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

SECTION CXIV

(Sambhava Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'Pandu, then, at the command of Dhritarashtra, offered
the wealth he had acquired by the prowess of his arms to Bhishma, their
grand-mother Satyavati and their mothers. And he sent portion of his
wealth to Vidura also. And the virtuous Pandu gratified his other
relatives also with similar presents. Then Satyavati and Bhishma and the
Kosala princes were all gratified with the presents Pandu made out of the
acquisitions of his prowess. And Ambalika in particular, upon embracing
her son of incomparable prowess, became as glad as the queen of heaven
upon embracing Jayanta. And with the wealth acquired by that hero
Dhritarashtra performed five great sacrifices that were equal unto a
hundred great horse-sacrifices, at all of which the offerings to Brahmanas
were by hundreds and thousands.

"A little while after, O bull of Bharata's race, Pandu who had achieved a
victory over sloth and lethargy, accompanied by his two wives, Kunti and
Madri, retired into the woods. Leaving his excellent palace with its
luxurious beds, he became a permanent inhabitant of the woods, devoting
the whole of his time to the chase of the deer. And fixing his abode in a
delightful and hilly region overgrown with huge sala trees, on the
southern slope of the Himavat mountains, he roamed about in perfect
freedom. The handsome Pandu with his two wives wandered in those woods
like Airavata accompanied by two she-elephants. And the dwellers in those
woods, beholding the heroic Bharata prince in the company of his wives,
armed with sword, arrows, and bow, clad with his beautiful armour, and
skilled in all excellent weapons, regarded him as the very god wandering
amongst them.

"And at the command of Dhritarashtra, people were busy in supplying Pandu
in his retirement with every object of pleasure and enjoyment.

"Meanwhile the son of the ocean-going Ganga heard that king Devaka had a
daughter endued with youth and beauty and begotten upon a Sudra wife.
Bringing her from her father's abode, Bhishma married her to Vidura of
great wisdom. And Vidura begot upon her many children like unto himself in
accomplishments.'"

SECTION CXV

(Sambhava Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'Meanwhile, O Janamejaya, Dhritarashtra begat upon
Gandhari a hundred sons, and upon a Vaisya wife another besides those
hundred. And Pandu had, by his two wives Kunti and Madri, five sons who
were great charioteers and who were all begotten by the celestials for the
perpetuation of the Kuru line.'

"Janamejaya said, 'O best of Brahmanas, how did Gandhari bring forth those
hundred sons and in how many years? What were also the periods of life
allotted to each? How did Dhritarashtra also beget another son in a Vaisya
wife? How did Dhritarashtra behave towards his loving obedient, and
virtuous wife Gandhari? How were also begotten the five sons of Pandu,
those mighty charioteers, even though Pandu himself laboured under the
curse of the great Rishi (he slew)? Tell me all this in detail, for my
thirst for hearing everything relating to my own ancestor hath not been
slaked.'

"Vaisampayana said, 'One day Gandhari entertained with respectful
attention the great Dwaipayana who came to her abode, exhausted with
hunger and fatigue. Gratified with Gandhari's hospitality, the Rishi gave
her the boon she asked for, viz., that she should have a century of sons
each equal unto her lord in strength and accomplishments. Some time after
Gandhari conceived and she bore the burden in her womb for two long years
without being delivered. And she was greatly afflicted at this. It was
then that she heard that Kunti had brought forth a son whose splendour was
like unto the morning sun. Impatient of the period of gestation which had
prolonged so long, and deprived of reason by grief, she struck her womb
with great violence without the knowledge of her husband. And thereupon
came out of her womb, after two years' growth, a hard mass of flesh like
unto an iron ball. When she was about to throw it away, Dwaipayana,
learning everything by his spiritual powers, promptly came there, and that
first of ascetics beholding that ball of flesh, addressed the daughter of
Suvala thus, 'What hast thou done?' Gandhari, without endeavouring to
disguise her feelings, addressed the Rishi and said, 'Having heard that
Kunti had brought forth a son like unto Surya in splendour, I struck in
grief at my womb. Thou hadst, O Rishi, granted me the boon that I should
have a hundred sons, but here is only a ball of flesh for those hundred
sons!' Vyasa then said, 'Daughter of Suvala, it is even so. But my words
can never be futile. I have not spoken an untruth even in jest. I need not
speak of other occasions. Let a hundred pots full of clarified butter be
brought instantly, and let them be placed at a concealed spot. In the
meantime, let cool water be sprinkled over this ball of flesh.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'That ball of flesh then, sprinkled over with
water, became, in time, divided into a hundred and one parts, each about
the size of the thumb. These were then put into those pots full of
clarified butter that had been placed at a concealed spot and were watched
with care. The illustrious Vyasa then said unto the daughter of Suvala
that she should open the covers of the pots after full two years. And
having said this and made these arrangements, the wise Dwaipayana went to
the Himavat mountains for devoting himself to asceticism.

