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The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

O >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4






SECTION L

"Brahmana said, 'Well then, I shall declare to you what you ask. Learn
what was told by a preceptor to a disciple that came unto him. Hearing it
all, do you settle properly (what it should be). Abstention from harming
any creature is regarded as the foremost of all duties. That is the
highest seat, free from anxiety and constituting an indication of
holiness. The ancients who were beholders of the certain truth, have said
that knowledge is the highest happiness. Hence, one becomes released of
all sins by pure knowledge. They that are engaged in destruction and
harm, they that are infidels in conduct, have to go to Hell in
consequence of their being endued with cupidity and delusion. Those who,
without procrastination, perform acts, impelled thereto by expectation
become repeatedly born in this world and sport in joy. Those men who,
endued with learning and wisdom, perform acts with faith, free from
expectations, and possessed of concentration of mind, are said to
perceive clearly. I shall, after this, declare how the association and
the dissociation takes place of Kshetrajna and Nature. Ye best of men,
listen. The relation here is said to be that between the object and the
subject.[147] Purusha is always the subject; and Nature has been said to
be the object. It has been explained, by what has been said in a previous
portion of the discourse where it has been pointed out, that they exist
after the manner of the Gnat and the Udumbara. An object of enjoyment as
it is, Nature is unintelligent and knows nothing. He, however, who enjoys
it, is said to know it. Kshetrajna being enjoyer, Nature is enjoyed. The
wise have said that Nature is always made up of pairs of opposites (and
consists of qualities). Kshetrajna is, on the other hand, destitute of
pairs of opposites, devoid of parts, eternal, and free, as regards its
essence, from qualities. He resides in everything alike, and walks, with
knowledge. He always enjoys Nature, as a lotus leaf (enjoys) water.
Possessed of knowledge, he is never tainted even if brought into contact
with all the qualities. Without doubt, Purusha is unattached like the
unsteady drop of water on the lotus-leaf. This is the certain conclusion
(of the scriptures) that Nature is the property of Purusha. The relation
between these two (viz., Purusha and Nature) is like that existing
between matter and its maker. As one goes into a dark place taking a
light with him, even so those who wish for the Supreme proceed with the
light of Nature.[148] As long as matter and quality (which are like oil
and wick) exist, so long the light shines. The flame, however, becomes
extinguished when matter and quality (or oil and wick) are exhausted.
Thus Nature is manifest; while Purusha is said to be unmanifest.
Understand this, ye learned Brahmanas. Well, I shall now tell you
something more. With even a thousand (explanations), one that has a bad
understanding succeeds not in acquiring knowledge. One, however, that is
endued with intelligence succeeds in attaining happiness, through only a
fourth share (of explanations). Thus should the accomplishment of duty be
understood as dependent on means. For the man of intelligence, having
knowledge of means, succeeds in attaining to supreme felicity. As some
man travelling along a road without provisions for his journey, proceeds
with great discomfort and may even meet with destruction before he
reaches the end of his journey, even so should it be known that ill acts
there may not be fruits.[149] The examination of what is agreeable and
what is disagreeable in one's own self is productive of benefit.[150] The
progress in life of a man that is devoid of the perception of truth is
like that of a man who rashly journeys on a long road unseen before. The
progress, however, of those that are endued with intelligence is like
that of men who journey along the same road, riding on a car unto which
are yoked (fleet) steeds and which moves with swiftness. Having ascended
to the top of a mountain, one should not cast one's eyes on the surface
of the earth.[151] Seeing a man, even though travelling on a car,
afflicted and rendered insensible by pain, the man of intelligence
journeys on a car as long as there is a car path.[152] The man of
learning, when he sees the car path end, abandons his car for going on.
Even thus proceeds the man of intelligence who is conversant with the
ordinances respecting truth and Yoga (or Knowledge and Devotion).
Conversant with the qualities, such a man proceeds, comprehending what is
