The Mahabharata, of, Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, BOOK 3, (Kirmirabadha Parva)SECTION XXI

 The Mahabharata, of, Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, BOOK 3, (Kirmirabadha Parva)

SECTION XXI

"Vasudeva said, 'O thou tiger among men, my great enemy king Salwa, thus

encountered by me in battle, again ascended the sky. And O mighty

monarch, inspired with the desire of victory, that wicked one hurled at

me Sataghnis, and mighty maces, and flaming lances, and stout clubs, and

as the weapons came along the sky, I speedily resisted them with my swift

arrows, and cut them in two or three pieces before they came at me. And

there was a great noise in the welkins. And Salwa covered Daruka, and my

steeds, and my car also with hundreds of straight shafts. Then, O hero,

Daruka, evidently about to faint, said unto me, 'Afflicted with the

shafts of Salwa I stay in the field, because it is my duty to do so. But

I am incapable of doing so (any longer). My body hath become weak!'

Hearing these piteous words of my charioteer, I looked at him, and found

the driver wounded with arrows. Nor was there a spot on his breasts or

the crown of his head, or body or his arms which was not, O thou foremost

of sons of Pandu, covered with shafts! And blood flowed profusely from

his wounds inflicted by arrows, and he looked like unto a mountain of red

chalk after a heavy shower. And, O thou of mighty arms, seeing the

charioteer with the reins in his hands thus pierced and enfeebled by the

shafts of Salwa in the field of battle, I cheered him up!

"'And, O Bharata, about this time, a certain person, having his home in

Dwaraka quickly coming to my car, addressed me like a friend, delivering

to me, O hero, a message from Ahuka! He seemed to be one of Ahuka's

followers. And sadly and in a voice choked in sorrow, know, O

Yudhishthira, he said words'--O warrior, Ahuka, the lord of Dwaraka, hath

said these words unto thee! O Kesava, hear what thy father's friend

sayeth: O son of the Vrishni race, O thou irrepressible one, in thy

absence today Salwa, coming to Dwaraka, hath by main force killed

Vasudeva! Therefore, no need of battle any more. Cease, O Janardana! Do

thou defend Dwaraka! This is thy principal duty!--Hearing these words of

his, my heart became heavy, and I could not ascertain what I should do

and what I should not. And, O hero, hearing of that great misfortune, I

mentally censured Satyaki, and Baladeva, and also that mighty pradyumna.

Having reposed on them the duty of protecting Dwaraka and Vasudeva, I had

gone, O son of the Kuru race, to effect the destruction of Salwa's city.

And in a sorrowful heart, I asked myself,--Doth that destroyer of foes,

the mighty-armed Baladeva, live, and Satyaki, and the son of Rukmini and

Charudeshna possessed of prowess, and Shamva and others? For, O thou

tiger among men, these living, even the bearer himself of the thunderbolt

could by no means destroy Suta's son (Vasudeva)! And thought, I, It is

plain that Vasudeva is dead and equally plain that the others with

Baladeva at their head have been deprived of life--This was my certain

conclusion. And, O mighty king, thinking of the destruction of those all,

I was overwhelmed with grief! And it was in this state of mind that I

encountered Salwa afresh. And now I saw, O great monarch, Vasudeva

himself falling from the car of precious metals! And, O warrior I swooned

away, and, O king of men, my sire seemed like unto Yayati after the loss

of his merit, falling towards the earth from heaven! And like unto a

luminary whose merit hath been lost saw my father falling, his head-gear

foul and flowing loosely, and his hair and dress disordered. And then the

bow Sharanga dropped from my hand, and, O son of Kunti I swooned away! I

sat down on the side of the car. And, O thou descendant of the Bharata

race, seeing me deprived of consciousness on the car, and as if dead, my

entire host exclaimed Oh! and Alas! And my prone father with

out-stretched arms and lower limbs, appeared like a dropping bird. And

him thus falling, O thou of mighty arms, O hero, the hostile warriors

bearing in their hands lances and axes struck grievously! And (beholding

this) my heart trembled! and soon regaining my consciousness, O warrior,

I could not see in that mighty contest either the car of costly metals,

or the enemy Salwa, or my old father! Then I concluded in my mind that it

was certainly illusion. And recovering my senses, I again began to

discharge arrows by hundreds."

