The Mahabharata of
Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa
BOOK 3
VANA PARVA
Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text
by
Kisari Mohan Ganguli
[1883-1896]
THE MAHABHARATA
VANA PARVA
PART 1
SECTION I
(Aranyaka Parva)
Om! Having bowed down to Narayana, and Nara the foremost of male beings,
and the goddess Saraswati also, must the word _Jaya_ be uttered.
Janamejaya said, "O thou foremost of regenerate ones, deceitfully
defeated at dice by the sons of Dhritarashtra and their counsellors,
incensed by those wicked ones that thus brought about a fierce
animosity, and addressed in language that was so cruel, what did the
Kuru princes, my ancestors--the sons of Pritha--(then) do? How also did
the sons of Pritha, equal unto Sakra in prowess, deprived of affluence
and suddenly overwhelmed with misery, pass their days in the forest? Who
followed the steps of those princes plunged in excess of affliction? And
how did those high souled ones bear themselves and derive their
sustenance, and where did they put up? And, O illustrious ascetic and
foremost of Brahmanas, how did those twelve years (of exile) of those
warriors who were slayers of foes, pass away in the forest? And
undeserving of pain, how did that princess, the best of her sex, devoted
to her husbands, eminently virtuous, and always speaking the truth,
endure that painful exile in the forest? O thou of ascetic wealth tell
me all this in detail, for, O Brahmana, I desire to hear thee narrate
the history of those heroes possessed of abundant prowess and lustre.
Truly my curiosity is great."
Vaisampayana said, "Thus defeated at dice and incensed by the wicked
sons of Dhritarashtra and their counsellors, the sons of Pritha set out
from Hastinapura. And issuing through _Vardhamana_ gate of the city, the
Pandavas bearing their weapons and accompanied by Draupadi set out in a
northerly direction. Indrasena and others, with servants numbering
altogether fourteen, with their wives, followed them on swift cars. And
the citizens learning of their departure became overwhelmed with sorrow,
and began to censure Bhishma and Vidura and Drona and Gautama. And
having met together they thus addressed one another fearlessly.
"'Alas, our families, we ourselves, and our homes are all gone, when the
wicked Duryodhana, backed by the son of Suvala, by Karna and Dussasana,
aspireth to this kingdom. And, Oh, our families, our (ancestral) usages,
our virtue and prosperity, are all doomed where this sinful wretch
supported by wretches as sinful aspireth to the kingdom! And, Oh, how
can happiness be there where these are not! Duryodhana beareth malice
towards all superiors, hath taken leave of good conduct, and quarreleth
with those that are near to him in blood. Covetous and vain and mean, he
is cruel by nature. The whole earth is doomed when Duryodhana becometh
its ruler. Thither, therefore, let us proceed whither the merciful and
high-minded sons of Pandu with passions under control and victorious
over foes, and possessed of modesty and renown, and devoted to pious
practices, repair!'"
Vaisampayana said, "And saying this, the citizens went after the
Pandavas, and having met them, they all, with joined hands, thus
addressed the sons of Kunti and Madri.
"'Blest be ye! Where will ye go, leaving us in grief? We will follow you
whithersoever ye will go! Surely have we been distressed upon learning
that ye have been deceitfully vanquished by relentless enemies! It
behoveth you not to forsake us that are your loving subjects and devoted
friends always seeking your welfare and employed in doing what is
agreeable to you! We desire not to be overwhelmed in certain destruction
living in the dominions of the Kuru king. Ye bulls among men, listen as
we indicate the merits and demerits springing respectively from
association with what is good and bad! As cloth, water, the ground, and
sesame seeds are perfumed by association with flowers, even so are
qualities ever the product of association. Verily association with fools
produceth an illusion that entangleth the mind, as daily communion with
the good and the wise leadeth to the practice of virtue. Therefore, they
that desire emancipation should associate with those that are wise and
old and honest and pure in conduct and possessed of ascetic merit. They
should be waited upon whose triple possessions, _viz_., knowledge (of
the _Vedas_), origin and acts, are all pure, and association with them
is even superior to (the study of the) scriptures. Devoid of the
religious acts as we are, we shall yet reap religious merit by
association with the righteous, as we should come by sin by waiting upon
the sinful. The very sight and touch of the dishonest, and converse and
association with them, cause diminution of virtue, and men (that are
doomed to these), never attain purity of mind. Association with the base
impaireth the understanding, as, indeed, with the indifferent maketh it
indifferent, while communion with the good ever exalteth it. All those
attributes which are spoken of in the world as the sources of religious
merit, of worldly prosperity and sensual pleasures, which are regarded
by the people, extolled in the _Vedas_, and approved by the
well-behaved, exist in you, separately and jointly! Therefore, desirous
of our own welfare, we wish to live amongst you who possess those
attributes!'
"Yudhishthira said, 'Blessed are we since the people with the Brahmanas
at their head, moved by affection and compassion credit us with merits
we have not. I, however, with my brothers, would ask all of you to do
one thing. Ye should not, through affection and pity for us, act
otherwise! Our grandfather Bhishma, the king (Dhritarashtra), Vidura, my
mother and most of my well-wishers, are all in the city of Hastinapura.
Therefore, if ye are minded to seek our welfare, cherish ye them with
care, uniting together as they are overwhelmed with sorrow and
afflictions. Grieved at our departure, ye have come far! Go ye back, and
let your hearts be directed with tenderness towards the relatives I
entrust to you as pledges! This, of all others, is the one act upon
which my heart is set, and by doing this ye would give me great
satisfaction and pay me your best regards!'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus exhorted by Yudhishthira the just, the
people in a body set up a loud wail exclaiming,--_Alas, O king!_ And
afflicted and overwhelmed with sorrow on remembering the virtues of
Pritha's son, they unwillingly retraced their steps asking leave of the
Pandavas.
"The citizens having ceased to follow, the Pandavas ascended their cars,
and setting out reached (the site of) the mighty banian tree called
_Pramana_ on the banks of the Ganges. And reaching the site of the
banian tree about the close of the day, the heroic sons of Pandu
purified themselves by touching the sacred water, and passed the night
there. And afflicted with woe they spent that night taking water alone
as their sole sustenance. Certain Brahmanas belonging to both classes,
_viz_., those that maintained the sacrificial fire and those that
maintained it not, who had, with their disciples and relatives, out of
affection followed the Pandavas thither also passed the night with them.
And surrounded by those utterers of _Brahma_, the king shone resplendent
in their midst. And that evening, at once beautiful and terrible, those
Brahmanas having lighted their (sacred) fires, began to chant the
_Vedas_ and hold mutual converse. And those foremost of Brahmanas, with
swan-sweet voices spent the night, comforting that best of Kurus--the
king."