This copy is available on the internet at http://sanjeev.sabhlokcity.com/Misc/Rajaji-Mahabharata.pdf

MAHABHARATA retold by C. Rajagopalachari(Edited by Jay Mazo, International Gita Society)

Contents
1. Ganapati, the Scribe
2. Devavrata
3. Bhishma's Vow
4. Amba And Bhishma
5. Devayani And Kacha
6. The Marriage Of Devayani
7. Yayati
8. Vidura
9. Kunti Devi
10. Death Of Pandu
11. Bhima
12. Karna
13. Drona
14. The Wax Palace
15. The Escape Of The Pandavas
16. The Slaying Of Bakasura
17. Draupadi's Swayamvaram
18. Indraprastha
19. The Saranga Birds
20. Jarasandha
21. The Slaying Of Jarasandha
22. The First Honor
23. Sakuni Comes In
24. The Invitation
25. The Wager
26. Draupadi's Grief
27. Dhritarashtra's Anxiety
28. Krishna's Vow
29. Pasupata
30. Affliction Is Nothing New
31. Agastya
32. Rishyasringa
33. Fruitless Penance
34. Yavakrida's End
35. Mere Learning Is Not Enough
36. Ashtavakra
37. Bhima And Hanuman
38. I am No Crane

39. The Wicked Are Never Satisfied
40. Duryodhana Disgraced
41. Sri Krishna's Hunger
42. The Enchanted Pool
43. Domestic Service
44. Virtue Vindicated45. Matsya Defended
46. Prince Uttara
47. Promise Fulfilled
48. Virata's Delusion
49. Taking Counsel
50. Arjuna's Charioteer
51. Salya Against His Nephews
52. Vritra
53. Nahusha
54. Sanjaya's Mission
55. Not a Needle-Point Of Territory
56. Krishna's Mission
57. Attachment and Duty
58. The Pandava Generalissimo
59. Balarama
60. Rukmini
61. Non-Cooperation
62. Krishna Teaches
63. Yudhishthira Seeks Benediction
64. The First Day's Battle
65. The Second Day
66. The Third Day's Battle
67. The Fourth Day
68. The Fifth Day
69. The Sixth Day
70. The Seventh Day
71. The Eighth Day
72. The Ninth Day
73. The Passing Of Bhishma
74. Karna and the Grandsire
75. Drona in Command
76. To Seize Yudhishthira Alive
77. The Twelfth Day
78. Brave Bhagadatta

79. Abhimanyu
80. The Death Of Abhimanyu
81. A Father's Grief
82. The Sindhu King
83. Borrowed Armor
84. Yudhishthira's Misgivings
85. Yudhishthira's Fond Hope
86. Karna And Bhima
87. Pledge Respected
88. Somadatta's End
89. Jayadratha Slain
90. Drona Passes Away
91. The Death Of Karna
92. Duryodhana
93. The Pandavas Reproached
94. Aswatthama
95. Avenged
96. Who Can Give Solace?
97. Yudhishthira's Anguish
98. Yudhishthira Comforted
99. Envy
100. Utanga101. A Pound Of Flour
102. Yudhishthira Rules
103. Dhritarashtra
104. The Passing Away Of The Three105. Krishna Passes Away
106. Yudhishthira's Final Trial

AUTHOR'S PREFACE
IT is not an exaggeration to say that thepersons and incidents portrayed in thegreat literature of a people influencenational character no less potently than
the actual heroes and events enshrined in
its history. It may be claimed that theformer play an even more important partin the formation of ideals, which give tocharacter its impulse of growth.
In the moving history of our land, fromtime immemorial great minds have been
formed and nourished and touched toheroic deeds by the Ramayana and the
Mahabharata. In most Indian homes,
children formerly learnt these immortal
stories as they learnt their mother tongue
at the mother's knee. And the sweetness
and sorrows of Sita and Draupadi, theheroic fortitude of Rama and Arjuna andthe loving fidelity of Lakshmana andHanuman became the stuff of their young
philosophy of life.
The growing complexity of life haschanged the simple pattern of early homelife. Still, there are few in our land who do
not know the Ramayana and the
Mahabharata. Though the stories come tothem so embroidered with the garish
fancies of the Kalakshepam (devotional
meeting where an expert scholar andsinger tells a story to his audience) and thecinema as to retain but little of the dignity
and approach to truth of Vyasa or
Valmiki. Vyasa's Mahabharata is one of
our noblest heritages. And it is mycherished belief that to hear it faithfully
told is to love it and come under its
elevating influence. It strengthens the souland drives home, as nothing else does, thevanity of ambition and the evil and futilityof anger and hatred.
The realities of life are idealised by genius
and given the form that makes drama,
poetry or great prose. Since literature isclosely related to life, so long as thehuman family is divided into nations,
literature cannot escape the effects of such
division.
But the highest literature transcends
regionalism and through it, when we areproperly attuned, we realise the essential
oneness of the human family. The
Mahabharata is of this class. It belongs to
the world and not only to India. To thepeople of India, indeed, this epic has been
an unfailing and perennial source of
spiritual strength. Learnt at the mother'sknee with reverence and love, it has
inspired great men to heroic deeds as wellas enabled the humble to face their trials
with fortitude and faith.
The Mahabharata was composed many
thousand years ago. But generations ofgifted reciters have added to Vyasa's
original a great mass of material. All thefloating literature that was thought to be
worth preserving, historical, geographical,
legendarypolitical,
theologicalandphilosophical, of nearly thirty centuries,
found a place in it.
In those days, when there was no printing,interpolation in a recognised classic
seemed to correspond to inclusion in thenational library.
Divested of theseaccretions, the Mahabharata is a noble
poem possessing in a supreme degree thecharacteristics of a true epic, great andfateful movement, heroic characters andstately diction.
The characters in the epic move with thevitality of real life. It is difficult to findanywhere such vivid portraiture on so
ample a canvas. Bhishma, the perfectknight; the venerable Drona; the vain but
chivalrous Karna; Duryodhana, whose
perverse pride is redeemed by great
courage in adversity; the high souled
Pandavas with godlike strength as well as
power of suffering; Draupadi, mostunfortunate of queens; Kunti, the worthymother of heroes; Gandhari, the devoted
wife and sad mother of the wicked sons ofDhritarashtra, these are some of theimmortal figures on that crowded, butnever confused, canvas.
Then there is great Krishna himself, mostenergetic of men, whose divinity
scintillates through a cloud of very humancharacteristics. His high purposefulness
pervades the whole epic. One can readeven a translation and feel the overwhelming power of the incomparable
vastness and sublimity of the poem.
The Mahabharata discloses a richcivilisation and a highly evolved society,which though of an older world, strangely
resembles the India of our own time, withthe same values and ideals. India wasdivided into a number of independent
kingdoms.
Occasionally,
one
king,
more
distinguished or ambitious than the rest,
would assume the title of emperor,
securing the acquiescence of otherroyalties, and signalised it by a great
sacrificial feast. The adherence was
generally voluntary. The assumption ofimperial title conferred no overlordship.
The emperor was only first among his
peers.
The art of war was highly developed andmilitary prowess and skill were held inhigh esteem. We read in the Mahabharata
of standardised phalanxes and of various
tactical movements. There was an
accepted code of honorable warfare,deviations from which met with reproof
among Kshatriyas. The advent of the Kaliage is marked by many breaches of theseconventions in the Kurukshetra battle, on
account of the bitterness of conflict,frustration and bereavements. Some of themost impressive passages in the epic
center round these breaches of dharma.
The population lived in cities and villages.
The cities were the headquarters of kings

and their household and staff. There werebeautiful palaces and gardens and thelives led were cultured and luxurious.
There was trade in the cities, but the massof the people were agriculturists.
Besides this urban and rural life, there wasa very highly cultured life in the seclusionof forest recesses, centerd round ascetic
teachers. These ashramas kept alive thebright fires of learning and spiritual
thought. Young men of noble birth
eagerly sought education at theseashramas. World-weary aged went there
for peace. These centers of culture werecherished by the rulers of the land and not
the proudest of them would dare to treat
the members of the hermitages otherwise
than with respect and consideration.
Women were highly honored and enteredlargely in the lives of their husbands andsons. The caste system prevailed, butintercaste marriages were not unknown.
Some of the greatest warriors in the
Mahabharata were brahmanas.
The
Mahabharata has moulded the characterand civilisation of one of the mostnumerous of the world's people.
How did it fulfil, how is it still continuing
to fulfil, this function? By its gospel ofdharma, which like a golden thread runs
through all the complex movements in theepic. By its lesson that hatred breeds
hatred, that covetousness and violence
lead inevitably to ruin, that the only realconquest is in the battle against one's
lower nature.
1. GANAPATI, THE SCRIBE
BHAGAVAN VYASA, the celebrated
compiler of the Vedas, was the son of thegreat sage Parasara. It was he who gave tothe world the divine epic of the
Mahabharata.
Having conceived the Mahabharata hethought of the means of giving the sacredstory to the world. He meditated on
Brahma, the Creator, who manifested

himself before him. Vyasa saluted him
with bowed head and folded hands andprayed:"Lord, I have conceived an excellent
work, but cannot think of one who cantake it down to my dictation."
Brahma extolled Vyasa and said: "O sage,
invoke Ganapati and beg him to be youramanuensis." Having said these words hedisappeared. The sage Vyasa meditated on
Ganapati who appeared before him. Vyasa
received him with due respect and sought
his aid.
"Lord Ganapati, I shall dictate the story of
the Mahabharata and I pray you to begraciously pleased to write it down."
Ganapati replied: "Very well. I shall do as
you wish. But my pen must not stop while
I am writing. So you must dictate withoutpause or hesitation. I can only write on
this condition?"
Vyasa agreed, guarding himself, however,with a counter stipulation: "Be it so, but
you must first grasp the meaning of what I
dictate before you write it down."
Ganapati smiled and agreed to thecondition. Then the sage began to sing thestory of the Mahabharata. He would
occasionally compose some complex
stanzas which would make Ganapati
pause a while to get at the meaning andVyasa would avail himself of this interval
to compose many stanzas in his mind.
Thus the Mahabharata came to be written
by Ganapati to the dictation of Vyasa.
It was before the days of printing, whenthe memory of the learned was the sole
repository of books. Vyasa first taught thegreat epic to his son, the sage Suka. Later,
he expounded it to many other disciples.
Were it not so, the book might have been
lost to future generations.
Tradition has it that Narada told the storyof the Mahabharata to the devas while
Suka taught it to the Gandharvas, theRakshasas and the Yakshas. It is wellknown that the virtuous and learned
Vaisampayana, one of the chief disciples
of Vyasa, revealed the epic for the benefitof humanity.
Janamejaya, the son of the great King
Parikshit, conducted a great sacrifice inthe course of which Vaisampayana
narrated the story at the request of theformer. Afterwards, this story, as told by
Vaisampayana, was recited by Suta in theforest of Naimisa to an assembly of sages
under the lead of the Rishi Saunaka.
Suta addressed the assembly: "I had thegood fortune to hear the story of the
Mahabharata composed by Vyasa to teachhumanity dharma and the other ends oflife. I should like to narrate it to you." At
these words the ascetics eagerly gathered
round him.
Suta continued: "I heard the main story of
the Mahabharata and the episodic tales
contained therein told by Vaisampayana atthesacrificeconducted
byKing
Janamejaya. Afterwards, I made anextensive pilgrimage to various sacredplaces and also visited the battlefield
where the great battle described in theepic was fought. I have now come here tomeet you all." He then proceeded to tell
the whole story of the Mahabharata in the
grand assembly.
After the death of the great King Santanu,
Chitrangada became King of Hastinapura
and he was succeeded by Vichitravirya.
The latter had two sons, Dhritarashtra andPandu. The elder of the two being born
blind, Pandu, the younger brother,ascended the throne. In the course of his
reign, Pandu committed a certain offenceand had to resort to the forest with his two
wives where he spent many years inpenance.
During their stay in the forest, the two
wives of Pandu, Kunti and Madri gavebirth to five sons who became well known
as the five Pandavas. Pandu passed away

while they were still living in the forest.
The sages brought up the five Pandavas
during their early years.
When Yudhishthira, the eldest, attained
the age of sixteen the rishis led them allback to Hastinapura and entrusted them tothe old grandsire Bhishma. In a short time
the Pandavas gained mastery over the
Vedas and the Vedanta as well as over thevarious arts, especially pertaining to theKshatriyas. The Kauravas, the sons of theblind Dhritarashtra, became jealous of the
Pandavas and tried to injure them invarious ways.
Finally Bhishma, the head of the family,intervened to bring about mutual
understanding and peace between them.
Accordingly the Pandavas and theKauravas began to rule separately fromtheir respective capitals, Indraprastha andHastinapura.
Some time later, there was a game of dicebetween the Kauravas and the Pandavas
according to the then prevailing Kshatriya
code of honor. Sakuni, who played onbehalf of the Kauravas, defeatedYudhishthira. As a result, the Pandavas
had to be in exile for a period of thirteen
years. They left the kingdom and went to
the forest with their devoted wife
Draupadi.
According to the conditions of the game,the Pandavas spent twelve years in theforest and the thirteenth year incognito.
When they returned and demanded of
Duryodhana their paternal heritage, thelatter, who had in the meanwhile usurped
their kingdom, refused to return it. War
followed as a consequence.
The Pandavas defeated Duryodhana andregained their patrimony. The Pandavas
ruled the kingdom for thirty-six years.
Afterwards, they transferred the crown totheir grandson, Parikshit, and repaired to
the forest with Draupadi, all clad humblyin barks of trees.

This is the substance of the story of the
Mahabharata. In this ancient andwonderful epic of our land there are many
illustrative tales and sublime teachings,
besides the narrative of the fortunes of the
Pandavas.
The Mahabharata is in fact a veritable
ocean containing countless pearls andgems. It is, with the Ramayana, a living
fountain of the ethics and culture of ourMotherland.
2. DEVAVRATA"You must certainly become my wife,
whoever you may be." Thus said the great
King Santanu to the goddess Ganga whostood before him in human form,
intoxicating
hissenseswithhersuperhuman loveliness.
The king earnestly offered for her love his
kingdom, his wealth, his all, his very life.
Ganga replied: "O king, I shall become
your wife. But on certain conditions thatneither you nor anyone else should everask me who I am, or whence I come. You
must also not stand in the way ofwhatever I do, good or bad, nor must you
ever be wroth with me on any accountwhatsoever. You must not say anything
displeasing to me. If you act otherwise, I
shall leave you then and there. Do you
agree?"The infatuated king vowed his assent, andshe became his wife and lived with him.
The heart of the king was captivated byher modesty and grace and the steady loveshe bore him. King Santanu and Ganga
lived a life of perfect happiness, obliviousof the passage of time.
She gave birth to many children; eachnewborn babe she took to the Ganges andcast into the river, and then returned to theking with a smiling face.
Santanu was filled with horror andanguish at such fiendish conduct, butsuffered it all in silence, mindful of thepromise be had made. Often he wonderedwho she was, wherefrom she had comeand why she acted like a murderous witch.
Still bound by his word, and his allmastering love for her, he uttered no wordof blame or remonstrance.
Thus she killed seven children. When theeighth child was born and she was about
to throw it into the Ganges, Santanu could
not bear it any longer.
He cried: "Stop, stop, why are you bent on
this horrid and unnatural murder of yourown innocent babes?" With this outburst
the king restrained her.
"O great king," she replied, "you haveforgotten your promise, for your heart isset on your child, and you do not need me
any more. I go. I shall not kill this child,
but listen to my story before you judge
me. I, who am constrained to play thishateful role by the curse of Vasishtha, am
the goddess Ganga, adored of gods andmen. Vasishtha cursed the eight Vasus tobe born in the world of men, and movedby their supplications said, I was to be
their mother. I bore them to you, and wellis it for you that it was so. For you will go
to higher regions for this service you havedone to the eight Vasus. I shall bring up
this last child of yours for some time andthen return it to you as my gift."
After saying these words the goddess
disappeared with the child. It was thischild who later became famous as
Bhishma. This was how the Vasus came
to incur Vasishtha's curse. They went for aholiday with their wives to a mountaintract where stood the hermitage ofVasishtha: One of them saw Vasishtha's
cow, Nandini, grazing there.
Its divinely beautiful form attracted him
and he pointed it out to the ladies. They
were all loud in praise of the graceful
animal, and one of them requested herhusband to secure it for her.
He replied: "What need have we, thedevas, for the milk of cows? This cow

belongs to the sage Vasishtha who is themaster of the whole place. Man willcertainly become immortal by drinking its
milk. But this is no gain to us, who are
already immortal. Is it worth our while
incurring Vasishtha's wrath merely tosatisfy a whim?"
But she was not thus to be put off. "I havea dear companion in the mortal world. It is
for her sake that I make this request.
Before Vasishtha returns we shall haveescaped with the cow. You must certainly
do this for my sake, for it is my dearest
wish." Finally her husband yielded. All
the Vasus joined together and took the
cow and its calf away with them.
When Vasishtha returned to his ashrama,
he missed the cow and the calf, because
they were indispensable for his daily
rituals.
Very soon he came to know by his yogic
insight all that had taken place. Anger
seized him and he uttered a curse against
the Vasus. The sage, whose sole wealthwas his austerity, willed that they should
be born into the world of men. When the
Vasus came to know of the curse,
repentant too late, they threw themselveson the sage's mercy and imploredforgiveness.
Vasishtha said: "The curse must needs
take its course. Prabhasa, the Vasu who
seized the cow, will live long in the world
in all glory, but the others will be freed
from the curse as soon as born. My words
cannot prove ineffective, but I shall soften
the curse to this extent."
Afterwards, Vasishtha set his mind again
on his austerities, the effect of which had
been slightly impaired by his anger. Sages
who perform austerities acquire the power
to curse, but every exercise of this power
reduces their store of merit.
The Vasus felt relieved and approached
the goddess Ganga and begged of her:
"We pray you to become our mother. For

our sake we beseech you to descend to theearth and marry a worthy man. Throw us
into the water as soon as we are born andliberate us from the curse." The goddess
granted their prayer, came to the earth andbecame the wife of Santanu.
When the goddess Ganga left Santanu anddisappeared with the eighth child, the kinggave up all sensual pleasures and ruled the
kingdom in a spirit of asceticism. One day
he was wandering along the banks of theGanges when he saw a boy endowed withthe beauty and form of Devendra, the kingof the gods.
The child was amusing himself by castinga dam of arrows across the Ganges inflood, playing with the mighty river as achild with an indulgent mother. To the
king
who
stood
transfixedwithamazement at the sight, the goddess
Ganga revealed herself and presented thechild as his own son.
She said: "O king, this is that eighth childI bore you. I have brought him up till now.
His name is Devavrata. He has mastered
the art of arms and equals Parasurama inprowess. He has learnt the Vedas and the
Vedanta from Vasishtha, and is wellversed in the arts and sciences known to
Sukra. Take back with you this child who
is a great archer and hero as well as amaster in statecraft."
Then she blessed the boy, handed him tohis father, the king, and disappeared.
3. BHISHMA'S VOWWITH joy the king received to his heartand his kingdom the resplendent andyouthful prince Devavrata and crowned
him as the Yuvaraja, the heir apparent.
Four years went by. One day as the kingwas wandering on the banks of the
Yamuna, the air was suddenly filled witha fragrance so divinely sweet that the kingsought for its cause, and he traced it to amaiden so lovely that she seemed a
goddess. A sage had conferred on her theboon that a divine perfume should
emanate from her, and this was now
pervading the whole forest.
From the moment the goddess Ganga left
him, the king had kept his senses undercontrol, but the sight of this divinely
beautiful maiden burst the bonds ofrestraint and filled him with anovermastering desire. He asked her to be
his wife.
The maiden said: "I am a fisherwoman,the daughter of the chief of the fishermen.
May it please you to ask him and get his
consent." Her voice was sweet as herform.
The father was an astute man.
He said: "O king, there is no doubt that
this maiden, like every other, has to be
married to someone and you are indeed
worthy of her. Still you have to make apromise to me before you can have her."Santanu replied: "If it is a just promise I
shall make it."
The chief of the fisherfolk said: "The childborn of this maiden should be the kingafter you."Though almost mad with passion, the kingcould not make this promise, as it meantsetting aside the godlike Devavrata, theson of Ganga, who was entitled to thecrown.
It was a price that could not be thought ofwithout shame. He therefore returned tohis capital, Hastinapura, sick with baffled
desire. He did not reveal the matter toanyone and languished in silence.
One day Devavrata asked his father: "Myfather, you have all that your heart could
wish. Why then are you so unhappy? How
is it that you are like one pining away witha secret sorrow?"
The king replied: "Dear son, what you say
is true. I am indeed tortured with mental
pain and anxiety. You are my only son
and you are always preoccupied withmilitary ambitions. Life in the world isuncertain and wars are incessant. If
anything untoward befalls you our family
will become extinct. Of course, you areequal to a hundred sons. Still, those who
are well read in the scriptures say that inthis transitory world having but one son is
the same as having no son at all. It is, notproper that the perpetuation of our family
should depends on a single life, and above
all things I desire the perpetuation of ourfamily. This is the cause of my anguish."
The father prevaricated, being ashamed toreveal the whole story to his son.
Thewise Devavrata realised that there
must be a secret cause for the mental
condition of his father, and questioning
the king's charioteer came to know of his
meeting with the fishermaiden on thebanks of the Yamuna. He went to thechief of the fishermen and besought his
daughter's hand on his father's behalf.
The fisherman was respectful, but firm:"My daughter is indeed fit to be the king's
spouse. Then should not her son become
king? But you have been crowned as theheir apparent and will naturally succeed
your father. It is this that stands in theway."
Devavrata replied: "I give you my wordthat the son born of this maiden shall beking. And I renounce in his favor my rightas heir apparent," and he took a vow tothat effect.
The chief of the fishermen said: "O best of
the Bharata race, you have done what noone else born of royal blood has you havedone till now. You are indeed a hero. You
can yourself conduct my daughter to theking, your father. Still, hear with patience
these words of mine which I say as thefather of the girl.
"I have no doubt you will keep your word,
but how can I hope that the children bornof you will renounce their birthright?
Your sons will naturally be mighty heroes
like you, and will be hard to resist if theyseek to seize the kingdom by force. This is
the doubt that torments me."
When he heard this knotty question posedby the girl's father, Devavrata, who wasbent on fulfilling the king's desire, madehis supreme renunciation. He vowed withupraised arm to the father of the maiden:"I shall never marry and I dedicate myself
to a life of unbroken chastity."
And as he uttered these words ofrenunciation the gods showered flowers
on his head, and cries of "Bhishma,""Bhishma"
resounded
in
the
air.
"Bhishma" means one who undertakes aterrible vow and fulfils it. That namebecame the celebrated epithet of
Devavrata from that time. Then the son of
Ganga led the maiden Satyavati to hisfather.
Two sons were born of Satyavati toSantanu, Chitrangada and Vichitravirya,
who ascended the throne one after theother. Vichitravirya had two sons,
Dhritarashtra
andPandu,
born
respectively of his two queens, Ambika
and Ambalika.
The sons of Dhritarashtra, a hundred in
number, were known as the Kauravas.
Pandu had five sons who became famousas the Pandavas. Bhishma lived long,honored by all as the grandsire until theend of the famous battle of Kurukshetra.
The Family Tree
Santanu(by Ganga)(by Satyavati)
Bhishma
Chitrangada&Vichitravirya(by Ambika)(by Ambalika)
Dhtitarashtra Pandu?
?
The Kauravas The Pandavas
4. AMBA AND BHISHMACHITRANGADA, the son of Satyavati,
was killed in battle with a Gandharva. As
hediedchildless,hisbrother,
Vichitravirya, was the rightful heir andwas duly crowned king. And as he was aminor, Bhishma governed the kingdom in
his name till be came of age.
When Vichitravirya reached adolescence
Bhishma cast about for a bride for him.
And as he heard that the daughters of theking of Kasi were to choose theirhusbands
according to the ancient Kshatriya
practice he went there to secure them forhis brother.
The rulers of Kosla, Vanga, Pundra,
Kalinga and other princes and potentates
had also repaired to Kasi for theswayamvara, attired in their best. The
princesses were so far-famed for beauty
and accomplishments that there was fierce
competition to win them.
Bhishma was famous among theKshatriyas as a mighty man-at-arms. At
first everyone thought that the redoubtable
hero had come merely to witness thefestivities of the swayamvara. But when
they found that he was also a suitor, theyoung princes felt themselves let down
and were full of chagrin. They did notknow that he had really come for the sakeof his brother, Vichitravirya.
The princes began to cast affronts at
Bhishma: "This most excellent and wise
descendant of the Bharata race forgets that
he is too old and forgets also his vow ofcelibacy. What has this old man to do withthis swayamvara? Fie on him!" Theprincesses who were to choose theirhusbands barely glanced at the old man
and looked away.
Bhishma's
wrath
flamedup.
Hechallenged the assembled princes to a trialof their manhood and defeated them all.
And taking the three princesses in his
chariot he set out for Hastinapura.

But before he had gone far, Salva, theking of the Saubala country who was
attached to Amba, intercepted andopposed him. For that princess had
mentally chosen Salva as her husband.
After a bitter fight Salva was worsted, andno wonder, as Bhishma was a peerless
bowman. But at the request of theprincesses Bhishma spared his life.
Arriving
inHastinapura
withtheprincesses, Bhishma made preparations
for their marriage to Vichitravirya. When
all were assembled for the marriage,
Amba smiled mockingly at Bhishma andaddressed him as follows: "O son of
Ganga, you are aware of what is enjoinedin the scriptures. I have mentally chosen
Salva, the king of Saubala, as myhusband. You have brought me here byforce. Knowing this, do what you, learnedin the scriptures, should do."Bhishma admitted the force of her
objection and sent her to Salva withproper escort. The marriage of Ambika
and Ambalika, the two younger sisters,with Vichitravirya was duly solemnised.
Amba went rejoicing to Salva and told
him what had happened: "I have mentallychosen you as my husband from the very
start. Bhishma has sent me to you. Marryme according to the sastras."
Salva replied: "Bhishma defeated me insight of all, and carried you away. I havebeen disgraced. So, I cannot receive you
now as my wife. Return to him and do as
he commands." With these words Salva
sent her back to Bhishma.
She returned to Hastinapura and told
Bhishma of what had taken place. The
grandsire tried to induce Vichitravirya tomarry her. But Vichitravirya roundly
refused to marry a maiden whose heart
had already been given to another.
Amba then turned to Bhishma and shesought him to marry her himself as there
was no other recourse. It was impossiblefor Bhishma to break his vow, sorry as he
was for Amba. And after some vain
attempts to make Vichitravirya change his
mind, he told her there was no way left toher but to go again to Salva and seek topersuade him.
This at first she was too proud to do, andfor long years she abode in Hastinapura.
Finally, in sheer desperation, she went toSalva and found him adamant in refusal.
The lotus-eyed Amba spent six bitter
years in sorrow and baffled hope. And herheart was seared with suffering and all the
sweetness in her turned to gall and fierce
hatred towards Bhishma as the cause ofher blighted life.
She sought in vain for a champion among
the princes to fight and kill Bhishma andthus avenge her wrongs but even theforemost warriors were afraid of Bhishma
and paid no heed to her appeal.
At last, she resorted to hard austerities to
get the grace of Lord Subrahmanya. He
graciously appeared before her and gave
her a garland of ever-fresh lotuses, sayingthat the wearer of that garland would
become the enemy of Bhishma.
Amba took the garland and again besought every Kshatriya to accept thegarland gift of the six-faced Lord and tochampion her cause. But no one had thehardihood to antagonise Bhishma.
Finally, she went to King Drupada who
also refused to grant her prayer. She thenhung the garland at Drupada's palace gate
and went away to the forest. Some
ascetics whom she met there and to whom
she told her sorrowful tale advised her to
go to Parasurama as a suppliant. She
followed their advice.
On hearing her sad story, Parasurama was
moved with compassion and said: "Dearchild, what do you want? I can ask Salva
to marry you if you wish it."
Amba said: "No, I do not wish it. I no
longer desire marriage or home orhappiness. There is now but one thing inlife for me, revenge on Bhishma. The only
boon I seek is the death of Bhishma."
Parasurama moved as much by her
anguish as by his abiding hatred of theKshatriya race, espoused her cause andfought with Bhishma. It was a long andequal combat between the two greatest
men-at-arms of the age. But in the end
Parasurama had to acknowledge defeat.
He told Amba: "I have done all that I
could and I have failed. Throw yourself
on the mercy of Bhishma. That is the only
course left to you."
Consumed with grief and rage, and kept
alive only by the passion for revenge,
Amba went to the Himalayas andpractised rigorous austerities to get thegrace of Siva, now that all human aid had
failed her. Siva appeared before her andgranted her a boon, that in her next birth
she would slay Bhishma.
Amba was impatient for that rebirth which
would give her heart's desire. She made apyre and plunged into the fire pouring out
the flame in her heart into the scarcely
hotter blaze of the pyre.
By the grace of Lord Siva, Amba wasborn as the daughter of King Drupada. A
few years after her birth, she saw thegarland of never-fading flowers that stillhung at the palace gate and had remained
there untouched by anyone through fear.
She put it round her neck. Her father
Drupada was in consternation at her
temerity which he feared would draw on
his head the wrath of Bhishma.
He sent his daughter in exile out of thecapital to the forest. She practised
austerities in the forest and in time wastransformed into a male and became
known as the warrior Sikhandin.
With Sikhandin as his charioteer, Arjuna
attacked Bhishma on the battlefield of
Kurukshetra.
Bhishmaknew
that
Sikhandin was born as female, and true tohis code of chivalry he would not fighthim under any circumstance.
So it was that Arjuna could fight screenedby Sikhandin and conquer Bhishma,
especially because Bhishma knew that hislong and weary probation on earth was
finished and consented to be vanquished.
As the arrows struck Bhishma in his last
fight, he singled out those which hadpierced him deepest and said: "This is
Arjuna's arrow and not Sikhandin's." Sofell this great warrior.
5. DEVAYANI AND KACHA
IN ancient times, there was a bitter
struggle between the devas or gods andthe asuras or demons for the lordship of
the three worlds. Both belligerents had
illustrious preceptors. Brihaspati who was
pre-eminent in the knowledge of the
Vedas was the guiding spirit of the devas,
while the asuras relied on Sukracharya's
profound wisdom.
The asuras had the formidable advantagethat Sukracharya alone possessed thesecret of Sanjivini which could recall thedead to life. Thus the asuras who had
fallen in the battle were brought back tolife, time and again, and continued theirfight with the devas. The devas were thus
at a great disadvantage in their longdrawn-out war with their natural foes.
They went to Kacha, the son of
Brihaspati, and besought his aid. They
begged him to win his way into the good
graces of Sukracharya and persuade him
to take him as a pupil. Once admitted to
intimacy and confidence, he was toacquire, by fair means or foul, the secretof Sanjivini and remove the great
handicap under which the devas suffered.
Kacha acceded to their request and set out
to meet Sukracharya who lived in thecapital city of Vrishaparva, the king of theasuras. Kacha went to the house of Sukra,
and after due salutation, addressed him
thus: "I am Kacha, the grandson of thesage Angiras and the son of Brihaspati. I
am a brahmacharin seeking knowledge
under your tutelage."
It was the law that the wise teacher should
not refuse a worthy pupil who soughtknowledge of him. So Sukra acceded andsaid: "Kacha, you belong to a goodfamily. I accept you as my pupil, the more
willingly, that by doing so I shall also be
showing my respect for Brihaspati."
Kacha
spent
many
years
under
Sukracharya, rendering to perfection theprescribed duties in the household of his
master. Sukracharya had a lovelydaughter,
Devayani, of whom he was extremely
fond. Kacha devoted himself to pleasing
and serving her with song and dance andpastime and succeeded in winning her
affection, without detriment however tothe vows of brahmacharya.
When the asuras came to know of this,they became anxious as they suspectedthat Kacha's object was somehow towheedle out of Sukracharya the secret ofSanjivini. They naturally sought toprevent such a calamity.
One day, as Kacha was engaged ingrazing the cattle of his master the asuras
seized him, tore him to pieces and cast his
flesh to the dogs. When the cattle returned
without Kacha, Devayani was filled with
anxiety, and ran to her father with loudlamentations: "The sun has set," shewailed, "and your nightly fire sacrifice has
been performed; still Kacha has not
returned home. The cattle have come backby themselves. I fear some mishap has
befallen Kacha. I cannot live withouthim."
The fond father employed the art ofSanjivini and invoked the dead youth toappear. At once Kacha came back to lifeand greeted the master with smiles. Asked
by Devayani the reason for his delay, hetold her that as he was grazing the cattle
the asuras came suddenly on him and slew

him. How he came back to life he knew
not, but come back to life he did, andthere he was.
On another occasion Kacha went to theforest to pluck flowers for Devayani, andagain the asuras seized and killed him,and pounding his body to a paste, mixed it
up in sea-water. As he did not return evenafter a long time Devayani went as before
to her father who brought Kacha back tolife by his Sanjivini, and heard from him
all that had taken place.
For the third time again, the Asuras killed
Kacha and very cleverly as they thought,
burnt his body, mixed the ashes in wineand served it to Sukracharya who drank it,suspecting nothing. Once more the cows
returned home without their keeper, andonce again Devayani approached herfather with her distressful appeal for
Kacha.
Sukracharya tried in vain to console hisdaughter. "Though I have again and again
brought back Kacha to life," said he, "theasuras seem bent upon killing him. Well,
death is the common lot, and it is notproper for a wise soul like you to sorrowat it. Your life is all before you to enjoy,with youth and beauty and the goodwill of
the world."
Devayani deeply loved Kacha, and since
the world began, wise words have nevercured the ache of bereavement. She said:"Kacha, the grandson of Angiras and theson of Brihaspati, was a blameless boy,
who was devoted and tireless in ourservice. I loved him dearly, and now that
he has been killed, life to me has become
bleak and insupportable. I shall therefore
follow in his path." And Devayani began
to fast. Sukracharya, heart-stricken by his
daughter's sorrow, became very angry
with the asuras, and felt that the heinous
sin of killing a brahmana would weighheavily on their fortunes.

He employed the Sanjivini art and called
upon Kacha to appear. By the power of
the Sanjivini Kacha dispersed as he was in
the wine which was inside Sukracharya's
body at the time, regained life, butprevented by the peculiarity of his
location from coming out, he could only
answer to his name from where he was.
Sukracharya
exclaimedin
angry
amazement: "O brahmacharin, how did
you get into me? Is this also the work of
the asuras? This is really too bad andmakes me feel like killing the asuras
immediately and joining the devas. But
tell me the whole story."
Kacha narrated it all, in spite of theinconvenience imposed by his position.
Vaisampayana continued: "The highsouled and austere Sukracharya of
immeasurable greatness, became angry at
the deceit practised on him in his wine,
and proclaimed for the benefit ofhumanity: 'Virtue will desert the man who
through lack of wisdom drinks wine. He
will be an object of scorn to all, This is
my message to humanity, which should be
regarded as an imperative scriptural
injunction.' Then he turned to his daughter
Devayani and said: Dear daughter, here isa problem for you. For Kacha to live, hemust rend my stomach and come out of it,
and that means death to me. His life canonly be bought by my death."
Devayani began to weep and said: "Alas!
It is death to me either way. For if eitherof you perish, I shall not survive."
Sukracharya sought a way out of the
difficulty. The real explanation of it all
flashed on him.
He said to Kacha: "O son of Brihaspati, I
now see with what object you came andverily you have secured it! I must bringyou out to life for the sake of Devayani,
but equally for her sake I must not dieeither. The only way is to initiate you in
the art of Sanjivini so that you can bringme back to life after I shall have diedwhen a way is torn out through myentrails for you. You should employ theknowledge I am going to impart to you
and revive me, so that Devayani need not
grieve for either of us."Accordingly Sukracharya imparted the artof Sanjivini to Kacha. Immediately Kachacame forth from Sukracharya's body,
emerging like the full moon from a cloud,while the great preceptor fell down
mangled and dead.
But Kacha at once brought Sukracharya
back to life by means of his newly
acquired Sanjivini. Kacha bowed down to
Sukracharya and said: "The teacher who
imparts wisdom to the ignorant is a father.
Besides, as I have issued from your bodyyou are my mother too."
Kacha remained for many more years
under the tutelage of Sukracharya. Whenthe period of his vow ended, he took leaveof his master to return to the world of thegods.
As he was about to depart Devayani
humblyaddressed
him
thus:
"O,
grandchild of Angiras, you have won myheart by your blameless life, your great
attainments and nobility of birth. I have
loved you long and tenderly, even while
you were faithfully following your vowsof a brahmacharin. You should now
reciprocate my love and make me happyby marrying me. Brihaspati as well as
yourself are fully worthy of being honoredby me. "In those days, it was no uncommon thing
for wise and learned brahmana ladies to
speak out their mind with honorable
frankness. But Kacha said:"O faultless one, you are my master's
daughter and ever worthy of my respect. I
got back my life by being born out of yourfather's body. Hence I am your brother. It
is not proper for you, my sister, to ask me
to wed you."

Devayani sought in vain to persuade him.
"You are the son of Brihaspati," said she,"and not of my father. If I have been thecause of your coming back to life, it was
because I loved you as indeed I havealways loved you as my husband. It is not
fit that you should give up one like mesinless and devoted to you."
Kacha replied: "Do not seek to persuademetounrighteousness.
Youareenchanting more so now than ever,flushed as you are with anger. But I am
your brother. Pray bid me adieu. Serve
unto perfection, ever and always, mymaster Sukracharya."
With
these
words
Kacha
gentlydisengaged himself and proceeded to theabode of Indra, the king of gods.
Sukracharya consoled his daughter.
6. THE MARRIAGE OF DEVAYANIONE warm afternoon, pleasantly tired
with sporting in the woods Devayani andthe daughters of Vrishaparva, king of theasuras, went to bathe in the cool waters ofa sylvan pool, depositing their garlands on
the bank before they entered its waters.
A strong breeze blew their clothes
together into a huddled heap and when
they came to take them up again, somemistakes naturally occurred. It sohappened that princess Sarmishtha, thedaughter of the king, clad herself in
Devayani's clothes. The latter was vexedand exclaimed half in jest at the
impropriety of the daughter of a disciple
wearing the clothes of the master's
daughter.
These words were spoken half in jest, but
the princess Sarmishtha became very
angry and said arrogantly: "Do you notknow that your father humbly bows inreverence to my royal father every day?
Are you not the daughter of a beggar who
lives on my father's bounty? You forget I
am of the royal race which proudly gives,
while you come of a race which begs andreceives, and you dare to speak thus tome."Sarmishtha went on, getting angrier andangrier as she spoke till, working herself
up into a fit of anger, she finally slapped
Devayani on the cheek and pushed her
into a dry well. The asura maidens
thought that Devayani had lost her life andreturned to the palace.
Devayani had not been killed by the fall
into the well but was in a sad plightbecause she could not climb up the steep
sides. Emperor Yayati of the Bharata race
who was hunting in the forest by a happy
chance came to this spot in search ofwater to slake his thirst. When he glanced
into the well, he saw something bright,
and looking closer, he was surprised tofind a beautiful maiden lying in the well.
He asked: "Who are you, O beautiful
maiden with bright earrings and ruddy
nails? Who is your father? What is yourancestry? How did you fall into the well?"She replied: "I am the daughter of
Sukracharya. He does not know that I
have fallen into the well. Lift me up" andshe held forth her hands. Yayati seized her
hand and helped her out of the well.
Devayani did not wish to return to thecapital of the king of the asuras. She did
not feel it safe to go there, as she
pondered again and again on Sarmishtha's
conduct. She told Yayati: "You have helda maiden by her right hand, and you must
marry her. I feel that you are in every way
worthy to be my husband."Yayati replied: "Loving soul, I am akshatriya and you are a brahmana maiden.
How can I marry you? How can thedaughter of Sukracharya, who is worthy tobe the preceptor of the whole world,
submit to be the wife of a kshatriya likemyself? Revered lady, return home."
Having said these words Yayati went backto his capital.

A kshatriya maiden could marry abrahmana, according to the ancient
tradition, but it was considered wrong fora brahmana maiden to marry a kshatriya.
The important thing was to keep the racial
status of women unlowered. Henceanuloma or the practice of marrying menof higher castes was legitimate and thereverse practice, known as pratiloma, i.e.
marrying men of a lower caste, wasprohibited by the sastras.
Devayani had no mind to return home.
She remained sunk in sorrow in the shadeof a tree in forest. Sukracharya loved
Devayani more than his life. After waiting
long in vain for the return of his daughter
who had gone to play with hercompanions, he sent a woman in search ofher.
The messenger after a weary search cameon her at last near the tree where she wassitting in dejection, her eyes red withanger and grief. And she asked her what
had happened.
Devayani said: "Friend, go at once and tellmy father that I will not set my foot in thecapital of Vrishaparva" and she sent her
back to Sukracharya.
Extremely grieved at the sad plight of his
daughter Sukracharya hurried to her.
Caressing her, he said: "It is by their own
actions, good or bad, that men are happyor miserable. The virtues or vices ofothers will not affect us in the least." With
these words of wisdom, he tried toconsole her.
She replied in sorrow and anger: "Father,
leave alone my merits and faults, which
are after all my own concern. But tell me
this, was Sarmishtha, the daughter ofVrishaparva, right when she told me youwere but a minstrel singing the praises ofkings? She called me the daughter of amendicant living on the doles won by
flattery. Not content with this arrogant
contumely, she slapped me and threw meinto a pit which was nearby. I cannot stayin any place within her father's territory."
And Devayani began to weep.
Sukracharya drew himself up proudly:"Devayani," he said with dignity, "you are
not the daughter of a court minstrel. Your
father does not live on the wages offlattery. You are the daughter of one who
is reverenced by all the world. Indra, theking of the gods, knows this, andVrishaparva is not ignorant of his debt tome. But no worthy man extols his own
merits, and I shall say no more about
myself. Arise, you are a peerless gem
among women, bringing prosperity toyour family. Be patient. Let us go home."
In this context Bhagavan Vyasa advises
humanity in general in the following
words
of
counseladdressedbySukracharya to his daughter:"He conquers the world, who patiently
puts up with the abuse of his neighbors.
He who, controls his anger, as a horseman
breaks an unruly horse, is indeed acharioteer and not he who merely holds
the reins, but lets the horse go whither it
would. He who sheds his anger just as asnake its slough, is a real hero. He who is
not moved despite the greatest torments
inflicted by others, will realise his aim. He
who never gets angry is superior to theritualist who faith fully performs for ahundred years the sacrifices ordained byscripture. Servants, friends, brothers, wife,
children, virtue and truth abandon the man
who gives way to anger. The wise will nottake to heart the words of boys and girls."
Devayani humbly told her father: "I amindeed a little girl, but, I hope, not too
young to benefit by the great truth taught
by you. Yet, it is not proper to live withpersons who have no sense of decency ordecorum. The wise will not keep company
with those who speak ill of their family.
However rich they may be, the illmannered are really the veritablechandalas outside the pale of caste. The
virtuous should not mix with them. My
mind is ablaze with the anger roused by
the taunts of Vrishaparva's daughter. The
wounds inflicted by weapons may close intime; scalds may heal gradually; but
wounds inflicted by words remain painful
as long as one lives."
Sukracharya went to Vrishaparva andfixing his eyes on him gravely said:"O king, though one's sins may not bring
immediate punishment they are sure,sooner or later, to destroy the very germof prosperity. Kacha, the son of
Brihaspati, was a brahmacharin who had
conquered his senses and never committed
any sin. He served me with fidelity andnever strayed from the path of virtue.
Your attendants tried to kill him. I bore it.
My daughter, who holds her honor high,
had to hear dishonoring words uttered byyour daughter. Besides, she was pushed
into a well by your daughter. She cannot
any more stay in your kingdom. Without
her I cannot live here either. So, I am
going out of your kingdom."At these words the king of the asuras was
sorely troubled and said: "I am ignorant of
the charges laid at my door. If you
abandon me, I shall enter fire and die."
Sukracharya replied: "I care more for thehappiness of my daughter than for the fateof you and your asuras, for she is the one
thing I have and dearer to me than life
itself. If you can appease her, it is welland good. Otherwise I go."Vrishaparva and his retinue went to thetree under which Devayani stood and they
threw themselves at her feet insupplication.
Devayani was stubborn and said:"Sarmishtha who told me that I was thedaughter of a beggar, should become myhandmaiden and attend on me in the houseinto which my father gives me inmarriage."

Vrishaparva consented and asked his
attendants
to
fetch
his
daughterSarmishtha.
Sarmishtha admitted her fault and bowedin submission. She said: "Let it be as mycompanion Devayani desires. My father
shall not lose his preceptor for a fault
committed by me. I will be her attendant,"
Devayani was pacified and returned to herhouse with her father.
On another occasion also Devayani cameacross Yayati. She repeated her requestthat he should take her as his wife since hehad clasped her right hand. Yayati again
repeated his objection that he, a kshatriya,
could not lawfully marry a brahmana.
Finally they both went to Sukracharya andgot his assent to their marriage. This is an
instance of the pratiloma marriage which
was resorted to on exceptional occasions.
The sastras, no doubt, prescribe what isright and forbid what is wrong but amarriage once effected cannot be madeinvalid.
Yayati and Devayani spent many days inhappiness. Sarmishtha remained with her
as an attendant. One day Sarmishtha met
Yayati in secret and earnestly prayed tobetaken also as his wife. He yielded to her
prayer and married her without theknowledge of Devayani.
But Devayani came to know of it and was
naturally very angry, She complained toher father and Sukracharya in his rage
cursed Yayati with premature old age.
Yayati, thus suddenly stricken with age inthe very prime of his manhood, begged sohumbly for forgiveness that Sukracharya,
who had not forgotten Devayani's rescue
from the well, at last relented.
He said: "O king, you have lost the glory
which is youth. The curse cannot berecalled, but if you can persuade anyone
to exchange his youth for your age theexchange will take effect." Thus heblessed Yayati and bade him farewell.

7. YAYATIEMPEROR Yayati was one of theancestors of the Pandavas. He had neverknown defeat. He followed the dictates ofthe sastras, adored the gods and venerated
his ancestors with intense devotion. He
became famous as a ruler devoted to thewelfare of his subjects.
But as has already been told, he becameprematurely old by the curse of
Sukracharya for having wronged his wife
Devayani. In the words of the poet of the
Mahabharata:"Yayati attained that old age which
destroys beauty and brings on miseries." Itis needless to describe the misery of youth
suddenly blighted into age, where thehorrors of loss are accentuated by pangsof recollection.
Yayati, who found himself suddenly an
old man, was still haunted by the desire
for sensual enjoyment. He had fivebeautifulsons,allvirtuousandaccomplished. Yayati called them andappealed piteously to their affection:
"The
curse
of
your
grandfather
Sukracharya has made me unexpectedly
and prematurely old. I have not had myfill of the joys of life. For, not knowing
what was in store for me I lived a life ofrestraint, denying myself even lawfulpleasures. One of you ought to bear theburden of my old age and give his youth
in return. He who agrees to this andbestows his youth on me will be the rulerof my kingdom. I desire to enjoy life in
the full vigor of youth."He first asked his eldest son. That son
replied: "O great king, women andservants will mock at me if I were to takeupon myself your old age. I cannot do go.
Ask of my younger brothers who are
dearer to you than myself."
When the second son was approached, hegently refused with the words: "Father,you ask me to take up old age that

destroys not only strength and beauty but
also as I see wisdom. I am not strong
enough to do so."
The third son replied: "An old man cannot
ride a horse or an elephant. His speech
will falter. What can I do in such a
helpless plight? I cannot agree."
The king was angry and disappointed that
his three sons had declined to do as hewished, but he hoped for better from his
fourth son, to whom he said: "You shouldtake up my old age. If you exchange your
youth with me, I shall give it back to you
after some time and take back the old age
with which I have been cursed."
The fourth son begged to be forgiven as
this was a thing he could by no means
consent to. An old man had to seek thehelp of others even to keep his body clean,a most pitiful plight. No, much as heloved his father he could not do it.
Yayati was struck with sorrow at therefusal of the four sons. Still, hoping
against hope, he supplicated his last son
who had never yet opposed his wishes:"You must save me. I am afflicted withthis old age with its wrinkles, debility andgrey hairs as a result of the curse of
Sukracharya. It is too hard a trial! If you
will take upon yourself these infirmities, I
shall enjoy life for just a while more andthen give you back your youth and resume
my old age and all its sorrows. Pray, do
not refuse as your elder brothers havedone."
Puru, the youngest son, moved by filial
love, said: "Father, I gladly give you myyouth and relieve you of the sorrows ofold age and cares of state. Be happy."
Hearing these words Yayati embraced
him. As soon as he touched his son,Yayati became a youth. Puru, who
accepted the old age of his father, ruled
the kingdom and acquired great renown.
Yayati enjoyed life for long, and notsatisfied, went later to the garden of

Kubera and spent many years with an
Apsara maiden.
After long years spent in vain efforts toquench desire by indulgence, the truth
dawned on him.
Returning to Puru, he said: "Dear son,sensual desire is never quenched byindulgence any more than fire is bypouring ghee in it. I had heard and readthis, but till now I had not realised it. No
object of desire, corn, gold, cattle or
women, nothing can ever satisfy the desireof man, We can reach peace only by amental poise beyond likes and dislikes.
Such is the state of Brahman. Take backyour youth and rule the kingdom wisely
and well."With these words Yayati took his old age.
Puru, who regained his youth, was madeking by Yayati who retired to the forest.
He spent his time there in austerities and,in due course, attained heaven.
8. VIDURA
THE sage Mandavya who had acquired
strength of mind and knowledge of thescriptures, spent his days in penance andthe practice of truth.
He lived in a hermitage in the forests on
the outskirts of the city. One day while he
was immersed in silent contemplation
under the shade of a tree outside his hut ofleaves, a band of robbers fled through thewoods with officers of the king in hot
pursuit.
The fugitives entered the ashrama
thinking that it would be a convenient
place to hide themselves in. They placed
their booty in a corner and hid themselves.
The soldiers of the king came to theashrama tracking their footsteps.
The commander of the soldiers asked
Mandavya, who was rapt in deep
meditation in a tone of peremptorycommand: "Did you see the robbers passby? Where did they go? Reply at once sothat we may give chase and capture
them."The sage, who was absorbed in yoga,
remained silent. The commander repeatedthe question insolently. But the sage did
not hear anything. In the meantime someof the attendants entered the ashrama anddiscovered the stolen goods lying there.
They reported this to their commander.
All of them went in and found the stolen
goods and the robbers who were in hiding.
The commander thought: "Now I know
the reason why the brahmana pretended to
be a silent sage. He is indeed the chief ofthese robbers. He has inspired thisrobbery." Then he ordered his soldiers toguard the place, went to the king and told
him that the sage Mandavya had beencaught with the stolen goods.
The king was very angry at the audacityof the chief of the robbers who had put on
the garb of a brahmana sage, the better todeceive the world. Without pausing toverify the facts, he ordered the wicked
criminal, as he thought him, to be
impaled.
The
commander
returnedtothehermitage, impaled Mandavya on a spear
and handed over the stolen things to theking.
The virtuous sage, though impaled on thespear, did not die. Since he was in yoga
when he was impaled he remained aliveby the power of yoga. Sages who lived inother parts of the forest came to his
hermitage and asked Mandavya how hecame to be in that terrible pass.
Mandavya replied: "Whom shall I blame?
The servants of the king, who protect theworld, have inflicted this punishment."
The king was surprised and frightenedwhen he heard that the impaled sage wasstill alive and that he was surrounded by
the other sages of the forest. He hastened
to the forest with his attendants and atonce ordered the sage to be taken downfrom the spear. Then he prostrated at his
feet and prayed humbly to be forgiven forthe offence unwittingly committed.
Mandavya was not angry with the king.
He went straight to Dharma, the divine
dispenser of justice, who was seated on
his throne, and asked him: "What crime
have I committed to deserve this torture?"
Lord Dharma, who knew the great powerof the sage, replied in all humility: "O
sage, you have tortured birds and bees.
Are you not aware that all deeds, good orbad, however small, inevitably produce
their results, good or evil?"
Mandavya was surprised at this reply ofLord Dharma and asked: "When did I
commit this offence?"
Lord Dharma replied: "When you were achild."
Mandavya then pronounced a curse on
Dharma: "This punishment you havedecreed is far in excess of the deserts of a
mistake committed by a child in
ignorance. Be born, therefore, as a mortal
in the world."
Lord Dharma who was thus cursed by thesage Mandavya incarnated as Vidura andwas born of the servant-maid of
Ambalika, the wife of Vichitravirya.
This story is intended to show that Vidura
was the incarnation of Dharma. The greatmen of the world regarded Vidura as amahatma who was unparalleled in his
knowledge of dharma, sastras andstatesmanship and was totally devoid of
attachment and anger. Bhishma appointed
him, while he was still in his teens, as thechief counsellor of king Dhritarashtra.
Vyasa has it that no one in the three
worlds could equal Vidura in virtue andknowledge. When Dhritarashtra gave his,permission for the game of dice, Vidura
fell at his feet and protested solemnly: "Oking and lord, I cannot approve of thisaction. Strife will set in among your sonsas a result. Pray, do not allow this."Dhritarashtra also tried in manly ways todissuade his wicked son. He said to him:
"Do not proceed with this game. Vidura
does not approve of it, the wise Vidura oflofty intellect who is ever intent on ourwelfare. He says the game is bound toresult in a fierceness of hate which willconsume us and our kingdom."
But Duryodhana did not heed this advice.
Carried away by his doting fondness forhis son, Dhritarashtra surrendered his
better judgment and sent to Yudhishthirathe fateful invitation to the game.
9. KUNTI DEVI
SURA, the grandfather of Sri Krishna,
was a worthy scion of the Yadava race.
His daughter Pritha was noted for her
beauty and virtues. Since his cousin
Kuntibhoja was childless, Sura gave hisdaughter Pritha in adoption to him. Fromthat time she was known by the name of
Kunti after her adoptive father.
When Kunti was a little girl, the sage
Durvasa stayed for a time as a guest in her
father's house and she served the sage fora year with all care, patience anddevotion. He was so pleased with her that
he gave her a divine mantra. He said:"If you call upon any god repeating thismantra, he will manifest himself to you
and bless you with a son equal to him inglory." He granted her this boon because
he foresaw by his yogic power the
misfortune that was in store for her futurehusband.
The impatient curiosity of youth madeKunti test then and there the efficacy ofthe mantra by repeating it and invoking
the Sun whom she saw shining in theheavens. At once the sky grew dark withclouds, and under cover of them the Sun
god approached the beautiful princess
Kunti and stood gazing at her with ardentsoulscorchingadmiration.
Kunti,
overpowered by the glorious vision of her

divine visitor, asked: "O god, who art
thou?"The Sun replied: "Dear maiden, I am theSun. I have been drawn to you by the spellof the son-giving mantra that you haveuttered."Kunti was aghast and said: "I am an
unwedded girl dependent on my father. I
am not fit for motherhood and do notdesire it. I merely wished to test the powerof the boon granted by the sage Durvasa.
Go back and forgive this childish folly ofmine." But the Sun god could not thus
return because the power of the mantra
held him. She for her part was mortallyafraid of being blamed by the world. The
Sun god however reassured her:
"No blame shall attach to you. Afterbearing my son, you will regain virginity.''
Kunti conceived by the grace of the Sun,the giver of light and life to all the world.
Divine births take place immediately
without the nine months weary course of
mortal gestation.
She gave birth to Karna who was bornwith divine armor and earrings and wasbright and beautiful like the Sun. In time,
he became one of the world's greatest
heroes. After the birth of the child, Kunti
once again became a virgin as a result of
the boon granted by the Sun.
She wondered what she should do withthe child. To hide her fault she placed thechild in a sealed box and set it afloat in ariver. A childless charioteer happened tosee the floating case, and taking it, wassurprised and delighted to see within it agorgeously beautiful child.
He handed it over to his wife wholavished a mother's love on it. Thus
Karna, the son of the Sun god, came to bebrought up as a charioteer's child. Whenthe time came for giving Kunti inmarriage, Kuntibhoja invited all theneighboring
princesandheldaswayamvara for her to choose herhusband.
Many eager suitors flocked to theswayamvara as the princess was widely
famed for her great beauty and virtue.
Kunti placed the garland on the neck ofKing Pandu, the bright representative of
the Bharata race, whose personality
eclipsed the lustre of all the other princes
assembled there. The marriage was duly
solemnised and she accompanied herhusband to his capital Hastinapur.
On the advice of Bhishma and inaccordance with the prevailing custom,
Pandu took a second wife Madri, the sisterof the king of Madra. In the old days thekings took two or three wives for making
sure of progeny and not for mere sensual
desire.
10. DEATH OF PANDUONE day King Pandu was out hunting. A
sage and his wife were also sporting in theforest in the guise of deer. Pandu shot the
male with an arrow, in ignorance of thefact that it was a sage in disguise. Stricken
to death the rishi thus cursed Pandu:"Sinner, you will meet with death themoment you taste the pleasures of thebed."
Pandu was heartbroken at this curse andretreated to the forest with his wives after
entrusting his kingdom to Bhishma andVidura and lived there a life of perfectabstinence.
Seeing that Pandu was desirous ofoffspring, which the rishi’s curse haddenied him, Kunti confided to him thestory of the mantra she had received from
Durvasa. He urged Kunti and Madri to use
the mantra and thus it was that the five
Pandavas were born of the gods to Kunti
and Madri.
They were born and brought up in theforest among ascetics. King Pandu lived
for many years in the forest with his wives
and children. It was springtime. And one

day Pandu and Madri forgot their sorrows
in the rapture of sympathy with thethrobbing life around them, the happy
flowers, creepers, birds and othercreatures of the forest.
In spite of Madri’s earnest and repeatedprotests Pandu’s resolution broke down
under the exhilarating influence of theseason, and at once the curse of the sage
took effect and Pandu fell, dead.
Madri could not contain her sorrow. Since
she felt that she was responsible for thedeath of the king. She burnt herself on thepyre of her husband entreating Kunti toremain and be a mother to her doubly
orphaned children.
The sages of the forest took the bereaved
and grief-stricken Kunti and the Pandavas
to Hastinapura and entrusted them to
Bhishma.
Yudhishthira was but sixteen years old atthat time. When the sages came to
Hastinapura and reported the death of
Pandu in the forest, the whole kingdom
was plunged in sorrow. Vidura, Bhishma,
Vyasa, Dhritarashtra and others performed
the funeral rites.
All the people in the kingdom lamented as
at a personal loss. Vyasa said to Satyavati,
the grandmother: "The past has gone bypleasantly, but the future has manysorrows in store. The world has passed its
youth like a happy dream and it is now
entering on disillusionment, sin, sorrowand suffering. Time is inexorable. You
need not wait to see the miseries andmisfortunes that will befall this race. It
will be good for you to leave the city andspend the rest of your days in a hermitage
in the forest." Satyavati agreed and went
to the forest with Ambika and Ambalika.
These three aged queens passed throughholy asceticism to the higher regions ofbliss and spared themselves the sorrows of
their children.
11. BHIMA

THE five sons of Pandu and the hundredsons of Dhritarashtra grew up in mirth andmerriment at Hastinapura. Bhima excelledthem all in physical prowess. He used tobully Duryodhana and the other Kauravasby dragging them by the hair and beatingthem.
A great swimmer, he would dive, into
pools, with one or more of them clasped
helpless in his arms, and remain underwater till they were almost drowned.
Whenever they climbed up on a tree hewould stand on the ground and kick at thetree and shake them down like ripe fruits.
The bodies of the sons of Dhritarashtra
would be ever sore with bruises as a resultof Bhima's practical jokes. Small wonderthat the sons of Dhritarashtra nursed a
deep hatred for Bhima from their very
infancy.
As the princes grew up. Kripacharya
taught them archery and the practice ofarms and other things that princes should
learn. Duryodhana's jealousy towards
Bhima warped his mind and made him
commit many improper acts.
Duryodhana was very much worried. His
father being blind, the kingdom was ruled
by Pandu. After his death Yudhishthira,the heir-apparent, would in course of time
become king. Duryodhana thought that as
his blind father was quite helpless hemust, to prevent Yudhishthira's accession
to the throne, contrive a way of killing
Bhima.
He made arrangements to carry out his
resolve since he thought that the powersof the Pandavas would decline with thedeath of Bhima.
Duryodhana and his brothers planned tothrow Bhima into the Ganges, imprison
Arjuna and Yudhishthira, and then seize
the kingdom and rule it. So Duryodhana
went with his brothers and the Pandavas
for a swim in the Ganges.

After the sports they slept in their tents
being exhausted. Bhima had exerted
himself more than the others and as his
food had been poisoned, he felt drowsy
and lay down on the bank of the river.
Duryodhana bound him with wild
creepers and threw him into the river.
The evil Duryodhana had already caused
sharp spikes to be planted on the spot.
This was done purposely so that Bhima
might in falling be impaled on the spikes,
and lose his life. Fortunately there was no
spike in the place where Bhima fell.
Poisonous water-snakes bit his body.
The poisonous food he had taken wascounteracted by the snake poison andBhima came to no harm, and presently,
the river washed him to a bank.
Duryodhana thought that Bhima musthave died as he had been thrown in theriver infested with poisonous snakes andplanted with spikes. So he returned to thecity with the rest of the party in great joy.
When Yudhishthira inquired about thewhereabouts of Bhima, Duryodhana
informed him that he had preceded themto the city.
Yudhishthira believed Duryodhana and assoon as he returned home, asked his
mother whether Bhima had returnedhome.
His anxious question brought forth thereply that Bhima had not yet returned,
which made Yudhishthira suspect somefoul play against his brother. And he went
again with his brothers to the forest andsearched everywhere. But Bhima could
not be found. They went back in greatsorrow.
Sometime later Bhima awoke and trudged
wearily
back
home.
Kunti
and
Yudhishthirawelcomedhim
andembraced him in great joy. By the poison
that had entered his system Bhima became
stronger than before.

Kunti sent for Vidura and told him in
secret:"Duryodhana is wicked and cruel. He
seeks to kill Bhima since he wants to rulethe kingdom. I am worried."
Vidura replied: "What you say is true, but
keep your thoughts to yourself. For if thewicked Duryodhana is accused or blamed,
his anger and hatred will only increase.
Your sons are blessed with long life. You
need have no fear on that account."Yudhishthira also warned Bhima and said:"Be silent over the matter. Hereafter, wehave to be careful and help one anotherand protect ourselves."
Duryodhana was surprised to see Bhimacome back alive. His jealousy and hatred
increased. He heaved a deep sigh andpined away in sorrow.
12. KARNA
THE Pandavas and the Kauravas learnt
the practice of arms firstfrom
Kripacharya and later from Drona. A day
was fixed for a test and exhibition of theirproficiency in the use of arms in thepresence of the royal family and as the
public had also been invited to witness theperformance of their beloved princes.
There was a large and enthusiastic crowd.
Arjuna displayed superhuman skill withhis weapons and the vast assemblage waslostin
wonderandadmiration.
Duryodhana's brow was dark with envy
and hate.
At the close of the day, there camesuddenly from the entrance of the arena asound, loud and compelling like thunder
the sound made by the slapping of mightyarms in challenge. All eyes turned in that
direction. They saw enter through thecrowd, which made way in awed silence,a godlike youth from whom light andpower seemed to emanate. He looked
proudly round him, cast a negligent saluteto Drona and Kripa, and strode up to
Arjuna. The brothers, all unaware, by thebitter irony of fate, of their common
blood, faced one another; for it was
Karna.
Karna addressed Arjuna in a voice deep asrumbling thunder: "Arjuna, I shall show
greater skill than you have displayed."With Drona's leave, Karna the lover ofbattle, then and there duplicated all of
Arjuna's feats with careless ease. Greatwas Duryodhana's exultation. He threw
his arms round Karna and said:"Welcome, O thou with mighty arms,
whom good fortune has sent to us. I andthis kingdom of the Kurus are at yourcommand."
Said Karna: "I, Karna, am grateful, O
king. Only two things I seek, your loveand single combat with Partha."
Duryodhana clasped Karna again to his
bosom and said: "My prosperity is allthine to enjoy."
As love flooded Duryodhana's heart, evenso did blazing wrath fill Arjuna, who felt
affronted. And glaring fiercely at Karna
who stood, stately as a mountain peak,receiving the greetings of the Kaurava
brothers, he said: "O Karna, slain by me
thou shalt presently go to the hell
appointed for those who intrude uninvitedand prate unbidden."
Karna laughed in scorn: "This arena is
open to all, O Arjuna, and not to you
alone. Might is the sanction of sovereignty
and the law is based on it. But what is theuse of mere talk which is the weapon of
the weak? Shoot arrows instead of words."
Thus challenged, Arjuna, with Drona's
permission, hastily embraced his brothers
and stood ready for combat. While Karna,taking leave of the Kuru brothers,
confronted him weapon in hand.
And, as though the divine parents of theheroes sought to encourage their offspring
and witness this fateful battle, Indra, thelord of the thunderclouds, and Bhaskara ofthe in finite rays, simultaneously appearedin the heavens.
When she saw Karna, Kunti knew him as
her first born and fainted away. Vidura
instructed the maidservant to attend upon
her and she revived. She stood stupefied
with anguish not knowing what to do.
As they were about to join in battle,
Kripa, well-versed in the rules of single
combat, stepped between them andaddressed Karna:"This prince, who is ready to fight withthee, is the son of Pritha and Pandu and ascion of the Kuru race. Reveal O mighty
armed thy parentage and the race renderedillustrious by thy birth. It is only after
knowing thy lineage that Partha can fightwith thee, for high-born princes cannot
engage in single combat with unknown
adventurers."
When he heard these words, Karna bent
down his head like a lotus under theweight of rainwater.
Duryodhana stood up and said: "If thecombat cannot take place merely because
Karna is not a prince, why, that is easily
remedied. I crown Karna as the king ofAnga." He then obtained the assent of
Bhishma and Dhritarashtra, performed all
the necessary rites and invested Karnawith the sovereignty of the kingdom ofAnga giving him the crown, jewels andother royal insignia.
At that moment, as the combat between
the youthful heroes seemed about tocommence, the old charioteer Adhiratha,
who was the foster-father of Karna,
entered the assembly, staff in hand andquaking with fear.
No sooner did he see him, that Karna, thenewly crowned king of Anga, bowed hishead and did humble obeisance in all filial
reverence. The old man called him son,embraced him with his thin and tremblingarms, and wept with joy wetting with tearsof love his head already moistened by thewater of the coronation.
At this sight, Bhima roared with laughterand said: "O he is after all only the son ofa charioteer! Take up the driving whip
then as befits thy parentage. Thou art not
worthy of death at the hands of Arjuna.
Nor shouldst thou reign in Anga as aking."At this outrageous speech, Karna's lips
trembled with anguish and he speechlessly
looked up at the setting sun with a deepsigh.
But Duryodhana broke in indignantly:"It is unworthy of you, O Vrikodara, tospeak thus. Valor is the hallmark of akshatriya. Nor is there much sense intracing great heroes and mighty rivers totheir sources. I could give you hundredsof instances of great men of humble birthand I know awkward questions might beasked of your own origin. Look at thiswarrior, his godlike form and bearing, hisarmor and earrings, and his skill withweapons. Surely there is some mystery
about him. For how could a tiger be bornof an antelope? Unworthy of being king ofAnga, didst thou say? I verily hold him
worthy to rule the whole world."
In generous wrath, Duryodhana took
Karna in his chariot and drove away.
The sun set and the crowd dispersed intumult. There were groups loud in talkunder the light of the lamps, someglorifying Arjuna, others Karna, andothers again Duryodhana according totheir predilection.
Indra foresaw that a supreme contest wasinevitable between his son Arjuna andKarna. And he put on the garb of abrahmana and came to Karna, who was
reputed for his charity and begged of him
his earrings and armor. The Sun god had
already warned Karna in a dream that
Indra would try to deceive him in thismanner.

Still, Karna could not bring himself torefuse any gift that was asked of him.
Hence he cut off the earrings and armor
with which he was born and gave them tothe brahmana.
Indra, the king of gods, was filled withsurprise and joy. After accepting the gift,
he praised Karna as having done what noone else would do, and, shamed into
generosity, bade Karna ask for any boon
he wanted.
Karna replied: "I desire to get yourweapon, the Sakti, which has the power tokill enemies." Indra granted the boon, butwith a fateful proviso. He said: "You can
use this weapon against but one enemy,
and it will kill him whosoever he may be.
But this killing done, this weapon will nolonger be available to you but will return
to me." With these words Indradisappeared.
Karna went to Parasurama and became his
disciple by representing to him that he
was a brahmana. He learnt of Parasurama
the mantra for using the master weapon
known as Brahmastra.
One day Parasurama was reclining withthe head on Karna's lap when a stinging
worm burrowed into Karna's thigh. Bloodbegan to flow and the pain was terrible.
But Karna bore it without tremor lest heshould disturb the master's sleep.
Parasurama awoke and saw the blood that
had poured from the wound.
He said: "Dear pupil, you are not abrahmana. A kshatriya alone can remain
unmoved under all bodily torments. Tellme the truth."
Karna confessed that he had told a lie in
presenting himself as a brahmana and that
he was in fact the son of a charioteer.
Parasurama in his anger pronounced thiscurse on him: "Since you deceived yourguru, the Brahmastra you have learnt shall
fail you at the fated moment. You will be

unable to recall the invocatory mantra
when your hour comes."
It was because of this curse that at thecrisis of his last fight with Arjuna, Karna
was not able to recall the Brahmastra
spell, though he had remembered it tillthen. Karna was the faithful friend of
Duryodhana and remained loyally with
the Kauravas until the end.
After the fall of Bhishma and Drona,
Karna became the leader of the Kaurava
army and fought brilliantly for two days.
In the end, the wheel of his chariot stuckin the ground and be was not able to lift it
free and drive the chariot along. While he
was in this predicament, Arjuna killed
him. Kunti was sunk in sorrow, all themore poignant because she had, at thattime, to conceal it.
13. DRONADRONA, the son of a brahmana named
Bharadwaja, after completing his study of
the Vedas and the Vedangas, devoted
himself to the art of archery and became agreat master.
Drupada, the son of the king of Panchala,
who was a friend of Bharadwaja, was a
fellow-student of Drona in the hermitage
and there grew up between them thegenerous intimacy of youth.
Drupada, in his boyish enthusiasm, used
often to tell Drona that he would give him
half his kingdom when he ascended thethrone. After completing his studies,
Drona married the sister of Kripa, and ason Aswatthama was born to them.
Drona was passionately attached to hiswife and son, and, for their sake, desiredto acquire wealth, a thing that he had
never cared for before. Learning that
Parasurama was distributing his riches
among the brahmanas, he first went tohim. But he was too late as Parasurama
had already given away all his wealth andwas about to retire to the forest.

But, anxious to do something for Drona,
Parasurama offered to teach him the useof weapons, of which he was supreme
master.
Drona joyfully agreed, and great archer as
he already was, he became unrivalled
master of the military art, worthy of eager
welcome as preceptor in any princely
house in that warlike age.
Meanwhile, Drupada had ascended thethrone of Panchala on the death of his
father. Remembering their early intimacy
and Drupada's expressions of readiness toserve him, even to the extent of sharing
his kingdom, Drona went to him in theconfident
hope
of
being
treatedgenerously.
But he found the king very different fromthe student. When he introduced himself
as an old friend, Drupada, far from being
glad to see him, felt it an intolerable
presumption.
Drunk with power and wealth, Drupada
said: "O brahmana, how dare you addressme familiarly as your friend? Whatfriendship can there be between a throned
king and a wandering beggar? What a foolmust you be to presume on some long pastacquaintance to claim friend ship with aking who rules a kingdom? How can apauper be the friend of a wealthy man, oran ignorant boor of a learned scholar, or a
coward of a hero? Friendship can exist
only between equals. A vagrant beggar
cannot be the friend of a sovereign."
Drona was turned out of the palace withscorn in his ears and a blazing wrath in hisheart.
He made a mental vow to punish thearrogant king for this insult and his
repudiation of the sacred claims of earlyfriendship. His next move in search of
employment was to go to Hastinapura,where he spent a few days, in retirement,in the house of his brother-in-law
Kripacharya.

One day, the princes were playing with aball outside the precincts of the city, andin the course of the game, the ball as wellas Yudhishthira's ring fell into a well. The
princes had gathered round the well andsaw the ring shining from the bottom
through the clear water. But could see noway of getting it out. They did not
however, notice that a brahmana of dark
complexion stood nearby watching themwith a smile.
"Princes," he surprised them by saying,"you are the descendants of the heroic
Bharata race. Why cannot you take out theball as anyone skilled in arms should
know how to do? Shall I do it for you?"
Yudhishthira laughed and said in fun: "Obrahmana, if you take out the ball, we will
see that you have a good meal in thehouse of Kripacharya." Then Drona thebrahmana stranger, took a blade of grassand sent it forth into the well after reciting
certain words of power for propelling it as
an arrow.
The blade of grass straightway sped andstuck into the ball. Afterwards he sent a
number of similar blades in succession
which clinging together formed a chain,
wherewith Drona took out the ball.
The princes were lost in amazement anddelight and begged of him to get the ringalso. Drona borrowed a bow, fixed anarrow on the string and sent it right into
the ring. The arrow rebounding broughtup the ring and the brahmana handed it to
the prince with a smile.
Seeing these feats, the princes wereastonished and said: "We salute you, O
brahmana. Who are you? Is there anything
we can do for you?" and they bowed tohim.
He said: "O princes, go to Bhishma andlearn from him who I am."
From the description given by the princes,
Bhishma knew that the brahmana wasnone other than the famous master Drona.

He decided that Drona was the fittest
person to impart further instruction to the
Pandavas and the Kauravas. So, Bhishma
received him with special honor andemployed him to instruct the princes in
the use of arms.
As soon as the Kauravas and the Pandavas
had acquired mastery in the science ofarms, Drona sent Karna and Duryodhana
to seize Drupada and bring him alive, indischarge of the duty they owed to him as
their master.
They went as ordered by him, but could
not accomplish their task. Then the master
sent forth Arjuna on the same errand. He
defeated Drupada in battle and brought
him and his minister captives to Drona.
Then Drona smilingly addressed Drupada:"Great king, do not fear for your life. In
our boyhood we were companions but you
were pleased to forget it and dishonor me.
You told me that a king alone could befriend to a king. Now I am a king, having
conquered your kingdom. Still I seek toregain my friendship with you, and so I
give you half of your kingdom that has
become mine by conquest. Your creed isthat friendship is possible only between
equals. And we shall now be equals, eachowning a half of your kingdom."
Drona thought this sufficient revenge forthe insult he had suffered, set Drupada atliberty and treated him with honor.
Drupada's pride was thus humbled but,
since hate is never extinguished byretaliation, and few things are harder tobear than the pangs of wounded vanity,
hatred of Drona and a wish to be revenged
on him became the ruling passion ofDrupada's life.
The king performed tapas, underwent
fasts and conducted sacrifices in order to
win the gratified gods to bless him with ason who should slay Drona and a daughter
who should wed Arjuna.

His efforts were crowned with successwith the birth of Dhrishtadyumna whocommanded the Pandava army at
Kurukshetra and, helped by a strange
combination of circumstances, slew theotherwise unconquerable Drona, and birthof Draupadi, the consort of the Pandavas.
14. THE WAX PALACE
THE jealousy of Duryodhana began togrow at the sight of the physical strengthof Bhima and the dexterity of Arjuna.
Karna and Sakuni became Duryodhana's
evil
counsellorsinplanning
wily
stratagems.
As for poor Dhritarashtra, he was a wise
man no doubt and he also loved his
brother's sons, but he was weak of willand dotingly attached to his own children.
For his children's sake the worse became
the better reason, and he would sometimes
even knowingly follow the wrong path.
Duryodhana sought in various ways to kill
the Pandavas. It was by means of thesecret help rendered by Vidura whowanted to save the family from a great sin,that the Pandavas escaped with their lives.
One unforgivable offence of the Pandavasin the eyes of Duryodhana was that thepeople of the city used to praise them
openly and declare in season and out of
season that Yudhishthira alone was fit tobe the king.
They would flock together and argue:"Dhritarashtra could never be king for hewas born blind. It is not proper that heshould now hold the kingdom in his
hands. Bhishma cannot be king either,because he is devoted to truth and to his
vow that he would not be a king. Hence
Yudhishthira alone should be crowned as
king. He alone can rule the Kuru race andthe kingdom with justice." Thus people
talked everywhere. These words werepoison to Duryodhana's ears, and madehim writhe and burn with jealousy.

He went to Dhritarashtra and complained
bitterly of the public talk: "Father, thecitizens babble irrelevant nonsense. They
have no respect even for such venerable
persons as Bhishma and yourself. Theysay
that
Yudhishthirashouldbe
immediately crowned king. This would
bring disaster on us. You were set aside
because of your blindness, and yourbrother became the king. If Yudhishthirais to succeed his father, where do wecome? What chance has our progeny?
After Yudhishthira his son, and his son's
son, and then his son will be the kings.
We will sink into poor relations dependent
on them even for our food. To live in hell
would be better than that!"
At these words, Dhritarashtra began toponder and said: "Son, what you say istrue. Still Yudhishthira will not stray fromthe path of virtue. He loves all. He has
truly inherited all the excellent virtues ofhis deceased father. People praise him andwill support him, and all the ministers of
the State and commanders of armies, towhom Pandu had endeared himself by his
nobility of character, will surely espousehis cause. As for the people, they idolise
the Pandavas. We cannot oppose themwith any chance of success. If we doinjustice, the citizens will rise ininsurrection and either kill us or expel us.
We shall only cover ourselves withignominy."
Duryodhana replied: "Your fears arebaseless. Bhishma will at worst be neutral,
while Ashwatthama is devoted to me,which means that his father Drona anduncle Kripa will also be on our side.
Vidura cannot openly oppose us, if for noother reason, because he has not thestrength. Send the Pandavas immediately
to Varanavata. I tell you the solemn truththat my cup of suffering is full and I canbear no more. It pierces my heart andrenders me sleepless and makes my life a

torment. After sending the Pandavas toVaranavata we shall try to strengthen ourparty."
Later, some politicians were prevailed
upon to join Duryodhana's party andadvise the king in the matter. Kanika, theminister of Sakuni, was their leader. "Oking," he said, "guard yourselves against
the sons of Pandu, for their goodness andinfluence are a menace to you and yours.
The Pandavas are the sons of yourbrother, but the nearer the kin, the closer
and deadlier the danger. They are verystrong."
Sakuni's minister continued: "Be notwroth with me if I say a king should bemighty in action as in name, for nobody
will believe in strength which is neverdisplayed. State affairs should be kept
secret and the earliest indication to the
public, of a wise plan, should be its
execution. Also, evils must be eradicatedpromptly for a thorn which has been
allowed to remain in the body may cause
a festering wound. Powerful enemies
should be destroyed and even a weak foe
should not be neglected since a mere
spark, if over looked, may cause a forest
fire. A strong enemy should be destroyedby means of stratagem and it would befolly to show mercy to him. O king, guard
yourself against the sons of Pandu. They
are very powerful."
Duryodhana told Dhritarashtra of his
success in securing adherents: "I havebought the goodwill of the king's
attendants with gifts of wealth and honor.
I have won over his ministers to ourcause. If you will adroitly prevail upon the
Pandavas to go to Varanavata, the city andthe whole kingdom will take our side.
They will not have a friend left here. Oncethe kingdom has become ours, there will
be no power for harm left in them, and it
may even be possible to let them comeback."

When many began to say what he himself
wished to believe, Dhritarashtra's mind
was shaken and he yielded to his sons'counsels. It only remained to give effectto the plot.
The ministers began to praise the beautyof Varanavata in the hearing of the
Pandavas and made mention of the factthat a great festival in honor of Siva
would be conducted there with all pomp
and splendor.
The unsuspecting Pandavas were easily
persuaded, especially when Dhritarashtra
also told them in tones of great affectionthat they should certainly go and witness
the festivities, not only because they were
worth seeing but because the people of theplace were eager to welcome them.
The Pandavas took leave of Bhishma andother elders and went to Varanavata.
Duryodhana was elated. He plotted with
Karna and Sakuni to kill Kunti and hersons at Varanavata. They sent for
Purochana, a minister, and gave him
secret instructions which he boundhimself to carry out faithfully.
Before the Pandavas proceeded toVaranavata, Purochana, true to his
instructions, hastened to the spot well inadvance and had a beautiful palace built
for their reception. Combustible materials
like jute, lac, ghee, oil, and fat were usedin the construction of the palace. The
materials for the plastering of the walls
were also inflammable. He skilfully filled
up various parts of the building with dry
things that could catch fire easily, and had
inviting seats and bedsteads disposed at
the most combustible places.
Every convenience was furnished for the
Pandavas to dwell in the city without fear,
until the palace was built. When the
Pandavas had settled down in the wax
house, the idea was to set fire to it at night
when they were sound asleep.

