Vaisampayana said, "Yudhishthira saw his brothers, each possessed of the
glory of Indra himself, lying dead like the Regents of the world dropped
from their spheres at the end of the _Yuga_. And beholding Arjuna lying
dead, with his bow and arrows dropped on the ground, and also Bhimasena
and the twins motionless and deprived of life, the king breathed a hot
and long sigh, and was bathed in tears of grief. And beholding his
brothers lying dead, the mighty armed son of Dharma with heart racked in
anxiety, began to lament profusely, saying, 'Thou hadst, O mighty-armed
Vrikodara, vowed, saying,--_I shall with mace smash the thighs of
Duryodhana in battle!_ O enhancer of the glory of the Kurus, in thy
death, O mighty-armed and high-souled one, all that hath become
fruitless now! The promises of men may be ineffectual; but why have the
words of the gods uttered in respect of thee been thus fruitless? O
Dhananjaya, while thou wert in thy mother's lying-in-room, the gods had
said,--_O Kunti, this thy son shall not be inferior to him of a thousand
eyes!_ And in the northern Paripatra mountains, all beings had sung,
saying,--_The prosperity (of this race), robbed by foes will be
recovered by this one without delay. No one will be able to vanquish him
in battle, while there will be none whom he will not be able to
vanquish._ Why then hath that Jishnu endued with great strength been
subject to death? Oh, why doth that Dhananjaya, relying on whom we had
hitherto endured all this misery, lie on the ground blighting[66] all my
hopes! Why have those heroes, those mighty sons of Kunti, Bhimasena and
Dhananjaya, came under the power of the enemy,--those who themselves
always slew their foes, and whom no weapons could resist! Surely, this
vile heart of mine must be made of adamant, since, beholding these twins
lying today on the ground it doth not split! Ye bulls among men, versed
in holy writ and acquainted with the properties of time and place, and
endued with ascetic merit, ye who duly performed all sacred rites, why
lie ye down, without performing acts deserving of you? Alas, why lie ye
insensible on the earth, with your bodies unwounded, ye unvanquished
ones, and with your vows untouched?' And beholding his brothers sweetly
sleeping there as (they usually did) on mountain slopes, the high souled
king, overwhelmed with grief and bathed in sweat, came to a distressful
condition. And saying,--It is even so--that virtuous lord of men,
immersed in an ocean of grief anxiously proceeded to ascertain the cause
(of that catastrophe). And that mighty-armed and high-souled one,
acquainted with the divisions of time and place, could not settle his
course of action. Having thus bewailed much in this strain, the virtuous
Yudhishthira, the son of _Dharma_ or _Tapu_, restrained his soul and
began to reflect in his mind as to who had slain those heroes. 'There
are no strokes of weapons upon these, nor is any one's foot-print here.
The being must be mighty I ween, by whom my brothers have been slain.
Earnestly shall I ponder over this, or, let me first drink of the water,
and then know all. It may be that the habitually crooked-minded
Duryodhana hath caused this water to be secretly placed here by the king
of the _Gandharvas_. What man of sense can trust wicked wight of evil
passions with whom good and evil are alike? Or, perhaps, this may be an
act of that wicked-souled one through secret messengers of his.' And it
was thus that that highly intelligent one gave way to diverse
reflections. He did not believe that water to have been tainted with
poison, for though dead no corpse-like pallor was on them. 'The colour
on the faces of these my brothers hath not faded!' And it was thus that
Yudhishthira thought. And the king continued, 'Each of these foremost of
men was like unto a mighty cataract. Who, therefore, save Yama himself
who in due time bringeth about the end of all things, could have baffled
them thus.' And having concluded this for certain, he began to perform
his ablutions in that lake. And while he descended into it, he heard
these words from the sky, uttered by the Yaksha,--'I am a crane, living
on tiny fish. It is by me that thy younger brothers have been brought
under the sway of the lord of departed spirits. If thou, O prince,
answer not the questions put by me, even thou shalt number the fifth
corpse. Do not, O child, act rashly! This lake hath already been in my
possession. Having answered my questions first, do thou, O Kunti's son,
drink and carry away (as much as thou requirest)!' Hearing these words,
Yudhishthira said, 'Art thou the foremost of the Rudras, or of the
Vasus, or of the Marutas? I ask, what god art thou? This could not have
been done by a bird! Who is it that hath overthrown the four mighty
mountains, viz., the Himavat, the Paripatra, the Vindhya, and the
Malaya? Great is the feat done by thee, thou foremost of strong persons!
