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II The Debated Sacrifice
…. But when Yudhishthere had heard The sages’ speech, his heart was moved with sighs He coveted Imperial Sacrifice. All bliss went from him. Only to his thought The majesty of royal saints was brought By sacrifice exalted. Paradise Acquired augustly, and before his eyes He most was luminous who in heaven shone, Heaven by sacrificial merit won. He too that offering would absolve; so now Receiving reverence with a courteous brow, The assembly broke, to meditate retiring On that great sacrifice of his desiring. Frequent the thought and ever all its length His mind leaned that way. Yet though huge his strength, His heroism though admired, the King Forgot no Right, but pondered how this thing Might touch the peoples, whether well or ill. For just was Yudhishthere and courted still His people and with vast impartial mind Served all, nor ever from this word declined, “To each his own; nor shall the king disturb With wrath or violence Right, but these shall curb. “So was all speech of men one grand acclaim; The nation as a father trusted him: No hater had he in his whole realm’s bound, By the sweet name of Enemiless renowned. And through his gracious government upheld By Bheema’s force and foreign battle quelled By the two-handed might of great Arjoon; Sahadev’s cultured equity and boon Nokula’s courteous mood to all men shown, The thriving provinces were void of fear; Strife was forgotten and each liberal year Page – 35 The rains were measured to desire; nor man The natural limit of his course outran: Usury, tillage, rearing, merchandise Throve with good government and sacrifice Prospered; rack-renting was not nor unjust Extortion; from the land pestilence was thrust, And mad calamity of fire unknown Became while this just monarch had his own. Robbers and cheats and royal favourites Were now not heard of to infringe men’s rights Nor the king’s harm nor mutual injury Intrigue. To yield into his treasury Their taxes traders came and princes high On the sixfold pretexts of policy, Or at Yudhisthere’s court good grace to win. Even greedy, passionate, luxurious men His just rule to the common welfare turned. He in the glory of all virtues burned, An all-pervading man, by all adored, An emperor and universal lord Bearing upon his shoulders the whole State, And from the neat-herd to the twice-born great All in his wide domains that lived and moved, Him more than father, more than mother loved. He now his brothers and his ministers Summoning severally their mind infers And often with repeated subtle speech Solicitous questions and requestions each. All with one cry unanimous advise To institute Imperial Sacrifice. “0 King,” they said, “the man by God designed Who has acquired the Oceanic mind Of kingship, not with this bounds his pretence, But hungers for imperial excellence. In thee it dwells, high Kaurav; we thy friends See clear that Fate this sacrifice intends. To complete heroes it is subject. Men Who centre chivalry within them gain Page – 36 Its sanction when with ancient chants the fires Are heaped by sages, lords of their desires Through self-control intense. The serpentine And all rites other in this one rite twine. And he who at its end is safely crowned Is as World Conqueror, is as King renowned. Puissance is thine, great-armed, and we are thine. 0 King, soon then shall Empire crown thy line: 0 King, debate no longer; aim thy will At Sacrifice Imperial.” So they still Advised their king together and apart, And deep their accents sunk into his heart. Bold was their speech, rang pleasant to his ear, Seemed excellent and just, yet Yudhisthere Still pondered though he knew is puissance well. Again he bade his hardy brothers tell Their mind and priests high-souled and ministers: With Dhowma and Dwypaian too confers, Wise and deliberate he. “Speak justly, friends, What happy way my hard desire attends. Hard is the sacrifice imperial meant For an imperial mind’s accomplishment.” All answered with a seasonable voice: “Just King, thine is that mind and thou the choice Of Fate for this high ceremony renowned.” Sweet did the voice of friends and flamens sound: Yet still he curbed himself and still he thought. His yearning for the people’s welfare wrought A noble hesitation. Wise the man Who often will his power and vantage scan, Who measures means with the expenditure, Season with place, then acts; his deeds endure. “Not with my mere resolve the enterprise Begins and ends of this great sacrifice.” While thus in a strong grasp his thought he held, His mind to Krishna who all beings excelled Of mortal breed, for surest surety ran, Krishna, the strong unmeasurable man Page – 37 Whom Self-born upon earth conjectured he Because his deeds measured with deity. “To Krishna’s mind all things are penetrable, His genius knows not the impossible.” Pondered the son of Hades, “nor is there A weight his mighty mind cannot upbear.” On Krishna as on sage and guide his mind (Who is indeed the guide of all mankind) He fixed and sent his messenger afar To Yadav land in a swift-rolling car. Then sped the rushing wheels with small delay And reached the gated city Dwaraca, The gated city where Janardan dwelt. Krishna to Yudhishthere’s desire felt Answering desire and went with Indrasen Passing through many lands to Indra-Plain, Fierily passing with impetuous hooves To Indraprastha and the men he loves. With filial soul his brothers Yudhishthere And Bheem received the man without compeer: But Krishna to his father’s sister went And greeted her with joyous love; then bent His heart to pleasure with his heart’s own friend, While reverently the courteous twins attend. But after rest in those bright halls renowned Yudhisthere sought the immortal man and found At leisure sitting and revealed his need. “King’s Sacrifice I covet, but indeed Thou knowest not practicable by will alone Like other rites is this imperial one, But he in whom all kingly things combine, He whom all men, all lands to honour join, A King above all kings, he finds alone Empire. And now though all my friends are one To bid me forward, I even yet attend From thy voice only certainty, 0 friend. Some from affection lovingly suppress Their friend’s worst fault and some from selfishness, Page – 38 Speaking what most will please. Others conceal Their own good with the name of commonweal. Such counsel in his need a monarch hath. But thou art pure of selfish purpose; wrath And passion know thee not; and thou wilt tell What shall be solely and supremely well.”
