Chapter 45

Vaisampayana said,–“when that foremost of sacrifices, the Rajasuya sodifficult of accomplishment, was completed, Vyasa surrounded by hisdisciples presented himself before Yudhishthira.

And Yudhishthira, uponbeholding him quickly rose from his seat, surrounded by his brothers, andworshipped the Rishi who was his grand-father, with water to wash hisfeet and the offer of a seat. The illustrious one having taken his seaton a costly carpet inlaid with gold, addressed king Yudhishthira the justand said.–‘Take thy seat’. And after the king had taken his seatsurrounded by his brothers, the illustrious Vyasa, truthful in speechsaid,–‘O son of Kunti, thou growest from good fortune. Thou hastobtained imperial sway so difficult of acquisition. And O perpetuator ofthe Kuru race, all the Kauravas have prospered in consequence of thee. OEmperor, I have been duly worshipped. I desire now to go with thy leave!King Yudhishthira the just, thus addressed by the Rishi of dark hue,saluted (him) his grandfather and touching his feet said,–‘O chief ofmen, a doubt difficult of being dispelled, hath risen within me. O bullamong regenerate ones, save thee there is none to remove it. Theillustrious Rishi Narada said that (as a consequence of the Rajasuyasacrifice) three kinds of portents, viz., celestial, atmospherical andterrestrial ones happen. O grandsire, have those portents been ended bythe fall of the kind of the Chedis?”

Vaisampayana continued,–“Hearing these words of the king, the exaltedson of Parasara, the island-born Vyasa of dark hue, spoke thesewords,–‘For thirteen years, O king, those portents will bear mightyconsequences ending in destruction, O king of kings, of all theKshatriyas. In course of time, O bull of the Bharata race, making theethe sole cause, the assembled Kshatriyas of the world will be destroyed,O Bharata, for the sins of Duryodhana and through the might of Bhima andArjuna. In thy dream, O king of kings thou wilt behold towards the end ofthis might the blue throated Bhava, the slayer of Tripura, ever absorbedin meditation, having the bull for his mark, drinking off the humanskull, and fierce and terrible, that lord of all creatures, that god ofgods, the husband of Uma, otherwise called Hara and Sarva, and Vrisha,armed with the trident and the bow called Pinaka, and attired in tigerskin. And thou wilt behold Siva, tall and white as the Kailasa cliff andseated on his bull, gazing unceasingly towards the direction (south)presided over by the king of the Pitris. Even this will be the dream thouwilt dream today, O king of kings. Do not grieve for dreaming such adream. None can rise superior to the influence of Time. Blest be thou! Iwill now proceed towards the Kailasa mountain. Rule thou the earth withvigilance and steadiness, patiently bearing every privation!'”

Vaisampayana continued,–“Having said this, the illustrious andisland-born Vyasa of dark hue, accompanied by his disciples everfollowing the dictates of the Vedas, proceeded towards Kailasa. And afterthe grand-father had thus gone away, the king afflicted with anxiety andgrief, began to think continuously upon what the Rishi hath said. And hesaid to himself, ‘Indeed what the Rishi hath said must come to pass. Wewill succeed in warding off the fates by exertion alone?’ ThenYudhishthira endued with great energy addressing all his brothers, said,’Ye tigers among men, ye have heard what the island-born Rishi hath toldme. Having heard the words of the Rishi, I have arrived at this firmresolution viz., that I should die, as I am ordained to be the cause ofthe destruction of all Kshatriyas. Ye my dear ones, if Time hath intendedso what need is there for me to live?’ Hearing these words of the king,Arjuna replied, ‘O king, yield not thyself to this terrible depressionthat is destructive of reason. Mustering fortitude, O great king, do whatwould be beneficial.’ Yudhishthira then, firm in truth, thinking all thewhile of Dwaipayana’s words answered his brothers thus,–‘Blest be ye.Listen to my vow from this day. For thirteen years, what ever purposehave I to live for, I shall not speak a hard word to my brothers or toany of the kings of the earth. Living under the command of my relatives,I shall practise virtue, exemplifying my vow. If I live in this way,making no distinction between my own children and others, there will beno disagreement (between me and others). It is disagreement that is thecause of war in the world. Keeping war at a distance, and ever doing whatis agreeable to others, evil reputation will not be mine in the world, yebulls among men. Hearing these words of their eldest brother, thePandavas, always engaged in doing what was agreeable to him, approved ofthem. And Yudhishthira the just, having pledged so, along with hisbrothers in the midst of that assembly, gratified his priests as also thegods with due ceremonies. And, O bull of the Bharata race, after all themonarchs had gone away, Yudhishthira along with his brothers, havingperformed the usual auspicious rites, accompanied by his ministersentered his own palace. And, O ruler of men, king Duryodhana and Sakuni,the son of Suvala, continued to dwell in that delightful assembly house.