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THE MAHABHARATA OF V YASA
The Complete Adi Parva
Transcreated sloka-by-sloka from Sanskrit by P. Lai
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Two birds sit on the golden bough of the pippala tree.
One eats the sweet fruit.
The other watches.
Both are happy.
One is happier.
Which?
Svetasvatara Upanisad IV : 6
Limited Hardback Edition : ft. ftft
A special edition, limited to 50 copies, with an original hand- painted frontispiece of Krishna and Arjuna on Kuruksetra, by an anonymous patua-artist of the Puri Jagannatha Temple,
is available foriftftftL
ISBN 978-93-5045-062-8
© 2005 P. Lai
Corrected second edition © 2013 Writers Workshop
The transcreator asserts his moral right to be identified as the owner of this intellectual property.
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P. Lai (1929-2010) was Professor of English in St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta. Married Shyamasree Devi 1955; son Ananda, and daughter Srimati. He was Special Professor of Indian Studies at Hofstra University, New York, 1962-63, and lectured widely on Indian literature at English, American, and Australian universities. He was a delegate from India to the P. E. N. International Writers Conference in New York in 1966, and Visiting Professor at the University of Illinois in 1968. Transcreated the Brhadaranyaka and Mahanarayana Upanisads on a Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship award in 1969-70. Recipient of the Padma Shri award in 1970. Visiting Professor of Comparative Literature, Hofstra University, 1971. Distinguished Visiting Professor and Consultant, Albion College, 1972. Prentiss M. Brown Distinguished Visiting Professor, Albion College, 1973. Robert Norton Visiting Professor, Ohio University, 1973-1974. Visiting Professor of Indian Culture, Hartwick College, 1975. Eli Lilly Visiting Professor, Berea College, 1977. Honorary Doctorate of Letters, Western Maryland College, 1977. Delegate to Adelaide Festival of Arts, Australia, 1980; Asian Poets’ Conference, South Korea, 1987; Cambridge Literature Seminar, UK, 1987; World Poets’ Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, 1988; Indian Writers’ Delegation to Sweden, 1988; Harborfront Poetry Reading Series, Toronto, Canada, 1989. Appointed Suniti Kumar Chatterji Lecturer of the Asiatic Society, Kolkata, in 2005. D. Litt. (Hon. Causa) of University of Calcutta for his “transcreation of the Mahabharata ”, 2006. Distinguished Professor award for Lifetime Achievement, St Xavier’s College, 2007. In October 1999 he began a sloka-by-sloka public reading of his transcreated Mahabharata to a miscellaneous group every Sunday morning at the G. D. Birla Sabhagar Library of Dharma and Culture in Kolkata to illustrate the importance of Vyasa’s work as an inspiring oral experience and not just a print-culture masterpiece. These were later telecast by Tara TV. He authored over 100 books, available from writers workshop.
A print-culture mini-preface to an oral maha-epic is in order.
Some guidelines for the Vyasa aficionado:
1] My transcreation is the full “ragbag” version. It is the only complete, strictly sloka-by-sloka rendering, not excepting enjambements, in any language. It includes all the slokas from the Southern and other recensions which are normally left out in the “authorised” North Indian recension. It also includes all slokas from the Poona Bhandarkar edition that are left out or censored in the Southern and Northern versions. I believe in the sanctity of an all-inclusive Mahabharata, and see no reason why such very Indian all-inclusiveness should not be respected by textual scholars who stress strict adherence to lexical principles, and pompously dismiss popular and folk passages and episodes as garrulous “interpolations”.
2] I have tried to retain the oral, spoken quality of Vyasa’s epic, by which I mean that if Yudhisthira were speaking in English, this is the kind of English I think he would be speaking. To miss the suta quality ofthe narative recited by Vaisampayanato Janamejaya at the snake-yajna in Naimisa forest is to do grave, irreparable injustice to Vyasa (and to his amanuensis Ganesa). This version is meant to be heard, not read; if read, heard as well.
3] I have tried to parallel the tightness of the Sanskrit sloka by the brevity of my prose renderings, and by an equal tightness of the English verse patterns. Padding, interpretation, and elaboration are avoided. Many Sanskrit words explain themselves (or are very satisfactorily defined in Webster’s Third and other dictionaries). These are best left untranslated. My version is for the educated English-knowing Indian; non-Indians can eavesdrop and overhear. The Indian will know his tradition reasonably well; others may have to do some hard homework.
INVOCATION
Narayanam namskrtya
Naram caiva narottamarti Devlm SarasvatTm Vyasam tato jay am udlrayet ||
[1: 1:1-9]
9
SECTION ONE
We namaskara Narayana!
We namaskara Nara!
We namaskara finest-of-men Narottama! We namaskara Devi Sarasvatl!
We namaskara Vyasa!
May victory attend us. We exclaim Jaya\
1 One day when the maha-rsis of rigid vows who had
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attended the twelve years’ sacrifice of Kulapati Saunaka were relaxing in the forest of Naimisa,
2 The son of rsi Lomaharsana, Ugrasrava (popularly known as Sauti) came to them. Sauti was deeply learned in the Puranas.
3 The practisers of tapasya received him at their as ram a with pleasure, knowing what a wonderful storyteller he was, and expecting to be entertained.
4 Sauti joined his palms in respectful anjali before them, and asked how the tapasya-penances were progressing.
5 They sat down; and Sauti humbly took the seat indicated to him.
6 After he was comfortably seated and looked rested, one of the sages said:
7 “O lotus-petal-eyed one, from where have you come? Where have you been all this time? Tell me, please, everything, in detail.”
8 Fluent Sauti needed only this prompting to place before the august and holy assembly a full and dignified account.
9 “After listening to the splendid, sacred stories of Krsna- Dvaipayana-Vyasa’s Mahabharata, recited in full by Vaisampayana
10
10
11
12
13
14
15.
16
17
18
[1:1:10-18]
At the great snake-sacrifice ordered by the mahatma raja-rsi Janamejaya,
The prince of princes, the son of Panksit, in whose own presence I had the honour of standing,
I wandered all over the country, visiting many shrines and sacred rivers till I came to Samanta-pancaka, a place revered by the twice-born.
This is the site of the terrible war between the sons of Kuru and Pandu, when all the rulers of Bharata took opposite sides.
JL *
But I was anxious to see you, so I hurried here.
Revered elders and sages,
you, who are to me like Brahma,
who are noble and learned and most blessed,
who shine in this place of sacrifice
with the glory of the sun;
Whom ablutions have purified, who have sat in silent meditation and fed the sacred fire,
and are lifted beyond the world’s cares - what can I tell you that you do not already know?
Should I repeat the legends of the Puranas, full of dharma and artha?
Or should I recount the glorious exploits of saints and rulers in the history of mankind?”
The rsis replied: “The Purana, first composed by rsi Dvaipayana-Vyasa, appreciated by the gods and Brahma-rsis, is a sacred work.
Its many sections are written in many styles; it is simple yet subtle and complex; it is the greatest story ever told, enriched with Vedic references.
[1:1:19-26]
11
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1 9 Sweet is its diction, wide its range; it sums up the Vedas; other sacred texts are commentaries on it.
20 But from you, Sauti, we would rather hear the Mahabharata , the sacred history that casts out fear, the holy composition of incomparable Vyasa.
2 1 And we would like to hear it exactly as it was recited at the snake-sacrifice of raja Janamejaya by rsi Vaisam- payana, under the direction of Vyasa himself.”
22 Sauti replied :
I bow to Isana, Primal Being, the One, the unchanging, eternal, unrealizable Brahman,
who both exists and non-exists; the focus of all adoration,
to whom all make offerings;
23 I bow to Isana, All-Creator,
who both exists and non-exists, who is both universe and non-universe, creator of high and low:
24 I bow to Isana, Undecaying One,
who is Visnu, giver of good, and Goodness itself, worthy of worship; who is Hari, lord of the senses, guide of the moving and unmoving world.
25 Let me now place before you the thoughts of the incomparable rsi, Vyasa of splendid deeds, who is respected by all of us here.
26 Some poets have already sung this story; some are reciting it now before others; and others will sing it in times to come.
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21
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
[1:1:27-36]
This story is a source of knowledge in the three worlds; the twice-born know it in outline and detail.
It is filled with beautiful speech, human as well as divine, in varied metres, for which reason the learned delight in it.
At first, there was no light, no radiance, only darkness; then was bom the Egg of Brahma, exhaustless and mighty seed of life.
Its name is Mahaddivya, the Maha-Divine; it was bom at the beginning of the yuga; in it shone the true light,
Eternal, incomparable, inconceivable, omnipresent, invisible, and subtle, from which flow being and non-being.
From this egg came Pitamaha Brahma, the one and only lord, Prajapati; with Suraguru and Sthanu;
And Manu, Ka, and Paramesthin; and Praceta and Daksa, and the seven sons of Daksa.
Then came the twenty-one Prajapati s, and the one inconceivable whom the rsis know; then came the Visva-devas, Adityas, Vasus, and Asvins;
The Yaksas, the Sadhyas, Pisacas,
Guhyakas and Pitrs;
The wise sages of Brahma and the royal sages famed for their noble qualities; then the waters, the heavens, the earth, sky, air, and the points of the heavens;
[1:1:37-47]
13
r'Su ajj VyLsu.
37 The years, seasons, months and fortnights, and day and night in successive order.
38 At the end of the yuga, when the world ends, whatever is living, and lifeless, whatever is visible in the universe, will revert to chaos;
39 And when a new yuga begins, all will be reborn, like the fruits of the earth in their various seasons.
40 This is the wheel of death and birth, endlessly revolving, birth and death, without beginning, without end.
4 1 The number of devas, for example, was thirtythree thou¬ sand thirtythree hundred and thirtythree. Here is a brief account.
42 The sons of Div were Brhadhanu, Caksus, Atma, Vibhavasu, Savita, Rclka, Arka, Bhanu, Asavaha, and Ravi.
43 Of these Vivasvans of the past, Mahya was the youngest; Mahya’s son was Devavrata.
44 Devavrata had one son, Suvrata; Suvrata had three sons,
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Dasajyoti, Satajyoti, and Sahasrajyoti, each of whom had countless children.
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45 Famous Dasajyoti had ten thousand, Satajyoti ten times that;
46 And Sahasrajyoti had ten times the number of Satajyoti’s children.
47 From them come the races of the Kurus, Yadus, and Bharata; the line of Yayati and Iksvaku; and the raja- rsis. Many other races were then bom,
14
[1:1:48-58]
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48 Many creatures, and many dwelling-places created. Then
were created the triple mysteries, V eda, Y oga, and V ij na
na; Dharma, Artha, and Kama;
49 And various texts on Dharma, Artha, and Kama; rules for the conduct of mankind;
50 Histories, commentaries, and the various srutis - all embodied in the Mahabharata.
5 1 Rsi Vyasa studied them all and noted them in his epic in the proper order.
52 Rsi Vyasa presented this storehouse of knowledge in detailed as well as condensed forms, because the learned of the world are eager to know it at length and in abridgment.
53 Some read the Mahabharata from the first mantra, others begin with the story of Astika; others begin with Uparicara; and some Brahmins read it all the way through.
54 The learned show how well they know the smrtis by commenting on the epic. Some are good at explaining, others at remembering.
55 Vyasa, son of Satyavatl, composed this epic when, after much tapasya and meditation, he had mastered the eternal Veda.
56 When the learned and strict-vowed rsi Vyasa, son of Parasara, finished this greatest of all epics, he faced the problem of how to teach it to his pupils.
57 And Brahma, the worlds’ guru, possessor of the six attributes, saw his dilemma, and visited him in person in order to help him and, through him, mankind.
58 Vyasa, though surrounded by large numbers of learned men, saw him come, and was surprised. He folded his palms in anjali, bowed, and ordered a seat to be brought.
[1:1:59-67]
15
59 He stood before Hiranya-garbha Brahma the Golden- Wombed One ensconced on his distinguished seat.
60 Ordered by Brahma Paramesthin, he sat down near the seat, smiling with joy.
61 The glorious Vyasa said to Brahma: “I have composed, O Lord Brahma, a poem worthy of respect.
62 The mystery of the Vedas, and other mysteries,
I have explained:
The rituals of the Vedas and the Upanisads,
I have included;
63 I have collected the Puranas, and
composed their history.
Listing the three divisions of time,
past, present, and future;
64 Decay and death, fear and disease,
I have included;
Life and non-life, different creeds,
various ways of living;
65 Rules for the four castes, essence of the Puranas,
an account of yoga,
Rules for the religious novice, dimensions
of earth, sun, and moon,
66 And of planets, stars, and constellations,
I have supplied;
The four yugas; Rk, Sama, and Yajur Vedas;
the Adhyatma,
67 Nyaya, the science of human orthoeopy, pathology,
charity, Pasupata,
Birth, divine and human, for different purposes,
are described in my poem;
[1:1:68-77]
Descriptions of places of pilgrimage,
and holy places,
Rivers, mountains, forests and seas,
are all in my poem;
Descriptions of celestial cities, of the kalpas,
the art of war,
Different nations, peoples, languages, customs,
are all in my poem.
All that is useful to all can be found in my poem; but I cannot find a human to take it all down.”
Brahma replied: “I respect you highly for your insight into the divine mysteries, and I declare it in front of this assembly of learned munis , famed for their holiness.
I am aware that you have revealed the Word of Brahma in the language of truth. You have called your work a poem. It shall be a poem.
It shall be a kavya no poet in this world will equal, just as the householders’ dharma is not equalled by the three other asramas.
Think of Ganesa; he will write down your poem.” Saying this (continued Sauti), Brahma returned to his abode.
So Vyasa imaginated Ganesa. And hardly had he thought than Ganesa,
Remover of obstacies, always ready to grant the wishes of his devotees, appeared at the place where Vyasa was sitting.
Vyasa welcomed him; he sat down; and Vyasa said, “Ganapati, lord of people, take down this poem called the Mahabharata that is in my mind, as I dictate it. Please be my scribe.”
[1:1:78-87]
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78 “With pleasure,” replied Ganesa, “but on one condition: my pen must not be allowed to stop even for a second.”
79 “Stop wherever you don’t understand,” said Vyasa. Ganesa agreed, intoning “ Aum ”. Vyasa began to dictate, and he began to write.
80 Vyasa, to gain time, dictated some tightly-knotted slokas. And the dictation proceeded according to agreement.
8 1 I know about eight thousand and eight hundred slokas
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(continued Sauti). So does Suka and, possibly, Sanjaya.
82 But to this day no one has been able to plumb the subtle meanings in those tightly-knitted slokas.
83 Even the omniscient Ganesa had to scratch his head over them, while Vyasa went on with his business of prolific composing.
84 Like a stick of collyrium
The wisdom of this poem opens the eyes Of a world swathed in darkness.
85 As the sun scatters darkness,
So the Mahabharata dispels ignorance,
By discoursing on Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksa.
86 As the full moon opens the waterlily
with soft light,
So this Purana expands the mind of man
with the light of sruti.
87 The womb of nature is a house of darkness.
This darkness is scattered by the lamp of history.
[1:1:88-96]
88 This poem is a tree.
Its seeds the list of contents,
Its roots the Pauloma and Astlka divisions,
Its trunk the section called Sambhava,
Its perches the Sabha and Aranya chapters,
Its organic knot the book of Arani;
89 Its pith Virata and Udyoga,
Its main branch the Bhlsma,
Its leaves the Drona,
Kama its lovely flowers,
90 Salya their fragrance,
Strl and Aisika its cool shade,
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Santi its great fruit.
9 1 Its undying sap the Asvamedha,
Asramavasika the place where it grows,
And Mausala the core of the Vedas.
92 All good Brahmins respect this tree.
It is like the clouds to man, exhaustless.
It is, to illustrious poets, a source of livelihood.
93 I will tell you (Sauti went on) about the eternal fruits and flowers of this tree. They are pure and pleasant to the taste; even the gods relish them.
94 On the advice of his mother and Bhlsma (the son of Gariga), Krsna-Dvaipay ana- Vyasa, by the two wives of Vicitravlrya, became the father of three sons, who shone like three flames.
95 Having fathered Dhrtarastra, Pandu and Vidura, Vyasa returned to his asrama to practise tapasya.
96 Until his three sons were dead, Vyasa did not present his Mahabharata to the world.
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[1:1:97-107] ^
97 But when Janamejaya and thousands of Brahmins earnestly requested him, he passed it on to his pupil Vaisampayana.
9 8 And V aisampay ana recited the epic, seated among his co¬
ascetics, during the intervals of the sacrificial ceremony, repeatedly encouraged to proceed whenever he would pause.
99 Vyasa has described in full detail the glory of the house of Kuru, the virtue of Gandhari, the wisdom of Vidura, and the constancy of Kuntl.
100 The maha-rsi has described the divinity of Krishna, the nobility of the sons of Pandu, the misconduct of the sons and followers of Dhrtara§tra.
1 0 1 Originally the Mahabharata , withoutthe fringe episodes, consisted of twenty four thousand slokas: this, to the learned, is the real epic.
1 02 Later he added a list of contents, summarising the epic in a hundred and fifty slokas.
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1 03 He taught this summary first to his son Suka, and then to such of his pupils as possessed the same qualifications.
104 After which, he added another collection of sixty lakh slokas. Of these thirty lakhs are known in the world of the gods.
105 Fifteen lakhs are known in the world of pitrs, fourteen lakhs in the world of the gandharvas, and one hundred thousand - one lakh - in the world of men.
1 06 Narada recited them to the gods, Asita and Devala to the
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pitrs, and Suka to the gandharvas, yaksas, and raksasas.
1 07 Vaisampayana, a pupil of Vyasa, a sage of firm principles and deeply learned in the Vedas, recited them to the world of human beings. I might add that 1, Sauti, have also recited one hundred thousand slokas.
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[1:1:108-116]
108 Duryodhana is a giant tree, born of passion;
Kama is its trunk,
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Sakuni its branches.
Duhsasana its fruits and flowers,
Unwise Dhrtarastra its root.
109 Yudhisthira is a giant tree, bom of dharma;
Arjuna is its trunk,
Bhima its branches,
The two sons of Madri its flowers and fruits,
Krishna, Brahma, and Brahmins its roots.
1 1 0 Having conquered many lands with wisdom and valour, Pandu retired to a forest to spend his last days among ascetics.
111 He brought misfortune upon himself when, while hunting, he struck down a stag coupling with a mate. And this misfortune was a warning to the princes of his line as long as they lived.
1 1 2 Following the rules of the sastras, his two queens, KuntI and Madri, accepted the love of the gods, Dharma, Vayu, Sakra-Indra, and the twin Asvins.
1 1 3 The children of these gods grew up under the care of their mothers in the company of ascetics and in holy asramas.
1 14 These Pandava children of the gods were taken by holy men to the presence of Dhrtarastra and his sons. The children had their hair knotted on their heads, and were dressed as brahmacaris.
1 15 “These are our pupils,” they said. “They are your sons, your brothers, and your friends. They are the Paridavas.” Saying which, they left.
1 1 6 When the Kauravas saw them introduced as the sons of Pandu, the noble group among them shouted joyous approval.
[1:1:117-126]
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117 But some maintained that they were not the sons of Pandu; others insisted they were. Some wondered how they could be the sons of Pandu - for had not Pandu died long ago?
118 But voices from all sides shouted: “They are welcome! Divine grace has given us the sons of Pandu! Let them be warmly welcomed everywhere!”
1 1 9 When the shouts of welcome stopped, loud voices of praise were heard echoing in the sky.
120 Fragrant flowers rained down; conches were blown, kettledrums sounded. Such wonders accompanied the arrival of the princes.
121 And the joyful chorus of the citizens, expressing their happiness on that occasion, swelled till it seemed to touch the sky.
1 22 Without the least fear from anyone, and respected by the citizens, the Pandavas lived there, studying the Vedas and other sastras.
123 The chief citizens were pleased with the integrity of Yudhisthira, the prowess ofBhlma, the courage of Arjuna,
124 The gentle service of Kuntl to her superiors, and the humility of Nakula and Sahadeva. Their heroic qualities impressed and delighted everyone.
125 Some years later, Arjuna showed his skill in a difficult archery contest, and obtained Draupadl as his wife at a svayamvara to which a large assembly of kings and princes had come.
