AP 01
narayanam namas-krtya, naram caiva narottamam
devim sarasvatim vyasam, tato jayam udirayet
"Before reciting this Mahabharata, which is the very means of conquest, one should first offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Narayana, unto Nara-narayana Rsi, the supermost human being, unto mother Sarasvati, the goddess of learning, and unto Srila Vyasadeva, the author."
Suta Gosvami, son of Romaharsana, was widely renowned for his knowledge of the sacred histories called Puranas. Once he journeyed to the holy forest of Naimisaranya, where the learned Saunaka, assisted by strict and powerful sages, was conducting a twelve-year sacrifice. Humbly bowing his head, Suta approached the sages seated in the sacrificial arena, greeting them with folded hands, and then inquired about the progress of their austerities. The forest ascetics welcomed him into their midst, eager to hear the fascinating histories he knew so well.
As all the ascetics again sat down together, they offered Suta Gosvami the speaker's seat of honor, and he humbly accepted in deference to their request. Seeing that Suta was comfortable and well-rested, one of the sages, eager to begin their talks, inquired of him:
"Dear Suta, where are you coming from, and how have you been spending your time? O lotus-eyed one, please tell us."
Suta Gosvami replied:
I recently attended the sacrifice of the saintly King Janamejaya, who is a great soul among earthly rulers and a most worthy son of his great father, Pariksit. In that sacrifice King Janamejaya tried to destroy all the serpents in the universe in order to avenge his father's death. During the ceremony, the learned Vaisampayana spoke on various topics he had learned from his teacher, the great Krsna Dvaipayana. Being present, I heard many wonderful and pious stories known together as the Mahabharata.
Thereafter, I traveled about and visited many holy sites and sanctuaries, until at last I reached the sacred land of Samanta-pancaka, where many qualified brahmanas reside. In that very land some time ago, the great war between the Pandavas and Kurus and all the kings of the earth took place.
I then journeyed here to Naimisaranya, desiring to see all of you, whom I consider to be self-realized sages. Indeed, having purified yourselves by this sacrifice, you great souls shine like the sun or fire. You have chanted the proper hymns, ignited the sacred fire, and have thus become fixed in your real identity as spiritual beings. Dear brahmana, you have spent your lives well. On what subject would you now have me speak? Shall I narrate pious histories of antiquity, or shall we discuss universal principles of justice-- or perhaps the lives of great souls, the saintly kings and sages?
The sages replied:
We would like to hear that historical narrative which was first spoken by Srila Vyasadeva, the greatest of sages. Indeed, when the godly and wise hear this best of chronicles with its variety of topics and its exquisite composition, they instantly honor it. This sacred work known as the Mahabharata fulfills the very noblest aims of literature, for it is invested with subtlety, logic, and Vedic knowledge, enlivening the soul with the wisdom of many scriptures.
We would hear that work which Vaisampayana, on the order of Vyasadeva, joyfully narrated at the sacrifice of King Janamejaya. Vyasadeva himself, whose deeds are marvelous, considers the Mahabharata equal to all the four Vedas. Dear Suta, we wish to hear the glorious Mahabharata, which drives away the fear that flows from sin.
Suta replied:
Let me first pay my respectful obeisances unto the source of all that exists, the indestructible reality called by many names and praised in many prayers, the Absolute Truth, who is eternally present, although at times manifest and at times unmanifest. Unto Him I bow down.
Matter and spirit are His potencies, and therefore He is one with the universe. Yet He is transcendental and supreme, the prime creator of all things great and small. Standing above all, His power is never diminished.
My obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, who is celebrated as Visnu and who is the purest and most desireable being. Full of spiritual bliss, He enlivens each of us with His own happiness. That sinless one is called Hari, for He dispells His devotee's anxiety, and Hrsikesa, for He alone is the master of all the senses. He is the original teacher of all the creatures who move in this world and of those, like the trees, that cannot move.
I shall now narrate the complete epic as taught by Vyasadeva, that great and broadminded sage honored by all. Learned poets recited this chronicle in the past, others declare it even today, and still others will certainly recite it in times to come. This great teaching is firmly established in all the three worlds, and advanced scholars study its broad outline as well as its many details. The learned consider the Mahabharata a veritable pleasure to read, for it is embellished with beautiful language and a variety of charming meters, both divine and human.
To write this history Vyasadeva retired to a sanctified region, high in the Himalayas in a secluded mountain valley, fit for performing religious sacrifices, and he reflected deeply on how best to explain this great history to the people of the present age. Rising early and cleansing his body, and then taking his seat on a simple mat of kusa grass, Vyasadeva remained strictly celibate, peaceful, and pure, and entered into a state of yoga by linking his own consciousness with the Supreme Consciousness. Thus he beheld, within himself, all things.-
Vyasa could see that in the beginning of universal time, when the world was covered with darkness and nothing could be seen, there arose a single cosmic seed, round and potent like an egg, yet vast and indestructible, pregnant with the bodies of all creatures. As authorities have it, this divine instrument was the great principle of creation.
Within that single seed shown the eternal light of the Absolute Truth, primordial, wonderful, inconceivable, and everywhere the same. Housing both matter and spirit, it was the subtle and invisible cause of the universe.
From that same Absolute Truth the grandsire, Brahma, took birth, he who is the master of creatures and guru to the gods; who is known as Sthanu, Manu, Ka, and Paramesthi; [who arose directly from the spiritual body of Lord Maha-visnu.] Lord Siva, Manu, the ten Pracetas, and Daksa with his seven sons, also appeared, followed by the twenty-one Prajapatis. All of these gods are partial manifestations of the immeasureable Personality of Godhead. This is known to all enlightened philosophers.
Various demigods then took birth to assist the cosmic rule: the Visve-devas, the Adityas, the Vasus, and the twin Asvins. Among them, illustrious Vivasvan rules the fiery sun. Acting as the eye of God, he is also celebrated as Atma-vibhavasu, Savita, Rcika, Arka, Bhanu, Asavaha, and Ravi.
Mahya is the youngest son of the sun-god. Mahya's son is Devavrata, and Devavrata's son is Subhraj, who had three well- known sons named Dasajyoti, Satajyoti, and Sahasrajyoti, all of whom produced many children.
The great soul Dasajyoti (whose name means "Ten Lights") had ten thousand children. Satajyoti ("Hundred Lights") had children numbering one hundred thousand, and Sahasra-jyoti ("Thousand Lights") had a thousand times a thousand children.