The ostentatious love and solicitude withwhich the Pandavas had been received
and treated would obviate all suspicion
and the fire would be taken as a sad caseof pure accident. No one would dream of
blaming the Kauravas.
15. THE ESCAPE OF THE
PANDAVAS
AFTER taking reverential leave of theelders and embracing their comrades, thePandavas proceeded to Varanavata. The
citizens accompanied them a part of their
way and returned unwillingly to the city.
Vidura pointedly warned Yudhishthira inwords intelligible only to the prince:"He alone will escape from danger who
forestalls the intentions of an astute
enemy. There are weapons sharper thanthose made of steel. And the wise man
who would escape destruction must know
the means to guard against them. The
conflagration that devastates a forest
cannot hurt a rat which shelters itself in ahole or a porcupine which burrows in theearth. The wise man knows his bearings
by looking at the stars."Though they had started on their journeyin sunshine of joy, they now proceeded ina dark cloud of sorrow and anxiety.
The people of Varanavata were very
happy to learn of the coming of the
Pandavas to their city and welcomed
them. After a brief stay in other houses
while the palace specially meant for themwas being got ready, they moved into it
under Purochana's guidance.
It was named "Sivam" which means
prosperity, and that was the name which,in ghastly irony, was given to thedeathtrap.
Yudhishthiradiligently
examined the whole place bearing in mind
Vidura's warning and verified that thebuilding was without a shadow of doubt
constructed with combustible material.
Yudhishthira told Bhima: "Though weknow very well that the palace is a trap ofdeath, we should not make Purochanasuspect that we know his plot. We should
get away at the right moment but escapewould be difficult if we gave room for any
suspicion."
So they stayed in that house to allappearance free from care. Meanwhile,
Vidura had sent an expert miner who met
them in secret and said: "My password is
the veiled warning Vidura gave you. I
have been sent to help you for yourprotection."
This was meant to indicate to
Yudhishthira
and
to
him
alone,
Duryodhana's hideous plot and the meansof escape from danger. Yudhishthiraanswered that he had grasped Vidura's
meaning, and later he communicated it to
Kuntidevi.
Henceforward the miner worked for manydays in secret, unknown to Purochana,and completed a subterranean egress fromthe wax house right under and across thewalls and the moat, which ran round theprecincts.
Purochana had his quarters at the gatewayof the palace. The Pandavas kept armed
vigil during night, but by day they used togo out hunting in the forest, to allappearance bent on pleasure but really tomake themselves familiar with the forest
paths.
As has already been said, they carefully
kept to themselves their knowledge of thewicked plot against their lives. On his side
Purochana, anxious to lull all suspicion
and make the murderous fire seem an
accident, waited fully a year before
putting the plot into effect.
At last Purochana felt he had waited longenough. And the watchful Yudhishthira,knowing that the fated moment hadarrived, called his brothers together andtold them that now or never was the time
for them to escape.

Kuntidevi arranged a sumptuous feast for
the attendants that day. Her idea was tolull them to well-fed sleep at night.
At midnight, Bhima set fire to the palace
in several places. Kuntidevi and the
Pandava brothers hurried out through thesubterranean passage, groping their way
out in the darkness. Presently, there was aroaring fire all over the palace and a fastswelling crowd of frightened citizens allaround in loud and helpless lamentation.
Some bustled aimlessly in futile efforts to
put out the conflagration and all joined in
the cry: "Alas! Alas! This surely is
Duryodhana's work, and he is killing thesinless Pandavas!"
The palace was reduced to ashes.
Purochana's residence was enveloped inflames before he could escape and he fell
an unpitied victim to his own wicked plot.
The people of Varanavata, sent thefollowing message to Hastinapura: "Thepalace which was the abode of the
Pandavas has burnt down and no one in it
escaped alive."
Vyasa has beautifully described the thenmental state of Dhritarashtra: "Just as thewater of a deep pool is cool at the bottom
and warm on the surface, so the heart of
Dhritarashtra was at once warm with joy
and chilled with sorrow."
Dhritarashtra and his sons cast off theirroyal garments in token of mourning for
the Pandavas whom they believed
consumed in the fire. They dressed
themselves in single garments as became
sorrowful kinsmen and went to the riverand performed the propitiatory funeralrites.
No outward show of heart broken
bereavement was omitted. It was noticed
by some that Vidura was not so overcome
by sorrow as the others and this was set
down to his philosophical bent of mind.
But the real reason was that he knew that
the Pandavas had escaped to safety.

When he looked sad, he was in fact
following with his mind's eye the weary
wanderings of the Pandavas. Seeing that
Bhishma was sunk in sorrow, Vidura
secretly comforted him by revealing to
him the story of their successful escape.
Bhima saw that his mother and brothers
were exhausted by their nightly vigils aswell as by fear and anxiety. He therefore
carried his mother on his shoulders andtook Nakula and Sahadeva on his hips,
supporting Yudhishthira and Arjuna withhis two hands.
Thus heavily laden, he strode effortlessly
like a lordly elephant forcing his way
through the forest and pushing aside the
shrubs and trees that obstructed his path.
When they reached the Ganges, there wasa boat ready for them in charge of aboatman who knew their secret. They
crossed the river in the darkness, andentering a mighty forest they went on atnight in darkness that wrapped them like ashroud and in a silence broken hideously
by the frightful noises of wild animals.
At last, quite fordone by toil, they sat
down unable to bear the pangs of thirstand overcome by the drowsiness of sheer
fatigue. Kuntidevi said: "I do not careeven if the sons of Dhritarashtra are here
to seize me, but I must stretch my legs."
She forthwith laid herself down and wassunk in sleep.
Bhima forced his way about the tangled
forest in search of water in the darkness.
And finding a pool, he wetted his upper
garment, made cups of lotus leaves andbrought water to his mother and brothers
who were perishing with thirst.
Then, while the others slept in merciful
forgetfulness of their woes, Bhima alone
sat awake absorbed in deep thought. "Do
not the plants and the creepers of theforest mutually help each other and live inpeace?" he reflected; "why should thewicked Dhritarashtra and Duryodhana try

to injure us in these ways?" Sinlesshimself, Bhima could not understand thesprings of sinfulness in others and waslost in grief.
The Pandavas marched on, suffering
many hardships and overcoming many
dangers. Part of the way, they would carry
their mother to make better speed.
Sometimes, tired beyond even heroic
endurance, they would pause and rest.
Sometimes, full of life and the glorious
strength of youth, they would race witheach other.
They met Bhagavan Vyasa on the way.
All of them bowed before him andreceived encouragement and wise counsel
from him.
When Kunti told him of the sorrows that
had befallen them, Vyasa consoled her
with these words: "No virtuous man isstrong enough to live in virtue at all times,
nor is any sinner bad enough to exist in
one welter of sin. Life is a tangled web
and there is no one in the world who has
not done both good and evil. Each andeveryone has to bear the consequence of
his actions. Do not give way to sorrow."
Then they put on the garb of brahmanas,
as advised by Vyasa, went to the city of
Ekachakra and stayed there in abrahmana's house, waiting for better days.
16. THE SLAYING OF BAKASURA
IN the city of Ekachakra, the Pandavas
stayed in the guise of brahmanas, begging
their food in the brahmana streets andbringing what they got to their mother,
who would wait anxiously till their return.
If they did not come back in time, shewould be worried, fearing that some evilmight have befallen them.
Kunti would divide the food they broughtin two equal portions. One half would go
to Bhima. The other half would be sharedby the other brothers and the mother.
Bhima, being born of the Wind god had
great strength and a mighty appetite.

Vrikodara, one of the names of Bhima,means wolf-bellied, and a wolf, youknow, looks always famished. And
however much it might eat, its hunger isnever quite satisfied.
Bhima's insatiable hunger and the scanty
food he used to get at Ekachakra went ill
together. And he daily grew thin, whichcaused much distress to his mother andbrothers. Sometime later, Bhima becameacquainted with a potter for whom hehelped and fetched clay. The potter, in
return, presented him with a big earthen
pot that became an object of merriment tothe street urchins.
One day, when the other brothers hadgone to beg for alms, Bhimasena stayedbehind with his mother, and they heard
loud lamentations from the house of theirbrahmana landlord. Some great calamity
surely had befallen the poor family andKunti went inside to learn what it was.
The brahmana and his wife could hardly
speak for weeping, but, at last the
brahmana said to his wife: "O unfortunate
and foolish woman, though time and again
I wished we should leave this city for
good, you would not agree. You persistedin saying that you were born and bredhere and here you would stay where yourparents and relations had lived and died.
How can I think of losing you who havebeen to me at once my life's mate, loving
mother, the wife who bore my children,nay, my all in all? I cannot send you todeath while I keep myself alive. This little
girl has been given to us by God as a trust
to be handed over in time to a worthyman. It is unrighteous to sacrifice her who
is a gift of God to perpetuate the race. It isequally impossible to allow this other, ourson, to be killed. How can we live after
consigning to death our only solace in life
and our hope for the here after? If he islost, who would pour libations for us andour ancestors? Alas! You did not pay heed

to my words, and this is the deadly fruit ofyour perversity. If I give up my life, thisgirl and boy will surely die soon for wantof a protector. What shall I do? It is bestthat all of us perish together" and the
brahmana burst forth sobbing.
The wife replied: "I have been a goodwife to you, and done my duty by bearing
you a daughter and a son. You are able,
and I am not, to bring up and protect yourchildren. Just as cast out offal is pounced
upon and seized by rapacious birds, a poor
widowed woman is an easy prey towicked and dishonest people. Dogs fightfor a cloth wet with ghee, and in pulling ithither and thither in unclean greed, tear it
into foul rags. It would be best if I am
handed over to the Rakshasa. Blessed
indeed is the woman who passes to theother world, while her husband is alive.
This, as you know, is what the scripturessay. Bid me farewell. Take care of mychildren. I have been happy with you. I
have performed many meritorious actions.
By my faithful devotion to you, I am sureof heaven. Death has no terror for one
who has been a good wife. After I am
gone, take another wife. Gladden me witha brave smile, give me your blessing, andsend me to the Rakshasa."
Hearing these words of his wife, thebrahmana tenderly embraced her and,utterly overcome by her love and courage,
he wept like a child. When he could findhis voice, he replied: "O beloved andnoble one, what words are these? Can I
bear to live without you? The first duty ofa married man is to protect his wife. I
should indeed be a pitiful sinner if I lived
after giving you up to the Rakshasa,
sacrificing both love and duty."
The daughter who was hearing thispiteous conversation, now interposed with
sobs: "Listen to me, child though I be, andthen do what is proper. It is me alone thatyou can spare to the Rakshasa. Bysacrificing one soul, that is, myself, you
can save the others. Let me be the little
boat to take you across this river ofcalamity. In like manner, a woman
without a guardian becomes the sport ofwicked people who drag her hither andthither. It is impossible for me to protect
two fatherless orphans and they will
perish miserably like fish in a waterless
pond. If both of you pass away, both I andthis little baby brother of mine will soon
perish unprotected in this hard world. If
this family of ours can be saved fromdestruction by my single death, what agood death mine would be! Even if you
consider my welfare alone, you should
send me to the Rakshasa."
At these brave words of the poor child, theparents tenderly embraced her and wept.
Seeing them all in tears the boy, hardly
more than a baby, started up with glowing
eyes, lisping: "Father, do not weep.
Mother, do not weep. Sister, do not
weep," and he went to each and sat on
their lap by turns.
Then he rose up took a stick of firewood
and brandishing it about, said in his sweetchildish treble: "I shall kill the Rakshasa
with this stick." The child's action andspeech made them smile in the midst of
their tears, but only added to their greatsorrow.
Feeling this was the moment forintervention,
Kuntidevi
enteredandinquired for the cause of their sorrow andwhether there was anything she could do
to help them.
The brahmana said: "Mother, this is asorrow far beyond your aid. There is acave near the city, where lives a cruel andterribly strong Rakshasa named Bakasura.
He forcibly seized this city and kingdom
thirteen years ago. Since then he has held
us in cruel thraldom. The kshatriya rulerof this country has fled to the city of
Vetrakiya and is unable to protect us. This

Rakshasa formerly used to issue from his
cave whenever he liked and, mad withhunger, indiscriminately kill and eat men,
women and children in this city. The
citizens prayed to the Rakshasa to come tosome sort of stipulation in place of thispromiscuous slaughter. They prayed: 'Do
not kill us wantonly at your whim andpleasure. Once a week we shall bring you
sufficient
meat,
rice,
curds
and
intoxicating liquors and many otherdelicacies. We will deliver these to you in
a carriage drawn by two bullocks driven
by a human being taken from each housein turn. You can make a repast of the rice,along with the bullocks and the man, but
refrain from this mad orgy of slaughter.'
The Rakshasa agreed to the proposal.
From that day, this strong Rakshasa has
been protecting this kingdom from foreign
raids and wild beasts. This arrangement
has been in force for many years. No herohas been found to free this country fromthis pest, for the Rakshasa has invariably
defeated and killed all the brave men who
tried. Mother, our legitimate sovereign isunable to protect us. The citizens of acountry, whose king is weak, should notmarry and beget children. A worthyfamily life, with culture and domestic
happiness, is possible only under the ruleof a good, strong king. Wife, wealth andother things are not safe, if there be noproper king ruling over us. And having
long suffered with the sight of others'
sorrow, our own turn has come now tosend a person as prey to the Rakshasa. I
have not the means to purchase asubstitute. None of us can bear to live
after sending one of us to a cruel death,and so I shall go with my whole family tohim. Let the wicked glutton gorge himself
with all of us. I have pained you withthese things, but you wished to know.
Only God can help us, but we have lost all
hope even of that."

The political truths contained in this storyof Ekachakra are noteworthy andsuggestive. Kunti talked the matter overwith Bhimasena and returned to thebrahmana. She said: "Good man, do notdespair. God is great. I have five sons.
One of them will take the food to the
Rakshasa."
The brahmana jumped up in amazedsurprise, but then shook his head sadly
and would not hear of the substituted
sacrifice. Kunti said: "O brahmana, do not
be afraid. My son is endowed withsuperhuman powers derived from mantras
and will certainly kill this Rakshasa, as I
have myself seen him kill many othersuch Rakshasas. But keep this a secret,for, if you reveal it, his power will cometo naught."
Kunti's fear was that, if the story got
noised abroad, Duryodhana's men would
see the hand of the Pandavas, and find out
their where abouts. Bhima was filled withunbounded joy and enthusiasm at thearrangement made by Kunti.
The other brothers returned to the housewith alms. Dharmaputra saw the face of
Bhimasena radiant with joy to which it
had long been a stranger and inferred that
he was resolved on some hazardous
adventure and questioned Kunti who told
him everything.
Yudhishthira said: "What is this? Is notthis rash and thoughtless? Relying on
Bhima's strength we sleep without care or
fear. It is not through Bhima's strengthand daring that we hope to regain the
kingdom that has been seized by our
deceitful enemies? Was it not through theprowess of Bhima that we escaped fromthe wax palace? And you are risking thelife of Bhima who is our present
protection and future hope. I fear yourmany trials have clouded your judgment!"
Kuntidevi replied: "Dear sons, we have
lived happily for many years in the houseof this brahmana. Duty, nay, man's highest
virtue, is to repay the benefit he has
enjoyed by doing good in his turn. I know
the heroism of Bhima and have no fears.
Rememberwhocarriedus
from
Varanavata and who killed the demon
Hidimba. It is our duty to be of service tothis brahmana family."
After a fierce battle, the Rakshasa
Bakasura was slain by Bhima who
pretended to bring him a cartload of food.
17. DRAUPADI'S SWAYAMVARAM
WHILE the Pandavas were living in
disguise as brahmanas at Ekachakrapura,news of the swayamvara of Draupadi, thedaughter of Drupada, King of Panchala,reached them. Many brahmanas ofEkachakrapura planned to go to Panchalain the hope of receiving the customary
gifts and to see the festivities and pageantof a royal wedding. Kunti, with hermotherly instinct, read her sons' desire to
go to Panchala and win Draupadi. So shetold Yudhishthira: "We have been in thiscity so long that it is time to think ofgoing somewhere else. We have seen
these hills and dales till we are tired ofthem. The alms doled out to us arediminishing and it is not good to outstay
your entertainment. Let us therefore go to
Drupada's kingdom which is reputed to be
fair and prosperous." Kunti was second tonone in worldly wisdom and sagacity andcould gracefully divine her sons' thoughts
and spare them the awkwardness ofexpressing them.
The brahmanas went in groups to witness
the swayamvara and the Pandavas
mingled with them in the guise of
brahmanas. After a long march the party
reached the beautiful city of Drupada andbilleted themselves in the house of apotter as obscure brahmanas of no note.
Though Drupada and Drona were
outwardly at peace, the former never
could forget or forgive the humiliation hehad suffered at the latter's hands.
Drupada's one wish was to give hisdaughter in marriage to Arjuna.
Drona loved Arjuna so dearly that hecould hardly look upon his pupil's fatherin-law as his deadly foe. And if there werea war, Drupada would be all the stronger
for being Arjuna's father-in-law. When heheard the news of the destruction of the
Pandavas at Varanavata, he was plunged
in sorrow but was relieved by a later
rumour that they had escaped.
The marriage hall was beautifully
decorated and built amidst a finely laidout group of new guest-houses designed
to accommodate the swayamvara suitors
and guests. Attractive sights and sports
hadbeen
arrangedforpublicentertainment and there were glorious
festivities for fourteen days continuously.
A mighty steel bow was placed in themarriage hall. The candidate for the
princess' hand was required to string the
bow and with it shoot a steel arrowthrough the central aperture of a revolving
disk at a target placed on high.
This required almost superhuman strengthand skill, and Drupada proclaimed that thehero who would win his daughter should
perform this feat. Many valiant princes
had gathered there from all parts of
Bharatavarsha. The sons of Dhritarashtra
were there as well as Karna, Krishna,
Sisupala, Jarasandha, and Salya.
Besides the competitors there was a hugeconcourse of spectators and visitors. The
noise that issued therefrom resembled theuproar of the ocean and over it all arose
the auspicious sound of festal music fromhundreds of instruments.
Dhrishtadyumna on horseback rode in
front of his sister Draupadi seated on anelephant. Fresh from her auspicious bridal
bath, and clad in flowing silk Draupadi
dismounted and entered the swayamvarahall, seeming to fill it with the sweetnessof her presence and perfect beauty.
Garland in hand, and coyly glancing at thevaliant princes, who for their part lookedat her in speechless admiration, she
ascended the dais. The brahmanas
repeated the usual mantras and offeredoblations in the fire. After the peace
invocation had been chanted and theflourish
of
music
had
stopped,Dhrishtadyumna took Draupadi by thehand and led her to the center of the hall.
Then he proclaimed in loud, clear tones:"Hear ye, O princes seated in state in thisassembly, here is the bow. There is thetarget and here are the arrows. He who
sends five arrows in succession throughthe hole of the wheel and unerringly hits
the target, if he also be of good family andpresence, shall win my sister." Then henarrated to Draupadi the name, ancestry
and description of the several suitors
assembled there.
Many noted princes rose one after anotherand tried in vain to string the bow. It was
too heavy and stiff for them, and they
returned to their places abashed andashamed.
Sisupala,Jarasandha,
Salya,
andDuryodhana
were
among
these
unsuccessful aspirants. When Karna cameforward, all the assemblage expected that
he would be successful but he failed byjust a hair's breadth and the string slid
back flashing and the mighty bow jumped
out of his hands like a thing of life.
There was great clamor and angry talk,some even saying that it was an
impossible test put up to shame the kings.
Then all noises were hushed, for there
arose from among the group of brahmanasa youth who advanced towards the bow.
It was Arjuna who had come disguised asa brahmana. When he stood up; wild
clamor burst forth again from the crowd.
The brahmanas themselves were divided

in opinion. Some being highly delighted
that there should be among them a lad of
mettle enough to compete, while others
more envious or worldly wise, said what
impudence it was for this brahmacharin toenter the lists when heroes like Karna,
Salya, and others had met with failure.
But there were others again who spoke
differently as they noted the noble andshapely proportions of the youth. They
said: "We feel from his appearance that heis going to win. He looks sure of himself
and he certainly knows what he is about.
The brahmana may be physically weaker,
but is it all a matter of brute strength?
What about the power of austerities? Why
should he not try?" And they blessed him.
Arjuna approached the place where thebow lay and asked Dhrishtadyumna: "Cana brahmana try to bend the bow?"
Dhrishtadyumna answered: "O best of
brahmanas, my sister will become the lifemate of any one of good family andpresence, who bends the bow and shootsthe target. My words stand and there will
be no going back on them."
Then Arjuna meditated on Narayana, theSupreme God, and took the bow in his
hand and strung it with ease. He placed anarrow on the string and looked around him
with a smile, while the crowd was lost in
spellbound silence.
Then without pause or hesitation he shot
five arrows in succession through therevolving mechanism right into the target
so that it fell down. The crowd was intumult and there was a blare of musicalinstruments.
The brahmanas who were seated in theassembly in large numbers sent forth
shouts of joy, waving aloft their deerskins in exultation as though the wholecommunity had won Draupadi. The
uproar that followed was indescribable.
Draupadi shone with a fresh beauty. Her
face glowed with happiness which

streamed out of her eyes as she looked on
Arjuna. She approached him and placed
the garland on his neck. Yudhishthira,
Nakula, and Sahadeva returned in haste to
the potter's house to convey the glad news
immediately to their mother.
Bhima alone remained in the assembly
fearing that some danger might befall
Arjuna from the kshatriyas. As anticipatedby Bhima, the princes were loud in wrath.
They said: "The practice of swayamvara,
the choosing of a bridegroom, is notprevalent among the brahmanas. If thismaiden does not care to marry a prince,
she should remain a virgin and burnherself on the pyre. How can a brahmana
marry her? We should oppose thismarriage and prevent it so as to protect
righteousness and save the practice ofswayamvara from the peril which
threatens it." A free fight seemedimminent.
Bhima plucked a tree by the roots, andstripping it of foliage, stood armed withthis formidable bludgeon, by the side of
Arjuna ready for any event. Draupadi said
nothing but stood holding on to the skirtsof the deer-skin in which Arjuna was clad.
Krishna, Balarama and others sought toappease those who had created theconfusion. Arjuna proceeded to the houseof the potter accompanied by Draupadi.
As Bhima and Arjuna were taking
Draupadi to their temporary abode,Dhrishtadyumna followed them at a
distance, and, unseen by them, closely
observed everything that took place there.
He was amazed and delighted at what hesaw, and returning, he secretly told King
Drupada: "Father, I think they are the
Pandavas. Draupadi accompanied them,holding to the skirts of the deer-skin ofthat youth and she was not at all abashed.
I also followed and I saw all five and avenerable and august lady who, I have no
doubt, is Kunti herself."Invited by Drupada Kunti and the
Pandavas went to the palace. Dharmaputra
confided to the king that they were the
Pandavas. He also informed him of theirdecision to marry Draupadi in common.
Drupada rejoiced at knowing that they
were the Pandavas, which set at rest all
anxiety regarding the enmity of Drona.
But he was surprised and disgusted when
he heard that they would jointly marry
Draupadi.
Drupada opposed this and said: "Howunrighteous! How did this idea get into
your head, this immoral idea that goesagainst the traditional usage?"
Yudhishthira answered: "O king, kindly
excuse us. In a time of great peril wevowed that we would share all things incommon and we cannot break that pledge.
Our mother has commanded us so."Finally Drupada yielded and the marriage
was celebrated.
18. INDRAPRASTHA
WHEN news of the incidents that took
place during the swayamvara at Panchalareached Hastinapura, Vidura was happy.
He immediately went to Dhritarashtra andsaid: "O King, our family has become
stronger because the daughter of Drupada
has become our daughter-in-law. Our stars
are good."
Dhritarashtra thought in his blind
fondness for his son that it was
Duryodhana, who had also gone to takepart in the swayamvara, that had won
Draupadi. Under this mistaken impression
he replied: "It is indeed, as you say, agood time for us. Go at once and bring
Draupadi. Let us give Panchali a joyous
welcome."Vidura hastened to correct the mistake. He
said: "The blessed Pandavas are alive andit is Arjuna who has won the daughter ofDrupada. The five Pandavas have married
her jointly according to the rites enjoinedby the sastras. With their mother

Kuntidevi they are happy and well under
the care of Drupada."
At these words of Vidura, Dhritarashtra
felt
frustrated
but
concealedhisdisappointment. He said to Vidura withapparent joy: "O Vidura, I am delighted atyour words. Are the dear Pandavas really
alive? We have been mourning them as
dead! The news you have now brought isbalm to my heart. So the daughter ofDrupada has become our daughter-in-law.
Well, well, very good."
Duryodhana's
jealousy
andhatredredoubled when he found that the
Pandavas had somehow escaped from thewax palace and after spending a year
incognito had now become even more
powerful on account of the alliance withthe mighty king of Panchala. Duryodhana
and his brother Duhsasana went to theiruncle Sakuni and said in sorrow: "Uncle,
we are undone. We have been let down by
relying on Purochana. Our enemies, thePandavas, are cleverer than ourselves, andfortune also seems to favor them.
Dhrishtadyumna and Sikhandin havebecome their allies. What can we do?"Karna and Duryodhana went to the blind
Dhritarashtra. Duryodhana said: "You told
Vidura that better days were ahead of us.
Is it good time for us that our natural
enemies, the Pandavas, have so waxed ni
strength that they will certainly destroy
us? We could not carry out our plot
against them and the fact that they know
about it is an added danger. It has now
come to this, either we must destroy themhere and now or we shall ourselves perish.
Favor us with your counsel in this matter."
Dhritarashtra replied: "Dear son, what you
say is true. We should not, however, letVidura know our mind. That was why I
spoke to him in that manner. Let me now
hear your suggestions as to what weshould do."Duryodhana said: "I feel so distracted thatno plan occurs to me. Perhaps, we may
take advantage of the fact that these
Pandavas are not born of one and thesame mother and create enmity between
the sons of Madri and those of Kunti. We
can also try to bribe Drupada into joining
our side. That he has given away his
daughter in marriage to the Pandavas will
not stand in the way of our making him anally. There is nothing that cannot be
accomplished by the power of wealth."
Karna smiled and said: "This is but futile
talk."
Duryodhana continued: "We should
somehow make sure that the Pandavas do
not come here and demand of us the
kingdom that is now in our possession.
We may commission a few brahmanas tospread convenient rumours in Drupada's
city and severally tell the Pandavas thatthey would meet with great danger if they
were to go to Hastinapura. Then the
Pandavas would fear to come here and weshall be safe, from them."
Karna replied: "This too is idle talk. You
cannot frighten them that way."
Duryodhana continued: "Can we notcreate discord among the Pandavas bymeans of Draupadi? Her polyandrous
marriage is very convenient for us. We
shall arouse doubts and jealousies in theirminds through the efforts of experts in thescience of erotics. We shall certainly
succeed. We can get a beautiful woman tobeguile some of the sons of Kunti andthus make Draupadi turn against them. If
Draupadi begins to suspect any of them,
we can invite him to Hastinapura and use
him so that our plan prospers."
Karna laughed this also to scorn. He said:"None of your proposals is any good. You
cannot conquer the Pandavas bystratagem. When they were here and werelike immature birds with undeveloped
wings, we found we could not deceive

them, and you think we can deceive themnow, when they have acquired experienceand are moreover under the protection ofDrupada. They have seen through yourdesigns. Stratagems will not do hereafter.
You cannot sow dissensions among them.
You cannot bribe the wise and honorable
Drupada. He will not give up the
Pandavas on any account. Draupadi also
can never be turned against them.
Therefore, there is only one way left forus, and that is to attack them before theygrow stronger and other friends join them.
We should make a surprise attack on the
Pandavas and Drupada before Krishna
joins them with his Yadava army. We
should take the heroic way out of ourdifficulty, as befits kshatriyas. Trickery
will prove useless." Thus spoke Karna.
Dhritarashtra could not make up his mind.
The king, therefore, sent for Bhishma andDrona and consulted them.
Bhishma was very happy when he heardthat the Pandavas were alive and well asguests of King Drupada of Panchala,
whose daughter they had married.
Consulted on the steps to be taken,
Bhishma, wise with the ripe knowledge ofright and wrong, replied:"The proper course will be to welcome
them back and give them half the
kingdom. The citizens of the state also
desire such a settlement. This is the only
way to maintain the dignity of our family.
There is much loose talk not creditable to
you about the fire incident at the wax
house. All blame, even all suspicion, will
be set at rest if you invite the Pandavas
and hand over half kingdom to them. Thisis my advice."
Drona also gave the same counsel andsuggested sending a proper messenger tobring about an amicable settlement andestablish peace.
Karna flew into a rage at this suggestion.
He was very much devoted toDuryodhana and could not at all bear theidea of giving a portion of the kingdom to
the Pandavas. He told Dhritarashtra:"I am surprised that Drona, who hasreceived wealth and honors at your hands,
has made such a suggestion. A kingshould examine critically the advice of his
ministers before accepting or rejecting it."At these words of Karna, Drona, his oldeyes full of anger, said: "O wicked man,you are advising the king to go on thewrong path. If Dhritarashtra does not dowhat Bhishma and myself have advised,
the Kauravas will certainly meet withdestruction in the near future."
Then Dhritarashtra sought the advice ofVidura who replied:"The counsel given by Bhishma, the headof our race, and Drona, the master, is wise
and just and should not be disregarded.
The Pandavas are also your children like
Duryodhana and his brothers. You should
realise that those who advise you to injure
the Pandavas are really bent upon thedestruction of the race. Drupada and hissons as well as Krishna and the Yadavas
are staunch allies of the Pandavas. It is
impossible to defeat them in battle.
Karna's advice is foolish and wrong. It isreported abroad that we tried to kill the
Pandavas in the wax house, and we should
first of all try to clear ourselves of theblame. The citizens and the whole country
are delighted to know that the Pandavas
are alive and they desire to see them once
again. Do not listen to the words of
Duryodhana. Karna and Sakuni are but
raw youths, ignorant of statesmanship andincompetent to advise. Follow Bhishma's
advice."In the end Dhritarashtra determined toestablish peace by giving half the
kingdom to the sons of Pandu. He sent
Vidura to the kingdom of Panchala tofetch the Pandavas and Draupadi.

Vidura went to the city of King Drupada
in a speedy vehicle taking along with him
many kinds of jewels and other valuable
presents.
Vidura rendered due honor to King
Drupada and requested him on behalf of
Dhritarashtra to send the Pandavas with
Panchali to Hastinapura.
Drupada mistrusted Dhritarashtra, but hemerely said: "The Pandavas may do as
they like."
Vidura went to Kuntidevi and prostrated
himself before her. She said: "Son ofVichitravirya, you saved my sons. They
are, therefore, your children. I trust you. I
shall do as you advise." She was also
suspicious of Dhritarashtra's intentions.
Vidura thus assured her: "Your children
will never meet with destruction. They
will inherit the kingdom and acquire great
renown. Come, let us go." At last Drupadaalso gave his assent and Vidura returned
to Hastinapura with the Pandavas, Kunti,
and Draupadi.
In jubilant welcome of the beloved
princes who were returning home after
long years of exile and travail, the streetsof Hastinapura had been sprinkled withwater and decorated with flowers. As had
been already decided, half the kingdom
was made over to the Pandavas andYudhishthira was duly crowned king.
Dhritarashtra blessed the newly crowned
Yudhishthira and bade him farewell withthese words: "My brother Pandu made thiskingdom prosperous. May you prove aworthy heir to his renown! King Pandu
delighted in abiding by my advice. Loveme in the same manner. My sons arewicked and proud. I have made thissettlement so that there may be no strife or
hatredbetweenyou.
Go
toKhandavaprastha and make it yourcapital.
Our
ancestors
Pururavas,
Nahusha, and Yayati ruled the kingdom
from there. That was our ancient capital.

Re-establish that and be famous." In thismanner Dhritarashtra spoke affectionately
to Yudhishthira.
The Pandavas renovated that ruined city,
built palaces and forts, and renamed it
Indraprastha. It grew in wealth and beautyand became the admiration of the world.
The Pandavas ruled there happily for
thirty-six years with their mother andDraupadi, never straying from the path ofdharma.
19. THE SARANGA BIRDS
IN the stories narrated in the Puranas,
birds and beasts speak like men, andsometimes they give sound advice andeven teach spiritual wisdom. But thenatural qualities of those creatures are
adroitly made to peep through this humanveil.
One of the characteristic beauties of thePuranic literature is this happy fusion ofnature and imagination. In a delightful
passage in the Ramayana, Hanuman, whois described as very wise and learned, ismade to frolic with apish joy, when heimagined that the beautiful damsel he saw
at Ravana's inner courtyard was Sita.
It is usual to entertain children with stories
in which birds and beasts are made to
speak. But the stories of the Puranas aremeant for elderly people, and in themusually some background is given in
explanation of animals having the gift ofhuman speech.
The usual expedient employed is aprevious birth when those creatures were
human beings. For instance, a deer was arishi in a previous birth, or a fox a king.
The subsequent degradation being due toa curse.
In such cases the deer will act as a deer
and yet speak as a rishi, and in the fox theclever nature is shot through with thecharacteristics of a wise and experienced
king. The stories are thereby madeinteresting vehicles of the great truths theysometimes convey.
Khandavaprastha, that forest full of
uneven places and thorns and prickles andcumbered with the crumbling vestiges of along dead city, was indeed a frightfulplace when it came into the possession of
the Pandavas.
Birds and beasts had made it their abode,and it was infested with thieves andwicked men. Krishna and Arjuna resolved
to set fire to the forest and construct a newcity in its place.
A saranga bird was living there with its
four fledgelings. The male bird waspleasantly roaming about in the forest
with another female bird neglecting wifeand children. The mother bird looked after
its young ones.
As the forest was set on fire ascommanded by Krishna and Arjuna andthe fire spread in all directions, doing its
destructive work, the worried mother bird
began to lament:'The fire is coming nearer and nearer
burning everything, and soon it will behere and destroy us. All forest creatures
are in despair and the air is full of theagonising crash of falling trees. Poor
wingless babies! You will become a preyto the fire. What shall I do? Your father
has deserted us, and I am not strong
enough to fly away carrying you withme."
To the mother who was wailing thus, thechildren said:"Mother, do not torment yourself on our
account. Leave us to our fate. If we diehere, we shall attain a good birth in somefuture life. If you give up your life for our
sake, our family will become extinct. Fly
to a place of safety, take another mate andbe happy. You will soon have otherchildren and be able to forget us. Mother,reflect and do what is best for our race."Despite this earnest entreaty, the mother
had no mind to leave her children. She
said: "I shall remain here and perish in the
flames with you."This is the background of the story of thebirds. A rishi named Mandapala long
lived faithful to his vow of perfectbrahmacharya but when he sought entry to
the higher regions, the gatekeeper said:"There is no place here for a childlessman" and turned him back. He was thenborn as a saranga bird and lived with afemale companion named Jarita. She laid
four eggs. Then he left Jarita andwandered in the woods with anotherfemale companion, Lapita.
The four eggs of Jarita hatched in time
and they were the four birds mentioned
above. As they were the children of a rishi
they could cheer and encourage theirmother in the way they did.
The mother bird told her children: "Thereis a rat-hole by the side of this tree. I shallput you there. You can get into the holeand escape the fire. I shall close the mouthof the hole with earth and the fire will nottouch you. When the fire dies down I shalllet you out."
The children would not agree. They said:"The rat in the hole will devour us. It isbetter to perish in the flames than to die
ignobly by being eaten up by rats."
The mother bird tried to relieve the fears
of the children and said: "I saw an eagle
devour the rat. There is now no danger foryou inside the hole."
But the children said: "There are sure to
be other rats in the hole. Our danger is not
ended by the killing of one rat by theeagle. Kindly save your life by flying
before the fire reaches us and this tree
catches fire. We cannot get into the rathole. Why should you sacrifice your life
for our sake? How have we merited it,
who have done nothing for you? We have
only brought you unhappiness since wecame into the world. Take another mate
and live happily."
The fire which destroyed the whole forest,
mercifully left the baby birds unscathed.
When the fire had subsided, the motherbird came back and saw with wonder that
her children were safe and chirping
merrily. She embraced them and wasintensely happy.
While the fire was raging, the male bird,
anxious for the safety of his young ones,
had expressed his fears to his new lovebird Lapita. She had petulantly upbraided
him. Hearing his repeated laments "Is itso?" she said: "I know your mind, I knowthat you desire to go back to Jarita, having
had enough of me. Why falsely bring in
the fire and the children? You haveyourself told me that the children of Jarita
would never perish in fire since the Firegod has given you that boon. You may as
well tell the truth and go away, if you like,to your beloved Jarita. I shall only be
another of the many trusting females
betrayed by unworthy males and cast out
wandering in the forest. You may go."
The bird Mandapala said: "Yourassumption is untrue. I took birth as a birdfor obtaining children and I am naturally
anxious about them.
I shall just go and see them and then comeback to you " Having thus consoled his
new mate, be went to the tree where Jarita
was seated.
Jarita paid no attention to her consort but
remained absorbed in joy at finding her
children alive.
Then she turned to her husband and asked
in an indifferent tone why he had come.
He replied with affection:"Are my children happy? Who is theeldest among them?"
Then Jarita cut in icily: "Do you greatly
care? Go back to her for whom you
abandoned me. Be happy with her."Mandapala philosophised: "A woman will
not care for her husband after she has
become a mother. Such is the way of theworld. Even the blameless Vasishtha wasthus ignored by Arundhati."
20. JARASANDHA
THE Pandavas ruled Indraprastha in all
glory.
Those
whosurroundedYudhishthira urged him to perform theRajasuya sacrifice and assume the title ofEmperor. It is evident that imperialism
had an irresistible glamour even in thosedays.
Yudhishthira sought Sri Krishna's advice
in this matter. When Krishna learnt that
Dharmaputra desired to see him, he set
out in a chariot harnessed with swift
horses and reached Indraprastha.
Yudhishthira said: "'My people urge me toperform Rajasuya, but as you know, only
he who can secure the respect andallegiance of all kings, can perform thatsacrifice and win the status of emperor.
Advise me, you are not among those
whose affection makes them blind andpartial. Nor are you one of those who
advise to please and whose counsel ispleasant rather than true or wholesome."
Krishna replied: "Quite so and that is why
you cannot be emperor while the mighty
Jarasandha of Magadha is alive andunconquered. He has conquered many
kings and holds them in subjection. All
the kshatriyas, including the redoubtable
Sisupala himself, are afraid of his prowess
and are submissive to him. Have you notheard of the wicked Kamsa, the son of
Ugrasena? After he had become the sonin-law and ally of Jarasandha my people
and I attacked Jarasandha. After three
years of continuous fighting we had to
acknowledge defeat and we left Mathuraand moved to Dwaraka in the west, andbuilt a new city where we are living inpeace and plenty. Even if Duryodhana,
Karna and others do not object to yourassuming the title of emperor, Jarasandha
will certainly oppose it. And the only way
to overcome his opposition is to defeat
and kill him. You can then not only
perform the Rajasuya but also rescue andwin the adherence of the kings who
languish in his prisons."
At these words of Krishna, Yudhishthirasaid: "I agree. I am but one of the many
kings who rule their kingdoms with
fairness and justice and lead happy
unambitious lives. It is mere vanity andvainglory to desire to become an emperor.
Why should not a king rest satisfied withhis own kingdom? So, I shall give up thisdesire to be an emperor. And really, thetitle has no temptations for me. It is mybrothers who wish it. When you yourself
are afraid of Jarasandha what can we hope
to do?"
Bhima did not at all like this spirit ofcowardly contentment.
Bhima said: "Ambition is the noblest
virtue of a king. What is the good of being
strong if one does not know his own
strength? I cannot reconcile myself to live
a life of idle ease and contentment. He
who casts off indolence and properly
employs political means, can conquer
even those stronger than himself. Strength
reinforced by stratagem will surely do
much.
What,
indeed,cannotbeaccomplished by a combination of myphysical strength, Krishna's wisdom and
Arjuna's dexterity? We can conquer
Jarasandha's might, if we three join andset about it without doubts or fears."
Krishna interposed: "Jarasandha should
certainly be slain and fully deserves it. He
has unjustly cast eighty-six princes inprison. He has planned to immolate ahundred kings and is waiting to lay holdof fourteen more. If Bhima and Arjuna
agree, I shall accompany them andtogether we will slay that king bystratagem and set free the imprisoned
princes. I like this suggestion."
Yudhishthira was not pleased with thisadvice. He said: "This may really meansacrificing Bhima and Arjuna who are tome as my two eyes, merely to gratify avain desire to be an emperor. I do not liketo send them on this dangerous errand. It
seems to me far better to give up the idea
altogether."
Arjuna said: "What is the use to us of an
existence without heroic deeds, born as
we are of an illustrious line? A Kshatriya
though endowed with all other goodqualities, will not become famous if hedoes not exert himself. Enthusiasm is themother of success. We can seize fortune if
we do our duties energetically. Even a
powerful man may fail if, throughlassitude, he does not employ the means
he has. Failure is due, in the vast majorityof cases, to ignorance of one's own
strength. We know we are strong, and weare not afraid of using our strength to theutmost. Why should Yudhishthira supposethat we are incapable of this? When we
have become old, it will be time to assume
the ochre robe, resort to the forest andpass the rest of our days in penance andausterities. Now, we should lead strenuous
lives and do heroic deeds worthy of the
traditions of our race."
Krishna was delighted to hear these words
and said: "What else can Arjuna, born of
Kunti in the Bharata race, advise? Deathcomes to all, the hero as well as the
sluggard. But the noblest duty of akshatriya is to be true to his race and faith,and overcoming his foes in righteous
battle, to win glory."
Finally Yudhishthira assented to theunanimous opinion that their duty lay inslaying Jarasandha.
This conversation has a curiously modern
ring about it and shows that powerful men

in ancient days used very much the same
specious reasoning as now.
21. THE SLAYING OF
JARASANDHA
BRIHADRATHA, the commander ofthree regiments, reigned in the kingdom of
Magadha and attained celebrity as a greathero. He married the twin daughters of theraja of Kasi and vowed to them that hewould not show any partiality to either.
Brihadratha was not blessed with a childfor a long time. When he became old, hehanded over his kingdom to his ministers,
went to the forest with his two wives andengaged himself in austerities.
He went to Sage Kausika of the Gautama
family, with a sorrowful longing forchildren in his heart. And when the sage
was moved with pity and asked him what
he wanted, he answered:"I am childless and have come to theforest giving up my kingdom. Give me
children."
The sage was filled with compassion and,even as he was thinking how to help theking, a mango fruit fell into his lap. He
took it and gave it to the king with thisblessing: "Take it. Your wish will be
fulfilled."
The king cut the fruit into two halves andgave one to each wife. He did so to keep
his vow not to show partiality to either.
Some time after they had partaken of the
fruit, the wives became pregnant.
The delivery took place in due course. But
instead of bringing the expected joy, it
plunged them into greater grief than
before. For they each gave birth to but ahalf of a child. Each half was a monstrous
birth which seemed a revolting lump.
They were indeed two equal andcomplementary portions of one baby,
consisting of one eye, one leg, half a face,
one ear and so on. Seized with grief, they
commanded their attendants to tie thegruesome pieces in a cloth and cast themaway.
The attendants did as they were instructed
and threw the cloth bundle on a heap ofrefuse in the street. A cannibal Rakshasi
chanced upon that place. She was elated atseeing the two pieces of flesh and, as shegathered them up both at once, accidently
the halves came together the right way.
And they at once adhered together andchanged into a whole living child, perfectin every detail.
The surprised Rakshasi did not wish tokill the child. She took on the guise of abeautiful woman and, going to the king,presented the child to him saying: "This is
your child."The king was immensely delighted andhanded it over to his two wives. This childbecame known as Jarasandha. He grew up
in to a man of immense physical strength.
But his body had one weakness namely,that being made up by the fusion of two
separate parts, it could be split again into
two, if sufficient force were used.
This interesting story embodies theimportant truth that two sundered parts
joined together will still remain weak,with a tendency to split. When theconquest and slaying of Jarasandha had
been resolved upon, Sri Krishna said:"Hamsa, Hidimbaka, Kamsa, and otherallies of Jarasandha are no more. Now that
he is isolated, this is the right time to kill
him. It is useless to fight with armies. He
must be provoked to a single combat andslain."
According to the code of honor of thosedays, a kshatriya had to accept thechallenge to a duel whether with orwithout weapons.
The latter sort was a fight to the deathwith weighted gauntlets or a wrestling to
the death in catch-as-catch-can style. This
was the kshatriya tradition to which

Krishna and the Pandavas had recourse
for slaying Jarasandha.
They disguised themselves as men who
had taken religious vows, clad in robes ofbark-fibre and carrying the holy darbha
grass in their hands. Thus they entered the
kingdom of Magadha and arrived at thecapital of Jarasandha.
Jarasandha was disturbed by portents of illomen. To ward off the threatened danger,
he had propitiatory rites performed by thepriests and himself took to fasts andpenance.
Krishna, Bhima, and Arjuna entered thepalace unarmed. Jarasandha received themwith respect as their noble bearing seemed
to indicate an illustrious origin. Bhima
and Arjuna made no reply to his words ofwelcome because they wished to avoid
having to tell lies.
Krishna spoke on their behalf: "These two
are observing a vow of silence for thepresent as at part of their austerities. They
can
speak
only
after
midnight."
Jarasandha entertained them in the hall ofsacrifice and returned to the palace.
It was the practice of Jarasandha to meet
noble guests who had taken vows and talkto them at their leisure and convenience,and so he called at midnight to see them.
Theirconduct
madeJarasandha
suspicious, and he also observed that they
had on their hands the scars made by thebowstring and had besides the proud
bearing of kshatriyas.
When Jarasandha demanded the truth ofthem they said frankly: "We are your foes
and seek instant combat. You can choose
one of us at will to fight with you."After acquainting himself as to who theywere, Jarasandha said: "Krishna, you are a
cowherd and Arjuna is a mere boy. Bhima
is famous for his physical strength. So, I
wish to fight with him." Since Bhima wasunarmed, Jarasandha chivalrously agreed
to fight him without weapons.

Bhima and Jarasandha were so equallymatched in strength that they fought witheach other continuously for thirteen days
without taking rest or refreshments, while
Krishna and Arjuna looked on inalternating hope and anxiety.
On the fourteenth day, Jarasandha showedsigns of exhaustion, and Krishna
prompted Bhima that the time had cometo make an end of him.
At once Bhima lifted him and whirling
him round and round a hundred times,
dashed him to the earth and seizing his
legs tore his body asunder into two halves.
And Bhima roared in exultation. The two
halves at once joined and Jarasandha, thus
made whole, leapt up into vigorous life
and again attacked Bhima.
Bhima aghast at the sight, was at a loss
what to do, when he saw Krishna pick up
a straw, tear it into two, and cast the bits
in opposite directions.
Bhima took the hint, and when once again
he tore Jarasandha asunder he threw thetwo portions in opposite directions, so thatthey could not come together and join.
Thus did Jarasandha meet his end.
The captive princes were released andJarasandha's son was crowned King of
Magadha. And Krishna, Bhima and
Arjuna returned to Indraprastha.
With Jarasandha gone, the way was now
clear for the Rajasuya which the Pandavas
performed with great pomp and splendor.
Yudhishthira assumed the title ofemperor.
The celebrations were marred by only one
incident. Towards the close of the festive
celebrations, at the time of paying the first
honor, Sisupala behaved disrespectfully inthe assembly of princes and provoked afight with Krishna in which he was slain.
This story is told in the next chapter.
22. THE FIRST HONOR
THE practice of staging a walkout froman assembly in protest against something

is nothing new. We learn from the
Mahabharata that walkout was resorted toeven in ancient times.
The India of those days consisted of anumber of independent states. Though
there was one dharma and one culture
throughout the land, the autonomy of eachstate was scrupulosly respected.
Occasionally, some strong and ambitious
monarch would seek the assent of his
fellow kings to his overlordship, which
would sometimes be given without
question.
After receiving this assent he would
perform a grand Rajasuya sacrifice, which
all the acquiescing kings would attend intoken of acknowledgement of his
supremacy.
In accordance with this custom, thePandavas invited the other kings after theslaying of Jarasandha and performed theRajasuya.
The time came for doing the honors of theoccasion. The custom was to render first
honor to the guest who was consideredmost worthy of taking precedence over allothers.
The question arose as to who should behonored first. The grandsire wasemphatically of the opinion that SriKrishna, the king of Dwaraka, should behonoredfirst,
which
was
also
Yudhishthira's own opinion.
Yudhishthira followed the advice andunder his instructions Sahadeva offered to
Sri Krishna the honors enjoined bytradition. Sisupala, the king of Chedi, who
hated Krishna as wickedness alone canhate goodness, could not tolerate it.
He laughed aloud in derision and said:"How ridiculous and unjust, but I am notsurprised. The man who sought advice
was born in illegitimacy. (This was an
insulting allusion to the sons of Kunti)
The man who gave advice was born of
one who ever declines from high to low.

(This is in reference to the fact that
Bhishma was born of Ganga, the rivernaturally flowing from higher to lower
levels.) And he who did the honors was
also born illegitimately. And what shall I
say of the man honored! He is a fool bybirth and a cowherd by breeding. Dumbindeed must be the members of thisassembly if they have not a word to say tothis! This is no place for worthy men."
Some of the assembled princes applauded
Sisupala. Encouraged by their applause headdressed Yudhishthira:"When there are so many kings gathered
here, it is a shame that you paid the first
honor to Krishna. Not to render respect
where it is rightly due and to render it
where it is not merited are both equally
grave offences. It is a pity that, for all
your imperial pretensions you are ignorantof this."Getting more and more angry as he spoke,
he continued: "Ignoring the many kingsand heroes who are here at your own
invitation and in malicious despise ofthem, you have paid royal honors to a
cowherd boor, a mere nobody. Vasudeva,
the father of Krishna, was but a servant of
Ugrasena. He is not even of royal blood.
Is this the place and the occasion to show
your vulgar partiality for Krishna, the sonof Devaki? Is this worthy of the childrenof Pandu? O sons of Pandu, you are raw,
untaught youths, altogether ignorant of theway to conduct a royal assembly. This
dotard Bhishma guided you foolishly andthus made fools of you. Krishna, why,
Krishna is no ruler at all! O Yudhishthira,why did you dare to do this wretch first
honor in this illustrious assemblage ofkings? He has not even the merit of age
and if you admire grey hair, is not his
father alive? You could not have honored
him as your preceptor surely, for yourpreceptor is Drona who is here in thisassembly. Is it as an expert in performing

sacrifices that you have honored him? Itcannot be, for Vyasa, the great master, ispresent. It would have been better even if
you had paid the first honor to Bhishma,for dotard as he be, he has still the meritof being the oldest man of your house.
Your family teacher, Kripacharya, is alsopresent in this assembly. How could you
then pay the first honor to this cowherd?
Ashwatthama, the hero who is expert inall sastras, is here. How did you choose
Krishna, forgetting him? Among theprinces
assembled
here,
there
is
Duryodhana. And there is also Karna, thedisciple of Parasurama. Leaving him
aside, out of childish partiality, you chose
Krishna for the first honor Krishna who isneither royal, nor heroic, nor learned, norholy, nor even hoary, who is nothing but a
low cowherd! Thus you have dishonored
us all, whom you have invited here. O
kings, it is not out of fear that we assented
to Yudhishthira's assuming the title ofemperor. We personally do not much care
whether he is friend or foe. But, having
heard much prate of his righteousness, we
wanted to see him uphold the flag ofdharma. He has now wantonly dishonoredus, after all that talk of virtue and dharma.
What virtue or dharma was there in his
giving priority of honor to this villain
Krishna who killed Jarasandha in an
unjust manner? You should henceforthcall Yudhishthira an unrighteous person.
O Krishna, what impudence on your partto accept the undeserved honor whichthese misguided Pandavas did you! Did
you forget yourself? Or did you forget
decent tradition? Or was it just a case of adog snatching at a remnant of food which
nobody cared to claim or guard? Do you
not really see that this farce is a ghastly
mockery and disgrace to yourself? It is
like the mockery of showing beautiful
things to a blind man or offering a maiden
in marriage to a eunuch. Likewise, thesekingly honors are really an affront to you.
It is now evident that the would-be
emperorYudhishthira,thesenileBhishma, and this fellow Krishna are all
made of the same stuff."
After Sisupala had spoken these harshwords, he rose from his seat and walked
out calling upon the other kings to join
him in resenting the insult. Many of themfollowed him.
Yudhishthira ran after them and tried toappease them with sweet words of peace
but in vain, for they were too angry to beappeased.
Sisupala's aggressive vanity waxed tofighting pitch, and there ensued a terrible
fight between Krishna and Sisupala, inwhich the latter was slain by his discus.
The Rajasuya was duly celebrated andYudhishthira recognised emperor.
23. SAKUNI COMES IN
AT the close of the Rajasuya, the princes,priests and elders, who had gathered forthe purpose, took leave and returned totheir places. Vyasa also came to say
farewell. Dharmaputra rose and received
him with due respect and sat by his side.
The sage said: "O son of Kunti, you have
got the title of emperor which youeminently deserve. May the illustrious
Kuru race gain even greater glory throughyou. Give me leave to return to myhermitage."
Yudhishthira touched the feet of hisprogenitor and guru and said: "O master,
you alone can remove my apprehensions.
Wise men have predicted from portents
the happenings of catastrophic events. Has
this prediction been fulfilled by the deathof Sisupala or is more to ensue?"
Bhagavan Vyasa replied: "Dear child,much sorrow and suffering is in store forthirteen years to come. The portents
indicate the destruction of the Kshatriya
race and are not exhausted with the deathof Sisupala. It is far from it. Hundreds ofkings will perish, and the old order ofthings will pass away. This catastrophe
will spring out of the enmity between you
and your brothers on the one side andyour cousins, the Dhritarashtras, on theother. It will culminate in a war resulting
in practical annihilation of the Kshatriya
race. No one can go against destiny. Be
firm and steadfast in righteousness. Be
vigilant and rule the kingdom, farewell."
And Vyasa blessed Yudhishthira. Vyasa's
words filled Yudhishthira with grief andwith a great repugnance for worldly
ambition and life itself.
He informed his brothers of the predictionof unavoidable racial disaster. Life
seemed to him a bitter and weary businessand his destiny particularly cruel andunbearable.
Arjuna said: "You are a king and it is not
right for you to be agitated. Let us meet
destiny with an undaunted front and do
our duty."
Yudhishthira replied: "Brothers, may God
protect us and give us wisdom. For mypart, I take this vow never to speakharshly to my brothers or to my kinsmen
for the next thirteen years. I shall avoid all
pretext for conflict. I shall never give way
to anger, which is the root cause ofenmity. It shall be my duty to give nooccasion for anger or pretext for hostility.
Thus shall we profit by Bhagavan Vyasa's
warning." His brothers expressed cordialassent.
The first event of the series which
culminated in the devastating slaughter on
the blood-sodden field of Kurukshetra andthe event which was the evil root of all,was the gambling match into which
Yudhishthira was inveigled by Sakuni,
who was Duryodhana's evil genius.
Why did the wise and good Yudhishthirasuffer himself to be persuaded to this stepwhich he must have known to hold evil
possibilities?

The main cause was his fixed resolve to
be on amicable terms with his cousins by
not opposing their wishes. And a friendly
invitation to dice could not be summarily
turned down, since the etiquette of thosedays made it a point of honor to accept agame of equal hazard.
Out of his very anxiety to foster goodwill,
he laid open the field for the poisonousseed of hatred and death. Here is an
illustration of the futility of human plans,
however well meant or wise, without
divine aid. Our best wisdom is vain
against fate, and if destiny is kind, ourvery follies turn to our advantage.
While Dharmaputra was care-worn withsolicitude to avoid a quarrel at all costs,
Duryodhana was burning with jealousy at
the thought of the prosperity of the
Pandavas that he had witnessed in theircapital during the Rajasuya sacrifice.
Duryodhana saw unprecedented wealth,attractive and sight eluding crystal doors
and many pieces of exquisite artistry inthe court-hall of Yudhishthira, allsuggestive of great prosperity.
He also saw how glad the kings of many
countries were to become the allies of the
Pandavas. This gave him unbearable grief.
He was so absorbed in sorrow at theprosperity of the Pandavas that he did not
at first hear Sakuni who was by his side,
speaking to him.
Sakuni asked: "Why are you sighing?
Why are you tormented with sorrow?"
Duryodhana
replied:"Yudhishthira,surrounded by his brothers, is like Indra,
the king of gods. Before the very eyes of
the assembled kings Sisupala was slain
and not one of them had the courage tocome forward to avenge him. Like thevaisyas who live by trade, they bartered
their honor and jewels and riches for
Yudhishthira's goodwill. How can I avoid
giving way to grief after seeing all this?
What is the good of living?"

Sakuni said: "O Duryodhana, thePandavas are your brothers. It is not righton your part to be jealous of theirprosperity. They are but enjoying theirlegitimate inheritance. By their good
fortune they have prospered andflourished without doing any injury toothers. Why should you be jealous? How
can their strength and happiness diminish
your greatness? Your brothers andrelations stand by you and obey you.
Drona, Ashwatthama and Karna are on
your side. Why do you grieve when
Bhishma, Kripa, Jayadratha, Somadatta
and myself are your supporters? You canconquer even the whole world. Do notgive way to grief."
At these words, Duryodhana said: "O
Sakuni, it is true that I have so many tosupport me. Why should we not wage war
and drive the Pandavas out of
Indraprastha?"
But Sakuni said: "No. That will not beeasy, but I know a way to drive
Yudhishthira out of Indraprastha without afight or the shedding of blood."
The eyes of Duryodhana lighted up, but it
seemed too good to be true. He asked
incredulously: "Uncle, is it possible toovercomethePandavas
without
sacrificing any life? What is your plan?"
Sakuni replied: "Yudhishthira is fond of
the game of dice and being unskillful isaltogether ignorant of its tricks and theopportunity it offers to cleverer people. If
we invite him to a game, he would accept,
following the tradition of the kshatriyas. I
know the tricks of the game and I shallplay on your behalf. Yudhishthira will be
helpless as a child against me. I shall win
his kingdom and wealth for you without
shedding a drop of blood."
24. THE INVITATIONDURYODHANA and Sakuni went toDhritarashtra.
Sakuni
openedtheconversation.
He
said:
"O
king,

Duryodhana is wan with grief and anxiety.
You are paying no attention to his
unbearable sorrow. Why this unconcern?"
Dhritarashtra who doted on his sonembraced Duryodhana and said: "I do not
see why you should be disconsolate. Whatis here that you already do not enjoy? The
whole world is at your feet. When you aresurrounded by all kinds of pleasures likethe very gods, why should you pine insorrow? You have learnt the Vedas,
archery, and other sciences from the bestof masters. As my first born, you haveinherited the throne. What is left you towish for? Tell me."Duryodhana
replied:"Father,likeanybody else, rich or poor, I eat and covermy nakedness, but I find life unbearable.
What is the use of leading such a life?"
And then he revealed in detail the envy
and hatred that were eating into his vitals
and depriving life of its savour. He
referred to the prosperity he had seen in
the capital of the Pandavas that to him
was bitterer than loss of his all would
have been.
He burst out: "Contentment with one's lot
is not characteristic of a kshatriya. Fearand pity lower the dignity of kings. My
wealth and pleasures do not give me any
satisfaction since I have witnessed thegreater prosperity of Yudhishthira. O
king, the Pandavas have grown, while wehave shrunk."
Dhritarashtra said: "Beloved child, you
are the eldest son of my royal spouse andme and heir to the glory and greatness of
our renowned race. Do not cherish any
hatred towards the Pandavas. Sorrow anddeath will be the sole result of hatred ofkith and kin, especially when they areblameless. Tell me, why do you hate theguileless Yudhishthira? Is not his
prosperity ours too? Our friends are his
friends. He has not the least jealousy or
hatred towards us. You are equal to him inheroism and ancestry. Why should you be
jealous of your brother? No. You should
not be jealous." Thus said the old kingwho, though overfond of his son, did notoccasionally hesitate to say what he felt tobe just.
Duryodhana did not at all like the adviceof his father, and his reply was not very
respectful.
He replied: "The man without common
sense, but immersed in learning, is like awooden ladle immersed in savoury food
which it neither tastes nor benefits from.
You have much learning of statecraft but
have no state wisdom at all, as youradvice to me clearly shows. The way of
the world is one thing and theadministration of a state is quite another.
Thus has Brihaspati said: 'Forbearance
and contentment, though the duties ofordinary men, are not virtues in kings.'
The kshatriya's duty is a constant seekingof victory."
Duryodhana spoke thus quoting maximsof politics and citing examples andmaking the worse appear the better
reason.
Then Sakuni intervened and set forth indetail his infallible plan of inviting
Yudhishthira to play the game of dice,
defeating him utterly and divesting him of
his all without recourse to arms.
The wicked Sakuni wound up withsaying: "It is enough if you merely send
for the son of Kunti to play the game ofdice. Leave the rest to me."Duryodhana added: "Sakuni will win forme the riches of the Pandavas without afight, if you would only agree to invite
Yudhishthira."
Dhritarashtra said: "Your suggestion does
not seem proper. Let us ask Vidura aboutit. He will advise us rightly."
But Duryodhana would not hear of
consulting Vidura. He said to his father:"Vidura will only give us the platitudes of

ordinary morality, which will not help us
to our object. The policy of kings must bevery different from the goody maxims oftextbooks, and is sterner stuff of which thetest is success. Moreover, Vidura does notlike me and is partial to the Pandavas.
You know this as well as I do."Dhritarashtra said: "The Pandavas arestrong. I do not think it wise to antagonize
them. The game of dice will only lead toenmity. The passions resulting from thegame will know no bounds. We should
not do it."But Duryodhana was importunate: "Wisestatesmanship lies in casting off all fearand protecting oneself by one's own
efforts. Should we not force the issue
while yet we are more powerful than they
are? That will be real foresight. A lost
opportunity may never come again, and it
is not as though we invented the game ofdice to injure the Pandavas. It is anancient pastime which kshatriyas havealways indulged in, and if it will now
serve us to win our cause without
bloodshed, where is the harm?"
Dhritarashtra replied: "Dear son, I havegrown old. Do as you like. But the linethat you are taking does not appeal to me.
I am sure you will repent later. This is thework of destiny."In the end, out-argued and through sheer
fatigue and hopelessness of dissuading hisson, Dhritarashtra assented, and ordered
the servants to prepare a hall of games.
Yet he could not forbear consulting
Vidura in secret about the matter.
Vidura said: "O king, this willundoubtedly bring about the ruin of ourrace by raising up unquenchable hate."
Dhritarashtra, who could not oppose thedemand of his son, said: "If fortune favors
us I have no fear regarding this game. If
on the contrary, fortune goes against us,
how could we help it? For, destiny is allpowerful. Go and invite Yudhishthira on

my behalf to come and play dice." Thus
commanded, Vidura went to Yudhishthirawith an invitation.
The weak-witted Dhritarashtra, overpersuaded, yielded to the desire of his son
through his attachment to him in spite of
the fact that he knew this was the way that
destiny was working itself out.
25. THE WAGER
AT THE sight of Vidura, Yudhishthiraanxiously inquired: "Why are you socheerless? Is it well with all our relationsin Hastinapura? Are the king and theprinces well?"Vidura acquainted him with his mission:"Everyone in Hastinapura is well. How
fares it with you all? I have come to invite
you on behalf of King Dhritarashtra tocome and see the newly erected hall ofgames. A beautiful hall has been erected
there even like yours. The king would like
you to come with your brothers, seeeverything, have a game of dice andreturn to your capital."
Yudhishthira seemed to ask counsel of
Vidura: "Wagering games create quarrels
among kshatriyas. A wise man will avoid
them if he can. We are ever abiding by
your advice. What would you have us
do?"Vidura replied: "Everyone is aware thatthe playing of dice is the root of manyevils. I did my best to oppose this idea.
Still the king has commanded me to invite
you and I have come. You may do as you
like."
Despite this warning, Yudhishthira went
to Hastinapura with his brothers andretinue. It may be asked why the wise
Yudhishthira responded to the invitation.
Three reasons may be given. Men rush
consciously on their ruin impelled by lust,
gambling and drink. Yudhishthira wasfond of gambling. The kshatriya tradition
made it a matter of etiquette and honor not
to refuse an invitation to a game of dice.

There is a third reason too. True to thevow he took at the time Vyasa had warned
him of the quarrels that would arise
leading to destruction of the race.
Yudhishthira would not give any occasion
for displeasure or complaint by refusing
the invitation of Dhritarashtra.
These causes conspired with his natural
inclination to make Yudhishthira accept
the invitation and go to Hastinapura. The
Pandavas and their retinue stopped in themagnificent palace reserved for them.
Yudhishthira rested on the day of arrival,
and after the daily routine of duties, went
to the hall of games the next morning.
After the exchange of customary
greetings,
Sakuniannounced
toYudhishthira that the cloth for playing thegame had been spread and invited him toit.
Yudhishthira at first said: "O king,gambling is bad. It is not through heroism
or merit that one succeeds in a game ofchance. Asita, Devala and other wise
rishis who were well-versed in worldly
affairs have declared that gambling should
be avoided since it offers scope for deceit.
They have also said that conquest in battle
is the proper path for the kshatriyas. You
are not unaware of it."
But a part of himself, weakened by
addiction to gambling, was at war with his
judgment and in his heart of hearts
Yudhishthira desired to play.
In his discussion with Sakuni, we see thisinner conflict.
The keen-witted Sakuni
spotted this weakness at once and said:"What is wrong with the game? What, infact, is a battle? What is even a discussion
between Vedic scholars? The learned man
wins victory over the ignorant. The betterman wins in every case. It is just a test of
strength or skill, that is all, and there isnothing wrong in it. As for the result, inevery field of activity, the expert defeats
the beginner, and that is what happens in agame of dice also. But if you are afraid,
you need not play. But do not come out
with this worn excuse of right andwrong."
Yudhishthira replied: "Well, who is toplay with me?"Duryodhana
said:
"Mine
is
the
responsibility for finding the stakes in theform of wealth and gems to play thegame. My uncle Sakuni will actually castthe dice in my stead."
Yudhishthira had thought himself secureof defeating Duryodhana in play but
Sakuni was a different matter, for Sakuni
was a recognised expert. So he hesitatedand said: "It is not, I think, customary forone man to play on behalf of another."
Sakuni retorted tauntingly: "I see that you
are forging another excuse."
Yudhishthira flushed and, casting caution
to the winds, replied: "Well, I shall play."
The hall was fully crowded. Drona, Kripa,
Bhishma, Vidura, and Dhritarashtra wereseated there. They knew that the game
would end viciously and sat unhappily
witnessing what they could not prevent.
The assembled princes watched the gamewith great interest and enthusiasm. At first
they wagered jewels and later gold, silver
and then chariots and horses. Yudhishthiralost continually.
When he lost all these, Yudhishthirastaked his servants and lost them also. He
pledged his elephants and armies and lostthem too. The dice thrown by Sakuni
seemed at every time to obey his will.
Cows, sheep, cities, villages and citizens
and all other possessions were lost by
Yudhishthira.
Still,
druggedwith
misfortune, he would not stop.
He lost the ornaments of his brothers andhimself as well as the very clothes theywore. Still bad luck dogged him, or rather
the trickery of Sakuni was too much forhim.

Sakuni asked: "Is there anything else thatyou can offer as wager?"
Yudhishthira said: "Here is the beautiful
sky-complexioned Nakula. He is one of
my riches. I place him as a wager."
Sakuni replied: "Is it so? We shall be glad
to win your beloved prince." With thesewords Sakuni cast the dice and the result
was what he had foretold.
The assembly trembled.
Yudhishthira said: "Here is my brother
Sahadeva. He is famous for his infinite
knowledge in all the arts. It is wrong to
bet him, still I do so. Let us play."
Sakuni cast the dice with the words:"Here, I have played and I havewon."Yudhishthira lost Sahadeva too.
The wicked Sakuni was afraid that
Yudhishthira might stop there. So belashed Yudhishthira with these words:"To you, Bhima and Arjuna, being yourfull brothers, are no doubt dearer than thesons of Madri. You will not offer them, I
know."
Yudhishthira, now thoroughly recklessand stung to the quick by the sneering
imputation that he held his step-brothers
cheap, replied: "Fool, do you seek todivide us? How can you, living an evil
life, understand the righteous life welead?"He continued: "I offer as wager the evervictorious
Arjunawho
successfully
voyages across oceans of battle. Let us
play."
Sakuni answered: "I cast the dice" and heplayed. Yudhishthira lost Arjuna also.
The stubborn madness of unbroken
misfortune carried Yudhishthira further
and deeper. With tears in his eyes, he said:"O king, Bhima, my brother, is our leader
in battle. He strikes terror into the heart ofdemons and is equal to Indra; he cannever suffer the least dishonor and he ispeerless throughout the world in physicalstrength. I offer him as a bet" and heplayed again and lost Bhima too.
The wicked Sakuni asked: "Is there any
thing else you can offer?"
Dharmaputra replied: "Yes. Here ismyself. If you win, I shall be your slave.""Look. I win." Thus saying, Sakuni castthe dice and won. After that Sakuni stoodup in the assembly and shouted the namesof each of the five Pandavas and loudly
proclaimed that they had all become his
lawful slaves.
The assembly looked on in stunnedsilence.
Sakunialone
turnedtoYudhishthira and said: "There is one
jewel still in your possession by staking
which you can yet free yourself. Can you
not continue the game cffering your wife
Draupadi as wager?"
Yudhishthira despairingly said: "I pledge
her," and he trembled unwittingly.
There was audible distress and agitation inthat part of the assembly where the elders
sat. Soon great shouts of 'Fie! Fie!' arosefrom all sides. The more emotional wept.
Others perspired, and felt the end of theworld was come.
Duryodhana, his brothers and Karna
shouted with exultation. In that group
Yuyutsu alone bent his head in shame andsorrow and heaved a deep sigh. Sakuni
cast the dice and shouted again: "I havewon."
At once Duryodhana turned to Vidura andsaid: "Go and fetch Draupadi, the beloved
wife of the Pandavas. She must hence
forward sweep and clean our house. Let
her come without delay."
Vidura exclaimed: "Are you mad that you
rush to certain destruction? You are
hanging by a slender thread over abottomless abyss! Drunk with success,you do not see it, but it will engulf you!"
Having thus reprimanded Duryodhana,
Vidura turned to the assembly and said:"Yudhishthira had no right to stakePanchali as by then he had himself alreadylost his freedom and lost all rights. I see
that the ruin of the Kauravas is imminent,
and that, regardless of the advice of theirfriends and well-wishers, the sons ofDhritarashtra are on the path to hell."Duryodhana was angry at these words ofViduraandtold
Prathikami,
hischarioteer: "Vidura is jealous of us and heis afraid of the Pandavas. But you are
different. Go forth and bring Draupadi
immediately."
26. DRAUPADI'S GRIEF
PRATHIKAMI went to Draupadi asordered by his master. He said to her: "O
revered princess, Yudhishthira fell under
the spell of the game of dice and has
wagered and lost even you. Now you
belong to Duryodhana. I have come by
Duryodhana's command to take you toserve in his household as maid servant,which will hereafter be your office."
Draupadi, the spouse of the emperor who
had
performed
Rajasuya,wasdumbfounded, at this strange message.
She asked: "Prathikami, what do you say?
Which prince would pledge his wife? Had
he nothing else to pawn?"
Prathikami answered: "It is because he
had already lost all other possessions andhad nothing else left that he played
offering you as a stake."
Then he told her the whole story of how
Yudhishthira had lost all his wealth andhad finally betted her, after having first
forfeited his brothers and himself.
Though the news was such as to break theheart and kill the soul, still, Draupadi soonregained her fortitude and, with anger
blazing from her eyes, said: "O charioteer,
return. Ask of him who played the gamewhether in it he first lost himself, or his
wife. Ask this question in the open
assembly. Bring me his answer and then
you can take me." Prathikami went to theassembly and, turning to Yudhishthira,asked of him the question put by
Draupadi.
Yudhishthira remained speechless.
Then Duryodhana bade Prathikami bring
Panchali herself there to question her
husband. Prathikami went again toDraupadi and humbly said: "Princess, themean-minded Duryodhana desires you to
go to the assembly and ask your question
yourself."
Draupadi answered: "No. Return to theassembly and put the question anddemand an answer."
Prathikami did so.
Enraged, Duryodhana turned to his
brother Duhsasana and said: "This man isa fool and is afraid of Bhima. Go andfetch Draupadi even if you have to dragher here."Thus commanded, the wicked Duhsasana
at once sped with joy on his errand. He
proceeded to the place where Draupadi
was, shouting: "Come, why do you delay?
You are now ours. Be not shy, beautiful
lady. Make yourself agreeable to us, nowthat you have been won by us. Come tothe assembly" and in his impatience, hebade as though to take her thither byforce.
Panchali rose trembling, heart-strickenwith sorrow and started to fly for refuge tothe inner apartments of Dhritarashtra's
queen. Duhsasana darted after her, caught
her by the hair and dragged her to theassembly.
It is with a shudder of repugnance that we
relate how the sons of Dhritarashtra
stooped to commit this vilest of deeds.
As soon as she came to the assembly,
Draupadi controlled her anguish andappealed to the elders gathered there:"How could you consent to my being
staked by the king who was himself
trapped into the game and cheated bywicked persons, expert in the art? Sincehe was no longer a free man, how could
he stake anything at all?"Then, stretching out her arms and raising
her flowing eyes in agonised supplication
she cried in a voice broken with sobs:"If you have loved and revered themothers who bore you and gave you suck,if the honor of wife or sister or daughterhas been dear to you, if you believe in
God and dharma, forsake me not in thishorror more cruel than death"'
At this heart-broken cry, as of a poor fawn
stricken to death, the elders hung theirheads in grief and shame. Bhima could
hold himself no longer. His swelling heart
found relief in a roar of wrath that shookthe very walls, and turning toYudhishthira he said bitterly:"Even abandoned professional gamblers
would not stake the harlots who live withthem, and you, worse than they, have left
the daughter of Drupada to the mercy ofthese ruffians. I cannot bear this injustice.
You are the cause of this great crime.
Brother Sahadeva, bring fire. I am going
to set fire to those hands of his which castthe dice."
Arjuna however remonstrated gently with
Bhima: "You have never before spoken
thus. The plot devised by our enemies isentangling us also in its meshes andinciting us to wicked action. We should
not succumb and play their game.
Beware."With a superhuman effort, Bhima
controlled his anger.
Vikarna, the son of Dhritarashtra, could
not bear the sight of the agony ofPanchali. He rose up and said: "OKshatriya heroes, why are you silent? I
am a mere youth, I know, but your silencecompels me to speak. Listen. Yudhishthira
was enticed to this game by a deeply
plotted invitation and he pledged this lady
when he had no right to do so, because
she does not belong to Yudhishthira alone.

For that reason alone the wager is illegal.
Besides, Yudhishthira had already lost his
freedom, and being no longer a free man,
how could he have a right to offer her as a
stake? And there is this further objection.
It was Sakuni who suggested her as apledge, which is against the rules of thegame, under which neither player may
demand a specific bet. If we consider allthese points, we must admit that Panchali
has not been legally won by us. This is my
opinion."When the young Vikarna spoke thus
courageously, the wisdom given by God
to the members of the assembly suddenly
illumined their minds. There were great
shouts of applause. They shouted:"Dharma has been saved. Dharma has
been saved."
At that moment Karna rose up and said:"O Vikarna, forgetting that there are
elders in this assembly, you lay down thelaw though you are but a stripling. By
your ignorance and rashness you are
injuring the very family which gave youbirth, just as the flame generated by thearani destroys its source, the stick. It is an
ill bird that fouls its own nest. At the very
beginning, when Yudhishthira was a freeman, he forfeited all he possessed andthat, of course, included Draupadi. Hence,
Draupadi had already come into Sakuni's
possession. There is nothing more to besaid in the matter. Even the clothes they
have on are now Sakuni's property. O
Duhsasana, seize the garments of the
Pandavas and the robes of Draupadi andhand them over to Sakuni."
As soon as they heard the cruel words of
Karna, the Pandavas, feeling that they had
to stand the test of dharma to the bitter
end, flung off their upper garments toshow that they were ready to follow thepath of honor and right at any cost.
Seeing this, Duhsasana went to Draupadi
and made ready to seize her clothes byforce. All earthly aid had failed, and in theanguish of utter helplessness, she
implored divine mercy and succour:"O Lord of the World," she wailed, "Godwhom I adore and trust, abandon me notin this dire plight. You are my sole refuge.
Protect me." And she fainted away.
Then, as the wicked Duhsasana started his
shameful work of pulling at Panchali'srobes and good men shuddered andaverted their eyes, even then, in the mercyof God a miracle occurred.
In vain Duhsasana toiled to strip off her
garments, for as he pulled off each, ever
fresh garments were seen to clothe herbody, and soon a great heap of
resplendent clothes was piled up before
the assembly till Duhsasana desisted andsat down in sheer fatigue.
The assembly trembled at this marvel andgood men praised God and wept. Bhima
with quivering lips, loudly uttered thisterrible oath: "May I never go to the blest
abode of my ancestors if I do not rend thebreast and drink the heart's blood of thissinful Duhsasana, this shame of the
Bharata race."
Suddenly, the howling of jackals could beheard. Donkeys and carnivorous birds
began to send forth weird dissonant criesfrom all sides, portending calamities tocome.
Dhritarashtra who realised that thisincident would be the cause of thedestruction of his race, for once acted withwisdom and courage. He called Draupadi
to his side and attempted to soothe herwith words of gentleness and affection.
Then he turned to Yudhishthira and said:"You are so blameless that you can haveno enemies. Forgive in your magnanimity
the evil done by Duryodhana and dismiss
all memory of it from your mind. Takeback your kingdom and riches andeverything else and be free andprosperous. Return to Indraprastha." And

the Pandavas left that accursed hall,bewildered and stunned, and seeing a
miracle in this sudden release fromcalamity. But it was too good to endure.
After Yudhishthira and his brothers had
departed, there was a long and angry
discussion in the palace of the Kauravas.
Incited by Duhsasana, Sakuni and others,
Duryodhana upbraided his father withhaving frustrated their well-laid plans on
the very threshold of success.
He quoted Brihaspati's aphorism that nodevice could be considered wrong which
had as its object the destruction of
formidable enemies.
He spoke in detail on the prowess of the
Pandavas and expressed his convictionthat the only hope of overcoming the
Pandavas lay in guile and taking
advantage of their pride and sense ofhonor.
No self-respecting kshatriya could decline
an invitation to a game of dice.
Duryodhana secured his doting father's
reluctant and ominous approval to a plan
to entice Yudhishthira once again to agame of dice.
A messenger was accordingly dispatched
after Yudhisthira who had taken his
departure for Indraprastha. He came up
with Yudhishthira before the latter had
reached his destination and invited him on
behalf of king Dhritarashtra to come back.
On hearing this invitation, Yudhishthirasaid: "Good and evil come from destiny
and cannot be avoided. If we must playagain we must, that is all. A challenge todice cannot in honor be refused. I must
accept it." Truly, as Sri Vyasa says:"There never was and never can be anantelope of gold! Yet, Rama went in vain
pursuit of what seemed one. Surely, whencalamities are imminent, the judgment isfirst destroyed."
Dharmaputra returned to Hastinapura andset again for a game with Sakuni, thougheveryone in the assembly tried to dissuadehim.
He seemed a mere pawn moved by Kali torelieve the burden of the world.
The stake played for was that the defeatedparty should go with his brothers into
exile to the forest and remain there fortwelve years and spend the thirteenth year
incognito. If they were recognised in thethirteenth year, they should go again into
exile for twelve years.
Needless to say, Yudhishthira met with
defeat on this occasion also, and the
Pandavas took the vows of those who areto go to the forest.
All the members of the assembly bent
down their heads in shame.
27. DHRITARASHTRA'S ANXIETY
WHEN the Pandavas set out for the forest,
there arose a great clamor of lamentationfrom people who thronged the streets andclimbed the roofs and towers and trees to
see them go.
The princes, who, of yore, rode in
jewelled chariots or on lordly elephants tostrains of auspicious music, now walked
away from their birthright on weary feet,accompanied by weeping crowds. On all
sides cries arose of: "Fie and Alas! Does
not God see this from His heaven?"
The blind Dhritarashtra sent for Vidura
and asked him to describe the departure of
the Pandavas into exile. Vidura replied:"Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, went withhis face covered with a cloth. Bhima went
behind with his eyes lowered on his arms.
Arjuna proceeded scattering sand on his
path. Nakula and Sahadeva besmeared
their bodies with dust and closely
followed
Yudhishthira.
Draupadiaccompanied
Dharmaputra,
herdishevelled hair covering her face and hereyes streaming with tears. Dhaumya, thepriest, went along with them singing theSama hymns, addressed to Yama, theLord of Death."

