Adi Parva Mahabharata Book 1 Chapter 211
Adi Parva Mahabharata Book 1 Chapter 221: English
mentions the Raivataka mountain festival of Bhojas, Vrishnis and Andhakas
SECTION CCXXI
(Subhadra-harana Parva)"Vaisampayana said, 'O best of monarchs, within a few days after this, there commenced on the Raivataka mountain, a grand festival of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas. At the mountain-festival of the Bhojas, the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, the heroes of those tribes began to give away much wealth unto Brahmanas by thousands. The region around that hill, O king was adorned with many a mansion decked with gems and many an artificial tree of gaudy hue. The musicians struck up in concert and the dancers began to dance and the vocalists to sing. And the youth of the Vrishni race, endued with great energy, adorned with every ornament, and riding in their gold-decked cars, looked extremely handsome. The citizens, some on foot and some in excellent cars, with their wives and followers were there by hundreds and thousands. And there was the lord Haladhara (Balarama), roving at will, hilarious with drink, accompanied by (his wife) Revati, and followed by many musicians and vocalists. There came Ugrasena also, the powerful king of he Vrishni race, accompanied by his thousand wives and followed by sweet singers. And Raukmineya and Samba also, ...(p. 426) ever furious in battle, roved there, excited with drink and adorned with floral wreaths of great beauty and with costly attires, and disported themselves like a pair of celestials. And Akrura and Sarana and Gada, and Vabhru, and Nisatha, and Charudeshna, and Prithu, Viprithu, and Satyaka, and Satyaki, and Bhangakara, and Maharava, and Hardikya, and Uddhava, and many others whose names are not given, accompanied by their wives that followed by bands of singers, adorned that mountain-festival. When that delightful festival of immense grandeur commenced, Vasudeva and Partha went about, together, beholding everything around. While wandering there, they saw the handsome daughter of Vasudeva, Bhadra by name, decked with every ornament, in the midst of her maids. As soon as Arjuna beheld her he was possessed by the god of desire. Then, O Bharata, that tiger among men, Krishna, observing Partha contemplate her with absorbed attention, said with a smile, 'How is this? Can the heart of one that rangeth the woods be agitated by the god of desire? This is my sister, O Partha, and the uterine sister of Sarana. Blest be thou, her name is Bhadra and she is the favourite daughter of my father. Tell me if thy heart is fixed upon her, for I shall then speak to my father myself.'
"Arjuna answered, 'She is Vasudeva's daughter and Vasudeva's (Krishna) sister; endued with so much beauty, whom can she not fascinate? If this thy sister, this maid of the Vrishni race, becometh my wife, truly may I win prosperity in everything. Tell me, O Janardana, by what means I may obtain her. To get her I will achieve anything that is achievable by man.'
"Vasudeva answered, 'O bull amongst men, self-choice hath been ordained for the marriage of Kshatriyas. But that is doubtful (in its consequences), O Partha, as we do not know this girl's temper and disposition. In the case of Kshatriyas that are brave, a forcible abduction for purposes of marriage is applauded, as the learned have said. Therefore O Arjuna, carry away this my beautiful sister by force, for who knows what she may do at a self-choice.' Then Krishna and Arjuna, having thus settled as to what should be done sent some speedy messengers unto Yudhishthira at Indraprastha, informing him of everything. The strong-armed Yudhishthira, as soon as he heard it, gave his assent to it.'"