126 From then on he was highly respected as an excellent archer. And on the battlefield he shone like the sun, dazzling his enemies.
[1:1:127-137]
'PLtC
He defeated all the neighbouring rulers and tribes, accomplishing what was necessary for Yudhisthira to perform the Rajasuya Yajna.
With Krishna’s advice and the strength of Bhlma and Arjuna, Yudhisthira slew the proud Jarasandha,
And earned the right to perform the Rajasuya sacrifice, a ritual requiring enormous provisions and offerings, and bestowing supreme merit.
Duryodhana attended this sacrifice. He saw on all sides the great wealth of the Pandavas -
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Offerings of gold and jewels, precious stones, horses and elephants, mantles, garments.
Shawls and furs, carpets made of the skin of the rahkava deer - and he was filled with envy and anger.
And when he saw the splendid assembly hall constructed by Maya in the style of a celestial palace, he could not control himself.
When some subtleties of the architecture confused him, Bhlma in the presence of Krishna mocked him as one of low birth.
It was brought to the notice of Dhrtarastra that his son Duryodhana, in spite of the enjoyments of the palace, was showing signs of leanness, paleness, and listlessness.
Because he loved his son, the blind king gave Duryodhana permission to play a game of dice with the Pandavas. Vasudeva-Krishna was furious when he heard of this.
Krishna was displeased, yet he did nothing to stop the bitterness; he overlooked the game and many terrible unjust events that happened because of it.
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[1. 1 : 1 38- 147] ^"3^
138 And, ignoring Bhisma, Drona, Vidura and Krpa (Saradvat’s son), the Ksatriyas killed each other in the great carnage that followed.
139 When Dhrtarastra heard of the Pandavas’ victory, he
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recalled the views of Duryodhana, Kama, and Sakuni;
1 40 He reflected a while and said to Sanjaya, “Sanjaya, listen to me. Listen to every word I have to say. You will then see that I do not deserve your contempt.
141 You are intelligent, wise, learned in the sastras. I never wanted war; I never wanted my race destroyed.
142 I made no distinction between my sons and the sons of Pandu.
143 My own sons were impulsive, and disliked me for I was old and blind. I endured it because I loved them, and because my state was miserable. I was a fond old father to a son whose folly grew daily.
1 44 My own son, a visitor to the great display of wealth by the powerful sons of Pandu, was mocked because he fumbled when entering the hall.
145 He could not stand the insult, and he knew he could not defeat the Pandavas in an open fight.
1 46 Instead of seeking noble success by his own efforts, with
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the help of Sakuni, the king of Gandhara, he planned an unfair game of dice.
1 47 Listen to me, Sanj aya. I will tell you all that happened and was brought to my knowledge. When you hear me recount the details, you will see that I am indeed a man with prophetic vision.
[1:1:148-154]
24 Ts^roJif]
148 I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
What was there for me to look forward to, when they brought me news that Aijuna
had bent the bow, pierced and grounded the target, married Krsna-Draupadi and carried her away in the very presence of the chiefs and princes?
149 I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya, when they brought me news that Aijuna
had abducted Subhadra of the race of Madhu, married her in the city of Dvaraka - and Subhadra’ s brothers, Krishna and Balarama, far from resenting it, entered Indraprastha as friends.
150 I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya, when they brought me news that Aijuna
had gratified Agni by feeding him the Khandava forest, and blocked the downpour of Indra, king of the gods, with celestial arrows.
151 I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya, when I heard that the five Pandavas
had escaped unhurt from the house of lacquer, that Vidura himself had arranged their escape.
152 I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya,
when Arjuna pierced the target and married DraupadI; and the brave Pane alas joined the Pandavas.
153 I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya,
when the shining star of the Ksatriyas, Jarasandha, foremost ruler of the Magadha dynasty, was killed by Bhima with his bare hands.
154 I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya,
when they brought me news that the sons of Pandu
had defeated all the rulers and chiefs in war,
and declared their victory by performing the Rajasuya.
[I. 1 . 155-161] 25
155 I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya,
when I heard that the weeping and unfortunate Draupadf wearing a one-piece dress, was dragged in her period, and shamed in the sabha with no one to save her.
156 When I heard that the scoundrel Duhsasana was foiled in his efforts to strip DraupadI,
her single garment unrolling into a giant pile of clothes, I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
157 When I heard that Yudhisthira, defeated in the
dice-game,
had lost his kingdom to Subala’s son, Sakuni, but continued to receive the support of his brothers,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
158 And when I heard that the weeping Pandava brothers shared their misfortune with their elder brother, consoling him, and following him faithfully to exile,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
159 When I heard that snatakas and pious Brahmins
followed Yudhisthira to exile in the forest,
• • *
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
r
160 When I heard that Arjuna had pleased three-eyed Siva, who appeared before him disguised as a hunter,
and obtained from the god of gods the celestial weapon Pasupata,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
1 6 1 When I heard that Arjuna had visited the region
of the gods,
and obtained divine weapons from the hands of Indra,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
26
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
[1:1:162-169]
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya, when I heard that Arjuna had routed the Kalakeyas and Paulomas,
f
so proud of the boon they had received from Siva, invincible even when fighting against gods.
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya, when I heard that Arjuna had journeyed to the realm of Indra,
killed the anti-gods, and returned in triumph.
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya, when I heard that Bhlma and the other sons of KuntI, accompanied by Vaisravana-Kubera had entered the country inaccessible to men.
I gave up all hope of victory, Safijaya, when I heard that my sons, advised by Kama, imprisoned by gandharvas while journeying on Ghosayatra, were rescued by Arjuna.
When I heard that Dharma, disguised as a yaksa, set questions to Yudhisthira,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya, when I leamt that my sons were unable to trace the disguised Pandavas and DraupadI in the kingdom of Virata.
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya,
when I heard that Arjuna, from a single chariot,
had routed my heroes in the kingdom of Virata.
When I heard that Virata, the king of Matsya, had offered to Arjuna his daughter Uttara, and Arjuna had accepted her for his son Abhimanyu, I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
[1:1:170-176]
27
^ \fyZs<c
170 When I heard that Yudhisthira, dice-defeated and
wealth-deprived,
exiled and separated from his relatives and friends, had gathered an army of seven aksauhinis,
I gave up all hope of victory, Safijaya.
1 7 1 When I heard that Krishna of the race of Madhu, who once straddled the universe with one foot, was busy seeking the welfare of the Pandavas,
I gave up all hope of victory, Safijaya.
172 When I heard that Narada thought fit to declare Krishna and Arjuna as Narayana and Nara, that both had been seen in the realm of Brahma,
I gave up all hope of victory, Safijaya.
173 I gave up all hope of victory, Safijaya,
when I heard that Krishna, solicitous of the welfare of the worlds,
had come to the Kauravas on a mission of peace, and returned disappointed.
174 I gave up all hope of victory, Safijaya,
when I heard that, resolving to imprison Krishna,
Kama and Duryodhana had conspired -
and Krishna had revealed the whole cosmos in himself.
175 When I heard that KuntI, weeping in her sorrow,
was consoled by Krishna as she stood near his chariot,
I gave up all hope of victory, Safijaya.
176 I gave up all hope of victory, Safijaya,
when I heard that Vasudeva-Krishna and Bhlsma,
f
Santanu’s son,
were the Pandavas’ advisers,
• • *
and that they had been blessed by Drona, son of Bharadvaja.
[ 1:1:177-183 ]
When I heard that Kama had said to Bhisma,
“When you fight, I will not fight,” and left,
1 gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
When I was told that Krishna, Arjuna, and the powerful Gandlva bow had joined forces,
1 gave up all hope of victory, Safijaya.
When I heard that Krishna revealed his Cosmic Universal Form to Arjuna, despondent near his chariot on the Kuruksetra battlefield,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
When I heard that Bhisma, the great foe-slayer, killed ten thousand warriors each day, but not one Pandava,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
When I heard that Bhisma, the son of Gariga, had revealed to his enemies the manner of his dying, and the Pandavas had joyously accepted his words,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
r
when I heard that Arjuna, using Sikhandin as a shield on his chariot,
had wounded the brave and invincible Bhisma.
When I heard that the old hero Bhisma,
having cut down the Somak&s till a handful remained,
himself lay dying on a bed of arrows,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
29
[1:1:184-189] of, tfjiL
184 When I heard that,
on request from BhTsma,
Aijuna pierced the ground with his arrow, and slaked Bhlsma’s thirst,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
1 85 When I heard that Vayu,
Indra and Surya
were helping the Pandavas, and beasts of prey were frightening our army,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
1 86 When I heard that Drona displayed varied war-skills, but could not kill a single one of the Pandavas,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
187 When I heard that
the maha-chariot-heroes called the Samsaptakas, assigned to kill Aijuna, had been killed by him,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
188 When I heard that Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra,
had pierced our cakravyu ha battle formation, defended by the strong-armed Drona himself, I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
189 When I heard that
our maha-chariot-heroes,
unable to fight Aijuna,
surrounded and slew the young Abhimanyu ,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
[1:1:190-195]
When I heard that the foolish Kauravas were joyfully praising the slaughter of young Abhimanyu, and Aijuna had taken his vow to kill Jayadratha,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
When I heard that Aijuna had taken the vow to kill S aindhava- Jay adratha and carried out his promise in the presence of his enemies,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
When I heard that Krishna, finding Aij una’s horses tired, unharnessed them, gave them water to drink, and re -harnessed them,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya, when I heard that Aijuna, while his horses were being watered,
singlehanded on his chariot fought off his assailants.
When I heard that Yuyudhana-Satyaki of the race of
Vrsni,
• • • *
after scattering the army of Drona (already mangled by an elephant attack}, had joined the camp of Krishna and Aijuna,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
When I heard that Kama dragged Bhima with his bow-end, had Bhima in his power, yet allowed him to escape with a few token insults,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
[1:1:196-201]
31
1 96 When I heard that Drona,
Krtavarman, Asvatthaman,
r
Krpa, Kama and Salya
in their very presence
let Saindhava-Jayadratha be slain,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
197 When I heard that Krishna, with consummate cunning,
r
had the divine weapon Sakti
(which Indra gave Kama)
used against the frightful-faced Ghatotkaca,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
198 When I heard that in the fight between Kama and Ghatotkaca,
Kama used the Sakti-missile,
(which was meant to kill Arjuna),
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
199 When I heard that Dhrstadyumna, breaking the rules of war, killed Drona as he lay unconscious in his chariot,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
200 I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya, when I heard that Nakula, son of Madrl,
made the chariot of the son of Droqa run in circles, and engaged him in equal combat in front of the armies.
20 1 I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya, when I heard that Drona’ s son Asvatthaman had misused his weapon, the Narayana, and failed to kill the Panciavas.
[1:1:202-208]
When I heard that Bhlma, with no one to stop him, had actually drunk the blood of his cousin-brother Duhsasana,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
When I heard that brave Kama was killed by Arjuna in battle in the war between brothers that baffled even the gods,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
When I heard that Yudhisthira had defeated Duhsasana,
*
fearful Krtavarman, and the son of Drona,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
When I heard Yudhisthira had killed the king of Madra, who once dared to challenge Krishna in battle,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
r
When I heard that magic-fingered Saubala-Sakuni, the root of the dice-game and the feud, had been killed by Sahadeva,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
When I heard that Duryodhana, tired and powerless, deprived even of his chariot, had escaped to a lake to hide in its waters,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
What I heard that Krishna along with the Pandavas arrived at the lake to insult Duryodhana who never brooked affront,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
[ 1:1:209-213 ]
33
209 When I heard that they slew Duryodhana, who was expert in club-fight, unjustly, with clubs, with counsel from Krishna,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
210 When I heard that Drona’s son Asvatthaman and others were guilty of the horrible slaughter of the Pancalas and the sons of DraupadI (murdered while sleeping),
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
2 1 1 When I heard that Asvatthaman, pursued by Bhlma, shot the foremost of weapons named Aisika at Uttara, wounding the baby Parlksit in Uttara’ s womb,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
212 When I heard that Brahmasira,
Asvatthaman ’s weapon, was repulsed by Arjuna with a weapon over which he uttered the blessing ‘Svasti’, and Asvatthaman surrendered his head-jewel,
I gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
2 1 3 When I heard that both Krishna and Dvaipayana-Vyasa cursed Asvatthaman for wounding the child in
Uttara’ s womb,
1 gave up all hope of victory, Sanjaya.
34
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
[1:1:214-222]
And I pity Gandhari.
All her children dead,
grandchildren, parents, brothers, relatives.
The Pandavas have fought an excellent war: they have now a kingdom without a rival.
Ten, I am told, in all
have survived this grief-giving war.
Three of us Kauravas.
And seven Pandavas.
Eighteen aksauhinis of Ksatriyas slaughtered.
Darkness surrounds me.
I feel faint. I am lost.
My senses fail. O Suta, my mind is confused.”
With these words (continued Sauti) Dhrtarastra moaned his fate. A profound sadness overcame him, and he lost his senses for a while. When he was revived, he spoke again to Sanjaya.
“I have no wish to live, Sanjaya,” said Dhrtarastra. “Let me take leave of life quickly. What is the point now of living?”
He sighed heavily like a serpent and fainted repeatedly (said Sauti); he babbled and wailed. Sanjaya, son of Gavalgana, spoke to him wisely:
“Maharaja, you have heard from Narada and Vyasa of very powerful men, men of remarkable industry,
Men of royal dynasties, of the highest qualities, skilled in the handling of divine weapons,
Men who fought just wars, conquered the world, performed the ritual sacrifices as ordained.
35
[1:1:223-235]
223 And in this manner, having obtained fame in this world, in the end nobly accepted death.
224 Vainya, the maha-chariot-hero Smjaya, the mighty Suhotra, Rantideva, Kaksivanta;
225 Bahlika, Damana, Saryati, Sibi, Nala; Foe-destroying Visvamitra, Ambarisa of great
strength;
226 Marutta, Manu, Iksvaku, Gaya, and Bharata;
r
Rama the son of Dasaratha, Sasabindu, Bhaglratha;
r
221 Yayati of auspicious deeds. When Saibya grieved over the loss of his children, Narada narrated to him the lives of these rajas.
22 8 Besides these, there were many other kings, maha-chariot- heroes, even more powerful than these;
229 All these maha-radiant mahatmas, died, like the others.
230 Puru, Kuru, Yadu, Sura, glorious Visvagasva;
231 Vijaya, Vitihotra, Ariga, Haya, Brhadguru, Uslnara, Kahola, Huhula, Dhruva;
232 Sahodhava, Pura, Vena, Sagara, Sankrti, Nimi;
r
Ajeya, Parasu, Pundra, Sambhu, Devavrata, Anagha;
233 Devahvaya, Supratlma, Supratlka, Brhadratha; Mahotsaha, Vimtatma, Sukrata, and the king of
Nisadha, Nala;
f
234 Satyavrata, Santabhava, Sumitra, the ruler Subala; Janujangha, Anaranya, Priyabhrtya, Sucivrata;
235 Balabandhu, Niramarada, Ketusrriga, Brhadbala; Dhrstaketu, Brhatketu, Diptaketu, Niramaya;
36
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
[1:1:236-246]
Adhiksu, Valala, Dhurta, Dhrdabandhu, Dhrdayudha;
Mahapuranasambhava, Pratyariga, Puraha; and Sruti.
Lord! Prabhul These and other rajas, hundreds and thousands of them, all powerful and wise like your sons,
Died like your sons, leaving behind huge wealth and lifetimes of pleasure.
These noble men, divinely brave, generous, faithful, pure, straightforward, and merciful, extolled by the poets of the Puranas, died.
Your sons were envious, selfish, passionate and vicious; but you are learned in the sastras, prudent and wise;
And those who follow the advice of the sastras are not likely to suffer grief or misfortune.
You cared for your sons, O Bharata descendant!
But Fate is fickle and ruthless.
This grief does you no credit.
Why grieve over the inevitable?
Who is so clever as to change fate?
Who steps beyond the decrees of karma?
Cosmic Time Kala brings everything:
Being and non-being,
Pleasure and pain.
Kala creates and Kala destroys,
Kala is the fire and Kala the extinguisher,
Kala is the god of good and evil.
Kala cuts us down and Kala creates anew.
[1. 1 .247-258] HiuT l^tiZ^ZfaJfZ ^ \ZyLf<± 37
247 Kala is awake when all things sleep.
Kala stands straight when all things fall.
Kala shuts in all and will not be shut.
248 Is, was and shall be are Kala’s children.
O Reason! Be witness! Be stable!”
249 Sauti said: In this way Sanjaya, the son of Gavalgana, comforted king Dhrtarastra, grief-stricken at the deaths of his sons, and brought him peace of mind.
250 Using these facts, Krsna-Dvaipayana-Vyasa composed the sacred Upanisad that has spread all over the world in the Puranas of learned and holy poets.
25 1 The study of the Bharata is an act of faith. One line read with reverence washes away the reader’s ill deeds.
252 This Bharata describes gods, deva-rsis, Brahmins, yaksas and maha-uraga nagas.
253 It describes the eternal Vasudeva-Krishna, who is true, just, pure and holy.
254 It describes the eternal Sanatana Brahma, who is true light, whose deeds of divine glory are sung by wise men,
255 From whom flows non-being, and simultaneous being and non-being, who governs growth and progress, who is the source of birth, death and rebirth.
256 It describes the Adhyatma, which has the qualities of the five elements, to which the word “unmanifested” or any word like it does not apply;
257 And which the ascetics, in deep Dhy ana- Yoga, see in their hearts as an image in a mirror.
258 The man who has faith and is steady in the pursuit of dharma will be freed of defects if he reads this parva of the Bharata.
38
[1:1:259-267]
259 And no difficulties will trouble the man of faith who listens to this first section of the Bharata from the beginning.
260 The man who repeats any part of the first section in the samdhya-twilight of the morning and the samdhya-twilight of the evening is freed, at the time of repetition, of all misdeeds committed in the day and night.
26 1 In the first section of the Bharata is truth and essence.
Like butter among curd, like a Brahmin among men,
262 Like the ocean among lakes,
like the Aranyaka among the Vedas, like nectar among medicines, like the cow among animals,
263 Is the poem of Vyasa among histories.
Whoever has a line from it recited
by a Brahmin at a sraddha , offers his ancestors food and drink inexhaustible.
264 The Vedas are explained by the help of history and the Puranas.
265 But the Vedas fear men of small learning, for such men distort them. Let learned men recite only the Bharata and be benefited.
266 Even the crime of men guilty of killing an embryo is cancelled if they recite the Bharata at every change of the moon.
267 I repeat: Whoever reads the first section reads the whole Bharata. The man who every day humbly hears the holy words of the epic,
39
268-272] ^
Lives long, and finds heaven. Once upon a time, the gods met and placed the four Vedas at one end
And the Bharat a at the other end of the scale. The Bharata was heavier.
From then on, it was called the Mahabharata. It is greater than the Vedas in substance and seriousness;
It is called the Mahabharata because in substance and seriousness it is superior. Whoever knows this is saved.
For tapasya, study, pursuit of knowledge and wealth are all virtuous; it is abuse of them that makes them harmful.
40
[1:2:1-10]
SECTION TWO
1 The sages said, “Tell us all about the place you call Samanta-pancaka.”
2 Listen to my sacred words (replied Sauti). You are the best of men and most qualified to hear them.
3 When the Treta-yuga ended and the Dvapara began, the greatest of arms-wielders, Parasurama, exterminated all the Ksatriyas of the world.
4 He destroyed them with his own prowess and created five lakes of blood at Samanta-pancaka.
5 And, standing in the blood-waters, still blind with wrath, he offered oblations to the spirits of his ancestors.
6 Rcika and other ancestors appeared before him and said, “Rama, blessed Parasurama, son of Bhrgu, we are pleased
7 With your filial devotion and your prowess, and we bless you. Ask a boon, O mighty one!”
8 Parasurama said:
“Fathers, spirits of my ancestors, if in any way I have pleased you, grant me this boon:
Absolve me of the crime of killing Ksatriyas in anger.
9 These lakes that I have made, turn them into shrines, the most sacred in the world.”
The pitrs replied:
“Go in peace,
It will be as you wish.”