next and next.[153] As one that plunges, without a boat, into the
terrible ocean, with only one's two arms, through delusion, undoubtedly
wishes for destruction; while the man of wisdom, conversant with
distinctions, goes into the water, with a boat equipt with oars, and soon
crosses the lake without fatigue, and having crossed it attains to the
other shore and casts off the boat, freed from the thought of meum. This
has been already explained by the illustration of the car and the
pedestrian. One who has been overwhelmed by delusion in consequence of
attachment, adheres to it like a fisherman to his boat. Overcome by the
idea of meum, one wanders within its narrow range. After embarking on a
boat it is not possible in moving about on land. Similarly, it is not
possible in moving about on water after one has mounted on a car. There
are thus various actions with regard to various objects. And as action is
performed in this world, so does it result to those that perform them.
That which is void of smell, void of taste, and void of touch and sound,
that which is meditated upon by the sages with the aid of their
understanding, is said to be Pradhana. Now, Pradhana is unmanifest. A
development of the unmanifest is Mahat. A development of Pradhana when it
has become Mahat is Egoism. From egoism is produced the development
called the great elements. And of the great elements respectively, the
objects of sense are said to be the developments. The unmanifest is of
the nature of seed. It is productive in its essence. It has been heard by
us that the great soul has the virtues of a seed, and that is a product.
Egoism is of the nature of seed and is a product again and again. And the
five great elements are of the nature of seed and products. The objects
of the five great elements are endued with the nature of seed, and yield
products. These have Chitta for their property. Among them, space has one
quality; wind is said to have two. Light, it is said, is endued with
three qualities; and water as possessed of four qualities. Earth, teeming
with mobiles and immobiles, should be known as possessed of five
qualities. She is a goddess that is the source of all entities and
abounds with examples of the agreeable and the disagreeable. Sound,
likewise touch, colour, taste, and smell numbering the fifth,--these are
the five qualities of earth, ye foremost of regenerate persons. Smell
always belongs to earth, and smell is said to be of various kinds. I
shall state at length the numerous qualities of smell. Smell is agreeable
or disagreeable, sweet, sour, pungent, diffusive and compact, oily and
dry, and clear. Thus smell, which belongs to the earth, should be known
as of ten kinds.[154] Sound, touch, likewise colour, and taste have been
said to be the qualities of water. I shall now speak of the qualities of
Taste. Taste has been said to be of various kinds. Sweet, sour, pungent,
bitter, astringent, and saline likewise. Taste, which has been said to
appertain to water, is thus of six varieties. Sound, touch, and likewise
colour,--these are the three qualities which light is said to be
possessed of. Colour is the quality of light, and colour is said to be of
various kinds. White, dark, likewise red, blue, yellow, and grey also,
and short, long, minute, gross, square and circular, of these twelve
varieties in colour which belongs to light. These should be understood by
Brahmanas venerable for years, conversant with duties, and truthful in
speech. Sound and touch should be known as the two qualities of wind.
Touch has been said to be of various kinds. Rough, cold and like wise
hot, tender and clear, hard, oily, smooth, slippery, painful and soft, of
twelve kinds is touch, which is the quality of wind, as said by Brahmanas
crowned with success, conversant with duties, and possessed of a sight of
truth. Now space has only one quality, and that is said to be sound. I
shall speak at length of the numerous qualities of sound. Shadaja,
Rishabha, together with Gandhara, Madhyama, and likewise Panchama; after
this should be known Nishada, and then Dhaivata.[155] Besides these,
there are agreeable sounds and disagreeable sounds, compact, and of many
ingredients. Sound which is born of space should thus be known to be of
ten kinds. Space is the highest of the (five) elements. Egoism is above
it. Above egoism is understanding. Above understanding is the soul. Above
the soul is the Unmanifest. Above the Unmanifest is Purusha. One who
knows which is superior and inferior among existent creatures, who is
conversant with the ordinances in respect of all acts, and who
constitutes himself the soul of all creatures, attains to the Unfading
Soul.'"



