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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






SECTION XXXIII

'Vaisampayana said, "Hearing these words of Yajnaseni, Bhimasena, sighing
in wrath, approached the king and addressed him, saying, 'Walk, O
monarch, in the customary path trodden by good men, (before thee) in
respect of kingdoms. What do we gain by living in the asylum of ascetics,
thus deprived of virtue, pleasure, and profit? It is not by virtue, nor
by honesty, nor by might, but by unfair dice, that our kingdom hath been
snatched by Duryodhana. Like a weak offal-eating jackal snatching the
prey from mighty lions, he hath snatched away our kingdom. Why, O
monarch, in obedience to the trite merit of sticking to a promise, dost
thou suffer such distress, abandoning that wealth which is the source of
both virtue and enjoyments? It was for thy carelessness, O king, that our
kingdom protected by the wielder of the Gandiva and therefore, incapable
of being wrested by Indra himself, was snatched from us in our very
sight. It was for thee, O monarch, that, ourselves living, our prosperity
was snatched away from us like a fruit from one unable to use his arms,
or like kine from one incapable of using his legs. Thou art faithful in
the acquisition of virtue. It was to please thee, O Bharata, that we have
suffered ourselves to be overwhelmed with such dire calamity. O bull of
the Bharata race, it was because we were subject to thy control that we
are thus tearing the hearts of our friends and gratifying our foes. That
we did not, in obedience to thee, even then slay the sons of
Dhritarashtra, is an act of folly on our part that grieveth me sorely.
This thy abode, O king, in the woods, like that of any wild animal, is
what a man of weakness alone would submit to. Surely, no man of might
would ever lead such a life. This thy course of life is approved neither
by Krishna, nor Vibhatsu, nor by Abhimanyu, nor by the Srinjayas, nor by
myself, nor by the sons of Madri. Afflicted with the vows, thy cry is
Religion! Religion! Hast thou from despair been deprived of thy
manliness? Cowards alone, unable to win back their prosperity, cherish
despair, which is fruitless and destructive of one's purposes. Thou hast
ability and eyes. Thou seest that manliness dwelleth in us. It is because
thou hast adopted a life of peace that thou feelest not this distress.
These Dhritarashtras regard us who are forgiving, as really incompetent.
This, O king, grieveth me more than death in battle. If we all die in
fair fight without turning our backs on the foe, even that would be
better than this exile, for then we should obtain regions of bliss in the
other world. Or, if, O bull of the Bharata race, having slain them all,
we acquire the entire earth, that would be prosperity worth the trial. We
who ever adhere to the customs of our order, who ever desire grand
achievements, who wish to avenge our wrongs, have this for our bounden
duty. Our kingdom wrested from us, if we engage in battle, our deeds when
known to the world will procure for us fame and not slander. And that
virtue, O king, which tortureth one's own self and friends, is really no
virtue. It is rather vice, producing calamities. Virtue is sometimes also
the weakness of men. And though such a man might ever be engaged in the
practice of virtue, yet both virtue and profit forsake him, like pleasure
and pain forsaking a person that is dead. He that practiseth virtue for
virtue's sake always suffereth. He can scarcely be called a wise man, for
he knoweth not the purposes of virtue like a blind man incapable of
perceiving the solar light. He that regardeth his wealth to exist for
himself alone, scarcely understandeth the purposes of wealth. He is
really like a servant that tendeth kine in a forest. He again that
pursueth wealth too much without pursuing virtue and enjoyments,
deserveth to be censured and slain by all men. He also that ever pursueth
enjoyments without pursuing virtue and wealth, loseth his friends and
virtue and wealth also. Destitute of virtue and wealth such a man,
indulging in pleasure at will, at the expiration of his period of
indulgence, meeteth with certain death, like a fish when the water in
which it liveth hath been dried up. It is for these reasons that they
that are wise are ever careful of both virtue and wealth, for a union of
virtue and wealth is the essential requisite of pleasure, as fuel is the
essential requisite of fire. Pleasure hath always virtue for its root,
and virtue also is united with pleasure. Know, O monarch, that both are
dependent on each other like the ocean and the clouds, the ocean causing
the clouds and the clouds filling the ocean. The joy that one feeleth in
consequence of contact with objects of touch or of possession of wealth,
is what is called pleasure. It existeth in the mind, having no corporeal
existence that one can see. He that wisheth (to obtain) wealth, seeketh
for a large share of virtue to crown his wish with success. He that
wisheth for pleasure, seeketh wealth, (so that his wish may be realised).
Pleasure however, yieldeth nothing in its turn. One pleasure cannot lead
to another, being its own fruit, as ashes may be had from wood, but
nothing from those ashes in their turn. And, O king, as a fowler killeth
the birds we see, so doth sin slay the creatures of the world. He,
therefore, who misled by pleasure or covetousness, beholdeth not the
nature of virtue, deserveth to be slain by all, and becometh wretched
both here and here-after. It is evident, O king, that thou knowest that
pleasure may be derived from the possession of various objects of
enjoyment. Thou also well knowest their ordinary states, as well as the
great changes they undergo. At their loss or disappearance occasioned by
decrepitude or death, ariseth what is called distress. That distress, O
king, hath now overtaken us. The joy that ariseth from the five senses,
the intellect and the heart, being directed to the objects proper to
each, is called pleasure. That pleasure, O king, is, as I think, one of
the best fruits of our actions.

