(Chaitraratha Parva continued)
" said, 'After had gone away, those bulls among men, the Pandavas, saluted the Brahmana and bade him farewell, and proceeded (towards Panchala) with joyous hearts and with their mother walking before them. Those slayers of all foes, in order to reach their destination, proceeded in a due northerly direction, walking day and night till they reached a sacred shrine of with the crescent mark on his brow. Then those tigers among men, the sons of , arrived at the banks of the . , that mighty car-warrior, walking before them, torch in hand, for showing the way and guarding them (against wild animals). And it so happened that at that time the proud , with his wives, was sporting in that solitary region in the delightful waters of the . The heard the tread of the Pandavas as they approached the river. On hearing the sounds of their foot-steps, the mighty Gandharvas were inflamed with wrath, and beholding those chastisers of foes, the Pandavas, approach towards him with their mother, he drew his frightful bow to a circle and said, 'It is known that excepting the first forty seconds the grey twilight preceding nightfall hath has been appointed for the wandering of the Yakshas, the Gandharvas and the Rakshasas, all of whom are capable of going everywhere at will. The rest of the time hath has been appointed for man to do his work. If therefore, men, wandering during those moments from greed of gain, come near us, both we and the Rakshasas slay those fools. Therefore, persons acquainted with the Vedas never applaud those men--not even kings at the head of their troops--who approach any pools of water at such a time. Stay ye you at a distance, and approach me not. Know ye you not that I am bathing in the waters of the Bhagirathi? Know that I am Angaraparna the Gandharva, ever relying on my own strength! I am proud and haughty and am the friend of . This my forest on the banks of the , where I sport to gratify all my senses, is called Angaraparna after my own name. Here neither gods, nor Kapalikas, nor Gandharvas nor Yakshas, can come. How dare ye you approach me who am the brightest jewel on the diadem of ?'
"Hearing these words of the Gandharva, said, 'Blockhead, whether it be day, night, or twilight, who can bar others from the ocean, the sides of the Himalayas, and this river? O ranger of the skies, whether the stomach be empty or full, whether it is night or day, there is no special time for anybody to come to the --that foremost of all rivers. As regards ourselves endued with might, we care not when we disturb thee you. Wicked being, those who are weak in fighting worship thee you. This , issuing out of the golden peaks of Himavat, falleth falls into the waters of the ocean, being distributed into seven streams. They who drink the waters of these seven streams, viz., , Yamuna, Saraswati, Vitashtha, Sarayu, Gomati, and Gandaki, are, cleansed of all their sins. O Gandharva, this sacred again, flowing through the celestial region is called there the Alakananda, It hath has again in the region of the Pitris become the Vaitarani, difficult of being crossed by sinners, and, himself hath has said so. The auspicious and celestial river, capable of leading to heaven (them that touch its waters), is free from all dangers. Why dost do thou you then desire to bar us from it? This act of thine yours is not in consonance with eternal virtue. Disregarding thy your words, why shall we not touch the sacred waters of the Bhagirathi free from all dangers and from which none can bar us?'
" continued, 'Hearing these words of , Angaraparna became inflamed with wrath and drawing his bow to a circle began to shoot his arrows like venomous snakes at the Pandavas. Then , the son of , wielding a good shield and the torch he held in his hand, warded off all those arrows and addressing the Gandharva again said, 'O Gandharva, seek not to terrify those that are skilled in weapons, for weapons hurled at them vanish like froth. I think, O Gandharva, that ye you are superior (in prowess) to men; therefore shall I fight with thee you, using celestial weapons and not with any crooked means. This fiery weapon (that I shall hurl at thee you), the revered preceptor of , gave unto to , from whom it was obtained by Agnivesya, and from Agnivesya by my preceptor, that foremost of Brahmanas, , who gave it away to me.'
" continued, 'Saying these words, the Pandava wrathfully hurled at the Gandharva that blazing weapon made of fire which burnt the Gandharva's chariot in a trice. Deprived of consciousness by the force of that weapon, the mighty Gandharva was falling, head downward, from his chariot. seized him by the hair of his head adorned with garlands of flowers and thus dragged the unconscious Gandharva towards his brothers. Beholding this, that Gandharva's wife Kumbhinasi, desirous of saving her husband, ran towards and sought his protection. The Gandharvi said, 'O exalted one, extend to me thy your protection! O, set my husband free! O lord, I am Kumbhinasi by name, the wife of this Gandharva, who seeketh seeks thy your protection!' Beholding her (so afflicted), the mighty addressed and said, 'O slayer of foes, O child, who would slay a foe who hath has been vanquished in fight, who hath has been deprived of fame, who is protected by a woman, and who hath has no prowess?' replied, saying, 'Keep thou you thy your life, O Gandharva! Go hence, and grieve not I , the king of the Kurus, commandeth commands me to show thee you mercy.'
