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The reading of this Mahabharata destroys all sin and produces virtue; so much so, that the pronunciation of a single shloka is sufficient to wipe away much guilt. This Mahabharata contains the history of the gods, of the Rishis in heaven and those on earth, of the Gandharvas and the Rákshasas. It also contains the life and actions of the one God, holy, immutable, and true, who is Krishna, who is the creator and the ruler of this universe; who is seeking the welfare of his creation by means of his incomparable and indestructible power; whose actions are celebrated by all sages; who has bound human beings in a chain, of which one end is life and the other death; on whom the Rishis meditate, and a knowledge of whom imparts unalloyed happiness to their hearts, and for whose gratification and favor all the daily devotions are performed by all worshippers. If a man reads the Mahâbhârata and has faith in its doctrines, he is free from all sin, and ascends to heaven after his death.

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Publié par	Interactive Media
Date de parution	08 novembre 2021
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781787363311
Langue	English

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Veda Vyasa
Indian Idylls of The Mahabharata (Hindu Library)

New Edition

New Edition
Published by The Big Nest
This Edition
First published in 2020
Copyright © 2020 The Big Nest
All Rights Reserved.
ISBN: 9781787363311
Contents
SAVITIRI: LOVE AND DEATH.
NALA AND DAMAYANTI.
THE ENCHANTED LAKE.
THE SAINT’S TEMPTATION.
THE BIRTH OF DEATH.
THE NIGHT OF SLAUGHTER.
THE GREAT JOURNEY.
THE ENTRY INTO HEAVEN.
SAVITIRI: LOVE AND DEATH.
“I mourn not for myself’,” quoth Yudhisthir,
“Nor for my hero-brothers; but because
Draupadi hath been taken from us now.
Never was seen or known another such,
As queenly, true, and faithful to her vows,
As Draupadi.”
Then said Markandya:
Wilt thou hear, Prince, of such another soul,
Wherein the nobleness of Draupadi
Dwell, of old days,- the Princess Sâvitrî?
THERE was a Raja, pious-minded, just,
King of the Mâdras,-valiant, wise, and true;
Victorious over sense, a worshipper;
Liberal in giving, prudent., dear alike
To peasant and to townsman; one whose joy
Lived in the weal of all men-Aswapati -
Patient, and free of any woe, he reigned,
Save that his manhood passing, left him ]one,
A childless lord; for this he grieved; for this
Heavy observances he underwent,
Subduing needs of flesh, and oftentimes
Making high sacrifice to Sâvitrî;
While, for all food, at each sixth watch he took
A little measured dole; and thus he did
Through sixteen years, most excellent of Kings
Till at the last, divinest Sâvitrî
Grew well-content, and, taking shining shape,
Rose through the flames of sacrifice and showed
Unto that prince her heavenly countenance.
“Raja,” the Goddess said - the Gift-bringer -
Thy piety, thy purity, thy fasts,
The largesse of thy hands, thy heart’s wide love,
Thy strength of faith, have pleased me. Choose some boon.
Thy dearest wish, Monarch of Mâdra, ask;
It is not meet such merit go in vain.”
The Raja answered: “Goddess, for the sake
Of children I did bear these heavy vows:
If thou art well-content, grant me, I pray,
Fair babes, continuers of my royal line;
This is the boon I choose, obeying law:
For - say the holy seers - the first great law
Is that a man leave seed.”
The Goddess said:
I knew thine answer, Raja, ere it came;
And He, the Maker of all, hath heard my word
That this might be. The self-existent One
Consenteth. Born there shall be unto thee
A girl more sweet than any eyes have seen;
There is not found on earth so fair a maid
I that rejoice in the Great Father’s will
Know this and tell thee.”
“Oh, so may it be
The Raja cried, once and again; and she,
The Goddess, smiled anew, and vanished so.-
While Aswapati to his palace went.
‘there dwelled he, doing justice to all folk;
Till, when the hour was good, the wise King lay
With her that was his first and fairest wife,
And she conceived a girl (a girl, my liege
Better than many boys), which wonder grew
In darkness, - as the Moon among the stars
Grows from a ring of silver to a round
In the month’s waxing days, - and when time came
The Queen a daughter bore, with lotus-eyes,
Lovely of mould. joyous that Raja made
The birth-feast; and because the fair gift fell
From Sâvitrî the Goddess, and because
It was her day of sacrifice, they gave
The name of “Sâvitrî” unto the child.
In grace and beauty grew the maid, as if
Lakshmi’s own self had taken woman’s form.
And when swift years her gracious youth made ripe,
Like to an image of dark gold she seemed
Gleaming, with waist so fine, and breasts so deep,
And limbs so rounded. When she moved, all eyes
Gazed after her, as though an Apsara
Had lighted out of Swarga. Not one dared,
Of all the noblest lords, to ask for wife
That miracle, with eyes purple and soft
As lotus-petals, that pure perfect maid,
Whose face shed heavenly light where she did go.
Once she had fasted, laved her head, and bowed
Before the shrine of Agni, - as is meet,
And sacrificed, and spoken what is set
Unto the Brahmans - taking at their hands
The unconsumed offerings, and so passed
Into her father’s presence - bright as ‘Sri,
If ‘Sri were woman! - Meekly at his feet
She laid the blossoms; meekly bent her head,
Folded her palms, and stood, radiant with grace,
Beside the Raja. He, beholding her
Come to her growth, and thus divinely fair,
