Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa Bk. 3 Pt. 1 by Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa

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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]

THE MAHABHARATA

VANA PARVA

PART 1

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 overwhelmed 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
northerly 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
Brahmanas 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, 'Ye 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 by _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, and 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 is 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] do 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?'

[1] This seems to be the obvious. There is a different reading
however. For _Drie-cyate_--seen, some texts have
_Sasyate_--applauded. Nilakantha imagines that the meaning is
"As distribution (of food) amongst the various classes of beings
like the gods, the _Pitris_, &c., is applauded &c., &c."

[2] A form of sacrifice which consists in pouring oblations of
clarified butter with prayers into a blazing fire. It is
obligatory on Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, except those that accept
certain vows of great austerity.

[3] The Viswedeva sacrifice is the offer of food to all
creatures of the earth (by scattering a portion).

[4] A gift. It may be of various kinds. The fees paid to
Brahmanas assisting at sacrifices and religious rites, such as
offering oblations to the dead, are _Dakshinas_, as also gifts
to Brahmanas on other occasions particularly when they are fed,
it being to this day the custom never to feed a Brahmana without
paying him a pecuniary fee. There can be no sacrifice, no
religious rite, without _Dakshina_.

"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.'"

[5] Reference to self, i.e. without the motive of bettering
one's own self, or without any motive at all. (This contains the
germ of the doctrine preached more elaborately in the _Bhagavad
gita_.)

[6] This _Yoga_ consists, in their case, of a combination of
attributes by negation of the contrary ones, i.e. by
renunciation of motives in all they do.

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.'"

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