Unique Relationships in Mahabharat

[Guest guest]

CHAPTER 12

 

DRAUPADI, A SLAVE

 

The entire hall was shocked into silence. Vidura sat with his head held by his hands, sighing like a serpent. His face was bent down as though he was asking mother earth forgiveness for this injustice done on her face. Bheeshma and the others were overcome with consternation. Only Dhritarashtra was happy. He kept on asking, "What was won now? And now? And now?" The hall resounded with the jubilant cries of the Kauravas. Duryodhana came to Sakuni and embraced him lovingly. He said: "Indeed, this is the happiest day in my life. And I owe it entirely to you, my dear uncle".

 

Duryodhana said: "Mine uncle Vidura, Draupadi is now our slave. You must go and bring her here to our presence. Let her be made to enter the apartments meant for servants. She must get familiar with her duties". Vidura got up and said: "Duryodhana, even now it is not too late. Do not go any further. You are like a deer which unthinkingly provokes the tiger. These Pandavas should be considerecr as terrible snakes which spit poison.. Do not rouse them. Draupadi is not your slave. She must not be insulted. Yudhishthira had no right to use her as the wager when he had lost himself. I am sure of that. You do not like my words. You think I am not your well-wisher. But I am. I am warning you against the terrible wrath of the Pandavas.. If you do not heed my words you will be destroyed, and all yourbrothers and your friends along with you. Hell is already preparing herself to receive the host of the Kuru House". His words were unheeded. He wept tears of pain and said: "What can I do? None so blind as he who will not see, and none so deaf as he who refuses to listen. They do not know the fate that is in store for them". Vidura spoke no more.

 

Duryodhana. said: "We have had enough and more of this lowborn man who can talk of nothing else". He looked around and his; eyes fell on an attendant of the court. He summoned him to his presence. In the midst of that congregation of wise men, old men, righteous men, Duryodhana said: "Praatikaami, go to the women's apartments and tell that slave Draupadi that she belongs to us now, that we desire her presence in the court, that her lord and master, the Kuru prince., has asked her to appear in the court". Seeing the fear in the eyes of the attendant, he said: "Are you afraid of the wrath of the Pandavas which my dear uncle has described just now? Do you not know that Vidura ha's never approved of us and our behaviour? Do not be afraid. The Pandavas are now our slaves, all of them".

 

The servant reached the apartments of the queens. He went to Draupadi and said: "Draupadi, you are now the slave of Duryodhana. In the fever of gambling, your husband Yudhishthira has gambled you away to the Kaurava. You are wanted in the court by your lord and :master Duryodhana". Draupadi could not speak a word. She was stunned. She said: "What is this you are saying? What do you .mean? Did my husband have nothing else to lay as the wager? Has he lost all his senses? How can he gamble me away like this?" The servant said: "What I am saying is true. The king first lost all his belongings. Then he lost his brothers one by one, then himself, and finally he lost you". Draupadi said: "Go back to the court. Find out from Yudhishthira whether he gambled himself away first or me. Come back to me with his answer". The servant went back and reported all this. He looked at Yudhishthira and said: "She wants to know if Yudhishthira lost himself first or her".

 

Hearing the words of the servant, Yudhishthira felt as though life were ebbing out of his body. He could not give a reply to the question of Draupadi. Duryodhana became angry and said: "Let the woman come here and ask the question herself". The servant went back to Draupadi and told her about the silence of Yudhishthira and the commands of Duryodhana. He said: "I know that the destruction of the Kauravas has begun. This insult to you will destroy our prince Duryodhana". Draupadi would not give up. She said: "Go back once again to the court. Ask my husband what I should do. I will obey him and no one else". The servant went back to the court and gave the message to Yudhishthira. Poor Yudhishthira bent down his head and said: "Tell her that I want her to come here and ask the elders if the action of her husband was right or wrong". The frightened servant would not go again to the presence of Draupadi. He was afraid of her wrath. Duryodhana looked at him and then at his brother Dussasana. He said: "Dussasana, thi's servant seems to be afraid. You must now go to her apartments and bring her to the court. What can she do to you? She is our slave now". The younger brother of the prince got up from his seat and strode towards the queens' apartments.

 

Dussasana entered and stood before Draupadi. He laughed and said: "Come, come! You have been won by our prince, now. You need not be afraid of your dear husbands any more. You can come without hesitation to Duryodhana. It is *but right that you should turn your lotus eyes to the Kuru monarch". She leaped from her seat as though she had been stung. Dussasana was enjoying himself. He laughed loudly and said: "Do not look so modest. We are, after all, the cousins of your husbands". She looked at him with eyes wild with horror and hurried towards the apartments of Gandhari. Dussasana strode with angry steps towards her. He overtook her and grabbed her long black hair. It was a terrible thing to do. Her hair had been purified by sacred waters during the Rajasuya. He caught her by her hair, not knowing that he was touching a serpent which was sure to kill him. He dragged her towards the court. She looked like a tree shaken by the gale. All her appeals fell on deaf ears. Dussasana, said: "You are our slave. You are the slave of Duryodhana. who has won you. You have been won by'hirn in a game of dice. Your husband Yudhishthira used you as the wager and lost you. He wants you in the court. He wants you to ask this subtle *iestion to the elders of the court. As for our king, he has commanded me to bring you to the court. I will drag you there if you refuse to come willingly". With her long hair dragged by Dussasana, with her dress all wet with her tears and all awry because of the rough handling of Dussasana, Draupadi entered the sabha.

 

CHAPTER 13

 

DRAUPADI POSES A QUESTION

 

Draupadi had no more tears to shed. Her eyes were now full of anger. With a voice throbbing with fury and indignation, she said: "In this great assembly I see great people, the elders of this ancient House of the Kurus, reputed, from time immemorial, for the Dharma residing in them. You are all here. You are all present; and yet unrighteousness has reared its head. Can it be possible? Here is a man drunk with power, asking his cruel brother to drag a woman to the court. And you are all looking on! Here is my husband who is the very image of Dharma. You are reputed to be conversant with all the nuances of Dharma. Righteousness has indeed fled from this court where this atrocity is allowed. The righteousness for which the House of the Kurus was noted, has now overleaped its boundary and she is now flowing away from here. In the presence of all of you, my elders, I asked my husband for a detail of the game. I wanted to know if he lost me first or himself. I Was not given a reply. And this man has theaudacity to drag me into the court. When people like Bheeshma and Drona are allowing this, there is no such thing as Dharma in this court. I will ask you all once again. My question is very simple. Do you all consider me a slave of this man, or am I free?"

 

With the corners of her eyes she looked at her husbands. She was now seething with anger. She looked daggers at them as though she would fan their anger to a blaze. Yudhishthira would have been happy if. death bW visited-bim then. The loss of his wealth, his kingdom, the loss of all that was once his, did not matter much to him. But the angry eyes of Draupadi burning him with their wrath was worse than treacherous arrows shot by an enemy. He bent his head down.

 

Draupadi looked at Bheeshma. She said: "You are the home of all wisdom and leaming. They say there is none wiser than you. Grandfather, can you tell me if I am a slave?" Bheeshma said: "I am indeed at a loss to give a proper answer to your question. The subtle shades of Dharma are very hard to understand. A man cannot gamble something once he has lost himself and when he has declared that he has been won. According to that, Yudhishthira had no right to lose you. But then there is this to be considered. A man has a right over his wife whether he is free or not. He can can her his property even after he has lost himself. Accordingly, I cannot surely say that you are free. Yudhishthira. knew that Sakuni is a pastmaster in the art of throwing the dice. Yet he played with him willingly enough. Though he was being defeated, Yudhishthira continued to play and he used you as the wager. I am not able to answer your question".

 

Draupadi was furious, She said: "You seem to be giving the impression that my husband played the game willingly. Your dear grandson Duryodhana. and his uncle challenged him to play. Yudhishthira was unwilling to play. He said as much to uncle Vidura in, Indraprastha. He was made to play, forced to play this deceitful gameKnowing that he is not a skilled player, Sakuni made him play with him, Sakuni who is a veritable wizard in the art of throwing the dice. My husband had absolutely no chance of winning, and you all knew it. Yet you were all looking on. Did you not see the injustice of it? Did you not know that it was an unfair game? You should have stopped it. You are the uncle of the king. Not one of you did anything to stop_it, nor did you chide this sinful Duryodhana for what he was doing. Now you tell me that my husband played the game willingly, that he willingly used me as the wager! When he lost himself and then announced me as the next wager, could you not have interfered and said that it was not right? Please pay attention to my words. I ask a question of this sabha. It is no sabha where there are no elders; they are not elders who do not speak what is righteous; where there is no truth, there is no righteouiness; nor is it truth when it is wedded to obstinacy".

