Arjuna Salutes His Elders with Arrows

Verse 1 (4.54.1)

तथा व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु कौरवेयैर्महारथैः । उपायादर्जुनस्तूर्णं रथघोषेण नादयन् ॥

tathā vyūḍheṣvanīkeṣu kauraveyairmahārathaiḥ | upāyādarjunastūrṇaṃ rathaghoṣeṇa nādayan

When the great Kaurava chariot-warriors had drawn up their divisions in this way, Arjuna came on swiftly, filling the air with the roar of his chariot.

Note on the text: Corrected उपायादर्जुनंस्तूर्णं → उपायादर्जुनस्तूर्णं (misprint in Wikisource; a stray anusvara on the nominative अर्जुनः; the critical edition reads arjunas).

Verse 2 (4.54.2)

ददृशुस्ते ध्वजाग्रं वै शुश्रुवुश्च रथस्वनम् । दोधूयमानस्य भृशं गाण्डीवस्य च निस्वनम् ॥

dadṛśuste dhvajāgraṃ vai śuśruvuśca rathasvanam | dodhūyamānasya bhṛśaṃ gāṇḍīvasya ca nisvanam

They saw the top of his banner and heard the rumble of his chariot, and the loud twang of the Gandiva as he shook it again and again.

Verse 3 (4.54.3)

त्रिकोशमात्रं गत्वा तु पाण्डवः श्वेतवाहनः । सेनामुखमभिप्रेक्ष्य पार्थो वैराटिमब्रवीत् ॥

trikośamātraṃ gatvā tu pāṇḍavaḥ śvetavāhanaḥ | senāmukhamabhiprekṣya pārtho vairāṭimabravīt

When he had gone about three krosas, Partha, the Pandava of the white horses, looked over the front of the army and said to Virata's son:

Note on the text: Corrected संनामुखम् → सेनामुखम् (misprint in Wikisource; संना is not a word; the critical edition's apparatus reads senāmukham). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.48.2d*0871, lines 1–2.

Verse 4 (4.54.4)

राजानं नात्र पश्यामि रथानीके व्यवस्थितम् । दक्षिणं पक्षमादाय कुरवो यान्त्युदङ्मुखाः ॥

rājānaṃ nātra paśyāmi rathānīke vyavasthitam | dakṣiṇaṃ pakṣamādāya kuravo yāntyudaṅmukhāḥ

I do not see the king stationed here in the chariot ranks. The Kurus are moving off northward, taking the right wing with them.

Note on the text: Corrected कुरुवो → कुरवो and उदङ्भुंखाः → उदङ्मुखाः (misprints in Wikisource; कुरुवः is not a form of कुरु, and भुंखाः is a garbled मुखाः; the critical edition's apparatus reads kuravo yānty udaṅmukhāḥ). Arjuna's speech (no speaker heading printed). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.48.2d*0871, lines 3–4 (reading āsthāya for ādāya).

Verse 5 (4.54.5)

उत्सृज्यैतद्रथानीकं महेष्वासाभिरक्षितम् । गवाग्रमभितो याहि यावत्पश्यामि मे रिपुम् ॥

utsṛjyaitadrathānīkaṃ maheṣvāsābhirakṣitam | gavāgramabhito yāhi yāvatpaśyāmi me ripum

Leave this chariot division, guarded by great archers, and drive round toward the head of the herd, until I can see my enemy.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.48.2d*0871, lines 5–6.

Verse 6 (4.54.6)

गवाग्रमभितो गत्वा गाश्चैवाशु निवर्तय । यावदेते निवर्तन्ते कुरवो जवमास्थिताः । तावदेव पशून्सर्वान्निवर्तिष्ये तवाभिभो ॥

gavāgramabhito gatvā gāścaivāśu nivartaya | yāvadete nivartante kuravo javamāsthitāḥ | tāvadeva paśūnsarvānnivartiṣye tavābhibho

Once you have gone round to the head of the herd, turn the cows back quickly. While these Kurus are turning back at full speed, in that very time I will turn back all the cattle for you, my prince.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.48.2d*0871, lines 7–9 (reading gāś cāśu vinivartaya).

Verse 7 (4.54.7)

इत्युक्त्वा समरे पार्थो वैराटिमपराजितः । सव्यं पक्षमनुप्राप्य जवेनाश्वानचोदयत् ॥

ityuktvā samare pārtho vairāṭimaparājitaḥ | savyaṃ pakṣamanuprāpya javenāśvānacodayat

Having said this to Virata's son on the field, the unconquered Partha moved to the left wing and had the horses driven on at speed.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.48.2d*0871, lines 10–11.

Verse 8 (4.54.8)

ततोऽभ्यवादयत्पार्थो भीष्मं शान्तनवं कृपम् । द्वाभ्यांद्वाभ्यां तथाऽऽचार्यं द्रोणं प्रथमतः क्रमात् ॥

tato'bhyavādayatpārtho bhīṣmaṃ śāntanavaṃ kṛpam | dvābhyāṃdvābhyāṃ tathā''cāryaṃ droṇaṃ prathamataḥ kramāt

Then Partha saluted Bhishma son of Shantanu and Kripa, and likewise the teacher Drona, whom he honoured first of all, with two arrows each.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.48.2d*0871, lines 12–13 (the last quarter reads droṇaṃ ca niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ).

