Great Epic Sree Mahabharatam:
The Mahabharata
Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasatranslated by
Sreemaan Brahmasri Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Asramavasika Parva
Book 15
Book
15
Chapter 16
1
[brāhmaṇa]
na tad duryodhanakṛtaṃ na ca tad bhavatā kṛtam
na karṇa saubalābhyāṃ ca kuravo yat kṣayaṃ gatāḥ
2 daivaṃ tat tu vijānīmo yan na śakyaṃ prabādhitum
daivaṃ puruṣakāreṇa na śakyam ativartitum
3 akṣauhiṇyo mahārāja daśāṣṭau ca samāgatāḥ
aṣṭādaśāhena hatā
daśabhir yodhapuṃgavaiḥ
4 bhīṣmadroṇakṛpādyaiś ca karṇena ca mahātmanā
yuyudhānena vīreṇa dhṛṣṭadyumnena caiva ha
5 caturbhiḥ pāṇḍuputraiś ca bhīmārjunayamair nṛpa
janakṣayo 'yaṃ nṛpate kṛto daivabalātkṛtaiḥ
6 avaśyam eva saṃgrāme kṣatriyeṇa viśeṣataḥ
kartavyaṃ nidhanaṃ loke śastreṇa kṣatrabandhunā
7 tair iyaṃ puruṣavyāghrair vidyā bāhubalānvitaiḥ
pṛthivī nihatā sarvā
sahayā saratha dvipā
8 na sa rājāparādhnoti putras tava
mahāmanāḥ
na bhavān na ca te bhṛtyā na karṇo na ca saubalaḥ
9 yad vinaṣṭāḥ kuruśreṣṭhā rājānaś ca
sahasraśaḥ
sarvaṃ daivakṛtaṃ tad vai ko 'tra kiṃ vaktum arhati
10 gurur mato bhavān asya kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhuḥ
dharmātmānam atas tubhyam anujānīmahe sutam
11 labhatāṃ vīralokān sa
sasahāyo narādhipaḥ
dvijāgryaiḥ samanujñātas
tridive modatāṃ sukhī
12 prāpsyate ca bhavān puṇyaṃ dharme ca paramāṃ sthitim
veda puṇyaṃ ca kārtsnyena samyag bharatasattama
13 dṛṣṭāpadānāś cāsmābhiḥ pāṇḍavāḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ
samarthās tridivasyāpi pālane kiṃ punaḥ kṣiteḥ
14 anuvatsyanti cāpīmāḥ sameṣu viṣameṣu ca
prajāḥ kuru kulaśreṣṭha pāṇḍavāñ śīlabhūṣaṇān
15 brahma deyāgrahārāṃś ca parihārāṃś ca pārthiva
pūrvarājātisargāṃś ca pālayaty eva pāṇḍavaḥ
16 dīrghadarśī kṛtaprajñaḥ sadā vaiśravaṇo yathā
akṣudra saccivaś cāyaṃ kuntīputro mahāmanāḥ
17 apy amitre dayāvāṃś ca śuciś ca bharatarṣabha
ṛju paśyati meghāvī putravat pāti naḥ sadā
18 vipriyaṃ ca
janasyāsya saṃsargād dharmajasya vai
na kariṣyanti rājarṣe tathā bhīmārjunādayaḥ
19 mandā mṛduṣu kauravyās tīkṣṇeṣv āśīviṣopamāḥ
vīryavanto mahātmāno paurāṇāṃ ca hite ratāḥ
20 na kuntī na ca pāñcālī na colūpī na
sātvatī
asmiñ jane kariṣyanti pratikūlāni
karhi cit
21 bhavat kṛtam imaṃ snehaṃ yudhiṣṭhira vivardhitam
na pṛṣṭhataḥ kariṣyanti paurajānapadā janāḥ
22 adharmiṣṭhān api sataḥ kuntīputrā mahārathāḥ
mānavān pālayiṣyanti bhūtvā dharmaparāyaṇāḥ
23 sa rājan mānasaṃ duḥkham apanīya yudhiṣṭhirāt
kuru kāryāṇi dharmyāṇi namas te bharatarṣabha
24 [vai]
tasya tad vacanaṃ dharmyam anubandha
guṇottaram
sādhu sādhv iti sarvaḥ sajanaḥ pratigṛhītavān
25 dhṛtarāṣṭraś ca tad vākyam abhipūjya punaḥ punaḥ
visarjayām āsa tadā sarvās tu prakṛtīḥ śanaiḥ
26 sa taiḥ saṃpūjito rājā śivenāvekṣitas tadā
prāñjaliḥ pūjayām āsa sajanaṃ bharatarṣabha
27 tato viveśa bhuvanaṃ gāndhāryā sahito nṛpaḥ
vyuṣṭāyāṃ caiva śarvaryā yac cakāra nibodha tat
SECTION XVI
"Vaisampayana said, 'Great was the uproar, at that time, O king, of both men and women standing on the terraces of mansions or on the Earth. Possessed of great intelligence, the old king, with joined hands, and trembling with weakness, proceeded with difficulty along the principal street which was crowded with persons of both sexes. He left the city called after the elephant by the principal gate and then repeatedly bade that crowd of people to return to their homes. Vidura had set his heart on going to the forest along with the king. The Suta Sanjaya also, the son of Gavalgani, the chief minister of Dhritarashtra, was of the same heart. King Dhritarashtra however, caused Kripa and the mighty car-warrior Yuyutsu to refrain from following him. He made them over into Yudhishthira's hands. After the citizens had ceased following the monarch, king Yudhishthira, with the ladies of his house-hold, prepared to stop, at the command of Dhritarashtra. seeing that his mother Kunti was desirous of retiring into the woods, the king said unto her, 'I shall follow the old monarch. Do thou desist.' It behoveth thee, O queen, to return to the city, accompanied by these thy daughters-in-law. This monarch proceeds to the woods, firmly resolved to practise penances. Though king Yudhishthira said these words unto her, with his eyes bathed in tears, Kunti, however, without answering him, continued to proceed, catching hold of Gandhari."Kunti said, 'O king, never show any disregard for Sahadeva. He is very much attached to me, O monarch, and to thee also always. Thou shouldst always bear in mind Karna who never retreated from battle. Through my folly that hero has been slain in the field of battle. Surely, my son, this heart of mine is made of steel, since it does not break into a hundred pieces at not seeing that child born of Surya. When such has been the case, O chastiser of foes, what can I now do? I am very much to blame for not having proclaimed the truth about the birth of Surya's child. O crusher of foes, I hope thou wilt, with all thy brothers, make excellent gifts for the sake of that son of Surya. O mower of foes, thou shouldst always do what is agreeable to Draupadi. Thou shouldst look after Bhimasena and Arjuna and Nakula and Sahadeva. The burthens
p. 27
of the Kuru race have now fallen on thee, O king. I shall live in the woods with Gandhari, besmearing my body with filth, engaged in the performance of penances, and devoted to the service of my father-in-law and mother-in-law.' 1
'Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by her, the righteous-souled Yudhishthira, with passions under complete control, became, with all his brothers, plunged into great distress. Endued with great intelligence, the king said not a word. Having reflected for a little while, king Yudhishthira the Just, cheerless and plunged in anxiety and sorrow, addressed his mother, saying,--'Strange, indeed, is this purpose of thine? It behoves thee not to accomplish it. I can never grant thee permission. It behoves thee to show us compassion. 'Formerly, when we were about to set out of Hastinapore for the woods, O thou of agreeable features, it was thou who, reciting to us the story of Vidula's instructions to her son, excited us to exertion. It behoves thee not to abandon us now. Having slain the kings of Earth, I have won sovereignty, guided by thy words of wisdom communicated through Vasudeva. Where now is that understanding of thine about which I had heard from Vasudeva? Dost thou wish now to fall away from those Kshatriya practices about which thou hadst instructed us? Abandoning ourselves, this kingdom, and this daughter-in-law of thine who is possessed of great fame, how wilt thou live in the inaccessible woods? Do thou relent! Kunti, with tears in her eyes, heard these words of her son, but continued to proceed on her way. Then Bhima addressed her, saying,--'When, O Kunti, sovereignty has been won, and when the time has come for thee to enjoy that sovereignty thus acquired by thy children, when the duties of royalty await discharge by thee, whence has this desire got hold of thy mind? Why then didst thou cause us to exterminate the Earth? For what reason wouldst thou leave all and wish to take up thy abode in the woods? We were born in the woods. Why then didst thou bring us from the woods while we were children? Behold, the two sons of Madri are overwhelmed with sorrow and grief. Relent, O mother, O thou of great fame, do not go into the woods now. Do thou enjoy that prosperity which acquired by might, has become Yudhishthira's today.' Firmly resolved to retire into the woods, Kunti disregarded these lamentations of her sons. Then Draupadi with a cheerless face, accompanied by Subhadra, followed her weeping mother-in-law who was journeying on from desire of going into the woods. Possessed of great wisdom and firmly resolved on retirement from the world, the blessed dame walked on, frequently looking at her weeping children. The Pandavas, with all their wives and servitors, continued to follow her. Restraining then her tears, she addressed her children in these words.'"
Book
15
Chapter 17
1 [vai]
vyuṣitāyāṃ rajanyāṃ tu dhṛtarāṣṭro 'mbikā sutaḥ
viduraṃ preṣayām āsa yudhiṣṭhira niveśanam
2 sa gatvā rājavacanād uvācācyutam
īśvaram
yudhiṣṭhiraṃ mahātejāḥ sarvabuddhimatāṃ varaḥ
3 dhṛtarāṣṭro mahārāja vanavāsāya dīkṣitaḥ
gamiṣyati vanaṃ rājan kārtikīm āgatām imām
4 sa tvā kuru kulaśreṣṭha kiṃ cid artham abhīpsati
śrāddham icchati dātuṃ sa gāṅgeyasya mahātmanaḥ
5 droṇasya somadattasya bāhlīkasya ca dhīmataḥ
putrāṇāṃ caiva sarveṣāṃ ye cāsya suhṛdo hatāḥ
yadi cābhyanujānīṣe
saindhavāpasadasya ca
6 etac chrutvā tu vacanaṃ vidurasya yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
hṛṣṭaḥ saṃpūjayām āsa guḍā keśaś ca pāṇḍavaḥ
7 na tu bhīmo dṛḍhakrodhas tad vaco jagṛhe tadā
vidurasya mahātejā duryodhanakṛtaṃ smaran
8 abhiprāyaṃ viditvā tu bhīmasenasya phalgunaḥ
kirīṭī kiṃ cid ānamya bhīmaṃ vacanam abravīt
9 bhīma rājā pitā vṛddho vanavāsāya dīkṣitaḥ
dātum icchati sarveṣāṃ suhṛdām aurdhva dehikām
10 bhavatā nirjitaṃ vittaṃ dātum icchati kauravaḥ
bhīṣmādīnāṃ mahābāho tadanujñātum arhasi
11 diṣṭyā tv adya mahābāho
dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ prayācati
yācito yaḥ purāsmābhiḥ paśya kālasya paryayam
12 yo 'sau pṛthivyāḥ kṛtsnāyā bhartā bhūtvā narādhipaḥ
parair vinihatāpatyo vanaṃ gantum abhīpsati
13 mā te 'nyat puruṣavyāghra dānād bhavatu darśanam
ayaśasyam ato 'nyat syād adharmyaṃ ca mahābhuja
14 rājānam upatiṣṭhasva jyeṣṭhaṃ bhrātaram īśvaram
arhas tvam asi dātuṃ vai nādātuṃ bharatarṣabha
evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ kaunteyaṃ dharmarājo
'bhyapūjayat
15 bhīmasenas tu sakrodhaḥ provācedaṃ vacas tadā
vayaṃ bhīṣmasya kurmeha pretakāryāṇi phalguna
16 somadattasya nṛpater bhūriśravasa eva ca
bāhlīkasya ca rājarṣer droṇasya ca mahātmanaḥ
17 anyeṣāṃ caiva suhṛdāṃ kuntī karṇāya dāsyati
śrāddhāni puruṣavyāghra mādāt kauravako
nṛpaḥ
18 iti me vartate buddhir mā vo nandantu
śatravaḥ
kaṣṭāt kaṣṭataraṃ yāntu sarve duryodhanādayaḥ
yair iyaṃ pṛthivī sarvā ghātitā kulapāṃsanaiḥ
19 kutas tvam adya vismṛtya vairaṃ dvādaśa vārṣikam
ajñātavāsa gamanaṃ draupadī śokavardhanam
kva tadā dhṛtarāṣṭrasya sneho 'smāsv abhavat tadā
20 kṛṣṇājinopasaṃvvīto hṛtābharaṇa bhūṣaṇaḥ
sārdhaṃ pāñcāla putryā tvaṃ rājānam upajagmivān
kva tadā droṇa bhīṣmau tau somadatto 'pi vābhavat
21 yatra trayodaśa samā vane vanyena jīvasi
na tadā tvā pitā jyeṣṭhaḥ pitṛtvenābhivīkṣate
22 kiṃ te tad vismṛtaṃ pārtha yad eṣa kulapāṃsanaḥ
durvṛtto viduraṃ prāha dyūte kiṃ jitam ity uta
23 tam evaṃ vādinaṃ rājā kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
uvāca bhrātaraṃ dhīmāñ joṣam āsveti bhartsayan
SECTION XVII
"Kunti said, 'It is even so, O mighty-armed son of Pandu, as thou sayest. Ye kings, formerly when ye were cheerless, it was even in this way that I excited you all. Yes, seeing that your kingdom was wrested from you by a match at dice, seeing that you all fell from happiness, seeing that you were domineered over by kinsmen, I instilled courage and high thoughts into your minds. Ye foremost of men, I encouraged you in order that they that were the sons of Pandu might not be lost, in order that their fame might not be lost. You are all equal to Indra. Your prowess resembles that of the very gods. In order that you might not live, watching the faces of others, I acted in that way. 1 I instilled courage into thy heart in order that thou who art the foremost of all righteous persons, who art equal to Vasava, might not again go into the woods and live in misery. I instilled courage into your hearts in order that this Bhima who is possessed of the strength of ten thousand elephants and whose prowess and manliness are widely known, might not sink into insignificance and ruin. I instilled courage into your hearts in order that this Vijaya, who was born after Bhimasena, and who is equal unto Vasava himself might not be cheerless. I instilled courage into your hearts in order that Nakula and Sahadeva, who are always devoted to their seniors, might not be weakened and rendered cheerless by hunger. I acted in that way in order that this lady of well-developed proportions and of large expansive eyes might not endure the wrongs inflicted on her in the public hall without being avenged. In the very sight of you all, O Bhima, Dussasana, through folly, dragged her trembling all over like a plantain plant, during the period of her functional illness, and after she had been won at dice, as if she were a slave. All this was known to me. Indeed, the race of Pandu had been subjugated (by foes). The Kurus, viz., my father-in-law and others, were cheerless when she, desirous of a protector, uttered loud lamentations like a she-osprey. When she was dragged by her fair locks by the sinful Dussasana with little intelligence, I was deprived of my senses, O king. Know, that for enhancing your energy, I instilled that courage into your hearts by reciting the words of Vidula, O my sons. I instilled courage into your hearts, O my sons, in order that the race of Pandu, represented by my children, might not be lost. The sons and grandsons of that person who brings a race to infamy never succeed in attaining to the regions of the righteous. Verily, the ancestors of the Kaurava race were in danger of losing those regions of felicity which had become theirs. As regards myself, O my sons, I, before this, enjoyed the great fruits of that sovereignty which my husband had acquired. I made large gifts. I duly drank the Soma juice in sacrifice. 2 It was not for my own sake that I had urged Vasudeva with the stirring words of Vidula. It wasp. 29
for your sake that I had called upon you to follow that advice. O my sons, I do not desire the fruits of that sovereignty which has been won by my children. O thou of great puissance, I wish to attain, by my penances, to those regions of felicity which have been acquired by my husband. By rendering obedient service to my father-in-law and mother-in-law both of whom wish to take up their abode in the woods, and by penances, I desire, O Yudhishthira, to waste my body. Do thou cease to follow me, O foremost one of Kuru's race, along with Bhima and others. Let thy understanding be always devoted to righteousness. Let thy mind be always great.'"
