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Mahābhārata The History of the Great India
<< 116 The Mighty Weapons >>
 |  | Thus addressed, the smoke-crested lord of fire fixed his mind on Varuna, desiring to see that lord of worlds.
| | | Varuna is the son of Aditi, and he is the god of the seas. Within his watery abode he understood that he was being thought of. He appeared to Fire, who welcomed him and spoke to the lord of the waters, who is the fourth among the leaders of the universe, being a protector and controller:
| | | "King Soma once gave you a bow and quiver. Please give me both of them at once, and also the chariot marked with Hanuman, for Arjuna will perform a great task with that Gandiva bow. And also, for my sake, please give the great disc to Sri Krsna."
| | | "Yes, I shall give," Varuna replied.
| | | Varuna then presented to Arjuna the amazingly potent bow, a weapon that always increased the glory and fame of its owner, for it could not be conquered by any other weapon, being the harasser of all arms, the great one among weapons, devastating to enemy armies. That one weapon was equal to a hundred thousand weapons, and it made its owner's kingdom flourish. Multicolored with all the hues, smooth and shining, without a scratch or scar, it had been worshiped by the gods and Gandharvas since time immemorial.
| | | Varuna gave Arjuna that jewel of bows, two great quivers of inexhaustible shafts, and a chariot yoked to divine horses, its banner marked with Hanuman, the foremost of monkeys. The silver Gandharva horses were garlanded in gold. They moved at the speed of the mind or the wind and flashed like swift white clouds. The chariot had all necessary equipment. It could not be conquered by gods or demons, and it radiated light and reverberated with a deep rumbling sound. Its beauty captivated the mind of all who beheld it. Visvakarma, the lord of design and construction, had created it by the power of his austerities, and its form, like that of the sun, could not be precisely discerned. By mounting this chariot, as big as an elephant or a cloud and blazing with splendor, the Moon had overcome the wicked Danavas.
| | | Atop this finest chariot rested a flagstaff that shone like Indra's thunderbolt. It was made of gold and uniquely attractive. On the staff was the divine Hanuman, a transcendental monkey with the marks of the lion and tiger. Situated atop the chariot, he seemed to roar out and shine with power. On the flag were all kinds of powerful creatures, whose fierce roars destroyed the consciousness of enemy armies.
| | | Arjuna walked reverently around the unique chariot, which shone with variegated flags, and he offered his obeisances to the Supreme Lord and to the secondary deities who had delivered the marvelous car.
| | | Tightly fitted with armor, his sword and wrist- and finger-guards in place, Arjuna mounted the chariot as a pious man mounts the celestial craft that takes him to heaven. Firmly grasping the divine and glorious Gandiva bow, which had been constructed long ago by Brahma, Arjuna rejoiced. Bowing to the sacred fire, the hero then gripped the bow and, exerting his power, strung it with a proper cord. When mighty Arjuna strung his bow, the twanging sound was so piercing that the minds of those who heard it shuddered.
| | | Having obtained a suitable chariot and bow, along with two inexhaustible quivers of arrows, the son of Kunti was now ready and enthusiastic to assist the god of fire, who then gave Lord Krsna a discus whose hub was a thunderbolt. Holding again His eternal fiery weapon, which is ever devoted to Him, the Lord was ready to perform His pastimes.
| | | Fire then said to the Lord, "My dear Krsna, slayer of Madhu, with this weapon You will undoubtedly conquer in battle, even against superhuman opponents. With this weapon You will be superior in battle to the human beings and even to the gods, and certainly the Nagas, the Raksasas, the Pisacas, and the wicked Daityas—no matter how excellent your enemy may be. Whenever You throw this weapon, my dear Madhava, it will strike down the enemy in battle, without ever being struck, and it will always return to Your hand."
| | | Varuna then gave Lord Krsna a terrifying club named Kaumodaki, which roared like a thunderbolt and brought death to the wicked. Krsna and Arjuna were enlivened by the gifts.
| | | Prepared with weapons, missiles, chariots, and banners, they said to Fire, "We are ready to fight, lord, even with all the gods and demons, what to speak of Indra, who desires to fight for the sake of a serpent."
| | | Arjuna said, "When Sri Krsna, chief of the Vrsnis, hurls His disc weapon, no one in the universe will stand unconquered. Taking the Gandiva bow and these two inexhaustible quivers of arrows, I too, O Fire, shall boldly conquer all the worlds in battle. My lord, we are ready to help you, and as soon as you like, you may surround the forest with a great fire. This very moment, blaze away as you desire!"
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