Om. Let us honor Narayana. Let us honor Him, the most honorable Nara. Let us honor Her, the goddess called Saraswati. Jayatu Bhava!
“Janamejaya said,
'O best of the reborn, what did the Kurus – my ancestors – the ones who were the sons and stepsons of Pritha – do next? Dhritarashtra’s sons had cheated them; they, along with their advisors, had been deceitful; the wicked ones had angered them; each side had begun strongly disliking the other; they had heard their enemies’ nasty words. Pritha’s sons and stepsons, ones with the same amount of power as Shakra, had been reduced to poverty; they had suddenly become overwhelmingly miserable. How did they spend their time in the forest? The princes had been cast into a sea of troubles – who walked behind them? How did the mahatmas carry themselves and gather food? Where did they build their shelter? O noteworthy ascetic – O supreme Brahmin – tell me what happened during their twelve-year exile. Tell me about the warriors who slew their enemies in the forest. They didn’t deserve to feel pain. Tell me about the princess who was the best female in the world, the one who was devoted to her husbands, the one who was nobly virtuous, and the one who always told the truth – how did she tolerate her tortuous life in the forest? O one whose wealth comes from his asceticism, tell me everything in detail. O Brahmin, I want to hear you tell the story of the ones who had plenty of power and luster. I am quite curious.’
Vaisampayana said,
‘The sons and stepsons of Pritha left Hastinapura, having lost the dice-game and having become enraged due to Dhritarashtra’s wicked sons. They left the city by way of the gate at Vardhamana, their weapons about them. They headed north, accompanied by Draupadi, Indrasena, other people, servants, and servants’ wives riding in swift-moving chariots (there being fourteen persons in all). When the citizens heard that they had left, they filled with overwhelming sorrow, criticizing Bhishma, Vidura, Drona, and Gautama. The citizens, having gathered together, talked amongst themselves without fear: Alas! Once wicked Duryodhana – one Suvala’s son, Karna, and Dusasana support –takes the throne, our families, we, and our homes will disappear. Doomed are our families, our ancestral power, and our virtue! Once that sinful, wretched man takes the throne – the one those wretches equally as sinful support – we are doomed! They’re gone! Oh, how can happiness return? Duryodhana feels malice for anyone above him – he no longer conducts himself well; he argues with members of his own family; he covets, is vain, is nasty, and is naturally cruel. The world is doomed once he takes the throne. We must, therefore, go to the place where the lofty-minded and compassionate adopted sons of Pandu have gone – they control their passions, rule their enemies, have modesty and fame, and devote themselves to that which proves their devotion!
"Upon saying this, the citizens went after the Pandavas. Once they caught up with them, they joined their palms together and spoke to Kunti’s and Madri’s sons: Blessings to you! You left us grieving – where will you go? We’d follow you anywhere! Surely it troubled us when we learned that you had lost unfairly to your relentless enemies! It would be fitting of you not to leave us – loving subjects and devoted friends – behind. We look out for your best interests and only do that which pleases you! We don’t want to let the one from Kuru’s line bring us to utter, overwhelming, and certain ruination. O taurine men, let us tell you what happens when you associate yourself with that which is good and what happens when you associate yourself with that which is bad! Now, flowers make cloth, water, soil, and sesame seeds smell good. Everything in life is affected by something. If one surrounds oneself with fools, truly we say that such a one will be disillusioned. But, if one surrounds oneself with those who are goodly and/or wise, one will be seen as one who acts out of virtue. So, liberation means surrounding oneself with those who are wise, elderly, honest, honest when it comes to acting, and/or possessive of abstentious merit. One should serve the ones whose knowledge of The Vedas, whose birth, whose acts, and whose associates are goodly. Associating oneself with such persons is a loftier deed than the act of studying the scriptures itself. Now, though we haven’t performed a single religious act, we shall become rich in abstention because we associate with those who are righteous. If we served sinners, we would turn to sin. Seeing, touching, talking to, and/or associating with a dishonest person leads to a loss of virtue. The man who does one or more of the above will never earn mental purity. Associating with those who are lowly hurts one’s ability to comprehend; wishy-washy people make one feel wishy-washy; associating oneself with those who are good will control that wishy-washiness. The qualities men speak of on earth as those that reward one with religious merit, worldly wealth, and physical pleasure – the ones The Vedas trumpet – the ones well-behaved individuals approve of – live in you, both unified and separate! Because you possess those qualities, we, wanting to do ourselves some good, want to live with you!
"Yudhishthira said: How blessed we are that people led by Brahmins say, out of love and compassion, that we have the qualities that have to do with merit, for, we do not have them. Speaking on behalf of my half-brothers, I tell you that there is one thing you can do for us. If we truly have the love and compassion we claim you have, do this one thing and one thing alone for our sake! Now Bhishma (our grandfather), King Dhritarashtra, Vidura, my mother, and almost all of my well-wishers are in Hastinapura. If you want to look out for our welfare, unite and take care of them – they are overburdened with sorrow and troubles. You, mourning for our departure, have traveled far. Return – tell your hearts to be tender and promise me that you’ll take care of my relatives. I feel most certain in my heart that this is the only thing you should do. It would satisfy me greatly and be the way to show me your utmost respect.