Those whom neither gods, nor _Gandharvas_ nor _Asuras_, nor _Rakshasas_
could endure in mighty conflict, have been slain by thee! Therefore,
exceedingly wonderful is the deed done by thee! I do not know what thy
business may be, nor do I know thy purpose. Therefore, great is the
curiosity and fear also that have taken possession of me. My mind is
greatly agitated, and as my head also is aching, I ask thee, therefore,
O worshipful one, who art thou that stayest here?' Hearing these words
the Yaksha said, 'I am, good betide thee, a Yaksha, and not an
amphibious bird. It is by me that all these brothers of thine, endued
with mighty prowess, have been slain!'"
[66] Samhritya--killing.
Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these accursed words couched in harsh
syllabus,[67] Yudhishthira, O king, approaching the Yaksha who had
spoken then, stood there. And that bull among the Bharatas then beheld
that Yaksha of unusual eyes and huge body tall like a palmyra-palm and
looking like fire or the Sun, and irresistible and gigantic like a
mountain, staying on a tree, and uttering a loud roar deep as that of
the clouds. And the Yaksha said, 'These thy brothers, O king, repeatedly
forbidden by me, would forcibly take away water. It is for this that
they have been slain by me! He that wisheth to live, should not, O king,
drink this water! O son of Pritha, act not rashly! This lake hath
already been in my possession. Do thou, O son of Kunti, first answer my
questions, and then take away as much as thou likest!' Yudhishthira
said, 'I do not, O Yaksha, covet, what is already in thy possession! O
bull among male beings, virtuous persons never approve that one should
applaud his own self (without boasting, I shall, therefore, answer thy
questions, according to my intelligence). Do thou ask me!' The Yaksha
then said, 'What is it that maketh the Sun rise? Who keeps him company?
Who causeth him to set? And in whom is he established?' Yudhishthira
answered, '_Brahma_ maketh the Sun rise; the gods keep him company;
_Dharma_ causeth him to set; and he is established in truth.'[68] The
Yaksha asked, 'By what doth one become learned? By what doth he attain
what is very great? How can one have a second? And, O king, how can one
acquire intelligence?' Yudhishthira answered, 'It is by the (study of
the) _Srutis_ that a person becometh learned; it is by ascetic
austerities that one acquireth what is very great; it is by intelligence
that a person acquireth a second and it is by serving the old that one
becometh wise.'[69] The Yaksha asked, 'What constituteth the divinity of
the Brahmanas? What even is their practice that is like that of the
pious? What also is the human attribute of the Brahmanas? And what
practice of theirs is like that of the impious?' Yudhishthira answered,
'The study of the _Vedas_ constitutes their divinity; their asceticism
constitutes behaviour that is like that of the pious; their liability to
death is their human attribute and slander is their impiety.' The Yaksha
asked, 'What institutes the divinity of the Kshatriyas? What even is
their practice that is like that of the pious? What is their human
attribute? And what practice of theirs is like that of the impious?'
Yudhishthira answered, 'Arrows and weapons are their divinity;
celebration of sacrifices is that act which is like that of the pious;
liability to fear is their human attribute; and refusal of protection is
that act of theirs which is like that of the impious.' The Yaksha asked,
'What is that which constitutes the _Sama_ of the sacrifice? What the
_Yajus_ of the sacrifice? What is that which is the refuge of a
sacrifice? And what is that which sacrifice cannot do without?'
Yudhishthira answered, 'Life is the _Sama_ of the sacrifice; the mind is
the _Yajus_ of the sacrifice; the _Rik_ is that which is the refuge of
the sacrifice; and it is _Rik_ alone which sacrifice cannot do
without.'[70] The Yaksha asked, 'What is of the foremost value to those
that cultivate? What is of the foremost value to those that sow? What is
of the foremost value to those that wish for prosperity in this world?
And what is of the foremost value to those that bring forth?'