"Then in time, king Duryodhana was born from among those pieces of the
ball of flesh that had been deposited in those pots. According to the
order of birth, king Yudhishthira was the oldest. The news of Duryodhana's
birth was carried to Bhishma and the wise Vidura. The day that the haughty
Duryodhana was born was also the birth-day of Bhima of mighty arms and
great prowess.

"As soon as Duryodhana was born, he began to cry and bray like an ass. And
hearing that sound, the asses, vultures, jackals and crows uttered their
respective cries responsively. Violent winds began to blow, and there were
fires in various directions. Then king Dhritarashtra in great fear,
summoning Bhishma and Vidura and other well-wishers and all the Kurus, and
numberless Brahmanas, addressed them and said, 'The oldest of those
princes, Yudhishthira, is the perpetuator of our line. By virtue of his
birth he hath acquired the kingdom. We have nothing to say to this. But
shall this my son born after him become king? Tell me truly what is lawful
and right under these circumstances.' As soon as these words were spoken,
O Bharata, jackals and other carnivorous animals began to howl ominously.
And marking those frightful omens all around, the assembled Brahmanas and
the wise Vidura replied, 'O king, O bull among men, when these frightful
omens are noticeable at the birth of thy eldest son, it is evident that he
shall be the exterminator of thy race. The prosperity of all dependeth on
his abandonment. Calamity there must be in keeping him. O king, if thou
abandonest him, there remain yet thy nine and ninety sons. If thou
desirest the good of thy race, abandon him, O Bharata! O king, do good to
the world and thy own race by casting off this one child of thine. It hath
been said that an individual should be cast off for the sake of the family;
that a family should be cast off for the sake of a village; that a village
may be abandoned for the sake of the whole country; and that the earth
itself may be abandoned for the sake of the soul.' When Vidura and those
Brahmanas had stated so, king Dhritarashtra out of affection for his son
had not the heart to follow that advice. Then, O king, within a month,
were born a full hundred sons unto Dhritarashtra and a daughter also in
excess of this hundred. And during the time when Gandhari was in a state
of advanced pregnancy, there was a maid servant of the Vaisya class who
used to attend on Dhritarashtra. During that year, O king, was begotten
upon her by the illustrious Dhritarashtra a son endued with great
intelligence who was afterwards named Yuyutsu. And because he was begotten
by a Kshatriya upon a Vaisya woman, he came to be called Karna.

"Thus were born unto the wise Dhritarashtra a hundred sons who were all
heroes and mighty chariot-fighters, and a daughter over and above the
hundred, and another son Yuyutsu of great energy and prowess begotten upon
a Vaisya woman.'"

SECTION CXVI

(Sambhava Parva continued)

"Janamejaya said, 'O sinless one, thou hast narrated to me from the
beginning all about the birth of Dhritarashtra's hundred sons owing to the
boon granted by the Rishi. But thou hast not told me as yet any
particulars about the birth of the daughter. Thou hast merely said that
over and above the hundred sons, there was another son named Yuyutsu
begotten upon a Vaisya woman, and a daughter. The great Rishi Vyasa of
immeasurable energy said unto the daughter of the king of Gandhara that
she would become the mother of a hundred sons. Illustrious one, how is
that thou sayest Gandhari had a daughter over and above her hundred sons?
If the ball of flesh was distributed by the great Rishi only into a
hundred parts, and if Gandhari did not conceive on any other occasion, how
was then Duhsala born. Tell me this, O Rishi! my curiosity hath been
great."

