Mahabharata – 135

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

King Dushmanta set out for hunting.In course of his hunting he went from forest to forest. And all of a sudden he chanced upon the ashrama of the great sage Kanva. To meet the most magnificent & energetic  sage Kanva, the king kept his troops along with horses & elephants at the gate of the ashrama.He said to his troop that he was going to meet the great sage Kanva who had all his  passions under control. The king entered into the ashrama in all humility doffing his sceptre & crown.The environment of the ashrama was such that all his thirst,hunger & tiredness were done away with. And the king was very much delighted.

It is in the Dushmanta episode that the Mahabharata gives us a vivid description of an ashrama of the Mahabharata period.Despite the fact that the Mahabharata society had cities & palaces, the quantum of forest in the land was not negligible.True that the forest gave shelter to countless snakes & animals. But the forests were peppered with plenty of ashramas.On one level the forest is the antithesis of an ashrama.While in the forest the beasts prey on one another in the ashramas they were friendly to one another.Peace & love reigned there.

It is a pity that India today has less forest cover than what could be ideal.In the days of the Mahabharata towns & cities were not rare. But forests were very much there with its flaura & fauna.Even today there are very dense forests in India. But unlike today whatever dense forest it might be it had some ashrama.In other words how much the forest was there it was a net work of ashramas as well where sacrificial fire were lighted. The ashramas were loud with chants of mantras & a class of men with spiritual bent of mind used to live in the ashramas. And their contact with urban dwellings was very close. Even kings used to stay there for a time. Naturally ancient Indian culture had a very close contact with Nature & rural culture as well as tradition. When we read the Mahabharata we find a mosaic of  the tradition & modernity of the Mahabharata age.

Mahabharata – 134

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Janamejaya said  --- Oh great sage Vaisampyana! I am eager to listen the birth story & character of great Bharata.Also I am interested to listen  the story of Shakuntala.How did the king of great prowess Dushmanta receive Shakuntala?

Once upon a time the king Dushmanta set out for hunting accompanied with horses,elephants & bare foot soldiers.In course of his hunting venture he entered into a very beautiful forest that reminds of the garden of Indra.

The forest was filled up with  various trees.There were ups downs in the forest due to the falling stones from the mountain. The forest was spread over many yojanas & was filled with fierce animals like tigers & lions. There were deer also. The king with his followers & cars agitated the forest by slaying different animals.He killed numerous tigers by flinging sharp arrows. He used to injure long distant animals by arrows & by sword the near ones.The mighty hero master in club fight roaming around here & there also killed a few deer by his lance. Using all kinds of  weapons he slayed numerous animals & birds there. Then the lions left the forest.Because of the killing of the group leader the other  deer became frightened & making a noise they tried to leave the forest.A few of them were thirsty & fainted near the dry pond.And the hungry tiger like people started eating them.Some soldiers used to cook them properly in the forest after dressing them suitably.Some mighty elephants injured  all over the body left the forest with great speed.The elephants pested many peoples while running away.The king slayed the lions & the sky was filled with arrows looking like cloud.And the forest gradually was filled up with dead animals. The king having slayed numerous animals entered into another forest.The mighty king was thirsty & hungry. He reached to a lonesome plain at the end of that forest. Crossing that lonesome end of the forest he reached some other forest. And there were hermitages of the sages. Cool breeze was blowing filled with sounds of different animals.Birds were singing sweetly. Peacocks were screaming. The forest was also filled up with sweet notes of cuckoos. There were numerous plants & bees were roaming around under the shed of the trees. The shed of the trees was very pleasant. And beneath the trees beautiful green grasses shone. The forest was beautiful. All the trees in that forest were either with fruits or with flowers. No one of the plants was with thorns or without bees. The flowery plants decked the forest in all the season filled up with sweet songs of the different birds. The king holding his bow entered that forest. Tall flowering plants wafted by the mild breeze rained flowers on the head of the king. Many branches of the trees bent down due to the weight of the sky facing flowers. The bees were roaming there for the honey. The king was very pleased with the environment. The Siddhas,the scops,  Apsaras,Hanumans,Kinnars used to roam around there.The scented sweet breeze carrying the pollen grains prevailed there making the environment ideal for making love.King Dushnanta observed the rainbow like tall & beautiful forest beside the river.He also observed an excellent ashrama in that forest.The birds were flying there without any fear.A large number of trees were in that Ashrama.The sacrificial fire was blazing. The self restrained Valakhilya sages & other sages were roaming around.There was a good number of sacrificial altars which were covered by flowers.That ashram was on the bank of a pure & crystal clear river.The river was long & wide. Many birds wre flying there. The sages were going & coming for taking bath. The tiger & ferocious animals were living in peace with goats, cows & lamb there. The mighty king reached near the excellent ashrama which was like Devaloka or the abode of gods .He saw the sacred river Malini was flowing through the base of the ashrama. Malini the river was as if playing the role of the mother for the birds, trees & animals there. In the water of the river ducks were playing.The foams that were carried away along the current of the river likened flowers.On the river bank in some places kinnars were living or monkeys along with tigers,bears,virulant snakes & elephants gambolled.The air was filled up with the sound of vedas. On this bank of the river Malini the ashrama of the great sage Kanva was situated.

