“Vaishampaayana said, ‘Looking his five handsome sons
growing up before him in that great forest on the charming mountain slope,
Pandu felt the last might of his arms revive once more. One day in the season
of spring which maddens every creature the king (Pandu) accompanied by his wife (Maadri), began to roam in the forest where every tree
had put forth new blossoms. He saw all around Palasha, Tilaka, Mangoes,
Champaka, Paaribhadraka, Karnikara, Ashoka, Keshara, Atimukta, and Kuruvaka
with swarms of maddened bees sweetly humming about. There were flowers of
blossoming Paarijata with the Kokilas pouring forth their melodies from under
every branch echoing with the sweet hums of the black bees. He (Pandu) saw also various other kinds of trees bent
down with the weight of their flowers and fruits. There were also many fine
pools of water overgrown with hundreds of fragrant lotuses. Seeing all these,
Pandu felt the soft influence of kaamaa. Roaming like a Deva with a light heart
amidst such scenery, Pandu was alone with his wife Maadri in semi-transparent dress.
Seeing the youthful Maadri thus dressed, the king's kaamaa flamed up like a
forest-fire. Unable to suppress his kaamaa thus kindled at the sight of his
wife of eyes like lotus-petals, he was completely overpowered. The king (Pandu) then seized her against her will, but Maadri
trembling in fear resisted him to the best of her might. Consumed by kaamaa, he
forgot everything about his misfortune. O you of Kuru's race (Janamejaya), uncontrolled by the fear of (the
Rishi's) curse and driven by fate, the
monarch (Pandu) overpowered by kaamaa,
forcibly sought the embraces of Maadri, as if he wished to put an end to his
own life. His reason, thus attracted by the great Destroyer himself by
intoxicating his senses, was itself lost with his life. The Kuru king Pandu, of
Dharmaatma, thus surrendered to the inevitable influence of Time, while united
in intercourse with his wife.
“Then Maadri, grasping the body of her senseless lord,
began to weep aloud. Kunti with her sons and the twins of Maadri, hearing those
cries of grief, came to the spot where the king lay in that state. O king (Janamejaya), then Maadri
addressing Kunti in a piteous voice, said, ‘Come here alone, O Kunti, and let
the children stay there.’
“Hearing these words, Kunti, commanding the children
stay, ran with speed, exclaiming, ‘Woe to me!’ Seeing both Pandu and Madri
lying flat on the ground she went in grief and pain, saying, ‘Of passions under
complete control, this hero, O Maadri, had all along been watched by me with
care. How did he then forgetting the Rishi's curse, approach you with enkindled
kaamaa? O Maadri, this foremost of men, should have been protected by you. Why
did you tempt him into isolation? Always sad at the thought of the Rishi's
curse, how came he to be merry with you in isolation? O princess of Balhika (Maadri), more fortunate than
myself, you are really to be envied, for you have seen the face of our lord covered
with gladness and joy.’
“Madri then replied, saying, ‘Respected sister, with
tears in my eyes, I resisted the king, but he could not control himself, bent
on, as it were making the Rishi's curse true.’
“Kunti then said, ‘I am the older of his wedded wives;
the chief merit of Dharma must be mine. Therefore, O Maadri, prevent me not
from achieving that which must be achieved. I must follow our lord to the
Yamaloka. Rise up, O Maadri, and give me his body. You bring up these
children.’
“Madri replied, saying, ‘I do grasp our lord even now,
and have not allowed him to depart; therefore, I shall follow him. My appetite
has not been appeased. You are my older sister, O let me have your sanction.
This foremost one of the Bharata princes had approached me, desiring to have
intercourse. His appetite unsatisfied, shall I not follow him in the Yamaloka
to satisfy him? O respected one, if I survive you, it is certain I shall not be
able to bring up your children as if they were mine. Will not sin touch me on
that account? But, you, O Kunti, shall be able to bring my sons up as if they
were yours. The king, in seeking me wishfully, has gone to the Pitruloka;
therefore, my body should be burnt with his. O respected sister, do not
withhold your sanction to this which is agreeable to me. You will certainly
bring up the children carefully. That indeed, would be very agreeable to me. I
have no other direction to give!’
“Vaishampaayana
continued, ‘Having said this, the daughter of the king of Madra (Maadri),
the wedded wife of Pandu, ascended the funeral pyre of her lord, that bull
among men.’”
No comments:
Post a Comment