Mahabharata English

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘I think, Destiny is supreme. Fie on exertion whichis useless, inasmuch as the son of Adhiratha, though fighting resolutely,could not vanquish the son of Pandu.

“Kunti said, ‘In this connection, O chastiser of foes, is cited an oldstory of the conversation between Vidula and her son. It behoveth thee tosay unto Yudhishthira anything that can be gathered from this or anythingmore beneficial than that.

“Ashtavakra said, ‘When no Brahmana is met with on the way, the waybelongeth to the blind, the deaf, the women, carriers of burden, and theking respectively.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Arrived at Hastinapura, that best of Brahmanas, theson of Bharadwaja, continued to live privately in the house of Gautama(Kripa). His mighty son (Aswatthaman) at intervals of Kripa’s teaching,used to give the sons of Kunti lessons in the use of arms. But as yetnone knew of Aswatthaman’s prowess.

“Bhishma said, ‘The king should, by drawing wealth from his own kingdomas also from the kingdoms of his foes, fill his treasury. From thetreasury springs his religious merit,

“Maheswara said, ‘Searching your memories, excellent are the duties yeall have recited. Listen all of you now to me as I declare some mysteriesrelating to religion and duty.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Beholding thy sons lying (on the field), Karna of greatprowess filled with great wrath, became hopeless about his life. AndAdhiratha’s son regarded himself guilty, seeing thy sons slain before hiseyes in battle by Bhima.

“Vidula said, ‘If, having fallen into such a plight, thou wishest to giveup manliness, thou shalt then have, in no time, to tread the path that istrod by those that are low and wretched.

“Ashtavakra said, ‘O king, O leader of fierce legions, in this assemblyof monarchs of unrivalled power who have met together, I am unable tofind out Vandin, chief of the controversialists.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Thus worshipped by Bhishma, Drona, that first ofmen, endued with great energy, took up his quarters in the abode of theKurus and continued to live there, receiving their adorations.

“Bhishma said, ‘In this connection, persons acquainted with thescriptures declare this text in respect of duty, viz., for a Kshatriyapossessed of intelligence and knowledge, (the earning of) religious meritand (the acquisition of) wealth, constitute his obvious duties.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Hearing the twang of Bhimasena’s bow and the sound of hispalms, the son of Radha could not brook it, like an infuriated elephantincapable of brooking the roars of an infuriated rival.

“Skanda said, ‘I shall now declare a duty that is approved of by me. Doye listen to it with concentrated attention.

“Kunti said, ‘Hearing these words of his mother the son said, O ruthlessand wrathful mother, O thou that thinkest highly of martial heroism, thyheart is surely made of steel beat into that shape.

“Lomasa said, ‘Here, O king, is visible the river Samanga, whose formername was Madhuvila, and yonder is the spot named Kardamila, the bathingplace of Bharata.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘When everyone had failed, Drona smilingly calledArjuna and said unto him, ‘By thee the aim must be shot; therefore, turnthy eyes to it. Thou must let fly the arrow as soon as I give the order.

“Bhishma said, ‘In this connection is cited the old story of a robber whohaving in this would been observant of restraints did not meet withdestruction in the next.

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘O Suta, O Sanjaya, this grievous result that hasnow overtaken us is, I think, certainly due to my evil policy. I hadhitherto thought that what is past. But, O Sanjaya, what measures shouldI now adopt? I am now once more calm, O Sanjaya, therefore, tell me howthis slaughter of heroes is going on, having my evil policy for itscause.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Who are those persons, O Bharata, from whom aBrahmana in this world may accept his food? From whom may a Kshatriya, aVaisya, and a Sudra take their food respectively?’

“The mother said, ‘Into whatever calamity a king may fail, he should notstill betray it. Beholding the king afflicted with fright, the wholekingdom, the army, the counsellors, all yield to fear, and all thesubjects become disunited.

“Lomasa said, ‘One day in the month of Chaitra, while fearlesslywandering at large, Yavakri approached the hermitage of Raivya.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘O thou of Bharata’s race, beholding the sons ofDhritarashtra and Pandu accomplished in arms, Drona, O monarch, addressedking Dhritarashtra, in the presence of Kripa, Somadatta, Valhika, thewise son of Ganga (Bhishma), Vyasa, and Vidura, and said, ‘O best of Kurukings, thy children have completed their education.

“Bhishma said, ‘In this connection, viz., the method by which a kingshould fill his treasury, persons acquainted with the scriptures of oldendays cite the following verses sung by Brahman himself.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Then Karna, O king, piercing Bhima with three arrows,poured countless beautiful arrows upon him.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Thou hast told me in full of those from whom foodmay be accepted and of those from whom it should not be taken. But I havegrave doubts on one point.