Book
15
Chapter 18
1 [arj]
bhīma jyeṣṭho gurur me tvaṃ nāto 'nyad vaktum utsahe
dhṛtarāṣṭro hi rājarṣiḥ sarvathā mānam arhati
2 na smaranty aparāddhāni smaranti
sukṛtāni ca
asaṃbhinnārtha maryādāḥ sādhavaḥ puruṣottamāḥ
3 idaṃ madvacanāt kṣattaḥ kauravaṃ brūhi pārthivam
yāvad icchati putrāṇāṃ dātuṃ tāvad dadāmy aham
4 bhīṣmādīnāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ suhṛdām upakāriṇām
mama kośād iti vibho mā bhūd bhīmaḥ sudurmanāḥ
5 [vai]
ity ukte dharmarājas tam arjunaṃ pratyapūjayat
bhīmasenaḥ kaṭākṣeṇa vīkṣāṃ cakre dhanaṃjayam
6 tataḥ sa viduraṃ dhīmān vākyam āha yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
na bhīmasene kopaṃ sa nṛpatiḥ kartum arhati
7 parikliṣṭo hi bhīmo 'yaṃ himavṛṣṭy ātapādibhiḥ
duḥkhair bahuvidhair
dhīmān araṇye viditaṃ tava
8 kiṃ tu
madvacanād brūhi rājānaṃ bharatarṣabham
yad yad icchasi yāvac ca gṛhyatāṃ madgṛhād iti
9 yan mātsaryam ayaṃ bhīmaḥ karoti bhṛśaduḥkhitaḥ
na tan manasi kartavyam iti vācyaḥ sa pārthivaḥ
10 yan mamāsti dhanaṃ kiṃ cid arjunasya ca veśmani
tasya svāmī mahārāja iti vācyaḥ sa pārthivaḥ
11 dadātu rājā viprebhyo yatheṣṭaṃ kriyatāṃ vyayaḥ
putrāṇāṃ suhṛdāṃ caiva gacchatv ānṛṇyam adya saḥ
12 idaṃ cāpi śarīraṃ me tavāyattaṃ janādhipa
dhanāni ceti viddhi tvaṃ kṣattar nāsty atra saṃśayaḥ
SECTION XVIII
"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing these words of Kunti, the sinless Pandavas, O best of kings, became ashamed. They, therefore, desisted, along with the princess of-Panchala, from following her. 1 Beholding Kunti resolved to go into the woods, the ladies of the Pandava household uttered loud lamentations. The Pandavas then circumambulated the king and saluted him duly. They ceased to follow further, having failed to persuade Pritha to return. Then Amvika's son of great energy, viz., Dhritarashtra, addressing Gandhari and Vidura and supporting himself on them, said, 'Let the royal mother of Yudhishthira cease to go with us. What Yudhishthira has said is all very true. Abandoning this high prosperity of her sons, abandoning those high fruits that may be hers, why should she go into the inaccessible woods, leaving her children like a person of little intelligence? Living in the enjoyment of sovereignty, she is capable of practising penances and observing the high vow of gifts. Let her, therefore, listen to my words. O Gandhari, I have been much gratified with the services rendered to me by this daughter-in-law of mine. Conversant as thou art with all duties, it behoveth thee to command her return.' Thus addressed by her lord, the daughter of Suvala repeated unto Kunti all those words of the old king and added her own words of grave import. She, however, failed to cause Kunti to desist inasmuch as that chaste lady, devoted to righteousness, had firmly set her heart upon residing in the woods. The Kuru ladies, understanding how firm her resolution was regarding her retirement into the woods, and seeing that those foremost ones of Kuru's race (viz., their own lords), had ceased to follow her, set up a loud wail of lamentation. After all the sons of Pritha and all the ladies had retraced their steps, king Yudhishthira of great wisdom continued his journey to the woods. The Pandavas, exceedingly cheerless and afflicted with grief and sorrow accompanied by their wives, returned to the city, on their cars. At that time the cityp. 30
of Hastinapura, with its entire population of men, both old and young, and women, became cheerless and plunged into sorrow. No festivals of rejoicing were observed. Afflicted with grief, the Pandavas were without any energy. Deserted by Kunti, they were deeply afflicted with grief, like calves destitute of their dams. Dhritarashtra reached that day a place far removed from the city. The puissant monarch arrived at last on the banks of the Bhagirathi and took rest there for the night. Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas duly ignited their sacred fires in that retreat of ascetics. Surrounded by those foremost of Brahmanas, those sacred fires blazed forth in beauty. The sacred fire of the old king was also ignited. Sitting near his own fire, he poured libations on it according to due rites, and then worshipped the thousand-rayed sun as he was on the point of setting. Then Vidura and Sanjaya made a bed for the king by spreading some blades of Kusa grass. Near the bed of that Kuru hero they made another for Gandhari. In close proximity to Gandhari, Yudhishthira's mother Kunti, observant of excellent vows, happily laid herself down. Within hearing distance of those three, slept Vidura and others. The Yajaka Brahmanas and other followers of the king laid themselves down on their respective beds. The foremost of Brahmanas that were there chanted aloud many sacred hymns. The sacrificial fires blazed forth all around. That night, therefore, seemed as delightful to them as a Brahmi night. 1 When the night passed away, they all arose from their beds and went through their morning acts. Pouring libations then on the sacred fire, they continued their journey. Their first day's experience of the forest proved very painful to them on account of the grieving inhabitants of both the city and the provinces of the Kuru kingdom."
Book
15
Chapter 19
1
[vai]
evam uktas tu rājñā sa viduro buddhisattamaḥ
dhṛtarāṣṭram upetyedaṃ vākyam āha mahārthavat
2 ukto yudhiṣṭhiro rājā bhavad vacanam āditaḥ
sa ca saṃśrutya vākyaṃ te praśaśaṃsa mahādyutiḥ
3 bībhatsuś ca mahātejā nivedayati
te gṛhān
vasu tasya gṛhe yac ca prāṇān api ca kevalān
4 dharmarājaś ca putras te rājyaṃ prāṇān dhanāni ca
anujānāti rājarṣe yac cānyad
api kiṃ cana
5 bhīmas tu sarvaduḥkhāni saṃsmṛtya bahulāny uta
kṛcchrād iva mahābāhur
anumanya viniḥśvasan
6 sa rājñā dharmaśīlena bhrātrā
bībhatsunā tathā
anunīto mahābāhuḥ sauhṛde sthāpito 'pi ca
7 na ca manyus tvayā kārya iti tvāṃ prāha dharmarāṭ
saṃsmṛtya bhīmas tad vairaṃ yad anyāyavad ācaret
8 evaṃ prāyo hi dharmo 'yaṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ narādhipa
yuddhe kṣatriya dharme ca
nirato 'yaṃ vṛkodaraḥ
9 vṛkodara kṛte cāham arjunaś ca punaḥ punaḥ
prasādayāva nṛpate bhavān prabhur
ihāsti yat
10 pradadātu bhavān vittaṃ yāvad icchasi pārthiva
tvam īśvaro no rājyasya prāṇānāṃ ceti bhārata
11 brahma deyāgrahārāṃś ca putrāṇāṃ caurdhva dehikam
ito ratnāni gāś caiva dāsīdāsam ajāvikam
12 ānayitvā kuruśreṣṭho brāhmaṇebhyaḥ prayacchatu
dīnāndha kṛpaṇebhyaś ca tatra tatra nṛpājñayā
13 bahv annarasapānāḍhyāḥ sabhā vidura kāraya
gavāṃ nipānāny anyac ca vividhaṃ puṇyakarma yat
14 iti mām abravīd rājā pārthaiś caiva
dhanaṃjayaḥ
yad atrānantaraṃ kāryaṃ tad bhavān vaktum arhati
15 ity ukto vidureṇātha dhṛtarāṣṭro 'bhinandya tat
manaś cakre mahādāne kārtikyāṃ janamejaya
SECTION XIX
"Vaisampayana said. 'Following the advice of Vidura, the king took up his abode on the banks of the Bhagirathi which were sacred and deserved to be peopled with the righteous. There many Brahmanas who had taken up their abode in the woods, as also many Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras, came to see the old monarch. Sitting in their midst, he gladdened them all by his words. Having duly worshipped the Brahmanas with their disciples, he dismissed them all. As evening came, the king, and Gandhari of great fame, both descended into the stream of the Bhagirathi and duly performed their ablutions for purifying themselves. The king and the queen, and Vidura and others, O Bharata, having bathed in the sacred stream, performed the usual rites of religion. After the king had purified himself by a bath, the daughter of Kuntibhoja gently led both him, who was to her as her father-in-law and Gandhari from the water into the dry bank. The Yajakas had made a sacrificialp. 31
altar there for the king. Devoted to truth, the latter poured libations then on the fire. From the banks of the Bhagirathi the old king, with his followers, observant of vows and with senses restrained, then proceeded to Kurukshetra. Possessed of great intelligence, the king arrived at the retreat of the royal sage Satayupa of great wisdom and had an interview with him. Satayupa, O scorcher of foes, had been the great king of the Kekayas. Having made over the sovereignty of his kingdom to his son he had come into the woods. Satayupa, received king Dhritarashtra with due rites. Accompanied by him, the latter proceeded to the retreat of Vyasa. Arrived at Vyasa's retreat, the delighter of the Kurus received his initiation into the forest mode of life. Returning he took up his abode in the retreat of Satayupa. The high-souled Satayupa, instructed Dhritarashtra in all the rites of the forest mode, at the command of Vyasa. In this way the high-souled Dhritarashtra set himself to the practice of penances, and all his followers also to the same course of conduct. Queen Gandhari also, O monarch, along with Kunti, assumed barks of trees and deer-skins for her robe, and set herself to the observance of the same vows as her lord. Restraining their senses in thought, words, and deeds, as well as by eye, they began to practise severe austerities. Divested of all stupefaction of mind, king Dhritarashtra began to practise vows and penances like a great Rishi, reducing his body to skin and bones, for his flesh was all dried up, bearing matted locks on head, and his person clad in barks and skins. Vidura, conversant with the true interpretations of righteousness, and endued with great intelligence, as also Sanjaya, waited upon the old king with his wife. Both of them with souls under subjection, Vidura and Sanjaya also reduced themselves, and wore barks and rags."'