When he heard these words, Dhritarashtra
was filled with ever-greater fear andanxiety than before. He asked: "What dothe citizens say?"
Vidura answered: "O great king, I shalltell you in their own words what thecitizens of all castes and creeds say: 'Our
leaders have left us. Fie on the elders of
the Kuru race who have suffered suchthingstohappen!
Thecovetous
Dhritarashtra and his sons have driven
away the sons of Pandu to the forest.'
While the citizens blame us thus, theheavens are vexed with cloudlesslightning, and the distressed earth quakes,
and there are other evil portents."
While Dhritarashtra and Vidura wereconversing thus, the sage Narada suddenly
appeared before them. Narada declared:"Fourteen years from this day the
Kauravas will become extinct as the resultof the crime committed by Duryodhana"and vanished from sight.
Duryodhana and his companions werefilled with fear and approached Dronawith a prayer never to abandon them,whatever happened.
Drona answered gravely: "I believe withthe wise that the Pandavas are of divine
birth and unconquerable. Yet my duty is
to fight for the sons of Dhritarashtra whorely on me and whose salt I eat. I shallstrive for them, heart and soul. But destiny
is all-powerful. The Pandavas will surely
return from exile, burning with anger. I
should know what anger is, for I
dethroned and dishonored Drupada on
account of my anger towards him.
Implacably revengeful, he has performeda sacrifice so that he might be blessedwith a son who would kill me. It is said
Dhrishtadyumna is that son. As destiny
would have it, he is the brother-in-law andfast friend of the Pandavas. And things are
moving as foreordained. Your actions
tend in the same direction and your days

are numbered. Lose no time in doing goodwhile you may; perform great sacrifice,enjoy sinless pleasures, give alms to theneedy. Nemesis will overtake you in the
fourteenth year. Duryodhana, make peace
withYudhishthira this is my counsel toyou. But, of course, you will do what you
like."
Duryodhana was not at all pleased withthese words of Drona.
Sanjaya asked Dhritarashtra: "O king,why are you worried?"
The blind king replied: "How can I know
peace after having injured the Pandavas?"
Sanjaya said: "What you say is quite true.
The victim of adverse fate will first
become perverted, utterly losing his senseof right and wrong. Time, the all
destroyer, does not take a club and break
the head of a man but by destroying his
judgment, makes him act madly to his
own ruin. Your sons have grossly insulted
Panchali and put themselves on the pathof destruction."
Dhritarashtra said: "I did not follow thewise path of dharma and statesmanshipbut suffered myself to be misled by myfoolish son and, as you say, we are fast
hastening towards the abyss."
Vidura used to advise Dhritarashtra
earnestly. He would often tell him: "Yourson has committed a great wrong.
Dharmaputra has been cheated. Was it notyour duty to turn your children to the pathof virtue and pull them away from vice?
You should order even now that the
Pandavas get back the kingdom granted tothem by you. Recall Yudhishthira fromthe forest and make peace with him. You
should even restrain Duryodhana by force
if he will not listen to reason."At first Dhritarashtra would listen in sadsilence when Vidura spoke thus, for heknew Vidura to be a wiser man thanhimself who wished him well. But

gradually his patience wore thin withrepeated homilies.
One day, Dhritarashtra could stand it nolonger. "O Vidura," he burst out, "you arealways speaking for the Pandavas andagainst my sons. You do not seek ourgood. Duryodhana was born of my loins.
How can I give him up? What is the useof advising such an unnatural course? I
have lost my faith in you and do not need
you anymore. You are free to go to the
Pandavas if you like." Then, turning hisback on Vidura, he retired to the inner
apartments.
Vidurasorrowfully
felt
that
the
destruction of the Kuru race was certain
and, taking Dhritarashtra at his word,
drove in a chariot with fleet horses to theforest where the Pandavas lived.
Dhritarashtra was filled with anxious
remorse. He reflected thin himself: "Whathave I done? I have only strengthened
Duryodhana, while driving the wise
Vidura to the Pandavas."
But later he called for Sanjaya and asked
him to bear a repentant message to Vidura
imploring him to forgive the thoughtlesswords of an unhappy father and to return.
Sanjaya hurried to the hermitage where
the Pandavas were staying and foundthem clad in deer-skin and surrounded bysages.
He also saw Vidura there and conveyed
Dhritarashtra's message adding that theblind king would die broken-hearted if he
did not return.
The soft-hearted Vidura, who was dharma
incarnate, was greatly moved and returned
to Hastinapura.
Dhritarashtra embraced Vidura and thedifference between them was washedaway in tears of mutual affection.
One day, the sage Maitreya came to thecourt of Dhritarashtra and was welcomedwith great respect.

Dhritarashtra craved his blessing andasked him: "Revered sir, you havecertainly met my beloved children, thePandavas, in Kurujangala. Are they well?
Will mutual affection abide in our family
without any diminution?"
Maitreya said: "I accidentally met
Yudhishthira in the Kamyaka forest. The
sages of the place had come to see him. I
learnt of the events that took place inHastinapura, and I marvelled that suchthings should have been permitted while
Bhishma and yourself were alive."
Later, Maitreya saw Duryodhana who wasalso in the court and advised him, for his
own good, not to injure but to make peacewith the Pandavas who were not only
mighty themselves but related to Krishna
and Drupada.
The obstinate and foolish Duryodhana
merely laughed, slapping his thighs inderision and, tearing the ground with his
feet and without granting an answer,
turned away.
Maitreya grew angry and looking at
Duryodhana said: "Are you so arrogantand do you slap your thighs in derision of
one who wishes you well? Your thighs
will be broken by a Bhima's mace and you
will die on the battlefield." At thisDhritarashtra jumped up, fell at the feet ofthe sage and begged forgiveness.
Maitreya said: "My curse will not work if
your son makes peace with the Pandavas.
Otherwise it will have effect," and strodeindignantly out of the assembly.
28. KRISHNA'S VOWAs SOON as the news of the slaying of
Sisupala by Krishna reached his friend
Salva, he became very angry and besieged
Dwaraka with a mighty force.
Krishna having not yet returned to
Dwaraka, old Ugrasena was in charge ofthe defence of the city. The sieges
described in the Mahabharata seem verymuch like those in wars of the presentday.
Dwaraka was a strongly garrisoned
fortress built on an island and wellprovided with means of defence. Ample
barracks had been provided and there wasan abundant supply of food and weapons
and the garrison included many illustrious
warriors.
Ugrasena imposed a stringent ban upondrinking and amusements generally forthe period of the siege. All the bridges
were demolished and ships were forbidd
enentry into ports in the realm.
Iron spikes were planted in the moats
around the fortress and the city walls kept
in good repair.
All entrances to the city were guarded
with barbed wire and permits andpasswords strictly controlled ingress andegress. Thus no arrangements were
neglected that could further strengthen thecity which nature had already madeimpregnable.
The pay of the soldiers was increased.
Volunteers for service were rigidly tested
before being accepted as soldiers.
The siege was so rigorously pushed thatthe garrison suffered great privations.
Krishna, when he returned, was struck to
the heart at the sufferings of his beloved
city and he compelled Salva immediately
to raise the siege, by attacking anddefeating him.
It was only afterwards that Krishna learnt
for the first time of the events at
Hastinapura, the game of dice and theexile of the Pandavas. At once be set out
for the forest where the Pandavas were
living.
Along with Krishna went many, including
men of the Bhoja and Vrishni tribes,
Dhrishtaketu, the king of the Chedi
country, and the Kekayas who were all
devoted to the Pandavas.

They
were
filledwithrighteousindignation
when
they
heard
of
Duryodhana's perfidy and cried out thatsurely the earth would drink the blood ofsuch wicked people.
Draupadi approached Sri Krishna and, in avoice drowned in tears and broken withsobs, told the story of her wrongs. She
said: "I was dragged to the assembly when
I had but a single garment on my body.
The sons of Dhritarashtra insulted memost outrageously and gloated over myagony. They thought that I had become
their slave and accosted me and treatedme as one. Even Bhishma andDhritarashtra forgot my birth and breeding
and my relationship to them. O
Janardhana, even my husbands did notprotect me from the jeers and the ribald
insults of those foul ruffians. Bhima's
bodily strength and Arjuna's Gandiva bow
were alike of no avail. Under suchsupreme provocation even weaklings
would have found strength and courage tostrike the vile insulter dead. The Pandavas
are renowned heroes and yet Duryodhana
lives! I, the daughter-in-law of theemperor Pandu, was dragged by my hair.
I, the wife of five heroes, was dishonored.
O Madhusudana, even you had desertedme." She stood trembling, utterly unable
to continue, for the grief convulsed her.
Krishna was deeply moved and heconsoled the weeping Draupadi. He said:"Those who tormented you will bestricken to death in the bloody quagmireof a lost battle. Wipe your eyes. I
solemnly promise that your grievous
wrongs shall be amply avenged. I shallhelp the Pandavas in every way. You will
become an empress. The heavens may
fall, the Himalayas may split in twain, theearth may crumble or the boundless sea
may dry up, but, I tell you verily, mywords shall stand. I swear this," andKrishna took a solemn vow before
Draupadi.
This vow, it will be seen, was in perfectaccord with the purpose of the Lord's
avatars, as declared in scriptures:"For protecting the righteous, for
destroying the wicked and for firmly
upholding the law, I am born on earth age
after age."
Dhrishtadyumna also consoled his sisterand told her how nemesis would overtake
the Kauravas.
He said: "I will kill Drona, Sikhandin willcause Bhishma's fall. Bhima will take thelives of the wicked Duryodhana and his
brothers. Arjuna will slay Karna, thecharioteer's son."
Sri Krishna said: "When this calamity
befell you, I was in Dwaraka. Had I beenin Hastinapur, I would never have allowed
this fraudulent game of dice to take place.
Uninvited, I would have gone there andstirred up Drona, Kripa and the otherelders to a sense of duty. I would, at all
costs, have prevented this destructive playof dice. When Sakuni was cheating you, I
was fighting King Salva who hadbesieged my city. It was only after I had
defeated him that I came to know of thegame of dice and the subsequent sordid
story. It grieves me that I am not able toremove your sorrows immediately but you
know, some water must be lost before abroken dam is restored."
Then Krishna took leave and returned to
Dwaraka with Subhadra, the wife of
Arjuna, and their child, Abhimanyu.
Dhrishtadyumna went back to Panchalataking with him the sons of Draupadi.
29. PASUPATA
IN the beginning of their stay in the forest,
Bhima and Draupadi used, on occasions,
to argue with Yudhishthira.
They would plead that only righteous
anger befitted a kshatriya and that

patience and forbearance under slights andinsults were not worthy of him.
They would quote weighty authorities andargue vehemently in support of theircontention. Yudhishthira would firmly
reply that they should abide by thepromise they had made and thatforbearance was the highest virtue of all.
Bhima was burning with impatience toattack and kill Duryodhana immediately
and win back the kingdom. He thought it
unworthy of warriors to continue to dwell
tamely in the forest.
Bhima said to Yudhishthira: "You speak
like those who repeat Vedic mantras andare satisfied with the sound of the words
though ignorant of their meaning. Your
intellect has become confused. You areborn as a kshatriya and yet you do notthink or behave like one. You havebecome a brahmana by temperament. You
know, the scriptures enjoin on a kshatriya
sternness and enterprise. We should not
let the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra havetheir way. Vain is the birth of a kshatriya
who does not conquer his deceitfulenemies. This is my opinion, and to me, if
we go to hell by killing a deceitful foe,such hell is heaven. Your forbearance
burns us worse than fire. It scorches
Arjuna and myself day and night, making
us sleepless. Those miscreants have seized
our kingdom by fraud and are enjoying it,
while you lie torpid like a gorged python.
You say that we should abide by our
promise. How can the world-renowned
Arjuna live incognito? Can the Himalayas
be hidden under a handful of grass? How
can the lion-hearted Arjuna, Nakula and
Sahadeva live in hiding? Can the famous
Draupadi walk about unrecognized byothers? Even if we do these impossible
things, the son of Dhritarashtra will findout through his spies. Hence, this promiseof ours is impossible of performance andhas been put on us merely to thrust us out

again for another thirteen years. The
sastras too support me when I say that afilched promise is no promise. A handfulof grass thrown to a tired bull ought to beenough as expiation for breaking such apromise. You should resolve to kill our
enemies immediately. There is no higher
duty for a kshatriya."
Bhima was never tired of pressing his
view. Draupadi also would refer to thedishonor she had suffered at the hands of
Duryodhana, Karna and Duhsasana andwould quote authorities from thescriptures that would give Yudhishthiraanxiety to think.
He would sometimes answer with
common maxims of politics and refer tothe relative strength of the parties. He
would say: "Our enemy has such
adherentsas
Bhurisravas,
Bhishma,Drona,
Karnaand
Aswatthama.
Duryodhana and his brothers are expert in
warfare. Many feudatory princes, as well
as mighty monarchs, are now on theirside. Bhishma and Drona, indeed, have norespect for Duryodhana's character, butwill not give him up and are prepared tosacrifice their lives on his side in thebattlefield. Karna is a brave and skilfulfighter, well versed in the use of all theweapons. The course of war isunpredictable and success is uncertain.
There is no use in being hasty." Thus
Yudhishthira managed with difficulty torestrain the impatience of the younger
Pandavas.
Later, as advised by Vyasa, Arjuna went
to the Himalayas to practise austerities forthe purpose of getting new weapons fromthe devas. Arjuna took leave of his
brothers and went to Panchali to bid her
farewell.
She said: "O Dhananjaya, may you
prosper in your mission. May God give
you all that Kuntidevi hoped and wished
for when you were born. The happiness,

life, honor and prosperity of us all dependon you. Return after acquiring new
weapons." Thus Panchali sent him forthwith auspicious words.
It is noteworthy that though the voice wasDraupadi the wife's, yet the benediction
was Kunti the mother's for the words
were: "May God give all that Kuntidevi
wished and hoped for when you wereborn."
Arjuna passed through dense forests andreached the mountain of Indrakila, where
he met an old brahmana. The ascetic
smiled and spoke affectionately to Arjuna:"Child, you are clad in armor and carryweapons. Who are you? Weapons are of
no use here. What do you seek in this garbof a kshatriya in this abode of ascetics andsaints who have conquered anger andpassion?" That was Indra, the king ofgods, who came to have the pleasure ofmeeting his son.
Arjuna bowed to his father and said: "Iseek arms. Bless me with weapons." Indrareplied: "O Dhananjaya, what is the use of
weapons? Ask for pleasures or seek to go
to higher worlds for enjoyment."
Arjuna answered: "O king of gods, I do
not seek pleasures of higher worlds. I
have come here after leaving Panchali andmy brothers in the forest. I seek but
weapons."
The thousand-eyed said: "If you be
blessed by the vision of god Siva, thethree-eyed god, and obtain his grace, youwill receive divine weapons. Do penance
unto Siva."
Thus saying Indra disappeared. Then,
Arjuna went to the Himalayas and did
penance to obtain the grace of Siva.
Siva under the guise of a hunter andaccompanied by his divine spouseUmadevi, entered the forest in pursuit ofgame.
The chase grew fast and furious, andpresently a wild boar started charging

Arjuna, who shot an arrow into it with his
Gandiva bow at the same moment that thehunter Siva transfixed it with a shaft fromhis Pinaka bow.
Arjuna shouted in loud voice: "Who areyou? Why are you ranging in this forest
with your wife? How dare you shoot at
the game I had aimed at?"
The hunter replied as though in contempt:"This forest, full of game, belongs to us,
who live in it. You do not look toughenough to be a forester. Your limbs andbearing bespeak a soft luxurious life. It israther for me to ask what you are doing
here." He also added that it was his shaftthat had killed the boar, and that if Arjuna
thought differently be was welcome tofight about it.
Nothing could please Arjuna better. He
jumped up and showered snake-likearrows at Siva. To his amazement, they
seemed to have no effect on the hunterand fell back hurtless like storm-driven
rain from a mountain peak.
When he had no more arrows, he started
to strike Siva with his bow. But the hunter
seemed not to heed it and wrenched withease the bow out of Arjuna's hand andburst into laughter.
Arjuna, who had been disarmed withhumiliating ease by one who seemed an
ordinary hunter of the forest, was struck
with amazement, almost amounting to
doubt. But undaunted, he drew his sword
and continued the combat.
The sword was split into pieces on thehunter's adamantine frame. There wasnow nothing to do but to grapple with theformidable unknown. But here again he
was outmatched.
The hunter caught him in an iron clasp so
close that Arjuna was quite helpless.
Worsted and overmastered, Arjuna
humbly sought divine aid and meditatedon Siva. As he did so, a light broke on histroubled mind, and at once he knew who
the hunter really was.
He fell at the feet of the Lord and, in a
broken voice of repentance and adoration
he prayed for forgiveness. "I forgive you,"said Siva smilingly and gave him back his
Gandiva bow, as well as the otherweapons, of which he had been deprived.
He also bestowed on Arjuna themarvellous Pasupata weapon.
Arjuna's body, battered in the unequal
combat, was made whole and perfect by
the divine touch of the three-eyed god andbecame a hundred fold stronger and morebrilliant than before.
"Go to heaven and render dutiful respect
to your father Indra," said Siva andvanished from view like the setting sun.
Arjuna was overcome with joy andexclaimed: "Have I really seen the Lord
face to face and have I been blessed withhis divine touch? What more do I need?"
At that moment, Matali, the charioteer ofIndra, came there with his chariot andtook Arjuna to the kingdom of the gods.
30. AFFLICTION IS NOTHING NEW
BALARAMA and Krishna came with
their retinue to the abode of the Pandavasin the forest. Deeply distressed by what hesaw, Balarama said to Krishna:"O Krishna, it would seem that virtue andwickedness bear contrary fruit in this life.
For see, the wicked Duryodhana is ruling
his kingdom clad in silk and gold, whilethe virtuous Yudhishthira lives in theforest wearing the bark of trees. Seeing
such unmerited prosperity and undeserved
privation, men have lost their faith in God.
The praise of virtue in the sastras seems
mere mummery when we see the actual
results of good and evil in this world.
How will Dhritarashtra justify his conduct
and defend himself when he is face to facewith the god of death? Even themountains and the earth weep at the sightof the blameless Pandavas dwelling in theforests with the blessed Draupadi, bornfrom the sacrificial fire."
Satyaki, who was seated near, said: "OBalarama, this is no time for lamenting.
Should we wait till Yudhishthira asks us
to do our duty for the Pandavas? While
you and Krishna and all other relations areliving, why should the Pandavas waste
their precious years in the forest? Let us
collect our forces and attack Duryodhana.
With the army of the Vrishnis, we aresurely strong enough to destroy the
Kauravas. Why, where is the need to foil
Karna's vaunted archery and cut off hishead. Let us kill Duryodhana and his
adherents in the battlefield and hand overthe kingdom to Abhimanyu if the
Pandavas wish to keep their word and stayin the forest. This is good for them andbefits us as men of valor."
Vasudeva, who was listening carefully tothis speech, said: "What you say is true.
But the Pandavas would not like toreceive from the hands of others what they
have not won by their own efforts.
Draupadi for one, born of a heroic race as
she is, would not hear of it. Yudhishthirawill never give up the path ofrighteousness for love or fear. When the
stipulated period of exile is over the kingsof Panchala, Kekaya and Chedi andourselves will unite our forces to help the
Pandavas to conquer their enemies."
Yudhishthira was delighted at these wordsof Krishna. "Sri Krishna knows my mind,"said he. "Truth is greater than power orprosperity and has to be guarded at all
costs and not the kingdom. When hewants us to fight, he shall find us ready.
The heroes of the Vrishni race may now
return with the certainty that we shallmeet again when the time is ripe." With
these words Yudhishthira gave them leave
to return.
Arjuna was still away in the Himalayas
and Bhima's anxiety and impatiencebecame well nigh insupportable. He said
to Yudhishthira:"You know that our life depends on
Arjuna. He has been away very long, andwe have had no tidings of him. If heshould be lost to us, then neither the kingof Panchala, nor Satyaki nor even SriKrishna can save us, and I for one cannot
survive that loss. All this we owe to thatmad game of dice, our sorrows andsufferings, as well as the growing strengthof our foes. To be dwelling in the forest is
not the duty enjoined on a kshatriya. We
should immediately recall Arjuna andwage war with the sons of Dhritarashtra,with the help of Sri Krishna. I shall besatisfied only when the wicked Sakuni,
Karna and Duryodhana are slain. After
this clear duty is done, you may, if you
like, return to the forest and live a life of
asceticism. It is not a sin to kill bystratagem an enemy who has resorted to
stratagem. I have heard that the Atharva
Veda has incantations, which cancompress time and reduce its span. If we
could, by such means, squeeze thirteen
years into thirteen days, we would be
perfectly justified in doing so, and you
will permit me on the fourteenth day tokill Duryodhana."
Hearing
these
words
of
Bhima,
Dharmaputra affectionately embraced him
and sought to restrain his impetuosity.
"Beloved brother, as soon as the period ofthirteen years is over, Arjuna, the hero,with the Gandiva bow, and yourself willfight and kill Duryodhana. Be patient tillthen. Duryodhana and his followers, who
are sunk in sin, cannot escape. Be assuredof it." While the sorrow-stricken brothers
were thus engaged in debate, the greatsage Brihadaswa came to the hermitage of
the Pandavas and was received with thecustomary honors.
After a while, Yudhishthira said to him:
"Revered sage, our deceitful enemies,drew us into this game of dice and cheated
us of our kingdom and riches, and drove
my heroic brothers, as well as Panchali
and myself, to the forest. Arjuna, who left
us a long time ago to get divine weapons,
has not returned as yet and we miss him
sorely. Will he return with divine arms?
And when will he be back? Surely never
was there in this world a man who
suffered so much sorrow as myself."
The great sage replied: "Do not let yourmind dwell on sorrow. Arjuna will returnwith divine weapons and you will conquer
your enemies in the fitness of time. You
say that there is no one in this world thatis as unfortunate as you. Now, that is nottrue, though everyone, tried by adversity,
is inclined to claim pre-eminence insorrow, because things felt are more than
things heard or seen. Have you heard of
king Nala of Nishadha? He suffered moresorrows than yourself even in the forest.
He was deceived by Pushkara at a gameof dice. He lost his wealth and kingdom
and had to go in exile to the forest. Less
fortunate than you, he had not with him
his brothers or brahmanas. The influenceof Kali, the spirit of the dark age, deprived
him of his discrimination and good sense.
And not knowing what he was doing, hedeserted his wife who had accompanied
him, and wandered about in the forest,
solitary and almost mad. Now, compare
your state with his. You have thecompany of your heroic brothers anddevoted wife and are supported by a few
learned brahmanas in your adversity.
Your mind is sound and steady. Self-pity
is natural, but you are really not so badly
off."
The sage then narrated the life of Nala
which constitutes twenty-eight chapters of
the great epic. The sage concluded withthese words:"O Pandava, Nala was tried by sorrows
more agonising than yours, yet hetriumphed over them all and his life ended
happily. You have the alleviations of
unclouded intellect and the society of yournearest and dearest. You spend much ofyour time in exalted contemplation ofdharma and in holy converse withbrahmanas who are learned in the Vedas
and Vedantas. Bear your trials andtribulations with fortitude, for they are thelot of man and not peculiar to you."Thus did the sage Brihadaswa console
Yudhishthira.
31. AGASTYA
THE brahmanas, who had been with
YudhishthirainIndraprastha,hadfollowed him to the forest. It was difficult
to maintain such a large establishment.
Some time after Arjuna had gone on hisquest of Pasupata, a brahmana sage named
Lomasa came to the abode of the
Pandavas.
He advised Yudhishthira to minimize his
retinue before going on pilgrimage as it
would be difficult to move freely fromplace to place with a large following.
Yudhishthira, who had long felt thatdifficulty, announced to his followers thatsuch of them, as were unaccustomed tohardship and to hard and scanty fare andthose who had followed merely in tokenof loyalty, might return to Dhritarashtraor, if they preferred it, go to Drupada, theKing of Panchala.
Later, with a greatly reduced retinue, thePandavas started on a pilgrimage to holy
places, acquainting themselves with thestories and traditions relating to each. The
story of Agastya was one such.
Agastya, it is said, once saw someancestral spirits dangling head down andasked them who they were and how they
had come to be in that unpleasant plight.
They replied: "Dear child, we are yourancestors. If you discharge not your debt
to us by marrying and begetting progeny,
there will be no one after you to offer us

oblations. We have, therefore, resorted tothis austerity, in order to persuade you tosave us from this peril."When Agastya heard this, he decided tomarry.
The king of the country of Vidarbha waschildless and, so, careworn. He repaired toAgastya to get his blessing. In granting
him the boon, Agastya announced that theking would be the father of a beautiful
girl, who, he stipulated should be given in
marriage to him.
Soon the queen gave birth to a girl who
was named Lopamudra. She grew withyears into a maiden of such rare beautyand charm that she became celebrated in
the kshatriya world. But no prince dared
to woo her for fear of Agastya.
Later, the sage Agastya came to Vidarbha
and demanded the hand of the king's
daughter. The king was reluctant to givethe delicately nurtured princess inmarriage to a sage leading the primitive
life of a forester but he also feared theanger of the sage if he said nay, and wasplunged in sorrow.
Lopamudra, greatly concerned, discovered
the cause of her parent's unhappiness andexpressed her readiness, nay her desire, tomarry the sage.
The king was relieved, and the marriageof Agastya and Lopamudra was celebrated
in due course. When the princess set out
to accompany the sage, he bade her giveup her costly garments and valuable
jewels.
Unquestioningly Lopamudra distributed
her priceless jewels and garments amongst
her companions and attendants, andcovering herself in deerskin and garmentsof bark, she joyfully accompanied thesage.
During the time Lopamudra and Agastya
spent in tapas and meditation at
Gangadwara, a strong and abiding love
sprang up between them. For conjugal

life, Lopamudra's modesty shrank fromthe lack of privacy in a forest hermitage.
And one day, with blushing andhumbleness she expressed her mind to herhusband.
She said: "My desire is that I may havethe royal bedding, the beautiful robes andthe valuable jewels I had when I was in
my father's place and that you too may
have splendid garments and ornaments.
And then we shall enjoy life to our heart's
content."
Agastya smilingly replied: "I have neither
the wealth nor the facilities to provide
what you want. Are we not beggars livingin the forest?"
But Lopamudra knew her lord's yogic
power, and said: "Lord, you are allpowerful by the strength of yourausterities. You can get the wealth of thewhole world in a moment if you but will."
Agastya said that no doubt that was so,but, if he spent his austerities in gaining
things of such little moment as riches,
they would soon dwindle to nothing.
She replied: "I do not wish that. What I
desire is that you should earn in theordinary way sufficient wealth for us tolive in ease and comfort."
Agastya consented and set out as an
ordinary brahmana to beg of various
kings. Agastya went to a king who was
reputed to be very wealthy. The sage told
the king: "I have come in quest of wealth.
Give me what I seek, without causing any
loss or injury to others."
The king presented a true picture of theincome and expenditure of the State andtold him he was free to take what hedeemed fit. The sage found from theaccounts that there was no balance left.
The expenditure of a State turns out
always to be at least equal to its income.
This seems to have been the case inancient times also.

Seeing this, Agastya said: "To accept any
gift from this king, will be a hardship tothe citizens. So, I shall seek elsewhere,"
and the sage was about to leave. The kingsaid that he would also accompany him
and both of them went to another State
where also they found the same state ofaffairs.
Vyasa thus lays down and illustrates the
maxim that a king should not tax his
subjects more than necessary for rightful
public expenditure and that if one accepts
as gift anything from the public revenues,
one adds to the burden of the subjects tothat extent.
Agastya thought he had better go to thewicked asura Ilvala and try his luck.
Ilvala and his brother Vatapi cherished an
implacable hatred towards brahmanas.
They had curious plan for killing them.
Ilvala would, with effective hospitality,
invite a brahmana to a feast.
By the power of his magic he would
transform his brother Vatapi into a goatand he would kill this pseudo-goat forfood and serve its meat to the guest. In
those days, the brahmanas used to eat
meat. The feast over, Ilvala would invoke
his brother Vatapi to come out, for he had
the art of bringing back to life thosewhom he had killed.
And Vatapi, who as food had entered thevitals of the unlucky brahmana, would
spring up sound and whole and rend his
way out with fiendish laughter, of course
killing the guest in doing so.
In this manner, many brahmanas had died.
Ilvala was very happy when he learnt that
Agastya was in the neighborhood, since
he felt that here was a good brahmanadelivered into his hands.
So, he welcomed him and prepared theusual feast. The sage ate heartily of Vatapi
transformed into a goat, and it only
remained for Ilvala to call out Vatapi forthe rending scene. And, as usual, Ilvalarepeated the magic formula and shouted:"Vatapi come out!"
Agastya smiled and, gently rubbing his
stomach, said: "O Vatapi, be digested in
my stomach for the peace and good of theworld." Ilvala shouted again and again in
frantic fear: "O Vatapi, come forth."
There was no response and the sage
explained the reason. Vatapi had beendigested. The trick had been tried once too
often.
The asura bowed to Agastya andsurrendered to him the riches he sought.
Thus was the sage able to satisfy
Lopamudra's desire. Agastya asked her
what she would prefer whether ten
ordinarily good sons or one super-goodson with the strength of ten.
Lopamudra replied she would like to have
one exceptionally virtuous and learnedson. The story goes that she was blessedwith such a gifted son.
Once the Vindhyas became jealous of the
Meru Mountain and tried to grow instature, obstructing the sun, the moon andthe planets. Unable to prevent this danger,
the gods sought aid from Agastya. The
sage went to the Vindhya Mountain andsaid:"Best of mountains, stop you’re growing
till I cross you on my way to the south andreturn north again. After my return, you
can grow, as you like. Wait till then."Since the Vindhya Mountain respected
Agastya, it bowed to his request.
Agastya did not return north at all, butsettled in the south and so the Vindhyas
remain arrested in growth to this day.
Such is the story as narrated in the
Mahabharata.
32. RISHYASRINGA
IT is an error to think that it is easy for a
person to lead a life of chastity if he isbrought up in complete ignorance ofsensual pleasures. Virtue guarded only byignorance is very insecure as illustrated by

the following story. It is told in the
Ramayana also, but not in the same detail.
Vibhandaka who was resplendent like
Brahma, the Creator, lived with his son
Rishyasringa in a forest. The latter had notcome across any mortal, man or woman,except his father.
The country of Anga was once afflictedwith a dire famine. Crops had withered forwant of rain and men perished for lack offood. All living things were in distress.
Romapada, the king of the country,
approached the brahmanas to advise himof some means of saving the kingdom
from famine.
The brahmanas replied: "Best of kings,
there is a young sage called Rishyasringa
who lives a life of perfect chastity. Invite
him to our kingdom. He has won the
power, by his austerities, of bringing rain
and plenty wherever he goes."
The king discussed with his courtiers themeans by which Rishyasringa could be
brought from the hermitage of the sage
Vibhandaka. In accordance with theiradvice, he called together the mostcharming courtesans of the city andentrusted them with the mission ofbringing Rishyasringa to Anga.
The damsels were in a quandary. On the
one hand, they feared to disobey the king.
On the other, they also feared the sage's
wrath. Finally, they made up their minds
to go, relying on Providence to help them,in achieving the good work of rescuingthe stricken land from famine.
They were suitably equipped for theirenterprise before being sent to thehermitage. The leader of this band of
courtesans made a beautiful garden of a
big boat, with artificial trees and creepers,with an imitation ashrama in the center.
She had the boat moored in the river near
Vibhandaka's
hermitage,
andthecourtesans visited the hermitage withquaking hearts. Luckily for them, the sage

was not at home. Feeling that this was theopportune moment, one of the beautiful
damsels went to the sage's son.
She thus addressed Rishyasringa: "Greatsage, are you well? Have you sufficientroots and fruits? Are the penances of therishisoftheforestproceedingsatisfactorily? Is your father's glory
constantly growing? Is your own study of
the Vedas progressing?" This was how
rishis used to accost one another in thosedays.
The youthful anchorite had never before
seen such a beautiful human form or heard
such a sweet voice.
The instinctive yearning for society,especially of the opposite sex, though he
had never seen a woman before, began towork on his mind from the moment hebeheld that graceful form.
He thought that she was a young sage likehimself, and felt a strange irrepressible joy
surging up in his soul. He answered,fixing eyes on his interlocutor:"You seem to be a bright brahmacharin.
Who are you? I bow to you. Where is
your hermitage? What are the austerities
you are practising?" and he rendered her
the customary offerings.
She said to him: "At a distance of threeyojanas from here is my ashrama. I havebrought fruits for you. I am not fit toreceive your prostration, but I shall return
your greetings and salutation in the way
customary with us." She embraced him
warmly, fed him with the sweets she hadbrought, decorated him with perfumed
garlands, and served him with drinks.
She embraced him again, saying that thatwas their way of salutation to honored
guests. He thought it a very agreeable
way.
Shortly after, fearing the return of the sage
Vibhandaka, the courtesan took her leaveof Rishyasringa saying it was time for her

to perform the agnihotra sacrifice andgently slipped out of the hermitage.
When Vibhandaka returned to thehermitage, he was shocked to see theplace so untidy with sweet meats scattered
all over, for the hermitage had not beencleansed. The shrubs and creepers lookeddraggled and untidy.
His son's face had not its usual lustre but
seemed clouded and disturbed as by astorm of passion. The usual simple dutiesof the hermitage had been neglected.
Vibhandaka was troubled and asked hisson: "Dear boy, why have you not yet
gathered the sacred firewood? Who has
broken these nice plants and shrubs? Has
the cow been milked? Has anyone been
here to serve you? Who gave you thisstrange garland? Why do you appear
worried?"The simple and ingenuous Rishyasringa
replied: "A brahmacharin of wonderfulform was here. I cannot describe hisbrightness and beauty or the sweetness of
his voice. My inner being has been filledwith indescribable happiness and affection
by listening to his voice and looking at hiseyes. When he embraced me, which it
seems is his customary greeting, I
experienced a joy which I have never felt
before, no, not even when eating the
sweetest fruits," and then he described tohis father the form, beauty and the doingsof his fair visitor.
Rishyasringa added wistfully: "My bodyseems to burn with desire for the companyof that brahmacharin and I should like togo and find him and bring him here
somehow. How can I give you any idea
about his devotion and brightness? Myheart pants to see him."
When Rishyasringa had thus brokenly
expressed yearnings and disturbances towhich he had hitherto been a stranger,
Vibhandaka knew what had occurred. He
said: "Child, this was no brahmacharin

that you saw, but a malignant demon whosought, as demons do, to beguile us andhinder our penances and austerities. They
take recourse to many kinds of tricks andstratagems for the purpose. Do not letthem come near you."After that Vibhandaka searched in vain
for three days in the forest to find out the
wretches who had done this injury, andreturned baffled it his purpose.
On another occasion, when Vibhandaka
had gone out of the hermitage to bringroots and fruits, the courtesan again camesoftly to the place where Rishyasringa
was seated. As soon as he saw her at a
distance, Rishyasringa jumped up and ran
to greet her gushingly, as pent up water
surges out of a reservoir that has sprung aleak.
Even without waiting for prompting thistime, Rishyasringa went near her and after
the customary salutation said: "O shining
brahmacharin, before my father returns let
us go to your hermitage."This was just what she had hoped andworked for. And together they entered theboat, which had been made to look like ahermitage. As soon as the young sage hadentered, the boat was freed from its
moorings and floated easily down with its
welcome freight to the kingdom of Anga.
As might be expected, the young sage had
a pleasant and interesting journey andwhen he reached Anga, he certainly knew
more about the world and its ways than hehad done in the forest.
The coming of Rishyasringa delighted
Romapada infinitely and he took his
welcome guest to the luxuriously provided
inner apartments specially prepared forhim.
As foretold by the brahmanas, rain began
to pour the instant Rishyasringa set his
foot in the country. The rivers and thelakes were full and the people rejoiced.

Romapada gave his daughter Shanta inmarriage to Rishyasringa.
Though all ended as he had planned, theking was uneasy in his mind, for he wasafraid that Vibhandaka might come insearch of his son and pronounce a curseon him.
So, he sought to mollify Vibhandaka bylining the route he would take with cattle
and kind and by instructing the cowherds
in charge to say that they were
Rishyasringa's servants and had come towelcome and honor their master's father
and place themselves at his service.
Not finding his son anywhere in thehermitage, the enraged Vibhandaka
thought that this might be the work of theking of Anga.
He crossed intervening rivers and villages
and marched to the capital of the king as if
to burn him in his anger. But as at eachstage of the journey he saw magnificent
cattle which belonged to his son and wasrespectfully welcomed by his son's
servants, his angry mood passed gradually
as he approached the capital.
When he came to the capital, he wasreceived with great honor and taken to the
king's palace where he saw his son sitting
in state like the king of the gods inheaven. He saw by his side his wife, theprincess Shanta, whose great beautysoothed and pleased him.
Vibhandaka blessed the king. He laid thisinjunction on his son: "Do all that willplease this king. After the birth of a son,come and join me in the forest."
Rishyasringa did as his father bade him.
Lomasa concluded the story with thesewords addressed to Yudhishthira: "Like
Damayanti and Nala, Sita and Rama,
Arundhati and Vasishtha, Lopamudra andAgastya, and Draupadi and yourself,
Shanta and Rishyasringa repaired to theforest in the fullness of time and spent
their lives in mutual love and the worship

of God. This is the hermitage where
Rishyasringa. lived. Bathe in these waters
and be purified." The Pandavas bathedthere and performed their devotions.
33. FRUITLESS PENANCE
IN the course of their wanderings, thePandavas reached the hermitage ofRaibhya on the banks of the Ganga.
Lomasa told them the story of the place:"This is the ghat where Bharata, the son of
Dasaratha, bathed. These waters cleansed
Indra of the sin of killing Vritra unfairly.
Here also Sanatkumara became one with
God. Aditi, the mother of the gods,
offered oblations on this mountain andprayed to be blessed with a son. O
Yudhishthira, ascend this holy mountainand the misfortunes, which have cast a
cloud on your life, will vanish. Anger andpassion will be washed off if you bathe in
the running waters of this river."
Then Lomasa expatiated in greater detailon the sanctity of the place.
He began the story thus: "Yavakrida, theson of a sage, met with destruction in thisvery place."
He continued: "There lived in their
hermitages two eminent brahmanas,
named Bharadwaja and Raibhya, whowere dear friends. Raibhya and his two
sons, Paravasu and Arvavasu, learnt the
Vedas and became famed scholars.
Bharadwaja devoted himself wholly to theworship of God. He had a son named
Yavakrida who saw with jealousy andhatred that the brahmanas did not respect
his ascetic father as they did the learned
Raibhya.
Yavakridapractisedhardpenance to gain the grace of Indra. He
tortured his body with austerities and thus
awakened the compassion of Indra, who
appeared and asked him why he somortified his flesh."
Yavakrida replied: "I wish to be morelearned in the Vedas than any has everbeen before. I wish to be a great scholar. I

am performing these austerities to realisethat desire. It takes a long time andinvolves much hardship to learn the Vedas
from a teacher. I am practising austerities
to acquire that knowledge directly. Blessme."
Indra smiled and said: "O brahmana, you
are on the wrong path. Return home, seeka proper preceptor and learn the Vedas
from him. Austerity is not the way tolearning. The path is study and study
alone." With these words Indra vanished.
But the son of Bharadwaja would not giveup.
He pursued his course of austerities witheven greater rigor, to the horror and the
distress of the gods. Indra again
manifested himself before Yavakrida andwarned him again:"You have taken the wrong path toacquire knowledge. You can acquire
knowledge only by study. Your father
learnt the Vedas by patient study and so
can you. Go and study the Vedas. Desist
from this vain mortification of the body."
Yavakrida did not heed even this second
warning of Indra and announced defiantly
that if his prayer were not granted, hewould cut off his limbs one by one andoffer them as oblations to the fire. No, hewould never give up.
He continued his penance. One morning,
during his austerities, when he went tobathe in the Ganga, be saw a gaunt old
brahmana on the bank, laboriously
throwing handfuls of sand into the water.
Yavakrida asked: "Old man, what are you
doing?" The old man replied: "I am goingto build a dam across this river. When,with handful after handful, I have built adam of sand here, people can cross theriver with ease. See how very difficult it isat present to cross it. Useful work, isn'tit?"
Yavakrida laughed and said: "What a fool
you must be to think you can build a dam

across this mighty river with your silly
handfuls of sand! Arise and take to somemore useful work."
The old man said: "Is my project more
foolish than yours of mastering the Vedas
not by study but by austerities?"
Yavakrida now knew that the old man was
Indra. More humble this time, Yavakrida
earnestly begged Indra to grant him
learning as a personal boon.
Indra blessed, and comforted Yavakrida
with the following words:"Well, I grant you the boon you seek. Go
and study the Vedas; you will becomelearned."34. YAVAKRIDA'S ENDYAVAKRIDA studied the Vedas andbecame learned. He grew vain with thethought that he had acquired theknowledge of the Vedas through the boonof Indra and not through human tutelage.
Bharadwaja did not like this and fearedthat his son might ruin himself byslighting Raibhya. He thought it necessary
to warm him. "The gods," he said, "grantboons to foolish people who persistently
practise penances, as intoxicants are soldto fools for money. They lead to loss of
self-control, and this leads to the warpingof the mind and utter destruction." Heillustrated his advice by the ancient tale,which is given below.
In olden times there was a celebrated sage
named Baladhi. He had a son whose
untimely death plunged him into grief. So,
be practised rigorous penance to get a son
who would never meet with death.
The gods told the sage that this could
never be, for the human race wasnecessarily mortal, and there need must bea limit to human life. They asked him toname his own limit.
The sage replied: "In that case grant thatthe life of my son may persist as long asthat mountain lasts." The boon was

granted to him and he was duly blessedwith a son named Medhavi.
Medhavi grew conceited at the thoughtthat he was safe from death forever, since
he would live as long as the mountainexisted, and he behaved with arrogancetowards all.
One day, this vain man showed disrespect
to a great sage named Dhanushaksha. At
once that sage cursed that he might beturned to ashes, but the curse took noeffect on Medhavi who remained inperfect health.
Seeing this, the high-souled sage waspuzzled and then remembered the gift
Medhavi had been endowed with at birth.
Dhanushaksha took the form of a wild
buffalo and by the power of his penances
butted at the mountain and broke it topieces and Medhavi fell down dead.
Bharadwaja concluded the story with thissolemn warning to his son: "Learn
wisdom from this old story. Be not ruined
by vanity. Cultivate self-restraint. Do nottransgress the limits of good conduct anddo not be disrespectful to the great
Raibhya."
It was springtime. The trees and creepers
were beautiful with flowers and the wholeforest was gorgeous with color and sweetwith the song of birds.
The very earth seemed to be under thespell of the god of love. Paravasu's wife
was strolling alone in the garden near thehermitage of Raibhya. She appeared morethan human, in the sweet union in her ofbeauty, courage and purity.
At that time Yavakrida came there andwas so overwhelmed by her lovelinessthat he completely lost his sense and selfcontrol and became as a ravening beast
with lust.
He accosted her and taking brutal
advantage of her fear and shame andbewilderment, he dragged her to a lonely
pot and violated her person.

Raibhya returned to his hermitage. He saw
his daughter in-law weeping, brokenhearted and inconsolable and learning of
the shameful outrage perpetrated on her,
he was seized with implacable anger. He
plucked a hair from his bead and offered it
to the fire reciting a mantra.
At once, a maiden, as beautiful as his
daughter-in-law,emergedfromthesacrificial fire.
The sage plucked another hair from his
knotted lock and offered it as oblation. A
terrible ghost rose from the fire. The sagecommanded them to kill Yavakrida. Bothof them bowed to the order.
While Yavakrida was performing themorning rites, the female spirit went near
him and with smiles and allurements put
him off his guard and as she ran awaywith his water-jug, the male ghost rushed
on him with uplifted spear.
Yavakrida stood up in fear. Knowing that
his mantras would be of no avail until hecleansed himself with water, he looked forhis water-jug. When he found it missing,he rushed to a pond for water but the pond
was dry. He went to nearby stream, which
also dried up at his approach.
There was no water for him anywhere.
The
terriblefiend
pursuedhim
everywhere and Yavakrida fled for his
life, with the demon hot on his heels. His
sin had consumed the power of his vigils
and fasts. At last, he sought refuge in thesacrificial hall of his father.
The half-blind man who was guarding thehermitage stopped him as be could notrecognise Yavakrida as, distorted withmortal fear, he sought to force his way in.
Meanwhile, the fiend overtook him andkilled him with his spear.
When Bharadvaja returned to his
hermitage, he came upon his son's corpse
and concluded that disrespect to Raibhya
must have led to this cruel fate.

"Alas! My child, you died of your prideand vanity. Was it not a great mistake thatyou tried to learn the Vedas in a way notresorted to by any brahmana? Why did
you behave so as to be cursed thus? May
Raibhya, who caused the death of my only
son, be himself killed by one of his sons!"
Thus, carried away by rage and grief thesage cursed Raibhya.
Regaining control soon, he exclaimed in
anguish: "Alas! They alone are blessed
who have no sons. I have not only lost myonly son, but in the madness of my grief I
have also cursed my friend andcompanion. What is the use of continuing
my life?" He cremated his son's body anddied by throwing himself on the funeralpyre.
35. MERE LEARNING IS NOTENOUGHKING Brihadyumna, a disciple of the sage
Raibhya, performed a great sacrifice atwhich he requested his teacher to let his
two sons Paravasu and Arvavasu officiate.
With the permission of their father, bothof them went joyfully to the capital of the
king.
While arrangements were being made forthe sacrifice, Paravasu desired one day togo and see his wife and, walking alone allnight, he reached his hermitage before
dawn. Near the hermitage, he saw in thetwilight, what seemed to him a beast of
prey crouching for a spring and, hurling
his weapon at it, killed it.
But to his horror and grief, he discoveredthat he had killed his own father clad inskins, mistaking him for a wild denizen of
the forest. He realised that the fatal
mistake was the effect of the curse of
Bharadwaja.
When he had hastily performed thefuneral rites of his father, he went toArvavasu and told him the doleful tale. He
said: "But this mishap should not interferewith the sacrifice of the king. Please dothe rites on my behalf in expiation of thesin I have unwittingly committed. Thereis,mercifully,
atonementforsinscommitted in ignorance. If you can be mysubstitute here for undergoing theexpiation I shall be able to go and assist in
conducting the king's sacrifice. I canofficiate unaided, which is a thing you
cannot do as yet."
The virtuous brother agreed and said:"You may attend to the king's sacrifice. I
shall do penance to free you from theterrible taint of having killed a father anda brahmana."
The virtuous Arvavasu, accordingly, took
upon himself the expiatory rites on behalfof his brother. That done, he came to thecourt of the king to join his brother andassist in the sacrifice.
The sin of Paravasu was not washed off,
since expiation cannot be by proxy. It
tainted his mind with wicked designs.
Becoming jealous of the radiance on his
brother's face, Paravasu decided todishonor him by casting on him an
unjustice as a person and accordingly,
when Arvavasu entered the hall, Paravasu
loudly exclaimed so that the king might
hear:"This man has committed the sin ofkilling a brahmana and how can he enter
this holy sacrificial place?"
Arvavasu
indignantly
deniedtheaccusation but none heeded him, and he
was ignominiously expelled from that hallof sacrifice by the orders of the king.
Arvavasu
repeatedly
protested
his
innocence. "It is my brother who hascommitted the sin and even then it was
through a mistake. I have saved him by
performing expiatory rites."
This made matters worse for him for
nobody believed that the expiation he had
undergone was not for his own crime andeveryone thought that he was adding false

accusation against a blameless brother, tohis other sins.
The virtuous Arvavasu who, besides being
falsely accused of a monstrous crime, wasalso slandered as a liar, retreated to theforest in despair of finding justice in theworld and betook himself to rigorous
austerities.
The gods were gracious and asked him:
"O virtuous soul, what is the boon you
seek?" High thinking and deep meditation
had in the meantime cleansed his heart of
all anger at his brother's conduct; and so,he only prayed that his father might berestored to life and that his brother might
be freed from wickedness and the sins that
he had committed.
The gods granted his prayer.
Lomasanarrated
this
story
to
Yudhishthira at a place near Raibhya's
hermitage and said: "O Pandavas, bathe
here and wash off your passions in thisholy river."
Arvavasu and Paravasu were both sons ofa great scholar. Both of them learnt at his
feet and became eminent scholars
themselves.
But learning is one thing and virtue isquite another. It is true that one should
know the difference between good andevil, if one is to seek good and shun evil.
But this knowledge should soak into every
thought and influence every act in one's
life.
Then indeed knowledge becomes virtue.
The knowledge that is merely so much
undigested information crammed into themind, cannot instill virtue.
It is just an outward show like our clothes
and is no real part of us.
36. ASHTAVAKRA
WHILE the Pandavas were wandering
among holy places in the forest, theycame one day to the hermitage of thepersonages
immortalizedintheUpanishads. Lomasa told Yudhishthira thestory of that place.
Udalaka, a great sage and teacher ofVedanta, had a disciple named Kagola,
who was virtuous and devoted but had no
great learning. So, the other disciples used
to laugh and mock at him.
Uddalaka, however, attached no great
weight to his disciple's lack of erudition
but really appreciated his virtues, devotion
and good conduct and gave his daughter
Sujata in marriage to him.
The couple was blessed with a son. A
child generally inherits the characteristics
of both the parents. But fortunately the
grandson of Uddalaka took after his
grandfather rather than his father andknew the Vedas even while he was in his
mother's womb.
When Kagola made mistakes, as he often
did in reciting the Vedas, the child in thewomb would twist his body with pain, andso it came to pass that he had eightcrooked bends in his body when he wasborn.
These crooked bends earned him the nameof Ashtavakra, which means "Eightcrooked bends." Kagola, one ill-fated day,provoked a polemical contest with Vandi,
the court scholar of Mithila, and, having
been defeated, was made to drown
himself.
Meanwhile Ashtavakra grew up to be a
towering scholar even in his boyhood, andat the age of twelve he had alreadycompleted his study of the Vedas and the
Vedanta.
One day, Ashtavakra learnt that Janaka,
the king of Mithila was performing a great
sacrifice in the course of which theassembled scholars would, as usual,debate on the sastras.
Ashtavakra
set
out
for
Mithila,accompanied by his uncle Svetaketu. On
their way to the place of sacrifice at

Mithila, they came across the king and his
retinue.
The attendants of the king marched in
front shouting: "Move away. Make way
for the King." Ashtavakra instead ofmoving out of the way said to theretainers:"O royal attendants, even the king, if he isrighteous, has to move and make way forthe blind, the deformed, the fair sex,
persons bearing loads and brahmanas
learned in the Vedas. This is the ruleenjoined by the scriptures."
The king, surprised at these wise words ofthe brahmana boy, accepted the justnessof the rebuke and made way, observing to
his attendants: "What this brahmana
stripling says is true. Fire is fire whether it
is tiny or big and it has the power toburn."
Ashtavakra and Svetaketu entered thesacrificial hall. The gatekeeper stopped
them and said: "Boys cannot go in. Only
old men learned in the Vedas may go into
the sacrificial hall."
Ashtavakra replied: "We are not mere
boys. We have observed the necessaryvows and have learnt the Vedas. Those
who have mastered the truths of the
Vedanta will not judge another on mere
considerations of age or appearance."
The gatekeeper said: "Stop. Have donewith your idle brag. How can you, a mere
boy, have learnt and realised the
Vedanta?"
The boy said: "You mean I am not big likean over-grown gourd with no substance in
it? Size is no indication of knowledge or
worth, nor is age. A very tall old man may
be a tall old fool. Let me pass."
The gatekeeper said: "You are certainly
not old, nor tall, though you talk like all
the hoary sages. Get out."
Ashtavakra replied: "Gatekeeper, Grey
hairs do not prove the ripeness of the soul.
The really mature man is the one who haslearnt the Vedas and the Vedangas,
mastered their gist and realised theiressence. I am here to meet the court pandit
Vandi. Inform King Janaka of my desire."At that moment the king himself came
there and easily recognized Ashtavakra,
the precociously wise boy he had met
before.
The king asked: "Do you know that mycourt pandit Vandi has overthrown inargument many great scholars in the pastand caused them to be cast into the ocean?
Does that not deter you from thisdangerous adventure?"
Ashtavakra
replied:"Youreminent
scholar has not hitherto encountered men
like me who are proficient in the Vedas on
Vedanta. He has become arrogant andvain with easy victories over good men
who were not real scholars. I have comehere to repay the debt due on account of
my father, who was defeated by this man
and made to drown himself, as I haveheard from my mother. I have no doubt I
shall vanquish Vandi, whom you will see
crumple up like a broken-wheeled cart.
Please summon him."
Ashtavakra met Vandi. They took up adebatable thesis and started an argument,each employing his utmost learning andwits to confound the other. And in the end
the assembly unanimously declared thevictory of Ashtavakra and the defeat of
Vandi.
The court pandit of Mithila bowed hishead and paid the forfeit by drowninghimself in the ocean and going to theabode of Varuna.Then the spirit ofKagola, the father of Ashtavakra, gained
peace and joy in the glory of his son.
The author of the epic instructs us throughthese words put in Kagola's mouth: "A
son need not be like his father. A father
who is physically weak may have a verystrong son and an ignorant father may
have a scholarly son. It is wrong toacesess the greatness of a man on his
physical appearance or age. External
appearances are deceptive." Which showsthat the unlearned Kagola was not devoidof common sense.
37. BHIMA AND HANUMANDRAUPADI used to complain frequently:"This Kamyaka forest is not beautiful
without Arjuna. I find no joy in life in theabsence of Arjuna."
The other Pandavas shared Draupadi's
wretchedness at separation from Arjuna,
who had gone to the Himalayas in questof divine weapons.
Bhimasena told Draupadi: "Blessed lady, I
myself feel the same about Arjuna andwhat you say makes me thrill with loveand sympathy. Bereft of Arjuna, thisbeautiful forest seems desolate. My mind
can know no peace without seeing Arjuna.
Sahadeva, how do you feel?"
Sahadeva said: "This hermitage seems tobe empty without Arjuna. We shall try
whether a change of scene will help us tobear the pain of separation better."
Yudhishthiraaddressing
hispriestDhaumya said: "I have sent my younger
brother Arjuna to win divine weapons.
That dauntless and dexterous hero has not
yet returned. We have sent him to the
Himalayas to get from Indra, the king ofgods, weapons with which we could
conquer Bhishma, Drona, Kripa andAswatthama, since it is certain that these
heroes will fight on the side of the sons ofDhritarashtra. Karna knows the secret of
divine weapons, and his supreme wish is
to fight with Arjuna. I have sent Arjuna togain Indra's grace and get weapons from
him as the Kaurava heroes can be defeatedby no other means. Having sent him on avery difficult errand, we cannot live herehappily, for we miss him in all our
accustomed haunts. I wish to go
elsewhere, for that may enable us to bear

the separation better. Can you suggest
where we could go?"Dhaumya described many forests and holy
places. The Pandavas went the round of
those places to relieve themselves to someextent from the pangs of separation.
They spent many years in this pilgrimage
and in listening to the traditions, whichsanctified each shrine. Draupadi would
often feel exhausted by having to traverse
mountains and forests. Bhima, sometimes
helped by his son Ghalotkacha, would
serve and encourage them and make theirlabors easy.
In the course of their wanderings throughthe Himalayan regions they came to aterrible forest where the path was rugged
and steep.
Yudhishthira was worried and told Bhima
that the way would greatly distress
Draupadi but that he himself would go on
accompanied by Nakula and the sage
Lomasa.
He suggested that Bhima and Sahadeva
should stay behind at Gangadwara with
Draupadi. Bhima would not agree. He
said that the pain of separation from
Arjuna ought to have taught his brotherhow much he would suffer if he wereparted from Sahadeva, Draupadi and
Bhima.
Besides,
Bhima
could
not
leave
Yudhishthira alone in this forest infested
with Rakshasas, demons and wild
animals. The way was hard, but he could
easily carry Draupadi across the mostdifficult parts of it. He could carry Nakulaand Sahadeva also.
When
Bhima
said
these
words,
Yudhishthira embraced him and blessed
him and wished him an increase ofphysical strength. Draupadi smiled andsaid, addressing Yudhishthira: "No one
need carry me. I can walk. Do not be
anxious about me."

They reached Kulinda, the kingdom of
Subahu, on the Himalayas. They accepted
the honors rendered to them by that kingand rested there awhile. Later on, theywent to the charming forest of
Narayanasrama and halted there.
One day, a breeze that blew from thenortheast wafted a beautiful flower near
Draupadi. Draupadi took it in her hands
and was so charmed with its fragrance andbeauty that she showed it rapturously to
Bhima.
"Come and see this flower. What a sweet
fragrance! How charming! I shall hand
this over to Yudhishthira. Bring someflowers of this kind. We should grow thisplant in our Kamyaka forest." Draupadi
ran to give the flower to Yudhishthira.
Anxious to please his beloved Draupadi,
Bhima went in quest of that plant. He
went alone in the direction from which thefragrance seemed to be borne by thebreeze, without wasting a thought on thewild beasts that crossed his path.
He presently came to a garden of plantaintrees at the foot of a mountain, and there
he saw a huge monkey shining likeblazing fire, which lay right across hispath blocking it.
He tried to frighten the animal out of his
way by shouting at it. It only half opened
its eyes lazily and drawled: "I am
indisposed and so I am lying here. Why
lid you wake me? You are a wise humanbeing and I am mere animal. It is properthat the rational man should show mercy
to animals as interior creatures. I am
afraid you are ignorant of right andwrong. Who are you? Whither are youbound? It is not possible to go further
along this mountain path which is the pathof the gods. Men cannot cross this limit.
Eat what you like of the fruits of this placeand if you are wise, go back in peace."
Bhima, unused to being taken so lightly,
grew angry and shouted: "Who are you,

yourself, you monkey, that indulges insuch tall talk? I am a kshatriya hero, adescendant of the Kuru race and a son of
Kunti. Know that I am the son of theWind god. Now move away from the pathor stop me at your peril."
Hearing these words the monkey merely
smiled and said: "I am, as you say, amonkey, but you will come to destruction
if you try to force a way."
Bhima said: "I do not want your advice
and it is no concern of yours if I go todestruction. Get up and move out of theway or I will make you."
The monkey replied: "I have no strength
to stand up, being but a very old monkey.
If you have to go at any cost, jump overme."
Bhima said: "Nothing could be easier but
the scriptures forbid it. Otherwise I should
jump over you and the mountain in one
bound, like Hanuman crossing the ocean."
The monkey remarked as though insurprise: "O best of men, who is that
Hanuman who crossed the ocean? If you
know his story, enlighten me."
Bhima roared and said: "Have you notheard of Hanuman, my elder brother, whocrossed the ocean, a hundred yojanas inbreadth, to seek and find Sita, the wife ofRama? I am equal to him in strength andheroism. Well, that is enough talk, now
get up and make way and do not provoke
me to do you some harm."
The monkey answered: "O mighty hero,be patient. Be gentle as you are strong,and have mercy on the old and weak. I
have no strength to rise up as I am
decrepit with age. Since you have scruples
in jumping over me, kindly move aside
my tail and make a path for yourself."
Proud of his immense strength, Bhima
thought to pull the monkey out of the way
by its tail. But, to his amazement he could
not move it in the least, though he exerted
all his strength.

He set his jaws and strained every muscle
till the very sinews cracked and he wascovered with perspiration. But, still, could
not move that tail the least, a little bit up
or down or sideways. In shame, he bent
down his head, and then asked in achastened mood:"Who are you? Forgive me and reveal tome whether you are a Siddha, god orGandharva." Bhima like most strong men,
was all respect when he saw one stronger
than himself, and spoke like a pupil
addressing his master.
Hanuman replied: "O mighty-armed
Pandava, know that I am your brother,even that Hanuman, the son of the Windgod, whom you mentioned a little whileago. If you go on this path, which is theroad to the spirit-world where the Yakshas
and the Rakshasas abide, you will meetwith danger and that is why I stop you. No
man can go beyond this and live. But hereis the stream with its depths where you
can find the Saugandhika plant you cameto seek."
Bhima was transported with delight: "I
count myself the most fortunate of men inthat I have been blessed to meet mybrother. I wish to see the form in which
you crossed the ocean," and he prostrated
before Hanuman.
Hanuman smiled and began to increase
the size of his body and stood forth firmly
to the world like a mountain seeming tofill the landscape.
Bhima was thrilled at actually seeing thatdivine form of this elder brother, the mere
description of which had till then filled
him with wonder. He covered his eyes,
unable to bear the dazzling light radiatingfrom that figure.
Hanuman said: "Bhima, in the presence of
my enemies, my body can grow stillmore." And Hanuman contracted his
body, resuming his former size. He
tenderly embraced Bhimasena.

Bhagavan Vyasa says that Bhima felt
completely refreshed and became muchstronger than before by the embrace ofHanuman.
Hanuman said: "O hero, go to your abode.
Think of me whenever you are in need. I
felt the same delight when I embraced youthat I had in times of yore when I wasfortunate enough to touch the divine bodyof Sri Rama. Ask any boon that you like."
Bhima said: "Blessed are the Pandavas for
I have had the good fortune to see you.
Inspired with your strength we are sure toconquer our enemies."
Hanuman gave this parting blessing to his
brother:"While you roar like a lion in thebattlefield, my voice shall join yours andstrike terror into the hearts of yourenemies. I shall be present on the flag ofthe chariot of your brother Arjuna. You
will be victorious."
Hanuman pointed out to Bhima the stream
nearby, where grew the Saugandhika
flowers he had come to seek.
This put Bhima at once in mind of
Draupadi who was waiting for his return,and he collected the flowers and returned
to her without delay.
38. I AM NO CRANE
ONCE the sage Markandeya came to see
the Pandavas. Yudhishthira happened totalk of the virtues of the fair sex and said:"What greater wonder is there in thisworld than the patience and the chastity ofwoman? She gives birth to a child aftercherishing it in her womb as dearer thanlife itself. She brings it into the worldinpain and anxiety and thence forward her
one thought is for its health andhappiness. Large hearted and forgiving, awoman forgives and continues to loveeven a wicked husband who neglects andhates and subjects her to all sorts ofmiseries. How strange!"

Hearing this Markandeya told him asacred story.
There was once a brahmana, named
Kausika who observed his vow ofbrahmacharya. with great steadfastness
and devotion.
One day, he sat under a tree reciting the
Vedas. A crane, perched on the top of thetree, defiled his head with its droppings.
He looked up at it, and his angry look
killed the bird and it fell down dead.
The brahmana was pained when he saw
the dead bird lying on the ground.
How frightful it would be if wishes
fulfilled themselves, if each hasty or angry
wish took effect at once! How much there
would be to regret or repent afterwards! It
is lucky for us that wishes depend
onoutward
circumstancesforaccomplishment, since that saves us frommuch sin and sorrow.
Kausika sorrowed that the evil thoughtthat passed in his mind in a moment ofanger had killed an innocent bird. Sometime later, he went as usual to beg alms.
He stood before the door of a house toreceive his dole. The housewife wascleansing utensils at that time. Kausika
waited in the hope that she would attend
to him after her work was over.
In the meantime the master of the house
returned, tired and hungry, and the wife
had to attend to his wants, wash and dry
his feet and serve him with food.
In this preoccupation she seemed to haveforgotten the mendicant waiting outside.
After her husband had been cared for andfed, she came out with alms to themendicant.
She said: "I am sorry to have kept you
waiting long. Pardon me."Kausika, burning with anger, said: "Lady,
you have made me wait for such a longtime. This indifference is not fair."The woman told the brahmana: "Best of
brahmanas, kindly do forgive me. I wasserving my husband and hence the delay."
The brahmana remarked: "It is right andproper to attend on the husband, but the
brahmana also should not be disregarded.
You seem an arrogant woman."
She said: "Be not angry with me andremember that I kept you waiting only
because I was dutifully serving myhusband. I am no crane to be killed by aviolent thought and your rage can do noharm to the woman who devotes herself tothe service of her husband."The brahmana was taken aback. He
wondered how the woman knew of thecrane incident.
She continued: "O great one, you do notknow the secret of duty, and you are also
not aware that anger is the greatest enemy
that dwells in man. Forgive the delay inattending to you. Go to Mithila and be
instructed in the secret of good life by
Dharmavyadha living in that city."
The brahmana was amazed. He said: "Ideserve your just admonition and it will
do me good. May all good attend you."With these words he went to Mithila.
Kausika reached Mithila and looked for
Dharmavyadha's residence, which hethought would be some lonely hermitage
far from the noise and bustle of common
life.
He walked along magnificent roads
between beautiful houses and gardens inthat great city and finally reached abutcher's shop, in which was a man sellingmeat. His amazement was great when helearnt that this man was Dharmavyadha.
The brahmana was shocked beyond
measure and stood at a distance in disgust.
The butcher suddenly rose from his seat,came to the brahmana and inquired:"Revered sir, are you well? Did thatchaste brahmana lady send you to me?"The brahmana was stupefied.

"Revered sir, I know why you have come.
Let us go home," said the butcher and hetook the brahmana to his house where hesaw a happy family and was greatly struckby the devotion with which the butcher
served his parents.
Kausika took his lessons from that butcher
on dharma, man's calling and duty.
Afterwards, the brahmana returned to his
house and began to tend his parents, aduty, which he had rather neglected
before.
The moral of this striking story of
Dharmavyadha so skillfully woven by
Vedavyasa into the Mahabharata, is thesame as the teaching of the Gita. Manreaches perfection by the honest pursuit ofwhatever calling falls to his lot in life, andthat this is really worship of God who
created and pervades all. (Bhagavad Gita,
XVIII, 45-46)
The occupation may be one he is born toin society or it may have been forced on
him by circumstances or be may havetaken it up by choice. But what reallymatters is the spirit of sincerity andfaithfulness with which be does his life's
work.
Vedavyasa emphasizes this great truth bymaking a scholarly brahmana, who did notknow it, learn it from a butcher, who lived
it in his humble and despised life.
39. THE WICKED ARE NEVER
SATISFIEDMANY brahmanas visited the Pandavas
during their exile. And one such, returning
to Hastinapura, went to see Dhritarashtra,
who received him with due honor.
The brahmana told him how the Pandavas,
born princes, were, by unkind destiny, at
the mercy of the wind and the sun andsuffered great privations.
Dhritarashtra was probably sorry to hearthis. But what troubled him most were theconsequences to his own sons. Could

Yudhishthira continue to hold the justly
wrathful Bhima in check?
Dhritarashtra feared that the anger of the
Pandavas, long pent up, might one day
break its bounds and overflow in adevastating flood.
The king anxiously pondered thus:"Arjuna and Bhima will certainly try topunish us. Sakuni, Karna, Duryodhana
and the short-sighted Duhsasana areperched precariously up a tree in search ofa honeycomb while below is the abyss of
Bhima's anger yawning to receive them totheir destruction."
The blind king pursued his thought: "Alas,
why did we become a prey tocovetousness? It is not as though poverty
drove us to it! Why did we take to thepath of injustice? Instead of enjoying ourboundless wealth in contentment wesuccumbed to lust of power andpossession and coveted what was not ours.
Wrong cannot but yield its bitter harvest!
Arjuna has returned from heaven with
divine weapons. What could tempt one
back to earth from heaven but the cravingfor vengeance? And we have earned it!"
These thoughts would haunt and give him
no peace.
Though Dhritarashtra was thus worried,
Sakuni, Karna and Duryodhana were
giddily happy and found much pleasure in
exulting congratulation of one another on
their prosperity.
Karna and Sakuni said to Duryodhana:"The kingdom which was in the hands ofYudhishthira has become ours. We needno longer burn with jealousy."
Duryodhana replied: "O Karna, all that istrue, but would it not be a joy of joys tosee with my own eyes the sufferings of
the Pandavas and bring their sorrow to a
climax by a display of our happiness? The
only way to perfect our happiness is to go
to the forest and see the distress of the
Pandavas, but my father will refuse

permission," and Duryodhana shed tears
at his father's cruelty in denying him thispleasure.
He said again: "The king fears the
Pandavas, as he thinks that they areendowed with the power of austerities. He
forbids us to go to the forest and meetthem, lest danger should befall us. But I
tell you, all we have done so far is labor
lost, without a sight of the sufferings ofDraupadi, Bhima and Arjuna in the forest.
This life of idle ease is torment to me
without that great joy. Sakuni and yourself
must seek a way of obtaining the king's
consent for us to go to the forest and see
the Pandavas in their misery."
Early next morning, Karna went toDuryodhana with a cheerful face andannounced that he had found a way out ofthe difficulty.
He said: "What do you think of going toour ranches at Dwaitavana for the annual
stock-taking of the cows? The kingcertainly cannot object to that." Sakuni
and Duryodhana applauded this brightidea and sent the leader of the cowherds to
the king to secure his permission.
But the king would not assent. He said:"Hunting is indeed beneficial to theprinces. It is also desirable to take stock of
the cows. But I learn that the Pandavas aredwelling in that forest. It is not advisablefor you to go there. I cannot agree to send
you to a place near the abode of Bhima
and Arjuna while there is still occasion foranger and strife."
Duryodhana said: "We shall not go nearthem. On the contrary we shall be very
careful and avoid them." The kinganswered:"However careful you may be, there isdanger in mere nearness. Also, it is not
right to intrude on the sorrows of the
Pandavas in their forest life. Anyone ofyour soldiers might trespass and give
offence, which may lead to trouble.

Someone else can go in your stead tocount the cattle."
Sakuni said: "O king, Yudhishthira knows
and follows the path of dharma. He has
given his promise in the open assembly
and the Pandavas will follow his bidding.
The sons of Kunti will not show any
enmity towards us. Do not oppose
Duryodhana who is fond of hunting. Let
him return after taking stock of the cows. I
shall also accompany him and see to itthat none of us go anywhere near the
Pandavas."
The king, over-persuaded as usual, said:"Well, please yourselves." A heart full ofhate can know no contentment. Hate is a
cruel fire, which extorts the fuel, on which
it lives and grows.
40. DURYODHANA DISGRACED
THE Kauravas reached Dwaitavana with a
great
army
and
many
followers.
Duryodhana and Karna went withunconcealed joy at the very thought ofbeing able to gloat on the sad plight of the
Pandavas.
They themselves camped in luxurious resthouses in a place four miles off the abodeof the Pandavas. They inspected the herdsof cows and took stock of them.
After counting the cows, bulls and calves,
they enjoyed the dance, the hunt, thesylvan sports and other entertainment’s
arranged for them.
While hunting, Duryodhana and his party
reached an attractive pond near thehermitage of the Pandavas and ordered acamp to be put on its bank.
Chitrasena, the king of the Gandharvas,
and his attendants had already encampedin the neighborhood of the pool and they
prevented Duryodhana's men from putting
up their camp.
They returned to Duryodhana andrepresented that some petty prince who
was there with his followers was giving
them trouble.

Duryodhana was annoyed at thispresumption and directed his men to turnthe Gandharva prince out and put up thetents. The attendants returned to the lake
and tried to carry out their orders but
found the Gandharvas too many for themand had to retreat in precipitation.
When Duryodhana came to know of this,he grew very angry and with a large army
marched to destroy the audacious enemies
who had dared to resist his pleasure. A
great
fight
ensuedbetweentheGandharvas and Duryodhana's army.
At first the fight went in favor of theKauravas. But the tables were quickly
turned when Chitrasena, the king of theGandharvas, rallied his troops and began
using his magic weapons.
Karna and the other Kaurava heroes losttheir chariots and weapons and had toretreat
in
haste
and
ignominy.
Duryodhana alone remained in thebattlefield but he was soon seized byChitrasena, who placed him in his chariot
bound hand and foot, and blew his conchin token of victory.
The Gandharvas took many of theprominent Kauravas captive. The Kaurava
army fled in all directions and some of the
fugitives took refuge in the hermitage of
the Pandavas.
Bhima heard the news of Duryodhana's
defeat and capture with delight andamusement. He said to Yudhishthira:"These Gandharvas have done our job for
us. Duryodhana, who must have comehere to mock at us, has got what hedeserved. I feel like thanking our
Gandharva friend!"
But Yudhishthira reproved him: "Dearbrother, this is not the time for you torejoice. The Kauravas are our kith and kin
and their humiliation, at the hands ofstrangers, is ours. We cannot hold backand take this lying down. We must rescue
them."

Bhima did not think this very reasonable.
He said: "Why should we save this sinner
who tried to burn us alive in the wax
house? Why should you feel sorry for the
fellow who poisoned my food, bound me
hand and foot and wanted to drown me in
the river? What brotherly feeling can wereally have towards these vile wretches
who hauled Draupadi by the hair totheassembly and disgraced her?"At that moment a cry of agony from
Duryodhana reached them faintly from the
distance and Yudhishthira, greatly moved,
overruled Bhima's objection and bade his
brothers go to the rescue of the Kauravas.
Obedient to his behest, Bhima and Arjuna
rallied the routed Kaurava forces andoffered battle to the Gandharvas. But
Chitrasena had no wish to fight with the
Pandavas and at their approach, released
Duryodhana and the other prisoners
saying that all he wanted was to teach alesson to these arrogant Kauravas.
The dishonored Kauravas returned inhaste to Hastinapura, with Karna, who,
having been, driven off the battlefield,
joined them on the way.
Duryodhana, in great shame anddejection, felt it would have been far
better if be had been killed by Chitrasena
and announced his wish to fast unto death.
He said to Duhsasana: "Be crowned andrule the kingdom. I can no longer continue
to live after having become a laughing
stock to my enemies."
Duhsasana protested his unworthiness to
be king and caught hold of his brother's
feet and wept. Karna could not bear thesight of the brother's sorrow.
Karna said: "This does not befit heroes of
the Kuru race. What is the use of justcollapsing under sorrow? It will but makeyour enemies happy. Look at the
Pandavas. They have not taken to fasts inspite of the disgrace they have suffered."

Sakuni interposed and said: "Listen to
Karna's words. Why do you say that you
would give up your life when the kingdom
seized from the Pandavas is yours toenjoy? Fasting serves no purpose, for if
you really repent of what you have donetill now, you should make friends with the
Pandavas and give them back their
kingdom."
When Duryodhana heard this speech, hisevil nature regained ascendancy, forgiving back the kingdom to the Pandavas
was to him a hundred times worse thandefeat or disgrace. He shouted: "I shallconquer the Pandavas."
Karna said: "That is the way for a king totalk."And he added: "What sense is there indying? You can do something worthwhile
only if you are alive."
While returning home, Karna said: "Iswear to you by all that is holy that, when
the stipulated period of thirteen years isover, I will kill Arjuna in battle." Andthen he touched his sword in token of theoath.
41. SRI KRISHNA'S HUNGER
WHILE the Pandavas were dwelling in
the forest, Duryodhana celebrated a great
sacrifice with much pomp and splendor.
He wanted to perform the Rajasuyasacrifice, but the brahmanas told him thathe could not do that while Yudhishthiraand Dhritarashtra were alive and advised
him to perform the sacrifice known as the
Vaishnava instead.
He accepted this advice and celebrated the
Vaishnava with great splendor. But when
the ceremony was over, the citizens began
to
talk
among
themselves
that
Duryodhana's sacrifice had not come up toeven a sixteenth part of Yudhishthira's
Rajasuya in magnificence.
The friends of Duryodhana, on the other
hand, praised him and the sacrifice he hadcelebrated and likened it to thoseperformed by Yayati, Mandhata, Bharataand others.
Court flatterers were not sparing with
their praise. Karna told Duryodhana that
his Rajasuya had been only postponed till
the Pandavas should be defeated and slain
in battle and repeated that his part would
be the slaying of Arjuna.
"Till I have slain Arjuna," said he, "I shallnot take meat or wine, nor will I refuse theprayer of anyone who asks me foranything." Such was the solemn vow
taken by Karna in the assembly.
The sons of Dhritarashtra were delighted
to hear this vow of the great hero Karnaand shouted in joy. They felt as if the
Pandavas had been slain already.
Spies conveyed to the Pandavas in theforest the news of the oath taken by
Karna.
Yudhishthirawasgreatly
concerned, for he had a great opinion of
Karna's prowess.
Karna had been born with divine armor
and was undoubtedly a mighty hero. One
morning, just before the hour of
awakening, Yudhishthira had a dream.
Many of our dreams come either in the
beginning or at the end of our sleep. He
dreamt that the wild beasts of the forest
came and appealed to him piteously not todestroy them altogether, but to move on tosome other forest.
Duryodhana felt sure that the Pandavas,
who themselves lived from hand to mouthin the forest, would be unable to feed orentertain the sage and his following, andwould incur some dreadful curse from that
too hasty visitor for their want of
hospitality. This would give him greater
joy than any benefit he could have asked
for himself when the sage offered a boon.
Durvasa went with his disciples to the
Pandavas as was desired by Duryodhana,as the latter were resting after their
midday meal.

The brothers welcomed the sage, saluted
and honored him. Then the sage said: "Weshall be back soon. Our meals must be
ready then, for we are hungry," andhurried off with his disciples to the river.
As a result of the austerities of
Yudhishthira at the beginning of their stayin the forest, the Sun god had given him
the Akshayapatra, a wonderful vessel thatheld a never-failing supply of food.
In making the gift, the god had said,"Through this I shall place at yourdisposal for twelve years as much food as
is required for your daily consumption.
Not till everyone has been served andDraupadi herself has taken her share will
the vessel become empty for the day."
Accordingly, the brahmanas and otherguests would be served first. Afterwards
the Pandava brothers would take theirmeals. Finally, Draupadi would have hershare.
When Durvasa reached the place, all ofthem, including Draupadi, had eaten theirmeals and so the vessel was empty anddenuded of its power for the day.
Draupadi was greatly troubled andperfectly at a loss to find food when thesage and his disciples should return after
their ablutions. In the kitchen, she prayedearnestly to Sri Krishna to come to her aid
in this hopeless predicament and deliver
her from the wrath of the sage.
At once Sri Krishna appeared before her.
"I am very hungry," he said, "bringwithout delay something to eat and weshall speak of other things afterwards."
Here was a pretty pass. It looked as
though the ally from whom she hoped forrelief had gone over to the foe! She criedout in great confusion: "Alas! Why do you
try me thus, O Krishna? The power of thevessel given by the Sun is exhausted forthe day. And the sage Durvasa has come.
What shall I do? The sage and his
disciples will soon be here and as thoughthis were not enough, you have also comeat this juncture saying that you are
hungry."Sri Krishna said: "I am terribly hungry
and want food, not excuses. Fetch thevessel and let me see for myself."
Draupadi brought it to him. A tiny bit ofcooked vegetable and a grain of rice were
sticking to the rim of the vessel.
Sri Krishna ate them with satisfaction,
accepting them as Sri Hari, the Soul of the
Universe. Draupadi was filled with shameat her slovenliness in not having cleaned
the vessel free of all remnants. A bit had
been left which had been partaken by
Vasudeva!
Sri
Krishnaseemedrepletewithsatisfaction after eating his solitary grain
and calling Bhima, told him to go to theriver and intimate to the revered sage thatfood was ready and waiting for them.
Bhimasena, greatly puzzled, but full offaith in Sri Krishna, hastened to the river
where Durvasa and his followers werebathing.
They were in great surprise to find that
their ravenous hunger had given place to apleased satiety. They had all the
comfortable cheerfulness of people who
had feasted well.
The disciples told the sage: "We havecome here after asking Yudhishthira toprepare food for us, but we feel well-fed
and full and cannot eat anything more."
Durvasa knew what it was and he told
Bhima: "We have taken our meals. Tell
Yudhishthira to forgive us." Then theparty went away.
The explanation is that as the whole
universe is contained in Sri Krishna, his
satisfaction with a single grain of ricesatisfied for the time the hunger of all
beings including the sage.
42. THE ENCHANTED POOL
THE stipulated period of twelve years was
drawing to a close.

One day, a deer was rubbing itself against
a poor brahmana's fire-kindling mortar
and as it turned to go, the mortar got
entangled in its horns and the affrighted
animal fled wildly with it into the forest.
In those days matches were unknown andfire was kindled with pieces of wood bymechanical friction.
"Alas! The deer is running away with myfire-kindler. How can I perform the fire
sacrifice?" shouted the brahmana andrushed towards the Pandavas for help in
his extremity.
The Pandavas pursued the animal but it
was a magic deer, which sped in great
leaps and bounds, decoying the Pandavas
far into the forest and then disappeared.
Worn out by the futile chase, thePandavas sat in great dejection under abanyan tree.
Nakula sighed: "We cannot render eventhis trifling service to the brahmana. How
we have degenerated!" said he sadly.
Bhima said: "Quite so. When Draupadi
was dragged into the assembly, we shouldhave killed those wretches. Is it notbecause we did not do so that we have had
to suffer all these sorrows?" and he looked
at Arjuna sadly.
Arjuna agreed. "I bore in silence thevulgar and insulting brag of that son of thecharioteer, doing nothing. So we havedeservedly fallen into this pitiable state."
Yudhishthira noticed with sorrow that allof them had lost their cheerfulness andcourage. He thought they would be morecheerful with something to do. He wastormented with thirst and so he said to
Nakula: "Brother, climb that tree and see
whether there is any pool or river nearby."
Nakula climbed the tree, looked aroundand said: "At a little distance I see water
plants and cranes. There must certainly bewater there."
Yudhishthira sent him to fetch some todrink.