"Thus, O monarch, one should regard virtue, wealth and pleasure one after
another. One should not devote one self to virtue alone, nor regard
wealth as the highest object of one's wishes, nor pleasure, but should
ever pursue all three. The scriptures ordain that one should seek virtue
in the morning, wealth at noon, and pleasure in the evening. The
scriptures also ordain that one should seek pleasure in the first portion
of life, wealth in the second, and virtue in the last. And, O thou
foremost of speakers, they that are wise and fully conversant with proper
division of time, pursue all three, virtue, wealth, and pleasure,
dividing their time duly. O son of the Kuru race, whether independence of
these (three), or their possession is the better for those that desire
happiness, should be settled by thee after careful thought. And thou
shouldst then, O king, unhesitatingly act either for acquiring them, or
abandoning them all. For he who liveth wavering between the two
doubtingly, leadeth a wretched life. It is well known that thy behaviour
is ever regulated by virtue. Knowing this thy friends counsel thee to
act. Gift, sacrifice, respect for the wise, study of the Vedas, and
honesty, these, O king, constitute the highest virtue and are efficacious
both here and hereafter. These virtues, however, cannot be attained by
one that hath no wealth, even if, O tiger among men, he may have infinite
other accomplishments. The whole universe, O king, dependeth upon virtue.
There is nothing higher than virtue. And virtue, O king, is attainable by
one that hath plenty of wealth. Wealth cannot be earned by leading a
mendicant life, nor by a life of feebleness. Wealth, however, can be
earned by intelligence directed by virtue. In thy case, O king, begging,
which is successful with Brahmanas, hath been forbidden. Therefore, O
bull amongst men, strive for the acquisition of wealth by exerting thy
might and energy. Neither mendicancy, nor the life of a Sudra is what is
proper for thee. Might and energy constitute the virtue of the Kshatriya
in especial. Adopt thou, therefore, the virtue of thy order and slay the
enemies. Destroy the might of Dhritarashtra's sons, O son of Pritha, with
my and Arjuna's aid. They that are learned and wise say that sovereignty
is virtue. Acquire sovereignty, therefore, for it behoveth thee not to
live in a state of inferiority. Awake, O king, and understand the eternal
virtues (of the order). By birth thou belongest to an order whose deeds
are cruel and are a source of pain to man. Cherish thy subjects and reap
the fruit thereof. That can never be a reproach. Even this, O king, is
the virtue ordained by God himself for the order to which thou belongest!
If thou tallest away therefrom, thou wilt make thyself ridiculous.
Deviation from the virtues of one's own order is never applauded.
Therefore, O thou of the Kuru race, making thy heart what it ought to be,
agreeably to the order to which thou belongest, and casting away this
course of feebleness, summon thy energy and bear thy weight like one that
beareth it manfully. No king, O monarch, could ever acquire the
sovereignty of the earth or prosperity or affluence by means of virtue
alone. Like a fowler earning his food in the shape of swarms of little
easily-tempted game, by offering them some attractive food, doth one that
is intelligent acquire a kingdom, by offering bribes unto low and
covetous enemies. Behold, O bull among kings, the Asuras, though elder
brothers in possession of power and affluence, were all vanquished by the
gods through stratagem. Thus, O king, everything belongeth to those that
are mighty. And, O mighty-armed one, slay thy foes, having recourse to
stratagem. There is none equal unto Arjuna in wielding the bow in battle.
Nor is there anybody that may be equal unto me in wielding the mace.
Strong men, O monarch, engage in battle depending on their might, and not
on the force of numbers nor on information of the enemy's plans procured
through spies. Therefore, O son of Pandu exert thy might. Might is the
root of wealth. Whatever else is said to be its root is really not such.
As the shade of the tree in winter goeth for nothing, so without might
