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Various - "The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, No. 571"

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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




[67] Lit. Letters.

[68] Behind the plain and obvious meanings of the words employed
both in the question and the answer, there is a deeper
signification of a spiritual kind. I think Nilakantha has
rightly understood the passage. By Aditya, which of course
commonly means the Sun, is indicated the unpurified soul (from
adatte sabdadin indriadivis &c.). The first question then,
becomes, 'Who is it that exalteth the unpurified soul?' The act
of exaltation implies a raising of the soul from its earthly
connections. The answer to this is, 'Brahma, i.e., Veda or
self-knowledge.' The second question--'What are those that keep
company with the soul during its progress of purification?' The
answer is, 'Self-restraint and other qualities, which are all of
a god-like or divine nature.' The third question is.--Who lead
the soul to its place (state) of rest? The answer is, 'Dharma,
_i.e._, rectitude, morality, and religious observances.' It is
often asserted that one must pass through the observances
(Karma) before attaining to a state of Rest or Truth or Pure
Knowledge. The last question is,--'On what is the soul
established!' The answer, according to all that has been
previously said, is 'Truth or Pure Knowledge.' For the soul that
is emancipated from and raised above all carnal connections, is
no longer in need of observances and acts (Karma) but stays
unmoved in True Knowledge (Janana).

[69] Nilakantha explains both Dhriti and Dwitiya in a spiritual
sense. There is no need, however, of a spiritual explanation
here. By Dhriti is meant steadiness of intelligence; by Dwitiya
lit, a second. What Yudhishthira says is that a steady
intelligence serves the purposes of a helpful companion.

[70] Nilakantha explains this correctly, as I imagine, by
supposing that by 'sacrifice' is meant the spiritual sacrifice
for the acquisition of pure knowledge. In the objective
sacrifice which one celebrates, the Sama, the Yajus, and the Rik
mantras are all necessary. In the subjective sacrifice the
acquisition of true knowledge, life and mind are as necessary as
the mantras from the Sama and the Yajur Vedas in an objective
one. And as no objective sacrifice can do without the Riks,
being principally dependent on them, so the subjective
sacrifices for acquiring true knowledge can never do without
prayerfulness, which, I imagine, is represented as the Riks. To
understand this passage thoroughly would require an intimate
acquaintance with the ritual of a sacrifice like the Agnishtoma
or any other of that kind.

[71] Some texts read apatatam for uvapatam. If the former be the
correct reading, the meaning would be--'What is the best of
things that fall?' Nilakantha explains both avapatam nivapatam
in a spiritual sense. By the first he understands--'They that
offer oblation to the gods,' and by the second, 'They that offer
oblations to the Pitris.' The necessity of a spiritual
interpretation, however, is not very apparent.

[72] Yudhishthira has the authority of the Srutis for saying
that the one pervading element of the universe is air.

[73] The word used in the question is _dik_, literally,
direction. Obviously, of course, it means in this connection
way. Yudhishthira answers that the way which one is to tread
along is that of the good.

[74] The _Srutis_ actually speak of space as water. These are
questions to test Yudhishthira's knowledge of the Vedic
cosmogony.

[75] The _Srutis_ speak of the cow as the only food, in the
following sense. The cow gives milk. The milk gives butter. The
butter is used in Homa. The Homa is the cause of the clouds. The
clouds give rain. The rain makes the seed to sprout forth and
produce food. Nilakantha endeavours to explain this in a
spiritual sense. There is however, no need of such explanation
here.

[76] What Yudhishthira means to say is that there is no special
time for a Sraddha. It is to be performed whenever a good and
able priest may be secured.