Nakula was glad when he got to the placeand saw there was a pool. He was verythirsty himself and so thought ofquenching his thirst first before taking
water in his quiver for his brother. But nosooner did he dip his hand in thetransparent water than he heard a voice,which said:"Do not be rash. This pool belongs to me.
O son of Madri, answer my questions andthen drink the water."
Nakula was surprised, but carried away by
his intense thirst and heedless of thewarning, he drank the water. At once,
overcome by irresistible drowsiness, hefell down, to all appearance dead.
Surprised that Nakula had not returned,
Yudhishthira sent Sahadeva to see what
the matter was. When Sahadeva reached
the pool and saw his brother lying on the
ground, he wondered whether any harm
had come to him. But before looking into
the matter further, rushed irresistibly to
the water to quench his burning thirst.
The voice was heard again: "O Sahadeva,
this is my pool. Answer my questions andthen only may you quench your thirst."
Like Nakula, Sahadeva also did not heed
the warning. He drank the water and atonce dropped down.
Puzzled and worried that Sahadeva also
did not return, Yudhishthira sent Arjuna to
see whether the brothers had met with any
danger. "And bring water," he added, for
he was very thirsty.
Arjuna went swiftly. He saw both his
brothers lying dead near the pool. He wasshocked at the sight and felt that theymust have been killed by some lurking
foe.
Though heart-broken with grief andburning with the desire for revenge, hefelt all feelings submerged in a monstrous
thirst, which irresistibly impelled him to
the fatal pool. Again, a voice was heard:"Answer my question before you drink thewater. This pool is mine. If you disobey
me, you will follow your brothers."
Arjuna's anger knew no bounds. He cried:"Who are you? Come and stand up to me,
and I will kill you," and he shot keenedged arrows in the direction of the voice.
The invisible being laughed in scorn:"Your arrows do but wound the air.
Answer my questions and then you cansatisfy your thirst. If you drink the water
without doing so, you will die."Greatly vexed, Arjuna made up his mind
to seek out and grapple with this elusive
foe. But first he had to quench his terrible
thirst. Yes, thirst was the enemy he must
kill first. So he drank the water and also
fell down dead.
After anxious waiting Yudhishthira turned
to Bhima: "Dear brother, Arjuna, the great
hero, has also not yet returned. Something
terrible must have happened to ourbrothers, for our stars are bad. Please seek
them out and be quick about it. Also bringwater, for I die of thirst." Bhima, racked
with anxiety, hurried away without aword.
His grief and rage can be imagined when
he saw his three brothers lying there dead.
He thought: "This is certainly the work of
the Yakshas. I will hunt them down andkill them. But O! I am so thirsty, I shallfirst drink water the better to fight them."
And then he descended into the pool.
The voice shouted: "Bhimasena, beware.
You may drink only after answering myquestions. You will die if you disregard
my words.""Who are you to dictate to me?" cried
Bhima, and he drank the water avidly,
glaring around in defiance. And as he didso, his great strength seemed to slip fromhim like a garment. And he also fell deadamong his brothers.
Alone, Yudhishthira wailed full of anxiety
and thirst. "Have they been subjected to acurse or are they wandering about in theforest in a vain search for water or havethey fainted or died of thirst?"
Unable to bear these thoughts and driven
desperate by an overpowering thirst, hestarted out to look for his brothers and thepool.
Yudhishthira proceeded in the direction
his brothers had taken through tracts
infested with wild boar and abounding inspotted dear and huge forest birds.
Presently he came upon a beautiful green
meadow, girdling a pool of pellucid water,
nectar to his eyes.
But when he saw his brothers lying there
like sacred flagpoles thrown pell-mell
after a festival, unable to restrain his grief,
he lifted his voice and wept. He stroked
the faces of Bhima and Arjuna as they lay
so still and silent there and mourned:"Was this to be the end of all our vows?
Just when our exile is about to end, youhave been snatched away. Even the gods
have forsaken me in my misfortune!"
As he looked at their mighty limbs, now
so helpless, he sadly wondered who could
have been powerful enough to kill them.
Brokenly, he reflected: "Surely my heartmust be made of steel not to break evenafter seeing Nakula and Sahadeva dead.
For what purpose should I continue to livein this world?"
Then a sense of mystery overcame him,
for this could be no ordinary occurrence.
The world held no warriors who could
overcome his brothers. Besides, there
were no wounds on their bodies which
could have let out life and their faces were
faces of men who slept in peace and not of
those who died in wrath.
There was also no trace of the footprintsof an enemy. There was surely somemagic about it. Or, could it be a trickplayed by Duryodhana? Might he nothavepoisonedthewater?
Then
Yudhishthira also descended into the pool,in his turn drawn to the water by aconsuming thirst.
At once the voice without form warned as
before: "Your brothers died because they
did not heed my words. Do not follow
them. Answer my questions first and thenquench your thirst. This pool is mine."
Yudhishthira knew that these could benone other than the words of a Yaksha
and guessed what had happened to his
brothers. He saw a possible way ofredeeming the situation.
He said to the bodiless voice: "Please ask
your questions." The voice put questions
rapidly one after another.
The Yaksha asked: "What makes sun
shine every day?"
Yudhishthira replied: "The power ofBrahman."The Yaksha asked: "What rescues man indanger?"Yudhishthira replied: "Courage is man'ssalvation in danger."
The Yaksha asked: "By the study of whichscience does man become wise?"
Yudhishthira replied: "Not by studying
any sastra does man become wise. It is byassociation with the great in wisdom that
he gets wisdom."
The Yaksha asked: "What is more nobly
sustaining than the earth?"Yudhishthira replied: "The mother whobrings up the children she has borne isnobler and more sustaining than theearth."The Yaksha asked: "What is higher than
the sky?"
Yudhishthira replied: "The father."
The Yaksha asked: "What is fleeter thanwind?"
Yudhishthira replied: "Mind."
The Yaksha asked: "What is moreblighted than withered straw?"
Yudhishthira replied: "A sorrow-stricken
heart."

The Yaksha asked: "What befriends a
traveller?"
Yudhishthira replied: "Learning."
The Yaksha asked: "Who is the friend of
one who stays at home?"
Yudhishthira replied: "The wife."
The Yaksha asked: "Who accompanies aman in death?"
Yudhishthira replied: "Dharma. Thatalone accompanies the soul in its solitaryjourney after death."
The Yaksha asked: "Which is the biggest
vessel?"Yudhishthira replied: "The earth, whichcontains all within itself is the greatest
vessel."The Yaksha asked: "What is happiness?"
Yudhishthira replied: "Happiness is theresult of good conduct."The Yaksha asked: "What is that,abandoning which man becomes loved byall?"
Yudhishthirareplied:"Pride,forabandoning that man will be loved by all."
The Yaksha asked: "What is the loss
which yields joy and not sorrow?"
Yudhishthira replied: "Anger, giving it up,
we will no longer subject to sorrow."
The Yaksha asked: "What is that, by
giving up which, man becomes rich?"
Yudhishthira replied: "Desire, getting rid
of it, man becomes wealthy."
The Yaksha asked: "What makes one areal brahmana? Is it birth, good conduct orlearning? Answer decisively."
Yudhishthira replied: "Birth and learning
do not make one a brahmana. Good
conduct alone does. However learned aperson may be he will not be a brahmana
if he is a slave to bad habits. Even though
he may be learned in the four Vedas, aman of bad conduct falls to a lower class."
The Yaksha asked: "What is the greatest
wonder in the world?"
Yudhishthira replied: "Every day, men see
creatures depart to Yama's abode and yet,those who remain seek to live forever.
This verily is the greatest wonder."Thus, the Yaksha posed many questions
and Yudhishthira answered them all.
In the end the Yaksha asked: "O king, oneof your dead brothers can now be revived.
Whom do you want revived? He shallcome back to life."
Yudhishthira thought for a moment andthenreplied:"May
thecloudcomplexioned, lotus-eyed, broad-chested
and long-armed Nakula, lying like a fallen
ebony tree, arise."
The Yaksha was pleased at this and asked
Yudhishthira: "Why did you choose
Nakula in preference to Bhima who has
thestrengthofsixteenthousandelephants? I have heard that Bhima is
most dear to you. And why not Arjuna,
whose prowess in arms is your protection?
Tell me why you chose Nakula rather thaneither of these two."
Yudhishthira replied: "O Yaksha, dharma
is the only shield of man and not Bhima or
Arjuna. If dharma is set at naught, manwill be ruined. Kunti and Madri were thetwo wives of my father. I am surviving, a
son of Kunti, and so, she is not completely
bereaved. In order that the scales ofjustice may be even, I ask that Madri's son
Nakula may revive." The Yaksha waspleased with Yudhishthira's impartiality
and granted that all his brothers would
come back to life.
It was Yama, the Lord of Death, who hadtaken the form of the deer and the Yaksha
so that he might see his son Yudhishthiraand test him. He embraced Yudhishthiraand blessed him.
Yama said: "Only a few days remain tocomplete the stipulated period of yourexile in the forest. The thirteenth year will
also pass by. None of your enemies will
be able to discover you. You will
successfully fulfil your undertaking," andsaying this he disappeared.

The Pandavas had, no doubt, to passthrough all sorts of troubles during their
exile, but the gains too were notinconsiderable. It was a period of hard
disciplineandsearchingprobation
through which they emerged stronger andnobler men.
Arjuna returned from tapas with divine
weapons and strengthened by contact with
Indra. Bhima also met his elder brother
Hanuman near the lake where the
Saugandhika flowers bloomed and got
tenfold strength from his embrace. Having
met, at the enchanted pool, his father
Yama, the Lord of Dharma, Yudhishthirashone with tenfold lustre.
"The minds of those who listen to thesacred story of Yudhishthira's meetingwith his father, will never go after evil.
They will never seek to create quarrels
among friends or covet the wealth ofothers. They will never fall victims to lust.
They will never be unduly attached totransitory
things."Thus
said
Vaisampayana to Janamejaya as he related
this story of the Yaksha. May the same
good attend the readers of this story as
retold by us.
43. DOMESTIC SERVICE"O BRAHMANAS, we have been
deceived by the sons of Dhritarashtra,
cheated out of our kingdom and reduced
to poverty. Still we have passed theseyears cheerfully with joy in the forest. The
thirteenth year of exile has come, and withit the time for us to part from you. For wehave to spend the next twelve months
undiscovered by the spies of Duryodhana.
God knows when the day will dawn which
will see us together again, without fear orconcealment. Now, bless us before we go.
And may we escape the notice of those
who may wish to betray us to the sons ofDhritarashtra, either through fear or hopeof reward."

So spoke Yudhishthira to the brahmanas
who were living with the Pandavas tillthen. His voice shook with emotion as hespoke these words.
Dhaumya consoled him. He said: "Parting,is hard, and the dangers are many andgreat. But you are too wise and learned to
be shaken or daunted. You must disguiseyourselves. Indra, the Lord of gods, when
pested by the demons, disguised himself
as a brahmana and lived unknown in the
country of Nishadha. Safely concealed
thus, he managed to destroy his enemies.
You must also do likewise. Did not
Mahavishnu, the Lord of the Universe,
become a child in the womb of Aditi,
suffer human birth, and take away from
Emperor Bali his kingdom for thesalvation of the world? Did not Lord
Narayana, the refuge of men, enter into
the weapon of Indra to defeat Vritra, theasura king? Did not the Fire god hidehimself in the waters for the sake of thegods? Does not the moon keep out ofsight every day? Did not Lord Vishnu, theall-pervading God, descend as the son of
Dasaratha and spend long years, suffering
many sorrows for the sake of killing
Ravana? The greatest souls in the past
have sanctified disguise for a good
purpose. You will, likewise, conquer yourenemies and win prosperity."
Yudhishthira took leave of the brahmanas
and gave the members of his retinue leave
to go home. The Pandavas retired to a
secluded spot in the forest and discussed
their future line of action. Yudhishthirasadly asked Arjuna: "You are wellconversant with the ways of the world.
Where would it be best for us to spend thethirteenth year?"
Arjuna replied: "O great king, you know
Yama, the Lord of Death, has blessed us.
We can easily pass the twelve months
together without being discovered. There
are many charming states for us to choose

from for our sojourn, states like Panchala,
Matsya,Salva,
Videha,Bahlika,
Dasharna,
Surasena,
Kalinga,and
Magadha. It is, of course, for you tochoose. But if I may venture an opinion,
the Matsya country of king Virata is thebest, prosperous and charming as it is."Yudhishthira answered: "Virata, the kingof Matsya, is very strong and he loves us
much. He is of mature judgment and isdevoted to the practice of virtue. He will
not be won over or frightened by
Duryodhana. I agree that it would be best
to live incognito in Virata's kingdom."
Arjuna said: "Well then, O king, whatwork would you seek in the court ofVirata?"When he asked this question, Arjuna wasfull of sorrow at the thought ofYudhishthira, the great and guileless king,who had performed the Rajasuyasacrifice, having to disguise himself andtake service.
Yudhishthira answered: "I am thinking of
asking Virata to take me in his service as acourtier. I could delight him with myconversation and my dexterity at dice. I
shall take the garb of a sanyasin and shallkeep him agreeably engaged by my skill
in reading omens and knowledge
ofastrology as well as of the Vedas,
Vedangas, ethics, politics and othersciences. I shall have to be careful ofcourse, but be not anxious about me. I
shall tell him that I was an intimate friendof Yudhishthira and learnt these things
while I was privileged to be with him. O
Bhima, what works will you, whoconquered and slew Baka and Hidimba,
take up under Virata? You saved us bykilling Jatasura. Valor and strength areover-flowing from you. What disguise canhide your mighty personality and enable
you to live unknown in the country of
Mastya?" Yudhishthira was in tears as heput this question to Bhima.

Bhima laughingly replied:"O king, I
think of taking service as a cook in the
court of Virata. You know that I have agreat appetite and that I am also an expert
in cooking. I shall please Virata by
preparing such dainty food as he has nevertasted. I shall chop the trees of the forest
and bring heaps of fuel. I shall also delightthe king by contending with and defeating
the wrestlers who come to his court."
This made Yudhishthira anxious for hefeared that danger might befall them if
Bhima engaged himself in wrestlingbouts. At once Bhima spoke thus to calm
his fears:"I shall not kill anyone. I may give a badjolt to any wrestler who deserves it but I
shall not kill anyone. I shall restrain madbulls, buffaloes and other wild animals
and thus entertain king Virata."
Afterwards
Yudhishthiraaddressed
Arjuna: "What profession do you propose
to take up? How can you hide yourtowering valor?"
When he asked this question Yudhishthiracould not restrain him from narrating thebrilliant exploits of Arjuna. He spoke ofhis brother's glory in twenty verses. Well,
who deserves praise if not Arjuna?
Arjuna replied: "Revered brother, I shallhide myself in the guise of a eunuch andserve the ladies of the court. I shall hide
under a jacket the scars on my arms madeby the constant chafing of the bowstring.
When I rejected Urvasi's amorous
overtures on the ground that she was likea mother unto me, she cursed me with lossof manhood. But through Indra's grace thecurse would hold good only for a year,
and the time would be mine to choose. I
shall serve out that year of loss ofmanhood now. Wearing bangles made ofwhite conchs, braiding my hair like awoman, and clothing myself in female
attire, I shall engage myself in menial
work in the inner apartments of Virata's

queen. I shall teach the women singing
and dancing. And I shall seek service
saying that I used to serve Draupadi in
Yudhishthira's court." Saying this, Arjuna
turned to Draupadi and smiled.
Yudhishthira was in tears. "Alas! Have thefates decreed that he, who is the equal of
Sri Krishna himself in fame and valor, ascion of Bharata's line, who stands highlike the great golden Mount Meru, mustgo and seek employment of Virata as aeunuch in the queen's inner apartments?"
he said brokenly.
Yudhishthira then turned to Nakula andasked him what work he would engage inand, as he thought of Madri, the mother ofNakula, tears rolled down his eyes.
Nakula replied: "I shall work in King
Virata's stables. My mind delights intraining and looking after horses. For I
know the heart of horses and haveknowledge of their ailments and cure. I
can not only ride and break horses but
also harness and drive them in a chariot. I
shall say that I had looked after the horsesof the Pandavas and I have no doubt
Virata will take me in his service."
Yudhishthira asked Sahadeva: "You, with
the intelligence of Brihaspati, the priest
and the preceptor of the gods, and theknowledge of Sukra, the teacher of theasuras, what work will you take up?"
Sahadeva replied: "Let Nakula look after
horses. I shall tend the cows. I shall guard
Virata's cattle from the ravages of disease
and the attacks of wild beasts.""O Draupadi," but Yudhishthira could not
find words to ask her what she proposed
to do. She was dearer to him than life
itself, worthy of all reverence andprotection, and it seemed sacrilege to talkof service. She was a princess, thedaughter of a king, nobly born, tenderly
nurtured. Yudhishthira felt choked byshame and despair.

Draupadi saw his grief and spoke thesebrave words: "O best of kings, do not
grieve or suffer anxiety on my account. I
shall be a sairandhri in the court of thequeen of Virata, the companion andattendant of the princess. I shall preserve
my freedom and chastity, for the attendantand companion of a princess has this rightand can exercise it. I shall pass my days insuch light tasks as braiding the hair andentertaining the women of the court withsmall talk. I shall represent that I had thus
servedprincess
DraupadiinYudhishthira's court and seek employment
from the queen. Thus shall I remain
unknown to others."
Yudhishthira praised Draupadi's courage
and said: "O auspicious one, you speak as
befits one of your family."
When the Pandavas thus decided,
Dhaumya blessed them and advised themthus: "Those who are engaged in service
under a king should always be vigilant.
They must serve without talking too
much. They may give their counsel only
when asked, and never obtrude it. They
should praise the king on befitting
occasions. All things, no matter how
small, may be done only after informing
the king, who is a veritable fire in humanform. Do not go too near him, nor yet
appear to avoid him. Even though aperson may be trusted by the king andhave great authority, still be should
always behave as if he would bedismissed immediately, It would befoolishness to place too much confidence
in a king. One may not sit in theconveyance, seat or chariot of the king,presuming on his affection. A servant of
the king should ever be active and selfrestrained. He should not be excessively
elated, nor unduly depressed, by being
honored or dishonored by the king. He
may not reveal the secrets confided tohim, nor may he receive anything in theform of gift from the citizens. He should
not be jealous of other servants. The kingmay place fools in positions of authority,
leaving aside the wise. Such waywardness
should be ignored. One cannot be too
careful with the ladies of the court. There
should not be the faintest suggestion ofindelicacy in one's conduct towards
them."
Dhaumya then blessed the Pandavas:"Live thus in patience for one year,
serving the king Virata, and then, you willpass the rest of your days in happiness,regaining your lost throne."
44. VIRTUE VINDICATEDYUDHISHTHIRA put on the garb of asanyasin. Arjuna transformed himself intoaeunuch.
Othersalso
disguisedthemselves. But no disguise could takeaway their natural charm, grace andnobility of appearance.
When they went to King Virata seeking
service, they seemed to him born tocommand and rule rather than to serve. He
hesitated, at first, to engage them inservice but yielding to their urgent
solicitations, he finally appointed them tothe places they sought of him.
Yudhishthirabecametheking'scompanion and spent his days in playing
dice with him. Bhima worked as the chiefof the cooks. He also entertained the kingby wrestling with the reputed men ofmight whom came to the court, and bycontrolling wild animals.
Arjuna assumed the name of Brihannala
andtaughtdancing,singing
andinstrumental music to Princess Uttara, thedaughter of Virata, and the ladies. Nakula
looked after the horses and Sahadeva
looked after the cows and the bulls.
The princess Draupadi who, if fate had
been less cruel, should herself have been
served by many maids, had now to passher days in serving Sudeshna, Virata's
queen. She lived in the inner apartmentsof the palace as maid and companion,
engaging herself in uncongenial tasks.
Kichaka, the brother of Sudeshna, was thecommander-in-chief of Virata's army andit was to him that the old king Virata
owed his power and prestige. Kichakawielded such vast influence that people
used to say that Kichaka was the real kingof the Matsya country and old Virata king
only in name.
Kichaka was inordinately vain of his
strength and his influence over the king.
He was so smitten with Draupadi's beauty
that he conceived an uncontrollable
passion for her. And he was so sure of his
own attractions and power that it neveroccurred to him that she, though a mere
maidservant could resist his will. He madeamorous overtures to her, which greatly
vexed her.
Draupadi was too shy to speak of this to
Sudeshna or to others. She gave out that
her husbands were Gandharvas who
would mysteriously kill those who tried todishonor her.
Her good conduct and lustre made every
one believe in her story about the
Gandharvas. But Kichaka was not to befrightened so easily and he sought
persistently to seduce Draupadi.
His persecution became so intolerable thatat last she complained of it to Queen
Sudeshna, and implored her protection.
Kichaka, of course, had greater influence
over his sister, and he shamelessly
confided to her his unlawful passion forher maid and sought her aid to compass
his wish.
He represented himself as dying of desire.
"I am so full of torment," he said, "thatfrom the time I met your maid, I do not
get any sleep or rest. You must save mylife by managing somehow to make her
receive my advances favorably." Thequeen tried to dissuade him but Kichakawould not listen. And finally Sudeshna

yielded. Both of them decided upon a plan
to entrap Draupadi.
One night, many sweetmeats andintoxicating drinks were prepared in thehouse of Kichaka and a great feast wasarranged. Sudeshna called Sairandhri toher side and handing her a beautiful
golden jug bade her go and bring her a jugof wine from Kichaka's house.
Draupadi hesitated to go to the house of
the infatuated Kichaka at that hour andbegged hard that someone else of her
many attendants might be sent, but
Sudeshna did not listen. She pretended to
be angry and said sharply: "Go, you must.
I can not send anyone else," and poor
Draupadi had to obey.
Draupadi's fears were justified. When she
reached Kichaka's house, that wretch,maddened with lust and wine, began topester her with urgent entreaties andsolicitations.
She rejected his prayers and said: "Whydo you, who belong to a noble royalfamily, seek me, born of a low caste?
Why do you take to the wrong path? Why
do you approach me, a married lady? You
will
perish.
Myprotectors,
theGandharvas, will kill you in their anger."
When Draupadi would not yield to hisentreaties, Kichaka seized her by the armand pulled her about. But putting down
the vessel she carried, she wrenchedherself free and fled, hotly pursued by themaddened Kichaka.
She fled to the court wailing loudly. But
even there, intoxicated not only withwine, but even more by his power andinfluence, Kichaka followed her andkicked her in the presence of all withabusive words.
Everyone was afraid of the all-powerfulcommander-in-chief and no one was boldenough to oppose him.
Draupadi could not bear the sorrow andanger she felt at the thought of her

helplessness under the intolerable insult
offered to her.
Her deep distress made her forget thedanger that would befall the Pandavas if
they were discovered prematurely. She
went that night to Bhima and waking him
up, gave vent to her agonized sense ofwrong.
After telling him how brutally Kichaka
had pursued and insulted her, she
appealed
piteously
to
Bhima
for
protection and revenge. She said in avoice choked with sobs:"I cannot bear this any longer. You must
kill this wretch at once. For your sake, tohelp you keep your promise, I serve in amenial office and even prepare sandal
paste for Virata. I have not minded it, I,
who have till now served only you orMother Kunti, whom I love and honor.
But now, I have to serve these wretches,
fearful every moment of some disgracefuloutrage. Not that I mind hard work, see
my hands." And she showed her hands,
which were cracked and stained withmenial tasks.
Bhima respectfully carried her hands to
his face and eyes, and speechless withsorrow and pity and love, he dried hertears. Finally he found his voice, and said
thickly:"I care not for the promise of Yudhishthiraor the advice of Arjuna. I care not what
may happen but I will do as you say. I will
kill Kichaka and his gang here and now!"and he rose.
But Draupadi warned Bhima not to be
hasty. They talked it over and finallydecided that Kichaka should be beguiled
to come alone at night to a retired spot in
the dancing hall where he should findwaiting for him Bhima disguised as awoman, instead of Draupadi.
Next morning, Kichaka renewed his
hateful attentions and vaingloriously said
to Draupadi: "O Sairandhri, I threw youdown and kicked you in the presence of
the king. Did any one there come forward
to help you? Virata is only king in nameof this Matsya country. But I, thecommander-in-chief,
am
the
real
sovereign. Now, do not be a fool, but
come and enjoy life with me, with all
royal honors. I shall be your devoted
servant." And he begged and bullied andcringed, devouring her the while with lustreddened eyes.
Draupadi pretended to yield and said:"Kichaka, believe me, I can no longer
resist your solicitations. But none of yourcompanions or brothers should know of
our relations. If you swear that you willfaithfully keep the secret from others, I
shall yield to your wish."Kichaka delightedly agreed to thecondition and he promised to go alone to aplace of assignation that very night.
She said: "The women have their dancing
lessons during daytime in the dancing halland return to their own quarters atnightfall. None will be in the dancing hallat night. Come there tonight. I shall be
waiting for you there. You can have yourwill of me."
Kichaka reveled in happiness. That night,
Kichaka took his bath, perfumed anddecked himself, went to the dancing halland finding with joy that the doors wereopen, gently entered the place.
In the very dim light, he saw someone
lying there on a couch, no doubt
Sairandhri. He groped his way in the dark,
and gently laid his hands on the person of
the sleeper.
Alas! It was not the soft form of
Sairandhri that he touched but the ironframe of Bhima who lept forth on him likea lion on its prey and hurled him to theground. But surprised as he was, Kichaka
was no coward, and he was now fighting
for dear life.

Grimly they wrestled, Kichaka no doubt
thinking he had to do with one of theGandharva husbands. They were not ill
matched, for at that time Bhima, Balarama
and Kichaka were reputed to be in thesame class in strength and wrestling skill.
The struggle between Bhima and Kichaka
was like that between Vali and Sugriva. In
the end Bhima killed Kichaka, pounding
and kneading his body into a shapelesslump of flesh.
Then he gave the glad news of Kichaka's
punishment to Draupadi and went in haste
to his kitchen, bathed, rubbed sandal pasteover his body and slept with satisfaction.
Draupadi awoke the guards of the court
and said to them: "Kichaka came tomolest me, but as I had warned him, theGandharvas, my husbands, made shortwork of him. Your commander-in-chief,
who fell a prey to lust, has been killed.
Look at him." And she showed them thecorpse of Kichaka, which had been
reduced to such a shapeless mass that it
had no human semblance.
45. MATSYA DEFENDED
THE fate of Kichaka made Draupadi an
object of fear to the people of Virata.
"This woman, so beautiful that she
captures all hearts, is as dangerous as she
is lovely, for the Gandharvas guard her.
She is a great danger to the people of thecity and the members of the royalhousehold, for the Gandharvas may stopat nothing in their jealous anger. It would
be best to send her out of the city."
Reflecting thus, the citizens went to
Sudeshna and prayed to her to expel
Draupadi.
Sudeshna told Draupadi: "You are, nodoubt, a very virtuous lady, but kindly
leave our city. I have had enough of you."
There was only one month more tocomplete the stipulated period of living
incognito and Draupadi begged earnestly
to be permitted to stay just another month

by when, she said, her Gandharva
husbands would have realised theirobjects and would be ready to take heraway with them.
The Gandharvas would be very grateful toKing Virata and his kingdom. Whether
grateful or not, the Gandharvas could be
deadly if irritated and Sudeshna was too
afraid of Draupadi to refuse her request.
From the beginning of the thirteenth year,
the spies of Duryodhana, under his
express orders, had searched for the
Pandavas in all possible places of hiding.
After several months of futile search, theyreported their failure to Duryodhana andadded that probably the Pandavas had
perished of privations.
Then came the news that the powerful
Kichaka had been killed in single combat
by some Gandharva on account of awoman.
There were only two persons who could
kill Kichaka, and Bhima was one of them.
And so they suspected that Bhima might
have been the vengeful Gandharva who
had killed Kichaka. Duryodhana also feltthat the lady who was the cause of thekilling might be Draupadi. He expressed
his doubts in the open assembly.
He said: "I suspect that the Pandavas are
in Virata's city. Now, he is one of thekings who are too stiff-necked to court ourfriendship. It would be a good thing toinvade his country and carry away hiscows. If the Pandavas are hiding there,
they will certainly come out to fight with
us to repay Virata's hospitality and we caneasily spot them. If we discover them
there and we can sure before the stipulated
time, they will have to go to the forest
again for another twelve, years. If, on theother hand, the Pandavas are not there,
there is nothing lost."
King Susarma, the ruler of Trigarta
heartily supported him. "The king ofMatsya is my enemy." he said, "andKichaka has given me a lot of trouble.
Kichaka's death must have weakened
Virata considerably. Give me leave toattack Virata now."
Karna seconded this proposition. They
unanimously came to the decision thatSusarma should attack Matsya from thesouth and draw off the army of Virata to
the south for defence. Duryodhana, with
the Kaurava army, would then launch asurprise attack on Virata from thenorthern side, which would be relatively
undefended.
Susarma invaded Matsya from the south
seized the cattle and laid waste thegardens and fields on the way. The
cowherds ran in great distress to Virata,
who now very much wished that Kichaka
were alive, for he surely would have madeshort work of the raiders. When he said so
to Kanka (the assumed name by which
Yudhishthira was known in Virata's court)
the latter said: "O king, be not worried.
Even though I am a hermit, I am an expert
in warfare. I shall put on armor and go ina chariot and drive away your enemies.
Please instruct that your horse keeper
Dharmagranthi, your chief cook Valala,
and your stable herd Tantripala may also
get into chariots and help us. I have heardthat they are great fighters. Kindly giveorders that the necessary chariots and theweapons may be given to us."
Delighted, Virata was only too willing toaccept the offer. The chariots were ready.
All the Pandavas excepting Arjuna wentout with the army of Virata to oppose
Susarma and his men.
A fierce fight ensued between the armies
of Virata and Susarma, with much loss oflife on both sides. Susarma attacked
Virata and surrounded his chariot,
compelling him to get down and fight on
foot.
Susarma captured Virata and held him
captive in his chariot. With the capture ofVirata, the army of Matsya lost heart andbegan to scatter in all directions, when
Yudhishthira commanded Bhima to attack
Susarma and release Virata and rally thescattered Matsya forces.
At these words of Yudhishthira, Bhima
was about to uproot a tree, but
Yudhishthira stopped him and said: "Nosuch tricks, please, and no battle cry or
your identity will be revealed. Fight likeanybody else from the chariot with yourbows and arrows."
Bhima accordingly got into the chariot
attacked the enemy, set Virata free andcaptured Susarma. The dispersed forces ofMatsya rallied into new formations
charged and defeated the army ofSusarma.
As soon as the news of Susarma's defeat
reached the city, the people were
extremely jubilant. They decorated thecity and went forth to welcome their
victorious king back home.
When they were thus making preparations
to receive king Virata, the big army of
Duryodhana came down on them from thenorth, and began despoiling the cattle
ranches on the outskirts of the city.
The Kaurava army marched in force androunded up the countless cows that were
there. The leader of the cowherds ran tothe city and said to the prince Uttara: "Oprince, the Kauravas are marching on,
robbing us of our cows. King Virata hasgone south to fight against the Trigarta.
We are in consternation as there is no one
to protect us. You are the king's son and
we look to you for protection. Pray, comeand recover the cows for the honor ofyour family."
When the leader of the cowherds madethis complaint to Uttara in the presence ofthe people and especially of the women of
the palace, the prince felt flushed withvalor and proudly said:"If only I can get someone to be mycharioteer I will recover the cows singlehanded. Well, my feats of arms will beworth seeing and people will know there
is little to choose between Arjuna andmyself."When Uttara said these words Draupadi
was in the inner apartments and must havelaughed within herself.
She ran to princess Uttara and said: "Oprincess, great danger has be fallen the
country. The cowherds have complained
to the young that the Kaurava army isadvancing on our city from the north andhas captured cattle ranches and cows on
the outskirts. The prince is eager to fightthem and is in need of a charioteer.
Should such a small thing as that stand in
the way of victory and glory? I tell youthat Brihannala has been Arjuna's
charioteer. When I was in the service ofthe queen of the Pandavas, I heard of thisfact and I also know that Brihannala learnt
archery from Arjuna. Order Brihannala
immediately to go and drive the prince's
chariot."
Arjuna as Brihannala pretended to be
unfamiliar with armor and raised a laughat his awkwardness in wearing it.
The women of the palace laughed at hisfears and told him again not to be afraid
for Uttara would look after him.
Arjuna spent some time in such fun but,when he harnessed the horses, it could beseen that, at least, he was an expert
charioteer. And when he held the reins,the horses seemed to love and obey him.
"The prince will be victorious. We shalldespoil the enemy of their embroideredrobes and distribute them to you as theprize of victory" were the last words of
Brihannala to the women of the palace, as
the chariot rapidly bore the prince
outwards to battle.
46. PRINCE UTTARAUTTARA, the son of Virata, set off withenthusiasm from the city in his chariot
with Brihannala as his charioteer andcommanded the latter to drive quickly tothe place where the Kauravas had roundedup the cows.
Willingly, the horses were put to their best
speed. And presently the Kaurava army
was sighted, at first a gleaming, line,
enveloped in a cloud of dust that seemed
to go up to the skies.
Going nearer, Uttara saw the great armydrew in battle by Bhishma, Drona, Kripa,
Duryodhana and Karna. At that sight, his
courage, which had been gradually drying
up during the rapid rush to the field, wasquite gone. His mouth went dry and hishair stood on end.
His limbs were all in a tremble. He shut
his eyes with both his hands to keep out
the fearsome sight. He said:"How can I,
single-handed, attack an army? I have notroops, since the king, my father, hastaken all available forces, leaving the city
unprotected. It is absurd to think that one
man can alone fight a well-equipped
army, led by world-renowned warrior! Oh
Brihannala, turn back the chariot."
Brihannala laughed and said: "O prince,
you started from the city, full of fierce
determination and the ladies expect greatthings of you. The citizens also have put
their trust in you. Sairandhri praised me
and I have come at your request. If we
return without recovering the cows, weshall become the laughing-stock of all. I
will not turn back the chariot. Let us standfirm and fight. Have no fear." With thesewords Brihannala began to drive thechariot towards the enemy and they
approached quite close to them.
Uttara's distress was pitiable. He said in aquaking voice: "I cannot do it, I simply
cannot. Let the Kauravas march off withthe cows and if the women laugh, letthem. I do not care. What sense is there infighting people who are immeasurablystronger than we fight? Do not be a fool!
Turn back the chariot. Otherwise, I shalljump out and walk back." With thesewords Uttara cast off his bows andarrows, got down from the chariot andbegan to fly towards the city, mad withpanic.
This should not be taken as something thathas never happened in life. Nor is Uttara's
panic during his first battle, by any means,singular.
Fear is a strong instinctive feeling, though
it can be overcome by will-power orstrong motives like love, shame or hate, ormore usually, by discipline.
Even
men
who
have
afterwards
distinguished themselves by heroic deeds
have confessed to having felt something
like panic fear, the first time they cameunder fire. Uttara was by no means an
exceptional coward, for he fought and fell
gauntly at Kurukshetra.
Arjuna pursued the running prince,
shouting to him to stop and behave like a
Kshatriya. The braided hair of thecharioteer began to dance and his clothes
began to wave as he ran in pursuit of
Uttara. The prince fled hither and thither,trying to dodge the hands that would stophim.
Those of the Kaurava army, who could
see this spectacle, found it amusing.
Drona was puzzled at the sight of
Brihannala
who,
albeitdressedfantastically, seemed a man rigged out asa woman and to remind him curiously of
Arjuna.
When he remarked about this, Karna said:"How can this be Arjuna? What does itmatter even if he is? What can Arjuna
alone do against us in the absence of theother Pandavas? The king has left his sonalone in the city and gone with his wholearmy to fight against Susarma. The young
prince has brought the attendant of theladies of the palace as his charioteer. Thatis all."Poor Uttara was imploring Brihannala tolet him go, promising untold wealth if he
did so. He appealed to his pity: "I am theonly son of my mother. I am a childgrown up on my mother's lap. I am full of
fear."
But, Brihannala wanted to save him from
himself, and would not let him go. He
pursued him, seized him and dragged him
to the chariot by force.
Uttara began to sob and said: "What a fool
I was to brag! Alas! What will happen tome?"
Arjuna said kindly, soothing the prince's
fears: "Be not afraid. I shall fight with theKauravas. Help me by looking after thehorses and driving the chariot, and I shalldo the rest. Believe me, no good evercame of flight. We will rout the enemy
and recover your cows. You will have all
the glory." With these words Arjuna lifted
the prince on to the chariot and, putting
the reins in his hands, asked him to drive
towards a tree near the burial ground.
Drona, who was watching all this intently,
knew that the fantastically dressedcharioteer was Arjuna and shared his
knowledge with Bhishma.
Duryodhana turned to Karna and said:"Why should we worry who he is? Even if
he is Arjuna, he will be only playing into
our hands, for his being discovered will
send the Pandavas to the forest for anothertwelve years."
As soon as they came near the tree
Brihannala bade the prince get down,
climb the tree and take down the arms
hidden there. The prince said in alarm andgrief: "People say that what hangs on thistree is the corpse of an old huntress. How
can I touch a dead body? How can you
ask me to do such a thing?"
Arjuna said: "It is not a corpse, prince. I
know that it contains the weapons of the

Pandavas. Climb up the tree bravely andbring them down. Do not delay."
Seeing that resistance was of no avail
Uttara climbed up the tree as Brihannala
had asked him to and took, in great
disgust, the bag tied up there and came
down.
When the leather bag was opened, he saw
weapons as bright as the sun. Uttara stoodamazed at the sight of the gleaming
weapons and covered his eyes.
He mustered courage and touched them.
The touch seemed to send a stream ofhope and high courage into him. He asked
with ardor: "O charioteer, what a wonder!
You say that these bows, arrows andswords belong to the Pandavas. They havebeen deprived of their kingdom and they
have retired to the forest. Do you know
them? Where are they?"
Then Arjuna told him briefly how they
were all in Virata's court. He said:"Kanka, who serves the king, isYudhishthira. Valala, the cook who
prepares such nice dishes for your father,is none other than Bhima. Sairandhri, forinsulting whom Kichaka was killed, isDraupadi. Dharmagranthi, who looks after
the horses and Tantripala, the keeper ofthe cows, are Nakula and Sahadeva
respectively. I am Arjuna. Be not afraid.
O prince, you will soon see me defeat theKauravas even in the sight of Bhishma,
Drona and Aswatthama and recover thecows. You will also gain renown and it
will be a lesson to you."
Then Uttara folded his hands and said: "O
Arjuna, how fortunate I am to see youwith my own eyes! So, Arjuna is thevictorious hero whose very contact has
put heart and courage into me. Forgive thewrongs I have done through ignorance."
As they approached the Kaurava host,
Arjuna recounted some of his heroic
deeds, so that Uttara might not lose grip of
his newly awakened courage. Arriving infront of the Kauravas, he got down,
prayed to God, removed the conchbangles from his hands and put on leather
gauntlets.
He then tied a cloth on his flowing hair,stood facing the east, meditated on his
armor, got into the chariot and gloried in
the familiar feel of his famous Gandiva
bow. He stringed it and thrice twanged thestring whose shrill note raised an echo
from all sides.
Hearing the sound, the heroes of theKaurava army said to one another: "Thissurely is Gandiva's voice." When Arjuna
stood on the chariot in all his godlike
stature and blew his conch Devadatta, theKaurava army was alarmed and a frenzied
shout arose that the Pandavas had come.
The story of Uttara, who spoke boastfullyin the ladies' boudoirs and fled in panic at
the sight of the hostile array, his not been
introduced in the Mahabharata, merely as
a comic interlude.
It is in ordinary human nature to look with
contempt on lower levels of conduct inability. The rich scorn the poor, thebeautiful scorn the plain, and the strong
scorn the weak. Brave men despise
cowards. But Arjuna was no ordinaryman. He was a great soul and a true hero
who felt that his duty as a strong, brave
man was to help others to rise above their
weakness.
Knowing that nature had endowed him
with courage and bravery at birth, and that
he owed them to no special exertions on
his part, he had the true humility of thereally great. And he did what he could to
put courage into Uttara and make him
worthy of his lineage. This was Arjuna's
characteristic nobility. He never abused
his strength and power. One of his many
names is Bibhatsu, which means one whoshrank from doing an unworthy act, andhe lived up to it.
47. PROMISE FULFILLED

THE chariot of Arjuna thundered on its
way, seeming to shake the earth. The
hearts of the Kauravas quaked when they
heard the twang of the Gandiva bow.
"Our army must be arrayed well and withcare. Arjuna, has come," said Dronaanxiously. Duryodhana did not at all likethe honor Drona did Arjuna by thisanxiety.
He said to Karna: "The Pandavas' pledge
was that they would spend twelve years in
the forest and the following year
undiscovered. The thirteenth year has not
ended yet. Arjuna has revealed himself
before the time. Why then should we give
way to fear? The Pandavas will have to go
again to the forest for another twelve
years. Drona is suffering from the coldfeet of the too learned. Let us leave him in
the rear and advance to the battle."
Karna assented and said: "Our soldiers'
heart is not in the fight and they are
trembling with fear. They say that theman, who stands so proudly, bow in hand,on the chariot, speeding towards us, is
Arjuna. But why need we fear even if itwere Parasurama? I will myself stop theadvancing warrior and redeem my word toyou, and fight him, aye, even if all theothers stand back. They may drive away
the cows of the Matsya king while, single
handed, I shall give them cover, engaging
Arjuna in battle," and Karna, as usual,began to blow his own trumpet.
When Kripa heard these words of Karna,
he said: "This is pure tomfoolery. We
must all make a combined attack on
Arjuna. That would be our one chance of
success. Do not therefore, brag about youropposing him alone and unaided."
Karna grew angry. He said: "The acharya
ever delights in singing Arjuna's praises
and in magnifying his prowess. Whether
he does so from fear or excessive
fondness for the Pandavas, I do not know.
Those, who are afraid, need not fight, butmay simply look on, while others, who aretrue to the salt they have eaten, engage inbattle. I, for one, a mere soldier who loves
my friends and hates my enemies, will
stand here and fight. What business havemen learned in the Vedas, who love andpraise their enemies, got here?" said hesneeringly.
Aswatthama, Drona's son and Kripa's
nephew, could not hear unmoved thissneer at the venerable teachers. He said
sternly to Karna: "We have not yet taken
the king back to Hastinapura, and thebattle is yet to be won. Your brag is idle
vainglory. It may be that we are notkshatriyas and that we belong to the classthat recites the Vedas and the sastras. But
I have not been able to find in any sastrathat it is honor able for kings to seize
kingdoms by cheating at dice. Even those,
who fight and conquer kingdoms, do not
crow too loudly about it. And I cannot see
what you have done to be proud of. The
fire is silent and yet cooks the food. The
sun shines but not on him. Likewise,
Mother earth sustains all things, movableand immovable, and supports her burden
without so much as a whisper. What claim
to praise has a kshatriya who has
unlawfully seized another's kingdom at agame of dice? To have cheated the
Pandavas of their kingdom is no more amatter of glory than to have spread traps
for unsuspecting birds. O Duryodhana, O
Karna, in what battle did your heroes
defeat the Pandavas? You dragged
Draupadi to the assembly. Are you proudof it? You have destroyed the Kaurava
race like an empty-headed clod that fells a
big sandal tree for love of its fragrance. A
fight with Arjuna, you will find, is a very
different thing from a throw of the dice.
The Gandiva will send forth sharp arrows
and not fours and twos as in the game ofdice. Vain fools, do you think that Sakuni

can, by mere cheating, sneak a victory inbattle for you?"
The leaders of the Kaurava army lost theirpatience and began a loud wordy warfare.
Seeing this, the grandsire was filled withsorrow and said:"The wise man does not insult his
teachers. One should engage in battle only
after a careful calculation of time, placeand circumstance. Even wise people often
lose their balance and good sense overtheir own affairs. Ruffled by anger, eventhe usually so sensible Duryodhana fails
to recognise that the warrior who stands
braving our army is Arjuna. His intellecthas been clouded by anger. O
Aswatthama, pray do not mind Karna's
offensive remarks. You must take them as
intended merely to put the preceptors on
their best spirit and sting them ni to action.
This is not the time to nurse enmity or
sow dissension. Drona, Kripa andAswatthama should forget and forgive.
Where can the Kauravas find in the wholeworld, heroes superior to Drona, thepreceptor, and his son Aswatthama, who
combine in themselves Vedic scholarshipand kshatriya heroism? We know of noneother than Parasurama who can equal
Drona. We can conquer Arjuna only if we
all join together and fight him. Let us
address ourselves to the task before us. If
we quarrel amongst ourselves we cannot
fight Arjuna."
Thus spoke the grandsire. Soothed by his
noble words, angry feelings subsided.
Bhishma turned to Duryodhana andcontinued:"Best of kings, Arjuna has come. The
stipulated period of thirteen years
terminated yesterday. Your calculation iswrong, as men learned in the science ofplanetary movements will tell you. I knewthat the period had ended when Arjuna
blew his conch. Reflect a little before
deciding on war. If you wish to make

peace with the Pandavas, now is the time
for it. What do you seek, a just andhonorable peace or a mutually destructive
war? Ponder well and make your choice."
Duryodhana replied: "Revered sire, I haveno wish for peace. I shall not give even avillage to the Pandavas. Let us get readyfor war."Then Drona said: "Let prince Duryodhanatake away a fourth of the army to guard
him and return to Hastinapura. Let anothersurround the cows and seize them. If we
return without seizing the cows it would
amount to an acknowledgment of defeat.
With the rest of the army, the five of us
will give battle to Arjuna."
The Kaurava forces ranged themselves
accordingly in battle array. Arjuna said:"O Uttara, I do not see Duryodhana's
chariot or Duryodhana. I see Bhishma
standing, clad in armor. I think
Duryodhana is driving away the cows to
Hastinapura. Let us pursue him andrecover the cows." With these words
Arjuna moved away from the Kaurava
army and went after Duryodhana and thecows.
And as he was going, he respect fully
greeted his teachers and the old grandsire,by drawing his Gandiva bow and sending
arrows so as to fall near their feet.
Reverently saluting them in this heroic
fashion, he left them and pursued
Duryodhana. Arjuna reached the place
where the cows were gathered and put torout the marauding forces.
He then turned to the cowherds and asked
them to take the cows to the barns, which
they did with great rejoicing. Arjuna thenpursuedDuryodhana.
Seeingthis,
Bhishma and the other Kaurava warriors
rushed to the rescue and, surrounding
Arjuna, sent forth arrows against him.
Arjuna carried on a wonderful fight. First,
he made at Karna and drove him from thebattlefield. After that, he attacked anddefeated Drona. Seeing Drona standing
spent with fatigue, Aswatthama joined in
the fight and attacked Arjuna, which gave
Arjuna an opportunity of letting Drona
withdraw from the field.
Then, there ensued a bitter struggle
between Aswatthama and Arjuna. When
Aswatthama grew weary, Kripa relieved
him and maintained the attack against
Arjuna.
But Kripa also sustained defeat and thewhole army was routed and fled in fear.
Though rallied and brought back to theattack by Bhishma, Drona and others,
there was no fight left in them. Finally,
they left the field, after a glorious fightbetween Bhishma and Arjuna, which, it issaid, the gods themselves came to see.
The attempt to head off Arjuna’s pursuitof Duryodhana thus failed and soon
Arjuna came up with Duryodhana andstrongly attacked him. Duryodhana was
defeated and fled from the battlefield, but
not far, because, when Arjuna taunted him
with cowardice, he turned round like aserpent and resumed the fight.
Bhishma and others surrounded andprotected him. Arjuna fought and finally,
he employed a magic weapon that madethem all fall down unconscious on thebattlefield. While they were in thatcondition he snatched away theirgarments. The seizure of the clothes of theenemy was the sign of decisive victory inthose days.
When Duryodhana came, Bhishma sent
him back to the city. The whole army
returned to Hastinapura after thishumiliating defeat.
Arjuna said: "O Uttara, turn back thehorses. Our cows have been regained. Our
enemies have fled. O prince, return toyour kingdom, adorning your person withsandal paste and decked with flowers."
On the way back, Arjuna deposited theweapons as before on the tree and dressedhimself once more as Brihannala. He sent
messengers in advance to proclaim in thecity that Uttara had won a glorious
victory.
48. VIRATA'S DELUSIONAFTER defeating Susarma, king of
Trigarta, Virata returned to his capitalamidst the acclamations of the citizens.
When he reached his palace, he saw that
Uttara was not there and the womenfolk
told him with much elation that Uttara had
set out to conquer the Kauravas.
They had not a doubt that their hand someprince could conquer the whole world.
But the king's heart sank within him at thenews, for he knew the impossible task
which the delicately nurtured prince hadtaken on himself with no better following
than a eunuch.
"My dearly loved son must be dead by
now," he cried, overwhelmed with
anguish. He then bade his ministers
collect and send as strong a force as could
be got together for rescuing Uttara if he
was still alive and bring him back. Scouts
also were immediately despatched to findout Uttara's whereabouts and fate.
Dharmaputra, now disguised as thesanyasin Kanka, tried to comfort Virata by
assuring him that the prince could come tono harm, since Brihannala had gone as his
charioteer. "You do not know about her,"said he. "I do. Whosoever fights from achariot driven by her, can be sure of
victory. Further, the news of Susarma's
defeat must have reached there and theKauravas must have retreated."
Meanwhile courtiers arrived from the fieldof battle with the glad news that Uttara
had defeated the Kaurava forces andrecovered the kine.
This seemed too good to be true, even to
the fond father, but Yudhishthirasmilingly reassured him. Said he: "Haveno doubts, O king. What the messengers
say must be true. When Brihannala wentout as charioteer, success was certain.
There is nothing extraordinary in yourson's victory. I happen to know that even
Indra's charioteer or Krishna's cannot
equal Brihannala."This seemed absurd to Virata, but he wastoo happy to resent it. He made large giftsof precious stones and other wealth to themessengers who brought the good news
and ordered public rejoicing. "My successover Susarma is nothing," he proclaimed.
"The prince's is the real victory. Let
special prayers of thanksgiving be offeredat all places of worship. Let all theprincipal streets are decorated with flags
and the citizen’s go in procession tostrains of triumphal music. Make all
arrangements to receive, in a befittingmanner, my lion-hearted boy."
Virata sent out ministers, soldiers, andmaidens to welcome his son, returning intriumph. When the king retired to his
private apartments, he asked Sairandhri tobring the dice. He said to Kanka: "I cannot
contain my joy. Come, let us play," andsat down to a game with Yudhishthira.
They talked while they played andnaturally, the king was full of his son's
greatness and prowess. "See the glory of
my son, Bhuminjaya. He has put the
famed Kaurava warriors to flight.""Yes," replied Yudhishthira with a smile.
"Your son is indeed fortunate for, without
the best of good fortune, how could hehave secured Brihannala to drive his
chariot?"
Virata was angry at this persistentglorification of Brihannala at the expensesof Uttara. "Why do you, again and again
babble about the eunuch?" he cried.
"While I am talking about my son's
victory, you expatiate on the charioteeringskill of the eunuch, as if that were of any
significance." The king's anger only
increased when Kanka remonstrated: "Iknow what I am talking about. Brihannala

is no ordinary person. The chariot she
drives can never see defeat, and whoever
is in it, is sure of success in any
undertaking, no matter how difficult."
Now, this perverse flouting could not beborne, and Virata in a passion flung thedice at Yudhishthira's face and followed
this up with a blow on Yudhishthira'scheek. Yudhishthira was hurt and blood
flowed down his face.
Sairandhri who was nearby, wiped theblood with the edge of her garment andsqueezed it into a golden cup. "Why all
this fuss? What are you collecting theblood into a cup for?" demanded the angry
king, who was still in a passion.
"A Sanyasin's blood may not be split on
the ground, O king," replied Sairandhri.
"The rains will fail in your land for as
many years as there are drops in the bloodthat is split on the earth. That was why I
collected the blood in this cup. I fear you
do not know Kanka's greatness."
Meanwhile the gatekeeper announced:"Uttara and Brihannala have arrived. The
prince is waiting for an audience with theking." Virata got up excitedly and said:"Ask him in, ask him in." And
Yudhishthira whispered to the sentry: "LetUttara come alone. Brihannala should staybehind."He did this to prevent a catastrophe, for heknew Arjuna would be unable to control
his anger when he saw the injury on his
brother's face. He could not bear to see
Dharmaputra hurt by anyone except in fairbattle.
Uttara entered and paid due homage to hisroyal father. When he turned to doobeisance to Kanka be was horrified tosee his bleeding face, for now he knewthat Kanka was the great Yudhishthira.
"O king," he cried, "who was it thatcaused hurt to this great one?"
Virata looked at his son and said: "Why
all this fuss about it? I struck him for

untimely and envious belittling of you
when I was in an ocean of delight at thenews of your glorious victory. Each time I
mentioned you, this unlucky brahmana
extolled your charioteer, the eunuch, andgave the victory to him. It was too silly
really, and I am sorry I struck him, but it
is not worth talking about."
Uttara was overwhelmed with fear. "Alas!
You have done great wrong. Fall at his
feet right now, father, and pray
forforgiveness or we will be destroyed,root and branch."
Virata, to whom all this was inexplicable,
stood with a puzzled frown not knowing
what to do. But Uttara was so anxious andimportunate that he yielded and bowed to
Yudhishthira asking for pardon.
Thereafter, embracing his son and making
him sit, Virata said: "My boy, you are
truly a hero. I am in a fever of impatience
to hear all about it. How did you defeat
the Kaurava army? How did you recover
the kine?"
Uttara hung his head down. "I conquered
no army," he said, "and rescued no cows.
All that was the work of a god prince. He
took up our cause, rescued me fromdestruction, put the Kaurava soldiers toflight and brought the herd back. I did
nothing."
The king could hardly believe his ears.
"Where is that god prince?" he asked. "Imust see and thank the hero who rescued
my son and beat back my foes. I will givemy daughter, Uttara, in marriage to him.
Go and fetch him in.""He has disappeared for the time being,"
replied the prince, "but I think he will
come again either today or tomorrow."
Uttara spoke thus because Arjuna wasindeed a prince of the gods and had also
for the time being disappeared in
Brihannala.
In Virata's hall of assembly, all theleading citizens had gathered to celebratethe king's victory and the prince's. Kanka,
Valala the cook, Brihannala, Tantripala
and Dharmagranthi, who were responsible
for the victories, arrived also and entering
the hall, to the surprise of everyone, satamong the princes unbid.
Some explained the conduct by saying
that, after all, these humbler folk had
rendered invaluable service at a criticaltime and really deserved recognition.
Virata entered the court. On seeing Kanka
sanyasin and the cook and the others
seated in places reserved for princess andthe nobility the king lost his temper andgave loud vent to his displeasure.
When they felt they had enough fun, thePandavas disclosed their identity to theamazement of all present. Virata was
beside himself with joy to think that it was
the Pandava princes and Panchali who had
been ministering to him all these days in
disguise. He embraced Kanka in
exuberant gratitude and made a formal
surrender of his kingdom and his all tohim, of course immediately receiving
them back with thanks. Virata also
insisted that he should give his daughter inmarriage to Arjuna.
But Arjuna said: "No, that would not beproper, for the princess learnt dancing andmusic from me. I, as her teacher, am in
the position of father to her." He,however, agreed to accept her for his son
Abhimanyu.
Meanwhile, envoys arrived from thewicked and treacherous Duryodhana witha message for Yudhishthira. "O son of
Kunti," they said, "Duryodhana feels very
sorry that owing to the hasty action of
Dhananjaya, you have to go back to thewoods again. He let himself be recognised
before the end of the thirteenth year andso, in accordance with your undertaking,you have to dwell in the forest for anothertwelve years."

Dharmaputra
laughedandsaid:"Messengers,
returnquicklytoDuryodhana and tell him to make further
inquiry. The venerable Bhishma andothers learned in the stars will no doubt
tell him that full thirteen years had been
completed before your forces heard again
the twang of Dhananjaya's bow and fled infear."
49. TAKING COUNSEL
THE thirteenth year during which the
Pandavas had to remain undiscoveredcame to an end.
No longer obliged to be in disguise, theyleft Virata's capital as Pandavas andsettled openly in Upaplavya, another placein Matsya territory. From there, they sent
emissaries to summon their friends andrelatives.
From Dwaraka came Balarama andKrishna with Arjuna’s wife Subhadra, andher son, Abhimanyu and accompanied bymany Yadava warriors. Loud and long
was the blare of trumpet-conchs as the
Matsya prince and the Pandavas went
forth to receive Janardana.
Indrasena and many others like him, who
had at the beginning of the preceding year
left the Pandavas in the forest, rejoined
them with their chariots at Upaplavya.
The Kasi prince and Saibya ruler arrived
with their forces.
Drupada, the Panchala prince, was there
too with three divisions, bringing withhim Sikhandin and Draupadi's sons andher brother Dhrishtadyumna. There were
many
other
princesgatheredatUpaplavya, well attached to the Pandavas,
Abhimanyu's marriage to princess Uttara
was solemnized according to Vedic rites
before that illustrious gathering of friendly
heroes. The wedding celebrations over,they met in conclave in Virata's hall of
assembly.
Krishna sat next to Yudhishthira andVirata, while Balarama and Satyaki wereseated beside Drupada. As the bustle died
down, all eyes were turned on Krishna,
who now rose to speak.
"You all know," said Krishna to thehushed assembly, "the story of the great
deceit how Yudhishthira was cheated at
the game board and deprived of his
kingdom and exiled with his brothers andDraupadi to the forest. For thirteen years,
the sons of Pandu have patiently borne
their trouble in redemption of theirpledged word. Ponder well and counsel acourse, which will be in consonance withdharma and contribute to the glory andwelfare of both Pandavas and Kauravas.
For, Dharmaputra desires nothing that hecannot justly claim. He wishes nothing but
good even to the sons of Dhritarashtra
who deceived him and did him grievous
wrong. In giving your counsel, bear inmind the fraud and meanness of theKauravas as well as the honorable
magnanimity of the Pandavas. Devise ajust and honorable settlement. We do notknow what Duryodhana has in his mind. I
feel we should send an able and uprightemissary to him to persuade him to apeaceful settlement by the restoration ofhalf the kingdom to Yudhishthira."
Balarama then rose to address thegathering. "You have just heard Krishna,"
he said. "The solution he propounds is
wise and just. I endorse it as good for both
Duryodhana and Dharmaputra. If Kunti'ssons can get back their kingdom by apeaceful settlement, nothing could bebetter for them, the Kauravas and for allconcerned. Only then will there behappiness and peace in the land. Someone
has to go to convey to Duryodhana
Yudhishthira's wish for a peacefulsettlement and bring an answer from him,a man who has the weight and the ability
to bring about peace and goodunderstanding. The envoy should get thecooperation of Bhishma, Dhritarashtra,

Drona and Vidura, Kripa and Aswatthamaand even of Karna and Sakuni if possible,
and secure support for Kunti's sons. He
should be one who, on no account, would
give way to anger. Dharmaputra, with fullknowledge of consequences, staked his
kingdom
and
lost
it,
obstinately
disregarding the reasoning of friends.
Fully aware that he was no match for the
adept Sakuni, he yet played against him.
He cannot now complain but can only
supplicate for his rights. A fit envoy
would be one who is not a warmonger but
is dead set, in spite of every difficulty, onachieving a peaceful settlement. Princes, I
desire you to approach Duryodhana
tactfully and make peace with him. Let us
avoid an armed conflict by all the meansin our power. Only that which accrues inpeace is worth while. Out of war, nothing
but wrong can issue."Balarama's position was that Yudhishthiraknew what he was doing when hegambled away his kingdom and could not
now claim it as of right.
The fulfilment of the conditions of exile
could only give the Pandavas theirpersonal freedom and not their kingdom,that is to say, they need not serve anotherterm of exile in the forest. But it gavethem no right to the return of their
kingdom.
Dharmaputra could only supplicate for the
return of what he had lost and not claim it
as of right. Balarama did not relish anarmed conflict among scions of the samefamily and rightly held that war would
lead only to disaster.
The poet puts an eternal truth inBalarama's mouth.
Satyaki, the Yadava warrior, who heard
Balarama speak thus, could not containhimself. He rose in anger and spoke
indignantly:"Balarama's words do not strike me as in
the least degree just. One can, if skilfulenough, make out a plausible plea for any
case, but not all the skill in the world canconvert wrong into right or injustice into
justice. I must protest against Balarama's
stand, which fills me with disgust. Do wenot see in one and the same tree, one
branch bowed with fruit and anothersticking out gaunt and useless? So, of
these brothers, Krishna speaks words that
breathe the spirit of dharma while
Balarama's attitude is unworthy. And if
you grant what cannot be doubted that theKauravas cheated Yudhishthira of his
share of the kingdom, why then, allowing
them to keep it is as unjust as confirminga thief in the possession of his booty!
Anyone,
who
finds
fault
with
Dharmaputra, does so in cowardly fear of
Duryodhana, not for any sound reason. O
princes, forgive my harsh speech. Not of
his own volition but because the Kauravaspressed and invited him to do so, did thenovice and unwilling Dharmaputra playwith a dishonest gambler that game sofraught with disaster. Why should he bow
and supplicate before Duryodhana, nowthat he has fulfilled his pledges?
Yudhishthira is not a mendicant and neednot beg. He has kept his word and so havehis brothers twelve years in exile in theforest and twelve months there after in
disguise according to their pledge. And
yet, Duryodhana and his associates, mostshamelessly and dishonestly, question theperformance. I shall defeat these impudent
villains in battle and they shall either seek
Yudhishthira's pardon or meet their doom.
How can a righteous war be wrong in any
case? There is no sin in slaying enemies
who take up arms and fight. To supplicate
before the enemy, is to incur disgrace. If
Duryodhana desires war, he can have it
and we shall be quite ready for it. Let
there be no delay and let us get on withthe preparations. Duryodhana is not goingto part with territory without a war and it
would be folly to waste time."
Drupada's heart was gladdened by
Satyaki's resolute words. He rose and said:"Satyaki is right and I support him. Softwords will not bring Duryodhana round toreason. Let us continue our preparations
for war and let our friends be warned
without loss of time to bring up theirforces. Send word instantly to Salya,Dhrishtaketu, Jayatsena and Kekaya. We
must, of course, send a suitable envoy toDhritarashtra. The learned brahmana, who
conducts the religious ceremonies in mycourt, can be sent to Hastinapura, withconfidence. Instruct him well as to what
he should say to Duryodhana and how heshould convey the message to Bhishma,
Dhritarashtra and Dronacharya."
When Drupada concluded, Vasudeva(Krishna, the son of Vasudeva) rose andaddressing Drupada, said:"What you suggest is practicable and also
conforms to the kingly code. Baladeva
and I are bound to the Kauravas and the
Pandavas with equal ties of affection. We
came here for princess Uttara's wedding
and will return now to our city. Great are
you among the princes of the land, alike inage and wisdom, and entitled to advise us
all. Dhritarashtra too holds you, hisboyhood friends, in high esteem like
Drona and Kripa. It is therefore only rightthat you should instruct the brahmana
envoy on his mission of peace. If he fails
to persuade Duryodhana out of his error,
prepare for the inevitable conflict, myfriends, and send word to us."The conference ended and Krishna left for
Dwaraka with his people. The Pandavas
and their allies went on with their
preparations. Messengers went forth to all
the friendly princes who got busy andmobilised their respective armies.
Meanwhile, Duryodhana and his brothers
were not idle. They also began preparing

for the coming conflict and sent word totheir friends to get their contingents readyfor war.
News of these preparations on both sides
soon spread through out the land. "Theconstant rapid journeying back and forthof princes caused a great stir everywhere.
The earth shook beneath the heavy tramp
of marching legions," says the poet.
It would appear that even in olden days,
military preparations were made in muchthe same way as in our times.
Drupada called in his brahmana and said
to him: "You know Duryodhana's bent ofmind as well as the qualities of the
Pandavas. Go to him as the emissary of
the Pandavas. The Kauravas deceived the
Pandavas with the connivance of theirfather Dhritarashtra who would not listen
to the sage advice of Vidura. Show theold, weak king, who is misled by his son,the path of dharma and wisdom. You willfind in Vidura a great ally in this task.
Your mission may lead to differences of
opinion among the elder statesmen suchas Bhishma, Drona and Kripa as well as
among the warlords. And, if this happens,
it will be some time before thosedifferences are smoothed out, which will
be time gained for the completion of the
Pandavas war preparations. As long as
you are in Duryodhana's capital talking ofpeace, their preparations for war will
receive a set-back which is all to the goodfrom the Pandavas' standpoint. If, by amiracle, you are able to come back withgood terms of peace, so much the better. I
do not expect Duryodhana will agree to apeaceful settlement. Still, to send one on apeace mission will be advantageous tous."
In December 1941, the Japanese werecarrying on negotiations with theAmericans and, immediately on the
breakdown of those talks, took themunawares and attacked Pearl Harbor
destroying their naval forces there.
Drupada's instruction to the brahmana
would show that this was no newtechnique. And that, even in the old days,
the same method was followed of carrying
on negotiations and even sincerely
working for peace, but simultaneously
preparing, with unremitting vigor, foroutbreak of war and carrying on peacetalks with the object of creating dissension
in the enemy's ranks. There is nothing
new under the sun!
50. ARJUNA'S CHARIOTEERHAVING sent Drupada's brahmana to
Hastinapura on the peace mission, thePandavas sent word, at the same time, tothe princes likely to favor their cause tocollect their forces and hold themselves inreadiness for war. To Dwaraka, Arjuna
went himself.
Having understood through his spies theturn events were taking, Duryodhana too
did not remain idle. Learning that
Vasudeva (Krishna) was back in his home
city, he sped towards Dwaraka in his
chariot, as fast as his swiftest horses could
take him. The two of them, Arjuna andDuryodhana, thus reached Dwaraka on thesame day.
Krishna was fast asleep. Because they
were his close relatives, Arjuna andDuryodhana could go into his bedroom.
There they both waited for Krishna towake up. Duryodhana, who went in first,
seated himself on a decorated throne-chairat the head of the bed, while Arjuna kept
standing at its foot with arms folded in
respectful posture.
When Mahadeva woke up, his eyes fell on
Arjuna who stood in front of him and hegave him warm welcome. Turning then to
Duryodhana, he welcomed him too andasked them what brought them both to
Dwaraka. Duryodhana was the first to
speak.

"It looks," said he, "as though war would
break out between us soon. If it does, youmust support me. Arjuna and I are equally
beloved of you. We both claim equallyclose relationship with you. You cannot
say that either of us is nearer to you thanthe other. I came here before Arjuna.
Tradition has it that he who came firstshould be shown preference. Janardana,
you are the greatest among the great; so it
is incumbent on you to set an example toothers. Confirm with your conduct thetraditional dharma and remember that it
was I who came first."
To
which
Purushottama(Krishna)answered: "Son of Dhritarashtra, it may bethat you came here first, but it was Kunti's
son that I saw immediately on waking up.
If you were the first arrival, it was Arjuna
who first caught my eye. So, even in thisrespect, your claims on me are equal and I
am therefore bound to render assistance toboth sides. In distributing favors, thetraditional usage is to begin with thejunior-most among the recipients. I would,
therefore, offer the choice to Arjuna first.
The Narayana, my tribesmen, are myequals in battle and constitute a host, large
and almost invincible. In my distributionof assistance, they will be on one side, andI individually on the other. But I shallwield no weapon and take no part in
actual fighting."
Turning to Arjuna he said, "Partha, think
it over well. Would you want me, alone
and weaponless, or would you prefer theprowess of the Narayana? Exercise theright to the first choice which custom
gives you as the younger man."
Scarcely had Krishna finished when
Arjuna said with reverence and without
hesitation: "I would be content if you arewith us, though you may wield no
weapon."Duryodhana could hardly contain himself
for joy at what he thought was Arjuna's

imbecile choice. He gladly chose the helpof Vasudevas army and his request was
granted. Pleased with the acquisition of amighty force, Duryodhana went toBaladeva and told him the story.
As he finished speaking, the mighty
Balarama said: "Duryodhana, they musthave told you all I said at the time of themarriage of Virata's daughter. I pleaded
your case and urged everything that could
be said for you. Often have I told Krishnathat we have equal ties with the Kauravas
and the Pandavas. But my words failed tocarry conviction to him. I am helpless. It
is impossible for me to side with one
whom Krishna opposes. I will not help
Partha and I cannot support you against
Krishna. Duryodhana, you come of anillustrious line, which is respected by all
the princes of the land. Well, then, if it
must be war, bear yourself in accordancewith the Kshatriya code," said he.
Duryodhana returned to Hastinapura inhigh spirits saying to himself: "Arjuna has
made a fool of himself. The great army of
Dwaraka will fight on my side andBalarama's good wishes too are with me.
Vasudeva has been left without an army.""Dhananjaya, why did you choose thus
unwisely, preferring me alone andunarmed to my fully equipped and heroic
forces?" asked Krishna of Arjuna with asmile, when they were alone. Arjuna
answered:"My ambition is to achieve glory even likeyours. You have the power and prowess toface all the princes of the land and theirhordes in battle single-handed. I too feel I
can do it. So, I desire that I should win thebattle with you driving my chariot
unarmed. I have desired this for long andyou have today fulfilled my wish."Vasudeva smiled again and pronounced
this benediction: "Are you trying tocompete with me? May you succeed," forhe was pleased with Arjuna's decision.

This is the sacred story of how Krishna
became Partha's charioteer.
51. SALYA AGAINST HIS NEPHEWSSALYA, the ruler of Madradesa, was thebrother of Madri, the mother of Nakulaand Sahadeva. He heard that the Pandavas
were camping in the city of Upaplavya
and making preparations for war.
He collected a very big army and set off
towards that city to join the Pandavas.
Salya's army was so large that where it
halted for rest, the encampment extended
over a length of nearly fifteen miles.
News of Salya and his marching forces
reached Duryodhana. Deciding that Salyashould somehow be persuaded to join hisside, Duryodhana instructed his officers toprovide him and his great army with all
facilities and treat them to sumptuous
hospitality.
Inaccordancewith
Duryodhana's
instruction, several beautifully decorated
rest houses were erected at several placeson the route, at which Salya and his men
were treated to wondrous hospitality.
Food and drink were lavishly provided.
Salya was exceedingly pleased with theattentions paid to him but assumed that his
nephew, Yudhishthira, had arranged allthis. Salya's army marched on, the earth
shaking beneath their heavy strides.
Feeling very pleased with the hospitality,
he called the waiting attendants one day
and said to them:"I must reward you all who have treatedme and my soldiers with so much love
and attention. Please tell Kunti's son thathe should let me do this, and bring me his
consent."
The servants went and told their master,
Duryodhana, this. Duryodhana, who was
all the time moving unobserved with theparty waiting on Salya and his soldiers, atonce took this opportunity to present
himself before Salya, and say how

honored he felt at Salya's acceptance ofthe Kaurava hospitality.
This amazed Salya whom till then had no
suspicion of the truth, and he was also
touched by the chivalry of Duryodhana inlavishing kingly hospitality on a partisanof the Pandavas.
Greatly moved, he exclaimed, "How noble
and kind of you! How can I repay you?"
Duryodhana replied: "You and your forces
should fight on my side. This is the
reward I ask of you."
Salya was stunned.
The Puranas wherein right conduct isalways preached, sometimes set out
stories in which conduct, not in
conformity
withDharma,seems
condoned. Is it right, one may ask, forreligious books thus to seem to justify
wrong?
A little reflection will enable one to see
the matter in proper light. It is necessary
to bring home the fact that even wise,
good and great men are liable to fall into
error.
That is why the Puranas, although everseeking to instil Dharma, containnarratives to show how in this world evengood people sometimes sin against
Dharma, as though irresistibly driven to
do so.
This is to press home the truth that
howsoever learned one may be, humility
and constant vigilance are absolutely
necessary if one wishes to avoid evil.
Why indeed, did the great authors of ourepics write about the lapses of Rama in
the Ramayana and Yudhishthira in the
Mahabharata?
Where was the need to make mention ofthem and then labor arguments to explainthem away, thereby disturbing men's
minds?
It was not as though others had discovered
the lapses and Vyasa and Valmiki had to
defend their heroes. The stories are artistic

creations in which lapses they impress thedesired moral.
The parts dealing with the lapses deeply
distress the reader's mind and serve as
solemn warnings of pitfalls, which wait toengulf the careless.
They dispose the mind to humility andwatchfulness and make it realise the needfor divine guidance. The modern cinema
also projects on the screen much that isbad and immoral.
Whatever may be the explanation offeredby the protagonists of the cinema, evil ispresented on the screen in an attractive
fashion that grips people's minds andtempts them into the path of wickedness.
This is not so in the Puranas. Although
they do point out that even great men now
and again fell into error and committed
wrong, the presentation is such as to warn
the reader and not to allure him into evil
ways.
This is the striking difference between our
epics and the modern talkies, which arises
from the difference in the character of thepeople who produced them.
"You are the same unto us both. I mustmean as much to you as the Pandavas.
You must agree to come to my aid," said
Duryodhana.
Salya answered: "Be it so." Flattered by
Duryodhana's splendid reception, Salyadeserted the Pandavas who were entitledto his love and esteem and pledged hisword to fight on Duryodhana's side whichshows what dangers may lurk in receiving
the hospitality of kings.
Feeling that it would not be right to go
back without meeting Yudhishthira, Salya
then turned to Duryodhana saying:"Duryodhana, believe me. I have given
you my word of honor. I must however
meet Yudhishthira and tell him what I
have done.""Go, see him and return soon. And do notforget your promise to me," said
Duryodhana.
"Good luck to you. Go back to yourpalace. I will not betray you." Saying this,Salya went to the city of Upaplavya where
Yudhishthira was camping.
The Pandavas received the ruler of Madra
with great eclat. Nakula and Sahadeva
were joyous beyond measure to see theiruncle to whom the Pandavas narrated alltheir hardships and sufferings.
When they started talking about obtaining
his help in the war that was impending,
Salya related to them the story of his
promise to Duryodhana.
Yudhishthira saw at once that it had beena mistake to take Salya's assistance for
granted, thereby letting Duryodhana
forestall them.
Concealing his disappointment as best hecould, Yudhishthira addressed Salya thus:"Great warrior, you are bound to keep thepromise you have made to, Duryodhana.
You are the equal of Vasudeva in battle
and Karna will have you as his charioteer
when he seeks Arjuna's life in thebattlefield. Are you going to be the causeof Arjuna's death? Or are you going tosave him then? I know I cannot fairly ask
this of you. Still I do."To which Salya rejoined: "My lad, I havebeen tricked into giving Duryodhana myword and I shall be ranged against you inbattle. But when Karna proceeds to attack
Arjuna, if I happen to be his charioteer,
you may take it he will go to battle
disheartened and Arjuna shall be saved.
Fear not. The sorrows and insults, whichwere visited on Draupadi and you all, willsoon be an avenged memory. Henceforth,
yours will be good luck. No one canprevent or alter what has been ordained byfate. I have acted wrongly. Bear with me."52. VRITRAINDRA, the Lord of the three regions,
was once so drunk with pride that he quite
forgot the courteous manners and forms
that the gods had hitherto observed.
When Brihaspati, preceptor of the gods,
foremost in all branches of learning, andvenerated alike by the gods and theasuras, came to his court, Indra did not
rise from his seat to receive the acharya or
ask him to be seated and failed to do thecustomary honors.
In his great conceit, Indra persuaded
himself to believe that the sastras allowed
him as a king in court the prerogative ofreceiving guests seated. Brihaspati washurt by Indra's discourtesy and, attributing
it to the arrogance of prosperity, silently
left the assembly.
Without the high priest of the gods, thecourt lost in splendor and dignity andbecame an unimpressive gathering.
Indra soon realized the foolishness of his
conduct and, sensing trouble for himself
from the acharya's displeasure, he thought
to make up with him by falling at his feet
and asking for forgiveness.
But this he could not do, because
Brihaspati had, in his anger, made himself
invisible. This preyed on Indra's mind.
With Brihaspati gone, Indra's strengthbegan to decline, while that of the asuras
increased, which encouraged the latter toattack the gods. Then Brahma, taking pityon the beleaguered gods, advised them totake unto themselves a new acharya.
Said he to them: "You have, throughIndra's folly, lost Brihaspati. Go now to
Twashta's son Visvarupa and request that
noble spirit to be your preceptor and all
will be well with you."Heartened by these words, the gods
sought the youthful anchorite Visvarupa
and made their request to him saying:"Though young in years, you are wellversed in the Vedas. Do us the honor ofbeing our teacher."

Visvarupa agreed, to the great advantageof the gods for, as a result of his guidance
and teaching, they were saved from thetormenting asuras.
Visvarupa's, mother was of the asura clanof daityas, which caused Indra to regard
Visvarupa with suspicion. He feared that
because of his birth, Visvarupa might not
be quite loyal and his suspicion gradually
deepened.
Apprehending danger to himself from thisdescendent of the enemies of the gods,
Indra sought to entice him into error withthe temptresses of his court and so weaken
him spiritually. But Visvarupa did not
succumb.
The artful and seductive blandishments of
Indra's glamour girls had no effect on theyoung ascetic. He held fast to his vow ofcelibacy. When Indra found that his planof seduction failed, he gave way tomurderous thoughts and one day killed
Visvarupa with the Vajrayudha.
The story goes that the world suffers
vicariously for this great sin of Indra.
And, as a result of it, parts of the earth
turned alkaline and became unsuitable forcultivation and women came to beafflicted with the physical troubles anduncleanness peculiar to them. The
frothing of water is also attributed to this.
Twashta in his great rage and grief atIndra's cruel killing of his son and,desirous of avenging his death, performed
a great sacrifice. And out of the sacrificial
flames sprang Indra's mortal enemy
Vritra.
Twashta sent him against the chief of thegods, saying: "Enemy of Indra, may you
be strong and may you kill Indra." A great
battle raged between the two in which
Vritra was gaining the upper hand.
When the battle was going against Indra,
the rishis and the gods sought refuge ingreat Vishnu who offered them protection
and said to them: "Be not afraid. I shallenter Indra's Vajrayudha and he will win
the battle in the end." And they returned ingood heart.
They went to Vritra and said to him:
"Please make friends with Indra. You areboth equal in strength and valor."
Vritrarespectfully
answered:"O
blameless ones, how can Indra, and I
become friends? Forgive me. Therecannot be friendship between rivals forsupremacy. Two great powers cannot
coexist as you know."
The rishis said in reply: "Do not entertain
such doubts. Two good souls can befriends and their friendship is often after
hostility."
Vritra yielded saying: "Well, then, I shallcease fighting. But I have no faith inIndra. He might take me unawares. So I
seek this boon of you, namely, that neither
by day nor by night, neither with dry
weapons nor with wet ones, neither withstone nor with wood, nor with metals, norwith arrows shall Indra be able to take mylife.""So be it," said the rishis and the gods.
Hostilities ceased. But soon Vritra's fears
were confirmed. Indra only feigned
friendship for Vritra but was, all the time,
waiting for a suitable opportunity to slayhim.
One evening, he met Vritra on the beachand began to attack him in the twilight.
The battle had raged for a long while
when Vritra praising the Lord Vishnu,
said to Indra: "Meanest of the mean, why
do you not use the unfailing Vajrayudha?
Hallowed by Hari, use it against me and I
shall attain blessedness through Hari."
Indra maimed Vritra by chopping off hisright arm but, undaunted, the latter hurledwith his left band, his iron mace at his
assailant who thereupon cut down hisother arm also. When Indra disappeared
into the mouth of Vritra, great was theconsternation of the gods.

But Indra was not dead. He ripped Vritra's
belly open and issuing forth went to the
nearbybeach.
And
directinghisthunderbolt at the water hurled it so thatthe surf flew and hit Vritra. Vishnu having
entered the foam, it became a deadly
weapon and the mighty Vritra lay dead.
The long battle thus ended and theafflicted world heaved a sigh of relief. But
to Indra himself, the end of the war
brought only ignominy because his
victory was secured through sin and deceit
and is went into hiding for sheer shame.
Indra's disappearance caused the gods andthe rishis great distress. For a people
without a king or a council of state togovern them cannot prosper. So they went
to the good and mighty king Nahusha andoffered him the crown.
"Forgive me, I cannot be your king. Who
am I to aspire to the seat of Indra? How
can I protect you? It is impossible," hehumbly objected. But they insisted,saying: "Do not hesitate. Be anointed our
king. All the merit and potency of ourpenance will be yours and be an addition
to your strength. The power and theenergy of everyone you set your eyes onshall be transferred to you and you will be
invincible."Thusover-powered,heagreed. Revolution is no new thing. This
story shows that, even in the world of thegods, there was a revolution leading to
Indra's dethronement and Nahusha's
installation as king in his stead. The storyof Nahusha's fall is also instructive.
53. NAHUSHA
THE sin of the unrighteous slaughter ofVritra pulled Indra down from his highestate and made him a fugitive. Nahusha
became the king of the gods in his stead.
Nahusha started well, assisted by the meritand the fame earned by him while he wasa king on earth. Thereafter, he fell on evildays.

