Yudhishthira’s Grief (Part 3)

Introduction

There are four prescribed paths of life called celibacy (Brahmacarya), married life (Gaarhasthya), the life of a recluse (Vaanaprastha) and sainthood (Sanyaasa). These are institution (varNa aaSrama) with specific purposes (Dharma). Ideally, one passes through all the four in that order. Education takes place during the first. There were many who remained in that institution throughout life. At the third stage the married couple retires to a forest after handing over their worldly affairs to their children. It is the stage to prepare one for the final sage, sainthood.

Most of the great sages, even the Vedic Seers, remained in the third stage. The final one is said to be only for the exceptional cases where man is mentally prepared to abandon all worldly possessions and desires.

It may be mentioned that the four parts (of each of the four Vedas) – the Samhita, BraahmaNa, AaraNyaka and Upanishad – have been compiled out of the Vedas for these four paths, respectively.

Nakula’s words

Yudhishthira was apparently not convinced listening to the wise words of his brothers. Then, Nakula talked in his own way.

He said. “One should not escape from one’s duty which, for a king, is to rule the land. It is said that the sages once weighed the four paths of life and found that that of a Grihastha (one leading a married life) weighed more than the other three together. You can do a lot to the world while leading a worldly life. You also do what is due to the gods and to your ancestors while leading this path. What is important is that all your actions are done with complete detachment. This is by far the most difficult”.

Sahadeva joined the others and pleaded with his senior brother to rule the land following the prescribed path.

Yudhishthira remained silent after listening to the words of his four brothers.

Draupadi speaks.

Note: The Caataka is the proverbial bird that has a hole in its neck. Hence, it cannot drink water (or eat food) in the normal way. It is said that the bird remains flat on its back waiting for the rain to quench its thirst.

Then, the Pandava queen spoke what was in her mind. She said. “Oh, son of Pritha (Kunti)! Your brothers are looking to you like the Caataka bird so that they can enjoy the worldly life. They had spent thirteen long years under snow and rain waiting for this day to come. Had you not promised them in the Dwaita forest that you, in the company of your brothers, would defeat Duryodhana in war and enjoy the riches of the land? Why are you turning away from your own words now?”

(Draupadi speaks of the boundaries of the Bharata empire in this context. The proverbial mountain, Meru, is said to be at the centre of the land. Four islands occupy the four sides of it – the jambu to the South which contains the present day India, the kraunca to the west, the bhadraaSwa to the North and the Saaka to the East. These names are consistent with what is given in the ancient Indian geographic texts. The world was said to be composed of seven islands at that time).

“You did not get this land by charity, but, won it the hard way. Please do not turn your back on your duty which is to rule this land in the glorious tradition of your ancestors”.

Arjuna spoke at that time of the need to mete out just punishment to the offenders and thereby protect the peace loving citizens. Bhima called on his brother to assume the role of the emperor and conduct an Aswamedha ceremony.

Yudhshthira was still not in agreement with the rest and continued to talk of the ideal life of saints.

Arjuna reminded his brother the story of Janaka (the father of Seeta, the wife of Rama, in the famous RamaayaNa epic) who was a great scholar. King Janaka at one time wanted to abandon the kingdom and retire to the forest. It was his queen who convinced him of the need to return to the land and to rule the empire.

Yudhishthira remained unconvinced. Among the sages who had assembled, one by name Devasthaana tried to argue against the decision of Yudhishthira quoting the words of Brihaspati, the wise counsel to Indra, the king of gods. Even then, Yudhshthira remained adamant.

Sage Veda Vyasa joined the rest in an attempt to prevail on Yudhishthira.

The story of Sankha and Likhita

Vyasa narrated the story of two brothers, Sankha and Likhita, who were sages of great learning and of great meditative powers. The younger brother, Likhita, happened to pluck some fruit from a tree near the hermitage of his brother while the latter was not around. When Sankha returned he found the fruits missing. When asked, Likhita admitted to his eating the fruits.

Sankha reminded his brother that what he did amounted to stealing. He should approach the king and receive whatever punishment he meted out for the offense.

Likhita, accordingly, went to the king by name Sudyumna (sudyumna). The king was aware of the greatness of the sage and tried to evade the issue. But, Likhita persisted. Then, the king had to pronounce the judgment which was to chop off the two hands of the offender. The sage accepted the punishment with calm. He, then, went to his brother holding his bleeding hands up. Sankha asked his brother to take a dip in the nearby river by name Baahuda and offer prayers to gods (tarpaNam). Likhita did accordingly. To his surprise new hands appeared in place of the ones that were chopped off.

Likhita returned to his brother and reported the miracle. Sankha said. “There is no miracle here. I created them out of my power from meditation”.

Surprised, Likhita asked. “Then, why had I to undergo this ordeal? You could have purified me off my guilt in the first place”.

Sankha replied. “No, it is the duty of the king to punish the offender. I wanted Sudyumna to do his part”.

The moral of the story, Vyasa explained, was that the king has the duty to protect the land from offenders. It is a difficult one. But, he alone can do it. It needs to be done so that justice prevails in the land.

(To be continued)