Sri Mahabharat
(The Immortal and Enchanting Epic of world)
Chapter 13 Anusasana Parva
Bhishma
continued his discourse to Yudhishthira and the other illustrious princes and
sages gathered around him. He then became silent, as did all those around him.
Vyasa told the grandsire, “O learned one, the war in the Kuru family is over
and Yudhishthira has been restored his kingdom. It is in the order of things
that he should now return to Hastinapura and take up the reins of government
for a beneficial rule. Give him leave.”
Bhishma
told Yudhishthira, “When the Sun changes his direction towards the North, my
soul will depart from my body. Proceed now to Hastinapura and return at that
time, when my death would take place.”
Yudhishthira
did as his grandsire bid him. He returned to Hastinapura where he was duly
installed as king amidst all pomp and ceremony. At the appointed hour
Yudhishthira with his entourage arrived at Bhishma’s side. The old sage gave
him and Dhritarashtra appropriate advise, the former on his responsibilities as
a monarch and the latter on the need to get over his grief.
Bhishma
turned to Krishna and said, “O Lord. I am
fortunate to have you at my side when I depart from this world. Bless me and
give me permission to leave. I strived my best to live a life of virtue and
truth on this earth, and I now look forward to joining the Vasus above where I
belong.”
Krishna said, “It is because you have not committed a single
transgression in this life that even Death waits on you. You would receive the
best in the next world, which is what you deserve.”
The dying
prince adopted Yoga. Fifty-eight nights after his fall in the battle, his life
breath left its corporeal and ascended to the heavens. Wrapping the body with
white silk and adorning it with gems, Yudhishthira led the funeral procession
to the banks of the Bhagirathi
River. The goddess Ganga rose from the River and lamented for her son. Krishna consoled her, pointing out to the noble life that
the prince had led. Ganga then disappeared.
The funeral rites were completed as per religious rules and the party turned
away, leaving behind the mortal remains of Bhishma to reduce to ashes.
Chapter 14 Aswamedha Parva
Yudhishthira
was steeped in sorrow and was constantly blaming himself for the destruction
and grief caused by the war. Krishna as well as Vyasa consoled him, pointing
out to the fact that it was the evil Duryodhana who caused the holocaust.
Forever desiring the welfare of the Pandava king, Vyasa advised Yudhishthira to
perform the Aswamedha (Horse) sacrifice along with the Rajasuya, Sarvamedha and
Naramedha sacrifices.
Yudhishthira
pointed out that the sacrifice would entail heavy expenses that he could ill
afford at the present juncture. Vyasa had a solution for this. He said, “In the
Himalayas there lies buried a huge treasure.
This was left behind by brahmins who received enormous quantities of gold from
the king Marutta during a sacrifice. Go thither and recover the gold.” Vyasa
then gave details about the location of the treasure to Yudhishthira.
Yudhishthira,
with a huge army, proceeded to the Himalayas
and camped at the spot indicated by Vyasa. After observing religious
ceremonies, he caused the site to be excavated. The treasure that issued from
the earth was so huge that thousands of camels and elephants had to be employed
to transport it to Hastinapura.
Krishna
had, in the meanwhile, returned to Dwaraka. He narrated the events of the war
to his father, Vasudeva. The patriarch swooned on hearing about Abhimanyu’s
death. After spending some time with his people, Krishna
started for Hastinapura.
As Krishna reached Hastinapura, there were joyous tidings
that Uttara had given birth to a son. Almost immediately came the news from the
delivery room that Uttara’s son was still born. The wailing princess reminded Krishna of his promise that the child would live. Krishna
withdrew the Brahma weapon of Aswatthama that had scorched the foetus, and the
child came to life. Thus was born the great king Parikshit (one born after
testing times), the son of Abhimanyu, and the perpetuation of the Kuru dynasty
was assured.
With the
active participation of Krishna and Vyasa, the
Horse sacrifice was launched. According to the rules of the sacrifice, the
royal horse was to roam the four corners of the country. Any king who
challenged it would have to fight the performer of the sacrifice. Arjuna was
deputed to follow the horse on its triumphal footsteps, fighting off anyone
daring to interfere with its movements. Yudhishthira gave strict instructions
to Arjuna not to kill those who opposed him but to merely subdue them.
As was to
be expected, most of the opposition came from the successors of those who were
vanquished by the Pandavas at the Kurukshetra war. The first was from the
Trigartas, whose king Suryavarman was easily put aside. Next was from
Vajradatta, the son of Bhagadatta of the Pragyothishas. Vajradatta was brought
to his knees.
Arjuna then
had an encounter with the Sindhus whose king, Jayadratha, he had slain in the
war. The Sindhus at first resisted Arjuna. But Jayadratha’s widow and
Dritarashtra’s daughter, Dussala, appealed to Arjuna to spare them. Arjuna
graciously agreed and left his sister happy.
The next
event in the triumphal tour turned out to be unusual. Arjuna had reached
Manipura where his son Babruvahana was the king. The young king welcomed his
father with reverence. But Arjuna bade him to fight, since he had transgressed
into Babruvahana’s territory.