Krishna made answer: “All thy virtues, all Thy gifts make thee the man imperial. Thou dost deserve this sacrifice. Yet well Though thou mayst know it, one thing will I tell. When Rama, Jamadagni’s son, had slain The chivalry of earth, those who were fain To flee, left later “issue to inherit The name of Kshatriya and the regal spirit. Of these the rule by compact of the clan Approved thou knowest, and each high-born man Whate’er and all the kingly multitude Name themselves subjects of great Ila’s brood And the Ikshwaku house. Now by increase The Ikshwaku Kings and Ilian count no less Than are a hundred clans. Of all most huge Yayati of the Bhojas, a deluge Upon the earth in multitude and gift. To these all chivalry their eyes uplift, These and their mighty fortunes serve. But now King Jarasandha lifts his diademed brow And Ila and Ikshwaku pale their fires, O’erwhelmed. He over kings and nations towers; This way and that way with impetuous hands Assailing overbears; the middle lands Inhabits and by division rules the world, Since he in whose sole hand the earth is furled, Who is first monarch and supreme may claim, He and he only, the imperial name. And him the mighty hero, Shishupal Owns singly nor disdains his lord to call, But leads his warfare, and, of captains best, Page – 39 The puissant man and subtle strategist, Chuccar, the Karoosh king, and those two famed Grew to his side, Hansa and Dimbic named, Brave men and high of heart, and Corrusus, Duntvaccar, Maghavahan, Corobhus, Great kigs; and the wide-ruler of the West The Yavan lord upon whose gleaming crest Burns the strange jewel wonderful, whose might Is like the boundless Oceans infinite, Whose rule Narac obeys and Muruland? King Bhagadutt owns Jarasandh’s command, Thy father’s ancient friend, and more with hand Serves him than word. He only of the West And southern end of earth who is possessed, The hero Kuntivardhan Purujit Feel for thee as a tender father might. Chained by affection to thee is his heart And by affection in thy weal has part. To Jarasandh he whom I did not slay Is gathered, he who must forsooth display My signs, gives himself out god humanized And man ideal, and for such is prized Now in the world, a madman soiled of soul, The tyrant of the Chedies, whose control Poundra and Keerat own, a mighty lord, King of Bengal and by the name adored Of Poundrian Vasudev. The Bhoja strong To whom wide lands, one fourth of all, belong, Called friend of Indra— he made tameable Pandya and Cruth and Kayshic by his skill And science, and his brother Aacrity Is very Parashuram in prowess — he, Even Bheeshmuc, even this high, far-conquering king To Jarasandh is vowed. We worshipping, We who implore his favour, we his kin Are utterly rejected, all our pain Of benefaction met with sharp contempt, Benefit with harm returned or evil attempt. Page – 40 He has forgot his birth, his pride, his name; Blinded by Jarasandha’s burning fame To him is gone. To him high fortune yields; Great nations leave their old ancestral fields. The Bhojas of the North to western plain Their eighteen clans transplanted, Shoorasen, Shalwa, Petucchur, Kuntie. Bhadracar, Susthal, Kulind, Sucutta. All that are Of the Shalwaian kings brother or friend, Are with their leaders gone, nor yet an end; The Southern Panchals and in Kuntie-land The Eastern Coshalas Their native north Abandoning-the Matsyas have gone forth And from their fear take southern sanctuary: With them the clan Sannyastapad. Lastly The warrior great Panchalas terrified Have left their kingdoms and to every side Are scattering before Jarasandh’s name. On us the universal tempest came, When Kansa furiously crushed of old The Yadavs: for to Kansa bad and bold The son of Brihadrath his daughters gave Born younger- feminine to male Sahadave, Ustie and Praj5thie. In this tie made strong His royal kin he overpowered; nor long, Being supreme, ruled prudently, but grew A tyrant and a fool. Whereupon drew The Bhoja lords together, those whom tired His cruelties, and these with me conspired Seeking a national deliverer. Therefore I rose and Ahuk’s daughter, her The sweet and slender, gave to Acrur, — then Made free from tyranny my countrymen. With me was Ram, the plougher of the foe; Our swords laid Kansa and Sanaaman low. Scarce was this