Mahabharata Condensed in the Poet's Own Words /244

228
 
THE MAHABHARATA
 
"Of these two, that which you, Arjuna,

view as dearer to you, you choose first ;

for, according to principle, your wish must

be fulfilled first."
 

 
एवमुक्तस्तु कृष्णेन कुन्तीपुत्रो धनञ्जयः ।

अयुध्यमानं सङ्गाग्रामे वरयामास केशवम् ॥
 

So told by Krishna, Arjuna chose

Krishna who would not fight in the war.
 

 
दुर्योधनस्तु तत्सैन्यं सर्वमावारयत्तदा ।

कृष्णं चापहृतं शाज्ञात्वा संप्राप परमां मुदम् ॥
 

And Duryodhana chose the whole of

Krishna's army; seeing Krishna deprived

( of his army ), he was immensely pleased.

 
अर्जुन: -
"
 

'सारथ्यं तु त्वया कार्यमिति मे मानसं सदा ।

चिररात्रेप्सितं कामं तद् भवान् कर्तुमर्हति ॥ '

Arjuna-

"You must be my charioteer.' So has
 

my mind wished always. That long-

cherished wish, you must fulfil."