MAHABHARATA SERIES BOOK#2: The Seeds of War (Mba) (13 page)

Yayati frowned. ‘But I possess nothing of value here, King Vasumana. How can I buy anything?’

Vasumana said, ‘You have a single straw in your garment. Pick it out and use it to buy my place in heaven. I shall accept your offer!’

Yayati smiled wistfully. ‘I am honoured and touched by your efforts, but this would be a false sale. How can a man’s place in heaven be bought with a single straw? It is not acceptable! I must refuse your offer as kindly as you made it.’

Then Shibi, the last of the righteous ones, also spoke up. ‘Great Yayati, I am Shibi, son of Ushinara. I took wish you to take my place in heaven, will you not accept? I cannot bear to see you go down to the hell of Bhouma!’

Again and again, the righteous ones tried to persuade Yayati to take their places in heaven, and each time he refused firmly. 

Finally, the time came for their ascencion and five golden pushpaks descended from the sky, churning the smoke of that limbo realm into frenzied clouds, and came to rest before the men. 

‘Here are your five golden vehicles,’ Yayati said, ‘these divine pushpaks shall transport you through their supernatural powers to the heavens reserved for each one of you.’

The righteous ones were pleased at their ascencion but unable to accept the fate of Yayati, for though they seemed to have talked only for a short while, in fact he had spent a million years there in limbo with them, and through his sharing of knowledge and meditation on profound questions had earned great merits himself. But it was time for them to go and the pushpaks gave out sounds of alarum that urged them to climb aboard. 

Then Ashtaka was struck by inspiration. ‘Good Yayati, you will not agree to take our place as a gift, charity, or even to purchase it from us, is that right?’

‘Yes, Ashtaka,’ Yayati said. ‘I cannot go against dharma.’

‘So be it. But surely as a good friend you can come stay with us as an honoured guest in our realms?’

Yayati said slowly, ‘Of course I can. It would give me great pleasure to do so. There is nothing wrong in accepting a friend’s invitation.’

The others looked at each other with happy expressions. Pratardana said: ‘Then you shall stay in each of our realms in turn, and when you have finished visiting with all of us, you shall again return to the first. For a guest is as a god and to us you are no less than a deva in your knowledge of dharma and insight into philosophical mysteries! Therefore we desire your companionship eternally, that we may continue to have such enlightening discussions and always enhance our own store of knowledge!’

Yayati looked at each of them in turn, and was filled with a great sense of happiness. ‘Indeed, I cannot refuse such a generous offer, so sincerely made!’

‘Then climb aboard!’ said Vasumana. 

‘Yes,’ cried Shibi. ‘For a guest must go first always. Climb aboard and we shall follow you to heaven.’

As they said these words, the smoke cleared and a shining pathway opened up from the plane on which they stood to a distant destination, winding and curving through the skies and galaxies and stars. ‘There,’ said Ashtaka happily, ‘our pathway has been lit up as well. Surely that is a sign that we are doing the right thing.’

Yayati had no arguments or objections to offer. Climbing aboard the fifth chariot, he realized that while there were only four righteous ones, the devas had deliberately sent five chariots. The fifth one was intended for himself all along, so confident had the devas been that he would earn the respect and love of those on this plane and earn back his place in heaven. He thanked them silently as the chariots began to ascend, blurring to great speed as they travelled through worlds and dimensions and time itself. 

And thus did Yayati ascend for the second and final time and achieve moksha for all infinity. Let his story be a lesson for all: the path of dharma is not a means to an end, it is an end unto itself. For when used as a means of gaining some specific goal, even if that goal be to ascend to heaven itself and live among the gods, one can still lose that particular prize and be flung down even from heaven, but those who follow dharma for its own sake and because it is the right path, always achieve their goals because the pursuit of dharma itself is the greatest goal of all.

||paksha four||

the rise of the purus

1

Puru, son of Yayati, sired a line of great kings, resplendent in their power, valour and achievements. Not one blemish marked his lineage. Each was an epitome of kingship. 

