The Mahābhārata [Vol. 3] Book 4, The book of Virāṭa. Book 5: The book of the effort 0226846652, 0226846644, 9780226846651, 9780226846507, 0226846504

Table of contents :
Contents......Page 8
Preface......Page 10
Book 4. The Book of Virata......Page 12
Introduction......Page 14
Contents......Page 34
Summaries and Translation......Page 36
Book 5. The Book of the Effort......Page 142
Introduction......Page 144
Contents......Page 196
Summaries and Translation......Page 198
Notes to the Text......Page 544
Concordance of Critical Edition and Bombay Edition: Books 4 and 5......Page 568
Index......Page 570

Citation preview

The Mahabharata Book 4

The Book of VinIta

Book 5

The Book of the Effort

The The University of Chicago Press

Chicago and London

l\llah -bharata Translated and r~ited by I.A.B. van Buitenen

4 The Book of Vinita

5 The Book of the Effort

The University of Chicago PreillS. Chicago 60637 The Univen;ity of Chicago Press. LId .. London

e

1978 by The Univen;ity of Chicago All rights reserved. Published 1978 Printed in the United States of America

010099989796

1098765

Lib rar y of Congress Ca ta loging in Pu blicatio n Data Mahllbharata. English. The Mahabharata. includes bibliographical refereoces. CONTENTS: v. I. TIle book. of the beginning. v.2. The book. of the as~onbly hall. The book of'he forest. v. 3. The book. of Vir~la. The book of the effort. \. Builenen. Johanne s Adrianus Bemardus van, It. PK 3633.A2 B8 294.5'923 72-97802 ISBN 0·226--84648 -2 (v. I. cloth); 0-226·84663-6 (v. I. paper) 0-226--84649·0 (v. 2. cloth); 0-226--84664-4 (v. 2. paper) 0 -226-84650-4 (y_ 3. cloth ); 0-226-84665-2 (v. 3. paper)

The relief scu lpture on the title page. dating from the second half of the fifth century "'.1).• depicts Nara and Naraya!)a in ViHIU temple, Deogarh, U_P .. India. Photo by courtesy of rr-4mod Chandr4,

The publication oj t his work has been assisted by a subvention Jrom the Institute oj Traditional Science. Haven D'Mo re. Director.

Contents

Preface

;,

THE MAHABHARATA Translated

Book 4. The Book of Vinita Introduction

Contents Summaries a nd Translation

3 23 25

Book 5. The Book of the Effort

Introduction Contents Summaries and Translat ion

133 185 187

Notes to the Text

533

Concordance of Critical Edition and Bombay Edition: Books 4 and 5

557

Index

559

vii

c.7tJ

o

avartC!:J

Preface

The present volume ca rries the translation of the Maluibhtirata well beyond the first third of the text but not yet up to the mid-way point: that happy marker will be reached somewhere in the middle of the Dror,1aparvan in the nCJo:t vol ume. At this point it is becoming possible to be more specilic about the contenlc; of future volumes. Volume IV will comprise MHh. 6 and 7. the books of BIJI$"w and Dro~w; Volu me V MBh. 8- 11 . the books of Kania. Salyu, the Nig h! AHack. and the Women: Volume V[ MEl!. 12. the book of the Peace: Volume VII MBh. 13-18, the books of Instructions. the Horse Sacrifice. the Hermitage. the Clllbs. the Grea L Journey, and the Ascent to Heave". The sizes of the Volum es will vary. the most massive being Volume VI. if indeed it is decided to incorporate the entire Siintiparvan within a single volume. II is more difficu lt to be precise about dates of publ ication. It is clear that the pace of publishing three vol umes within a period of six years cannot be kept up. Moreover. this pace is only apparent. since the work for Volume 1. whic h saw the light of day in 1973. was started in late 1967. and the three volumes that have appeared so far represent the labor of nine years. I doubt whether it will be feasible to publish Volum e [ V before 1980. But by that time most of the work on Volume VI will have been done so that both Volume V and Volume VI ca n be expected by 1983, and Volume Vll within a reasonable time thereafter. Even then. more will need to be done. While I hope that work can be started sooner, if scholarly and fina ncial support is forthcoming. there will remain the c hores of indexing. th ematic bibliograph ies. addenda el corrigenda. and other residual matters. which so far I ha ve deliberately left fo r a later volume when the principal task. that of the transla tion itself. will ha ve been completed. ix

,

The Maliabharala

While 1 am tilled with hope that a great deal of the burden of such a volume will be lightened by the assistance of co-workers, I shall reserve for myself the more con genial obli gation to sum up. in a concluding essay, wh at I have over the years been able to learn from th e Malui.!J/uirala about its being a nd its purposes. I have already learned from the Ma/uibhiirllta to cultivate the patience not to hurry that day, Once more I have the pleasant duty La speak of my gratitude to my colleagues. students. reviewers. and publisher. While th is enterprise. by th e very nature of its complex ity and time span. cannol really be sha red. as a favorite book can be sha red between people who have read it time and aga in . the interest' of others in this venture of many years has been most encouraging 10 me. And I see the first signs of what is the ultim ate satisfaction of the scholar: th at his work is being used by others for purposes of study that lay beyond his scope, a nd indeed his competence. Finally let me say a word of special th anks to Haven O'More. who has subsidized the publication. His kind of support is perh aps th e purest form of philanthropy, His fina ncial contributions do not in any materi al way benefit ei ther me, or the Un iversity of Chicago Press, or himself, Only the reader profits from them. and that unwittingly, by the lower price of the book th at he purchases, 'Th us, in a very im med iate sense, Mr. O'More's support h as not only helped the publication of the Mu/!(ilJlulrata but substantially increased its distribution. Chicago. February 1977

J.