SECTION LI

"Brahmana said, 'Since the mind is the ruler of these five elements, in
the matter of controlling and bringing them forth, the mind, therefore,
is the soul of the elements. The mind always presides over the great
elements. The understanding proclaims power, and is called the
Kshetrajna.[156] The mind yokes the senses as a charioteer yokes good
steeds. The senses, the mind, and the understanding are always joined to
the Kshetrajna. The individual soul, mounting the chariot to which big
steeds are yoked and which has the understanding for the reins, drives
about on all sides. With all the senses attached to it (for steeds), with
the mind for the charioteer, and the understanding for the eternal reins,
exists the great Brahman-car. Verily, that man endued with learning and
wisdom who always understands the Brahman-car in this way, is never
overwhelmed by delusion in the midst of all entities. This forest of
Brahman begins with the Unmanifest and ends with gross objects. It
includes mobile and immobile entities, and receives light from the
radiance of the sun and the moon, and is adorned with planets and
constellations. It is decked, again, on all sides with nets of rivers and
mountains. It is always embellished likewise by diverse kinds of waters.
It is the means of subsistence for all creatures. It is, again, the goal
of all living creatures. In that forest the Kshetrajna always moves
about. Whatever entities exist in this world, mobile and immobile, are
the very first to be dissolved away. After this (are dissolved) those
qualities which compose all entities. After the qualities (are dissolved)
the five elements. Such is the gradation of entities. Gods, men,
Gandharvas, Pisachas, Asuras, and Rakshasas, have all sprung from Nature,
and not from actions, not from a cause. The Brahmanas, who are creators
of the universe, are born here again and again. All that springs from
them dissolves, when the time comes, in those very five great elements
like billows in the ocean. All the great elements are beyond those
elements that compose the universe. He that is released from those five
elements goes to the highest goal. The puissant Prajapati created all
this by the mind only. After the same manner Rishis attained to the
status of deities by the aid of penance. After the same manner, those who
have achieved perfection, who were capable of the concentration of Yoga,
and who subsist on fruits and roots, likewise perceive the triple world
by penance. Medicines and herbs and all the diverse sciences are acquired
by means of penance alone, for all acquisition has penance for its root.
Whatever is difficult of acquisition, difficult to learn, difficult to
vanquish, difficult to pass through, are all achievable by penance, for
penance is irresistible. One that drinks alcoholic liquors, one that
slays a Brahmana, one that steals, one that destroys a foetus, one that
violates one's preceptor's bed, becomes cleansed of such sin by penance
well performed. Human beings, Pitris, deities, (sacrificial) animals,
beasts and birds, and all other creatures mobile and immobile, by always
devoting themselves to penances, become crowned with success by penance
alone. In like manner, the deities, endued with great powers of illusion,
have attained to Heaven. Those who without idleness perform acts with
expectations, being full of egoism, approach the presence of Prajapati.
Those high-souled ones, however, who are devoid of mineness and freed
from egoism through the pure contemplation of Yoga, attain to the great
and highest regions. Those who best understand the self, having attained
to Yoga contemplation and having their minds always cheerful, enter into
the unmanifest accumulation of happiness. Those persons who are freed
from the idea of mineness as also from egoism and who are reborn after
having attained to the fullness of Yoga contemplation, enter (when they
depart from such life) into the highest region reserved for the great,
viz., the Unmanifest. Born from that same unmanifest (principle) and
attaining to the same once more, freed from the qualities of Darkness and
Passion, and adhering to only the quality of Goodness, one becomes
released from every sin and creates all things.[157] Such a one should be
known to be Kshetrajna in perfection. He that knows him, knows the
Veda.[158] Attaining to pure knowledge from (restraining) the mind, the
ascetic should sit self-restrained. One necessarily becomes that on which
one's mind is set. This is an eternal mystery. That which has the
unmanifest for its beginning and gross qualities for its end, has been
said to have Ne-science for its indication. But do you understand that
whose nature is destitute of qualities? Of two syllables is Mrityu
(death); of three syllable is the eternal Brahman. Mineness is death, and
the reverse of mineness is the eternal.[159] Some men who are led by bad
understanding applaud action. Those, however, that are numbered among the
high-souled ancients never applaud action. By action is a creature born
with body which is made up of the sixteen.[160] (True) Knowledge swallows
up Purusha (Self with consciousness of body). Even this is what is highly
acceptable to eaters of Amrita.[161] Therefore, those whose vision
extends to the other end (of the ocean of life) have no attachment for
actions. This Purusha, however, is full of knowledge and not full of
action.[162] He dies not who understands Him that is immortal, immutable,
incomprehensible, eternal and indestructible--Him that is the restrained
Soul and that transcends all attachments. He who thus understands the
Soul to which there is nothing prior which is uncreated, immutable,
unconquered, and incomprehensible even to those that are eaters of
nectar, certainly becomes himself incomprehensible and immortal through
these means. Expelling all impressions and restraining the Soul in the
Soul, he understands that auspicious Brahman than which nothing greater
exists. Upon the understanding becoming clear, he succeeds in attaining
to tranquillity. The indication of tranquillity is like what takes place
in a dream.[163] This is the goal of these emancipated ones who are
intent on knowledge. They behold all those movements which are born of
successive developments.[164] This is the goal of those who are
unattached to the world, This is the eternal usage. This is the
acquisition of men of knowledge. This is the uncensured mode of conduct.
This goal is capable of being attained by one that is alike to all
creatures, that is without attachment, that is without expectations, and
that looks equally on all things. I have now declared everything to you,
ye foremost of regenerate Rishis. Do you act in this way forthwith; you
will then acquire success.'

