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The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

o >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3




Fie on Kritavarma, on myself, as also on mighty car-warrior Kripa, since
we have not yet gone to heaven with thy royal self before us! Fie on us,
lowest of mortals, since we do not follow thee that wert the granter of
all wishes, the protector of all men, and the benefactor of all thy
subjects! Through thy power, the abodes of Kripa, of myself, and of my
sire, along with those of our dependants, O tiger among men, are full of
wealth. Through thy grace, ourselves with our friends and relatives have
performed many foremost of sacrifices with a profusion of presents to
brahmanas. Where shall such sinful persons as ourselves now go, since
thou hast gone to heaven, taking with thee all the kings of the earth?
Since we three, O king, do not follow thee that art about to obtain the
highest end (of life), it is for this that we are indulging in such
lamentations. Deprived of thy companionship, reft of wealth, our memories
painfully dwelling upon thy prosperity, alas, what will be our lot since
we do not go with thee? Without doubt, O chief of Kuru's race, we shall
have to wander in grief on the earth. Deprived of thee, O king, where can
we have peace and where can we have happiness?

Going from this world, O monarch, and meeting with those mighty
car-warriors (that have preceded thee), show thy regards to them, at my
request, one after another, according to the order of their rank and
years. Having offered worship to thy preceptor, that foremost of all
wielders of bows, tell him, O king, that Dhrishtadyumna hath been slain
by me. Embrace king Bahlika, that mighty car-warrior, as also the ruler
of the Sindhus, and Somadatta, Bhurishrava, and the other foremost of
kings that have preceded thee to heaven. At my request, embrace all of
them and enquire after their welfare."

Sanjaya continued, "Having said these words unto the king deprived of his
senses and lying with broken thighs, Ashvatthama once more cast his eyes
on him and uttered these words, "If, O Duryodhana, thou hast any life in
thee still, listen to these words that are so pleasant to hear. On the
side of the Pandavas, only seven are alive, and among the Dhartarashtras,
only we three! The seven on their side are the five brothers and Vasudeva
and Satyaki; on our side, we three are myself and Kripa and Kritavarma!
All the sons of Draupadi have been slain, as also all the children of
Dhrishtadyumna! All the Pancalas too have been slain, as also the remnant
of the Matsyas, O Bharata! Behold the vengeance taken for what they had
done! The Pandavas are now childless! While buried in sleep, the men and
animals in their camp have all been slain! Penetrating into their camp in
the night, O king, I have slain Dhrishtadyumna, that wight of sinful
deeds, as one kills an animal."

Duryodhana then, having heard those words that were so agreeable to his
heart, regained his senses and said these words in reply, "That which
neither Ganga's son, nor Karna, nor thy sire, could achieve, hath at last
been achieved by thee today, accompanied by Kripa and Bhoja. Thou hast
slain that low wretch (Dhrishtadyumna) who was commander of the Pandava
forces, as also Shikhandi. In consequence of this I regard myself equal
to Maghavat himself! Good be to you all! Let prosperity be yours! All of
us will again meet together in heaven!"

Having said these words the high-souled king of the Kurus became silent.
Casting off his griefs for all his (slain) kinsmen, he then gave up his
life-breath. His soul ascended to sacred heaven, while his body only
remained on earth. Even thus, O king, thy son Duryodhana breathed his
last. Having provoked the battle first, he was slain by his foes at last.
The three heroes repeatedly embraced the king and gazed steadfastly on
him. They then ascended their cars. Having heard these piteous
lamentations of Drona's son, I came away at early dawn towards the city.
Even thus the armies of the Kurus and Pandavas have been destroyed. Great
and terrible have been that carnage, O king, caused by thy evil policy.
After thy son had ascended to heaven, I became afflicted with grief and
the spiritual sight which the rishi gave hath been lost by me!"

Vaishampayana continued, "The king, hearing of his son's death, breathed
long and hot sighs, and became plunged in great anxiety."



10

Vaishampayana said, "After that night had gone away, the driver of
Dhrishtadyumna's car gave intelligence to king Yudhishthira of the great
slaughter that had been caused during the hour of sleep.

