Mahabharata Vol. 3 (Penguin Translated Texts) (25 page)

‘The best of Kurus then spoke to Bhimasena. “O Bhima! There will be many mountains. They will be uneven, covered with ice and difficult of access. O mighty-armed one! How will Krishna be able to traverse them?” Bhimasena replied, “O king! I will myself carry the princess, the twins and you, bull among men. O Indra among kings! Do not unnecessarily be anxious. Alternatively, my son is great in valour. He can roam the skies and is my equal in strength. If you say so, Ghatotkacha will carry all of us.” Having been instructed by Dharmaraja, he remembered his rakshasa son. As soon as his father had thought of him, Ghatotkacha, with dharma in his soul, appeared. The mighty-armed one greeted the brahmanas and the Pandavas, hands joined in salutation, and they also welcomed him. Truth was his valour and he spoke to his father Bhimasena. “You thought of me and I swifly arrived to serve you. O mighty-armed one! What is your command? Without a doubt, I will do everything.” On hearing this, Bhimasena embraced the rakshasa.’

‘Yudhishthira said, “O Bhima! This bull among rakshasas is learned in dharma. He is always brave and strong. This son born from you is devoted to us. Let him immediately carry his mother.
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O Bhima! With the strength of your arms and your terrifying valour, I will remain unhurt and will journey to Gandhamadana with Panchali.”’

Vaishampayana said, ‘On hearing his brother’s words, Bhimasena, tiger among men, commanded his son Ghatotkacha, the destroyer of enemies. “O Hidimba’s son! Your unvanquished mother is exhausted. O son! You are capable of going anywhere at will. You are strong. Take her up into the sky. O fortunate one! Carry her on your shoulders. Follow us in the sky. But travel low, so that she does
not feel oppressed.” Ghatotkacha replied, “I am alone capable of carrying Dharmaraja, Dhoumya, the princess and the twins. It shouldn’t be surprising that I can do it now, when I have help.”
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Having said this, Ghatotkacha carried Krishna in the midst of the brave Pandavas. Others
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carried the Pandavas. Lomasha, whose splendour was unrivalled, travelled along the path followed by the siddhas through his own powers, like a second sun. Commanded by the Indra among the rakshasas, other immensely powerful rakshasas took up all the brahmanas and travelled. They glanced at the extremely beautiful forests and groves and travelled towards the extensive Badari. Carried by those swift rakshasas whose strength was immense, the brave ones quickly covered a long distance in a short span of time.

‘They saw many regions infested by
mleccha
s,
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full of many stores of jewels. They saw mountains and foothills, the stores of many minerals. They were populated by vidyadharas and had large numbers of monkeys and kinnaras, in addition to kimpurushas and gandharvas. There were networks of rivers, frequented by many different kinds of birds. They were visited by many different kinds of animals. They were adorned by monkeys. Having passed over many regions and over northern Kuru, they saw the supreme and extraordinary Mount Kailasa. Near it, they saw the hermitage of Nara and Narayana. It was full of celestial trees that always bore flowers and fruit. They saw the beautiful Badari, with a circular trunk.
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It was always tender and offered unfettered shade. It was supremely beautiful. It had tender leaves and was smooth and radiant. Its branches were large. They were expansive and were limitless in lustre. It was full of fruit that was tasty and divine. They dripped honey and were always celestial, beloved of the masses of maharshis. It was always populated by masses of different kinds of birds that
frolicked madly. It grew in a region where there were no mosquitoes or gnats. There were many roots and fruits and a lot of water there. It was covered with blue grass and frequented by the gods and the gandharvas. It stood on a flat stretch of ground that was naturally beautiful. It was gentle from the touch of snow and was a beautiful region bereft of thorns.

‘Having reached the spot with the bulls among the brahmanas, all the great-souled ones descended slowly from the shoulders of the rakshasas. O king! Together with the bulls among the brahmanas, the Pandavas saw the beautiful hermitage, the refuge of Nara and Narayana. The sacred place was devoid of darkness, though it was untouched by the sun’s rays. It was free from afflictions like hunger, thirst, coldness and heat. It was the destroyer of all sorrow. It was crowded by masses of maharshis and complete with the attainment of the brahman. O great king! It was difficult of access to men who were outside the pale of dharma. It was celestial with the homage of offerings and oblations. It was maintained well and fragrant. There were offerings of celestial flowers and it was radiant everywhere. There were large stores for fire. It had lovely ladles. It was adorned with large and firm pots full of water. It was a place of refuge for all beings and resounded with the sound of the brahman. That hermitage destroyed all exhaustion and was a celestial hermitage. It was full of beauty and produced immeasurable merit. It was frequented by those who worshipped the gods. They lived on roots and fruit. They were in control of their senses and were attired in bark and black antelope skins. They were like the sun and the fire in their austerities and were controlled in their souls. Those maharshis had restrained their senses and were in search of salvation. Those immensely fortunate ones were learned in the brahman and were immersed in the brahman.

