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

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The End of Sabha Parva

FOOTNOTES

1. A word of benediction, similar to 'Amen.'

The Mahabharata

of

Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa

BOOK 3

VANA PARVA

Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text

by

Kisari Mohan Ganguli

[1883-1896]

Scanned at sacred-texts.com, 2003. Proofed at Distributed Proofing,
Juliet Sutherland, Project Manager. Additional proofing and formatting at
sacred-texts.com, by J. B. Hare.

SECTION I

(Aranyaka Parva)

Om! Having bowed down to Narayana, and Nara the foremost of male beings,
and the goddess Saraswati also, must the word Jaya be uttered.

"Janamejaya said, 'O thou foremost of regenerate ones, deceitfully
defeated at dice by the sons of Dhritarashtra and their counsellors,
incensed by those wicked ones that thus brought about a fierce animosity,
and addressed in language that was so cruel, what did the Kuru princes,
my ancestors--the sons of Pritha--(then) do? How also did the sons of
Pritha, equal unto Sakra in prowess, deprived of affluence and suddenly
over whelmed with misery, pass their days in the forest? Who followed the
steps of those princes plunged in excess of affliction? And how did those
high souled ones bear themselves and derive their sustenance, and where
did they put up? And, O illustrious ascetic and foremost of Brahmanas,
how did those twelve years (of exile) of those warriors who were slayers
of foes, pass away in the forest? And undeserving of pain, how did that
princess, the best of her sex, devoted to her husbands, eminently
virtuous, and always speaking the truth, endure that painful exile in the
forest? O thou of ascetic wealth tell me all this in detail, for, O
Brahmana, I desire to hear thee narrate the history of those heroes
possessed of abundant prowess and lustre. Truly my curiosity is great.'

"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus defeated at dice and incensed by the wicked
sons of Dhritarashtra and their counsellors, the sons of Pritha set out
from Hastinapura. And issuing through Vardhamana gate of the city, the
Pandavas bearing their weapons and accompanied by Draupadi set out in a
northernly direction. Indrasena and others, with servants numbering
altogether fourteen, with their wives, followed them on swift cars. And
the citizens learning of their departure became overwhelmed with sorrow,
and began to censure Bhishma and Vidura and Drona and Gautama. And having
met together they thus addressed one another fearlessly.

'Alas, our families, we ourselves, and our homes are all gone, when the
wicked Duryodhana, backed by the son of Suvala, by Karna and Dussasana,
aspireth to this kingdom. And, Oh, our families, our (ancestral) usages,
our virtue and prosperity, are all doomed where this sinful wretch
supported by wretches as sinful aspireth to the kingdom! And, Oh, how can
happiness be there where these are not! Duryodhana beareth malice towards
all superiors, hath taken leave of good conduct, and quarreleth with
those that are near to him in blood. Covetous and vain and mean, he is
cruel by nature. The whole earth is doomed when Duryodhana becometh its
ruler. Thither, therefore, let us proceed whither the merciful and
high-minded sons of Pandu with passions under control and victorious over
foes, and possessed of modesty and renown, and devoted to pious
practices, repair!'

"Vaisampayana said, 'And saying this, the citizens went after the
Pandavas, and having met them, they all, with joined hands, thus
addressed the sons of Kunti and Madri.

