Chapter 1423

Om. Let us honor Narayana. Let us honor Him, the most honorable Nara. Let us honor Her, the goddess called Saraswati. Jayatu Bhava!

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Having offered water-ablutions to friends and kinsmen, the adopted sons of Pandu, Vidura, Dhritarashtra, and the female Bharatas lived by the sacred bodies of water. The mahatmas and adopted sons of Pandu chose to be in mourning for a month outside the Kuru city. Once righteous King Yudhishthira had performed such rituals, many mahatmas and wise men crowned with abstentious success and many top reborn rishis arrived to see the king. There was island-born Vyasa, Narada, the great Rishi Devala, Devasthana, and Kanwa. Each of those five was accompanied by his top students. Many other reborn ones who were naturally wise, skilled in The Vedas, were focused on domestics, or were Snatakas arrived to see the Kuru king. As each mahatma arrived, he was honored by Yudhishthira. Then, the great rishis sat upon expensive rugs. Welcoming the honor suited for mourning, they sat in proper order around the ruler. Thousands of Brahmins consoled and comforted the King of Kings living on the sacred banks of the Bhagirati, heart exceedingly troubled in grief. Narada, upon taking the rishis the island-born one led aside when the time was right, spoke to Dharma’s son Yudhishthira: By way of your mighty arms and Madhava’s grace, O Yudhishthira, the whole world was earned righteously by you. Fortunately you’ve survived the terrible war. O adopted son of Pandu – O one who keeps to Kshatriya duties – why aren’t you celebrating? Don’t you think annihilating your enemies pleased your friends, O king? You’ve prospered; I hope you aren’t still troublingly grievous.

But Yudhishthira said: Yes, the entire world was tamed by way of Krishna’s mighty arms, the Brahmins’ grace, and Bhima and Arjuna’s strength. But, I still feel weighty grief in my heart – I created terrible carnage for my kinsmen due to my covetousness. O holy one, the dear son of Subhadra and the sons of Draupadi are dead and my victory seems truly a loss. What will the Vrishni named Subhadra – my sister-in-law – say to me? What will the Dwarakans say to Madhu’s slayer when he leaves this place? Draupadi, always focusing on pleasing us, has lost sons and kinsmen and this truly pains me. Let me talk about this, holy Narada. Kunti did not reveal something this serious 'til now and the revelation has made me grievous. The hero as strong as ten-thousand elephants – the chariot-warrior like no other on Earth – the one of naturally leonine pride and gait – the naturally quite wise and empathic one – the truly generous one – the keeper of many a lofty vow – the Dhritarashtras’ shelter – the one sensitive about honor – the one whose power was unstoppable – the one ready to avenge any and all wrongs – the one ever furious in battle – the one who overpowered us time and time again – the one who was quick on the draw – the one who knew all types of warfare – the one naturally quite skilled – the one naturally wonderfully brave – Karna – was Kunti’s son, a secret half-brother of ours we could have treated like family! Whilst we offered water-ablutions to the dead, Kunti called him 'son of Surya'. Naturally virtuous in every way, the baby had been tossed into the water. Setting him in a lightweight basket, Kunti released him into the Ganges. The one the world considered a Suta, Radha’s son at that, was actually Kunti’s firstborn and, therefore, our half-brother. I coveted the kingdom, and so, I basically unknowingly committed fratricide. This burns me like fire burning a pile of cotton. White-horsed Arjuna had no idea he was his half-brother and neither did Bhima, the twins, nor I. But, the excellent-bowed one knew the truth. We discovered that, once Pritha went to him on our behalf and told him that she was his mother. But, the noteworthy hero rejected Pritha’s wishes. Then, he told her: ‘I cannot abandon Duryodhana in battle – if I do, it will be dishonorable, cruel, and ungrateful. To honor your wishes and make peace with Yudhishthira would make me fearful of white-horsed Arjuna in people’s eyes. I will defeat Arjuna and Kesava in battle and then make peace with Dharma’s son.’ Yes, that’s what we heard he said. At this, Pritha told her broad-chested son: ‘Fight Phalguna then, but spare my four other sons.’ Wise Karna, palms joined, answered his trembling mother: ‘Even if I have the chance to slay your four other sons, I shall not. Surely, O goddess, you will continue being a mother of five. If Arjuna slays me, you’ll have five sons nonetheless. If I slay him, you’ll have the four and me.’ Wishing to do her children some good, his mother said: ‘Go, Karna, and do your brothers some good – you always try.’ Having said this, Pritha left with his permission and returned home. Arjuna slew that hero; it was like fratricide! Neither Pritha nor Karna ever revealed the truth, Lord. So, the hero – the great archer – was slain by Arjuna in battle. Subsequently, I was told, O best of the reborn, that he was my half-brother. Yes, Pritha told me herself that Karna was her first child. I led to my half-brother’s death and my heart truly burns. If I had had Karna and Arjuna on my side, I could’ve defeated Vasudeva. Whilst I was tortured during the assembly by wicked-souled Dhritarashtra, my temper was checked when I saw Karna. Even whilst I heard the harsh, bitter things Karna said during the dice-game meant to please Duryodhana, the sight of Karna’s feet quelled my fury. Yes, Karna’s feet reminded me of my mother’s. I wondered if the two were related, reflecting for some time. But, I failed to see how they could have been. Why did the ground swallow his chariot-wheels in battle? Why was my half-brother cursed? It’d suit you to tell me everything. I want to hear everything, holy one. You know everything in this world; you know both the past and the future!’”

Chapter 1424

“Vaisampayana said,                                                                                                             

‘The supreme speaker, the wise man named Narada, at his inquiry, told hm everything about the so-called Suta’s curse long ago: You are right, mighty-armed Bharata tribesman. Both Karna and Arjuna were unstoppable in battle. Now, what I am about to tell you even the gods do not know. Hear, mighty-armed one, what happened long ago. Hear how the Kshatriyas earned the lands of bliss by way of weapons. Now, when Kunti was a virgin, she conceived a child who would start a war. The child, naturally quite powerful, became a Suta. Then, Master Drona offered him an education in weaponry, Drona being the top Angirasa. Considering Bhimasena’s might, how agile Arjuna was with weapons, your wisdom, O king, the humbleness of the twins, the friendship from early childhood between Vasudeva and Gandiva’s wielder, and the people’s love for you all, that young man was truly jealous. In early childhood, he befriended King Duryodhana by way of an accident, his personality, and his hatred for you all. Seeing that Dhananjaya knew the most about Weaponry, Karna, one day, went to Drona in private and said: ‘I want to know about the weapon called Brahma – the associated mantras and how to retrieve it as well. I want to fight Arjuna. Surely you love your students as much as you love your own son. I pray each master of weaponry may, by way of your grace, consider me skilled in it.’

At this, Drona, due to his favoritism for Phalguna and his knowledge of how wicked Karna was, replied: ‘Only a Brahmin keeping to each and every vow or a Kshatriya who’s been ascetically penitent ought to know that weapon and none other.’ When Drona said this, Karna honored him, obtained his permission to depart, and headed without delay for Rama, one then residing atop the Mahendran-range. Nearing Rama, he bowed his head and said: ‘I am a Brahmin from Bhrigu’s line’ – this ensured Rama would honor him. With this knowledge about his caste and lineage, Rama kindly welcomed him; this truly gladdened Karna. Living within the heavenly range with Rama, Karna met and mingled with many a Gandharva, Yaksha, and god. Residing there, he earned weapons and was the gods’, Gandharvas’, and Rakshasas’ true favorite. One day, he wandered alongside the shelter alongside the coast. Yes, the son of Surya, armed with a bow and sword, wandered alone. During his wandering, O Partha, he unknowingly slew, by accident, a sacrificial cow meant for a Homa of a chanter of the name Brahma who performed an Agnihotra daily. Knowing he’d killed the cow accidentally, he told the Brahmin. Yes, Karna, to please its owner, kept saying: ‘O holy one, it was an accidental death – forgive me!’ Enraged, the Brahmin, scolding him, replied: ‘Die, wicked one, as punishment. Wretch, when you finally fight the one you always challenge to a fight and truly act for daily, the ground will swallow your chariot-wheel. When this happens, your enemy will make use of his power and behead you, one stunned. Go, nasty one. You recklessly slew my cow so you shall be beheaded at a time when you are reckless!’ But, though he’d been cursed, Karna still tried to please the supreme Brahmin by offering him cows, riches, and gems. Instead, the rishi replied: ‘Nothing you say can change things. Leave me or stay – do what you like.’ At the Brahmin’s words, Karna, head hung in misery, returned timidly to Rama, reflecting on the matter.’”

 

Chapter 1425

“Vaisampayana said,

'The tigrine Bhrigu (Rama) was well-pleased with Karna’s mighty weapons, love for him, self-control, and services rendered as a student. Keeping to his abstentious penance, Rama cheerfully and rightfully told, his penitent student all about the weapon called Brahma – how to chant for its retrieval, too. Having learned all about the weapon, Karna began to live happily with Bhrigu. Naturally wondrously powerful, he quite passionately devoted himself to weaponry. One day, the quite wise Rama, whilst wandering with Karna near his shelter, lost much strength due to the constant fasting he’d undergone. Trusting (and thereby loving), the exhausted son of Jamadagni set his head in Karna’s lap and fell into a sound sleep. Whilst his teacher slept in this position, a fearsome creature wth a truly harmful bite that survived on phlegm, fat, flesh, and blood neared Karna. The blood-sucking creature, at Karna’s thigh, bit down. Afraid to awaken his teacher, Karna could neither remove nor kill it. Though it had burrowed into his thigh, O Bharata tribesman, Surya’s son, not wanting his teacher to awaken, let the worm do as it pleased. Though the pain was unbearable, Karna bore it with great patience, continuing to support Bhrigu’s son without trembling in the least nor showing any sign of pain. But, when Karna’s blood trickled onto the quite powerful Rama, Rama awoke and said, fearful: ‘Alas! Blood has polluted me. What are you doing? Tell me the truth without fear!’ Karna told him how the creature had bitten him and Rama saw that it was hog-like with eight feet, quite sharp teeth, and a hide covered with erect bristles. Called Alarka, the creature shrunk in fear then. Yes, as soon as Rama eyed it, the creature died, vanishing from where the blood had spilt. How wondrous this all seemed! Then, a terrible-looking Rakshasa was seen in the sky that was dark-colored, red-necked, able to shapeshift, and currently upon some clouds. The Rakshasa’s goal’d been reached; it, with joined palms, told Rama: ‘O supreme ascetic, you saved me from my hellish lifestyle! Blessings to you – you’ve benefited me and I adore you.’ The naturally quite powerful, mighty-armed son of Jamadagni said to him: ‘Who are you and what brought you to that state? Tell me everything.’ He replied, ‘I was once a great Asura named Dansa. In the Krita age, sire, I was as old as Bhrigu. I lusted after the wise man’s beloved wife and he cursed me to live on Earth as that creature. Furious, your ancestors told me: ‘Surviving on urine and phlegm, wretch, you shall live a hellish life.’ I, begging him, said: ‘How can I lift the curse?’ Bhrigu told me: ‘My descendent, Rama, shall lift it.’ So, I was cursed to live thusly like one of polluted soul. But, righteous one, you’ve saved me from my wretched life.’ At this, the great Asura bowed his head before Rama and departed. Furious, Rama told Karna next: ‘Fool, no Brahmin could’ve endured that pain. You’re patient like a Kshatriya. Be honest with me without fear.’ At this, Karna, fearing his curse and wishing to please him, replied: ‘O Bhrigu, I am a Suta – one parent was a Brahmin and the other was a  Kshatriya. I’m Radha’s son; my name is Karna. O Bhrigu, take pleasure in my poor self, one meaning only to earn weapons. Why wouldn’t an honorable master of The Vedas and other branches of knowledge make a good father? That’s why I said I was a member of your line.’ To the miserable, trembling Karna who was now prostrate and of joined palms, the supreme Bhrigu, smiling through his fury, replied: ‘Your greed for weapons led you to lie, so, O wretch, no inner light of yours shall lead you to that weapon. Since you are no Brahmin, Brahma will not obey you just when you need it most (facing your equal and/or about to die). Leave – this is no place for a liar like you. However,  no Kshatriya will be your earthly equal in battle.’ At Rama’s words, Karna, with Rama’s permission, departed. Then, going to Duryodhana, he told him he’d mastered all weapons.’”

Chapter 1426

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Having thusly earned weapons from Bhrigu, Karna spent his days in great joy in the company of Duryodhana, O Bharata tribesman. Now, once, O king, many kings went to a Swayamvara hosted by the Kulingas’ ruler in Chitrangada. The city, O Bharata tribesman, so full of lavishness, was called Rajapura. Hundreds of rulers went there to earn the virgin’s hand in marriage. Hearing that various kings had gathered there, Duryodhana, riding his golden chariot, went there along with Karna. When the festivities of the Swayamvara began, various rulers, supreme king, arrived to earn the virgin’s hand in marriage. Amongst them were: Sisupala, Jarasandha, Bhishmaka, Vakra, Kapotaroman, Nila, the steadily powerful Rukmi, the ruler of royal ladies named Sringa, Asoka, Satadhanwan, and the heroic Bhojan ruler. Besides them were many others from the south, many tribal Mlechchan masters of weapons, and many rulers from the east and north, O Bharata tribesman. Each wore golden armlets and shone naturally like pure gold.  Their bodies aglow, they were like fiercely mighty tigers. Once all the kings were seated, O Bharata tribesman, the virgin entered the ring accompanied by her nursemaid and a eunuch who was a guard. Whilst she heard each king’s name as she made her rounds, that virgin of supremely lovely complexion passed on the son of Dhritarashtra just as she’d passed on others before him. But, Duryodhana, a Kuru, found her rejection intolerable. Ignoring the other kings, he demanded she stop right then and there. Drunken with power-pride, trusting in Bhishma and Drona, King Duryodhana seized the virgin and set her in his chariot. Armed with a sword, donning mail and leather gloves, Karna, the top weapons-wielder, riding in his chariot, headed behind Duryodhana. A great uproar then took place – the other kings were now driven to fight. ‘Let us don mail and prepare the chariots!’ they said; enraged, they chased after Karna and Duryodhana, showering their arrows like cloud-banks showering two hills with rain. During the pursuit, Karna broke their bows and arrows, one arrow felling each one. Some lost their bows, some attacked with bows in their hands, some prepared to hurl spears, and some pursued with arrows and maces. Naturally quite agile, Karna, the top slicer, troubled them all. He took away many kings’ charioteers and then defeated the world leaders. So, the rulers took the reigns and retreated, hearts miserable. Guarded by Karna, Duryodhana returned, heart joyful. He and the virgin returned to Hastinapura.’”

Chapter 1427

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Hearing how famously mighty Karna was, the Magadhas’ ruler, King Jarasandha, challenged him to a one-on-one battle. Each knowledgeable of divine weapons to a t, a brutal battle was fought; each struck the other with various weapons. When their arrows were finally all shot, when their bows and swords were broken, and when their chariots were broken, they, naturally mighty, fought with their bare hands. While focused on the deadly, bare-fisted fight, Karna nearly tore in half the body of his opponent, a body a Rakshasa had once fused to give it life. After undergoing much pain, the Magadhan ruler, no longer wishing to fight, told Karna he was satisfied. Now his ally, he gave Karna the town of Malini. Now, before this, that tigrine man and enemy-tamer (Karna) was the Angas’ ruler. Now, that unfriendly-army-crusher was this as well as the ruler of Champa to please Duryodhana. This made Karna world-famous for physical strength. When, to do you some good, the divinities’ ruler begged him for his innate mail-coat and earrings, he, stunned by divine magic, gave away those precious possessions. Now without earrings and innate armor, Arjuna was able to slay him naturally before Vasudeva. So, due to the Brahman’s curse, the curse of noteworthy Rama, Kunti’s granted wish, Indra’s deception, Bhishma making him half the chariot-warrior, the Rathas and Atirathas, Salya’s painful lectures to decrease his energy, Vasudeva’s laws, and the divine weapons Arjuna earned from Rudra, Indra, Yama, Varuna, Kuvera, Drona, and noteworthy Kripa, Gandiva’s wielder was able to successfully slay Vikartana’s son Karna, one who shone like his father. So, your half-brother was thusly cursed and deceived by many. Though he fell in battle, do not grieve for that tigrine man.’”

Chaoter 1428

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Having said these words, divine Rishi Narada fell silent. The royal wise man, Yudhishthira, grievous, focused utterly on meditation. Seeing the hero miserable and overcome with sorrow as well as sighing like a snake and weeping copiously, Kunti, grievous and nearly senseless due to sorrow, offered sweet words, seriously important things well-suited for the occasion: O mighty-armed Yudhishthira, it ill-suits you to give into Sorrow thusly. O quite wise one, quell this grief and listen to me. In the past, I tried telling Karna you two were half-brothers. Surya, supremely righteous one, tried as well. Anything a well-wishing friend for goodness’ sake should say was said to Karna by Surya both in a dream and before me. Neither troubling nor reasoning from his parents could successfully soothe Karna or make him your ally. Succumbing to Time, he was set on showing his spitefulness when he stood before you. Set on harming you all, I stopped trying.’ 

At his mother’s words, King Yudhishthira, eyes tearful, heart shaken in grief, added: ‘Your secret advice overcomes me with troubles’; the naturally quite powerful and righteous king then, sorrowful, cursed women to no longer keep secrets. Then, the king, recalling his sons, grandsons, kinsmen, and friends, was anxious and grievous. Troublingly sorrowful, the wise king, like a smoky fire, was overcome with despair.’”

Chapter 1429

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Righteous-souled Yudhishthira, heart shaken, burning with sorrow, began grieving for Karna, the mighty chariot-warrior. Sighing repeatedly, he told Arjuna: O Arjuna, if we’d been beggars in the Vrishnis’ and Andhakas’ cities, we never would’ve been this miserable today due to slaying our kinsmen. Our enemies, the Kurus, prospered and we lost all pleasurable things – how can we see the results of righteousness if we have death-wishes? The Kurus earned Heaven and we earned grief! Curse a Kshatriya’s duties, curse Might, and curse Courage – they brought us overwhelming misfortune! Bless Forgiveness, Self-control, Purity, Abstinence, Humility, Harming-None, and Honesty-At-All-Times – hermits of the forest honor them. Prideful and arrogant, we jealous fools, wishing to enjoy the pleasures of sovereignty, are now in dire straits. Our kinsmen openly failed their mission to earn the right to rule the world, slain in battle, and we’re so grievous now that the offer to rule even all worlds would not gladden us. Having slain, for the right to rule the world, the world leaders undeserving of that slaying, we bear the burden of rebirth, no friends or things to live for. Like dogs fighting over a piece of meat are we, ones Misfortune has overcome. That piece of meat is no longer appealing; no, we’d throw it away. The slain shouldn’t have been slain for the sake of the world, mountains of gold, or all the horses and cows on Earth. Jealous and yearning for things of this world – driven by Wrath and Pleasure – all, choosing Death’s highway, went to Yama’s worlds. Ascetic Brahmacharins focusing on Truth and Abstinence went to Yama’s worlds. Ascetic Brahmacharins focusing on Truth and Abstinence wanted sons blessed with all kinds of prosperity. Women get pregnant when they fast, perform sacrifices, keep to vows, perform holy rituals, and perform auspicious ceremonies, do they not? Then, a fetus develops over ten months and, spending their time feeling miserable and expecting results, they wonder, anxious: ‘Will I birth a child successfully? Will my child live after birth? Will my child become strong and honorable in his lifetime? Will he bless others in this world and the next?’ Alas, sons of tender age with shiny earrings have been slain and those expecting such results have had their dreams dashed. Not enjoying worldly pleasures and not paying the debts they owe their fathers and the gods, they went to Yama’s home. Alas, Mother, the kings were slain just when their parents’ thusly expected results (strength and riches) were about to appear. They always adhered to Envy and yearned for earthly things, victimized more than normal by Zeal and Pleasure. So, they could never count on taking pleasure in the fruits of victory, no matter when or where. Methinks the Panchalas and Kurus who’ve fallen in battle are in Hell – otherwise, the slayers would’ve, due to their slaying, earned the lands of bliss. We’re considered behind the world’s overpowering destruction, but, Dhritarashtra’s sons are really to blame. Duryodhana’s heart was always set on deception; always cherishing Wickedness, he was addicted to deception. Although we never offended him, he always treated us wrongly. Neither we nor they reached goals; we did not defeat them and they did not defeat us. The pleasures of the world, women, and music will never offer themselves to the Dhritarashtras now. They ignored ministers’, friends’, and men educated in scripture’s advice. No, they could not just sit back and enjoy their expensive gems, well-stocked treasury, and vast territories. Burning with the hate they had for us, they found neither happiness nor peace. Seeing us truly prosper made Duryodhana ashen, pale, and emaciated. Suvala’s son told King Dhritarashtra about it, and, out of his affection for his son, he tolerated his son’s evil scheme. Surely ignoring Vidura, ignoring Mahatma Ganga, and failing to control his wicked, jealous, and zeal-driven son led the king to his own downfall. I, too, experienced a downfall. Surely Suyodhana, having caused the deaths of his brothers and created burning grief for the couple, sent his blazing fame on a downward spiral. Burning with the hate he had for us, Duryodhana was always wicked-hearted. What other kinsman of lofty birth could say such things to his kinsman but he, one wishing to fight and in Krishna’s presence? Due to Duryodhana, we are eternally hopeless like victims of suns burning all with inner power. The wicked-souled creature – Spite – was our inauspicious star. Alas, due to Duryodhana, our line was wiped out. Having slain those whom we never should have slain, the world blames us. King Dhritarashtra, having inaugurated the wicked-souled, wicked-deed-doing prince who annihilated his line, is thankful to grieve today. He’s lost his possessions and his kingdom. Having slain them, our fury was quelled. Yet, Grief is stunning me, Dhananjaya – a committed sin is purged by performing auspicious acts, wildly telling all about it, repenting, giving to beggars, penance, visiting pilgrimage-spots upon renouncing all, and by constantly reflecting upon scripture. Of these seven methods, he who renounces is said to be unable to sin ever again. Now, Srutis say that a renouncer escapes death and rebirth; the right path earns one of fixed soul Brahma. So, O Dhananjaya, let me enter the forest with your permission, enemy-scorcher – I shall see no difference between opposites, be reserved, and walk Knowledge’s path. O slayer of enemies, Srutis say (and I have seen it with my own eyes) that one attached to this world cannot earn all religious merit. I, wishing to earn earthly things, sinned – Srutis say this leads to death and rebirth. Leaving the realm behind and abandoning earthly things, I shall enter the forest to sever all ties to this world, be purged of grief, and feel nothing for anything and everything. Rule in my place – there is peace now and no thorns. O supreme Kuru, why do I need a kingdom or pleasure?

Having said this, King Yudhishthira fell silent. His younger brother, Arjuna, gave a reply.’”

Chapter 1430

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Like one unwilling to forgive another for his insult, Arjuna, a harsh and powerful speaker who was naturally energetic, giving into true ferocity and, licking the corners of his mouth, said serious things, smiling all the while: How painful and troubling! Your heart’s true agitation grieves me – you did something divine but are now determined to give up your great riches. You slew your enemies and earned the right to rule the world by way of doing your caste-based duties – why, due to a wishy-washy heart, give it all up? No eunuch or lazy man ever earned the right to rule; why did you, senseless and enraged, slay all world leaders? A beggar can never enjoy earthly pleasures – utterly poor and resource-less, he can never earn earthly fame, sons, or beasts. O king, if you left your growing kingdom behind to live like a wretched beggar, what would the world say about you? Why abandon all earthly pleasures, riches, and resources to live like a nasty beggar? You were born into a royal line; you conquer the world and now foolishly want to live in the forest, abandoning all that is virtuous and enriching? When you enter the forest for rest, wicked men will ruin sacrifices. That sin of theirs will surely pollute you. King Nahusha, having done many wicked things as a poor man, cursed poverty, calling it something only for hermits. Rishis are the kind of people who do not prepare themselves for the following day; you know that too well. But, royalty focuses all their attention on wealth. So, he who steals riches robs the victim of his faith – how can he perform rituals without money? So, what man would forgive us if we stole from him? Now, a poor man, even if he’s an innocent bystander, is falsely accused – poverty is a way of living in sin. So, do not praise poverty. How is a dead man any different than a poor man? Meritorious acts flow from the wealthy like an overflowing mountain. Riches provide for faith-based deeds, pleasures, and Heaven, O king. Without wealth, a man cannot survive. The naturally foolish man who loses all riches loses the acts that led him to this like shallow streams in summer drying up. A man with riches has friends, kinsmen, is considered a true man, and is an educated one; a poor man who tries to reach some goal of his will fail. Riches lead to riches like elephants capturing wild elephants. Riches provide for religious deeds, pleasure, joy, courage, zeal, education, and a sense of dignity, O king. Riches provide familial honor; riches increases one’s spiritual merit. A poor man does not have this world or the next, O best of men. A poor man will fail when trying to perform religious acts since religious acts flow from riches like rivers flowing from a mountain. A man with few horses, cows, servants, or guests is emaciaed, unlike a man with many of those things who is thin. Truly consider, O king; consider the gods’ and Danavas’ behavior. O king, do the gods ever want anything other than an annihilation of the Asuras (their kinsmen)? If the misuse of the funds of others is wicked, O king, how can kings be virtuous on Earth? In The Vedas, educated men have reached a conclusion – the duty of a king is to read from the three Vedas daily, seek to acquire wealth, and carefully perform sacrifices with his new riches. The gods, through feuding, earned balance in Heaven. If the gods prospered by way of feuding, what’s so bad about feuding? You see, the gods are as such and the immortal Vedic law is in agreement. Our main duties are to educate ourselves, teach, perform sacrifices, and to assist during others’ sacrifices. Riches are offered to kings and that’s how they prosper. But, one always prospers at the expense of another’s pain. That’s how kings conquer the world. Having conquered, they consider their booty theirs like princes considering their father’s riches their own. Royal wise men who soared to Heaven considered this a king’s duty. Like water utterly flowing from a swollen sea, riches spread in all directions out of royal treasuries. The world has belonged to King Dilipa, Nahusha, Amvarisha, and Mandhatri, and now, it is yours. A great sacrifice, therefore, involving lots of various gifts and a great pile of produce, is forthcoming. Foregoing the sacrifice, O king, means the kingdom’s sins upon your head. When a king sacrifices a horse, offering many gifts, his people are purged of all sin and sanctified by end-of-sacrifice ablutions. Mahadeva, one of cosmic form, during a great sacrifice involving flesh-offerings, offered all creatures as the sacrifice-offering and then offered himself. This auspicious path is immortal and its results are, too; it is called Dasaratha. If you walked off such a path, O king, which other one would you take?’”

