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The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa Bk. 3 Pt. 2 by Translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

T >> Translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa Bk. 3 Pt. 2





SECTION CCXXXIII

Vaisampayana said, "Then Kesava, the slayer of Madhu, also called
Janardana, having conversed on various agreeable themes with the
illustrious sons of Pandu and with those Brahmanas that were headed by
Markandeya and having bid them farewell, mounted his car and called for
Satyabhama. And Satyabhama then, having embraced the daughter of
Drupada, addressed her in these cordial words expressive of her feelings
towards her: 'O Krishna, let there be no anxiety, no grief, for thee!
Thou hast no cause to pass thy nights in sleeplessness, for thou wilt
surely obtain back the earth subjugated by thy husbands, who are all
equal unto the gods. O thou of black eyes, women endued with such
disposition and possessed of such auspicious marks, can never suffer
misfortune long. It hath been heard by me that thou shall, with thy
husbands, certainly enjoy this earth peacefully and freed from all
thorns! And, O daughter of Drupada, thou shalt certainly behold the
earth ruled by Yudhishthira after the sons of Dhritarashtra have been
slain and the deeds of their hostility avenged! Thou wilt soon behold
those wives of the Kurus, who, deprived of sense by pride, laughed at
thee while on thy way to exile, themselves reduced to a state of
helplessness and despair! Know them all, O Krishna, that did thee any
injury while thou wert afflicted, to have already gone to the abode of
Yama. Thy brave sons, Prativindhya by Yudhishthira and Sutasoma by
Bhima, and Srutakarman by Arjuna, and Satanika by Nakula, and Srutasena
begot by Sahadeva, are well and have become skilled in weapons. Like
Abhimanyu they are all staying at Dwaravati, delighted with the place.
And Subhadra also, cheerfully and with her whole soul, looketh after
them like thee, and like thee joyeth in them and deriveth much happiness
from them. Indeed, she grieveth in their griefs and joyeth in their
joys. And the mother of Pradyumna also loveth them with her whole soul.
And Kesava with his sons Bhanu and others watcheth over them with
especial affection. And my mother-in-law is ever attentive in feeding
and clothing them. And the Andhakas and Vrishnis, including Rama and
others, regard them with affection. And, O beautiful lady, their
affection for thy sons is equal unto what they feel for Pradyumna.'

"Having said these agreeable and truthful and cordial words, Satyabhama
desired to go to Vasudeva's car. And the wife of Krishna then walked
round the queen of the Pandavas. And having done so the beautiful
Satyabhama mounted the car of Krishna. And the chief of the Yadavas,
comforting Draupadi with a smile and causing the Pandavas to return, set
out for his own city, with swift horses (yoked unto his car)."


SECTION CCXXXIV

(_Ghosha-yatra Parva_)

Janamejaya said, "While those foremost of men--the sons of Pritha--were
passing their days in the forest exposed to the inclemencies of the
winter, the summer, the wind and the sun, what did they do, O Brahmana,
after they had reached the lake and woods going by the name of Dwaita?"

