(Chaitraratha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'After Vyasa had gone away, those bulls among men, the
Pandavas, saluted the Brahmana and bade him farewell, and proceeded
(towards Panchala) with joyous hearts and with their mother walking before
them. Those slayers of all foes, in order to reach their destination,
proceeded in a due northerly direction, walking day and night till they
reached a sacred shrine of Siva with the crescent mark on his brow. Then
those tigers among men, the sons of Pandu, arrived at the banks of the
Ganga, Dhananjaya, that mighty car-warrior, walking before them, torch in
hand, for showing the way and guarding them (against wild animals). And it
so happened that at that time the proud king of the Gandharvas, with his
wives, was sporting in that solitary region in the delightful waters of
the Ganga. The king of the Gandharvas heard the tread of the Pandavas as
they approached the river. On hearing the sounds of their foot-steps, the
mighty Gandharvas were inflamed with wrath, and beholding those chastisers
of foes, the Pandavas, approach towards him with their mother, he drew his
frightful bow to a circle and said, "It is known that excepting the first
forty seconds the grey twilight preceding nightfall hath been appointed
for the wandering of the Yakshas, the Gandharvas and the Rakshasas, all of
whom are capable of going everywhere at will. The rest of the time hath
been appointed for man to do his work. If therefore, men, wandering during
those moments from greed of gain, come near us, both we and the Rakshasas
slay those fools. Therefore, persons acquainted with the Vedas never
applaud those men--not even kings at the head of their troops--who
approach any pools of water at such a time. Stay ye at a distance, and
approach me not. Know ye not that I am bathing in the waters of the
Bhagirathi? Know that I am Angaraparna the Gandharva, ever relying on my
own strength! I am proud and haughty and am the friend of Kuvera. This my
forest on the banks of the Ganga, where I sport to gratify all my senses,
is called Angaraparna after my own name. Here neither gods, nor Kapalikas,
nor Gandharvas nor Yakshas, can come. How dare ye approach me who am the
brightest jewel on the diadem of Kuvera?"
"'Hearing these words of the Gandharva, Arjuna said, "Blockhead, whether it
be day, night, or twilight, who can bar others from the ocean, the sides
of the Himalayas, and this river? O ranger of the skies, whether the
stomach be empty or full, whether it is night or day, there is no special
time for anybody to come to the Ganga--that foremost of all rivers. As
regards ourselves endued with might, we care not when we disturb thee.
Wicked being, those who are weak in fighting worship thee. This Ganga,
issuing out of the golden peaks of Himavat, falleth into the waters of the
ocean, being distributed into seven streams. They who drink the waters of
these seven streams, viz., Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Vitashtha, Sarayu,
Gomati, and Gandaki, are cleansed of all their sins. O Gandharva, this
sacred Ganga again, flowing through the celestial region is called there
the Alakananda. It hath again in the region of the Pitris become the
Vaitarani, difficult of being crossed by sinners, and, Krishna-Dwaipayana
himself hath said so. The auspicious and celestial river, capable of
leading to heaven (them that touch its waters), is free from all dangers.
Why dost thou then desire to bar us from it? This act of thine is not in
consonance with eternal virtue. Disregarding thy words, why shall we not
touch the sacred waters of the Bhagirathi free from all dangers and from
which none can bar us?"'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Arjuna, Angaraparna
became inflamed with wrath and drawing his bow to a circle began to shoot
his arrows like venomous snakes at the Pandavas. Then Dhananjaya, the son
of Pandu, wielding a good shield and the torch he held in his hand, warded
off all those arrows and addressing the Gandharva again said, "O Gandharva,
seek not to terrify those that are skilled in weapons, for weapons hurled
at them vanish like froth. I think, O Gandharva, that ye are superior (in
prowess) to men; therefore shall I fight with thee, using celestial
weapons and not with any crooked means. This fiery weapon (that I shall
hurl at thee), Vrihaspati the revered preceptor of Indra, gave unto
Bharadwaja, from whom it was obtained by Agnivesya, and from Agnivesya by
my preceptor, that foremost of Brahmanas, Drona, who gave it away to me."'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Saying these words, the Pandava wrathfully
hurled at the Gandharva that blazing weapon made of fire which burnt the
Gandharva's chariot in a trice. Deprived of consciousness by the force of
that weapon, the mighty Gandharva was falling, head downward, from his
chariot. Dhananjaya seized him by the hair of his head adorned with
garlands of flowers and thus dragged the unconscious Gandharva towards his
brothers. Beholding this, that Gandharva's wife Kumbhinasi, desirous of
saving her husband, ran towards Yudhishthira and sought his protection.