Chapter 1431

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Yudhishthira said: For a short time, O Arjuna, meditate and listen to your inner self. If you listen to me thusly, you’ll come to agree with me. Abandoning worldly pleasures, I shall take the path the righteous take. No, I shan’t take the one you recommend. Ask me which auspicious path one, alone, ought to take and I shall tell you. Well, even if you daren’t ask, I shall tell you. Abandoning the pleasures and doings of earthly men, I, focusing on utterly austere penance, shall wander through the forest amongst its creatures, eating only fruit and roots. Doling offerings onto a fire at the right times, offering ablutions in the morning and evening, I shall eat less, lose weight, wear skins, and have dreadlocks. Enduring the cold, wind, heat, my hunger, my thirst, and my labors, I shall become emaciated by way of penance, just as declared. The songs and sounds of the cheerful birds and beasts of the forest shall warm my heart and ears daily. I shall enjoy the perfumey trees and vines weighed down by blossoms; I shall see the varying, charming things growing in the forest; I shall see the many excellent forest-hermits; I shall utterly harm none (what, then, can be said of my treatment of the local villagers and townspeople?). Entering the forest for rest and meditation, I shall survive on ready or raw fruits, pleasing the Pitris and gods with offerings of wild fruit, spring water, and hymns of praise. Doing these things and living in the forest austerely, I shall await physical, utter deterioration. Or, living alone and reserved, my head clean-shaven, I shall beg a tree each day for its fruit until some falls for me. Smearing my body with ashes, sheltered by abandoned homes or the bottoms of trees, I shall live my life, emptying my life of all things dear and loathsome. Neither giving into grief or joy – seeing each pair of opposites as equal and overcoming them (scolding vs. praise, hope vs. troubles) – I shall live, freeing myself of worldly things. Speaking to none, I shall look blind, deaf, and foolish. I shall be happy and take happiness from my own soul. Utterly harming no subtype of the four types of moving and still creatures, I shall treat all creatures equally, whether mindful of their duties or following the laws of the senses. I shall neither mock nor frown upon anyone. Controlling my senses to a t, I shall always look cheerful. Never asking directions, taking any path I come to, I shall continue on my journey, never taking note of the country I’m in or cardinal-direction I’m facing. I shall go anywhere I please without looking behind me. Free of desire and wrath, gazing from within, I shall journey onward without boasting of my soul or body. Mother Nature shall always provide food or drink for me. I shall not consider the polarities of life that would get in my way. If pure food, even a small amount, is not given at the first home I visit, I shall go to another home. If that home cannot feed me, I shall try seven more times to satisfy me. When a home no longer has billowing smoke or fire burning in the fireplace – when husking-tools are not being used – when the members of it have eaten – when beggars and guests are finished – I shall myself beg at the right time, going to two, three, but no more than five homes. Without desire, I shall wander the earth. Seeing success and failure as equals, I shall earn great asceticism-based merit. I shall behave neither like one fond of life or like one about to die. I shall neither love life nor hate death. If one severs an arm or smears the other arm with henna, I shall neither curse him nor wish him well. Abandoning anything that makes one rich, mine only deeds shall be opening my eyes, closing them, and eating and drinking just enough to survive. Never attached to labor – always controlling the acts of the senses – I shall abandon Desire and purify the soul of all impurities. Utterly unattached – severing all chains and ties – I shall be as free as the wind. Living so free of things that could affect me, I shall be eternally happy. I, due to desire and ignorance, committed great sins. The things a man has depend on karma from past lives – his wife, children, and kinsmen either please him or make his life miserable depending on that past-life karma. Consider a wife, children, and kinsmen either blessings or curses dependant on past-life karma or the causes that can affect future lives (that which they do affect the next life of the one to which they belong). When one’s wife, children, and kinsmen die, abandoning weakened bodies, they obtain their own bad karma (only the doer is burdened with that which he does, whether his acts are goodly or wicked). Thusly burdened with karma do creatures join in the Wheel of Life that constantly turns like a chariot-wheel, reborn on earth and interacting with fellow creatures. He who walks off the path of worldliness (a temporary illusion that seems immortal), troubled by rebirth, death, decay, disease, and pain, surely earns happiness. If the gods can fall from Heaven and great rishis can lose their honorable seats, who, knowing Karma, could want prosperity from Heaven? Insignificant kings, doing various things to deceive other kings, (reconciliation, giving gifts, etc.) often slay kings unfairly. I reflect on such occasions and drink from Wisdom’s cup. That sweet nectar guided me to choose a permanent, immortal, and set seat for myself. Always conducting myself with this knowledge and acting thusly, I shall take that bold path of life and abandon a body subject to rebirth, death, decay, disease and pain.’”

 

Chapter 1432

“Vaisampayana said,

 ‘But, Bhimasena said: Your sense of comprehension, O king, cannot see the truth like a foolish, idiotic chanter of The Vedas repeatedly chanting from them. If criticizing the duties of kings made one weak, taurine Bharata tribesman, it would have been truly wrong to have annihilated the Dhritarashtras. But, you are wrong to think a Kshatriya has neither compassion, pity, nor the ability to avoid harming others. If we'd known what your plans were, we would’ve never fought or slain even one creature. We would’ve begged ‘til the day we died. The terrible battle involving world leaders would never have occurred. Now, the educated say all that we see feeds the strong; yes, this world of moving and still things is pleasurable to the strong. But, the wise who know Kshatriya duties say he who prevents a man from attempting to become world leader should die; those against the realm were slain by us. Now that they’re slain, O Yudhishthira, you may rule the world justly. To refuse the realm is to dig a trench before collecting water and emerge, muddied. It’s like climbing a tall tree, collecting honey, and dying before tasting it. It’s like setting out on a long journey, only to return in despair, never coming to the end. It’s like slaying your every enemy, O Kuru, but killing yourself in the end. It’s like getting food but refusing to eat it. It’s like an aroused man finding a woman who feels likewise but refusing to meet her. We’re being blamed, O Bharata tribal king, for following you, a man who has hardly any sense of comprehension, simply because you’re our eldest half-brother. We’re naturally mighty, knowledgeable, and quite powerful. But, like true weaklings, we serve a eunuch. We shelter the helpless, yet, when it comes to reaching our goals, it would seem we are the utterly helpless ones. Reflect on my words. It is written that a man should abandon everything only if he is troubled or enemies have brought him overpowering decay or brought him failure. So, wise men do not believe a Kshatriya should abandon everything. No, those with clarity say if a Kshatriya abandons everything, there is a loss of virtue. How can a man born a Kshatriya, a devout Kshatriya at that, or even one protected by a Kshatriya say the duties of a Kshatriya are flawed? Criticizing the duties of a Kshatriya is equivalent to criticizing the holy, supreme leader representative of the caste. Who but an utterly impoverished man or an atheist would proclaim that the Vedas say it is righteous for a Kshatriya to abandon everything? It is never righteous, in reality, for one to do so. A hypocrite is he who can survive off of his strength and labor but chooses to do nothing his caste asks him to do and abandons everything. Who could dwell alone in the forest, abandoning sons, grandsons, rishis, guests, and Pitris, and be happy? Animals that dwell in the forest like those who abandon everything do not earn Heaven – yes, Kshatriyas who are strong enough but choose to bless none, dwelling in the forest, fail to earn Heaven. You can earn spiritual merit other ways. If, O king, abandoning everything and doing nothing else was the key to success, why wouldn’t the mountains and trees themselves do it? Yes, mountains and trees behave like ascetics when they harm none, sever all ties to the world, and act like Brahmacharins. If Fate, and nothing else, determines success or failure, be a Kshatriya and act. He who does nothing always fails. On the other hand, if relying on oneself was the only reason why one succeeded, sea-creatures would never fail. When has a sea-creature been fated to be rewarded by someone or something? This is the way of the world – all creatures do what comes natural to them, and, he who does nothing will always fail.’”

Chapter 1433

“Vaisampayana said,

‘There is an ancient tale having to do with this – a conversation between some ascetics and Sakra, taurine Bharata tribesman. Now, some well-off Brahmin youths with hardly any sense of comprehension and not one of the many honors of manhood entered the forest to dwell therein. Considering doing so virtuous, the youths with every reason to prosper chose to be Brahmacharins, abandoning their brothers and fathers. Now, it so happened that Indra felt empathy for them. Disguising himself as a golden bird, holy Sakra told them: ‘He who performs sacrifices and eats the remainder of the food offered first to gods and guests during them earns the kind of religious merit other men cannot earn. So, performing sacrifices is the loftiest and supremely meritorious thing one can do. He who does so is worthy of all praise. Doing so is the greatest achievement of one’s lifetime and those who are devoted to Virtue who do so earn the loftiest reward.’ Hearing these words, the rishis said: ‘This bird is praising those who eat the leftovers from sacrifices. He’s talking about us.’ But, the bird told them: ‘No, I do not praise you. You’re filthy and quite impure. You live off of that which is inedible, wicked ones! You’re not eating food leftover from a sacrifice.’ The rishis replied: ‘To us, however, the path we’ve chosen is truly blessed – what would do us some good, O bird? These words have inspired us to truly devote ourselves to you.’ The bird said: ‘Separate your self from your higher self and devote yourselves to me and I shall tell you true, beneficial things.’ So the rishis said: ‘You know all paths, sire, and we shall listen to you. O righteous-souled one, we shall obey your every command. What would you have us do?’ So, the bird said: ‘The cow is the loftiest quadruped. Gold is the loftiest metal. Brahmins are the loftiest speakers, chanters of mantras, and bipeds. Mantras regulate all the aspects of a Brahmin’s life – birth, life, death, and cremation. Vedic rituals represent, to him, Heaven, the path of life, and the top sacrifice. If this weren’t true, why do I believe chanting mantras help men seeking Heaven succeed in their endeavors? He who, on Earth, loves his soul, considering it a kind of god, succeeds, however, how well he succeeds depends on the nature of his soul; there’s a correlation between how one treats his soul and how much earthly pleasure he earns thereby. The seasons, measured in half-month marks, lead to the sun, moon, or stars – those who die during the lit fortnights of the summer solstice earn the solar lands of bliss, those who die during unlit fortnights of the winter solstice earn the lunar lands of bliss (the latter reborn upon experiencing their allotted periods of enjoyment and happiness), and those attached to nothing, when they die, go to the stellar lands equal to Brahma’s lands. These three types of success, dependant on action, are desirable to all creatures. Being a family man is the best way to live; it is a holy life-path and called the state of achievement. Those who find acting flawed have hardly any sense of comprehension, are utterly poor, and bring sin upon themselves. Those with hardly a sense of comprehension desert the immortal life-paths of gods, rishis, or Brahma and choose, instead, life-paths gods and Pitris avoid; paths scripture disapproves of. Failing to earn Brahman, their rank sinks until it parallels lower lifeforms and they are reborn as worms and vermin. Mantras instruct us thusly: ‘O sacrificer, perform the sacrifice known for its offerings of valuables and I shall reward you with sons, beasts, and Heaven.’ So, the loftiest, most abstentious act of an ascetic is following scripture. So, perform said sacrifices and be penitent thusly by giving gifts. The most austere penance can be defined as the adherence to the immortal commandments (to worship the gods, study The Vedas, please the Pitris, and honor teachers). When the gods were penitent in this exceedingly trying manner, they earned supreme glory and power. So, each of you should be a family man. Surely penance is supreme and is the crux of creation. But, everything depends on being the head of household and being as such leads to asceticism. He who eats feast-leftovers upon first offering shares of food morning and evening to kinsmen achieves things exceedingly difficult to achieve. The so-called ‘feast-leftover eaters’ eat only after serving guests, gods, rishis, and kinsmen. So, he who does his duties, keeps to excellent vows, and speaks honestly is truly respected on Earth, his faith utterly strengthened thereby. Humble, those doers of utterly difficult deeds earn Heaven and live for eternity in Sakra’s worlds.’ The ascetics then, upon hearing the beneficial, quite righteous things, realized abandoning all was pointless. From then on, they were heads of household. So, O knower of Righteousness, let your immortal wisdom guide you and rule this wide world, O king. You have no enemies now.’”

Chapter 1434

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Hearing Arjuna’s words, enemy-criticizer, mighty-armed, broad-chested, mildly articulating, naturally wise, currently-copper-faced Nakula, eyeing the king (the most righteous man), said, flooding his half-brother’s heart with sensibility: The gods created their separate sacrifice-fires in a world called Visakhayupa. Know, O king, that Action created and sustains the gods. The Pitris, sending even atheists rain, keeping to the Vedic declarations stating the commands of the holy creator, focus on action. Only an atheist would reject the Vedic declarations, ones constantly calling for action. He who knows The Vedas, following their declarations in all that he does, O Bharata tribesman, earns the loftiest spot in Heaven due to the gods (the path of the gods can be defined as the strict adherence to Vedic rituals). Life as a family man, according to those who know Vedic truths, is considered superior to other ways of life. Know, O king, that he who, during sacrifices, righteously offers riches he’s earned to Brahmins who know The Vedas well, controlling his soul, is, O king, considered a true ascetic. But, he who refuses to be a family man, something that brings one much happiness, takes a different life-path thereby – abandonment of self (death by starvation)! O king, such a one is like an ascetic who labors in the dark. A homeless man begging for a living who takes shelter at the base of a tree, is reserved, never cooks for himself, and seeks to control each function of his senses, is, O Partha, an ascetic begging for a living (not a true ascetic since such a lifestyle is seen by a Kshatriya as inappropriate). The Brahmin who, ignoring his wrath, joy, and urge to deceive, abandons all is an ascetic begging for a living, always studying The Vedas. Now, the four different life-paths were once judged. Yes, the wise man say, O king, being a family man is equivalent to the other three life-paths combined. Noting this, O Partha, noting, O Bharata tribesman, that life as a family man meant Heaven and pleasure therein, great rishis chose it and all those who knew the ways of the world took shelter in it. So, O taurine Bharata tribesman, a family man who considers it his duty to be one, never expecting to see results for anything he does at any time, is a true ascetic, not the one with a polluted mind who goes into the forest, leaving his home and familiar surroundings behind. He who, seemingly righteous, still has desires during his bout in the forest is enchained by grim Death with his deadly leash. Now, acts done out of selfishness are said to bear no fruit. But, the fruits of asceiticism are always plentiful (acting with the belief that only the doer controls the deed and fully at that is worse than acting without the belief that results of the act will come). The rishis say tranquility, self-control, strength, honesty, purity, simplicity, performing sacrifices, perseverance, and righteousness are always goodly virtues. And, a family man’s virtue lies in deeds done for the sake of Pitris, gods, and guests. The three goals of life are reached when one is a family man – faith, pleasure, and profit. A family man who is an ascetic is free to do anything and will always be upheld on Earth and in the afterlife. The innocent Lord of All, righteous-souled, created creation with the intention that it would show its love for him by performing sacrifices involving a great many gifts. The Lord of All said vines, trees, deciduous herbs, pure animals, and ghee were the ingredients for sacrifices. But, many things can prevent a family man from performing sacrifices and that’s why such a life-path is considered exceedingly difficult – it’s impossible. However, if a family man is dutiful and has riches, corn, and beasts but never performs sacrifices, O king, he is always a sinner. Now, some rishis say studying The Vedas is equivalent to performing a sacrifice; some say meditation is like performing a mental sacrifice. The gods, O king, are eager to ally themselves with a reborn man who is as such – choosing the life-path of meditation and becoming equal to Brahma. You refuse to give away the various riches you stole from your enemies and that makes you an atheist. O king, a king who is a family man only gives his riches away during a Rajasuya, Aswamedha, or other sacrifice. Like the divinities’ chief (Sakra), sire, I, too, ask you to perform sacrifices praiseworthy to the Brahmins. An ignorant king whose subjects are robbed and go without protection is considered evil incarnate. We’d be like avatars of Kali born into a royal family if we entered the forest without offering horses, cows, female slaves, adornment-decorated elephants, villages, cities, fields, or homes to Brahmins, unfriendly to kinsmen. It’s a sin for royalty not to be charitable or protective – it brings such men woe, not bliss. If, O Lord, you do not perform great sacrifices and rituals to honor your late ancestors and do not bathe in sacred waters as a nomad, you will be destroyed like a small cloud separated from a cloud-bank destroyed by wind. You’ll fall from Earth and the other worlds, reborn a ghoul. A true ascetic abandons both inner- and outer-attachments, not just leaving his home for forest-life. A Brahmin who observes these things, things without barricades, does not fall from Earth or any other world. Keeping to his caste-based duties, duties honored by elders and ones done by top men, who, O Partha, would grieve, O king, for, in a trice, slaying enemies in battle, swollen with prosperity like Sakra slaying the Daitya armies? Having kept to your Kshatriya duties and tamed the world by way of your power, having given gifts to those who know The Vedas, you cannot, O king, go higher than Heaven. It ill-suits you, Partha, to give into grief.’”

Chapter 1435

“Vaisampayana said,

‘And Sahadeva said: Abandoning outer-attachments alone, O Bharata tribesman, does not lead to success. And, abandoning inner-attachments still makes success uncertain. Our enemies can have the spiritual merit and happiness that come from abandoning outer-attachments but still have inner ones. Our friends can have the religious merit and happiness that comes from ruling the world but have no inner-attachments. The [Sanskrit] word for ‘mine’ comes from two letters, ‘m’ and ‘a’ and is equivalent to Death, but the word for ‘not mine’, three-lettered, ‘n’ and ‘a’ and ‘m’, is immortal Brahman - everything proceeding from selfishness creates death but everything proceeding from unselfishness leads to Brahman or immortality. Brahma and Death, O king, entering invisibly into every soul, surely drive all creatures. If the soul, O Bharata tribesman, is immortal, then the destruction of a creatures with souls is not really destroying them. Why perform rituals and act according to scripture over a lifetime if, when the body dies, the soul does, too? Never doubting the soul’s immortality, a wise man should take the same path the ancient, righteous ones took in the near and distant past. If a king earns the entire world, including its moving and still creatures, but does not take pleasure in it, the acquisition is surely unrewarding. The man surviving off of wild fruit and roots native to the forest who is still attached to things of this world dwells in Death’s jaws, O king. O Bharata tribesman, see the hearts and outer selves of all creatures as manifestations of your heart and outward self. He who sees all creatures as himself escapes the great fear of being destroyed. You’re the king, my guardian, my half-brother, my elder, and my teacher. It’d suit you, therefore, to forgive the sorrowful babbling of a woe-stricken man. Whether I’m wrong or right, Lord of the World, I said these things out of respect for you, supreme Bharata tribesman.’”

Chapter 1436

“Vaisampayana said,

‘When Kunti’s son, righteous King Yudhishthira, said nothing upon hearing from his half-brothers who were repeating Vedic truths, the supreme woman of large eyes, great beauty, and noble descent, O king, Draupadi, spoke to the taurine king sitting amidst his leonine and tigrine half-brothers like a bull-elephant amongst his herd. Always expecting love and honor from her five husbands (especially from Yudhishthira), she was always treated lovingly and indulged by the king. Knowing Duty and doing her duties, the large-hipped lady, eyeing her husband, wanting his attention, spoke sweetly to him thusly: Your brothers, Partha, are weeping and making themselves hoarse, but you do not gladden them. O king, gladden your half-brothers, ones as powerful as furious elephants, with righteous words. The heroes always drink from Misery’s cup. Why, O king, when you lived on the shores of Lake Dwaita, did you tell your half-brothers, ones living with you and suffering from chills, wind, and heat: ‘Rushing into battle, wishing to win, we shall slay Duryodhana and enjoy the world, something able to grant all wishes. Taking great chariot-warriors’ chariots away from them – slaying huge elephants – bestrewing the battlefield with corpses of chariot-warriors, horsemen, and heroes – you, enemy-criticizers, will perform various, great sacrifices, offering plenty of gifts. Your sufferings due to forest-exile will have a happy ending.’ O best virtuous-deed-doer, you said that to your half-brothers and I wonder, O hero, why you’re saddening our hearts now? A eunuch can never enjoy wealth; a eunuch can never enjoy children like fish in muck can never enjoy water. If a Kshatriya has no Staff of Judgment, he can never shine or enjoy this world. The subjects of a king who has no Staff of Judgment will never be happy. Befriending all, being charitable, studying The Vedas, and being penitent are a Brahmin’s – not a king’s – duties, supreme king. A king’s loftiest duties are to control the wicked, uphold the honest, and never retreat from battle. He who knows duties is he in whom dwell Forgiveness, Wrath, Charity, Removal, Terror, Fearlessness, Scolding, and Rewarding. You didn’t earn the world by studying, charity, or begging. The enemy-army, O hero, bursting at the seams with might, possessing plenty of elephants, horses, and chariots, and possessing the three kinds of strengths (strength in one’s master, strength in goodly advice, and strength in one’s own drive and courage), protected by Drona, Karna, Aswatthaman, and Kripa, was defeated and annihilated by you, hero. So, please enjoy this world. In the past, O king, you, a mighty ruler, ruled Jambu, O tigrine men, one with plenty of populous districts. Also, O king, you were the mighty ruler of Kraunchadwipa, a place on the western side of great Mount Meru and equivalent to Jambudwipa. You were the mighty ruler, O king, of Sakadwipa, a place on the eastern side of Mount Meru equal to Kraunchadwipa. Bhadraswa, on the northern side of great Mount Meru, equal to Sakadwipa, was also ruled by you, O tigrine man. You even toppled the sea and ruled as a mighty ruler other places too, hero, even islands containing many populous provinces. Having, O Bharata tribesman, done such immeasurable things – having earned, by way of them, the Brahmins’ love – why is your soul dissatisfied? Look at your half-brothers, O Bharata tribesman, heroes swollen with might who resemble furious elephants in power. Why not say pleasurable things to them? All of you are like divinities; all of you can challenge enemies; all of you can scorch enemies. If only one of you had become my husband, my happiness would even then have been very great. So, what can I say about, O tigrine man, about the five of you, my husbands, ones taking care of me like the five senses that drive the body? The words of my mother-in-law, one naturally quite wise and clairvoyant, cannot be rendered untrue. To me she said: ‘O Panchalan princess and excellent lady, Yudhishthira will always keep you happy.’ Having slain thousands upon thousands of kings naturally quite powerful, methinks you, O king, are about to foolishly make me unhappy. If, in a family, the eldest brother is insane, his other brothers follow suit. You’ve gone insane, O king, so all the Pandavas are about to go insane. If, O king, your half-brothers had their wits about them, they’d have imprisoned you with all the other atheists and ruled the world in your place. He who foolishly acts this way never prospers. He who walks the path of insanity should take medicine, use incense and collyrium, snort medication, and take other medicines. O top Bharata tribesman, I am the worst woman of them all – I want to live despite losing all my children. Do not ignore the words of your half-brothers and I – we’re trying to dissuade you from leaving this world; it will bring misfortune and danger upon you. You shine now, O king, like the two supreme kings, Mandhatri and Amvarisha, honored by all world leaders, shone long ago. Justly protect your people, rule the goddess (Mother Earth) including her mountains, forests, and islands, and do not, O king, be miserable. Show your love for the gods by performing sacrifices, fighting your enemies, and offering riches, clothing, and other pleasurable things to Brahmins, supreme king.’”

Chapter 1437

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Hearing the words of Yajnasena’s daughter, Arjuna said more, proving his true respect for the eternally glorious, mighty-armed, and eldest half-brother: The man armed with the Staff of Judgment rules all people and protects them; the Staff of Judgment is awake when all are sleeping. So, the wise call the Staff of Judgment Righteousness. The Staff of Judgment guards Righteousness and Profit. It protects as well, O king. So, the Staff of Judgment is identified with faith, profit, and pleasure. Now, corn and riches are guarded by that staff. Know this, O possessor of learning, and take up the Staff of Judgment, knowing the way the world turns. Fearing the Staff of Judgment wielded by the king, a caste of sinners stop sinning, another caste stops sinning, fearful of Yama’s staff, a third caste does it due to fear of the next world, and a fourth caste does it because they fear the reaction of society. So, O king, on Earth, something turning thusly, all depends on the Staff of Judgment. Now, one caste of men would resort to cannibalism if it weren’t for that staff. If that staff was not protective, that caste would sink into Hell’s darkness. The Staff of Judgment is called Danda (the staff of ascetics) because, as the wise say, it controls the reckless and punishes the wicked. Punish a Brahmin with words, a Kshatriya with only as much food as will support him, and a Vaisya with fines and repossession of property – Sudras are punished enough (they have no riches so one cannot repossess their riches and they serve so enslaving them is redundant). To ensure men do their duties and for the protection of property, O king, laws were created (penal codes). So, dark-complexioned, red-eyed Judgment is ever-ready to deal with each offender and the king eyes all righteously, and thus, the people never falter. Brahmacharins, family men, forest-recluses, and devout beggars all take their respective paths, fearful of the Staff of Judgment. A fearless man will never, O king, perform a sacrifice, be charitable, or honor engagements or contracts. Hitting vital-parts – doing utterly difficult things – a fisherman having to kill fish – these things must happen to earn great prosperity. If there was no slaughter, no man would ever be world famous, get rich, or rule a people. Indra gained magnitude only when he slew Vritra. The gods who slaughter are far more beloved than the rest – Rudra, Skanda, Sakra, Agni, and Varuna have all slain. Kala, Mrityu, Vayu, Kuvera, Surya, the Vasus, the Maruts, the Sadhyas, and the Viswadevas, O Bharata tribesman, have all slain. Humbled by their power, all people bow before those gods instead of bowing before Brahma, Dhatri, or Pushan. Only a few men, noble of disposition, always show their love in all that they do for the gods who treat all equally, control themselves, and are peaceful. I know of no creature on Earth that survives without harming another. Animals eat other animals; the strong prey upon the weak. Mongooses eat mice, cats eat mongooses, dogs eat cats, leopards eat dogs, and all is eaten by the holy destroyer on doomsday. The beings of the moving and still universe are eaten by the living; this was ordained by the gods. So, a wise man is not stunned by it. It’d suit you, great king, to abide by your nature. Only foolish Kshatriyas, controlling their fury and joy, take shelter in the forest. Even ascetics cannot survive unless they harm a creature. There are aquatic, terrestrial, and organic things everywhere and it’s impossible not to slay one of the above types. What loftier duty is there than supporting oneself? If, to support life, one kills a creature, one has not sinned in the least. There are many creatures so microscopic we can only hypothesize about their existence. Blink and you can destroy them. Men who, taming their wrath and pride, begin life as ascetics, leaving villages and towns for forest-life, but, when they arrive, prefer to be heads of household in the forest instead, too stunned to be otherwise. Others, as family men, till the soil, dig up herbs, fell trees, kill birds or beasts, and perform sacrifices to finally earn Heaven. O son of Kunti, surely the acts of all creatures are crowned by Success only when critiqued. Without Judgment, all creatures would soon die. Like fish, stronger ones will prey upon weaker ones. Brahma spoke truth when he said that righteous Judgment upholds life. Fearing forcefulness or judgment, fires, when put out, will flare again if blown. If no judgment taught us right from wrong, the world would be blanketed in total darkness and all things would be mystified. When the lawless, atheists, and those who scoff at The Vedas are censured, they soon turn into law-abiding, restrictive people. Everything on Earth remains upright due to judgment. There are very few people who are naturally pure and righteous; cowering before Judgment, man chooses to be law-abiding and restrictive. The holy creator created Discipline to uphold faith and profit, to bring the four castes happiness, and to make its members righteous and modest. If Judgment was not fearsome, ravens and carnivores would’ve eaten all other animals as well as men and sacrificial ghee. If Judgment was not supportive and protective, there would be neither Vedic studies, cow-milking, nor virgin-marrying – students, cows, and virgins fear Judgment. If Judgment wasn’t supportive or protective, there would be rape, utter chaos, no borders, and no thoughts of property. If Judgment was not supportive and protective, men couldn’t perform sacrifices, giving large gifts, year after year. If Judgment was not supportive or protective, none, no matter his life-path, would do his scriptural duties or be educated – fear of being regarded as mentally impaired and foolish and fear of being a laughing-stock or dissatisfactory to his teacher or classmates makes one desire an education. If Judgment was not supportive or protective, no camel, ox, horse, mule, or jackass would pull a chariot or carriage. All creatures need Judgment. That’s why the educated say it’s the root of all. Judgment supports Heaven (something desirable to men) and Earth. When Judgment destroys enemies righteously, there is neither deception nor wickedness. Without the Staff of Judgment, a dog would eat sacrificial ghee and a crow would steal the initial sacrifice-offering. Whether it was just or unjust, the realm is now ours. So, it is our duty to quell grief. Enjoy the realm; perform sacrifices. Men who are fortunate, living with their dear wives and children, eating good food, wearing excellent clothes, and feeling cheerful earn virtue. Our deeds surely depend on riches and riches depend on discipline. See how important judgment is? Duties must be done to maintain earthly affairs. Now, harming none and harming for the right reasons, when compared, leads one to believe the latter is better – there is no act that is completely meritorious nor one completely wicked. Any act has positive and negative qualities. We castrate beasts, remove their horns, give them our burdens to carry, tie them up, and scold them. This world is flimsy, rotted due to abuse, and painful, O king – do the age-old things men do and remember these rules and explanations. Perform sacrifices, be charitable, protect the people, and be righteous. Slay enemies, son of Kunti, and protect your friends. Do not be the least bit miserable, O king, when slaying enemies – slaying enemies, O Bharata tribesman, is not sinful in the least. To take up a weapon and slay an advancing enemy is not as sinful as killing an unborn child – the furious, advancing enemy has made the slayer infuriated. The inner soul of every creature is immortal – if the soul is as such, how can one truly slay another? Like men moving into a new home, creatures enter new bodies. Abandoning worn forms, a creature will take on a new one. People incapable of seeing truth consider going from one body to another death.’”

