SECTION –CCCXI
(Aranya Parva Continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Yudhishthira saw his
brothers, each possessed of the glory of Indra himself, lying dead like the
Regents of the world dropped from their spheres at the end of the Yuga. And
beholding Arjuna lying dead, with his bow and arrows dropped on the ground, and
also Bhimasena and the twins motionless and deprived of life, the king breathed
a hot and long sigh, and was bathed in tears of grief. And beholding his
brothers lying dead, the mighty armed son of Dharma with heart racked in
anxiety, began to lament profusely, saying, 'Thou hadst, O mighty-armed
Vrikodara, vowed, saying,--I shall with mace smash the thighs of Duryodhana in
battle! O enhancer of the glory of the Kurus, in thy death, O mighty-armed and
high-souled one, all that hath become fruitless now! The promises of men may be
ineffectual; but why have the words of the gods uttered in respect of thee been
thus fruitless? O Dhananjaya, while thou wert in thy mother's lying-in-room,
the gods had said,--O Kunti, this thy son shall not be inferior to him of a
thousand eyes! And in the northern Paripatra mountains, all beings had sung,
saying,--The prosperity (of this race), robbed by foes will be recovered by
this one without delay. No one will be able to vanquish him in battle, while
there will be none whom he will not be able to vanquish. Why then hath that
Jishnu endued with great strength been subject to death? Oh, why doth that
Dhananjaya, relying on whom we had hitherto endured all this misery, lie on the
ground blighting 1 all my hopes! Why have those heroes, those mighty sons of
Kunti, Bhimasena and Dhananjaya, came under the power of the enemy,--those who
themselves always slew their foes, and whom no weapons could resist! Surely,
this vile heart of mine must be made of adamant, since, beholding these twins
lying today on the ground it doth not split! Ye bulls among men, versed in holy
writ and acquainted with the properties of time and place, and endued with
ascetic merit, ye who duly performed all sacred rites, why lie ye down, without
performing acts deserving of you? Alas, why lie ye insensible on the earth,
with your bodies unwounded, ye unvanquished ones, and with your vows
untouched?' And beholding his brothers sweetly sleeping there as (they usually
did) on mountain slopes, the high souled king, overwhelmed with grief and
bathed in sweat, came to a distressful condition. And saying,--It is even
so--that virtuous lord of men, immersed in an ocean of grief anxiously
proceeded to ascertain the cause (of that catastrophe). And that mighty-armed and
high-souled one, acquainted with the divisions of time and place, could not
settle his course of action. Having thus bewailed much in this strain, the
virtuous Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma or Tapu, restrained his soul and began
to reflect in his mind as to who had slain those heroes. 'There are no strokes
of weapons upon these, nor is any one's foot-print here. The being must be
mighty I ween, by whom my brothers have been slain. Earnestly shall I ponder
over this, or, let me first drink of the water, and then know all. It may be
that the habitually crooked-minded Duryodhana hath caused this water to be
secretly placed here by the king of the Gandharvas. What man of sense can trust
wicked wight of evil passions with whom good and evil are alike? Or, perhaps,
this may be an act of that wicked-souled one through secret messengers of his.'
And it was thus that that highly intelligent one gave way to diverse
reflections. He did not believe that water to have been tainted with poison,
for though dead no corpse-like pallor was on them. 'The colour on the faces of
these my brothers hath not faded!' And it was thus that Yudhishthira thought.
And the king continued, 'Each of these foremost of men was like unto a mighty
cataract.
Who, therefore, save Yama himself who in due time
bringeth about the end of all things, could have baffled them thus.' And having
concluded this for certain, he began to perform his ablutions in that lake. And
while he descended into it, he heard these words from the sky, uttered by the
Yaksha,--'I am a crane, living on tiny fish. It is by me that thy younger
brothers have been brought under the sway of the lord of departed spirits. If,
thou, O prince, answer not the questions put by me, even thou shalt number the
fifth corpse. Do not, O child, act rashly! This lake hath already been in my
possession. Having answered my questions first, do thou, O Kunti's son, drink
and carry away (as much as thou requirest)!' Hearing these words, Yudhishthira
said, 'Art thou the foremost of the Rudras, or of the Vasus, or of the Marutas?
