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चैत्ररथपर्वन् (caitrarathaparvan)

 
Mahabharata
English
Caitrarathaparvan (“the section relating to Citraratha, ” the eleventh of the minor parvans of Mhbhr.). (Cf. Caitraratha[ṃ]
parvan.) § 216: Within a few days there came a brahman to the abode of their host, whom they asked to narrate the birth of Dhṛshṭadyumna from the sacrificial fire, and that of Kṛshṇā from the centre of the vedī, and that of Śikhaṇḍin, and how Dhṛshṭadyumna learnt the use of all weapons from Droṇa, and how the friendship of Droṇa and Drupada was broken (I, 165).--§ 217: The brahman related (not mentioning Aśvatthāman) the birth of Droṇa (§ 200), his friendship with Drupada, and his visit to Rāma (§ 201
he obtained the Brahmāstra, v. 6340), the breaking of his friendship with Drupada (§ 202), how Bhīshma prevailed upon him to teach the princes, etc. (both Arjuna and the others promised to give what he might ask for his fee, v. 6346), and the chastisement of Drupada (§ 209
Drupada resides in Chattravatī, v. 6348) (I, 166).--§ 218: Draupadīsambhava (q.v.).--§ 219: Hearing the words of the brahman, the sons of Kuntī seemed to be, as it were, pierced with darts. Kuntī proposed to Yudhishṭhira that they should go to the Pāñcālas, a country they had not seen before, and he consented for his part. When the other brothers had likewise consented, they set out for the town of Drupada (I, 168).-§ 220: When they were living disguised, Vyāsa came and told them that formerly the daughter of a ṛshi, notwithstanding her beauty, obtained no husband, and therefore by austerities propitiated Śaṅkara five times, saying “Give me a husband.” Accordingly the god said (notwithstanding her objection) that she should in a future life have five husbands. “That damsel is Kṛshṇā, appointed to be the wife of ye all
go therefore to the capital of the Pāñcālas and dwell ye there.” He then left them (I, 169).--§ 221: After Vyāsa had gone away, the Pāṇḍavas proceeded [towards the Pāñcālas]
in a northerly direction, walking day and night till they reached the tīrtha Somāśrayāyaṇa (“the shrine of Rudra with the crescent mark on his brow, ” PCR. with Nīl.). Then they arrived at the Gaṅgā
Dhanañjaya (i.e. Arjuna) walked before them, torch in hand. The Gandharva king with his wives was then sporting there in the Geṅgā. Bending his bow to a circle, he said, “Excepting the first 80 lavas, the muhūrta (prasthānakālaṃ, Nīl.) that begins with the twilight preceding nightfall has been appointed for the Yakshas, Gandharvas, and Rākshasas, capable of going everywhere at will
the rest 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 rākshasas slay those fools. Therefore persons acquainted with the Vedas never applaud those men, who then approach any piece of water. Stay ye at a distance. Know that I am Aṅgāraparṇa (= Citraratha, v. 6475
cf. LIA. i, 666/814), the friend of Kubera, and this my forest is also called Aṅgāraparṇa, where neither kauṇapas (i.e. rākshasas), nor śṛṅgins (a horned animal, see BR.
according to Nīl. it is = kāpālikāḥ, a Śivaitic sect), nor gods, nor men can come.” Arjuna replied: “Whether it be day, night, or twilight, who can bar others from the ocean, the Himālaya, and Gangā?” (b). Arjuna burnt the Gandharva's chariot with the Āgneya weapon, given by Bṛhaspati (the preceptor of Indra) to Bharadvāja, by him to Agniveśya, by him to Droṇa, by Droṇa to Arjuna, and dragged him, who had become unconscious, by the hair. His wife Kumbhīnasī prevailed upon Yudhishṭhira, and he commanded Arjuna to spare him. He declared that, instead of his former name, Citraratha (“who has a variegated chariot”), he should now be called Dagdharatha (“whose chariot has been burnt”), and imparted to Arjuna the Gāndharvī vidyā called Cākshushī (c). He also gave Arjuna and each of his brothers one hundred horses born in the country of the Gandharvas (Gandharvajānāṃ), endued with the speed of wind and employed in carrying the gods and Gandharvas, a portion of Indra's vajra (“thunderbolt”) (d). Arjuna in return gave him the Āgneya weapon, and asked him why they, though skilled in the Vedas, had been censured by him. He replied that it was because they were without fires, without sacriflces, and without a brahman walking before them. “The Yakskas, Rākshasas, Gandharvas, Piśācas, Uragas, and Dānavas know the history of the Kuru race
I have heard from Nārada and other devarshis the deeds of your ancestors. I have been vanquished by thee in battle on account of the brahmacarya being rigidly observed: a kshattriya, who is addicted to lust, if he fights in the night, can never escape with life
but even if addicted to lust, he who has a purohita may vanquish all wanderers of the night. Therefore, O Tāpatya! kings should always select a fit purohita” (I, 170).--§ 222: Citraratha related Tapatyupākhyāna (q.v.).--§§ 223--7: Vāsishṭha (q.v.).-§ 228: Aurvopākhyāna (q.v.).--§ 229: Vasishṭopākhyāna (q.v.).--§ 230: Dhaumya-purohitakaraṇa (q.v.).