Mahabharata – 133

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Janamejaya  expressed his desire to hear the histories of those kings who descended from Puru,from the great sage Vaisampayna at the snake sacrifice at Kurushkhetra.

Puru had by his wife Paushti had three sons. Pravira, Iswara, and Raudraswa, all of whom were mighty charioteers. Amongst them, Pravira was made the king of the dynasty. Pravira had by his wife Suraseni a son named Manasyu. And he had eyes like lotus.He conquered the whole earth,bounded by the four seas. And Manasyu by  his wife Sauviri had three sons, named Sakta, Sahanan, and Vagmi. The third son of Puru Raudraswa had the ten sons by the apsara Misrakesi.They were all great bowmen, intelligent and virtuous. And they all grew up into heroes, performing numerous sacrifices in honour of the gods. And they all had sons, learned in all branches of knowledge and ever devoted to virtue.They were Richeyu, Kakseyu,Krikanesu, Sthandileyu, Vaneyum, Jaleyu, Tejeyu, Satyeyu, Dharmeyu & Sannateyu. Amongst them all, Richeyu was like Indra. He became the king of the whole earth and was known by the names  Anadhrishti & Anagavanu. And Anadhristi had a son by the name of Matinara who became a famous and virtuous king and performed the Rajasuya and the horse-sacrifice. And Matinara had four sons of immeasurable prowess, by name Tansu, Mahan,Atiratha,and Druhyu. Amongst them, Tansu of great prowess became the king of Puru's line.And he conquered the whole earth and acquired great fame and splendour. And Tansu had a son of great prowess named Ilina. And he became the foremost of all conquerors and brought the whole world under his kingdom.And Ilina had five sons by his wife Rathantari. Dushmanta was the eldest. And, Dushmanta, the great warrior became the king. And Dushmanta had by his wife Sakuntala an intelligent son named Bharata. He had another son Janamejaya by his wife Lakshna. Bharata became the king. And Bharata gave his name to the race of which he was the founder. And it is from him that the fame of that dynasty spread far & wide.

Janamejaya said that he was keen to listen to the birth story of Bharata.

The mighty warrior king Dushmanta used to rule the four directions of the globe --- east, west, north & south. He also ruled the countries near the seas. During the time of king Dushmanta, there was no unlawful marriage. They were never engaged in sinful act, or in agriculture or in mining. During the rule of king Dushmanta all his subjects earned wealth by virtuous act. During the regime of Dushmanta there was no one who suffered from disease. There was no case  of  burglary. As there was no calamity, nobody used to perform worship of gods for mitigation of sufferings. All the castes used to perform their own duties & used to live in peace pleasure without any fear under the rule of the king. Cloud used to pour rain in time. Agricultural products were tasty. The earth was filled with all types of gems.Cow & other animals were enough.The strange mighty Dushmanta with thunder like body could hold the mountain Mandara with its water & forest by his arms.He was master of four types of club war & weapons. He was well acquainted in riding horse & elephant. He was like Visnu in prowess, in spirit he was like Sun, in tolerence he was like the earth & in patience he was like the sea.He was dear to all. Therefore his subjects were very pleased with him. He used to rule the country virtuously keeping everybody pleased.

Mahabharata – 132

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Ashtaka said-- Oh king! You look like a young man. You are handsome and decked with a  garland. Your splendour is great! Where from do you come and where do you go? Whose messenger are you? Are you going down to the earth?

Yayati said-- Fallen from heaven due to the loss of all my religious merits, I am ill fated to enter the earth--hell. Indeed,I shall go there, after I have finished my discussion with you. As now the officials  of the Brahmaloka command me to hurry. And,Oh king! I have obtained a boon from Indra that though fall I must upon the earth, yet I should fall among the wise and the virtuous.You are all wise and virtuous. Therefore I am here.

Ashtaka said -- You are acquainted with everything. I tell you, Oh king! If there is any region for myself to enjoy in heaven or in the sky or in the earth I assure you that you will not fall upon earth.

 Yayati answered --- Oh king,there are as many regions for you to enjoy in heaven as there are cows and horses on earth with the other animals in the wilderness and on the hills that you must know.

Ashtaka said -- If there are places for me to enjoy as fruits of my religious merits in heaven,Oh king! I give them all to you. Therefore, though falling, you shalt not fall.Take all those  presently, wherever they be in heaven or in the skies or on earth. Let your sorrow cease.