"Vaisampayana said, 'O descendant of the Pandavas, thy question is just,
and I will tell thee how it happened. The illustrious and great Rishi
himself, by sprinkling water over that ball of flesh, began to divide it
into parts. And as it was being divided into parts, the nurse began to
take them up and put them one by one into those pots filled with clarified
butter. While this process was going on, the beautiful and chaste Gandhari
of rigid vows, realising the affection that one feeleth for a daughter,
began to think within herself, 'There is no doubt that I shall have a
hundred sons, the Muni having said so. It can never be otherwise. But I
should be very happy if a daughter were born of me over and above these
hundred sons and junior to them all. My husband then may attain to those
worlds that the possession of a daughter's sons conferreth. Then again,
the affection the women feel for their sons-in-law is great. If, therefore,
I obtain a daughter over and above my hundred sons, then, surrounded by
sons and daughter's sons, I may feel supremely blest. If I have ever
practised ascetic austerities, if I have ever given anything in charity,
if I have ever performed the homa (through Brahamanas), if I have ever
gratified my superiors by respectful attentions, then (as the fruit of
those acts) let a daughter be born unto me.' All this while that
illustrious and best of Rishis, Krishna-Dwaipayana himself was dividing
the ball of flesh; and counting a full hundred of the parts, he said unto
the daughter of Suvala, 'Here are thy hundred sons. I did not speak aught
unto thee that was false. Here, however, is one part in excess of the
hundred, intended for giving thee a daughter's son. This part shall
develop into an amiable and fortunate daughter, as thou hast desired.'
Then that great ascetic brought another pot full of clarified butter, and
put the part intended for a daughter into it.

"Thus have I, O Bharata, narrated unto thee all about the birth of Duhsala.
Tell me, O sinless one, what more I am now to narrate.'"

SECTION CXVII

(Sambhava Parva continued)

"Janamejaya said, 'Please recite the names of Dhritarashtra's sons
according to the order of their birth.'

"Vaisampayana said, 'Their names, O king, according to the order of birth,
are Duryodhana, Yuyutsu, Duhsasana, Duhsaha, Duhsala, Jalasandha, Sama,
Saha, Vinda and Anuvinda, Durdharsha, Suvahu, Dushpradharshana,
Durmarshana and Durmukha, Dushkarna, and Karna; Vivinsati and Vikarna,
Sala, Satwa, Sulochana, Chitra and Upachitra, Chitraksha, Charuchitra,
Sarasana, Durmada and Durvigaha, Vivitsu, Vikatanana; Urnanabha and
Sunabha, then Nandaka and Upanandaka; Chitravana, Chitravarman, Suvarman,
Durvimochana; Ayovahu, Mahavahu, Chitranga, Chitrakundala, Bhimavega,
Bhimavala, Balaki, Balavardhana, Ugrayudha; Bhima, Karna, Kanakaya,
Dridhayudha, Dridhavarman, Dridhakshatra, Somakitri, Anudara; Dridhasandha,
Jarasandha, Satyasandha, Sada, Suvak, Ugrasravas, Ugrasena, Senani,
Dushparajaya, Aparajita, Kundasayin, Visalaksha, Duradhara; Dridhahasta,
Suhasta, Vatavega, and Suvarchas; Adityaketu, Vahvashin, Nagadatta,
Agrayayin; Kavachin, Krathana, Kunda, Kundadhara, Dhanurdhara; the heroes,
Ugra and Bhimaratha, Viravahu, Alolupa; Abhaya, and Raudrakarman, and
Dridharatha; Anadhrishya, Kundabhedin, Viravi, Dhirghalochana Pramatha,
and Pramathi and the powerful Dhirgharoma; Dirghavahu, Mahavahu, Vyudhoru,
Kanakadhvaja; Kundasi and Virajas. Besides these hundred sons, there was a
daughter named Duhsala. All were heroes and Atirathas, and were well-
skilled in warfare. All were learned in the Vedas, and all kinds of
weapons. And, O, king, worthy wives were in time selected for all of them
by Dhritarashtra after proper examination. And king Dhritarashtra, O
monarch, also bestowed Duhsala, in proper time and with proper rites, upon
Jayadratha (the king of Sindhu).'"

SECTION CXVIII

(Sambhava Parva continued)

"Janamejaya said, 'O utterer of Brahma, thou hast recited (everything
about) the extraordinary birth among men, of the sons of Dhritarashtra in
consequence of the Rishi's grace. Thou hast also said what their names are,
according to the order of their birth. O Brahmana, I have heard all these
from thee. But tell me now all about the Pandavas. While reciting the
incarnations on earth of the celestial, the Asuras, and the beings of
other classes, thou saidst that the Pandavas were all illustrious and
endued with the prowess of gods, and that they were incarnate portion of
the celestials themselves. I desire, therefore, to hear all about those
beings of extraordinary achievements beginning from the moment of their
birth. O Vaisampayana, recite thou their achievements.'

"Vaisampayana said, 'O king, one day Pandu, while roaming about in the
woods (on the southern slopes of the Himavat) that teemed with deer and
wild animals of fierce disposition, saw a large deer, that seemed to be
the leader of a herd, serving his mate. Beholding the animals, the monarch
pierced them both with five of his sharp and swift arrows winged with
golden feathers. O monarch, that was no deer that Pandu struck at, but a
Rishi's son of great ascetic merit who was enjoying his mate in the form
of a deer. Pierced by Pandu, while engaged in the act of intercourse, he
fell down to the ground, uttering cries that were of a man and began to
weep bitterly.

