SECTION CXXXI
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Desirous of giving his grandsons a superioreducation, Bhishma was on the look-out for a teacher endued with energyand well-skilled in the science of arms. Deciding, O chief of theBharatas, that none who was not possessed of great intelligence, none whowas not illustrious or a perfect master of the science of arms, none whowas not of godlike might, should be the instructor of the Kuru (princes),the son of Ganga, O tiger among men, placed the Pandavas and the Kauravasunder the tuition of Bharadwaja's son, the intelligent Drona skilled inall the Vedas. Pleased with the reception given him by the great Bhishma,that foremost of all men skilled in arms, viz., illustrious Drona ofworld-wide fame, accepted the princes as his pupils. And Drona taughtthem the science of arms in all its branches. And, O monarch, both theKauravas and the Pandavas endued with immeasurable strength, in a shorttime became proficient in the use of all kinds of arms.'
"Janamejaya asked, 'O Brahmana, how was Drona born? How and whence did heacquire his arms? How and why came he unto the Kurus? Whose son also washe endued with such energy? Again, how was his son Aswatthaman, theforemost of all skilled in arms born? I wish to hear all this! Pleaserecite them in detail.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'There dwelt at the source of the Ganga, a great sagenamed Bharadwaja, ceaselessly observing the most rigid vows. One day, ofold, intending to celebrate the Agnihotra sacrifice he went along withmany great Rishis to the Ganga to perform his ablutions. Arrived at thebank of the stream, he saw Ghritachi herself, that Apsara endued withyouth and beauty, who had gone there a little before. With an expressionof pride in her countenance, mixed with a voluptuous languor of attitude,the damsel rose from the water after her ablutions were over. And as shewas gently treading on the bank, her attire which was loose becamedisordered. Seeing her attire disordered, the sage was smitten withburning desire. The next moment his vital fluid came out, in consequenceof the violence of his emotion. The Rishi immediately held it in a vesselcalled a drona. Then, O king, Drona sprang from the fluid thus preservedin that vessel by the wise Bharadwaja. And the child thus born studiedall the Vedas and their branches. Before now Bharadwaja of great prowessand the foremost of those possessing a knowledge of arms, hadcommunicated to the illustrious Agnivesa, a knowledge of the weaponcalled Agneya. O foremost one of Bharata's race, the Rishi (Agnivesa)sprung from fire now communicated the knowledge of that great weapon toDrona the son of his preceptor.
"There was a king named Prishata who was a great friend of Bharadwaja.About this time Prishata had a son born unto him, named Drupada. And thatbull among Kshatriyas, viz., Drupada, the son of Prishata, used every dayto come to the hermitage of Bharadwaja to play with Drona and study inhis company. O monarch, when Prishata was dead, this Drupada of mightyarms became the king of the northern Panchalas. About this time theillustrious Bharadwaja also ascended to heaven. Drona continuing toreside in his father's hermitage devoted himself to ascetic austerities.Having become well-versed in the Vedas and their branches and havingburnt also all his sins by asceticism, the celebrated Drona, obedient tothe injunctions of his father and moved by the desire of offspringmarried Kripi, the daughter of Saradwat. And this woman, ever engaged invirtuous acts and the Agnihotra, and the austerest of penances, obtaineda son named Aswatthaman. And as soon as Aswatthaman was born, he neighedlike the (celestial) steed Ucchaihsravas. Hearing that cry, an invisiblebeing in the skies said, 'The voice of this child hath, like the neighingof a horse, been audible all around. The child shall, therefore, be knownby the name of Aswatthaman, (the horse-voiced). The son of Bharadwaja(Drona) was exceedingly glad at having obtained that child. Continuing toreside in that hermitage he devoted himself to the study of the scienceof arms.
"O king, it was about this time that Drona heard that the illustriousBrahmana Jamadagnya, that slayer of foes, that foremost one among allwielders of weapons, versed in all kinds of knowledge, had expressed adesire of giving away all his wealth to Brahmanas. Having heard of Rama'sknowledge of arms and of his celestial weapons also, Drona set his heartupon them as also upon the knowledge of morality that Rama possessed.Then Drona of mighty arms, endued with high ascetic virtues, accompaniedby disciples who were all devoted to vows ascetic austerities, set outfor the Mahendra mountains. Arrived at Mahendra, the son of Bharadwajapossessed of high ascetic merit, beheld the son of Bhrigu, theexterminator of all foes, endued with great patience and with mind undercomplete control. Then, approaching with his disciples that scion of theBhrigu race Drona, giving him his name, told him of his birth in the lineof Angiras. And touching the ground with his head, he worshipped Rama'sfeet. And beholding the illustrious son of Jamadagni intent upon retiringinto the woods after having given away all his wealth, Drona said, 'Knowme to have sprung from Bharadwaja, but not in any woman's womb! I am aBrahmana of high birth, Drona by name, come to thee with the desire ofobtaining thy wealth.'
"On hearing him, that illustrious grinder of the Kshatriya race replied,Thou art welcome, O best of regenerate ones! Tell me what thou desirest.Thus addressed by Rama, the son of Bharadwaja replied unto that foremostof all smiters, desirous of giving away the whole of his wealth, 'O thouof multifarious vows, I am a candidate for thy eternal wealth,' 'O thouof ascetic wealth, returned Rama, 'My gold and whatever other wealth Ihad, have all been given away unto Brahmanas! This earth also, to theverge of the sea, decked with towns and cities, as with a garland offlowers, I have given unto Kasyapa. I have now my body only and myvarious valuable weapons left. I am prepared to give either my body or myweapons. Say, which thou wouldst have! I would give it thee! Say quickly!'
"Drona answered, O son of Bhrigu, it behoveth thee to give me all thyweapons together with the mysteries of hurling and recalling them.'
"Saying, 'So be it,' the son of Bhrigu gave all his weapons untoDrona,--indeed, the whole science of arms with its rules and mysteries.Accepting them all, and thinking himself amply rewarded that best ofBrahmanas then, glad at heart, set out, for (the city of) his friendDrupada.'"
SECTION CXXXII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then, O king, the mighty son of Bharadyaja presentedhimself before Drupada, and addressing that monarch, said, 'Know me forthy friend.' Thus addressed by his friend, the son of Bharadwaja, with ajoyous heart, the lord of the Panchalas was ill-able to bear that speech.The king, intoxicated with the pride of wealth, contracted his brows inwrath, and with reddened eyes spake these words unto Drona, 'O Brahmana,thy intelligence is scarcely of a high order, inasmuch as thou sayestunto me, all on a sudden, that thou art my friend! O thou of dullapprehension, great kings can never be friends with such luckless andindigent wights as thou! It is true there had been friendship betweenthee and me before, for we were then both equally circumstanced. But Timethat impaireth everything in its course, impaireth friendship also. Inthis world, friendship never endureth for ever in any heart. Time wearethit off and anger destroyeth it too. Do not stick, therefore, to thatworn-off friendship. Think not of it any longer. The friendship I hadwith thee, O first of Brahmanas, was for a particular purpose. Friendshipcan never subsist between a poor man and a rich man, between a man ofletters and an unlettered mind, between a hero and a coward. Why dostthou desire the continuance of our former friendship? There may befriendship or hostility between persons equally situated as to wealth ormight. The indigent and the affluent can neither be friends nor quarrelwith each other. One of impure birth can never be a friend to one of purebirth; one who is not a car-warrior can never be a friend to one who isso; and one who is not a king never have a king for his friend.Therefore, why dost thou desire the continuance of our former friendship?'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Drupada, the mighty son ofBharadwaja became filled with wrath, and reflecting for a moment, made uphis mind as to his course of action. Seeing the insolence of the Panchalaking, he wished to check it effectually. Hastily leaving the Panchalacapital Drona bent his steps towards the capital of the Kurus, namedafter the elephant.'"
SECTION CXXXIII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Arrived at Hastinapura, that best of Brahmanas, theson of Bharadwaja, continued to live privately in the house of Gautama(Kripa). His mighty son (Aswatthaman) at intervals of Kripa's teaching,used to give the sons of Kunti lessons in the use of arms. But as yetnone knew of Aswatthaman's prowess.
"Drona had thus lived privately for some time in the house of Kripa whenone day the heroic princes, all in a company, came out of Hastinapura.And coming out of the city, they began to play with a ball and roam aboutin gladness of heart. And it so happened that the ball with which theyhad been playing fell into a well. And thereupon the princes strove theirbest to recover it from the well. But all the efforts the princes made torecover it proved futile. They then began to eye one another bashfully,and not knowing how to recover it, their anxiety became great. Just atthis time they beheld a Brahmana near enough unto them, of darkish hue,decrepit and lean, sanctified by the performance of the Agnihotra and whohad finished his daily rites of worship. And beholding that illustriousBrahmana, the princes who had despaired of success surrounded himimmediately. Drona (for that Brahmana was no other), seeing the princesunsuccessful, and conscious of his own skill, smiled a little, andaddressing them said, 'Shame on your Kshatriya might, and shame also onyour skill in arms! You have been born in the race of Bharata! How is itthat ye cannot recover the ball (from the bottom of this well)? If yepromise me a dinner today, I will, with these blades of grass, bring upnot only the ball ye have lost but this ring also that I now throw down!'Thus saying, Drona that oppressor of foes, taking off his ring, threw itdown into the dry well. Then Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, addressingDrona, said, 'O Brahmana (thou askest for a trifle)! Do thou, withKripa's permission, obtain of us that which would last thee for life!'Thus addressed, Drona with smiles replied unto the Bharata princes,saying, 'This handful of long grass I would invest, by my mantras, withthe virtue of weapons. Behold these blades possess virtues that otherweapons, have not! I will, with one of these blades, pierce the ball, andthen pierce that blade with another, and that another with a third, andthus shall I, by a chain, bring up the ball.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Drona did exactly what he had said. Andthe princes were all amazed and their eyes expanded with delight. Andregarding what they had witnessed to be very extraordinary, they said, Olearned Brahmana, do thou bring up the ring also without loss of time.'
"Then the illustrious Drona, taking a bow with an arrow, pierced the ringwith that arrow and brought it up at once. And taking the ring thusbrought up from the well still pierced with his arrow, he coolly gave itto the astonished princes. Then the latter, seeing the ring thusrecovered, said, 'We bow to thee, O Brahmana! None else owneth suchskill. We long to know who thou art and whose son. What also can we dofor thee?'
"Thus addressed, Drona replied unto the princes, saying, 'Do ye repairunto Bhishma and describe to him my likeness and skill. The mighty onewill recognize me.' The princes then saying, 'So be it,' repaired untoBhishma and telling him of the purport of that Brahmana's speech, relatedeverything about his (extraordinary) feat. Hearing everything from theprinces, Bhishma at once understood that the Brahmana was none else thanDrona, and thinking that he would make the best preceptor for theprinces, went in person unto him and welcoming him respectfully, broughthim over to the place. Then Bhishma, that foremost of all wielders ofarms, adroitly asked him the cause of his arrival at Hastinapura. Askedby him, Drona represented everything as it had happened, saying, 'O sir,in times past I went to the great Rishi Agnivesa for obtaining from himhis weapons, desirous also of learning the science of arms. Devoted tothe service of my preceptor, I lived with him for many years in thehumble guise of a Brahmacharin, with matted locks on my head. At thattime, actuated by the same motives, the prince of Panchala, the mightyYajnasena, also lived in the same asylum. He became my friend, alwaysseeking my welfare. I liked him much. Indeed, we lived together for many,many years. O thou of Kuru's race, from our earliest years we had studiedtogether and, indeed, he was my friend from boyhood, always speaking anddoing what was agreeable to me. For gratifying me, O Bhishma, he used totell me, 'O Drona, I am the favourite child of my illustrious father.When the king installeth me as monarch of the Panchalas, the kingdomshall be thine. O friend, this, indeed, is my solemn promise. Mydominion, wealth and happiness, shall all be dependent on thee.' At lastthe time came for his departure. Having finished his studies, he bent hissteps towards his country. I offered him my regards at the time, and,indeed, I remembered his words ever afterwards.
"Some time after, in obedience to the injunctions of my father andtempted also by the desire of offspring, I married Kripi of short hair,who gifted with great intelligence, had observed many rigid vows, and wasever engaged in the Agnihotra and other sacrifices and rigid austerities.Gautami, in time, gave birth to a son named Aswatthaman of great prowessand equal in splendour unto the Sun himself. Indeed, I was pleased onhaving obtained Aswatthaman as much as my father had been on obtaining me.
"And it so happened that one day the child Aswatthaman observing somerich men's sons drink milk, began to cry. At this I was so beside myselfthat I lost all knowledge of the point of the compass. Instead of askinghim who had only a few kine (so that if he gave me one, he would nolonger be able to perform his sacrifices and thus sustain a loss ofvirtue), I was desirous of obtaining a cow from one who had many, and forthat I wandered from country to country. But my wanderings provedunsuccessful, for I failed to obtain a milch cow. After I had come backunsuccessful, some of my son's playmates gave him water mixed withpowdered rice. Drinking this, the poor boy, was deceived into the beliefthat he had taken milk, and began to dance in joy, saying, 'O, I havetaken milk. I have taken milk!' Beholding him dance with joy amid theseplaymates smiling at his simplicity, I was exceedingly touched. Hearingalso the derisive speeches of busy-bodies who said, 'Fie upon theindigent Drona, who strives not to earn wealth, whose son drinking watermixed with powdered rice mistaketh it for milk and danceth with joy,saying, 'I have taken milk,--I have taken milk!'--I was quite besidemyself. Reproaching myself much, I at last resolved that even if I shouldhave to live cast off and censured by Brahmanas, I would not yet, fromdesire of wealth, be anybody's servant, which is ever hateful. Thusresolved, O Bhishma, I went, for former friendship, unto the king of theSomakas, taking with me my dear child and wife. Hearing that he had beeninstalled in the sovereignty (of the Somakas), I regarded myself asblessed beyond compare. Joyfully I went unto that dear friend of mineseated on the throne, remembering my former friendship with him and alsohis own words to me. And, O illustrious one, approaching Drupada, I said,'O tiger among men, know me for thy friend!'--Saying this, I approachedhim confidently as a friend should. But Drupada, laughing in derisioncast me off as if I were a vulgar fellow. Addressing me he said, 'Thyintelligence scarcely seemeth to be of a high order inasmuch asapproaching me suddenly, thou sayest thou art my friend! Time thatimpaireth everything, impaireth friendship also. My former friendshipwith thee was for a particular purpose. One of impure birth can never bea friend of one who is of pure birth. One who is not a car-warrior cannever be a friend of one who is such. Friendship can only subsist betweenpersons that are of equal rank, but not between those that are unequallysituated. Friendship never subsisteth for ever in my heart. Timeimpaireth friendships, as also anger destroyeth them. Do thou not stick,therefore, to that worn-off friendship between us. Think not of it anylonger. The friendship I had with thee, O best of Brahmanas, was for aspecial purpose. There cannot be friendship between a poor man and a richman, between an unlettered hind and a man of letters, between a cowardand a hero. Why dost thou, therefore, desire, the revival of our formerfriendship? O thou of simple understanding, great kings can never havefriendship with such indigent and luckless wight as thou? One who is nota king can never have a king for his friend. I do not remember everhaving promised thee my kingdom. But, O Brahmana, I can now give theefood and shelter for one night.'--Thus addressed by him, I left hispresence quickly with my wife, vowing to do that which I will certainlydo soon enough. Thus insulted by Drupada, O Bhishma, I have been filledwith wrath, I have come to the Kurus, desirous of obtaining intelligentand docile pupils. I come to Hastinapura to gratify thy wishes. O, tellme what I am to do.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by the son of Bharadwaja,Bhishma said unto him, 'String thy bow, O Brahmana, and make the Kuruprinces accomplished in arms. Worshipped by the Kurus, enjoy with a gladheart to thy fill every comfort in their abode. Thou art the absolutelord, O Brahmana, of what ever wealth the Kurus have and of theirsovereignty and kingdom! The Kurus are thine (from this day). Think thatas already accomplished which may be in thy heart. Thou art, O Brahmana,obtained by us as the fruit of our great good luck. Indeed, the favourthou hast conferred upon me by thy arrival is great.'
SECTION CXXXIV
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus worshipped by Bhishma, Drona, that first ofmen, endued with great energy, took up his quarters in the abode of theKurus and continued to live there, receiving their adorations. After hehad rested a while, Bhishma, taking with him his grandsons, the Kauravaprinces, gave them unto him as pupils, making at the same time manyvaluable presents. And the mighty one (Bhishma) also joyfully gave untothe son of Bharadwaja a house that was tidy and neat and well-filled withpaddy and every kind of wealth. And that first of archers, Drona,thereupon joyfully, accepted the Kauravas, viz., the sons of Pandu andDhritarashtra, as his pupils. And having accepted them all as his pupils,one day Drona called them apart and making them touch his feet, said tothem with a swelling heart, 'I have in my heart a particular purpose.Promise me truly, ye sinless ones, that when ye have become skilled inarms, ye will accomplish it.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words, the Kuru princes remainedsilent. But Arjuna, O king, vowed to accomplish it whatever it was. Dronathen cheerfully clasped Arjuna to his bosom and took the scent of hishead repeatedly, shedding tears of joy all the while. Then Drona enduedwith great prowess taught the sons of Pandu (the use of) many weaponsboth celestial and human. And, O bull of the Bharata race, many otherprinces also flocked to that best of Brahmanas for instruction in arms.The Vrishnis and the Andhakas, and princes from various lands, and the(adopted) son of Radha of the Suta caste, (Karna), all became pupils ofDrona. But of them all, the Suta child Karna, from jealousy, frequentlydefied Arjuna, and supported by Duryodhana, used to disregard thePandavas. Arjuna, however, from devotion to the science of arms, alwaysstayed by the side of his preceptor, and in skill, strength of arms, andperseverance, excelled all (his class-fellows). Indeed, although theinstruction the preceptor gave, was the same in the case of all, yet inlightness and skill Arjuna became the foremost of all his fellow-pupils.And Drona was convinced that none of his pupils would (at any time) beable to be equal to that son of Indra.
"Thus Drona continued giving lessons to the princes in the science ofweapons. And while he gave unto every one of his pupils a narrow-mouthedvessel (for fetching water) in order that much time may be spent infilling them, he gave unto his own son Aswatthaman a broad-mouthedvessel, so that, filling it quickly, he might return soon enough. And inthe intervals so gained, Drona used to instruct his own son in severalsuperior methods (of using weapons). Jishnu (Arjuna) came to know ofthis, and thereupon filling his narrow-mouthed vessel with water by meansof the Varuna weapon he used to come unto his preceptor at the same timewith his preceptor's son. And accordingly the intelligent son of Pritha,that foremost of all men possessing a knowledge of weapons, had noinferiority to his preceptor's son in respect of excellence. Arjuna'sdevotion to the service of his preceptor as also to arms was very greatand he soon became the favourite of his preceptor. And Drona, beholdinghis pupil's devotion to arms, summoned the cook, and told him in secret,'Never give Arjuna his food in the dark, nor tell him that I have toldthee this.' A few days after, however, when Arjuna was taking his food, awind arose, and thereupon the lamp that had been burning went out. ButArjuna, endued with energy, continued eating in the dark, his hand, fromhabit, going to his mouth. His attention being thus called to the forceof habit, the strong-armed son of Pandu set his heart upon practisingwith his bow in the night. And, O Bharata, Drona, hearing the twang ofhis bowstring in the night, came to him, and clasping him, said, 'Trulydo I tell thee that I shall do that unto thee by which there shall not bean archer equal to thee in this world.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thereafter Drona began to teach Arjuna the artof fighting on horse-back, on the back of elephants, on car, and on theground. And the mighty Drona also instructed Arjuna in fighting with themace, the sword, the lance, the spear, and the dart. And he alsoinstructed him in using many weapons and fighting with many men at thesame time. And hearing reports of his skill, kings and princes, desirousof learning the science of arms, flocked to Drona by thousands. Amongstthose that came there, O monarch, was a prince named Ekalavya, who wasthe son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas (the lowest of the mixedorders). Drona, however, cognisant of all rules of morality, accepted notthe prince as his pupil in archery, seeing that he was a Nishada whomight (in time) excel all his high-born pupils. But, O oppressor of allenemies, the Nishada prince, touching Drona's feet with bent head, wendedhis way into the forest, and there he made a clay-image of Drona, andbegan to worship it respectfully, as if it was his real preceptor, andpractised weapons before it with the most rigid regularity. Inconsequence of his exceptional reverence for his preceptor and hisdevotion to his purpose, all the three processes of fixing arrows on thebowstring, aiming, and letting off became very easy for him.
"And one day, O grinder of foes, the Kuru and the Pandava princes, withDrona's leave, set out in their cars on a hunting excursion. A servant, Oking, followed the party at leisure, with the usual implements and a dog.Having come to the woods, they wandered about, intent on the purpose theyhad in view. Meanwhile, the dog also, in wandering alone in the woods,came upon the Nishada prince (Ekalavya). And beholding the Nishada ofdark hue, of body besmeared with filth, dressed in black and bearingmatted locks on head, the dog began to bark aloud.
"Thereupon the Nishada prince, desirous of exhibiting his lightness ofhand, sent seven arrows into its mouth (before it could shut it). Thedog, thus pierced with seven arrows, came back to the Pandavas. Thoseheroes, who beheld that sight, were filled with wonder, and, ashamed oftheir own skill, began to praise the lightness of hand and precision ofaim by auricular precision (exhibited by the unknown archer). And theythereupon began to seek in those woods for the unknown dweller thereinthat had shown such skill. And, O king, the Pandavas soon found out theobject of their search ceaselessly discharging arrows from the bow. Andbeholding that man of grim visage, who was totally a stranger to them,they asked, 'Who art thou and whose son?' Thus questioned, the manreplied, 'Ye heroes, I am the son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas.Know me also for a pupil of Drona, labouring for the mastery of the artof arms.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'The Pandavas then, having made themselvesacquainted with everything connected with him, returned (to the city),and going unto Drona, told him of that wonderful feat of archery whichthey had witnessed in the woods. Arjuna, in particular, thinking all thewhile, O king, Ekalavya, saw Drona in private and relying upon hispreceptor's affection for him, said, 'Thou hadst lovingly told me,clasping me, to thy bosom, that no pupil of thine should be equal to me.Why then is there a pupil of thine, the mighty son of the Nishada king,superior to me?"
'Vaisampayana continued, 'On hearing these words, Drona reflected for amoment, and resolving upon the course of action he should follow, tookArjuna with him and went unto the Nishada prince. And he beheld Ekalavyawith body besmeared with filth, matted locks (on head), clad in rags,bearing a bow in hand and ceaselessly shooting arrows therefrom. And whenEkalavya saw Drona approaching towards him, he went a few steps forward,and touched his feet and prostrated himself on the ground. And the son ofthe Nishada king worshipping Drona, duly represented himself as hispupil, and clasping his hands in reverence stood before him (awaiting hiscommands). Then Drona, O king, addressed Ekalavya, saying, 'If, O hero,thou art really my pupil, give me then my fees.' On hearing these words,Ekalavya was very much gratified, and said in reply, 'O illustriouspreceptor, what shall I give? Command me; for there is nothing, Oforemost of all persons conversant with the Vedas, that I may not giveunto my preceptor.' Drona answered, 'O Ekalavya, if thou art reallyintent on making me a gift, I should like then to have the thumb of thyright hand.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these cruel words of Drona, who hadasked of him his thumb as tuition-fee, Ekalavya, ever devoted to truthand desirous also of keeping his promise, with a cheerful face and anunafflicted heart cut off without ado his thumb, and gave it unto Drona.After this, when the Nishada prince began once more to shoot with thehelp of his remaining fingers, he found, O king, that he had lost hisformer lightness of hand. And at this Arjuna became happy, the fever (ofjealousy) having left him.
"Two of Drona's pupils became very much accomplished in the use of mace.These were Druvodhana and Bhima, who were, however, always jealous ofeach other. Aswatthaman excelled everyone (in the mysteries of thescience of arms). The twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) excelled everybody inhandling the sword. Yudhishthira surpassed everybody as a car-warrior;but Arjuna, however, outdistanced everyone in every respect--inintelligence, resourcefulness, strength and perseverance. Accomplished inall weapons, Arjuna became the foremost of even the foremost ofcar-warriors; and his fame spread all over the earth to the verge of thesea. And although the instruction was the same, the mighty Arjunaexcelled all (the princes in lightness of hand). Indeed, in weapons as indevotion to his preceptor, he became the foremost of them all. Andamongst all the princes, Arjuna alone became an Atiratha (a car-warriorcapable of fighting at one time with sixty thousand foes). And the wickedsons of Dhritarashtra, beholding Bhimasena endued with great strength andArjuna accomplished in all arms, became very jealous of them.
"O bull among men, one day Drona desirous of testing the comparativeexcellence of all his pupils in the use of arms, collected them alltogether after their education had been completed. And before assemblingthem together, he had caused an artificial bird, as the would be aim, tobe placed on the top of a neighbouring tree. And when they were alltogether, Drona said unto them, 'Take up your bows quickly and stand hereaiming at that bird on the tree, with arrows fixed on your bowstrings;shoot and cut off the bird's head, as soon as I give the order. I shallgive each of you a turn, one by one, my children.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Drona, that foremost of all Angira's sonsfirst addressed Yudhishthira saying, 'O irrepressible one, aim with thyarrow and shoot as soon as I give the order. Yudhishthira took up the bowfirst, as desired, O king, by his preceptor, and stood aiming at thebird. But, O bull of Bharata's race, Drona in an instant, addressing theKuru prince standing with bow in hand, said, 'Behold, O prince, that birdon top of the tree.' Yudhishthira replied unto his preceptor, saying, 'Ido.' But the next instant Drona again asked him, 'What dost thou see now,O prince? Seest thou the tree, myself or thy brothers?' Yudhishthiraanswered, 'I see the tree, myself, my brothers, and the bird.' Dronarepeated his question, but was answered as often in the same words. Dronathen, vexed with Yudhishthira, reproachingly said, 'Stand thou apart. Itis not for thee to strike the aim.' Then Drona repeated the experimentwith Duryodhana and the other sons of Dhritarashtra, one after another,as also with his other pupils, Bhima and the rest, including the princesthat had come unto him from other lands. But the answer in every case wasthe same as Yudhishthira's viz., 'We behold the tree, thyself, ourfellow-pupils, and the bird.' And reproached by their preceptor, theywere all ordered, one after another, to stand apart.'"
SECTION CXXXV
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'When everyone had failed, Drona smilingly calledArjuna and said unto him, 'By thee the aim must be shot; therefore, turnthy eyes to it. Thou must let fly the arrow as soon as I give the order.Therefore, O son, stand here with bow and arrow for an instant.' Thusaddressed, Arjuna stood aiming at the bird as desired by his preceptor,with his bow bent. An instant after Drona asked him as in the case ofothers, 'Seest thou, O Arjuna, the bird there, the tree, and myself?'Arjuna replied, 'I see the bird only, but nor the tree, or thyself.' Thenthe irrepressible Drona, well-pleased with Arjuna, the instant after,again said unto that mighty car-warrior amongst the Pandavas, 'If thouseest the vulture, then describe it to me.' Arjuna said, I see only thehead of the vulture, not its body.' At these words of Arjuna, the hair(on Drona's body) stood on end from delight. He then said to Partha,'Shoot.' And the latter instantly let fly (his arrow) and with his sharpshaft speedily struck off the head of the vulture on the tree and broughtit down to the ground. No sooner was the deed done than Drona claspedPhalguna to his bosom and thought Drupada with his friends had alreadybeen vanquished in fight.
"Some time after, O bull of Bharata's race, Drona, accompanied by all ofhis pupils, went to the bank of the Ganga to bathe in that sacred stream.And when Drona had plunged into the stream, a strong alligator, sent asit were, by Death himself seized him by the thigh. And though himselfquite capable, Drona in a seeming hurry asked his pupil to rescue him.And he said, 'O, kill this monster and rescue me.' Contemporaneously withthis speech, Vibhatsu (Arjuna) struck the monster within the water withfive sharp arrows irresistible in their course, while the other pupilsstood confounded, each at his place. Beholding Arjuna's readiness, Dronaconsidered him to be the foremost of all his pupils, and became highlypleased. The monster, in the meantime cut into pieces by the arrows ofArjuna, released the thigh of illustrious Drona and gave up the ghost.The son of Bharadwaja then addressed the illustrious and mightycar-warrior Arjuna and said, 'Accept, O thou of mighty arms, this verysuperior and irresistible weapon called Brahmasira with the methods ofhurling and recalling it. Thou must not, however, ever use it against anyhuman foe, for if hurled at any foe endued with inferior energy, it mightburn the whole universe. It is said, O child, that this weapon hath not apeer in the three worlds. Keep it, therefore, with great care, and listento what I say. If ever, O hero, any foe, not human, contendeth againstthee thou mayst then employ it against him for compassing his death inbattle.' Pledging himself to do what he was bid, Vibhatsu then, withjoined hands, received that great weapon.
The preceptor then, addressing him again, said, 'None else in this worldwill ever become a superior bowman to thee. Vanquished thou shall neverbe by any foe, and thy achievements will be great.'"
SECTION CXXXVI
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'O thou of Bharata's race, beholding the sons ofDhritarashtra and Pandu accomplished in arms, Drona, O monarch, addressedking Dhritarashtra, in the presence of Kripa, Somadatta, Valhika, thewise son of Ganga (Bhishma), Vyasa, and Vidura, and said, 'O best of Kurukings, thy children have completed their education. With thy permission,O king, let them now show their proficiency.' Hearing him, the king saidwith a gladdened heart, 'O best of Brahmanas, thou hast, indeed,accomplished a great deed. Command me thyself as to the place and thetime where and when and the manner also in which the trial may be held.Grief arising from my own blindness maketh me envy those who, blessedwith sight, will behold my children's prowess in arm. O Kshatri (Vidura),do all that Drona sayeth. O thou devoted to virtue, I think there isnothing that can be more agreeable to me.' Then Vidura, giving thenecessary assurance to the king, went out to do what he was bid. AndDrona endued with great wisdom, then measured out a piece of land thatwas void of trees and thickets and furnished with wells and springs. Andupon the spot of land so measured out, Drona, that first of eloquent men,selecting a lunar day when the star ascendant was auspicious, offered upsacrifice unto the gods in the presence of the citizens assembled byproclamation to witness the same. And then, O bull among men, theartificers of the king built thereon a large and elegant stage accordingto the rules laid down in the scriptures, and it was furnished with allkinds of weapons. They also built another elegant hall for thelady-spectators. And the citizens constructed many platforms while thewealthier of them pitched many spacious and high tents all around.
"When the day fixed for the Tournament came, the king accompanied by hisministers, with Bhishma and Kripa, the foremost of preceptors, walkingahead, came unto that theatre of almost celestial beauty constructed ofpure gold, and decked with strings of pearls and stones of lapis lazuli.And, O first of victorious men, Gandhari blessed with great good fortuneand Kunti, and the other ladies of the royal house-hold, in gorgeousattire and accompanied by their waiting women, joyfully ascended theplatforms, like celestial ladies ascending the Sumeru mountain. And thefour orders including the Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, desirous of beholdingthe princes' skill in arms, left the city and came running to the spot.And so impatient was every one to behold the spectacle, that the vastcrowd assembled there in almost an instant. And with the sounds oftrumpets and drums and the noise of many voices, that vast concourseappeared like an agitated ocean.
"At last, Drona accompanied by his son, dressed in white (attire), with awhite sacred thread, white locks, white beard, white garlands, and whitesandal-paste rubbed over his body, entered the lists. It seemed as if theMoon himself accompanied by the planet Mars appeared in an unclouded sky.On entering Bharadwaja performed timely worship and caused Brahmanasversed in mantras to celebrate the auspicious rites. And after auspiciousand sweet-sounding musical instruments had been struck up as apropitiatory ceremony, some persons entered, equipped with various arms.And then having girded up their loins, those mighty warriors, thoseforemost ones of Bharata's race (the princes) entered, furnished withfinger-protectors (gauntlet), and bows, and quivers. And withYudhishthira at their head, the valiant princes entered in order of ageand began to show wonderful skill with their weapons. Some of thespectators lowered their heads, apprehending fall of arrows while othersfearlessly gazed on with wonder. And riding swiftly on horses andmanaging them 'dexterously' the princes began to hit marks with shaftsengraved with their respective names. And seeing the prowess of theprinces armed with bows and arrows, the spectators thought that they werebeholding the city of the Gandharvas, became filled with amazement. And,O Bharata, all on a sudden, some hundreds and thousands, with eyes wideopen in wonder, exclaimed, 'Well done! Well done!' And having repeatedlydisplayed their skill and dexterity in the use of bows and arrows and inthe management of cars, the mighty warriors took up their swords andbucklers, and began to range the lists, playing their weapons. Thespectators saw (with wonder) their agility, the symmetry of their bodies,their grace, their calmness, the firmness of their grasp and theirdeftness in the use of sword and buckler. Then Vrikodara and Suyodhana,internally delighted (at the prospect of fight), entered the arena, macein hand, like two single-peaked mountains. And those mighty-armedwarriors braced their loins, and summoning all their energy, roared liketwo infuriate elephants contending for a cow-elephant; and like twoinfuriated elephants those mighty heroes faultlessly (in consonance withthe dictates of the science of arm) careered right and left, circling thelists. And Vidura described to Dhritarashtra and the mother of thePandavas (Kunti) and Gandhari, all the feats of the princes.'"
SECTION CXXXVII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Upon the Kuru king and Bhima, the foremost ofall endued with strength, having entered the arena, the spectators weredivided into two parties in consequence of the partiality swaying theiraffections. Some cried, 'Behold the heroic king of theKurus!'--some--'Behold Bhima!'--And on account of these cries, there was,all on a sudden, a loud uproar. And seeing the place become like atroubled ocean, the intelligent Bharadwaja said unto his dear son,Aswatthaman, 'Restrain both these mighty warriors so proficient in arms.Let not the ire of the assembly be provoked by this combat of Bhima andDuryodhana.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then the son of the preceptor of the princesrestrained those combatants with their maces uplifted and resembling twoswollen oceans agitated by the winds that blow at the universaldissolution. And Drona himself entering the yard of the arena commandedthe musicians to stop, and with a voice deep as that of the cloudsaddressed these words, 'Behold ye now that Partha who is dearer to methan my own son, the master of all arms, the son of Indra himself, andlike unto the younger brother of Indra, (Vishnu)! And having performedthe propitiatory rites, the youthful Phalguna, equipped with the fingerprotector (gauntlet) and his quiver full of shafts and bow in hand,donning his golden mail, appeared in the lists even like an evening cloudreflecting the rays of the setting sun and illumined by the hues of therainbow and flashes of lightning.
"On seeing Arjuna, the whole assembly were delighted and conchs began tobe blown all around with other musical instruments. And there arose agreat uproar in consequence of the spectators' exclaiming,--'This is thegraceful son of Kunti!'--'This is the middle (third) Pandava!'--'This isthe son of the mighty Indra!'--'This is the protector of theKurus'--'This is the foremost of those versed in arms!'--'This is theforemost of all cherishers of virtue!'--'This is the foremost of thepersons of correct behaviour, the great repository of the knowledge ofmanners!' At those exclamations, the tears of Kunti, mixing with the milkof her breast, wetted her bosom. And his ears being filled with thatuproar, that first of men, Dhritarashtra, asked Vidura in delight, 'OKshatri, what is this great uproar for, like unto that of the troubledocean, arising all on a sudden and rending the very heavens?' Vidurareplied, 'O mighty monarch, the son of Pandu and Pritha, Phalguna, cladin mail hath entered the lists. And hence this uproar!' Dhritarashtrasaid, 'O thou of soul so great, by the three fires sprung from Pritha whois even like the sacred fuel, I have, indeed, been blessed, favoured andprotected!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'When the spectators, excited with delight, hadsomewhat regained their equanimity, Vibhatsu began to display hislightness in the use of weapons. By the Agneya weapon, he created fire,and by the Varuna weapon he created water, by the Vayavya weapon, hecreated air, and by the Parjanya weapon he created clouds. And by theBhauma weapon, he created land, and by the Parvatya weapon, he broughtmountains into being. By the Antardhana weapon all these were made todisappear. Now the beloved one of his preceptor (Arjuna) appeared talland now short; now he was seen on the yoke of his car, and now on the caritself; and the next moment he was on the ground. And the hero favouredby his practised dexterity, hit with his various butts--some tender, somefine and some of thick composition. And like one shaft, he let fly at atime into the mouth of a moving iron-boar five shafts together from hisbow-string. And that hero of mighty energy discharged one and twentyarrows into the hollow of a cow's horn hung up on a rope swaying to andfro. In this manner, O sinless one, Arjuna showed his profound skill inthe use of sword, bow, and mace, walking over the lists in circles.
"And, O Bharata, when the exhibition had well-nigh ended, the excitementof the spectators had cooled, and the sounds of instruments had died outthere was heard proceeding from the gate, the slapping of arms,betokening might and strength, and even like unto the roar of thethunder. And, O king, as soon as this sound was heard, the assembledmultitude instantly thought, 'Are the mountains splitting or is the earthitself rending asunder, or is the welkin resounding with the roar ofgathering clouds? And then all the spectators turned their eyes towardsthe gate. And Drona stood, surrounded by the five brothers, the sons ofPritha, and looked like the moon in conjunction with the five-starredconstellation Hasta. And Duryodhana, that slayer of foes, stood up inhaste and was surrounded by his century of haughty brothers withAswatthaman amongst them. And that prince, mace in hand, thus surroundedby his hundred brothers with uplifted weapons appeared like Purandara indays of yore, encircled by the celestial host on the occasion of thebattle with the Danavas.'"
SECTION CXXXVIII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'When the spectators, with eyes expanded withwonder, made way for that subjugator of hostile cities, Karna, that herowith his natural mail and face brightened with ear-rings, took up his bowand girded on his sword, and then entered the spacious lists, like awalking cliff. That far-famed destroyer of hostile hosts, the large-eyedKarna, was born of Pritha in her maidenhood. He was a portion of thehot-beamed Sun and his energy and prowess were like unto those of thelion, or the bull, or the leader of a herd of elephants. In splendour heresembled the Sun, in loveliness the Moon, and in energy the fire.Begotten by the Sun himself, he was tall in stature like a golden palmtree, and, endued with the vigour of youth, he was capable of slaying alion. Handsome in features, he was possessed of countlessaccomplishments. The mighty-armed warrior, eyeing all around the arena,bowed indifferently to Drona and Kripa. And the entire assembly,motionless and with steadfast gaze, thought, 'Who is he?' And they becameagitated in their curiosity to know the warrior. And that foremost ofeloquent men, the offspring of the Sun, in a voice deep as that of theclouds, addressed his unknown brother, the son of the subduer of theAsura, Paka (Indra), saying, 'O Partha, I shall perform feats before thisgazing multitude; excelling all thou hast performed! Beholding them, thoushall be amazed.' And, O thou best of those blest with speech, he hadhardly done when the spectators stood up all at once, uplifted by someinstrument, as it were. And, O tiger among men, Duryodhana was filledwith delight, while Vibhatsu was instantly all abashment and anger. Thenwith the permission of Drona, the mighty Karna, delighting in battle,there did all that Partha had done before. And, O Bharata, Duryodhanawith his brothers thereupon embraced Karna in joy and then addressed himsaying, 'Welcome O mighty-armed warrior! I have obtained thee by goodfortune, O polite one! Live thou as thou pleasest, and command me, andthe kingdom of the Kurus.' Kama replied, 'When thou hast said it, Iregard it as already accomplished. I only long for thy friendship. And, Olord, my wish is even for a single combat with Arjuna.' Duryodhana said,'Do thou with me enjoy the good things of life! Be thou the benefactor ofthy friend, and, O represser of enemies, place thou thy feet on the headsof all foes."