Mahabharata Book 1 Chapter 211: Sanskrit
1 [वै]
ततः कतिपयाहस्य तस्मिन रैवतके गिरौ
वृष्ण्यन्धकानाम अभवत सुमहान उत्सवॊ नृप
2 तत्र थानं थथुर वीरा बराह्मणानां सहस्रशः
भॊजवृष्ण्यन्धकाश चैव महे तस्य गिरेस तथा
3 परसाथै रत्नचित्रैश च गिरेस तस्य समन्ततः
स थेशः शॊभितॊ राजन थीपवृक्षैश च सर्वशः
4 वाथित्राणि च तत्र सम वाथकाः समवाथयन
ननृतुर नर्तकाश चैव जगुर गानानि गायनाः
5 अलंकृताः कुमाराश च वृष्णीनां सुमहौजसः
यानैर हाटकचित्राङ्गैश चञ्चूर्यन्ते सम सर्वशः
6 पौराश च पाथचारेण यानैर उच्चावचैस तदा
सथाराः सानुयात्राश च शतशॊ ऽद सहस्रशः
7 ततॊ हलधरः कषीबॊ रेवती सहितः परभुः
अनुगम्यमानॊ गन्धर्वैर अचरत तत्र भारत
8 तदैव राजा वृष्णीनाम उग्रसेनः परतापवान
उपगीयमानॊ गन्धर्वैः सत्रीसहस्रसहायवान
9 रौक्मिणेयश च साम्बश च कषीबौ समरथुर्मथौ
थिव्यमाल्याम्बरधरौ विजह्राते ऽमराव इव
10 अक्रूरः सारणश चैव गथॊ भानुर विडूरदः
निशदश चारु थेष्णश च पृदुर विपृदुर एव च
11 सत्यकः सात्यकिश चैव भङ्गकारसहाचरौ
हार्थिक्यः कृतवर्मा च ये चान्ये नानुकीर्तिताः
12 एते परिवृताः सत्रीभिर गन्धर्वैश च पृदक पृदक
तम उत्सवं रैवतके शॊभयां चक्रिरे तथा
13 तथा कॊलाहले तस्मिन वर्तमाने महाशुभे
वासुथेवश च पार्दश च सहितौ परिजग्मतुः
14 तत्र चङ्क्रम्यमाणौ तौ वासुथेव सुतां शुभाम
अलंकृतां सखीमध्ये भद्रां थथृशतुस तथा
15 थृष्ट्वैव ताम अर्जुनस्य कन्थर्पः समजायत
तं तदैकाग्र मनसं कृष्णः पार्दम अलक्षयत
16 अदाब्रवीत पुष्कराक्षः परहसन्न इव भारत
वनेचरस्य किम इथं कामेनालॊड्यते मनः
17 ममैषा भगिनी पार्द सारणस्य सहॊथरा
यथि ते वर्तते बुथ्धिर वक्ष्यामि पितरं सवयम
18 [आर्ज]
थुहिता वसुथेवस्य वसुथेवस्य च सवसा
रूपेण चैव संपन्ना कम इवैषा न मॊहयेत
19 कृतम एव तु कल्याणं सर्वं मम भवेथ धरुवम
यथि सयान मम वार्ष्णेयी महिषीयं सवसा तव
20 पराप्तौ तु क उपायः सयात तथ बरवीहि जनार्थन
आस्दास्यामि तदा सर्वं यथि शक्यं नरेण तत
21 [वासु]
सवयंवरः कषत्रियाणां विवाहः पुरुषर्षभ
स च संशयितः पार्द सवभावस्यानिमित्ततः
22 परसह्य हरणं चापि कषत्रियाणां परशस्यते
विवाह हेतॊः शूराणाम इति धर्मविथॊ विथुः
23 स तवम अर्जुन कल्याणीं परसह्य भगिनीं मम
हर सवयंवरे हय अस्याः कॊ वै वेथ चिकीर्षितम
24 [वै]
ततॊ ऽरजुनश च कृष्णश च विनिश्चित्येतिकृत्यताम
शीघ्रगान पुरुषान राज्ञ परेषयाम आसतुस तथा
25 धर्मराजाय तत सर्वम इन्थ्रप्रस्दगताय वै
शरुत्वैव च महाबाहुर अनुजज्ञे पाण्डवः
Mahabharata Book 1 Chapter 211: Roman
1 [vai]
tataḥ katipayāhasya tasmin raivatake girau
vṛṣṇyandhakānām abhavat sumahān utsavo nṛpa
2 tatra dānaṃ dadur vīrā brāhmaṇānāṃ sahasraśaḥ
bhojavṛṣṇyandhakāś caiva mahe tasya gires tadā