'Blest be ye! Where will ye go, leaving us in grief? We will follow you
whithersoever ye will go! Surely have we been distressed upon learning
that ye have been deceitfully vanquished by relentless enemies! It
behoveth you not to forsake us that are your loving subjects and devoted
friends always seeking your welfare and employed in doing what is
agreeable to you! We desire not to be overwhelmed in certain destruction
living in the dominions of the Kuru king. Ye bulls among men, listen as
we indicate the merits and demerits springing respectively from
association with what is good and bad! As cloth, water, the ground, and
sesame seeds are perfumed by association with flowers, even so are
qualities ever the product of association. Verily association with fools
produceth an illusion that entangleth the mind, as daily communion with
the good and the wise leadeth to the practice of virtue. Therefore, they
that desire emancipation should associate with those that are wise and
old and honest and pure in conduct and possessed of ascetic merit. They
should be waited upon whose triple possessions, viz., knowledge (of the
Vedas), origin and acts, are all pure, and association with them is even
superior to (the study of the) scriptures. Devoid of the religious acts
as we are, we shall yet reap religious merit by association with the
righteous, as we should come by sin by waiting upon the sinful. The very
sight and touch of the dishonest, and converse and association with them;
cause diminution of virtue, and men (that are doomed to these), never
attain purity of mind. Association with the base impaireth the
understanding, as, indeed, with the indifferent maketh it indifferent,
while communion with the good ever exalteth it. All those attributes
which are spoken of in the world as the sources of religious merit, of
worldly prosperity and sensual pleasures, which are regarded by the
people, extolled in the Vedas, and approved by the well-behaved, exist in
you, separately and jointly! Therefore, desirous of our own welfare, we
wish to live amongst you who possess those attributes!

"Yudhishthira said, 'Blessed are we since the people with the Brahmanas
at their head, moved by affection and compassion credit us with merits we
have not. I, however, with my brothers, would ask all of you to do one
thing. Ye should not, through affection and pity for us, act otherwise!
Our grandfather Bhishma, the king (Dhritarashtra), Vidura, my mother and
most of my well-wishers, are all in the city of Hastinapura. Therefore,
if ye are minded to seek our welfare, cherish ye them with care, uniting
together as they are overwhelmed with sorrow and afflictions. Grieved at
our departure, ye have come far! Go ye back, and let your hearts be
directed with tenderness towards the relatives I entrust to you as
pledges! This, of all others, is the one act upon which my heart is set,
and by doing this ye would give me great satisfaction and pay me your
best regards!

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus exhorted by Yudhishthira the just, the
people in a body set up a loud wail exclaiming,--Alas, O king! And
afflicted and overwhelmed with sorrow on remembering the virtues of
Pritha's son, they unwillingly retraced their steps asking leave of the
Pandavas.

'The citizens having ceased to follow, the Pandavas ascended their cars,
and setting out reached (the site of) the mighty banian tree called
Pramana on the banks of the Ganges. And reaching the site of the banian
tree about the close of the day, the heroic sons of Pandu purified
themselves by touching the sacred water, and passed the night there. And
afflicted with woe they spent that night taking water alone as their sole
sustenance. Certain Brahmanas belonging to both classes, viz., those that
maintained the sacrificial fire and those that maintained it not, who
had, with their disciples and relatives, out of affection followed the
Pandavas thither also passed the night with them. And surrounded by those
utterers of Brahma, the king shone resplendent in their midst. And that
evening, at once beautiful and terrible, those Brahmanas having lighted
their (sacred) fires, began to chant the Vedas and hold mutual converse.
And those foremost of Brahmanas, with swan-sweet voices spent the night,
comforting that best of Kurus--the king."

SECTION II

"Vaisampayana said, 'When that night passed away and day broke in, those
Brahmamas who supported themselves by mendicancy, stood before the
Pandavas of exalted deeds, who were about to enter the forest. Then king
Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, addressed them, saying, "Robbed of our
prosperity and kingdom, robbed of everything, we are about to enter the
deep woods in sorrow, depending for our food on fruits and roots, and the
produce of the chase. The forest too is full of dangers, and abounds with
reptiles and beasts of prey. It appeareth to me that ye will certainly
have to suffer much privation and misery there. The sufferings of the
Brahmanas might overpower even the gods. That they would overwhelm me is
too certain. Therefore, O Brahmana, go ye back whithersoever ye list!'

"The Brahmanas replied, 'O king, our path is even that on which ye are
for setting out! It behoveth thee not, therefore, to forsake us who are
thy devoted admirers practising the true religion! The very gods have
compassion upon their worshippers,--specially upon Brahmanas of regulated
lives!'