"Having thusly been encouraged by righteous Yudhishthira, the people loudly wailed as one: Alas, O king! Troubled and overwhelmed with sorrow, bringing Pritha’s son’s virtues to mind, they, reluctantly, asked the Pandavas’ permission to depart and went back they way they’d come.
"The citizens had thusly decided to stop following the Pandavas; they mounted their chariots and set off. Then, the Pandavas went to the mighty banyan tree called Pramana that grew on the Ganges’ shore. It was sunset; the heroic, adopted sons of Pandu gained purification by touching the holy body of water. The night was spent on the shores of the Ganges. So troubled by woe were they that the only thing they consumed was water from the Ganges. Now, there were Brahmins as well as others who had followed the Pandavas and lain down with them to sleep when they had done so – Brahmins who kept the sacrificial fire burning and Brahmins who did not do so. The devotees and relatives of said Brahmins were with them. The king, basking in the glow of the ones who said the name Brahma, shone brightly. The evening – one that involved the Brahmins lighting sacred fires, chanting Vedic chants, and Brahmins talking amongst themselves – was both beautiful and terrible. The supreme Brahmins, their voices as sweet as swans’ voices, spent the night putting the supreme Kuru that was the king at ease.’"
“Vaisampayana said,
‘At daybreak the next morning, the Brahmins who supported themselves by begging came before the honorable-deed-doing Pandavas who were at the edge of the forest. King Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, said to them: We, truly sorrowful creatures whose wealth, kingdom, and everything else was stolen from them, are about to enter the forest. We must forage for food or hunt for it. The forest is quite a dangerous place; it is filled with snakes and carnivores. Methinks one would surely feel quite lonely and miserable if one lived in this forest. If Brahmins were to suffer, perhaps the gods would lose themselves. Surely suffering Brahmins would overwhelm me! O Brahmins, I therefore ask that you go back the way you came.
"The Brahmins replied: Remember, O king that we are on the same path. It would ill-suit you to turn us away, for, we follow the true path as your loving devotees. Even the gods feel compassionate towards their devotees; they have true compassion for Brahmins who lead restrictive lives!
"But Yudhishthira said: Each one of us here has been reborn; I am also devoted to the Brahmins’ caste. Surely dire poverty has overpowered me and clouded my mind! To think that my own half-brothers will have to gather fruit, gather roots, and hunt the deer that live in this forest! They’re at a loss for words due to the mounting grief that came out of their troubles, Draupadi’s troubles, and the loss of the kingdom. Alas! How could I ask them to do the things that bring them pain if they feel so troubled?
"But the Brahmins said: Do not let anxiety enter your heart, O king, just because we want to work for you. We’ll feed ourselves, follow you, and keep your best interests in mind by way of meditating and praying. We’ll tell you pleasant things to both entertain you and cheer ourselves up.
"But Yudhishthira said: Methinks you tell the truth – being around those who have been reborn always pleases me! But, alas! My lowered status will cause others to scold me! You don’t deserve to feel trouble out of love for me; you shouldn’t have to survive off the food you’ve grown yourselves out of love for me. Oh, curses on the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra!
"Upon saying so, the grieving king paused and took a seat on the ground. But then, an educated Brahmin named Saunaka who knew his self and was a yogi master when it came to Sankya yoga, said to the king: Fools, not wise men, let thousands of things fill them with grief or terror each and every day. Sensible men, men such as you, most certainly never let themselves be tortured and disillusioned by the acts that go against right knowledge and cause one to lose certain liberation; such things are wicked through and through. Within you, O king, is a kind of comprehension whose qualities are eight in number; the qualities that protect one from wickedness; the qualities that come as a result of studying The Vedas and studying the scriptures. Men such as you are never at a loss for words, are never about to become impoverished, and are never about to become as physically or mentally ill as their friends. Listen as I recite the ancient slokas noteworthy Jananka once recited that had to do with self-control. ‘People all over the world suffer from physical and mental ailments. Let me tell you how to cure physical and mental illnesses. Bodies become ill if a disease is caught, if something painful is touched, if the body is overworked, or if desire comes into play. Physical illnesses can be cured with medicine, but mental illnesses can be cured by meditating like a yogi, seeking forgiveness. That’s why sensible doctors try to cure mental illnesses by saying pleasant things to the patient and offering them something alluring. A hot iron bar thrust into a water-container heats up the water; mental illness leads to body-ache. Water puts out a fire; right knowledge unclouds the mind. Once the mind is unclouded, the body will stop aching. If one’s mind fills with sorrow, methinks love is to blame. Love makes all creatures miserable; it makes them feel each and every variety of woe. Truly love is behind all misery, all fear, all joy, all grief, and all varieties of pain. Love gives rise to reason; love makes one love worldly goods. Love and the love of worldly goods are the root of all evil even though we act out of love and even though the love of worldly goods is worse than love. Insignificant flames, when force-fed to a tree-hollow, burn the tree right down to its roots; love, even the slightest bit, ruins one’s virtue and wealth. The man who gives up his worldly possessions is not considered to be one who renounced the world. The one who can recognize the world’s problems all while being a part of it can be considered a being who has truly renounced the world. Wicked zeal does not rule such a one; such a one’s soul depends on nothing. So, do not love your friends or accumulated wealth too much. If one has knowledge, there is no need for such a one to love his self. A lotus-leaf is never drenched by water; men’s souls know the difference between that which is temporary and that which lasts forever. Men devoted to pursuing that