(Adivansavatarana Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Bowing down in the first place to my preceptor with
the eight parts of my body touching the ground, with devotion and
reverence, and with all my heart, worshipping the whole assembly of
Brahmanas and other learned persons, I shall recite in full what I have
heard from the high-souled and great Rishi Vyasa, the first of intelligent
men in the three worlds. And having got it within thy reach, O monarch,
thou also art a fit person to hear the composition called Bharata.
Encouraged by the command of my preceptor my heart feeleth no fear.
"'Hear, O monarch, why that disunion occurred between the Kurus and the
Pandavas, and why also that exile into the woods immediately proceeding
from the game at dice prompted by the desire (of the Kurus) for rule. I
shall relate all to thee who askest it thou best of the Bharata race!
"'On the death of their father those heroes (the Pandavas) came to their
own home. And within a short time they became well-versed in archery. And
the Kurus beholding the Pandavas gifted with physical strength, energy,
and power of mind, popular also with the citizens, and blessed with good
fortune, became very jealous. Then the crookedminded Duryodhana, and Karna,
with (the former's uncle) the son of Suvala began to persecute them and
devise means for their exile. Then the wicked Duryodhana, guided by the
counsels of Sakuni (his maternal uncle), persecuted the Pandavas in
various ways for the acquirement of undisputed sovereignty. The wicked son
of Dhritarashtra gave poison to Bhima, but Bhima of the stomach of the
wolf digested the poison with the food. Then the wretch again tied the
sleeping Bhima on the margin of the Ganges and, casting him into the water,
went away. But when Bhimasena of strong arms, the son of Kunti woke, he
tore the strings with which he had been tied and came up, his pains all
gone. And while asleep and in the water black snakes of virulent poison
bit him in every part of his body. But that slayer of foes did not still
perish. And in all those persecutions of the Pandavas by their cousins,
the Kurus, the high-minded Vidura attentively engaged himself neutralising
those evil designs and rescuing the persecuted ones. And as Sakra from the
heavens keeps in happiness the world of men, so did Vidura always keep the
Pandavas from evil.
"'When Duryodhana, with various means, both secret and open, found himself
incapable of destroying the Pandavas who were protected by the fates and
kept alive for grave future purposes (such as the extermination of the
Kuru race), then called together his counsellors consisting of Vrisha
(Karna), Duhsasana and others, and with the knowledge of Dhritarashtra
caused a house of lac to be constructed. And king Dhritarashtra, from
affection for his children, and prompted by the desire of sovereignty,
sent the Pandavas tactfully into Varanavata. And the Pandavas then went
away with their mother from Hastinapura. And when they were leaving the
city, Vidura gave them some idea of impending danger and how they could
come out of it.
"'The sons of Kunti reached the town of Varanavata and lived there with
their mother. And, agreeably to the command of Dhritarashtra, those
illustrious slayers of all enemies lived in the palace of lac, while in
that town. And they lived in that place for one year, protecting
themselves from Purochana very wakefully. And causing a subterranean
passage to be constructed, acting according to the directions of Vidura,
they set fire to that house of lac and burnt Purochana (their enemy and
the spy of Duryodhana) to death. Those slayers of all enemies, anxious
with fear, then fled with their mother. In the woods beside a fountain
they saw a Rakshasa. But, alarmed at the risk they ran of exposure by such
an act the Pandavas fled in the darkness, out of fear from the sons of
Dhritarashtra. It was here that Bhima gained Hidimva (the sister of the
Rakshasa he slew) for a wife, and it was of her that Ghatotkacha was born.
Then the Pandavas, of rigid vows, and conversant with the Vedas wended to
a town of the name of Ekachakra and dwelt there in the guise of
Brahmacharins. And those bulls among men dwelt in that town in the house
of a Brahmana for some time, with temperance and abstinence. And it was
here that Bhima of mighty arms came upon a hungry and mighty and man-
eating Rakshasa of the name of Vaka. And Bhima, the son of Pandu, that
tiger among men, slew him speedily with the strength of his arms and made
the citizens safe and free from fear. Then they heard of Krishna (the
princess of Panchala) having become disposed to select a husband from
among the assembled princes. And, hearing of it, they went to Panchala,
and there they obtained the maiden. And having obtained Draupadi (as their
common wife) they then dwelt there for a year. And after they became known,
those chastisers of all enemies went back to Hastinapura. And they were
then told by king Dhritarashtra and the son of Santanu (Bhishma) as
follows: 'In order, O dear ones, dissensions may not take place between
you and your cousins, we have settled that Khandavaprastha should be your
abode. Therefore, go ye, casting off all jealousy, to Khandavaprastha
which contains many towns served by many broad roads, for dwelling there.'
And accordingly the Pandavas went, with all their friends and followers,
to Khandavaprastha taking with them many jewels and precious stones. And
the sons of Pritha dwelt there for many years. And they brought, by force
of arms, many a prince under their subjection. And thus, setting their
hearts on virtue and firmly adhering to truth, unruffled by affluence,
calm in deportment, and putting down numerous evils, the Pandavas
gradually rose to power. And Bhima of great reputation subjugated the East,
the heroic Arjuna, the North, Nakula, the West, Sahadeva that slayer of
all hostile heroes, the South. And this having been done, their domination
was spread over the whole world. And with the five Pandavas, each like
unto the Sun, the Earth looked as if she had six Suns.
"'Then, for some reason, Yudhishthira the just, gifted with great energy
and prowess, sent his brother Arjuna who was capable of drawing the bow
with the left hand, dearer unto him than life itself, into the woods. And
Arjuna, that tiger among men, of firm soul, and gifted with every virtue,
lived in the woods for eleven years and months. And during this period, on
a certain occasion, Arjuna went to Krishna in Dwaravati. And Vibhatsu
(Arjuna) there obtained for a wife the lotus-eyed and sweet-speeched
younger sister of Vasudeva, Subhadra by name. And she became united, in
gladness, with Arjuna, the son of Pandu, like Sachi with the great Indra,
or Sri with Krishna himself. And then, O best of monarchs, Arjuna, the son
of Kunti, with Vasudeva, gratified Agni, the carrier of the sacrificial
butter, in the forest of Khandava (by burning the medicinal plants in that
woods to cure Agni of his indigestion). And to Arjuna, assisted as he was
by Kesava, the task did not at all appear heavy even as nothing is heavy
to Vishnu with immense design and resources in the matter of destroying
his enemies. And Agni gave unto the son of Pritha the excellent bow
Gandiva and a quiver that was inexhaustible, and a war-chariot bearing the
figure of Garuda on its standard. And it was on this occasion that Arjuna
relieved the great Asura (Maya) from fear (of being consumed in the fire).
And Maya, in gratitude, built (for the Pandavas) a celestial palace decked
with every sort of jewels and precious stones. And the wicked Duryodhana,
beholding that building, was tempted with the desire of possessing it. And
deceiving Yudhishthira by means of the dice played through the hands of
the son of Suvala, Duryodhana sent the Pandavas into the woods for twelve
years and one additional year to be passed in concealment, thus making the
period full thirteen.
"'And the fourteenth year, O monarch, when the Pandavas returned and
claimed their property, they did not obtain it. And thereupon war was
declared, and the Pandavas, after exterminating the whole race of
Kshatriyas and slaying king Duryodhana, obtained back their devastated
kingdom.
"'This is the history of the Pandavas who never acted under the influence
of evil passions; and this the account, O first of victorious monarchs of
the disunion that ended in the loss of their kingdom by the Kurus and the
victory of the Pandavas.'"