Vaisampayana continued,—"Then agreeable to the words of the Yaksha the Pandavas rose up; and in a moment their hunger and thirst left them. Thereupon Yudhishthira said, 'I ask thee that art incapable of being vanquished and that standest on one leg in the tank, what god art thou, for I cannot take thee for a Yaksha! Art thou the foremost of the Vasus, or of the Rudras, or of the chief of the Maruts? Or art thou the lord himself of the celestials, wielder of the thunder-bolt! Each of these my brothers is capable of fighting as hundred thousand warriors, and I see not the warrior that can slay themall! I see also that their senses have refreshed, as if they have sweetly awaked from slumber. Art thou a friend of ours, or even our father himself?' At this the Yaksha replied,—'O child, I am even thy father, the Lord of justice, possessed of great prowess! Know, bull of the Bharata race, that I came hither desirous of beholding thee! Fame, truth, self-restraint, purity, candour, modesty, steadiness, charity, austerities andBrahmacharya, these are my body! And abstention from injury, impartiality, peace, penances, sanctity, and freedom from malice are the doors (through which I am accessible). Thou art always dear to me! By good luck thou art devoted to the five;77and by good luck also thou hast conquered the six.78Of the six, two appear in the first part of life; two in the middle part thereof; and the remaining two at the end, in order to make men repair to the next world. I am, good betide thee, the lord of justice! I came hither to test thy merit. I am well-pleased to witness thy harmlessness; and, O sinless one, I will confer boons on thee. Do thou, O foremost of kings, ask of me boons. I shall surely confer them, O sinless one! Those that revere me, never come by distress!' Yudhishthira said,—'A deer was carrying away the Brahmana's fire-sticks. Therefore, the first boon that I shall ask, is, may that Brahmana's adorations toAgnibe not interrupted!' The Yaksha said,—'O Kunti's son endued with splendour, it was I who for examining thee, was carrying away, in the guise of a deer, that Brahmana's fire-sticks!'"
Vaisampayana continued,—"Thereupon that worshipful one said,—'I give thee this boon! Good betide thee! O thou that are like unto an immortal, ask thou a fresh boon!' Yudhishthira said,—'We have spent these twelve years in the forest; and the thirteenth year is come. May no one recognise us, as we spend this year somewhere.'"
Vaisampayana continued,—"Thereat that worshipful one replied,—'I give this boon unto thee!' And then reassuring Kunti's son having truth for prowess, he also said, 'Even if, O Bharata, ye range this (entire) earth in your proper forms none in the three worlds shall recognise you. Ye perpetuators of the Kuru race, through my grace, ye will spend this thirteenth year, secretly and unrecognised, in Virata's kingdom! And every one of you will be able at will to assume any form he likes! Do ye now present the Brahmana with his fire-sticks. It was only to test you that I carried them away in the form of a deer! O amiable Yudhishthira, do thou ask for another boon that thou mayst like! I will confer it on thee. O foremost of men, I have not yet been satisfied by granting boons to thee! Do thou my son, accept a third boon that is great and incomparable! Thou, O king, art born of me, and Vidura of portion or mine!' Thereat Yudhishthira said,—'It is enough that I have beheld thee with my senses, eternal God of gods as thou art! O father, whatever boon thou wilt confer on me I shall surely accept gladly! May I, O lord, always conquer covetousness and folly and anger, and may my mind beever devoted to charity, truth, and ascetic austerities!' The Lord of justice said,—'Even by nature, O Pandava, hast thou been endued with these qualities, for thou art the Lord of justice himself! Do thou again attain what thou asked for!'"
Vaisampayana continued,—"Having said these words, the worshipful Lord of justice, who is the object of contemplation of all the worlds, vanished therefrom; and the high-souled Pandavas after they had slept sweetly were united with one another. And their fatigue dispelled, those heroes returned to the hermitage, and gave back that Brahmana his firesticks. That man who pursueth this illustrious and fame-enhancing story of the revival (of the Pandavas) and the meeting of father and son (Dharma and Yudhishthira), obtaineth perfect tranquillity of mind, and sons and grandsons, and also a life extending over a hundred years! And the mind of that man that layeth this story to heart, never delighteth in unrighteousness, or in disunion among friends, or misappropriation of other person's property, or staining other people's wives, or in foul thoughts!"