I ask, what god art thou? This could not have been done by a bird! Who is it
that hath overthrown the four mighty mountains, viz., the Himavat, the
Paripatra, the Vindhya, and the Malaya? Great is the feat done by thee, thou
foremost of strong persons! Those whom neither gods, nor Gandharvas nor Asuras,
nor Rakshasas could endure in mighty conflict, have been slain by thee!
Therefore, exceedingly wonderful is the deed done by thee! I do not know what
thy business may be, nor do I know thy purpose. Therefore, great is the
curiosity and fear also that have taken possession of me? My mind is greatly
agitated, and as my head also is aching, I ask thee, therefore, O worshipful
one, who art thou that stayest here?' Hearing these words the Yaksha said, 'I
am, good betide thee, a Yaksha, and not an amphibious bird. It is by me that
all these brothers of thine, endued with mighty prowess, have been slain!'
Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these accursed
words couched in harsh syllabus, 1 Yudhishthira, O king, approaching the Yaksha
who had spoken then, stood there. And that bull among the Bharatas then beheld
that Yaksha of unusual eyes and huge body tall like a palmyra-palm and looking
like fire or the Sun, and irresistible and gigantic like a mountain, staying on
a tree, and uttering a loud roar deep as that of the clouds. And the Yaksha
said, 'These thy brothers, O king, repeatedly forbidden by me, would forcibly
take away water. It is for this that they have been slain by me! He that
wisheth to live, should not, O king, drink this water! O son of Pritha, act not
rashly! This lake hath already been in my possession. Do thou, O son of Kunti,
first answer my questions, and then take away as much as thou likest!'
Yudhishthira said, 'I do not, O Yaksha, covet, what is already in thy
possession! O bull among male beings, virtuous persons never approve that one
should applaud his own self (without boasting, I shall, therefore, answer thy
questions, according to my intelligence). Do thou ask me!' The Yaksha then
said, 'What is it that maketh the Sun rise? Who keeps him company? Who causeth
him to set? And in whom is he established?' Yudhishthira answered, 'Brahma
maketh the Sun rise: the gods keep him company: Dharma causeth him to set: and
he is established in truth.' 2 The Yaksha asked, 'By what doth one become
learned? By what doth he attain what is very great? How can one have a second?
And, O king, how can one acquire intelligence?' Yudhishthira answered, 'It is
by the (study of the) Srutis that a person becometh learned; it is by ascetic
austerities that one acquireth what is very great: it is by intelligence that a
person acquireth a second and it is by serving the old that one becometh wise.'
1 The Yaksha asked, 'What constituteth the divinity of the Brahmanas? What even
is their practice that is like that of the pious? What also is the human
attribute of the Brahmanas? And what practice of theirs is like that of the
impious?' Yudhishthira answered, 'The study of the Vedas constitutes their
divinity: their asceticism constitutes behaviour that is like that of the
pious; their liability to death is their human attribute and slander is their
impiety.' The Yaksha asked, 'What institutes the divinity of the Kshatriyas?
What even is their practice that is like that of the pious? What is their human
attribute? And what practice of theirs is like that of the impious?'
Yudhishthira answered, 'Arrows and weapons are their divinity: celebration of
sacrifices is that act which is like that of the pious: liability to fear is
their human attribute; and refusal of protection is that act of theirs which is
like that of the impious.' The Yaksha asked, 'What is that which constitutes
the Sama of the sacrifice? What the Yajus of the sacrifice? What is that which
is the refuge of a sacrifice? And what is that which sacrifice cannot do
without?' Yudhishthira answered, 'Life is the Sama of the sacrifice; the mind
is the Yajus of the sacrifice: the Rik is that which is the refuge of the
sacrifice; and it is Rik alone which sacrifice cannot do without.' 2 The Yaksha
asked, 'What is of the foremost value to those that cultivate? What is of the
foremost value to those that sow? What is of the foremost value to those that wish
for prosperity in this world? And what is of the foremost value to those that
bring forth?' Yudhishthira answered, 'That which is of the foremost value to
those that cultivate is rain: that of the foremost value to those that sow is
seed: that of the foremost value to those that bring forth is offspring. 1' The
Yaksha asked, 'What person, enjoying all the objects of the senses, endued with
intelligence, regarded by the world and liked by all beings, though breathing,
doth not offer anything to these five, viz., gods, guests, servants, Pitris,
and himself, though endued with breath, is not yet alive.' The Yaksha asked,
'What is weightier than the earth itself? What is higher than the heavens?'