Vaisampayana said, "After the sons of Pandu had arrived at that lake,
they chose a residence that was removed from the habitations of men. And
they began to roam through delightful woods and ever charming mountains
and picturesque river-valleys. And after they had taken up their
residence there, many venerable ascetics endued with Vedic lore often
came to see them. And those foremost of men always received those
_Veda_-knowing _Rishis_ with great respect. And one day there came unto
the Kaurava princes a certain Brahmana who was well known on earth for
his powers of speech. And having conversed with the Pandavas for a
while, he went away as pleased him to the court of the royal son of
Vichitravirya. Received with respect by that chief of the Kurus, the old
king, the Brahmana took his seat; and asked by the monarch he began to
talk of the sons of Dharma, Pavana, Indra and of the twins, all of whom
having fallen into severe misery, had become emaciated and reduced owing
to exposure to wind and sun. And that Brahmana also talked of Krishna
who was overwhelmed with suffering and who then had become perfectly
helpless, although she had heroes for her lords. And hearing the words
of that Brahmana, the royal son of Vichitravirya became afflicted with
grief, at the thought of those princes of royal lineage then swimming in
a river of sorrow. His inmost soul afflicted with sorrow and trembling
all over with sighs, he quieted himself with a great effort, remembering
that everything had arisen from his own fault. And the monarch said,
'Alas, how is it that Yudhishthira who is the eldest of my sons, who is
truthful and pious and virtuous in his behaviour, who hath not a foe,
who had formerly slept on beds made of soft _Ranku_ skins, sleepeth now
on the bare ground! Alas, wakened formerly by _Sutas_ and _Magadhas_ and
other singers with his praises, melodiously recited every morning, that
prince of the Kuru race, equal unto Indra himself, is now waked from the
bare ground towards the small hours of the night by a multitude of
birds! How doth Vrikodara, reduced by exposure to wind and sun and
filled with wrath, sleep, in the presence of the princess of Panchala,
on the bare ground, unfit as he is to suffer such lot! Perhaps also, the
intelligent Arjuna, who is incapable of bearing pain, and who, though
obedient to the will of Yudhishthira, yet feeleth himself to be pierced
over all by the remembrance of his wrongs, sleepeth not in the night!
Beholding the twins and Krishna and Yudhishthira and Bhima plunged in
misery, Arjuna without doubt, sigheth like a serpent of fierce energy
and sleepeth not from wrath in the night! The twins also, who are even
like a couple of blessed celestials in heaven sunk in woe though
deserving of bliss, without doubt pass their nights in restless
wakefulness restrained (from avenging their wrongs) by virtue and truth!
The mighty son of the Wind-god, who is equal to the Wind-god himself in
strength, without doubt, sigheth and restraineth his wrath, being tied
through his elder brother in the bonds of truth! Superior in battle to
all warriors, he now lieth quiet on the ground, restrained by virtue and
truth, and burning to slay my children, he bideth his time. The cruel
words that Dussasana spoke after Yudhishthira had been deceitfully
defeated at dice, have sunk deep into Vrikodara's heart, and are
consuming him, like a burning bundle of straw consuming a fagot of dry
wood! The son of Dharma never acteth sinfully; Dhananjaya also always
obeyeth him; but Bhima's wrath, in consequence of a life of exile, is
increasing like a conflagration assisted by the wind! That hero, burning
with rage such as that, squeezeth his hands and breatheth hot and fierce
sighs, as if consuming therewith my sons and grandsons! The wielder of
the _Gandiva_ and Vrikodara, when angry, are like Yama and Kala
themselves; scattering their shafts, which are like unto thunder-bolts,
they exterminate in battle the ranks of the enemy. Alas Duryodhana, and
Sakuni, and the _Suta's_ son, and Dussasana also of wicked soul, in
robbing the Pandavas of their kingdom by means of dice, seem to behold
the honey alone without marking the terrible ruin. A man having acted
rightly or wrongly, expecteth the fruit of those acts. The fruit,
however, confounding him, paralyses him fully. How can man, thereof,
have salvation? If the soil is properly tilled, and the seed sown
therein, and if the god (of rain) showereth in season, still the crop
may not grow. This is what we often hear. Indeed, how could this saying
be true unless, as I think, it be that everything here is dependent on
Destiny? The gambler Sakuni hath behaved deceitfully towards the son of
Pandu, who ever acteth honestly. From affection for my wicked sons I
also have acted similarly. Alas, it is owing to this that the hour of
destruction hath come for the Kurus! Oh, perhaps, what is inevitable
must happen! The wind, impelled or not, will move. The woman that
conceives will bring forth. Darkness will be dispelled at dawn, and day
disappear at evening! Whatever may be earned by us or others, whether
people spend it or not, when the time cometh, those possessions of ours
do bring on misery. Why then do people become so anxious about earning
wealth? If, indeed, what is acquired is the result of fate, then should
it be protected so that it may not be divided, nor lost little by
little, nor permitted to flow out at once, for if unprotected, it may
break into a hundred fragments. But whatever the character of our
possessions, our acts in the world are never lost. Behold what the
energy of Arjuna is, who went into the abode of Indra from the woods!
Having mastered the four kinds of celestial weapons he hath come back
into this world! What man is there who, having gone to heaven in his
human form, wisheth to come back? This would never have been but because
he seeth innumerable Kurus to be at the point of death, afflicted by
Time! The bowman is Arjuna, capable of wielding the bow with his left
hand as well! The bow he wieldeth is the _Gandiva_ of fierce impetus. He
hath, besides, those celestial weapons of his! Who is there that would
bear the energy of these three!'

