Bhagavatha Vahini, Chapter 14 - The Exit of the Pandavas

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Bhagavatha Vahini

The story of God and his DevoteesWritten by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai BabaDownload this Vahini

 

Chapter 14

The Exit of the Pandavas

It was a pitiable sight. Parikshith, the little boy with the crown on his head,

plaintively approached his grandfather and others, and holding their feet fast,

he prayed that he too might accompany them to the forests; he would gladly eat

roots and fruits, engage himself in sacred ceremonials, and be happy. "Please

entrust the kingdom to some virtuous minister and allow me to come with you, so

that I might serve you and make my life worthwhile," he appealed. Those around

him in the hall were moved into tears by his agony at being left behind. Rocks

would have melted in sympathy, had they listened to his anguish.

Dharmaraja managed heroically to suppress his emotions; he lifted the boy and

placed him on his lap; he poured consolation and courage into his ear. "Dear

child! Don't become so weak-minded. You are a child born in the dynasty of

Bharatha; can a sheep be born in a dynasty of lions? Your father, mother and

grandfathers are full of courage, bold champions of truth, who made their names

famous in the world. So, it is not fit that you should weep thus. Hence-forward,

these Brahmins are your grandfathers, your parents. Take their advice and rule

this land accordingly. Live up to the grandeur and glory of your name. Stop

grieving over us."

But, the boy was lovingly adamant, in spite of all the persuasive advice of the

elders. He lamented, "Grandpa! I am too young to convince you with my pleading.

I know it. But, listen; I lost my father, even before I was born. You brought me

up with the care and affection that my father would have showered upon me, had

he lived. And now, when I love to sing and play and roam about with my

companions, you hoist on my head this great empire. Can this be right? Is it

justice? Instead of leaving me alone steeped in sorrow, you could leave, after

severing my head with your sword. Alas! what harm have I done to you that you

should punish me thus? Could you not have scotched me in my mother's womb, on

the day my father died? Was my lifeless body resuscitated in order that you may

inflict this assignment on me?" Parikshith continued to condemn himself for his

fate, in this strain, for long.

Arjuna could not stand it any longer. He covered the boy's mouth with his palm;

he caressed the child with sweet affection; he pressed his lips on his head.

"Child! It is a disgrace to the Kshatriya clan that you should behave like a

coward. We too lost our father; we too grew up under the fostering care of

ascetics and monks; at last, we were able to win the affection of our uncle

and, after overcoming many a formidable handicap, we established our

sovereignty over this kingdom. He who guarded us, guided us and directed our

steps throughout will certainly be your guardian and guide. Don't lose heart;

follow the advice which these Brahmins and Ministers will render, for some

years. Later, you will be able to solve the problems of empire yourself", he

said.

Parikshith could not be assuaged; He said, "Grandpa! Are you now discarding the

throne and the kingdom and placing them on my head? Well, be with me for some

years more, teach me the art of government and the principles, and then, you

can leave. I was happy and free, romping and roaming with no trace of care, for

I was confident I had grandfathers to guard me, though I had lost my father.

Now, if you too desert me, what will be my fate? You were the centre of all my

hopes, the support on which I relied. And, you are plunging me suddenly into

despair and deserting me." He wept aloud, rending the hearts of all who saw and

heard. He rolled on the ground, holding the feet of the elders.

Arjuna lifted him up with both hands and embraced him. He kept him on his

shoulders and fondled him. He wiped the strings of pearly tears that rolled

down his cheeks. He could not arrest his own tears while doing so. Turning to

the Brahmins standing around gazing at all this, Arjuna asked them why they

were only silent witnesses, not attempting to console the boy.

They were really too full of grief themselves to think of assuaging Parikshith.

They said, "The sharp words this child is lisping are wounding us like arrows;

his anguish is petrifying us. What can we tell him? How can we console him?

What can instil courage into him now"?, and they too were overcome with grief.