Vaisampayana continued,—"Commanded by the Lord of justice to thus spend in disguise the thirteenth year of non-discovery, the high-souled Pandavas, observant of vows and having truth for prowess, sat before those learned and vow-observing ascetics that from regard were dwelling with them in their exile in the forest. And with joined hands they said these words, with the intention of obtaining permission to spend the thirteenth year in the manner indicated. And they said, 'Ye know well that the sons of Dhritarashtra have by deceit deprived us of our kingdom, and have also done us many other wrongs! We have passed twelve years in the forest in great affliction. The thirteenth year only, which we are to spend unrecognised, yet remaineth. It behoveth you to permit us now to spend this year in concealment! Those rancorous enemies of ours, Suyodhana, the wicked-minded Karna, and Suvala's son should they discover us, would do mighty wrong to the citizens and our friends! Shall we all with the Brahmanas, be again established in our own kingdom?' Having said this, that pure-spirited son of Dharma king Yudhishthira, overwhelmed with grief and with accents choked in tears, swooned away. Thereupon the Brahmanas, together with his brothers began to cheer him up. Then Dhaumya spake unto the king these words fraught with mighty meaning,—'O king, thou art learned and capable of bearing privations, art firm in promise, and of subdued sense! Men of such stamp are not overwhelmed by any calamity whatever. Even the high-souled gods themselves have wandered over various places in disguise, for the purpose of overcoming foes. Indra for the purpose of overcoming his foes, dwelt in disguise in the asylum of Giriprastha, in Nishadha and thus attained his end. Before taking his birth in the womb of Aditi, Vishnu for the purpose of destroying theDaityaspassed a long time unrecognised, assumingthe form of theHaya-griba(Horse-necked). Then how disguising himself in the form of a dwarf, he by his prowess deprived Vali of his kingdom, hath been heard by thee! And thou hast also heard how Hutasana entering into water and remaining in concealment, achieved the purpose of the gods. And O thou versed in duty, thou hast heard how Hari with the view of overcoming his foes, entered into Sakra's thunder-bolt, and lay concealed there. And, O sinless one, thou hast heard of the office the regenerateRishiAurva at one time performed for the gods, remaining concealed in his mother's womb. And O child, living in concealment in every part of the earth, Vivaswat, endued with excellent energy, at last entirely burnt up all his foes. And living disguised in the abode of Dasaratha, Vishnu of dreadful deeds slew the Ten-necked one in battle. Thus remaining in disguise in various places, high-souled persons have before this conquered their enemies in battle.' Thus cheered by these words of Dhaumya, the virtuous Yudhishthira, relying on his own wisdom and also that acquired from the scriptures regained his composure. Then that foremost of strong persons, the mighty-armed Bhimasena endued with great strength encouraging the king greatly, spake these words, 'Looking up to thy face (for permission), the wielder of theGandiva, acting according to his sense of duty hath not yet, O king, shown any rashness! And although fully able to destroy the foe, Nakula and Sahadeva of dreadful prowess have been ever prevented by me! Never shall we swerve from that in which thou wilt engage us! Do thou tell us what is to be done! We shall speedily conquer our enemies!' When Bhimasena had said this, the Brahmanas uttered benedictions on the Bharatas, and then obtaining their permission, went to their respective quarters. And all those foremost ofYatisandMunisversed in the Vedas, exceedingly desirous of again beholding the Pandavas, went back to their homes. And accompanied by Dhaumya, these heroes, the five learned Pandavas equipped in vows set out with Krishna. And each versed in a separate science, and all proficient inmantrasand cognisant of when peace was to be concluded and when war was to be waged those tigers among men, about to enter upon a life of non-recognition, the next day proceeded for a Krose and then sat themselves down with the view of taking counsel of each other."
The End of Vana Parva
Footnote 1:(return)It means these six things, unfavourable to crops—excessive rain, drought, rats, locusts, birds, and a neighbouring hostile king.
Footnote 2:(return)In as much as the rites performed by the Sudras have their origin in the Vedas.
Footnote 3:(return)More literally, the state of the gods. It may appropriately be remarked here that the ordinary Hindu gods, of the post-Vedic period, like the gods of Ancient Greece and Italy, were simply a class of superhuman beings, distinctly contra-distinguished from the Supreme Spirit, theParamatmanorParabrahma. After death, a virtuous man was supposed to be transformed into one of these so-called gods.
