Mahabharata English

“Sanjaya said, ‘Seeing his driver fallen, Shalya, O king, quickly took uphis mace made wholly of iron and stood immovable as a bull.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘It behoveth, O king to tell me truly which of thetwo viz., man or woman derives the greater pleasure from an act of unionwith each other. Kindly resolve my doubt in this respect.”

“Sanjaya said, ‘Yes, as I saw everything with my own eyes, I willdescribe to thee how Drona fell down, slain by the Pandavas and theSrinjayas.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Meanwhile, O king, Duhsasana rushed against the grandsonof Sini, scattering thousands of shafts like a mighty cloud pouringtorrents of rain.

“Narada said, ‘King Yayati then, desirous again of disposing of hisdaughter in Swayamvara, went to a hermitage on the confluence of theGanga and the Yamuna, taking Madhavi with him on a chariot, her persondecked with garlands of flowers.

Sanjaya said, “Thus all the Pandavas, placing Sikhandin before thempierced Bhishma in that battle repeatedly surrounding him on all sides.

Satyaki said, “O Rama! this is not the time of lamentation; let us dothat which is proper and suited to the present occasion, althoughYudhishthira doth not speak a single word.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Pandu, possessed of great energy, then devotedhimself to asceticism. Within a short time he became the favourite of thewhole body of the Siddhas and Charanas residing there.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Which amongst these three is superior, viz.,knowledge, penances, and gifts? I ask thee, O foremost of righteouspersons! Do tell me this, O grandsire!’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Thou hast, O Bharata, discoursed upon the manyduties of king-craft that were observed and laid down in days of old bypersons of ancient times conversant with kingly duties.

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘Were there, O Sanjaya, no mighty car-warriors inthat army of mine who could slay or resist that Satyaki while heproceeded (towards Arjuna)?

“Narada said, ‘Removed from his place and pushed away from his seat withheart trembling in fear, and consumed by burning remorse, with hisgarlands dimmed in lustre and his knowledge clouded, shorn of his crownand bracelets,

Dhritarashtra said, ‘Alas, what was the state of (my) warriors, OSanjaya, when they were deprived of the mighty and god-like Bhishma whohad become a Brahmacharin for the sake of his reverend sire?

Lomasa said, “O king! when the Nriga performed a sacrifice here, hegratified Indra, the demolisher of hostile cities, by offering the Somajuice. And Indra was refreshed and was very much pleased.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Thus addressed, Kunti replied unto her heroic lord,king Pandu, that bull amongst the Kurus, saying, ‘O virtuous one, itbehoveth thee not to say so unto me. I am, O thou lotus-eyed one, thywedded wife, devoted to thee.

“Bhishma said, ‘Thus addressed by Vyasa, Maitreya, who was a worshipperof acts, who had been born in a race endued with great prosperity, whowas wise and possessed of great learning said unto him these words’.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O grandsire, thou hast now finished thy discourseupon the duties of kings. From what thou hast said it seems thatChastisement occupies a high position and is the lord of everything foreverything depends upon Chastisement.

“Sanjaya said, ‘In the afternoon of that day, O king, a dreadful battle,characterised by roars, deep as those of the clouds, once more occurredbetween Drona and the Somakas.

“Narada said, ‘As soon as that bull among men, king Yayati was recognisedby those virtuous persons, he rose again to heaven, without having had totouch the surface of the earth.

“Sanjaya said,–‘Stringing then his large bow and reverentially salutingthe grandsire, Arjuna, with eyes filled with tears, said these words, Oforemost one among the Kurus,

“Lomasa said, ‘A son was born to the great saint Bhrigu, Chyavana byname. And he, of an exceedingly resplendent form, began to practiseausterities by the side of yonder lake.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Thus addressed by his loving wife, king Pandu,well-acquainted with all rules of morality, replied in these words ofvirtuous import, ‘O Kunti, what thou hast said is quite true.

“Bhishma said, ‘In this connection is cited the old story that follows.There was among the Angas a king of great splendour, called Vasuhoma.

“Bhishma said, ‘Thus addressed, the holy one replied unto Maitreya,saying ‘by good luck, thou art endued with knowledge.

“Sanjaya said, ‘When the army of the Pandavas was thus agitated on allsides, the Parthas and the Panchalas and the Somakas, retreated to agreat distance.

“Narada said, ‘Sent back to heaven by those righteous kings,distinguished by the liberality of their sacrificial presents, Yayatipossessed of daughter’s sons, dismissed them and reached the celestialregions.

