In the early 1980s, quite by chance, I encountered two shlokas, one from Valmiki’s Ramayana, the other from Kalidasa’s Meghadutam. These were two poets separated by anything between 500 to 1,000 years, the exact period being an uncertain one. The shloka in Meghadutam is right towards the beginning, the second shloka to be precise. It is the first day in the month of Ashada. The yaksha has been cursed and has been separated from his beloved. The mountains are covered with clouds. These clouds are like elephants, bent down as if in play. The shloka in the Valmiki Ramayana occurs in Sundara Kanda. Rama now knows that Sita is in Lanka. But the monsoon stands in the way of the invasion. The clouds are streaked with flags of lightning and garlanded with geese. They are like mountain peaks and are thundering, like elephants fighting. At that time, I did not know that elephants were a standard metaphor for clouds in Sanskrit literature. I found it amazing that two different poets separated by time had thought of elephants. And because the yaksha was pining for his beloved, the elephants were playing. But because Rama was impatient to fight, the elephants were fighting. I resolved that I must read all this in the original. It was a resolution I have never regretted. I think that anyone who has not read Meghadutam in Sanskrit has missed out on a thing of beauty that will continue to be a joy for generations to come.
In the early 1980s, Professor Ashok Rudra was a professor of economics in Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan. I used to teach in Presidency College, Kolkata, and we sometimes met. Professor Rudra was a left-wing economist and didn’t think much of my economics. I dare say the feeling was reciprocated. By tacit agreement, we never discussed economics. Instead, we discussed Indological subjects. At that point, Professor Rudra used to write essays on such subjects in Bengali. I casually remarked, ‘I want to do a statistical test on the frequency with which the five Pandavas used various weapons in the Kurukshetra war.’ Most sensible men would have dismissed the thought as crazy. But Professor Rudra wasn’t sensible by usual norms of behaviour and he was also a trained statistician. He encouraged me to do the paper, written and published in Bengali, using the Aryashastra edition. Several similar papers followed, written in Bengali. In 1983, I moved to Pune, to the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, a stone’s throw away from BORI. Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (ABORI) is one of the most respected journals in Indology. Professor G.B. Palsule was then the editor of ABORI and later went on to become Director of BORI. I translated one of the Bengali essays into English and went and met Professor Palsule, hoping to get it published in ABORI. To Professor Palsule’s eternal credit, he didn’t throw the dilettante out. Instead, he said he would get the paper refereed. The referee’s substantive criticism was that the paper should have been based on the critical edition, which is how I came to know about it. Eventually, this paper (and a few more) were published in ABORI. In 1989, these became a book titled Essays on the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, published when the Mahabharata frenzy had reached a peak on television. The book got excellent reviews, but hardly sold. It is now out of print. As an aside, the book was jointly dedicated to Professor Rudra and Professor Palsule, a famous economist and a famous Indologist respectively. Both were flattered. However, when I gave him a copy, Professor Rudra said, ‘Thank you very much. But who is Professor Palsule?’ And Professor Palsule remarked, ‘Thank you very much. But who is Professor Rudra?’
While the research interest in the Mahabharata remained, I got sidetracked into translating. Through the 1990s, there were abridged translations of the Maha Puranas, the Vedas and the eleven major Upanishads. I found that I enjoyed translating from the Sanskrit to English and since these volumes were well received, perhaps I did do a good job. With Penguin as publisher, I did a translation of the Bhagavad Gita, something I had always wanted to do. Sarama and Her Children, a book on attitudes towards dogs in India, also with Penguin, followed. I kept thinking about doing an unabridged translation of the Mahabharata and waited to muster up the courage. That courage now exists, though the task is daunting. With something like two million words and ten volumes expected, the exercise seems open-ended. But why translate the Mahabharata? In 1924, George Mallory, with his fellow climber Andrew Irvine, may or may not have climbed Mount Everest. They were last seen a few hundred metres from the summit, before they died. Mallory was once asked why he wanted to climb Everest and he answered, ‘Because it’s there.’ Taken out of context, there is no better reason for wanting to translate the Mahabharata. There is a steep mountain to climb. And I would not have dared had I not been able to stand of the shoulders of the three intellectual giants who have preceded me—Kisori Mohan Ganguli, Manmatha Nath Dutt and J.A.B. van Buitenen.