"The deer then addressed Pandu and said, 'O king, even men that are slaves
to lust and wrath, and void of reason, and ever sinful, never commit such
a cruel act as this. Individual judgment prevaileth not against the
ordinance, the ordinance prevaileth against individual judgment. The wise
never sanction anything discountenanced by the ordinance. Thou art born, O
Bharata, in a race that hath ever been virtuous. How is it, therefore,
that even thou, suffering thyself to be overpowered by passion and wrath
losest thy reason?' Hearing this, Pandu replied, 'O deer, kings behave in
the matter of slaying animals of thy species exactly as they do in the
matter of slaying foes. It behoveth thee not, therefore, to reprove me
thus from ignorance. Animals of thy species are slain by open or covert
means. This, indeed, is the practice of kings. Then why dost thou reprove
me? Formerly, the Rishi Agastya, while engaged in the performance of a
grand sacrifice, chased the deer, and devoted every deer in the forest
unto the gods in general. Thou hast been slain, pursuant to the usage
sanctioned by such precedent. Wherefore reprovest us then? For his
especial sacrifices Agastya performed the homa with fat of the deer.'

"The deer then said, 'O king, men do not let fly their arrows at their
enemies when the latter are unprepared. But there is a time for doing it
(viz., after declaration of hostilities). Slaughter at such a time is not
censurable.'

"Pandu replied, 'It is well-known that men slay deer by various effective
means without regarding whether the animals are careful or careless.
Therefore, O deer, why dost thou reprove me?'

"The deer then said, 'O, king, I did not blame thee for thy having killed
a deer, or for the injury thou hast done to me. But, instead of acting so
cruelly, thou shouldst have waited till the completion of my act of
intercourse. What man of wisdom and virtue is there that can kill a deer
while engaged in such an act? The time of sexual intercourse is agreeable
to every creature and productive of good to all. O king, with this my mate
I was engaged in the gratification of my sexual desire. But that effort of
mine hath been rendered futile by thee. O king of the Kurus, as thou art
born in the race of the Pauravas ever noted for white (virtuous) deeds,
such an act hath scarcely been worthy of thee. O Bharata, this act must be
regarded as extremely cruel, deserving of universal execration, infamous,
and sinful, and certainly leading to hell. Thou art acquainted with the
pleasures of sexual intercourse. Thou art acquainted also with the
teaching of morality and dictates of duty. Like unto a celestial as thou
art, it behoveth thee not to do such an act as leadeth to hell. O best of
kings, thy duty is to chastise all who act cruelly, who are engaged in
sinful practices and who have thrown to the winds religion, profit, and
pleasure as explained in the scriptures. What hast thou done, O best of
men, in killing me who have given thee no offence? I am, O king, a Muni
who liveth on fruits and roots, though disguised as a deer. I was living
in the woods in peace with all. Yet thou hast killed me, O king, for which
I will curse thee certainly. As thou hast been cruel unto a couple of
opposite sexes, death shall certainly overtake thee as soon as thou
feelest the influence of sexual desire. I am a Muni of the name of Kindama,
possessed of ascetic merit. I was engaged in sexual intercourse with this
deer, because my feelings of modesty did not permit me to indulge in such
an act in human society. In the form of a deer I rove in the deep woods in
the company of other deer. Thou hast slain me without knowing that I am a
Brahmana, the sin of having slain a Brahmana shall not, therefore, be
thine. But senseless man, as you have killed me, disguised as a deer, at
such a time, thy fate shall certainly be even like mine. When, approaching
thy wife lustfully, thou wilt unite with her even as I had done with mine,
in that very state shalt thou have to go to the world of the spirits. And
that wife of thine with whom thou mayst be united in intercourse at the
time of thy death shall also follow thee with affection and reverence to
the domains of the king of the dead. Thou hast brought me grief when I was
happy. So shall grief come to thee when thou art in happiness.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Saying this, that deer, afflicted with grief
gave up the ghost; and Pandu also was plunged in woe at the sight.'"