"Hearing these words of the monarch, the son of Suvala, going unto
Duryodhana, who was then sitting with Karna, told them everything in
private. And Duryodhana, though possessed of little sense, was filled
with grief at what he heard."


SECTION CCXXXV

Vaisampayana said, "Hearing those words of Dhritarashtra, Sakuni, when
the opportunity presented itself, aided by Karna, spoke unto Duryodhana
these words, 'Having exiled the heroic Pandavas by thy own prowess, O
Bharata, rule thou this earth without a rival like the slayer of Samvara
ruling the heaven! O monarch, the kings of the east, the south, the
west, and the north, have all been made tributary to thee! O lord of
earth, that blazing Prosperity which had before paid her court to the
sons of Pandu, hath now been acquired by thee along with thy brothers!
That blazing Prosperity, O king, which we not many days ago saw with
heavy hearts in Yudhishthira at Indraprastha, is today seen by us to be
owned by thee, she having, O mighty-armed monarch, been snatched by thee
from the royal Yudhishthira by force of intellect alone. O slayer of
hostile heroes, all the kings of the earth now living in subjection to
thee, await thy commands, as they did before under Yudhishthira,
awaiting his. O monarch, the goddess Earth with her boundless extent
with girth of seas, with her mountains and forests, and towns and cities
and mines, and decked with woodlands and hills is now thine! Adored by
the Brahmanas and worshipped by the kings, thou blazest forth, O king,
in consequence of thy prowess, like the Sun among the gods in heaven!
Surrounded by the Kurus, O king, like Yama by the Rudra, or Vasava by
the Maruts, thou shinest, O monarch, like the Moon among the stars! Let
us, therefore, O king, go and look at the sons of Pandu--them who are
now divested of prosperity, them who never obeyed commands, them who
never owed subjection! It hath been heard by us, O monarch, that the
Pandavas are now living on the banks of the lake called _Dwaitavana_,
with a multitude of Brahmanas, having the wilderness for their home. Go
thither, O king, in all thy prosperity, scorching the son of Pandu with
a sight of thy glory, like the Sun scorching everything with his hot
rays! Thyself a sovereign and they divested of sovereignty, thyself in
prosperity and they divested of it, thyself possessing affluence and
they in poverty, behold now, O king, the sons of Pandu. Let the sons of
Pandu behold thee like Yayati, the son of Nahusha, accompanied by a
large train of followers and enjoying bliss that is great. O king, that
blazing Prosperity which is seen by both one's friends and foes, is
regarded as well-bestowed! What happiness can be more complete than that
which he enjoyeth who while himself in prosperity, looketh upon his foes
in adversity, like a person on the hill top looking down upon another
crawling on the earth? O tiger among kings, the happiness that one
derives from beholding his foes in grief, is greater than what one may
derive from the acquisition of offering or wealth or kingdom! What
happiness will not be his who, himself in affluence, will cast his eyes
on Dhananjaya attired in barks and deer-skins? Let thy wife dressed in
costly robes look at the woeful Krishna clad in barks and deer-skins,
and enhance the latter's grief! Let the daughter of Drupada reproach
herself and her life, divested as she is of wealth, for the sorrow that
she will feel upon beholding thy wife decked in ornaments will be far
greater than what she had felt in the midst of the assembly (when
Dussasana had dragged her there)!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Having thus spoken unto the king, Karna and
Sakuni both remained silent, O Janamejaya, after their discourse was
over."


