"Vrihannala said, 'That about which thou hath first enquired is Arjuna's
bow, of world-wide fame, called _Gandiva_, capable of devastating
hostile hosts. Embellished with gold, this _Gandiva_, the highest and
largest of all weapons belonged to Arjuna. Alone equal unto a hundred
thousand weapons, and always capable of extending the confines of
kingdoms, it is with this that Partha vanquisheth in battle both men and
celestials. Worshipped ever by the gods, the _Danavas_ and the
_Gandharvas_ and variegated with excellent colours, this large and
smooth bow is without a knot or stain anywhere. Shiva held it first for
a thousand years. Afterwards Prajapati held it for five hundred and
three years. After that Sakra, for five and eighty years. And then Soma
held it for five hundred years. And after that _Varuna_ held it for a
hundred years. And finally Partha, surnamed _Swetavahana,_[48] hath held
it for five and sixty years.[49] Endued with great energy and of high
celestial origin, this is the best of all bows. Adored among gods and
men, it hath a handsome form. Partha obtained this beautiful bow from
Varuna. This other bow of handsome sides and golden handle is Bhima's
with which that son of Pritha, that chastiser of foes, had conquered the
whole of the eastern regions. This other excellent bow of beautiful
shape, adorned with images of _Indragopakas_, belongeth, O Virata's son,
to king Yudhishthira. This other weapon with golden suns of blazing
splendour shedding a dazzling effulgence around, belongeth to Nakula.
And this bow adorned with golden images of insects and set also with
gems and stones, belongeth to that son of Madri who is called Sahadeva.
These winged arrows, thousand in number, sharp as razors and destructive
as the poison of snakes, belong, O Virata's son, to Arjuna. When
shooting them in battle against foes, these swift arrows blaze forth
more brilliantly and become inexhaustible. And these long and thick
shafts resembling the lunar crescent in shape, keen-edged and capable of
thinning the enemy's ranks, belong to Bhima. And this quiver bearing
five images of tigers, full of yellowish shafts whetted on stone and
furnished with golden wings belong to Nakula. This is the quiver of the
intelligent son of Madri, with which he had conquered in battle the
whole of the western regions. And these arrows, all effulgent as the
sun, painted all over with various colours, and capable of destroying
enemies by thousands are those of Sahadeva. And these short and
well-tempered and thick shafts, furnished with long feathers and golden
heads, and consisting of three knots, belong to king Yudhishthira. And
this sword with blade long and carved with the image of a toad and head
shaped as a toad's mouth, strong and irresistible belongeth to Arjuna.
Cased in a sheath of tiger-skin, of long blade, handsome and
irresistible, and terrible to adversaries, this sword belongeth to
Bhimasena. Of excellent blade and cased in a well-painted sheath, and
furnished with a golden hilt, this handsome sword belongeth to the wise
Kaurava--Yudhishthira the just. And this sword of strong blade,
irresistible and intended for various excellent modes of fight and cased
in a sheath of goat-skin, belongeth to Nakula. And this huge scimitar,
cased in a sheath of cow-skin, strong and irresistible belongeth to
Sahadeva.'"
[48] From the colour of his steeds.
[49] Nilakantha spends much learning and ingenuity in making out
that sixty-five years in this connection means thirty-two years
of ordinary human computation.