The sanskrit epics, p.643
The Sanskrit Epics, page 643
“‘Yudhishthira said, “I bow down to you and beseech you humbly, be gratified with me. It doth not behove you to cry fie on me. I shall soon lay down my life.”’122
“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Then all those Brahmanas, O king, loudly said, “These are not our words. Prosperity to thee, O monarch!” Those high-souled persons, conversant with the Vedas, with understanding rendered clear by penances, then penetrated the disguise of the speaker by means of their spiritual sight. And they said, “This is the Rakshasa Charvaka, the friend of Duryodhana. Having put on the garb of a religious mendicant, he seeks the good of his friend Duryodhana. We have not, O thou of righteous soul, said anything of the kind. Let this anxiety of thine be dispelled. Let prosperity attend upon thee with thy brothers.”’
“Vaisampayana continued, ‘These Brahmanas then, insensate with rage, uttered the sound Hun. Cleansed of all sins, they censured the sinful Rakshasa and slew him there (with that very sound). Consumed by the energy of those utterers of Brahma, Charvaka fell down dead, like a tree with all its sprouts blasted by the thunder of Indra. Duly worshipped, the Brahmanas went away, having gladdened the king with their benedictions. The royal son of Pandu also, with all his friends, felt great happiness.’”
SECTION XL
“VAISAMPAYANA SAID, ‘THEN Devaki’s son Janardana of universal knowledge addressed king Yudhishthira who stood there with his brothers, saying, “In this world, O sire, Brahmanas are always the objects of worship with me. They are gods on earth having poison in their speech, and are exceedingly easy to gratify. Formerly, in the Krita age, O king, a Rakshasa of the name of Charvaka, O mighty-armed one, performed austere penances for many years in Vadari. Brahman repeatedly solicited him to ask for boons. At last the Rakshasa solicited the boon, O Bharata, of immunity from fear at the hand of every being in the universe. The Lord of the universe gave that high boon of immunity from fear at the hands of all creatures, subject to the only limitation that he should be careful of how he offended the Brahmanas. Having obtained that boon, the sinful and mighty Rakshasa of fierce deeds and great prowess began to give pain to the gods. The gods, persecuted by the might of the Rakshasa, assembling together, approached Brahman, for compassing their foe’s destruction. The eternal and unchangeable god answered them, O Bharata, saying, ‘I have already arranged the means by which the death of this Rakshasa may soon be brought about. There will be a king of the name of Duryodhana. Among men, he will be the friend of this wight. Bound by affection towards him, the Rakshasa will insult the Brahmanas. Stung by the wrong he will inflict upon them, the Brahmanas, whose might consists in speech, will in wrath censure him at which he will meet with destruction.’ Even that Rakshasa Charvaka, O foremost of kings, slain by the curse of the Brahmanas, lies there deprived of life. Do not, O bull of Bharata’s race, give way to grief. The kinsmen, O king, have all perished in the observance of Kshatriya duties. Those bulls among Kshatriyas, those high-souled heroes, have all gone to heaven. Do thou attend to thy duties now. O thou of unfading glory, let no grief be thine. Stay thy foes, protect thy subjects, and worship the Brahmanas.”’“
SECTION XLI
“VAISAMPAYANA SAID, ‘THE royal son of Kunti, freed from grief and the fever of his heart, took his seat, with face eastwards, on excellent seat made of gold. On another seat, beautiful and blazing and made of gold, sat with face directed towards him, those two chastisers of foes, viz., Satyaki and Vasudeva. Placing the king in their midst, on his two sides sat Bhima and Arjuna upon two beautiful seats adorned with gems. Upon a white throne of ivory, decked with gold, sat Pritha with Sahadeva and Nakula. Sudharman,123 and Vidura, and Dhaumya, and the Kuru king Dhritarashtra, each sat separately on separate seats that blazed with the effulgence of fire. Yuyutsu and Sanjaya and Gandhari of great fame, all sat down where king Dhritarashtra had taken his seat. The righteous-souled king, seated there, touched the beautiful white flowers, Swastikas, vessels full of diverse articles, earth, gold, silver, and gems, (that were placed before him). Then all the subjects, headed by the priest, came to see king Yudhishthira, bringing with them diverse kinds of auspicious articles. Then earth, and gold, and many kinds of gems, and all the things in profusion that were necessary for the performance of the coronation rite, were brought there. There were golden jars full to the brim (with water), and those made of copper and silver and earth, and flowers, and fried paddy, and Kusa grass, and cow’s milk, and (sacrificial) fuel consisting of the wood of Sami, Pippala, and Palasa, and honey and clarified butter and (sacrificial) ladles made of Udumvara, and conches adorned with gold.124 Then the priest Dhaumya, at the request of Krishna, constructed, according to rule, an altar gradually inclining towards the cast and the north. Causing the high-souled Yudhishthira then, with Krishna the daughter of Drupada, to be seated upon a handsome seat, called Sarvatobhadra, with firm feet and covered with tiger-skin and blazing with effulgence, began to pour libations of clarified butter (upon the sacrificial fire) with proper mantras. Then he of Dasaratha’s race, rising from his seat, took up the sanctified conch, poured the water it contained upon the head of that lord of earth, viz., Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti. The royal sage Dhritarashtra and all the subjects also did the same at the request of Krishna. The son of Pandu then, with his brothers, thus