Mahaprasthanika Parwa 3

Mahabharata 17.3

 

Mahaprasthanika Parwa 3

 

  1 [वै]
     ततः संनादयञ शक्रॊ दिवं भूमिं च सर्वशः
     रथेनॊपययौ पार्थम आरॊहेत्य अब्रवीच च तम
 2 स भरातॄन पतितान दृष्ट्वा धर्मराजॊ युधिष्ठिरः
     अब्रवीच छॊकसंतप्तः सहस्राक्षम इदं वचः
 3 भरातरः पतिता मे ऽतर आगच्छेयुर मया सह
     न विना भरातृभिः सवर्गम इच्छे गन्तुं सुरेश्वर
 4 सुकुमारी सुखार्हा च राजपुत्री पुरंदर
     सास्माभिः सह गच्छेत तद भवान अनुमन्यताम
 5 [इन्द्र]
     भरातॄन दरक्ष्यसि पुत्रांस तवम अग्रतस तरिदिवं गतान
     कृष्णया सहितान सर्वान मा शुचॊ भरतर्षभ
 6 निक्षिप्य मानुषं देहं गतास ते भरतर्षभ
     अनेन तवं शरीरेण सवर्गं गन्ता न संशयः
 7 [य]
     अथ शवा भूतभाव्येश भक्तॊ मां नित्यम एव ह
     स गच्छेत मया सार्धम आनृशंस्या हि मे मतिः
 8 [इन्द्र]
     अमर्त्यत्वं मत सामत्वं च राजञ; शरियं कृत्स्नां महतीं चैव कीर्तिम
     संप्राप्तॊ ऽदय सवर्गसुखानि च तवं; तयज शवानं नात्र नृशंसम अस्ति
 9 [य]
     अनार्यम आर्येण सहस्रनेत्र; शक्यं कर्तुं दुष्करम एतद आर्य
     मा मे शरिया संगमनं तयास्तु; यस्याः कृते भक्त जनं तयजेयम
 10 [इन्द्र]
    सवर्गे लॊके शववतां नास्ति धिष्ण्यम; इष्टापूर्तं करॊधवशा हरन्ति
    ततॊ विचार्य करियतां धर्मराज; तयज शवानं नात्र नृशंसम अस्ति
 11 [य]
    भक्त तयागं पराहुर अत्यन्तपापं; तुल्यं लॊके बरह्म वध्या कृतेन
    तस्मान नाहं जातु कथं चनाद्य; तयक्ष्याम्य एनं सवसुखार्थी महेन्द्र
 12 [इन्द्र]
    शुना दृष्टं करॊधवशा हरन्ति; यद दत्तम इष्टं विवृतम अथॊ हुतं च
    तस्माच छुनस तयागम इमं कुरुष्व; शुनस तयागात पराप्यसे देवलॊकम
 13 तयक्त्वा भरातॄन दयितां चापि कृष्णां; पराप्तॊ लॊकः कर्मणा सवेन वीर
    शवानं चैनं न तयजसे कथं नु; तयागं कृत्स्नं चास्थितॊ मुह्यसे ऽदय
 14 [य]
    न विद्यते संधिर अथापि विग्रहॊ; मृतैर मर्त्यैर इति लॊकेषु निष्ठा
    न ते मया जीवयितुं हि शक्या; तस्मात तयागस तेषु कृतॊ न जीवताम
 15 परतिप्रदानं शरणागतस्य; सत्रिया वधॊ बराह्मणस्व आपहारः
    मित्रद्रॊहस तानि चत्वारि शक्र; भक्त तयागश चैव समॊ मतॊ मे
 16 [वै]
    तद धर्मराजस्य वचॊ निशम्य; धर्मस्वरूपी भगवान उवाच