which is immortal know that the scriptures’ knowledge purifies and never let love move them. If love moves a man, desire tortures him and desire makes his heart yearn for worldly possessions greatly. Truly doing so is a sin; it’s seen as the crux of anxiety. The tortuous thirst for worldly possessions that is chock full of sin encourages one to do that which is wicked. Lose your thirst for it and find happiness; wicked people aren’t ever able to lose it. As the body ages, the thirst does not lose its strength. The powerful thirst is like a deadly disease! It neither comes into being nor dissipates. It lives within the heart and destroys the body like a fire whose origin is unknown. Logs are swallowed by the fire they helped create; a person with a wicked soul, due to the covetry in his heart, will be destroyed. Living creatures dread dying; wealthy men always look for kings, thieves, water, fire, and members of their own family. A bit of meat can be snatched away in the air by a bird; a morsel of meat can be snatched away by a carnivore on the ground; a piece of bait can be snatched by a fish; a man’s riches can be stolen anytime and anywhere. Riches, to one man, may seem poisonous. To another, riches may be as pleasing as a wife. The latter does not know of true happiness. And so, getting richer leads to more covetry and foolhardiness. Wealth is the root of stinginess, boastfulness, arrogance, fear, and anxiety! Wise men know that riches make one miserable. Whilst they get richer or try to remain as rich, men drown in a sea of misery. Men die all because of money! Leaving one’s riches behind makes one miserable; persons who receive charity become hostile with one another because of money! Becoming wealthy comes with great misery, so one should not feel like impoverishment is terrible. Only fools find impoverishment unpleasant. Wise men, however, remain happy at all times. There is no way to quench the thirst one has for wealth. Contentment is the loftiest variety of happiness; wise men say that the loftiest thing to pursue is contentment. Wise men know how untrustworthy youthfulness, beauty, life, hoarded treasure, prosperity, and associations with loved ones is – do not covet any of those things. One shouldn’t try to get richer, ignoring the pain that doing so brings. All rich people have troubles; virtuous men praise the ones who have no desire to get rich. When it comes to the ones who chase after wealth for the sake of virtue, such people ought not chase after wealth in the first place. It’s better to leave mud alone altogether than to have to wash it off your body.’ O Yudhishthira, it would be fitting of you not to covet. If you want to have virtue, liberate yourself from worldly possessions!
"But Yudhishthira said: O Brahmin, I don’t want to get rich just to enjoy it when I do so. I want to get rich to support the Brahmin caste – greed does not move me to do so. Why should one be a family man, O Brahmin, if cherishing and supporting those who follow after him is impossible? All creatures divvy up the food they’ve prepared for their dependants. A family man ought to feed the Yatis and Brahmacharins a portion of the food he’s prepared for himself. Within the houses of good men should always be seats made of grass, a place to sleep, water to bathe with or drink, and pleasant things said. An exhausted guest should always be offered a bed, a standing guest should always be offered a seat, a thirsty guest should always be offered water, and a hungry guest should always be offered food. A guest deserves to be met with a contented gaze, a cheerful heart, and pleasantries. One’s host should arise, move toward him, offer him a seat, and show him devotion. That is a show of undying morale. Those who do not perform the Agnihotra sacrifice, take care of bulls, or cherish kinsmen, guests, friends, sons, wives, and servants fill themselves with sin due to their ignorance. No one should cook his own food alone; no one should kill an animal without first dedicating it to the gods, Pitris, and guests. No one should eat the food that’s already been set aside for the gods and Pitris. Scattering some food on the ground in the morning and in the evening to worship dogs, Chandalas (untouchable men whose lot in life is to dispose of corpses), and birds means one is performing a Viswedeva sacrifice. He who eats the Vighasa is seen as one who’s eaten ambrosia. The food leftover from an offering to the gods and the Pitris is seen as ambrosia. The food leftover from a guest- feeding is Vighasa and Vighasa is ambrosia. Feeding one’s guest is equivalent to performing a sacrifice. Now, there are five gifts that are equivalent to a sacrifice: the pleasant glances a host gives to his guest during a sacrifice, the attention a host gives to his guest during a sacrifice, the pleasantries between host and guest during a sacrifice, the respect a host has for his guest shown by his devotion during a sacrifice, and the food and drink offered to the guest during a sacrifice. The one who easily gives to a weary traveler whom he has never met before earns lofty merit. The one who acts like and is a family man earns lofty holy merit. O Brahmin, what do you think about all this?
"So, Saunaka said: Alas, the world is full of non-sequiturs! What brings the good person shame builds up the bad person! Fools do the things they think are meritous to satisfy their appetites in the afterlife, moved by ignorance, zeal, and their enslaving senses! Like a charioteer gone mad due to stubborn and wicked horses, men such as these are led astray due to alluring senses and wide-open eyes. If any one sense detects an object, desire to enjoy that object leaps into the person’s heart. Once the heart begins enjoying the thing a sense wanted to enjoy, a wish is thereby granted and a decision is made. Then, like a moth to a flame, a man leaps into the fire of temptation – the arrows from the desired object (the crux of his determination) have pierced him! Blinded by sensual pleasure, something he chases after without pause, he drowns in the sea of dark ignorance and foolishness. He was led to believe that sea was a sea of contentment; he now does not know himself. Like a wheel that never stops turning, every creature, out of ignorance, the need to act, and desire, falls into some kind of dark-ignorance-and-idiocy sea, going from one rebirth to the next whilst wandering through the worlds of existence – the world of the Brahmin, the world of the grass-blade, the world of water, the world of soil, and the world of air.