Yudhishthira answered, 'That which is of the foremost value to those
that cultivate is rain; that of the foremost value to those that sow is
seed; that of the foremost value to those that bring forth is
offspring.'[71] The Yaksha asked, 'What person, enjoying all the objects
of the senses, endued with intelligence, regarded by the world and liked
by all beings, though breathing, doth not offer anything to these five,
viz., gods, guests, servants, _Pitris_, and himself, though endued with
breath, is not yet alive.' The Yaksha asked, 'What is weightier than the
earth itself? What is higher than the heavens? What is fleeter than the
wind? And what is more numerous than grass?' Yudhishthira answered, 'The
mother is weightier than the earth; the father is higher than the
heaven; the mind is fleeter than the wind; and our thoughts are more
numerous than grass.' The Yaksha asked, 'What is that which doth not
close its eyes while asleep? What is that which doth not move after
birth? What is that which is without heart? And what is that which
swells with its own impetus?' Yudhishthira answered, 'A fish doth not
close its eyes while asleep; an egg doth not move after birth; a stone
is without heart; and a river swelleth with its own impetus.' The Yaksha
asked, 'Who is the friend of the exile? Who is the friend of the
householder? Who is the friend of him that ails? And who is the friend
of one about to die?' Yudhishthira answered, 'The friend of the exile in
a distant land is his companion; the friend of the householder is the
wife; the friend of him that ails is the physician; and the friend of
him about to die is charity.' The Yaksha asked,--'Who is the guest of
all creatures? What is the eternal duty? What, O foremost of kings, is
_Amrita_? And what is this entire Universe?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'_Agni_ is the guest of all creatures; the milk of kine is
_amrita; Homa_ (therewith) is the eternal duty; and this Universe
consists of air alone.'[72] The Yaksha asked,--'What is that which
sojourneth alone? What is that which is re-born after its birth? What is
the remedy against cold? And what is the largest field?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'The sun sojourneth alone; the moon takes birth anew; fire is
the remedy against cold; and the Earth is the largest field.' The Yaksha
asked,--'What is the highest refuge of virtue? What of fame? What of
heaven? And what, of happiness?' Yudhishthira answered,--'Liberality is
the highest refuge of virtue; gift, of fame; truth, of heaven; and good
behaviour, of happiness.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is the soul of man?
Who is that friend bestowed on man by the gods? What is man's chief
support? And what also is his chief refuge?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'The son is a man's soul; the wife is the friend bestowed on
man by the gods; the clouds are his chief support; and gift is his chief
refuge.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is the best of all laudable things?
What is the most valuable of all his possessions? What is the best of
all gains? And what is the best of all kinds of happiness?' Yudhishthira
answered,--"The best of all laudable things is skill; the best of all
possessions is knowledge; the best of all gains is health; and
contentment is the best of all kinds of happiness.' The Yaksha
asked,--'What is the highest duty in the world? What is that virtue
which always beareth fruit? What is that which if controlled, leadeth
not to regret? And who are they with whom an alliance cannot break?'
Yudhishthira answered,--'The highest of duties is to refrain from
injury; the rites ordained in the _Three (Vedas)_ always bear fruit; the
mind, if controlled, leadeth to no regret; and an alliance with the good
never breaketh.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is that which, if renounced,
maketh one agreeable? What is that which, if renounced, leadeth to no
regret? What is that which, if renounced, maketh one wealthy? And what
is that which if renounced, maketh one happy?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'Pride, if renounced, maketh one agreeable; wrath, if
renounced leadeth to no regret; desire, if renounced, maketh one
wealthy; and avarice, if renounced, maketh one happy.' The Yaksha
asked,--'For what doth one give away to Brahmanas? For what to mimes and
dancers? For what to servants? And for what to the king?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'It is for religious merit that one giveth away to Brahmanas;
it is for fame that one giveth away to mimes and dancers; it is for
supporting them that one giveth away to servants; and it is for
obtaining relief from fear that one giveth to kings.' The Yaksha
asked,--'With what is the world enveloped? What is that owing to which a
thing cannot discover itself? For what are friends forsaken? And for
what doth one fail to go to heaven?' Yudhishthira answered,--'The world
is enveloped with darkness. Darkness doth not permit a thing to show
itself. It is from avarice that friends are forsaken. And it is
connection with the world for which one faileth to go to heaven.' The
Yaksha asked,--'For what may one be considered as dead? For what may a
kingdom be considered as dead? For what may a _Sraddha_ be considered as
dead? And for what, a sacrifice?' Yudhishthira answered,--'For want of
wealth may a man be regarded as dead. A kingdom for want of a king may
be regarded as dead. A _Sraddha_ that is performed with the aid of a
priest that hath no learning may be regarded as dead. And a sacrifice in
which there are no gifts to Brahmanas is dead.' The Yaksha asked,--'What
constitutes the way? What hath been spoken of as water? What, as food?