Footnote 4:(return)This is the well-known and popular doctrine of transmigration of souls.
Footnote 5:(return)The word in the text isKora-dushakas, supposed by Wilson to be thePaspalum frumentacea(videDict.).
Footnote 6:(return)The word in the text ismlecchibhutam. The Sanskrit grammar affords a great facility for the formation of verbs from substantives.Mlecchifymay be hybrid, but it correctly and shortly signifies the Sanskrit word.
Footnote 7:(return)Pushyais the eighth lunar asterism consisting of three stars, of which one is, the Cancer. (Vide Wilson's Diet.).
Footnote 8:(return)An Indian creeper of the order ofGoertnera racemosa. It bears large white flowers of much fragrance.
Footnote 9:(return)They, therefore, that lead deathless lives can enjoy this bliss from day to day for ever.
Footnote 10:(return)It is difficult to understand how all that Vaka says can be an answer to Indra's question. The chief of the gods enquires: What are the joys of those that lead deathless lives? Vaka breaks away unto a confused rigmarole about the merits of independence and the religious merit of entertaining guests and servants. All the printed editions have the passage as rendered here.
Footnote 11:(return)The ceremony ofSwastivachanais described to be "a religious rite, preparatory to any important observance, in which the Brahmanas strew boiled rice on the ground, and invoke the blessings of the gods on the ceremony about to commence" (VideWilson's Diet). A flowery car was, probably, one of celestial make that the kings procured from heaven by performing costly rites and ceremonies. These were sometimes exhibited to the people, and prior to these exhibitions, the ceremony ofSwastivachanawas performed.
Footnote 12:(return)A man is said to sell the Vedas who lectures on the Vedas taking fees from the hearers.
Footnote 13:(return)Japais the silent recitation of particularMantras.
Footnote 14:(return)Mantrasare particular formulae of worship. They are for the most part rhythmic compositions, believed to be of great efficacy.
Footnote 15:(return)TheHomais that sacrificial rite which consists of pouring libations of clarified butter into fire.
Footnote 16:(return)Vedamayi nou. Lit, a boat made of the Vedas.
Footnote 17:(return)Vishadais the original. It means discontent, but here it means more a mixture of discontent, perplexity and confusion than mere discontent.
Footnote 18:(return)A form of Hindu etiquette at parting.
Footnote 19:(return)It is so very difficult to translate the wordKarma,—religion and morals were invariably associated with each other in ancient Hindu mind.
Footnote 20:(return)Agni or fire was supposed to convey the oblations offered by men to the gods.
Footnote 21:(return)Kumarameans a boy, hence a prince. Here Kartika the war-god is meant.
Footnote 22:(return)By carrying their oblations to the gods.
Footnote 23:(return)Portions of the Vedas.
Footnote 24:(return)Ragameans love.
Footnote 25:(return)Kama is the name of the god of love, Indian Cupid.
Footnote 26:(return)The body, the exciting Cause of our actions is anuktha, the soul of the vivifier of the body is the seconduktha, and the Supreme Spirit, the inciter of the soul is the third.
Footnote 27:(return)The word of God.
Footnote 28:(return)In Hindu Mythology there are no gods who destroy sacrifices. It is only the Asuras who do so. The Burdwan translator renders this passage,—"fifteen other gods belonging to western nations orAsuras." It is noticeable that the beings that were denounced asAsurasby the Hindus were worshipped as Gods (Asuras) by the followers of Zarathustra.
Footnote 29:(return)In connection with the names of these Mitra-gods, it is to be remembered that Mitra was the name of the principal god of the ancient Persians.
Footnote 30:(return)Avalais a common name of women. It means one who has no vala or strength or power. The word is also used as an adjective.
Footnote 31:(return)According to the Hindus, the sun rises from and sets behind two hills respectively. He rises from theUdayaor Sun-rise hill and sets behind theAstaor sun-set hill.
Footnote 32:(return)Raudra—belonging to Rudra, the god of fury, violence, war, &c.
Footnote 33:(return)Devasenaliterally means the celestial army. This fable seems to be an allegorical representation of the attempts made by Indra to procure a leader for the celestial host.
Footnote 34:(return)Anger personified is a deity.
