The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa by Kisari Mohan Ganguli (Translator)

K >> Kisari Mohan Ganguli (Translator) >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52

"Hearing all this, Dushmanta said, 'O Sakuntala, I do not know having
begot upon thee this son. Women generally speak untruths. Who shall
believe in thy words? Destitute of all affection, the lewd Menaka is thy
mother, and she cast thee off on the surface of the Himavat as one throws
away, after the worship is over, the flowery offering made to his gods.
Thy father too of the Kshatriya race, the lustful Viswamitra, who was
tempted to become a Brahmana, is destitute of all affection. However,
Menaka is the first of Apsaras, and thy father also is the first of Rishis.
Being their daughter, why dost thou speak like a lewd woman? Thy words
deserve no credit. Art thou not ashamed to speak them, especially before
me? Go hence, O wicked woman in ascetic guise. Where is that foremost of
great Rishis, where also is that Apsara Menaka? And why art thou, low as
thou art, in the guise of an ascetic? Thy child too is grown up. Thou
sayest he is a boy, but he is very strong. How hath he soon grown like a
Sala sprout? Thy birth is low. Thou speakest like a lewd woman. Lustfully
hast thou been begotten by Menaka. O woman of ascetic guise, all that thou
sayest is quite unknown to me. I don't know thee. Go withersoever thou
choosest.'

