The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Adi Parva
Religion
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Adi Parva
Epic literature, Sanskrit
And accordingly the Pandavas went, with all their friends and followers,
to Khandavaprastha taking with them many jewels and precious stones. And
the sons of Pritha dwelt there for many years. And they brought, by force
of arms, many a prince under their subjection. And thus, setting their
hearts on virtue and firmly adhering to truth, unruffled by affluence,
calm in deportment, and putting down numerous evils, the Pandavas
gradually rose to power. And Bhima of great reputation subjugated the East,
the heroic Arjuna, the North, Nakula, the West, Sahadeva that slayer of
all hostile heroes, the South. And this having been done, their domination
was spread over the whole world. And with the five Pandavas, each like
unto the Sun, the Earth looked as if she had six Suns.
"'Then, for some reason, Yudhishthira the just, gifted with great energy
and prowess, sent his brother Arjuna who was capable of drawing the bow
with the left hand, dearer unto him than life itself, into the woods. And
Arjuna, that tiger among men, of firm soul, and gifted with every virtue,
lived in the woods for eleven years and months. And during this period, on
a certain occasion, Arjuna went to Krishna in Dwaravati. And Vibhatsu
(Arjuna) there obtained for a wife the lotus-eyed and sweet-speeched
younger sister of Vasudeva, Subhadra by name. And she became united, in
gladness, with Arjuna, the son of Pandu, like Sachi with the great Indra,
or Sri with Krishna himself. And then, O best of monarchs, Arjuna, the son
of Kunti, with Vasudeva, gratified Agni, the carrier of the sacrificial
butter, in the forest of Khandava (by burning the medicinal plants in that
woods to cure Agni of his indigestion). And to Arjuna, assisted as he was
by Kesava, the task did not at all appear heavy even as nothing is heavy
to Vishnu with immense design and resources in the matter of destroying
his enemies. And Agni gave unto the son of Pritha the excellent bow
Gandiva and a quiver that was inexhaustible, and a war-chariot bearing the
figure of Garuda on its standard. And it was on this occasion that Arjuna
relieved the great Asura (Maya) from fear (of being consumed in the fire).
And Maya, in gratitude, built (for the Pandavas) a celestial palace decked
with every sort of jewels and precious stones. And the wicked Duryodhana,
beholding that building, was tempted with the desire of possessing it. And
deceiving Yudhishthira by means of the dice played through the hands of
the son of Suvala, Duryodhana sent the Pandavas into the woods for twelve
years and one additional year to be passed in concealment, thus making the
period full thirteen.
"'And the fourteenth year, O monarch, when the Pandavas returned and
claimed their property, they did not obtain it. And thereupon war was
declared, and the Pandavas, after exterminating the whole race of
Kshatriyas and slaying king Duryodhana, obtained back their devastated
kingdom.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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