Mahabharata – 196
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
    Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Birth of Nakula and Sahadeva

Pandu,  allured by the desire of having more children wished to request again to Kunti. But Kunti replied ---The wise do not sanction a fourth delivery even in a season of distress in this way.The woman having intercourse with four different men is called a Swairini. While she having  intercourse with five becomes a Bandhaki. Therefore, Oh learned one,as you are well-acquainted with the scripture on this subject, why do you, misled by desire of offspring, ask me so in seeming forgetfulness of the ordinance?

 After the birth of Kunti’s sons and Gandhari’s son,Madri one day privately addressed to  Pandu, ---  You have lost the power to procreate.I have no complaint for that. Though by birth I am a princess but I am staying in such an ordinary situation. I do not complain for that. I do not grieve, that Gandhari has obtained a hundred sons. But  my great grief is that while Kunti and I are equal,I am childless, while fortunate Kunti is with your children. Now if Kunti be gracious that I should have offspring, she would then be really doing me a great favour and benefiting you likewise. Kunti  being my co-wife, I feel that it is embarrassing in soliciting any favour from her. But if you are happy with me then please do a favour to me by asking her to grant my desire to become a mother. Hearing her, Pandu replied --- Oh Madri! I am also considering this matter in my own mind. I am hesitating to tell you  anything, not knowing how you would respond to it. Now that I know what your wishes are.I shall certainly request her. I think that, asked by me, Kunti will not refuse me. After this, Pandu addressed Kunti in private --- Oh Kunti! give me some more offspring for the expansion of my race and for doing good to the people.Oh blessed one! provide me and my ancestors, that we may always have the funeral cake offered to us. Do one more beneficial act for my satisfaction. Do what indeed, may be difficult for you, moved by the desire of achieving unfading fame. Do good to every one of us once more.See that Indra, even though he had obtained the kingdom of the celestials,yet for the sake of fame alone, he performed sacrifices. Oh handsome one!, Brahmanas, acquainted with the mystical formula,and having achieved high ascetic merit, yet they,for fame alone,approach their spiritual masters with reverence.So also all great ascetic royal sages and Brahmanas,for fame only,aspire for the most difficult ascetic feat to achieve. Rescue Madri like a raft, and achieve imperishable fame by making her a mother of children.Kunti replied --- Oh King! Whatever you said is as per the laws of virtue.I shall do a favour to Madri.In accordance with Pandu’s request, Kunti said to Madri--- Think, of some celestial for once only, and you shall certainly obtain from him a child like him. Madri thought of the twin Aswins, who showed up in a flash to her and begat upon her twin sons and they were known in the world as Nakula and Sahadeva.Their beauty was unparalleled on earth. And as soon as they were born, an airy voice said --- In energy and beauty these two children shall exceed the twin Aswins themselves. Indeed they possesses great energy and beauty. They will illuminate the whole region.

After all the children were born, the rishis dwelling in the Sata-Sringa mountain  blessed them and affectionately performed the first rites of birth.And they honoured the children by performing the naming ceremony.The eldest of Kunti's children was called Yudhishthira,the second Bhimasena,and the third Arjuna, and of Madri's sons, the first-born of the twins was called Nakula and the next Sahadeva.And all those sons were born one after another at an interval of one year Nakula and Sahadeva were however twins born after one year from the date of birth of Arjuna.But all of them were physically stout as if each one of them was    five years old.And king Pandu, seeing his children of celestial beauty and of super- human energy of great strength and prowess, was exceedingly happy. After some time Pandu again requested Kunti in private on behalf of Madri for begetting a child again. Kunti replied --- Having given her the mystic formula of calling on any deity only once, she had, managed to obtain two sons by calling twin gods. Thus I was deceived by her. I fear, that she will soon surpass me in the number of her children. This, indeed, is the way of all wicked women. I am a fool. I did not know that by calling the twin gods one may obtain at one birth two sons. I beseech you, O king, do not command me any more. Let this be the boon granted by you to me. Each bears every auspicious mark on his person. Each one is handsome like the Moon, proud as the lion, well-skilled in the use of the bow.

Thus,Pandu had five sons who were begotten by celestials and were with great strength,and who all lived to achieve great fame.  Needless to say, that they were auspicious in their appearance, they were as pleasing as the Moon. They were as proud as the lion. They ambled like lions. They were great archers even in their boyhood.

Their chest was like that of a lion. The persevered like lions. Their eyes were like those of a lion.Their  necks resembled those of the lion. They were like lion in prowess. They gradually became the best of men.  They were as bright and brave as gods.They were growing like that in the hill named Sata –Sringa to the great surprise awe of the great sages.  The five Pandavas and the hundred sons of Dhritarashtra--that generator of the Kuru race--grew up rapidly like a cluster of lotuses in a lake.

 

Mahabharata – 195
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                 Aadivamsavatarana Parva