From these godly beings, the great royal dynasties descended on the earth, dynasties like the Kurus, Yadus, and Bharatas, as well as the great dynasties of Yayati, Iksvaku, and many other saintly kings. Thus by the power of the Sun and his descendants, many civilizations flourished and found a home in this world.
Vyasadeva could thus see the complete history of the cosmos and all its mysterious inner workings, which he explained in the Mahabharata, that others might learn and profit. Vyasadeva understood that in this world souls pass through cycles of piety, prosperity, pleasure-seeking, and salvation. In his authoritative books of knowledge, he therefore explained how human beings could live piously, become prosperous, satisfy their desires, and at the same time make spiritual progress. The special mark of the Mahabharata, therefore, is its clear focus on all important aspects of human endeavor.
After expanding this great knowledge Vyasadeva then prepared a condensed version, because learned scholars in this world would study it both in summary as well as in detail. Some wise brahmanas study the Mahabharata from the opening stanza, while others begin from the story of Astika; still others begin with the story of King Uparicara.
Different thinkers illuminate different aspects of the work, some by expertly analyzing its meaning, others by committing the entire text to memory. But it was Vyasa, celibate and austere, who divided the eternal Veda and then composed this sacred history.
The sage Parasara begot Vyasa in the womb of the maiden Satyavati. Later, on the plea of his mother and his stepbrother Bhisma, the wise Vyasadeva, ever-strict in his vows, begot three sons in the childless widows of his stepbrother Vicitravirya, each of whom was as brilliant as fire. Having fathered the three Kuru princes, Dhrtarastra, Pandu, and Vidura, thoughtful Vyasa went to his own asrama and again dedicated himself to the practice of austerity. After the three Kuru princes matured and eventually went on to their final destinations, the same great sage told their story to all mankind by narrating the Mahabharata.
At the urging of Emperor Janamejaya and thousands of brahmanas, Vyasadeva taught this great history to his disciple Vaisampayana, who sat close by his teacher. Later, sitting in the learned assembly at Janamejaya's sacrifice, the sage Vaisampayana, after repeated requests, spoke the Mahabharata at intervals in the sacrifice.
This great chronicle, spoken by the exalted sage Vyasa, thus records the powerful growth of the Kuru dynasty, the extraordinary chastity of Gandhari, Vidura's wisdom, Kunti's determination, the glory of Sri Krsna, the unswerving fidelity of the Pandavas, and the wicked deeds of the sons of Dhrtarastra. The learned say that Vyasa first recorded the essential story of the Mahabharata, less the minor episodes, in 24,000 verses, summarizing the major events and sections of the history in a single chapter of 150 verses. He then taught the history to his own son Suka and to other qualified disciples.
The sage compiled versions of the Mahabharata for the demigods in six million verses and in three million verses. The forefathers received 1,500,000 verses, the Raksasas and Yaksas 1,400,000, and human society 100,000. Narada Muni revealed it to the demigods, Asita Devala to the forefathers, and Suka, the son of Vyasa, taught it to the Gandharvas and Yaksas.
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Full of anger, Duryodhana was like a great tree whose trunk was Karna, its branches Sakuni, its fully ripened fruits and flowers the evil Duhsasana, and its root King Dhrtarastra, who was not a thoughtful man.
The thoroughly just Yudhisthira was like a great tree whose trunk was Arjuna, its branches Bhimasena, its fully ripened fruits and flowers the twin sons of Madri, and its roots were Sri Krsna, knowledge of the Vedas, and saintly brahmanas.
After conquering many lands by his courage and fighting strength, King Pandu dwelled in the forest with his close associates, ever engaged in hunting, until one day he slew a deer couple who were mating. Thereafter he underwent much suffering, spending his life in the forest where he raised his sons from their birth.
Pandu was unable to beget children, thus his two wives gave him five sons by their contact with demigods. On Pandu's order, his first wife Kunti united with Dharma, god of justice; with Vayu, lord of the Wind; and with Indra, ruler of heaven., Arjuna performed a nearly impossible feat and stole her away in the midst of all the greatest warriors of the earth. From that time on Arjuna was honored as the best of bowmen. So brilliant was he on the battlefield that his opponents could not face him, just as they could not stare into the face of the blazing sun.
Many years later, after defeating all the earthly kings who were great and noble, Arjuna enabled his brother Yudhisthira to perform the exalted Rajasuya sacrifice, at which all present were fed sumptuously and gived valuable gifts. The Rajasuya sacrifice of King Yudhisthira was glorious in all respects.
By the good counsel of Lord Krsna and with the strength of Bhima and Arjuna, Yudhisthira arranged to kill Jarasandha, the evil monarch who was slaughtering thousands of innocent rulers. Thus the king performed his sacrifice without fear of harassment. During that great ceremony Lord Krsna took the life of the wicked Sisupala, who was insanely proud of his strength.
Fabulous wealth, jewelry, gems, and gold, valuable herds of cows, elephants, and fine horses, and all manner of opulence came to Duryodhana from all sides. But when Duryodhana saw that the Pandavas acquired the same opulence and riches, his jealousy drove him to deadly rage. And when he saw their unique assembly hall, as splendid as a celestial airship, created by the mystic craftsman Maya, Duryodhana burned in the flames of envy.
In that celestial hall Duryodhana became utterly confused, like an ordinary low-class fool, and slipped and fell in the presence of Lord Krsna and Bhimasena, who openly laughed at him. Soon thereafter Dhrtarastra understood that his son Duryodhana, though enjoying all varieties of wealth, was sick with jealousy and was steadily growing pale and thin.
Dhrtarastra was so attached to his son and so anxious to please him that he gave his permission for the crooked gambling match in which his sons would steal the Pandavas' kingdom. When Sri Krsna heard of it He was greatly angered, but He allowed the deceitful match to take place. As the terrible strife sown by Duryodhana grew between the cousin-brothers, Lord Krsna was not at all pleased, but He did not interfere until, finally, not heeding the pleas of Vidura, Drona, Bhisma, and Krpa, son of Saradvan, the Supreme Lord caused all the burdensome monarchs to destroy each other in the tumultuous war.
