Mahabharata – 184
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
    Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Pandu in the woods and cursed by the deer

Janamejaya said ---You have narrated the extraordinary birth among men, of the sons of Dhritarashtra due to the boon of the rishi. You have also told their names, according to the order of their birth.But tell me now all about the Pandavas. You said that the Pandavas were all illustrious and endowed with the prowess of gods, and that they were incarnate of the celestials. I desire, therefore, to hear all about them and their extraordinary achievements beginning from the moment of their birth.

Vaisampayana said --- One day Pandu, while roaming about in the woods full of deer and wild animals fierce in nature. He saw a large deer, that seemed to be the leader of a herd. He was making love to his female mate. Beholding the animals, the monarch pierced them both with five of his sharp and swift arrows winged with golden feathers. That was no deer that Pandu struck, but a rishi's son of great ascetic merit. He was enjoying his mate in the form of a deer. Pierced by Pandu, while engaged in the act of intercourse,he fell down to the ground, crying in the human voice and began to mourn bitterly. The son of a rishi in the disguise of the deer then said --- Oh king Pandu! Even passionate or angry and stupid people also ever sinful people, never commit such a cruel act as this. Individual judgment prevails not against the destiny. The destiny prevails against individual judgment. Therefore the wise suffer from misfortune. You are born, in a race that always remain virtuous. How is it, therefore, you overpowered by passion and wrath lost your reason?

Hearing this, Pandu replied--- Kings behave in the matter of slaying deer exactly as they do in the matter of slaying foes. There is no room for hypocrisy here.Indeed, slaying deer is the practice of kings. Therefore you cannot blame me.I was not driven by any desire that is not warranted by the scriptures. You cannot rebuke me for this. Formerly, the rishi Agastya, while engaged in a sacrifice slayed all the animals in the forest.And he sacrificed every animals in the forest to the gods. You have been slain, following the usage sanctioned by the religion following the Vedas. Then why do you rebuke me? For his especial sacrifices Agastya performed the homa with fat of the deer which was followed by other rishis presently.

The son of the rishi in the disguise of the deer then said --- the virtuous men do not shoot their arrows at their enemies when the latter are unprepared. But there is a time for doing it

Pandu replied, ---Oh deer! it is well-known that kings slay deer by various effective means without regarding whether the animals are careful or not. Therefore, Oh deer! why do you rebuke me?

The son of the rishi in the disguise of a deer then said --- Oh, king, I did not blame you. For you have killed me when I was in the disguise of a deer. But, instead of acting so cruelly, you should have at least waited till the completion of my act of intercourse. Virtuous wise men never kill a deer while engaged in such an act. The time of sexual intercourse is enjoyable to every creature and productive of good to all. Oh king!, with this my mate I was engaged in the gratification of my sexual desire. I was in love with my partner for procreation of my line. But that effort  of mine.I have been made ineffective by you. Oh king!, As you are born in the race of the Pauravas ever noted for virtuous deeds, such an act has hardly been worthy of you. This act must be regarded as extremely cruel, deserving of universal hatred, infamous and sinful, and certainly leading to hell. You are acquainted with the pleasures of sexual intercourse. You are acquainted also with the teaching of morality and dictates of duty. You are therefore not to do such an act that leads to hell. Oh best of kings! your duty is to condemn all who act cruelly. Who are engaged in sinful practices and who are devoid of virtue. They are after pleasure and profit unwarranted by the scriptures. But what have you done by killing me without any offence? I am, Oh king! a muni who lives on fruits and roots, though disguised as a deer. I was living in the woods in peace with all. Yet you had killed me, Oh king! for that I will curse you certainly. As you have  killed a couple, death shall certainly overhaul you as soon as you are under  the influence of sexual desire for the opposite sex. I am a rishi known by the name  Kimindam, possessed of ascetic merit. I was engaged in sexual intercourse with this deer, because my feelings of modesty did not permit me to indulge in such an act in human society. In the form of a deer I wander  in the deep woods in the company of other deer. You have slain me without knowing that I am a Brahmana. Therefore the sin of having slain a Brahmana shall not devolve to you. But you senseless man!, As you have killed me, when I was disguised as a deer, at such a time, your fate shall certainly be like that of mine. When, approaching your wife lustfully and unite with her even as I had done with mine, in that very state you shall have to go to the world of the spirits. And that wife of yours with whom you may be united in intercourse at the time of your death shall also follow you with affection and reverence to the king of the dead. You have brought me grief when I was happy. So shall grief come to you when you are plunged in happiness.

Saying this, Kimindam rishi in the guise of the  deer, distressed with grief gave up his life and Pandu also fell in great sorrow at the sight.