10
[1:2:11-23]
41
1 1 From then on the region around those five lakes of blood came to be known as Samanta-pancaka.
12 For the wise have said that places should be known by auspicious associations that make them memorable.
1 3 At the end of the Dvapara and the beginning of the Kalr-
yuga, a great battle was fought at Samanta-pancaka
between the Kauravas and the Pandavas.
• •
14 In that sacred defectless region, eighteen aksauhinis of soldiers gathered for war.
15 They were killed to the last man in that place. That explains, O Brahmins, its name: “The Final End”.
1 6 That is all I have to say about that holy and lovely region, O best among Brahmins; it is a place whose name is celebrated in the three worlds.
1 7 The rsis said: “Tell us, O Suta’s son, about the aksauhini that you just mentioned.
1 8 Teil us the number of foot and horse, chariot and elephant in an aksauhini. You know everything.”
19 One chariot, one elephant, five foot-soldiers and three horsemen make a patti (replied Sauti),
20 Three pattis makes a senamukha , three senamukhas make a gulma.
2 1 Three gulmas make a gana , three ganas a vahini , three vahinis a pritana.
22 Three pr it anas are a camu , three camus an anikini , and ten anlkinis are described by those who know as an aksauhini.
23 O best of Brahmins, it has been calculated by mathematicians that there are, in one aksauhini,
42
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
[1:2:24-35]
Twenty one thousand eight hundred and seventy chariots, and the same number of elephants;
One hundred and nine thousand three hundred and fifty foot soldiers;
Sixty-five thousand six hundred and ten horses.
Those who are good at calculation will see that I have accurately described the numbers of an aksauhini,
And it was precisely on this basis that the eighteen
aksauhinis of the Kauravas and the Pandavas were • • • •
calculated.
Cosmic Time Kala assembled them in this place; Kala made the Kauravas the cause; Wonder-working Kala killed them all.
Bhlsma, skilled in weapons, fought for ten days;
Drona defended the Kaurava army for five days.
Kama, foe-slayer, fought for two days; Salya for half a day; and for half a day was the fight with maces between Duryodhana and Bhlma.
When the day ended, Asvatthaman, Krtavarman and Krpa slaughtered the sleeping soldiers in Yudhisthira’s camp.
r
O Saunaka, the Bharata , this greatest of stories, narrated here at your sacrifice, was earlier recited at the snake- sacrifice of Janamejaya by the intelligent pupil of Vyasa.
It describes in full the fame and valour of the kings of the world.
Three parvas in the beginning, the Pausya, Pauloma and AstTka,
[1:2:36-46]
43
3 6 Are filled with exquisite descriptions in beautiful language.
As those who seek moksa accept the path of renunciation, so the wise accept the Bharata.
As the Atman among what should be known, as life among things held most dear,
So is the Bharata among histories and scriptures. There is no story in the world that does not depend on the Bharata .
As the body cherishes the food it eats, as an ambitious servant seeking promotion
Serves willingly a master of noble birth, so all poets serve and cherish the Bharata.
As vowels and consonants make up the words of the Vedas, the highest knowledge goes to the making of this excellent epic.
42 Let me now give you an outline of the parvas in the Bharata, for this history is full of subtleties, intricate logic, and Vedic profundities.
43 The first parva is the Anukramanika; the second Samgraha; next the Pauloma, Pausya, Astlka, Adivamsavatarana;
44 Then the wonderful and thrilling Sambhava; the Burning of the House of Lac; the Hidimba;
45 The Baka-vadha, the Caitraratha, the Svayarhvara of Draupadl;
46 Then, after the rivals are defeated in righteous battle, the Marriage Parva; the Viduragamana, the Rajyalabha;
37
38
39
40
41
44
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
[1:2:47-60]
Then, the Parva of Arjuna’s exile in the forest; then the Abduction of Subhadra, the Harana-harika;
The Burning of the Khandava forest; the Meeting with Maya; the Sabha-Parva, and Mantra-Parva;
The Killing of Jarasandha; the Digvijaya; after the Digvijaya, the Rajasuyika;
r
Then the Arghabhiharana; the Killing of Sisupala; then the Gambling, and Consequences of Gambling;
Then the Aranyaka; the Killing of Kirmira; the Arjunabhigamana; the Kairata,
r
Which describes the fight between Arjuna and Siva; then the Journey to Indra’s Realm;
The sweet, touching and moral Tale of Nala; the Pilgrimage of the King of the Kauravas:
The Killing of Jatasura; the Battle of the Yaksas; and Ajagara;
The Dilemma of Markandeya, and the Meeting of DraupadI and Satyabhama:
Ghosa-yatra; the Dream of the Deer; Vrhidraunikam- akhyanam; the Anantaram;
The Abduction of DraupadI; the Freeing of Jayadratha; the Story of SavitrT, celebrating the sanctity of marriage;
The Story of Rama; then the Theft of the Ear-Rings;
The Aranya; the Virata, where the Pandavas went and fulfilled their pledge;
The Slaughter of KIcaka; the Cattle-Rustling; the Marriage of Abhimanyu to Virata’s daughter;
[1:2:61-74]
45
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
The Parva called Udyoga, a wonderful section; the Arrival of Sanjaya;
The Anxiety of Dhrtarastra in the Prajagara; the Sanat- sujata containing the secrets of religious philosophy;
The Yanasamdhi; the Arrival of Krishna; the story of Malatl and Galava;
The stories of Savitrl, Vamadeva, and Vainya; the Jamadagni, and of Sodasarajika;
The Arrival of Krishna at Court; the Vidula-putrasasana: the Gathering of Armies; the Story of Sita;
The Quarrel of Mahatma Kama: the March of the Kaurava- Pandava Ranks to the Field of Battle;
The Numbering of Rathas and Atirathas; the Arrival of the Wrath-kindling Messenger, Uluka;
The Story of Amba; the Splendid Installation of Bhisma as Commander-in-Chief;
The Account of the Creation of Jambu and Bhumi; the Account of the Varied Islands;
The Bhagavad-GIta; the Death of Bhisma; the Installation of Drona; the Massacre of the Samsaptakas;
The Killing of Abhimanyu; the Vow of Aijuna: the Death of Jayadratha; the Killing of Ghatotkaca;
The Horripilating Parva of Drona’ s Death; the Use of the Narayana Weapon;
The Kama Parva; the Salya Parva; the Descent in the Lake and the Fight with Maces;
The Sarasvata Parva; the Descriptions of TIrthas; the List of Genealogies; the Sauptika, giving details of disgraceful Kaurava deeds;
46
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
[1:2:75-86]
The Dread-inspiring Aisika Parva; the Water-oblations to the Dead; the Wailing Women;
r ,
The Sraddha-Parva, describing the funeral rites for the slain Kauravas; the Killing of Carvaka, who came disguised as a Brahmin;
The Coronation of Dharmaraja Yudhisthira; the Grha- pravibhaga;
f
The Santi Parva; the Narration of Raja-dharma; the Narration of Apa-dharma, and of Moksa-dharma;
r
The Suka Prasna-avigamana; the Narration of Brahma’s Questions; the Origin of Durvasas; the Meeting with Maya;
The Anusasana comes next; followed by the Ascent of Bhisma to Heaven;
The Defect-Absolving Horse Sacrifice; the Anu-glta, full of religious philosophy;
The Retirement to the Asrama; the Vision of the Dead Sons; the Arrival of Narada;
The Mausala, filled with deeds of cruelty and terror; the Mahaprasthana, and the Ascent to Heaven;
Then comes the Parva called the Khila Harivamsa which contains the Visnu Parva, describing the Childhood of Krishna and the Killing of Karhsa;
Finally, there is the Parva of the Future, containing many prophecies. These are the hundred parvas of Mahatma Vyasa.
Placing them in eighteen sections, the son of Lomaharsana, the descendant of Suta, recited them in the forest of Naimisa.
[1:2:87-99]
47
Tut
87 Only an abridgment is given here. The Adi Parva contains Pausya, Pauloma, AstTka, Adivamsavatarana;
88 Sambhava; The Burning of the Lacquer House; the Killings of Hidi.mba, Baka, and Caitraratha; the Svayam- vara of DraupadI;
89 Her marriage after the defeat of the rivals in a just battle; the Arrival of Vidura; the Recovery of the Kingdom;
90 Arjuna’s Forest Exile; the Abduction of Subhadra; the Gift and Acceptance of the Marriage Dowry;
9 1 The Meeting with Maya. So much for the Adi Parva. The Pausya describes the greatness of Uttarika.
92 The Pauloma Parva gives an account of Bhrgu and his descendants. The AstTka describes the birth of Garuda and the Nagas;
93 The Churning of the Ocean; the Birth of Ucchaihsravas; and, finally, the Bharata Dynasty,
94 As described at the snake-sacrifice of raja Panksit. The Sambhava Parva narrates the births of various kings,
95 Sages and heroes; the Birth of Krsna-Dvaipayana-Vyasa; the partial incarnations of the gods;
96 The Birth of the Daityas, Danavas, mighty Yaksas, Gandharvas, of birds,
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97 Of all creatures; and finally, of Sakuntala’s son by Dusyanta at the asrama of holy Kanva.
98 (The son’s name Bharata is the name by which his descendants are known);
99 It also describes the glory of the Bhagirathl; the Births of the Vasus in the House of Santanu; their Return to Heaven;
48
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
[1:2:100-112]
The Birth of the “Awesome” Bhlsma; his Renunciation of Kingship; his Vow of Celibacy;
His Adherence to the Vow; his Rescue of Citrarigada; his Care of his Younger Brother after Citrarigada’s Death;
His Installation of Vicitravirya on the Throne; the Birth of Dharma as a Result of Animandavya’s Curse;
The Births of Dhrtarastra and Pandu, by the Blessing of Krsna-Dvaipay ana- Vyasa; the Births of the Pandavas;
The Plot of Duryodhana to exile the Pandavas to Varan avata; and other plots of the sons of Dhrtarastra against the Pandavas;
The Advice given to Yudhisthira in the language of the mlecchas by Vidura, well-wisher of the Pandavas;
The Digging of the Tunnel following Vidura’s Advice; the Burning of Purocana
And the sleeping Huntress with her five sons in the Lacquer House; the Forest-Meeting of the Pandavas with Hidimba;
The Killing of Hidimba by mighty Bhima; the Birth of Ghatotkaca;
The Meeting of the Pandavas with Vyasa; their Stay, on his advice, in a Brahmin’s house in Ekacakra,
In disguise; the Killing of Baka and the Astonishment of the People;
The Marvellous Births of Krsna-Draupadf and Dhrstadyumna; hearing the Brahmin bring news of the Svayamvara, as asked by Vyasa,
And with the desire of winning the hand of DraupadT, the Departure of the Pandavas to Pancala;
[1:2:113-124]
49
1 1 3 The Victory of Arjuna over Arigaraparna on the bank of the BhagirathI; making peace with him, hearing from him
1 1 4 Accounts of Tapatl, Vasistha, and Aurva: the Arrival of
the Pandava brothers at Pancala:
• •
1 15 The Piercing of the Target by Aijuna in the capital of Pancala; the winning of DraupadI by Arjuna in front of all the kings of the world;
1 1 6 The Ensuing Battle and the Victory of Arjuna and Bhlma
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over Salya, Kama, and the other incensed kings;
117 The Discovery of Bala ram a and Krishna, from their mighty feats, that the Pandavas were brothers;
118 Their Arrival at the Potter’s House where the brothers were staying; the Grief of Drupada, because DraupadI would be married to five husbands;
1 1 9 And as a result, the Wonderful Story of the Five Indras; the splendid, divinely organised marriage of DraupadI;
120 The Despatch of Vidura as envoy to the Pandavas by the sons of Dhrtarastra; his Arrival and Meeting with Krishna;
1 2 1 The L ife of the Pandavas in Indraprastha; their Rule over half the kingdom; Narada’s rules for Draupadl’s routine with the five Pandavas.
122 The histories of Sunda and Upasunda follow; the Departure of Arjuna to the forest according to his promise
1 23 Because he surprised Y udhisthira and DraupadI together in the room which he entered
124 To pick up his weapons in order to save the cattle of a Brahmin; the Meeting of Arjuna and Ulupl on the way.
50
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
[1:2:125-135]
The Birth of Babhruvahana; Accounts of Arjuna’s Visits to many places of pilgrimage, the Release by Arjuna of the five celestial maidens
Changed into crocodiles by the curse of a mendicant Brahmin; the Meeting of Arjuna and Krishna at the pilgrimage of Prabhasa;
Arjuna’s Carrying Away of Subhadra, with Krishna’s permission, in a chariot propelled by the driver’s will;
Arjuna’s Acceptance of Krishna’s dowry and his return to Indraprastha; the Birth of Abhimanyu, of superhuman powers, in the womb of Subhadra;
The Births of Draupadl’s Children, the Pleasure Trip of Krishna and Arjuna to the banks of the Yamuna;
Their Acquisition of the famous bow, the GandTva, and the cakra; the Burning of the Khandava forest; the saving of the lives of Maya and the snake;
The giving birth to a son by the sage Mandapala in the womb of a bird called sarhgi. All this is part of the Adi Parva.
Mighty Vyasa organised the Adi Parva in two hundred and twentyseven sections.
These two hundred and twentyseven sections contain eight thousand eight hundred and eightyfour slokas.
The second Parva, the Sabha, is large and crowded. It describes the construction of the assembly hall by the Pandavas, and enumerates their retainers.
It contains a description of the Courts of the Lokapalas by Narada, skilled in his knowledge of the heavenly regions; the preliminaries of the Rajasuya sacrifice, the Killing of Jarasandha;
[1:2:136-148]
51
136 The Release by Vasudeva-Krishna of the princes imprisoned by Jarasandha in Girivraja; the Campaign of World Conquest by the Pandavas;
137 The Arrival of the Tribute-bringing Princes to the Rajasuya sacrifice; the Killing of Sisupala at the sacrifice, in connection with the arghya- ceremony;
138 Duryodhana’s Displeasure and Envy at the sight of the colossal sacrificial preparations; Bhima’s Public Ridicule of Duryodhana;
139 The Preparations for the Dice-game; Yudhisthira’s Defeat
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at the hands of cunning Sakuni;
140 Dhrtarastra’s Kindness towards DraupadI, tossing like a boat on the stormy waves of her ocean of sorrows;
141 Duryodhana’s repeated attempts to entice Yudhisthira into a second dice-game;
142 And the Exile of Yudhisthira and his brothers. These
• •
make up what Vyasa describes as the Sabha Parva.
1 43 This Parva has seventy-eight sections; it contains, O best of Brahmins,
1 44 Two thousand five hundred and seven slokas. After this comes the third Parva, called the Aranya.
1 45 It describes the Departure of the Pandavas to the forest, led by Yudhisthira followed by the citizens.
146 Yudhisthira’s Propitiation of the sun-god, on the advice of Dhaumya, in order to ensure food and water for his company.
1 47 The Supply of inexhaustible Food as a result; the Expulsion of Vidura, constant well-wisher of his master;
148 Vidura’s Coming to the Pandavas; his Return to Dhrtarastra at Dhrtarastra’s request:
• •• •••• j.
52
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
[1:2:149-160]
The Plot of Duryodhana, on Kama’s instigation, to kill the Pandavas while they roamed in the forest;
The Appearance of Vyasa and his attempt to dissuade wicked Duryodhana from pursuing the Pandavas in the forest; the History of Surabhl;
The arrival of Maitreya; his Instructions to Duryodhana, his Curse on Duryodhana;
The Slaying of Kirmlra by Bhima; the Arrival of the Pancalas and Vrsnis
After they heard of the Pandavas’ defeat in the unfair game of dice; the Arrival of Krishna, and his calming of enraged Dhananjaya-Arjuna;
The Lament of DraupadT before Madhava-Krishna and the manner of Krishna’s consoling her;
The Story of the Fall of Saubha (as the great rsi describes it), the Departure of Krishna to Dvaraka with Subhadra and her son;
Dhrstadyumna’s Bringing of Draupadl’s sons to Pancala; the entry of the Pandavas inside the enchanting forest of Dvaita;
The Conversations of Bhima, DraupadT, and Yudhisthira;
The Coming of Vyasa to the Pandavas; the great rsi ’s gift of the power of pratismrti to Yudhisthira;
The Departure of Vyasa; the Pandavas’ retirement to the forest of Kamyaka; the Wanderings of Arjuna of limitless prowess in quest of weapons;
/
His Encounter with Siva who was disguised as a hunter; his Meeting with the Lokapalas, and his obtaining weapons from them;
[1.2. 161-171] r~lfc\£ A|a.(U^£r*ft ^ VtjijU. 53
161 His journey to the celestial regions of Indra, and the consequent anxiety of Dhrtarastra;
1 62 The Grief of Y udhisthira after his meeting with the sage Brhadasva.
163 In this Parva also is the touching, sacred story of Nala recommending the patience of Damayant! and the nobility of Nala;
164 The Acquisition by Yudhisthira of the tricks of dice¬ playing from the great sage; the arrival of rsi Lomasa from the celestial regions to where the Pandavas were;
165 The Information given to the noble Pandavas that their third brother was spending some time in the celestial regions;
1 66 The Pilgrimages of the Pandavas to various holy places, as requested by Arjuna; and the consequent attainment of great merit and virtue;
167 The Arrival of Narada at the holy place called Pulastya; and the journey of the noble Pandavas to the same pilgrimage spot;
168 The Removal of Kama’s flesh-ear-orn aments by Indra; the Great Sacrifice of Gaya;
169 The Story of Agastya, describing how he devoured the anti-god Vatapi; and his relations with Lopamudra with the intention of having children;
1 70 The Story of Rsyasrriga who was a celibate ascetic from childhood; the story of powerful Balarama, son of Jamadagni,
1 7 1 Which also contains an account of the deaths of Karta- vlrya and Haihaya; the Meeting of the Pandavas and Vrsnis in the holy spot called Prabhasa;
54
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
[1:2:172-183]
The Story of Sukanya in which Bhrgu’s son, Cyavana, compelled the Asvins to drink soma-juice at the sacrifice
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of king Saryati,
And in which Bhrgu’s son achieved perpetual youth; the career of king Mandhata:
The Story of Prince Jantu, and how king Somaka sacrificed his only son, Jantu, and got a hundred other sons;
The enchanting Tale of the Hawk and the Dove; the
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Testing of king Sibi by Indra, Agni, and Dharma;
The Story of Astavakra, which records the philosophical debate, at the yajna of Janaka,
Between Astavakra, and the foremost logician Vandi, the sonofVaruna;
The Defeat of Vandi, and the Release of the father of Astavakra from the ocean; the Story of Yavakrlta; the Story of Raibhy a;
The Departure of the Pandavas for Gandhamadana, and their stay in the Narayana asrama; Bhlma’s Journey to Gandhamadana at the request of Draupadi;
His encounter, in a banana grove, with powerful Hanuman, the son of Pavana;
His Bath in the Pond and his destruction of its flowers while searching for the fragrant blossom Nalini; his battle with raksasas,
Yaksas, and Manimat, all terribly powerful; his Killing of the asura Jata;
The Meeting with the sage Vrsaparva; the Departure of the Pandavas to the asrama of Arstisena, and their stay there;
55
[1:2: 184-196] f^kib^rajfZ
1 84 DraupadT’s stirring up Bhlma against the Kauravas; the Ascent of Kailasa by Bhlma, and his battle there
185 With the powerful yaksas led by Manimat; the Meeting of the Pandavas with Vaisravana-Kubera, and the Meeting with Aijuna after he obtained divine weapons;
186 The Furious Battle between Aijuna and the Nivatakavacas, who lived in Hiranyapura;
187 Aij una’s Battles with the Paulomas and Kalakeyas, and how he destroyed them;
188 The Attempt by Aij una to demonstrate his divine weapons to Yudhisthira; Narada’s Prevention of this;
1 89 The Descent of the Pandavas from Gandhamadana; the Seizure of Bhlma by the mountain-huge snake;
190 The Release of Bhlma after Yudhisthira had answered certain questions put to him by the snake;
191 The Return of the Pandavas to the Kamyaka forest; the Arrival of Krishna to see
192 The sons of Pandu, the Arrival of rsi Markandeya; his various didactic recitations;
193 The story of Prthu, son of Vena, as recited by the sage; also the stories of Sarasvatl and rsi Tarksya;
194 The Story of Matsya: and many other old narratives re¬ told by Markandeya;
195 The Stories of Indradyumna and Dhundumara; the Story of the Chaste Wife; the History of Arigiras;
196 The Meeting and Conversation between DraupadT and Satyabhama; the Return of the Pandavas to the forest of Dvaita;
56
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
[1:2:197-209]
The Branding of the Calves; the Capture of Suyodhana- Duryodhana by the Gandharvas and Arj una’s rescue of the scoundrel as he was being carried away;
Dharmaraja-Yudhisthira’s Dream of the Deer; the Return of the Pandavas to the Kamayaka forest;
The Long Story of Vrhidraunika, where also is the story of Durvasas;
Jayadratha’s Abduction of DraupadI from the asrama; the Pursuit of the culprit by Bhlma,
Swift as the wind; the Cutting-off of Jayadratha’s hair by Bhlma; the Long Story of the Ramayana ,
Which describes how Rama used his prowess to kill Ravana; the Story of Savitri;
The Deprivation of Kama’s ear-omaments by Indra, and the Gift of the Weapon called Sakti by Indra to Kama;
The Story called Aranya in which Dharma gives advice to his son Yudhisthira, and which describes the journey of the Pandavas westwards after they received a boon.