inbred peril crossed and we Safe, Jarasandh arose. Then laid their plans By vast majority the eighteen clans, Page – 41 That though we fought for ever, though we slew With mighty blows infallible, o’erthrew Foe upon foe, three centuries might take wing Nor yet be slain the armies of the King. For him and his two men like gods made strong, Unslayable where the weapons thickest throng, Hansa and Dimbhuc styled. Those two uniting, Heroes, and Jarasandh heroic fighting Might battle with assembled worlds and win; Such was my thought, nor mine alone has been, But all the kings this counsel entertain, 0 wisest Yudhisthere. Now there was slain By Ram in eight days’ battle duelling One Hansa truly named, a mighty king. “Hansa is slain,” said one to Dimbhuc. Him Hearing the Jumna’s waters overwhelm Devoted. Without Hansa here alone He had not heart to linger, so is gone His way to death. Of Dimbhuc’s death when knew Hansa sacker of cities, he too drew To the same waves that closed above his friend. There were they joined in one o’erwhelming end. This hearing Jarasandha discontent With empty heart to his own city went. The King being gone we in all joy again In Mathura dwelt and our ancestral plain. But she, the royal princess lotus-eyed, Went to her father mourning; she, the pride Of Jarasandh and Kansa’s wife, and cried, Spurring the mighty Maagadh, weeping: “Kill My husband’s murderer, 0 my father”, and still, “ Kill him!” But we minding the old thought planned With heavy hearts out from our native land, Son, friend and kinsman, all in fear must flee.1 Our endless riches’ loose prolixity2 Unportable by division we compressed And with it fared sadly into the West.
1 flee fast. 2 Our loose prolixity of riches vast Page – 42 The lovely city, fair Kushasthaly, With mountains beautiful, our colony We made, the Ryevat mountains; and up-piled Ramparts which even the gods in battle wild Could hardly scale, ramparts which women weak Might hold — of Vrishny’s swords what need to speak? Five are the leagues our dwelling place extends, Three are the mountain-shoulders and each ends An equal space: hundred-gated the town. Each gate with heroism and renown Is bolted and has eighteen keys close-bound, Eighteen strong bows in whom the trumpets sound Wakes headlong lust of war. Thousands as many Our race. Ahuk has hundred sons nor any Less than a god: And Charudeshna, he With his dear brother, hero Satyaki, Chacrodave, I, the son of Rohinie, And Samba and Pradyumna, seven are we, Seven strong men; nor other seven more weak, Cunca, Shuncou, Kountie and Someque Anadhrishty, Somitinjoy, Critavurm: Undhuk’s two sons-besides and the old King: firm As adamant they, heroes energical. These are the Vrishny men who lead there, all Remembering the sweet middle lands we lost. There we behold that flood of danger crossed The Maagadh, Jarasandh, the mountain jaws Impassable behold. There free from cause Of fear, eastern or northern, Madhou’s sons Dwell glad of safety. Lo, we the mighty ones, Because King Kansa married, to the West, By Jarasandha utterly distressed, Are fled, and there on Ryevat, hill of kine, Find sanctuary from danger Magadhine. Therefore though thou art with imperialness Endiademed already, though the race Of highborn princes thou must weld in one And be their King and Emperor alone, Page – 43 Yet not while Jarasandha liveth dream That thou canst wear thy destined diadem. Great Jarasandha living; for he brings The princes of the earth and all her kings And Girivraj with mighty prisoners fills, — As in a cavern of the lordly hills, A lion’s homestead, slaughtered elephants lie, So they a hecatomb of royalty Wait their dire ending; for Magadha’s King A sacrifice of princes purposing, With fierce asceticism of will adored Mahadev mighty-minded, Uma’s lord. Conquering he moves towards his purpose, (brings Army on army, kings on battling kings, Victorious brings and binds and makes of men His mountain city a huge cattle-pen. Us too his puissance drove in strange dismay To the fair-gated city, Dwaraca) Therefore if of Imperial Sacrifice Thou art ambitious, first, 0 Prince, devise To rescue all those murdered kings and slay King Jarasandha, since thus only may The instituted Sacrifice attain Its great proportion and immenser plan. King, I have said; yet as thy deeper mind Adviseth thee. Only when all’s designed, All reasons weighed, then give me word.” “0 thou Art only wise,” Yudhishthere cried: “Lo now A word no other heart might soar so high To utter; yet thy brave sagacity Plainly hath phrased it; nor like thee on earth Another loosener of doubts takes birth.1 (Behold, the earth is full of kings; they still Each in his house do absolutely their will; Yet who attains to empire? Nay, the word Itself is danger.) He who has preferred His enemy’s greatness by sad study known,
