Mahabharata Vol. 1 (Penguin Translated Texts) (6 page)

BOOK: Mahabharata Vol. 1 (Penguin Translated Texts)
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Souti said, ‘Krishna Dvaipayana has composed a holy Upanishad. The study of Bharata is such a holy act that even if one reads only one line of a shloka, all the reader’s sins are destroyed. Here are lauded the performers of pure deeds, the gods, the devarshis, the
immaculate brahmarshis, the yakshas and the great
naga
s. The eternal Lord Vasudeva has been lauded here. It is he who is truth, immortality, purity and holy. In it is described the eternal supreme brahman, who is the constant everlasting light and whose divine action is described by the learned. He is the source of the existing and the non-existing, the principle of extension and withdrawal. In it has been described the supreme spirit who assumes the attributes of the five elements
82
and three qualities
83
and to whom words like un-manifest cannot be applied. And also those who are free, through the powers of meditation and yoga, perceive established in themselves like reflections in a mirror. He who is always faithful and always follows the path of righteousness, such a man is freed from all sin on reading this chapter. The believer who always hears this introductory chapter of Bharata from the beginning never suffers from difficulties. He who repeatedly utters any part of the introductory chapter in the morning or evening is freed from all sins accumulated during the day or night. In the body of Bharata, this chapter is like truth and ambrosia—like butter among curds and Brahmanas among bipeds, like the ocean is the best of the lakes and the cow is the best of the quadrupeds. Just as these are the best, so it is said is Bharata. He who makes a Brahmana listen to one verse of a shloka at a funeral ceremony, his offerings of food and drink to his ancestors become inexhaustible. The Vedas should be supported with itihasa
84
and the Puranas. But the Vedas are afraid of those with little learning,
85
lest that knowledge be hurt. However, if a learned man recites this Veda of Krishna’s,
86
he will gain. Without a doubt, the sin of killing an embryo is also destroyed. I think that a pure man who has read this chapter reverently at every change of the moon has read the entire Bharata. The man who reverently listens every day to these
sacred verses, it is said he attains a long life, fame and goes to heaven. In ancient times, the gods and the sages came together and on one side of a scale, they placed the four Vedas, with Bharata on the other side. In greatness and in weight, Bharata was heavier. Because of its superiority in substance and content, it came to be known as Mahabharata and he who knows this true meaning is freed from all sins. Asceticism is not a sin, studying is not a sin, the natural rules of the Vedas are not sins and exertion to acquire wealth is not a sin. These become sins when they are abused.’

Section Two
Parvasamgraha Parva

This parva has 243 shlokas and one chapter. It too was clearly a later addition. It gives two listings of the Mahabharata in the eighteen-parva and the 100-parva classifications. There is also a very brief summary of the highlights of the story.

2

The sages said, ‘O son of a suta! We wish to hear from you all about the place Samantapanchaka,
1
described as it really is.’

Souti said, ‘O Brahmanas! As per your wishes, listen to the blessed words about Samantapanchaka as I tell them. For listening to these accounts, you are the best of men. At the juncture of
treta
and
dvapara
,
2
angered at sins committed, the greatest of those who ever bore arms, Rama,
3
repeatedly decimated the world of all Kshatriyas. Having destroyed all Kshatriyas through his own prowess, lustrous like fire, he created five lakes of blood in Samantapanchaka. We
have heard that, beyond his senses with anger, he stood in the bloody waters of those lakes and rendered bloody offerings to his ancestors. Then Richika
4
and his other ancestors appeared before this bull among Brahmanas and said, “Calm down, refrain, be pacified.” From that day, the region in the neighbourhood of those five bloody lakes has become famous as the holy land of Samantapanchaka. The wise men have said that every place should have a name that signifies something that made the place famous. At the end of dvapara and the beginning of kali, a great battle was fought between the armies of the Kurus and the Pandavas at this holy Samantapanchaka. In that holy land, free from any bad qualities of the earth, eighteen akshouhinis of soldiers eagerly assembled for battle. O Brahmanas! Thus it was that the name of the region came about. I have described to you that beautiful and holy place. O best of Brahmanas! I have told you everything about this place, a region famous in the three worlds.’

The sages said, ‘O son of a suta! We wish to hear everything about the akshouhini that you mentioned to us. You know everything. Tell us exactly the size of an akshouhini, with foot soldiers, horses, chariots and elephants.’

