KUNTI'S LAMENTATION

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > SABHA PARVA > ANU DYOOTA PARVA > CHAPTER 78 - KUNTI'S LAMENTATION

“Vaishampaayana said, ‘Then when Krishna (Draupadi) was about to set out she went to the famed Pritha (Kunti) and asked for her leave. She also asked leave of the other ladies of the household who had all been plunged into grief. Saluting and embracing every one of them as each deserved, she desired to go away. Then there arose within the inner apartments (Anta Pura in Sanskrit) of the Paandavaas a loud wail of sadness. Kunti, terribly pained upon seeing Draupadi on the eve of her journey, uttered these words in a voice choked with grief –

‘O child, do not grieve that this great calamity has overtaken you. You are well knowledgeable with the duties of the female gender (Stri Dharma in Sanskrit), and your behaviour and conduct also are as they should be. It is not adviceable of me, O you of sweet smiles, to instruct you as to your duties towards your lords. You are chaste and accomplished, and your qualities have adorned the race (kula in Sanskrit) of your birth and also the race into which you hast been admitted by marriage. Fortunate are the Kauravaas that they have not been burnt by your anger. O child, you safely go blessed by my prayers. Good women never suffer their hearts to the unstung at what is inevitable. Protected by Dharma that is superior to everything, soon you shall obtain good fortune. While living in the forest, keep your eye on my child Sahadeva. See that his heart does not sink not under this great calamity.’

“Saying ‘So be it!’ the princess Draupadi bathed in tears, and dressed in one piece of cloth, stained with blood, and with hair disordered left her mother-in-law. As she went away weeping and wailing, Pritha (Kunti) herself in grief followed her. She had not gone far when she saw her sons removed of their ornaments and garments, their bodies clad in deerskins, and their heads down with shame. She saw them surrounded by rejoicing enemies and pitied by friends. Filled with excess of parental affection, Kunti approached her sons in that state, and embracing them all, and in accents choked by sadness, she said these words –

‘You are virtuous and good-mannered, adorned with all excellent qualities and respectful behaviour. Ye are all high-minded and engaged in the service of your superiors. You are also devoted to the gods (Deivaa in Sanskrit) and the performance of yagnas. Why, then, has this calamity overtaken you? From where is this reverse of fortune? I do not see by whose wickedness this sin has overtaken you. Alas, I have brought you forth. All this must be due to my bad fortune. It is for this that you have been overtaken by this calamity, though you all are endued with excellent virtues (Uttama Guna in Sanskrit). In energy, prowess, strength, firmness and might, you are not wanting. How shall you now, losing your wealth and possessions, live poor in the pathless forest? If I had known before that you were destined to live in the forest, I would not have on Paandu’s death come from the mountains of Shatasringa to Haastinapura.

“Fortunate was your father, as I now regard, for he truly reaped the fruit of his Tapas, and he was gifted with foresight, as he entertained the wish of ascending heaven, without having to feel any pain on account of his sons. Fortunate also was the virtuous Maadri, as I regard her today, who had, it seems, a fore-knowledge of what would happen and who on that account, obtained the high path of liberation and every blessing soon after that. Maadri looked upon me as her stay, her mind and her affections were ever fixed on me. Oh, fie on my desire of life, owing to which suffer all this sadness. O children, you are all excellent and dear to me. I have obtained you after much suffering. I cannot leave you. I will go with you. Alas, O Krishna (Draupadi), why do you leave me so? Everything filled with life is sure to perish. Has Dhatta (Lord Brahma) Himself forgotten to ordain my death? Perhaps, it is so, and, therefore, life does not quit me. O (Sri) Krishna, O you who stay in Dwaraka, O younger brother of Shankarshana (Balarama), where are you? Why do you not relieve me and these best of men also from such sadness? They say that You who are without beginning and without end relieve those that think of You. Why do this saying become untrue? These my sons are ever attached to Dharma, nobility, good fame and prowess. They deserve not to suffer pain. Oh, show them mercy. Alas, when there are such elders among our race as Bhishma, Drona and Kripa, all knowledgeable with Dharma and the science of worldly concerns, how could such calamity at all come? O Paandu, O king, where are you? Why you suffer quietly your good children to be thus sent into exile, defeated at dice? O Sahadeva, stop from going. You are my dearest child, dearer, O son of Maadri, than my body itself. Leave me not. It is your duty to have some kindness for me. Bound by the ties of Dharma, let these your brothers go. But then, you earn that Dharma which springs from waiting upon me.’

“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘The Paandavaas then consoled their weeping mother and with hearts plunged in grief set out for the forest. Vidura himself also much pained, consoling the distressed Kunti with reasons, and led her slowly to his house. The ladies of Dhritarashtra’s house, hearing everything as it happened – the exile (of the Paandavaas) and the dragging of Krishna (Draupadi) into the sabha where the princes had gambled, loudly wept scolding the Kauravaas. The ladies of the royal household also sat silent for a long time, covering their lotus-like faces with their fair hands. King Dhritarashtra also thinking of the dangers that threatened his sons, became a prey to anxiety and could not enjoy peace of mind. Anxiously meditating on everything, and with mind deprived of its calmness through grief, he sent a messenger to Vidura, saying, ‘Let Kshatta (Vidura) come to me without a moment’s delay.’

“At this summons, Vidura quickly came to Dhritarashtra’s palace. As soon as he came, the monarch asked him with great anxiety how the Paandavaas had left Haastinapura.”