 

Looking at Draupadi whose words were like fire, whose eyes were raining tears, Dussasana laughed loudly and called her names. He said: "You are the slave of Duryodhana. Why do you worry about the subtleties of Dharma? You are a slave. Your Dharma is to please your master, your new master, the great Kaurava monarch, Duryodhana". She looked at him as though she would bum him with her eyes. But she spoke not a word. Bheema, with his form trembling like a leaf, spoke hot angry words to his brother Yudhishthira. He said: "Look at the result of your madness. All the wealth that was ours is gone. You gambled away everything that we had, everything. I did not speak a word. I did not mind it even. You gambled us all away. Even that I bore with patience because you are my guru, my elder, and we are a yours for ever. But, my lord, look at this Draupadi dragged into the hall of sin by that animal! Do you think that I can bear this? I cannot bear this any longer. Sahadeva, bring me fire. I must bum these hands of my brother".

 

Arjuna was sorry to see the anger of Bheerna. He was sorry for .his dear elder brother Yudhishthira who stood with his head downcast. He was King till yesterday and today he was a slave of these Kauravas. Arjuna said: "Bheema, what is this action of yours? What has come over you? You have never been so rude to our brother before! You have always treated him with the respect due to a father." Bheema said: "True. I did respect him once. He was different then. But now his arm deserves to be burnt. I will throw him and his burnt arms away from here. Look on this scene. Does not your blood boil? Can you stand this?" Arjuna pacified him,saying: "Of course I am ,angry too. But can you not see that our brother is just as angry? He is burning with an anger against himself: he would bum his arms himself if he could. He is already a broken man. Do not add to his unhappiness by showing your anger against him. The Kauravas have always wanted to see us quarrel. Till now we have been always united as the five lives in the body. If you rebel against our dear brother, their wish will be fulfilled. They are happy enough now. Let us not add to it by quarrelling with our brother". Bheema's anger could not be appeased. But Arjuna made him control it. It was dreadful to see Bheema trying not to throw his mace at the head of Duryodhana and Dussasana. He was heaving with suppressed fury. But he had to be quiet.

[Guest guest]

CHAPTER 14

 

INSULT HEAPED ON INSULT

 

Looking at the plight of the Pandavas and Draupadi, the heart of one of the sons of Dhritarashtra was touched. It was Vikarna. He got up and addressed Draupadi: "You are right. There is no righteousness in this hall. We all deserve to be sent to hell for this gross crime. All these righteous men here, Bheeshma, Drona, Dhritarashtra and the other elders did not question the act of Yudhishthira when he offered you as the wager. Even now, why are you all silent? Is there not one among you who has the courage to defy Duryodhana and speak the truth?" No one spoke. Only silence greeted his brave words. He wrung his hands together and said: "Well then, I will say what I feel. Draupadi has not been lost. The Kuru prince has no right to call her his slave since Yudhishthira had no right to use her as his wager. The wise say that there are four dangers which beset the path of kings: the first is hunting, the second is addiction to drink, the third is love of gambling and the fourth is too much love for the company of women. These four threaten to make a man lose his rational thinking. It was even so with Yudhishthira. When the gambling fever was on him, he was not responsible for his actions. He did foolish things. When he was challenged, he thought of Draupadi as his next wager. Even that was suggested by Sakuni, and Yudhishthira just agreed to it. But he had no right to use her as the wager since ~he is the wife of all tl* brothers and not just his wife. Our granftthWs arguments do -not hold good in this case. Without the consent of his brothers, Yudhishthira played with Draupadi as the wager. She is therefore, not a slaw. She has not been lost to the Kaurava monarclL She is free".

 

Vikarna's words created a sensation. People were surprised by his clear and precise thinking. All of them were convinced now that Draupadi was not a slave. Radheya was furious with Vikarna. He stood up and said: "Vikarna, you are assuming too much wisdonL All the wise ones here, beginning from Bheeshma and Drona and Dhritarashtm, are convinced that Draupadi i's a slave. You, in your boyish entlmdasm and your mistaken sense of chivalry, think that they are all wrong and that you are wiser than all of them. If she is not a slave, and if the husbands think that she is not a slave, do you think that they would have allowed her to be brought to the court? When she sent word through the servant, it was Yudhishthira himself who asked her to come to the court. You say that it is not right to call her a slave. But there is no need to consider Dharma in the case of the Pandavas. They are not righteous. Where have you seen one woman being shared by five men? When such unrighteousness has been practised by these people, I do not think we are wrong in summoning Draupadi to the court of the king. Draupadi is not the modest woman who has never seen the world beyond her apartments. She is a common woman. It will not be embarrassing to her to appear in front of so many men in a court of this kind. You need not be concerned about it. She is a shameless woman. You need not fear that her modesty is outraged by her appearance here. She is a slave just like her lords. Why, they have no right to wear the clothes they are wearing. Dussasana, remove the garments of these five men and also that of Draupadi, and surrender them to their lawful owner, the prince".

 

Hearing these cruel words of Radheya, the Pandavas removed their clothes and laid them all in a heap. They returned to thei., places. Dussasana took hold of the upper cloth of the outraged queen and began to remove it forcibly. Draupadi was frantic with dismay. She looked at her husbands one by one. She knew that it was useless to appeal to them. They would do nothing to save her from dishonour. She looked this way and that, hoping for support from someone. No one moved. She said: "I have heard that when a great danger threatens us nothing can help us, nothing except complete surrender to the Lord. He will help me". She forgot everything. She gave up all attempts to protect herself from the danger. With her palms folded together like a lotus bud, she stood with her eyes closed. They rained tears and her lips rained the praises of the Lord. "Krishna, Vasudeva, they say that you are the last refuge of the helpless. You are everything to me.

 

You must not be blind to the danger which threatens me. They say you are everywhere, that you are present where your bhakta sings your praises. You must be here. I surrender myself to you. It is up to you to save me". It looked as though she was in a trance. She was immune to the words of her enemies. She was not resisting the outrage that Dussasana was attempting. She stood with her palms folded and with her eyes closed.

 

Dussasana began to pull her clothes. They came off easily. She was not trying to defend herself. The horrified audience looked on. Then a miracle was seen. Dussasana was pulling at her clothes and they were getting longer. He used both his hands and pulled. Still the cloth kept on feeding his hands. He could not pull it off completely. The cloth grew: grew like the infinite kindness of God, like- the tearsr of a repentant man, like the gift-, of a generous man. It was growing. By the side of Dussasana, whose anger was mounting, could be seen a heap of cloth which was growing in size every moment. All the colours of the rainbow gleamed from that heap of cloth. Dussasana was tired. He could no longer continue the disrobing of this woman. She seemed a witch. Or else, how could this happen? At last, exhausted, he gave up the attempt and sat down, with chagrin writ on his face.

 

The voice of Bheema broke the spell which had descended on the audience. He wrung his hands, his strong hands, together, and said: "Listen to me, all ye kshatriyas. If I do not kill this sinner Dussasana. and drink his blood, let me never see the heavens where'my forefathers are. Let me go to the hell that is meant for the worst sinners. I will tear his heart out and drink his blood. I swear it". Dussasana laughed at him. They all laughed at him. Radheya said: "Why are you silent, Dussasana? Take her to the servants' quarters. Let her get acquainted with her new duties". Poor Draupadi was wailing: "I am not a slave". She appealed to each and everyone of the elders. But there was no one to help her. All of them were silent. Everyone was afraid of Duryodhana. All but Vidura. Again and again he said that the words of Vikarna were right and that she was by no means the slave of Duryodhana. But no one paid any attention to his words.

 

Duryodhana smiled at Draupadi and said: "Stop repeating your question. Stop repeating that you are not a slave. We have heard it often enough. We will leave that aside for the moment. Your five husbands Nakula, Sahadeva, Arjuna, Bheema and Yudhishthira, the image of Dharma, are all here. They have not, so far, made any attempt to answer your question. They have not tried to release you from your slavery. They stood silent even when your honour was at stake. I am waiting for Yudhishthira to speak. Let him say whether YOU belong to him or to me. We will decide your future after that". He waited with a taunting smile on his lips. The bowed head of Yudhishthira was still bowed. He did not speak a word. Duryodhana laughed and said: "Draupadi, look! Your lords are all silent. I will answer your question. You are free. These five men are not your husbands any more. You are free: free to choose a man from amongst us. You are not bom to be a slave. You are meant to be the wife of a ruling monarch. Give up these men who are no longer the favourites of fortune. Choose one of us for your master. Let your husband Yudhishthira announce to the court that he has no right over you any more. You can then choose a husband for yourself".

[Guest guest]

Yudhishthira had just finished his offerings to the sons of Draupadi and all the others. Arjuna's tears were still in his eyes. He had just made the offerings for his dear beloved Abhimanyu. Now Kunti would do something which would make all this pale into just nothing. She went to Yudhishthira and placed her hand on his back. He turned round and said: "Yes, mother? What is it? 'Why did you call me?" Kunti had to swallow hard to prevent a sob from escaping her lips. She said: "There is still another person left. You have to make the offerings for him also, my son". Yudhishthira looked at her. Her eyes were red with unshed tears. All the people who had assembled there paused and looked at the scene between mother and son. The brothers -of Yudhishthira crowded around them and stood with their brows knit to guess who this other person could be. Krishna, the one man who knew, stood and watched Kunti with great compassion in his eyes. She had kept the secret well. She had not announced it during the var. She was silent even After Radheya died, because it would have broken the heart of Yudhishthira. He would have stopped fighting and gone back to the forest. What Kunti was doing now was the right thing. Krishna listened.