SECTION XXII

"Vasudeva continued, 'Then O thou foremost of the Bharata race, taking up

my beautiful bow, I began to cut off with my arrows the heads of the

enemies of the celestials, from off that car of costly metals! And I

began to discharge from the Sharanga many well-looking arrows of the

forms of snakes, capable of going at a great height and possessing

intense energy. And, O perpetuator of the Kuru race, I could not then see

the car of costly metals, for it had vanished, through illusion! I was

then filled with wonder! That host of Danvas then, O Bharata, of

frightful visages and hair, set up a loud howl while I was waiting for

it. In that fierce battle. I then, with the object of destroying them,

fixed on my bow-string the weapon capable of piercing the foes if but his

sound was inaudible. Upon this, their shouts ceased. But those Danavas

that had sent up that shout were all slain by those shafts of mine

blazing as the Sun himself, and capable of striking at the perception of

sound alone. And after the shout had ceased at one place, O mighty king,

another yell proceeded from another quarter. Thitherto also I sent my

shafts. In this way, O Bharata, the Asuras began to send up yells in all

the ten quarters above and across. These were all slain by me, viz.,

those that were in the skies and that were invisible, with arrows of

diverse forms, and celestial weapons inspired with mantras. Then, O hero,

that car of precious metals capable of going anywhere at will,

bewildering my eyes, reappeared at Pragjyotisha! And then the destroying

Danavas of fierce forms suddenly drowned me with a mighty shower of

rocks. And, O thou foremost of monarchs, torrents of rocks falling upon

me covered me up, and I began to grow like an ant-hill (with its summits

and peaks)! And covered along with my horses and charioteer and

flagstaffs, with crags on all sides, I disappeared from sight altogether.

Then those foremost of heroes of the Vrishni race who were of my army

were, struck with panic, and all on a sudden began to fly in all

directions. And beholding me in that plight, O king, the heaven, the

firmament, and the earth were filled with exclamation of Oh! and Alas!

And then, O monarch, my friends filled with sorrow and grief began to

weep and wail with heavy hearts! And delight filled the hearts of the

enemies. And O thou who never waverest, I heard of this after I had

defeated the foe! And then wielding the thunderbolt, that favourite

(weapon) of Indra, capable of riving stones, I destroyed that entire mass

of crags! But my steeds, afflicted with the weight of the stones and

almost on the point of death began to tremble. And beholding me, all my

friends rejoiced again even as men rejoice on seeing the sun rise in the

sky, dispersing the clouds. And seeing my horses almost in their last

gasp for breath, afflicted with that load of stones, my charioteer said

unto me in words suitable to the occasion, 'O thou of the Vrishni race,

behold Salwa the owner of the car of precious metals sitting (yonder). Do

not disregard him! Do thou exert thyself! Do thou abandon thy mildness

and consideration for Salwa. Slay Salwa, O thou of mighty arms! O Kesava,

do not let him live! O hero, O thou destroyer of those that are not thy

friends (enemies), an enemy should be slain with every exertion! Even a

weak enemy who is under the feet of a man endued with strength, should

not be disregarded by the latter: that (shall I say) of one that dareth

us to the fight? Therefore, O thou tiger among men, putting forth every

exertion, slay him, O lord, O thou foremost of the Vrishni race! Do thou

not delay again! This one is not capable of being vanquished by milder

measures. And he cannot in my opinion be thy friend who is fighting thee

and who devastated Dwaraka!' O Kaunteya, hearing such words of my

charioteer, and knowing that what he said was true, I directed my

attention to the fight (afresh), with the view of slaying Salwa and

destroying the car of costly metals! And, O hero, saying unto Daruka,

'Stay a moment' I fixed on my bow-string my favourite weapon of fire,

blazing and of celestial origin, of irresistible force, and incapable of

being baffled, bursting with energy, capable of penetrating into

everything, and of great splendour! And saying, 'Destroy the car of

precious metals together with all those enemies that are in it.' I

launched with the might of my arms and in wrath with mantras, the great

powerful discus Sudarsana which reduceth to ashes in battle Yakshas and

Rakshasas and Danavas and kings born in impure tribes, sharp-edged like

the razor, and without stain, like unto Yama the destroyer, and

incomparable, and which killeth enemies. And rising into the sky, it

seemed like a second sun of exceeding effulgence at the end of the Yuga.

