24. PAANDAVAAS WENT TO DWAITAVANA

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > AARANYA PARVA > ARJUNAABHIGAMANA PARVA > CHAPTER 24 - PAANDAVAAS WENT TO DWAITAVANA

“Vaishampaayana said, ‘After they had departed, Yudhishthira, the Dharmaatma Kaunteya, unwavering in his promises, addressed all his brothers, saying, ‘We shall have to dwell in the isolated forest for these twelve years. Therefore, you search in this mighty forest for some spot abounding in birds, deer, flowers and fruits, beautiful to see, auspicious, and inhabited by virtuous persons and where we may dwell pleasantly for all these years!’

“Thus, addressed by Yudhishthira, Dhananjaya replied to Dharmaraja, after reverencing the illustrious king as if he were his Guru. Arjuna said, ‘You have respectfully waited upon all old and Maharishis. There is nothing unknown to you in the world of men. O bull of the Bharata race, you have always waited with respect upon Brahmanas including Dwaipaayana (Vyaasa) and others, and Narada of great ascetic merit (Maha Tapaa in Sanskrit), who with senses under control, always goes to the gates of all the world from Devaloka to Brahmaloka, including that of Gandharvas and Apsaras! You know, without doubt, the opinions of the Brahmanas, and, O king, their prowess also! O monarch, you know what is calculated to do us good! O great king, we will live wherever you like! Here is this lake, full of sacred water, called Dwaitavana, abounding with flowers, and delightful to look at, and inhabited by many species of birds. If, O king, it pleases you, here we should like to dwell these twelve years! Do you think otherwise?’

“Yudhishthira replied, ‘O Paarthaa (Arjuna), what you have said recommends itself to me! Let us go that sacred, celebrated and large lake called Dwaitavana!’

“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Then the virtuous (Dharmachaarina in Sanskrit) Paandavaa, accompanied by numerous Brahmanas, all went to the sacred lake called Dwaitavana. Yudhishthira was surrounded by numerous Brahmanas some of whom sacrificed with fire (Agnihotra in Sanskrit) and some without it and some of whom, devoted to the study of the Vedas, lived upon alms (Bhiksha in Sanskrit) or were of the class called Vanavaasina. The king was also surrounded by hundreds of Mahatmas crowned with ascetic success (Tapa Siddhaa in Sanskrit) and of rigid vows (Samshita Vrata in Sanskrit). Those bulls of the Bharata race, the Paandavaas setting out with those numerous Brahmanas, entered the sacred and delightful Dwaitavana. The king (Yudhishthira) saw that mighty forest covered on the close of summer with Tamaala, palms, mangoes, Madhuka, Neepa, Kadamba, Sarjaa, Arjuna, Karnikaara, and many of them covered with flowers. Flocks of peacocks, Daatyuhas, Chakoras, Barhinas and Kokilas, seated on the tops of the tallest trees of that forest were pouring forth their melodious notes.

“The king (Yudhishthira) also saw in that forest mighty herds of gigantic elephants huge as the hills, with temporal juice trickling down in the season of rut, accompanied by herds of female-elephants. Approaching the beautiful Bhogavati (Saraswati river), the king saw many ascetics (Siddha Rishis in Sanskrit) crowned with success in the habitations in that forest, and Dharmic men of purified souls dressed in barks of trees and bearing matted locks on their heads. Descending from their chariots, the king that foremost of men of Dharma with his brothers and followers entered that forest like (Lord) Indra of immeasurable energy entering heaven. Crowds of Charanaas and Siddhas, desirous of seeing the monarch devoted to truth, came towards him. The dwellers of that forest stood surrounding that lion among king (Yudhishthira) possessed of great intelligence. Saluting all the Siddhas, and saluted by them in return as a king or a Deva should be, that foremost of men of Dharma entered the forest with joined hands accompanied by all those foremost of Dwijas. The Mahatma and Dharmaraja, saluted in return by those Dharmic Tapaswis that had approached him, sat down in their middle at the foot of a mighty tree decked with flowers, like his father (Paandu) in ancient days. Those chiefs of the Bharata race viz., Bhima, Dhananjaya, the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), Krishna (Draupadi) and their followers, all tired, leaving their vehicles, sat themselves down around that best of kings (Yudhishthira). That mighty tree bent down with the weight of creepers, with those five illustrious bowmen who had come there for rest sitting under it, looked like a mountain with (five) huge elephants resting on its side.’”