Through his wife Poushti, Puru fathered three sons – Pravira, Ishvara and Roudhrashva. Each was a maharatha in his own right. With his wife Shuraseni, Pravira, the eldest, sired their son Manasyu. This lord of the earth, with eyes like blue lotuses, spread his dominion to all the four cardinal directions. Manasyu in turn, with his wife Souviri, had three sons – Subhru, Samhanana and Vagmi. Puru’s youngest son Roudhrashva, through an apsara named Anadhrishti, had ten sons, all great archers, great warriors and each of them in turn had many offspring. Masters of weapons and sacrifices, lords of dharma, their names were Richepu, Kakshepu, Krikanepu, Sthandilyepu, Vanepu, Sthalepu, Tejepu, Satyepu, Dharmepu and Samtanepu. Of these sons of Roudrashva, the eldest named Richepu had a son named King Matinara. Matinara then had four sons – Tamsu, Mahana, Atiratha and Druhyu. The eldest among these, Tamsu, expanded the Puru domains through conquest and valour. His son Ilina continued his work and expanded the domain of the Purus further. Through his wife Rathantari, Ilina fathered five sons, each as illustrious as the five elements – Duhshanta, Shura, Bhima, Pravasu and Vasu. 

Duhshanta was the one who became king and we have already heard the story of how he and Shakuntala engendered Bharata, who became king of the Puru nation and gave his name to the subcontinent itself, Bharat. 

Bharata had three wives and nine sons from them. But none of his nine sons were suitable to succeed him on the throne. Bharata was vexed and dissatisfied. He undertook a great sacrifice conducted by the sage Bharadvaja and by the sage’s grace, a son was produced named Bhumanyu. In that age, it was acceptable for a sage to be invited to sire a son upon the lawful wife of a king. Bharata acknowledged Bhumanyu as his own son and installed him as heir apparent. In time Bhumanyu had a son named Vitatha and through his wife Pushkarini, he has five more sons named Suhotra, Suhota, Suhavi, Sujaya and Richika. Suhotra succeeded Bhumanyu to the throne and performed many sacrifices, both royal and horse rituals. He waged such epic campaigns and extended the borders of the Kuru nation so far and wide that the earth itself seemed to be oppressed by the massess of elephants, horses, chariots and soldiers he sent out to all corners of the world. He was a just and wise king who ruled in perfect accordance with dharma. Bharat-kaand, the land of the Purus, flourished under his rule. Crops were plentiful, people prospered and all seemed blessed by the gods themselves. 

In time, Suhotra through his wife Aikshvaki fathered three sons – Ajamidha, Sumidha and Purumidha. Ajamidha went on to sire six sons from three wives – from his wife Dhumini, he had Rikhsa, from Nili he had Duhshanta and Paramehshti, and from Keshini he had Jahnu, Jana and Rupina. Duhshanta and Paramehshti went on to establish the clan of the Panchalas on earth. Jahnu established the Kushika clan. 

Riksha, being the eldest, succeeded Suhotra to the throne and produced the heir apparent, Samvarna. During the reign of Samvarna, the earth was struck by a great calamity. Famine, plague, drought, disease, every imaginable plight befell the Puru race and the Bharata nation. Taking cognizance of their weakness, their enemies descended upon them with fourfold armies. Prime among these were Samvarna’s own brothers and cousins who felt they had a right to the throne. The Panchalas proved most powerful of these and with the use of ten akshohinis, they defeated the Purus in battle. Fearing for his life, King Samvarna fled with his wife, sons, advisors and friends. Taking shelter in the forest on the banks of the river Sindhu, these survivors of the Bharata race lived in virtual exile for a thousand years. 

The great Brahmarishi Vashishta came to hear of their plight and visited them in the forest. They dutifully paid homage to him and showed him great respect and adulation, offering him lavish gifts. After staying with them for eight years, King Samvarana requested him to become their official preceptor and aid them in recovering their lawful domains. 

Vashishta replied with a single word: ‘Om.’

Effortlessly, he reinstated the Paurava, King Samvarana, upon the throne of the Bharata empire, declaring him to be lord of all kshatriyas on earth. The proclamation went forth throughout the world like the song of the vishana. Thus were the Puru race returned to their homestead and the Bharatas re-established. 

Once established firmly, King Samvarana, son of Ajamidha then embarked on a new campaign of conquests to demonstrate his superiority and strength. He performed a great many sacrifices and gifted away great stores of alms. 

In time, through his wife Tapati daughter of Surya, Samvarana sired a son named Kuru. 

Kuru grew up to be a great man and a noble king. Learned in dharma and greatly respected by his subjects, he was also a great ascetic and keeper of vows. It was through his great austerities that he was able to convert an arid plain into the proud land later known as Kurujangala. It was here that Kurukshetra was established. 