Chapter 1438

“Vaisampayana said,

‘Once Arjuna had finished, the quite furious and powerful Bhimasena, summoning all his patience, told his eldest half-brother: You, O king, know Duty to a t. You know all. We always want to emulate you, but alas, this is the exception. I thought: I will not say anything! I will not say anything! But, due to powerful grief, I must say something. Hear me, O ruler of men. Your faculties are stunned, so everything is endangered and we feel miserable and weak now. How can you, the Lord of the World, one who knows all branches of knowledge, have a clouded sense of comprehension due to misery like a coward? You know both the right and the wrong paths on Earth. You know all about the future and the present. O mighty one, if that is so, let me, O king, tell you why you should let yourself be king. Listen closely. Now, there are physical diseases and mental ones and each springs from the other. Neither one ought to be seen as independent of the other. Surely mental diseases spring from physical ones and surely it is vice versa. That is the truth; he who is overwhelmingly regretful for past physical or mental woes brings woe upon himself from that woe, feeling twice as woeful. The body contains something cold, something hot, and something billowy – phlegm, bile, and air. When each is harmonious with the other two, a man is healthy. If one overpowers the other two, we have remedies – cold ends the heat and heat ends the cold. As for the mind, there is good, zealousness, and evil. When each is harmonious with the other, one is mentally healthy. If one overpowers the other two, we have remedies – happiness ends grief and grief ends happiness. When one is joyous, he chooses to recall past woes, and, when one is woeful, he chooses to recall past joy. But, you were never grievous nor blissful. So, do not think on sad times when blissful or blissful times when woeful. Methinks Fate is omnipotent, but, if you think your troubles stem from your nature, why aren’t you recalling seeing the scantily-clad Krishna dragged, during her menstruation, before the assembly? Why aren’t you recalling our exile from the Kuru city into the forest, dressed in deer-skins? What about our life in the great forests? Why have you forgotten the woes we had due to Jatasura, the battle with Chitrasena, and the troubles we had due to the Sindhu king? Why have you forgotten the time Kichaka kicked Princess Draupadi when we were in hiding? Remember all your woes then as a so-called tendency of your nature and see that slaying the enemy was right. Like the time when Bhishma and Drona fought is how your impending mental battle shall be. This battle has nothing to do with arrows, friends, relatives, or kinsmen – just the mind. To die before conquering your mind means rebirth and another fight with said enemies – the path you’ve chosen means abandoning riches and a realm, which keeps you from performing sacrifices, giving gifts, and being devout, which keeps you from salvation. So, taurine Bharata tribesman, fight your mental battle today, ignoring your physical ailments, and, with the help of your deeds, defeat and identify with your mental enemy. What will become of you if you lose this battle? No, you muar win, O king, and earn the loftiest end of life. Use you intellect and, noting the right and wrong paths for creatures, follow the path your forefather took, ruling your realm rightly. Fortunately, O king, wicked Duryodhana and all his devotees were slain. Fortunately, you have returned to normalcy like Draupadi’s hair went from disheveled to well-groomed. Perform a horse-sacrifice with proper rituals, offering great gifts. We, the quite powerful Vasudeva too, are your servants, son of Pritha.’”

Chapter 1439

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘Yudhishthira said: You covet the right to rule, Bhima, troubled by restlessness, a reckless attachment to earthly goods, an absence of tranquility, might, foolishness, vanity, and anxiety. Free yourself of desire, conquer joy and grief, and earn tranquility, striving for happiness. The unrivalled ruler of this free world has only one stomach. Why praise this life-path? Desires, taurine Bharata tribesman, cannot be satisfied in a day or many months. Desire, insatiable, can never truly be a part of one’s life. Fire, when fed with fuel, blazes brilliantly, and, when it is not fed thusly, it is extinguished. When something burns in your stomach, do not end that burning with a small amount of food. However, only a fool wants to be full of food. Conquer your stomach first and then conquer the world. When the world is conquered, you will earn that which is immortal and for your own good. You praise desires, pleasures, and prosperity but he who has renounced Pleasure and becomes emaciated due to penance earns the lands of bliss. Earning a realm and upholding it is both righteous and wicked. Your passion for that which is righteous and that which is wicked lies in you, so, remove your great burdens and renounce. To fill his stomach, a tiger will slay animal after animal. Weak animals moved by greed try to steal the tiger’s meal. If kings welcome earthly possessions and then become ascetics, they will never be happy. Such persons are confused. He who survives by way of tree-leaves, a pair of stones, or his teeth for husking grain – he who survives on water or air alone – successfully conquers Hell. When it comes to the king who rules this wide, free world and the man who sees gold and pebbles as equals, the latter is said to have reached his life’s goal, not the former. So, depend on the everlasting shelter of Joy on Earth and in the afterlife and stop acting and hoping when it comes to your desires; detach yourself from them. The man without desire and pleasure never grieves. You, however, grieve for that which you do not have. Detach yourself from desire and pleasure and you can successfully detach yourself from lies (making false claims about your asceticism). For us, there is the famous path of the Pitris and the famous path of the gods (The path of the Pitris means performing Vedic rituals to earn the lands of bliss and the path of the gods means putting aside religious rituals for meditation and piety). Sacrificers take the Pitris’ path but those aiming for liberation take the gods’ path. Penance, acting as a Brahmacharin, and studying The Vedas led the great rishis to, abandoning their bodies, the worlds beyond Death. The pleasures of this world are binding and acting on them can be considered within the realm of Action. Freeing oneself from one’s chains and from labor leads one to the loftiest end. An ancient verse was sung by Janaka, one freed from the pairs of opposites, from desires, and focusing on liberation: ‘I possess piles of treasure, yet have nothing. If the whole of Mithila were razed and turned to ash, nothing of mine would be burnt.’ Like a man on a hill eyeing the men on the plain below, he on the roof on Knowledge’s mansion eyes people grieving for things undeserving of such feelings. But, one who hardly comprehends doesn’t understand this. He who eyes the visible and sees them as they truly are is said to have comprehending eyes. The faculty called ‘comprehension’ is so called because the unknown and confusing becomes known and understood. He who knows the words of the educated, the pure-souled, and the ones who know Brahman successfully earns great honor. When one sees creatures of infinite diversity as one and the same and to be but diversified products of the same source, one has earned Brahman. Those who reach this lofty state of living earn the supreme, blissful end but not fools, those of small or narrow-minded souls, those without a sense of comprehension, and those who aren’t penitent. Yes, all is supported by a developed sense of comprehension.’”

Chapter 1440

“Vaisampayana said,

‘When Yudhishthira, upon saying these words, fell silent, Arjuna, troubled by the king’s words, burning with sorrow and grief, again spoke to his elder half-brother: People tell the old story, O Bharata tribesman, of the conversation between the Videhas’ ruler and his wife. It’s about what the grief-stricken wife of the Videhas’ ruler said to her husband when he, abandoning the kingdom, had decided to be a beggar. Abandoning his riches, children, wives, and various precious possessions, he put aside the usual way to earn spiritual merit and the sacrificial fire – performing sacrifices. King Janaka shaved his head and dressed like a beggar; beginning his life as a beggar, he vowed to harm none, abandon Selfishness, and survive on a handful of barley grains that fell naturally from the plant and grains nestled in the cracks on the ground. When her husband was alone, the queen, naturally quite mentally strong, fearless and furious, told him things chock full of reason: ‘Why have you decided to be a beggar, abandoning a realm chock full of riches and corn? A handful of fallen barley is inappropriate for you. Your decision does not parallel your deeds – you abandon a great kingdom for the sake of a handful of grain, O king. Can you please guests, gods, rishis and Pitris with that handful of barley, O king? Your work is without reward. Alas, the gods, guests, and Pitris have abandoned you and you’re now a wandering beggar. O king, you no longer want to act. Before now, you upheld thousands of Brahmins who knew the three Vedas and so much more. How can you now wish to beg such men for food? Putting aside your fiery prosperity, you eye your surroundings like a hungry dog. Today, your mother has lost a son. Today, the Kosalan princess, your wife, has lost her husband. The helpless Kshatriyas, expecting rewards and spiritual merit, serve you, utterly hopeful. You would dash their hopes, O king, especially when liberation is dubious and all creatures depend on action? Sinful as you are, you possess neither this world nor the next – you want to live after abandoning your wife? A wife is her husband’s ally when it comes to spiritual deeds. Why be a wandering beggar, never acting, putting aside leis, perfumes, decorations, and various robes? You were a great, holy treasure to all creatures – a mighty tree worthy of adoration sheltering all – alas, how can you worship others? If an elephant refuses to labor, packs of carnivores and countless worms tear it apart. When you lose all power, what will happen to you? How can your heart choose that life-path calling for a clay pot, a three-headed staff, the forceful abandonment of clothes, and the meager allowance of a handful of barley once all is abandoned? If you say a realm and a handful of barley mean the same to you, why leave the realm behind? If you desire only a handful of barley, your plan to desire nothing is useless. If you want to leave it all behind, what will I mean to you, you mean to me, and your blessings mean to me? He who wishes happiness but is quite poor, needy, and friendless can become an ascetic. But, to imitate such men, leaving royal mansions, royal beds, vehicles, robes, and decorations behind, is wrong. He who is charitable is different from he who receives charity, as you know. Which of the two is better than the other? If one expects a gift from a charitable man or is boastful of it, the gift is worthless, like ghee doled upon a great forest-fire instead of a sacrifice-fire. Like a fire, O king, not dying ‘til it’s swallowed all piled onto it, a beggar is dissatisfied ‘til he receives a donation. In this world, charity surely supports the devout. So, if a king isn’t available to offer food to the devout, what can those who want liberation, the devout, do? Men with food in their homes are called ‘heads of household’ and beggars are supported by them. Food gives life; the donator of food donates life. If a family man becomes a beggar, the beggar is begging from the kind of man he once was. A self-controlled man, by doing this, earns and enjoys fame and power. A beggar is not just someone who leaves his possessions behind or just someone who survives off of charity-offerings. No, a true beggar renounces his possessions and worldly pleasures to possess a sincere mind-set – if not, a king could rule and still be considered an ascetic if he sat on the throne but was detached. A liberated man has a detached heart though seemingly attached, distances himself from the world, severs all ties, and considers enemies and friends equals. O king, they shave their heads, wear brown robes, wander the world as beggars though bound various ways, and are always looking for unrewarding wealth. To abandon the three Vedas, their caste-based occupations, and children – to beg, choosing that three-headed staff and brown robe – is to have barely a sense of comprehension. Still possessing wrath – still flawed – they take the brown robe, O king, just to get handouts. Those with clean-shaven heads with Virtue’s flag want to focus solely on getting handouts. So, O king, control your zeal and earn the lands of bliss by supporting the truly pious; the ones with dreadlocks or clean-shaven heads; the ones wearing nothing, rags, animal-skins, or brown robes. To uphold the sacrifice-fire, perform sacrifices, offer beasts and fees, and be charitable day and night is the loftiest thing of all.’ King Janaka is considered a knower of truth on Earth. But, even he didn’t know about Duty. Do not be similarly lost! The duties of a family man are performed by the charitable. Lands of bliss are free to all who protect creatures, keep to charity-vows, and respect superiors and elders. Lands of bliss are surely earned by pleasing gods, guests, and creatures, by honoring Brahmins, and by honesty.’”

Chapter 1441

“Vaisampayana continued,

'Yudhishthira said: I know both The Vedas and the scriptures that lead one to attaining Brahman. In The Vedas, there is scripture calling for action and there is scripture calling for inaction. The words of The Vedas are confusing but its truths are sensible. But, I know Truth by way of mantras. You only know weapons and the deeds of heroes. You cannot comprehend the truths of scripture. If you truly know Duty, you would’ve understood that words such as these should not be spoken to me by one with even perfect insight about the meaning of scripture and religious truths. But, son of Kunti, your words were spoken out of brotherly love and were both befitting and appropriate. I am, thereby, pleased with you, Arjuna. When it comes to battle-duty and skill for the performance of various acts, there’s none like you the three worlds over. So, you may speak on the intricacies of these matters – subtleties others cannot penetrate. But, it ill-suits you, O Dhananjaya, to doubt my intelligence. Though you know the science of warfare, you never served the elders. You don’t know what conclusions those who studied briefly or greatly came to. Wise men who comprehend for the sake of liberation concluded that when it comes to abstentious penance, asceticism, and knowledge of Brahman, asceticism tops penance and knowing Brahman tops asceticism. You think nothing is greater than wealth and that’s not true. Let me convince you otherwise and you will think of wealth differently. All righteous men are openly devoted to abstentious penance and study of The Vedas. The rishis meant for many immortal worlds have penance-based merit. Those with tranquil souls naturally who have no enemies and dwell in the forest have, by way of penance and study of The Vedas, gone to Heaven. Pious men, by controlling their desire for worldly possessions and quelling their foolishness-based wickedness, take the northern (lit) paths to the worlds meant for ascetics. The southern path leading to the worlds of light (the lunar worlds) are meant for those who act – the reborn earn them. But, those aiming for liberation earn an indescribable end and the best way to earn it is meditation. Well, this subject is difficult to explain to you. The educated live, reflecting on scripture to discover the illusionary. They are, however, often pulled in different directions, feeling that which they seek lies in one thing or another. Having mastered The Vedas, The Aranyakas, and other scripture, they miss that which is true – it’s like men failing to find solid wood in an uprooted banana tree. Some don’t believe in the union of the soul when it meets a body possessing the five elements and that body possesses desire, greed, etc. Invisible to the naked eye and exceedingly subtle – inexpressible – the soul is what experiences the cycle of rebirth when it comes to the world’s creatures, setting Action’s crux before it. Having made the soul advance towards that which is the source of all blessedness – having controlled all mental desires – one is utterly independent and happy. If there is a path taken by the righteous earnnable by knowledge, why, Arjuna, praise wealth? Wealth is chock full of all kinds of misfortune! Men from olden times who knew the scriptures to a t, O Bharata tribesman – men always giving gifts, performing sacrifices, and acting – believed this. O Bharata tribesman, some fools skilled in debate deny the existence of the soul due to powerful beliefs in a previous lifetime. It is very difficult to make them understand this truth about ultimate liberation. Those wicked men, though naturally quite educated, travel the world and lecture during assemblies, belittling the truth about liberation. O Partha, who can successfully comprehend that which we do not? Yes, like those men being unable to comprehend the truth about scripture, they cannot understand the wise, pious men who’re truly great and truly know scripture. O son of Kunti, men who know the truth earn Brahman by asceticism, wisdom, and renunciation, quite happy.’”

Chapter 1442

“Vaisampayana said,  

'Once Yudhishthira had stopped, the great ascetic named Devasthana of natural eloquence said things to the king chock full of sensibility: Phalguna has said nothing is superior to wealth. Let me lecture you on the subject; listen closely to me. O Ajatasatru, you earned the world justly. Having earned her, it ill-suits you, O king, to causelessly abandon it. Now, there are four life-paths described in The Vedas; now, you must go through each one. O king, you must now perform great sacrifices, offering great gifts. Some rishis focus on performing sacrifices according to their Vedic studies. Some focus on them according to wisdom. So, O Bharata tribesman, as you can see, even ascetics are obsessed with acting. But, the Vaikhanasas say those not seeking riches are better than those who are – it is better to perform sacrifices without involving money instead of celebrating prosperity with sacrifices. Methinks he who celebrated thusly would be truly punished. Men collect various things to perform sacrifices because The Vedas ask them to; he who, polluted by his sense of comprehension, gives money to one who does not deserve riches rather than one who does is like one who commits feticide unawares, that is, self-harm. Differentiating the deserving from the undeserving when it comes to charity is difficult. The holy, supreme commander created money for the sake of performing sacrifices and created man to protect that money and perform sacrifices. So, money should only be used when performing sacrifices. Performing sacrifices naturally leads to pleasure. Naturally quite powerful, Indra, by performing various sacrifices and offering great, valuable gifts, surpassed all gods. Earning the right to be chief thereby, he shines in Heaven. So, apply the art of performing sacrifices to everything. Mahadeva, donning deer-skins, a mahatma, offered himself during a Sarva and became the primary god, surpassing all creatures in the universe and prevailing over them due to that sacrifice; he shines brilliantly. Aviksit’s son, King Maruta, due to his great wealth, defeated Sakra, the gods’ chief. During his sacrifice, the containers were made of gold and even Sri was present. You heard about great King Harischandra performing sacrifices, earning great merit, and earning great happiness. Though a man, he defeated Sakra with riches. So, apply the art of performing sacrifices to all you do.’”

Chapter 1443

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘Devasthana continued: There is an ancient tale having to do with this – a conversation between Vrihaspati and Indra. Vrihaspati said: ‘Happiness is the highest heaven, the loftiest bliss, and the loftiest of all things. It’s the best. When one shies away from his desire like a retracting tortoise, his soul’s natural shine beams. When one fears none nor is frightening to none – when one conquers one’s desire and non-desire – one sees one’s own soul. When one, in word and thought, has no wish to harm anyone or anything and desires nothing and none, one is said to earn Brahman.’ So, O son of Kunti, that which a creature believes, no matter what it is, will be judged in the end. Become aware of this, O Bharata tribesman – The Srutis say he who is fearsome is fearful and he who frightens none is not fearful. One’s deeds correspond to one’s rewards. Rule and rule fairly without attachment to be crowned with bliss in the afterlife. Some praise serenity, some praise labor, some meditation, and some say both serenity and labor are good. Some praise performing sacrifices and some praise asceticism. Some praise charity and others praise acceptance. Some, abandoning all, constantly meditate in silence. Some praise sovereignty, treating subjects well, and enslaving, slicing, and striking enemies. Some praise entering into the forest for rest. Aware of all this, the educated say the righteous approve of any faith in which none are harmed. Harming none, speaking truth, righteousness, compassion, self-control, siring children with wives, friendliness, modesty, and patience are the best aspects of faith according to the self-created one, Manu. So, son of Kunti, do these things as part of your faith sensibly. The Kshatriya who, knowing truths and royal duties, chooses to rule, controlling his soul at all times, equally respecting both those who are precious and not precious to him, surviving off of leftovers from sacrifice-feasts, focusing on controlling the wicked and honoring the just, asking his people to walk the virtuous paths and walking them himself, finally enters the forest to survive off of its natural produce, acting according to Vedic law, once he has eliminated non-action from himself. Yes, the Kshatriya who behaves thusly, conforming to the famous duties of kings, surely earns results on Earth and in the next world. The final liberation you speak of is exceedingly difficult to earn; its pursuit is complicated. But, those who do such duties, are charitable, are ascetically penitent, are naturally compassionate, are free from desire and fury, are focused on ruling their people fairly, and who fight for cows and Brahmins earn lofty ends in the afterlife. The Rudras, Vasus, Adityas, enemy-scorcher, Sadhyas, and royal armies do such things (it’s their methodology). Perform the acts this way of life insists you perform without much detraction and earn Heaven by way of your deeds.’”

Chapter 1444

“Vaisampayana continued,

 ‘Then, Arjuna spoke to his eldest half-brother of immortal glory (the miserable-hearted King Yudhishthira): O true knower of all duties, why burn with grief after doing your Kshatriya duties, earning sovereignty, something so difficult to earn, and defeating your enemies? O king, for Kshatriyas, dying in battle is more meritorious than performing various sacrifices. According to Kshatriya law, this is so. Brahmins are the ones who are penitent ascetics. This is even the law for those two castes in the next world. Yes, mighty one, a Kshatriya’s duty is to die in battle. The duties of Kshatriyas are exceedingly terrible, always linked to weaponry, and ones fixedly set on, Bharata chieftain, when the time comes, dying by way of weapons in battle. A Brahmin, O king, who lives like a Kshatriya is not to blame – Brahma birthed Kshatriyas. Renunciation, sacrifice, penance, and depending on others for wealth, O ruler of men, was the set of deeds set aside for Kshatriyas. You know all duties and have a righteous soul, taurine Bharata tribesman. You’re a wise king and skilled in all duties. You know right from wrong as it pertains to this world, so, quell your misery by repenting and demand action of yourself. A Kshatriya heart is as tough as thunder; do your Kshatriya duties, defeat your enemies, earn a thorn-less empire, conquer your soul, O king, focus on performing sacrifices, and be charitable. Indra himself, though a Brahmin, became a Kshatriya by way of his acts; he fought his wicked kin eight-hundred-and-ten times. His acts, O king, are beloved and praiseworthy. Through them, he earned, as we’ve heard, the right to be the gods’ chief. So, O king, perform sacrifices and offer great gifts like Indra, O ruler of men; lift your fever. Do not, taurine Kshatriya, grieve – what’s done is done. Men have died in battle, thusly earning themselves the loftiest end, and such a death is righteous for all Kshatriyas. That which was destined to happen has happened; Fate, tigrine man, cannot change.’”

 

Chapter 1445

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘At curly-haired Arjuna’s words, the Kuru king and son of Kunti said nothing. Then, island-born Vyasa spoke: The things Arjuna said, friendly one, are true. The loftiest path, according to scripture, is being a family man. You know Duty to a t; do the duties set aside for you and be the head of household. You were not meant to put aside your duties as a family man and enter the forest for rest. To survive, gods, Pitris, guests, and servants need a family man. Support them, Lord of the Earth. A head of household upholds, O king, birds, beasts, and various, other creatures. So, a family man walks the best path. The life of a family man is utterly difficult, but you ought to live it, Partha, and it’s a hard road for one whose sensese are uncontrolled. You know The Vedas well and’ve earned great abstentious merit. So, take on the burden of your ancestral kingdom as is right like an ox bearing its load. To be successful, Brahmins ought to, O king, strive for penance, performance of sacrifices, forgiveness, an education, begging, controlling the senses, meditation, living in solitude, happiness, and knowledge of Brahma as best they can. Now, I shall tell you what Kshatriyas should strive for – you have no idea. Performing sacrifices, getting an education, making use of oneself, being unhappy with current prosperity, possessing the Staff of Judgment, cruelty, protecting subjects, knowing The Vedas, penitence, good behavior, accumulating wealth, and being charitable to the deserving, are, O king, things royalty do well or earn; they secure those things on Earth and in the next world, as we’ve heard. O son of Kunti, the Staff of Judgment is said to be the best of those twelve things. Strength must always dwell in a Kshatriya and  censure is upheld by strength. The aforementioned duties, O king, are the main duties of a Kshatriya and are a key role in their success. Vrihaspati sang a line about this matter: ‘Snakes swallow mice whole and a king who is peaceful or a Brahmin too focused on being a family man will be swallowed similarly by this world.’ Now, it is said that the royal wise man, Sudyumna, just due to his wielding the Staff of Judgment, earned ultimate success. It was like that which Daksha, Prachetas’ son, had done.

Yudhishthira said: O holy one, what did Sudyumna, the world leader, do to earn ultimate success? I want to hear the king’s story.