Kripacharya, the teacher of the family, succeeded at last in suppressing his

grief; he wiped off the tears from his own eyes with the ends of his garment;

he spoke to Arjuna thus: "What do you want us to tell this boy? We do not feel

like saying anything. We are struck dumb. You are this day renouncing the

empire which you gained after a victory for which rivers of blood flowed, for

which millions laid down their lives, for which you strove for years. You have

not ruled over it for a thousand years, no, not even for a couple of centuries,

or even for seventy years. Who can say what lies in the womb of time? Of course,

the actions of the great will have some inner purpose. Pardon us; you are our

overlords; you know best." Kripacharya stood with head bent, for he was heavy

with grief.

Dharmaraja came forward a few steps and addressed the Acharya. "Every act of

mine was according to the command of Krishna, as you know. I dedicated all my

activity to Him. I played my role as He dictated. I did not desire or retain

any individuality. All my duties and obligations have faded out with departure

of the Lord. Of what use is the survival of Dharmaraja alone, now? I cannot

continue on this land even for a minute, since Kali has come to sway. It is

your duty now to guard this boy, guide and train him so that he may be secure

on the throne. Preserve the adherence to Dharma; continue the dynastic

traditions; maintain the honour and fair name of the line. Love him and foster

him as your own son." Thus saying, he placed the hands of Parikshith in the

hands of Kripacharya. All those who were there, including Dharmaraja and the

Acharya were in tears that moment.

In a few minutes, Vajra was called in; he was informed that from that very day,

the Emperor of Bharath was Parikshith; so, Vajra paid homage to him as befits

the suzerain of the continent. The Ministers and the Brahmins too honoured him

as their ruler with due ceremony. Afterwards, Dharmaraja held the hands of

Parikshith and placing on them the hand of Vajra, he announced, "This is Vajra,

the Lord of the Yadavas; I now install him as the King of Mathura and of the

Surasena State." He placed on Vajra's head a diamond-studded golden crown. "Be

brothers both of you, staunch allies in peace and war, inseparable in

friendship", he exhorted. He called Vajra aside and advised him to treat

Parikshith as his own paternal uncle; he advised Parikshith to revere Vajra as

he would revere Aniruddha himself; he told both of them that they ought to

ensure the continuance of Dharma unimpaired, and to consider the welfare of

their subjects as the very breath of life.

Then, the Pandava Brothers showered auspicious rice grains on the heads of both

Vajra and Parikshith. The Brahmin priests recited appropriate manthras.

Trumpets flared and drums were beaten. With tears in their eyes, Vajra and

Parikshith prostrated before Dharmaraja and the rest. The Pandava brothers

could not look the two dear darlings in the face; they were so overcome with

detachment. They just held them in one quick embrace and spoke just one word of

loving farewell, before they filed out into the beyond, with nothing on, except

the clothes they wore.

At this, the kith and kin, the citizens, the queens and others in the zenana,

the courtiers and the maids, all raised pathetic wails. The citizens fell

across the path of the ruler and tried to hold fast to his feet. They prayed

piteously that he should stay. They appealed to them to take them also with

them. Some brushed aside objections and ran along with the royal party. The

Pandavas, however, never turned back; they never spoke a word. Their ears were

closed to entreaties. Their minds were fixed on Krishna; for the rest, they

moved straight on, like men blinded by a fanatic resolve, heeding none,

observing none.

Droupadi, with her maids, came running behind them calling on her lords one by

one separately by name. Parikshith too pursued them along the streets, but, he

was caught and carried away by the Ministers who tried to pacify him, though

they were themselves greatly affected. But, the Pandavas walked unconcerned,

neither asking those who followed, to stop nor permitting those who desired to

join to come along. Hundreds of men and women had to stop when they were too

tired and they mournfully returned to the capital. Others who were hardier kept

on. The women of the zenana, unused to sun and winds, were exhausted quickly and

they fell fainting on the road. Maids lamenting the terrible events brought

relief to them; some ventured even into the forest, but, had to return fast,

after encountering the horrors of the wilderness. When dust storms rose, many

citizens placed the dust reverentially on their foreheads, taking it to be the

dust of the feet of Dharmaraja. Thus,

passing through bush and briar, the brothers soon got out of sight. What then

could the people do? They returned to Hasthinapura heavy with unbearable grief.

The Pandavas stuck to the vow of Mahaprasthanam. That vow required that they

should not eat or drink anything on the way, they should not rest, they must

proceed straight on, in the northern direction, until they fall dead. This is

the vow they observed, so grim and tight.

 

 

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