Yet sued of none, was grieved at heart and spake
“Daughter, ‘tis time we wed thee, but none comes
Asking thee; therefore, thou thyself some youth
Choose for thy lord, a virtuous prince: whoso
Is dear to thee, he shall be dear to me
For this the rule is- by the sages taught
Hear the commandment, noble maid - ‘That sire
Who giveth not his child in marriage
Is blamable; and blamable that king
Who weddeth not; and blamable that son
Who, when his father dieth, guardeth not
His mother.’ Heeding this,” the Raja said,
Haste thee to choose, and so choose that I bear
No guilt, dear child, before the all-seeing Gods.”
Thus spake he - from the royal presence then
Elders and ministers dismissing. She,
Sweet Sâvitrî, -low lying at his feet,
With soft shame heard her father, and obeyed.
Then, on a bright car mounting, companied
By ministers and sages, Sâvitrî
Journeyed through groves and pleasant woodland-towns
Where pious princes dwelled, in every spot
Paying meet homage at the Brahmans’ feet;
And so from forest unto forest passed,
In all the Tirthas making offerings:
Thus did the Princess visit place by place.
THE King of Mâdra sat among his lords
With Narada beside him, counselling:
When - (son of Bhârat!) entered Sâvitrî
From passing through each haunt and hermitage,
Returning with those sages. At the sight
Of Narad seated by the Raja’s side,
Humbly she touched the earth before their feet
With bended forehead.
Then spake Narada:
“Whence cometh thy fair child? and wherefore, King,
Being so ripe in beauty, giv’st thou not
The Princess to a husband?”
“Even for that
She journeyed,” quoth the Raja; “being come,
Hear for thyself, great Rishi, what high lord
My daughter chooseth.” Then, being bid to speak
Of Narad and the Raja, Sâvitrî
Softly said this: “ In Chalva reigned a prince,
Lordly and just, Dyumutsena named,
Blind, and his only son not come to age;
And this sad king an enemy betrayed
Abusing his infirmity, whereby
Of throne and kingdom was that king bereft;
And with his queen and son, a banished man,
He fled into the wood; and, ‘neath its shades,
A life of holiness cloth daily lead.
This Raja’s son, born in the court, but bred
‘Midst forest peace, - royal of blood, and named
Prince Satyavan, - to him my choice is given.”
“Aho!” cried Narad, “evil is this choice
Which Sâvitrî hath made, who, knowing not,
Doth name the noble Satyavan her lord:
For, noble is the Prince, sprung of a pair
So just and faithful found in word and deed
The Brahmans styled him ‘Truth-born ‘ at his birth.
Horses he loved, and ofttimes would he mould
Coursers of clay, or paint them on the wall;
Therefore ‘Chitraswa’ was he also called.”
Then spake the King: “By this he shall have grown
Being of so fair birth - either a prince
Of valor, or a wise and patient saint.”
Quoth Narad: “Like the sun is Satyavan
For grace and glory; like Vrihaspati
For counsel; like Mahendra’s self for might;
And hath the patience of th’ all-bearing earth.”
“Is he a liberal giver? “ asked the King;
Loveth he virtue? wears he noble airs?
Goeth he like a prince, with sweet proud looks?”
“He is as glad to give, if he hath store,
As Rantideva,” Narada replied.
Pious he is; and true as Shivi was,
The son of Usinara; fair of form
(Yayâti was not fairer); sweet of looks
(The Aswins not more gracious); gallant, kind,
Reverent, self-governed, gentle, equitable,
Modest, and constant. justice lives in him,
And Honor guides. Those who do love a man
Praise him for manhood; they that seek a saint
Laud him for purity, and passions tamed.”
“A prince thou showest us,” the Raja said,
“All virtues owning. Tell me of some faults,
If fault he hath.”
“None lives,” quoth Narada.
But some fault mingles with his qualities
And Satyavan bears that he cannot mend.
The blot which spoils his brightness, the defect
Forbidding yonder Prince, Raja, is this,
‘Tis fated he shall die after a year;
Count from to-day one year, he perisheth!”
“My Sâvitrî,” the King cried; “go, dear child,
Some other husband choose. This hath one fault;
But huge it is, and mars all nobleness:
At the year’s end he dies ‘tis Narad’s word,
Whom the gods teach.”
But Sâvitrî replied:
Once falls a heritage; once a maid yields
Her maidenhood; once doth a father say,
Choose, I abide thy choice.’ These three things done,
Are done forever. Be my Prince to live
A year, or many years; be he so great
As Narada hath said, or less than this;
Once have I chosen him, and choose not twice
My heart resolved, my mouth hath spoken it,
My hand shall execute; -this is my mind!”
Quoth Narad: “Yea, her mind is fixed, O King,
And none will turn her from the path of truth!
Also the virtues of Prince Satyavan
Shall in no other man be found. Give thou
Thy child to him. I gainsay not.”
Therewith
The Raja sighed: “Nay, what must be, must be.
She speaketh sooth: and I will give my child,
For thou our Guru art.”
Narada said:
Free be the gift of thy fair daughter, then;
May happiness yet light! -Raja, I go.”
So went that sage, returning to his place
And the King bade the nuptials be prepared.
HE bade that all things be prepared, - the robes,
The golden cups; and summoned priest and sage,
Brahman and Rity-yaj and Purôhit;
And, on a day named fortunate, set forth
With Sâvitrî. In the mid-wood they found
Dyumutsena’s sylvan court: the King,
Alighting, paced with slow steps to the spot
Where sat the blind lord underneath a sâl,
On mats woven of kusa grass. Then passed
Due salutations; worship, as is meet: -
All courteously the Raja spake his name,
All courteously the blind Kin