Arjuna's Austerities on the Himalaya

Verse 1 (3.38.1)

भगवञ्श्रोतुमिच्छामि पार्थस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः । विस्तरेण कथामेतां यथाऽस्त्राण्युपलब्धवान् ॥

bhagavañśrotumicchāmi pārthasyākliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ | vistareṇa kathāmetāṃ yathā'strāṇyupalabdhavān

"Lord, I wish to hear this story of Partha, of tireless deeds, in detail — how he obtained the weapons.

Note on the text: Corrected श्रोतुमिच्छासमि → श्रोतुमिच्छामि (misprint in Wikisource; a stray स, the critical edition reads śrotum icchāmi).

Verse 2 (3.38.2)

कथं च पुरुषव्याघ्रो दीर्घबाहुर्धनंजयः । वनं प्रविष्टस्तेजस्वी निर्मनुष्यमभीतवत् ॥

kathaṃ ca puruṣavyāghro dīrghabāhurdhanaṃjayaḥ | vanaṃ praviṣṭastejasvī nirmanuṣyamabhītavat

And how did that tiger among men, long-armed, splendid Dhananjaya, enter the forest empty of men without fear?

Verse 3 (3.38.3)

किंचानेन कृतं तत्र वसता ब्रह्मवित्तम । कथं च भगवान्स्थाणुर्देवराजश्च तोषितः ॥

kiṃcānena kṛtaṃ tatra vasatā brahmavittama | kathaṃ ca bhagavānsthāṇurdevarājaśca toṣitaḥ

What did he do while he lived there, best of those who know Brahman? And how were the blessed Sthanu and the king of the gods pleased with him?

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (कृतंतत्रवसता → कृतं तत्र वसता). अनेन for tena is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 4 (3.38.4)

एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं त्वत्प्रसादाद्द्विजोत्तम । त्वं हि सर्वज्ञ दिव्यं च मानुषं चैव वेत्थ ह ॥

etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ tvatprasādāddvijottama | tvaṃ hi sarvajña divyaṃ ca mānuṣaṃ caiva vettha ha

This I wish to hear, by your grace, best of the twice-born; for you know all things, divine and human.

Note on the text: Restored a dropped ह at the end of the second line (वेत्थ → वेत्थ ह; the line is a syllable short without it, and the critical edition reads vettha ha).

Verse 5 (3.38.5)

अत्यद्भुतं महाप्राज्ञ रोमहर्षणमर्जुनः । भवेन सह संग्रामं चकाराप्रतिमं किल । पुरा प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठः संग्रामेष्वपराजितः ॥

atyadbhutaṃ mahāprājña romaharṣaṇamarjunaḥ | bhavena saha saṃgrāmaṃ cakārāpratimaṃ kila | purā praharatāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ saṃgrāmeṣvaparājitaḥ

Arjuna, they say, fought a wondrous, hair-raising, matchless battle with Bhava, great sage — he, the best of fighters, never before defeated in battle.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (प्रहरतांश्रेष्ठः → प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठः).

Verse 6 (3.38.6)

यच्छ्रुत्वा नरसिंहानां दैन्यहर्षातिविस्मयात् । शूराणामपि पार्थानां हृदयानि चकम्पिरे ॥

yacchrutvā narasiṃhānāṃ dainyaharṣātivismayāt | śūrāṇāmapi pārthānāṃ hṛdayāni cakampire

Hearing of it, even the hearts of the brave sons of Pritha, lions among men, trembled with dismay, joy and great wonder.

Verse 7 (3.38.7)

यद्यच्च कृतवानन्यत्पार्थस्तदखिलं वद ॥

yadyacca kṛtavānanyatpārthastadakhilaṃ vada

And whatever else Partha did, tell me all of it.

Note on the text: Corrected तदस्विलं → तदखिलं (misprint in Wikisource; स्वि for खि, "all of it"; the critical edition reads tad akhilaṃ). A single line in Wikisource, the critical edition's 3.39.7ab; nothing is lost, the rest of that verse following in the next verse.