Book
15
Chapter 20
1 [vai]
vidureṇaivam uktas tu dhṛtarāṣṭro janādhipaḥ
prītimān abhavad rājā rājño jiṣṇoś ca karmaṇā
2 tato 'bhirūpān bhīṣmāya brāhmaṇān ṛṣisattamān
putrārthe suhṛdāṃ caiva sa samīkṣya sahasraśaḥ
3 kārayitvānna pānāni yānāny
ācchādanāni ca
suvarṇamaṇiratnāni dāsīdāsa paricchadān
4 kambalājina ratnāni grāmān kṣetrān ajāvikam
alaṃkārān gajān aśvān
kanyāś caiva varastriyaḥ
ādiśyādiśya viprebhyo dadau sa nṛpasattamaḥ
5 droṇaṃ saṃkīrtya bhīṣmaṃ ca somadattaṃ ca bāhlikam
duryodhanaṃ ca rājānaṃ putrāṃś caiva pṛthak pṛthak
jayadratha purogāś ca suhṛdaś caiva sarvaśaḥ
6 sa śrāddhayajño vavṛdhe bahu godhanadakṣiṇaḥ
anekadhanaratnaugho yudhiṣṭhira mate tadā
7 aniśaṃ yatra puruṣā gaṇakā lekhakās tathā
yudhiṣṭhirasya vacanāt tad
āpṛcchanti taṃ nṛpam
8 ājñāpaya kim etebhyaḥ pradeyaṃ dīyatām iti
tad upasthitam evātra vacanānte pradṛśyate
9 śate deye daśaśataṃ sahasre cāyutaṃ tathā
dīyate vacanād rājñaḥ kuntīputrasya dhīmataḥ
10 evaṃ sa vasu dhārābhir varṣamāṇo nṛpāmbudaḥ
tarpayām āsa viprāṃs tān varṣan bhūmim ivāmbudaḥ
11 tato 'nantaram evātra sarvavarṇān mahīpatiḥ
annapānarasaughena plāvayām āsa pārthivaḥ
12 savastra phenaratnaugho mṛd aṅganinada svanaḥ
gavāśvamakarāvarto nārīratnamahākaraḥ
13 grāmāgrahāra kulyāḍhyo maṇihemajalārṇavaḥ
jagat saṃplāvayām āsa dhṛtarāṣṭra dayāmbudhiḥ
14 evaṃ
saputrapautrāṇāṃ pitṝṇām ātmanas tathā
gāndhāryāś ca mahārāja pradadāv aurdhva dehikam
15 pariśrānto yadāsīt sa dadad dānāny
anekaśaḥ
tato nirvartayām āsa dānayajñaṃ kurūdvahaḥ
16 evaṃ sa rājā
kauravyaś cakre dānamahotsavam
naṭanartaka lāsyāḍhyaṃ bahv annarasadakṣiṇam
17 daśāham evaṃ dānāni dattvā rājāmbikā sutaḥ
babhūva putrapautrāṇām anṛṇo bharatarṣabha
SECTION XX
"Vaisampayana said, 'Those foremost of ascetics, viz. Narada and Parvata and Devala of austere penances, came there to see king Dhritarashtra. The Island-born Vyasa with all his disciples, and other persons endued with great wisdom and crowned with ascetic success, and the royal sage Satayupa of advanced years and possessed of great merit, also came. Kunti worshipped them with due rites, O king. All those ascetics were highly gratified with the worship offered to them. Those great Rishis gladdened the high-souled king Dhritarashtra with discourses on religion and righteousness. At the conclusion of their converse, the celestial Rishi Narada, beholding all things as objects of direct perceptions, said the following words.'"Narada said, 'There was a ruler of the Kekayas, possessed of great prosperity and perfectly fearless. His name was Sahasrachitya and he was the grandfather of this Satayupa. Resigning his kingdom to his eldest son endued with a large measure of righteousness, the virtuous king Sahasrachitya retired
p. 32
into the woods. Reaching the other end of blazing penances, that lord of Earth. endued with great splendour, attained to the region of Purandara where he continued to live in his company. On many occasions, while visiting the region of Indra, O king, I saw the monarch, whose sins had all been burnt off by penances, residing in Indra's abode. After the same manner, king Sailalaya, the grandfather of Bhagadatta, attained to the region of Indra by the power alone of his penances. There was another king, O monarch, of the name of Prishadhra who resembled the wielder of the thunder-bolt himself. That king also, by his penances proceeded from the Earth to Heaven. In this very forest, O king, that lord of Earth, Purukutsa, the soil of Mandhatri, attained to high success. That foremost of rivers, viz., Narmada, became the consort of that king. Having undergone penances in this very forest, that ruler of Earth proceeded to Heaven. There was another king, highly righteous, of the name of Sasaloman. He too underwent severe austerities in this forest and then ascended to Heaven. Thou also, O monarch, having arrived at this forest, shalt, through the grace of the Island-born, attain to a goal that is very high and that is difficult of attainment. Thou also, O foremost of kings, at the end of thy penances, become endued with great prosperity and, accompanied by Gandhari, attain to the goal reached by those high-souled ones. Dwelling in the presence of the slayer of Vala, Pandu thinks of thee always. He will, O monarch, certainly assist thee in the attainment of prosperity. Through serving thee and Gandhari, this daughter-in-law of thine, possessed of great fame, will attain to residence with her husband in the other world. She is the mother of Yudhishthira who is the eternal Dharma. We behold all this, O king, with our spiritual vision. Vidura will enter into the high-souled Yudhishthira. Sanjaya also, through meditation, will ascend from this world into Heaven.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'That high-souled chief of Kuru's race, possessed of learning, having, with his wife, heard these words of Narada, praised them and worshipped Narada with unprecedented honours. The conclave of Brahmanas there present became filled with great joy, and desirous of gladdening king Dhritarashtra, O monarch, themselves worshipped Narada with profound regards. Those foremost of regenerate persons also praised the words of Narada. Then the royal sage Satayupa, addressing Narada, said, 'Thy holy self hath enhanced the devotion of the Kuru king, of all those people here, and of myself also, O thou of great splendour. I have, however, the wish to ask thee something. Listen to me as I say it. It has reference to the king Dhritarashtra, O celestial Rishi, that art worshipped by all the worlds. Thou art acquainted with the truth of every affair. Endued with celestial sight, thou beholdest, O regenerate Rishi, what the diverse goals are of human beings. Thou hast said what the goal has been of the kings mentioned by thee, viz., association with the chief of celestials. Thou hast not, however, O great Rishi, declared what those regions are that will be acquired by this king. O puissant one, I wish to hear from thee what region will be acquired by the royal Dhritarashtra. It behoveth thee to tell me truly the kind of region that will be his and the time when he will attain to it.' Thus addressed by him, Narada of celestial sight and endued with austere penances, said in the midst of the
p. 33
assembly these words highly agreeable to the minds of all.'
"Narada said, 'Repairing at my will to the mansion of Sakra, I have seen Sakra the lord or Sachi; and there, O royal sage. I have beheld king Pandu. There a talk arose, O monarch, regarding this Dhritarashtra and those highly austere penances which he is performing. There I heard from the lips of Sakra himself that there are three years yet of the period of life allotted to this king. After that, king Dhritarashtra, accompanied by his wife Gandhari, will go to the regions of Kuvera and be highly honoured by that king of kings. He will go there on a car moving at his will, his person adorned with celestial ornaments. He is the son of a Rishi; he is highly blessed; he has burnt all his sins by his penances. Endued with a righteous soul, lie will rove at will through the regions of the deities, the Gandharvas, and the Rakshasas. That about which thou hast enquired is a mystery of the gods. Through my affection for you, I have declared this high truth. Ye all are possessed of the wealth of Srutis and have consumed all your sins by your penances.'
"Vaisampayana continued.. "Hearing these sweet words of the celestial Rishi, all the persons there assembled, as also king Dhritarashtra, became greatly cheered and highly pleased. Having cheered Dhritarashtra of great wisdom with such talk, they left the spot, wending away by the path that belongs to those who are crowned with success."'
Book
15
Chapter 21
1 [vai]
tataḥ prabhāte rājā sa dhṛtarāṣṭro 'mbikā sutaḥ
āhūya pāṇḍavān vīrān vanavāsa
kṛtakṣaṇaḥ
2 gāndhārī sahito dhīmān
abhinandya yathāvidhi
kārttikyāṃ kārayitveṣṭiṃ brāhmaṇair vedapāragaiḥ
3 agnihotraṃ puraskṛtya valkalājinasaṃvṛtaḥ
vadhū parivṛto rājā niryayau
bhavanāt tataḥ
4 tataḥ striyaḥ kurava pāṇḍavānāṃ; yāś cāpy anyāḥ kaurava rājavaṃśyāḥ
tāsāṃ nādaḥ prādurāsīt tadānīṃ; vaicitravīrye nṛpatau prayāte
5 tato lājaiḥ sumanobhiś ca rājā; vicitrābhis tadgṛhaṃ pūjayitvā
saṃyojyārthair bhṛtyajanaṃ ca sarvaṃ; tataḥ samutsṛjya yayau narendraḥ
6 tato rājā prāñjalir vepamāno;
yudhiṣṭhiraḥ sasvanaṃ bāṣpakaṇṭhaḥ
vilapyoccair hā mahārāja sādho; kva gantāsīty
apatat tāta bhūmau
7 tathārjunas tīvraduḥkhābhitapto; muhur muhur niḥśvasan bharatāgryaḥ
yudhiṣṭhiraṃ maivam ity evam uktvā; nigṛhyāthodīdharat
sīdamānaḥ
8 vṛkodaraḥ phalgunaś caiva vīrau; mādrīputrau viduraḥ saṃjayaś ca
vaiśyāputraḥ sahito gautamena;
dhaumyo viprāś cānvayur bāṣpakaṇṭhāḥ
9 kuntī gāndhārīṃ baddhanetrāṃ vrajantīṃ; skandhāsaktaṃ hastam athodvahantī
rājā gāndhāryāḥ skandhadeśe
'vasajya; pāṇiṃ yayau dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ pratītaḥ
10 tathā kṛṣṇā draupadī yādavī ca; bālāpatyā cottarā kauravī ca
citrāṅgadā yāś ca kāś cit striyo 'nyāḥ; sārdhaṃ rājñā prasthitās tā vadhūbhiḥ
11 tāsāṃ nādo
rudatīnāṃ tadāsīd; rājan duḥkhāt kurarīṇām ivoccaiḥ
tato niṣpetur brāhmaṇakṣatriyāṇāṃ; viṭ śūdrāṇāṃ caiva nāryaḥ samantāt
12 tan niryāṇe duḥkhitaḥ pauravargo; gahāhvaye 'tīva
babhūva rājan
yathāpūrvaṃ gacchatāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ; dyūte rājan kauravāṇāṃ sabhāyām
13 yā nāpaśyac candramā naiva sūryo;
rāmāḥ kadā cid api tasmin narendre
mahāvanaṃ gacchati
kauravendre; śokenārtā rājamārgaṃ prapeduḥ
SECTION XXI
" Vaisampayana said, 'Upon the retirement of the chief of the Kurus into the forest, the Pandavas, O king, afflicted besides by grief on account of their mother, became very cheerless. The citizens also of Hastinapura were possessed by deep sorrow. The Brahmanas always talked of the old king. 'How, indeed, will the king, who has become old, live in the solitary woods? How will the highly blessed Gandhari, and Pritha, the daughter of Kuntibhoja, live there? The royal sage has always lived in the enjoyment of every comfort. He will certainly be very miserable. Arrived in deep woods, what is now the condition of that personage of royal descent, who is, again, bereft of vision? Difficult is the feat that Kunti has achieved by separating herself from her sons. Alas casting off kingly prosperity, she chose a life in the woods. What, again, is the condition of Vidura who is always devoted to the service of his elder brother? How also is the intelligent son of Gavalgani who is so faithful to the food given him by his master? Verily, the citizens, including those of even nonage meeting together, asked one another these questions. The Pandavas also, exceedingly afflicted with grief, sorrowed for their old mother, and could not live in their city long, Thinking also of their old sire, the king, who had lost all his children, and the highly blessed Gandhari, and Vidura of great intelligence, they failed to enjoy peace of mind. They had no pleasure in sovereignty,p. 34
nor in women, nor in the study of the Vedas. Despair penetrated their souls as they thought of the old king and as they repeatedly reflected on that terrible slaughter of kinsmen. Indeed, thinking of the slaughter of the youthful Abhimanyu on the field of battle, of the mighty-armed Karna who never retreated from the fray, of the sons of Draupadi, and of other friends of theirs, those heroes became exceedingly cheerless. They failed to obtain peace or mind upon repeatedly reflecting that the Earth had become divested of both her heroes and her wealth. Draupadi had lost all her children, and the beautiful Subhadra also had become childless. They too were of cheerless hearts and grieved exceedingly. Beholding, however, the son of Virata's daughter, viz., thy sire Parikshit, thy grandsires somehow held their life-breaths.'
