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The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

o >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1




"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed both by Dasarha and Arjuna, the
illustrious god then put forth his most energetic form, and prepared to
consume the forest. Surrounding it on all sides with his seven flames, he
began to consume the forest of Khandava, exhibiting his all-consuming
form like that at the end of the Yuga (cycle). And, O bull of Bharata's
race, surrounding that forest and catching it from all sides with a roar
like that of the clouds, Agni made every creature within it tremble. And,
O Bharata, that burning forest then looked resplendent like the king of
mountains, Meru, blazing with the rays of the sun fallen thereupon.'"



SECTION CCXXVIII

(Khandava-daha Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'Then those foremost of car-warriors (Krishna and
Arjuna), riding in their cars and placing themselves on opposite sides of
that forest, began a great slaughter, on all sides, of the creatures
dwelling in Khandava. At whatever point any of the creatures residing in
Khandava could be seen attempting to escape, thither rushed those mighty
heroes (to prevent its flight). Indeed those two excellent cars seemed to
be but one, and the two warriors also therein but one individual. And
while the forest was burning, hundreds and thousands of living creatures,
uttering frightful yells, began to run about in all directions. Some had
particular limbs burnt, some were scorched with excessive heat, and some
came out, and some ran about from fear. And some clasping their children
and some their parents and brothers, died calmly without, from excess of
affection, being able to abandon these that were dear to them. And many
there were who biting their nether lips rose upwards and soon fell
whirling into the blazing element below. And some were seen to roll on
the ground with wings, eyes, and feet scorched and burnt. These creatures
were all seen to perish there almost soon enough. The tanks and ponds
within that forest, heated by the fire around, began to boil; the fishes
and the tortoises in them were all seen to perish. During that great
slaughter of living creatures in that forest, the burning bodies of
various animals looked as if fire itself had assumed many forms. The
birds that took wings to escape from that conflagration were pierced by
Arjuna with his shafts, and cut into pieces, they fell down into the
burning element below. Pierced all over with Arjuna's shafts, the birds
dropped down into the burning forest, uttering loud cries. The denizens
of the forest, struck with those shafts, began to roar and yell. The
clamour they raised was like unto the frightful uproar heard during the
churning of the ocean (in days of yore). The mighty flames of the blazing
fire reaching the firmament, caused great anxiety to the celestials
themselves. Then all the illustrious dwellers in heaven went in a body
unto him of a hundred sacrifices and thousand eyes, viz., their chief,
that grinder of Asuras. Approaching Indra, the celestial said, 'Why, O
lord of immortals, doth Agni burn these creatures below? Hath the time
come for the destruction of the world?'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of the gods, and himself
beholding what Agni was doing, the slayer of Vritra set out for the
protection of the forest of Khandava. And Vasava, the chief of the
celestials soon covering the sky with masses of clouds of every kind
began to shower upon the burning forest. Those masses of clouds by
hundreds and thousands, commanded by Indra began to pour rain upon
Khandava in showers thick as the flag-staffs of battle-cars. But the
showers were all dried up in the sky itself by the heat of the fire and
could not, therefore, reach the fire at all! Then the slayer of Namuchi,
getting angry with Agni, collected huge masses of clouds and caused them
to yield a heavy downpour. Then with the flames contending with those
heavy showers, and with masses of clouds overhead, that forest, filled
with smoke and flashes of lightning, became terrible to behold.'"