"Vaisampayanacontinued, 'Arjuna, after this, deeming himself disgraced,said unto Karna stationed amidst the brothers like unto a cliff, 'Thatpath which the unwelcome intruder and the uninvited talker cometh to,shall be thine, O Karna, for thou shall be slain by me.' Karna replied,'This arena is meant for all, not for thee alone, O Phalguna! They arekings who are superior in energy; and verily the Kshatriya regardethmight and might alone. What need of altercation which is the exercise ofthe weak? O Bharata, speak then in arrows until with arrows I strike offthy head today before the preceptor himself!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hastily embraced by his brothers, Partha thatsubduer of hostile cities, with the permission of Drona, advanced for thecombat. On the other side, Karna, having been embraced by Duryodhana withhis brothers, taking up his bow and arrows, stood ready for the fight.Then the firmament became enveloped in clouds emitting flashes oflightning, and the coloured bow of Indra appeared shedding its effulgentrays. And the clouds seemed to laugh on account of the rows of whitecranes that were then on the wing. And seeing Indra thus viewing thearena from affection (for his son), the sun too dispersed the clouds fromover his own offspring. And Phalguna remained deep hid under cover of theclouds, while Karna remained visible, being surrounded by the rays of theSun. And the son of Dhritarashtra stood by Karna, and Bharadwaja andKripa and Bhishma remained with Partha. And the assembly was divided, asalso the female spectators. And knowing the state of things, Kunti thedaughter of Bhoja, swooned away. And by the help of female attendants,Vidura, versed in the lore of all duties, revived the insensible Kunti bysprinkling sandal-paste and water on her person. On being restored toconsciousness, Kunti, seeing her two sons clad in mail, was seized withfear, but she could do nothing (to protect them). And beholding both thewarriors with bows strung in their hands the son of Saradwat, viz.,Kripa, knowing all duties and cognisant of the rules regulating duels,addressed Karna, saying 'This Pandava, who is the youngest son of Kunti,belongeth to the Kaurava race: he will engage in combat with thee. But, Omighty-armed one, thou too must tell us thy lineage and the names of thyfather and mother and the royal line of which thou art the ornament.Learning all this, Partha will fight with thee or not (as he will thinkfit). Sons of kings never fight with men of inglorious lineage.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'When he was thus addressed by Kripa, Karna'scountenance became like unto a lotus pale and torn with the peltingshowers in the rainy season. Duryodhana said, 'O preceptor, verily thescriptures have it that three classes of persons can lay claim toroyalty, viz., persons of the blood royal, heroes, and lastly, those thatlead armies. If Phalguna is unwilling to fight with one who is not aking, I will install Karna as king of Anga.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'At that very moment, seated on a golden seat, withparched paddy and with flowers and water-pots and much gold, the mightywarrior Karna was installed king by Brahmanas versed in mantras. And theroyal umbrella was held over his head, while Yak-tails waved around thatredoubtable hero of graceful mien. And the cheers, having ceased, king(Karna) said unto the Kaurava Duryodhana, 'O tiger among monarchs, whatshall I give unto thee that may compare with thy gift of a kingdom? Oking, I will do all thou biddest!' And Suyodhana said unto him, 'Ieagerly wish for thy friendship.' Thus spoken to, Karna replied, 'Be itso.' And they embraced each other in joy, and experienced greathappiness.'"
SECTION CXXXIX
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'After this, with his sheet loosely hanging down,Adhiratha entered the lists, perspiring and trembling, and supportinghimself on a staff.
"Seeing him, Karna left his bow and impelled by filial regard bowed downhis head still wet with the water of inauguration. And them thecharioteer, hurriedly covering his feet with the end of his sheet,addressed Karna crowned with success as his son. And the charioteerembraced Karna and from excess of affection bedewed his head with tears,that head still wet with the water sprinkled over it on account of thecoronation as king of Anga. Seeing the charioteer, the Pandava Bhimasenatook Karna for a charioteer's son, and said by way of ridicule, 'O son ofa charioteer, thou dost not deserve death in fight at the hands ofPartha. As befits thy race take thou anon the whip. And, O worst ofmortals, surely thou art not worthy to sway the kingdom of Anga, even asa dog doth not deserve the butter placed before the sacrificial fire.'Karna, thus addressed, with slightly quivering lips fetched a deep sigh,looked at the God of the day in the skies. And even as a mad elephantriseth from an assemblage of lotuses, the mighty Duryodhana rose in wrathfrom among his brothers, and addressed that performer of dreadful deeds,Bhimasena, present there, 'O Vrikodara, it behoveth thee not to speaksuch words. Might is the cardinal virtue of a Kshatriya, and even aKshatriya of inferior birth deserveth to be fought with. The lineage ofheroes, like the sources of a lordly river, is ever unknown. The firethat covereth the whole world riseth from the waters. The thunder thatslayeth the Danavas was made of a bone of (a mortal named) Dadhichi. Theillustrious deity Guha, who combines in his composition the portions ofall the other deities is of a lineage unknown. Some call him theoffspring of Agni; some, of Krittika, some, of Rudra, and some of Ganga.It hath been heard by us that persons born in the Kashatriya order havebecome Brahmanas. Viswamitra and others (born Kshatriyas) have obtainedthe eternal Brahma. The foremost of all wielders of weapons, thepreceptor Drona hath been born in a waterpot and Kripa of the race ofGotama hath sprung from a clump of heath. Your own births, ye Pandavaprinces, are known to me. Can a she-deer bring forth a tiger (likeKarna), of the splendour of the Sun, and endued with every auspiciousmark, and born also with a natural mail and ear-rings? This prince amongmen deserveth the sovereignty of the world, not of Anga only, inconsequence of the might of his arm and my swearing to obey him ineverything. If there be anybody here to whom all that I have done untoKarna hath become intolerable, let him ascend his chariot and bend hisbow with the help of his feet.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then there arose a confused murmur amongst thespectators approving of Duryodhana's speech. The sun, however, went down,but prince Duryodhana taking Karna's hand led him out of the arenalighted with countless lamps. And, O king, the Pandavas also, accompaniedby Drona and Kripa and Bhishma, returned to their abodes. And the people,too, came away, some naming Arjuna, some Karna, and some Duryodhana (asthe victor of the day). And Kunti, recognising her son in Karna by thevarious auspicious marks on his person and beholding him installed in thesovereignty of Anga, was from motherly affection, very pleased. AndDuryodhana, O monarch, having obtained Karna (in this way), banished hisfears arising out of Arjuna's proficiency in arms. And the heroic Karna,accomplished in arms, began to gratify Duryodhana by sweet speeches,while Yudhishthira was impressed with the belief that there was nowarrior on earth like unto Karna.'"
SECTION CXL
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Beholding the Pandavas and the son ofDhritarashtra accomplished in arms, Drona thought the time had come whenhe could demand the preceptorial fee. And, O king, assembling his pupilsone day together, the preceptor Drona asked of them the fee, saying,'Seize Drupada, the king of Panchala in battle and bring him unto me.That shall be the most acceptable fee.' Those warriors then answering,'So be it', speedily mounted up on their chariots, and for bestowing upontheir preceptor the fee he had demanded, marched out, accompanied by him.Those bulls among men, smiting the Panchalas on their way, laid siege tothe capital of the great Drupada. And Duryodhana and Karna and the mightyYuyutsu, and Duhsasana and Vikarna and Jalasandha and Sulochana,--theseand many other foremost of Kshatriya princes of great prowess, vied withone another in becoming the foremost in the attack. And the princes,riding in first class chariots and following the cavalry, entered thehostile capital, and proceeded along the streets.
"Meanwhile, the king of Panchala, beholding that mighty force and hearingits loud clamour, came out of his palace, accompanied by his brothers.Though king Yajnasena was well-armed, the Kuru army assailed him with ashower of arrows, uttering their war-cry. Yajnasena, however, not easy tobe subdued in battle, approaching the Kurus upon his white chariot, beganto rain his fierce arrows around.
"Before the battle commenced, Arjuna, beholding the pride of prowessdisplayed by the princes, addressed his preceptor, that best ofBrahmanas, Drona, and said, 'We shall exert ourselves after these havedisplayed their prowess. The king of Panchala can never be taken on thefield of the battle by any of these. Having said this, the sinless son ofKunti surrounded by his brothers, waited outside the town at a distanceof a mile from it. Meanwhile Drupada beholding the Kuru host, rushedforward and pouring a fierce shower of arrows around, terribly afflictedthe Kuru ranks. And such was his lightness of motion on the field ofbattle that, though he was fighting unsupported on a single chariot, theKurus from panic supposed that there were many Drupadas opposed to them.And the fierce arrows of that monarch fell fast on all sides, till conchsand trumpets and drums by thousands began to be sounded by the Panchalasfrom their houses (giving the alarm). Then there arose from the mightyPanchala host a roar terrible as that of the lion, while the twang oftheir bow-strings seemed to rend the very heavens. Then Duryodhana andVikarna, Suvahu and Dirghalochana and Duhsasana becoming furious, beganto shower their arrows upon the enemy. But the mighty bowman, Prishata'sson, invincible in battle, though very much pierced with the arrows ofthe enemy, instantly began, O Bharata, to afflict the hostile ranks withgreater vigour. And careering over the field of battle like a fierywheel, king Drupada with his arrows smote Duryodhana and Vikarna and eventhe mighty Karna and many other heroic princes and numberless warriors,and slaked their thirst for battle. Then all the citizens showered uponthe Kurus various missiles like clouds showering rain-drops upon theearth. Young and old, they all rushed to battle, assailing the Kurus withvigour. The Kauravas, then, O Bharata, beholding the battle becomefrightful, broke and fled wailing towards the Pandavas.
"The Pandavas, hearing the terrible wail of the beaten host,reverentially saluted Drona and ascended their chariots. Then Arjunahastily bidding Yudhishthira not to engage in the fight, rushed forward,appointing the sons of Madri (Nakula and Sahadeva) the protectors of hischariot-wheels, while Bhimasena ever fighting in the van, mace in hand,ran ahead. The sinless Arjuna, thus accompanied by his brothers, hearingthe shouts of the enemy, advanced towards them, filling the whole regionwith the rattle of his chariot-wheels. And like a Makara entering thesea, the mighty-armed Bhima, resembling a second Yama, mace in hand,entered the Panchala ranks, fiercely roaring like the ocean in a tempest.And Bhima, mace in hand, first rushed towards the array of elephants inthe hostile force, while Arjuna, proficient in battle, assailed thatforce with the prowess of his arms. And Bhima, like the great Destroyerhimself, began to slay those elephants with his mace. Those huge animals,like unto mountains, struck with Bhima's mace, had their heads brokeninto pieces. Covered with stream of blood, they began to fall upon theground like cliffs loosened by thunder. And the Pandavas prostrated onthe ground elephants and horses and cars by thousands and slew manyfoot-soldiers and many car-warriors. Indeed, as a herdsman in the woodsdriveth before him with his staff countless cattle with ease, so didVrikodara drive before him the chariots and elephants of the hostileforce.
"Meanwhile, Phalguna, impelled by the desire of doing good untoBharadwaja's son, assailed the son of Prishata with a shower of arrowsand felled him from the elephant on which he was seated. And, O monarch,Arjuna, like unto the terrible fire that consumeth all things at the endof the Yuga, began to prostrate on the ground horses and cars andelephants by thousands. The Panchalas and the Srinjayas, on the otherhand, thus assailed by the Pandava, met him with a perfect shower ofweapons of various kinds. And they sent up a loud shout and foughtdesperately with Arjuna. The battle became furious and terrible tobehold. Hearing the enemy's shouts, the son of Indra was filled withwrath and assailing the hostile host with a thick shower of arrows,rushed towards it furiously afflicting it with renewed vigour. They whoobserved the illustrious Arjuna at that time could not mark any intervalbetween his fixing the arrows on the bowstring and letting them off. Loudwere the shouts that rose there, mingled with cheers of approval. Thenthe king of the Panchalas, accompanied by (the generalissimo of hisforces) Satyajit, rushed with speed at Arjuna like the Asura Samvararushing at the chief of the celestials (in days of yore). Then Arjunacovered the king of Panchala with a shower of arrows. Then there arose afrightful uproar among the Panchala host like unto the roar of a mightylion springing at the leader of a herd of elephants. And beholding Arjunarushing at the king of Panchala to seize him, Satyajit of great prowessrushed at him. And the two warriors, like unto Indra and the AsuraVirochana's son (Vali), approaching each other for combat, began to grindeach other's ranks. Then Arjuna with great force pierced Satyajit withten keen shafts at which feat the spectators were all amazed. ButSatyajit, without losing any time, assailed Arjuna with a hundred shafts.Then that mighty car-warrior, Arjuna, endued with remarkable lightness ofmotion, thus covered by that shower of arrows, rubbed his bow-string toincrease the force and velocity of his shafts. Then cutting in twain hisantagonist's bow, Arjuna rushed at the king of the Panchalas, butSatyajit, quickly taking up a tougher bow, pierced with his arrowsPartha, his chariot, charioteer, and horses. Arjuna, thus assailed inbattle by the Panchala warrior, forgave not his foe. Eager to slay him atonce, he pierced with a number of arrows his antagonist's horses, flags,bow, clenched (left) fist, charioteer, and the attendant at his back.Then Satyajit, finding his bows repeatedly cut in twain and his horsesslain, desisted from the fight.
"The king of the Panchalas, beholding his general thus discomfited in theencounter, himself began to shower his arrows upon the Pandava prince.Then Arjuna, that foremost of warriors, crowned with success, began tofight furiously, and quickly cutting his enemy's bow in twain as also hisflagstaff which he caused to fall down, pierced his antagonist's horses,and charioteer also with five arrows. Then throwing aside his bow Arjunatook his quiver, and taking out a scimitar and sending forth a loudshout, leaped from his own chariot upon that of his foe. And standingthere with perfect fearlessness he seized Drupada as Garuda seizeth ahuge snake after agitating the waters of the ocean. At the sight of this,the Panchala troops ran away in all directions.
"Then Dhananjaya, having thus exhibited the might of his arm in thepresence of both hosts, sent forth a loud shout and came out of thePanchala ranks. And beholding him returning (with his captive), theprinces began to lay waste Drupada's capital. Addressing them Arjunasaid, 'This best of monarchs, Drupada, is a relative of the Kuru heroes.Therefore, O Bhima, slay not his soldiers. Let us only give unto ourpreceptor his fee.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'O king, thus prevented by Arjuna, the mightyBhimasena, though unsatiated with the exercise of battle, refrained fromthe act of slaughter. And, O bull of the Bharata race, the princes then,taking Drupada with them after having seized him on the field of battlealong with his friends and counsellors, offered him unto Drona. And Dronabeholding Drupada thus brought under complete control--humiliated anddeprived of wealth--remembered that monarch's former hostility andaddressing him said, 'Thy kingdom and capital have been laid waste by me.But fear not for thy life, though it dependeth now on the will of thyfoe. Dost thou now desire to revive thy friendship (with me)?' Havingsaid this, he smiled a little and again said, 'Fear not for thy life,brave king! We, Brahmanas, are ever forgiving. And, O bull amongKshatriyas, my affection and love for thee have grown with me inconsequence of our having sported together in childhood in the hermitage.Therefore, O king, I ask for thy friendship again. And as a boon(unasked), I give thee half the kingdom (that was thine). Thou toldest mebefore that none who was not a king could be a king's friend. Thereforeis it, O Yajnasena, that I retain half thy kingdom. Thou art the king ofall the territory lying on the southern side of the Bhagirathi, while Ibecome king of all the territory on the north of that river. And, OPanchala, if it pleaseth thee, know me hence for thy friend.'
"On hearing these words, Drupada answered, 'Thou art of noble soul andgreat prowess. Therefore, O Brahmana, I am not surprised at what thoudoest. I am very much gratified with thee, and I desire thy eternalfriendship.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'After this, O Bharata, Drona released the kingof Panchala, and cheerfully performing the usual offices of regard,bestowed upon him half the kingdom. Thenceforth Drupada began to residesorrowfully in (the city of) Kampilya within (the province of) Makandi onthe banks of the Ganga filled with many towns and cities. And after hisdefeat by Drona, Drupada also ruled the southern Panchalas up to the bankof the Charmanwati river. And Drupada from that day was well-convincedthat he could not, by Kshatriya might alone, defeat Drona, being verymuch his inferior in Brahma (spiritual) power. And he, therefore, beganto wander over the whole earth to find out the means of obtaining a son(who would subjugate his Brahmana foe).
"Meanwhile Drona continued to reside in Ahicchatra. Thus, O king, was theterritory of Ahicchatra full of towns and cities, obtained by Arjuna, andbestowed upon Drona.'
SECTION CXLI
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'After the expiration, O king, of a year fromthis, Dhritarashtra, moved by kindness for the people, installedYudhishthira, the son of Pandu, as the heir-apparent of the kingdom onaccount of his firmness, fortitude, patience, benevolence, frankness andunswerving honesty (of heart). And within a short time Yudhishthira, theson of Kunti, by his good behaviour, manners and close application tobusiness, overshadowed the deeds of his father. And the second Pandava,Vrikodara, began to receive continued lessons from Sankarshana (Valarama)in encounters with the sword and the mace and on the chariot. And afterBhima's education was finished, he became in strength like untoDyumatsena himself and continuing to live in harmony with his brothers,he began to exert his prowess. And Arjuna became celebrated for thefirmness of his grasp (of weapons), for his lightness of motion,precision of aim, and his proficiency in the use of the Kshura, Naracha,Vala and Vipatha weapons, indeed, of all weapons, whether straight orcrooked or heavy. And Drona certified that there was none in the worldwho was equal to Arjuna in lightness of hand and general proficiency.
"One day, Drona, addressing Arjuna before the assembled Kaurava princes,said, 'There was a disciple of Agastya in the science of arms calledAgnivesa. He was my preceptor and I, his disciple. By ascetic merit Iobtained from him a weapon called Brahmasira which could never be futileand which was like unto thunder itself, capable of consuming the wholeearth. That weapon, O Bharata, from what I have done, may now pass fromdisciple to disciple. While imparting it to me, my preceptor said, 'O sonof Bharadwaja, never shouldst thou hurl this weapon at any human being,especially at one who is of poor energy. Thou hast, O hero, obtained thatcelestial weapon. None else deserveth it. But obey the command of theRishi (Agnivesa). And, look here, Arjuna, give me now the preceptorialfee in the presence of these thy cousins and relatives.' When Arjuna, onhearing this, pledged his word that he would give what the preceptordemanded, the latter said, 'O sinless one, thou must fight with me when Ifight with thee.' And that bull among the Kuru princes thereupon pledgedhis word unto Drona and touching his feet, went away northward. Thenthere arose a loud shout covering the whole earth bounded by her belt ofseas to the effect that there was no bowman in the whole world like untoArjuna. And, indeed, Dhananjaya, in encounters with the mace and thesword and on the chariot as also with the bow, acquired wonderfulproficiency. Sahadeva obtained the whole science of morality and dutiesfrom (Vrihaspati) the spiritual chief of celestials, and continued tolive under the control of his brothers. And Nakula, the favourite of hisbrothers taught by Drona, became known as a skilful warrior and a greatcar-warrior (Ati-ratha). Indeed, Arjuna and the other Pandava princesbecame so powerful that they slew in battle the great Sauvira who hadperformed a sacrifice extending over three years, undaunted by the raidsof the Gandharvas. And the king of the Yavanas himself whom the powerfulPandu even had failed to bring under subjection was brought by Arjunaunder control. Then again Vipula, the king of the Sauviras, endued withgreat prowess, who had always shown a disregard for the Kurus, was madeby the intelligent Arjuna to feel the edge of his power. And Arjuna alsorepressed by means of his arrows (the pride of) king Sumitra of Sauvira,also known by the name of Dattamitra who had resolutely sought anencounter with him. The third of the Pandava princes, assisted by Bhima,on only a single car subjugated all the kings of the East backed by tenthousand cars. In the same way, having conquered on a single car thewhole of the south, Dhananjaya sent unto the kingdom of the Kurus a largebooty.
"Thus did those foremost of men, the illustrious Pandavas, conquering theterritories of other kings, extend the limits of their own kingdom. Butbeholding the great prowess and strength of those mighty bowmen, kingDhritarashtra's sentiments towards the Pandavas became suddenly poisoned,and from that day the monarch became so anxious that he could hardlysleep.'"
SECTION CXLII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'On hearing that the heroic sons of Pandu enduedwith excess of energy had become so mighty, king Dhritarashtra becamevery miserable with anxiety. Then summoning unto his side Kanika, thatforemost of minister, well-versed in the science of politics and anexpert in counsels the king said, 'O best of Brahmanas, the Pandavas aredaily overshadowing the earth. I am exceedingly jealous of them. Should Ihave peace or war with them? O Kanika, advise me truly, for I shall do asthou biddest.
"Vaisampayana continued, 'That best of Brahmanas, thus addressed by theking, freely answered him in these pointed words well-agreeing with theimport of political science."
"Listen to me, O sinless king, as I answer thee. And, O best of Kurukings, it behoveth thee not to be angry with me after hearing all I say.Kings should ever be ready with uplifted maces (to strike whennecessary), and they should ever increase their prowess. Carefullyavoiding all faults themselves they should ceaselessly watch over thefaults of their foes and take advantage of them. If the king is alwaysready to strike, everybody feareth him. Therefore the king should everhave recourse to chastisement in all he doeth. He should so conducthimself that, his foe may not detect any weak side in him. But by meansof the weakness he detecteth in his foe he should pursue him (todestruction). He should always conceal, like the tortoise concealing itsbody, his means and ends, and he should always keep back his own weaknessfrom, the sight of others. And having begun a particular act, he shouldever accomplish it thoroughly. Behold, a thorn, if not extracted wholly,produceth a festering sore. The slaughter of a foe who doeth thee evil isalways praiseworthy. If the foe be one of great prowess, one shouldalways watch for the hour of his disaster and then kill him without anyscruples. If he should happen to be a great warrior, his hour of disasteralso should be watched and he should then be induced to fly. O sire, anenemy should never be scorned, however contemptible. A spark of fire iscapable of consuming an extensive forest if only it can spread from oneobject to another in proximity. Kings should sometimes feign blindnessand deafness, for if impotent to chastise, they should pretend not tonotice the faults that call for chastisement. On occasions, such asthese, let them regard their bows as made of straw. But they should bealways on the alert like a herd of deer sleeping in the woods. When thyfoe is in thy power, destroy him by every means open or secret. Do notshow him any mercy, although he seeketh thy protection. A foe, or onethat hath once injured thee, should be destroyed by lavishing money, ifnecessary, for by killing him thou mayest be at thy ease. The dead cannever inspire fear. Thou must destroy the three, five and seven(resources) of thy foes. Thou must destroy thy foes root and branch. Thenshouldst thou destroy their allies and partisans. The allies andpartisans can never exist if the principal be destroyed. If the root ofthe tree is torn up, the branches and twigs can never exist as before.Carefully concealing thy own means and ends, thou shouldst always watchthy foes, always seeking their flaws. Thou shouldst, O king, rule thykingdom, always anxiously watching thy foes. By maintaining the perpetualfire by sacrifices, by brown cloths, by matted locks, and by hides ofanimals for thy bedding, shouldst thou at first gain the confidence ofthy foes, and when thou has gained it thou shouldst then spring upon themlike a wolf. For it hath been said that in the acquisition of wealth eventhe garb of holiness might be employed as a hooked staff to bend down abranch in order to pluck the fruits that are ripe. The method followed inthe plucking of fruits should be the method in destroying foes, for thoushouldst proceed on the principle of selection. Bear thy foe upon thyshoulders till the time cometh when thou canst throw him down, breakinghim into pieces like an earthen pot thrown down with violence upon astony surface. The foe must never be let off even though he addresseththee most piteously. No pity shouldst thou show him but slay him at once.By the arts of conciliation or the expenditure of money should the foe beslain. By creating disunion amongst his allies, or by the employment offorce, indeed by every means in thy power shouldst thou destroy thy foe.'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'Tell me truly how a foe can be destroyed by thearts of conciliation or the expenditure of money, or by producingdisunion or by the employment of force.'
"Kanika replied, 'Listen, O monarch, to the history of a jackal dwellingin days of yore in the forest and fully acquainted with the science ofpolitics. There was a wise jackal, mindful of his own interests who livedin the company of four friends, viz., a tiger, a mouse, a wolf, and amongoose. One day they saw in the woods a strong deer, the leader of aherd, whom, however, they could not seize for his fleetness and strength.They thereupon called a council for consultation. The jackal opening theproceedings said, 'O tiger, thou hast made many an effort to seize thisdeer, but all in vain simply because this deer is young, fleet and veryintelligent. Let now the mouse go and eat into its feet when it liethasleep. And when this is done, let the tiger approach and seize it. Thenshall we all, with great pleasure feast on it.' Hearing these words ofthe jackal, they all set to work very cautiously as he directed. And themouse ate into the feet of the deer and the tiger killed it asanticipated. And beholding the body of the deer lying motionless on theground, the jackal said unto his companions, 'Blessed be ye! Go andperform your ablutions. In the meantime I will look after the deer.'Hearing what the jackal said, they all went into a stream. And the jackalwaited there, deeply meditating upon what he should do. The tiger enduedwith great strength, returned first of all to the spot after havingperformed his ablutions. And he saw the jackal there plunged inmeditation. The tiger said, 'Why art thou so sorrowful, O wise one! Thouart the foremost of all intelligent beings. Let us enjoy ourselves todayby feasting on this carcass.' The jackal said, 'Hear, O mighty-armed one,what the mouse hath said. He hath even said, O, fie on the strength ofthe king of the beasts! This deer hath been slain by me. By might of myarm he will today gratify his hunger.' When he hath boasted in such alanguage, I, for my part, do not wish to touch this food.' The tigerreplied, 'If, indeed, the mouse hath said so, my sense is now awakened. Ishall, from this day, slay with the might of my own arms, creaturesranging the forest and then feast on their flesh.' Having said this, thetiger went away.
"And after the tiger had left the spot, the mouse came. And seeing themouse come, the jackal addressed him and said, 'Blest be thou, O mouse,but listen to what the mongoose hath said. He hath even said, The carcassof this deer is poison (the tiger having touched it with his claws). Iwill not eat of it. On the other hand, if thou, O jackal, permittest it,I will even slay the mouse and feast on him.' Hearing this the mousebecame alarmed and quickly entered his hole. And after the mouse hadgone, the wolf, O king, came there having performed his ablutions. Andseeing the wolf come, the jackal said unto him, 'The king of the beastshath been angry with thee. Evil is certain to overtake thee. He isexpected here with his wife. Do as thou pleasest.' Thus was the wolfalso, fond of animal flesh, got rid of by the jackal. And the wolf fled,contracting his body into the smallest dimensions. It was then that themongoose came. And, O king, the jackal, seeing him come, said, 'By themight of my arm have I defeated the others who have already fled. Fightwith me first and then eat of this flesh as you please.' The mongoosereplied, 'When, indeed, the tiger, the wolf, and the intelligent mousehave all been defeated by thee, heroes as they are, thou seemest to be agreater hero still. I do not desire to fight with thee.' Saying this, themongoose also went away.
"Kanika continued, 'When they all had thus left the place, the jackal,well-pleased with the success of his policy, alone ate up that flesh. Ifkings always act in this way, they can be happy. Thus should the timid byexciting their fears, the courageous by the arts of conciliation, thecovetous by gift of wealth, and equals and inferiors by exhibition ofprowess be brought under thy sway. Besides all this, O king, that I havesaid, listen now to something else that I say.'
"Kanika continued, 'If thy son, friend, brother, father, or even thespiritual preceptor, anyone becometh thy foe, thou shouldst, if desirousof prosperity, slay him without scruples. By curses and incantations, bygift of wealth, by poison, or by deception, the foe should be slain. Heshould never be neglected from disdain. If both the parties be equal andsuccess uncertain, then he that acteth with diligence groweth inprosperity. If the spiritual preceptor himself be vain, ignorant of whatshould be done and what left undone, and vicious in his ways, even heshould be chastised. If thou art angry, show thyself as if thou art notso, speaking even then with a smile on thy lips. Never reprove any onewith indications of anger (in thy speech). And O Bharata, speak softwords before thou smitest and even while thou art smiting! After thesmiting is over, pity the victim, and grieve for him, and even shedtears. Comforting thy foe by conciliation, by gift of wealth, and smoothbehaviour, thou must smite him when he walketh not aright. Thou shouldstequally smile the heinous offender who liveth by the practice of virtue,for the garb of virtue simply covereth his offences like black cloudscovering the mountains. Thou shouldst burn the house of that person whomthou punishest with death. And thou shouldst never permit beggars andatheists and thieves to dwell in thy kingdom. By a sudden sally orpitched battle by poison or by corrupting his allies, by gift of wealth,by any means in thy power, thou shouldst destroy thy foe. Thou mayest actwith the greatest cruelty. Thou shouldst make thy teeth sharp to give afatal bite. And thou should ever smite so effectually that thy foe maynot again raise his head. Thou shouldst ever stand in fear of even onefrom whom there is no fear, not to speak of him from whom there is such.For if the first be ever powerful he may destroy thee to the root (forthy unpreparedness). Thou shouldst never trust the faithless, nor trusttoo much those that are faithful, for if those in whom thou confidestprove thy foes, thou art certain to be annihilated. After testing theirfaithfulness thou shouldst employ spies in thy own kingdom and in thekingdoms of others. Thy spies in foreign kingdoms should be apt deceiversand persons in the garb of ascetics. Thy spies should be placed ingardens, places of amusement, temples and other holy places, drinkinghalls, streets, and with the (eighteen) tirthas (viz., the minister, thechief priest, the heir-presumptive, the commander-in-chief, thegate-keepers of the court, persons in the inner apartments, the jailor,the chief surveyor, the head of the treasury, the general executant oforders, the chief of the town police, the chief architect, the chiefjustice, the president of the council, the chief of the punitivedepartment, the commander of the fort, the chief of the arsenal, thechief of the frontier guards, and the keeper of the forests), and inplaces of sacrifice, near wells, on mountains and in rivers, in forests,and in all places where people congregate. In speech thou shouldst everbe humble, but let thy heart be ever sharp as razor. And when thou artengaged in doing even a very cruel and terrible act, thou shouldst talkwith smiles on thy lips. If desirous of prosperity, thou shouldst adoptall arts--humility, oath, conciliation. Worshipping the feet of others bylowering thy head, inspiring hope, and the like. And, a person conversantwith the rules of policy is like a tree decked with flowers but bearingno fruit; or, if bearing fruit, these must be at a great height noteasily attainable from the ground; and if any of these fruits seem to beripe care must be taken to make it appear raw. Conducting himself in sucha way, he shall never fade. Virtue, wealth and pleasure have both theirevil and good effects closely knit together. While extracting the effectsthat are good, those that are evil should be avoided. Those that practisevirtue (incessantly) are made unhappy for want of wealth and the neglectof pleasure. Those again in pursuit of wealth are made unhappy for theneglect of two others. And so those who pursue pleasure suffer for theirinattention to virtue and wealth. Therefore, thou shouldst pursue virtue,wealth and pleasure, in such a way that thou mayest not have to suffertherefrom. With humiliation and attention, without jealousy andsolicitous of accomplishing thy purpose, shouldst thou, in all sincerity,consult with the Brahmanas. When thou art fallen, thou shouldst raisethyself by any means, gentle or violent; and after thou hast thus raisedthyself thou shouldst practise virtue. He that hath never been afflictedwith calamity can never have prosperity. This may be seen in the life ofone who surviveth his calamities. He that is afflicted with sorrow shouldbe consoled by the recitation of the history of persons of former times(like those of Nala and Rama). He whose heart hath been unstrung bysorrow should be consoled with hopes of future prosperity. He again whois learned and wise should be consoled by pleasing offices presentlyrendered unto him. He who, having concluded a treaty with an enemy,reposeth at ease as if he hath nothing more to do, is very like a personwho awaketh, fallen down from the top of a tree whereon he had slept. Aking should ever keep to himself his counsels without fear of calumny,and while beholding everything with the eyes of his spies, he should takecare to conceal his own emotions before the spies of his enemies. Like afisherman who becometh prosperous by catching and killing fish, a kingcan never grow prosperous without tearing the vitals of his enemy andwithout doing some violent deeds. The might of thy foe, as represented byhis armed force, should ever be completely destroyed, by ploughing it up(like weeds) and mowing it down and otherwise afflicting it by disease,starvation, and want of drink. A person in want never approacheth (fromlove) one in affluence; and when one's purpose hath been accomplished,one hath no need to approach him whom he had hitherto looked to for itsaccomplishment. Therefore, when thou doest anything never do itcompletely, but ever leave something to be desired for by others (whoseservices thou mayest need). One who is desirous of prosperity should withdiligence seek allies and means, and carefully conduct his wars. Hisexertions in these respects should always be guided by prudence. Aprudent king should ever act in such a way that friends and foes maynever know his motive before the commencement of his acts. Let them knowall when the act hath been commenced or ended, and as long as danger dothnot come, so long only shall thou act as if thou art afraid. But when ithath overtaken thee, thou must grapple with it courageously. He whotrusteth in a foe who hath been brought under subjection by force,summoneth his own death as a crab by her act of conception. Thou shouldstalways reckon the future act as already arrived (and concert measures formeeting it), else, from want of calmness caused by haste, thou mayestoverlook an important point in meeting it when it is before thee. Aperson desirous of prosperity should always exert with prudence, adoptinghis measures to time and place. He should also act with an eye to destinyas capable of being regulated by mantras and sacrificial rites; and tovirtue, wealth, and pleasure. It is well-known that time and place (iftaken into consideration) always produce the greatest good. If the foe isinsignificant, he should not yet be despised, for he may soon grow like apalmyra tree extending its roots or like a spark of fire in the deepwoods that may soon burst into an extensive conflagration. As a littlefire gradually fed with faggots soon becometh capable of consuming eventhe biggest blocks, so the person who increaseth his power by makingalliances and friendships soon becometh capable of subjugating even themost formidable foe. The hope thou givest unto thy foe should be longdeferred before it is fulfilled; and when the time cometh for itsfulfilment, invent some pretext for deferring it still. Let that pretextbe shown as founded upon some reason, and let that reason itself be madeto appear as founded on some other reason. Kings should, in the matter ofdestroying their foes, ever resemble razors in every particular;unpitying as these are sharp, hiding their intents as these are concealedin their leathern cases, striking when the opportunity cometh as theseare used on proper occasions, sweeping off their foes with all theirallies and dependants as these shave the head or the chin without leavinga single hair. O supporter of the dignity of the Kurus, bearing thyselftowards the Pandavas and others also as policy dictateth, act in such away that thou mayest not have to grieve in future. Well do I know thatthou art endued with every blessing, and possessed of every mark of goodfortune. Therefore, O king, protect thyself from the sons of Pandu! Oking, the sons of Pandu are stronger than their cousins (thy sons);therefore, O chastiser of foes, I tell thee plainly what thou shouldstdo. Listen to it, O king, with thy children, and having listened to it,exert yourselves (to do the needful). O king, act in such a way thatthere may not be any fear for thee from the Pandavas. Indeed, adopt suchmeasures consonant with the science of policy that thou mayest not haveto grieve in the future.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having delivered himself thus Kanika returnedto his abode, while the Kuru king Dhritarashtra became pensive andmelancholy.'"
SECTION CXLIII
(Jatugriha Parva)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then the son of Suvala (Sakuni), king Duryodhana,Duhsasana and Kama, in consultation with one another, formed an evilconspiracy. With the sanction of Dhritarashtra, the king of the Kurus,they resolved to burn to death Kunti and her (five) sons. But that wiseVidura, capable of reading the heart by external signs, ascertained theintention of these wicked persons by observing their countenances alone.Then the sinless Vidura, of soul enlightened by true knowledge, anddevoted to the good of the Pandavas, came to the conclusion that Kuntiwith her children should fly away from her foes. And providing for thatpurpose a boat strong enough to withstand both wind and wave, headdressed Kunti and said, 'This Dhritarashtra hath been born fordestroying the fame and offspring of the (Kuru) race. Of wicked soul, heis about to cast off eternal virtue. O blessed one, I have kept ready onthe stream a boat capable of withstanding both wind and wave. Escape byit with thy children from the net that death hath spread around you.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words, the illustrious Kunti wasdeeply grieved, and with her children, O bull of Bharata's race, steppedinto the boat and went over the Ganges. Then leaving the boat accordingto the advice of Vidura, the Pandavas took with them the wealth that hadbeen given to them (while at Varanavata) by their enemies and safelyentered the deep woods. In the house of lac, however, that had beenprepared for the destruction of the Pandavas, an innocent Nishada womanwho had come there for some purpose, was, with her children burnt todeath. And that worst of Mlechchhas, the wretched Purochana (who was thearchitect employed in building the house of lac) was also burnt in theconflagration. And thus were the sons of Dhirtarashtra with theircounsellors deceived in their expectations. And thus also were theillustrious Pandavas, by the advice of Vidura, saved with their mother.But the people (of Varanavata) knew not of their safety. And the citizensof Varanavata, seeing the house of lac consumed (and believing thePandavas to have been burnt to death) became exceedingly sorry. And theysent messengers unto king Dhritarashtra to represent everything that hadhappened. And they said to the monarch, 'Thy great end hath beenachieved! Thou hast at last burnt the Pandavas to death! Thy desirefulfilled, enjoy with thy children. O king of the Kurus, the kingdom.'Hearing this, Dhritarashtra with his children, made a show of grief, andalong with his relatives, including Kshattri (Vidura) and Bhishma theforemost of the Kurus, performed the last honours of the Pandavas.'
"Janamejaya said, 'O best of Brahmanas, I desire to hear in full thishistory of the burning of the house of lac and the escape of the Pandavasthere from. That was a cruel act of theirs (the Kurus), acting under thecounsels of the wicked (Kanika). Recite the history to me of all thathappened. I am burning with curiosity to hear it.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'O chastiser of all foes, listen to me, O monarch, asI recite the (history of the) burning of the house of lac and the escapeof the Pandavas. The wicked Duryodhana, beholding Bhimasena surpass(everybody) in strength and Arjuna highly accomplished in arms becamepensive and sad. Then Karna, the offspring of the Sun, and Sakuni, theson of Suvala, endeavoured by various means to compass the death of thePandavas. The Pandavas too counteracted all those contrivances one afteranother, and in obedience to the counsels of Vidura, never spoke of themafterwards. Then the citizens, beholding the son of Pandu possessed ofaccomplishments, began, O Bharata, to speak of them in all places ofpublic resort. And assembled in courtyards and other places of gathering,they talked of the eldest son of Pandu (Yudhishthira) as possessed of thequalifications for ruling the kingdom. And they said, 'Dhritarashtra,though possessed of the eye of knowledge, having been (born) blind, hadnot obtained the kingdom before. How can he (therefore) become king now?Then Bhishma, the son of Santanu, of rigid vows and devoted to truth,having formerly relinquished the sovereignty would never accept it now.We shall, therefore, now install (on the throne) with proper ceremoniesthe eldest of the Pandavas endued with youth, accomplished in battle,versed in the Vedas, and truthful and kind. Worshipping Bhishma, the sonof Santanu and Dhritarashtra conversant with the rules of morality, hewill certainly maintain the former and the latter with his children inevery kind of enjoyment.
"The wretched Duryodhana, hearing these words of the parting partisans ofYudhishthira, became very much distressed. Deeply afflicted, the wickedprince could not put up with those speeches. Inflamed with jealousy, hewent unto Dhritarashtra, and finding him alone he saluted him withreverence and distressed at (the sight of) the partiality of the citizensfor Yudhishthira, he addressed the monarch and said, 'O father, I haveheard the parting citizens utter words of ill omen. Passing thee by, andBhishma too, they desire the son of Pandu to be their king. Bhishma willsanction this, for he will not rule the kingdom. It seems, therefore,that the citizens are endeavouring to inflict a great injury on us. Panduobtained of old the ancestral kingdom by virtue of his ownaccomplishments, but thou, from blindness, didst not obtain the kingdom,though fully qualified to have it. If Pandu's son now obtaineth thekingdom as his inheritance from Pandu, his son will obtain it after himand that son's son also, and so on will it descend in Pandu's line. Inthat case, O king of the world, ourselves with our children, excludedfrom the royal line, shall certainly be disregarded by all men.Therefore, O monarch, adopt such counsels that we may not sufferperpetual distress, becoming dependent on others for our food. O king, ifthou hadst obtained the sovereignty before, we would certainly havesucceeded to it, however much the people might be unfavourable to us.'"
SECTION CXLIV
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, "King Dhritarashtra whose knowledge only was hiseyes, on hearing these words of his son and recollecting everything thatKanika had, said unto him, became afflicted with sorrow, and his mindalso thereupon began to waver. Then Duryodhana and Karna, and Sakuni, theson of Suvala, and Duhsasana as their fourth, held a consultationtogether. Prince Duryodhana said unto Dhritarashtra, 'Send, O father, bysome clever contrivance, the Pandavas to the town of Varanavata. We shallthen have no fear of them.' Dhritarashtra, on hearing these words utteredby his son, reflected for a moment and replied unto Duryodhana, saying,'Pandu, ever devoted to virtue, always behaved dutifully towards all hisrelatives but particularly towards me. He cared very little for theenjoyments of the world, but devotedly gave everything unto me, even thekingdom. His son is as much devoted to virtue as he, and is possessed ofevery accomplishment. Of world-wide fame, he is again the favourite ofthe people. He is possessed of allies; how can we by force exile him fromhis ancestral kingdom? The counsellors and soldiers (of the state) andtheir sons and grandsons have all been cherished and maintained by Pandu.Thus benefited of old by Pandu, shall not, O child, the citizens slay uswith all our friends and relatives now on account of Yudhishthira?"