The driver said, "The sons of Draupadi, O king, have been slain, with all
the children of Drupada himself, while they were heedless and trustfully
asleep in their own camp! During the night, O king, thy camp has been
exterminated by the cruel Kritavarma, and Kripa, the son of Gautama, and
the sinful Ashvatthama! Slaying thousands of men and elephants and steeds
with lances and darts and battle-axes, those men have exterminated thy
army. While thy army was being slaughtered like a forest cut down with
axes, a loud wail was heard rising from thy camp. I am the sole survivor,
O monarch, of that vast force. I have, O thou of virtuous soul, escaped
with difficulty from Kritavarma at a time when he was heedless!"

Hearing these evil tidings, Kunti's son Yudhishthira, however, capable of
bearing up (against foes), fell down on the earth, afflicted with grief
at the loss of his sons. Advancing forward, Satyaki held the king in his
embrace. Bhimasena and Arjuna and the two sons of Madri also stretched
forth their arms. Having recovered his senses, the son of Kunti lamented
in great affliction, uttering these words rendered indistinct by sorrow:
"Alas, having vanquished the foe, we have ourselves been vanquished in
the end! The course of events is difficult to be ascertained even by
persons endued with spiritual sight. The foes, who were vanquished have
become victorious! Ourselves, again, while victorious, are vanquished!
Having slain brothers and friends and sires and sons and well-wishers,
and kinsmen, and counsellors, and having vanquished them all, we
ourselves are vanquished at last! Misery looks like prosperity and
prosperity looks like misery! This our victory has assumed the shape of
defeat. Our victory, therefore, has ended in defeat! Having won the
victory, I am obliged to grieve as an afflicted wretch. How, then, can I
regard it as a victory? In reality, I have been doubly defeated by the
foe. They for whose sake we have incurred the sin of victory by slaying
our kinsmen and friends, alas, they, after victory had crowned them, have
been vanquished by defeated foes that were heedful!

Alas, through heedlessness have they been slain that had escaped from
even Karna, that warrior who had barbed arrows and nalikas for his teeth,
the sword for his tongue, the bow for his gaping mouth, and the twang of
the bowstring and the sound of palms for his roars--that angry Karna who
never retreated from battle, and who was a very lion among men! Alas,
those princes that succeeded in crossing, by boats constituted by their
own excellent weapons, the great Drona-ocean having cars for its deep
lakes, showers of arrows for its waves, the ornaments of warriors for its
gems, car-steeds for its animals, darts and swords for its fishes,
elephants for its alligators, bows for its whirlpools, mighty weapons for
its foam, and the signal of battle for its moonrise causing it to swell
with energy, and the twang of the bowstring and the sound of palms for
its roar,--alas, even those princes have from heedlessness been slain!

There is, in this world, no more powerful cause of death, as regards men,
than heedlessness! Prosperity abandons a heedless man from every side,
and every kind of misery overtakes him. The tall standard with excellent
top that stood on his car was the wreath of smoke that infallibly
indicated the Bhishma-fire. Shafts constituted its flames, and wrath was
the wind that fanned it! The twang of his formidable bow and the sound of
his palms constituted the roar of that fire. Armour and diverse kinds of
weapons were the homa libations that were poured into it. The vast
hostile army was the heap of dry forest-grass that was assailed by that
fire. Alas, even they that had endured that fierce fire whose terrible
energy was represented by the mighty weapons in Bhishma's hand have at
last fallen through heedlessness.

A heedless person can never acquire knowledge, asceticism, prosperity, or
great renown. Behold, Indra has obtained great happiness after slaying
all his foes heedfully. Behold the survivors among our foes have, through
our heedlessness, slain so many sons and grandsons of kings, each of whom
was really like Indra himself. Alas, they have perished like merchants
with rich freight perishing through carelessness in a shallow stream
after having crossed the great ocean. They whose bodies are now lying on
the bare ground, slain by those vindictive wretches, have without doubt
ascended to heaven.

I grieve, however, for the princess Krishna. Alas, she will be plunged
today in an ocean of grief. Hearing of the slaughter of her brothers and
sons and her venerable sire, the king of the Pancalas, without doubt she
will fall down senseless on the earth. Her body emaciated by grief, she
will not rise again. Unable to bear the grief resulting from such
affliction, and worthy as she is of happiness, alas, what will be her
plight? Cut to the quick by the slaughter of her sons and brothers, she
will be like one scorched by fire.'