 

Yudhishthira said: "One person more? I do not anderstand. I remernber the dead only too well. Surely I am not such an inVate as to forget those who died for me! Who is this person to whom an offering by me is due?" Kunti said: "It is Radheya. You must make the offerings for him too". Yudhishthira was astouncled. He said: "Radheya? But mother, why should I do it for Radheya? He is a sutaputra. The funeral rites must be performed by his father dm his sons are dead. I am a kshatriya. Why do you ask me to do it for a suta? For Radheya the sutaputra, our arch-enemy? Why should I do it, mother? Please tell me. Why do you look so unhappy?" A moment passed. Kunti was dumb with the agony in her heart. She took a deep breath and said: "Yudhishthira, you must do it because Radheya is a kshatriya and not a sutaputra.Not a sutaputral Radheya not a sutaputra!" shouted all of them: all at the same time. The cry was taken up by everyone there. Radheya was a kshatriya! Radheya was not a sutaputra! Everyone was amazed to hear it. Yudhishthira said: "But, mother, you knew not a thing about Radheyal How do you know that he is a kshatriya? Then you must know who he is. Why Should I offer the funeral oblations for Radheya? I am puzzled by your words. Tell me, mother, who was the father of the great Radheya?" Kunti said: "Radheya was the son of Surya. Radheya's mother was a young girl. Surya gave her this child. It was born with the Kavacha and the Kundalas. His mother was afraid of the censure of the world. You see, she was a maiden in her father's house. So she had to keep the secret buried in her heart. She placed the child in a wooden box and set it afloat on this same river: this Ganga. The child was taken up by Atiratha and he gave it to his wife Radha. That is how he got the name Radheya, and that was the name he loved. He would not take any other name. His mother was a princess. She did this injustice to her first-born. She has several children but her heart is empty because of this".

 

Yudhishthira and all the others were listening to this recital. Everything else was forgotten in the excitement of listening to the wonderful story. Yudhishthira said: "Mother, who is the mother of Radheya? Who is that woman who was so heartless that she could abandon her child in the great river Ganga the moment it was born? Who is the woman who ruined the life of that great man? You must be knowing her since you are telling us all the details of the crime. Who is she, mother?"

 

All eyes were turned on her. Kunti looked at all of them. She looked at Krishna. He was looking at her with infinite pity in his eyes. Kunti looked straight into the eyes of Yudhishthira and said: "That woman is still alive. I am that woman. Radheya was my son: my first-born". She fell down in a dead faint.

 

Vidura hurried to her side even as he did on the day of the tournament when 'she fainted at the sight of Radheya. Yudhishthira could not think at all. He stood staring at all of them. He kept repeating: "Radheya is my elder brother and we have killed him!" He looked at Arjuna. Arjuna rushed to him.' He cried out: "What have I done, my lord? What have I done? How can I live after this? I have killed my brother! My brother, I have killed him!" Arjuna could not stand up. He sat down on the ground and he was shouting as one bereft of his senses: "I have killed my brother and I 'gloated over my brother's death!" He fell down in a faint. Krishna came to him and Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira's grief was dreadful. He was trembling like a man with an ague. His eyes became bloodshot. Bheema sat down beside Arjuna. He was too stunned to think. He was like a child which had suddenly become old.

 

Bheema thought of the day of the tournament. He remembered the moment when he had just discovered that Radheya was a sutaputra. Bheema had said: "Listen. You, a sutaputra, are not fit to be killed by Arjuna. You are not fit to hold a bow in your hand. Get thee hence, and take up a whip which will suit you better". Bheema remembered Duryodhana's words. He had said: "As for this young man it makes me pity you for your lack of understanding. He is full of the qualities that are found in a kshatriya and only in a kshatriya. Can you not see that a tiger can never be born of a poor meek deer? Can you not feet that he is a kshatriya? I have made him king of the Angas. But I know that he does not deserve this. He deserves to be lord of the entire world. He is born to be great. You are not good enough or great enough to recognize him". Duryodhana's words burned into his mind now. Yes, they were not great enough to recognize the greatness of Radheya. Bheema was sobbing as if. his entire frame were shattered. He could not speak a word. There was dumb misery and nothing else. Nakula thought of the duel he fought with Radheya; he remembered the words of Radheya. He had said: "Some day you will be proud of this duel you fought with me. Some day you will be proud of the fact that Radheya insulted you". Yes, that moment of humiliation would now be the most treasured moment in his life. It was not possible for Sahadeva to forget Radheya and his fight with him. He was remembering the sneer on his lips, and his unruffled manner. The Pandavas were prostrate with grief.

 

Kunti was revived with water and other things. For the first time in his life, Yudhishthira did not pay any attention to his mother. He could not look at the woman, who had done this injustice to Radheya and to the Pandavas. He went and sat with Arjuna and Krishna. Yudhishthira remembered the day when Radheya died. He remembered every moment of that day. He remembered calling Radheya 'sutaputra'. Yudhishthira turned to his mother. He asked her: "Did Radheya know about it? Did he know who he was?Yes", said Krishna. Yudhishthira turned his eyes on Krishna. All the Pandavas looked at Krishna. "Did you know about it, Krishna?" asked Yudhishthira. "Yes" was the reply. 'It was not possible for them to speak a single word after that. Radheya knew that he was not a sutaputra. He knew that he was the son of Surya and Kunti. And yet he allowed his own brothers to taunt him with that name. Yudhishthira beat his head in futile anger. He said: "When I heard that Radheya was dead, I ran to the batfle-field to see if he was really dead. I was so happy to see him dead. Mother, how could you do this to us, loving us as you did?"

 

It was only now that Yudhishthira saw his mother's face. She looked so unhappy. He did not want to speak a word more. She had suffered enough. Yudhishthira went and stood on the banks of the river Ganga. It looked a-, though the funeral oblations were being paid with just the tears of Yudhishthira. The death of Abhimanyu and the death of the sons of Draupadi were forgotten in this great calamity which had befallen them. They had killed their 'brother. That was the only thought that was in their minds as the Pandavas came away from the banks of the river Ganga. The procession wended its way towards the city. Gandhari, Kunti and Draupadi were sharing the same grief. They had lost their sons and they were inconsolable. Krishna walked along with them. He left them all to their grief. Krishna and Satyaki were walking a few steps behind the procession.

 

ancient paztriot

[history_lover]

This is indeed a wonderful description. Where did you get it from? I have never read that the Pandavas actually lamented Karnas death. Thank you for posting this.

 

With all this discussion,I did not notice the time at all. Are there any other books on the Mahabaratha that anyone can suggest? I just read R.K. Narayans version, but it is abridged, and it does not really portray the essence of the epic.

 

 

[Guest guest]

The book I have is posted earlier in this thread along with contact info. (I'm off to bed soon).

 

TALKS ON THE DHARMA OF A KING

 

Yudhishthira asked: "It has been said by the wise that kingly duties constitute the highest science. Please tell me about the duties of a king."

 

Bheeshma was immensely pleased with the humility and eagerness of Yudhishthira. He smiled at him and said: "My child, I am only too eager to tell you all that you want to know. A king's first duty is to worship the gods and the brahmins. A king should essentially be a man of action. You might have heard from many that destiny rules a king. It is a fallacy in reasoning if you think so. Destiny does play a part. I grant that. But without action a king can never help destiny to play her part. Destiny is powerful but action is equally powerful. Both are potent. But to me, it seems that action is the more potent of the two. It is action which shapes the destiny.

 

"The next, or rather, the next equally important duty of a king, is Truth. If you want to inspire confidence in the minds of your sub.jects, you should always be truthful."

 

"All accomplishments find a home in a king. His behaviour should be above reproach. Selfrestraint, humility and righteousness are qualities which you have to look for in a king if he has to be successful. He should have his passions under perfect control."

 

"Justice should be the second nature of a king. There are three more things which a king should cultivate. He should know how to conceal his own weaknesses carefully. By weakness is meant the weaknesses in his kingdom. He should take the trouble to find out the weaknesses in his enemies and he should be very careful to be secretive about his plans."

 

"A king's conduct should be straightforward. 'Another danger for a king is mildness. He should not be too mild. He will then be disregarded. The subjects will not have enough respect for him and his words. Again, he should avoid the other extreme. He should not be too fierce because then the subjects will be afraid of him, and that is not a happy state of affairs."

 

"A king should know the art of choosing servants. He should have compassion as part of his mental make-up, but he should guard against too forgiving a nature. The lowest of men will take advantage of him and his nature if they are considered weak."

 

"Alertness is a great necessity for a king. He should study his foes and his friends too, incessantly."

 

"A king must consider that his first duty is to his subjects. He should guard them as a mother guards the child in her womb. Will any mother have thoughts of pleasing herself when her child is in her womb? All her thoughts will be bent only on the child and its welfare. Even so, a king should subordinate his desires and wishes to those of his subjects. Their welfare should be his only concern."

 

"A king should be careful not to place implicit confidence in anyone. His innermost thoughts must be concealed from even his nearest and dearest and he should not tell anyone about his decisions."

