The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,582 pages of information about The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4.

The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,582 pages of information about The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4.
The children of the Andhaka and the Vrishni races, all followed Arjuna.  The Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, and Vaisyas, and wealthy Sudras, set out, keeping before them the 16,000 women that had formed Vasudevas harem, and Vajra, the grandson of the intelligent Krishna.  The widows of the other heroes of the Bhoja, the Vrishni, and the Andhaka races, lordless now, that set out with Arjuna, numbered many millions.  That foremost of car-warriors, that conqueror of hostile towns, the son of Pritha, escorted this vast procession of Vrishnis, which still abounded with wealth, and which looked like a veritable ocean.

“After all the people had set out, the ocean, that home of sharks and alligators, flooded Dvaraka, which still teemed with wealth of every kind, with its waters.  Whatever portion of the ground was passed over, ocean immediately flooded over with his waters.  Beholding this wonderful sight, the inhabitants of Dvaraka walked faster and faster, saying, Wonderful is the course of fate!  Dhananjaya, after abandoning Dvaraka, proceeded by slow marches, causing the Vrishni women to rest in pleasant forests and mountains and by the sides of delightful streams.  Arrived at the country of the five waters, the puissant Dhananjaya planted a rich encampment in the midst of a land that abounded with corn and kine and other animals.  Beholding those lordless widows escorted by Prithas son alone O Bharata, the robbers felt a great temptation (for plunder).  Then those sinful wretches, with hearts overwhelmed by cupidity, those Abhiras of ill omen, assembled together and held a consultation.  They said, Here there is only one bowman, Arjuna.  The cavalcade consists of children and the old.  He escorts them, transgressing us.  The warriors (of the Vrishnis) are without energy.  Then those robbers, numbering by thousands, and armed with clubs, rushed towards the procession of the Vrishnis, desirous of plunder.  Urged by the perverse course of time they fell upon that vast concourse, frightening it with loud leonine shouts and desirous of slaughter.  The son of Kunti, suddenly ceasing to advance along the path, turned, with his followers, towards the place where the robbers had attacked the procession.  Smiling the while, that mighty-armed warrior addressed the assailants, saying, You sinful wretches, forbear, if ye love your lives.  Ye will rue this when I pierce your bodies with my shafts and take your lives.  Though thus addressed by that hero, they disregarded his words, and though repeatedly dissuaded, they fell upon Arjuna.  Then Arjuna endeavoured to string his large, indestructible, celestial bow with some effort.  He succeeded with great difficulty in stringing it, when the battle had become furious.  He then began to think of his celestial weapons but they would not come to his mind.  Beholding that furious battle, the loss of the might of his arm, and the non-appearance of his celestial weapons, Arjuna became greatly ashamed.  The Vrishni warriors

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The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.