The Mahabharata (12 page)

After Krishna left, an argument began between Yudhistira and Draupadi. She had faithfully obeyed Yudhistira's commands, but never accepted his philosophy. “To see you—particularly you, whom I have seen in a silken bed and on a golden throne, waited upon by the rulers of the earth—now in this state, mud spattered, clad in deerskin, sleeping on hard ground—oh, it wrings my heart. To see Bhima, who achieves single-handed every victory, now in this distressing state, does it not stir your anger? Arjuna of a thousand arms—as it seems when he sends the arrows, worshipped by
celestials and human beings alike—bound hand and foot, does it not make you indignant? Why does not your anger blaze up and consume your enemies? And me, the daughter of Drupada and sister of Dhrishtadyumna, disgraced and forced to live like this! How is it you are so mild? There is no kshatriya who is incapable of anger, so they say, but your attitude does not prove it. You should never forgive a devil, but destroy him without leaving a trace. On this subject, have you not heard the story of Prahlada and his grandson Bali of ancient times? The grandson enquired, ‘Tell me, is blind forgiveness superior to judicious anger?' Prahlada, who knew all the subtleties of conduct, answered, ‘Child, aggressiveness is not always good, nor is forgiveness. One who is known to be forgiving always suffers and causes his dependents also to suffer. Servants, strangers, and enemies ill-treat his, steal his goods under his very nose, and even try to take his wife away. The evil-minded will never be affected by compassion. Equally bad is indiscriminate anger and the exercise of force. A man of anger and violence will be hated by everyone, and suffer the consequences of his own recklessness. One should show forgiveness or righteous anger as the situation may demand.'”

Yudhistira listened to her patiently and said, “Anger is at all times destructive, and I will not admit that there could be any occasion for its exercise. O beautiful one, one should forgive every injury. There can be no limit to forgiveness. Forgiveness is God and Truth and it is only through divine compassion that the universe is held together. Anger is the root of every destruction in the world. It is impossible for me to accept your philosophy. Everyone worships peace. Our grandfather, Bhishma, as well as Krishna, Vidura, Kripa, and Sanjaya; all of them strive for peace. They will always urge our uncle to adopt peace. He will surely give us back our kingdom someday. If he fails in that duty, then he is bound to suffer. It is not for us to be angry or act in anger. This is my conviction. Patience.”

Draupadi replied, “It seems to me that men can never
survive in this world by merely practising tolerance. Excessive tolerance is responsible for the calamity that has befallen you and your brothers. In prosperity and adversity alike you cling to your ideals, fanatically. You are known for your virtuous outlook in the three worlds. It seems to me that you would sooner abandon me and your brothers than abandon your principles. O tiger among men, you practise your philosophy with a steady mind. You have performed grand sacrifices on a scale undreamt of by anyone in this world. Yet, my lord, impelled by I know not what unseen power, you did not hesitate to lose your wealth, kingdom, and all of us, and in a trice reduced us to the level of mendicants and tramps. When I think of it my head reels and I go mad. We are told that it is all God's will and everything happens according to it. We are like straws wafted about by strong winds, I suppose! The mighty God creates illusions and makes every creature destroy its fellows. The Supreme Lord enjoys it all like a child shaping and squashing its clay doll. Sometimes God's behaviour is bewildering. He sees noble, virtuous persons persecuted beyond endurance, but keeps sinners happy and prosperous. I am sorely confused and bewildered. Beholding you in this state and Duryodhana flourishing, I cannot think too highly of God's wisdom or justice. If God is the real author of these acts, he himself must be defiled with the sin of every creature.”

Yudhistira felt shocked at this speech. “You speak with profound fluency, but your language is that of an atheist. I do not trade in virtue as merchandise, to weigh its profit and loss. I do what seems to be right only because it is the only way, and not for results. It is not right to censure God, my beloved. Do not slander God. Learn to know him, understand his purpose, bow down to him. It is only by piety that you can attain immortality.”

“It is not my purpose to slander God or religion. I am perhaps raving out of my sorrow; take it in that light if you like. And I will continue my lamentations and ravings, if
you please. My lord, every creature should perform its legitimate act; otherwise, the distinction between the animate and inanimate will vanish. Those who believe in destiny and those who drift without such beliefs are alike the worst among men; only those who act and perform what is right for their station in life are worthy of praise. Man should decide on his course of action and accomplish it with the instrument of intelligence. Our present state of misery could be remedied only if you acted. If you have the will and the intelligence and proper application, you can regain your kingdom. Sitting on my father's lap, I used to hear such advice from a seer who often visited him in his days of distress.”

Before Draupadi had finished, Bhimasena rose and addressed Yudhistira. “Our enemies have snatched away our kingdom not through fair means, but by deceit. Why should we accept that state? It was your weakness and carelessness that brought on this condition. To please you, we have had to accept this calamity… to please you. We have let down our friends and well-wishers and gratified our enemies. My greatest regret in life is that we ever listened to you and accepted your guidance; otherwise Arjuna and I could have dealt with those sons of King Dhritarashtra. It was the greatest folly of my life—the memory of it hurts me perpetually—to have spared those fellows. Why should we live in the forest like wild beasts or mendicants holding up a begging bowl—even if the bowl is the gift of the Sun God? Food taken as alms may suit the brahmin, but a kshatriya must fight and earn his food. You have bound yourself hand and foot with several vows and with the cry of religion; but Dhritarashtra and his sons, my lord, regard us not as men disciplined with vows, but as imbeciles. Give up your apathy and feebleness, and become a sovereign again and rule your subjects as a kshatriya should, instead of wasting your precious days amidst animals and recluses. Leave Arjuna and me to clear the way for you….”