    युधिष्ठिरं परति युक्तॊ नरेन्द्रं; शलक्ष्णैर वाक्यैः संस्तव संप्रयुक्तैः
 17 अभिजातॊ ऽसि राजेन्द्र पितुर वृत्तेन मेधया
    अनुक्रॊशेन चानेन सर्वभूतेषु भारत
 18 पुरा दवैतवने चासि मया पुत्र परीक्षितः
    पानीयार्थे पराक्रान्ता यत्र ते भरातरॊ हताः
 19 भीमार्जुनौ परित्यज्य यत्र तवं भरातराव उभौ
    मात्रॊः साम्यम अभीप्सन वै नकुलं जीवम इच्छसि
 20 अयं शवा भक्त इत्य एव तयक्तॊ देव रथस तवया
    तस्मात सवर्गे न ते तुल्यः कश चिद अस्ति नराधिप
 21 अतस तवाक्षया लॊकाः सवशरीरेण भारत
    पराप्तॊ ऽसि भरतश्रेष्ठ दिव्यां गतिम अनुत्तमाम
 22 ततॊ धर्मश च शक्रश च मरुतश चाश्विनाव अपि
    देवा देवर्षयश चैव रथम आरॊप्य पाण्डवम
 23 परययुः सवैर विमानैस ते सिद्धाः कामविहारिणः
    सर्वे विरजसः पुण्याः पुण्यवाग बुद्धिकर्मिणः
 24 स तं रथं समास्थाय राजा कुरुकुलॊद्वहः
    ऊर्ध्वम आचक्रमे शीघ्रं तेजसावृत्य रॊदसी
 25 ततॊ देव निकायस्थॊ नारदः सर्वलॊकवित
    उवाचॊच्चैस तदा वाक्यं बृहद वादी बृहत तपाः
 26 ये ऽपि राजर्षयः सर्वे ते चापि समुपस्थिताः
    कीर्तिं परच्छाद्य तेषां वै कुरुराजॊ ऽधितिष्ठति
 27 लॊकान आवृत्य यशसा तेजसा वृत्तसंपदा
    सवशरीरेण संप्राप्तं नान्यं शुश्रुम पाण्डवात
 28 नारदस्य वचः शरुत्वा राजा वचनम अब्रवीत
    देवान आमन्त्र्य धर्मात्मा सवपक्षांश चैव पार्थिवान
 29 शुभं वा यदि वा पापं भरातॄणां सथानम अद्य मे
    तद एव पराप्तुम इच्छामि लॊकान अन्यान न कामये
 30 राज्ञस तु वचनं शरुत्वा देवराजः पुरंदरः
    आनृशंस्य समायुक्तं परत्युवाच युधिष्ठिरम
 31 सथाने ऽसमिन वस राजेन्द्र कर्मभिर निर्जिते शुभैः
    किं तवं मानुष्यकं सनेहम अद्यापि परिकर्षसि
 32 सिद्धिं पराप्तॊ ऽसि परमां यथा नान्यः पुमान कव चित
    नैव ते भरातरः सथानं संप्राप्ताः कुरुनन्दन
 33 अद्यापि मानुषॊ भावः सपृशते तवां नराधिप
    सवर्गॊ ऽयं पश्य देवर्षीन सिद्धांश च तरिदिवालयान
 34 युधिष्ठिरस तु देवेन्द्रम एवं वादिनम ईश्वरम
    पुनर एवाब्रवीद धीमान इदं वचनम अर्थवत
 35 तैर विना नॊत्सहे वस्तुम इह दैत्य निबर्हण
    गन्तुम इच्छामि तत्राहं यत्र मे भरातरॊ गताः
 36 यत्र सा बृहती शयामा बुद्धिसत्त्वगुणान्विता
    दरौपदी यॊषितां शरेष्ठा यत्र चैव परिया मम

