The Mahabharata by Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa.
Book 1, Adi Parva, Section 221st. 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 (Valarama),
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 Shamva also, 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.'"
Adi Parva, Section 222nd, Subhadra-harana
Parva continued.
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Dhananjaya, informed
of the assent of Yudhishthira, and ascertaining,
O Janamejaya, that the maiden had gone to
the Raivataka hill, obtained the assent of
Vasudeva also, after having settled in consultation
with him all that required to be done.
Then that bull of Bharata's race, that foremost
of men, with Krishna's assent, riding in his
well-built car of gold equipped with rows
of small bells and with every kind of weapon
and the clatter of whose wheels resembled
the roar of the clouds and whose splendour
was like unto that of a blazing fire and which
struck terror into the hearts of all foes
and unto which were yoked the steeds Saivya
and Sugriva, himself accoutred in mail and
armed with sword and his fingers encased in
leathern gloves, set out, as it were, on a
hunting expedition.
Meanwhile Subhadra, having paid her homage
unto that prince of hills, Raivataka and having
worshipped the deities and made the Brahmanas
utter benedictions upon her, and having also
walked round the hill, was coming towards
Dwaravati.
The son of Kunti, afflicted with the shafts
of the god of desire, suddenly rushed towards
that Yadava girl of faultless features and
forcibly took her into his car.
Having seized that girl of sweet smiles, that
tiger among men proceeded in his car of gold
towards his own city (Indraprastha).
Meanwhile, the armed attendants of Subhadra,
beholding her thus seized and taken away,
all ran, crying towards the city of Dwaraka.
Reaching all together the Yadava court called
by the name of Sudharma, they represented
everything about the prowess of Partha unto
the chief officer of the court.
The chief officer of the court, having heard
everything from those messengers, blew his
gold-decked trumpet of loud blare, calling
all to arms.
Stirred up by that sound, the Bhojas, the
Vrishnis, and the Andhakas began to pour in
from all sides.
Those that were eating left their food, and
those that were drinking left their drink.
Those tigers among men, those great warriors
of the Vrishni and the Andhaka tribes, took
their seats upon their thousand thrones of
gold covered with excellent carpets and variegated
with gems and corals and possessed of the
lustre of blazing fire.
Indeed they took their seats upon those thrones,
like blazing fires receiving faggots to increase
their splendour.
And after they were seated in that court which
was like unto a conclave of the celestials
themselves, the chief officer of the court,
assisted by those that stood at his back,
spoke of the conduct of Jishnu.
The proud Vrishni heroes, of eyes red with
wine, as soon as they heard of it, rose up
from their seats, unable to brook what Arjuna
had done.
Some amongst them said, 'Yoke our cars', and
some, 'Bring our weapons' and some said, 'Bring
our costly bows and strong coats of mail;
and some loudly called upon their charioteers
to harness their cars, and some, from impatience,
themselves yoked their horses decked with
gold unto their cars.
And while their cars and armours and standards
were being brought, loud became the uproar
of those heroes.
Then Valadeva, white and tall as the peak
of Kailasa, decked with garlands of wild flowers
and attired in blue robes, and proud and intoxicated
with drink, said these words:
'Ye senseless men, what are ye doing, when
Janardana sitteth silent?
Without knowing what is in his mind, vainly
do we roar in wrath!
Let the high-souled Krishna give out what
he proposeth.
Accomplish promptly what he desireth to do.'
Then all of them, hearing those words of Halayudha
that deserved to be accepted, exclaimed, 'Excellent!
Excellent!'
They then all became silent.
Silence having been restored by the words
of the intelligent Valadeva, they took their
seats once more in that assembly.
Then Rama, that oppressor of foes, spoke unto
Vasudeva, saying, 'Why, O Janardana, sittest
thou, gazing silently?
O Achyuta, it was for thy sake that the son
of Pritha had been welcomed and honoured by
us.
It seemeth, however, that that vile wretch
deserved not our homage.
What man is there born of a respectable family
that would break the plate after having dined
from it!
Even if one desireth to make such an alliance,
yet remembering all the services he hath received,
who is there, desirous of happiness, that
acts so rashly?
That Pandava disregarding us and thee too
hath today outraged Subhadra, desiring (to
compass) his own death.
He hath placed his foot on the crown of my
head.
How shall I, O Govinda, tamely bear it?