A. B. van B.

The Mahabharata Translated Book 4

The Book of Vinita •

Introduction

The Par:ac.lavas' Masquerade

"The instants are joined together," remarks Bhi~ma sagely, "and so are the h ours. days. fortnights. months. lunar houses, planets. seasons, and years: thus the wheel of time revolves with the divisions of time, "] 'Th is observation is delivered on the occasion when the issue is raised whether the Panc.iavas have indeed completed the thirteen years of the exile which they had covenanted at the end of The Book of [he Assembly Hall. It is not an easy maHer to determine this. and the patriarch of the clan. grandsire of Paoc.lavas and Kauravas alike. is called upon to give his authoritative decision . "Because of an excess of time," he proceeds. "and the deviation of the luminaries. there are two additional months every five years." The ancient Indians observed a combined solar and lunar year-w ith the inevitable "deviation" of sun and moon -of 360 days. distributed over twelve months of 30 days each . This falls over 5 days short of the real year, which has 365 days. 5 hours. 48 minutes and 4 6 seconds. In order to bring every cycle of five years - a yuga - back into line. the Jyoli$a. our oldest Indian source on astronomy.2 adopts a complicated system whereby five years Is equal to sixty-two months of 29+?- days each. the two additional months being intercalary. It is this system which Bhl~ma follows. He continues: "So I calculate that to thirteen years there are five additional months and 12 days. " He comes to this conclusion by dividing the thirteen into two yugas I. 4.47.1 If. 2. IHOII$ll - Valtitlllo. a comparnUvely la te text (200 a.c.l) that purport s to continue the Veddnga (Vedic Aux1l\ary) of th e same name. whose purpose II was to aid in

computIng the proper dates of Vedic rimals.

3

The Book of Vira{a

4

of five years. which require four intercalary months. and one half y uya. requiring one more month, giving a total of five. This leaves a flnal half year to be accounted for. Accordin g to the Jyoti~a rule this half year would require only 6 additional days. not 12 as Bhl~ m a avers. but apparently he trea ts the last half year, beginning after the intercalary months inserted at midpoint in the yuya, Le .. after two and a half years. as already requiring the 12 days that the entire year needs. il is interesting to note th at the Pal)gavas do not seem to need

these complicated calculations . While one might well have expected them to count the days until their hardships were over, there is no talk of it. Presumably with his superior wisdom. YudhiHhira merely had to glance at the sta rs as we look a t the ca lendar. 3 At the fina l game of dice it was stipulated that 111e loser would spend twelve years in the forest and a thirteenth year unrecogni7.ed in the open. [f the loser were recognized. he w ou ld have to retu rn to the forest for another twelve years. 4 It is a curious stipulation , which bas led some scho!ars 5 to assume that this thirteenth year is not original and th a t Tlw Book of Viriita is a later addition to the BIll/rata. This mayor may n ot be th e case - we sh all return to this questionbut t he matter is now of little interest. Wha t is of interest is that there is this Book, and it must have been felt to fun ction within the sequence of the Mal!iibl!iiraltl. Wh enever in ancienlindia lhe number twelve appears as a unit of time, one must irresistibly connect it wi th the twelve-month year. Countless are the passages in which the twelvefold nature of the yea r is stressed. It is therefore hard. if not impossible, not to assume that the twelve years are ba s~d on the twelve months and th at the entire span is a sort of nram1 year. In rile Book of tire Forest Bhlma n otes that in the Veda a month can sta nd for a year. a n d the group might as well adopt this convenient eq uation and leave the forest IIOW. 6 Contrariwise. a year migh t well stand for a "month"' of a "year" of twelve years.' When we take this view. this thirteenth year becomes far more intr iguing than if we simply regard the thirteen as a baker's dozen. It becomes the hinge between one completed term a nd the next one, with the limina lity tha t in European folklore is associated with the Eleven Nights. In India. however. th e New Year did not begin on the 3. The disguises of the thlneenth yeor are kept up till 4.65, when Yud hi~lhlra is identIfied by Arjuna. 4. 2.67.8 5. cr. below, "On the lateness of rhe Book of Vlrafu."· p. 18. 6. 3.36.3 1 f. 7. If a tlI/9U Is a cycle of fivc years In tile older reckon ing. another well-known cycle. the siJ! ty·year Brhuspati. or Jovian cycle. could similarly be rcxarded as U !jIlJJIl of live grand ye~Ml of twelve years each.

rr.

5

llllroducliol!

first of Janu a r~': it began in the spring mOlllh of Ph it was the festival of Kama, when a happy carnival promiscuity was. surely in the most satisfying fashion. supposed to contribute to the fertility of the year that was about to begin anew, The licentious side of the masquerade of The Book of Vi riitll is understated . alth ough it is there, But there are so many other elements in it that correspond to the tempora ry role reversals associated wi th the Spring and Holl festivals, that it is at least worthwhi le. if not enlightening. to look upon it in th at light.

The New Personae The obligation to live unrecogni . .ed but in the open required that the Pal)Qavas disguise themselves. Earlier Bhlma had justifiably voiced doubt about whether t ha t was possible at all -" J see me disguised like Mount Meru!"IO This must have occurred to other lnd ians. and as so often someone helpfully. if clumsily. has provided a sort of solution by invoking no other than the God Dharma himself appearing as a Ya k~ a in the form of a crane. and lettin g the god bestow on t hem the boon that they will go unrecognl . . ed and their appearance will conform to the roles they adopt. I L In fact th ere is fortu n ately 1) 0 evidence that their appearance was indeed changed. as was Nala's when he was ch an ged into a hunch back. I 2 They work hard at hanging on to their disguises, however intolerable th at at one time becomes. I 3 Even Arj una . however preposterous and risque his rrl(lsqIlC. sUIi shows the scars of the bowstring on his wrists. L 4

or

8. McKim MarrlOu. "The r:east love." in Milton Singer. ed .. KrishUIl; Myths. Riles AI/Hoots (Honolulu. 1966). pp. 200 fr. 9. J. J. Meyer. Trilogie II/lilld/scher MlJchte m,d PeSle du Vegetlltion (Zu rich - Leipzig. 1937).1; Klimll. 10.3.36.27. II . 3.298. 18 r. As though this were sU it nOI t'llough. 8 laler lext tradition added a further boon from the Goddess Durgii In response to Yudhlnhlra 's apocryphal Vurgiis[ow: see below. p. 19. 12 .3.63. 1 If. 13. Notably at Oraupadrs moleslalion: 4. 1S. 14.4.2.2 1.