Yayati answered --- Oh best of kings! A Veda -knowing Brahmana only can take  gift, but not one like ourselves. Who is a kshatriya, never accepts gift. And,Oh monarch!I myself have given away to Brahmanas every day as per scriptures as one should. But I never accepted anything in return. Oh you!The best of the kings, let no man who, is a Kshatriya and let not the wife of a kshatriya ever live in disgrace by accepting gifts. Now I desire to perform virtuous acts on earth. How shall I now accept a gift.

Pratardana  said --- 'Oh you of the handsomest form, I am Pratardana by name. I pray to you  if there are any worlds for me to enjoy as fruits of my religious merits,in heaven or in the skies they are yours.

Yayati replied -- Oh king! Numberless worlds, full of bliss, & glowing are there for you where woe can never enter. Be ready for yourself. If you live in each but for seven days, the rewards of your merits will not be exhausted.

Pratardana said -- I give these worlds to you. Whether they be in the skies or heaven. Presently take them. Let your woes cease.

Yayati answered --- Oh king! No king of equal energy should ever desire to receive as gift the religious merits of another king acquired by austerities. And no king who is suffering from calamity because of the fates should, if wise, act in a blameworthy way. A king keeping his eye fixed for ever on virtue should walk along the path of virtue. Knowing what the duties are, how can I act so meanly & accept your gifts. When other kshatriyas desirous of acquiring religious merits do not accept gifts, how can I accept gifts? Also I desire to act in virtuous way by practising charity upon earth.

 At the end of this speech, Yayati, was addressed by that best of the kings Vasuman in the following words.

Vasuman said -- I am Vasuman, the son of Ushadaswera. I would pray to you, Oh king! If there are any worlds for me to enjoy as fruits of my religious merits, in heaven or in the skies,you are the lord of those regions.

Yayati answered --- There are as many regions for you to enjoy in heaven as the number of places in the skies, the earth and the areas of the universe illumined by the Sun. They are yours. They are waiting for you.

Vasuman replied -- I give them to you. Let those regions that are for me be yours. Therefore, though falling, you shall not fall. But if  you hesitate to accept them as gift, then buy them for a straw?

Yayati answered   ---- Accepting gifts for a kshtriya is a sinful act. This I know from my early childhood. I do not remember having ever bought and sold anything unfairly. This has never been done by any other kshtriya. How shall I therefore do it? When I decided to spend my life on earth by practising charity, how can I accept gifts?

Vasuman replied --- If buying them, Oh king! Be regarded by you as improper, then take them from me as I give you. I will never go to those regions that are for me. Let them therefore be yours.

Sivi then addressed the king thus  --  I am,Sivi by name, the son of Usinara.I pray to you that if  there are in the skies or in heaven any world for me to enjoy?You are the lord of those areas I say.

Yayati replied ---  You have never, by speech or in mind, disregarded the honest and the virtuous. There are infinite & great eternal worlds for you to enjoy in heaven, all blazing like lightning. And they always resound with your fame.

Sivi then replied -- If you regard the purchase as improper, I give them to you. Take them all.I shall never take them back.

Yayati answered --- Oh king Sivi! You are possessed of the prowess of Indra. Your worlds are imperishable. But I do not desire to enjoy regions given to me by others. Therefore, I am unable to  accept your gift.Thank you very much.

 Ashtaka then said --  Oh king, each of us has expressed his desire to give you worlds that each of us has acquired by our religious merits. You are not ready to accept them. Now we collectively give the virtuous worlds belonging to us. Please accept them all on our behalf. And leaving them all for you, we shall descend into the earth-hell.

Yayati answered -- You are all truth-loving and wise. Give me that which I deserve. A pious man always looks for truth. I shall not be able to do what I have never done before by accepting your gift.

Ashtaka then said -- These are five golden chariots that you see? Whose are those? These are for those men who want to visit places that are eternal.

Yayati answered -- Those five golden chariots blazing as fire and displayed in glory, would indeed, carry you to the regions of bliss.

Ashtaka said  --- Oh king! ride  those chariots  and traverse the skies. We can wait. We shall follow you in time.

Yayati said -- We can now all go together. Indeed, all of us have conquered heaven. See the glorious path to heaven which becomes visible.

At the snake sacrifice Vaisampayana goes on telling the story of the Mahabharata addressing the king Janamejaya. Yayati fell from heaven among some sage kings on earth. The latter invoked five celestial chariots. Then all those excellent kings boarded on those chariots & set out for heaven for gaining admittance into it. They were very bright because of their penance. And when they went up inquest of heaven the skies were illuminated.

 Then Ashtaka said --- I  always thought that Indra was my special friend, and that I, of all others, should first get admittance into heaven. But how is it that Usinara's son, Sivi has already left us behind?

Yayati replied --- This Usinara's son  gave away all that he possessed  to the righteous. Therefore, he is the foremost among us. Besides, Sivi's  liberality, asceticism, truth, virtue, modesty, forgiveness, amiability, desire for performing good acts,have been so great that none can measure them!