3 prasādai ratnacitraiś ca gires tasya samantataḥ
sa deśaḥ śobhito rājan dīpavṛkṣaiś ca sarvaśaḥ
4 vāditrāṇi ca tatra sma vādakāḥ samavādayan
nanṛtur nartakāś caiva jagur gānāni gāyanāḥ
5 alaṃkṛtāḥ kumārāś ca vṛṣṇīnāṃ sumahaujasaḥ
yānair hāṭakacitrāṅgaiś cañcūryante sma sarvaśaḥ
6 paurāś ca pādacāreṇa yānair uccāvacais tathā
sadārāḥ sānuyātrāś ca śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
7 tato haladharaḥ kṣībo revatī sahitaḥ prabhuḥ
anugamyamāno gandharvair acarat tatra bhārata
8 tathaiva rājā vṛṣṇīnām ugrasenaḥ pratāpavān
upagīyamāno gandharvaiḥ strīsahasrasahāyavān
9 raukmiṇeyaś ca sāmbaś ca kṣībau samaradurmadau
divyamālyāmbaradharau vijahrāte 'marāv iva
10 akrūraḥ sāraṇaś caiva gado bhānur viḍūrathaḥ
niśaṭhaś cāru deṣṇaś ca pṛthur vipṛthur eva ca
11 satyakaḥ sātyakiś caiva bhaṅgakārasahācarau
hārdikyaḥ kṛtavarmā ca ye cānye nānukīrtitāḥ
12 ete parivṛtāḥ strībhir gandharvaiś ca pṛthak pṛthak
tam utsavaṃ raivatake śobhayāṃ cakrire tadā
13 tadā kolāhale tasmin vartamāne mahāśubhe
vāsudevaś ca pārthaś ca sahitau parijagmatuḥ
14 tatra caṅkramyamāṇau tau vāsudeva sutāṃ śubhām
alaṃkṛtāṃ sakhīmadhye bhadrāṃ dadṛśatus tadā
15 dṛṣṭvaiva tām arjunasya kandarpaḥ samajāyata
taṃ tathaikāgra manasaṃ kṛṣṇaḥ pārtham alakṣayat
16 athābravīt puṣkarākṣaḥ prahasann iva bhārata
vanecarasya kim idaṃ kāmenāloḍyate manaḥ
17 mamaiṣā bhaginī pārtha sāraṇasya sahodarā
yadi te vartate buddhir vakṣyāmi pitaraṃ svayam
18 [ārj]
duhitā vasudevasya vasudevasya ca svasā
rūpeṇa caiva saṃpannā kam ivaiṣā na mohayet
19 kṛtam eva tu kalyāṇaṃ sarvaṃ mama bhaved dhruvam
yadi syān mama vārṣṇeyī mahiṣīyaṃ svasā tava
20 prāptau tu ka upāyaḥ syāt tad bravīhi janārdana
āsthāsyāmi tathā sarvaṃ yadi śakyaṃ nareṇa tat
21 [vāsu]
svayaṃvaraḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ vivāhaḥ puruṣarṣabha
sa ca saṃśayitaḥ pārtha svabhāvasyānimittataḥ
22 prasahya haraṇaṃ cāpi kṣatriyāṇāṃ praśasyate
vivāha hetoḥ śūrāṇām iti dharmavido viduḥ
23 sa tvam arjuna kalyāṇīṃ prasahya bhaginīṃ mama
hara svayaṃvare hy asyāḥ ko vai veda cikīrṣitam
24 [vai]
tato 'rjunaś ca kṛṣṇaś ca viniścityetikṛtyatām
śīghragān puruṣān rājña preṣayām āsatus tadā
25 dharmarājāya tat sarvam indraprasthagatāya vai
śrutvaiva ca mahābāhur anujajñe sa pāṇḍavaḥ