SECTION CXLV
Vaisampayana said, "There observing cleanliness, those tigers among men dwelt for six nights, in expectation of beholding Dhananjaya. And it came to pass that all of a sudden there blew a wind from the north-east and brought a celestial lotus of a thousand petals and effulgent as the sun. And Panchali saw that pure and charming lotus of unearthly fragrance, brought by the wind and left on the ground. And having obtained that excellent and beautiful lotus, that blessed one became exceedingly delighted, O king, and addressed Bhimasena in the following words, 'Behold, O Bhima, this most beautiful unearthly flower having within it the very source of fragrance. It gladdenth my heart, O represser of foes. This one shall be presented to Yudhishthira the just. Do thou, therefore, procure others for my satisfaction—in order that I may carry them to our hermitage in the Kamyaka. If, O Pritha's son, I have found grace with thee, do thou then procure others of this species in large numbers. I wish to carry them to our hermitage.' Having said this, the blameless lady of beautiful glances approached Yudhishthira the just, taking the flower. And knowing the desire of his beloved queen that bull among men, Bhima of great strength, also set out, in order to gratify her. And intent upon fetching the flowers, he began to proceed at rapid space, facing the wind, in the direction from which the flower had come. And taking the bow inlaid with gold on the back as also arrows like unto venomous snakes, he proceeded as a lion in anger or an elephant in rut. And all beings gazed at him, holding a mighty bow and arrows. And neither exhaustion, nor langour, neither fear nor confusion, ever possessed the son of Pritha and the offspring of Vayu (wind). And desirous of pleasing Draupadi the mighty one, free from fear or confusion, ascended the peak depending on the strength of his arms. And that slayer of foes began to range that beautiful peak covered with trees, creepers and of black rocky base; and frequented by Kinnaras; and variegated with minerals, plants, beasts, and birds of various hues; and appearing like an upraised arm of the Earth adorned with an entire set of ornaments. And that one of matchless prowess proceeded, fixing his look at the slopes of the Gandhamadana,—beautiful with flowers of every season—and revolving various thoughts in his mind and with his ears, eyes and mind rivetted to the spots resounding with the notes of male kokilas and ringing with the hum of black bees. And like an elephant in rut ranging mad in a forest that one of mighty prowess smelt the rare odour proceeding from the flowers of every season. And he was fanned by the fresh breeze of the Gandhamadana bearing the perfumes of various blossoms and cooling like unto a father's touch. On his fatigue being removed the down on his body stood on end. And in this state that represser of foes for the flowers began to survey all the mountain, inhabited by Yakshas and Gandharvas and celestials and Brahmarshis. And brushed by the leaves of Saptachchada tree, besmeared with fresh red, black and white minerals, he looked as if decorated with lines of holy unguents drawn by fingers. And with clouds stretching at its sides, the mountain seemed dancing with outspread wings. And on account of the trickling waters of springs, it appeared to be decked with necklaces of pearls. And it contained romantic caverns and groves and cascades and caves. And there were excellent peacocks dancing to the jingling of the bangles of the Apsaras. And its rocky surface was worn away by the end of tusks of the elephants presiding over the cardinal points. And with the waters of rivers falling down, the mountain looked as if its clothes were getting loosened. And that graceful son of the wind-god playfully and cheerfully went on, pushing away by his force countless intertwisted creepers. And stags in curiosity gazed at him, with grass in their mouths. And not having experienced fear (ever before), they were unalarmed, and did not flee away. And being engaged in fulfilling the desire of his love, the youthful son of Pandu, stalwart and of splendour like unto the hue of gold; and having a body strong as a lion; and treading like a mad elephant; and possessing the force of a mad elephant; and having coppery eyes like unto those of a mad elephant; and capable of checking a mad elephant began to range the romantic sides of the Gandhamadana with his beautiful eyes uplifted; and displaying as it were a novel type of beauty. And the wives of Yakshas and Gandharvas sitting invisible by the side of their husbands, stared at him, turning their faces with various motions. Intent upon gratifying Draupadi exiled unto the woods, as he was ranging the beautiful Gandhamadana, he remembered the many and various woes caused by Duryodhana. And he thought, 'Now that Arjuna sojourn in heaven and that I too have come away to procure the flowers, what will our brother Yudhishthira do at present? Surely, from affection and doubting their prowess, that foremost of men, Yudhishthira, will not let Nakula and Sahadeva come in search of us. How, again, can I obtain the flowers soon?' Thinking thus, that tiger among men proceeded in amain like unto the king of birds, his mind and sight fixed on the delightful side of the mountain. And having for his provisions on the journey the words of Draupadi, the mighty son of Pandu, Vrikodara Bhima, endued with strength and the swiftness of the wind, with his mind and sight fixed on the blooming slopes of the mountain, proceeded speedily, making the earth tremble with his tread, even as doth a hurricane at the equinox; and frightening herds of elephants and grinding lions and tigers and deer and uprooting and smashing large trees and tearing away by force plants and creepers, like unto an elephant ascending higher and higher the summit of a mountain; and roaring fiercely even as a cloud attended with thunder. And awakened by that mighty roaring of Bhima, tigers came out of their dens, while other rangers of the forest hid themselves. And the coursers of the skies sprang up (on their wing) in fright. And herds of deer hurriedly ran away. And birds left the trees (and fled). And lions forsook their dens. And the mighty lions were roused from their slumber. And the buffaloes stared. And the elephants in fright, leaving that wood, ran to more extensive forests company with their mates. And the boars and the deer and the lions and the buffaloes and the tigers and the jackals and the gavayas of the wood began to cry in herds.