II",'

Tile Book of Virufa

6

There is a distinct tone of hilarity in the first chapter of Vir/1ta. when the Paoda vas discuss what roles they will adopt. Here it is illuminating to quote at length McKim Marriott describing the Hali he experienced. Who was that "King of the HolI" riding backward on the donkey? It was im older boy of high caste. a famous bully, put there by his organ ized victims (but seeming to relish the prominence of his disgrace). Who was in that chorus singing so lustily in the potter's lane? Not just the resident caste fellows. but six washermen. a tailor. and three Brahmans Joined each year for this day only in an idealistic musical company patterned on the friendship of the gods. Who were those transfigured "cowherds" beaping mud and dust on all the leading citizens? They were the watcr carrier. two young Brahman priests. and a barber's son. avid experts in the daily routines of purification. Whose household temple was festooned with goat"s bones by unknown mcrrymake~? It was the temple of the Brahman widow who had constantly harrassed neighbors and kinsmen with actions at law. In front of whose house was a burlesque dirge being sung by a professional ascetic of the village? It was the house of a very much alive moneylender. notorious for his punctual collections and his insufficient charities. Who was it who had his head fond ly anointed. not only with handfuls of th e sublime red powders. but also with a gallon of diesel oil? It was the village landlord. and the anointer was his cousin and archrival. the policeman of Kishan Garhi. Who was it who was made to dance in the streets. fluting like Lord Krishna. with a garland of old shoes around his neck? It was I. the visiting anthropologist. who had asked far too many questions. and had always to receive respectful answers. I 5 "And what wili you do. King PiiQ.Q.ava?" asks Arjuna two thousand years earlier. "How will you pass through this misfortune that has befallen you ?" "Hear yeo scions of Kuru. what work I shall do I" Yudhisthira replies. "I shall be the Royal Dicing Master of the king!" "Wolf-Belly," h e continu es. "what kind of a job will you play at ?" " J shaH be a kitchen chef and wait on King Virata. I'll make him curries I I am good in a kitchen." "What shall Arjuna do?" asks Yudhisthira. '·Sire. I'll be a transvestite! 1"11 hang rings from my cars that sparkle llke fire. and my head shall sport a braid I'" "NakuJa. what wUl you do?" "r shall be King Virata's horse groom." 15. Marriott. p. 211 f.

Inlroduclion

7

'·Sahadeva. how will you amuse yourself at Virata's ?" "I shall be the cow teller of Kin g Vidita. Don 't worry, I'll do quite well !" I (j "And what will OraupadJ do ?" 'Til call myself a chambermaid with a skill in h airdressin g," These are remarkable ch oices of roles with the carnival spirit of insanity only mildly tempered by an India n brand of rationalization , Por Yudhi~thira to wish to become the King's Own Master of Games requires a certain ext.ent of humorous distance from his own fateful "flaw" which, as Draupadi and Bhima have so relentlessly reminded him, 1 7 brought them all this misery. It is like a reformed drunk electin g to become a bartender. But, and it is here that the Indian ration alization comes in. the sage B~hada sva had bestowed on him the "heart of the dice." after tellin g him the story of NaJa. 18 Not that Yu dhi ~thi ra seems to have won a lot in his new role, for he is popular amon g the courtiers. 1 9 Bhlma, who is not for nothing called a Wolf-Belly, and who according to his mother "always eats much" and should be accorded half the family's food. 20 chooses to cook the food that othcrs eatalthough there are no doubt leftovers. 21 Also he will act as king's wrestler and gladiator: he who killed only to preserve the safety and fortune of the family will wrestle wild animaJs for the entertainment of the ladies of the serail. 22 Arjuna . superman. diademed hero. left-h anded archer, son of [ndra, he, J i~Qu , Gu~akesa. Vijaya. will become an effeminate dance teacher whom it is perfectly safe to let go among nubile daughters of the court. But of course, Cit rasena th e Gandharva himself had ta ught him while he was whiling away five years in Lndra's heaven. 2J Compared with those of their elder brothcr. the choices of the twins are pedestrian. Naku la chooses to become King Virata's stable master. and Sahadeva the kin g's cow teller. These are typical vaisya trades, which puts us in mind of the fact th at the two younger brothers do not enjoy exactly the same status as the three older ones. It may be reca lled thaL they were the sons of pal).~u by his second and junior wife Madrl. who herself was not. like Kuntl. won at a svaym!1vllra (which in the epic seems to be a status symbol for highborn women). but merely purchased from her family.24 She became the unwilling 16.4.1.15- ].1 If. 17.3.2SI£. 18, ].77.1 5 If. 19.4.1 2.1 If. 20.1.184.6. 21.4.12.5. 2:2.4.12.25; IS.IIf. 2]. ].45.1 If. 24.1.I0SJ - S.