So Vyasa said: There is an old story having to do with this matter. Now, there were two brothers, Sankha and Likhita (a keeper of strict vows). The two brothers lived in equally beautiful but separate homes. Situated by the banks of the Vahuda, each home was decorated with trees ever weighed down by flowers and fruits. Once, Likhita went to his brother Sankha’s home when Sankha was absent for some reason. When he arrived, Likhita picked many ripe fruits. Then, reborn Likhita began to eat them without regret or conscientiousness. Sankha returned to the shelter when his brother was still eating, and, seeing this, he asked his brother: ‘Where did you get this fruit and why are you eating it?’ Nearing and honoring his elder brother with a smile, Likhita replied: ‘I got them from your shelter.’ Enraged, Sankha replied: ‘You stole it from me! Go to the king and tell him what you’ve done. Tell him, supreme king, that you stole. Tell him you’re a thief so he should do his caste-based duties and shortly punish you for theft.’ At this, the quite blessed Likhita who kept to strict vows, obeying his brother, went to King Sudyumna. Hearing from his gate-keepers that Likhita had arrived, King Sudyumna and his advisors went to meet the wise man. Upon meeting him, the king told the supreme man who ultimately knew Duty: ‘Why have you come, honorable one? Consider your wish granted.’ At this, the reborn wise man told Sudyumna: ‘Promise you’ll grant that wish and then, upon hearing it, keep it as would suit you. O taurine man, I ate fruit not given to me by my older brother. O king, punish me for this without delay.’ But Sudyumna replied: ‘A king ought to wield the Staff of Judgment exactly like he forgives. Your sin has been purged, O keeper of lofty vows, so consider yourself pardoned. What else do you wish? I shall surely grant your wishes.’ Thusly honored by the mahatma and king, the reborn wise man, Likhita, wished for nothing more. So, the world leader cut off Likhita’s hands as punishment for theft and Likhita departed. Returning to his brother Sankha, Likhita, quite troubled, said: ‘Forgive a wretch who was punished for his crime.’ Sankha told him: ‘I am not angry with you and you did not harm me, O top knower of Duty. Your virtue, however, suffered a shock and I saved you from your dire straits. Head without delay for the Vahuda and please, by way of water-ablutions, the gods, rishis, and Pitris. Never set your heart on sin again.’ At Sankha’s words Likhita offered ablutions in the sacred river and planned to perform a water-rite. Then, a lotus grew from each of his stumps. Mystified, he returned to his brother and showed him his new ‘hands.’ Sanka told him: ‘I, by way of penance, did this. Do not be alarmed. Fate was the tool.’ So, Likhita answered, ‘O quite splendid one, why wasn’t I initially purified if you, O best of the reborn, had a store of penance-based power?’ And Sankha replied: ‘I was in the right; I wasn’t the one who punished you. Your punisher (the king), you, and the Pitris were all purged.’ That king, O eldest adopted son of Pandu, earned loftiness by way of the deed; he earned ultimate success like Lord Daksha did. This is what all Kshatriyas must do – rule their people. Anything else, O king, would be inappropriate. So, do not give into grief. O best of all who know Duty, listen to your half-brother’s goodly words. Kings must wield the Staff of Judgment and not shave their head.’”

Chapter 1446

“Vaisampayana said,

'Again the great wise man, Krishna Dwaipayana, spoke to Ajasatru, Kunti’s son: Let these great chariot-warriors with plenty of mental prowess, O king – let your half-brothers, O Yudhishthira – O Bharata chieftain – have the wishes they had whilst living in the forest be granted. Rule the world, son of Pritha, like Nahusha’s son Yayati. Before now, when you lived in the forest as an abstentious and penitent man, you were miserable. Now, your misery is over, O tigrine man. So, be happy for a time. Having, O Bharata tribesman, earned and enjoyed spiritual merit, riches, and pleasure for some time with your half-brothers, you can then, O king, enter the forest for rest. But first, O Bharata tribesman, pay the debt you owe beggars, Pitris, and gods. Then, son of Kunti, you can be anything you like. Perform, O Kuru, the Sarvamedha and Aswamedha rituals. Then, O king, you can earn the loftiest end. Let your half-brothers take part in the great sacrifices in which plenty is given to the Brahmins and then, adopted son of Pandu, earn great fame. There’s a saying, tigrine man and supreme Kuru – hear it and abide by it, O king, to never abandon Virtue. Men, O Yudhishthira, who act like thieves drive a king to take their advice and both wage war and be successful. The king who, considering time and place, moved by comprehension based in scripture, forgives many thieves has not sinned. That king who, realizing he is allowed a sixth of all produce, does not protect his realm receives a fourth of his realm’s sins. Now, hear how a king can avoid avoiding virtue. To abandon scripture is wicked and to honor it is to live without fear. If a king, guided by scripture aiding him with comprehension, ignores lust and wrath, impartial to any man in particular like a father, he is always pure. O quite splendid one, if a king, troubled by Fate, fails to do what he should, the failure is likened to trespassing. A king should humble enemies by way of force as well as the law. No sin should ever be committed in his realm; only virtue should be practiced. Brave men doing honorable deeds, the virtuous, the naturally educated, O Yudhisthira, Brahmins who know Vedic verse and ritual, and rich men should especially be protected. Determining roles and performing religious acts are things the truly educated should focus on and nothing more. A sensible king never lays all his trust in one person, no matter how skilled he is. The king who fails to protect his people, the king with uncontrolled zeal, the utterly vain king, and the king polluted with pride and malice are all sinners; they are scolded and called tyrannical. If the subjects of a king, O king, waste away due to lack of protection, are troubled by gods, and are crushed by thieves, the sin pollutes him. It’s always right to act zealously, act after debating completely, and act after asking goodly advisors for advice. Fate ensures our deeds will be successes or failures, but, making use of oneself never allows Sin to touch a king. Let me tell you, tigrine king, about what happened to an ancient king named Hayagriva, adopted son of Pandu. Heroic Hayagriva, one of pure deeds, upon slaying a great many enemies in battle, was himself defeated and slain whilst none assisted him. Having done all that should be done to curb enemies and utterly ensuring men would be protected, Hayagriva earned great battle-fame and is now enjoying great bliss in Heaven. Mangled by thieves’ weapons, fighting boldly and dying in battle, Mahatma Hayagriva, ever attentive to his kingly duties, earned his life-goal; he currently enjoys great bliss in Heaven. The bow was his sacrifice-post, its string was the rope that bound sacrificial beasts, spears were the small ladle, his sword was the large ladle, blood was the ghee he doled out, his chariot was the altar, his battle-fury was the fire, and his four top horses hitched to his chariot were the four priests. Having doled onto the sacrifice-fire his offerings (enemies) and then offered his life-breath upon completion of the sacrifice, the vigorous, leonine king (Hayagriva) was purged of all sin and currently plays in the gods’ worlds. Having protected his kingdom lawfully and wisely, Mahatma Hayagriva, his self submissive and his mind quite strong, he accustomed to performng sacrifices, filled the worlds with his fame – he now plays in the gods’ world. Having earned merit dependant on performing sacrifices and earned all kinds of merit connected to human affairs, he wielded the Staff of Judgment and ruled the world without pride actively. So, the virtuous one, Mahatma Hayagriva, now plays in the gods’ world. Naturally educated, an ascetic, driven by faith, quite thankful, the king, having done various things, departed the world of men for the worlds reserved for the intelligent, the wise, those who act or behave appropriately, and those ready to lose their lives in battle. He studied The Vedas and the other scriptures well – he ruled his kingdom well – he made the four castes do their caste-based duties – now, Mahatma Hayagriva plays joyfully in the gods’ worlds. Having won many battles and cherished his subjects, having drunk Soma-juice during sacrifices, having pleased the top Brahmins with gifts, and having rightfully wielded the Staff of Judgment when it came to those below him, he finally gave his life in battle and now lives happily in Heaven. His life was worthy of all praise. Educated and honest men praise this; it deserves all praise. Having earned Heaven and earned the worlds set aside for heroes, the mahatma, the virtuous-deed-doing king, was crowned by Success.’”

Chapter 1447

“Vaisampayana said,  

‘Hearing the words of the island-born rishi and seeing that Dhananjaya was angry, Yudhishthira, Kunti’s son, honored Vyasa and replied: To rule the world and enjoys its various delights would give no joy to my heart. No, the heartbreaking grief I feel due to the loss of kinsmen is cutting me to the bone. Hearing the women who’ve lost heroic husbands and children grieve gives me no peace, wise man.

At this, virtuous Vyasa, the best of all those who knew Meditation, was naturally quite wise, and knew The Vedas well told Yudhisthira: No man can earn anything by way of acts, sacrifice, or worship. No man actually gives anything to another. Time gives all to man. The holy, supreme commander gave us time itself so that we would acquire things. Even if men are wise or study scripture, time, if it is inauspicious, offers nothing. Sometimes an ignorant fool gets rich, does he not? Time offers the best path that leads toward successfully reaching one’s goals. In bad times, neither science, spells, or drugs will be successful. But, in good times, any of those things, when used correctly, shall be helpful and goodly. Because of Time, a day can be blustery, a cloud can be empowered by rain, a pool can have decorative, varying lotuses, trees in a forest can bloom, the sky can darken or brighten at night, and the moon can wax, yet, the absence of Time means trees will not bear blossoms or fruit, rivers will barely flow, and animals will be lethargic. The absence of Time means women will not conceive and men will neither come into this world nor die. Time ushers in winter, summer, and the monsoon season. If Time is absent, babies will not say their first word or become youths. With the help of time, a sown seed will sprout. Without Time, the sun will not rise or set. Without Time, the moon neither waxes nor wanes. Without Time, the sea, with its high billows, will neither gain nor lose strength. There is an old story pertaining to this, O Yudhishthira, that grievous King Senajit told. Unstoppable Time affects all mortals; all earthly things, allowed to grow due to Time, are one day destroyed. Some, O king, slay, but slayers are slain, too. That’s the way of the world. However, slaughter and death are both actually illusions. Now, some believe a killer is behind the death of his victim and others believe homicide is an illusion. The truth is, the nature of each creature leads to a decision beforehand -- how it will come into this world and how it will die. When one loses money, a wife, a son, or a ruler and cries out, miserable, such melancholia makes things worse. Why do you, like a fool, give into grief? Why grieve for those who’ve died and abandoned all grief? Lo, grief is worsened by giving into it like fear is by giving into it. I do not own my body; nothing in this world is mine. The things in this world are as much mine as they are others’. The wise, seeing this, have clarity. Now, there are thousands of things to be sorrowful for and hundreds of things that bring joy. Only the ignorant, not the wise, let such things (sorrowful or grievous) trouble them. When things happen during the progression of Time – things that attract us or disgust us; blissful things or woeful things – they’re cyclic to trouble the living. There is only sorrow in this world, not happiness. That’s why we only feel sorrow. So, desire leads to sorrow and sorrow leads to happiness. After happiness comes sorrow and vice versa; it’s neither always sorrowful nor ever joyful. Happiness always ends in sorrow, and sometimes, sorrow leads to sorrow. So, one who wants immortal happiness must abandon both. If the end of happiness leads to the beginning of sorrow and the end of sorrow leads to the beginning of happiness, one should shed oneself, like a snake shedding its skin, of the root of the sorrow, heartache, or anxiety or that which sorrow has nurtured. Bear it with a blasé heart – happiness, sorrow, that which is pleasant, that which is unpleasant, whatever. O friendly one, even if you remove yourself slightly from pleasing your wives and children, you will discover who belongs to whom, why, and for what purpose. The truly foolish as well as those who have mastered their soul enjoy earthly happiness. But, those who dwell in some intermediate place feel miserable. That, O Yudhishthira, is what the quite wise Senajit said, he one who knew good from bad on Earth, about duty, and about happiness and misery. Grieving over others’ grief makes one eternally miserable; there is no end to grief and grief arises from happiness. Happiness – misery – prosperity – hard times – earning – losing – death – life – each takes its own turn when it comes to a creature. So, the wise, tranquil-souled, should neither be ecstatic nor depressed. A king equates performing sacrifices with warfare, meditating with censure, and renunciation with paying fees for performing sacrifices. These things purify him; by ruling a kingdom wisely and lawfully, by abandoning Pride, by performing sacrifices, and by eyeing all with kindness and impartiality, a mahatma, in death, begins playing in the gods’ world. Upon winning battles, protecting his kingdom, drinking Soma-juice, progressing his people, rightfully wielding the Staff of Judgment, and dying in battle, a king enjoys happiness in Heaven. Having studied all The Vedas and the other scriptures – having guarded his kingdom well – having made the four castes do their caste-based duties – a king is purified and eventually plays in Heaven. If citizens, countrymen, advisors, and friends praise a king’s manner post-mortem, that king is supreme.’”

Chapter 1448

“Vaisampayana continued,                                                                                                     

‘When it came to this matter, Mahatma Yudhishthira wished to tell Arjuna things chock full of reason: You think, O Partha, nothing tops riches; that a poor man cannot have Heaven, happiness, or anything else he wants. That is false. Many crowned by Success did it by performing sacrifices (studying The Vedas). Many wise men are devoted to penance and they earn the immortal lands of bliss. O Dhananjaya, the ones who act like rishis, keep to their Brahmacharin vows, and know Duty to a t are always respected by the gods as Brahmins. O Dhananjaya, always honor rishis devoted to studying The Vedas who are devoted to knowing truth – they’re truly virtuous. O adopted son of Pandu, all acts depend on those devoted to knowing truth (Brahman). This is what the Vaikhanasas, mighty one, believe. The Ajas, Prishnis, Sikatas, O Bharata tribesman, Arunas, and the Kitavas all soared to Heaven by way of meritorious Vedic study. By performing Veda-approved acts, O Dhananjaya – by warfare, by Vedic study, by performing sacrifices, and by controlling zeal (something so difficult to do) – one soars to Heaven down the sun’s southern path. Before now, I told you that those worlds belong to those observant of Vedic acts. But, the northern path is taken by those devoted to mediation-penance; those immortal, bright worlds to which that path leads belong to those who meditate. Of these two, the northern path is praised more by those who know The Puranas. Know that one, by way of happiness, earns Heaven. Happiness leads to greater happiness and nothing tops happiness. He who meditates who’s quelled his fury and joy is content – that is his lofty praise and victory. There is something Yayati said long ago having to do with this – hear it and successfully purge oneself of all desire like a retracting tortoise. When one fears nothing and is feared by none – when one has no desire or hatred – one is said to have earned Brahman. When one treats any creature kindly in act, thought, or word, one is said to have earned Brahman. When one has controlled his pride and foolishness – when one has withdrawn himself from all attachment – one, a pious man of purged soul, is ready to earn liberation, a part of the removal of separate existence. Now, listen closely to me – O son of Pritha, some desire virtue, some goodly behavior, and some riches. One can want riches so that he may earn virtue. But, removal of such desire is better – better to not perform sacrifices if riches are desired as a reward than to perform them when there’s enough wealth to create them. Wealth is quite flawed, as are the religious acts connected to wealth – we’ve seen it. So, it would suit you to see it, too. He who wishes riches finds it quite difficult to leave behind that which should be as such by any means necessary. He who becomes rich is rarely also a doer of good deeds. Getting rich always means harming someone in the process; the riches one earns bring much trouble. One whose heart is hardly open believes fearing atonement is meaningless, is hostile, and is easily tempted by riches is completely unaware that his deeds kill Brahmins. Getting rich, something so difficult to do, makes one burn with grief if made to give some to one’s servants; grief equivalent to the grief one feels when robbed. If, on the other hand, one keeps his riches, he takes a share of Disgrace. But, a man without riches is never censured. Withdrawn from all attachment, such a man is utterly happy; he survives on the small allotment of alms given to him. No one, however, is happy when he gets rich. There are verses relating to sacrifices chanted by those who know ancient scripture. Wealth was created by the holy creator for the sake of sacrifices; man was created by him to protect those riches and perform sacrifices. So, one should use one’s riches only for sacrifices. It’s inappropriate to use riches to satisfy pleasure. No, the holy creator enriches a man for the sake of sacrifices. Know, son of Kunti, that you are the best of the rich. This is why the wise say riches surely belong to none on Earth. One should perform sacrifices using riches and offer them to others with a trusting heart. One should offer one’s earnings as a gift, neither wasting riches nor spending it on satisfying pleasure. Why just sit there and get rich when there are good things to spend money on? Those of little understanding who give riches to men who’ve abandoned their caste-based duties must eat, for a century, animal feces and soil. He who gives to the undeserving and does not give to the deserving cannot distinguish between the deserving and the undeserving. That’s why charity is a difficult matter. Those are two problems with wealth – you can give your earnings to an undeserving person and you can refuse a deserving one.’”

Chapter 1449

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘Yudhishthira said: In battle, Abhimanyu, one of tender years, fell – the sons of Draupadi fell – Dhrishtadyumna fell, Virata fell – King Drupada fell – Vasusena, one who knew Duty, fell – royal Dhrishtaketu – various, other kings from various lands fell – and grief has not left my wretched self, one who slew kinsmen. No, I am exceedingly greedy when it comes to a kingdom and am one who annihilated my own line. The one I playfully wrestled with – Ganga’s son – was slain by me in battle because I lusted after sovereignty. I was truly pained in my heart when I saw the leonine man (our grandfather) attacked by Sikhandin, one trembling and reeling due to Partha’s spears that were like thunderbolts in energy; his elongated body was hit from head to toe by fiery arrows and he turned as weak as an old lion. When I saw the troubler of unfriendly chariots sway like a mountaintop and fall, utterly weak, upon the front of his chariot, face facing east, my senses were stunned. The Kuru scion fought, wielding a bow and spear in the brutal battle for many days, with Rama, a Bhrigu, at a place Kuru’d blessed; Ganga’s son, a hero, had, at Varanasi, for the sake of brides, used one chariot to challenge, in battle, the assembled Kshatriyas of the world; using weapon-power, he burned the unstoppable supreme king, Ugrayudha – alas, I slew that hero in battle. Knowing full well that the Panchalan prince, was his destroyer, the hero refused to slay the prince with spears. Alas, the great, magnanimous warrior was slain by Arjuna. O supreme wise man, the moment I saw the grandfather splayed on the ground and covered with blood, violent fever troubled my heart. The one who protected and raised us from childhood was slain by wicked me, one who was jealous of the realm, one who slew honorable elders, and one who was an utter fool who labored for sovereignty that would last but a few days. Our teacher, the great archer named Drona beloved by all kings, was approached by me and wrongly spoken to about his son. I recall my actions then and it burns my entire body. The teacher said: ‘Be honest, O king – is my son still alive?’ Expecting the truth from me, the Brahmin asked me about everyone else. I left out ‘the elephant’ and treated him wrongly. Wickedly and overly jealous of the realm, a slayer of honorable elders, I treated my teacher thusly in battle, a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I told him Aswatthaman was dead but secretly meant the elephant of the same name. What will become of me in death, now that I’ve done such infamous things? I killed my eldest brother Karna, a terrible warrior who never fled from battle. Is there anyone more wicked than I? Jealously led Abhimanyu, one of tender years, a hero like a lion of the hills, to forcibly enter the formation guarded by Drona. It’s as if I’ve killed an infant. Wicked, I’ve not been able to, since then, even look at Arjuna or lotus-eyed Krishna. I also grieve for Draupadi, one who’s lost her five sons; it’s as if the world has lost her five mountains. A first-rate criminal – a great sinner – I destroyed the world. I shall stay here and starve myself to death. I, practicing the vow of emaciation, slew my teacher. I annihilated my line and must do this to avoid being reborn a lesser creature instead of a man. I shall forgo all food and drink, refusing to move. O great ascetic, I shall eradicate my dear life-breaths. I humbly pray you to let me do this; go where you wish. All of you, give me permission. Let me die.

But, to the son of Pritha stunned by the sorrow he felt for his kinsmen who’d said such things, Vyasa, the top ascetic, primarily refused him: It ill-suits you, O king, to give into such weighty grief. Let me repeat myself. All is due to Fate, mighty one. Surely creation occurs when various kinds of matter and energies combine. But, in the end, there is an opposite reaction. Like bubbles floating and popping, creatures arise and then vanish. That which amasses fall apart; what goes up must come down; unions end in disbanding; all life must die. Being idle works on some level, but, in the end, it leads to misery. Being a skilled laborer is temporarily painful, but, it leads to bliss in the end. Labor, not idleness, has connections to getting rich, prospering, modesty, happiness, and fame. No friend can make you happy and no enemy can make you miserable; intellect does not make you rich and wealth does not bring happiness. O son of Kunti, the holy creator created you to focus on labor. Success springs from labor, so, O king, it would ill-suit you to be idle.’”

Chapter 1450

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘Vyasa then quelled the grief of the eldest adopted son of Pandu, one burning with sorrow due to the slaughter of his kinsmen and resolved to die. There is an ancient tale having to do with this matter, O tigrine man – Asma’s lecture. Hear it, O Yudhishthira. Janaka, the Videhas’ ruler, O king, sorrowful and grievous, asked a wise Brahmin named Asma to quell his doubts.  Janaka said: ‘How should a man wishing to do himself some good behave when kinsmen and riches are gotten or lost?’ And Asma said: ‘Just after a child gains a body in the womb, Joy and Grief attach themselves to him. Though either could overwhelm it, both quickly steal his sensibility like wind driving away gathering clouds. When one prospers, there is vanity – he feels he’s of lofty birth, can do whatever he pleases, and is extraordinary. His mind is thusly deluged; addicted to worldly pleasures, he begins wasting the riches his ancestors protected. As time goes on, he becomes poor and considers theft admirable. Like a hunter spearing a deer, a king punishes a wicked creature who steals, is immoral, or defies royal decrees. That kind of men never lives to be a hundred – only twenty or thirty. Carefully observing the behavior of all creatures, a king should, using his intellect, soothe the great sorrows of his people. Two things cause depression – the mind being clouded and overwhelming troubles. There’s nothing else. All other kinds of woe and those coming from attachment to worldly pleasures (that which overcome man) are as such. Decay and Death, like two wolves, swallow all – the strong, the weak, the short, and the tall. No man can escape them, not even the ruler of the entire sea-surrounded world. Whatever befalls a creature, whether it’s something sorrowful or joyful, should be enjoyed or tolerated without any joy or depression. Yes, none can escape those wolves. The evils of life, O king, overtake one early, in middle-age or in old age. No, they are unavoidable and the coveted roots of bliss (non-decay and immortality) never come. Fate is behind the absence of pleasure, the presence of displeasure, good, evil, bliss, and woe. Similarly, the birth of creatures, their death, their gains, and their losses are all preordained. Like scent, color, taste, and touch come naturally to a person, one’s happiness and misery come from that which is preordained. Seats, beds, vehicles, prosperity, drink, and food come to a man or leave him depending on Time. Doctors can get sick and the strong can weaken. Those enjoying prosperity can lose it all and become impoverished. How wondrously Time progresses! A lofty birth, health, beauty, prosperity, and things of pleasure are all earned by way of Fate. Though the impoverished may not want them, men can sire many children. And, sometimes the rich can be barren. How wondrous Fate is! The evils caused by disease, fire, water, weapons, hunger, poison, fever, death, and falls from high places overcome a man due to what is predestined for him. On Earth, the innocent get sick various ways and sinners never experience dire calamity. Youths enjoying their riches die in their youth and impoverished men bogged down by decay live for a century. A man from a lowly line can live a long life and a nobly-born man can die as quickly as an insect. On Earth, it’s quite common for a rich man to prefer not to eat and it’s common for the impoverished to eat wood-chips. Driven by Fate, a wicked-souled man, unhappy with his condition, sins and considers the wicked things he does beneficial as well as done by him and him alone. Now, the wise censure hunting, gambling-games, women, wine, and violence. But, many who know the scriptures well can be addicted to them. Whether something is coveted or not, all come to creatures due to Time. There’s nothing else. Air, space, fire, the moon, the sun, the day, the night, the bright bodies in the sky, rivers, mountains – who creates and upholds them? Cold, heat, and rain follow one another due to Time. That’s how it is, taurine man, with man’s happiness and misery. No medicines or chants can save a man attacked by Decay or overpowered by Death. Like two logs at sea touching and then separating at some point, creatures meet and separate at some point. Time treats rich men the same as it treats those who take pleasure in song, dancing, a woman’s company, and those who beg helplessly. In this world, there are a thousand different bonds when it comes to mothers, fathers, sons, and wives. But, who do they and who do we really belong to? No one is really anyone’s and none are really anyone’s. Our earthly bonds with wives, kin, and well-wishers – it’s like being at an inn – one wonders where one is, where one’s going, who one is, where one comes from, and why and for what reason one is grieving and finds tranquility thereby. Life and its surroundings spin constantly like a wheel; close relationships do not last forever. The connections between brothers, mothers, fathers, friends, and so on – it’s like travelers resting at an inn. Wise men see, seemingly naturally, the invisible, next world. Honor scripture; one wishing to know should be devout. One with a natural intellect should perform the rituals honoring Pitris and gods, one should do all spiritual duties, one should perform sacrifices, and one should attend to virtue, profit, and pleasure righteously. Alas, no one understands that the world is sinking into the time-sea so deep and so infested with the large crocodiles of Decay and Death. Many doctors, and all the members of their families, can be ill, no matter how educated those doctors are. Like the sea unable to wash onto the continents, doctors can take bitters and various oily medicines but still die. Skilled chemists can create medicines properly but can still be ruined by Decay like trees felled by elephants. Similarly, men naturally skilled in abstentious merit devoted to Vedic study who are charitable and often perform sacrifices cannot escape Decay and Death. All birthed creatures cannot travel back in time to some year, month, fortnight, day, or night. Man’s existence is fleeting and he is forced, due to Time, to meet or pass by the unstoppable, great path all creatures must one day take – rebirth. Whether one’s body is separated from one’s life or vice versa, we bond with wives, friends, and so on like guests at an inn. Friendships never truly last and one cannot befriend one’s own body for long. So, how can men ally themselves with one another? O king, what became of your father and grandfather? You cannot see them and vice versa, innocent one. None can see Heaven or Hell. No, scripture is the virtuous ones’s eyes. O king, behave according to scripture. With a pure heart, one ought to be a Brahmacharin, sire children, and then perform sacrifices to pay one’s debt to the Pitris, gods, and men. Performing sacrifices and focusing on siring children after being a Brahmacharin, one with the eyes of wisdom, freeing his heart of anxiety, should seek to earn and enjoy Heaven, Earth, and his soul. A king focusing on virtue who labors righteously to earn Heaven and Earth, protecting earthly goods (only what is allotted to him according to scripture), earns a reputation that spreads throughout the worlds and among both moving and still creatures.’ The Videhas’ ruler, now full of clarity, having heard the truly sensible words, was freed from grief. He, with Asma’s permission, headed home, O one of immortal glory. So, quell your grief and arise – you’re equal to Sakra. Let your soul be gladdened. By doing your Kshatriya duties, you earned the world – enjoy it, son of Kunti, and obey me.’”

 

Chapter 1451

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘The supreme king, the son of Dharma named Yudhishthira, still said nothing. Pandu’s adopted son Arjuna told Krishna: The enemy-scorcher, Dharma’s son, burns with grief due to his slain kinsmen. Soothe him, O Madhava. O Janardana, we’re all in dire straits now and it would suit you, mighty-armed one, to quell his grief.

At Mahatma Arjuna’s words, lotus-eyed Govinda of immortal glory turned towards the king. There was no way Yudhishthira could ignore Kesava; from a very early age, Govinda was dearer to Yudhishthira than Arjuna himself. Resembling a marble pillar, grasping the king’s henna-decorated hand, mighty-armed Saurin began to speak, gladdening the hearts of all who listened. His face, decorated with quite beautiful teeth and eyes, shone brightly like a fully-blooming lotus at dawn.