 

 1 [vai]
     tataḥ saṃnādayañ śakro divaṃ bhūmiṃ ca sarvaśaḥ
     rathenopayayau pārtham ārohety abravīc ca tam
 2 sa bhrātṝn patitān dṛṣṭvā dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
     abravīc chokasaṃtaptaḥ sahasrākṣam idaṃ vacaḥ
 3 bhrātaraḥ patitā me 'tra āgaccheyur mayā saha
     na vinā bhrātṛbhiḥ svargam icche gantuṃ sureśvara
 4 sukumārī sukhārhā ca rājaputrī puraṃdara
     sāsmābhiḥ saha gaccheta tad bhavān anumanyatām
 5 [indra]
     bhrātṝn drakṣyasi putrāṃs tvam agratas tridivaṃ gatān
     kṛṣṇayā sahitān sarvān mā śuco bharatarṣabha
 6 nikṣipya mānuṣaṃ dehaṃ gatās te bharatarṣabha
     anena tvaṃ śarīreṇa svargaṃ gantā na saṃśayaḥ
 7 [y]
     atha śvā bhūtabhāvyeśa bhakto māṃ nityam eva ha
     sa gaccheta mayā sārdham ānṛśaṃsyā hi me matiḥ
 8 [indra]
     amartyatvaṃ mat sāmatvaṃ ca rājañ; śriyaṃ kṛtsnāṃ mahatīṃ caiva kīrtim
     saṃprāpto 'dya svargasukhāni ca tvaṃ; tyaja śvānaṃ nātra nṛśaṃsam asti
 9 [y]
     anāryam āryeṇa sahasranetra; śakyaṃ kartuṃ duṣkaram etad ārya
     mā me śriyā saṃgamanaṃ tayāstu; yasyāḥ kṛte bhakta janaṃ tyajeyam
 10 [indra]
    svarge loke śvavatāṃ nāsti dhiṣṇyam; iṣṭāpūrtaṃ krodhavaśā haranti
    tato vicārya kriyatāṃ dharmarāja; tyaja śvānaṃ nātra nṛśaṃsam asti
 11 [y]
    bhakta tyāgaṃ prāhur atyantapāpaṃ; tulyaṃ loke brahma vadhyā kṛtena
    tasmān nāhaṃ jātu kathaṃ canādya; tyakṣyāmy enaṃ svasukhārthī mahendra
 12 [indra]
    śunā dṛṣṭaṃ krodhavaśā haranti; yad dattam iṣṭaṃ vivṛtam atho hutaṃ ca
    tasmāc chunas tyāgam imaṃ kuruṣva; śunas tyāgāt prāpyase devalokam
 13 tyaktvā bhrātṝn dayitāṃ cāpi kṛṣṇāṃ; prāpto lokaḥ karmaṇā svena vīra
    śvānaṃ cainaṃ na tyajase kathaṃ nu; tyāgaṃ kṛtsnaṃ cāsthito muhyase 'dya
 14 [y]
    na vidyate saṃdhir athāpi vigraho; mṛtair martyair iti lokeṣu niṣṭhā
    na te mayā jīvayituṃ hi śakyā; tasmāt tyāgas teṣu kṛto na jīvatām
 15 pratipradānaṃ śaraṇāgatasya; striyā vadho brāhmaṇasv āpahāraḥ
    mitradrohas tāni catvāri śakra; bhakta tyāgaś caiva samo mato me
 16 [vai]
    tad dharmarājasya vaco niśamya; dharmasvarūpī bhagavān uvāca
    yudhiṣṭhiraṃ prati yukto narendraṃ; ślakṣṇair vākyaiḥ saṃstava saṃprayuktaiḥ
 17 abhijāto 'si rājendra pitur vṛttena medhayā
    anukrośena cānena sarvabhūteṣu bhārata
 18 purā dvaitavane cāsi mayā putra parīkṣitaḥ
    pānīyārthe parākrāntā yatra te bhrātaro hatāḥ
 19 bhīmārjunau parityajya yatra tvaṃ bhrātarāv ubhau
    mātroḥ sāmyam abhīpsan vai nakulaṃ jīvam icchasi
 20 ayaṃ śvā bhakta ity eva tyakto deva rathas tvayā
    tasmāt svarge na te tulyaḥ kaś cid asti narādhipa
 21 atas tavākṣayā lokāḥ svaśarīreṇa bhārata
    prāpto 'si bharataśreṣṭha divyāṃ gatim anuttamām
 22 tato dharmaś ca śakraś ca marutaś cāśvināv api
    devā devarṣayaś caiva ratham āropya pāṇḍavam
 23 prayayuḥ svair vimānais te siddhāḥ kāmavihāriṇaḥ
    sarve virajasaḥ puṇyāḥ puṇyavāg buddhikarmiṇaḥ
 24 sa taṃ rathaṃ samāsthāya rājā kurukulodvahaḥ
    ūrdhvam ācakrame śīghraṃ tejasāvṛtya rodasī
 25 tato deva nikāyastho nāradaḥ sarvalokavit
    uvācoccais tadā vākyaṃ bṛhad vādī bṛhat tapāḥ
 26 ye 'pi rājarṣayaḥ sarve te cāpi samupasthitāḥ
    kīrtiṃ pracchādya teṣāṃ vai kururājo 'dhitiṣṭhati
 27 lokān āvṛtya yaśasā tejasā vṛttasaṃpadā
    svaśarīreṇa saṃprāptaṃ nānyaṃ śuśruma pāṇḍavāt
 28 nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā rājā vacanam abravīt
    devān āmantrya dharmātmā svapakṣāṃś caiva pārthivān
 29 śubhaṃ vā yadi vā pāpaṃ bhrātṝṇāṃ sthānam adya me
    tad eva prāptum icchāmi lokān anyān na kāmaye
 30 rājñas tu vacanaṃ śrutvā devarājaḥ puraṃdaraḥ
    ānṛśaṃsya samāyuktaṃ pratyuvāca yudhiṣṭhiram
 31 sthāne 'smin vasa rājendra karmabhir nirjite śubhaiḥ
    kiṃ tvaṃ mānuṣyakaṃ sneham adyāpi parikarṣasi
 32 siddhiṃ prāpto 'si paramāṃ yathā nānyaḥ pumān kva cit
    naiva te bhrātaraḥ sthānaṃ saṃprāptāḥ kurunandana
 33 adyāpi mānuṣo bhāvaḥ spṛśate tvāṃ narādhipa
    svargo 'yaṃ paśya devarṣīn siddhāṃś ca tridivālayān
 34 yudhiṣṭhiras tu devendram evaṃ vādinam īśvaram
    punar evābravīd dhīmān idaṃ vacanam arthavat
 35 tair vinā notsahe vastum iha daitya nibarhaṇa
    gantum icchāmi tatrāhaṃ yatra me bhrātaro gatāḥ
 36 yatra sā bṛhatī śyāmā buddhisattvaguṇānvitā
    draupadī yoṣitāṃ śreṣṭhā yatra caiva priyā mama