"This is what happens to ignorant people. Let me now tell you what happens to wise men who want virtue they can make a profit from and who want liberation. The Vedas ask us to act but not to think about acting. So, one must act, abandon the self that has nothing to gain, perform sacrifices, study The Vedas, give gifts, be penitent, be truthful, act earnestly, forgive, tame the senses, and abandon desire. These are the things one can do to follow the true path. The first half of these belongs to the Pitris. Do them without the desire to gain anything in return. The remaining six are the things the pious do to earn the gods’ Heaven. Pure-spirited individuals should always do all twelve. He who wishes to tame the world for the sake of liberation ought to always lay aside his plans, tame his senses effectively, keep to his particular vows in a strict manner, serve his teacher with devotion, keep to a strict diet, study The Vedas devotedly, and abandon the thought of acting – acting is lowly; it holds back the heart. Abandoning desire and renouncing desire and greed, the gods earn prosperity. Because they know the virtue that comes from abandoning all plans, the Rudras, Sadhyas, Adityas, Vasus, and Aswins rule all creatures. Be like them, O son of Kunti. O Bharata tribesman, you must act only when you have reason to, you must try to be a successful yogi, and you must be ascetically austere. You’ve been successful when it comes to paying the debt you owe your male and female ancestors and when it comes to performing sacrifices. Try to be successful when it comes to penitence; doing so serves those who are reborn. He whose abstentious success crowns him can reach any goal he has. You must make all your dreams come true by being ascetic.’”
“Vaisampayana said:
‘The son of Kunti named Yudhishthira, having thusly been addressed by Saunaka, went, surrounded by his half-brothers, to the priest and said: I am on my way to the forest and the Brahmins who know The Vedas are following me. Many tragedies have given me trouble; I cannot support them. Though I cannot leave them behind, I have no food to offer them. What should be done, holy one?
"Upon reflecting for a moment in order to find out what the right path to take was, using his powers as a yogi, Dhaumya, the supremely virtuous man, said to Yudhishthira: Long ago, every living, created thing was deeply troubled by hunger. Like a father, the sun, Savita, looked down upon them compassionately. First, Savita entered the downward slope of the north, soaked up water with his rays, returned to the downslope of the south, and hovered above the earth. His heat dwelled within himself. While the sun hovered over the earth, the Lord of Vegetables (the moon) turned the sun’s vapors into clouds and sent them down to the ground in the form of water. This made the plants grow. Then, the sun, bathed in moonlight, turned into a holy vegetable that had six different flavors after seeds had sprouted. Every creature on earth eats this vegetable. And so, food gives creatures life (solar energy). This is why the sun is the Father of All Creatures. Let him, O Yudhishthira, be your shelter. Every noteworthy king from an untainted line who never did anything wrong is said to have been greatly ascetic; such greatness led to the peoples’ liberation. Great Kartavirya, Vainya, and Nahusha, due to their abstentious meditation that vows preceded, took the great troubles of their people away. O virtuous one, your actions purify you; do the same as they did and start being greatly austere. O Bharatan, I ask that you support those who have been reborn with a pure heart.’
"Janamejaya said,
‘How did King Yudhishthira, the taurine Kuru, worship the wonderful-looking Sun for the Brahmins’ sake?’"
"Vaisampayana said,
‘Listen closely, O king, whilst purifying yourself and clearing your mind completely. O King of Kings, give me a time. I will tell you everything. O noteworthy one, Dhaumya told the mahatma, the son of Pritha, what Sun’s one-hundred-eight names were. Dhaumya said: Surya, Aryaman, Bhaga, Twastri, Pusha, Arka, Savitri, Ravi, Gabhastimat, Aja, Kala, Mrityu, Dhatri, Prabhakara, Prithibi, Apa, Teja, Kha, Vayu (the lone protector), Soma, Vrihaspati, Sukra, Budha, Angaraka, Indra, Vivaswat, Diptanshu, Suchi, Sauri, Sanaichara, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Skanda, Vaisravana, Yama, Vaidyutagni, Jatharagni, Aindhna, Tejasampati, Dharmadhwaja, Vedakartri, Vedanga, Vedavahana, Krita, Treta, Dwapara, Kali (the one that’s quite polluted), Kala, Kastha, Muhurta, Kshapa, Yama, Kshana, Samvatsarakara, Aswatha, Kalachakra, Bibhavasu, Purusha, Saswata, Yogin, Vyaktavyakta, Sanatana, Kaladhyaksha, Prajadhyaksha, Viswakarma, Tamounda, Varuna, Sagara, Ansu, Jimuta, Jivana, Arihan, Bhutasraya, Bhutapati, Srastri, Samvartaka, Vanhi, Sarvadi, Alolupa, Ananta, Kapila, Bhanu, Kamada, Sarvatomukha, Jaya, Visala, Varada, Manas, Suparna, Bhutadi, Sighraga, Prandharana, Dhanwantari, Dhumaketu, Adideva, Aditisuta, Dwadasatman, Aravindaksha, Pitri, Matri, Pitamaha, Swargadwara, Prajadwara, Mokshadwara, Tripistapa, Dehakarti, Prasantatman, Viswatman, Viswatomukha, Characharatman, Sukhsmatman, and Maitreya (a merciful being). These are the other names of Surya, one with an immeasurable amount of energy. Brahma, the self-created one, has said so. I bow down before You, Bhaskara, in order to earn more prosperity. O Sun, You, blazing like gold or fire, are worshipped by the gods, Pitris, and Yakshas. The Asuras, Nisacharas, and Siddhas adore You. The one with the one-track mind who sings the following hymn at sunrise will earn a wife, children, riches, the memories from his previous lives, patience, and other memories. A man ought to focus his mind and sing this hymn. If he does, he will protect himself from grief and forest-fires; anything he wishes for will come true.