Footnote 35:(return)Another name of gods, so named from their having only three stages of life—viz., infancy, childhood, and youth—and being exempt from the fourth—old age.
Footnote 36:(return)i.e., good and evil spirits.
Footnote 37:(return)One of the ensigns of royalty in Hindustan.
Footnote 38:(return)Brahma.
Footnote 39:(return)Devasenapati is the original. It may mean either thepati(leader) of thesena(forces) ofdevasor thepati(husband) of Devasena.
Footnote 40:(return)A kind of missile.
Footnote 41:(return)Another kind of weapon.
Footnote 42:(return)The word in the text is "Agrahara," which, as Nilakantha explains, means here, "That which is first taken from a heap after the dedication of a portion to the Viswadevas." What Draupadi means to say is, that she always took care to feed those Brahmanas with food "first" taken from the stores, without, in fact, having taken anything there from the use of anybody else.
Footnote 43:(return)Lit, Soldiers that have sworn to conquer or die. A full Akshauhini of these soldiers was owned by Krishna, who gave them to Duryodhana to fight for him. The story of Krishna's offering to Duryodhana the choice between these soldiers on the one side, and himself sworn not to fight but only to aid with his counsels on the other, is given in full in the Udyoga Parva. Duryodhana, from folly, accepted the former, who were all slain by Arjuna.
Footnote 44:(return)The vow of the Asuras was (according to the Burdwan Pundits) never to drink wine. It is more rational to suppose that Karna swears to give up the refined manners and practices of the Arvas and adopt those of the Asuras till the consummation of the cherished desire.
Footnote 45:(return)A very small measure.
Footnote 46:(return)Picking up for support (1) ears of corn and (2) individual grains, left on the field by husbandmen after they have gathered and carried away the sheaves, are called the Sila and the Unchha modes of life.
Footnote 47:(return)Naked.
Footnote 48:(return)Both these words are of doubtful meaning. It seems they are employed in the Vedas to denote the faculties of knowledge and the moral sense respectively.
Footnote 49:(return)The six acts of a king are peace, war, marching, halting, sowing dissention, and seeking protection.
Footnote 50:(return)Tard-mrigam. Formerly Prajapati, assuming the Form of a deer, followed his daughter from lust, and Rudra, armed with a trident, pursued Prajapati and struck off his head. That deer-head of Prajapati severed from the trunk, became the star, or rather constellation, called Mrigasiras.
Footnote 51:(return)Abode of Varuna in the original.
Footnote 52:(return)Garuda.
Footnote 53:(return)Pavana, the God of the wind.
Footnote 54:(return)There is a difference of reading here. Some texts read fifty seven.
Footnote 55:(return)A difference of reading is observable here.
Footnote 56:(return)As a purificatory ceremony, called the Achamana. To this day, no Hindu can perform any ceremony without going through the Achamana in the first instance.
Footnote 57:(return)Lit. an engine killing a hundred. Perhaps, some kind of rude cannon.
Footnote 58:(return)Perhaps, brands or torches steeped in wax, intended to be thrown in a burning state, amongst the foe. Readers of Indian history know how Lord Lake was repulsed from Bharatpore by means of huge bales of cotton, steeped in oil, rolled from the ramparts of that town, in a burning state, towards the advancing English.
Footnote 59:(return)Lit. be a Purusha (male)! Manhood would not be appropriate in connection with a Rakshasa.
Footnote 60:(return)This weapon could restore an insensible warrior to consciousness, as the Sam-mohana weapon could deprive one of consciousness.
Footnote 61:(return)Visalya a medicinal plant of great efficacy in healing cuts and wounds. It is still cultivated in several parts of Bengal. A medical friend of the writer tested the efficacy of the plant known by that name and found it to be much superior to either gallic acid or tannic acid in stopping blood.
Footnote 62:(return)The Guhyakas occupy, in Hindu mythology, a position next only to that of the gods, and superior to that of the Gandharvas who are the celestial choristers. The White mountain is another name of Kailasa, the peak where Siva hath his abode.
Footnote 63:(return)According to both Vyasa and Valmiki, there is nothing so fierce as a Brahmana's curse. The very thunderbolt of Indra is weak compared to a Brahmana's curse. The reason is obvious. The thunder smites the individual at whom it may be aimed. The curse of Brahmana smites the whole race, whole generation, whole country.
