Chapter 4
Vaishampayana said, “King Yudhishthira, thus praised by the gods, theMaruts and the Rishis, proceeded to that place where those foremost onesof Kurus race were. He beheld Govinda endued with his Brahma-form. Itresembled that form of his which had been seen before and which,therefore, helped the recognition. Blazing forth in that form of his, hewas adorned with celestial weapons, such as the terrible discus andothers in their respective embodied forms. He was being adored by theheroic Phalguna, who also was endued with a blazing effulgence. The sonof Kunti beheld the slayer of Madhu also in his own form. Those twoforemost of Beings, adored by all the gods, beholding Yudhishthira,received him with proper honours.
“In another place, the delighter of the Kurus beheld Karna, that foremostone among all wielders of weapons, resembling a dozen Suryas insplendour. In another part he beheld Bhimasena of great puissance,sitting in the midst of the Maruts, and endued with a blazing form. Hewas sitting by the side of the God of Wind in his embodied form. Indeed,he was then in a celestial form endued with great beauty, and hadattained to the highest success. In place belonging to the Ashvinis, thedelighter of the Kurus beheld Nakula and Sahadeva, each blazing with hisown effulgence.
“He also beheld the princess of Pancala, decked in garlands of lotuses.Having attained to Heaven, she was sitting there, endued with a formpossessed of solar splendour. King Yudhishthira suddenly wished toquestion her. Then the illustrious Indra, the chief of the gods, spoke tohim, This one is Sree herself. It was for your sake that she took birth,as the daughter of Drupada, among human beings, issuing not from anymothers womb, O Yudhishthira, endued with agreeable perfume and capableof delighting the whole world. For your pleasure, she was created by thewielder of the trident. She was born in the race of Drupada and wasenjoyed by you all. These five highly blessed Gandharvas endued with theeffulgence of fire, and possessed of great energy, were, O king, the sonsof Draupadi and yourself.
“Behold Dhritarashtra, the king of the Gandharvas, possessed of greatwisdom. Know that this one was the eldest brother of thy sire. This oneis thy eldest brother, the son of Kunti, endued with effulgence of fire.The son of Surya, thy eldest brother, the foremost of men, even this onewas known as the son of Radha. He moves in the company of Surya. Beholdthis foremost of Beings. Among the tribes of the Saddhyas, the gods, theViswedevas, and the Maruts, behold, O king of kings, the mightycar-warriors of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, viz., those heroes havingSatyaki for their first, and those mighty ones among the Bhojas. Beholdthe son of Subhadra, invincible in battle, now staying with Soma. Even heis the mighty bowman Abhimanyu, now endued with the gentle effulgence ofthe great luminary of the night. Here is the mighty bowman Pandu, nowunited with Kunti and Madri. Thy sire frequently comes to me on hisexcellent car. Behold the royal Bhishma, the son of Santanu, now in themidst of the Vasus. Know that this one by the side of Brihaspati is thypreceptor Drona. These and other kings, O son of Pandu, who had warred onthy side now walk with the Gandharvas or Yakshas or other sacred beings.Some have attained to the status of Guhyakas, O king. Having cast offtheir bodies, they have conquered Heaven by the merit they had acquiredthrough word, thought and deed.
