SECTION CXXVII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Dhritarashtra then
said, 'O Vidura, celebrate the funeral ceremonies of that lion among kings
viz., Pandu, and of Madri also, in right royal style. For the good of their
souls, distribute cattle, cloths, gems and diverse kinds of wealth, every one
receiving as much as he asketh for. Make arrangements also for Kunti's
performing the last rites of Madri in such a style as pleaseth her. And let
Madri's body be so carefully wrapped up that neither the Sun nor Vayu (god of
wind) may behold it. Lament not for the sinless Pandu. He was a worthy king and
hath left behind him five heroic sons equal unto the celestials themselves.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Vidura, O
Bharata, saying, 'So be it,' in consultation with Bhishma, fixed upon a sacred
spot for the funeral rites of Pandu. The family priests went out of the city
without loss of time, carrying with them the blazing sacred fire fed with
clarified butter and rendered fragrant therewith. Then friends, relatives, and
adherents, wrapping it up in cloth, decked the body of the monarch with the
flowers of the season and sprinkled various excellent perfumes over it. And
they also decked the hearse itself with garlands and rich hangings. Then
placing the covered body of the king with that of his queen on that excellent
bier decked out so brightly, they caused it to be carried on human shoulders.
With the white umbrella (of state) held over the hearse with waving yak-tails
and sounds of various musical instruments, the whole scene looked bright and
grand. Hundreds of people began to distribute gems among the crowd on the
occasion of the funeral rites of the king. At length some beautiful robes, and
white umbrellas and larger yak-tails, were brought for the great ceremony. The
priests clad in white walked in the van of the procession pouring libations of
clarified butter on the sacred fire blazing in an ornamental vessel. And
Brahmanas, and Kshatriyas, and Vaisyas, and Sudras by thousands followed the
deceased king, loudly wailing in these accents, 'O prince, where dost thou go,
leaving us behind, and making us forlorn and wretched forever?' And Bhishma,
and Vidura, and the Pandavas, also all wept aloud. At last they came to a
romantic wood on the banks of the Ganga. There they laid down the hearse on
which the truthful and lion-hearted prince and his spouse lay. Then they
brought water in many golden vessels, washed the prince's body besmeared before
with several kinds of fragrant paste, and again smeared it over with sandal
paste. They then dressed it in a white dress made of indigenous fabrics. And
with the new suit on, the king seemed as if he was living and only sleeping on
a costly bed.
"When the other funeral ceremonies also were
finished in consonance with the directions of the priests, the Kauravas set
fire to the dead bodies of the king and the queen, bringing lotuses,
sandal-paste, and other fragrant substances to the pyre.
"Then seeing the bodies aflame, Kausalya
burst out, 'O my son, my son!'--and fell down senseless on the ground. And
seeing her down the citizens and the inhabitants of the provinces began to wail
from grief and affection for their king. And the birds of the air and the beasts
of the field were touched by the lamentations of Kunti. And Bhishma, the son of
Santanu, and the wise Vidura, and the others also that were there, became
disconsolate.
"Thus weeping, Bhishma, Vidura,
Dhritarashtra, the Pandavas and the Kuru ladies, all performed the watery
ceremony of the king. And when all this was over, the people, themselves filled
with sorrow, began to console the bereaved sons of Pandu. And the Pandavas with
their friends began to sleep on the ground. Seeing this the Brahmanas and the
other citizens also renounced their beds. Young and old, all the citizens
grieved on account of the sons of king Pandu, and passed twelve days in
mourning with the weeping Pandavas.'"
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