rjuna, called also Partha. Thy father's courtier is
Yudhishthira and thy father's cook Vallava is Bhimasena, the groom of
horses is Nakula, and Sahadeva is in the cow-pen. And know thou that the
Sairindhri is Draupadi, for whose sake the Kichakas have been slain.'
"Uttara said, 'I would believe all this if thou canst enumerate the ten
names of Partha, previously heard by me!'
"Arjuna said, 'I will, O son of Virata, tell thee my ten names. Listen
thou and compare them with what thou hadst heard before. Listen to them
with close attention and concentrated mind. They are Arjuna, Falguna,
Jishnu, Kiritin, Swetavahana, Vibhatsu, Vijaya, Krishna, Savyasachin and
Dhananjaya.'
"Uttara said, 'Tell me truly why art thou called Vijaya, and why
Swetavahana. Why art thou named Krishna and why Arjuna and Falguna and
Jishnu and Kiritin and Vibhatsu, and for what art thou Dhananjaya and
Savyasachin? I have heard before about the origin of the several names of
that hero, and can put faith in thy words if thou canst tell me all about
them.'
"Arjuna said, 'They called me Dhananjaya because I lived in the midst of
wealth, having subjugated all the countries and taking away their
treasures. They called me Vijaya because when I go out to battle with
invincible kings, I never return (from the field) without vanquishing
them. I am called Swetavahana because when battling with the foe, white
horses decked in golden armour are always yoked unto my car. They call me
Falguna because I was born on the breast of the Himavat on a day when the
constellation Uttara Falguna was on the ascendent. I am named Kiritin
from a diadem, resplendent like the sun, having been placed of old on my
head by Indra during my encounter with the powerful Danavas. I am known
as Vibhatsu among gods and men, for my never having committed a
detestable deed on the battle-field. And since both of my hands are
capable of drawing the Gandiva, I am known as Savyasachin among gods and
men. They call me Arjuna because my complexion is very rare within the
four boundaries of the earth and because also my acts are always
stainless. I am known among human beings and celestials by the name of
Jishnu, because I am unapproachable and incapable of being kept down, and
a tamer of adversaries and son of the slayer of Paka. And Krishna, my
tenth appellation, was given to me by my father out of affection towards
his black-skinned boy of great purity.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "The s
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