त्वदर्थमागता भद्रे क्षत्रियाः प्रथिता भुवि। एते भेत्स्यन्ति विक्रान्तास्त्वदर्थे लक्ष्यमुत्तमम्। विध्यते य इदं लक्ष्यं वरयेथाः शुभेऽद्य तम्
For your sake, O blessed one, renowned Kshatriyas have come to this earth; these mighty men will break the target for you; whoever strikes this target, O beautiful one, you may choose him today.
तेऽलङ्कृताः कुण्डलिनो युवानः परस्परं स्पर्धमाना नरेन्द्राः। अस्त्रं बलं चात्मनि मन्यमानाः सर्वें समुत्पेतुरुदायुधास्ते
Adorned, wearing earrings, young, the kings, competing with one another, each confident in his own skill and strength, all rose up, armed for battle.
रूपेण वीर्येण कुले चैव शीलेन वित्तेन च यौवनेन। समिद्धदर्पा मदवेगभिन्ना मत्ता यथा हैमवता गजेन्द्राः
In beauty, valor, lineage, character, wealth, and youth, their pride ablaze, driven by the force of intoxication, they were like mighty elephants of the Himalayas, maddened.
परस्परं स्पर्धया प्रेक्षमाणाः सङ्कल्पजेनाभिपरिप्लुताङ्गाः। कृष्णा ममैवेत्यभिभाषमाणा नृपाः समुत्पेतुरथासनेभ्यः
Watching each other in rivalry, their bodies inflamed by resolve, declaring 'Krishna is mine,' the kings rose from their seats.
ते क्षत्रिया रङ्गगताः समेता जिगीषमाणा द्रुपदात्मजां ताम्। चकाशिरे पर्वतराजकन्या- मुमां यथा देवगणाः समेताः
Those Kshatriyas, gathered in the arena, seeking to win Drupada's daughter, shone like the mountain princess among assembled gods.
कन्दर्पबाणाभिनिपीडिताङ्गां कृष्णागतैस्ते हृदयैर्नरेन्द्राः। रङ्गावतीर्णा द्रुपदात्मजार्थं द्वेषं प्रचक्रुः सुहृदोऽपि तत्र
Their hearts captivated by Krishna, their bodies afflicted by Cupid's arrows, the kings descended into the arena for Drupada's daughter, and even friends there became rivals.
अथाययुर्देवगणा विमानै रुद्रादित्या वसवोऽथाश्विनौ च। साध्याश्च सर्वे मरुतस्तथैव यमं पुरस्कृत्य धनेश्वरं च
Then the hosts of gods arrived in their celestial chariots: Rudras, Adityas, Vasus, Ashvins, Sadhyas, all the Maruts, with Yama and the lord of wealth at their head.
दैत्याः सुपर्णाश्च महोरगाश्च देवर्षयो गुह्यकाश्चारणाश्च। विश्वावसुर्नारदपर्वतौ च गन्धर्वमुख्याः सहसाऽप्सरोभिः
The Daityas, Suparnas, great serpents, divine sages, Guhyakas, Charanas; Vishvavasu, Narada, Parvata, and the chief Gandharvas with the Apsaras.
हलायुधस्तत्र जनार्दनश्च वृष्ण्यन्धकाश्चैव यताप्रधानम्। प्रेक्षां स्म चक्रुर्यदुपुङ्गवास्ते स्थिताश्च कृष्णस्य मते महान्तः
There, Halāyudha and Janārdana, along with the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas, each according to their rank, watched intently—the foremost of the Yadus, standing firm in accordance with Kṛṣṇa’s counsel.
दृष्ट्वा तु तान्मत्तगजेन्द्ररूपा- न्पञ्चाभिपद्मानिव वारणेन्द्रान्। भस्मावृताङ्गानिव हव्यवाहान् कृष्णः प्रदध्यौ यदुवीरमुख्यः
Beholding those five, resembling intoxicated lordly elephants, like five great tuskers among lotuses, their bodies smeared with ashes like sacrificial fires, Kṛṣṇa, chief among Yadu heroes, pondered deeply.
शशंस रामाय युधिष्ठिरं स भीमं सजिष्णुं च यमौ च वीरौ। शनैःशनैस्तान्प्रसमीक्ष्य रामो जनार्दनं प्रीतमना ददर्श ह
He informed Rāma about Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Arjuna, and the two valiant sons of Dharma; and as Rāma slowly observed them one by one, he saw Janārdana with a heart full of joy.
अन्ये तु वीरा नृपपुत्रपौत्राः कृष्णागतैर्नत्रमनःस्वभावैः। व्यायच्छमाना ददृशुर्न तान्वै सन्दष्टदन्तच्छदताम्रनेत्राः
But the other warriors, princes and grandsons of kings, whose minds were unsettled by Kṛṣṇā’s presence, strained to look but could not truly see them—those with clenched teeth and coppery eyes.
तथैव पार्थाः पृथुबाहवस्ते वीरौ यमौ चैव महानुभावौ। तां द्रौपदीं प्रेक्ष्य तदा स्म सर्वे कन्दर्पबाणाभिहता बभूवुः
Likewise, those sons of Pṛthā, broad-armed and mighty, and the two heroic sons of Dharma, upon seeing Draupadī at that moment, all became as if struck by the arrows of Kāma.
देवर्षिगन्धर्वसमाकुलं त- त्सुपर्णनागासुरसिद्धजुष्टम्। दिव्येन गन्धेन समाकुलं च दिव्यैश्च पुष्पैरवकीर्यमाणम्
That place was crowded with gods, sages, and gandharvas, attended by Suparṇas, nāgas, asuras, and siddhas, filled with celestial fragrance and showered with divine flowers.
