“Dhritarashtra then said, ‘O Vidura, celebrate the
funeral ceremonies of that lion among kings viz., Pandu, and of Maadri also, in
right royal style. For the good of their souls, distribute cattle, clothes,
gems and diverse kinds of wealth, every one receiving as much as he asks for. Make
arrangements also for Kunti's performing the last rites of Maadri in such a
style as pleases her. Let Maadri's body be so carefully wrapped up that neither
the Sun nor Vaayu (God of wind) may see it. Lament not for the sinless Pandu. He was a worthy king and
has left behind him five heroic sons equal to Devas themselves.’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘O Bharata (Janamejaya), then Vidura
saying, ‘So be it,’ in consultation with Bhishma, fixed upon a sacred spot for
the funeral rites of Pandu. The family priests went out of the city without
loss of time, carrying with them the blazing sacred fire fed with clarified
butter and made it fragrant soon. Then friends, relatives, and followers,
wrapping it up in cloth, covered the body of the monarch with the flowers of
the season and sprinkled various excellent perfumes over it. They also decked
the vehicle on which the body been placed with garlands and rich hangings. Then
placing the covered body of the king (Pandu) with that of his queen (Maadri) on that excellent movable frame decked out so brightly, they caused it
to be carried on human shoulders. With the white umbrella (of state) held over the vehicle with waving
yak-tails and sounds of various musical instruments, the whole scene looked
bright and grand.
“Hundreds of people began to distribute gems among the
crowd on the occasion of the funeral rites of the king. At length some
beautiful garments, and white umbrellas and larger yak-tails, were brought for
the great ceremony. The priests dressed in white walked in the van of the
procession pouring offerings of clarified butter on the sacred fire blazing in
an ornamental vessel. Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras by thousands
followed the deceased king, loudly wailing in these accents, ‘O prince, where
do you go, leaving us behind, and making us unhappy and wretched forever?’
Bhishma, Vidura, and the Pandavas, also all wept aloud. At last they came to a
romantic wood on the banks of Ganga. There they laid down the movable frame on
which the truthful and lion-hearted prince and his wife lay. Then they brought
water in many golden vessels, washed the prince's body covered before with
several kinds of fragrant paste, and again covered it over with sandal paste.
They then dressed it in a white dress made of indigenous fabrics. With the new
suit on, the king seemed as if he was living and only sleeping on a costly bed.
“When the other funeral ceremonies also were finished
in agreement with the directions of the priests, the Kauravas set fire to the
dead bodies of the king and the queen, bringing lotuses, sandal-paste, and
other fragrant substances to the (burning) pyre.
“Then seeing the bodies aflame, Kausalya (Ambalika – the mother of Pandu) burst out, ‘O my son, my son!’ -- and fell down senseless on the
ground. Seeing her down the citizens and the inhabitants of the provinces began
to wail from grief and affection for their king. The birds of the air and the animals
of the field were touched by the lamentations of Kunti. Bhishma, the son of Shantanu,
and the wise Vidura, and the others also that were there, became very unhappy.
“Thus
weeping, Bhishma, Vidura, Dhritarashtra, the Pandavas and the Kuru ladies, all
performed the watery ceremony of the king. When all this was over, the people,
themselves filled with sorrow, began to console the deprived sons of Pandu. The
Pandavas with their friends began to sleep on the ground. Seeing this, the
Brahmanas and the other citizens also resigned their beds. Young and old, all
the citizens grieved on account of the sons of king Pandu, and passed twelve
days in mourning with the weeping Pandavas.’”
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