The assumption of the kingship of thegods filled him with arrogance, He lost hishumility and became filled with lawlessdesires.
Nahusha indulged freely in the pleasuresof heaven and gave him up to untamed
and lecherous thoughts. One day, he saw
Indra's wife and became enamored of her.
Possessed by evil thoughts, he spoke intones of command to the assembled gods:"Why has not Sachidevi, the wife of theking of the gods, come to me? Am I not
the king of the gods now? Send her to myhouse soon."
When she learnt this, Indra's wife wasindignant. In fear and distress, she went toBrihaspati and cried out: "Preceptor, saveme from this wicked person."
Brihaspati offered her protection. "Fearnot " he said, "Indra will soon be back.
Stay here with me. You will regain yourhusband." When Nahusha learnt that
Sachidevi did not agree to fall in with his
wishes and that she sought and obtained
shelter under Brihaspati's roof, he became
exceedingly angry.
The king's displeasure frightened thegods. They protested: "King of the gods,
be not angry. Your anger will make theworld sad. Sachidevi is another's wife, do
not covet her. Do not swerve from thepath of righteousness."
But, the infatuated Nahusha would notlisten to them. Tauntingly, he said tothem: "When Indra lusted for Ahalya,
where
were
your
principles
ofrighteousness and good conduct? Why did
you not prevent him then and why do you
stop me now? What did you do when heso shamelessly murdered Visvarupa when
the latter was in penance and where wasyour virtuous horror when he killed Vritra
through deceit? Sachidevi's only course is
to come and live with me and it will be foryour good to get her reconciled to myproposal and leave her in my charge. So,
now set about it," ordered Nahusha.
The affrighted gods decided to talk thematter over with Brihaspati and somehow
contrive to bring Sachidevi to Nahusha.
They all went to Brihaspati and related tohim what Nahusha had said and pleaded
that Sachidevi should submit to Nahusha’s
desires.
At which, the chaste Sachidevi shook withshame and fear and cried out: "My God! I
cannot do it. I sought refuge in you. Oh
brahmana, do protect me."
Brihaspati consoled her and said: "He,who betrays one who has sought refuge,
will meet with destruction. The very earth
will not let the seed, that he sows, sprout.
I will not give you up. Nahusha's end isapproaching. Be not afraid."
He indicated a way of escape from herdifficult situation by hinting that sheshould pray for time, and the shrewd
Sachidevi took the hint and bravely went
to Nahusha's palace.
As soon as Nahusha saw her, pride andlust having deprived him of his senses, he
was beside himself with joy and said: "Ofair one, do not tremble. I am the lord of
the three regions. There can be no sin inyour becoming my wife."
Hearing the wicked man's words, thevirtuous Indrani, Indra's wife, trembled fora moment. Soon regaining composure she
replied: "King of the gods, before I
become yours, I have a request to make. Is
Indra alive or is he dead? If he is alive,
where is he? If, after making enquiries
and searching for him, I do not find him,
then no sin will attach to me and I could
become your wife with a clear
conscience."
Nahusha said: "What you say is right. Go
and search for him and be sure to return.
Remember the plighted word." Saying
this, he sent her back to Brihaspati's
house.

The gods went to the great Vishnu andcomplained to him of Nahusha. They said:"Lord, it was your might that killed Vritra
but Indra bears, the sin of it, and ashamed
and afraid to show himself in his unclean
state, he has hidden himself.
Pray indicate a way of deliverance forhim." Narayana said in reply: "Let him
worship me. He will be cleansed of sin
and the evil-minded Nahusha will meetwith destruction."
Sachidevi prayed to the goddess ofchastity, and, by her grace, reached where
Indra was in hiding. Indra had reduced
himself to the size of an atom and hidhimself in a fibre of the stem of a lotus
plant growing in Manasarovara. He wasdoing penance in that state waiting for
better days. Sachidevi could not containherself for sorrow at her husband's plightand burst into tears. She acquainted him
with her troubles.
Indra spoke words of courage to her.
"Nahusha's end is drawing near," he said.
"Go to him by yourself and tell him thatyou consent to his proposal. Ask him tocome to your residence in a palanquin
carried by ascetics. Then Nahusha will be
destroyed."
Sachidevi went and pretended to agree toNahusha's proposal as Indra had asked her
to do. Overjoyed that she had returned tohim in this complaisant mood, the foolish
Nahusha burst out: "Blessed one, I am
your slave and ready to do you’re every
bidding. You have been true to yourword.""Yes, I have come back. You will be myhusband. I want you to do something,which I very much desire. Are you not thelord of the world? It is my wish that you
should come majestically to my house in a
grander style than the great Vishnu or
Rudra or the asuras. Let the palanquin beborne by the seven rishis. I shall then beglad and receive you and bid you
welcome," she said.
Nahusha fell into the trap. "What a grandidea! Your imagination is wonderful. It
pleases me exceedingly. It is but properthat the great rishis should carry me, who
am blessed with the powers of absorbing
the energy of those on whom my eyes fall.
I shall do exactly as you havewished,"said he, and sent her back home.
The infatuated Nahusha called the rishis
and bade them carry him on theirshoulders.
At this sacrilege, the three worlds wereaghast and trembled. But worse was tocome as the palanquin was carried along.
Inflamed with thoughts of the beautiful
Sachidevi waiting for him, Nahusha was
impatient to reach her soon. So he began
goading the rishi-bearers of his palanquin
to go faster. And he went so far in his madwickedness as to kick Agastya, one of thebearers, saying "sarpa, sarpa." (Sarpa
means to move and also a serpent.) The
insanity of lust and arrogance had reached
its culmination. Nahusha's cup of iniquity
was full.
"Meanest of the mean, do thou fall fromheaven and become a sarpa on earth,"cursed the rishi in his wrath. Immediately
Nahusha fell headlong, down fromheaven, and became a python in the jungle
and had to wait for several thousand years
for his deliverance. Indra was restored tohis state. He became the king of the gods
and Sachidevi's grief ended.
Relating this story of the sufferings of
Indra and his wife to Yudhishthira andDraupadi at Upaplavya, their uncle Salya
tried to comfort them.
"Victory awaits the patient. Those, whom
prosperity makes arrogant, meet withdestruction. You, your brothers andDraupadi have gone through untold
sufferings like Indra and his wife. Your
trials will soon be over and you will

regain your kingdom. The evil-minded
Karna and Duryodhana will be destroyedeven as Nahusha was," said Salya.
54. SANJAYA'S MISSION
THE Pandavas were camping at
Upaplavya in Virata's territory. From
there, they sent emissaries to all friendly
rulers. Contingents arrived from all partsof the country and soon, the Pandavas hada mighty force of seven divisions. The
Kauravas did likewise and collected anarmy of eleven divisions.
Then, as now, a division was made up of
all arms grouped together in accordancewith established military practice. In thosedays, a division consisted of 21,870
chariots, an equal number of elephants,
thrice as many horses and five times as
many foot soldiers, and they were
provided with weapons of all kinds andother war equipment.
Chariots were the "armored cars" ofancient warfare and elephants, speciallytrained for war, corresponded to the "tanks" of modern times.
Drupada's brahmana messenger reached
Dhritarashtra's court. After the usual
ceremonial introduction and enquiries
were over, the messenger addressed theassembled gathering on behalf of the
Pandavas:"Law is eternal and of inherent validity.
You know this and I need not point it out
to you. Dhritarashtra and Pandu are both
Vichitravirya's sons and are, according toour usages, equally entitled to theirfather's property. In spite of this,Dhritarashtra's sons have taken possessionof the whole kingdom, while Pandu's sonsare without their share of the common
inheritance. There can be no justification
for this. Scions of the Kuru dynasty, thePandavas desire peace. They are prepared
to forget the sufferings they haveundergone and to let bygones be bygones.
They are unwilling to resort to war,because they fully know that war neverbrings any good but only destruction.
Render unto them, therefore, the things
that are due to them. This would be inaccordance both with justice and with theagreement previously reached. Let there
be no delay."
After this appeal of the messenger, thewise and brave Bhishma spoke. "By thegrace of God," he said, "the Pandavas aresafe and well. Although they haveobtained the support of many princes andare strong enough for battle, they are notbent on war. They still seek peace. To
restore to them their property is the only
right thing to do."Bhishma had not finished when Karnaangrily broke in and, turning to themessenger, exclaimed: "O brahmana, isthere anything new in what you have said?
What tortures it to tell the same old story?
How can Yudhishthira claim the property
that he lost at the game board? If, now,
Yudhishthira wants anything, he must beg
for it as a gift! He arrogantly prefers thisabsurd claim in fond reliance on thestrength of his allies, particularly Matsya
and Panchala. Let me tell you clearly that
nothing can be got out of Duryodhana by
threats. As the plighted word, that the
Pandavas should live undiscovered during
the thirteenth year, has been broken, theymust once again go back to the forest foranother
twelveyears
andreturnthereafter."
Bhishma interposed: "Son of Radha, you
speak foolishly. If we do not do as thismessenger tells us, war will be upon us inwhich we are certain to be defeated. And
Duryodhana and all of us are doomed todestruction." The disorder and excitementin the assembly made Dhritarashtra
intervene.
He said to the messenger: "Having in
mind the good of the world andconsidering the Pandava's welfare, I havedecided to send Sanjaya to them. Please
return at once and tell Yudhishthira this."
Then Dhritarashtra called Sanjaya aside
and instructed him thus: "Sanjaya, go to
the sons of Pandu and convey to them myaffectionate regards and my kind inquiries
about Krishna, Satyaki and Virata. Give
all the princes assembled there my
regards. Go there on my behalf and speak
conciliatingly so as to secure theavoidance of war."
Sanjaya went to Yudhishthira on thismission of peace. After the introductory
salutations,
Sanjayathus
addressed
Yudhishthira in the midst of his court:"Dharmaputra, it is my good fortune to beable to see you again with my eyes.
Surrounded by princes, you present the
picture of Indra himself. The sight
gladdens my heart. King Dhritarashtra
sends you his best wishes and desires toknow that you are well and happy. The
son of Ambika (Dhritarashtra) detests all
talk of war. He desires your friendshipand yearns for peace."
When Dharmaputra heard Sanjaya say
this, he felt glad and answered: "If so,
Dhritarashtra's sons have been saved, nay,
we have all escaped a great tragedy. I, too,desire only peace and hate war. If our
kingdom is returned to us, we will wipeout all memories of the sufferings we haveundergone."
Sanjaya spoke again: "Dhritarashtra's sonsare perverse. Disregarding their father'sadvice and their grandsire's wise words,
they are still as wicked as ever. But you
should not lose patience. Yudhishthira,
you stand ever for right conduct. Let useschew the great evil of war. Can
happiness be gained with possessions
obtained through war? What good can wereap from a kingdom won after killing ourown
relatives?
Do
nottherefore
commence hostilities. Even if one were togain the whole earth bounded by theocean, old age and death are inescapable.
Duryodhana and his brothers are fools.
But that is no reason why you shouldswerve from rectitude or lose patience.
Even if they do not give back yourkingdom, you should not abandon thesupreme path of dharma."
Yudhishthira answered: "Sanjaya, what
you say is true. Rectitude is the best of
possessions, but are we committing
wrong? Krishna knows the intricacies ofrectitude and dharma. He wishes bothsides well. I shall do as Vasudeva orders."
Krishna said: "I desire the welfare of the
Pandavas. I desire also that Dhritarashtra
and his sons should be happy. This is adifficult matter. I think I can settle thisissue by myself going to Hastinapura. If I
could obtain peace from the Kauravas on
terms that do not conflict with the welfare
of all, nothing would make me and the
Pandavas happier. If I succeed in doing
so, the Kauravas will have been rescued
from the jaws of death. I shall also haveachieved something good and worthwhile.
Even if, through a peaceful settlement, thePandavas get back what is due to them,
they will still serve Dhritarashtra loyally.
They desire nothing else. But they are also
prepared for war if need be. Of these twoalternatives, peace and war, Dhritarashtra
can choose what he pleases."
And Yudhishthira said to Sanjaya:"Sanjaya, go back to the Kaurava, court
and tell the son of Ambika this from me:'Was it not through your generosity that
we obtained a share of the kingdom when
we were young? You, who made me aking once, should not deny us our share
now and drive us to make a beggar's
living on the charity of others. Dear uncle,
there is enough room in the world for bothof us and the Kauravas. Let there be no
antagonism, therefore, between us.' Thus
should you request Dhritarashtra on mybehalf. Give the grandsire my love andregards and ask him to devise some wayof ensuring that his grandchildren live
happily in amity. Convey the samemessage to Vidura also. Vidura is the
person who can best see what is good forall of us and advise accordingly. Explain
matters to Duryodhana and tell him on mybehalf: 'My dear brother, you made us,
who were princes of the realm, live in theforest, clad in skins. You insulted andharassed our weeping wife in theassembly of princes. We bore all thispatiently. Give us back, at least now, whatis lawfully ours. Do not covet what
belongs to others. We are five. For thefive of us give at least five villages andmake peace with us. We shall be content.
Say thus to Duryodhana, Sanjaya. I am
prepared and ready for peace as well as
for war."After Yudhishthira had said these words,
Sanjaya took leave of Kesava and the
Pandavas, and went back to Hastinapura.
55. NOT A NEEDLE-POINT OFTERRITORY
AFTER he had despatched Sanjaya to the
Pandavas,
Dhritarashtra,
filledwithanxiety, could not get a wink of sleep thatnight. He sent for Vidura and spent thewhole night talking to him.
"To give the Pandavas their share of the
kingdom is the safest plan," said Vidura.
"Only this can bring good to both sides.
Treat the Pandavas and your own sonswith equal affection. In this case, the rightcourse is also the wise one."
Vidura counselled Dhritarashtra in thismanner at great length.
The next morning Sanjaya returned to
Hastinapura. And gave a full account ofwhat had taken place in Yudhishthira's
court.
"Chiefly, Duryodhana should know what
Arjuna said: 'Krishna and I are going todestroy Duryodhana and his followers,
root and branch. Make no mistake about

it. The Gandiva bow is impatient for war.
My bowstring is throbbing even without
my stretching it and from my quiver,arrows keep peeping out impatiently,
demanding when? When? Sanjaya, evilstars make the foolish Duryodhana seek
war with Krishna and myself. Not even
Indra and the gods can defeat us.' Thus
spoke Dhananjaya," said Sanjaya.
Bhishma counselled Dhritarashtra against
opposing the combined might of Arjuna
and Krishna. "Karna, who boasts
repeatedly that he will slay the Pandavas",said Bhishma, "is not equal to a sixteenth
part of the Pandavas. Your sons areheading for destruction, listening to hiswords. When Arjuna beat back your son's
attack on Virata's capital and humbled his
pride, what was Karna able to do? When
the Gandharvas took your son prisoner,
where did the invincible Karna bide
himself? Was it not Arjuna who drove
back the Gandharvas?" Thus did Bhisma
taunt Karna and warn the Kauravas.
"What grandfather Bhisma says is the
only proper thing to do," said
Dhritarashtra. "All wise men say, and I
know, that it is best to seek peace. But
what can I do? These fools would go theirown way, however loudly I protest."
Duryodhana, who had been listening to all
this, stood up. "Father, do not worry andtremble about our safety. We know how
strong we are. That we shall win iscertain. Yudhishthira knows it too, for,giving up all hope of kingdom, he only
begs now for five villages. Is it not clear
from this that he is already scared about
our eleven divisions? What can the
Pandavas oppose to our eleven divisions?
Why then do you doubt our victory?"
Duryodhana said to his father and tried tocheer him up.
"My son, let us not have war," said
Dhritarashtra. "Be satisfied with half the
kingdom. It is enough if we govern that

half well." Duryodhana could stand it nolonger. "The Pandavas will not receive
even a needle-point of territory," heexclaimed, and left the court. In the
excitement that prevailed, the court brokeup.
Let us now relate what the Pandavas were
saying among themselves. After Sanjaya
leftUpaplavya
forHastinapura,
Yudhishthira said to Krishna: "Vasudeva,
Sanjaya is Dhritarashtra's alter ego. Fromhis speech, I have divined what is in
Dhritarashtra's mind. Dhritarashtra istrying to secure peace without giving us
any territory. In my simplicity, I was glad
at first when I heard Sanjaya speak. But itsoon became clear that my joy was
unfounded. He then struck a middle line
and spoke desiring peace. But the words
with which he ended his message seemed
to commend meekness to us, even if ourjust rights were denied. Dhritarashtra has
not been playing fair with us. The crisis isapproaching. There are none but you toprotect us. I made my offer that we would
be content with only five villages. The
wicked Kauravas will refuse even this.
How can we tolerate this height of
intransigence? Only you can advise us inthis crisis. There is none but you who
knows what our duty is now and canguide us in dharma as well as instatesmanship."
Krishna said in reply: "For the good of
you both, I have decided to go to
Hastinapura. I shall go to Dhritarashtra's
court and try to secure your rights withoutwar. If my mission succeeds, it will be forthe good of the world."
Yudhishthira said: "Krishna, pray do not
go. What is the good of your going to theenemies' place now? The perverse
Duryodhana will stick to his folly. I do not
like your going among those unscrupulous
men. We cannot let you jeopardise yoursafety, for the Kauravas will stop at
nothing."
Krishna answered: "Dharmaputra, I know
how wicked Duryodhana is. But still weshould make all attempts at a peacefulsolution so as to give the world no cause
to accuse us of not having done
everything possible to avert war. We mustomit nothing, no matter how slender our
hopes of success. Have no fears for mysafety, for, if the Kauravas offer me, amessenger of peace, any threat of bodily
harm, I will reduce them to ashes."
Said Yudhishthira: "You are all-knowing.
You know our hearts as well as theirs. In
expounding matters and in the art ofpersuasion, there is none better than you."
Krishna said: "Yes, I know you both.
Your mind ever clings to righteousness
and theirs is always steeped in hatred,
jealousy and enmity. I will do all I can tosecure the result, which I know is dear toyou, a settlement reached without war
even though it may have, but little foryou. The signs are ominous and portend
war. Still duty demands that we shouldmake the attempt for peace."
Thus saying, Krishna took leave of the
Pandavas and set off in his chariot to
Hastinapura.
56. KRISHNA'S MISSIONSATYAKI
accompanied
Govinda(Krishna) to Hastinapura. Before settingout on his journey, Krishna had a lone
discussion with the Pandavas. Even themightyBhima,
rathersurprisingly,
supported a peaceful settlement.
"Let not the race be destroyed. Peace isvery much to be preferred," said he. The
poet Vyasa makes Bhima speak thus inorder to show that truly great warriors
desire peace, and that to seek peace is nota sign of fear.
But Draupadi could not forget her
humiliation. Holding her locks in her handshe stood before Krishna, and in a voice

quiveringwithgrief,
shesaid:"Madhusudana, look at these tresses ofmine and do what honor requires to be
done. There can be no peace with honor.
Even if Arjuna and Bhima are against
war, my father, old though he is, will go
to battle, supported by my children. Even
if my father can keep out, my children,with Subhadra's son Abhimanyu, at theirhead, will fight the Kauravas. I have, forthe sake of Dharmaputra, these thirteen
years, suppressed the burning flame ofanger within me. I can restrain myself nolonger." And she sobbed, remembering
the great outrage.
Krishna was moved and said: "Weep not.
Dhritarashtra's sons will not listen to mywords of peace. They are going to fall andtheir bodies will be food for wild dogs andjackals. You will live to see us victorious
and the insult to you will be fully
avenged, and that too, soon." Draupadi
was satisfied.
Madhava (Krishna) halted for the nightnear the city of Kucasthala. When news ofKrishna's forthcoming visit came, the city
was in great excitement.
Dhritarashtra issued orders for decorating
the city and arrangements for receiving
Janardana (Krishna) were in full swing.
Dhritarashtra issued instructions that
Duhsasana's palace, being bigger andmore beautiful than Duryodhana's, should
be got ready and placed at the disposal of
Krishna and his entourage and large tents
were erected at several places outside thecity, along the route which Krishna'schariot was to take.
Dhritarashtra consulted Vidura. He said tohim: "Make arrangements for presenting
Govinda with chariots and elephants.
Presents of other kinds should also be got
ready." But Vidura said:"Govinda cannot be bought with presents.
Give him that for which he is coming to
the land of the Kurus. Does he not comehere seeking a peaceful settlement? Makethat possible. You cannot satisfy Madhava
with other gifts."
When Govinda reached Hastinapura, thecitizens had thronged in such numbers in
the decorated streets that his chariot could
only progress very slowly. He went firstto Dhritarashtra's palace and thenproceeded to Vidura's house. Kuntidevi
met him there.
Thinking of the sufferings of her sons andoverpowered by grief, she wept. Krishna
comforted her and, taking leave of her,made for Duryodhana's palace.
Duryodhana gave Govinda welcome andinvited him to dinner, but Krishna said
with a smile: "Emissaries eat only after
their mission is fulfilled. You may give afeast when my work here is completed."
Declining Duryodhana's invitation, he
returned to Vidura's house where herested.
Vidura and Krishna took counsel together.
Vidura told him that Duryodhana's
arrogance was based on his confidence
that no one could defeat him as long as
Bhishma and Drona, who, he knew, were
under a moral obligation not to abandon
him, stood by him.
Vidura said that it would be a mistake for
Govinda even to enter the wicked man's
court. All, who knew Duryodhana and his
brothers, apprehended that they would
plot, through fraud and deceit, against
Krishna's life.
"What you say about Duryodhana is true.
I have not come here with any hope that I
would be able to secure a peacefulsettlement, but only in order that theworld might not hold me to blame. Haveno fear for my life," said Krishna.
The next morning, Duryodhana andSakuni came to Krishna and informed himthat Dhritarashtra was waiting for him.
Govinda went to the court along with
Vidura.

As Vasudeva came into the court, that
great assemblage of kings stood up.
Saluting the elders with folded hands andwith a word or a smile for the others,
Krishna took his seat. The introductions
over, Govinda rose from his seat and,turning to Dhritarashtra explained theobject of his visit. He made clear what the
Pandavas wanted.
"Dhritarashtra, do not bring ruin to yourpeople. You regard as bad what is goodfor you and as good what is bad. It is yourduty to restrain your sons. The Pandavas
are prepared for war but they desire peace.
They wish to live in happiness under you.
Treat them also as your sons and devise
an honorable solution, and the world will
acclaim you," said Krishna.
Dhritarashtra said: "My friends know that
I am not to blame. I desire precisely what
Madhava has stated but I am powerless.
My wicked sons do not listen to me.
Krishna, I entreat you to advise
Duryodhana."
Krishna turned to Duryodhana and said:"You are the descendant of a noble ilne.
Pursue the path of dharma. Your present
thoughts are unworthy and befit only menof low birth. On account of you, thisfamous line is in danger of being
destroyed. If you listen to reason andjustice, the Pandavas themselves will
install Dhritarashtra as king and you as theheir apparent. Make peace with them bygiving them half the kingdom."
Bhishma and Drona also pressed
Duryodhana to listen to Govinda. But
Duryodhana's heart could not be softened.
"I pity Dhritarashtra and Gandhari whom
Duryodhana is dooming to bereavementand desolation by his misdeeds," said
Vidura.
Dhritarashtra once again said to his son:"If you do not listen to Govinda's advice,
our race will perish."Drona and Bhishma also tried repeatedly
to persuade Duryodhana and turn himfrom error. Duryodhana was furious witheveryone for pressing him in this matter toagree to a peaceful solution. He rose, andsaid:"Madhusudana, you wrong me out of love
for the Pandavas. The others here also
blame me, but I do not think I am one
whit to blame in this matter. The
Pandavas, of their own volition, staked
their kingdom at play and, being defeated,justly forfeited it. How am I responsiblefor it? Losing the game, they went to theforests as in honor bound. For what faultof mine do they now seek battle and wish
to slay us? I will not yield to threats.
When I was young, the elders did us
grievous wrong by giving the Pandavas, I
do not know why, a part of the kingdom
to which they had not a shadow of a right.
I acquiesced then but they lost it at play. I
refuse to return it to them. I am utterly
blameless. I will not give the Pandavas aninch of land, not even a needle-point ofit!"
When Duryodhana said that he had notcommitted wrong, Govinda laughed andsaid: "The play was fraudulently arranged
by you in conspiracy with Sakuni and you
afterwards insulted Draupadi in an
assembly of princes. And yet, you havethe impudence to say that you havecommitted no wrong," and reminded himof the other iniquities he had perpetrated
against the Pandavas.
Duhsasana seeing that Bhishma and others
were accepting Krishna's indictment of
Duryodhana said: "Brother, it seems thatthese people have a plot to bind you withropes and hand you over to the Pandavas.
Let us get away from here," andDuryodhana,accompaniedbyhisbrothers, walked out of the court.
Govinda addressed the court again andsaid: "Sires, the Yadavas and Vrishnis live

happily, now that Kamsa and Sisupala aredead. In order to save a whole people, it issome times necessary to sacrifice anindividual.
Does
it
not
happenoccasionally that a village is abandoned inorder that the country may be saved? I am
afraid you will have to sacrificeDuryodhana if you want to save your race.
That is the only way."
Dhritarashtra said to Vidura: "Bring farsighted Gandhari here. It is possible that
Duryodhana might listen to her."Gandhari was sent for and, when shecame to the court, Duryodhana was sentfor.
Duryodhana, his eyes red with anger,
returned and Gandhari tried by all themeans in her power to bring him round toreason. Duryodhana said 'No' and again
walked out of the hall.
He and his friends had plotted to seize
Krishna. News of this reached the court.
Govinda, who had anticipated all this,laughed and disclosed his divinity.
The blind Dhritarashtra, by the grace of
Krishna, temporarily regained his sight
and was able to see Krishna in his
Visvarupa presence in every form.
"Pundarikaksha,(lotus-eyed
Krishna)having seen your Visvarupa, I do not wish
to see anything else. I ask that I should beblind again," said Dhritarashtra, and hebecame blind again. "All our efforts havefailed. Duryodhana is obstinate," said
Dhritarashtra to Govinda.
And Krishna rose and, with Satyaki andVidura on either side of him, left the
court.
He went straight to Kunti. He told her
what had happened and she asked him toconvey her blessings to her sons.
"The time has come," said she, "for thatfor which a kshatriya woman brings forthsons. May you protect my sons!"
A kshatriya mother brings forth children
to be sacrificed in war. Purushottamat(Krishna as Supreme Being) got into his
chariot and sped towards Upaplavya. War
became a certainty.
57. ATTACHMENT AND DUTY
ANY ray of hope there might have beenof a peaceful settlement when Krishna
went to Hastinapura was extinguishedwhen he returned and narrated what
happened. Kunti was overwhelmed withgrief when she learnt that it was to be war
to the death.
"How can I" reflected Kunti, "give mythoughts tongue and say to my sons, 'Bear
the insults. Let us not ask for any territory
and let us avoid war'? How can my sonsaccept what is contrary to kshatriya
tradition?""At the same time," she thought, "whatcan be gained by mutual killings in the
war and what happiness attained after thedestruction of the race? How shall I face
this dilemma?" Thus was she tormented
by the prospect of wholesale destruction
on the one hand and the claims ofkshatriya honor on the other.
"How can my sons defeat the mighty threecombined, Bhishma, Drona and Karna?
They are warriors who have never yet met
defeat. When I think of them, my mind
trembles. I do not worry about the others.
These three are the only people in the
Kaurava army capable of fighting the
Pandavas with any hope of slaying them.
Of these, Dronacharya might refrain fromkilling my children from either love or
unwillingness to meet one's own disciples
in battle. The grandsire will certainly notwant to kill them. But Karna is the
Pandavas' chief enemy. He is anxious toplease Duryodhana by killing my sons.
Karna is a great man-at-arms. As I thinkof him engaged in battle against my othersons, my heart is consumed with agony
like a faggot in the fire. Now is the time
for me, to seek Karna out and tell him thetruth about his birth, on knowing which,he is bound to abandon Duryodhana's
cause."
Tormented by these anxious thoughts
about her children. Kunti went to thebanks of the Ganga where Karna usuallyoffered his daily prayers.
Karna was there at his devotions. Facing
east and with uplifted hands he was indeep meditations. Kunti quietly stoodbehind him and waited.
Karna was in meditation and wasunmindful of everything until he felt the
hot rays of the sun on his back.
His prayers over, Karna looked back tofind Kunti standing behind him andholding the hem of his upper garment overher head to shield it from the burning sun.
That Pandu's queen and the mother of the
Pandava princes should be there, waiting
patiently for him to finish his prayers,
filled him with great confusion andamazement.
"The son of Radha and the chariot-driver
Adhiratha bows to you. I am at yourservice. What can I do for you, O queen?"
asked Karna, according to the establishedforms of respectful address.
"Karna," said Kuntidevi, "you are not
Radha's son, nor is the charioteer yourfather. Do not think that you are a man of
the chariot-driver's caste. You are Surya's
son born out of the womb of Pritha ofroyal blood, otherwise known as Kunti.
May good fortune attend you"!
She then narrated the story of his birth.
"You who were born with full armor andgolden earrings," said Kunti, "notknowing that the Pandavas are yourbrothers, have joined Duryodhana andhave come to hate them. To live in
dependence on Dhritarashtra's sons, does
not befit you. Join Arjuna and be one of
the kings of the realm. May you andArjuna put down the wicked! The wholeworld will be at your feet. Your fame willreach far and wide, like that of thebrothers
Balarama
andKrishna.
Surrounded by your five brothers, youreffulgence will be like that of Brahma
among the gods. In perplexing situations,
one must do what gives satisfaction toloving parents. This is the highest dharma
according to our scriptures."
When his mother spoke thus to him at theend of his devotions to the sun, Karna felt
a sign in his heart that the Sun god
endorsed Kunti's request. But he checked
himself and took it to mean that the Sun
god was testing his loyalty and strength ofmind. He should not be found wanting.
With an effort of the will, he controlled
alike the temptations of self-interest andthe prompting of natural affection. He said
sadly but firmly: "What you have said,dear mother, is contrary to dharma. If I
swerve from the path of duty, I shall havedone myself much more hurt than any thatan enemy might inflict on me in thebattlefield. You deprived me of all thatwas my birthright as a kshatriya when you
threw me, a helpless babe, into the river.
And now, you talk to me of my duties as akshatriya. You denied me the motherly
love, which blesses all life. And now,
thinking of your other children's good,
you tell me this story. If I now join the
Pandavas, will not the world proclaim that
I have done so out of fear? I have eaten
the salt of Dhritarashtra's sons, won theirconfidence as their champion and enjoyed
all the consideration and kindness they
showed me. And now you want me, when
the battle is about to be joined, to be
untrue to my salt and go over to the
Pandavas. The sons of Dhritarashtra lookon me as the ark, which will enable themto cross the deluge of war. I have myself
urged them into this war. How can I now
desert them? Could there be blacker
treachery and baser ingratitude? What inlife, or beyond it, would be worth a pricelike that? Mother dear, I must discharge

my debt, aye, with life, if necessary;otherwise, I shall be no better than acommon thief purloining my food allthese years. I shall surely use all myfollowers against your sons in this coming
war. I cannot deceive you. Please forgiveme.""But yet," continued he, "I cannot have
my mother plead completely in vain. Part
with Arjuna to me. Either he or myself
must die in this war. I will not kill yourother sons, whatever they may do untome. Mother of warrior sons, you will still
have five sons. Either I or Arjuna willsurvive this war. And with the other four
sons, you will still have five".
When Kunti heard her first-born speak
thus firmly, adhering to the kshatriya
code, her heart was full of tumultuous andcontrary feelings and, without trustingherself to speak. She embraced him anddeparted in silence.
"Who can go against what has beenordained?" she thought. "He has, at least,
offered not to harm four of my sons. Thatis enough. May God bless him," and she
returned home.
58. THE PANDAVAGENERALISSIMO
GOVINDA reached Upaplavya and told
the Pandavas what had happened in
Hastinapura.
"I spoke urging what was right and what
was also good for them. But, it was all in
vain. There is now no way out except the
fourth, that is, the last alternative of war.
The foolish Duryodhana would not listen
to the advice tendered to him by the elders
in the assembly. We must now prepare forwar without delay. Kurukshetra is waiting
for the holocaust.""There is no longer any hope of peace,"
said Yudhishthira, addressing his brothers,
and issued orders for marshalling theirforces in, battle array.

They formed the army in seven divisions
andappointed
Drupada,Virata,Dhrishtadyumna,
Sikhandin,
Satyaki,Chekitana and Bhimasena at the head ofeach division. They then considered whoshould be appointed Generalissimo.
Addressing Sahadeva, Yudhishthira said:"We should select one of these seven to be
Supreme Commander. He should be one
capable of successfully facing the great
Bhishma, who can burn enemies to ashes.
He should be one who knows how todispose his forces as circumstances
require from time to time. Who do you
think
is
most
fittedfor
thisresponsibility?"In the olden days, it was the practice toascertain the views of younger people
first, before consulting elders. Thisinstilled enthusiasm and self-confidence
in the younger folk. If the elders wereconsulted first, it would not be possible
for others to speak with freedom, andeven honest differences of opinion mightsavor of disrespect.
"Let us take as our Supreme Commander
the king of Virata who helped us when we
lived in disguise and with whose support
we now demand our share of the
kingdom," replied Sahadeva.
"It seems to me best to make Drupada theGeneralissimo, for, in point of age,
wisdom, courage, birth and strength, he issupreme," said Nakula.
"Drupada, the father of Draupadi, haslearnt archery from Bharadwaja, and has
for long been waiting for an encounter
with Drona. He is much respected by all
kings, and is supporting us, as if we were
his own sons. He should lead our army
against Drona and Bhishma."
Dharmaputra then asked Dhananjaya for
his opinion. "I think, Dhrishtadyumna
should be our chief in the battlefield. The
hero who has his senses under control andwho has been born to bring about Drona's

end. Dhrishtadyumna alone can withstandthe arrows of Bhishma whose skill inarchery made even the great Parasurama
hold back. He is the only man fitted to be
our commander. I can think of no one
else," replied Arjuna.
Bhimasena said: "O king, what Arjuna
says is true, but the rishis and elders havesaid that Sikhandin has come into theworld to kill Bhishma. My inclination
would be to give the command to
Sikhandin whose radiant face is like thatof Parasurama. I do not think any one else
can defeat Bhishma."
Yudhishthira finally asked Kesava for his
opinion. "The warriors mentioned are,each one of them, worthy of selection,"
said Krishna. "Any one of them would fill
the Kauravas with fear. All things
considered, I would endorse Arjuna's
choice.
AnointDhrishtadyumna,
therefore, as your Supreme Commander."Accordingly, Dhrishtadyumna, Drupada's
illustrious son, who led Draupadi at theswayamvara and gave her away to Arjuna,
who for thirteen long years was brooding
over the insult that his sister had to sufferin Duryodhana's court, and who was
waiting for an opportunity to avenge thewrong,
wasanointed
SupremeCommander of the Pandava army.
The lion-roar of warriors, the blowing of
conchs and shells and the trumpeting ofelephants rent the air, With warlike cheers
which made the sky ring, the Pandava
army entered Kurukshetra in martial
array.
59. BALARAMABALARAMA, the illustrious brother of
Krishna, visited the Pandavas, in theirencampment. As Halayudha (plough
bearer), clad in blue silk, enteredmajestically like a lion. Yudhishthira,Krishna and others gave the broadshouldered warrior a glad welcome.

Bowing to Drupada and Virata, the visitor
seated himself beside Dharmaputra.
"I have come to Kurukshetra," said he,"learning that the descendants of Bharata
have let themselves be overwhelmed bygreed, anger and hatred and that the peacetalks have broken down and that war has
been declared."Overcome by emotion, he paused for awhile and then continued: "Dharmaputra,
dreadful destruction is ahead. The earth isgoing to is a bloody morass strewn withmangled bodies! It is an evil destiny thathas maddened the kshatriya world toforegather here to meet its doom. Often
have I told Krishna, 'Duryodhana is thesame to us as the Pandavas. We may nottake sides in their foolish quarrels.' He
would not listen to me. His great affection
for Dhananjaya has misled Krishna and heis with you in this war which I see he has
approved. How can Krishna and I be in
opposite camps? For Bhima andDuryodhana, both of them my pupils, I
have equal regard and love. How then can
I support one against the other? Nor can I
bear to see the Kauravas destroyed. I will
therefore have nothing to do with this war,
this conflagration that will consume
everything. This tragedy has made melose all interest in the world and so I shallwander among holy places."
Having thus spoken against the calamitouswar, Krishna's brother left the place, hisheart laden with sorrow and his mind
seeking consolation in God.
This episode of Balarama’s, keeping outof the Mahabharata war is illustrative of
the perplexing situations in which goodand honest men often find themselves.
Compelled to choose between two equallyjustifiable, but contrary, courses of action,
the unhappy individual is caught on thehorns of a dilemma. It is only honest men
that find themselves in this predicament.
The dishonest ones of the earth have nosuch problems, guided as they are solely
by their own attachments and desires, thatis, by self-interest.
Not so the great men who have renounced
all desire. Witness the great trials towhich, in the Mahabharata, Bhishma,
Vidura, Yudhishthira and Karna were put.
We read in that epic how they solved theirseveral difficulties. Their solutions did notconform to a single moral pattern but
reflected their several individualities. The
conduct of each was the reaction of his
personality and character to the impact of
circumstances.
Modern critics and expositors sometimes
forget this underlying basic factor andseek to weigh all in the same scales,
which is quite wrong. We may profit by
the way in which, in the Ramayana,
Dasaratha,
Kumbhakarna,
Maricha,Bharata and Lakshmana reacted to thedifficulties with which each of them wasfaced.
Likewise, Balarama's neutrality in the
Mahabharata war has a lesson. Only two
princes kept out of that war. One wasBalarama and the other was Rukma, theruler of Bhojakata. The story of Rukma,
whose younger sister Rukmini married
Krishna, is told in the next chapter.
60. RUKMINIBHISHMAKA, the king of Vidarbha, had
five sons and an only daughter, Rukmini,a princess of matchless beauty, charm andstrength of character.
Having heard of Krishna and his renown,
she wished to be united to him in wedlock
and the desire daily grew in intensity. Her
relatives approved the idea, all except her
eldest brother Rukma, the heir apparent,
between whom and Krishna there was nolove lost.
Rukma pressed his father not to give
Rukmini in marriage to the ruler of
Dwaraka but to marry her instead to
Sisupala, the king of Chedi. The king

being old, Rukma's became the dominantvoice and it looked as though Rukmini
would be compelled to marry Sisupala.
Rukmini, whose heart was wholly
Krishna's because she was Lakshmi
incarnate, was disconsolate. She fearedthat her father would be helpless against
her domineering brother and would not beable to prevent the unhappy marriage.
Mustering all her strength of mind,
Rukmini resolved somehow to find a way
out of her predicament. She took counsel
with a brahmana whom, abandoning all
maidenly reserve, she sent as her emissary
to Krishna, charging him to explain
matters to her beloved and sue for help.
The
brahmana
accordingly
went
toDwaraka and conveyed to Krishna
Rukmini's sad plight and her entreaty, andhanded to him the letter Rukmini had sent
through him. The letter ran as follows:"My heart has already accepted you aslord and master. I charge you therefore tocome and succour me before Sisupala
carries me off by force. The matter cannot
brook any delay; so you must be here
tomorrow. Sisupala's forces, as well as
Jarasandha's, will oppose you and will
have to be overcome before you can haveme. May you be the triumphant hero andcapture me! My brother has decided tomarry me to Sisupala and, as part of thewedding ceremonies, I am going to thetemple along with my retinue to offer
worship to Parvati. That would be the best
time for you to come and rescue me. If
you do not turn up, I will put an end to mylife so that I may at least join you in mynext birth."
Krishna read this and immediately
mounted his chariot. At the king's behest,
Kundinapura, the capital of Vidarbha, wasmostgorgeously
decoratedandpreparations for the wedding of theprincess with Sisupala were in full swing.

The bridegroom elect and his associates,
all sworn enemies of Krishna, had alreadyassembled in the capital. Balarama cameto know of Krishna's sudden and secretdeparture, all by himself.
Guessing that it must be about thedaughter of the king of Vidarbha andanxious lest Krishna should be hemmed inalone by mortal enemies thirsting for his
blood, he hurriedly assembled a great
force and marched on to Kundinapura.
Leavingherapartments,
Rukmini,accompanied by her retinue, went inprocession to the temple, where divine
service was held.
"Oh Devi," implored Rukmini, praying forher intercession. "I prostrate myself before
thee who knowest my devotion. Grant thatKrishna may espouse me."
Stepping out of the temple, Rukminisighted Krishna's chariot and ran straight
as a needle to the attracting magnet. She
fled to him and got into his chariot. And
Krishna drove off with her, to thebewilderment of all around.
The servants ran to Rukma, the heir
apparent, and related what had happened.
"I will not return without killing
Janardana," swore Rukma, and went inpursuit of Krishna with a large force.
But, meanwhile, Balarama had arrived
with his army, and a great battle ensued
between the two opposing forces in which
the enemy was utterly routed. Balarama
and Krishna returned home in triumph,
where Rukmini's wedding with Krishna
was celebrated with customary rites.
The defeated Rukma was ashamed toreturn to Kundinapura and built at thevery site of the battle between Krishnaand himself a new city, Bhojakata, overwhich he ruled.
Hearing of the Kurukshetra battle, Rukma
arrived there with a huge force. Thinking
that he could thereby win the friendship ofVasudeva, he offered help to the
Pandavas.
"Oh Pandavas," said he addressing
Dhananjaya, "the enemy forces are verylarge. I have come to help you. Give me
the word and I shall attack whicheversector of the enemy formation you would
like me to. I have the strength to attack
Drona, Kripa or even Bhishma. I shallbring you victory. Only let me know yourwish."
TurningtoVasudeva,
Dhananjaya
laughed.
"Oh, ruler of Bhojakata," said Arjuna, "weare not afraid of the size of the enemy
forces. We have no need of your help anddo not particularly desire it. You may
either go away or stay on, just as you
like."At this, Rukma was filled with anger andshame and went to Duryodhana's campwith his army. "The Pandavas haverefused my proffered assistance." Said he
to Duryodhana. "My forces are at yourdisposal.""Is it not after the Pandavas rejected yourassistance that you have come here?"exclaimed Duryodhana, and added: "I am
not in such dire need yet as to welcome
their leavings."
Rukma, thus put to disgrace by both sides,
returned to his kingdom without taking
part in battle. Neutrality in war may be ofseveral kinds.
It may arise from conscientious objection
to war or it may be due to mere conceit
and self-interest. Yet others may keep
aloof through cowardice or sheer inertia.
Balarama was neutral in the Mahabharata
war because of his love of peace. Rukma,
on the other hand, abstained as a result of
his conceit.
Instead of acting according to dharma, hethought of personal glory, and neither side
would have him.
61. NON-COOPERATIONIT was the day before the commencementof the great battle. The grandsire, now theKaurava
Generalissimo,
waswithDuryodhana seeking to inspire him withhis own heroic spirit and cheerfulness.
Bhishma spoke of the strength, skill andprowess of the warriors ranged on the
Kauravas' side. Duryodhana was cheered
up. Presently, Karna became the subjectof their talk.
"Karna has earned your affection," said
Bhishma, "but I do not think much of him.
I do not like his great hatred of the
Pandavas, and he is too boastful. There isno limit to his arrogance and he is muchgiven to disparaging others. I would notplace him in the highest rank among thewarriors of the land. Besides, he has given
away the divine armor with which he wasborn. He is not therefore likely to be ofgreat help to me in this battle. The curseof Parasurama is on him too. Hiscommand of supernatural weapons will
fail him in his hour of need, for he will not
be able to remember the mantras. And thebattle that will ensue between him and
Arjuna will prove fatal for Karna."Thus spoke Bhishma without mincing
matters, and this was exceedingly
unpalatable to Duryodhana and Karna. To
make matters worse, Drona agreed withthe grandsire and said:"Karna
is
full
of
pride
and
overconfidence, which will cause him to
be neglectful of the finer points ofstrategy, and through carelessness, he will
suffer defeat."
Enraged by these harsh words, Karnaturned to the grandsire with flaming eyes.
"You sir," said he, "have always slighted
me through mere dislike and envy andhave never neglected an opportunity of
humiliating me, though I gave you no
reason. I bore all your taunts and thrusts
for the sake of Duryodhana. You havesaid that I would not be of much help in

the impending war. Let me tell you mysettled conviction, it is you, not I, whowill fail the Kauravas. Why hide your real
feelings? The fact of the matter is that you
havenogenuineaffectionfor
Duryodhana, but he does not know it.
Hating me you seek to come between me
and Duryodhana and poison his mind
against me. And in furtherance of yourwicked design, you have been belittlingmy strength and running me down. You
have stooped to behavior unworthy of akshatriya. Age alone does not confer atitle to honor and respect among warriors,
but prowess does. Desist from poisoning
our relations."
Turning then to Duryodhana, Karna said:"Illustrious warrior, think well and look toyour own good. Do not place too great areliance on the grandsire. He is trying tosow dissension in our ranks. His
appraisement of me will injure your cause.
By running me down, he seeks to dampen
my enthusiasm. He has become senile andhis time is up. His arrogance does not let
him have regard for anyone else. Agemust be respected and experience is useful
but, as the sastras warn us, there is a point
when age becomes senility and ripenessfalls into rottenness and decay. You havemade Bhishma your Generalissimo whowill, I have no doubt, earn some famefrom the heroic deeds of others. But I will
not bear arms while he is in command.
Only after he has fallen will I do so."The arrogant man is never conscious of
his own arrogance. When accused of it, hecharges the accuser with that very fault.
His judgment is warped and he considers
it a crime on the part of anyone to pointout his defect. This is well illustrated inthis episode.
Controlling his anger, Bhishma replied:"Son of Surya, we are in a crisis and thatis why you have not ceased to live thismoment. You have been the evil genius of

the Kauravas." Duryodhana was indistress.
"Son of Ganga, I need the help of you
both," he said. "You will both do deeds ofgreat heroism, I have no doubt. At the
break of dawn, the battle joins. Let there
be no fighting among friends, with the foe
in full force before us!"But Karna was adamant in that he would
not take up arms so long as Bhishma wasinsupremecommand.
Duryodhana
eventually yielded to Karna and suffered
him to carry out his threat.
Karna kept out during the first ten days ofthe battle, though all his men participatedin it. At the end of the tenth day, when thegreat Bhishma lay on the battlefieldcovered all over with arrows, Karna went
to him and bowed reverently and asked
for forgiveness and blessings, which hereceived.
Thereafter, Karna cooperated and himself
proposed Drona for the command of theKaurava forces in succession to Bhishma.
When Drona also fell, Karna took over thecommand and led the Kaurava forces.
62. KRISHNA TEACHES
ALL was ready for the battle. The
warriors on both sides gathered together
and solemnly bound themselves to honor
the traditional rules of war.
The code of conduct in war and methodsof warfare vary from time to time. It isonly if what was in vogue at the time of
the Mahabharata war is kept in mind that
we can understand the epic. Otherwise,
the story would be puzzling in places.
From what follows, the reader may havesome idea of the rules of warfare followedin the Kurukshetra battle. Each day, thebattle was over at sunset, and the hostiles
mixed freely like friends.
Single combats might only be between
equals and one could not use methods notin accordance with dharma. Thus those
who left the field or retired would not be

attacked. A horseman could attack only ahorseman, not one on foot.
Likewise, charioteers, elephant troops andinfantrymen could engage themselves inbattle only with their opposite numbers in
the enemy ranks.
Those who sought quarter or surrenderedwere safe from slaughter. Nor might one,for the moment disengaged, direct his
weapons against another who was
engaged in combat.
It was wrong to slay one who had been
disarmed or whose attention was directed
elsewhere or who was retreating or who
had lost his armor. And no shafts were tobedirectedagainstnon-combatant
attendants or those engaged in blowing
conchs or beating drums.
These were the rules that the Kauravas
and the Pandavas solemnly declared theywould follow.
The passage of time has witnessed manychanges in men's ideas of right and wrong.
Nothing is exempt from attack in modern
warfare.
Not only are munitions made the target of
attack, but dumb animals such as horses,
camels, mules and medical stores, nay,
non-combatants of all ages, are destroyed
without compunction.
Sometimes the established conventions
went overboard even in the Mahabharatawar.
We see clearly in the story that occasionaltransgressions took place for one reason
or another. But, on the whole, theaccepted rules of honorable and humane
war were observed by both sides in the
Kurukshetra battle. And the occasional
violations were looked upon as wrong andshameful.
Addressing the princes under his
command, Bhishma said: "Heroes, yours
is a glorious opportunity. Before you, are
the gates of heaven wide open. The joy ofliving with Indra and Brahma awaits you.

Pursue the path of your ancestors andfollow the kshatriya dharma. Fight withjoy and attain fame and greatness. A
kshatriya does not wish to die of diseaseor old age in his bed but prefers to die on
the battlefield," and the princes responded
by ordering their trumpets to be sounded
and shouted victory to the Kauravas.
On Bhishma's flag shone brightly thepalm tree and five stars. On Aswatthama's
the lion tail fluttered in the air.
In Drona's golden-hued standard, theascetic's bowl and the bow glistened, andthe cobra of Duryodhana's famed banner
danced proudly with outspread hood.
On Kripa's flag was depicted a bull, while
Jayadratha's carried a wild boar. Likewise
others and the battlefield thus presented a
pageant of flags.
Seeing the Kaurava forces ranged in battle
array, Yudhishthira gave orders to Arjuna:"The enemy force is very large. Our army
being smaller, our tactics should beconcentration rather than deployment thatwill only weaken us. Array our forces,
therefore, in needle formation."
Now, when Arjuna saw men arrayed on
both sides for mutual slaughter, he wasdeeply agitated and Krishna spoke to him
in order to quell his agitation and remove
his doubts.
Krishna's exhortation to Arjuna at thisjuncture is the Bhagavad Gita, which isenshrined in millions of hearts as the
Word of God. The Bhagavad Gita is
acknowledged by all as one of thesupreme treasures of human literature.
Its gospel of devotion to duty, without
attachment or desire of reward, has shown
the way of life for all men, rich or poor,
learned or ignorant, who have sought forlight in the dark problems of life.
63. YUDHISHTHIRA SEEKSBENEDICTIONEVERYTHING was ready for the battle
to begin. At this tense moment, botharmies saw with amazement Yudhishthira,the steadfast and brave son of Pandu,
suddenly doff his armor and put away his
weapons. Descending from his chariot, heproceeded on foot towards the commanderof the Kaurava forces.
"What is this that Yudhishthira is doing?"
asked everyone and was puzzled by thissudden and silent proceeding on the partof the Pandava.
Dhananjaya too was perplexed and hejumped down from his chariot and ran to
Yudhishthira. The other brothers andKrishna also joined.
They feared that perhaps Yudhishthira,surrendering to his natural inclination, had
suddenly decided to seek peace on any
terms and was going forward to announce
this.
"King, why are you proceeding to theenemy's lines in this strange manner? You
have told us nothing. The enemy is readyfor battle, their soldiers sheathed in armor
and with uplifted weapons. But you havedoffed your armor and thrown aside yourweapons and are proceeding forward,
unattended and on foot. Tell us what you
are about." Thus said Arjuna to
Dharmaputra. But Yudhishthira was
immersed in deep thought and proceeded
forward silently.
Then Vasudeva, who knew the hearts ofmen, smiled and said: "He is going to theelders to ask for their benediction before
commencing this terrible fight. He feels it
is not right to start such a grave
proceeding without formally taking such
benediction and permission. He goes to
the grandsire to take his blessing and thatof Dronacharya. So he goes unarmed. It isright that he does this. He knows
proprieties. It is only thus that we mightfare well in this battle."
The men in Duryodhana's army, when
they saw Yudhishthira advancing withhands clasped in humble attitude, thought:

"Here is the Pandava coming to sue forpeace, frightened at our strength. Truly
this man brings disgrace to the race ofkshatriyas. Why was this coward born
among us?" Thus did they talk among
themselves reviling Dharmaputra thoughdelighted at the prospect of securing
victory without a blow.
Yudhishthira went through the lines ofsoldiers armed from head to foot andproceeded straight to where Bhishma wasand, bending low and touching his feet insalutation, said:"Grandsire, permit us to begin the battle.
We have dared to give battle to you, ourunconquerable
andincomparable
grandsire. We seek benediction before
beginning the fight.""Child," replied the grandsire, "born in therace of Bharatas, you have acted worthily
and according to our code of conduct. It
gives me joy to see this. Fight and you
will have victory. I am not a free agent. I
am bound by my obligation to the kingand must fight on the side of theKauravas. But you will not be defeated."
After thus obtaining the permission andtheblessings
ofthegrandsire,
Yudhishthira went to Drona andcircumambulated and bowed, according toform, to the acharya, who also gave his
blessings, saying:"I am under inescapable obligations to the
Kauravas, O son of Dharma. Our vested
interests enslave us and become ourmasters. Thus have I become bound to the
Kauravas. I shall fight on their side. But
yours will be the victory."
Yudhishthira similarly approached andobtained the blessings of Kripacharya anduncle Salya and returned to the Pandava
lines.
The battle began, commencing with single
combats between the leading chiefs armed
with equal weapons. Bhishma and Partha,
Satyaki and Kritavarma, Abhimanyu andBrihatbala, Duryodhana and Bhima,
YudhishthiraandSalya,
andDbrishtadyumna and Drona were thus
engaged in great battles.
Similarly, thousands of other warriors
fought severally according to the rules of
war of those days.
Besides these numerous single combats
between renowned warriors, there wasalso
indiscriminate
fighting
among
common soldiers. The name of "sankula
yuddha" was given to such free fighting
andpromiscuous
carnage.
The
Kurukshetra battle witnessed many such"sankula" fights wherein countless men
fought and died in the mad lust of battle.
On the field lay piles of slaughteredsoldiers, charioteers, elephants and horses.
The ground became a bloody mire inwhich it was difficult for the chariots tomove about. In modern battles there is nosuch thing as single combats. It is all"sankula."
The Kauravas fought under Bhishma's
command for ten days. After him, Drona
took the command. When Drona died,
Karna succeeded to the command. Karnafell towards the close of the seventeenth
day's battle. And Salya led the Kaurava
army on the eighteenth and last day.
Towards the latter part of the battle, manysavage and unchivalrous deeds were done.
Chivalry and rules of war die hard, forthere is an innate nobility in humannature. But difficult situations andtemptations arise which men are too weak
to resist, especially when they are
exhausted with fighting and warped withhatred and bloodshed.
Even great men commit wrong and theirlapses thereafter furnish bad examples toothers, and dharma comes to be
disregarded more and more easily andfrequently. Thus does violence beget andnourish adharma and plunge the world in
wickedness.

64. THE FIRST DAY'S BATTLEDUHSASANA was leading the Kaurava
forces and Bhimasena did the same on the
Pandava side. The noise of battle rolled
and rent the air. The kettledrums,
trumpets, horns and conchs made the sky
ring with their clamor.
Horsesneighed,charging
elephants
trumpeted and the warriors uttered theirlion-roars. Arrows flew in the air likeburning meteors. Fathers and sons, uncles
and nephews slew one another forgetful ofold affection and ties of blood. It was a
mad and terrible carnage. In the forenoonof the first day's battle the Pandava army
was badly shaken. Wherever Bhishma's
chariot went, it was like the dance of thedestroyer. Abhimanyu could not bear thisand he attacked the grandsire. When theoldest and the youngest warriors thus met
in battle, the gods came to watch thecombat. Abhimanyu's flag, displaying thegolden karnikara tree brightly waved on
his chariot.
Kritavarma was hit by one of his arrows
and Salya was hit five times. Bhishma
himself
was
hit
nine
times
by
Abhimanyu's
shafts.
Durmukha's
charioteer was struck by one of
Abhimanyu's sword-edge arrow and his
severed head rolled on the ground.
Another broke Kripa's bow. Abhimanyu's
feats brought down showers of flowers
from the gods who looked on. Bhishma
and the warrior supporting him exclaimed:"Indeed, a worthy son to Dhananjaya!"
Then the Kaurava warriors made a
combined attack on the valiant youth. But
he stood against them all. He parried withhis own all the shafts discharged by
Bhishma.
One of his well-aimed arrows brought the
grandsire's palm tree flag down. Seeing
this, Bhimasena was overjoyed and madea great lion-roar that further inspired thevaliant nephew. Great was the grandsire's

joy, seeing the valor of the young hero.
Unwillingly, he had to use his fullstrength against the boy. Virata, his son
Uttara, Dhrishtadyumna, the son ofDrupada and Bhima came to relieve theyoung hero and attacked the grandsire
who then turned his attentions on them.
Uttara, the son of Virata, rode an elephantand led a fierce charge on Salya. Salya's
chariot horses were trampled to death andthereupon he hurled a javelin at Uttara. It
went with unerring aim and pierced him in
the chest.
The goad he had in his hand dropped andhe rolled down dead. But the elephant did
not withdraw. It continued charging until
Salya cut off its trunk and hit it in many
places with his arrows. And then it uttereda loud cry and fell dead. Salya got into
Kritavarma's car.
Virata's son Sveta saw Salya slay his
younger brother. His anger rose, like fire
fed by libations of butter. And he drove
his chariot towards Salya. Seven chariot
warriors at once came up in support ofSalya and protected him from all sides.
Arrows were showered on Sveta and themissiles sped across like lightning inclouds.
Sveta
defendedhimself
marvelously. He parried their shafts withhis own and cut their javelins down as
they sped towards him. The warriors inboth armies were amazed at the skill
displayed by Sveta. Duryodhana lost no
time now and sent forces to relieve Salya.
Whereupon there was a great battle.
Thousands of soldiers perished, andnumerous were the chariots broken andthe horses and elephants killed. Sveta
succeeded in putting Duryodhana's men toflight and he pushed forward and attacked
Bhishma.
Bhishma's flag was brought down by
Sveta. Bhishma, in his turn, killed Sveta's
horses and charioteer. There upon, they

hurled javelins at one another and foughton.
Sveta took a mace, and swinging it, sent it
at Bhishma's car which was smashed topieces. But the grandsire, even before themace dashed against the chariot, had
anticipated it and jumped down. From theground he pulled the string of his bow to
his ear and sent a fatal arrow at Sveta.
Sveta was struck and fell dead. Duhsasana
blew his horn and danced in joy. This wasfollowed by a great attack on the Pandava
army by Bhishma.
The Pandava forces suffered greatly on
the first day of the battle. Dharmaputra
was seized with apprehension, andDuryodhana's joy was unbounded. The
brothers came to Krishna and were
engaged in anxious consultations.
"Chief among Bharatas," said Krishna to
Yudhishthira, "do not fear. God has
blessed you with valiant brothers. Why
should you entertain any doubts? There isSatyaki and there are Virata, Drupada andDhrishtadyumna, besides myself. Whatreason is there for you to be dejected? Do
you forget that Sikhandin is awaiting forhis predestined victim Bhishma?" Thus
did Krishna comfort Yudhishthira.
65. THE SECOND DAY
THE Pandava army, having fared badly
on the first day of the battle,
Dhrishtadyumna,
theGeneralissimo,
devised measures to avoid a repetition of
it. On the second day, the army was mostcarefully arrayed and everything was done
to instil confidence.
Duryodhana, filled with conceit on
account of the success on the first day,stood in the center of his army andaddressed his warriors.
"Heroes in armor", he said in a loud voice,"our victory is assured. Fight and care notfor life."
The Kaurava army, led by Bhishma, again
made strong attack on the Pandava forces

and broke their formation, killing large
numbers.
Arjuna, turning to Krishna, his charioteer,said: "If we continue in this way, our army
will soon be totally destroyed by the
grandsire. Unless we slay Bhishma, I am
afraid we can not save our army.""Dhananjaya, then get ready. There is the
grandsire's chariot," replied Krishna, anddrove straight towards him.
The chariot sped forward at a great pace.
The grandsire sent his shafts welcoming
the challenge. Duryodhana had ordered
his men to protect the grandsire mostvigilantly and never to let him expose
himself to danger.
Accordingly, all the warriors, supporting
the grandsire, at once intervened andattacked Arjuna who, however, fought on
unconcerned.
It was well known that there were but
three on the Kaurava side who could standagainst Arjuna with any chance of successthe grandsire Bhishma, Drona and Karna.
Arjuna made short work of the warriors,
who intervened in support of Bhishma.
The way in which he wielded his great
bow on this occasion, extorted theadmiration of all the great generals in thearmy. His chariot flashed hither andthither sundering hostile ranks like forked
lightning, so rapidly that the eye ached tofollow its career.
Duryodhana's heart beat fast as hewatched this combat. His confidence inthe great Bhishma began to be shaken.
"Son of Ganga," Duryodhana said, "itseems as if even while you and Drona arealive
and fighting, this irresistible
combination of Arjuna and Krishna will
destroy our entire army. Karna whose
devotion and loyalty to me are mostgenuine stands aside and does not fight forme only because of you. I fear I shall be
deceived and you will not take steps
quickly to destroy Phalguna (Arjuna)."

The gods came down to watch the combat
between Bhishma and Arjuna. These were
two of the greatest warriors on earth. Bothchariots were drawn by white steeds.
From either side flew arrows in countless
number. Shaft met shaft in the air andsometimes the grandsire's missile hit
Arjuna's breast and that of Madhava(Krishna). And the blood flowing madeMadhava more beautiful than ever as hestood like a green palasa tree in full bloom
with crimson flowers.
Arjuna's wrath rose when he saw his dearcharioteer hit and he pulled his bow andsent well-aimed arrows at the grandsire.
The combatants were equal and the battle
raged for a long while.
In the movements the chariots made they
were so close to one another and moved
about so fast that it was not possible to say
where Arjuna was and where Bhishma.
Only the flag could be distinguished.
As this great and wonderful scene wasenacted in one part of the field, at anotherplace a fierce battle was being fought
between Drona and his born enemy
Dhrishtadyumna, the son of the king of
the Panchalas and brother of Draupadi.
Drona's attack was powerful andDhrishtadyumna was wounded badly. But
the latter retaliated with equal vigor andwith a grin of hatred he shot arrows andsped other missiles at Drona.
Drona defended himself with great skill.
He parried the sharp missiles and theheavy maces hurled at him with hisarrows and broke them to pieces even as
they sped in the air.
Many times did Dhrishtadyumna's bow
break, hit by Drona's arrows. One ofDrona's arrows killed the Panchalaprince'scharioteer.
Thereupon
Dhrishtadyumna took up a mace and,jumping down from the chariot, went
forward on foot.

Drona sent an arrow that brought the mace
down. Dhrishtadyumna then drew hissword and rushed forward like a lion
springing on its elephant prey. But Dronaagain disabled him and prevented his
advance.
Just then Bhima, who saw the Panchala's
predicament, sent a shower of arrows on
Drona and carried Dhrishtadyumna tosafety in his chariot.
Duryodhana who saw this sent the
Kalinga forces against Bhimasena. Bhima
killed the Kalinga warriors in great
number. Like Death itself he moved about
among his enemies and felled them to theground. So fierce was the destruction thatthe entire army trembled in fear.
When Bhishma saw this, he came torelieve the Kalingas. Satyaki, Abhimanyu
and other warriors came up in support of
Bhima. One of Satyaki's shafts brought
Bhishma's charioteer down and the horsesof Bhishma's chariot, left uncontrolled,
bolted carrying Bhishma away from thefield.
The Pandava army was wild withenthusiasm when Bhishma's chariot spedthus out of the field. They took advantageof the situation and made a fierce attackon the Kaurava army.
Great was the loss the Kaurava army
suffered in that day's battle as a result of
Arjuna's deeds of valor. The generals of
the Kaurava army were greatly perturbed
and their previous day's enthusiasm had
all disappeared.
They eagerly looked forward to sunset
when there would be an end to the day's
battle. As the sun sank in the west,
Bhishma said to Drona: "It is well we stop
the fighting now. Our army isdisheartened and weary."On the side of the Pandavas, Dhananjaya
and others returned in great cheer to theircamp, with bands playing. At the end of
the second day's battle, the Kauravas werein the mood that the Pandavas were in theprevious evening.
66. THE THIRD DAY'S BATTLE
ON the morning of the third day Bhishma
arrayed his army in eagle formation andhimself led it while Duryodhana and hisforces protected the rear. So great was thecare taken over every detail that theKauravas were certain that there could be
no mishap for them that day.
The Pandavas too arrayed their forces
withskill.
Dhananjaya
andDhrishtadyumna decided in favor of acrescent formation of their army so as
more effectually to cope with the eagle
formation of the enemy's forces.
On the right horn of the crescent stood
Bhima and on the left Arjuna, leading therespective divisions. The battle began. Allarms were at once engaged and blood
flowed in torrents and the dust that was
raised by chariots, horses and elephantsrose to hide the sun.
Dhananjaya's attack was powerful but theenemy stood firm. A counter-attack wasmade by the Kauravas concentrating on
Arjuna's position. Javelins and spears andother missiles flew in the air shining likeforked lightning in a thunderstorm.
Like a great cloud of locusts the shafts
covered Arjuna's chariot. But withamazing skill he raised a moving
fortification around his chariot witharrows discharged in an unending stream
from his famous bow.
At another point Sakuni led a large force
against Satyaki and Abhimanyu. Satyaki's
chariot was broken to pieces and he had toscramble up Abhimanyu's chariot andthereafter both fought from the samechariot.
They were able to destroy Sakuni's forces.
Drona and Bhishma jointly attacked
Dharmaputra's division and Nakula and
Sahadeva joined their brother in opposing
Drona's offensive.

Bhima and his son Ghatotkacha attacked
Duryodhana's division and in that day's
battle the son appeared to excel his great
father in valor.
Bhima's shafts hit Duryodhana and he lay
in swoon in his chariot. His charioteer
quickly drove the chariot away from thescene. He feared that the Kaurava forces
would be completely demoralised if they
saw that the prince had been disabled.
But even this movement created great
confusion. Bhimasena took full advantageof the position and worked havoc among
the fleeing Kaurava forces.
Drona and Bhishma who saw thediscomfiture and confusion of theKaurava army came up quickly andrestored confidence. The scattered forceswere brought together and Duryodhana
was again seen leading them.
"How can you stand thus," said
Duryodhana to the grandsire, "looking on
when our forces are scattered and put todisgraceful flight? I fear you are too kindto the Pandavas. Why did you not tell me
frankly'I
lovethe
Pandavas;
Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki are myfriends and I cannot attack or slay them.'
You should have stated the position
explicitly to me. Surely these men are notequal to you. And if you were so minded,
you could deal with them easily. Even
now, it would be best if you and Drona
told me frankly your mind in the matter."
The chagrin of defeat, and the knowledge
that the grandsire disapproved of his ways
made Duryodhana speak thus bitterly. But
Bhishma merely smiled and said: "Wasn't
I quite frank in my advice to you? That
advice you rejected when you decided on
war. I tried to prevent the war but, nowthat it has come, I am fulfilling my duties
by you with all my might. I am an old
man and what I am doing is quite myutmost."Saying thus, the grandsire resumed his
operations. The turn of events in theforenoon had been so much in their favorthat the delighted Pandavas were now
somewhat careless.
They did not expect Bhishma to rally hisforces and attack them again. But stung by
Duryodhana's reproaches, the grandsire
raged about the field like a destroying fire.
He rallied his men and delivered the most
severe attack yet made on the Pandava
army. The latter thought that the grandsire
had multiplied himself into a number of
Bhishmas fighting at several points. So
swift were his movements that afternoon.
Those who opposed him were struck
down and perished like months in the fire.
The Pandava army was thoroughly broken
and began to scatter. Vasudeva, Partha
and Sikhandin tried hard to restore orderand confidence, but were unsuccessful.
"Dhanjaya," said Krishna, "now has thecritical time come. Be true to yourdecision not to flinch from your duty tokill in battle Bhishma, Drona and all theother friends and relatives and respected
elders. You have pledged yourself to it
and you have now to carry it out.
Otherwise our army is lost beyond
redemption. You must now attack the
grandsire.""Drive on," said Arjuna.
As Dhananjaya's chariot sped on towards
Bhishma, it met a hot reception from the
grandsire, who covered it with his arrows.
But, Arjuna bent his bow and discharged
three shafts that broke the grandsire's bow.
Bhishma picked up another bow but it too
met the same fate. The grandsire's heart
was gladdened when he saw Arjuna's skill
in archery.
"Hail, brave warrior!" applauded the
grandsire, even as, taking up another bow;
he poured shafts on Arjuna's chariot withunerring aim.

Krishna was not happy at the way Arjuna
met the attack. The grandsire's bow was
working fiercely. But Arjuna's hands did
not do their best, for his heart was not init.
He had too much regard for his great
grandsire. Krishna thought that, if Arjuna
went on like this, the army, which had
been so badly demoralized already, would
be utterly destroyed and all would be lost.
Krishna managed the chariot skilfully, but
in spite of it, both he and Arjuna were hit
many times by Bhishma's arrows.
Janardana's (Krishna) anger rose. "I canstand this no longer, Arjuna. I shall kill
Bhishma myself if you will not do it!" heexclaimed, and dropping the reins, he took
up his discus and jumped down from thechariot and dashed forward towards
Bhishma.
Bhishma was far from being perturbed at
this. On the contrary, his face expandedwith ecstatic joy. "Come, come, Oh Lotuseyed One!" he exclaimed.
"I bow to you, Oh Madhava. Lord of theWorld, have you indeed come down fromthe chariot for my sake? I offer you mylife. If I be slain by you, I shall be
glorified in the three worlds. Give me thatboon. May your hands take this life away
and save me for eternity."
Arjuna was distressed to see this. He
jumped down and ran after Krishna.
Overtaking him with great difficulty, heentreated Krishna to turn back.
"Do not lose your patience with me.
Desist and I promise not to flinch," hesaid, and persuaded Krishna to return. The
chariot reins were again in Krishna's
hands. Arjuna attacked the Kaurava forces
furiously and thousands were slain byhim.
The Kauravas suffered a severe defeat on
the evening of the third day. As they
returned to their camps in torchlight, theysaid to one another: "Who can equal

Arjuna? There is nothing strange in his
being victorious." So marvelous was
Arjuna's prowess that day.
67. THE FOURTH DAY
THE battle was very much the same every
day and the narrative is one ofmonotonous fighting and killing. Still, thegreat battle is the central event in the
Mahabharata and, if we skip over it, wecannot fully understand the epic heroes ofthat crowded stage.
At break of day, Bhishma arrayed theKaurava forces again. Surrounded by
Drona, Duryodhana and others, thegrandsire looked verily like great Indra,
holding his thunder bolt, surrounded by
the devas.
The Kaurava army, with its chariots,
elephants and horses all arrayed in battle
order and ready for the fight, presented
the appearance of the sky in a great
thunderstorm.
The grandsire gave orders for advance.
Arjuna watched the hostile movementsfrom his chariot, whereon the Hanuman
flag was waving, and he too got ready.
The battle commenced. Aswatthama,
Bhurisravas, Salya, Chitrasena and the sonof Chala surrounded Abhimanyu andattacked him. The warrior fought like alion opposing five elephants.
Arjuna saw this combined attack on his
son and, with a wrathful lion roar joined
his son whereat the tempo of fighting
flared up. Dhrishtadyumna also arrived
with a large force. The son of Chala was
killed.
Chala himself now joined and he with
Salya, made a strong attack on
Dhrishtadyumna. The latter's bow wassevered into two by a sharp missile
discharged by Salya.
Abhimanyu saw this and sent a shower ofarrows on Salya and put him in suchdanger that Duryodhana and his brothersrushed to Salya's help. Bhimasena also
appeared on the scene at this juncture.
When Bhima raised his mace aloft,
Duryodhana's brothers lost courage.
Duryodhana,
who
saw
this,
was
exceedingly
angry
and
immediately
charged against Bhima with a large forceof elephants.
As soon as Bhima saw the elephantscoming up, he descended from his chariot,
iron mace in hand, attacked them sofiercely that they scattered in a wild
stampede, throwing the Kaurava ranks
into disorder.
It will be seen that even in our Puranicstories elephants fared as badly in battle as
they did in the wars of the Greeks and the
Romans. Bhima's attack on the elephants
was like Indra's devastating onslaught on
the winged mountains.
The slaughtered elephants lay dead on thefield like great hills. Those that escaped
fled in panic and caused great havoc in the
Kauravaarmy,
trampling
numerous
soldiers in their wild race. Duryodhana,
thereupon, ordered a wholesale attack on
Bhima.
But he stood firm as a rock and presently,
the Pandava warriors came up and joinedhim. A number of Duryodhana's arrows
struck Bhima's chest and he climbed up
his chariot again.
"Visoka, now is the glad hour," said
Bhima to his charioteer. "I see a numberof Dhritarashtra's sons before me, ready to
be shaken down like ripe fruits on a tree.
Keep your hold well on the reins anddrive on. I am going to dispatch thesewretches to Yama's abode." Bhima's
arrows would have killed Duryodhanathen and there, had it not been for hisarmor.
Eight of Duryodhana's brothers were slain
in that day's battle by Bhima. Duryodhanafought fiercely. Bhima's bow wassmashed by one of Duryodhana's arrows.

Taking up a fresh bow, Bhima sent anarrow with a knife-edge at Duryodhanathat cut the latter's bow into two.
Not baffled by this, Duryodhana took up a
fresh bow and discharged a well-aimed
shaft which struck Bhima on his chestwith such force that he reeled and sat
down.
The Pandava warriors now poured a great
shower of arrows on Duryodhana.
Ghatotkacha, who saw his father sit dazed
with the force of the blow, got
exceedingly angry and fell on the Kaurava
army, which was unable to stand against
his onslaught.
"We cannot fight this Rakshasa today."said Bhishma to Drona. "Our men are
weary. It is nearing sunset and at night of
the Rakshasas grows stronger with the
darkness. Let us deal with Ghatotkacha
tomorrow."
The grandsire ordered his army to retire
for the night. Duryodhana sat musing in
his tent, his eyes filled with tears. He hadlost many of his brothers in that day's
battle.
"Sanjaya,"exclaimed
Dhritarashtra.
"Every day, you give me nothing but bad
news. Your tale has ever been one ofsorrow, of defeat and loss of dear ones! I
cannot stand this any more. What
stratagem can save my people? How are
we going to win in this fight? Indeed, I am
full of fear. It seems fate is more powerfulthan human effort.""King " said Sanjaya in reply, "is this not
all the result of your own folly? Of what
avail is grief? How can I manufacture
good news for you? You should hear thetruth with fortitude.""Ah! Vidura's words are coming true,"said the blind old king, plunged in great
grief.
68. THE FIFTH DAY"I AM like a shipwrecked man seeking tosave himself by swimming in a storm

tossed ocean. I shall surely drown,
overwhelmed in this sea of sorrow."
Again and again, when Sanjaya related thehappenings
of
the
great
battle,Dhritarashtra would thus lament, unable
to bear his grief.
"Bhima is going to kill all my sons," hesaid. "I do not believe there is anyone with
prowess enough in our army to protect mysons from death. Did Bhishma, Drona,
Kripa
and
Aswatthama
lookonunconcerned when our army fled in
terror? What indeed is their plan? Whenand how are they going to help
Duryodhana? How are my sons to escapefrom destruction?"
Saying thus, the blind old king burst intotears.
"Calm yourself, King," said Sanjaya. "ThePandavas rest on the strength of a justcause. So, they win. Your sons are brave
but their thoughts are wicked. Therefore,luck does not favor them. They have done
great injustice to the Pandavas, and they
are reaping the harvest of their sins. The
Pandavas are not winning by charms ormagic incantations. They are fighting
according to the practice of kshatriyas.
Their cause being just, they have strength.
Friends advised you, but you discarded
wise counsel. Vidura, Bhishma, Dronaand I tried to stop you in your unwise
course, but you did not listen and you
went on. Like a foolish sick man who
refuses to drink bitter medicine, you
obstinately refused to follow our advice,
which would have saved your people,
preferring to do as your foolish sondesired. You are in distress now. Last
night, Duryodhana asked Bhishma thesame question as you put to me now. And
Bhishma gave the same answer as I giveyou."
When the fighting was stopped on theevening of the fourth day, Duryodhanawent by himself to Bhishma's tent and,bowing reverently, said:"Grandsire, the world knows that you area warrior who knows not fear. The same isthe case with Drona, Kripa, Aswatthama,
Kritavarma,
Sudakshin,
Bhurisravas,
Vikarna and Bhagadatta. Death has no
terror for these veterans. There is no
doubt, the prowess of these great warriors
is limitless, even like your own. All the
Pandavas combined cannot defeat any oneof you. What then is the mystery behind
this daily defeat of our army at the handsof the sons of Kunti?"
Bhishma replied: "Prince, listen to me. I
have given you advice on every occasion
and told you what was good for you. But,
you have always refused to follow what
your elders counselled you to do. Again, I
tell you that it is best for you to makepeace with Pandu's sons. For your good aswell as for that of the world, that is the
only course that should be followed.
Belonging to the same royal house, you
can all enjoy this vast country as yours. I
gave you this advice, but you disregarded
it and have grievously wronged the
Pandavas, the fruit of which you are now
reaping. The Pandavas are protected by
Krishna himself. How then can you hopefor victory? Even now, it is not loo late
for making peace and that is the way torule your kingdom, making the Pandavas,
your powerful brothers, friends instead ofenemies. Destruction awaits you if you
insult Dhananjaya and Krishna, who arenone other than Nara and Narayana."
Duryodhana took leave and went to histent, but he could not sleep that night.
The battle was resumed the next morning.
Bhishma arrayed the Kaurava forces in astrong formation. So did Dhrishtadyumna
for the Pandava army.
Bhima stood at the head of the advancelines
asusual.
And
Sikhandin,
Dhrishtadyumna
andSatyakistoodbehind, securely guarding the main body,
aided by other generals.
Dharmaputra and the twin brothers held
the rear. Bhishma bent his bow anddischarged his shafts. The Pandava army
suffered greatly under the grandsire's
attack.
Dhananjaya saw this and retaliated by
fierceshaftsaimed
atBhishma.
Duryodhana
went
to
Drona
and
complained bitterly according to his
custom.
Drona upbraided him severely: "Obstinate
prince, you talk without understanding.
You are ignorant of the Pandavas'
strength. We are doing our best."
Drona's powerful attack on the Pandava
army was too much for Satyaki who wasmeeting it and Bhima therefore turned his
attentions to Drona. The battle grewfiercer still. Drona, Bhishma and Salya
made a combined attack on Bhima.
Sikhandin supported Bhima by pouring ashower of arrows on Bhishma. As soon as
Sikhandin stepped in, Bhishma turned
away. For Sikhandin was born a girl, andBhishma's principles did not permit him to
attack a woman.
In the end, this same objection proved tobe the cause of Bhishma's death. When
Drona saw Bhishma turn away, heattacked Sikhandin fiercely and compelled
him to withdraw.
There was a promiscuous battle the wholeof the morning of the fifth day, and theslaughter was terrific. In the after noon,
Duryodhana sent a large force to oppose
Satyaki.
But Satyaki destroyed it completely andadvancedtoattackBhurisravas.
Bhurisravas, who was a powerful
opponent, put Satyaki's men to fight, andpressed Satyaki himself so fiercely that he
was in distress.
Satyaki's ten sons saw their father's plightand sought to relieve him by launching anoffensive
againstBhurisravas,
but
Bhurisravas undaunted by numbers,
opposed the combined attack and was not
to be shaken. His well-aimed darts broke
their weapons and they were all slain,strewn on the field like so many tall trees
struck down by lightning. Satyaki, wildwith rage and grief, drove forward at afurious pace to slay Bhurisravas.
The chariots of the two warriors dashedagainst each other and crumbled to pieces.
And the warriors stood face to face withsword and shield in desperate single
combat.
Then, Bhima came and took away Satyaki
by force into his chariot and drove away.
For Bhima knew that Bhurisravas was an
unrivalled swordsman and he did not wantSatyaki to be slain.
Arjuna killed thousands of warriors thatevening. The soldiers, dispatched against
him by Duryodhana, perished like moths
in the fire. As the sun went down andBhishma gave orders to cease fighting, theprinces on the Pandava army surrounded
Arjuna and greeted him with loud cries ofadmiration and victory.
The armies on both sides retired to camp,along with the tired horses and elephants.
69. THE SIXTH DAY
ACCORDING to Yudhishthira's order
Dhrishtadyumna arrayed the Pandava
army in makara (fish) formation for thesixth day's battle. The Kaurava army wasarrayed in krauncha (heron) formation.
We know, how, similarly, names were
given to physical exercise, asanas, or
postures. Vyuha was the general name forbattle array. Which Vyuha was best forany particular occasion, depended on therequirements of the offensive anddefensive plans of the day.
What the strength and composition of theforces arrayed should be and what
positions they should take up were

decided upon, according to the situation as
it developed from time to time.
The sixth day was marked by a prodigious
slaughter, even in the first part of themorning. Drona's charioteer was killedand Drona took the reins of the horses
himself and used his bow as well.
Great was the destruction he effected. He
went about like fire among cotton heaps.
The formations of both armies were soon
broken and indiscriminate and fierce
fighting went on. Blood flowed in torrents
and the field was covered by dead bodies
of soldiers, elephants and horses and thedebris of chariots.
Bhimasena pierced the enemy's lines toseek out Duryodhana's brothers and finish
them. They, for their part, did not wait tobe sought, but rushed on him, in a
combined attack from all sides. He was
attacked by Duhsasana, Durvishaha,
Durmata, Jaya, Jayatsena, Vikarna,
Chitrasena,
Sudarsana,
Charuchitra,
Suvarma, Dushkarna and others, alltogether.
Bhimasena, who did not know what fear
was, stood up and fought them all. They
desired to take him prisoner and he to killthem all on the spot.
The battle raged fiercely, even like theancient battle between the gods and theasuras. Suddenly, the son of Pandu lost hispatience and jumped down from his
chariot, mace in band, and made straighton foot for the sons of Dhritarashtra, in
hot haste to slay them.
When Dhrishtadyumna saw Bhima's
chariot disappear in the enemy lines, he
was alarmed and rushed to prevent
disaster. He reached Bhima's car, but
found it was occupied only by thecharioteer and Bhima was not in it. Withtears in his eyes, he asked the charioteer:"Visoka, where is Bhima dearer to me
than life?" Dhrishtadyumna naturally
thought Bhima had fallen.