These are described in detail in the third parva called the Aranya.
The Parva contains two hundred and sixtynine divisions;
It has eleven thousand six hundred and sixtyfour slokas. Then comes the large Virata Parva.
It describes how the Pandavas came to the kingdom of Virata and hid their weapons in a sami tree near a cremation ground in the outskirts of the city;
And how they entered the city and moved about in it disguised; how Bhlma slew the wicked KIcaka
[1:2:210-222]
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210 Who lusted for DraupadT; how Duryodhana tried to discover the secret of the disguised Pandavas
211 By ordering clever spies to look for them in every comer of the land, and how they failed in their mission.
212 It also describes the rustling of Virata cattle by the Trigartas, and the fierce battle that followed;
2 1 3 The Capture of king Virata by the enemy and his release by Bhlma; the Freeing of the Cattle by the Pandava Bhima;
2 1 4 The Rustling of the Cattle again by the Kauravas and the Rout of their warriors by Arjuna, fighting singlehanded;
2 1 5 The Freeing of the Cattle by Arjuna; the Offer of Virata to marry his daughter to foe-destroying Abhimanyu,
216 Son of Arj una by Subhadra. These are the contents of the large fourth Parva called the Virata.
217 Maha-rsi Vyasa composed this parva in sixtyseven sections;
218 It contains two thousand and fifty slokas.
219 Listen to the contents of the fifth Parva, the Udyoga. When the Pandavas were living in Upaplavya,
220 All eager for battle, Arjuna and Duryodhana went to Krishna, each saying, “Be on my side in this war.”
221 As soon as he heard these words, mahatma Krishna replied, “O best among men, on one side is a non-fighting counsellor like me.
222 And on the other an aksauhini of soldiers - which would you prefer?” Not realising what was good for him, Duryodhana chose the soldiers.
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223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
[1:2:223-235]
Arjuna chose the Krishna who would not fight. Then follows an account of how Salya the king of Madra came to the help of the Pandavas;
How, on the way, he was tricked by Duryodhana into granting him a boon, which was that Duryodhana would
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get Salya’ s help in the war.
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And how Salya went to the Pandavas to console them by relating to them the story of Indra’s victory over Vrtra.
This is followed by the despatch of a purohita by the Pandavas to the Kauravas. King Dhrtarastra,
Hearing the story of Indra’s victory from the purohita, decided to send his own purohita, but finally despatched Sanjaya to negotiate with the Pandavas for peace terms.
Dhrtarastra was supplied full reports about the Pandavas, their allies, Krishna, and others, as a result of which
He was restless and sleepless. Vidura then gave the wise king varied and sound advice.
At this time Sanatsujata supplied many excellent truths of spiritual philosophy
To the disturbed and sorrowing king. Next morning, in the royal court, Sanjaya spoke
Of the deep friendship betwen Krishna and Arjuna. It was at this time that Krishna, out of kindness and wishing to eastablish peace,
Personally went to Hastinapura the Kaurava capital. Duryodhana rejected the offer of peace of Krishna,
An offer that would have benefited both parties. Then comes the Story of Dambhodbhava;
The Search for a Bridegroom by noble Matali for his daughter; the History of the great sage Galava;
[1:2:236-248]
59
236 The Story of the training of the son of Vidula; having heard of the evil designs of Kama and Duryodhana,
237 Krishna’ s Display ofhis yogic powers before the gathering of kings; Krishna’s taking Kama in his chariot in order to give him sensible advice.
238 The Return of foe-destroying Krishna, from Hastinapura to Upaplavya,
239 And his Account to the Pandavas of all that happened. And when the foe-chastising Pandavas
240 Had heard everything, they consulted among themselves, and decided to prepare for war.
24 1 Then comes the March from Hastinapura of foot soldiers, cavalry, charioteers and elephants; the Review of Soldiers by both sides; the Despatch of Uluka to the Pandavas by Duryodhana
242 As an envoy a day before the great battle; then the Review of the Different Charioteers; and finally, the Story of Amba.
243 All this is described in the fifth parva of the Bharata which is filled with material relating to peace and war.
244 The great Vyasa, O maharsis, composed this parva in one hundred and eighty six sections.
245 And the great Vyasa included in it six thousand one hundred and ninetyeight slokas.
246 Then follows the marvellous Bhisma Parva. In it Sanjaya gives an account of the creation of the territory of Jambu.
248 In this parva maha-minded Vasudeva- Krishna dispels the scruples of Partha-Arjuna by providing arguments from the philosophy of Moksa.
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249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
[1:2:249-261]
This also relates how selfless Krishna, seeing the Pandava army losing, leapt from his chariot.
And rushed fearless, whip in hand, to kill Bhisma. In this also Krishna rebukes Arjuna,
Master of the Gan diva bow and greatest of all warriors and weapon-wielders. In this the archer Aijuna, using
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Sikhandln as a shield,
Pierces Bhisma with his sharpest arrows, toppling him out of his chariot, so that he lies on an arrow-bed.
This large parva is the sixth in the Bharata. It consists of one hundred and seventeen sections.
It has five thousand eight hundred and eightyfour slokas composed by Veda-wise Vyasa.
It is followed by the parva called the Drona, which is filled with wonderful incidents.
It describes the Installation as commander-in-chief of Drona, the great guru; the Vow to take Yudhisthira prisoner,
Made by the supreme expert of weapons Drona in order to please Duryodhana; the Retreat of Aijuna before the Samsaptaka warriors;
Aijuna’ s Victory over Bhagadatta. a warrior who, on his elephant Supratlka, was like Indra himself;
The Killing of the young Abhimanyu, alone and helpless, by a gang of chariot warriors, among them Jayadratha;
After the death of Abhimanyu, Arjuna’ s slaughter of seven aksauhinis of soldiers, and also of Jayadratha;
Then the Search for Partha- Aijuna by mighty Bhlma and the chariot- warrior Satyaki, who, acting on orders from Yudhisthira,
[1.2 .262-27 3] 61
262 Forced entry into the Kaurava ranks, a feat considered impossible even by the gods; the Destruction of the Samsaptakas.
263 The Drona Parva narrates the death of Alambusa,
• » ? r
Srutayus, Jalasandha, Samadatti, Virata, the maha-chariot- warrior Drupada,
264 Ghatotkaca, and others; and how, losing his temper hearing of the death of his father Drona in battle, Asvatthaman
265 Shot his gruesome missile Narayana; and the story of
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Si va-Rudra’ s glory, in connection with the Agni-missile;
266 The Arrival of Vyasa, and the accounts by him of the glories of Krishna and Partha-Arjuna.
267 These matters are given in detail in the seventh parva of the Bharata, in which all the kings and heroic chiefs mentioned die.
268 This parva contains one hundred and seventy sections. The number of slokas composed in it by the maharsi,
269 The son of Parasara, and the lord of great knowledge, Vyasa, is eight thousand and nine hundred.
270 Then comes the magnificent parva called the Kama. It describes the Appointment of the rajaofMadra as Kama’s charioteer,
27 1 The Story of the Death of the anti-god Tripura; the Bitter
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Quarrel between Kama and Salya on the eve of battle,
272 And, as an insulting reference, the Story of the Swan and the Crow; the Death of Pandya at the hands of mahatma Asvatthaman;
273 The Death of Dandasena; and of Danda; the Enormous Risk of Yudhisthira engaging in single combat with Kama
62
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
[1:2:274-286]
In front of all the assembled warriors; the Acrimonious Exchange between Arjuna and Yudhisthira;
Krishna’s Attempt to calm down Arjuna; Bhlma’s Fulfilment of his Vow by ripping open Duhsasana’s chest
And drinking his blood on the battlefield; the Killing of Kama by Arjuna in single combat.
Those who know the Bharata know this as the eighth parva. It contains sixtynine sections.
In this parva there are four thousand nine hundred and sixtyfour slokas.
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The magnificent parva called Salya comes next. After the deaths of all the great warriors, the raja of Madra was chosen commander.
A series of battles between different charioteers is described in it; then the deaths of the leading warriors among the Kauravas;
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Then the Death of Salya at the hands of Yudhisthira, and
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the Death of Sakuni at the hands of Sahadeva.
With just a handful of his soldiers surviving, Duryodhana escaped to a lake, made room for himself in its waters, and lay hidden there.
Some hunters brought Bhlmathis news. By nature unable to stand insult, Duryodhana rose out of the lake,
Provoked by the taunts of Yudhisthira. Then comes a report of the club-duel between Bhlma and Duryodhana;
The Arrival of Balarama at the site of the duel; the Sanctity of the river Sarasvatl;
The Progress of the Duel with Maces; the Smashing of Duryodhana ’s Thigh
[1:2:287-298]
63
287 By a fierce throw of the mace by Bhlma - all this is part of the wonderful ninth parva.
288 This parva contains fiftynine sections, and the number of slokas in it, composed by the great Vyasa,
289 Who spread the fame of the Kaurava dynasty, is three thousand two hundred and twenty.
290 I shall now give an account of the contents of the parva called Sauptika, full of frightful incidents. When the Pandavas had left,
29 1 The maha-chariot-heroes Krtavarman, Krpa, and the son of Drona, Asvatthaman, came to the site of the duel, in the evening,
292 Where they saw Duryodhana lying on the ground, his thighs smashed and blood all over his body, Asvatthaman, the fearfully angry son of Drona, vowed:
293 ‘This armour will not leave my body till I have killed all the Pandavas, including Dhrstadyumna, and all their allies.”
294 Having said which, the three warriors left Duryodhana and entered the great forest just as the sun was setting.
295 While they rested under a giant banyan, they saw an owl kill a number of crows in swift succession.
296 Seeing this, Asvatthaman was reminded of the death of his father, and decided to kill the sleeping Pancalas.
297 At the entrance of the camp, he found a hideous raksasa, whose head seemed to touch the skies, guarding the gate.
298 After the raksasa had repulsed all his weapons, Asvatthaman decided to pacify the three-eyed sentinel by worshipping him.
64
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
[1:2:299-310]
Accompanied by Krpa and Krtavarman, he slipped into the camp and slaughtered all the sons of DraupadT,
All the Pancalas, including Dhrstadyumna and their relatives, as they slept unsuspecting
In their beds. Only Saty aki and the five Pandavas managed to escape, with Krishna’s help.
Dhrstadyumna’s charioteer brought news to the Pandavas of the son of Drona’ s slaughter of the sleeping Pancalas. DraupadT, traumatised by the deaths of her father, brother, and sons,
Sat before her husbands, and vowed to die of fasting. Fearfully strong BhTma, roused by her words,
Thought to please her. He quickly picked up his mace and rushed out in pursuit of the son of his guru Drona.
Afraid of BhTma and impelled by fate, Asvatthaman the son of Drona shot his divine weapon, crying, “Let this rid the world of the Pandavas!”
But Krishna nullified the words by saying, “This cannot be!” - and Arjuna repulsed the weapon with one of his own.
Seeing through Asvatthaman’s wicked motives, Dvaipayana-Vyasa cursed him; and he cursed Dvaipayana-Vyasa back.
The Pandavas plucked off the head-jewel of Asvatthaman, and joyfully presented it to the distressed and grieving DraupadT.
All this is described in the tenth parva, the Sauptika, which mahatma Vyasa composed in eighteen sections.
The number of slokas included in it by Vyasa, the great knower of Brahma-wisdom, is eight hundred and seventy.
[1:2:311-323]
Ttf- IfykzbfiZralfii cfj V^)a. 65
311 The maharsi Vyasa united the Sauptika and the Aisika stories in the single parva, after which is recited the deeply-moving parva known as the Stri.
312 Far-seeing insightful Dhrtarastra, mourning the deaths of his sons, and stirred by revenge,
313 Crushed an iron statue of Bhlma placed before him by Krishna. But Vidura
314 Consoled the wise king by removing his worldly attachments with arguments concerning the final fulfilment of life - Moksa.
315 Then comes the description of the Journey of Dhrtarastra and the ladies of the palace to the field of battle;
316 The Lamentation of the Wives of the Dead Heroes; the Wrath of Gandhari and Dhrtarastra, and their fainting;
317 The Spectacle before the Ladies of unretuming sons, brothers, and fathers sprawled on the field of battle;
318 The Consolation of wrathful Gandhari by Krishna, when she mourned the deaths of her sons and grandsons;
319 The Cremation of the Chiefs and Heroes by wise and virtuous Yudhisthira, with proper rituals.
320 When the ritual water was offered to the spirits of the dead princes, Kunti acknowledged Kama as her son bom in secret.
321 All this is described by rsi Vyasa in the eleventh parva, full of profound pathos.
322 To hear it is to be moved, if the heart has feeling; to read it is to weep, if the eye has tears.
323 It contains twenty-seven sections, and seven hundred and seventyfive slokas.
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It is followed by Santi, the twelfth parva, which increases self-knowledge. It narrates the Grief of Yudhisthira
Because he killed fathers, brothers, sons, maternal uncles, and in-laws. It describes how Bhisma,
Supine on his bed of arrows, expounded the various dharmas, fit for study by rajas seeking knowledge.
To understand them is to attain supreme wisdom. It also clarifies the mystery of Moksa-Dharma.
The twelfth parva is the favourite of the wise; it contains three hundred and thirtynine sections.
Vyasa, the wise son of Parasara, O rsis, composed this parva in fourteen thousand,
Seven hundred and thirtytwo slokas. After this comes the excellent Anusasana Parva,
In which Yudhistira, raja of the Kauravas, is reconciled to his grief when he hears the clear words of the son of Bhagirathl-Gariga: Bhisma.
It describes the rules of Dharma and Artha in detail; the rules of charity, and the benefits accruing;
The various merits following from various gift-givings; rules of conduct, the unsurpassed merit of truth;
The merits of Brahmins, and of cattle; the mysteries of duties in relation to time and place.
All this is in the Anusasana Parva, which is filled with numerous examples. It also describes the Ascent of Bhisma to heaven.
It contains one hundred and fortysix sections,
And it has eight thousand slokas. It is followed by the fourteenth parva, the Asvamedhika,
[1:2:338-349]
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338 Which tells the Story of Samvarta and Marutta; the Discovery of the Golden Treasure; Parlksif s Still-birth,
339 Scorched by the divine missile; how Krishna revived him; Arj una’s Pursuit of the ritual horse let loose,
340 His Battles with various chiefs and princes who angrily seized it; Arjuna’s Encounter with the son of Citrarigada;
34 1 His Great Risk in the encounter with Babhruvahana; and the Story of the Mongoose in the Horse-Sacrifice.
342 These form part of the wonderful parva called the Asvamedhika, which has one hundred and three sections,
343 And contains three thousand three hundred and twenty slokas, composed by Vyasa, a rsi unsurpassed in wisdom.
344 The fifteenth parva is called the Asramavasika in which, abdicating his throne and accompanied by Gandhari and Vidura,
345 Dhrtarastra leaves for the forest. Kunti sees this, and always dedicated to the service
346 Of her elders, she forsakes the kingdom of her sons, and follows the old royal couple.
347 This parva describes the King’s Meeting with the Spirits of the Heroes, through Vyasa’s kindness;
348 After which, the old king gives up his grief and, with his wife, achieves the highest fruit of his good deeds. Always- devoted-to-dharma Vidura also achieves this.
349 The learned son of Gavalgana, disciplined Sanjaya, foremost among ministers, achieves it too. Then comes the Meeting of the just Yudhistira with Narada,
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[1:2:350-360]
And Yudhisthira leams from him of the Destruction of • •
the Vrsni race. All this is part of the wonderful Asramavasika Parva.
It contains forty-two sections, and the maha-rsi composed in it
One thousand five hundred and six slokas. The comes the terrifying Mausala Parva,
Which describes how, drugged with drink, the lion- hearted, battle-scarred heroes
Killed each other on the shores of the salt sea with blades of eraka grass which turned to lightning thunderbolts in their hands,
It describes how Balarama and Kesava-Krishna, after destroying their race, could not save themselves from the sway of all-destroying impartial Kala.
It describes the Arrival of Arjuna at Dvaraka, and his Grief at seeing the desolate city devoid of Vrsnis.
He performed the funeral rites of his maternal uncle Vasudeva-Krishna, the foremost of the Yadavas, and saw the heroes of the Yadava race lying dead where they fell down drunk.
He cremated the bodies of Krishna and Balarama and other chiefs of the Yadava race.
It describes the Journey of Arjuna from Dvaraka with the women, children, the old and the infirm of the remaining. Y adavas, and the calamity that overtook him. It describes the Disgrace of his Gandiva bow,
And the Failure of his other divine weapons. When he saw that he was unable to protect the Yadava ladies,
[1:2:361-371]
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361 He took Vyasa’s advice and went to Yudhisthira, seeking his permission to become a samnyasi.
362 These events form part of the Mausala Parva. It has eight sections,
363 And truth-knowing Vyasa composed three hundred and and twenty slokas in it. It is followed by the Mahaprasthanika, the seventeenth parva,
364 Which describes how the Pandavas, best among men, renounced their kingdom, and undertook with Draupadi the Great Final Journey.
365 They met Agni when they came to the sea of red waters. Asked by Agni, mahatma Partha-Arjuna
366 Returned the divine Gandiva bow, and worshipped him. Yudhisthira continued the journey without once looking back
367 At Draupadi and his brothers who, one by one, dropped down dead. This is narrated in the seventeenth parva, the Mahaprasthanika,
368 It contains three sections, and truth-knowing Vyasa composed three hundred and twenty slokas in it.
369 You should know that the parva that follows is the marvellous one called the Svarga. It describes how, when the celestial chariot came to take him,
370 Yudhisthira refused to ascend it unless accompanied by the dog that had followed him. Seeing mahatma Yudhisthira’ s steadfast attachment to dharma,
37 1 Dharma gave up his dog-form and revealed himself to the king. Yudhisthira, reaching heaven, was deeply disturbed.
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Because the divine messenger deceived him with a spectacle of hell, where the good king heard the pitiful lamentations of his brothers
Suffering in the region ruled by the laws of Yam a. Dharma and Indra showed Yudhisthira this spectacle.
Yudhisthira, having bathed in the celestial Gariga, discarded his body and gained the state his karma deserved;
And he lived happily, honoured by Indra and the gods. This is part of the eighteenth parva, as composed by the radiant rsi Vyasa.
It has five sections, and the great Vyasa composed two hundred and nine slokas in it.
The contents of the eighteen parvas have been thus summarised.
The Harivamsa and Bhavisya sections form the epilogue. In the Harivamsa the maha- rsi composed twelve thousand slokas.
Such is the list of chapters as given in the Parvasamgraha Parva of the Bharata.
Sauti continued :
Eighteen aksauhinis of soldiers gathered to fight the battle that lasted eighteen days.
A man may be learned in the Vedas, the Vedarigas, and the Upanisads, but if he does not know this epic, he is not wise.
Vyasa of vast wisdom has said:
This is a sastra on Dharma, Artha, and Kama.