Book
15
Chapter 22
1 [vai]
tataḥ prāsādaharmyeṣu vasudhāyāṃ ca pārthiva
strīṇāṃ ca puruṣāṇāṃ ca sumahān
niḥsvano 'bhavat
2 sa rājā rājamārgeṇa nṛnārī saṃkulena ca
kathaṃ cin niryayau dhīmān
vepamānaḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ
3 sa vardhamānadvāreṇa niryayau gajasāhvayāt
visarjayām āsa ca taṃ janaughaṃ sa muhur muhuḥ
4 vanaṃ gantuṃ ca viduro rājñā saha kṛtakṣaṇaḥ
saṃjayaś ca mahāmātraḥ sūto gāvalgaṇis tathā
5 kṛpaṃ nivartayām āsa yuyutsuṃ ca mahāratham
dhṛtarāṣṭro mahīpālaḥ paridāya yudhiṣṭhire
6 nivṛtte pauravarge tu rājā sāntaḥpuras tadā
dhṛtarāṣṭrābhyanujñāto nivartitum iyeṣa saḥ
7 so 'bravīn mātaraṃ kuntīm upetya bharatarṣabha
ahaṃ rājānam anviṣye bhavatī vinivartatām
8 vadhū parivṛtā rājñi nagaraṃ gantum arhasi
rājā yātv eṣa dharmātmā tapase
dhṛtaniścayaḥ
9 ity uktā dharmarājena bāṣpavyākulalocanā
jagādaivaṃ tadā kuntī gāndhārīṃ parigṛhya ha
10 sahadeve mahārāja mā pramādaṃ kṛthāḥ kva cit
eṣa mām anurakto hi rājaṃs tvāṃ caiva nityadā
11 karṇaṃ smarethāḥ satataṃ saṃgrāmeṣv apalāyinam
avakīrṇo hi sa mayā vīro duṣprajñayā tadā
12 āyasaṃ hṛdayaṃ nūnaṃ mandāyā mama putraka
yat sūryajam apaśyantyāḥ śatadhā na
vidīryate
13 evaṃgate tu kiṃ śakyaṃ mayā kartum ariṃdama
mama doṣo 'yam atyarthaṃ khyāpito yan na sūryajaḥ
tannimittaṃ mahābāho dānaṃ dadyās tvam uttamam
14 sadaiva bhrātṛbhiḥ sārdham agrajasyāri mardana
draupadyāś ca priye nityaṃ sthātavyam arikarśana
15 bhīmasenārjunau caiva nakulaś ca
kurūdvaha
samādheyās tvayā vīra tvayy adya kuladhūr gatā
16 śvaśrū śvaśurayoḥ pādāñ śuśrūṣantī vane tv aham
gāndhārī sahitā vatsye tāpasī malapaṅkinī
17 evam uktaḥ sa dharmātmā bhrātṛbhiḥ sahito vaśī
viṣādam agamat tīvraṃ na ca kiṃ cid uvāca ha
18 sa muhūrtam iva dhyātvā dharmaputro
yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
uvāca mātaraṃ dīnaś
cintāśokaparāyaṇaḥ
19 kim idaṃ te vyavasitaṃ naivaṃ tvaṃ vaktum arhasi
na tvām abhyanujānāmi prasādaṃ kartum arhasi
20 vyarocayaḥ purā hy asmān utsāhya priyadarśane
vidurāyā vacobhis tvam asmān na tyaktum arhasi
21 nihatya pṛthivīpālān rājyaṃ prāptam idaṃ mayā
tava prajñām upaśrutya vāsudevān nararṣabhāt
22 kva sā buddhir iyaṃ cādya bhavatyā yā śrutā mayā
kṣatradharme sthitiṃ hy uktvā tasyāś calitum icchasi
23 asmān utsṛjya rājyaṃ ca snuṣāṃ cemāṃ yaśasvinīm
kathaṃ vatsyasi śūnyeṣu vaneṣv amba prasīda me
24 iti bāṣpakalāṃ vācaṃ kuntīputrasya śṛṇvatī
jagāmaivāśru pūrṇākṣī bhīmas tām idam abravīt
25 yadā rājyam idaṃ kunti bhoktavyaṃ putra nirjitam
prāptavyā rājadharmāś ca tadeyaṃ te kuto matiḥ
26 kiṃ vayaṃ kāritāḥ pūrvaṃ bhavatyā pṛthivī kṣayam
kasya hetoḥ parityajya vanaṃ gantum abhīpsasi
27 vanāc cāpi kim ānītā bhavatyā bālakā
vayam
duḥkhaśokasamāviṣṭau mādrīputrāv imau tathā
28 prasīda mātar mā gās tvaṃ vanam adya yaśasvini
śriyaṃ yaudhiṣṭhirīṃ tāvad bhuṅkṣva pārtha balārjitām
29 iti sā niścitaivātha vanavāsa kṛtakṣaṇā
lālapyatāṃ bahuvidhaṃ putrāṇāṃ nākarod vacaḥ
30 draupadī cānvayāc chvaśrūṃ viṣaṇṇavadanā tadā
vanavāsāya gacchantīṃ rudatī
bhadrayā saha
31 sā putrān rudataḥ sarvān muhur muhur avekṣatī
jagāmaiva mahāprājñā vanāya kṛtaniścayā
32 anvayuḥ pāṇḍavās tāṃ tu sabhṛtyāntaḥpurās tadā
tataḥ pramṛjya sāśrūṇi putrān vacanam abravīt
SECTION XXII
"Vaisampayana said, 'Those foremost of men, the heroic Pandavas,--those delighters of their mother--became exceedingly afflicted with grief. They who had formerly been always engaged in kingly offices, did not at that time attend to those acts at all in their capital. Afflicted with deep grief, they failed to derive pleasure from anything. If any body accosted them, they never honoured him with an answer. Although those irresistible heroes were in gravity like the ocean, yet they were now deprived of their knowledge and their very senses by the grief they felt. Thinking of their mother, the sons of Pandu were filled with anxiety as to how their emaciated mother was serving the old couple. 'How, indeed, is that king, whose sons have all been slain and who is without refuge, living alone, with only his wife, in the woods that are the haunt of beasts of prey? Alas, how does that highly blessed queen, Gandhari, whose dear ones have all been slain, follow her blind lord in the solitary woods?'--Even such was the anxiety manifested by the Pandavas when they talked with one another. They then set their hearts upon seeing the king in his forest retreat. Then Sahadeva, bowing down to the king, said, 'I see thy heart to be set upon seeing our sire. From my respect for thee, however, I could not speedily open my mouth on the subject of our journey to the woods. The time for that sojourn is now come. By good luck I shall see Kunti living in the observance of penances, with matted locks on her head, practising severe austerities, and emaciated with sleeping on blades of Kusa and Kasa. She was brought up in palaces and mansions, and nursed in every comfort and luxury. Alas, when shall I see my mother who is now toil-worn and plunged into exceeding misery? Without doubt, O chief of Bharata's race, the ends of mortals are exceedingly uncertain, since Kunti, who is a princess by birth, is now living in misery in the woods.' Hearing these words of Sahadeva, queen Draupadi, that foremost of all women duly honouring the king said, with proper salutations,--Alas, when shall I see queen Pritha,p. 35
if, indeed, she be yet alive. I shall consider my life as not passed in vain if I succeed in beholding her once more, O king. Let this sort of understanding be ever stable in thee. Let thy mind always take a pleasure in such righteousness as is involved, O king of kings, in thy desire of bestowing such a high boon on us. Know, O king, that all these ladies of thy house are staying with their feet raised for the journey, from desire of beholding Kunti, and Gandhari, and my father-in-law. Thus addressed by queen Draupadi, the king, O chief of Bharata's race, summoned all the leaders of his forces to his presence and told them,--'Cause my army, teeming with cars and elephants, to march out. I shall behold king Dhritarashtra who is now living in the woods.' Unto those that supervised the concerns of the ladies, the king gave the order, 'Let diverse kinds of conveyances be properly equipt, and all my closed litters that count by thousands. Let carriages and granaries, and wardrobes, and treasuries, be equipt and ordered out, and let mechanics have the command to march out. Let men in charge of treasuries go out on the way leading to the ascetic retreats on Kurukshetra. Whoever amongst the citizens wishes to see the king is allowed to do so without any restriction. Let him proceed, properly protected. Let cooks and superintendents of kitchens, and the whole culinary establishment, and diverse kinds of edibles and viands, be ordered to be borne out on carts and conveyances. Let it be proclaimed that we march out tomorrow. Indeed, let no delay occur (in carrying out the arrangements). Let pavilions and resting houses of diverse kinds be erected on the way.' Even these were the commands which the eldest son of Pandu gave, with his brothers. When morning came, O monarch, the king set out, with a large train of women and old men. Going out of his city, king Yudhishthira waited five days for such citizens as might accompany him, and then proceeded towards the forest."'
Book
15
Chapter 23
1 [kuntī]
evam etan mahābāho yathā vadasi pāṇḍava
kṛtam uddharṣaṇaṃ pūrvaṃ mayā vaḥ sīdatāṃ nṛpa
2 dyūtāpahṛta rājyānāṃ patitānāṃ sukhād api
jñātibhiḥ paribhūtānāṃ kṛtam uddharṣaṇaṃ mayā
3 kathaṃ pāṇḍor na naśyeta saṃtatiḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ
yaśaś ca vo na naśyeta iti coddharṣaṇaṃ kṛtam
4 yūyam indrasamāḥ sarve devatulyaparākramāḥ
mā pareṣāṃ mukhaprekṣāḥ sthety evaṃ tat kṛtaṃ mayā
5 kathaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ śreṣṭho rājā tvaṃ vāsavopamaḥ
punar vane na duḥkhī syā iti
coddharṣaṇaṃ kṛtam
6 nāgāyuta samaprāṇaḥ khyātivikramapauruṣaḥ
nāyaṃ bhīmo 'tyayaṃ gacched iti coddharṣaṇaṃ kṛtam
7 bhīmasenād avarajas tathāyaṃ vāsavopamaḥ
vijayo nāvasīdeta iti coddharṣaṇaṃ kṛtam
8 nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca tathemau guruvartinau
kṣudhā kathaṃ na sīdetām iti coddharṣaṇaṃ kṛtam
9 iyaṃ ca bṛhatī śyāmā śrīmaty āyatalocanā
vṛthā sabhā tale kliṣṭā mā bhūd iti ca tat kṛtam
10 prekṣantyā me tadā hīmāṃ vepantiṃ kadalīm iva
strī dharmiṇīm anindyāṅgīṃ tathā dyūtaparājitām
11 duḥśāsano yadā mauḍhyād dāsīvat paryakarṣata
tadaiva viditaṃ mahyaṃ parābhūtam idaṃ kulam
12 viṣaṇṇāḥ kuravaś caiva tadā me śvaśurādayaḥ
yathaiṣā nātham icchantī vyalapat
kurarī yathā
13 keśapakṣe parāmṛṣṭā pāpena hatabuddhinā
yadā duḥśāsaneneṣā tadā muhyāmy ahaṃ nṛpa
14 yuṣmattejo vivṛddhy arthaṃ mayā hy uddharṣaṇaṃ kṛtam
tadānīṃ vidurā vākyair iti tad
vittaputrakāḥ
15 kathaṃ na rājavaṃśo 'yaṃ naśyet prāpya sutān mama
pāṇḍor iti mayā putra tasmād uddharṣaṇaṃ kṛtam
16 na tasya putraḥ pautrau vā kṛta eva sa pārthiva
labhate sukṛtāṁl lokān yasmād vaṃśaḥ praṇaśyati
17 bhuktaṃ rājyaphalaṃ putrā bhartur me vipulaṃ purā
mahādānāni dattāni pītaḥ somo
yathāvidhi
18 sāhaṃ nātma
phalārthaṃ vai vāsudevam acūcudam
vidurāyāḥ pralāpais taiḥ plāvanārtha tu tat kṛtam
19 nāhaṃ rājyaphalaṃ putra kāmaye putra nirjitam
patilokān ahaṃ puṇyān kāmaye tapasā vibho
20 śvaśrū śvaśurayoḥ kṛtvā śuśrūṣāṃ vanavāsinoḥ
tapasā śoṣayiṣyāmi yudhiṣṭhira kalevaram
21 nivartasva kuruśreṣṭha bhīmasenādibhiḥ saha
dharme te dhīyatāṃ buddhir manas te
mahad astu ca
SECTION XXIII
"Vaisampayana said. 'That foremost one of Bharata's race, then ordered his troops, which were protected by heroes that were headed by Arjuna and that resembled the very guardians of the universe, to march out. Instantly, a loud clamour arose consisting of the words--Equip, Equip!--of horse-men, O Bharata, engaged in equipping and their steeds. Some proceeded on carriages and vehicles, some on horses of great speed, and some on cars made of gold endued with the splendour of blazing fires. Some proceeded on mighty elephants, and some on camels, O king. Some proceeded on foot, that belonged to that class of combatants which is armed with tiger-like claws. 1 The citizens and inhabitants of thep. 36
provinces, desirous of seeing Dhritarashtra, followed the king on diverse kinds of conveyances. The preceptor Kripa also, of Gotama's race, that great leader of forces, taking all the forces with him, proceeded, at the command of the king, towards the old monarch's retreat. The Kuru king Yudhishthira, that perpetuator of Kuru's race, surrounded by a large number of Brahmanas, his praises sung by a large band of Sutas and Magadhas and bards, and with a white umbrella held over his head and encompassed around by a large number of cars, set out on his journey. Vrikodara, the son of the Wind-god, proceeded on an elephant as gigantic as a hill, equipt with strung bow and machines and weapons of attack and defence. The twin sons of Madri proceeded on two fleet steeds, well cased in mail, well protected, and equipt with banners. Arjuna of mighty energy, with senses under control, proceeded on an excellent car endued with solar effulgence and unto which were equipt excellent steeds of white hue. The ladies of the royal household, headed by Draupadi, proceeded in closed litters protected by the superintendents of women. They scattered copious showers of wealth as they proceeded. Teeming with cars and elephants and steeds, and echoing with the blare of trumpets and the music of Vinas, the Pandava host, O monarch, blazed with great beauty. Those chiefs of Kuru's race proceeded slowly, resting by delightful banks of rivers and lakes, O monarch. Yuyutsu of mighty energy, and Dhaumya, the priest at the command of Yudhishthira, were engaged in protecting the city. By slow marches, king Yudhishthira reached Kurukshetra, and then, crossing the Yamuna, that highly sacred river, he beheld from a distance the retreat, O thou of Kuru's race, of the royal sage of great wisdom and of Dhritarashtra. Then all the men became filled with joy and quickly entered the forest, filling it with loud sounds of glee, O chief of Bharata's race."'