 

"A king should be wise in dealing with six problems. The first is making peace with a foe who is stronger. The next consideration is making war on one who is equal to him in strength. Invading the country of one who is weaker in his next problem. He should use his discrimination when he makes a decision about these things. He should be prepared to seek protection in his fort if his position is weak. The most important work of a king is to cause dissensions among the chief office-bearers in his enemy's country. He should have clever spies at his service and find out the secrets of the enemy. He should bribe and cajole the officers of the enemy and win them over to his side."

 

"A king should be pleasant in speech. He should have about him men who are all like him in nature and in noble qualities. The only difference between the king and his officers should be the white umbrella."

 

"The best king is one whose subjects live in freedom and happiness as they do in their father's house. Peace will be theirs, and contentment. There will then be no wickedness, no pretence, no dishonesty and no envy."

 

"The very core of a king's duty is the protection of his subjects and their happiness. It is not easy. To secure the happiness of his people lie should use diverse methods."

 

"A king should be proficient in the art of choosing honest men to hold important offices. Skill, cleverness and truth are all three necessary in a king. Old and fallen buildings and living-houses should be renovated by him if he has to win the good opinion of his subjects. He should know how to use his powers in inflicting corporal punishments and fines on miscreants."

 

"The king should remember that his treasury should always be full. Supervision of the work of all his officers should be done by the king himself. He should never trust the guardians of the city or fort implicitly."

 

"He must produce disloyalty among the people in a hostile country and he must have friends and allies there."

 

"He should amass troops, and this should be done in secret. A king can never protect his kingdom by candour and by simplicity. A king should be both candid and crooked. He must employ crookedness and wrong acts when he wants to subdue the enemy. All these things should be concealed behind a candid and open exterior."

 

Yudhishthira: "How did the word 'RAJAN' come into use wher a king is addressed? A king is like any other human being on the earth. His body and limbs are like those of anyone else. His understanding, his senses, are similar to those of many others. He has the same joys and griefs, the same number of years to live on the earth, like anybody else. How then did it happen that he is considered different? This world is made up of men who are far superior to him in intelligence, bravery and all accomplishments. And yet, this one man rules the others: though they are superior to him. Why should it be the rule that one man is worshipped by all the others?"

 

Bheeshma: "I will tell you. In the beginning there was no king. There was no punishment. These two were not needed then. Men were all righteous and each man protected the other. As time passed on, however, the hearts of men began to be invaded by errors. Once error enters the heart, the mind gets clouded and the sense of right and wrong begins to wane. It was even so with the men of distant times."

 

"Covetousness was the first guest in their hearts. When covetousness came into life, men began to want things which did not belong to them. The next passion to be born was lust. Lust can never exist alone. It has to have a companion and so wrath came into existence. As soon as these terrible passions found places in the hearts of men, righteousness had to beat a hasty retreat. Along with this confusion, happened another great calamity. The Vedas disappeared. Righteousness was completely lost to the world. The gods were then overcome with fear. They went to Brahma Pitamaha and said: 'Look on the world you have created my lord! It is threatened with destruction. Please save it and save us!"

 

"Brahma assured them that he would find a way. He then composed a treatise composed of a hundred thousand lessons. He treated of Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. He dealt with them in great detail. He formulated the rules for chastisement. The main features of this treatise on chastisement dealt with punishment of two kinds: open and secret punishment. It treated of conservation of wealth by traders and merchants, growth of penance of the ascetics, destruction of thieves and wicked men. There was a branch dealing with all the religious observances, and another dealt with the extensive subject of legislation and the behaviour that is expected of counsellors, of spies, of secret agents, envoys, and conciliation. All the many ways and means by which men may be prevented from deviating from the path of righteousness and honesty were described in it."

 

"After composing it Brahma said: 'For the good of the world and for the establishment and propagation of Dharma, Artha and Kama I have composed this. Assisted by chastisement this will protect the world. Men are mostly led by chastisement and so this treatise will be called Dandaneeti.'

 

"It was studied and abridged by several of the gods, the first of them being Sankara. Finally, when it was to be given to the world, Sukra of great wisdom thought of the brevity of the life of men on earth and made the work much shorter. It contained just a thousand lessons. The gods then appeared before Vishnu and said: 'Lord! indicate to us a man on the world who deserves to be superior to the rest'

 

"'Narayana said: 'I will enter the body of one man and he, as well as all those who are born in his line, will be lords of the world'.

 

"There was a king called Vena. From his right arm was born a man who was like A second Indra in his looks and godliness. He was born with a coat of mail land all the weapons. He was proficient in all the arts and the Vedas. The rishis made him the ruler of the world. Sukra was his priest. There was current among men the feeling that he was the eighth son of Vishnu himself.

 

"His name was Prithu. He made the surface of the earth level. Vishnu and the deities assembled to crown Prithu king. The earth took a form and came to him with tributes of gems and jewels. Prithu milked the earth in the form of a cow and made her yield seven kinds of crops for the food of all living creatures. He made all.men regard Dharma as the foremost of all things.

 

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"Because he pleased all the people he was called 'RAJAN'. Because he healed the wounds of afflicted people he was called 'KSHATRIYA'. And again, because -the earth became celebrated for the prevalence of virtue during his reign, she was called 'PRITHIVI'.

 

"Vishnu entered the body of that monarch. A pure man, when his punya becomes exhausted, descends from heaven to earth and is born as a king. Such a person is indeed great and is a portion of Vishnu on earth. He has a heritage of divine intelligence and he is superior to all the others. He is established by the gods and he is not to be slighted. This is the reason why the world cannot command him but he can command the world. This is why the multitude has to obey his words of command though he is like anybody else."

 

Yudhishthira: "What are the principal duties of the subjects?"

 

Bheeshma: "Their first duty is to elect a king and perform his coronation. For the sake of the treasury, the subjects should give one fiftieth of their animals and precious metals and a tenth part of their grains. From among them they should choose those who are proficient in the use of weapons, and help the king in the maintenance of the army. A fourth part of the merits of the people will go to the king and a fourth part of their evil also. A disciple behaves with humility in the presence of his preceptor. Even so a subject should humble himself before his king. A king who is honoured by his subjects will naturally be respected and feared by his foes."

 

Yudhishthira: "What other special duties should a king discharge?"

 

Bheeshma: "A king should first know how to bring himself under subjugation. When he has achieved this he should then try to subdue his foes. The conquest of the five senses is considered to be the greatest victory. It is only such a king that is capable of conquering his enemies."

 

"A king should have an immense number of soldiers in his forts, cities, frontiers and all important spots."

 

"A king's thoughts, actions, decisions and spies should be kept secret from everyone, specially the enemy. His spies should look like imbeciles. Or they should seem as though they are blind and deaf. They should be capable and they should be wise. The king should ascertain that before employing them. They should be hardy, able to bear privations like cold, heat and hunger. The king should set spies on his counsellors, on his friends and even on his sons. His spies should be strangers to each other. The moment a king realises that his foe is stronger, he should strive to make peace. If he is sure of his strength, he should collect a large army and march against the person who has no allies and friends or who is engaged in war against another. The king should know how to take them by surprise. He should not hesitate to afflict the kingdom of the enemy with weapons, fire and poison.

 

"The king should take a sixth of the income of his subjects. This is for the maintenance of the army for their protection. A king's subjects are his children. But he should guard against compassion while punishing them for their wrong behaviour."

 

"Honest men who are absolutely trustworthy should be appointed to administer justice. The state has her strong foundation only upon the proper administration of justice."

 

"There need be no doubt whatever about the truth that it is the king that makes the age and not the age which makes the king. When a king rules relying entirely and strictly on the science of chastisement, Kritayuga or Satyayuga, the foremost of ages, is said to set in. Righteousness is prevalent during Kritayuga. Unrighteousness does not even exist then. The earth yields crops without even waiting to be tilled. Herbs and plants grow luxuriantly and in abundance. Diseases are not found at all and all men live long. The seasons are all delightful. There is peace and nothing but peace on earth. When the king relies on three of the four parts of this Dandaneeti, Tretayuga sets in. A fourth part of Dharma is gone and an equal portion of Adharma sets in. The earth does yield crops but she waits for the village. The herbs and plants need to be nurtured. The yield is not spontaneous. When the king follows the Dandaneeti only by half, the age that sets in is Dwapara. Righteousness is diminished by half and the void is filled up by unrighteousness. The earth, even when tilled, yields only half her crop. When the king ignores the edict of Brahma and begins to oppress his people, the age is Kali. Unrighteousness becomes rampant and nothing of righteousness is seen. The world becomes the home of anarchy. Diseases appear and men die prematurely. The clouds do not rain in season and the crops fail. The king is the cause of the yugas."

 

Yudhishthira: "Of whose wealth is the king said to be the lord?"

 

Bheeshma: "The Vedas have declared that the wealth of all persons belongs to the king, with the exception of the brahmins. The king's duty is to support all the brahmins."

 

Yudhishthira: "Nothing, not even the smallest act, can be accomplished by a single man. He has to have assistance. This is all the more true when one thinks of ruling a kingdom. So much of it depends on the minister of the king. Tell me, what are the characteristics of a minister and his duties? Which kind of man deserves the king's entire confidence?"