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Footnote 1:[(return)]
This seems to be the obvious. There is a different reading however. For Drie-cyate—seen, some texts have Sasyate—applauded. Nilakantha imagines that the meaning is "As distribution (of food) amongst the various classes of beings like the gods, the Pitris, &c., is applauded &c., &c."
Footnote 2:[(return)]
A form of sacrifice which consists in pouring oblations of clarified butter with prayers into a blazing fire. It is obligatory on Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, except those that accept certain vows of great austerity.
Footnote 3:[(return)]
The Viswedeva sacrifice is the offer of food to all creatures of the earth (by scattering a portion).
Footnote 4:[(return)]
A gift. It may be of various kinds. The fees paid to Brahmanas assisting at sacrifices and religious rites, such as offering oblations to the dead, are Dakshinas, as also gifts to Brahmanas on other occasions particularly when they are fed, it being to this day the custom never to feed a Brahmana without paying him a pecuniary fee. There can be no sacrifice, no religious rite, without Dakshina.
Footnote 5:[(return)]
Reference to self, i.e. without the motive of bettering one's own self, or without any motive at all. (This contains the germ of the doctrine preached more elaborately in the Bhagavad gita.)
Footnote 6:[(return)]
This Yoga consists, in their case, of a combination of attributes by negation of the contrary ones, i.e. by renunciation of motives in all they do.
Footnote 7:[(return)]
A form of Yoga that is said to consist in the mingling of some of the air supposed to exist in every animal body. These airs are five: Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, and Vyana.
Footnote 8:[(return)]
The 8 Vasus, the 11 Rudras, the 12 Adityas, Prajapati, and Vashatkara.
Footnote 9:[(return)]
An order of celestials.
Footnote 10:[(return)]
Celestial flowers of much fragrance.
Footnote 11:[(return)]
The ascetic properties are Anima, Laghima, etc.
Footnote 12:[(return)]
The bow of Vishnu, as that of Siva is called Pinaka.
Footnote 13:[(return)]
The words of the text are Adhana, Pashubandha, Ishti Mantra, Yajana and Tapa-kriya.
Footnote 14:[(return)]
Dhritarashtra being blind is described as Pragnachakshu, i.e. having knowledge for his eye. It may also mean. "Of the prophetic eye."
Footnote 15:[(return)]
The great preceptor of the Asuras, viz., Sukra, possessing the highest intelligence as evidenced by his various works on all manner of subjects particularly, the Sukra-niti.
Footnote 16:[(return)]
Also called Vadarika, a hermitage on the Himalaya near the sources of the Ganges.
Footnote 17:[(return)]
Nilakantha explains kshetra as including Mahabhuta, consciousness, intellect, the unmanifest (primordial elements), the ten senses, the five objects of the senses, viz., earth, water, &c., desire, aversion, pleasure, pain, the combinations of elements, and chaitanya.
Footnote 18:[(return)]
Hari here means the developed seed that is to expand into the vast whole of the universe.
Footnote 19:[(return)]
This wheel is the wheel of Time—i.e., measured according to the solar, lunar and astral revolutions. The importance of Ashtavakra's reply is this: May the meritorious deeds performed at proper times, during the revolution of this wheel of Time protect thee.
Footnote 20:[(return)]
Thunder and lightning or misery and death.
Footnote 21:[(return)]
Cloud or the mind.
Footnote 22:[(return)]
The male being that is ever conscious.