Book
15
Chapter 24
1 [vai]
kuntyās tu vacanaṃ śrutvā paṇḍavā rājasattnama
vrīḍitāḥ saṃnyavartanta pāñcālyā sāhitānaghāḥ
2 tataḥ śabdo mahān āsīt sarveṣām eva bhārata
antaḥpurāṇāṃ rudatāṃ dṛṣṭvā kuntīṃ tathāgatām
3 pradakṣiṇam athāvṛtya rājānaṃ pāṇḍavās tadā
abhivādya nyavartanta pṛthāṃ tām anivartya vai
4 tato 'bravīn mahārājo dhṛtarāṣṭro 'mbikā sutaḥ
gāndhārīṃ viduraṃ caiva samābhāṣya nigṛhya ca
5 yudhiṣṭhirasya jananī devī sādhu nivartyatām
yathā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ prāha tat sarvaṃ satyam eva hi
6 putraiśvaryaṃ mahad idam apāsyā ca mahāphalam
kā nu gacched vanaṃ durgaṃ putrān utsṛjya mūḍhavat
7 rājyasthayā tapas taptaṃ dānaṃ dattaṃ vrataṃ kṛtam
anayā śakyam adyeha śrūyatāṃ ca vaco mama
8 gāndhāri parituṣṭo 'smi vadhvāḥ śuśrūṣaṇena vai
tasmāt tvam enāṃ dharmajñe
samanujñātum arhasi
9 ity uktā saubaleyī tu rājñā
kuntīm uvāca ha
tat sarvaṃ rājavacanaṃ svaṃ ca vākyāṃ viśeṣavat
10 na ca sā vanavāsāya devīṃ kṛtamatiṃ tadā
śaknoty upāvartayituṃ kuntīṃ dharmaparāṃ satīm
11 tasyās tu taṃ sthiraṃ jñātvā vyavasāyaṃ kuru striyaḥ
nivṛttāṃś ca kuruśreṣṭhān dṛṣṭvā prarurudus tadā
12 upāvṛtteṣu pārtheṣu sarveṣv antaḥpureṣu ca
yayau rājā mahāprājño dhṛtarāṣṭro vanaṃ tadā
13 pāṇḍavā api dīnās te duḥkhaśokaparāyaṇāḥ
yānaiḥ strī sahitāḥ sarve puraṃ praviviśus tadā
14 tam ahṛṣṭam ivākūjaṃ gatotsāvam ivābhavat
nagaraṃ hāstinapuraṃ sastrī vṛddhakumārakam
15 sarve cāsan nirutsāhāḥ pāṇḍavā jātamanyavaḥ
kuntyā hīnāḥ suduḥkhārtā vatsā iva vinākṛtāḥ
16 dhṛtarāṣṭras tu tenāhnā gatvā sumahad antaram
tato bhāgī rathī tīre nivāsam akarot prabhuḥ
17 prāduṣkṛtā yāthā nyāyam agnayo vedapāragaiḥ
vyarājanta dvija śreṣṭhais tatra
tatra tapodhanaiḥ
prāduṣkṛtāgnir abhavat
sa ca vṛddho narādhipaḥ
18 sa rājāgnīn paryupāsya hutvā ca
vidhivat tadā
saṃdhyāgataṃ sahasrāṃśum ūpātiṣṭhata bhārata
19 viduraḥ saṃjayaś caiva rājñaḥ śayyāṃ kuśais tataḥ
cakratuḥ kuruvīrasya
gāndhāryā cāvidūrataḥ
20 gāndhāryāḥ saṃnikarṣe tu niṣasāda kuśeṣv atha
yudhiṣṭhirasya jananī kuntī sādhuvrate
sthitā
21 teṣāṃ sāṃśravaṇe cāpi niṣedur vvidurādayaḥ
yājakaś ca yathoddeśaṃ dvijā ye
cānuyāyinaḥ
22 prādhīta dvijamukhyā sā saṃprajvālita pāvakā
babhūva teṣāṃ rajanī brahmīva prītivardhanī
23 tato rātryāṃ vyatītāyāṃ kṛtapūrvāhṇika kriyāḥ
hutvāgniṃ vidhivat sarve
prayayus te yathākramam
udaṅmukhā nirīkṣanta upavāsā parāyaṇāḥ
24 sa teṣām atiduḥkho 'bbhūn nivāsaḥ prathame 'hani
śocatāṃ śocyamānānāṃ paurajānapadair janaiḥ
SECTION XXIV
"Vaisampayana said, 'The Pandavas alighted, at a distance, from their cars and proceeded on foot to the retreat of the king, bending themselves in humility. All the combatants also, and all the denizens of the kingdom, and the spouses of the Kuru chiefs, followed them on foot. The Pandavas then reached the sacred retreat of Dhritarashtra which abounded with herds of deer and which was adorned with plantain plants. Many ascetics of rigid vows, filled with curiosity, came there for beholding the Pandavas who had arrived at the retreat. The king, with tears in his eyes, asked them, saying,--'Where has my eldest sire, the perpetuator of Kuru's race, gone?' They answered, O monarch, telling him that he had gone to the Yamuna for his ablutions, as also for fetching flowers and waters. Proceeding quickly on foot along the path pointed out by them, the Pandavas beheld all of them from a distance. Desirous of meeting with their sire they walked with a rapid pace. Thenp. 37
[paragraph continues] Sahadeva ran with speed towards the spot where Pritha was. Touching the feet of his mother, he began to weep aloud. With tears gushing down her cheeks, she saw her darling child. Raising her son up and embracing him with her arms, she informed Gandhari of Sahadeva's arrival. Then seeing the king and Bhimasena and Arjuna, and Nakula, Pritha endeavoured to advance quickly towards them. She was walking in advance of the childless old couple, and was dragging them forward. The Pandavas, beholding her, fell down on the earth. The puissant and high-souled monarch, endued with great intelligence, recognising them by their voices and also by touch, comforted them one after another. Shedding tears, those high-souled princes, with due formalities, approached the old king and Gandhari, as also their own mother. Indeed, regaining their senses, and once more comforted by their mother, the Pandavas took away from the king and their aunt and mother the jars full of water which they had been carrying, forbearing them themselves. The ladies of those lions among men, and all the women of the royal household, as also all the inhabitants of the city and provinces, then beheld the old king. King Yudhishthira presented all those individuals one after another to the old king, repeating their names and races, and then himself worshipped his eldest sire with reverence. Surrounded by them all, the old monarch, with eyes bathed in tears of joy, regarded himself as once more staying in the midst of the city called after the elephant. Saluted with reverence by all his daughters-in-law headed by Krishna, king Dhritarashtra, endued with great intelligence, with Gandhari and Kunti, became filled with joy. He then reached his forest-retreat that was applauded by Siddhas and Charanas, and that then teemed with vast crowds of men all desirous of beholding him, like the firmament teeming with innumerable stars."
Book
15
Chapter 25
1
[vai]
tato bhāgī rathī tīre medhye puṇyajanocite
nivāsam akarod rājā vidurasyā mate sthitāḥ
2 tatrainaṃ paryupātiṣṭhan brāhmaṇā rāṣṭravāsinaḥ
kṣatraviṭ śūdra saṃghāś ca bahavo bharatarṣabha
3 sa taiḥ parivṛto rājā kathābhir abhinandya tān
anujajñe saśiṣyān vai vidhivat
pratipūjya ca
4 sāyāhne sa mahīpālas tato gaṅgām upetya ha
cakāra vidhivac chaucaṃ gāndhārī ca yaśasvinī
5 tathaivānye pṛthak sarve tīrtheṣv āplutya bhārata
cakruḥ sarvāḥ kriyās tatra puruṣā vidurādayaḥ
6 kṛtaśaucaṃ tato vṛddhaṃ śvaśuraṃ kuntibhojajā
gāndhārīṃ ca pṛthā rājan gaṅgātīram upānayat
7 rājñas tu yājakais tatra kṛto vedī paristaraḥ
juhāva tatra vahniṃ sa nṛpatiḥ satyasaṃgaraḥ
8 tato bhāgī rathī tīrāt kuru kṣetraṃ jagāma saḥ
sānugo nṛpatir vidvān niyataḥ saṃyatendriyaḥ
9 tatrāśramapadaṃ dhīmān abhigamya sa pārthivaḥ
āsasādātha rājarṣiḥ śatayūpaṃ manīṣiṇam
10 sa hi rājā mahān āsīt kekayeṣu paraṃtapaḥ
saputraṃ manujaiśvarye
niveśya vanam āviśat
11 tenāsau sahito rājā yayau vyāsāśramaṃ tadā
tatrainaṃ vidhivad rājan
pratyagṛhṇāt kurūdvaham
12 sa dīkṣāṃ tatra saṃprāpya rājā kauravanandanaḥ
śatayūpāśrame tasmin nivāsam akarot tadā
13 tasmai sarvaṃ vidhiṃ rājan rājācakhyau mahāmatiḥ
āraṇyakaṃ mahārāja vyāsāsyānumate tadā
14 evaṃ sa tapasā
rājā dhṛtarāṣṭro mahāmanāḥ
yojayām āsa cātmānaṃ tāṃś cāpy anucarāṃs tadā
15 tathaiva devī gāndhārī
valkalājinavāsinī
kuntyā saha mahārāja samānavratacāriṇī
16 karmaṇā manasā vācā
cakṣuṣā cāpi te nṛpa
saṃniyamyendriyagrāmam āsthitāḥ paramaṃ tapaḥ
17 tvag asthi bhūtaḥ pariśuṣkamāṃso; jaṭājinī valkalasaṃvṛtāṅgaḥ
sa pārthivas tatra tapaś cakāra; maharṣivat tīvram apetadoṣaḥ
18 kṣattā ca
dharmārthavid agryabuddhiḥ; sasaṃjayas taṃ nṛpatiṃ sadāram
upācarad ghoratapo jitātmā; tadā kṛśo valkalacīravāsāḥ
SECTION XXV
"Vaisampayana said, 'The king, O chief of Bharata's race, with those foremost of men, viz., his brothers, who were all possessed of eyes that resembled lotus-petals, took his seat in the retreat of his eldest sire. There sat around him many highly-blessed ascetics, hailing from diverse regions, from desire of beholding the sons of that lord of Kuru's race., viz., the Pandavas of wide chests. They said, 'We wish to know who amongst these is Yudhishthira, who are Bhima and Arjuna, who the twins, and who is Draupadi of great fame.' Then the Suta, Sanjaya, in answer to their queries, pointed out to them the Pandavas. naming each, and Draupadi too as also the other ladies of the Kuru household.'"Sanjaya said, 'This one that is as fair of complexion as pure gold, that is endued with a body which looks like that of a full-grown lion, that is possessed of a large aquiline nose, and wide and expansive eyes that are, again,
p. 38
of a coppery hue, is the Kuru king. This one, whose tread resembles that of an infuriate elephant, whose complexion is as fair as that of heated gold, whose frame is of large and expansive proportions and whose arms are long and stout, is Vrikodara. Behold him well! The mighty bowman who sits besides him, of darkish complexion and youthful frame, who resembles the leader of an elephantine herd, whose shoulders are as high as those of a lion, who walks like a sporting elephant, and whose eyes are as expansive as the petals of a lotus, is the hero called Arjuna. Those two foremost of men, that are sitting besides Kunti, are the twins, resembling Vishnu and Mahendra. In this whole world of men, they have not their equals in beauty and strength and excellence of conduct. This lady, of eyes as expansive as lotus petals, who seems to have touched the middle age of life, whose complexion resembles that of the blue lotus, and who looks like a goddess of Heaven, is Krishna, the embodied form of the goddess of prosperity. 1 She who sits besides her, possessed of the complexion of pure gold, who looks like the embodied rays of the moon, in the midst of the other ladies, is, ye foremost of regenerate ones, the sister of that unrivalled hero who wields the discus. This other, as fair as pure gold, is the daughter of the snake-chief and wife of Arjuna. 2 This other whose complexion is like that of pure gold or like that of Madhuka flowers, is the princess Chitrangada. This one, that is possessed of the complexion of an assemblage of blue lotuses, is the sister of that monarch, that lord of hosts, who used to always challenge Krishna. She is the foremost wife of Vrikodara. This is the daughter of the king of Magadha who was known by the name of Jarasandha. Possessed of the complexion of an assemblage of Champakas, she is the wife of the youngest son of Madravati. Possessed of a complexion as darkish as that of the blue lotus, she who sits there on the earth, and whose eyes are as expansive as lotus-petals, is the wife of the eldest son of Madravati, This lady whose complexion is as fair as that of heated gold and who sits with her child on her lap, is the daughter of king Virata. She is the wife of that Abhimanyu who, while divested of his car, was slain by Drona and others fighting from their cars. 3 These ladies, the hair on whose heads shows not the parted line, and who are clad in white, are the widows of the slain sons of Dhritarashtra. They are the daughters-in-law of this old king, the wives of his hundred sons, now deprived of both their husbands and children who have been slain by heroic foes. I have now pointed them out in the order of precedence. In consequence of their devotion to Brahmanas, their understandings and hearts are divested of every kind of crookedness. Possessed of pure souls, they have all been pointed out by me,--these princesses of the Kaurava house-hold,--in answer to your queries.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus that king of Kuru's race, of very advanced years, having met with those sons of him that was a deity among men. enquired about their welfare after all the ascetics had gone away. The warriors
p. 39
who had accompanied the Pandavas, leaving the retreat, sat themselves down at a little distance, alighting from their cars and the animals they rode. Indeed, after all the crowd, viz., the ladies, the old men, and the children, had been seated, the old king duly addressed them, making the usual enquiries of politeness."'
Book
15
Chapter 26
1
[vai]
tatas tasmin muniśreṣṭhā rājānaṃ draṣṭum abhyayuḥ
nāradaḥ parvataś caiva
devalaś ca mahātapāḥ
2 dvaipāyanaḥ saśiṣyaś ca siddhāś cānye manīṣiṇaḥ
śatayūpaś ca rājarṣir vṛddhaḥ paramadhārmikaḥ
3 teṣāṃ kuntī mahārāja pūjāṃ cakre yathāvidhi
te cāpi tutuṣus tasyās tāpasāḥ paricaryayā
4 tatra dharmyāḥ kathās tāta cakrus te paramarṣayaḥ
ramayanto mahātmānaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ janādhipam
5 kathāntare tu kasmiṃś cid devarṣir nāradas tadā
kathām imām akathayat sarvapratyakṣadarśivān
6 purā prajāpatisamo rājāsīd
akutobhayaḥ
sahasracitya ity uktaḥ śatayūpa pitāmahaḥ
7 sā putre rājyam āsajya jyeṣṭhe paramadhārmike
sahasracityo dharmātmā praviveśa vanaṃ nṛpaḥ
8 sa gatvā tapasaḥ pāraṃ dīptasya sa narādhipaḥ
puraṃdarasya saṃsthānaṃ pratipede mahāmanāḥ
9 dṛṣṭapūrvaḥ sa bahuśo rājan saṃpatatā mayā
mahendra sadane rājā tapasā dagdhakilbiṣaḥ
10 tathā śailālayo rājā
bhagadattapitāmahāḥ
tapobalenaiva nṛpo mahendra sadanaṃ gataḥ
11 tathā pṛṣadhro
nāmāsīd rājā vajradharopamaḥ
sa cāpi tapasā lebhe nākapṛṣṭham ito nṛpaḥ
12 asminn araṇye nṛpate māndhātur api cātmajaḥ
puru kutso nṛpaḥ siddhiṃ mahatīṃ samavāptavān
13 bhāryā sāmabhavad yasya narmadā saritāṃ varā
so 'sminn araṇye nṛpatis tapas taptvā divaṃ gataḥ
14 śaśalomā ca nāmāsīd rājā
paramadhārmikaḥ
sa cāpy asmin vane taptvā tapo divam avāptavān
15 dvaipāyana prasādāc ca tvam apīdaṃ tapovanam
rājann avāpya duṣprāpāṃ siddhim agryāṃ gamiṣyasi
16 tvaṃ cāpi
rājaśārdūla tapaso 'nte śriyā vṛtaḥ
gāndhārī sāhito gantā gatiṃ teṣāṃ mahātmanām
17 pāṇḍuḥ smaratinityaṃ ca balahantuḥ samīpataḥ
tvāṃ sadaiva mahīpāla sa tvāṃ śreyasi yokṣyati
18 tava śuśrūṣayā caiva gāndhāryāś ca yaśasvinī
bhartuḥ sālokatāṃ kuntī gamiṣyati vadhūs tava
19 yudhiṣṭhirasya
jananī sa hi dhārmaḥ sanātanaḥ
vayam etat prapaśyāmo nṛpate divyacakṣuṣā
20 pravekṣyati
mahātmānaṃ viduraś ca yudhiṣṭhiram
saṃjayas tvad anudhyānāt pūtaḥ svargam avāpsyati
21 etac chrutvā kauravendro mahātmā;
sahaiva patnyā prītimān pratyagṛhṇāt
vidvān vākyaṃ nāradasyā praśasya;
cakre pūjāṃ cātulāṃ nāradāya
22 tathā sarve nāradaṃ viprasaṃghāḥ; saṃpūjayām āsur atīva rājan
rājñaḥ prītyā dhṛtarāṣṭrasya te vai; punaḥ punaḥ samahṛṣṭās tadānīm
SECTION XXVI
"Dhritarashtra said. 'O Yudhishthira, art thou in peace and happiness, with all thy brothers and the inhabitants of the city and the provinces? Are they that live in dependance on thee also happy? Are they ministers, and servitors, and all thy seniors and preceptors also, happy? Are those also that live in thy dominions free from fear? Dost thou follow the old and traditional conduct of rulers of men? Is thy treasury filled without disregarding the restraints imposed by justice and equity? Dost thou behave as thou shouldst towards foes, neutrals, and allies? Dost thou duly look after the Brahmanas, always making them the first gifts (ordained in sacrifices and religious rites)? What need I say of the citizens, and thy servants, and kinsmen,--are they foes, O chief of Bharata's race, gratified with thy behaviour? Dost thou, O king of kings, adore with devotion the Pitris and the deities? Dost thou worship guests with food and drink, O Bharata? Do the Brahmanas in thy dominions, devoted to the duties of their order, walk along the path of righteousness? Do the Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras also within thy kingdom, and all thy relatives, observe their respective duties? I hope the women, the children, and the old, among thy subjects, do not grieve (under distress) and do not beg (the necessaries of life). Are the ladies of thy household duly honoured in thy house, O best of men? I hope, O monarch, that this race of royal sages, having obtained thee for their king, have not fallen away from fame and glory.'"Vaisampayana continued, 'Unto the old king who said so, Yudhishthira, conversant with morality and justice, and well-skilled in acts and speech, spoke as follows, putting some questions about his welfare.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'Doth thy peace, O king, thy self-restraint, thy tranquillity of heart, grow? Is this my mother able to serve thee without fatigue and trouble? Will, O king, her residence in the woods be productive of fruits? I hope this queen, who is my eldest mother, who is emaciated with (exposure to) cold and wind and the toil of walking, and who is now devoted to the practice of severe austerities, no longer gives way, to grief for her children of mighty energy, all of whom, devoted to the duties of the Kshatriya order, have been slain on the field of battle. Does she accuse us, sinful wretches, that are responsible for their slaughter? Where is Vidura, O king? We do not see him here. I hope this Sanjaya, observant of penances, is in peace and happiness.