“Kunti said, ‘Say unto Arjuna, these words, when thou wert brought forthin the lying-in room and when I was sitting in the hermitage surroundedby ladies, a celestial and delightful voice was heard in the sky, saying,’O Kunti, this thy son will rival the deity of a thousand eyes.

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Upon the Kuru king and Bhima, the foremost ofall endued with strength, having entered the arena, the spectators weredivided into two parties in consequence of the partiality swaying theiraffections. Some cried, ‘Behold the heroic king of theKurus!’–some–‘Behold Bhima!’–And on account of these cries, there was,all on a sudden, a loud uproar.

“Lomasa said, ‘O son of Kunti, Bharadwaja returned to his hermitage afterperforming the ritual duties of the day, and having collected thesacrificial fuel.

“Bhishma said, ‘These two, viz., one that provides for the future, andone possessed of presence of mind, always enjoy happiness.

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘Day by day, O Sanjaya, my blazing fame is beingdarkened. A great many warriors of mine have fallen. I think, all this isdue to the reverse brought about by time.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O Bharata, of the two things charity and devotion,do thou condescend to tell me, O sire, which is the better in this world?Do thou, by this, remove a great doubt from my mind.’

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Hearing the words of Kunti, the mighty car-warriors,Bhishma and Drona, then spoke these words unto the disobedientDuryodhana, ‘Hast thou, O tiger among men, heard the fierce words ofgrave import, excellent and consistent with virtue, that Kunti had spokenin the presence of Krishna?

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘When the spectators, with eyes expanded withwonder, made way for that subjugator of hostile cities, Karna, that herowith his natural mail and face brightened with ear-rings, took up his bowand girded on his sword, and then entered the spacious lists, like awalking cliff.

“Lomasa said, ‘At that very time, the mighty king, Vrihadyumna, of highfortune, who was the Yajamana of Raivya, commenced a sacrifice. And thetwo sons of Raivya, Arvavasu and Paravasu, were engaged by thatintelligent monarch, to assist him in the performance of the ceremony.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Thou hast, O bull of Bharata’s race, said that thatintelligence which provides against the future, as well as that which canmeet present emergencies, is everywhere superior, while procrastinationbrings about destruction.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Then the great bowmen of the Trigarta country owningstandards, adorned with gold, encompassed on all sides the mighty-armedSatyaki,

“Yudhishthira said, ‘I have heard from thee, O sire, the names of thosekings that have ascended to heaven.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Thus addressed by them, Duryodhana, contracting thespace between his eye-brows, became cheerless, and with face bent downbegan to cast oblique glances. And he said not a word in reply.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘After this, with his sheet loosely hanging down,Adhiratha entered the lists, perspiring and trembling, and supportinghimself on a staff.

“Lomasa said, ‘O descendant of Bharata, O king, now hast thou left behindthe mountains Usiravija, Mainaka and Sweta, as well as the Kala hills, Oson of Kunti, O bull among the descendants of Bharata, here flow beforethee the seven Gangas.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Thou hast laid it down, O mighty one, that no trustshould be placed upon foes. But how would the king maintain himself if hewere not to trust anybody? From trust, O king, thou hast said, greatdanger arises to kings.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Beholding Satwata, invincible in battle coming (towardsArjuna), Bhurisravas, in rage, O king, suddenly advanced towards him.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O grandsire, thou art possessed of great wisdom.Indeed, thou art fully conversant with every branch of learning.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Srutakarman then, O king, filled with wrath, struck thatlord of Earth, viz., Citrasena, in that battle, with fifty shafts.

“Salya said, ‘Then the goddess of Divination stood near that chaste andbeautiful lady. And having beheld that goddess, youthful and lovely,standing before her, Indra’s queen, glad at heart, paid respects to themand said, ‘I desire to know who thou art, O thou of lovely face.’

“Dhritarashtra said,–‘How hath Bhishma, that bull among the Kurus, beenslain by Sikhandin? How did my father, who resembled Vasava himself, falldown from his car?

“Krishna said,–‘O great king, thou art a worthy possessor of all thequalities essential for the performance of the Rajasuya sacrifice. Thouknowest everything, O Bharata. I shall, however, still tell theesomething.

Vaishampayana said, “At the very outset the mighty-armed hero ofDasharha’s race understood from signs the intention of Drona’s son.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Living in such disguise, those mighty warriors, thesons of Pritha, passed ten months in Matsya’s city.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O Krishna, why wert thou absent (from the Anarttacountry)? And, O descendant of the Vrishni race, while thou wert away,where didst thou dwell? And what didst thou do while out of thy kingdom?’

“Sauti said, ‘That Brahmana of rigid vows then wandered over the earthfor a wife but a wife found he not. One day he went into the forest, andrecollecting the words of his ancestors, he thrice prayed in a faintvoice for a bride.