8

The Book of Viriila

cause of her husband ParyQu's death. and. as the first soti of record. followed him into dea th. ~, CaWe lending and horse training are obviously trades that Nakula and Saharleva followed before in Y udh i~ ~hira 's kingdom. a nd their ch oices are less clInlllvlllesqilf tha n those of the others. or particular interest is Draupadl's choice. There was no social niche for a wellborn woma n outside the bounds of the family as daughter. wife. and mother. Outside these fa mily bounds she was literally a nd fi guratively a loose woman. Characteristically Yudhi~thira begins his question to Draupadl with: "Now this is our beloved wife, who is deare r to us than our li ves, as a mother to be protected. as an elder sister to be honored:'26 It is with no regrets at all but pride that her seniorm ost husband declares that "she does not kn ow the work that women do. From the day she was born t he radiant woma n has had kn owledge but of garlands. perfum es, ornaments. and all mann er of clothing, "l7 In OraupadJ's case the skewness lies [lot so much in th e choice of occupatio n, but in the self-imposed isolation from her husbands. She, the wife who had gone through everything with her husbands and in the process suffered grievous humilia tion -still una venged - and extreme hardshi ps. the wife who easily could have waited out the exile in com fort at her father Orupada's court in Pai'icala (as Subh adra , Arjuna's wife. is still doing at Dvaraka),28 w ho had let go of her ch ildren to stay with the Piil)Qavas in the forest. 29 she mu st now pretend not even to know them. One imagines that. she might well ha ve declared herself to be the wife of on e of her husbands - though that might have shown an unwan ted partiality. But she is ma de to prefer a li fe a part. The occupation she chooses is that of a lady's maid: in spite of Yudh iHbira's opinion. she doe.~ discover In herself a talent for ha irdressing. The word I have transla ted as "cham bermaid" is in Sanskrit s(lirWlJd lw T. The word belongs to a group with the variations of sairmlldll ra ..miril!ul/w. and sairil!ldll ra. a nd a ppears to be a Sa nskritization of a loan from a no n-Ar yan source. The fact that sairillldlw is recorded ma kes the tra ditio nal derivation from ·sirwn-dlw(l unlikely in the extreme: th is word could mean " plow holder" but is not attested. The Sairal!lll llras/ Sairif!lIl1ws/ 25. Lilt>. 26.4.3. 12. 27. ·1.3.13. 28.3.23.4 4 f.. where K~r,~ t~kes Subh~drii ~nd Abhlmanyu to Oviirllkii.ln 3.23.47 Dh~l~ket u of CedI takes "his siSler" 10 his city $uktlmall: she Is apparently "K~ret.luvat1 of Ihe Cedis." junior wIfe of Nakula In 1.90.87. otherwise unJcnown. Clearly Ihere was an exodus of all wives except Draupadl. 29. 3.23.46. where Dh~ladyumna takes his Sisler Dra upadl's sons 10 his city in Piiiiciila; they do not reappear till S.I.6.

Inlroduction

9

Sairit!ldhras are known as a people. Man u fo lds them into the caste system hy Ol:1 king :1 S:1 ir:1 111dhra th e son of a da.~Y ll and an aJJogava woman: 30 the latler is herself the issue of a siidra father and a vllisya mother.) 1 That a dasyu is supposed to be th e father indicates that the Sa ira lpdhr as, etc .. were an aborigina l tribe, not necessarily of agriculturalists. My own inclina tion would be to connect the name with §iliru/h ra. sililldhra "mush room,"' also a borrowed word in Sanskril. so that the Sairi ndhras might be a tribe of mushroom gatherers or eaters. whose women. as so often wi th tribals. enjoyed a freedom unusual amon g caste women . As a tribal woman . DraupadJ lVould not provoke incredulity and shock when asserling th at she had five husbands, fo r certain northern tribes did practice polyandry,32 These husbands. she says. are Gandharvas. Since she is not questioned about the remarka ble fact that she, a low-born woman . hardly with in the caste system . shou ld be wedded to supern atur al beings of grea t beauty and artistry, it is likely th at these Gandharvas were understood as wandering minstrels with a fa ncy title. Th at the Pat:l~ avas assu me new names as part of their disguises is, of course. the most obvious precaution . The reasons behind the n ames are, however. by no means obvious. Yud h i~lh ira calls himself Kanka. which is the n ame for a heron. l3 May that be in memory of the crane in which God Dharma ma nifested himself to Y u d h i~~h.i ra at the end of The Book of LIre Porestp4 Bh lma's new name is Ballava, not a very comm on word for "cowherd." Arjuna goes under the name B",hannatra. A lone tree. however big, stron g and deeprooted, can be shattered in branch and trunk by i1 violent wind : but well-rooted trees crowded together can outlast the strongest wi nds because lhey support one another. So enemies regard a lone man, however endowed with virtues. as vulnerable. even as the wind regards the lone tree. Kinsmen prosper by supporting one another and relying on one another like lotuses in a pond. Not to be killed are brahmins, cows. women. children. kinsmen. those whose food one has eaten. and th ose who seek refuge. There is no greater virtue in a man even if rich than good health: good luck to you, for the sick are like the dead. Anger is like a sha rp headache arising from no disease. harsh, biting, ugly, and resulting in evil: the good swa llow it and the evil do not-swallow it. great king. and cairn down . Those plagued by sickness do not care about rewards: they ha ve no usc for

Dhrumiwa's Vigil

70

37.}

5

10

273

the sense objects: the sick are always miserable and do not know the comforts of wealth or happiness. r told you before. but you did not take my advice. king. when you saw Draupadl won at the dicing: "Stop Duryodhana." I said. "stop him from gambling ! The wise shun crookedness. It is not strength if it runs counter to gentleness: a mixed Law should be pursued diligently. Fortune based on cruelty dwindles. but if both gentle and bold it descends to sons and grandson. Let the Dhartani~tras protect the paQQavas. and Pill)Qu's sons must protect yours. Let the Kurus live in happiness and wealth with the same enemies and friends. the same counsel. You are now the pillar of the Kauravas. Ajamlc,lha: on YOll rests the house of Kuru. Protect your own repute. friend. by guardin g the young paQc;!avas. who have suffered from their forest sojourn . Ally the Kauravas with PilQQu's sons lest your enemies seek out an opening. They all stand by the truth. God among men; stop Duryodhana. king of men ["