‘The intelligent Yudhishthira, Dharma’s son, approached those immensely energetic rishis with his brothers, with restraint and purity. All the maharshis had divine sight. When they saw Yudhishthira, they welcomed him with great delight. Those who were always devoted to studies, pronounced their blessings over him. They were the equal of the fire and they happily welcomed him in accordance
with the prescribed rites. They offered him pure water, flowers, roots and fruit. Yudhishthira, Dharma’s son, was restrained and happily accepted the offerings of the maharshis. That beautiful place was divinely scented and was like Shakra’s abode. O unblemished one! Together with Krishna and his brothers, and the brahmanas who were learned in the Vedas and the Vedangas, the Pandava happily entered the pure place that was like heaven itself. The one with dharma in his soul saw Nara and Narayana’s spot, worshipped by the gods and the devarshis. It was rendered beautiful by the Bhagirathi. The divine fruit dripped with honey and it was frequented by masses of brahmarshis. The great-souled ones approached and dwelt there with the brahmanas. They saw Mount Mainaka with its golden peak, frequented by masses of brahmanas, the auspicious Bindusara and the sacred and great tirtha of Bhagirathi, with its cool and clear water, with gems, corals and stones and adorned with beautiful trees. There were divine blossoms that heightened the pleasure of the mind. The great-souled Pandavas saw and roamed around there. They repeatedly made offerings to the gods and the ancestors. The brave bulls among men dwelt there with the brahmanas. The Pandavas, tigers among men, who were the equals of the immortals, took great pleasure in watching Krishna sport there in various ways.’

Vaishampayana said, ‘Those brave tigers among men observed great purity and lived there for six nights, hoping to see Dhananjaya. The Pandavas sported with delight in that beautiful grove that was pleasing to all beings. It had trees ladened with blossoms and were bent down, burdened with fruit. It was beautiful everywhere, astir with flocks of male cuckoos. The foliage was tender and uninterrupted. It was cool with shade and charming. There were beautiful ponds with clear water. There were lotuses and lilies there,
making every side dazzling.
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The Pandavas were delighted at witnessing these beautiful sights there. A fragrant breeze wafted there, pleasant to the touch. This gladdened the hearts of all the Pandavas, Krishna and the bulls among the brahmanas.

‘Then, in accordance with its own wishes, a breeze blew from the north-east. It carried with it a divine lotus with one thousand petals. Panchali saw that beautiful and pure lotus descend on the ground, redolent with divine fragrance and carried by the wind. O king! The fortunate one approached that pure and supremely fragrant flower and extremely happily, told Bhimasena, “O Bhima! Look at this divine, dazzling and supreme blossom. It is full of fragrance and has delighted my heart. O destroyer of enemies! I will give this to Dharmaraja. But to satisfy my desire, get me others, so that I can take them back to the hermitage in Kamyaka. O Partha! If I am your beloved, get them for me in large numbers. I wish to take them back to the hermitage in Kamyaka.” Having addressed these words to Bhimasena, the unblemished Panchali then took the flower to Dharmaraja.

‘Learning about the queen’s wishes, the immensely strong Bhima, bull among men, departed, to do that which would bring pleasure to his beloved. He swiftly left in the direction from which the breeze had carried the flower, so that he might obtain more flowers. He grasped his bow that was inlaid with gold and arrows that were like the virulent venom of snakes. He was like an angry king of the animals, or like an elephant in rut. The one with the strength of his arms wished to do that which would bring pleasure to Droupadi. The strong one was without fear or delusion and climbed up the mountain.