Verse 8 (3.38.8)

न ह्यस्य निन्दितं जिष्णोः सुसूक्ष्ममपि लक्षये । चरितं यस्य शूरस्य तन्मे सर्वं प्रकीर्तय ॥

na hyasya ninditaṃ jiṣṇoḥ susūkṣmamapi lakṣaye | caritaṃ yasya śūrasya tanme sarvaṃ prakīrtaya

For I see nothing blameworthy in Jishnu, not even the slightest. Tell me everything about the life of that hero."

Note on the text: Corrected ह्यस् → ह्यस्य (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped य, "in him"; the critical edition reads hy asya). This verse is the critical edition's 3.39.7cd–ef; यस्य for tasya is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 9 (3.38.9)

कथयिष्यामि ते तात कथामेतां महात्मनः । दिव्यां कौरवशार्दूल महतीमद्भुतोपमाम् ॥

kathayiṣyāmi te tāta kathāmetāṃ mahātmanaḥ | divyāṃ kauravaśārdūla mahatīmadbhutopamām

I will tell you, dear one, this story of the great-souled hero, tiger of the Kurus — divine, great and wondrous.

Verse 10 (3.38.10)

गात्रसंस्पर्शसंबद्धां त्र्यम्बकेण महाहवे । पार्थस्य देवदेवेन शृणु सम्यक्समागमम् ॥

gātrasaṃsparśasaṃbaddhāṃ tryambakeṇa mahāhave | pārthasya devadevena śṛṇu samyaksamāgamam

Hear in full of Partha's meeting with the god of gods, the three-eyed one, in that great combat in which they came to grips body to body.

Note on the text: संबद्धां and महाहवे for saṃbandhaṃ and sahānagha are recension variants and are kept.

Verse 11 (3.38.11)

युधिष्ठिरनियोगात्स जगामामितविक्रमः । शक्रं सुरेश्वरं द्रष्टुं देवदेवं च शंकरम् ॥

yudhiṣṭhiraniyogātsa jagāmāmitavikramaḥ | śakraṃ sureśvaraṃ draṣṭuṃ devadevaṃ ca śaṃkaram

At Yudhishthira's bidding, he of boundless prowess went to see Shakra, lord of the gods, and Shankara, the god of gods.

Verse 12 (3.38.12)

दिव्यं तद्धनुरादाय खड्गं च पुरुषर्षभः । महाबलो महाबाहुरर्जुनः कार्यसिद्धये ॥

divyaṃ taddhanurādāya khaḍgaṃ ca puruṣarṣabhaḥ | mahābalo mahābāhurarjunaḥ kāryasiddhaye

Taking that divine bow and his sword, the bull among men, mighty, strong-armed Arjuna, set out to accomplish his task

Note on the text: Corrected खङ्गं → खड्गं (misprint in Wikisource; the word is खड्ग, "sword", as in the critical edition's khaḍgaṃ). This verse is the critical edition's 3.39.11ab–cd.

Verse 13 (3.38.13)

दिशं ह्युदीचीं कौरव्यो हिमवच्छिखरं प्रति । ऐन्द्रिः स्थिरमना राजन्सर्वलोकमहारथः ॥

diśaṃ hyudīcīṃ kauravyo himavacchikharaṃ prati | aindriḥ sthiramanā rājansarvalokamahārathaḥ

toward the northern quarter, toward the peak of the Himalaya — the Kuru prince, Indra's son, steady of mind, O king, the greatest chariot-warrior in all the world.

Note on the text: This verse is the critical edition's 3.39.11ef + 3.39.12ab.

Verse 14 (3.38.14)

त्वरया परया युक्तस्तपसे धृतनिश्चयः । वनं कण्टकितं घोरमेक एवान्वपद्यत ॥

tvarayā parayā yuktastapase dhṛtaniścayaḥ | vanaṃ kaṇṭakitaṃ ghorameka evānvapadyata

Hastening with all speed, resolved on austerity, he entered, all alone, a dreadful forest full of thorns,

Note on the text: This verse is the critical edition's 3.39.12cd–ef.

Verse 15 (3.38.15)

नानापुष्पफलोपेतं नानापक्षिनिनादितम् । नानामृगगणाकीर्णं सिद्धचारणसेवितम् ॥

nānāpuṣpaphalopetaṃ nānāpakṣinināditam | nānāmṛgagaṇākīrṇaṃ siddhacāraṇasevitam

rich in every kind of flower and fruit, ringing with many birds, crowded with many herds of beasts, and frequented by Siddhas and Charanas.