¹Another sword of counsel shall take birth. Page – 44 How shall he late forget and praise his own ? Only who in his foemen’s shock not thrown Wins by ordeal praise, deserves the crown. (This vast and plenteous earth, this mine of gems, Is from a distance judged, how vast its realms, Not from the dells. Nor otherwise, 0 pride Of Vrishny’s seed, man’s greatness is espied. In calm and sweet content is highest bliss, Mine be the good that springs from chastened peace.) Or I with this attempt hope not the crown Of high supremacy to wear. Renown Girds these and high-born minds; and so they deem Lo I and I am warrior and supreme. But we by Jarasandha’s force alarmed And all his bold tyrannies iron-armed Shun the emprise. 0 Hero, 0 high-starred, In whose great prowess we have done and dared, In whose heroic arm our safeties dwell, Yet lo thou fearest him, deemst invincible And where thou fearest, my conceit of strength Becomes a weakling’s dream until at length I hardly dare to hope by strongest men This mighty Jarasandha can be slain, Arjoon or Bheem or Rama or combined. Thou, Keshav, in all things to me art mind.” Out Bhema spoke, the strong man eloquent: “The unstrenuous king, unhardy, unvigilant Sinks like an ant-hill; nor the weak-kneed less Who on a stranger leans his helplessness. But the unsleeping and “resourceful man With wide and adequate attempt oft can His mightier enemy vanquish; him though feeble His wished-for good attends invariable. Krishna has policy and I have strength And with our mother’s son Dhananjoy, length Assured of victory dwells; we shall assail Victoriously the Magadhan and quell As triple fire a victim.” Krishna then: Page – 45 “Often we see that rash unthinking men Imprudent undertake nor consequence Envisage; yet will not his foe dispense Therefore the one-ideaed and headstrong man. Now since the virtuous ages first began Five emperors have reigned to history known, Maroutta, Bharat, Yuvanaswa’s son, Great Bhagirath and Kartavirya old. By wealth Maroutta conquered, Bharat bold By armed strength; Mandhata’s victories Enthroned him and his subtle soul and wise. By strenuous greatness Kartavirya bent The world, but Bhagirath beneficent Gathered the willing nations to his sway. But thou purposing like greatness, to one way Not limited, restor’st the imperial five. Their various masteries reunited live: Virtue, high policy, wealth without dearth And conquest and the rapid grasp at Earth — Yet these avail not to make solely great. Strong Jarasandha bars thee from thy fate, (Whom not the hundred nations can deter But with great might he grows an emperor; The jewel-sceptred kings to serve him start. Yet he in his unripe and violent heart) Unsatisfied, assumes the tyrant’s part. He, the first man of men, lays his rude hand On the anointed monarchs of the land And pillages. Not one we see exempt. How then shall feebler king his fall attempt? Well-nigh a hundred in his sway are whelmed. With these like cattle cleansed, like cattle hemmed In Shiva’s house, the dreadful Lord of beasts, Purified as for sacrificial feasts, Surely life’s joy is turned to bitterness, Not dying like heroes in the battle’s press. Honour is his who in swift battle falls And best mid swords high death to princes calls. Page – 46 In battle let us ‘gainst the Maagadh thrust, By battle ignominy repel. To just Eighty and six the royal victims mount, Fourteen remain to fill the dire account, Who being won his horrid violence No farther pause will brook. (Glory immense He wins, glory most glorious who frustrates Interposing the tyrant and amates. Kings shall acclaim him lord inevitably.”) But Yudhisthere made answer passionately: “Shall I, ambitious of imperial place, Krishna expose, in my mad selfishness, Urged on by naked daring, men to death Whom most I love ? 