Just then
the Naga princess, Ulipi, made her appearance and encouraged Babruvahana to
fight against the intruder. In the exchange of arrows, Babruvahana pierced
Arjuna who fell down dead. Babruvahana’s mother, Chitrangada, rushed to the
scene and accused Ulipi of causing Arjuna’s death. Ulipi assured them that they
were witnessing only an illusion, since Arjuna could not be vanquished. She
produced a gem with which she revived the fallen prince.
Asked by
Arjuna, Ulipi explained her action. She said, “During the war of the princes,
you killed Bhishma by unfair means. The old warrior, refusing to face
Sikhandin, had laid down his arms. It was then that your arrows penetrated him
and brought him down. I overheard a conversation between the heavenly Vasus and
the goddess Ganga. The Vasus cursed you for your foul act and Ganga endorsed
the curse. Alarmed, I sought my sire, Kauravya, and asked for his advise. My
sire immediately went to the Vasus and represented your case. The Vasus
relented and said that if the highly endowed Babruvahana killed you, you would
be expiated of your sin. I enacted this play only for that purpose.”
Reaching
Rajagriha, the capital of Magadha, Arjuna was challenged by Jarasandha’s son,
Meghasandhi. The Magadha prince was defeated in the battle, but his life was
spared.
Sarabha,
the son of Sisupala of the Chedis, stopped Arjuna as the Pandava prince entered
their capital, Saktimati. After a token engagement, Sarabha worshipped Arjuna
and assured to attend the sacrifice.
King
Ugrasena of the Vrishnis received Arjuna at Dwaraka and duly honoured him. At
the next port of call, Gandhara, Sakuni’s son led a charge against Arjuna, only
to be overpowered by the conqueror.
After his
triumphant tour, Arjuna returned to Hastinapura, just in time for the
sacrifice, fixed for the full moon day of Chitra (April). Elaborate
arrangements had been made for the royal guests to stay and a special hall had
been put up for performing the religious rites.
The
successful completion of the Horse Sacrifice established Yudhishthira as the
supreme ruler of the country. The sacrifice was however marred by a small
incident. A mongoose appeared near the holy fire and started making disparaging
remarks about sacrifices and righteousness. It later came to be known that the
animal was the god Dharma (the custodian of righteousness) who was under a
curse for misbehaving in a sacrifice performed by the sage Jamadagni. He was
redeemed from the curse by talking derogatorily about himself. The animal
disappeared as strangely as it had appeared.
Chapter 15 Asramavasaka Parva
With the
ascension of Yudhishthira to the throne, an era of benevolent rule from
Hastinapura commenced. Prosperity prevailed everywhere and justice ruled. The
Pandava kingdom extended far and wide. Where the Pandavas did not rule, the
other rulers were made to pay tributes.
The
Pandavas were highly respectful of their uncle Dhritarashtra, and his queen,
Gandhari. They appointed Vidura and Kripa to high offices. Bhima alone was
still harbouring a measure of hatred for Dhritarashtra and could never forgive
the old king for encouraging Duryodhana.
Fifteen
years passed in tranquility since Yudhishthira became king. One day
Dhritarashtra and Gandhari overheard Bhima boasting of his prowess and how he
had killed all the hundred Kaurava brothers. While Gandhari was generous enough
to brush aside Bhima’s remarks, Dhritarashtra became very sad. He was reminded
of his own role in bringing about the war. He decided to retire to the forest
and take to penance.
Yudhishthira
pleaded against Dhritarashtra proceeding to the forest. But Vyasa who was
present at Hastinapura persuaded Yudhishthira to let his uncle have his way.
Gandhari, Kunti, Vidura and Sanjaya also insisted on accompanying
Dhritarashtra.
Preparations
were made for Dhritarashtra to leave for the forest. He had a meeting with the
Pandava king when he gave a long discourse on how to rule his country and how
to carry on the great traditions set by the Kurus. He then sought leave of his
subjects. He apologized to them for his follies in backing his evil-minded son.
His subjects were touched by his oration and responded by saying that they
carried no grudge against him.
The next
day Vidura was deputed by Dhritarashtra to solicit wealth from the treasury for
distribution to the people in memory of Bhishma, Drona, his hundred sons and
all those near to him who were slain in the battle. Despite opposition from
Bhima, the king opened out his treasury to his uncle.
Dhritarashtra,
accompanied by Gandhari, Kunti, Vidura, Sanjaya and a host of brahmins, first
reached the banks of Bhagirathi. He then proceeded to the hermitage of
Satayapu, the former king of the Kekeyas. Commanded by Vyasa whose abode was
nearby, Satayapu instructed Dhrirarashtra on how to conduct himself as an
ascetic.
Narada who
visited Dhritarashtra told him, “The gods are pleased with the severe
austerities undertaken by you. You have been absolved of all your sins. You
have three more years left after which, along with Gandhari, you would leave
this world for your after life in heaven.”
The Pandava
brothers, despite having become the lords of the earth, were deeply depressed
at the thought of their mother, uncles and aunt living in the forest, bereft of
all comforts. They were soon possessed with the desire to visit them.
Yudhishthira made elaborate preparations and, accompanied by his near and dear
ones, set out to the forest.