"Yudhishthira said, 'We regenerate ones, I too am devoted to the
Brahmanas! But this destitution that hath overtaken me overwhelmed me
with confusion! These my brothers that are to procure fruits and roots
and the deer (of the forest) are stupefied with grief arising from their
afflictions and on account of the distress of Draupadi and the loss of
our kingdom! Alas, as they are distressed, I cannot employ them in
painful tasks!'

"The Brahmanas said, 'Let no anxiety, O king, in respect of our
maintenance, find a place in thy heart! Ourselves providing our own food,
we shall follow thee, and by meditation and saying our prayers we shall
compass thy welfare while by pleasant converse we shall entertain thee
and be cheered ourselves.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'Without doubt, it must be as ye say, for I am ever
pleased with the company of the regenerate ones! But my fallen condition
maketh me behold in myself an object of reproach! How shall I behold you
all, that do not deserve to bear trouble, out of love for me painfully
subsisting upon food procured by your own toil? Oh, fie upon the wicked
sons of Dhritarashtra!'

"Vaisampayana continued. 'Saying this, the weeping king sat himself down
upon the ground. Then a learned Brahmana, Saunaka by name versed in
self-knowledge and skilled in the Sankhya system of yoga, addressed the
king, saying, 'Causes of grief by thousands, and causes of fear by
hundreds, day after day, overwhelm the ignorant but not the wise. Surely,
sensible men like thee never suffer themselves to be deluded by acts that
are opposed to true knowledge, fraught with every kind of evil, and
destructive of salvation. O king, in thee dwelleth that understanding
furnished with the eight attributes which is said to be capable of
providing against all evils and which resulteth from a study of the Sruti
(Vedas) and scriptures! And men like unto thee are never stupefied, on
the accession of poverty or an affliction overtaking their friends,
through bodily or mental uneasiness! Listen, I shall tell the slokas
which were chanted of old by the illustrious Janaka touching the subject
of controlling the self! This world is afflicted with both bodily and
mental suffering. Listen now to the means of allaying it as I indicate
them both briefly and in detail. Disease, contact with painful things,
toil and want of objects desired.--these are the four causes that induce
bodily suffering. And as regards disease, it may be allayed by the
application of medicine, while mental ailments are cured by seeking to
forget them yoga-meditation. For this reason, sensible physicians first
seek to allay the mental sufferings of their patients by agreeable
converse and the offer of desirable objects And as a hot iron bar thrust
into a jar maketh the water therein hot, even so doth mental grief bring
on bodily agony. And as water quencheth fire, so doth true knowledge
allay mental disquietude. And the mind attaining ease, the body findeth
ease also. It seemeth that affection is the root of all mental sorrow. It
is affection that maketh every creature miserable and bringeth on every
kind of woe. Verily affection is the root of all misery and of all fear,
of joy and grief of every kind of pain. From affection spring all
purposes, and it is from affection that spring the love of worldly goods!
Both of these (latter) are sources of evil, though the first (our
purposes) is worse than the second. And as (a small portion of) fire
thrust into the hollow of a tree consumeth the tree itself to its roots,
even so affection, ever so little, destroyeth both virtue and profit. He
cannot be regarded to have renounced the world who hath merely withdrawn
from worldly possessions. He, however, who though in actual contact with
the world regardeth its faults, may be said to have truly renounced the
world. Freed from every evil passion, soul dependent on nothing with such
a one hath truly renounced the world. Therefore, should no one seek to
place his affections on either friends or the wealth he hath earned. And
so should affection for one's own person be extinguished by knowledge.
Like the lotus-leaf that is never drenched by water, the souls of men
capable of distinguishing between the ephemeral and the everlasting, of
men devoted to the pursuit of the eternal, conversant with the scriptures
and purified by knowledge, can never be moved by affection. The man that
is influenced by affection is tortured by desire; and from the desire
that springeth up in his heart his thirst for worldly possessions
increaseth. Verily, this thirst is sinful and is regarded as the source
of all anxieties. It is this terrible thirst, fraught with sin that
leaneth unto unrighteous acts. Those find happiness that can renounce
this thirst, which can never be renounced by the wicked, which decayeth
not with the decay of the body, and which is truly a fatal disease! It
hath neither beginning nor end. Dwelling within the heart, it destroyeth
creatures, like a fire of incorporeal origin. And as a faggot of wood is
consumed by the fire that is fed by itself, even so doth a person of
impure soul find destruction from the covetousness born of his heart. And
as creatures endued with life have ever a dread of death, so men of
wealth are in constant apprehension of the king and the thief, of water
and fire and even of their relatives. And as a morsel of meat, if in air,
may be devoured by birds; if on ground by beasts of prey; and if in water
by the fishes; even so is the man of wealth exposed to dangers wherever
he may be. To many the wealth they own is their bane, and he that
beholding happiness in wealth becometh wedded to it, knoweth not true
happiness. And hence accession of wealth is viewed as that which
increaseth covetousness and folly. Wealth alone is the root of
niggardliness and boastfulness, pride and fear and anxiety! These are the
miseries of men that the wise see in riches! Men undergo infinite
miseries in the acquisition and retention of wealth. Its expenditure also
is fraught with grief. Nay, sometimes, life itself is lost for the sake
of wealth! The abandonment of wealth produces misery, and even they that
are cherished by one's wealth become enemies for the sake of that wealth!
When, therefore, the possession of wealth is fraught with such misery,
one should not mind its loss. It is the ignorant alone who are
discontented. The wise, however, are always content. The thirst of wealth
can never be assuaged. Contentment is the highest happiness; therefore,
it is, that the wise regard contentment as the highest object of pursuit.
The wise knowing the instability of youth and beauty, of life and
treasure-hoards, of prosperity and the company of the loved ones, never
covet them. Therefore, one should refrain from the acquisition of wealth,
bearing the pain incident to it. None that is rich free from trouble, and
it is for this that the virtuous applaud them that are free from the
desire of wealth. And as regards those that pursue wealth for purposes of
virtue, it is better for them to refrain altogether from such pursuit,
for, surely, it is better not to touch mire at all than to wash it off
after having been besmeared with it. And, O Yudhishthira, it behoveth
thee not to covet anything! And if thou wouldst have virtue, emancipate
thyself from desire of worldly possessions!'