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383 Those who have listened to the Bharata will not listen to other stories;
those who have listened to the kokila do not relish the cawing of crows
384 The five elements swaddle the three worlds.
This excellent poem swaddles poets’ imaginations.
385 Even as the four kinds of creatures, O Brahmins,
depend on space for existence, so all the Puranas
depend on the Bharata.
386 Even as the senses
depend on subtleties of mind, all action and virtue
depend on the Bharata.
387 Even as the body
depends on the food it eats, the stories of the world
depend on the Bharata.
388 Even as servants eager for promotion
depend on noble masters, so all poets
depend on the Bharata.
389 Even as the householder’s dharma
is not surpassed by other dharmas, no poet
surpasses the Bharata.
390 Work!
Throw off sloth. Stand up!
Fix your hearts on Dharma.
Dharma is your only friend in the next life.
Who is so clever as to keep Wealth and women forever with him?
They pass away, they pass away.
[1:2:391-395]
Only the incomparable poem of Vyasa brings virtue:
It is virtue and holiness itself.
It destroys demerit.
What need for the man who hears the Bharata to bathe in the sacred waters of the Puskara?
Whatever ill deed is committed in the day by the senses is absolved in the evening if the Bharata is read.
Whatever wrong is committed in the night by thought, word, or deed, is absolved in the twilight-samdhya of the morning if the Bharata is read.
The man who gives to a Brahmin, learned in the Vedas and other sciences, one hundred cows with gold-plated horns, and the man who listens daily to the sacred stories in the Bharata , gain equal merit.
The wide ocean is crossed by small boats.
The large and excellent epic called the Bharata is easily grasped with the help of this parva.
[1:3:1-11]
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SECTION THREE
1 Sauti continued: The son of Pariksit, Janamejaya, and his brothers were attending his long sacrifice on the field of Kuruksetra.
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2 He had three brothers, Srutasena, Ugrasena, and BhTmasena. While they were sitting at the sacrifice, the son of Sarama came to them.
3 The brothers of Janamejaya beat him mercilessly, and he ran weeping to his mother.
4 She saw him sobbing and asked, “Why are you crying? Has anyone hurt you?”
5 He replied to his mother’s question, “The brothers of Janamejaya beat me up.”
6 To which his mother said, “Y ou must have done something wrong, or why would they beat you.”
7 “I did nothing,” he replied. “I didn’t so much as look at the sacrificial ghee, let alone lick it.”
8 This angered her greatly and, feeling sorry for her son, she went to the spot where Janamejaya and his brothers were performing the sacrifice.
9 And she spoke roughly to Janamejaya. “My son did nothing wrong. He didn’t so much as look at your sacrificial ghee, let alone lick it. Why did you beat him?”
1 0 They did not say a word. “Very well,” she said, “because you hurt my innocent son, may evil fall on you when you least expect it.”
1 1 The curse of the celestial bitch Sarama filled Janamejaya with alarm and depression.
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His sacrifice over, he returned to Hastinapura and tried his best to find a purohita who could neutralise the effects of the curse by absolving him of his misdeed.
One day Janamejaya, the son of Parlksit, was out hunting when he came, in one part of his dominion, on an asrama,
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Where lived a rsi called Srutasrava, who had a son Somasrava, then engaged in the severest of tapasya.
Janamejaya thought it right to appoint the son of the rsi as his purohita ,
So he paid his respects to the rsi and said, “Revered one, bhagavan, permit your son to be my purohita .”
To which the rsi replied, “Janamejaya, my son is deep in tapasya; he knows the Vedas; he was bom in the womb of a snake who drank my semen.
He will be able to free you from all deeds except those committed against Mahadeva-Siva.
But he has a firm principle : he will give to a Brahmin whatever is asked by the Brahmin. If this suits you, you can take him.”
Janamejaya said to the rsi, “What you say is acceptable to me.”
He returned with his purohita to the capital, and said to his brothers: “Here is my purohita. Whatever he commands, you will obey without question.”
The brothers agreed to do so. After instructing them, Janamejaya led an expedition against Taksasila and annexed that kingdom.
There was, around this time, another sage called Ayodah- Dhaumyah, who had three disciples, Upamanyu, Aruni, and Veda.
[1.3.24-35] 75
24 This rsi asked one of them, Aruni of Pancala, to go and plug a breach in a water-channel in a field.
25 Aruni went to the spot as ordered by his guru, but was unable to stop the waters.
26 Distressed because he could not carry out his guru’s bidding, he thought out a plan, saying to himself, “This is the way to do it.”
27 He went and squeezed himself into the dyke, plugging it with his body. The flooding stopped.
“a
28 Some time later, Ayodah-Dhaumyah enquired about the whereabouts of Aruni of Pancala, from the other disciples.
29 They replied, “Bhagavan, you sent him to plug the leak in the field’s dyke.” Dhaumyah remembered and said* “Let us go and see where he is.”
30 Reaching the spot, he shouted, “ Aruni of Pancala, where are you? Come here, my child.”
3 1 Aruni heard his guru’s voice, squeezed himself out of the dyke, and stood before him.
32 “Bhagavan,” said Aruni, “finding no other way, I squeezed myself into the breach to stop the flooding. When you called, I pulled myself out, and let the waters escape. I namaskara you, and await further orders.”
33 The guru said, “Because you pulled yourself out and let the waters escape, you shall be known as Uddaiaka, ‘Water-Flow’, as a token of your gum’s favour.
34 Because you followed my bidding so carefully, you shall prosper.
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35 All the Vedas will shine in you, all the Dharma-Sastras also.”
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With this blessing, Aruni went away to the country of his heart. Another of Ayodah-Dhaumyah’s disciples was Upamanyu,
To whom the guru said, “Go, my child, tend the cattle.”
He tended the cows all day, as ordered, and returned in the evening to his guru’s house, stood before him, and humbly honoured him.
He looked so wonderfully fit that his guru said, “My child Upamanyu, you are fat. Who looks after you?”
“Bhagavan,” he replied, “I look after myself. I beg.”
“Whatever alms you get must first be offered to me,” replied his guru. Upamanyu went away and returned with alms which he gave to his guru.
And which the guru accepted. He then left to tend the cattle. In the evening he returned, stood before his guru, and venerated him.
He still looked well-fed. “Upamanyu, my child, I take from you everything you get as alms. How do you support yourself?” asked the guru.
To which Upamanyu replied, “Revered one, after I give you all my alms, I go and beg again, this time for myself.”
The guru said, “Is this the way to obey a guru? You steal from other alms-receivers by doing what you do. Your action shows your greed.”
Upamanyu accepted his guru’s words, and went to look after the cattle. Again he stood before his guru and venerated him.
And Dhaumyah saw him still looking well-fed, and said, “My child Upamanyu, I take from you everything you get as alms. You don’t go begging a second time. How do you support yourself?”
[1:3:48-56]
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48 To this question Upamanyu replied, “Revered one, I drink the milk from the cows.” His guru asked, “Do you think it right to drink the milk without my permission?”
49 Accepting his guru’s words, Upamanyu went away to tend the cattle. Again he stood before his guru, and venerated him.
50 He still looked well-fed, and the guru asked, “Upamanyu, my child, you do not live on alms, you do not beg a second time, you do not drink the milk from my cows. How do you support yourself?”
51 To this question his reply was: “I swallow the froth the calves spit out when sucking their mothers’ teats.”
52 “The calves must be kind indeed to spit out so much froth for you,” his guru said. “Do you think you should take a share from their meal? It is not right that you should do so.” Upamanyu agreed and went to tend the cattle.
53 And because his guru had prevented him, he did not beg alms, nor drink milk, nor feed on milk froth. Oppressed by hunger,
54 He chewed the leaves of the arka-treQ. The pungent, bitter, raw and salt leaves affected his eyes; and he was blinded. Crawling his way back home, he fell into a pit.
55 The sun sank behind the western peaks, but Upamanyu did not return. The guru remarked on this to his disciples. They replied that he had gone to tend the cattle.
56 The guru said, “He is displeased because I stopped him from eating anything, and will return late. Let us go and find him.” Accompanied by his pupils he went to the forest, and shouted! “Bhoh! Upamanyu, where are you? Come here, my child.”
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57 He heard the voice of his guru and replied, “I am here, in this pit.” The guru asked, “How did you fall in this pit?”
58 “I ate the leaves of the arka- tree and was blinded,” he replied, “and I fell into this pit.”
59 “Pray to the Asvins, the twin physicians of the gods,” his guru advised, “and your sight will be restored.” Upamanyu glorified the twin Asvins with the words of the Rg-Veda:
60 Bom before the birth of creation,
First-bom beings,
You who shine in the wondrous world of the five elements!
O infinite ones!
You who flow with life’s flow!
Whose atman shines on life’s flow!
Grant me this boon.
Grant me to know you
through knowledge and meditation.
61 Birds!
Birds with beautiful feathers!
Birds!
Birds sitting on the body of the tree!
Birds!
Birds free from the three gunas!
Birds beyond compare!
Birds straddling the universe, living in all living things!
62 Golden eagles!
Essences that vanish in the sky!
Undecaying, free from error!
Birds with golden beaks Justly- wounding, ever-victorious!
Lords of Time!
[1:3:63-65]
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63 Poets of the Sun!
Makers of the tapestries of the years. Black-threaded night and white-threaded day! Weavers of two ways,
Once for the dev as, one for the pitrs\
You!
Who free the time-trapped bird of life, thus bringing great joy!
How foolish are they who think of you as having forms,
O Formless Ones,
how sense-deluded!
64 There are three hundred and sixty cows Who are three hundred and sixty days.
They produce one calf,
which is one year.
This calf - it creates! it destroys!
Those who seek Truth drink its milk.
Those who seek Truth accept different ways.
Knowing that the Asvins have created this calf.
65 There is a wheel.
It has seven hundred and twenty spokes,
Which are days and nights.
Its hub is one year.
Its circumference is unending.
This wheel is full of delusion.
This wheel does not decay.
This wheel affects the creatures of this world. This wheel affects the creatures of the other world. O Asvins,
You are the spinners of this wheel!
[1:3:66-68]
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Time is a wheel, is a year whose hub is six seasons.
It has twelve spokes,
for the twelve signs of the Zodiac.
Time is a wheel
spinning the fruits of karma.
Time is a wheel,
obeyed by the gods.
Because I am trapped,
O Asvins,
Because I am tied to the wheel,
O Asvins,
Because I suffer,
O Asvins,
free me from the wheel!
Because
You are the world of five elements,
Because
You are the objects
enjoyed here and in the next world,
O Asvins, listen to my prayer:
Free me of the world of five elements,
Because
Though you are the Supreme Brahma,
You also have form and enjoy the world of the senses.
The ten points of the universe in the beginning of creation are your creation;
The sun and the moon
in the firmament above are your creation;
The yajhas of the rsis
are performed to the sun of your creation;
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The gods and men
enjoy the fruits of their deeds in your creation.
69 You mix the ten colours
making all that we see - O Asvins, I adore you!
From all that we see
spring the worlds of gods and men - O Asvins, I adore you!
I adore the sky, your handiwork,
O Asvins!
70 From you come the fruits of karma
which trap even the gods.
For you are no fruits of karma, you are free . . .
Parents of all!
Male and female food-eaters,
Makers of semen and blood!
You suck mothers’ nipples As babies at the breast!
O Asvins, protect me, grant me my sight!
7 1 The Asvins appeared before the adoring Upamanyu, and said, “Your devotion pleases us. Here is bread. Take it and eat it.”
72 He replied, “Whatever you wish, O Asvins, must be done. But I cannot take this bread without first offering it to my guru.”
73 To which they said, “Once your guru invoked us, and we gave him bread, which he ate without offering it to his teacher. Do what he did.”
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74 “Forgive me, 0 Asvins,” said Upamanyu, “but I can not take this bread without first offering it to my guru.”
7 5 “Your obedience to your guru has pleased us,” the Asvins said. “Your guru’s teeth are made of black iron; yours shall made be of gold. Your sight will be restored to you.”
76 He regained his sight, went to his guru, revered him, and told him what had happened. Pleased, his guru said, “You will indeed prosper, as the Asvins have predicted.
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77 The Vedas will shine on you. The Dharma Sastras will shine on you.” Such was the trial of Upamanyu.
78 The other pupil of Ayodah-Dhaumyah was Veda. One day his guru said to him, “Veda, my child, stay with me and serve me. It will be of benefit to you.”
79 Veda agreed, stayed with his guru’s family, and served him with great care. Like an ox bearing his owner’s yoke, he bore heat and cold, hunger and thirst, without complaint. Many years passed before his guru was satisfied.
80 Veda achieved prosperity and knowledge as a result of his guru’s approval. Such was the trial of Veda.
81 With his guru’s permission, he became a householder himself after the completion of his studies.
82 He had three pupils under him in his house. But he never asked them to do him any favour, and he never demanded that they obey his commands.
83 Having suffered himself in the house of his guru, he preferred not to be strict with his pupils.
84 It so happened that, once, the two Ksatriya kings, Janamejaya and Pausya, came to the house of Veda, and appointed him their teacher.
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85 Once, when going out to supervise a sacrificial ceremony, he instructed Uttarika, one of his pupils, to look after his house.
86 “Uttarika,” he said, “in my absence do whatever you think needs doing.” Having given this advice, Veda left.
87 Uttarika lived in his guru’s house, eager to be of service. One day the girls and women of the house came to him and said,
88 “Uttarika, you guru’s wife is now in the state when sexual intercourse is most likely to give her a child. Your guru is not here; on his behalf do whatever needs to be done.”
89 Uttarika replied to the women, “I do not think it proper for me to do this at the request of women. I was asked by my guru not to do anything that I did not think proper.”
90 When his guru returned from his journey, he heard all that had happened, and was greatly pleased.
9 1 “Uttarika, my child, what would you like from me?” he asked. “You have served me nobly and faithfully. Our friendship has increased. I therefore give you leave to go. Go, my child, and prosper.”
92 Uttarika replied, “Before I go, let me have the honour of doing something that you would like done.
93 He who gives instruction
without getting something, and he who takes instruction without giving something - bitter hatred grows between them, one of these two dies.
94 You have given me leave to go, but allow me to bring some daksina for you.” “In that case,” said his guru, “you will have to wait a little.”
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Uttarika waited, and after some days said, “Order me to bring you whatever you wish as daksina.”
“Beloved Uttarika,” replied his guru, “you have repeatedly asked me to order you to bring daksina for me. Go to my wife; ask her.” Uttarika went to her, and said, “My guru has given me leave to go, but I would like to bring you something as daksina that pleases you, so that I may not leave a debtor.
Tell me what I should bring you as daksina.” She said, “Go to raja Pausya, ask him for the earrings worn by his queen,
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And bring them to me. Four days from today is an auspicious occasion, when I will appear, wearing those earrings, before the Brahmins and feed them. Do this, Uttarika. If you succeed, you will prosper. If not, you know what to expect.”
Uttarika left. On the road he saw a bull of gigantic size with a gigantic man riding it. The man spoke to Uttarika:
“Eat this bulk’s dung, Uttarika.” But Uttarika refused.
“Don’t hesitate,” said the man, “eat it. Your guru ate it before.”
Uttarika agreed, ate the bull-dung and drank the bull’s urine, rose respectfully, washed his hands and mouth, and continued his journey.
He arrived at the palace, went to King Pausya seated on the throne, first greeted and then blessed him, and said:
“I stand before your majesty as a beggar.” King Pausya returned his greetings, and said, “What can I do for you?”
“I come to you to ask for the queen’s earrings to give as daksina to my guru,” replied Uttarika. “I hope your majesty will give them to me.”
[1:3:106-114]
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1 06 “Go to the inner apartment, and ask them from the queen herself,” said Pausya. He went, but could not find her.
1 07 So he said to the king, “Is it right that you should misguide me? Your queen is not in the inner apartment; I could not find her.”
108 Pausya thought a little and said, “Perhaps you are meal- defiled. My rani is a chaste woman and cannot be seen by any defiled person. And she does not show herself to such a person.”
1 09 Uttarika thought a little and replied, “You are right. I was in a hurry, and washed myself while walking.” Pausya said, “That was a mistake. One cannot wash oneself while standing erect, or hurrying along.”
1 1 0 Uttarika agreed. He squatted, faced the east, and carefully washed his hands and feet. Silently he thrice sipped dirt- free and bubble-free lukewarm water, gulping just enough to wet his intestines. He wiped his face twice. He touched his eyes, ears, and other body openings with water. Then he went to the inner apartment.
1 1 1 This time he saw the queen. She greeted him respectfully, and said, “You are welcome. What can I do for you?”
1 1 2 Uttarika replied, “I have come to ask for your earrings to give to my guru. You should not refuse me.” She was pleased with his words, and thought him too pious a person to refuse. She took off her earrings, and handed them to him. “Watch over them carefully. The king of the nagas , Taksaka, has his eyes on them,” she said.
1 1 3 “You need not fear, ” replied Uttanka. “Taksaka, king of serpents, cannot overcome me.”
114 He took leave of the queen and went to King Pausya. “I am happy, your majesty,” he said. Pausya replied.
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“It is rarely that one finds the right person to give charity to. You are such an accomplished guest that I would like you to stay for a while here and perform a sraddha.”
“Yes. I will stay,” replied Uttarika. “Have clean food and water readied soon.” The king agreed, and made every effort to make Uttarika comfortable.
Uttarika noticed that the food brought before him was cold and had hair in it; he considered it unclean, and said, “Because you have given me unclean food, you will lose your sight.”
“Because you suspect clean food to be unclean, you will never father children,” countered Pausya.
Uttarika said, “First you offer me unclean food, then you curse me: it is highly improper. Look, see for yourself.”
Pausya examined the food and found it cold and mixed with hair (for it had been cooked by a woman with unbraided tresses); and he began to pacify the rsi Uttarika.
“Revered one, the food offered you is cold and has hair in it. It was not cooked carefully. I beg of you, pardon me. Let me not become blind.”
“What I have said, will happen,” replied Uttarika. “You will become blind; but you will soon recover sight. Grant that your curse does not affect me.”
“I cannot revoke my curse,” Pausya replied. “My anger has not disappeared yet. You do not know this.
A Brahmin’s heart is butter-soft, though his words may be razor-edged. With a K§atriya it is the opposite: his words are new-churned butter, his heart a cutting tool.
That being so, I cannot take back my curse. I have a hard heart. You may go now.” Uttarika said, “I proved to you that the food offered me was unclean. I accept your attempt at apology.
[1.3. 126-135 ] ^ V^ua, $7
1 26 You said I would never be a father because I had declared the food unclean when it wasn’t. But it was unclean. Your curse, therefore, is futile. I’m convinced of this.”
1 27 Uttarika said this, and left, taking the earrings. He saw on the road a naked beggar coming his way. The beggar seemed to appear and vanish intermittently.
128 Placing the earrings on the ground, Uttarika went to urinate. The beggar rushed to the spot, picked them up, and ran away.
129 Uttarika finished his ablutions, namaskara-ed the gods and gurus, and rushed after the thief.
130 With great hardship, he overtook the man, and grappled with him. Taksaka cast off his disguise as the beggar, assumed his real form, and scuttled inside a large hole in the ground.
131 He entered the realm of the nagas, the Naga-loka, and proceeded to his home. Uttarika recalled the words of the rani; and pursued Taksaka.
132 He prodded at the hole with a stick, but failed to make any progress. Seeing him helpless, Indra shot his thunderbolt,
1 33 With the words, “Go, help the Brahmin!” The bolt pierced the stick and widened the hole.
134 Uttarika entered the hole after the thunderbolt, and he saw the realm of the nagas, with hundreds of palaces and beautiful mansions with balconies, domes and gateways, and splendid arenas for games and entertainments.
135 He chanted the following verses to please the nagas:
Serpents! Subjects of Airavata! Wind-swift brightening
Creatures! Brave in battle, cloud-armed, charged with lightning!
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[1:3:136-144]
136 Children of Airavata! You shine like the sun
in the sky!
Beautiful, many-formed! Earrings coloured variously!
137 To the north of the Gariga are the lands of the
nagas.
Where often I have worshipped, singing their sagas.
138 Who but Airavata can walk in the heat of the
sun?
With Dhrtarastra go twentyeight thousand nagas, one by one.
