In my last post, I mentioned the story of the Pandavas and the Kurus and how they met the Gandharva warriors. I remember the tale as told to me by my Guru Mahārāja, B.R. Śrīdhara. The way he told it, we must overcome sectarian differences to find unity among brothers, even when the family differences are strong. I have adapted this section from my memories of his telling the tale and by consulting the excellent translation of K.M. Ganguli, which is in the public domain. This is a retelling of the Mahābharata I've been working on. I hope you find it to your satisfaction.
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| The Pandavas. Left to right: Bhima, kneeling with mace, Yudhisthira seated with Draupadi, Arjuna on the Right. The twins, Nakula and Sahadeva in back. |
Krishna meets with the Pandavas in Exile in the Forest
And
so it was that Markandeya spent a long time in the forest, with Krishna and
Satyabhama, the Pandavas and all the gathered saints and spoke at great length
about the purpose of life citing many examples and stories from the ancient
histories and Puranas. He discussed the importance of brahmanas and the rules
for kings as well as the proper conduct for women. And when it came time for
him to leave, he departed into the deep heart of the forest.
And
Krishna also, the slayer of Madhu, also called Janardana, having conversed at
great length for many days with the sons of Pandu and with those brahmanas
headed by Markandeya, mounted his golden chariot and called for Satyabhama.
Satyabhama was sad to say goodbye to Draupadi and told her, “O thou of black
eyes, it has been foretold that one day you will rule Hastinapura in peace with
your husbands. So be it.” And so saying bade them farewell, mounting the chariot
of Krishna. And Krishna, vanished into
the woods just as a lightning flash that appears in the sky briefly and then
disappears.
With
the end of Krishna’s visit, the sons of Pandu moved once again through the
forest until the had reached the lake and woods known as Dwaita.
Now
it came to pass that a learned brahmana had been following the company of the
Pandavas for some time.
A
Brahmana in Hastinapura
And
so it came to pass, that one day that brahmana left the forest and the Pandavas
behind, and in his wanderings came to Hastinapura. There he was received by the
old blind King, Dhritarasthra. And when
the king asked him about his adventures, seeking truth in the universe, the
brahmana replied that he had spent time in the forest with the exiled Yudhisthira.
With
this the blind King took a great interest and so the brahmana who was an
excellent storyteller described the sons of Pandu. He told the King that they
were weak and emaciated from fasting and from performing penances and
austerities in the forest. Shadows of their former selves they were reduced
going to exposure to wind and sun. And hearing this the old blind King took
pity on them, and was afflicted with grief to think that those royal princes
were now swimming in a river of sorrow.
He
asked, "and how is Yudhisthira?"
The
brahmana described what he'd seen. He told of how Arjuna had returned from the
heavenly planets armed with godly weapons: how he was readier than ever to
march against the Kurus in deadly battle. How Bhima had sent many a ghostly
warrior and many of forest monster to the court of death. He mentioned that the
twins spent hours daily readying themselves for war. He told of how Yudhisthira
had spoken with Krishna and that the Pandavas now had many allies: The
Vrishnis, the Madhus, and even Yakshas and Rakshasas, friends of Bhima's son
Ghatotkacha. He spoke of Bhima's alliance with Hanuman and the godly weapons
bestowed by Shiva, Vayu, and Indra. He explained that while the sons of Pandu
had suffered various kinds of hardships, they were now hardened by experience
and readier than ever for war.
And
thanking the brahmana, giving him arms, and sending him on his way, the blind
King went to his son Duryodhana and told him everything. Duryodhana in his turn
sought counsel with Shakuni and Karna. And in this way by discussion they began
to make a conspiracy.