SECTION CCXXIX

(Khandava-daha Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Vibhatsu, the son of Pandu, invoking his
excellent weapons, prevented that shower of rain by Indra, by means of a
shower of his own weapons. And Arjuna of immeasurable soul soon covered
the forest of Khandava with innumerable arrows like the moon covering the
atmosphere with a thick fog. When the sky above that forest was thus
covered with the arrows of Arjuna no living creature could then escape
from below. And it so happened that while that forest was burning,
Takshaka, the chief of the Nagas, was not there, having gone at that time
to the field of Kurukshetra. But Aswasena, the mighty son of Takshaka,
was there. He made great efforts to escape from that fire; but confined
by Arjuna's shafts he succeeded not in finding a way. It was then that
his mother, the daughter of a snake, determined to save him by swallowing
him first. His mother first swallowed his head and then was swallowing
his tail. And desirous of saving her son, the sea-snake rose (up from the
earth) while still employed in swallowing her son's tail. But Arjuna as
soon as he beheld her escaping, severed her head from her body by means
of a sharp and keen-edged arrow. Indra saw all this, and desiring to save
his friend's son, the wielder of the thunderbolt, by raising a violent
wind, deprived Arjuna of consciousness. During those few moments,
Aswasena succeeded in effecting his escape. Beholding that manifestation
of the power of illusion, and deceived by that snake, Arjuna was much
enraged. He forthwith cut every animal seeking to escape by the skies,
into two, three, or more pieces. And Vibhatsu in anger, and Agni, and
Vasudeva also, cursed the snake that had escaped so deceitfully, saying,
'Never shalt thou be famous!' And Jishnu remembering the deception
practised upon him, became angry, and covering the firmament with a cloud
of arrows, sought to fight with him of a thousand eyes. The chief of the
celestials also, seeing Arjuna in anger, sought to fight with him, and
hurled his own fierce weapons, covering the wide expanse of the
firmament. Then the winds, making a loud roar and agitating all the
oceans, brought together masses of clouds in the sky, charged with
torrents of rain. Those masses of clouds began to vomit thunder and
terrible flashes of lightning charged with the thunderclap. Then Arjuna
possessing a knowledge of means, hurled the excellent weapon called
Vayavya with proper mantras to dispel those clouds. With that weapon the
energy and force of Indra's thunderbolt and of those clouds were
destroyed. And the torrents of rain with which those clouds were charged
were all dried up, and the lightning that played amongst them was also
destroyed. Within a moment the sky was cleared of dust and darkness, and
a delicious, cool breeze began to blow and the disc of the sun resumed
its normal state. Then the eater of clarified butter (Agni), glad because
none could baffle him, assumed various forms, and sprinkled over with the
fat exuded by the bodies of creatures, blazed forth with all his flames,
filling the universe with his roar. Then numerous birds of the Garuda
tribe bearing excellent feathers, beholding that the forest was protected
by Krishna and Arjuna, descended filled with pride, from the upper skies,
desirous of striking those heroes with their thunderlike wings, beaks and
claws. Innumerable Nagas also, with faces emitting fire descending from
high, approached Arjuna, vomiting the most virulent poison all the while.
Beholding them approach, Arjuna cut them into pieces by means of arrows
steeped in the fire of his own wrath. Then those birds and snakes,
deprived of life, fell into the burning element below. And there came
also, desirous of battle, innumerable Asuras with Gandharvas and Yakshas
and Rakshasas and Nagas sending forth terrific yells. Armed with machines