p. 40
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed, Dhritarashtra answered king Yudhishthira, saying,--'O son. Vidura is well. He is performing austere penances, subsisting on air alone, for he abstains from all other food. He is emaciated and his arteries and nerves have become visible. Sometimes he is seen in this empty forest by Brahmanas.' While Dhritarashtra was saying this Vidura was seen at a distance. He had matted locks on his head, and gravels in his mouth, and was exceedingly emaciated. He was perfectly naked. His body was besmeared all over with filth, and with the dust of various wild flowers. When Kshattri was beheld from a distance, the fact was reported to Yudhishthira. Vidura suddenly stopped, O king, casting his eyes towards the retreat (and seeing it peopled by so many individuals). King Yudhishthira pursued him alone, as he ran and entered the deep forest, sometimes not seen by the pursuer. He said aloud, 'O Vidura, O Vidura, I am king Yudhishthira, thy favourite!'--Exclaiming thus, Yudhishthira, with great exertion, followed Vidura. That foremost of intelligent men, viz., Vidura, having reached a solitary spot in the forest, stood still, leaning against a tree. He was exceedingly emaciated. He retained only the shape of a human being (all his characteristic features having totally disappeared). Yudhishthira of great intelligence recognised him, however, (in spite of such change). Standing before him, Yudhishthira addressed him, saying, 'I am Yudhishthira!' Indeed, worshipping Vidura properly, Yudhishthira said these words in the hearing of Vidura. Meanwhile Vidura eyed the king with a steadfast gaze. Casting his gaze thus on the king, he stood motionless in Yoga. Possessed of great intelligence, he then (by his Yoga-power) entered the body of Yudhishthira, limb by limb. He united his life-breaths with the king's life-breaths, and his senses with the king's senses. Verify, with the aid of Yoga-power, Vidura, blazing with energy, thus entered the body of king Yudhishthira the just. Meanwhile, the body of Vidura continued to lean against the tree, with eyes fixed in a steadfast gaze. The king soon saw that life had fled out of it. At the same time, he felt that he himself had become stronger than before and that he had acquired many additional virtues and accomplishments. Possessed of great learning and energy, O monarch, Pandu's son, king Yudhishthira the just, then recollected his own state before his birth among men. 1 Endued with mighty energy, he had heard of Yoga practice from Vyasa. King Yudhishthira the just, possessed of great learning, became desirous of doing the last rites to the body of Vidura, and wished to cremate it duly. An invisible voice was then heard,--saying,--'O king, this body that belonged to him called Vidura should not be cremated. In him is thy body also. He is the eternal deity of Righteousness. Those regions of felicity which are known by the name of Santanika will be his, O Bharata. He was an observer of the duties of Yatis. Thou shouldst not, O scorcher of foes, grieve for him at all. Thus addressed, king Yudhishthira the just, returned from that spot, and represented everything
p. 41
unto the royal son of Vichitraviryya. At this, that king of great splendour, all these men, and Bhimasena and others, became filled with wonder. Hearing what had happened, king Dhritarashtra became pleased and then, addressing the son of Dharma. said,--'Do thou accept from me these gifts of water and roots and fruits. It has been said, O king, that one's guest should take that which one takes oneself.' Thus addressed, Dharma's son answered the king, saying,--'So be it.' The mighty-armed king ate the fruits and roots which the monarch gave him. Then they all spread their beds under a tree and passed that night thus, having eaten fruits and roots and drunk the water that the old king had given them."'
Book
15
Chapter 27
1 [vai]
nāradasya tu tad vākyaṃ praśaśaṃsur dvijottamāḥ
śatayūpas tu rājarṣir nāradaṃ vākyam abravīt
2 aho bhagavatā śraddhā
kururājasya vardhitā
sarvasyā ca janasyāsya mama caiva mahādyute
3 asti kā cid vivakṣā tu mama tāṃ gadataḥ śṛṇu
dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ prati nṛpaṃ devarṣe lokapūjita
4 sarvavṛttāntatattvajño bhavān divyena cakṣuṣā
yuktaḥ paśyasi devarṣe gatīr vai vividhā nṛṇām
5 uktavān nṛpatīnāṃ tvaṃ mahendrasya salokatām
na tv asya nṛpater lokāḥ kathitās te mahāmune
6 sthānam asya kṣitipateḥ śrotum icchāmy ahaṃ vibho
tvattaḥ kīdṛk kadā veti tan mamācakṣva pṛcchataḥ
7 ity ukto nāradas tena vākyaṃ sārva mano'nugam
vyājahāra satāṃ madhye
divyadarśī mahātapāḥ
8 yadṛcchayā śakra sado gatvā śakraṃ śacīpatim
dṛṣṭavān asmi rājarṣe tatra pāṇḍuṃ narādhipam
9 tatreyaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya kathā samabhavan nṛpa
tapaso duścarasyāsya yad ayaṃ tapyate nṛpaḥ
tatrāham idam aśrauṣaṃ śakrasya vadato nṛpa
10 varṣāṇi trīṇi śiṣṭāni rājño 'sya paramāyuṣaḥ
11 tataḥ
kuberabhavanaṃ gāndhārī sāhito nṛpaḥ
vihartā dhṛtarāṣṭro 'yaṃ rājarājābhipūjitaḥ
12 kāmagena vimānena divyābharaṇabhūṣitaḥ
ṛṣiputro mahābhāgas tapasā dagdhakilbiṣaḥ
13 saṃcariṣyati lokāṃś ca devagandharvarakṣasām
svacchandeneti dharmātmā yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi
14 deva guhyam idāṃ prītyā mayā vaḥ kathitaṃ mahat
bhavanto hi śrutadhanās tapasā dagdhakilbiṣāḥ
15 iti te tasya tac chrutvā devarṣer madhuraṃ vacaḥ
sarve sumanasaḥ prītā babhūvuḥ sa ca pārthivaḥ
16 evaṃ kathābhir
anvāsya dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ manīṣiṇaḥ
viprajagmur yathākāmaṃ te
siddhagatim āsthitāḥ
SECTION XXVII
"Vaisampayana said, 'They passed that night which was characterised by auspicious constellations even thus, O king, in that retreat of righteous ascetics. The conversation that occurred was characterised by many reflections on morality and wealth. Consisting of delightful and sweet words, it was graced with diverse citations from the Srutis. The Pandavas, O king, leaving costly beds, laid themselves down, near their mother, on the bare ground. Indeed, those heroes passed that night, having eaten the food which was the food of the high-souled king Dhritarashtra. After the night had passed away, king Yudhishthira, having gone through his morning acts, proceeded to survey that retreat in the company of his brothers. With the ladies of his household the servants, and his priest, the king roved about the retreat in all directions, as he pleased, at the command of Dhritarashtra. He beheld many sacrificial altars with sacred fires blazing on them and with many ascetics seated on them, that had performed their oblations and poured libations in honour of the deities. Those altars were overspread with fruits and roots of the forest, and with heaps of flowers. The smoke of clarified butter curled upwards from them. They were graced, besides, with many ascetics possessed of bodies that looked like the embodied Vedas and with many that belonged to the lay brotherhood. Herds of deer were grazing, or resting here and there, freed from every fear. Innumerable birds also were there, engaged in uttering their melodious notes, O king. The whole forest seemed to resound with the notes of peacocks and Datyuhas and Kokilas and the sweet songs of other warblers. 1 Some spots echoed with the chant of Vedic hymns recited by learned Brahmanas. Some were adorned with large heaps of fruits and roots gathered from the wilderness. King Yudhishthira then gave those ascetics jars made ofp. 42
gold or copper which he had brought for them, and many deer-skins and blankets and sacrificial ladles made of wood, and Kamandalus and wooden platters, and pots and pans, O Bharata. 1 Diverse kinds of vessels, made of iron, and smaller vessels and cups of various sizes, were also given away by the king, the ascetics taking them away, each as many as he liked. King Yudhishthira of righteous soul, having thus roved through the woods and beheld the diverse retreats of ascetics and made many gifts, returned to the place where his uncle was. He saw king Dhritarashtra, that lord of Earth, at his ease, with Gandhari beside him, after having finished his morning rites. The righteous-souled monarch saw also his mother, Kunti, seated not much remote from that place, like a disciple with bent head, endued with humility. He saluted the old king, proclaiming his name. 'Sit down' were the words the old king said. Receiving Dhritarashtra's permission, Yudhishthira sat himself down on a mat of Kusa grass. Then the other sons of Pandu with Bhima among them, O thou of Bharata's race, saluted the king and touched his feet and sat themselves down, receiving his permission. The old Kuru king, surrounded by them, looked exceedingly beautiful. Indeed, he blazed with a Vedic splendour like Vrihaspati in the midst of the celestials. After they had sat themselves down, many great Rishis, viz., Satayupa and others, who were denizens of Kurukshetra, came there. The illustrious and learned Vyasa, possessed of great energy, and reverenced by even the celestial Rishis, showed himself, at the head of his numerous disciples, unto Yudhishthira. The Kuru king Dhritarashtra, Kunti's son Yudhishthira of great energy, and Bhimasena and others, stood up and advancing a few steps, saluted those guests. Approaching near, Vyasa, surrounded by Satayupa and others, addressed king Dhritarashtra, saying,--'Be thou seated.' The illustrious Vyasa then took an excellent seat made of Kusa grass placed upon a black deer-skin and covered with a piece of silken cloth. They had reserved that seat for him. After Vyasa had been seated, all those foremost of regenerate persons, endued with abundant energy, sat themselves down, having received the permission of the Island-born sage."