 

Bheeshma: "A king has friends and these can be classified into four types. The first is the man whose object coincides with that of the king. The second is the man who is devoted to the king. The third is one related to the king by birth. The fourth is one whom the king has placated by gifts. There is a fifth and that is a righteous man who firmly serves one and not both sides. He belongs to the side where there is righteousness. To this man the king should never confide plans which are in danger of being disapproved. A king who wants to be successful has to be righteous and unrighteous too according to circumstances. And so, he cannot be too careful in regard to these friends. A wicked man may appear to be honest and an honest man is likely to become dishonest. No man can always be of the same mind all the time. No one should be trusted completely. Entire reliance on the ministers is not wise. And again, a want of trust is also wrong. A king's policy, therefore, should be trust as well as mistrust.

 

"A king should fear his kinsmen as he would death himself. A kinsman can never bear to see the prosperity of the king. At the same time, a king without kinsmen is unfortunate indeed. The policy is: mistrusting them at heart, but behaving with them as though he trusts them completely."

 

Yudhishthira: "What should be the characteristics of the legislators, the ministers of war, the courtier, and the counsellors of a king?"

 

Bheeshma: "The legislators should be men who are modest, selfrestrained, truthful and sincere, and they should have the courage to speak what is proper. The ministers for war should be those who are always by the side of the king. They should be very brave. They should belong to the higher caste, and be learned and affectionate to a fault as far as the king is concerned. A courtier should be of high lineage. He should always be honoured by the king. He should be a man who has the king's interests always at heart. He should never abandon the king whatever the circumstances may be.

 

"The officers of the army should again be of high lineage, born in the country of the king; possessed of wisdom, great learning, and beauty of form and features. They should be of excellent behaviour, and they should be devoted to the king.

 

"Four brahmins, learned in the Vedas, possessed of great dignity and belonging to the Snataka order and of pure unblemished behaviour: eight kshatriyas all of whom should be very strong physically and proficient in the use of all the weapons: twenty-one vaisyas all of whom should be wealthy: three sudras all of whom should possess humility and pure conduct: and one man of the suta caste: these should be the ministers of the king. Everyone of them should be fifty–or–more years old.

 

"Punishment should be given to offenders according to the immensity of the offence. The wealthy should be fined and their property should be confiscated, while loss of liberty should be the punishment for the poor offender. Wicked conduct should be punished by inflicting corporal punishment.

 

"The king should levy taxes, but they should never be so high as to hurt the subjects. He should know how to milk his lingdom. He should be like a bee gathering honey from the flowers. He should be a leech which draws blood mildly without the victim being conscious of it. He should behave like a tigress with her cubs while handling his subjects: she catches them with her teeth and yet never hurts them."

 

Yudhishthira: "How should a king behave?"

 

Bheeshma: "Righteousness is the watchword of a king. Nothing is greater than that in this world. A righteous king can easily conquer the entire world. His counsellors should all be pure in heart and pure in mind. Malice should have no place in the heart of a king. His senses should be perfectly under control. He should use his intelligence and he will then be glorious: swelling in greatness like the ocean fed with the waters of a thousand rivers."

 

Yudhishthira: "The path of duty is very long. It has a hundred branches. Tell me, what are the duties that have to be practised?"

 

Bheeshma: "The worship of mother, father and preceptor: these are the most important duties. Attending to this duty fits a king to acquire great fame and the heavens. These, three should be worshipped and their commands should be obeyed implicitly. They are like the three fires that have to be worshipped daily. Serving the father helps one to cross this world. Serving the mother transports him to the heavens. Serving the preceptor one attains the region of Brahma."

 

Yudhishthira: "I want to know about bharma, Artha and Kama. The course of life proceeds onwards. Which of these three helps to steady that course in the right direction?"

 

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Bheeshma: "The three exist together, side by side, when a man arnasses wealth always taking care to walk in the path of Dharma. Wealth has its root in virtue, and pleasure is said to be the fruit of wealth. All of these again, are firmly planted in will. Objects exist in this world for the gratification of the senses, and will is concerned with these objects. The sum total of the three depends on these. Entire abstraction from all objects of pleasure is called Emancipation. Vittue is desirable for the protection of the body, and wealth for acquiring virtue. Pleasure is, after all, only for gratifying the senses. All three, however, have one quality in common: passion. The pursuit of these three for the sake of themselves, with a desire to enjoy their fruits, makes the rewards remote. However, if the pursuit is spurred by a desire for knowledge, the knowledge of self, when they become the means for an end which is noble, the realization of self, then the reward is immense. Virtue is to be acquired for the purification of the soul. Wealth should be acquired so that it may be spent without any desire for the fruits. Pleasure is to be pursued just for supporting the body and not for gratifying it. Hence it is said that all three of them have their roots in Will. Dharma, Artha and Kama are not ends in themselves, but are just means to an end, and that end is Moksha. These three should be abandoned when one has freed oneself by ascetic penance. Emancipation is the only goal of man."

 

Yudhishthira: "Intelligence, they say, is superior to everything else: intelligence which helps one to plan the future and provide for it: which can meet with any kind of emergency. Tell me about intelligence, particularly when a king has a difficult task to perform: as for instance when he is assailed by many foes. How will intelligence help him to protect himself?"

 

Bheeshma: "I will tell you about the duties of a king when in distress. A foe then becomes a friend, and a friend will most probably turn out to be a foe. Circumstances will so conspire that the course of human actions becomes uncertain. This is where intelligence comes to one's rescue. It helps you to decide whether one should make war on the foe or make peace with him. It all depends on the time and place, and, at times, it is even necessary to make friends with the enemy. You should make friends with intelligent men who are desirous of your welfare. If your life cannot otherwise be saved, then you should certainly make peace with the enemy. If you are foolish enough not to consider this, then you will never succeed in achieving things for which everyone strives so hard. A king, who makes a truce with the enemy, and quarrels with his erstwhile friends after considering the situation to the utmost, its pros and its cons, will certainly be able to succeed.

 

"Friends should be examined to the utmost before accepting them as friends. Foes should be well studied and their strength and weakness known. Friends appear as foes, and foes assume the guise of friends. When friendly compacts are undertaken, it is not possible to be sure if the feelings of the other are really friendly or if it is just selfishness which prompts him to accept the pact. The words 'friend' and 'foe' are, after all, relative terms. A man considers another to be his friend so long as he is assured that his interests are safe: so long as he is sure that it is profitable for him to do so. If he is sure that this state of things will continue as long as the other man is alive, he allows the friendship to continue for life.

 

"Self-interest is the most powerful factor in the life of everyone. The entire world is pivoted round only this one factor and it ever revolves around it. No one is dear to another unless there is some gain involved. No affection is evident unless there is a motive of selfinterest. One man is popular because he is very liberal-minded, another because he speaks sweetly and a third because he is very religious. Generally it is the rule rather than the exception that a man is dear because of the purpose lie serves: nothing more. The friendship terminates as soon as the reason for the friendship dies.

 

"An intelligent man should know when to make peace with a' foe. Remember, when two persons who were once enemies become friends it is obvious that each is only biding his time when he can get the better of the other. The wiser of the two will necessarily succeed. The policy is that, while you are afraid of the other man, you should appear as though you are not. You should appear as though you trust him implicitly and, all the time, you should be mistrusting him. When the time demands it you should make peace with your foe and at the earliest opportunity you must wage war. This rule should apply even for a friend."

 

Yudhishthira: "Tell me, what is the source of sin? Where does it proceed from and what is the foundation on which it is built?"

 

Bheeshma: "Covetousness is the one root of all sin. It destroys all merit and all goodness. From it proceeds the river of sin. It is from this single source that many of the sins flow. Covetousness is the eternal spring of cunningness and hypocrisy. Wrath is born of covetousness, lust is born of covetousness and several of the terrible maladies of the mind spring from covetousness: loss of judgement, deception, pride, arrogance, malice, vindictiveness, shamelessness, loss of virtue, anxiety and infamy. These are some of the many children of covetousness. Let me recount to you the names of some more of them. Miserliness, cupidity, desire for every kind of improper behaviour, pride of birth, pride of learning, pride of beauty, pride of wealth, pitilessness, malevolence, insincerity, appropriation of another's wealth, harshness of speech, talking ill of others, gluttony, a love of falsehood, and a love of every kind of evil act. In life no man has ever been able to give up covetousness. Life may decay, but this will never wane in its power. Even men of great learning, whose minds are the very treasury of all the scriptures, who have the intelligence to clear all the many doubts of others, are found to be incompetent to manage their own affairs. They are spineless and weak, and it is because they are slaves of this dread disease: covetousness."

 

Yudhishthira: "Tell me about ignorance."

 

Bheeshma: "Ignorance, my child, again has its origin in this covetousness. As covetousness grows, ignorance grows with it. The root of covetousness is but loss of clear thinking, loss of judgement, and so ignorance is an inseparable companion of covetousness."

 

Yudhishthira: "What are the duties which should be preferred to all others?"