Having in deep affliction indulged in these lamentations, that king of
Kuru's race then addressed Nakula, saying, Go and bring the unfortunate
princess Draupadi here along with all her maternal relations.' Obediently
accepting that command of the king who equalled Yama himself in
righteousness, Nakula speedily proceeded on his car to the quarters of
Draupadi where that princess resided with all the wives of the Pancala
king. Having despatched the son of Madri, Yudhishthira, crushed by grief,
proceeded with tears in his eyes accompanied by those friends of his, to
the field on which his sons had battled and which still teemed with
diverse kinds of creatures. Having entered that cursed field abounding
with fierce sights, the king saw his sons, well-wishers, and friends, all
lying on the ground, covered with blood, their bodies mangled, and heads
separated from their trunks. Beholding them in that plight, Yudhishthira,
that foremost of righteous men, became deeply afflicted. That chief of
the Kurus then began to weep aloud and fell down on the earth, deprived
of his senses, along with all his followers."



11

Vaishampayana said, "Beholding his sons, grandsons, and friends all slain
in battle, the king's soul became overwhelmed with great grief, O
Janamejaya! Recollecting those sons and grandsons and brothers and
allies, a deep sorrow took possession of the illustrious monarch.
Senseless and trembling, his eyes were bathed in tears. His friends then,
themselves filled with anxiety, began to comfort him.

At that time, Nakula, skilled in executing errands, arrived there on his
car of solar effulgence, accompanied by the princess Krishna in great
affliction. She had been residing at Upaplavya. Having received that
heartrending intelligence about the slaughter of all her sons, she became
exceedingly agitated. Trembling like a plantain tree shaken by the wind,
the princess Krishna, arrived at the presence of Yudhishthira, fell down,
afflicted by grief. Her face, adorned with eyes resembling a couple of
full-blown lotuses, seemed to be darkened by grief like the Sun himself
when enveloped in darkness.

Beholding her prostrate on the earth, the wrathful Vrikodara, of prowess
incapable of being baffled, advancing hastily, raised her up and clasped
her with his arms. The beautiful lady, comforted by Bhimasena, began to
weep, and addressing the eldest son of Pandu with his brothers, said, "By
good luck, O monarch, having obtained the whole earth, thou shalt enjoy
her after the slaughter of thy brave sons in the observance of kshatriya
duties. By good luck, O son of Pritha, thou art happy at the thought of
having obtained the whole earth. By good luck, thy thoughts do not dwell
on Subhadra's son whose tread resembled that of an infuriated elephant.
By good luck, thou dost not, like myself while residing at Upaplavya,
recollect thy heroic sons slaughtered in the observance of kshatriya
duties. O son of Pritha, hearing of the slaughter of those sleeping
heroes by Drona's son of sinful deeds, grief burns me as if I were in the
midst of a fire. If Drona's son be not made to reap the fruit of that
sinful deed of his, if, putting forth your prowess in battle, thou dost
not take the life of that wretch of sinful deeds, along with the lives of
all his followers, then listen to me, ye Pandavas, I shall sit here in
praya!"

Having said these words, the helpless Krishna, the daughter of Yajnasena,
sat by the side of the eldest son of Pandu, king Yudhishthira the just.
The royal sage, Yudhishthira, of righteous soul, seeing his dear queen
sit in praya, addressed her, saying, "O auspicious lady, O thou that art
conversant with morality, all thy sons and brothers have righteously met
with a noble death. It behoveth thee not to grieve for them. As regards
Drona's son, he hath gone to a distant forest, O beautiful princess! How
shall thou O lady, make thyself sure of his fall in battle?"

Draupadi answered, "I have heard that Drona's son hath a gem on his head,
born with him. I shall see that gem brought to me after the slaughter of
that wretch in battle, Placing that gem on thy head, O king, I shall
endure to live. Even this is my resolve."