‘It was covered with trees, creepers and lantanas and strewn with blue stones. The destroyer of enemies went up the sacred mountain, frequented by kinnaras. There were many kinds of minerals, trees and birds of different types. Adorned with all kinds of ornaments, it seemed to be like an arm of the earth, stretching upwards. Gandhamadana’s peak was beautiful everywhere. His eyes and his desires were on it and he thought about it in his heart. The infinitely valorous one’s
ears, mind and eyes were fixed on the peaks that resounded to the sounds of male cuckoos and the humming of bees. The greatly energetic one inhaled the fragrance of the blossom everywhere and proceeded to climb up Gandhamadana, like a mad elephant in the forest. His father, the cool breeze that blows from Gandhamadana, took away his exhaustion and fanned by this, his body hair stood up.
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To obtain the flowers, the destroyer of enemies traversed a region frequented by yakshas, gandharvas, gods and masses of brahmarshis. The clean sides of the mountain were streaked with minerals—golden, black and silver. The patterns were uneven, as if the mountain had been painted with fingers. With clouds clinging to the sides, the mountain seemed to be dancing, as if on wings. Because of the gushing of water from streams, it seemed to wear a string of pearls. It had lovely groves, waterfalls and caverns. Peacocks danced there, in tune with the anklets of apsaras. The elephants that guard the cardinal directions
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had rubbed the rocky surface with their tusks. When the water was swiftly released from the streams and descended, it seemed as if the mountain was loosening its garments. The deer approached and curiously looked at him, unused to fear, with grass in their mouths. Vayu’s son, the handsome Kounteya, proceeded happily, as if in sport, tearing away many nets of creepers with the force of his thighs. The one with the beautiful eyes wished to do that which would bring pleasure to his beloved. The youth was as tall as a golden palm and his body was like that of a lion. He was as strong as a mad elephant and he possessed the speed of a mad elephant. His copper-hued eyes were like that of a mad elephant and he was capable of withstanding a mad elephant. Seated by the sides of their beloveds, and invisible to the sight, the wives of yakshas and gandharvas, watched him and made expressive gestures.

‘As if having adopted a new body, Pandava happily ascended Gandhamadana’s beautiful peak. He remembered the many woes that had been inflicted by Duryodhana. Eager to perform the task that the forest-dwelling Droupadi had given, he thought, “Arjuna
has gone to heaven. I have come away to fetch the flowers. What will the arya Yudhishthira do? Out of affection and out of distrust for what is in the forest, Yudhishthira, the best of men, will not release Nakula and Sahadeva.
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How can I obtain the flowers quickly?” Thinking in this way, the tiger among men travelled with the speed of the king of the birds.
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The earth shook when his feet struck it, like a storm at the end of an era. The immensely strong Vrikodara’s speed frightened herds of elephants, lions, tigers and animals. The strong one forcefully uprooted many gigantic trees and brushed them aside with his chest. Pandu’s son swiftly tore aside creepers and lantanas, as he climbed higher and higher up the peak of the mountain, like an elephant. He roared like a monsoon cloud, streaked with lightning. O lord! Awakened by that terrible sound and the twang of his bow, herds of animals were frightened and fled in all directions.

‘On the slopes of the peak of Gandhamadana, the mighty-armed one then saw a beautiful grove of plantain trees that extended for many yojanas. The immensely strong one swiftly dashed towards it. Like a giant elephant oozing musth, like the wind among many trees, Bhima, supreme among those who are strong, uprooted the trunks of many plantain trees that were as large as many palm trees and thrust them aside. There were many large animals, herds of
ruru
,
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monkeys, lions, buffaloes and aquatic animals. The lions and tigers were angered and attacked Bhimasena. They were extremely fearsome. Their jaws gaped and their roars were terrible. But Vayu’s son, Bhima, used the strength of his arms and angrily killed elephants with elephants and lions with lions. The lord, the strong Pandava, used the palm of his hand to kill others. Thus killed by Bhima, lions, tigers and hyenas crept away fearfully, discharging urine and dung. Pandu’s handsome and immensely strong son then swiftly entered the forest and filled all the directions with his roar. Hearing that terrible roar let out by Bhimasena, all the animals and birds in the forest were frightened and fled elsewhere. On hearing the sounds of
the animals and the birds, thousands of birds flew up. Their wings were wet with water. On seeing those masses of aquatic birds, the bull among the Bharata lineage followed them and saw a beautiful and giant lake. Though it was fanned by clumps of golden plantain trees along its shores, stirred by the breeze, it was tranquil. The lake was adorned with many lotuses and lilies. Descending into the water, the strongest among strong ones sported around, like a gigantic elephant. Having sported there for a long time, the infinitely energetic one climbed out and swiftly entered the forest that was full of many trees. With the force of his breath, the Pandava blew on his conch shell. The sound of the conch shell, Bhimasena’s roars and the terrible sound of the slapping of his arms resounded in the mountainous caverns. Hearing the loud sound of the slapping, like the roar of thunder, lions that were asleep in the mountainous caverns let out loud roars. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! The roar of the lions frightened the elephants. The great mountain was filled with their loud trumpeting.