Souti said, ‘One chariot, one elephant, five foot soldiers and three horses make up a
patti
. Three pattis are known as a
senamukha
and three senamukhas make up a
gulma
. Three gulmas are named a
gana
and three ganas a
vahini
. The wise know that three vahinis collectively form a
pritana
. Three pritanas make a
chamu
, three chamus an
anikini
and the wise say that ten times an anikini is known as an akshouhini. O best of Brahmanas! Those who know arithmetic have calculated that there are 21,870 chariots in an akshouhini and the number of elephants is the same. Know that the number of foot soldiers is 109,350 and the number of horses is 65,610. O best of Brahmanas! I have described to you in detail that which those who are familiar with numbers call an akshouhini. O best of Brahmanas! The eighteen akshouhinis of the Kurus and the Pandavas were made up according to these numbers and the cause destroyed them all. Time brought them together in this region and making the Kouravas
the cause, destroyed them all. Bhishma, skilled in the best weapons, fought for ten days. Drona defended the Kuru army for five days. Karna, the decimator of enemy soldiers, fought for two days, Shalya for half a day and the duel of the clubs for also that duration. At the end of that day, the son of Drona,
5
Hardikya
6
and Goutama
7
killed Yudhishthira’s soldiers when they were sleeping unsuspectingly. I will tell you in detail the story that was narrated at the sacrifice of Shounaka, the Bharata story, beginning with the story of Poulama, which contains wonderful meanings, verses and accounts and is adorned in many ways. It is accepted by the wise the way men who desire final release accept renunciation, as the
atman
8
is among objects to be known and life among things that are dear. It is the chief among all histories and the best among all sacred texts. This supreme of histories incorporates the supreme of intelligence and vowels, consonants and words, vulgate and learned. Hear the outline of different parvas of Bharata history, with subtle meanings and wondrous lines.

‘The first is called Anukramanika (1);
9
the second Parvasangraha (2); then come Poushya (3), Poulama (4), Astika (5) and the descent of the first generation (6); then come the parvas composed by the gods—Sambhava (7), Jatugriha Daha (8),
10
Hidimba (9); then Baka Vadha
11
(10) and then Chaitraratha (11); then the parva known as svayamvara of the divine Panchali (12);
12
then, after defeating rivals in accordance with the dharma of Kshatriyas (13), Vaivahika (14),
13
Viduragamana
14
and Rajya-labha (15);
15
then Arjuna Vanavasa
(16),
16
Subhadra Harana (17)
17
and Harana Harika (18); then Khandava Daha (19),
18
where Maya is met; after that, it is known as Sabha Parva (20)
19
and after that, Mantra Parva (21);
20
then Jarasandha Vadha (22)
21
and Digvijaya (23)
22
and after that comes the parva known as Rajasuya (24);
23
then Arghabhirana (25),
24
Shishupala Vadha (26)
25
and then Dyuta (27);
26
and then known as the Anudyuta (28);
27
then the parva known as Aranyaka (29)
28
and Kirmira Vadha (30);
29
then the parva known as Kairata (31), which features the bout between Ishvara
30
and Arjuna; then the parva known as Indraloka Abhigamana (32);
31
then the wise king of Kuru’s pilgrimage in Tirthayatra (33); then Jatasura Vadha (34)
32
and Yaksha Yuddha (35);
33
and the one after that is known as Ajagara (36);
34
then the parva known as Markandeya Samasya (37);
35
and then the parva that has the dialogue between Droupadi and Satyabhama (38); then the parvas known as Ghoshayatra (39),
36
Mrigasvapna (40)
37
and after that the story known as the measurement of rice (41); then Droupadi Harana (42)
38
by Saindhava
39
from the forest; then comes the parva known as Kundala Harana (43),
40
then Araneya (44)
41
and after that the parva known as Virata (45);
42
then the parva known as Kichaka Vadha (46);
43
then the parva known as Gograhana (47);
44
then the parva that tells of the wedding between Abhimanyu and the daughter of the king of Virata (48); the next parva is known as Udyoga (49)
45
and after that the parva is known as Sanjaya Yana (50);
46
the next parva, concerning the worries of Dhritarashtra, is known as Prajagara (51);
47
then Sanatsujata Parva (52) with secret spiritual philosophy; then Yanasandhi (53)
48
and the arrival of Bhagavana (54);
49
then it is known comes the quarrel of the great Karna (55) and Niryanan Parva (56),
50
where the Kuru and Pandava armies march to battle; then comes the parva that describes the numbers of warriors and chariots (57), and the arrival of the intolerance-inspiring messenger Uluka (58); then the parva that tells the story of Amba (59); then the wonder-inspiring parva that tells of the anointment of Bhishma (60); then comes the parva that describes the creation of Jambu (61)
51
and Bhumi Parva (62), which gives an account of the expanse of the continents; then Bhagavad-gita Parva (63); then the parva describing the killing of Bhishma (64); then the anointment of Drona (65) and then the parva with the death of the sanshaptakas (66); then Abhimanyu Vadha (67)
52
Parva; then Pratijna Parva (68);
53
then Jayadratha Vadha Parva (69);
54
then Ghatotkacha Vadha Parva (70);
55
then the account of the slaying of Drona (71) that makes one’s hair stand up; after that the parva that is named after the release of the narayana weapon (72); then it is known as Karna Parva (73);
56
after that it is known as Shalya Parva (74);
57
then the parva that has the entering of the lake (75) and after that Gada Yuddha Parva (76);
58
then the parva that describes the river Sarasvati and places of pilgrimage and dynasties (77) and then Souptika (78);
59
then the dreadful Aishika Parva (79)
60
and then Jalapradana (80);
61
then Stri Parva (81);
62
then it is known as Shraddha Parva (82)
63
with funeral rites for the dead Kuru warriors; then the coronation of the wise Dharmaraja (83); then the subjugation of Charvaka (84) who was a demon who appeared in the garb of a Brahmana; then the parva that describes the dividing up of the houses (85); then Shanti Parva (86)
64
where the duties of kings are described; then the parva where duties during contingencies are described (87); then that which describes the way to salvation (88); then Anushasana Parva (89)
that describes disciplines and the parva that describes the wise Bhishma’s ascent to heaven (90); next is Ashvamedha Parva (91) that destroys all sins and Anugita Parva (92) that concerns spiritual attainment; next come dwelling in the hermitage (93), meeting the sons (94) and the arrival of Narada (95); then the terrible Moushala Parva (96),
65
then Mahaprasthanika Parva (97),
66
and then Svargarohanika Parva (98);
67
then follows the Purana known as Harivamsha (99)
68
that is an appendix; and finally comes the great Bhavishya Parva (100),
69
which is also an appendix.