Vasudeva said: Do not, O tigrine man, give into the kind of grief that emaciates you. There’s no way the slain can come back to life. The Kshatriyas, O king, who fell in the great battle are like things earned in a dream that aren’t there upon awakening. All of them were heroes and battle-decorations. They rushed at their enemies and were defeated; not one was slain by hitting them unawares or during flight; all were happy as heroes during the great battle and died; they, sanctified by weapons, soared to Heaven. It ill-suits you to grieve for them; devoted to Kshatriya duties, naturally courageous, knowing The Vedas and their branches to a t, all earned the blissful end heroes can earn. It ill-suits you to grieve for them upon hearing the tales of the mahatmas, the world leaders who’ve also died. Now hear the old lecture Narada gave when Srinjaya was truly troublingly grievous at the death of his son. Narada said: ‘Feeling both grief and misery, me, you, and all other creatures, Srinjaya, are mortal. Why sorrow? Hear as I tell you about how truly blessed an ancient king was. Listen closely and you shall, O king, quell your grief. Hearing the tale of the mahatmas, the world leaders, will quell your sorrow; listen as I tell their tales in detail. Hear the charming, delightful tale of the ancient kings to turn unkind stars into good ones and increase life-spans. It is told, O Srinjaya, that there was a king named Maruta who was Aviksit’s son. Now, Maruta died. The gods, including Indra, Varuna, and Vrihaspati, went to a sacrifice called Viswasrij the mahatma and king performed. Challenging Sakra, the gods’ chief, the king defeated him. So, educated Vrihaspati, wishing to do Indra some good, refused to officiate during Maruta’s sacrifice. Samvarta, Vrihaspati’s younger brother, would officiate instead at the king’s request. During his reign, supreme king, the soil offered crops without anyone tilling it and was decorated with various decorations. During the king’s sacrifice, the Visvedevas were courtiers, the Maruts offered the food and gifts, and the mahatmas, the Sadhyas, were present. During Maruta’s sacrifice, the Maruts drank Soma-juice. The sacrifice-gifts the king offered were more valuable than those even offered by the gods, Gandharvas, or men. If that king, Srinjaya, one with more religious merit than you, one with more knowledge, asceticism, and riches, died – he was more pure than your son – you shouldn’t grieve for your son. A second king, Atithi’s son Suhotra, died too, Srinjaya, or so we heard. During his rule, Maghavat showered the kingdom with gold for a whole year. United with Mother Earth, the king was truly naturally enriched as well as physically to match her name, Vasumati (which means enriched). The rivers, during his rule, offered golden tortoises, crabs, crocodiles, sharks, and porpoises – beloved Indra, O king, had showered the land with them. Atithi’s son was mystified by the hundreds and thousands of golden fish, sharks, and tortoises. Amassing the vast piles of gilded things covering the world, Suhotra performed a sacrifice at Kurujangala and gave all those gilded things to the Brahmins. That king, O Srinjaya, one who had more spiritual merit than you, more knowledge, asceticism, and prosperity than you, and one purer than your son, died, so do not grieve for your son. Your son neither performed sacrifices nor was charitable. Knowing this, calm your mind, and do not give into grief. We’ve heard, O Srinjaya, of a third king, the Angas’ ruler (Vrihadratha), who also died. He gave away a hundred thousand horses and as many virgins decorated with golden decorations as gifts during his sacrifice. He gave away as many elephants of the top breed as gifts during another sacrifice he performed. As many bulls decorated with gold-chains and thousands of cows to accompany them were given away as sacrifice-gifts. When the Angan king performed his sacrifice by Vishnupada Hill, Indra was intoxicated by the Soma-juice he drank and the Brahmins were blissful due to his gifts. During the hundreds of sacrifices, O king, the king performed long ago, the gifts he offered were more impressive than any made by the gods, Gandharvas, or men. No other man was born or will ever be born who gave or will give away as much wealth as the Angan king did during his seven sacrifices, each one characterized by consecrating Soma-juice. If, O Srinjaya, Vrihadratha, one better than you when it came to the four qualities – one more pure than your son – died, you ought not grieve for your lost son. Now, we’ve heard, Srinjaya, about Sivi, Usinara’s son, dying. This fourth king ruled the entire world like one rules the leather shield he wields. Riding one chariot that never experienced loss in battle, King Sivi made the whole world echo with his rattling chariot-wheels; he tamed all kings. Usinara’s son Sivi gave away, during a sacrifice, all his cows and horses (tamed and untamed). The holy creator thought no king of the past or future had or would ever have to bear the burden, O Srinjaya, Usinara’s son Sivi, the supreme king and hero as naturally powerful as Indra, bore. Do not, therefore, grieve for your son – he never performed a sacrifice or gave away any gifts. Yes, O Srinjaya, Sivi, one far better than you when it comes to the four qualities and one purer than your son, died, so do not grieve for your lost son. We’ve heard, O Srinjaya, about a fifth king, Mahatma Bharata (Dusmanta and Sakuntala’s son), one with a vast, well-filled treasury. He died, too. Devoting three-hundred horses to the gods upon the Yamuna’s banks, devoting twenty on the Saraswati’s banks, and devoting fourteen on the Ganges’ banks, the quite powerful king, long ago, performed first a thousand horse-sacrifices and then a hundred Rajasuyas. No other world leaders can imitate Bharata’s great acts, just as no man can, using his weapon-power, soar into the sky. Building many sacrifice-altars, he gave away countless horses and untold riches to the wise man named Kanwa (Kanwa had raised his mother when she’d been abandoned by her mother Menaka and Bharata was born in his shelter). If he, O Srinjaya, one far better than you when it comes to the four qualities and one purer than your son, died, you ought not grieve for your lost son. Now, we’ve heard, O Srinjaya, that Rama, Dasaratha’s son, died too. This sixth king always cherished his people as if they were his biological sons. In his kingdom, there were neither widows nor helpless people. Yes, Rama, when ruling, emulated his father, Dasaratha. The clouds doled out showers seasonably and this made plenty of crops mature. When he ruled, there was always food. None drowned or died in a fire. As long as Rama ruled, there was no fear of any disease. Every man lived for a thousand years, and every man was blessed

with a thousand children. During Rama’s reign, men were whole and always got their wishes granted. If the women did not argue with one another, what can be said about the men? During his rule, the people were always devoted to virtue. Happy, crowned by Success when it came to whatever they wished, fearless, free, and bonded with their vow of Truth were Rama’s people. The trees always bore flowers and fruit; nothing hurt or destroyed them. Every cow gave enough milk to fill an entire pail. Having spent, a severely penitent man, fourteen years in a forest, Rama performed ten horse-sacrifices that shone; they were open to all. Naturally youthful, of a dark complexion, red-eyed, he looked like the lead elephant of a herd. Arms reaching his knees, handsome-faced, and of leonine shoulders, his mighty arms were powerful. Taking the throne in Ayodhya, he ruled for one-hundred-ten-thousand years. If he, O Srinjaya, was beyond the four main qualities and was purer than your son and died, do not grieve for your lost son. Now, we’ve heard of a seventh king who died, Srinjaya, called Bhagiratha. During one of his sacrifices, Indra, drunken off of Soma-juice, the beloved criticizer of Paka and Chief of the Gods, made vanish off the face of the earth thousands upon thousands of Asuras with his mighty arms. King Bhagiratha, during one of his sacrifices, gave a million virgins decorated with golden decorations away. Each virgin sat in a chariot four horses drew. With each chariot came a hundred of the top breed decorated with gold; behind each elephant were a thousand horses; behind each horse were as many cows; behind each cow were a thousand goats and sheep. The river-goddess, Ganga, also named Bhagirathi, lay in Bhagiratha’s lap when he dwelt near her and, from then on, was also known as Urvasi (meaning lap-sitter). Now, Ganga had saved Bhagiratha’s ancestors’ souls when she flowed from Heaven over their ashes and she later agreed to be that son of Ikshvaku’s daughter. The king always focused on performing sacrifices and giving plenty of gifts to the Brahmins. If he, O Srinjaya, one surpassing the four main qualities and one purer than you son, died, do not grieve for your son. Now, O Srinjaya, we’ve heard that Mahatma Dilipa, an eighth king, died. Brahmins love to tell of the countless things he did. During one of his great sacrifices, the king wanted to wholeheartedly give the entire world, one with plenty of riches, to the Brahmins. During each of his sacrifices, the chief priest took, as a sacrifice-fee, a thousand golden elephants. During one of his sacrifices, the post erected for sacrificing beasts was golden and exceedingly beautiful. Doing the duties assigned to them, the gods, Shakra their chief, asked the king to protect them. Upon the golden post that truly shone and was decorated with a ring, six-thousand gods and Gandharvas danced joyfully; Visvavasu himself, in their midst, played the vina according to the seven-note-combination-regulations. The quality of his music was as such that each creature, no matter the location, thought the great Gandharva was playing for only it. No other king could imitate King Dilipa’s success; the king’s elephants, drunken and decorated with golden cells, lay in the streets. To merely see Mahatma King Dilipa, one ever honest when speaking and one whose bow was equal to a hundred Anantas, earned men Heaven. In Dilipa’s home, one always heard Vedic chanting, bows twanging, and encouragement to be charitable. If, O Srinjaya, he, one surpassing you and the four main qualities, one purer than your son, died, do not grieve for your lost son. Now, Yuvanaswa’s son Mandhatri, a ninth king, also, O Sanjaya, died, or so we’ve heard. Deities called Maruts guided him from an edge of his father’s stomach. Conceived when ghee blessed by mantras was consumed by his father instead of his mother, Mandhatri was removed from the stomach of Mahatma Yuvanaswa. Naturally quite prosperous, King Mandhatri conquered the three worlds. Seeing the divinely beautiful child lying in his father’s lap, the gods asked one another: ‘How shall the child suckle?’ Indra went to him and said: ‘He shall suckle from me.’ So, the divinities’ chief named the child Mandhatri (meaning he shall suckle from me). To nourish the mahatma and child of Yuvanaswa, Indra’s finger, when set in his mouth, offered a stream of milk. Sucking Indra’s finger led him to become a stout youth in a hundred days and a twelve-year-old in twelve days. In a single day, the entire world began to be ruled by the mahatma and virtuous, brave king resembling Indra in power. He defeated King Angada, Maruta, Asita, Gaya, and Vrihadratha (the Angas’ ruler). When Yuvanaswa’s son fought Angada in battle, the gods thought, when he twanged his bow, the sky was splitting. The space from where the sun rises to where it sets is called Mandhatri’s Field. Having made horse-sacrifices and performed a hundred Rajasuyas, he gave the Brahmins many rohus. Each of those fish was eighty miles long and eight miles wide. When the Brahmins had been fed, the rest was divvied up among the other castes. If he, O Sanjaya, one who surpassed you when it comes to the four main qualities and was purer than your son, died, do not grieve for your late son. Now, we’ve heard, O Sanjaya, that Yayati, the son of Nahusha, also died. This tenth king tamed the world and its seas; he traveled across it, each toss of a sacrifice-altar erecting another such altar until he reached the shore. At each altar, he performed great sacrifices. Having performed a thousand sacrifices and a hundred Vajapeyas, he pleased the top Brahmins with three mountains of gold. He slew many Daityas and Danavas that’d formatted themselves for battle; Nahusha’s son, Yayati, divided the world amongst his children. Finally, setting aside sons Yadu and Drayu led, he made his youngest son Puru king. Then, he entered the forest for rest along with his wife. He, O Srinjaya, was far better than you when it comes to the four qualities; he was purer than your son and died – do not grieve for your lost son. Now, we’ve heard, O Srinjaya, about an eleventh king, the son of Nabhaga named Amvarisha, who died. The guardian of the world, that top king, was considered, by his people, virtue itself. During one of his sacrifices, the king, in return for serving him, gave the Brahmins a million kings who’d themselves performed thousands of sacrifices each. Devout men praised Amvarisha, the son of Nabhaga, saying that such feats had never been performed before nor would their like ever be seen in the future. Hundreds upon hundreds – thousands upon thousands – of kings who’d served King Amvarisha when the Brahmins arrived for the sacrifices were, due to Amvarisha’s merit, crowned by the success of the horse-sacrifice; they followed their ruler down the southern path to the lands of brightness and bliss. If he, O Srinjaya, far surpassed you in the four main qualities and was purer than your son but died nonetheless, do not grieve for your lost son. We’ve heard, O Sanjaya, of a twelfth king, Chitrasena’s son Sasavindu. He died too; the mahatma and king had one-hundred-thousand wives and millions of sons. Each son wore golden armor and was an excellent archer. Each prince married a hundred princesses, and each princess brought a hundred elephants with her. Each elephant had a hundred chariots with it, each chariot had a hundred horses with it of goodly breed and golden accoutrements, each horse had a hundred cows with it, and each cow had a hundred sheep and goats with it. This untold wealth, O king, was given by Sasavindu during a horse-sacrifice to the Brahmins. If he, O Srinjaya, far surpassed you when it comes to the main qualities and was purer than your son but died, do not grieve for your lost son. Now, O Srinjaya, we’ve heard about a thirteenth king, Gaya, the son of Amurtarayas who died as well. For a century, the king survived off of leftovers from sacrifices. Pleased with his devotion, Agni wanted to grant his wishes. Gaya prayed: ‘May I never be unable to be charitable, even if give constantly. May I always honor virtue. May my heart always take pleasure in Truth by way of your grace, O eater of sacrifice-offerings.’ We heard that King Gaya’s wishes were all granted by Agni. During a new- or full-moon and during each quarter for a millennia, Gaya repeatedly performed horse-sacrifices. Arising at the end of each sacrifice, he would give away one-hundred-thousand cows and hundreds of mules to the Brahmins. The taurine man pleased the gods with Soma-juice, the Brahmins with riches, the Pitris with benedictions, and women with granted wishes. During his great horse-sacrifice, Gaya created a golden area measuring about fifty-four yards long and twenty-seven yards wide. To pay for his sacrifice, he gave the area away. The supreme man, Gaya, the son of Amurtarayas, gave away as many cows as there are grains of sand, O king, in the Ganges. If he, O Srinjaya, surpassed you in the four main qualities and was purer than your son but died, do not grieve for your lost son. Now, we’ve heard, O Srinjaya, that Sankriti’s son Rantideva also died. This fourteenth king, having been utterly austere as a penitent man and shown his love and great respect for Sakra, earned three wishes from him: ‘May we have plenty of food and many guests. May nothing shake my faith. May we never have to ask anyone for anything.’ Tamed and untamed beasts to be offered in sacrifice would go to him, the strict-vow-keeping mahatma, the quite famous Rantideva, by choice. The liquid flowing from the skin of the beasts slaughtered during sacrifices created a mighty, famous river – the Charmanwati. King Rantideva would offer gifts to Brahmins in a vast area. When the king offered the Brahmins a hundred gold-coins, the Brahmins would cluck their tongues; when he offered them ten times as many, they were satisfied. The containers and plates for food and other things in Rantideva’s palace – the jugs, pots, pans, plates, and cups – were all gilded. At night, when guests were with Rantideva, twenty-thousand-one-hundred cows were slaughtered, but, earringed chefs would tell the guests who’d sat down for supper: ‘There’s plenty of soup, but we don’t have as much meat as we usually do.’ If he, O Srinjaya, far surpassed you in the four main qualities and was purer than your son but died, do not grieve for your lost son. Now, we’ve heard, O Srinjaya, that Mahatma Sagara, a fifteenth king, also died. A member of Ikshvaku’s line – a tigrine man – divinely powerful – sixty-thousand sons would walk behind him like myriads upon myriads of stars serving the moon in autumn when the sky is cloudless. He ruled the entire world; he pleased the gods with a thousand horse-sacrifices. He gave deserving Brahmins palaces with golden columns with other parts made of gold, too; there were expensive beds, groups of beautiful ladies with lotus-petal-like eyes, and various, other luxuries. At his command, the Brahmins divvied up their gifts amongst themselves. When he was angry, the king dug up the world and made the sea be upon its surface; this is why the sea is nicknamed ‘sagara.’ He, O Srinjaya, far surpassed you in the four main qualities and was purer than your son but died, so, do not grieve for your lost son. Now, we’ve heard, O Srinjaya, that King Prithu, Vena’s son, also died. A sixteenth king, the great rishis, gathered together in the great forest, made him ruler of the world. Since it was believed he would advance all mankind, he was called Prithu (meaning advancer). Since he kept people from harm he was called ‘Kshatriya’ (meaning protector from harm). Seeing Vena’s son Prithu, Creation said: ‘We are lovingly attached to him.’ That’s why he was also called ‘Raja’ (meaning one who inspires bonding). The Earth, during his rule, offered crops without being tilled; all leaves bore honey; all cows gave a jug-full of milk. All men were healthy and all their wishes came true; there was no fear and the people lived as they pleased in the fields or in shelters. When Prithu desired to cross the sea, the waters froze. When he had to ford a river, the waters remained perfectly still instead of swelling. Nothing barricaded the flag on his chariot from movement. King Prithu, during one of his horse-sacrifices, gave the Brahmins twenty-one mountains of gold each about six-hundred-fifty yards high. If he, O Srinjaya, far surpassed you in the four main qualities and was purer than your son but died, do not grieve for your late son. Why, O Srinjaya, reflect in silence? Methinks, O king, you ignored me. If you’ve done that, my lecture was pointless bliss or like medicine or a diet to one about to die.’ The king replied: ‘I am listening, O Narada, to your lecture; it’s excellently weighty and perfurmey like a lei; it’s about the behavior of mahatmas and wise men of meritorious deeds and great fame; surely it will quell grief. Your lecture, great wise man, was no pointless bliss. Seeing you quelled my grief. Like one never satisfied with consuming nectar, your words still dissatisfy me. O clairvoyant one, grace one burning due to his son’s death and that son, due to you grace, is sure to be revived; he shall be with me again.’ Narada said: ‘I will return your son to you – Suvarnashthivin – one whom Parvata offered you who lost his life. The one shining like gold shall live for a millennia.’”

Chapter 1452

“Vaisampayana continued,                                                                                         

‘Yudhishthira said: How did Srinjaya’s son become Suvarnashthivin? (a name meaning golden feces)? Why did Parvata give the child to Srinjaya? Why did he die? If men, in those days, lived for thousands of years, why did Srinjaya’s son die an infant? Was the meaning of his name separate from his personality? How did he get his name? I want to hear everything.

So Krishna said: I shall give you the facts just as they happened, O king. Now, there are two rishis who’re the best on Earth named Narada and Parvata. Narada is the maternal uncle of Parvata. Hearts cheerful, Uncle Narada and Nephew Parvata had, long ago, O king, left Heaven so they could stroll on Earth, tasting ghee and rice. Each naturally quite ascetically meritorious, they wandered the Earth and ate human-food. Joyful and loving toward seach other, they promised to always tell each other their goodly or wicked desires or, as punishment, curse the deal-breaker. Agreeing to this, the two great rishis loved the worlds over went to King Srinjaya, Sitya’s son, and said: ‘Let us, to do you some good, live with you for a few days. O Lord of the World, satisfy our needs.’ The king, telling them it would be as such, began to show them hospitality. After a while, the king, one day, joyous, introduced the noteworthy ascetics to his daughter, one of supremely fair complexion: ‘This is my daughter and she’ll serve you both. As bright as lotus-fibers, she is beautiful, of flawless limbs, skilled, sweet-mannered, and named Sukumari.’ The rishis, saying ‘Very well’, heard the king then tell his daughter: ‘O child, serve the two Brahmins as if they were gods or kings.’ The virtuous princess, telling him it would be as such, began serving them at her father’s request. Her service and her unparalleled beauty shortly sparked a tender flame within Narada. That tender sentiment began to grow in the heart of the noteworthy saint like the moon waxing when a lit fortnight began. But virtuous Narada, overcome with shame, could not speak of his burning love to his nephew, Mahatma Parvata. But, due to his abstentious power and the signs, Parvata understood all. Furious, Parvata decided to curse love-struck Narada. He told him: ‘We promised each other to keep no secrets, whether good or bad. You violated that contract. You were the one who thought of the agreement, O Brahmin! So, I shall curse you. Why didn’t you tell me the charming virgin, Sukumari, had pierced your heart? I shall curse you. You’re both a Brahmacharin and my teacher. You’re both an ascetic and a Brahmin. Nevertheless, you broke our contract. Furious, I shall curse you. Hear me – Sukumari shall surely marry you, but, as soon as you are married, mighty one, she and the rest of the world will believe you’re an ape. Your real self shall be invisible; you shall look like an ape.’ Hearing him, Uncle Narada, furious, cursed his nephew Parvata too: ‘Though you have abstentious merit, are a Brahmacharin, are honest, are self-controlled, and are always devoted to virtue, you will not soar to Heaven.’ So, enraged and looking for vengeance, they thusly cursed and flared like two furious elephants. From then on, Mahatma Parvata wandered the Earth, respected, as he deserved to be, for his power. O Bharata tribesman, Narada, the top Brahmin, took the hand of Srinjaya’s daughter by way of rituals in marriage – flawless Sukumari. But, the princess eventually saw a change in Narada’s appearance. Yes, as soon as the last marriage-mantra had been chanted, Sukumari saw that the divine rishi now had an ape’s face. But, she still respected her new husband and dedicated her love to him all the same. Yes, the chaste princess devoted herself entirely to her husband, never desiring anyone else in her heart – no god, muni, or Yaksha. One day, noteworthy Parvata was wandering and he came upon a lone forest. There, he spied Narada. Greeting him, Parvata said: ‘Grace me, mighty one, and let me soar to Heaven.’ Seeing miserable Parvata prostrated before him, palms joined, Narada, even more miserable, replied: ‘You cursed me to look like this, so I cursed you, furious, to never go to Heaven. That was wrong – you’re like a son to me.’ Then, each saint lifted the other’s curse. Seeing that her husband was naturally of a divine shape and blazingly beautiful, Sukumari fled, thinking he was someone else. Seeing the beautiful princess fleeing her husband, Parvata told her: ‘He is your husband, have no doubt. This is noteworthy, mighty Rishi Narada, the best of the virtuous. He is your husband and united with your soul. Have no doubt of this.’ Reassured variously by lofty Parvata and told about her husband’s curse, the princess returned to normal. Then, Parvata soared to Heaven and Narada headed home.

Noteworthy Rishi Narada, a part of that story, is here. Supreme man, he will answer any questions you have.’”

Chapter 1453

“Vaisampayana said,

‘The royal, adopted son of Pandu told Narada: O holy one, tell me about the child whose feces were golden. At righteous King Yudhishthira’s words, the wise man named Narada told him everything about the child of golden feces:

It is just as, mighty-armed one, Kesava said. As per your request, I shall tell you the rest of the story. My nephew (the great ascetic named Parvata) and I, once, went to Srinjaya, the supreme, victorious king, to live with him. Honored by him by way of rituals, our every wish granted, we lived in his home with him. After the monsoon season, when it was time for us to leave, Parvata told us serious things suitable for the time: ‘O Brahmin, we lived with the king for some time and were truly honored by him. How can we repay him?’ I then, O king, told the blessed-looking Parvata: ‘O nephew, this behavior suits you; O quite powerful one, it’s up to you. Favor the king and make him happy; ensure his wishes come true. Or, if you wish, use our abstentious merit to crown him with success.’ So, Parvata summoned King Srinjaya, the best of the victorious, and told him things, taurine Kuru: ‘We are exceedingly satisfied by your hospitality and how utterly sincere you were about it. You have our permission, supreme man, to ask for something. But, do not ask for anything proving your ill-will towards the gods or something that destroys men. Accept our favor, O king, for you deserve it in our opinion.’ At this, Srinjaya replied: ‘If I truly pleased you, I want for nothing – I’ve gained so much by pleasing you and I consider my desire fulfilled.’ To Srinjaya, Parvata then said: ‘O king, ask for that which you’ve cherished in your heart for so long’ and Srinjaya said: ‘I want a son who is heroic, is naturally quite powerful, is a solid keeper of vows, will live a long life, is quite blessed, and is naturally brilliant like the holy Chief of Gods.’ So Parvata said: ‘Your wish shall come true, but, the child will not live a long life – you want him to conquer the gods’ holy chief. Your son shall be called Suvarnashthivin. He shall shine like the gods’ holy chief but always protect him from him.’ Hearing the words of Mahatma Parvata, Srinjaya begged the saint to change his mind: ‘Please let my son live a long life by way of your abstentious merit.’ Parvata, partial to Indra, was silent. Seeing that the king was so miserable, I said: ‘Remember me, O king, when you’re in dire straits and I shall come to you – I promise. Do not grieve, O Lord of the Earth! I shall return your beloved child to you alive, even if he has died.’ Having said so to the king, we left him to go where we pleased and so Srinjaya could return to his home to do as he pleased. After some time had passed, the royal wise man sired a quite powerful son who blazed with energy. The child grew up like a large lotus in a lake and remained true to his name. The extraordinary truth about him, supreme Kuru, soon became world famous. The gods’ divine chief understood what the result of Parvata’s wish was. Fearing humiliation at the hands of the child when the child grew up, the slayer of Vala and Vritra began to watch for some flaw in the prince. He summoned Thunder, his divine weapon. Thunder, embodied, standing before him, heard him say: ‘Go, mighty one, and, as a tiger, slay the prince. When grown, this child of Srinjaya may, by way of his achievements, humiliate me, Thunder, just like Parvata wants.’ At Sakra’s words, the divine weapon, Thunder, the tamer of unfriendly towns, began, from then on, continually watching for some flaw in the prince. Meanwhile, Srinjaya, having earned a child who shone like Indra, filled with joy. The king, along with his wives and the other household-ladies, began living deep within a forest. One day, on the shores of the Bhagirathi, the boy, along with his nursemaid, frolicked. Though just five, he had the power of a mighty elephant. Whilst thusly focused, the child met a powerful tiger that suddenly spied him. The young prince trembled as the tiger crushed him and soon, he hit the ground, dead. At this, the nursemaid gave loud cries of grief. Having slain the prince, the tiger, a delusion of Indra, vanished right then and there. Hearing the sound of the nursemaid, the king, quite anxious, arrived. He spotted his now bloodless and lifeless son lying on the ground like a moon fallen from the sky. Laying the bloodied boy on his lap, heart grief-stricken, he began lamenting pitiably. The royal ladies, troublingly grievous and weeping, rushed to King Srinjaya. That’s when the king focused on remembering me. Knowing that the king was thinking of me, I appeared before him. Grief-stricken though the king was, I told him stories, O king, stories the Yadu hero has already told you. I brought Srinjaya’s child back to life with Indra's permission. Now, that which is preordained must occur and it cannot be any other way. After this, Prince Suvarnashthivin, one of great fame and energy, began delighting his parents’ hearts. Quite powerful, he took his father’s throne once he’d gone to Heaven; he ruled for ome-thousand  one-hundred years. He worshipped the gods during many, great sacrifices that involved great gifts. Naturally quite brilliant, he pleased the gods and Pitris. Having sired many sons, each of whom helping to continue the line, he went the way all nature must go, O king, after many years. O supreme king, quell the grief in your heart just as Kesava advised and just as the austerely penitent Vyasa advised you. Arise, O king, and bear the burden of your ancestral kingdom; perform lofty, great sacrifices so you can earn, in the afterlife, whatever worlds you wish.’”

