कृपश्च वृषसेनश्च विकर्णश्च जयद्रथः। वाह्लीकः सोमदत्तश्च भूरिर्भूरिश्रवाः शलः
Nor Kripa, nor Vrishasena, nor Vikarna, nor Jayadratha, nor Vahlika, nor Somadatta, nor Bhuri, nor Bhurishrava, nor Shala.
शकुनिः ससुतश्चैव नृपाश्चान्ये च कौरवाः। नैते सर्वे रणोद्युक्ताः पार्थं सोढुमशक्नुवन्
Nor Shakuni with his son, nor the other Kaurava kings—none of these, though eager for battle, are able to withstand Partha.
अर्जुनेन समो लोके नास्ति वीर्ये धनुर्धरः। योऽर्जुनेनार्जुनस्तुल्यो द्विबाहुर्बहुबाहुना
Nowhere in the world is there an archer equal in might to Arjuna; only Arjuna himself, with two arms or many, matches Arjuna.
कस्त्वयोक्तः पुमान्वीरो बीभत्सुसमविक्रमः। तं ये व्रूहि महावीर्यं श्रोतुमिच्छामि पुत्रक
Who, O son, has ever been named by you as a hero equal in valor to Arjuna? Tell me of that mighty one, for I wish to hear.
कार्तवीर्यस्य चरितं शृणु राजन्महात्मनः। अव्यक्तप्रभवो ब्रह्मा सर्वलोकपितामहः
Hear, O King, the story of Kartavirya, the great-souled one; Brahma, the unmanifest source, the grandsire of all worlds—
ब्रह्मणोऽत्रिः सुतो विद्वानत्रेः पुत्रो निशाकरः। सोमस्य तदु बुधः पुत्रो बुधस्य तु पुरूरवाः
From Brahma was born the wise Atri; from Atri, his son Nishakara (the Moon); from Soma, Budha was born, and from Budha, Pururavas.
तस्याप्यध सुतोऽप्यायुरायोस्तु नहुषः सुतः। नहुशस्य ययातिस्तु ययातेस्तनुजो यदुः?
And to him was born a son, and to Āyu, the son of Nahusha; to Nahusha, Yayāti was born, and to Yayāti, his son was Yadu.
यदोः पुत्रो महाराज सहस्रैजेति विश्रुतः। सहसौजसुतो राजञ्छक्रदासेति विश्रुतः?
O great king, Yadu's son was renowned as Sahasraja; Sahasraja's son, O king, was known as Shakradaasa.
शक्रदानस्य दायादो हेहयो नाम पार्थिवः। हेहयस्याभवत्पुत्रो धर्मनेत्र इति श्रुतः?
Shakradaana's heir was a king named Hehaya; Hehaya's son was known as Dharmanetra.
धर्मनेत्रस्य तु कृती कृतवीर्यस्तु कार्तिजः। कृतवीर्यस्य तनयो ह्यर्जुनो बलिनां वरः?
Dharmanetra's son was Kṛtī, and Kṛtavīrya was born of Kṛtī; Kṛtavīrya's son was Arjuna, foremost among the mighty.
स चार्जुनो महाराज तपो घोरं चकार ह। साग्रं वर्षायुतं जज्ञ इत्येवं मे श्रुतं पुरा?
And that Arjuna, O great king, performed fierce austerities; for ten thousand years, he practiced, so I have heard from olden times.
तथेयं पृथिवी राजन्सप्तद्वीपा सपत्तना। ससमुद्राकरा तात विधिनोग्रेण वै जिता?
Thus, O king, this earth with its seven continents and cities, with its oceans and lakes, was conquered by him through severe discipline.
स चार्जुनोऽथ तेजस्वी तपः परमदुश्चरम्। दत्तमाराधयामास सोऽर्जुनोऽत्रिसुतं मुनिम्
And that radiant Arjuna then worshipped the sage Dattātreya, son of Atri, with supreme and arduous austerity.
तस्य दत्तो वरान्प्रादाच्चतुरः पार्थिवस्य वै। पूर्वं बाहुसहस्रं तु प्रार्थितः परमो वरः
To him, Dattātreya granted four boons, O king; first, the supreme boon he requested was a thousand arms.
अधर्मे प्रीयमाणस्य सद्भिस्तत्र निवारणम्। धर्मेण पृथिवीं जित्वा धर्मेणैव हि रञ्जनम्
When he delighted in unrighteousness, the virtuous restrained him there; having conquered the earth by righteousness, he ruled it by righteousness alone.