Bibek Debroy
In the second volume, we cover Sections 16 to 32 of the 100-parva classification. This completes Adi Parva (the origins), Sabha Parva (the assembly hall) and begins Aranyaka Parva (the sojourn in the forest). Arjuna is banished and the story of Sunda and Upasunda is recounted. He is married to Subhadra. Krishna and Arjuna burn down the Khandava forest. The assembly hall is built. After killing Jarasandha, the Pandavas conquer the world. Shishupala is also killed. The two games with the dice lead to the Pandavas being exiled in the forest. Kirmira is killed and Arjuna encounters Shiva. As a side story, we are told about Krishna’s destruction of Soubha. Arjuna goes to Indra’s abode in search of celestial weapons. The volume ends with the story of Nala and Damayanti.
Section Sixteen
Arjuna-vanavasa Parva
This parva has 298 shlokas.
Chapter 200: 23 shlokas
Chapter 201: 32 shlokas
Chapter 202: 27 shlokas
Chapter 203: 30 shlokas
Chapter 204: 30 shlokas
Chapter 205: 30 shlokas
Chapter 206: 34 shlokas
Chapter 207: 26 shlokas
Chapter 208: 21 shlokas
Chapter 209: 24 shlokas
Chapter 210: 21 shlokas
This parva has 11 chapters, Chapters 200 through 210. The word vana means forest and the word vasa means to live. So this parva is about Arjuna’s sojourn in the forest and begins with the reasons for his banishment. It recounts his marriage to Ulupi and Chitrangada. This parva also has the Sunda and Upasunda story.
200
Janamejaya said, ‘O one blessed with the power of austerities! All those great-souled Pandavas are my ancestors. After obtaining the kingdom of Indraprastha, what did those great-souled ones do? Those five rulers of men had a common wife in Krishna.1 How did their lawful wife Droupadi follow their wishes? How did they, the immensely fortunate ones, prevent dissension among themselves? How did they behave with one another after they had united with Krishna? O one blessed with the power of austerities! I wish to hear all this in detail.’
Vaishampayana said, ‘With Dhritarashtra’s permission, the Pandavas, tigers among men and scorchers of enemies, obtained the kingdom and sported in pleasure with Krishna. Having obtained the kingdom, the immensely energetic and truthful Yudhishthira ruled over the earth in accordance with dharma,2 together with his brothers. Having defeated their enemies, the immensely wise sons of Pandu, always devoted to truth and dharma, lived there in supreme happiness. Seated on extremely expensive royal thrones, those bulls among men performed all the duties towards the citizens.
‘When those great-souled ones were thus seated together, devarshi3 Narada,4 who was travelling as he willed, happened to come there. Yudhishthira offered him his own excellent seat. As is prescribed, the wise Yudhishthira himself gave him offerings5 and once the devarshi was seated, reported the state of the kingdom. The rishi6 happily accepted the homage and blessing him, asked him to be seated. Thus instructed, King Yudhishthira sat down. He sent word to Krishna that the illustrious one had arrived. Hearing this, Droupadi carefully purified herself and went to the place where Narada and the Pandavas were assembled. That follower of dharma, Drupada’s daughter, paid homage at the devarshi’s feet and stood before him with joined palms, appropriately covered. The il
lustrious Narada, supreme among rishis, always truthful and with dharma in his heart, pronounced his blessings on the unblemished princess and then asked her to leave.