And approaching the town of Saubha whose splendour had disappeared, the

discus went right through it, even as a saw divideth a tall tree. And cut

in twain by the energy of the Sudarsana it fell like the city of Tripura

shaken by the shafts of Maheswara. And after the town of Saubha had

fallen, the discus came back into my hands, And taking it up I once more

hurled it with force saying, 'Go thou unto Salwa.' The discus then cleft

Salwa in twain who in that fierce conflict was at the point of hurling a

heavy mace. And with its energy it set the foe ablaze. And after that

brave warrior was slain, the disheartened Danava women fled in all

directions, exclaiming Oh! and Alas! And taking my chariot in front of

the town of Saubha I cheerfully blew my conch and gladdened the hearts of

my friends. And beholding their town, high as the peak of the Meru, with

its palaces and gate-ways utterly destroyed, and all ablaze, the Danavas

fled in fear. And having thus destroyed the town of Saubha and slain

Salwa, I returned to the Anarttas and delighted my friends. And, O king,

it is for this reason that I could not come to the city named after the

elephant (Hastinapura), O destroyer of hostile heroes! O warrior, if I

had come, Suyodhana would not have been alive or the match at dice would

not have taken place. What can I do now? It is difficult to confine the

waters after the dam is broken!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Having addressed the Kaurava thus, that foremost

of male persons, of mighty arms, the slayer of Madhu, possessed of every

grace, saluting the Pandavas, prepared for departure. And the

mighty-armed hero reverentially saluted Yudhishthira the just, and the

king in return and Bhima also smelt the crown of his head. And he was

embraced by Arjuna, and the twins saluted him with reverence. And he was

duly honoured by Dhaumya, and worshipped with tears by Draupadi. And

causing Subhadra and Abhimanyu to ascend his golden car, Krishna, mounted

it himself, worshipped by the Pandavas. And consoling Yudhishthira,

Krishna set out for Dwaraka on his car resplendent as the sun and unto

which were yoked the horses Saivya and Sugriva. And after he of the

Dasharha race had departed, Dhristadyumna, the son of Prishata, also set

out for his own city, taking with him the sons of Draupadi. And the king

of Chedi, Dhrishtaketu also, taking his sister with him set out for his

beautiful city of Suktimati, after bidding farewell to the Pandavas. And,

O Bharata, the Kaikeyas also, with the permission of Kunti's son

possessed of immeasurable energy, having reverentially saluted all the

Pandavas, went away. But Brahmanas and the Vaisyas and the dwellers of

Yudhishthira's kingdom though repeatedly requested to go, did not leave

the Pandavas. O foremost of king, O bull of the Bharata race, the

multitude that surrounded those high-souled ones in the forest of Kamyaka

looked extraordinary. And Yudhishthira, honouring those high-minded

Brahmanas, in due time ordered his men, saying 'Make ready the car.'"

SECTION XXIII

Vaisampayana continued, "After the chief of the Dasharhas had departed,

the heroic Yudhishthira, and Bhima, and Arjuna, and the twins, each

looking like unto Shiva, and Krishna, and their priest, ascending costly

cars unto which were yoked excellent steeds, together went into the

forest. And at time of going they distributed Nishkas of gold and clothes

and kine unto Brahmanas versed in Siksha and Akshara and mantras. And

twenty attendants followed them equipped with bows, and bowstrings, and

blazing weapons, and shafts and arrows and engines of destruction. And

taking the princess's clothes and the ornaments, and the nurses and the

maid-servants, Indrasena speedily followed the princes on a car. And then

approaching the best of Kurus, the high-minded citizens walked round him.

And the principal Brahmanas of Kurujangala cheerfully saluted him. And

together with his brothers, Yudhishthira the just, on his part saluted

them cheerfully. And the illustrious king stopped there a little,

beholding the concourse of the inhabitants of Kurujangala. And the

illustrious bull among the Kurus felt for them as a father feeleth for

his sons, and they too felt for the Kuru chief even as sons feel for

their father! And that mighty concourse, approaching the Kuru hero, stood

around him. And, O king, affected, with bashfulness, and with tears in

their eyes, they all exclaimed, 'Alas, O lord! O Dharma!' And they said,

'Thou art the chief of the Kurus, and the king of us, thy subjects! Where

dost thou go, O just monarch, leaving all these citizens and the

inhabitants of the country, like a father leaving his sons? Fie on the

cruel-hearted son of Dhritarashtra! Fie on the evil-minded son of Suvala!