 

Bheeshma: "The highest duty is self-restraint. Just as the great sin covetousness leads to all sins, self-restraint leads a man to the highest glory. It has a number of good qualities born of it: forgiveness, patience, abstaining from injuring others, impartiality, truth, sincerity, modesty, steadiness, liberality, freedom from wrath, contentment, sweetness of speech, benevolence, freedom from malice. A man who is self-restrained will never be a slave to the attachments of the earth. He attains emancipation. He is almost on the threshold of it when he becomes self-restrained."

 

Yudhishthira: "I desire to hear about truth."

 

Bheeshma: "Truth is the duty of every human being. It is an eternal duty. Truth is the highest refuge. Truth is the greatest penance. Truth is the highest yoga and Truth is the Eternal Brahman. It is the sacrifice which is greater than all other sacrifices. All the three worlds rest on Truth and nothing else. Truth is of thirteen kinds. Impartiality, self-control, forgiveness, modesty, endurance, goodness, renunciation, contemplation, dignity, fortitude, compassion and abstinence ftom injury. All these are aspects of Truth. Truth is immutable, eternal, unchangeable."

 

Yudhishthira: "What is that good thing which one should strive for?"

 

Bheeshma: "This world is ever threatened by death. The nights which come and go do but lessen the span of one's life. Death waits for no man. It is nearing every creature every moment. Its progress .is imperceptible but it is ever steady. With the passing of each day, man's life is shortened. Death comes before man's desires have been fulfilled. When he is busy plucking the flowers, death snatches a man away like a beast of prey carrying away a ram. What you have planned to do tomorrow must be done today. What you have planned to do in the afternoon must be done in the forenoon. Death is ruthless. It will never wait ana see if all your acts have been carried out. Man 'should hurry and practise virtue in the prime of life. Life is so uncertain, and only death is certain. It may come now or it may come years later The readiness is important. Virtue will grant you fame in this world and happiness in the next."

 

"Man is plagued with a thousand desires in this world. He becomes attached to many things and many people. His work, his lands, his. children, his home: all these have woven a web of attachment from which he is torn away by death. Nothing can resist the force of this web of attachment except truth. Knowledge of the true values of things makes a man realise the transitoriness of the things of the world, and to such a man death has no terrors. Truth is immortality. In the same body can be found the germs of death as well as immortality. It is all in your hands whether you nurture the one or the other. Earthly bondages are so easily formed. It is easy for anyone to nurture the plant of attachment which is but another name for death."

 

"The wise man, however, restrains his senses. He rises above the grasping hands of desire and wrath. He will know how to treat pleasure and pain alike. Tranquillity becomes his for the asking, and he attains immortality. His words, his thoughts, his renunciation and his yoga rest or the eternal, the Brahman, and he escapes death."

 

"The eye of knowledge is the keenest eye. Truth is the greatest penance. Attachment is the most terrible of all sorrows. Renunciation is the source of the greatest happiness."

 

"We are born from Brahman through Brahman. Devoting oneself to Brahman one can return to Brahman. Seek the self which is concealed in a cave."

 

Yudhishthira: "Describe to me the man who is dear to all. I/Vho is said to be perfectly accomplished, to be endowed with all the merits that the world speaks about?"

 

Bheeshma: "Such a man as you describe will be learned. He will be good and pious. His blood will never get heated by pride. Discontent and wrath will not be found in him. His senses will never lead him astray, and he will always have peace born of the realization of the Supreme Truth."

 

Yudhishthira: "What makes a man a sinner and what makes him virtuous? What helps him to achieve renunciation? How does he attain emancipation?"

 

Bheeshma: "Desire is responsible for making a man a sinner. When it sees an object of the sense, desire seeks it. For the sake of getting what he wants man begins to strive for it. The objects of the senses appear so agreeable that man tries his best to get them. Attachment follows in the wake of desire. Immediately follow aversion, greed and error of judgment. The mind becomes confused, clouded, and man does not any more follow the path of virtue. Assuming a virtue. which he does not possess is now the policy of man, and he becomes a hypocrite. Acquiring wealth with the help of hypocrisy is easy for a man who has begun the downward path to sin. In spite of the advice of wellwishers and elders, man begins to act in a sinful manner. There is no more hope of salvation for a confirmed sinner like the man just described.

 

"The man who is righteous seeks the good of others, and so he wins good for himself. He is wise and knows how to avoid the pitfalls called the senses. He is wise as to the real nature of happiness and sorrow. Man attains mastery over the senses, and that is called virtue. But still he is discontented. He will not rest until he has mastered the art of renunciation. Knowledge helps him to be free of desire. Finally, realizing that the world is but a passing pageant, that it will be destroyed any time, he tries to cast off virtue with its rewards in the form of heaven and happiness, and tries to attain emancipation."

 

Yudhishthira: "What are the attributes that are necessary for a man if he wants to be free from attachment and attain emancipation?"

 

Bheeshma: "The man fit for emancipation has passed far beyond the ken of the world of the senses. Hunger and thirst do not bother him nor is he affected by other states of the physical body. ' His mind is untrammelled by wrath, cupidity and error. Folly never makes him forget himself. To such a man, a hovel built of bamboo and reeds is the same as the palace of a king. Pleasure and pain do not touch him since he is -fully conscious of their birth in delusion. To him, the world is just the consequence of the five primal elements combining all together. This truth is always present in his mind when he looks on the world. Pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat, are equal in his eyes. Fear is not in him nor is there place for anxiety in his heart. He knows fully well that king after king possessed of great power and greater glory abode in this world for a while and then have departed. All things of this earth are transitory: that is the first truth he has realized. Experience of the world and true knowledge have waked in him the truth about the world, and he views everything as unsubstantial. Equipped as he is with so much wisdom, a man attains emancipation wherever he is: whether in domestic life or in the forest."

 

Yudhishthira: "Your statement intrigues me. Without abandoning domesticity, without adopting life in the forest, how can man attain emancipation?"

 

Bheeshma: "A king need not give up his kingdom at all for attaining emancipation. You should be free of all attachment. If you are unmoved by companionship of any kind, if you can fix your thoughts on the Eternal Brahman, you can be emancipated. Renunciation is the keynote for this path. It is the highest means. Renunciation follows where knowledge guides the mind. Knowledge leads the mind towards yoga and through yoga man attains to the Brahmic state. A man leading domestic life can certainly attain emancipation if he cad claim to have acquired Yama and Niyama equal to a Sanyasin."

 

Yudhishthira: "Where does the Goddess of prosperity reside?"

 

Bheeshma: "An eloquent person, an active person, an attentive person, is ever the home of prosperity. Free of wrath, he should have his passions under control, and he should be high-minded. A man of little energy is spurned by her. So also one who is diffident and who is wrathful. Brahmins who are devoted to the study of the Vedas, Kshatriyas who are devoted to righteousness, Vaisyas who are devoted to cultivation and Sudras who have devotion in their hearts: all these are the dwelling places of the Goddess of prosperity."

 

Yudhishthira: "What are the duties of a man who has hopes of passing through this world pleasantly and who has hopes of reaching the next world?"

 

Bheeshma: "The three acts of the body, destruction of the lives of other creatures, theft of what belongs to others and the enjoyment of the wife of another man, should be avoided by a man who aspires for all that you say. He should avoid the four acts that are possible with speech: evil conversation, harsh words, publishing other people's fallacie's and falsehood. One should avoid the three acts of the mind: coveting the possessions of others, injuring others and disbelief in the ordinances of the Vedas. If these ten acts are avoided, man will be assured of a pleasant passage through this world and a place in the next world."

 

Yudhishthira: "Is there anything which is superior to the practice of Brahmacharya? I want also to know the highest indication of virtue and the highest kind of purity."

 

Bheeshma: "Abstaining from wine and meat is even superior to Brahmacharya. The best indication of virtue is righteousness, and it is also the highest kind of purity."

 

Yudhishchira: "When should one practise Dharma? When should one acquire Artha? When should Kama be indulged in?"

 

Bheeshma: "The first part of one's life is the time when wealth should be earned. Righteousness should then be practised and the enjoyment of pleasure comes later. All this with the special observance that one should not attach oneself to any of these. The end and aim of man should be Moksha."

 

Yudhishthira: "Which is the Teertha of the greatest purity?"

 

Bheeshma: "There is no doubt that all teerthas are capable of purifying man. But the best of all teerthas which is capable of purifying man is–TRUTH. One should bathe in the teertha called the mind which cannot be fathomed, which has no stain and which is pure. This teertha has TRUTH for its waters and the lake of the mind is made up of understanding. Once a man bathes in this Manasa Sarovara, he becomes heir to sincerity, gentleness, truthfulness, compassion, selfrestraint and tranquillity."

 

Yudhishthira: "Who is the true friend of man? Is it his father or mother or son or preceptor or kinsmen or friend? When one dies, his body has to be abandoned like a piece of wood or like a clod of earth. Who is the friend who follows him to the next world?"

 

Bheeshma: "Man is born alone and he dies alone. Alone he comes into this beautiful world and alone he must go when he leaves this World. He has not a single companion in his march through this incident called life. All those you spoke about, the father, the mother, sons, kinsmen, friends, or the preceptor, turn away from you once you are dead. Leaving the dead form of you like a piece of wood or a clod of earth after mourning for a few moments, they turn away from you and go on with their work. They have no more interest in your body which is all that is left of you. Only Dharma, righteousness, follows the body'that has been abandoned by all. That is the only friend of man and that is the one thing that should be sought by man."