"Once he had heard the fitting words of Dhaumya, righteous Yudhishthira, his heart both focused and purified, meditated in a self-restraining way. The desire to support the Brahmins moved him. He worshipped the day-maker with flowers and articles; he made ablutions. Standing in the stream, Yudhishthira turned his face towards the God of Day. Virtuous Yudhishthira touched the water of the Ganges, his senses totally controlled, concentrated, and stood there with a rapt soul, engaged in the type of yoga called Pranayama. Once he had purified himself and controlled his speech-pattern, he sang a hymn that praised the Sun:
"O Sun, You are the universe’s eye. You are the soul of anything with a body. You are the origin of all things. You personify the things men of faith do. You shelter the ones who know the mysteries of the soul; You support all yogis. You are an unbolted door. You shelter those looking for liberation. You support and explore the world; you, out of pure compassion, support it and make it holy. Brahmins who know The Vedas go to You, show their love for You when the time is right, and sing the hymns that come from various sections of The Vedas. Rishis adore You; Siddhas, Charanas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Guhyakas, and Nagas, wishing to have their wishes granted, follow Your flying chariot through the sky. You are the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, and the twelve Adityas. Prajapati, Vashatkara, Upendra (Vishnu), Mahendra, and the divine Vaimanikas have earned success upon worshipping You. Supreme Vidyadharas have gotten everything they’ve ever wanted by offering You garlands made from Indian corals, a divine and quite fragrant plant. Because they’ve loved You and You alone, the Guhyas and the seven kinds of Pitris have become top-ranked. The Vasus, Manilas, Rudras, Sadhyas, Marichipas, Valikhilyas, and Siddhas, because they bow down before You, earn superiority. Nothing I know of in the seven worlds, including Brahma’s world, is beyond You. True, other great and zealous beings exist, but none can match Your brightness and energy-level. All light is truly within You; You are the Lord of All Light. Within You are both the five elements and all intelligence, all knowledge, all asceticism, and all the qualities of an ascetic. Now, the one who draws Pinaka back (Vishnu) has a discus; the discus humbles the Asuras’ pride. It has a beautiful center; Your energy let Viswakarman forge it. In summer, You use your rays to soak up moisture from anything with a body, from plants, and from things made of liquid. Then, You return that moisture to the earth during the monsoon season. Your rays bring heat and scorch things; they, like clouds, roar; they flash like lightning bolts and make it pour during the monsoon season. You relieve the suffering that comes from chilly blasts in a way that fire, a shelter, and wool blankets cannot match. You brighten the world and its thirteen islands with Your rays. You look out for the three worlds. If You chose not to rise, the universe would go blind and the educated would not be able to try earning virtue, riches, and other rewards. Due to Your grace, the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaisyas can do their duties and perform their sacrifices. The ones who know about chronology say that You are the daybreak and sunset of a Brahmin, something that has one-thousand complete ages. You rule the Manus, their sons, Manwantaras, and their rulers. At the end of the world, the fire known as Samvartaka that comes out of Your wrath will swallow the three worlds and exist by itself. Clouds that Your rays created; clouds coming in a variety of colors, clouds that the elephant named Airavata and the thunderbolt accompany, will start the planned-for floods. You will become twelve different suns and, with the help of Your rays, swallow the ocean again. You are called Indra, Vishnu, Brahma, Prajapati, Fire, The Subtle Mind, Lord, The Immortal Brahma, Hansa, Savitri, Bhanu, Ansumalin, Vrishakapi, Vivaswan, Mihira, Pusha, Mitra, Dharma, The Thousand-Rayed One, Aditya, Tapana, The Lord of Rays, Martanda, Arka, Ravi, Surya, Saranya, The Day-Maker, Divakara, Suptasaspti, Dhumakeshin, and Virochana. People say You move at the speed of sound, destroy darkness, and own yellow-colored horses. The one who adores You respectfully on the sixth or seventh lunar day, humble and with peace-of-mind, will earn Lakshmi’s grace. He who adores and worships You with a one-track mind will be rescued from all danger, agony, and troubles. He who says that You, the universal soul, are omnipresent will have a long life, be freed from sin, and never be subjected to a disease. O Lord of All Food, it would be fitting of You to give me plenty of food – I need food to respectfully entertain my guests. I bow down to the devotees of Yours who take shelter at Your feet – Mathara, Aruna, Danda, Asani, Kshuva, and others. I bow down to the divine mothers who belong to all creatures – Kshuva, Maitri, and the others. May I, the one who is begging them, be delivered by them.