everything else becometh fruitless. Wealth should be spent by one who
wisheth to increase his wealth, after the manner, O son of Kunti, of
scattering seeds on the ground. Let there be no doubt then in thy mind.
Where, however, wealth that is more or even equal is not to be gained,
there should be no expenditure of wealth. For investment of wealth are
like the ass, scratching, pleasurable at first but painful afterwards.
Thus, O king of men, the person who throweth away like seeds a little of
his virtue in order to gain a larger measure of virtue, is regarded as
wise. Beyond doubt, it is as I say. They that are wise alienate the
friends of the foe that owneth such, and having weakened him by causing
those friends to abandon him thus, they then reduce him to subjection.
Even they that are strong, engage in battle depending on their courage.
One cannot by even continued efforts (uninspired by courage) or by the
arts of conciliation, always conquer a kingdom. Sometimes, O king, men
that are weak, uniting in large numbers, slay even a powerful foe, like
bees killing the despoiler of the honey by force of numbers alone. (As
regards thyself), O king, like the sun that sustaineth as well as slayeth
creatures by his rays, adopt thou the ways of the sun. To protect one's
kingdom and cherish the people duly, as done by our ancestors, O king,
is, it hath been heard by us, a kind of asceticism mentioned even in the
Vedas. By ascetism, O king, a Kshatriya cannot acquire such regions of
blessedness as he can by fair fight whether ending in victory or defeat.
Beholding, O king, this thy distress, the world hath come to the
conclusion that light may forsake the Sun and grace the Moon. And, O
king, good men separately as well as assembling together, converse with
one another, applauding thee and blaming the other. There is this,
moreover, O monarch, viz., that both the Kurus and the Brahmanas,
assembling together, gladly speak of thy firm adherence to truth, in that
thou hast never, from ignorance, from meanness, from covetousness, or
from fear, uttered an untruth. Whatever sin, O monarch, a king committeth
in acquiring dominion, he consumeth it all afterwards by means of
sacrifices distinguished by large gifts. Like the Moon emerging from the
clouds, the king is purified from all sins by bestowing villages on
Brahmanas and kine by thousands. Almost all the citizens as well as the
inhabitants of the country, young or old, O son of the Kuru race, praise
thee, O Yudhishthira! This also, O Bharata, the people are saying amongst
themselves, viz., that as milk in a bag of dog's hide, as the Vedas in a
Sudra, as truth in a robber, as strength in a woman, so is sovereignty in
Duryodhana. Even women and children are repeating this, as if it were a
lesson they seek to commit to memory. O represser of foes, thou hast
fallen into this state along with ourselves. Alas, we also are lost with
thee for this calamity of thine. Therefore, ascending in thy car
furnished with every implement, and making the superior Brahmanas utter
benedictions on thee, march thou with speed, even this very day, upon
Hastinapura, in order that thou mayst be able to give unto Brahmanas the
spoils of victory. Surrounded by thy brothers, who are firm wielders of
the bow, and by heroes skilled in weapons and like unto snakes of
virulent poison, set thou out even like the slayer Vritra surounded by
the Marutas. And, O son of Kunti, as thou art powerful, grind thou with
thy might thy weak enemies, like Indra grinding the Asuras; and snatch
thou from Dhritarashtra's son the prosperity he enjoyeth. There is no
mortal that can bear the touch of the shafts furnished with the feathers
of the vulture and resembling snakes of virulent poison, that would be
shot from the Gandiva. And, O Bharata, there is not a warrior, nor an
elephant, nor a horse, that is able to bear the impetus of my mace when I
am angry in battle. Why, O son of Kunti, should we not wrest our kingdom
from the foe, fighting with the aid of the Srinjayas and Kaikeyas, and
the bull of the Vrishni race? Why, O king, should we not succeed in
wresting the (sovereignty of the) earth that is now in the hands of the
foe, if, aided by a large force, we do but strive?"