Shall I not resent it, even like a snake that
is trodden upon?
Alone shall I today make the earth destitute
of Kauravas!
Never shall I put up with this transgression
by Arjuna.'
Then all the Bhojas, Vrishnis, and Andhakas,
present there, approved of everything that
Valadeva had said, deeply roaring like unto
a kettle-drum or the clouds.'"
Adi Parva, Section 223rd, Haranaharana Parva.
"Vaisampayana said, 'When the heroes of the
Vrishni race began to speak repeatedly in
this strain, Vasudeva uttered these words
pregnant with deep import and consistent with
true morality.
Gudakesa (the conqueror of sleep or he of
the curly hair), by what he hath done, hath
not insulted our family.
He hath without doubt, rather enhanced our
respect.
Partha knoweth that we of the Satwata race
are never mercenary.
The son of Pandu also regardeth a self-choice
as doubtful in its results.
Who also would approve of accepting a bride
in gift as if she were an animal?
What man again is there on earth that would
sell his offspring?
I think Arjuna, seeing these faults in all
the other methods took the maiden away by
force, according to the ordinance.
This alliance is very proper.
Subhadra is a renowned girl.
Partha too possesseth renown.
Perhaps, thinking of all this, Arjuna hath
taken her away by force.
Who is there that would not desire to have
Arjuna for a friend, who is born in the race
of Bharata and the renowned Santanu, and the
son also of the daughter of Kuntibhoja?
I do not see, in all the worlds with Indra
and the Rudras, the person that can by force
vanquish Partha in battle, except the three-eyed
god Mahadeva.
His car is well-known.
Yoked thereunto are those steeds of mine.
Partha as a warrior is well-known; and his
lightness of hand is well-known.
Who shall be equal to him?
Even this is my opinion: go ye cheerfully
after Dhananjaya and by conciliation stop
him and bring him back.
If Partha goes to his city after having vanquished
us by force, our fame will be gone.
There is no disgrace, however, in conciliation.'
Hearing, O monarch, those words of Vasudeva,
they did as he directed.
Stopped by them, Arjuna returned to Dwaraka
and was united in marriage with Subhadra.
Worshipped by the sons of Vrishni's race,
Arjuna, sporting there as he pleased, passed
a whole year in Dwaraka.
The last year of his exile the exalted one
passed at the sacred region of Pushkara.
After the twelve years were complete he came
back to Khandavaprastha.
He approached the king first and then worshipped
the Brahmanas with respectful attention.
At last the hero went unto Draupadi.
Draupadi, from jealousy, spoke unto him, saying,
'Why tarriest thou here, O son of Kunti?
Go where the daughter of the Satwata race
is!
A second tie always relaxeth the first one
upon a faggot!'
And Krishna lamented much in this strain.
But Dhananjaya pacified her repeatedly and
asked for her forgiveness.
And returning soon unto where Subhadra, attired
in red silk, was staying, Arjuna, sent her
into the inner apartments dressed not as a
queen but in the simple garb of a cowherd
woman.
But arrived at the palace, the renowned Subhadra
looked handsomer in that dress.
The celebrated Bhadra of large and slightly
red eyes first worshipped Pritha.
Kunti from excess of affection smelt the head
of that girl of perfectly faultless features,
and pronounced infinite blessing upon her.
Then that girl of face like the full moon
hastily went unto Draupadi and worshipped
her, saying, 'I am thy maid!'
Krishna rose hastily and embraced the sister
of Madhava from affection, and said, 'Let
thy husband be without a foe!'
Bhadra then, with a delighted heart, said
unto Draupadi, 'So be it!'
From that time, O Janamejaya, those great
warriors, the Pandavas, began to live happily,
and Kunti also became very happy.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'When that scorcher
of foes, viz., Kesava of pure soul and eyes,
like lotus-petals, heard that the foremost
of the Pandavas, viz., Arjuna, had reached
his own excellent city of Indraprastha, he
came thither accompanied by Rama and the other
heroes and great warriors of the Vrishni and
the Andhaka tribes, and by his brothers and
sons and many other brave warriors.
And Saurin came accompanied by a large army
that protected him.
And there came with Saurin, that oppressor
of foes, viz., the exceedingly liberal Akrura
of great intelligence and renown, the generalissimo
of the brave Vrishni host.