Hearing the dreaded news that the Pandavas had defeated his sons in mortal combat, Dhrtarastra could not deny that his eldest son Duryodhana, together with Karna and Sakuni, had provoked the catastrophic war between the cousin-brothers. For a long time Dhrtarastra struggled to understand his great loss, and then at last spoke these words to his intimate secretary, Sanjaya:
"Please, Sanjaya, hear all that I have to say, and do not blame me for all that has happened. You are an intelligent and educated man; the wisest men trust your judgement. Sanjaya, I did not want the war! I did not want to destroy our Kuru dynasty. I knew that there was no difference between my own sons and those of Pandu, but my sons were always so angry and so displeased with me, an old, blind man. Out of weakness and attachment, I tolerated their wicked deeds.
"Duryodhana had no sense of right and wrong, yet whenever he went astray I followed him. When he beheld the opulence of the mighty Pandava king at the Rajasuya sacrifice and then suffered such ridicule during his tour of the new assembly hall, he simply could not tolerate it. He did not have the strength to defeat the Pandavas in battle, nor did he have the initiative and ingenuity to personally acquire opulence as the Pandavas had done. And thus, like a man unworthy to be a warrior, he plotted with the Gandhara king to steal the Pandavas' fortune in an unjust gambling match.
"O Sanjaya, please hear me! All along I understood so many things. Listen to my words, and you will see that I am a reasonable man, that although I am blind, I do have a certain eye of wisdom.
"When I heard that Arjuna had strung the wonderful bow and struck the hidden target, which then fell to the earth, and that he had carried away the lovely Draupadi as all the kings of the earth looked on, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Arjuna had even carried away Lord Krsna's sister, by force, from the city of Dvaraka, and that Krsna and Balarama did not oppose him, but rather went to the Pandavas' city of Indraprastha to celebrate the marriage, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Arjuna with celestial arrows had withstood in battle the king of the demigods, repulsing his angry rain, and had offered the entire Khandava forest as a gift to the god of fire, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Yudhisthira, though utterly defeated, his kingdom stolen by Saubala in a game of dice, was nevertheless faithfully followed into exile by his brothers, who possessed immeasurable strength, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Draupadi, pained and grieving, her throat choked with tears, had been dragged into the Kuru assembly wrapped in a single cloth, and that she who is always protected by Lord Krsna was insulted there as if the lowest of women, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that the Pandavas had all gone to the forest, accepting the pain of exile out of love for their eldest brother, and that even in exile those virtuous souls had performed extraordinary deeds, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Yudhisthira, the king of justice, had departed for the forest and was immediately followed there by thousands of learned brahmanas, all of them humble mendicants and great souls, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that the three-eyed Siva, god of gods, had come disguised as a lowly Kirata hunter, and that Arjuna fought him and so pleased him that he awarded Arjuna his own mighty weapon, the Pasupata, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Arjuna had actually gone to the heavenly planets and there learned from Indra himself the use of unfailing celestial weapons, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Bhima and the other sons of Prtha had gone with Vaisravana to that land where no man could possibly go, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that my own sons, in taking the advice of Karna and going to visit the remote herdsmen, had all been captured by the Gandharvas, only to be set free by Arjuna, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Dharma, the god of justice, had come in the guise of a Yaksa to speak with Yudhisthira, who is known as Dharma-raja, the king of justice, and that Yudhisthira perfectly answered Dharma's most puzzling questions, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that my sons could not recognize the Pandavas, who, with Draupadi, were living in disguise in the kingdom of Virata, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that the sons of Prtha had become so clever --indeed as difficult to grasp as fire --that by so many means they had eluded my sons, who could neither find nor see them, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Bhimasena, defending his dear Draupadi, had slain the greatest of the Kicakas along with his hunred brothers, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that the great soul Arjuna, dwelling in disguise in the kingdom of Virata, had broken in battle the very best of my men, while fighting alone on a single chariot, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that the King of Matsya had offered his virtuous daughter Uttara to Arjuna, who accepted her not for himself but for his son, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Yudhisthira, utterly defeated in a game of dice, penniless, and banished to the forest with nary a friend or ally, suddenly had command of a mighty force of seven full aksauhini armies, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard from the great sage Narada that Krsna and Arjuna were not ordinary human beings at all, but in fact the two great beings known as Nara and Narayana, and when Narada told me, 'Yes, I always see them in the highest planet of the universe,' I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Lord Krsna, the husband of the goddess of fortune, had wholeheartedly taken the side of the Pandava's, that same Sri Krsna who had once crossed the universe in a single step, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Lord Krsna, desiring to make peace for the benefit of the whole world, had approached the Kurus and begged for peace and had gone away without fulfilling His purpose, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Karna and Duryodhana had made up their minds to subdue Lord Krsna, even after He had revealed Himself in so many ways to be the Supreme Soul of the universe, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that the Pandavas' mother Pritha, seeing that Lord Krsna was departing, had stood alone desperately in front of His chariot, begging for His help, and that Lord Krsna had comforted her, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Lord Krsna and Grandfather Bhisma were personally acting as advisors to the Pandavas, and that even the acarya Drona conferred blessings upon them, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Karna had said to Bhisma, 'As long as you are fighting on our side, I shall not fight,' and that he had left the army and gone away, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Lord Krsna, Arjuna, and the invincible Gandiva bow--- all three possessing terrifying strength--- were standing united together, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Arjuna had become overwhelmed by despair and sank down in his chariot, unable to fight, but that Lord Krsna had showed him all the worlds within His own transcendental body, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Bhisma, the tormentor of enemies, was killing ten thousand chariot warriors a day on the battlefield, but that he did not slay a single Pandava, although they were standing there plainly visible before him, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Bhisma himself, ever resigned to God's will, had indicated the means by which he could be killed, and that the Pandavas had understood the clue and happily carried out his execution, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that invincible Bhisma, the greatest hero of all, had been slain on the battlefield by Arjuna, who placed Sikhandi in front as a shield, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that mighty Bhisma, having reduced the race of the Somakas to but a few men, had been brought down by Arjuna's brilliant shafts, and that the eldest warrior had simply lain down upon a bed of arrows, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Bhisma, son of Ganga, was troubled by thirst as he lay on the bed of arrows, and Arjuna understood and immediately pierced the earth with an arrow, bringing forth water for him to drink, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that even the demigods who rule the sun and fire were favorable to the