Vidllra said: Manu Svayulpbhuva. 0 son ofVicitravirya. Indra among kings. named these seventeen kinds of men who beat the air with their fists or try to bend Indra's unbendable rainbow or the sun' s unbendable rays. There is the one who teaches one unteachable: who gels angry: who is overloyal to him who is hostile: who fails to guard his women (good luck La YOll !): who asks what may not be asked: who brags: who. though wellborn. does what he should not do: who. though weak. feuds with somebody stronger : who speaks to someone who does not believe him: who covets what may not be coveted. [ndra among men: a father-in-law who jokes with his daughter-in-Jaw; one who expects esteem when Jiving with his wife: who sows seed in another man 's acre: who slanders a woman: who having received says he docs not remember : who. having given. boasts upon being asked: and who seeks benevolence from an evil man: these persons pursue the wind with noose in hand. One must treat a man according to who he is and how he acts in what. that Is the Law. The magician should be treated with magic. the good should be welcome with good. DIJrtarti~lra said: While it is said in all the Vedas that a man's life span is a hundred years, what is the reason one does not attain the entire span ? Vidllra said; Too much talk. too much pride, no renunciation. anger. rapacity. and the betrayal of friends arc the six swords that cut short the life of the embodied: it is they that kill a man. not death - good luck to you. He who goes to the wife of a man who trusts him. who violates his leacher's bed. a brahman who marries a siidra woman or drinks liquor. he who kills a refugee are all equal to a brahmin-murderer.

274

15

5(5 1)37

DhrtardWu's Vigil

Revelation says th at a rite of reparation must be performed for consorting with such . That sage goes to heaven who is a liberal householder. whose words are not shot through with false hood . who eats only after sacrificing. does nothing harmful or disadvantageous. avoids discord, is grateful. true, and gentle. Easy to find, king. are people who always say nice things. but hard to find is a speaker of unpleasant but apt advice. A king has a fri end in a person who looks to the Law and. ignoring what his master likes or dislikes. gives unpleasa nt advice when that is appropriate. Por the sake of the family abandon a man, for the village abandon a family, for the country abandon a village. for the soul ab'lJldon the earth. One should protect one's wealth in case of disaster. one's wife with one's wealth. and oneself with both wife and wealth. At the time of the dicing I told you, king. That it was not right. 0 Pratipa's scion: But that displeased you, Vaicitravlrya, As a wholesome herb displeases a sick man. You have vanquished the peacock-like Paol;lavas With the Dhartara~tras who are like crows: Abandoning lions and herding jackals You will come to rue it, king of men.

20

The servants have confidence in a master Who does not get angry aU the time At servants who loyally see to his welfare, And they do not desert him even in straits. One should not attempt to woo the stranger By stopping his servan t' s living wages, For thwarted in what they are used to, his housemates, Once friendly, desert him if lacking in comforts. Considering first all the chores to be done And setting a wage that he can afford, He should win to himself appropriate allies. Par allies accomplish what's hard to achieve. The one who lirelessly does his tasks While knowing full well his master's intentions And speaks for his good, is loyal and noble And knows his own strength should be treated as self. If a servan~ is told but pays no attention, Or if he talks back when given his orders And argues with you and thinks he is smart, He should be dismissed without further delay.

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25

They say that an envoy should have eight virtues: He should be without pride. qu i c k~aclin g. and manly. Compassionate, polished, unbribable. Not sickly. and noble in using the lan guage. A sensible man will never feel free To enter a stran ger's hou se the wrong hour, Nor stand at night concealed at a crossroads. Nor solicit a woman of baronial rank. Do not contradict a man in disg uise, Whose cou nsel is mixed. whose company bad, Don't say that you put no lrust in him,

But give hlm a pretext and quote some reasons. Do not transact with a man of compassion, A king, or whore. or a king's dependent Son. brother. or widow with little sons. A soldier or one who has loyal supporters.

Ten virtues adorn the man who bathes: Strength, beauty. pure accent and vowels, Fine touch, fin e smell. and cleanliness, Luck . delicacy. and beautiful women .

30

Six virtues adorn him who limits his meals: Good health. longevity. well-being, vigor. No sickness to plague his offspring either. And no one berates him for gluttony. One should not lodge in one's house a man Who is gluttonous. idle. or widely disliked. Pull of tricks or cruel or dressing un seemly. Or one who kn ows not the right place and time. However in need do never solicit A miser. a slanderer. one unstudied, A man fa llen low. one respecting the worthless. A cruel . a rancorous man and an ingrate. There are six kinds of people one should not ser ve: Those of vile occupation. the garrulous. Habitual li ars and disloyal men. The alienated and arroga nt.

35

Profit depends on a helper and the helper depends on profit : they are interdependent and do not succeed without each other. After one hus begotten sons and acquitted them of debts. after arranging some sort of livelihood for them and marrying all his daughters well. one