"The preceptor continued, 'Thus addressed by the preceptor Brahma, those
high-souled sages acted accordingly and then attained to many regions (of
great felicity). Do thou also, O blessed one, duly act according to the
words of Brahma as declared by me, O thou of pure soul. Thou wilt then
attain to success.'

"Vasudeva said,--'Thus instructed in the principles of high religion by
the preceptor, the pupil, O son of Kunti, did everything accordingly, and
then attained to Emancipation. Having done all that he should have done,
the pupil, O perpetuator of Kuru's race, attained to that seat repairing
whither one has not to grieve.'

"Arjuna said, 'Who, indeed, was that Brahmana, O Krishna, and who the
pupil, O Janarddana. Truly, if it is fit to be heard by me, do thou then
tell me, O lord!'

"Vasudeva said, 'I am the preceptor, O mighty-armed one, and know that
the mind is my pupil. Through my affection for thee, O Dhananjaya, I have
related this mystery to thee. If thou hast any love for me, O perpetuator
of Kuru's race, do thou then, after having heard these instructions
relating to the Soul, always act duly (according to them), O thou of
excellent vows. Then when this religion has been duly practised, O mower
of foes, thou wilt become freed from all thy sins and attain to absolute
emancipation. Formerly, when the hour of battle came, this very religion,
O thou of mighty arms, was declared by me (to thee)! Do thou, therefore,
set thy mind on it. And now, O chief of Bharata's race, it is long since
that I saw the lord my sire. I wish to see him again, with thy leave, O
Phalguna!'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Unto Krishna who had said so, Dhananjaya said
in reply,--We shall go to-day from this town to the city called after the
elephant. Meeting king Yudhishthira of virtuous soul there, and informing
him (of thy intention) thou shalt then repair to thy own city!'"



