Svargarohanika Parva 2

Svargarohanika Parva 2

Mahabharata 18.2

  1 [य]
      नेह पश्यामि विबुधा राधेयम अमितौजसम
      भरातरौ च महात्मानौ युधामन्यूत्तमौजसौ
  2 जुहुवुर ये शरीराणि रणवह्नौ महारथाः
      राजानॊ राजपुत्राश च ये मदर्थे हता रणे
  3 कव ते महारथाः सर्वे शार्दूलसमविक्रमाः
      तैर अप्य अयं जितॊ लॊकः कच चित पुरुषसत्तमैः
  4 यदि लॊकान इमान पराप्तास ते च सर्वे महारथाः
      सथितं वित्तहि मां देवाः सहितं तैर महात्मभिः
  5 कच चिन न तैर अवाप्तॊ ऽयं नृपैर लॊकॊ ऽकषयः शुभः
      न तैर अहं विना वत्स्ये जञातिभिर भरातृभिस तथा
  6 मातुर हि वचनं शरुत्वा तदा सलिलकर्मणि
      कर्णस्य करियतां तॊयम इति तप्यामि तेन वै
  7 इदं च परितप्यामि पुनः पुनर अहं सुराः
      यन मातुः सदृशौ पादौ तस्याहम अमितौजसः
  8 दृष्ट्वैव तं नानुगतः कर्णं परबलार्दनम
      न हय अस्मान कर्ण सहिताञ जयेच छक्रॊ ऽपि संयुगे
  9 तम अहं यत्र तत्रस्थं दरष्टुम इच्छामि सूर्यजम
      अविज्ञातॊ मया यॊ ऽसौ घातितः सव्यसाचिना
  10 भीमं च भीमविक्रान्तं पराणेभ्यॊ ऽपि परियं मम
     अर्जुनं चेन्द्र संकाशं यमौ तौ च यमॊपमौ
 11 दरष्टुम इच्छामि तां चाहं पाञ्चालीं धर्मचारिणीम
     न चेह सथातुम इच्छामि सत्यम एतद बरवीमि वः
 12 किं मे भरातृविहीनस्य सवर्गेण सुरसत्तमाः
     यत्र ते स मम सवर्गॊ नायं सवर्गॊ मतॊ मम
 13 [देवाह]
     यदि वै तत्र ते शरद्धा गम्यतां पुत्र माचिरम
     परिये हि तव वर्तामॊ देवराजस्य शासनात
 14 [वै]
     इत्य उक्त्वा तं ततॊ देवा देवदूतम उपादिशम
     युधिष्ठिरस्य सुहृदॊ दर्शयेति परंतप
 15 ततः कुन्तीसुतॊ राजा देवदूतश च जग्मतुः
     सहितौ राजशार्दूल यत्र ते पुरुषर्षभाः
 16 अग्रतॊ देवदूतस तु ययौ राजा च पृष्ठतः
     पन्थानम अशुभं दुर्गं सेवितं पापकर्मभिः
 17 तपसा संवृतं घॊरं केशशौवल शाद्वलम
     युक्तं पापकृतां गन्धैर मांसशॊणितकर्दमम
 18 दंशॊत्थानं सझिल्लीकं मक्षिका मशकावृतम
     इतश चेतश च कुणपैः समन्तात परिवारितम
 19 अस्थि केशसमाकीर्णं कृमिकीट समाकुलम
     जवलनेन परदीप्तेन समन्तात परिवेष्टितम
 20 अयॊ मूखैश च काकॊलैर गृध्रैश च समभिद्रुतम
     सूचीमुखैस तथा परेतैर विन्ध्यशैलॊपमैर वृतम
 21 मेदॊ रुधिरयुक्तैश च छिन्नबाहूरुपाणिभिः
     निकृत्तॊदर पादैश च तत्र तत्र परवेरितैः
 22 स तत कुणप दुर्गन्धम अशिवं रॊमहर्षणम
     जगाम राजा धर्मात्मा मध्ये बहु विचिन्तयन
 23 ददर्शॊष्णॊदकैः पूर्णां नदीं चापि सुदुर्गमाम
     असि पत्रवनं चैव निशितक्षुर संवृतम
 24 करम्भ वालुकास तप्ता आयसीश च शिलाः पृथक
     लॊहकुम्भीश च तैलस्य कवाथ्यमानाः समन्ततः
 25 कूटशाल्मलिकं चापि दुस्पर्शं तिक्ष्ण कण्टकम
     ददर्श चापि कौन्तेयॊ यातनाः पापकर्मिणाम
 26 स तं दुर्गन्धम आलक्ष्य देवदूतम उवाच ह
     कियद अध्वानम अस्माभिर गन्तव्यम इदम ईदृशम
 27 कव च ते भरातरॊ मह्यं तन ममाख्यातुम अर्हसि
