Mahabharata Vol. 3 (Penguin Translated Texts) (11 page)

‘“In ancient times, many gods gathered in Vishakhayupa, with Indra and Varuna, and performed austerities, so that the spot became extremely sacred. There is also holy and lovely Palashaka, where the great rishi Lord Jamadagni, immensely fortunate and immensely
famous, performed a sacrifice. All the best of rivers came in person to meet the supreme rishi, each bringing its own waters, and stood around in servitude. O great king! Vishvavasu himself went there and on witnessing the valour of that great-souled and brave one, chanted this shloka. ‘When the great-souled Jamadagni sacrificed to the gods, all the rivers arrived and worshipped him with honey.’ O Yudhishthira! The place where the supreme peak of the mountain was swiftly splintered by the Ganga in Gangadvara is made beautiful by gandharvas, yakshas, rakshasas and apsaras. It is the habitation of
kirata
s
³⁵⁷
and kinnaras. O king! This famous and sacred place is frequented by masses of brahmarshis. O Kouravya! Sanatkumara and sacred Kanakhala are there and the mountain named Puru, where Pururava was born. Bhrigu performed his austerities there, visited by masses of maharshis. O great king! That hermitage on the great mountain has become famous by the name of Bhrigutunga.

‘“O bull among the Bharata lineage! The lord Vishnu Narayana is eternal and supreme among beings and is all that is, all that was and all that will be. His glorious, holy and extensive hermitage Badari is there, famous and renowned in the three worlds as a sacred place. Ganga, which carries warm waters, is different along Badari. O king! It carries cool waters laced with gold. The rishis and the gods always come and show their obeisance to the lord god Narayana, immensely fortunate and immensely energetic. O Partha! Where the supreme-souled eternal god Narayana dwells, the entire universe and all its tirthas are also there. He is sanctity. He is the supreme brahman. He is the tirtha. He is the hermitage of austerities. The devarshis, the siddhas and all the other ascetics also dwell there. Madhusudana is the original god, he is the great yogi. You should have no doubt that the place where he dwells is the most holy among all that is holy. O king! O lord of the earth! These are the sacred spots on the earth. O best of men! I have recounted the tirthas and purifying places. The Vasus, the Sadhyas, the Adityas, the Maruts, the Ashvins, and the great-souled rishis who know about the nature of the brahman, frequent these places. O Kounteya! If you go to these places with the
bulls among the brahmanas and your immensely fortunate brothers, you will discard all anxiety.”’

Vaishampayana said, ‘O descendant of the Kourava lineage! While Dhoumya was speaking thus, the great and immensely energetic rishi Lomasha arrived. The king, who was the eldest of the Pandavas, his retinue and the brahmanas arose for the immensely fortunate one, just as the immortals arise in heaven for Shakra. Having worshipped him in accordance with what is prescribed, Dharmaraja Yudhishthira asked him the reason for his arrival and the reason for his travels.

‘Thus asked by Pandu’s son, the great-souled one was pleased and replied in soft words, delighting the Pandava. “O Kounteya! While I was travelling all the worlds according to my wishes, I went to Shakra’s residence and saw the lord of the gods there. I also saw your brave brother Savyasachi and was extremely astonished to see him share half of Shakra’s throne. O tiger among men! On my seeing Partha seated in that fashion, the king of the gods told me there, ‘Go to Pandu’s sons.’ Thus addressed, I have swiftly come to see you, with your younger brothers. I have come because of the words of Puruhuta
³⁵⁸
and the great-souled Partha. O son! O descendant of the Pandava lineage! I will tell you that which will bring you great delight. O king! Listen to my words, with your brothers and with Krishna. O bull among the Pandava lineage! On your words, the mighty-armed one went out for weapons. Partha has obtained from Rudra a great and unrivalled weapon. It is known as Brahmashira and Rudra obtained it after great austerities. That terrible weapon arose with the ambrosia
³⁵⁹
and Savyasachi has now obtained it,
together with the mantras for withdrawing, repulsing and releasing it. O Yudhishthira! O descendant of the Kuru lineage! The infinitely powerful Partha has obtained other divine weapons too—like
vajra
and
danda—
from Yama, Kubera, Varuna and Indra. He has learnt from Vishvavasu’s son
³⁶⁰
singing, dancing, the chanting of
sama
s and the playing of musical instruments, as is prescribed, according to the rules and according to the norms for learning. Thus Kounteya has become skilled in weapons and has learnt
gandharva veda
.
³⁶¹
Bibhatsu, younger to your younger brother,
³⁶²
lives happily there. O Yudhishthira! I will now tell you the import of what the best of the gods told me for your sake. Listen to me. ‘There is no doubt that you will go the world of men. O supreme among brahmanas. Repeat these words of mine to Yudhishthira.
³⁶³
“Your younger brother Arjuna will swiftly return, after obtaining weapons, but after accomplishing a great task for the gods, which the gods themselves are incapable of. Together with your brothers, devote yourself to austerities. Austerities are supreme and there is nothing greater than austerities. O bull among the Bharata lineage! I know Karna exactly. In battle, he is not worth a sixteenth part of Partha. O destroyer of enemies! I will dispel the fear that exists in your mind about him
³⁶⁴
when Savyasachi has returned. O brave one! You have a desire in your mind towards visiting the tirthas. There is no doubt that Lomasha will tell you everything about this. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Whatever the maharshi tells you about the fruits of austerities and tirthas should be accepted by you as the bringer of welfare. It should not be otherwise.”’”’
³⁶⁵

