Mahabharata 18.2: dvitīyo'dhyāyaḥ

18.2.1

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
neha paśyāmi vibudhā rādheyamamitaujasam |
bhrātarau ca mahātmānau yudhāmanyūttamaujasau || 1 ||

"Yudhishthira said, ‘Ye deities, I do not see here Radha’s son of immeasurable prowess, as also my high-souled brothers, and Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas, those great car-warriors that poured their bodies (as libations) on the fire of battle, those kings and princes that met with death for my sake in battle. Where are those great car-warriors that possessed the prowess of tigers? Have those foremost of men acquired this region? If those great car-warriors have obtained these regions, then only do you know, ye gods, that I shall reside here with those high-souled ones. If this auspicious and eternal region has not been acquired by those kings, then know, ye gods, that without those brothers and kinsmen of mine, I shall not live here. At the time of performing the water rites (after the battle), I heard my mother say, ‘Do thou offer oblations of water unto Karna.’ Since hearing those words of my mother, I am burning with grief. I grieve also incessantly at this, ye gods, that when I marked the resemblance between the feet of my mother and those of Karna of immeasurable soul, I did not immediately place myself under orders of that afflicter of hostile ranks. Ourselves joined with Karna, Shakra himself would have been unable to vanquish in battle. Wherever may that child of Surya be, I desire to see him. Alas, his relationship with us being unknown, I caused him to be slain by Arjuna. Bhima also of terrible prowess and dearer to me than my life-breaths, Arjuna too, resembling Indra himself, the twins also that resembled the Destroyer himself in prowess, I desire to behold. I wish to see the princess of Pancala, whose conduct was always righteous. I wish not to stay here. I tell you the truth. Ye foremost ones among the deities, what is Heaven to me if I am dissociated from my brothers? That is Heaven where those brothers of mine are. This, in my opinion, is not Heaven.’

18.2.2

juhuvurye śarīrāṇi raṇavahnau mahārathāḥ |
rājāno rājaputrāśca ye madarthe hatā raṇe || 2 ||

18.2.3

kva te mahārathāḥ sarve śārdūlasamavikramāḥ |
tairapyayaṃ jito lokaḥ kaccitpuruṣasattamaiḥ || 3 ||

18.2.4

yadi lokānimānprāptāste ca sarve mahārathāḥ |
sthitaṃ vitta hi māṃ devāḥ sahitaṃ tairmahātmabhiḥ || 4 ||

18.2.5

kaccinna tairavāpto'yaṃ nṛpairloko'kṣayaḥ śubhaḥ |
na tairahaṃ vinā vatsye jñātibhirbhrātṛbhistathā || 5 ||

18.2.6

māturhi vacanaṃ śrutvā tadā salilakarmaṇi |
karṇasya kriyatāṃ toyamiti tapyāmi tena vai || 6 ||

18.2.7

idaṃ ca paritapyāmi punaḥ punarahaṃ surāḥ |
yanmātuḥ sadṛśau pādau tasyāhamamitaujasaḥ || 7 ||

18.2.8

dṛṣṭvaiva taṃ nānugataḥ karṇaṃ parabalārdanam |
na hyasmānkarṇasahitāñjayecchakro'pi saṃyuge || 8 ||

18.2.9

tamahaṃ yatratatrasthaṃ draṣṭumicchāmi sūryajam |
avijñāto mayā yo'sau ghātitaḥ savyasācinā || 9 ||

18.2.10

bhīmaṃ ca bhīmavikrāntaṃ prāṇebhyo'pi priyaṃ mama |
arjunaṃ cendrasaṃkāśaṃ yamau tau ca yamopamau || 10 ||

18.2.11

draṣṭumicchāmi tāṃ cāhaṃ pāñcālīṃ dharmacāriṇīm |
na ceha sthātumicchāmi satyametadbravīmi vaḥ || 11 ||

18.2.12

kiṃ me bhrātṛvihīnasya svargeṇa surasattamāḥ |
yatra te sa mama svargo nāyaṃ svargo mato mama || 12 ||

18.2.13

devā ūcuḥ |
yadi vai tatra te śraddhā gamyatāṃ putra māciram |
priye hi tava vartāmo devarājasya śāsanāt || 13 ||

"The gods said, ‘If thou longest to be there, go then, O son, without delay. At the command of the chief of the deities, we are ready to do what is agreeable to thee.’