     देशॊ ऽयं कश च देवानाम एतद इच्छामि वेदितुम
 28 स संनिववृते शरुत्वा धर्मराजस्य भाषितम
     देवदूतॊ ऽबरवीच चैनम एतावद गमनं तव
 29 निवर्तितव्यं हि मया तथास्म्य उक्तॊ दिवौकसैः
     यदि शरान्तॊ ऽसि राजेन्द्र तवम अथागन्तुम अर्हसि
 30 युधिष्ठिरस तु निर्विण्णस तेन गन्धेन मूर्छितः
     निवर्तने धृतमनाः पर्यावर्तत भारत
 31 स संनिवृत्तॊ धर्मात्मा दुःखशॊकसमन्वितः
     शुश्राव तत्र वदतां दीना वाचः समन्ततः
 32 भॊ भॊ धर्मज राजर्षे पुण्याभिजन पाण्डव
     अनुग्रहार्थम अस्माकं तिष्ठ तावन मुहूर्तकम
 33 आयाति तवयि दुर्धर्षे वाति पुण्यः समीरणः
     तव गन्धानुगस तात येनास्मान सुखम आगमत
 34 ते वयं पार्थ दीर्घस्य कालस्य पुरुषर्षभ
     सुखम आसादयिष्यामस तवां दृष्ट्वा राजसत्तम
 35 संतिष्ठस्व महाबाहॊ मुहूर्तम अपि भारत
     तवयि तिष्ठति कौरव्य यतनास्मान न बाधते
 36 एवं बहुविधा वाचः कृपणा वेदनावताम
     तस्मिन देशे स शुश्राव समन्ताद वदतां नृप
 37 तेषां तद वचनं शरुत्वा दयावान दीनभाषिणाम
     अहॊ कृच्छ्रम इति पराह तस्थौ स च युधिष्ठिरः
 38 स ता गिरः पुरस्ताद वै शरुतपूर्वाः पुनः पुनः
     गलानानां दुःखितानां च नाभ्यजानत पाण्डवः
 39 अबुध्यमानस ता वाचॊ धर्मपुत्रॊ युधिष्ठिरः
     उवाच के भवन्तॊ वै किमर्थम इह तिष्ठथ
 40 इत्य उक्तास ते ततः सर्वे समन्ताद अवभाषिरे
     कर्णॊ ऽहं भीमसेनॊ ऽहम अर्जुनॊ ऽहम इति परभॊ
 41 नकुलः सहदेवॊ ऽहं धृष्टद्युम्नॊ ऽहम इत्य उत
     दरौपदी दरौपदेयाश च इत्य एवं ते विचुक्रुशुः
 42 ता वाचः सा तदा शरुत्वा तद देशसदृशीर नृप
     ततॊ विममृशे राजा किं नव इदं दैवकारितम
 43 किं नु तत कलुषं कर्मकृतम एभिर महात्मभिः
     कर्णेन दरौपदेयैर वा पाञ्चाल्या वा सुमध्यया
 44 य इमे पापगन्धे ऽसमिन देशे सन्ति सुदारुणे
     न हि जानामि सर्वेषां दुष्कृतं पुण्यकर्मणाम
 45 किं कृत्वा धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रॊ राजसुयॊधनः
     तथा शरिया युतः पापः सह सर्वैः पदानुगैः
 46 महेन्द्र इव लक्ष्मीवान आस्ते परमपूजितः
     कस्येदानीं विकारॊ ऽयं यद इमे नरकं गतः
 47 सर्वधर्मविदः शूराः सत्यागम परायणाः
     कषात्र धर्मपराः पराज्ञा यज्वानॊ भूरिदक्षिणाः
 48 किं नु सुप्तॊ ऽसमि जागर्मि चेतयानॊ न चेतये
     अहॊ चित्तविकारॊ ऽयं सयाद वा मे चित्तविभ्रमः
 49 एवं बहुविधं राजा विममर्श युधिष्ठिरः
     दुःखशॊकसमाविष्टश चिन्ताव्याकुलितेन्द्रियः
 50 करॊधम आहारयच चैव तीव्रं धर्मसुतॊ नृपः
     देवांश च गर्हयाम आस धर्मं चैव युधिष्ठिरः
 51 स तीव्रगन्धसंतप्तॊ देवदूतम उवाच ह
     गम्यतां भद्र येषां तवं दूतस तेषाम उपान्तिकम
 52 न हय अहं तत्र यास्म्यामि सथितॊ ऽसमीति निवेद्यताम
     मत संश्रयाद इमे दूत सुखिनॊ भरातरॊ हि मे
 53 इत्य उक्तः स तदा दूतः पाण्डुपुत्रेण धीमता
     जगाम तत्र यत्रास्ते देवराजः शतक्रतुः
 54 निवेदयाम आस च तद धर्मराज चिकीर्षितम
     यथॊक्तं धर्मपुत्रेण सर्वम एव जनाधिप