‘Lomasha said, “O Yudhishthira! Now listen to what Dhananjaya has said. ‘O one rich in austerities!
³⁶⁶
Make my brother Yudhishthira devote himself to the prosperity dharma brings. You know about the supreme dharma and about austerities. You also know about the eternal dharma that brings prosperity to kings. You also know about other supreme things through which men are purified. Therefore, bestow on the Pandava the merits that come through tirthas. Act with your entire mind in a way such that the king visits tirthas and gives away cattle there.’ This is what Vijaya
³⁶⁷
told me. ‘Protected by you, let him go to all the tirthas. You should protect him from rakshasas in difficult and uneven terrain. O supreme among brahmanas! Just as Dadhicha protected Indra of the gods and Angiras the sun,
³⁶⁸
protect the Kounteyas from rakshasas. There are many evil rakshasas who are the equal of mountains. If you protect the Kounteyas, they will not be able to attack them.’ On Indra’s word and appointed by Arjuna, I will travel with you and protect you from fear. O descendant of the Kuru lineage! I have visited the tirthas twice earlier. With you, I will visit them for the third time. O Yudhishthira! O great king! Manu and other rajarshis, the performers of good deeds, have visited the tirthas, the dispellers of all fear. O Kouravya! Liars, those whose souls are not controlled, ignorant ones and the performers of evil acts do not bathe in tirthas, nor do men whose minds are crooked. But your mind has always been devoted to dharma. You are always learned in dharma, you are devoted to the truth. There is no doubt that you will be freed from all that is evil. O Kounteya! O Pandava! You will become like King Bhagiratha, like King Gaya and like Yayati.”

‘Yudhishthira replied, “I am so overcome with delight that I cannot find words to answer. There is no one greater than one whom
the king of gods remembers. Who can be greater than one who has your company, whose brother is Dhananjaya and who is remembered by Vasava? O lord! You have spoken to me about visiting the tirthas. I had already made up my mind, after Dhoumya’s words. O brahmana! Whenever you make up your mind about visiting the tirthas, it is my certain resolution that I will also go to the tirthas.”’

Vaishampayana said, ‘Lomasha then spoke to the Pandava, who had already made up his mind. “O great king! Travel light. If you travel light, it will be easier to go.”

‘Yudhishthira replied, “Let the brahmanas and ascetics who live on alms return, and the citizens who have followed me out of loyalty for their king. Let them go to the great king Dhritarashtra. In due time, he will give them their due allowances, those that they have been used to. If that lord of men does not give it, out of affection for us and to ensure our welfare, Panchala
³⁶⁹
will give it.”’

Vaishampayana said, ‘Burdened with great grief, the citizens left for the city of the elephant,
³⁷⁰
as did the brahmanas and the ascetics. Out of love for Dharmaraja, the king who was Ambika’s son
³⁷¹
received them and gave them riches in the prescribed way. The king who was Kunti’s son lived happily in Kamyaka for three nights, with Lomasha and a few brahmanas.’

Vaishampayana said, ‘O king! On seeing that Kounteya was about to leave, the brahmanas who still resided in the forest went to him and spoke to him. “O king! You are going to the sacred tirthas with your brothers and with the great-souled devarshi Lomasha. O great king! O Pandava! O Kourava! Please take us with you. Without
you, we will never be able to visit them. O lord of men! They are uneven and difficult of access and are frequented by predatory beasts. Men in small groups cannot go to those tirthas. Your brothers are brave and are always skilled in the use of bows. Under the protection of you valiant ones, we will be able to go there. O protector of the earth! O lord of the earth! Through your favours, we will also obtain the auspicious fruits of tirthas and vows. O king! Protected by your prowess, we will become pure by bathing in those tirthas and cleansed of sin by visiting those tirthas. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! By bathing in those tirthas, you will also obtain the rare worlds obtained by King Kartavirya, rajarshi Ashtaka, Lomapada and the brave king and emperor, Bharata. O lord of the earth! We wish to go with you and see Prabhasa and the other tirthas, mountains like Mahendra, rivers like Ganga and giant trees like Plaksha. O lord of men! If you have any love for brahmanas, then swiftly do what we are asking you to. This will bring about your welfare. O mighty-armed one! The tirthas are infested by rakshasas, who always bring impediments in the way of austerities. Protect us from them. O lord of men! Visit the tirthas that have been described by Dhoumya, the wise Narada and the great ascetic devarshi Lomasha. Visit them all in the prescribed way. Protected by Lomasha and accompanied by us, be cleansed of all sin.” Having been thus worshipped by them, his eyes filled with tears of joy.