Ashtaka again impelled by curiosity asked his maternal grandfather who resembled Indra ---- Oh king! I ask you, tell me truly. From where are you coming? Who you are, and whose son? I presume that no other Brahmana or Kshatriya who had done before what you did on earth?

Yayati answered-- I tell you truly, I am Yayati,the son of Nahusha and the father of Puru. I was lord of all the Earth. You  are my relatives. Therefore I tell you the secret truth.I am the maternal grandfather of you all. Having conquered the whole earth.I gave clothes to Brahmanas.I also gave a hundred handsome horses for sacrificial rites. For such acts of virtue, the gods became favourable to those that performed them. I also gave to the Brahmanas this whole earth with her horses and elephants and kine and gold. I gave away all kinds of wealth, along with millions of excellent milking cows. Both the earth and the skies exist owing to my truth and virtue. Fire yet burns in the heart of the men owing to my truth and virtue. I never  uttered a word which was false.It is for this that the wise adore Truth.

Oh Ashtaka!All that I have told you, are true.As I told the truth to Pratardana the son of Udaiashwa.I know it for certain that the gods and the rishis are blessed & adorable only because of Truth. This is my perception. He that will without malice duly narrate to the Brahmanas  our story will attain  the  heaven for himself with us.

 Thus the illustrious king Yayati of high achievements, rescued by his grandsons, ascended to heaven, leaving the earth and covering the three worlds with the fame of his deeds.

Mahabharata – 131

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Ashtaka said -- How Oh Sir! Do men attain those higher realms? Is it by the sheer force of asceticism or by the attainment of higher knowledge? How can one gradually attain the higher regions? Please tell me in details.

Yayati answered --The wise say that for men there are seven gates of heaven. They are asceticism,benevolence, tranquillity of mind, self-command & modesty, simplicity and kindness to all creatures. The wise also say that a person loses all these in consequence of vanity. That man who having acquired knowledge by reading the Vedas regards himself as learned and with his learning if he seeks to destroy the reputation of others thereby he never attains the heaven. That knowledge also does not make its possessor competent to attain  Brahma. Study, observing the vow of silence, worship before fire and sacrifices, these four remove all fear. But when these are mixed with vanity, they cause fear. The wise should never be delighted at receiving honours nor should they grieve at insults. For it is the wise alone that honour the wise. The wicked never act like the virtuous. I have given away so much--I have performed so many sacrifices,--I have studied so much--I have observed these vows--such vanity is at the root of fear. Therefore, you must not indulge in such feelings. Those learned men who accept as their only resort, the unchangeable, inconceivable Brahman alone that ever shows blessings on persons virtuous like you enjoy  perfect peace here and hereafter.

Ashtaka said -- The wise differ in opinion as to how the followers of each of the four modes of life,like,Grihasthas, Bhikshus, Brahmacharins,and Vanaprashthas should conduct themselves in order to acquire religious merit.

Yayati answered --These are what a Brahmachari must do. While residing at the abode of his preceptor, he must receive lessons only when his preceptor summons him to do so. He must attend to the service of his preceptor without waiting for the guru’s command. He must rise from his bed before his preceptor rises and he must go to bed after his preceptor goes to bed.He must be humble, must have his passions under complete control,must be patient, vigilant and devoted to studies.It is then only that he can achieve success.

It has been said in the oldest scriptures that a grihastha, should acquire wealth by honest means,by which he may  perform sacrifices & charities. He should perform the rites of hospitality to all arriving at his house.He must never accept wealth from unwilling persons. He who adopts Vanaprashtha life should bring fruits & other foods through his own effort.He should abstain from all vicious acts. He should give away something in charity.He should never hurt any creature.It is then only he can achieve success. And a Bhikshu should not support himself by any manual arts. He should always give something in charity. Always his passions should be under complete control. Always he should remain aloof from worldly concerns. He should never sleep in the shelter of a householder. Always he should travel a little way every day,there by  to cover a large extent of the country.

The night when a familyman is preoccupied with self indulgence or sexual act,the person who follows Vanaprastha mode of life should keep his passions under complete control.If one properly observes the vanaprastha way of life & passes away in the forest itself does liberate ten generations of his ancestors.Ten generations of his descendants are liberated there by.He himself also liberated.

 Ashtaka asked -- How many kinds of munis are there?  Also tell us how many kinds of silence are there.

Here it should be noted that muni is one who observes the vow of silence.

Yayati replied -- One who keeps the village at his back is a kind of muni. One who keeps the forest at his back is another kind of muni.

Ashtaka said -- It seems to be a paradox. What is its real import?

Yayati answered -- A Muni who lives in the woods never supports himself with the fruits & other things that  are available in an inhabited place.

He does not offer sacrifice to the fire regularly. He does not live in any house. He puts on a piece of cloth to cover his waist only. Whatever portion of land is covered by the waist cloth is the land that he cleans to. He takes as much food as it is required to sustain his breath. When such a person lives in a village the village lives at his back.