And
Shakuni argued that the best course would be to attack the Pandavas in the
forest, now while they were weak. He
said, "Your rivals the Pandavas have been exiled to the forest lo these
long years. And so you rule the kingdom of Hastinapura alone. Yudhisthira and
his brothers have been forgotten and are nothing more than the stuff of
legends, while the people love you and kings from north and south offer you
treasure in tribute. Now is the time to consolidate your power. Let us ride
forth into the forest with a huge entourage of followers. You can ride with
your queens dressed in fine silks of gold thread. And when the starving and
miserable Draupadi, dressed in rags and deerskins beholds the opulence of our
retinue she will be humiliated and tear her hair in despair. We shall humiliate the Pandavas with our
wealth. And by so doing either they will
be so disheartened that they will renounce the idea of war, or so feverish that
they shall attack us unprepared. When they attack we shall waste them and cut
them down like so many dried sheafs of wheat after the harvest.”
A
Plot is hatched
And
hearing the words of the clever Shakuni, the cruel Duryodhana took heart and
said, “I like this. This is a good plan. But what of my father the king. He is
always melancholy and rues the day we exiled the Pandavas. He feels sympathy
for Yudhisthira and his brothers. I don’t think he will allow us to penetrate
the forest where they are exiled. And he has the backing of Drona our military
guru and of Bhishma the great grand-father of us all. O clever Shakuni, we need
a pretext to go into that forest.”
Karna
said, “Our herds of cattle are passing through that very forest. What if we go
under the pretext of caring for the many cows and bulls that wander there now?”
“Brilliant!”
said Shakuni. “The very idea I was looking for. The king shall surely give us
permission to care after our kine.”
And
so the three laughed and rubbed their hands with glee. The plot was set and
they planned on the humiliation of the Pandavas.
And
so they went off to see the king, Dhritarastra. They sat in the throne room,
asking after his health when their cowherd, Samanga, entered. On a sign from
Duryodhana, Samanga turned the conversation to cows and their needs and began
to talk of how the herd was stranded in the Dwaita forest. Karna joined the
talk. Careful not to mention the Pandavas, he went on about the importance of
cow protection. He turned to his friend Duryodhana and said, “O Kaurava, our
cattle-stations are now set in a delightful place in the Dwaita forest. Some of
the cows are calving. It is an auspicious time to visit them, now that we are
in the holy month of Kartikka. The hunting is very good right now after the rainy
season and many stags are running free.”
And
Dhritarasthra said, “Yes, this is an excellent time there for cow protection
and for hunting the wild boars and stags that range free there. But we have
heard that those great souls, the Pandavas, have made their home there. After
all, they were cheating of their kingdom by deceitful means. It would be a
shame to offend them. I do not think it good that you disturb or offend them.”
Shakuni
said, “King Yudhisthira is the very emblem of righteousness. Why would he be
disturbed if we are engaged in the protection of our own cows? And his brothers
follow him, knowing that his decision is true. I don’t think they will be angry
with us. Anyway, we are all interested in a good hunt, but we won’t go that
way. We will avoid any clash with the Pandavas and will stay away from their
camp.”
And
having listened the the expert arguments of the clever Shakuni, Dhritarastra
gave his permission for a hunting picnic to take place in the Dwaita forest,
near where the Pandavas held their camp, provinding Yudhisthira and his
brothers were not disturbed.
In
this way, Duryodhana, the son of Gandhari set out for the Dwaita forest
accompanied by Karna and surrounded by a large host. Shakuni and Dushasana went with him as well
as many other armed prince. The entourage included many ladies of the court
dressed in their finery. They set out with many elephants and horses,
foot-soldiers and body-guards, as well as many shops and pavilions and traders
eager to do business in the great picnic in the Dwaita woods. Slowly they left Hastinapura behind and
wended their way down the road to the great Kamyaka forest. Gradually
Duryodhana’s company approached the woods and leaving behind the king’s paved
road and the dust and clamour of the city, they entered that sylvan paradise of
verdant groves and flowery vales. And
moving from one grove to another, King Duryodhana with many followers and vehicles penetrated the
Kamayaka forest and entered the Dwaita woods.