Verse 16 (3.38.16)

ततः प्रयाते बीभत्सौ वनं मानुषवर्जितम् । शङ्खानां पटहानां च शब्दः समभवद्दिवि ॥

tataḥ prayāte bībhatsau vanaṃ mānuṣavarjitam | śaṅkhānāṃ paṭahānāṃ ca śabdaḥ samabhavaddivi

When Bibhatsu had gone into that forest empty of men, the sound of conches and drums arose in the sky.

Verse 17 (3.38.17)

पुष्पवर्षं च सुमहन्निपपात महीतले । मेघजालं च सततं छादयामास सर्वतः ॥

puṣpavarṣaṃ ca sumahannipapāta mahītale | meghajālaṃ ca satataṃ chādayāmāsa sarvataḥ

A great shower of flowers fell upon the earth, and an unbroken mass of cloud covered everything.

Verse 18 (3.38.18)

सोऽतीत्य वनदुर्गाणि सन्निकर्षे महागिरेः । शुशुभे हिमवत्पृष्ठे वसमानोऽर्जुनस्तदा ॥

so'tītya vanadurgāṇi sannikarṣe mahāgireḥ | śuśubhe himavatpṛṣṭhe vasamāno'rjunastadā

Passing beyond the forest's rough places, Arjuna, dwelling near the great mountain, shone on the Himalayan slope.

Note on the text: Corrected सोतीत्य → सोऽतीत्य (missing avagraha).

Verse 19 (3.38.19)

तत्र तत्र द्रुमान्फुल्लान्विहगैर्वल्गुनादितान् । नदीश्च विपुलावर्ता वैदूर्यनीलसंनिभाः ॥

tatra tatra drumānphullānvihagairvalgunāditān | nadīśca vipulāvartā vaidūryanīlasaṃnibhāḥ

Here and there were trees in blossom, sweetly loud with birds, and rivers with many eddies, the colour of blue beryl,

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (तत्रतत्र → तत्र तत्र). The line differs from the critical edition's tatrāpaśyad drumān, a recension variant; the verb "seeing" comes in verse 21.

Verse 20 (3.38.20)

हंसकारण्डवोद्गीताः सारसाभिरुतास्तथा । पुंस्कोकिलरुताश्चैव क्रौञ्चबर्हिणनादिताः ॥

haṃsakāraṇḍavodgītāḥ sārasābhirutāstathā | puṃskokilarutāścaiva krauñcabarhiṇanāditāḥ

resounding with the songs of swans and karandava ducks and the cries of cranes, with the calls of male cuckoos, of curlews and of peacocks.

Verse 21 (3.38.21)

मनोहरवनोपेतास्तस्मिन्नतिरथोऽर्जुनः । पुण्यशीतामलजलाः पश्यन्प्रीतमनाऽभवत् ॥

manoharavanopetāstasminnatiratho'rjunaḥ | puṇyaśītāmalajalāḥ paśyanprītamanā'bhavat

Gazing on those rivers of pure, cool, clear water, set among lovely woods, the peerless chariot-warrior Arjuna was glad at heart.

Verse 22 (3.38.22)

रमणीये वनोद्देशे रममाणोऽर्जुनस्तदा । तपस्युग्रे वर्तमान उग्रतेजा महामनाः ॥

ramaṇīye vanoddeśe ramamāṇo'rjunastadā | tapasyugre vartamāna ugratejā mahāmanāḥ

Delighting in that lovely forest country, Arjuna, fierce in energy and great of mind, gave himself to fierce austerity.

Verse 23 (3.38.23)

दर्भचीरं निवस्याथ दण्डाजिनविभूषितः । शीर्णं च पतितं भूमौ पर्णं समुपभुक्तवान् ॥

darbhacīraṃ nivasyātha daṇḍājinavibhūṣitaḥ | śīrṇaṃ ca patitaṃ bhūmau parṇaṃ samupabhuktavān

Clad in a garment of darbha grass, bearing staff and deerskin, he ate withered leaves that had fallen to the ground.