Visoka bowed and said to the son ofDrupada: "The son of Pandu asked me tostay here and, without waiting for myreply rushed forward on foot, mace inhand, into the enemy ranks."
Fearing
that
Bhima
would
be
overpowered and killed Dhrishtadyumna
drove his chariot into the enemy lines insearch of Bhimasena, whose path wasmarked by the bodies of slain elephants.
When Dhrishtadyumna found Bhima, he
saw him surrounded on all sides byenemies fighting from their chariots.
Bhima stood against them all, mace inhand, wounded all over and breathing fire.
Dhrishtadyumna embraced him and took
him into his chariot and proceeded to pickout the shafts that had stuck in his body.
Duryodhana now ordered his warriors to
attack Bhimasena and Dhrishtadyumna
and not to wait for them to attack orchallenge.
Accordingly, they made a combined
attack even though they were not inclined
to engage themselves in further fighting.
Dhrishtadyumna had a secret weapon,
which he had obtained from Dronacharya
and, discharging it, threw the enemy
forces into a stupor.
But Duryodhana then joined the fray anddischarged weapons to counter the stupor
weapons of Dhrishtadyumna. Just then,reinforcements sent by Yudhishthiraarrived.
A force of twelve chariots with theirretinue led by Abhimanyu came upon thescene to support Bhima.
Dhrishtadyumna was greatly relieved
when he saw this. Bhimasena had also by
now refreshed himself and was ready torenew the fight. He got into Kekaya's
chariot and took up his position alongwith the rest.
Drona, however, was terrible that day. He
killed Dhrishtadyumna's charioteer andhorses and smashed his chariot andDrupada's son had to seek a place inAbhimanyu's car. The Pandava forces
began to waver and Drona was cheered by
the Kaurava army.
Indiscriminate mass fighting and slaughter
went on that day. At one time, Bhima andDuryodhana met face to face. The usualexchange of hot words took place and was
followed by a great battle of archery.
Duryodhana was hit and fell unconscious.
Kripa extricated him with great skill andtook him away in his own chariot.
Bhishma personally arrived at the spot
now and led the attack and scattered the
Pandava forces.
The sun was sinking, but the battle wascontinued for an hour yet and the fighting
was fierce and many thousands perished.
Then the day's battle ceased. Yudhishthirawas glad that Dhrishtadyumna and Bhima
returned to camp alive.
70. THE SEVENTH DAY
DURYODHANA, wounded all over andsuffering greatly, went to Bhishma andsaid:"The battle had been going against us
every day. Our formations are broken andour warriors are being slain in large
numbers. You are looking on doing
nothing."
The grandsire soothed Duryodhana with
comforting words:"Why do you let yourself be disheartened?
Here are all of us, Drona, Salya,
Kritavarma,
Aswatthama,
Vikarna,Bhagadatta, Sakuni, the two brothers of
Avanti, the Trigarta chief, the king of
Magadha, and Kripacharya. When thesegreat warriors are here, ready to give up
their lives for you, why should you feel
downhearted? Get rid of this mood of
dejection."
Saying this, he issued orders for the day.
"See there," the grandsire said to
Duryodhana. "These thousands of cars,
horses and horsemen, great war elephants,

and those armed foot soldiers fromvarious kingdoms are all ready to fight foryou. With this fine army, you canvanquish even the gods. Fear not."Thus
cheering
upthedejected
Duryodhana, he gave him a healing balm
for his wounds. Duryodhana rubbed itover his numerous wounds and felt
relieved.
He went to the field, heartened by the
grandsire's words of confidence. The army
was that day arrayed in circular formation.
With each war elephant were sevenchariots fully equipped.
Each chariot was supported by sevenhorsemen. To each horseman wereattached ten shield bearers. Everyone
wore armor.
Duryodhana stood resplendent like Indraat the center of this great and wellequipped army. Yudhishthira arrayed the
Pandava army in vajravyuha. This day's
battle was fiercely fought simultaneously
at many sectors.
Bhishma personally opposed Arjuna's
attacks. Drona and Virata were engaged
with each other at another point.
Sikhandin and Aswatthama fought a big
battle at another sector.
Duryodhana and Dhrishtadyumna foughtwith each other at yet another point.
Nakula and Sahadeva attacked their uncle
Salya. The Avanti kings opposed
Yudhamanyu, while Bhimasena opposed
Kritavarma, Chitrasena, Vikarna andDurmarsha.
There were great battles between
Ghatotkacha and Bhagadatta, between
Alambasa
andSatyaki,
between
Bhurisravas and Dhrishtaketu, between
Yudhishthira and Srutayu and between
Chekitana and Kripa.
In the battle between Drona and Virata,
the latter was worsted and he had to climb
into the chariot of his son Sanga, having

lost his own chariot, horses andcharioteer.
Virata's sons Uttara and Sveta had fallen
in the first day's battle. On this seventhday, Sanga also was slain just as his father
came up to his side. Sikhandin, Drupada'sson, was defeated by Aswatthama.
His chariot was smashed and he jumped
down and stood sword and shield in hand.
Aswatthama aimed his shaft at his sword
and broke it. Sikhandin then whirled thebroken sword and hurled it at Aswatthama
with tremendous force, but it was met by
Aswatthama's arrow.
Sikhandin, badly beaten, got into Satyaki's
chariot and retired. In the fight between
Satyaki and Alambasa, the former had theworst of it at first but later recovered
ground and Alambasa had to flee.
In the battle between Dhrishtadyumna andDuryodhana, the horses of the latter were
killed and he had to alight from his
chariot. He, however, continued the fight,
sword in hand. Sakuni came then and took
the prince away in his chariot.
Kritavarma made a strong attack on
Bhima but was worsted. He lost his
chariot and horses and acknowledging
defeat, fled towards Sakuni's car, with
Bhima's arrows sticking all over him,making him look like a porcupine
speeding away in the forest.
Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti were
defeated by Yudhamanyu, and theirarmieswerecompletely
destroyed.
Bhagadatta attacked Ghatotkacha and put
to flight all his supporters.
But, alone, Ghatotkacha stood and fought
bravely. But in the end, he too had to savehimself by flight, which gladdened thewhole Kaurava army.
Salya attacked his nephews. Nakula's
horses were killed and he had to join his
brother in the latter's chariot. Bothcontinued the fight from the same car.
Salya was hit by Sahadeva's arrow andswooned. The charioteer skilfully drove
the car away and saved Salya.
When the Madra king (Salya) was seen
retreating from the field Duryodhana's
army lost heart and the twin sons of Madri
blew their conchs in triumph. Taking
advantage of the situation, they inflictedheavy damage on Salya's forces.
At noon, Yudhishthira led an attack on
Srutayu. The latter's well-aimed arrows
intercepted Dharmaputra's missiles, andhis armor was pierced and he was severely
wounded.
Yudhishthira then lost his temper and senta powerful arrow that pierced Srutayu's
breast-plate. That day, Yudhishthira was
not his normal self and burnt with anger.
Srutayu's charioteer and horses were
killed and the chariot was smashed and he
had to flee on foot from the field. This
completedthedemorahsationofDuryodhana's army.
In the attack on Kripa, Chekitana, losing
his chariot and charioteer, alighted andattacked Kripa's charioteer and horses
with mace in hand and killed them.
Kripa also alighted, and standing on the
ground, discharged his arrows. Chekitana
was badly hit. He then whirled his maceand hurled it at Kripacharya, but the latter
was able to intercept it with his own
arrow.
Thereupon they closed with each other,sword in hand. Both were wounded andfell on the ground, when Bhima came andtook Chekitana away in his chariot.
Sakuni similarly took wounded Kripa
away in his car.
Ninety-six arrows of Dhrishtaketu struck
Bhurisravas. And the great warrior was
like a sun radiating glory, as the arrows,
all sticking in his breast-plate, shonebright around his radiant face. Even inthat condition, he compelled Dhrishtaketu
to admit defeat and retire.
Three of
Duryodhana's
brothers
attacked

Abhimanyu who inflicted a heavy defeat
on them but spared their lives, because
Bhima had sworn to kill them. Thereupon,
Bhishma attacked Abhimanyu.
Arjuna saw this and said to his illustrious
charioteer: "Krishna, drive the car towards
Bhishma."At that moment, the other Pandavas alsojoined Arjuna. But the grandsire was able
to hold his own against all five until thesunset, and the battle was suspended forthe day. And the warriors of both sides,
weary and wounded, retired to their tents
for rest and for having their injuries
attended to.
After this, for an hour, soft music wasplayed, soothing the warriors to their rest.
That hour was spent, says the poet,without a word about war or hatred. It wasan hour of heavenly bliss, and it was a
glad sight to see. One can see herein what
the great lesson of the Mahabharata is.
71. THE EIGHTH DAY
WHEN the eighth day dawned, Bhishma
arrayed his army in tortoise formation.
Yudhishthira said to Dhrishtadyumna:"See there, the enemy is in kurma vyuha(tortoise formation). You have to answer
at once with a formation that can break it."Dhrishtadyumna immediately proceeded
to his task. The Pandava forces werearrayed in a three-pronged formation.
Bhima was at the head of one prong,
Satyaki of another, and Yudhishthira at
the crest of the middle division. Ourancestors had developed the science ofwar very well.
It was not reduced to writing but waspreserved by tradition in the families ofkshatriyas. Armor and tactics were
employed suitably to meet the weapons ofoffence and the tactics that the enemy
used in those days.
The Kurukshetra battle was fought somethousands of years ago. Reading the storyof the battle in the Mahabharata, weshould not, having the practice andincidents of modern warfare in mind,
reject the Mahabharata narrative as mere
myth with no relation to fact.
Only about a century and a half ago, theEnglish admiral Nelson fought great sea
battles and won undying renown.
The weapons used and the vessels that
actually took part in Nelson's battles,
would seem almost weird and evenridiculous if compared with those ofmodern naval warfare.
If a hundred and fifty years can make somuch difference, we must be prepared forvery strange things in the procedure andevents of a period, so long back as that of
the Mahabharata war.
Another matter to be kept in mind is that
we cannot expect, in the books of poetsand literary writers, accurate or full details
about weapons and tactics, although thenarrative may be of battles.
Military affairs were in ancient times thesole concern of the military order, thekshatriyas. Their culture and their training
were entirely their own charge.
The principles and the secrets of warfare
and the science and art of the use of
military weapons were handed down fromgeneration to generation by tradition andpersonal instruction.
There were no military textbooks andthere was not any place for them in theworks of poets and rishis. If a modern
novel deals in some chapters with thetreatment and cure of a sick person, we
can not expect to see such details in it asmight interest a medical man. No author
would care, even if he were able, toinclude scientific details in his story.
So, we cannot hope to find in the epic of
Vyasa, precise details as to what is
tortoise formation or lotus formation. We
have no explanation as to how one could,
by discharging a continuous stream ofarrows, build a defence around himself orintercept and cut missiles in transit, or
how one could be living when pierced allover by arrows, or how far the armor wornby the soldiers and officers could protect
them against missiles or what were theambulance arrangements or how the deadwere disposed of.
All these things appertaining to ancientwar, however interesting, will have to bein the realm of the unknown in spite of thevivid narrative we have in the
Mahabharata epic.
Bhima killed eight of Dhritarashtra's sonsearly in the battle that day. Duryodhana's
heart lost courage before this. It seemed tohis friends as if Bhimasena would
complete his revenge this very day, evenas he swore in the assembly ball, where
the great outrage was enacted.
Arjuna had a great bereavement in thisday's battle. His dear son Iravan was
killed. This son of Arjuna by his Naga
wife had come and joined the Pandava
forces at Kurukshetra. Duryodhana sent
his friend, the Rakshasa Alambasa, tooppose the Naga warrior.
Iravan was slain after a fierce fight. When
Arjuna heard this, he broke down
completely. Said he turning to Vasudeva:"Vidura had indeed told us plainly thatboth sides would be plunged in grief
unbearable. What are we doing all thiswretched destruction up on one anotherfor? Just for the sake of property. After all
this killing, what joy are we or they likely
to find in the end? O Madhusudana, I now
see why the far seeing Yudhishthira said
he would be content if Duryodhana would
give five villages to us, keeping
everything else to himself and he would
not resort to fighting if that were agreed
to. Duryodhana, in his obstinate folly,
refused to give even these five villages
and so, these great sins have to becommitted on both sides. I continue
fighting only because men would

otherwise think me a coward, who could
submit tamely to wrong. When I see thedead warriors lying on the field, my heart
is filled with unbearable anguish. Oh, howwicked we are to carry on in thismiserable, sinful way."
Seeing Iravan killed, Ghatotkacha uttereda loud war-cry which made all theassembled soldiers tremble. And with his
division, he fell upon the Kaurava army
ferociously. So great was the destruction
he wrought that at many points theKaurava formation was broken.
Seeing this, Duryodhana personally led anattack on Bhima's son. The king of Vanga
joined Duryodhana with his elephants.
Duryodhana fought most bravely on thiseighth day of the battle. He killed a great
number of warriors on Ghatotkacha's side.
Ghatotkacha hurled a javelin which would
have ended Duryodhana's career but for
the Vanga chief's prompt intervention
with one of his elephants.
The missile hit the beast, which fell dead,and Duryodhana was saved.
Bhishma was anxious about Duryodhanaand sent a large force under Drona tosupport the Kaurava prince.
Many were the veterans who were in thisforce that attacked Ghatotkacha.
So tumultuous and fierce was the fight at
this sector of the battle that Yudhishthirafeared for Ghatotkacha's safety and sent
Bhimasena to his aid.
Then the battle became even fiercer than
before. Sixteen of Duryodhana's brothers
perished on this day.
72. THE NINTH DAY
ON the morning of the ninth day, before
the battle began, Duryodhana wascloseted with the grandsire. He gave ventto his bitter feelings of disappointment
over the way the battle was going. He
uttered words that were like the sharp
spears and pained the grandsire greatly
but the latter was patient and said sadly:"Like ghee on the sacrificial fire I am
pouring my life out for you. Why do you
seek to mortify me, who have been doing
my very utmost for you? You speak like aman of no understanding, not knowing
what is right and what is wrong. They say
that, when a man is nearing his death, thetree appears to him to be made of gold.
You see things now, not as they are. Your
vision is clouded. You are now reaping
the harvest of the hatred you deliberately
sowed. The best course for you are to go
on fighting, as well as you can. This isalso the plain path of duty. It is notpossible for me to fight Sikhandin, for I
can never raise my hand against a woman.
Nor can I with my hands kill the
Pandavas, for my mind revolts against it. I
will do everything barring these two andfight all the warriors opposed to you.
Nothing is gained by losing heart. Fight asa kshatriya should and honor will be yours
whatever the events."
Saying thus to Duryodhana and cheering
him up with wise and affectionate words,
Bhishma proceeded to issue instructions
for arraying the forces for the day's battle.
Duryodhana was heartened. He sent for
Duhsasana and said to him: "Brother, put
forth all our strength in today's battle. I am
convinced, the grandsire is fighting on ourside with his whole heart. It is only
against Sikhandin, he says, he cannot use
his weapons. We should see that he is not
exposed to Sikhandin's attacks, for you
know, even a wild dog can kill a lion if
the latter scorns to fight back."
There was a great fight between
Abhimanyu and Alambasa. Abhimanyu
demonstrated that his valor was no lessthan his illustrious father's. Alambasa had
to flee on foot to save himself.
There were fierce combats between
Satyaki and Aswatthama and between
Drona and Arjuna. Thereafter, all the
Pandavas attacked the grandsire andDuryodhana sent Duhsasana to support
the old warrior. Bhishma fought furiously
and beat the Pandavas back.
The Pandava forces were thoroughly
demoralised and were flying hither andthither, like cattle that had lost their way
in the forest.
Krishna halted the chariot and said to
Arjuna: "Partha, you and your brothers
were looking forward to this day, after
thirteen years. Do not hesitate to kill the
grandsire. Remember the duty of asoldier."
Arjuna bent his head down and, withoutlooking up, replied: "I would much rather
have continued to be an exile in the forest
than kill the grandsire and the teachers
whom I love, but I shall obey you. Driveon."
Arjuna's heart was not in the fight.
Unwillingly and in great distress of mind,
he proceeded to the combat. Bhishma, on
the other hand, burnt fiercely like thenoonday sun.
When the army saw Arjuna's chariot
proceed towards Bhishma, it regained
courage and order once again prevailed.
Bhishma's arrows came thick and fast andcovered the advancing chariot socompletely that neither horses nor
vehicles could be seen.
Krishna was unperturbed and drove on
with circumspection and skill. Arjuna's
shafts hit Bhishma's bow and shattered it
many times. But the grandsire went on
renewing his weapon.
"You are not fighting, Arjuna, as you
should!" exclaimed Krishna, and jumped
down in a rage from the chariot and,taking up his discus, he advanced towards
the grandsire.
Bhishma saw Vasudeva approaching.
"Hail, O Lotus-eyed One!" he cried.
"Blessed am I to be separated from thebody by you! Come, come!"

Arjuna jumped down from the chariot
and, rushing forward overtook and held
Krishna, casting both his arms aroundhim. "Stop, Krishna," he cried. "Do notbreak your pledge. You have promised not
to use weapons in this battle. This is mywork. I shall not fail. I shall send myarrows and kill the beloved grandsire
myself. Pray, mount the car and take thereins."
Arjuna took Krishna back and the battle
was resumed. The Pandava forces had
been handled roughly, but now the sun
was down in the west and the fighting
ended for the day.
73. THE PASSING OF BHISHMA
IT was the tenth day of the battle. Keeping
Sikhandin in front of him, Arjuna attacked
Bhishma. When Sikhandin's darts pierced
his breast, sparks flew from the grandsire'seyes.
For a moment the old warrior's anger rose
like flaming fire and his eyes glared as if
to consume Sikhandin. But, at once, thegrandsire restrained himself.
He decided not to be provoked into
fighting Sikhandin, who was born awoman and to strike whom it seemed
unworthy of a warrior.
He knew, however, his end was near andcalmed himself. Sikhandin went ondischarging his arrows, not minding thebattle of emotions in his opponent's mind.
Arjuna also steeled his heart, and frombehind Sikhandin aimed arrows at the
weak points in Bhishma's armor, evenwhile the grandsire stood still.
Bhishma smiled as the arrows continued
to come down thick on him, and turning to
Duhsasana, said: "Ah, these are Arjuna's
arrows! These cannot be Sikhandin's, forthey burn my flesh as the crab's young
ones tear their mother's body."
Thus did the grandsire look upon his dearpupil's arrows and, while saying this to
Duhsasana, he took up a javelin andhurled it at Arjuna. Arjuna met it withthree arrows which cut it to pieces evenas it was speeding through the air.
Bhishma then decided to end the combat
and made as if to dismount from his
chariot, sword and shield in hand. But
before he could do so, his shield was cut
to pieces by Arjuna's arrows.
With arrows sticking all over his body sothickly that there was not even an inch ofintervening space, Bhishma fell headlong
to the ground from his chariot.
As he fell, the gods, who looked on fromabove, folded their hands in reverent
salutation and a gentle breeze, laden withfragrance and cool raindrops, swept overthe battlefield.
Thus fell the great and good Bhishma, theson of Ganga, who came on earth tohallow it and all it bears.
The blameless hero who, unasked, madethe great renunciation to give joy to hisfather. The undefeated bowman who had
humbled the pride of Rama of the axe.
The selfless worker for righteousness'sake, thus repaid his debt to Duryodhana,and lay wounded to death sanctifying withhis life-blood the battlefield. As the
grandsire fell, the hearts of the Kauravasalso fell along with him.
Bhishma's body did not touch the ground,on account of the arrows sticking out allover his body. His body shone morebrightly than ever before, as it lay as on a
bed of honor, supported by the shafts that
had pierced his flesh.
Both armies ceased fighting and all thewarriors came running and crowded roundthe great hero, who lay on his bed ofarrows. The kings of the earth stood withbowed heads round him, as the gods
round Brahma.
"My head hangs down unsupported," said
the grandsire. The princes who stood near,ran and brought cushions. The old warrior
rejected them with a smile and, turning

towards Arjuna said: "Dear son Partha,
give me a cushion befitting a warrior."
When Arjuna, whose arrows were justthen burning the grandsire's flesh, heard
those words addressed to him, he took
three arrows from out of his quiver and soplaced them that the grandsire's headfound support on their points.
"Princes," said Bhishma addressing theassembled chiefs, "Arjuna's arrows wereindeed what my head required to besupported on. This pillow gives mesatisfaction. Now, I must lie thus until thesun turns north. My soul will not departtill then. When I pass away, those of you
who may be alive then may come and seeme."Then the grandsire turned again to Arjuna
and said: "I am tormented with thirst. Getme some drinking water." At once, Arjuna
raised his bow, and drawing, it to the ear,shot a shaft down into the earth near the
grandsire on his right side.
Upon the opening made by the arrow,
there gushed a stream of pure sweet water
to the very lips of the dying man. Ganga
came up, says the poet, to quench her dear
son's burning thirst. Bhishma drank andwas happy.
"Duryodhana, may you be wise!" said
Bhishma, addressing the Kaurava prince.
"Did you see how Arjuna brought mewater to quench my thirst? Who else inthis world can do such a deed? Make
peace with him without further delay.
May the war cease with my exit. Listen tome, son, make peace with the Pandavas."
The grandsire's words did not please
Duryodhana. Even when dying, thepatient does not like medicine. He objects
to the bitter taste. All the princes retired totheir camps.
74. KARNA AND THE GRANDSIRE
WHEN he learnt that Bhishma lay
wounded and dying, Karna hurried to theplace and fell at his feet and said:

"Eldest of the race. Radha's son, who,
through no fault of his, incurred yourgreat displeasure, humbly prostrates
himself before you."
When after humble salutation Karna stoodup, the grandsire, greatly moved, tenderly
placed his hand on Karna's head andblessed him.
"You are not Radha's son, young man," hesaid in loving tones: "You are Kuntidevi's
own first born. Narada, who knows all thesecrets of the world, himself revealed thisto me. Son of Surya, truly I entertained no
dislike for you. But I was grieved to see
your increasing hatred of the Pandavas
although they gave you no cause for it. I
know and admire your valor and youropen handedness. And I know also thatyou belong to the class of Phalguna andKrishna in prowess. It is proper that you
befriend the Pandavas. Therein lies theright path for you who are their brother.
With the closing of my part in this war,
may the chapter of your enmity also close.
This is my wish, Karna."
Karna listened respectfully and replied:"Grandsire I know I am Kunti's son, andnot charioteer born. But I have eaten
Duryodhana's salt and must be true tohim, to be true to my own lineage. It is
impossible for me to go over to the
Pandavas now. You must permit me to
repay with my life, if it so be the debt I
owe to Duryodhana for his love and trust.
I have erred greatly in word and deed.
You must forgive me for it all and giveme your blessings."
The great acharya, who knew all the lawsof right conduct and what Karna said,
replied: "Do reflect for a while and thendo as you wish, for that is the right way."
Even when Bhishma was mortallywounded and lay dying, the battle did notcease. Discarding the grandsire's words of
wisdom, the Kauravas resumed the battle.

Deprived of Bhishma's leadership, theKaurava forces felt like sheep without ashepherd when Bhishma no longer led
them. Indeed, even as Bhishma fellwounded, the men shouted:"O Karna, you are the one left to lead andprotect us."
The Kaurava warriors felt that, if but
Karna would agree to take up thecommand, victory was certain. During thefirst ten days when Bhishma led theforces, the son of Surya kept away fromthe battle.
As already narrated, deeply hurt at the
grandsire's contempt, Karna had said: "Solong as you are up fighting, I shall keep
aloof. If you slay the Pandavas and bring
victory to Duryodhana, I shall be glad.
And I shall then, taking the king's leave,
go to the forest. But, if you be defeatedand go to the abode of the brave, I who
am not deemed by you as an adhiratha(master of chariot warfare) will ride mychariot and oppose those whom you deem
to be of greater prowess than myself. And
defeating
them,
bring
victorytoDuryodhana."
Thus had Karna sworn and, with
Duryodhana's consent, kept aloof from thebattle during the first ten days. Now hewent on foot to Bhishma who lay on his
bed of arrows waiting for his end and,saluting him, addressed him thus:"Veteran
grandsire,vanquisherof
Parasurama, you lie on the field of battle,
struck down by Sikhandin. If you, who
had reached the summit of right living andwere an embodiment of purity itself, mustlie wounded in this manner, it is clear thatno one can attain in this world what hedeserves by his merit. You were the one
boat on which the Kaurava princes
depended for crossing the flood of their
troubles. Heavy indeed will be the blowsthat the Pandavas will now deal at theKauravas and great will be theirconsequent distress. Like fire and windburning down the forest, Arjuna andKrishna will destroy the army of
Kauravas. This is certain. Turn yourgracious eyes on me and bless me, whohave accepted the command of theforces."
Bhishmagave
his
blessings
toKarna."You are like the good earth to theseeds, like rain clouds to living beings,
ever dependable, firm in your loyalty.
Serve Duryodhana and save him. You
vanquished the Kambojas for him. You
put down the Kiratas of the Himalayan
fastnesses for him. You fought the
Girivrajas on his behalf and defeatedthem. Many more things you haveaccomplished for him. Take charge of theKaurava army now as your own richpossession and guard it well. May you
lead Duryodhana's forces to success! May
you have every good fortune! Fight yourenemies, go."Karna, having received the benediction of
the grandsire, mounted his chariot androde to the battlefield. When the valorous
Karna entered the field on his war chariot,
Duryodhana's joys knew no bounds. His
sorrow, at having lost Bhishma, was insome degree alleviated.
75. DRONA IN COMMAND
DURYODHANA and Karna held counsel
as to who should be put in supremecommand of the forces.
"Well, everyone of these princely warriors
fighting on your side is great enough to be
put in charge of our forces as supremecommander," said Karna.
"All these kings are of equal prowess,strength, energy, skill, courage, valor,ancestry and wisdom. They cannot all be
put in joint command and, if any of them
be chosen, each of the others would feelhurt and may not put forth his wholestrength in the cause. Thereby we stand tosuffer. So, my advice is that we install

Dronacharya, the teacher of all theseprinces and warriors, as supremecommander. He indeed is the greatest of
all those that carry arms today. No
kshatriya equals him in the qualities
required for leading our army. Let us
therefore install him."
Duryodhana agreed that this was the rightthing to do, and so it was decided.
Duryodhana went to Dronacharya and, inthe presence of the assembled warriors
and princes, bowed and addressed him:
"Revered Master, you are unrivalled
among all those assembled here in caste,
ancestry, knowledge of sciences, age,
wisdom, valor and skill. I beg of you to
accept the supreme command. Under yourcommand, this army will be victorious."
The assembled kings received this
proposal with loud cheers and war criesthat gladdened Duryodhana's heart.
Drona was installed in due form amidst
thunderous acclamation. The praise of
courtiers and the sound of trumpets that
accompanied the ceremony, made theKauravas feel as though they had alreadyvanquished the enemy. So great was their
enthusiasm and confidence in Drona's
leadership.
Drona arrayed the army in circularformation. Karna, who had till then stoodaside was now seen moving about in his
great chariot on the battlefield and this put
new courage and joy into the hearts of theKaurava soldiers.
The talk went round in the army that thegreat Bhishma did not wish to slay thesons of Pandu and therefore had not put
his whole heart in the fight. But now that
Karna was in the field, it was certain that
the Pandavas would be destroyed.
Dronacharya was in command for fivedays of the battle. Though of advanced
years, he was everywhere in the field anddisplayed the fierce energy of a young
warrior. Whenever he led an attack, thePandava forces were scattered like clouds
before a storm.
He personally engaged the greatest
warriors on the Pandava side in battle. He
foughtSatyaki,Bhima,
Arjuna,Dhrishtadyumna, Abhimanyu, Drupada
and Kasiraja and defeated them on manyoccasions.
He harassed and inflicted severe
punishment on the Pandava army during
the five days he was in command.
76. TO SEIZE YUDHISHTHIRAALIVEAS SOON AS Drona assumed commandof the Kaurava forces Duryodhana, Karnaand Duhsasana sat in council and decided
on a plan. And Duryodhana went toDronacharya to put it in operation.
"Acharya, we desire that you shouldcapture Yudhishthira alive and give him
over to us. We desire nothing more, noteven a total victory. If you achieve this forus, we shall all be exceedingly satisfied
with your conduct of the war."
When Drona heard Duryodhana address
him thus, great was his joy, for he hated
the very idea of slaying the Pandava
brothers. Even though, to fulfil his
obligation, the acharya loyally joined theKaurava side against the Pandavas, heloved the sons of Kunti and especially thepure-minded Yudhishthira.
So, when he heard Duryodhana requestthat Yudhishthira should be captured
alive, he felt greatly relieved.
"Duryodhana, may you be blessed!" theacharya said. "Do you too wish to abstain
from killing Yudhishthira? How it
gladdens my heart! Truly, Yudhishthira is
one without an enemy and the name
Ajatasatru, which the people have given to
Kunti's eldest son, has been justified byyour great decision. When even you havemade up your mind that he should not be
killed but should be captured alive, his

unrivalled glory has become ten times
enhanced.""I see, dear Duryodhana, what you
intend," Drona continued. "You wish to
defeat the Pandavas in battle and then givethem their share in the kingdom and livein peace and amity with them. I see thisclearly from your desire to capture
Yudhishthira alive."
Drona was exceedingly glad and he said
again: "Indeed Yudhishthira is the mostfortunate man on earth. The gods are
showering their favors on Kunti's goodson. So has he won the hearts of evenenemies."
But Duryodhana's motives in wishing totake Yudhishthira alive were far different.
And as soon as Drona acceded to his
proposal and gave his pledge that hewould do his best to capture Yudhishthira,
he began to reveal his real intentions.
If Yudhishthira were slain, nothing would
be gained by it, and the anger of the
Pandavas would be all the greater. The
battle would rage more fiercely than
before. And Duryodhana knew that it
would only mean the utter defeat of his
army.
Even if the fight were to be continued
relentlessly until both armies weredestroyed, Krishna would still remain
alive and he would put either Draupadi or
Kunti in sovereign possession of the
kingdom.
What then was the point in killing
Yudhishthira? On the other hand, if
Yudhishthirawascaptured
alive,
Duryodhana thought, the war would end
more speedily and victoriously for the
Kauravas.
Thereafter, he could surely play on
Yudhishthira's goodness and his loyalty to
the traditional code of kshatriya conduct.
It was pretty certain he could be drawn
into the battle of dice again and sent to theforests once more.

Ten days of fighting had demonstrated to
Duryodhana that further fighting would
only result in the destruction of the race,
not the fulfilment of the desires.
When Duryodhana made his motives clear
to Drona, the acharya was greatly
disappointed and he cursed Duryodhana in
his heart. But whatever the reason for it,
he was glad that Yudhishthira was not tobe killed.
The news that Drona had given a solemn
assurance to Duryodhana that he would
take Yudhishthir a prisoner, was carriedby their spies to the Pandava army.
The Pandavas knew that, when theacharya was determined on something andgave his pledged word for executing it, his
unrivalled eminence in the art of war andhis valor made it a most serious affair.
So, they soon got busy and so arrayed theforces that Yudhishthira was never left
unsupported. Whatever movements mighttake place, they always took care to leavesufficient protection against any surprise
attack on Yudhishthira.
In the first day's battle under theleadership of Drona, the acharya amply
demonstrated his great skill and energy.
He moved about destroying the Pandava
forces like a fire burning up dry logs. His
rapid movements made the Pandava army
feel as if Drona was everywhere at thesame time showering arrows like rain andconverting the battlefield into a stage forthe dance of the God of Death. He cut the
Pandava
army
in
twain
where
Dhrishtadyumna stood.
Many were the single combats among
renowned warriors. There was a fierce
battle between Sahadeva and Sakuni
skilled in illusion warfare. When theirchariots broke, they alighted on the
ground. And, like two hills sprung to lifeand motion, they struck each other withmaces and closed with one another insingle combat. Between Bhima andVivimsati there was a great battle inwhich chariots were broken on both sides.
Salya fought his nephew Nakula andharassed him exceedingly, smiling mostprovokingly all the time. But, in the end,
Salya had his car smashed and his flag
brought down, and he withdrew admitting
defeat.
BetweenKripacharya
andDhrishtaketu there was a battle in which
the latter was worsted.
So also was there fierce fighting between
Satyaki and Kritavarma and between
Virata and Karna. Abhimanyu's valor was
also demonstrated as he fought Paurava,
Kritavarma, Jayadratha and Salya singlehanded and made them withdraw.
Then there was a great combat between
Salya and Bhimasena in which Salya was
defeated and made to retire. The Kaurava
forces began to lose courage and the
Pandava army, who saw this, attacked theKaurava army with renewed energy andbroke its ranks.
When Drona saw this, he decided torestore lost morale by leading a straightattack on Yudhishthira. His golden chariot
went forward, drawn by four noble Sindhu
horses, in the direction of Yudhishthira.
Yudhishthira answered with barbed
arrows, feathered with eagle-feathers. But
Drona did not mind, and advanced at great
speed. Yudhishthira's bow was cut down
and Drona was coming very near.
Dhrishtadyumna tried to intercept Dronabut in vain. The whole army shouted:"Yudhishthira has been taken!" So nearcame Drona.
Suddenly, then, Arjuna appeared on thebattlefield, the earth rumbling under thewheels of his chariot, as it coursed swiftly
over the bloody field, over bones andbodies lying in heaps. Drona held back,for Arjuna had come on the scene. From
his Gandiva bow issued a continuous
stream of arrows. No one could see theshafts taken out of the quiver or placed inposition. It seemed as if, from out of thegreat bow, an unending flood of arrows
issuedwithout
intermission.
Thebattlefield was darkened by flying
missiles.
Drona retreated. Yudhishthira was nottaken. The battle was stopped for the day
and the Kaurava forces went to their campin chastened mood.
The Pandava army marched proudly tocamp and behind them walked Kesava(Krishna) and Arjuna conversing. Thus
closed the eleventh day of the battle.
77. THE TWELFTH DAY
THE attempt to capture Yudhishthira alive
failed.
DronawasspeakingtoDuryodhana about this. "It is clear wecannot succeed in our efforts to seize
Yudhishthira so long as Dhananjaya is
nearby. It is no want of interest on mypart. If by some stratagem we could draw
Arjuna away to some other part of the
field, I could pierce the Pandava
formations and capture Yudhishthira. I
promise to seize him and deliver him toyou provided he does not flee from thebattle, renouncing honor. If he does that,then also we win indeed, do we not?"The chief of the Trigartadesa who heard
Drona say this talked it over with his
brothers, and they made a plan. They
resolved to take the samsaptaka oath andchallenge Arjuna to battle and draw him
away from Yudhishthira's side.
Accordingly, together with a large force,
they gathered, and sat before the fire,
dressed in matted grass, and went throughfuneralgifts
andceremonies
for
themselves as if already dead, and took
their oath: "Not till we have killed
Dhananjaya will we turn back. If we fleein fear from battle, may we be punished as
for deadly sin!"
Having adjured themselves thus before thesacred fire, they marched south for thatwas the direction of Death, and shouted"O Arjuna!" challenging him to battle.
It was a great suicide squad organized toachieve what Drona had pointed out to be
essential. Arjuna turned to Yudhishthiraand addressed him thus: "King, thesamsaptakas are calling me to battle. I am
pledged to accept a challenge thus thrownout. Susarma and his men are calling me
to battle. I shall destroy them all andreturn. Permit me to go.""Brother beloved," said Yudhishthira,"you know Drona's intentions. Keep thatin mind and do whatever you think fit. He
has promised Duryodhana to take mealive. He is a matchless warrior, brave,strong and skilled in, every branch ofarchery. He knows no fatigue and nothing
escapes his watchful eyes.""King, here is Satyajit, standing in supportof you," replied Arjuna. "As long as he isalive and by you, nothing can happen toyou." So saying Arjuna asked thePanchala prince Satyajit to stand guard by
Yudhishthira's side and marched off like ahungry lion to meet the samsaptakas.
"There, Krishna, see the Trigartas
standing, cheerful under the intoxicationof their oath, though they know they go tocertain death. Indeed they are full of theexultation of approaching swarga." So
speaking to his great charioteer, Arjuna
approached the large samsaptaka force.
This was the Twelfth Day of the great
battle. It was a fierce fight. After a time,
Arjuna's attack began to tell and the
Trigartas fell in swathes before him but
Susarma reminded them of their oath.
"Heroes, we have taken our oaths before
the fire and in the presence of the wholearmy of warriors. Having sworn terrible
resolves, it is unworthy to flinch. Let us
not fall into public ridicule." Thesamsaptakas cheered their leader, andfaced Arjuna with the sublime courage ofaccepted deaths.

"Hrishikesa, they are resolved on fighting
to the last. Drive on," said Arjuna.
Drivenby
Madhusudana(Krishna)
Arjuna's chariot moved like Indra's car in
the great war of the gods against theasuras. It went here and it went there andwherever it went, Arjuna's great bow, theGandiva, scattered death among thedoomed Trigartas.
The burst of blood in their compct ranks
was like the burst of Palasa blossoms in aspringtime forest. The fighting wassevere. At one time Arjuna's car andflagpole were immersed in darkness under
the downpour of arrows.
"Are you alive, Dhananjaya?" shouted
Krishna.
"Yes," replied Arjuna, and pulling thestring of his Gandiva, discharged shafts
that dispelled the arrow-shower. It was
like the Rudra dance of dissolution. The
field was full of severed limbs andheadless bodies and presented a terrible
spectacle.
As Arjuna proceeded to oppose thesamsaptakas, Drona gave orders for aviolent assault on the Pandava forces atthe point where Yudhishthira stood.
Yudhishthira saw this movement and
spoke
to
the
PanchalaprinceDhrishtadyumna:"The brahmana is coming to seize me.
Look after the forces with vigilance."
The son of Drupada did not wait for
Drona to advance but marched forward in
his car himself to meet Drona.
Dronacharya avoided Dhrishtadyumna,
for well he knew that his death was
destined to be at his hands and that death
was not yet due. And he wheeled his
chariot in another direction where
Drupada was leading his forces.
Drupada'sforcessufferedheavy
punishment at Drona's hands and blood
flowed in streams on the battlefield.
Drona, then, again turned his attention to

Yudhishthira. The Pandavas stood firm
and answered Drona's attacks withshowers of arrows.
Satyajit made a charge on Drona's car andthere was a fierce combat in which
Drona's figure assumed the grimness of
the Destroyer. Many a warrior was slain
by him in succession. Vrika, a prince ofPanchala, as well as Satyajit, fell dead.
Seeing this, Satanika, son of Virata,
marched against Drona. In a moment,
Satanika's severed head rolled on the
ground with the golden kundalas shining
in the earlobes.
Ketama, another chief, followed the attack
but he too perished. Then, Vasudhana
rushed forward to stop the advance ofDrona, but he too fell dead. Yudhamanyu,
Satyaki, Sikhandin and Uttamaujas whocame to push Drona back, were repulsed
and all these great warriors had to retreat.
Drona was now almost within reach of
Yudhishthira.
At that moment, Panchalya, another sonof Drupada, rushed madly up to stop theacharya and fought most desperately. But,
he too was mortally wounded and fell
from his chariot like a failing star.
Then, Duryodhana was delighted and said
exultingly to Karna:"Radheya, do you see the valor of ourmighty leader? No more will the Pandavas
be inclined towards battle. See how theirarmy reels under Drona's blows."
Karna shook his head. "Do not be so
confident," he said. "The Pandavas are not
to be so easily vanquished. They will
never surrender. The wrongs they haveundergone are too great to be forgotten.
You tried to poison and kill them. You
tried to burn them alive. You have grieved
and humiliated them at the game of diceand you have forced them out to live inthe forest for long years. They will notsurrender. See there, their army has rallied
and all their forces are leading a combinedattack on Drona. There, see Bhima,
Satyaki, Yudhamanyu, Kshatradharma,
Nakula, Uttamaujas, Drupada, Virata,
Sikhandin.
Dhrishtaketu
and
other
warriors have all come to protect
Yudhishthira and are pressing Drona hard.
We should not stand idly watching, when
we have put such a heavy burden on theacharya. Great as he is, there is a limit to
the load even he can carry. Even wolves
combined in large numbers can harass andkill a mighty elephant, Let us proceed. It
will not do any longer to leave Drona
unsupported."
78. BRAVE BHAGADATTADRONA made many attempts to takeYudhishthiraprisoner,but
failed.
Duryodhana led a large elephant division
against Bhima. Bhima defended himself
from his chariot with well-aimed arrows.
He sent crescent-headed shafts and tore
down Duryodhana's flag and cut down his
bow even as he held it in his hand. Seeing
the king harassed in this manner, theMlechchha king Anga marched against
Bhimasena seated on a huge elephant.
But Bhima sent shafts that laid theelephant low and killed the Mlechchha
king, which resulted in scattering that
section of the Kaurava forces in fear andconfusion.
Whentheelephants
stampeded, the horses also took fright andthousands of footmen were trampled
under the feet of the elephants and thehorses, flying in wild panic.
Seeing this great confusion and thescattering of the Kaurava forces in all
directions, the king of Pragjyotisha, thebrave Bhagadatta grew indignant.
He got up on his renowned elephant
Supratika and charged against Bhimasena.
The gigantic beast rushed forward withwidespread ears and twirling trunk,crashed into Bhimasena's chariot. And in
an instant, horses and vehicle were an

unrecognizable mass. But Bhima escapedby jumping off the car in the nick of time.
He knew all about elephants. He got
below the great and fierce elephant andshowered blows on its vital points. The
great beast got mad and whirled roundlike a potter's wheel, trying to throw off
Bhimasena, who was sticking to its legs
and attcking it from below.
It bent down and caught Bhima by its
trunk and was about to crush him under its
knees, when Vrikodara somehow released
himself from its hold and again got below,
in between its limbs and sticking to theelephant's
under-regions,causedexceeding pain to the beast.
Bhima was thus gaining time in the hopethat some elephant on the Pandava side
would be led to attack Bhagadatta's
elephant and enable him to get away.
But, when Bhima disappeared from view,
being hidden in between the beast's legs,
the soldiers thought Bhima was slain.
They exclaimed: "Bhima is dead!
Bhagadatta's
elephant
hascrushedBhimasena!" and the cry was repeated allover Kurukshetra.
Yudhishthira heard the cry and, thinking
Bhima was slain, urged the forces todestroy Bhagadatta. The king of Dasarna
charged against Bhagadatta. Dasarna's
elephant was also a fierce beast and there
was great battle between Supratika andDasarna's elephant.
But Supratika's tusk pierced Dasarna's
beast in the side and it crashed down dead.
At that moment, Bhima emerged frombelow Supratika and ran out safe. And the
Pandava army cheered when they saw
Bhima alive.
Bhagadatta was now attacked on all sides,
but he did not lose heart. Resplendent on
his elephant, he shone like a forest fire ona hill. Ignoring the enemies around him,
he drove his beast on Satyaki's chariot.

The elephant seized the chariot with its
great trunk and lifting it high dashed it
upside down. Satyaki jumped out of thechariot in time to save himself.
His charioteer displayed great agility andskill and saved the vehicle as well as thehorses, and righting the chariot, drove it towhere Satyaki stood.
Bhagadatta's elephant wrought great
havoc in the Pandava army, hurling
warriors about and killing them in great
number, striking terror wherever it went.
Bhagadatta stood on its back, like Indraon Airavata when he fought the asuras.
With ears spread out rigid in anger andtrunk extended in front, the great beast
trampled upon numerous horses, chariotsand soldiers and wrought destruction allover the Pandava army. The shafts hurled
at it seemed only to incense it more.
Like a herdsman in the forest driving thecattle where he would, Bhagadatta drove
the soldiers of the Pandava army before
him. Bhimasena, equipping himself once
again with a chariot, renewed his attack
on Bhagadatta.
The elephant stretched out its trunk andblew out a violent spray of mucus thatscared the horses of Bhima's chariot andthey bolted in wild flight and thecharioteer could not check them.
A great cloud of dust rose from the field
where this great elephant battle raged.
Arjuna saw this from where he wasfighting the samsaptakas and he also
heard the tumult created by Bhagadatta's
elephant.
He feared things had gone wrong and said
to Krishna: "Madhusudana, this is the cryof Supratika, Bhagadatta's elephant. This
king of Pragjyotisha is terrible with hiselephant, and has no equal in that kind of
warfare. He is sure to defeat and confound
our men. We must proceed at once andsave the situation. We have punishedthese samsaptakas enough. Drive to where

Drona is engaging Yudhishthira." Krishnadrove the chariot accordingly towards themain battlefront.
Susarma and his brothers came up behindthe chariot and shouted "Stop, stop." At
the same time, they discharged shafts at
Arjuna's chariot.
Arjuna was of two minds.
"Here is Susarma challenging me to battle
and I hated declining this kind ofinvitation, but there, to the north of us, ourformation seems broken and our men are
in need of immediate relief."
While Arjuna was pondering thus, ajavelin came hurtling at Arjuna andanother towards Janardana. Wild withanger, Arjuna sent three well-aimed
shafts, which compelled Susarma to turnback.
They lost no more time but drove quickly
to where Bhagadatta was doing havoc. As
soon as Arjuna's car was seen, thePandava forces rallied and soon Arjuna
reached the lines where Bhagadatta was.
Bhagadatta attacked Arjuna on Supratika
like the Destroyer incarnate. But
Vasudeva's skill avoided the shock, eachtime the beast charged.
Bhagadatta showered arrows on Arjuna
and Krishna. But Arjuna's arrows broke
the elephant's armor and began to hurt thebeast. Bhagadatta saw that his elephantcould no longer stand the attack and hehurled a javelin at Krishna.
Arjuna met it with a shaft from his bow
and broke it into two. Bhagadatta thendischarged another javelin that struck
Dhananjaya's helmet.
Readjusting his helmet, Arjuna bent his
bow exclaiming: "Bhagadatta, take yourlast look at the world and prepare fordeath!"
Bhagadatta was a veteran of very
advanced age. His grey hair and thewrinkles on his noble old face gave him
the intrepid appearance of a lion. Indeed,so old was he that the skin hung loose
down over his eyes and he had tied its
folds over his forehead with a silk
kerchief so that they might not interferewith his sight.
Bhagadatta was not more renowned forvalor than for purity of character andconduct and was one of the mostillustrious among the brave men of histime. Men gave him the title 'Friend of
Indra' in recognition of his greatness.
"Look around for the last time," said
Arjuna to this great man and hurled at him
shafts that broke his bow, shattered his
quiver and pierced the joints of his armor.
In those days, all warriors wore heavyarmor and the secret of hitting weak
points such as joints and moving parts was
specially studied by kshatriyas and was animportant part of military training.
When deprived of all his weapons,
Bhagadatta hurled his elephant goad at
Arjuna. It was sent with deadly aim andcharged with the Vaishnava mantra.
It would have killed Arjuna, but Krishnacame in between and presented himself asa target for the missile. It settled on his
chest as a shining necklace.
Charged with the mantra of Vishnu, it
could not hurt Vishnu but just became the
Lord's jewelled garland round his neck.
"Janardana, how is it you have offered
yourself as a target for the enemy's
missile? You said you would be charioteer
and leave all the fighting to me. How
could you do this?" protested Arjuna.
"Beloved Arjuna, you do not understand.
This shaft would have killed you if it had
hit you. But it is really my own thing andcame back to its lawful owner," Krishna
said and laughed. Then, Partha sent anarrow that entered the head of
Bhagadatta's elephant as a serpent enters
into the anthill.
Bhagadatta tried to urge his great beast
forward, but it stood stark rigid. And his

loud command went in vain even as thewords of man, who has lost his wealth, aredisregarded by his wife.
Like a great hill the elephant stood rigid
for a moment and then it suddenly sankdown driving its tusks into the earth andyielded up the ghost with an agonisedsqueal.
Arjuna was somewhat grieved at the deathof the noble animal and for his not having
been able to slay Bhagadatta, without
killing the beast.
Arjuna's shafts tore the silken napkin thatbound up the folds of the aged king's
forehead and he was blinded at once byhis own hanging wrinkles.
Soon, a sharp crescent-headed shaft cameand pierced his chest. And Bhagadatta fell
like a great tree in a storm, his goldennecklace shining like flowers on the
uprooted tree. The Kaurava forces fell intoutter confusion.
Sakuni's brothers Vrisha and Achala tried
their best to oppose Arjuna and attacked
him in front and rear. But their chariots
were soon dashed to pieces and they werethemselves stricken dead on the field liketwo lion cubs. They both looked muchalike and equally noble in appearance.
The poet says that the bodies of these twovaliant heroes who did not flee when therest fled, shed a strange lustre all around.
Sakuni was full of anger when he saw his
brave and incomparable brothers lying
dead on the field.
He attacked Arjuna fiercely and used all
the weapons of illusion, in which he wasskilled. But Arjuna's strokes broke all thecharms and rendered them useless. And
Sakuni had to leave the field, as fast as his
horses could bear him.
The Pandava forces then attacked Drona's
army and wrought great havoc till thesunset, and the twelfth day's fight ended.
Drona gave orders to cease fighting and
the Kaurava forces, which had lostheavily, retired in sullen dejection to theircamp.
The Pandava army, on the other band, wasin high spirits and its warriors gathered
round campfires in cheerful talk andpraise of Arjuna and the other heroes, who
had led them to victory.
79. ABHIMANYUEARLY next morning, Duryodhana went
to Dronacharya in a state of bitterness andanger. After the customary salutation, he
addressed him thus in the presence of alarge number of generals:"Esteemed brahmana, Yudhishthira wasquite within your reach yesterday and, if
you had really wished to take him no one
could have prevented you. Yet, you did
not take him, and to me the events ofyesterday are inexplicable. I cannot
understand what makes it hard for you tocarry out your promise to me. Verily greatmen are not understandable."
Dronacharya was exceedingly hurt by thisinsulting insinuation.
"Duryodhana," he said, "I am putting forthon your be half all the strength and skill I
possess. You entertain thoughts unworthyof a king. As long as Arjuna is present,
supporting Yudhishthira, it is not possible
for us to seize him. I have told you that
already. It is only if we manage some how
to get Arjuna out of the battlefield that we
can hope to carry out this plan as you
desire. And I am devising ways to attainthis objective."
Thus did Drona nobly conquer his justanger and seek to comfort Duryodhana in
his distress.
On the thirteenth day, the samsaptakas
again challenged Arjuna to battle and heaccordingly went to attack them, where
they were arrayed to the south of the main
battlefront. The battle that was fought
between the samsaptakas and Arjuna was
the fiercest that ever had been seen orheard of till that day.

When Dhananjaya left the main front formeetingthesamsaptakas,
Dronarearranged his army in lotus formation
and attacked Yudhishthira fiercely.
Bhima,
Satyaki,Chekitana,
Dhrishtadyumna, Kuntibhoja, Drupada,Ghatotkacha, Yudhamanyu, Sikhandin,
Uttamaujas,
Virata,the
Kekayas,Srinjayas and many others opposed him.
But their resistance seemed paralysed by
the violence of Drona's offensive.
Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna and Subhadra,
was still adolescent, but had already won
recognition as a mighty man-at arms evenas the equal of his father and uncle inbattle. Yudhishthira called Abhimanyu
and said to him:
"Dear son, Dronacharya is attacking ourarmy greatly. Arjuna is absent and, if weshould be defeated in his absence, he will
be grieved beyond measure. No one
among us has been able to break Drona's
array. You know you can do it and no one
else. I ask you to take up this task.""I can do it," replied Abhimanyu. "I havebeen instructed by my father how topenetrate this formation and can certainly
do so. But if after forcing my way, it
should unfortunately become necessary
for me to come out, I shall be at a loss
what to do, being as yet uninstructed in
the art of extrication.""Valiant boy, break this impregnable
formation and open a passage for us. We
shall all break in your wake. We shall bewith you to face any danger and noquestion can arise of your having to comeout."
Bhimasena
supported
Yudhishthira's
proposal: "I shall be immediately behind
you and enter when you succeed inbreaking the enemy's formation. So also
will
Dhrishtadyumna,
Satyaki,thePanchalas, the Kekayas and the forces ofMatsyadesa. Only break the formation asyou alone can do. We shall do the rest andsmash the Kaurava army."
Abhimanyu thought of his father andKrishna. Feeling encouraged by what had
been
said
by
Bhimasena
andYudhishthira, and impelled by his own
gallant nature, undertook the adventure.
"I shall please my great father and uncle,"he said with enthusiasm. "Let my valor be
staked on this."
"May
your
prowess
grow,"
said
Yudhishthira and blessed the youth.
"Sumitra, see Drona's flag flying there!
Drive straight and fast to that point," said
Abhimanyu to his charioteer.
"Faster, faster!" urged Abhimanyu as they
sped along.
"May the gods protect you!" said thecharioteer. "Yudhishthira has placed avery great burden on your young
shoulders. Think well before you pierce
Drona's array and enter. The acharya is
unrivalled in skill and experience, while
you, though his equal in valor, have not
his long years to back it."Abhimanyu smiled and replied: "Friend, I
am Krishna's nephew and son of Arjuna,
am I not? Which other has that advantage?
Fear dares not approach me! These
enemies here have not a sixteenth part of
my strength. Drive fast towards Drona's
division. Do not hesitate."
The charioteer obeyed.
As the golden chariot to which wereyoked beautiful young horses approached,
the soldiers in the Kaurava army shouted:"Abhimanyu is corning! He has come!"
The Pandavas followed Abhimanyu closebehind him.
The Kaurava warriors were perturbed asthey saw Abhimanyu's chariot approachthem with great speed.
"Here is one greater in valor than Arjuna,"
they thought and began to lose heart.
Like a young lion on a herd of elephants,
Abhimanyu rushed on. There was a ripple

in the Kaurava ranks which bent under hisheadlong onslaught.
The bend soon became a break and under
Drona's very eyes, the formation was
breached and Abhimanyu entered. But thebreach closed under the inspiration of
Jayadratha, king of the Sindhus, before
the other Pandava warriors could force
their way in according to plan and
Abhimanyu was alone!
Kaurava warriors opposed him, but theyfell like moths in the fire, one after
another. Abhimanyu's shafts searched theweak points in the armor of his enemies.
And the bodies of soldiers lay strewn on
the field like Kusa grass on the sacrificial
platform.
Bows, arrows, swords, shields, javelins,
pieces of harness, chaiot canopies, axes,
maces, spears, whips, conchs, along withsevered heads and limbs of slain warriors,
covered the field.
Seeing the destruction wrought by
Abhimanyu, Duryodhana was wroth andrushed in person to oppose the youthfulwarrior. Drona, having leant that the kinghimself was engaged in battle with
Abhimanyu, became anxious and sent
veterans to protect Duryodhana.
With great difficulty, they managed torescue the king from the boy-hero who
greatly disappointed at the escape of
Duryodhana, vented his anger on thewarriors that had come to rescue him andput them to headlong flight.
Then, throwing away all sense of shameand chivalry, a large number of veteranwarriors
madeacombinedandsimultaneous attack on the hero, whofound himself alone, surrounded byenemies on all sides. But, even as on all
sides a rock receives the rising tide of thesea, Arjuna's son withstood this unitedouslaught.
Drona, Aswatthama, Kripa, Karna,
Sakuni, Salya and many other greatwarriors in their chariots, equipped withall arms, surged in attack on the young
hero, only to be dashed back, baffled andbroken.
Asmaka rode his chariot at great speed
againstAbhimanyu's.
Butsmiling,
Abhimanyu sent his shafts and disposedof him in no time. Karna's armor was
pierced.
Salya was badly wounded and sat, unable
to move, in his chariot. Salya's brothercame up in great wrath to avenge his
brother's disgrace but he fell and his
chariot was broken to pieces.
Thus
did
Abhimanyu,
alone
and
unsupported, oppose a host of veteranwarriors and show the skill in the use ofarms which he had learnt from his
illustrious father and from Vasudeva, his
uncle. Seeing this, the poet says,
Dronacharya's eyes were filled with tears
of affectionate admiration.
"Was there ever a fighter to equal this boy
Abhimanyu?" exclaimed Drona to Kripa,in the hearing of Duryodhana who could
not contain his anger.
"The acharya's partiality for Arjuna
prevents him from killing Abhimanyu,"
Duryodhana said, "and he sings his praises
instead of fighting him. Indeed, if theacharya were minded to dispose of
Abhimanyu, would it take him long to doit!"
Often did Duryodhana suspect andcomplain in this manner against Bhishma
and Drona. Having undertaken a war ofadharma, he was often led to speak in thismanner and hurt the feelings of theacharyas who stood loyally by him, evenwhen they saw the wickedness of his
ways.
Duhsasanaroaredinanger
andexclaiming: "This obstinate lad will perish
now!" led his chariot forward to attack
Abhimanyu. The chariots of Abhimanyu
andDuhsasanamadewonderful

movement against each other and thebattle raged long.
Duhsasana was struck senseless in his car,and his charioteer just managed to driveaway from the field saving Duhsasana'slife. Karna attacked Abhimanyu with his
shafts and harassed him greatly.
But one of Abhimanyu's arrows felled
Karna's bow and the young warrior
followed up this advantage so vigorouslythat he put Karna and his supporters toflight. The Kaurava forces, when they saw
this, were completely demoralised.
The army was in confusion and men fledin all directions, not caring for Drona's
shouts of remonstrance. And Abhimanyu
destroyed those that stood, as fire destroys
a dry jungle in summer.
80. THE DEATH OF ABHIMANYU
THE Pandavas, proceeding according toplan, had closely followed Abhimanyu
when he broke into the Kaurava
formation. But Dhritarashtra's son-in-law
Jayadratha, the gallant king of theSindhus, swooped down upon the
Pandavas with all his forces and enabled
the breach in the formation to beeffectively and solidly closed up, so that
the Pandavas found it impossible to force
their way in.
Yudhishthira hurled a javelin and cut
Jayadratha's bow. But in an instant, theSaindhava took up another bow and sent
unerring shafts at Dharmaputra.
Bhimasena's arrows made deadly work,
crashing down the canopy and flagstaff of
Jayadratha's car. But the Saindhava, wasalert and rearmed himself, each time his
equipment was broken. He killed Bhima's
chariot horses, and the latter had to go into
Satyaki's car.
In this manner, Jayadratha, with stubborn
valor, prevented the Pandavas fromentering in Abhimanyu's wake. The young
hero was thus isolated and surrounded by
the Kaurava forces.

The son of Subhadra was however
undaunted. He attacked all the warriors
around him and slew them in great
number. Like rivers losing themselves in
the ocean, the soldiers that went to attack
him, disappeared before his arrows. The
Kaurava army reeled under Abhimanyu's
onslaughts.
Duryodhana's son Lakshmana, a gallant
young
warrior,thenchargedon
Abhimanyu. When they saw this,retreating soldiers came back andsupported Lakshmana, showering arrows
on Abhimanyu, like rain falling on a hill.
Still, Arjuna's son was undaunted and, his
shaft came swift and shining, like aserpent fresh-sloughed, and pierced
Lakshmana. The handsome youth, withbeautiful nose and eyebrows and hair, laydead on the field and the Kaurava soldiers
were filled with grief.
"To hell with the wicked Abhimanyu,"
shouted Duryodhana, and the six great
warriors,
Dorna,
Kripa,
Karna,
Aswatthama, Brihatbala and Kritavarma
closed upon Abhimanyu.
"It is impossible to pierce this youth's
armor," said Drona to Karna. "Aim at thereins of his horses and cut them off.
Disable him thus and attack him frombehind."The son of Surya did accordingly.
Abhimanyu's bow was broken by a shaft
discharged from behind. His horses andcharioteer were killed. Thus disabled, theyoung warrior stood on the field, withsword and shield, facing his enemies.
As he stood dauntless like kshatriya
dharma incarnate, he filled the warriors
around with amazement. Whirling hissword, he held his own against thenumerous warriors who had surrounded
him, with a skill that confounded them.
It seemed to them as if his feet did not reston earth and he was on wings, in the air.
Drona sent a shaft that broke Abhimanyu's

sword. Karna's sharp arrows tore hisshield into bits.
Then Abhimanyu bent down and taking
up one of his chariot wheels and whirling
it like a discus, stood up facing all theenemies that surrounded him.
The dust from the chariot wheel covered
him and the poet says it enhanced thenatural beauty of the young hero. He
fought fiercely like a second Vishnu withthe discus.
But soon, the combined onslaught of thewarriorsthatsurroundedhim
overpowered him. The chariot wheel wasshattered to pieces. The son of Duhsasanacame up then and closed with him inmortal combat.
Both went down together but Duhsasana's
son rose again and, while Abhimanyu was
struggling to his feet, struck him with hismace and killed him.
"Subhadra's son who, like an elephant in alily pond, single-handed worked havoc in
the Kaurava army, was thus overpoweredby numbers and killed cruelly," said
Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra.
"And, having killed him, your people
danced around his dead body like savage
hunters exulting over their prey. All goodmen in the army were grieved and tears
rolled from their eyes. Even the birds ofprey, that circled overhead making noises
seemed to cry 'Not thus!' 'Not thus!' "While there was blowing of conchs andcries of victory all over the Kaurava army,
Yuyutsu, the son of Dhritarashtra, did not
approve of all this. "This is ignoble," heangrily cried.
"Soldiers, you have forgotten your code.
Verily, you should be ashamed but,instead, you shout brazen cries of victory.
Having committed a most wicked deed,
you revel in foolish joy, blind to thedanger that is imminent."
So saying, Yuyutsu threw his weapon
away in disgust and left the battlefield.

This young son of Dhritarashtra fearedsin. His words were not sweet in the
Kaurava ears, but he was a good man andspoke out his mind.
81. A FATHER'S GRIEFYUDHISHTHIRA
was
plungedinsorrow. "He has gone to the sleep thatknows no waking, he who in battle
overcame
Drona,
AswatthamaandDuryodhana and who was like adestroying fire to enemy forces. O warrior
that made Duhsasana flee in fear, are you
dead? What then is there for me to fightfor or win? Why do we want kingdom
now? What words of comfort can I offer
to Arjuna? And what shall I say to
Subhadra, quivering like a cow bereavedof her calf? How can I utter to them vain
words of solace that serve no purpose?
Truly,
ambition
destroys
theunderstanding of men. Like the fool who,looking for honey, falls into a precipitous
pit below and is destroyed, in my desire
for victory I pushed to the battlefront thisboy, whose life was all before him in loveand joy. There is no fool like me in theworld. I have killed Arjuna's beloved son,instead of protecting him during theabsence of his father."Thus was Yudhishthira lamenting in
histent. Around him were sitting warriors,silent in sorrowful thought of the valor of
the youthful hero and his cruel death. It
was always the custom with Vyasa tocome and comfort the Pandavas,
whenever they were in great sorrow.
He was their great teacher as well as
grandsire. So he appeared now before
Yudhishthira. The sage was received withall honor and Yudhishthira, having madehim sit, said: "I have tried very hard tofind peace of mind, but I am unable tofind it.""You are wise and a knower," said Vyasa,"and it is not meet that you should allow
yourself to be lost in grief in this manner.

Knowing the nature of death, it is not rightthat you should grieve like the unlearned."
Vyasa proceeded to console the bereaved
Dharmaputra: "When Brahma createdliving beings, he was filled with anxiety.
These lives will multiply and soon their
number will be beyond the capacity of theearth to bear. There seems to be no way of
coping with this. This thought of Brahma
grew into a flame which became bigger
and bigger until it threatened to destroy all
creation at once. Then Rudra came andpleaded for allaying this destructive fire.
Brahma controlled the great fire andsubdued it into the law that is known tomortals as Death. This law of the creatortakes many forms, such as war or sickness
or accident and keeps the balance between
birth and death. Death is thus aninescapable law of existence, ordained forthe good of the world. It is not true
wisdom to be impatient with Death or togrieve immoderately for those who die.
There is no reason to pity those who passaway. We may have reason indeed togrieve for those who remain." Aftersaying these words of solace, Krishna
Dwaipayana retired.
Dhananjaya and Krishna were proceeding
towards their camp after defeating andslaying the samsaptakas.
"Govinda, I do not know why," said
Arjuna, "but my mind is not at ease. My
mouth feels parched and my heart istroubled with a great foreboding of loss. I
wonder if any calamity has happened to
Yudhishthira.
Somethingmakesmeafraid, Krishna."
"Do
not
be
concerned
about
Yudhishthira," replied Krishna."He andyour other brothers are safe." On the way,
they halted and did the evening prayers.
Remounting the chariot, they proceeded tothe camp. As they approached the camp,
Arjuna's
premonitionsofcalamity
increased.

"Janardana, we do not hear the usual
auspicious music in the camp. The
soldiers, seeing me from a distance, hangdown their heads and avoid my sight. Thisis strange behavior on their part. O
Madhava, I fear greatly. Do you think mybrothers are safe? I am confused. How is
it Abhimanyu does not run out to meet us
today as usual, accompanied by his
brothers?"
They entered the camp.
"Why are you all wearing sad faces? I do
not see Abhimanyu here. How is it I see
no glad faces? I understood that Dronaarrayed his army in the lotus formation.
No one among you could pierce it as far
as I know. Did Abhimanyu force his way
in? If so, he is dead, for I did not teachhim how to make his way out of thatformation. Has he been slain indeed?"
When their mournful silence, anddowncast eyes, that dared not meet his,
had confirmed his worst fears, thebereaved father burst into heart-broken
lamentation.
"Alas, has my dear boy indeed become
Yama's guest? Yudhishthira, Bhimasena,
Dhrishtadyumna and great Satyaki haveall of you allowed the son of Subhadra tobe slain by the enemy? Alas! What
comfort shall I give to Subhadra? Whatshall. I say to Draupadi? And what solace
can be given to Uttara and who shall giveit?"
Vasudeva spoke to his stricken friend.
"Beloved Arjuna," he said, "do not give
way thus to grief. Born as kshatriyas wehave to live and die by weapons. Death isever the companion of those who havetaken up the profession of arms and go
into battle, determined not to retreat.
Warriors must be ever ready to die young.
Abhimanyu, boy as he was, has attained
the happy regions above which grey
haired veterans yearn to reach in battle.
Abhimanyu's end is indeed the prescribed

and much desired goal of all kshatriyas. If
you give way to grief in this inordinate
way, your brothers and other kings willlose heart. Stop grieving and infuse
courage and fortitude into the hearts of theothers,"Dhananjaya desired to be told the fullstory of his brave son's end andYudhishthirarelatedit:"I
incitedAbhimanyu
to enter the enemy's
formation. For I knew that he alone could
do it among all of us. 'Make your way into
the lotus array and we shall follow
immediately behind you. This great deedof yours will please the hearts of yourfather and your uncle,' I said. The youthfulhero did accordingly and broke the great
formation and made his way in. We went
behind him according to plan. But, justthen, the wicked Jayadratha came andeffectively stopped us. He caused thebreach in the formation to be closed up atonce and we found ourselves unable tofollow Abhimanyu. The Sindhu kept us
out, and then, Oh, shame on kshatriyas
who could do this! A crowd of
redoubtable warriors hemmed him in, thus
isolated, and slew him."
When he heard the full story, Arjuna wasagain over whelmed by grief and he fellon the ground in a swoon.
When he recovered, he took an oath:"Before sunset tomorrow, I shall slay thisJayadratha who caused my son's death. If
Drona and Kripa come between him andme these acharyas also shall beoverwhelmed and slain!"
Saying this, he twanged the Gandiva
string, and Krishna blew the Panchajanya.
And Bhima said:"This twang of Arjuna's bow and thisblare of Krishna's conch shall be, unto thesons of Dhritarashtra, the summons of
Death!"
82. THE SINDHU KINGNEWS of Arjuna's oath reached theenemy. The spies informed Duryodhana's
friends that Arjuna, having learnt that
Jayadratha was the cause of Abhimanyu's
death, had vowed to kill the Sindhu kingbefore sunset next day.
Vriddhakshatra, the illustrious king of theSindhus, was blessed with a son, who wasnamed Jayadratha. At the time of the birthof the prince, a voice was heard to say:"This prince will attain great glory and hewill attain the happy regions above, slain
in battle. One who, among the warriors of
all ages, ranks among the most illustrious
will, in the field of battle, sever his headfrom the body."
All living beings must die but hardly any,
however wise or brave, welcome it.
Vriddhakshatra was grieved to hear thevoice declare his son's end.
In his disturbed state of mind, he uttered acurse: "He, who shall cause my son's headto roll down on the ground, shall have hishead burst at that very moment intofragments."
Jayadratha grew up and, when he reachedmanhood, Vriddhakshatra handed over thecare of the State to the prince. He retired
to the forest, where he spent the eveningof his days in austerities in an ashramanear the plain, which afterwards became
the Kurukshetra field of battle.
When Jayadratha came to know about
Arjuna's vow, he remembered theprediction about his death and feared his
end was near.
"I do not want to be in this battle any
longer. Let me go back to my country," hesaid to Duryodhana.
"Do not fear, Saindhava," replied
Duryodhana. "Here are all these veterans
and warriors who will stand between you
and danger. Karna, Chitrasena, Vivimsati,
Bhurisravas,
Salya,
Vrishasena,
Purumitra,
Jaya,
Bhoja,
Kamboja,
Sudakshina,
Satyavrata,
Vikarna,

Durmukha, Duhsasana, Subahu, Kalinga,
the Avanti princes, Drona, Drona's
illustrious son and Sakuni all thesewarriors and I myself are here and you
cannot be in danger. The whole of myarmy will have but one task today, todefend you against Arjuna. You should
not leave us now." Jayadratha agreed toremain. He went to Drona and said to him:
"Master, you taught me and Arjuna andyou know us both well. What is yourappraisal of us two?""Son, I discharged my duties as teacher
and dealt with you both impartially. The
instruction was the same to you and to
Arjuna, but Arjuna excels because of his
superior discipline and his own practice.
But, you need not be discouraged by this.
You will be placed behind a strong force
that Arjuna cannot easily pierce. Fightaccording to the tradition of yourancestors. Death comes to us all, cowards
as well as brave men. And the warrior
dying in battle attains with ease the happy
regions which others only attain withgreat difficulty. Discard fear and fight."
Drona, having spoken thus to Jayadratha,
proceeded to marshal the forces for the
next day. Twelve miles to the rear of themain army Jayadratha and his detachment
were placed in a strongly guarded
position.
Bhurisravas, Karna, Aswatthama, Salya,
Vrishasena and Kripa were there with all
their forces. Between them and the
Pandava army, Dronacharya arrayed themain
Kaurava
forcesincircularformation.
Durmarshana's army was beaten. Like
clouds driven about by a gale, theKaurava forces were scattered and fled inall directions. When Duhsasana saw this,
his anger rose.
Leading a huge force of elephants hesurrounded Arjuna. Duhsasana was a very
wicked man but he was brave also. Hefought Arjuna fiercely and the field wasstrewn with the dead. Finally, hewithdrew defeated and went back to join
Drona's forces.
Savyasachi'scarswiftly
proceeded
forward and passed Drona. "Illustrious
one, grieving for my son, I have come to
wreak vengeance on the Sindhu king. I
crave your blessings for the fulfilment of
my vow," said Arjuna to the acharya.
The acharya smiled and said: "Arjuna, youmust first fight and defeat me before you
can reach Jayadratha." Saying this Drona
discharged a shower of arrows on Arjuna'scar. Partha also replied with his arrows
but these the acharya parried with easeand sent flaming shafts that hit Krishna
and Arjuna.
The Pandava then decided to cut Drona's
bow and bent his Gandiva for that
purpose. Even as he was pulling hisbowstring Drona's shaft came and cut thestring.
The acharya, still retaining the smile on
his face, rained a shower of arrows on
Arjuna and his horses and chariot. Arjuna
fought back, but the acharya showered hisarrows that covered Arjuna and his chariot
in darkness.
Krishna saw things were not going at all
well and said: "Partha, no more waste oftime. Let us proceed. It is no use fighting
this brahmana, who seems to know nofatigue." Saying this, Krishna drove
Arjuna's chariot to the left of the acharya
and proceeded forward.
"Stop, surely you will not proceed without
defeating your enemy," said Drona.
"You are my guru, not my enemy, O
acharya. I am in the position of a son toyou. There is no one in the wide worldthat can defeat you," said Arjuna and they
proceeded forward at a swift pace
bypassing Drona.
Then Arjuna pierced the Bhoja army.
Kritavarma and Sudakshina who opposed

his passage were defeated. Srutayudha
also tried to stop Arjuna's progress. There
was a fierce battle in which Srutayudha
lost his horses and he hurled his mace at
Krishna.
His mother had obtained this mace as aresult of her offering but the conditionattached to the boon operated and it cameback and struck Srutayudha himself dead.
This is the story of the mace.
Parnasa went through penances thatpleased Varuna and obtained from that
god a boon that her son Srutayudha may
not be killed by any enemy.
"I shall give your son a divine weapon.
Let him use it in all his battles. No enemy
will be able to defeat him or kill him. But
he should not use the weapon against one
who does not fight. If he does, the weapon
will recoil and kill him. Saying this, god
Varuna gave a mace. Srutayudha, whenfighting
Arjuna,disregardingtheinjunction, hurled the mace at Krishna
who was not fighting but was only driving
Arjuna's chariot.
The missile hit Janardana's chest andimmediately rebounded fiercely back to
Srutayudha. And like a demon recoiling
fatally on the magician, that commits anerror in uttering the spell of power that
holds it in thrall, it slew Srutayudha andlaid him dead on the field, like a great
forest tree blown down by a storm.
Then the king of Kamboja led his forces
against Arjuna. After a fierce fight, he lay
stretched dead on the field like a great
flagstaff after the festival is over.
When they saw the strong warriors,
Srutayudha and the king of Kamboja,slain, the Kaurava force was in great
confusion.
Srutayu and his brother Asrutayu thenattacked Partha on both sides trying tosave the situation, and greatly harassed
him. At one stage of this battle, Arjuna

leaned on the flagstaff, dazed with thewounds he received.
But Krishna spoke to him encouragingly
and Arjuna recovered and resumed thefight, slaying the two brothers as well as
their two sons who continued the struggle.
Arjuna marched on and, killing many
more warriors successfully made his way
to Jayadratha.
83. BORROWED ARMOR
WHEN Dhritarashtra heard Sanjaya relate
the success of Arjuna, he exclaimed: "OhSanjaya! When Janardana came to
Hastinapura seeking a settlement, I told
Duryodhana that it was a great
opportunity and he must not lose it. I told
him to make peace with his cousins.
'Kesava has come to do us a good turn. Do
not disregard his advice,' I said. But
Duryodhana heeded not. What Karna andDuhsasana said seemed to him betteradvice than mine. The Destroyer entered
his mind and he sought his own ruin.
Drona deprecated war, so also did
Bhishma, Bhurisravas, Kripa and others.
But my obstinate son would not listen.
Impelled by inordinate ambition, he got
entangled in anger and hatred, and invited
this ruinous war."
To Dhritarashtra thus lamenting, Sanjaya
said: "Of what avail are your regrets now?
The life-giving water has all run to waste
and you now seek to stop the breach. Why
did you not prevent the son of Kunti fromgambling? Had you done the right thing
then, all this great grief would have been
stopped at the source. Even later, if you
had been firm and stopped your son fromhis evil ways, this calamity could havebeen avoided. You saw the evil and yet,against your own sound judgment, youfollowed the foolish advice of Karna andSakuni. Kesava, Yudhishthira and Drona
do not respect you now as they did before.
Vasudeva now knows that your rectitude
is only hypocrisy. The Kauravas are now

doing their utmost as warriors, but they
are unequal to opposing the strength of
Arjuna, Krishna, Satyaki and Bhima.
Duryodhana has not spared himself. He is
putting forth his utmost strength. It is notmeet that you should now accuse him or
his devoted soldiers.""Dear Sanjaya, I admit my dereliction of
duty. What you say is right. No one canchange the course of fate. Tell me what
happened. Tell me all, be it ever so
unpleasant," said the old king convulsedwith grief. And obedient to the old king's
behest, Sanjaya continued his narration.
Duryodhana was greatly agitated when hesaw
Arjuna's
chariot
proceeding
triumphantly towards the Sindhu king. He
rushed to Drona and complained bitterly:"Arjuna has effected a breach in the greatarmy and has advanced to Jayadratha's
position. Seeing our discomfiture, thewarriors, protecting the Sindhu king, will
surely lose heart. They had believed that it
was impossible for Arjuna to get past you
and that has now been falsified. He
advanced before your eyes and nothing
was done to prevent it. You seem indeed
bent on helping the Pandavas. I am in
great distress of mind. Sir, tell me, in whatmatter have I offended you? Why are you
letting me down in this way? If I had
known that you would do this, I should
not have asked Jayadratha to stay here. It
was a great mistake I committed in notletting him go, as he desired, back to his
own country. If Arjuna attacks him, it is
not possible for him to escape death.
Forgive me. I am talking foolishly,
distracted by grief. Do go in person
yourself to save the Saindhava."
To this frantic appeal Drona made answer:"King, I shall not take offence at yourthoughtless and unworthy remarks. You
are like a son to me. Aswatthama himself
is not dearer! Do what I ask you. Take thiscoat of armor and, donning it, go and stop

Arjuna. I cannot do so for my presence isnecessary in this part of the field. See
there, the clouds of arrows! The Pandava
army is attacking us in great force.
Yudhishthira is here unsupported by
Arjuna and is this not just the opportunity
we wanted? Our very plan has borne fruit
and I must now take Yudhishthiraprisoner and deliver him to you. I cannot
give up this objective and run after
Phalguna now. If I go after Arjuna now,
our battle array will be hopelessly broken
and we shall be lost. Let me put this armor
on you. Go in confidence. Do not fear.
You have valor, skill and experience. This
coat will protect you against all weapons.
It will not let any blow pass through yourbody. Go forth to battle, Duryodhana, inconfidence as Indra did, clad in the armor
given by Brahma. May victory be yours."
Duryodhana's confidence was restored
and, as the acharya directed, he went,
dressed in magic armor and accompanied
by a large force of soldiers, to attack
Arjuna.
Arjuna had crossed the Kaurava army andgone far ahead towards where Jayadratha
had been kept for safety. Seeing that thehorses were somewhat fatigued, Krishna
stopped the chariot and was about tounyoke the tired animals, when thebrothers Vinda and Anuvinda came up
suddenly and began to attack Arjuna.
They were defeated and Arjuna scattered
their forces and slew them both. After
this, Krishna unyoked the chariot and let
the horses roll in the mud. The horses
rested for a while and were refreshed.
Then, they proceeded again according toplan.
"Dhananjaya, look behind! There comesthe foolhardy Duryodhana. What goodluck! Long have you suppressed youranger, and now is the time for you to let
yourself go. Here is the man who caused
all this grief, delivering himself into yourhands. But remember he is a great archer,well-versed in bow lore, and also a keen
and strong-limbed fighter." Thus said
Krishna and they halted to give battle tothe Kaurava.
Duryodhana approached without fear.
"They say, Arjuna, that you have done
acts of prowess. I have not seen thismyself. Let me see if your courage andyour skill are indeed as great as yourreputation," said Duryodhana to Arjuna as
he began to battle.
The combat was fierce indeed andKrishna was surprised.
"Partha, I am astonished," said Krishna,"How is it your arrows do not seem tohurt Duryodhana? This is the first time I
see the shafts proceeding from theGandiva bow strike their targets without
effect. This is strange, Have your arms
lost their power? Or has the Gandiva bow
lost its quality? Why do your arrows strike
Duryodhana and drop to the groundwithout piercing him? This is mostpuzzling."
Arjuna smiled and replied: "I understand.
This man has come dressed by Drona incharmed armor. The acharya has taughtme the secret of this armor, but this man
wears it as a bullock might do. You will
see some fun now!"
Saying thus, Arjuna proceeded to shoothis arrows, first depriving Duryodhana of
his horses, his charioteer and his car.
Then, Arjuna broke his bow and disarmed
him completely. There after he sent
needle-eye darts which pierced just thoseparts of Duryodhana's body that were notcovered by armor, until he could bear it nolonger and turned and fled.
When Duryodhana was thus discomfited,
Krishna blew his conch and it sent a thrillof fear in Jayadratha's army. The warriors
around the Sindhu king were surprised.
They at once got ready in their chariots
andBhurisravas,
Chala,
Karna,

Vrishasena, Kripa, Salya, Aswatthamaand Jayadratha, eight of them, arrayedtheir forces against Arjuna.
84. YUDHISHTHIRA'S MISGIVINGSWHEN the Pandavas saw Duryodhana
proceeding in the direction of Arjuna, they
attacked the Kaurava army in force so as
to hold Drona and prevent him from goingto Jayadratha's rescue.
So, Dhrishtadyumna led his forces
repeatedly against Drona. As a result of
all this, the Kaurava army had to fight onthree fronts, and was greatly weakened.
Driving his chariot right against Drona's,
Dhrishtadyumna attacked him violently.
Drona's chestnut horses and the Panchala's
dove-colored ones were entangled with
one another and presented a picturesquesight like the clouds at sunset.
Dhrishtadyumna threw away his bow and,sword and shield in hand, he sprang upon
Drona's chariot. Now standing on theshafts of the vehicle, now on the horses
and now on the yoke, he attacked Dronabewilderingly, all the while seeming toscorch him with baleful and bloodshot
eyes.
Long did this fight go on. Drona pulled
his bow in great wrath and sent a shaft,which would have drunk the Panchala's
life but for the unexpected intervention of
Satyaki who sent an arrow and diverted
the acharya's shaft.
Drona then turned and attacked Satyaki,
which enabled the Panchala warriors totake Dhrishtadyumna away. Drona,hissing like a black cobra, his eyes red
with anger, advanced on Satyaki who wasamong the front rank warriors on the
Pandava side and who, when he saw
Drona desiring battle, went forward toaccept the challenge.
"Here is the man who, giving up his
vocation as a brahmana has taken up the
profession of fighting and is causing
distress to the Pandavas," Satyaki said to

his charioteer. "This man is the principal
cause of Duryodhana's arrogance. Thisman fancies himself a very great soldier
and is ever bursting with conceit. I mustteach him a lesson. Take the chariot up
quickly."
Satyaki's charioteer accordingly lashed thesilver-white horses and took the car at agreat pace. Satyaki and Drona shot shafts
at one another so quick that they covered
the sun, and the battlefield was indarkness for a while. The steel shafts
swished glimmering like newly-sloughedsnakes rushing about.
The chariot hoods and the flagstaffs on
both sides were battered down. Drona as
well as Satyaki were bleeding profusely.
The warriors on either side stood stillwatching the duel and they did not blow
their conchs or raise their war cries orsound their lion-roars.
The Devas, Vidyadharas, Gandharvas andYakshas watched the great battle fromabove. Drona's bow was broken by a wellaimed shaft from Satyaki, and the son of
Bharadwaja had to take another bow and,even as he strung it, Satyaki shot it down
again. Drona took up another bow that
too was shot down.
And so it went on till Drona lost ahundred and one bows without being able
to shoot an arrow. The great acharya said
to himself: "This man Satyaki is a warrior
in the class of Sri Rama, Kartavirya,
Dhananjaya and Bhishma,"and was glad
he had an opponent worthy of him.
It was a craftsman's professional joy atskill displayed in the art he loved. For
every specially-charged shaft that Dronasent, Satyaki had a ready answer of
equivalent quality. Long did this equal
combat continue. Drona of unrivalled skill
in archery then resolved on killing Satyaki
and sent the fire astra. But Satyaki saw
this and, losing no time, sent the Varuna
astra to counteract it.

