NORTHERN CAMPAIGN OF ARJUNA

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > SABHA PARVA > DIGVIJAYA PARVA > CHAPTER 26 - NORTHERN CAMPAIGN OF ARJUNA

“Bhagadatta, hearing this, said, ‘O you who has Kunti for your mother (Arjuna), as you are to me, so is Yudhishthira. I shall do all this. Tell me, what else I may do for you.’

“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Thus addressed, Dhananjaya (Arjuna) replied to Bhagadatta, saying, ‘If you will give your promise to do this, you have done all I desire.’

“Having thus subjugated the king of Praagjyotisha (Bhagadatta), Dhananjaya (Arjuna) of long arms, the son of Kunti, then marched towards the north – the direction presided over by the lord of treasures (Kubera). That bull among men, that son of Kunti (Arjuna), then conquered the mountainous areas and their outskirts, as also the hilly regions. Having conquered all the mountains and the kings that reigned there, and bringing them under his rule, he exacted tributes (Rathnaan in Sanskrit) from all. O king (Janamejaya), winning the affections of those kings and uniting himself with them, he next marched, against Brihanta, the king of Kulootha, making this earth tremble with the sound of his drums (Mrudanga in Sanskrit), the clatter of his chariot-wheels, and the roar of the elephants in his procession. However, Brihanta quickly coming out of his city followed by his army consisting of four kinds of troops (Chariots, Elephants, Cavalry, Infantry), gave battle to Phalguna (Arjuna). The fight that took place between Brihanta and Dhananjaya (Arjuna) was terrible. It so happened that Brihanta was unable to bear the prowess of the Paandavaa. Then that invincible king of the mountainous region (Brihanta) regarding the son of Kunti (Arjuna) irresistible, approached him with all his wealth (Rathnaan in Sanskrit).

“Arjuna snatched out the kingdom from Brihanta, but having made peace with him marched, accompanied by that king (Brihanta), against Senaabindu whom he (Arjuna) soon expelled from his kingdom. After this he subjugated Modaapuraa, Vaamadeva, Sudaamaa, Susankula, the Northern Kuloothaas, and the kings of those countries and peoples. O monarch (Janamejaya), after this at the command of Yudhishthira, Arjuna did not move from the city of Senaabindu but sent his troops only and brought under his rule those five countries and peoples. For Arjuna, having arrived at Divaprastha, the city of Senaabindu, took up his quarters there with his army consisting of four kinds of forces (Chariots, Elephants, Cavalry, Infantry). From that place, surrounded by the kings and the peoples he had subjugated, the hero (Veera in Sanskrit) marched against king Vishwagashwa – that bull of Puru's race. O king (Janamejaya), having vanquished in battle the brave mountaineers, who were all great warriors, the Paandavaa (Arjuna), then occupied with the help of his troops, the town protected by the Puru king. Having vanquished in battle the Puru king, as also the robber tribes (Dasyoon Parvata in Sanskrit), of the mountains, the Paandavaa (Arjuna) brought under his rule the seven tribes (Gana in Sanskrit) called Utsava-sanketa. That bull of the Kshatriya race (Arjuna) then defeated the brave Kshatriyas of Kaashmeera and also king Lohita along with ten minor chiefs (Mandala in Sanskrit).

“O king (Janamejaya), then the Trigartaas, the Kaunteyaas, the Daarvaas, the Kokonadaas, and various other Kshatriyas advanced against the Paandavaa. That Prince of the Kuru race (Arjuna) then took the delightful town of Abhisaari, and then brought under his rule Rochamaana ruling in Urashaa. Then the son of (Lord) Indra (Arjuna), putting forth his might, pressed the delightful town of Simhapura that was well-protected with various weapons. Then Arjuna, that bull among Paandavaas, at the head of all his troops, fiercely attacked the regions called Suhmaa and Cholaa. Then the son of (Lord) Indra, filled with great prowess, after pressing them with great force, brought the Baalhikaas always difficult of being conquered, under his rule. Then Phalguna (Arjuna), the Paandavaa, taking with him a select force, defeated the Daradaan along with the Kaambojaas. Then the noble son of (Lord) Indra (Arjuna) vanquished the robber tribes that stayed in the north-eastern frontier and those also that stayed in the forest. O great king (Janamejaya), the son of (Lord) Indra (Arjuna) also subjugated the allied tribes of the Lohaas, the eastern Kaambojaas, and northern Rishikaas. The battle with the Rishikaas was fierce in the extreme. Indeed, the fight that took place between them and Paarthaa (Arjuna) was equal to that between Devas and Asuras in which Taarakaa (the wife of Deva Guru Brihaspati) had become the cause of so much slaughter. O king (Janamejaya), defeating the Rishikaas in the battlefield, Arjuna took from them as tribute eight horses that were of the colour of the parrot’s chest, and also other horses of the colour of peacock, born in northern and other regions and endued with high speed. At last having conquered all the Himalayas and the Nishkuta mountains, that bull among men (Arjuna), arriving at the White mountains, encamped on its chest.’”