Mahaprasthanika Parwa 1

Mahabharata 17.1

 

Mahaprasthanika Parwa 1

 

  1 [ज]
     एवं वृष्ण्यन्धककुले शरुत्वा मौसलम आहवम
     पाण्डवाः किम अकुर्वन्त तथा कृष्णे दिवं गते
 2 [वै]
     शरुत्वैव कौरवॊ राजा वृष्णीनां कदनं महत
     परस्थाने मतिम आधाय वाक्यम अर्जुनम अब्रवीत
 3 कालः पचति भूतानि सर्वाण्य एव महामते
     कर्म नयासम अहं मन्ये तवम अपि दरष्टुम अर्हसि
 4 इत्य उक्तः स तु कौन्तेयः कालः काल इति बरुवन
     अन्वपद्यत तद वाक्यं भरातुर जयेष्ठस्य वीर्यवान
 5 अर्जुनस्य मतं जञात्वा भीमसेनॊ यमौ तथा
     अन्वपद्यन्त तद वाक्यं यद उक्तं सव्यसाचिना
 6 ततॊ युयुत्सुम आनाय्य परव्रजन धर्मकाम्यया
     राज्यं परिददौ सर्वं वैश्य पुत्रे युधिष्ठिरः
 7 अभिषिच्य सवराज्ये तु तं राजानं परिक्षितम
     दुःखार्तश चाब्रवीद राजा सुभद्रां पाण्डवाग्रजः
 8 एष पुत्रस्य ते पुत्रः कुरुराजॊ भविष्यति
     यदूनां परिशेषश च वज्रॊ राजा कृतश च ह
 9 परिक्षिद धास्तिन पुरे शक्र परस्थे तु यादवः
     वज्रॊ राजा तवया रक्ष्यॊ मा चाधर्मे मनः कृथाः
 10 इत्य उक्त्वा धर्मराजः स वासुदेवस्य धीमतः
    मातुलस्य च वृद्धस्य रामादीनां तथैव च
 11 मातृभिः सहधर्मात्मा कृत्वॊदकम अतन्द्रितः
    शराद्धान्य उद्दिश्य सर्वेषां चकार विधिवत तदा
 12 ददौ रत्नानि वासांसि गरामान अश्वान रथान अपि
    सत्रियश च दविजमुख्येभ्यॊ गवां शतसहस्रशः
 13 कृपम अभ्यर्च्य च गुरुम अर्थमानपुरस्कृतम
    शिष्यं परिक्षितं तस्मै ददौ भरतसत्तमः
 14 ततस तु परकृतीः सर्वाः समानाय्य युधिष्ठिरः
    सर्वम आचष्ट राजर्षिश चिकीर्षतम अथात्मनः
 15 ते शरुत्वैव वचस तस्य पौरजानपदा जनाः
    भृशम उद्विग्नमनसॊ नाभ्यनन्दन्त तद वचः
 16 नैवं कर्तव्यम इति ते तदॊचुस ते नराधिपम
    न च राजा तथाकार्षीत कालपर्याय धर्मवित
 17 ततॊ ऽनुमान्य धर्मात्मा पौरजानपदं जनम
    गमनाय मतिं चक्रे भरातरश चास्य ते तदा
 18 ततः स राजा कौरव्यॊ धर्मपुत्रॊ युधिष्ठिरः
    उत्सृज्याभरणान्य अङ्गाज जगृहे वल्कलान्य उत
 19 भीमार्जुनौ यमौ चैव दरौपदी च यशस्विनी
    तथैव सर्वे जगृहुर वल्कलानि जनाधिप
 20 विधिवत कारयित्वेष्टिं नैष्ठिकीं भरतर्षभ
    समुत्सृज्याप्सु सर्वे ऽगनीन परतस्थुर नरपुंगवाः
 21 ततः पररुरुदुः सर्वाः सत्रियॊ दृष्ट्वा नरर्षभान
    परस्थितान दरौपदी षष्ठान पुरा दयूतजितान यथा
 22 हर्षॊ ऽभवच च सर्वेषां भरातॄणां गमनं परति