Once again, a person sans any worldly desire might give up his daily chores.He does not perform any action with any design whatever.He does not act in order to fulfil any worldly ambition.If such a person keeps the vow of silence,he is destined to be liberated.

There could be a man who is ugly. But if he cleans his teeth & shaves regularly & puts on ornaments & good looking garments & is plunged in pure thoughts he commands the respect of everyone around him.

One who undergoes hard penance might become thin.He might be flesh & bone only.Since his blood decreases,his body might wane.In fact such a person could not only conquer this world,but also he conquers the world hereafter.     

When the Muni takes food like a cow or other animals,he becomes identified with the all-pervading spirit.He becomes acquainted with the whole universe and attains  liberation.

Ashtaka asked  --Who amongst these,Oh king,when both are  like the Sun and the Moon in spirit,are first liberated?.

 Yayati replied --The sage who lives sans desire among the householders whose heads are full of desires is earmarked for liberation.He is over head & ears in meditation.And meditating on the sublime he  leaps into trance. Such a man is liberated earlier.

And such a person always abstains from sinful acts because of the fear of being damned.

 The sacrifices by a person who feels that he would  never be benefitted by asceticism bear no fruit. He is unable to restrain  his sensual appetites.But whose reverence  is dependent on action that does not proceed from any desire of fruition is earmarked for liberation.This is as per the verdict of the scriptures & such men are Yogis.  

Mahabharata – 130

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

King Yayati came back upon earth after his long stay in heaven. And there was a chance meeting between Yayati & the ascetic Ashtaka.

Ashtaka asked -- For lack of virtue, when one falls from heaven, you say s/he is attacked by the terrible and sharp-toothed ogres? How can that be? How do they again enter the womb, furnished with senses?

Yayati answered --The semen or the seed of vitality in the males and the blood of the female mingle like the fruit & the flower & enter into the foetus of the mother in the form of the zygote. After falling from heaven the souls due to their vice, enter into the cloud. And along with the rain they enter into the fruits & paddy. Eating those fruits, the trees, plants, and other vegetables become the semen or the seed of vitality in the males. Then they  enter the mother's womb in the womanly season. It develops gradually into the embryo.

This statement of Yayati is very curious. The fallen souls according to Yayati take shelter in the clouds.And then do the come down upon earth as rains. This reminds us of the Bhagavadgita.It’s says annad vhavanti bhutani parjanyad anna sambhavah. The living organisms derive their life from food. The food in turn springs from rain fall. But who knew that with the rains fallen souls come down upon earth & it is they surely who expedite the growth of food in Nature. Thus our eco system has been deliniated by Yayati in a different way. Next time when we go in rains we should remember that fallen souls are at the heart of the rain waters that are shed.

Ashtaka asked -- Oh tell me! Does a being that has received a human form enter the womb in its own shape or in some other shape? How does it  acquire its distinct and visible shape ------ eyes and ears and consciousness as well? I ask you because I have my doubts on these issues. You are one who is acquainted with  physiology, we presume.

Yayati answered --- the seed or ova of the female after finally mixed with the sperm of the male drops into the uterus during the physiological cycle of the women. This is effected by vayu or a kind of air that is within the body.

How does the ovum from ovary ascend the falopian tube & reach the uterus? Physiology does not have any satisfactory answer to this phenomenon. In fact physiology describes the happenings in the body in terms of the movements of the various organs. But Mahabharata physiology or the ancient Indian physiology sees the action of vayu behind it’s movement. There are five types of vayu aworking in human body.They are prana,apana,udana,vyana & samana.With us they are fantasies as long as not verified in the laboratory.

According to Yayati the aforesaid vayu has another function. It helps the zygote in the embryo to grow  for the purpose of re-birth. The zygote then develops there in course of time.First it becomes the embryo and is next provided with the visible sense organs & mind. Coming out of the mother’s womb in due course of time, it becomes conscious of its existence as man.With her/his ears s/he becomes sensitive to  sound, with her/his eyes,s/he is aware of colour and form.With  nose,s/he is aware of smell. With his/her tongue,s/he beomes aware of  taste.By the whole body, s/he is aware of touch. And by the mind,s/he is aware of ideas.It is thus,that the gross and visible body develops from the fine elements.

Ashtaka asked -- After death, the body is burnt, or buried or otherwise destroyed by the sons or successors. Reduced to nothing because of such disintegration, by what principle is one revived in another form?

Yayati said  -- Oh best among kings! The person that dies assumes a fine form. By retaining the consciousness, as in sleep, of all his acts virtuous or sinful, he enters some other airy form & with a speed quicker than that of air itself enters into the uterus. The virtuous dons a superior,and the vicious an inferior form of existence. The vicious become worms and insects. I have nothing more to say. I have told you how beings are born, after the development of embryo in the mother’s womb. According to the merits of one's acts, the being  in a subtle form inheres the figures such  as four-footed or six-footed creatures and others with more feet. What more will you ask me?

