Chapter 37

Vaisampayana said, “After some time, Yudhishthira the just, rememberingthe command of the Muni (Vyasa) and calling unto himself that bull amongmen–Arjuna–possessed of great wisdom, addressed him in private. Takinghold of Arjuna’s hands, with a smiling face and in gentle accents, thatchastiser of foes–the virtuous Yudhishthira–apparently after reflectingfor a moment, spake these words in private unto Dhananjaya, ‘O Bharata,the whole science of arms dwelleth in Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa, andKarna, and Drona’s son. They fully know all sorts of Brahma and celestialand human and Vayavya weapons, together with the modes of using andwarding them off. All of them are conciliated and honoured and gratifiedby Dhritarashtra’s son who behaveth unto them as one should behave untohis preceptor. Towards all his warriors Dhritarashtra’s son behaveth withgreat affection; and all the chiefs honoured and gratified by him, seekhis good in return. Thus honoured by him, they will not fail to put forththeir might. The whole earth, besides, is now under Duryodhana’s sway,with all the villages and towns, O son of Pritha, and all the seas andwoods and mines! Thou alone art our sole refuge. On thee resteth a greatburden. I shall, therefore, O chastiser of all foes, tell thee what thouart to do now. I have obtained a science from Krishna Dwaipayana. Used bythee, that science will expose the whole universe to thee. O child,attentively receive thou that science from me, and in due time (by itsaid) attain thou the grace of the celestials. And, O bull of the Bharatarace, devote thyself to fierce asceticism. Armed with the bow and sword,and cased in mail, betake thyself to austerities and good vows, and gothou northwards, O child, without giving way to anybody. O Dhananjaya,all celestial weapons are with Indra. The celestials, from fear ofVritra, imparted at the time all their might to Sakra. Gathered togetherin one place, thou wilt obtain all weapons. Go thou unto Sakra, he willgive thee all his weapons. Taking the bow set thou out this very day inorder to behold Purandara.”

Vaisampayana continued, “Having said this, the exalted Yudhishthira thejust, imparted that science unto Arjuna. And the elder brother havingcommunicated with due rites the knowledge unto his heroic brother, withspeech and body and mind under perfect control, commanded him to depart.And at the command of Yudhishthira, the strong-armed Arjuna, taking upthe Gandiva as also his inexhaustible quivers, and accoutred in mail andgauntlets and finger-protectors made of the skin of the guana, and havingpoured oblations into the fire and made the Brahmanas to utterbenedictions after gifts, set out (from Kamyaka) with the objects ofbeholding Indra. And armed with the bow, the hero, at the time of settingout heaved a sigh and cast a look upwards for achieving the death ofDhritarashtra’s sons. And beholding Kunti’s son thus armed and about toset out, the Brahmanas and Siddhas and invisible spirits addressed him,saying, ‘O son of Kunti, obtain thou soon what thou wishest.’ And theBrahmanas, also uttering benedictions said, ‘Achieve thou the object thouhast in view. Let victory be truly thine.’ And beholding the heroicArjuna, of thighs stout as the trunks of the Sala, about to set outtaking away with him the hearts of all, Krishna addressed him saying, ‘Othou strong-armed one, let all that Kunti had desired at thy birth, andlet all that thou desirest, be accomplished, O Dhananjaya! Let no oneamongst us be ever again born in the order of Kshatriyas. I always bowdown unto the Brahmanas whose mode of living is mendicancy. This is mygreat grief that the wretch Duryodhana beholding me in the assembly ofprinces mockingly called me a cow! Besides this he told me in the midstof that assembly many other hard things. But the grief I experience atparting with thee is far greater than any I felt at those insults.Certainly, in thy absence, thy brothers will while away their wakinghours in repeatedly talking of thy heroic deeds! If, however, O son ofPritha, thou stayest away for any length of time, we shall derive nopleasure from our enjoyments or from wealth. Nay, life itself will bedistasteful to us. O son of Pritha, our weal, and woe, life and death,our kingdom and prosperity, are all dependent on thee. O Bharata, I blessthee, let success be thine. O sinless one, thy (present) task thou wiltbe able to achieve even against powerful enemies. O thou of greatstrength, go thou to win success with speed. Let dangers be not thine. Ibow to Dhatri and Vidhatri! I bless thee. Let prosperity be thine. And, ODhananjaya, let Hri, Sree, Kirti, Dhriti, Pushti, Uma, Lakshmi,Saraswati, all protect thee on thy way, for thou ever worshippest thyelder brother and ever obeyest his commands. And, O bull of the Bharatarace, I bow to the Vasus, the Rudras and Adityas, the Manilas, theViswadevas, and the Sadhyas, for procuring thy welfare. And, O Bharata,be thou safe from all spirits of mischief belonging to the sky, theearth, and the heaven, and from such other spirits generally.'”