276

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Dhrtarawa's Vigil

should live in the forest and seek the hermit's life. A prince should do what benefits all beings and brings himself happiness. for that is the root on which Law and Profit prosper. If one has intelligence. power. splendor. mettle, resilience and resolve, why should he fear that he might find no living? Behold the evil consequences in quarreling with the PiilJ,(lavas. for whom even Sakra and the Gods tremble: en mity with sons, an everanxious life, the loss of repute. and the joy of your foes. Indra-likc kIng. the wrath of Bhl~ma. Drol)3. and King Yudhi~thira when fully aroused would cause the world to collapse like a while comet streaking across the sky. Your onc hundred sons, Kan~a, and the five Pii t)i;lavas can rule th e ocean-girt earth. The DhartaraHras are a forest, king. and PaJ)Qu's sons I regard as tigers: do not cut down the forest with its tigers, and do not drive the tigers from the forest. There would be no forest but for its tigers. and no Ugers but for their forest: for the forest is protected by its tigers, and the forest protects its tigers. The wicked and evil-minded do not wish as urgently to know the virtues of others as their vices. [f one wishes his Profit to work out fully. he should from the beginning stick to the Law, for Profit does not stray from the Law. as the Elixir docs not stray from heaven. To him whose soul is averse to evil and set upon the good. everything becomes known. whether it be cause or effect. When one practices Law. Profit. and Pleasure allhe right time he finds the aggregate of Law. Profit. and Pleasure here and hereafter. By controlling the rising force of wrath and joy. a baron becomes the vessel of good fortune. king. and will not be perplexed in emergencies. Learn from me that men always have five kinds of strength. and the strength of their arms has been said to be the least of them . The winning of good advisors-and good luck to theel - is called the second strength. Those who seck victory call the winning of wealth the third. The inborn strength of father and grandfather. the strength of good birth. is known as the fourth. But the highest kind of strength by which all the others are encompassed is said to be the strength of wisdom. If a man tries to offend and seeks to overpower another man. then. with the enmity thus conlracted. he cannot feel secure. though he be far away. What wise man can be confident about women. kin gs. snakes. Vedic knowledge. the well-wishers of his enemy. comforts. and life span? There are no healers or herbs for him who has been hit by the arrow of intelligence: neither oblation . spells. blessings. sorcerers. nor medicines ca n help him. A man should not despise D snake. fire. a lion. or the son of a noble lineage. Bharata. for they are all very powerful. Fire is a great power in the world: it is hidden in wood but does not consume it, as long as it is not

Dhrlarii.)"lra's Vigil

277

kindled by others, But when it is drilled and kindled from the tree. 1hen it quickly hums with its power that tree and the forest and the rest. Likewise men who have been born in good families ha ve the power of lire: they lie patiently and inoffensively as tire in wood. You and your sons are like creepers. and PiiQQu's sons are sii/a trees: no creeper ever grows withoul clinging to a tall tree.

60

38. 1

5

10

King. you and your sons arc together the forest. And th e forest lions the Piil.1Q.3vas: A forest is doomed when empty of lions, And without the forest the lions die.

Vidura said : When an old man arrives, the spirit of a youth departs upward. but he regains it by rising to meet him and greeting him. To a good man who arrives he sbould gravely present a stool. bring water. wash his feet. ask about his health. convey his own situation, and ofTer food with full attention. The noble say that one's life is in vain. if someone who knows the spells does not accept the water. //Iadill/parka. and cow at his house because of his greed. fears. and grudge. A physician. Hrrow~wright. un chaste man. thief. cruel man. drunknrd. abortionist, soldier, and seller of the Veda do not deserve the waler as guests. even if they are dear to the hosl. Not to be sold are salt. cooked food, curds, milk. honey. oil. gllce. sesamum seeds. meat. roots and fruits. vegetables. dyed cloth. Clny perfumes. and molasses. He who is not given to anger. holds clay and gold as alike. discards grief, is beyond friend ship and enm ity. praise and blame, pleasure and displeasure. and roams about uninvolved is a true mendicant. He is a prominent and meritorious ascetic who lives on wild rice. roots. nuts, and greens, is completely master of himself. needs not to be urged to the fire rituals. and while dwelling in the forest looks diligently to his guests. If you atTend an intelligent man. don't take comfort in living far away: long are the arms of lhe intelligent man with which, he. when hurt. will hurt you back. Mistrust the distrusted. and do not trust the trusted too far: from trust there arises a danger that cuts down the very roots. One shou ld not be envious: he should guard his wife, share his property, speak kindly. be smooth and pleasant~spoken toward women, bul not come under their spell. Worthy of honor. noble. holy, and ornamental. women are the treasures of a house: therefore they should be especially guarded. One should enlrust the women's quarters to the father. the kitchen to the mother, the ca ttle to one valued like himself. but do the ploughing himself; he shou ld look after traders through his servants, after the brahmin through his sons.

278

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5(51)38 - 39

DI)rlarii~rra's

Vigil

Fire springs from water, baronage from brahmindorn, iron from rock: their ubiquitous power vanishes before their sources. Men of good famil y who are always virtuous live patiently and inoffensively as fire in wood. A king whose counsel neither outsiders nor insiders know but who himself has eyes everywhere. will long enjoy dominion. He should not speak of what he will do but show hi s works of Law and Profit on ly when they are done: then his counsel will not be breached. His plans should be made while he climbs a mountain top. or steals out on the roof. or secludes himself in a desert. One who is not a friend should not know his ultimate plan. Bharata, nor an unlearned fri end or a learned man without self-control: for the attainment of profit and the keeping of the counsel rest upon the minister. A king whose counsels are a secret and all whose works his associates know only when they have been done succeeds without question. He who in his folly commits acts that are forbidd en forfeits even his life as his acts miscarry. The performance of approved acts brings happiness. while their nonperformance brings much regret. lndependent is t he country of him. king, wh o knows about increase, decrease. and stability. knows the state of the six properties. and who possesses habi ts that are not despised. The country of a king whose pleasure and displeasure bear fruit. who himself looks after his tasks and who himself has full information about his treasury. holds treasure. A kin g should be content with his title and umbrella: he should bestow his spoils on his dependents and not keep everything for himself. Brahmin knows brahmin. husband knows wife. a prince his minister. a king a king. An enemy who deserves death is not to be released when he has come to your side. for if he is not killed. he will soon be dangerous. One should at all limes make an elTort to control his anger with deities. kings. brahmins. the old. the young. and Ihe sick. A sensible man should avoid the pointless quarrels that fools seek: thus he earns fame in the world and no disaster besets him. No Illore than women want a eunuch for a husband do people want a master whose grace has no consequence and whose wrath docs not matter. Cleverness does not always lead to gain nor stupidity to poverty; the sage and no one else knows the turns that affairs take in the world. Disasters soon beset him whose conduct is ignoble. who is foolish. malcontented . Without Law. foul-spoken. and irascible. Honesty. liberality, strict observance of covena nts. and correctly addressed speech draw lhe creatures ncar. An honest, competent. grateful. clever. and upright man, even though his treasury has dwindled. wins a retinue. Steadfastness. serenity. self-conlrol. purity. compassion. kind speech. and loyalty are t he seven kindling sticks of forlune.