"Yudhishthira said, 'O Brahmana, this my desire of wealth is not for
enjoying it when obtained. It is only for the support of the Brahmanas
that I desire it and not because I am actuated by avarice! For what
purpose, O Brahmana, doth one like us lead a domestic life, if he cannot
cherish and support those that follow him? All creatures are seen to
divide the food (they procure) amongst those that depend on them.[1] So
should a person leading a domestic life give a share of his food to Yatis
and Brahmacharins that have renounced cooking for themselves. The houses
of the good men can never be in want of grass (for seat), space (for
rest), water (to wash and assuage thirst), and fourthly, sweet words. To
the weary a bed,--to one fatigued with standing, a seat,--to the thirsty,
water,--and to the hungry, food should ever be given. To a guest are due
pleasant looks and a cheerful heart and sweet words. The host, rising up,
should advance towards the guest, offer him a seat, and duly worship him.
Even this is eternal morality. They that perform not the Agnihotra[2] not
wait upon bulls, nor cherish their kinsmen and guests and friends and
sons and wives and servants, are consumed with sin for such neglect. None
should cook his food for himself alone and none should slay an animal
without dedicating it to the gods, the pitris, and guests. Nor should one
eat of that food which hath not been duly dedicated to the gods and
pitris. By scattering food on the earth, morning and evening, for (the
behoof of) dogs and Chandalas and birds, should a person perform the
Viswedeva sacrifice.[3] He that eateth the Vighasa, is regarded as eating
ambrosia. What remaineth in a sacrifice after dedication to the gods and
the pitris is regarded as ambrosia; and what remaineth after feeding the
guest is called Vighasa and is equivalent to ambrosia itself. Feeding a
guest is equivalent to a sacrifice, and the pleasant looks the host
casteth upon the guest, the attention he devoteth to him, the sweet words
in which he addresseth him, the respect he payeth by following him, and
the food and drink with which he treateth him, are the five Dakshinas[4]
in that sacrifice. He who giveth without stint food to a fatigued
wayfarer never seen before, obtaineth merit that is great, and he who
leading a domestic life, followeth such practices, acquireth religious
merit that is said to be very great. O Brahmana, what is thy opinion on
this?"

