वैशम्प चाच दीक्षाकाले तु सम्प्राप्त सुमहर्विजः। विधिवद् दीक्षयामासुरश्वमेधाय पार्थिवम्॥
Vaishampayana said When the hour for initiation came, all those great Ritvijas duly initiated the king for the Horse-Sacrifice.
कृत्वा स पशुबन्धांश्च दीक्षितः पाण्डुनन्दनः। धर्मराजो महातेजाः सहविभिळरोचत॥
Having finished the rites of binding the sacrificial animals, the son of Pandu, viz., king Yudhishthira the just, gifted with great energy, the initiation being over, shone with great splendour along with those Ritvijas.
हयश्च हयमेधार्थं स्वयं स ब्रह्मवादिना। उत्सृष्टः शास्त्रविधिना व्यासेनामिततेजसा॥
The horse that was brought for the HorseSacrifice was let loose, according to the injunctions of the scriptures, by that utterer of Brahma, viz., Vyasa himself of great energy.
स राजा धर्मराज राजन् दीक्षितो विबभौ तदा। हेममाली रुक्मकण्ठः प्रदीप्त इव पावकः॥
Then king Yudhishthira the just, O king, after the initiation, adorned with a garland of gold around his neck, shone like a burning fire.
कृष्णाजिनी दण्डपाणिः क्षौमवासाः स धर्मजः। विवभौ द्युतिमान् भूयः प्रजापतिरिवाध्वरे॥
Having a black deer-skin for his upper garment, carrying a staff in hand, and wearing a cloth of red silk, the son of Dharina, gifted with great splendour, shone like a second Prajapati seated on the sacrificial after.
तथैवास्यविजः सर्वे तुल्यवेषा विशाम्पते। बभूवुरर्जुनश्चापि प्रदीप्त इव पावकः॥
All his Ritvijas also, O king, were clad in similar dresses. Arjuna also shone like a burning fire.
श्वेताश्वः कृष्णसारं तं ससाराश्वं धनंजयः। विधिवत् पृथिवीपाल धर्मराजस्य शासनात्॥
Dhananjaya, to whose car were yoked white horses, then duly prepared, O king, to follow that horse of the complexion of a black deer, at the command of Yudhishthira.
विक्षिपन् गाण्डिवं राजन् बद्धगे गङ्गुलित्रवान्। तमश्वं पृथवीपाल मदा युक्तः ससार च॥
Repeatedly drawing his bow, named Gandiva, O king, and casing his hand in a fence made of iguana skin, Arjuna, O monarch, prepared to follow that those, O king, with a cheerful heart.
आकुमारं तदा राजन्नागमत् तत्पुरं विभो। द्रष्टुकामं कुरुश्रेष्ठं प्रयास्यन्तं धनंजयम्॥
All Hastinapur, O king, with the very children, came out at that spot from desire of seeing Dhananjaya, that foremost of the Kurus, on the eve of his journey.
तेषामन्योन्यसम्मादूष्मेव समजायत। दिदृक्षूणां हयं तं च तं चैव हयसारिणम्॥
So great was the crowd of spectators that came to see the horse and the prince who was to follow it, that on account of the pressure of bodies, it seemed a fire was created.
ततः शब्दो महाराज दिशः खं प्रति पूरयन्। बभूव प्रेक्षतां नृणां कुन्तीपुत्रं धनंजयम्॥
Loud was the noise which arose from that crowd of men who assembled together for seeing Dhananjaya the son of Kunti, and it seemed to fill all the points of the compass and the entire sky.
एष गच्छति कौन्तेय तुरगश्चैव दीप्तिमान्। यमन्वेति महाबाहुः संस्पृशन् धनुरुत्तमम्॥
And they said, There goes the son of Kunti, are there that horse of burning beauty. Indeed, the mighty-armed hero follows the horse, having armed himself with his excellent bow.
एवं शुश्राव वदतां गिरो जिष्णुरुदारधीः। स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु व्रजारिष्टं पुनश्चैहीति भारत॥
These were the words which the intelligent Jishnu heard. The citizens also blessed him, saying, 'Let blessings be yours'. Go safely and return O Bharata.'