Fie on Karna! For, O foremost of monarchs, those wretches ever wish unto

thee who art firm in virtue! Having thyself established the unrivalled

city of Indraprastha of the splendour of Kailasa itself, where dost thou

go, leaving it, O illustrious and just king, O achiever of extraordinary

deeds! O illustrious one, leaving that peerless palace built by Maya,

which possesseth the splendour of the palace of the celestials

themselves, and is like unto a celestial illusion, ever guarded by the

gods, where dost thou go, O son of Dharma?' And Vibhatsu knowing the ways

of virtue, pleasure, and profit said unto them in a loud voice, 'Living

in the forest, the king intendeth to take away the good name of his

enemies! O we with the regenerate ones at your head, versed in virtue and

profit, do you approaching the ascetics separately and inclining them to

grace, represent unto them what may be for our supreme good!' Upon

hearing these words of Arjuna, the Brahmanas and the other orders, O

king, saluting him cheerfully walked round the foremost of virtuous men!

And bidding farewell unto the son of Pritha, and Vrikodara, and

Dhananjaya and Yajnaseni, and the twins, and commanded by Yudhishthira,

they returned to their respective abodes in the kingdom with heavy

hearts."

SECTION XXIV

Vaisampayana said, "After they had departed, Yudhishthira the virtuous

son of Kunti, unwavering in his promises, addressed all his brothers,

saying, 'We shall have to dwell in the solitary forest for these twelve

years. Search ye, therefore, in this mighty forest for some spot

abounding in birds and deer and flowers and fruits, beautiful to behold,

and auspicious, and inhabited by virtuous persons and where we may dwell

pleasantly for all these years!' Thus addressed by Yudhishthira,

Dhananjaya replied unto the son of Dharma, after reverencing the

illustrious king as if he were his spiritual preceptor. And Arjuna said,

'Thou hast respectfully waited upon all the great and old Rishis. There

is nothing unknown to thee in the world of men. And O bull of the Bharata

race, thou hast always waited with reverence upon Brahmanas including

Dwaipayana and others, and Narada of great ascetic merit, who with senses

under control, ever goeth to the gates of all the world from the world of

the gods unto that of Brahma, including that of the Gandharvas and

Apsaras! And thou knowest, without doubt, the opinions of the Brahmanas,

and, O king, their prowess also! And O monarch, thou knowest what is

calculated to do us good! And O great king, we will live wherever thou

likest! Here is this lake, full of sacred water, called Dwaitavana,

abounding with flowers, and delightful to look at, and inhabited by many

species of birds. If, O king, it pleaseth thee, here should we like to

dwell these twelve years! Thinkest thou otherwise?' Yudhishthira replied,

'O Partha, what thou hast said recommendeth itself to me! Let us go that

sacred and celebrated and large lake called Dwaitavana!"