“Sanjaya said,–‘After the night had passed away, O monarch, all thekings, the Pandavas and the Dhartarashtras, repaired to the grandsire,Those Kshatriyas then saluted that bull of their order, that foremost oneamong the Kurus, that hero lying on a hero’s bed, and stood in hispresence.

“Lomasa said, ‘Once on a time, O king, those celestials, namely the twinAswins, happened to behold Sukanya, when she had (just) bathed, and whenher person was bare.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘O Janamejaya, when Gandhari’s conception had been afull year old, it was then that Kunti summoned the eternal god of justiceto obtain offspring from him.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘I wish, O sire, to hear the settled conclusions onthe subject of Virtue, Wealth, and Pleasure. Depending upon which ofthese does the course of life proceed? What are the respective roots ofVirtue, Wealth, and Pleasure? What are again the results of those three?They are sometimes see n to mingle with one another, and sometimes toexist separately and independently of one another.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O thou that art conversant with all duties, I desireto hear, in detail, what the excellent behaviour is of good and chastewomen. Do thou, O grandsire, discourse to me on this.’

“Bhima said, That car which formerly bore Brahma and Isana and Indra andVaruna (to battle), mounting upon that car, have two Krishnas gone. Theycan have no fear of danger, Taking, however, thy command on MY head, lo,I am going. Do not grieve. Meeting with those tigers among men, I shallsend thee intelligence.’

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘O holy one, it is even so as thou, O Narada,sayest. My wish also is precisely such, but, O holy one, I have no power(to carry them out)!’

“Sanjaya said,–‘After Santanu’s son Bhishma, O monarch, had becomesilent, all those rulers of earth, there present, then returned to theirrespective quarters.

“Lomasa said, ‘Now the news came to Saryati that Chyavana had been turnedinto a youth. And well pleased he came, accompanied by his troops, to thehermitage of the son of Bhrigu.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘After the birth of Kunti’s sons and also of thehundred sons of Dhritarashtra the daughter of the king of the Madrasprivately addressed Pandu, saying, ‘O slayer of foes, I have no complainteven if thou beest unpropitious to me.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘All persons on earth, O foremost of men, applaudvirtuous behaviour. I have, however, great doubts with respect to thisobject of their praise. If the topic be capable of being understood byus, O foremost of virtuous men, I desire to hear everything about the wayin which virtuous behaviour can be acquired. How indeed, is thatbehaviour acquired, O Bharata! I desire to hear it. Tell me also, Oforemost of speakers, what has been said to be the characteristics ofthat behaviour.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Which is of superior efficacy, Conciliation orGifts? Tell me, O chief of Bharata’s race, which of these two is superiorin point of efficacy.’

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Hearing, O bull of Bharata’s race, these words ofKesava, Bhishma, the son of Santanu, then said unto vindictiveDuryodhana, Krishna hath spoken to thee, desirous of bringing about peacebetween kinsmen.

“Lomasa said, ‘When the god who had performed a hundred sacrifices(Indra) beheld the demon Mada of a frightful mien, coming towards himwith open mouth, his intention being to devour him, and looking like thegod of death himself, while his own arms remained paralysed, he throughfear repeatedly licked the corners of his mouth.

“Vaisampayana said, “Beholding his five handsome sons growing up beforehim in that great forest on the charming mountain slope, Pandu felt thelast might of his arms revive once more.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Thou hast said, O grandsire, that behaviour is thefirst (of requisites for a man). Whence, however, does Hope arise? Tellme what it is. This great doubt has taken possession of my mind.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Tell me, O grandsire, how a poor man, desirous ofachieving his own good, should bear himself after having acquired thestatus of humanity and come into this region of acts that is so difficultto attain.

“Sanjaya said, ‘After the son of Pandu had crossed that car-force, thepreceptor Drona, smiling the while, covered him with showers of arrows,desirous of checking his course.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Hearing these words of Dhritarashtra, both Bhishmaand Drona who sympathised with the old king, again addressed disobedient

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O great Brahmana, how was that tiger among kings,Mandhata, Yuvanaswa’s son, born,–even he who was the best of monarchs,and celebrated over the three worlds?

“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.’

“Bhishma said, ‘The king, having entered that large forest, came upon anasylum of ascetics.

“Bhishma said, ‘The chief of the deities, Indra, after the Pitri hasceased to speak, addressed the puissant Hari, saying, ‘O Lord, what arethose acts by which thou becomest gratified? How, indeed, do men succeedin gratifying thee?’

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘While mighty Bhimasena was uttering those loudshouts deep as the roar of the clouds or peals of thunder, what heroes(of our side) surrounded him?