SECTION LII

"Vaisampayana said, 'After this, Krishna ordered Daruka, saying--Let my
car be yoked.--Within a very short space of time Daruka informed (his
master), saying,--It has been yoked.--The son of Pandu then commanded all
his attendants, saying,--Prepare yourselves and be ready. We shall repair
to-day to the city named after the elephant. Thus addressed, O king,
those troops accoutred themselves, and informed Pritha's son of
immeasurable energy, saying,--Everything is equipt. Then those two, viz.,
Krishna and the son of Pandu, ascended their car and proceeded on the
journey, the loving friends engaged the while in delightful conversation.
Unto Vasudeva seated on the car, Dhananjaya of great energy once more
said these words, O chief of Bharata's race!--O perpetuator of the
Vrishni race, the king has obtained victory through thy grace. All his
foes have been slain, and he has recovered his kingdom without a thorn in
it (to make it disagreeable). O slayer of Madhu, through thee the
Pandavas are endued with a powerful protector. Having obtained thee for
our raft we have crossed the Kuru ocean. O thou that hast this universe
for thy handiwork, salutations to thee, O Soul of the universe, O best of
all beings in the universe. I know thee in that measure in which I am
approved by thee.[165] O slayer of Madhu, the soul of every creature is
always born of thy energy. Playful sport (in the from of creation,
preservation, and destruction) is thine. Earth and sky, O lord, are thy
illusion. This whole universe, consisting of mobile and immobile objects,
is established on thee. Thou createst, by modification, the four orders
of Being (viz., viviparous, oviparous, filth-born, and vegetables). Thou
createst the Earth, the Welkin, and Heaven, O slayer of Madhu. The
stainless lunar light is thy smile. The seasons are thy senses. The
ever-moving wind is thy breath, and death, existing eternally, is thy
wrath. In thy grace is the goddess of prosperity. Verily, Sree is always
established in thee, O thou of the highest intelligence. Thou art the
sport (in which creatures engage); thou art their contentment; thou their
intelligence, thou their forgiveness, thou their inclinations, thou their
beauty. Thou art the universe with its mobile and immobile objects. At
the end of the cycle, it is thou, O sinless one, that art called
destruction. I am incapable of reciting all thy qualities in course of
even a long period. Thou art the Soul and the Supreme Soul. I bow to
thee, O thou of eyes like the petals of the lotus. O thou that art
irresistible, I have learnt it from Narada and Devala and the Island-born
(Vyasa), and the Kuru grandsire also, that all this (universe) rests on
thee. Thou art the one Lord of all creatures. This, O sinless one, that
thou hast declared unto me in consequence of thy favour for myself, I
shall duly accomplish in its entirety, O Janarddana. Exceedingly
wonderful is this which thou hast done from desire of doing what is
agreeable to us, viz., the destruction in battle of the Kaurava (prince),
the son of Dhritarashtra. Thai host had been burnt by thee which I
(subsequently) vanquished in battle. That feat was achieved by thee in
consequence of which victory became mine. By the power of thy
intelligence was shown the means by which was duly affected the
destruction of Duryodhana in battle, as also of Karna, as of the sinful
icing of the Sindhus; and Bhurisravas. I shall accomplish all that which,
O son of Devaki, pleased with me thou hast declared to myself. I do not
entertain any scruple in this. Repairing to king Yudhishthira of
righteous soul, I shall, O sinless one, urge him to dismiss thee, O thou
that art conversant with every duty. O lord, thy departure for Dwaraka
meets with my approbation. Thou shalt soon see my maternal uncle, O
Janarddana. Thou shalt also see the irresistible Valadeva and other
chiefs of the Vrishni race.--Thus conversing with each other, the two
reached the city named after the elephant. They then, with cheerful
hearts, and without any anxiety, entered the palace of Dhritarashtra
which resembled the mansion of Sakra. They then saw, O monarch, king
Dhritarashtra, and Vidura of great intelligence, and king Yudhishthira
and the irresistible Bhimasena, and the two sons of Madri by Pandu; and
the unvanquished Yuyatsu, seated before Dhritarashtra and Gandhari of
great wisdom, and Pritha, and the beautiful Krishna, and the other ladies
of Bharata's race with Subhadra counting first. They also saw all those
ladies that used to wait upon Gandhari. Then approaching king
Dhritarashtra, those two chastisers of foes announced their names and
touched his feet. Indeed, those high-souled ones also touched the feet of
Gandhari and Pritha and king Yudhishthira the Just, and Bhima. Embracing
Vidura also, they enquired after his welfare. In the company of all those
persons, Arjuna and Krishna then approached king Dhritarashtra (again).
Night came and then king Dhritarashtra of great intelligence dismissed
all those perpetuators of Kuru's race as also Janarddana for retiring to
their respective chambers. Permitted by the king all of them entered
their respective apartments. Krishna of great energy proceeded to the
apartments of Dhananjaya. Worshipped duly and furnished with every object
of comfort and enjoyment, Krishna of great intelligence passed the night
in happy sleep with Dhananjaya as his companion. When the night passed
away and morning came, the two heroes, finishing their morning rites and
dealing their persons properly, proceeded to the mansion of king
Yudhishthira the just. There Yudhishthira the just, of great might, sat
with his ministers. The two high-souled ones, entering that well-adorned
chamber, beheld king Yudhishthira the just like the two Aswins beholding
the chief of the celestials. Meeting the king, he of Vrishni's race as
also that foremost hero of Kuru's race, obtaining the permission of
Yudhishthira who was highly pleased with them, sat themselves down. Then
the king, gifted with great intelligence, seeing those two friends,
became desirous of addressing them. Soon that best of monarchs, that
foremost of speakers addressed them in the following words.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'Ye heroes, ye foremost ones of Yadu's and Kuru's
race, it seems that ye two are desirous of saying something to me. Do ye
say what is in your mind. I shall soon accomplish it. Do not hesitate.'

