Arms and Weapons

Arjun drove the prince of Matsya to a darksome _sami_ tree,
Spake unto the timid warrior in his accents bold and free:

"Prince, thy bow and shining arrows, pretty handsome toys are these,
Scarcely they beseem a warrior, and a warrior cannot please!

Thou shalt find upon this _sami_, mark my words which never fail,
Stately bows and winged arrows, banners, swords and coats of mail!

And a bow which strongest warriors scarce can in the battle bend,
And the limits of a kingdom widen when that bow is strained!

Tall and slender like a palm-tree, worthy of a warrior bold,
Smooth the wood of hardened fibre, and the ends are yellow gold!"

Doubting still Uttara answered: "In this _sami's_ gloomy shade
Corpses hang since many seasons, in their wrappings duly laid,

Now I mark them all suspended, horrent, in the open air,
And to touch the unclean objects, friend, is more than I can dare!"

"Fear not warrior," Arjun answered, "for the tree conceals no dead,
Warriors' weapons, cased like corpses, lurk within its gloomy shade,

And I ask thee, prince of Matsya, not to touch an unclean thing,
But unto a chief and warrior weapons and his arms to bring!"

Prince Uttara gently lighted, climbed the dark and leafy tree,
Arjun from the prince's chariot bade him speed the arms to free,

Then the young prince cut the wrappings and the shining bows appear
Twisted, voiced like hissing serpents, like the bright stars glistening
clear!

Seized with wonder prince Uttara silently the weapons eyed,
And unto his chariot-driver thus in trembling accents cried:

"Whose this bow so tall and stately, speak to me my gentle friend,
On the wood are golden bosses, tipped with gold at either end?

Whose this second ponderous weapon stout and massive in the hold,
On the staff are worked by artists elephants of burnished gold?

Sure some great and mighty monarch owns this other bow of might,
Set with golden glittering insects on its ebon back so bright?

Golden suns of wondrous brightness on this fourth their lustre lend,
Who may be the unknown archer who this stately bow can bend?

And the fifth is set with jewels, gems and stones of purest ray,
Golden fire-flies glint and sparkle in the yellow light of day!

Who doth own these shining arrows with their heads in gold encased,
Thousand arrows bright and feathered, in the golden quivers placed?

Next are these with vulture-feather, golden-yellow in their hue,
Made of