vomiting from their throats (mouths?) iron balls and bullets, and
catapults for propelling huge stones, and rockets, they approached to
strike Krishna and Partha, their energy and strength increased by wrath.
But though they rained a perfect shower of weapons, Vibhatsu, addressing
them reproachfully, struck off their heads with his own sharp arrows.
That slayer of foes, Krishna, also, endued with great energy, made a
great slaughter of the Daitya and the Danava with his discus. Many Asuras
of immeasurable might, pierced with Krishna's arrows and smitten with the
force of his discus, became motionless like waifs and strays stranded on
the bank by the violence of the waves. Then Sakra the lord of the
celestials, riding on his white elephant, rushed at those heroes, and
taking up his thunderbolt which could never go in vain, hurled it with
great force. And the slayer of Asuras said unto the gods, 'These two are
slain.' Beholding the fierce thunderbolt about to be hurled by their
chief, the celestials all took up their respective weapons. Yama, O king,
took up the death-dealing mace, and Kuvera his spiked club, and Varuna
his noose and beautiful missile. And Skanda (Kartikeya) took up his long
lance and stood motionless like the mountain of Meru. The Aswins stood
there with resplendent plants in their hands. Dhatri stood, bow in hand,
and Jaya with a thick club. Tvashtri of great strength took up in wrath,
a huge mountain and Surya stood with a bright dart, and Mrityu with a
battle-axe. Aryaman stalked about with a terrible bludgeon furnished with
sharp spikes, and Mitra stood there with a discus sharp as a razor. And,
O monarch, Pusha and Bhaga and Savitri, in wrath, rushed at Krishna and
Partha with bows and scimitars in hand. And Rudras and the Vasus, the
mighty Maruts and the Viswedevas and the Sadhyas, all resplendent with
their own energy,--these and many other celestials, armed with various
weapons rushed against those exalted of men, Krishna and Partha, for
smiting them down. Then were seen in that great conflict wonderful
portents all around robbing every creature of his sense, and resembling
those that appeared at the time of the universal dissolution. But Arjuna
and Krishna, fearless and invincible in battle, beholding Sakra and the
other celestials prepared for fight, calmly waited, bows in hands.
Skilled in battle, those heroes in wrath assailed the advancing host of
celestials with their own thunderlike arrows. The celestials repeatedly
routed by Krishna and Arjuna, at last left the field of battle for fear
and sought the protection of Indra. The Munis who were witnessing the
battle from the skies, beholding the celestials defeated by Madhava and
Arjuna, were filled with wonder. Sakra also repeatedly witnessing their
prowess in battle, became exceedingly gratified, and once more rushed to
the assault. The chastiser of Paka then caused a heavy shower of stones,
desiring to ascertain the prowess of Arjuna who was able to draw the bow
even with his left hand. Arjuna, in great wrath, dispelled with his
arrows that thick shower. Then he of a hundred sacrifices beholding that
shower baffled, once more caused a thicker shower of stones. But the son
of the chastiser of Paka (viz., Arjuna) gratified his father by baffling
that shower also with his swift arrows. Then Sakra, desirous of smiting
down the son of Pandu, tore up with his hands a large peak from Mandara,
with tall trees on it, and hurled it against him. But Arjuna divided that
mountain-peak into a thousand pieces by his swift-going and fire-mouthed
arrows. The fragments of that mountain, in falling through the skies,
looked as if the sun and the moon and the planets, displaced from their
positions fell down on earth. That huge peak fell down upon that forest
and by its fall killed numerous living creatures that dwelt in Khandava.'"



