Years went past, and a day came when Yudhishthira and his brethren and their wife Draupadi journeyed to the dwelling-place of their elders. They found them all there save Vidura, who had departed to a sacred place on the banks of the Ganges to undergo penance and wait for the coming of Yama, god of the dead. Then all the kinsfolk, young and old, went forth to find Vidura; but when they came to him he was wasted with hunger and great age, nor could he speak unto them. They waited beside him until he died, and then they mourned together. This new sorrow awakened old-time grief, and they spoke of all those who had fallen in the great war. Fathers and mothers lamented for their sons, and wives for their husbands....
While they wept and moaned together, the great sage Vyasa came nigh and spoke, saying: “Verily, I will soothe all your sorrows.... Let each one bathe at sunset in the holy waters of the Ganges, and when night falls your lost ones will return to you once again.”
Then they all sat waiting on the river bank until evening came on. Slowly passed the day; it seemed to be as long as a year.
At length the sun went down, and they chanted mantras and went into the Ganges. Vyasa bathed beside the old Maharajah Dhritarashtra and Yudhishthira.... Then all came out and stood on the bank.
Suddenly the waters began to heave and foam, and Vyasa muttered holy words and called out the names of the dead one by one.... Soon all the heroes who had been slain arose one by one. In chariots they came, and on horseback and riding upon lordly elephants. They all uttered triumphant cries; drums were sounded and trumpets were blown; and it seemed as if the armies of the Pandavas and Kauravas were once again assembled for battle, for they swept over the river like a mighty tempest.
5
THE RETURN OF THE HEROES SLAIN IN BATTLE
From the painting by Warwick Goble