18.2.14

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
ityuktvā taṃ tato devā devadūtamupādiśan |
yudhiṣṭhirasya suhṛdo darśayeti paraṃtapa || 14 ||

Vaishampayana continued: Having said so, the gods then ordered the celestial messenger, O scorcher of foes, saying, ‘Do thou show unto Yudhishthira his friends and kinsmen.’ Then the royal son of Kunti and the celestial messenger proceeded together, O foremost of kings, to that place where those chiefs of men (whom Yudhishthira had wished to see) were. The celestial messenger proceeded first, the king followed him behind. The path was inauspicious and difficult and trodden by men of sinful deeds. It was enveloped in thick darkness, and covered with hair and moss forming its grassy vesture. Polluted with the stench of sinners, and miry with flesh and blood, it abounded with gadflies and stinging bees and gnats and was endangered by the inroads of grisly bears. Rotting corpses lay here and there. Overspread with bones and hair, it was noisome with worms and insects. It was skirted all along with a blazing fire. It was infested by crows and other birds and vultures, all having beaks of iron, as also by evil spirits with long mouths pointed like needles. And it abounded with inaccessible fastnesses like the Vindhya mountains. Human corpses were scattered over it, smeared with fat and blood, with arms and thighs cut off, or with entrails torn out and legs severed.

18.2.15

tataḥ kuntīsuto rājā devadūtaśca jagmatuḥ |
sahitau rājaśārdūla yatra te puruṣarṣabhāḥ || 15 ||

18.2.16

agrato devadūtastu yayau rājā ca pṛṣṭhataḥ |
panthānamaśubhaṃ durgaṃ sevitaṃ pāpakarmabhiḥ || 16 ||

18.2.17

tamasā saṃvṛtaṃ ghoraṃ keśaśaivalaśādvalam |
yuktaṃ pāpakṛtāṃ gandhairmāṃsaśoṇitakardamam || 17 ||

18.2.18

daṃśotthānaṃ sajhillīkaṃ makṣikāmaśakāvṛtam |
itaścetaśca kuṇapaiḥ samantātparivāritam || 18 ||

18.2.19

asthikeśasamākīrṇaṃ kṛmikīṭasamākulam |
jvalanena pradīptena samantātpariveṣṭitam || 19 ||

18.2.20

ayomukhaiśca kākolairgṛdhraiśca samabhidrutam |
sūcīmukhaistathā pretairvindhyaśailopamairvṛtam || 20 ||

18.2.21

medorudhirayuktaiśca chinnabāhūrupāṇibhiḥ |
nikṛttodarapādaiśca tatra tatra praveritaiḥ || 21 ||

18.2.22

sa tatkuṇapadurgandhamaśivaṃ romaharṣaṇam |
jagāma rājā dharmātmā madhye bahu vicintayan || 22 ||

"Along that path so disagreeable with the stench of corpses and awful with other incidents, the righteous-souled king proceeded, filled with diverse thoughts. He beheld a river full of boiling water and, therefore, difficult to cross, as also a forest of trees whose leaves were sharp swords and razors. There were plains full of fine white sand exceedingly heated, and rocks and stones made of iron. There were many jars of iron all around, with boiling oil in them. Many a Kuta-salmalika was there, with sharp thorns and, therefore, exceedingly painful to the touch. The son of Kunti beheld also the tortures inflicted upon sinful men.

18.2.23

dadarśoṣṇodakaiḥ pūrṇāṃ nadīṃ cāpi sudurgamām |
asipatravanaṃ caiva niśitakṣurasaṃvṛtam || 23 ||

18.2.24

karambhavālukāstaptā āyasīśca śilāḥ pṛthak |
lohakumbhīśca tailasya kvāthyamānāḥ samantataḥ || 24 ||

18.2.25

kūṭaśālmalikaṃ cāpi dusparśaṃ tīkṣṇakaṇṭakam |
dadarśa cāpi kaunteyo yātanāḥ pāpakarmiṇām || 25 ||

18.2.26

sa taṃ durgandhamālakṣya devadūtamuvāca ha |
kiyadadhvānamasmābhirgantavyamidamīdṛśam || 26 ||

"Beholding that inauspicious region abounding with every sort of foulness, Yudhishthira asked the celestial messenger, saying, ‘How far shall we proceed along a path like this? It behoveth thee to tell me where those brothers of mine are. I desire also to know what region is this of the gods?’