The long train of followers was astonishing to behold with its many
horses and elephants, soldiers ready for battle and brilliant chariot cars.
Duryodhana rode at the head along with Karna and Dushashana and their uncle,
Shakuni. The cowherd Samanga was their guide and showed them where their cattle-stations
were and where the cows were grazing. They reached a delightful shady area with
trees and water and began raising tents and pavilions with all the comforts of
a palace. They spent the night there and
the next day King Duryodhana set out along with his brothers and inspected the
cows and bulls that grazed in that part of the forest. In this way they marked the bulls and cowsf
with special marks, counting all the three-year-old calves. And in the evening
the princes along with the cowherds played different sports and picnicked
there. The herdsmen played their pipes and drums and danced and sang. They ate
lavishly, and then, as the moon rose over the woods, sylvan virgins decked in
jewels sported with the son of Dhritarastra, assuring his every princely
satisfaction. And the following day the
king surrounded by the ladies of the court gave wealth in charity, and lavished
food and drink upon all.
The
cruel Duryodhana loved hunting and slaying animals of all kinds and sported by
killing hyenas and buffaloes and deer and wild bear who inhabited those hillls.
In this way Duryodhana and his followers despoiled that forest, cutting down
trees to enjoy the beehives whose fine honey intoxicated his followers and
their ladies. He pierced many an animal
with fast-flying darts from his bow.
They chased the blue-throated jays from the trees and ran and sported
everywhere. Finally they beheld the wonderful lake, Dwaitayana, near the place
where the Pandavas and Draupadi had made their camp. And when his spies had confirmed that indeed the Pandavas were near,
Duryodhana ordered his men saying, “Let pavilions and pleasure house be
constructed here near this lakeside with great splendour and opulence, and
spurning no opportunity to humiliate the Pandavas.”
The
Gandharvas are not pleased
But
as Duryodhana’s men began entering the woods near the lakeshore with the
purpose of collecting wood for construction they were turned back by a number
of Gandharvas who forbade them to enter, saying, “Dear sirs, the King of the
Gandharvas is now within these woods sporting with the celestial apsaras, the
courtly dancing girls of heaven. It is not an auspicious time to enter.”
Now Gandharvas are godlike beings with mystic
powers and it is best to avoid offending them. But Duryodhana did not heed the
warnings of his men and ordered his soldiers saying, “Punish those wretches who
wish to oppose my will.”
And
hearing these words of Duryodhana his officers and sons, endowed with great
strength, armed for battle and rushed at the Gandharvas who had been guarding
the gates of the woods near the lake.
The
Gandharvas, upon seeing that warlike host, gently forbade them to enter. But
the Kuru soldiers disregarded them and began advancing into the woods, prepared
to chop down trees, gather wood, hunt the boars and deers there, and do the
will of their master, the cruel king Duryodhana. So when the Gandharvas realized that the
warriors of Duryodhana could not be stopped by words they went to their king,
Chitrasena. Chitrasena, upon hearing of the madness and pride of Duryodhana,
became enraged, saying, “Punish these miserable curs. Advance and make war.”
Gandharvas versus
duryodhana
With
this the Gandharvas took up weapons against the followers of Duryodhana and
rushed their ranks.
With
this the Gandharvas took up weapons against the followers of Duryodhana and
rushed their ranks. The soldiers fled they had ran back to Duryodhana. They
told the Duryodhana everything that the fierce Gandharva had said. And
Duryodhana became enraged. He said, "Punish them. Ride forth and slay
them." And so it was that the Army of the sons of Dhirtarastra wrote in
their chariots to destroy the Gandharvas. The Gandharva's rushed towards the
followers of Duryodhana with the upraised weapons vibrating divine mantras. And
the sight of those celestial warriors was such that the Kuru soldiers turned
and fled the field of battle. Only the heroic Karna stood his ground. And
seeing the mighty host of Gandharvas rushing toward him thirsty for blood,
Karna dispatched many of them to the land of the dead. With great dexterity and
a light hand he struck down hundreds of soldiers using different kinds of
arrows and weapons made of bone and steel. The great warrior made many
Gandharva's heads roll, causing panic in their ranks.