Through his supremely intelligent wife Vahini, Kuru fathered five sons – Ashvavana, Abhishyanta, Chitraratha, Muni and Janamajaya. The eldest, Ashvavana, begot eight sons in turn - Parikshit, Shabalashva, Abhiraja, Viraja, Shalmali, Uchchaishrava, Bhadrakara and Jitari. Ashvavana’s eldest son Parikshit then had six sons – Kakshasena, Ugrasena, Chitrasena, Indrasena, Sushena and Bhimasena. Kuru’s youngest son Janamajaya also had eight sons – Dhritarashtra, Pandu, Bahlika, Nishada, Jambunada, Kundodara, Padati and Vasati. It was Janamajaya’s son Dhritarashtra who became king and he in turn had eight sons too – Kundika, Hasti, Vitarka, Kratha, Kundala, Havishrava, Indrabha and Sumanyu. Pratipa had three sons named Devapi, Shantanu and Bahlika. Devapi chose to renounce all possessions and became a hermit. Shantanu and Bahlika inherited the throne in his stead. Many endless generations succeeded them in turn, furthering the Puru race and the Bharata nation, may it stand for all time. 

2

However much one says about the Puru line, it can never be enough to recount all the glorious accomplishments of that great dynasty. Yet, now we come to the series of events that marked the turning point in that great lineage and the greatest crisis in the history of the descendents of Manu, the most terrible conflict ever waged by man against his fellow man. 

These are the events that led to and indirectly or directly caused the great War of the Bharatas. The Maha Bharata. These are the seeds of that war. 

||paksha five||

shantanu and ganga: a love story written on water

1

Mahabhisha was a king of the Ikshwaku clan. Truthful and courageous, he was renowned for having performed one thousand Ashwamedha sacrifices and one hundred Vajpeya sacrifices. For his devotion and sacrifice, he attained entrance to the heavenly realms and was honoured by the devas. 

One day, the devas, accompanied by many rajarshis including King Mahabhisha, went to pay homage to Lord Brahma. Ganga, queen of all rivers on earth, also came to pay her respects. As always she was clad in a flimsy garment as white as moonlight. Just as she presented herself before Brahma, a wind blew away her insubstantial vastra and she was left completely exposed. Embarrassed, all present averted their faces, except for King Mahabhisha who found himself unable to avoid admiring Ganga’s beauty. He was powerfully aroused by her womanly splendour. Aware of his unabashed gaze, even Ganga felt her emotions stir and was curious as to who this rajarshi might be who dared to look upon her undaunted when even the devas had lowered their eyes. As Mahabhisha continued to stare at her nakedness, completely lost in contemplation of her beauty, Lord Brahma took offense at his rudeness. ‘Shameless one, for this you shall be reborn once again on the earthly realm. But because his sin was only a minor one, the Creator also decreed that once that mortal life was ended, Mahabhisha would once again attain the heavenly realms. Mahabhisha did not protest or object to the punishment, which only increased Ganga’s curiosity. He only asked Brahma-dev, humbly, if he could be born as the son of a great king in his own lineage. After seeking a suitable candidate, he proposed the name of Pratipa. His request was granted and he prepared to descend one last time to the mortal realm to accept his danda without complaint. 

After a last glance at her admirer who had willingly accepted punishment for the simple act of gazing at her, Ganga departed the court of Brahma. 

2

Now, around this time, a similar penalty had been imposed upon the eight Vasus. These divine dwellers in the heavenly realms had committed a grave error and as a result were also cursed to take rebirth in human form on earth for a single lifetime. 

The great Brahmarishi Vashishta, son of Varuna, lived upon Mount Meru, king of mountains. In that idyllic place, he performed his austerities and sacrifices. Needing a plentiful supply of ghee to offer during his sacrifices, he had need of a cow. He appealed to Sage Kashyapa who fathered upon Surabhi, daughter of Daksha, a magical cow capable fulfilling every desire. Despite her magical properties, Vashishta only used the cow sparingly to obtain the milk product he required for his sacrificial offerings. 

One day, the divine Vasus came to Mount Meru. It was common for devas, rajarshis and other divine personages to rove the idyllic forests of Mount Meru. The Vasus came with their wives and made love upon that scenic slope. Afterwards, wandering near the ashram of Vashishta, the wife of Dyou chanced upon the magical cow. Realizing by the power of her own divinity as well as the cow’s extraordinary qualities that it was no common animal, she tested its nature. She was astonished by its powers and rushed back to her husband. Vashishta was away at this time. Urged by his wife, Dyou came to see the cow and was equally amazed by its celestial beauty and powers. He saw the ashram and immediately knew that it was Vashishta’s hermitage. He told his wife, ‘I know of this divine cow. It belongs to Varuna’s son, Vashishta, who lives here. Apart from its ability to produce anything one desires, this creature’s milk grants anyone who drinks it ten thousand years of undiminished youth!’ 