सङ्ग्रामान्सुबहून्कृत्वा हत्वा चारीन्सहस्रशः। सङ्ग्रामे यतमानस्य वधश्चैवाधिकाद्रणै
Having fought many battles and slain thousands of enemies, while striving in combat, he was killed in a great war.
तस्य बाहुसहस्रं तु युध्यतः किल भारत। रथो ध्वजश्च सञ्जज्ञ इत्येवं मे श्रुतं परा
It is said, O Bhārata, that as he fought, a chariot and banner appeared for him, along with his thousand arms—so I have heard from ancient times.
तथेयं पृथिवी राजन्त्सप्तद्वीपा सपत्तना। ससमुद्राकरा तात विधिनोग्रेण वै जिता
Thus, O king, this earth with its seven continents and cities, with its oceans and lakes, was conquered by him through severe discipline.
चार्जुनोऽथ तेजस्वी सप्तद्वीपेश्वरो।़भवत्। च राजा महायज्ञानाजहार महाबलः। प्रशशास महाबाहुर्महीं स च समा बहूः
And then that radiant Arjuna became lord of the seven continents; the mighty king performed great sacrifices and ruled the earth with his powerful arms for many years.
ततोऽर्जुनः कदाचिद्वै राजन्माहिष्मतीपतिः। नर्मदां भरतश्रेष्ठं तां तु दारैर्ययौ सह
Then once, O king, Arjuna, lord of Māhiṣmatī, went to the Narmadā river, O best of the Bharatas, together with his wives.
ततस्तां स नदीं गत्वा प्रविश्यन्तर्जले तदा। कर्तुं राजञ्जलक्रीडां ततो राजोपचक्रमे
Then, having reached that river, he entered the water; there, O king, he began to sport in the water with his queens.
तस्मिन्नेव ततः काले रावमो राक्षसैः सह। लङ्काया ईश्वरस्तात तं देशं प्रययौ बली
At that very time, Rāvaṇa, lord of Laṅkā, powerful and accompanied by Rākṣasas, came to that region.
ततस्तमर्जुनं दृष्ट्वा नर्मदायां दशाननः। नित्यं क्रोधपरो धीरो वरदानेन मोहितः
Then, seeing Arjuna in the Narmadā, the ten-headed one, ever wrathful yet steadfast, deluded by a boon, gazed upon him.
अभ्यघावत्सुसङ्क्रुद्धो महेन्द्रं शम्बरो यथा। अर्जुनोऽप्यथ तं दृष्ट्वा रावणं प्रत्यवारयत्
Greatly enraged, he attacked, just as Shambara once attacked Indra; and Arjuna, seeing Rāvaṇa, confronted him.
ततस्तौ चक्रतुर्युद्धं रावणश्चार्जुनश्च वै। ततस्तु दुर्जयं वीरं वरदानेन दर्पितम्
Then those two, Rāvaṇa and Arjuna, engaged in battle; and at that time, the unconquerable hero, made arrogant by the boon, fought.
राक्षसेन्द्रं मनुष्येन्द्रो जित्वा बध्वा रणे बलात्। बध्वा धनुर्ज्यया राजन्विवेशाथ पुरीं स्वकाम्
The king of men, having defeated and bound the king of rākṣasas by force in battle, tied him with a bowstring, O king, and then entered his own city.
स तु तं बन्धितं श्रुत्वा पुलस्त्यो रावणं तदा। मोक्षयाणास बन्धाद्वै पुरे दृष्ट्वाऽर्जुनं तदा
Pulastya, upon hearing that Rāvaṇa had been bound, came to release him from captivity, and seeing Arjuna in the city, freed him.
ततः कदाचित्तेजस्वी कार्तवीर्योर्जुनो बली। समुद्रतीरं गत्वाथ विरचन्दर्पमोहितः
Once, the mighty and radiant Arjuna, son of Kārtavīrya, went to the seashore, intoxicated by pride and delusion.
अवाकिरच्छितशरैः समुद्रं स तु भारत। तं समुद्रो नमस्कृत्य कृताञ्जलिरभाषत
He showered the ocean with sharp arrows, O Bhārata; then the ocean, bowing with joined palms, spoke to him.
आशुगान्वीर मा मुञ्च ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते। मदाश्रयाणि सत्वानि त्वद्विसृष्टैर्महेषुभिः। बाध्यन्ते राजशार्दूल तेभ्यो देह्यभयं विभो
O hero, do not release swift arrows; tell me, what shall I do for you? The creatures who dwell in me are afflicted by your mighty shafts; O tiger among kings, grant them safety, O lord.