    युधिष्ठिर मतं जञात्वा वृष्णिक्षयम अवेष्क्य च
 23 भरातरः पञ्च कृष्णा च षष्ठी शवा चैव सप्तमः
    आत्मना सप्तमॊ राजा निर्ययौ गजसाह्वयात
    पौरैर अनुगतॊ दूरं सर्वैर अन्तःपुरैस तथा
 24 न चैनम अशकत कश्च चिन निवर्तस्वेति भाषितुम
    नयवर्तन्त ततः सर्वे नरा नगरवासिनः
 25 कृप परब्भृतयश चैव युयुत्सुं पर्यवारयन
    विवेश गङ्गां कौरव्य उलूपी भुजगात्मजा
 26 चित्राङ्गदा ययौ चापि मणिपूर पुरं परति
    शिष्टाः परिक्षितं तव अन्या मातरः पर्यवारयन
 27 पाण्डवाश च महात्मानॊ दरौपदी च यशस्विनी
    कृपॊपवासाः कौरव्य परययुः पराङ्मुखास ततः
 28 यॊगयुक्ता महात्मानस तयागधर्मम उपेयुषः
    अभिजग्मुर बहून देशान सरितः सागरांस तथा
 29 युधिष्ठिरॊ ययाव अग्रे भीमस तु तदनन्तरम
    अर्जुनस तस्य चान्व एव यमौ चैव यथाक्रमम
 30 पृष्ठतस तु वरारॊहा शयामा पद्मदलेक्षणा
    दरौपदी यॊषितां शरेष्ठा ययौ भरतसत्तम
 31 शवा चैवानुययाव एकः पाण्डवान परस्थितान वने
    करमेण ते ययुर वीरा लौहित्यं सलिलार्णवम
 32 गाण्डीवं च धनुर दिव्यं न मुमॊच धनंजयः
    रत्नलॊभान महाराज तौ चाक्षय्यौ महेषुधी
 33 अग्निं ते ददृशुस तत्र सथितं शैलम इवाग्रतः
    मार्गम आवृत्य तिष्ठन्तं साक्षात पुरुषविग्रहम
 34 ततॊ देवः स सप्तार्चिः पाण्डवान इदम अब्रवीत
    भॊ भॊ पाण्डुसुता वीराः पावकं मा विबॊधत
 35 युधिष्ठिर महाबाहॊ भीमसेन परंतप
    अर्जुनाश्वसुतौ वीरौ निबॊधत वचॊ मम
 36 अहम अग्निः कुरुश्रेष्ठा मया दग्धं च खाण्डवम
    अर्जुनस्य परभावेन तथा नारायणस्य च
 37 अयं वः फल्गुनॊ भराता गाण्डीवं परमायुधम
    परित्यज्य वनं यातु नानेनार्थॊ ऽसति कश चन
 38 चक्ररत्नं तु यत कृष्णे सथितम आसीन महात्मनि
    गतं तच चा पुनर हस्ते कालेनैष्यति तस्य ह
 39 वरुणाद आहृतं पूर्वं मयैतत पार्थ कारणात
    गाण्डीवं कार्मुकश्रेष्ठं वरुणायैव दीयताम
 40 ततस ते भरातरः सर्वे धनंजयम अचॊदयन
    स जले पराक्षिपत तत तु तथाक्षय्यौ महेषुधी
 41 ततॊ ऽगनिर भरतश्रेष्ठ तत्रैवान्तरधीयत
    ययुश च पाण्डवा वीरास ततस ते दक्षिणामुखाः
 42 ततस ते तूत्तरेणैव तीरेण लवणाम्भसः
    जग्मुर भरतशार्दूल दिशं दक्षिणपश्चिमम
 43 ततः पुनः समावृत्ताः पश्चिमां दिशम एव ते
    ददृशुर दवारकां चापि सागरेण परिप्लुताम
 44 उदीचीं पुनर आवृत्त्य ययुर भरतसत्तमाः
    परादक्षिण्यं चिकीर्षन्तः पृथिव्या यॊगधर्मिणः