Having said these words unto the royal son of Pandu, the beautiful
Krishna approached Bhimasena and said these words of high purpose unto
him: "Remembering the duties of a kshatriya, O Bhima, it behoveth thee to
come to my rescue. Slay that man of sinful deeds like Maghavat slaying
Samvara. There is no one in this world who is equal to thee in prowess.
It is known throughout the world how on an occasion of great calamity
thou becamest at the town Varanavata the refuge of all the Parthas. When
again we were seen by Hidimba, it was thou that becamest our refuge in
the same way. Like Maghavat rescuing (his spouse) the daughter of Puloma,
thou didst rescue my afflicted self, in Virata's city, from a great
calamity. Like those great feats, O Partha, that thou didst achieve in
former days, slay now, O slayer of foes, the son of Drona and be thou
happy!"

Hearing these and other piteous lamentations of the princess, Kunti's
son, Bhimasena, of great might, could not endure them. He mounted upon
his great car adorned with gold and took his beautiful bow with arrow
placed on the string. Making Nakula his charioteer, and resolved upon
slaying the son of Drona, he began to stretch his bow and caused his
steeds to be urged without delay. Those steeds, fleet as the wind, thus
urged, O tiger among men, proceeded with great speed. Possessed of great
valour and unfading energy, Bhima set out from the Pandava camp and
proceeded with great celerity along the track of Ashvatthama's vehicle."



12

Vaishampayana said, "After the irresistible Bhimasena had set out, that
bull of Yadu's race, possessed of eyes like lotus-petals, addressed
Kuru's son Yudhishthira, saying, O son of Pandu, this brother of thine,
overwhelmed with grief at the slaughter of his sons, proceedeth alone to
battle, from desire of slaying the son of Drona. O bull of Bharata's
race, of all thy brothers, Bhima is thy dearest! Beholding him fallen
into a great danger why dost thou not stir thyself? The weapon called
brahmashira, which that subjugator of hostile towns, Drona, communicated
to his son, is capable of consuming the whole world. The illustrious and
highly blessed preceptor, that foremost of all wielders of bows,
delighted with Dhananjaya, had given him that very weapon. Unable to
endure it, his only son then begged it of him. Unwillingly he imparted
the knowledge of that weapon to Ashvatthama. The illustrious Drona knew
the restlessness of his son. Acquainted with all duties, the preceptor
laid this command on him, saying, "Even when overtaken by the greatest
danger, O child in the midst of battle, thou shouldst never use this
weapon, particularly against human beings." Even thus the preceptor Drona
spoke unto his son. A little while after he again spoke, saying, "O bull
among men, thou wilt not, it seems, walk in the path of the righteous."
Hearing those bitter words of his sire, the wicked-souled Ashvatthama, in
despair of obtaining every kind of prosperity, began in grief to wander
over the earth.

Then, O chief of the Kurus, while you were living in the woods, O
Bharata, he came to Dvaraka and took up his abode there, worshipped by
the Vrishnis. One day, after he had taken up his abode in Dvaraka, he
came to me, without a companion and when I myself was without anybody by
my side, on the seacoast, and there smilingly addressing me said, "O
Krishna, that weapon, called brahmashira, worshipped by gods and
gandharvas, which my sire, the preceptor of the Bharatas, of prowess
incapable of being baffled, and obtained from Agastya after performing
the austerest penances, is now with me, O Dasharha, as much as it is with
my sire. O foremost one of Yadu's race, in exchange for that celestial
weapon, give me thy discus which is capable of slaying all foes in
battle."

While he with joined palms and great importunity thus begged of me my
discus, myself, O bull of Bharata's race, from desire of gladdening him,
told him these words: "Gods, danavas, gandharvas, men, birds and snakes,
assembled together, are not equal to even a hundredth part of my energy.
I have this bow, this dart, this discus, and this mace. I will give thee
whichever amongst these thou desirest to have from me. Without giving me
the weapon thou wishest to give, take from among these weapons of mine
whichever thou mayest be able to wield and use in battle."

Thus addressed, the illustrious son of Drona, as if challenging me,
solicited at my hands my discus of excellent nave and hard as thunder,
possessed of a 1,000 spokes, and made of iron "Take it." I said unto him.
Thus addressed, he rose suddenly and seized the discus with his left
hand. He failed, however, to even move the weapon from the spot on which
it lay. He then made preparations for seizing it with his right hand.
Having seized it then very firmly and having put forth all his strength,
he still failed to either wield or move it. At this, Drona's son became
filled with sorrow. After he was tired with the exertions he made, he
ceased, O Bharata!