Chapter 1454

“Vaisampayana said,

‘To King Yudhishthira, one still silent and sunken in grief, island-born Vyasa, the great ascetic who knew religious truths, continued: O lotus-petal-eyed one, a king’s duty is to protect his people. Men who always do their duties consider Duty omnipotent. O king, take the path your ancestors took. For Brahmins, their duty is to be penitent. That is the immortal, Vedic declaration. Being penitent, therefore, taurine Bharata tribesman, is the immortal duty of Brahmins. A Kshatriya’s duty is to protect all those who do their caste-based duties. He who, addicted to worldly pleasures, sins against righteous control – he who disrupts societal harmony – should be strongly censured. The senseless person who seeks to sin against authority, be he a servant, son, or saint, yes, any man of said wicked nature, should be censured or executed by any means necessary. A king who does not obey this law is a sinner. He who fails to guard Morale when Morale is disrespected has sinned against Morale. The Kauravas sinned against Morale. They and their devotees were slain by you. So, you did your caste-based duties. Why then, adopted son of Pandu, give into such grief? A king should slay those who deserve to die, be charitable to the needy, and lawfully protect his people.

But Yudhishthira said: I do not doubt you, O one of great abstentious merit. You know all about Morale and Duty, O one who knows morality and duty. But, for the sake of a realm, I’ve slain many. My deeds, O Brahmin, burn and swallow me whole.

And Vyasa said: O Bharata tribesman, is the holy, supreme being the actor or is man? Is everything coincidental in this world or are consequences due to karma? If man, O Bharata tribesman, is a doer of both good and bad things due to the holy, supreme being, the results of such acts should belong to that being. If a man chops down a tree in the forest, the wicked axeman, not the axe, is to blame. The axe is not to blame – chopping down a tree is the sin of the axeman and not the axe. Then, the axe-maker could be blamed instead of the axeman. Is this reasonable? O son of Kunti, if a man should not be blamed for another’s act, blame it all on the holy, supreme being. But, if man is the doer of both virtuous and wicked deeds, there is no holy, supreme commander and you would not be punished (be sent to Hell). No one, O king, can change that which is predestined. If karma exists but Fate determines whether or not we experience the results of it and if so, can we call what we do right or wrong? No. An axe-maker is innocent if a tree is felled. If everyone thought only Fate was to blame, destruction could and never would occur. If it is necessary to understand right from wrong, turn to the scriptures. In those scriptures, it has been laid down that kings should always hoist the Staff of Judgment. I think, O Bharata tribesman, good and bad deeds constantly turn on a wheel; men get the results of such deeds. Wickedness breeds wickedness, so, O tigrine king, avoid wicked deeds and do not set your heart on grief. Do, O Bharata tribesman, your caste-based duties, whether they’re blameworthy or not. Suicide, O king, wouldn’t suit you. There are ways to atone for sin, O king. A living man, not a dead one, can atone. So, O king, do not die – atone. If you do not perform acts of penance, you will have to in the next world.’”

Chapter 1455

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘Yudhishthira said: Many have fallen – sons, grandsons, brothers, fathers, in-laws, teachers, uncles, grandfathers, mahatmas who were Kshatriyas, friends, acquaintances, nephews, and kinsmen. Many men from various lands fell. All, Grandfather, were slain by me and me alone for the kingdom. Having affected so many heroic kings always devoted to righteousness who drank Soma-juice during sacrifices, what will become of me, great ascetic? Thinking the world has lost many leonine kings, each one enjoying great prosperity at the time, I still burn continually. I saw kinsmen and millions of other men die and burn with grief, Grandfather. Oh, what will become of the top ladies who’ve lost sons, husbands, and brothers? Calling the Pandavas and Vrishnis cruel murderers, the ladies, too thin and sunken in grief, will hurl themselves to the ground. Not seeing their fathers, brothers, husbands, and sons, the ladies, troubled, shall die and go to Yama’s home, top Brahmin. I’m certain of this. The way of Mortality is quite mystifying; obviously, we’ll be polluted with the sin of killing a woman. Having slain our kinsmen and friends, an unforgivable sin, we shall sink into Hell headfirst. O best of men, let us be supremely austere in our penance and emaciate ourselves. Tell me, Grandfather, which life-path I should take.    

Hearing Yudhishthira, the island-born rishi, upon truly reflecting for some time, replied to the adopted son of Pandu: Recall a Kshatriya’s duties, O king, and do not give into grief. Each Kshatriya, O taurine Kshatriya, died doing his caste-based duties. In the pursuit of great prosperity and of great earthly fame, those top men, mortal, died due to Time. You, Bhima, Arjuna, and the twins did not slay them – Time stole their breath, following the powerful laws of change. Time was conceived by nothing and none; therefore, it favors none. Time witnesses all acts of all creatures. Time bore them away. Time, taurine Bharata tribesman, brought about that battle. Creatures have the tools with which to kill themselves, but Time is the executioner. That’s how it proves it is unstoppable. Time, when it comes to creatures, depends on a bond between Action and itself; it sees goodly and wicked deeds. Time brings about the results, whether blissful or woeful, of our actions. O mighty-armed one, the Kshatriyas’ acts were their own downfall – those acts destroyed them and they died because of them. Consider how you keep to vows and control your soul; think about how the holy, supreme commander drove you to slay so many men. Like a blacksmith’s tool or a carpenter’s tool being controlled by that smith or carpenter (moving just as the user wishes it to), the cosmos is controlled by Action and Action is controlled by Time. The hows and whys of birth and death are unknowable; both are utterly immoral; why grieve or feel joy? Though this entanglement of heart is a mere delusion, atone if it would please you, O king – wash away your so-called sin. It is told, O Partha, that the gods and Asuras once fought each other – the Asuras were older than the gods but all were related to each other. Coveting prosperity, they fought a brutal battle over thirty-two thousand years. Making the world one great pool of blood, the gods slew the Daityas and gained possession of Heaven. Having earned the world, a great number of Brahmins who knew The Vedas, armed themselves, so stunned with pride were they, and joined the Danavas to help them fight. The mass of Brahmins were called The Salavrika and numbered eighty-eight-thousand. But, the gods annihilated them. The wicked-souled who wish to wipe out virtue and create evil deserve to be slain; the furious Daityas were slain by the gods. If slaying an individual saves a family – if slaying a family saves a realm – in those cases, slaughter is no sin. Committing a crime, O king, can seem like the right thing to do, and, sometimes, doing the right thing may feel like committing a crime. But, the educated can tell virtue from vice. Soothe yourself, adopted son of Pandu, for you know the scriptures well. You, O Bharata tribesman, only took the path the gods took themselves. Men like yourselves never go to Hell, taurine Pandu. Soothe your brothers and friends, enemy-scorcher – one who purposefully sins without shame (feeling nothing) is, according to the scriptures, a great sinner; he’s unforgivable and his sins will never be purged. You were nobly born; forced by way of others’ sins, you reluctantly did these things and now ask for forgiveness. The horse-sacrifice, a great ritual, will purge your sins. Prepare for it, O king, and be purged of all sin. The divine criticizer of Paka, having defeated his enemies with the Maruts’ assistance, gradually performed a hundred sacrifices and became known as Satakratu. Purged of all sin, divine, having earned many lands of bliss, great happiness, and prosperity, Sakra, surrounded by the Maruts, shines in beauty, illuminating the quarters with his shine. Sachi’s husband is beloved in the heavens by the Apsaras. The rishis and the other gods all worship him with honor. Now, due to your power, you have the world. You defeated all the kings by way of your power. O innocent king, head with your friends to their realm and set their brothers, sons, or grandsons on thrones. Be kind to even the unborn, please and gladden your people, and rule the world. Set, upon their thrones, the daughters of those with no sons. Women like pleasure and power; this will end their sorrow and gladden them. Having soothed the entire empire thusly, O Bharata tribesman, show your love for the gods with a horse-sacrifice like virtuous Indra did long ago. It’s inappropriate for us to grieve for lofty-souled Kshatriyas, O taurine member of your line, who fell in battle. Stunned by the Destroyer’s power, they died doing their caste-based duties. You did your Kshatriya duties and earned the world, now one without thorns. Do your duty, son of Kunti – then, O Bharata tribesman, you shall be happy in the next world.’”

Chapter 1456 and Chapter 1457

 [Note: There is no reason given by Mr. Hare for the dual chapters.]

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘Yudhishthira said: Which deed calls for atonement and how does atonement take place? Tell me, Grandfather.

'And Vyasa said: Not doing that which you are commanded to do, doing that which is wrong, and behaving deceitfully calls for atonement. If a Brahmacharin arises after dawn or goes to bed at sunset, has unclean nails or rotten teeth, has a younger brother married off before himself, is married off before his older brother, has slain a Brahmin, slanders another, weds a girl whose older sister hasn’t married, weds an elder sister after wedding a younger one, does not keep to his vow, slays a reborn man, says something from The Vedas to one who does not deserve to hear it, does not quote something from The Vedas to one who deserves to hear it, is a serial killer, is a seller of meats, is one who’s not tended to his sacrifice-fire, is one who sells an education in The Vedas, is one who slays a teacher or a woman, is one born into a wicked family, is one who purposefully slays a creature, is one who sets a dwelling-place on fire, is one who cheats to survive, is one who rebels against his teacher, or is one who violates a contract, he has sinned and must atone. Now, let me tell you what men should never do – things frowned upon on Earth and in The Vedas. Listen closely; rejecting one’s own beliefs, following another man’s credos, assisting with a sacrifice or religious ritual when one does not deserve to do so, eating forbidden food, abandoning one begging for shelter, failing to uphold servants and dependants, selling salt, treacle, and the like, killing birds and other animals, refusing a fertile woman asking for intercourse, failing to offer the daily gifts (grass to cows et cetera), failing to pay fees for rituals, and humiliating a Brahmin – these are the ways according to those who know duty say to be wicked. It’s wrong to argue with one’s father, violate a teacher’s bed, or fail to sire children with one’s wife, tigrine man. Now, I’ve, both briefly and in detail, explained the ways that call for atonement and that which is unforgivable. Listen now to how men can be judged as wicked but are actually blameless. If a Brahmin who knows The Vedas to a t goes to arms and sallies forth to kill you in battle, you may fight back to kill him. In this way, the slayer is not guilty of slaying a Brahmin. Now, there is a Vedic mantra, son of Kunti, declaring this; I tell you only the things allowed by way of Vedic authority. One who slays a Brahmin, a Brahmin who hasn’t done his caste-based duties and attacks, weapon in hand with manslaughter in mind, has not truly slain a Brahmin. The fury of the slayer is attacking the fury of the victim. A person who ignorantly drinks or drinks because a virtuous doctor advises him to when he is in dire straits can have rites of repentance performed for him. Everything I told you, son of Kunti, about eating forbidden food – one can be purged of the sin of eating it by atonement. If a teacher tells his student to unite with the teacher’s wife, the student is innocent when he does so. The wise man named Udalaka sired his son, Swetaketu, upon uniting with a student. A person who robs for his teacher in a time of dire straits has not sinned. But, theft for personal pleasure is wrong. If one is in dire straits and steals from anyone other than a Brahmin for the sake of his teacher, that is no sin. When one steals but gives it all away, it is not a sin. Lying to save your life, another’s life, a teacher, to please a woman, or to unite in marriage is no sin. If one nocturnally emits as a Brahmacharin, one is still a Brahmacharin. In such cases, atonement can be found by pouring ghee onto a blazing fire. If one wants to marry but his older brother has fallen or renounced the world, it is no sin if he does so. If a woman asks for intercourse, uniting with her does not destroy one’s virtue. An animal should neither be slain nor should one ask another to slay it except for the sake of sacrifice; creatures were created for righteous sacrifice; the holy creator’s kindness made it so. If one offers a gift to a Brahmin he does not know does not deserve it, doing so is no sin. If one is charitable to the needy unawares, it is no sin. Divorcing an adulteress is no sin. Divorcing her purges her of all sin and keeps the man she married pure. One who knows the true use of Soma-juice does not sin by selling it. It is not wrong to fire a servant who cannot do his duties. These are the ways one may be judged as wicked but actually be blameless. Now, let me tell you all about atonement.’”

Chapter 1458

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘A man can wash away his sins (if he does not commit them again) by being penitent, by performing religious rituals, and by being charitable. O Bharata tribesman, a man who slays a Brahmin can atone for it by eating once a day the alms he has collected, by laboring without servants, by begging with a human-skull in one hand and a khattanga in the other, by being a Brahmacharin, by being always ready to labor, by quelling his spite, by sleeping on the bare ground, and by externalizing his anger – if he does these things for twelve years, he shall be purified. One can also be purged of the sin by choosing to be slain by he who uses weaponry, by taking the advice of those who know scripture, by keeling headfirst into a blazing fire three times, by walking eight-hundred miles whilst chanting from The Vedas, by giving away one’s treasury to a Brahmin who knows The Vedas or knows enough to survive, or by protecting cows and Brahmins. Another way one can be purged of the sin is to eat a scant amount of food daily for six years – eating in the morning for the first three days, eating in the evening the next three, eating only alms the next three, and fasting the three following days. If one wishes to be purified in half the time, one can eat in the morning for seven days, eat in the evening for the next seven days, eat one’s collection of alms for the next seven days, and then fast completely for the final seven. If one wishes to be purified in a year, one should eat one meal each month. However, purification comes the quickest when one fasts completely. And, have no doubt that a horse-sacrifice is purifying. He who slays a Brahmin, performs a horse-sacrifice, and takes the final bath at the end of it is cleansed of all sin. That’s what The Srutis command; by laying down one’s life for a Brahmin, one is cleansed of the sin of slaying a Brahmin. By giving away one-hundred thousand cows to those deserving of charity, one is cleansed of the sin of slaying a Brahmin; well, any sin he has ever committed. He who gives twenty-five thousand Kapilan cows who’ve calved is cleansed of all sin. He who is on his death-bed who gives a thousand cows and their calves to impoverished, deserving men has all his sins purged. He who gives, O king, one-hundred Kambojan horses to Brahmins possessive of self-control has his every sin purged. He, O Bharata tribesman, who gives even one man all that he wishes and, having done so, tells none about doing so has his every sin purged. He who has consumed alcohol for pleasure just once can consume hot liquor and be sanctified on earth and in Heaven. Leaping off a mountain, leaping into a fiery flame, and wandering as an ascetic for the rest of one’s life are all ways one can be purged of all sin. If one consumes alcohol for pleasure but performs the sacrifice Vrihaspati created, he can earn Brahma’s world; Brahma said so himself. He who drinks for pleasure but humbles himself and offers land as a gift before living as an ascetic is sanctified and cleansed. He who violated his teacher’s bed can lie on a hot metal sheet, sever his penis, and abandon the world for a life in the forest, eyes ever upturned, to atone for the sin. Abandoning one’s body cleanses oneself of all wicked deeds. Women who control themselves for a year are cleansed of all sin. He who keeps to a strict vow, gives away all his riches, or dies for his teacher is cleansed of all sin. He who lies to his teacher or rebels against him is cleansed by pleasing him. He who forgets his Brahmacharin vow can be cleansed by wearing cowhide for six months, penitent like one who’s slain a Brahmin. An adulterer or thief can, by keeping to strict vows for a year, be cleansed. Theft of property can be atoned for by returning the stolen property’s value by any means necessary – this cleanses the thief. A younger brother who marries before his elder brother does or an elder brother whose younger brother marries before he does can be cleansed by keeping to a strict vow, soul focused, for a dozen nights. A younger brother, however, should marry a second woman if it means saving his lost ancestors. During the second wedding, the first wife is cleansed, and, if he has intercourse with the first wife, it is not blameworthy. Men who know scripture say women are cleansed of even major sins by observing the four-month period in which foods providing sensual pleasure are restricted (Chaturmasya) and surviving on a small amount of purifying food. Those who know scripture ignore the sins women commit in their hearts. The sins of a woman’s heart disappear via menstruation like ashes scrubbing a plate clean. Plates made of brass and copper polluted by a Sudra eating from it – a container of brass and copper smelt by a cow or stained by a Brahmin’s Gandusha (cleansing ritual) – both can be cleansed using the ten methods of purification (the five bovine methods, soil, water, ashes, acids, and fire). It is declared that a Brahmin should earn and be utterly virtuous. If one is royalty, one should earn and be a quarter less virtuous. A Vaisya should be less virtuous than a Kshatriya (half as much as a Brahmin) and a Sudra should be three-quarters less virtuous than a Brahmin. The weight of sins and their correspondence to the four castes should be measured by these percentages. Slaying a bird or beast and cutting down trees should be cleansed by revealing the sin and fasting for three nights. Performing sexual intercourse with one one should not is atoned for by wandering the earth in wet clothes and sleeping on an ash-bed. These, O king, are how one atones for sin according to the law, sensibility, scripture, and declarations. A Brahmin can be purged of all sin by chanting a Gayatri in a holy place whilst surviving on sparse amounts of food, quelling malice, abandoning fury and hatred, being unmoved by praise and blame, and abstaining from speech. He should, during the day, be in the open air, and, at night, sleep under the stars. Three times a day and three times a night, he should, fully dressed, dive into a stream or lake and make ablutions therein. Keeping to strict vows, he should abstain from speaking to women, Sudras, or the fallen. A Brahmin, by adhering to such things, can be cleansed of consciously and unconsciously committed sins. A man receives, in the next life, the results (good or bad) of his earthly deeds (all the elements witness them). Whether they were virtuous or wicked, one, according to how major or minor the acts were, will be blissful or in pain on Earth. So, by way of wisdom, penance, and righteous deeds, one can improve his livelihood on Earth. One, therefore, can make oneself more miserable by committing wicked deeds. One should, therefore, always act righteously and abstain from wickedness. Now, you know how to atone for the sins mentioned. Any sin, except a truly heinous crime, can be atoned for. When it comes to sin with regard to polluted food, wrongful speech, et cetera., there are consciously committed sins and unconsciously committed sins. All sins committed consciously are serious but those committed unconsciously are minor or lightweight. But, both can be atoned for; yes, sin can be washed away by obeying the aforementioned commands. But, such commands were given to theists and the faithful. They are not for atheists, the faithless, the truly arrogant, or the truly malicious. One, O tigrine man, wishing for health on Earth and in the afterlife should, supremely virtuous one, be righteous, take the advice of the righteous, and do his caste-based duties. So, in these ways, O king, can you be purged of the sin of slaying enemies whilst doing your caste-based duties as a king, preserving yourself and your inheritance. Well, if you see yourself as wicked, atone. Do not commit suicide due to the kind of grief unbecoming of a wise man.

At the holy rishi’s words, righteous King Yudhishthira, upon reflecting a short time, replied to the wise man.’”

Chapter 1459

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘Yudhishthira said: Tell me, Grandfather, which foods are pure and which are impure? Which gifts are praiseworthy? Who does and who does not deserve a gift?

'And Vyasa said: There is an ancient tale having to do with this matter; a conversation between the ascetics and the Lord of Creation (Manu). In a Krita-age, an assembly of strict-vow-keeping rishis neared the great, mighty Lord of Creation. Manu, sitting at ease, was asked about Duty: ‘Which foods are acceptable? Who deserves gifts? Which gifts are appropriate? How should one study? How should one be penitent? Which acts should be performed and how? Which should not be performed, Lord of Creation? Tell us everything.’ At this, the divine, self-created Manu replied: ‘Listen as I reveal all about duty – both briefly and in detail. In places where all are welcome, the characteristics are: silently chanted mantras, performances of Homas, fasting, knowledge of the self, and sacred rivers. Those are the lands meant for the pious; those are the ways and things connected to cleansing. Certain mountains can cleanse; eating gold and bathing in waters gems and precious stones were dipped into, traveling to holy lands, and eating ghee surely and quickly cleanse a man. No man who indulges in pride can ever be called wise. If he wishes to live a long life, a man should drink hot water for three nights to atone for indulging in pride. Refusal to take what is not freely given, gifts, study of the scriptures, penance, harming none, truth, an absence of fury, and honoring the gods via sacrifices are the ways of the virtuous. But, supposed virtue can be vice, depending on time and place. And, theft, lying, harming, and killing can, in some situations, be virtuous. When it comes to those who can judge, acts can be virtuous or wicked. Those who are worldly and consult The Vedas say virtue and wickedness can be good or bad, depending on their consequences. From the Vedic point of view, virtue and sin (everything a man does or does not do) are forms of labor and idleness respectively. Not performing Vedic rituals and being a yogi leads to liberation from rebirth, but performing them mean death and rebirth. To the worldly, wickedness leads to wickedness and virtuousness leads to virtuousness. From the worldly point of view, therefore, one can tell virtue from vice by way of the goodly or evil consequences that come from them. Acts that seem wicked can, when it comes to the gods, scriptures, life, and the sustaining of life, produce blissful results. But, an act done with the expectation of future harm of another, even when there is some doubt, and an act done obviously to be wicked can both be atoned for. When an act is done due to wrath or clouded judgment, atone by paining the body by way of standards, scriptures, and sensibility. If anything is done to please or depress the mind, it is a sin but atoned for by eating sanctified food and chanting mantras. If a king spares the Staff of Judgment, he may fast for one night. If a priest does not advise a king to enforce the Staff of Judgment, he ought to fast for three nights as atonement. He who, grievous, attempts suicide by way of weapons should fast for three nights. But, he who shirks his duties, duties pertaining to his line, caste, country, family, and/or personal beliefs cannot atone. When it is doubtful what should be done, ten versed in Vedic scriptures or three of those who frequently chant from them may give a command. A Brahmin should not eat meat from a bull, soil, small ants, earthworms, poison, scale-less fish, four-footed aquatic creatures such as frogs (tortoises, however, can be eaten), bhasas, ducks, Suparnas, ruddy-ducks, ducks that dive, cranes, crows, green cormorants, vultures, hawks, owls, four-footed carnivores with sharp, long teeth, birds, or two- or four-toothed animals. He should not drink sheep’s milk, a jenny’s milk, camel’s milk, newly-calved cow’s milk, breastmilk, or a doe’s milk. He should not eat food that has been offered to a man, food cooked by a new mother, food cooked by a stranger, a Kshatriya’s food (it will weaken him), a Sudra’s food (it will dull his Brahminic shine), or the food of a goldsmith or woman with neither a husband nor sons (those two kinds of people will shorten the Brahmin’s life-span). A money-lender’s food is like dirt and a prostitute’s food is like semen. The food provided by men who tolerate their wife’s lack of chastity and the food of those ruled by their spouses is forbidden. The food provided by a person chosen to receive gifts during a certain part of the sacrifice, by one who does not enjoy his wealth or isn’t charitable, the food provided by one who sells Soma-juice, the food provided by a shoe-maker, the food provided by an unchaste woman, the food provided by a laundryman, the food provided by a doctor, watchmen, a crowd, one pointed at by a whole village, one surviving off of sheltering dancing-girls, those married before their older brothers are married, professional panegyrists and bards, gamblers, or by those who serve with their left-hands, the food provided by those who serve stale food, food mixed with alcohol, food already taste-tested, and a feast’s leftovers should not be taken by a Brahmin. Cakes, sugarcane, potherbs, and rice boiled in sugared milk, if they have lost their savory flavor, should not be taken. The powder of fried barley and of other kinds of fried grain mixed with curds, if it has turned stale, should not be taken. Rice boiled in sugared milk, food mixed with sesame seeds, meat, and cakes, and food not dedicated to the gods should not be taken by Brahmin who are family men. Having first pleased the gods, rishis, guests, Pitris, and the gods focused on the family, a Brahmin focused on the family should then eat. A family man, living this way in his home, is like an ascetic. He who behaves as such, living as a family man with his wives, earns great religious merit. Never give gifts to earn fame, give them out of fear, or give them to a benefactor. A virtuous man wouldn’t be charitable to professional singers, dancers, or jesters, to a drunk, to an insane person, thief, slanderer, or fool, to a pallid man, to a man with a defective limb, to a little person, to an evil doer, to one born into a lowly, wicked line, or to one not sanctified by keeping to vows. Never give gifts to a Brahmin who doesn’t know The Vedas; only be charitable to one who does. Both a wrong gift and wrongful acceptance of a gift lead to bad results for the giver and for the recipient. Like one seeking to cross the sea using a rock or products of the acacia tree sinking along with that supposed aid, the giver and the recipient both sink. Like a fire coated with wet fuel does not flare, the acceptor of a gift who is not penitent, studious, or pious cannot benefit the giver. Like water kept in a human skull-cup or milk kept in a container made from dog-skin, unclean containers taint the liquid therein. Likewise, The Vedas do nothing for the wicked. One can give, out of compassion, to a lowly Brahmin who never chants mantras, keeps to vows, cares little for scripture, or cherishes envy. One can, out of compassion, give to the impoverished, troubled, or ill. But, do not give to such a one and think you’ll be spiritually benefited or earn spiritual merit. Surely a gift for a Brahmin who doesn’t possess The Vedas is utterly useless due to the recipient’s flaw. A Brahmin who doesn’t study The Vedas is like a wooden elephant or a leather antelope – all three have only their names to uphold them. If a Brahmin fails to chant mantras, he is like a eunuch failing to sire children, a cow failing to mate with anther cow, or like a bird without feathers failing to fly: useless. Why be charitable to an uneducated Brahmin if he is like a grain without a kernel, a well without water, or ashes libations have been doled onto? An uneducated Brahmin is everyone’s enemy and the destroyer of food set aside for gods and Pitris; giving such a one a gift is pointless. Such a one is like a thief; he can never successfully earn the lands of bliss of the afterlife. Now, O Yudhishthira, I’ve briefly covered all that was said by Manu then. All, taurine Bharata tribesman, should hear this lofty lecture.’”

Chapter 1460

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘Yudhishthira said: O holy, great ascetic, I want to hear, in detail, about what the duties of kings are and all about what the duties of each caste are. I want to know, supreme Brahmin, how one should behave in times of trouble. How can I tame the world, walking Morality’s path? This lecture on atonement and fasting is arousing great curiosity in me. It’s joyful. One cannot, if a king, be both virtuous and a doer of kingly duties. I’m always mystified by how one might find a happy medium.

Vyasa, O king, the best of all who know The Vedas, eyeing the ancient, omniscient one (Narada), said: If, O king, you want to hear all about Duty and Morale, ask Bhishma, mighty-armed one, for he is the Kurus’ elderly grandfather. Knowing duty, truly knowing all, the son of Bhagirathi will quell all the doubt in your heart on the mystical matter of duty. The Goddess – the unique characteristic of the divine, three-part river – birthed him. He saw, openly, the gods, Indra leading them. Having pleased, with his dutifulness, the divine rishis led by Vrihaspati, he earned an education on royal duty. The supreme Kuru also earned an education on the subject and how one might debate it with Usanas and the reborn one who is the divinities’ famous teacher. Having kept to strict vows, the mighty-armed one earned a knowledge of The Vedas and their branches from Vasishtha and the Bhrigu named Chyavana. Long ago, he studied under the firstborn son of the holy grandfather who shone named Sanatkumara (the one who knew the truths of intellect-based science and religion-based science). He learnt all about the duties of ascetics from Markandeya. The taurine man earned each and every weapon from Rama and Sakra. Though human, he shall choose when he dies. Though childless, he’s earned, for so we’ve heard, many lands of bliss. Reborn rishis of great merit were always his courtiers. He knows about all objects; knowing duty and the subtleties of morale, he shall discuss them with you. See him before he dies. At his words, Mahatma Kunti’s son, quite wise, replied to Satyavati’s son Vyasa, the most eloquent man of all. Yudhishthira said: Having truly created a terrible slaughter of kinsmen, I have offended all and destroyed the world. Because of me, Bhishma, a warrior always fighting fairly, was deceived and slain. How can I ask him about duty and morale?