A happy
family reunion took place in the hermitage. Yudhishthira, however, observed the
absence of his uncle Vidura. When he made enquiries, he was told that Vidura
was mostly away, roaming the forest, and sometimes seen in the company of
brahmins. Yudhishthira immediately went alone in search of his younger uncle.
When he
spotted Vidura, he found him to be emaciated, naked and covered with dirt.
Vidura walked away from the king who ran to catch up with the ascetic. “Behold
me, your favourite nephew,” Yudhishthira called. ”I have come to visit you.”
Vidura
uttered not a word. He leaned back on a tree and looked at Yudhishthira with
concentration. Through Yogic power, little by little, he transferred all his
energy into the body of Yudhishthira.
Pandu’s son
realized that both he and Vidura belonged to the same essence, namely the god
Dharma. A voice was heard saying, “The soul of Vidura has now merged with
yours. Do not cremate him. Leave him as he is and return.”
Yudhishthira
did as he was told and returned to the hermitage.
Vyasa who
was on a visit to the Satyapu hermitage, asked Dhritarashtra, “You have been
without eyesight. Is there anyone you would like to meet from among the dead? I
could, by the power of my penances, call them to our presence.”
It was
Gandhari who answered Vyasa. She said, “This mighty monarch has been passing
the last sixteen years since the conclusion of the war, sighing constantly in
remembrance of his sons. So have I been thinking constantly about them. Kunti
has been thinking of her son, Karna, to whom she was unable to show her
affection. Draupadi must be depressed, thinking of her five sons who were
slain.”
“I shall
gratify the desire of everyone here,” the great sage said. “Follow me to the
banks of Bhagirathi.”
The
entourage spent a day on the river bank, engaged in various religious
ceremonies. When it was dark, Vyasa invoked the dead who came out of the river
in all splendour. Parents met children and wives met husbands. Bhishma,
Duryodhana and his brothers, the sons of Draupadi, cousins and uncles were all
there. The living embraced the dead. All enmity was forgotten, and the night
was spent in bliss.
As dawn
approached, the noble Vyasa announced, “The time for parting has come. All the
slain Kshatriya heroes would now return to their various abodes. Those wives
who want to join their dead husbands can do so by entering the river.” Many of
the Kshatriya women took the option and merged into the river.
Two years
passed after the Pandavas returned to Hastinapura from the memorable visit to
Satayupa’s hermitage. Narada visited Yudhishthira, bringing news about
Dhritarashtra. He said,
The noble
descendent of Kuru undertook severe penance. His wife also took to meditation.
Your mother, ever a monument of virtue, considered the old couple as her own
parents and helped them in their austere life. Your uncle then left for
Gangadhwara along with the others. There he was caught in a huge forest fire,
the origin of which was from the sacrificial fire he was nurturing. When
Sanjaya and the others offered to help him, he refused, preferring to stay and
be consumed by the fire. Gandhari and Kunti also stayed with him and followed
him in death. Sanjaya alone escaped, and he proceeded to the Himalayas to join
the ascetics there”
The news of
the death of his mother, uncle and aunt, caused great grief to Yudhishthira.
Along with the other members of his family, he proceeded to the River Ganga
where obsequies were performed for the departed ones.
Chapter 16 Mausala Parva
Thirty-six
years had passed since Gandhari cursed the Yadava race to total annihilation,
blaming Krishna for the Mahabharata war. The chain of events leading to
disaster and destruction of the race started from a prank, indulged in by the
Yadava youth.
The sages
Viswamitra, Kanva and Narada arrived on a visit to Dwaraka. Their senses fogged
by Fate, some of the Yadava youth approached the distinguished rishis to play a
prank on them. One of the youth, Samba, was dressed like a pregnant woman. They
asked the sages, “You noble ones, this is the wife of Babhru who is desirous of
having a son. Could you tell if she would be blessed with one?”
The rishis
immediately understood the mischief being played upon them. They cursed the
youth, “This scion of the Vasudeva family, Samba, would bring forth an iron rod
which would cause the destruction of the Yadavas. All of them, excepting
Balarama and Krishna, would perish due to this curse.”
The very
next day Samba brought forth an iron rod. When the king of the Vrishnis,
Ugrasena, came to know about this, he became alarmed. He ordered the iron rod
to be ground to powder and thrown into the sea. He also announced a total ban
on the manufacture and consumption of spirits throughout his kingdom.
The Yadava
clans of Vrishnis, Andhakas, Bhojas and Kukuras were at their best behaviour,
in fear of the sages’ curse. But there were omens of impending disaster. Asses
were born to cows and mules to elephants. Worms were found in the food that was
cooked clean. Brahmins were ill-treated and wives and husbands deceived their
spouses. The configuration in the sky was similar to what appeared before the
eighteen-day war. Death in the form of a black and hideous woman roamed the
city. The discus given by Agni to Krishna disappeared into the sky. The
standards in the chariots of Krishna and Balarama, the Garuda (Kite) and the
Palmyra tree, were taken away by the apsaras. The chariot of Krishna, drawn by
the four famous steeds, Sugriva, Saivya, Megapushpa and Balahaka, bolted away.