And
as the troops of Chitrasena were slain in battle, that Gandharva King became
enraged and led his warriors forth to crush the army of the kurus. Chitrasena
was determined to exterminate the kurus. And being celestial creatures born of
the gods the Gandharva's employed there mystic powers and weapons of illusion.
With this the kuru warriors were stripped of their senses. They were confused
and saw Gandharva's on all sides's pressing them with their sharp weapons.
Terrified by the onslaught of Chitrasena the soldiers who had so valiantly
supported Karna his attack now turned and fled. Karna himself fought valiantly,
but soon the Gandharva warrior's fell upon him in close combat with swords and
battle axes and spirits. They smashed the axle of his chariot, and stampeded
his horses. They cut down the umbrella of his chariot and destroyed it,
breaking his chariot in half. Karna leapt from his chariot, sword and shield in
hand. He ran to his friend Vikarna's chariot and to his shame fled the battle.
And
as he ran from the battle King Duryodhana himself entered the fray, speeding
through the ranks and his chariot and laying down a curtain of fierce arrows.
But the Gandharvas paid no heed to his iron darts, but closing upon him cut his
chariot into pieces. They killed his horses and driver and shattered his car
with their battle axes. All at once the great King of the Gandharvas,
Chitrasena himself grabbed Duryodhana by the hair. He seized him with such
strength that it appeared that he had torn the very soul from his body. In the
same way the Gandharvas arrested Dushasana and the clever Shakuni and took them
to their camp.
the pandavas react
And
as this was taking place on the battlefield, those soldiers who had fled from
the action raced to the ashram of Yudhisthira. And before the proud Bhima and
Arjuna, they fell on their knees and prayed for the protection of the Pandavas.
Their eyes bulged from their head in terror and sweat dripped from therefore
heads as they recounted the events on the field.
"The
mighty armed son of Dhirtarastra has been taken captive by the warlike
Gandharvas. And now that King, his brothers headed by Dushasana, as well as
their queens and all the ladies of the royal xourt are being dragged away in
chains. Help us oh my brothers! Only you can save us."
And
so the followers of Duryodhana, mad with grief, fell at the feet of the
Pandavas and begged for help. The mighty Bhima shook his sides with laughter.
He said, "What we might have done with great labor the Gandharva has done
for us. It seems to me that a ruthless and deceitful King is trapped in the
reactions to his own karma."
But
the righteous Yudhisthira turned to his brother and said, "Hold thy
tongue. After all, Duryodhana is family. It is true that there is dissension
between us, and that we are five against his 100. But, when we are attacked
from without, we are 105. Let us ride forth in the chariots that were left
behind. We shall see how they deal with the powerful right arm of Arjuna."
And
even then, Arjuna himself said, "if the Gandharvas do not surrender and
release the son of Dhirtarastra, then I swear by my powerful right arm that
this day the earth shall drink the blood of their King."
The
pleasure pavilions and tents with different goods and wares were all
surrendered to the protection of the Pandavas as were horses, elephants,
foot-soldiers, chariots, bows, arrows, and all the weapons of Duryodhana’s
royal entourage. The Pandavas prepared themselves for war encasing themselves
in chain-mail decorated with gold and armed with celestial weapons of all
kinds. And cheered by the words of Yudhisthira, Bhima led the warriors into
battle. The Kuru army reformed with a mighty should with Bhima and Arjuna at
their head.
They
rode into battle against the Gandharvas who were heady with victory.