"Duryodhana replied, 'What thou sayest, O father, is perfectly true. Butin view of the evil that is looming on the future as regards thyself, ifwe conciliate the people with wealth and honours, they would assuredlyside with us for these proofs of our power. The treasury and theministers of state, O king, are at this moment under our control.Therefore, it behoveth thee now to banish, by some gentle means, thePandavas to the town of Varanavata; O king, when the sovereignty shallhave been vested in me, then, O Bharata, may Kunti with her children comeback from that place.'
"Dhritarashtra replied, 'This, O Duryodhana, is the very thought existingin my mind. But from its sinfulness I have never given expression to it.Neither Bhishma, nor Drona, nor Kshattri, nor Gautama (Kripa) will eversanction the exile of the Pandavas. In their eyes, O dear son, amongstthe Kurus ourselves and the Pandavas are equal. Those wise and virtuouspersons will make no difference between us. If therefore, we behave sotowards the Pandavas, shall we not, O son, deserve death at the hands ofthe Kurus, of these illustrious personages, and of the whole world?'
"Duryodhana answered, 'Bhishma hath no excess of affection for eitherside, and will, therefore, be neutral (in case of dispute). The son ofDrona (Aswatthaman) is on my side. There is no doubt that where the sonis, there the father will be. Kripa, the son of Saradwat, must be on theside on which Drona and Aswatthaman are. He will never abandon Drona andhis sister's son (Aswatthaman). Kshattri (Vidura) is dependent on us forhis means of life, though he is secretly with the foe. It he sides thePandavas, he alone can do us no injury, Therefore, exile thou thePandavas to Varanavata without any fear. And take such steps that theymay go thither this very day. By this act, O father, extinguish the griefthat consumeth me like a blazing fire, that robbeth me of sleep, and thatpierces my heart even like a terrible dart.'"
SECTION CXLV
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, Then prince Duryodhana, along with his brothers beganto gradually win over the people to his side by grants of wealth andhonours. Meanwhile, some clever councillors, instructed by Dhritarashtra,one day began to describe (in court) the town of Varanavata as a charmingplace. And they said, The festival of Pasupati (Siva) hath commenced inthe town of Varanavata. The concourse of people is great and theprocession is the most delightful of all ever witnessed on earth. Deckedwith every ornament, it charmed the hearts of all spectators.' Thus didthose councillors, instructed by Dhritarashtra, speak of Varanavata, andwhilst they were so speaking, the Pandavas, O king, felt the desire ofgoing to that delightful town. And when the king (Dhritarashtra)ascertained that the curiosity of the Pandavas had been awakened, the sonof Ambika addressed them, saying, 'These men of mine often speak ofVaranavata as the most delightful town in the world. If therefore, yechildren, ye desire to witness that festival, go to Varanavata with yourfollowers and friends and enjoy yourselves there like the celestials. Andgive ye away pearls and gems unto the Brahmanas and the musicians (thatmay be assembled there). And sporting there for some time as ye pleaselike the resplendent celestials and enjoying as much pleasure as ye like,return ye to Hastinapura again.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Yudhishthira, fully understanding the motivesof Dhritarashtra and considering that he himself was weak and friendless,replied unto the king, saying, 'So be it.' Then addressing Bhishma, theson of Santanu, the wise Vidura, Drona, Valhika, the Kaurava, Somadatta,Kripa, Aswatthaman, Bhurisravas, and the other councillors, and Brahmanasand ascetics, and the priests and the citizens, and the illustriousGandhari, he said slowly and humbly, 'With our friends and followers wego to the delightful and populous town of Varanavata at the command ofDhritarashtra. Cheerfully give us your benedictions so that acquiringprosperity, therewith we may not be touched by sin.' Thus addressed bythe eldest of Pandu's sons, the Kaurava chiefs all cheerfully pronouncedblessings on them, saying, 'Ye sons of Pandu, let all the elements blessyou along your way and let not the slightest evil befall you.'
"The Pandavas, having performed propitiatory rites for obtaining (theirshare of) the kingdom, and finishing their preparations, set out forVaranavata.'"
SECTION CXLVI
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'The wicked Duryodhana became very pleased when theking, O Bharata, had said so unto Pandavas. And, O bull of Bharata'srace, Duryodhana, then, summoning his counsellor, Purochana in private,took hold of his right hand and said, 'O Purochana, this world, so fullof wealth, is mine. But it is thine equally with me. It behoveth thee,therefore, to protect it. I have no more trustworthy counsellor than theewith whom to consult. Therefore, O sire, keep my counsel and exterminatemy foes by a clever device. O, do as I bid thee. The Pandavas have, byDhritarashtra, been sent to Varanavata, where they will, atDhritarashtra's command, enjoy themselves during the festivities. Do thatby which thou mayest this very day reach Varanavata in a car drawn byswift mules. Repairing thither, cause thou to be erected a quadrangularpalace in the neighbourhood of the arsenal, rich in the materials andfurniture, and guard thou the mansion well (with prying eyes). And usethou (in erecting that house) hemp and resin and all other inflammablematerials that are procurable. And mixing a little earth with clarifiedbutter and oil and fat and a large quantity of lac, make thou a plasterfor lining the walls, and scatter thou all around that house hemp and oiland clarified butter and lac and wood in such a way that the Pandavas, orany others, may not, even with scrutiny behold them there or conclude thehouse to be an inflammable one. And having erected such mansion, causethou the Pandavas, after worshipping them with great reverence, to dwellin it with Kunti and all their friends. And place thou there seats andconveyances and beds, all of the best workmanship, for the Pandavas, sothat Dhritarashtra may have no reason to complain. Thou must also somanage it all that none of Varanavata may know anything till the end wehave in view is accomplished. And assuring thyself that the Pandavas aresleeping within in confidence and without fear, thou must then set fireto that mansion beginning at the outer door. The Pandavas thereupon mustbe burnt to death, but the people will say that they have been burnt in(an accidental) conflagration of their house.
"Saying, 'So be it' unto the Kuru prince, Purochana repaired toVaranavata in a car drawn by fleet mules. And going thither, O king,without loss of time, obedient to the instructions of Duryodhana, dideverything that the prince had bid him do."
SECTION CXLVII
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Meanwhile the Pandavas got into their cars, yokingthereto some fine horses endued with the speed of wind. While they wereon the point of entering their cars, they touched, in great sorrow, thefeet of Bhishma, of king Dhritarashtra, of the illustrious Drona, ofKripa, of Vidura and of the other elders of the Kuru race. Then salutingwith reverence all the older men, and embracing their equals, receivingthe farewell of even the children, and taking leave of all the venerableladies in their household, and walking round them respectfully, andbidding farewell unto all the citizens, the Pandavas, ever mindful oftheir vows, set out for Varanavata. And Vidura of great wisdom and theother bulls among the Kurus and the citizens also, from great affliction,followed those tigers among men to some distance. And some amongst thecitizens and the country people, who followed the Pandavas, afflictedbeyond measure at beholding the sons of Pandu in such distress, began tosay aloud, 'King Dhritarashtra of wicked soul seeth no things with thesame eye. The Kuru monarch casteth not his eye on virtue. Neither thesinless Yudhishthira, nor Bhima the foremost of mighty men, norDhananjaya the (youngest) son of Kunti, will ever be guilty (of the sinof waging a rebellious war). When these will remain quiet, how shall theillustrious son of Madri do anything? Having inherited the kingdom fromtheir father, Dhritarashtra could not bear them. How is that Bhishma whosuffers the exile of the Pandavas to that wretched place, sanctions thisact of great injustice? Vichitravirya, the son of Santanu, and the royalsage Pandu of Kuru's race both cherished us of old with fatherly care.But now that Pandu that tiger among men, hath ascended to heaven,Dhritarashtra cannot bear with these princes his children. We who do notsanction this exile shall all go, leaving this excellent town and our ownhomes, where Yudhishthira will go.'
"Unto those distressed citizens talking in this way, the virtuousYudhishthira, himself afflicted with sorrow, reflecting for a few momentssaid, 'The king is our father, worthy of regard, our spiritual guide, andour superior. To carry out with unsuspicious hearts whatever he biddeth,is indeed, our duty. Ye are our friends. Walking round us and making ushappy by your blessings, return ye to your abodes. When the time comethfor anything to be done for us by you, then, indeed, accomplish all thatis agreeable and beneficial to us.' Thus addressed, the citizens walkedround the Pandavas and blessed them with their blessings and returned totheir respective abodes.
"And after the citizens had ceased following the Pandavas, Vidura,conversant with all the dictates of morality, desirous of awakening theeldest of the Pandavas (to a sense of his dangers), addressed him inthese words. The learned Vidura, conversant with the jargon (of theMlechchhas), addressed the learned Yudhishthira who also was conversantwith the same jargon, in the words of the Mlechchha tongue, so as to beunintelligible to all except Yudhishthira. He said, 'He that knoweth theschemes his foes contrive in accordance with the dictates of politicalscience, should, knowing them, act in such a way as to avoid all danger.He that knoweth that there are sharp weapons capable of cutting the bodythough not made of steel, and understandeth also the means of wardingthem off, can never be injured by foes. He liveth who protecteth himselfby the knowledge that neither the consumer of straw and wood nor thedrier of the dew burneth the inmates of a hole in the deep woods. Theblind man seeth not his way: the blind man hath no knowledge ofdirection. He that hath no firmness never acquireth prosperity.Remembering this, be upon your guard. The man who taketh a weapon notmade of steel (i.e., an inflammable abode) given him by his foes, canescape from fire by making his abode like unto that of a jackal (havingmany outlets). By wandering a man may acquire the knowledge of ways, andby the stars he can ascertain the direction, and he that keepeth his five(senses) under control can never be oppressed y his enemies.'
"Thus addressed, Pandu's son, Yudhishthira the just replied unto Vidura,that foremost of all learned men, saying, 'I have understood thee.' ThenVidura, having instructed the Pandavas and followed them (thus far),walked around them and bidding them farewell returned to his own abode.When the citizens and Bhishma and Vidura had all ceased following, Kuntiapproached Yudhishthira and said, 'The words that Kshattri said unto theein the midst of many people so indistinctly as if he did not sayanything, and thy reply also to him in similar words and voice, we havenot understood. If it is not improper; for us to know them I should thenlike to hear everything that had passed between him and thee.'
"Yudhishthira replied, 'The virtuous Vidura said unto me that we shouldknow that the mansion (for our accommodation at Varanavata) hath beenbuilt of inflammable materials. He said unto me, 'The path of escape tooshall not be unknown to thee,'--and further,--'Those that can controltheir senses can acquire the sovereignty of the whole world.'--The replythat I gave unto Vidura was, 'I have understood thee.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'The Pandavas set out on the eighth day of themonth of Phalguna when the star Rohini was in the ascendant, and arrivingat Varanavata they beheld the town and the people.'"
SECTION CXLVIII
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then all the citizens (of Varanavata) on hearingthat the son of Pandu had come, were filled with joy at the tidings,speedily came out of Varanavata, in vehicles of various kinds numberingby thousands, taking with them every auspicious article as directed bythe Sastras, for receiving those foremost of men. And the people ofVaranavata, approaching the sons of Kunti blessed them by uttering theJaya and stood surrounding them. That tiger among men, viz., the virtuousYudhishthira thus surrounded by them looked resplendent like him havingthe thunderbolt in his hands (viz., Indra) in the midst of thecelestials. And those sinless ones, welcomed by the citizens andwelcoming the citizens in return, then entered the populous town ofVaranavata decked with every ornament. Entering the town those heroesfirst went, O monarch, to the abodes of Brahmanas engaged in their properduties. Those foremost of men then went to the abodes of the officials ofthe town, and then of the Sutas and the Vaisyas and then to those of eventhe Sudras, O bull of Bharata's race, thus adored by the citizens, thePandavas at last went with Purochana going before them, to the palacethat had been built for them, Purochana then began to place before themfood and drink and beds and carpets, all of the first and most agreeableorder. The Pandavas attired in costly robes, continued to live there,adored by Purochana and the people having their homes in Varanavata.
"After the Pandavas had thus lived for ten nights, Purochana spoke tothem of the mansion (he had built) called 'The Blessed Home,' but inreality the cursed house. Then those tigers among men, attired in costlydress, entered that mansion at the instance of Purochana like Guhyakasentering the palace (of Siva) on the Kailasa mount. The foremost of allvirtuous men, Yudhishthira, inspecting the house, said unto Bhima that itwas really built of inflammable materials. Smelling the scent of fatmixed with clarified butter and preparations of lac, he said unto Bhima,'O chastiser of foes, this house is truly built of inflammable materials!Indeed, it is apparent that such is the case! The enemy, it is evident,by the aid of trusted artists well-skilled in the construction of houses,have finely built this mansion, after procuring hemp, resin, heath,straw, and bamboos, all soaked in clarified butter. This wicked wretch,Purochana, acting under the instruction of Duryodhana, stayeth here withthe object of burning me to death when he seeth me trustful. But, O sonof Pritha, Vidura of great intelligence, knew of this danger, and,therefore, hath warned me of it beforehand. Knowing it all, that youngestuncle of ours, ever wishing our good from affection hath told us thatthis house, so full of danger, hath been constructed by the wretchesunder Duryodhana acting in secrecy.'
"Hearing this, Bhima replied, 'If, sir, you know this house to be soinflammable, it would then be well for us to return thither where we hadtaken up our quarters first.' Yudhishthira replied, 'It seems to me thatwe should rather continue to live here in seeming unsuspiciousness butall the while with caution and our senses wide awake and seeking for somecertain means of escape. If Purochana findeth from our countenances thatwe have fathomed designs, acting with haste he may suddenly burn us todeath. Indeed, Purochana careth little for obloquy or sin. The wretchstayeth here acting under the instruction of Duryodhana. If we are burntto death, will our grandfather Bhishma be angry? Why will he, by showinghis wrath, make the Kauravas angry with him? Or, perhaps, our grandfatherBhishma and the other bull of Kuru's race, regarding indignation at sucha sinful act to be virtuous, may become wrathful. If however, from fearof being burnt, we fly from here, Duryodhana, ambitious of sovereigntywill certainly compass our death by means of spies. While we have no rankand power, Duryodhana hath both; while we have no friends and allies,Duryodhana hath both; while we are without wealth, Duryodhana hath at hiscommand a full treasury. Will he not, therefore, certainly destroy us byadopting adequate means? Let us, therefore, by deceiving this wretch(Purochana) and that other wretch Duryodhana, pass our days, disguisingourselves at times. Let us also lead a hunting life, wandering over theearth. We shall then, if we have to escape our enemies, be familiar withall paths. We shall also, this very day, cause a subterranean passage tobe dug in our chamber in great secrecy. If we act in this way, concealingwhat we do from all, fire shall never be able to consume us. We shalllive here, actively doing everything for our safety but with such privacythat neither Purochana nor any of the citizens of Varanavata may knowwhat we are after.'"
SECTION CXLIX
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'A friend of Vidura's, well-skilled in mining,coming unto the Pandavas, addressed them in secret, saying, 'I have beensent by Vidura and am a skilful miner. I am to serve the Pandavas. Tellme what I am to do for ye. From the trust he reposeth in me Vidura hathsaid unto me, 'Go thou unto the Pandavas and accomplish thou their good.What shall I do for you? Purochana will set fire to the door of thy houseon the fourteenth night of this dark fortnight. To burn to death thosetigers among men, the Pandavas, with their mother, is the design of thatwicked wretch, the son of Dhritarashtra. O son of Pandu, Vidura also toldthee something in the Mlechchha tongue to which thou also didst reply insame language. I state these particulars as my credentials.' Hearingthese words, Yudhishthira, the truthful son of Kunti replied, 'O amiableone, I now know thee as a dear and trusted friend of Vidura, true andever devoted to him. There is nothing that the learned Vidura doth notknow. As his, so ours art thou. Make no difference between him and us. Weare as much thine as his. O, protect us as the learned Vidura everprotecteth us. I know that this house, so inflammable, hath beencontrived for me by Purochana at the command of Dhritarashtra's son. Thatwicked wretch commanding wealth and allies pursueth us withoutintermission. O, save us with a little exertion from the impendingconflagration. If we are burnt to death here, Duryodhana's most cherisheddesire will be satisfied. Here is that wretch's well-furnished arsenal.This large mansion hath been built abutting the high ramparts of thearsenal without any outlet. But this unholy contrivance of Duryodhana wasknown to Vidura from the first, and he it was who enlightened usbeforehand. The danger of which Kshattri had foreknowledge is now at ourdoor. Save us from it without Purochana's knowledge thereof.' On hearingthese words, the miner said, 'So be it,' and carefully beginning his workof excavation, made a large subterranean passage. And the mouth of thatpassage was in the centre of that house, and it was on a level with thefloor and closed up with planks. The mouth was so covered from fear ofPurochana, that wicked wretch who kept a constant watch at the door ofthe house. The Pandavas used to sleep within their chambers with armsready for use, while, during the day, they went a-hunting from forest toforest. Thus, O king, they lived (in that mansion) very guardedly,deceiving Purochana by a show of trustfulness and contentment while inreality they were trustless and discontented. Nor did the citizens ofVaranavata know anything about these plans of the Pandavas. In fact, noneelse knew of them except Vidura's friend, that good miner.'"
SECTION CL
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Seeing the Pandavas living there cheerfully andwithout suspicion for a full year, Purochana became exceedingly glad. Andbeholding Purochana so very glad, Yudhishthira, the virtuous son ofKunti, addressing Bhima and Arjuna and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva)said, 'The cruel-hearted wretch hath been well-deceived. I think the timeis come for our escape. Setting fire to the arsenal and burning Purochanato death and letting his body lie here, let us, six persons, fly henceunobserved by all!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then on the occasion of an almsgiving, O king,Kunti fed on a certain night a large number of Brahmanas. There came alsoa number of ladies who while eating and drinking, enjoyed there as theypleased, and with Kunti's leave returned to their respective homes.Desirous of obtaining food, there came, as though impelled by fate, tothat feast, in course of her wanderings, a Nishada woman, the mother offive children, accompanied by all her sons. O king, she, and herchildren, intoxicated with the wine they drank, became incapable.Deprived of consciousness and more dead than alive, she with all her sonslay down in that mansion to sleep. Then when all the inmates of the houselay down to sleep, there began to blow a violent wind in the night. Bhimathen set fire to the house just where Purochana was sleeping. Then theson of Pandu set fire to the door of that house of lac. Then he set fireto the mansion in several parts all around. Then when the sons of Panduwere satisfied that the house had caught fire in several parts thosechastisers of foes with their mother, entered the subterranean passagewithout losing any time. Then the heat and the roar of the fire becameintense and awakened the townspeople. Beholding the house in flames, thecitizens with sorrowful faces began to say, 'The wretch (Purochana) ofwicked soul had under the instruction of Duryodhana built his house forthe destruction of his employer's relatives. He indeed hath set fire toit. O, fie on Dhritarashtra's heart which is so partial. He hath burnt todeath, as if he were their foe, the sinless heirs of Pandu! O, the sinfuland wicked-souled (Purochana) who hath burnt those best of men, theinnocent and unsuspicious princes, hath himself been burnt to death asfate would have it.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'The citizens of Varanavata thus bewailed (thefate of the Pandavas), and waited there for the whole night surroundingthat house. The Pandavas, however, accompanied by their mother coming outof the subterranean passage, fled in haste unnoticed. But thosechastisers of foes, for sleepiness and fear, could not with their motherproceed in haste. But, O monarch, Bhimasena, endued with terrible prowessand swiftness of motion took upon his body all his brothers and motherand began to push through the darkness. Placing his mother on hisshoulder, the twins on his sides, and Yudhishthira and Arjuna on both hisarms, Vrikodara of great energy and strength and endued with the speed ofthe wind, commenced his march, breaking the trees with his breast andpressing deep the earth with his stamp.'"
SECTION CLI
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'About this time, the learned Vidura had sent intothose woods a man of pure character and much trusted by him. This persongoing to where he had been directed, saw the Pandavas with their motherin the forest employed in a certain place in measuring the depth of ariver. The design that the wicked Duryodhana had formed had been, throughhis spies, known to Vidura of great intelligence, and, therefore, he hadsent that prudent person unto the Pandavas. Sent by Vidura unto them, heshowed the Pandavas on the sacred banks of the Ganga a boat with enginesand flags, constructed by trusted artificers and capable of withstandingwind and wave and endued with the speed of the tempest or of thought. Hethen addressed the Pandavas in these words to show that he had reallybeen sent by Vidura, 'O Yudhishthira, he said, "listen to these words thelearned Vidura had said (unto thee) as a proof of the fact that I comefrom him. Neither the consumer of straw and the wood nor the drier of dewever burneth the inmates of a hole in the forest. He escapeth from deathwho protecteth himself knowing this, etc.' By these credentials know meto be the person who has been truly sent by Vidura and to be also histrusted agent. Vidura, conversant with everything, hath again said, 'Oson of Kunti, thou shalt surely defeat in battle Karna, and Duryodhanawith his brothers, and Sakuni.' This boat is ready on the waters, and itwill glide pleasantly thereon, and shall certainly bear you all fromthese regions!'
"Then beholding those foremost of men with their mother pensive and sadhe caused them to go into the boat that was on the Ganga, and accompaniedthem himself. Addressing them again, he said, 'Vidura having smelt yourheads and embraced you (mentally), hath said again that in commencingyour auspicious journey and going alone you should never be careless.'
"Saying these words unto those heroic princes, the person sent by Viduratook those bulls among men over to the other side of the Ganga in hisboat. And having taken them over the water and seen them all safe on theopposite bank, he uttered the word 'Jaya' (victory) to their success andthen left them and returned to the place whence he had come.
"The illustrious Pandavas also sending through that person some messageto Vidura, began, after having crossed the Ganga, to proceed with hasteand in great secrecy.'"
SECTION CLII
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then, when the night had passed away, a largeconcourse of the townspeople came there in haste to see the sons ofPandu. After extinguishing the fire, they saw that the house just burntdown had been built of lac in materials and that (Duryodhana's)counsellor Purochana had been burnt to death. And the people began tobewail aloud saying, 'Indeed, this had been contrived by the sinfulDuryodhana for the destruction of the Pandavas. There is little doubtthat Duryodhana hath, with Dhritarashtra's knowledge, burnt to death theheirs of Pandu, else the prince would have been prevented by his father.There is little doubt that even Bhishma, the son of Santanu, and Dronaand Vidura and Kripa and other Kauravas have not, any of them, followedthe dictates of duty. Let us now send to Dhritarashtra to say, 'Thy greatdesire hath been achieved! Thou hast burnt to death the Pandavas!'
"They then began to extinguish the members to obtain some trace of thePandavas, and they saw the innocent Nishada woman with her five sonsburnt to death. Then the miner sent by Vidura, while removing the ashes,covered the hole he had dug with those ashes in such a way that itremained unnoticed by all who had gone there.
"The citizens then sent to Dhritarashtra to inform him that the Pandavasalong with (Duryodhana's) counsellor Purochana had been burnt to death.King Dhritarashtra, on hearing the evil news of the death of thePandavas, wept in great sorrow. And he said, 'King Pandu, my brother ofgreat fame, hath, indeed, died today when those heroic sons of histogether with their mother have been burnt to death. Ye men, repairquickly to Varanavata and cause the funeral rites to be performed ofthose heroes and of the daughter of Kuntiraj! Let also the bones of thedeceased be sanctified with the usual rites, and let all the beneficialand great acts (usual on such occasions) be performed. Let the friendsand relatives of those that have been burnt to death repair thither. Letalso all other beneficial acts that ought, under the circumstances, to beperformed by us for the Pandavas and Kunti be accomplished by wealth.'
"Having said this, Dhritarashtra, the son of Ambika, surrounded by hisrelatives, offered oblations of water to the sons of Pandu. And all ofthem, afflicted with excessive sorrow, bewailed aloud, exclaiming, 'OYudhishthira! Oh prince of the Kuru race!'--While others cried aloud,'Oh, Bhima!--O Phalguna!'--while some again,--'Oh, the twins!--Oh,Kunti!'--Thus did they sorrow for the Pandavas and offer oblations ofwater unto them. The citizens also wept for the Pandavas but Vidura didnot weep much, because he knew the truth.
"Meanwhile the Pandavas endued with great strength with their motherforming a company of six going out of the town of Varanavata arrived atthe banks of the Ganga. They then speedily reached the opposite bankaided by the strength of the boatmen's arms, the rapidity of the river'scurrent, and a favourable wind. Leaving the boat, they proceeded in thesouthern direction finding their way in the dark by the light of thestars. After much suffering they at last reached, O king, a dense forest.They were then tired and thirsty; sleep was closing their eyes everymoment. Then Yudhishthira, addressing Bhima endued with great energy,said, 'What can be more painful than this? We are now in the deep woods.We know not which side is which, nor can we proceed much further. We donot know whether that wretch Purochana hath or hath not been burnt todeath. How shall we escape from these dangers unseen by others? OBharata, taking us on thyself, proceed thou as before. Thou alone amongstus art strong and swift as the wind.'
"Thus addressed by Yudhishthira the just, the mighty Bhimasena, taking upon his body Kunti and his brothers, began to proceed with greatcelerity.'"
SECTION CLIII
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said," As the mighty Bhima proceeded, the whole forest withits trees and their branches seemed to tremble, in consequence of theirclash with his breast. The motion of his thighs raised a wind like untothat which blows during the months of Jyaishtha and Ashadha (May andJune). And the mighty Bhima proceeded, making a path for himself, buttreading down the trees and creepers before him. In fact, he broke (bythe pressure of his body) the large trees and plants, with their flowersand fruits, standing on his way. Even so passeth through the woodsbreaking down mighty trees, the leader of a herd of elephants, of the ageof sixty years, angry and endued with excess of energy, during the seasonof rut when the liquid juice trickle down the three parts of his body.Indeed, so great was the force with which Bhima endued with the speed ofGaruda or of Marut (the god of wind), proceeded that the Pandavas seemedto faint in consequence. Frequently swimming across streams difficult ofbeing crossed, the Pandavas disguised themselves on their way from fearof the sons of Dhritarashtra. And Bhima carried on his shoulder hisillustrious mother of delicate sensibilities along the uneven banks ofrivers. Towards the evening, O bull of Bharata's race, Bhima (bearing hisbrothers and mother on his back) reached a terrible forest where fruitsand roots and water were scarce and which resounded with the terriblecries of birds and beasts. The twilight deepened the cries of birds andbeasts became fiercer, darkness shrouded everything from the view anduntimely winds began to blow that broke and laid low many a tree largeand small and many creepers with dry leaves and fruits. The Kauravaprinces, afflicted with fatigue and thirst, and heavy with sleep, wereunable to proceed further. They then all sat down in that forest withoutfood and drink. Then Kunti, smitten with thirst, said unto her sons, 'Iam the mother of the five Pandavas and am now in their midst. Yet I amburning with thirst!' Kunti repeatedly said this unto her sons. Hearingthese words, Bhima's heart, from affection for his mother, was warmed bycompassion and he resolved to go (along as before). Then Bhima,proceeding through that terrible and extensive forest without a livingsoul, saw a beautiful banian tree with widespreading branches. Settingdown there his brothers and mother, O bull of Bharata's race; he saidunto them, 'Rest you here, while I go in quest of water. I hear the sweetcries of aquatic fowls. I think there must be a large pool here.'Commanded, O Bharata, by his elder brother who said unto him, 'Go', Bhimaproceeded in the direction whence the cries of those aquatic fowls werecoming. And, O bull of Bharata's race, he soon came upon a lake andbathed and slaked his thirst. And affectionate unto his brothers, hebrought for them, O Bharata, water by soaking his upper garments. Hastilyretracing his way over those four miles he came unto where his mother wasand beholding her he was afflicted with sorrow and began to sigh like asnake. Distressed with grief at seeing his mother and brothers asleep onthe bare ground, Vrikodara began to weep, 'Oh, wretch that I am, whobehold my brothers asleep on the bare ground, what can befall me morepainful than this? Alas, they who formerly at Varanavata could not sleepon the softest and costliest beds are now asleep on the bare ground! Oh,what more painful sight shall I ever behold than that of Kunti--thesister of Vasudeva, that grinder of hostile hosts--the daughter ofKuntiraja,--herself decked with every auspicious mark, thedaughter-in-law of Vichitravirya,--the wife of the illustriousPandu,--the mother of us (five brothers),--resplendent as the filamentsof the lotus and delicate and tender and fit to sleep on the costliestbed--thus asleep, as she should never be, on the bare ground! Oh, she whohath brought forth these sons by Dharma and Indra and Maruta--she whohath ever slept within palaces--now sleepeth, fatigued, on the bareground! What more painful sight shall ever be beheld by me than that ofthese tigers among men (my brothers) asleep on the ground! Oh, thevirtuous Yudhishthira, who deserveth the sovereignty of the three worlds,sleepeth, fatigued, like an ordinary man, on the bare ground! This Arjunaof the darkish hue of blue clouds, and unequalled amongst men sleepeth onthe ground like an ordinary person! Oh, what can be more painful thanthis? Oh the twins, who in beauty are like the twin Aswins amongst thecelestials, are asleep like ordinary mortals on the bare ground! He whohath no jealous evil-minded relatives, liveth in happiness in this worldlike a single tree in a village. The tree that standeth single in avillage with its leaves and fruits, from absence of other of the samespecies, becometh sacred and is worshipped and venerated by all. Theyagain that have many relatives who, however, are all heroic and virtuous,live happily in the world without sorrow of any kind. Themselves powerfuland growing in prosperity and always gladdening their friends andrelatives, they live, depending on each other, like tall trees growing inthe same forest. We, however, have been forced in exile by the wickedDhritarashtra and his sons having escaped with difficulty, from sheergood fortune, a fiery death. Having escaped from that fire, we are nowresting in the shade of this tree. Having already suffered so much, wherenow are we to go? Ye sons of Dhritarashtra of little foresight, ye wickedfellows, enjoy your temporary success. The gods are certainly auspiciousto you. But ye wicked wretches, ye are alive yet, only becauseYudhishthira doth not command me to take your lives. Else this very day,filled with wrath, I would send thee, (O Duryodhana), to the regions ofYama (Pluto) with thy children and friends and brothers, and Karna, and(Sakuni) the son of Suvala! But what can I do, for, ye sinful wretches,the virtuous king Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandavas, is not yetangry with you?'
"Having said this, Bhima of mighty arms, fired with wrath, began tosqueeze his palms, sighing deeply in affliction. Excited again with wrathlike an extinguished fire blazing up all on a sudden, Vrikodara once morebeheld his brothers sleeping on the ground like ordinary persons sleepingin trustfulness. And Bhima said unto himself, 'I think there is some townnot far off from this forest. These all are asleep, so I will sit awake.And this will slake their thirst after they rise refreshed from sleep.'Saying this, Bhima sat there awake, keeping watch over his sleepingmother and brothers.'"
SECTION CLIV
(Hidimva-vadha Parva)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Not far from the place where the Pandavas wereasleep, a Rakshasa by name Hidimva dwelt on the Sala tree. Possessed ofgreat energy and prowess, he was a cruel cannibal of visage that was grimin consequence of his sharp and long teeth. He was now hungry and longingfor human flesh. Of long shanks and a large belly, his locks and beardwere both red in hue. His shoulders were broad like the neck of a tree;his ears were like unto arrows, and his features were frightful. Of redeyes and grim visage, the monster beheld, while casting his glancesaround, the sons of Pandu sleeping in those woods. He was then hungry andlonging for human flesh. Shaking his dry and grizzly locks and scratchingthem with his fingers pointed upwards, the large-mouthed cannibalrepeatedly looked at the sleeping sons of Pandu yawning wistfully attimes. Of huge body and great strength, of complexion like the colour ofa mass of clouds, of teeth long and sharp-pointed and face emitting asort of lustre, he was ever pleased with human flesh. And scenting theodour of man, he addressed his sister, saying, 'O sister, it is after along time that such agreeable food hath approached me! My mouth waters atthe anticipated relish of such food. My eight teeth, so sharp-pointed andincapable of being resisted by any substance, I shall, today, after along time, put into the most delicious flesh. Attacking the human throatand even opening the veins, I shall (today) drink a plentiful quantity ofhuman blood, hot and fresh and frothy. Go and ascertain who these are,lying asleep in these woods. The strong scent of man pleaseth mynostrils. Slaughtering all these men, bring them unto me. They sleepwithin my territory. Thou needest have no fear from them. Do my biddingsoon, for we shall then together eat their flesh, tearing off theirbodies at pleasure. And after feasting to our fill on human flesh weshall then dance together to various measures!'
"Thus addressed by Hidimva in those woods, Hidimva, the female cannibal,at the command of her brother, went, O bull of Bharata's race, to thespot where the Pandavas were. And on going there, she beheld the Pandavasasleep with their mother and the invincible Bhimasena sitting awake. Andbeholding Bhimasena unrivalled on earth for beauty and like unto avigorous Sala tree, the Rakshasa woman immediately fell in love with him,and she said to herself, 'This person of hue like heated gold and ofmighty arms, of broad shoulders as the lion, and so resplendent, of neckmarked with three lines like a conch-shell and eyes like lotus-petals, isworthy of being my husband. I shall not obey the cruel mandate of mybrother. A woman's love for her husband is stronger than her affectionfor her brother. If I slay him, my brother's gratification as well asmine will only be momentary. But if I slay him not, I can enjoy, with himfor ever and ever.' Thus saying, the Rakshasa woman, capable of assumingform at will, assumed an excellent human form and began to advance withslow steps towards Bhima of mighty arms. Decked with celestial ornamentsshe advanced with smiles on her lips and a modest gait, and addressingBhima said, 'O bull among men, whence hast thou come here and who artthou? Who, besides, are these persons of celestial beauty sleeping here?Who also, O sinless one, is this lady of transcendent beauty sleeping sotrustfully in these woods as if she were lying in her own chamber? Dostthou not know that this forest is the abode of a Rakshasa. Truly do Isay, here liveth the wicked Rakshasa called Hidimva. Ye beings ofcelestial beauty, I have been sent hither even by that Rakshasa--mybrother--with the cruel intent of killing you for his food. But I tellthee truly that beholding thee resplendent as a celestial, I would havenone else for my husband save thee! Thou who art acquainted with allduties, knowing this, do unto me what is proper. My heart as well as mybody hath been pierced by (the shafts of) Kama (Cupid). O, as I amdesirous of obtaining thee, make me thine. O thou of mighty arms, I willrescue thee from the Rakshasa who eateth human flesh. O sinless one, bethou my husband. We shall then live on the breasts of mountainsinaccessible to ordinary mortals. I can range the air and I do so atpleasure. Thou mayest enjoy great felicity with me in those regions.'
"Hearing these words of hers, Bhima replied, 'O Rakshasa woman, who can,like a Muni having all his passions under control, abandon his sleepingmother and elder and younger brothers? What man like me would go togratify his lust, leaving his sleeping mother and brothers as food for aRakshasa?'
"The Rakshasa woman replied, 'O, awaken all these, I shall do unto youall that is agreeable to thee! I shall certainly rescue you all from mycannibal brother?'
"Bhima then said, 'O Rakshasa woman, I will not, from fear of thy wickedbrother, awaken my brothers and mother sleeping comfortably in the woods.O timid one, Rakshasas are never able to bear the prowess of my arms.And, O thou of handsome eyes, neither men, nor Gandharvas, nor Yakshasare able to bear my might. O amiable one, thou mayst stay or go as thoulikest, or mayst even send thy cannibal brother, O thou of delicateshape. I care not.'"
SECTION CLV
(Hidimva-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Hidimva, the chief of the Rakshasas, seeing that hissister returned not soon enough, alighted from the tree, proceededquickly to the spot where the Pandavas were. Of red eyes and strong armsand the arms and the hair of his head standing erect, of large open mouthand body like unto a mass of dark clouds, teeth long and sharp-pointed,he was terrible to behold. And Hidimva, beholding her brother offrightful visage alight from the tree, became very much alarmed, andaddressing Bhima said, 'The wicked cannibal is coming hither in wrath. Ientreat thee, do with thy brothers, as I bid thee. O thou of greatcourage, as I am endued with the powers of a Rakshasa, I am capable ofgoing whithersoever I like. Mount ye on my hips, I will carry you allthrough the skies. And, O chastiser of foes, awaken these and thy mothersleeping in comfort. Taking them all on my body, I will convey youthrough the skies.'
"Bhima then said, 'O thou of fair hips, fear not anything. I am sure thatas long as I am here, there is no Rakshasa capable of injuring any ofthese, O thou of slender waist. I will slay this (cannibal) before thyvery eyes. This worst of Rakshasas, O timid one, is no worthy antagonistof mine, nor can all the Rakshasas together bear the strength of my arms.Behold these strong arms of mine, each like unto the trunk of anelephant. Behold also these thighs of mine like unto iron maces, and thisbroad and adamantine chest. O beautiful one, thou shall today behold myprowess like unto that of Indra. O thou of fair hips, hate me not,thinking that I am a man.'
"Hidimva replied saying, 'O tiger among men, O thou of the beauty of acelestial, I do not certainly hold thee in contempt. But I have seen theprowess that Rakshasas exert upon men.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then, O Bharata, the wrathful Rakshasa eatinghuman flesh heard these words of Bhima who had been talking in that way.And Hidimva beheld his sister disguised in human form, her head deckedwith garlands of flowers and her face like the full moon and her eyebrowsand nose and eyes and ringlets all of the handsomest description, and hernails and complexion of the most delicate hue, and herself wearing everykind of ornament and attired in fine transparent robes. The cannibal,beholding her in that charming human form, suspected that she wasdesirous of carnal intercourse and became indignant. And, O best of theKurus, becoming angry with his sister, the Rakshasa dilated his eyes andaddressing her said, 'What senseless creature wishes to throw obstaclesin my path now that I am so hungry? Hast thou become so senseless, OHidimva, that thou fearest not my wrath? Fie on thee, thou unchastewoman! Thou art even now desirous of carnal intercourse and solicitous ofdoing me an injury. Thou art ready to sacrifice the good name and honourof all the Rakshasas, thy ancestors! Those with whose aid thou wouldst dome this great injury, I will, even now, slay along with thee.' Addressinghis sister thus, Hidimva, with eyes red with anger and teeth pressingagainst teeth, ran at her to kill her then and there. But beholding himrush at his sister, Bhima, that foremost of smiter, endued with greatenergy, rebuked him and said, Stop--Stop!"
"Vaisampayana continued, 'And Bhima, beholding the Rakshasa angry withhis sister, smiled (in derision), and said, addressing him, 'O Hidimva,what need is there for thee to awaken these persons sleeping socomfortably? O wicked cannibal, approach me first without loss of time.Smite me first,--it behoveth thee not to kill a woman, especially whenshe hath been sinned against instead of sinning. This girl is scarcelyresponsible for her act in desiring intercourse with me. She hath, inthis, been moved by the deity of desire that pervadeth every living form.Thou wicked wretch and the most infamous of Rakshasas, thy sister camehere at thy command. Beholding my person, she desireth me. In that thetimid girl doth no injury to thee. It is the deity of desire that hathoffended. It behoveth thee not to injure her for this offence. O wickedwretch, thou shalt not slay a woman when I am here. Come with me, Ocannibal, and fight with myself singly. Singly shall I send thee today tothe abode of Yama (Pluto). O Rakshasa, let thy head today, pressed by mymight, be pounded to pieces, as though pressed by the tread of a mightyelephant. When thou art slain by me on the field of battle, let heronsand hawks and jackals tear in glee thy limbs today on the ground. In amoment I shall today make this forest destitute of Rakshasas,--thisforest that had so long been ruled by thee, devourer of human beings! Thysister, O Rakshasa, shall today behold thyself, huge though thou art likea mountain, like a huge elephant repeatedly dragged by a lion, O worst ofRakshasas, thyself slain by me, men ranging these woods will henceforthdo so safely and without fear.'