And there also came Anadhrishti of great prowess,
and Uddhava of great renown, of great intelligence,
of great soul, and a disciple of Vrihaspati
himself.
And there also came Satyaka and Salyaka and
Kritavarman and Satwata; and Pradyumna and
Samva and Nisatha and Sanku; and Charudeshna,
and Jhilli of great prowess, and Viprithu
also and Sarana of mighty arms and Gada, the
foremost of learned men.
These and many other Vrishnis and Bhojas,
and Andhakas came to Indraprastha, bringing
with them many nuptial presents.
King Yudhishthira, hearing that Madhava had
arrived, sent the twins out to receive him.
Received by them, the Vrishni host of great
prosperity entered Khandavaprastha well-adorned
with flags and ensigns.
The streets were well-swept and watered and
decked with floral wreaths and bunches.
These were, again, sprinkled over with sandalwood
water that was fragrant and cooling.
Every part of the town was filled with the
sweet scent of burning aloes.
And the city was full of joyous and healthy
people and adorned with merchants and traders.
That best of men, viz., Kesava of mighty arms,
accompanied by Rama and many of the Vrishnis,
Andhakas and Bhojas, having entered the town,
was worshipped by the citizens and Brahmanas
by thousands.
At last Kesava entered the palace of the king
which was like unto the mansion of Indra himself.
Beholding Rama, Yudhishthira received him
with due ceremonies.
The king smelt the head of Kesava and embraced
him.
Govinda, gratified with the reception, humbly
worshipped Yudhishthira.
He also paid homage unto Bhima, that tiger
among men.
Yudhishthira the son of Kunti then received
the other principal men of the Vrishni and
the Andhaka tribes with due ceremonies.
Yudhishthira reverentially worshipped some
as his superiors, and welcomed others as equals.
And some he received with affection and by
some he was worshipped with reverence.
Then Hrishikesa of great renown gave unto
the party of the bridegroom much wealth.
And unto Subhadra he gave the nuptial presents
that had been given to her by her relatives.
Krishna gave unto the Pandavas a thousand
cars of gold furnished with rows of bells,
and unto each of which were put four steeds
driven by well-trained charioteers.
He also gave unto them ten thousand cows belonging
to the country of Mathura, and yielding much
milk and all of excellent colour.
Well-pleased, Janardana also gave them a thousand
mares with gold harnesses and of colour white
as the beams of the moon.
He also gave them a thousand mules, all well-trained
and possessing the speed of the wind, of white
colour with black manes.
And he of eyes like lotus-petals also gave
unto them a thousand damsels well-skilled
in assisting at bathing and at drinking, young
in years and virgins all before their first-season,
well-attired and of excellent complexion,
each wearing a hundred pieces of gold around
her neck, of skins perfectly polished, decked
with every ornament, and well-skilled in every
kind of personal service.
Janardana also gave unto them hundreds of
thousands of draft horses from the country
of the Valhikas as Subhadra's excellent dower.
That foremost one of Dasarha's race also gave
unto Subhadra as her peculium ten carrier-loads
of first class gold possessing the splendour
of fire, some purified and some in a state
of ore.
And Rama having the plough for his weapon
and always loving bravery gave unto Arjuna,
as a nuptial present, a thousand elephants
with secretions flowing in three streams from
the three parts of their bodies (the temple,
the ears, and the anus) each large as a mountain
summit, irresistible in battle, decked with
coverlets and bells, well-adorned with other
golden ornaments, and equipped with excellent
thrones on their backs.
And that large wave of wealth and gems that
the Yadavas presented, together with the cloths
and blankets that represented its foam, and
the elephants its alligators and sharks, and
the flags its floating weeds swelling into
large proportions, mingled with the Pandu
ocean and filled it to the brim, to the great
sorrow of all foes.
Yudhishthira accepted all those presents and
worshipped all those great warriors of the
Vrishni and the Andhaka races.
Those illustrious heroes of the Kuru, the
Vrishni, and the Andhaka races passed their
days in pleasure and merriment there like
virtuous men (after death) in the celestial
regions.
The Kurus and the Vrishnis with joyous hearts
amused themselves there, setting up at times
loud shouts mingled with clappings of the
hand.
Spending many days in sports and merriment
there, and worshipped by the Kurus all the
while, the Vrishni heroes endued with great
energy then returned to the city of Dwaravati.