"Sakuntala replied, 'Thou seest, O king, the fault of others, even though
they be as small as a mustard seed. But seeing, thou noticest not thy own
faults even though they be as large as the Vilwa fruit. Menaka is one of
the celestials. Indeed, Menaka is reckoned as the first of celestials. My
birth, therefore, O Dushmanta, is far higher than thine. Thou walkest upon
the Earth, O king, but I roam in the skies! Behold, the difference between
ourselves is as that between (the mountain) Meru and a mustard seed!
Behold my power, O king! I can repair to the abodes of Indra, Kuvera, Yama,
and Varuna! The saying is true which I shall refer to before thee, O
sinless one! I refer to it for example's sake and not from evil motives.
Therefore, it behoveth thee to pardon me after thou hast heard it. An ugly
person considereth himself handsomer than others until he sees his own
face in the mirror. But when he sees his own ugly face in the mirror, it
is then that he perceiveth the difference between himself and others. He
that is really handsome never taunts anybody. And he that always talketh
evil becometh a reviler. And as the swine always look for dirt and filth
even when in the midst of a flower-garden, so the wicked always choose the
evil out of both evil and good that others speak. Those, however, that are
wise, on hearing the speeches of others that are intermixed with both good
and evil, accept only what is good, like geese that always extract the
milk only, though it be mixed with water. As the honest are always pained
at speaking ill of others, so do the wicked always rejoice in doing the
same thing. As the honest always feel pleasure in showing regard for the
old, so do the wicked always take delight in aspersing the good. The
honest are happy in not seeking for faults. The wicked are happy in
seeking for them. The wicked ever speak ill of the honest. But the latter
never injure the former, even if injured by them. What can be more
ridiculous in the world than that those that are themselves wicked should
represent the really honest as wicked? When even atheists are annoyed with
those that have fallen off from truth and virtue and who are really like
angry snakes of virulent poison, what shall I say of myself who am
nurtured in faith? He that having begotten a son who is his own image,
regardeth him not, never attaineth to the worlds he coveteth, and verily
the gods destroy his good fortune and possessions. The Pitris have said
that the son continueth the race and the line and is, therefore, the best
of all religious acts. Therefore, none should abandon a son. Manu hath
said that there are five kinds of sons; those begotten by one's self upon
his own wife, those obtained (as gift) from others, those purchased for a
consideration, those reared with affection and those begotten upon other
women than upon wedded wives. Sons support the religion and achievements
of men, enhance their joys, and rescue deceased ancestors from hell. It
behoveth thee not, therefore, O tiger among kings, to abandon a son who is
such. Therefore, O lord of Earth, cherish thy own self, truth, and virtue
by cherishing thy son. O lion among monarchs, it behoveth thee not to
support this deceitfulness. The dedication of a tank is more meritorious
than that of a hundred wells. A sacrifice again is more meritorious than
the dedication of a tank. A son is more meritorious than a sacrifice.
Truth is more meritorious than a hundred sons. A hundred horse-sacrifices
had once been weighed against Truth, and Truth was found heavier than a
hundred horse-sacrifices. O king, Truth, I ween, may be equal to the study
of, the entire Vedas and ablutions in all holy places. There is no virtue
equal to Truth: there is nothing superior to Truth. O king, Truth is God
himself; Truth is the highest vow. Therefore, violate not thy pledge, O
monarch! Let Truth and thee be even united. If thou placest no credit in
my words, I shall of my own accord go hence. Indeed, thy companionship
should be avoided. But thou, O Dushmanta, that when thou art gone, this
son of mine shall rule the whole Earth surrounded by the four seas and
adorned with the king of the mountains.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Sakuntala having spoken to the monarch in this
wise, left his presence. But as soon as she had left, a voice from the
skies, emanating from no visible shape, thus spoke unto Dushmanta as he
was sitting surrounded by his occasional and household priests, his
preceptors, and ministers. And the voice said, 'The mother is but the
sheath of flesh; the son sprung from the father is the father himself.
Therefore, O Dushmanta, cherish thy son, and insult not Sakuntala. O best
of men, the son, who is but a form of one's own seed, rescueth (ancestors)
from the region of Yama. Thou art the progenitor of this boy. Sakuntala
hath spoken the truth. The husband, dividing his body in twain, is born
of his wife in the form of son. Therefore, O Dushmanta, cherish, O monarch,
thy son born of Sakuntala. To live by forsaking one's living son is a
great misfortune. Therefore, O thou of Puru's race, cherish thy high-
souled son born of Sakuntala--And because this child is to be cherished by
thee even at our word, therefore shall this thy son be known by the name
of Bharata (the cherished).' Hearing these words uttered by the dwellers
in heaven, the monarch of Puru's race became overjoyed and spoke as
follows unto his priests and ministers, 'Hear ye these words uttered by
the celestial messenger? I myself know this one to be my son. If I had
taken him as my son on the strength of Sakuntala's words alone, my people
would have been suspicious and my son also would not have been regarded as
pure.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'The monarch, then, O thou of Bharata's race,
seeing the purity of his son established by the celestial messenger,
became exceedingly glad. And he took unto him that son with joy. And the
king with a joyous heart then performed all those rites upon his son that
a father should perform. And the king smelt his child's head and hugged
him with affection. And the Brahmanas began to utter blessings upon him
and the bards began to applaud him. And the monarch then experienced the
great delight that one feeleth at the touch of one's son. And Dushmanta
also received that wife of his with affection. And he told her these
words, pacifying her affectionately, 'O goddess, my union with thee took
place privately. Therefore, I was thinking of how best to establish thy
purity. My people might think that we were only lustfully united and not
as husband and wife, and therefore, this son that I would have installed
as my heir apparent would only have been regarded as one of impure birth.
And dearest, every hard word thou hast uttered in thy anger, have I, O
large-eyed one, forgiven thee. Thou art my dearest!' And the royal sage
Dushmanta, having spoken thus unto his dear wife, O Bharata, received her
with offerings of perfume, food, and drink. And king Dushmanta, then,
bestowed the name of Bharata upon his child, and formally installed him as
the heir apparent. And the famous and bright wheels of Bharata's car,
invincible and like unto the wheels of the cars owned by the gods,
traversed every region, filling the whole Earth with their rattle. And the
son of Dushmanta reduced to subjection all kings of the Earth. And he
ruled virtuously and earned great fame. And that monarch of great prowess
was known by the titles of Chakravarti and Sarvabhauma. And he performed
many sacrifices like Sakra, the lord of the Maruts. And Kanwa was the
chief priest at those sacrifices, in which the offerings to Brahmanas were
great. And the blessed monarch performed both the cow and the horse-
sacrifices. And Bharata gave unto Kanwa a thousand gold coins as the
sacerdotal fee. It is that Bharata from whom have emanated so many mighty
achievements. It is from him that the great race called after him in his
race are called after him. And in the Bharata race there have been born
many godlike monarchs gifted with great energy, and like unto Brahman
himself. Their number cannot be counted. But, O thou of Bharata's race, I
shall name the principal ones that were blessed with great good fortune,
like unto the gods, and devoted to truth and honesty.'"

SECTION LXXV

(Sambhava Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'Hear now, as I recite the recorded genealogy, that is
sacred and subservient to religion, profit and pleasure, of these royal
sages--Daksha, the lord of creation, Manu, the son of Surya, Bharata, Ruru,
Puru, and Ajamidha. I shall also recite to thee, O sinless one, the
genealogies of the Yadavas and of the Kurus and of the king of the Bharata
line. These genealogies are sacred and their recitation is a great act of
propitiation. That recitation conferreth wealth, fame and long life. And,
O sinless one, all these I have named shone in their splendour and were
equal unto the great Rishis in energy.