SECTION CCXXXVI

Vaisampayana said, "Having heard these words of Karna, king Duryodhana
became highly pleased. Soon after, however, the prince became melancholy
and addressing the speaker said, 'What thou tellest me, O Karna, is
always before my mind. I shall not, however, obtain permission to repair
to the place where the Pandavas are residing. King Dhritarashtra is
always grieving for those heroes. Indeed, the king regarded the sons of
Pandu to have become more powerful than before in consequence of their
ascetic austerities. Or, if the king understands our motives, he will
never, having regard to the future, grant us permission, for, O thou of
great effulgence, we can have no other business in the woods of
_Dwaitavana_ than the destruction of the Pandavas in exile! Thou knowest
the words that Kshatri spoke to me, to thyself, and to the son of
Suvala, at the time of the match at dice! Reflecting upon all those
words as also upon all those lamentations (that he and others indulged
in), I cannot make up my mind as to whether I should or should not go! I
shall certainly be highly pleased if I cast my eyes on Bhima and
Phalguna passing their days in pain with Krishna in the woods. The joy
that I may feel in obtaining the sovereignty of the entire earth is
nothing to that which will be mine upon beholding the sons of Pandu
attired in barks of trees and deer-skins. What joy can be greater, O
Karna, that will be mine upon beholding the daughter of Drupada dressed
in red rags in the woods? If king Yudhishthira and Bhima, the sons of
Pandu, behold me graced with great affluence, then only shall I have
attained the great end of my life! I do not, however, see the means by
which I may repair to those woods, by which, in fact, I may obtain the
king's permission to go thither! Contrive thou, therefore, some skilful
plan, with Suvala's son and Dussasana, by which we may go to those
woods! I also, making up my mind today as to whether I should go or not,
approach the presence of the king tomorrow. And when I shall be sitting
with Bhishma--that best of the Kurus--thou wilt, with Sakuni propose the
pretext which thou mayst have contrived. Hearing then the words of
Bhishma and of the king on the subject of our journey, I will settle
everything beseeching our grandfather.'

"Saying 'So be it,' they then all went away to their respective
quarters. And as soon as the night had passed away, Karna came to the
king. And coming to him, Karna smilingly spoke unto Duryodhana, saying,
'A plan hath been contrived by me. Listen to it, O lord of men! Our
herds are now waiting in the woods of _Dwaitavana_ in expectation of
thee! Without doubt, we may all go there under the pretext of
supervising our cattle stations, for, O monarch, it is proper that kings
should frequently repair to their cattle stations. If this be the motive
put forth, thy father, O prince, will certainly grant thee permission!'
And while Duryodhana and Karna were thus conversing laughingly, Sakuni
addressed them and said, 'This plan, free from difficulties, was what I
also saw for going thither! The king will certainly grant us permission,
or even send us thither of his own accord. Our herds are now all waiting
in the woods of _Dwaitavana_ expecting thee. Without doubt, we may all
go there under the pretext of supervising our cattle stations!'

"They then all three laughed together, and gave their hands unto one
another. And having arrived at that conclusion, they went to see the
chief of Kurus."


SECTION CCXXXVII

Vaisampayana said, "They then all saw king Dhritarashtra, O Janamejaya,
and having seen him, enquired after his welfare, and were, in return,
asked about their welfare. Then a cow-herd named Samanga, who had been
instructed beforehand by them, approaching the king, spoke unto him of
the cattle. Then the son of Radha and Sakuni, O king, addressing
Dhritarashtra, that foremost of monarchs, said, 'O Kaurava, our
cattle-stations are now in a delightful place. The time for their tale
as also for marking the calves hath come. And, O monarch, this also is
an excellent season for thy son to go ahunting! It behoveth thee,
therefore, to grant permission to Duryodhana to go thither.'