 

Svarga Rohanika Parva 2

  1 [y]
      neha paśyāmi vibudhā rādheyam amitaujasam
      bhrātarau ca mahātmānau yudhāmanyūttamaujasau
  2 juhuvur ye śarīrāṇi raṇavahnau mahārathāḥ
      rājāno rājaputrāś ca ye madarthe hatā raṇe
  3 kva te mahārathāḥ sarve śārdūlasamavikramāḥ
      tair apy ayaṃ jito lokaḥ kac cit puruṣasattamaiḥ
  4 yadi lokān imān prāptās te ca sarve mahārathāḥ
      sthitaṃ vittahi māṃ devāḥ sahitaṃ tair mahātmabhiḥ
  5 kac cin na tair avāpto 'yaṃ nṛpair loko 'kṣayaḥ śubhaḥ
      na tair ahaṃ vinā vatsye jñātibhir bhrātṛbhis tathā
  6 mātur hi vacanaṃ śrutvā tadā salilakarmaṇi
      karṇasya kriyatāṃ toyam iti tapyāmi tena vai
  7 idaṃ ca paritapyāmi punaḥ punar ahaṃ surāḥ
      yan mātuḥ sadṛśau pādau tasyāham amitaujasaḥ
  8 dṛṣṭvaiva taṃ nānugataḥ karṇaṃ parabalārdanam
      na hy asmān karṇa sahitāñ jayec chakro 'pi saṃyuge
  9 tam ahaṃ yatra tatrasthaṃ draṣṭum icchāmi sūryajam
      avijñāto mayā yo 'sau ghātitaḥ savyasācinā
  10 bhīmaṃ ca bhīmavikrāntaṃ prāṇebhyo 'pi priyaṃ mama
     arjunaṃ cendra saṃkāśaṃ yamau tau ca yamopamau
 11 draṣṭum icchāmi tāṃ cāhaṃ pāñcālīṃ dharmacāriṇīm
     na ceha sthātum icchāmi satyam etad bravīmi vaḥ
 12 kiṃ me bhrātṛvihīnasya svargeṇa surasattamāḥ
     yatra te sa mama svargo nāyaṃ svargo mato mama
 13 [devāh]
     yadi vai tatra te śraddhā gamyatāṃ putra māciram
     priye hi tava vartāmo devarājasya śāsanāt
 14 [vai]
     ity uktvā taṃ tato devā devadūtam upādiśam
     yudhiṣṭhirasya suhṛdo darśayeti paraṃtapa
 15 tataḥ kuntīsuto rājā devadūtaś ca jagmatuḥ
     sahitau rājaśārdūla yatra te puruṣarṣabhāḥ
 16 agrato devadūtas tu yayau rājā ca pṛṣṭhataḥ
     panthānam aśubhaṃ durgaṃ sevitaṃ pāpakarmabhiḥ
 17 tapasā saṃvṛtaṃ ghoraṃ keśaśauvala śādvalam
     yuktaṃ pāpakṛtāṃ gandhair māṃsaśoṇitakardamam
 18 daṃśotthānaṃ sajhillīkaṃ makṣikā maśakāvṛtam
     itaś cetaś ca kuṇapaiḥ samantāt parivāritam
 19 asthi keśasamākīrṇaṃ kṛmikīṭa samākulam
     jvalanena pradīptena samantāt pariveṣṭitam
 20 ayo mūkhaiś ca kākolair gṛdhraiś ca samabhidrutam
     sūcīmukhais tathā pretair vindhyaśailopamair vṛtam
 21 medo rudhirayuktaiś ca chinnabāhūrupāṇibhiḥ
     nikṛttodara pādaiś ca tatra tatra praveritaiḥ
 22 sa tat kuṇapa durgandham aśivaṃ romaharṣaṇam
     jagāma rājā dharmātmā madhye bahu vicintayan
 23 dadarśoṣṇodakaiḥ pūrṇāṃ nadīṃ cāpi sudurgamām
     asi patravanaṃ caiva niśitakṣura saṃvṛtam
 24 karambha vālukās taptā āyasīś ca śilāḥ pṛthak
     lohakumbhīś ca tailasya kvāthyamānāḥ samantataḥ
 25 kūṭaśālmalikaṃ cāpi dusparśaṃ tikṣṇa kaṇṭakam
     dadarśa cāpi kaunteyo yātanāḥ pāpakarmiṇām
 26 sa taṃ durgandham ālakṣya devadūtam uvāca ha
     kiyad adhvānam asmābhir gantavyam idam īdṛśam
 27 kva ca te bhrātaro mahyaṃ tan mamākhyātum arhasi
     deśo 'yaṃ kaś ca devānām etad icchāmi veditum
 28 sa saṃnivavṛte śrutvā dharmarājasya bhāṣitam