Alarmed by
these signals, the Yadavas, with their families, journeyed to the holy sea
shore of Prabhasa. Having reached Prabhasa, however, they took to drinking
wine, even in the presence of Krishna, and were soon intoxicated. Balarama
himself joined the revelers. There followed arguments that led to fights.
Inebriated by spirit, Satyaki derided Kritavarman for having killed at
Kurukshetra, those who were sleeping. Kritavarman hurled back abuses at Satyaki
who promptly severed his adversary’s head. A free for all ensued and whatever
weapons could be found, was used to attack and kill. Whoever could not find a
weapon took blades of grass, which turned into iron rods.
Knowing
that the Yadavas’ hour of destruction had arrived, and remembering Gandhari’s
curse, Krishna did not interfere in the fight. In fact Krishna himself killed
many of his kinsmen, using the rod. All the men, save Krishna, his charioteer
Daruka and Balarama, were killed.
Krishna’s
death
Krishna
dispatched Daruka to Hastinapura to inform Arjuna of the events, so that the
Pandava prince could come and take the surviving Yadava women with him.
Balarama, grieved at the slaughter of the Yadavas, walked into the forest. When
Krishna caught up with him, he saw his brother’s soul leaving its body. A
ten-headed serpent issued from Balarama’s mouth and drifted into the seas.
Adisesha, the serpent under Vishnu’s feet, had completed his mission on earth
and was returning to the region of gods. Krishna decided that his own hour to
give up his body had come.
Krishna
laid himself down in the forest and entered into meditation. On an earlier
occasion, Durvasa had given him the boon that his body would be invulnerable,
excepting for his feet. A hunter, Jara by name, mistook him for a deer and shot
at him. The arrow pierced Krishna’s foot at the sole and went through his body.
Alarmed at
his mistake, the hunter sought Krishna’s pardon. Krishna comforted him and sent
him away. The supreme deity returned to his abode in Heaven, to the welcome of
all gods and demigods.
Receiving
news about the happenings in Prabhasa, Arjuna went to Dwaraka where he met his
uncle Vasudeva. The aged father of Krishna was found lying on the ground,
deeply afflicted by the loss of his near and dear ones. Soon after Arjuna’s
arrival, Vasudeva died, unable to bear the grief over his losses.
Arjuna
performed the rites for his uncle. Vasudeva’s four wives, Devaki, Bhadra,
Rohini and Madira also ended their lives, overwhelmed by the loss of their
husband.
Arjuna gave
seven days for the inhabitants of Dwaraka to leave the city. He knew that the
Yadava capital would be swallowed by the sea. He told the citizens that the
young prince, Vajra, Krishna’s grandson, would be their king. Arjuna then
proceeded to Prabhasa to perform the last rites for Krishna, Balarama and the
others who had died.
Seven days
after his arrival, Arjuna started his journey back to Hastinapura. He proceeded
with a huge entourage of women and children, and carried with him all the
wealth that he could. Close on his heels, the city of Dwaraka disappeared under
the rising waves of the ocean.
On his way
home, Arjuna’s party was plundered by robbers. Besides gold and other
valuables, the robbers carried away many of the women. Arjuna found himself
bereft of the power to ward off the robbers, unable to invoke any of his
celestial weapons.
Arjuna took
all the surviving Yadavas to Kurukshetra. He then established Vajra as king at
Indraprastha. Krishna’s wife, Rukmini, ended her life by entering fire. His
other wife, Satyabhama, proceeded to the Himalayas to undertake penance.
From
Kurukshetra, Arjuna went to the hermitage of Vyasa. There the sage consoled
Arjuna by saying, “There is no need for you to be depressed. The robbers were
successful because all your power has been lost since you have accomplished all
that was expected of you. Whatever happened to the Kshatriyas and the Yadavas
was pre-ordained.”
Chapter 17 Mahaprasthanika Parva
On his
return to Hastinapura, Arjuna gave Yudhishthira an account of the destruction
of the Yadavas. The king then and there resolved to abdicate the throne and
retire from the world itself. In this resolve, he was followed by his four
brothers and Panchali. Parikshit, Abhimanyu’s son, was installed the Kuru king
and Yuyutsu, Dhritarashtra’s son by the Vaisya woman, was appointed regent.
The five
Pandava brothers and Draupadi started on their journey, with a dog following
them.
The five
brothers and Draupadi traversed the country for a while, steeped in the spirit
of renunciation. Yudhishthira led the group, followed by Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula,
Sahadeva, Draupadi and the dog, in that order. They traveled east and reached
the seashore. The god Agni appeared before them and advised Arjuna to cast the
Gandiva bow and the two inexhaustible quivers into the sea. They were of no
further use to the Pandava hero. Arjuna complied.
The party
then proceeded southwards along the coast. After a distance, they cut across
the sub-continent and reached the western coast. There they saw the waters that
had swallowed Krishna’s Dwaraka. They finally wound their way north and reached
the foot of the Himalayas.
The party
of seven then made the Meru hill in the Himalayas their destination. They
walked in silence, steeped in Yogic exercise. After traversing some distance,
Draupadi fell down. Yudhishthira and his brothers did not stop. They left the
lifeless Draupadi behind and walked on their course.