What is fleeter than the wind? And what is more numerous than grass?'
Yudhishthira answered, 'The mother is weightier than the earth; the father is
higher than the heaven; the mind is fleeter than the wind; and our thoughts are
more numerous than grass.' The Yaksha asked, 'What is that which doth not close
its eyes while asleep; What is that which doth not move after birth? What is
that which is without heart? And what is that which swells with its own
impetus?' Yudhishthira answered, 'A fish doth not close its eyes while asleep:
an egg doth not move after birth: a stone is without heart: and a river
swelleth with its own impetus.' The Yaksha asked, 'Who is the friend of the
exile? Who is the friend of the householder? Who is the friend of him that
ails? And who is the friend of one about to die?' Yudhishthira answered, 'The
friend of the exile in a distant land is his companion, the friend of the
householder is the wife; the friend of him that ails is the physician: and the
friend of him about to die is charity. The Yaksha asked,--'Who is the guest of
all creatures? What is the eternal duty? What, O foremost of kings, is Amrita?
And what is this entire Universe?' Yudhishthira answered,--Agni is the guest of
all creatures: the milk of kine is amrita: Homa (therewith) is the eternal
duty: and this Universe consists of air alone.' 2 The Yaksha asked,--'What is
that which sojourneth alone? What is that which is re-born after its birth?
What is the remedy against cold? And what is the largest field?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'The sun sojourneth alone; the moon takes birth anew: fire is the
remedy against cold: and the Earth is the largest field.' The Yaksha
asked,--'What is the highest refuge of virtue? What of fame? What of heaven?
And what, of happiness?' Yudhishthira answered,--'Liberality is the highest
refuge of virtue: gift, of fame: truth, of heaven: and good behaviour, of
happiness.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is the soul of man? Who is that friend
bestowed on man by the gods? What is man's chief support? And what also is his
chief refuge?' Yudhishthira answered,--'The son is a man's soul: the wife is
the friend bestowed on man by the gods; the clouds are his chief support; and
gift is his chief refuge.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is the best of all laudable
things? What is the most valuable of all his possessions? What is the best of
all gains? And what is the best of all kinds of happiness?' Yudhishthira
answered,--"The best of all laudable things is skill; the best of all
possessions is knowledge: the best of all gains is health: and contentment is
the best of all kinds of happiness.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is the highest
duty in the world? What is that virtue which always beareth fruit? What is that
which if controlled, leadeth not to regret? And who are they with whom an
alliance cannot break?' Yudhishthira answered,--'The highest of duties is to
refrain from injury: the rites ordained in the Three (Vedas) always bear fruit:
the mind, if controlled, leadeth to no regret: and an alliance with the good
never breaketh.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is that which, if renounced, maketh
one agreeable? What is that which, if renounced, leadeth to no regret? What is
that which, if renounced, maketh one wealthy? And what is that which if
renounced, maketh one happy?' Yudhishthira answered,--'Pride, if renounced,
maketh one agreeable; wrath, if renounced leadeth to no regret: desire, if
renounced, maketh one wealthy: and avarice, if renounced, maketh one happy.'
The Yaksha asked,--'For what doth one give away to Brahmanas? For what to mimes
and dancers? For what to servants? And for what to king?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'It is for religious merit that one giveth away to Brahmanas: it is
for fame that one giveth away to mimes and dancers: it is for supporting them
that one giveth away to servants: and it is for obtaining relief from fear that
one giveth to kings.' The Yaksha asked,--'With what is the world enveloped?