This conversation between Yayati & Ashtaka is very very significant. The Mahabharata pins its faith on the transmigration of the soul.That is the corner stone of Hinduism. Buddhism also puts forward the hypothesis of transmigration. But Buddhism apparently does not believe in the existence of the soul. Buddhism pins its faith on that transmigration of a person. The Jataka tales as narrated by Fausboll dwells on five hundred forty seven life stories of Lord Buddha earlier to his birth as Siddhartha the prince of Kapilavastu. According to Buddhism it is not the soul that transmigrates. What transmigrates is the desire of a person. The desire is called tanha. In fact there is no qualitative difference between the Hindu notion of the transmigration of the soul & the Buddhist notion of the transmigration of tanha. In fact when the desire of a soul or of a person is extinguished the soul or the person exist & yet does not exist.The individual soul according to Hinduism  is not  perennial. When its desires vanish it become one with the cosmic soul or cosmic mind or Brahman. Despite that the individual souls could be invoked. They are numerous gods or the rishis worshiped by the Hindus. According to Buddhism when a person gets rid of it’s desire along a process of births & deaths or in course of it’s journey through countless births & deaths it becomes one with the cosmic mind or Bodhicitta. And despite that as a Buddhist we could invoke different Buddhas. And Buddhism also worship numerous gods such as Hindu do. Now how come that transmigration takes  place? Yayati  gives us a vivid myth regarding the same. It’s speaks of the process of how a child is born in the womb of a mother in the light of the biology of the Mahabharata. Commonly the zygote remains a women in the womb for three/four months. There after sex diffrentiation takes place.Upto this point the Mahabharata biology & modern biology are of the same opinion. But science can describe. It can not delve the cause of any happening. Science can tell us how oxygen & hydrogen unite to bring about water. But science cannot tell us how the waterness of the water with its thirst quenching power spring from the hydrogenness of hydrogen & the oxygenness of oxigen.The approach of science is not qualatitive. Is science a supertition?.The Mahabharata biology however spins a myth as to why sex differentiation takes place on the third/four month in the zygote.The souls with their unfulfilled desires after their demise hover in the space & seek a congenial womb where their desires could be fulfilled.The same notion might apply to the desires of the person in the light of Buddhism.May be this is not verifiable in the laboratory. Therefore we could read  myths as told by Yayati as science fiction.Much of the science fiction written earlier have been proved to be path finders at a latter stage in course of the onward march of the science.Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea was written in the past.It’s conjectures led to the discovery of the submarine. And may be genes could reveal the elemrnts of some desire that was nursed before a child is born.By the by it is not out of place to point out to our dear readers that our knowledge of genes is as yet very limited.

Mahabharata – 129

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Ashtaka said-- Oh foremost personality of the Satyayuga! Capable of assuming any form whatever at will, you  lived for a million years in the gardens of Nandana. For what reason, have you been compelled to leave that region and come on earth?

Yayati answered --As kinsmen, friends and relatives quit one whose wealth disappears in the world, so, in the other world, the celestials with Indra as their chief, quit him who  loses his righteousness.

Ashtaka said -- I am extremely curious to know when virtuous men lose their virtue & fall from heaven how they feel. Tell me also, what regions are achievable by great & virtuous persons.

 Yayati answered-- Oh Ashtaka !On losing virtue one is destined to suffer in the hell. Such persons are thrown upon the earth  & grow, only to become the food for vultures, dogs and jackals. Therefore, Oh king! such highly blameworthy and wicked acts should be avoided.I have now, Oh Ashtaka  told you  all. Tell me what more I shall say.

Ashtaka said ---------- Vultures, peacocks, insects, and worms eat up the human body that falls from the heaven. When life is destroyed, where does a man reside? How does he come back to life? I have never heard of any hell on earth!

Yayati answered -- After the doffing of the body, man, as per his acts, re-enters the womb of his mother. And stays there. There he gradually grows. And soon after he/she reappears in the world and walks on its surface. This is that earth-hell where he falls. And s/he grows old. But s/he is not aware of that. S/he continues to loaf about on the hell of the earth. As a result of pious works some dwell in the heaven for sixty- thousand years or eighty-thousand years. And then they fall due to decrease of their virtues. And as they fall, they are attacked by certain terrible ogres with sharp teeth in the earth.

Ashtaka asks Yayati as to whither go man after his demise. This question arises from the a priory notion that man does not die with his death. Death is a state of man in his journey along the axis of time.In other words death does not mean annihilation.

It appears from the speech of Yayati that this world of ours is the veritable hell. We are very fond of earth. We do not want to die because Nature’s bounty is here. But from Yayati’s stand point who visited different worlds other than the worlds of ours this world is rather a hell. By the by with men like Yayati the world of sense perception is not all in all. There are many other worlds & we live in multiverse. Heaven is real for Yayati because he lived there for centuries together. But life is not perpetual for the common run of men who are righteous. Virtue is the cash money with which one can book a flat in the heaven. But when one’s virtue exhausted one’s right to live in the heaven is lost. One will be turned out from heaven. So heaven cannot be all & end all of a soul in its journey along time.