The Gandharvi said, "O exalted one, extend to me thy protection! O, set my
husband free! O lord, I am Kumbhinasi by name, the wife of this Gandharva,
who seeketh thy protection!" Beholding her (so afflicted), the mighty
Yudhishthira addressed Arjuna and said, "O slayer of foes, O child, who
would slay a foe who hath been vanquished in fight, who hath been deprived
of fame, who is protected by a woman, and who hath no prowess?" Arjuna
replied, saying, "Keep thou thy life, O Gandharva! Go hence, and grieve
not I. Yudhishthira, the king of the Kurus, commandeth me to show thee
mercy."
"'The Gandharva replied, "I have been vanquished by thee. I shall,
therefore, abandon my former name Angaraparna (the blazing vehicle). In
name alone, O friend, I should not be boastful when my pride in my
strength hath been overcome: I have been fortunate in that I have obtained
thee, O Arjuna, that wielder of celestial weapons! I like to impart to
thee the power of (producing) illusions which Gandharvas alone have. My
excellent and variegated chariot hath been burnt by means of thy fiery
weapon. I who had formerly been called after my excellent chariot should
now be called after my burnt chariot. The science of producing illusions
that I have spoken of was formerly obtained by me by ascetic penances.
That science I will today impart to the giver of my life--thy illustrious
self! What good luck doth he not deserve who, after overcoming a foe by
his might, giveth him life when that foe asketh for it? This science is
called Chakshushi. It was communicated by Manu unto Soma and by Soma unto
Viswavasu, and lastly by Viswavasu unto me. Communicated by my preceptor,
that science, having come unto me who am without energy, is gradually
becoming fruitless. I have spoken to thee about its origin and
transmission. Listen now to its power! One may see (by its aid) whatever
one wisheth to see, and in whatever way he liketh (generally or
particularly). One can acquire this science only after standing on one leg
for six months. I shall however, communicate to thee this science without
thyself being obliged to observe any rigid vow. O king, it is for this
knowledge that we are superior to men. And as we are capable of seeing
everything by spiritual sight, we are equal to the gods. O best of men, I
intend to give thee and each of thy brothers a hundred steeds born in the
country of the Gandharvas. Of celestial colour and endued with the speed
of the mind, those horses are employed in bearing the celestial, and the
Gandharvas. They may be lean-fleshed but they tire not, nor doth their
speed suffer on that account. In days of yore the thunderbolt was created
for the chief of the celestials in order that he might slay (the Asura)
Vritra with it. But hurled at Vritra's head it broke in a thousand pieces.
The celestials worship with reverence those fragments of the thunderbolt.
That which is known in the three worlds as glory is but a portion of the
thunderbolt. The hand of the Brahmana with which he poureth libations on
the sacrificial fire, the chariot upon which the Kshatriya fighteth, the
charity of the Vaisya, and the service of the Sudra rendered unto the
three other classes, are all fragments of the thunderbolt. It hath been
said that horses, forming as they do a portion of the Kshatriya's chariot,
are, on that account, unslayable. Again horses which form a portion of the
Kshatriya's chariot, are the offspring of Vadava. Those amongst them that
are born in the region of the Gandharvas can go everywhere and assume any
hue and speed at the will of their owners. These horses of mine that I
give thee will always gratify thy wishes."