 

Yudhishthira: "Who is the One God in the world? The One Object which is our Sole Refuge? By worshipping whom does one obtain all that one desires? Which is the One Religion which is the foremost of all religions? What is the mantra, reciting which, man becomes freed from the bondage of birth?"

 

Bheeshma: "Krishna is the Lord of the Universe. He is the God of Gods. He is the foremost of all beings. By Him is pervaded this universe. Meditating on Him and on His many names man can transcend all sorrow. The foremost of all religions is Krishna. He is the highest Energy. He is the highest penance. He is the highest refuge. He is the holiest of holies. He is the beginning of all creation and the end of all creation. Krishna is the Eternal Brahman. Surrender yourself to Him and you will be one with Him: with Krishna the Lord of the Past, the Present and the Future: the Supreme Soul."

 

The days of instruction were over. Bheeshma said: "My child, I have taught you all that you wanted to learn. Go back to your kingdom and begin your rule. The people will be as happy as they were when the great kings Nahusha, Harischandra and Yayati ruled this world. You carry my blessings with you. Go, my child, and come to me when Uttarayana comes on. I have been waiting for that. I will see you once again then".

 

Yudhishthira took tender leave of him and they all went back to Hastinapura.

 

Good night all! Hare Krsna.

 

ancient paztriot

[history_lover]

I looked at the website that you have mentioned, but I dont see any online links to the story. There is a Mahabharatha by Kamala Subramaniam, it looks more like an Amara Chitra Katha from the outside. Is that the book you are talking about? Where do you get the online extracts from? Many Thanks.

[Guest guest]

VedicResource does not seem to have the book online or in their catalogue, but the do have it. Just ask for the one by Kamala Subramaniam.

 

I used OCR scanning on the book to get digital text because I plan on putting it online later.

 

Matchless Gifts at the L.A. temple also has it (or did).

 

ancient paztriot

[Guest guest]

i want to know so i can read it...

please tell me

thank-you,

trupti

[ancient_paztriot]

Hridy: Also, in the Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhishma, lying upon his deathbed, a very glorious bed of arrows… meet the Pandavas. So he was… Bhisma of coarse is a mahajana, one of the great souls in the universe, one of the twelve topic authorities in the universe on Krsna consciousness… a very big personality. And uh, of coarse he knows everything about religion, he's mahajana. Somehow or other he found himself involved in Krsna-lila, and he had to act in certain ways… sometimes he had to act even in apparently even inimical (horrible spelling) to the Pandavas… although he was their grandfather… So, he loved them. So finally, the lila was over, the battle was over, their was no need anymore to do these things, he was lying there, preparing to go back home, back to godhead. And uh, the Pandavas came with Krsna. All the important personalities of the universe came there. Bhisma… it's described in the Bhagavatam when he saw the Pandavas, he was so Vedic, he was such a nice Vedic gentleman… he was lying on a bed of arrows piercing his body, getting ready to give up this world, and yet when they came he recieved them very nicely. Gentleman. And yet although he tried to recieve them, he was so chocked up, he was so overwhelmed by seeing the Pandavas - caused he loved them very much… and he knew they were intimate devotees of Krsna - that he began to cry… although he's most powerful ksatriya in the world… And as he was crying, he said he could not even see them. And then he expressed his real opinion which he could not express before because of circumstances. He said (Sanskrit). He said, "How painful, how improper… (Sanskrit) …that all of you poor boys, who are the sons of religion personified… how you had to suffer. So how terrible this is!"

 

So he was crying like that. Then he said, " (Sanskrit) My dear boys - grandsons - that person whom you thought was your maternal cousin, You thought he was a son of your mother's brother… your cousin… you thought that. And you thought that He was your friend and chariot driver and so on… You were sending Him to deliver messages back and forth… "

[ancient_paztriot]

Hridayananda…

 

Hearing Dervasa's words, young Priitaa was struck with wonder. With childlike curiosity she began wondered how the mantra worked. To see for herself, the innocent girl, justly famous for her chastity decided to call the beautiful sun god. Within moments she saw the dazzling, resplindent day-maker - maintainer of the world - coming toward her. She stayed in amazement to see this wonderful sight. The sun-god came close upon her for conjugal contact. She froze with fear, unable to think or act in his overwhelming prescence. Seeing before him the frightened young princess who's mature body was perfectly shaped… the kindly sun-god blessed her that she would again become a virgin after their contact.

 

Before she could do anything, the mighty god filled with light begot a child within her womb. Soon thereafter, Priita gave birth to an unordinary son, born with brilliant armour attached to his body and radiant with the beauty of his heavenly father. The child was destined to be a great warrior, a master of the military science. Along with his ingrown armour, this child was born with glowing earings with illumined his face. On day he would be famous and feared throughout the world as Karna.

 

Young Priitaa didn't know what to do. She felt all the natural love of a mother for her child, yet she was still but a young girl and could not bear to face her parents and other relatives. Indeed, she loved her father Kunti-bhoja so much that people called her Kunti.

 

Although the sun-god had kept his word and restored her virginity, she could not even dream of facing her family as an unwed mother… even if the father of her child was a cosmic ruler.

 

Fear took hold of her and in utter panic, she carefully placed her young child born with extraordinary armour and earrings in the water of the river that flowed through the opulent capital city of King Kunti-bhoga.

[Guest guest]

Is there online source somewhere, the entire thing not just the gist. How did you all come to knmow so much? Where did you get all this info.? I want to know too.

[Guest guest]

Everyone in the Mahabharath had his faults, so it is funny how ppl pick only on Karna. Both Arjuna and Krishna cheated Karna many times to defeat him:

 

1) Let Kunti extract promise from karna. As a result, even though Karna dfefeated Yudhistra, Bhim, Nakul and Sahadev, he refused to kill them and let them go on account of his promise. This speaks volumes of the man's honor. Also, because of the promise, Karna couldn't use some astra twice

 

2) Brahmin's curse

 

3) Parasurama's casteist tendencies and the resulting curse. It is soooo easy to blame Karna for posing as a Brahmin, but that was only because Karna was forced to. Had Parasurama, a supposedly great and wise sage, not discriminated on caste basis, then Karna would've never done what he did. As you see, it is casteism that forced noble Karna to lie.

 

4) Arjuna's dad Indra, supposed to be the lord of power, was begging Karna for his shield knowing full well that Arjuna would never defeat him otherwise

 

5) Even so, Arjuna still couldnt beat Karna, on the contrary, throughout the battle, it was Karna who had the upper hand, and if hadn't beem for Krisna manipulating the chariot, Arjun's head would've vanished

 

6) Krishna knew Karna's charioteer was pro-Pandava, yet he sent him to Karna safe in the knewoldege he would betray him. And that's what happens, the idiot doesn't even help when the wheel got stuck

 

7) And only when karna was unarmed and not fighting, Arjuna could kill him. Until then, he had no clue as to waht hit him. Morever, Arjuna lied to Karna. When Karna said, "Once i lift my wheel, then we can fight." Arjuna nodded, but broke his promise in a split second.

 

Accusations against karna:

 

1) Myth: He abused Draupad Truth: No, he didnt. He did what any self-respecting man would do. React with righteous indignation

 

2) Myth: He killed Abhimanya Truth: It is war, what do you expect? Abimanyu was supposed to be a fine warrior, irerspective of his youth. Suppose a Paki terrorist, JUST 15 YEARS OF AGE, crossed the border and was ready to detonate the bomb, would the Indian security forces hug him in compassion, saying he is just a kid???? No, war is war, hard decisions have to be made.

 

3) Myth: He lied to Parasurama Truth: It has been explained already. It is due to casteism

 

 

In defense of Karna:

 

Even if there are other accusations against him, it can be explained quite easily. He was a human being, and he made mistakes like everyone else (name one perfect character in MB if you dare), but at least he had good reasons. He wasn't a spoilt brat like Bhim or Arjun, who got everything on a silver platter. He had to work hard for it, because society wouldn't treat him as a human being, solely due to his caste. This is reprehensible, so blame the casteists instead of Karna.

[krishnasgopi]

Karna was a victim of fate.As for one of you pointing out that he was unjust in insulting Draupidi and the killing of Abhimanyu , may I please say that during the time Draupadi was insulted by the members of the sabha, karna only pointed out to Draupadi about her duties as a slave.Even Bhima understood Karna's words and did not get angry on him.

I think it is a tragic life that Karna led. He did not know who he was and he felt that Duryodhana knew about him better than himself.Duryodhana was the only one who seemed to have utmost faith in Karna. that was why Karna had to bear the burden of gratitude and hence he fought the great war according to his friend's wishes even though he knew he was going to die fighting.

[krishnasgopi]

thsi is a reply to the post in pg5. I think the reason for krishna not asking the pandavas not to insult Karna is simply that they would suspect him of knowing aa secret about karna that they don't. Please remember that Yudishtira suspected about Karna since karna's feet were like kuntis.