Verse 9 (4.54.9)

द्रोणं कृपं च भीष्मं च पृषत्कैरभ्यवादयत् । ततस्तत्सर्वमालोक्य द्रोणो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

droṇaṃ kṛpaṃ ca bhīṣmaṃ ca pṛṣatkairabhyavādayat | tatastatsarvamālokya droṇo vacanamabravīt

With his arrows he saluted Drona, Kripa and Bhishma. Seeing all this, Drona spoke:

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus has it as 4.48.2d*0872); the second line is CE 4.48.3ab.

Verse 10 (4.54.10)

महारथमनुप्राप्तं दृष्ट्वा गाण्डीवधन्विनम् । न कश्चिद्योद्धुमिच्छेत न च गुप्तं स्वजीवितम् । अयं वीरश्च शूरश्च दुर्धर्षश्चैव संयुगे ॥

mahārathamanuprāptaṃ dṛṣṭvā gāṇḍīvadhanvinam | na kaścidyoddhumiccheta na ca guptaṃ svajīvitam | ayaṃ vīraśca śūraśca durdharṣaścaiva saṃyuge

Seeing the great chariot-warrior who wields the Gandiva come upon us, no one would wish to fight, nor think his own life safe. This man is heroic and brave, and hard to withstand in battle.

Note on the text: Corrected योद्भिमिच्छेत → योद्धुमिच्छेत (misprint in Wikisource; a garbled conjunct; the critical edition's apparatus reads yoddhum). Drona's speech, with no speaker heading printed in Wikisource (the critical edition's apparatus heads it droṇaḥ). The first line is CE 4.48.3cd; the other two are not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus has them as 4.48.3b*0873).

Verse 11 (4.54.11)

एतद्ध्वजाग्रं पार्थस्य दूरतः प्रतिदृश्यते । मेघः सविद्युत्स्तनितो रोरवीति च वानरः ॥

etaddhvajāgraṃ pārthasya dūrataḥ pratidṛśyate | meghaḥ savidyutstanito roravīti ca vānaraḥ

There, far off, is the top of Partha's banner; and the monkey on it roars and roars, like a thundering cloud lit with lightning.

Note on the text: Corrected मेघःक → मेघः (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क). A variant of CE 4.48.4 (the second line differs: eṣa ghoṣaḥ sajalado).

Verse 12 (4.54.12)

आस्थाय च रथं याति गाण्डीवं विक्षिपन्धनुः ॥

āsthāya ca rathaṃ yāti gāṇḍīvaṃ vikṣipandhanuḥ

Standing in his chariot he comes on, brandishing the bow Gandiva.

Note on the text: A single line, which Wikisource marks as a whole verse with its own verse-end mark; the sense runs on without a gap, so nothing appears lost. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.48.4d*0874, line 1 (reading avasthāya).

Verse 13 (4.54.13)

अश्वानां स्तनतां शब्दो वहतां पाकशासनिम् । रथस्याम्बुधरस्येव श्रूयते भृशदारुणः ॥

aśvānāṃ stanatāṃ śabdo vahatāṃ pākaśāsanim | rathasyāmbudharasyeva śrūyate bhṛśadāruṇaḥ

The sound of the horses that draw Indra's son, neighing as they run, and of his chariot, rumbling like a rain-cloud, is heard, utterly terrifying.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.48.4d*0874, lines 2–3.

Verse 14 (4.54.14)

दारयन्निव तेजस्वी वसुधां वासवात्मजः । एष दृष्ट्वा रथानीकमस्माकमरिमर्दनः । श्रीमान्वदान्यो धृतिमान्सत्करोति च पाण्डवः ॥

dārayanniva tejasvī vasudhāṃ vāsavātmajaḥ | eṣa dṛṣṭvā rathānīkamasmākamarimardanaḥ | śrīmānvadānyo dhṛtimānsatkaroti ca pāṇḍavaḥ

As if splitting the earth, the radiant son of Vasava, this crusher of foes, the Pandava, glorious, generous and steadfast, sees our chariot ranks and pays them honour.

Note on the text: Verse division from here to the end of the adhyaya follows Wikisource's own verse-end marks: from row 15 on the page prints its double danda after the first line of each row, so this verse joins both lines of row 14 to the first line of row 15, and each following verse joins the second line of one row to the first line of the next (the extraction had paired the lines by row). Each re-divided verse carries the number of the row in which its verse-end mark falls, so Wikisource's number 14 is absorbed here. Corrected धृतिमान्तत्करोति → धृतिमान्सत्करोति (misprint in Wikisource; त for स; the critical edition's apparatus reads satkaroti, "honours"). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.48.4d*0874, line 4, and 4.48.5b*0876 (reading hrīmān for śrīmān).