SECTION CCXXX

(Khandava-daha Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'Then the inhabitants of the forest of Khandava, the
Danavas and Rakshasas and Nagas and wolves and bears and other wild
animals, and elephants with rent temples, and tigers, and lions with
manes and deer and buffaloes by hundreds, and birds, and various other
creatures, frightened at the falling stones and extremely anxious, began
to fly in all directions. They saw the forest (burning all around) and
Krishna and Arjuna also ready with their weapons. Frightened at the
terrible sounds that were audible there those creatures lost their power
of movement. Beholding the forest burning in innumerable places and
Krishna also ready to smite them down with his weapons, they all set up a
frightful roar. With that terrible clamour as also with the roar of fire,
the whole welkin resounded, as it were, with the voice of portentous
clouds. Kesava of dark hue and mighty arms, in order to compass their
destruction, hurled at them his large and fierce discus resplendent with
its own energy. The forest-dwellers including the Danavas and the
Rakshasas, afflicted by that weapon, were cut in hundreds of pieces and
fell unto the mouth of Agni. Mangled by Krishna's discus, the Asuras were
besmeared with blood and fat and looked like evening clouds. And, O
Bharata, he of the Vrishni race moved able like death itself, slaying
Pisachas and birds and Nagas and other creatures by thousands. The discus
itself, repeatedly hurled from the hands of Krishna, that slayer of all
foes, came back to his hands after slaughtering numberless creatures. The
face and form of Krishna that soul of every created thing--became fierce
to behold while he was thus employed in the slaughter of the Pisachas,
Nagas and Rakshasas. No one among the celestials, who had mustered there
could vanquish in battle Krishna and Arjuna. When the celestials saw that
they could not protect that forest from the might of Krishna and Arjuna
by extinguishing that conflagration, they retired from the scene. Then, O
monarch, he of a hundred sacrifices (Indra), beholding the immortals
retreat, became filled with joy and applauded Krishna and Arjuna. And
when the celestials gave up the fight, an incorporeal voice, deep and
loud, addressing him of a hundred sacrifices, said, 'Thy friend Takshaka,
that chief of snakes, hath not been slain! Before the conflagration
commenced in Khandava he had journeyed to Kurukshetra. Know from my
words, O Vasava, that Vasudeva and Arjuna are incapable of being
vanquished in battle by any one! They are Nara and Narayana--those gods
of old heard of in heaven! Thou knowest what their energy is and what
their prowess. Invincible in battle, these best of old Rishis are
unconquerable by any one in all the worlds! They deserve the most
reverential worship of all the celestials and Asuras; of Yakshas and
Rakshasas and Gandharvas, of human beings and Kinnaras and Nagas.
Therefore, O Vasava, it behoveth thee to go hence with all the
celestials. The destruction of Khandava hath been ordained by Fate!' Then
the chief of the immortals, ascertaining those words to be true abandoned
his wrath and jealousy, and went back to heaven. The dwellers in heaven,
O monarch, beholding the illustrious Indra abandon the fight, followed
him with all their soldiers. Then those heroes, Vasudeva and Arjuna, when
they saw the chief of the celestials retreat accompanied by all the gods,
set up a leonine roar. And, O monarch, Kesava and Arjuna, after Indra had
left the scene, became exceedingly glad. Those heroes then fearlessly
assisted at the conflagration of the forest. Arjuna scattered the
celestials like the wind scattering the clouds, and slew with showers of
his arrows, numberless creatures that dwelt in Khandava. Cut off by
Arjuna's arrows, no one amongst the innumerable creatures could escape
from the burning forest. Far from fighting with him, none amongst even
the strongest creatures mustered there could look at Arjuna whose weapons
were never futile. Sometimes piercing hundred creatures with one shaft
and sometimes a single creature with hundred shafts, Arjuna moved about
in his car. The creatures themselves, deprived of life, began to fall
into the mouth of Agni (god of fire), struck down as it were by death
itself. On the banks of rivers or on uneven plains or on crematoriums, go
where they did, the creatures (dwelling in Khandava) found no ease, for
wherever they sought shelter there they were afflicted by the heat. And
hosts of creatures roared in pain, and elephants and deer and wolves set
up cries of affliction. At that sound the fishes of the Ganges and the
sea, and the various tribes of Vidyadharas dwelling in that forest all
became frightened. O thou of mighty arms, let alone battling with them,
no one, could even gaze at Arjuna and Janardana of dark hue. Hari slew
with his discus those Rakshasas and Danavas and Nagas that rushed at him
in bands. Of huge bodies, their heads and trunks were cut off by the
swift motion of the discus, and deprived of life they fell down into the
blazing fire. Gratified with large quantities of flesh, blood, and fat,
the flames rose up to a great height without a curling wreath of smoke.
Hutasana (fire-god) with blazing and coppery eyes, and flaming tongue and
large mouth, and the hair on the crown of his head all fiery, drinking,
with the help of Krishna and Arjuna, that nectar-like stream of animal
fat, became filled with joy. Gratified greatly, Agni derived much
happiness.

"And it so happened that the slayer of Madhu suddenly beheld an Asura of
the name of Maya escaping from the abode of Takshaka. Agni having Vayu
for his car-driver, assuming a body with matted locks on head, and
roaring like the clouds, pursued the Asura, desirous of consuming him.
Beholding the Asura, Vasudeva stood with his weapon upraised, ready to
smite him down, seeing the discus uplifted and Agni pursuing from behind
to burn him, Maya said 'Run to me, O Arjuna, and protect me!' Hearing his
affrighted voice Arjuna said, 'Fear not!' That voice of Arjuna, O
Bharata, seemed to give Maya his life. As the merciful son of Pritha said
unto Maya that there was nothing to fear, he of the Dasarha race no
longer desired to slay Maya who was the brother of Namuchi, and Agni also
burned him not.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Protected from Indra by Krishna and Partha,
Agni gifted with great intelligence, burned that forest for five and ten
days. And while the forest burned Agni spared only six of its dwellers,
viz., Aswasena, Maya, and four birds called Sarngakas.'"