Pandavas and steadily committed to their success, while emboldened beasts of prey stalked and frightened our own soldiers, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Drona, that beautiful fighter, had wielded his weapons in many skillful ways but could not slay the Pandavas, who were the chief of the opposing fighters, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that our allies the Samsaptakas, the most deadly of warriors, who swore to finish the life of Arjuna, had been slain by that very Arjuna, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that our army had formed an impenetrable phalanx, guarded by the great Drona with weapons in hand, but that Abhimanyu, Subhadra's young heroic son, had singlehandedly broken through the formation and fearlessly entered our ranks, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that all our best fighters could not slay Arjuna, but rather had surrounded his son Abhimanyu, who was but a child, and slew him and rejoiced, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that upon killing Abhimanyu my own foolish sons had cried out in joy, and that Arjuna had unleashed his awful wrath on Saindhava, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Arjuna had taken a solemn vow to slay the instigator Saindhava and had made true his word, even in the midst of his enemies, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Arjuna's horses, being exhausted, were untied on the battlefield by his chariot driver, Lord Krsna, and given water, and that when they had recovered Krsna had again yoked them and set out for battle, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that even with his horses unyoked and breathing heavily with fatigue, Arjuna stood firm on his chariot, driving off all the enemy soldiers with his Gandiva bow, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Yuyudhana, the Vrsni hero, had violently harassed the army of Drona and its invincible elephant legions, and then returned safely to where Krsna and Arjuna were standing, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Karna had the powerful Bhima's life in his hands, but that instead of killing him, had merely insulted him with words and struck him with the corner of his bow, and then set him free, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Drona, Krtavarma, Krpa, Karna, Asvatthama, and the courageous king of Madra had all stood by while Saindhava was killed, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Lord Krsna had so bewildered Karna that he hurled his ultimate weapon, the celestial sakti given him by Indra, against the ghastly Ghatotkaca, who was born of a man-eating mother, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that in his fight with Ghatotkaca Karna had released his sakti weapon actually meant to kill Arjuna, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Dhrstadyumna had violated the sacred warrior code and cut down Dronacarya, who was alone in his chariot and resolved upon death, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Madri's son Nakula, locked in single combat with the son of Drona, had matched him in battle in the presence of everyone and had driven circles around him with his chariot, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that upon the death of Drona, his crazed son had released the dreaded nuclear weapon, Narayanastra, but still could not bring an end to the Pandavas, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Karna, that most extraordinary warrior virtually invincible in combat, had been slain by Arjuna in a war between brothers even the gods could not comprehend, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Asvatthama, Krpa, Duhsasana, and Krtavarma together had been unable to overwhelm Yudhisthira, who was standing alone, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that the Madra king, that great hero who always challenged Lord Krsna in battle, had been killed in combat by Yudhisthira, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Saubala, that wicked and powerful mystic who had fomented strife through the false gambling match, had been struck down in battle by Sahadeva, son of Pandu, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Duryodhana, exhausted and all alone, had entered a lake and made his shelter there within its waters, his pride shattered, bereft even of his chariot, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that the sons of Pandu had stood on the shore of that Ganges lake and together with Lord Krsna had rebuked my son, who could not tolerate offense, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that my son Duryodhana, engaged in a deadly fight with clubs, had skillfully demonstrated his repertoire of techniques, only to be struck down by the treacherous plan of Lord Krsna, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Drauni (Asvatthama) and his accomplices had heinously murdered the five young sons of Draupadi in their sleep, even daring to perform such an infamous act, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Asvatthama, pursued by Bhimasena, had angrily launched a missle bearing the most deadly weapon, which he aimed at the young and pregnant Uttara, the last female descendant in the Pandava line, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"When I heard that Arjuna nullified Asvatthama's great weapon with a similar weapon, which he had empowered simply by vibrating the sound svasti! and that he proceeded to slash the jewel from the culprit's head, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
When I heard that Asvatthama was destroying the embryo of Princess Uttara with powerful weapons, and that Vyasadeva and Lord Krsna both cursed him, one after the other, with strong curses, I knew then, Sanjaya, that I had no hope for victory.
"O Sanjaya, my poor wife, Gandhari, is to be pitied, for she has lost her sons and grandsons. And I grieve for all the women who have lost their fathers and brothers.
"Only the sons of Pandu could have done what they did. Vanquishing all who plotted against them, they regained their rightful kingdom. Yet it is so painful, Sanjaya, to hear that only ten warriors have survived, that a mere three of our men and seven on the Pandavas' side are all that remain of two mighty armies, that the battle has exhausted the lives of eighteen full aksauhini divisions.
"O Sanjaya, my mind is reeling and I cannot find my reason. Darkness spreads all around me and confusion overwhelms me."
Having spoken thus, the griefstricken Dhrtarastra cried out many times. Nearly unconscious with pain, his chest heaving with long breaths, he again spoke to Sanjaya.
"I want to give up my life, Sanjaya. I have no reason to live."
When Dhrtarastra, who had once ruled the world, was thus speaking and lamenting so wretchedly, the wise Sanjaya spoke to him words of profound meaning.
"Undoubtedly you have heard from Sri Vyasadeva and the wise Narada about kings of great courage and strength who were born in dynasties endowed with all good qualities. They were kings who fought with celestial weapons and who thus were equal in strength to Lord Indra, kings who conquered the world fairly, following the moral law and offering their acquired riches in holy sacrifices, giving generous gifts to all the people. Such kings earned their fame in this world, but even they came under the deadly grip of time.
"There was the heroic Prthu, a great chariot fighter who alone could battle thousands of warriors, and Srnjaya, who stands out among conquerors. There was Suhotra, Rantideva, and the fiery Kaksivan, Ausija; Bahlika, Damana, Saibya, Saryati, Ajita, and Jita, Visvamitra, destroyer of enemies, and the greatly powerful Ambarisa. There was Marutta, Manu, Iksvaku, Gaya, and of course Bharata. And too there was Rama, son of Dasaratha, Sasabindu, and Bhagiratha. And the pious King Yayati, engaged by the demigods, performed so many opulent sacrifices that the entire earth, with her abundant forests, came to be marked with sacrificial pillars and shrines. Formerly the celestial sage Narada described these same twenty-four kings to Saibya, who was lamenting the loss of his son.
"There were other kings besides these who were the strongest of men- magnificent chariot fighters and great souls fully endowed with all good qualities. There were Puru, Kuru, Yadu, Sura, Visvagasva of great determination, Anena, Yuvanasva, Kakutstha, Vikrami, and Raghu. There were also Vijiti, Vitihotra, Bhava, Sveta, Brhadguru, Usinara, Sataratha, Kanka, Duliduha, and Druma.
"There were Dambhodbhava, Para, Vena, Sagara, Sankrti, Nimi, Ajeya, Parasu, Pundra, Sambhu, the sinless Devavrdha, Devahvaya, Supratima, Supratika, Brhadratha, Mahotsaha, Vinitatma, Sukratu, and Nala, king of the Nisadas.