"That was how, O great king, Yudhishthira showed his love for the sun, the world-purifier. The Day-Maker, the self-luminous one, and the one that blazed like fire, the hymn having pleased him, appeared before the adopted son of Pandu. Vivaswan said: Each of your wishes shall be granted. You will have enough food for twelve years. Take this copper container – O one who keeps to his excellent vows, let Panchali hold on to it without eating the food therein. A never-ending supply of fruits, roots, meats, and vegetables will be cooked in your kitchen. Fourteen years from now, you will lord over your kingdom.
"Upon saying so, the god disappeared. The one who wants a favor done for him will, if he sings that hymn while focusing his mind and separating himself ascetically, have that favor done for him by the Sun, no matter how difficult to do it it may be. If the man or a woman who sings or listens to that hymn daily wishes for a son, riches, or knowledge, he or she will have their wish or wishes granted. If the man or a woman singing this hymn daily at sunrise and sunset is ever overwhelmed by danger or enchained, he or she will be calmed or freed. Brahma recited the words to that hymn to noteworthy Shakra, Shakra told them to Narada, Narada told them to Dhaumya, and Dhaumya told them to Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira, upon hearing them, had all his wishes granted. By way of that hymn’s virtue, one will always be victorious on the battlefield and become quite wealthy. He who sings that hymn will move from the world of sin to the world of the sun.
"Once his wish had been granted, the virtuous son of Kunti came out of the water, grasped Dhaumya’s feet lovingly, and grasped his half-brother’s feet lovingly. Then, O praised one, he wandered along with Draupadi to the kitchen, having been shown love by her. After that, the adopted son of Pandu made ready to cook the food they’d eat that day. The pure, small amount of food was prepared; it possessed the four kinds of tastes. But then, the small amount of food became a great amount of food whose supply knew no end. Yudhishthira used that food to feed those who had been reborn. Once the Brahmins and his younger half-brother had been fed, Yudhishthira ate the leftovers (the Vighasa). Once he had eaten, Prishata’s daughter ate the leftovers. At that point, the food set aside for the day was no more.
"Having thusly had his wish granted by way of the Day-Maker, the adopted son of Pandu, one as shiny as that divinity, began to entertain the Brahmins according to their wishes. The sons and stepsons of Pritha obeyed their priest and, on auspicious lunar days, on days when there were auspicious constellations, and on days when there were auspicious conjunctions, performed sacrifices, obeying the laws, scriptures, and mantras that had to do with them. After the sacrifices had been performed, the adopted sons of Pandu, blessed by way of the auspicious rituals, blessed by Dhaumya’s presence, and surrounded by the Brahmins, set off for Kamyaka Forest.’”
“Vaisampayana said,
‘Once the Pandavas had left for the forest, Dhritarashtra, the son of Amvika with knowledge in his eye, became overwhelmingly sorrowful. Sitting comfortably, he said to Vidura, the one with a unique variety of intelligence: Your comprehension level is as great as that of Bhargava (the great teacher of the Asuras also known as Sukra; the one with supreme intelligence). You know everything down to the last detail when it comes to morality; you treat each and every Kauravan the same. What would be the right thing for them and me to do? Things have happened, Vidura, and I wonder what we should do now. If the people feel no bonhomie for me, what can I do to stop them from bringing us to utter ruin? Tell us all – you know what can be done in any situation.
"So Vidura said: O king, virtue is the crux of the three different kinds of plans (profit- , pleasure-, and liberation-based). Wise men say that a kingdom is founded on virtue. So, O king, cherish your children as well as the adopted sons of Pandu both to the best of your ability and virtuously. Virtue has been deceived by a bunch of wicked-souled men, men led by the son of Suvala. This happened when your sons asked Yudhishthira, a righteous man, to play a dice-game with him, only to make sure he lost. This was a grave sin, O king. To remove this sin, O Kurus’ chief, the following must be done in hopes that good men feel bonhomie for him once again. Let the adopted sons of Pandu win back what you gave to them. Truly the following statement is about supreme morality: A king ought to be satisfied with what he has and never covet what another has. Your good name would not suffer, the two families would be at peace with one another, and righteousness would be yours. Your top priority, then, is to please the Pandavas and shame Sakuni. If thou want to give your sons’ good fortune back to them, O king, you must do this quickly. If not, the Kurus will surely undergo total ruination – an angry Bhimasena and an angry Arjuna would never let a single one of their enemies escape with their life. He who has Arjuna as one of his soldiers can have any wish of his granted, for, Arjuna is skilled when it comes to weapons. He who has Gandiva, the most powerful of all earthly weapons in the world – a bow – is sure to have any wish of his granted. He who has Bhima as one of his soldiers is sure to have any wish of his granted. As soon as your son came into this world, I told you to abandon him. I told you to do so for the good of your line. But, no! I have also told you what would happen to you, O king. If you take my advice, you won’t be sorry. If your son agrees to rule peaceably alongside the adopted sons of Pandu, you, spending the rest of your life in joy, won’t be sorry. If you cannot fathom the idea, just abandon your child for the sake of your own happiness. Forget Duryodhana and put the adopted son of Pandu on the throne. O king, let Ajatasatru, zeal-free, rule the world virtuously. Then, the kings of the world, like Vaisyas, will honor us forthwith. Let Duryodhana, Sakuni, and Karna go to the Pandavas quickly and serve them, O king. Let Dusasana, before the court, ask Bhimasena as well as the daughter of Drupada to forgive him. Make peace with Yudhishthira by setting him on the throne respectfully. There is nothing more I can say to you. Do this, O king, if you wish to be proper.