     devadūto 'bravīc cainam etāvad gamanaṃ tava
 29 nivartitavyaṃ hi mayā tathāsmy ukto divaukasaiḥ
     yadi śrānto 'si rājendra tvam athāgantum arhasi
 30 yudhiṣṭhiras tu nirviṇṇas tena gandhena mūrchitaḥ
     nivartane dhṛtamanāḥ paryāvartata bhārata
 31 sa saṃnivṛtto dharmātmā duḥkhaśokasamanvitaḥ
     śuśrāva tatra vadatāṃ dīnā vācaḥ samantataḥ
 32 bho bho dharmaja rājarṣe puṇyābhijana pāṇḍava
     anugrahārtham asmākaṃ tiṣṭha tāvan muhūrtakam
 33 āyāti tvayi durdharṣe vāti puṇyaḥ samīraṇaḥ
     tava gandhānugas tāta yenāsmān sukham āgamat
 34 te vayaṃ pārtha dīrghasya kālasya puruṣarṣabha
     sukham āsādayiṣyāmas tvāṃ dṛṣṭvā rājasattama
 35 saṃtiṣṭhasva mahābāho muhūrtam api bhārata
     tvayi tiṣṭhati kauravya yatanāsmān na bādhate
 36 evaṃ bahuvidhā vācaḥ kṛpaṇā vedanāvatām
     tasmin deśe sa śuśrāva samantād vadatāṃ nṛpa
 37 teṣāṃ tad vacanaṃ śrutvā dayāvān dīnabhāṣiṇām
     aho kṛcchram iti prāha tasthau sa ca yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
 38 sa tā giraḥ purastād vai śrutapūrvāḥ punaḥ punaḥ
     glānānāṃ duḥkhitānāṃ ca nābhyajānata pāṇḍavaḥ
 39 abudhyamānas tā vāco dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
     uvāca ke bhavanto vai kimartham iha tiṣṭhatha
 40 ity uktās te tataḥ sarve samantād avabhāṣire
     karṇo 'haṃ bhīmaseno 'ham arjuno 'ham iti prabho
 41 nakulaḥ sahadevo 'haṃ dhṛṣṭadyumno 'ham ity uta
     draupadī draupadeyāś ca ity evaṃ te vicukruśuḥ
 42 tā vācaḥ sā tadā śrutvā tad deśasadṛśīr nṛpa
     tato vimamṛśe rājā kiṃ nv idaṃ daivakāritam
 43 kiṃ nu tat kaluṣaṃ karmakṛtam ebhir mahātmabhiḥ
     karṇena draupadeyair vā pāñcālyā vā sumadhyayā
 44 ya ime pāpagandhe 'smin deśe santi sudāruṇe
     na hi jānāmi sarveṣāṃ duṣkṛtaṃ puṇyakarmaṇām
 45 kiṃ kṛtvā dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putro rājasuyodhanaḥ
     tathā śriyā yutaḥ pāpaḥ saha sarvaiḥ padānugaiḥ
 46 mahendra iva lakṣmīvān āste paramapūjitaḥ
     kasyedānīṃ vikāro 'yaṃ yad ime narakaṃ gataḥ
 47 sarvadharmavidaḥ śūrāḥ satyāgama parāyaṇāḥ
     kṣātra dharmaparāḥ prājñā yajvāno bhūridakṣiṇāḥ
 48 kiṃ nu supto 'smi jāgarmi cetayāno na cetaye
     aho cittavikāro 'yaṃ syād vā me cittavibhramaḥ
 49 evaṃ bahuvidhaṃ rājā vimamarśa yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
     duḥkhaśokasamāviṣṭaś cintāvyākulitendriyaḥ
 50 krodham āhārayac caiva tīvraṃ dharmasuto nṛpaḥ
     devāṃś ca garhayām āsa dharmaṃ caiva yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
 51 sa tīvragandhasaṃtapto devadūtam uvāca ha
     gamyatāṃ bhadra yeṣāṃ tvaṃ dūtas teṣām upāntikam
 52 na hy ahaṃ tatra yāsmyāmi sthito 'smīti nivedyatām
     mat saṃśrayād ime dūta sukhino bhrātaro hi me
 53 ity uktaḥ sa tadā dūtaḥ pāṇḍuputreṇa dhīmatā
     jagāma tatra yatrāste devarājaḥ śatakratuḥ
 54 nivedayām āsa ca tad dharmarāja cikīrṣitam
     yathoktaṃ dharmaputreṇa sarvam eva janādhipa