139 Near him, or far from him, one way or another,
I namaskara you all, who have Airavata for brother.
140 Kuruksetra-dweller, Khandava-dweller Taksaka,
brave naga-king’s
Worshipper am I (in order to recover the earrings)!
141 Near Kuruksetra, where the Iksumati river bends,
Lived Taksaka and Asvasena as close friends.
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142 To Srutasena, Taksaka’s younger brother, goes
my worship in words:
He lived in holy Mahaddyuman to become one of the naga lords.
143 Though he praised the important nagas in this way, Uttarika did not get back his earrings. He began to think deeply.
144 He had worshipped them, yet the earrings were not returned. He looked around him and saw two women working a loom with a fine shuttle, weaving a piece of cloth; the loom held black and white threads. He saw six boys revolving it. He saw a man on a lovely horse. And he began to invoke them:
[1:3:145-148]
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145 “This Wheel
Has twentyfour parts On its circumference.
This Wheel
Has three hundred spokes. Six boys
Revolve endlessly This Wheel.
146 These girls Are Nature,
Weaving weaving Endlessly
A cloth
With black and white Threads,
Creating Worlds, millions Of beings, who live On these Worlds.
147 Thunder-wielder! World-saviour! Vrtra-slayer! Namuci-slayer!
O Shining Black-cloth .
Weaver!
Truth and untruth Revealer!
148 Rider of the Nectar-bom Horse
Ocean-churned,
The horse
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[1:3:149-158]
ThatisAgni
Different-formed!
Lord of the three worlds,
O Puramdara, O Visnu,
O Supreme Being,
I bow to you! Namo-astu\ ”
The man with the horse said to Uttahka: “I am satisfied. What boon do you wish?”
“I want the nagas brought under my power,” replied Uttahka. The man said, “Blow into this horse.”
Uttahka blew into the horse, and fierce flame and smoke issued from every aperture blown into,
Threatening to engulf the realm of the nagas. Taksaka rushed from the palace with the earrings, and said to Uttahka,
“Take back your earrings.” Uttahka took them and thought:
Today s the auspicious day chosen by my guru s wife. I am so far away. How will I ever get these to her in time? He was deep in thought when the man said:
“Uttahka, mount this horse. He will take you in a flash to the house of your guru.”
Uttahka nodded, climbed the horse, and was there in a flash. She had bathed, and was sitting and dressing her hair, thinking of putting a curse on Uttahka if he did not turn up,
When he entered and bowed before her respectfully. When he gave her the earrings, she said:
“You are welcome, Uttahka. You come at just the right time, my child. May good fortune go with you. May every wish of yours be granted.”
[1:3:159-169]
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159 Uttarika went and bowed before his guru, who said, “Uttarika, my child, you are welcome. What kept you away so long?”
160 “The king of the nagas, Taksaka, got in my way, and I had to make a journey to the realm of the nagas,” replied Uttarika.
1 6 1 “There I saw two girls weaving on a loom with black and white threads. Who are they?
162 I saw a wheel with twelve spokes, continually revolved by six boys. What does that mean? I saw a man - who is he?
163 On my way I saw a man riding a bull. He spoke to me gently, ‘Eat this bull’s dung, Uttarika. Your guru ate it before.’
164 I did as requested; ate the dung. Who is this man? I wish to be enlightened by you.”
165 His guru replied: “The two girls you saw are Dhata and Vidhata. The black and white threads are night and day. The wheel with twelve spokes, revolved by six boys, is a year; the boys are the six seasons.
166 The man is Parjanya, Indra, the rain-deity. The horse is Agni. The bull you saw on the road is Airavata, the raja of elephants.
167 The bull rider is Indra. The bull’s dung you ate is amrta, the divine nectar of perfect immortality. Because you ate it you escaped death in the realm of the nagas.
168 Bhagavan Indra is my sakha, my loved-and-loving friend. He felt kindly towards you and did you this favour.
169 Mild-mannered Uttarika, you are now free to go. May good fortune go with you.” Uttarika left; but in his heart there was bitter anger for Taksaka; so he went to Hastinapura to take revenge.
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[1:3:170-182]
As soon as the good Brahmin’s son reached Hastinapura he went to the palace of Janamejaya,
Who had recently returned victorious from Taksasila. He saw the king surrounded by his ministers,
And at the right moment said, in a voice melodious and correctly accented,
“You spend your time, O noble king, like a child, when urgent and important matters await your attention.”
King Janamejaya offered homage to the excellent Brahmin (continued Sauti) and said:
“I do what a Ksatriya should, I look after my subjects. Tell me what else remains to be done that has brought you here.”
The excellent Brahmin (said Sauti) told Janamejaya, best among kings, “It is a duty that concerns you intimately. Do it soon.
Your father, O king of kings, was killed by Taksaka. Take revenge on that heinous snake.
This is the time! Fate decrees it. Go, O raja, and avenge the death of your maha-atmaned father,
Innocent Parlksit, who guiltless was struck down, like a tree by lightning, reduced to the five elements, bitten by that vicious snake.
The foul Taksaka, wickedest of snakes, drunk with his ego, needlessly stung him.
And when Kasyapa came to revive your god-like father, protector of royal traditions, the evil snake drove him off.
Bum him to ashes! Bum him in the fire of a great snake- sacrifice! Do what is right, maharaja! Order the sacrifice now!
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[1:3: 1 83-1 87] rlJ\£ ^
183 It is the only way you can avenge your father’s death. It is the only way you can do me a favour,
184 For that ill-atmaned wretch blocked me in the pursuit of my duty once.”
1 85 The king’s anger (said Sauti) was roused against Taksaka when he heard these words, as ghee rouses the sacrificial fire.
1 86 In the presence of his ministers, the grieving raja gathered from Uttarika the facts of his father’s departure to heaven.
1 87 And when all the details of his father’s death were given to him, that Indra-among-rajas was overcome by pain and sorrow.
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[1:4:1-10]
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SECTION FOUR
1 Lomaharsana’s son, Ugrasrava Sauti, learned in the Puranas, stood before the rsis performing the twelve
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years’ sacrifice of Kulapati Saunaka in the forest of Naimisa.
2 (He knew the Puranas thoroughly, having studied them with great care.) Joining his palms respectfully in anjali, he said, “What do you wish to hear, most revered ones? What shall I relate?”
3 The rsis replied: “We ask you, O son of Lomaharsana, to tell us some excellent stories, to which we will listen eagerly.
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4 But Saunaka, our noble guru, is at the moment attending before the sacred fire in the sacrifice room.
5 He knows all the marvellous stories dealing with gods and anti-gods. He knows the stories dealing with men, nagas and gandharvas.
6 The point is, Sauti, that he is the supervisor of this sacrifice: he is a competent, devoted, wise Brahmin, a master of the scriptures and Aranyakas;
7 He is truthful, peace-loving, a faithful practiser of the strictest tapasya, a flesh-mortifying rsi.
8 We respect him highly, and it is proper that we should wait until he arrives.
9 When he sits on the guru’s seat there, he will himself ask you, and you will reply to him who is the best among the twice-born.”
1 0 “Very well,” said Sauti, “when the mahatma rsi is seated, I will tell sacred stories on whatever subjects please him.”
ImQj [1:4:11-12]
1 1 When the noble Brahmin had completed his ritual duties, worshipping the gods with prayers and honouring the pitrs with water-oblations, he came to the holy spot where Sauti sat before the assembly of strict-vowed rsis.
1 2 He sat down in the midst of the r tviks and sadasyas, who also had returned from various rituals, and he said:
[1:5:1-10]
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SECTION FIVE
1 “Son of Lomaharsana, your father knew all the Puranas perfectly - have you made them your study too?
2 The Puranas are filled with fascinating records of the lives and histories of the first generations of wise men; we heard them all recited by your father.
3 What I would specially like to hear is the chronicle of Bhrgu. Tell us that; we are all ears.”
4 Sauti replied : “What the noble Brahmins previously studied, what was studied and narrated by Vaisampayana,
5 What was studied by my father - has also been studied by me. Listen carefully, O descendant of Bhrgu, to the chronicle of your race,
6 A race honoured by Indra and other gods, by the rsis and the lords of the winds. The great, holy rsl Bhrgu was bom in this race.
7 Noble muni, it will be my duty to tell you the history of this race as it is told in the Puranas. We are told that the great Bhrgu
8 Was begot by self-bom Svayambhu-Brahma from the sacred fire at Varuna’s sacrifice. Bhrgu had a son he loved dearly, Cyavana.
9 Cyavana had a virtuous son, Pramati. Pramati had a son Rum, by the apsara Ghrtael.
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1 0 Rum had a son Sunaka, by his wife Pramadvara. He was your ancestor, a man deeply moral and learned in the Vedas,
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[1:5:11-22]
Devoted to discipline, justly renowned, virtuous, truthful, immersed in sruti, regular in his food habits, most eminent among scrip ture-knowers.”
“Why was the son of Bhrgu called Cyavana?” asked
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Saunaka. “I would like to know this in detail.”
Bhrgu had a wife he deeply loved (Sauti began). When she was pregnant,
One day, Bhrgu left the chaste and lovely Pulomaat home and went to perform his ablutions.
Just then a raksasa called Puloman came to the rsi’s asrama,
Entered, and saw the flawlessly lovely wife of Bhrgu. Lust filled his head, depriving him of reason.
Lovely Puloma gave her guest roots and fruits of the forest as hospitality.
He saw her and lusted for her. In his passion he decided to abduct the blameless lady.
“I have what I want ! ” he shouted, wishing to seize her and carry her away. (For the sweet-smiling lady had first been betrothed by her father to the raksasa.
But later he bestowed her on the rsi Bhrgu with the proper rituals; this insult rankled in the raksasa’ s mind,
And he waited for the chance to abduct her). He entered the room of the ritual fire where the flames were burning brightly.
And he addressed the sacred fire:
“O Agni!
Tell me,
Whose wife is she?
[1:5:23-29]
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23 O mouth of the gods,
Agni,
Tell me, I implore you!
This lovely lady Was pledged to me,
24 And later her father Gave her to Bhrgu,
Perfidious Bhrgu.
Tell me, O Agni,
Is she Bhrgu’ s wife.
This lovely lady,
Or mine?
25 I wish to take her away By force from the asrama:
My heart is aflame Because Bhrgu has for wife The girl who was mine.”
26 Repeatedly did the raksasa address the sacred fire, asking the same question: Was she Bhrgu 's wife ?
27 “O Agni,
You who live in the hearts Of men, as witness Of goodness and wickedness.
Give me the truth!
28 Whose wife is she?
Is not Bhrgu guilty
Of taking what was mine By right of first choice?
29 Advise me, Agni!
Tell me what is right!
For on your judgment Will I leave her or take her.
Tell me the truth!”
[1:5:30-34]
'$l$£
The seven-flamed god Agni heard this, and was greatly perplexed (continued Sauti). He was afraid of speaking an untruth, and afraid that Bhrgu might curse him. He said, speaking slowly:
“True: Puloma was betrothed to you; still,
The sacred rituals and mantras you did not fulfil.
She was given as a gift by her father to Bhrgu:
Her father did not choose to give her to you.
Bhrgu married her on the wishes of her sire:
The rites were performed before the sacred fire.
This is the woman - I know her, and I Know also: No one is content with a lie”
[1:6:1-10]
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SECTION SIX
1 As soon as he heard these words (continued Sauti), the raksasa assumed the form of a boar and, with the swiftness of wind, with the speed of thought, ran off with her.
2 In the agitation, Bhrgu’ s son dropped from his mother’s womb, for which reason he was named Cyavana or “the Dropped One.”
3 Seeing the child drop dazzling from his mother’s womb, the raksasa released her. He tripped, fell, and was reduced to ashes.
4 The lovely lady Puloma, deeply distressed, picked up her child, and walked away.
5 And Brahma, the Divine Father of all, saw the pure lady, her eyes full of tears.
6 And Brahma, the Divine Father of all, consoled her as he would his own daughter-in-law, and from the tears that fell from her eyes there formed a great river.
7 The river followed the footsteps of the wife of the rsi Bhrgu, and Brahma, the Divine Father of all, saw it follow her footsteps,
8 And named it himself, calling it Vadhusara “The Bride- Following Waters”. It flows by Cyavana’s asrama.
9 Such was the birth of Cyavana of great tapasya powers. When Bhrgu saw his son and his wife, he asked her in a towering rage:
10 “Who told the raksasa about you? Who allowed this abduction? Sweet-smiling lady, how could he have known you were my wife?
[1:6:11-14]
Tell me who told him, that I in my anger may curse him ! ”
“The god Agni told him,” Puloma replied, “and I, like a female osprey, was ravished.
Only the divine dazzle of your son saved me. He left hold of me, stumbled, and was burnt to ashes.”
Bhrgu heard Puloma say this, and he was furious. Enraged, he cursed Agni, saying, “May you be the all-devourer!”
[1:7: 1-8]
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SECTION SEVEN
1 Agni heard the curse (continued Sauti) and retorted angrily, “What do you mean. Brahmin? Don’t you think this is rash of you?
2 What wrong have I done? I spoke the truth, I followed dharma. He asked, and I had to speak the truth.
3 A witness who, asked about what he knows, deviates from the truth, ruins his ancestors and descendants to the seventh generation.
4 He does wrong, who knows the facts, and will not reveal them when questioned.
5 I could curse you back, if I did not have deep regard for Brahmins. Listen to me. Brahmin - you may know all that I am going to say, but I will repeat it:
6 My Yoga made me many- Shaped, many-formed:
I am present in agnihotr Sattra and Kriya sacrifices.
7 From the Vedas when followed,
From the ghee that is poured
In my flame are appeased The gods and the pitrs.
8 The gods are the waters,
The pitrs are the waters;
The gods and the pitrs Are equally entitled
To the sacrifices Of Darsa and Paurnamasa.
[1:7:9-16]
The gods are the pitrs,
The pitrs are the gods;
They are one and the same.
But worshipped separately At the changes of the moon.
The gods and the pitrs Are dependent on me:
I am known as the mouth Of the gods and the pitrs.
At the full moon the gods,
At the new moon the pitrs,
Are fed from my mouth With the ghee I receive.
If I am their mouth.
How can I be The all-devourer?”
Agni, after much reflection (continued Sauti), withdrew himself from all places; the daily homa of the twice-born, elaborate yajfias, and all other rituals.
Deprived of A urns, Vasats, Svadhas and Svahas, and' other mantras, all creatures mourned the disappearance of fire.
The agitated rsis approached the gods, and said: “Immaculate beings! Confusion has descended on the world; all sacrifices and rituals have stopped, for there Is no fire.
Help us! Do what needs to be done. There is no time to lose.” Together the gods and rsis went to all-powerful Brahma.
They recounted before him the story of the curse on Agni and the cessation of all religious ceremonies. “Lord of Good Fortune,” they said, “Agni for some reason has been cursed.
[I. 7. 1 7-24] djj Vyu*- 1 05
1 7 Agni is the mouth of the gods and tastes the first portion of every gift offered in sacrifice. How can Agni, eater of the sacred ghee, become the All-Devourer?”
18 The Creator of the Universe summoned Agni before him. To Agni, co-etemal with him, and all-creator too, he said gently:
19 “Lord of creatures, Agni,
Destroyer and preserver Of the three worlds,
Auspicious well-wisher Of rituals and ceremonies,
20 Consumer of the sacred ghee,
Lord of all, Agni,
Give up this pettiness.
Do not act in a manner That disturbs the sacred rites.
21 You in the world are pure.
All creatures depend on you:
You must not eat everything Promiscuously, Agni.
22 What is vile in your body Will devour everything alike,
But as all turns pure
When touched by the sun,
23 So will all turn pure
When passed through your flames,
Agni, Supreme Energy,
Self-bom god, Agni.
24 Such being your power,
Make the rsi’s curse true:
Receive for yourself,
And receive for the gods:
Eat impure and pure.”
[1:7:25-28]
Tfoisc
Agni said to the Father of all, “So be it”, and went away to carry out the will of the Supreme Lord.
The delighted gods and relieved rsis returned to their respective abodes; the rsis continued their rituals and sacrifices as before.
The gods in heaven rejoiced; the rsis on earth rejoiced; and Agni rejoiced because he had found a way to escape the power of the curse.
That was how, in the past, Agni was cursed. This chronicle includes in it the story of Puloman’s destruction and the story of the birth of Cyavana.
[1:8:1-12]
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SECTION EIGHT
1 Sauti continued: Cyavana, son of Bhrgu, and his wife Sukanya had a shining, virile son called Pramati.
2 Pramati and his wife Ghrtaci had a son called Ruru; Rum and his wife Pramadvara had a son called Sunaka.
3 Let me give you in detail the history of the shining and virile Rum. Listen carefully.
4 In the faraway past, there was a rsi called Sthulakesa, of enormous learning and tapasya, devoted to the welfare of all creatures.
5 It was around this time that the apsara Menaka became pregnant by the raja of the gandharvas, Visvavasu.
6 When her time had come, O descendant of Bhrgu, the apsara Menaka gave birth to her baby near the asrama of Sthulakesa,
7 And, abandoning the child near the bank of the river, the heartless and shameless Menaka went away.
8 The maha-rsi saw the baby lying in a lonely spot near the riverside,
9 Blazing with beauty, like a god’s offspring. Sthulakesa, the great Brahmin, finest of munis, saw it was a girl,
10 And out of compassion took her home and reared her. The lovely child grew up in his asrama;
1 1 And the maha-rsi, noble Sthulakesa, performed all the birth rituals, as laid down in the sastras.
1 2 Because she excelled in beauty, in goodness, and in every other desirable quality, he named her Pramadvara, the “supreme enchantress”.
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Ruru saw her in the asrama and fell in love with her.
He asked his companions to inform his father Pramati of his love; and Pramati asked the noble Sthulakesa to bestow Pramadvara on his son.
The rsi betrothed the virgin Pramadvara to Ruru, and fixed the wedding day when the star Bhagadaivata would be highest in the sky.
A few days before the date of her wedding, the lovely girl was playing with her friends,
When, her time having come, as fate would have it, she stepped on a snake; she did not see it lying coiled.
The snake, fulfilling the will of fate, dug its poisonous fangs into the careless girl.
Stung, she fainted, fell on the ground; her colour faded, her beauty withered.
Her hair in disarray, she presented a dismal sight to her friends and companions. So lovely to look at, alive, so painful to look at, dead.
She lay on the ground, like one asleep, the slim-waisted girl, looking even more compelling in death than in life.
Her father and the asrama’ s ascetics saw her lying still, on the ground, like a discarded lotus.
Famous Brahmins came to mourn: Svastyatreya, Mahajana, Kusika, Sankhamekhala,
Uddalaka, Katha, Sveta, Bharadvaja, Kaunaktsa, Arstisena, Gautama,
Pramati and Pramati ’s son Ruru. Seeing her lying dead of snake-bite, even the forest dwellers wept in compassion. Ruru, in deep sorrow, left.
[1. 9. 1-9] ^ 1 09
SECTION NINE
1 While the other Brahmins sat around the dead Pramadvara, Ruru entered a dense forest and sobbed uncontrollably.
2 Grief overpowered him; he wept aloud and piteously. He remembered his beloved Pramadvara, and moaned:
3 “She lies on the bare ground,
Slim-bodied, grief-giving beauty!
No sight more painful than this.
4 If ever I have given in goodness.
If ever I have practised tapasya.
If ever showed respect to gurus.
May the merits of these acts
Restore life to my love.
5 If ever I have disciplined my passions,
If ever been faithful to my vows,
May the lovely Pramadvara
Rise from the ground.
6 If I have unshakeable bhakti for Visnu-Krishna, Hrsikesa- Krishna, Lord of the worlds Krishna, Krishna the Destroyer of wicked anti-gods, may my beloved Pramadvara come to life.”
7 Even as he mourned the loss of his bride, there came a messenger from heaven who said to him:
8 “Your grief-stricken words are in vain, Ruru:
None returns to this world whose days are over.
9 This poor daughter of an apsara is dead,
Her days are over: no point in sorrowing now.
no
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But the gods planned out a means beforehand:
If you wish, Pramadvara may again be yours.”
“O messenger of heaven, tell me,” said Ruru,“ tell me of the gods’ means. Help me. I will do whatever is required.”