 Birth of Arjuna
 After the birth of Bhima, Pandu again began to think ---How am I to get  a very heroic son who will be greatest prowess in the globe. Every, thing in the world depends  on destiny and manliness. But destiny can never be successful except by timely manliness. We have
heard  that Indra is the chief of the gods and the kings. Indeed, he is endowed with immeasurable might and energy and prowess and glory. Satisfying  him with my asceticism, I shall obtain from him a son of great strength. The son, he will give me,must be the superior to
all.And he will be capable of defeating  in battle all men and creatures  including demons.I shall, therefore, practice the severest austerities, with heart, deed and speech. After this Pandu,  counseling with the great rishis asked  Kunti to observe an auspicious vow for one full year. Pandu himself practiced severe austerities with deep concentration. He used to stand upon one leg from morning to evening, to satisfy the lord of the gods.
 After a long time Indra being satisfied with Pandu’s  devotion showed up and said to Pandu ---I shall give you,a son who will be famous all over the three worlds. He will protect the kingdom. He will  be engaged in doing  good to the  Brahmanas, cows and friends. The son I shall give you will thrash  the wicked. He will be the cause of joy of friends and relatives. Foremost of all men, he will be an irresistible slayer of all foes. Saying this Indra left the place in a
flash.
Remembering the words of the king of the gods  the virtuous Pandu said to Kunti, Oh fortunate one! The king of the gods has been satisfied. Therefore our mission will become successful . And the result will be excellent. Indra the king of gods is willing to give us the desired son  that we  long for. Oh beautiful lady! Give birth to a son of great fame. Being superhuman,he will be the oppressor of all enemies and he will be  possessed of great wisdom. In splendor he will
be equal to the Sun, unbeatable in battles, and of great achievements. He will also be extremely handsome and possessor of great soul. As the lord of the gods  has become gracious to us bring  forth a child who will have  all the Kshatriya characteristics.
Thus addressed by  Pandu, Kunti appealed to Indra, who  showed up in a flash and blessed her with a son. Then in the month of Phalguna in day time at the juncture of Purva Phalguni and Uttara Phalguni  the boy took birth. As the boy was born in the month of Phalguna and in the Phalguni  Nakshatra, he was named Phalguni. And as soon as this child was born, an airy voice, loud and deep filling the whole sky, addressing Kunti in the hearing of every creature dwelling in that sylvan asylum said --- This child of yours, Oh Kunti!, will be equal to Kartavirya  Arjuna in
energy and Siva in prowess. He will be unbeatable  like Indra.  He will spread your fame far and wide. As Naryana in the guise of a dwarf  enhanced Aditi's joy, so shall this child enhance your joy. Defeating the Madras, the Kurus along with the Somakas, and the kingdom of Chedi, Kasi and Karusha, he will escalate the prosperity of the Kurus. Agni or the fire god will derive great satisfaction from the fat of all creatures dwelling in the Khandava woods  by the prowess of this
one's arms. This mighty hero, vanquishing all the monarchs of the earth, will, with his brothers perform three great horse sacrifices. In prowess, Oh Kunti, he will be like Jamadagnya or Vishnu. The foremost of all men, he will be endowed with prowess .He will achieve
great fame. He will satisfy in battle, by his prowess, Lord Shiva. And he will receive from him the great weapon named Pasupata. Your this son of mighty arms will also slay, at the command of Indra, the demons called the Nivatakavachas who are the enemies of the gods. He will
also acquire all kinds of celestial weapons. This bull among men will recover the lost fortunes of his family from the enemies. Kunti heard these extraordinary words immediately after the birth of his this son. Those words were uttered so loudly, that  the ascetics dwelling on the mountain of Sata-Sringa became very glad on hearing. The sound of the chariots of the celestials with Indra in the sky could be heard. And the sounds of the  drum filled the entire sky.And the whole region was covered with flowers showered down by invisible agents. The gods,the Garuda and other birds, theNagas, the Gandharvas, the apsaras, the Prajapati, the seven great rshis, began  to offer their respectful admiration to Arjuna. Bharadwaja, Kasyapa, Gautama,Viswamitra, Jamadagni, Vasishtha, and the illustrious Atri who illumined the world
when the Sun used to set, all came there. And Marichi, Angiras,Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Dakshaprajapati, the Gandharvas, and Apsaras, came there also. The Apsaras, decked with fine cloth and celestial garlands and  ornaments, came there and danced and sang in joy, for
Arjuna. The great rishis all around began repeat  mystical mantras for the well-being of Arjuna. And the handsome Tumvuru accompanied by the other gandharvas was already there. And Bhimasena and Ugrasena, Urnayus and Anagha. Gopati and Dhritarashtra and Purnyavarchas,Yugapa and Trinapa, Karshni, Nandi, and Chitraratha, Salisirah,Parjanya,the
Kali , and Narada, Rihatta,Vrihatta, Vriakha,Karal, Brahmachari, and famous Suvrana of great soul, Viswavasu, Bhumanyu, Suchandra, Saru and the Haha and Huhu with wonderful  voice, started singing in praise of Arjuna. Many important apsaras or celestial dames also of large eyes, decked with ornament came there to dance and sing. And Anuchana and Anavadya, Gunamukhya and Gunavara, Adrika and Soma, Misrakesi and Alambusha, Marichi and Suchika, Vidyutparna and Tilottama and Ambika, Lakshmana, Kshema Devi, Rambha, Manorama, Asita, Suvahu, Supriya, Suvapuh, Pundarika, Sugandha, Surasa, Pramathini, Kamya and Saraswati,
these twentyeight apsaras all danced there together. And Menaka, Sahajanya, Karnika, Punjikasthala, Ritusthala, Ghritachi, Viswachi, Purvachiti, the celebrated Umlocha, Pramlocha and Urvasi these eleven, large-eyed dancing apsaras came there and sang in chorus. And Dharti
and Aryaman and Mitra and Varuna, Bhaga and Indra, Vivaswat, Pushan, auspicious Tvastra and Parjanya and Vishnu, these twelve Adityas came there to glorify birth of the third Pandava and lingered in the milky way of the sky. Mrigavyadha, Sarpa, the Niriti, Ajaikapada,
Ahivradhna, Pinakii, Dahana, Iswara, Kapalii, Sthanu and the Bhaga--these eleven Rudras,--also came there. And the twin Aswins, the eight Vasus, the mighty fortynine Marutas, the Viswedevas, and the Sadhyas, also came there. And Karkotaka, Vasuki, Kachchhapa, Kunda and
the Takshaka,--these mighty and cruel snakes possessed of high ascetic merit also came there. And Tarkshya, Arishtanemi, Garuda, Asitadvaja, Aruna and Aruni of Vinata's race also came there. And only great Rishis crowned with ascetic merit and not others saw those celestials
and other beings seated in their cars or waiting on the mountain peaks. Those best of Munis seeing that wonderful sight, became astonished, and their love and affection for Arjuna was in consequence increased.
This episode is significant at least on three levels. On the first level it clearly posits that despite the fact that Pandu was impotent physically he was extra ordinarily powerful in ascetic feats. It was through his sheer asceticism and through the grand devotion of his queen that Indra came upon the scene to bless Kunti with a third child named Arjuna or Phalguni. Thus Pandu became dejure the father of Arjuna.The descriptions of the circumstances during the birth of Arjuna  reminds us of a saviour who will save the world from the trauma of existence. The greatest men, the celestials and the Nature participated in the cosmic joy of the existence at the birth of Arjuna. We get a glimpse of the pisgah vision hereby. The prophesy
of the voice of heaven give us a notion of coming events

Mahabharata – 194
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
    Aadivamsavatarana Parva

                 Birth of Bhima

We have already narrated the story of the birth of Yudhishthira. Pandu was cursed by an ascetic. He  was not capable to procreate. But his wife Kunti was not an ordinary woman.She earned the super natural power to invoke any god who would bless her with a son. At the request of Pandu she invoked Dharma to give her a child. This is very significant Pandu might have asked Kunti to beget a child by any god whatever. But he asked Kunti to invoke Dharma because Pandu always prized Dharma and virtue above anything else. Consequently Yudhisthira was born and he was deemed to be the eldest son of Pandu.True that one Moon can do away with darkness. But thousands of stars together cannot achieve that.But Pandu was not satisfied with one son only.        

He again addressed his wife ---The wise say that a Kshatriya must be endowed with physical strength. Otherwise he is no Kshatriya. Therefore, I ask you for an offspring of great strength.

Thus requested by her lord,Kunti then appealed to Vayu. And the mighty god of wind, thus solicited, came to her, riding a deer,and said --- What,O Kunti,am I to give you? Tell me what is  your desire?

Smiling in modesty, she said to him --- Oh best of the gods!, give me, a child endowed with great strength.

The god of wind thereupon begot upon her the mighty child afterwards known as Bhima of powerful arms and fierce prowess. And on the birth of the child by the god of wind endwoed with extraordinary strength, an airy voice said --- This child shall be the foremost of all, endowed with strength. Another wonderful event occurred presently after the birth of Bhima. He fell from the lap of his mother upon a large stone. Because of the violence of the fall the stone broke into thousand pieces upon which the child fell. The body of the infant was as hard as the thunderbolt.And the infant body was not injured in the least.And he fell from his mother's lap because Kunti had been frightened by the roar of a tiger. Unconscious of the child that lay asleep on her lap she dropped the child. And seeing this, Pandu became full of wonder and awestruck. And that very day on which Bhima was born,was also, the birthday of Duryodhana.