Mahabharata – 128

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Ashtaka said -- Oh king of kings! Tell me, in detail, about all those regions that you visited and enjoyed. Your speech is like that of one who knows the mystery of the self.

 Yayati continued -- Once upon a time I was a king. I conquered the whole earth. Thereafter I lived  upon earth for thousand years. After my demise I went to other planes of existence. I visited  Amaravati of  extraordinary beauty. It has thousand gates. Its area consists of hundreds of yojana. There I lived for one thousand years. Then I moved to some other plane.Then I visited the realm of Lord Brahma. It is very difficult to reach the realm of Brahma. There old age & senility cannot enter. In other words no one is old there.

Then I went to another region. I also went to the Kailashdham the abode of Lord Shiva.There my prowess & influence was like that of the Rudras.

There I moved about as per my will. And also I went to the abode of Vishnu the Vaikunta loka where too I lived in happiness. I was greeted by all the celestials. Capable of assuming any form at will. I lived for a million years in the Nandana gardens sporting with the Apsaras and beholding numberless beautiful trees decked in flowery ornaments and sending forth delicious perfume all about.

And after many, many years, while still residing there in great pleasure, one day a celestial messenger of ferocious face, came & in a loud and deep voice, thrice shouted at me—Be fallen! Be fallen! Be fallen! Oh great  king Ashtaka, this much do I remember about the heaven. I was then fallen from the Nandana gardens. My religious merits were spent up. I heard in the skies, the voices of the celestials utter in grief,--Alas! What a misfortune! Yayati, of sacred deeds, is falling! As his religious merits are destroyed.

Yayati continued, I asked them loudly as to how I  could fall among the sages & honest people.Then they told me about the place sacred due to the observation of fire sacrifice. Me too could smell the fragrance of clarified butter that indicated a place where fire sacrifice was being observed. I could espy the end of smoke excelsioring from earth. I inferred thence that this was the site where fire sacrifices are observed.  And hence I have come rushing down to this spot.

Mahabharata – 127

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

While Yayati was falling from heaven they saw a flaming meteor descending from the skies. This glorious sight drew the attention of Ashtaka, the sage king.

Ashtaka enquired of Yayati -- Who are you? Oh handsome youth equal to Indra, in splendour blazing as the fire, thus falling from the sky? You are equal to that foremost of the bodies traversing the skies, the prince of the birds the Sun emerging from, dark masses of clouds? Seeing you falling from the solar course, possessed of measureless energy & the splendour of fire or Sun, every one of us is curious & eager to know as to what it is that is descending. Beholding you in the path of the celestials, possessed of energy like that of Indra, or Surya, or Vishnu, we have approached you to ascertain the truth. We did not ask who we are out of politeness. You are not as well asking us who we are. We now ask you who you. Be that as it may we ask you Oh bright & beautiful! Who are you  & why are you here? Let your fears be eliminated. May your distress & trouble cease. You are now in the presence of the virtuous and the wise. Even Indra himself--the slayer of Vala--cannot do any injury here. Oh! You have the prowess of the Indra. The wise & the virtuous are the support of their brothers in grief. Here are none but the wise and the virtuous like you assembled together. Therefore, stay you here in peace. Fire alone has power to give heat. The Earth alone has power to infuse life into the seed. The Sun alone has power to illuminate everything. So the guest alone has power to command the virtuous and the wise.

Yayati said  -- I am Yayati,the son of Nahusha and the father of Puru. Cast off from the region of the celestials and of Siddhas and Rishis for having disregarded every creature. I am falling down.My righteousness seems to have waned. In years I am older than you. Therefore, I have not saluted you first. Indeed, the Brahmanas always appreciate him who is older in years or superior in learning or in ascetic merit.

Ashtaka then replied -- you said that he who is older in years is worthy of regard. But it is said by the saints that he who is superior in knowledge & ascetic merit is truly worthy of worship. Yayati replied to this --- It is said that sin destroys the merits of virtuous acts & leads to hell. Presently or in the past the virtuous never follow the footsteps of the vicious. The virtuous act in such a way that their religious merit always waxes.I myself had great religious merit. But all that, however, have come to nought. I will scarcely be able to regain it even by my best efforts. Seeing my fate, he who wanted to achieve his own good to become virtuous must be careful. There by one will be wise.

He who having acquired great wealth  performing religious ceremonies, he who having acquired all kinds of knowledge remains humble,& he who having studied the entire Vedas devotes himself to asceticism attains prosperity &  goes to heaven. One should not be overjoyed in having acquired great wealth. One should not be arrogant for having studied the entire Vedas. In the world men are of different nature. Destiny is supreme. Both power & endeavour are of no use. Knowing destiny to be all-powerful, the wise, whatever their portions may be, neither should neither be arrogant nor should they lament.