"Hearing these words, Hidimva said, 'What need is there, O man, for thisthy vaunt and this thy boast? Accomplish all this first, and then maystthou vaunt indeed. Therefore, delay thou not. Thou knowest thyself to bestrong and endued with prowess, so thou shalt rightly estimate thystrength today in thy encounter with me. Until that, I will not slaythese (thy brothers). Let them sleep comfortably. But I will, as thou arta fool and the utterer of evil speeches, slay thee first. After drinkingthy blood, I will slay these also, and then last of all, this (sister ofmine) that hath done me an injury.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Saying this, the cannibal, extending his armsran in wrath towards Bhimasena, that chastiser of foes. Then Bhima ofterrible prowess quickly seized, as though in sport, with great force,the extended arms of the Rakshasa who had rushed at him. Then seizing thestruggling Rakshasa with violence, Bhima dragged him from that spot fullthirty-two cubits like a lion dragging a little animal. Then theRakshasa, thus made to feel the weight of Bhima's strength, became veryangry and clasping the Pandava, sent forth a terrible yell. The mightyBhima then dragged with force the Rakshasa to a greater distance, lesthis yells should awaken his brothers sleeping in comfort. Clasping anddragging each other with great force, both Hidimva and Bhimasena putforth their prowess. Fighting like two full-grown elephants mad withrage, they then began to break down the trees and tear the creepers thatgrew around. And at those sounds, those tigers among men (the sleepingPandavas) woke up with their mother, and saw Hidimva sitting beforethem.'"
SECTION CLVI
(Hidimva-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Roused from sleep, those tigers among men, withtheir mother, beholding the extraordinary beauty of Hidimva, were filledwith wonder. And Kunti, gazing at her with wonder at her beauty,addressed her sweetly and gave her every assurance. She asked, 'O thou ofthe splendour of a daughter of the celestials, whose art thou and who artthou? O thou of the fairest complexion, on what business hast thou comehither and whence hast thou come? If thou art the deity of these woods oran Apsara, tell me all regarding thyself and also why thou stayest here?'Thereupon Hidimva replied, 'This extensive forest that thou seest, of thehue of blue cloud, is the abode of a Rakshasa of the name of Hidimva. Ohandsome lady, know me as the sister of that chief of the Rakshasa.Revered dame, I had been sent by that brother of mine to kill thee withall thy children. But on arriving here at the command of that cruelbrother of mine, I beheld thy mighty son. Then, O blessed lady, I wasbrought under the control of thy son by the deity of love who pervadeththe nature of every being, and I then (mentally) chose that mighty son ofthine as my husband. I tried my best to convey you hence, but I could not(because of thy son's opposition). Then the cannibal, seeing my delay,came hither to kill all these thy children. But he hath been draggedhence with force by that mighty and intelligent son of thine--my husband.Behold now that couple--man and Rakshasa--both endued with great strengthand prowess, engaged in combat, grinding each other and filling the wholeregion with their shouts.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing those words of hers, Yudhishthirasuddenly rose up and Arjuna also and Nakula and Sahadeva of great energyand they beheld Bhima and the Rakshasa already engaged in fight, eager toovercome each other and dragging each other with great force, like twolions endued with great might. The dust raised by their feet inconsequence of that encounter looked like the smoke of aforest-conflagration. Covered with that dust their huge bodies resembledtwo tall cliffs enveloped in mist. Then Arjuna, beholding Bhima ratheroppressed in the fight by the Rakshasa, slowly, said with smiles on hislips, 'Fear not, O Bhima of mighty arms! We (had been asleep andtherefore) knew not that thou wast engaged with a terrible Rakshasa andtired in fight. Here do I stand to help thee, let me slay the Rakshasa,and let Nakula and Sahadeva protect our mother.' Hearing him, Bhima said,'Look on this encounter, O brother, like a stranger. Fear not for theresult. Having come within the reach of my arms, he shall not escape withlife.' Then Arjuna said, 'What need, O Bhima, for keeping the Rakshasaalive so long? O oppressor of enemies, we are to go hence, and cannotstay here longer. The east is reddening, the morning twilight is about toset in. The Rakshasa became stronger by break of day, therefore, hasten,O Bhima! Play not (with thy victim), but slay the terrible Rakshasa soon.During the two twilights Rakshasas always put forth their powers ofdeception. Use all the strength of thy arms.
"Vaisampayana continued, 'At this speech of Arjuna, Bhima blazing up withanger, summoned the might that Vayu (his father) puts forth at the timeof the universal dissolution. And filled with rage, he quickly raisedhigh in the air the Rakshasa's body, blue as the clouds of heaven, andwhirled it a hundred times. Then addressing the cannibal, Bhima said, 'ORakshasa, thy intelligence was given thee in vain, and in vain hast thougrown and thriven on unsanctified flesh. Thou deservest, therefore, anunholy death and I shall reduce thee today to nothing. I shall make thisforest blessed today, like one without prickly plants. And, O Rakshasa,thou shalt no longer slay human beings for thy food.' Arjuna at thisjuncture, said, 'O Bhima, if thou thinkest it a hard task for thee toovercome this Rakshasa in combat, let me render thee help, else, slay himthyself without loss of time. Or, O Vrikodara, let me alone slay theRakshasa. Thou art tired, and hast almost finished the affair. Well dostthou deserve rest.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Arjuna, Bhima was firedwith rage and dashing the Rakshasa on the ground with all his might slewhim as if he were an animal. The Rakshasa, while dying, sent forth aterrible yell that filled the whole forest, and was deep as the sound ofa wet drum. Then the mighty Bhima, holding the body with his hands, bentit double, and breaking it in the middle, greatly gratified his brothers.Beholding Hidimva slain, they became exceedingly glad and lost no time inoffering their congratulations to Bhima, that chastiser of all foes. ThenArjuna worshipping the illustrious Bhima of terrible prowess, addressedhim again and said, 'Revered senior, I think there is a town not far offfrom this forest. Blest be thou, let us go hence soon, so that Duryodhanamay not trace us.'
"Then all those mighty car-warriors, those tigers among men, saying, 'Sobe it,' proceeded along with their mother, followed by Hidimva, theRakshasa woman.'"
SECTION CLVII
(Hidimva-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Bhima, beholding Hidimva following them, addressedher, saying, 'Rakshasas revenge themselves on their enemies by adoptingdeceptions that are incapable of being penetrated. Therefore, O Hidimva,go thou the way on which thy brother hath gone.' Then Yudhishthirabeholding Bhima in rage, said, 'O Bhima, O tiger among men, howeverenraged, do not slay a woman. O Pandava, the observance of virtue is ahigher duty than the protection of life. Hidimva, who had come with theobject of slaying us, thou hast already slain. This woman is the sisterof that Rakshasa, what can she do to us even if she were angry?'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Hidimva reverentially saluting Kunti andher son Yudhishthira also, said, with joined palms, 'O revered lady, thouknowest the pangs that women are made to feel at the hands of the deityof love. Blessed dame, these pangs, of which Bhimasena hath been thecause, are torturing me. I had hitherto borne these insufferable pangs,waiting for the time (when thy son could assuage them). That time is nowcome, when I expected I would be made happy. Casting off my friends andrelations and the usage of my race, I have, O blessed lady, chosen thisson of thine, this tiger among men, as my husband. I tell thee truly, Oillustrious lady, that if I am cast off by that hero or by thee either, Iwill no longer bear this life of mine. Therefore, O thou of the fairestcomplexion, it behoveth thee to show me mercy, thinking me either as verysilly or thy obedient slave. O illustrious dame, unite me with this thyson, my husband. Endued as he is with the form of a celestial, let me gotaking him with me wherever I like. Trust me, O blessed lady, I willagain bring him back unto you all. When you think of me I will come toyou immediately and convey you whithersoever ye may command. I willrescue you from all dangers and carry you across inaccessible and unevenregions. I will carry you on my back whenever ye desire to proceed withswiftness. O, be gracious unto me and make Bhima accept me. It hath beensaid that in a season of distress one should protect one's life by anymeans. He, that seeketh to discharge that duty should not scruple aboutthe means. He, that in a season of distress keepeth his virtue, is theforemost of virtuous men. Indeed, distress is the greatest danger tovirtue and virtuous men. It is virtue that protecteth life; therefore isvirtue called the giver of life. Hence the means by which virtue or theobservance of a duty is secured can never be censurable.'
"Hearing these words of Hidimva, Yudhishthira said. 'It is even so, OHidimva, as thou sayest. There is no doubt of it. But, O thou of slenderwaist, thou must act even as thou hast said. Bhima will, after he hathwashed himself and said his prayers and performed the usual propitiatoryrites, pay his attentions to thee till the sun sets. Sport thou with himas thou likest during the day, O thou that art endued with the speed ofthe mind! But thou must bring back Bhimasena hither every day atnightfall.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Bhima, expressing his assent to all thatYudhishthira said, addressed Hidimva, saying, 'Listen to me, O Rakshasawoman! Truly do I make this engagement with thee that I will stay withthee, O thou of slender waist, until thou obtainest a son.' Then Hidimva,saying, 'So be it,' took Bhima upon her body and sped through the sides.On mountain peaks of picturesque scenery and regions sacred to the gods,abounding with dappled herds and echoing with the melodies of featheredtribes, herself assuming the handsomest form decked with every ornamentand pouring forth at times mellifluous strains. Hidimva sported with thePandava and studied to make him happy. So also, in inaccessible regionsof forests, and on mountain-breasts overgrown with blossoming trees onlakes resplendent with lotuses and lilies, islands of rivers and theirpebbly banks, on sylvan streams with beautiful banks andmountain-currents, in picturesque woods with blossoming trees andcreepers in Himalayan bowers, and various caves, on crystal pools smilingwith lotuses, on sea-shores shining with gold and pearls, in beautifultowns and fine gardens, in woods sacred to the gods and on hill-sides, inthe regions of Guhyakas and ascetics, on the banks of Manasarovaraabounding with fruits and flowers of every season Hidimva, assuming thehandsomest form, sported with Bhima and studied to make him happy. Enduedwith the speed of the mind, she sported with Bhima in all these regions,till in time, she conceived and brought forth a mighty son begotten uponher by the Pandava. Of terrible eyes and large mouth and straight arrowyears, the child was terrible to behold. Of lips brown as copper and sharpteeth and loud roar, of mighty arms and great strength and excessiveprowess, this child became a mighty bowman. Of long nose, broad chest,frightfully swelling calves, celerity of motion and excessive strength,he had nothing human in his countenance, though born of man. And heexcelled (in strength and prowess) all Pisachas and kindred tribes aswell as all Rakshasas. And, O monarch, though a little child, he grew upa youth the very hour he was born. The mighty hero soon acquired highproficiency in the use of all weapons. The Rakshasa women bring forth thevery day they conceive, and capable of assuming any forms at will, theyalways change their forms. And the bald-headed child, that mighty bowman,soon after his birth, bowing down to his mother, touched her feet and thefeet also of his father. His parents then bestowed upon him a name. Hismother having remarked that his head was (bald) like unto a Ghata(water-pot), both his parents thereupon called him Ghatotkacha (thepot-headed). And Ghatotkacha who was exceedingly devoted to the Pandavas,became a great favourite with them, indeed almost one of them.
"Then Hidimva, knowing that the period of her stay (with her husband) hadcome to an end, saluted the Pandavas and making a new appointment withthem went away whithersoever she liked. And Ghatotkacha also--thatforemost of Rakshasas--promising unto his father that he would come whenwanted on business, saluted them and went away northward. Indeed, it wasthe illustrious Indra who created (by lending a portion of himself) themighty car-warrior Ghatotkacha as a fit antagonist of Karna of unrivalledenergy, in consequence of the dart he had given unto Karna (and which wassure to kill the person against whom it would be hurled).'"
SECTION CLVIII
(Hidimva-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Those mighty car-warriors, the heroic Pandavas, thenwent, O king, from forest to forest killing deer and many animals (fortheir food). And in the course of their wanderings they saw the countriesof the Matsyas, the Trigartas, the Panchalas and then of the Kichakas,and also many beautiful woods and lakes therein. And they all had mattedlocks on their heads and were attired in barks of trees and the skins ofanimals. Indeed, with Kunti in their company those illustrious heroeswere attired in the garbs of ascetics. And those mighty car-warriorssometimes proceeded in haste, carrying their mother on their backs; andsometimes they proceeded in disguise, and sometimes again with greatcelerity. And they used to study the Rik and the other Vedas and also allthe Vedangas as well as the sciences of morals and politics. And thePandavas, conversant with the science of morals, met, in course of theirwanderings their grandfather (Vyasa). And saluting the illustriousKrishna-Dwaipayana, those chastisers of enemies, with their mother, stoodbefore him with joined hands.'
"Vyasa then said, 'Ye bulls of Bharata's race, I knew beforehand of thisaffliction of yours consisting in your deceitful exile by the son ofDhritarashtra. Knowing this, I have come to you, desirous of doing yousome great good. Do not grieve for what hath befallen you. Know that allthis is for your happiness. Undoubtedly, the sons of Dhritarashtra andyou are all equal in my eye. But men are always partial to those who arein misfortune or of tender years. It is therefore, that my affection foryou is greater now. And in consequence of that affection, I desire to doyou good. Listen to me! Not far off before you is a delightful town whereno danger can overtake you. Live ye there in disguise, waiting for myreturn.'
'Vaisampayana continued, 'Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, thus comfortingthe Pandavas, led them into the town of Ekachakra. And the master alsocomforted Kunti, saying, 'Live, O daughter! This son of thine,Yudhishthira, ever devoted to truth, this illustrious bull among men,having by his justice conquered the whole world, will rule over all theother monarchs of the earth. There is little doubt that, having by meansof Bhima's and Arjuna's prowess conquered the whole earth with her beltof seas, he will enjoy the sovereignty thereof. Thy sons as well as thoseof Madri--mighty car-warriors all--will cheerfully sport as pleaseth themin their dominions. These tigers among men will also perform varioussacrifices, such as the Rajasuya and the horse-sacrifice, in which thepresents unto the Brahmanas are very large. And these thy sons will ruletheir ancestral kingdom, maintaining their friends and relatives inluxury and affluence and happiness.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'With these words Vyasa introduced them into thedwelling of a Brahmana. And the island-born Rishi, addressing the eldestof the Pandavas, said, 'Wait here for me! I will come back to you! Byadapting yourselves to the country and the occasion you will succeed inbecoming very happy.'
"Then, O king, the Pandavas with joined hands said unto the Rishi, 'So beit.' And the illustrious master, the Rishi Vyasa, then went away to theregion whence he had come.'"
SECTION CLIX
(Vaka-vadha Parva)
"Janamejaya asked, 'O first of Brahmanas, what did the Pandavas, thosemighty car-warriors, the sons of Kunti, do after arriving at Ekachakra?'
"Vaisampayana said, 'Those mighty car-warriors, the sons of Kunti, onarriving at Ekachakra, lived for a short time in the abode of a Brahmana.Leading an eleemosynary life, they behold (in course of their wanderings)various delightful forests and earthly regions, and many rivers andlakes, and they became great favourites of the inhabitants of that townin consequence of their own accomplishments. At nightfall they placedbefore Kunti all they gathered in their mendicant tours, and Kunti usedto divide the whole amongst them, each taking what was allotted to him.And those heroic chastisers of foes, with their mother, together took onemoiety of the whole, while the mighty Bhima alone took the other moiety.In this way, O bull of Bharata's race, the illustrious Pandavas livedthere for some time.
"One day, while those bulls of the Bharata race were out on their tour ofmendicancy, it so happened that Bhima was (at home) with (his mother)Pritha. That day, O Bharata, Kunti heard a loud and heart-rending wail ofsorrow coming from within the apartments of the Brahmana. Hearing theinmates of the Brahmana's house wailing and indulging in piteouslamentations, Kunti, O king, from compassion and the goodness of herheart, could not bear it with indifference. Afflicted with sorrow, theamiable Pritha, addressing Bhima, said these words full of compassion.'Our woes assuaged, we are, O son, living happily in the house of thisBrahmana, respected by him and unknown to Dhritarashtra's son. O son, Ialways think of the good I should do to this Brahmana, like what they dothat live happily in others' abodes! O child, he is a true man upon whomfavours are never lost. He payeth back to others more than what hereceiveth at their hands. There is no doubt, some affliction hathovertaken this Brahmana. If we could be of any help to him, we shouldthen be requiting his services.'
"Hearing these words of his mother, Bhima said, 'Ascertain, O mother thenature of the Brahmana's distress and whence also it hath arisen.Learning all about it, relieve it I will however difficult may the taskprove.'
"Vaisampayana continued 'While mother and son were thus talking with eachother, they heard again, O king, another wail of sorrow proceeding fromthe Brahmana and his wife. Then Kunti quickly entered the innerapartments of that illustrious Brahmana, like unto a cow running towardsher tethered calf. She beheld the Brahmana with his wife, son anddaughter, sitting with a woeful face, and she heard the Brahmana say,'Oh, fie on this earthly life which is hollow as the reed and sofruitless after all which is based on sorrow and hath no freedom, andwhich hath misery for its lot! Life is sorrow and disease; life is trulya record of misery! The soul is one: but it hath to pursue virtue, wealthand pleasure. And because these are pursued at one and the same time,there frequently occurs a disagreement that is the source of much misery.Some say that salvation is the highest object of our desire. But Ibelieve it can never be attained. The acquisition of wealth is hell; thepursuit of wealth is attended with misery; there is more misery after onehas acquired it, for one loves one's possessions, and if any mishapbefalls them, the possessor becomes afflicted with woe. I do not see bywhat means I can escape from this danger, nor how I can fly hence, withmy wife to some region free from danger. Remember, O wife, that Iendeavoured to migrate to some other place where we would be happy, butthou didst not then listen to me. Though frequently solicited by me,thou, O simple woman, said to me, 'I have been born here, and here have Igrown old; this is my ancestral homestead.' Thy venerable father, O wife,and thy mother also, have, a long time ago, ascended to heaven. Thyrelations also had all been dead. Oh why then didst thou yet like to livehere? Led by affection for thy relatives thou didst not then hear what Isaid. But the time is now come when thou art to witness the death of arelative. Oh, how sad is that spectacle for me! Or perhaps the time iscome for my own death, for I shall never be able to abandon cruelly oneof my own as long as I myself am alive. Thou art my helpmate in all gooddeeds, self-denying and always affectionate unto me as a mother. The godshave given thee to me as a true friend and thou art ever my prime stay.Thou hast, by my parents, been made the participator in my domesticconcerns. Thou art of pure lineage and good disposition, the mother ofchildren, devoted to me, and so innocent; having chosen and wedded theewith due rites, I cannot abandon thee, my wife, so constant in thy vows,to save my life. How shall I myself be able to sacrifice my son a childof tender years and yet without the hirsute appendages (of manhood)? Howshall I sacrifice my daughter whom I have begotten myself, who hath beenplaced, as a pledge, in my hands by the Creator himself for bestowal on ahusband and through whom I hope to enjoy, along with my ancestors, theregions attainable by those only that have daughters' sons? Some peoplethink that the father's affection for a son is greater; others, that hisaffection for a daughter is greater, mine, however, is equal. How can Ibe prepared to give up the innocent daughter upon whom rest the regionsof bliss obtainable by me in after life and my own lineage and perpetualhappiness? If, again, I sacrifice myself and go to the other world, Ishould scarcely know any peace, for, indeed, it is evident that, left byme these would not be able to support life. The sacrifice of any of thesewould be cruel and censurable. On the other hand, if I sacrifice myself,these, without me, will certainly perish. The distress into which I havefallen is great; nor do I know the means of escape. Alas, what courseshall I take today with my near ones. It is well that I should die withall these, for I can live no longer.'"
SECTION CLX
(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, "On hearing these words of the Brahmana, his wifesaid, 'Thou shouldst not, O Brahmana, grieve like an ordinary man. Nor isthis the time for mourning. Thou hast learning; thou knowest that all menare sure to die; none should grieve for that which is inevitable. Wife,son, and daughter, all these are sought for one's own self. As thou artpossessed of a good understanding, kill thou thy sorrows. I will myselfgo there. This indeed, is the highest and the eternal duty of a woman,viz., that by sacrificing her life she should seek the good of herhusband. Such an act done by me will make thee happy, and bring me famein this world and eternal bliss hereafter. This, indeed, is the highestvirtue that I tell thee, and thou mayest, by this, acquire both virtueand happiness. The object for which one desireth a wife hath already beenachieved by thee through me. I have borne thee a daughter and a son andthus been freed from the debt I had owed thee. Thou art well able tosupport and cherish the children, but I however, can never support andcherish them like thee. Thou art my life, wealth, and lord; bereft ofthee, how shall these children of tender years--how also shall I myself,exist? Widowed and masterless, with two children depending on me, howshall I, without thee, keep alive the pair, myself leading an honestlife? If the daughter of thine is solicited (in marriage) by personsdishonourable and vain and unworthy of contracting an alliance with thee,how shall I be able to protect the girl? Indeed, as birds seek withavidity for meat that hath been thrown away on the ground, so do mensolicit a woman that hath lost her husband. O best of Brahmanas,solicited by wicked men, I may waver and may not be able to continue inthe path that is desired by all honest men. How shall I be able to placethis sole daughter of thy house--this innocent girl--in the way alongwhich her ancestors have always walked? How shall I then be able toimpart unto this child every desirable accomplishment to make himvirtuous as thyself, in that season of want when I shall becomemasterless? Overpowering myself who shall be masterless, unworthy personswill demand (the hand of) this daughter of thine, like Sudras desiring tohear the Vedas. And if I bestow not upon them this girl possessing thyblood and qualities, they may even take her away by force, like crowscarrying away the sacrificial butter. And beholding thy son become sounlike to thee, and thy daughter placed under the control of someunworthy persons, I shall be despised in the world by even persons thatare dishonourable, and I will certainly die. These children also, bereftof me and thee, their father, will, I doubt not, perish like fish whenthe water drieth up. There is no doubt that bereft of thee the three willperish: therefore it behoveth thee to sacrifice me. O Brahmana, personsconversant with morals have said that for women that have borne children,to predecease their lords is an act of the highest merit. Ready am I toabandon this son and this daughter, these my relations, and life itself,for thee. For a woman to be ever employed in doing agreeable offices toher lord is a higher duty than sacrifices, asceticism, vows, andcharities of every description. The act, therefore, which I intend toperform is consonant with the highest virtue and is for thy good and thatof thy race. The wise have declared that children and relatives and wifeand all things held dear are cherished for the purpose of liberatingone's self from danger and distress. One must guard one's wealth forfreeing one's self from danger, and it is by his wealth that he shouldcherish and protect his wife. But he must protect his own self both by(means of) his wife and his wealth. The learned have enunciated the truththat one's wife, son, wealth, and house, are acquired with the intentionof providing against accidents, foreseen or unforeseen. The wise havealso said that all one's relations weighed against one's own self wouldnot be equal unto one's self. Therefore, revered sir, protect thy ownself by abandoning me. O, give me leave to sacrifice myself, and cherishthou my children. Those that are conversant with the morals have, intheir treatises, said, that women should never be slaughtered and thatRakshasas are not ignorant of the rules of morality. Therefore, while itis certain that the Rakshasa will kill a man, it is doubtful whether hewill kill a woman. It behoveth thee, therefore, being conversant with therules of morality, to place me before the Rakshasa. I have enjoyed muchhappiness, have obtained much that is agreeable to me, and have alsoacquired great religious merit. I have also obtained from thee childrenthat are so dear to me. Therefore, it grieveth not me to die. I haveborne thee children and have also grown old; I am ever desirous of doinggood to thee; remembering all these I have come to this resolution. Orevered sir, abandoning me thou mayest obtain another wife. By her thoumayest again acquire religious merit. There is no sin in this. For a manpolygamy is an act of merit, but for a woman it is very sinful to betakeherself to a second husband after the first. Considering all this, andremembering too that sacrifice of thy own self is censurable, O, liberatetoday without loss of time thy own self, thy race, and these thy children(by abandoning me).'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by her, O Bharata, the Brahmanaembraced her, and they both began to weep in silence, afflicted withgrief.'"
SECTION CLXI
(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'On hearing these words of her afflicted parents, thedaughter was filled with grief, and she addressed them, saying, 'Why areyou so afflicted and why do you so weep, as if you have none to lookafter you? O, listen to me and do what may be proper. There is littledoubt that you are bound in duty to abandon me at a certain time. Sure toabandon me once, O, abandon me now and save every thing at the expense ofme alone. Men desire to have children, thinking that children would savethem (in this world as well as in the region hereafter). O, cross thestream of your difficulties by means of my poor self, as if I were araft. A child rescueth his parents in this and the other regions;therefore is the child called by the learned Putra (rescuer). Theancestors desire daughter's sons from me (as a special means ofsalvation). But (without waiting for my children) I myself will rescuethem by protecting the life of my father. This my brother is of tenderyears, so there is little doubt that he will perish if thou diest now. Ifthou, my father, diest and my brother followeth thee, the funeral cake ofthe Pitris will be suspended and they will be greatly injured. Leftbehind by my father and brother, and by my mother also (for she will notsurvive her husband and son) I shall be plunged deeper and deeper in woeand ultimately perish in great distress. There can be little doubt thatif thou escape from this danger as also my mother and infant brother,then thy race and the (ancestral) cake will be perpetuated. The son isone's own self; the wife is one's friend; the daughter, however, is thesource of trouble. Do thou save thyself, therefore, by removing thatsource of trouble, and do thou thereby set me in the path of virtue. As Iam a girl, O father, destitute of thee, I shall be helpless and plungedin woe, and shall have to go everywhere. It is therefore that I amresolved to rescue my father's race and share the merit of that act byaccomplishing this difficult task. If thou, O best of Brahmanas, goestthither (unto the Rakshasa), leaving me here, then I shall be very muchpained. Therefore, O father, be kind to me. O thou best of men, for oursake, for that of virtue and also thy race, save thyself, abandoning me,whom at one time thou shall be constrained to part from. There need be nodelay, O father, in doing that which is inevitable. What can be morepainful than that, when thou hast ascended to heaven, we shall have to goabout begging our food, like dogs, from strangers. But if thou artrescued with thy relations from these difficulties, I shall then livehappily in the region of the celestials. It hath been heard by us that ifafter bestowing thy daughter in this way, thou offerest oblations to thegods and the celestials, they will certainly be propitious.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'The Brahmana and his wife, hearing thesevarious lamentations of their daughter, became sadder than before and thethree began to weep together. Their son, then, of tender years, beholdingthem and their daughter thus weeping together, lisped these words in asweet tone, his eyes having dilated with delight, 'Weep not, O father,nor thou, O mother, nor thou O sister!' And smilingly did the childapproach each of them, and at last taking up a blade of grass said inglee, 'With this will I slay the Rakshasa who eateth human beings!'Although all of them had been plunged in woe, yet hearing what the childlisped so sweetly, joy appeared on their faces. Then Kunti thinking thatto be the proper opportunity, approached the group and said these words.Indeed, her words revived them as nectar reviveth a person that is dead.'"
SECTION CLXII
(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)
'Kunti said, 'I desire to learn from you the cause of this grief, for Iwill remove it, if possible.'
"The Brahmana replied, 'O thou of ascetic wealth, thy speech is, indeedworthy of thee. But this grief is incapable of being removed by any humanbeing. Not far from this town, there liveth a Rakshasa of the name ofVaka, which cannibal is the lord of this country and town. Thriving onhuman flesh, that wretched Rakshasa endued with great strength ruleththis country. He being the chief of the Asuras, this town and the countryin which it is situate are protected by his might. We have no fear fromthe machinations of any enemy, or indeed from any living soul. The fee,however, fixed for that cannibal is his food, which consists of acart-load of rice, two buffaloes, and a human being who conveyeth themunto him. One after another, the house-holders have to send him thisfood. The turn, however, cometh to a particular family at intervals ofmany long years. If there are any that seek to avoid it, the Rakshasaslayeth them with their children and wives and devoureth them all. Thereis, in this country, a city called Vetrakiya, where liveth the king ofthese territories. He is ignorant of the science of government, andpossessed of little intelligence, he adopts not with care any measure bywhich these territories may be rendered safe for all time to come. But wecertainly deserve it all, inasmuch as we live within the dominion of thatwretched and weak monarch in perpetual anxiety. Brahmanas can never bemade to dwell permanently within the dominions of any one, for they aredependent on nobody, they live rather like birds ranging all countries inperfect freedom. It hath been said that one must secure a (good) king,then a wife, and then wealth. It is by the acquisition of these threethat one can rescue his relatives and sons. But as regards theacquisition of these three, the course of my actions hath been thereverse. Hence, plunged into a sea of danger, am suffering sorely. Thatturn, destructive of one's family, hath now devolved upon me. I shallhave to give unto the Rakshasa as his fee the food of the aforesaiddescription and one human being to boot. I have no wealth to buy a manwith. I cannot by any means consent to part with any one of my family,nor do I see any way of escape from (the clutches of) that Rakshasa. I amnow sunk in an ocean of grief from which there is no escape. I shall goto that Rakshasa today, attended by all my family in order that thatwretch might devour us all at once'"
SECTION CLXIII
(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)
"Kunti said, Grieve not at all, O Brahmana, on account of this danger. Isee a way by which to rescue thee from that Rakshasa. Thou hast only oneson, who, besides, is of very tender years, also only one daughter, youngand helpless, so I do not like that any of these, or thy wife, or eventhyself should go unto the Rakshasa. I have five sons, O Brahmana, letone of them go, carrying in thy behalf tribute of that Rakshasa.'
"Hearing this, the Brahmana replied, 'To save my own life I shall neversuffer this to be done. I shall never sacrifice, to save myself, the lifeof a Brahmana or of a guest. Indeed, even those that are of low originand of sinful practices refuse to do (what thou askest me to do). It issaid that one should sacrifice one's self and one's offspring for thebenefit of a Brahmana. I regard this advice excellent and I like tofollow it too. When I have to choose between the death of a Brahmana andthat of my own, I would prefer the latter. The killing of a Brahmana isthe highest sin, and there is no expiation for it. I think a reluctantsacrifice of one's own self is better than the reluctant sacrifice of aBrahmana. O blessed lady, in sacrificing myself I do not become guilty ofself-destruction. No sin can attach to me when another will take my life.But if I deliberately consent to the death of a Brahmana, it would be acruel and sinful act, from the consequence of which there is no escape.The learned have said that the abandonment of one who hath come to thyhouse or sought thy protection, as also the killing of one who seekethdeath at thy hands, is both cruel and sinful. The illustrious among thoseconversant with practices allowable in seasons of distress, have beforenow said that one should never perform an act that is cruel andcensurable. It is well for me that I should today perish myself with mywife, but I would never sanction the death of a Brahmana.'
"Kunti said, 'I too am firmly of opinion, O Brahmana, that Brahmanasshould ever be protected. As regards myself, no son of mine would be lessdear to me even if I had a hundred instead of the five I have. But thisRakshasa will not be able to kill my son, for that son of mine is enduedwith great prowess and energy, and skilled in mantras. He will faithfullydeliver to the Rakshasa his food, but will, I know to a certainty, rescuehimself. I have seen before many mighty Rakshasas of huge bodies engagedin combat with my heroic son and killed too by him. But, O Brahmana, donot disclose this fact to anybody, for if it be known, persons desirousof obtaining this power, will, from curiosity, always trouble my sons.The wise have said that if my son imparteth any knowledge, without theassent of his preceptor, unto any person, my son himself will no longerbe able to profit by that knowledge.'
"Thus addressed by Pritha, the Brahmana with his wife became exceedinglyglad and assented to Kunti's speech, which was unto them as nectar. ThenKunti, accompanied by the Brahmana, went unto the son of Vayu (Bhima) andasked him to accomplish (that difficult task). Bhima replied unto them,saying, 'So be it.'"
SECTION CLXIV
(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'After Bhima had pledged himself to accomplish thetask, saying, 'I will do it,' the Pandavas, O Bharata, returned home withthe alms they had obtained during the day. Then Yudhishthira, the son ofPandu from Bhima's countenance alone, suspected the nature of the task hehad undertaken to accomplish. Sitting by the side of his mother,Yudhishthira asked her in private, 'What is the task, O mother, thatBhima of terrible prowess seeketh to accomplish? Doth he do so at thycommand or of his own accord?' Kunti replied, 'Bhima, that chastiser offoes, will at my command, do this great deed for the good of the Brahmanaand the liberation of this town.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'What rash act hast thou done, O mother! It isdifficult of being performed and almost amounteth to suicide! The learnednever applaud the abandonment of one's own child. Why dost thou, Omother, wish to sacrifice thy own child for the sake of another's? Thouhast, O mother, by this abandonment of thy child, acted not only againstthe course of human practices but also against the teachings of theVedas, That Bhima, relying on whose arms we sleep happily in the nightand hope to recover the kingdom of which we have been deprived by thecovetous son of Dhritarashtra, that hero of immeasurable energy,remembering whose prowess Duryodhana and Sakuni do not sleep a winkduring the whole night and by whose prowess we were rescued from thepalace of lac and various other dangers, that Bhima who caused the deathof Purochana, and relying on whose might we regard ourselves as havingalready slain the sons of Dhritarashtra and acquired the whole earth withall her wealth, upon what considerations, O mother, hast thou resolvedupon abandoning him? Hast thou been deprived of thy reason? Hath thyunderstanding been clouded by the calamities thou hast undergone?'
"On hearing these words of her son, Kunti said, 'O Yudhishthira, thouneedst not be at all anxious on account of Vrikodara. I have not come tothis resolve owing to any weakness of understanding. Respected by him,and with our sorrows assuaged, we have, O son, been living in the houseof this Brahmana, unknown to the sons of Dhritarashtra. For requiting, Oson, that Brahmana, I have resolved to do this. He, indeed, is a man uponwhom good offices are never lost. The measure of his requital becomethgreater than the measure of the services he receiveth. Beholding theprowess of Bhima on the occasion of (our escape from) the house of lac,and from the destruction also of Hidimva, my confidence in Vrikodara isgreat. The might of Bhima's arms is equal unto that of ten thousandelephants. It was, therefore, that he succeeded in carrying you all, eachheavy as an elephant, from Varanavata. There is no one on earth equalunto Bhima in might; he may even overcome that foremost of warriors, theholder of the thunderbolt himself. Soon after his birth he fell from mylap on the breast of the mountain. By the weight of his body the mass ofstone on which he fell down broke in pieces. From this also, O son ofPandu, I have come to know Bhima's might. For this reason have I resolvedto set him against the Brahmana's foe. I have not acted in this fromfoolishness or ignorance or from motive of gain. I have deliberatelyresolved to do this virtuous deed. By this act, O Yudhishthira, twoobjects will be accomplished; one is a requital of the services renderedby the Brahmana and the other is the acquisition of high religious merit.It is my conviction that the Kshatriya who rendereth help unto a Brahmanain anything acquireth regions of bliss hereafter. So also a Kshatriya whosaveth the life of a Kshatriya achieveth that great fame in this world asin the other. A Kshatriya rendering help unto a Vaisya also on this earthcertainly acquires world-wide popularity. One of the kingly tribe shouldprotect even the Sudra who cometh to him for protection. If he doeth so,in his next life he receiveth his birth in a royal line, commandingprosperity and the respect of other kings. O scion of Puru's race, theillustrious Vyasa of wisdom acquired by hard ascetic toil told me so inbygone days. It is therefore, that I have resolved upon accomplishingthis.'"
SECTION CLXV
(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)
"Having heard these words of his mother, Yudhishthira said, 'What thou, Omother, hast deliberately done, moved by compassion for the afflictedBrahmana, is, indeed, excellent Bhima will certainly come back with life,after having slain the cannibal, inasmuch as thou art, O mother, alwayscompassionate unto Brahmanas. But tell the Brahmana, O mother, that hedoth not do anything whereby the dwellers in this town may know all aboutit, and make him promise to keep thy request.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then, when the night passed away, Bhimasena,the son of Pandu, taking with him the Rakshasa's food set out for theplace where the cannibal lived. The mighty son of Pandu, approaching theforest where the Rakshasa dwelt, began to eat himself the food hecarried, calling loudly to the Rakshasa by name. The Rakshasa, inflamedwith anger at Bhima's words, came out and approached the place whereBhima was.
"Of huge body and great strength, of red eyes, red beard, and red hair,he was terrible to behold, and he came, pressing deep the earth with histread. The opening of his mouth, was from ear to ear and his earsthemselves were straight as arrows. Of grim visage, he had a foreheadfurrowed into three lines. Beholding Bhima eating his food, the Rakshasaadvanced, biting his nether lip and expanding his eyes in wrath. Andaddressing Bhima he said, 'Who is this fool, who desiring to go to theabode of Yama, eateth in my very sight the food intended for me?' Hearingthese words, Bhima, O Bharata, smiled in derision and disregarding theRakshasa, continued eating with averted face. Beholding this, thecannibal uttered a frightful yell and with both arms upraised ran atBhima desiring to kill him, there and then. Even then disregarding theRakshasa and casting only a single glance at him, Vrikodara, that slayerof hostile heroes continued to eat the Rakshasa's food. Filled with wrathat this, the Rakshasa struck, from behind with both his arms a heavy blowon the back of Vrikodara, the son of Kunti. But Bhima, though struckheavily by the mighty Rakshasa, with both his hands, did not even look upat the Rakshasa but continued to eat as before. Then the mighty Rakshasa,inflamed with wrath, tore up a tree and ran at Bhima for striking himagain. Meanwhile the mighty Bhima, that bull among men had leisurelyeaten up the whole of that food and washing himself stood cheerfully forfight. Then, O Bharata, possessed of great energy, Bhima, smiling inderision, caught with his left hand the tree hurled at him by theRakshasa in wrath. Then that mighty Rakshasa, tearing up many more trees,hurled them at Bhima, and the Pandava also hurled as many at theRakshasa. Then, O king, the combat with trees between that human beingand the Rakshasa, became so terrible that the region around soon becamedestitute of trees. Then the Rakshasa, saying that he was none else thanVaka, sprang upon the Pandava and seized the mighty Bhima with his arms.That mighty hero also clasping with his own strong arms the strong-armedRakshasa, and exerting himself actively, began to drag him violently.Dragged by Bhima and dragging Bhima also, the cannibal was overcome withgreat fatigue. The earth began to tremble in consequence of the strengththey both exerted, and large trees that stood there broke in pieces. ThenBhima, beholding the cannibal overcome with fatigue, pressed him down onthe earth with his knees and began to strike him with great force. Thenplacing one knee on the middle of the Rakshasa's back, Bhima seized hisneck with his right hand and the cloth on his waist with his left, andbent him double with great force. The cannibal then roared frightfully.And, O monarch, he also began to vomit blood while he was being thusbroken on Bhima's knee.'"
SECTION CLXVI
(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said 'Then Vaka, huge as a mountain, thus broken (onBhima's knee), died, uttering frightful yells. Terrified by these sounds,the relatives of that Rakshasa came out, O king, with their attendants.Bhima, that foremost of smiters, seeing them so terrified and deprived ofreason, comforted them and made them promise (to give up cannibalism),saying, 'Do not ever again kill human beings. If ye kill men, ye willhave to die even as Vaka.' Those Rakshasas hearing this speech of Bhima,said, 'So be it,' and gave, O king, the desired promise. From that day, OBharata, the Rakshasas (of the region) were seen by the inhabitants ofthat town to be very peaceful towards mankind. Then Bhima, dragging thelifeless cannibal, placed him at one of the gates of the town and wentaway unobserved by any one. The kinsmen of Vaka, beholding him slain bythe might of Bhima, became frightened and fled in different directions.
"Meanwhile Bhima, having slain the Rakshasa, returned to the Brahmana'sabode and related to Yudhishthira all that had happened, in detail. Thenext morning the inhabitants of the town in coming out saw the Rakshasalying dead on the ground, his body covered with blood. Beholding thatterrible cannibal, huge as a mountain cliff, thus mangled and lying onthe ground, the hair of the spectators stood erect. Returning toEkachakra, they soon gave the intelligence. Then, O king, the citizens bythousands accompanied by their wives, young and old, all began to come tothe spot for beholding the Vaka and they were all amazed at seeing thatsuperhuman feat. Instantly, O monarch, they began to pray to their gods.Then they began to calculate whose turn it had been the day before tocarry food to the Rakshasa. And ascertaining this, they all came to thatBrahmana and asked him (to satisfy their curiosity). Thus asked by themrepeatedly, that bull among Brahmanas, desirous of concealing thePandavas, said these words unto all the citizens, 'A certain high-souledBrahmana, skilled in mantras, beheld me weeping with my relatives after Ihad been ordered to supply the Rakshasa's food. Asking me the cause andascertaining the distress of the town, that first of Brahmanas gave meevery assurance and with smiles said, 'I shall carry the food for thatwretched Rakshasa today. Do not fear for me.' Saying this he conveyed thefood towards the forest of Vaka. This deed, so beneficial unto us all,hath very certainly been done by him.'
Then those Brahmanas and Kshatriyas (of the city), hearing this, wonderedmuch. And the Vaisyas and the Sudras also became exceedingly glad, andthey all established a festival in which the worship of Brahmanas was theprincipal ceremony (in remembrance of this Brahmana who had relieved themfrom their fears of Vaka).