Vaisampayana continued, “Krishna, the daughter of Yajnasena, havinguttered these benedictions, ceased. The strong-armed son of Pandu then,having walked round his brothers and round Dhaumya also, and taking uphis handsome bow, set out. And all creatures began to leave the way thatArjuna of great energy and prowess, urged by the desire of beholdingIndra, took. And that slayer of foes passed over many mountains inhabitedby ascetics, and then reached the sacred Himavat, the resort of thecelestials. And the high-souled one reached the sacred mountain in oneday, for like the winds he was gifted with the speed of the mind, inconsequence of his ascetic austerities. And having crossed the Himavat,as also the Gandhamadana, he passed over many uneven and dangerous spots,walking night and day without fatigue. And having reached Indrakila,Dhananjaya stopped for a moment. And then he heard a voice in the skies,saying, ‘Stop!’ And hearing that voice, the son of Pandu cast his glancesall around. And Arjuna, capable of using his left hand with skill equalto that of his right hand, then beheld before him an ascetic under theshade of a tree, blazing with Brahma brilliancy, of a tawny colour, withmatted locks, and thin. And the mighty ascetic, beholding Arjuna stop att at place, addressed him, saying, ‘Who art thou, O child, arrived hitherwith bow and arrows, and cased in mail and accoutred in scabbard andgauntlet, and (evidently) wedded to the customs of the Kshatriya? Thereis no need of weapons here. This is the abode of peaceful Brahmanasdevoted to ascetic austerities without anger or joy. There is no use forthe bow here, for there is no dispute in this place of any kind.Therefore throw away, O child, this bow of thine. Thou hast obtained apure state of life by coming here. O hero, there is no man who is likethee in energy and prowess.’ That Brahmana thus addressed Arjuna, with asmiling face, repeatedly. But he succeeded not in moving Arjuna, firmlydevoted to his purpose. The regenerate one, glad at heart, smilinglyaddressed Arjuna once more, saying, ‘O slayer of foes, blest be thou! Iam Sakra: ask thou the boon thou desirest.’ Thus addressed, thatperpetuator of the Kuru race, the heroic Dhananjaya bending his head andjoining his hands, replied unto him of a thousand eyes, saying, ‘Eventhis is the object of my wishes; grant me this boon, O illustrious one. Idesire to learn from thee all the weapons.’ The chief of the celestialsthen, smiling, replied unto him cheerfully, saying, ‘O Dhananjaya, whenthou hast reached this region, what need is there of weapons? Thou hastalready obtained a pure state of life. Ask thou for the regions of blissthat thou desirest.’ Thus addressed, Dhananjaya replied unto him o athousand eyes, saying, ‘I desire not regions of bliss, nor objects ofenjoyment, nor the state of a celestial; what is this talk abouthappiness? O chief of the celestials, I do not desire the prosperity ofall the gods. Having left my brothers behind me in the forest, andwithout avenging myself on the foe, shall I incur the opprobrium for allages of all the world.” Thus addressed, the slayer of Vritra, worshippedof the worlds, consoling him with gentle words, spare unto the son ofPandu, saying, ‘When thou art able to behold the three-eyedtrident-bearing Siva, the lord of all creatures, it is then, O child,that I will give thee all the celestial weapons. Therefore, strive thouto obtain the sight of the highest of the gods; for it is only after thouhast seen him. O son of Kunti, that thou will obtain all thy wishes.’Having spoken thus unto Phalguna, Sakra disappeared then and there, andArjuna, devoting himself to asceticism, remained at that spot.”