 1 [j]
     evaṃ vṛṣṇyandhakakule śrutvā mausalam āhavam
     pāṇḍavāḥ kim akurvanta tathā kṛṣṇe divaṃ gate
 2 [vai]
     śrutvaiva kauravo rājā vṛṣṇīnāṃ kadanaṃ mahat
     prasthāne matim ādhāya vākyam arjunam abravīt
 3 kālaḥ pacati bhūtāni sarvāṇy eva mahāmate
     karma nyāsam ahaṃ manye tvam api draṣṭum arhasi
 4 ity uktaḥ sa tu kaunteyaḥ kālaḥ kāla iti bruvan
     anvapadyata tad vākyaṃ bhrātur jyeṣṭhasya vīryavān
 5 arjunasya mataṃ jñātvā bhīmaseno yamau tathā
     anvapadyanta tad vākyaṃ yad uktaṃ savyasācinā
 6 tato yuyutsum ānāyya pravrajan dharmakāmyayā
     rājyaṃ paridadau sarvaṃ vaiśya putre yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
 7 abhiṣicya svarājye tu taṃ rājānaṃ parikṣitam
     duḥkhārtaś cābravīd rājā subhadrāṃ pāṇḍavāgrajaḥ
 8 eṣa putrasya te putraḥ kururājo bhaviṣyati
     yadūnāṃ pariśeṣaś ca vajro rājā kṛtaś ca ha
 9 parikṣid dhāstina pure śakra prasthe tu yādavaḥ
     vajro rājā tvayā rakṣyo mā cādharme manaḥ kṛthāḥ
 10 ity uktvā dharmarājaḥ sa vāsudevasya dhīmataḥ
    mātulasya ca vṛddhasya rāmādīnāṃ tathaiva ca
 11 mātṛbhiḥ sahadharmātmā kṛtvodakam atandritaḥ
    śrāddhāny uddiśya sarveṣāṃ cakāra vidhivat tadā
 12 dadau ratnāni vāsāṃsi grāmān aśvān rathān api
    striyaś ca dvijamukhyebhyo gavāṃ śatasahasraśaḥ
 13 kṛpam abhyarcya ca gurum arthamānapuraskṛtam
    śiṣyaṃ parikṣitaṃ tasmai dadau bharatasattamaḥ
 14 tatas tu prakṛtīḥ sarvāḥ samānāyya yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
    sarvam ācaṣṭa rājarṣiś cikīrṣatam athātmanaḥ
 15 te śrutvaiva vacas tasya paurajānapadā janāḥ
    bhṛśam udvignamanaso nābhyanandanta tad vacaḥ
 16 naivaṃ kartavyam iti te tadocus te narādhipam
    na ca rājā tathākārṣīt kālaparyāya dharmavit
 17 tato 'numānya dharmātmā paurajānapadaṃ janam
    gamanāya matiṃ cakre bhrātaraś cāsya te tadā
 18 tataḥ sa rājā kauravyo dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
    utsṛjyābharaṇāny aṅgāj jagṛhe valkalāny uta
 19 bhīmārjunau yamau caiva draupadī ca yaśasvinī
    tathaiva sarve jagṛhur valkalāni janādhipa
 20 vidhivat kārayitveṣṭiṃ naiṣṭhikīṃ bharatarṣabha
    samutsṛjyāpsu sarve 'gnīn pratasthur narapuṃgavāḥ
 21 tataḥ praruruduḥ sarvāḥ striyo dṛṣṭvā nararṣabhān
    prasthitān draupadī ṣaṣṭhān purā dyūtajitān yathā
 22 harṣo 'bhavac ca sarveṣāṃ bhrātṝṇāṃ gamanaṃ prati
    yudhiṣṭhira mataṃ jñātvā vṛṣṇikṣayam aveṣkya ca
 23 bhrātaraḥ pañca kṛṣṇā ca ṣaṣṭhī śvā caiva saptamaḥ
    ātmanā saptamo rājā niryayau gajasāhvayāt
    paurair anugato dūraṃ sarvair antaḥpurais tathā
 24 na cainam aśakat kaśc cin nivartasveti bhāṣitum
    nyavartanta tataḥ sarve narā nagaravāsinaḥ
 25 kṛpa prabbhṛtayaś caiva yuyutsuṃ paryavārayan
    viveśa gaṅgāṃ kauravya ulūpī bhujagātmajā
 26 citrāṅgadā yayau cāpi maṇipūra puraṃ prati
    śiṣṭāḥ parikṣitaṃ tv anyā mātaraḥ paryavārayan
 27 pāṇḍavāś ca mahātmāno draupadī ca yaśasvinī
    kṛpopavāsāḥ kauravya prayayuḥ prāṅmukhās tataḥ
 28 yogayuktā mahātmānas tyāgadharmam upeyuṣaḥ
    abhijagmur bahūn deśān saritaḥ sāgarāṃs tathā
 29 yudhiṣṭhiro yayāv agre bhīmas tu tadanantaram
    arjunas tasya cānv eva yamau caiva yathākramam
 30 pṛṣṭhatas tu varārohā śyāmā padmadalekṣaṇā
    draupadī yoṣitāṃ śreṣṭhā yayau bharatasattama
 31 śvā caivānuyayāv ekaḥ pāṇḍavān prasthitān vane
    krameṇa te yayur vīrā lauhityaṃ salilārṇavam
 32 gāṇḍīvaṃ ca dhanur divyaṃ na mumoca dhanaṃjayaḥ
    ratnalobhān mahārāja tau cākṣayyau maheṣudhī
 33 agniṃ te dadṛśus tatra sthitaṃ śailam ivāgrataḥ
    mārgam āvṛtya tiṣṭhantaṃ sākṣāt puruṣavigraham
 34 tato devaḥ sa saptārciḥ pāṇḍavān idam abravīt
    bho bho pāṇḍusutā vīrāḥ pāvakaṃ mā vibodhata
 35 yudhiṣṭhira mahābāho bhīmasena paraṃtapa
    arjunāśvasutau vīrau nibodhata vaco mama
 36 aham agniḥ kuruśreṣṭhā mayā dagdhaṃ ca khāṇḍavam
    arjunasya prabhāvena tathā nārāyaṇasya ca
 37 ayaṃ vaḥ phalguno bhrātā gāṇḍīvaṃ paramāyudham
    parityajya vanaṃ yātu nānenārtho 'sti kaś cana
 38 cakraratnaṃ tu yat kṛṣṇe sthitam āsīn mahātmani
    gataṃ tac cā punar haste kālenaiṣyati tasya ha
 39 varuṇād āhṛtaṃ pūrvaṃ mayaitat pārtha kāraṇāt
    gāṇḍīvaṃ kārmukaśreṣṭhaṃ varuṇāyaiva dīyatām
 40 tatas te bhrātaraḥ sarve dhanaṃjayam acodayan
    sa jale prākṣipat tat tu tathākṣayyau maheṣudhī
 41 tato 'gnir bharataśreṣṭha tatraivāntaradhīyata
    yayuś ca pāṇḍavā vīrās tatas te dakṣiṇāmukhāḥ
 42 tatas te tūttareṇaiva tīreṇa lavaṇāmbhasaḥ
    jagmur bharataśārdūla diśaṃ dakṣiṇapaścimam
 43 tataḥ punaḥ samāvṛttāḥ paścimāṃ diśam eva te
    dadṛśur dvārakāṃ cāpi sāgareṇa pariplutām
 44 udīcīṃ punar āvṛttya yayur bharatasattamāḥ
    prādakṣiṇyaṃ cikīrṣantaḥ pṛthivyā yogadharmiṇaḥ