SECTION CXIX

(Sambhava Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'After the death of that deer, king Pandu with his
wives was deeply afflicted and wept bitterly. And he exclaimed, 'The
wicked, even if born in virtuous families, deluded by their own passions,
become overwhelmed with misery as the fruit of their own deeds. I have
heard that my father, though begotten by Santanu of virtuous soul, was cut
off while still a youth, only because he had become a slave to his lust.
In the soil of that lustful king, the illustrious Rishi Krishna-Dwaipayana
himself, of truthful speech, begot me. A son though I am of such a being,
with my wicked heart wedded to vice, I am yet leading a wandering life in
the woods in the chase of the deer. Oh, the very gods have forsaken me! I
shall seek salvation now. The great impediments to salvation are the
desire to beget children, and other concerns of the world. I shall now
adopt the Brahmacharya mode of life and follow in the imperishable wake of
my father. I shall certainly bring my passions under complete control by
severe ascetic penances. Forsaking my wives and other relatives and
shaving my head, alone shall I wander over the earth, begging for my
subsistence from each of these trees standing here. Forsaking every object
of affection and aversion, and covering my body with dust, I shall make
the shelter of trees or deserted houses my home. I shall never yield to
influence of sorrow or joy, and I shall regard slander and eulogy in the
same light. I shall not seek benedictions or bows. I shall be at peace
with all, and shall not accept gifts. I shall not mock anybody, nor shall
I knit my brows at any one, but shall be ever cheerful and devoted to the
good of all creatures. I shall not harm any of the four orders of life
gifted with power of locomotion or otherwise, viz., oviparous and
viviparous creatures and worms and vegetables. But on the contrary,
preserve an equality of behaviour towards all, as if they were, my own
children. Once a day shall I beg of five or ten families at the most, and
if I do not succeed in obtaining alms, I shall then go without food. I
shall rather stint myself than beg more than once of the same person. If I
do not obtain anything after completing my round of seven or ten houses,
moved by covetousness, I shall not enlarge my round. Whether I obtain or
fail to obtain alms. I shall be equally unmoved like a great ascetic. One
lopping off an arm of mine with a hatchet, and one smearing another arm
with sandal-paste, shall be regarded by me equally. I shall not wish
prosperity to the one or misery to the other. I shall not be pleased with
life or displeased with death. I shall neither desire to live nor to die.
Washing my heart of all sins, I shall certainly transcend those sacred
rites productive of happiness, that men perform in auspicious moments,
days, and periods. I shall also abstain from all acts of religion and
profit and also those that lead to the gratification of the senses. Freed
from all sins and snares of the world, I shall be like the wind subject to
none. Following the path of fearlessness and bearing myself in this way I
shall at last lay down my life. Destitute of the power of begetting
children, firmly adhering to the line of duty I shall not certainly
deviate therefrom in order to tread in the vile path of the world that is
so full of misery. Whether respected or disrespected in the world that man
who from covetousness casteth on others a begging look, certainly behaveth
like a dog. (Destitute as I am of the power of procreation, I should not
certainly, from desire of offspring, solicit others to give me
children.)'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'The king, having thus wept in sorrow, with a
sigh looked at his two wives Kunti and Madri, and addressing them said,
'Let the princess of Kosala (my mother), Vidura, the king with our friends,
the venerable Satyavati, Bhishma, the priests of our family, illustrious
Soma-drinking Brahmanas of rigid vows and all elderly citizens depending
on us be informed, after being prepared for it, that Pandu hath retired
into the woods to lead a life of asceticism.' Hearing these words of their
lord who had set his heart on a life of asceticism in the woods, both
Kunti and Madri addressed him in these proper words, 'O bull of Bharata's
race, there are many other modes of life which thou canst adopt and in
which thou canst undergo the severest penances along with us, thy wedded
wives--in which for the salvation of thy body (freedom from re-birth),
thou mayest obtain heaven. We also, in the company of our lord, and for
his benefit, controlling our passions and bidding adieu to all luxuries,
shall subject ourselves to the severest austerities. O king, O thou of
great wisdom, if thou abandonest us, we shall then this very day truly
depart from this world.'

Pandu replied, 'If, indeed, this your resolve springeth from virtue, then
with you both I shall follow the imperishable path of my fathers.
Abandoning the luxuries of cities and towns, clad in barks of trees, and
living on fruits and roots, I shall wander in deep woods, practising the
severest penances. Bathing morning and evening, I shall perform the homa.
I shall reduce my body by eating very sparingly and shall wear rags and
skins and knotted locks on my head. Exposing myself to heat and cold and
disregarding hunger and thirst, I shall reduce my body by severe ascetic
penances, I shall live in solitude and I shall give myself up to
contemplation; I shall eat fruit, ripe or green, that I may find. I shall
offer oblations to the Pitris (manes) and the gods with speech, water and
the fruits of the wilderness. I shall not see, far less harm, any of the
denizens of the woods, or any of my relatives, or any of the residents of
cities and towns. Until I lay down this body, I shall thus practise the
severe ordinances of the Vanaprastha scriptures, always searching for
severer ones that they may contain.'