When he withdrew his heart from that purpose, I addressed the anxious and
senseless Ashvatthama and said, "He who is always regarded as the
foremost of all human beings, that wielder of gandiva, that warrior
having white steeds yoked unto his car, that hero owning the prince of
apes for the device on his standard, that hero who, desirous of
vanquishing in a wrestling encounter the god of gods, the blue-throated
lord of Uma, gratified the great Shankara himself, that Phalguna than
whom I have no dearer friend on earth, that friend to whom there is
nothing that I cannot give including my very wives and children, that
dear friend Partha of unstained acts, never said unto me, O brahmana,
such words as these which thou hast uttered.

That son whom I obtained through ascetic penances and observances of
austere brahmacarya for twelve years on the breast of Himavati whither I
had gone for the purpose, that son of mine, Pradyumna, of great energy
and a portion of Sanat-kumara himself, begotten by me upon my wife
Rukmini who had practised vows as austere as mine, that hero even never
solicited this best of objects, this unrivalled discus, which thou of
little understanding had solicited!

Rama of great might never said such words to me! Neither Gada nor Samba
has ever asked that of me which thou hast asked! No one among the other
great car-warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka race residing in
Dvaraka has ever asked this of me which thou hast asked! Thou art the son
of the preceptor of the Bharatas, thou art held in high respect by all
the Yadavas. Let me ask thee, O foremost of car-warriors, with whom
wouldst thou fight using this weapon?"

Thus addressed by me, Drona's son replied, saying, "After offering
worship to thee, O Krishna, it was my intention to fight thee, O thou of
unfading glory! It was for this, O Krishna that I solicited thee for thy
discus which is adored by gods and danavas. If I had got it I would then
become invincible in the world. Having failed, O Keshava, in obtaining my
almost unattainable wish, I am about to leave thee, O Govinda! Address me
in fair words now. This terrible weapon is held by thee that art the
foremost of all terrible persons. Unrivalled art thou for this weapon!
There is none else in this world capable of possessing it."

Having said these words unto me, the son of Drona, taking many couples of
steeds and much wealth and diverse kinds of gems, left Dvaraka. He is
wrathful, wicked-souled, restless, and very cruel. He knows the weapon
called brahmashira. Vrikodara should be protected from him!"



13

Vaishampayana said, "Having said these words, that foremost of all
wielders of weapons, that delighter of all the Yadavas, mounted upon his
excellent car equipped with every kind of powerful weapons. Unto that
vehicle were yoked two pairs of foremost steeds of the Kamboja breed,
that were adorned with garlands of gold. The dhur of that best of cars
was of the hue of the morning sun. On the right was yoked the steed known
as Shaibya; on the left was placed Sugriva; the Parshni was borne by two
others called Meghapushpa and Balahaka. There was seen on that car a
celestial standard decked with gems and gold and created by the divine
Artificer, and standing high like the Maya (of Vishnu himself). Upon that
standard was Vinata's son (Garuda) shining with great splendour. Indeed,
that enemy of snakes perched on the standard-top of Keshava who is Truth
embodied.

Then Hrishikesha, that foremost of all bowmen, mounted on that car. After
him Arjuna of irresistible feats and Yudhishthira, the king of the Kurus,
ascended the same vehicle. Seated on that car, by the side of him of
Dasharha's race who wielded the bow called sharnga, the two sons of Pandu
looked exceedingly beautiful, like the twin Ashvinis seated by the side
of Vasava. Causing them to ascend on that car of his which was adored by
all the world, he of Dasharha's race urged those foremost of steeds
endued with great fleetness. Those steeds then suddenly flew, taking
after them that excellent vehicle ridden by the two sons of Pandu and by
that bull of Yadu's race. Endued with great speed, as those animals bore
away the wielder of sharnga, loud became the noise caused by their rush,
like that of birds coursing through the air.

