अस्त्र-प्रदर्शन

Vaishampayana said : The night being spent, Yudhishthira, the foremost of the virtuous awoke and performed the necessary duties together with his brothers.

Then he (Yudhishthira) said to Arjuna, the joy of his mother, “O son of Kunti, show me the weapons whereby you destroyed the Danavas."

Thereupon, O king, O Bharata, the Pandava, Arjuna showed those celestials weapons granted (to him) by the god,

(And) duly observing the purificatory rites, the highly-energetic Dhananjaya, seated on the earth as (his) car, having the mountain for its pole, the base of the mountain for its axle and the cluster of beautiful bamboo trees for its socket pole and clad in that celestials mail of great splendour, looked (highly) beautiful.

(And)o son of Kunti, the handsome (Dhananjaya) of mighty arms, holding (in his hand) the bow Gandiva, together with the conch presented to him by the celestials, was about to exhibit in due order those celestials weapons. (But) As he commenced to display those heavenly weapons,

The earth, being oppressed by the weight of his feet, began to tremble together with all its trees and the rivers and the mighty ocean became troubled.

The mountain were rent, the wind ceased to blow, the sun ceased to shine, the fire did not burn,

And the twice-born (Brahmanas) could by no means recite the Vedas. And O Janamejaya, the creatures inhabiting the entrails of the earth,

Being (sore) oppressed, rose up and with distorted countenances and joined hands and trembling (with fear), surrounded the Pandava (Arjuna).

And scorched by those (celestials) weapons they prayed to Dhananjaya (to spare their lives). Then the Brahmarshis, the Siddhas, the Maharshis,

And the mobile beings-all these creatures arrived there. The most exalted Devarshis, the celestials,

The Yakshas, the Rakshasas, the Gandharvas, the feathery creatures, the skyranging creatures-all these beings appeared (on the scene).

Then Pitamaha (Brahma), all the Lokapalas (the guardians of the ten cardinal points), the divine Mahadeva, together with all their followers, made their appearance (at that spot).

(And) then, O mighty monarch, Vayu (the wind-god) bearing bearing variegated celestials flowers, began to strew them all around the Pandava (Arjuna).

O king, commissioned by the gods, the Gandharvas sang various melodies and multitudes of Apsaras danced there.

(And)O king, at that very time, Narada, sent by the celestials, arrived (there) and spoke to Partha these words grateful to the ear:

"O Arjuna, O Bharata, forebear discharging these celestials weapons. These (weapons) ought, by no means, to be hurled where there is no object to hit at.

And unless sore afflicted, one should not discharge these even if there is an object (present). O descendant of the Kurus, it will result in a terrible disaster, if these weapons are (causclessly) discharged.

O Dhananjaya, if these powerful weapons are duly kept, they will no doubt, lead to your happiness.

(But), O Pandava, if they are not (carefully) preserved, they will lead to the destruction of the three worlds. Therefore, do not attempt such a (rash) act again.

O Ajatashatru (Yudhishthira), you will behold them when Partha will make use of them for the destruction of your enemies in battle."

O the most exalted of mortals, having prevented Arjuna (from hurling these weapons), all the celestials and all other beings who had come there went to their respective abodes.

O descendant of the Kurus, when all those had taken their departure, the Pandavas, together with Krishna, began to dwell cheerfully in that forest.