SECTION CCCXII

Vaisampayana continued,--"Then agreeable to the words of the Yaksha the
Pandavas rose up; and in a moment their hunger and thirst left them.
Thereupon Yudhishthira said, 'I ask thee that art incapable of being
vanquished and that standest on one leg in the tank, what god art thou,
for I cannot take thee for a Yaksha! Art thou the foremost of the Vasus,
or of the Rudras, or of the chief of the Maruts? Or art thou the lord
himself of the celestials, wielder of the thunder-bolt! Each of these my
brothers is capable of fighting as hundred thousand warriors, and I see
not the warrior that can slay them all! I see also that their senses
have refreshed, as if they have sweetly awaked from slumber. Art thou a
friend of ours, or even our father himself?' At this the Yaksha
replied,--'O child, I am even thy father, the Lord of justice, possessed
of great prowess! Know, bull of the Bharata race, that I came hither
desirous of beholding thee! Fame, truth, self-restraint, purity,
candour, modesty, steadiness, charity, austerities and _Brahmacharya_,
these are my body! And abstention from injury, impartiality, peace,
penances, sanctity, and freedom from malice are the doors (through which
I am accessible). Thou art always dear to me! By good luck thou art
devoted to the five;[77] and by good luck also thou hast conquered the
six.[78] Of the six, two appear in the first part of life; two in the
middle part thereof; and the remaining two at the end, in order to make
men repair to the next world. I am, good betide thee, the lord of
justice! I came hither to test thy merit. I am well-pleased to witness
thy harmlessness; and, O sinless one, I will confer boons on thee. Do
thou, O foremost of kings, ask of me boons. I shall surely confer them,
O sinless one! Those that revere me, never come by distress!'
Yudhishthira said,--'A deer was carrying away the Brahmana's
fire-sticks. Therefore, the first boon that I shall ask, is, may that
Brahmana's adorations to _Agni_ be not interrupted!' The Yaksha
said,--'O Kunti's son endued with splendour, it was I who for examining
thee, was carrying away, in the guise of a deer, that Brahmana's
fire-sticks!'"

[77] That is, tranquillity of mind, self-restraint, abstention
from sensual pleasures, resignation, and Yoga meditation.

[78] That is, hunger, thirst, sorrow, bluntness of mortal
feeling, decrepitude, and death.

Vaisampayana continued,--"Thereupon that worshipful one said,--'I give
thee this boon! Good betide thee! O thou that are like unto an immortal,
ask thou a fresh boon!' Yudhishthira said,--'We have spent these twelve
years in the forest; and the thirteenth year is come. May no one
recognise us, as we spend this year somewhere.'"

Vaisampayana continued,--'Thereat that worshipful one replied,--'I give
this boon unto thee!' And then reassuring Kunti's son having truth for
prowess, he also said, 'Even if, O Bharata, ye range this (entire) earth
in your proper forms none in the three worlds shall recognise you. Ye
perpetuators of the Kuru race, through my grace, ye will spend this
thirteenth year, secretly and unrecognised, in Virata's kingdom! And
every one of you will be able at will to assume any form he likes! Do ye
now present the Brahmana with his fire-sticks. It was only to test you
that I carried them away in the form of a deer! O amiable Yudhishthira,
do thou ask for another boon that thou mayst like! I will confer it on
thee. O foremost of men, I have not yet been satisfied by granting boons
to thee! Do thou my son, accept a third boon that is great and
incomparable! Thou, O king, art born of me, and Vidura of portion or
mine!" Thereat Yudhishthira said,--'It is enough that I have beheld thee
with my senses, eternal God of gods as thou art! O father, whatever boon
thou wilt confer on me I shall surely accept gladly! May I, O lord,
always conquer covetousness and folly and anger, and may my mind be ever
devoted to charity, truth, and ascetic austerities!' The Lord of justice
said,--'Even by nature, O Pandava, hast thou been endued with these
qualities, for thou art the Lord of justice himself! Do thou again
attain what thou asked for!'"

Vaisampayana continued,--"Having said these words, the worshipful Lord
of justice, who is the object of contemplation of all the worlds,
vanished therefrom; and the high-souled Pandavas after they had slept
sweetly were united with one another. And their fatigue dispelled, those
heroes returned to the hermitage, and gave back that Brahmana his
firesticks. That man who pursueth this illustrious and fame-enhancing
story of the revival (of the Pandavas) and the meeting of father and son
(Dharma and Yudhishthira), obtaineth perfect tranquillity of mind, and
sons and grandsons, and also a life extending over a hundred years! And
the mind of that man that layeth this story to heart, never delighteth
in unrighteousness, or in disunion among friends, or misappropriation of
other person's property, or staining other people's wives, or in foul
thoughts!"