महास्वनैर्दुन्दुभिनादितैश्च बभूव तत्सङ्कुलमन्तरिक्षम्। विमानसंबाधमभूत्समन्ता- त्सवेणुवीणापणवानुनादम्
The sky became tumultuous with the great sounds of drums and the roaring of dundubhis, crowded with flying chariots on all sides, resounding with flutes, vīṇās, and paṇavas.
समाजवाटोपरि संस्थितानां मेघैः समन्तादिव गर्जमानैः। ततस्तु ते राजगणाः क्रमेण कृष्णानिमित्तं कृतविक्रमाश्च। सकर्णदुर्योधनशाल्वशल्य- द्रौणायनिक्राथसुनीथवक्राः
Above the assembly enclosure, as if surrounded by thundering clouds, the groups of kings, each in turn, displayed their prowess for Kṛṣṇā’s sake—Karna, Duryodhana, Śālva, Śalya, Drauni, Nikṛti, Sunītha, and Vakra.
कलिङ्गवङ्गाधिपपाण्ड्यपौण्ड्रा विदेहराजो यवनाधिपश्च। अन्ये च नानानृपपुत्रपौत्रा राष्ट्राधिपाः पङ्कजपत्रनेत्राः
The kings of Kaliṅga, Vaṅga, Pāṇḍya, Pauṇḍra, the king of Videha, the lord of the Yavanas, and many other princes and grandsons of kings, rulers of realms, with eyes like lotus petals, were present.
किरीटहाराङ्गदचक्रवालै- र्विभूषिताङ्गाः पृथुबाहवस्ते। अनुक्रमं विक्रमसत्वयुक्ता बलेन वीर्येण च नर्दमानाः
Those broad-armed ones, adorned with crowns, garlands, armlets, and bracelets, endowed with valor and strength, roared in succession, displaying their courage and might.
तत्कार्मुकं संहननोपपन्नं सज्यं न शेकुर्मनसाऽपि कर्तुम्। ते विक्रमन्तः स्फुरता दृढेन विक्षिप्यमाणा धनुषा नरेन्द्राः
That bow, fit for a great feat, they could not even string in their minds; though they strove, the kings were shaken by the quivering, unyielding bow as they tried to bend it.
विचेष्टमाना धरणीतलस्था यथाबलं शैक्ष्यगुणक्रमाश्च। गतौजसः स्नस्तकिरीटहारा विनिःश्वसन्तः शमयांबभूवुः
Struggling on the ground according to their strength and skill, their vigor spent, their crowns and garlands loosened, they sighed in exhaustion and withdrew.
हहाकृतं तद्धनुषा दृढेन विस्रस्तहाराङ्गदचक्रवालम्। कृष्णानिमित्तं विनिवृत्तकामं राज्ञां तदा मण्डलमार्तमासीत्
The sound made by that unyielding bow caused an outcry; their garlands, armlets, and bracelets slipped off. Because of Kṛṣṇā, the circle of kings was then filled with disappointment and pain.
एवं तेषु निवृत्तेषु क्षत्रियेषु समन्ततः। चेदीनामधिपो वीरो बलवानन्तकोपमः
When all those Kṣatriyas had withdrawn on every side, the powerful king of the Cedis, fierce as Death, arose.
दमघोषात्मजो धीमाञ्शिशुपालो महाद्युतिः। धनुषोऽभ्याशमागम्य तस्थौ राज्ञां समक्षतः
Śiśupāla, the wise and radiant son of Damaghoṣa, approached the bow and stood before the assembled kings.
तदप्यारोप्यमाणं तु माषमात्रेऽभ्यताडयत्। धनुषा पीड्यमानस्तु जानुभ्यामगमन्महीम्
As he tried to string it, he struck it when the string was only a barleycorn’s width from the notch; but pressed by the bow, he fell to his knees upon the ground.
तत उत्थाय राजा स स्वराष्ट्राण्यभिजग्मिवान्। ततो राजा जरासन्धो महावीर्यो महाबलः
Then, rising up, that king returned to his own kingdom; after him came Jarāsandha, of great strength and valor.
कम्बुग्रीवः पृथुव्यंसो मत्तवारणविक्रमः। मत्तवारणताम्राक्षो मत्तवारणवेगवान्
Jarāsandha, with a neck like a conch, broad-chested, possessing the might and stride of a maddened elephant, with eyes coppery like a maddened elephant, and the speed of a maddened elephant.
धनुषोऽभ्याशमागत्य तस्थौ गिरिरिवाचलः। धनुरारोप्यमाणं तु सर्षमात्रेऽभ्यताडयत्
Coming near the bow, he stood firm like a mountain; as the bow was being strung, he struck it to the measure of a mustard seed.
ततः शल्यो महावीर्यो मद्रराजो महाबलः। धनुरारोप्यमाणं तु मुद्गमात्रेऽभ्यताडयत्
Then Shalya, the mighty king of Madra, of great strength, as the bow was being strung, struck it to the measure of a pulse grain.
तदैवागात्स्वयं राज्यं पश्चादनवलोकयन्। इदं धनुर्वरं कोऽद्य सज्यं कुर्वीत पार्थिवः
At that moment, the king himself arrived, not looking back; 'Which king today will string this excellent bow?'
इति निश्चित्य मनसा भूय एव स्थितस्तदा। ततो दुर्योधनो राजा धार्तराष्ट्रः परन्तपः
Having thus resolved in his mind, he stood there again; then King Duryodhana, the Kaurava, subduer of foes,