Moved by the desire to benefit all four castes, the mighty-armed mahatma, the Yadu chief, again spoke to the supreme king. Vasudeva said: It would suit you not to be so resolved to grieve. Do, supreme king, what holy Vyasa suggested. The Brahmins, mighty-armed one, and your quite powerful half- brothers stand before you, begging like those begging the cloud-god at the end of summer. The unslain remaining assembled kings and the people representing the four castes in Kurujangala (your realm), O king, are here. To please the mahatmas who are Brahmins – to obey the command of your respected elder of immeasurable energy named Vyasa – to honor our request, the same as the one of your well-wishers and Draupadi, enemy-scorcher, do that which would please us, enemy-slayer; do that which would do the world some good.

At Krishna’s words the mahatma and king of lotus-petal-like eyes, Yudhishthira, arose from his seat to do the entire world some good. The tigrine man named Yudhishthira, quite famous, one begged by Krishna, the island-born one (Vyasa), Devasthana, Jishnu, and many others, quelled his grief and worry. Knowing the Srutis’ declarations well, knowing the science that interprets them, this including that which men usually hear and deserve to at that, the adopted son of Pandu earned peace of mind and decided what he would do next. Surrounded by all of them like the moon surrounded by the stars, the king, setting Dhritarashtra before everyone, departed for the city. Wishing to enter the city, Kunti’s son Yudhishthira, knowing duty, worshipped the gods and the thousands of Brahmins. He mounted a new white chariot covered with blankets and deerskin; sixteen white bullocks with auspicious markings Vedic mantras had sanctified were hitched to it. Beloved by panegyrists and bards, the king mounted the chariot like Soma riding his ambrosial vehicle. His brother Bhima, terribly powerful, took the reins. Arjuna held over his head a white umbrella that shone. The white umbrella held above the chariot looked as beautiful as a starry, white cloud in the sky. The two heroic sons of Madri, Nakula and Sahadeva, picked up two yak-tails as white as moonbeams decorated with gems to fan the king. The five half-brothers, decorated with decorations, having mounted the chariot, O king, resembled the five elements that enter us all. Riding another white chariot to which horses that moved as swiftly as thought were hitched to, Yuyutsu, O king, followed the eldest adopted son of Pandu. To Krishna’s brilliant, golden chariot were hitched Saivya and Sugriva; Krishna, with Satyaki, followed the Kurus. The eldest uncle of Pritha’s son, O Bharata tribesman, along with Gandhari, led the train in a vehicle men bore upon their shoulders. The other ladies of the Kuru household, including Kunti and Krishna, all headed in excellent vehicles, led by Vidura. Behind them were a great many chariots, elephants decorated with decorations, foot-soldiers, and horses. Praises chanted by sweet-voiced panegyrists and bards, the king headed for Hastinapura. The progression, mighty-armed one, of King Yudhishthira was so lovely that its like had never been seen before on Earth. Teeming with healthy, cheerful men, one could hear the busy drone of countless voices. During the progression of Pritha’s son, the city and its streets were decorated with happy citizens, each of whom had emerged to honor the king. The place the king passed through was decorated with festoons of flowers and countless flags. The city-streets were perfumed with incense; the area was blanketed with perfumey powders, flowers, and draping, perfumey plants along with garlands and wreaths. New metallic jars, filled to the brim with water, were set at the doorways of every home; bevies of beautiful virgins of the fairest complexions stood at the vantage-points. Accompanied by his friends, the adopted son of Pandu, decorated with lovely words, entered the city by way of the well-decorated gate.’”

 

Chapter 1461

“Vaisampayana said,

 ‘When the Parthas entered the city, thousands upon thousands of citizens came out to witness it. The well-decorated squares and streets, due to the swelling crowds, were as beautiful as the sea swelling at moonrise. The large mansions that paralleled the streets, decorated with each and every decoration and full of women, seemed to sway with the weight, O Bharata tribesman. Gently and modestly did they praise Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, and the two sons of Madri. They said: You are praiseworthy; O blessed Panchalan princess. you serve the top men like Gautami serving the seven rishis. Your deeds and vows were fruitful, Lady! ; due to those praises, O Bharata tribesman, due to the words exchanged, and due to shouts of joy from the men, the city echoed with a great din. Having walked the streets suitably, Yudhishthira entered the beautiful Kuru palace, one decorated with each and every decoration. The citizens and provincial men, nearing the palace, said pleasing things to him: Fate smiled upon you, supreme king, and thus, you defeated your enemies, enemy-slayer. Fate smiled upon you, and thus, you won your realm back virtuously and with power. O supreme king, rule us for a century and protect your people virtuously, just as Indra protects the citizens of Heaven. Thusly beloved at the palace-gate with blessed speeches – accepting the blessings the Brahmins offered from all sides – the king, graced with victory and the people’s blessings, entered the Indra’s-mansion-like palace and dismounted. Entering the quarters, blessed Yudhishthira neared the gods of the family, worshipping them with gems, perfumes, and leis. Naturally quite famous and prosperous, the king emerged again. He spied a number of Brahmins awaiting him, various auspicious things in hand to bless him. Surrounded by those Brahmins wishing to bless him, the king looked as beautiful as the immaculate moon amidst the stars. Along with his priest, Dhaumya, and his eldest uncle, the son of Kunti cheerfully worshipped, by way of rituals, the Brahmins – he gave them a profuse amount of sweets, gems, gold, cows, and robes, O king, along with various, other things each desired. Then, O Bharata tribesman, shouts that the day was a blessed one resounded. Sweet to hear, the sacred sound was quite pleasing to the friends and well-wishers of the Pandavas. The king heard the sound made by the leonine Brahmins that was as loud and clear as the sound of a flock of swans. He heard the speeches that were full of melodious voices and significance made by those who knew The Vedas. Then, O king, the peal of drums and the delightful sound of trumpeted conchs, meaning victory, resounded. A short time later, when the Brahmins had fallen silent, a Rakshasa named Charvaka, disguising himself as a Brahmin, spoke to the king. He was a friend of Duryodhana and was dressed like a devout beggar. With a rosary, a tuft of hair, and the triple-staff in his hand, he stood there proudly and without fear amidst the Brahmins who’d gone there to bless the king. There were thousands of Brahmins, O king, and each one was devoted to penance and vows. The wicked creature wishing to harm the mahatmas who were Pandavas, not consulting with Brahmins first, spoke to the king: All these Brahmins, making me their spokesman, say: ‘Curse him! He is a wicked king! You slew your kinsmen! What could be gained, son of Kunti, by annihilating your race? Having slain your superiors and teacher, it’s inappropriate to commit suicide.’ Hearing the wicked Rakshasa’s words, the Brahmins exceedingly quaked. Stung by these words, they created a great din. All, including King Yudhishthira, O king, fell silent, anxious and ashamed. But Yudhishthira said: I bow before you and humbly beg you to be pleased with me. It wouldn’t suit you to curse me. Soon, I shall die.

The Brahmins, O king, cried: We didn’t say this – may you prosper, O king! The  mahatmas who knew The Vedas, sense of comprehension clarified by penance, then revealed the speaker by way of spiritual sight. They said: This is a Rakshasa named Charvaka who is Duryodhana’s friend. Disguised as a devout beggar, he wants to do his friend Duryodhana some good. We said no such thing, righteous-souled one. Quell your anxiety; may you and your half-brothers prosper. The Brahmins, incensed, chanted: Hun. Purged of all sin, they scolded the wicked Rakshasa and the Hun killed him. Swallowed by the power of the chanters of the name Brahma, Charvaka fell dead like a tree whose every sprout is blasted away by Indra’s thunder. Worshipped, the Brahmins departed upon gladdening the king with blessings. The royal, adopted son of Pandu and his friends were very happy.’”

Chapter 1462

“Vaisampayana continued,

'Devaki’s son Janardana, one of universal knowledge, then spoke to King Yudhishthira and his half-brothers: On Earth, sire, Brahmins are always objects of worship for me. They’re earthly gods whose words can be poison but they are truly easy to please. In a past Krita-age, O king, there was a Rakshasa named Charvaka, mighty-armed one, who was ascetically penitent year after year in Vadari. Again and again Brahma begged him to wish for something. Finally, the Rakshasa asked, O Bharatan, to never be afraid of anything in the universe. The Lord of the Universe granted that lofty wish for immunity from all creatures, but, Charvaka was told to watch how he treated Brahmins. His wish granted, the wicked, mighty Rakshasa who did brutal deeds and was of great power began to bring the gods pain. But, the gods, persecuted by the Rakshasa’s power, gathered together and went to Brahma to plan how they would destroy their enemy. The immortal, fixed god replied, O Bharata tribesman: ‘I’ve already planned for how the Rakshasa will soon die. There will be a king named Duryodhana. He shall be the creature’s human friend. Out of love, the Rakshasa will insult the Brahmins, and, stung by the troubles he causes them, the Brahmins, ones whose strength is in their words, will, furious, scold him and thusly destroy him.’ This Rakshasa, Charvaka, supreme king, slain by the Brahmin’s curse, now lies dead. Do not, taurine Bharata tribesman, give into grief. The kinsmen, O king, all died doing their Kshatriya duties. Those Kshatriya battering-rams – those mahatmas who are heroes – all went to Heaven. Do your duties now, O one of immortal glory, and do not grieve. Guard against your enemies, protect your people, and worship the Brahmins.’”

Chapter 1463

“Vaisampayana continued,     

‘The royal son of Kunti, his grief quelled and his heart’s fever lifted, sat, facing east, upon a golden, excellent seat. On another seat that was beautiful, fiery, and golden sat two enemy-criticizers who faced him – Satyaki and Vasudeva. Setting the king amidst them, on either side of him sat Bhima and Arjuna, each on a beautiful seat decorated with gems. Upon a white, ivory throne decorated with gold sat Pritha, Sahadeva, and Nakula. Sudharman (the priest of the Kauravas), Vidura, Dhaumya, and the Kuru king (Dhritarashtra) were each on a seat that flared with the brilliance of fire. Yuyutsu, Sanjaya, and the quite famous Gandhari all sat down near where King Dhritarashtra had taken his seat. The righteous-souled king, seated there, touched the beautiful white flowers, the svastikas, the containers of various things, and the soil, gold, silver, and gems set before him. Then, the people, led by the priest, came to see King Yudhishthira bearing various, auspicious things. Soil, gold, many kinds of gems, and plenty of each thing necessary to perform a coronation-rite were brought forth. There were golden jars filled to the brim with water, jars made of copper, silver, or clay, flowers, fried rice, kusa-grass, cow’s milk, sacrifice-fuel made with wood from cutches, long peppers, and butea gums, honey, ghee, sacrifice-ladles made from cluster figs, and gilded conches. Then, the priest, Dhaumya, at the request of Krishna, built, according to the law, an altar gradually sloping up toward the east and north. Seating Mahatma Yudhishthira and Krishna, the daughter of Drupada, upon a lovely seat called Sarvatobhadra that had firm feet, was covered with tiger-skins, and shone brilliantly, he began doling out ghee-libations onto the sacrifice-fire whilst the right mantras were chanted. Then, the one from Dasaratha’s line, arising, picked up the sanctified conch, poured the water it contained upon the head of the Lord of the World (Yudhishthira, Kunti’s son), and the royal wise man named Dhritarashtra and all the people did the same, at Krishna’s request. The adopted son of Pandu then, along with his half-brothers, having bathed using the conch’s holy water, looked exceedingly beautiful. Then, panavas, anakas, and drums were beaten. Righteous King Yudhishthira accepted the gifts the people offered him. Always giving plenty of gifts during all his sacrifices, the king honored his subjects in return. He gave one-thousand gold-coins to the Brahmins who said special benedictions for him. All of them had studied The Vedas and were naturally wise and well-behaved. Pleased with the gifts, the Brahmins, O king, wished him prosperity, victory, and, with voices as melodious as swans, praised him thusly: O mighty-armed Yudhishthira – O adopted son of Pandu – Fate smiled upon you, and thus, victory is yours. Fate smiled upon you, and thus, O one of great splendor, you won back your position by way of power. Fate smiled upon you, and thus, Gandiva’s wielder, Bhimasena, you, O king, and the two sons of Madri are all well due to the fact that you slew your enemies and survived a battle so destructive of heroes. O Bharata tribesman, lose no time in doing that which should be done next. Thusly shown love by those pious men, righteous King Yudhishthira and his friends were inaugurated and set upon the throne of a great realm, O Bharata tribesman.’”

Chapter 1464

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘Having heard the words suitable when it came to place and time of his subjects, King Yudhishthira replied: The adopted sons of Pandu must be great – their merits, for better or for worse, are being announced by assembled, great Brahmins. Surely we’re favored by you if you freely call us possessive of said qualities. King Dhritarashtra, however, is our father and god. If you wish to please me, always obey him and please him. I slew my kinsmen and live only for him. My great duty is to always serve him in every respect, attentive. If you and my friends think I should be pleasing to you and them, I ask you to treat Dhritarashtra like you have before. He is the Lord of the World, your lord, and my lord. The entire world, including the Pandavas, belongs to him; always keep my words in mind.

The king then told them to go wherever they pleased. Having asked the citizens and provincial people to depart, the Kurus’ delighter named his half-brother Bhimasena the crown-prince. He cheerfully made the quite wise Vidura the assistant for debates and the head of the six matters-of-state (peace, war, marching, halting, sowing dissension, and defending the kingdom by way of alliances or other ways, such as building fortresses). He made the elderly Sanjaya who could do it all general director and supervisor of finances. He made Nakula army-captain (overseer of food, payment, and other affairs). King Yudhishthira named Phalguna ‘challenger of unfriendly armies and criticizer of the wicked.’ He made Dhaumya, the supreme priest, the ‘daily attendant of the Brahmins and partaker in the rituals that honor the gods and other religious deeds.’ He made Sahadeva the one who would always be at his side; the king thought, O king, he should, in all circumstances, be protected by that half-brother of his. The king, with cheer, hired others for jobs he saw them fit to do. The slayer of unfriendly heroes, righteous-souled King Yudhishthira, ever devoted to virtue, commanded Vidura and Mahatma Yuyutsu: You should always, with enthusiasm and care, obey my royal father, Dhritarashtra. Anything that ought to be done for the citizens and people of the provinces should be done by you in your respective departments with the king’s permission.’”

Chapter 1465

“Vaisampayana continued,     

‘Then, King Yudhishthira, one of magnanimous soul, performed the Sraddha-rites for each slain kinsmen of his. The quite famous King Dhritarashtra also gave away, to do his sons some good in the next world, excellent food, cows, lots of riches, and many beautiful, expensive gems to Brahmins. Yudhishthira, along with Draupadi, gave lots of riches for the sake of Drona, Mahatma Karna, Dhrishtadyumna, Abhimanyu, the Rakshasa named Ghatotkacha who was the son of Hidimva, Virata, his other loyal well-wishers, Drupada, and the five sons of Draupadi. For their sakes, the king pleased thousands of Brahmins with gifts of riches, gems, cows, and clothes. The king performed the Sraddha-ritual rite for the good in the next world of each king who’d fallen in battle and left neither kinsmen nor friends behind. The king, to do his friends’ souls some good, built silos to distribute food, built towers to distribute water, and excavated to create pools in their names. By paying the debt he owed them, thereby avoiding blame from men (they would call him ungrateful), the king was gladdened; he kept guarding his people to a t. As before, he honored Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, Vidura, the superior Kauravas, and all the officers. Utterly kind, the Kuru king honored and guarded the ladies who’d, during battle, lost heroic husbands and sons. The mighty king, quite compassionate, favored the destitute, blind, and the helpless by giving them food, clothing, and shelter. Without an enemy, having conquered the world, King Yudhishthira began to enjoy great happiness.’”

 

Chapter 1466

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘Having won back the kingdom, the quite wise and quite pure King Yudhishthira, after the inauguration, put his palms together and told the lotus-eyed Dasarhan, Krishna: By way of Your grace, Krishna, by way of Your laws, might, wisdom, and power, O tigrine Yadu, I won back my ancestral kingdom. O One of lotus-leaf-like eyes, I repeatedly bow to You, enemy-criticizer. You’ve been called the holy One and only being; You’re called the shelter of all devotees; the reborn show their love for You by calling you one of Your countless names. All honor to You, O Creator of the Universe. You’re the holy universe’s soul and it sprung from You. You’re Vishnu, Jishnu, Hari, Krishna, Vaikuntha, and the top being. You’ve, as said in The Puranas, been born seven times to Aditi. You were birthed by Prishni (one of Aditi’s selves). The educated say You’re the three ages and all Your deeds are holy. You’re the Lord of our Senses. You’re the great, holy ruler worshipped during sacrifices. You’re called The Great Swan. You’re three-eyed Sambu; You’re the holy One known as Vibhu and Damodara. You’re the great, holy boar, Fire, the sun, the One with a bull for a tool on your flag, and the One with Garuda for a tool. You crush unfriendly armies and are the holy being who passes through all forms in the universe. You’re One with unstoppable power. You’re the supreme thing, brutal, a generalissimo in battle, Truth, the provider of food, Guha (the divine generalissimo), immortal, and the cause of the enemy’s fading and wasting away. You’re a Brahmin of pure blood and representative of those coming from mixed blood. You’re great, You walk on high, You’re the mountains, You’re called Vrishadarbha, and You’re called Vrishakapi. You’re Sea, without qualities, three-humped, one with three homes, One who disguises himself as human upon descending from Heaven, The Emperor, Virat, and Swarat (each of those two beyond The Emperor). You’re the divinities’ chief, the crux the cosmos sprung from, almighty, all types of existences, formless, Krishna, Fire, the holy creator, the father of divine physicians, the wise man named Kapila, the supreme dwarf, Sacrifice, Dhruva, Garuda, Yajnasena, Sikhandin, Nahusha, and Vabhru. You’re the constellation named Punarvasu spreading across the sky, You’re truly yellowish-brown, You’re the Uktha-sacrifice, Sushena, and the utterly resounding drum. Your chariot-wheels create a gentle track, You’re Prosperity’s lotus, You’re the cloud called Pushkara, and You’re decorated with leis. You’re affluent, mighty, the subtlest, and One described in The Vedas. You’re the great water-container, Brahma, the sacred shelter, and the knower of all homes. You’re Hiranyagarbha, the sacred chants (the Swadha and the Swaha), and Kesava. You’re the crux of all and will destroy all. In the beginning, You created the cosmos; You control it, O holy creator of the universe. All honor to You, O wielder of Sarnga, a discus, and a sword! Thusly sung about by righteous King Yudhishthira amidst court, lotus-eyed Krishna felt pleased. The top Yadava then pleased the eldest adopted son of Pandu with many pleasing words.’”

Chapter 1467

“Vaisampayana c0ntinued,

‘The king sent away his people; they, as commanded, returned to their respective homes. Comforting his half-brothers, Yudhishthira, blazing with beauty, then spoke to his half-brothers – the terribly powerful Bhima, Arjuna, and the twins: Your bodies were, during the great battle, mangled by various enemy-weapons. You’re quite exhausted; grief and anger have scorched your hearts. It’s my fault, taurine Bharata tribesmen, you suffered the miseries of forest-exile (it was as if you were lowly). Enjoy your success, delighted and happy. Once you’ve rested and are yourselves again, come to me in the morning. Then, mighty-armed Vrikodara, like Maghavat entering his own, beautiful place, entered Duryodhana’s palace, one decorated with many excellent buildings and rooms, one decorated with various gems, one teeming with male and female servants, and one Yudhishthira assigned to him with Dhritarashtra’s approval. Mighty-armed Arjuna also, obeying the king, took Dusasana’s palace – it was just as good as Duryodhana’s and had many excellent structures; it was decorated with a golden gate, had plenty of riches, and was teeming with servants of both sexes. Durmarsana’s palace was even greater than Dusasana’s – like Kuvera’s mansion, it was decorated with gold and every kind of gem. King Yudhishthira gladly gave it to Nakula, one who deserved it most and one whose miseries in the great forest had emaciated him. The best palace, belonging to Durmukha, was exceedingly beautiful and decorated with gold. There were plenty of beds and beautiful women with lotus-petal-like eyes. The king gave it to Sahadeva, one always focusing on doing the former some good. When he took it, Sahadeva was as delighted as the Lord of Treasures when he earned Mount Kailasa. Yuyutsu, Vidura, Sanjaya, O king, Sudharman and Dhaumya headed back to the homes they’d lived in before. Like a tiger entering his hill-cave, the tigrine man, Saurin, along with Satyaki, entered Arjuna’s palace. Feasting on the meats and drinks readied for them, the princes spend the night happy. Upon awakening the next morning with well-pleased hearts, they presented themselves before King Yudhishthira.’”

Chapter 1468

“Janamejaya said,

‘It’d suit you, educated Brahmin, to tell me what Yudhishthira, the mighty-armed son of Dharma, did once he’d won his kingdom back. It would suit you, O rishi, to tell me what heroic Hrishikesa, the supreme master of the three worlds, did next.’

So Vaisampayana said,

‘Listen, O king, as I narrate, in detail, innocent one, what the Pandavas, led by Vasudeva, did next. Having won his kingdom back, O king, Kunti’s son Yudhishthira gave each caste its specific duties; the eldest adopted son of Pandu gave a thousand mahatmas who were Snatakan Brahmins one gold coin each and pleased each dependant servant and guest (including the undeserving and those of oppositional viewpoints) by granting their wishes. To his priest Dhaumya he gave thousands of cows, much wealth, gold, silver, and various robes. When it came to Kripa, O king, the king treated him like he ought to treat a teacher. Keeping to his vows, the king continued to honor Vidura well. The best of the charitable pleased all with gifts of food, drink, various robes, beds, and seats. Having restored peace to his kingdom, the naturally quite famous king, O best of kings, honored Yuyutsu and Dhritarashtra rightly. Handing his kingdom over to Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, and Vidura, King Yudhishthira continued to live his life happily. Having pleased all, including his people, thusly, Yudhishthira, O taurine Bharata tribesman, then headed, palms joined, to Mahatma Vasudeva. He saw blue-cloud-colored Krishna seated on a large sofa decorated with gold and gems. Wearing yellow silken robes and decorated with divine decorations, body shining like a jewel mounted with gold, his chest was decorated with the Kaustubha-gem and he resembled the Udayan range decorated with the rising sun. He looked so beautiful he was beyond compare the three worlds over. Nearing the mahatma who was an avatar of Vishnu, King Yudhishthira sweetly and smilingly said: O best of  the wise, did you spend the night happily? O one of immortal glory, are your faculties at full-strength? O best of the wise, is your sense of comprehension well? We won our kingdom back, and now, the entire world is in our control, divine lord, by way of your grace, O shelter of the three worlds. O one of the three steps, we won, earned great fame, and kept to our caste-based duties by way of your grace.

To the enemy-criticizer, righteous King Yudhishthira, who spoke to him thusly, divine Krishna said nothing – he was then rapt in meditation.’”

Chapter 1469

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘Yudhishthira said: How wonderful, O one of immeasurable power, that you’re rapt in meditation. O great shelter of the cosmos, are the three worlds sound? O holy god, you’ve withdrawn from the world and, O taurine man, entered the fourth type of consciousness; my mind is filled with wonderment. The five types of life-breaths that act within the body are controlled by you so that they are inactive. Your delighted senses are set within your mind due to your power. Your speech and mind, O Govinda, were set within your sense of comprehension by your power. Truly all of your senses have retracted into your soul. The hair on your body is on end, your mind and sense of comprehension have been quieted, and you’re now as still, O Madhava, as a wooden post or stone. O noteworthy, holy god, you’re as still as a lamplight burning when no winds blow or as a stone slab. If I’m fit to know why – if it’s no secret – I ask that you quell, O god, my doubts – I beg you and wish for you to favor me thusly. You’re both the holy creator and the holy destroyer. You’re destructible and indestructible. You have neither a beginning nor an end. You’re the primary, top, and holy being. O best of the righteous, tell me about your meditation plans. I beg for your favor as your devoted devotee; I bow before you, bowing my head.

At this, the noteworthy, younger brother of Vasava, returning his mind, sense of comprehension, and senses to normal, replied, smiling softly:That tigrine man, Bhishma, one now laying on an arrow-bed like a fire about to be extinguished, thinks of me. I was responding to his call. The twang of his bowstring and the sound of his palms were unbearable to Indra. I was thinking of him, one who shortly defeated the assembled kings during the Kasi princesses’ Swayamvara.  He kidnapped them so that his brother, Vichitravirya, would be married. I was thinking of him, one who fought Rama, a Bhrigu, for twenty-three days straight – Rama could not overpower him. Coming to, focusing his mind with the help of his sense of comprehension, he thought of me for the sake of shelter. That’s why I was focusing on him; he was conceived in Ganga’s womb and birthed in the human way. Vasishtha was his teacher; I was thinking of the hero of mighty energy and great intellect naturally knowledgeable about all divine weapons, the four Vedas, and all their branches. I was thinking of the one, O adopted son of Pandu, who is the favorite student of Rama (Jamadagni’s son) and is a receptacle of science. I was thinking of the top man who knows morality and duty; him, taurine Bharata tribesman, the one who knows the past, present, and future. Once the tigrine king has earned, due to his success, Heaven, the world, son of Pritha, will look like a moonless night. Therefore, O Yudhishthira, humbly approach Ganga’s son, the terribly powerful Bhishma, and ask him what you want to know. O Lord of the World, ask him about the four branches of knowledge (Morality, Profit, Pleasure, and Liberation); ask him about sacrifices; ask him about the preordained rituals for the four castes; ask him about the four ways of living; ask him all about royal duties. When the top Kuru, Bhishma, vanishes off the face of the Earth, all knowledge will vanish too. So, I urge you to go to him now.

Hearing the goodly, quite serious words from Vasudeva, righteous Yudhishthira, voice choked with tears, told Janardana: You’re absolutely right about Bhishma’s prominence, O Madhava. I’m absolutely sure of it. Yes, I’ve heard of the true blessedness and greatness of noteworthy Bhishma from mahatmas and Brahmins lecturing about it. You, enemy-slayer, are the holy creator of all worlds. There cannot, O delight of the Yadavas, be any doubt, therefore, about what you say. If your heart is inclined to be gracious, O Madhava, let’s go to Bhishma with you to lead us. When divine Surya heads north, Bhishma will leave this world for the lands of bliss he’s earned. The Kuru therefore, mighty-armed one, deserves to see you. If you grant my wish, Bhishma will then see you, one who is the supreme, holy god as well as one who is destructible and indestructible. Yes, Lord, you’re the vast container of Brahman.