And what, as poison? Tell us also what is the proper time of a
_Sraddha_, and then drink and take away as much as thou likest!'
Yudhishthira answered,--'They that are good constitute the way.[73]
Space hath been spoken of as water.[74] The cow is food.[75] A request
is poison. And a Brahmana is regarded as the proper time of a
_Sraddha_.[76] I do not know what thou mayst think of all this, O
Yaksha?' The Yaksha asked,--'What hath been said to be the sign of
asceticism? And what is true restraint? What constitutes forgiveness.
And what is shame?' Yudhishthira answered,--'Staying in one's own
religion is asceticism; the restraint of the mind is of all restraints
the true one; forgiveness consists in enduring enmity; and shame, in
withdrawing from all unworthy acts.' The Yaksha asked,--'What, O king is
said to be knowledge? What, tranquillity? What constitutes mercy? And
what hath been called simplicity?' Yudhishthira answered,--'True
knowledge is that of Divinity. True tranquillity is that of the heart.
Mercy consists in wishing happiness to all. And simplicity is equanimity
of heart.' The Yaksha asked,--'What enemy is invincible? What
constitutes an incurable disease for man? What sort of a man is called
honest and what dishonest?' Yudhishthira answered,--'Anger is an
invincible enemy. Covetousness constitutes an incurable disease. He is
honest that desires the weal of all creatures, and he is dishonest who
is unmerciful.' The Yaksha asked,--'What, O king, is ignorance? And what
is pride? What also is to be understood by idleness? And what hath been
spoken of as grief?' Yudhishthira answered,--'True ignorance consists in
not knowing one's duties. Pride is a consciousness of one's being
himself an actor or sufferer in life. Idleness consists in not
discharging one's duties, and ignorance in grief.' The Yaksha
asked,--'What hath steadiness been said by the _Rishis_ to be? And what,
patience? What also is a real ablution? And what is charity?'
Yudhishthira answered,--'Steadiness consists in one's staying in one's
own religion, and true patience consists in the subjugation of the
senses. A true bath consists in washing the mind clean of all
impurities, and charity consists in protecting all creatures.' The
Yaksha asked,--'What man should be regarded as learned, and who should
be called an atheist? Who also is to be called ignorant? What is called
desire and what are the sources of desire? And what is envy?'
Yudhishthira answered,--'He is to be called learned who knoweth his
duties. An atheist is he who is ignorant and so also he is ignorant who
is an atheist. Desire is due to objects of possession, and envy is
nothing else than grief of heart.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is pride,
and what is hypocrisy? What is the grace of the gods, and what is
wickedness?' Yudhishthira answered,--'Stolid ignorance is pride. The
setting up of a religious standard is hypocrisy. The grace of the gods
is the fruit of our gifts, and wickedness consists in speaking ill of
others.' The Yaksha asked,--'Virtue, profit, and desire are opposed to
one another. How could things thus antagonistic to one another exist
together?' Yudhishthira answered,--'When a wife and virtue agree with
each other, then all the three thou hast mentioned may exist together.'
The Yaksha asked,--'O bull of the Bharata race, who is he that is
condemned to everlasting hell? It behoveth thee to soon answer the
question that I ask!' Yudhishthira answered,--'He that summoneth a poor
Brahmana promising to make him a gift and then tells him that he hath
nothing to give, goeth to everlasting hell. He also must go to
everlasting hell, who imputes falsehood to the _Vedas_, the scriptures,
the Brahmanas, the gods, and the ceremonies in honour of the _Pitris_.
He also goeth to everlasting hell who though in possession of wealth,
never giveth away nor enjoyeth himself from avarice, saying, he hath
none.' The Yaksha asked,--'By what, O king, birth, behaviour, study, or
learning doth a person become a Brahmana? Tell us with certitude!'