18.2.27

kva ca te bhrātaro mahyaṃ tanmamākhyātumarhasi |
deśo'yaṃ kaśca devānāmetadicchāmi veditum || 27 ||

18.2.28

sa saṃnivavṛte śrutvā dharmarājasya bhāṣitam |
devadūto'bravīccainametāvadgamanaṃ tava || 28 ||

"Hearing these words of king Yudhishthira the just, the celestial messenger stopped in his course and replied, saying, ‘Thus far is your way. The denizens of Heaven commanded me that having come thus far, I am to stop. If thou art tired, O king of kings, thou mayst return with me.’

18.2.29

nivartitavyaṃ hi mayā tathāsmyukto divaukasaiḥ |
yadi śrānto'si rājendra tvamathāgantumarhasi || 29 ||

18.2.30

yudhiṣṭhirastu nirviṇṇastena gandhena mūrchitaḥ |
nivartane dhṛtamanāḥ paryāvartata bhārata || 30 ||

"Yudhishthira, however, was exceedingly disconsolate and stupefied by the foul odour. Resolved to return, O Bharata, he retraced his steps. Afflicted by sorrow and grief, the righteous-souled monarch turned back. Just at that moment he heard piteous lamentations all around, ‘O son of Dharma, O royal sage, O thou of sacred origin, O son of Pandu, do thou stay a moment for favouring us. At thy approach, O invincible one, a delightful breeze hath begun to blow, bearing the sweet scent of thy person. Great hath been our relief at this. O foremost of kings, beholding thee, O first of men, great hath been our happiness. O son of Pritha, let that happiness last longer through thy stay here, for a few moments more. Do thou remain here, O Bharata, for even a short while. As long as thou art here, O thou of Kuru’s race, torments cease to afflict us.’ These and many similar words, uttered in piteous voices by persons in pain, the king heard in that region, wafted to his ears from every side.

18.2.31

sa saṃnivṛtto dharmātmā duḥkhaśokasamanvitaḥ |
śuśrāva tatra vadatāṃ dīnā vācaḥ samantataḥ || 31 ||

18.2.32

bho bho dharmaja rājarṣe puṇyābhijana pāṇḍava |
anugrahārthamasmākaṃ tiṣṭha tāvanmuhūrtakam || 32 ||

18.2.33

āyāti tvayi durdharṣe vāti puṇyaḥ samīraṇaḥ |
tava gandhānugastāta yenāsmānsukhamāgamat || 33 ||

18.2.34

te vayaṃ pārtha dīrghasya kālasya puruṣarṣabha |
sukhamāsādayiṣyāmastvāṃ dṛṣṭvā rājasattama || 34 ||

18.2.35

saṃtiṣṭhasva mahābāho muhūrtamapi bhārata |
tvayi tiṣṭhati kauravya yātanāsmānna bādhate || 35 ||

18.2.36

evaṃ bahuvidhā vācaḥ kṛpaṇā vedanāvatām |
tasmindeśe sa śuśrāva samantādvadatāṃ nṛpa || 36 ||

18.2.37

teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā dayāvāndīnabhāṣiṇām |
aho kṛcchramiti prāha tasthau sa ca yudhiṣṭhiraḥ || 37 ||

"Hearing those words of beings in woe, Yudhishthira of compassionate heart exclaimed aloud, ‘Alas, how painful!’ And the king stood still. The speeches of those woe-begone and afflicted persons seemed to the son of Pandu to be uttered in voices that he had heard before although he could not recognise them on that occasion.

18.2.38

sa tā giraḥ purastādvai śrutapūrvāḥ punaḥ punaḥ |
glānānāṃ duḥkhitānāṃ ca nābhyajānata pāṇḍavaḥ || 38 ||

18.2.39

abudhyamānastā vāco dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
uvāca ke bhavanto vai kimarthamiha tiṣṭhatha || 39 ||

"Unable to recognise voices, Dharma’s son, Yudhishthira, enquired, saying, ‘Who are you? Why also do you stay here?’

18.2.40

ityuktāste tataḥ sarve samantādavabhāṣire |
karṇo'haṃ bhīmaseno'hamarjuno'hamiti prabho || 40 ||

"Thus addressed, they answered him from all sides, saying, ‘I am Karna!’ ‘I am Bhimasena!’ ‘I am Arjuna!’ ‘I am Nakula!’ ‘I am Sahadeva!’ ‘I am Dhrishtadyumna!’ ‘I am Draupadi!’ ‘We are the sons of Draupadi!’ Even thus, O king, did those voices speak.

