ger brother of Indra, (Vishnu)! And having performed
the propitiatory rites, the youthful Phalguna, equipped with the finger
protector (gauntlet) and his quiver full of shafts and bow in hand,
donning his golden mail, appeared in the lists even like an evening cloud
reflecting the rays of the setting sun and illumined by the hues of the
rainbow and flashes of lightning.
"On seeing Arjuna, the whole assembly were delighted and conchs began to
be blown all around with other musical instruments. And there arose a
great uproar in consequence of the spectators' exclaiming,--'This is the
graceful son of Kunti!'--'This is the middle (third) Pandava!'--'This is
the son of the mighty Indra!'--'This is the protector of the
Kurus'--'This is the foremost of those versed in arms!'--'This is the
foremost of all cherishers of virtue!'--'This is the foremost of the
persons of correct behaviour, the great repository of the knowledge of
manners!' At those exclamations, the tears of Kunti, mixing with the milk
of her breast, wetted her bosom. And his ears being filled with that
uproar, that first of men, Dhritarashtra, asked Vidura in delight, 'O
Kshatri, what is this great uproar for, like unto that of the troubled
ocean, arising all on a sudden and rending the very heavens?' Vidura
replied, 'O mighty monarch, the son of Pandu and Pritha, Phalguna, clad
in mail hath entered the lists. And hence this uproar!' Dhritarashtra
said, 'O thou of soul so great, by the three fires sprung from Pritha who
is even like the sacred fuel, I have, indeed, been blessed, favoured and
protected!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'When the spectators, excited with delight, had
somewhat regained their equanimity, Vibhatsu began to display his
lightness in the use of weapons. By the Agneya weapon, he created fire,
and by the Varuna weapon he created water, by the Vayavya weapon, he
created air, and by the Parjanya weapon he created clouds. And by the
Bhauma weapon, he created land, and by the Parvatya weapon, he brought
mountains into being. By the Antardhana weapon all these were made to
disappear. Now the beloved one of his preceptor (Arjuna) appeared tall
and now short; now he was seen on the yoke of his car, and now on the car
itself; and the next moment he was on the ground. And the hero favoured
by his practised dexterity, hit with his various butts--some tender, some
fine and some of thick composition. And like one shaft, he let fly at a
time into the mouth
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