ARRIVAL OF PAANDAVAAS TO HAASTINAPURA

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > SABHA PARVA > DYOOTA PARVA > CHAPTER 57 - ARRIVAL OF PAANDAVAAS TO HAASTINAPURA

“Vaishampaayana said, ‘Vidura then, thus commanded against his will by king Dhritarashtra, set out, with the help of horses of high resilience that are endued with great speed and strength, quiet and patient, for the abode of the wise Paandavaas. Possessed of great intelligence, Vidura proceeded by the way leading to the capital of the Paandavaas. Having arrived at the city of king Yudhishthira, he entered it and proceeded towards the palace, worshipped by numerous Dwijaas. Coming to the palace (Raaja Griha in Sanskrit) which was like unto the mansion of Kubera (Kubera Bhavanam in Sanskrit) himself, the Dharmaatma Vidura approached Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma. Then the Mahatma Ajameeda (Yudhishthira) devoted to truth (Satya in Sanskrit) and having no enemy on earth, respectfully saluted Vidura, and asked him about Dhritarashtra and his sons.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O Kshatta (Vidura), your mind seemeth to be cheerless. Do you come here in happiness and peace? The sons of Dhritarashtra, I hope, are obedient to their old father. The people also, I hope, are obedient to Dhritarashtra’s rule.’

“Vidura said, ‘The Mahatma king (Dhritarashtra), with his sons, is well and happy, and surrounded by his relatives he reigns like (Lord) Indra Himself. The king (Dhritarashtra) is happy with his sons who are all obedient to him and has no grief. The illustrious monarch is bent on his own increase of power. The king of the Kurus has commanded me to enquire after your peace and prosperity, and to ask you to travel to Haastinapura with your brothers and to say, after seeing king Dhritarashtra’s newly erected sabha, whether that one is equal to your own. Travelling there, O Paarthaa (Yudhishthira), with your brothers, you enjoy in that sabha and sit to a friendly match at dice. We shall be glad if you go, as the Kurus have already arrived there. You will see there those gamblers and cheats that the Mahatma king Dhritarashtra has already brought there. It is for this, O king (Yudhishthira), that I have come here. Let the king’s command be approved by you.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O Kshatta (Vidura), if we sit to a match at dice, we may quarrel. What man is there, who knowing all this, will consent to gamble? What do you think fit for us? We all are obedient to your counsels.’

“Vidura said, ‘I know that gambling is the root of misery, and I strove to prevemt the king (Dhritarashtra) from it. The king, however, has sent me to you. Having known all this, O learned one (Yudhishthira), do what is beneficial.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Besides the sons of Dhritarashtra what other dishonest gamblers are there ready for play? Tell us, O Vidura, who they are and with whom we shall have to play, staking hundreds upon hundreds of our possessions.’

“Vidura said, ‘O monarch (Yudhishthira), Shakuni – the king of Gaandhaara, an expert at dice, having great skill of hand and desperate in stakes; Vivimshati; king Chitrasena; Satyavrata; Purumitra and Jaya, these, O king, are there.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘It would seem then that some of the most desperate and terrible gamblers always depending upon cheat are there. This whole universe, however, is at the will of its Maker, under the control of fate. It is not free. O learned one (Vidura), I do not desire, at the command of king Dhritarashtra to engage myself in gambling. The father always wishes to benefit his son. You are our master, O Vidura. Tell me what is proper for us. Unwilling as I am to gamble, I will not do so, if the wicked Shakuni does not summon me to it in the Sabha. If, however, he challenges me, I will never refuse. For that, as settled, is my eternal vow (Shaashvata Vratam in Sanskrit).’

“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Dharmaraja Yudhishthira having said this to Vidura, commanded that preparations for his journey might be made without loss of time. The next day, the king (Yudhishthira) accompanied by his relatives and attendants and also taking with him the women of the household with Draupadi in their middle, set out for the capital of the Kurus. ‘Like some brilliant body falling before the eyes, Fate deprives us of reason, and man, tied as it were with a cord, submits to the rule of Fate,’ saying this, king Yudhishthira, that punisher of the enemy, set out with Kshatta (Vidura), without considering upon that summons from Dhritarashtra.

दैवं प्रज्ञां तु मनुष्णाति तेजश्चक्षुरिवापतत् |

धातुश्च वशमन्वेति पाशैरिव नरः सितः ||

(Like some brilliant body falling before the eyes, Fate deprives us of reason, and man, tied as it 

were with a cord, submits to the rule of Fate)

“That slayer of hostile heroes (Paraveerahaa in Sanskrit), the son of Paandu and Pritha (also known as Kunti), riding upon the chariot that had been given him by the king of Baalhika, and attired also in royal garments, set out with his brothers. The king (Yudhishthira), blazing as it were with royal splendour, with Brahmanas walking before him, set out from his city, summoned by Dhritarashtra and driven by what has been ordained by Kaala (Time). Arriving at Haastinapura, he (Yudhishthira) went to the palace of Dhritarashtra (Dhritarashtra Griha in Sanskrit). Going there, the Paandavaa (Yudhishthira) approached the king (Dhritarashtra). The noble one (Yudhishthira) then approached Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Kripa, and the son of Drona (Ashwatthaama), and embraced and was embraced by them all. The mighty-armed one, filled with great prowess, then approached Somadatta, then Duryodhana, Shalya, Saubala (also known as Shakuni), and those other kings also that had arrived there before him. The king then went to the brave Duhshaasana and then to all his (other) brothers and then to Jayadratha and next to all the Kurus one after another. The mighty-armed one (Yudhishthira), then surrounded by all his brothers, entered the apartment (Griha in Sanskrit) of the wise king Dhritarashtra. Then Yudhishthira saw Devi Gaandhaari, ever obedient to her husband, and surrounded by her daughters-in-law like Rohini by the stars. Saluting (Abhivaadya in Sanskrit) Gaandhaari and blessed by her in return, the king (Yudhishthira) then saw his old uncle, that illustrious monarch whose wisdom was his eye (Pragnyaa Chakshu in Sanskrit).

“King Dhritarashtra then, O monarch (Janamejaya), smelt his head and also the heads of those four other princes of the Kuru race – the Paandavaas with Bhimasena as their eldest. O king (Janamejaya), seeing the handsome Paandavaas, those tigers among men, all the Kurus became exceedingly glad. Commanded by the king (Dhritarashtra), the Paandavaas then retired to the chambers (Griha in Sanskrit) allotted to them and which were all furnished with jewels and gems. When they had retired into the chambers, the women of Dhritarashtra’s household with Duhshala taking the lead visited them. The daughters-in-law of Dhritarashtra seeing the blazing and splendid beauty and prosperity of Yagnaseni (also known as Draupadi), became cheerless and filled with jealousy. Those tigers among men (Paandavaas), having conversed with the ladies went through their daily physical exercises (Vyaayaamapoorvaani in Sanskrit) and then performed the religious rites of the day (Pratikarma in Sanskrit). Having finished their daily devotions (Krutaanhikaa in Sanskrit), they decorated their persons with sandal paste of the most fragrant kind. Desiring to secure good luck and prosperity they made the Brahmanas to utter blessings. Then eating food that was of the best taste they retired to their chambers for the night. Those bulls among the Kurus then were put to sleep with music by beautiful females. Obtaining from them what came in due succession, those subjugators of hostile towns passed with cheerful hearts that delightful night in pleasure and sport. Waked by poets with sweet music, they rose from their beds, and having passed the night thus in happiness, they rose at dawn and having gone through the usual rites, they entered into the sabha and were saluted by those that were ready there for gambling.’”