"Saunaka said, 'Alas, this world is full of contradictions! That which
shameth the good, gratifieth the wicked! Alas, moved by ignorance and
passion and slaves of their own senses, even fools perform many acts of
(apparent merit) to gratify in after-life their appetites! With eyes open
are these men led astray by their seducing senses, even as a charioteer,
who hath lost his senses, by restive and wicked steeds! When any of the
six senses findeth its particular object, the desire springeth up in the
heart to enjoy that particular object. And thus when one's heart
proceedeth to enjoy the objects of any particular sense a wish is
entertained which in its turn giveth birth to a resolve. And finally,
like unto an insect falling into a flame from love of light, the man
falleth into the fire of temptation, pierced by the shafts of the object
of enjoyment discharged by the desire constituting the seed of the
resolve! And thenceforth blinded by sensual pleasure which he seeketh
without stint, and steeped in dark ignorance and folly which he mistaketh
for a state of happiness, he knoweth not himself! And like unto a wheel
that is incessantly rolling, every creature, from ignorance and deed and
desire, falleth into various states in this world, wandering from one
birth to another, and rangeth the entire circle of existences from a
Brahma to the point of a blade of grass, now in water, now on land, and
now against in the air!

'This then is the career of those that are without knowledge. Listen now
to the course of the wise they that are intent on profitable virtue, and
are desirous of emancipation! The Vedas enjoin act but renounce (interest
in) action. Therefore, shouldst thou act, renouncing Abhimana,[5]
performance of sacrifices, study (of the Vedas), gifts, penance, truth
(in both speech and act), forgiveness, subduing the senses, and
renunciation of desire,--these have been declared to be the eight
(cardinal) duties constituting the true path. Of these, the four first
pave the way to the world of the pitris. And these should be practised
without Abhimana. The four last are always observed by the pious, to
attain the heaven of the gods. And the pure in spirit should ever follow
these eight paths. Those who wish to subdue the world for purpose of
salvation, should ever act fully renouncing motives, effectually subduing
their senses, rigidly observing particular vows, devotedly serving their
preceptors, austerely regulating their fare, diligently studying the
Vedas, renouncing action as mean and restraining their hearts. By
renouncing desire and aversion the gods have attained prosperity. It is
by virtue of their wealth of yoga[6] that the Rudras, and the Sadhyas,
and the Adityas and the Vasus, and the twin Aswins, rule the creatures.
Therefore, O son of Kunti, like unto them, do thou, O Bharata, entirely
refraining from action with motive, strive to attain success in yoga and
by ascetic austerities. Thou hast already achieved such success so far as
thy debts to thy ancestors, both male and female concerned, and that
success also which is derived from action (sacrifices). Do thou, for
serving the regenerate ones endeavour to attain success in penances.
Those that are crowned with ascetic success, can, by virtue of that
success, do whatever they list; do thou, therefore, practising asceticism
realise all thy wishes."

SECTION III

"Vaisampayana said, 'Yudhishthira the son of Kunti, thus addressed by
Saunaka, approached his priest and in the midst of his brothers said,
'The Brahmanas versed in the Vedas are following me who am departing for
the forest. Afflicted with many calamities I am unable to support them. I
cannot abandon them, nor have I the power to offer them sustenance: Tell
me, O holy one, what should be done by me in such a pass.'