And this great second child of Kunti was born in the month of Chaitra during the period of waxing moon and on the thirteenth day of the bright fortnight. At that moment Jupiter was rising  in the presence of Magha Nakshatra. The Moon entered into the Leo. It was the middle of the day at the eighth Muhurta.

Mahabharata – 193   by Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya

Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Kunti’s reply to Pandu’s entreaty
King Pandu was cursed by an ascetic. Consequently he became impotent.
But he longed for a child so that his duties to his forefather could
be  accomplished. To that end he implored his wife Kunti to co-habit with some brahamana of high water mark to beget sons for him.In response Kunti told Pandu the king as follows   ---It is the responsibility of the wife to please her husband. Presently you my dear husband are trying to please me your wife. It is very much contrary to the religious tenets.
In my teens, I was in my father's house engaged in attending the guests. One day I satisfied with my attention and service that Brahmana of rigid vows and of great ascetic merit whom people call Durvasa. His mind was under full control. He possessed knowledge of all the mysteries of religion. Pleased with my services, he gave me a boon in the form of a mantra for calling to my presence any one of the celestials I liked. And the rishi, told me that --- Anyone among the celestials whom I call by this mantra, will approach me and be obedient to my will, whether he likes it or not.And Durvasa said that I should also have offspring through the grace of the god whom I summon with aid of the aforesaid mantra. Oh king! that Brahmana told me this when I lived in my father's house.The words uttered by the Brahmana can never be false.The time also has come when that may yield fruit. Requested  by you,I can with the help of  that mantra
invoke any of the celestials,so that wmay have good children.

Birth of Yudhishthira
Tell me which of the celestials I shall summon. Know that,as regards this matter, I wait for your commands. Pandu in reply said--- Oh fortunate one! Summon the god of justice.He is the most virtuous amongst the celestials. By the way, justice and virtue will never let us to be polluted with sin. Once a son is born to us with the aid of dharma, we will know that whatever we do or think can never be unholy. The son also that we shall obtain from him shall be virtue personified. Certainly he will be the foremost among the Kurus. Begotten by the god of justice and morality, he will never set his eyes upon anything that is sinful or unholy. Therefore, Oh fortunate one!, steadily keeping your eyes on virtue, and duly observing holy vows, summon the god of justice and virtue by chanting your mantra appeal to god of justice.Thus
addressed by her lord, Kunti said--- So be it. And bowing down to her husband, reverently she resolved to do as per his request.

In the mean time, Gandhari the wife of Dhritarastra  Pandu’s elder brother was also carrying. She had been carrying for one full year. If Gandhari had given birth to a son before Kunti could give birth to a child it was Gandhari’s son who would have the claim to throne. However at the bidding of king Pandu  Kunti  it was then Kunti summoned the god of justice to obtain an offspring from him.She worshipped the god of justice and began to duly repeat the mantra that Durvasa had imparted to her.Then the god, moved by her hymn arrived at the spot where Kunti was busy with the prayer. The god was seated in his car dazzling like the Sun.Smilingly he asked, Oh Kunti!,what am I to give you? And Kunti too smilingly replied---You must give me an offspring. Then the fortunate Kunti was united with the god of justice in the forest on the great mountain Sata-Sringa.
She shared the bed with the god of justice in his super human form. She had purified herself with seasonal bath before mating with thegod.And she obtained from him a son devoted to the good of all creatures. And she give birth to her excellent eldest child, who lived to acquire a great fame, at the eighth Muhurta called Abhijit, at noon when the sun was at the zenith. It was the month of Jyaistha when the sun was in Taurus. It was a full moon day. And as soon as the child was born, a voice from the skies announced ---‘This child shall be the best of men,the foremost of those that are virtuous and honest.He will have great prowess.He will be truthful in speech.He shall certainly be the ruler of the earth.And this first child of Pandu shall be known by the name of Yudhishthira.He shall be a famous king, known throughout the three worlds’.

By the by while Yudhishthira was born, Gandhari though carrying for one long year did not give birth to any child. So Yudhishthira’s claim to the Kuru throne was a fait accompli.

    

Mahabharata – 192
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
    Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Back ground of Birth story of Pandavas

 Pandu was cursed by an ascetic and he became impotent.So he was incapble of bring forth children through his dear wives Madri and Kunti.It seems that Pandu used to confide his personal thoughts in Kunti.And Pandu addressed Kunti and told her --- We the Kurus, for the continuation of the Kuru race, have been begotten by  Vedavyasa. You know that. It has also been said by the scholars who are well versed in the rules of morality that a child could be begotten by a woman with the aid of a deputy provided she has the consent of her husband. A devoted wife must ever seek her husband during her monthly season. But at other times she deserves liberty.  Be that as it may since I am not competent you mate with some ideal person to bring forth children for me. Because I want to reap the fruitions that one who has a son,in the life here-after. This shows that with the protagonists of the Mahabharata the life here after was no less important than the life here. Pandu exhorts his devoted wife to get children by others. He adds that  the Vedas have declared that it is the duty of the wives to do what their husbands ask them to do.This is significant in our context. One wonders whether a wife should undergo prostitution at the instance of her husband. Pandu told Kunti --- Oh my fair lady! I am deprived of the power of procreation by the curse of the Deer. Yet till now I am desirous of having offsprings.Oh you  amiable one! Joining my palms with rosy fingers, and making them a cup  of lotus leaves,I place my hand on your head to regain your favour. Raise offsprings, at my wish through some Brahmana of high ascetic merit and have offsprings. So that I may go to that place which is reserved for those whot are blessed with children. Thus addressed by Pandu, Kunti reply is significant.

 