SECTION CCXXXI

(Khandava-daha Parva continued)

"Janamejaya said, 'O Brahmana, tell me why and when that forest burnt in
that way, Agni consumed not the birds called Sarngakas? Thou hast, O
Brahmana, recited (to us) the cause of Aswasena and the Danava Maya not
having been consumed. But thou hast not as yet said what the cause was of
the escape of the Sarngakas? The escape of those birds, O Brahmana,
appeareth to me to be wonderful. Tell us why they were not destroyed in
that dreadful conflagration.'

"Vaisampayana said, 'O slayer of all foes, I shall tell thee all as to
why Agni did not burn up those birds during the conflagration. There was,
O king, a great Rishi known by the name of Mandapala, conversant with all
the shastras, of rigid vows, devoted to asceticism, and the foremost of
all virtuous persons. Following in the wake of Rishis that had drawn up
their virile fluid, that ascetic, O monarch, with every sense under
complete control, devoted himself to study and virtue. Having reached the
opposite shores of asceticism, O Bharata, he left his human form and went
to the region of the Pitris. But going thither he failed to obtain the
(expected) fruit of his acts. He asked the celestials that sat around the
king of the dead as to the cause of his treatment, saying, 'Why have
these regions become unattainable by me,--regions that I had thought had
been acquired by me by my ascetic devotions? Have I not performed those
acts whose fruits are these regions? Ye inhabitants of heaven, tell me
why these regions are shut against me! I will do that which will give me
the fruit of my ascetic penances.'

"The celestials answered, 'Hear, O Brahmana, of those acts and things on
account of which men are born debtors. Without doubt, it is for religious
rites, studies according to the ordinance, and progeny, that men are born
debtors. These debts are all discharged by sacrifices, asceticism, and
offspring. Thou art an ascetic and hast also performed sacrifices; but
thou hast no offspring. These regions are shut against thee only for want
of children. Beget children, therefore! Thou shalt then enjoy
multifarious regions of felicity. The Vedas declared that the son
rescueth the father from a hell called Put. Then, O best of Brahmanas,
strive to beget offspring.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Mandapala, having heard these words of the
dwellers in heaven, reflected how best he could obtain the largest number
of offspring within the shortest period of time. The Rishi, after
reflection, understood that of all creatures birds alone were blest with
fecundity. Assuming the form of a Sarngaka the Rishi had connection with
a female bird of the same species called by the name of Jarita. And he
begat upon her four sons who were all reciters of the Vedas. Leaving all
those sons of his with their mother in that forest, while they were still
within eggs, the ascetic went to (another wife called by the name of)
Lapita. And, O Bharata, when the exalted sage went away for the company
of Lapita, moved by affection for her offspring, Jarita became very
thoughtful. Though forsaken by their father in the forest of Khandava,
Jarita, anxious in her affection for them, could not forsake her
offspring, those infant Rishis encased in eggs. Moved by parental
affection, she brought up these children born of her, herself following
the pursuits proper to her own species. Some time after, the Rishi, in
wandering over that forest in the company of Lapita, saw Agni coming
towards Khandava to burn it down. Then the Brahmana Mandapala, knowing
the intention of Agni and remembering also that his children were all
young moved by fear, gratified the god, of the burning element, that
regent of the universe, endued with great energy. And he did this,
desiring to put in a word for his unfledged offspring. Addressing Agni,
the Rishi said, 'Thou art, O Agni, the mouth of all the worlds! Thou art
the carrier of the sacrificial butter! O purifier (of all sins), thou
movest invisible with the frame of every creature! The learned have
spoken of thee as an One, and again as possessed of triple nature. The
wise perform their sacrifices before thee, taking thee as consisting of
eight (mouths). The great Rishis declare that this universe hath been
created by thee. O thou that feedest on sacrificial butter, without thee
this whole universe would be destroyed in a single day. Bowing to thee,
the Brahmanas, accompanied by their wives and children, go to eternal
regions won by them by help of their own deeds. O Agni, the learned
represent thee as the clouds in the heavens charged with lightning. O
Agni, the flames put forth by thee consume every creature. O thou of
great splendour, this universe hath been created by thee. The Vedas are
thy word. All creatures, mobile and immobile, depend upon thee. Water
primarily dependeth on thee, so also the whole of this universe. All
offerings of clarified butter and oblations of food to the pitris have
been established in thee. O god, thou art the consumer, and thou art the
creator and thou art Vrihaspati himself (in intelligence). Thou art the
twin Aswins; thou art Surya; thou art Soma; thou art Vayu.