Bhima asked
Yudhishthira, “O fearless one. For what sin has Panchali fallen on the ground?”
Yudhishthira replied, “This is the result of her partiality for Arjuna.”
Some
distance further, Sahadeva fell. Yudhishthira explained that Sahadeva’s sin was
his pride, that he was the wisest of all.
Next to
fall was Nakula. To Bhima’s query this time, Yudhishthira’s answer was that
Nakula was always conscious of his good looks.
When Arjuna
fell next, Yudhishthira told Bhima. “Arjuna declared that he would
single-handedly kill all his foes in one day. He could not fulfill his boast.”
It was
finally Bhima’s turn to fall. Before he parted with his life, Bhima asked his
brother what sin had he committed. Yudhishthira replied, “In the matter of
eating, you were selfish. You never cared if others needed food. You also
boasted about your own strength.” So saying, the eldest of the Pandavas
continued to walk, leaving his brothers and Panchali behind. He was now
followed only by the dog.
The only
human alive from among the Pandavas, Yudhishthira, walked some more distance.
Suddenly, amidst much sound and radiance, Indra descended in his chariot and
landed in front of Yudhishthira.
The
celestial bade the Pandava king to ascend the chariot in order to proceed to
Heaven. Yudhishthira refused, saying that he would not go to Heaven unless
accompanied by his brothers and Draupadi. Indra explained that they had all
gone to Heaven, casting off their bodies. Yudhishthira alone was privileged to
reach Heaven without parting with his earthly form.
There then
arose an argument about the dog that had faithfully followed the Pandava king
till the end. Yudhishthira insisted that the dog should also climb into the
chariot. It finally turned out that the dog was none other than the god Dharma.
The god of justice, who had come to test Yudhishthira, expressed his pleasure
at his son’s behaviour.
Chapter 18 Swargarohanika Parva
On arriving
at Heaven, Yudhishthira was greeted by the sight of Duryodhana sitting in
splendour, surrounded by several deities. A shocked Yudhishthira asked Narada
who was with him, “By what right is this wicked Duryodhana enjoying the
felicities of Heaven? Where are my brothers and Panchali? Where are all those
kings and friends of mine who fought for Truth? I do not want to stay here for
a moment. Take me to those noble souls.”
Narada told
Yudhishthira, “O king! You have reached Heaven where there is no room for such
animosities. Besides, Duryodhana has attained this region by virtue of his
being noble in the battlefield. However, if you insist, I shall have you taken
to those heroes whom you are yearning to meet.”
A messenger
led Yudhishthira to Hell. It was a dark and thorny path, damp, with bad odour.
Corpses were seen strewn all around. There was the sound of moaning, of people
in agony. Suddenly, Yudhishthira heard some familiar voices, those of his
brothers, of Panchali, of Karna and of the truthful heroes who fought for
justice in the Great War. They were all pleading to Yudhishthira to save them
from their suffering.
Yudhishthira
was indignant. He told his messenger, “Return to Heaven and inform the gods
that I want to stay here and share the pain my dear ones are experiencing.”
The
messenger did as he was told. Immediately, Indra, accompanied by several other
gods, appeared before Yudhishthira. Indra told the king, “This is in the order
of things. Those who are to be consigned to Hell are first sent to Heaven for a
short duration, to enjoy the fruits of the few goods deeds they have performed
on earth. Those who are assured of their place in Heaven are given a glimpse of
Hell, to expiate the few sins they have committed. Your visit to Hell is due to
your deception of Drona in the battlefield.
“With all
sins being washed off, you and your friends would now become permanent
residents of Heaven.”
Yudhishthira
was then taken to River Ganga that flows through the three worlds, Heaven,
Earth and the netherworld. He took a bath in the river and his body was
purified. He then reached Heaven where he found already arrived, those noble
souls who fought to establish truth on earth.
Vishnu Sahasranamam - An Attempt To Understand
(with Geeta’s help)
Eeswara
Uvācha
Sri Rāma
Rāma Rāméthi Ramé Rāmé Manoramé
Sahasranāma
Thaththulyam Rāma Nāma Varānané
Siva
replied (to Pārvati),
To you who
are beautiful I say, chanting the charming name of Sri Rāma is equivalent to
reciting the thousand names of Vishnu.
Sri Bhishma-Yudhishtrasamvādhé
The Bhishma – Yudhishthira Discussion
The
circumstances under which knowledge of the 1000 names of Vishnu was imparted by
Bhishma to Yudhishthira, and those surrounding him, were : Bhishma, who was the
Commander-in-Chief of the Kaurava army during the first 10 days of the 18-day
Bhāratha War, was grievously felled by Arjuna, thanks to the appearance of
Sikhandin on the scene. The great warrior had vowed, among other things, not to
take up arms against a woman. He considered Sikhandin a woman. Drupada’s
offspring, Sikhandin, was born a female, but had changed her sex, due to a
sex-exchange arrangement with a Yaksha. Bhishma still considered Sikhandin a
woman. It was the Pandava strategy to disarm Bhishma during the battle by
presenting Sikhandin before him. The strategy worked and Bhishma laid down his
arms, presenting Arjuna with an easy target.