Vaishampayana said, “Commanded by Dhritarashtra, those bulls of Kurusrace, the Pandava brothers, accompanied by Keshava, then proceeded to seeGandhari.

Vaisampayana said, “When Kunti’s son, king Yudhishthira the just,remained speechless after listening to his brothers who were tellingthese truths of the Vedas, that foremost of women, viz.,

“Vaisampayana said, “With such speeches as these, was the royal saintYudhishthira, bereft of his friends, consoled by those sages of greatascetic merits.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Meanwhile Arjuna, in that battle, pierced with manyarrows by the son of Drona as also by the latter’s followers, the heroicand mighty car-warriors among the Trigartas, pierced Drona’s son inreturn with three shafts, and each of the other warriors with two.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O son of the River Ganga, thou hast heard all thenames of Maheshwara, the Lord of the universe. Do thou tell us, Ograndsire, all the names that are applied, O puissant one, unto Him whois called Isa and Sambhu.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Then Drona, causing a great confusion in the Pandavahost, careered through it, like a conflagration consuming (a forest of)trees.

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘O Sanjaya, in the midst of all the princes and theservants, the slayer of Madhu took Karna upon his car and went out (ofour city).

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Beholding the Pandavas and the son ofDhritarashtra accomplished in arms, Drona thought the time had come whenhe could demand the preceptorial fee.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O Vrikodara, there are mighty and powerful invisiblespirits at this place. We shall, however, pass it, through the merit ofour asceticism and Agnihotra sacrifices.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘When both righteousness and men, O Bharata, decay inconsequence of the gradual lapse of Yuga, and when the world becomesafflicted by robbers, how, O Grandsire, should a king then behave?'[419]

“Sanjaya said, ‘That arm (of Bhurisravas) decked with Angada and thesword in its grasp (thus cut off), fell down on the earth to the greatgrief of all living creatures.

“Bhishma said, ‘Then Narada, that holy Rishi, that friend of Narayana,recited the following narrative of the discourse between Sankara and hisspouse Uma.’

“Karna said, ‘Without doubt, O Kesava, thou hast said these words fromthy love, affection, and friendship for me, as also in consequence of thydesire of doing me good, O thou of Vrishni’s race.

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘After the expiration, O king, of a year fromthis, Dhritarashtra, moved by kindness for the people, installedYudhishthira, the son of Pandu, as the heir-apparent of the kingdom onaccount of his firmness, fortitude, patience, benevolence, frankness andunswerving honesty (of heart).

“Lomasa said, O sons of Pandu, ye have seen many a mountain, and riverand town and forest and beautiful tirtha; and have touched with yourhands the sacred waters.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘When the high righteousness suffers decay and istransgressed by all, when unrighteousness becomes righteousness, andrighteousness assumes the form of its reverse,

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘Unvanquished by Drona, and Radha’s son and Vikarnaand Kritavarman, how could the heroic Satyaki, never before checked inbattle, having after his promise to Yudhishthira crossed the ocean of theKaurava troops, being humiliated by the Kuru warrior Bhurisravas andforcibly thrown on the ground?’

“The blessed and holy one said, ‘In days of yore, a blessed woman wascreated by Brahman, called Tilottama, by culling grains of beauty fromevery beautiful object in the universe.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Hearing these words of Karna, Kesava, that slayer ofhostile heroes, spoke unto him these words smilingly, ‘Do not the meansof winning an empire recommend themselves to thee.

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘On hearing that the heroic sons of Pandu enduedwith excess of energy had become so mighty, king Dhritarashtra becamevery miserable with anxiety.

Vaisampayana said, “O king, then those foremost of bowmen, ofimmeasurable prowess, holding bows stringed at full stretch and equippedwith quivers and arrows and wearing finger-caps made of the guana-skin,and with their swords on, proceeded with Panchali towards theGandhamadana, taking with them the best of Brahmanas.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘If that which is so horrible and which likefalsehood should never be an object of regard, be cited (as duty), thenwhat act is there from which I should forbear? Why also should notrobbers then be respected? I am stupefied! My heart is pained! All theties that bind me to morality are loosened! I cannot tranquillise my mindand venture to act in the way suggested by you.’

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘After the Kuru warrior Bhurisravas had been slainunder those circumstances, tell me, O Sanjaya, how proceeded the battle.’

“Uma said, ‘Forest recluses reside in delightful regions, among thesprings and fountains of rivers, in bowers by the sides of streams andrills, on hills and mountains, in woods and forests, and in sacred spotsfull of fruits and roots.

“Sanjaya said, ‘Hearing these beneficial and auspicious words of Kesava,Karna worshipped Krishna, the slayer of Madhu, and said these words,’Knowing (everything), why dost thou yet, O thou of mighty arms, seek tobeguile me?