Dl!rlurii$fru's Vigil

40

279

The one who does not share his property and who is wicked. ungrateful. and shameless. thai vilest of men should be s hunned in the world. king of men. As in a snake-infested house. the man does not sleep peacefully who. while himself at fault. angers the gu iltless folk of his dwelling. Those who pose a threat to one's prosperity when they are offended should be appeased like Gods. All possessions attached to women. reckless people. or ignoble men are in danger. The country where a woma n. a child. or a gambler rules sinks helplessly as a stone raft in a river. Them I cal l wise who are aUHched to the genera l principles rather than the specifics. Bharata. fo r specifics are contin gent. That man li ves no more whom gamblers praise. songsters praise. and harlots praise. Abandonin g these mighty archers. the boundlessly august Pill).l;iavas. you ha ve devolved the grand dominion of the Bhara tas upon Duryodhana . You shall soon see him toppled from it as Bali. deluded by the drunkenness of power. was toppled fro m the three worlds. Dhrlani$/r(l said :

39.1

Man is not the master of destiny. But a wooden doll th at is strung on a string. TIle creator has made him subject to fa te: So speak on. for indeed I pay heed to your words. Vidurtl said:

5

By speu king out of turn even Brh aspaU in curred disesteem for his intelligence. and contempt. Bh arata. The one becomes beloved for his gifts. the other for his pleasant words. the third for his power of spells and herbs. but he who is loved is loved. A hateful man is not good. not intelligent. not learned: with the loved one are the good works. with the hateful one t he evil. Great king. it is no loss if th e loss brings on gain : but that should be considered a loss upon which still more is lost. There are some who are rich in virtue. others in wealth: avoid the rich in wealth. Dhl:tara~~ra. who are devoid of virtue. DliflClrii~lra

s(lid:

All thar you say is beneficial for posterity and approved by the wise. But I cannot abandon my son - where there is Law tbere is triumph. Vidllra said:

10

One who is naturally endowed with virtues and possessed of good manners will never do lhe slightest harm to creatures. Those who deljght in speaking ill always ju mp to t he chance when others decl ine or prosper by fomenting quarrels between one and the oth er. With those the very sight of whom is harmful and association wi th whom dangerous. accepting gift s is harmful and prolTering them dangerous. Avoid people known to be wicked. whose company is

280

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5( 51 )39

Ditrt{lrliHm's Vi!Ji/

disapproved. and who have other grave faults. When a friendship comes to an end. the affection of the lowly man dies. and so do its fruits and the p]cElsure that lay in the friendship, He turns to slandering and strives to destroy. and even if the offense was slight. he finds [1 0 peace in his folly. A wise man will observe matters intelligently with his mind and keep a wide distance frolll consorting with such lowly and cruel people who have not mastered themselves. He who favors a kinsman who is poor, wretched, and sick waxes in sons a nd callie and earns unending fame. Kinsmen should be helped to prosper by those who wish for their own well-being and the prosperity of their lincilgc: therefore. Indril among kings. comport yourself well. By tre. 88, 90- 9 1. 96. 98- 99.101 - 3.105.107.109.111- 12. 114.116. 119.121 - 25.127- 29. 188. 19 1. 193.195- 99.218,220- 22.227, 251. 255- 56. 2114- 85. 296. 308- 10. 320.326- 28.330-31. 334-35. 343. 346. 350- 51. 356. 358. 361. 363. 365-67.372.374.377.379.382.38.5. 395.397.415.418 - 21,423.425. 428 - 29. 439- 40. 450. 453- 54. 461 - 63.466- 68.470- 74.483. 529- 3 I. VaiSra var.1U. 44. 24\. 4 29. 474.527.529 Vailara!)L 400 Valvas\'ata. 216. 269. 319. 325. 486 Vaiyiigh rHpadya. 78 Va kra. 41 7 Vala . 202. 204. 206. 21 1. 21 4. 216. 241. 351, 392- 93. 4\ 1 Viilmlka. 359 Viilmlki.390 Viimadeva.359 Vam an:>. 388 Va mana (s nake), 39 1- 92 Vamana (garu4a). 390 Va ra!)a,220 Vara!)asl. 304. 31 Z VaraQ.3vata. 251. 11 1. 344, 350. 422 Varapra.349 Viirdhak~ml. 491 Varweya. 19 5. 197. 353. 355. 362. 364-65.367.369-70.3 72 -74.415. 426.438.445 - 47.449.466.473 VarUl)a. 87. J03. 11 0. 113. 215- 17. 328. 386- 88.390. 399.401.408-9.423, 427.473-74. 490 Viiru!)a. 110 Viirul,Il. 38. 387, 390 Vasa tis. 247, 53 1 Viisava. 84. 92 - 93, 9 5. 100. 103. 106- 7. Ill. 204- 6. 210- 11. 216- 17. 312. 319.358.369.388.392- 94.399. 408. 426-27. 453.462, 470.472. 487. 506 Vasi~\ha. 359. 397.400. 408 Vasu. 349. 517 Vasu diin a. 464. 492