Note on the text: Corrected बिभूषितः → विभूषितः (misprint in Wikisource; ब for व; the critical edition reads vibhūṣitaḥ). The first line is the critical edition's 3.39.21ab and the second its 3.39.22cd (Wikisource orders the lines differently).

Verse 24 (3.38.24)

पूर्णे पूर्णे त्रिरात्रे तु मासमेकं फलाशनः । द्विगुणेनैव कालेन द्वितीयं मासमत्ययात् ॥

pūrṇe pūrṇe trirātre tu māsamekaṃ phalāśanaḥ | dviguṇenaiva kālena dvitīyaṃ māsamatyayāt

For one month he ate fruit at the close of every third night; for the second month he ate at twice that interval.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (पूर्णेपूर्णे → पूर्णे पूर्णे) and corrected त्रिररात्रे → त्रिरात्रे (misprint in Wikisource; a doubled र; the critical edition reads trirātre). This verse is the critical edition's 3.39.21cd–ef; अत्ययात् ("he passed", as the page's commentary glosses it) for atyagāt is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 25 (3.38.25)

तृतीयमपि मासं स क्रमेणाहारमाचरन् । चतुर्थे त्वथ संप्राप्ते मासे भरतसत्तमः ॥

tṛtīyamapi māsaṃ sa krameṇāhāramācaran | caturthe tvatha saṃprāpte māse bharatasattamaḥ

The third month too he passed, taking food at ever longer intervals; and when the fourth month came, that best of the Bharatas,

Note on the text: This verse is the critical edition's 3.39.22ab + 3.39.23ab; क्रमेण for pakṣeṇa and मासे भरतसत्तमः for māsi pūrṇe tataḥ param are recension variants and are kept.

Verse 26 (3.38.26)

वायुभक्षो महाबाहुरभवत्पाण्डुनन्दनः । ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्निरालम्बः पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रविष्ठितः ॥

vāyubhakṣo mahābāhurabhavatpāṇḍunandanaḥ | ūrdhvabāhurnirālambaḥ pādāṅguṣṭhāgraviṣṭhitaḥ

the mighty-armed son of Pandu, lived on air alone, his arms raised, without support, standing on the tips of his great toes.

Note on the text: Corrected अग्रधिष्ठितः → अग्रविष्ठितः (misprint in Wikisource; अग्रधिष्ठित is no word, and the sense "standing on the tips of his great toes" is evident; the critical edition reads pādāṅguṣṭhāgraviṣṭhitaḥ). This verse is the critical edition's 3.39.23cd–ef.

Verse 27 (3.38.27)

सदोपस्पर्शनाच्चास्य बभूवुरमितौजसः । विद्युदम्भोरुहनिभा जटास्तस्य महात्मनः ॥

sadopasparśanāccāsya babhūvuramitaujasaḥ | vidyudambhoruhanibhā jaṭāstasya mahātmanaḥ

From his constant bathing, the matted locks of that great-souled one of boundless energy took on the hue of lightning and of lotuses.

Verse 28 (3.38.28)

ततो महर्षयः सर्वे जग्मुर्देवं पिनाकिनम् । निवेदयिषवः पार्थं तपस्युग्रे समास्थितम् ॥

tato maharṣayaḥ sarve jagmurdevaṃ pinākinam | nivedayiṣavaḥ pārthaṃ tapasyugre samāsthitam

Then all the great sages went to the god who bears the Pinaka bow, wishing to tell him of Partha, who was set on fierce austerity.

Note on the text: Corrected विवेदयिषवः → निवेदयिषवः (misprint in Wikisource; व for न, "wishing to report"; the critical edition's apparatus reads nivedayiṣavaḥ). The first line is the critical edition's 3.39.25ab; the second is not in its constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus has it as 3.39.25b*0161).

Verse 29 (3.38.29)

नीलकण्ठं महादेवमभिवाद्य प्रणम्य च । सर्वे निवेदयामासुः कर्म तत्फल्गुनस्य ह ॥

nīlakaṇṭhaṃ mahādevamabhivādya praṇamya ca | sarve nivedayāmāsuḥ karma tatphalgunasya ha

Saluting and bowing before the blue-throated Mahadeva, they all told him of what Phalguna was doing.