bathed with the sanctified water of the conch, looked exceedingly beautiful. Then Panavas and Anakas and drums were beaten. King Yudhishthira the just duly accepted the gifts made unto him by the subjects. Always giving away presents in profusion in all his sacrifices, the king honoured his subjects in return. He gave a thousand nishkas unto the Brahmanas that uttered (especial) benedictions on him. All of them had studied the Vedas and were endued with wisdom and good behaviour. Gratified (with gifts), the Brahmanas, O king, wished him prosperity and victory, and with voices melodious like that of swans, uttered his praises, saying, “O Yudhishthira of mighty arms, by good luck, O son of Pandu, victory has been thine. By good luck, O thou of great splendour, thou hast recovered thy position through prowess. By good luck, the wielder of Gandiva, and Bhimasena, and thyself, O king, and the two sons of Madri, are all well, having slain your foes and escaped with life from the battle, so destructive of heroes. Do thou, O Bharata, attend without delay to those acts that should next be done.” Thus adored by those pious men, king Yudhishthira the just, with his friends, became installed on the throne of a large kingdom, O Bharata!’”
SECTION XLII
“VAISAMPAYANA SAID, ‘HAVING heard those words, suitable to time and place, of his subjects, king Yudhishthira answered them in the following words, “Great must be the sons of Pandu, in sooth, whose merits, true or false, are thus recited by such foremost of Brahmanas assembled together. Without doubt, we are all objects of favour with you since you so freely describe us to be possessed of such attributes. King Dhritarashtra, however, is our father and god. If ye desire to do what is agreeable to me, always render your obedience to him and what is agreeable to him. Having slaughtered all my kinsmen, I live for him alone. My great duty is to always serve him in every respect with watchfulness. If ye, as also my friends, think that I should be an object of favour with you and them, let me then request you all to show the same behaviour towards Dhritarashtra as ye used to show before. He is the lord of the world, of yourselves, and of myself. The whole world, with the Pandavas, belongs to him. Ye should always bear these words of mine in your minds.” The king then told them to go whithersoever they liked. Having dismissed the citizens and the people of the provinces, the delighter of the Kurus appointed his brother Bhimasena as Yuvaraja. And he cheerfully appointed Vidura of great intelligence for assisting him with his deliberations and for overlooking the sixfold requirements of the state.125 And he appointed Sanjaya of mature years and possessed of every accomplishment, as general director and supervisor of the finances. And the king appointed Nakula for keeping the register of the forces, for giving them food and pay and for supervising other affairs of the army. And king Yudhishthira appointed Phalguna for resisting hostile forces and chastising the wicked. And he appointed Dhaumya, the foremost of priests, to attend daily to the Brahmanas and all rites in honour of the gods and other acts of a religious kind. And he appointed Sahadeva to always remain by his side, for the king thought, O monarch, that he should under all circumstances be protected by that brother of his. And the king cheerfully employed others in other acts according as he deemed them fit. That slayer of hostile heroes, viz., the righteous-souled king Yudhishthira, ever devoted to virtue, commanded Vidura and the high-souled Yuyutsu, saying, “You should always with alacrity and attention do everything that my royal father Dhritarashtra wishes. Whatever also should be done in respect of the citizens and the residents of the provinces should be accomplished by you in your respective departments, after taking the king’s permission.”’“
SECTION XLIII
“VAISAMPAYANA SAID, ‘AFTER this king Yudhishthira of magnanimous soul caused the Sraddha rites to be performed of every one of his kinsmen slain in battle. King Dhritarashtra also of great fame, gave away, for the good of his sons in the other world, excellent food, and kine, and much wealth, and many beautiful and costly gems (unto the Brahmanas). Yudhishthira accompanied by Draupadi, gave much wealth for the sake of Drona and the high-souled Karna, of Dhrishtadyumna and Abhimanyu, of the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, the son of Hidimva, and of Virata, and his other well-wishers that had served him loyally, and of Drupada and the five sons of Draupadi. For the sake of each of these, the king gratified thousands of Brahmanas with gifts of wealth and gems, and kine and clothes. The king performed the Sraddha rite for the good in the next world, of every one of those kings also who had fallen in the battle without leaving kinsmen or friends behind. And the king also, for the good of the souls of all his friends, caused houses to be founded for the distribution of food, and places for the distribution of water, and tanks to be excavated in their names. Thus paying off the debt he owed to them and avoiding the chance of censure in the world,126 the king became happy and continued to protect his subjects religiously. He showed due honour, as before, unto Dhritarashtra, and Gandhari, and Vidura, and unto all the superior Kauravas and unto all the officers. Full of kindness, the Kuru king honoured and protected all those ladies also who had, in consequence of the battle, been deprived of their heroic husbands and sons. The puissant king, with great compassion, extended his favours to the destitute and the blind and the helpless by giving them food, clothes and shelter. Freed from foes and having conquered the whole Earth, king Yudhishthira began to enjoy great happiness.’”