अथापरे मनुष्येन्द्र पुरुषा वाक्यमब्रुवन्। नैनं पश्याम सम्म धनुरेतत् प्रदृश्यते॥
Others, O chief of men, uttered these words :-'So great is the crowd that we do not see Arjuna. His bow, however, we see.
एतद्धि भीमनिर्हादं विश्रुतं गाण्डिवं धनुः। स्वस्ति गच्छत्वरिष्टो वै पन्थानमकुतोभयम्॥
That is the celebrated bow Gaudiva of terrible twang. Blessed be you. let all dangers fly your path. Let fear nowhere inspire you.
निवृत्तमेनं द्रक्ष्यामः पुनरेष्यति च ध्रुवम्। एवमाद्या मनुष्याणां स्त्रीणां च भरतर्षभ।॥ शुश्राव मधुरा वाचः पुनः पुनरुदारधीः। याज्ञवल्क्यस्य शिष्यश्च कुशलो यज्ञकर्मणि॥ प्रायात् पार्थेन सहितः शान्त्यर्थं वेदपारगः। ब्राह्मणाश्च महीपाल बहवो वेदपारगाः॥ अनुजग्मुर्महात्मानं क्षत्रिवाश्च विशाम्पते। विधिवत् पृथिवीपाल धर्मराजस्य शासनात्॥
When he returns we shall see him, for it is certain that he will return. The great Arjuna repeatedly heard these and similar other sweet words of men and women, chief of the Bharatas. A disciple of Yajnavalkya, who was well-versed in all sacrificial rites, and who was a complete master of the Vedas, proceeded with Partha for performing auspicious rites in favour of the hero. Many Brahmanas also, O king, all knowing Vedas, well, and many Kshatriyas too, followed the great hero, at the command, O monarch, of Yudhishthira the just.
पाण्डवैः पृथिवीमश्वो निर्जितामस्त्रतेजसा। चचार स महाराज यथादेशं च सत्तम॥
The horse then travelled, foremost of men, wherever he liked over the Earth already conquered by the Pandavas with the power of their weapons.
तत्र युद्धानि वृत्तानि यान्यासन् पाण्डवस्य ह। तानि वक्ष्यामि ते वीर विचित्राणि महान्ति च॥
In course of the horse's wanderings, O king, many great and wonderful battles were fought between Arjuna and many kings. These I shall describe to you.
स हयः पृथिवीं राजन् प्रदक्षिणमवर्तत। ससारोत्तरतः पूर्वं तन्निबोध महीपते॥
The horse, O king, travelled over the whole Earth. Know, O monarch, that from the north it turned towards the East.
अवमृद्नन् स राष्ट्राणि पार्थिवानां हयोत्तमः। शनैस्तदा परिययौ श्वेताश्वश्च महारथः॥
Grinding the kingdoms of many kings that excellent horse wandered. And it was followed slowly by the great car-warrior Arjuna of white horses.
तत्र संगणना नास्ति राज्ञामयुतशस्तदा। येऽयुध्यन्त महाराज क्षत्रिया हतबान्धवाः॥
O monarch, many Kshatriyas and kings, who fought with Arjuna on that occasion, were rendered miserable for having lost their kinsmen on the field of Kurukshetra.
किराता यवना राजन् बहवोऽसिधनुर्धराः। म्लेच्छाश्चान्ये बहुविधाः पूर्वं ये निकृता रणे॥ आर्याश्च पृथिवीपालाः प्रहृष्टनरवाहनाः। समीयुः पाण्डुपुत्रेण बहवो युद्धदुर्मदाः॥
Many Kiratas also, O king, and Yavanas, all excellent bowmen, and various tribes of Mlechchas too, who had been discomfited before (by the Pandavas on the field of Kurukshetra), and many Aryan kings, possessed of soldiers and animals gifted with great alacrity, and all irresistible if fight, met the son of Pandu in battle.
एवं वृत्तानि युद्धानि तत्र तत्र महीयते। अर्जुनस्य महीपालै नादेशसमागतैः॥
Thus took place innumerable battles in various countries, O monarch, between Arjuna and the kings of various realms who came to encounter him.
यानि तूभयतो राजन् प्रतप्तानि महान्ति च। तानि युद्धानि वक्ष्यामि कौन्तेयस्य तवाऽनघ॥
I shall, O sinless king, describe to you those battles only which were the principal ones among all he fought.