"Dhritarashtra replied, 'The chase of the deer, as also the examination
of cattle is very proper, O child! I think, indeed, that the herdsmen
are not to be trusted. But we have heard that those tigers among men,
the Pandavas, are now staying in the vicinity of those cattle stations.
I think, therefore, ye should not go thither yourselves! Defeated by
deceitful means they are now living in the deep forest in great
suffering. O Radheya, they are mighty warriors and naturally able, they
are now devoted to ascetic austerities. King Yudhishthira will not
suffer his wrath to be awakened, but Bhimasena is naturally passionate.
The daughter of Yajnasena is energy's self. Full of pride and folly, ye
are certain to give offence. Endued with ascetic merit she will
certainly consume you, or perhaps, those heroes, armed with swords and
weapons! Nor, if from force of numbers, ye seek to injure them in any
respect, that will be a highly improper act, although, as I think, ye
will never be able to succeed. The mighty-armed Dhananjaya hath returned
thence to the forest. While unaccomplished in arms, Vivatsu had
subjugated the whole earth before. A mighty warrior as he is and
accomplished in arms now, will he not be able to slay you all? Or, if in
obedience to my words, ye behave carefully having repaired thither, ye
will not be able to live happily there in consequence of the anxiety ye
will feel owing to a state of continued trustlessness. Or, some soldier
of yours may do some injury to Yudhishthira, and that unpremeditated act
will be ascribed to your fault. Therefore, let some faithful men proceed
there for the work of tale. I do not think it is proper for thee,
Bharata, to go thither thyself.'

"Sakuni said, 'The eldest of the sons of Pandu is cognisant of morality.
He pledged in the midst of the assembly, O Bharata, that he would live
for twelve years in the forest. The other sons of Pandu are all virtuous
and obedient to Yudhishthira. And Yudhishthira himself, the son of
Kunti, will never be angry with us. Indeed, we desire very much to go on
a hunting expedition, and will avail of that opportunity for supervising
the tale of our cattle. We have no mind to see the sons of Pandu. We
will not go to that spot where the Pandavas have taken up their
residence, and consequently no exhibition of misconduct can possibly
arise on our part.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by Sakuni, that lord of men,
Dhritarashtra, granted permission, but not very willingly, to Duryodhana
and his counsellors to go to the place. And permitted by the monarch the
Bharata prince born of Gandhari started, accompanied by Karna and
surrounded by a large host. And he was also accompanied by Dussasana and
Suvala's son of great intelligence and by many other brothers of his and
by ladies in thousands. And as the mighty-armed prince started for
beholding the lake that was known by the name of _Dwaitavana_, the
citizens (of Hastina), also accompanied by their wives began to follow
him to that forest. Eight thousand cars, thirty thousand elephants, nine
thousand horses, and many thousands of foot-soldiers, and shops and
pavilions and traders, bards and men trained in the chase by hundreds
and thousands followed the prince. And as the king started, followed by
this large concourse of people, the uproar that was caused there
resembled, O king, the deep tumult of the ranging winds in the rainy
season. And reaching the lake _Dwaitavana_ with all his followers and
vehicles, king Duryodhana took up his quarters at the distance of four
miles from it."


