"Vasudeva said,--'behold, O Partha, the great capital of Magadha,
standing in all its beauty. Filled with flocks and herds and its stock
of water never exhausted, and adorned also with fine mansions standing
in excellent array, it is free from every kind of calamity. The five
large hills of Vaihara, Varaha, Vrishava, Rishigiri, and the delightful
Chaitya, all of high peaks and overgrown with tall trees of cool shade
and connected with one another, seem to be jointly protecting the city
of Girivraja. The breasts of the hills are concealed by forests of
delightful and fragrant Lodhras having the ends of their branches
covered with flowers. It was here that the illustrious Gautama of rigid
vows begat on the Sudra woman Ausinari (the daughter of Usinara)
Kakshivat and other celebrated sons. That the race sprung from Gautama
doth yet live under the sway of an ordinary human race (of monarchs) is
only evidence of Gautama's kindness to kings. And, O Arjuna, it was
here that in olden times the mighty monarchs of Anga, and Vanga and
other countries, came to the abode of Gautama, and passed their days in
joy and happiness. Behold, O Partha, those forests of delightful
Pippalas and beautiful Lodhras standing near the side of Gautama's
abode. There dwelt in old days those Nagas, Arvuda and Sakravapin,
those persecutors of all enemies, as also the Naga Swastika and that
other excellent Naga called Manu. Manu himself had ordered the country
of the Magadhas to be never afflicted with drought, and Kaushika and
Manimat also have favoured the country. Owning such a delightful and
impregnable city, Jarasandha is ever bent on seeking the fruition of
his purposes unlike other monarchs. We shall, however, by slaying him
to-day humble his pride.'"
Vaisampayana said,--"Thus saying those brothers of abundant energy,
viz., he of the Vrishni race and the two Pandavas entered the city of
Magadha. They then approached towards the impregnable city of Girivraja
that was full of cheerful and well-fed inhabitants belonging to all the
four orders, and where festivities were perennial. On arriving then at
the gate of the city, the brothers (instead of passing through it)
began to pierce (with their shafts) the heart of the high Chaityaka
peak that was worshipped by the race of Vrihadratha, as also by the
citizens and which delighted the hearts of all the Magadhas. There
Vrihadratha had slain a cannibal called Rishava and having slain the
monster made of his hide three drums which he placed in his own city.
And those drums were such that once beaten their sound lasted one full
month. And the brothers broke down the Chaityaka peak that was
delightful to all the Magadhas, at that point where those drums covered
with celestial flowers used to yield their continuous sound. And
desirous of slaying Jarasandha they seemed by that act of theirs to
place their feet upon the head of their foe. And attacking with their
mighty arms that immovable and huge and high and old and celebrated
peak always worshipped with perfumes and floral wreaths, those heroes
broke it down. And with joyful hearts they then entered the city. And
it so happened that the learned Brahmanas residing within the city saw
many evil omens which they reported to Jarasandha. And the priest
making the king mount an elephant whirled lighted brands about him. And
king Jarasandha also, possessed of great prowess, with a view to
warding of those evils, entered upon the celebration of a sacrifice,
with proper vows and fasts. Meanwhile, O Bharata, the brothers unarmed,
or rather with their bare arms as their only weapons, desirous of
fighting with Jarasandha, entered the capital in the guise of
Brahmanas. They beheld the extraordinary beauty of the shops full of
various edibles and floral wreaths, and supplied with articles of every
variety of various qualities that man can desire. Those best of men,
Krishna, Bhima, and Dhananjaya, beholding in those shops their
affluence, passed along the public road. And endued with great strength
they snatched forcibly from the flower-vendors the garlands they had
exposed for sale. And attired in robes of various colours and decked in
garlands and ear-rings the heroes entered the abode of Jarasandha
possessed of great intelligence, like Himalayan lions eyeing
cattle-folds. And the arms of those warriors, O king, besmeared with
sandal paste, looked like the trunks of sala trees. The people of
Magadha, beholding those heroes looking like elephants, with necks
broad like those of trees and wide chests, began to wonder much. Those
bull among men, passing through three gates that were crowded with men,
proudly and cheerfully approached the king. And Jarasandha rising up in
haste received them with water to wash their feet with, and honey and
the other ingredients of the Arghya--with gifts of kine, and with other
forms of respect. The great king addressing them said,--'Ye are
welcome'! And, O Janamejaya, both Partha and Bhima remained silent at
this. And addressing the monarch Krishna said,--'O king of kings these
two are now in the observance of a vow. Therefore they will not speak.
Silent they will remain till midnight. After that hour they will speak
with thee!' The king then quartering his guests in the sacrificial
apartments retired into his private chambers. And when midnight
arrived, the monarch arrived at the place where his guests attired as
Brahmanas were. For, O King, that ever victorious monarch observed this
vow which was known throughout the Worlds that as soon as he should
hear of the arrival of Snataka Brahmanas at his place, should it be
even at midnight, he would immediately, O Bharata, come out and grant
them an audience. Beholding the strange attire of his guests that best
of kings wondered much. For all that, however, he waited on them
respectfully. Those bulls among men, those slayers of all foes, on the
other hand, O thou best of the Bharata race, beholding king Jarasandha,
said,--'Let salvation be attained by thee, O king, without difficulty.'
And, O tiger among kings, having said this unto the monarch, they stood
looking at each other. And, O king of kings, Jarasandha then said unto
those sons of Pandu and him of the Yadu race, all disguised as
Brahmanas--'Take your seats.' And those bulls among men sat themselves
down, and like the three priests of a great sacrifice blazed forth in
their beauty. And king Jarasandha, O thou of the Kuru race, firmly
devoted to truth, censuring the disguised guests, said unto them,--'It
is well known to me that in the whole world Brahmanas in the observance
of Snataka vow never deck their persons with garlands and fragrant
paste unseasonably. Who are ye, therefore, thus decked with flowers,
and with hands bearing the marks of the bow-string? Attired in coloured
robes and decked unseasonably with flowers and paste, ye give me to
understand that ye are Brahmanas, although ye bear Kshatriya energy.
Tell me truly who ye are. Truth decks even kings. Breaking down the
peak of the Chaityaka hill, why have ye, in disguise, entered (the
city) by an improper gate without fear of the royal wrath? The energy
of a Brahmana dwelleth in his speech, (not in act). This your feat is
not suited to the order to which ye profess to belong. Tell us
therefore, the end ye have in view. Arrived here by such an improper
way, why accept ye not the worship I offer? What is your motive for
coming to me?' Thus addressed by the king, the high-souled Krishna,
well-skilled in speech, thus replied unto the monarch in a calm and
grave voice.
"Krishna said,--'O king, know us for Snataka Brahmanas. Brahmanas and
Kshatriyas and Vaishyas are all, O monarch, competent to observe the
vow of Snataka. This vow, besides, hath (many) especial and general
rules. A Kshatriya observing this vow with especial rules always
achieve prosperity. Therefore, have we decked ourselves with flowers.
Kshatriyas again, O king, exhibit their energy by their arms and not in
speech. It is, therefore, O son of Vrihadratha, that the speeches
uttered by a Kshatriya are never audacious. O monarch, the creator hath
planted his own energy in the aim of the Kshatriya. If thou wishest to
behold it, thou shalt certainly behold it today. These are the rules of
the ordinance, viz., that an enemy's abode should be entered through a
wrong gate and a friend's abode through the right one. And know, O
monarch, that this also is our eternal vow that having entered the
foe's abode for the accomplishment of our purpose, we accept not the
worship offered to us!'