अनुगीता पर्व — अश्व छोड़ा जाता है और युधिष्ठिर की दीक्षा होती है

Vaishampayana said When the hour for initiation came, all those great Ritvijas duly initiated the king for the Horse-Sacrifice.

Having finished the rites of binding the sacrificial animals, the son of Pandu, viz., king Yudhishthira the just, gifted with great energy, the initiation being over, shone with great splendour along with those Ritvijas.

The horse that was brought for the HorseSacrifice was let loose, according to the injunctions of the scriptures, by that utterer of Brahma, viz., Vyasa himself of great energy.

Then king Yudhishthira the just, O king, after the initiation, adorned with a garland of gold around his neck, shone like a burning fire.

Having a black deer-skin for his upper garment, carrying a staff in hand, and wearing a cloth of red silk, the son of Dharina, gifted with great splendour, shone like a second Prajapati seated on the sacrificial after.

All his Ritvijas also, O king, were clad in similar dresses. Arjuna also shone like a burning fire.

Dhananjaya, to whose car were yoked white horses, then duly prepared, O king, to follow that horse of the complexion of a black deer, at the command of Yudhishthira.

Repeatedly drawing his bow, named Gandiva, O king, and casing his hand in a fence made of iguana skin, Arjuna, O monarch, prepared to follow that those, O king, with a cheerful heart.

All Hastinapur, O king, with the very children, came out at that spot from desire of seeing Dhananjaya, that foremost of the Kurus, on the eve of his journey.

So great was the crowd of spectators that came to see the horse and the prince who was to follow it, that on account of the pressure of bodies, it seemed a fire was created.

Loud was the noise which arose from that crowd of men who assembled together for seeing Dhananjaya the son of Kunti, and it seemed to fill all the points of the compass and the entire sky.

And they said, There goes the son of Kunti, are there that horse of burning beauty. Indeed, the mighty-armed hero follows the horse, having armed himself with his excellent bow.

These were the words which the intelligent Jishnu heard. The citizens also blessed him, saying, 'Let blessings be yours'. Go safely and return O Bharata.'

Others, O chief of men, uttered these words :-'So great is the crowd that we do not see Arjuna. His bow, however, we see.

That is the celebrated bow Gaudiva of terrible twang. Blessed be you. let all dangers fly your path. Let fear nowhere inspire you.

When he returns we shall see him, for it is certain that he will return. The great Arjuna repeatedly heard these and similar other sweet words of men and women, chief of the Bharatas. A disciple of Yajnavalkya, who was well-versed in all sacrificial rites, and who was a complete master of the Vedas, proceeded with Partha for performing auspicious rites in favour of the hero. Many Brahmanas also, O king, all knowing Vedas, well, and many Kshatriyas too, followed the great hero, at the command, O monarch, of Yudhishthira the just.

The horse then travelled, foremost of men, wherever he liked over the Earth already conquered by the Pandavas with the power of their weapons.

In course of the horse's wanderings, O king, many great and wonderful battles were fought between Arjuna and many kings. These I shall describe to you.

The horse, O king, travelled over the whole Earth. Know, O monarch, that from the north it turned towards the East.

Grinding the kingdoms of many kings that excellent horse wandered. And it was followed slowly by the great car-warrior Arjuna of white horses.

O monarch, many Kshatriyas and kings, who fought with Arjuna on that occasion, were rendered miserable for having lost their kinsmen on the field of Kurukshetra.

Many Kiratas also, O king, and Yavanas, all excellent bowmen, and various tribes of Mlechchas too, who had been discomfited before (by the Pandavas on the field of Kurukshetra), and many Aryan kings, possessed of soldiers and animals gifted with great alacrity, and all irresistible if fight, met the son of Pandu in battle.

Thus took place innumerable battles in various countries, O monarch, between Arjuna and the kings of various realms who came to encounter him.

I shall, O sinless king, describe to you those battles only which were the principal ones among all he fought.