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Desirous of giving his grandsons a superioreducation, Bhishma was on the look-out for a teacher endued with energyand well-skilled in the science of arms. Deciding, O chief of theBharatas, that none who was not possessed of great intelligence, none whowas not illustrious or a perfect master of the science of arms, none whowas not of godlike might, should be the instructor of the Kuru (princes),the son of Ganga, O tiger among men, placed the Pandavas and the Kauravasunder the tuition of Bharadwaja's son, the intelligent Drona skilled inall the Vedas. Pleased with the reception given him by the great Bhishma,that foremost of all men skilled in arms, viz., illustrious Drona ofworld-wide fame, accepted the princes as his pupils. And Drona taughtthem the science of arms in all its branches. And, O monarch, both theKauravas and the Pandavas endued with immeasurable strength, in a shorttime became proficient in the use of all kinds of arms.'
"Janamejaya asked, 'O Brahmana, how was Drona born? How and whence did heacquire his arms? How and why came he unto the Kurus? Whose son also washe endued with such energy? Again, how was his son Aswatthaman, theforemost of all skilled in arms born? I wish to hear all this! Pleaserecite them in detail.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'There dwelt at the source of the Ganga, a great sagenamed Bharadwaja, ceaselessly observing the most rigid vows. One day, ofold, intending to celebrate the Agnihotra sacrifice he went along withmany great Rishis to the Ganga to perform his ablutions. Arrived at thebank of the stream, he saw Ghritachi herself, that Apsara endued withyouth and beauty, who had gone there a little before. With an expressionof pride in her countenance, mixed with a voluptuous languor of attitude,the damsel rose from the water after her ablutions were over. And as shewas gently treading on the bank, her attire which was loose becamedisordered. Seeing her attire disordered, the sage was smitten withburning desire. The next moment his vital fluid came out, in consequenceof the violence of his emotion. The Rishi immediately held it in a vesselcalled a drona. Then, O king, Drona sprang from the fluid thus preservedin that vessel by the wise Bharadwaja. And the child thus born studiedall the Vedas and their branches. Before now Bharadwaja of great prowessand the foremost of those possessing a knowledge of arms, hadcommunicated to the illustrious Agnivesa, a knowledge of the weaponcalled Agneya. O foremost one of Bharata's race, the Rishi (Agnivesa)sprung from fire now communicated the knowledge of that great weapon toDrona the son of his preceptor.
"There was a king named Prishata who was a great friend of Bharadwaja.About this time Prishata had a son born unto him, named Drupada. And thatbull among Kshatriyas, viz., Drupada, the son of Prishata, used every dayto come to the hermitage of Bharadwaja to play with Drona and study inhis company. O monarch, when Prishata was dead, this Drupada of mightyarms became the king of the northern Panchalas. About this time theillustrious Bharadwaja also ascended to heaven. Drona continuing toreside in his father's hermitage devoted himself to ascetic austerities.Having become well-versed in the Vedas and their branches and havingburnt also all his sins by asceticism, the celebrated Drona, obedient tothe injunctions of his father and moved by the desire of offspringmarried Kripi, the daughter of Saradwat. And this woman, ever engaged invirtuous acts and the Agnihotra, and the austerest of penances, obtaineda son named Aswatthaman. And as soon as Aswatthaman was born, he neighedlike the (celestial) steed Ucchaihsravas. Hearing that cry, an invisiblebeing in the skies said, 'The voice of this child hath, like the neighingof a horse, been audible all around. The child shall, therefore, be knownby the name of Aswatthaman, (the horse-voiced). The son of Bharadwaja(Drona) was exceedingly glad at having obtained that child. Continuing toreside in that hermitage he devoted himself to the study of the scienceof arms.
"O king, it was about this time that Drona heard that the illustriousBrahmana Jamadagnya, that slayer of foes, that foremost one among allwielders of weapons, versed in all kinds of knowledge, had expressed adesire of giving away all his wealth to Brahmanas. Having heard of Rama'sknowledge of arms and of his celestial weapons also, Drona set his heartupon them as also upon the knowledge of morality that Rama possessed.Then Drona of mighty arms, endued with high ascetic virtues, accompaniedby disciples who were all devoted to vows ascetic austerities, set outfor the Mahendra mountains. Arrived at Mahendra, the son of Bharadwajapossessed of high ascetic merit, beheld the son of Bhrigu, theexterminator of all foes, endued with great patience and with mind undercomplete control. Then, approaching with his disciples that scion of theBhrigu race Drona, giving him his name, told him of his birth in the lineof Angiras. And touching the ground with his head, he worshipped Rama'sfeet. And beholding the illustrious son of Jamadagni intent upon retiringinto the woods after having given away all his wealth, Drona said, 'Knowme to have sprung from Bharadwaja, but not in any woman's womb! I am aBrahmana of high birth, Drona by name, come to thee with the desire ofobtaining thy wealth.'
"On hearing him, that illustrious grinder of the Kshatriya race replied,Thou art welcome, O best of regenerate ones! Tell me what thou desirest.Thus addressed by Rama, the son of Bharadwaja replied unto that foremostof all smiters, desirous of giving away the whole of his wealth, 'O thouof multifarious vows, I am a candidate for thy eternal wealth,' 'O thouof ascetic wealth, returned Rama, 'My gold and whatever other wealth Ihad, have all been given away unto Brahmanas! This earth also, to theverge of the sea, decked with towns and cities, as with a garland offlowers, I have given unto Kasyapa. I have now my body only and myvarious valuable weapons left. I am prepared to give either my body or myweapons. Say, which thou wouldst have! I would give it thee! Say quickly!'
"Drona answered, O son of Bhrigu, it behoveth thee to give me all thyweapons together with the mysteries of hurling and recalling them.'
"Saying, 'So be it,' the son of Bhrigu gave all his weapons untoDrona,--indeed, the whole science of arms with its rules and mysteries.Accepting them all, and thinking himself amply rewarded that best ofBrahmanas then, glad at heart, set out, for (the city of) his friendDrupada.'"
SECTION CXXXII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then, O king, the mighty son of Bharadyaja presentedhimself before Drupada, and addressing that monarch, said, 'Know me forthy friend.' Thus addressed by his friend, the son of Bharadwaja, with ajoyous heart, the lord of the Panchalas was ill-able to bear that speech.The king, intoxicated with the pride of wealth, contracted his brows inwrath, and with reddened eyes spake these words unto Drona, 'O Brahmana,thy intelligence is scarcely of a high order, inasmuch as thou sayestunto me, all on a sudden, that thou art my friend! O thou of dullapprehension, great kings can never be friends with such luckless andindigent wights as thou! It is true there had been friendship betweenthee and me before, for we were then both equally circumstanced. But Timethat impaireth everything in its course, impaireth friendship also. Inthis world, friendship never endureth for ever in any heart. Time wearethit off and anger destroyeth it too. Do not stick, therefore, to thatworn-off friendship. Think not of it any longer. The friendship I hadwith thee, O first of Brahmanas, was for a particular purpose. Friendshipcan never subsist between a poor man and a rich man, between a man ofletters and an unlettered mind, between a hero and a coward. Why dostthou desire the continuance of our former friendship? There may befriendship or hostility between persons equally situated as to wealth ormight. The indigent and the affluent can neither be friends nor quarrelwith each other. One of impure birth can never be a friend to one of purebirth; one who is not a car-warrior can never be a friend to one who isso; and one who is not a king never have a king for his friend.Therefore, why dost thou desire the continuance of our former friendship?'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Drupada, the mighty son ofBharadwaja became filled with wrath, and reflecting for a moment, made uphis mind as to his course of action. Seeing the insolence of the Panchalaking, he wished to check it effectually. Hastily leaving the Panchalacapital Drona bent his steps towards the capital of the Kurus, namedafter the elephant.'"
SECTION CXXXIII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Arrived at Hastinapura, that best of Brahmanas, theson of Bharadwaja, continued to live privately in the house of Gautama(Kripa). His mighty son (Aswatthaman) at intervals of Kripa's teaching,used to give the sons of Kunti lessons in the use of arms. But as yetnone knew of Aswatthaman's prowess.
"Drona had thus lived privately for some time in the house of Kripa whenone day the heroic princes, all in a company, came out of Hastinapura.And coming out of the city, they began to play with a ball and roam aboutin gladness of heart. And it so happened that the ball with which theyhad been playing fell into a well. And thereupon the princes strove theirbest to recover it from the well. But all the efforts the princes made torecover it proved futile. They then began to eye one another bashfully,and not knowing how to recover it, their anxiety became great. Just atthis time they beheld a Brahmana near enough unto them, of darkish hue,decrepit and lean, sanctified by the performance of the Agnihotra and whohad finished his daily rites of worship. And beholding that illustriousBrahmana, the princes who had despaired of success surrounded himimmediately. Drona (for that Brahmana was no other), seeing the princesunsuccessful, and conscious of his own skill, smiled a little, andaddressing them said, 'Shame on your Kshatriya might, and shame also onyour skill in arms! You have been born in the race of Bharata! How is itthat ye cannot recover the ball (from the bottom of this well)? If yepromise me a dinner today, I will, with these blades of grass, bring upnot only the ball ye have lost but this ring also that I now throw down!'Thus saying, Drona that oppressor of foes, taking off his ring, threw itdown into the dry well. Then Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, addressingDrona, said, 'O Brahmana (thou askest for a trifle)! Do thou, withKripa's permission, obtain of us that which would last thee for life!'Thus addressed, Drona with smiles replied unto the Bharata princes,saying, 'This handful of long grass I would invest, by my mantras, withthe virtue of weapons. Behold these blades possess virtues that otherweapons, have not! I will, with one of these blades, pierce the ball, andthen pierce that blade with another, and that another with a third, andthus shall I, by a chain, bring up the ball.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Drona did exactly what he had said. Andthe princes were all amazed and their eyes expanded with delight. Andregarding what they had witnessed to be very extraordinary, they said, Olearned Brahmana, do thou bring up the ring also without loss of time.'
"Then the illustrious Drona, taking a bow with an arrow, pierced the ringwith that arrow and brought it up at once. And taking the ring thusbrought up from the well still pierced with his arrow, he coolly gave itto the astonished princes. Then the latter, seeing the ring thusrecovered, said, 'We bow to thee, O Brahmana! None else owneth suchskill. We long to know who thou art and whose son. What also can we dofor thee?'
"Thus addressed, Drona replied unto the princes, saying, 'Do ye repairunto Bhishma and describe to him my likeness and skill. The mighty onewill recognize me.' The princes then saying, 'So be it,' repaired untoBhishma and telling him of the purport of that Brahmana's speech, relatedeverything about his (extraordinary) feat. Hearing everything from theprinces, Bhishma at once understood that the Brahmana was none else thanDrona, and thinking that he would make the best preceptor for theprinces, went in person unto him and welcoming him respectfully, broughthim over to the place. Then Bhishma, that foremost of all wielders ofarms, adroitly asked him the cause of his arrival at Hastinapura. Askedby him, Drona represented everything as it had happened, saying, 'O sir,in times past I went to the great Rishi Agnivesa for obtaining from himhis weapons, desirous also of learning the science of arms. Devoted tothe service of my preceptor, I lived with him for many years in thehumble guise of a Brahmacharin, with matted locks on my head. At thattime, actuated by the same motives, the prince of Panchala, the mightyYajnasena, also lived in the same asylum. He became my friend, alwaysseeking my welfare. I liked him much. Indeed, we lived together for many,many years. O thou of Kuru's race, from our earliest years we had studiedtogether and, indeed, he was my friend from boyhood, always speaking anddoing what was agreeable to me. For gratifying me, O Bhishma, he used totell me, 'O Drona, I am the favourite child of my illustrious father.When the king installeth me as monarch of the Panchalas, the kingdomshall be thine. O friend, this, indeed, is my solemn promise. Mydominion, wealth and happiness, shall all be dependent on thee.' At lastthe time came for his departure. Having finished his studies, he bent hissteps towards his country. I offered him my regards at the time, and,indeed, I remembered his words ever afterwards.
"Some time after, in obedience to the injunctions of my father andtempted also by the desire of offspring, I married Kripi of short hair,who gifted with great intelligence, had observed many rigid vows, and wasever engaged in the Agnihotra and other sacrifices and rigid austerities.Gautami, in time, gave birth to a son named Aswatthaman of great prowessand equal in splendour unto the Sun himself. Indeed, I was pleased onhaving obtained Aswatthaman as much as my father had been on obtaining me.
"And it so happened that one day the child Aswatthaman observing somerich men's sons drink milk, began to cry. At this I was so beside myselfthat I lost all knowledge of the point of the compass. Instead of askinghim who had only a few kine (so that if he gave me one, he would nolonger be able to perform his sacrifices and thus sustain a loss ofvirtue), I was desirous of obtaining a cow from one who had many, and forthat I wandered from country to country. But my wanderings provedunsuccessful, for I failed to obtain a milch cow. After I had come backunsuccessful, some of my son's playmates gave him water mixed withpowdered rice. Drinking this, the poor boy, was deceived into the beliefthat he had taken milk, and began to dance in joy, saying, 'O, I havetaken milk. I have taken milk!' Beholding him dance with joy amid theseplaymates smiling at his simplicity, I was exceedingly touched. Hearingalso the derisive speeches of busy-bodies who said, 'Fie upon theindigent Drona, who strives not to earn wealth, whose son drinking watermixed with powdered rice mistaketh it for milk and danceth with joy,saying, 'I have taken milk,--I have taken milk!'--I was quite besidemyself. Reproaching myself much, I at last resolved that even if I shouldhave to live cast off and censured by Brahmanas, I would not yet, fromdesire of wealth, be anybody's servant, which is ever hateful. Thusresolved, O Bhishma, I went, for former friendship, unto the king of theSomakas, taking with me my dear child and wife. Hearing that he had beeninstalled in the sovereignty (of the Somakas), I regarded myself asblessed beyond compare. Joyfully I went unto that dear friend of mineseated on the throne, remembering my former friendship with him and alsohis own words to me. And, O illustrious one, approaching Drupada, I said,'O tiger among men, know me for thy friend!'--Saying this, I approachedhim confidently as a friend should. But Drupada, laughing in derisioncast me off as if I were a vulgar fellow. Addressing me he said, 'Thyintelligence scarcely seemeth to be of a high order inasmuch asapproaching me suddenly, thou sayest thou art my friend! Time thatimpaireth everything, impaireth friendship also. My former friendshipwith thee was for a particular purpose. One of impure birth can never bea friend of one who is of pure birth. One who is not a car-warrior cannever be a friend of one who is such. Friendship can only subsist betweenpersons that are of equal rank, but not between those that are unequallysituated. Friendship never subsisteth for ever in my heart. Timeimpaireth friendships, as also anger destroyeth them. Do thou not stick,therefore, to that worn-off friendship between us. Think not of it anylonger. The friendship I had with thee, O best of Brahmanas, was for aspecial purpose. There cannot be friendship between a poor man and a richman, between an unlettered hind and a man of letters, between a cowardand a hero. Why dost thou, therefore, desire, the revival of our formerfriendship? O thou of simple understanding, great kings can never havefriendship with such indigent and luckless wight as thou? One who is nota king can never have a king for his friend. I do not remember everhaving promised thee my kingdom. But, O Brahmana, I can now give theefood and shelter for one night.'--Thus addressed by him, I left hispresence quickly with my wife, vowing to do that which I will certainlydo soon enough. Thus insulted by Drupada, O Bhishma, I have been filledwith wrath, I have come to the Kurus, desirous of obtaining intelligentand docile pupils. I come to Hastinapura to gratify thy wishes. O, tellme what I am to do.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by the son of Bharadwaja,Bhishma said unto him, 'String thy bow, O Brahmana, and make the Kuruprinces accomplished in arms. Worshipped by the Kurus, enjoy with a gladheart to thy fill every comfort in their abode. Thou art the absolutelord, O Brahmana, of what ever wealth the Kurus have and of theirsovereignty and kingdom! The Kurus are thine (from this day). Think thatas already accomplished which may be in thy heart. Thou art, O Brahmana,obtained by us as the fruit of our great good luck. Indeed, the favourthou hast conferred upon me by thy arrival is great.'
SECTION CXXXIV
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus worshipped by Bhishma, Drona, that first ofmen, endued with great energy, took up his quarters in the abode of theKurus and continued to live there, receiving their adorations. After hehad rested a while, Bhishma, taking with him his grandsons, the Kauravaprinces, gave them unto him as pupils, making at the same time manyvaluable presents. And the mighty one (Bhishma) also joyfully gave untothe son of Bharadwaja a house that was tidy and neat and well-filled withpaddy and every kind of wealth. And that first of archers, Drona,thereupon joyfully, accepted the Kauravas, viz., the sons of Pandu andDhritarashtra, as his pupils. And having accepted them all as his pupils,one day Drona called them apart and making them touch his feet, said tothem with a swelling heart, 'I have in my heart a particular purpose.Promise me truly, ye sinless ones, that when ye have become skilled inarms, ye will accomplish it.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words, the Kuru princes remainedsilent. But Arjuna, O king, vowed to accomplish it whatever it was. Dronathen cheerfully clasped Arjuna to his bosom and took the scent of hishead repeatedly, shedding tears of joy all the while. Then Drona enduedwith great prowess taught the sons of Pandu (the use of) many weaponsboth celestial and human. And, O bull of the Bharata race, many otherprinces also flocked to that best of Brahmanas for instruction in arms.The Vrishnis and the Andhakas, and princes from various lands, and the(adopted) son of Radha of the Suta caste, (Karna), all became pupils ofDrona. But of them all, the Suta child Karna, from jealousy, frequentlydefied Arjuna, and supported by Duryodhana, used to disregard thePandavas. Arjuna, however, from devotion to the science of arms, alwaysstayed by the side of his preceptor, and in skill, strength of arms, andperseverance, excelled all (his class-fellows). Indeed, although theinstruction the preceptor gave, was the same in the case of all, yet inlightness and skill Arjuna became the foremost of all his fellow-pupils.And Drona was convinced that none of his pupils would (at any time) beable to be equal to that son of Indra.
"Thus Drona continued giving lessons to the princes in the science ofweapons. And while he gave unto every one of his pupils a narrow-mouthedvessel (for fetching water) in order that much time may be spent infilling them, he gave unto his own son Aswatthaman a broad-mouthedvessel, so that, filling it quickly, he might return soon enough. And inthe intervals so gained, Drona used to instruct his own son in severalsuperior methods (of using weapons). Jishnu (Arjuna) came to know ofthis, and thereupon filling his narrow-mouthed vessel with water by meansof the Varuna weapon he used to come unto his preceptor at the same timewith his preceptor's son. And accordingly the intelligent son of Pritha,that foremost of all men possessing a knowledge of weapons, had noinferiority to his preceptor's son in respect of excellence. Arjuna'sdevotion to the service of his preceptor as also to arms was very greatand he soon became the favourite of his preceptor. And Drona, beholdinghis pupil's devotion to arms, summoned the cook, and told him in secret,'Never give Arjuna his food in the dark, nor tell him that I have toldthee this.' A few days after, however, when Arjuna was taking his food, awind arose, and thereupon the lamp that had been burning went out. ButArjuna, endued with energy, continued eating in the dark, his hand, fromhabit, going to his mouth. His attention being thus called to the forceof habit, the strong-armed son of Pandu set his heart upon practisingwith his bow in the night. And, O Bharata, Drona, hearing the twang ofhis bowstring in the night, came to him, and clasping him, said, 'Trulydo I tell thee that I shall do that unto thee by which there shall not bean archer equal to thee in this world.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thereafter Drona began to teach Arjuna the artof fighting on horse-back, on the back of elephants, on car, and on theground. And the mighty Drona also instructed Arjuna in fighting with themace, the sword, the lance, the spear, and the dart. And he alsoinstructed him in using many weapons and fighting with many men at thesame time. And hearing reports of his skill, kings and princes, desirousof learning the science of arms, flocked to Drona by thousands. Amongstthose that came there, O monarch, was a prince named Ekalavya, who wasthe son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas (the lowest of the mixedorders). Drona, however, cognisant of all rules of morality, accepted notthe prince as his pupil in archery, seeing that he was a Nishada whomight (in time) excel all his high-born pupils. But, O oppressor of allenemies, the Nishada prince, touching Drona's feet with bent head, wendedhis way into the forest, and there he made a clay-image of Drona, andbegan to worship it respectfully, as if it was his real preceptor, andpractised weapons before it with the most rigid regularity. Inconsequence of his exceptional reverence for his preceptor and hisdevotion to his purpose, all the three processes of fixing arrows on thebowstring, aiming, and letting off became very easy for him.
"And one day, O grinder of foes, the Kuru and the Pandava princes, withDrona's leave, set out in their cars on a hunting excursion. A servant, Oking, followed the party at leisure, with the usual implements and a dog.Having come to the woods, they wandered about, intent on the purpose theyhad in view. Meanwhile, the dog also, in wandering alone in the woods,came upon the Nishada prince (Ekalavya). And beholding the Nishada ofdark hue, of body besmeared with filth, dressed in black and bearingmatted locks on head, the dog began to bark aloud.
"Thereupon the Nishada prince, desirous of exhibiting his lightness ofhand, sent seven arrows into its mouth (before it could shut it). Thedog, thus pierced with seven arrows, came back to the Pandavas. Thoseheroes, who beheld that sight, were filled with wonder, and, ashamed oftheir own skill, began to praise the lightness of hand and precision ofaim by auricular precision (exhibited by the unknown archer). And theythereupon began to seek in those woods for the unknown dweller thereinthat had shown such skill. And, O king, the Pandavas soon found out theobject of their search ceaselessly discharging arrows from the bow. Andbeholding that man of grim visage, who was totally a stranger to them,they asked, 'Who art thou and whose son?' Thus questioned, the manreplied, 'Ye heroes, I am the son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas.Know me also for a pupil of Drona, labouring for the mastery of the artof arms.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'The Pandavas then, having made themselvesacquainted with everything connected with him, returned (to the city),and going unto Drona, told him of that wonderful feat of archery whichthey had witnessed in the woods. Arjuna, in particular, thinking all thewhile, O king, Ekalavya, saw Drona in private and relying upon hispreceptor's affection for him, said, 'Thou hadst lovingly told me,clasping me, to thy bosom, that no pupil of thine should be equal to me.Why then is there a pupil of thine, the mighty son of the Nishada king,superior to me?"
'Vaisampayana continued, 'On hearing these words, Drona reflected for amoment, and resolving upon the course of action he should follow, tookArjuna with him and went unto the Nishada prince. And he beheld Ekalavyawith body besmeared with filth, matted locks (on head), clad in rags,bearing a bow in hand and ceaselessly shooting arrows therefrom. And whenEkalavya saw Drona approaching towards him, he went a few steps forward,and touched his feet and prostrated himself on the ground. And the son ofthe Nishada king worshipping Drona, duly represented himself as hispupil, and clasping his hands in reverence stood before him (awaiting hiscommands). Then Drona, O king, addressed Ekalavya, saying, 'If, O hero,thou art really my pupil, give me then my fees.' On hearing these words,Ekalavya was very much gratified, and said in reply, 'O illustriouspreceptor, what shall I give? Command me; for there is nothing, Oforemost of all persons conversant with the Vedas, that I may not giveunto my preceptor.' Drona answered, 'O Ekalavya, if thou art reallyintent on making me a gift, I should like then to have the thumb of thyright hand.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these cruel words of Drona, who hadasked of him his thumb as tuition-fee, Ekalavya, ever devoted to truthand desirous also of keeping his promise, with a cheerful face and anunafflicted heart cut off without ado his thumb, and gave it unto Drona.After this, when the Nishada prince began once more to shoot with thehelp of his remaining fingers, he found, O king, that he had lost hisformer lightness of hand. And at this Arjuna became happy, the fever (ofjealousy) having left him.
"Two of Drona's pupils became very much accomplished in the use of mace.These were Druvodhana and Bhima, who were, however, always jealous ofeach other. Aswatthaman excelled everyone (in the mysteries of thescience of arms). The twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) excelled everybody inhandling the sword. Yudhishthira surpassed everybody as a car-warrior;but Arjuna, however, outdistanced everyone in every respect--inintelligence, resourcefulness, strength and perseverance. Accomplished inall weapons, Arjuna became the foremost of even the foremost ofcar-warriors; and his fame spread all over the earth to the verge of thesea. And although the instruction was the same, the mighty Arjunaexcelled all (the princes in lightness of hand). Indeed, in weapons as indevotion to his preceptor, he became the foremost of them all. Andamongst all the princes, Arjuna alone became an Atiratha (a car-warriorcapable of fighting at one time with sixty thousand foes). And the wickedsons of Dhritarashtra, beholding Bhimasena endued with great strength andArjuna accomplished in all arms, became very jealous of them.
"O bull among men, one day Drona desirous of testing the comparativeexcellence of all his pupils in the use of arms, collected them alltogether after their education had been completed. And before assemblingthem together, he had caused an artificial bird, as the would be aim, tobe placed on the top of a neighbouring tree. And when they were alltogether, Drona said unto them, 'Take up your bows quickly and stand hereaiming at that bird on the tree, with arrows fixed on your bowstrings;shoot and cut off the bird's head, as soon as I give the order. I shallgive each of you a turn, one by one, my children.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Drona, that foremost of all Angira's sonsfirst addressed Yudhishthira saying, 'O irrepressible one, aim with thyarrow and shoot as soon as I give the order. Yudhishthira took up the bowfirst, as desired, O king, by his preceptor, and stood aiming at thebird. But, O bull of Bharata's race, Drona in an instant, addressing theKuru prince standing with bow in hand, said, 'Behold, O prince, that birdon top of the tree.' Yudhishthira replied unto his preceptor, saying, 'Ido.' But the next instant Drona again asked him, 'What dost thou see now,O prince? Seest thou the tree, myself or thy brothers?' Yudhishthiraanswered, 'I see the tree, myself, my brothers, and the bird.' Dronarepeated his question, but was answered as often in the same words. Dronathen, vexed with Yudhishthira, reproachingly said, 'Stand thou apart. Itis not for thee to strike the aim.' Then Drona repeated the experimentwith Duryodhana and the other sons of Dhritarashtra, one after another,as also with his other pupils, Bhima and the rest, including the princesthat had come unto him from other lands. But the answer in every case wasthe same as Yudhishthira's viz., 'We behold the tree, thyself, ourfellow-pupils, and the bird.' And reproached by their preceptor, theywere all ordered, one after another, to stand apart.'"
SECTION CXXXV
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'When everyone had failed, Drona smilingly calledArjuna and said unto him, 'By thee the aim must be shot; therefore, turnthy eyes to it. Thou must let fly the arrow as soon as I give the order.Therefore, O son, stand here with bow and arrow for an instant.' Thusaddressed, Arjuna stood aiming at the bird as desired by his preceptor,with his bow bent. An instant after Drona asked him as in the case ofothers, 'Seest thou, O Arjuna, the bird there, the tree, and myself?'Arjuna replied, 'I see the bird only, but nor the tree, or thyself.' Thenthe irrepressible Drona, well-pleased with Arjuna, the instant after,again said unto that mighty car-warrior amongst the Pandavas, 'If thouseest the vulture, then describe it to me.' Arjuna said, I see only thehead of the vulture, not its body.' At these words of Arjuna, the hair(on Drona's body) stood on end from delight. He then said to Partha,'Shoot.' And the latter instantly let fly (his arrow) and with his sharpshaft speedily struck off the head of the vulture on the tree and broughtit down to the ground. No sooner was the deed done than Drona claspedPhalguna to his bosom and thought Drupada with his friends had alreadybeen vanquished in fight.
"Some time after, O bull of Bharata's race, Drona, accompanied by all ofhis pupils, went to the bank of the Ganga to bathe in that sacred stream.And when Drona had plunged into the stream, a strong alligator, sent asit were, by Death himself seized him by the thigh. And though himselfquite capable, Drona in a seeming hurry asked his pupil to rescue him.And he said, 'O, kill this monster and rescue me.' Contemporaneously withthis speech, Vibhatsu (Arjuna) struck the monster within the water withfive sharp arrows irresistible in their course, while the other pupilsstood confounded, each at his place. Beholding Arjuna's readiness, Dronaconsidered him to be the foremost of all his pupils, and became highlypleased. The monster, in the meantime cut into pieces by the arrows ofArjuna, released the thigh of illustrious Drona and gave up the ghost.The son of Bharadwaja then addressed the illustrious and mightycar-warrior Arjuna and said, 'Accept, O thou of mighty arms, this verysuperior and irresistible weapon called Brahmasira with the methods ofhurling and recalling it. Thou must not, however, ever use it against anyhuman foe, for if hurled at any foe endued with inferior energy, it mightburn the whole universe. It is said, O child, that this weapon hath not apeer in the three worlds. Keep it, therefore, with great care, and listento what I say. If ever, O hero, any foe, not human, contendeth againstthee thou mayst then employ it against him for compassing his death inbattle.' Pledging himself to do what he was bid, Vibhatsu then, withjoined hands, received that great weapon.
The preceptor then, addressing him again, said, 'None else in this worldwill ever become a superior bowman to thee. Vanquished thou shall neverbe by any foe, and thy achievements will be great.'"
SECTION CXXXVI
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'O thou of Bharata's race, beholding the sons ofDhritarashtra and Pandu accomplished in arms, Drona, O monarch, addressedking Dhritarashtra, in the presence of Kripa, Somadatta, Valhika, thewise son of Ganga (Bhishma), Vyasa, and Vidura, and said, 'O best of Kurukings, thy children have completed their education. With thy permission,O king, let them now show their proficiency.' Hearing him, the king saidwith a gladdened heart, 'O best of Brahmanas, thou hast, indeed,accomplished a great deed. Command me thyself as to the place and thetime where and when and the manner also in which the trial may be held.Grief arising from my own blindness maketh me envy those who, blessedwith sight, will behold my children's prowess in arm. O Kshatri (Vidura),do all that Drona sayeth. O thou devoted to virtue, I think there isnothing that can be more agreeable to me.' Then Vidura, giving thenecessary assurance to the king, went out to do what he was bid. AndDrona endued with great wisdom, then measured out a piece of land thatwas void of trees and thickets and furnished with wells and springs. Andupon the spot of land so measured out, Drona, that first of eloquent men,selecting a lunar day when the star ascendant was auspicious, offered upsacrifice unto the gods in the presence of the citizens assembled byproclamation to witness the same. And then, O bull among men, theartificers of the king built thereon a large and elegant stage accordingto the rules laid down in the scriptures, and it was furnished with allkinds of weapons. They also built another elegant hall for thelady-spectators. And the citizens constructed many platforms while thewealthier of them pitched many spacious and high tents all around.
"When the day fixed for the Tournament came, the king accompanied by hisministers, with Bhishma and Kripa, the foremost of preceptors, walkingahead, came unto that theatre of almost celestial beauty constructed ofpure gold, and decked with strings of pearls and stones of lapis lazuli.And, O first of victorious men, Gandhari blessed with great good fortuneand Kunti, and the other ladies of the royal house-hold, in gorgeousattire and accompanied by their waiting women, joyfully ascended theplatforms, like celestial ladies ascending the Sumeru mountain. And thefour orders including the Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, desirous of beholdingthe princes' skill in arms, left the city and came running to the spot.And so impatient was every one to behold the spectacle, that the vastcrowd assembled there in almost an instant. And with the sounds oftrumpets and drums and the noise of many voices, that vast concourseappeared like an agitated ocean.
"At last, Drona accompanied by his son, dressed in white (attire), with awhite sacred thread, white locks, white beard, white garlands, and whitesandal-paste rubbed over his body, entered the lists. It seemed as if theMoon himself accompanied by the planet Mars appeared in an unclouded sky.On entering Bharadwaja performed timely worship and caused Brahmanasversed in mantras to celebrate the auspicious rites. And after auspiciousand sweet-sounding musical instruments had been struck up as apropitiatory ceremony, some persons entered, equipped with various arms.And then having girded up their loins, those mighty warriors, thoseforemost ones of Bharata's race (the princes) entered, furnished withfinger-protectors (gauntlet), and bows, and quivers. And withYudhishthira at their head, the valiant princes entered in order of ageand began to show wonderful skill with their weapons. Some of thespectators lowered their heads, apprehending fall of arrows while othersfearlessly gazed on with wonder. And riding swiftly on horses andmanaging them 'dexterously' the princes began to hit marks with shaftsengraved with their respective names. And seeing the prowess of theprinces armed with bows and arrows, the spectators thought that they werebeholding the city of the Gandharvas, became filled with amazement. And,O Bharata, all on a sudden, some hundreds and thousands, with eyes wideopen in wonder, exclaimed, 'Well done! Well done!' And having repeatedlydisplayed their skill and dexterity in the use of bows and arrows and inthe management of cars, the mighty warriors took up their swords andbucklers, and began to range the lists, playing their weapons. Thespectators saw (with wonder) their agility, the symmetry of their bodies,their grace, their calmness, the firmness of their grasp and theirdeftness in the use of sword and buckler. Then Vrikodara and Suyodhana,internally delighted (at the prospect of fight), entered the arena, macein hand, like two single-peaked mountains. And those mighty-armedwarriors braced their loins, and summoning all their energy, roared liketwo infuriate elephants contending for a cow-elephant; and like twoinfuriated elephants those mighty heroes faultlessly (in consonance withthe dictates of the science of arm) careered right and left, circling thelists. And Vidura described to Dhritarashtra and the mother of thePandavas (Kunti) and Gandhari, all the feats of the princes.'"
SECTION CXXXVII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Upon the Kuru king and Bhima, the foremost ofall endued with strength, having entered the arena, the spectators weredivided into two parties in consequence of the partiality swaying theiraffections. Some cried, 'Behold the heroic king of theKurus!'--some--'Behold Bhima!'--And on account of these cries, there was,all on a sudden, a loud uproar. And seeing the place become like atroubled ocean, the intelligent Bharadwaja said unto his dear son,Aswatthaman, 'Restrain both these mighty warriors so proficient in arms.Let not the ire of the assembly be provoked by this combat of Bhima andDuryodhana.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then the son of the preceptor of the princesrestrained those combatants with their maces uplifted and resembling twoswollen oceans agitated by the winds that blow at the universaldissolution. And Drona himself entering the yard of the arena commandedthe musicians to stop, and with a voice deep as that of the cloudsaddressed these words, 'Behold ye now that Partha who is dearer to methan my own son, the master of all arms, the son of Indra himself, andlike unto the younger brother of Indra, (Vishnu)! And having performedthe propitiatory rites, the youthful Phalguna, equipped with the fingerprotector (gauntlet) and his quiver full of shafts and bow in hand,donning his golden mail, appeared in the lists even like an evening cloudreflecting the rays of the setting sun and illumined by the hues of therainbow and flashes of lightning.
"On seeing Arjuna, the whole assembly were delighted and conchs began tobe blown all around with other musical instruments. And there arose agreat uproar in consequence of the spectators' exclaiming,--'This is thegraceful son of Kunti!'--'This is the middle (third) Pandava!'--'This isthe son of the mighty Indra!'--'This is the protector of theKurus'--'This is the foremost of those versed in arms!'--'This is theforemost of all cherishers of virtue!'--'This is the foremost of thepersons of correct behaviour, the great repository of the knowledge ofmanners!' At those exclamations, the tears of Kunti, mixing with the milkof her breast, wetted her bosom. And his ears being filled with thatuproar, that first of men, Dhritarashtra, asked Vidura in delight, 'OKshatri, what is this great uproar for, like unto that of the troubledocean, arising all on a sudden and rending the very heavens?' Vidurareplied, 'O mighty monarch, the son of Pandu and Pritha, Phalguna, cladin mail hath entered the lists. And hence this uproar!' Dhritarashtrasaid, 'O thou of soul so great, by the three fires sprung from Pritha whois even like the sacred fuel, I have, indeed, been blessed, favoured andprotected!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'When the spectators, excited with delight, hadsomewhat regained their equanimity, Vibhatsu began to display hislightness in the use of weapons. By the Agneya weapon, he created fire,and by the Varuna weapon he created water, by the Vayavya weapon, hecreated air, and by the Parjanya weapon he created clouds. And by theBhauma weapon, he created land, and by the Parvatya weapon, he broughtmountains into being. By the Antardhana weapon all these were made todisappear. Now the beloved one of his preceptor (Arjuna) appeared talland now short; now he was seen on the yoke of his car, and now on the caritself; and the next moment he was on the ground. And the hero favouredby his practised dexterity, hit with his various butts--some tender, somefine and some of thick composition. And like one shaft, he let fly at atime into the mouth of a moving iron-boar five shafts together from hisbow-string. And that hero of mighty energy discharged one and twentyarrows into the hollow of a cow's horn hung up on a rope swaying to andfro. In this manner, O sinless one, Arjuna showed his profound skill inthe use of sword, bow, and mace, walking over the lists in circles.
"And, O Bharata, when the exhibition had well-nigh ended, the excitementof the spectators had cooled, and the sounds of instruments had died outthere was heard proceeding from the gate, the slapping of arms,betokening might and strength, and even like unto the roar of thethunder. And, O king, as soon as this sound was heard, the assembledmultitude instantly thought, 'Are the mountains splitting or is the earthitself rending asunder, or is the welkin resounding with the roar ofgathering clouds? And then all the spectators turned their eyes towardsthe gate. And Drona stood, surrounded by the five brothers, the sons ofPritha, and looked like the moon in conjunction with the five-starredconstellation Hasta. And Duryodhana, that slayer of foes, stood up inhaste and was surrounded by his century of haughty brothers withAswatthaman amongst them. And that prince, mace in hand, thus surroundedby his hundred brothers with uplifted weapons appeared like Purandara indays of yore, encircled by the celestial host on the occasion of thebattle with the Danavas.'"
SECTION CXXXVIII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'When the spectators, with eyes expanded withwonder, made way for that subjugator of hostile cities, Karna, that herowith his natural mail and face brightened with ear-rings, took up his bowand girded on his sword, and then entered the spacious lists, like awalking cliff. That far-famed destroyer of hostile hosts, the large-eyedKarna, was born of Pritha in her maidenhood. He was a portion of thehot-beamed Sun and his energy and prowess were like unto those of thelion, or the bull, or the leader of a herd of elephants. In splendour heresembled the Sun, in loveliness the Moon, and in energy the fire.Begotten by the Sun himself, he was tall in stature like a golden palmtree, and, endued with the vigour of youth, he was capable of slaying alion. Handsome in features, he was possessed of countlessaccomplishments. The mighty-armed warrior, eyeing all around the arena,bowed indifferently to Drona and Kripa. And the entire assembly,motionless and with steadfast gaze, thought, 'Who is he?' And they becameagitated in their curiosity to know the warrior. And that foremost ofeloquent men, the offspring of the Sun, in a voice deep as that of theclouds, addressed his unknown brother, the son of the subduer of theAsura, Paka (Indra), saying, 'O Partha, I shall perform feats before thisgazing multitude; excelling all thou hast performed! Beholding them, thoushall be amazed.' And, O thou best of those blest with speech, he hadhardly done when the spectators stood up all at once, uplifted by someinstrument, as it were. And, O tiger among men, Duryodhana was filledwith delight, while Vibhatsu was instantly all abashment and anger. Thenwith the permission of Drona, the mighty Karna, delighting in battle,there did all that Partha had done before. And, O Bharata, Duryodhanawith his brothers thereupon embraced Karna in joy and then addressed himsaying, 'Welcome O mighty-armed warrior! I have obtained thee by goodfortune, O polite one! Live thou as thou pleasest, and command me, andthe kingdom of the Kurus.' Kama replied, 'When thou hast said it, Iregard it as already accomplished. I only long for thy friendship. And, Olord, my wish is even for a single combat with Arjuna.' Duryodhana said,'Do thou with me enjoy the good things of life! Be thou the benefactor ofthy friend, and, O represser of enemies, place thou thy feet on the headsof all foes."