Yudhishthira answered,--'Listen, O Yaksha! It is neither birth, nor
study, nor learning, that is the cause of _Brahmanahood_, without doubt,
it is behaviour that constitutes it. One's behaviour should always be
well-guarded, especially by a Brahmana. He who maintaineth his conduct
unimpaired, is never impaired himself. Professors and pupils, in fact,
all who study the scriptures, if addicted to wicked habits, are to be
regarded as illiterate wretches. He only is learned who performeth his
religious duties. He even that hath studied the four Vedas is to be
regarded as a wicked wretch scarcely distinguishable from a Sudra (if
his conduct be not correct). He only who performeth the _Agnihotra_ and
hath his senses under control, is called a Brahmana!' The Yaksha
asked,--'What doth one gain that speaketh agreeable words? What doth he
gain that always acteth with judgment? What doth he gain that hath many
friends? And what he, that is devoted to virtue?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'He that speaketh agreeable words becometh agreeable to all.
He that acteth with judgment obtaineth whatever he seeketh. He that hath
many friends liveth happily. And he that is devoted to virtue obtaineth
a happy state (in the next world).' The Yaksha asked,--'Who is truly
happy? What is most wonderful? What is _the_ path? And what is _the_
news? Answer these four questions of mine and let thy dead brothers
revive.' Yudhishthira answered,--'O amphibious creature, a man who
cooketh in his own house, on the fifth or the sixth part of the day,
with scanty vegetables, but who is not in debt and who stirreth not from
home, is truly happy. Day after day countless creatures are going to the
abode of Yama, yet those that remain behind believe themselves to be
immortal. What can be more wonderful than this? Argument leads to no
certain conclusion, the _Srutis_ are different from one another; there
is not even one _Rishi_ whose opinion can be accepted by all; the truth
about religion and duty is hid in caves: therefore, that alone is the
path along which the great have trod. This world full of ignorance is
like a pan. The sun is fire, the days and nights are fuel. The months
and the seasons constitute the wooden ladle. Time is the cook that is
cooking all creatures in that pan (with such aids); this is _the news_.'
The Yaksha asked,--'Thou hast, O represser of foes, truly answered all
my questions! Tell us now who is truly a man, and what man truly
possesseth every kind of wealth.' Yudhishthira answered,--'The report of
one's good action reacheth heaven and spreadeth over the earth. As long
as that report lasteth, so long is a person to whom the agreeable and
the disagreeable, weal and woe, the past and the future, are the same,
is said to possess every kind of wealth.' The Yaksha said,--'Thou hast,
O king truly answered who is a man, and what man possesseth every kind
of wealth. Therefore, let one only amongst thy brothers, whom thou mayst
wish, get up with life!' Yudhishthira answered,--'Let this one that is
of darkish hue, whose eyes are red, who is tall like a large _Sala_
tree, whose chest is broad and arms long, let this Nakula, O Yaksha, get
up with life!' The Yaksha rejoined,--'This Bhimasena is dear unto thee,
and this Arjuna also is one upon whom all of you depend! Why, then, O
king, dost thou wish a step-brother to get up with his life! How canst
thou, forsaking Bhima whose strength is equal to that of ten thousand
elephants, wish Nakula to live? People said that this Bhima was dear to
thee. From what motive then dost thou wish a step-brother to revive?
Forsaking Arjuna the might of whose arm is worshipped by all the sons of
Pandu, why dost thou wish Nakula to revive?' Yudhishthira said,--'If
virtue is sacrificed, he that sacrificeth it, is himself lost. So virtue
also cherisheth the cherisher. Therefore taking care that virtue by
being sacrificed may not sacrifice us, I never forsake virtue.
Abstention from injury is the highest virtue, and is, I ween, even
higher than the highest object of attainment. I endeavour to practise
that virtue. Therefore, let Nakula, O Yaksha, revive! Let men know that
the king is always virtuous! I will never depart from my duty. Let
Nakula, therefore, revive! My father had two wives, Kunti and Madri. Let
both of them have children. This is what I wish. As Kunti is to me, so
also is Madri. There is no difference between them in my eye. I desire
to act equally towards my mothers. Therefore, let Nakula live.' The
Yaksha said,--'Since abstention from injury is regarded by thee as
higher than both profit and pleasure, therefore, let all thy brothers
live, O bull of Bharata race!'"
[67] Lit. Letters.
[68] 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).
[69] 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.
[70] 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.
[71] 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.
[72] Yudhishthira has the authority of the Srutis for saying
that the one pervading element of the universe is air.
[73] The word used in the question is _dik_, 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.
[74] The _Srutis_ actually speak of space as water. These are
questions to test Yudhishthira's knowledge of the Vedic
cosmogony.
[75] The _Srutis_ speak 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.
[76] 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.