas (trees giving whatever wanted.)
वादित्राणि च तत्रान्ये वादकाः समवादयन्। ननृतुनर्तकाश्चैव जगुर्गेयानि गायनाः॥
The musicians played in concert all the musical instruments; the dancers danced and the songsters sang.
अलंकृताः कुमाराश्च वृष्णीनां सुमहौजसाम्। यानैर्हाटकचित्रैश्च चर्यन्ते स्म सर्वशः॥
The effulgent youths of the Vrishni race, adorned with ornaments and riding on golden cars, looked handsome everywhere.
पौराश्च पादचारेण यानैरुच्चावचैस्तथा। सदाराः सानुयात्राश्च शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः॥ ततो हलधरः क्षीबो रेवतीसहितः प्रभुः। अनुगम्यमानो गन्धर्वैरचरत् तत्र भारत॥
Hundred and thousands of the citizens with their wives and attendants went there, some on foot and some on excellent cars. O descendant of Bharata, there roved the lord Haladhara (Baladeva), intoxicated with wine, accompanied by his wife Revati and followed by many Gandharvas (musicians)
तथैव राजा वृष्णीनामुग्रसेनः प्रतापवान्। अनुगीयमानो गन्धर्वैः स्त्रीसहस्रसहायवान्॥
There was the powerful king of the Vrishnis, Ugrasena, accompanied by his one thousand wives and followed by the Gandharvas.
रौक्मिणेयश्च साम्बश्च क्षीबौ समरदुर्मदौ। दिव्यमाल्याम्बरधरौ विजह्वातेऽमराविव॥
There were the son of Rohini and ever furious in battle Samba. Intoxicated with drink, adorned with beautiful garlands and attired in costly robes, they sported there like two celestials.
अक्रूरः सारणश्चैव गदो बभ्रुर्विदूरथः। निशश्चारुदेष्णाश्च पृथुर्विपृथुरेव च॥ सत्यकः सात्यकिश्चैव भङ्गकारमहारवौ। हार्दिक्य उद्धवश्चैव ये चान्ये नानुकीर्तिताः॥ एते परिवृताः स्त्रीभिर्गन्धर्वैश्च पृथक् पृथक्। तमुत्सवं रैवतके शोभयाञ्चक्रिरे तदा॥
There were Akrura, Sarana, Gada, Babhru, Viduratha, Nishatha, Charudeshna, Pritha, Vipratha. Satyaka, Satyaki, Bhangakara, Maharava, Haridikya, Uddhava and any mothers whose names are not mentioned. They were each separately accompanied by their wives and followed by the musicians. They all adorned that festival on the Raivataka mountain.
चित्रकौतूहले तस्मिन् वर्तमाने महाद्भुते। वासुदेवश्च पार्थश्च सहितौ परिजग्मतुः॥
When that wonderful festival of great grandeur and delight was continuing, Vasudeva (Krishna) and Partha (Arjuna) went about together.
तत्र चक्रममाणौ तौ वसुदेवसुतां शुभाम्। अलंकृतां सखीमध्ये भद्रां ददृशतुस्तदा॥
When thus walking about, they saw the beautiful daughter of Vasudeva, Subhadra, adorned with ornaments in the midst of her companions.
दृष्ट्वैव तामर्जुनस्य कन्दर्पः समजायत। तं तदैकाग्रमनसं कृष्णः पार्थमलक्षयत्॥
As soon as Arjuna saw her, he was struck by (the arrow) of the god of love. Seeing that Partha was looking at her with absorbed attention, Krishna.
अब्रवीत् पुरुषव्याघ्रः प्रहसन्निव भारत। वनेचरस्य किमिदं कामेनालोड्यते मनः॥
descendant of Bharata, spoke thus to that best of men (Arjuna) with smiles, “How is it that the mind of one who roams in the forest is thus agitated by desire?
ममैषा भगिनी पार्थ सारणस्य सहोदरा। सुभद्रा नाम भद्रं ते पितुर्मे दयिता सुता। यदि ते वर्तते बुद्धिर्वक्ष्यामि पितरं स्वयम्॥
O Partha, she is my sister and also the sister of Sarana. Her name is Subhadra; she is the most beloved daughter of my father. If your mind is set upon her, I shall then speak to my father."
अर्जुन उवाच दुहिता वसुदेवस्य वासुदेवस्य च स्वसा। रूपेण चैष सम्पन्ना कमिवैषा न मोहयेत्॥
Arjuna said : She is the daughter of Vasudeva and the sister of Vasudeva (Krishna); endued with so much beauty, whom can she not fascinate?
कृतमेव तु कल्याणं सर्वं मम भवेद् ध्रुवम्। यदि स्यान्मम वार्ष्णेयी महिषीयं स्वसा तव॥
If your this sister, this lady of the Vrishni race, become my wife, then certainly do I win prosperity in everything.
प्राप्तौ तु क उपाय: स्यात् तं ब्रवीहि जनार्दन। आस्थास्यामि तदा सर्वं यदि शक्यं नरेण तत्॥
O Janardana, tell me by what means I may obtain her. I shall do anything achievable by man (in order to obtain her).
वासुदेव उवाच स्वयंवरः क्षत्रियाणां विवाहः पुरुषर्षभः। स च संशयितः पार्थ स्वभावस्यानिमित्ततः॥
Krishna said: O best of men, Svyaimvara is the marriage form of the Kshatriyas, but, O Partha, that is doubtful, as we do not know her temper and disposition.
प्रसह्य हरणं चापि क्षत्रियाणां प्रशस्यते। विवाहहेतुः शूराणामिति धर्मविदो विदुः॥
The men learned in the precepts of religion say that in the case of heroic Kshatriyas, a forcible taking away of a girl for the purpose of marriage is also praiseworthy.
स त्वमर्जुन कल्याणी प्रसह्य भगिनी मम। हर स्वयंवरे ह्यस्याः को वै वेद चिकीर्षितम्॥
O Arjuna, therefore, carry away this my sister by force, for who know what she may not do in a Svaimvara?
ततोऽर्जुनश्च कृष्णश्च विनिश्चित्येतिकृत्यताम्। शीघ्रगान् पुरुषानन्यान् प्रेषयामासतुस्तदा॥ धर्मराजाय तत् सर्वमिन्द्रप्रस्थगताय वै। श्रुत्वैव च महाबाहुरनुजज्ञे स पाण्डवः॥
Vaishampayana said : Having thus settled everything about what should be done, Krishna and Arjuna sent some swift messengers to Yudhishthira at Indraprastha, informing him of every thing. That mighty-armed of Pandu (Yudhishthira), as soon as he heard it, gave his assent to it. son