"Vaisampayanacontinued, 'Arjuna, after this, deeming himself disgraced,said unto Karna stationed amidst the brothers like unto a cliff, 'Thatpath which the unwelcome intruder and the uninvited talker cometh to,shall be thine, O Karna, for thou shall be slain by me.' Karna replied,'This arena is meant for all, not for thee alone, O Phalguna! They arekings who are superior in energy; and verily the Kshatriya regardethmight and might alone. What need of altercation which is the exercise ofthe weak? O Bharata, speak then in arrows until with arrows I strike offthy head today before the preceptor himself!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hastily embraced by his brothers, Partha thatsubduer of hostile cities, with the permission of Drona, advanced for thecombat. On the other side, Karna, having been embraced by Duryodhana withhis brothers, taking up his bow and arrows, stood ready for the fight.Then the firmament became enveloped in clouds emitting flashes oflightning, and the coloured bow of Indra appeared shedding its effulgentrays. And the clouds seemed to laugh on account of the rows of whitecranes that were then on the wing. And seeing Indra thus viewing thearena from affection (for his son), the sun too dispersed the clouds fromover his own offspring. And Phalguna remained deep hid under cover of theclouds, while Karna remained visible, being surrounded by the rays of theSun. And the son of Dhritarashtra stood by Karna, and Bharadwaja andKripa and Bhishma remained with Partha. And the assembly was divided, asalso the female spectators. And knowing the state of things, Kunti thedaughter of Bhoja, swooned away. And by the help of female attendants,Vidura, versed in the lore of all duties, revived the insensible Kunti bysprinkling sandal-paste and water on her person. On being restored toconsciousness, Kunti, seeing her two sons clad in mail, was seized withfear, but she could do nothing (to protect them). And beholding both thewarriors with bows strung in their hands the son of Saradwat, viz.,Kripa, knowing all duties and cognisant of the rules regulating duels,addressed Karna, saying 'This Pandava, who is the youngest son of Kunti,belongeth to the Kaurava race: he will engage in combat with thee. But, Omighty-armed one, thou too must tell us thy lineage and the names of thyfather and mother and the royal line of which thou art the ornament.Learning all this, Partha will fight with thee or not (as he will thinkfit). Sons of kings never fight with men of inglorious lineage.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'When he was thus addressed by Kripa, Karna'scountenance became like unto a lotus pale and torn with the peltingshowers in the rainy season. Duryodhana said, 'O preceptor, verily thescriptures have it that three classes of persons can lay claim toroyalty, viz., persons of the blood royal, heroes, and lastly, those thatlead armies. If Phalguna is unwilling to fight with one who is not aking, I will install Karna as king of Anga.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'At that very moment, seated on a golden seat, withparched paddy and with flowers and water-pots and much gold, the mightywarrior Karna was installed king by Brahmanas versed in mantras. And theroyal umbrella was held over his head, while Yak-tails waved around thatredoubtable hero of graceful mien. And the cheers, having ceased, king(Karna) said unto the Kaurava Duryodhana, 'O tiger among monarchs, whatshall I give unto thee that may compare with thy gift of a kingdom? Oking, I will do all thou biddest!' And Suyodhana said unto him, 'Ieagerly wish for thy friendship.' Thus spoken to, Karna replied, 'Be itso.' And they embraced each other in joy, and experienced greathappiness.'"
SECTION CXXXIX
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'After this, with his sheet loosely hanging down,Adhiratha entered the lists, perspiring and trembling, and supportinghimself on a staff.
"Seeing him, Karna left his bow and impelled by filial regard bowed downhis head still wet with the water of inauguration. And them thecharioteer, hurriedly covering his feet with the end of his sheet,addressed Karna crowned with success as his son. And the charioteerembraced Karna and from excess of affection bedewed his head with tears,that head still wet with the water sprinkled over it on account of thecoronation as king of Anga. Seeing the charioteer, the Pandava Bhimasenatook Karna for a charioteer's son, and said by way of ridicule, 'O son ofa charioteer, thou dost not deserve death in fight at the hands ofPartha. As befits thy race take thou anon the whip. And, O worst ofmortals, surely thou art not worthy to sway the kingdom of Anga, even asa dog doth not deserve the butter placed before the sacrificial fire.'Karna, thus addressed, with slightly quivering lips fetched a deep sigh,looked at the God of the day in the skies. And even as a mad elephantriseth from an assemblage of lotuses, the mighty Duryodhana rose in wrathfrom among his brothers, and addressed that performer of dreadful deeds,Bhimasena, present there, 'O Vrikodara, it behoveth thee not to speaksuch words. Might is the cardinal virtue of a Kshatriya, and even aKshatriya of inferior birth deserveth to be fought with. The lineage ofheroes, like the sources of a lordly river, is ever unknown. The firethat covereth the whole world riseth from the waters. The thunder thatslayeth the Danavas was made of a bone of (a mortal named) Dadhichi. Theillustrious deity Guha, who combines in his composition the portions ofall the other deities is of a lineage unknown. Some call him theoffspring of Agni; some, of Krittika, some, of Rudra, and some of Ganga.It hath been heard by us that persons born in the Kashatriya order havebecome Brahmanas. Viswamitra and others (born Kshatriyas) have obtainedthe eternal Brahma. The foremost of all wielders of weapons, thepreceptor Drona hath been born in a waterpot and Kripa of the race ofGotama hath sprung from a clump of heath. Your own births, ye Pandavaprinces, are known to me. Can a she-deer bring forth a tiger (likeKarna), of the splendour of the Sun, and endued with every auspiciousmark, and born also with a natural mail and ear-rings? This prince amongmen deserveth the sovereignty of the world, not of Anga only, inconsequence of the might of his arm and my swearing to obey him ineverything. If there be anybody here to whom all that I have done untoKarna hath become intolerable, let him ascend his chariot and bend hisbow with the help of his feet.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then there arose a confused murmur amongst thespectators approving of Duryodhana's speech. The sun, however, went down,but prince Duryodhana taking Karna's hand led him out of the arenalighted with countless lamps. And, O king, the Pandavas also, accompaniedby Drona and Kripa and Bhishma, returned to their abodes. And the people,too, came away, some naming Arjuna, some Karna, and some Duryodhana (asthe victor of the day). And Kunti, recognising her son in Karna by thevarious auspicious marks on his person and beholding him installed in thesovereignty of Anga, was from motherly affection, very pleased. AndDuryodhana, O monarch, having obtained Karna (in this way), banished hisfears arising out of Arjuna's proficiency in arms. And the heroic Karna,accomplished in arms, began to gratify Duryodhana by sweet speeches,while Yudhishthira was impressed with the belief that there was nowarrior on earth like unto Karna.'"
SECTION CXL
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Beholding the Pandavas and the son ofDhritarashtra accomplished in arms, Drona thought the time had come whenhe could demand the preceptorial fee. And, O king, assembling his pupilsone day together, the preceptor Drona asked of them the fee, saying,'Seize Drupada, the king of Panchala in battle and bring him unto me.That shall be the most acceptable fee.' Those warriors then answering,'So be it', speedily mounted up on their chariots, and for bestowing upontheir preceptor the fee he had demanded, marched out, accompanied by him.Those bulls among men, smiting the Panchalas on their way, laid siege tothe capital of the great Drupada. And Duryodhana and Karna and the mightyYuyutsu, and Duhsasana and Vikarna and Jalasandha and Sulochana,--theseand many other foremost of Kshatriya princes of great prowess, vied withone another in becoming the foremost in the attack. And the princes,riding in first class chariots and following the cavalry, entered thehostile capital, and proceeded along the streets.
"Meanwhile, the king of Panchala, beholding that mighty force and hearingits loud clamour, came out of his palace, accompanied by his brothers.Though king Yajnasena was well-armed, the Kuru army assailed him with ashower of arrows, uttering their war-cry. Yajnasena, however, not easy tobe subdued in battle, approaching the Kurus upon his white chariot, beganto rain his fierce arrows around.
"Before the battle commenced, Arjuna, beholding the pride of prowessdisplayed by the princes, addressed his preceptor, that best ofBrahmanas, Drona, and said, 'We shall exert ourselves after these havedisplayed their prowess. The king of Panchala can never be taken on thefield of the battle by any of these. Having said this, the sinless son ofKunti surrounded by his brothers, waited outside the town at a distanceof a mile from it. Meanwhile Drupada beholding the Kuru host, rushedforward and pouring a fierce shower of arrows around, terribly afflictedthe Kuru ranks. And such was his lightness of motion on the field ofbattle that, though he was fighting unsupported on a single chariot, theKurus from panic supposed that there were many Drupadas opposed to them.And the fierce arrows of that monarch fell fast on all sides, till conchsand trumpets and drums by thousands began to be sounded by the Panchalasfrom their houses (giving the alarm). Then there arose from the mightyPanchala host a roar terrible as that of the lion, while the twang oftheir bow-strings seemed to rend the very heavens. Then Duryodhana andVikarna, Suvahu and Dirghalochana and Duhsasana becoming furious, beganto shower their arrows upon the enemy. But the mighty bowman, Prishata'sson, invincible in battle, though very much pierced with the arrows ofthe enemy, instantly began, O Bharata, to afflict the hostile ranks withgreater vigour. And careering over the field of battle like a fierywheel, king Drupada with his arrows smote Duryodhana and Vikarna and eventhe mighty Karna and many other heroic princes and numberless warriors,and slaked their thirst for battle. Then all the citizens showered uponthe Kurus various missiles like clouds showering rain-drops upon theearth. Young and old, they all rushed to battle, assailing the Kurus withvigour. The Kauravas, then, O Bharata, beholding the battle becomefrightful, broke and fled wailing towards the Pandavas.
"The Pandavas, hearing the terrible wail of the beaten host,reverentially saluted Drona and ascended their chariots. Then Arjunahastily bidding Yudhishthira not to engage in the fight, rushed forward,appointing the sons of Madri (Nakula and Sahadeva) the protectors of hischariot-wheels, while Bhimasena ever fighting in the van, mace in hand,ran ahead. The sinless Arjuna, thus accompanied by his brothers, hearingthe shouts of the enemy, advanced towards them, filling the whole regionwith the rattle of his chariot-wheels. And like a Makara entering thesea, the mighty-armed Bhima, resembling a second Yama, mace in hand,entered the Panchala ranks, fiercely roaring like the ocean in a tempest.And Bhima, mace in hand, first rushed towards the array of elephants inthe hostile force, while Arjuna, proficient in battle, assailed thatforce with the prowess of his arms. And Bhima, like the great Destroyerhimself, began to slay those elephants with his mace. Those huge animals,like unto mountains, struck with Bhima's mace, had their heads brokeninto pieces. Covered with stream of blood, they began to fall upon theground like cliffs loosened by thunder. And the Pandavas prostrated onthe ground elephants and horses and cars by thousands and slew manyfoot-soldiers and many car-warriors. Indeed, as a herdsman in the woodsdriveth before him with his staff countless cattle with ease, so didVrikodara drive before him the chariots and elephants of the hostileforce.
"Meanwhile, Phalguna, impelled by the desire of doing good untoBharadwaja's son, assailed the son of Prishata with a shower of arrowsand felled him from the elephant on which he was seated. And, O monarch,Arjuna, like unto the terrible fire that consumeth all things at the endof the Yuga, began to prostrate on the ground horses and cars andelephants by thousands. The Panchalas and the Srinjayas, on the otherhand, thus assailed by the Pandava, met him with a perfect shower ofweapons of various kinds. And they sent up a loud shout and foughtdesperately with Arjuna. The battle became furious and terrible tobehold. Hearing the enemy's shouts, the son of Indra was filled withwrath and assailing the hostile host with a thick shower of arrows,rushed towards it furiously afflicting it with renewed vigour. They whoobserved the illustrious Arjuna at that time could not mark any intervalbetween his fixing the arrows on the bowstring and letting them off. Loudwere the shouts that rose there, mingled with cheers of approval. Thenthe king of the Panchalas, accompanied by (the generalissimo of hisforces) Satyajit, rushed with speed at Arjuna like the Asura Samvararushing at the chief of the celestials (in days of yore). Then Arjunacovered the king of Panchala with a shower of arrows. Then there arose afrightful uproar among the Panchala host like unto the roar of a mightylion springing at the leader of a herd of elephants. And beholding Arjunarushing at the king of Panchala to seize him, Satyajit of great prowessrushed at him. And the two warriors, like unto Indra and the AsuraVirochana's son (Vali), approaching each other for combat, began to grindeach other's ranks. Then Arjuna with great force pierced Satyajit withten keen shafts at which feat the spectators were all amazed. ButSatyajit, without losing any time, assailed Arjuna with a hundred shafts.Then that mighty car-warrior, Arjuna, endued with remarkable lightness ofmotion, thus covered by that shower of arrows, rubbed his bow-string toincrease the force and velocity of his shafts. Then cutting in twain hisantagonist's bow, Arjuna rushed at the king of the Panchalas, butSatyajit, quickly taking up a tougher bow, pierced with his arrowsPartha, his chariot, charioteer, and horses. Arjuna, thus assailed inbattle by the Panchala warrior, forgave not his foe. Eager to slay him atonce, he pierced with a number of arrows his antagonist's horses, flags,bow, clenched (left) fist, charioteer, and the attendant at his back.Then Satyajit, finding his bows repeatedly cut in twain and his horsesslain, desisted from the fight.
"The king of the Panchalas, beholding his general thus discomfited in theencounter, himself began to shower his arrows upon the Pandava prince.Then Arjuna, that foremost of warriors, crowned with success, began tofight furiously, and quickly cutting his enemy's bow in twain as also hisflagstaff which he caused to fall down, pierced his antagonist's horses,and charioteer also with five arrows. Then throwing aside his bow Arjunatook his quiver, and taking out a scimitar and sending forth a loudshout, leaped from his own chariot upon that of his foe. And standingthere with perfect fearlessness he seized Drupada as Garuda seizeth ahuge snake after agitating the waters of the ocean. At the sight of this,the Panchala troops ran away in all directions.
"Then Dhananjaya, having thus exhibited the might of his arm in thepresence of both hosts, sent forth a loud shout and came out of thePanchala ranks. And beholding him returning (with his captive), theprinces began to lay waste Drupada's capital. Addressing them Arjunasaid, 'This best of monarchs, Drupada, is a relative of the Kuru heroes.Therefore, O Bhima, slay not his soldiers. Let us only give unto ourpreceptor his fee.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'O king, thus prevented by Arjuna, the mightyBhimasena, though unsatiated with the exercise of battle, refrained fromthe act of slaughter. And, O bull of the Bharata race, the princes then,taking Drupada with them after having seized him on the field of battlealong with his friends and counsellors, offered him unto Drona. And Dronabeholding Drupada thus brought under complete control--humiliated anddeprived of wealth--remembered that monarch's former hostility andaddressing him said, 'Thy kingdom and capital have been laid waste by me.But fear not for thy life, though it dependeth now on the will of thyfoe. Dost thou now desire to revive thy friendship (with me)?' Havingsaid this, he smiled a little and again said, 'Fear not for thy life,brave king! We, Brahmanas, are ever forgiving. And, O bull amongKshatriyas, my affection and love for thee have grown with me inconsequence of our having sported together in childhood in the hermitage.Therefore, O king, I ask for thy friendship again. And as a boon(unasked), I give thee half the kingdom (that was thine). Thou toldest mebefore that none who was not a king could be a king's friend. Thereforeis it, O Yajnasena, that I retain half thy kingdom. Thou art the king ofall the territory lying on the southern side of the Bhagirathi, while Ibecome king of all the territory on the north of that river. And, OPanchala, if it pleaseth thee, know me hence for thy friend.'
"On hearing these words, Drupada answered, 'Thou art of noble soul andgreat prowess. Therefore, O Brahmana, I am not surprised at what thoudoest. I am very much gratified with thee, and I desire thy eternalfriendship.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'After this, O Bharata, Drona released the kingof Panchala, and cheerfully performing the usual offices of regard,bestowed upon him half the kingdom. Thenceforth Drupada began to residesorrowfully in (the city of) Kampilya within (the province of) Makandi onthe banks of the Ganga filled with many towns and cities. And after hisdefeat by Drona, Drupada also ruled the southern Panchalas up to the bankof the Charmanwati river. And Drupada from that day was well-convincedthat he could not, by Kshatriya might alone, defeat Drona, being verymuch his inferior in Brahma (spiritual) power. And he, therefore, beganto wander over the whole earth to find out the means of obtaining a son(who would subjugate his Brahmana foe).
"Meanwhile Drona continued to reside in Ahicchatra. Thus, O king, was theterritory of Ahicchatra full of towns and cities, obtained by Arjuna, andbestowed upon Drona.'
SECTION CXLI
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'After the expiration, O king, of a year fromthis, Dhritarashtra, moved by kindness for the people, installedYudhishthira, the son of Pandu, as the heir-apparent of the kingdom onaccount of his firmness, fortitude, patience, benevolence, frankness andunswerving honesty (of heart). And within a short time Yudhishthira, theson of Kunti, by his good behaviour, manners and close application tobusiness, overshadowed the deeds of his father. And the second Pandava,Vrikodara, began to receive continued lessons from Sankarshana (Valarama)in encounters with the sword and the mace and on the chariot. And afterBhima's education was finished, he became in strength like untoDyumatsena himself and continuing to live in harmony with his brothers,he began to exert his prowess. And Arjuna became celebrated for thefirmness of his grasp (of weapons), for his lightness of motion,precision of aim, and his proficiency in the use of the Kshura, Naracha,Vala and Vipatha weapons, indeed, of all weapons, whether straight orcrooked or heavy. And Drona certified that there was none in the worldwho was equal to Arjuna in lightness of hand and general proficiency.
"One day, Drona, addressing Arjuna before the assembled Kaurava princes,said, 'There was a disciple of Agastya in the science of arms calledAgnivesa. He was my preceptor and I, his disciple. By ascetic merit Iobtained from him a weapon called Brahmasira which could never be futileand which was like unto thunder itself, capable of consuming the wholeearth. That weapon, O Bharata, from what I have done, may now pass fromdisciple to disciple. While imparting it to me, my preceptor said, 'O sonof Bharadwaja, never shouldst thou hurl this weapon at any human being,especially at one who is of poor energy. Thou hast, O hero, obtained thatcelestial weapon. None else deserveth it. But obey the command of theRishi (Agnivesa). And, look here, Arjuna, give me now the preceptorialfee in the presence of these thy cousins and relatives.' When Arjuna, onhearing this, pledged his word that he would give what the preceptordemanded, the latter said, 'O sinless one, thou must fight with me when Ifight with thee.' And that bull among the Kuru princes thereupon pledgedhis word unto Drona and touching his feet, went away northward. Thenthere arose a loud shout covering the whole earth bounded by her belt ofseas to the effect that there was no bowman in the whole world like untoArjuna. And, indeed, Dhananjaya, in encounters with the mace and thesword and on the chariot as also with the bow, acquired wonderfulproficiency. Sahadeva obtained the whole science of morality and dutiesfrom (Vrihaspati) the spiritual chief of celestials, and continued tolive under the control of his brothers. And Nakula, the favourite of hisbrothers taught by Drona, became known as a skilful warrior and a greatcar-warrior (Ati-ratha). Indeed, Arjuna and the other Pandava princesbecame so powerful that they slew in battle the great Sauvira who hadperformed a sacrifice extending over three years, undaunted by the raidsof the Gandharvas. And the king of the Yavanas himself whom the powerfulPandu even had failed to bring under subjection was brought by Arjunaunder control. Then again Vipula, the king of the Sauviras, endued withgreat prowess, who had always shown a disregard for the Kurus, was madeby the intelligent Arjuna to feel the edge of his power. And Arjuna alsorepressed by means of his arrows (the pride of) king Sumitra of Sauvira,also known by the name of Dattamitra who had resolutely sought anencounter with him. The third of the Pandava princes, assisted by Bhima,on only a single car subjugated all the kings of the East backed by tenthousand cars. In the same way, having conquered on a single car thewhole of the south, Dhananjaya sent unto the kingdom of the Kurus a largebooty.
"Thus did those foremost of men, the illustrious Pandavas, conquering theterritories of other kings, extend the limits of their own kingdom. Butbeholding the great prowess and strength of those mighty bowmen, kingDhritarashtra's sentiments towards the Pandavas became suddenly poisoned,and from that day the monarch became so anxious that he could hardlysleep.'"
SECTION CXLII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'On hearing that the heroic sons of Pandu enduedwith excess of energy had become so mighty, king Dhritarashtra becamevery miserable with anxiety. Then summoning unto his side Kanika, thatforemost of minister, well-versed in the science of politics and anexpert in counsels the king said, 'O best of Brahmanas, the Pandavas aredaily overshadowing the earth. I am exceedingly jealous of them. Should Ihave peace or war with them? O Kanika, advise me truly, for I shall do asthou biddest.
"Vaisampayana continued, 'That best of Brahmanas, thus addressed by theking, freely answered him in these pointed words well-agreeing with theimport of political science."
"Listen to me, O sinless king, as I answer thee. And, O best of Kurukings, it behoveth thee not to be angry with me after hearing all I say.Kings should ever be ready with uplifted maces (to strike whennecessary), and they should ever increase their prowess. Carefullyavoiding all faults themselves they should ceaselessly watch over thefaults of their foes and take advantage of them. If the king is alwaysready to strike, everybody feareth him. Therefore the king should everhave recourse to chastisement in all he doeth. He should so conducthimself that, his foe may not detect any weak side in him. But by meansof the weakness he detecteth in his foe he should pursue him (todestruction). He should always conceal, like the tortoise concealing itsbody, his means and ends, and he should always keep back his own weaknessfrom, the sight of others. And having begun a particular act, he shouldever accomplish it thoroughly. Behold, a thorn, if not extracted wholly,produceth a festering sore. The slaughter of a foe who doeth thee evil isalways praiseworthy. If the foe be one of great prowess, one shouldalways watch for the hour of his disaster and then kill him without anyscruples. If he should happen to be a great warrior, his hour of disasteralso should be watched and he should then be induced to fly. O sire, anenemy should never be scorned, however contemptible. A spark of fire iscapable of consuming an extensive forest if only it can spread from oneobject to another in proximity. Kings should sometimes feign blindnessand deafness, for if impotent to chastise, they should pretend not tonotice the faults that call for chastisement. On occasions, such asthese, let them regard their bows as made of straw. But they should bealways on the alert like a herd of deer sleeping in the woods. When thyfoe is in thy power, destroy him by every means open or secret. Do notshow him any mercy, although he seeketh thy protection. A foe, or onethat hath once injured thee, should be destroyed by lavishing money, ifnecessary, for by killing him thou mayest be at thy ease. The dead cannever inspire fear. Thou must destroy the three, five and seven(resources) of thy foes. Thou must destroy thy foes root and branch. Thenshouldst thou destroy their allies and partisans. The allies andpartisans can never exist if the principal be destroyed. If the root ofthe tree is torn up, the branches and twigs can never exist as before.Carefully concealing thy own means and ends, thou shouldst always watchthy foes, always seeking their flaws. Thou shouldst, O king, rule thykingdom, always anxiously watching thy foes. By maintaining the perpetualfire by sacrifices, by brown cloths, by matted locks, and by hides ofanimals for thy bedding, shouldst thou at first gain the confidence ofthy foes, and when thou has gained it thou shouldst then spring upon themlike a wolf. For it hath been said that in the acquisition of wealth eventhe garb of holiness might be employed as a hooked staff to bend down abranch in order to pluck the fruits that are ripe. The method followed inthe plucking of fruits should be the method in destroying foes, for thoushouldst proceed on the principle of selection. Bear thy foe upon thyshoulders till the time cometh when thou canst throw him down, breakinghim into pieces like an earthen pot thrown down with violence upon astony surface. The foe must never be let off even though he addresseththee most piteously. No pity shouldst thou show him but slay him at once.By the arts of conciliation or the expenditure of money should the foe beslain. By creating disunion amongst his allies, or by the employment offorce, indeed by every means in thy power shouldst thou destroy thy foe.'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'Tell me truly how a foe can be destroyed by thearts of conciliation or the expenditure of money, or by producingdisunion or by the employment of force.'
"Kanika replied, 'Listen, O monarch, to the history of a jackal dwellingin days of yore in the forest and fully acquainted with the science ofpolitics. There was a wise jackal, mindful of his own interests who livedin the company of four friends, viz., a tiger, a mouse, a wolf, and amongoose. One day they saw in the woods a strong deer, the leader of aherd, whom, however, they could not seize for his fleetness and strength.They thereupon called a council for consultation. The jackal opening theproceedings said, 'O tiger, thou hast made many an effort to seize thisdeer, but all in vain simply because this deer is young, fleet and veryintelligent. Let now the mouse go and eat into its feet when it liethasleep. And when this is done, let the tiger approach and seize it. Thenshall we all, with great pleasure feast on it.' Hearing these words ofthe jackal, they all set to work very cautiously as he directed. And themouse ate into the feet of the deer and the tiger killed it asanticipated. And beholding the body of the deer lying motionless on theground, the jackal said unto his companions, 'Blessed be ye! Go andperform your ablutions. In the meantime I will look after the deer.'Hearing what the jackal said, they all went into a stream. And the jackalwaited there, deeply meditating upon what he should do. The tiger enduedwith great strength, returned first of all to the spot after havingperformed his ablutions. And he saw the jackal there plunged inmeditation. The tiger said, 'Why art thou so sorrowful, O wise one! Thouart the foremost of all intelligent beings. Let us enjoy ourselves todayby feasting on this carcass.' The jackal said, 'Hear, O mighty-armed one,what the mouse hath said. He hath even said, O, fie on the strength ofthe king of the beasts! This deer hath been slain by me. By might of myarm he will today gratify his hunger.' When he hath boasted in such alanguage, I, for my part, do not wish to touch this food.' The tigerreplied, 'If, indeed, the mouse hath said so, my sense is now awakened. Ishall, from this day, slay with the might of my own arms, creaturesranging the forest and then feast on their flesh.' Having said this, thetiger went away.
"And after the tiger had left the spot, the mouse came. And seeing themouse come, the jackal addressed him and said, 'Blest be thou, O mouse,but listen to what the mongoose hath said. He hath even said, The carcassof this deer is poison (the tiger having touched it with his claws). Iwill not eat of it. On the other hand, if thou, O jackal, permittest it,I will even slay the mouse and feast on him.' Hearing this the mousebecame alarmed and quickly entered his hole. And after the mouse hadgone, the wolf, O king, came there having performed his ablutions. Andseeing the wolf come, the jackal said unto him, 'The king of the beastshath been angry with thee. Evil is certain to overtake thee. He isexpected here with his wife. Do as thou pleasest.' Thus was the wolfalso, fond of animal flesh, got rid of by the jackal. And the wolf fled,contracting his body into the smallest dimensions. It was then that themongoose came. And, O king, the jackal, seeing him come, said, 'By themight of my arm have I defeated the others who have already fled. Fightwith me first and then eat of this flesh as you please.' The mongoosereplied, 'When, indeed, the tiger, the wolf, and the intelligent mousehave all been defeated by thee, heroes as they are, thou seemest to be agreater hero still. I do not desire to fight with thee.' Saying this, themongoose also went away.
"Kanika continued, 'When they all had thus left the place, the jackal,well-pleased with the success of his policy, alone ate up that flesh. Ifkings always act in this way, they can be happy. Thus should the timid byexciting their fears, the courageous by the arts of conciliation, thecovetous by gift of wealth, and equals and inferiors by exhibition ofprowess be brought under thy sway. Besides all this, O king, that I havesaid, listen now to something else that I say.'
"Kanika continued, 'If thy son, friend, brother, father, or even thespiritual preceptor, anyone becometh thy foe, thou shouldst, if desirousof prosperity, slay him without scruples. By curses and incantations, bygift of wealth, by poison, or by deception, the foe should be slain. Heshould never be neglected from disdain. If both the parties be equal andsuccess uncertain, then he that acteth with diligence groweth inprosperity. If the spiritual preceptor himself be vain, ignorant of whatshould be done and what left undone, and vicious in his ways, even heshould be chastised. If thou art angry, show thyself as if thou art notso, speaking even then with a smile on thy lips. Never reprove any onewith indications of anger (in thy speech). And O Bharata, speak softwords before thou smitest and even while thou art smiting! After thesmiting is over, pity the victim, and grieve for him, and even shedtears. Comforting thy foe by conciliation, by gift of wealth, and smoothbehaviour, thou must smite him when he walketh not aright. Thou shouldstequally smile the heinous offender who liveth by the practice of virtue,for the garb of virtue simply covereth his offences like black cloudscovering the mountains. Thou shouldst burn the house of that person whomthou punishest with death. And thou shouldst never permit beggars andatheists and thieves to dwell in thy kingdom. By a sudden sally orpitched battle by poison or by corrupting his allies, by gift of wealth,by any means in thy power, thou shouldst destroy thy foe. Thou mayest actwith the greatest cruelty. Thou shouldst make thy teeth sharp to give afatal bite. And thou should ever smite so effectually that thy foe maynot again raise his head. Thou shouldst ever stand in fear of even onefrom whom there is no fear, not to speak of him from whom there is such.For if the first be ever powerful he may destroy thee to the root (forthy unpreparedness). Thou shouldst never trust the faithless, nor trusttoo much those that are faithful, for if those in whom thou confidestprove thy foes, thou art certain to be annihilated. After testing theirfaithfulness thou shouldst employ spies in thy own kingdom and in thekingdoms of others. Thy spies in foreign kingdoms should be apt deceiversand persons in the garb of ascetics. Thy spies should be placed ingardens, places of amusement, temples and other holy places, drinkinghalls, streets, and with the (eighteen) tirthas (viz., the minister, thechief priest, the heir-presumptive, the commander-in-chief, thegate-keepers of the court, persons in the inner apartments, the jailor,the chief surveyor, the head of the treasury, the general executant oforders, the chief of the town police, the chief architect, the chiefjustice, the president of the council, the chief of the punitivedepartment, the commander of the fort, the chief of the arsenal, thechief of the frontier guards, and the keeper of the forests), and inplaces of sacrifice, near wells, on mountains and in rivers, in forests,and in all places where people congregate. In speech thou shouldst everbe humble, but let thy heart be ever sharp as razor. And when thou artengaged in doing even a very cruel and terrible act, thou shouldst talkwith smiles on thy lips. If desirous of prosperity, thou shouldst adoptall arts--humility, oath, conciliation. Worshipping the feet of others bylowering thy head, inspiring hope, and the like. And, a person conversantwith the rules of policy is like a tree decked with flowers but bearingno fruit; or, if bearing fruit, these must be at a great height noteasily attainable from the ground; and if any of these fruits seem to beripe care must be taken to make it appear raw. Conducting himself in sucha way, he shall never fade. Virtue, wealth and pleasure have both theirevil and good effects closely knit together. While extracting the effectsthat are good, those that are evil should be avoided. Those that practisevirtue (incessantly) are made unhappy for want of wealth and the neglectof pleasure. Those again in pursuit of wealth are made unhappy for theneglect of two others. And so those who pursue pleasure suffer for theirinattention to virtue and wealth. Therefore, thou shouldst pursue virtue,wealth and pleasure, in such a way that thou mayest not have to suffertherefrom. With humiliation and attention, without jealousy andsolicitous of accomplishing thy purpose, shouldst thou, in all sincerity,consult with the Brahmanas. When thou art fallen, thou shouldst raisethyself by any means, gentle or violent; and after thou hast thus raisedthyself thou shouldst practise virtue. He that hath never been afflictedwith calamity can never have prosperity. This may be seen in the life ofone who surviveth his calamities. He that is afflicted with sorrow shouldbe consoled by the recitation of the history of persons of former times(like those of Nala and Rama). He whose heart hath been unstrung bysorrow should be consoled with hopes of future prosperity. He again whois learned and wise should be consoled by pleasing offices presentlyrendered unto him. He who, having concluded a treaty with an enemy,reposeth at ease as if he hath nothing more to do, is very like a personwho awaketh, fallen down from the top of a tree whereon he had slept. Aking should ever keep to himself his counsels without fear of calumny,and while beholding everything with the eyes of his spies, he should takecare to conceal his own emotions before the spies of his enemies. Like afisherman who becometh prosperous by catching and killing fish, a kingcan never grow prosperous without tearing the vitals of his enemy andwithout doing some violent deeds. The might of thy foe, as represented byhis armed force, should ever be completely destroyed, by ploughing it up(like weeds) and mowing it down and otherwise afflicting it by disease,starvation, and want of drink. A person in want never approacheth (fromlove) one in affluence; and when one's purpose hath been accomplished,one hath no need to approach him whom he had hitherto looked to for itsaccomplishment. Therefore, when thou doest anything never do itcompletely, but ever leave something to be desired for by others (whoseservices thou mayest need). One who is desirous of prosperity should withdiligence seek allies and means, and carefully conduct his wars. Hisexertions in these respects should always be guided by prudence. Aprudent king should ever act in such a way that friends and foes maynever know his motive before the commencement of his acts. Let them knowall when the act hath been commenced or ended, and as long as danger dothnot come, so long only shall thou act as if thou art afraid. But when ithath overtaken thee, thou must grapple with it courageously. He whotrusteth in a foe who hath been brought under subjection by force,summoneth his own death as a crab by her act of conception. Thou shouldstalways reckon the future act as already arrived (and concert measures formeeting it), else, from want of calmness caused by haste, thou mayestoverlook an important point in meeting it when it is before thee. Aperson desirous of prosperity should always exert with prudence, adoptinghis measures to time and place. He should also act with an eye to destinyas capable of being regulated by mantras and sacrificial rites; and tovirtue, wealth, and pleasure. It is well-known that time and place (iftaken into consideration) always produce the greatest good. If the foe isinsignificant, he should not yet be despised, for he may soon grow like apalmyra tree extending its roots or like a spark of fire in the deepwoods that may soon burst into an extensive conflagration. As a littlefire gradually fed with faggots soon becometh capable of consuming eventhe biggest blocks, so the person who increaseth his power by makingalliances and friendships soon becometh capable of subjugating even themost formidable foe. The hope thou givest unto thy foe should be longdeferred before it is fulfilled; and when the time cometh for itsfulfilment, invent some pretext for deferring it still. Let that pretextbe shown as founded upon some reason, and let that reason itself be madeto appear as founded on some other reason. Kings should, in the matter ofdestroying their foes, ever resemble razors in every particular;unpitying as these are sharp, hiding their intents as these are concealedin their leathern cases, striking when the opportunity cometh as theseare used on proper occasions, sweeping off their foes with all theirallies and dependants as these shave the head or the chin without leavinga single hair. O supporter of the dignity of the Kurus, bearing thyselftowards the Pandavas and others also as policy dictateth, act in such away that thou mayest not have to grieve in future. Well do I know thatthou art endued with every blessing, and possessed of every mark of goodfortune. Therefore, O king, protect thyself from the sons of Pandu! Oking, the sons of Pandu are stronger than their cousins (thy sons);therefore, O chastiser of foes, I tell thee plainly what thou shouldstdo. Listen to it, O king, with thy children, and having listened to it,exert yourselves (to do the needful). O king, act in such a way thatthere may not be any fear for thee from the Pandavas. Indeed, adopt suchmeasures consonant with the science of policy that thou mayest not haveto grieve in the future.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having delivered himself thus Kanika returnedto his abode, while the Kuru king Dhritarashtra became pensive andmelancholy.'"
SECTION CXLIII
(Jatugriha Parva)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then the son of Suvala (Sakuni), king Duryodhana,Duhsasana and Kama, in consultation with one another, formed an evilconspiracy. With the sanction of Dhritarashtra, the king of the Kurus,they resolved to burn to death Kunti and her (five) sons. But that wiseVidura, capable of reading the heart by external signs, ascertained theintention of these wicked persons by observing their countenances alone.Then the sinless Vidura, of soul enlightened by true knowledge, anddevoted to the good of the Pandavas, came to the conclusion that Kuntiwith her children should fly away from her foes. And providing for thatpurpose a boat strong enough to withstand both wind and wave, headdressed Kunti and said, 'This Dhritarashtra hath been born fordestroying the fame and offspring of the (Kuru) race. Of wicked soul, heis about to cast off eternal virtue. O blessed one, I have kept ready onthe stream a boat capable of withstanding both wind and wave. Escape byit with thy children from the net that death hath spread around you.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words, the illustrious Kunti wasdeeply grieved, and with her children, O bull of Bharata's race, steppedinto the boat and went over the Ganges. Then leaving the boat accordingto the advice of Vidura, the Pandavas took with them the wealth that hadbeen given to them (while at Varanavata) by their enemies and safelyentered the deep woods. In the house of lac, however, that had beenprepared for the destruction of the Pandavas, an innocent Nishada womanwho had come there for some purpose, was, with her children burnt todeath. And that worst of Mlechchhas, the wretched Purochana (who was thearchitect employed in building the house of lac) was also burnt in theconflagration. And thus were the sons of Dhirtarashtra with theircounsellors deceived in their expectations. And thus also were theillustrious Pandavas, by the advice of Vidura, saved with their mother.But the people (of Varanavata) knew not of their safety. And the citizensof Varanavata, seeing the house of lac consumed (and believing thePandavas to have been burnt to death) became exceedingly sorry. And theysent messengers unto king Dhritarashtra to represent everything that hadhappened. And they said to the monarch, 'Thy great end hath beenachieved! Thou hast at last burnt the Pandavas to death! Thy desirefulfilled, enjoy with thy children. O king of the Kurus, the kingdom.'Hearing this, Dhritarashtra with his children, made a show of grief, andalong with his relatives, including Kshattri (Vidura) and Bhishma theforemost of the Kurus, performed the last honours of the Pandavas.'
"Janamejaya said, 'O best of Brahmanas, I desire to hear in full thishistory of the burning of the house of lac and the escape of the Pandavasthere from. That was a cruel act of theirs (the Kurus), acting under thecounsels of the wicked (Kanika). Recite the history to me of all thathappened. I am burning with curiosity to hear it.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'O chastiser of all foes, listen to me, O monarch, asI recite the (history of the) burning of the house of lac and the escapeof the Pandavas. The wicked Duryodhana, beholding Bhimasena surpass(everybody) in strength and Arjuna highly accomplished in arms becamepensive and sad. Then Karna, the offspring of the Sun, and Sakuni, theson of Suvala, endeavoured by various means to compass the death of thePandavas. The Pandavas too counteracted all those contrivances one afteranother, and in obedience to the counsels of Vidura, never spoke of themafterwards. Then the citizens, beholding the son of Pandu possessed ofaccomplishments, began, O Bharata, to speak of them in all places ofpublic resort. And assembled in courtyards and other places of gathering,they talked of the eldest son of Pandu (Yudhishthira) as possessed of thequalifications for ruling the kingdom. And they said, 'Dhritarashtra,though possessed of the eye of knowledge, having been (born) blind, hadnot obtained the kingdom before. How can he (therefore) become king now?Then Bhishma, the son of Santanu, of rigid vows and devoted to truth,having formerly relinquished the sovereignty would never accept it now.We shall, therefore, now install (on the throne) with proper ceremoniesthe eldest of the Pandavas endued with youth, accomplished in battle,versed in the Vedas, and truthful and kind. Worshipping Bhishma, the sonof Santanu and Dhritarashtra conversant with the rules of morality, hewill certainly maintain the former and the latter with his children inevery kind of enjoyment.
"The wretched Duryodhana, hearing these words of the parting partisans ofYudhishthira, became very much distressed. Deeply afflicted, the wickedprince could not put up with those speeches. Inflamed with jealousy, hewent unto Dhritarashtra, and finding him alone he saluted him withreverence and distressed at (the sight of) the partiality of the citizensfor Yudhishthira, he addressed the monarch and said, 'O father, I haveheard the parting citizens utter words of ill omen. Passing thee by, andBhishma too, they desire the son of Pandu to be their king. Bhishma willsanction this, for he will not rule the kingdom. It seems, therefore,that the citizens are endeavouring to inflict a great injury on us. Panduobtained of old the ancestral kingdom by virtue of his ownaccomplishments, but thou, from blindness, didst not obtain the kingdom,though fully qualified to have it. If Pandu's son now obtaineth thekingdom as his inheritance from Pandu, his son will obtain it after himand that son's son also, and so on will it descend in Pandu's line. Inthat case, O king of the world, ourselves with our children, excludedfrom the royal line, shall certainly be disregarded by all men.Therefore, O monarch, adopt such counsels that we may not sufferperpetual distress, becoming dependent on others for our food. O king, ifthou hadst obtained the sovereignty before, we would certainly havesucceeded to it, however much the people might be unfavourable to us.'"
SECTION CXLIV
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, "King Dhritarashtra whose knowledge only was hiseyes, on hearing these words of his son and recollecting everything thatKanika had, said unto him, became afflicted with sorrow, and his mindalso thereupon began to waver. Then Duryodhana and Karna, and Sakuni, theson of Suvala, and Duhsasana as their fourth, held a consultationtogether. Prince Duryodhana said unto Dhritarashtra, 'Send, O father, bysome clever contrivance, the Pandavas to the town of Varanavata. We shallthen have no fear of them.' Dhritarashtra, on hearing these words utteredby his son, reflected for a moment and replied unto Duryodhana, saying,'Pandu, ever devoted to virtue, always behaved dutifully towards all hisrelatives but particularly towards me. He cared very little for theenjoyments of the world, but devotedly gave everything unto me, even thekingdom. His son is as much devoted to virtue as he, and is possessed ofevery accomplishment. Of world-wide fame, he is again the favourite ofthe people. He is possessed of allies; how can we by force exile him fromhis ancestral kingdom? The counsellors and soldiers (of the state) andtheir sons and grandsons have all been cherished and maintained by Pandu.Thus benefited of old by Pandu, shall not, O child, the citizens slay uswith all our friends and relatives now on account of Yudhishthira?"