"The Gandharva replied, 'I have been vanquished by thee you, I shall, therefore, abandon my former name Angaraparna (the blazing vehicle). In name alone, O friend, I should not be boastful when my pride in my strength hath has been overcome: I have been fortunate in that I have obtained thee you; O , that wielder of celestial weapons! I like to impart to thee you the power of (producing) illusions which Gandharvas alone have. My excellent and variegated chariot hath has been burnt by means of thy your fiery weapon. I who had formerly been called after my excellent chariot should now be called after my burnt chariot. The science of producing illusions that I have spoken of was formerly obtained by me by ascetic penances. That science I will today impart to the giver of my life-thy your illustrious self! What good luck doth does he not deserve who, after overcoming a foe by his might, giveth gives him life when that foe asketh asks for it? This science is called Chakshushi. It was communicated by unto to and by unto to Viswavasu, and lastly by Viswavasu unto to me. Communicated by my preceptor, that science, having come unto to me who am without energy, is gradually becoming fruitless. I have spoken to thee you about its origin and transmission. Listen now to its power! One may see (by its aid) whatever one wisheth wishes to see, and in whatever way he liketh likes (generally or particularly). One can acquire this science only after standing on one leg for six months. I shall however, communicate to thee you this science without thyself being obliged to observe any rigid vow. O king, it is for this knowledge that we are superior to men. And as we are capable of seeing everything by spiritual sight, we are equal to the gods. O best of men, I intend to give thee you and each of thy your brothers a hundred steeds born in the country of the Gandharvas. Of celestial colour and endued with the speed of the mind, those horses are employed in bearing the celestial, and the Gandharvas. They may be lean-fleshed but they tire not, nor doth does their speed suffer on that account. In days of yore the thunderbolt was created for the chief of the celestials in order that he might slay (the Asura) Vritra with it. But hurled at Vritra's head it broke in a thousand pieces. The celestials worship with reverence those fragments of the thunderbolt. That which is known in the three worlds as glory is but a portion of the thunderbolt. The hand of the Brahmana with which he poureth pours libations on the sacrificial fire, the chariot upon which the Kshatriya fighteth fights, the charity of the Vaisya, and the service of the Sudra rendered unto to the three other classes, are all fragments of the thunderbolt. It hath has been said that horses, forming as they do a portion of the Kshatriya's chariot, are, on that account, unslayable. Again horses which form a portion of the Kshatriya's chariot, are the offspring of Vadava. Those amongst them that are born in the region of the Gandharvas can go everywhere and assume any hue and speed at the will of their owners. These horses of mine that I give thee you will always gratify thy your wishes."
"On hearing these words of the Gandharva, said, 'O Gandharva, if from satisfaction for having obtained thy your life at my hands in a situation of danger, thou you givest give me thy your science, and these horses, I would not accept thy your gift.' The Gandharva replied, saying, 'A meeting with an illustrious person is ever a source of gratification; besides thou you hast have given me my life. Gratified with thee you, I will give thee you my science. That the obligation, however, may not all be on one side, I will take from thee you, O , O bull in Bharata's race, thy your excellent and eternal weapon of fire!'
" said, 'I would accept thy your horses in exchange for my weapon. Let our friendship last for ever. O friend, tell us for what we human beings have to stand in fear of the Gandharvas. Chastisers of foes that we are and virtuous and conversant with the Vedas, tell us, O Gandharva, why in travelling in the night-time we have been censured by thee you.'
"The Gandharva said, 'Ye you are without wives (though ye you have completed the period of study). Ye you are without a particular Asrama (mode of life). Lastly, ye you are out without a Brahmana walking before, therefore, ye you sons of , ye you have been censured by me. The Yakshas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas, Pisachas, Uragas and Danavas, are possessed of wisdom and intelligence, and acquainted with the history of the Kuru race. O hero, I have heard too from and other celestial Rishis about the good deeds of your wise ancestors. I myself, too, while roaming over the whole earth bounded by her belt of seas, have witnessed the prowess of thy your great race. O , I have personal knowledge of thy your preceptor, the illustrious son of , celebrated throughout the three worlds for his knowledge of the Vedas and the science of arms. O tiger in Kuru's race, O son of , I also know , , , the twin Aswins, and ,--these six perpetuators of Kuru race,--these excellent celestials and human progenitors of you all. I also know that you five brothers are learned and high-souled, that ye you are foremost of all wielders of weapons, that ye you are brave and virtuous and observant of vows. Knowing that your understanding and hearts are excellent and your behaviour faultless, I have yet censured you. For, O thou you of Kuru's race, it behoveth behooves no man endued with might of arms to bear with patience any ill usage in the sight of his wife. Especially as, O son of , our might increaseth increases during the hours of darkness, accompanied by my wife I was filled with wrath. O best of vow-observing men, I have, however, been vanquished by thee you in battle. Listen to me as I tell thee you the reasons that have led to my discomfiture. The Brahmacharya is a very superior mode of life, and as thou you art in that mode now, it is for this, O , that I have been defeated by thee you in battle. O chastiser of foes, if any married Kshatriya fight with us at night, he can never escape, with life. But, O , a married Kshatriya, who is sanctified with , and who hath has assigned the cares of his State to a priest, might vanquish! all wanderers in the night. O child of , men should therefore, ever employ learned priests possessing self-command for the acquisition of every good luck they desire. That Brahmana is worthy of being the king's priest who is learned in the Vedas and the six branches thereof of it, who is pure and truthful, who is of virtuous soul and possessed of self-command. The monarch becometh becomes ever victorious and finally earneth earns heaven who hath has for his priest a Brahmana conversant with the rules of morality, who is a master of words, and is pure and of good behaviour. The king should always select an accomplished priest in order to acquire what he hath has not and protect what he hath has. He who desireth desires his own prosperity should ever be guided by his priest, for he may then obtain ever the whole earth surrounded by her belt of seas. O son of , a king, who is without a Brahmana, can never acquire any land by his bravery or glory of birth alone. Know, therefore, O perpetuator of Kuru's race, that the kingdom lasteth lasts for ever in which Brahmanas have power.'"