When creatures knows that their wealth  and sorrow are dependent on destiny and not on their own endeavour or power, they should neither lament  nor should they be joyful.We must  remember that destiny is all in all. The wise should ever live contented, neither lament at distress nor revel in prosperity. When destiny is supreme, both grief and happiness are inappropriate Oh Ashtaka! I never allowed myself to suffer from fear, nor do I ever entertain grief. Insects and worms, all oviparous creatures, vegetable existences, all crawling animals, snakes, the fish in the water, stones, grass, wood--in fact, all created things, when they are freed from the effects of their acts, are united with the Supreme Soul. Happiness and misery are both transient. Therefore, Oh Ashtaka! Why should I grieve? We can never know how we are to act in order to avoid misery. Therefore, none should grieve for misery.'

Possessed of every virtue,  Yayati who was the maternal grandfather of Ashtaka, while staying in the skies was again questioned by the Ashtaka on the details of the heaven. 

Mahabharata – 126

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

King Yayati because of his austerities was transported to heaven.While the monarch Yayati  stayed in heaven--the home of the celestials, he was revered by the gods,the Sadhyas,the Maruts,and the Vasus.Of sacred deeds and mind under complete control, the monarch used to travel independently  now and then from the abode of the celestials to the realm of Brahma. And it has been heard by us that he stayed for a long time in heaven.

One day that best of the kings, Yayati, went to Indra and there in course of conversation the lord of the gods spoke to him as follows  --

'What did you say, Oh king! when  Puru took your old age on earth & when you gave him your kingdom?’

Yayati answered -- I told him that the whole country between the rivers Ganga and Yamuna was his.Therefore you are the king of the central region of the Earth, while the out-lying regions are to be the dominions of your brothers.

I also told him -- Never show your weakness,anger, wickedness, enmity or jealousy to others & never ever allow anyone to practise these.The wise never disobey the parents, the senior &  learned persons. Also revere the ascetics & the forgiving person. A powerful person always forgives. Those who are incapable always show grievance. The wicked always envy the good. Similarly incapable persons always envy the able.The beautiful & the handsome always hate the ugly, the poor envy the rich, the unsuccessful people always envy the successful. Similarly the impious people always hate the pious. Oh Puru! You must be aware of the fact that the worthless always hate the worthy. These are the manifestation of ‘kali’ the opposite to which is ‘satya’.Mixing  with the good people amongst the Brahamins,Kshatriyas,Vaishyas & Sudras makes a man honourable & people praise the honourable.Therefore Oh Puru! Always try to keep in touch with the good people.But your brothers are foolish & of wicked nature.They are unable to study the character of the people.

Indra then said  -- Oh king! As you had studied the different characteristics of men, as you can read human character, you are surely proud of it. You deserve our praise. Please tell me more as to the different characteristics of people.

Yayati replied, --Those without anger are ever superior to those under the  control of anger.Those disposed to forgive are ever superior to the unforgiving. Man is superior to the lower animals.Among men again the learned are superior to the ignorant.

If wronged, you should not wrong one in return. One's wrath, if disregarded, burns one's own self. If one displays his anger to somebody, the latter will be enriched with the fruitions of the pious deeds of the former. Never should you hurt others with cruel speeches. Never take excessive interest from the poor person & never utter  scorching and sinful words.Others must not be tortured with words. Otherwise it brings about misfortune & during the after life one goes to  hell. You must know that prosperity and luck fly away at the very sight of one who pinches others by means of hard and cruel words.And people consider such men as unlucky.You should ever keep the virtuous people before you  as your model, you should ever with retrospective eye compare your acts with those of the virtuous.You should always disregard the hard words of the wicked.The man hurt by the arrows of cruel speech drags one to hell.The wise never shoot the arrows of cruel speech at others. There is nothing in the three worlds by which you can worship & adore others than by kindness,friendship,charity and sweet speeches to all. You should always employ sweet speech to others. And you should always take into account those that deserve, & you should always give but never beg.

Indra continued  -- Oh king Yayati! You did retire into the woods, after accomplishing all your duties.I would ask you whether there is any equal to you in ascetic austerities.

 Yayati answered -- Oh king of gods! I do not in the matter of ascetic austerities, consider anyone as  my equal among men, the celestials,the Gandharvas and the great Rishis.

 Indra then said-- Oh king! You disregarded those  who are your superiors or your equals, & even your inferiors, without, in fact, knowing their real merits. Your virtues have suffered & waned. You must fall from heaven.

 Yayati then said --Oh king of gods! If, indeed, my virtues have declined & I must fall down from heaven on that account. I desire, O chief of the celestials, that I may at least fall among the virtuous and the honest

Indra replied -- Oh Yayati! Never again disregard those who are your superiors or your equals. Oh king! You shall fall among those who are virtuous and wise, & you shall acquire also much honor.

Thus Yayati fell from the region of the celestials. And as he was falling, he was beheld by the foremost of royal sages.