 

Vaishampayana said: "Then Shakra, causing the firmament and the Earth to be filled by a loud sound, came to the son of Pritha on a car and asked him to ascend it. Beholding his brothers fallen on the Earth, king Yudhishthira the just said unto that deity of a 1,000 eyes these words: ‘My brothers have all dropped down here. They must go with me. Without them by me I do not wish to go to Heaven, O lord of all the deities. The delicate princess (Draupadi) deserving of every comfort, O Purandara, should go with us. It behoveth thee to permit this.’

 

"Shakra said, ‘Thou shalt behold thy brothers in Heaven. They have reached it before thee. Indeed, thou shalt see all of them there, with Krishna. Do not yield to grief, O chief of the Bharatas. Having cast off their human bodies they have gone there, O chief of Bharata’s race. As regards thee, it is ordained that thou shalt go thither in this very body of thine.’

 

"Yudhishthira said, ‘This dog, O lord of the Past and the Present, is exceedingly devoted to me. He should go with me. My heart is full of compassion for him.’

 

"Shakra said, ‘Immortality and a condition equal to mine, O king, prosperity extending in all directions, and high success, and all the felicities of Heaven, thou hast won today. Do thou cast off this dog. In this there will be no cruelty.’

 

"Yudhishthira said, ‘O thou of a 1,000 eyes. O thou that art of righteous behaviour, it is exceedingly difficult for one that is of righteous behaviour to perpetrate an act that is unrighteous. I do not desire that union with prosperity for which I shall have to cast off one that is devoted to me.’

 

"Indra said, ‘There is no place in Heaven for persons with dogs. Besides, the (deities called) Krodhavasas take away all the merits of such persons. Reflecting on this, act, O king Yudhishthira the just. Do thou abandon this dog. There is no cruelty in this.’