Janamejaya said: "Having heard of that encounter with iron bolts between the heroes of the Vrishni and the Andhaka races, and having been informed also of Krishna’s ascension to Heaven, what did the Pandavas do?"

Vaishampayana said: "Having heard the particulars of the great slaughter of the Vrishnis, the Kaurava king set his heart on leaving the world. He addressed Arjuna, saying, ‘O thou of great intelligence, it is Time that cooks every creature (in his cauldron). I think that what has happened is due to the cords of Time (with which he binds us all). It behoveth thee also to see it.’

"Thus addressed by his brother, the son of Kunti only repeated the word ‘Time, Time!’ and fully endorsed the view of his eldest brother gifted with great intelligence. Ascertaining the resolution of Arjuna, Bhimasena and the twins fully endorsed the words that Arjuna had said. Resolved to retire from the world for earning merit, they brought Yuyutsu before them. Yudhishthira made over the kingdom to the son of his uncle by his Vaisya wife. Installing Parikshit also on their throne, as king, the eldest brother of the Pandavas, filled with sorrow, addressed Subhadra, saying, ‘This son of thy son will be the king of the Kurus. The survivor of the Yadus, Vajra, has been made a king. Parikshit will rule in Hastinapura, while the Yadava prince, Vajra, will rule in Shakraprastha. He should be protected by thee. Never set thy heart on unrighteousness.’

"Having said these words, king Yudhishthira the just, along with his brothers, promptly offered oblations of water unto Vasudeva of great intelligence, as also unto his old maternal uncle and Rama and others. He then duly performed the Sraddhas of all those deceased kinsmen of his. The king, in honour of Hari and naming him repeatedly, fed the Island-born Vyasa, and Narada, and Markandeya possessed of wealth of penances, and Yajnavalkya of Bharadwaja’s race, with many delicious viands. In honour of Krishna, he also gave away many jewels and gems, and robes and clothes, and villages, and horses and cars, and female slaves by hundreds and thousands unto foremost of Brahmanas. Summoning the citizens. Kripa was installed as the preceptor and Parikshit was made over to him as his disciple, O chief of Bharata’s race.