-Sanjaya said, ‘After that army had (thus) been routed, and Arjuna andBhimasena had all gone after the ruler of the Sindhus, thy son(Duryodhana) proceeded towards Drona.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Hearing in that assembly of the Kurus these wordsthat were disagreeable to him, Duryodhana replied unto the mighty-armedKesava of great fame, saying.

Yudhishthira said, ‘O best of speakers! what was the extent of power andstrength possessed by king Somaka? I am desirous of hearing an exactaccount of his deeds and of his power.”

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Dhritarashtra then said, ‘O Vidura, celebratethe funeral ceremonies of that lion among kings viz., Pandu, and of Madrialso, in right royal style. For the good of their souls, distributecattle, cloths, gems and diverse kinds of wealth, every one receiving asmuch as he asketh for.

“Bhishma said, ‘Then that best of Rishis, viz., the regenerate Rishabha,sitting in the midst of all those Rishis, smiled a little and said thesewords:

“Vibhavasu (otherwise called Surya) said, ‘There are two offerings. Oneof those consists of a palmful of water and the other called Akshataconsists of rice-grains with ghee.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Reflecting (for a moment), with eyes red in anger,he, of Dasarha’s race, addressing Duryodhana in that assembly of theKurus, then said these words, ‘Wishest thou for a bed of heroes?

“Somaka said, ‘O Brahmana! whatever is to be performed–do precisely asit may be necessary. As I am desirous of having a number of sons, I shalldo all that may be prescribed by thee.”

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Then Bhishma and Kunti with their friends celebratedthe Sraddha of the deceased monarch, and offered the Pinda. And theyfeasted the Kauravas and thousands of Brahmanas unto whom they also gavegems and lands.

“The king said, ‘I am a king called by the name of Viradyumna. My famehas spread in all directions. My son Bhuridyumna hath been lost.

“Vayu said, ‘I shall recite some duties the observance of which isfraught with happiness to mankind. Do ye listen also with concentratedattention to certain transgressions with the secret causes upon whichthey depend.

“Sanjaya said, ‘During the progress, O monarch, of that battle, makingthe hair stand on end, and when all the combatants were filled withanxiety and greatly afflicted, the son of Radha. O bull of Bharata’srace, proceeded against Bhima for battle, like an infuriated elephant inthe forest proceeding against another infuriated elephant.’

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Hearing these words of Krishna, king Dhritarashtralost no time in addressing Vidura, who was conversant with all dictatesof virtue.

“Lomasa said, ‘Here, O king! The lord of born beings himself performed asacrifice in former times,–the ceremony called Ishtikrita, whichoccupied one thousand years.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Meanwhile the Kauravas and the Pandavas, afterhaving thus sported there, set out, without Bhima, for Hastinapura, someon horses, some on elephants, while others preferred cars and otherconveyances.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Like one that drinks nectar I am never satiated withlistening to thee as thou speakest. As a person possessing a knowledge ofself is never satiated with meditation, even so I am never satiated withhearing thee.

“Lomasa said, ‘The Pitris of those men who, without having wedded wivesof their own, betake themselves to the wives of other people, becomefilled with disappointment when the time for the Sraddhas comes.

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘What, indeed, O Sanjaya, did Duryodhana say when hesaw that Karna turning away from the field upon whom my sons had reposedall their hopes of victory?

“Sanjaya said, ‘Then the mighty and heroic bowman Karna began to smitethe Pandava army in that battle, with his straight shafts.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Thus addressed by king Yudhishthira, Vidura, thatforemost of all intelligent persons, returned to Dhritarashtra and saidunto him these words of grave import.

“Salya said, ‘Now then Nahusha, the king of the gods, looked at her andsaid, ‘O thou of sweet smiles, I am the Indra of all the three worlds.

Vaisampayana said,–“Possessing a knowledge of the past, the present andthe future, and seeing all things as if present before his eyes, thelearned son of Gavalgana,

Vaisampayana said,–“Yudhishthira, having heard these words of Narada,began to sigh heavily. And, O Bharata, engaged in his thoughts about theRajasuya, the king had no peace of mind.

Vaishampayana said, “Having said these words, that foremost of allwielders of weapons, that delighter of all the Yadavas, mounted upon hisexcellent car equipped with every kind of powerful weapons.

“Vasudeva said, O lord of earth, if I had been present at Dwaraka, then,O king, this evil would not have befallen thee!

“Janamejaya said, ‘While living thus disguised in the city of theMatsyas, what did those descendants of the Kuru race endued with greatprowess, do, O regenerate one!’