"There were Satyavrata, Santabhaya, Sumitra, and the lordly Subala; Janujangha, Anaranya, Arka, Priyabhrtya, and Subhavrata; Balabandhu, Niramarda, Ketusrnga, and Brhadbala; Dhrstaketu, Brhatketu, Diptaketu, Niramaya; Aviksit, Prabala, Dhurta, Krtabandhu, and Dhrdhesudhi; Mahapurana, Sambhavya, Pratyanga, Paraha, and Sruti.
"These and many other earthly monarchs, hundreds and thousands and tens of thousands of them, are all heard about and discussed in this world. These intelligent and powerful kings, the greatest men of their times, passed away from this world leaving behind vast resources, just as your own sons have done. These kings performed godly acts and possessed courage, detachment, and firm faith in God. They were great men who were honest, pure, and straightforward in their dealings. That is why the best and saintliest poets, sages, and historians have all recorded their deeds. Yet even these exalted monarchs, men of wealth and character, still passed away from this world.
"Your sons were wicked and greedy men who burned with needless anger and constantly embroiled themselves in wicked deeds. You should not lament for them, O descendant of Bharata, for you are an intelligent and educated man, a person of discrimination appreciated by the learned. Surely you know that one's intelligence is never bewildered when it follows the dictates of scripture. As you know, there is reward and punishment in this world, O King, and therefore authorities recommend that we not be obsessive in our attempts to protect our children.
"You should not lament for that which is destined to be. Who is so intelligent that he can stop destiny? Surely no one can overcome the course of events that has already been established by the Creator, for time and destiny are the expression of His will. Indeed, time is the basis of the entire world, because by the power of time all things are born and die. Thus we enjoy or suffer.
"Time devours all material bodies and carries away all living beings. Time is like a fire that consumes all creatures, and time itself extinguishes that fire. In this world time transforms all states of existence, both the auspicious and the inauspicious. Time steals away all creatures and then manifests them again in due course of time. No one can stop time as it moves impartially among all creatures. You are not an ordinary man, Dhrtarastra, and therefore you should not forsake your true wisdom. You must remember that all things past, all things that exist at present, and all things that are yet to come are in the grip of time."
Suta Goswami said:
Sanjaya, son of Gavalgana, spoke thus to King Dhrtarastra, who was grieving for his dead children. Consoling him with learned instructions, Sanjaya brought the king to his true consciousness.
Krsna Dvaipayana, Srila Vyasadeva, in composing this sacred literature the Mahabharata, has narrated the full history of all these events. A faithful person who devoutly studies even one verse of the Mahabharata is fully purified of all his sins. The Mahabharata tells of virtuous deeds performed by godly sages and self-realized and saintly kings, and it describes mystic Yaksas and celestial serpents. It glorifies the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, who, though eternal, appears as the son of King Vasudeva.
Sri Krsna is truth itself and He is the path that leads to that truth, for He is the supremely pure and the very means of purification. He is the Supreme Absolute Truth, ever-fresh yet unchanging, the everlasting light. He performs transcendental activities, which learned sages then narrate to the whole world.
Cause and effect, spirit and matter, all emanate from the Supreme Godhead alone. He is the origin, and He is the goal, the extent, and sequence of all things. He is birth and death, and He is the life that follows death.
It is to be understood that He is the Supreme Spirit, yet He expands Himself into the material creation of earth, water, fire, air, and ether. Thus by His energy the qualities of goodness, passion, and ignorance are manifested. Yet He is beyond the material creation of subtle and gross matter, and it is He alone who is to be celebrated. The best of the self-controlled sages, absorbed in transcendence and meditating on Him with great yogic power, see that same Supreme Soul within their purified hearts as one sees a reflection in a spotless mirror.
A faithful man always endeavoring on the spiritual path, devoted to the discipline that leads to knowledge, can become freed of sin by careful study of this chapter of the Mahabharata. This chapter is a brief introduction to the substance of the entire epic, and therefore one who hears the entire chapter, while sincerely believing its message, will never be disheartened by the troubles of life. One who regularly recites this chapter at sunrise and at sunset is freed at once from all the sins he has committed in all his days and nights.
Just as fresh butter is the best product of raw milk, or as a saintly brahmana is the best of all two-legged creatures, so this introduction to the Mahabharata, which reveals the highest truth, is the essence of the entire work and is pleasing like nectar. Indeed, as the ocean is the greatest among bodies of water, or as the milk-giving cow is the most valuable creature among quadrupeds, so among all historical epics the Mahabharata is the greatest.
One who recites this chapter for the pleasure of brahmanas at the sraddha ceremony greatly benefits his forefathers, who thus receive perpetual offerings of sacred food and drink, freeing them of all kinds of suffering due them because of their past sins.
Learned scholars enhance their knowledge of the Veda by studying the histories and the Puranas. In fact, the Veda personified is critical of those of small learning who directly approach the Vedas without having understood the great histories and Puranas. The Veda thinks, "Lacking proper study, this so-called scholar will pass over my real meaning and thus deceive himself and others."
One who has learned this Krsna-Veda and who speaks it to others will enjoy a prosperous life and undoubtedly become free of reactions to his past sinful deeds, even that of having killed a child in the womb.
Thus I conclude that one who cleanses his body and, with a pure mind, studies this chapter, section by section, actually studies the entire Mahabharata. And thus one who with full faith regularly hears this work of the sages attains a long life, fame, and at last promotion to the heavenly planets.
Once, the godly sages placed the four Vedas on one side of a scale, and on the other side they placed a single text, the Mahabharata. Both in greatness and weight the Bharata was superior. Being therefore greater than the four Vedas--with all their mysteries--this work came to be known henceforth throughout the world as the Mahabharata (for the word maha means "great"). One who thus understands the purport of the name Mahabharata becomes free of all sinful reactions.
It is not wrong to perform austerity; nor is study of the scriptures a bad thing. Following the strictures of the Vedas according to one's nature is not wrong; nor is it wrong to acquire wealth by strong endeavor. But all these endeavors are actually harmful when they lead us away from our real, spiritual nature.
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The sages said:
In the beginning of your discourse, you mentioned the holy place known as Samanta-pancaka. We would like to hear the details of that site. What is its actual history?