SECTION CCCXIII

Vaisampayana continued,--"Commanded by the Lord of justice to thus spend
in disguise the thirteenth year of non-discovery, the high-souled
Pandavas, observant of vows and having truth for prowess, sat before
those learned and vow-observing ascetics that from regard were dwelling
with them in their exile in the forest. And with joined hands they said
these words, with the intention of obtaining permission to spend the
thirteenth year in the manner indicated. And they said, 'Ye know well
that the sons of Dhritarashtra have by deceit deprived us of our
kingdom, and have also done us many other wrongs! We have passed twelve
years in the forest in great affliction. The thirteenth year only, which
we are to spend unrecognised, yet remaineth. It behoveth you to permit
us now to spend this year in concealment! Those rancorous enemies of
ours, Suyodhana, the wicked-minded Karna, and Suvala's son should they
discover us, would do mighty wrong to the citizens and our friends!
Shall we all with the Brahmanas, be again established in our own
kingdom?' Having said this, that pure-spirited son of Dharma king
Yudhishthira, overwhelmed with grief and with accents choked in tears,
swooned away. Thereupon the Brahmanas, together with his brothers began
to cheer him up. Then Dhaumya spake unto the king these words fraught
with mighty meaning,--'O king, thou art learned and capable of bearing
privations, art firm in promise, and of subdued sense! Men of such stamp
are not overwhelmed by any calamity whatever. Even the high-souled gods
themselves have wandered over various places in disguise, for the
purpose of overcoming foes. Indra for the purpose of overcoming his
foes, dwelt in disguise in the asylum of Giriprastha, in Nishadha and
thus attained his end. Before taking his birth in the womb of Aditi,
Vishnu for the purpose of destroying the _Daityas_ passed a long time
unrecognised, assuming the form of the _Haya-griba_ (Horse-necked). Then
how disguising himself in the form of a dwarf, he by his prowess
deprived Vali of his kingdom, hath been heard by thee! And thou hast
also heard how Hutasana entering into water and remaining in
concealment, achieved the purpose of the gods. And O thou versed in
duty, thou hast heard how Hari with the view of overcoming his foes,
entered into Sakra's thunder-bolt, and lay concealed there. And, O
sinless one, thou hast heard of the office the regenerate _Rishi_ Aurva
at one time performed for the gods, remaining concealed in his mother's
womb. And O child, living in concealment in every part of the earth,
Vivaswat, endued with excellent energy, at last entirely burnt up all
his foes. And living disguised in the abode of Dasaratha, Vishnu of
dreadful deeds slew the Ten-necked one in battle. Thus remaining in
disguise in various places, high-souled persons have before this
conquered their enemies in battle.' Thus cheered by these words of
Dhaumya, the virtuous Yudhishthira, relying on his own wisdom and also
that acquired from the scriptures regained his composure. Then that
foremost of strong persons, the mighty-armed Bhimasena endued with great
strength encouraging the king greatly, spake these words, 'Looking up to
thy face (for permission), the wielder of the _Gandiva_, acting
according to his sense of duty hath not yet, O king, shown any rashness!
And although fully able to destroy the foe, Nakula and Sahadeva of
dreadful prowess have been ever prevented by me! Never shall we swerve
from that in which thou wilt engage us! Do thou tell us what is to be
done! We shall speedily conquer our enemies!' When Bhimasena had said
this, the Brahmanas uttered benedictions on the Bharatas, and then
obtaining their permission, went to their respective quarters. And all
those foremost of _Yatis_ and _Munis_ versed in the Vedas, exceedingly
desirous of again beholding the Pandavas, went back to their homes. And
accompanied by Dhaumya, these heroes, the five learned Pandavas equipped
in vows set out with Krishna. And each versed in a separate science, and
all proficient in _mantras_ and cognisant of when peace was to be
concluded and when war was to be waged those tigers among men, about to
enter upon a life of non-recognition, the next day proceeded for a Krose
and then sat themselves down with the view of taking counsel of each
other."

_The End of Vana Parva_