“Saunaka said, ‘For what reason did that tiger among kings, the royalJanamejaya, determine to take the lives of the snakes by means of asacrifice? O Sauti, tell us in full the true story. Tell us also whyAstika, that best of regenerate ones, that foremost of ascetics, rescuedthe snakes from the blazing fire. Whose son was that monarch whocelebrated the snake-sacrifice? And whose son also was that best ofregenerate ones?’

Vaishampayana said, “Certain maid-servants then came to the king forwashing him. After he had been duly washed, the slayer of Madhu againaddressed him, saying, Thou hast, O king, read the Vedas and diversescriptures.

“Sahadeva said, ‘By casting off all external objects only, O Bharata, onedoes not attain to success. By casting off even mental attachments, theattainment of success is doubtful.

“Vasudeva said, “O scion of Bharata’s race, salvation is not attained byforegoing the external things (like kingdom, etc), it is only attained bygiving up things which pander to the flesh (body).

“Sanjaya said, ‘When king Yudhishthira the just was thus afflicted by theruler of Madras, Satyaki and Bhimasena and the two sons of Madri byPandu, encompassing Shalya with their cars, began to afflict him in thatbattle.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘What should a man do in order to pass pleasantlythrough this and the other world. How, indeed, should one conductoneself? What practices should one adopt with this end in view?’

“Sanjaya said, ‘After Drona had promised the kings seizure under thoselimitations, thy troops hearing of (that promise about) Yudhishthira’scapture, uttered many leonine shouts, mingling them with the whiz oftheir arrows and the blare of their conchs.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Disregarding these words of grave import, spoken byhis mother, Duryodhana went away, in anger, from that place to thepresence of wicked persons.

“Lomasa said, ‘O son of Bharata’s race! If mortals breathe their last atthis spot, they go to heaven. O king! Thousands upon thousands of mencome to this place to die.

“Janamejaya said, ‘O Brahmana, it behoveth thee to relate to meeverything about the birth of Kripa. How did he spring from a clump ofheath? Whence also did he obtain his weapons?’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘What course of conduct should be adopted by a kingshorn of friends, having many enemies, possessed of an exhaustedtreasury, and destitute of troops, O Bharata!

“Bhishma said, ‘The Rishis there assembled, together with the Pitris andthe deities, then, with concentrated attention, questioned Arundhati (thespouse of Vasishtha) who was endued with great ascetic merit.

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘I regard Bhimasena’s prowess to be exceedinglywonderful, inasmuch as he succeeded in battling with Karna of singularactivity and energy.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘After Vidura had said this, Kesava, that slayer ofhostile divisions, endued with great energy, addressed Dhritarashtra’sson, Duryodhana, and said, ‘From delusion, O Suyodhana, thou regardest meto be alone, and it is for this,

“The hawk said, ‘All the kings of the earth represent thee as a piousruler. Wherefore, O prince, has thou then stopped to perpetrate a deednot sanctioned by the ordinance? I have been sore afflicted with hunger.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Desirous of giving his grandsons a superioreducation, Bhishma was on the look-out for a teacher endued with energyand well-skilled in the science of arms.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘What, besides this, should be done by a king that isweak and procrastinating, that does not engage in battle from anxiety forthe lives of his friends, that is always under the influence of fear, andthat cannot keep his counsels secret?

“Bhishma said, ‘Then all the highly blessed deities and the Pitris, andthe highly blessed Rishis also, addressing the Pramathas, said,[557] ‘Yeare all highly blessed beings.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Then the carless Karna, thus once more completelydefeated by Bhima, mounted another car and speedily began to pierce theson of Pandu.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Entering her abode and worshipping her feet, Kesavarepresented to her briefly all that had transpired in the assembly of theKurus.

“Lomasa said, ‘See here, O lord of men, the sacred hermitage ofSwetaketu, son of Uddalaka, whose fame as an expert in the sacred mantrasis so widely spread on earth.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Then, O king, the mighty son of Bharadyaja presentedhimself before Drupada, and addressing that monarch, said, ‘Know me forthy friend.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘When practices fraught with high morality andbeneficial to the world, (viz., those that appertain to righteous rule)disappear, when all the means and resources for the support of life fallinto the hands of robbers, when, indeed, such a calamitous time sets in,by what means should a Brahmana, O grandsire, who from affection isunable to desert his sons and grandsons, subsist?’

“Bhishma said, ‘After this, the Grandsire Brahman, sprang from theprimeval lotus and resembling the lotus (in agreeableness and fragrance),addressed the deities with Vasava, the lord of Sachi, at theirhead,–Yonder sits the mighty Naga who is a resident of the netherregions.