Mausala Parwa 9

Mahabharata 16.9

 

Mausala Parwa 9

 

  1 [वै]
     परविशन्न अर्जुनॊ राजन्न आश्रमं सत्यवादिनः
     ददर्शासीनम एकान्ते मुनिं सत्यवती सुतम
 2 स तम आसाद्य धर्मज्ञम उपतस्थे महाव्रतम
     अर्जुनॊ ऽसमीति नामास्मै निवेद्याभ्यवदत ततः
 3 सवागतं ते ऽसत्व इति पराह मुनिः सत्यवतीसुतः
     आस्यताम इति चॊवाच परसन्नात्मा महामुनिः
 4 तम अप्रतीत मनसं निःश्वसन्तं पुनः पुनः
     निर्विण्ण मनसं दृष्ट्वा पार्थं वयासॊ ऽबरवीद इदम
 5 अवीरजॊ ऽभिघातस ते बराह्मणॊ वा हतस तवया
     युद्धे पराजितॊ वासिगतश्रीर इव लक्ष्यसे
 6 न तवा परत्यभिजानामि किम इदं भरतर्षभ
     शरॊतव्यं चेन मया पार्थ कषिप्रम आख्यातुम अर्हसि
 7 [अर्ज]
     यः स मेधवपुः शरीमान बृहत पङ्कज लॊचनः
     स कृष्णः सह रामेण तयक्त्वा देहं दिवं गतः
 8 मौसले वृष्णिवीराणां विनाशॊ बरह्मशापजः
     बभूव वीरान्त करः परभासे रॊमहर्षणः
 9 ये ये शूरा महात्मानः सिंहदर्पा महाबलाः
     भॊजवृष्ण्यन्धका बरह्मन्न अन्यॊन्यं तैर हतं युधि
 10 गदापरिघशक्तीनां सहाः परिघबाहवः
    त एरकाभिर निहताः पश्य कालस्य पर्ययम
 11 हतं पञ्चशतं तेषां सहस्रं बाहुशालिनम
    निधनं समनुप्राप्तं समासाद्येतरेतरम
 12 पुनः पुनर न मृश्यामि विनाशम अमितौजसाम
    चिन्तयानॊ यदूनां च कृष्णस्य च यशस्विनः
 13 शॊषणं सागरस्येव पर्वतस्येव चालनम
    नभसः पतनं चैव शैत्यम अग्नेस तथैव च
 14 अश्रद्धेयम अहं मन्ये विनाशं शार्ङ्गधन्वनः
    न चेह सथातुम इच्छामि लॊके केष्ण विनाकृतः
 15 इतः कष्टतरं चान्यच छृणु तद वै तपॊधन
    मनॊ मे दीर्यते येन चिन्तयानस्य वै मुहुः
 16 पश्यतॊ वृष्णिदाराश च मम बरह्मन सहस्रशः
    आभीरैर अनुसृत्याजौ हृताः पञ्चनदालयैः
 17 धनुर आदाय तत्राहं नाशकं तस्य पूरणे
    यथा पुरा च मे वीर्यं भुजयॊर न तथाभवत
 18 अस्त्राणि मे परनष्टानि विविधानि महामुने
    शराश च कषयम आपन्नाः कषणेनैव समन्ततः
 19 पुरुषश चाप्रमेयात्मा शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः
    चतुर्भुजः पीतवासा शयामः पद्मायतेक्षणः
 20 यः स याती पुरस्तान मे रथस्य सुमहाद्युतिः
    परदहन रिपुसैन्यानि न पश्याम्य अहम अद्य तम
 21 येन पूर्वं परदग्धानि शत्रुसैन्यानि तेजसा
    शरैर गाण्डीवनिर्मुक्तैर अहं पश्चाद वयनाशयम
 22 तम अपश्यन विषीदामि घूर्णामीव च सत्तम
    परिनिर्विण्ण चेताश च शान्तिं नॊपलभे ऽपि च
 23 विना जनार्दनं वीरं नाहं जीवितुम उत्सहे
    शरुत्वैव हि गतं विष्णुं ममापि मुमुहुर दिशः
 24 परनष्टज्ञातिवीर्यस्य शून्यस्य परिधावतः
    उपदेष्टुं मम शरेयॊ भवान अर्हति सत्तम
 25 [वयास]
    बरह्मशापविनिर्दग्धा वृष्ण्यन्धकमहारथाः
    विनष्टाः कुरुशार्दूल न ताञ शॊचितुम अर्हसि
 26 भवितव्यं तथा तद धि दिष्टम एतन महात्मनाम
    उपेक्षितं च कृष्णेन शक्तेनापि वयपॊहितुम
 27 तरैलॊक्यम अपि कृष्णॊ हि कृत्स्नं सथावरजङ्गमम
    परसहेद अन्यथा कर्तुं किम उ शापं मनीषिणाम
 28 रथस्य पुरतॊ याति यः सचक्रगदाधरः
    तव सनेहात पुराणर्षिर वासुदेवश चतुर्भुजः
 29 कृत्वा भारावतरणं पृथिव्याः पृथुलॊचनः
    मॊक्षयित्वा जगत सर्वं गतः सवस्थानम उत्तमम
 30 तवया तव इह महत कर्म देवानां पुरुषर्षभ
    कृतं भीम सहायेन यमाभ्यां च महाभुज
 31 कृतकृत्यांश च वॊ मन्ये संसिद्धान कुरु पुंग्गव
    गमनं पराप्तकालं च तद धि शरेयॊ मतं मम
 32 बलं बुद्धिश च तेजश च परतिपत्तिश च भारत
    भवन्ति भव कालेषु विपद्यन्ते विपर्यये
 33 कालमूलम इदं सर्वं जगद बीजं धनंजय
    काल एव समादत्ते पुनर एव यदृच्छया
 34 स एव बलवान भूत्वा पुनर भवति दुर्बलः
    स एवेशश च भूत्वेह परैर आज्ञाप्यते पुनः
 35 कृतकृत्यानि चास्त्राणि गतान्य अद्य यथागतम
    पुनर एष्यन्ति ते हस्तं यदा कालॊ भविष्यति
 36 कालॊ गन्तुं गतिं मुख्यां भवताम अपि भारत
    एतच छरेयॊ हि वॊ मन्ये परमं भरतर्षभ
 37 एतद वचनम आज्ञाय वयासस्यामित तेजसः
    अनुज्ञातॊ ययौ पार्थॊ नगरं नागसाह्वयम
 38 परविश्य च पुरीं वीरः समासाद्य युधिष्ठिरम
    आचष्ट तद यथावृत्तं वृष्ण्यन्धकजनं परति