What is that owing to which a thing cannot discover itself? For what are
friends forsaken? And for what doth one fail to go to heaven?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'The world is enveloped with darkness. Darkness doth not permit a
thing to show itself. It is from avarice that friends are forsaken. And it is
connection with the world for which one faileth to go to heaven.' The Yaksha
asked,--'For what may one be considered as dead? For what may a kingdom be
considered as dead? For what may a Sraddha be considered as dead? And for what,
a sacrifice?' Yudhishthira answered,--'For want of wealth may a man be regarded
as dead. A kingdom for want of a king may be regarded as dead. A Sraddha that
is performed with the aid of a priest that hath no learning may be regarded as
dead. And a sacrifice in which there are no gifts to Brahmanas is dead.' The
Yaksha asked,--'What constitutes the way? What, hath been spoken of as water?
What, as food? And what, as poison? Tell us also what is the proper time of a
Sraddha, and then drink and take away as much as thou likest!' Yudhishthira answered,--'They
that are good constitute the way. 1 Space hath been spoken of as water. 2 The
cow is food. 3 A request is poison. And a Brahmana is regarded as the proper
time of a Sraddha. 4 I do not know what thou mayst think of all this, O
Yaksha?' The Yaksha asked,--'What hath been said to be the sign of asceticism?
And what is true restraint? What constitutes forgiveness. And what is shame?'
Yudhishthira answered,--'Staying in one's own religion is asceticism: the
restraint of the mind is of all restraints the true one: forgiveness consists
in enduring enmity; and shame, in withdrawing from all unworthy acts.' The
Yaksha asked,--'What, O king is said to be knowledge? What, tranquillity? What
constitutes mercy? And what hath been called simplicity?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'True knowledge is that of Divinity. True tranquillity is that of
the heart. Mercy consists in wishing happiness to all. And simplicity is
equanimity of heart.' The Yaksha asked,--'What enemy is invincible? What
constitutes an incurable disease for man? What sort of a man is called honest
and what dishonest?' Yudhishthira answered,--'Anger is an invincible enemy.
Covetousness constitutes an incurable disease. He is honest that desires the
weal of all creatures, and he is dishonest who is unmerciful.' The Yaksha
asked,--'What, O king, is ignorance? And what is pride? What also is to be
understood by idleness? And what hath been spoken of as grief?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'True ignorance consists in not knowing one's duties. Pride is a
consciousness of one's being himself an actor or sufferer in life. Idleness
consists in not discharging one's duties, and ignorance in grief.' The Yaksha
asked,--'What hath steadiness been said by the Rishis to be? And what,
patience? What also is a real ablution? And what is charity?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'Steadiness consists in one's staying in one's own religion, and
true patience consists in the subjugation of the senses. A true bath consists
in washing the mind clean of all impurities, and charity consists in protecting
all creatures.' The Yaksha asked,--'What man should be regarded as learned, and
who should be called an atheist? Who also is to be called ignorant? What is
called desire and what are the sources of desire? And what is envy?'
Yudhishthira answered,--'He is to be called learned who knoweth his duties. An
atheist is he who is ignorant and so also he is ignorant who is an atheist.
Desire is due to objects of possession, and envy is nothing else than grief of
heart.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is pride, and what is hypocrisy? What is the
grace of the gods, and what is wickedness?' Yudhishthira answered,--'Stolid
ignorance is pride. The setting up of a religious standard is hypocrisy. The
grace of the gods is the fruit of our gifts, and wickedness consists in speaking
ill of others.' The Yaksha asked,--'Virtue, profit, and desire are opposed to
one another. How could things thus antagonistic to one another exist together?'
