Chapter 126

“Vaisampayana said, ‘The godlike Rishis, wise in counsels, beholding thedeath of Pandu, consulted with one another, and said, ‘The virtuous andrenowned king Pandu, abandoning both sovereignty, and kingdom came hitherfor practising ascetic austerities and resigned himself to the asceticsdwelling on this mountain. He hath hence ascended to heaven, leaving hiswife and infant sons as a trust in our hands. Our duty now is to repairto his kingdom with these his offspring, and his wife.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Then those godlike Rishis of magnanimoushearts, and crowned with ascetic success, summoning one another, resolvedto go to Hastinapura with Pandu’s children ahead, desiring to place themin the hands of Bhishma and Dhritarashtra. The ascetics set out that verymoment, taking with them those children and Kunti and the two deadbodies. And though unused to toil all her life, the affectionate Kuntinow regarded as very short the really long journey she had to perform.Having arrived at Kurujangala within a short time, the illustrious Kuntipresented herself at the principal gate. The ascetics then charged theporters to inform the king of their arrival. The men carried the messagein a trice to the court. And the citizens of Hastinapura, hearing of thearrival of thousands of Charanas and Munis, were filled with wonder. Andit was soon after sunrise that they began to come out in numbers withtheir wives and children to behold those ascetics. Seated in all kinds ofcars and conveyances by thousands, vast numbers of Kshatriyas with theirwives, and Brahmanas with theirs came out. And the concourse of Vaisyasand Sudras too was as large on the occasion. The vast assemblage was verypeaceful, for every heart then was inclined to piety. And there also cameout Bhishma, the son of Santanu, and Somadatta or Valhika and the royalsage (Dhritarashtra) endued with the vision of knowledge and Vidurahimself and the venerable Satyavati and the illustrious princess ofKosala and Gandhari accompanied by the other ladies of the royalhousehold. And the hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, decked with variousornaments, also came out.

“The Kauravas, then, accompanied by their priest, saluted the Rishis bylowering their heads, and took their seats before them. The citizens alsosaluting the ascetics and bowing down unto them with touching the ground,took their seats there. Then Bhishma, setting that vast concourseperfectly still, duly worshipped, O king, those ascetics by offering themwater to wash their feet with and the customary Arghya. And having donethis, he spoke unto them about the sovereignty and the kingdom. Then theoldest of the ascetics with matted locks on head and loins covered withanimal skin, stood up, and with the concurrence of the other Rishis,spoke as follows, ‘You all know that that possessor of the sovereignty ofthe Kurus who was called king Pandu, had, after abandoning the pleasuresof the world, repaired hence to dwell on the mountain of a hundred peaks.He adopted the Brahmacharya mode of life, but for some inscrutablepurpose the gods have in view, this his eldest son, Yudhishthira, wasborn there, begotten by Dharma himself. Then that illustrious kingobtained from Vayu this other son–the foremost of all mighty men–calledBhima. This other son, begotten upon Kunti by Indra, is Dhananjaya whoseachievements will humble all bowmen in the world. Look here again atthese tigers among men, mighty in the use of the bow, the twin childrenbegotten upon Madri by the twin Aswins. Leading in righteousness the lifeof a Vanaprastha in the woods, illustrious Pandu hath thus revived thealmost extinct line of his grandfather. The birth, growth, and Vedicstudies of these children of Pandu, will, no doubt, give you greatpleasure. Steadily adhering to the path of the virtuous and the wise, andleaving behind him these children, Pandu departed hence seventeen daysago. His wife Madri, beholding him placed in the funeral pyre and aboutto be consumed, herself ascended the same pyre, and sacrificing her lifethus, hath gone with her lord to the region reserved for chaste wives.Accomplish now whatever rites should be performed for their benefit.These are (the unburnt portions of) their bodies. Here also are theirchildren–these oppressors of foes–with their mother. Let these be nowreceived with due honours. After the completion of the first rites inhonour of the dead, let the virtuous Pandu, who had all along been thesupporter of the dignity of the Kurus, have the first annual Sraddha(sapindakarana) performed with a view to installing him formally amongthe Pitris.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘The ascetics with Guhyakas, having said thisunto the Kurus, instantly disappeared in the very sight of the people.And beholding the Rishis and the Siddhas thus vanish in their sight likevapoury forms appearing and disappearing in the skies, the citizensfilled with wonder returned to their homes.'”