0 Krishna, what is breath To one that’s mad and of his eyes bereft? What joy has he that life to him is left? These are my eyes/Thou Krishna art my mind, Lo, I have come as one who stumbles blind Upon the trackless Ocean’s spuming shore, Then wakes, so I all confident before Upon this dreadful man whom even death Dare not in battle cross. What use is breath ‘ Of hopeless effort? Mischief only can Result to the too blindly daring man. Better not undertaken, is my mind On riper thought, than fruitlessly designed. Nay, let us leave this purpose, wiser so Than with eyes open to our death to go. For all my heart within is broken and slain Viewing the vast impracticable pain Of Sacrifice Imperial.” Then replied To Yudhishthere great Partha in the pride Of wonders self-attained, banner and car, And palace Titan-built (and in the war Quiver made inexhaustible) and great Unequalled bow. “0 King,” he said, “since Fate Has given me bow and shafts, a sword like flame, Great lands and strength, courage, allies and fame, Page – 47 Yea, such has given as men might covet long And never win; 0 King, what more? For strong Is Birth and conquers, cries the theorist Conversant in deep books; but to my taste Courage is strongest strength. How helps it then The uncourageous that heroic men His fathers were? From uncourageous sires Who springs a hero, he to glory towers. That man the name of Kshatriya merits best Whose soul is ever to the battle drest. Courage, all gifts denied, ploughs through amain A sea of foes: courage without, in vain All other gifts conspire; rather all gifts Courage into a double stature lifts. But conquest is in three great strengths complete — Action, capacity, fate: where these three meet, There conquest comes; nor strengths alone suffice; Men by neglect forfeit their Paradise. And this the cause the strong much-hated man Before his enemies sinks. Hard ‘tis to scan Whether of these flaws strength most fatally, A spirit poor or an o’erweening eye. Both are destruction. Kings who highly aim And court success, must either quite disclaim. And if by Jarasandha’s overthrow, Rescuing Kings, to Sacrifice we go, What fairer, what more glorious ? Mighty prince, Deeds unattempted virtue maimed evince. In us when virtue dwells, why deemst thou, brother, A nothingness the children of thy mother. Easy it is the ochre gown to take Afterwards, if for holy calmness’ sake We must the hermit virtues imitate. But here is Empire! here a royal fate’!1 Let others quietism’s sweets embrace; We the loud battle seek, the foeman’s face.” “In Kuntie’s son and born of Bharat’s race What spirit should dwell, Arjoon’s great words express,” Page – 48 Said Krishna. “And of death we have no light (Whether it comes by day or comes by night; Nor this of mortal man was ever known That one by going not to fight has grown Immortal. Let him then who’s man indeed Clash forth against his foes, yet rule decreed Of policy forget not: so his mind Shall live at poise. For when in battle combined Conduct meets long felicity, then high Success must come nor two met equally Equal can issue thence: from clash and strife Of equals inequality takes life. But rash impolicy with helplessness Having joined issue in their mutual stress Breed ruin huge; equality inglorious Then doubt engenders, nor are both victorious. Therefore in skilful conduct putting trust If with our foe we grapple, fell him we must As a wild torrent wrestling with a tree Uproots and hurls it downward to the sea. ‘Trying the weak points in thine enemy’s mail, Subtly thine own disguise, then prompt assail’; So runs the politic maxim of the wise And to my mind rings just. If we devise Secret, yet with no spot of treacherous blame, To penetrate our foeman’s house and limb Grappling with limb, oh, won infallibly then Our object is. Often one man of men Pervades the nations like a soul, whose brow Glory eternal-seeming wears; so now This lion lord of men; but yet I deem Shall that eternal vanish like a dream In battle slaying him if at the last By many swords we perish, so ‘tis best We shall by death the happy skies attain, Saving from tyranny our countrymen.”
Sabhaparva, Adhyayas 13-16, Adhyaya 17 incomplete
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