“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Upon the Kuru king (Duryodhana) and Bhima, the
foremost of all endued with strength, having entered the arena, the spectators
were divided into two parties in consequence of the partiality swaying their
affections. Some cried, ‘See the heroic king of the Kurus (Duryodhana)!’--some—‘Look at Bhima!’--On account of
these cries, there was, all on a sudden, a loud uproar. Seeing the place become
like a troubled ocean, the intelligent Bharadwaja (Drona) said to his dear son, Ashwatthaama, ‘Stop
both these mighty warriors so proficient in weaponry. Let not the anger of the
assembly be provoked by this combat of Bhima and Duryodhana.’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Then the son of the Guru
of the princes (Ashwatthaama) prevented those combatants (Bhimasena and Duryodhana) with their maces (Gada in Hindi) uplifted and resembling two swollen oceans
agitated by the winds that blow at the universal dissolution (Pralaya in
Sanskrit). Drona himself entering the
yard of the arena commanded the musicians to stop, and with a voice deep as
that of the clouds addressed these words, ‘You see now that Paartha who is
dearer to me than my own son, the master of all weaponry, the son of (Lord)
Indra Himself, and like to the younger
brother of (Lord) Indra (Lord Vishnu)!’ Having performed the pacification rites,
the youthful Phalguna (Arjuna),
equipped with the finger protector (armoured gloves) and his arrow basket full of arrows and bow in hand, putting his
golden armour, appeared in the arena like an evening cloud reflecting the rays
of the setting Sun and illumined by the colours of the rainbow and flashes of
lightning.
“On seeing Arjuna, the whole assembly were delighted
and conchs (Shankha in Sanskrit) began to be blown all around with other
musical instruments. There arose a great uproar in consequence of the
spectators' exclaiming,--;This is the graceful son of Kunti!’—‘This is the
middle (third) Pandava!’—‘This is
the son of the mighty Indra!’—‘This is the protector of the Kurus’—‘This is the
foremost of those versed in weaponry!’—‘This is the foremost of all cherishers
of Dharma!’—‘This is the foremost of the persons of correct behaviour, the
great repository of the knowledge of manners!’
“At those exclamations, the tears of Kunti, mixing
with the milk of her breast, wetted her chest. His ears being filled with that
uproar, that first of men, Dhritarashtra, asked Vidura in delight, ‘O Kshatri (Vidura), what is this great
uproar for, like to that of the troubled ocean, arising all on a sudden and tearing
the very heavens?’
“Vidura replied, ‘O mighty monarch (Dhritarashtra), the son of Pandu
and Pritha (Kunti), Phalguna (Arjuna), dressed in armour has entered the arena. Hence
this uproar!’
“Dhritarashtra said, ‘O you of Mahatma (Vidura), by the three fires (sons) sprung from Pritha (Kunti) who is like the sacred fuel, I have,
indeed, been blessed, favoured and protected!’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘When the spectators,
excited with delight, had somewhat regained their calmness, Bibhatsu (Arjuna) began to display his
lightness in the use of weapons. By the Aagneya weapon, he created fire, and by
the Varuna weapon he created water, by the Vaayavya weapon, he created air, and
by the Paarjanya weapon he created clouds. By the Bhauma weapon, he created
land, and by the Paarvatena weapon, he brought mountains into being. By the
Antardhaana weapon all these were made to disappear. Now the beloved one of his
Guru (Arjuna) appeared tall and now
short; now he was seen on the attachment of his chariot, and now on the chariot
itself; and the next moment he was on the ground. The hero (Veera in
Sanskrit) favoured by his practised experience,
hit with his various butts (hitting with head) -- some tender, some fine and some of thick composition. Like one arrow, he let fly at a time into the mouth of a
moving iron-boar five arrows together from his bow-string. That hero of
mighty energy discharged twenty-one arrows into the hollow of a cow's horn hung
up on a rope moving to and fro. In this manner, O sinless one (Janamejaya), Arjuna showed his profound skill in the
use of sword, bow, and mace (Gada in Hindi), walking over the arena in circles.
“O
Bharata (Janamejaya), when the exhibition had well-near ended,
the excitement of the spectators had cooled, and the sounds of instruments had
died out there was heard coming from the gate, the slapping of arms, indicating
might and strength, and like to the roar of Vajra. O king (Janamejaya), as soon as this sound was heard, the
assembled crowd instantly thought, ‘Are the mountains splitting or is the earth
itself tearing apart, or is the sky resounding with the roar of gathering
clouds?’ Then all the spectators turned their eyes towards the gate. Drona
stood, surrounded by the five brothers – the sons of Pritha (sons of Kunti), and looked like the moon in conjunction
with the five-starred constellation Hasta (Corvus constellation). Duryodhana, that slayer of enemies, stood
up quickly and was surrounded by his century of arrogant brothers with Ashwatthaama
among them. That prince (Duryodhana),
mace (Gada in Hindi) in hand, thus
surrounded by his hundred brothers with uplifted weapons appeared like
Purandara (Lord Indra) in ancient days,
encircled by the army of Devas on the occasion of the battle with the Danavas (Danavas
are a clan of Asuras).’”
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