"Vaisampayana said, 'After reflecting for a moment seeking to find out
the (proper) course by his yoga powers, Dhaumya, that foremost of all
virtuous men, addressed Yudhishthira, in these words, 'In days of old,
all living beings that had been created were sorely afflicted with
hunger. And like a father (unto all of them), Savita (the sun) took
compassion upon them. And going first into the northern declension, the
sun drew up water by his rays, and coming back to the southern
declension, stayed over the earth, with his heat centered in himself. And
while the sun so stayed over the earth, the lord of the vegetable world
(the moon), converting the effects of the solar heat (vapours) into
clouds and pouring them down in the shape of water, caused plants to
spring up. Thus it is the sun himself, who, drenched by the lunar
influence, is transformed, upon the sprouting of seeds, into holy
vegetable furnished with the six tastes. And it is these which constitute
the food of all creatures upon the earth. Thus the food that supporteth
the lives of creatures is instinct with solar energy, and the sun is,
therefore, the father of all creatures. Do thou, hence, O Yudhishthira,
take refuge even in him. All illustrious monarchs of pure descent and
deeds are known to have delivered their people by practising high
asceticism. The great Karttavirya, and Vainya and Nahusha, had all, by
virtue of ascetic meditation preceded by vows, delivered their people
from heavy afflictions. Therefore, O virtuous one, as thou art purified
by the acts do thou likewise, entering upon a file of austerities. O
Bharata, virtuously support the regenerate ones.'

"Janamejaya said, 'How did that bull among the Kurus, king Yudhishthira,
for the sake of the Brahmanas adore the sun of wonderful appearance?"

"Vaisampayana said, 'Listen attentively, O king, purifying thyself and
withdrawing thy mind from every other thing. And, O king of kings,
appoint thou a time. I will tell thee everything in detail, And, O
illustrious one, listen to the one hundred and eight names (of the sun)
as they were disclosed of old by Dhaumya to the high-souled son of
Pritha. Dhaumya said, 'Surya, Aryaman, Bhaga, Twastri, Pusha, Arka,
Savitri. Ravi,

Gabhastimat, Aja, Kala, Mrityu, Dhatri, Prabhakara, Prithibi, Apa, Teja,
Kha, Vayu, the sole stay, Soma, Vrihaspati, Sukra, Budha, Angaraka,
Indra, Vivaswat, Diptanshu, Suchi, Sauri, Sanaichara, Brahma, Vishnu,
Rudra, Skanda, Vaisravana, Yama, Vaidyutagni, Jatharagni, Aindhna,
Tejasampati, Dharmadhwaja, Veda-karttri, Vedanga, Vedavahana, Krita,
Treta, Dwapara, Kali, full of every impurity, Kala, Kastha, Muhurtta,
Kshapa, Yama, and Kshana; Samvatsara-kara, Aswattha, Kalachakra,
Bibhavasu, Purusha, Saswata, Yogin, Vyaktavyakta, Sanatana, Kaladhyaksha,
Prajadhyaksha, Viswakarma, Tamounda, Varuna, Sagara, Ansu, Jimuta,
Jivana, Arihan, Bhutasraya, Bhutapati, Srastri, Samvartaka, Vanhi,
Sarvadi, Alolupa, Ananta, Kapila, Bhanu, Kamada, Sarvatomukha, Jaya,
Visala, Varada, Manas, Suparna, Bhutadi, Sighraga, Prandharana,
Dhanwantari, Dhumaketu, Adideva, Aditisuta, Dwadasatman, Aravindaksha,
Pitri, Matri, Pitamaha, Swarga-dwara, Prajadwara, Mokshadwara,
Tripistapa, Dehakarti, Prasantatman, Viswatman, Viswatomukha,
Characharatman, Sukhsmatman, the merciful Maitreya. These are the hundred
and eight names of Surya of immeasurable energy, as told by the
self-create (Brahma). For the acquisition of prosperity, I bow down to
thee, O Bhaskara, blazing like unto gold or fire, who is worshipped of
the gods and the Pitris and the Yakshas, and who is adored by Asuras,
Nisacharas, and Siddhas. He that with fixed attention reciteth this hymn
at sunrise, obtaineth wife and offspring and riches and the memory of his
former existence, and by reciting this hymn a person attaineth patience
and memory. Let a man concentrating his mind, recite this hymn. By doing
so, he shall be proof against grief and forest-fire and ocean and every
object of desire shall be his.'