Mahabharata 191
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva
                                           Pandu's pleading
Kunti narrated the laments of the widow Bhadra. The lament touches the high water mark of elegiac poetry. She through her devotion to her husband brought back the fleeting breath of her husband and co-habited with the spirit of the husband and begot children. A wonderful story of conjugal love. Kunti said that she was as devoted to Pandu as Bhadra was devoted to her husband. So Kunti told  king Pandu that she would beget children by the spirit of Pandu even after Pandu’s death the way Bhadra begot her children.
King Pandu well-versed in all the rules of morality replied conforming to virtue --- Oh Kunti, what you said is absolutely true. King Vyushitaswa did as you said. Indeed he was equal to the
gods. But I shall now tell you the practices of rule of the morality as perceived by illustrious rishis. Oh you handsome with sweet smiles! Women formerly were not confined within the houses  and was not defendant on husbands and other relatives. They used to go about freely, enjoying themselves as best as they liked. They did not adhere only to their husbands faithfully. And yet, they were not regarded sinful, as that was the practice of the times. That very
practice is followed even to-day by birds and beasts without any jealousy. That practice, was sanctioned by precedent. It is praised by the great scholars. The practice is yet regarded with respect amongst the Northern Kurus. Indeed, that practice, is good for  the women. It
had  the sanction by the scholars of olden days . The present practice, however of women being confined to one husband for life, was established lately. I shall tell you in detail who established it and why. It has been heard by us that there was a great rishi known by the name Uddalaka, who had a son named Swetaketu who was also a great rishi. The present practice has been established by that Swetaketu in anger. Hear the reason. One day, in the presence of Uddalaka , a
Brahmana came and catching Swetaketu's mother’s   hand, told her ---Let us go. Seeing his mother taken away as if by force,  Swetaketu was greatly moved by anger. Seeing his son upset, Uddalaka addressed him  ---Be not angry. Oh my son! This is the tradition of the women for long. The women of all orders in this world are free. Like the cows the women are subject to their own will.But they never neglected the house hold duties. And during their monthly
season they never deserted their hubands and never allowed other men. The rishi's son, Swetaketu, however, disapproved the old custom. And established in the world,  the present practice as regards men and women. Therefore the existing practice dates from that period among human beings only. But it does not apply to other classes of birds and
animals. It is sinful for the women not to follow their husbands. Women overstepping the limits set by the rishi Swetaketu became henceforth guilty of slaying the embryo. And men too,  who will have extra marital affairs other than his virgin and loving wife, who  from
her maidenhood observed the vow of purity, became guilty of the same sin. The woman also who, being commanded by her husband to raise offspring, by others  refuses to do so becomes equally guilty. Oh Kunti! The present usage established by Swetaketu, the son of Uddalaka
replacing the old one by the power of his asceticism should be observed. It has been also heard by us that Madayanti, the wife of Saudasa, commanded by her husband to raise offspring went to the sage Vasishtha. And on going to him, the handsome Madayanti obtained a son
named Asmaka. She did this, moved by the desire of doing good to her
husband. The Mahabharata thus in its own way seeks to explore the roots or the
genesis of different social institutions. According to the Mahabharata earlier women were more or less free to co – habit with any man. Conversely men were also free to co- habit with any woman. Only during the season the woman can not co- habit with any man other than her
husband. Thus free sex was largely acknowledged during the earlier times. But Swetaketu brought about a change in the system through a legitimation.This simply shows that marriage as an institution is not perennial. Its laws are never absolute. The Mahabharata persists that
even during the Mahabharata age there were societies where women were free to co- habit with others. Since no law is perennial and absolute he rules of marriage could be amended or changed. That is the legitimation of the  Mahabharata. Hence living together gay marriage
and the like of today should not be looked down upon.

        

Mahabharata – 190
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya

 Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Kunti's pleading
 Thus addressed by Pandu , Kunti replied ---Oh virtuous one!you are free from all the vices and I am your wedded wife therefore you should not say like this to me. Oh you lotus-eyed! Being your wife I am only devoted to you. yourself shall, piously, beget upon me children who will be endowed with great energy. Then I shall ascend to heaven with you.Oh my lord receive me in your arms and  embrace me for begetting children. I shall not certainly, even in imagination, accept any other man except you. Where is the other man in this world superior to you? Oh virtuous one, listen to this Pauranic narrative that was, heard by me. In the ancient times,  a king in this race of Puru, known by the name of Vyushitaswa. He was devoted to truth and virtue. Of virtuous soul and mighty arms, on one occasion, while he was performing a sacrifice to the gods, Indra and the great rishis came to him, and Indra was so intoxicated with the Soma juice he drank and the Brahmanas with the large gifts they received, that both the gods and the great rishis began themselves to perform everything relevant to that sacrifice of the illustrious royal sage. And Vyushitaswa began to shine above all men like the Sun appearing in double splendor when the winter season is over. And the powerful Vyushitaswa, after  performing the horse-sacrifice, defeated all the kings of the East, West, North, and South. And he brought them under
control. There is a story which is recited by all the gleemen of Puranas, in connection with that of the illustrious Vyushitaswa. He was endowed with the strength of ten elephants. And having conquered the whole Earth up to the coast of the sea. Vyushitaswa protected every class of his subjects as a father protecting his own sons. Performing many great sacrifices he gave away much wealth, unlimited jewels and precious stones to the Brahmanas. And he performed special Vedic sacrifices,by collecting great quantities of Soma juice. The Somanga sacrifice was taking place. Vyushitaswa’s dearest  wife, was Bhadra, the daughter of Kakshivan, with unparalleled beauty on earth. And it had been heard by us that the couple loved each other deeply. King
Vyushitaswa was seldom separated from his wife. Sexual excess, however, brought on an attack of tuberculosis and the king died within a few days, sinking  like the Sun in his glory. Then the sonless Bhadra, his beautiful queen, in great woe wept in great pain. Kindly listen to it, as I narrate to you all that Bhadra said in deep distress --- Women serve no purpose when their husbands are dead. She who lives after her husband is dead. And she drags  a miserable existence that can hardly be called life. Oh best  of the Kshatriya order, death is a blessing to women without husbands. I wish to follow the way you have gone. Be kind and take me with you. Be kind to me, Oh king ! Take me to the eternal world very soon.  Oh best of the men, I shall follow you  along the even and uneven ground. You have gone away, Oh lord, never to return. I shall follow you. O king I shall always be obedient to you. And I will ever do what is agreeable to you and what is for your good. Oh you whose eyes liken lotus-petals, without you, from this day, mental agonies will move me and eat my heart. A wretched that I am, surely in the past, some
loving couple was separated by me. For that now, I am made to suffer from deep pain of separation from you. Oh king! That wretched woman who lives even for a moment separated from her lord, lives in distress and suffers the pain of hell even here. Some loving couple was
doubtless  separated by me in the past life .For the sinful act I am suffering this torture arising from my separation from you. Oh king!From this day I shall lay myself down on a bed of Kusa grass and abstain from every luxury, hoping to see you once more. Oh king !Show yourself to me and command me once more. See that your unfortunate wretched and bitterly weeping wife is in great woe. It was thus, the beautiful Bhadra wept over the death of her lord. And the weeping
Bhadra held in her arms the dead body  of her husband in agony. Then she was addressed by an airy voice ---Rise up, Oh amiable lady!, Leave this place now. Oh you of sweet smiles, I assure you that, I will beget offspring upon you. Lie down with me on your own bed, after the monthly seasonal  bath, on the night of the eighth or the fourteenth day of the moon. Thus addressed by the airy voice, the maidenly Bhadra did, as she was directed, for obtaining an offspring. The dead body of her husband begot upon her seven children. Three Salwas and four Madras. Oh king!do you also beget offspring upon me, like the illustrious Vyushitaswa, by the exercise of that ascetic
power which you possess. The laments of the wife of Vyushitaswa is significant. Often widows
have to lie on kusa grass in absence of their husbands. If the widow chooses the life of penance out of her love for the deceased husband it is fine. But are women capable of love like the wife of Vyushitaswa ?If they are not attached to their husband in the self same way why
should they adopt a life of penance giving up all the pleasures of existence.

