Maha-bharata Part 12

Hark! within the sacred chamber, where the priests in white attire With libations morn and evening feed the sacrificial fire,

And o'er sacred rights of _homa_ Brahmans chant their _mantra_ high, There is heard the jackal's wailing and the raven's ominous cry!

Wise Vidura knew that omen, and the Queen Gandhari knew, Bhishma muttered "_svasti! svasti!_" at this portent strange and new,

Drona and preceptor Kripa uttered too that holy word, Spake her fears the Queen Gandhari to her spouse and royal lord.

Dhrita-rashtra heard and trembled with a sudden holy fear, And his feeble accents quavered, and his eyes were dimmed by tear:

"Son Duryodhan, ever luckless, G.o.dless, graceless, witless child, Hast thou Drupad's virtuous daughter thus insulted and reviled,

Hast thou courted death and danger, for destruction clouds our path?

May an old man's soft entreaties still avert this sign of wrath!"

Slow and gently to Draupadi was the sightless monarch led, And in kind and gentle accents unto her the old man said:

"n.o.blest empress, dearest daughter, good Yudhishthir's stainless wife, Purest of the Kuru ladies, nearest to my heart and life,

Pardon wrong and cruel insult and avert the wrath of Heaven, Voice thy wish and ask for blessing, be my son's misdeed forgiven!"

Answered him the fair Draupadi: "Monarch of the Kuru's line, For thy grace and for thy mercy every joy on earth be thine!

Since thou bid'st me name my wishes, this the boon I ask of thee, That my gracious lord Yudhishthir once again be bondage-free!

I have borne a child unto him, n.o.ble boy and fair and brave, Be he prince of royal station, not the son of bounden slave!

Let not light unthinking children point to him in utter scorn, Call him slave and _dasaputra_, of a slave and bondsman born!"

"Virtuous daughter, have thy wishes," thus the ancient monarch cried, "Name a second boon and blessing, and it shall be gratified."

"Grant me then, O gracious father! mighty Bhima, Arjun brave, And the youngest twin-born brothers,--none of them may be a slave!

With their arms and with their chariots let the n.o.ble princes part, Freemen let them range the country, strong of hand and stout of heart!"

"Be it so, high-destined princess!" ancient Dhrita-rashtra cried, "Name another boon and blessing, and it shall be gratified,

Foremost of my queenly daughters, dearest-cherished and the best, Meeting thus thy gentle wishes now I feel my house is blest!"

"Not so," answered him the princess, "other boon I may not seek, Thou art bounteous, and Draupadi should be modest, wise and meek,

Twice I asked, and twice you granted, and a Kshatra asks no more, Unto Brahmans it is given, asking favours evermore!

Now my lord and warlike brothers, from their hateful bondage freed, Seek their fortune by their prowess and by brave and virtuous deed!"

V

The Banishment

Now Yudhishthir 'reft of empire, far from kinsmen, hearth and home, With his wife and faithful brothers must as houseless exiles roam.

Parting blessings spake Yudhishthir, "Elder of the Kuru line, n.o.ble grandsire stainless Bhishma, may thy glories ever shine!

Drona priest and great preceptor, saintly Kripa true and brave, Kuru's monarch Dhrita-rashtra, may the G.o.ds thy empire save!

Good Vidura true and faithful, may thy virtue serve thee well!

Warlike sons of Dhrita-rashtra, let me bid you all farewell!"

So he spake unto his kinsmen, wishing good for evil done, And in silent shame they listened, parting words they uttered none!

Pained at heart was good Vidura, and he asked in sore distress: "_Arya_ Pritha, will she wander in the pathless wilderness?

Royal-born, unused to hardship, weak and long unused to roam, Aged is thy saintly mother, let fair Pritha stay at home.

And by all beloved, respected, in my house shall Pritha dwell, Till your years of exile over, ye shall greet her safe and well."

Answered him the sons of Pandu: "Be it even as you say, Unto us thou art a father, we thy sacred will obey,

Give us then thy holy blessings, friend and father, ere we part, Blessings from the true and righteous brace the feeble, fainting heart."

Spake Vidura, pious-hearted: "Best of Bharat's ancient race, Let me bless thee and thy brothers, souls of truth and righteous grace!

Fortune brings no weal to mortals who may win by wicked wile, Sorrow brings no shame to mortals who are free from sin and guile!

Thou art trained in laws of duty, Arjun is unmatched in war, And on Bhima in the battle kindly shines his faithful star,

And the Twins excel in wisdom, born to rule a mighty State, Fair Draupadi, ever faithful, wins the smiles of fickle Fate!

Each with varied gifts endowed, each beloved of one and all, Ye shall win a s.p.a.cious empire, greater, mightier, after fall.

This your exile, good Yudhishthir, is ordained to serve your weal, Is a trial and _samadhi_, for it chastens but to heal!

Meru taught thee righteous maxims where Himalay soars above, And in Varnavata's forest Vyasa taught thee holy love,

Rama preached the laws of duty far on Bhrigu's lofty hill, Sambhu showed the 'way' where floweth Drisad-vati's limpid rill,

Fell from lips of saint Asita, words of wisdom deep and grave, Bhrigu touched with fire thy bosom by the dark Kalmashi's wave,

Now once more the teaching cometh, purer, brighter, oftener taught, Learn the truth from heavenly Narad, happy is thy mortal lot!

Greater than the son of Ila, than the kings of earth in might, Holier than the holy _rishis_, be thou in thy virtue bright!

INDRA help thee in thy battles, proud subduer of mankind, YAMA in the mightier duty, in the conquest of thy mind!

Good KUVERA teach thee kindness, hungry and the poor to feed, King VARNUA quell thy pa.s.sions, free thy heart from sin and greed!

Like the Moon in holy l.u.s.tre, like the Earth in patience deep, Like the Sun be full of radiance, strong like wind's resistless sweep!

In thy sorrow, in affliction, ever deeper lessons learn, Righteous be your life in exile, happy be your safe return!