“Give half your life to her,” the messenger said. “Pamadvara then will rise from the dead.”
“Heaven-sent messenger, I give her half my life!
Let her rise like love and be my wife!”
The raja, the gandharvas and the skilled messenger of heaven went to the god Dharma (continued Sauti) and
ft
said:
“Dharmaraja, if it pleases you, restore Ruru’s bride to him with that part of his life that he has offered.”
“If you wish it, messenger of heaven,” Dharma replied, “you may revive Ruru’ s bride with that part of his life that he has offered.”
He had hardly said this than Ruru’s betrothed, the lovely Pramadvara, rose, as if from sleep.
This gift to revive his beloved bride shortened Ruru’s own life.
Their fathers married them with all the proper ceremonies, and the couple passed their days, deeply devoted to each other.
In this way Ruru found his hard-to-be-found wife, a lady lovely and luminous like lotus petals. And he vowed to exterminate the serpent race.
The very sight of a snake would fill him with anger, and he always killed it on the spot.
One day, inside a dense forest he saw a dundhuba snake lying stretched on the ground.
[1:9:23-24]
111
Tic cfj
A
23 He raised his stick angrily, like a stick of death, to kill it.
The dundhuba said to him:
• • •
24 “What harm have I done you, O rsi, that you wish to kill me in anger?”
112
[1:10:1-8]
Tshic '&i$i
SECTION TEN
1 “My wife was like my life to me,” replied Ruru, “and a snake bit her, for which reason I took a terrible vow -
2 To kill every snake I come across. I will strike you and I will kill you.”
3 The dundhuba said, “One species of snake bites man: we
dundhubas are different. You should not hate us.
• • •
4 You can tell right from wrong - you should not kill us - we suffer like the other snakes, but do not share their good fortune - in woe the same, in joy, different.”
5 Ruru, assured that the snake was really a harmless dundhuba and in mortal fear, refrained from killing it.
6 Ruru, possessor of the six attributes, comforted the snake, saying, “T ell me, snake, who are you, thus changed into a dundhuba?”
7 “I was formerly the rsi Sahasrapati ,” replied the dundhuba. “A Brahmin’s curse changed me into a snake.”
8 “But why were you cursed, O best among snakes?” asked Ruru. “And how long will the curse last?”
[1:11:1-12]
113
SECTION ELEVEN
1 “Long ago I had a friend named Khagama,” the snake replied, “a truthful person who did much tapasya and acquired great spiritual powers.
2 Out day, when he was performing a fire-sacrifice, I wove a mock snake out of grass blades and, as a joke, frightened him. He fainted.
3 Recovering consciousness, the truthful and austere rsi shouted in anger:
4 ‘Because you frightened me with a harmless grass snake, I curse you to be a venomless serpent!’
5 I knew the strength of his spirit. So, with a fast-beating heart, I said to him,
6 Bowing low and joining both palms in anjali, ‘I am your friend. I meant this only as a joke, to amuse you.
7 Forgive me. Revoke your curse!’ He saw me repentant and was moved.
8 He replied, breathing heavily, and with some heat, ‘ What I have pronounced, will happen.
9 Listen, repentant one, to what I say, and keep it close to your heart:
1 0 When Ruru, the noble son of Pramati, appears, your curse shall fall away on seeing him.’
11 You are the same Ruru, son of Pramati. Let me regain my normal form and I will tell you something that will benefit you.”
12 The noble Brahmin left his snake-body and returned to his original, lustrous form.
114
[1:11:13-19]
1 3 And he said to excellent Rum:
‘Ahirhsa paramo dharma.
There is no greater dharma than this;
Never take life: be non-violent.’
14 Therefore should a Brahmin never take any creature’s life; therefore do the scriptures say that a Brahmin should be non-violent.
15 Forgiveness, truthfulness, knowledge of the Vedas and all branches of the Vedas, benevolence, inspiring of confidence,
1 6 Memorising the V edas - these are the duties of a Brahmin. The duties of a Ksatriya are not yours.
1 7 The duties of a Ksatriya are to rule, to administrate, to be strict. Listen to me. Rum.
18 In the past, at the destructive snake-sacrifice of Janamejaya, some terrified snakes were rescued by a Brahmin,
19 Astika, learned in the Vedas and all branches of the Vedas, and consummate in spiritual strength.”
[1:12:1-6]
115
0^ \/yiSAr
SECTION TWELVE
1 “Why did Janamejaya deside to destroy the snakes, and how?” asked Rum.
2 “Why were they rescued by the wise Brahmin Astlka? I would like to know this.”
3 “You will know the famous history of Astlka from the Brahmins,” said the rsi, and disappeared.
4 Rum ran after the rsi (continued Sauti) but could not find him in the forest. He slumped, exhausted.
5 He felt confused; dizziness overcame him. His mind reverberated with the rsi ’s words.
6 Recovering his senses, he hurried home and asked his father, and his father told him the story.
[1:13:1-11]
SECTION THIRTEEN
f *
Saunaka asked: “What made the finest among kings, Janamejaya, decide to exterminate the snake race by a snake sacrifice?
Sauti, tell us the full story. Why did the finest among the twice-born, and the greatest ascetic, Astlka, rescue the snakes from total extermination?
Whose son was the monarch who performed the snake sacrifice? And whose son was Astlka, among twice-born the best? This we would like to know.”
“It’s a long story, Astlka’ s,” Sauti replied. “But I shall give it in full, if you will listen.”
“I am eager to hear it, the fascinating tale of the illustrious
_ r
Brahmin Astlka,” said Saunaka.
Sauti began: According to Brahmins, this tale, first recited by Krsna-Dvaipayana Vyasa, is a Purana. The dwellers of the Naimisa forest
First heard it, at their own request, from my learned father Lomaharsana, a disciple of Vyasa.
I was present at the time. Because you have asked me, I will repeat the story exactly as I heard it then.
Listen to this defect-destroying story! Astlka’ & father was as powerful as Prajapati.
He was a brahmacari, engaged in the strictest tapasya, regular in food-habits, a rsi in full control of sexual passion. His name was Jaratkaru.
He was the greatest of the Yayavaras; rigid-vowed, deeply religious, and a mighty ascetic. It so happened that this rsi,
[1. 13:12-23]
117
12 Making the sky his roof, roamed all over the world, visiting various holy places.
13 He practised difficult, yoga, fed on air, fasting, and sometimes even going without sleep.
1 4 A burning-bright flame he roamed, till one day he saw his ancestors,
1 5 Hanging head downwards in a massive hole, their feet pointing skywards. He spoke to them:
1 6 “Why do you hang head downwards in this hole by a virana rope gnawed secretly by rats?”
1 7 “We are the strict-vowed rsis of the Yayavara sect,” his ancestors replied. “We have no children, so we sink lower and lower.
18 We have a descendant, Jaratkaru, Woe on us! - he has chosen a life of celibacy.
19 The fool - he will not marry, he will not have children. So we hang here: this is our fate.
20 We who have the means
Are like wretches who have none;
Shining stranger, friend,
Who are you who weeps for us?
2 1 Who are you, Brahmin,
Standing so near us.
Shining stranger,
Why do you weep for us?”
22 Jarakaru replied: “Fathers and grandfathers, I am Jaratkaru. Tell me what I should do.”
23 “Marry,” said the ancestors, ‘ have children, that our line may not perish. Much merit will then accrue to us — and to you.
118
[1:13:24-31]
TfiKSC/ldZlTby
24 Not by the fruits of dharma, not by stored-up penances, does a man get the merit he gets by becoming a father.
25 Child, we command you: Marry, have children. This will bring us the highest merit.”
26 Jaratkaru replied: “For my own sake, neither will I marry, nor strive for money. For your sake, I will marry.
27 Under certain conditions, I will obey your command: I will marry at the right time, according to the prescribed rules.
28 Find me a bride with the same name as I have and friends who will willingly give her to me, as a gift.
29 But who will give his daughter to a poor man like me who will accept a wife only if she is given as alms?
30 But I will try, O my ancestors, to find such a girl. I promise it.
3 1 And I will have children, that you may be released and find the everlasting heaven called Sasvata, and rejoice there.”
[1:14:1-7]
119
SECTION FOURTEEN
1 The rigid-vowed Brahmin searched the world over, unsuccessfully, for a wife.
2 One day he entered a forest and, recalling the words of his ancestors, he asked thrice, in a soft voice, for a bride.
3 Vasuki appeared and offered his sister to the rsi. He hesitated, wondering if she was his namesake.
4 Maha-atmaned Jaratkaru said to himself: I will many no one who does not bear my name.
5 Jaratkaru, ascetic of profound tapasya, asked: “Tell me, O snake king, the name of your sister.”
6 Vasuki replied: “My sister’s name, Jaratkaru, is also Jaratkaru. I give her to you: take the slim-waisted girl as wife. Best among the twice-born, I have kept her for you. Accept her.”
7 He offered his lovely sister to Jaratkaru, who married her according to the rules of the scriptures.
120
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
[1:15:1-11]
SECTION FIFTEEN
In the distant past (Sauti went on), the mother of snakes had cursed her race, saying: “Agni, whose charioteer is the wind, will consume you at Janamejaya’s sacrifice.”
It was to neutralise this curse that the king of snakes married his sister to the mahatma, strict-vowed rsi.
Jaratkaru married her with the proper ceremonies, and had a noble son by her named Astika,
Who became a great ascetic, learned in the Vedas and the branches of the Vedas, impartial and serene, and who removed the apprehensions of his parents.
A long time passed. Then a descendant of the Pandavas, Pariksit, performed the prolongrd yajna known as the snake sacrifice, the sarpa-sattra.
When the sacrifice for the extermination of snakes began, the maharsi Astika saved the nagas.
His brothers, maternal uncles, and other snakes. A son was bom to him, and in this way also he delivered his fathers.
He released the family’s debts by severe tapasya, rigid vows, and study of the Vedas. He worshipped the gods with yajnas and lavish daksina-gifts.
He pleased the rsis by his brahmacarya and his ancestors by having offspring. His debts to his ancestors discharged,
Strict-disciplined Jaratkaru went to the heaven of his ancestors. By having a son, Astika, and obtaining great spiritual merit, the finest among munis.
The noble Jaratkaru, after many years, went to heaven. This briefly, is the story of Astika. O best among Bhrgus. What else would you like to hear?”
[1.16.1-12] '"'lJu tyt&bfo&lfii ^
SECTION SIXTEEN
r
1 Saunaka said, “Now that you have roused our curiosity, Sauti, we would like to hear from you in detail of the learned and virtuous Astika.
2 Gentle Sauti, your speech is sweet, rightly accented and delivered. It gives us pleasure. You speak like your father.
3 Y our father was always ready to oblige us. Tell us the story as your father told it.”
4 O long-lived ones (said Sauti), I will narrate the story of Astika as I heard it from my father.
5 In the Krta-yuga, the Golden Age, Prajapati Daksa had two virtuous daughters of surpassing loveliness,
6 Kadru and Vinata, who became wives of rsi Kasyapa. Delighted with them, Kasyapa, who was like Prajapati himself, granted each a boon.
7 He was greatly pleased with them. When they leamt that their husband had granted each a blessing,
8 The lovely ladies were thrilled. Kadru said, “I would like to be mother of a thousand nagas all equal in splendour.”
9 Vinata said, “I would like to have two sons, excelling Kadru’ s in strength, vitality, size and courage.”
10 Her husband granted Kadru’ s wish for a thousand sons; to Vinata he said, “It will be so.”
11 The grateful Vinata had her wish granted that two splendidly powerful sons would be bom to her.
1 2 Kadru received her wish for a thousand sons. “Be careful during the pregnancy,” warned Kasyapa and went away to the forest, leaving behind two happy wives.
122
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
[1:16:13-24]
O best among Brahmins (continued Sauti), after a long time Kadru brought forth a thousand eggs, and Vinata two.
Their maidservants stored the eggs separately in heated pots. Five hundred years passed.
At the end of five hundred years, the eggs cracked open, and the sons of Kadru emerged; but nothing happened with Vinata’ s eggs.
Ashamed, the jealous Vinata broke open one of her eggs, and saw her child,
As an embryo with the top part developed, and the lower part fluid. The egg-child, angered, cursed its mother:
“Because you were jealous and prematurely cracked my egg-shell, and prevented me from growing, you will become a slave, mother.
But if you are patient for five hundred years and do not break open the other egg,
The radiant child bom from it will deliver you from slavery, mother;
If you wish to have your son strong, take special care of that egg for five hundred years, mother.”
Still cursing his mother, the child rose skywards. He is the charioter of the sun, O Brahmins,
Named Arana seen early in the morning. And at the end of the appointed time, there emerged Garuda the snake- eater, from the other egg.
The moment he was bom, this king of birds, the son of Vinata, left his mother and soared on his wings to the sky, seeking the food allotted to him by the Great Provider, Vidhata.
[1:17:1-7]
123
SECTION SEVENTEEN
1 One day around this time (Sauti continued), the two sisters saw Ucchaihsravas coming towards them,
2 Ucchaihsravas, best among horses, worshipped by the gods, bom from the ocean churned for amrta,
3 Divine, graceful, ever-young, irresistibly strong, blessed with every auspicious mark, creation’s masterpiece.
4 “Why and where did the gods chum the ocean for nectar, out of which, as you say, this lithe and lustrous horse emerged?” asked Saunaka.
5 Sauti replied:
There is a mountain called Mem, a flaming heap of splendour.
Sunlight falls on it and scatters
at the summit.
6 It is golden: it glitters:
gods and gandharvas live on it.
It cannot be measured: men of adharma
cannot come near it.
7 Divine herbs
of healing powers shine on it.
Fearful beasts of prey live in its cloud¬ touching heights.
d cjalfofw? oj* Qcrw
"HltsK its Sum* rit pr CsnS‘‘i.tt*tltfX- .
3ku c^t ** simiL,
ixl fonrfa,,
* Iktit strict- 0&L oofs.
%Cu disatsfed. dcebCu. u Jfrli 1/a.riiytoiL S‘ rid, tt> o'fz&riZ :
"CL\n. kt <SU.a*.
vift fct<jodS , McLttfk &*£<■- 4<ds. tit kt dfuaj v 0 dud. kt "HltriPr out obtcunCcL ,
"Oiti Hit
and. vkt anvtv <*ut obtainbC 0 (jo is, lLm^
0 tKt &&M.,
■Crc nectrir."
SECRdaJ B&HTEBAf
SaJri CiPvti rincd. ; r
Okbt is a nusuriburi Cdld /^‘uda^ beet *h<? iMtfHntoW. uft beaks tikt cdhds a*<i C/YW-d. <dtfc CmbUS.
Brit) iunv on <t Sf’y.jM, beast) ojj friiy ■t/
kinnavU, abjewas & qadiowj °\CU visit It. J
'/
[P. Lai’s calligraphy, Volume 5 of The Mahabharata, April 1969]
[1:17:8-12]
125
Tu Ifykzbferafc
8 Mind cannot
conceive of it.
Trees and rivulets, filled with echoing birdsong, grace its slopes.
9 It has stood high
for countless ages; and once a gathering of gods met on its summit for consultation.
10 They came in search
of amrta,
these strict-vowed gods. They discussed deeply, till Narayana
said to Brahma:
1 1 “Chum the ocean
with the gods
and the anti-gods, till the drugs
and the nectar are obtained,
12 Till the gems
and the amrta are obtained,
O gods, chum the ocean
for nectar.”
126
[1:18:1-10]
SECTION EIGHTEEN
1 Sauti continued:
There is a mountain called Mandara, best among mountains, with peaks like clouds,
and covered with creepers.
2 Birds pour on it songs,
beasts of prey roam on it,
kinnaras, apsaras and gandharvas often visit it.
3 It rises
eleven thousand yojanas upwards;
It descends
eleven thousand yojanas downwards.
4 The gods, failing to uproot it, approached Brahma and Visnu, who were sitting together.
5 “We inplore you to find out a way for us,” they said. “Uproot Mandara and help us.”
6 “It will be done,” replied Visnu and Brahma. Lotus-eyed
Visnu entrusted the difficult task to the king of snakes.
t
7 Guided by Visnu and Brahma, the mighty Sesa-naga Ananta, king of snakes, uprooted
8 The entire mountain with all its forests and all the creatures in its forests.
9 The gods travelled with Ananta to the shores of the ocean, to whom they said, “We come, O ocean, to chum you for amrta.”
10 “Do so,” the ocean replied, “but give me a share of the nectar. I will endure the chaos caused by the churning of my waters with Mandara.”
[1:18:11-22]
127
Hli cfj tfjZsA-
1 1 The gods and anti-gods went to the kurma-raja tortoise- king and said, “Your task will be to place the mountain on your back.”
1 2 The tortoise-king agreed, and Indra fastened the mountain on the tortoise’s back with various instruments.
13 With Vasuki as the rope and Mandara the churning rod, the gods in the faraway past churned the ocean
14 For amrta. The anti-gods held Vasuki by his hood and the gods by his tail.
1 5 And Ananta, representing Narayana, periodically raised and lowered the snake’s hood.
16 The tremendous friction caused by the gods’ churning produced black smoky flaming vapours which issued from the mouth of Vasuki.
1 7 Out of these vapours rose clouds, and lightning; and rain fell on the tired gods, refreshing them.
1 8 From the trees on the mountain-slopes fell flowers like rain on the gods and anti-gods, refreshing them.
1 9 Then: a great roar from the whirling Mandara, churned by the gods and anti-gods, like clouds roaring at the dissolution of the world.
20 Numberless sea-creatures crushed by the giant mountain, perishing in the salt waters;
2 1 Numberless creatures of the underworld and the watery world of Vanina, crushed by the mountain;
22 Numberless large trees, striking each other as Mandara whirled, uprooted, fell like birds, their trunks crushed in the salt waters;
128
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25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
[1:18:23-34]
Numberless fires from trees grazing each other blazed, making Mandara, like a black cloud, dazzle with lightning flashes,
Which struck lions and elephants and other creatures on the slopes, killing them instantly.
Then Indra, lord of the gods, drenched the burning mountain with heavy showers,
Till the juices and resins of the different trees mingled with the ocean’s waters. •
The gods drank the waters mixed with liquid essence of gold and nectar-propertied rasas, and became immortal.
And gradually the milky waters of the churned ocean mixed with rasas and resins, and produced ghee.
The gods came to wish-fulfilling Brahma on his serene seat and said, “We are all exhausted, O Brahma, and there is no sign of amrta yet.
Only Narayana can help us: we gods and anti-gods have no strength to chum the ocean with the help of Mandara.”
Brahma said to Narayana: “If it pleases you, give them the strength to chum the ocean with the help of Mandara.”
Narayana said : “Go, wise ones. You have the strength now to whirl the mountain and chum the ocean.”
HearingNarayana’s words, and inspired with new vigour, they recommenced their work.
Time passed.
Then rose from the ocean the mild and glistening
thousand-rayed moon Soma.
[1:18:35-42]
129
Hfi* fer4Z
35 Then, from the ghee,
lotus-seated Sri-LaksmI; then Suradevi-wine
and the great white steed.
36 Then, from the ghee,
Kaustubha, the celestial jewel on Narayana’s chest.
37 Then, O Brahmin maha-muni,
the parijata tree, and Surabhl,
all-fiilfilling cow.
r
38 Sri, Sura, Moon, Horse,
swift as thought, guided by Aditya came to the gods.
39 Then Dhanvantari,
divine physician, white vessel in hand containing amrta.
40 Seeing the wonder,
the Danava anti-gods with one voice shouted:
“ours!”
41 Then the four-tusked, huge-bodied,
maha-elephant Airavata whom the wielder of thunder,
Indra seized.
42 The churning continued
till poison arose, Kalakuta, like smoke-filled fire,
and covered the earth.
130
[1:18:43-47]
TshScfoJtiTbj
43 The three worlds reeled
with the deadly fumes,
r
till Siva drank the poison at Brahma’s request.
44 NTlakantha Siva!
r
Blue-throated Siva!
r
Mahesvara Siva
in his Mantra-form!
45 And all these wonders
made the anti-gods despair, and they fought with the gods for Laksim and amrta.
46 With the help of may a
Narayana materialised as a ravishing girl,
and flirted with the Danavas,
47 Till the Danavas and Daityas,
foolish anti-gods, together placed the amrta in the hands of the girl.