"Vaisampayana continued, "Then the virtuous son of Pandu, accompanied by

numerous Brahmanas, all went to the sacred lake called Dwaitavana. And

Yudhishthira was surrounded by numerous Brahmanas some of whom sacrificed

with fire and some without it and some of whom, devoted to the study of

the Vedas, lived upon alms or were of the class called Vanaprasthas. And

the king was also surrounded by hundreds of Mahatmas crowned with ascetic

success and of rigid vows. And those bulls of the Bharata race, the sons

of Pandu setting out with those numerous Brahmanas, entered the sacred

and delightful woods of Dwaita. And the king saw that mighty forest

covered on the close of summer with Salas, and palms, and mangoes, and

Madhukas, and Nipas and Kadamvas and Sarjjas and Arjunas, and Karnikars,

many of them covered with flowers. And flocks of peacocks and Datyuhas

and Chakoras and Varhins and Kokilas, seated on the tops of the tallest

trees of that forest were pouring forth their mellifluous notes. And the

king also saw in that forest mighty herds of gigantic elephants huge as

the hills, with temporal juice trickling down in the season of rut,

accompanied by herds of she-elephants. And approaching the beautiful

Bhogavati (Saraswati), the king saw many ascetics crowned with success in

the habitations in that forest, and virtuous men of sanctified souls clad

in barks of trees and bearing matted locks on their heads. And descending

from their cars, the king that foremost of virtuous men with his brothers

and followers entered that forest like Indra of immeasurable energy

entering heaven. And crowds of Charanas and Siddhas, desirous of

beholding the monarch devoted to truth, came towards him. And the

dwellers of that forest stood surrounding that lion among king possessed

of great intelligence. And saluting all the Siddhas, and saluted by them

in return as a king or a god should be, that foremost of virtuous men

entered the forest with joined hands accompanied by all those foremost of

regenerate ones. And the illustrious and virtuous king, saluted in return

by those virtuous ascetics that had approached him, sat down in their

midst at the foot of a mighty tree decked with flowers, like his father

(Pandu) in days before. And those chiefs of the Bharata race viz., Bhima

and Dhananjaya and the twins and Krishna and their followers, all

fatigued, leaving their vehicles, sat themselves down around that best of

kings. And that mighty tree bent down with the weight of creepers, with

those five illustrious bowmen who had come there for rest sitting under

it, looked like a mountain with (five) huge elephants resting on its

side."

SECTION XXV

Vaisampayana said, "Having fallen into distress, those princes thus

obtained at last a pleasant habitation in that forest. And there in those

woods abounding with Sala trees and washed by the Saraswati, they who

were like so many Indras, began to sport themselves. And the illustrious

king, that bull of the Kuru race, set himself to please all the Yatis and

Munis and the principal Brahmanas in that forest, by offerings of

excellent fruits and roots. And their priest, Dhaumya endued with great

energy, like unto a father to those princes, began to perform the

sacrificial rites of Ishti and Paitreya for the Pandavas residing in that

great forest. And there came, as a guest, unto the abode of the

accomplished Pandavas living in the wood after loss of their kingdom, the

old Rishi Markandeya, possessed of intense and abundant energy. And that

bull of the Kuru race, the high-souled Yudhishthira, possessed of

unrivalled strength and prowess, paid his homage unto that great Muni,

reverenced by celestials and Rishis of men, and possessed of the

splendour of blazing fire. And that illustrious and all-knowing Muni, of

unrivalled energy, beholding Draupadi and Yudhishthira and Bhima and

Arjuna, in the midst of the ascetics, smiled, recollecting Rama in his

mind. And Yudhishthira the just, apparently grieved at this, asked him,

saying, 'All these ascetics are sorry for seeing me here. Why is it that

thou alone smilest, as if an glee, in the presence of these?' Markandeya

replied, 'O child', I too am sorry and do not smile in glee! Nor doth

pride born of joy possess my heart! Beholding to-day the calamity, I

recollect Rama, the son of Dasaratha, devoted to truth! Even that Rama,

accompanied by Lakshman, dwelt in the woods at the command of his father.

O son of Pritha, I beheld him in days of old ranging with his bow on the

top of the Rishyamuka hills! The illustrious Rama was like unto Indra,

the lord of Yama himself, and the slayer of Namuchi! Yet that sinless one

had to dwell in the forest at the command of his father, accepting it as

his duty. The illustrious Rama was equal unto Sakra in prowess, and

invincible in battle. And yet he had to range the forest renouncing all

pleasures! Therefore should no one act unrighteously, saying,--I am

mighty! Kings Nabhaga and Bhagiratha and others, having subjugated by

truth this world bounded by the seas, (finally) obtained, O child, all

the region hereafter. Therefore, should no one act unrighteously,

saying,--I am mighty! And, O exalted of men, the virtuous and truthful

king of Kasi and Karusha was called a mad dog for having renounced his

territories and riches! Therefore, should no one act unrighteously,

saying,--I am mighty! O best of men, O son of Pritha, the seven righteous

Rishis, for having observed the ordinance prescribed by the Creator

himself in the Vedas, blaze in the firmament. Therefore, should no one

act unrighteously, saying,--I am mighty! Behold, O king, the mighty

elephants, huge as mountain cliffs and furnished with tusks, transgress

not, O exalted of men, the laws of the Creator! Therefore, should none

act unrighteously saying, Might is mine! And, O foremost of monarchs,

behold all the creatures acting according to their species, as ordained

by the Creator. Therefore, should none act unrighteously, saying, Might

is mine. O son of Pritha, in truth, and virtue, and proper behaviour, and

modesty, thou hast surpassed all creatures, and thy fame and energy are

as bright as fire or the Sun! Firm in thy promises, O illustrious one,

having passed in the woods thy painful exile, thou wilt again, O king,

snatch from the Kauravas thy blazing prosperity with the help of thy own

energy!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Having spoken these words unto Yudhishthira

(seated) in the midst of the ascetics with friends, the great Rishi

having also saluted Dhaumya and all the Pandavas set out in a northerly

direction!"