"'On hearing these words of the Gandharva, Arjuna said, "O Gandharva, if
from satisfaction for having obtained thy life at my hands in a situation
of danger, thou givest me thy science, and these horses, I would not
accept thy gift." The Gandharva replied, saying, "A meeting with an
illustrious person is ever a source of gratification; besides thou hast
given me my life. Gratified with thee, I will give thee my science. That
the obligation, however, may not all be on one side, I will take from thee,
O Vibhatsu, O bull in Bharata's race, thy excellent and eternal weapon of
fire!"
"'Arjuna said, "I would accept thy horses in exchange for my weapon. Let
our friendship last for ever. O friend, tell us for what we human beings
have to stand in fear of the Gandharvas. Chastisers of foes that we are
and virtuous and conversant with the Vedas, tell us, O Gandharva, why in
travelling in the night-time we have been censured by thee."
"'The Gandharva said, "Ye are without wives (though ye have completed the
period of study). Ye are without a particular Asrama (mode of life).
Lastly, ye are out without a Brahmana walking before, therefore, ye sons
of Pandu, ye have been censured by me. The Yakshas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas,
Pisachas, Uragas and Danavas, are possessed of wisdom and intelligence,
and acquainted with the history of the Kuru race. O hero, I have heard too
from Narada and other celestial Rishis about the good deeds of your wise
ancestors. I myself, too, while roaming over the whole earth bounded by
her belt of seas, have witnessed the prowess of thy great race. O Arjuna,
I have personal knowledge of thy preceptor, the illustrious son of
Bharadwaja, celebrated throughout the three worlds for his knowledge of
the Vedas and the science of arms. O tiger in Kuru's race, O son of Pritha,
I also know Dharma, Vayu, Sakra, the twin Aswins, and Pandu,--these six
perpetuators of Kuru race,--these excellent celestials and human
progenitors of you all. I also know that you five brothers are learned and
high-souled, that ye are foremost of all wielders of weapons, that ye are
brave and virtuous and observant of vows. Knowing that your understanding
and hearts are excellent and your behaviour faultless, I have yet censured
you. For, O thou of Kuru's race, it behoveth no man endued with might of
arms to bear with patience any ill usage in the sight of his wife.
Especially as, O son of Kunti, our might increaseth during the hours of
darkness, accompanied by my wife I was filled with wrath. O best of vow-
observing men, I have, however, been vanquished by thee in battle. Listen
to me as I tell thee the reasons that have led to my discomfiture. The
Brahmacharya is a very superior mode of life, and as thou art in that mode
now, it is for this, O Partha, that I have been defeated by thee in battle.
O chastiser of foes, if any married Kshatriya fight with us at night, he
can never escape, with life. But, O Partha, a married Kshatriya, who is
sanctified with Brahma, and who hath assigned the cares of his State to a
priest, might vanquish all wanderers in the night. O child of Tapati, men
should therefore, ever employ learned priests possessing self-command for
the acquisition of every good luck they desire. That Brahmana is worthy of
being the king's priest who is learned in the Vedas and the six branches
thereof, who is pure and truthful, who is of virtuous soul and possessed
of self-command. The monarch becometh ever victorious and finally earneth
heaven who hath for his priest a Brahmana conversant with the rules of
morality, who is a master of words, and is pure and of good behaviour. The
king should always select an accomplished priest in order to acquire what
he hath not and protect what he hath. He who desireth his own prosperity
should ever be guided by his priest, for he may then obtain ever the whole
earth surrounded by her belt of seas. O son of Tapati, a king, who is
without a Brahmana, can never acquire any land by his bravery or glory of
birth alone. Know, therefore, O perpetuator of Kuru's race, that the
kingdom lasteth for ever in which Brahmanas have power."'"