Suta Goswami replied:
Dear learned brahmanas, if you desire to hear me narrate truly auspicious topics, then, O saintly ones, listen to the story of Samanta-pancaka. In the juncture between the second and third great ages, or the Treta and Dvapara yugas, when evil kings ruled the world, Lord Parasu-rama, as brilliant as fire, appeared in this world and in great anger repeatedly slew the wicked monarchs, until by His own power he had destroyed all the kings of the earth. Rama killed so many monarchs at Samanta-pancaka that their blood alone formed five big lakes.
Still shaking with anger over the sins of the wicked kings who had cruelly murdered his father, Lord Rama then worshiped His departed father and forefathers with devotional offerings in which He showed them the blood of the slain tyrants. This we have heard from authorities. Lord Rama's forefathers, headed by Rcika, then approached Lord Rama, the best of the brahmanas, and convinced Him to forgive the royal order, whereupon the Lord desisted from His violent campaign.
The Lord had created five lakes with the blood of the slain rulers, and the pure land surrounding those bloody lakes came to be widely celebrated as Samanta-pancaka, or "that which surrounds the five," for the learned have stated that a region should be named for its visible features [gradually the lakes filled with clear water]. Then, at the juncture of the third and fourth ages, or the Dvapara and Kali yugas, in that most virtuous and sacred place, free of the deficiencies of ordinary places, a war took place between the Kuru and Pandava armies, and eighteen great aksauhini divisions assembled there to fight.
Thus, learned brahmanas, I have explained to you how that pure and charming land was named. Indeed, noble thinkers, I have explained to you in full how that area became widely renowned throughout the three planetary systems.
The sages said:
O Suta, you have just mentioned a military division known as an aksauhini. We would like to hear a full explanation of its size in terms of chariots, horses, men, and elephants. Undoubtedly you know all these things.
Suta Goswami replied:
Authorites state that a small military unit consisting of one chariot, one elephant, five footsoldiers, and three cavalry soldiers is called a patti.
Three pattis form one sena-mukha.
Three sena-mukhas form one gulma.
Three gulmas constitute one gana.
Three ganas form a vahini.
Three vahinis make up a prtana.
Three prtanas are equal to one camu.
Three camus form an anikini.
And ten anikinis constitute an aksauhini.
O best of brahmanas, learned authorities thus say that within an aksauhini, there are a total of 21,870 chariots, and the full census of elephants is again 21,870. O sinless ones, the aksauhini is know to comprise 109,350 infantry men, and the count for cavalry is given at 65,610.
Authoritative persons, learned in such computations, have stated that this, in total, is an aksauhini, and I have explained it to you in detail, O noble twice-born. With such a count, O saintly ones, there were a little more than eighteen such aksauhinis between the Kuru and Pandava legions. Meeting at Samanta-pancaka, they lost their lives and fortunes. The Kaurava kings thus became an instrument of time, which acts in extraordinary ways.
For ten days that supreme knower of weapons, Bhisma, led the Kuru army. Then for five days, Drona protected the Kuru ranks. Karna, punisher of enemies, led the Kurus for two days. For half a day, Salya became the Kuru chief, and for half a day, Bhima and Duryodhana engaged in a mortal club fight. At the end of that half day, Hardikya, Asvatthama, and Gautama murdered Yudhisthira's unsuspecting army as it slept in the dead of night.
Here at Saunaka's sacrifice I shall recite the full Mahabharata from the very beginning, just as Vyasa's learned disciple recited it at the sacrifice of Janamejaya. Just as those seeking liberation seriously cultivate detachment, so the learned devote themselves to the study of this history.
As among things to be known the self is most important, or as life is most dear among dear things, so this profound history is uniquely attractive among all sacred writings. As all speech, both Vedic and worldly, is made entirely of vowels and consonants, so is this book invested throughout with the finest design and reason, having been richly composed by an enlightened sage. Now please hear a summary of its divisions.
1. A summary of the contents in one hundred parts
2. An additional summary of eighteen principle divisions
3. Pausya
4. Pauloma
5. The story of the brahmana Astika
6. Descent of the first created beings
7. Origins, a wondrous narration prepared by the gods
8. The burning of the house of lac
9. The killing of the demon Hidimba
10. The killing of the demon Baka
11. The Gandharva king Citraratha
12. The godly princess Pancali selects a groom
13. After the rival kings are defeated, she marries according to the warrior code
14. The coming of Vidura
15. Gaining a kingdom
16. Arjuna dwells in the forest
17. The kidnapping of Princess Subhadra
18. Bringing the dowry
19. The burning of the Khandava forest and the meeting with the mystic Maya
20. The assembly hall
21. Council is given
22. The killing of Jarasandha
23. World conquest
24. The Raja-suya sacrifice
25. Offerings for guests
26. The killing of Sisupala
27. The gambling match
28. The sequel to the gambling match
29. Life in the forest
30. The killing of Kirmira
31. Arjuna fights with Lord Siva, who comes disguised as a hunter
32. Traveling to the planet of Indra
33. The wise Kuru king travels to holy places
34. The killing of the demon Jatasura
35. Battle with the Yaksas
36. The story of the python
37. The meeting with the sage Markandeya
38. Talks between the two queens Draupadi and Satyabhama
39. The excursion to see the herds
40. The dream of the deer
41. The Vrihi-draunika story
42. Saindhava steals Draupadi from the forest
43. Stealing the earrings
44. Araneya parva
45. Virata
46. The killing of the Kicakas
47. The Kauravas attempt to steal King Virata's cows
48. The marriage of Abhimanyu with Vairati
49. The great endeavor, full of wonders
50. The coming of Sanjaya
51. Dhrtarastra's sleeplessness caused by anxiety
52. The story of Sanat-sujata, which explains the intimate truths of the soul
53. Endeavoring for peace
54. The Supreme Lord's journey
55. The dispute of the great-spirited Karna
56. The Kuru and Pandava armies set out for battle
57. The warriors and the greater (Ati-ratha) warriors
58. The messenger Uluka arrives and infuriates the Pandavas
59. The story of the princess Amba
60. The amazing installation of Bhisma as commander-in- chief
61. The creation of the region of Jambu
62. The earth and its great islands
63. Lord Krsna speaks the Bhagavad-gita
64. The killing of Bhisma
65. Drona is installed as Kuru commander-in-chief
66. The killing of the Samsaptaka warriors
67. The killing of Abhimanyu
68. Arjuna vows to kill Jayadratha
69. The killing of Jayadratha
70. The killing of Ghatotkaca
71. The hair-raising account of the killing of Dronacarya
72. The release of the dreaded Narayana weapon
73. The last days of Karna
74. The last days of Salya
75. Entering the lake
76. The deadly fight with clubs
77. The sacred river Sarasvati, and the special qualities of sacred places
78. The grisly murder of the sleeping warriors
79. The harrowing tale of the Aisika weapon
80. The offering of water to the departed kin
81. The grief of the women
82. The funeral ceremony for departed kin, and the future lives of the slain Kurus
83. Wise Yudhisthira, king of virtue, consecrated as the world's leader
84. The Raksasa Carvaka, disguised as a brahmana, is cut down
85. Distribution of homes
86. Peace and the duties and ethics of kings
87. Duties and ethics in times of trouble
88. Duties and disciplines for the soul's salvation
89. Teachings
90. The wise Bhisma ascends to heaven
91. The Asvamedha sacrifice: a story that destroys all reactions of previous sins
92. The Anugita, which explains spiritual philosophy
93. Living in the asrama
94. Meeting the sons
95. The arrival of the illustrious sage Narada
96. The ghastly incident of the iron club fully described
97. The great departure
98. The ascent to the spiritual planets
99. The supplement known as Hari-vamsa, which describes the childhood activities of Lord Krsna
100. Great and wonderful descriptions of future events
The great soul Vyasadeva narrated these one hundred sections in full, and the son of Romaharsana, Suta Goswami, again described these same contents to the sages at Naimisaranya, dividing them, however, into eighteen divisions, as follows:
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1. Adi-parva, The Beginning:
The first section of the Adi-parva, known as Pausya, narrates the glories of Uttanka, and the Pauloma section fully describes the expansion of the Bhrgu dynasty. Next, the Astika section explains the origin of all snakes and of the great Garuda; the churning of the milk ocean; the birth of the celestial steed Uccaihsrava; tales of the great Bharata kings related at Janamejaya's snake sacrifice; and the origin of various kings and sages and of the great sage Vyasa.