 

"Yudhishthira said, ‘It has been said that the abandonment of one that is devoted is infinitely sinful. It is equal to the sin that one incurs by slaying a Brahmana. Hence, O great Indra, I shall not abandon this dog today from desire of my happiness. Even this is my vow steadily pursued, that I never give up a person that is terrified, nor one that is devoted to me, nor one that seeks my protection, saying that he is destitute, nor one that is afflicted, nor one that has come to me, nor one that is weak in protecting oneself, nor one that is solicitous of life. I shall never give up such a one till my own life is at an end.’

 

"Indra said, ‘Whatever gifts, or sacrifices spread out, or libations poured on the sacred fire, are seen by a dog, are taken away by the Krodhavasas. Do thou, therefore, abandon this dog. By abandoning this dog thou wilt attain to the region of the deities. Having abandoned thy brothers and Krishna, thou hast, O hero, acquired a region of felicity by thy own deeds. Why art thou so stupefied? Thou hast renounced everything. Why then dost thou not renounce this dog?’ "Yudhishthira said, ‘This is well known in all the worlds that there is neither friendship nor enmity with those that are dead. When my brothers and Krishna died, I was unable to revive them. Hence it was that I abandoned them. I did not, however, abandon them as long as they were alive. To frighten one that has sought protection, the slaying of a woman, the theft of what belongs to a Brahmana, and injuring a friend, each of these four, O Shakra, is I think equal to the abandonment of one that is devoted.’"

 

Vaishampayana continued: "Hearing these words of king Yudhishthira the just, (the dog became transformed into) the deity of Righteousness, who, well pleased, said these words unto him in a sweet voice fraught with praise.

 

"Dharma said: ‘Thou art well born, O king of kings, and possessed of the intelligence and the good conduct of Pandu. Thou hast compassion for all creatures, O Bharata, of which this is a bright example. Formerly, O son, thou wert once examined by me in the woods of Dwaita, where thy brothers of great prowess met with (an appearance of) death. Disregarding both thy brothers Bhima and Arjuna, thou didst wish for the revival of Nakula from thy desire of doing good to thy (step-) mother. On the present occasion, thinking the dog to be devoted to thee, thou hast renounced the very car of the celestials instead of renouncing him. Hence. O king, there is no one in Heaven that is equal to thee. Hence, O Bharata, regions of inexhaustible felicity are thine. Thou hast won them, O chief of the Bharatas, and thine is a celestial and high goal.’"

 

Vaishampayana continued: "Then Dharma, and Shakra, and the Maruts, and the Ashvinis, and other deities, and the celestial Rishis, causing Yudhishthira to ascend on a car, proceeded to Heaven. Those beings crowned with success and capable of going everywhere at will, rode their respective cars. King Yudhishthira, that perpetuator of Kuru’s race, riding on that car, ascended quickly, causing the entire welkin to blaze with his effulgence. Then Narada, that foremost of all speakers, endued with penances, and conversant with all the worlds, from amidst that concourse of deities, said these words: ‘All those royal sages that are here have their achievements transcended by those of Yudhishthira. Covering all the worlds by his fame and splendour and by his wealth of conduct, he has attained to Heaven in his own (human) body. None else than the son of Pandu has been heard to achieve this.’

 

"Hearing these words of Narada, the righteous-souled king, saluting the deities and all the royal sages there present, said, ‘Happy or miserable, whatever the region be that is now my brothers’, I desire to proceed to. I do not wish to go anywhere else.’

 

"Hearing this speech of the king, the chief of the deities, Purandara, said these words fraught with noble sense: ‘Do thou live in this place, O king of kings, which thou hast won by thy meritorious deeds. Why dost thou still cherish human affections? Thou hast attained to great success, the like of which no other man has ever been able to attain. Thy brothers, O delighter of the Kurus, have succeeded in winning regions of felicity. Human affections still touch thee. This is Heaven. Behold these celestial Rishis and Siddhas who have attained to the region of the gods.’

 

“Gifted with great intelligence, Yudhishthira answered the chief of the deities once more, saying, ‘O conqueror of Daityas, I venture not to dwell anywhere separated from them. I desire to go there, where my brothers have gone. I wish to go there where that foremost of women, Draupadi, of ample proportions and darkish complexion and endued with great intelligence and righteous of conduct, has gone.’”