Footnote 64:(return)Abhijit is lit. the eighth muhurta of the day, a muhurta being equal to an hour of 48 minutes, i.e. the thirtieth part of a whole day and night. The Vaishnava asterism is as explained by Nilakantha, the Sravava.
Footnote 65:(return)Also called Gayatri, the wife of Brahma.
Footnote 66:(return)Samhritya—killing.
Footnote 67:(return)Lit. Letters.
Footnote 68:(return)Behind the plain and obvious meanings of the words employed both in the question and the answer, there is a deeper signification of a spiritual kind. I think Nilakantha has rightly understood the passage. By Aditya, which of course commonly means the Sun, is indicated the unpurified soul (from adatte sabdadin indriadivis &c.). The first question then, becomes, 'Who is it that exalteth the unpurified soul?' The act of exaltation implies a raising of the soul from its earthly connections. The answer to this is, 'Brahma, i.e., Veda or self-knowledge.' The second question—'What are those that keep company with the soul during its progress of purification?' The answer is, 'Self-restraint and other qualities, which are all of a god-like or divine nature.' The third question is.—Who lead the soul to its place (state) of rest? The answer is, 'Dharma,i.e., rectitude, morality, and religious observances.' It is often asserted that one must pass through the observances (Karma) before attaining to a state of Rest or Truth or Pure Knowledge. The last question is,—'On what is the soul established!' The answer, according to all that has been previously said, is 'Truth or Pure Knowledge.' For the soul that is emancipated from and raised above all carnal connections, is no longer in need of observances and acts (Karma) but stays unmoved in True Knowledge (Janana).
Footnote 69:(return)Nilakantha explains both Dhriti and Dwitiya in a spiritual sense. There is no need, however, of a spiritual explanation here. By Dhriti is meant steadiness of intelligence; by Dwitiya lit, a second. What Yudhishthira says is that a steady intelligence serves the purposes of a helpful companion.
Footnote 70:(return)Nilakantha explains this correctly, as I imagine, by supposing that by 'sacrifice' is meant the spiritual sacrifice for the acquisition of pure knowledge. In the objective sacrifice which one celebrates, the Sama, the Yajus, and the Rik mantras are all necessary. In the subjective sacrifice the acquisition of true knowledge, life and mind are as necessary as the mantras from the Sama and the Yajur Vedas in an objective one. And as no objective sacrifice can do without the Riks, being principally dependent on them, so the subjective sacrifices for acquiring true knowledge can never do without prayerfulness, which, I imagine, is represented as the Riks. To understand this passage thoroughly would require an intimate acquaintance with the ritual of a sacrifice like the Agnishtoma or any other of that kind.
Footnote 71:(return)Some texts read apatatam for uvapatam. If the former be the correct reading, the meaning would be—'What is the best of things that fall?' Nilakantha explains both avapatam nivapatam in a spiritual sense. By the first he understands—'They that offer oblation to the gods,' and by the second, 'They that offer oblations to the Pitris.' The necessity of a spiritual interpretation, however, is not very apparent.
Footnote 72:(return)Yudhishthira has the authority of the Srutis for saying that the one pervading element of the universe is air.
Footnote 73:(return)The word used in the question isdik, literally, direction. Obviously, of course, it means in this connection way. Yudhishthira answers that the way which one is to tread along is that of the good.
Footnote 74:(return)TheSrutisactually speak of space as water. These are questions to test Yudhishthira's knowledge of the Vedic cosmogony.
Footnote 75:(return)TheSrutisspeak of the cow as the only food, in the following sense. The cow gives milk. The milk gives butter. The butter is used in Homa. The Homa is the cause of the clouds. The clouds give rain. The rain makes the seed to sprout forth and produce food. Nilakantha endeavours to explain this in a spiritual sense. There is however, no need of such explanation here.
Footnote 76:(return)What Yudhishthira means to say is that there is no special time for a Sraddha. It is to be performed whenever a good and able priest may be secured.
Footnote 77:(return)That is, tranquillity of mind, self-restraint, abstention from sensual pleasures, resignation, and Yoga meditation.
Footnote 78:(return)That is, hunger, thirst, sorrow, bluntness of mortal feeling, decrepitude, and death.