And the great warriors of the Vrishni and
the Andhaka races set out with Rama in the
van, carrying with them those gems of the
purest rays that had been given them by those
foremost ones of Kuru's race.
And, O Bharata, the high-souled Vasudeva remained
there with Arjuna in the delightful city of
Indraprastha.
And the illustrious one wandered over the
banks of the Yamuna in search of deer.
And he sported with Arjuna piercing with his
shafts deer and wild boars.
Then Subhadra, the favourite sister of Kesava,
gave birth to an illustrious son, like Puloma's
daughter, (the queen of heaven) bringing forth
Jayanta.
And the son that Subhadra brought forth was
of long arms, broad chest, and eyes as large
as those of a bull.
That hero and oppressor of foes came to be
called Abhimanyu.
And the son of Arjuna, that grinder of foes
and bull among men, was called Abhimanyu because
he was fearless and wrathful.
And that great warrior was begotten upon the
daughter of the Satwata race by Dhananjaya,
like fire produced in a sacrifice from within
the sami wood by the process of rubbing.
Upon the birth of this child, Yudhishthira,
the powerful son of Kunti, gave away unto
Brahmanas ten thousand cows and coins of gold.
The child from his earliest years became the
favourite of Vasudeva and of his father and
uncles, like the moon of all the people of
the world.
Upon his birth, Krishna performed the usual
rites of infancy.
The child began to grow up like the Moon of
the bright fortnight.
That grinder of foes soon became conversant
with the Vedas and acquired from his father
the science of weapon both celestial and human,
consisting of four branches and ten divisions.
"Endued with great strength, the child also
acquired the knowledge of counteracting the
weapons hurled at him by others, and great
lightness of hand and fleetness of motion
forward and backward and transverse and wheeling.
Abhimanyu became like unto his father in knowledge
of the scriptures and rites of religion.
And Dhananjaya, beholding his son, became
filled with joy.
Like Maghavat beholding Arjuna, the latter
beheld his son Abhimanyu and became exceedingly
happy.
Abhimanyu possessed the power of slaying every
foe and bore on his person every auspicious
mark.
He was invisible in battle and broad-shouldered
as the bull.
Possessing a broad face as (the hood of) the
snake, he was proud like the lion.
Wielding a large bow, his prowess was like
that of an elephant in rut.
Possessed of a face handsome as the full-moon,
and of a voice deep as the sound of the drum
or the clouds, he was equal unto Krishna in
bravery and energy, in beauty and in features.
The auspicious Panchali also, from her five
husbands, obtained five sons all of whom were
heroes of the foremost rank and immovable
in battle like the hills.
Prativindhya by Yudhishthira, Sutasoma by
Vrikodara, Srutakarman by Arjuna, Satanika
by Nakula, and Srutasena by Sahadeva,--these
were the five heroes and great warriors that
Panchali brought forth, like Aditi bringing
forth the Adityas.
And the Brahmanas, from their foreknowledge,
said unto Yudhishthira that as the son of
his would be capable of bearing like the Vindhya
mountains the weapons of the foe, he should
be called Prativindhya.
And because the child that Draupadi bore to
Bhimasena was born after Bhima had performed
a thousand Soma sacrifices, he came to be
called Sutasoma.
And because Arjuna's son was born upon his
return from exile during which he had achieved
many celebrated feats, that child came to
be called Srutakarman.
While Nakula named his son Satanika after
a royal sage of that name, in the illustrious
race of Kuru.
Again the son that Draupadi bore to Sahadeva
was born under the constellation called Vahni-daivata
(Krittika), therefore was he called after
the generalissimo of the celestial host, Srutasena
(Kartikeya).
The sons of Draupadi were born, each at the
interval of one year, and all of them became
renowned and much attached to one another.
And, O monarch, all their rites of infancy
and childhood, such as Chudakarana and Upanayana
(first shave of the head and investiture with
the sacred threads) were performed by Dhaumya
according to the ordinance.
All of them, of excellent behaviour and vows,
after having studied the Vedas, acquired from
Arjuna a knowledge of all the weapons, celestial
and human.
And, O tiger among kings, the Pandavas, having
obtained sons all of whom were equal unto
the children of the celestials and endued
with broad chests, and all of whom became
great warriors, were filled with joy.'"
... Hare Krishna!!! : )
