Philosophy and Religion / Mahabharata

Mahabharata

Sambhava Parva (II)

Story of Dushyanta.

Janamejaya said:
O Brahmana, I have heard in detail the account of the births of the Devas, the Danavas, the Rakshasas, the Gandharvas and the Apsaras.

I now desire to hear the accounts of the births of the kings of the Kuru race from the beginning. Therefore, O Brahmana, narrate them before all these Brahmana Rishis.

Vaishampayana said:
O best of the Bharata race, the founder of the Paurava dynasty was a greatly powerful king, named Dushyanta. He was the protector of the earth bounded by the four seas.

That king of men enjoyed the fourth part of all the products of the land. He was (also) the lord of various countries in the midst of the sea. That chastiser of foes had sway even over the countries of the Mlecchas, which was full of men of the four orders and which was surrounded by the sea, the mine of gems.

During his reign, there were no mixed castes, no tillers of the land, no toilers of the mines and no sinful men.

O best of men, during his reign, all men, were virtuous and they did every thing with an eye on virtue. O child, during his reign, there was no fear from the thieves and no fear from famines; arid there was no fear of diseases.

Men of all the four castes took pleasure in doing their respective duties and they performed all acts without the desire of gaining fruits. O protector of the world, depending upon him, his subjects felt no fear.

Parajanya (Indra) poured showers of rains at the proper time and the crops were all juicy. The earth was full of all kinds of wealth and animals,

The Brahmanas were always engaged in their duties and they were very truthful. He (Dushyanta) was a young prince of wonderful prowess and of a body like the thunder-bolt.

He could support the Mandara (mountain) with its woods and forests, raising it up on his arms. He was an expert in the four kinds of club-fight and also in using every kind of weapons. He was greatly expert in riding elephants and horses. In strength, he was like Vishnu and in splendour he was like the sun.

In gravity he was like the ocean and in patience he was like the earth. The king (Dushyanta) was loved by all his subjects and he too ruled very virtuously those contented men.

Janamejaya said:
I desire to hear in detail the account of the birth and career of the high-souled Bharata and the origin of Sakuntala.

O holy man, tell me in full how that hero, that lion among men, obtained Sakuntala. I desire to hear it, therefore O knower of truth, you should narrate it to me.

Vaishampayana said :
Once on a time that king (Dushyanta) of mighty arms, accompanied with a very large force with hundreds of horses and elephants, went into a dense forest. The force were of four kinds (infantry cavalry, elephant-men and car-warriors).

Surrounded by hundreds of warriors were armed with swords, darts, maces and big clubs, lances and spears in their hands, when the king marched out.

The lion-like roars of the warriors, the sounds of conches and drums. The rattle of the wheels of the cars, the shrieks of the huge elephants and the clash of weapons of various soldiers dressed in various dresses. And the neighing of horses, all these indistinct, sounds, mixing together, raised a deafening (Kil Kil) sound when the king was on the march. Beautiful ladies from the terraces of the magnificent mansions behold the heroic, illustrious and kingly monarch (to pass).

They knew that king to be the destroyer of foes like Indra; they thought him to be the wielder of thunder-bolt himself. They said, "This is that best of heroic men who is as powerful in the battle as the Vasu. All enemies are destroyed by his great prowess."

Having said this, the ladies, out of love towards him, showered flowers on the head of the king to his great gratification. Having been blessed by the best of Brahmanas everywhere on the way.

The king entered the forest with the eager desire of killing deer. The king, seated on the back of a mad elephant, looked like the king of the celestial and he was followed by Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras. They uttered blessings and cried victory from all sides.

The citizens and other people also followed the king for some distance. They stopped from going further only at the command of the king.

Thereupon, the king of the world got upon his car with the colour of gold and filled the whole world, even the heavens, with the rattle of his car-wheels. Thus proceeding he saw a forest like the Nandanavana of heaven. It abounded in Bilva, Arka, Khadira, Kapittha and Dhava trees.

Its soil was uneven and covered with blocks of stone, loosened from the hills. There were no water and human habitations; it extended to many yojanas.

