Mahabharata Vol. 1 (Penguin Translated Texts) (29 page)

Vaishampayana said, ‘When that lord of kings lived in heaven among the gods, the thirty gods, the saddhyas, the maruts and the vasus paid him homage. The performer of sacred deeds often went from the world of the gods to Brahma’s world. It has been said that the lord of the earth lived there for a very long time.

‘One day, Yayati, supreme among kings, went to Shakra and in the course of the conversation Shakra asked the lord of the earth, “O king! What did you tell Puru when he accepted your old age and roamed the earth and when you gave him the kingdom? Tell me truly.” Yayati replied, “I told him that he would be the king of the earth in the central region, between the rivers Ganga and Yamuna. His brothers would rule over the other regions. I told him that men who possess no anger are superior to those who have anger, men with forgiveness are superior to those who do not forgive, that men are superior to animals and the learned to the ignorant. If abused, one should not abuse back in turn. If not suppressed, anger burns one’s good deeds. One should not cause pain to others through cruel words. One should not cause fear to those who are worse off. One should not utter words that hurt and cause pain to others, taking one to hell. One who wounds another through the thorn of harsh, sharp and abrasive speech is deserted by Lakshmi and bears evil in his mouth. A righteous man should always be worshipped in the front. A righteous man should protect one’s back. One should always
disregard the cruel words of wicked ones. Cruel words issue from the mouth like arrows and cause hurt, night and day. When they descend, they strike the innermost parts and learned ones never release them on others. In the three worlds, there is nothing that pacifies as much as compassion, friendship towards beings, charity and sweet words. Therefore, one should always use words that pacify and never those that are harsh. One should honour those deserving of respect, always give, and never ask.’

‘Indra said, “O king! O son of Nahusha! O Yayati! After accomplishing all your deeds, you left your home and departed for the forest. Tell me, who are you equal to in your austerities? I am asking you.”

‘Yayati replied, “O Vasava!
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I do not see anyone equal to me in austerities among gods, men, gandharvas and maharshis.”

‘Indra said, “O king! Since you are disrespecting those who are your superiors, equals and inferiors, without knowing their powers, these worlds will end for you now. Your merits will diminish and you will fall.”

‘Yayati replied, “O Shakra! O king of the gods! Since my disrespect for gods, rishis, gandharvas and men have diminished me and made me lose these worlds, I wish that when I am deprived of the world of the gods, I should fall among righteous men.”

‘Indra said, “O king! You will fall among those who are righteous. There you will again obtain great standing. O Yayati! After knowing this, you will never again show disrespect for your superiors and your equals.”’

Vaishampayana said, ‘At that, Yayati fell from the sacred worlds, frequented by the king of the gods. While he was falling, rajarshi
Ashtaka, the protector of true dharma, saw him. Ashtaka asked, “O youth! Who are you? You are like Vasava in your form and blaze like the fire with your own radiance. Why are you falling like the sun, the chief among those in the sky and the dispeller of masses of dark clouds? On seeing you fall from the sun’s path, as immeasurably radiant as the sun or the fire, everyone is wondering at what is falling among us and is being deprived of consciousness. On seeing you traverse the path of the gods, equal in radiance to Surya, Indra and Vishnu, we have all arisen and come together, to ask you the reason for your downfall. O one whose beauty causes envy! Had you asked us first who we were, we would not have committed the impudence of asking you first. But we now ask you, who are you and why have you come here? O one with Indra’s powers! Let your fear be dispelled. Let your misery and delusion end. You are now in the presence of those who are righteous. Even Shakra, the killer of Bala, will not dare to harm you here. O one who is equal to the king of the gods! Righteous ones always provide standing to those who have been deprived of their happiness. Righteous ones are lords of the movable and the immovable. Righteous ones are assembled here and you are among them, those who are like you. Fire is the lord of burning. Earth is the lord of sowing. The sun is the lord of light. Like that, a guest is the lord of the righteous.”’

‘Yayati said, “I am Yayati, Nahusha’s son and Puru’s father. Disrespect for all beings has dislodged me from the world of the gods, the siddhas and the rishis. My merit diminished, I am falling. Since I am older than you in age, I was not the first to greet you. He who is senior in learning, austerities or birth is older and is worshipped by the Brahmanas.”

