सम्भव पर्व — अस्त्र-स्पर्धा

Vaishampayana said : O descendant of the Bharata, seeing the sons of Dhritarashtra and Pandu expert in arms, O king, Drona thus spoke to the king Dhritarashtra, in the presence of Kripa, Somadatta, Balhika, the wise son of Ganga (Bhishma). Vyasa and Vidura.

"O king, O best of the Kurus, your sons have completed their education. Let them with your perinission show their proficiency." Thereupon the great king replied with a delightful heart.

Dhritarashtra said: son will see my O best of Brahmanas, you have accomplished a great deed. O of Bharadvaja, command me yourself as to the place and time, where and when and the manner in which, the trial may be held.

Grief for my blindness makes me envy those men who are blessed with sight and who children's prowess in arms.

O Kshatta (Vidura), do all that the respected preceptor says. O lover of virtue, I think nothing can be more agreeable to me than this.

Thereupon Vidura, giving the necessary assurance to the king, went out to do what he was bidden. The greatly learned son of Bharadvaja (Drona) measured a piece of (ground).

Which was void of trees and thickets and which was furnished with wells thickets and which was furnished with wells and springs. On this piece of land, that first of eloquent men, that hero (Drona), gave offerings to the gods according to the precepts of the Shastras, when all the people were assembled by proclamation on an auspicious day with an auspicious star in ascendance. O best of men, the artisans built a great auditorium by the order of the king; (they built) another for the (royal) ladies also according to the proper form. The citizens built many platforms and the wealthy men many spacious and high Sibikas.

When the (fixed) day came, the king accompanied by his ministers, with Bhishma and Kripa, the excellent preceptor, walking at the head (of the procession). Came to the auditorium of celestial beauty, made of pure gold and decked with strings of pearls and stones of Vaidurya gems.

The great fortunate Gandhari and Kunti and the other ladies of the royal household, dressed in gorgeous attire and accompanied by their maids in waiting, joyfully ascended the platforms as celestial ladies ascended the Sumeru mountain. Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and the others of the four orders of caste hurriedly left the city and came running there with the desire of seeing the princes skill in arms and they were so anger that they assembled all there in a moment.

That vast crowd with the noise of blowing trumpets and beating drums and the sounds of many voices became like an agitated ocean.

Then the preceptor, clad in white attire, with white sacred thread, white locks, white bread, white garlands and white sandal-paste besmeared over his body, entered the arena with his son. It appeared as if the moon accompanied (the planet) Mars appeared in an unclouded sky.

The best of strong men, the hero (Drona), entering at the proper time, caused Brahmanas versed in Mantras to celebrate the auspicious rites.

After auspicious and sweet-sounding musical instruments had struck up as propitiatory ceremony, men equipped with various weapons entered the arena.

Then the best of the Bharata race, (the princes), those mighty car-warriors, having girt up their lions, entered (the arena) equipped with bows, quivers and finger protectors.

With Yudhisthira, at their head, the greatly heroic princes, in the order of their age, began to show wonderful skill in their arms. a

Some (spectators) lowered their heads out of fear of the falling arrows, while others not being afraid, looked on with wonder and astonishment.

Riding swift horses and managing them dextrously, the princess hit marks with arrows engraved with their respective names.

On seeing the prowess of the princes in using bows and arrows, the spectators thought they were seeing the city of Gandharva. They were all filled with amazement.

O descendant of Bharata, some hundreds and thousands of men, their eyes expanded with wonder, all at once cried out “Well done! Well done!"

After repeatedly displaying their skill and dexterity in the use of bow and arrows, in the management of cars, in the fight on horseback and on the back of elephants.

They took up their swords and buckles and began to attack one another and to walk around the arena displaying various modes of sword's play.

They all saw their (great) agility, the beauty of the symmetry of their bodies, their grace, their calmness, the firmness of their grasp and the skill in the use of their swords and buckles.

Then Vrikodara (Bhima) and Suyodhana (Duryodhana) entered the (arena)with secret mental delight like two single peaked mountains.

Those mighty-armed heroes girt their lions and summoned all their strength; they roared like two infuriated elephants contending (for a female elephant).

Those two greatly strong (heroes) circled round the arena with faultless clubs and careered right and left in all the proper form.

Vidura described to Dhritarashtra and the mother of the Pandavas (Kunti) to Gandhari all the feats of the princes.