‘When Krishna had left, the illustrious rishi told the Pandavas, with Yudhishthira at their head, “The immensely famous daughter of Panchala7 is a single wife to all of you, in accordance with dharma. You must lay down a rule among yourselves, lest there be dissension. In ancient times, there were two asura8 brothers named Sunda and Upasunda who were famous in the three worlds.9 They were always together and were incapable of being killed by anyone else, except each other. They ruled over the same kingdom. They lived in the same house. They slept on the same bed. They sat in the same seat. They ate off the same plate. But they killed each other over Tilottama. O Yudhishthira! Therefore, seek to protect the friendship you have for each other and act so that there is no dissension amongst you.”
‘Yudhishthira replied, “O great sage! Whose sons were the asuras Sunda and Upasunda? How did the dissension originate? Why did they kill each other? They killed each other over desire for Tilottama. Whose apsara,10 daughter of the gods, was she? O one blessed with the power of austerities! O Brahmana! We are greatly curious and wish to hear everything in detail. Please tell us.”’
201
‘Narada said, “O Yudhishthira, son of Pritha!11 Then together with your brothers, listen to this ancient account, exactly as it happened. In ancient times, in the great asura Hiranyakashipu’s12 lineage, there was a powerful and energetic lord of the daityas13 named Nikumba. He had two immensely valorous sons who were terrible in their prowess. They never ate unless they were together and never went anywhere without each other. They always did what was pleasurable to the other and always spoke pleasantly to the other. They were similar in behaviour and conduct; like one divided into two. Similar in action and inclination, they grew up as immensely valorous and adopted the identical resolution of conquering the three worlds. After consecration, they went to the Vindhya mountains and practised terrible austerities there. They were exhausted with hunger and thirst. Their hair was matted and they were dressed in the bark of trees. But they continued to perform austerities until they acquired powers. They covered all their limbs with filth and lived on air. They offered their own flesh into the fire. They stood on the tips of their toes. Raising their arms and without blinking, they observed their vows for a long period. Heated by the power of the length of their austerities, an extraordinary incident occurred. The Vindhya began to belch out smoke.
‘“On seeing the terrible power of their austerities, the gods were frightened. The gods created various obstacles to prevent them from attaining their vows. They repeatedly tempted them with jewels and beautiful women. But the two of them stood firm against these temptations. Then the gods used the power of Maya14 on the two great-souls, wherein their sisters, mothers, wives and relatives, trembling and frightened, were oppressed by a rakshasa15 who chased them with a spear. Their hair and ornaments were dishevelled and their garments fell loose. The women seemed to be running towards them, exclaiming, ‘Save us!’ But even this could not break the vows of the ones who were great in their vows. When they were not shocked or grieved at this, the women and the demon all vanished.
‘“Then Brahma himself appeared before the great asuras. He who is the grandfather of all the worlds asked them to seek a boon. On seeing the god and grandfather, Sunda and Upasunda, those two brothers who were firm in their valour, stood before him with their hands joined. Together, they then spoke to the illustrious god. ‘O grandfather! If you are pleased with our austerities, then may we possess the knowledge of delusion and the knowledge of all weapons. May we be strong and may we have the power to change our form at will. If the illustrious lord is pleased with us, may we be immortal.’ Brahma replied, ‘Except for being immortal, everything else will be the way you wish. Choose a means of death that will make you the equal of the immortals. Since you have performed these austerities with an objective in mind, the boon of immortality cannot be granted to you. You have undertaken these austerities with a view to conquering the three worlds. O, lords of the daityas! For this reason, I cannot grant you the boon that you desire.’ Sunda and Upasunda said, ‘O, grandfather! Then let us not face any fear from any being, anything mobile or immobile, any object in the three worlds, other than each other.’ The grandfather replied, ‘I can grant you this boon, the way you have wished it. Your deaths will occur the way you have indicated.’ Having then granted them this boon, Brahma then asked them to refrain from austerities and returned to his world.