Footnote 23:[(return)]
The mundane egg.
Footnote 24:[(return)]
The soul that has renounced connection with the body.
Footnote 25:[(return)]
The heart of a Yogi.
Footnote 26:[(return)]
Ashtavakra comes to Janaka's sacrifice with the object of proving the unity of the Supreme Being. Vandin avails himself of various system of Philosophy to combat his opponent. He begins with the Buddhistic system. The form of the dialogue is unique in literature being that of enigmas and the latent meaning is in a queer way hid under the appearance of puerile and heterogeneous combinations of things.
Vandin opens the controversy by saying that as the number of each of these is one, so one only intellect is the lord, leader and guide of the senses.
Footnote 27:[(return)]
There is a Vedic revelation that two birds live together on a tree as friends—one of these eats the fruits and the other looks at the former. From this it is manifest that two are the lords, leaders, and guides of the senses. That there is a second faculty besides the intellect is also proved by the fact that in sleep when the intellect is inactive that faculty continues in action, for if it were not so we could not remember having slept, nor connect the state after awaking with that preceding sleep. Accordingly by citing the number two Ashtavakra asserts that besides intellect there is another faculty—consciousness that these two are jointly the lords, leaders and guides of the senses and that they act together as Indra and Agni, etc.
Footnote 28:[(return)]
By citing the number three Vandin means to say that as it is Acts that produce the three kinds of born beings, etc., so Acts are supreme and that everything else be it intellect alone, or intellect and consciousness together is subservient to Acts.
Footnote 29:[(return)]
Ashtavakra here advances the thesis that even if Acts be supreme still when the (fourth) or Supreme Being becomes manifest to the soul, it stands in no further needs to Acts.
Footnote 30:[(return)]
By bringing in the quinquennial series, Vandin wishes to assert that the five senses are competent to cognise there respective objects and that besides these senses and their objects there is neither any other sense to perceive nor any other object of perception. He also cites the authority of the Veda according to which the Apsaras (or consciousness) have five "locks" on their hands—i.e., five objects of perception.
Footnote 31:[(return)]
Besides the five senses Ashtavakra contends for an additional sense namely the Mind and accordingly cites the number six.
Footnote 32:[(return)]
Vandin admits the existence of the six senses but says that the soul experiences happiness and misery through those as well as through the intellect.
Footnote 33:[(return)]
Ashtavakra advances an eighth element, namely, the knowledge of the ego.
Footnote 34:[(return)]
Each of the three qualities (existence, foulness and ignorance) of prakriti (the passive or material cause of the world) mixing with each of the three corresponding qualities of pradhana (the active or spiritual cause of the world) in various proportions produces the mundane order of things. Thus is proved the eternity of prakriti or nature and is also established the doctrine of duality.
Footnote 35:[(return)]
Prakriti does not really create. It is the Supreme Being who through the medium of illusion in contract with the ten organs (viz., the five locomotive organs and the five organs of sense) makes manifest the system of things. Prakriti therefore has no real existence—her existence is only apparent in the real existence of the soul.
Footnote 36:[(return)]
Yupas (stakes) mean here, feelings, etc, which keep men bound to the world. Rudras are those who makes others cry.
Vandin means to say that the soul is not essentially free from the fetters of happiness and misery arising from the eleven objects of perception. In this world all men are subject to happiness and misery. We also hear that there are Rudras in heaven.
Footnote 37:[(return)]
The supreme soul unaffected by happiness and misery really exists—but His existence is not susceptible of being proved—nor can the ignorant ever perceive Him. Men attain that condition through these twelve, viz., virtue, truth, self-restraint, penances, good-will, modesty, forgiveness, exemption from envy, sacrifice, charity, concentration and control over the senses.
Footnote 38:[(return)]
According to some, endeavours to attain emancipation can be successful not in this world but in the world of Brahma. Others say that to that end a special yoga is necessary. By bringing forward the objects numbering thirteen, Vandin advances the opinion that, virtue, etc., are not sufficient for purposes of emancipation but that suitable time and place are also essential.
Footnote 39:[(return)]
Ashtavakra concludes by citing the same number thirteen. The soul which is essentially unaffected, becomes subject to happiness and misery through the thirteen, viz., the ten organs of locomotion and sense, and intellect mind and egoism. But Atichhanadas, i.e., those that have surmounted ignorance, namely, the twelve, virtue, etc. destroy those thirteen and that is emancipation.
Footnote 40:[(return)]
Su means excellent, and uta, sacrifice. The compound accordingly means,—performer of excellent sacrifice.