‘The bull among the Pandavas was surrounded by Bhimasena and his other brothers. He told all the rishis, “So shall it be.” With Lomasha’s permission and that of the priest Dhoumya’s, the best of the Pandavas, self-controlled, made up his mind to leave, with his brothers and with Droupadi, unblemished of form. At that time, the immensely fortunate Vyasa, Narada and Parvata, all of them extremely intelligent, appeared before the Pandava in Kamyaka, desirious of seeing him. King Yudhishthira worshipped them in accordance with the proper rites. When they had been worshipped, the immensely fortunate ones spoke to Yudhishthira. “O Yudhishthira! O twins! O Bhima! Banish all that is evil from your minds. Be clean and pure and go to the tirthas. The brahmanas have said that control of the body is the vow for humans. The brahmanas say that purification of the mind
and the intelligence is the vow for gods. O lord of men! A mind that is clean is enough for brave ones. Therefore, bear friendship in your minds and purified, go to the tirthas. Use your mental powers to purify and control your bodies through vows. Resort to the vows of the gods and you will obtain the fruits that have been recounted.” The Pandavas and Krishna promised that it would be this way. Their journey was blessed by all the sages, divine and human. O Indra among kings! They then touched Lomasha’s feet and those of Dvaipayana, Narada and devarshi Parvata. Accompanied by Dhoumya and other denizens of the forest, the brave ones departed when the full moon night of Margashirsha
³⁷²
was over and Pushya
³⁷³
was in the ascendant. They were attired in tough bark and deerskin. Their hair was matted. Clad in impenetrable armour, they set out to visit the tirthas. They were accompanied by Indrasena and the other servants and had fourteen chariots. There were other attendants in charge of the food. O Janamejaya! With weapons, with swords tied and with quivers and arrows, the brave Pandavas set out, their faces towards the east.’

‘Yudhishthira said, “O supreme among devarshis! I do not think myself to be without qualities. But yet I am tormented by miseries, like no other king. O Lomasha! I think that my enemies do not possess any qualities. Nor do they follow dharma. Why do they then prosper in this world?”

‘Lomasha replied, “O king! O Partha! You should never grieve that those who do not follow dharma achieve prosperity because they do not follow dharma. A man may be seen to prosper, attain
fortune and triumph over his enemies, though he does not follow dharma, but will be destroyed, down to his roots. O lord of the earth! I have seen many daityas and danavas prosper, though they do not follow dharma. But decay finally overcomes them. O lord! I have witnessed all this earlier, in the era of the gods. The gods found delight in dharma, but the asuras gave up dharma. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! The gods visited the tirthas, but the asuras did not. As a result of not following dharma, they were first filled with insolence. Insolence gave birth to vanity and vanity gave birth to anger. Anger resulted in a lack of shame and shamelessness destroyed their conduct. Because of their shamelessness, because of their lack of modesty, because of their evil conduct and because of their worthless vows, forgiveness, prosperity and dharma soon abandoned them. O king! Prosperity went to the gods and ill fortune went to the asuras. When ill fortune overwhelmed them, they lost their senses because of insolence. Dissension possessed the daityas and the danavas. O Kounteya! Overwhelmed by ill fortune and dissension and overtaken by insolence, the danavas lost all their rites and intelligence. Overwhelmed by insolence, they soon confronted destruction. Overcome by infamy, the daityas were soon completely destroyed. But the gods went to oceans, rivers and lakes. They followed dharma and visited other purifying places. O Pandava! They observed austerities and sacrifices and gave gifts and benedictions. They discarded all sin and ensured their welfare. Thus, they were generous and always observed rites. They went to the tirthas. Therefore, they obtained supreme prosperity. O Indra among kings! Like that, you will also bathe in the tirthas with your younger brothers. You will also regain prosperity. That is the eternal path. O lord of the earth! Just as King Nriga, Shibi and Oushinara, Bhagiratha, Vasumana, Gaya, Puru and Pururava were purified, through always observing austerities, touching water and visiting tirthas and seeing great-souled ones, you will also obtain fame and pure riches. O Indra among kings! Like that, you will also obtain great prosperity. Like Ikshvaku with his sons, subjects and relatives, like Muchukunda, Mandhata and King Marutta obtained pure fame, like the gods with their power of austerities, like the devarshis, you will also obtain it. But the sons
of Dhritarashtra are enslaved by insolence and delusion. There is no doubt that they will soon be destroyed like the daityas.”’