As a youth
Bhishma had made a great sacrifice by renouncing his claim to the Kaurava
throne and vowing never to marry. This was to meet the demand of Satyavati’s
father as a condition for giving her hand to Bhishma’s father, King Sāntanu.
The grateful king blessed Bhishma with the power to choose his time of death.
Now Bhishma
lay in the battlefield on a bed of arrows waiting for the holy time of
Uttarāyana or the sun’s solstice, which was nearly two months away, his chosen
time of death. In just eight days after Bhishma’s fall, the Kurukshetra War was
over and the entire Kaurava force had been destroyed. Yudhishthira was crowned
King at Hastinapura.
Yudhishthira
was conscious of the impending departure of Bhishma from the world and he
turned to the venerable grandsire to clear a host of doubts in his mind – on
questions concerning a variety of subjects, from personal conduct to
governance.
Yudhishthira’s Six Questions
Bhishma’s
discourse to Yudhishthira was lengthy, spread across three of Mahābhāratha’s
eighteen chapters. Half way through the discourse, Yudhishthira posed six
questions to Bhishma. This was the starting point of the instruction on the
1000 names of Vishnu.
Vaisampāyana
uvācha
Srutva
dharmānaseshena pāvanāni cha sarvashaha
Yudhishthira
shānthanavam punarevābyabāshata
Vysampāyana,
the narrator of the Bhārata, said,
After
hearing all the forms of dharma and the means of purification,
Yudhishthira,
still not satisfied, questioned Santanu’s son, Bhishma, further.
Yudhishthira’s
doubts as expressed in the form of six questions were :
1. Kim
ekam deivatam loké?
Who is the
only greatest god on earth?
2. Kim
vāpyekam parāyanam?
Whose
prayer is the only refuge for all?
3.
Stuvantam kam prāpnuyah mānavāh shubham?
By paying
obeisance to which god can man reach peace and prosperity?
4. Kam
archantah mānavāh subham?
In uttering
whose praise can man attain happiness?
5. Ko
dharmah sarva dharmānām bhavata paramomataha?
Which,
according to you, is the greatest dharma or rightful conduct?
6. Kim
japan muchyaté jantuh janma samsāra bhandhanāt?
To whom
should prayer be addressed for all creatures to be freed from the coils of
birth and death?
Bhishma’s
answers to these questions can be summarized as follows.
Jagatprabhum
devadevam anantam purushottamam
Stuvan
nāma sahasrena purusha satatotitahaha
Vishnu is
the lord of the world, the god of all gods, infinite and most perfect,
The
recitation of whose thousand names will lead to salvation.
Tameva
cha archayan nityam bhaktyā purusham avyayem
Dyāyan
stuvan namasyamscha yajamanasthameva cha
He who
constantly worships and meditates upon that God who never faces destruction,
He who
prostrates before that Lord of all things, will attain bliss.
AnādhinidhanamVishnum
Sarvalokamaheswaram
Lokaadyaksham
stuvan nityamsarva dukhaatigo bhavet
Vishnu, who
has neither beginning nor end, is the supreme Lord of the universe,
He is the
knower of the entire universe, He is beyond all sorrows.
Chanting
His name regularly, one can be released from all bonds.
Paramam
yo mahat tejah paramam yo mahat tapaha
Paramam
yo mahat brahma paramam yah parāyanam
God Vishnu,
who is the most radiant, is the great controller,
He is the
supreme truth, He is the highest goal.
Pavitrānām
pavitram yo mangalānām ca mangalam
Deivatam
devatānam ca bhutānam yo avyayah pitā
He who is
the purest of the pure, holiest of the holy,
He who is
the god of all gods, who is the Father of all creatures,
He is the
Supreme God Vishnu.
Thasya
loka pradānasya jagannathasya bhupathé
Vishnor
namasahasram mé srunu pāpa bayāpaham
Bhishma’s
recipe to Yudhishthira to attain bliss is : Vishnu is the supreme god, and
recitation of the His thousand names would banish fear and atone for sins.
Introduction
Our
recitation of the Sahasranāmam is in three parts. First is the introduction,
the second consists of the 1000 names, and the third enumerates the benefits of
reciting the names.
Bhishma
introduces Vyāsa as the Rishi who has endowed us the prayer. The prayer is
directed to Mahāvishnu.
Asya sri
vishnor divya stotra mahāmantrasya
Sri
Vedavyāso Bhagavanrishi
Anushtup
chandah
Of the
great prayer offered to Vishnu, the divine author is Vedavyāsa.
The
composition has anushtup as its metre.
Sri
Mahāvishnu paramātma sriman Nārāyano devata
The Supreme
Lord and Lakshmi’s consort, Mahāvishnu, who is the god Nārāyana, is the
recipient of the prayer.
The
recitation of Vishnu Sahasranāmam entails strict devotion, discipline and
concentration. The initial prayer is to get into the right frame of mind to
recite the thousand names.