It was full of deer, lions and other fearful animals of the forest. That best of kings, Dushyanta, with the help of his soldiers and servants, beat the forest, thus killing many deer. Dushyanta pierced with his arrows many tigers that were within shooting range and killed them (by hundreds). The king wounded many by arrows (that were out of the shooting range and not to be killed by swords); he killed by his sword those that were near at hand. That best of the wielders of darts, killed many by hurling his darts at them.

The greatly expert player of clubs, the king of matchless prowess (Dushyanta), thus fearlessly roamed over the forest. The king, as he roamed about, killed many beasts of the forest with his swords and some by his swift flying darts and some by his heavy clubs. When the forest was thus agitated by the wonderfully powerful king and his soldiers, ever delighting in was like sports, the lions left in thousands that forest. Having thus lost their kings, the other beasts uttered loud cries in fear and anxiety and fled in all directions. They fell down on all sides, being hungry, thirsty and tired of running and without being able to quench their thirst in the river-beds which were dry.

Some of them were eaten up by those best of warriors. Some were quartered and roasted in fires lit up by them and then they were eaten by the warriors in the proper way. Many strong elephants, maddened with the pains of their wounds, fled in fear with their upraised on high. Those wild elephants, ejecting urine and dung in fear and copiously vomiting blood.

Many big and strong elephants during the time of running trampled to death many soldiers (of the king). The forest, which had been full of animals, was soon made by the king and his innumerable followers, bereft of lions and tigers and other beasts.

Vaishampayana said:
The king with his soldiers, having killed thousands of animals, entered another forest to hunt in it.

Fatigued with hunger and thirst and accompanied by only one follower, he came to a large desert at the end of the forest.

Having passed over this her bless desert, the king came to a forest full of holy hermitages. It was beautiful to the eyes and delightful to the heart.

It was cool and it breathed delightful breeze. It was full of trees covered with flowers. It extended far and wide in green soft grass. It echoed with the sweet songs of the birds. It resounded with the sweet notes of the male Kokila and the shrill cries ofcicalas.

It. contained magnificent trees without-stretched branches, which had formed pleasant shady canopies. The bees hovered over the flowery creepers and beautiful groves were every where.

There was no tree without fruits; there was no shrubs with prickles on them; there was no plant that had not bees swarming around it.

The whole forest resounded with the sweet songs of the birds; and it was decked with all the beautiful flowers of all the seasons. It was full of pleasant shades of blossoming trees.

Such was the charming and excellent forest that the great bow-man (Dushyanta) entered. The trees, decked with flowers and waved with the soft breeze. Showered sweet flowers, again and again, on the head of the king.

Clad with the flowery attire of many colours, the sweet singing birds sitting on their branches hanging with the weight of flowers, the busy bees tempted by honey buzzing in sweet chorus around their blossoms, stood many trees (in that forest). There were innumerable bowers of creepers covered with thick clusters of flowers. The greatly energetic king was much pleased and charmed with the scenery.

The trees, with its flowery branches, entwining with one another, looked exceedingly beautiful and appeared like so many rain-bows.

It was the abode of the Siddhas, the Charanas, the various sorts of Gandharvas, the Apsaras, the monkeys and the Kinnaras, all drunk with joy.

Pleasant, cool and fragrant breezes, mixed with the effluvia of sweet flowers, blew every where and appeared as if they had come there to play with the trees.

The king saw that forest endued with such beauties. It was situated in the delta of a river and looked like a pole erected in Indra's honour.

The king saw in that forest, the abode of ever cheerful birds, a charming and delightful hermitage of ascetics.

It was surrounded by many trees and the holy fire was burning within it. He (the king) worshipped that matchless hermitage.

He saw innumerable Yatis, Balkhilyas and other Munis sitting there (in that hermitage). It was adorned with rooms containing the sacrificial fire. The flowers, dropping from the trees, had made a beautiful carpet on the ground.

The place looked very beautiful with the tall trees with their large trunks. O king, the transparent and sacred river Malini flowed by it. The river was charming to the ascetics and abounded with every species of water-fowls. He (the king) was much delighted to see the innocent deer-cubs playing (playfully) on her banks.