Yudhistira brooded on what he had said. “I cannot reproach you for your words and for the feeling behind them. I agree that it was all my mistake. I confess to something now. I agreed to the gambling only with a secret hope that I would be able to snatch away the whole kingdom and sovereignty from Duryodhana and make him my vassal, while we had only half the kingdom after our return from Panchala Desa; but he played with the aid of that expert, Sakuni, and now I am paying for my own cupidity, which I had not confessed to any one till now. Don't decide in anger or hurry; we will not achieve anything through such resolutions. Oh, Bhima, I am pained by your words, please wait patiently for better times. I have given my word that we would remain in exile for thirteen years, and I cannot easily retract it now. Nothing else matters….”

Bhima made a gesture of despair. “We are like froth on the river, drifting with its current, whatever one may think or do. Every moment we are growing older. Thirteen years…! Who knows whether we will be alive or fit to take back our kingdom? And we will have thirteen years less for our existence. We should attempt to wrest back our kingdom this very minute. We have already spent thirteen months in exile. Each month has been like a year, and that is sufficient fulfilment of your promise. You have agreed to remain incognito for a year after the twelve-year exile. How can this condition ever be fulfilled? Dhritarashtra's sons will find out our whereabouts through their spies, and then we will have to go into exile for another twelve years. Is that it? That was an unfair condition for the thirteenth year. How could you agree to it? How could the six of us ever remain unnoticed? Myself particularly, how can I be concealed? You might as well try to hide Mount Meru…. O King, now let us plan seriously….”

Yudhistira remained silent for a long time, and then said, “Apart from my promise and the bond thereon, it will not be practical for us to plunge into a conflict now. On his side,
Duryodhana has the support of Bhishma, Drona, and his son Aswathama. All the others, who speak favourably for us now, will join him should a conflict arise, since they are kept and sheltered by him. Furthermore, all the armies of the kings we have punished in our early campaigns will look for an opportunity to muster themselves for an attack against us. We must gather strength and support gradually until we can match our army with theirs. You and Arjuna are on our side, but Drona, his son Aswathama, and Karna, practically invincible men, are on their side. How are we to vanquish all those men? We have no chance of surviving a fight yet. I feel uneasy thinking of all this. I do not know what to do really….”

At this moment Vyasa arrived, and said, “Yudhistira, I read what passes in your mind, and am here to dispel your fears. There will come a time, be assured of it, when Arjuna will slay all your foes in battle. I will impart to you a mantra called Pratismriti, and that will help you. You will impart it to Arjuna, and let him go forth to meet the gods in their worlds and receive from each of them a special weapon. After he obtains them he will become invincible. Don't despair.” He took Yudhistira aside and asked him to go through a purificatory bath, and whispered the mantra in his ear. After that, Vyasa departed, tendering a parting advice. “You have stayed in Dwaitavana long enough. Now move on to another suitable place, and you will feel happier there. It is not pleasant to stay in any one place too long.”

Presently Yudhistira moved from Dwaitavana with his brothers and Draupadi to reside in Kamyakavana, which offered them a background of lovely lakes and woods. In due course, Yudhistira felt the time ripe to impart the secret mantra to Arjuna. On an auspicious day, after due preparations, he transferred the great mantra to Arjuna and gave him leave to acquire more weapons from Indra, Varuna,
Iswara, and other gods. Arjuna moved northward and soon reached the Vindhya Mountains, where he selected a spot and settled down to meditate.

Shiva appeared to Arjuna, first in the guise of a hunter and then in his true form, granted to him an astra called Pasupatha, and then vanished. Following him, Varuna, Yama, and Kubera came one after another and imparted the techniques of their different special weapons, assuring him success against the Kauravas.

Then on a mountain path he found a chariot waiting to carry him to Indra's city, Amaravathi. Being the son of Indra, he was received with all honours and entertained with music and dance by celestial beings. In due course Indra imparted to him the secrets of his weapons, and then suggested, “You will now learn music and dance, which you will find useful some day.” So a gandharva named Chitrasena tutored him in the arts.

During this period, the celestial courtesan Urvasi fell in love with Arjuna and, with Indra's sanction, set out to meet him at night dressed in transparent silk, anointed with perfumes. When she knocked on the door of Arjuna's abode, he received her with profound courtesy, declaring, “You are like my mother Kunthi or Madri….” at which Urvasi felt spurned and asked if he had no manliness left. He told her, “I am under an ascetic vow at this time in order to achieve certain aims and I cannot view you except as my mother.” She cursed him, “Since you have disregarded a woman who has been commanded by her lord and your father to please you, may you pass among women unnoticed and treated as a eunuch.” She flounced out in a rage. Later, Indra told him, “You have surpassed even the most austere rishis in exercising self-control. Urvasi's curse will bear fruit in the thirteenth year of your exile, when you will find it actually to be a blessing.”

At Kamyakavana, missing his company, Arjuna's brothers and wife felt depressed and restless. On the advice of Sage Narada, Yudhistira decided to go on a pilgrimage; to bathe in holy rivers and lakes and pray in all the sacred spots. The Pandavas began their pilgrimage westward, visiting Naimisha Forest on the banks of the Godavari, and then proceeded to the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna, where the gods were said to come down to perform tapas. They zig-zagged their way through the country, never missing a single mountain or river that had any sacred association. They could now forget their sorrows, although always feeling a perpetual emptiness in their hearts owing to Arjuna's absence. At the end of the twelfth year of exile, they had arrived at a certain spot in the Himalayas, where Arjuna rejoined them after an absence of five years. When he described to them the weapons he had acquired from the divine sources, their hopes rose again, and they began to discuss seriously how to win back their kingdom after the lapse of one more year of exile in disguise. At the end of the pilgrimage they returned to Kamyakavana.