"Prachetas had ten sons who were all devoted to asceticism and possessed
of every virtue. They burnt, of old, by the fire emanating from their
mouths, several plants of poisonous and innumerable large trees that had
covered the Earth and became a source of great discomfort to man. After
these ten, was born another named Daksha. It is from Daksha that all
creatures have sprung. Therefore is he, O tiger among men, called the
Grandfather. Born of Prachetas the Muni Daksha, uniting himself with
Virini, begat a thousand sons of rigid vows, all like himself. And Narada
taught these thousand sons of Daksha the excellent philosophy of Sankhya
as a means of salvation. And, O Janamejaya, the lord of creation, Daksha,
then, from the desire of making creatures, begat fifty daughters. And he
made all of them his appointed daughters (so that their sons might be his
sons also for the performance of all religious acts). And he bestowed ten
of his daughters on Dharma, and thirteen on Kasyapa. And he gave twenty-
seven to Chandra, who are all engaged in indicating time. And Kasyapa, the
son of Marichi, begat on the eldest of his thirteen wives, the Adityas,
the celestials endued with great energy and having Indra as their head and
also Vivaswat (the Sun). And of Vivaswat was born the lord Yama. And
Martanda (Vivaswat) also begat another son after Yama, gifted with great
intelligence and named Manu. And Manu was endued with great wisdom and
devoted to virtue. And he became the progenitor of a line. And in Manu's
race have been born all human beings, who have, therefore, been called
Manavas. And it is of Manu that all men including Brahmanas, Kshatriyas,
and others have been descended, and are, therefore, all called Manavas.
Subsequently, O monarch, the Brahmanas became united with the Kshatriyas.
And those sons of Manu that were Brahmanas devoted themselves to the study
of the Vedas. And Manu begat ten other children named Vena, Dhrishnu,
Narishyan, Nabhaga, Ikshvaku, Karusha, Saryati, the eighth, a daughter
named Ila, Prishadhru the ninth, and Nabhagarishta, the tenth. They all
betook themselves to the practices of Kshatriyas. Besides these, Manu had
fifty other sons on Earth. But we heard that they all perished,
quarrelling with one another. The learned Pururavas was born of Ila. It
hath been heard by us that Ila was both his mother and father. And the
great Pururavas had sway over thirteen islands of the sea. And, though a
human being, he was always surrounded by companions that were superhuman.
And Pururavas intoxicated with power quarrelled with the Brahmanas and
little caring for their anger robbed them of their wealth. Beholding all
this Sanatkumara came from the region of Brahman and gave him good counsel,
which was, however, rejected by Pururavas. Then the wrath of the great
Rishis was excited, and the avaricious monarch, who intoxicated with power,
had lost his reason, was immediately destroyed by their curse.

"It was Pururavas who first brought from the region of the Gandharvas the
three kinds of fire (for sacrificial purpose). And he brought thence, the
Apsara Urvasi also. And the son of Ila begat upon Urvasi six sons who were
called Ayus, Dhimat, Amavasu and Dhridhayus, and Vanayus, and Satayus. And
it is said that Ayus begat four sons named Nahusha, Vriddhasarman,
Rajingaya, and Anenas, on the daughter of Swarbhanu. And, O monarch,
Nahusha, of all the sons of Ayus, being gifted with great intelligence and
prowess ruled his extensive kingdom virtuously. And king Nahusha supported
evenly the Pitris, the celestials, the Rishis, the Brahmanas, the
Gandharvas, the Nagas, the Rakshasas, the Kshatriyas, and the Vaisyas. And
he suppressed all robber-gangs with a mighty hand. But he made the Rishis
pay tribute and carry him on their backs like bests of burden. And,
conquering the very gods by the beauty of his person, his asceticism,
prowess, and energy, he ruled as if he were Indra himself. And Nahusha
begat six sons, all of sweet speech, named Yati, Yayati, Sanyati, Ayati,
and Dhruva. Yati betaking himself to asceticism became a Muni like unto
Brahman himself. Yayati became a monarch of great prowess and virtue. He
ruled the whole Earth, performed numerous sacrifices, worshipped the
Pitris with great reverence, and always respected the gods. And he brought
the whole world under his sway and was never vanquished by any foe. And
the sons of Yayati were all great bowmen and resplendent with every virtue.
And, O king, they were begotten upon (his two wives) Devayani and
Sarmishtha. And of Devayani were born Yadu and Turvasu, and of Sarmishtha
were born Drahyu, Anu, and Puru. And, O king, having virtuously ruled his
subjects for a long time, Yayati was attacked with a hideous decrepitude
destroying his personal beauty. And attacked by decrepitude, the monarch
then spoke, O Bharata, unto his sons Yadu and Puru and Turvasu and Drahyu
and Anu these words, 'Ye dear sons, I wish to be a young man and to
gratify my appetites in the company of young women. Do you help me
therein.' To him his eldest son born of Devayani then said, 'What needest
thou, O king? Dost thou want to have your youth?' Yayati then told him,
'Accept thou my decrepitude, O son! With thy youth I would enjoy myself.
During the time of a great sacrifice I have been cursed by the Muni
Usanas (Sukra). O son, I would enjoy myself with your youth. Take any of
you this my decrepitude and with my body rule ye my kingdom. I would
enjoy myself with a renovated body. Therefore, ye my sons, take ye my
decrepitude.' But none of his sons accepted his decrepitude. Then his
youngest son Puru said unto him, 'O king, enjoy thyself thou once again
with a renovated body and returned youth! I shall take thy decrepitude
and at thy command rule thy kingdom.' Thus addressed, the royal sage, by
virtue of his ascetic power then transferred his own decrepitude unto
that high-souled son of his and with the youth of Puru became a youth;
while with the monarch's age Puru ruled his kingdom.