Bhishma called karna a sutaputra even though he knew about his birth for the same reason.Both krishna and Bhishma keep quiet about karna and let the pandavas heap insults on him. this is because they knew that Karna would attain the position of sanctity after the Pandavas realise the truth.The more insults the pandavs heaped on karna, the more they repented after he died. Yudushtira lost his desire to rule the kingdom. Bhima and Arjuna became more humble after hearing his story. Nakula and sahadeva treasured the moments when karna had insulted them on the battlefield. The sense of guilt never left any of them. Karna got what he always wanted- the one thing he always wanted: everlasting fame.

[krishnasgopi]

the text that you are looking for is from the book "mahabharata" written by kamala Subramanyam.It is an excellent book. If you want to read Krishnavatara series then you should buy the Krishnavatar- the descent of the lord by k.m Munshi.

[gokulkr]

In Bhagavath Gita, Lord Krishna shows Arjuna -Virata Purusa form & Viswaroopa form.

 

At that time, Arjuna sees Karna, Bhisma, Drona , Duryodhana etc... caught in mouth of krsna & getting squashed.

 

Krishna has decided Karna is a evil one & needed to be eliminated. So God (Krishna) decided to eliminate him, why should we give respect to a evil character meant to be eliminated by krishna. By supporting Karna, we make a sin of insulting Lord Krishnas decision to eliminate him.

 

Moreover, all the people in this thread judged karnas character as displayed in "TV Serials & Movies", but i dont know how many people have read original "Vyasa Mahabharata".

In original "Vyasa-Mahabharata", even from childhood, Karna is shown as a friend of duryodhana & they both made plans to kill bheema. Also Karna is shown as a pupil in "Gurukulam" along with pandavas & kauravas. So Karna wasnt deprived any rights.

 

Also many people think Karna became friend to duryodhana just becase he honored him by making king. thats funny. Karna since from childhood was a friend to the monster because karna too is a evil one.

 

Karna knew that he is a Lord Surya and he felt proud for that. He never repented for that.

 

Many times, Lord Surya & Lord krishna gave opportunity to recorrect himself, but they were in vain. Karna decided to be evil always.

 

Also Karna wasnt able to lift the bow during Draupadi Swamyamvara. It is a lie that Karna lifted it & Draupadi insulted him. Remember, Draupadi is a true Krsna devotee, so devotees dont insult anyone.

 

Also Lord krishna didnt pleaded to Karna to give away his dharma as charity to him so that he will be killed. Its a myth. Karna was killed in a way that he deserved.

 

All these are clearly specified in "Original Vyasa-Mahabaharata".

 

Thanks to unauthorised versions of Mahabharata, Tv Serials & movies, people started thinking karna as a noble soul.

 

Truth is karna was a evil monster just like his evil friend duryodhana.

 

Also in TV serials, the "Banasura incident of Bhagavatham" is shown in a inverted way telling that Lord shiva stopped the sudarshana chakra of krsna to protect Banasura. They also show that Narada praising Shiva for stopping Sudharasana chakra. Its a great joke i have ever seen.

Those who read "Bhagavatham" knows the true banasura incident. In "Bhagavatham" it is Lord Shiva & Narada worship Lord Krishna.

 

So people done believe wahtever shown in TV serials, Movies & unauthrised copies of the great epic -"Mahabharata".

 

Praise Pandavas. Surrender to Lord Krishna.

Hate the kauravas.

 

[Guest guest]

I beg to differ from the opinions the Gokulkr has posted.

Maybe it is true in a way that most people's opinions are based on the versions of the epic read. However, almost all of the people who write the Mahabharata are highly renowned scholars like Rajagopalachari, Kamala Subramaniam,Kisari Mohan Ganguli & KM Munshi. They derive all their info from Vyasa's original epic and have no reason to misinterpret any character according to their whims and fancies. So why should they simply sympathize & alter Radheya's character and leave the other characters just as they are? I dont think that is happening at all..

I'm sure almost everything about the great Radheya written must be true. He was indeed a great man in the epic and also largely unfortunate. There is no doubt that Arjuna and Bhima were amongst the most pampered Pandavas. Also it is true that in that avatara of His, Lord Krishna was totally unfair to Radheya many a time. However since I am a big admirer of Radheya (also having earlier posted the article Radheya, the great son of Surya), I did do some introspection and research to find out why the Lord who is impartial could have behaved like that towards such a noble man.

Here, considering the circumstances in which Radheya was born, lived and died he should by all means be considered noble and not evil (though some people tend to classify him as part of the dushtaChatura- Duryodhana, Shakuni, Dusshasana and Radheya). He acted in accordance with his birth as a human and did exhibit a few negative traits due to this birth like jealousy towards the successful Pandavas, retaliation on being humiliated etc etc but arent these traits exhibited by even some of the greatest saints when pushed to the edge? For one, I know that Maharishi Durvasa was notorious for his anger. So were Rajarishi Vishwamitra and also the great Bhargava who is one among the dashavataras. When even great sages and incarnations are subject to human frailties, what to say of even a great Aditya like Radheya? But Radheya had several characteristics which can classify him as a super human in terms of nobility and virtue. So whoever says that Radheya was evil is just blind to his greatness or is utterly biased against him.

But coming back to the larger issue of his unfortunate birth, life and death many might not know that Karna was an asura in his previous birth. His name was Dambodbhava and he used to cause trouble during the meditations of the incarnations of the lord Nara & Narayana. SO when he is about to meet his end as Dambodbhava, he repents and Lord Narayana grants him the favour of either being close to him as His favoured one / spend one very unfortunate life on earth and be killed by the Lord to attain heaven. He chooses the latter and hence is born as Radheya who later meets his end by the Nara-Naryana comination.That is the reason for Radheya's great but highly unfortunate life and anyone who thinks that he was evil is just deluding himself/ herself. Radheya in that particular birth of his was a really great one and after his end the Mahabharatha says that he went back to heaven and took his place among the Adityas.

[Guest guest]

with this interpretation. Karna is certainly the greatest character in the Mahabharat. He was flawless but some people are so jealous they want to make him look evil. Actually, the so-called "faults" attributed to him like jealousy, rage etc. are pure fabrications only. In reality, he was perfect, more perfect than all Pandavas put together. People just want to make Pandavas look like the good guys, so what better way of doing it than lowering Karna's supreme status??? And remember, Karna at least had the decency to spare the four Pandava brothers even after defeating them, whereas pandavas were rejoicing his death.

[Guest guest]

Jai Ganesh

 

RE

(At that time, Arjuna sees Karna, Bhisma, Drona , Duryodhana etc... caught in mouth of krsna & getting squashed.Krishna has decided Karna is a evil one & needed to be eliminated. So God (Krishna) decided to eliminate him, why should we give respect to a evil character meant to be eliminated by krishna. By supporting Karna, we make a sin of insulting Lord Krishnas decision to eliminate him.)

 

So does this mean Bhismapitamah was also evil?

Karna was victim of circumstance; he was abandoned at birth, what a cruel fate.

He had great quality of a Kshatriya, equal to Arjun if not better, yet spurned by society blinded by birth qualification alone.

Robed by Indra of his kavach and kundal, a true danvir that he was.

Radheya indebted to Kaurava, for all the respect he received from them, would not change side even after finding out the truth about his brothers. I wonder if Arjun would have killed him if he knew the truth?

Evil he was not.

Jai Shree Krishna

 

[gokulkr]

If Lord krishna does something, it has some meaning.

 

if lord wants to eliminate karna, then there must be some meaningful purpose.

 

since i surrender to lord, i dont want to comment that "karna" is good, because Lord given many opps to karana, but he rejected it.

 

Lord always supported pandavas because he knew that "Pandavas are good".

 

By making comments on pandavas we are insulting them, since they were true devotees of the lord.

 

Regarding bhisma, i dont wanna comment. only lord knows his lila.

 

Jai Shri Krishna

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Krishna, arjun and pandavas were liars and thieves, whereas Karna was more noble than so-called Lord himslef.

[Guest guest]

No!! How dare you go against Shree Krishna - Shree Krishna is everything, things happen if Shree Krishna wants it to happen. Karna was on the side of untruth, so that makes him evil. His personal situation was sad and the reason he was fighting for duryodhan is noble, but the fact that he was fighting for evil makes his actions wrong. I dont know - I am not Shree Krishna I dont have any right to judge. All I know is that Shree Krishna is everything.

JSK

[Guest guest]

I'am of the opinion that when krishna showed his viraataroopa squashing Karna, Bheeshma, drona and others it was only to symbolise that those who side with adharma also will be destroyed even though they themselves may be the pillars of Dharma.Please do not forget that the Viraatroopa of the lord is a symbology which shows where the different people stand in the eyes of the lord.

As for the person who said that krishna, arjuna and the pandavas were liars and only Karna was noble minded, may I remind you that the noble minded Karna regarded Krishna as God and the Pandavas as noble minded Kshatriyas. The only thing that held back Karna from joining the Pandavas and Krishna was Duryodhanas friendship which meant more than his life to Karna. He had pledged his whole life for his friendship with Duryodhana.His love for Duryodhana crossed all bounds and it intensified to such an extent that Karna readily gave up Dharma to be on Duryodhana's side. In other words he gave up Krishna to be on Duryodhana's side. This was one of the weaknesses of Karna.