Mahabharata – 189
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
    Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Pandu’s request to Kunti

The rishis said --- Oh pious king ! There are sons for you. They will be sinless blissful with good fortune and liken the gods. We see it all with our prophetic eyes.

 Therefore, Oh king! Be careful to obtain the fruits that are distinctly visible to our minds eye. You will really obtain accomplished and pleasing sons.

Hearing these words of the sages, Pandu, remembering the loss of his procreative power owing to the curse of the deer was distracted deeply. And calling his wife the amiable Kunti in private he said to her --- Make every effort to raise offspring at this time of distress. The wise explained that we will have sons. Oh Kunti!, Offspring is the cause of virtuous fame in the three worlds. It is said that sacrifices, charitable gifts, ascetic penances, and vows do not cmpensate the want of a son. Knowing all this, I am certain that being sonless, I shall not obtain regions of true bliss. Being an unfortunate person I was addicted to cruel deeds.As a result of this I lost my power of procreation cursed by the deer. Religious merit is of no avail to a sonless man. Oh Kunti!, listen to me  --- Six kinds of sons have the right to inherit the paternal property.1st, the son begotten by one's own self upon his wife, 2nd, the son begotten upon one's wife by a competent person from motives of kindness, 3rd, the son begotten upon one's wife by a person for financial consideration; 4th, the son begotten upon the wife after the husband's death,5th, the son begotten before the marriage takes place

and 6th, the son born of an immoral wife. Besides there could be six other types of sons 1st,is the son gifted, 2nd, the son bought for a consideration, 3rd, the son who is obtained artificially, 4th, the son received with a pregnant bride, 5th, the brother's son, and 6th, the son begotten upon a wife of lower caste. On failure of begetting an offspring of the prior class, the mother should desire to have offspring of the next class. In times of distress, females solicit offspring from the younger brother of her husband. The self-born Manu said that men failing to get offspring of their own may have offspring begotten upon their wives by others. They have the highest religious merit. Therefore, Oh Kunti! As I lost my power of procreation, I request you to raise amiable offspring through some person who is either equal or superior. Oh Kunti, listen to the history of  Saradandayani. She was appointed by her husband to raise offspring. When her monthly season arrived, she bathed duly and in the night went out and waited on a spot where four roads met. There she met a Brahmana of great ascetic success. Saradandayana solicited him for offspring. After offering clarified butter to the sacrificial fire she spent the night with that brahamana.Thus she brought forth three sons.They were mighty car-warriors and Durjaya or the unconqurable was the eldest. Oh  you of good fortune, follow my request, and promptly raise offspring out of the seed of some Brahmana of high ascetic merit.

Mahabharata – 188
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
    Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Journey of Pandu for the search of the soul

Meanwhile, the prince Pandu accompanied by his two wives and eating fruits and roots went to the mountains of Nagasata. He next went to Chaitraratha, and then crossed the Kalakuta, and finally, crossing the Himalayas, he arrived at Gandhamadana. Protected by siddhas, and great rishis, Pandu lived,on level ground and sometimes on mountain slopes. He then journeyed on to the lake of Indradyumna, whence crossing the mountains of Hansakuta, he went to the mountain Sata-sringa and there the highly energitic Pandu continued to practise ascetic austerities.

 Within a short time he became the favourite of the siddhas or the realised souls and charanas or gleemen devoted to the devotional songs residing there. And, devoted to the service of his spiritual masters, free from vanity, with mind under complete control of the passions the prince, desirous to enter the heaven by his own energy, attained the great ascetic prowess. Some of the rishis would call him brother, some became friend, while others loved him as their son.Thus Pandu became like a Brahmarshi.Which he acquired after a long time through great penance.

On a certain day of the new moon, the great rishis of rigid vows assembled together, and desirous to meet Brahma were on the point of starting their expedition. Seeing them about to set out, Pandu asked them ---You the best of eloquent men, where shall you go? The rishis answered --- There will be a great gathering of rishis and celestials and pitris today, in the abode of Brahma. Desirous of seeing the Brahma we shall go there today. Hearing this, Pandu rose up suddenly, desirous of seeing the heaven along with the great rishis. Accompanied by his two wives, following the rishis Pandu went in the northern direction from the mountain Sata-sringa.

Pandu look forward to reaching heaven and going beyond. Then the ascetics told him ---In our northward march, while gradually ascending the kingdom of mountains, we have seen many regions inaccessible to ordinary mortals on their delightful peaks.Also the solitary abode  of the gods, and gandharvas and apsaras, with many palatial mansions echoing with the sweet notes of celestial music, the gardens of Kuvera laid out on even and uneven grounds, banks of mighty rivers, and deep caverns. There are many regions also on those heights that are covered with permanent snow and are utterly devoid of vegetables and animal existence. In some places the downpour of rain is so heavy that they are perfectly inaccessible to the ordinary mortals. Naturally those regions are difficult to approach by the mortals. Not to speak of other animals, even winged creatures cannot cross them. The only thing that can go there is air, and the only beings, who can go there siddhas and great rishis. How shall these princesses ascend those heights of the mountains?

Unfamiliar to pain, shall they not fall down in distress? Therefore, don’t follow us.

Pandu replied ---Sir it is said that for the sonless there is no room in the heaven. I am sonless!  In distress I speak to you! I am unfortunate because I have not been able to pay the debt I owe to my ancestors. It is certain that with my death my ancestors will be destroyed. Men are born on this earth with four debts.Firstly to ancestors, secondly to the gods, thirdly to the rishis, and fourthly  to the mortals. As per religion these debts must be cleared. The wise said that no regions of bliss exist for them who neglect to pay back these debts in due time. The gods are satisfied by sacrifices, the rishis, by study of the Vedas, meditation, and asceticism, the ancestors, by begetting children and offering the funeral offerings, and, lastly the mortals are satisfied by behavior and inoffensive life. I have already fulfilled my obligations to the rishis, the gods, and other mortals. But I am not yet freed from the debt I owe to my ancestors. And it is sure that they will perish with my death.Oh Sages!, The wise men are born in this world to beget children for repaying that debt. I would ask you, should children be begotten on my wives as I myself was begotten in the soil of my father by the eminent rishi Vedavyasa?

The odysseus of Pandu would be interesting to historians.Pandu crossed the Himalyas and went north - ward. Does it necessarily mean that he crossed Tibet and entered into Central Asia or China?.And surely Central Asia or China might be the road to the heaven.

Curiously enough the ancients of China looked upon West or India as in the neighbourhood of heaven.It is a pity that our politics has separated China from India.The description of the Himalayas and the journey across the Himalayas are poetical withal.Earlier Pandu went out for conquest. There he needed well equipped army and fighting skill.Now he needs the strength of mind and imagination to conquer sundry planes of consciousness.But to enter into the kingdom of heaven one must accomplish his duties in the wordly life.This seems to be the lesson of this section of the Mahabharata. 