"Dhritarashtra said: The things you’ve said before the assembly, O Vidura, the things you said about the Pandavas and me, were meant to build them up instead of build me up. I cannot even fathom such a suggestion. Is this truly what you think is best? Whilst you spoke, I saw that you were on the Pandavas’ side and realized that you were not my friend. How could I abandon my son for the adopted sons of Pandus’ sake? Yes, they are my sons, but Duryodhana is the one who came from me. Who could, not taking any sides, even suggest to me that I forsake my self for others? I may have the utmost respect for you, Vidura, but your words are evil. Stay or go; do what you will. An unfaithful wife always leaves her husband, no matter how much she’s tempted to do otherwise.
"Dhritarashtra, upon saying this, O king, leapt to his feet and entered the inner quarters. Vidura, upon saying: His race is doomed left for the place where Pritha’s sons were.’”
“Vaisampayana said,
‘The taurine Bharata tribesmen – the Pandavas, wishing to live in the forest with their followers, left the Ganges riverbank and moved toward Kurukshetra Field. Upon making ablutions within the Saraswati, Drisadwati, and Yamuna rivers, they went from forest to forest, heading west. Some time later, they saw Kamyaka before them in the forest. The favorite dwelling-place of munis, it was located beside a flat, uncivilized part of the Saraswati riverbank. O Bharata tribesman, the heroes, within a forest that had plenty of birds and deer, were both entertained and made comfortable by munis. Now Vidura, one who always wanted to see the Pandavas, had ridden in a lone chariot to Kamyaka Forest, a place that had plenty of good things. He, coming to Kamyaka Forest by way of a chariot swift-moving horses drew, saw righteous Yudhishthira sitting with Draupadi in a place of rest with Yudhishthira’s half-brothers and some Brahmins around them. When he saw Vidura walking toward them quickly from far off, the virtuous king said to his brother Bhimasena: What news does Kshata bring? Has Sakuni asked him to invite us to play another dice-game? Does small-minded Sakuni mean to take our weapons away from us by way of a dice-game? O Bhimasena, I must rise to any challenge and go if bidden. If it seems uncertain whether or not Gandiva belongs to us, surely our ownership of the kingdom will turn questionable.
"So, O king, the Pandavas arose and welcomed Vidura. Having been welcomed by them, the one from Ajamida’s line, Vidura, sat in the middle of the crowd and asked typical questions about his health. After Vidura had rested awhile, the taurine men asked him why he had come. So, Vidura told them about Dhritarashtra, Amvika’s son.
Vidura said: O Ajatasatru, you know that I am Dhritarashtra’s servant. He called me to him, and, upon honoring me, said: ‘Things have happened. What would be good for the Pandavas as well as myself to do?’ I said what was beneficial to both the Kauravas and Dhritarashtra. He didn’t like what I had to say at all; I had to stop there. Nevertheless, O Pandavas, the things I suggested would do much good. Amvika’s son did not take my suggestion as if he were an ill man refusing medicine; my words failed to please him. O one who has no enemy, if Wickedness and Deception are part of a pure line, a man from such a line cannot return to virtue’s path; Dhritarashtra cannot return to that path. A young virgin will not want a sixty-year-old husband; Dhritarashtra did not like what I had to say. Surely destruction will overwhelm the Kurus’ line! Surely Dhritarashtra will never become very wealthy. Water that falls onto a lotus-leaf must roll down it; my advice will never have an effect on Dhritarashtra. Dhritarashtra told me in anger: ‘Go where you will, Bharata tribesman! I will never ask you how I could be a better ruler again!’ O supreme king, Dhritarashtra left me and I need your goodly advice. Let me repeat what I said before the court. Hear me; keep my words in mind. You know the sayings: ‘A wise man deals with the weighty wickedness of his enemies patiently, building up his resources like men building a fire gradually; such a man rules the world alone.’ ‘He who shares his wealth with his followers will have his followers share in his troubles; the best way to win followers is to do this.’ ‘He who has followers gets to rule the world.’ O Pandava, divvy up your riches among your followers, be honest with them, and say pleasant things to them. Share your food with them, too. Don’t boast about yourself in their presence. Doing these five things makes any king richer.
"Yudhishthira said: You said something that proved you are highly intelligent and undistracted by zeal. I will take your advice. Anything else you advise me to do with respect for time and place will be done to a t gingerly.’"
Vaisampayana said,
‘O king, once Vidura had visited the Pandavas’ home, Dhritarashtra, O Bharata tribesman, one with extraordinary wisdom, asked forgiveness for what he had done. Thinking about Vidura’s great wisdom when it came to war, peace, and the future swelling of the Pandavas, Dhritarashtra, remembering what had happened with Vidura and feeling pain because of it, came to the door of the Hall of State and collapsed, senseless, before the kings-in-waiting. Upon regaining consciousness, the king stood up and said to the nearby Sanjaya: My brother and friend is like the God of Justice! When I think of him this day, my heart grieves, burning. Bring me the brother of mine who knows morality by heart! Upon saying so, the king began to weep bitterly. Asking for forgiveness, burning inside, overwhelmed with sorrow by the thought of Vidura, the king, out of brotherly love, said more to Sanjaya: O Sanjaya, find out for me whether or not my brother, one my anger led my wretched self to banish, is still alive. My wise brother, one whose intelligence is immeasurable, has never done anything wrong; he hasn’t even sinned in a trivial way. Nevertheless, I am behind the grievous wrong done to him. Find him, wise one, and bring him to me. If you cannot, Sanjaya, surely I will kill myself.