 1 [vai]
     praviśann arjuno rājann āśramaṃ satyavādinaḥ
     dadarśāsīnam ekānte muniṃ satyavatī sutam
 2 sa tam āsādya dharmajñam upatasthe mahāvratam
     arjuno 'smīti nāmāsmai nivedyābhyavadat tataḥ
 3 svāgataṃ te 'stv iti prāha muniḥ satyavatīsutaḥ
     āsyatām iti covāca prasannātmā mahāmuniḥ
 4 tam apratīta manasaṃ niḥśvasantaṃ punaḥ punaḥ
     nirviṇṇa manasaṃ dṛṣṭvā pārthaṃ vyāso 'bravīd idam
 5 avīrajo 'bhighātas te brāhmaṇo vā hatas tvayā
     yuddhe parājito vāsigataśrīr iva lakṣyase
 6 na tvā pratyabhijānāmi kim idaṃ bharatarṣabha
     śrotavyaṃ cen mayā pārtha kṣipram ākhyātum arhasi
 7 [arj]
     yaḥ sa medhavapuḥ śrīmān bṛhat paṅkaja locanaḥ
     sa kṛṣṇaḥ saha rāmeṇa tyaktvā dehaṃ divaṃ gataḥ
 8 mausale vṛṣṇivīrāṇāṃ vināśo brahmaśāpajaḥ
     babhūva vīrānta karaḥ prabhāse romaharṣaṇaḥ
 9 ye ye śūrā mahātmānaḥ siṃhadarpā mahābalāḥ
     bhojavṛṣṇyandhakā brahmann anyonyaṃ tair hataṃ yudhi
 10 gadāparighaśaktīnāṃ sahāḥ parighabāhavaḥ
    ta erakābhir nihatāḥ paśya kālasya paryayam
 11 hataṃ pañcaśataṃ teṣāṃ sahasraṃ bāhuśālinam
    nidhanaṃ samanuprāptaṃ samāsādyetaretaram
 12 punaḥ punar na mṛśyāmi vināśam amitaujasām
    cintayāno yadūnāṃ ca kṛṣṇasya ca yaśasvinaḥ
 13 śoṣaṇaṃ sāgarasyeva parvatasyeva cālanam
    nabhasaḥ patanaṃ caiva śaityam agnes tathaiva ca
 14 aśraddheyam ahaṃ manye vināśaṃ śārṅgadhanvanaḥ
    na ceha sthātum icchāmi loke keṣṇa vinākṛtaḥ
 15 itaḥ kaṣṭataraṃ cānyac chṛṇu tad vai tapodhana
    mano me dīryate yena cintayānasya vai muhuḥ
 16 paśyato vṛṣṇidārāś ca mama brahman sahasraśaḥ
    ābhīrair anusṛtyājau hṛtāḥ pañcanadālayaiḥ
 17 dhanur ādāya tatrāhaṃ nāśakaṃ tasya pūraṇe
    yathā purā ca me vīryaṃ bhujayor na tathābhavat
 18 astrāṇi me pranaṣṭāni vividhāni mahāmune
    śarāś ca kṣayam āpannāḥ kṣaṇenaiva samantataḥ
 19 puruṣaś cāprameyātmā śaṅkhacakragadādharaḥ
    caturbhujaḥ pītavāsā śyāmaḥ padmāyatekṣaṇaḥ
 20 yaḥ sa yātī purastān me rathasya sumahādyutiḥ
    pradahan ripusainyāni na paśyāmy aham adya tam
 21 yena pūrvaṃ pradagdhāni śatrusainyāni tejasā
    śarair gāṇḍīvanirmuktair ahaṃ paścād vyanāśayam
 22 tam apaśyan viṣīdāmi ghūrṇāmīva ca sattama
    parinirviṇṇa cetāś ca śāntiṃ nopalabhe 'pi ca
 23 vinā janārdanaṃ vīraṃ nāhaṃ jīvitum utsahe
    śrutvaiva hi gataṃ viṣṇuṃ mamāpi mumuhur diśaḥ
 24 pranaṣṭajñātivīryasya śūnyasya paridhāvataḥ
    upadeṣṭuṃ mama śreyo bhavān arhati sattama
 25 [vyāsa]
    brahmaśāpavinirdagdhā vṛṣṇyandhakamahārathāḥ
    vinaṣṭāḥ kuruśārdūla na tāñ śocitum arhasi
 26 bhavitavyaṃ tathā tad dhi diṣṭam etan mahātmanām
    upekṣitaṃ ca kṛṣṇena śaktenāpi vyapohitum
 27 trailokyam api kṛṣṇo hi kṛtsnaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam
    prasahed anyathā kartuṃ kim u śāpaṃ manīṣiṇām
 28 rathasya purato yāti yaḥ sacakragadādharaḥ
    tava snehāt purāṇarṣir vāsudevaś caturbhujaḥ
 29 kṛtvā bhārāvataraṇaṃ pṛthivyāḥ pṛthulocanaḥ
    mokṣayitvā jagat sarvaṃ gataḥ svasthānam uttamam
 30 tvayā tv iha mahat karma devānāṃ puruṣarṣabha
    kṛtaṃ bhīma sahāyena yamābhyāṃ ca mahābhuja
 31 kṛtakṛtyāṃś ca vo manye saṃsiddhān kuru puṃggava
    gamanaṃ prāptakālaṃ ca tad dhi śreyo mataṃ mama
 32 balaṃ buddhiś ca tejaś ca pratipattiś ca bhārata
    bhavanti bhava kāleṣu vipadyante viparyaye
 33 kālamūlam idaṃ sarvaṃ jagad bījaṃ dhanaṃjaya
    kāla eva samādatte punar eva yadṛcchayā
 34 sa eva balavān bhūtvā punar bhavati durbalaḥ
    sa eveśaś ca bhūtveha parair ājñāpyate punaḥ
 35 kṛtakṛtyāni cāstrāṇi gatāny adya yathāgatam
    punar eṣyanti te hastaṃ yadā kālo bhaviṣyati
 36 kālo gantuṃ gatiṃ mukhyāṃ bhavatām api bhārata
    etac chreyo hi vo manye paramaṃ bharatarṣabha
 37 etad vacanam ājñāya vyāsasyāmita tejasaḥ
    anujñāto yayau pārtho nagaraṃ nāgasāhvayam
 38 praviśya ca purīṃ vīraḥ samāsādya yudhiṣṭhiram
    ācaṣṭa tad yathāvṛttaṃ vṛṣṇyandhakajanaṃ prati