Proceeding with great speed, they soon came up, O bull of Bharata's race,
with the mighty bowman Bhimasena in whose wake they had followed.
Although those great car-warriors met Bhima, they failed however to stop
that son of Kunti, as filled with wrath he proceeded fiercely towards the
foe. In the very sight of those illustrious and firm bowmen, Bhima, by
means of his very fleet steeds, proceeded towards the bank of the river
brought down by Bhagiratha. He beheld the high-souled and illustrious and
dark-complexioned and island-born Vyasa sitting near the edge of the
water in the midst of many rishis. And he also saw Drona's son of wicked
deeds sitting beside them, covered with dust, attired in a piece of cloth
made of kusha grass, and smeared all over with clarified butter. The
mighty-armed Bhimasena, the son of Kunti, taking up his bow with shaft
fixed on it, rushed towards Ashvatthama, and said, Wait, wait!'

Drona's son, beholding that terrible bowman coming towards him bow in
hand, and the two brothers on Janardana's car, became exceedingly
agitated and thought his hour had come. Of soul incapable of being
depressed, he called to his mind that high weapon (which he had obtained
from his sire). He then took up a blade of grass with his left hand.
Fallen into great distress, he inspired that blade of grass with proper
mantras and converted it into that powerful celestial weapon. Unable to
brook the arrows (of the Pandavas) and the presence of those wielders of
celestial weapons, he uttered in wrath these terrible words: For the
destruction of the Pandavas.' Having said these words, O tiger among
kings, the valiant son of Drona let off that weapon for stupefying all
the worlds. A fire then was born in that blade of grass, which seemed
capable of consuming the three worlds like the all-destroying Yama at the
end of the yuga."



14

Vaishampayana said, "At the very outset the mighty-armed hero of
Dasharha's race understood from signs the intention of Drona's son.
Addressing Arjuna, he said, O Arjuna, O son of Pandu, the time is come
for the use of that celestial weapon which is in thy memory, knowledge of
which was imparted to thee by Drona. For protecting thyself as also thy
brothers, O Bharata, shoot in this battle that weapon which is capable of
neutralising all weapons.'

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Poster poems: Ballads
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After last week's fairly open theme, I thought I'd go with something a bit more structured this time. As I type this, I'm listening to Steeleye Span and thinking about the great ballad traditions of Britain and Ireland. What is a ballad? I suppose the most inclusive definition would be that it's a singable narrative poem: that covers a multitude but will do for the moment.

Ballads in English stretch back to the middle ages, with fine examples to be found among the Scottish border ballads and the English Robin Hood poems. These early ballads are among the best-known poems and stories in the language, and form part of the common heritage of English speakers everywhere. They gave rise to a tradition of ballad-making that endures down to the present day.

In fact, most poets since have tried their hand at the ballad at one time or another, and the result has been to deny any definition more specific than the one I ventured in my first paragraph. If you look around the internet, you'll come up with a wide selection of poems that are called ballads but have little in common formally. Stanza length varies from two to 10 or more lines, and all sorts of metrical and rhyming patterns are used. A good number will be singable in only the loosest possible sense, and at times the narrative tends to get lost in a mesh of more-or-less successful verbal embroidery.

So, what should a ballad be? Well, "proper" ballad stanzas are quatrains in which the first and third lines have four stresses and the second and third have three. The lines will rhyme A-B-C-B or A-B-A-B. It's as simple, and as difficult, as that. Here's an example, from Robert Burns's extremely singable Comin Thro' the Rye:

Gin a body meet a body
          Comin thro' the rye,
Gin a body kiss a body –
          Need a body cry.

Burns wrote a good number of ballads, and his lead was followed by many 19th-century poets. Two examples that I particularly like are Robert Browning's Confessions and Christina Rossetti's Up-Hill, but you can find ballads by just about any Romantic or Victorian poet if you look for them.

There is a long, strong tradition of ballads and ballad singers in Ireland, too. It is hardly surprising, then, that the great appropriator of tradition, WB Yeats, tried his hand at the form. At least four of his poems have the word "ballad" in the title; the pick of the bunch, for my money, is The Ballad of Father Gilligan, which may have benefited from having been written with a specific tune in mind.

Ballads continued to be written in the 20th century; perhaps the most unexpected exponents were Ezra Pound, with his Ballad of the Goodly Fere, and WH Auden. In fact, the ballad The Quarry is probably my favourite Auden poem.

And so, this week I invite a chorus of balladeering. You may choose to go the whole hog and write in ballad stanzas or you might prefer to take a more liberal view of the formal requirements. Either way, sing up and – as they say at all the best Irish sessions when calling for a bit of hush for the singer – one voice please.

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