SECTION45 (Dyuta Parva)

SECTION45

(Dyuta Parva)

Vaisampayana said,--"when that foremost of sacrifices, the Rajasuya so difficult of accomplishment, was completed, Vyasa surrounded by his disciples presented himself before Yudhishthira. And Yudhishthira, upon beholding him quickly rose from his seat, surrounded by his brothers, and worshipped the Rishi who was his grand-father, with water to wash his feet and the offer of a seat. Vyasa having taken his seat on a costly carpet inlaid with gold, addressed Yudhishthira and said.--'Take thy seat'. And after the king had taken his seat surrounded by his brothers, Vyasa, said,--'O son of Kunti, thou growest from good fortune. Thou hast obtained imperial sway so difficult of acquisition. I have been duly worshipped. I desire now to go with thy leave! King Yudhishthira, thus addressed by the Rishi, saluted and touching his feet said,--'O chief of men, a doubt difficult of being dispelled, hath risen within me. Save thee there is none to remove it. The Rishi Narada said that as a consequence of the Rajasuya sacrifice three kinds of portents - celestial, atmospherical and terrestrial ones happen. Have those portents been ended by the fall of the kind of the Chedis?''

Vaisampayana continued,--"Hearing these words of the king, Vyasa, spoke these words,--'For thirteen years, O king, those portents will bear mighty consequences ending in destruction, of all the Kshatriyas. In course of time, making thee the sole cause, the assembled Kshatriyas of the world will be destroyed, for the sins of Duryodhana and through the might of Bhima and Arjuna. In thy dream, thou wilt behold towards the end of this might the blue throated Bhava, the slayer of Tripura, ever absorbed in meditation, having the bull for his mark, drinking off the human skull, and fierce and terrible, that lord of all creatures, that god of gods, Hara armed with the trident and the bow called Pinaka, and attired in tiger skin. And thou wilt behold Siva, tall and white as the Kailasa cliff and seated on his bull, gazing unceasingly towards the direction south presided over by the king of the Pitris. Even this will be the dream thou wilt dream today. Do not grieve for dreaming such a dream. None can rise superior to the influence of Time. Blest be thou! I will now proceed towards the Kailasa Mountain. Rule thou the earth with vigilance and steadiness, patiently bearing every privation!'"

Vaisampayana continued,--"Having said this, Vyasa, accompanied by his disciples ever following the dictates of the Vedas, proceeded towards Kailasa. And after Vyasa had thus gone away, the king afflicted with anxiety and grief, began to think continuously upon what the Rishi hath said. And he said to him, 'Indeed what the Rishi hath said must come to pass. We will succeed in warding off the fates by exertion alone?' Then Yudhishthira addressing all his brothers, said, 'Ye have heard what the Rishi Vyasa hath told me. Having heard the words of the Rishi, I have arrived at this firm resolution - that I should die, as I am ordained to be the cause of the destruction of all Kshatriyas. Ye my dear ones, if Time hath intended so what need is there for me to live?' Hearing these words of the king, Arjuna replied, 'O king, yield not thyself to this terrible depression that is destructive of reason. Mustering fortitude, do what would be beneficial.' Yudhishthira then, firm in truth, thinking all the while of Dwaipayana's words answered his brothers thus,--'Blest be ye. Listen to my vow from this day. For thirteen years, what ever purpose have I to live for, I shall not speak a hard word to my brothers or to any of the kings of the earth. Living under the command of my relatives, I shall practise virtue, exemplifying my vow. If I live in this way, making no distinction between my own children and others, there will be no disagreement between me and others. It is disagreement that is the cause of war in the world. Keeping war at a distance and ever doing what is agreeable to others, evil reputation will not be mine in the world. Hearing these words of their eldest brother, the Kauntheyas, always engaged in doing what was agreeable to him, approved of them. And Yudhishthira, having pledged so, along with his brothers in the midst of that assembly, gratified his priests as also the gods with due ceremonies. And, after all the monarchs had gone away, Yudhishthira along with his brothers, having performed the usual auspicious rites, accompanied by his ministers entered his own palace. And, king Duryodhana and Sakuni, the son of Subala, continued to dwell in that delightful assembly house.