‘“Having obtained those boons, the two brothers, the lords of the daityas, who could no longer be slain by anyone in the worlds, then returned to their home. On seeing that the great asuras had obtained the boons and were successful in getting what they desired, all their well-wishers were extremely happy. The two great asuras cut off their matted locks. They wore crowns and dressed themselves in expensive ornaments and unblemished garments. Though it was not the right season, they observed the koumudi16 festival. The lords of the daityas and their well-wishers happily enjoyed themselves in the festivities. In house after house were heard the words, ‘eat’, ‘feed’, ‘pleasure’, ‘sing’, ‘drink’ and ‘give’. There were great bouts of drinking. A roar arose from the clapping of hands. The entire city of the daityas went wild with joy. As the daityas, who could assume any form at will, sported themselves in varied amusements, many years passed. But it seemed like a single day.”’
202
‘Narada said, “When the festivities ended, the two great ones wished to conquer the three worlds. Having obtained the permission of their well-wishers and elders among the daityas, arranging their army and having sought counsel and performed the required rites, they set out in the night, when the constellation Magha17 was in the ascendant. A large army of daityas went with them, carrying clubs, pikes, spears, all following the same dharma.18 Charanas19 sung their praises in auspicious songs that wished them victory. They set out with happiness in their hearts. The two daityas could assume any form at will and were intoxicated at the prospect of war. They rose into the sky and went to the habitation of the gods. Knowing that they were coming and aware of the boon that they had obtained from the illustrious one, the gods fled heaven20 and went to Brahma’s world. With their terrible valour, they conquered Indra’s world and defeated masses of yakshas21 and rakshas22 and beings that frequent the sky. The two great asuras then vanquished the nagas23 who dwell in the interior regions of the earth, all those who live in the oceans and all the mleccha24 races.
‘“The two who were terrible in their rule, wished to subjugate the entire earth. They summoned their soldiers and uttered these harsh words. ‘With their great sacrifices and offerings, the rajarshis25 and brahmanas increase the energy, strength and prosperity of the gods. Because of these acts, they cause injury to the asuras. Together, we must attack and completely destroy them.’ Having thus ordered them on the eastern shores of the great ocean, they set out in all directions with this cruel resolution in mind. The two powerful ones killed those who sacrificed and brahmanas who officiated at sacrifices, wherever they were seen. In hermitages of rishis who had controlled their souls, their soldiers grasped the sacrificial fires and flung them irreverently away. Because of the boon granted to them, the curses of the great-souled and angry ascetics had no effect. When the brahmanas saw that their curses had no effect, like when arrows strike stone, they gave up their vows and fled in all directions. Like snakes fleeing at the approach of Vinata’s son,26 those on earth who were successful in austerities and were self-controlled and calm, ran away. All the hermitages were destroyed, the pots and ladles were broken and scattered. The entire universe was empty, as if it was the time of final destruction.
‘“When the rajarshis and rishis disappeared into hiding, the great asuras united in their decision to kill. They changed their forms and assumed ones of mad, rutting elephants with their temples oozing, and sent those who were in ina
ccessible regions to Yama’s abode. Sometimes they became lions and yet again, tigers. They also became invisible. With these forms, they slaughtered the rishis wherever they found them. Sacrifices and studying ceased and the brahmanas were exterminated. The earth bereft of festivals and sacrifices cried out in fear. All buying and selling ended. The worship of the gods was stopped. Sacred rites and marriages were not observed. Agriculture and the tending of cattle ended. Cities and hermitages were destroyed. Strewn with bones and skeletons, the earth was terrible to behold. Ceremonies for the ancestors were no longer observed. The sacred chants ceased. The universe was terrible and loathsome to behold. On witnessing these acts of Sunda and Upasunda, the moon, the sun, the planets, the stars, the constellations and the dwellers of heaven were depressed. Thus subjugating all the directions with their terrible acts, the two daityas lived in Kurukshetra, after vanquishing every enemy.”’
Mahabharata Vol. 2 (Penguin Translated Texts) Page 3