SECTION XXXIV

Vaisampayana said, "Thus addressed by Bhimasena, the high-souled king
Ajatasatru firmly devoted to truth, mustering his patience, after a few
moments said these words, 'No doubt, O Bharata, all this is true. I
cannot reproach thee for thy torturing me thus by piercing me with thy
arrowy words. From my folly alone hath this calamity come against you. I
sought to cast the dice desiring to snatch from Dhritarashtra's son his
kingdom with the sovereignty. It was therefore that, that cunning
gambler--Suvala's son--played against me on behalf of Suyodhana. Sakuni,
a native of the hilly country, is exceedingly artful. Casting the dice in
the presence of the assembly, unacquainted as I am with artifices of any
kind, he vanquished me artfully. It is, therefore, O Bhimasena, that we
have been overwhelmed with this calamity. Beholding the dice favourable
to the wishes of Sakuni in odds and evens, I could have controlled my
mind. Anger, however, driveth off a person's patience. O child, the mind
cannot be kept under control when it is influenced by hauteur, vanity, or
pride. I do not reproach thee, O Bhimasena, for the words thou usest. I
only regard that what hath befallen us was pre-ordained. When king
Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, coveting our kingdom, plunged us
into misery and even slavery, then, O Bhima, it was Draupadi that rescued
us. When summoned again to the assembly for playing once more, thou
knowest as well as Arjuna what Dhritarashtra's son told me, in the
presence of all the Bharatas, regarding the stake for which we were to
play. His words were, O prince Ajatsatru, (if vanquished), thou shalt
have with all thy brothers, to dwell, to the knowledge of all men, for
twelve years in the forest of thy choice, passing the thirteenth year in
secrecy. If during the latter period, the spies of the Bharatas, hearing
of thee, succeed in discovering thee, thou shalt have again to live in
the forest for the same period, passing once more the last year in
secrecy. Reflecting upon this, pledge thyself to it. As regards myself, I
promise truly in this assembly of the Kurus, that if thou canst pass this
time confounding my spies and undiscovered by them, then, O Bharata, this
kingdom of the five rivers is once more thine. We also, O Bharata, if
vanquished by thee, shall, all of us, abandoning all our wealth, pass the
same period, according to the same rules. Thus addressed by the prince, I
replied unto him in the midst of all the Kurus, 'So be it!' The wretched
game then commenced. We were vanquished and have been exiled. It is for
this that we are wandering miserably over different woody regions
abounding with discomfort. Suyodhana, however, still dissatisfied, gave
himself up to anger, and urged the Kurus as also all those under his sway
to express their joy at our calamity. Having entered into such an
agreement in the presence of all good men, who dareth break it for the
sake of a kingdom on earth? For a respectable person, I think, even death
itself is lighter than the acquisition of sovereignty by an act of
transgression. At the time of the play, thou hadst desired to burn my
hands. Thou wert prevented by Arjuna, and accordingly didst only squeeze
thy own hands. If thou couldst do what thou hadst desired, could this
calamity befall us? Conscious of thy prowess, why didst thou not, O
Bhima, say so before we entered into such an agreement? Overwhelmed with
the consequence of our pledge, and the time itself having passed, what is
the use of thy addressing me these harsh words? O Bhima, this is my great
grief that we could not do anything even beholding Draupadi persecuted in
that way. My heart burneth as if I have drunk some poisonous liquid.
Having, however, given that pledge in the midst of the Kuru heroes, I am
unable to violate it now. Wait, O Bhima, for the return of our better
days, like the scatterer of seeds waiting for the harvest. When one that
hath been first injured, succeedeth in revenging himself upon his foe at
a time when the latter's enmity hath borne fruit and flowers, he is
regarded to have accomplished a great thing by his prowess. Such a brave
person earneth undying fame. Such a man obtaineth great prosperity. His
enemies bow down unto him, and his friends gather round him, like the
celestials clustering round Indra for protection. But know, O Bhima, my
promise can never be untrue. I regard virtue as superior to life itself
and a blessed state of celestial existence. Kingdom, sons, fame,
wealth,--all these do not come up to even a sixteenth part of truth.'