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Then the son of Suvala (Sakuni), king Duryodhana,Duhsasana and Kama, in consultation with one another, formed an evilconspiracy.

Vaisampayana said, “When the high-souled sons of Pandu had proceeded onlytwo miles, Draupadi unaccustomed to travel on foot, sank down. Weary andafflicted as she was, the poor daughter of Panchala became faint, onaccount of the hailstorm and also of her extreme delicacy.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O grandsire, O thou of great wisdom, O thou that areconversant with every kind of scripture, tell me what the merit is of onewho cherishes a suppliant that craves for protection.’

“Sanjaya said, ‘Hearing the twang, resembling the loud call of Deathhimself or the frightful peal of Indra’s thunder, of Dhananjaya’s bow,while he stretched it, that host of thine,

“Uma said, ‘O holy one, O thou that didst tear off the eyes of Bhaga andthe teeth of Pushan, O destroyer of the sacrifice of Daksha, O three-eyeddeity, I have a great doubt. In days of yore, the Self-born One createdthe four orders.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Upon the failure of Krishna’s solicitations (forpeace), and after he had started for the Pandavas from the Kurus, Kshatriapproached Pritha and said these words slowly in grief,

“Vaisampayana continued, “King Dhritarashtra whose knowledge only was hiseyes, on hearing these words of his son and recollecting everything thatKanika had, said unto him, became afflicted with sorrow, and his mindalso thereupon began to waver.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O Bhima, let this mighty and heroic Rakshasa chief,thy legitimate son, devoted to us, and truthful, and conversant withvirtue carry (his) mother (Draupadi) without delay. And, O possessor ofdreadful prowess, depending on the strength of thy arms, I shall reachthe Gandhamadana, unhurt, together with Panchala’s daughter.'”

“Bhishma said, ‘In one of the branches of that tree, a pigeon withbeautiful feathers, O king, lived for many years with his family. Thatmorning his wife had gone out in search of food but had not yet returned.

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘Tell me, O Sanjaya, what did my warriors do afterthe heroic ruler of the Sindhus had been slain, by Arjuna.’

“Uma said, ‘O holy one, O Lord of all beings, O thou that art worshippedby the deities and Asuras equally, tell me what are the duties andderelictions of men.

“Karna said, ‘I am Karna, son of Radha and Adhiratha. For what, O lady,hast thou come here? Tell me what I am to do for thee?’

“Vaisampayana said, Then prince Duryodhana, along with his brothers beganto gradually win over the people to his side by grants of wealth andhonours. Meanwhile, some clever councillors, instructed by Dhritarashtra,one day began to describe (in court) the town of Varanavata as a charmingplace.

“Bhishma said, ‘Hearing those piteous lamentations of the pigeon on thetree, the she-pigeon seized by the fowler began to say to herself asfollows.’

Vaisampayana said, “There observing cleanliness, those tigers among mendwelt for six nights, in expectation of beholding Dhananjaya. And it cameto pass that all of a sudden there blew a wind from the north-east andbrought a celestial lotus of a thousand petals and effulgent as the sun.

“Dhritarashtra said, When such was the condition of battle, between thoseheroes of their side and mine, what did Bhima then do? Tell me all, OSanjaya!’

“Uma said, ‘By what disposition, what conduct, what acts, and what gifts,does a man succeed in attaining to Heaven?’

“Narada said, ‘Having said these words, the puissant Mahadeva himselfbecame desirous of hearing (instead of talking), and with that view hequestioned his dear spouse who was seated by his side and she was fullyinclined to act up to his desire.’

“Vaisampayana said (After Kunti had said this), Karna heard anaffectionate voice issued out of the solar circle. Coming from a greatdistance, that voice was uttered by Surya himself with paternalaffection.

“Vaisampayana said, ‘The wicked Duryodhana became very pleased when theking, O Bharata, had said so unto Pandavas. And, O bull of Bharata’srace, Duryodhana, then, summoning his counsellor, Purochana in private,took hold of his right hand and said, ‘O Purochana, this world, so fullof wealth, is mine.

“Bhishma said, ‘Hearing these words fraught with morality and reason thatwere spoken by his wife, the pigeon became filled with great delight andhis eyes were bathed in tears of joy.

Vaisampayana said, “O represser of foes, hearing these words of theintelligent monkey-chief, the heroic Bhima answered, ‘Who art thou? Andwhy also hast thou assumed the shape of a monkey?

“Sanjaya said, ‘After the ruler of the Sindhus had been slain by Partha,Krishna, repairing unto the king, viz., Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma,worshipped the latter with a gladdened heart.

“The Rishis said, ‘O wielder of Pinaka, O tearer of the eyes of Bhaga, Othou that art worshipped by all the universe, we desire to hear the gloryof Vasudeva.’