"Then, after a thousand years had passed away, Yayati, that tiger among
kings, remained as strong and powerful as a tiger. And he enjoyed for a
long time the companionship of his two wives. And in the gardens of
Chitraratha (the king of Gandharvas), the king also enjoyed the company of
the Apsara Viswachi. But even after all this, the great king found his
appetites unsatiated. The king, then recollected the following truths
contained in the Puranas, 'Truly, one's appetites are never satiated by
enjoyment. On the other hand, like sacrificial butter poured into the fire,
they flame up with indulgence. Even if one enjoyed the whole Earth with
its wealth, diamonds and gold, animals and women, one may not yet be
satiated. It is only when man doth not commit any sin in respect of any
living thing, in thought, deed, or speech, it is then that he attaineth to
purity as that of Brahman. When one feareth nothing, when one is not
feared by anything, when one wisheth for nothing, when one injureth
nothing, it is then that one attaineth to the purity of Brahman.' The wise
monarch seeing this and satisfied that one's appetites are never satiated,
set his mind at rest by meditation, and took back from his son his own
decrepitude. And giving him back his youth, though his own appetites were
unsatiated, and installing him on the throne, he spoke unto Puru thus,
'Thou art my true heir, thou art my true son by whom my race is to be
continued. In the world shall my race be known by thy name.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then that tiger among kings, having installed
his son Puru on the throne, went away to the mount of Bhrigu for devoting
himself to asceticism. And, having acquired great ascetic merit, after
long years, he succumbed to the inevitable influence of Time. He left his
human body by observing the vow of fasting, and ascended to heaven with
his wives.'"

SECTION LXXVI

(Sambhava Parva continued)

"Janamejaya said, 'O thou of the wealth of asceticism, tell me how our
ancestor Yayati, who is the tenth from Prajapati, obtained for a wife the
unobtainable daughter of Sukra. I desire to hear of it in detail. Tell me
also, one after another, of those monarchs separately who were the
founders of dynasties.'

"Vaisampayana said, 'The monarch Yayati was in splendour like unto Indra
himself. I will tell thee, in reply to thy question, O Janamejaya, how
both Sukra and Vrishaparvan bestowed upon him, with due rites, their
daughters, and how his union took place with Devayani in special.

"Between the celestials and the Asuras, there happened, of yore, frequent
encounters for the sovereignty of the three worlds with everything in them.
The gods, then, from desire of victory, installed the son of Angiras
(Vrihaspati) as their priest to conduct their sacrifices; while their
opponents installed the learned Usanas as their priest for the same
purpose. And between those two Brahmanas there are always much boastful
rivalry. Those Danavas assembled for encounter that were slain by the gods
were all revived by the seer Sukra by the power of his knowledge. And then
starting again, into life,--these fought with the gods. The Asuras also
slew on the field of battle many of the celestials. But the open-minded
Vrihaspati could not revive them, because he knew not the science called
Sanjivani (re-vivification) which Kavya endued with great energy knew so
well. And the gods were, therefore, in great sorrow. And the gods, in
great anxiety of heart and entertaining a fear of the learned Usanas, then
went to Kacha, the eldest son of Vrihaspati, and spoke unto him, saying,
'We pay court to thee, be kind to us and do us a service that we regard as
very great. That knowledge which resides in Sukra, that Brahmana of
immeasurable prowess, make thy own as soon as thou canst. Thou shalt find
the Brahmana in the court of Vrishaparvan. He always protects the Danavas
but never us, their opponents. Thou art his junior in age, and, therefore,
capable of adoring him with reverence. Thou canst also adore Devayani, the
favourite daughter of that high-souled Brahmana. Indeed, thou alone art
capable of propitiating them both by worship. There is none else that can
do so. By gratifying Devayani with thy conduct, liberality, sweetness, and
general behaviour, thou canst certainly obtain that knowledge.' The son of
Vrihaspati, thus solicited by the gods, said 'So be it,' and went to where
Vrishaparvan was. Kacha, thus sent by the gods, soon went to the capital
of the chief of the Asuras, and beheld Sukra there. And beholding him, he
thus spoke unto him, 'Accept me as thy disciple. I am the grandson of the
Rishi Angiras and son of Vrihaspati. By name I am known as Kacha. Thyself
becoming my preceptor, I shall practise the Brahmacharya mode of life for
a thousand years. Command me, then, O Brahmana!'