‘These one hundred parvas were recited in full by the great Vyasa. Later, in the Naimisha forest, Lomaharshana, the son of a suta, recited them exactly again, having classified them into eighteen parvas. The gist of Bharata is given there as a summary of this collection of parvas.

‘In Pousha Parva, the greatness of Utanka is described. In Poulama Parva, the extent of the lineage of Bhrigu is described; in Astika, the birth of all the snakes and Garuda, the churning of the ocean and the birth of Uchchaihshrava.
70
Then is recounted the story of the great-souled Bharatas, as described at the snake-sacrifice of King Parikshit.
71
In Sambhava Parva is described the birth of various kings, Brahmanas and the sage Dvaipayana, the partial incarnations of the gods are recounted, the births of the
daitya
s,
danava
s
72
and powerful
yakshas, and of nagas,
73
snakes, gandharvas and birds and all the other diverse living creatures; the births of the great Vasus from the Bhagirathi and in the house of Shantanu and their subsequent ascent to heaven and the birth of Bhishma from their energy is described, his renunciation of the kingdom, his adoption of brahmacharya, his adherence to the vow, his protection of Chitrangada and after Chitrangada’s death, his protection of his younger brother,
74
and his subsequent placing of Vichitravirya on the throne. The birth of Dharma among men, as a result of Animandavya’s curse, and the births of Dhritarashtra and Pandu, thanks to Krishna Dvaipayana’s boon, and also that of the Pandavas, is described. The conspiracy of Duryodhana on the journey to Varanavata, the digging of a tunnel on Vidura’s advice and the meeting between the Pandavas and the terrible-looking Hidimba in the forest and the birth of Ghatotkacha are next described. Then follow the disguised existence of the Pandavas in the house of the Brahmana, the killing of Vaka and the amazement of the townspeople. Then, after defeating Angaraparna on the banks of the Ganga, Arjuna, together with his brothers, went to Panchala. Then follow the supreme accounts of Tapati, Vasishtha and Ourva, the wondrous story of the five Indras, Drupada’s sorrow that his daughter should have five husbands and the account of Droupadi’s divinely arranged marriage. Vidura’s arrival and meeting with Keshava, the life in Khandavaprastha and the rule over half the kingdom and Narada’s command to Droupadi to follow separate hours, where the story of Sunda and Upasunda is told and Partha’s
75
departure to the forest and his meeting with Ulupi on the way are then described. Next there is the description of the birth of Babhruvahana, the visit to many sacred places of pilgrimage, Arjuna’s abduction of Subhadra with Vasudeva’s permission in the chariot
that goes everywhere at the will of the rider and on the arrival of Krishna, the son of Devaki, the burning of Khandava forest and their receiving of the
chakra
and the bow. The birth in Subhadra’s womb of the supreme Abhimanyu, the saving of Maya’s life from the fire and the saving of the life of the serpent and the sage Mandapala’s giving birth to a son in the womb of a
sharanga
bird
76
—all this and other matters are found in the long Adi Parva, which is the first. Vyasa, of great energy, divided this into 218 chapters.
77
The great one had 7984 shlokas in the text.

‘The second is known as Sabha Parva,
78
with extensive accounts. It describes the building of the assembly hall by the Pandavas and their meeting with their servants, the description of the assembly halls of the guardians of the world by Narada who knows the celestial worlds, the beginning of the royal sacrifice, the killing of Jarasandha, the freeing by Krishna of the kings kept imprisoned in Girivraja,
79
the killing of Shishupala at the royal sacrifice when there was a dispute about offerings, Duryodhana’s misery and jealousy at the magnificence of the sacrifice, Bhima’s taunting of Duryodhana in the assembly hall, as a consequence of which he plotted a game of dice in which the crafty Shakuni defeated the son of Dharma,
80
Droupadi’s immersion and deliverance like a boat in the ocean of gambling, after which, witnessing the deliverance, King Duryodhana challenged the Pandavas to another game of dice. The sage named all this Sabha Parva, with seventy-two chapters and 2511 shlokas.

BOOK: Mahabharata Vol. 1 (Penguin Translated Texts)
11.28Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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