Hearing this, the wife of Dyou was struck by a thought. Her dearest friend Jinnavati, daughter of Rajarshi Ushinara, was the most beautiful young woman and dearly desired to retain her youth and beauty forever. ‘How wonderful it would be if we could give this cow’s milk to her to drink. She would be able to stay young and lovely always!’ The only way to do so would be to take the cow as well as its calf to Jinnavati, in order to draw the milk fresh before drinking. Dyou was hesitant but his wife seduced him with amorous promises and he succumbed. With the help of the eldest Vasu Prithu and their other brothers, they stole the cow and her calf and took her to Jinnavati’s domicile. 

Vashishta had left the ashram to collect fruits. When he returned and found the cow and calf missing, he grew concerned for their welfare. Worried they might have gotten loose of their tethers, he searched for them in the forest. But when he could not find them anywhere, he knew something was amiss. Resorting to his divine sight, he perceived that they had been stolen by the Vasus to please the wife of one of them. Enraged, he cursed the Vasus. As divine beings who had never set foot on earth, the worst punishment possible for them was to be sent down to the mortal realm where they could never enjoy the same powers and pleasures they enjoyed here in heaven. Therefore he cursed them to be reborn in human form for a single lifetime. 

Feeling the effect of the curse, the Vasus raced back to Mount Meru. They prostrated themselves before Vashishta and pleaded for clemency. But for a very long time, he remained adamant. Finally, acknowledging that all of them were not equally responsible for the transgression, he modified his curse. ‘As you only did your brother’s bidding, you will be permitted to return to the heavenly realms after spending a year on earth. But Dyou who was fully aware of his crime shall remain in the world of men for the entire duration of his mortal lifetime. In addition, because he was seduced into committing this crime by promises of amorous pleasure, therefore he shall be denied the pleasure of cohabitation during his time on earth. He shall remain celibate and shall sire no offspring. He may devote himself to the pursuit of dharma in order to learn right from wrong, and attain skill in the use of weapons, remaining always among men and neither gaining pleasure from nor giving satisfaction to women.’ 

3

Remorseful and stricken, the Vasus left the heavenly realms and were making their way to the mortal world when they met Ganga, who had only just departed Brahma’s court. She heard their voices and saw their agitated state and enquired what the matter was. They told her the story. She sympathized with their plight and told them of King Mahabhisa who had just been penalized with the same penalty, albeit for a different reason. 

When the Vasus heard that Mahabhisha was to be reborn as Shantanu, the son of King Pratipa in the great line of Puru and Bharata, they saw an opportunity. ‘Great goddess of the river, grant us your grace. We have never entered the womb of a mortal woman before. Our divinity shall be diminished if we do so now. You are the purest epitome of womanhood in all the worlds. Descend upon earth and allow us to be born as your children.’

Ganga had sympathy for the plight of the Vasus but she was hesitant for one reason. ‘In order to do as you wish, I would have to cohabit with a mortal man. His semen would have to enter my womb.’ 

‘Let the man be this same King Shantanu in whose mortal body Mahabhisha will take rebirth. Shantanu is destined to be a great king and Mahabhisha’s illustriousness is already legendary. We would be honoured to have such a personage sire us in the mortal world.’

Ganga thought of the way Mahabhisha had stared openly and unashamedly at her nakedness in Brahma’s court and also of the powerful emotions that had stirred within herself when she returned his unabashed gaze. There had been a great sharing of erotic energy between them at the time, and she could still feel her loins stir with desire for him. If she consented to help the Vasus, she would have an opportunity to copulate with Mahabhisha in his mortal form as Shantanu, and fulfill her suppressed desires. It would not be for selfish fulfillment but for a righteous cause. 

She agreed to do as the Vasus requested. ‘Very well. I will agree to cohabit with King Shantanu on earth and give birth to you. But once born, you will have to live out your lives as mortal men. Is that acceptable to you?’

The Vasus discussed the matter and said, ‘Seven of us are permitted to return home after spending one year on earth. Therefore, all you need do is to hurl each of your newborn sons into your own waters after birth. Through your divine channel which connects all three worlds, we shall ascend back to heaven. Cruel as this may seem, it is in fact a blessed release, for to stay mortal is greater suffering for us than for the mortal children to be drowned at birth.’ They added wistfully, ‘Only our brother Dryou shall have to remain on earth for the entire span of his mortal life. That is part of the curse.’

‘It is good,’ Ganga said thoughtfully, thinking of Shantanu. ‘Slaying the seven of you may release your souls for ascencion but it deprives Shantanu of his sons. This way, at least one will remain with him to be his heir.’ 

‘It shall be so,’ they agreed, ‘but there are certain conditions. The eighth son cannot have children of his own or mate with any woman.’