"Duryodhana replied, 'What thou sayest, O father, is perfectly true. Butin view of the evil that is looming on the future as regards thyself, ifwe conciliate the people with wealth and honours, they would assuredlyside with us for these proofs of our power. The treasury and theministers of state, O king, are at this moment under our control.Therefore, it behoveth thee now to banish, by some gentle means, thePandavas to the town of Varanavata; O king, when the sovereignty shallhave been vested in me, then, O Bharata, may Kunti with her children comeback from that place.'
"Dhritarashtra replied, 'This, O Duryodhana, is the very thought existingin my mind. But from its sinfulness I have never given expression to it.Neither Bhishma, nor Drona, nor Kshattri, nor Gautama (Kripa) will eversanction the exile of the Pandavas. In their eyes, O dear son, amongstthe Kurus ourselves and the Pandavas are equal. Those wise and virtuouspersons will make no difference between us. If therefore, we behave sotowards the Pandavas, shall we not, O son, deserve death at the hands ofthe Kurus, of these illustrious personages, and of the whole world?'
"Duryodhana answered, 'Bhishma hath no excess of affection for eitherside, and will, therefore, be neutral (in case of dispute). The son ofDrona (Aswatthaman) is on my side. There is no doubt that where the sonis, there the father will be. Kripa, the son of Saradwat, must be on theside on which Drona and Aswatthaman are. He will never abandon Drona andhis sister's son (Aswatthaman). Kshattri (Vidura) is dependent on us forhis means of life, though he is secretly with the foe. It he sides thePandavas, he alone can do us no injury, Therefore, exile thou thePandavas to Varanavata without any fear. And take such steps that theymay go thither this very day. By this act, O father, extinguish the griefthat consumeth me like a blazing fire, that robbeth me of sleep, and thatpierces my heart even like a terrible dart.'"
SECTION CXLV
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, Then prince Duryodhana, along with his brothers beganto gradually win over the people to his side by grants of wealth andhonours. Meanwhile, some clever councillors, instructed by Dhritarashtra,one day began to describe (in court) the town of Varanavata as a charmingplace. And they said, The festival of Pasupati (Siva) hath commenced inthe town of Varanavata. The concourse of people is great and theprocession is the most delightful of all ever witnessed on earth. Deckedwith every ornament, it charmed the hearts of all spectators.' Thus didthose councillors, instructed by Dhritarashtra, speak of Varanavata, andwhilst they were so speaking, the Pandavas, O king, felt the desire ofgoing to that delightful town. And when the king (Dhritarashtra)ascertained that the curiosity of the Pandavas had been awakened, the sonof Ambika addressed them, saying, 'These men of mine often speak ofVaranavata as the most delightful town in the world. If therefore, yechildren, ye desire to witness that festival, go to Varanavata with yourfollowers and friends and enjoy yourselves there like the celestials. Andgive ye away pearls and gems unto the Brahmanas and the musicians (thatmay be assembled there). And sporting there for some time as ye pleaselike the resplendent celestials and enjoying as much pleasure as ye like,return ye to Hastinapura again.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Yudhishthira, fully understanding the motivesof Dhritarashtra and considering that he himself was weak and friendless,replied unto the king, saying, 'So be it.' Then addressing Bhishma, theson of Santanu, the wise Vidura, Drona, Valhika, the Kaurava, Somadatta,Kripa, Aswatthaman, Bhurisravas, and the other councillors, and Brahmanasand ascetics, and the priests and the citizens, and the illustriousGandhari, he said slowly and humbly, 'With our friends and followers wego to the delightful and populous town of Varanavata at the command ofDhritarashtra. Cheerfully give us your benedictions so that acquiringprosperity, therewith we may not be touched by sin.' Thus addressed bythe eldest of Pandu's sons, the Kaurava chiefs all cheerfully pronouncedblessings on them, saying, 'Ye sons of Pandu, let all the elements blessyou along your way and let not the slightest evil befall you.'
"The Pandavas, having performed propitiatory rites for obtaining (theirshare of) the kingdom, and finishing their preparations, set out forVaranavata.'"
SECTION CXLVI
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'The wicked Duryodhana became very pleased when theking, O Bharata, had said so unto Pandavas. And, O bull of Bharata'srace, Duryodhana, then, summoning his counsellor, Purochana in private,took hold of his right hand and said, 'O Purochana, this world, so fullof wealth, is mine. But it is thine equally with me. It behoveth thee,therefore, to protect it. I have no more trustworthy counsellor than theewith whom to consult. Therefore, O sire, keep my counsel and exterminatemy foes by a clever device. O, do as I bid thee. The Pandavas have, byDhritarashtra, been sent to Varanavata, where they will, atDhritarashtra's command, enjoy themselves during the festivities. Do thatby which thou mayest this very day reach Varanavata in a car drawn byswift mules. Repairing thither, cause thou to be erected a quadrangularpalace in the neighbourhood of the arsenal, rich in the materials andfurniture, and guard thou the mansion well (with prying eyes). And usethou (in erecting that house) hemp and resin and all other inflammablematerials that are procurable. And mixing a little earth with clarifiedbutter and oil and fat and a large quantity of lac, make thou a plasterfor lining the walls, and scatter thou all around that house hemp and oiland clarified butter and lac and wood in such a way that the Pandavas, orany others, may not, even with scrutiny behold them there or conclude thehouse to be an inflammable one. And having erected such mansion, causethou the Pandavas, after worshipping them with great reverence, to dwellin it with Kunti and all their friends. And place thou there seats andconveyances and beds, all of the best workmanship, for the Pandavas, sothat Dhritarashtra may have no reason to complain. Thou must also somanage it all that none of Varanavata may know anything till the end wehave in view is accomplished. And assuring thyself that the Pandavas aresleeping within in confidence and without fear, thou must then set fireto that mansion beginning at the outer door. The Pandavas thereupon mustbe burnt to death, but the people will say that they have been burnt in(an accidental) conflagration of their house.
"Saying, 'So be it' unto the Kuru prince, Purochana repaired toVaranavata in a car drawn by fleet mules. And going thither, O king,without loss of time, obedient to the instructions of Duryodhana, dideverything that the prince had bid him do."
SECTION CXLVII
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Meanwhile the Pandavas got into their cars, yokingthereto some fine horses endued with the speed of wind. While they wereon the point of entering their cars, they touched, in great sorrow, thefeet of Bhishma, of king Dhritarashtra, of the illustrious Drona, ofKripa, of Vidura and of the other elders of the Kuru race. Then salutingwith reverence all the older men, and embracing their equals, receivingthe farewell of even the children, and taking leave of all the venerableladies in their household, and walking round them respectfully, andbidding farewell unto all the citizens, the Pandavas, ever mindful oftheir vows, set out for Varanavata. And Vidura of great wisdom and theother bulls among the Kurus and the citizens also, from great affliction,followed those tigers among men to some distance. And some amongst thecitizens and the country people, who followed the Pandavas, afflictedbeyond measure at beholding the sons of Pandu in such distress, began tosay aloud, 'King Dhritarashtra of wicked soul seeth no things with thesame eye. The Kuru monarch casteth not his eye on virtue. Neither thesinless Yudhishthira, nor Bhima the foremost of mighty men, norDhananjaya the (youngest) son of Kunti, will ever be guilty (of the sinof waging a rebellious war). When these will remain quiet, how shall theillustrious son of Madri do anything? Having inherited the kingdom fromtheir father, Dhritarashtra could not bear them. How is that Bhishma whosuffers the exile of the Pandavas to that wretched place, sanctions thisact of great injustice? Vichitravirya, the son of Santanu, and the royalsage Pandu of Kuru's race both cherished us of old with fatherly care.But now that Pandu that tiger among men, hath ascended to heaven,Dhritarashtra cannot bear with these princes his children. We who do notsanction this exile shall all go, leaving this excellent town and our ownhomes, where Yudhishthira will go.'
"Unto those distressed citizens talking in this way, the virtuousYudhishthira, himself afflicted with sorrow, reflecting for a few momentssaid, 'The king is our father, worthy of regard, our spiritual guide, andour superior. To carry out with unsuspicious hearts whatever he biddeth,is indeed, our duty. Ye are our friends. Walking round us and making ushappy by your blessings, return ye to your abodes. When the time comethfor anything to be done for us by you, then, indeed, accomplish all thatis agreeable and beneficial to us.' Thus addressed, the citizens walkedround the Pandavas and blessed them with their blessings and returned totheir respective abodes.
"And after the citizens had ceased following the Pandavas, Vidura,conversant with all the dictates of morality, desirous of awakening theeldest of the Pandavas (to a sense of his dangers), addressed him inthese words. The learned Vidura, conversant with the jargon (of theMlechchhas), addressed the learned Yudhishthira who also was conversantwith the same jargon, in the words of the Mlechchha tongue, so as to beunintelligible to all except Yudhishthira. He said, 'He that knoweth theschemes his foes contrive in accordance with the dictates of politicalscience, should, knowing them, act in such a way as to avoid all danger.He that knoweth that there are sharp weapons capable of cutting the bodythough not made of steel, and understandeth also the means of wardingthem off, can never be injured by foes. He liveth who protecteth himselfby the knowledge that neither the consumer of straw and wood nor thedrier of the dew burneth the inmates of a hole in the deep woods. Theblind man seeth not his way: the blind man hath no knowledge ofdirection. He that hath no firmness never acquireth prosperity.Remembering this, be upon your guard. The man who taketh a weapon notmade of steel (i.e., an inflammable abode) given him by his foes, canescape from fire by making his abode like unto that of a jackal (havingmany outlets). By wandering a man may acquire the knowledge of ways, andby the stars he can ascertain the direction, and he that keepeth his five(senses) under control can never be oppressed y his enemies.'
"Thus addressed, Pandu's son, Yudhishthira the just replied unto Vidura,that foremost of all learned men, saying, 'I have understood thee.' ThenVidura, having instructed the Pandavas and followed them (thus far),walked around them and bidding them farewell returned to his own abode.When the citizens and Bhishma and Vidura had all ceased following, Kuntiapproached Yudhishthira and said, 'The words that Kshattri said unto theein the midst of many people so indistinctly as if he did not sayanything, and thy reply also to him in similar words and voice, we havenot understood. If it is not improper; for us to know them I should thenlike to hear everything that had passed between him and thee.'
"Yudhishthira replied, 'The virtuous Vidura said unto me that we shouldknow that the mansion (for our accommodation at Varanavata) hath beenbuilt of inflammable materials. He said unto me, 'The path of escape tooshall not be unknown to thee,'--and further,--'Those that can controltheir senses can acquire the sovereignty of the whole world.'--The replythat I gave unto Vidura was, 'I have understood thee.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'The Pandavas set out on the eighth day of themonth of Phalguna when the star Rohini was in the ascendant, and arrivingat Varanavata they beheld the town and the people.'"
SECTION CXLVIII
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then all the citizens (of Varanavata) on hearingthat the son of Pandu had come, were filled with joy at the tidings,speedily came out of Varanavata, in vehicles of various kinds numberingby thousands, taking with them every auspicious article as directed bythe Sastras, for receiving those foremost of men. And the people ofVaranavata, approaching the sons of Kunti blessed them by uttering theJaya and stood surrounding them. That tiger among men, viz., the virtuousYudhishthira thus surrounded by them looked resplendent like him havingthe thunderbolt in his hands (viz., Indra) in the midst of thecelestials. And those sinless ones, welcomed by the citizens andwelcoming the citizens in return, then entered the populous town ofVaranavata decked with every ornament. Entering the town those heroesfirst went, O monarch, to the abodes of Brahmanas engaged in their properduties. Those foremost of men then went to the abodes of the officials ofthe town, and then of the Sutas and the Vaisyas and then to those of eventhe Sudras, O bull of Bharata's race, thus adored by the citizens, thePandavas at last went with Purochana going before them, to the palacethat had been built for them, Purochana then began to place before themfood and drink and beds and carpets, all of the first and most agreeableorder. The Pandavas attired in costly robes, continued to live there,adored by Purochana and the people having their homes in Varanavata.
"After the Pandavas had thus lived for ten nights, Purochana spoke tothem of the mansion (he had built) called 'The Blessed Home,' but inreality the cursed house. Then those tigers among men, attired in costlydress, entered that mansion at the instance of Purochana like Guhyakasentering the palace (of Siva) on the Kailasa mount. The foremost of allvirtuous men, Yudhishthira, inspecting the house, said unto Bhima that itwas really built of inflammable materials. Smelling the scent of fatmixed with clarified butter and preparations of lac, he said unto Bhima,'O chastiser of foes, this house is truly built of inflammable materials!Indeed, it is apparent that such is the case! The enemy, it is evident,by the aid of trusted artists well-skilled in the construction of houses,have finely built this mansion, after procuring hemp, resin, heath,straw, and bamboos, all soaked in clarified butter. This wicked wretch,Purochana, acting under the instruction of Duryodhana, stayeth here withthe object of burning me to death when he seeth me trustful. But, O sonof Pritha, Vidura of great intelligence, knew of this danger, and,therefore, hath warned me of it beforehand. Knowing it all, that youngestuncle of ours, ever wishing our good from affection hath told us thatthis house, so full of danger, hath been constructed by the wretchesunder Duryodhana acting in secrecy.'
"Hearing this, Bhima replied, 'If, sir, you know this house to be soinflammable, it would then be well for us to return thither where we hadtaken up our quarters first.' Yudhishthira replied, 'It seems to me thatwe should rather continue to live here in seeming unsuspiciousness butall the while with caution and our senses wide awake and seeking for somecertain means of escape. If Purochana findeth from our countenances thatwe have fathomed designs, acting with haste he may suddenly burn us todeath. Indeed, Purochana careth little for obloquy or sin. The wretchstayeth here acting under the instruction of Duryodhana. If we are burntto death, will our grandfather Bhishma be angry? Why will he, by showinghis wrath, make the Kauravas angry with him? Or, perhaps, our grandfatherBhishma and the other bull of Kuru's race, regarding indignation at sucha sinful act to be virtuous, may become wrathful. If however, from fearof being burnt, we fly from here, Duryodhana, ambitious of sovereigntywill certainly compass our death by means of spies. While we have no rankand power, Duryodhana hath both; while we have no friends and allies,Duryodhana hath both; while we are without wealth, Duryodhana hath at hiscommand a full treasury. Will he not, therefore, certainly destroy us byadopting adequate means? Let us, therefore, by deceiving this wretch(Purochana) and that other wretch Duryodhana, pass our days, disguisingourselves at times. Let us also lead a hunting life, wandering over theearth. We shall then, if we have to escape our enemies, be familiar withall paths. We shall also, this very day, cause a subterranean passage tobe dug in our chamber in great secrecy. If we act in this way, concealingwhat we do from all, fire shall never be able to consume us. We shalllive here, actively doing everything for our safety but with such privacythat neither Purochana nor any of the citizens of Varanavata may knowwhat we are after.'"
SECTION CXLIX
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'A friend of Vidura's, well-skilled in mining,coming unto the Pandavas, addressed them in secret, saying, 'I have beensent by Vidura and am a skilful miner. I am to serve the Pandavas. Tellme what I am to do for ye. From the trust he reposeth in me Vidura hathsaid unto me, 'Go thou unto the Pandavas and accomplish thou their good.What shall I do for you? Purochana will set fire to the door of thy houseon the fourteenth night of this dark fortnight. To burn to death thosetigers among men, the Pandavas, with their mother, is the design of thatwicked wretch, the son of Dhritarashtra. O son of Pandu, Vidura also toldthee something in the Mlechchha tongue to which thou also didst reply insame language. I state these particulars as my credentials.' Hearingthese words, Yudhishthira, the truthful son of Kunti replied, 'O amiableone, I now know thee as a dear and trusted friend of Vidura, true andever devoted to him. There is nothing that the learned Vidura doth notknow. As his, so ours art thou. Make no difference between him and us. Weare as much thine as his. O, protect us as the learned Vidura everprotecteth us. I know that this house, so inflammable, hath beencontrived for me by Purochana at the command of Dhritarashtra's son. Thatwicked wretch commanding wealth and allies pursueth us withoutintermission. O, save us with a little exertion from the impendingconflagration. If we are burnt to death here, Duryodhana's most cherisheddesire will be satisfied. Here is that wretch's well-furnished arsenal.This large mansion hath been built abutting the high ramparts of thearsenal without any outlet. But this unholy contrivance of Duryodhana wasknown to Vidura from the first, and he it was who enlightened usbeforehand. The danger of which Kshattri had foreknowledge is now at ourdoor. Save us from it without Purochana's knowledge thereof.' On hearingthese words, the miner said, 'So be it,' and carefully beginning his workof excavation, made a large subterranean passage. And the mouth of thatpassage was in the centre of that house, and it was on a level with thefloor and closed up with planks. The mouth was so covered from fear ofPurochana, that wicked wretch who kept a constant watch at the door ofthe house. The Pandavas used to sleep within their chambers with armsready for use, while, during the day, they went a-hunting from forest toforest. Thus, O king, they lived (in that mansion) very guardedly,deceiving Purochana by a show of trustfulness and contentment while inreality they were trustless and discontented. Nor did the citizens ofVaranavata know anything about these plans of the Pandavas. In fact, noneelse knew of them except Vidura's friend, that good miner.'"
SECTION CL
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Seeing the Pandavas living there cheerfully andwithout suspicion for a full year, Purochana became exceedingly glad. Andbeholding Purochana so very glad, Yudhishthira, the virtuous son ofKunti, addressing Bhima and Arjuna and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva)said, 'The cruel-hearted wretch hath been well-deceived. I think the timeis come for our escape. Setting fire to the arsenal and burning Purochanato death and letting his body lie here, let us, six persons, fly henceunobserved by all!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then on the occasion of an almsgiving, O king,Kunti fed on a certain night a large number of Brahmanas. There came alsoa number of ladies who while eating and drinking, enjoyed there as theypleased, and with Kunti's leave returned to their respective homes.Desirous of obtaining food, there came, as though impelled by fate, tothat feast, in course of her wanderings, a Nishada woman, the mother offive children, accompanied by all her sons. O king, she, and herchildren, intoxicated with the wine they drank, became incapable.Deprived of consciousness and more dead than alive, she with all her sonslay down in that mansion to sleep. Then when all the inmates of the houselay down to sleep, there began to blow a violent wind in the night. Bhimathen set fire to the house just where Purochana was sleeping. Then theson of Pandu set fire to the door of that house of lac. Then he set fireto the mansion in several parts all around. Then when the sons of Panduwere satisfied that the house had caught fire in several parts thosechastisers of foes with their mother, entered the subterranean passagewithout losing any time. Then the heat and the roar of the fire becameintense and awakened the townspeople. Beholding the house in flames, thecitizens with sorrowful faces began to say, 'The wretch (Purochana) ofwicked soul had under the instruction of Duryodhana built his house forthe destruction of his employer's relatives. He indeed hath set fire toit. O, fie on Dhritarashtra's heart which is so partial. He hath burnt todeath, as if he were their foe, the sinless heirs of Pandu! O, the sinfuland wicked-souled (Purochana) who hath burnt those best of men, theinnocent and unsuspicious princes, hath himself been burnt to death asfate would have it.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'The citizens of Varanavata thus bewailed (thefate of the Pandavas), and waited there for the whole night surroundingthat house. The Pandavas, however, accompanied by their mother coming outof the subterranean passage, fled in haste unnoticed. But thosechastisers of foes, for sleepiness and fear, could not with their motherproceed in haste. But, O monarch, Bhimasena, endued with terrible prowessand swiftness of motion took upon his body all his brothers and motherand began to push through the darkness. Placing his mother on hisshoulder, the twins on his sides, and Yudhishthira and Arjuna on both hisarms, Vrikodara of great energy and strength and endued with the speed ofthe wind, commenced his march, breaking the trees with his breast andpressing deep the earth with his stamp.'"
SECTION CLI
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'About this time, the learned Vidura had sent intothose woods a man of pure character and much trusted by him. This persongoing to where he had been directed, saw the Pandavas with their motherin the forest employed in a certain place in measuring the depth of ariver. The design that the wicked Duryodhana had formed had been, throughhis spies, known to Vidura of great intelligence, and, therefore, he hadsent that prudent person unto the Pandavas. Sent by Vidura unto them, heshowed the Pandavas on the sacred banks of the Ganga a boat with enginesand flags, constructed by trusted artificers and capable of withstandingwind and wave and endued with the speed of the tempest or of thought. Hethen addressed the Pandavas in these words to show that he had reallybeen sent by Vidura, 'O Yudhishthira, he said, "listen to these words thelearned Vidura had said (unto thee) as a proof of the fact that I comefrom him. Neither the consumer of straw and the wood nor the drier of dewever burneth the inmates of a hole in the forest. He escapeth from deathwho protecteth himself knowing this, etc.' By these credentials know meto be the person who has been truly sent by Vidura and to be also histrusted agent. Vidura, conversant with everything, hath again said, 'Oson of Kunti, thou shalt surely defeat in battle Karna, and Duryodhanawith his brothers, and Sakuni.' This boat is ready on the waters, and itwill glide pleasantly thereon, and shall certainly bear you all fromthese regions!'
"Then beholding those foremost of men with their mother pensive and sadhe caused them to go into the boat that was on the Ganga, and accompaniedthem himself. Addressing them again, he said, 'Vidura having smelt yourheads and embraced you (mentally), hath said again that in commencingyour auspicious journey and going alone you should never be careless.'
"Saying these words unto those heroic princes, the person sent by Viduratook those bulls among men over to the other side of the Ganga in hisboat. And having taken them over the water and seen them all safe on theopposite bank, he uttered the word 'Jaya' (victory) to their success andthen left them and returned to the place whence he had come.
"The illustrious Pandavas also sending through that person some messageto Vidura, began, after having crossed the Ganga, to proceed with hasteand in great secrecy.'"
SECTION CLII
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then, when the night had passed away, a largeconcourse of the townspeople came there in haste to see the sons ofPandu. After extinguishing the fire, they saw that the house just burntdown had been built of lac in materials and that (Duryodhana's)counsellor Purochana had been burnt to death. And the people began tobewail aloud saying, 'Indeed, this had been contrived by the sinfulDuryodhana for the destruction of the Pandavas. There is little doubtthat Duryodhana hath, with Dhritarashtra's knowledge, burnt to death theheirs of Pandu, else the prince would have been prevented by his father.There is little doubt that even Bhishma, the son of Santanu, and Dronaand Vidura and Kripa and other Kauravas have not, any of them, followedthe dictates of duty. Let us now send to Dhritarashtra to say, 'Thy greatdesire hath been achieved! Thou hast burnt to death the Pandavas!'
"They then began to extinguish the members to obtain some trace of thePandavas, and they saw the innocent Nishada woman with her five sonsburnt to death. Then the miner sent by Vidura, while removing the ashes,covered the hole he had dug with those ashes in such a way that itremained unnoticed by all who had gone there.
"The citizens then sent to Dhritarashtra to inform him that the Pandavasalong with (Duryodhana's) counsellor Purochana had been burnt to death.King Dhritarashtra, on hearing the evil news of the death of thePandavas, wept in great sorrow. And he said, 'King Pandu, my brother ofgreat fame, hath, indeed, died today when those heroic sons of histogether with their mother have been burnt to death. Ye men, repairquickly to Varanavata and cause the funeral rites to be performed ofthose heroes and of the daughter of Kuntiraj! Let also the bones of thedeceased be sanctified with the usual rites, and let all the beneficialand great acts (usual on such occasions) be performed. Let the friendsand relatives of those that have been burnt to death repair thither. Letalso all other beneficial acts that ought, under the circumstances, to beperformed by us for the Pandavas and Kunti be accomplished by wealth.'
"Having said this, Dhritarashtra, the son of Ambika, surrounded by hisrelatives, offered oblations of water to the sons of Pandu. And all ofthem, afflicted with excessive sorrow, bewailed aloud, exclaiming, 'OYudhishthira! Oh prince of the Kuru race!'--While others cried aloud,'Oh, Bhima!--O Phalguna!'--while some again,--'Oh, the twins!--Oh,Kunti!'--Thus did they sorrow for the Pandavas and offer oblations ofwater unto them. The citizens also wept for the Pandavas but Vidura didnot weep much, because he knew the truth.
"Meanwhile the Pandavas endued with great strength with their motherforming a company of six going out of the town of Varanavata arrived atthe banks of the Ganga. They then speedily reached the opposite bankaided by the strength of the boatmen's arms, the rapidity of the river'scurrent, and a favourable wind. Leaving the boat, they proceeded in thesouthern direction finding their way in the dark by the light of thestars. After much suffering they at last reached, O king, a dense forest.They were then tired and thirsty; sleep was closing their eyes everymoment. Then Yudhishthira, addressing Bhima endued with great energy,said, 'What can be more painful than this? We are now in the deep woods.We know not which side is which, nor can we proceed much further. We donot know whether that wretch Purochana hath or hath not been burnt todeath. How shall we escape from these dangers unseen by others? OBharata, taking us on thyself, proceed thou as before. Thou alone amongstus art strong and swift as the wind.'
"Thus addressed by Yudhishthira the just, the mighty Bhimasena, taking upon his body Kunti and his brothers, began to proceed with greatcelerity.'"
SECTION CLIII
(Jatugriha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said," As the mighty Bhima proceeded, the whole forest withits trees and their branches seemed to tremble, in consequence of theirclash with his breast. The motion of his thighs raised a wind like untothat which blows during the months of Jyaishtha and Ashadha (May andJune). And the mighty Bhima proceeded, making a path for himself, buttreading down the trees and creepers before him. In fact, he broke (bythe pressure of his body) the large trees and plants, with their flowersand fruits, standing on his way. Even so passeth through the woodsbreaking down mighty trees, the leader of a herd of elephants, of the ageof sixty years, angry and endued with excess of energy, during the seasonof rut when the liquid juice trickle down the three parts of his body.Indeed, so great was the force with which Bhima endued with the speed ofGaruda or of Marut (the god of wind), proceeded that the Pandavas seemedto faint in consequence. Frequently swimming across streams difficult ofbeing crossed, the Pandavas disguised themselves on their way from fearof the sons of Dhritarashtra. And Bhima carried on his shoulder hisillustrious mother of delicate sensibilities along the uneven banks ofrivers. Towards the evening, O bull of Bharata's race, Bhima (bearing hisbrothers and mother on his back) reached a terrible forest where fruitsand roots and water were scarce and which resounded with the terriblecries of birds and beasts. The twilight deepened the cries of birds andbeasts became fiercer, darkness shrouded everything from the view anduntimely winds began to blow that broke and laid low many a tree largeand small and many creepers with dry leaves and fruits. The Kauravaprinces, afflicted with fatigue and thirst, and heavy with sleep, wereunable to proceed further. They then all sat down in that forest withoutfood and drink. Then Kunti, smitten with thirst, said unto her sons, 'Iam the mother of the five Pandavas and am now in their midst. Yet I amburning with thirst!' Kunti repeatedly said this unto her sons. Hearingthese words, Bhima's heart, from affection for his mother, was warmed bycompassion and he resolved to go (along as before). Then Bhima,proceeding through that terrible and extensive forest without a livingsoul, saw a beautiful banian tree with widespreading branches. Settingdown there his brothers and mother, O bull of Bharata's race; he saidunto them, 'Rest you here, while I go in quest of water. I hear the sweetcries of aquatic fowls. I think there must be a large pool here.'Commanded, O Bharata, by his elder brother who said unto him, 'Go', Bhimaproceeded in the direction whence the cries of those aquatic fowls werecoming. And, O bull of Bharata's race, he soon came upon a lake andbathed and slaked his thirst. And affectionate unto his brothers, hebrought for them, O Bharata, water by soaking his upper garments. Hastilyretracing his way over those four miles he came unto where his mother wasand beholding her he was afflicted with sorrow and began to sigh like asnake. Distressed with grief at seeing his mother and brothers asleep onthe bare ground, Vrikodara began to weep, 'Oh, wretch that I am, whobehold my brothers asleep on the bare ground, what can befall me morepainful than this? Alas, they who formerly at Varanavata could not sleepon the softest and costliest beds are now asleep on the bare ground! Oh,what more painful sight shall I ever behold than that of Kunti--thesister of Vasudeva, that grinder of hostile hosts--the daughter ofKuntiraja,--herself decked with every auspicious mark, thedaughter-in-law of Vichitravirya,--the wife of the illustriousPandu,--the mother of us (five brothers),--resplendent as the filamentsof the lotus and delicate and tender and fit to sleep on the costliestbed--thus asleep, as she should never be, on the bare ground! Oh, she whohath brought forth these sons by Dharma and Indra and Maruta--she whohath ever slept within palaces--now sleepeth, fatigued, on the bareground! What more painful sight shall ever be beheld by me than that ofthese tigers among men (my brothers) asleep on the ground! Oh, thevirtuous Yudhishthira, who deserveth the sovereignty of the three worlds,sleepeth, fatigued, like an ordinary man, on the bare ground! This Arjunaof the darkish hue of blue clouds, and unequalled amongst men sleepeth onthe ground like an ordinary person! Oh, what can be more painful thanthis? Oh the twins, who in beauty are like the twin Aswins amongst thecelestials, are asleep like ordinary mortals on the bare ground! He whohath no jealous evil-minded relatives, liveth in happiness in this worldlike a single tree in a village. The tree that standeth single in avillage with its leaves and fruits, from absence of other of the samespecies, becometh sacred and is worshipped and venerated by all. Theyagain that have many relatives who, however, are all heroic and virtuous,live happily in the world without sorrow of any kind. Themselves powerfuland growing in prosperity and always gladdening their friends andrelatives, they live, depending on each other, like tall trees growing inthe same forest. We, however, have been forced in exile by the wickedDhritarashtra and his sons having escaped with difficulty, from sheergood fortune, a fiery death. Having escaped from that fire, we are nowresting in the shade of this tree. Having already suffered so much, wherenow are we to go? Ye sons of Dhritarashtra of little foresight, ye wickedfellows, enjoy your temporary success. The gods are certainly auspiciousto you. But ye wicked wretches, ye are alive yet, only becauseYudhishthira doth not command me to take your lives. Else this very day,filled with wrath, I would send thee, (O Duryodhana), to the regions ofYama (Pluto) with thy children and friends and brothers, and Karna, and(Sakuni) the son of Suvala! But what can I do, for, ye sinful wretches,the virtuous king Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandavas, is not yetangry with you?'
"Having said this, Bhima of mighty arms, fired with wrath, began tosqueeze his palms, sighing deeply in affliction. Excited again with wrathlike an extinguished fire blazing up all on a sudden, Vrikodara once morebeheld his brothers sleeping on the ground like ordinary persons sleepingin trustfulness. And Bhima said unto himself, 'I think there is some townnot far off from this forest. These all are asleep, so I will sit awake.And this will slake their thirst after they rise refreshed from sleep.'Saying this, Bhima sat there awake, keeping watch over his sleepingmother and brothers.'"
SECTION CLIV
(Hidimva-vadha Parva)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Not far from the place where the Pandavas wereasleep, a Rakshasa by name Hidimva dwelt on the Sala tree. Possessed ofgreat energy and prowess, he was a cruel cannibal of visage that was grimin consequence of his sharp and long teeth. He was now hungry and longingfor human flesh. Of long shanks and a large belly, his locks and beardwere both red in hue. His shoulders were broad like the neck of a tree;his ears were like unto arrows, and his features were frightful. Of redeyes and grim visage, the monster beheld, while casting his glancesaround, the sons of Pandu sleeping in those woods. He was then hungry andlonging for human flesh. Shaking his dry and grizzly locks and scratchingthem with his fingers pointed upwards, the large-mouthed cannibalrepeatedly looked at the sleeping sons of Pandu yawning wistfully attimes. Of huge body and great strength, of complexion like the colour ofa mass of clouds, of teeth long and sharp-pointed and face emitting asort of lustre, he was ever pleased with human flesh. And scenting theodour of man, he addressed his sister, saying, 'O sister, it is after along time that such agreeable food hath approached me! My mouth waters atthe anticipated relish of such food. My eight teeth, so sharp-pointed andincapable of being resisted by any substance, I shall, today, after along time, put into the most delicious flesh. Attacking the human throatand even opening the veins, I shall (today) drink a plentiful quantity ofhuman blood, hot and fresh and frothy. Go and ascertain who these are,lying asleep in these woods. The strong scent of man pleaseth mynostrils. Slaughtering all these men, bring them unto me. They sleepwithin my territory. Thou needest have no fear from them. Do my biddingsoon, for we shall then together eat their flesh, tearing off theirbodies at pleasure. And after feasting to our fill on human flesh weshall then dance together to various measures!'
"Thus addressed by Hidimva in those woods, Hidimva, the female cannibal,at the command of her brother, went, O bull of Bharata's race, to thespot where the Pandavas were. And on going there, she beheld the Pandavasasleep with their mother and the invincible Bhimasena sitting awake. Andbeholding Bhimasena unrivalled on earth for beauty and like unto avigorous Sala tree, the Rakshasa woman immediately fell in love with him,and she said to herself, 'This person of hue like heated gold and ofmighty arms, of broad shoulders as the lion, and so resplendent, of neckmarked with three lines like a conch-shell and eyes like lotus-petals, isworthy of being my husband. I shall not obey the cruel mandate of mybrother. A woman's love for her husband is stronger than her affectionfor her brother. If I slay him, my brother's gratification as well asmine will only be momentary. But if I slay him not, I can enjoy, with himfor ever and ever.' Thus saying, the Rakshasa woman, capable of assumingform at will, assumed an excellent human form and began to advance withslow steps towards Bhima of mighty arms. Decked with celestial ornamentsshe advanced with smiles on her lips and a modest gait, and addressingBhima said, 'O bull among men, whence hast thou come here and who artthou? Who, besides, are these persons of celestial beauty sleeping here?Who also, O sinless one, is this lady of transcendent beauty sleeping sotrustfully in these woods as if she were lying in her own chamber? Dostthou not know that this forest is the abode of a Rakshasa. Truly do Isay, here liveth the wicked Rakshasa called Hidimva. Ye beings ofcelestial beauty, I have been sent hither even by that Rakshasa--mybrother--with the cruel intent of killing you for his food. But I tellthee truly that beholding thee resplendent as a celestial, I would havenone else for my husband save thee! Thou who art acquainted with allduties, knowing this, do unto me what is proper. My heart as well as mybody hath been pierced by (the shafts of) Kama (Cupid). O, as I amdesirous of obtaining thee, make me thine. O thou of mighty arms, I willrescue thee from the Rakshasa who eateth human flesh. O sinless one, bethou my husband. We shall then live on the breasts of mountainsinaccessible to ordinary mortals. I can range the air and I do so atpleasure. Thou mayest enjoy great felicity with me in those regions.'
"Hearing these words of hers, Bhima replied, 'O Rakshasa woman, who can,like a Muni having all his passions under control, abandon his sleepingmother and elder and younger brothers? What man like me would go togratify his lust, leaving his sleeping mother and brothers as food for aRakshasa?'
"The Rakshasa woman replied, 'O, awaken all these, I shall do unto youall that is agreeable to thee! I shall certainly rescue you all from mycannibal brother?'
"Bhima then said, 'O Rakshasa woman, I will not, from fear of thy wickedbrother, awaken my brothers and mother sleeping comfortably in the woods.O timid one, Rakshasas are never able to bear the prowess of my arms.And, O thou of handsome eyes, neither men, nor Gandharvas, nor Yakshasare able to bear my might. O amiable one, thou mayst stay or go as thoulikest, or mayst even send thy cannibal brother, O thou of delicateshape. I care not.'"
SECTION CLV
(Hidimva-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Hidimva, the chief of the Rakshasas, seeing that hissister returned not soon enough, alighted from the tree, proceededquickly to the spot where the Pandavas were. Of red eyes and strong armsand the arms and the hair of his head standing erect, of large open mouthand body like unto a mass of dark clouds, teeth long and sharp-pointed,he was terrible to behold. And Hidimva, beholding her brother offrightful visage alight from the tree, became very much alarmed, andaddressing Bhima said, 'The wicked cannibal is coming hither in wrath. Ientreat thee, do with thy brothers, as I bid thee. O thou of greatcourage, as I am endued with the powers of a Rakshasa, I am capable ofgoing whithersoever I like. Mount ye on my hips, I will carry you allthrough the skies. And, O chastiser of foes, awaken these and thy mothersleeping in comfort. Taking them all on my body, I will convey youthrough the skies.'
"Bhima then said, 'O thou of fair hips, fear not anything. I am sure thatas long as I am here, there is no Rakshasa capable of injuring any ofthese, O thou of slender waist. I will slay this (cannibal) before thyvery eyes. This worst of Rakshasas, O timid one, is no worthy antagonistof mine, nor can all the Rakshasas together bear the strength of my arms.Behold these strong arms of mine, each like unto the trunk of anelephant. Behold also these thighs of mine like unto iron maces, and thisbroad and adamantine chest. O beautiful one, thou shall today behold myprowess like unto that of Indra. O thou of fair hips, hate me not,thinking that I am a man.'
"Hidimva replied saying, 'O tiger among men, O thou of the beauty of acelestial, I do not certainly hold thee in contempt. But I have seen theprowess that Rakshasas exert upon men.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then, O Bharata, the wrathful Rakshasa eatinghuman flesh heard these words of Bhima who had been talking in that way.And Hidimva beheld his sister disguised in human form, her head deckedwith garlands of flowers and her face like the full moon and her eyebrowsand nose and eyes and ringlets all of the handsomest description, and hernails and complexion of the most delicate hue, and herself wearing everykind of ornament and attired in fine transparent robes. The cannibal,beholding her in that charming human form, suspected that she wasdesirous of carnal intercourse and became indignant. And, O best of theKurus, becoming angry with his sister, the Rakshasa dilated his eyes andaddressing her said, 'What senseless creature wishes to throw obstaclesin my path now that I am so hungry? Hast thou become so senseless, OHidimva, that thou fearest not my wrath? Fie on thee, thou unchastewoman! Thou art even now desirous of carnal intercourse and solicitous ofdoing me an injury. Thou art ready to sacrifice the good name and honourof all the Rakshasas, thy ancestors! Those with whose aid thou wouldst dome this great injury, I will, even now, slay along with thee.' Addressinghis sister thus, Hidimva, with eyes red with anger and teeth pressingagainst teeth, ran at her to kill her then and there. But beholding himrush at his sister, Bhima, that foremost of smiter, endued with greatenergy, rebuked him and said, Stop--Stop!"
"Vaisampayana continued, 'And Bhima, beholding the Rakshasa angry withhis sister, smiled (in derision), and said, addressing him, 'O Hidimva,what need is there for thee to awaken these persons sleeping socomfortably? O wicked cannibal, approach me first without loss of time.Smite me first,--it behoveth thee not to kill a woman, especially whenshe hath been sinned against instead of sinning. This girl is scarcelyresponsible for her act in desiring intercourse with me. She hath, inthis, been moved by the deity of desire that pervadeth every living form.Thou wicked wretch and the most infamous of Rakshasas, thy sister camehere at thy command. Beholding my person, she desireth me. In that thetimid girl doth no injury to thee. It is the deity of desire that hathoffended. It behoveth thee not to injure her for this offence. O wickedwretch, thou shalt not slay a woman when I am here. Come with me, Ocannibal, and fight with myself singly. Singly shall I send thee today tothe abode of Yama (Pluto). O Rakshasa, let thy head today, pressed by mymight, be pounded to pieces, as though pressed by the tread of a mightyelephant. When thou art slain by me on the field of battle, let heronsand hawks and jackals tear in glee thy limbs today on the ground. In amoment I shall today make this forest destitute of Rakshasas,--thisforest that had so long been ruled by thee, devourer of human beings! Thysister, O Rakshasa, shall today behold thyself, huge though thou art likea mountain, like a huge elephant repeatedly dragged by a lion, O worst ofRakshasas, thyself slain by me, men ranging these woods will henceforthdo so safely and without fear.'