Yudhishthira answered,--'When a wife and virtue agree with each other, then all
the three thou hast mentioned may exist together.' The Yaksha asked,--'O bull
of the Bharata race, who is he that is condemned to everlasting hell? It
behoveth thee to soon answer the question that I ask!' Yudhishthira
answered,--'He that summoneth a poor Brahmana promising to make him a gift and
then tells him that he hath nothing to give, goeth to everlasting hell. He also
must go to everlasting hell, who imputes falsehood to the Vedas, the
scriptures, the Brahmanas, the gods, and the ceremonies in honour of the
Pitris, He also goeth to everlasting hell who though in possession of wealth,
never giveth away nor enjoyeth himself from avarice, saying, he hath none.' The
Yaksha asked,--'By what, O king, birth, behaviour, study, or learning doth a
person become a Brahmana? Tell us with certitude!' Yudhishthira
answered,-'Listen, O Yaksha! It is neither birth, nor study, nor learning, that
is the cause of Brahmanahood, without doubt, it is behaviour that constitutes
it. One's behaviour should always be well-guarded, especially by a Brahmana. He
who maintaineth his conduct unimpaired, is never impaired himself. Professors
and pupils, in fact, all who study the scriptures, if addicted to wicked
habits, are to be regarded as illiterate wretches. He only is learned who
performeth his religious duties. He even that hath studied the four Vedas is to
be regarded as a wicked wretch scarcely distinguishable from a Sudra (if his
conduct be not correct). He only who performeth the Agnihotra and hath his
senses under control, is called a Brahmana!' The Yaksha asked,--'What doth one
gain that speaketh agreeable words? What doth he gain that always acteth with
judgment? What doth he gain that hath many friends? And what he, that is
devoted to virtue?'--Yudhishthira answered,--'He that speaketh agreeable words
becometh agreeable to all. He that acteth with judgment obtaineth whatever he
seeketh. He that hath many friends liveth happily. And he that is devoted to
virtue obtaineth a happy state (in the next world).' The Yaksha asked,--'Who is
truly happy? What is most wonderful? What is the path? And what is the news?
Answer these four questions of mine and let thy dead brothers revive.'
Yudhishthira answered,--'O amphibious creature, a man who cooketh in his own
house, on the fifth or the sixth part of the day, with scanty vegetables, but
who is not in debt and who stirreth not from home, is truly happy. Day after
day countless creatures are going to the abode of Yama, yet those that remain
behind believe themselves to be immortal. What can be more wonderful than this?
Argument leads to no certain conclusion, the Srutis are different from one
another; there is not even one Rishi whose opinion can be accepted by all; the
truth about religion and duty is hid in caves: therefore, that alone is the
path along which the great have trod. This world full of ignorance is like a
pan. The sun is fire, the days and nights are fuel. The months and the seasons
constitute the wooden ladle. Time is the cook that is cooking all creatures in
that pan (with such aids); this is the news.' The Yaksha asked,--'Thou hast, O
represser of foes, truly answered all my questions! Tell us now who is truly a
man, and what man truly possesseth every kind of wealth.' Yudhishthira
answered,--'The report of one's good action reacheth heaven and spreadeth over
the earth. As long as that report lasteth, so long is a person to whom the
agreeable and the disagreeable, weal and woe, the past and the future, are the
same, is said to possess every kind of wealth.' The Yaksha said,--'Thou hast, O
king truly answered who is a man, and what man possesseth every kind of wealth.
Therefore, let one only amongst thy brothers, whom thou mayst wish, get up with
life!' Yudhishthira answered,--'Let this one that is of darkish hue, whose eyes
are red, who is tall like a large Sala tree, whose chest is broad and arms
long, let this Nakula, O Yaksha, get up with life! The Yaksha rejoined,-'This
Bhimasena is dear unto thee, and this Arjuna also is one upon whom all of you
depend! Why, then, O king dost thou, wish a step-brother to get up with his
life! How canst thou, forsaking Bhima whose strength is equal to that of ten
thousand elephants, wish Nakula to live? People said that this Bhima was dear
to thee. From what motive then dost thou wish a step-brother to revive?
Forsaking Arjuna the might of whose arm is worshipped by all the sons of Pandu,
why dost thou wish Nakula to revive?' Yudhishthira said,--'If virtue is
sacrificed, he that sacrificeth it, is himself lost. So virtue also cherisheth
the cherisher. Therefore taking care that virtue by being sacrificed may not
sacrifice us, I never forsake virtue. Abstention from injury is the highest
virtue, and is, I ween, even higher than the highest object of attainment. I
endeavour to practise that virtue. Therefore, let Nakula, O Yaksha, revive! Let
men know that the king is always virtuous! I will never depart from my duty.