571

Viisudeva, 29. 90. 95.128-29.195.198. 200.221. 225- 17, 23 1- 32. 237. 139-4U. 197-98. 303 - 6. lOll. 3 12- 11. 318-19.326-27.329.331. 333-36. 338.350-51. 359. 36 1. 365 - 67. 37]. 373.378.394.41 8- 20.4 29.438- 39. 44 1. 444. 454- 56. 458. 460. 464 - 68, 47 1- 74.476.478.480.483-84. 489- 92. 529 -30. 532 Viisukl. 391. 401 Vasumanas. 103. 407. 412- 13 VaSll mat. 194 Vasus. 29. 24 J. 30S, 364. 407. 423. 42 8. 453. 470. 517 Vasu~l}a. 445 Viitadhiina. 195. 220 Viitavega. 390 Vatsa. 316. 520 Vatsab hiiml. 519- 20 Vatsas. 349 Vatsyas. 406 Viiyavya. I 10 Vayu. 106. I J3 Viiyu\·cga. J95 Veda /so 71. 95- 96.104.195.202- 3. 217- 18.236.241 - 42.246. 25S. 263 . 268.270.273.277. 1RI - 83. 287- 90. 294. 309, 374. 383. 388-89. 399. 401. 429.440.452.461.473.477.501. 509- 10.517,526.530 Vedanta. 530 Vedidhv~ja. 331 Vco upa s.445 Vicitravlrya. 192.273.3 30.455.493. 497- 98. 502 Vidarbha. 408 Videha. 56 Videh~s. 349 Vldura. 32. 95.192.196.220.233- 34. 243.245.248.250.255- 56.261 - 62. 265.267,269.270.272- 73.277.279. 282.284-85.296- 97.308.314. 317- 18.332.347.355.360- 61. 363 - 64. 365. 367. 373 - 74. 376- 79. 416.418- 19.422- 23.426- 28.441. 456- 58.460- 61.467 Vldurii. 431. 433 Vldyutprabhiis. 402 Vigiihana .349 Vijaya (secret name). 34. 60 Vtlaya (Arjuna). 88. 31 1. 467 Vljaya (bow). 473 VikallJ3. 79. 82. 92. 100. 110. 114- 15, 238. 297. 320. 322. 324- 25. 333- 34. 380.416.429 Vlkul}~a. 39 l Vlnatii. 3}19. 392. 394. 399. 403-5. 409 Vlnda. 334. 484. 530

572

V1radharrnan.195 Vlrajas. 391

The Book of Vinita/The Book of th e Effort

Vyilghrapada. 35 Vyilsa. 313. 328. ]37. 356. 519

Virasa.391

Vlriila. 27- 29. JJ - 44. 46. 48- 50.52- 55. 60-63.73-79.82- 89.96- 99,IOJ - 2. 104- 5.109- 10. 117. 119. 12 1- 30. 188-89.195.197,219-20.225.227. 231. 237, 300-302, 322 - 23, 327, ]34.355.359.417.419.439.446. 454.462,464- 66.472.474,476- 78. 485.490. 530- 32 VlnlCiln a. 265- 67. 452 VI~8 I ak~a. 76 VI~r;'ik$a (garuqa). 390 Vi.:;Qu, 204 - 5. 206. 210. 212. 214, 224.

226. 305. 326.338, 385.387.389- 90, 392-94. 399. 402. 404. 473 VISl)udhanvan. 390 VL~vakannan. 90. 388. 515 Visvakscna, 347, 362 Vlsv[imitra, 397-98. 'lOS. 410 ViSvariipa, 216 V~viiv"su. 207. J08 Vlsvc. 102. 400 Vitastii. 410 Vivasvm. 115. 400. 403 Vil'aSWIl (dallya), 394 VlvilJlsati, 79. 82. I 10- \ I. 115- 16, 238.

297. 320. 334. 379- 80.478 Vrkllsthula. 344. 356. 362 - 63. 366 Vl1uka.487 Vl1aparvan. 458 V~lI~r.ra. 482. 486 Vr~lJi. 125. 129. 226.301 - 2. 307. 312. 421. 472. 482. 490 V\1lJis. 197.236.239.304.309.314. 322. HI. 333. 339. ]43. ]51. 357. 364.366- 67.377-78.423.428-29. 444- 45.452. 4(,5. 474 VrU"a. 43. 58. 106-7.204-0.210- 11. 214- 18.321. 329. ]93. 400. 434.504 VrUa. ]91 Vyaghradatla.491

Yiidavus. 225, 239. 320. 339. 361. 423. 439.446.451.458 YlIdu. 4JO- ll. 458 Yadus. 345. 359. 377 YlIji'iasenll. 46. 54 . 129.464. 524 Yajilascnl. 32. 57. 2] 1.24]- 44. 311 Yiikrlloma. 32 Yaqa . 102. 122.206- 7.2 16 - 17.241. ] 11. ]13. 325. 327. 402. 410. 412. 417. 428.470. 489.524- 28 Yllk~1. ]7 Yuma. 61. 74. 92. 103. 109. 113. 193. 215 - 17. 220.241. 269. 286. 3 19. 337. 388.401.408.439.449- 50.46]-64. 474.490.515 Yamuna. 220 Yamuna. 410. 519. 521 Yayiiti. 103. 368. 405- 6. 410- 14. 458-59 YaI'8krita.400 Yiivanajs. 530 Yudhamanyu. 323. 446. 490. 530-32 Yudhls\hiru. 27-30, 32 - ]6. 39. 42 - 43. 49-54.56.58.71-72.77-79.85. 87- 88.95.97.115.123.126- 30. 189- 92. 194- 96. 198- 200.202.211 , 218- 19.221. 225. 227. 231 - 32. 238, 140, 245. 248. 250- 52. 265. 276. 297- 98.310. 3l2. 316. 318- 10. 322- 25.333.335.343.347.353- 56, 358- 60,362.368- 70.3HO- 81. 419-20.425- 26.428- 29.439-41. 444.446.448-54. 458-6J. 463- 65. 467.471 -73. 476- 77.479,482. 492. 531 - 32 YUgal]1dhara. 27 Yuyudhiina, 129, 193.218.227. 231. 237.312.322.325.356.451. 464- 66.482. 530- 31 YU}·UISU. 228. 297. 380. 429