Book
15
Chapter 28
1
[vai]
vanaṃ gate kauravendre duḥkhaśokasamāhatāḥ
babhūvuḥ pāṇḍavā rājan mātṛśokena cārditāḥ
2 tathā paurajanaḥ sarvaḥ śocann āste janādhipam
kurvāṇāś ca kathās tatra
brāhmaṇā nṛpatiṃ prati
3 kathaṃ nu rājā vṛddhaḥ sa vane vasati nirjane
gāndhārī ca mahābhāgā sā ca kuntī pṛthā katham
4 sukhārhaḥ sa hi rājarṣir na sukhaṃ tan mahāvanam
kim avasthaḥ samāsādya prajñā
cakṣur hatātmajaḥ
5 suduṣkaraṃ kṛtavatī kuntīputrān apaśyatī
rājyaśriyaṃ parityajya
vanavāsam arocayat
6 viduraḥ kim avasthaś ca bhrātuḥ śuśrūṣur ātmavān
sa ca gāvalgaṇir dhīmān bhartṛpiṇḍānupālakaḥ
7 ākumāraṃ ca paurās te cintāśokasamāhatāḥ
tatra tatra kathāś cakruḥ samāsādya parasparam
8 pāṇḍavāś caiva
te sarve bhṛśaṃ śokaparāyaṇāḥ
śocanto mātaraṃ vṛddhām ūṣur nāticiraṃ pure
9 tathaiva pitaraṃ vṛddhaṃ hataputraṃ janeśvaram
gāndhārīṃ ca mahābhāgāṃ viduraṃ ca mahāmatim
10 naiṣāṃ babhūva saṃprītis tān
vicintayatāṃ tadā
na rājye na ca nārīṣu na vedādhyayane
tathā
11 paraṃ nirvedam
agamaṃś cintayanto narādhipam
tac ca jñātivadhaṃ ghoraṃ saṃsmarantaḥ punaḥ punaḥ
12 abhimanyoś ca bālasya vināśaṃ raṇamūrdhani
karṇasya ca mahābāhoḥ saṃgrāmeṣv apalāyinaḥ
13 tathaiva draupadeyānām anyeṣāṃ suhṛdām api
vadhaṃ saṃsmṛtya te vīrā nātipramanaso 'bhavan
14 hatapravīrāṃ pṛthivīṃ hataratnāṃ ca bhārata
sadaiva cintayantas te na nidrām upalebhire
15 draupadī hataputrā ca subhadrā caiva
bhāminī
nātiprīti yute devyau tadāstām aprahṛṣṭavat
16 vairāṭyās tu sutaṃ dṛṣṭvā pitaraṃ te parikṣitam
dhārayanti sma te prāṇāṃs tava pūrvapitāmahā
SECTION XXVIII
"Vaisampayana said, 'After the high-souled Pandavas had all been seated, Satyavati's son Vyasa said,--O Dhritarashtra of mighty arms, hast thou been able to achieve penances? Is thy mind, O king, pleased with thy residence in the woods? Has the grief that was thine, born of the slaughter of thy sonsp. 43
in battle, disappeared from thy heart? Are all thy perceptions, O sinless one, now clear? Dost thou practise the ordinances of forest life after having made thy heart firm? Does my daughter-in-law, Gandhari, allow herself to be overwhelmed by grief? She is possessed of great wisdom. Endued with intelligence, that queen understands both Religion and Wealth. She is well conversant with the truths that relate to both prosperity and adversity. Does she still grieve? Does Kunti, O king, who in consequence of her devotion to the service of her seniors, left her children, attend to thy wants and serve thee with all humility? Have the high-minded and high-souled king, Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma and Bhima and Arjuna and the twins been sufficiently comforted? Dost thou feet delight at seeing them? Has thy mind become freed from every stain? Has thy disposition, O king, become pure in consequence of the increase of thy knowledge? This aggregate of three, O king, is the foremost of all concerns, O Bharata, viz., abstension from injury to any creature, truth, and freedom from anger. Does thy forest life any longer prove painful to thee? Art thou able to earn with thy own exertions the products of the wilderness for thy food? Do fasts give thee any pain now? Hast thou learnt, O king, how the high-souled Vidura, who was Dharma's self, left this world? Through the curse of Mandavya, the deity of Righteousness became born as Vidura. He was possessed of great intelligence. Endued with high penances, he was high-souled and high-minded. Even Vrihaspati among the celestials, and Sukra among the Asuras, was not possessed of such intelligence as that foremost of persons. The eternal deity of Righteousness was stupefied by the Rishi Mandavya with an expenditure of his penances earned for a long time with great care. 1 At the command of the Grandsire, and through my own energy, Vidura of great intelligence was procreated by me upon a soil owned by Vichitraviryya. A deity of deities, and eternal, he was, O king, thy brother. The learned know him to be Dharma in consequence of his practices of Dharana and Dhyana. 2 He grows with (the growth of) truth, self-restraint, tranquillity of heart, compassion, and gifts. He is always engaged in penances, and is eternal. From that deity of Righteousness, through Yoga-puissance, the Kuru king Yudhishthira also took his birth. Yudhishthira, therefore, O king, is Dharma of great wisdom and immeasurable intelligence. Dharma exists both here and hereafter, and is like fire or wind or water or earth or space. He is, O king of kings, capable of going everywhere and exists, pervading the whole universe. He is capable of being beheld by only those that are the foremost of the deities and those that are cleansed of every sin and crowned with ascetic success. He that is Dharma is Vidura; and he
p. 44
that is Vidura is the (eldest) son of Pandu. That son of Pandu. O king, is capable of being perceived by thee. He stays before thee as thy servitor. Endued with great Yoga-puissance, thy high-souled brother, that foremost of intelligent men, seeing the high-souled Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, has entered into his person. These also, O chief of Bharata's race, I shall unite with great benefit. Know, O son, that I am come here for dispelling thy doubts. Some feat that has never been accomplished before by any of the great Rishis, some wonderful effect of my penances,--I shall show thee. What object is that, O king, whose accomplishment thou desirest from me? Tell me what is that which thou wishest to see or ask or hear? O sinless one, I shall accomplish it.'
Footnotes
42:1 Audumvaran is an adjective of kalasan. It means 'made of copper'. Praveni is a kutha or blanket. Sruk is a ladle having the cup like cavity at one extremity only. Sruv is a ladle having cup-like cavities at both extremities.43:1 Whenever a Brahmana cursed another, his penances underwent a diminution. Forgiveness was the highest virtue of the Brahmana. His power lay in forgiveness. Hence, when Mandavya cursed Dharma, he had to spend a portion of his hard-earned penances. Previously, the plea of minority or non-age could not be urged in the court of Dharma. Mandavya forced Dharma to admit that plea in the matter of punishment for offences.
43:2 Both Dharana and Dhyana are processes or, rather, stages of Yoga. The former implies the fixing of the mind on one thing; the latter is the abstraction of the mind from surrounding objects.
Book
15
Chapter 29
1 [vai]
evaṃ te puruṣavyāghrāḥ pāṇḍavā mātṛnandanāḥ
smaranto mātaraṃ vīrā
babhūvur bhṛśaduḥkhitāḥ
2 ye rājakāryeṣu purā vyāsaktā nityaśo 'bhavan
te rājakāryāṇi tadā nākārṣuḥ sarvataḥ pure
3 āviṣṭā iva śokena nābhyanandanta kiṃ cana
saṃbhāṣyamāṇā api te na kiṃ cit pratyapūjayan
4 te sma vīrā durādharṣā gāmbhīrye sāgaropamāḥ
śokopahatavijñānā naṣṭasāṃjñā ivābhavan
5 anusmaranto jananīṃ tatas te kurunandanāḥ
kathaṃ nu vṛddhamithunaṃ vahaty adya pṛthā kṛśā
6 kathaṃ ca sa mahīpālo hataputro nirāśrayaḥ
patnyā saha vasaty eko vane śvāpada sevite
7 sā ca devī mahābhāgā gāndhārī
hatabāndhavā
patim andhaṃ kathaṃ vṛddham anveti vijane vane
8 evaṃ teṣāṃ kathayatām autsukyam abhavat
tadā
gamane cābhavad buddhir dhṛtarāṣṭra didṛkṣayā
9 sahadevās tu rājānaṃ praṇipatyedam abravīt
aho me bhavato dṛṣṭaṃ hṛdayaṃgamanaṃ prati
10 na hi tvā gauraveṇāham aśakaṃ vaktum ātmanā
gamanaṃ prati rājendra tad idaṃ samupasthitam
11 diṣṭyā drakṣyāmi tāṃ kuntīṃ vartayantīṃ tapasvinīm
jaṭilāṃ tāpasīṃ vṛddhāṃ kuśakāśaparikṣatām
12 prāsādaharmya saṃvṛddhām atyantasukhabhāginīm
kadā nu jananīṃ śrāntāṃ drakṣyāmi bhṛśaduḥkhitām
13 anityāḥ khalu
martyānāṃ gatayo bharatarṣabha
kuntī rājasutā yatra vasaty asukhinī vane
14 sahadeva vacaḥ śrutvā draupadī yoṣitāṃ varā
uvāca devī rājānam abhipūjyābhinandya ca
15 kadā drakṣyāmi tāṃ devīṃ yadi jīvati sā pṛthā
jīvantyā hy adya naḥ prītir bhaviṣyati narādhipa
16 eṣā te 'stu matir
nityaṃ dharme te ramatāṃ manaḥ
yo 'dya tvam asmān rājendra śreyasā yojayiṣyasi
17 agrapādasthitaṃ cemaṃ viddhi rājan vadhū janam
kāṅkṣantaṃ darśanāṃ kuntyā gāndhāryāḥ śvaśurasya ca
18 ity uktaḥ sā nṛpo devyā pāñcālyā bharatarṣabha
senādhyakṣān samānāyya sarvān
idam athābravīt
19 niryātayata me senāṃ prabhūtarathakuñjarām
drakṣyāmi vanasaṃsthaṃ ca dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ mahīpatim
20 stryadhyakṣāṃś cābravīd rājā yānāni vividhāni me
sajjīkriyantāṃ sarvāṇi śibikāś ca sahasraśaḥ
21 śakaṭāpaṇa veśāś ca kośaśilpina eva ca
niryāntu kopapālāś ca kurukṣetrāśramaṃ prati
22 yaś ca paurajanaḥ kaś cid draṣṭum icchati pārthivam
anāvṛtaḥ suvihitaḥ sa ca yātu surakṣitaḥ
23 sūdāḥ paurogavaś
caiva sarvaṃ caiva mahānama
vividhaṃ bhakṣyabhojyaṃ ca śakaṭair uhyatāṃ mama
24 prayāṇaṃ ghuṣyatāṃ caiva śvobhūta iti māciram
kriyantāṃ pathi cāpy adya
veśmāni vividhāni ca
25 evam ājñāpya rājā sa bhrātṛbhiḥ saha pāṇḍavaḥ
śvobhūte niryayau rājā sastrī bāla puraskṛtaḥ
26 sa bahir divasān evaṃ janaughaṃ paripālayan
nyavasan nṛpatiḥ pañca tato 'gacchad vanaṃ prati
SECTION XXIX
(Putradarsana Parva)
"Janamejaya said, 'Tell me. O learned Brahmana, what that wonderful feat was which the great Rishi Vyasa of high energy accomplished after his promise to the old king, made when Dhritarashtra, that lord of Earth, that foremost one of Kuru's race, had taken up his abode in the forest, with his wife and with his daughter-in-law Kunti; and after, indeed, Vidura had left his own body and entered into Yudhishthira, and at the time when all the sons of Pandu were staying in the ascetic retreat. For how many days did the Kuru king Yudhishthira of unfading glory stay, with his men, in the woods? On what food, O puissant one, did the high-souled Pandavas support themselves, with their men, and wives, while they lived in the woods? O sinless one, do thou tell me this.'"Vaisampayana said, 'With the permission of the Kuru king, the Pandavas, O monarch, with their troops and the ladies of their household, supported themselves on diverse kinds of food and drink and passed about a month in great happiness in that forest. Towards the close of that period, O sinless one, Vyasa came there. While all those princes sat around Vyasa, engaged in conversation on diverse subjects, other Rishis came to that spot. They were Narada, and Parvata and Devala of austere penances, and Viswavasu and Tumvuru, and Chitrasena., O Bharata. Endued with severe penances, the Kuru king Yudhishthira, with the permission of Dhritarashtra, worshipped them according to due rites. Having obtained that worship from Yudhishthira, all of them sat down on sacred seats (made of Kusa grass), as also on excellent seats made of peacock feathers. After they had all taken their seats, the Kuru king of high intelligence took his seat there, surrounded by the sons of Pandu. Gandhari and Kunti and Draupadi, and she of the Sattwata race, and other ladies of the royal household also sat down. The conversation that then arose was excellent and had reference to topics connected with piety, and
p. 45
the Rishis of old, and the deities and the Asuras. At the close of that conversation Vyasa of great energy, that foremost of eloquent men, that first of all persons conversant with the Vedas, highly gratified, addressed the blind monarch and once more said,--'Burning as thou art with grief on account of thy children, I know, O king of kings, what object is cherished by thee in thy heart. The sorrow that always exists in the heart of Gandhari, that which exists in the heart of Kunti, and that also which is cherished by Draupadi in her heart, and that burning grief, on account of the death of her son, which Krishna's sister Subhadra also cherishes, are all known to me. Hearing of this meeting, O king, of thine with all these princes and princesses of thy house, I have come here, O delighter of the Kauravas, for dispelling thy doubts. Let the deities and Gandharvas, and all these great Rishis, behold today the energy of those penances which I have acquired for these long years. Therefore, O king, tell me what wish of thine I shall grant today. I am puissant enough to grant thee a boon. Behold the fruit of my penances.' Thus addressed by Vyasa of immeasurable understanding, king Dhritarashtra reflected for a moment and then prepared to speak. He said,--'I am exceedingly fortunate. Lucky am I in obtaining thy favour. My life is crowned with success today,--since this meeting has happened between me and ye all of great piety. Today I shall attain to that highly happy goal which is reserved for me, since, ye ascetics endued with wealth of penances, ye who are equal to Brahma himself, I have succeeded in obtaining this meeting with you all. There is not the least doubt that this sight that I have obtained of you all has cleansed me of every sin. Ye sinless ones, I have no longer any fear in respect of my end in the next world. Full as I am of love for my children, I always cherish their remembrance. My mind, however, is always tortured by the recollection of the diverse acts of wrong which my wicked son of exceedingly evil understanding perpetrated. Possessed of a sinful understanding, he always persecuted the innocent Pandavas. Alas, the whole Earth has been devastated by him, with her steeds, elephants and men. Many high-souled kings, rulers of diverse realms, came for siding my son and succumbed to death. Alas, leaving their beloved sires and wives and their very life-breaths, all those heroes have become guests of the king of the dead. What end, O regenerate one, has been attained by those men who have been slain, for the sake of their friend, in battle? What end also has been attained by my sons and grandsons who have fallen in the fray? My heart is always pained at the thought of my having brought about the slaughter of the mighty Bhishma, the son of Santanu, and of Drona, that foremost of Brahmanas, through my foolish and sinful son who was an injurer of his friends. Desirous of obtaining the sovereignty of the Earth, he caused the Kuru race, blazing with prosperity, to be annihilated. Reflecting on all this, I burn day and night with grief. Deeply afflicted with pain and grief, I am unable to obtain peace of mind. Indeed, O father, thinking of all this, I have no peace of mind.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these lamentations expressed in diverse ways, of that royal sage, the grief, O Janamejaya, of Gandhari, became fresh. The grief also of Kunti, of the daughter of Drupada, of Subhadra,
p. 46
and of the other members, male and female, and the daughters-in-law, of the Kuru race, became equally green. Queen Gandhari, with bandaged eyes, joining her hands, addressed her father-in-law. Deeply afflicted with grief on account of the slaughter of her sons, she said,--'O foremost of ascetics, sixteen years have passed over the head of this king grieving for the death of his sons and divested of peace of mind. Afflicted with grief on account of the slaughter of his children, this king Dhritarashtra, always breathes heavily, and never sleeps at night. O great Rishi, through the power of thy penances thou art competent to create new worlds. What need I say then about showing this king his children who are now in the other world? This Krishna, the daughter of Drupada, hath lost all her kinsmen and children. For this, she who is the dearest of my daughters-in-law grieves exceedingly. The sister of Krishna, viz., Subhadra of sweet speech, burning with the loss of her son, grieves as deeply. This lady that is respected by all, that is the wife of Bhurisravas, afflicted with grief on account of the fate that has overtaken her husband, always indulges in heart-rending lamentations. Her father-in-law was the intelligent Valhika of Kuru's race. Alas, Somadatta also was slain, along with his sire, in the great battle! 1 Alas, a century of sons, heroes that never retreated from battle, belonging to this son of thine, this king of great intelligence and great prosperity, has been slain in battle. The hundred wives of those sons are all grieving and repeatedly enhancing the grief of both the king and myself. O great ascetic, stricken by that great slaughter, they have gathered round me. Alas, those high-souled heroes, those great car warriors, my fathers-in-law, Somadatta and others,--alas, what end has been theirs, O puissant one? Through thy grace, O holy one, that will happen in consequence of which this lord of Earth, myself, and this daughter-in-law of thine, viz., Kunti, shall all become freed from our grief. After Gandhari had said so, Kunti, whose face had become wasted through observance of many hard vows, began to think of her secret-born son endued with solar effulgence. The boon giving Rishi Vyasa, capable of both beholding and hearing what happened at a remote distance, saw that the royal mother of Arjuna was afflicted with grief. Unto her Vyasa said,--'Tell me, O blessed one, what is in thy mind. Tell me what thou wishest to say. At this, Kunti, bending her head unto her father-in-law, and overcome with bashfulness, said these words unto him, relating to the occurrences of the past.'"