But now Satyaki's strength began to failand, seeing this, the Kaurava warriors
were glad and shouted in satisfaction.
When Yudhishthira saw Satyaki was hardpressed, he told those nearby to go to
Satyaki's relief. "Our great and good hero
Yuyudhana(Satyaki)is
being
overpowered by Drona. You should go
there at once," he said to Dhrishtadyumna.
"The brahmana will otherwise slay
Satyaki in a few minutes. Why are you
hesitating? Go at once. Drona is playing
with Satyaki as a cat plays with a bird.
Satyaki is indeed in the paws of the
Destroyer." Yudhishthira ordered thearmy to make a powerful attack on Drona.
Satyaki was saved with difficulty. Just
then, the sound of Krishna's conch washeard from the sector where Arjuna wasfighting.
"O Satyaki, I hear Panchajanya," cried
Yudhishthira; "but the twang of Arjuna's
bow does not accompany it. I fear Arjuna
has been surrounded by Jayadratha's
friends and is in danger. Arjuna is
opposed by forces both in front of him
and in his rear. He pierced the Kaurava
ranks in the morning and he has not comeback yet though the greater part of the day
is gone. How is it that only Krishna's
conch is heard? I fear Dhananjaya has
been slain and therefore Krishna has taken
up arms. Satyaki, there is nothing you
cannot accomplish. Your bosom friend
Arjuna, he, who taught you, is in mortal
danger. Often has Arjuna spoken to me
admiringly of your great skill andprowess. 'There is not another soldier like
Satyaki,' he said to me when we were in
the forest. Oh, look there! The dust isrising that side. I am certain Arjuna has
been surrounded. Jayadratha is a powerfulwarrior, and there are many enemy
warriors there helping him and resolved todie in defence of him. Go at once,

Satyaki." Thus did Dharmaputra speak ingreat trepidation.
Satyaki, who was weary after his battlewith Drona, replied: "Faultless amongmen, I shall obey your command. Whatwould I not do for Dhananjaya's sake? Mylife is the merest trifle in my eyes. If you
order me, I am ready to fight the gods
themselves. But allow me to put before
you what the wise Vasudeva and Arjuna
told me when they left. 'Until we return
after slaying Jayadratha you should notleave Yudhishthira's side. Be vigilant inprotecting him. We entrust this to you in
confidence and go. There is only one
warrior in the Kaurava army whom wefear, and he is Drona. You know his
sworn
intention.
WegoleavingDharmaputra's safety in our hands.' Thus
said Vasudeva and Arjuna to me when
they went. Arjuna laid this trust on me,
believing me fit for it. How can I
disregard his command? Do not have any
fear about Arjuna's safety. No one can
defeat him. The Sindhu king and theothers cannot cope with a sixteenth part of
Arjuna. Dharmaputra, to whom shall I
entrust your safety if I must go? I see noone here who can stand against Drona if
he comes to seize you. Do not ask me togo. Consider well before you commandme to leave.""Satyaki," replied Yudhishthira, "I havethought over it. As I have weighed thedanger against the need and I haveconcluded that you must go. You leaveme with my full permission. Here is thepowerful Bhima to look to my safety.
There is Dhrishtadyumna also, and there
are many others besides. There is no need
to worry about me."So saying, Yudhishthira placed a boxfulof arrows and other weapons in Satyaki's
chariot and got fresh horses yoked thereto
and sent Satyaki uttering benedictions onhim.

"Bhimasena, Yudhishthira is your charge.
Be vigilant," said Satyaki, and went tojoin Dhananjaya.
Satyaki met with violent resistance as heproceeded to dash through the Kaurava
forces. But he cut his way through bearing
down all opposition. But the resistancewas very stiff and his progress was slow.
When Drona saw Satyaki part from
Yudhishthira, he began to assault the
Pandava formation without rest orinterval, until it began to break and retreat.
Yudhishthira was greatly agitated.
85. YUDHISHTHIRA'S FOND HOPE
"ARJUNA has not returned, nor has
Satyaki, who was sent after him. Bhima,
my fear grows. I hear the Panchajanya,
but not the twang of Arjuna's bowstring.
Satyaki, that bravest and most loyal offriends, has not come back with any
tidings. My anxiety is increasing every
moment," said Yudhishthira to Bhima ingreat perplexity of mind.
"I have never seen you so agitated,"
replied Bhimasena. "Do, not let yourfortitude grow less. Command me as you
please. Do not let the wheels of your mind
stick in the mud of anxiety.""Dearest Bhima, I fear your brother has
been slain, and it seems to me Madhava
has now himself taken up arms. I hear theconch of Madhava but I hear not theresounding twang of Gandiva. I fear
Dhananjaya, the unrivalled hero, in whomwere centerd all our hopes, has been
killed. My mind is confused. If you would
do as I tell you, go at once to where
Arjuna is. Join him and Satyaki, and dowhat needs to be done, and come back.
Satyaki, under orders from me, pierced
the Kaurava ranks and proceeded in the
direction of Arjuna. You go now, and do
likewise and, if you indeed see them alive,
I shall know it by your lion-roar.""My Lord, do not grieve. I shall go and let
you know they are safe," said Bhima, andimmediately turning to Dhrishtadyumna
said: "Panchala, you know very well that
Drona is seeking, by some means or other,to seize Dharmaputra alive. Our foremost
duty is to protect the King. But I must alsoobey him and fulfil his command. And so
I go, trusting him to your care.""Bhima, do not be concerned. Go with anassured mind. Drona cannot takeYudhishthira without first killing me,"said the heroic son of Drupada, sworn
enemy of Drona. And Bhima hurriedaway.
The Kauravas surrounded Bhima in fullforce and vowed to prevent him fromgoing to Arjuna's relief. But like a lion
scattering less noble beasts he put his
enemies to flight, killing no less thaneleven of the sons of Dhritarashtra. Bhima
then approached Drona himself. "Stop,"
cried Drona. "Here I am, your enemy.
You cannot proceed further without
defeating me. Your brother Arjuna went
in with my consent. But I cannot let yougo." Drona spoke thus believing that hewould receive the same courtesy from
Bhima as he did from Arjuna. But Bhima
was furious at hearing these words ofDrona, and answered scornfully.
"Oh brahmana, it was not with yourpermission that Arjuna went. He broke
your resistance and pierced your battlelines fighting his way through, but he did
not hurt you out of pity. But I shall not,like Arjuna, show mercy to you. I am yourenemy. Once upon a time, you were ourpreceptor and were like a father to us. We
respected you as such. Now, you haveyourself said you are our enemy. May it
be so!" Saying this, Bhima aimed hismace at Drona's chariot that crumbled topieces. And Drona had to take to anotherchariot.
The second chariot too was broken topieces. And Bhima forced his way
through overcoming all opposition. Dronalost eight chariots that day. And the armyof the Bhojas, that tried to stop Bhima,
was completely destroyed.
He proceeded mowing down all
opposition and reached where Arjuna wasfighting Jayadratha's forces.
As soon as he saw Arjuna, Bhima roared
like a lion. Hearing that roar, Krishna and
Arjuna were exceedingly pleased andraised yells of joy. Yudhishthira heard
these roars and, relieved of his doubts andanxieties, he pronounced blessings on
Arjuna. And he thought within himself:"Before the sun sets today, Arjuna's oathwill be fulfilled. He will slay the man who
caused Abhimanyu's death and will returnin triumph. Duryodhana may sue forpeace after Jayadratha's death. Seeing somany of his brothers slain, it is possiblethat foolish Duryodhana may see light.
The lives of numerous kings and great
warriors have been sacrificed on the fieldof battle and even the stubborn andnarrow-visioned Duryodhana may now
see his fault and ask for peace. Will thisindeed happen? The great grandsire
Bhishma has been offered as a sacrifice.
Will this wicked enmity end with it andshall we be saved from further crueldestruction?"
While thus Yudhishthira was fondly
hoping and dreaming of peace, the battle
was raging with great fury where Bhima,
Satyaki and Arjuna were engaging theenemy.
Only the Lord knows through what travail
the world must evolve. His ways are
inscrutable.
86. KARNA AND BHIMAARJUNA had left Yudhishthira behind torepel Drona's attacks and had gone to
make good his word that before sunset
Jayadratha would lie dead on the field ofbattle.
Jayadratha had been the main cause of
Abhimanyu's death. He it was who had

effectively prevented the relief ofAbhimanyu by the Pandavas, and thereby
caused Abhimanyu to be isolated,
overpowered and slain.
We have seen how Yudhishthira in hisanxiety sent first Satyaki and then Bhima
to join Arjuna in his battle against
Jayadratha. Bhima reached where Arjuna
was engaged and sounded his simhanada(lion-roar). Dharmaputra heard the lionroar of Bhima and knew that Arjuna wasfound alive.
It was the fourteenth day and the battle
raged fiercely at many points, between
Satyaki and Bhurisravas at one place,
between Bhima and Karna at another andbetween Arjuna and Jayadratha at a third.
Drona remained at the main front resisting
the attack of the Panchalas and the
Pandavas, and leading a counter-offensive
against them.
Duryodhana arrived with his forces at thesector where Arjuna attacked Jayadratha,
but was soon defeated and turned back.
The battle thus raged long and furiously
on more than one front. The armies were
so deployed that each side was exposed todanger in its rear.
Duryodhana was speaking to Drona:"Arjuna, Bhima and Satyaki have treatedus with contempt and proceeded
successfully to Jayadratha's sector andthey are pressing hard on the Sindhu king.
It is indeed strange that, under yourcommand, our battle array should havebeen broken and our plans completely
foiled. Everyone asks how it is that thegreat Drona with all his mastery of thescience of war has been so badly
outmaneuvered. What answer shall I
make? I have been betrayed by you."
Duryodhana thus, once again, bitterly
reproached
Drona,
who
repliedunperturbed:"Duryodhana, your accusations are as
unworthy as they are contrary to truth.

There is nothing to be gained by talking
about what is past and beyond repair.
Think of what is to be done now.""Sir, it is for you to advise me. Tell me
what should be done. Give your best
consideration to the difficulties of thesituation and decide and let us do it
quickly." Puzzled and perplexed, thus did
Duryodhana plead.
Drona replied: "My son, the situation is no
doubt serious. Three great generals haveadvanced, outmanoeuvring us. But they
have as much reason to be anxious as we,for their rear is now left as open to attack
as ours. We are on both sides of them andtheir position is not therefore safe. Be
heartened, go up to Jayadratha again, anddo all you can to support him. It is of noavail to dishearten oneself by dwelling on
past defeats and difficulties. It is best I
stay here and send you reinforcements as
and when required. I must keep the
Panchalas and Pandava army engaged
here. Otherwise, we shall be wholly
destroyed."
Accordingly, Duryodhana went with fresh
reinforcements again to where Arjuna was
directing his attack on Jayadratha.
The narrative of the fourteenth day's
fighting at Kurukshetra shows that, evenin the Mahabharata times, the modern
tactics of turning and enveloping
movements was not unknown.
The advantages and risks of such strategy
appear to have been fully understood anddiscussed even in those days. Arjuna's
flanking
manoeuvres
perplexedhisenemies greatly. The story of that day's
battle between Bhima and Karna reads
very much like a chapter from thenarrative of a modern war.
Bhima did not desire to fight Karna or
remain long engaged with him. He was
eager to reach where Arjuna was. But
Radheya would, by no means, permit him
to do this. He showered his arrows on

Bhimasena and stopped him fromproceeding.
The contrast between the two warriors
was striking. Karna's handsome lotus-likeface was radiant with smiles when heattacked Bhima saying: "Do not show
your back," "Now, do not flee like a
coward," and so on.
Bhima was all anger when taunted in thismanner. He was maddened by Karna's
smiles. The battle was fierce but Karna
did everything with a smiling air of ease
whereas Bhima's face glowed with rage
and his movements were violent.
Karna would keep at a distance and send
his well-aimed shafts but Bhima would
disregard the arrows and javelins failingthick upon him and always try to closewith Karna.
Radheya did everything he did, calmly
andwithgracefulease,whereasBhimasena fumed and fretted with
impatience, as he showed his amazing
strength of limb.
Bhima was red with bleeding wounds allover and presented the appearance of an
Asoka tree in full blossom. But he minded
them not, as he attacked Karna cuttingbows in twain and smashing his chariot.
When Karna had to run for a fresh chariot,
there was no smile on his face. For angerrose in him, like the sea on a full moonday, as he attacked Bhima. Both showed
the strength of tigers and the speed ofeagles and their anger was now like thatof serpents in a fury.
Bhima brought before his mind all the
insults and injuries which he and his
brothers and Draupadi had suffered, andfought desperately, caring not for life.
The two cars dashed against each otherand the milk white horses of Karna's
chariot and Bhimasena's black horses
jostled in the combat like clouds in athunderstorm.

Karna's bow was shattered and his
charioteer reeled and fell. Karna thenhurled a javelin at Bhima. But Bhima
parried it and continued pouring hisarrows on Karna, who had taken up a
fresh bow.
Again and again did Karna lose his
chariot. Duryodhana saw Karna's plightand calling his brother Durjaya said: "Thiswicked Pandava will kill Karna. Go atonce and attack Bhima and save Karna's
life."
Durjaya went as ordered and attacked
Bhima who, in a rage sent seven shafts
which sent Durjaya's horses and his
charioteer to the abode of Yama andDurjaya himself fell mortally wounded.
Seeing his bleeding body wriggling on the
ground like a wounded snake, Karna was
overwhelmed with grief and circled roundthe hero, paying mournful honor to thedead.
Bhima did not stop but continued the fightand greatly harassed Karna. Karna once
again had to find a fresh chariot. He sent
well aimed shafts and hit Bhima who in afury hurled his mace at Karna and it
crashed on Karna's chariot and killed his
charioteer and horses and broke theflagstaff. Karna now stood on the groundwith bent bow.
Duryodhana now sent another brother torelieve
Karna.
Durmukhawent
accordingly and took Karna on his chariot.
Seeing yet another son of Dhritarashtra
come to offer himself up to death, Bhima
licked his lips in gusto and sent nine
shafts on the newly arrived enemy. And,even as Karna climbed up to take his seatin the chariot, Durmukha's armor was
broken and he fell lifeless.
When Karna saw the warrior bathed inblood and lying dead by his side, he wasagain overwhelmed with grief and stoodmotionless for a while.

Bhima relentlessly continued his attack on
Karna. His sharp arrows pierced Karna's
coat of armor and he was in pain.
But he too at once returned the attack andwounded Bhima all over.
Still the Pandava would not stop andattacked Karna furiously. The sight of somany of Duryodhana's brothers dying forhis sake one after another was too muchfor Karna.
This, and the physical pain of his own
wounds made him lose courage and heturned away defeated. But, when Bhima
stood up on the field of battle red withwounds all over like a flaming fire andemitted a triumphant yell, he could notbrook it but returned to the combat.
87. PLEDGE RESPECTEDDHRITARASHTRA, hearing of theslaughter of his sons and the checkreceived by Karna, was desolate. "O
Sanjaya, like moths falling in the fire, mysons are being destroyed. The stubborn
Duryodhana has led the lads Durmukha
and Durjaya, to their doom. Alas, I havelost these boys! The fool said: 'Karna,
unrivalled among men for courage and theaccomplishment of war, is on our side.
Who then can defeat us? Even the gods
cannot win a battle against me when
Karna is on my side. What can these
Pandavas do to me?' But now he has seen
Karna beating a retreat when Bhimasena
attacked him. Has he seen wisdom at least
now? Alas, Sanjaya, my son has earned
the undying hatred of the son of Vayu,
Bhima, who has the strength of the god of
death! We are indeed ruined!"
Sanjaya replied: "O king, was it not you
who brought about this unquenchable
hatred, listening to the words of yourfoolish and stubborn son? To you indeed
must be traced this greater disaster. You
are now but reaping the fruit of yourdiscarding the advice of Bhishma and theother elders. Blame yourself, king. Do notblame Karna and the brave warriors who
have done their best in battle."
After thus admonishing the blind king,Sanjaya proceeded to tell him what
happened. Five sons of Dhritarashtra,
Durmarsha, Dussaha, Durmata, Durdhara
and Jaya, when they saw Karna put toflight by Bhima at once rushed on thelatter.
When Karna saw this, he was heartened
and turned back to resume his attack.
Bhimasena at first ignored the sons ofDhritarashtra and concentrated on Karna.
But they became so violent in their assault
that Bhima got incensed and, turning his
attentions on them, disposed of all five ofthem. They lay dead on the field, with
their horses and their charioteers.
The young warriors with their bleeding
wounds presented the appearance of aforest with trees, uprooted by a strong
wind and lying flat on the ground with
their beautiful red blossoms.
When Karna saw another batch of princes
slaughtered for his sake he fought moregrimly than ever before. Bhima too wasmore violent than before, thinking of all
the evil that Karna had wrought against
the Pandavas.
He used his bow so as to disarm Karnacompletely. His horses and charioteer
were also laid low. Karna now jumped
down from his chariot and hurled hismace at Bhima.
But Bhima warded it off with shafts fromhis powerful bow and covered Karna witha shower of arrows and forced him to turnback and walk on foot.
Duryodhana, who watched this combat,
was greatly grieved and sent seven of his
brothers Chitra, Upachitra, Chitraksha,
Charuchitra, Sarasana, Chitrayudha andChitravarman, to relieve Radheya.
They gave battle to Bhima displaying
great skill and energy. But fell dead one

after another, for Bhima's passion was
roused and his attack was irresistible.
When Karna saw so many of the sons ofDhritarashtra sacrificing themselves forhim, his face was wet with tears and he
mounted a fresh chariot and began toattack Bhima with deadly effect.
The two combatants clashed like clouds ina thunderstorm. Kesava, Satyaki and
Arjuna were filled with admiration andjoy as they watched Bhima fighting.
Bhurisravas, Kripacharya, Aswatthama,
Salya, Jayadratha and many other warriorsof the Kaurava army also broke into
exclamations, astonished at the way inwhich Bhima fought.
Duryodhana was stung to the quick andburned with anger. Karna's plight caused
him extreme anxiety. He feared Bhima
would kill Radheya that day, and sent
seven more of his brothers directing themto surround Bhima and attack him
simultaneously.
The seven brothers sent by Duryodhana
attacked Bhima. But fell one after another,struck down by his arrows. Vikarna, who
was killed last, was beloved of all.
When Bhima saw him fall dead after abrave fight, he was deeply moved andexclaimed: "Alas, O Vikarna, you were
just and knew what was dharma! Youfought in loyal obedience to the call ofduty. I had to kill even you. Indeed thisbattle is a curse upon us wherein men like
you and the grandsire Bhishma have had
to be slaughtered."Seeing Duryodhana's brothers, who cameto help him, slain one after another in thismanner, Karna was overwhelmed by
anguish. He leant back on his seat in the
chariot and closed his eyes unable to bear
the sight.
Then recovering control over his emotions
he hardened his heart and began again his
attack on Bhima. Bow after bow wasbroken up by Bhimasena's shaft, but
Karna kept the battle.
Eighteen times he had to take up a freshbow. Karna had long ago discarded hissmile and his face showed savage anger
even as Bhima's. They now glared fiercely
at each other as they fought.
Yudhishthira now heard Bhima's roar rise
above the tumult of battle, and heartenedby it, he fought Drona with increased
vigor.
In the renewed and fierce battle between
Bhima and Karna, Bhima lost his horses
and charioteer. Soon his chariot also wassmashed to pieces. Then, Bhima hurled
his spear at Karna who was in his chariot
and as Karna parried it with his shaft,
Bhima advanced with sword and shield.
But Karna broke the shield at once withhis shafts. Then, Bhima whirled his sword
and hurled it, and it cut Karna's bow into
two and fell on the ground. But Karna
took up yet another bow and assailed
Bhima with arrows more fiercely than
before.
Bhima, in a fit of uncontrollable rage,
sprang upon Karna. Radheya took coverbehindhis
flagstaff
andescapeddestruction. Thereupon, Bhima jumped
out of Karna's car down into the field ofbattle where, deprived of all arms, he usedthe elephants lying dead on the ground toprotect himself from Karna's arrows andcontinued the fight.
He picked up anything he could lay hands
upon, wheels of broken chariots, the limbs
of horses and elephants that were lying
about, and hurling them at Karna, kept
him engaged without interval. But this
could not long continue and Bhima wassoon at a great disadvantage. Karna said
exultingly:"Foolish glutton, you do not know thescience of war; why do you engage
yourself in battle here? Go to the jungle
and fill yourself with fruits and roots andgrow fat. You are a savage, not fit for
kshatriya battle. Get away!" Hurling
insulting taunts at him, he made thehelpless Bhima burn with rage, but
mindful of his word to Kunti, refrained
from killing him.
"There, Arjuna! See how poor Bhima is
being harassed by Karna," said Krishna.
Dhananjaya's eyes burned red with wrath,when he saw the plight of his valiant
brother.
He bent his Gandiva bow and discharged
his arrows on Karna who then gladly
turned his attentions from Bhima to
Arjuna. He had pledged his word to Kunti
not to kill more than one of the Pandavas
and he reserved that option for the great
Arjuna.
88. SOMADATTA'S END"THERE comes the valorous Satyaki,"said
Krishna,thecharioteer,toDhananjaya. "Your disciple and friend ismarchingup,
triumphantly
breaking
through enemy ranks.""I do not like it, Madhava," replied
Arjuna. "It was not right for him to haveleft Dharmaputra and come here to join
me. Drona is there ever seeking an
opportunity to seize Dharmaputra. Satyaki
should have stuck to his post there to
guard him. Instead, he has come here. Old
Bhurisravas has intercepted Satyaki. It
was a great mistake for Yudhishthira tohave sent Satyaki away here."
There was a family feud between
Bhurisravas and Satyaki that made them
inveterate foes.
It had come about this way. When Devaki,
who was to be the blessed mother of SriKrishna, was a maiden, many princes
competed for her hand and there was agreat battle between Somadatta and Siniover it.
Sini won, and on behalf of Vasudeva heplaced Devaki in his chariot and took her
away. Since that incident there was feud

between the two clans, the Sini family andthat of Somadatta. Satyaki was Sini's
grandson.
Bhurisravas was Somadatta's son. Whenthey found themselves on opposite sides
in the Kurukshetra battle, it was naturalthat, as soon as Bhurisravas saw Satyaki,
the old warrior challenged Satyaki tobattle.
"Oh Satyaki," cried Bhurisravas, "I know
you strut about thinking yourself a man ofgreat prowess. Here now I have you in mypower and will presently finish you. Long
have I sought for this meeting. Like
Indrajit
destroyed
Dasaratha'ssonLakshmana, you will die today and go to
the abode of Yama, gladdening the heartsof many a bereaved widow."
Satyaki laughed. "Have done with yourvaunting," he interrupted. "Words are notdeeds and do not frighten fighting men.
Demonstrate your valor in action and do
not indulge in dry thunder like autumn
clouds."After this exchange of words, the battle
began, and the combat was as between
two fierce lions. Their horses were killed,
their bows were broken, and both wererendered chariotless.
They were now standing on the groundfighting with swords and shields, till theirshields were hacked to bits and theirswords broken. Then they were locked ina deadly embrace without weapons.
They rolled together on the ground. Theyleaped up and they sprang on each other.
They fell down again and so the combat
went on for a long while.
Partha's mind was at the time concentrated
on Jayadratha's movements and he did not
watch this combat between Satyaki andthe son of Somadatta.
But his charioteer Krishna was deeply
concerned about Satyaki's fate. For
Krishna knew about their family feud.

"Dhananjaya," said Krishna, "Satyaki is
exhausted. Bhurisravas is going to kill
him now."
Still
Arjunawasfollowing
only
Jayadratha's movements.
"Satyaki who came after an exhausting
battle with the Kaurava forces has been
forced to accept Bhurisravas' challenge,"
said Krishna again. "It is a most unequal
battle. Unless we help him, beloved
Yuyudhana will be slain."
Even as Krishna was saying this,Bhurisravas lifted Satyaki up and brought
him crashing to the ground and all themen around in the Kaurava army
exclaimed: "Yuyudhana is dead!"
Again Krishna importuned: "Satyaki islying almost dead on the field, the best
among the Vrishni clan. One who came tohelp you, is being killed before your eyes.
You are looking on, doing nothing."
Bhurisravas caught hold of the prostrate
Satyaki and dragged him on the ground asa lion drags its elephant prey.
Arjuna was in a great conflict of mind.
"Bhurisravas has not been called to battle
by me, nor has he challenged me to fight.
How can I send my shaft at Bhurisravas
when he is engaged with another? My
mind recoils from such an act, although it
is true a friend who came to help me isbeing slaughtered before my eyes."
Just as Arjuna finished saying this to
Krishna, the sky was darkened by a cloudof arrows sent by Jayadratha. Arjuna
replied with a shower of arrows, but heconstantly turned with pain to where
Satyaki was in the mortal grip ofBhurisravas.
Krishna again pressed Arjuna to consider
Satyaki's condition. "O Partha, Satyaki
has lost all his weapons and he is now in
Bhurisravas' power, helpless."
When Arjuna turned, he saw Bhurisravas
with his foot on the prostrate body ofSatyaki and sword upraised to slay him.

Before Bhurisravas could deliver the fatal
thrust, Arjuna shot an arrow which went
with the speed of lightning and the next
moment the uplifted arm fell chopped off
to the ground still holding the sword.
Bhurisravas, all amazed, turned and saw
who had done it.
"Son of Kunti," he exclaimed, "I had not
expected this of you! It befits not a
warrior to shoot from behind in thismanner. I was engaged in combat withsomeone else and you have attacked mewithout notice. Indeed, then, no man can
resist the evil influence of the company hekeeps, as your unchivalrous conduct
proves. Dhananjaya, when you go back toyour brother Dharmaputra, what account
are you going to give him of this valorous
deed. Ah! Who taught you this low trick,Arjuna? Did you learn this from yourfather Indra or from your teachers Dronaand Kripa? What code of conduct was itthat permitted you to shoot your arrow ata man who was engaged in combat withanother and could not so much as turn hiseyes on you? You have done the deed of a
low-bred fellow and foully besmirched
your honor. You must have been
instigated into it by the son of Vasudeva.
It was not in your own nature to do it. No
one with princely blood in his veins would
think of such a dastardly deed. I know you
have been incited to it by that
contemptible Krishna."Thus did Bhurisravas with his right arm
cut off, bitterly denounce Krishna and
Arjuna in the Kurukshetra field.
Said Partha: "Bhurisravas, you are old andage seems to have affected your judgment.
You accuse Hrishikesa and me withoutcause. How could I look on doing nothing,when, before my eyes, you were in the actof killing my friend, who came and risked
his life in battle on my behalf, one who
was like a right hand to me, and whom
you were going to stab when he was lying

helpless on the ground? I would havedeserved to go to hell if I had failed tointervene. You say, I have been ruined bykeeping company with Madhava. Who in
the wide world would not wish to be soruined? You have spoken out of confused
understanding. Satyaki who was weary
and exhausted when he came here andwho was inadequately armed, waschallenged by you to give battle. You
overcame him. Having been defeated, helay on the ground, powerless. What codeof honor enabled you to raise your sword
to thrust it into the body of the fallen
warrior and slay him? Do I not remember
how you cheered the man who killed myboy
Abhimanyu
when
he
stood
staggering, exhausted and weaponless, his
coat of armor torn off?"
Bhurisravas who heard this did not answer
but spread his arrows on the ground withhis left hand and made a seat for
meditation.
The old warrior sat in yoga and the sight
deeply moved all the Kaurava soldiers.
They cheered Bhurisravas and utteredreproaches against Krishna and Arjuna.
Arjuna spoke: "Brave men, I am sworn toprotect every friend within bow-shot ofme and I cannot let an enemy kill him. It
is my sacred pledge. Why do you blame
me? It is not right to hurl reproaches
without due thought."
After saying this to the warriors in thefield who reproached him, he turned to
Bhurisravas and said: "O excellent amongbrave men, you have protected many who
have gone to you for help. You know thatwhat has happened is due to your own
error. There is no justice in blaming me. If
you like, let us all blame the violence
which governs kshatriya life."
Bhurisravas, who heard this, lowered hishead in salutation.
Satyaki now recovered consciousness androse. Carried away by the impetuosity ofhis passion, he picked up a sword and,advancing to Bhurisravas, sitting in yoga
on his seat of arrows, even when all
around were shouting in horror and before
Krishna and Arjuna, who rushed to thespot, could prevent him, with one swift
and powerful cut, he struck off the oldwarrior's head which rolled down, while
the body was still in the posture of
meditation.
The gods and the siddhas, who looked onfrom above the battlefield, uttered
blessings on Bhurisravas. Everyone in thefield condemned Satyaki's act.
Satyaki maintained he was right, saying:"After I fell down senseless, this enemy of
my family placed his foot on my prostrate
figure and attempted to kill me. I may slay
him in whatever posture he might choose
to be." But none approved of his conduct.
The slaying of Bhurisravas is one of themany situations of moral conflict woven
into the story of the Mahabharata todemonstrate that, when hatred and anger
have been roused, codes of honor anddharma are powerless to control them.
89. JAYADRATHA SLAIN"THE decisive hour has come, Karna,"
said Duryodhana, "If before nightfall thisday Jayadratha is not slain, Arjuna will bedisgraced and he will kill himself, for nothaving redeemed his oath. With Arjuna's
death, the destruction of the Pandavas iscertain and this kingdom will be ours inunquestioned and absolute sovereignty.
Dhananjaya swore this impossible oath ina moment of thoughtlessness, because thegods had willed it that he should be thus
destroyed by his own hand. It seems mystars are now in the ascendant. We should
not let this opportunity slip. We must see
somehow that his challenge fails. The
whole thing depends on you. Your greatskill in battle is on trial today. Proveyourself this day. See the sun has sloped
down in the west. Within the little timeleft before nightfall, I do not think it
possible for Partha to reach Jayadratha.
You, Aswatthama, Salya, Kripa, and I
must guard Jayadratha and do all we canto see that he does not fall into Arjuna's
hands during the next few hours before
sunset.""My king," Karna replied "I have beenwounded all over by Bhimasena, and am
so weary that my limbs have no power inthem. Still, I shall put forth all the strengththat is in me. I only live to serve you."
When Karna and Duryodhana were thus
planning, Arjuna was engaged in a great
attack on the Kaurava army and putting
forth all his strength, so that before sunset
he could break through to Jayadratha.
Krishna put his Panchajanya in his mouthand blew a loud note in the rishabha
swara, which was the signal for his own
charioteer Daruka to arrive at once withhis chariot.
When it came, Satyaki took his place in it,
and attacked Karna vigorously andskilfully, keeping him fully engaged.
Daruka's mastery of driving and Satyaki's
archery were such as brought down thegods to witness the combat.
Karna's four chariot horses were disabled
and the charioteer was unseated. Then theflagstaff was cut asunder and the chariot
was smashed. The great Karna stoodchariotless and the event produced a great
flutter in the Kaurava army.
Karna had to run and climb up into
Duryodhana's chariot. Sanjaya here tells
Dhritarashtra to whom he was relating theincident: "The greatest adepts in archery
are Krishna, Partha and Satyaki. There is
not a fourth to match them!"
Arjuna broke through the Kaurava
opposition and reached Jayadratha.
Inflamed by the thought of the slaughterof Abhimanyu, and all the great wrongs
inflicted by the Kauravas, Arjuna foughtwith fury.

Savyasachin as he was, he discharged
shafts from the Gandiva bow, now using
one hand and now the other. He struck
terror and confusion among his enemies,
who felt as if Death had come to thebattlefield with wide-open jaws.
It is only the poet of the Mahabharata thatcan describe the combat that raged
between Arjuna and Aswatthama and theother great warriors that protected the
king of Sindhu. They fought fiercely but
were all defeated and could not prevent
Arjuna from reaching Jayadratha. The
attack on Jayadratha began and the battle
raged long. Both sides were constantly
looking westwards, for the day wasnearing its end. The Saindhava was nomean foe, and taxed to the full, Arjuna's
strength and skill were hard put to it.
The sun sank towards the horizon andreddened, but the battle did not cease.
"There is but a very little time left. It
seems Jayadratha has been saved andArjuna's challenge has failed. The vow isunfulfilled and Arjuna is going to bedisgraced," said Duryodhana to himself ingreat glee.
Then, there was darkness and the cry went
round in both armies: "It is sunset andJayadratha has not been killed. Arjuna has
lost." The Pandavas were depressed andthere were shouts of joy in the Kaurava
army.
Jayadratha turned to the western horizon
and thought within himself, "I am saved!"
for he did not see the sun then and thought
the time-limit of danger from Arjuna wasover.
At that moment, however, Krishna said to
Arjuna: "Dhananjaya, the Sindhu raja islooking at the horizon. I have caused thisdarkness. The sun is still up and has not
set. Do your work. This is the moment forit, for Jayadratha is off his guard."
A shaft flew from the Gandiva bow, and,like a vulture swooping down on achicken, carried away Jayadratha's head.
"Listen, Arjuna," cried Krishna, "sendyour shafts in swift relays, so that the headmay be supported from falling to the earthand borne into Vriddhakshatra's lap."
And Arjuna sent his wonderful arrows
that carried away the head in the air. It
was a strange sight. Vriddhakshatra was in
his ashrama sitting in the open absorbed in
his evening meditation with eyes closed,
when his son's head with beautiful black
hair and golden earrings gently dropped
into his lap.
The old king finished his meditation andgot up, when the head rolled down andfell on the ground. And, as ordained,
Vriddhakshatra's head burst into ahundred fragments. Jayadratha and his
father together reached the abode of thebrave.
Kesava, Dhananjaya, Bhima, Satyaki,
Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas blew theirconchs and Dharmaraja who heard thetriumphant noise knew that it meant that
Arjuna had redeemed his oath and that theSaindhava had been slain.
Then, Yudhishthira led his army fiercely
against Drona. It was nightfall, but on the
fourteenth day of the battle the rule ofcease-fire at sunset was not observed. As
the passions rose from day to day, one by
one the rules and restraints broke down.
90. DRONA PASSES AWAY
ALL those who have heard the story oftheMahabharata
know
about
Ghatotkacha, Bhimasena's famous son by
his asura wife. There are two young men
among the Mahabharata figures who
embody all the qualities of heroism,
fortitude,
strength,courage,andamiability. They are Arjuna's son,
Abhimanyu,
andBhima'sson,
Ghatotkacha. Both of them gave up theirlives on the Kurukshetra battlefield.
Towards the latter part of the
Mahabharata fight, the hatred roused onboth sides did not find satisfaction inbattle conducted during the daytime andclose at nightfall. On the fourteenth day,when the sunset, they did not cease
fighting but went on with it in torchlight.
The Kurukshetra field presented a strange
sight, the like of which had not been seen
before in Bharatadesa. The generals andsoldiers on both sides were engaged inbattle, with thousands of torches burningand using signals specially devised fornighttime.
Ghatotkacha and his troops of asuras whoare strongest at night, found darkness anadditional
advantage
andviolently
attacked
Duryodhana's
army.
Duryodhana's heart sank within him when
he saw thousands of his men destroyed by
Ghatotkacha and his demon army moving
in the air and attacking in weird andunexpected ways.
"Kill this fellow at once, Karna, forotherwise, soon our whole army will cease
to be. Finish him without further delay."Thus begged all the perplexed Kauravasof Karna.
Karna was himself angry and bewildered,having just been wounded by one of theasura's arrows. He had with him no doubt
the spear of unerring effect which Indra
had given to him. But it could be used
only once, and he had carefully husbanded
it for exclusive use on Arjuna with whom
a decisive encounter he knew wasinevitable.
But in the confusion and wrath of thateerie midnight melee, Karna, impelled bya sudden urge, hurled the missile at the
young giant. Thus was Arjuna saved, but
at great cost. Bhima's beloved son,
Ghatotkacha, who from mid-air was
showering his deadly arrows on the
Kaurava army, dropped dead, plunging
the Pandavas in grief.
The battle did not stop. Drona spread fearand destruction in the Pandava army by

his relentless attacks. "O Arjuna," said
Krishna, "there is none that can defeat thisDrona, fighting according to the strict
rules of war. We cannot cope with him
unless dharma is discarded. We have noother way open. There is but one thingthat will make him desist from fighting. If
he hears that Aswatthama is dead, Drona
will lose all interest in life and throw
down his weapons. Someone must
therefore tell Drona that Aswatthama has
been slain."
Arjuna shrank in horror at the proposal, as
he could not bring himself to tell a lie.
Those who were nearby with him also
rejected the idea, for no one was minded
to be a party to deceit.
Yudhishthira stood for a while reflecting
deeply. "I shall bear the burden of thissin," he said and resolved the deadlock!
It was strange. But when the ocean was
churned at the beginning of the world andthe dread poison rose threatening toconsume the gods, did not Rudra comeforward to swallow it and save them? To
save the friend who had wholly depended
on him, Rama was driven to bear the sinof killing Vali, in disregard of the rules offairplay. So also, now did Yudhishthiradecide to bear the shame of it, for there
was no other way.
Bhima lifted his iron mace and brought it
down on the head of a huge elephantcalled Aswatthama and it fell dead. After
killingtheelephant
Aswatthama,
Bhimasena went near the divisioncommanded by Drona and roared so that
all might hear.
"I have killed Aswatthama!" Bhimasena
who, until then, had never done or evencontemplated an ignoble act, was, as heuttered these words, greatly ashamed.
They knocked against his very heart, but
could they be true? Drona heard thesewords as he was in the act of discharging
a Brahmastra. "Yudhishthira, is it true myson has been slain?" Dronacharya asked
addressing Dharmaputra.
The acharya thought that Yudhishthirawould not utter an untruth, even for thekingship of the three worlds.
When Drona asked thus, Krishna wasterribly perturbed. "If Yudhishthira fails
us now and shrinks from uttering an
untruth, we are lost. Drona's Brahmastra isof unquenchable potency and the
Pandavas will be destroyed," he said.
And Yudhishthira himself stood tremblingin horror of what he was about to do, but
within him also was the desire to win.
"Let it be my sin," he said to himself andhardened his heart, and said aloud: "Yes,
it is true that Aswatthama has been
killed."But, as he was saying it, he felt again thedisgrace of it and added in a low andtremulous
voice,"Aswatthama,theelephant" words which were howeverdrowned in the din and were not heard by
Drona.
"O king, thus was a great sin committed,"said Sanjaya to the blind Dhritarashtra,
while relating the events of the battle tohim.
When the words of untruth came out of
Yudhishthira's mouth, the wheels of his
chariot, which until then always stood andmoved four inches above the ground andnever touched it at once came down andtouched the earth.
Yudhishthira, who till then had stoodapart from the world so full of untruth,
suddenly became of the earth, earthy. He
too desired victory and slipped into theway of untruth and so his chariot came
down to the common road of mankind.
When Drona heard that his beloved son
had been slain, all his attachment to life
snapped. And desire vanished as if it had
never been there. When the veteran was inthat mood, Bhimasena loudly spoke
indicting him in harsh words:"Youbrahmanas,
abandoning
thelegitimate functions of your varna andtaking to the Kshatriya profession of arms,
have brought ruin to princes. If you
brahmanas had not gone astray from theduties belonging to you by birth, theprinces would not have been led to thisdestruction. You teach that non-killing is
the highest dharma and that the brahmana
is the supporter and nourisher of thatdharma. Yet, you have rejected that
wisdom which is yours by birth, andshamelessly undertaken the profession ofkilling. It was our misfortune that you
descended to this sinful life."
These taunts of Bhimasena caused
excruciating pain to Drona who had
already lost the will to live. He threw his
weapons away and sat down in yoga on
the floor of his chariot and was soon in a
trance.
At this moment Dhrishtadyumna withdrawn sword, came and climbed in to thechariot and heedless of cries of horror anddeprecation from all around he fulfilled
his destiny as the slayer of Drona by
sweeping off the old warrior's head. And
the soul of the son of Bharadwaja issued
out in a visible blaze of fight and mounted
heavenwards.
The Mahabharata is a great and wonderfulstory. The sorrows of human life are
painted with sublime beauty and rolled
out in a grand panorama. Behind the storyof errors and sorrows the poet enables us
to have a vision of the Transcendent
Reality. Thus it is that the Mahabharata,
though a story, has come to be a book ofdharma. This book, in style and substance,is altogether different from tales andromances. In modern novels, dramas andpictures, exciting scenes are enacted, thehero passes through dangers anddifficulties and finally marries a woman
whom he loves. Or else everything seems
to go on happily but suddenly things gowrong and terrible misfortune happens
and the curtain drops. This is the art
scheme of ordinary sensational stories.
The Ramayana and the Mahabharata arequite a different kind of artistic creation.
When we read them, our inner being isseized and cleansed, so to say, by being
passed alternately through joys andsorrows, and we are finally lifted above
both and taken to the Transcendent andReal.
91. THE DEATH OF KARNA
WHEN Drona died, the princes of theKaurava army installed Karna as
Generalissimo. Karna stood up in hisgorgeous war chariot driven by Salya. The
dauntless confidence of his bearing andhis great renown as a warrior heartened
the Kauravas. The battle again began.
Readers of the stars were consulted andthe Pandavas chose the propitious hour forgrim battle. Arjuna led the attack on
Karna,
supportedby
Bhimasena
immediately behind his chariot.
Duhsasana made a concentrated attack on
Bhima and sent a shower of arrows at
him. Bhima chuckled and said to himself.
"I have this wretch now safe in my hands.
I shall today redeem my promise toDraupadi. Too long has my oath waitedfor performance."
As Bhima thus bethought himself of what
Duhsasana had done to Draupadi, theanger within him blazed up uncontrollably
and throwing down all his weapons, hejumped from his chariot and leapt uponDuhsasana like a tiger on its prey, hurled
him down and broke his limbs.
"Wicked beast, is this the wretched handthat held Draupadi by the hair? Here, I
tear out the root from your body. If there
be any here wishing to help you, let him
come forward and try!"
Glaring hatefully at Duryodhana as heroared this challenge, Bhimasena tore

Duhsasana's arm out and threw the
bleeding limb on the battlefield.
And then he fulfilled the terrible oath hehad taken thirteen years before. He suckedand drank the blood from his enemy's
body like a beast of prey and danced on
the bloody field, mad with passion. "Ihave done it!" he roared. "The oath I
swore against this great sinner has beenredeemed. It only remains to redeem myoath as regards Duryodhana. The
sacrificial fire is ready. Let that victim
also prepare."
The scene made everyone shudder. Even
great Karna was shaken as he saw Bhima
in this ecstasy of wrath. "Do not flinch,"said Salya to Karna. "It does not befit you
to show any sign that may be mistaken forfear. When Duryodhana stands quivering
in despair; it is not right that you also
should lose heart. After the greatDuhsasana's death, the army's hope rests
solely on you. You must now bear the fullburden. Like the gallant warrior you are,seek single combat with Arjuna, and win
eternal glory on earth or the soldier's
heaven!" At these words, Karna recovered
his courageous spirit. With eyes red withwrath and unshed tears, he bade Salyadrive the chariot towards Arjuna.
"Enough of fighting," said Aswatthama
addressing Duryodhana earnestly. "Let us
terminate this disastrous enmity. Beloved
friend, make peace with the Pandavas.
Stop the battle.""What? Did you not hear the words thatthe stubborn Bhima uttered when like aravening beast, he drank human blood anddanced over my brother's mangled body?
What talk can there be now of peace?
Why do you speak vain words!" said
Duryodhana. Saying thus, he ordered afresh disposition of the forces, and gave
the command for attack.
Then followed a great battle. The son of
Surya sent a dazzling arrow, which spatfire and made for Arjuna, like a serpent
with its flaming double-tongue out. Then
Krishna, Arjuna's charioteer, at the nick oftime, pressed the vehicle down fivefingers deep in the mud, so that theserpent shaft just missed Partha's head but
struck off his helmet! Arjuna was red withshame and anger and he fixed a dart on his
bow to make an end of Karna.
And Karna's fated hour was come, and as
had been foretold, the left wheel of his
chariot suddenly sank in the bloody mire.
He jumped down on the ground to lift thewheel up from the mud.
"Wait a minute!" he cried. "My chariot
has sunk in the ground. Great warrior as
you are, and knowing dharma as you do,
you would certainly not take unfair
advantage of this accident. I shallpresently set my car right and give you all
the battle you want."
Arjuna hesitated. Karna was now
somewhat perturbed on account of themishap. He remembered the curse that had
been pronounced on him, and again
appealed to Arjuna's sense of honor.
Krishna intervened. "Ha, Karna!" beexclaimed, "it is well that you too
remember that there are things like
fairplay and chivalry! Now that you are indifficulty, you remember them indeed.
But when you and Duryodhana andDuhsasana and Sakuni dragged Draupadi
to the Hall of Assembly and insulted her,
how was it you forgot them utterly? You
helped to inveigle Dharmaputra, who wasfond of play but was unskilled at it, togamble, and you cheated him. Where had
your fairplay hidden itself then? Was it
fairplay to refuse to give to Yudhishthirahis kingdom when according to the pledge
the twelve years of forest life and thethirteenth year incognito were duly
completed? What had happened to thedharma you appeal for now? You
conspired with the wicked men whosought to poison and kill Bhima. You
acquiesced in the plot to burn the
Pandavas alive when sleeping in thepalace of wax into which they had been
lured. What had happened to dharma allthat time? What did dharma tell you when
violent hands were laid on Draupadi andyou were looking on enjoying the sight?
Did you not then mock at her saying:'Your husbands have left you unprotected,
go and marry another husband'? The
tongue that was not ashamed to utter thosewords now talks of chivalry. Chivalry
indeed! When a mob of you surrounded
the young Abhimanyu and shamelessly
slew him, was that chivalry? Wicked man,do not talk now of chivalry and fairplay,for you have never honored them!"
When Krishna was denouncing him in thismanner in order to urge Arjuna to prompt
action, Karna bent his head in shame anduttered not a word. Karna silently
ascended the chariot leaving the wheel
still stuck in the mud and took his bow
and sent an arrow at Arjuna with unerring
aim and such power that it stunned him
for a moment.
Karna utilised the respite won, to jumpdown again and hurriedly tried to lift thechariot wheel up. But the curse was toostrong for him and fortune had deserted
the great warrior.
The wheel would not budge, though hestrove with all his great strength. Then hetried to recall the mantras of mighty astras
he had learnt from Parasurama, but his
memory failed in the hour of his need,even as Parasurama had foretold.
"Waste no more time, Arjuna," cried
Madhava. "Send your shaft and slay yourwicked enemy."
Arjuna's mind was wavering. His hand
hesitated to do what was not chivalrous.
But when Krishna said this, the poet says:"Arjuna accepted this command of theLord and sent an arrow which cut andsevered the head of the Radheya."
The poet had not the heart to impute thisact to Arjuna who was the embodiment ofnobility. It was the Lord Krishna that
incited Arjuna to kill Karna when he wasvainly trying to raise his chariot out of the
mud in which it had stuck. According to
the code of honor and laws of war
prevailing then, it was wholly wrong.
Who could bear the responsibility forbreaches of dharma except the Lord
Himself? The lesson is that it is vanity tohope, through physical violence and war,to put down wrong. The battle for right,
conducted through physical force leads tonumerous wrongs and, in the net result,adharma increases.
92. DURYODHANA
WHEN Duryodhana beheld Karna's death,his grief knew no bounds. Kripacharya
was deeply moved by Duryodhana's
anguish of heart and said: "Moved byambition and greed we placed too great aburdenon
friends.
They
have
uncomplainingly borne it and laid down
their lives on the battlefield and attained
the happy regions above. There is but one
course left to you to make peace with the
Pandavas. Do not, O King, any longer
continue this ruinous fight."
Even at that moment of deep despair,
Duryodhana did not relish this counsel.
"Perhaps, there was a time for that, but it
is long past. What talk can there be ofpeace between the Pandavas and us withall this inexpiable blood between us, theblood of our dearest and theirs? If I
surrender in order to escape death, how
can I escape the contempt of the world?
What happiness can I hope to have in alife so ignobly saved? And what joy can I
hope to find in sovereignty, secured by apeace after my brothers and relatives haveall been slain?"

These words of Duryodhana were lustily
cheered by the others. They supported his
stand and they chose Salya and gave him
the supreme command from then on.
Salya was mighty of limb and as brave as
any of the warriors who had been killed.
The army was arrayed under his
leadership and the battle raged fiercely.
On the side of the Pandavas, Yudhishthira
now led the attack personally against
Salya. It astonished everyone to see how
the man, who was till then the very
incarnation of gentle ness, fought sofuriously.
The battle was equal for a long while,when Yudhishthira hurled at Salya, his
spear that went straight and struck him.
Like the great flagstaff at the end of a
festive function, Salya's body lay lifelesson the field, crimson with blood.
When Salya, the last of the great generals,
fell dead, the Kaurava army lost all hope.
The surviving sons of Dhritarashtra,
however, joined together and attacked
Bhima from all sides. He slew them all.
The son of Vayu had nourished hisburning anger for thirteen years from thetime Draupadi was insulted in the Hall of
Assembly. He said to himself now: "Ihave not lived in vain, but Duryodhana
still lives," and smiled grimly.
Sakuni led the attack on Sahadeva's
division. After a while, Sahadeva
discharged a sharp-edged sword-arrow
saying: "Fool, here is the reward for yourgreat sin." It went straight and cut throughSakuni's neck like a sword. And the head,
which was at the root of all the wicked
deeds of the Kauravas, rolled on the
ground.
Left leaderless, the wreck of the broken
army scattered and fled in all directions,pursued and slaughtered to a man by theexulting victors.
"'Thus utterly was destroyed thine army ofeleven Akshauhinis, O! Bharata, out of

the thousands of kings, who espoused thy
cause in their pride and might, only
Duryodhana could be seen on thatbattlefield, fainting and sore wounded,"said Sanjaya, describing the debacle to theblind king.
After doing, in vain, all he could to rally
his defeated army, Duryodhana, left
almost alone, took up his mace andwalked towards a pool of water. His
whole frame was burning like fire, andwater attracted him. "The wise Vidura
knew what would happen and he told us,"he said to himself, as he entered the water.
Of what avail is wisdom that comes toolate? What has been done must produce its
result that has to be suffered. That is thelaw. Yudhishthira and his brothers arrived
there in relentless, pursuit of their great
enemy.
"Duryodhana!" exclaimed Yudhishthira,"after destroying family and tribe, would
you yourself escape death by concealing
yourself in this pond? Where is your pride
now? Have you no shame? Come up andfight. A kshatriya by birth, do you shrink
battle and death?"
Stung to the quick by these words,
Duryodhana replied with dignity: "I havenot come here, Dharmaputra, a fugitive
for my life. It was not fear that broughtme here. I stepped into the water to cool
the fire that is raging within me. I neither
fear death nor wish to live, but why
should I fight? The earth has now nothingleft that I came to fight for! All those whostood by me have been slain. My desire
for kingdom is gone. I leave the world toyou without a rival. Enjoy it in undisputed
sovereignty."
Yudhishthira replied: "Now, that is reallygenerous, especially after you said you
would not allow us even a needle-point ofland. When we begged for peace andentreated you to give us a portion, you
spurned our proposal. Now, you say we

may take it all. It is not for kingdom orland that we fight. Must I recount all yoursins? The wrongs you did us, and theoutrage you perpetrated on Draupadi,cannot be expiated except with your life."
Sanjaya, who related the events to theblind old king, here said: "When your son
Duryodhana heard these harsh and cruelwords spoken by Dharmaputra, he at oncerose from the water, mace in hand."Stepping out of the pool, the unfortunate
Duryodhana said: "Come, one by one, allof you, for I am single. You five will
surely not join together and attack me who
am alone and without armor, weary andwounded all over."Yudhishthira replied sharply: "If indeed it
be wrong for many to join together andattack a single person, pray tell us how
Abhimanyu was attacked and killed? Did
you not consent to many combining andattacking that boy, standing all alone
amidst your crowd? Yes, when men face
misfortune, they see and preach dharma
and chivalry to others. Wear your coat ofarmor. Choose any of us you like andfight. Die and go to swarga or win and be
king."
Accordingly, the combat began between
Bhima and Duryodhana. Sparks of fire
flew
when
their
maces
clashed.
Duryodhana and Bhima were equal instrength and skill, and the battle raged
long, and the issue hung doubtful. Those,
who stood watching, were debating as towhom would win. Krishna said to Arjuna
that Bhima would redeem the oath heswore in the Hall of Assembly and smash
Duryodhana's thighs. Bhima heard this
and, at that moment, the memory of thegreat outrage came vividly to his mind.
He leaped like a lion and came down withhis mace on Duryodhana's thighs andbroke them and Duryodhana fell heavily
on the ground, wounded to death.

Bhima jumped on the prostrate body ofhis enemy, stamped on his head with hisheavy foot and danced a terrible dance.
"Cease, Bhima," cried Dharmaraja. "Youhave paid off the debt. Duryodhana is aprince and a cousin. It is not right to put
your foot on his head."
Said Krishna:"Soon the wicked man's soul
will depart from the body. Sons of Pandu,
Duryodhana and his friends have beenslain. Why linger here? On to yourchariots."
When Krishna said this, the face of thefallen Duryodhana glowed like a blazing
fire with anger and hatred. Turning hiseyes towards Krishna be said:"By base tricks you contrived the death of
warriors, who fought bravely according to
the laws of war. You could not havedreamt of victory in a fair fight with
Karna or Bhishma or Drona. Have you not
a spark of shame left?"
Even dying, Duryodhana felt no regret for
all that he had done.
"Duryodhana," said Krishna, "vainly do
you accuse others. Greed and pride ofpower led you to unnumbered wicked
deeds and you are reaping as you sowed.""Wretch!" replied Duryodhana. "Living, I
was a great prince, generous friend, and aterrible foe. All human joys, such joys askings wish for in vain, and even Gods do
not despise, have been mine, in theirfullness. A warrior's death is the fitting
crown of such a life. Dying, I go
triumphantly to swarga to join my friends
and my brothers who have gone there
already and are waiting to welcome me.
You remain here below, your objects
defeated and yourselves the object ofcontempt of all kshatriyas. I do not mind
Bhima putting his foot on my head as I lie
helpless on the ground with legs broken.
What care I? In a few minutes more will
not the feet of crows and vultures settle on
my head?"When Duryodhana said this, flowers were
showered down from the heavens by thegods. Inordinate desire took Duryodhana
into the wrong path, whence ensued anger
and numerous breaches of dharma. But noone could question the unconquerable
spirit of Dhritarashtra's son.
93. THE PANDAVAS REPROACHED
WHEN the war was nearing its end,
Balarama arrived at Kurukshetra after
completing his tour of holy places. He
came just when Bhima and Duryodhana
were engaged in their last mortal combat.
He saw Bhima aiming the deadly blow
which broke Duryodhana's thighs, and hisanger flamed up at this great breach of therules of single combat.
"Fie upon you all! Would any kshatriya
hit below the navel? This Bhima has
offended the law most disgracefully," heexclaimed and impatiently going up to his
brother Krishna, shouted:"You can look on and tolerate all this. But
I cannot bear to see such unclean
fighting!" Saying this he advanced
towards the offending Bhima withupraised plough. The plough was
Balarama's weapon on supreme occasions,as the discus was Krishna's. Krishna wasalarmed when he saw his elder brotheradvancing in a passion towards Bhima.
He rushed forward and, intercepting him,
said: "The Pandavas are our friends andclosest relations. They have been thevictims of insufferable wrongs at thehands of Duryodhana. When Draupadi
was insulted in the Assembly Hall, Bhima
vowed: 'I will one day in battle break thetwo thighs of Duryodhana with this maceand kill him.' He proclaimed this solemn
oath at that time and everyone has known
it. It is the duty of a kshatriya to fulfil thevow he has solemnly taken. Do not let
your anger mislead you and do not be
unjust to the innocent Pandavas. You
should, before condemning Bhima, take

into account all the wrongs that theKauravas have done to the Pandavas.
Nothing but error can result if one
proceeds to judge conduct without taking
into account the chain of events leading
up to it. You cannot snatch a particular act
out of its context and proceed to give
judgment on it alone without grossinjustice. The era of Kali has arrived,
when the laws of a previous age cannot
apply. It was not wrong for Bhima to
strike below the navel an enemy who had
wickedly contrived against his life on
many occasions. It was because of
Duryodhana's foul instigation that Karnasent a shaft from behind and broke
Abhimanyu's bowstring when he wasdefending himself against heavy odds.
Arjuna's young son was attacked bynumerous warriors who surrounded him,
when he stood all by himself in the field,
deprived of bow and chariot, and in amost cowardly manner, killed him.
Duryodhana thought evil and practised
deception from the time of his birth andhas brought about the destruction of his
people. There is no sin in Bhima killing
this man. Bhima bore the wrongs done
and kept his wrath within himself for
thirteen long years. Duryodhana knew
well that Bhima had sworn to break histhighs and kill him. When he challenged
the aggrieved Pandavas to battle, he knew
very well that he invited Bhima to makegood his oath. How can you think that it
was wrong for Bhima to do this?"
Krishna's
words
did
not
changeBalarama's opinion, but his anger
subsided. "Duryodhana will attain the
happy regions reserved for the brave.
Bhima's fame has been tarnished for all
time. It will be said among men that theson of Pandu broke the laws of war in
attacking Duryodhana. It will remain
forever a great blot on his good name. I
hate to stay here any longer." So saying

the indignant Balarama immediately leftfor Dwaraka.
"Yudhishthira, why this strange silence?"
asked Krishna.
"O Madhava, it hurts me to see Bhima
leap on cousin Duryodhana's mortallywounded body and trample on his head. I
see the end of the glory of our race. We
were wronged by the Kauravas. I know
the full measure of grief and anger in
Vrikodara's heart, and don't wish to blame
him beyond reason. We have killed
Duryodhana, who was afflicted byuncontained greed and poverty ofunderstanding. What serves it now todebate the ethics of it or nicely to weighthe propriety of a much wronged man's
revenges?"
Yudhishthira was greatly oppressed inmind. When men transgress the law,extenuations and excuses are of no availin giving mental satisfaction.
Arjuna, of penetrating intellect, was silent.
He did not show approval of Bhima's act.
Nor did he say anything by way ofdetraction. The rest of the people, whowere there, were however loud incondemnation of Duryodhana and were
reminding one another of all his misdeeds
and errors. Krishna turned towards themand said:"Warriors, it is not proper that we go on
speaking against an enemy who has been
defeated and is lying mortally wounded.
We should not speak ill of a dying man.
He was stupid and brought about his own
end. He fell into the company of bad men
and was ruined. Let us go."Duryodhana, who was stretched on the
ground in intense, agony, when he heard
Krishna say this, went into a paroxysm ofrage. He half raised himself on his arms inspite of the excruciating pain, andexclaimed:"Wretch! Son of a slave! Was not yourfather Vasudeva Kamsa's slave? You haveno business to sit or move with princes.
You speak like a shameless wretch. I saw
you instigate Bhima to aim his blow at mythigh! Do you think I did not see you,making as though casually talking to
Arjuna, pointing to your thigh, but reallyindicating to Bhima that he should strikeme on the thighs, disregarding the laws of
single combat? Till then it had been equal
battle. You have neither pity nor shame.
Did you not contrive the death of the
grandsire Bhishma through stratagem?
You advised Sikhandin to be placed in
front when attacking Bhishma, knowingthat the grandsire would scorn to fight awoman, and would let himself be mortallywounded without resistance. You brought
about the end of Dronacharya throughmaking Dharmaputra utter a falsehood.
You were the father of that deadly lie thatissued from Yudhishthira's mouth, andmade Dronacharya throw his bow away.
Did you not look on without protest, andrejoice,when
that,wretchDhrishtadyumna attacked and killed theacharya who had stopped fighting,throwing away his weapons, and settled
down in yoga posture for meditation on
the Supreme? Was it not you whowickedly contrived to make Karna hurl
the fatal spear at Ghatotkacha instead ofreserving it for Arjuna as he had all along
resolved to do? O great sinner, surely it
was you who instigated Satyaki to butcher
Bhurisravas when his right arm had beenfoully cut off and he stopped fighting andspread his arrows for a seat for holy
meditation. It was you who brought about
the death of Karna by inducing Arjuna toattack him in a cowardly manner when he
was engaged in lifting his chariot wheel
which had sunk and stuck in the mud inthe field of battle. Oh worthless man, solecause of our destruction, the whole world
has condemned your act when by sorcery
you made it appear as if the sun had set.

You made Jayadratha, the Sindhu king,believe that the day was over and he waspast danger, and thus he was slain when
he was off his guard."
Thus
did
Duryodhana
pour
hisdenunciation against Krishna and then,exhausted by the pain of his wounds andthe violence of his rage, he fell prostrate
again.
"Son of Gandhari," said Krishna, "why do
you let your anger add to the pain of yourlast moments? It is your own misdeeds
that have brought about your end. Do not
attribute it to me. Bhishma and Drona had
to die on account of your sins. So also
were you the cause of the death of Karnaand others. Need I recount all the wrongsthat you were guilty of against the sons of
Pandu? What punishment can be too
severe for the great outrage, which you
inflicted on Draupadi? The animosities
and passions that resulted from yourmisdeeds cannot be made ground forcondemning others. All the deceptions
and lapses you charge us with were forcedon us by reason of your wicked conduct.
You have paid off on the battlefield thedebt incurred by your greed. But you aredying the death of a brave man. You will
go to the happy regions reserved for
kshatriyas who lay down their lives on thefield of battle.""Krishna, I go to swarga with my friends
and relatives. But you and your friends
will live on earth to suffer," said the
stubborn Duryodhana. "I studied the
Vedas. I have given gifts ordained by law
and I have reigned supreme over all the
sea-girt earth. While I lived, I stood upon
the humbled heads of foes. All humanjoys, such joys as even the Gods cannot
despise and kings sigh for in vain, thevery pinnacle of power, were mine. Dying
now, such death as warriors deem thecrown of kshatriya life, I go to meet inheaven my friends and brothers gone

before, eager to welcome me. Who ismore blest, I, or you who, doomed to
linger here, mourning for slaughteredfriends in desolate homes, find the longsought triumph but ashes in your mouth?"said Duryodhana. And the gods showered
flowers down on the dying warrior and thegandharvas played music and the sky was
illuminated. Vasudeva and the Pandavas
felt small.
"There is truth," said Krishna, "in what
Duryodhana said. You could not havedefeated him by fair means. This wicked
man was invincible in battle."
94. ASWATTHAMA
WHEN
Aswatthama
heard
how
Duryodhana lay mortally injured, andlearnt the details of the combat, hisrighteous anger swelled like the sea. The
deception, practised by the Pandavas inorder to bring about his father's end, hadbeen rankling in his mind.
Now, when he learnt how Duryodhana
had been stricken down mortally against
all rules of chivalry, he went to the spot
where Duryodhana was lying and there
took an oath that he would that night send
the Pandavas to the abode of Yama.
Duryodhana, who was in the last physicalagony of departing life, was transportedwith joy when he heard Aswatthama takethis oath. He immediately ordered those
who stood nearby to install Aswatthamaas Supreme Commander of the Army withdue ceremony and, when that was over,said to Him: "All my hopes are in you."
It was sunset and the forest was in utter
darkness when under a big banian tree
Kripacharya, Kritavarma and Aswatthama
halted for rest. They were so greatly
fatigued that Kripacharya and Kritavarma
fell fast asleep as soon as they lay down.
But Aswatthama did not get sleep, forsorrow, indignation and hatred burnt
within him. He was listening to the noisesthat the nocturnal birds and prowling

beasts began to make as the night
advanced. He was turning over in his
mind how to execute his promise to
Duryodhana.
On the branches of the banian tree, underwhich the three warriors were resting,hundreds of crows roosted. They were all
quiet and asleep until a big owl came andbegan to attack the birds one after anotherand kill them. When Aswatthama saw thenocturnal bird of prey tear the helplesscrows, he got an idea. The crows that
could not see at night flew round andround helplessly and fell victims to the
owl that attacked them violently.
"These wicked Pandavas and the Panchalathat killed my father and all theirsupporters can easily be killed by us, if wesurprise them when they are sleeping intheir tents at night even as this owl is
attacking these blind crows. Thus can I
avenge the deeds of foul play they havepractised on us. I am deeply indebted tothis bird of prey from whom I havereceived the teaching. There is no offencein adopting plans to suit one's alteredcircumstances. If we can lawfully attack
an enemy, when his army is tired or when
his forces are scattered, why then should
not we, who have lost our armies, attack
our enemies when they are asleep? Therecan be nothing wrong in it. Indeed it is
only thus that we can punish and defeat
these Pandavas who have achieved
successes through foul play. We have noother course open."
Aswatthama made up his mind and he
immediately woke up Kripacharya andinformed him of his plan. Kripacharya,
who heard it, was astonished.
"This can never be," said he. "It is wholly
wrong. To attack men who have retired tosleep, has never been done before. It
would be an unprecedented crime against
the
laws
of
kshatriya
conduct.
Aswatthama, for whom are we fighting?

The man for whose sake we joined in thiswar has been fatally wounded and his end
has arrived. We have discharged ourobligations most loyally. We fought ourbest for the greedy and wrongheaded
Duryodhana but we failed irretrievably.
There is no purpose now in our continuing
the fight and it is folly to do so. Let us go
to Dhritarashtra and the faultless
Gandhari, and place ourselves at theirdisposal. Let us take counsel of wise
Vidura also. They will tell us what lies
before us to do."When
Kripacharya
spoke
thus,
Aswatthama's
grief
and
indignation
increased and he spoke bitterly:"Everyone feels sure that what he thinks is
the only right and proper thing to do.
One's understanding naturally limits one's
vision. These Pandavas have been guiltyof the foulest conduct. They killed mynoble and trustful father through a lie.
They have killed Duryodhana against thelaws of chivalry. I have no doubt in mymind that what I propose to do is quite
proper vengeance for all these foul deeds.
It is only if I carry out this plan that I canpossibly repay my debt to my king and to
my father. I have decided on it and I do
not propose to alter my plan. I am going
tonight to the tents where they are
sleeping having cast off their armor andthere I will kill the Pandavas andDhrishtadyumna while they are asleep."
Kripacharya was deeply grieved to hear
Aswatthama speak thus: "You haveattained a great name among men," hepleaded, "Your spotless character will by
this be blemished, even like a milk-whitecloth bespattered with blood. Never could
it be right to kill sleeping men. Desist
from this.""Sir, what are you talking? These
Pandavas butchered my father when he
had thrown away all his weapons and had
sat down in prayer. These men havebreached the embankment of dharma andreleased the flood, and not a, drop ofdharma is now left! Karna, who was on
the ground putting right the wheel of his
chariot, was murdered by these lawlessrascals. Bhima has killed Duryodhanawith a blow below the navel. Whatdharma has been left for us to follow? The
Pandavas have, once for all, destroyed thewall of dharma. Why should we makeresearch into law and chivalry when
dealing with these ruffians who haveattained successes by destroying both? Ifby killing the sleeping Panchalas, whobutchered my great father, I may bedoomed to rebirth in the body of a foulbird or of a wriggling worm, I do not care.
I seek such a birth!"
Saying this and, without waiting for ananswer, Aswatthama proceeded to harness
his horses and get his chariot ready tostart. When he was about to leave
Kripacharya and Kritavarma cried: "Stop.
What are you resolved upon doing,
Aswatthama? We cannot approve of it,
but neither can we desert you in yourdesperate enterprise. The path you arebent on treading, we shall also follow. The
sin you are resolved upon, let us sharealso." So, they went along with him. Thus
does evil grow! One transgression begets
the next and thus evil grows from evil
submerging righteousness. Evil flourishes
on retaliation.
They reached the Pandava camp.
Dhrishtadyumna had doffed his armor andwas plunged in deep slumber in his tent.
Aswatthama leapt on the sleeping warrior
and, before he could put himself into a
posture of defence, cruelly kicked him todeath.
The same process was relentlessly
repeated until all the Panchalas and all thesons of Draupadi were killed one by one
when they were plunged in sleep in theirtents.