Ganga nodded sadly. ‘If that is what the curse demands, so be it.’

4

King Pratipa was a deeply devout man. He spent every moment he could spare in meditation. His favourite spot was a certain place on the banks of the Ganga. One day while he sat cross-legged, lost in silent contemplation, Ganga rose in human form. Emerging from the river in droplets and spray that coalesced to form the shape and solidity of a human woman, she stepped onto the bank and approached Pratipa. So absorbed was he in meditation, he did not notice her approach. So she sat on his right thigh. 

Opening his eyes, Pratipa was unperturbed by this sudden appearance of a beautiful woman. As a king and a warrior he had seen and experienced all the ways of the world. He asked Ganga kindly, ‘Bhagyavaan, what is your desire?’ 

Ganga replied coyly, ‘I desire you, great king. Take me and love me. I offer myself freely of my own will. I am brimming with desire and cannot be spurned.’

Any other man might well have accepted her without question or further comment, but Pratipa was a spiritual man more concerned with seeking the delights of the soul than the pleasures of the flesh. ‘Lady, you are beautiful and desirable. But I do not know you. I cannot cohabit with any woman without knowing her in some detail. It would be against my dharma.’

Ganga replied, ‘Not with me. Making love to me can never be forbidden or against dharma. This much I assure you. I bear no ill will or malice towards you, and have no ulterior motives. I genuinely desire union with you. Love me as I wish to love you.’

But still Pratipa resisted temptation. ‘In that case, you are greatly desirable, that I cannot deny. But alas, you have chosen to seat yourself on my right thigh. That is reserved for daughters, daughters-in-law and grand-daughters. If you desired to have pleasure with me, you should have seated yourself on my left thigh as that is the proper place for a lover to seat herself. This choice suggests that it is not appropriate for us to cohabit, no matter how great your desires. It would most certainly be against dharma and I cannot condone that.’

Ganga was not disappointed despite the rejection, for she had known all along what she was doing. ‘O king, you say the right thigh is the proper seat for a daughter-in-law. Therefore make me your daughter-in-law. Unite me with your son. I am sure a king as magnificent as you are in appearance and wisdom will have an equally illustrious son. It would be my privilege to mate with him and add my contribution to the famous Bharata line.’

‘So be it,’ said Pratipa gladly. ‘However, wise and insightful as you are, you must also know that I have no son and heir as yet.’

‘I do know this,’ Ganga admitted. ‘Yet I am of divine nature and can wait as long as need be without aging or losing my beauty. Therefore I shall gladly wait until you sire a son, for I have decided that he alone shall satisfy my desires. Whenever you have a son and he becomes of marriageable age, bring him here to this very spot and I shall appear to offer myself as his mate. I shall bear him many sons and enhance the reputation and glory of your dynasty, of this you can be assured.’

‘It shall be as you say, divine one,’ Pratipa said, understanding that his lineage was being blessed by a being of great power. 

Ganga rose to leave, then paused and turned briefly. ‘King Pratipa, I ask only that you do not reveal my divine nature to your son. Do not tell him who I am, even if you suspect the truth yourself. Also tell him that if he wishes me to bless your bloodline then he must never question what I do, no matter what the circumstances. These are the only two conditions I lay upon you. If they are acceptable to you, then know that your descendents shall be blessed with divine power and fame as a result of this union.’

Pratipa accepted all her conditions and watched as she walked slowly from the bank onto the rushing waters of the river. She stepped across the raging surface of the Ganga as if she were stepping on kusa grass. Dolphins leaped and sang in greeting, turtles swam around her in homage and her power over the river was evident. When she was in mid-river, her body itself turned to water and fell back into the spate from whence it had come, leaving only her clear grey eyes lingering in mid air for a moment. Then they too melted into spray and were absorbed by the river. The sound of the Ganga’s roar filled Pratipa’s ears once more and in its steady torrent, he recognized the voice of the beautiful stranger who had accosted him. But he kept this knowledge of her divinity and true identity a secret within his heart for all time and spoke of it to no one. 

In time, Pratipa and his wife performed austerities to obtain the blessing of an heir. Despite their advanced age a son was born to them. This was in fact Mahabhisha reborn under the terms of his danda. Pratipa’s son came to be known as Shantanu, because he was created after his father had achieved the state of quietude, Shanti, and gained control of his senses. Indeed, the moment he knew he had a son and heir, Pratipa began preparing him for kingship, and himself for retirement. Shantanu grew up to become a magnificent young prince, intelligent, well-versed in the Vedas and shastras, an expert archer. When he was of age, his father summoned him to the throne chamber and sent away everyone else.