Book
15
Chapter 30
1
[vai]
ājñāpayām āsa tataḥ senāṃ bharatasattamaḥ
arjuna pramukhair guptāṃ lokapālopamair naraiḥ
2 yogo yoga iti prītyā tataḥ śabdo mahān abhūt
krośatāṃ sādināṃ tatra yujyatāṃ yujyatām iti
3 ke cid yānair narā jagmuḥ ke cid aśvair manojavaiḥ
rathaiś ca nagarākāraiḥ pradīptajvalanopamaiḥ
4 gajendraiś ca tathaivānye ke cid
uṣṭrair narādhipa
padātinas tathaivānye nakharaprāsayodhinaḥ
5 paurajānapadāś caiva yānair
bahuvidhais tathā
anvayuḥ kururājānaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭra didṛkṣayā
6 sa cāpi rājavacanām ācāryo
gautamaḥ kṛpaḥ
senām ādāya senānī prayayāv āśramaṃ prati
7 tato dvijair vṛtaḥ śrīmān kururājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
saṃstūyamāno bahubhiḥ sūtamāgadhabandibhiḥ
8 pāṇḍureṇātapatreṇa dhriyamāṇena mūrdhani
rathānīkena mahatā niryayau kurunandanaḥ
9 gajaiś cācalasaṃkāśair bhīmakarmā vṛkodaraḥ
sajjayantrāyudhopetaiḥ prayayau mārutātmajaḥ
10 mādrīputrāv api tathā hayārohaiḥ susaṃvṛtau
jagmatuḥ prītijananau saṃnaddha kavacadhvajau
11 arjunaś ca mahātejā
rathenādityavarcasā
vaśīśvetair hayair divyair yuktenānvagaman nṛpam
12 draupadī pramukhāś cāpi strī saṃgghāḥ śibikā gatāḥ
stryadhyakṣayuktāḥ prayayur visṛjanto 'mitaṃ vasu
13 samṛddhanaranāgāśvaṃ veṇuvīṇā nināditam
śuśubhe pāṇḍavaṃ sainyaṃ tat tadā bharatarṣabha
14 nadītīreṣu ramyeṣu saratsu ca viśāṃ pate
vāsān kṛtvā krameṇātha jagmus te kurupuṃgavāḥ
15 yuyutsuś ca mahātejā dhaumyaś caiva
purohitaḥ
yudhiṣṭhirasya vacanāt puraguptiṃ pracakratuḥ
16 tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā kurukṣetram avātarat
krameṇottīrya yamunāṃ nadīṃ paramapāvanīm
17 sa dadarśāśramaṃ dūrād rājarṣes tasya dhīmataḥ
śatayūpasya kauravya dhṛtarāṣṭrasya caiva ha
18 tataḥ pramuditaḥ sarvo janas tad vanam añjasā
viveśa sumahānādair āpūrya bharatarṣabha
SECTION XXX
"Kunti said, 'O holy one, thou art my father-in-law and therefore, my deity of deities. Verily, thou art my god of gods. Hear my words of truth.p. 47
[paragraph continues] An ascetic named Durvasas, who is of the regenerate order and who is full of wrath, came to my father's house for eleemosynary charity. I succeeded in gratifying him by the purity of my external behaviour and of my mind, as also by refusing to notice the many wrongs he did. I did not give way to wrath although there was much in his behaviour quite capable of exciting that passion. Served with care, the great ascetic became highly pleased with me and disposed to grant me a boon. 'Thou must accept the boon I shall give,' were his words to me. Fearing his curse, I answered him, saying,--'So be it.' The regenerate Rishi once more said unto me,--'O blessed damsel, O thou of beautiful face, thou wilt become the mother of Dharma. Those deities whom thou wilt summon will be obedient to thee.' Having said those words, the regenerate one vanished away from my sight. I became filled with wonder. The mantra, however, which the Rishi gave has dwelt in my memory at all times. One day, sitting within my chamber I beheld the sun rising. Desiring to bring the maker of day before me, I recollected the words of the Rishi. Without any consciousness of the fault I committed, I summoned the deity from mere girlishness. The deity, however, of a thousand rays, (summoned by me) came to my presence. He divided himself in twain. With one portion he was in the firmament, and with the other he stood on the Earth before me. With one he heated the worlds and with another he came to me. He told me, while I was trembling at his sight, these words,--'Do thou ask a boon of me.' Bowing unto him with my head, I asked him to leave me. He replied unto me, saying,--'I cannot bear the idea of coming to thee fruitlessly. I shall consume thee as also that Brahmana who gave thee the Mantra as a boon.' The Brahmana who had done no evil--I wished to protect from Surya's curse. I therefore, said--'Let me have a son like thee, O god.' The deity of thousand rays then penetrated me with his energy and stupefied me completely. He then said unto me,--'Thou wilt have a son,' and then went back to the firmament. I continued to live in the inner apartments and desirous of saying the honour of my sire, I cast into the waters my infant son named Karna who thus came into the world secretly. Without doubt, through the grace of that god, I once more became a virgin, O regenerate one, even as the Rishi Durvasas had said unto me. Foolish that I am, although he knew me for his mother when he grew up, I yet made no effort to acknowledge him. This burns me, O regenerate Rishi, as is well-known to thee. Whether it is sinful or not so, I have told thee truth. It behoveth thee, O holy one, to gratify the craving I feel for beholding that son of mine. O foremost of ascetics, let this king also, O sinless one, obtain the fruition today of that wish of his which he cherishes in his bosom and which has become known to thee.' Thus addressed by Kunti, Vyasa, that foremost of all persons, said unto her in reply,--'Blessed be thou; all that thou hast said unto me will happen. (As regards the birth of Karna) no fault is ascribable to thee. Thou wert restored to virginity. The deities are possessed of (Yoga) puissance. They are able to penetrate human bodies. 1 There are
p. 48
deities. They beget (offspring) by thought alone. By word, by sight, by touch, and by sexual union, also, they beget children. These are the five methods. Thou belongest to the order of humanity. Thou hast no fault (in what happened). Know this. O Kunti. Let the fever of thy heart be dispelled. For those that are mighty, everything is becoming. 'For those that are mighty, everything is pure. For those that are mighty, everything is meritorious. For those that are mighty, everything is their own.'"
Book
15
Chapter 31
1 [vai]
tatas te pāṇḍavā dūrād avatīrya
padātayaḥ
abhijagmur narapater āśramaṃ vinayānatāḥ
2 sa ca paurajanaḥ sarvo ye ca rāṣṭranivāsinaḥ
striyaś ca kurumukhyānāṃ padbhir evānvayus tadā
3 āśramaṃ te tato jagmur dhṛtarāṣṭrasya pāṇḍavāḥ
śūnyaṃ mṛgagaṇākīrṇaṃ kadalī
vanaśobhitam
4 tatas tatra samājagmus tāpasā
vividhavratāḥ
pāṇḍavān āgatān draṣṭuṃ kautūhalasamanvitāḥ
5 tān apṛcchat tato rājā kvāsau kaurava vaṃśabhṛt
pitā jyeṣṭho gato 'smākam iti
bāṣpapariplutaḥ
6 tam ūcus te tato vākyaṃ yamunām avagāhitum
puṣpāṇām udakumbhasya cārthe gata iti prabho
7 tair ākhyātena mārgeṇa tatas te prayayus tadā
dadṛśuś cāvidūre tān
sarvān atha padātayaḥ
8 tatas te satvarā jagmuḥ pitur darśanakāṅkṣiṇaḥ
sahadevas tu vegena prādhāvvad yena sā pṛthā
9 sasvanaṃ prarudan dhīmān mātuḥ pādāv upaspṛśan
sā ca bāṣpāvila mukhī
pradadarśa priyaṃ sutam
10 bāhubhyāṃ saṃpariṣvajya samunnāmya ca putrakam
gāndhāryāḥ kathayām āsa
sahadevam upasthitam
11 anantaraṃ ca rājānaṃ bhīmasenam athārjunam
nakulaṃ ca pṛthā dṛṣṭvā tvaramāṇopacakrame
12 sā hy agre 'gacchata tayor dampatyor
hataputrayoḥ
karṣantī tau tatas te tāṃ dṛṣṭvā saṃnyapatan bhuvi
13 tān rājā svarayogena sparśena ca
mahāmanāḥ
pratyabhijñāya medhāvī samāśvāsāyata prabhuḥ
14 tatas te bāṣpam utsṛjya gāndhārī sahitaṃ nṛpam
upatasthur mahātmāno mataraṃ ca yathāvidhi
15 sarveṣāṃ toyakalaśāñ jaghṛhus te svayaṃ tadā
pāṇḍavā labdhasaṃjñās te mātrā cāśvāsitāḥ punaḥ
16 tato nāryo nṛsiṃhānāṃ sa ca yodhajanas tadā
paurajānapadāś caiva dadṛśus taṃ narādhipam
17 nivedayām āsa tadā janaṃ taṃ nāmagotrataḥ
yudhiṣṭhiro narapatiḥ sa cainān pratyapūjayat
18 sa taiḥ parivṛto mene harṣabāṣpāvilekṣaṇaḥ
rājātmānaṃ gṛhagataṃ pureva gajasāhvaye
19 abhivādito vadhūbhiś ca kṛṣṇādyābhiḥ sa pārthivaḥ
gāndhāryā sahito dhīmān kuntyā ca pratyanandata
20 tataś cāśramam āgacchat siddhacāraṇasevitam
didṛkṣubhiḥ samākīrṇaṃ nabhas tārāgaṇair iva
SECTION XXXI.
"Vyasa said, 'Blessed be thou, O Gandhari, thou shalt behold thy sons and brothers and friends and kinsmen along with thy sires this night like men risen from sleep. Kunti also shall behold Karna, and she of Yadu's race shall behold her son Abhimanyu. Draupadi shall behold her five sons, her sires, and her brothers also. Even before ye had asked me, this was the thought in my mind. I entertained this purpose when I was urged to that effect by the king, by thee, O Gandhari, and by Kunti. Thou shouldst not grieve for those foremost of men. They met with death in consequence of their devotion to the established practices of Kshatriyas. O faultless one, the work of the gods could not but be accomplished. It was for accomplishing that object that those heroes came down on Earth. They were all portions of the deities. Gandharvas and Apsaras, and Pisachas and Guhyakas and Rakshasas, many persons of great sanctity, many individuals crowned with success (of penances), celestial Rishis, deities and Danavas and heavenly Rishis of spotless character, met with death on the battle-field of Kurukshetra. 1 It is heard that he that was the intelligent king of the Gandharvas, and named Dhritarashtra, took birth in the world of men as thy lord Dhritarashtra. Know that Pandu of unfading glory and distinguished above all others, sprung from the Maruts. Kshattri and Yudhishthira are both portions of the deity of Righteousness. Know that Duryodhana was Kali, and Sakuni was Dwapara. O thou of good features, know that Dussasana and others were all Rakshasas. Bhimasena of great might, that chastiser of foes, is from the Maruts. Know that this Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha, is the ancient Rishi Nara. Hrishikesa is Narayana, and the twins are the Aswins. The foremost of heat-giving ones, viz., Surya, having divided his body in twain, continued with one portion to give heat to the worlds and with another to live (on Earth.) as Karna. He that took his birth as the son of Arjuna, that gladdener of all, that heir to the possessions of the Pandavas, who was slain by six great car-warriors (fighting together), was Soma. He was born of Subhadra. Through Yoga-puissance he had dividedp. 49
himself in twain. Dhrishtadyumna who sprung with Draupadi from the sacrificial fire, was an auspicious portion of the deity of fire. Sikhandin was a Rakshasa. Know that Drona was a portion of Vrihaspati, and that Drona's son is born of a portion of Rudra. Know that Ganga's son Bhishma was one of the Vasus that became born as a human being. Thus, O thou of great wisdom, the deities had taken birth as human beings, and after having accomplished their purposes have gone back to Heaven. That sorrow which is in the hearts of you all, relating to the return of these to the other world, I shall today dispel. Do you all go towards the Bhagirathi.--You will then behold all those that have been slain on the field of battle.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'All the persons there present, having heard the words of Vyasa, raised a loud leonine shout and then proceeded towards the Bhagirathi. Dhritarashtra with all his ministers and the Pandavas, as also with all those foremost of Rishis and Gandharvas that had come there, set out as directed. Arrived at the banks of Ganga, that sea of men took up their abode as pleased them. The king possessed of great intelligence, with the Pandavas, took up his abode in a desirable spot, along with the ladies and the aged ones of his household. They passed that day as if it were a whole year, waiting for the advent of the night when they would behold the deceased princes. The Sun then reached the sacred mountain in the west and all those persons, having bathed in the sacred stream, finished their evening rites."'
(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Sreeman
Brahmasri K M Ganguliji for the collection)
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