The section entitled Descent of the First Created Beings describes the origin of demigods, Daityas, Danavas, and Yaksas. This section also tells the origin of Naga serpents, snakes, Gandharvas, birds, and various other creatures. The story of the Vasus tells how these great souls were forced to take birth from the womb of goddess Ganga in the house of King Santanu and how they regained their position in heaven. All the Vasus invested a portion of their potency in a single Vasu, and that one took birth as Bhisma, who later renounced his father's kingdom, taking the difficult vow of celibacy, which he kept with great determination. Bhisma's younger step-brother Citrangada assumed the Kuru throne under Bhisma's guidance, but when the young monarch was killed, Bhisma installed Citrangada's younger brother Vicitravirya as king and took care of him.
The first book also tells how Srila Vyasa, to keep his promise to his mother, begot Dhrtarastra, Pandu, and Vidura, who was actually Dharma, lord of justice, forced to take birth as a human being by the curse of the sage Mandavya-of-the-lance. Also described are the births of Pandu's sons, their journey to Varanavata, the wicked plotting of their cousin Duryodhana to kill them, and their effort to escape, based on Vidura's wise counsel, through a secret underground tunnel.
The first book also narrates the meeting of the Pandavas with the demoness Hidimba in the frightful forest; the birth of Ghatotkaca from that forest encounter; the Pandava's activities while living incognito in the house of a brahmana; and the slaying of the monstrous Baka, which amazed the brahmana and all the inhabitants of his city.
Also described in this book are the births of lovely Draupadi and her fiery twin brother, Dhrstadyumna. Hearing about her from a brahmana and encouraged as well by the words of Srila Vyasa, the Pandavas decided to win Draupadi's hand in marriage. They eagerly sett out for the kingdom of Pancala, which was ruled by Draupadi's father, to compete at her svayamvara ceremony, where she was to choose her husband.
On the way, Arjuna defeated the Gandharva king Angaraparna on the banks of the Ganges. Having formed a lasting friendship with him, and having heard many stories from him, Arjuna then traveled on with all his brothers towards the kingdom of the Pancalas. Narrated in this section are the excellent stories of Tapatya, Vasistha, and Aurva.
In the city of Pancala, Arjuna alone among all the kings of the earth could pierce an exceptionally difficult target with his arrow, thus winning Draupadi's hand. The losing kings, headed by Karna and Salya, were furious, but Bhima and Arjuna defeated them in a great battle. Seeing the unfathomable, superhuman prowess of Bhima and Arjuna, Lord Krsna and His elder brother, Lord Balarama, recognized them as the the sons of Pandu, even though all of the Pandavas were carefully disguised as brahmanas. The great minded brothers, Krsna and Balarama, then went to visit the sons of Pandu at their lodgings in the house of a potter. The amazing story of the five Indras is also told.
King Drupada puzzled over the fact that his daughter Draupadi was to marry all five Pandava brothers, but Lord Siva had blessed her to enjoy an extraordinary marriage.
Dhrtarastra sent Vidura to see the Pandavas, and upon his arrival Vidura also met with Lord Krsna. To prevent a quarrel between the Pandavas and Kurus, the kingdom was divided, and the Pandavas went to live in the city of Khandava-prasta. Thereafter comes the story of Sunda and Upasunda. By the order of Narada Muni the five brothers agreed to spend equal time alone with their lovely wife Draupadi (each brother swore that if he ever intruded when another brother was with Draupadi, the intruding brother would voluntarily accept banishment).
Soon thereafter, when the eldest brother, Yudhisthira, was alone with Draupadi, Arjuna unavoidably entered their room to get a weapon that he needed to help a saintly brahmana. After rescuing the stolen property of the brahmana, Arjuna, determined to honor the Pandavas' mutual pact, left the royal palace and went alone to the forest.
Next comes the story of Arjuna's union with the princess Ulupi, whom he met on the path while dwelling in the forest; after that, Arjuna's pilgrimage to many sacred spots and the birth of Babruvahana are described. During that time Arjuna saved five apsaras who have been cursed by an ascetic brahmana to take birth as crocodiles.
Arjuna then met with Lord Krsna at the holy land of Prabhasa-ksetra and went with Him to His capital of Dvaraka, (a fabulous city built on the surface of the ocean). While there Arjuna fell in love with Krsna's lovely young sister, Subhadra, and Subhadra also fell in love with Arjuna. Taking Lord Krsna's permission, Arjuna eloped with her, and Lord Krsna, son of Devaki, brought a dowery for His new brother-in-law. Upon arriving at the Pandava's capital (Khandavaprastha, also known as Indraprastha), Sri Krsna acquired His famous whirling weapon, the Sudarsana disc, and Arjuna acquired his famous Gandiva bow. The Khandava forest was burned to ashes, and Subhadra gave birth to mighty Abhimanyu. Arjuna saved the great mystic Maya from the fiery forest, while a special serpent escaped. The great sage Mandapala begot a son in the womb of the bird Sarngi. All these and many other stories are elaborately explained in the Adi-parva, the first book of the Mahabharata.