Mahabharata – 187
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
    Aadivamsavatarana Parva

A note on laments of Pandu                              

The laments of Pandu is very significant.He wept at the demise of the deer sage as if the latter was his own kin.In fact Pandu was half in love with forests.That is why he left the urban pleasures of the palace and gave up the glories of a conquerer.He left his kingdom in the charge of his elder brother Dhritarastra and his uncle the great Bhisma.He opted for a life in the forest.He went there with his two wives Kunti and Madri,and led a life of abundance and abandon as it were in Arcadia.He was also accompanied by his pages who looked after him and his wives.He was however fond of hunting and hunting came upon him as Nemesis.But unlike the Nemesis in  Greek tragedies it is not altogether unalloyed evil.When Dasharatha erringly killed the son of a sage he was cursed.It was decreed that Dashratha would also die pining for his son.Was it a curse or a blessing?Because Dasharatha had no son.The king Dasharatha could ride his chariot in ten directions unimpeded.Glory and grandeur and gold rained upon him.The only lack he had was that he did not have any son.But the curse of the sage was a blessing in disguise.If he does not have any son how can he lament for the absence of his son.The curse of a sage never fails.In the Mahabhartata and the Puranas there have been countless curses of the sages that bring about significant peripeteia along the course of the narrative.In our every day life accidents take place in the shape of calamities of Nature war life chances good or bad and so on.They cannot be predicted beforehand. The curse of the rishis are also accidents along with the same line.Once we accept them as blessings in disguise no calamity in our life could be unmixed evil.There is silver lining around every cloud.Here Pandu  killed a sage who was in the disguise of a deer.And the sage cursed him.Pandu would henceforth be bereft of the power to procreate.In other words Pandu would have no son.That way the gates of heaven would be closed for him.During the Mahabharata age sensuous pleasure was not enough.One married only to beget sons so that the ancestors are propitiated.And to beget a son was the duty for every one to get at the well being in the life hereafter.On the surface the curse of the sage debarred Pandu from having pleasures from begetting a child.But Pandu did not cry for the loss he had incurred.He lamented for the death of the sage deer.Why did not Pandu blame the deer sage for cursing upon him?Pandu pinned his faith on his activities or ‘karma’.The legimation is that one must not kill anyone while engaged in making love.For this he apparently blames his heritage.Because his father born to a very pious man was engrossed with amour and sex.That is why he died before Pandu was born.But the field that his father ploughed lingered.And it was there that the great saint Vedavyasa sowed the seed.And Pandu called Vedavyasa his father as well.And one wonders whether the gene coming from his mother was in conflict with the gene coming from his defacto father Vedavyasa.This conflict seemed to animate the character of Pandu.The gene of  the ksatrya woman led Pandu to conquest and hunting.But the gene of Vedavyasa prevailed.He did not blame the deer sage for cursing him.Instead he had soul searching.He blamed his previous karma and decided to give up worldly life for the life of an ascetic following the foot steps of the great Vedavyasa.  Every death underlines the transitoriness of worldly life.Sceptre and crown must tumble down with scythe and spade and nothing is permanent here.This realisation of the impermanence of worldly life goaded Pandu to take the vow of leading a life of an ascetic.Since he would have no children there was no utility of wives apparently.So Pandu requested his wives to go back to the palace.But wives could  be friends and discples as well.Kunti and Madri would not forsake Pandu.They would also follow the chosen path of Pandu.They would also live as hermits.Thus they set a role model for ideal wives.Pandu as we have learned now opted for the life of an ascetic.With great skill Vedavyasa through the portrayal of Pandu narrates how an individual could learn from life and become an ascetic stage by stage.While  the like of the Buddha realised suddenly the futility of worldly life and stole away from the palace to adopt a life of an ascetic,Pandu shared his point of view with his wives and told them that he would forsake them for the sake of observing asceticism.When the wives said that they would help him in his ascetic life Pandu did not refuse them.The lamentation of Pandu is however very significant on  another  count .It is in fact a manifesto of what constitutes the life of an ascetic.He says that he would wound his one hand with an axe and add sandal wood paste to another hand and remain with equanimity of mind.This reminds us of the sage king Janaka.He put one of his hands on his wife caressing her.His other hand was aburning in fire.The life of a sage as delineated by Pandu living under a tree and begging only in limited number of households stand in sharp contrast to the sages whom we meet daily.Are they not given to a life of luxury?Their monastraries have air conditioned rooms.They can be now and then found in costly air conditioned cars.Are they all of them sage kings like Janaka?         

Mahabharata – 186
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
    Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Pandu’s lamentation

King Pandu killed a deer and a doe while living in the forest.After the death of that deer, king Pandu with his wives was full of sorrows.He wept bitterly. And he said --- The wicked, even if born in virtuous families,commit sins driven by their own passions. They become overwhelmed with low spirit as the fruit of their own deeds. I have heard that my father, though being the son of a virtuous soul passed away in his youth being passionate with lust. In the soil of that lustful king, the illustrious rishi Vedavyasa begot me. Being a son I am of such a soul, because of my wicked nature. I am now in great unease.While in hunting I have done wrongful act. Oh !, the very gods have deserted me! I shall seek salvation now. The great barrier to salvation is the desire to beget children, and other concerns of the worldly life.

I shall follow the eternal path like my father Vedavyasa. I shall certainly bring my passions under complete control by severe ascetic penances. I shall  wander over the earth, begging for my  survival only,and covering my body with dust, I shall opt for the shelter of trees or deserted houses as my home. Forsaking every object of affection with strong dislike, I shall never yield to influence of sorrow or joy. I shall regard modesty and tribute in the same light. I shall not seek satisfaction with the bows.  

 Forsaking my wives and other relatives, I shall be at peace with all, and shall not accept gifts. I shall not mock anybody, nor shall I frown upon any one. But I shall be ever cheerful and devoted to the good of all creatures. I shall not do any harm to the four orders of the society.I shall  never be jealous of any  oviparous and viviparous creatures and worms and vegetables. And I shall treat everyone with equality, as if they are, my own children. Once a day shall I beg of five or ten families at the most, and if I do not succeed in obtaining alms, I shall then go without food. I shall rather maintain myself with inadequate amount of food, than beg more than once in a day. If I do not obtain anything after completing my round of seven or ten houses, I shall never go for begging at more houses. Whether I obtain or fail to get alms, I shall be equally unmoved like a great ascetic. I shall twist off an arm of mine with a small axe,  and cover another arm with sandal-paste.Both will be the same to me. I shall not wish prosperity for one or misery for another. I shall not be pleased with life or displeased with death. I shall neither desire to live nor desire to die. Washing my heart of all sins, I shall certainly transcend those sacred rites productive of happiness, that men performed during auspicious moments, days, and periods. I shall also abstain from all acts of religion and profit and also those that lead to the satisfaction of the senses. Freed from all sins of the world, I shall be like the wind that is not attached to anyone. The path of righteousness leads myself along this way. I shall spend my life to the last in this way. Deprived of the power of begetting children, firmly adhering to the line of religion I shall not certainly deviate therefrom.I shall not tread along the foul path of the world that is so full of misery.The person who asks from some other man for a son is surely like a dog. Deprived by  the curse of the deer sage of begetting a child I should not certainly, from desire for an offspring, solicit others to give me children.