Note on the text: This verse answers to the critical edition's 3.39.25cd–ef; its first line (नीलकण्ठं महादेवमभिवाद्य प्रणम्य च for śitikaṇṭhaṃ mahābhāgaṃ praṇipatya prasādya ca) is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 30 (3.38.30)

एकः पार्थो महातेजा हिमवत्पृष्ठमाश्रितः । उग्रे तपसि दुष्पारे स्थितो धूमापयन्दिशः ॥

ekaḥ pārtho mahātejā himavatpṛṣṭhamāśritaḥ | ugre tapasi duṣpāre sthito dhūmāpayandiśaḥ

"Partha, of great energy, alone on the Himalayan slope, stands in fierce austerity hard to endure, filling the quarters with smoke.

Note on the text: Corrected तपरसि → तपसि (misprint in Wikisource; a stray र; the critical edition reads tapasi). एकः for eṣa and धूमापयन् (glossed by the page's commentary) for dhūmāyayan are recension variants and are kept. Speaker: the sages' report to Shiva, introduced in the previous verse.

Verse 31 (3.38.31)

तस्य देवेश न वयं विद्मः सर्वे चिकीर्षितम् । संतापयति नः सर्वानसौ साधु निवार्यताम् ॥

tasya deveśa na vayaṃ vidmaḥ sarve cikīrṣitam | saṃtāpayati naḥ sarvānasau sādhu nivāryatām

Lord of the gods, none of us knows what he means to do. He scorches us all; let him be properly restrained."

Verse 32 (3.38.32)

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम् । उमापतिर्भूतपतिर्वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ॥

teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā munīnāṃ bhāvitātmanām | umāpatirbhūtapatirvākyametaduvāca ha

Hearing those words of the sages of purified soul, the lord of Uma, lord of all beings, spoke these words:

Note on the text: Corrected मुननां → मुनीनां (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped vowel sign, "of the sages"; the critical edition's apparatus reads munīnāṃ). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has these lines as 3.39.27d*0162, where the critical edition has the heading maheśvara uvāca.

Verse 33 (3.38.33)

न वो विषादः कर्तव्यः फल्गुनं प्रति सर्वशः । शीघ्रं गच्छत संहृष्टा यथागतमतन्द्रिताः ॥

na vo viṣādaḥ kartavyaḥ phalgunaṃ prati sarvaśaḥ | śīghraṃ gacchata saṃhṛṣṭā yathāgatamatandritāḥ

"You must not be troubled at all on Phalguna's account. Go back quickly, as you came, glad and untroubled.

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus has it as 3.39.28d*0163); the second is 3.39.28ab. Speaker: Shiva, introduced in the previous verse (the critical edition prints the heading maheśvara uvāca).

Verse 34 (3.38.34)

अहमस्य विजानामि संकल्पं मनसि स्थितम् । नास्य स्वर्गस्पृहा काचिन्नैश्वर्यस्य न चायुषः । यत्तस्य काङ्क्षितं प्राप्तुं तत्करिष्येऽहमद्य वै ॥

ahamasya vijānāmi saṃkalpaṃ manasi sthitam | nāsya svargaspṛhā kācinnaiśvaryasya na cāyuṣaḥ | yattasya kāṅkṣitaṃ prāptuṃ tatkariṣye'hamadya vai

I know the resolve that is in his mind. He has no longing for heaven, nor for lordship, nor for long life; what he longs to gain, that I will bring about this very day."

Note on the text: This verse is the critical edition's 3.39.28cd + 3.39.29; यत्तस्य काङ्क्षितं प्राप्तुं for yat tv asya kāṅkṣitaṃ sarvaṃ is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 35 (3.38.35)

तच्छ्रुत्वा शर्ववचनमृषयः सत्यवादिनः । प्रहृष्टमनसो जग्मुर्यथास्वं पुनराश्रमम् ॥

tacchrutvā śarvavacanamṛṣayaḥ satyavādinaḥ | prahṛṣṭamanaso jagmuryathāsvaṃ punarāśramam

Hearing Sharva's words, the truthful sages went back, glad at heart, each to his own hermitage.