The liberated sage Srila Vyasadeva affirms that this book contains 218 chapters composed of 7,984 verses.
2. Sabha Parva, The Great Assembly:
The second book, Sabha-parva, describes many events. The Pandavas establish their magnificent assembly hall and meet with their servants; the sage Narada, who can see God, describes the assembly hall of the demigods; preparations begin for the great Raja-suya sacrifice, and wicked Jarasandha is killed; all the kings whom Jarasandha had cruelly imprisoned in a mountain cave are released by Sri Krsna; the Pandavas' extraordinary wealth, visible in the Raja-suya sacrifice, frustrates and angers Duryodhana; Bhima laughs when Duryodhana slips on the assembly hall floor, and the enraged Duryodhana plots to ruin the Pandavas in a gambling match; crooked Sakuni defeats Yudhisthira in a dishonest gambling match; when the Pandavas are drowning in the sea of gambling, Draupadi, like a sturdy boat, pulls them out of that ocean; King Duryodhana, seeing that the Pandavas have been saved, calls them to participate in yet another false game of chance.
The great soul Vyasa has elaborately explained all these incidents in the Mahabharata's second book, which contains 72 chapters and 2,511 verses.
3. Aranyaka Parva, Life in the Forest:
The auspicious third book contains the following stories: the faithful citizens follow the wise Yudhisthira to the forest; all the Vrsnis and Pancalas come to see the Pandavas in exile; Saubha is slain; Kirmira is slain; hearing that Sakuni has cheated the Pandavas in a game of dice, Lord Krsna is furious, but Arjuna calms His anger; Draupadi laments before Lord Krsna, and Lord Krsna consoles her with encouraging words; Arjuna goes off in search of weapons; Lord Krsna escorts His sister, Subhadra, and her young son to Dvaraka, and Dhrstadyumna similarly escorts the sons of Draupadi; the Pandavas enter the enchanting Dvaita forest; King Yudhisthira converses with Draupadi; Yudhisthira converses with Bhimasena; Srila Vyasa comes to see the sons of Pandu and reveals to King Yudhisthira a special science of recollection; Vyasadeva leaves and the Pandavas travel to the Kamyaka forest; Arjuna fights with Lord Siva, who appears in the guise of a hunter; Arjuna ascends to the heavenly planets and meets the leaders of the universe.
The third book also describes the following: King Yudhisthira, grieving over his misfortune, meets the great and enlightened sage Brhadasva and pours out the story of his suffering; in response, Yudhisthira hears the most pious and moving story of King Nala, whose wife Damayanti remained steadily devoted during King Nala's severe tribulations; the sage Lomasa descends from the heavenly planets to the Pandavas, who are living in the forest, and brings them news that Arjuna has reached the heavenly region; -the sage delivers a message from Arjuna; based on this message sent from the higher planets, the Pandavas begin to visit sacred places to purify themselves and acquire the power of righteousness; the great sage Narada goes on pilgrimage to the hermitage of Pulastya; the demon Jata is killed.
Draupadi engages Bhimasena, who goes to Gandha-madana and there violates a lotus pond in order to acquire a Mandara flower. He also fights a great battle there with the bold and mighty Raksasas and Yaksas, who are led by Maniman. Next comes the narration of the sage Agastya, who eats up Vatapi and then has union with Lopamudra to beget a son. Then is told the story of the hawk and the pigeon, wherein Lords Indra, Agni, and Dharma test King Sibi.
The story is told of the young, celibate student Rsyasrnga, and of the son of Jamadagni, Lord Parasu-rama of awesome and fiery strength. In this context the death of Kartavirya and the Haihayas is described, then the story of Sukanya and Cyavana, son of Bhrgu, who at the sacrifice of Saryati awards the twin Asvins the right to drink the Soma beverage when he regains from them his lost youth.
In this section is the story of Jantu, wherein King Somaka sacrifices his son to obtain more sons and thus acquires one hunred sons. Then the story of Astavakra is told. He defeats Bandi in a logical debate and regains his father, who has fallen into the ocean.
Ambidextrous Arjuna acquires divine weapons for his venerable elder brother and then battles with the Nivata-kavacas, who dwell in the City of Gold, Hiranya-pura. Arjuna rejoins his brothers in Gandha-madana and battles with the Gandharvas during an excursion to pasturing lands. The brothers return to Lake Dvaita-vana, Jayad-ratha steals away Draupadi from within the asrama, and Bhima pursues him with speed like that of the wind. Then the meeting with Markandeya and the stories that ensue are told.
Next comes the narration of Draupadi's meeting and conversation with Satyabhama, the tale of the measure of rice, the story of Indradyumna, the histories of Savitri, Auddalaki, and Vainya, and the elaborate telling of the Ramayana, the history of Lord Ramacandra. Then is told of Lord Indra stealing Karna's two earrings, the story of the fire-sticks, the demigod Dharma instructing his son, and the Pandavas obtaining their boon and heading for the West.
These are the topics of the Aranyaka-parva, the third division of the Mahabharata. The great sage Vyasadeva declares that this section contains a total of 269 chapters, comprising 11,664 verses.
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4. Vairata Parva, Living in the City of Virata:
Suta Gosvami continued:
Dear sages, the fourth book of the Mahabharata describes at length the events that take place while the Pandavas live in the city of Virata. As the five brothers approach the city of Virata, they spy a large Sami tree growing in a cemetary and decide to hide their weapons within the tree. Thereafter they enter the city, having disguised their identities in various ways.
In this section, Vrkodara (Bhima) kills the wicked Kicaka, Arjuna defeats the Kurus in battle, and the king's valuable herd is saved. The Virata king bestows his daughter Uttara upon Arjuna, who accepts her for his son Abhimanyu, a destroyer of his enemies in combat.
These are the contents of the extensive fourth book. The great soul Vyasadeva states that there are 67 chapters and 2,050 verses in this section.
5. Udyoga Parva, Trying for peace, preparing for war:
During the time that the Pandavas are living in Upaplavya