The king, having thus wept in sorrow, looking at his two wives Kunti and Madri, said ------------ Let my mother Ambalika, Vidura, the king Dhitarastra with our friends, the respected Satyavati, Bhishma, the royal priest, illustrious Soma-drinking Brahmanas of rigid vows and all elderly citizens depending on us be informed, that Pandu is wandering as a religious mendicant in the woods. Hearing the words of the determined Pandu both Kunti and Madri said to him--- There is no doubt that by  undergoing the severe penance for liberation of your soul you will achieve heaven.And there you will be our husband in the heaven. We also, in the company of yours controlling our passions and saying goodbye to all luxuries and materials for sensuality, shall follow severe austerity.Oh  Lord! if you abandon us, we shall then this very day depart from this world.

Pandu replied --- If, indeed, this is your determination originating from virtue, then with both of you I shall follow the eternal path of my father. Abandoning the luxuries of the cities and towns, clothed in barks of trees, and living on fruits and roots, I shall wander in deep woods, practising the severe penances. Bathing in the morning and evening, I shall perform the homa. I shall reduce my body by eating very sparingly and I shall wear skins of the deer and keep matted hair on my head. Exposing myself to heat and cold and disregarding hunger and thirst, I shall reduce my body by severe ascetic penances. .I shall offer oblations to the fathers and the gods with mantras, water and the fruits of the woods. I shall eat fruit, ripe or green, that I may find.I shall not keep  any relation with the inhabitants of the woods, or any of the residents of cities and towns.Also I shall  never go against them. Until I lay down my body, I shall thus practise the severe ordinances of the Vanaprastha mode of life searching for more severe tests that may occur in future.

Pandu having said this to his wives, gave away to Brahmanas the big jewel in his crown, his necklace of precious gold, his bracelets, his large ear-rings, his valuable clothes and  weapons. He gave away chariots and all the ornaments of his wives.

Then summoning his attendants, he commanded them, saying ---  Return to Hastinapura and tell them that Pandu with his wives had gone into the woods, foregoing wealth, desire, happiness, and even sexual pleasure.

Then those followers and attendants, according to the command of the king, with a loud cry, leaving the king Pandu returned to Hastinapura with speed carrying that wealth with them. Then Dhritarashtra, hearing from them everything that had happened in the woods, wept for his brother. He was deeply overwhelmed wih affection, little enjoying the comfort of beds and seats and dishes.

Mahabharata – 185
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
    Aadivamsavatarana Parva
The hunting episodeThe hunting episode is very educative. Hunting is a recurrent motif in the Puranas and the Mahabharata.King Dasharatha in the Valmiki Ramayana went  ahunting and taking the son of a blind saint for a deer, killed him. It is a usual  sport  for the kings to go ahunting.And Pandu says that it is through hunting that the kings learn to attack and kill the enemies.And surely there is nothing mean in war. You can take your enemy unaware and kill him.This is rather a modern outlook where we exploit Nature unscrupulously to our ends.But this episode seems to protest against this kind of usage.Even in war there should be certain rules.In modern times also during war hospitals should not be bombed, for example.Earlier during the Indo-Pakistan war a hospital at Ambala was bombed.The action of Pakistan was vehemently criticised.During the Kurukshetra war for which the narrative is as it were born the rules of war have been violated over and over again and they will be discussed by the protagonists of the narrative in times to come.The legitimation of the present narrative is that one must not kill any one when he or she is engaged in sexual coitus,The Mahabharata straight away asserts that sexual coitus is something very sacred. One who is engaged in sexual coitus is engaged in a sacred act.Because it leads to procreation.The Bible asks man to multiply.And it is in this light that marriage is very sacred.Everywhere in the Mahabharata marriage takes place so that the family line is continued there by.The women also look forward to begetting a child.A child was born to Kunti and Gandhari was in a haste to beget a child.And children were all in all with their mothers.Shakuntala wanted her child Sarvadamana to be the monarch of all that he surveyed.Now a days women often protest against  being treated as instruments to beget children.With them the pleasures of youth is more important than the the pleasures of becoming mothers.Thus the values change in course of time.However during the days of the Mahabharata an ascetic does not hesitate to plunge into sexual activity.The deer that was killed by Pandu was an ascetic in disguise.The dying declaration of the ascetic asserted that even sages can participate in sexual intercourse.In a flash it legitimatises the affairs of the sages like Viswamitra.But this is not all.Why did not the sage co-habit with a human woman?Instead he took the shape of a deer to enjoy the company of a doe. The sage said that he was too modest for a human woman.In other words the sage condemns culture and posits that nature is superior to culture.The sage became one with the animals wandering in the forests or in the lap of Nature and speaks on behalf of the animals in the nature against the cruelties of man.Do not they have their right to live just as we humans do have? In the Puranas and the epics there are great saints who partake limbs of animals. For example take the case of the sage Risyasringa. He had the horns of a deer.It is claimed that his father the sage Vibhandaka co-habitted with a doe.The doe was the mothe of  Risyasringa.And had not Sree Rama be friended the monkeys that stand for animal energy and strength he could not overcome the evil and the ogre Ravana.So Nature must not be destroy to gratify human greed.

May be,taking the cue from the Mahabharata Kalidasa’s famous drama Abhijnanasakuntalam opens with admonitions to Dushyanta --- Don’t shoot your arrow at the body of this deer.Don’t do it.

Thus body is as important as the soul.And surely killing a body be it the body of an animal or a human is a sacrilege.            

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.

Mahabharata – 183
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
    Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Birth of Duryodhana

Queen Gandhari was carrying. But even in long two years there was no birth of a child.In the mean time her sister in law Kunti gave birth to a child.In the Mahabharata days child was a value.Since in the meantime her sister in law Kunti gave birth to a male child the latter would ascend  the throne of the Kurus. This shocked Gandhari. So out of depression she hit her own belly and lo! a lump of flesh showed up.Jealousy often impels the mother to undergo mis – carriage.However the narrator Vedavyasa came to the rescue of the to be born children.He employed magic at the lump of  flesh and it divided into hundred pieces each piece being as big as a thumb.And those hundred pieces were kept in hundred pots or test-tubes in modern vocabulary    

 Then in time, king Duryodhana was born first among those pieces  of flesh that had been deposited in the pots. According to the order of birth,king Yudhishthira the first son of  Kunti was the oldest.The news of Duryodhana's birth was carried to Bhishma and the wise Vidura by messenger. The day that the arrogant Duryodhana was born was also the birth-day of Bhima of mighty arms and great prowess.Bhima was born to Kunti the wife of Pandu. As soon as Duryodhana the eldest son of Dhitarastra was born, he began to cry like an ass in loud voice. And hearing that the asses, vultures, jackals and crows uttered their respective cries in response.Modern science does not take into account the response of Nature around when the child is born.It also does not pay any heed to patterns of response of a child to the world when it is born.But in every society and culture such  responses are recognized, call them evil omen or good omens.Violent winds began to blow,and  fires broke out in various directions.Then the king Dhritarashtra in great fear, summoned  Bhishma and Vidura and other well-wishers and all the Kurus,and numberless Brahmanas,  and said --- The oldest of the princes, Yudhishthira,will continue our race.By virtue of his birth he is destined to acquire the kingdom.I have nothing to say.But shall this my son born after him be the king after Yudhishthira? Tell me truly what is lawful and right under these circumstances. As soon as these words were spoken, jackals and other carnivorous animals began to roar . And marking those frightful indications all around, the assembled Brahmanas and the wise Vidura replied  --- Oh king! When these frightful indications are noticeable at the birth of your eldest son,it is evident that he shall be the root of the extinction  of your race.