Yudhisthira had instructed that the Pandavas engage in a skirmish only to
demonstrate the force of their arms, but the Gandharvas were proud and began a
murderous charge. Arjuna appealed to their good sense, reminding them that he
was friends with Chitrasena, but the headstrong and reckless Gandharvas ran
against him. So it was that Arjuna rained a shower of sharp arrows against them
and cut down many Gandharvas. and while the sons of Pandu were only four and
the Gandharvas thousands, the battle was terrible. The Gandharvas tried and
failed to break the chariots of the Pandavas. And Arjuna became angry and
rained celestial weapons upon the Gandharvas, using his fire weapons to burn
their ranks. Bhima slew many with his own mighty bow and Nakula and Sahadeva
sent many a Gandharva to the court of Yamaraja.
Finally
Chitrasena himself came forward and said, “Behold! My old friend Arjuna is
battling with me.”
And
drawing up his chariot between the hosts, he said, “Hold! Hold thy weapons. I
would speak with Arjuna.”
With
this the soldiers paused their arms and watched in silence as Arjuna approached
Chitrasena on the field of battle. As they grew closer they lay down their
weapons and greeted each other with great friendliness, remembering their
adventures among the celestials and the affair of Urvasi. Chitrasena sat in his
chariot and talked to Arjuna and inquired after the health of his brothers.
And
Arjuna said, “What have you against the Kurus, my friend? What is the cause of
this bloodshed.”
And
Chitrasena smiled, saying, “Why I heard from my spies of Duryodhana’s plan to
come here and humiliate you. Indra himself, the lord of rain, your father came
to me and said, ‘Capture Duryodhana and his minions. Protect my son.’ For this
purpose I have come to Lake Dwaipayana and set my camp. This wicked prince even
now is in chains. I shall deliver him to the court of the gods for his
judgment. There is no doubt he will be executed for his crimes. I am sorry if I
have caused any trouble to your or your brothers. There must be some
misunderstanding. But why do you fight my Gandharva soldiers? We are your
friends.”
“Release
him.” said Arjuna.
“But
this vain wretch has deceived and wronged both you and your lord Yudhisthira.”
Yudhisthira
appeared before them on a golden chariot. “Release him.” said the king. “You
have done us a great act of kindness by humiliating our enemies. But this is
not your fight. In good time we shall take Hastinapura by force of arms, but
the time is not yet ripe. We thank you for defending the honor of our family
and of Draupadi. The envious king who wanted to humiliated us has been
humiliated.”
“So
be it,” said the Gandharva Chitrasena. He gave orders for his men to retire
from the field of battle. Others set about freeing Duryodhana, Dushasana, and
the ladies of the court. The Pandavas were pleased to see their sisters and
cousins freed from the Gandharva warriors. Finally Duryodhana stepped forward,
burning with envy and shame.
Yudhisthira
addressed him, saying, “My child, you must avoid such rash acts in the future.
The time will come when you will be judged for your deceit, but that time is
not now. Return to your capital and take your men. We shall see Hastinapura
again soon enough. Now go.”
And
Duryodhana was overwhelmed with shame and anguish. He bend his head in grief
and melancholy and, gathering his troops and entourage he left the Lake of
Dwaitayana and disappeared through the forest the way he had come. He proceeded
towards his city thinking of his defeat and burning with envy. On the path he
met with Karna who also felt the shame of cowardice having run from the enemy.
And Karna saluted him saying, “Duryodhana! You are alive. Then you have
conquered the foe where I have failed. I turned and ran like a coward, but you
stood your ground and prevailed. You are a true warrior, where I have been
shamed by the enemy.”
duryodhana
humiliated
-->
And
Duryodhana replied, “No, Karna, it is not so. It is true that we fought hard
with the Gandharvas, but I owe my life to our enemies the Pandavas. They have
humiliated me once again by rescuing me from the Gandharvas who conquered us
all. It was Arjuna who rescued me, having made peace with Chitrasena the lord
of the Gandharvas. It is with a heavy heart that I return to Hastinapura,
knowing that once again I have been bested by Arjuna and company.” And with
this, Duryodhana hung his head and wept.