Let Nakula, therefore, revive! My father had two wives, Kunti and Madri. Let
both of them have children. This is what I wish. As Kunti is to me, so also is
Madri. There is no difference between them in my eye. I desire to act equally
towards my mothers. Therefore, let Nakula live?' The Yaksha said,--'Since
abstention from injury is regarded by thee as higher than both profit and pleasure,
therefore, let all thy brothers live, O bull of Bharata race!"
Footnotes
604:1 Samhritya--killing.
605:1 Lit. Letters.
605:2 Behind the plain and obvious meanings of
the words employed both in the p. 606 question and the answer, there is a
deeper signification of a spiritual kind. I think Nilakantha has rightly
understood the passage. By Aditya, which of course commonly means the Sun, is
indicated the unpurified soul (from adatte sabdadin indriadivis &c.). The
first question then, becomes, 'Who is it that exalteth the unpurified soul?'
The act of exaltation implies a raising of the soul from its earthly
connections. The answer to this is, 'Brahma, i.e., Veda or self-knowledge.' The
second question--'What are those that keep company with the soul during its
progress of purification?' The answer is, Self-restraint and other qualities,
which are all of a god-like or divine nature.' The third question is.--Who lead
the soul to its place (state) of rest? The answer is, Dharma, i.e., restitude,
morality, and religious observances.' It is often asserted that one must pass
through the observances (Karma) before attaining to a state of Rest or Truth or
Pure Knowledge. The last question is,--'On what is the soul established!' The
answer, according to all that has been previously said, is 'Truth or Pure
Knowledge.' For the soul that is emancipated from and raised above all carnal
connections, is no longer in need of observances and acts (Karma) but stays
unmoved in True Knowledge (Janana).
606:1 Nilakantha explains both Dhriti and Dwitiya
in a spiritual sense. There is no need, however, of a spiritual explanation
here. By Dhriti is meant steadiness of intelligence; by Dwitiya lit, a second.
What Yudhishthira says is that a steady intelligence serves the purposes of a
helpful companion.
606:2 Nilakantha explains this correctly, as I
imagine, by supposing that by 'sacrifice' is meant the spiritual sacrifice for
the acquisition of pure knowledge. In the objective sacrifice which one
celebrates, the Sama, the Yajus, and the Rik mantras are all necessary. In the
subjective sacrifice the acquisition of true knowledge, life and mind are as
necessary as the mantras from the Sama and the Yajur Vedas in an objective one.
And as no objective sacrifice can do without the Riks, being principally
dependent p. 607 on them, so the subjective sacrifices for acquiring true
knowledge can never do without prayerfulness, which, I imagine, is represented
as the Riks. To understand this passage thoroughly would require an intimate
acquaintance with the ritual of a sacrifice like the Agnishtoma or any other of
that kind.
607:1 Some texts read apatatam for uvapatam. If
the former be the correct reading, the meaning would be--'What is the best of
things that fall?' Nilakantha explains both avapatam nivapatam in a spiritual
sense. By the first he understands--'They that offer oblation to the gods,' and
by the second, 'They that offer oblations to the Pitris.' The necessity of a
spiritual interpretation, however, is not very apparent.
607:2 Yudhishthira has the authority of the
Srutis for saying that the one pervading element of the universe is air.
609:1 The word used in the question is dik,
literally, direction. Obviously, of course, it means in this connection way.
Yudhishthira answers that the way which one is to tread along is that of the
good.
609:2 Footnote 2: The Srutis actually speak of
space as water. These are questions to test Yudhishthira's knowledge of the
Vedic cosmogony.
609:3 The Srutis speak of the cow as the only
food, in the following sense. The cow gives milk. The milk gives butter. The
butter is used in Homa. The Homa is the cause of the clouds. The clouds give
rain. The rain makes the seed to sprout forth and produce food. Nilakantha
endeavours to explain this in a spiritual sense. There is however, no need of
such explanation here.
609:4 What Yudhishthira means to say is that
there is no special time for a Sraddha. It is to be performed whenever a good
and able priest may be secured.
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