Hearing the words of righteous King Yudhishthira, Madhu’s slayer told Satyaki, one sitting beside him, to hitch his chariot. At this, Satyaki quickly left Kesava’s presence and departed, telling Daruka: Ready Krishna’s chariot. Hearing the words of Satyaki, Daruka speedily hitched Krishna’s chariot. The supreme vehicle, decorated with gold and plenty of emeralds, moon-gems, and sun-gems, furnished with wheels gilded with gold, naturally brilliant, wind-swift, inset in the center with various other jewels, as beautiful as the morning-sun, given a beautiful flag Garuda topped, made pleasant with numerous flags, and was one the top horses as swift as thought were hitched to, Sugriva, Saivya, and the other two, donning golden accoutrements. Having hitched it, O tigrine king, Daruka, palms joined, let Krishna know.’”

Chapter 1470

“Janamejaya said,

‘How did the Bharatas’ grandfather, one on an arrow-bed, abandon his body? How did he meditate?’

And Vaisampayana said,

‘Listen, O king, with a pure heart and focused mind about how, O tigrine Kuru, Mahatma Bhishma abandoned his body. As soon as the sun surpassed the solstice-point and began its northern path, Bhishma, focusing, made his soul, something both connected to and independent of his body, become both independent and unconditional. Surrounded by many top Brahmins, the hero, body pierced by countless arrows, blazed, quite beautiful, like Surya and his countless rays. Surrounded by Vyasa, one who knew The Vedas, divine Rishi Narada, Devasthana, Asmakasumantu, Jaimini, Mahatma Paila, Sandilya, Devarata, the quite wise Maitreya, Asita, Vasishthra, Mahatma Kausika, Harita, Lomasa, Atri’s quite wise son, Vrihaspati, Sukra, the great wise man named Chyavana, Sanatkumara, Kapila, Valmiki, Tumvuru, Kuru, Maudgalya, the Bhrigu named Rama, the great wise man named Trinavindu, Pipalada, Vayu, Samvarta, Pulaha, Katha, Kasyapa, Pulastya, Kratu, Daksha, Parasara, Marichi, Angiras, Kasmya, Gautama, the wise man named Galava, Dhaumya, Vibhanda, Mandavya, Dhaumra, Krishnanubhautika, the top Brahmin named Uluka, the great wise man named Markandeya, Bhaskari, Purana, Krishna, and Suta (the best of the virtuous) – yes, surrounded by these and many other highly blessed wise men of great souls who had faith, self-control, and peace of mind, the Kuru hero looked like the moon amidst the planets and stars. Stretched upon his arrow-bed, the tigrine man, Bhishma, heart pure and palms joined, thought of Krishna in mind, word, and deed. Voice cheerful and strong, he sang a hymn that praised Madhu’s slayer (the Master of Meditation, the lotus-naveled one, the Lord of the Universe, the one called Vishnu or Jishnu). Palms joined, the best of all eloquent men, the mighty one, the one of great virtuous soul, Bhishma, praised Vasudeva thusly. He said: O Krishna – O supreme being – be pleased with these words of mine (great and small). I want to sing Your praises. You’re pure and Purity. You surpass all. You are called That. You’re the holy, supreme Lord. I, with all my heart, ask You to shelter me, O holy soul of the universe and Lord of All Creatures. You have neither a beginning nor end. You’re the loftiest of the lofty and Brahma. Neither the gods nor rishis know You. The divine, holy creator (Narayana or Hari) is the only one who does. By way of Narayana, the rishis, Siddhas, great Nagas, gods, and divine rishis know a little about you. You’re the loftiest of the lofty and know no deterioration. The gods, Danavas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, and Panagas do not know You and Your origins. All the worlds and all creation dwell in You and move into You on doomsday. Like gems on a string, all things with qualities dwell within You, holy and supreme Lord. The cosmos is Your act and body; it, consisting of mind and matter, dwells in Your immortal, all-pervading soul like many blossoms on a strong vine. You’re called Hari and have a thousand heads, a thousand  feet, a thousand eyes, a thousand arms, a thousand crowns, and a thousand shining faces. You’re Narayana, Holiness, and the cosmic shelter. You’re the most subtle of all, the summation of all summations, the heaviest of the heavy, and the loftiest of the lofty. In the Vaks, Anuvaks, Nishads, and Upanishads, You’re considered the holy, supreme being of unstoppable power. In the Saman-Veda, one whose verses are ever true, You’re Truth. You have a four-part soul; You’re only visible in all creatures’ sense of comprehension. You’re the holy ruler of Your devotees. O holy god, You’re beloved by the devout by way of four excellent, lofty, and secret names. You always house penance performed by creatures to please You, Penance dwelling within you. You’re the holy, cosmic soul. You know all, are the cosmos, are omniscient, and the creator of all things cosmic. Just as two sticks create a blazing fire, divine Devaki and Vasudeva generated You to protect Brahman on Earth. For liberation, a devout devotee, mind withdrawn from all, quelling his desires, sees You, O Govinda, the pure Soul within the devotee’s own soul. You surpass the glory of Surya; you’re beyond the knowledge of the senses and of comprehension. O Lord of Creatures, I am in Your hands. You are called all-pervading spirit (Atman) in The Puranas; when ages begin, you’re called Brahma, but, at the end of an age, you’re called Sankarshana. You are lovable and I love You. Though one being, you’ve changed your shape time and time again. You utterly control Your zeal; Your devout devotees faithfully perform the rituals prescribed in scripture and offer You sacrifices, O wish-granter. You’re called the cosmic glove; all creation dwells within You. Like swans and ducks swimming on the water, all visible worlds float within You. You’re Truth, One, and never deteriorate. You’re Brahma and that which surpasses the supreme mind and supreme matter (That). You have neither a beginning, middle, nor end. Neither the gods nor rishis know You; the gods, Asuras, Gandharvas, Siddhas, rishis, and great Uragas, souls focused, always show their love for You. You’re the great cure-all for sorrow. You were never born nor shall you die. You’re Holiness; self-created, immortal, invisible, and beyond knowledge. You’re called Hari and Narayana, mighty One. The Vedas say You’re the holy creator of the universe and the ruler of all that’s in it. You’re the holy guardian of the cosmos. You know nothing of decay; You’re called loftiest. Your complexion is of gold; You’re the slayer of Asuras. Though You are one being, Aditi birthed You as twelve separate beings. All honor to You, O soul of the sun. All honor to You, for You are Soma (the Chief of the Reborn, the one who pleases, with nectar, the gods during a lit fortnight and the Pitris during a dark one). You’re the holy, single being of transcendent brilliance dwelling on the other side of heavy gloom. By knowing You, one shall never fear death. All honor to You, one shaped as an object of knowledge. During the grand Uktha-sacrifice, the Brahmins adored You as the great Rik. During the great fire-sacrifice, they sang Your praises when you were the main priest. You’re the crux of The Vedas. All honor to You – the Riks, Yajus, and Samans are Your shelter. You’re the five types of sacrifice-offerings used for them. You’re the seven mantras used in The Vedas. All honor to You, Sacrifice. Libations are poured onto a Homa-fire accompanied by the seventeen monosyllabic sounds. You are the Homa’s soul. All honor to You, the One praised in The Vedas as Atman. You’re Yajus; the Vedic meters are Your limbs, the sacrifices prescribed in the three Vedas are each of Your three heads, and the great sacrifice called Rathantara is Your voice, one proclaiming Your satisfaction. All honor to You, Sacred Hymn. You’re the rishi who appeared during the thousand-year sacrifice performed by the creators of the universe. You’re the golden-winged swan. All honor to Your swan-form. Roots, with all kinds of affixes and suffixes, are Your parts; the contiguous vowels are Your joints, and the consonants and vowels decorate You. The Vedas say You are the divine word. All honor to You, Word. As a boar whose body-parts were a part of a sacrifice, You raised the submerged world to do the three worlds some good. All honor to You, Infinite Power. You sleep in a meditative state upon a snake-decorated sofa created by a Naga’s thousand hoods. All honor to You, Sleep. You build a bridge so the good may cross the Sea of Life using Truth, the methods that lead to liberation, and the methods that control the senses. All honor to You, Truth. Men practicing various credos, driven by their desires for results, honor You by way of various rituals. All honor to You, Credo. All acts come from You; you drive all creatures with bodies that have desires within them. All honor to You, Drive. The great rishis look for Your uncreated self within creation. Called ‘Atman’, You dwell in the intellect. All honor to You, Wisdom! Ever conscious and present within the self, the Sankhyas say You exist in the three states of wakefulness, dreaming, and the sound sleep. They say You possess the sixteen qualities and are the number seventeen. All honor to You as presented by the Sankhyas! Casting off sleep, controlling their breath, withdrawing into themselves, yogis, senses controlled, see You as immortal light. All honor to You, Meditation. Peaceful Sanyasins, freed from fear of rebirth due to the destruction of sin and merit, earn You. All honor to You, Liberation. After a thousand ages, You become a fire with fiery flames and swallow all creatures. All honor to You, Brutality. Having swallowed all creatures and made the cosmos one vast body of water, You sleep upon the waters as a child. All honor to You, Illusion. From the navel of the holy self-created one with eyes like lotus leaves came a lotus and upon that lotus the cosmos grew. All honor to You, Lotus. You have a thousand heads and pass through all. You are of an immeasurable soul, You’ve tamed the four types of desire that are as vast as the four seas, and I say: All honor to You, Meditation-Sleep. Clouds dwell in the hairs on Your head; the rivers are the many joints in your body. The four seas are Your stomach; all honor to You, Water. Birth and Death come from You; all things, on doomsday, melt into you. All honor to You, Cause. You never sleep and are busy during the day. You see the good and bad things we do. All honor to You, Seer of All. There’s nothing You cannot do; You’re always ready to do righteous things. All honor to You, Work or Vaikuntha. When furious, You, in battle, defeated the Kshatriyas twenty-one times, the ones who trampled upon Virtue and Law. All honor to You, Cruelty. Splitting Yourself five different ways, You became the five life-breaths within all that drive all creatures to move. All honor to You, Air. In every age, You appear as Month, Season, Half-Year, and Year; You create creation and destruction. All honor to You, Time. Brahmins are your month, Kshatriyas are your two arms, Vaisyas are your stomach and thighs, and Sudras dwell in your feet. All honor to You, Caste. Fire is Your mouth, the heavens are the crown You wear, the sky is Your navel, the world is Your feet, the sun is Your eye, and compass-directions are Your ears. All honor to You, Triple-World. You surpass Time, Sacrifice, and are exceedingly lofty. You have no source but are the cosmic origin. All honor to You, Cosmos. Men, according to Vaiseshika’s theoretical qualities, call You ‘Guardian of the World’. All honor to You, Guardian. You are Food, Drink, and Fuel to increase the humors and life-breaths of creatures as well as support them. All honor to You, Life. To support the life-breath of all, You eat the four types of food. You’re Agni for the stomach, helping with digestion. All honor to You, O heat of digestion. As a half-man, half-lion with yellowish-brown eyes and mane, teeth and claws your weapons, You killed the Asura chief. All honor to you, Swelling Might. Neither the gods, Gandharvas, Daityas, nor the Danavas know Your true self. All honor to Your exceedingly subtle form. As handsome, noteworthy, and mighty Ananta in the underworld, You uphold the world. All honor to You, Might. You stun creatures with your bonds of love and affection so creation will march on. All honor to You, Shock. Regarding that knowledge closely linked to the five elements being the true knowledge of the higher self (something yogis strive for), people near You by way of wisdom. All honor to You, Knowledge. Your body is immeasurable and Your sense of comprehension and eyes are devoted to all. You’re infinite and beyond all measure. All honor to You, Vastness. You were disguised as a recluse with dreadlocks, a staff, an elongated stomach, and a begging-bowl for an arrow-case. All honor to You, Brahma. You wield a trident, are the Lord of Divinities, have three eyes, and are a mahatma. Your body is always smeared with ash and the lingam is always erect. All honor to you, Rudra. A crescent-moon-shape decorates Your brow, You have snakes for a sacred thread around your neck, and you wield Pinaka and a trident. All honor to You, Brutality. You’re all creatures’ soul. You are the holy creator and destroyer of all creatures. You have neither fury, spite, nor affection. All honor to You, Peace. All comes from You; You’re Entirety. You’re ubiquitous, always The All, and I utterly honor You as The All. All honor to You, whose labor is the cosmos, who is the cosmic soul, who birthed the cosmos, who destroys all, and who is beyond the five elements of all things. All honor to You, You who are the triple-world and beyond. All honor to You, Direction. You’re All and contain all. All honor to You, Lord – Vishnu – immortal origin of all worlds. O Hrishikesa – holy creator – holy destroyer – You’re invincible. I cannot see the divine shape in which You’re visible in the past, present, and future. But, I can see Your immortal form because it’s present in Your deeds. You filled Heaven with your head, the world with Your feet, and Your power fills the three worlds. You’re Eternity and pass through all in the universe. The directions are Your arms, the sun is Your eye, and power is Your semen. You’re the Lord of All Creatures. You stand there, blocking off the seven paths of the wind, something whose power is immeasurable. O Govinda – O one of immortal power – he who worships You is liberated from all feats. You wear flax-yellow robes; to merely lower one’s head before You, Krishna, is to complete ten horse-sacrifices. He who’s performed ten horse-sacrifices is not liberated from the necessity of rebirth, but, he who bows before Krishna escapes rebirth. He who keeps to his Krishna-vow, thinks of Krishna at night, and thinks of him when he first wakes is said to have the body of Krishna. They, after death, enter Krishna’s self like ghee-libations sanctified with mantras entering a fiery flame. All honor to You, O queller of the fear of Hell; all honor to You, Vishnu; you’re a raft to those sunken in the whirlpools of the sea that is a life of worldliness. All honor to You, holy god, for You’re a Brahmin’s self, a Brahmin’s benefactor, a cow’s benefactor, the cosmic benefactor, Krishna, and Govinda. The two syllables in Hari are all that is stored away for he who journeys through the wilds of life; they are the cure-all for worldliness, favoritism, sorrow, and grief. Truth is full of Vishnu, the cosmos is full of Vishnu, and all is full of Vishnu – let my soul be filled with Vishnu and let my sins be purged. Protect me, Your devotee wishing to earn a happy end. O lotus-petal-eyed one – O supreme god – what would do me some good? O sourceless one – O Vishnu – You’re the crux of Knowledge and Penance. This is my praise. O Janardana, I have thusly worshipped You during a holy sacrifice consisting of only words. Be pleased with me, god. The Vedas are devoted to Narayana as are penance and the gods. All is always Narayana.

Having said this, Bhishma, mind focused on Krishna, said: All honor to Krishna and bowed before him. Learning, by way of meditation-power, of the praise of Bhishma, Madhava, one also called Hari, entered his body and gave him divine knowledge about the past, present, and future. Then, he departed. When Bhishma fell silent, the chanters of the name Brahma sitting around him, voices choked with tears, showed their love for the mahatma and Kuru chief by saying excellent things. The top Brahmins praised Krishna, the supreme being, and then spoke softly to Bhishma, praising him repeatedly. Learning by way of meditation-power of Bhishma’s praise of him, the supreme, holy being, Madhava, suddenly arose and mounted his chariot with Kesava and Satyaki joining him. In another chariot rode the two noteworthy princes, Yudhishthira and Dhananjaya. Bhimasena and the twins rode in a third chariot and the taurine men, Kripa, Yuyutsu, and the Suta and enemy-scorcher named Sanjaya, headed in their respective, town-like chariots. All sallied forth, making the ground tremble with their rattling chariot-wheels. The supreme man, as he sallied forth, heard their words with cheer that were chock full of praise for him, words spoken by Brahmins. Kasi’s slayer, heart gladdened, greeted the people waiting along the streets with joined palms and hung heads.’”

 

Chapter 1471

“Vaisampayana continued,

‘Then Hrishikesa, King Yudhishthira, all those Kripa led, and the four Pandavas, riding in chariots that looked like fortified cities and were decorated with flags and banners, rushed to Kurukshetra with the aid of their swift horses. They dismounted onto the field coated with hair, marrow, and bones; millions of mahatmas and Kshatriyas had died there. There were plenty of piles of corpses and bones of elephants and horses; human skulls were draped across those piles like conch-shells. Spotted with thousands of funeral-pyres – teeming with piles of armor and weapons – the vast plain looked like the often frequented drinking-garden of the holy destroyer if it’d been abandoned recently. The mighty chariot-warriors rushed along, seeing the battlefield haunted by masses of ghosts and crowded with Rakshasas. As he moved along, mighty-armed Kesava, the Yadavas’ delighter, told Yudhishthira about Jamadagni’s son’s power: Far in the distance, O Partha, can be seen the five lakes of Rama. There, Rama offered blood-libations to his ancestors’ spirits. Here, mighty Rama, having freed the world of Kshatriyas twenty-one times, stopped. Yudhishthira said: I have great doubts about what you say about Rama wiping out the Kshatriyas twenty-one times long ago. When every last Kshatriya was burned by Rama, taurine Yadu, the Kshatriyas returned somehow. O immeasurably powerful one – O taurine Yadu – how were all Kshatriyas  wiped out by noteworthy Mahatma Rama? How was it rebuilt? During fearsome chariot-battles, millions of Kshatriyas were slain. The ground, supremely eloquent one, was bestrewn with corpses of Kshatriyas. Why were all Kshatriyas annihilated long ago by Mahatma Rama, Bhrigu’s descendant? O tigrine Yadu – O Vrishni – quell my doubts, bird-bannered hero. O Krishna – O younger brother of Baladeva – you know the loftiest kinds of things.

Then, the mighty, elder brother of Gada told Yudhishthira, one whose power was beyond compare, all that’d happened, in full detail – how the world had been repopulated with Kshatriyas.’”

Chapter 1472

“Vaisampayana continued,                                                                                         

‘Vasudeva said: Listen, son of Kunti, to the story of Rama’s energy, abilities, and birth. The great rishis lectured me on the subject. Listen to how millions of Kshatriyas were slain by Jamadagni’s son; how those born again into various, royal, and Bharata-lines were again slaughtered. Now, Jadu had a son named Rajas, Rajas had a son named Valakaswa, and King Valakaswa had a righteous son named Kusika. Like thousand-eyed Indra on earth, Kusika was ascetically penitent to earn the three worlds’ chief for a son. Seeing him focused on utterly austere penance – knowing he was potent – thousand-eyed Purandara gave the king his zeal. The great ruler of the three worlds, Paka’s criticizer, O king, became Kusika’s son – Gadhi. Gadhi had one daughter, O king, named Satyavati. Mighty Gadhi gave her to Richika, a Bhrigu, for the sake of marriage. Satyavati’s Bhrigu husband, O delighter of the Kurus, was quite pleased with his wife’s pure deeds. He cooked her sacrifice-food (milk and rice) so Gadhi, her father, would sire a child. To his wife, the Bhrigu named Richika said: ‘Eat some of the sanctified food and give the rest to your mother. Your mother will have a son who blazes with energy and is a taurine Kshatriya. Invincible to Kshatriyas on Earth, he shall slay the top Kshatriya. As for you, blessed lady, your portion will grant you a quite wise son, Tranquility, one naturally ascetically penitent who is the top Brahmin.’ Having said these words to his wife, the blessed Bhrigu named Richika, setting his heart on penance, entered the forest. Around this time, King Gadhi, having decided to go on a pilgrimage to holy waters, arrived with his wife at the shelter of Richika. Satyavati, O king, took the two portions of sanctified food and, quite hastily but cheerful, told her mother her husband’s words. The queen-mother, son of Kunti, gave the portion intended for herself to her daughter and she, ignorantly, took the portion meant for her daughter. At this, Satyavati, body shining, was impregnated with a terribly-shaped child that would one day wipe out the Kshatriyas. Seeing a Brahmin developing in her womb, the tigrine Bhrigu told his divinely beautiful wife: ‘Blessed lady, your mother has switched the allotted, sanctified portions. Your son will do cruel things and have a critical heart. Your half-brother will be a Brahmin devoted to abstentious penance. Into the sanctified food intended for you was placed the semen of supreme, universal Brahma; the food meant for your mother had all the Kshatriya energy in existence. So, because the intended recipients are different than the actual ones, blessed lady, that which was intended shall not be. Your mother will birth a Brahmin and you will birth a Kshatriya.’ At her husband’s words, the quite blessed Satyavati prostrated herself and lay her head at his feet. Trembling, she said: ‘It ill-suits you, holy one, to say such things to me – earning a wretched Brahmin for a son!’ But Richika said: ‘Blessed lady, I did not mean for this to happen. When the sanctified portions were switched, blessed lady, you were impregnated with a brutal-deed-doing son.’ But Satyavati said: ‘If you wished wise man, you could create new worlds. What can be said, then, about children? It’d suit you, mighty one, to give me a righteous son devoted to peace.’ But Richika said: ‘I’ve never lied before, blessed lady, not even as a joke. So, what can be said about something so serious as preparing sanctified food with the help of Vedic formulas upon igniting the fire? O pleasant one, Fate prearranged this long ago and I, due to my penance, comprehend all. Your father’s descendants will naturally possess Brahmin-virtues.’ So Satyavati said: ‘Mighty one, our grandson can be as such but, supreme ascetic, I want a pacifist for a son.’ Richika said: ‘O one of the loveliest complexion, to me there is no difference between a son and a grandson. It will be, pleasant one, just as you wish.’

Then, Satyavati birthed a Bhrigu devoted to penance and characterized by pacifism; he was Jamadagni, the one of regulated vows. Kusika’s son Gadhi sired a son named Viswamitra. Naturally possessive of all Brahmin-qualities, the son, though a Kshatriya by birth, was equal to a Brahmin. Yes, Richika thusly sired a son, Jamadagni, who was a sea of penance. Jamadagni sired a son of brutal deeds – the best of men, his son mastered the sciences, including the science of weaponry. Like a fiery flame, was that son, Rama – the annihilator of the Kshatriyas. Having pleased Mahadeva upon the Gandhamadana-range, he begged the great god for weapons (especially the powerfully powerful axe he wielded). Due to the unparalleled axe of fiery splendor that was sharp like no other, Rama was beyond compare on earth. Meanwhile, the mighty son of Kritavirya, a Kshatriya named Arjuna who ruled the Haihayas, was naturally quite powerful, was quite virtuous, and was one with a thousand arms due to the grace of the great Rishi Datatreya, having tamed, in battle, by way of his arm-power, the entire world (including her mountains and seven islands); he had become a very powerful emperor who finally gave the world away to the Brahmins by way of a horse-sacrifice. One day, because the thirsty fire-god asked him to, son of Kunti, the thousand-armed king of great power, gave alms to him. Leaping out of the end of his spears, the fire-god naturally quite powerful, wishing to swallow what was offered, burnt villages, towns, kingdoms, and little villages belonging to cowherders. Due to the power of the top man (the quite powerful Kritavirya), the fire-god burnt mountains and great forests. With the help of the Haihayas’ ruler, the fire-god made the wind blast forth and swallow the uninhabited but delightful shelter of Mahatma Apava. Naturally quite powerful, Apava, mighty-armed king, seeing that his shelter had been swallowed by the powerful Kshatriya, cursed the king, furious: ‘Since, O Arjuna, you burned all, even my spacious forest, the Bhrigu named Rama will sever all your arms.’ Mighty, quite powerful Arjuna, always devoted to peace, respectful of Brahmins, wishing to protect all castes, charitable, and brave, did not think much of the mahatma and rishi’s curse, O Bharata tribesman.  His powerful sons, always arrogant and cruel due to that path, would one day indirectly do him in. The princes, taurine Bharata tribesman, seized and stole the calf of Jamadagni's Homa-cow without Kritavirya, the Haihayas’ ruler, knowing it. So, a feud began between Mahatma Jamadagni and the Haihayas. Mighty Rama, son of Jamadagni, furious, lopped off the arms of Arjuna and brought back, O king, his father’s calf, one wandering within the inner enclosures of the king’s palace. Then, the foolish son of Arjuna went to the shelter of Mahatma Jamadagni and, by way of lances, ensured the rishi was beheaded whilst famous Rama was away, fetching sacred fuel and grass. Infuriated by his father’s death and driven towards vengeance, Rama vowed to rid the world of Kshatriyas and took up his weapons. Then, that tigrine Bhrigu, naturally quite powerful and proving he was as such, quickly slew the sons and grandsons of Kritavirya. Slaying thousands of Haihayas, enraged, the descendent of Bhrigu, O king, made the ground treacherous due to blood. Naturally quite powerful, he deprived the world of Kshatriyas. Then, out of compassion, he entered the forest for rest. Afterwards, some thousands of years later, mighty Rama, one naturally hot-tempered, was mistakenly called a coward. The grandson of Viswamitra and son of Raivya, Paravasu, naturally possessive of abstentious merit, O king, began slandering Rama in public, saying: ‘O Rama, weren’t Pratardana and the others, righteous men all, ones assembled for a sacrifice when Yayati fell, Kshatriyas by birth? You don’t truly keep to vows, Rama, and boast shallowly. Out of fear for Kshatriya heroes, you went to the mountains.’ The descendant of Bhrigu, hearing Paravasu’s words, again picked up his arms and again bestrew the ground with hundreds of Kshatriyas. But, the Kshatriyas, O king, the hundreds Rama spared, procreated and became mighty world leaders. But, O king, Rama found and slaughtered them, too, including their children. A third time the ground was bestrewn with Kshatriya children who had been born prematurely. As soon as Kshatriya children were born, Rama slew them. But, some female Kshatriyas successfully guarded their children from Rama’s wrath. Having rid the world of Kshatriyas twenty-one times, mighty Bhargava, at the completion of a horse-sacrifice, gave the world as a sacrifice-offering to Kasyapa. To uphold the remaining Kshatriyas, Kasyapa, O king, pointing with the hand that still held a sacrifice-ladle, said: ‘Great wise man, go to the southern seashore. It ill-suits you, Rama, to dwell in my domain.’ At these words, Ocean suddenly created, for Jamadagni’s son, a place called ‘Surparaka’ on his other shore. Kasyapa, O king, having accepted the gift of the world and then offered it to the Brahmins, entered the great forest for rest. Sudras and Vaisyas, of their own accord, began uniting, taurine Bharata tribesman, with Brahmins’ wives. Now, when anarchy begins, the weak are oppressed by the strong and no man is master of his own property. Unprotected by Kshatriyas who kept to virtue – oppressed

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Texte: https://www.sacred-texts.com/
Bildmaterialien: http://www.pikist.com
Lektorat: J.B. Hare
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 31.01.2022
ISBN: 978-3-7554-0660-0

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Widmung:
As my goal this year is to love myself more, I dedicate this volume to my self. There is nothing like striving toward a magnum opus. I really hope we continue together into the next one.