स्पृष्टवन्तं शरीरं मां शववाहमिवाशुचिम्। कथं वा व्यवहार्यं वै कुर्वीथास्त्वं बृहन्नले
Having touched my body, as if I were impure like a bearer of corpses, how could you, Brihannala, engage in dealings with me?
तमुवाच ततः शूरः पार्थं परपुंरजयः। दायादं सर्वमत्स्यानां कुले जातं विशारदम्
Then the valiant one, conqueror of enemies, spoke to Partha: 'Heir to all the Matsyas, born in the royal line, skilled and wise.'
जानामि त्वां महाप्राज्ञ शुभं जात्या कुलेन च । कथं नु पापकं कर्म ब्रूयां त्वाऽहं परन्तप
I know you, O greatly wise one, noble in birth and lineage. How could I instruct you in a sinful act, O scorcher of foes?
व्यवहार्यश्च राजेन्द्र शुद्धश्चैव भविष्यसि । धनूंष्येतानि मा भैस्त्वं शरीरं नात्र विद्यते
You will be fit for dealings, O king, and pure as well. Do not fear these bows; there is no body here.
दायादं मत्स्यराजस्य कुले जातं मनस्विनम् । कथं वा नन्दितं कर्म कारये त्वां नृपात्मज
Heir to the king of the Matsyas, born in the royal line and noble in mind, how could I make you perform a pleasing task, O prince?
एवमुक्तः स पार्थेन रथात्प्रस्कन्द्य कुण्डली। आरुरोह शमीवृक्षं वैराटिरवशस्तदा
Thus addressed by Partha, the one with earrings dismounted from the chariot and, compelled, climbed the Shami tree, O King of the Viratas.
तमन्वशासच्छत्रुघ्नो रथे तिष्ठन्धनञ्जयः । अवरोपय वृक्षाग्राद्धनूंष्येतानि माचिरम्
Standing on the chariot, Dhananjaya, destroyer of enemies, commanded him: 'Bring down the bows quickly from the top of the tree.'
सोपहृत्य महार्हाणि धनूंषि पृथुवक्षसाम् । परिवेष्टनपत्राणि विमुच्य समुपानयत्
Having brought down the splendid bows of broad-chested heroes, he removed their wrappings and presented them.
परिवेष्टनमेतेषां सर्वं मुञ्चस्व माचिरम् । तेषां संनहनीयानि परिमुच्य परन्तपः। अपश्यत्तत्र गाण्डीवं चतुर्भिरपरैः सह
Remove all the wrappings from these quickly. The scorcher of foes, after unwrapping their coverings, saw Gandiva there along with four others.
तेषां विमुच्यमानानां धनुषामर्कवर्चसाम्। विनिश्चेरुः प्रभा दिव्या ग्रहाणामुदयेष्विव
As those divine bows, radiant as immortals, were being unwrapped, a brilliant light emerged, like the rising of planets.
स तेषां रूपमालेक्य भोगिनामिव दृम्भताम् । हृष्टरोमा भयोद्विग्रः प्रवेपिततनुस्तदा
Seeing their form and splendor, like serpents in their majesty, his hair stood on end, seized by fear, his body trembling.
अर्जुनेन समाश्वस्तः किंचिद्धृष्टो नृपात्मजः। तेषां संदर्शनाभ्यासं स्पर्शाभ्यासं पुनः पुनः ।। 58
Reassured by Arjuna, the prince became somewhat emboldened; repeatedly he practiced seeing and touching them.
आमील्य पुनरुन्मील्य स्पृष्ट्वास्पृष्ट्वा चकार सः। सम्यग्घुण्टस्तदाऽऽश्वस्तः क्षणेन समपद्यत ।। 59
He closed and opened his eyes, touched and withdrew, and did so again; then, properly instructed and reassured, he was ready in a moment.
संस्पृश्य तानि चापानि भानुमन्ति बृहन्ति च। वैराटिरर्जुनं राजन्निदं वचनमब्रवीत् ।। 60
Having touched those bows, radiant and mighty, King Virata spoke to Arjuna: 'O Arjuna, what is this?'
सारथे किमिदं दिव्यं नागो वा यदि वा धनुः। सौवर्णान्यत्र पद्मानि शतपत्राणि भागशः । कुशाग्निप्रतितप्तानि भानुमन्ति बृहन्ति च
Charioteer, what is this divine thing—an elephant or a bow? Here are golden lotuses, with hundred petals in parts, heated by kusa fire, radiant and large.
बिन्दवश्चात्र सौवर्णा मणिप्रोताः समन्ततः। शशिसूर्यप्रभाः पृष्ठे भान्ति रुक्मपरिष्कृताः
And here are golden drops, strung with gems all around; on the back, they shine with the brilliance of moon and sun, adorned with gold.