 

Swarga Rohanika Parwa 2 (Mahabharata 18.2)

Yudhishthira said, ‘Ye deities, I do not see here Radha’s son of immeasurable prowess, as also my high-souled brothers, and Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas, those great car-warriors that poured their bodies (as libations) on the fire of battle, those kings and princes that met with death for my sake in battle. Where are those great car-warriors that possessed the prowess of tigers? Have those foremost of men acquired this region? If those great car-warriors have obtained these regions, then only do you know, ye gods, that I shall reside here with those high-souled ones. If this auspicious and eternal region has not been acquired by those kings, then know, ye gods, that without those brothers and kinsmen of mine, I shall not live here. At the time of performing the water rites (after the battle), I heard my mother say, ‘Do thou offer oblations of water unto Karna.’ Since hearing those words of my mother, I am burning with grief. I grieve also incessantly at this, ye gods, that when I marked the resemblance between the feet of my mother and those of Karna of immeasurable soul, I did not immediately place myself under orders of that afflicter of hostile ranks. Ourselves joined with Karna, Shakra himself would have been unable to vanquish in battle. Wherever may that child of Surya be, I desire to see him. Alas, his relationship with us being unknown, I caused him to be slain by Arjuna. Bhima also of terrible prowess and dearer to me than my life-breaths, Arjuna too, resembling Indra himself, the twins also that resembled the Destroyer himself in prowess, I desire to behold. I wish to see the princess of Pancala, whose conduct was always righteous. I wish not to stay here. I tell you the truth. Ye foremost ones among the deities, what is Heaven to me if I am dissociated from my brothers? That is Heaven where those brothers of mine are. This, in my opinion, is not Heaven.’

"The gods said, ‘If thou longest to be there, go then, O son, without delay. At the command of the chief of the deities, we are ready to do what is agreeable to thee.’

Vaishampayana continued: Having said so, the gods then ordered the celestial messenger, O scorcher of foes, saying, ‘Do thou show unto Yudhishthira his friends and kinsmen.’ Then the royal son of Kunti and the celestial messenger proceeded together, O foremost of kings, to that place where those chiefs of men (whom Yudhishthira had wished to see) were. The celestial messenger proceeded first, the king followed him behind. The path was inauspicious and difficult and trodden by men of sinful deeds. It was enveloped in thick darkness, and covered with hair and moss forming its grassy vesture. Polluted with the stench of sinners, and miry with flesh and blood, it abounded with gadflies and stinging bees and gnats and was endangered by the inroads of grisly bears. Rotting corpses lay here and there. Overspread with bones and hair, it was noisome with worms and insects. It was skirted all along with a blazing fire. It was infested by crows and other birds and vultures, all having beaks of iron, as also by evil spirits with long mouths pointed like needles. And it abounded with inaccessible fastnesses like the Vindhya mountains. Human corpses were scattered over it, smeared with fat and blood, with arms and thighs cut off, or with entrails torn out and legs severed.

