बृहन्नडोवाच
यन् मां पूर्वम् इहापृच्छः शत्रुसेनानिबर्हणम् ॥
गाण्डीवम् एतत् पार्थस्य लोकेषु विदितं धनुः ॥
सर्वायुधमहामात्रं शातकुम्भपरिष्कृतम् ॥
एतत् तद् अर्जुनस्यासीद् गाण्डीवं परमायुधम् ॥
यत् तच् छतसहस्रेण संमितं राष्ट्रवर्धनम् ॥
येन देवान् मनुष्यांश् च पार्थो विषहते मृधे ॥
देवदानवगन्धर्वैः पूजितं शाश्वतीः समाः ॥
एतद् वर्षसहस्रं तु ब्रह्मा पूर्वम् अधारयत् ॥
ततो ऽनन्तरम् एवाथ प्रजापतिर् अधारयत् ॥
त्रीणि पञ्चशतं चैव शक्रो ऽशीति च पञ्च च ॥
सोमः पञ्चशतं राजा तथैव वरुणः शतम् ॥
पार्थः पञ्च च षष्टिं च वर्षाणि श्वेतवाहनः ॥
महावीर्यं महद् दिव्यम् एतत् तद् धनुर् उत्तमम् ॥
पूजितं सुरमर्त्येषु बिभर्ति परमं वपुः ॥
सुपार्श्वं भीमसेनस्य जातरूपग्रहं धनुः ॥
येन पार्थो ऽजयत् कृत्स्नां दिशं प्राचीं परंतपः ॥
इन्द्रगोपकचित्रं च यद् एतच् चारुविग्रहम् ॥
राज्ञो युधिष्ठिरस्यैतद् वैराटे धनुर् उत्तमम् ॥
सूर्या यस्मिंस् तु सौवर्णाः प्रभासन्ते प्रभासिनः ॥
तेजसा प्रज्वलन्तो वै नकुलस्यैतद् आयुधम् ॥
शलभा यत्र सौवर्णास् तपनीयविचित्रिताः ॥
एतन् माद्रीसुतस्यापि सहदेवस्य कार्मुकम् ॥
bṛhannaḍovāca
yan māṃ pūrvam ihāpṛcchaḥ śatrusenānibarhaṇam ||
gāṇḍīvam etat pārthasya lokeṣu viditaṃ dhanuḥ ||
sarvāyudhamahāmātraṃ śātakumbhapariṣkṛtam ||
etat tad arjunasyāsīd gāṇḍīvaṃ paramāyudham ||
yat tac chatasahasreṇa saṃmitaṃ rāṣṭravardhanam ||
yena devān manuṣyāṃś ca pārtho viṣahate mṛdhe ||
devadānavagandharvaiḥ pūjitaṃ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ ||
etad varṣasahasraṃ tu brahmā pūrvam adhārayat ||
tato 'nantaram evātha prajāpatir adhārayat ||
trīṇi pañcaśataṃ caiva śakro 'śīti ca pañca ca ||
somaḥ pañcaśataṃ rājā tathaiva varuṇaḥ śatam ||
pārthaḥ pañca ca ṣaṣṭiṃ ca varṣāṇi śvetavāhanaḥ ||
mahāvīryaṃ mahad divyam etat tad dhanur uttamam ||
pūjitaṃ suramartyeṣu bibharti paramaṃ vapuḥ ||
supārśvaṃ bhīmasenasya jātarūpagrahaṃ dhanuḥ ||
yena pārtho 'jayat kṛtsnāṃ diśaṃ prācīṃ paraṃtapaḥ ||
indragopakacitraṃ ca yad etac cāruvigraham ||
rājño yudhiṣṭhirasyaitad vairāṭe dhanur uttamam ||
sūryā yasmiṃs tu sauvarṇāḥ prabhāsante prabhāsinaḥ ||
tejasā prajvalanto vai nakulasyaitad āyudham ||
śalabhā yatra sauvarṇās tapanīyavicitritāḥ ||
etan mādrīsutasyāpi sahadevasya kārmukam ||
Brihannada said: 'As for what you asked me earlier concerning the destroyer of enemy armies: this is Gandiva, the bow of Partha, renowned throughout the worlds. It is a supreme weapon among all weapons, adorned with shata-kumbha gold; this was Arjuna's Gandiva, his highest weapon. It is equal to a hundred thousand and increases the kingdom; with it Partha withstands gods and men in battle. Gods, danavas, and gandharvas honored it for age upon age; this bow was held first by Brahma for a thousand years. After him Prajapati held it; then Shakra -- three hundred eighty-five years; King Soma -- five hundred; likewise Varuna -- a hundred; Partha Shvetavahana -- sixty-five years. This is that mighty, great, divine, finest bow, honored among gods and mortals, bearing the highest form. This bow with fine flanks belongs to Bhimasena, with a grip of pure gold; with it Partha, terrible to foes, conquered the whole eastern region. And this beautiful one, speckled with fireflies, of lovely form, is the finest bow of King Yudhishthira, Vairati. The one on which golden suns shine brightly, blazing with radiance, is the weapon of Nakula. And the one where golden locusts are adorned with refined gold is the bow of Sahadeva, son of Madri.'
be90d9a3c808 · published Jul 16, 2026, 6:23:49 PM UTC
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Arjuna speaks first not of himself but of the weapon's lineage. Gandiva is bound to the gods and to time, so its return signifies not personal pride but the restoration of an entrusted power.