Amritāmsūdbhavo
bhānurithi bheejam
Devakinandhana
srashtéthi shakthih
Udhbhava
shobhano deva ithi paramo manthraha
Shankhabrin
nandhaki chakreetakelakam
Sarangdhanva
gadhādhara ithysathram
Rathāngapani
rakshobya ithi nethram
Thrisāma
samaga saméthi kavacham
Ănandam
parabrahmethi yonih
Ruthuh
sudarshana kāla ithi digbandhaha
Sri
viswaroopa ithi dhyānam
Sri
mahāvishnu prithyarthé sahasranāma japé viniyogaha
May the
essence of Amrita flow into my vitals like the sun’s rays,
May the son
of Devaki create strength in me,
May the
divine Mantra spring in me with grace,
May the
Conch (representing speech), the Holy Sword (representing action) and the
Discus (representing thought), be nailed into my being,
May the
holy weapons, Sāranga the bow, and the Lord’s Mace, protect me,
May my
vision be as focused as that of the charioteer, Krishna,
May the
three Vedas be my protective armour,
May the
seat of my life receive Divine Bliss,
May my
prayer be bound by Truth and the reality of Time,
May my
prayer be rooted to the total reality of the universe.
I offer
this prayer of His thousand names to please Mahāvishnu.
(Geeta’s
comments : The primary requisite for the seeker of truth is to discipline
his mind – that is the groundwork before the spiritual quest. It is beyond the
scope of a raw mind, a novice, to take to abstract meditation. The mind has to
be channelized in stages, from the known to the unknown, from the gross to the
subtle, from the objective to the subjective. When the mind has progressed thus
far, the individual accepts the Lord both as the cause and the effect. In the
final phase, the controlled mind, in its journey towards spiritual
enlightenment, understands that the Lord is the means as well as the end.
These lines
guide in the right path The verse says : The radiant sun, the manifest portion
of the infinite, is the seed. The seed from which creation springs has the son
of Devaki as the mobilizing force. Realizing this is to move from the material
to the spiritual. The creation is Lord Vishnu himself. The guiding mantra is to
visualize Lord Vishnu as the vibrating power in the act of creation. Know the
wielder of the conch and discus as the stabilizer, just as the nail in the axle
guards the rolling of the wheel. When a person realizes that the Lord is the
underlying force of everything, this knowledge has to be protected within, for
which, again, the Lord, with the mace and bow, acts as the protective weapon.
He is to be treasured in the heart as one’s eyes. To avoid distraction, study
of the Vedas and the holy scripture serves as the armour. The generating womb
lies within the Paramātman. The Lord effects the conception at the appropriate
time within the boundaries of all the directions of the universe. Meditate on
the infinite form of the Lord. For the distinguished union with Him, chant the
thousand names, pleasing to Mahāvishnu.)
This prayer
is followed by a brief meditation during which the great qualities of the Lord
are contemplated. The meditation commences with the verse starting Ksheerodhanva
and ends with Rukmini Satyabhāmābyām Sahitam Krishnamāsrayé. Most
important among these verses is
Shāntākāram
bhujagasayanam padmanābham surésam
Viswādhāram
gaganasadrusam mégavarnam subhāngam
Lakshmikāntham
kamalanayanam yogihrithdhyāanagamyam
Vandévishnum
bhavabhayaharamsarvalokaikanātham
He who is the personification of peace, who reclines on the serpent bed,
From whose bellybutton emanates a lotus, and who is the God of all gods,
He whose colour is that of the dark cloud, and who has beautiful limbs,
He who is the consort of Lakshmi, He whose eyes are like lotus,
He who occupies the minds of yogins in meditation, and who destroys all worries and fears engulfing the universe,
To that Vishnu, who is the only lord of all the worlds, I offer my prayer.
The Thousand Names
The
thousand names start with Viswam, meaning He who is the manifestation of
the entire universe, and ends with Sarva praharanāyudha, meaning He who
has the weapons to combat any and everything. The word Vishnu means that which
pervades everywhere (veveshti vyāpnoti iti vishnu).
Each of the
thousand names mentioned by Bhishma is subject to interpretation and commentary
by scholars. Following is an example.
Adhokshajah
: Swami
Chinmayānandā comments, “Mahābhāratha says,'at no time My vitality flows
downwards, and hence, I am called Adhokshajah.' The term can also
mean, One who is not available for the powers of the sense organs to
perceive. Or it can also mean, he who remains under both the atmosphere and the
earth as the Supporter of the entire universe.”
Several
scholars have written commentaries and interpretations on the thousand names,
treating each name separately. Among ancient savants, Sankara has written a
commentary of which, in turn, there are other commentaries. Parasara Bhatta, a
disciple of Ramanuja, has rendered a commentary. Madhavacharya has treated the
subject elaborately. He has, in fact, given a hundred interpretations for each
of the thousand names. Among modern scholars, Chinmayānandā and Bhaktivédānta
Prabhupada have published their translations. It is quite conceivable that
upanyāsakās can dwell on the thousand names for thousand days, at one name per
day, and still have the audience asking for more.