SECTION CCXXXVIII

Vaisampayana said, "King Duryodhana then moving from forest to forest,
at last approached the cattle-stations, and encamped his troops. And his
attendants, selecting a well-known and delightful spot that abounded in
water and trees and that possessed every convenience constructed an
abode for him. And near enough to the royal residence they also erected
separate abodes for Karna and Sakuni and the brothers of the king. And
the king beheld his cattle by hundreds and thousands and examining their
limbs and marks supervised their tale. And he caused the calves to be
marked and took note of those that required to be tamed. And he also
counted those kine whose calves had not yet been weaned. And completing
the task of tale by marking and counting every calf that was three years
old, the Kuru prince, surrounded by the cowherds, began to sport and
wander cheerfully. And the citizens also and the soldiers by thousands
began to sport, as best pleased them, in those woods, like the
celestials. And the herdsmen, well skilled in singing and dancing and
instrumental music, and virgins decked in ornaments, began to minister
to the pleasures of Dhritarashtra's son. And the king surrounded by the
ladies of the royal household began cheerfully to distribute wealth and
food and drinks of various kinds amongst those that sought to please
him, according to their desires.

"And the king, attended by all his followers, began also to slay hyenas
and buffaloes and deer and gayals and bears and boars all around. And
the king, piercing by his shafts those animals by thousands in deep
forest, caused the deer to be caught in the more delightful parts of the
woods. Drinking milk and enjoying, O Bharata, various other delicious
articles and beholding, as he proceeded, many delightful forests and
woods swarming with bees inebriate with floral honey and resounding with
the notes of the peacock, the king at last reached the sacred lake of
_Dwaitavana_. And the spot which the king reached swarmed with bees
inebriate with floral honey, and echoed with the mellifluous notes of
the blue-throated jay and was shaded by _Saptacchadas_ and _punnagas_
and _Vakulas_. And the king graced with high prosperity proceeded
thither like the thunder-wielding chief of the celestials himself. And,
O thou best of the Kuru race, King Yudhishthira the just, endued with
high intelligence, was then, O monarch, residing in the vicinity of that
lake at will and celebrating with his wedded wife, the daughter of
Drupada, the diurnal sacrifice called _Rajarshi_, according to the
ordinance sanctioned for the celestials and persons living in the
wilderness. And, O monarch, having reached that spot, Duryodhana
commanded his men by thousands, saying, 'Let pleasure-houses be
constructed soon.' Thus commanded, those doers of the king's behests
replying to the Kuru chief with the words, 'So be it,' went towards the
banks of the lake for constructing pleasure-houses. And as the picked
soldiers of Dhritarashtra's son, having reached the region of the lake,
were about to enter the gates of the wood, a number of _Gandharvas_
appeared and forbade them to enter. For, O monarch, the king of the
_Gandharvas_ accompanied by his followers, had come thither beforehand,
from the abode of _Kuvera_. And the king of the _Gandharvas_ had also
been accompanied by the several tribes of _Apsaras_, as also by the sons
of the celestials. And intent upon sport, he had come to that place for
merriment, and occupying it, had closed it against all comers. And the
attendants of the (Kuru) king, finding the lake closed by the king of
the _Gandharvas_, went back, O monarch, to where the royal Duryodhana
was. And Duryodhana having heard these words, despatched a number of his
warriors difficult of being subjugated in battle, commanding them to
drive away the _Gandharvas_. And those warriors who formed the vanguard
of the Kuru army, hearing these words of the king, went back to the lake
of _Dwaitavana_ and addressing the _Gandharvas_, said, 'The mighty king
Duryodhana--the son of Dhritarashtra--is coming, hither for sport. Stand
ye aside, therefore!' Thus addressed by them, O king, the _Gandharvas_
laughed and replied unto those men in these harsh words: 'Your wicked
king Duryodhana must be destitute of sense. How else could he have thus
commanded us that are dwellers of heaven, as if indeed, we were his
servants? Without forethought, ye also are doubtless on the point of
death; for senseless idiots as ye are, ye have dared to bring us his
message! Return ye soon to where that king of the Kurus is, or else go
this very day to the abode of Yama.' Thus addressed by the _Gandharvas_,
the advanced guard of the king's army ran back to the place where the
royal son of Dhritarashtra was."