Thereupon, the king, whose chariot no foe could obstruct, entered that charming hermitage, exceedingly beautiful all over and which was like the region of heaven.

He saw that the hermitage was situated on the banks of the river, a most sacred one and she flowed as the mother of all the creatures living there.

Milk-white waves played on her breast. Chakravakas sported on her banks. It was the abode of the Kinnaras and it was frequented by the monkeys and the bears.

The holy ascetics, engaged in study and meditation, lived there on the beautiful banks of that river. It was frequented by the intoxicated elephants, tigers and great snakes.

On the banks of that river, stood the excellent and charming hermitage of the illustrious Rishi, (the descendant of) Kashyapa, frequented by many great ascetic Rishis.

He see the river and the hermitage and desired to enter into that sacred place.

The river was studded with many islands with beautiful and charming shores. It looked like the abode of Nara and Narayana, loved by the waters of the Ganges.

The best of men then entered that hermitage, which was resounding with the notes of the intoxicated pea-cocks and which appeared like the gardens of Chitraratha (Gandharva).

He desired to see the great ascetic Rishi, the illustrious Kanva, the son of Kashyapa, the possessor of all virtues and who was too effulgent to be stared at.

Halting his army of flag-holders, cavalry, infantry and elephants at the out-skirt of the forest, the king spoke to the soldiers thus-

"I shall go to see the mighty ascetic, the son of Kashyapa, who is beyond the Rajoguna. Stay here till I return."

The king forgot his hunger and thirst and derived infinite pleasure as soon as he entered that forest, like Nandana, (the garden of Indra.)

The king, having laid aside all signs of royalty, entered that excellent hermitage with his Minister and Priest only.

He desired to see that Rishi who was an indestructible mass of ascetic merit. He saw that the hermitage was like the region of Brahma. Bees were sweetly buzzing and birds were pouring forth their melodies.

That best of men heard in one place the chanting of the Rigvedas with the proper intention by the best of Brahmanas.

In another place, (he saw) Brahmanas, learned in the Vedangas, reciting the hymns of Yajur Veda. In another place, the Rishis of rigid vows were reciting Saman hymns in harmonious strains.

In another place, he saw Brahmanas, learned in the Atharva Veda, reciting the Sanhitas according to the proper rules of voice. At other places, Brahmanas learned in the science of ortheopy, were reciting Mantras of other kinds. That holy hermitage, resounding with these holy sounds, did really look like the begin of Brahma.

There were many Brahmanas who were experts in the art of making sacrificial platforms and in the rules of Krama in sacrifice. There were many other learned in Nyaya, (Logic) and mental sciences; and many having complete knowledge of the Veda. There were those that were learned in the meanings of every kind of expressions, those that were experts in performing special rites, those that knew the Mokshadharma. Those that were well-versed in establishing propositions, rejecting superfluous causes and were learned in the science of words, of prosody and of Nirukta, those that were learned in the science of Time (Astrology). In the properties of matter, in the fruits of sacrificial rites, those that possessed a knowledge of causes and effects, those that understood the languages of monkeys and birds and those that were well-read in all large treatises. And various Shastras. The king, as he proceeded, heard their incantations and chanting, which were capable of charming all human he arts.

The destroyer of the enemy's army, (Dushyanta), saw around him innumerable learned Brahmanas of rigid vows who were all engaged in japa and homa.

The king was much astonished to see the beautiful carpets which these Brahmanas offered him (for his seat).

That best of kings, seeing the rites with which the Brahmanas worshipped the deities, thought himself in the land of Brahma.

The more the king saw that auspicious and sacred hermitage of the son of Kashyapa (Kanva), protected by that Rishi's ascetic virtues and endued with all the requisites of a holy retreat, more he desired to see it. He was not satisfied with this cursory view (of the beautiful hermitage). The destroyer of foes, accompanied by his Minister and his Priest, then entered that charming and sacred hermitage of the son of Kashyapa, inhabited by the great ascetic Rishis of rigid vows.

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