[1:19:1-11]
131
SECTION NINETEEN
1 The anti-gods, in their finest armour, and brandishing a multitude of weapons, pursued the gods.
2 In the meantime, the mighty Lord Visnu, accompanied by Nara, succeeded in spiriting away the amrta from the anti-gods.
3 And all the hosts of gods, in the prevailing confusion, drank the amrta they received from Visnu.
4 While the gods were drinking the deeply-desired amrta, an anti-god Danava among them, disguised as a god, Rahu, also drank it.
5 The amrta had barely reached his throat when the sun- god Surya and the moon Soma informed the gods.
6 And Narayana cut off with his cakra the brilliantly- adorned head of the Danava in the act of drinking.
7 The giant head of the anti-god, cakra-severed and fearfully-screaming, shot up into the sky like a tall mountain peak,
8 And his headless body stumbled, toppled and rolled on the ground, shaking mountains, forests and islands.
9 From that day began the quarrel between the head of Rahu and Surya and Soma, and to this day Rahu swallows Surya and Soma, the sun and the moon.
1 0 Hari-Narayana discarded his disguise as the bewitching girl, and spread terror among the anti-gods by shooting various weapons at them.
1 1 In this way started the maha-battle between gods and anti-gods on the shores of the salt sea.
132
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
[1:19:12-23]
Thousands of sharp javelins, spears and other weapons were hurled by both sides.
Ripped by the cakra and wounded by swords, darts, and maces, the anti-gods lay on the ground and vomited blood.
Gold-bright heads, severed by the cakra, fell one after another in battle.
Blood-drenched, the anti-gods lay asprawl everywhere, like red-dyed mountain peaks.
When the sun rose red, pitiful cries “Hai! Hai!” were heard from all sides from the dying anti-gods.
And shouts of assailants and combatants smashing each other down across distances with missiles, or with fists at close quarters, filled the air.
“Cut him down!” “Pierce him!” “Kill!” “Forward!” - everywhere these fearful war cries.
The battle was still raging fiercely when Nara and Narayana appeared.
N oticing N ara carrying the divine bow, N arayana thought of his own weapon, the Danava-destroying cakra.
No sooner had he thought of it than the foe-destroying cakra-discus Sudarsana descended from the sky; it shone like Agni.
And fearfully-powerful Acyuta-N arayana, flame-bright, with arms like an elephant’s trunk, picking it up, hurled it, flame-bright and dreadful, marvellously lustrous, capable of annihilating entire towns.
Hurled by the hand of Narayana, and blazing like the fire at the dissolution of the worlds, the discus sped everywhere, slaughtering thousands of Danavas and Daityas.
[1:19:24-32]
133
r'K£
24 If flashed like fire,
and consumed them;
It drank their blood like a goblin;
It raced through the air, killing as it went.
25 And the mighty anti-gods, white like clouds emptied of rain, fled to the sky, from where they flung thousands of mountains on the heads of the gods.
26 The dreadful flat-topped mountains, forest-covered, fell from the sky like cloud- clusters, colliding and producing deafeming explosions.
27 With thousands of warriors shouting on the battlefield, and forest-covered mountains crashing down, the earth and her forests trembled.
2 8 Then appeared divine N ara where the gods and anti-gods were fighting, and with gold-tipped arrows he crumbled the mountains, smothering the sky with dust.
29 Routed by the gods and by the dreadful cakra that scoured the field like a fierce flame, the anti-gods retreated, some into the earth’s bowels, others to the salt sea.
30 The victorious gods respectfully replaced Mandara on its base, and returned with the amrta to their abode, rending the sky with their shouts.
3 1 Returning to heaven, they celebrated their victory with great pomp, and stored the amrta carefully.
32 And, at the opportune time, Indra and the other gods handed over the pot of amrta to diademed Nara for safe¬ keeping.
134
[1:20:1-10]
TfactcJtiTij 'P'ist
SECTION TWENTY
1 Sauti said: That is how the nectar was churned out of the ocean, and the way in which the exceedingly handsome and virile horse was produced.
2 About this horse, Kadru asked Vinata, “Tell me, sister, quickly, what colour was Uccaihsravas?”
3 Vinata replied: “White, sister, is the colour of the king of horses. What do you think? Y ou tell me - let us bet on it! ”
4 “Sweet-smiling lady,” replied Kadru, “I think his tail is black. Let this be our bet - the one who’s wrong will become the other’s slave.”
5 They wagered that the loser would serve the winner (continued Sauti), and went home saying, “We’ll inspect the horse tomorrow.”
6 Kadru thought of a trick: she ordered her thousand sons to transform themselves into black hair,
7 And immediately cover the horse’s tail, so that she might not become a slave. When her snake-sons refused, she cursed them:
8 “May Agni consume all of you who refuse, in the snake- sacrifice planned by rajarsi Janamejaya of the Pandava race.”
9 Brahma heard this disproportionately cruel curse of Kadru, who pronounced it impelled by fate,
1 0 But, because the snake-race had multiplied enormously, out of compassion for other creatures he, and the other gods, sanctioned the curse.
[1:20:11-16] ^ 135
1 1 “Poison most malignant,
Strength most terrible,
They bite without warning.
12 Their prowess is notorious.
The curse of their mother Will benefit other creatures.
13 Fate is ruthless to those Who are ruthless to others.”
With these words the gods Praised Kadru highly.
14 Summoning Kasyapa, Brahma said, “Defectless foe- subduer, your children, the giant-bodied, eager-to-sting, venomous snakes,
1 5 Have been cursed by their mother. Let this not, my son, be a source of grief to you in any way.
16 The holocaust of snakes has been ordained in the Puranas.” The Creator of the worlds blessed Kasyapa and granted him the power to neutralise poison.
136
[1:21:1-8]
SECTION TWENTY-ONE
1 Sauti said: O tapasya-rich rsis, night passed, the sun rose, and the two sisters, Kadru and Vinata,
2 Having laid a wager involving slavery, hurried impatiently to inspect the horse Uccaihsravas.
3 An ocean of whales,
Fish that swallow whales,
Makaras, and thousands
Upon thousands of sea-creatures;
4 Fierce, monstrous,
Dark sea-animals,
Allowing none near;
Crocodiles, tortoises;
5 All kinds of gems;
The home of Varuna;
The palace of the nagas;
The lord of rivers;
6 Home of undersea flames;
Friend of the antigods;
Terror of creatures;
Undecaying receptacle;
7 Holy, god-beneficent;
Source of amrta;
Infinite, inconceivable;
Sacred, full of marvels;
8 Roaring with the voices Of invisible sea-animals;
Breeder of whirlpools;
T error-striking creature ;
[1:21:9-16]
137
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
^ VijSja,
Rolling high with winds Of storm and anger;
Dancing with wave- uplifted hands;
Heaving endlessly with Moon-produced billows; Pancajanya’s father; Treasure-house of jewels;
Subdued in the past By powerful Govinda In his boar-incarnation When he raised the earth;
Baffler of rsi Atri Who tried for a hundred years To plumb its deeper- than-the-depths nether-world;
Bed of lotus-
navelled Visnu at each yuga Reposing in the peace of Cosmic sadhana;
Refuge of the mountain Mainaka from falling thunder, Hide-out of the anti-gods After the terrible battle;
Giver of ghee to the fire From the mouth of Vadava; Limitless, fathomless.
Vast lord of rivers;
Thousands of rival rivers Rushing for its love - They saw. Always full, Always wave-dancing;
Reverberating with the roars Of makaras and timis - They saw: this space-vast, Unfathomable reservoir.
[1:22:1-12]
139
SECTION TWENTY-TWO
1 Sauti said: The nagas discussed the matter and, afraid that disobedience would rouse their mother to withhold her love and bum them all, decided to follow her commands.
2 If pleased, they thought, she might even revoke the curse. “We will make the horse’s tail black,” they promised.
3 It is believed that they turned themselves into hairs on the horse’s tail. The co-wives had already laid the wager;
4 Both Kadru and Vinata went expectantly to the other side of the great ocean.
5 The daughters of Daks a, Kadru and Vinata, on the way, saw the normally unruffled ocean
6 In a state of tremendous fury, roaring with makaras and monster-whales,
7 And other sea-creatures, most of gigantic size. It seemed impossible to cross; it was terrifying;
8 This treasure-house of jewels, home of Varuna, beautiful abode of the nagas, this lord of all rivers,
9 This place of subterranean fire, home of the anti-gods and demons, reservoir of all waters,
10 This holy receptacle of the amrta of the gods, this immeasurable and unimaginable house of waters,
1 1 Into which entered thousands of rivers, ruffling its surface into dancing waves,
1 2 This profound, liquid ocean, sky- vast, lit with submarine flames, and always roaring. And they hurriedly passed over it.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
[1:23:1-10]
SECTION TWENTY-THREE
Sauti continued: Swift Kadru and her sister V inata crossed the ocean and came to the place where the horse was.
They saw him, the fleetest and foremost horse, moon- white, and black-haired.
Kadru pointed to the black hairs in the tail, and made the dejected Vinataher slave.
This was how Vinata, losing her wager, was taken into slavery. Deep sorrow overwhelmed her.
In the meantime, breaking out of the egg without any help from his mother, splendid Garuda was bom.
His radiance lit up the points of the universe; he was strong, able to change shape at will, empowered to travel anywhere, and he could summon whatever energy he wished.
His was the terrible splendour of a mass of fire - a splendour like that of the flames at the end of a yuga. His eyes flashed like lightning.
His body expanded on birth, and the colossal bird sped to the sky, fiercely screaming like a second ocean-fire.
The gods saw him, and sought Agni-Vibhavasu’s protection. They bowed to the seated god of manifold forms, and prayed:
“O Agni!
Do not let your body expand!
Will you devour us?
Look, everywhere a mass of flames!”
[1:23:11-17] ^ Vp*. 141
1 1 Agni replied:
“Victors of the anti-gods.
You are mistaken.
This is the great Garuda,
Rivalling me in splendour.
12 That energy is his For Vinata’s benefit.
His fierce effulgence Has bewildered you.
13 He is Kasyapa’s son.
Destroyer of the nagas.
Foe of raksasas and Daityas But friend of the gods.
14 There is no need To fear him at all.
Come with me.
Let us together meet him.”
1 5 Sauti continued: The gods and rsis went to meet Garuda, and spoke to him from a distance.
1 6 The gods said:
“Great lord of birds!
Rsi!
Consumer of the largest portion of sacrifices!
God!
Lord of the hot-rayed Sun!
Prajapati!
Paramesthin!
• •
17 Indra!
Horse-necked Visnu!
Lord of the Universe!
Four- faced Brahma!
Lotus-bom Brahma!
God of Fire!
God of Wind!
142
[1:23:18-22]
1 8 Creator and Destroyer!
Visnu, Lord God!
Truth above all truths!
Fearless, changeless glory! World-illusion!
19 Energy of the sun!
Power of the mind!
Ocean of strength!
Unconquerable protector!
Master of purity!
Lord of wrath!
Transcender of the dark senses!
20 Architect of all!
Doer of good deeds!
All that was not and all that is!
Pure knowledge,
Revealing like the sun This breathing and unbreathing world!
21 Darkener of sun-splendour!
Destroyer of all!
Perishable and Imperishable!
God
Whose fire-fierceness Consumes all life.
Like the sun does in anger!
22 Fire at yuga-end Are you.
Destroying all creation!
Mover in the sky Are you,
O energetic Fire!
King of birds,
We come to you,
Protect us!
[1:23:23-27]
143
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24
25
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Tit ^ tfjZs*,
Blinding like lightning Are you,
Dispeller of darkness! Mighty Garuda, Cloud-reacher!
Cause and effect Are you,
O dispenser of grace, Unconquerably puissant!
The worlds are hot Like heated gold!
Protect the gods,
O mighty one - Frightened they fly In all directions.
Bird-son of Kasyapa,
The mahatma rsi,
Lord of all.
Give up your anger Have mercy on the worlds! Supreme lord, be merciful. Save us!
The ten points, the skies. Heaven, earth, our hearts Tremble, O bird.
Hearing your cry
Like the scream of thunder!
Contract your body,
O fiery one!
Seeing your radiance,
Like the god of death’s,
We tremble.
Our hearts tremble,
Our peace is gone.
28 King of birds,
Listen to our prayer! Auspicious one,
Give us fortune.
Grant us joy and glory!”
[1:23:28]
Adored by the gods and rsis, the lovely-plumaged bird reduced his energy and radiance.
[1:24:1-11]
145
SECTION TWENTY-FOUR
1 Sauti said : He heard others, and he saw himself; and the lovely-plumaged bird diminished his size.
2 “Let none be afraid of my body,” said Garada. “Because the sight of it frightens you, I will make myself smaller.”
3 Sauti said: The world-ranging, energy-willing bird placed his brother Aruna on his back, and flew from his father’s home to his mother’s,
4 On the other side of the ocean. He deposited resplendent Aruna in the eastern region, for the sun had determined to bum the worlds with his fierce rays.
5 Rum asked: “Why did the noble Sun resolve to bum the worlds? What wrong did the gods do, to make him so angry?”
6 Sauti replied: From the time the Sun and the Moon exposed Rahu in the act of drinking amrta, Rahu bore a deep grudge against them.
7 The Sun, furious when Rahu began to devour him, thought: Because I wanted to help the gods, Rahu became my enemy;
8 And I am the one who must suffer; no one helps me in my difficulty;
9 The gods look on quietly and see me being devoured. I will destroy the worlds! I promise this !
10 Having made up his mind, he travelled to the western mountains, from where he began to scatter his rays for the worlds’ destruction.
1 1 The rsis rushed to the gods and said: “In the middle of the night today rose a massive conflagration to destroy the worlds.”
146
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16
17
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[1:24:12-19]
The gods, with the rsis, approached Brahma Pitamaha and said: “Who is responsible for this unbearable heat?
The Sun has not risen, yet it seems the worlds are being consumed. What will happen when he rises?”
Brahma replied, “The Sun will rise to destroy the worlds. When he is fully risen, everything will turn to ashes.
I have, however, worked out a plan to prevent the destruction of the worlds.
Aruna, the wise son of Kasyapa, has a giant body. He will station himself in front of the Sun, as his charioteer.
Draining away his energy. So will the worlds be saved, and the gods and the rsis.”
Aruna, ordered by Brahma (continued Sauti) did as he was told. And the Sun rose, and was veiled by Aruna.
That is the story of the Sun’s anger, and how Aruna was appointed charioteer of the Sun. Now I will answer the other question you put me a little while ago.
[1:25:1-8]
147
&f£ 0^ tfjZs*-
SECTION TWENTY-FIVE
1 The powerful bird, able to travel everywhere at will, flew to his mother on the other side of the great ocean
2 Where V inata lived, after she lost her wager, passing her days miserably as a slave.
3 One day Kadru summoned Vinata. Vinata prostrated herselfbefore Kadru, who said, in the presence of Garuda, “Gentle Vinata, in the depths of the ocean, in the secret part, is the beautiful and enchanting land of the nagas. Take me there.”
4 The mother of the lovely-plumaged bird picked up the mother of the snakes. Garuda, on his mother’s instructions, carried the snakes on his back,
5 And sped upwards towards the sun. Scorched by the sun- rays, the snakes fainted.
6 Seeing her sons’ plight, Kadru prayed to Indra:
“Lord of the gods,
I bow to you!
Slayer of Bala, Indra,
I bow to you!
7 Slayer of Namuci,
I bow to you!
Thousand-eyed god,
r
Consort of SacI,
Send down your showers And save my sons From the heat of the Sun!
8 Indra, Purarhdara, Scorcher-of-cities,
Lord of the gods.
Protector,
Torrential rain-giver!
148
[1:25:9-14]
9 You are the wind-god Vayu,
You are Agni, you are the clouds.
You the cloud-propeller,
You the dark cloud on the day of ultimate doom. You the lightning!
10 You are the roaring clouds,
You the marvellous thunder,
You the Creator and Destroyer,
You the unconquered!
11 You are the light of all creatures.
You are Aditya, you Vibhavasu,
You the Knowledge Supreme!
O Wonder of wonders!
King!
Lord of the gods!
12 YouareVisnu,
You have a thousand eyes!
You are divine.
You are the goal.
You are amrta.
You the much-sought soma.
13 You are the instant movement,
The lunar day.
The bright fortmight.
You the lava , you the ksana ,
You the other divisions of time,
The year, the seasons.
Months, nights, and days.
14 You are the lovely earth
rich in mountains and forests,
You are the shining sky adazzle with sun!
You the high-waved ocean,
with timis, makaras, and other fishes.
[1:25:15-16]
149
15 Renowned Indra!
Worshipped by the wise And by meditating rsis!
You who drink the soma and ghee Offered with vasats At the sacrificial rituals!
16 Indra, worshipped by Brahmins Who seek the fruits of goodness!
O God of matchless strength,
Sung in the Vedas!
No wonder the Brahmins Before the commencement of rituals Study each branch of the Vedas With special care.”
150
[1:26:1-7]
SECTION TWENTY-SIX
1 Propitiated thus by Kadru (continued Santi), the god who rides the best of horses filled the sky with dark-blue clouds.
2 He ordered the clouds, “Send down your beneficent, life- giving waters!” And they, radiant with lightning, poured heavy rain.
3 So dark were the clouds, incessantly pouring rain, so full of roaring and wonder, it seemed as if the end of the yuga had come. The myriads of waves,
4 Produced by the torrential downpour, the constantly- roaring clouds, the flashes of lightning, the violence of the wind - such chaos everywhere! - as if the sky was dancing in madness.
5 Then came darkness.
Darkness in the sky.
Sunlight and moonlight
Blotted by the ceaseless rain.
And the nagas rejoiced
At the downpour of Indra.
6 The earth was filled with water,
cool, lucid,
which reached the depths of the underworld.
7 Nothing but masses of heaving waves
everywhere,
when the snakes with their mother arrived at the island called Ramanlyaka.
[1:27:1-8]
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SECTION TWENTY-SEVEN
1 The nagas were happy getting drenched in the heavy rain. Borne on the back of the lovely-plumaged bird, they soon arrived at the island.
2 This island was intended by the Creator of the universe to be the abode of makaras. On this island they had their first glimpse of the anti-god Lavana.
3 Arriving with Garuda, they saw:
Fragrant forests
Washed by waves,
Echoing with birdsong.
4 Lovely fruit trees And flowering plants,
Enchanting places,
Lotus-filled ponds.
5 Freshwater lakes Scented with
Incense-breathing breezes.
6 Sandalwood trees High on Malaya hill,
Shaking in the wind,
Raining down flowers.
7 And other trees too Scattering their blossoms As if welcoming the nagas With fragrant rain.
8 Beautiful forests
Filled with honeydrunk bees And dear to the gandharvas,
Ravishing to the sight.
152
[1:27:9-16]
9 Enchanting, lovely, soothing, holy:
Echoing with birdsong, the forest Captivated the sons of Kadru.
10 No sooner had they arrived than they began to enjoy themselves, and ordered Garuda, the powerful king of birds:
1 1 “T ake us, O bird, to another island of pure waters. Lovely must be the lands you have seen while coursing in the sky.”
12 Garuda thought over this, and then asked his mother: “Why, mother, am I expected to obey these snakes?”
1 3 “Best among birds,” answered Vinata, “ill luck has made me the slave of my husband’s second wife. The snakes tricked me, I lost a bet - as a result of which I became her slave.”
14 After his mother had explained this to him, the sky¬ ranging bird sorrowfully said to the snakes:
1 5 “T ell me, snakes, what should I do to free myself and my mother from slavery? What shall I bring? What knowledge gain? What great feat perform?”
16 The snakes replied: “Bring us the amrta, by force, if necessary. This, O bird, will make you free.”
[1:28:1-10]
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r'U\i 'ajfZ \ (jZsa,
SECTION TWENTY-EIGHT
1 Garuda heard this (continued Sauti) and said to his mother, “I will get the amrta. But now I am hungry. Where can I eat?”
2 “The Nisadas live in the inaccessible middle of the ocean,” she replied. “Eat thousands of Nisadas-and bring the amrta.
3 Never, however, think of killing a Brahmin. A Brahmin must never be killed. He is like fire.