पुष्पाण्यत्र सुवर्णानि शतपत्राणि भागशः । विस्मापनीयरूपं च भीमं भीमप्रदर्शनम्
Here are golden flowers, lotuses with a hundred petals, in abundance; their appearance is astonishing, fearsome, and awe-inspiring to behold.
नीलोत्पलनिभं कस्य शातकुम्भपरिष्कृतम्। ऋषभा यस्य सौवर्णाः पृष्ठे तिष्ठन्ति शृङ्गिणः
Whose is this, adorned with gold, resembling a blue lotus? Upon its back stand golden bulls with horns.
तालप्रमाणं कस्येदं मणिरुक्मविभूषितम् हाटकस्य सुवर्णस्य यस्मिञ्शाखामृगा दश
To whom does this jewel-encrusted, gold-adorned bow of palm-tree size belong, upon which ten golden branch-antelopes are set?
दुरानमं महादीर्घं सुरूपं दुष्प्रधर्षणम् । कस्येदमीदृशं चित्रं धनुः सर्वे च दंशिताः
Whose is this remarkable, long-reaching, beautiful, and unassailable bow, and all these arrows that are arrayed?
चन्द्रार्कविमलाभासः सुरूपाः सुप्रदर्शनाः । हंसाः पृष्ठं श्रिता यस्य कुशाग्निप्रतिमार्चिषः । शार्ङ्गगाण्डीवसदृशं कस्येदं सारथे धनुः
Whose is this bow, O charioteer, that shines like the moon and sun, splendid and clearly visible, upon whose back swans with flames like sacred kusha-fire are set, resembling the Sharnga and Gandiva?
चतुर्तं काञ्चनवपुर्भाति विद्युद्गणोपमम्। नीलोपलिप्तमच्छिदं जातरूपमयं धनुः । मत्स्यश्चास्य हिरण्यस्य पृष्ठे तिष्ठन्ति दंशिताः
The fourth bow shines with a golden body, like a cluster of lightning flashes; it is coated with blue, unbroken, and made of pure gold, and golden fish are arrayed upon its back.
शक्रचापोपमं दिव्यं कस्येदं सारथे धनुः। उच्छ्रितं फणिवद्दिव्यं सारवत्त्वाद्दुरानमम्
O charioteer, whose is this divine bow, like Indra's own, raised high like a serpent's hood, long and solid in its substance?
सहस्रगोधाः सौवर्णा द्वीपिनश्च चतुर्दश । बर्हिणश्चात्र सौवर्णाः शतचन्द्रार्कभूषिताः। जाम्बूनदविचित्राङ्गं कस्येदं पञ्चमं धनुः
A thousand golden iguanas and fourteen leopards are here; golden peacocks adorned with a hundred moons and suns, and whose is this fifth bow, wondrous with Jambunada gold?
कस्येमे क्षुरनाराचाः सहस्रं लोमवापिनः। प्रक्षिप्तास्तीक्ष्णतुण्डाग्रा उपासङ्गे हिरण्मये
To whom belong these thousand razor-headed arrows, sharp as hair-cutters, with keen points, set in a golden quiver?
हारिद्रवर्णाः कस्येमे शिता पञ्चशतं शराः। आशीविषसमस्पर्शाः शिताश्चाजिंहगा दृढाः
Whose are these five hundred yellow-hued, sharp arrows, hard as venomous serpents to the touch, straight-flying and strong?
विपाठाः पृथवः कस्य गृध्रपत्रार्धवाजिताः। वराहकर्णास्तीक्ष्णाग्राः कस्येमे रुचिराः शराः
Whose are these broad, split arrows, half-covered with vulture feathers, with boar-ear shapes and sharp points, shining beautifully?
वज्राशनिसमस्पर्शा वैश्वानरशिखार्चिषः। सुवर्णपुङ्खास्तीक्ष्णाग्राः कस्य सप्तशतं शराः
Whose are these seven hundred arrows, with golden feathers and sharp points, blazing like the flames of fire, their touch like thunderbolts and lightning?
कस्यायं सायको दीर्घो गव्ये कोशे च दंशितः। कस्य दण्डो दृढः श्लक्ष्णो रुचिरोऽयं प्रकाशते
Whose is this long arrow, set in a cowhide quiver, and whose is this strong, smooth, and splendid staff that shines here?
वैयाघ्रकोशः कस्यायं दिव्यः शङ्खो महाप्रभः । कस्यार्थमसयश्चैते पञ्च शार्दूललक्षणाः
Whose is this divine conch, radiant, with a tiger-hide case, and for whom are these five swords, marked with tiger emblems?