"Along that path so disagreeable with the stench of corpses and awful with other incidents, the righteous-souled king proceeded, filled with diverse thoughts. He beheld a river full of boiling water and, therefore, difficult to cross, as also a forest of trees whose leaves were sharp swords and razors. There were plains full of fine white sand exceedingly heated, and rocks and stones made of iron. There were many jars of iron all around, with boiling oil in them. Many a Kuta-salmalika was there, with sharp thorns and, therefore, exceedingly painful to the touch. The son of Kunti beheld also the tortures inflicted upon sinful men.

"Beholding that inauspicious region abounding with every sort of foulness, Yudhishthira asked the celestial messenger, saying, ‘How far shall we proceed along a path like this? It behoveth thee to tell me where those brothers of mine are. I desire also to know what region is this of the gods?’

 

"Hearing these words of king Yudhishthira the just, the celestial messenger stopped in his course and replied, saying, ‘Thus far is your way. The denizens of Heaven commanded me that having come thus far, I am to stop. If thou art tired, O king of kings, thou mayst return with me.’

"Yudhishthira, however, was exceedingly disconsolate and stupefied by the foul odour. Resolved to return, O Bharata, he retraced his steps. Afflicted by sorrow and grief, the righteous-souled monarch turned back. Just at that moment he heard piteous lamentations all around, ‘O son of Dharma, O royal sage, O thou of sacred origin, O son of Pandu, do thou stay a moment for favouring us. At thy approach, O invincible one, a delightful breeze hath begun to blow, bearing the sweet scent of thy person. Great hath been our relief at this. O foremost of kings, beholding thee, O first of men, great hath been our happiness. O son of Pritha, let that happiness last longer through thy stay here, for a few moments more. Do thou remain here, O Bharata, for even a short while. As long as thou art here, O thou of Kuru’s race, torments cease to afflict us.’ These and many similar words, uttered in piteous voices by persons in pain, the king heard in that region, wafted to his ears from every side.

"Hearing those words of beings in woe, Yudhishthira of compassionate heart exclaimed aloud, ‘Alas, how painful!’ And the king stood still. The speeches of those woe-begone and afflicted persons seemed to the son of Pandu to be uttered in voices that he had heard before although he could not recognise them on that occasion.

"Unable to recognise voices, Dharma’s son, Yudhishthira, enquired, saying, ‘Who are you? Why also do you stay here?’

"Thus addressed, they answered him from all sides, saying, ‘I am Karna!’ ‘I am Bhimasena!’ ‘I am Arjuna!’ ‘I am Nakula!’ ‘I am Sahadeva!’ ‘I am Dhrishtadyumna!’ ‘I am Draupadi!’ ‘We are the sons of Draupadi!’ Even thus, O king, did those voices speak.

"Hearing those exclamations, O king, uttered in voices of pain suitable to that place, the royal Yudhishthira asked himself ‘What perverse destiny is this? What are those sinful acts which were committed by those high-souled beings, Karna and the sons of Draupadi, and the slender-waisted princess of Pancala, so that their residence has been assigned in this region of foetid smell and great woe? I am not aware of any transgression that can be attributed to these persons of righteous deeds. What is that act by doing which Dhritarashtra’s son, king Suyodhana, with all his sinful followers, has become invested with such prosperity? Endued with prosperity like that of the great Indra himself, he is highly adored. What is that act through the consequence of which these (high-souled ones) have fallen into Hell? All of them were conversant with every duty, were heroes, were devoted to truth and the Vedas; were observant of Kshatriya practices; were righteous in their acts; were performers of sacrifices; and givers of large presents unto brahmanas. Am I asleep or awake? Am I conscious or unconscious? Or, is all this a mental delusion due to disorders of the brain?’

"Overwhelmed by sorrow and grief, and with his senses agitated by anxiety, king Yudhishthira indulged in such reflections for a long time. The royal son of Dharma then gave way to great wrath. Indeed, Yudhishthira then censured the gods, as also Dharma himself. Afflicted by the very foul odour, he addressed the celestial messenger, saying, ‘Return to the presence of those whose messenger thou art. Tell them that I shall not go back to where they are, but shall stay even here, since, in consequence of my companionship, these afflicted brothers of mine have become comforted.’ Thus addressed by the intelligent son of Pandu, the celestial messenger returned to the place where the chief of the deities was, viz., he of a hundred sacrifices. He represented unto him the acts of Yudhishthira. Indeed, O ruler of men, he informed Indra of all that Dharma’s son had said!