"Vaisampayana continued, 'O monarch, thus praised by Mandapala, Agni was
gratified with that Rishi of immeasurable energy; and the god,
well-pleased, replied, 'What good can I do to thee?' Then Mandapala with
joined palms said unto the carrier of clarified butter, 'While thou
burnest the forest of Khandava, spare my children.' The illustrious
bearer of clarified butter replied, 'So be it.' It was, therefore, O
monarch, that he blazed not forth, while consuming the forest of
Khandava, for the destruction of Mandapala's children.'"



SECTION CCXXXII

(Khandava-daha Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'When the fire blazed forth in the forest of
Khandava, the infant birds became very much distressed and afflicted.
Filled with anxiety, they saw not any means of escape. Their mother, the
helpless Jarita, knowing that they were too young to escape, was filled
with sorrow and wept aloud. And she said, 'Oh, the terrible
conflagration, illuminating the whole universe and burning the forest
down, approacheth towards us, increasing my woe. These infants with
immature understanding, without feathers and feet, and the sole refuge of
our deceased ancestors, afflict me. Oh, this fire approacheth, spreading
fear all around, and licking with its tongue the tallest trees. But my
unfledged children are incapable of effecting their escape. I myself am
not capable of escaping, taking all these with me. Nor am I capable of
abandoning them, for my heart is distressed on their account. Whom
amongst my sons, shall I leave behind, and whom shall I carry with me?
What (act) should I do now that is consistent with duty? What also do
you, my infant sons, think? I do not, even by reflection, see any way of
escape for you. I shall even cover you with my wings and die with you.
Your cruel father left me some time before, saying, 'Upon this Jaritari,
because he is the eldest of my sons, will my race depend. My second
Sarisrikka will beget progeny for the expansion of my ancestors' race. My
third, Stamvamitra, will be devoted to asceticism, and my youngest,
Drona, will become the foremost of those acquainted with the Vedas.' But
how hath this terrible calamity overtaken us! Whom shall I take with me?
As I am deprived of judgment what should I do that is consistent with
duty? I do not see, by the exercise of my own judgment, the escape of my
children from the fire!'

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Francis Galton - "The Art of Travel"

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We do not know the women's names, but their voices are quite distinct. All are pregnant. But while the first woman awaits the birth of her baby with a moon-like serenity, the other two are not so lucky. One, whose previous pregnancies have failed to go to term, is experiencing a heartbreaking late miscarriage; the other is a young student whose accidental pregnancy will end in her child being put up for adoption.

Sylvia Plath's only play was never intended for the stage, being broadcast instead on BBC radio in August 1962. Less than six months later, Plath killed herself, but not before the burst of astonishing creative energy that produced her extraordinary, terrifying Ariel poems.

Anyone who knows Plath's poetry will see the connection between Three Women and Plath's subsequent poems, particularly in the way she talks about the agony of childbirth, the rush of love for this tiny alien being, and both the wonder and wounded rawness of motherhood. It is a beautiful piece, full of startling imagery that draws you in through the sheer intensity of its femaleness, and because it so precisely articulates the emotions that are often thought but seldom voiced by women - certainly not in the early 1960s - about men, motherhood and our relationship to our bodies.

It's been 20 years since there has been an attempt at a professional stage version and - in a theatre world that happily accepts the poetic offerings of Sarah Kane and Debbie Tucker Green, or the staged possibilities of The Waves, one of Plath's own inspirations for the piece, I see no reason why it shouldn't be brought to life. Sadly, it doesn't breathe here, in a production by Robert Shaw that is clearly a labour of love, but which never finds a way to give the internal a physical reality. Plath's poetry, like most babies, is more robust than it appears - and won't break if treated with a little less reverence and considerably more grit.

Instead, what we are offered is tinkling piano music, mournful mood lighting, an innocuous pale setting, as well as three perfectly good but indisputably ladylike performances that capture none of the wounded redness of Plath's poetry, and do her the disservice of making her sound bleached and somewhat prissy. It's a pity. What might have been a wonder ends up a mere curiosity.

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