Shakespeare also had the receptivity of the responses of Nature to human action.For example we are reminded of Lady Macbeth exclaiming  ---

 the raven himself is hoarse

That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan

Under my battlements.

Vidura continued that for the prosperity of the Kuru race it would be better to abandon Duryodhana instantly.

There has been numerous myths where children have been abandoned.We have already heard that Karna born to Kunti was abandoned.He was thrown into the waters.So was the fate of Moses and so was the fate of Romulus.Both Moses and Romulus were destined to achieve great things.Oedipus was also abandoned because of the voice from heaven.But this preemptive action to avoid harms from Oedipus failed.So we do not know the shape of things to come if Duryodhana were abandoned.Be that as it may,Dhritharastra out of the love for the first born did not abandon him. 

Vidura continued that if Duryoudhana were not abandoned there would be disaster in the race.Vidura said --- Oh king! if you abandon him, there  will be your nine and ninety sons as per the prophecy of the sage Vedavyasa. If you desire the welfare of your race, abandon Duryodhana,Oh king! do good to the world and your own race by casting off this child of yours.It has been said that an individual should be cast off for the sake of the family.A  family should be cast off for the sake of a village.And a village may be abandoned for the sake of the whole country.And the earth itself may be abandoned for the sake of the soul.

In the history of Vietnam there is the story of a military general in the army of the Trung sisters.Her name was Phung – Thi- Chinh.She killed her baby to fight the Chinese invaders.Thus Vidura niti was practised in Vietnam as well.

When Vidura and those Brahmanas had stated that the Duryodhana should be abandoned presently,the king Dhritarashtra out of affection for his son did not pay heed to the advice.Then within a month,were born a full hundred sons including already born Duryodhana to Dhritarashtra.While ninety nine sons excluding Duroyodhana were born to Gandhari and a female child was born to her in addition as well.

During the time when Gandhari was in a state of advanced pregnancy, there was a maid servant of the Vaisya class who used to attend on Dhritarashtra. During that period, Dhritarashtra got a child by her.That son was  born with great intelligence and  was  named Yuvutsu.

Thus one hundred and one sons were born to the king Dhritarashtra.

These sons were all heroes and mighty chariot-fighters.

Janamejaya however,asked how come a girl child was born to Gandhari.Because the sage Vedavyasa had told that Gandhari should have hundred sons. How was it that hundred sons were born to Gandhari and one daughter?

As Yuyutsu is the son of a Vaisya woman therefore he is not counted among the hundred sons of Dhirtarastra by a kasatrya woman.But what is the logic in a hundred sons and a daughter of Gandhari,as the rishi granted her the boon of hundred sons only. How did Gandhari have a daughter over and above her hundred sons? If the ball of flesh was distributed by the great Rishi only into a hundred parts, and if Gandhari did not conceive on any other occasion, how was then Duhsala born?. Vaisampayana described how it happened. The illustrious and great rishi Vedavyasa himself, by sprinkling water over that ball of flesh, began to divide it into parts.And as it was being divided into parts, the nurse began to take them up and put them one by one into those pots filled with butter. While this process was going on, the beautiful and maidenly Gandhari of rigid vows,began to think within herself craving the affection that one feels for a daughter.

Gandhari spoke to herself ---

There is no doubt that I shall have a hundred sons, as  the rishi has said so.It can never be otherwise.But I should be very happy if a daughter were born to me over and above these hundred sons.She should be junior to them all. My husband then may attain  those worlds that can be achieved by the possession of a daughter and by the offerings of a daughter's sons. Then again, the affection the women feel for their sons-in-laws is great. 

 If, I obtain a daughter over and above my hundred sons, then, surrounded by sons and daughter’s sons, I may feel supremely blest.

If I have ever practiced ascetic austerities, if I have ever given anything in charity, if I have ever performed the homa, if I have ever satisfied my superiors by respectful attentions, then  let a daughter be born to me.

 In the meantime that illustrious rishi, Vedavyasa himself was dividing the ball of flesh, and counting a full hundred of the parts, he said to Gandhari --- Here are your hundred sons. My prophecy is never nullified. Here, however, is one part in excess of the hundred, intended for giving you a daughter. This part shall develop into an amiable and fortunate daughter, as you have desired. Then that great ascetic brought another pot full of butter, and put the part intended for a daughter into it. Thus Duhsala was born.

Janamejaya was interested to know the names of Dhritarashtra's sons according to the order of their birth.

Vaisampayana said ---Their names, according to the order of birth, are Duryodhana, Yuyutsu, Duhsasana, Duhsaha, Duhsala, Jalasandha, Sama, Saha, Vinda and Anuvinda, Durdharsha, Suvahu, Dushpradharshana, Durmarshana and Durmukha, Dushkarna, and Karna; Vivinsati and Vikarna, Sala, Satwa, Sulochana, Chitra and Upachitra, Chitraksha, Charuchitra, Sarasana, Durmada and Durvigaha, Vivitsu, Vikatanana; Urnanabha and Sunabha, then Nandaka and Upanandaka; Chitravana, Chitravarman, Suvarman, Durvimochana; Ayovahu, Mahavahu, Chitranga, Chitrakundala, Bhimavega, Bhimavala, Balaki, Balavardhana, Ugrayudha; Bhima, Karna, Kanakaya, Dridhayudha, Dridhavarman, Dridhakshatra, Somakitri, Anudara; Dridhasandha, Jarasandha, Satyasandha, Sada, Suvak, Ugrasravas, Ugrasena, Senani, Dushparajaya, Aparajita, Kundasayin, Visalaksha, Duradhara; Dridhahasta, Suhasta, Vatavega, and Suvarchas; Adityaketu, Vahvashin, Nagadatta, Agrayayin; Kavachin, Krathana, Kunda, Kundadhara, Dhanurdhara; the heroes, Ugra and Bhimaratha, Viravahu, Alolupa; Abhaya, and Raudrakarman, and Dridharatha; Anadhrishya, Kundabhedin, Viravi, Dhirghalochana Pramatha, and Pramathi and the powerful Dhirgharoma; Dirghavahu, Mahavahu, Vyudhoru, Kanakadhvaja; Kundasi and Virajas. Besides these hundred sons, there was a daughter named Duhsala. All were heroes and Atirathas, and were well-skilled in warfare. All were learned in the Vedas, and all kinds of weapons. And, worthy wives were in time selected for all of them by Dhritarashtra after proper examination. And king Dhritarashtra, bestowed his daughter Duhsala, in proper time and with proper rites, upon Jayadratha (the king of Sindhu).