Listening
to and reciting the thousand names is a tradition, not only among Vaishnavites,
but among Saivaites as well. The names are pleasing to be uttered and the
verses are highly musical. Mahālakshmi is given pride of place as the names
Madhava (He who supports Mahālakshmi on His breast), Sridhara, Srinivasa,
Shreesha, Srinidhi, Srimān may all indicate. Even Siva and Rudhra figure among
the names.
Benefits from reciting the Thousand Names
Most
prayers end with listing the benefits that flow out of their recitation. Vishnu
Sahsranāmam benefits all classes of people.
Vedantago
brāhmanah syāt kshatriyo vijayee bhavét
Vysyo
dhansamrudhraha syāt sudraha sukhamavāpniyāt
To the
Brahmin will accrue knowledge, to the Kshatriya valour will accrue,
To the
Vysya (trading community) wealth will flow, to the Sudra will flow pleasure.
Rogārtho
muchyaté rogāth baddo muchyéta bandhanāth
Bhayān
muchyaté bheetastu muchyét āpanna āpathah
He who is
afflicted by illness will be cured,
He who is
shackled will be freed,
He who is
possessed of fear will become fearless,
He who is
faced with danger will overcome the same.
Yogagnānam
tadā sānkhyam vidyā silpādhikarma cha
Vedāh
sāstrāni vignānamétat sarvam janārdhanāt
Knowledge
of Yoga and Sānkhya, of Erudtion,
Knowledge
of Sculpture,
Of
the Vedās and Sāstras and of the Sciences, all flow from Vishnu.
God’s Assurance
Arjuna
uvācha
Padmapatravisālāksha
padmanābha surothamam
Bhaktānāmanurukthānām
thrāthā bhava janārdhana
Arjuna’s
prayer
O
Janārdhana, Thou noblest among gods, possessing wide eyes like lotus leaves,
Having a
lotus sprouting from the naval,
Be thou the
protector of devotees, Thou art indeed our Father.
Sribhagavān
uvācha
Yo mām
nāmashasrena stotumichchathi pāndava
So-aham-ékéna
slokena sthutha éva na samchayé
The Lord
said,
Know you,
Pāndavā prince,
He who
desires to recite my thousand names,
Will
satisfy me by reciting even a single verse.
Let there
be no doubt about it.
Pārvati
uvācha
Kénopayéna
lagunā Vishnornamasaharakam
Patyaté
pandithérnithyam srotumichāmyaham prabho
Pārvati
addressed (Siva)
My lord, I
am desirous to hear how scholars would recite this prayer through a short
method.
Mahābhāratha
describes that it was not only the terrestrials who assembled around Bhishma as
he discoursed to Yudhishthira, but gods were also keenly listening to him.
After hearing Bhishma's recitation of the thousand names, Pārvati feels, while
it is possible for the gods to remember the thousand names and recite them in a
wink, humans may not be similarly endowed. For those who do not remember the
entire recitation or do not have the time to recite all the thousand names, is
there a shortcut? She also expresses her desire to hear daily the thousand
names being recited by scholars. While her wish is granted, Siva tells Pārvati
that there does exist a shortcut. One need only to repeat the name Rāmā, it
will be equivalent to reciting all the thousand names.
Eeswara
Uvācha
Sri Rāma
Rāma Rāméthi Ramé Rāmé Manoramé
Sahasranāma
Thaththulyam Rāma Nāma Varānané
Siva
replied,
To you who
are beautiful I say, chanting the charming name of Sri Rāmā repeatedly is
equivalent to reciting the thousand names of Vishnu.
(Geeta’s
comment : I read the following story in Tulsidas’ Rāmāyana. Siva was waiting
for Pārvati to join him for food. He asked her what was keeping her late.
Pārvati replied that she was in the midst of her prayer to Vishnu. Siva advised
her, “Chanting the name Rāmā once is equivalent to all the prayers directed to
him.”)
Ananyaas
chintha yantho mām ye-janah paryu-pāsaté
Tesham
nityābhi yuktā-nām yogakshemam vahām-yaham
Those
devotees, however, who worship Me alone, thinking of none else and are
steadfast, I myself attend to their needs and provide them with security of
what they possess.
(Geeta’s
comment : One cannot reach spiritual heights until his basic worldly needs are
met. Hence the Lord says, if you surrender to me, I shall take care of both
your material and spiritual needs.)
In the end,
God gives the assurance that His protection and blessing will always be
available for the true believer, and that He would appear yuga after yuga to
establish truth on earth.
Paritrānāya
sadhunām vinasāya ca dushkritām
Dharma
samsthāpana-arthāya sambhavāmi yugé yugé
In order to
deliver the pious and annihilate the miscreants, as well as to re-establish the
principles of religion, I advent myself millennium after millennium.
Kayéna
vachā manaséndriyair vā,
Buddhyātmana
vā prakriteh svabhāvāth,
Karomi
yadyad sakalam parasmai,
Narāyanāyeti
samarpayami.
This verse,
signifying total surrender to the god, is recited after completing the recital
of the Sahasranāmam. By my body, by my speech, by my thought, through my senses
and my intellect, through my inner self and through all my action, I surrender
to Narāyanā in full.
Subham
Bhuyaat
Om Tat Sat
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