"Hearing these words, Hidimva said, 'What need is there, O man, for thisthy vaunt and this thy boast? Accomplish all this first, and then maystthou vaunt indeed. Therefore, delay thou not. Thou knowest thyself to bestrong and endued with prowess, so thou shalt rightly estimate thystrength today in thy encounter with me. Until that, I will not slaythese (thy brothers). Let them sleep comfortably. But I will, as thou arta fool and the utterer of evil speeches, slay thee first. After drinkingthy blood, I will slay these also, and then last of all, this (sister ofmine) that hath done me an injury.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Saying this, the cannibal, extending his armsran in wrath towards Bhimasena, that chastiser of foes. Then Bhima ofterrible prowess quickly seized, as though in sport, with great force,the extended arms of the Rakshasa who had rushed at him. Then seizing thestruggling Rakshasa with violence, Bhima dragged him from that spot fullthirty-two cubits like a lion dragging a little animal. Then theRakshasa, thus made to feel the weight of Bhima's strength, became veryangry and clasping the Pandava, sent forth a terrible yell. The mightyBhima then dragged with force the Rakshasa to a greater distance, lesthis yells should awaken his brothers sleeping in comfort. Clasping anddragging each other with great force, both Hidimva and Bhimasena putforth their prowess. Fighting like two full-grown elephants mad withrage, they then began to break down the trees and tear the creepers thatgrew around. And at those sounds, those tigers among men (the sleepingPandavas) woke up with their mother, and saw Hidimva sitting beforethem.'"
SECTION CLVI
(Hidimva-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Roused from sleep, those tigers among men, withtheir mother, beholding the extraordinary beauty of Hidimva, were filledwith wonder. And Kunti, gazing at her with wonder at her beauty,addressed her sweetly and gave her every assurance. She asked, 'O thou ofthe splendour of a daughter of the celestials, whose art thou and who artthou? O thou of the fairest complexion, on what business hast thou comehither and whence hast thou come? If thou art the deity of these woods oran Apsara, tell me all regarding thyself and also why thou stayest here?'Thereupon Hidimva replied, 'This extensive forest that thou seest, of thehue of blue cloud, is the abode of a Rakshasa of the name of Hidimva. Ohandsome lady, know me as the sister of that chief of the Rakshasa.Revered dame, I had been sent by that brother of mine to kill thee withall thy children. But on arriving here at the command of that cruelbrother of mine, I beheld thy mighty son. Then, O blessed lady, I wasbrought under the control of thy son by the deity of love who pervadeththe nature of every being, and I then (mentally) chose that mighty son ofthine as my husband. I tried my best to convey you hence, but I could not(because of thy son's opposition). Then the cannibal, seeing my delay,came hither to kill all these thy children. But he hath been draggedhence with force by that mighty and intelligent son of thine--my husband.Behold now that couple--man and Rakshasa--both endued with great strengthand prowess, engaged in combat, grinding each other and filling the wholeregion with their shouts.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing those words of hers, Yudhishthirasuddenly rose up and Arjuna also and Nakula and Sahadeva of great energyand they beheld Bhima and the Rakshasa already engaged in fight, eager toovercome each other and dragging each other with great force, like twolions endued with great might. The dust raised by their feet inconsequence of that encounter looked like the smoke of aforest-conflagration. Covered with that dust their huge bodies resembledtwo tall cliffs enveloped in mist. Then Arjuna, beholding Bhima ratheroppressed in the fight by the Rakshasa, slowly, said with smiles on hislips, 'Fear not, O Bhima of mighty arms! We (had been asleep andtherefore) knew not that thou wast engaged with a terrible Rakshasa andtired in fight. Here do I stand to help thee, let me slay the Rakshasa,and let Nakula and Sahadeva protect our mother.' Hearing him, Bhima said,'Look on this encounter, O brother, like a stranger. Fear not for theresult. Having come within the reach of my arms, he shall not escape withlife.' Then Arjuna said, 'What need, O Bhima, for keeping the Rakshasaalive so long? O oppressor of enemies, we are to go hence, and cannotstay here longer. The east is reddening, the morning twilight is about toset in. The Rakshasa became stronger by break of day, therefore, hasten,O Bhima! Play not (with thy victim), but slay the terrible Rakshasa soon.During the two twilights Rakshasas always put forth their powers ofdeception. Use all the strength of thy arms.
"Vaisampayana continued, 'At this speech of Arjuna, Bhima blazing up withanger, summoned the might that Vayu (his father) puts forth at the timeof the universal dissolution. And filled with rage, he quickly raisedhigh in the air the Rakshasa's body, blue as the clouds of heaven, andwhirled it a hundred times. Then addressing the cannibal, Bhima said, 'ORakshasa, thy intelligence was given thee in vain, and in vain hast thougrown and thriven on unsanctified flesh. Thou deservest, therefore, anunholy death and I shall reduce thee today to nothing. I shall make thisforest blessed today, like one without prickly plants. And, O Rakshasa,thou shalt no longer slay human beings for thy food.' Arjuna at thisjuncture, said, 'O Bhima, if thou thinkest it a hard task for thee toovercome this Rakshasa in combat, let me render thee help, else, slay himthyself without loss of time. Or, O Vrikodara, let me alone slay theRakshasa. Thou art tired, and hast almost finished the affair. Well dostthou deserve rest.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Arjuna, Bhima was firedwith rage and dashing the Rakshasa on the ground with all his might slewhim as if he were an animal. The Rakshasa, while dying, sent forth aterrible yell that filled the whole forest, and was deep as the sound ofa wet drum. Then the mighty Bhima, holding the body with his hands, bentit double, and breaking it in the middle, greatly gratified his brothers.Beholding Hidimva slain, they became exceedingly glad and lost no time inoffering their congratulations to Bhima, that chastiser of all foes. ThenArjuna worshipping the illustrious Bhima of terrible prowess, addressedhim again and said, 'Revered senior, I think there is a town not far offfrom this forest. Blest be thou, let us go hence soon, so that Duryodhanamay not trace us.'
"Then all those mighty car-warriors, those tigers among men, saying, 'Sobe it,' proceeded along with their mother, followed by Hidimva, theRakshasa woman.'"
SECTION CLVII
(Hidimva-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Bhima, beholding Hidimva following them, addressedher, saying, 'Rakshasas revenge themselves on their enemies by adoptingdeceptions that are incapable of being penetrated. Therefore, O Hidimva,go thou the way on which thy brother hath gone.' Then Yudhishthirabeholding Bhima in rage, said, 'O Bhima, O tiger among men, howeverenraged, do not slay a woman. O Pandava, the observance of virtue is ahigher duty than the protection of life. Hidimva, who had come with theobject of slaying us, thou hast already slain. This woman is the sisterof that Rakshasa, what can she do to us even if she were angry?'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Hidimva reverentially saluting Kunti andher son Yudhishthira also, said, with joined palms, 'O revered lady, thouknowest the pangs that women are made to feel at the hands of the deityof love. Blessed dame, these pangs, of which Bhimasena hath been thecause, are torturing me. I had hitherto borne these insufferable pangs,waiting for the time (when thy son could assuage them). That time is nowcome, when I expected I would be made happy. Casting off my friends andrelations and the usage of my race, I have, O blessed lady, chosen thisson of thine, this tiger among men, as my husband. I tell thee truly, Oillustrious lady, that if I am cast off by that hero or by thee either, Iwill no longer bear this life of mine. Therefore, O thou of the fairestcomplexion, it behoveth thee to show me mercy, thinking me either as verysilly or thy obedient slave. O illustrious dame, unite me with this thyson, my husband. Endued as he is with the form of a celestial, let me gotaking him with me wherever I like. Trust me, O blessed lady, I willagain bring him back unto you all. When you think of me I will come toyou immediately and convey you whithersoever ye may command. I willrescue you from all dangers and carry you across inaccessible and unevenregions. I will carry you on my back whenever ye desire to proceed withswiftness. O, be gracious unto me and make Bhima accept me. It hath beensaid that in a season of distress one should protect one's life by anymeans. He, that seeketh to discharge that duty should not scruple aboutthe means. He, that in a season of distress keepeth his virtue, is theforemost of virtuous men. Indeed, distress is the greatest danger tovirtue and virtuous men. It is virtue that protecteth life; therefore isvirtue called the giver of life. Hence the means by which virtue or theobservance of a duty is secured can never be censurable.'
"Hearing these words of Hidimva, Yudhishthira said. 'It is even so, OHidimva, as thou sayest. There is no doubt of it. But, O thou of slenderwaist, thou must act even as thou hast said. Bhima will, after he hathwashed himself and said his prayers and performed the usual propitiatoryrites, pay his attentions to thee till the sun sets. Sport thou with himas thou likest during the day, O thou that art endued with the speed ofthe mind! But thou must bring back Bhimasena hither every day atnightfall.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Bhima, expressing his assent to all thatYudhishthira said, addressed Hidimva, saying, 'Listen to me, O Rakshasawoman! Truly do I make this engagement with thee that I will stay withthee, O thou of slender waist, until thou obtainest a son.' Then Hidimva,saying, 'So be it,' took Bhima upon her body and sped through the sides.On mountain peaks of picturesque scenery and regions sacred to the gods,abounding with dappled herds and echoing with the melodies of featheredtribes, herself assuming the handsomest form decked with every ornamentand pouring forth at times mellifluous strains. Hidimva sported with thePandava and studied to make him happy. So also, in inaccessible regionsof forests, and on mountain-breasts overgrown with blossoming trees onlakes resplendent with lotuses and lilies, islands of rivers and theirpebbly banks, on sylvan streams with beautiful banks andmountain-currents, in picturesque woods with blossoming trees andcreepers in Himalayan bowers, and various caves, on crystal pools smilingwith lotuses, on sea-shores shining with gold and pearls, in beautifultowns and fine gardens, in woods sacred to the gods and on hill-sides, inthe regions of Guhyakas and ascetics, on the banks of Manasarovaraabounding with fruits and flowers of every season Hidimva, assuming thehandsomest form, sported with Bhima and studied to make him happy. Enduedwith the speed of the mind, she sported with Bhima in all these regions,till in time, she conceived and brought forth a mighty son begotten uponher by the Pandava. Of terrible eyes and large mouth and straight arrowyears, the child was terrible to behold. Of lips brown as copper and sharpteeth and loud roar, of mighty arms and great strength and excessiveprowess, this child became a mighty bowman. Of long nose, broad chest,frightfully swelling calves, celerity of motion and excessive strength,he had nothing human in his countenance, though born of man. And heexcelled (in strength and prowess) all Pisachas and kindred tribes aswell as all Rakshasas. And, O monarch, though a little child, he grew upa youth the very hour he was born. The mighty hero soon acquired highproficiency in the use of all weapons. The Rakshasa women bring forth thevery day they conceive, and capable of assuming any forms at will, theyalways change their forms. And the bald-headed child, that mighty bowman,soon after his birth, bowing down to his mother, touched her feet and thefeet also of his father. His parents then bestowed upon him a name. Hismother having remarked that his head was (bald) like unto a Ghata(water-pot), both his parents thereupon called him Ghatotkacha (thepot-headed). And Ghatotkacha who was exceedingly devoted to the Pandavas,became a great favourite with them, indeed almost one of them.
"Then Hidimva, knowing that the period of her stay (with her husband) hadcome to an end, saluted the Pandavas and making a new appointment withthem went away whithersoever she liked. And Ghatotkacha also--thatforemost of Rakshasas--promising unto his father that he would come whenwanted on business, saluted them and went away northward. Indeed, it wasthe illustrious Indra who created (by lending a portion of himself) themighty car-warrior Ghatotkacha as a fit antagonist of Karna of unrivalledenergy, in consequence of the dart he had given unto Karna (and which wassure to kill the person against whom it would be hurled).'"
SECTION CLVIII
(Hidimva-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Those mighty car-warriors, the heroic Pandavas, thenwent, O king, from forest to forest killing deer and many animals (fortheir food). And in the course of their wanderings they saw the countriesof the Matsyas, the Trigartas, the Panchalas and then of the Kichakas,and also many beautiful woods and lakes therein. And they all had mattedlocks on their heads and were attired in barks of trees and the skins ofanimals. Indeed, with Kunti in their company those illustrious heroeswere attired in the garbs of ascetics. And those mighty car-warriorssometimes proceeded in haste, carrying their mother on their backs; andsometimes they proceeded in disguise, and sometimes again with greatcelerity. And they used to study the Rik and the other Vedas and also allthe Vedangas as well as the sciences of morals and politics. And thePandavas, conversant with the science of morals, met, in course of theirwanderings their grandfather (Vyasa). And saluting the illustriousKrishna-Dwaipayana, those chastisers of enemies, with their mother, stoodbefore him with joined hands.'
"Vyasa then said, 'Ye bulls of Bharata's race, I knew beforehand of thisaffliction of yours consisting in your deceitful exile by the son ofDhritarashtra. Knowing this, I have come to you, desirous of doing yousome great good. Do not grieve for what hath befallen you. Know that allthis is for your happiness. Undoubtedly, the sons of Dhritarashtra andyou are all equal in my eye. But men are always partial to those who arein misfortune or of tender years. It is therefore, that my affection foryou is greater now. And in consequence of that affection, I desire to doyou good. Listen to me! Not far off before you is a delightful town whereno danger can overtake you. Live ye there in disguise, waiting for myreturn.'
'Vaisampayana continued, 'Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, thus comfortingthe Pandavas, led them into the town of Ekachakra. And the master alsocomforted Kunti, saying, 'Live, O daughter! This son of thine,Yudhishthira, ever devoted to truth, this illustrious bull among men,having by his justice conquered the whole world, will rule over all theother monarchs of the earth. There is little doubt that, having by meansof Bhima's and Arjuna's prowess conquered the whole earth with her beltof seas, he will enjoy the sovereignty thereof. Thy sons as well as thoseof Madri--mighty car-warriors all--will cheerfully sport as pleaseth themin their dominions. These tigers among men will also perform varioussacrifices, such as the Rajasuya and the horse-sacrifice, in which thepresents unto the Brahmanas are very large. And these thy sons will ruletheir ancestral kingdom, maintaining their friends and relatives inluxury and affluence and happiness.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'With these words Vyasa introduced them into thedwelling of a Brahmana. And the island-born Rishi, addressing the eldestof the Pandavas, said, 'Wait here for me! I will come back to you! Byadapting yourselves to the country and the occasion you will succeed inbecoming very happy.'
"Then, O king, the Pandavas with joined hands said unto the Rishi, 'So beit.' And the illustrious master, the Rishi Vyasa, then went away to theregion whence he had come.'"
SECTION CLIX
(Vaka-vadha Parva)
"Janamejaya asked, 'O first of Brahmanas, what did the Pandavas, thosemighty car-warriors, the sons of Kunti, do after arriving at Ekachakra?'
"Vaisampayana said, 'Those mighty car-warriors, the sons of Kunti, onarriving at Ekachakra, lived for a short time in the abode of a Brahmana.Leading an eleemosynary life, they behold (in course of their wanderings)various delightful forests and earthly regions, and many rivers andlakes, and they became great favourites of the inhabitants of that townin consequence of their own accomplishments. At nightfall they placedbefore Kunti all they gathered in their mendicant tours, and Kunti usedto divide the whole amongst them, each taking what was allotted to him.And those heroic chastisers of foes, with their mother, together took onemoiety of the whole, while the mighty Bhima alone took the other moiety.In this way, O bull of Bharata's race, the illustrious Pandavas livedthere for some time.
"One day, while those bulls of the Bharata race were out on their tour ofmendicancy, it so happened that Bhima was (at home) with (his mother)Pritha. That day, O Bharata, Kunti heard a loud and heart-rending wail ofsorrow coming from within the apartments of the Brahmana. Hearing theinmates of the Brahmana's house wailing and indulging in piteouslamentations, Kunti, O king, from compassion and the goodness of herheart, could not bear it with indifference. Afflicted with sorrow, theamiable Pritha, addressing Bhima, said these words full of compassion.'Our woes assuaged, we are, O son, living happily in the house of thisBrahmana, respected by him and unknown to Dhritarashtra's son. O son, Ialways think of the good I should do to this Brahmana, like what they dothat live happily in others' abodes! O child, he is a true man upon whomfavours are never lost. He payeth back to others more than what hereceiveth at their hands. There is no doubt, some affliction hathovertaken this Brahmana. If we could be of any help to him, we shouldthen be requiting his services.'
"Hearing these words of his mother, Bhima said, 'Ascertain, O mother thenature of the Brahmana's distress and whence also it hath arisen.Learning all about it, relieve it I will however difficult may the taskprove.'
"Vaisampayana continued 'While mother and son were thus talking with eachother, they heard again, O king, another wail of sorrow proceeding fromthe Brahmana and his wife. Then Kunti quickly entered the innerapartments of that illustrious Brahmana, like unto a cow running towardsher tethered calf. She beheld the Brahmana with his wife, son anddaughter, sitting with a woeful face, and she heard the Brahmana say,'Oh, fie on this earthly life which is hollow as the reed and sofruitless after all which is based on sorrow and hath no freedom, andwhich hath misery for its lot! Life is sorrow and disease; life is trulya record of misery! The soul is one: but it hath to pursue virtue, wealthand pleasure. And because these are pursued at one and the same time,there frequently occurs a disagreement that is the source of much misery.Some say that salvation is the highest object of our desire. But Ibelieve it can never be attained. The acquisition of wealth is hell; thepursuit of wealth is attended with misery; there is more misery after onehas acquired it, for one loves one's possessions, and if any mishapbefalls them, the possessor becomes afflicted with woe. I do not see bywhat means I can escape from this danger, nor how I can fly hence, withmy wife to some region free from danger. Remember, O wife, that Iendeavoured to migrate to some other place where we would be happy, butthou didst not then listen to me. Though frequently solicited by me,thou, O simple woman, said to me, 'I have been born here, and here have Igrown old; this is my ancestral homestead.' Thy venerable father, O wife,and thy mother also, have, a long time ago, ascended to heaven. Thyrelations also had all been dead. Oh why then didst thou yet like to livehere? Led by affection for thy relatives thou didst not then hear what Isaid. But the time is now come when thou art to witness the death of arelative. Oh, how sad is that spectacle for me! Or perhaps the time iscome for my own death, for I shall never be able to abandon cruelly oneof my own as long as I myself am alive. Thou art my helpmate in all gooddeeds, self-denying and always affectionate unto me as a mother. The godshave given thee to me as a true friend and thou art ever my prime stay.Thou hast, by my parents, been made the participator in my domesticconcerns. Thou art of pure lineage and good disposition, the mother ofchildren, devoted to me, and so innocent; having chosen and wedded theewith due rites, I cannot abandon thee, my wife, so constant in thy vows,to save my life. How shall I myself be able to sacrifice my son a childof tender years and yet without the hirsute appendages (of manhood)? Howshall I sacrifice my daughter whom I have begotten myself, who hath beenplaced, as a pledge, in my hands by the Creator himself for bestowal on ahusband and through whom I hope to enjoy, along with my ancestors, theregions attainable by those only that have daughters' sons? Some peoplethink that the father's affection for a son is greater; others, that hisaffection for a daughter is greater, mine, however, is equal. How can Ibe prepared to give up the innocent daughter upon whom rest the regionsof bliss obtainable by me in after life and my own lineage and perpetualhappiness? If, again, I sacrifice myself and go to the other world, Ishould scarcely know any peace, for, indeed, it is evident that, left byme these would not be able to support life. The sacrifice of any of thesewould be cruel and censurable. On the other hand, if I sacrifice myself,these, without me, will certainly perish. The distress into which I havefallen is great; nor do I know the means of escape. Alas, what courseshall I take today with my near ones. It is well that I should die withall these, for I can live no longer.'"
SECTION CLX
(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, "On hearing these words of the Brahmana, his wifesaid, 'Thou shouldst not, O Brahmana, grieve like an ordinary man. Nor isthis the time for mourning. Thou hast learning; thou knowest that all menare sure to die; none should grieve for that which is inevitable. Wife,son, and daughter, all these are sought for one's own self. As thou artpossessed of a good understanding, kill thou thy sorrows. I will myselfgo there. This indeed, is the highest and the eternal duty of a woman,viz., that by sacrificing her life she should seek the good of herhusband. Such an act done by me will make thee happy, and bring me famein this world and eternal bliss hereafter. This, indeed, is the highestvirtue that I tell thee, and thou mayest, by this, acquire both virtueand happiness. The object for which one desireth a wife hath already beenachieved by thee through me. I have borne thee a daughter and a son andthus been freed from the debt I had owed thee. Thou art well able tosupport and cherish the children, but I however, can never support andcherish them like thee. Thou art my life, wealth, and lord; bereft ofthee, how shall these children of tender years--how also shall I myself,exist? Widowed and masterless, with two children depending on me, howshall I, without thee, keep alive the pair, myself leading an honestlife? If the daughter of thine is solicited (in marriage) by personsdishonourable and vain and unworthy of contracting an alliance with thee,how shall I be able to protect the girl? Indeed, as birds seek withavidity for meat that hath been thrown away on the ground, so do mensolicit a woman that hath lost her husband. O best of Brahmanas,solicited by wicked men, I may waver and may not be able to continue inthe path that is desired by all honest men. How shall I be able to placethis sole daughter of thy house--this innocent girl--in the way alongwhich her ancestors have always walked? How shall I then be able toimpart unto this child every desirable accomplishment to make himvirtuous as thyself, in that season of want when I shall becomemasterless? Overpowering myself who shall be masterless, unworthy personswill demand (the hand of) this daughter of thine, like Sudras desiring tohear the Vedas. And if I bestow not upon them this girl possessing thyblood and qualities, they may even take her away by force, like crowscarrying away the sacrificial butter. And beholding thy son become sounlike to thee, and thy daughter placed under the control of someunworthy persons, I shall be despised in the world by even persons thatare dishonourable, and I will certainly die. These children also, bereftof me and thee, their father, will, I doubt not, perish like fish whenthe water drieth up. There is no doubt that bereft of thee the three willperish: therefore it behoveth thee to sacrifice me. O Brahmana, personsconversant with morals have said that for women that have borne children,to predecease their lords is an act of the highest merit. Ready am I toabandon this son and this daughter, these my relations, and life itself,for thee. For a woman to be ever employed in doing agreeable offices toher lord is a higher duty than sacrifices, asceticism, vows, andcharities of every description. The act, therefore, which I intend toperform is consonant with the highest virtue and is for thy good and thatof thy race. The wise have declared that children and relatives and wifeand all things held dear are cherished for the purpose of liberatingone's self from danger and distress. One must guard one's wealth forfreeing one's self from danger, and it is by his wealth that he shouldcherish and protect his wife. But he must protect his own self both by(means of) his wife and his wealth. The learned have enunciated the truththat one's wife, son, wealth, and house, are acquired with the intentionof providing against accidents, foreseen or unforeseen. The wise havealso said that all one's relations weighed against one's own self wouldnot be equal unto one's self. Therefore, revered sir, protect thy ownself by abandoning me. O, give me leave to sacrifice myself, and cherishthou my children. Those that are conversant with the morals have, intheir treatises, said, that women should never be slaughtered and thatRakshasas are not ignorant of the rules of morality. Therefore, while itis certain that the Rakshasa will kill a man, it is doubtful whether hewill kill a woman. It behoveth thee, therefore, being conversant with therules of morality, to place me before the Rakshasa. I have enjoyed muchhappiness, have obtained much that is agreeable to me, and have alsoacquired great religious merit. I have also obtained from thee childrenthat are so dear to me. Therefore, it grieveth not me to die. I haveborne thee children and have also grown old; I am ever desirous of doinggood to thee; remembering all these I have come to this resolution. Orevered sir, abandoning me thou mayest obtain another wife. By her thoumayest again acquire religious merit. There is no sin in this. For a manpolygamy is an act of merit, but for a woman it is very sinful to betakeherself to a second husband after the first. Considering all this, andremembering too that sacrifice of thy own self is censurable, O, liberatetoday without loss of time thy own self, thy race, and these thy children(by abandoning me).'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by her, O Bharata, the Brahmanaembraced her, and they both began to weep in silence, afflicted withgrief.'"
SECTION CLXI
(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'On hearing these words of her afflicted parents, thedaughter was filled with grief, and she addressed them, saying, 'Why areyou so afflicted and why do you so weep, as if you have none to lookafter you? O, listen to me and do what may be proper. There is littledoubt that you are bound in duty to abandon me at a certain time. Sure toabandon me once, O, abandon me now and save every thing at the expense ofme alone. Men desire to have children, thinking that children would savethem (in this world as well as in the region hereafter). O, cross thestream of your difficulties by means of my poor self, as if I were araft. A child rescueth his parents in this and the other regions;therefore is the child called by the learned Putra (rescuer). Theancestors desire daughter's sons from me (as a special means ofsalvation). But (without waiting for my children) I myself will rescuethem by protecting the life of my father. This my brother is of tenderyears, so there is little doubt that he will perish if thou diest now. Ifthou, my father, diest and my brother followeth thee, the funeral cake ofthe Pitris will be suspended and they will be greatly injured. Leftbehind by my father and brother, and by my mother also (for she will notsurvive her husband and son) I shall be plunged deeper and deeper in woeand ultimately perish in great distress. There can be little doubt thatif thou escape from this danger as also my mother and infant brother,then thy race and the (ancestral) cake will be perpetuated. The son isone's own self; the wife is one's friend; the daughter, however, is thesource of trouble. Do thou save thyself, therefore, by removing thatsource of trouble, and do thou thereby set me in the path of virtue. As Iam a girl, O father, destitute of thee, I shall be helpless and plungedin woe, and shall have to go everywhere. It is therefore that I amresolved to rescue my father's race and share the merit of that act byaccomplishing this difficult task. If thou, O best of Brahmanas, goestthither (unto the Rakshasa), leaving me here, then I shall be very muchpained. Therefore, O father, be kind to me. O thou best of men, for oursake, for that of virtue and also thy race, save thyself, abandoning me,whom at one time thou shall be constrained to part from. There need be nodelay, O father, in doing that which is inevitable. What can be morepainful than that, when thou hast ascended to heaven, we shall have to goabout begging our food, like dogs, from strangers. But if thou artrescued with thy relations from these difficulties, I shall then livehappily in the region of the celestials. It hath been heard by us that ifafter bestowing thy daughter in this way, thou offerest oblations to thegods and the celestials, they will certainly be propitious.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'The Brahmana and his wife, hearing thesevarious lamentations of their daughter, became sadder than before and thethree began to weep together. Their son, then, of tender years, beholdingthem and their daughter thus weeping together, lisped these words in asweet tone, his eyes having dilated with delight, 'Weep not, O father,nor thou, O mother, nor thou O sister!' And smilingly did the childapproach each of them, and at last taking up a blade of grass said inglee, 'With this will I slay the Rakshasa who eateth human beings!'Although all of them had been plunged in woe, yet hearing what the childlisped so sweetly, joy appeared on their faces. Then Kunti thinking thatto be the proper opportunity, approached the group and said these words.Indeed, her words revived them as nectar reviveth a person that is dead.'"
SECTION CLXII
(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)
'Kunti said, 'I desire to learn from you the cause of this grief, for Iwill remove it, if possible.'
"The Brahmana replied, 'O thou of ascetic wealth, thy speech is, indeedworthy of thee. But this grief is incapable of being removed by any humanbeing. Not far from this town, there liveth a Rakshasa of the name ofVaka, which cannibal is the lord of this country and town. Thriving onhuman flesh, that wretched Rakshasa endued with great strength ruleththis country. He being the chief of the Asuras, this town and the countryin which it is situate are protected by his might. We have no fear fromthe machinations of any enemy, or indeed from any living soul. The fee,however, fixed for that cannibal is his food, which consists of acart-load of rice, two buffaloes, and a human being who conveyeth themunto him. One after another, the house-holders have to send him thisfood. The turn, however, cometh to a particular family at intervals ofmany long years. If there are any that seek to avoid it, the Rakshasaslayeth them with their children and wives and devoureth them all. Thereis, in this country, a city called Vetrakiya, where liveth the king ofthese territories. He is ignorant of the science of government, andpossessed of little intelligence, he adopts not with care any measure bywhich these territories may be rendered safe for all time to come. But wecertainly deserve it all, inasmuch as we live within the dominion of thatwretched and weak monarch in perpetual anxiety. Brahmanas can never bemade to dwell permanently within the dominions of any one, for they aredependent on nobody, they live rather like birds ranging all countries inperfect freedom. It hath been said that one must secure a (good) king,then a wife, and then wealth. It is by the acquisition of these threethat one can rescue his relatives and sons. But as regards theacquisition of these three, the course of my actions hath been thereverse. Hence, plunged into a sea of danger, am suffering sorely. Thatturn, destructive of one's family, hath now devolved upon me. I shallhave to give unto the Rakshasa as his fee the food of the aforesaiddescription and one human being to boot. I have no wealth to buy a manwith. I cannot by any means consent to part with any one of my family,nor do I see any way of escape from (the clutches of) that Rakshasa. I amnow sunk in an ocean of grief from which there is no escape. I shall goto that Rakshasa today, attended by all my family in order that thatwretch might devour us all at once'"
SECTION CLXIII
(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)
"Kunti said, Grieve not at all, O Brahmana, on account of this danger. Isee a way by which to rescue thee from that Rakshasa. Thou hast only oneson, who, besides, is of very tender years, also only one daughter, youngand helpless, so I do not like that any of these, or thy wife, or eventhyself should go unto the Rakshasa. I have five sons, O Brahmana, letone of them go, carrying in thy behalf tribute of that Rakshasa.'
"Hearing this, the Brahmana replied, 'To save my own life I shall neversuffer this to be done. I shall never sacrifice, to save myself, the lifeof a Brahmana or of a guest. Indeed, even those that are of low originand of sinful practices refuse to do (what thou askest me to do). It issaid that one should sacrifice one's self and one's offspring for thebenefit of a Brahmana. I regard this advice excellent and I like tofollow it too. When I have to choose between the death of a Brahmana andthat of my own, I would prefer the latter. The killing of a Brahmana isthe highest sin, and there is no expiation for it. I think a reluctantsacrifice of one's own self is better than the reluctant sacrifice of aBrahmana. O blessed lady, in sacrificing myself I do not become guilty ofself-destruction. No sin can attach to me when another will take my life.But if I deliberately consent to the death of a Brahmana, it would be acruel and sinful act, from the consequence of which there is no escape.The learned have said that the abandonment of one who hath come to thyhouse or sought thy protection, as also the killing of one who seekethdeath at thy hands, is both cruel and sinful. The illustrious among thoseconversant with practices allowable in seasons of distress, have beforenow said that one should never perform an act that is cruel andcensurable. It is well for me that I should today perish myself with mywife, but I would never sanction the death of a Brahmana.'
"Kunti said, 'I too am firmly of opinion, O Brahmana, that Brahmanasshould ever be protected. As regards myself, no son of mine would be lessdear to me even if I had a hundred instead of the five I have. But thisRakshasa will not be able to kill my son, for that son of mine is enduedwith great prowess and energy, and skilled in mantras. He will faithfullydeliver to the Rakshasa his food, but will, I know to a certainty, rescuehimself. I have seen before many mighty Rakshasas of huge bodies engagedin combat with my heroic son and killed too by him. But, O Brahmana, donot disclose this fact to anybody, for if it be known, persons desirousof obtaining this power, will, from curiosity, always trouble my sons.The wise have said that if my son imparteth any knowledge, without theassent of his preceptor, unto any person, my son himself will no longerbe able to profit by that knowledge.'
"Thus addressed by Pritha, the Brahmana with his wife became exceedinglyglad and assented to Kunti's speech, which was unto them as nectar. ThenKunti, accompanied by the Brahmana, went unto the son of Vayu (Bhima) andasked him to accomplish (that difficult task). Bhima replied unto them,saying, 'So be it.'"
SECTION CLXIV
(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'After Bhima had pledged himself to accomplish thetask, saying, 'I will do it,' the Pandavas, O Bharata, returned home withthe alms they had obtained during the day. Then Yudhishthira, the son ofPandu from Bhima's countenance alone, suspected the nature of the task hehad undertaken to accomplish. Sitting by the side of his mother,Yudhishthira asked her in private, 'What is the task, O mother, thatBhima of terrible prowess seeketh to accomplish? Doth he do so at thycommand or of his own accord?' Kunti replied, 'Bhima, that chastiser offoes, will at my command, do this great deed for the good of the Brahmanaand the liberation of this town.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'What rash act hast thou done, O mother! It isdifficult of being performed and almost amounteth to suicide! The learnednever applaud the abandonment of one's own child. Why dost thou, Omother, wish to sacrifice thy own child for the sake of another's? Thouhast, O mother, by this abandonment of thy child, acted not only againstthe course of human practices but also against the teachings of theVedas, That Bhima, relying on whose arms we sleep happily in the nightand hope to recover the kingdom of which we have been deprived by thecovetous son of Dhritarashtra, that hero of immeasurable energy,remembering whose prowess Duryodhana and Sakuni do not sleep a winkduring the whole night and by whose prowess we were rescued from thepalace of lac and various other dangers, that Bhima who caused the deathof Purochana, and relying on whose might we regard ourselves as havingalready slain the sons of Dhritarashtra and acquired the whole earth withall her wealth, upon what considerations, O mother, hast thou resolvedupon abandoning him? Hast thou been deprived of thy reason? Hath thyunderstanding been clouded by the calamities thou hast undergone?'
"On hearing these words of her son, Kunti said, 'O Yudhishthira, thouneedst not be at all anxious on account of Vrikodara. I have not come tothis resolve owing to any weakness of understanding. Respected by him,and with our sorrows assuaged, we have, O son, been living in the houseof this Brahmana, unknown to the sons of Dhritarashtra. For requiting, Oson, that Brahmana, I have resolved to do this. He, indeed, is a man uponwhom good offices are never lost. The measure of his requital becomethgreater than the measure of the services he receiveth. Beholding theprowess of Bhima on the occasion of (our escape from) the house of lac,and from the destruction also of Hidimva, my confidence in Vrikodara isgreat. The might of Bhima's arms is equal unto that of ten thousandelephants. It was, therefore, that he succeeded in carrying you all, eachheavy as an elephant, from Varanavata. There is no one on earth equalunto Bhima in might; he may even overcome that foremost of warriors, theholder of the thunderbolt himself. Soon after his birth he fell from mylap on the breast of the mountain. By the weight of his body the mass ofstone on which he fell down broke in pieces. From this also, O son ofPandu, I have come to know Bhima's might. For this reason have I resolvedto set him against the Brahmana's foe. I have not acted in this fromfoolishness or ignorance or from motive of gain. I have deliberatelyresolved to do this virtuous deed. By this act, O Yudhishthira, twoobjects will be accomplished; one is a requital of the services renderedby the Brahmana and the other is the acquisition of high religious merit.It is my conviction that the Kshatriya who rendereth help unto a Brahmanain anything acquireth regions of bliss hereafter. So also a Kshatriya whosaveth the life of a Kshatriya achieveth that great fame in this world asin the other. A Kshatriya rendering help unto a Vaisya also on this earthcertainly acquires world-wide popularity. One of the kingly tribe shouldprotect even the Sudra who cometh to him for protection. If he doeth so,in his next life he receiveth his birth in a royal line, commandingprosperity and the respect of other kings. O scion of Puru's race, theillustrious Vyasa of wisdom acquired by hard ascetic toil told me so inbygone days. It is therefore, that I have resolved upon accomplishingthis.'"
SECTION CLXV
(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)
"Having heard these words of his mother, Yudhishthira said, 'What thou, Omother, hast deliberately done, moved by compassion for the afflictedBrahmana, is, indeed, excellent Bhima will certainly come back with life,after having slain the cannibal, inasmuch as thou art, O mother, alwayscompassionate unto Brahmanas. But tell the Brahmana, O mother, that hedoth not do anything whereby the dwellers in this town may know all aboutit, and make him promise to keep thy request.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then, when the night passed away, Bhimasena,the son of Pandu, taking with him the Rakshasa's food set out for theplace where the cannibal lived. The mighty son of Pandu, approaching theforest where the Rakshasa dwelt, began to eat himself the food hecarried, calling loudly to the Rakshasa by name. The Rakshasa, inflamedwith anger at Bhima's words, came out and approached the place whereBhima was.
"Of huge body and great strength, of red eyes, red beard, and red hair,he was terrible to behold, and he came, pressing deep the earth with histread. The opening of his mouth, was from ear to ear and his earsthemselves were straight as arrows. Of grim visage, he had a foreheadfurrowed into three lines. Beholding Bhima eating his food, the Rakshasaadvanced, biting his nether lip and expanding his eyes in wrath. Andaddressing Bhima he said, 'Who is this fool, who desiring to go to theabode of Yama, eateth in my very sight the food intended for me?' Hearingthese words, Bhima, O Bharata, smiled in derision and disregarding theRakshasa, continued eating with averted face. Beholding this, thecannibal uttered a frightful yell and with both arms upraised ran atBhima desiring to kill him, there and then. Even then disregarding theRakshasa and casting only a single glance at him, Vrikodara, that slayerof hostile heroes continued to eat the Rakshasa's food. Filled with wrathat this, the Rakshasa struck, from behind with both his arms a heavy blowon the back of Vrikodara, the son of Kunti. But Bhima, though struckheavily by the mighty Rakshasa, with both his hands, did not even look upat the Rakshasa but continued to eat as before. Then the mighty Rakshasa,inflamed with wrath, tore up a tree and ran at Bhima for striking himagain. Meanwhile the mighty Bhima, that bull among men had leisurelyeaten up the whole of that food and washing himself stood cheerfully forfight. Then, O Bharata, possessed of great energy, Bhima, smiling inderision, caught with his left hand the tree hurled at him by theRakshasa in wrath. Then that mighty Rakshasa, tearing up many more trees,hurled them at Bhima, and the Pandava also hurled as many at theRakshasa. Then, O king, the combat with trees between that human beingand the Rakshasa, became so terrible that the region around soon becamedestitute of trees. Then the Rakshasa, saying that he was none else thanVaka, sprang upon the Pandava and seized the mighty Bhima with his arms.That mighty hero also clasping with his own strong arms the strong-armedRakshasa, and exerting himself actively, began to drag him violently.Dragged by Bhima and dragging Bhima also, the cannibal was overcome withgreat fatigue. The earth began to tremble in consequence of the strengththey both exerted, and large trees that stood there broke in pieces. ThenBhima, beholding the cannibal overcome with fatigue, pressed him down onthe earth with his knees and began to strike him with great force. Thenplacing one knee on the middle of the Rakshasa's back, Bhima seized hisneck with his right hand and the cloth on his waist with his left, andbent him double with great force. The cannibal then roared frightfully.And, O monarch, he also began to vomit blood while he was being thusbroken on Bhima's knee.'"
SECTION CLXVI
(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said 'Then Vaka, huge as a mountain, thus broken (onBhima's knee), died, uttering frightful yells. Terrified by these sounds,the relatives of that Rakshasa came out, O king, with their attendants.Bhima, that foremost of smiters, seeing them so terrified and deprived ofreason, comforted them and made them promise (to give up cannibalism),saying, 'Do not ever again kill human beings. If ye kill men, ye willhave to die even as Vaka.' Those Rakshasas hearing this speech of Bhima,said, 'So be it,' and gave, O king, the desired promise. From that day, OBharata, the Rakshasas (of the region) were seen by the inhabitants ofthat town to be very peaceful towards mankind. Then Bhima, dragging thelifeless cannibal, placed him at one of the gates of the town and wentaway unobserved by any one. The kinsmen of Vaka, beholding him slain bythe might of Bhima, became frightened and fled in different directions.
"Meanwhile Bhima, having slain the Rakshasa, returned to the Brahmana'sabode and related to Yudhishthira all that had happened, in detail. Thenext morning the inhabitants of the town in coming out saw the Rakshasalying dead on the ground, his body covered with blood. Beholding thatterrible cannibal, huge as a mountain cliff, thus mangled and lying onthe ground, the hair of the spectators stood erect. Returning toEkachakra, they soon gave the intelligence. Then, O king, the citizens bythousands accompanied by their wives, young and old, all began to come tothe spot for beholding the Vaka and they were all amazed at seeing thatsuperhuman feat. Instantly, O monarch, they began to pray to their gods.Then they began to calculate whose turn it had been the day before tocarry food to the Rakshasa. And ascertaining this, they all came to thatBrahmana and asked him (to satisfy their curiosity). Thus asked by themrepeatedly, that bull among Brahmanas, desirous of concealing thePandavas, said these words unto all the citizens, 'A certain high-souledBrahmana, skilled in mantras, beheld me weeping with my relatives after Ihad been ordered to supply the Rakshasa's food. Asking me the cause andascertaining the distress of the town, that first of Brahmanas gave meevery assurance and with smiles said, 'I shall carry the food for thatwretched Rakshasa today. Do not fear for me.' Saying this he conveyed thefood towards the forest of Vaka. This deed, so beneficial unto us all,hath very certainly been done by him.'
Then those Brahmanas and Kshatriyas (of the city), hearing this, wonderedmuch. And the Vaisyas and the Sudras also became exceedingly glad, andthey all established a festival in which the worship of Brahmanas was theprincipal ceremony (in remembrance of this Brahmana who had relieved themfrom their fears of Vaka).
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