"When he heard the king’s words, nodded, said 'It shall be so', and headed in the direction of Kamyaka Forest. He arrived there, having lost no time; he came to the place where the adopted sons of Pandu lived. He saw the deer-skin-clad Yudhishthira sitting near Vidura, amid thousands of Brahmins and among his protective half-brothers. Yudhishthira looked like Purandara, when surrounded by divinities. Upon nearing Yudhishthira, Sanjaya worshipped him and was treated with respect by Bhima, Arjuna, and the twins. Yudhishthira asked the typical questions in regards to his health. Once Sanjaya had sat down, he being at ease, he gave the reason why he had come: O Kshata, King Dhritarashtra, the son of Amvika, has brought you to mind. Lose no time in going to him and rejuvenating him. O best of men, the leonine king has ordered you to return – doing so would be fitting of you. Do so, if the Kurus’ princes – the supreme men – give you permission.
"Having thusly been addressed by Sanjaya, the intelligent one named Vidura who always clung to his relatives was allowed, by way of Yudhishthira, to return to the city that was named for an elephant. After he went before the king, the greatly zealous one named Dhritarashtra, the one who was the son of Amvika, said to Vidura: Because fortune smiled upon me, and just for that reason, Vidura, you, an innocent creature who knows morality by heart, came to me due your recollection of me. O taurine Bharata tribesman, when you departed, I pictured myself tossing and turning day and night; I saw my dead, mortal body! Then, the king sat Vidura on his lap, smelled his head, and added: Forgive me for what I said, innocent one! And Vidura replied: I forgive you, O king. You are my better; I owe you the utmost respect. I am here; I returned because I desperately wanted to see you. Virtuous men, O tigrine man, naturally feel for those who are in trouble. It’s not like I did not think about my decision – no, I am partial to the Pandavas. O Bharata tribesman, your children are as dear to me as Pandu’s adopted sons. But, as you know, they are in trouble – my heart goes out to them.
"After the two noteworthy brothers, Vidura and Dhritarashtra, had apologized to each other, each felt immensely pleased.’”
“Vaisampayana said,
‘When he heard that Vidura had returned and when he heard that the king had soothed hum, the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra grieved and burned. His ability to comprehend clouded by ignorance, he called upon the son of Suvala, Karna, and Dusasana. To them he said: Educated Vidura, wise Dhritarashtra’s minister, has returned. He’s the adopted sons of Pandu’s friend; he always tries to help them. As long as Vidura doesn’t make sure that they return, you are free to tell me what the right thing would be for me to do. If I see the sons and stepsons of Pritha again, I’ll starve myself for no reason. I can drink poison, hang myself, leap into a fire, or slay myself but I cannot tolerate seeing the Pandavas get richer.
"So Sakuni said: O king – O Lord of the Earth – how it seems that Foolishness has overtaken you! The Pandavas are in the forest now, having foresworn to do so. They can’t come back prematurely. O taurine Bharata tribesman, the Pandavas are always honest. They wouldn’t return prematurely, even if your father told them to. Even if they, obeying the command to return, returned to the capital, thereby breaking their promise, we would simply act indifferent, pretending to abide by the king. We’d keep a close eye on the Pandavas and do what we think is right.
And Dusasana said: O greatly wise uncle of mine, you tell the truth. I always agree with what you have to say. And Karna said: O Duryodhana, we are your servants. O king, we are all in agreement. The adopted sons of Pandu, their passions controlled to a t, will not return prematurely. Even if they did, acting out of foolishness, you’d win at a dice-game against them.
"Having thusly been spoken to by Karna, King Duryodhana, his heart cheerless, turned his face away from his advisors. Taking note of this, Karna widened his beautiful eyes, and, gesticulating zealously out of anger, spoke to Duryodhana, Dusasana, and the son of Suvala: This is my opinion, princes – listen well! We serve King Duryodhana with joined palms. We ought to please him. But, because we also serve Dhritarashtra, we cannot always look out for him at a moment’s notice and act accordingly. We should don our mail-coats, take up our weapons, mount our chariots, and slay the Pandavas, those forest-dwellers, as one. Once the Pandavas have said their last words and entered the mysterious spirit-world, we and the sons of Dhritarashtra will be at peace! But, they must continue to be in distress and be sorrowful; they must continue to be in need of help if we are to be any sort of match for them. These are my thoughts!
"Upon hearing the charioteer’s son’s words, the rest applauded for some time and told him they heartily agreed. They joined him on his chariot, piqued, and drove off to slay the adopted sons of Pandu. But pure-souled Krishna-Dwaipayana, seeing by way of his foresight that they had departed, met them and demanded that they come to a halt. Turning them back, the holy one whom all the worlds worshipped then went to the king whose wisdom made up for his blindness. The king was sitting comfortably; the holy one spoke.’”
“Vaisampayana said,