वैशम्पायन उवाच युधिष्ठिरवचः श्रुत्वा भीमसेनपुरोगमाः। प्रहृष्टवदनाः सर्वे समुत्तस्थुर्नरर्षभाः॥
Vaishampayana said : Having heard the words of Yudhishthira, those foremost of men headed by Bhimasena rose up in great delight.
अभेद्यानि ततः सर्वे समनह्यन्त भारत। जाम्बूनदविचित्राणि कवचानि महारथाः॥
O descendant of Bharata, those great carwarriors then put on impenetrable armours that were a decked with gold.
आयुधानि च दिव्यानि विविधानि समादधुः। ते दंशिता रथैः सर्वे ध्वजिनः सशरासनाः॥ पाण्डवाः प्रत्यदृश्यन्त ज्वलिता इव पावकाः।
They armed themselves with celestials weapons of various kinds. Thus armed, they ascended the cars furnished with flag-staffs with bows and arrows in their hands. The Pandavas looked like so many blazing fires.
तान् रथान् साधुसम्पन्नान् संयुक्ताञ्जवनैर्हयैः॥ आस्थाय रथशार्दूलाः शीघ्रमेव ययुस्ततः।
Those foremost of car-warriors, riding on those well-furnished cars drawn by fleet horses, went to the place where the Gandharvas were) without the least delay.
ततः कौरवसैन्यानां प्रादुरासीन्महास्वनः॥ प्रयातान् सहितान् दृष्ट्वा पाण्डुपुत्रान् महारथान् जितकाशिनश्च खचरास्त्वरिताश्च महारथाः॥ क्षणेनैव वने तस्मिन् समाजग्मुरभीतवत्। न्यवर्तन्त ततः सर्वे गन्धर्वा जितकाशिनः॥
Thereupon, the Kuru soldiers sent up a very loud shout. O seeing the great car-warriors the sons of Pandu going to fight with the Gandharvas). Those rangers of the sky (Gandharvas), the great car-warriors, were flushed with victory. Those warriors, the Pandavas, fearlessly encountered one other in the forest.
दृष्ट्वा रथागतान् वीरान् पाण्डवांश्चतुरो रणे। तांस्तु विभाजितान् दृष्ट्वा लोकपालानिवोद्यताम्॥ व्यूढानीका व्यतिष्ठन्त गन्धमादनवासिनः।
The Gandharvas, seeing the four sons of Pandu coming to battle on their cars, all turned son back towards the advancing combatants. Seeing the Pandavas looking like the blazing Lokapalas, those dwellers of Gandhamadana (Gandharva) were inflamed with anger and they stood in battle array.
राज्ञस्तु वचनं स्मृत्वा धर्मपुत्रस्य धीमतः॥ क्रमेण मृदुना युद्धमुपक्रान्तं च भारत।
In accordance with the command of the greatly intelligent of Dharma, Yudhishthira, O descendant of Bharata, the battle that took place was but a skirmish.
न त गन्धर्वराजस्य सैनिका मन्दचेतसः॥ शक्यन्ते मृदुना श्रेयः प्रति श्रेयः प्रतिपादयितुं तदा। ततस्तान् युधि दुर्धर्षान् सव्यसाची परंतपः॥ सान्त्वपूर्वमिदं वाक्यमुवाच खचरान् रणे। विसर्जयत राजानं भ्रातरं मे सुयोधनम्॥
But the foolish minded soldiers of the Gandharva chief were seen by that chastiser of foes Savyasachi (Arjuna) that they could not be by means of a light skirmish made to understand what was good for them. He thus spoke to those rangers of the sky in these conciliatory words, “Let off my brother, the king Duryodhana.”
त एवमुक्ता गन्धर्वाः पाण्डवेन यशस्विना। उत्स्मयन्तस्तदा पार्थमिदं वचनमब्रुवन्॥
Having been thus addressed by that illustrious Pandava, the Gandharvas laughed aloud. They thus replied to Partha,
एकस्यैव वयं तात कुर्याम वचनं भुवि। यस्य शासनमाज्ञाय चरामो विगतज्वराः॥ तेनैकेन यथाऽऽदिष्टं तथा वर्ताम भारत। न शास्ता विद्यतेऽस्माकमन्यस्तस्मात् सुरेश्वरात्॥
"O child, there is that one whose command we obey and living under whose rule we pass our days being free from all miseries. O descendant of Bharata, we always act as that person commands us.”
एवमुक्तः स गन्धर्वैः कुन्तीपुत्रो धनंजयः। गन्धर्वान् पुनरेवेदं वचनं प्रत्यभाषत॥
Having been thus addressed by the Gandharvas in these words, the son of Kunti, Dhananjaya, thus replied to the Gandharvas in these words,
न तद् गन्धर्वराजस्य युक्तं कर्म जुगुप्सितम्। परदाराभिमर्शश्च मानुषैश्च समागमः॥
"This contact with other females and this fight with men are not proper for the Gandharva king.
उत्सृज्यध्वं महावीर्यान् धृतराष्ट्रसुतानिमान्। दारांश्चैषां विमुञ्चध्वं धर्मराजस्य शासनात्॥
Therefore let off all these mighty sons of Dhritarashtra. Let off also these ladies at the command of Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira).
यदा साम्ना न मुञ्चध्वं गन्धर्वा धृतराष्ट्रजान्। मोक्षयिष्यामि विक्रम्य स्वयमेव सुयोधनम्॥
O Gandharva, if you do not set the sons of Dhritarashtra free in peace, I shall certainly rescue Duryodhana by my prowess.
एवमुक्त्वा ततः पार्थः सव्यसाची धनंजयः। ससर्जनिशितान् बाणान् खचरान् खचरान् प्रति॥
Having said this, the son of Pritha Savyasachi Dhananjaya (Arjuna) hurled a shower of sky-ranging and sharp arrows on those sky-rangers.
तथैव शरवर्षेण गन्धर्वास्ते बलोत्कटाः। पाण्डवानभ्यवर्तन्त पाण्डवाश्च दिवौकसः॥ ततः सुतुमुलं युद्धं गन्धर्वाणां तरस्विनाम्। बभूव भीमवेगानां पाण्डवानां च भारत॥
Thus attacked, those greatly powerful Gandharvas then rushed on the Pandavas and showered on them innumerable arrows. The Pandavas also in their turn attacked those dwellers of heaven. O descendant of Bharata, then a very fearful battle was fought between the active and energetic Gandharvas and the impetuous Pandavas.