"Sukra (hearing this) said, 'Welcome art thou, O Kacha! I accept thy
speech. I will treat thee with regard; for by so doing, it is Vrihaspati
who will be regarded.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Kacha commanded by Kavya or Usanas himself,
called also Sukra, then said, 'So be it,' and took the vow he had spoken
of. And, O Bharata, accepting the vow of which he had spoken, at the
proper time, Kacha began to conciliate regardfully both his preceptor and
(his daughter) Devayani. Indeed, he began to conciliate both. And as he
was young, by singing and dancing and playing on different kinds of
instruments, he soon gratified Devayani who was herself in her youth. And,
O Bharata, with his whole heart set upon it, he soon gratified the maiden
Devayani who was then a young lady, by presents of flowers and fruits and
services rendered with alacrity. And Devayani also with her songs and
sweetness of manners used, while they were alone, to attend upon that
youth carrying out his vow. And when five hundred years had thus passed of
Kacha's vow, the Danavas came to learn his intention. And having no
compunctions about slaying a Brahmana, they became very angry with him.
And one day they saw Kacha in a solitary part of the woods engaged in
tending (his preceptor's) kine. They then slew Kacha from their hatred of
Vrihaspati and also from their desire of protecting the knowledge of
reviving the dead from being conveyed by him. And having slain him, they
hacked his body into pieces and gave them to be devoured by jackals and
wolves. And (when twilight came) the kine returned to the fold without him
who tended them. And Devayani, seeing the kine returned from the woods
without Kacha, spoke, O Bharata, unto her father thus:

'Thy evening-fire hath been kindled. The Sun also hath set, O father! The
kine have returned without him who tendeth them. Kacha is, indeed, not to
be seen. It is plain that Kacha hath been lost, or is dead. Truly do I say,
O father, that without him I will not live.'

"Sukra hearing this said, I will revive him by saying, 'Let this one
come.' Then having recourse to the science of reviving the dead, Sukra
summoned Kacha. And summoned by his preceptor, Kacha appeared before him
in the gladness of heart tearing by virtue of his preceptor's science
the bodies of the wolves (that had devoured him). And asked about the
cause of his delay, he thus spoke unto Bhargava's daughter. Indeed,
asked by that Brahman's daughter, he told her, 'I was dead. O thou of
pure manners, burdened with sacrificial fuel, Kusa grass, and logs of
wood, I was coming towards our abode. I sat under a banian tree. The
kine also, having been brought together, were staying under the shade
of that same banian tree. The Asuras, beholding me, asked 'Who art
thou?' They heard me answer, 'I am the son of Vrihaspati.' As soon as
I said this, the Danavas slew me, and hacking my body into pieces gave
my remains to jackals and wolves. And they then went home in the
gladness of heart. O amiable one, summoned by the high-souled
Bhargava, I after all come before thee fully revived.'

"On another occasion, asked by Devayani, the Brahmana Kacha went into the
woods. And as he was roving about for gathering flowers, the Danavas
beheld him. They again slew him, and pounding him into a paste they mixed
it with the water of the ocean. Finding him long still (in coming), the
maiden again represented the matter unto her father. And summoned again by
the Brahmana with the aid of his science, Kacha appearing before his
preceptor and his daughter told everything as it had happened. Then
slaying him for the third time and burning him and reducing him to ashes,
the Asuras gave those ashes to the preceptor himself, mixing them with his
wine. And Devayani again spoke unto her father, saying, 'O father, Kacha
was sent to gather flowers. But he is not to be seen. It is plain he hath
been lost, or has died. I tell thee truly, I would not live without him.'