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Mahābhārata • Parva 16 (Mausalaparva) • Adhyāya 8

Mausalaparva Adhyāya 8

मौसलपर्व • अध्यायः 8

Mausalaparva Adhyāya 8 of the classical Mahābhārata with 75 verses.

Total: 75 Verses • Citations: MBh 16.8.1–75 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 2 of 3 (Verses 30 shown)
यथाप्रधानतश्चैव चक्रे सर्वाः क्रियास्तदा । ये हता ब्रह्मशापेन मुसलैरेरकोद्भवैः ॥
English Translation
The last rites were performed, according to the order of seniority, to the bodies of those heroes killed by the iron bolts born, by virtue of the curse denounced by the Brahmanas, of the blades of Eraka grass.
ततः शरीरे रामस्य वासुदेवस्य चोभयोः । अन्विष्य दाहयामास पुरुषैराप्तकारिभिः ॥
English Translation
Searching out the bodies then of Rama and Vasudeva, Arjuna caused them to be burnt by expert persons.
स तेषां विधिवत्कृत्वा प्रेतकार्याणि पाण्डवः । सप्तमे दिवसे प्रायाद्रथमारुह्य सत्वरः । अश्वयुक्तै रथैश्चापि गोखरोष्ट्रयुतैरपि ॥
English Translation
The son of Pandu, having next perforined duly those rites that are done to the manes of the dead, quickly started on the seventh day, mounting on his car.
स्त्रियस्ता वृष्णिवीराणां रुदत्यः शोककर्शिताः । अनुजग्मुर्महात्मानं पाण्डुपुत्रं धनंजयम् ॥
भृत्यास्त्वन्धकवृष्णीनां सादिनो रथिनश्च ये । वीरहीनं वृद्धबालं पौरजानपदास्तथा । ययुस्ते परिवार्याथ कलत्रं पार्थशासनात् ॥
English Translation
The citizens and the inhabitants of the country, at the command of Pritha's son, started at the same time and proceeded, surrounding that cavalcade destitute of heroes and numbering only women and the aged and the children.
कुञ्जरैश्च गजारोहा ययुः शैलनिभैस्तथा । सपादरक्षैः संयुक्ताः सोत्तरायुधिका ययुः ॥
English Translation
The warriors who fought from the backs of elephants proceeded on elephants as huge as hills. The infanty also set out, together with the reserves.
पुत्राश्चान्धकवृष्णीनां सर्वे पार्थमनुव्रताः । ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राश्चैव महाधनाः ॥
English Translation
The children of the Andhaka, and the Vrishni races, all followed Arjuna. The Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, and rich Shudras, started keeping before them the sixteen thousand women who had formed Vasudeva's harem and Vajra, the grandson of the intelligent Krishna.
दश षट्च सहस्राणि वासुदेवावरोधनम् । पुरस्कृत्य ययुर्वज्रं पौत्रं कृष्णस्य धीमतः ॥
बहूनि च सहस्राणि प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च । भोजवृष्ण्यन्धकस्त्रीणां हतनाथानि निर्ययुः ॥
English Translation
The widows of the other heroes of the Bhoja, the Vrishni and the Andhaka races, lordless now, that started with Arjuna, numbered many millions.
तत्सागरसमप्रख्यं वृष्णिचक्रं महर्द्धिमत् । उवाह रथिनां श्रेष्ठः पार्थः परपुरंजयः ॥
English Translation
That foremost of car-warriors, that conqueror of hostile towns viz., the son of Pritha, escorted this huge procession of Vrishnis, which still abounded with wealth, and which looked like a veritable ocean.
निर्याते तु जने तस्मिन्सागरो मकरालयः । द्वारकां रत्नसंपूर्णां जलेनाप्लावयत्तदा ॥
English Translation
After all the people had started, the ocean, the home of sharks, and alligators, flooded Dwraka, which still teemed with riches of every kind, with its waters.
तदद्भुतमभिप्रेक्ष्य द्वारकावासिनो जनाः । तूर्णात्तूर्णतरं जग्मुरहो दैवमिति ब्रुवन् ॥
English Translation
Seeing this wonderful spectacle, the inhabitants of Dwraka walked faster and faster, saying. Wonderful is the course of fate.'
काननेषु च रम्येषु पर्वतेषु नदीषु च । निवसन्नानयामास वृष्णिदारान्धनंजयः ॥
English Translation
Dhananjaya, after abandoning Dwraka, proceeded by slow marches, causing the Vrishni women to rest in charming forests and mountain and by the sides of delightful rivers.
स पञ्चनदमासाद्य धीमानतिसमृद्धिमत् । देशे गोपशुधान्याढ्ये निवासमकरोत्प्रभुः ॥
English Translation
Arrived at the country of the five waters, the powerful Dhananjaya encamped in the midst of a land that abounded with corn and kine and other animals.