SECTION XLIV
“VAISAMPAYANA SAID, ‘HAVING got back the kingdom, king Yudhishthira of great wisdom and purity, after the ceremony of installation had been over, joining his hands together, addressed the lotus-eyed Krishna of Dasarha’s race, saying, “Through thy grace, O Krishna, through thy policy and might and intelligence and prowess, O tiger among the Yadus, I have got back this ancestral kingdom of mine. O thou of eyes like lotus leaves, I repeatedly bow to thee, O chastiser of foes! Thou hast been called the One only Being. Thou hast been said to be the refuge of all worshippers. The regenerate ones adore thee under innumerable names.127 Salutations to thee, O Creator of the Universe! Thou art the soul of the Universe and the Universe hath sprung from thee. Thou art Vishnu, thou art Jishnu, thou art Hari, thou art Krishna, thou art Vaikuntha, and thou art the foremost of all beings. Thou hast, as said in the Puranas, taken thy birth seven times in the womb of Aditi. It was thou that tookest birth in the womb of Prishni.128 The learned say that thou art the three Yugas.129 All thy achievements are sacred. Thou art the lord of our senses. Thou art the great Lord worshipped in sacrifices. Thou art called the great swan. Thou art three-eyed Sambhu. Thou art One, though known as Vibhu and Damodara. Thou art the great Boar, thou art Fire, thou art the Sun, thou hast the bull for the device on thy banner, and thou hast Garuda also as thy device. Thou art the grinder of hostile hosts, thou art the Being that pervadest every form in the universe and thou art of irresistible prowess. Thou art the foremost of all things, thou art fierce, thou art the generalissimo in battle, thou art the Truth, thou art the giver of food, and thou art Guha (the celestial generalissimo); Thyself unfading, thou causest thy foes to fade and waste. Thou art the Brahmana of pure blood, and thou art those that have sprung from intermixture. Thou art great. Thou walkest on high, thou art the mountains, and thou art called Vrishadarbha and Vrishakapi. Thou art the Ocean, thou art without attributes, thou hast three humps, thou hast three abodes, and thou takest human forms on earth, descending from heaven. Thou art Emperor, thou art Virat, and thou art Swarat.130 Thou art the Chief of the celestials, and thou art the cause whence the Universe has sprung. Thou art Almighty, thou art existence in every form, thou art without form, thou art Krishna, and thou art fire. Thou art the Creator, thou art the sire of the celestial physicians, thou art (the sage) Kapila, and thou art the Dwarf.131 Thou art Sacrifice embodied, thou art Dhruva,132 thou art Garuda, and thou art called Yajnasena. Thou art Sikhandin, thou art Nahusha, and thou art Vabhru. Thou art the constellation Punarvasu extended in the firmament, Thou art exceedingly tawny in hue, thou art the sacrifice known by the name of Uktha, thou art Sushena, thou art the drum (that sends forth its sound on every side). The track of thy car-wheels is light. Thou art the lotus of Prosperity, thou art the cloud called Pushkara, and thou art decked with floral wreaths. Thou art affluent, thou art puissant, thou art the most subtle, and it is thou whom the Vedas describe. Thou art the great receptacle of waters, thou art Brahman, thou art the sacred refuge, and thou knowest the abodes of all. Thou art called Hiranyagarbha, thou art the sacred mantras swadha and swaha, thou art Kesava. Thou art the cause whence all this hath sprung, and thou art its dissolution. In the beginning it is thou that createst the universe. This universe is under thy control, O Creator of the universe! Salutations to thee, O wielder of Sarnga, discus and sword!” Thus hymned by king Yudhishthira the just in the midst of the court, the lotus-eyed Krishna became pleased. That foremost one of the Yadavas then began to gladden the eldest son of Pandu with many agreeable speeches.’”