After having done this deed, the like ofwhich had never before been considered
possible among kshatriyas, Kripacharya,
Kritavarma and Aswatthama came out of
the tents and set fire to the camp. Whenthe fire spread, the sleeping soldiers were
awakened and fled hither and thither in
confusion, even like the crows on thebanian tree under which they had rested in
the forest, and they were mercilessly
slaughtered by Aswatthama.
"We have done our duty," said
Dronacharya's son. "Let us go and givethe glad news to Duryodhana, if we canreach him, before he expires. Let him die
pleased."
The three of them accordingly hurried to
Duryodhana.
95. AVENGED"O, DURYODHANA, you are yet alive,
hear the news and rejoice! All the
Panchalas have been slaughtered. The
sons of the Pandavas have also been all
done to death. The entire army of theirs
has been destroyed. We made a nightattack on them when they were asleep.
There are only seven survivors now on the
Pandava side. On our side, Kripacharya,
Kritavarma and I remain."
Thus said Aswatthama to the dying
Duryodhana who, on hearing this, slowly
opened his eyes and, with struggling
breath, gasped out these words:"Aswatthama, you have indeed done forme what neither the great Bhishma nor thevaliant Karna could achieve! You havegladdened my heart and I die happy."
Saying this, Duryodhana expired.
When he saw the unexpected destructionof his army as a result of the attack during
sleep, Yudhishthira gave way to grief andbroke down:"At the very moment of victory, we havebeen totally defeated. The vanquishedhave
indeedtriumphed.
Draupadi'schildren, who survived the onslaught of

the formidable Karna, have, by ourunwariness, been crushed and destroyed
like vermin. We have allowed ourselves tobe destroyed like a merchant ship which,having successfully crossed the big seas,
returns home but capsizes in a ditch and is
lost."
Draupadi
wasoverwhelmedbyinconsolable
grief.
ShecametoDharmaputra's side and wept. "Is there no
one to avenge my children's slaughter, bydestroying this great sinner Aswatthama?"
she cried.
When she said this, the Pandavas
immediately went out in search of themurderer. They looked for him in all sortsof places and found him, at last, on thebank of the Ganga, hiding himself behind
Vyasa.
When he saw the Pandavas and Janardana
approaching, Aswatthama quietly took up
a blade of grass and charged it with themantra of destruction and sent it forwardsaying: "May this destroy the race of the
Pandavas." And it went straight to thewomb of Uttara who bore in her the son of
Abhimanyu.
The race of the Pandavas would have been
destroyed thereby but for the interventionof Sri Krishna who saved the child in themother's womb. This child was Parikshit
who was later crowned by Yudhishthirawhen the Pandavas retired to the forest.
Aswatthama pried out the shining jewelthat was part of his head and gave it to
Bhima, acknowledging his defeat, andwent away to the forest. Bhima took thegreat jewel and, going to Draupadi said:"Angel of spotless purity, this is for you.
The man, who killed your beloved sons,has been vanquished. Duryodhana has
been destroyed. I have drunk the blood of
Duhsasana. I have avenged the greatoutrage and discharged my debts."
Draupadi took the jewel and, going up to
Yudhishthira bowed and said: "Faultlessking, it befits you to wear this in yourcrown."
96. WHO CAN GIVE SOLACE?
WHEN the battle was over, Hastinapura
was a city of mourning. All the womenand children were weeping and lamenting
their slain, nearest and dearest. With many
thousandsof
bereaved
women
accompanying, Dhritarashtra went to thefield of battle. At Kurukshetra, the sceneof terrible destruction, the blind kingthought of all that had passed, and wept
aloud. But, of what avail was weeping?
"O king, words of consolation addressed
to a bereaved person do not remove hisgrief. Thousands of rulers have given up
their lives in battle for your sons. It is now
time that you should arrange for proper
funeral ceremonies for the dead," said
Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra.
"It is not right to grieve for those who die
in battle. When souls have left theirbodies, there is nothing like relationship,nothing like brother or son or relative.
Your sons have really no connection withyou. Relationship ends with death, being
only a bodily connection and a mere
minor incident in the soul's eternal life.
From the nowhere do lives come, and,with death, they again disappear into
nowhere. Why should we weep for them?
Those who die in battle after a heroic fightgo as guests to receive Indra's hospitality.
Grieving for what is past, you cannot gain
anything in the nature of dharma, pleasure
or wealth." Thus, and in many more ways,
did the wise and good Vidura try toassuage the king's grief.
Vyasa also approached Dhritarashtra
tenderly and said: "Dear son, there isnothing that you do not know and which
you have to learn from me. You know
very well that all living beings must die.
This great battle came to reduce earth's
burden as I have heard from Lord Vishnu
Himself. That is why this calamity couldnotbeprevented.
Henceforth,
Yudhishthira is your son. You should try
to love him and in that way bear theburden of life, giving up grief."
Making his way, through the crowd of
weeping women Yudhishthira approached
Dhritarashtra and bowed before him.
Dhritarashtra embraced Yudhishthira, butthere was no love in that embrace.
Then Bhimasena was announced to theblind king. "Come," said Dhritarashtra.
But Vasudeva was wise. He gently pushed
Bhima aside and placed an iron figure
before the blind Dhritarashtra, knowing
theoldking'sexceedinganger.
Dhritarashtra hugged the metal statue tohis bosom in a firm embrace and then thethought came to him of how this man had
killed everyone of his sons. And his wrathincreased to such a pitch that the image
was crushed to pieces in his embrace.
"Ha! My anger has deceived me," cried
Dhritarashtra. "I have killed dear Bhima."
Then Krishna said to the blind king:"Lord, I knew that it would be thus and I
prevented the disaster. You have notkilled Bhimasena. You have crushed only
an iron image that I placed instead beforeyou. May your anger be appeased withwhat you have done to this image. Bhima
is still alive."
The king was composed somewhat and heblessed Bhima and the other Pandavas
who then took leave of him and went to
Gandhari.
Vyasa
was
with
Gandhari.
"Ohqueen,"said the rishi, "be not angry with
the Pandavas. Did you not tell them evenwhen the battle began: 'Where there isdharma, there surely will be victory'? And
so it has happened. It is not right to let themind dwell on what is past and nurse
one's anger. You must now call to aid
your great fortitude."Gandhari said: "Bhagavan, I do not envy
the victory of the Pandavas. It is true thatgrief for the death of my sons has robbed
me of my understanding. These Pandavas
also are my sons. I know that Duhsasana
and Sakuni brought about this destructionof our people. Arjuna and Bhima areblameless. Pride brought this battle about
and my sons deserve the fate they havemet. I do not complain about it. But then,in Vasudeva's presence, Bhima called
Duryodhana to battle and they fought.
And, knowing that Duryodhana wasstronger and could not be defeated insingle combat, Bhima struck him below
the navel and killed him. Vasudeva waslooking on. This was wrong and it is thisthat I find it impossible to forgive."
Bhima, who heard this, came near andsaid: "Mother, I did this to save myself inbattle. Whether it was right or wrong, you
should bear with me. Your son was
invincible in combat and so I did in selfprotection what was undoubtedly wrong.
He called Yudhishthira to play anddeceived him. We had been wronged byyour son in so many ways. He would notgive back the kingdom, of which be took
unlawful possession. And you know what
your son did to blameless Draupadi. If we
had killed your son on the spot, when hemisbehaved in the Hall of Assembly,
surely you would not have blamed us.
Bound by Dharmaraja's vow, we
restrained ourselves with difficulty then.
We have since discharged honor's debt
and found satisfaction in battle. Mother,you should forgive me.""Dear son, if you had left but one out of
my hundred sons and killed all the restand satisfied your anger, I and my old
husband would have found solace in thatsurviving son for the rest of our lives.
Where is Dharmaputra? Call him." Shesaid.
Hearing this, Yudhishthira trembled as he,with clasped hands, approached Gandhari,
whose eyes were bound in a cloth in loyal

lifelong penance for her husband's
blindness. He bowed low before her andsaid softly:"Queen, the cruel Yudhishthira, who
killed your sons, stands before you fit tobe cursed. Do curse me who havecommitted great sin. I care not for life or
for kingdom." Saying this, he fell on the
ground and touched her feet.
Gandhari heaved a deep sigh and stoodmute. She turned her head aside knowingthat if, through the cloth with which hereyes were bound, her vision fell on theprostrate Yudhishthira he would be
reduced to ashes on the spot. But througha little space in the cloth, even as sheturned her face away, her eyes fell on thetoe of the prostrate Yudhishthira. At once,says the poet, the toe was charred black.
Arjuna knew the power of bereaved
Gandhari's wrath, and hid himself behind
Vasudeva. The wise and good Gandhari
suppressed all her anger and blessed the
Pandavas and sent them to Kunti.
Gandhari turned to Draupadi, who was inlamentation, having lost all her sons.
"Dear girl," said Gandhari. "Do not
grieve. Who can give solace to you andme? It is through my fault that this great
tribe has been destroyed altogether."
97. YUDHISHTHIRA'S ANGUISH
THE Pandavas performed the til andwater ceremonies for the peace of thesouls of the dead warriors and camped on
the bank of the Ganga for a month.
One day, Narada appeared before
Yudhishthira. "Son, through Krishna's
grace, the valor of Arjuna and the powerof your dharma, you were victorious andyou are the sovereign lord of the land. Are
you happy?" he asked.
Yudhishthira replied: "Bhagavan, it is true
the kingdom has come into mypossession. But my kinsmen are all gone.
We have lost sons that were dear. This
victory appears to me but a great defeat. O

Narada, we took our own brother for an
enemy and killed him, even Karna whostood rooted like a rock in his honor andat whose valor the world wondered. This
terrible act of slaying our own brothers
was the result of our sinful attachment toour possessions. Karna, on the other hand,
kept the promise he gave to our motherand abstained from killing us. Oh! I am asinner, a low fellow who murdered his
own brother. My mind is troubled greatly
at this thought. Karna's feet were so much
like our mother's feet. In the large hall,when that great outrage was committed
and my anger rose, when I looked at his
feet, which were so much like Kunti's feet,my wrath subsided. I remember that now
and my grief increases."
So saying, Yudhishthira heaved a deepsigh. Narada told him all about Karna andthe curses that had been pronounced on
him on various occasions.
Once, when Karna saw that Arjuna wassuperior to him in archery, he approached
Drona and entreated him to teach him how
to wield the Brahmastra. Drona declined
saying it was not open to him to instruct
any but a brahmana of faultless conduct ora kshatriya who had purified himself bymuch penance. Thereupon, Karna went to
the Mahendra hills and deceived
Parasurama by saying that he was abrahmana and became his disciple. Fromhim he obtained instruction in archery andthe use of many astras.
One day, when Karna was practising withhis bow in the forest near Parasurama's
asrama,abrahmana's
cow
was
accidentally hit and killed. The brahmana
was angry and uttered a curse on Karna:"In battle, your chariot wheels will stick inthe mud and you will be done to death,even like this innocent cow which you
have killed."
Parasurama was exceedingly fond of
Karna and taught him all the archery heknew and instructed him fully in the use
and the withdrawing of the Brahmastra.
One day, however, he discovered that thedisciple was not a brahmana. It happened
tha an an insect bit a hole into Karna's
thigh when one afternoon the teacher had
fallen asleep on Karna's lap. Karna bore
the acute pain quietly and did not stir, lest
the master should wake up. The warm
blood trickling from the wound woke up
Parasurama. When he saw what had
happened, he was angry.
"You are a kshatriya; otherwise you could
not have borne this physical pain without
stirring. Tell me the truth. You are not abrahmana. You have deceived yourteacher. Fool! When your hour comes,
your knowledge of astras will fail you andwhat you have learnt from me throughdeception will not avail you."
Parasurama's wrath against kshatriyas iswell known and, when he discovered that
Karna was a kshatriya, he cursed him thus
in his anger.
Karna was free in making gifts. One day,Indra, who was Arjuna's father, came in
the garb of a brahmana and begged of
Karna for a gift of the divine earrings andarmor with which he had been born.
Karna took them out and gave them away
accordingly. From that time, Karna's
strength was reduced.
"Karna's pledge to his mother Kunti that
he would not kill more than one of thefive of you, Parasurarna's curse, the angerof the brahmana whose cow was killed by
Karna, the way in which his charioteer
Salya depressed him by underrating hisvalor and Vasudeva's stratagems, these
combined to bring about Karna's end. Do
not grieve believing that you alone caused
his death." Thus said Narada, but
Yudhishthira was not consoled by thesewords.
"Do not blame yourself, son, for Karna's,
death," said Kunti. "His father, the sunlord himself, pleaded with him. He
begged of him to give up the wickedhearted Duryodhana and join you. I too
tried hard. But he would not listen to us.
He brought his end on himself.""You
deceivedus,mother"said
Yudhishthira, "by hiding the secret of hisbirth from us. You became thus the causeof this great sin. May women never beable to keep a secret henceforth."This is the poet's story of how
Yudhishthira cursed all women in his
anguish over having killed his own elder
brother. It is a common notion thatwomen cannot keep secrets. And thisstory is a beautiful conception illustratingthat popular belief.
It may be that in worldly affairs, it is anadvantage to be able to keep secrets. But it
is not great virtue from the point of viewof moral character, and women need not
grieve over an incapacity of this kind, if
indeed Kunti's legacy still persists.
The affectionate temperament natural towomen may perhaps incline them toopenness. But some women do keep
secrets very well indeed, and not a man
possess this ability either. It is a fallacy toattribute the differences that arise out of
training and occupation on nature itself
and imagine some qualities as peculiar toa sex.
98. YUDHISHTHIRA COMFORTEDYUDHISHTHIRA'S
pain
of
mind
increased everyday as he thought of all thekinsmen that had been killed. He wasstricken with intense remorse and decided
he must give up the world go to the forestand do penance to expiate his sin.
"I see no joy or good," he said to his
brothers, in taking up the office of king orin worldly enjoyment. Do rule the land
yourselves leaving me free to go to theforest."Arjuna talked of the nobility of family life
and the entire good one may do without

taking sanyasa. Bhimasena also spoke andharshly.
"You talk, alas"' he said, "like a dullwitted person who has committed tomemory the texts of the sastras without
understanding their sense. Sanyasa is not
the dharma of kshatriyas. The duty of akshatriya, is to live an active life andperform his proper task, not to go to theforest renouncing activity."
Nakula also contested the propriety of
Dharmaputra's proposal and insisted thatthe path of work was the right one tofollow and the way of sanyasa was besetwith difficulties.
Sahadeva also argued likewise andentreated: "You are my father, my mother,my teacher, as well as brother. Do notleave us, bear with us."Draupadi also spoke. "It was right wekilled Duryodhana and his men. Why
should we regret it? Among the duties of aking is included the inflicting of justpunishment. It cannot be avoided and isan essential part of the ruler's duty. You
have meted just punishment too evildoers.
There is no cause whatsoever forcontrition. It is now your sacred duty totake up the burden of governing the land
according to dharma. Cease grieving."
Then Vyasa spoke to Yudhishthira at
length and explained where his duty lay,
pointing out precedents, and persuaded
him to go to the city and take up theburden of ruling the land.
Yudhishthira was duly crowned at
Hastinapura. Before taking up the dutiesof the State, Yudhishthira went to where
Bhishma lay on his bed of arrows
awaiting his death, and took his blessing
and instruction in dharma. This instructionof Bhishmacharya to king Yudhishthira isthefamousSantiparvaoftheMahabharata. After the discourse wasover, Bhishma's soul passed out. The kingwent to the Ganga and offered libations,in accordance with ancient custom, for thepeace of the departed soul.
After
the
ceremonywasover,
Yudhishthira went up the bank. There, as
he stood for a while, all the tragic eventscame back to his mind, and overcome byintense grief, he fell senseless on the
ground, like an elephant struck down by
the hunter.
Bhima went up to his big brother andcaressed him tenderly and spoke to him
soothing words. Dhritarashtra also cameup and said to Yudhishthira:"You should not grieve like this. Arise
and, assisted by your brothers and friends,
reign over the kingdom that awaits yourrule. Your duty now is to do whatappertains to the office of king. Leave
grief to Gandhari and me. You achieved
victory in battle in accordance with thedharmaofwarriors.
The
dutiesappertaining to that victory await yourattention now. Fool that I was, I did not
pay heed to the words of Vidura andcommitted a great error. I listened to theignorant words of Duryodhana anddeceived myself. Like gold seen in a
dream the glory has vanished. My
hundred sons have disappeared into theworld of nowhere. But I have you as myson now. Do not grieve."
99. ENVY
AFTER the libation ceremony for
Bhishma was over, Vyasa narrated togrief-stricken Yudhishthira an episode in
Brihaspati's life. The wisest of men are
sometimes affected by envy and suffer
thereby. Brihaspati, teacher to the gods
themselves, was master of all knowledge.
He was learned in all the Vedas and all thesciences, yet he was once the victim of
this debasing emotion and suffereddisgrace.
Brihaspati had a younger brother,
Samvarta, who was also a person of great
learning and a very good man. Brihaspati

was, for this reason, stricken with envy ofhis brother.
In this world men become envious ofothers, just because the others are good,while they themselves are not so good,
and they cannot bear this. It is strange
indeed that men should not suffer evenvirtue in others.
Brihaspati harassed Samvarta in many
ways. When he could not stand it any
more, poor Samvarta put on theappearance of an eccentric and wanderedfrom place to place, and spent his days inthat way to escape from his brother's
persecution.
King Marutta of the Ikshwaku dynasty
made great penance and obtained from the
Lord of Kailasa a great goldmine in the
Himalayas and, with his resources thus
augmented, he decided to perform a great
Yajna.
Marutta requested Brihaspati to conduct
the yajna for him. But Brihaspati fearedthat Marutta would, as a result of the
yajna, overshadow the gods who were hischarge.
He refused to comply with the king's
invitation, despite his pressing entreaties.
Thereupon, king Marutta, who had cometo know about Samvarta found his
whereabouts and approached him with theinvitation to conduct his yajna.
He at first refused and tried to avoid thehonor, but finally yielded. This further
increased Brihaspati's envy of his
unfortunate brother.
"Here is this enemy of mine, Samvarta,
going to conduct king Marutta's great
yajna. What shall I do now?" Thus did
Brihaspati brood over it until his envy
affected his health. His health declined
rapidly and he became thin and pale. Hiscondition grew worse everyday, until it
attracted the attention of Indra himself.
Indra, chief of the gods, approached the
divine preceptor and saluting him asked:

"Lord, why are you ill? What has caused
this languishing? Do you sleep well? Do
the attendants serve you properly? Do
they anticipate your wishes and not wait
to be told? Do the gods behave
courteously towards you or has there been
any lapse in this respect?"
To Indra's anxious inquiry, Brihaspati
replied: "Deva raja, I sleep on a good bed
and in right time. The attendants serve mewith all devotion. There is nothingwanting in the respect and courtesies
shown by the gods." Then his voice failed
and he could not proceed. So great was his
prostration of spirit.
"Why are you grieved?" asked Indraaffectionately. "Why have you grown thinand bloodless? Tell me what troubles yourmind."
Brihaspati then told Indra about it all.
"Samvarta is going to conduct a great
yajna. It is this that has made me wan andthin. I cannot help it," said he. Indra wassurprised.
"Learned brahmana, there is no object ofdesire that is not already yours. You arewise and learned, and the gods themselves
have accepted you as their priest and wise
counselor. What harm can Samvarta do toyou? There is nothing you can lose on
account of him. Why do you needlessly
take upon yourself this suffering by mere
envy?"
It was amusing that Indra should so far
and so humanly forget his own history as
to give counsel of good conduct. But
Brihaspati refreshed his memory on the
point and asked: "Would you yourself
delightedly watch your enemy's power
growing? Judge me by how you would
have felt had you been in my position. I
beg of you to save me against thisSamvarta. You must find a way to put thisman down."
Indra sent for Agni and said to him: "Goand stop the yajna of Marutta somehow."

The god of fire agreed and went on thismission. The trees and the creepers along
his path caught fire and the earth trembled
as he marched roaring.
He presented himself before the king in
his divine form.
The king was mightily pleased to see Agni
stand before him. He ordered theattendants to do all the usual honors of
hospitality. "Let him be duly seated. Have
his feet laved and bring the gifts proper tohis greatness," said the king, and this wasdone.
Agni then explained why he had come.
"Do give up this Samvarta. If you requirea priest, I shall bring Brihaspati himself tohelp you."
Samvarta, who heard this, was indignant.
The wrath of one who led the strict life ofa brahmacharin was exceedingly potent.
"Stop this chatter!" he said to Agni. "Do
not let my anger burn you up."
Fire reduces things to ashes, but
brahmacharya can burn up fire itself!
At Samvarta's anger Agni, trembling likean aspen leaf, retired quickly. He returned
to Indra and told him what had happened.
The king of the gods could not believe thestory. "Agni, you burn up other things in
the world. How can anything burn you?
What is this story of Samvarta’s angryeyes reducing you to ashes?"'"Not so, king of the gods," said Agni.
"Brahmic power and the potency born ofbrahmacharya are not unknown to you."
Agni thus reminded Indra of what thelatter had suffered; incurring the wrath of
those whom had attained Brahmic power.
Indra did not wrangle but called a
Gandharva had said: "Now, Agni has
failed. I want you to go as my messenger
and ask Marutta to give up Samvarta. Tell
him that if he does not, he will incur mywrath and be destroyed."

The Gandharva went accordingly to kingMarutta and faithfully conveyed Indra's
message and warning.
The king would not listen. "I cannot be
guilty of the deadly sin of deserting atrusting friend," said the king: "I cannot
give up Samvarta."
The Gandharva said: "O king, how can
you survive, when Indra hurls his bolt atyou?"
Even as he said this, the clouds above
thundered and everyone knew that the godof the thunderbolt was coming, andtrembled in fear.
The king was in great fear and entreated
Samvarta to save him.
"Fear not," said Samvarta to the king, andhe proceeded to put the power of his
penance into action.
Indra, who had come to do battle, wascompelled to change over to benevolent
peace and to take part in the yajna as theradiant god of sacrifices. He received theburnt offering in proper form and retired.
Brihaspati's plan of envy failed miserably.
Brahmacharya triumphed. Envy is adeadly sin. It is a universal disease. If
Brihaspati who could defeat the goddessof knowledge herself in learning became avictim to envy, what is there to say about
ordinary mortals?
100. UTANGA
WHEN the battle was over, Krishna badefarewell to the Pandavas and went to
Dwaraka. While on his way, he met his
old brahmana friend Utanga. Krishna
stopped and descending from his chariot
saluted the brahmana.
Utanga returned the greeting andproceeded to make the usual inquiries
about the health and welfare of relatives.
"Madhava, do your cousins the Pandavas
and the Kauravas love one another as
brothers should? Are they well andflourishing?" he asked.

The innocent recluse had not heard about
the great battle that had been fought.
Krishna was astounded at the question of
his brahmana friend. For a while, he stoodsilent not knowing what to say in reply.
Then he softly disclosed what had
happened.
"Sir, a terrible battle had been fought by
the Pandavas and the Kauravas, I tried
hard and applied every means to preventthe fight and make peace between them.
But they would not listen. Almost all ofthem have perished on the field of battle.
Who can stop the hand of fate?" Then herelated all that had happened.
When Utanga heard the narrative, he wasexceedingly wroth. With eyes red withindignation he spoke to Madhava:"Vasudeva, were you there standing by
and did you let all this happen? You haveindeed failed in your duty. You havesurely practised deceit and led them todestruction. Prepare now to receive mycurse!" Vasudeva smiled and said: "Peace,peace! Calm yourself. Do not use up thefruit of your great penances in this anger.
Listen to what I say and then, if you like,you may pronounce your curse."
Krishna pacified the indignant brahmana
and appeared to him in his all-embracing
form, the Viswarupa.
"I am born in various bodies from time totime to save the world and establish thegood. In whatever body I am born, I must
act in conformity with the nature of thatbody. When I am born as a Deva, I act asa Deva does. If I appear as a Yaksha or asa Rakshasa, I do everything like a Yaksha
or a Rakshasa. If I am born as a humanbeing, or as a beast, I do what is natural tothat birth and complete my task. I beggedvery hard of the ignorant Kauravas. They
were arrogant and intoxicated by power
and paid no heed to my advice. I tried to
intimidate them. Therein also I failed. I
was in wrath and showed them even myViswarupa. Even that failed to have aneffect. They persisted in wrongdoing.
They waged war and perished. O best
among brahmanas, you have no reason to
be angry with me."After this explanation of Krishna, Utanga
recovered his calm. Krishna was,delighted.
"I wish to give a boon to you. What would
you like?" said Krishna.
"Achchyuta," said Utanga, "is it notenough I have seen Thee and Thy Form
Universal? I do not desire any further
boon."
But Krishna insisted and the desert
wandering simple brahmana said: "Well,
my Lord, if you must give me some boon,
let me find water to drink whenever I
might feel thirsty. Give me this boon."
Krishna smiled. "Is this all? Have it then,"
he said, and proceeded on his journey.
One day Utanga was very thirsty and,
unable to find water anywhere in thedesert, he bethought himself of the boon
he had received.
As soon as be did this, a Nishada appeared
before him, clothed in filthy rags. He had
five hunting hounds in leash and a waterskin strapped to his shoulder.
The Nishada grinned at Utanga andsaying, "You seem to be thirsty. Here iswater for you," offered the bamboo spoutof his water-skin to the brahmana to drink
from.
Utanga, looking at the man and his dogs
and his water skin, said in disgust:"Friend, I do not need it, thank you."
Saying this, he thought of Krishna andreproached him in his mind: "Indeed, wasthis all the boon you gave me?"The outcaste Nishada pressed Utanga over
and over again to quench his thirst, but it
only made Utanga more and more angryand he refused to drink. The hunter andhis dogs disappeared.

Seeing the strange disappearance of the
Nishada, Utanga reflected: "Who wasthis? He could not have been a real
Nishada. It was certainly a test and I haveblundered miserably. My philosophy
deserted me. I rejected the water offeredby the Nishada and proved myself to be
an arrogant fool."
Utanga was in great anguish. A moment
later Madhava himself appeared withconch and discus. "O Purushottama!"
exclaimed Utanga; "you put me to adifficult trial. Was it right of you to try me
thus? Make an untouchable offer uncleanwater to me, a brahmana, to drink. Was
this kind?" asked Utanga. Utanga spoke inbitter tones.
Janardana smiled. "O Utanga, for yoursake, when you put my boon into action, I
asked Indra to take amrita to you and giveit to you as water. He said he could notgive to a mortal what would give him
immortality, while he was willing to do
anything else. But I prevailed upon him
and he agreed to take amrita and give it to
you as water, provided I let him do it as a
Chandala and tested your understanding
and found you willing to take water froma Chandala. I accepted the challenge
believing you had attained jnana andtranscended externals. But you have done
this and made me suffer defeat at Indra's
hands." Utanga saw his mistake and wasashamed.
101. A POUND OF FLOUR
WHEN Yudhishthira was crowned andinstalled as king after the Kurukshetra
battle, he performed an aswamedha yajna.
As was the custom on occasions of thisgreat horse sacrifice, all the princes of theland gathered on invitation and the yajna
was completed in great splendor. The
brahmanas and the poor and the destitutepeople, who had come in great numbers
from all parts of the country, received
bounteous gifts. Everything was done inmagnificent style and in conformity With
the injunctions relating to the sacrifice.
From somewhere unseen, a weasel
suddenly appeared right in the middle of
the assembled guests and priests in thegreat pavilion and, after rolling on the
ground laughed a loud human laugh as if
in derision. The priests were alarmed at
this strange and unnatural occurrence andwondered whether it was some evil spiritthat had come to pollute and disturb thesacred rites.
The weasel's body was on one side all
shining gold. This remarkable creatureturned round and took a good view of theassemblyofprincesandlearnedbrahmanas that had come from various
countries and gathered in that great
pavilion and began to speak:"Princes assembled and priests, listen tome. You no doubt believe that you havecompleted your yajna in splendid style.
Once upon a time, a poor brahmana who
lived in Kurukshetra made a gift of apound of maize flour. Your great horsesacrifice and all the gifts made in thatconnection are less than that small gift of
the Kurukshetra brahmana. You seem tothink too much of your yajna. Pray, be notso vain about it."
The gathering was amazed at this strange
and impertinent speech of the golden
weasel. The brahmana priests, who had
performed the sacrificial rites, went up to
the weasel and spoke to it:"Wherefrom and why have you come tothis yajna, performed by good and worthy
men? Who are you? Why do you utter
words of scorn about our sacrifice? This
aswamedha has been duly completed inevery detail in accordance with sastraic
injunctions. It is not proper that you
should speak derisively of our great
sacrifice. Everyone that has come to thisyajna has been duly attended to and has
been accorded suitable honors and gifts.

Everyone is pleased with the gifts andreturns happy and contented. The mantras
have been chanted perfectly and theoblations duly offered. The four castes arepleased. Why do you speak as you do? Do
explain yourself."
The weasel laughed again and said: "Obrahmanas, what I said is true. I do notgrudge the good fortune of kingYudhishthira or the good fortune of any ofyou. It is not envy that makes me say this.
The yajna, which you have just completed
so showily, is not in truth as great an act
as that gift of the poor brahmana, which I
have seen. And in reward for his gift, heand his wife, son and daughter-in-law
were immediately taken to swarga. Listen
to my story which is a true narrative ofwhat I saw myself. Long before you
waged your battle there, a brahmana, lived
in Kurukshetra, who obtained his daily
food by gleaning in the fields. He and his
wife, son and daughter-in-law, all four
lived in this manner. Everyday in theafternoon they would sit down and havetheir only meal for the day. On days when
they failed to find enough grain, theywould fast until the next afternoon. They
would not keep over any thing for the next
day if they got more than they required forthe day. This was the strict unchhavritti
discipline they had pledged themselves toobserve. They passed their days thus formany years, when a great drought cameand there was famine all over the land. All
cultivation ceased and there was neither
sowing nor harvesting nor any grain
scattered in the fields to be gleaned. For
many days the brahmana and his family
starved. One day, after wandering inhunger and heat, with great difficulty theycame home with a small quantity ofmaize, which they had gathered. They
ground it and after saying their prayers
they divided the flour into four equal parts
and, offering thanks to God, sat down

eagerly to eat. Just then, a brahmana
entered and he was exceedingly hungry.
Seeing an unexpected guest arrive, they
got up and made due obeisance and asked
him to join them. The pure-souled
brahmana and his wife and son anddaughter-in-law
were
exceedingly
delighted to have the good fortune ofreceiving guest at that juncture. 'Oh bestof brahmanas, I am a poor man. This flourof maize was obtained in accordance withdharma. Pray accept this. May blessings
attend on you,' said the brahmana of
Kurukshetra and gave his share of theflour to the guest. The guest ate it withavidity but he was still hungry when hehad finished. Seeing his hungry andunsatisfied look, the brahmana wasgrieved and did not know what to do,when his wife said: 'Lord, give my sharealso to him. I shall be glad if the guest's
hunger he satisfied.' Saying this, shehanded her share of the flour to herhusband to be given to the guest. 'Faithful
one,' said the brahmana, 'the beasts andthe birds and all the animals tend thefemales of their species with care. May
man do worse? I cannot accept yoursuggestion. What shall I gain in this or in
the other world if I leave you to starve andsuffer hunger, you who help me and serveme to do the sacred duties of ahouseholder's life? Beloved one, you are
now skin and bone and famished andexceedingly hungry. How can I leave you
to suffer in that condition and hope toattain any good by feeding the guest? No,
I cannot accept your offer.' 'You areversed in the sastras, best of brahmanas',
replied the wife. 'Is it not true that dharma,artha and all the objects of human activity
are to the common and equal benefit ofboth of us who have been joined together?
Do look on me with compassion and takemy share of the flour and satisfy therequirements of this our guest. You are

hungry as I am and you should not makeany distinction between us. I entreat you
not to deny my request.' The brahmana
yielded and took the wife's share and gave
it to the guest who took it greedily and ate
it. But he was still hungry! Great was the
distress of the poor brahmana of
Kurukshetra. His son, who saw this, cameforward. 'Father, here is my share,' said
he. 'Give it to this guest who seems to be
still hungry. I shall be indeed happy if weshall thus be able to fulfil our duty.' The
father's distress increased. 'Child!' heexclaimed, 'old men can stand starvation.
Youth's hunger is severe. I am not able tofind it in my heart to accept what you say.'
The son insisted: 'it is the duty of the son
to look after his father in his declining
years. The son is not different from thefather. Is it not said that the father is bornafresh in his son? My share of the flour is
yours in truth. I beg of you to accept what
I give and feed this hungry guest.' 'Dearboy, your nobility and your mastery overthe senses fill me with pride. Blessing onyou. I shall accept your share!' said thefather, and he took the son's flour andgave it to the guest to eat. The guest ate
the third part of the flour also but he wasstill hungry! The brahmana, who lived on
scattered grain, was confused. While he
was in distress, not knowing that to do, hisdaughter-in-law addressed him thus:'Lord, I shall give my share too and gladlycomplete our efforts to feed this guest. I
beg of you to accept it and bless me, yourchild, for, by that, I shall have eternal
good as my reward.' The father-in-law
was sad beyond measure. 'O girl of
spotless character, pale and emaciated as
you are from starvation, you propose togive your part of the food also to me, sothat I may earn merit by giving it to thisguest. If I accept your offer, I shall indeed
be guilty of cruelty. How could I possibly
look on when you wither in hunger?' Thegirl would not listen. 'Father, you are lordof my lord and master, preceptor of mypreceptor, god of my god. I implore you
to accept my flour. Is not this body ofmine dedicated wholly to serve my lord?
You should help me to attain the good. Do
take this flour, I entreat you.' Thus
implored by his daughter-in-law, thebrahmana accepted her share of the flourand blessed her saying: 'Loyal girl, may
every good be yours!' The guest received
this last portion avidly and ate it and was
satisfied. 'Blessed is your hospitality,
given with the purest intent and to theuttermost of your capacity. Your gift hasleased me. Lo there, the gods are
showering flowers in admiration of yourextraordinary sacrifice. See the gods andthe Gandharvas have come down in theirbright chariots with their attendants totake you with your family to the happy
regions above. Your gift has achieved
swarga for you, as well as for yourancestors.
Hungerdestroys
theunderstanding of men. It makes them goaside from the path of rectitude. It leads
them to evil thoughts. The pious, whensuffering the pangs of hunger, lose theirsteadfastness. But you have, even whenhungry, bravely set aside your attachment
to wife and son and placed dharma above
all else. Rajasuya sacrifices and horsesacrifices completed in splendor, would
pale into insignificance before the great
sacrifice you have done through thissingle act of hospitality. The chariot is
waiting for you. Enter and go to swarga,
you and your family.' Saying this themysterious guest disappeared."
Having related this story of the
Kurukshetra brahmana who lived bygleaning scattered ears of corn in the field,
the weasel continued:"I was nearby and caught the fragrance
wafted from that flour of the brahmana. It
made my head all gold. I then went androlled in joy on the ground where some of
the flour had been scattered. It made one
side of me into bright gold. I turned on theother side but there was no more flour left
and that part of me is still as it was.
Desirous of getting my body made allgold, I have been trying every place wheremen perform great yajnas and penances. I
heard that Yudhishthira of world fame
was performing a yajna and came here,
believing that this sacrifice might come up
to the standard. But I found it did not. So,
I said that your great aswamedha was not
so great as the loft of flour which thatbrahmana made to his guest." The weasel
then disappeared.
102. YUDHISHTHIRA RULES
MAN pursues madly the object of his
desire until it is got. When it is in his
possession, he is soon satisfied, but hebecomes the slave of ever-fresh longings
and fresh griefs and finds no peace.
Although to fight and to kill his enemies
is a Kshatriyas dharma, what joy can one
gets out of power and position and wealthacquired by slaughter and grief inflicted
on brothers and near relations? It was thisthat Arjuna pointed out in his powerfulplea before Krishna when the battle
commenced. Krishna in answer, explained
the principles of man's activities and theproper discharge of one's duties. But, what
Arjuna felt and argued had also a great
deal of force and there was more truth in it
than appeared on the surface.
The Pandavas defeated the Kauravas andbecame the unquestioned sovereigns of
the land. They took up their duties anddischarged them according to dharma.
But, they found not in victory, the joy thatthey had expected.
"When the Pandavas won and obtained
the kingdom, how did they treat
Dhritarashtra?" asked king Janamejaya,
and Vaisampayana, who recited Vyasa's
Mahabharata to the king, tells the story.

The Pandavas with the utmost respect
treated Dhritarashtra, who was plunged ina sea of grief. They tried to make him
happy. They did nothing to make him feel
humiliated. Yudhishthira issued no orders
except with his approval. Gandhari, whose
hundred sons had disappeared like dreamgold, was looked after by Kuntidevi withloving and sisterly devotion and Draupadi
dutifully ministered to them both, withequal respect.
Yudhishthirafurnished
Dhritarashtra's
house with rich seats and beds anddecorations and all else that was wanted.
He sent from the royal kitchen mostdainty and palatable dishes prepared forhim. Kripacharya, lived with Dhritarashtra
and kept him company. Vyasa comforted
him with instructive stories of olden
times, calculated to assuage his sorrow.
In the administration of affairs of theState,
Yudhishthiraconsulted
Dhritarashtra and conducted himself so as
to give him the feeling that in truth the
kingdom was ruled on his behalf and that
he, as the eldest member of the family,
was still the supreme authority.
Yudhishthira was most careful in his
speech, never to allow himself to sayanything to cause pain to the bereaved oldman. The princes, who came to
Hastinapura from all parts of the world,
gave Dhritarashtra the same honors; asthey did of old, as if he were still theemperor.
The women attendants gave Gandhari nooccasion to feel her fallen estate.
Yudhishthira had instructed his brothers
most strictly that nothing should be done
to cause the slightest pain to their uncle,
who had lost all his sons.
The brothers, with perhaps the exceptionof Bhima, followed this injunction
faithfully. Dhritarashtra too conducted
himself lovingly towards the Pandavas.
He showed no ill will towards them evenas they showed him no unkindness. The
Pandavas
behavedunexceptionably
towards their old uncle. After a time,
however, Bhima began on occasions togive cause for offence. He would
sometimes, in impatience, countermand
the old man's instructions. He would let
fall in Dhritarashtra's hearing words like"Those perverse cousins of ours havethemselves to thank for their destruction."
It was not possible for Bhima to forget or
forgive Duryodhana, Karna or Duhsasana.
Gandhari felt intensely grieved when she
noticed that Bhima uttered words, which
pained Dhritarashtra. She was, however, anoble and enlightened soul. Whenever she
felt pained at what Bhima said, she would
look at Kunti and find peace. For Kunti
was a veritable embodiment of dharma
and inspired forbearance. Fifteen years
passed in this manner.
103. DHRITARASHTRAFIFTEEN years passed under kingYudhishthira's
reign,
whenold
Dhritarashtra found himself utterly unable
any longer to bear the burden of grief.
Hurt by Bhima's occasional reproaches, hefound no heart to accept the courtesies andcomforts
providedunder
king
Yudhishthira's orders. Unknown to the
Pandavas, he secretly fasted andunderwent hard penances.
Gandhari too observed manifests andinflicted privation on her. And one day
Dhritarashtra sent for Dharmaputra andspoke to him thus:"Son, blessings on you. I have spent
fifteen happy years under your roof. You
have tended me most lovingly. I havemade gifts and offerings to ancestors andfulfilled all my desires in that respect.
Bereaved Gandhari, laying aside her own
grief, has ministered to my physical wants
all these years. My cruel sons, whocommitted
unforgivablewrong
toDraupadi and deprived you of your lawfulinheritance, perished on account of theirsins. But they fought like brave soldiersand died in the battlefield and have goneto the happy regions reserved for thebrave. The time has come when withGandhari I must do what has to be done
for our next state. You know what thesastras have lain down. I must now go to
the forest. These robes must be replacedby bark and tattered old clothes, suitable
for the life of Vanaprastha. I desire to go
and live in the forest, praying for yourgood. I want your permission for this. Letme follow the practice of our fathers. As
king, you will share in the fruits of mypenance."Yudhishthira received a shock when hesaw Dhritarashtra and heard him say this.
"I did not know," he said, "that you had
been fasting and sleeping on the bareground and mortifying your flesh in thismanner. My brothers too were unaware ofthis. I was misled into believing you were
well looked after and happy. Father, youhave suffered grief, for which there can be
no solace. I see no good in kingdom orpleasures. I am a sinner. Desire andambition deceived me into this. Let yourson Yuyutsu be king, or anyone else you
choose. Or if you will do so, you yourself
may take up the duties of king and lookafter the people. I shall go to the forest.
Let me terminate this chapter of error. I
implore you to save me from further
obloquy and burning shame. I am not theking. You are the king. You ask me for
permission to go. How then can I give or
refuse permission to you? Let me assure
you that my anger against Duryodhana isa thing of the past, gone without a trace.
Fate willed it and engulfed us all in
confusion of mind. And events happened
which were not in our control. We areyour children, even like Duryodhana andhis brothers. Gandhari and Kunti is alikemother to me and command equal regard

and filial affection from me, their child. If
you go away to the forest, I must go withyou and serve you there. If you retire to
the woods and leave me here, what joy
shall I have in kingship? I prostrate myself
before you and implore you to forgive theerrors we have been guilty of. Serving you
will give me true joy and peace of mind.
Give me that opportunity and privilege.
Do not desert me."
Dhritarashtra was deeply moved. But hesaid: "Kunti's beloved son, my mind isfixed on going to the forest and on
penance. I can find no peace otherwise
now. I have lived under your roof formany years. You and all your people have
served me with unstinted devotion. You
must permit me now to fulfil my wish andlet me go."Having thus spoken to Yudhishthira, whostood with clasped hands and tremblingwith agitation, Dhritarashtra turned toVidura and Kripacharya: "I beg of you to
comfort the king and make him grant myprayer. My mind is fixed on the forest. I
am unable to speak any more. I am feeling
dry in my throat. Perhaps, it is due to age.
I have talked too much. I am tired."
Saying this, he leaned helplessly on
Gandhari and swooned.
Yudhishthira was unable to bear this
distress of the grand old man, who had
possessed the sinews of an elephant andhad had strength enough to crush themetal figure of Bhima into powder.
How lean he had become now andemaciated, with his bones showing
through his skin, piteously leaning
senseless on Gandhari like one destitute.
"Have I caused all this?" he reproachedhimself. "Miserable and unworthy am I,
ignorantofdharma,devoidofintelligence. A curse on my learning!"
He sprinkled water on Dhritarashtra's faceand caressingly stroked him with his soft
hands.

When the old man recovered, he tenderly
clasped the Pandava to his bosom andmuttered: "My dear boy, how sweet isyour touch! I am happy."
Then Vyasa entered. When he was
acquainted with what had happened, hesaid to Yudhishthira:"Do what Dhritarashtra, eldest of theKurus, desires. Let him go to the forest.
He is old. All his sons have gone before
him. It is not possible for him much
longer to bear his grief. Gandhari, whom
God has blessed with enlightenment, hasborne her sorrows with courage. Do notstand in the way of their wishes. Let not
Dhritarashtra pine away and die here. Let
him go and live among the honeyladen
flowers of the forest and breathe theirfragrance, leaving the cares of the world
behind. The dharma of kings is to die inbattle or to spend their last days inretirement in the forest. Dhritarashtra has
ruled the kingdom and performed yajnas.
When you were in the wilderness for
thirteen years, he enjoyed the wide earth
through his son and gave bounteous gifts.
You left him nothing to desire. The time
has come for him to do penance. Let him
go with your hearty consent, and without
anger in his heart."
Dharmaraja said: "So be it!"
Then Vyasa returned to his hermitage.
104. THE PASSING AWAY OF THE
THREE
WHEN Yudhishthira at last gave his
consent for Dhritarashtra's retirement to
the forest, Dhritarashtra and Gandhari
went back to their residence and broke
their fast.
Kunti sat with Gandhari and they ate
together. Dhritarashtra asked Yudhishthirato sit by him and gave him his last
blessings.
Then the old man stepped out and, withhis hand resting on Gandhari's shoulder,

slowly walked out of the city on his
journey to the forest.
Gandhari, who, because her lord andhusband was blind, gave up the use of hereyes and wrapped her face with a cloth all
her life, placed her hand on Kunti's
shoulder and slowly walked along, thus
guided.
Kunti had decided in her mind to go withGandhari to the forest. As she walked on,
she was speaking to Yudhishthira: "Son,do not ever let your speech be angry when
you speak to Sahadeva. Remember withlove Karna who died a hero's death on thebattlefield. He was my son, but I
committed the crime of not disclosing it toyou. Look after Draupadi with unfailingtenderness. Do not ever give cause forgrief to Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and
Sahadeva. Keep this ever in mind, son.
The burden of the family is now whollyon you."Dharmaputra had till then believed that
Kunti was accompanying Gandhari only
for a distance to say goodbye. When heheard her speak thus, he was taken abackand was speechless for a few minutes.
When he recovered from the shock hesaid: "Mother, not thus! You blessed us
and sent us to battle. It is not right you
should now desert us and go to the forest."
Yudhishthira's entreaties were however of
no avail. Kunti held to her purpose.
"I must join my lord and husband
wherever he be now. I shall be withGandhari and go through the discipline offorest life and soon join your father. Go
back unagitated. Return to the city. May
your mind ever stand steady on dharma."
Thus did Kunti bless her illustrious sonand depart.
Yudhishthira stood speechless. Kunti wenton her way, looking back occasionally at
him and her other sons.
Each with hand on the shoulder of theother, this picture of the three elders of thetribe wending their way to the forest,
leaving their sons behind, is painted by
the poet so vividly that it fills the reader
with solemn grief, as if the parting
happened in his own family now.
Dhritarashtra, Gandhari and Kunti spent
three years in the forest. Sanjaya was withthem. When one day, Dhritarashtra
finished his ablutions and returned to their
hermitage, the forest had caught fire.
The wind blew and the flames spread
everywhere. The deer and the wild boars
ran in herds hither and thither, and rushedmadly to the pools.
Dhritarashtra told Sanjaya: "This fire willenvelop us all. You had better saveyourself."
Saying this, the blind old king, Gandhariwith her eves blindfolded and Kunti sat
down on the ground, the three of them,facing eastwards in yoga posture andcalmly gave themselves up to the flames.
Sanjaya, who had been to the blind king,throughout all his days, his only light andwas dear to him like life itself, spent therest of his days in the Himalayas as asanyasin.
105. KRISHNA PASSES AWAYKRISHNA ruled at Dwaraka for thirty-six
years after the Kurukshetra battle wasover. The Vrishnis, the Bhopas and otherbranches of the Yadavas belonging to
Krishna's tribe spent their days inunrestrained self-indulgence and luxury.
They lost all sense of discipline andhumility.
Once, some rishis came to Dwaraka. The
arrogant and irreverent Yadavas mocked
these rishis with a practical joke. They
dressed up one of their young men like awoman and, presenting him to the revered
guests, said: "O ye learned men, tell us
whether this lady will have a boy or agirl."The rishis saw through the irreverent joke
and said in anger: "This person will givebirth to a mace, not a boy or a girl and thatmace will prove to be Yama to your tribeand destroy you all." The rishis departed
after pronouncing this curse.
The foolish Yadavas were rather
perturbed at this unpleasant ending ofwhat they had thought was a good joke.
Next day, they were in consternation to
see that Samba, the man who had been
dressed up in female clothes, developedlabor pains and lo and behold, gave birth
to a mace! This filled them with terror
because they felt that their end was nearas the rishis had cursed.
They deliberated long and finally groundthe mace to fine powder, which theyscattered in the sea, and thought they, had
thus disposed of the danger.
Nothing happened for some time. Seasonspassed. The rains came and on the beach,near where they had strewn the fine dustof the awful club, there sprang up a dense,
crop of rushes.
When the Yadavas saw this, they werecurious and amused, for they had
forgotten all about the curse of the revered
guests.
One day, long after, the Yadavas went tothe beach for a picnic and spent the whole
day in dance and drink and revelry. The
liquor began to work.
At first merry, then pugnacious, they
began to talk without restrain, raking up
old offences and quarrelling, on slightcause with one another. Among the
Yadavas, Kritavarma had fought on theside of the Kauravas and Satyaki on thatof the Pandavas.
"Would any Kshatriya attack and killsleeping soldiers, O Kritavarma? You
have brought a great and lasting disgraceon our tribe," said Satyaki, taunting
Kritavarma, and a number of drunken
Yadavas applauded the attack. Kritavarma
could not bear the insult.

"Like a butcher, you slaughtered the great
Bhurisravas when seated in yoga after his
right hand was cut off and you, coward,
dare to taunt me," he exclaimed and anumber of the revelers joined him andbegan to scoff at Satyaki for his barbarous
deed.
Soon, all the Yadavas were in the quarrel
on one side or the other and presently
from words they came to blows, which
swiftly developed into a free fight.
Satyaki, with his sword drawn, sprang
upon Kritavarma and cut his head off,
exclaiming: "Here is the end of the
coward who killed sleeping soldiers! "Others immediately fell upon Satyaki with
their drinking bowls and pots andanything they could lay hands upon.
Pradyumna, Krishna's son, joined the frayto rescue Satyaki and there was adesperate melee in which both Satyaki
and Pradyumna were killed.
Krishna knew that the destined hour wascome, and plucking the tall rushes, whichfringed the beach, laid about him withthem indiscriminately.
This led to every one of the Yadavas
doing the same and there was great
indiscriminate slaughter. The rishis' curse
had begun to work.
The rushes that had grown out of the mace
became each one of them a mace as it wasplucked by the doomed men in their
unreasonable fury. They used them on one
another with deadly effect and soon all ofthem were destroyed in this drunken
brawl.
Balarama, who was seeing all this, wasoverwhelmed with shame and disgust andsank to the ground. He gave up his life as
he lay in a yoga trance. Balarama passed
away into the ocean in a stream of light,
which issued from his forehead like asilver serpent. Thus ended the avatar of
Narayana in Balarama.

Krishna saw all his people thus destroy
themselves as predestined. When he saw
the passing of Balarama, he roamed about
in deep meditation in the wilderness,pondering on the completion of his avatar.
"The time has come for me to go," he said
to himself and, lying on the ground fell
asleep.
In that wooded beach, a hunter, prowlingfor game, saw Vasudeva lying on the
ground among the shrubs. From a
distance, the hunter mistook Krishna for awild animal resting on the ground.
He bent his bow and shot an arrow at theprostrate figure which, piercing his foot in
the insteep, went full through his body.
Thus did the great Vasudeva depart fromthe world of men.
106. YUDHISHTHIRA'S FINALTRIAL
To Hastinapura came the sad tidings ofthe death of Vasudeva and the destructionof the Yadavas. When the Pandavas
received the news, they lost all remaining
attachment to life on earth.
TheycrownedParikshit,sonofAbhimanyu, as emperor and the fivebrothers left the city with Draupadi. They
went out on a pilgrimage, visiting holy
places and finally reached the Himalayas.
A dog joined them somewhere and kept
them company all along. And the seven ofthem climbed the mountain on their lastpilgrimage. As they toiled up themountain path one by one fell exhausted
and died.
The youngest succumbed first. Draupadi,
Sahadeva and Nakula were released fromthe burden of the flesh one after another.
Then followed Arjuna and then great
Bhima too.
Yudhishthira saw his dear ones fall anddie. Yet, serenely he went on not giving
way to grief, for the light of Truth burnedbright before him. Yudhishthira knew

what was shadow and what was
substance.
The dog still followed Yudhishthira. The
lesson enforced by the poet in this episodeof the dog is that dharma is the only
constant companion in life's journey.
It was dharma who, in the shape of thedog, followed Yudhishthira up thewearisome mountain path, when his
brothers and wife had gone leaving him
alone.
Finally, when he reached a great height,
Indra appeared in his chariot.
"Your brothers and Draupadi have arrived
before you. You have lagged behind,burdened with your body. Ascend mychariot and go with me in the flesh. I havecome to take you," said Indra. But when
Yudhishthira went up to take his seat inIndra's chariot, the dog also climbed up.
"No, no," said Indra. "There is no placefor dogs in swarga," and pushed the dog
away.
"Then there is no room for me either,"said Yudhishthira, and refused to enter theheavenly chariot if he had to leave his
faithful companion behind.
Dharma had come to test Yudhishthira's
loyalty and he was pleased with his son's
conduct. The dog vanished from sight.
Yudhishthira reached swarga. There, hesaw Duryodhana.
The Kuru prince was seated on a beautiful
throne and he shone with the splendor of
the sun and around him stood in
attendance the goddess of heroism andother angels. He did not see his brothers
or anyone else. Yudhishthira wasastonished.
"Where are my brothers, ye denizens ofswarga?" asked Yudhishthira. "This manof greed, of limited vision, is here. I do
not care to spend my time in his company.
We were driven by this man's envy andspite to kill friends and relatives. We
stood tied by dharma to inaction when,

before our eyes, innocent Panchali, united
to us in sacred wedlock, was dragged to
the Hall of the Assembly and insulted
under the orders of this wicked man. I
cannot bear the sight of this man. Tell me,
where are my brothers? I wish to go
where they are." Saying this Yudhishthira
averted his eyes from where Duryodhana
was seated in glory.
Then Narada, the heavenly rishi ofencyclopedic
knowledge,
smileddisapprovingly at Yudhishthira and said:"Renowned prince, this is not right. In
swarga, we harbor no ill will. Do not
speak in this manner about Duryodhana.
The brave Duryodhana has attained his
present state by force of kshatriya dharma.
It is not right to let the things of the flesh
stay in the mind and breed ill will. Do
follow the law and stay here with kingDuryodhana. There is no place in swarga
for hatred. You have arrived here withyour human body; so it is that you havethese inappropriate feelings. Discard
them, son!"Yudhishthira replied:"O sage, Duryodhana, who did not know
right from wrong, who was a sinner, whocaused suffering to good men, who fed
enmity and anger and who brought death
to countless men, has attained this swargaof warriors. Where is that region ofgreater glory, which must be the abode of
my brave and good brothers andDraupadi? I am eager to see them and
Karna, and also all the friends and princes
who gave up their lives in battle for me. I
do not see them here. I desire to meetagain Virata, Drupada, Dhrishtaketu andSikhandin, the Panchala prince. I long to
see the dear sons of Draupadi and
Abhimanyu. I do not see them here.
Where are they, who threw their bodies
into the blazing fire of battle for my sake,like ghee in the sacrifice? I do not see anyof them here. Where are they all? Myplace must be among them. At the close of
the battle, my mother Kunti wanted me tooffer libations for Karna also. When I
think of it, even now, grief overwhelms
me. In ignorance of his being my own
blood brother, I caused Karna to be slain.
I am eager to see him. Bhima, dearer tome than life, Arjuna, who was like Indra
him self, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva
and our dear Panchali, steadfast in
dharma, I long to see and be with them all.
I do not wish to be in heaven, for what
good is it for me to be here, away frommy brothers? Wherever they may be, thatme is swarga; not this place!"
The angels, who heard this, replied:"O Yudhishthira, if you indeed desire to
be with them, by all means, you may go atonce. There is no need to delay," and theyordered an attendant to take Yudhishthira.
So, the messenger proceeded in front andYudhishthira followed him. As they went
along, it soon became dark and in thegathering gloom could be dimly seen
things weird and revolting.
He waded through slippery slime of bloodand offal. The path was strewn withcarrion and bones and dead men's hair.
Worms were wriggling everywhere andthere was an insufferable stench in the air.
He
sawmutilated
humanbodieseverywhere.
Yudhishthira was horrified and confused.
A thousand thoughts tortured his mind as
he proceeded.
"How far have we to go yet on this road?
Where indeed are my brothers? Tell me,
my friend," he enquired of the messenger
in deep anguish.
The messenger quietly replied: "If you sodesire, we may turn back." The foul odorsof the place were so sickening that for a
moment Yudhishthira was minded to go
back.
But just then, as if divining his intention,vaguely familiar voices rose all around inloud lamentation. "O Dharmaputra, do not
go back! Stay here for a few minutes atleast. Your presence has given us
momentary relief from torture. As you
came, you have brought with you a whiffof air so sweet and pure that we havefound a little relief in our agony. Son of
Kunti, the very sight of you gives us
comfort and mitigates our suffering. O
stay, be it for ever so short a time. Do not
go back. While you are here, we enjoy a
respite in our torture." Thus the voices
pleaded.
Hearing the loud lamentations that thus
came from all around him, Yudhishthirastoodinpainfulbewilderment.
Overwhelmed with pity at the poignant
anguish in faintly remembered voices, heexclaimed:"Alas wretched souls! Who are ye thatlament like this? Why are you here?""Lord, I am Karna," said a voice.
"I am Bhima," said another.
"I am Arjuna," cried a third voice.
"Draupadi," cried another voice in piteoustone.
"I am Nakula," "I am Sahadeva," "We are
Draupadi's sons," and so on, camemournful voices from all around, till theaccumulated pain was more that
Yudhishthira could bear.
"What sin indeed have these been guiltyof?" cried he. "Dhritarashtra's son
Duryodhana, what good deeds did he do
to sit like Mahendra in heaven, whilethese are in hell? Am I dreaming or am I
awake? Is my mind deranged? Have I
gone crazy?"
Overwhelmed by anger, Yudhishthiracursed the gods and denounced dharma.
He turned to the angel attendant and said
sharply: "Go back to your masters. I shallstay here where my dear brothers, for noother sin than devotion to me, areconsigned to the tortures of hell. Let me
be with them."

The messenger went back and conveyed
to Indra what Yudhishthira had said.
Thus passed the thirteenth part of a day.
Then Indra and Yama appeared before
Yudhishthira where he stood in anguish.
When they came, the darkness rolledaway and the horrid sights disappeared.
The sinners and their suffering were no
more to be seen. A fragrant breeze blew as
Yama, the god of dharma, smiled on his
son Yudhishthira.
"Wisest of men, this is the third time I
have tested you. You chose to remain inhell for the sake of your brothers. It is
inevitable that kings and rulers must go
through hell if only for a while. So it wasthat for the thirtieth part of a day you too
were doomed to suffer the pangs of hell.
Neithertheillustrious
Savyasachi(Arjuna) nor your beloved brother Bhima
is really in hell. Nor Karna the just, nor
anyone else who you thought had been
consigned to suffering. It was an illusion
designed to test you. This is not hell, butswarga. Do you not see there Narada
whose travels cover the three worlds?
Cease grieving."
Thus said Yama to Dharmaputra, who,
thereupon, was transfigured. The mortal
frame was gone and he was a god. With
the disappearance of the human body, also
disappeared all trace of anger and hatred.
Then Yudhishthira saw their Karna and all
his brothers and the sons of Dhritarashtra
also, serene and free from anger, allhaving attained the state of the gods. In
this reunion, Yudhishthira at last foundpeace and real happiness.

GLOSSARY
Abhimanyu : Son of Arjuna and Subhadra
who was married to Uttara, daughter ofKing Virata.
Acharya : Teacher or Guru.
Achuta : A synonym of Sri Krishna.
Adhiratha : Karna's foster-father.
Agastya : A great sage whose life-story
the Pandavas learnt while on pilgrimage
to holy places is wife Lopamudra wasequally a great sage in her own right.
Agnihotra : A sacrifice to God Agni.
Airavata : Indra's elephant.
Ajatasatru : Having no enemy, friend of
all born things, an epithet of Yudhishthira.
Akshayapatra : A wonderful vessel given
to Yudhishthira by the Sun god which
held a never-failing supply of food.
Alambasa : A Rakshasa friend of
Duryodhana who had joined his forces but
Satyaki compelled him to flee from thebattlefield.
Amrit : Ambrosia, the food of the gods,
which makes the partaker immortal.
Anga : Mlechchha kings, a Kaurava
supporter.
Arani : An upper and a lower piece ofwood used for producing fire by attrition.
Artha (Wealth) : one of the objects ofhuman life, the others being Dharma,(righteous- ness), Kama (satisfaction ofdesires), Moksha (spiritual salvation).
Arundhati : Wife of sage Vasishtha.
Ashtavakra : A towering scholar whilestill in his teens.
Asita : A sage who held that gambling
was ruinous and should be avoided by all
wise people.
Asmaka : A Kaurava warrior who
attacked Abhimanyu.
Astra : A missile charged with power bya holy incantation.
Aswamedha Yajna : A horse sacrifice.

Aswathama : Son of Dronacharya andlast supreme commander of the Kaurava
force.
Bahlika, Dasharna, : States the kings ofwhich were Kalinga, Magadha, friendly to
the Pandavas, Matsya, Panchala, Salva
Baladev : Balarama, elder brother of SriKrishna.
Balarama : Elder brother of Sri Krishna.
Balarama : An avatar or incarnation of
Adisesha the thousand-hooded serpent on
which Lord Mahavishnu reclines in
Vaikuntha.
Bakasura : A voracious, cruel and terribly
strong Rakshasa or demon who lived in acave near the city of Ekachakrapura
whom Bhima killed to the great relief ofthe citizens.
Bhagadatta : King of Pragjyotisha, a
Kaurava ally.
Bhagawan : Form of address to Gods andgreat rishis, example- Bhagawan SriKrishna, Narada, Vyasa.
Bharata : Son of Kaikeyi and King
Dashratha, stepbrother of Rama, who was
exceptionally devoted to and loved Rama.
Bharadwaja : A rishi, father of
Yavakrida.
Brahma : Creator of the universe.
Brahmastra : A divine weapon,
irresistible, one given by Lord Brahma
himself.
Brahmacharin : A religious student,
unmarried, who lives with his spiritual
guide, devoted to study and service.
Brahmacharya : Celibacy, chastity; thestage of life of Vedic study in whichchastity and service are essential.
Brihadaswa : A great sage who visitedthe Pandavas in their forest hermitage andreminded them of King Nala of Nishadha
who also lost his kingdom in the game ofdice and who deserted his wife Damayanti
because of a curse but ultimately regainedboth,Brihadratha : Commander of three
regiments reigned over Magadha andattained celebrity as a great hero, married
the twin daughters of the Raja of Kasi. His
two wives ate each half of a mango given
by sage Kausika and begot half a childeach. A Rakshasi recovered the two
portions from a dustbin wherein they werethrown and when they accidentally came
together, they became a chubby baby,
which she presented to the king, saying it
was his child, which later became known
as Jarasandha.
Brihadyumna : A King, a disciple of sage
Raibhya.
Brihannola : Name assumed by Arjuna
while living at Virata's court in incognito.
Brihatbala : A daring warrior who
charged at Abhimanyu caught in the
Kaurava army's net.
Bhima : The second Pandava brother who
excelled in physical prowess as he wasborn of the wind-god.
Bhishmaka : King of Vidarbha, father ofRukmini and Rukma.
Bhishma : The old grandsire to whosecare were committed the five Pandavas by
the rishis when the eldest Yudhishthiraattained the age of sixteen for their proper
upbringing including mastery of the
Vedas, Vedanta and various arts
especially those pertaining to theKshatriyas. Later he intervened but
without success to bring about peace andunderstanding between the Kauravas andthe Pandavas who ruled separately from
Hastinapura and Indraprastha
respectively. He was the eighth child ofKing Santanu and Ganga. Appointed
supreme commander of the Kaurava
armies.
Bhojas : A branch of the Yadava clan
belonging to Krishna's tribe.
Bhuminjaya : Another name of prince
Uttara son of Virata who had proceeded tofight the Kaurava armies, with Brihannala
as his charioteer.
Burisrwas : One of the powerful kings on
the side of the Kauravas.
Bibhatsu : One of Arjuna's name meaninga hater of unworthy acts.
Chala : A Kaurava warrior.
Chandala : A person of a degraded caste,
whose conduct was much below standard
and whose cause pollution.
Charachitra : A son of King Dhritarashtra
who perished in the war
Chavadi : Place of public assembly of thevillage. It is the property of the entire
community. In it all public business istransacted, and it serves also as the village
club the headquarters of the village policeand guest house for travellers.
Chekitana : Head of one division of the
Pandava army.
Chitra : A son of Dhritarashtra killed in
the war.
Chitraksha : One of the many sons ofKing Dhritarashtra who fell in the war
Chitrasena : King of the Gandharvas who
prevented the Kauravas from putting up
their camp near the pond where hehimself had encamped.
Chitrayudha : A Kaurava prince who laid
down his life in the war.
Chitravarma : A brother of Duryodhana
who was killed in the war
Chitrangada : Elder son of Santanu bornof Matsyagandhi (Satyavati) who
succeeded his father on the throne ofHastinapura.
Chitrasena : A Kaurava warrior.
Daruka : Sri Krishna's charioteer.
Dasaratha : King of Ayodhya and Rama's
father.
Darshana : A country whose kingattacked Bhagadatta's elephant in an effort
to save Bhima.
Devadatta : Name of Arjuna's conch.
Devaki : Mother of Sri Krishna.

Devata : A sage who condemned thegame of dice as an evil form of gamblingand declared it unfit as entertainment forgood people, as it usually offered scopefor deceit and dishonesty.
Devavrata : The eighth child of Santanu
and Ganga who in time mastered the art
yielding arms and learned the Vedas andVedanta as also the sciences known to
Sukra was crowned Yuvaraja (heirapparent), but later vowed to celibacy andwas known as Bhishma.
Devayani : The beautiful daughter of
Sukracharaya, preceptor of the demons,
who fell in love with Kacha, son of
Brihaspati, preceptor of the Devas.
Devendra : King of the Gods.
Dharma : Righteous course of conduct.
Dharmagranthi : Assumed named of
Nakula at Virata's court.
Dharmananda :The delighted of Dharma,a name of Yudhishthira, the son of
Dharma or Yama.
Dharmavyadha : He possessed the secretof good life and lived in the city ofMithila. He was a meat-seller.
Dhananjaya : One of the names of
Arjuna.
Dhanusaksha : A great sage whom
Medhavi, son of sage Baladhi, once
insulted. He took the form of a bull andbutted at that mountain and broke it topieces. Then Medhavi fell down dead.
Dhaumya : Preceptor of the Pandavas,
who accompanied them during their exile
to the Kurijangala forest, singing Samahymns addressed to Yama, Lord of Death.
Dhrishtadyumna : Supreme commander of
the Pandava forces eldest brother ofDraupadi.
Dhrishtaketu : A kinsman of the
Pandavas.
Dhritarashtra : Elder son of Vichitravirya
and Ambika, born blind, father of
Duryodhana.

Dharmaputra : The son of Yama, epithetof Yudhishthira.
Dhartarashtras : Sons of Dhritarashtra
Draupadi : Daughter of King Drupada,King of Panchala, who married all the five
Pandavas though Arjuna had won her in
the Swayamvara, because of the vow thatthey would share everything in common.
Drona : Son of a Brahmana named
Bharadwaja; married a sister of Kripa anda son Aswathama was born to them; learnt
military art from Parasurama, the maser.
Later he became the instructor to of theKaurava and Pandava princes in the use ofarms.
Drupada : King of Panchala, father ofDraupadi who became the wife of the
Pandavas
Duhsasana : Duryodhana's brother who
dragged Draupadi to the hall of assembly
pulling her by her hair.
Durdhara : A son of Dhritarashtra killed
by Bhima in the war.
Durjaya : A brother of Duryodhana who
was sent to attack Bhima, to save Karna's
life but lost his own.
Durmarsha : A son of Dhritarashtra killed
by Bhima.
Durmata : A son of Dhritarashtra who got
killed by Bhima.
Durmukha : A chariot-borne warrior on
the Kaurava side.
Durvasa : A sage known for his anger
who visited the Kauravas.
Durvishaha : A warrior fighting on the
Kaurava side.
Dushkarma : A warrior belonging to the
Kaurava side.
Dussaha : A son of Dhritarashtra killed
by Bhima.
Dwaitayana : A forest where theKaurava, cows were being bred andhoused.
Ganapati : Amanuensis of Vvasa who
agreed to write down without pause orhesitation the story of the Mahabharata
dictated by Vyasa.
Gandhari : Dhritarashtra's wife and queen
mother of the Kauravas.
Gandharvas : A class of celestial beings
regarded as specialists in music.
Gandiva : Arjuna's most potent bow.
Gangadwara : A place where sage
Agastya and his wife performed penance.
Ghalotkacha : Son of Bhima fromdemoness Hidimba.
Govinda : One of the epithets of SriKrishna and Vishnu; it means a cowkeeper and refers to Krishna's occupationin Gokula, the colony of cowherds.
Guru : Revered preceptor, teacher.
Hamsa, Hidimbaka, Kamsa. : Allies ofKing Jarasandha; the last married the two
daughters of Jarasandha. Also Krishna's
step-uncle whom Krishna killed.
Halayudha : Plough-weaponed, an epithetof Balarama who wielded a plough as his
weapon.
Hanuman : Wise and learned monkey
devotee of Sri Rama, who possessed
extraordinary powers of discrimination
and wisdom and who searched and foundSita in her confinement in Lanka.
Hastinapura : Capital city of the Kauravas.
Hrishikesha : Krishna.
Ilvala : This demon and his brother Vatapi
hated brahmanas implacably. Ilvala would
invite a brahman to a feast at which hewould serve the meat of the goat into
which his brother had turned he. After the
brahmin had partaken of the feast hewould call his brother out who would rend
his way back to life, tearing the belly of
the guest.
Indra : King of the Gods.
Indrajit : Son of Ravana, King of Lanka,
who conquered Indra, the Lord of Gods
and who was killed by Rama's brother
Lakshmana.
Indrasena : A kinsman of the Pandavas.

Indrakila : A mountain Arjuna passed on
his way to the Himalayas to practise
austerities to acquire powerful new
weapons from Lord Mahadeva.
Iravan : Arjuna's son by a Naga wife who
fell in the battle on the eighth day.
Janaka : King of Mithila, a great
Rajarishi; father of Sita, wife of Sri Rama.
Janamejaya : A king who conducted agreat sacrifice for the well being of thehuman race.
Janardana : A name of Krishna
Jarasandha : Mighty king of Magadha ofwhose prowess all Kshatriyas were afraid.
Killed by Bhima in a thirteen-day nonstop physical combat: with Sri Krishna
and Arjuna as witnesses.
Jarita, Laputa : Female companions of asaranga bird, who was a rishi named
Mandapala in his previous birth when he
was refused admission to heaven be cause
he was childless.
Jalasura : A demon killed by Bhima.
Jaya : A son of King Dhritarashtra who
was killed by Bhima in the war
Jayadratha : A warrior on the side of
Kauravas who closed the breach effected
by Abhimanyu in the Chakravyuha
military formation by Dronacharya andtrapped him inside.
Jayatsena : A kinsman of the Pandavas.
Jayatsena : A warrior fighting on the sideof Kauravas.
Jnana : Knowledge of the eternal and real
Kacha : Grandson of sage Angiras andson of Brihaspati, who went to seek
knowledge under Sukracharya as abrahmacharin. Devayani, the preceptor's
lovely daughter, fell in love with him. The
Asuras (demons) suspecting him ofwanting to steal the secret of reviving thedead, killed him a number of times. But
due to Devayani's love for him, her father
brought him back to life every time he
was killed. Ultimately the secret waslearnt by the devas who then succeeded in
defeating the asuras.
Kagola : A disciple of the great sage andteacher of Vedanta, Uddalaka.
Kambojas : Enemies of the Kauravas
whom Karna had defeatedKamsa : Maternal Uncle of Sri Krishna
and son of Ugrasena, also son-in-law of
Jarasandha, whom Sri Krishna killed.
Kanika : Minister of Sakuni.
Kanka : Assumed name of Yudhishthira at
Virata's court.
Kausikam : A sage who learnt from
Dharmavyadha the secret of Dharma, ofperforming one's duty.
Karna : A matchless warrior, son of the
Sun god and Kunti. Disciple of
Parasurama. Also son of Radha, his
foster-mother, and was known as
Radheya.
Kartavirya : A great warrior who defeatedRavana, King of Lanka.
Kartikeya : Commander of the armies ofthe devas.
Kekaya : A brave warrior on the Pandava
side into whose chariot Bhima got during
the fighting on the sixth day.
Kesava : One of the names of Sri Krishna.
Ketama : Another chief whose head was
cut off by Drona.
Khandavaprastha : The ancient capitalfrom where the ancestors of Pandavas,
Nahusha and Yayati ruled. The Pandavas
rebuilt the ruined city and erected palaces
and forts and renamed it Indraprastha.
Kichaka : Sudeshna's brother,commander-in-chief of Virata's army, who
made advances to Sairandhri (Draupadi).
He was invited to meet her at night at theladies dancing hall and was met instead by
Valala (Bhima) dressed up as a female
who killed him (Kichaka).
Kripacharya : Aswathama's uncle who
advocated a combined assault on Arjuna
in battle as against Karna's boast that hecould take him on single-handed.

Krishna-Dwaipayana : Sage Vyasa.
Krauncha : Curlew-heron.
Krauncha-Vyuha : military formation on apattern supposed to resemble a heron withoutstretched beak and spreading wings. In
ancient Indian practice, armies werearrayed for battle in formations of definite
patterns, each of which had a name suchas Chakra, or Kurma or Krauncha, or
Makara according to a real or fanciedresemblance.
Kritavarma : A notable Yadava warrior
fighting on the side of Kaurava forces.
Kshatradharma : A great warrior on theside of Pandavas.
Kuchasthala : A city where Krishna
stayed the night on his way to the court of
Dhritarashtra.
Kumbhakarna : Brother of Ravana, Kingof Lanka, who was asleep most of thetime because of the curse of Brahma.
Kundinapura : Capital of Vidarbha.
Kunti : She was the daughter of Sura andwas known as Pritha. She was given in
adoption to the king's childless cousin
Kuntibhoja and was named Kunti after her
adoptive father. Sage Durvasa, whom she
had served while he was a guest at her
father's house, gave her a divine mantra
which when repeated would give her a sonfrom any god whom she would call upon.
Out of childish curiosity, she invoked the
Sun god by repeating the Mantra and thenshe gave birth to a son born with divinearmor and earrings. Ashamed, she placed
the child in a sealed box and set it afloat
on a river. The box was picked up by achildless charioteer and brought up as his
own and became known as Karna. Later,
Kunti chose Pandu as her husband at a
Swayamvara.
Kunti-Madri : Queens of King Pandu
who gave birth to three and two sonsknown as the Pandavas in the forest where
he spent many years for having committed
some sin. The sons were known asYudhishthira, Bhima. Arjuna, Nakula, and
Sahadeva.
Kurma : Tortoise.
Lakshmana : Younger step-brother ofRama and son of Sumitra and King
Dasaratha. Duryodhana's gallant young
son also bore this name.
Lomasa : A brahmana sage who advised
the Pandavas to reduce their retinue while
repairing to the forest. Those unable tobear the hardships of exile were free to go
to the court of Dhritarashtra or Drupada,king of Panchala. He accompanied
Yudhishthira on his wanderings.
Lopamudra : Daughter of the king ofVidarbha who married the sage Agastya.
Lord Narayana : Refuge of men;
Mahavishnu.
Madhava : One of the names of Krishna.
It means the Lord of Lakshmi.
Madhusudana : Another name of Krishna,
the slayer of the asura Madhu.
Mahavishnu : Lord of the Universe who
took human birth in order to wrest his
kingdom from Emperor Bali for thesalvation of the world. Lord Vishnu also
took birth as Rama, son of Dasaratha, tokill Ravana, King of Lanka.
Mahendra : A King who had attained
heaven.
Maitreya : A sage who visited the court of
Dhritarashtra, expressed sorrow at the
Pandava's plight, advised Duryodhana not
to injure the Pandavas for his own good.
Mantra : An incantation with words ofpower.
Manasarovar : A sacred lake in the
Himalayas
Mandavya : A sage wrongly punished by
the king by being impaled as the chief ofrobbers who had clandestinely hidden
their stolen goods in a corner of his
hermitage when he was in deep
contemplation. Lord Dharma gave him
this punishment for having tortured birds
and bees in his childhood. At thisMandavya cursed Dharma who was born
as Vidura, the wise, to the servant maid of
Ambalika, wife of King Vichitravirya,
who offered her to Sage Vyasa in place of
Ambalika.
Maricha : A character in the Ramayan,
uncle of Ravana who transformed him self
into a golden deer at the behest of Ravana
to entice Sita.
Markandeya : A sage who told
Yudhishthira the story of a brahmana,
Kausika.
Marutta : A king of the Ikshwaku dynasty
whose sacrifice was performed by
Samvarta in defiance of Indra andBrihaspati.
Matali : Charioteer of Indra who took
Arjuna to the kingdom of gods.
Medhavi : Son of Sage Baladhi who
desired that his son should live as long asa certain mountain lasted.
Meru : An ancient mountain. Becoming
jealous of Meru, the Vindya began togrow very high obstructing the sun, themoon and the planets. Agastya whom theVindhya mountain respected asked it tostop growing until he crossed it on his
way to the south and returned to the northagain. But he did not return at all, having
settled in the south.
Nahusha : A mighty king who was madeking of the gods because Indra had
disappeared due to his killing Vritra
through sin and deceit.
Nakula : Fourth brother of the Pandavas.
Nala : King of Nishadha who lost his
kingdom in a game of dice and deserted
his wife Damayanti because of a curse.
Nandini : Vasishtha's divinely beautiful
cow.
Nara : Arjuna or Dhananjaya.
Narada : The sage who suddenly appeared
before Dhritarashtra and Vidura as thelatter was describing the departure of the
Pandavas to the forest and uttered aprophecy that after fourteen years theKauravas would be extinct as a result of
Duryodhana's crimes and vanished assuddenly.
Narayana : Sri Krishna or Krishna;
Vishnu.
Narayanas : Krishna's kinsmen.
Narayanasrama : A charming forest where
the Pandavas had halted during theirwanderings.
Nishadha : A country where Indra, Lordof the gods had lived once disguised as abrahmana.
Nishada : An aboriginal hunter
orfisherman: a man of low or degradedtribe in general; an outcaste.
Panchajanya : Name of Krishna's conch.
Palasa : Butea frondosa, "flame of theforest".
Panchali : Another name of Draupadi
Queen of the Pandavas and daughter ofKing Drupada.
Panchalya : A son of King Drupada whodied in the war.
Pandu : Second son of Vichitravirya andAmbalika who succeeded to the throne ofHastinapura on his father's death, as hiselder brother Dhritarashtra was born
blind, father of the Pandavas.
Parasara : A great sage, father of Veda
Vvasa.
Paravasu : Son of Raibhva and elder
brother of Arvavasu whose wife wasviolated by Yavakrida, who was killedwith a spear by a fiend for his sin.
Parikshit : Son of Abhimanyu andgrandson of the Pandavas who wascrowned king after the holocaust claimed
the Kauravas and the Pandavas.
Partha : Arjuna.
Parvati : Consort of Siva. Rukmini prayedto her for saving her from the cruelSisupala king of Chedi, as she had set herheart on marrying Krishna.
Paurava : A Kaurava hero.
Phalguna : Arjuna.

Prabhasa : The Vasu who seized
Vasishtha's divine cow.
Pradyumna : Sri Krishna's son.
Pratikhami : Duryodhana's charioteer.
Pritha : Mother of Karna, Kunti before her
marriage.
Pundarikaksha : Krishna, the lotus-eyedone.
Purochana : An architect who built abeautiful wax palace named "Sivam" inVaranavata.
Purumitra : A Kaurava warrior
Pitamaha : Literally grandfather, which
however carried no imputation of senile
infirmity but denotes the status of thepater familias.
Ptirushottama : An epithet of Sri Krishna.
It is one of the names of Vishnu andmeans the Supreme Being.
Raibhya : A sage whose hermitage wassituated on the banks of the Ganga. The
Pandavas during their wanderings visited
it. This ghat was very holy. Bharata, sonof Dasaratha bathed here. Indra wascleansed of his sin of killing Vritra
unfairly by bathing in this ghat.
Sanatkumar became one with God. Aditi,
mother of the gods, prayed here to be
blessed with a son.
Radheya : Son of Radha, a name of
Karna, who as a foundling was brought up
as a son by Radha, the wife of theCharioteer Adhiratha.
Rajasuya : A sacrifice performed by aking to be entitled to assume the title of"Emperor".
Ravana : King of Lanka who abducted
Sita, the beautiful wife of Ramachandra.
Rishabha : The second note of the Indian
gamut (Shadja, rishabha, gandhara,
madhyama, panchama, daivata, nishada sa, ri, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni.)
Rishyasringa : Son of sage Vibhandaka,
who had grown up seeing no mortal
except his father. The king of Anga,which was afflicted with a dire famine, tobring rain and plenty, invited him.
Romapada : King of Anga which wasonce visited by a great drought.
Rudra : One of the names of Siva.
Rudra dance : Siva's cosmic dance ofdestruction.
Rukma : Heir apparent to the throne ofVidarbha. When defeated by Balarama
and Krishna he established a new city
Bhojakata, ashamed to return toKundinapura, the capital of Vidarbha, andruled over it.
Sachidevi : Wife of Indra, king of thegods on whom Nahusha's evil eye fell.
She was also known as Indrani.
Sahadeva : Youngest of the Pandava
princes who offered the first honors to
Krishna at the Rajasuya sacrifices.
Saibya : A ruler friendly to the Pandavas.
Sairandhri : A maid servant or female
attendant employed in royal female
apartments.
Sakuni : He played dice on behalf of theKauravas and succeeded in defeating the
Pandavas by a stratagem. As a result thelatter had to go and live in the forest for
thirteen years. According to the conditionsof the game, the thirteenth and last year of
exile was to be spent incognito. If
discovered by anyone they were again torepair to the forests for a like term. He
was considered to be the evil genius, whobeguiled Duryodhana to take to evil ways.
Salva : Friend of Sisupala, who besieged
Dwaraka Sri Krishna's kingdom to avenge
Sisupala's death at the latter's hand.
Salya : Ruler of Madradesa and brother ofMadri and uncle of the Pandavas who
because of having received hospitality
from Duryodhana went over to his side.
Samsaptaka : One who has taken a vow toconquer or die, and never to retreat. The
Samsaptakas were suicide-squads, vowed
to some desperate deed of daring.

Samvarta : Brihaspati's younger brother, aperson of great learning.
Samba : A Yadava youngster dressed as awoman who gave birth to a mace, as
foretold by rishis.
Sanga : Son of Virata. When king Virata
was wounded, he had to get into Sanga's
chariot, having lost his chariot, horses andcharioteer
Sanjaya : The narrator who tells blind
Dhritarashtra the progress of the war fromday to day. He told the king that a victim
of adverse fate would first become
perverted and loses his sense of right andwrong. Time would destroy his reason anddrive him to his own destruction.
Sankula Yuddha : A melee, confused
fight, a soldiers battle as distinguishedfrom the combats of heroes.
Shanta : Wife of sage Rishyasringa.
Santanu : King of Hastinapura, father of
Bhishma.
Sanyasin: One who has renounced theworld and its concerns.
Sarasana : One of the Kaurava brothers
who died in the war.
Sarmishtha : Princes and daughter of kingVrishaparva who got angry with Devayani
and slapped and pushed her into a dry
well.
Satanika : Virata's son whose bead wassevered by Drona.
Satyajit : A Panchala prince, a hero whostood by Yudhishthira to prevent his being
taken prisoner by Drona, while Arjuna
was away answering a challenge by the
Samsaptakas (the Trigartas).
Satyaki : A Yadava warrior, friend of
Krishna and the Pandavas who advocatedcollecting their forces and defeating theunrighteous Duryodhana.
Satyavati : A fisherman's daughter who
possessed uncommon beauty andemanated a divinely sweet fragrance andking Santanu became enamored of her,married her and made her his queen.

Satyavrata : Warrior on the Kaurava side.
Saugandhika : A plant that produced avery beautiful and fragrant flower that
Bhima went to get for Draupadi.
Savyasachin : Ambidexter, one who canuse both hands with equal facility andeffect. A name of Arjuna who could use
his bow with the same skill with either
hands.
Sikhandin : A girl turned man, warrior on
the Pandava side who restored orderamong scattered, subdued soldiers,
Drupada's son.
Simhanada : A lion-note or roar; a deeproar of defiance or triumph which
warriors were wont to utter to inspire
confidence in their friends, of terror in
their enemies.
Saindhava : Jayadratha.
Sini : One of the suitors to Devaki’s hand.
A kinsman of the Kauravas.
Sisupala : King of Chedi. Died at thehands of Krishna at the time of
Dharmaputra's Rajasuya sacrifice.
Somadutta : One of the suitors to Devaki's
hand. A kinsman of the Kauravas.
Subahu : King of Kulinda in the
Himalayas, ally of the Kauravas.
Subhadra : Wife of Arjuna, sister of SriKrishna and mother of Abhimanyu.
Sudakshina : A warrior on the Kaurava
side.
Sudarsana : A warrior on the Kaurava
army.
Sudeshna : Queen of King Virata whom
Sairandhri (Draupadi) served.
Sugriva : Monkey-king, friend of SriRama, and brother of mighty Vali whom
Sri Rama killed.
Sujata : Daughter of Sage Uddalaka andwife of Kagola, his disciple who had
virtue and devotion but not much oferudition, mother of Ashtavakra.
Suka : A sage, son of Vyasa, who related
the Srimad Bhagavata to King Parikshit,
grandson of Arjuna.

Sumitra : Abhimanyu's charioteer.
Supratika : Name of King Bhagadatta's
elephant.
Susarma : King of Trigarta, a supporter ofthe Kauravas who backed the proposal toinvade Matsya, Virata's country.
Suvarna : A soldier on the Kaurava side.
Sri Rama : Also knew as Rama,
Ramachandra or Sri Rama. Hanumana
tells Bhima how he was deeply thrilled
when he happened to touch Rama's body.
This king of Ayodhya was banished to theforest for fourteen years, killed Ravana
the king of Lanka who abducted his wife,
Sita.
Srinjayas : Pandava supporters.
Srutayu, Astutayu : Two brothers fighting
on the Kaurava side attacked Arjuna but
werekilled.
Srutayudha : A Kaurava warrior whosemace hurled at Krishna reboundedfiercely, killing Srutayudha himself. Her
mother Parnasa had obtained that giftfrom Varuna who had specified that themace should not be used against one whodoes not fight, else it would kill the person
who hurls it.
Swarga : The heaven of Indra where
mortals after death enjoy the results of
their good deeds on earth.
Sveta : A son of King Virata who fell inbattle to Bhishma's arrow.
Tantripala : Assumed name of Sahadeva
at Virata's court.
Uddalaka : A great sage and teacher ofVedanta.
Umadevi : Wife of Siva.
Unchhavritti : The life of a mendicant,begging his food.
Upachitra : One of King Dhritarashtra'ssons who perished in the war.
Upaplavya : A place in Matsya Kingdom,
where the Pandavas settled after their
exile of thirteen years.

Urvasi : An apsara in Indra's court, whose
amorous overtures Arjuna declined.
Vaisampayana : Chief disciple of sage
Vyasa who revealed the epic for the
benefit humanity.
Vaishnava : A sacrifice performed by
Duryodhana in the forest. Yayati,
Mandhata, Bharata and others also
performed it.
Vaishnava mantra : An invocation which
endows a missile with some of theirresistible power of Vishnu.
Vajrayudha : The weapon with which
Indra killed Visvarupa on suspicion
because his mother belonged to the asura
tribe of daityas.
Valala : Assumed name of Bhima when,
he worked as a cook at Virata's court.
Vali : Monkey-king, brother of Sugriva.
Vanaprastha : The third stage of thedvija's life, when he is required torelinquish worldly responsibilities to hisheirs and retires to the woods with hiswife for an anchorite's life.
Vandi : Court poet of Mithila who on
being defeated by Sage Ashtavakra indebate drowned himself in the ocean andwent to the abode of Varuna.
Varanavata : A forest in which the
Pandavas were asked to stay in a waxhouse which was to be set on fire at
midnight in order to kill the Pandavas
while they were asleep.
Vasishtha : A sage who had cursed theeight Vasus to be born in the world of
men as sons of Ganga and Santanu. Ganga
threw her seven children in to the riverwith a smiling face.
Vasudhana : Another warrior who
perished in the battle on the Twelfth Day.
Vasudeva : An epithet of Krishna. It
means both son of Vasudeva and thesupreme spirit that pervades the universe.
Vedavyasa : Vyasa, author of the
Mahabharata.

Vichitravirya: Younger son of Santanu
who succeeded King Chitrangada on thethrone of Hastinapura. He had two sons,
Dhritarashtra and Pandu.
Vikarna : A son of Dhritarashtra who
declared the staking of Draupadi illegal,
as Yudhishthira himself was a slave andhad lost all his rights. Therefore theKauravas had not won Draupadi legally,
he heldVinda, Anuvinda : Two brothers kings ofAvanti, great soldiers whom were on the
Kaurava side, they suffered defeat at thehands of Yudhamanyu
Virata : King of Matsya, the country
which was suggested by Bhima to live inincognito during the thirteenth year of
their exile.
Visoka : Bhima's charioteer.
Visvarupa : Name of Twashta's son who
became the preceptor of the gods,
Brihaspati having left when insulted by
Indra.
Vivimsati : A Kaurava hero.
Viswarupa : All-pervading, all-including
form. See the description in the Bhagavad
Gita chapter eleven.
Vriddhakshatra : King of the Sindhus,
father of Jayadratha into whose lap his son
Jayadratha's head was caused to fall by
Arjuna after cutting off Jayadratha's head.
Vrika : A Panchala prince who fell inbattle.
Vrisha, Achala : Sakuni's brothers.
Vrishnis, Kekayas : Tribals who weredevoted to the Pandavas, who with Sri
Krishna visited the Pandavas in their
exile.
Vrishasena : A warrior on the Kaurava
side.
Vritra : Son of Twashta who was defeatedby Indra's weapons Vajrayudha. He wasborn out of his father's sacrificial flames
and became Indra's mortal enemy.

Vrikodara : Wolf-bellied, an epithet of
Bhima, denoting his slimness of waist andinsatiable hunger.
Vyasa : Compiler of the Vedas, son ofsage Parasara.
Vyuha : Battle arrays.
Yama : God of death. God of dharma,
whose son was Yudhishthira. It is hewhose questions Yudhishthira answered
correctly whereupon his dead brothers
were brought back to life on the banks ofthe enchanted pool.
Yajna : A sacrifice.
Yaksha : A class of demi-gods, subjects ofKubera, the god of wealth.
Yavakrida : Son of Sage Bharadwaja who
was bent upon mastering the Vedas.
Yayati : Emperor of the Bharata race who
rescued Devayani from the well into
which she had been thrown by
Sarmishtha. He later married both
Devayani and Sarmishtha. One of theancestors of the Pandavas who becameprematurely old due to Sukracharya's
curse.
Yudhamanyu : A prince supporting the
Pandavas.
Yuyudhana : Another name of Satyaki.
Yuyutsu : A noble son of Dhritarashtra
who bent his head in shame and sorrow
when Yudhishthira lost Draupadi. He also
disapproved of the unfair way in which
Abhimanyu was killed.