18.2.41

nakulaḥ sahadevo'haṃ dhṛṣṭadyumno'hamityuta |
draupadī draupadeyāśca ityevaṃ te vicukruśuḥ || 41 ||

18.2.42

tā vācaḥ sa tadā śrutvā taddeśasadṛśīrnṛpa |
tato vimamṛśe rājā kiṃ nvidaṃ daivakāritam || 42 ||

"Hearing those exclamations, O king, uttered in voices of pain suitable to that place, the royal Yudhishthira asked himself ‘What perverse destiny is this? What are those sinful acts which were committed by those high-souled beings, Karna and the sons of Draupadi, and the slender-waisted princess of Pancala, so that their residence has been assigned in this region of foetid smell and great woe? I am not aware of any transgression that can be attributed to these persons of righteous deeds. What is that act by doing which Dhritarashtra’s son, king Suyodhana, with all his sinful followers, has become invested with such prosperity? Endued with prosperity like that of the great Indra himself, he is highly adored. What is that act through the consequence of which these (high-souled ones) have fallen into Hell? All of them were conversant with every duty, were heroes, were devoted to truth and the Vedas; were observant of Kshatriya practices; were righteous in their acts; were performers of sacrifices; and givers of large presents unto brahmanas. Am I asleep or awake? Am I conscious or unconscious? Or, is all this a mental delusion due to disorders of the brain?’

18.2.43

kiṃ nu tatkaluṣaṃ karma kṛtamebhirmahātmabhiḥ |
karṇena draupadeyairvā pāñcālyā vā sumadhyayā || 43 ||

18.2.44

ya ime pāpagandhe'smindeśe santi sudāruṇe |
na hi jānāmi sarveṣāṃ duṣkṛtaṃ puṇyakarmaṇām || 44 ||

18.2.45

kiṃ kṛtvā dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putro rājā suyodhanaḥ |
tathā śriyā yutaḥ pāpaḥ saha sarvaiḥ padānugaiḥ || 45 ||

18.2.46

mahendra iva lakṣmīvānāste paramapūjitaḥ |
kasyedānīṃ vikāro'yaṃ yadime narakaṃ gatāḥ || 46 ||

18.2.47

sarvadharmavidaḥ śūrāḥ satyāgamaparāyaṇāḥ |
kṣātradharmaparāḥ prājñā yajvāno bhūridakṣiṇāḥ || 47 ||

18.2.48

kiṃ nu supto'smi jāgarmi cetayāno na cetaye |
aho cittavikāro'yaṃ syādvā me cittavibhramaḥ || 48 ||

18.2.49

evaṃ bahuvidhaṃ rājā vimamarśa yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
duḥkhaśokasamāviṣṭaścintāvyākulitendriyaḥ || 49 ||

"Overwhelmed by sorrow and grief, and with his senses agitated by anxiety, king Yudhishthira indulged in such reflections for a long time. The royal son of Dharma then gave way to great wrath. Indeed, Yudhishthira then censured the gods, as also Dharma himself. Afflicted by the very foul odour, he addressed the celestial messenger, saying, ‘Return to the presence of those whose messenger thou art. Tell them that I shall not go back to where they are, but shall stay even here, since, in consequence of my companionship, these afflicted brothers of mine have become comforted.’ Thus addressed by the intelligent son of Pandu, the celestial messenger returned to the place where the chief of the deities was, viz., he of a hundred sacrifices. He represented unto him the acts of Yudhishthira. Indeed, O ruler of men, he informed Indra of all that Dharma’s son had said!

18.2.50

krodhamāhārayaccaiva tīvraṃ dharmasuto nṛpaḥ |
devāṃśca garhayāmāsa dharmaṃ caiva yudhiṣṭhiraḥ || 50 ||

18.2.51

sa tīvragandhasaṃtapto devadūtamuvāca ha |
gamyatāṃ bhadra yeṣāṃ tvaṃ dūtasteṣāmupāntikam || 51 ||

18.2.52

na hyahaṃ tatra yāsyāmi sthito'smīti nivedyatām |
matsaṃśrayādime dūta sukhino bhrātaro hi me || 52 ||

18.2.53

ityuktaḥ sa tadā dūtaḥ pāṇḍuputreṇa dhīmatā |
jagāma tatra yatrāste devarājaḥ śatakratuḥ || 53 ||

18.2.54

nivedayāmāsa ca taddharmarājacikīrṣitam |
yathoktaṃ dharmaputreṇa sarvameva janādhipa || 54 ||