SECTION XXXV

Bhima said, 'O king, unsubstantial as thou art like froth, unstable like
a fruit (falling when ripe), dependent on time, and mortal, having
entered into an agreement in respect of time, which is infinite and
immeasurable, quick like a shaft or flowing like a stream, and carrying
everything before it like death itself, how canst regard it as available
by thee? How can he, O son of Kunti, wait whose life is shortened every
moment, even like a quantity of collyrium that is lessened each time a
grain is taken up by the needle? He only whose life is unlimited or who
knoweth with certitude what the period of his life is, and who knoweth
the future as if it were before his eyes, can indeed wait for the arrival
of (an expected) time. If we wait, O king, for thirteen years, that
period, shortening our lives, will bring us nearer to death. Death is
sure to overtake every creature having a corporeal existence. Therefore,
we should strive for the possession of our kingdom before we die. He that
faileth to achieve fame, by failing to chastise his foes, is like an
unclean thing. He is a useless burden on the earth like an incapacitated
bull and perisheth ingloriously. The man who, destitute of strength, and
courage, chastiseth not his foes, liveth in vain, I regard such a one as
low-born. Thy hand can rain gold; thy fame spreadeth over the whole
earth; slaying thy foes, therefore, in battle, enjoy thou the wealth
acquired by the might of thy arms. O repressor of all foes, O king, if a
man slaying his injurer, goeth the very day into hell, that hell becometh
heaven to him. O king, the pain one feeleth in having to suppress one's
wrath is more burning than fire itself. Even now I burn with it and
cannot sleep in the day or the night. This son of Pritha, called
Vibhatsu, is foremost in drawing the bow-string. He certainly burneth
with grief, though he liveth here like a lion in his den. This one that
desireth to slay without aid all wielders of the bow on earth, represseth
the wrath that riseth in his breast, like a mighty elephant. Nakula,
Sahadeva, and old Kunti--that mother of heroes, are all dumb, desiring to
please thee. And all our friends along with the Srinjayas equally desire
to please thee. I alone, and Prativindhya's mother speak unto thee
burning with grief. Whatever I speak unto thee is agreeable to all of
them, for all of them plunged in distress, eagerly wish for battle. Then,
O monarch, what more wretched a calamity can overtake us that our kingdom
should be wrested from us by weak and contemptible foes and enjoyed by
them? O king, from the weakness of thy disposition thou feelest shame in
violating thy pledge. But, O slayer of foes, no one applaudeth thee for
thus suffering such pain in consequence of the kindliness of thy
disposition. Thy intellect, O king, seeth not the truth, like that of a
foolish and ignorant person of high birth who hath committed the words of
the Vedas to memory without understanding their sense. Thou art kind like
a Brahmana. How hast thou been born in the Kshatriya order? They that are
born in the Kshatriya order are generally of crooked hearts. Thou hast
heard (recited) the duties of kings, as promulgated by Manu, fraught with
crookedness and unfairness and precepts opposed to tranquillity and
virtue. Why dost thou then, O king, forgive the wicked sons of
Dhritarashtra? Thou hast intelligence, prowess, learning and high birth.
Why dost thou then, O tiger among men, act in respect of thy duties, like
a huge snake that is destitute of motion? O son of Kunti, he that
desireth to conceal us, only wisheth to conceal the mountains of Himavat
by means of a handful of grass. O son of Pritha, known as thou art over
whole earth, thou wilt not be able to live unknown, like the sun that can
never course through the sky unknown to men. Like a large tree in a
well-watered region with spreading branches and flowers and leaves, or
like Indra's elephant, how will Jishnu live unknown? How also will these
children, the brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva, equal unto a couple of young
lions, both live in secret? How, O son of Pritha, will Krishna--the
daughter of Drupada--a princess and mother of heroes, of virtuous deeds
and known over all the world, live unknown? Me also, everybody knoweth
from my boyhood. I do not see how I can live unknown. As well mighty
mountains of Meru be sought to be concealed. Then, again, many kings had
been expelled by us from their kingdom. These kings and princes will all
follow the bad son of Dhritarashtra, for robbed and exiled by us, they
have not still become friendly. Desiring to do good unto Dhritarashtra,
they will certainly seek to injure us. They will certainly set against us
numerous spies in disguise. If these discover us and report their
discovery, a great danger will overtake us. We have already lived in the
woods full thirteen months. Regard them, O king, for their length as
thirteen years. The wise have said that a month is a substitute for a
year, like the pot-herb that is regarded as a substitute for the Soma.
Or, (if thou breakest thy pledge), O king, thou mayst free thyself from
this sin by offering good savoury food to a quiet bull carrying sacred
burdens. Therefore, O king resolve thou to slay thy enemies. There is no
virtue higher than fighting, for every Kshatriya!"



SECTION XXXVI

Vaisampayana said, "Hearing those words of Bhima, Yudhishthira. the son
of Kunti--tiger among men and slayer of all foes--began to sigh heavily,
and reflect in silence. And he thought within himself, 'I have heard
recited the duties of kings, also all truths about the duties of the
different orders. He is said to observe those duties truly who keepeth
them before his eyes, so as to regulate his conduct both in the present
and the future. Knowing as I do the true course of virtue, which, however
is so very difficult of being known, how can I forcibly grind virtue down
like grinding the mountains of Meru? Having reflected so for a moment,
and settled what he should do, he replied unto Bhima as follows without
allowing him another word:

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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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