‘Ashtaka replied, “O king! You say that he who is older in age deserves the respect of others and that is the reason you did not
greet first. But it is also said that the worship of Brahmanas is for him who is senior in learning and austerities.”

‘Yayati said, “It is said that evil deeds destroy the merit of good deeds and vanity leads to the evil worlds. The righteous never follow evil and act so as to increase their virtue. I myself had great riches.
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But all that is gone now and I will not get it back, despite my best efforts. One who learns from this fate will be wise and righteous. In the world of the living, men have different dispositions, but depending on destiny, their power and efforts may amount to nothing. Knowing that destiny is supreme, the learned say that the wise are content with what they obtain. Happiness and misery are determined by destiny and are beyond one’s control and powers. Knowing that destiny is supreme, one should not be miserable or happy. The wise are always equable, without misery in grief and exultation in happiness. Knowing that destiny is supreme, grief and exultation are pointless. O Ashtaka! I never tremble in fear. Nor is my mind ever affected by anxiety. For I know that it will certainly be the way the creator has determined for me. Insects,
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those born from eggs, vegetables, reptiles, worms, fish, stones, wood and everything, when freed from action, are reunited with nature. I know that happiness and unhappiness are not eternal. O Ashtaka! Knowing this, why should I grieve? We never know what should be done to avoid misery. Therefore, I am not concerned and give up grief.”

‘Ashtaka replied, “O lord of kings! Tell me in detail the accurate accounts of the worlds that you enjoyed and where you spent time. You speak of dharma like one who knows the subject.”

‘Yayati said, “I was a king, ruling over the entire earth as my kingdom. I acquired many great worlds and those beyond them. I lived there for 1000 years and then ascended to a superior world. That beautiful world was the capital of Puruhuta.
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It had 1000 gates and extended for 1000 yojanas. I lived there for 1000 years and then ascended to a superior world. I attained that world, which
was divine and without decay. It was the world of Prajapati, one that is difficult to attain. I lived there for 1000 years and then ascended to a superior world. That was the abode of the god of the gods.
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I lived in that world, as I wished. The thirty gods have paid me homage. I have rivalled the gods in power and glory. In Nandana, I could assume any form at will. For a million years I sported with apsaras, in mountains with flowering trees and fragrant scents. I lived there in divine happiness for a large number of years, beyond counting. Then a messenger of the gods, terrible in visage, shouted to me thrice in a deep voice, ‘Ruined, ruined, ruined’. O king!
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I remember that I fell from Nandana with my merits diminished. O lord of men! I heard the voices of the gods in the sky, lamenting and mourning. ‘Yayati of sacred fame and sacred deeds has had his merit diminished and is falling. What misfortune!’ When I was falling, I asked them, ‘Where are the righteous ones among whom I shall fall?’ They pointed me to this sacrificial ground that belongs to you. On seeing it, I came here quickly. I smelt the fragrance of ghee wafting up from the sacrificial ground. I saw the smoke rising up and was reassured.”’

‘Ashtaka asked, “O one who is foremost among those of Krita Yuga!
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You could assume any form at will. You spent a million years in the garden of Nandana. Why did you have to give it up and come to earth?”

‘Yayati replied, “Here, friends and relatives forsake a man who has lost his wealth. There, the gods and their lord forsake one whose merit has been diminished.”

‘Ashtaka said, “I am curious to know how one’s merit is diminished there. My mind is confused on this. Please also tell me which worlds are attained through which means. Please tell me. I know that you know the subject.”

‘Yayati replied, “O god among men! With great lamentations, those who speak of their own merits are hurled down to the hell known as bhouma. Though actually lean, they grow and become food for vultures, dogs and jackals. Therefore, in this world, a man should avoid evil acts that are condemned. O king! I have now told you everything. Please tell me, what else should I say.”

‘Ashtaka said, “When life is destroyed through age and they are torn apart by vultures, peacocks
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and insects, where do they live and how do they come to life again? I have not heard of a hell named bhouma.”

‘Yayati replied, “When they have ascended from their bodies, depending on their deeds, they are born again on earth. They descend into the hell known as bhouma, and it is impossible to count the many number of years spent there. Some fall in the sky for 60,000 years. Some others fall for 80,000 years. They then fall to bhouma and are attacked by terrible rakshasas with sharp teeth.”