ततो लोभः समभवद्दस्यूनां निहतेश्वराः । दृष्ट्वा स्त्रियो नीयमानाः पार्थेनैकेन भारत ॥
English Translation
Seeing those widows escorted by Pritha's son alone, O Bharata, the robbers felt a great temptation.
ततस्ते पापकर्माणो लोभोपहतचेतसः । आभीरा मन्त्रयामासुः समेत्याशुभदर्शनाः ॥
English Translation
Then those sinful wretches, with hearts possessed by cupidity, viz., those Abhiras of ill omen, assembled together and held consultation.
अयमेकोऽर्जुनो योद्धा वृद्धबालं हतेश्वरम् । नयत्यस्मानतिक्रम्य योधाश्चेमे हतौजसः ॥
English Translation
They said, 'Here there is only one bowman, viz., Arjuna. The party consists of children and the old. He escorts them alone. The warriors (of the Vrishnis) are without energy.
ततो यष्टिप्रहरणा दस्यवस्ते सहस्रशः । अभ्यधावन्त वृष्णीनां तं जनं लोप्त्रहारिणः ॥
English Translation
Then those robbers, numbering by thousands, and armed with clubs, rushed a towards the procession of the Vrishnis for looting them.
महता सिंहनादेन द्रावयन्तः पृथग्जनम् । अभिपेतुर्धनार्थं ते कालपर्यायचोदिताः ॥
English Translation
Urged by the perverse course of time, they fell upon that party, frightening it will loud leonine shouts and desirous of slaughter.
ततो निवृत्तः कौन्तेयः सहसा सपदानुगः । उवाच तान्महाबाहुरर्जुनः प्रहसन्निव ॥
English Translation
The son of Kunti, suddenly ceasing to advance along the path, turned, with his followers, towards the place where the robbers had attacked the party. Smiling the while, that mighty-armed warrior addressed the assailants, saying. “You sinful wretches, stop, if you love your lives! You will rue this when I cut your bodies with my arrows and take your lives.'
निवर्तध्वमधर्मज्ञा यदि स्थ न मुमूर्षवः । नेदानीं शरनिर्भिन्नाः शोचध्वं निहता मया ॥
तथोक्तास्तेन वीरेण कदर्थीकृत्य तद्वचः । अभिपेतुर्जनं मूढा वार्यमाणाः पुनः पुनः ॥
English Translation
Though thus addressed by that hero, they disregarded his words, and though repeatedly dissuaded, they fell upon Arjuna.
ततोऽर्जुनो धनुर्दिव्यं गाण्डीवमजरं महत् । आरोपयितुमारेभे यत्नादिव कथंचन ॥
English Translation
Then Arjuna tried to string his large, indestructible, celestial bow with some effort.
चकार सज्यं कृच्छ्रेण संभ्रमे तुमुले सति । चिन्तयामास चास्त्राणि न च सस्मार तान्यपि ॥
English Translation
He succeeded with great difficulty in stringing it, when the battle had become furious. He then began to think of his celestial weapons but they would not come to his mind.
वैकृत्यं तन्महद्दृष्ट्वा भुजवीर्ये तथा युधि । दिव्यानां च महास्त्राणां विनाशाद्व्रीडितोऽभवत् ॥
English Translation
Seeing that furious battle, the loss of the might of his arm, and the non appearance of his celestial weapons, Arjuna became greatly ashamed.
वृष्णियोधाश्च ते सर्वे गजाश्वरथयायिनः । न शेकुरावर्तयितुं ह्रियमाणं च तं जनम् ॥
English Translation
The Vrishni warriors including the infantry, the elephant-warriors, and the car-men, failed to rescue those Vrishni women who were being snatched away by the robbers.
कलत्रस्य बहुत्वात्तु संपतत्सु ततस्ततः । प्रयत्नमकरोत्पार्थो जनस्य परिरक्षणे ॥
English Translation
The concourse was very large. The robbers attacked it, at different points. Arjuna tried his best to protect it, but could not succeed.
मिषतां सर्वयोधानां ततस्ताः प्रमदोत्तमाः । समन्ततोऽवकृष्यन्त कामाच्चान्याः प्रवव्रजुः ॥
English Translation
Before the eyes of all the warriors, many foremost of ladies were dragged away, while others went away with the robbers of their own accord.
ततो गाण्डीवनिर्मुक्तैः शरैः पार्थो धनंजयः । जघान दस्यून्सोद्वेगो वृष्णिभृत्यैः सह प्रभुः ॥
English Translation
The powerful Arjuna, supported by the servants of the Vrishnis, struck the robbers with arrows shot off Gandiva.
क्षणेन तस्य ते राजन्क्षयं जग्मुरजिह्मगाः । अक्षया हि पुरा भूत्वा क्षीणाः क्षतजभोजनाः ॥
English Translation
Soon, however, O king, is arrows were exhausted. In former days his arrows had been inexhaustible. Now, however, they proved otherwise.
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