Shloka 21
अर्जुनागमनम्
Arjuna’s Arrival and Reunion on the Sacred Mountain
“भरतश्रेष्ठ! गरुडके पंखसे उठी हुई वायुके वेगसे उस दिन उस महान् पर्वतसे जो पाँच रंगके फूल अश्वरथा नदीके तटपर गिराये गये थे, उन्हें सब प्राणियोंने प्रत्यक्ष देखा। मुझे याद है, खाण्डव वनमें तुम्हारे महामना भाई सत्यप्रतिज्ञ अर्जुनने गन्धर्वों, नागों, राक्षसों तथा देवराज इन्द्रको भी युद्धमें आगे बढ़नेसे रोक दिया था। बहुत-से भयंकर मायावी राक्षस उनके हाथों मारे गये और उन्होंने गाण्डीव नामक धनुष भी प्राप्त कर लिया
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
bharataśreṣṭha! garuḍasya pakṣotthitavāyuvegena tasmin divase tasmin mahāpārvatāt ye pañcavarṇāḥ puṣpāṇi aśvarathānadītīre nipātitāni, tāni sarvaprāṇibhiḥ pratyakṣam adṛśyanta | mama smṛtir asti—khāṇḍavavane tava mahāmanā bhrātā satyapratijñaḥ arjunaḥ gandharvān nāgān rākṣasāṃś ca devarājam indram api yuddhe ’gre prasarpitum avārayat | bahavaḥ bhīṣaṇā māyāvino rākṣasāḥ tasya hastair nihātāḥ, sa ca gāṇḍīvaṃ nāma dhanuḥ prāptavān |
Vaiśampāyana disse: “Ó melhor dos Bhāratas! Naquele dia, impelidas pela rajada erguida pelas asas de Garuḍa, flores de cinco cores foram sopradas do grande monte e caíram na margem do rio Aśvarathā—vistas claramente por todos os seres vivos. Lembro-me também: na floresta de Khāṇḍava, teu nobre irmão Arjuna, fiel ao voto de verdade, conteve até Gandharvas, Nāgas, Rākṣasas e o próprio Indra, rei dos deuses, de avançarem na batalha. Muitos terríveis Rākṣasas, mestres de ilusão, foram mortos por sua mão, e ele também obteve o arco chamado Gāṇḍīva.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage underscores the authority of direct perception and remembered testimony in epic narration, while ethically elevating steadfastness to one’s vow (satya) and disciplined martial power—Arjuna’s strength is shown not merely in killing, but in restraining even divine and semi-divine forces from unjust advance.
Vaiśampāyana describes a wondrous sign: five-colored flowers blown by the wind from Garuḍa’s wings fall on the Aśvarathā riverbank, witnessed by all. He then recalls Arjuna’s earlier feat in the Khāṇḍava forest, where Arjuna checked Gandharvas, Nāgas, Rākṣasas, and even Indra in battle, slew many illusion-wielding Rākṣasas, and obtained the famed bow Gāṇḍīva.