Verse 15 (4.54.15)

इमौ बाणावनुप्राप्तौ पादयोः प्रत्युपस्थितौ । रथस्याग्रे निखातौ मे चित्रपुङ्खावजिह्मगौ ॥

imau bāṇāvanuprāptau pādayoḥ pratyupasthitau | rathasyāgre nikhātau me citrapuṅkhāvajihmagau

These two arrows have reached me and lie before my feet: two straight-flying shafts with bright feathers, fixed in the ground at the front of my chariot.

Note on the text: Re-divided to follow Wikisource's own verse-end marks (see verse 14). The first line is a variant of CE 4.48.6ab; the second is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus has it as 4.48.6b*0877, reading bandhur āgrau).

Verse 16 (4.54.16)

इमौ चाप्यपरौ बाणावभितः कर्णमूलयोः । संस्पृशन्तावतिक्रान्तौ पृष्ट्वेवानामयं भृशम् ॥

imau cāpyaparau bāṇāvabhitaḥ karṇamūlayoḥ | saṃspṛśantāvatikrāntau pṛṣṭvevānāmayaṃ bhṛśam

And these two other arrows passed by the roots of my ears, just grazing them, as though earnestly asking after my health.

Note on the text: Re-divided to follow Wikisource's own verse-end marks (see verse 14). The first line is a variant of CE 4.48.6cd; the second is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus has it as 4.48.6d*0878).

Verse 17 (4.54.17)

चिरदृष्टोऽयमस्माभिर्धर्मज्ञो बान्धवप्रियः । अतीव ज्वलते लक्ष्म्या पाण्डुपुत्रः प्रतापवान् ॥

ciradṛṣṭo'yamasmābhirdharmajño bāndhavapriyaḥ | atīva jvalate lakṣmyā pāṇḍuputraḥ pratāpavān

It is long since we last saw him, this knower of dharma who loves his kin. The mighty son of Pandu blazes with exceeding splendour.

Note on the text: Re-divided to follow Wikisource's own verse-end marks (see verse 14). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.48.6d*0879 (reading prajñāvān and dhanaṃjayaḥ).

Verse 18 (4.54.18)

निरुष्य च वने वासं कृत्वा कर्म सुदुष्करम् । अभिवादयते पार्थः पूजयन्मामरिंदमः ॥

niruṣya ca vane vāsaṃ kṛtvā karma suduṣkaram | abhivādayate pārthaḥ pūjayanmāmariṃdamaḥ

Having lived out his years in the forest and done a deed most hard to do, Partha, the tamer of foes, salutes me and does me honour.

Note on the text: Re-divided to follow Wikisource's own verse-end marks (see verse 14). Corrected वामं → वासं (misprint in Wikisource; म for स; निरुष्य … वासम्, "having lived out his stay"; the critical edition reads vāsaṃ). A variant of CE 4.48.7.

Verse 19 (4.54.19)

अमर्षेण हि संपूर्णो दुःखेन प्रतिबोधितः । अद्येमां भारतीं सेनामेको नाशयते ध्रुवम् ॥

amarṣeṇa hi saṃpūrṇo duḥkhena pratibodhitaḥ | adyemāṃ bhāratīṃ senāmeko nāśayate dhruvam

Filled with indignation and roused by his sufferings, today he alone will surely destroy this army of the Bharatas.

Note on the text: Re-divided to follow Wikisource's own verse-end marks (see verse 14). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.48.7d*0881, lines 1–2.

Verse 20 (4.54.20)

द्व्यधिकं दशमुष्य वत्सराणां स्वजनेनाविदितस्त्रयोदशं च । ज्वलते रथमास्थितः किरीटी तम इव रात्रिजमभ्युदस्य सूर्यः ॥

dvyadhikaṃ daśamuṣya vatsarāṇāṃ svajanenāviditastrayodaśaṃ ca | jvalate rathamāsthitaḥ kirīṭī tama iva rātrijamabhyudasya sūryaḥ

Having lived twelve years in exile, and a thirteenth unknown even to his own people, the diadem-wearer blazes in his chariot like the sun when it has risen and thrown off the darkness of night.

Note on the text: Re-divided to follow Wikisource's own verse-end marks (see verse 14). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.48.7d*0881, lines 3–6 (reading daśa uṣya).

Verse 21 (4.54.21)

रथी शरी चारुमाली निषङ्गी शङ्खी पताकी कवची किरीटी । खड्गी च धन्वी च विराजतेऽयं शिखीव यज्ञेषु घृतेन सिक्तः ॥

rathī śarī cārumālī niṣaṅgī śaṅkhī patākī kavacī kirīṭī | khaḍgī ca dhanvī ca virājate'yaṃ śikhīva yajñeṣu ghṛtena siktaḥ

With chariot and arrows, a fine garland, quivers, conch, banner, armour and diadem, with sword and bow, he shines like a sacrificial fire sprinkled with ghee.

Note on the text: Re-divided to follow Wikisource's own verse-end marks (see verse 14). Corrected खङ्गी → खड्गी (misprint in Wikisource; ङ्ग for ड्ग). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 4.48.7d*0882 (reading cārutalī, vibhāti pārthaḥ, and a different last quarter).