SECTION XLV
“VAISAMPAYANA SAID, ‘THE king dismissed all his subjects, who, commanded by the monarch, returned to their respective homes. Comforting his brothers, Yudhishthira, blazing with beauty, then addressed his brothers Bhima of terrible prowess and Arjuna and the twins, saying, “Your bodies have, in the great battle, been mangled with diverse kinds of weapons by the foe. Ye are greatly fatigued, grief and anger have scorched your hearts. Through my fault, ye bulls of Bharata’s race, ye have suffered the miseries of an exile in the forests like vulgar men. In delight and in happy ease enjoy this victory (that ye have won). After resting yourselves and regaining the full use of your faculties, meet me again in the morning.” After this, the mighty-armed Vrikodara like Maghavat entering his own beautiful fane, entered the palace of Duryodhana, that was adorned with many excellent buildings and rooms, that adorned with gems of diverse kinds, that teemed with servants, male and female, and that Yudhishthira assigned to him with the approval of Dhritarashtra. The mighty-armed Arjuna also, at the command of the king, obtained the palace of Dussasana which was not inferior to Duryodhana’s and which consisted of many excellent structures and was adorned with a gate-way of gold, and which abounded in wealth and was full of attendants of both sexes. The palace of Durmarshana was even superior to that of Dussasana. Looking like the mansion of Kuvera himself, it was adorned with gold and every kind of gem. King Yudhishthira gladly gave it to Nakula who deserved it best and who had been emaciated (with the miseries of a life) in the great forest. The foremost of palaces belonging to Durmukha was exceedingly beautiful and adorned with gold. It abounded in beds and beautiful women, with eyes like lotus-petals. The king gave it unto Sahadeva who was ever employed in doing what was agreeable to him. Obtaining it, Sahadeva became delighted as the Lord of treasures upon obtaining Kailasa. Yuyutsu and Vidura and Sanjaya, O monarch, and Sudharman and Dhaumya, proceeded to the abodes they had owned before.133 Like a tiger entering his cave in the hills, that tiger among men, viz., Saurin, accompanied by Satyaki, entered the palace of Arjuna. Feasting on the viands and drinks (that had been kept ready for them), the princes passed the night happily. Awaking in the morning with well pleased hearts, they presented themselves before king Yudhishthira.’”
SECTION XLVI
“JANAMEJAYA SAID, ‘IT behoveth thee, O learned Brahmana, to tell me what was next done by Yudhishthira the mighty-armed son of Dharma after he had regained his kingdom. It behoveth thee to tell me also, O Rishi, what the heroic Hrishikesa, the supreme master of the three worlds did after this.’
“Vaisampayana said, ‘Listen to me, O king, as I narrate in detail, O sinless one, what the Pandavas, headed by Vasudeva, did after this. Having obtained his kingdom, O monarch, Kunti’s son Yudhishthira appointed each of the four orders of men to their respective duties. The (eldest) son of Pandu gave unto a thousand high-souled Brahmanas of the Snataka order a thousand Nishkas each. He then gratified the servants that were dependant on him and the guests that came to him, including persons that were undeserving and those that held heterodox views, by fulfilling their wishes. Unto his priest Dhaumya he gave kine in thousands and much wealth and gold and silver and robes of diverse kinds. Towards Kripa, O monarch, the king behaved in the way one should towards one’s preceptor. Observant of vows, the king continued to honour Vidura greatly. That foremost of charitable men gratified all persons with gifts of food and drink and robes of diverse kinds and beds and seats. Having restored peace to his kingdom, the king, O best of monarchs, possessed of great fame, paid due honour unto Yuyutsu and Dhritarashtra. Placing his kingdom, at the disposal of Dhritarashtra, of Gandhari, and of Vidura, king Yudhishthira continued to pass his days happily. Having gratified everybody, including the citizens, in this way, Yudhishthira, O bull of Bharata’s race, then proceeded with joined hands to the presence of the high-souled Vasudeva. He beheld Krishna, of the hue of a blue cloud, seated on a large sofa adorned with gold and gems. Attired in yellow robes of silk and decked with celestial ornaments, his person blazed with splendour like a Jewel set on gold. His bosom adorned with the Kaustubha gem, he looked like the Udaya mountain that decked the rising Sun. So beautiful did he look that there is no simile in the three worlds. Approaching the high-souled one who was Vishnu himself in incarnate form, king Yudhishthira addressed him sweetly and smilingly, saying, “O foremost of intelligent men, hast thou passed the night happily? O thou of unfading glory, are all thy faculties in their full vigour? O foremost of intelligent persons, is it all right with thy understanding? We have got back our kingdom and the whole earth has come under our control, O divine lord, through thy grace, O refuge of the three worlds and, O thou of three steps,134 through thy grace have we won victory and obtained great fame and have not fallen away from the duties of our order!” Unto that chastiser of foes, viz., king Yudhishthira the just who addressed him in that strain the divine Krishna said not a word, for he was then rapt in meditation.’”