‘Ashtaka said, “When they fall thus to bhouma, why are they attacked by terrible rakshasas with sharp teeth? How do they continue to exist? How do the dead enter the womb again?”

‘Yayati replied, “Just as raindrops cling to flowers and fruit, they cling to the semen created by man. They then enter a woman at the time of her season and become an embryo in the womb. In visible form, life enters trees, herbs, water, air, the earth and the sky. Thus do the dead become embryos again, in the form of bipeds and quadrupeds.”

‘Ashtaka said, “Does a seed enter the womb with the old form? Or does it get a new form? How is a human womb entered? Tell me, because I still have doubts. How is the visible form of limbs, eyes, ears and senses acquired? Since I am asking you, tell me all this. O father! You know everything on the subject.”

‘Yayati replied, “When it is the season, the invisible form enters the womb through the sperm, like into a flower with its juices. Depending on the rights that have been acquired,
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the embryo develops with the passage of time. When the limbs are developed and the six
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senses established, man is formed. With his ears, he gets to know sound. With his eyes, he gets to see form. With his nose, he knows smell and with his tongue, taste. With touch, he gets to feel and with his mind, he gets to know feelings. O Ashtaka! Know that this is how the great atman develops life in the body.”

‘Ashtaka said, “A man who is dead is burnt, buried in the ground or becomes dust. He is reduced to nothing after death. Later, how does he get to know himself again?”

‘Yayati replied, “O lion among kings! A man who dies is like one asleep. However, his good and evil acts are in front of him. When the body is dead, he assumes some other form with a speed that is swifter than that of the wind. Those who have performed good deeds go to a pure birth. Those who did evil go to an evil birth. O one with great feelings! The evil become worms and insects. I will not speak about them. I have told you how the dead become embryos again—bipeds, quadrupeds and those with six legs. I have told you everything in detail. What more do you wish to ask?”

‘Ashtaka said, “O father! Is there anything that can be done to attain the superior worlds, through austerities and the pursuit of learning, instead of returning to earth? How does one attain the world of supreme bliss? I am asking you. Please tell me everything accurately.”

‘Yayati replied, “Austerities, gifts, tranquillity, self-control, humility and compassion towards all beings. The learned say a man is deluded and loses everything through pride. A man of knowledge, who thinks himself to be learned and uses his learning to debase the fame of others, never attains the eternal worlds. Nor does the brahman yield any fruits to him. There are four acts that dispel all fear of danger, but cause fear if performed in the wrong way, with pride—offerings
before the fire, vow of silence, studying and sacrifices. The learned should find no pride in homage. The learned should not grieve if insulted. The good always honour the good in this world. The evil never possess the intelligence of the good. I have paid homage, I have performed sacrifices, I have studied and I have observed vows. But I have done all this while discarding fear. The learned ones know the ancient one who is the refuge and is worshipped from the mind. He is the one with a supreme and radiant form, for finding supreme peace here and in the world hereafter.”’

‘Ashtaka asked, “How should a householder act so as to attain the gods? What about mendicants and those who practise brahmacharya? What about the one who is devoted to the right path after retiring to the forest? Those who know have many differing views on this.”

‘Yayati replied, “A successful brahmachari should not be asked to do his preceptor’s work and will study when asked to do so. He will awake first and go to bed after everyone else. He will be soft in speech, not stirred by pride, devoted to studying and self-controlled. The ancient sacred texts say that when a householder obtains riches according to dharma, he must spend it on sacrifices and give alms and provide food to guests. He should not take from others what has not been given him. A chief sage who has attained success must live on his own strength in the forest. He must give to others and never cause them pain. He must be controlled in his food and deeds. The true mendicant is one who does not depend on any craft for his living. He is always without a home, has control over his senses and is always free from attachment. He does not live under a roof and travels with little and light belongings. He roams through many regions alone. When there is a night in this world when one has conquered desire and happiness, that is the night when a learned
one should become an ascetic. A person who performs good deeds in the forest frees ten generations that have come before and ten that come after him—counting himself, that is twenty-one generations.”