"Thus addressed, Phalguna, well conversant with speech, humbly approached
king Yudhishthira the just and then said these words.--'Vasudeva here, of
great prowess, O king, is long absent from home. He desires, with thy
permission, to see his sire. Let him go, if thou thinkest it meet, to the
city of the Anarttas. It behoveth thee; O hero, to grant him permission!'

"Yudhishthira said, 'O lotus-eyed one, blessed be thou. O slayer of
Madhu, do thou go this very day to the city of Dwaravati for seeing, O
puissant one, that foremost one of Sura's race. O mighty-armed Kesava,
thy departure is approved by me. Thou hast not seen my maternal uncle as
also the goddess Devaki, for a long time. Meeting my maternal uncle and
repairing to Valadeva also, O giver of honours, thou wilt, O thou of
great wisdom, worship both of them at my word as they deserve.[166] Do
thou also think of me daily as also of Bhima, that foremost of mighty
men, and of Phalguna and Nakula and Sahadeva, O giver of honours. Having
seen the Anarttas, and thy sire, O mighty-armed one, and the Vrishnis,
thou wilt come back to my horse-sacrifice, O sinless one. Do thou then
depart, taking with thee diverse kinds of gems and various sorts of
wealth. Do thou, O hero of the Satwata race, also take with thee whatever
else thou likest. It is through thy grace, O Kesava, that the whole
Earth, O hero, has come under our dominion and all our foes have been
slain.'

Copyright (c) 2007. bestextbooks.com. All rights reserved.

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Stephen King fan publishes Shining's Jack Torrance's novel
Three Women was first heard as a radio drama and then published as a poem. Robert Shaw explains his desire to stage the piece as it was intended

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A Stephen King fan has published an 80-page version of the book which novelist Jack Torrance obsessively writes during King's The Shining, where his descent into madness is revealed when his wife discovers that his work consists of just one phrase, endlessly repeated.

Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson in terrifying form in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film, is a frustrated writer who goes with his wife and son to spend the winter in the isolated Overlook Hotel in an attempt to get the novel he has always wanted to write started. But the hotel's grisly past and unquiet ghosts have their way with him, and his wife Wendy eventually finds that the manuscript he has been working on actually only contains the phrase "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy", typed over and over again.

Now New York artist Phil Buehler, who describes himself as "a big fan of Stanley Kubrick and Stephen King", has self-published a book credited to Torrance, repeating the phrase throughout but formatting each page differently, using the words to create different shapes from zigzags to spirals.

"The idea has probably been marinating for years, because I loved the movie and the Stephen King book," said Buehler. "I'd just finished my own obsessive art project [and] it was an idea I had over the Christmas holidays."

He said he decided to stick to type and formatting that could have been created on a typewriter, with the first ten pages duplicating shots of Torrance's work from the film. "I thought 'if he continues to get crazier, what would those pages look like?'" he said. "I hit writer's block about 60 pages in, and I had to get to 80 - that went on for about a week." His fiancée, who had neither read the book nor seen the film, became a little concerned about his actions. "I finally showed her the movie, and she realised I wasn't really losing it," said Buehler.

He's included a spoof review from the blog OverThinkingIt.com on the book's back jacket, which compares it to "the best of Beckett" in its "lack of forward momentum", and considers the struggles of the author, "heroically pitting himself against the Sisyphusean sentence". "It's that metatextual struggle of Man vs. Typewriter that gives this book its spellbinding power," the review says. "Some will dismiss it as simplistic; that's like dismissing a Pollack canvas as mere splatters of paint."

So far, Buehler says that around 1,000 people have viewed the book, for sale on Blurb.com for $8.95 in paperback, or $22.95 in hardback, and he's sold "a few" copies, with sales now starting to pick up steam. "A few people have asked me to sign it - they're looking it as a piece of art rather than a funny thing to give to a Kubrick fan," he said. "If you're not a Kubrick or King fan, you might not even get it."

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