Vaishampayana said: "As Arjuna entered the asylum of the truthful Rishi, he beheld the son of Satyavati seated in a secluded spot.

"Approaching that Rishi of high vows and endued with a knowledge of all duties, he said, ‘I am Arjuna,’ and then awaited his pleasure. Satyavati’s son, endued with high penances, answered, saying ‘Welcome!’ Of tranquil soul, the great Muni further said, ‘Take thy seat.’ Seeing that the son of Pritha was exceedingly cheerless and breathing heavy sighs repeatedly and filled with despair, Vyasa addressed him, saying, "Hast thou been sprinkled with water from anybody’s nails or hair, or the end of anybody’s cloth, or from the mouth of a jar? Hast thou had sexual congress with any woman before the cessation of her functional flow? Hast thou slain a Brahmana? Hast thou been vanquished in battle? Thou lookest like one shorn of prosperity. I do not know that thou hast been defeated by anyone. Why then, O chief of Bharata’s race, this exceedingly dejected aspect? It behoveth thee, O son of Pritha, to tell me all, if, indeed, there be no harm in telling it."

"Arjuna said, ‘He whose complexion was like that of a (newly-risen) cloud, he whose eyes were like a pair of large lotus petals, Krishna, has, with Rama, cast off his body and ascended to Heaven. At Prabhasa, through iron bolts generated by the curse denounced by Brahmanas, the destruction has taken place of the Vrishni heroes. Awful hath that carnage been, and not even a single hero has escaped. The heroes of the Bhoja, the Andhaka, and the Vrishni races, O Brahmana, who were all endued with high souls, great might, and leonine pride, have slaughtered one another in battle. Possessed of arms that looked like maces of iron, and capable of bearing the strokes of heavy clubs and darts, alas, they have all been slain with blades of Eraka grass. Behold the perverse course of Time. 500,000 mighty-armed warriors have thus been laid low. Encountering one another, they have met with destruction. Thinking repeatedly of this carnage of the Yadava warriors of immeasurable energy and of the illustrious Krishna, I fail to derive peace of mind. The death of the wielder of Sarnga is as incredible as the drying up of the ocean, the displacement of a mountain, the falling down of the vault of heaven, or the cooling property of fire. Deprived of the company of the Vrishni heroes, I desire not to live in this world. Another incident has happened that is more painful than this, O thou that art possessed of wealth of penances. Repeatedly thinking of it, my heart is breaking. In my very sight, O Brahmana, thousands of Vrishni ladies were carried away by the Abhiras of the country of the five waters, who assailed us. Taking up my bow I found myself unequal to even string it. The might that had existed in my arms seemed to have disappeared on that occasion. O great ascetic, my weapons of diverse kinds failed to make their appearance. Soon, again, my shafts became exhausted. That person of immeasurable soul, of four arms, wielding the conch, the discus, and the mace, clad in yellow robes, dark of complexion, and possessing eyes resembling lotus-petals, is no longer seen by me. Alas, reft of Govinda, what have I to live for, dragging my life in sorrow? He who used to stalk in advance of my car, that divine form endued with great splendour and unfading puissance, consuming as he proceeded all hostile warriors, can no longer be seen by me. No longer beholding him who by his energy first burnt all hostile troops whom I afterwards despatched with shafts sped from Gandiva, I am filled with grief and my head swims, O best of men. Penetrated with cheerlessness and despair, I fail to obtain peace of mind. I dare not live, reft of the heroic Janardana. As soon as I heard that Vishnu had left the Earth, my eyes became dim and all things disappeared from my vision. O best of men, it behoveth thee to tell me what is good for me now, for I am now a wanderer with an empty heart, despoiled of my kinsmen and of my possession.’

"Vyasa said, ‘The mighty car-warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka races have all been consumed by the Brahmana’s curse. O chief of Kuru’s race, it behoveth thee not to grieve for their destruction. That which has happened had been ordained. It was the destiny of those high-souled warriors. Krishna suffered it to take place although he was fully competent to baffle it. Govinda was able to alter the very course of the universe with all its mobile and immobile creatures. What need then be said of the curse of even high-souled Brahmanas? He who used to proceed in front of thy car, armed with discus and mace, through affection for thee, was the four-armed Vasudeva, that ancient rishi. That high-souled one of expansive eyes, Krishna, having lightened the burthen of the Earth and cast off his (human) body, has attained to his own high seat. By thee also, O foremost of men, with Bhima for thy helpmate and the twins, O mighty-armed hero, has the great work of the gods been accomplished. O foremost one of Kuru’s race, I regard thee and thy brothers as crowned with success, for ye have accomplished the great purpose of your lives. The time has come for your departure from the world. Even this, O puissant one, is what is beneficial for you now. Even thus, understanding and prowess and foresight, O Bharata, arise when days of prosperity have not outrun. These very acquisitions disappear when the hour of adversity comes. All this has Time for its root. Time is, indeed, the seed of the universe, O Dhananjaya. It is Time, again, that withdraws everything at its pleasure. One becomes mighty, and, again, losing that might, becomes weak. One becomes a master and rules others, and, again, losing that position, becomes a servant for obeying the behests of others. Thy weapons, having achieved success, have gone away to the place they came from. They will, again, come into thy hands when the Time for their coming approaches. The time has come, O Bharata, for you all to attain to the highest goal. Even this is what I regard to be highly beneficial for you all, O chief of Bharata’s race."

Vaishampayana continued: “Having heard these words of Vyasa of immeasurable energy, the son of Pritha, receiving his permission, returned to the city named after the elephant. Entering it, the hero approached Yudhishthira and informed him of all that had taken place with reference to the Vrishnis.”