"Then Yudhishthira once more summoned all his subjects. The royal sage informed them of his intentions. The citizens and the inhabitants of the provinces, hearing the king’s words, became filled with anxiety and disapproved of them. ‘This should never be done,’ said they unto the king. The monarch, well versed with the changes brought about by time, did not listen to their counsels. Possessed of righteous soul, he persuaded the people to sanction his views. He then set his heart on leaving the world. His brothers also formed the same resolution. Then Dharma’s son, Yudhishthira, the king of the Kurus, casting off his ornaments, wore barks of trees. Bhima and Arjuna and the twins, and Draupadi also of great fame, similarly clad themselves in bark of trees, O king. Having caused the preliminary rites of religion, O chief of Bharata’s race, which were to bless them in the accomplishment of their design, those foremost of men cast off their sacred fires into the water. The ladies, beholding the princes in that guise, wept aloud. They seemed to look as they had looked in days before, when with Draupadi forming the sixth in number they set out from the capital after their defeat at dice. The brothers, however, were all very cheerful at the prospect of retirement. Ascertaining the intentions of Yudhishthira and seeing the destruction of the Vrishnis, no other course of action could please them then.

"The five brothers, with Draupadi forming the sixth, and a dog forming the seventh, set out on their journey. Indeed, even thus did king Yudhishthira depart, himself the head of a party of seven, from the city named after the elephant. The citizen and the ladies of the royal household followed them for some distance. None of them, however, could venture to address the king for persuading him to give up his intention. The denizens of the city then returned; Kripa and others stood around Yuyutsu as their centre. Ulupi, the daughter of the Naga chief, O thou of Kunti’s race, entered the waters of Ganga. The princess Chitrangada set out for the capital of Manipura. The other ladies who were the grandmothers of Parikshit centered around him. Meanwhile the high-souled Pandavas, O thou of Kuru’s race, and Draupadi of great fame, having observed the preliminary fast, set out with their faces towards the east. Setting themselves on Yoga, those high-souled ones, resolved to observe the religion of Renunciation, traversed through various countries and reached diverse rivers and seas. Yudhishthira, proceeded first. Behind him was Bhima; next walked Arjuna; after him were the twins in the order of their birth; behind them all, O foremost one of Bharata’s race, proceeded Draupadi, that first of women, possessed of great beauty, of dark complexion, and endued with eyes resembling lotus petals. While the Pandavas set out for the forest, a dog followed them.

"Proceeding on, those heroes reached the sea of red waters. Dhananjaya had not cast off his celestial bow Gandiva, nor his couple of inexhaustible quivers, actuated, O king, by the cupidity that attaches one to things of great value. The Pandavas there beheld the deity of fire standing before them like a hill. Closing their way, the god stood there in his embodied form. The deity of seven flames then addressed the Pandavas, saying, ‘Ye heroic sons of Pandu, know me for the deity of fire. O mighty-armed Yudhishthira, O Bhimasena that art a scorcher of foes, O Arjuna, and ye twins of great courage, listen to what I say! Ye foremost ones of Kuru’s race, I am the god of fire. The forest of Khandava was burnt by me, through the puissance of Arjuna and of Narayana himself. Let your brother Phalguna proceed to the woods after casting off Gandiva, that high weapon. He has no longer any need of it. That precious discus, which was with the high-souled Krishna, has disappeared (from the world). When the time again comes, it will come back into his hands. This foremost of bows, Gandiva, was procured by me from Varuna for the use of Partha. Let it be made over to Varuna himself.’

“At this, all the brothers urged Dhananjaya to do what the deity said. He then threw into the waters (of the sea) both the bow and the couple of inexhaustible quivers. After this, O chief of Bharata’s race, the god of the fire disappeared then and there. The heroic sons of Pandu next proceeded with their faces turned towards the south. Then, by the northern coast of the salt sea, those princes of Bharata’s race proceeded to the south-west. Turning next towards the west, they beheld the city of Dwaraka covered by the ocean. Turning next to the north, those foremost ones proceeded on. Observant of Yoga, they were desirous of making a round of the whole Earth.”